Peppermint chocolate almond bark

Things are getting very very busy as I prep to leave for Uni in a couple of months, and so the newest development in my life is that I have started meditating in the mornings and running in the evenings, which might seem a little contradictory in nature but it actually functions like a very well balanced see saw of energy and calm. (Does that make sense ?) Meditation is everything it promises to be - peaceful, satisfying, humbling and remindful of the fact that no matter how much is on your (my) plate, there’s still some space for more. 

Speaking of satisfying feelings, there is something really soothing about tempering chocolate. If you haven’t done it before, it is a little bit tricky and demands precision but it’s also very quick to learn and fun to practice. This chocolate almond bark was (as always) a last minute, unplanned thing and came out of my sudden urge to up the fancy on another dessert. You can make it in under 15 minutes, then let it harden, break it in shards and use it an embellishment on a cake or any other dessert or an ice cream sundae, and so on; be creative! 

It also opens a window of options - i made my mine with sea salt and pralined almonds, but you could use hazelnuts, cranberries, coconut, or a whole bunch of other things. Imagine there are no rules, so use whatever is in your pantry and tastes good with chocolate! The only rule-ish advice is, use good (GREAT) quality cooking chocolate. Since chocolate is basically the entirely of what you’re making, use the best quality you can. I recommend Valrohna or Ghirardelli. For this particular recipe I used Ghirardelli 70% Chocolate - my favourite ! 

Ingredients:

200 g cooking chocolate
2 tsp peppermint oil
1 cup pralined almonds, slightly crushed
sea salt 

Process:

Line your oven pan with tightly with cling wrap and keep aside
Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl suspended over a pan of simmering water
Use a wood spatula to mix and stir as it melts. 
Remove from heat when melted completely & add 2 tsp of peppermint oil and stir
Pour into the prepared pan and sprinkle with pralined almonds (or nuts of your choice) and sea salt
Refrigerate till hardened completely
Break into pieces and store in a cool dry place or in the fridge if you live in a warm climate like I do! 
 

pumpkin spice cupcakes with cream cheese frosting

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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!