Coconut Chocolate Macaroon Cupcakes

While I was making my previous post about Coconut Chocolate Macaroons, I started thinking cupcakes.  Well, this is what came out of my head and I am sure glad it did.  Moist, coconut infused cupcakes with chocolate ganache, and a cream cheese coconut butter cream.  I am done talking!  It is time to eat!

Coconut Cake Recipe: I use large muffin pan

12-15 Jumbo Size Cupcakes

3 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

4 T. canola oil
2 cups sugar
5 extra-large eggs at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons pure coconut extract
1 1/2 all purpose flour cups flour
1 1/2 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cups butter milk
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup shredded sweet coconut

Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting:
1/2 pound cream cheese at room temperature
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure coconut extract
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
3 to 4 cups of  confectioners' sugar, sifted
1/2 cup shredded coconut
Extra shredded coconut to drizzle on top of cupcakes

Directions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, oil  and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla and coconut extracts and mix well.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In 3 parts, alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk, sour cream to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix until just combined. Fold in 1/2 cup coconut.

Line a muffin pan with paper liners. Fill each liner to the top with batter. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove to a baking rack and cool completely.

Meanwhile, make the frosting. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, on low speed, cream together the cream cheese, butter, and almond and coconut extracts. Add the confectioner's sugar and mix until smooth; add coconut until well incorporated.

Chocolate Ganache Recipe:
INGREDIENTS
8 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
1 cup heavy cream
*optional 3 Tablespoons of flavored liqueur

DIRECTIONS:

Place chocolate pieces in a large bowl. Heat heavy cream on medium high until it comes to a boil. Remove from heat and immediately pour cream over chocolate and stir until completely mixed and glossy. Allow ganache to cool before pouring over cakes as a glaze. The longer you allow the ganache to cool, the thicker it will set.
Time to Decorate your Cupcakes!
Add a round tsp. full of chocolate ganache on top of cooled cupcake, let cool and set.  Pipe out a dollop of cream cheese frosting on top.  Sprinkle with extra coconut.

Coconut Chocolate Macaroons

Moist, Sweet Coconut and Semi-Sweet Chocolate, YUM!!!!!

When I have a party the Macaroons are always invited.  My friends love them.  One macaroon and cup of espresso and you are good to go. 

I always make these for hostess gifts, birthdays and holiday gifts.  It is very similar to the famous candy bar but a little more over the top.  This one is a keeper! I even used them to decorate my German Chocolate Cake that I will be sharing with  you one day on my blog. 

Ingredients:

2/14 ozs. bags of sweetened shredded coconut
+  an additional 1 1/2 cups shredded coconut
1/14 oz. can of sweetened condensed milk
1Tablespoon sour cream
1 Tablespoon heavy cream
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Melted semi-sweet chocolate for dipping.

Beat the egg in mixer until lighter in color.  Add all the other ingredients.  Mix well and scrap down bowl.  You can use a #`12 ice cream scoop, but I find that wetting your hands with cold water and  grabbing a nice round hand full is just as easy.  Shape into a golf size ball and pack tightly.  If you do not pack tightly they will open during baking.  If this should happen, don't panic.  When they are done baking, wait 3 minutes.  While still warm, be careful, put into your hand and reshape again.  Let cool completely. 

Bake at 325 until Golden brown, about 25 minutes. Take out of oven and cool  on rack.
Depending on the amount you shape into macaroons you can yield about 15 to 20 macaroons.

Melt semisweet chocolate over a double boiler and dip macaroons.

Honey Almond Pear Galette

On Have the Cake, the Challenge for August is a Galette.  Now, I had to do a little research on this subject.  What I found is that a Galette is to the French, as Crostata is to the Italians, but to us Americans it is a Lazy Pie.  Somehow, I find that term appealing to me.  A Lazy Pie suits me fine.  On my quest to find the perfect Lazy Pie, a.k.a. "Galette, " I notice that the Pate' Sucree, a fancy word for pie dough in the French lanuguage is similar to my favorite pie crust.  So, I just figured why not use my favorite pie dough recipe from King Arthur Flour.  I have never made a pie using this free form technique before.   I must confess I am hooked.  

 Well, a few of my favorite things is frangipane, pastry cream, honey and pears.  The rest is history.  I gathered a few miscellaneous recipes from searching the web throughout the years and somehow manage to put together a French Masterpiece.  It is delicious!  I know I will be making Galettes, Lazy Pies, Crostatas or what ever you want to call it for my holiday table, or just because I feel like pie.  Anyways, they are unpretentious and a lot of fun to make!  It's casual and I think a glass of sweet wine would go quite nicely with my GALETTE.    There I said it!

The Goodies

 Uncooked Pie Crust topped with Frangipane and Pastry Cream

Pie crust:  (Pate' Sucree)  recipe from King Arthur Flour

2 cups flour

2 cups unsalted cold butter

pinch salt

1 T. sugar

1 cold egg

In a food processor; process flour, salt, sugar and butter until you get a fine meal. Add egg continue to process until dough comes together. If you need to add a little bit of cold water for it to form a ball, go ahead but very little at a time. Refrigerate for 1/2 hour to 1 hour.  Enough for two Galettes or several mini Galettes. 

Frangipane

5 oz. almond paste

1 T. Honey
2 eggs

4 tsp. corn starch

Blend in food processor until smooth (enough for one Galette)

Microwave Pastry Cream:  from Beatrice Ojakangas

1 cup heavy cream

2 T. sugar I used 4 T. sugar

1 1/2 T. corn starch

1 egg yolk

1 tsp. vanilla

I added a pat of unsalted butter

In a microwave bowl.  Add one cup heavy cream, sugar, corn starch and beat with a whisk.  Microwave a minute at a time and stir with spoon until mixture looks like thick pudding.  Add your egg, vanilla and butter and mix with a fork until well incorporated.  Love this method for a quick pastry cream.  It is fabulous!

2 pears

Peeled and sliced add one tsp. lemon juice and one tsp. sugar

Divide dough in half and roll out one round pie crust on a generous floured parchment paper, put a round layer of frangipane in middle, put a round layer of pastry cream on top of the frangipane, layer with pears.  Bring sides of dough up to form an edge.  I used a egg yolk wash and coarse sugar to sprinkle. Transfer with parchment paper on to a cookie sheet.

Will have extra pie dough left (save for another Galette)

Bake in a 375 degree oven for 45 minutes or until golden brown.

When cooled.  I brushed with a honey glaze.  Add toasted almonds and drizzle confectioner's icing.

Honey Glaze:

1/4 cup honey with 2 T. almond extract (mix well)

Confectioners Icing

1/4 cup of powder sugar, add enough almond extract and a touch of water to make a thin icing and drizzle on top of Gallette

Uncooked Galette topped with Sliced Pears

Uncooked Galette with egg wash and coarse sugar

Brush with Honey Glace, drizzle Confectioner's Icing and add toasted almonds.
Ready to Serve!