The Good

Pretzel Rolls!

I got nostalgic for Germany, and used to stop off at the bakery every day to pick one of these delicious little rolls. If I couldn’t go to Germany, I would bring a little piece of Germany to me. So I did. I’ll post my recipe later, but I just want to warn you. It’s delicious.

Margarita Cheesecake

I filled this little cake with tequila. The cake tasted like a delicious cheesecake with a little burn as it slid down your throat. It was like throwing back tequila shots, except you needed to chew it first… It was topped with
a tequila whipped cream that was so strong, liking the bowl afterwards got me drunk. Sort of…

Maybe…

Okay, maybe not…

…..

I’ve been busy celebrating holidays, birthdays, and visiting friends. There was a boy mixed in there but he turned out to be an asshole so I’m moving up and moving on.

The Bad

I wouldn’t say there have been bad things per se, but I really do not enjoy my job. I’ve been applying to other jobs, going on interviews but I’m still stuck in the horribleness of my current one. I just had an interview on Thursday, so let’s hope I hear some good news soon. I think if I go on one more interview, my current job will say goodbye because I’ve missed so much work going on interviews…

But that can be considered a good and a bad thing…

I have a weakness for Root Beer. I think it’s because of the memories it holds for me. Growing up, my grandparents had a house up in Maine, and every summer, we’d drive up on Friday afternoon and come home Sunday night. It’s where I learned how to row a boat, shoot a pistol, and shoot a bow and arrow, and more importantly, learned of my love for Root Beer.

So when my father surprised me with Root Beer Extract, I knew exactly what I was going to use it for.

These cupcakes are extremely light, but full of that amazing Root Beer flavor. These cupcakes were devoured by the of the day. The only downside I must say, they were a little time consuming, especially because the frosting takes a little bit of time because of the separation and the two flavors.

For the two toned frosting, it can be a little intimidating if you’ve never done it before, and you might use more frosting for testing than you wanted to, but the results are amazing, and you’ll get everyone asking how you did it!

Root Beer Cupcakes

For the Frosting:

• 1 1/2 Stick(s) softened butter
• 4 Cup(s) powdered sugar
• 1 Tablespoon(s) vanilla extract
• 2 Tablespoon(s) milk
• 1/2 Teaspoon(s) Root Beer Extract

1. Cream butter until smooth.
2. On low, add powdered sugar, one cup at a time.
3. Add milk and vanilla and mix until incorporated.
4. Separate a little more than half the frosting and set aside.
5. Mix in root beer extract in the rest of the leftover frosting.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/8 Cup(s) flour
• 1/4 Cup(s) cocoa powder
• 1 1/4 Teaspoon(s) baking soda
• 3/4 Cup(s) light brown sugar
• 1 Egg
• 1 Teapsoon(s) vanilla extract
• 2 Teapsoon(s) Root Beer extract
• 1/3 Cup(s) Root Beer
• 1/2 Cup(s) + 1 Tablespoon(s) Heavy Cream
• 1/2 Cup(s) melted butter
• 2 Tablespoon(s) Sour Cream

1. Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.
2. Whisk egg and sugar until smooth.
3. Add cream, butter, vanilla and mix until combined.
4. Stir in sour cream.
5. Sift dry ingredients together and add to wet ingredients.
6. Add Root Beer concentrate and Root Beer soda and mix until smooth.
7. Fill liners a little over 1/2.
8. Bake for about 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out smooth.

How to Frost:

1. Fill pastry bag with Root Beer frosting and insert tip into center of cooled cupcake and fill slightly.
2. Fill two pastry bags about half full, one with Root Beer frosting, the other with Vanilla frosting. Insert both bags into an empty pastry bag, and squeeze until you see both frostings come out.
3. Frost cupcakes as desired with two tone frosting.

Source: Adapted from How Sweet It Is and Cupcake Project

Before I dig into the recipe, let me give you a little back story on my culinary history. I moved to Phoenix in 2009 and befriended a girl who loved to cook just as much as I did. So whenever we hung out, we cooked. And we hung out a lot.

Like, a lot.

Then when I relocated back to Boston, I kept on cooking, or more specifically, baking. I took a class at RISD on developing a signature cupcake flavor and it only added fuel to my growing hobby.

Then I started working for a bookstore chain, thus got a discount on everything in the store. I spent most of my paychecks buying books and I built up my library with celebrity cookbooks, themed cookbooks but mostly dessert cookbooks.

This is where I got this delicious recipe!

I had first made these carrot cupcakes when a friend asked me to make them for her husband for their anniversary back in February. They’re light, fluffy and full of flavor.

This cupcake is the perfect compliment to a cup of hot caramel apple cider on a cool night. Picture it.

As always, cupcakes taste best fresh, however they can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days!

Carrot Cupcakes

For the cupcakes:

• 1 cup flour
• 1 Teaspoon baking soda
• 1 Teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 Large eggs
• 1 Cup granulated sugar
• 2/3 Cup canola oil
• 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 Teaspoons orange zest
• 1 Cup finely chopped carrots

For the frosting:

• 1 Stick butter, softened
• 6 Ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 Cups powdered sugar
• 1 Teaspoon orange extract

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Sift flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon into a medium sized bowl and set aside.
3. Beat sugar and eggs until smooth.
4. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and slowly mix in canola oil, vanilla extract and orange zest until well blended.
5. Mix in dry ingredients until well blended.
6. Mix in carrots.
7. Fill each liner about 2/3 full and bake for about 25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.

1. For the frosting, beat butter and cream cheese and vanilla extract until light and fluffy.
2. Add in the powdered sugar, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, making sure it’s well incorporated.
3. Add in orange extract and mix until incorporated.

Source: Adapted from Cupcakes!

A few weeks ago a man had called me and ordered a bunch of cupcakes for his wife’s birthday. After making all of the cupcakes for him, I had a lot of ingredients left over. One of those leftover ingredients are Oreo Cookies.

I love Oreo Cookies (who doesn’t??) and my willpower isn’t as strong as I’d like it to be when they’re around me. So to get rid of temptation, I decided to try and redefine them. I found this recipe and tried to see how I can make it my own.

I love chocolate too, I should mention.

I also had to restrain myself from pouring milk all over this, and eating it like a cereal:

Want to hear a little story? No? You’re gonna hear it anyways. I have a twin brother. And when we were younger, we were competitive. We used to have Oreo Cookie eating contests. We’d take six Oreos and place them in a large bowl, pour milk over them, let them sit for 30 seconds and then see who could clean the bowl out first.

I never won.

But back to these cookies! As I was scooping them out onto the pan, I couldn’t help but think how awesome it would be to freeze some, and then dip them in chocolate. Can you imagine the deliciousness that that would hold? I can’t even comprehend.

After cooking for a handful of minutes, they come out looking like this:

Ingredients:

• 2 sticks softened butter
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1 cup cocoa powder
• 1 package Oreo Cookies

Cooking Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Put the Oreo Cookies in a Ziploc bag and then take a meat hammer and crush them. You can finely crush them or you can leave chunks, it’s up to you!
3. Cream the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Add in one egg at a time, making sure they’re mixed well in between, then add in the vanilla.
4. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, cocoa powder and baking soda. Slowly add it to the batter until incorporated.
5. Turn the mixer down to low and add in the chocolate chips and Oreo Cookies. Scoop the cookies out onto cookie sheets and bake for about 10 minutes!

To die for right?

You can enjoy the tower with a tall glass of milk to match it.

]]> http://emily-rose.net/cookies-n-cream-2/feed/ 1 http://emily-rose.net/hannahcakes/ http://emily-rose.net/hannahcakes/#comments Sat, 12 Nov 2011 21:16:10 +0000 Emily http://emily-rose.net/?p=975

This little cupcake has it all. It looks great and tastes great. I have made tons and tons of chocolate cupcakes but never white chocolate.

So when my friend had her baby (I was living in Germany at the time), and I missed out on the baby shower, the birth, and the welcome home, I knew I wanted to make her something special. Her favorite flavor combinations are white chocolate and raspberry so I thought I’d incorporate both flavors into a cupcake, so she could enjoy this cake individually after a long day of taking care of a newborn!

I wasn’t sure how to incorporate the white chocolate at first. I had found white chocolate powder online but for a boatload of money, that I didn’t want to spend. If I had melted chocolate, I wasn’t sure how the consistency of the cake would turn out. But since the white chocolate powder was about $17 a box, I decided to try to melt the chocolate. Turns out it didn’t change the consistency and the taste was phenomenal!

They can be a little time consuming, but the results are amazing!

Frosting:

• 8 large egg whites, at room temperature
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. raspberry extract
• Pink food gel coloring

For the frosting, combine egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar in the top of a double boiler. Heat the mixture, whisking frequently, until it reaches 160° F with a thermometer. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer and whisk starting at low speed and gradually increasing to medium-high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form. Mix in the vanilla and raspberry until combined. Add in the food gel, a little goes a long way!

Puree:

• 1 cup fresh raspberries
• 1 cup sugar

Combine in a blender under mixed, and then strain through a sieve to get rid of the seeds.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 Cup(s) all purpose flour
• 1 Teaspoon(s) baking powder
• 1/2 Teaspoon(s) salt
• 1/3 Cup(s) butter, softened
• 3/4 Cup(s) sugar
• 2 Large eggs
• 6 Ounce(s) white chocolate chips, melted
• 1 Teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
• 1 Cup(s) + 1 Tablespoon(s) milk

Cooking Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 325F.
2. In a medium bowl, sift together flour and baking powder.
3. Cream together butter and sugar until fluffy.
4. Beat in eggs one at a time, followed by melted white chocolate and vanilla extract.
5. Alternate between incorporating the milk and dry ingredients, making sure each is combined.
6. Fill liners 2/3 full and bake for 20-23 minutes until a tester comes out clean.
7. Put puree in a clean, dry squeeze bottle and press the nozzle into the center of a cooled cupcake and squeeze gently.
8. Frost as desired.

Loosely adapted from this recipe.

]]> http://emily-rose.net/hannahcakes/feed/ 0 http://emily-rose.net/homemade-baileys-irish-cream/ http://emily-rose.net/homemade-baileys-irish-cream/#comments Sat, 29 Oct 2011 14:39:05 +0000 Emily http://emily-rose.net/?p=947



I found this recipe and knew that I just had to try it. I love, love, love Bailey’s Irish Creme, and use it in my baking as well as in my drinks!

And it’s seriously so much easier than I thought.

Homemade Irish Cream

• 1 Cup(s) Heavy Cream
• 14 oz (1 can) sweetened condensed milk
• 1 2/3 Cup(s) Irish whiskey
• 1 Teaspoon(s) brewed coffee
• 2 1/2 Tablespoon(s) chocolate syrup
• 1 t vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender and set on high speed for 30 seconds.
2. Store in a tightly sealed container and refrigerate. Shake before using.

Yes. It’s that easy.

]]> http://emily-rose.net/homemade-baileys-irish-cream/feed/ 1 http://emily-rose.net/chai-latte-cupcakes/ http://emily-rose.net/chai-latte-cupcakes/#comments Tue, 25 Oct 2011 23:45:19 +0000 Emily http://emily-rose.net/?p=892

I used to work in a cafe, mixing Mochas, Cappuccinos and Green Tea Soy Lattes all day, (NOT at Starbucks either…) My favorite thing to make were Cappuccinos but my favorite thing to drink were Chai Lattes. I used to add a little bit of chocolate sauce to give it that extra kick. So delicious.

So I decided that I wanted to try and translate that into a cupcake. The thing that threw me off were the ingredients. Did I want to use dry spices to create that Chai taste or a concentrated liquid that the cafe I worked at used to make their drinks? After some recipe testing, I decided that while the dry spices did add the spiciness I was looking for, it was too easy to over compensate because you use so little of it, and your mind almost tricks you into thinking that you haven’t used enough.

So I used the Tazo Tea Concentrate, and it gave the cupcake that classic Chai taste that I was looking for. It wasn’t too spicy but reminded me of my favorite cafe drink.



Chai Latte Cupcakes

Frosting:

• 1 Stick(s) butter, softened
• 6 Ounce(s) cream cheese, softened
• 1 Teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
• 3 Cup(s) powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 Teapsoon(s) Cinnamon
1. Beat butter, cream cheese and vanilla until smooth.
2. Scrap down sides to make sure all the ingredients are well mixed.
3. Add powdered sugar a little at a time to ensure it’s well mixed.
4. Add in cinnamon and mix until blended.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/3 Cup(s) flour
• 3/4 Teaspoon(s) baking soda
• 1 1/2 Teaspoon(s) baking powder
• 1 1/4 Teaspoon(s) cinnamon
• 1/4 Teaspoon(s) allspice
• 1/3 Cup(s) chai concentrate (I use Tazo)
• 1 Teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
• 12 Ounce(s) applesauce
• 5 Ounce(s) butter, softened
• 3/4 Cup(s) brown sugar, packed
• 3/4 Cup(s) granulated sugar
• 3 Large eggs

Cooking instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder and spices into a medium size bowl and set aside.
3. Combine chai concentrate, applesauce and vanilla extract into a medium size bowl and set aside.
4. Beat butter and sugars together until light and fluffy.
5. Add eggs, one at a time and beat until each is well incorporated.
6. Alternate mix in the chai contentrate mxiture and the flour mixture.
7. Divide the batter into cupcake lined tray and bake for about 15-20 minutes.
8. Let cupcakes cool in pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
]]> http://emily-rose.net/chai-latte-cupcakes/feed/ 1 http://emily-rose.net/zucchini-fritters/ http://emily-rose.net/zucchini-fritters/#comments Sun, 23 Oct 2011 20:44:47 +0000 Emily http://emily-rose.net/?p=895

Before this past summer, I never liked zucchini. I’d try it every now and again and always decided that I never would try it again.

This past summer I lived in Germany with some family and swore that while I was living in this far away land, that my mind would be completely open to new things…and giving zucchini another go.

Who knew the umpteenth time would be a charm? I certainly didn’t. But it worked, and now I’m hooked. Or maybe it’s because these fritters use shredded zucchini so it’s not a giant hunk you’re munching through..

But whatever the reason is, it’s delicious. If you’re not a zucchini fan, like I was, I suggest giving this recipe a try before writing zucchini out of your life for good!



Zucchini Fritters

• 1 Grated whole zucchini
• ½ Cups Grated onion
• ⅓ Cups flour
• 1 Tablespoon Italian Seasoning
• Salt And Pepper
• ¾ Cups hummus
• 1 Teaspoon olive oil

Directions:

1. In a bowl, combine grated zucchini, grated onion, flour, seasoning, salt and pepper.
2. Mix in hummus.
3. In a non-stick pan, drizzle the olive oil.
4. On medium heat, form the patties and cook on each side, 2-4 minutes depending on desired crispness.

Source: Adapted from The Flexitarian Diet

]]> http://emily-rose.net/zucchini-fritters/feed/ 0