Peanut Butter Cup Cupcake Recipe

 Ingredients

• Chocolate Cake:
• 1 cup Dutch process cocoa
• 2 cups boiling water
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups superfine sugar
• 4 large eggs $
• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose soft-wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon chocolate extract
• Paper baking cups
• Vegetable cooking spray
• Chocolate Ganache:
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
• Peanut Butter Frosting:
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter $
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup whipping cream
• Toppings:
• Miniature peanut butter candies, cut in half

Preparation

1. To prepare Chocolate Cake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine cocoa and 2 cups boiling water in a large heatproof bowl, stirring until blended and smooth; cool completely. Beat butter with a mixer until creamy; gradually add sugar, beating until blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Combine flour and next 3 ingredients; add to butter mixture alternately with cocoa mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir in chocolate extract.
2. Place paper baking cups in 2 (12-cup) muffin pans, and coat with cooking spray; spoon batter into cups, filling two-thirds full. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans, and cool completely.
3. To prepare Chocolate Ganache, cook cream in a heavy nonaluminum saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, just until it begins to steam (do not boil); remove from heat. Place chocolate in a glass bowl. Slowly add hot cream to chocolate, beating with a whisk until chocolate melts and mixture is well blended. The mixture will thicken as it cools. Makes about 2 cups.
4. Fill each cupcake with Ganache. To fill: Insert the end of a wooden spoon or dowel into the center of the cupcake to make a hole. Fill a zip-top plastic freezer bag with filling or frosting. Use scissors or kitchen shears to snip about 1/4 inch from one corner of the bag; insert bag into the hole in the cupcake. Squeeze gently until filling comes to the top of each cupcake.
5. To prepare Peanut Butter Frosting, beat butter and peanut butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add half of powdered sugar, beating at low speed until blended. Add 1/4 cup cream, beating until creamy. Add remaining powdered sugar, beating until blended. If necessary, add more cream, beating at high speed 2 minutes or until creamy. Makes 3 cups. Frost each cupcake using metal tip number 12.
6. Drizzle each with warm Chocolate Ganache, and top with half of a peanut butter cup.

Source: My Recipes
http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/peanut-butter-cup-cupcakes-00420000006363/

Peach-and-Toasted Pecan Ice Cream Recipe

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/8 teaspoon table salt
• 2 cups milk $
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 egg yolk $
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste*
• 1 cup peeled and coarsely chopped peaches
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Preparation

1. 1. Whisk together first 3 ingredients in a large heavy saucepan. Gradually whisk in milk and whipping cream. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, 10 to 12 minutes or until mixture thickens slightly. Remove from heat.
2. 2. Whisk egg yolk until slightly thickened. Gradually whisk about 1 cup hot cream mixture into yolk. Add yolk mixture to remaining cream mixture, whisking constantly. Whisk in vanilla bean paste. Cool 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
3. 3. Meanwhile, cook peaches and corn syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, 4 to 5 minutes. Coarsely mash, and let cool 30 minutes. Stir peach mixture into cooled cream mixture.
4. 4. Place plastic wrap directly on cream mixture, and chill 8 to 24 hours.
5. 5. Meanwhile, melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat; add pecans, and cook, stirring constantly, 8 to 9 minutes or until toasted and fragrant. Remove from heat, and sprinkle with 1/4 tsp. kosher salt. Cool completely (about 30 minutes).
6. 6. Pour chilled cream mixture into freezer container of a 1 1/2-qt. electric ice-cream maker, and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. (Instructions and time may vary.) Before transferring ice cream to an airtight container for further freezing, stir in pecan mixture.
7. *Vanilla extract may be substituted.

Source: My Recipes
http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/peach-and-toasted-pecan-ice-cream-10000001997569/

The Hunger Games - Recipes from Panem: Saffron and Golden Raisin Breakfast Bread

Bread

Katniss and those around her repeatedly give thanks for bread, starting with Gale’s quick-thinking trade the morning of the reaping and ending with a much-needed gift from midair. We can easily say that we’d trade a squirrel for this mouthwatering loaf. 

 

 

Ingredients

• 1/4 teaspoon saffron threads
• 2 teaspoons warm water
• 3 egg yolks
• 3/4 cup warm water (75° to 85°)
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 (12-ounce) package bread machine country white bread mix (we tested with Fleischmann's)
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 tablespoon water
• Turbinado sugar

Preparation

1. Combine saffron and 2 teaspoons water in a small bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Place saffron mixture, 2 egg yolks, 3/4 cup warm water, and next 5 ingredients, including yeast packet from bread mix) in a bread machine. Set bread machine to "dough" setting according to manufacturer's instructions; start machine.
2. When dough cycle is complete, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead several times. Form dough into a loaf, and place in a greased 9" x 5" loafpan. Let dough rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
3. Combine remaining egg yolk with 1 tablespoon water. Brush top of loaf with egg wash, and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
4. Bake at 350º for 32 minutes or until golden. Remove from pan, and cool completely on a wire rack.
5. Mini Breakfast Breads: Divide dough into 3 portions. Form into 3 small loaves, and place in 3 greased 5 3/4" x 3 1/4" loafpans. Continue with recipe, letting dough rise 40 minutes and baking mini loaves at 350° for 20 minutes or until golden. Yield: 3 loaves.
6. Note: We recommend cooling this loaf on its side on a wire rack. This helps the loaf maintain its shape.

Source: My Recipes
http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/saffron-golden-raisin-breakfast-bread-10000001923739/ 

The Hunger Games - Recipes from Panem: Thin French Apple Tart

Apples
Hunting outside of your district is illegal, but the brave few who sought fall's first apples would be richly rewarded if they could make them into this simple dessert. Perhaps the town baker could provide a worthy substitute for the pie crust.

Thin French Apple Tart Recipe

Ingredients:
1/2 (15-ounce) package refrigerated pie dough (such as Pillsbury)
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 pounds Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
2 1/2 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 425°.

Place dough on a lightly floured surface; roll into a 12-inch circle. Place on a 12-inch pizza pan. Combine sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon sugar mixture over dough. Arrange apple slices spokelike on top of dough, working from outside edge of dough to the center. Sprinkle apple slices with remaining sugar mixture.

Bake at 425° for 30 minutes. Combine honey and vanilla in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at high 40 seconds. Brush honey mixture over warm tart. Serve warm.

Source: My Recipes
http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/thin-french-apple-tart-10000000592298/

The Hunger Games - Recipes from Panem: Herbed Goat Cheese Bites

Goat Cheese
Prim, Katniss' little sister, helped the family survive thanks to the milk from her pet goat. The morning of reaping day, Katniss wakes to find goat cheese wrapped in fresh basil leaves. Bring this delicious appetizer (or breakfast treat!) to your table in one-bite form. We bet the mint leaves in this appetizer would remind Katniss of evenings at home.

Herbed Goat Cheese Bites Recipe

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon fresh flat-leaf thyme leaves
1 tablespoon fresh parsley leaves
1 tablespoon fresh tarragon leaves
1 tablespoon fresh mint leaves
1 (8-oz.) goat cheese log
1 (8-oz.) French bread baguette, cut into
1/4-inch-thick slices
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves

Combine and finely chop first 4 ingredients. Roll cheese log evenly in herb mixture; wrap in plastic wrap. Chill at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours.

Preheat oven to 350°. Drizzle baguette slices with olive oil. Gently press slices into 24 muffin cups in muffin pans.

Bake at 350° for 7 to 9 minutes or until crisp and lightly browned. Remove from oven; let cool in pans 5 minutes. Spread goat cheese into baguette cups; top with sun-dried tomatoes and basil leaves.

Source: My Recipes
http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/herbed-goat-cheese-bites-10000001867519/