Peanut Butter and Julie

Sweet Potato Doughnuts with Maple Pecan Frosting

So in the event that you haven't been privy to my recent Twitter tweets or my Facebook musings, I'm a gonna say it all again:

Woo-hoo Duke!  Final Four bay-bee!  Take that, Baylor!  Way to go fellas!  I never doubted you for one second!

Well, maybe for just one second there on Friday night, when you couldn't seem to get the ball anywhere near the rim during that less-than-stellar first half.  Luckily, Purdue seemed to be aiming for the crowd behind the basket, so it all worked out in the end.

I was lucky enough to not only be in graduate school at Duke in 2001, when the Blue Devils won the National Championship title, but I also had season tickets to the games.  Well, they were season tickets that I shared with a group of classmates, who had all camped out with me over the course of a weekend for a chance to score those coveted seats in a random lottery drawing.  A rainy, sleepless, sangria-filled weekend, after which I had a next-to-impossible Statistics quiz that I probably barely passed.........but one that was totally worth the price of admission to legen (wait for it) dary Cameron Indoor Stadium.

During my second year of school, I lived on the same floor in my apartment building as Jason Williams, one of Duke's point guards.  I would often run into him in the stairwell when I took my dog Cameron (yes, after the stadium) out for a walk.  A few times she even jumped up on him, as terrifying visions of my dog biting the star player's hand flashed through my head.  From then on, we took the elevator.  I didn't want to get run out of town (although they probably would've welcomed me with open arms in Chapel Hill.) 

Another player, Mike Christensen, also lived in my building. I'm not really sure why I was allowed to live there, what with the apparent height requirement and all.  Anyhow, I might have occasionally swiped his copy of the Wall Street Journal from the lobby when I knew the team was at an away game, and then I might have returned it later in the day.  I said "might."  I'm not admitting to anything.  But what good is a day old newspaper anyhow?  Wow, it feels good to finally get that out in the open. 

Basketball games make me nervous, especially very close Duke basketball games.  When I'm watching at home, I've been known to get up and run out of the room when my team starts to miss shots and lower their chances for a win.  I just. Cannot. Watch.  When I'm viewing the game at a sports bar or with a group of friends, it's not quite that easy.  I need to play it cool, so I usually end up digging my nails into the chair/counter/floor and gritting my teeth.  Tequila helps too.  It's amazing that I haven't gone gray from all of the close calls this year.  Sheesh!

I'm not trying to sound over-confident, because I'm not, but I've got a pretty good feeling about Duke's chances this year.  It's time.  My BFF Coach K (O.K., I've only met him once) deserves another win.  We shall see......

I thought that it would be fun to create a recipe in honor of North Carolina's finest athletes by using one of North Carolina's finest ingredients, the sweet potato.  Now I've said it before, and I'll say it again:  I dig sweet potatoes in a major way.  I would eat them every day--in fact I practically do.  They are such versatile little tubers that they can work with almost any type of recipe.    I thought that doughnuts would be fun to try, what with the whole hoop-basketball shapes of the respective doughnuts and holes (kind of a stretch, I know.) 

These doughnuts are much easier than your standard doughnut recipe, in that no rising time is required.  The sweet potatoes in the dough keep them nice and moist, and the addition of the addictive maple sugar pecans adds a nice crunch to the doughnuts themselves as well as to the maple icing.  Start these treats at tip-off, and they'll be ready by halftime :)  Here are a few extra tips for preparing these decadent "Go Duke"-inspired doughnuts:

• Maple sugar can be difficult to find in certain areas of the country, and it can also be quite pricey.  Feel free to replace it with brown sugar in the pecan recipe, but replace 1/2 teaspoon of the vanilla with maple extract.
• This recipe makes more of the Maple Sugar Pecans than are necessary for the doughnuts, but the nuts are very addictive, so you will likely thank me later :)
• It is very important that you use an oil/candy thermometer for the purposes of frying the doughnuts.  If the temperature is too low, the dough will absorb too much oil and you will be left with greasy doughnuts.  If the temperature is too high, then the outsides will burn before the insides cook (yuck!)  Take a minute and return the heat to the correct 360F degree temperature before frying a new batch.
• The glaze can also be made using confectioner's sugar, milk, and maple extract (as opposed to more maple syrup), but the taste of pure maple syrup is sooooo much better.  Try to find Grade B for a deeper flavor.

Sweet Potato Doughnuts with Maple Pecan Frosting

Makes 12-15 doughnuts and doughnut holes

Ingredients:

For the Maple Sugar Pecans

3 cups pecan halves

1/4 cup maple sugar

1 1/2 tsp coarse salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons brandy or dark rum

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2/3 cup pure maple syrup

1 tablespoon butter

For the Doughnuts

2 medium sweet potatoes

3 large eggs

1 cup sour cream

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup chopped Maple Sugar Pecans

Canola oil for frying

For the Glaze

3 cups confectioner's sugar

4-5 tablespoons pure maple syrup

2-3 tablespoons milk

Prepare the Maple Sugar Pecans: Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.  Spread the pecans in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast for 8-10 minutes, until fragrant.  Let cool.

In a medium bowl, combine the maple sugar, salt, and cinnamon.  In a medium skillet, combine the brandy, vanilla, maple syrup, and butter.  Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat.  Cook until the liquid has reduced by half, about 5 minutes.  Stir in the pecans and continue cooking, until the skillet is almost dry, 3-4 minutes more.

Immediately toss the nuts in the reserved sugar mixture until they are well-coated. Spread on a baking sheet and let cool completely. 

Prepare the doughnuts:  Prick the sweet potatoes all over with the tines of a fork and then wrap them individually in paper towels.  Microwave them for 8 minutes on high, rotate, and then microwave for another 8 minutes, or until tender.  When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, carefully remove the peel and discard.  Mash the remaining sweet potato.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs with the sour cream until well combined.  Add 1 1/2 cups of the mashed sweet potato and beat until incorporated.  Mix in the vanilla.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and salt.  Slowly add the flour mixture to the sweet potato mixture until it is fully incorporated (the mixture will be very sticky.)  Mix in the Maple Sugar Pecans.

Turn the dough out onto a well-floured work surface and knead for 30 seconds.  Roll the dough out to a 1/2-inch thickness.  Using a 2 1/2-inch round cutter, cut circles out of the dough.  Cut out the center of the circles using a 1 inch round cutter.  Save the centers to make doughnut holes and re-roll the scraps as needed.

In a deep skillet or saucepan, heat the canola oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 360F degrees.  Add the doughnuts to the hot oil in batches, cooking until browned on both sides, 4-5 minutes total.  Drain the doughnuts on paper towels and repeat the process with the remaining doughnuts.

Prepare the glaze:  In a medium bowl, whisk together the confectioner's sugar, maple syrup, and enough of the milk to form a moderately thick glaze.

Dip the doughnuts halfway into the glaze, invert, and place them on a wire rack set over  paper towels.  Roll the doughnut holes in the glaze until they are coated and place on the rack.  Sprinkle the doughnuts with additional chopped Maple Sugar Pecans and allow the glaze to set.  Serve immediately!

 

Peanut Butter and Jelly Ice Cream Sandwiches

O.K., Mother Nature.  We get it.  You're in charge, and you can change your mind whenever and as often as you like.  You've made your point to virtually all 50 states over the past few months, and we will never, ever take you for granted again.  Now, can't we just have a nice and uneventful spring and a sunny summer (but preferably not one of those over-the-top, brutally hot, fry-an-egg-on-the-sidewalk Vegas summers)?

I don't know how to dress anymore.  Like most of the country, the weather in Las Vegas has been nothing short of crazy and unpredictable for much too long.  It's cold.  It's warm.  It's cold and rainy.  It's warm and windy.  At first, it was cute.  Kind of like the initial snowfall back east, the rare sight of rain in the desert was an excuse to stay off the slick roads and cozy up indoors.  But by days 5, 6, and 7, when we had surpassed our annual average rainfall, the novelty had completely worn off.  If one more knucklehead in a truck sprays my car when going through a puddle......  Only "knucklehead" wasn't really the word that I used in my thoughts.  This is a PG-rated blog.

On the bright side, my dry cleaners are making a ton of money from my business alone.  I could swear that when I walk through the front doors of Maple Cleaners, two little $ dollar signs $ pop up in the owner's eyes.  So far this year, I have foolishly retired my wool winter coats no fewer than five times at the first sight of warm weather....only to have the temperatures dip back down the next day.  Having two dogs who are apparently trying to break some sort of Guinness Book world record for shedding, a measly lint roller doesn't even begin to do the trick.  

So after one whole week of consistently sunny days and warmer temps, I feel confident that the coats can finally call it a season.  Shorts, tank tops, and flip flops are starting to make an appearance around town.  The Japanese Plum trees in our neighborhood are in full bloom.  And my golden lab, Fenway, is doing his best imitation of Michael Phelps at least ten times a day in the pool.   Ah........spring is here and summer is on its way.

I felt compelled to make some ice cream.

I love to make homemade ice cream.  It's really quite easy, and once you get the hang of the basic recipe, you can create just about any flavor.  I've been on a real peanut butter kick lately, even asking my husband to do a blind taste-test of every natural variety that I could find to determine which one is indeed "the best."  Yes, that is just one example of the sort of odd things that my poor husband must endure on a daily basis, having a foodie for a wife.  For the record, it was a tie between Jif Creamy and Sunland Crunchy.

Because the combination of peanut butter and jelly is so classic, and because it ties in so well with my blog title (a bit self-indulgent, I know), I decided to swirl a fresh strawberry sauce into the peanut butter base.  To turn the frozen treat into sandwiches, I made a few alterations to my usual gingerbread cookie recipe, substituting honey for molasses and changing around the spices so that the ginger was less predominant.  These would be a perfect special party treat--for kids and adults alike!  Here are my extra tips for making these variations on a lunch box favorite:

• I originally tried making the cookies with molasses instead of honey, but I found the the molasses sort of overpowered the flavors in the peanut butter and jelly ice cream, so I substituted honey in the version below.
• If you want to add an extra bit of decor to your cookies, poke holes in the dough using the tip of a chopstick prior to baking, similar to those on store-bought ice cream sandwiches.
• Because the ice cream contains rich peanut butter, I opted for a combination of whole milk and half and half (as opposed to cream) for the ice cream base.  You can really use any combination of the three items, so long as it adds up to 2 1/2 cups.  Of course the ice cream will be much richer using all cream than all whole milk.
• To chill the custard faster, use an ice water bath.  Place the custard in a glass bowl, and set it over a larger bowl filled with ice water.  Stir occasionally until chilled.
• Feel free to substitute fresh strawberries or even store-bought strawberry sauce or preserves for the homemade sauce.
• If you want to use a natural peanut butter for this recipe, I recommend Jif, Smart Balance, Sunland, or Smuckers.  The ones that require extra stirring and are too "clumpy" will not work as well.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Ice Cream Sandwiches

Makes about 12-15 sandwiches

Ingredients:

For the PB&J Ice Cream

1/2 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 1/2 cups whole milk

3/4 cup peanut butter

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup half and half

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

For the Strawberry Swirl

1 lb. ripe strawberries, hulled and sliced

3 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons cornstarch

Juice from 1/2 lemon

Pinch of ground cinnamon

Pinch of salt

For the Honey-Spice Cookies

6 ounces (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened

3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar

3/4 cup honey

2 tablespoons whole milk

3 cups flour (plus more for work surface)

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons ground ginger

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Prepare the PB&J Ice Cream: In a medium bowl, whisk the sugar with the eggs until they are thickened and pale yellow.  Bring the milk to a simmer in a medium saucepan.  Slowly whisk the hot milk into the egg mixture.  Return the mixture to the saucepan and set over low heat.  Stir constantly with a wooden spoon or a whisk until the custard thickens to coat the back of a spoon.  Do not let the mixture boil or you will have scrambled eggs!  Remove from the heat and whisk in the peanut butter and cinnamon.  Transfer the mixture to a clean bowl and allow to cool slightly.  Stir in the half and half and vanilla, cover, and chill until very cold (3 hours).

Prepare the Strawberry Swirl:  In a medium saucepan, combine the strawberries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, cinnamon, and salt.  Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-low heat, stirring frequently.  Continue to cook and stir until the strawberries have begun to break down and the mixture has thickened to a sauce.  Transfer to a bowl and cool completely.

When the custard has chilled, freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.  At the very end, add some of the strawberry sauce, just so that it is swirled into the ice cream.  You can also stir it in by hand.  Transfer the ice cream to a container and freeze at least 2 hours. 

Prepare the cookies:  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter with the brown sugar until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes.  Add the honey and mix until well combined, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.  Beat in the milk.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, and salt.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and mix on low speed until combined.  Scrape the dough onto a clean work surface and divide in half.  Shaper each half into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap; chill for at least 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.  After the dough has chilled, roll it out to a 1/4-inch thickness onto a lightly floured work surface.  Using 3-4 inch fluted or round cutters, cut circles and carefully transfer them to the prepared baking sheets.  Chill the circles until firm, 30 minutes in the refrigerator or 15 minutes in the freezer.

Bake the cookies for 9-11 minutes, until just set in the center.  Cool the cookies on the sheets for 3 minutes and then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.  Repeat with the remaining dough.

Assemble the sandwiches:  Using an ice cream scoop or a large spoon, place a softened scoop of the PB&J ice cream on the flat side of a cookie.  Gently press the ice cream down with the back of the scoop, and then place a second cookie on top, pressing some more so that the ice cream is evenly distributed.  Wrap in plastic wrap and freeze until ready to serve.  Repeat with the remaining ice cream and cookies.

Lions and Monkeys and Giraffes (oh yum!)

When I was growing up, birthday parties were a pretty standard, fairly simple affair......at least relative to the complex, expensive, "My party is going to sooo be better than your party" extravaganzas that occur today. 

Old invitations: Strawberry Shortcake or Snoopy cut-outs that came 12 to a pack, bought for under five dollars at the drug store or gift shop uptown. 

New Invitations: Custom creations printed on sparkly Crane paper, often rolled up, tied with a silk bow, and inserted into an eco-friendly paper tube along with too much confetti that ends up all over your floor. 

Old Attire: Party clothes--duh!

New Attire: This is usually noted on the invite.  Cocktail, casual, and semi-formal no longer apply.  Today you're more likely to see "Yacht Club Chic", "Whimsical Urban", "Flamenco Inspired", or, if you are hip enough to be invited to P. Diddy's annual Hamptons bash, "White and Expensive From Head to Toe."

Old Venue: All of my parties and those of my friends were held at a handful of central New Jersey locations.  These were: backyard, local pool, Sesame Place, The Ground Round, or the Kendall Park Roller Rink.  You knew there had to be a roller rink in there somewhere, right?  New Jersey and the 80s?  Fuggedaboutit!  To this day, I cannot hear Joan Jett's "I Love Rock 'n Roll" without thinking of roller skating.  Throw in a few boxes of pizza and some Hawaiian punch, and you've got fifteen happy eight-year-olds.

New Venue:  Private. Catered. Live Music. Premium Open bar. Pricey.

Old Gifts: I could pretty much always count on a stuffed animal from at least half of my friends.  From others, it was a mish-mosh of things like barrettes, Hello Kitty accessories, or books.  There seemed to be an unspoken agreement among parents to not got overboard in the dollar amount department.  Sadly, most of those stuffed animals fell victim to my German Shepherd, but they were nice while they lasted.

New Gifts: This category can range from a regifted "artistic" coffee table book -- Hey!  Didn't I give that to her for her birthday last year?? -- to something outrageously expensive from that smug looking person over in the corner.  I mean, what do we really need anyhow?  Another candle? Picture frame?  More wine?  Well, maybe more wine.....

Old Cake:  Mommeeeeeeee!!!  Can I please get a Carvel ice cream cake for my birthday party?  PLEEEEEEEZE???  As far as I was concerned, cake just didn't get any better than Carvel, which was essentially a big block of two types of ice cream separated by chocolate cookie crumbles and covered with frosting.  Never mind that my mom nearly dislocated a shoulder trying to hack through the frozen cake with her chef's knife--I was happy.

New Cake:  You name it, chances are pretty good that a local bakery can build it.  Yes, I said "build" it.  Thanks to the Ace of Cakes, birthday cakes are no longer two circular layers, vanilla buttercream, and candles.  Nooooooooooo.  They are confectionery construction jobs. Husband like to bowl?  Order him fondant-covered cakes replicas of the pins, his lucky bowling ball, the lane, and even his bag....if you don't mind spending four figures, that is.  I've seen some pretty incredible creations (That's a cake??), and some......not so much.  Check out this site and have a good laugh: www.cakewrecks.com .

While I've heard a few horror stories about some modern children's' birthday parties, most seem to be a happy medium between these "old" and "new" extremes.  Having your own jumpy house in the backyard was inconceivable when I was a kid, but nowadays they are everywhere.  Now, parents are often invited to parties along with the kids, which means that the aforementioned boxes of pizza and Hawaiian Punch likely won't suffice.  There is also a greater focus on themes and custom favors.  (My theme was usually just "party.") Coming up with a unique theme that hasn't already been "taken" by a child with an earlier birthday is hard enough, so I am more than happy to help a friend out with some customized favors for her in the form of my favorite sugar cookies.

The Mission?  Zoo-themed party favors.  The cookie shapes?  Lions, Monkeys, and Giraffes (oh my!)

I have been using this same sugar cookie recipe for about 7 years.  Once I tried it, I knew that it was "the one", so I now use it for all of my cookies.  Some of you might have picked up that I love to add orange zest to recipes.  That is what I did here, along with an extra dose of pure vanilla, which created that creamsicle-like flavor.

 Here are a few extra tips for preparing these colorful creamsicle cookies:

• I like to use a lemon royal icing on these cookies, as I find regular royal icing to be a bit flavorless.  To prepare this icing, combine a one-pound box of confectioner's sugar with 3 large egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Mix until well combined.  Add enough lemon juice until the icing reaches the consistency that you need to decorate the cookies.  Use a thicker icing to outline the cookies and a thinner one to fill or "flood" the cookies.
• The prepared cookie dough can remain in the refrigerator, tightly wrapped, for up to 2 days.  You can also freeze the dough, double-wrapped, for up to 2 weeks.  Thaw the dough overnight in the refrigerator before rolling out.
• After baking, these cookies tend to stay fresh for several days, even a week, so they are perfect for shipping. 
• I like to use salted butter in this recipe because I think the extra hint of salt adds a nice contrast to the other flavors, but feel free to use unsalted butter as well (I have tried it with both versions.)

Creamsicle Rolled Sugar Cookies

Makes 24-30 medium cut-outs

Ingredients:

10 ounces salted butter, softened

1 cup sugar

Zest of one orange

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

3 1/2 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter with the sugar until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes.  Mix in the orange zest.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.  Add the vanilla and continue to beat the mixture for 3 minutes more.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and the salt.  Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until well combined.

Divide the dough into 3 equal portions, and form each portion into a flat disk.  Wrap each portion with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. 

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.  On a lightly floured work surface, roll out one of the disks of dough until it is about 1/8-inch thick.  Cut shapes as desired, carefully transferring them to the prepared baking sheets and re-rolling scraps as necessary.

Bake the cookies for 9-11 minutes, until the edges start to brown.  Transfer the baking sheets to a wire rack to cool completely.  Repeat the process with the remaining dough.

Decorate the cookies as desired using colored royal icing (recipe above in the "tips" section.)

Layered German Chocolate Cupcakes

I think that my grandpa was partially responsible for me becoming a "foodie."  He should at least get credit for my willingness to try new foods and cuisines (except anything containing mayonnaise, of course.)  When I was a little picky eater, his method for coaxing me to eat the items that had been pushed over to the side of my plate was always the same: "It will make your hair curly!"

Despite the fact that I was a gullible five-year-old, I had a hunch that grandpa's statement wasn't 100% accurate.  I mean, he was an exemplary member of the Clean Plate Club, yet he had only a few wispy strands of hair across the top of his head---and not a curl among them.  Even if his statement was true, I wasn't all that convinced that curly hair was what I wanted.  It was painful enough when my mom brushed the tangles out of my straight hair.  Wouldn't curly be worse?

Still, I let him think that his sole tactic was foolproof because he was my grandpa, and I liked him, and he was funny.......and he occasionally ate my green jello when grandma wasn't looking. 

Every once in awhile, I'd try something that I was certain I would despise....and whaddaya know?  It ended up being not-so-bad.  Nowadays, I tend to take a glass-is-half-full approach to new foods, assuming that I will probably like something, no matter how inedible it may sound, and that I might as well try it anyhow to find out for sure.  I might have pushed wonderful discoveries like pork belly, panna cotta, and unagi aside if it hadn't been for my grandpa (Mom, unagi is eel sushi.  And yes, it's yummy.)

But my hair is still straight.

When I started to develop an interest in cooking and baking, grandpa was always more than willing to enjoy my creations and continue his quest for curls.   The man didn't just talk the talk.  He power walked the walk.  Cookies, pastries, and homemade fudge would be devoured with an appreciative smile and  a request for seconds.  Homemade birthday cakes, no matter how illegible and off-centered the writing on top was, were regarded as if Sylvia Weinstock had labored over them for hours.  And oh how he loved his German food!

Grandpa was drafted and served in WWII, retiring as a major and earning a Bronze Star for his service.  During his time in Europe, he became very fond of his Sauerbraten, Schnitzel, and Apfelstrudel, so whenever he would visit, I would try to make him a special Deutschland-themed dinner.  Last week, at age 94, my wonderful grandpa passed away, so I wanted to dedicate this post to him and make a dessert that I know he would have loved, a variation of German Chocolate Cake.  I never, ever, saw him turn down dessert, and I'm sure the bakers in Heaven have been working overtime since he arrived. 

Although German Chocolate Cake is actually an American dessert named after Sam German, who developed a sweet baking bar for Baker's Chocolate Company, most people associate it with German cuisine......including my family.  I turned the traditional layer cake into individual "layer" cupcakes (kinda stole this idea from Martha Stewart), spreading the gooey coconut-pecan frosting between the cake layers and drizzling a rich chocolate ganache over the top. 

Grandpa would've eaten at least two...with a side of black walnut ice cream.   Rumor has it, that flavor will make your hair curly.

Here are some extra tips for making these towering tempting treats:   

• An alternative to creating the "layers" of cupcake and frosting is to fill the cupcakes with some of the frosting.  Carefully remove the middle of the cupcake by cutting a circle in the top.  Keeping the top "lid" intact, remove a section of the inside using a spoon, and replace it with some of the frosting. Replace the lid on top and decorate.
• The frosting and the ganache can be prepared one day in advance and refrigerated, tightly covered.  Set the frosting out to soften prior to decorating.
• The chilled ganache can also be whipped with an electric mixer to create a lighter, fluffier frosting for decorating the tops of the cupcakes.  If you want the ganache to drip over the sides, skip the refrigeration, and just allow it to cool at room temperature until it reaches your desired consistency.
• For the cupcake batter, the brewed coffee can be replaced with water.

Layered German Chocolate Cupcakes

Makes about 15 cupcakes

Ingredients:

For the Toasted Pecan-Coconut Frosting

6 ounces evaporated milk

2 large egg yolks

1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed

5 tablespoons butter, softened, in pieces

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups shredded sweetened coconut

3/4 cup toasted and chopped pecans

For the ganache

3/4 cup heavy cream

6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

For the cupcakes

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 cup safflower oil

1/2 cup brewed coffee

1/2 cup whole milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups flour

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Prepare the frosting/filling:  In a medium saucepan, combine the evaporated milk, egg yolks, brown sugar, and butter.  Place the saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the butter has melted and the mixture thickens, about 10 minutes.  Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the vanilla, salt, coconut, and pecans.  Allow the frosting to cool completely.

Prepare the ganache:  Bring the cream to a boil in a small saucepan.  Remove from the heat and stir in the chopped chocolate.  Let the mixture stand for 1 minutes, then whisk until smooth.  Transfer the ganache to a bowl and and refrigerate until ready to use (or allow to sit at room temperature if you want to drizzle it over the sides.)

Prepare the cupcakes:  Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and spray cupcake tins with nonstick baking spray.  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs with the sugar and oil until light and well combined, 3 minutes.  Beat in the coffee, milk, and vanilla.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just incorporated. 

Using an ice cream scoop, fill the prepared cupcake tins with the batter, filling each cup just over halfway full.  Bake the cupcakes until they are puffed and a toothpick inserted into the center emerges clean, 16-18 minutes.  Allow the cupcakes to cool in the tins for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Assemble the cupcakes:  Using a serrated knife, cut each cupcake into three separate "layers" crosswise.  Spread a layer of the coconut-pecan frosting on top of the first and second layers and reassemble.  Top the cupcakes with the ganache, either by drizzling over the sides or piping decoratively.