Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Remembrance Day Hellmann's® CHOCOLATE MAYONNAISE CUPCAKES



Today, November 11 is in remembrance of all the men and women who served and protected us from harms way, in order we may have freedom and enjoy on a daily basis.  I would like to personally thank my dear uncle Marcel for his bravery during WWII.  During this war, he was shot down by enemy aircraft, while being performing his duties on a Lancaster.  He was one of the fortunate ones to have survived the crash. 

Unfortunately, his mates, didn't.  

In remembrance and a thank you to the men and women who served, my daughter, Trisha and I got together to make Remembrance Chocolate Cupcakes with red icing to resemble the poppy.  We wanted a cupcake that was nice and moist, plus chocolate.  You know the kind, the ones that melt in your mouth.  

For the icing, it had to be a rich dark Red Icing to resemble the Poppy. 

So, the overall best recipe for a nice moist cake would be the original HELLIMAN RECIPE. The original recipe is for a whole cake, but it also makes for a prefect cupcakes. 

The recipe is below or you may check out the recipe yourself : 

 http://www.hellmanns.com/recipes/detail/35904/1/chocolate-mayonnaise-cake

MY TEST ON HELLMAN'S RECIPE is successful and highly recommended.  

IT IS a nice moist cake. Light. 

The finished batter is easily POURED into the cupcake tins OR, if making a cake, into cake pans. 

TIP:  After measuring each ingredient, put it away. This way you'll know what you used without using again or make the mistake of doubling the ingredient. 



Serves : 12 

If making CAKE : COOK TIME :  350 degrees F  - 25 minutes

If making CUPCAKES: 350 degrees F - 20 minutes


INGREDIENTS:

2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
3 eggs
1 2/3 cups sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup Hellmann's® or Best Foods® Real Mayonnaise
1 1/3 cups water


METHOD: 

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and lightly flour two 9-inch round cake pans; set aside.
In medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and baking powder; set aside.

In large bowl, with electric mixer at high speed, beat eggs, sugar and vanilla for 3 minutes or until light and fluffy. 

Beat in Hellmann's® or Best Foods® Real Mayonnaise at low speed until blended. Alternately beat in flour mixture with water, beginning and ending with flour mixture. 

Pour into prepared pans.

Bake 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. On wire racks, cool 10 minutes; remove from pans and cool completely. 

Frost, if desired, or sprinkle with confectioners sugar.


ICING :  

Ingredients
1 cup of Butter ( 1/2 lb) 
3 cups of Icing Sugar (dry cup measurement)
1 teaspoon Vanilla 
Optional : 1 teaspoon of milk ( we didn't require this, as we wanted our icing firm. But, if your doing a cake and you want to spread it out, then you may require a smooth icing ) 

Method
Whip up butter and add 1 cup of icing sugar at a time. Add in the vanilla after the first cup of icing sugar. Blend until smooth. 

Red Icing 


NOTE :  To get that deep red colour you will have to use a gel colour. You can find it at a Micheal's store in the baking and decorating section.  It cost $4.99 for one. It's tasteless too, which you want.  If you use the conventional red colouring package ( comes with red, blue, green and yellow), you will only get a pink colour, no matter how much you put in. 

I hope you enjoy my cupcakes.  

Please support my efforts by buying my cookbook, " Canadian Recipes of the Great White North 









#moistcake #Cake #Chocolate #cupcakes #baking #ChefBari  #icing 

Dumplings for Stew by Chef Bari



Moist light dumplings for your choice of stew by Chef Bari 

Ingredients
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder 
1/2 teaspoon of salt 
1 egg
 1/4 cup Water (consistency should be sticky gooey dough) 

Method:   

Mix dry ingredients together including salt.
Mix egg with water
Mix liquid into dry ingredients.

Procedure
Dip big spoon into gravy of your cooked stew. Take a healthy portions of your dumpling mix and place into stew. Cover and cook on low heat for 10 minutes.  You want a light simmer only.  If you don't, your stew will burn. So, easy does it. 

Beef Stew by Chef Bari




Please support my efforts by buying my cookbook, " Canadian Recipes of the Great White North 
by Chef Bari" - the one and only Great Canadian Cookbook.