Pumpkin Blondies

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Blondies

It's been too long since the last blog post however there is an excellent excuse for my absence.  I am proud to announce that I gave birth to a baby girl two months ago!  Finding time to bake with a newborn has been tough but now with a little routine I have managed to find time to do what I am so passionate about.  Carving out time just for myself is what makes me strong enough to get through my day.  I am so excited to start baking and blogging again and I hope that you find some great recipes that I have shared!

Now onto the main event!  These pumpkin chocolate chip blondies are so soft and moist.  It is more cakey than it is dense like a blondie.  The blondies definitely call for a tall glass of milk.  I made them for a local school bake sale and they were a hit!  The flavors of fall are upon us and I can't wait to share some more recipes.

The link between food and psychology:  the success of food is in its label.

How will you experience food?  Well, the wording we choose will determine it's success.  This experiment showed that people who were told they were eating a smoked salmon ice cream, disliked the taste. The others were told it was a frozen mousse and decided this was more acceptable (Yeomans et al., 2008).  Sometimes people also think food tastes better when it's more expensive or sold in fancier packaging.  So as long as we choose the right food label we can set up great expectations for taste.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Blondies Recipe
Adapted from My Baking Addiction

INGREDIENTS:
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 (15 ounce) can pure pumpkin puree
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with parchment, leaving an overhang on all sides. Grease with nonstick cooking spray.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars on medium-high speed until smooth; beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in pumpkin puree. If the mixture looks curdled, do not fret.

4. Reduce speed to low, and mix in dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.

5. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake until edges begin to pull away from sides of pan and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely in pan.

Spice it up

Mexican Chocolate Cupcakes with Ancho Whipped Cream

Chile in a cupcake?  Yes, the balance of spiciness and sweetness are harmonious in this delicious cupcake.  Light, fluffy, moist cake topped with a sweetened whipped cream and a little warmth in the back of your throat when you're done.  Amazing and satisfying.

Stress relief tip of the day:

Accept what you can't control. Some circumstances are simply beyond our control, and we have to learn to cope with and accept them. Fortunately, you do have control over how you react to stressful situations. Staying calm and being willing to accept emotional support from others can help in managing stress.

Mexican Chocolate Cupcakes with Ancho Whipped Cream Recipe

Ingredients

Cake:

1 tablet Mexican chocolate, chopped

1 cup almonds, toasted

1/3 cup all purpose flour

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1 tbsp ancho chili powder

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 cup sugar

6 large eggs, separated, room temperature

1 tsp coffee extract

1/2 tsp almond extract

pinch of salt

Topping:

1 1/2 cup heavy cream

1 tsp ancho chili powder

1 tbsp vanilla extract

5 tbsp confectioner's sugar

Directions

For the cake.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line muffin pan with cupcake liners.  In a food processor, combine the chocolate and almonds and pulse to grind finely.  Transfer to a small bowl.  Add the flour, cocoa and chili powder and whisk to minx.  In a large bowl, using a stand mixer on medium speed, beat the butter until pale, about two minutes.  Reduce speed to low and gradually add 1/2 cup  of sugar, scraping down the bowl as needed.  Increase the speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy.  Add the egg yolks one at a time.  with the mixer on low, add the ground chocolate and almonds, coffee and almond extracts and beat until blended.

In a large bowl combine the egg whites and salt and beat until frothy.  Gradually add remaining sugar, and increase speed to medium hih until whites form stiff glosssy peaks.  Using a spatula fold in a third of the whites into the patter.  foldin in remaining whites in two additions until combined.  pour batter into cupcake lines 2/3 of the way full.  Bake for 15-17 minutes.  Cool on a cooling rack for five minutes before frosting.

For the topping.  In a bowl whisk together the cream and chili powder and let stand for five minutes.  Whisk confectioner's sugar into the cream mixture and pour into a bowl.  Add the vanilla and beat with the whisk attachment on medium high until soft peaks form.

Transfer whipped cream to a piping bag with a star tip and decorate cupcakes.  Top with chocolate covered cocoa nibs if desired.

Adapted from the Williams-Sonoma Baking Book