Delicious Gifts: Edible Creations to Make & Give, by Jess McCloskey

Delicious Gifts: Edible Creations to Make & Give, by Jess McCloskey. Random House Struik Lifestyle. ISBN 9781770079984 / ISBN 978-1-77007-998-4

Jess McCloskey's Delicious Gifts: Edible Creations to Make & Give will help you create unique presents for any recipient, from a chocolate lover to a chilli obsessive.

Jess McCloskey  

CINNAMON AND TOFFEE CUPCAKES

TOFFEE
200 g (7 oz) sugar
6 tbsp butter
120 ml (4 fl oz) double or
whipping cream

Pour the sugar into a saucepan over medium heat and stir briskly as the sugar melts. Continue stirring to prevent scorching until the sugar has completely melted and begins to boil. As soon as you see it bubbling along the sides, stop stirring. Watch for the melted sugar to become a dark umber colour; when this happens, add the butter. Whisk the mixture briskly until the butter melts into the sugar. When it is fully incorporated, remove trom the heat. With the pan off the heat, stir through 3 times, then begin to slowly pour in the whipping cream. Whisk the mixture constantly until it is creamy and the cream is completely blended in. Pour the cooling mixture into several heavy-duty jars and allow to fully cool before handling. Remember that sugar boils at a very high heat and will stick to your skin - avoid contact until the sides of the jars arc cool to the touch. (I use several jars to help the toffee to cool faster, and I do not use all the toffee in one cupcake recipe.)

CUPCAKES
225 g (8 oz) plain flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
175 g (6 oz) unsalted
butter, softened
125 g (4% oz) granulated
sugar
2 eggs
150 g (51/2 oz) sour cream or fromage frais

Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Place cupcake liners into 9 large or 18 regular-sized muffin cups. Blend all the dry ingredients - flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt - in a bowl until well mixed. Ensure that the ingredients are fully incorporated, as the baking powder and soda need to be evenly distributed to ensure that the cupcakes rise. In a large bowl, beat together the softened butter and the sugar, until the mixture begins to lighten and lias a soft, creamy consistency. Mix the eggs and the sour cream into the butter mixture until the batter becomes well blended and creamy. Stir in the flour and toffee mixtures in alternating batches, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, and using as much of the toffee as desired. Pour the batter into prepared cupcake liners, ensuring that each is filled no more than % full. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cupcakes spring back when pressed with the back of a spoon. Ice with buttercream icing. (The icing on page 62 is a good option; just omit the walnuts and walnut essence and flavour with cinnamon instead.) Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, or freeze in a sealed container for up to 2 weeks. Makes 9-18 cupcakes.

BUTTERCREAM
625 g (1 lb 5 oz) icing
sugar, sieved
75 g (2 1/2 oz) unsalted butter, softened
Have everything ready for the syrup before you begin. The mixture will rise up when you add the cream.

This is an excerpt from the book: Delicious Gifts: Edible Creations to Make & Give, by Jess McCloskey.

Title: Delicious Gifts
Subtitle: Edible Creations to Make & Give
Author: Jess McCloskey
Publisher: Random House Struik
Imprint: Lifestyle
Cape Town, South Africa 2011
ISBN 9781770079984 / ISBN 978-1-77007-998-4
Softcover, 20 x 22 cm, 128 pages, throughout colour photos