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1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup peanut butter (smooth or chunky)
4 tablespoons ( 1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, cut into chunks
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, whisk together flour and baking soda; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat peanut butter, butter, and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla, and beat until smooth. With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture, beating just until combined. Stir in chocolate chunks.
3. Drop dough by heaping tablespoons, 1 inch apart, onto two large baking sheets. Bake until golden, 13 to 15 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool.
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FOR THE BATTER
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup sour cream
FOR THE FROSTING
1 3/4 cups sugar
3 large egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
FOR THE CHOCOLATE COATING
2 cups chopped (about 12 ounces) semisweet chocolate
3 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in center. Prepare the batter: Place chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl, and set it over a medium saucepan of barely simmering water; stir chocolate until melted and smooth. Remove bowl from heat, and set aside to cool slightly.
2, Meanwhile, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar on medium speed, scraping sides of bowl as needed, until light and fluffy. On low speed, mix in melted chocolate. Increase speed to medium, and add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla, and beat until mixture is creamy and color has lightened slightly, about 1 minute. Mix in sour cream. On low speed, add half of reserved flour mixture, beating until just incorporated. Mix in 1/2 cup water. Add remaining flour mixture, and mix until just incorporated.
4. Line a cupcake pan with paper liners. Fill each liner with enough batter to come 1/8 inch from top, about 1/3 cup. Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until tops are firm and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer cupcakes to a wire rack to cool in pan for 10 minutes.
5. Use a small knife to loosen any tops stuck to the pan. Carefully invert cupcakes onto the wire rack. Turn cupcakes right side up, and let cool completely.
6. Prepare the frosting: In a large heatproof bowl, combine sugar, 1/4 cup water, egg whites, and cream of tartar. Using a handheld electric mixer, beat on high speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Set bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Beat on high speed until frosting forms stiff peaks, about 12 minutes; frosting should register 160 degrees.on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla and almond extracts, and beat for 2 minutes more until frosting thickens.
7. Transfer frosting to a large pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain pastry tip. Leaving a 1/8-inch border on each cupcake, pipe a spiral of frosting into a 2-inch-high cone shape, using about 1/2 cup of frosting per cupcake. Transfer cupcakes to a baking sheet, and refrigerate while preparing the chocolate coating.
8. Prepare the chocolate coating: Combine chocolate and oil in a medium heat-proof bowl set over a medium saucepan of barely simmering water; stir until melted and smooth. Transfer to a small bowl, and let cool about 15 minutes.
9. Holding each cupcake by its bottom, dip cupcake in the chocolate to coat frosting, allowing excess to drip off. Transfer to a baking sheet fitted with a wire rack. Spoon more coating around edge of cupcake and any exposed frosting; none of the frosting should show. Let cupcakes stand at room temperature 15 minutes.
10. Carefully remove paper liners from cupcakes, and discard. Place cupcakes on a serving platter, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to let coating set. Cover, and refrigerate for 2 hours more. Serve cold. Cupcakes can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Read more at Marthastewart.com
50g ground almonds
140g icing sugar
2 large egg whites
1tbsp caster sugar
pink food colouring paste
for the filling:
100g plain chocolate; broken up
50g butter
142ml double cream
1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/fan170°C/gas 5. Line 2 large baking trays with non-stick baking paper.
2. Sieve the ground almonds and icing sugar together into a large bowl. Put the egg whites into a separate bowl, and using an electric hand whisk, beat to soft peaks.
3. Add the caster sugar, and whisk until glossy. Fold into the almond and icing sugar mixture, along with a very small amount of the pink food colouring. Mix until just combined and evenly pink – the mixture will reduce as the air bubbles in the meringue burst.
4. Put the mixture into a disposable piping bag, snip off 1cm from the end. Pipe small blobs (about 1 heaped teaspoon each) onto the baking paper, spaced apart, so you have about 50 in total. Set aside for 10 minutes to dry – this is important as it gives the macaroons the correct texture. Bake for 5 minutes, then turn the whole sheet of paper over – the macaroons will be stuck so won’t fall off. Bake for another 4 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool.
5. Peel off the baking paper from the macaroons, then sandwich 2 together with a tiny blob of filling in the centre. Repeat to give you 25 in total.
*tips: Cook the macaroons on the middle and top shelves of the oven, and swap the trays around once the macaroons have been flipped over. Store the macaroons in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
125g (4oz) butter
2 medium onions, finely chopped
250g (8oz) cottage cheese
250g (8oz) Cheddar cheese, grated
250g (8oz) cornmeal
450g tin cream-style sweet corn
300ml (½ pint) milk
6 eggs, separated
1. Preheat the oven to Gas 6, 200°C, fan 180°C. Grease a baking tin, about 25 x 33cm (10 x 13in), and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon flour. Shake to remove the excess.
2. In a frying pan heat 50g (2oz) of the butter and sauté the onions until softened. Set aside. Cream the remaining butter and add to the cottage cheese, blending thoroughly. Add the Cheddar cheese and the onions.
3. In another bowl combine the cornmeal, corn and milk, and mix thoroughly. Combine the corn mixture with the cheese mixture, blending thoroughly.
4. Beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks and beat the yolks separately. Combine the two and stir them into the cornmeal and cheese mixture. Pour the batter into the baking tin. Bake for 45 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.
250g (8oz) couscous
250ml (8fl oz) vegetable stock
juice of 1 lemon
2 roasted red peppers from a jar
150g (5oz) cherry tomatoes, halved
½ cucumber, diced
240g pack halloumi cheese, cut into 6-8 slices
50g bag rocket leaves
1. Place the couscous in a bowl, pour over the hot stock and lemon juice, cover and leave to stand for 5 minutes, until all the liquid has been adsorbed.
2. Meanwhile, drain and roughly slice the red peppers and add to the couscous, along with the cherry tomatoes and diced cucumber.
3. Heat a griddle pan or barbecue. Cook the halloumi for about 2 minutes on each side, until lightly browned. Serve on top of the couscous with the rocket leaves.
