pumpkin spice cupcakes with cream cheese frosting

The last few months have been a blurry haze buried under work and more work but now I think its safe to say that I’ve officially come out of my hiatus just in time for the best season of the year. It’s WINTER and I’m back home in Delhi! Foggy, smoggy Delhi, reeking of celebration and festivity, as December always does. With the NEW YEAR around the corner, i can feel the air changing, pushing away everything 2016 screwed up. I know nothing really changes, except for the date, but I like to see the new year as an excuse to push away negativity and mentally remind myself to embrace positive changes and look forward to the uncertain, potentially exciting future. 2017 will be an exciting, very exciting year because 1) the first one of my friends is getting married (!!) 2) Im going to grad school in chicago in the fall 3) My friend Alf said that according to the chinese calendar, 2017 is the year of the Monkey and that means it will be great for all of us 1992 borns. 

Last year this time, I defeated the cold with bourbon caramels, peppermint hot chocolate and cinnamon sugar pretzels. This year, I’ve spent more time in conference rooms than in kitchens and sadly, eaten more shawarma from QSRs than I would admit. And now, for the biggest confession of all: I haven’t baked anything in nearly HALF A YEAR. It’s been 5 months since I even stepped into my dessert kitchen and looked at the oven. So naturally, the first thing I made when I came back had to be somewhat symbolic. Symbolic of what though, I don’t know. Of winter, my favourite season for baking? Pumpkin cupcakes. They’re warm, and they’re simple and delicious. Nothin’ fancy! 

I love pumpkin in all it’s fall-winter glory. I’ve loved it since I watched it transform into cinderella’s carriage (Thank you disney, for setting unrealistic expectations), but now I love it for it’s versatility - pumpkin soup, pumpkin ravioli, pumpkin pie, pumpkin cheesecake, it never ends.

You may have figured by now that I am not afraid of being the pumpkin-spice-loving, faux fur wearing cliché (Im looking at you, pinterest). To be honest, I feel like for all the pumpkin spice mocking flying around on the internet, it is most definitely not overrated and I have no doubts in saying that if I made a batch of cream cheese frosting, I would much rather spread it over a pumpkin spice cake than anything else (especially in this season!). 

So here goes!

Ingredients: 

For the cupcakes:

• 280 g pumpkin 
• 3 eggs 
• 150 ml oil 
• 250 g sugar
• 250 g flour 
• 1 tsp baking soda 
• 1.5 tsp baking powder 
• 1 tsp cinnamon 
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg 
• 1/8 tsp clove 
• 1/8 tsp cardamom 

For the frosting:

• 1 pkt philadelphia cream cheese 
• 30 g butter 
• 60 g icing sugar 
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 
• pinch of cinnamon powder

Instructions: 

• Preheat your oven to 180 ˚ C and line your cupcake pan with 15 paper moulds
• Boil pumpkin in hot water until very soft. Then puree it in a food processesor. 
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix the pumpkin, eggs and oil and beat until combined. 
• In another large bowl, mix all the dry ingredients together (bullet number 4 - 11)
• Gradually, with the mixer speed on low, add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and combine.
• Beat until fully combined, but be careful not to overbeat 
• Using an ice cream scoop, add 2 scoops of batter into each cupcake mould. This will ensure that the cupcakes are all even sized. 
• Bake in the centre of the oven for approximately 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. By now, your kitchen should be smelling super warm and cinnamony. 
• Set on a wire rack to cool. 

• Make the cream cheese frosting while the cupcakes cool.
• Using a K beater, beat the cream cheese until soft and smooth 
• Add the butter, cinnamon powder and vanilla essence and beat again 
• Now add the icing sugar, one spoonful at a time, and continue beating.  
• Once done, use a spatula to fill a piping bag with the frosting. 
• Pipe cream cheese frosting onto the cooled cupcakes and enjoyyy.

If you’re like me, make a mug of hot chocolate as well! 

Dulce De Leche

I have realized i have a shopping addiction. Especially for really strange and random things, like stationery or art supplies, or shampoos that smell really nice or basically all the stuff they have at Urban Outfitters even though it’s a little overpriced. BUT ITS ALL SO PRETTTTTYY. I am currently on the quest for a planner, and I’m also lusting after EVERY SINGLE THING over here, here and here.

Speaking of addictions, I felt like it was time to address my perennial addiction to Dulce De Leche. It is literally thing best thing in the whole world and I can eat it off a spoon every day and it will still be my go-to jar food, forever. ( Nutella, Peanut butter, I still love you. ) And i don’t usually find the commitment to pick a favourite that easily, but this wins hands down. When i was in portugal last year, there was a waffle bar next to our Air Bnb and i think the waffles with dulce de leche and vanilla ice cream became somewhat of a staple. As did the dulce de leche ice cream at Amorinos , and as of recently, the home made dulce de leche jars that I’ve made. I want to come home from work, dunk a big spoon into a jar and soothe myself with a mouthful of dulce de leche - therapeutic.

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Dulce De Leche literally translated, means MILK JAM. Until a few years ago, I thought dulce de leche and toffee sauce were the same thing, but they aren’t. They’re both closely related and they do both involve a caramelisation process but they’re made in different ways and although dulce de leche is a painstakingly LONG process, it’s incredibly easy and it’s definitely worth your while. Dulce De Leche is essentially a milk and sugar reduction that is boiled till it reduces into a thick consistency and turns a deep amber colour. It tastes rich and fudgy and if made right, it’s the most simple but PERFECT balance of sweet and salty.

So here’s how it’s made:

Ingredients: 

• 4 cups whole milk
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp salt

Process:

• Mix the milk and sugar in a large saucepan and heat. 
• Keep stirring until the sugar dissolves. 
• After about 1 hour, add 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
• Continue to stir occasionally
• The mixture will begin to turn tan in colour and quickly get darker & thicker
• Stir frequently to avoid burning
• Add salt.
• Take off the heat when it reaches an amber colour (about 2 hours). It should also be relatively thick in consistency by now
• Strain if desired and pour into jars. 
• Can be stored in the fridge for up to a month

There is an alternate, easier method - just put a can of condensed milk into a pot of boiling water for about 1 1/2 - 2 hours. (Be careful that the can is fully immersed in water the entire time.) After that, let it cool and open the jar - and ta daaa ! The dulce de leche basically makes itself.

When you’ve stocked up on jars of these, all you need to do is grab a spoon. Enjoy!

x x

Tiramisu Ice Cream

The first time I tried tiramisu, i did not like it at all. Probably because i was really young and my palate was more attuned to the overly sweet childlike flavours of milk chocolate, vanilla frosting and condensed milk. Each day began with a tall mug of too-sweet bournvita and ended with ice cream. In my predominantly sugar-driven universe, there was no room for flavours like coffee and liquor, and the concept of flavour balance was unheard of. The extent of my interaction with coffee was when I would have a bowl of milkmaid condensed milk with a tablespoon of nescafe instant coffee powder while watching cartoons after dinner. Needless to say, the poor measly tablespoon of coffee powder didn’t stand a chance on my taste buds, doused in outrageous amount of sweet condensed milk. (Insert the can’t watch emoji - I’m still a dessert person but this was a truly disgusting feast.)

Ironic, now, coffee and alcohol are two of my favourite things. In dessert, and in life in general. Hello adulthood. So it’s no surprise that Tiramisu is one of my favourite desserts, although, the idea of making it myself intimidates me a little bit. Its not just the perfect balance of flavours but also the signature soft texture so your spoon can push through the dessert with ease, yet it’s anchored enough to stand without falling apart. Its just so sophisticated. It’s the kind of dessert you’d eat at a fine dining italian restaurant with a napkin on your lap and I’m still more at a 'eating dessert on the couch in track pants while watching house of cards’ kind of place in my life. So ya know what i mean right. In the dessert hierarchy I’m really not up there yet. BUT it’s good to have something to aspire to, so. baby steps. 

The good news is that David Leibovitz has introduced me to a version of Tiramisu that I’m really comfortable with. Ice cream. I’m crazy about ice cream and if you follow my instagram, you would have seen a buttload of ice creams that I’m making this summer for my #projectXIcecream series. So this combination of Tiramisu + Ice cream had to be given a shot. It was so good that I had to make two more times because of popular demand and no one was giving me the opportunity to photograph it first. 

The recipe is pretty easy, but it takes a little bit of ingredient planning. You may not have mascarpone or Kahlua or corn syrup at home, so it will demand the effort of going to the market. BUT awesome things take a teeny bit extra effort and i promise it's totally WORTH IT.  

Recipe: David Lebovitz 

INGREDIENTS

Ice cream:

450 g mascarpone 

125 ml cream

125 ml milk

130 g powdered sugar

pinch of salt 

3 tbsp dark rum

1/4 cup Kahlua

Mocha fudge sauce: 

1/2 cup sugar 

1/3 cup corn syrup 

1/2 cup espresso * 

6 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder 

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Blend all the ice cream ingredients together in a mixer and set in the refrigerator to chill. 

For the mocha fudge sauce, whisk together all its ingredients except vanilla, in a saucepan over low heat. Continue to heat, whisking constantly, until it comes to a boil. Cook for one minute and then remove from heat. 

Stir in the vanilla and allow it to cool. Keep in refrigerator. 

When the ice cream mixture has been chilling for about 3 - 4 hours, churn in your ice cream machine according to manufacturers instructions. 

After the ice cream is churned, it will be in soft-serve consistency. Quickly transfer to a container, alternating between the ice cream and little bit of the mocha fudge sauce. You can use a toothpick to create ripples. Cover container with foil or cling wrap and store in the freezer for about 8 hours. 

Finally,if you managed to make it through the wait, scoop out the ice cream in a bowl or waffle cone, and eat! 

Notes: 

Because of the alcohol content, this ice cream tends to melt quickly, so keep it in the freezer at all times. 

If you don't have an espresso machine at home, substitute with an equal amount of water + 1 tbsp of good quality coffee powder. 

The mocha fudge sauce can be added to your preference - you can add a little bit or a lot, it's up to you! If you have some left, store it in the refrigerator and use again for mocha ripple in any other ice cream.