Cookies and Cream Cupcakes

I had some very sad news yesterday. I found out that my Great Aunt has passed away. I feel guilty for not seeing her as much as I should have over the last few years, we used to go over quite a lot, then I had college, then a job and now Uni. That’s no excuse, you should always make time for family, I’m not trying to say that because of work etc that’s me coming up with an excuse, it’s my fault, I should have still made time and now I can’t and I feel guilty and selfish.

I’ll be trying my best to go to her funeral once we find out the details, I hope it’s before Uni starts so it’s easier for me to go.

It came at a bad time really, I’ve been quite depressed these last few days and also hurt my knee again. It’s always the same knee, the one I fractured, now I keep banging it and it’s so delicate, the slightest bump and it swells and I can’t put any weight on it… I feel like I’ve spent since Saturday crying all the time, I’m even tearing up writing this and I don’t know why, nothing had happened until I was told about my Great Aunt yesterday, before that I just felt awful. Mind you there rarely is a time when you can explain why you feel awful when it’s depression. Hopefully I’ll feel better soon.

I may be a bit quiet for a few days, but I’ll leave you with this amazing recipe for Cookies and Cream cupcakes before I do. You’ll probably get some lovely recipes out of my break as I’ll go into my own bubble and bake… Somehow the cake manages to taste like a biscuit, it’s really odd, but delicious, not too sweet and not too bitter. But the frosting?! OMG it’s like dipping your finger into a tub of marshmallow fluff…

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You will need:

> Sugar/Jam thermometer
> 2 cupcake trays
> Rolling pin
> Quite a few bowls!

Makes 16

Recipe from The Primrose Bakery Book

Ingredients for the cupcakes:

> 115g dark chocolate (the best you can afford)
> 85g butter
> 175g light brown sugar
> 2 eggs, separated
> 1tsp vanilla extract
> 185g plain flour
> 3/4tsp baking powder
> 3/4tsp bicarbonate of soda
> 250ml milk (I used skimmed)
> Oreo’s for garnish (Note: The original recipe said one packet, but didn’t state what size, I only had mini so used a couple of packets, this was way too much there’s no way they have 1 Oreo on top of them, you’d probably have enough with one packet of 6 mini Oreo’s)

Ingredients for the frosting:

> 120g granulated sugar
> 80g golden syrup
> 1 1/2tbsp water
> 2 egg whites
> 1/2tsp vanilla extract

Method:

> Preheat the oven to 190 degrees C and line 2 cupcakes trays. If you only have one cupcake tray, you’ll have to bake in batches. This will make 16 cupcakes.
> Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl.
> Either place it above some simmering water in a saucepan to melt or do it how I always do, place it in the microwave in 20 second increments, stirring each time before you put it back in the microwave until melted. Beware, if you don’t stir it, chocolate will keeps its shape so you might think it’s not ready, but in fact it’s burnt. It’s very important to stir between putting it back in the microwave.

> Place to one side to cool. In the bowl of your stand mixer, or a large bowl, place the butter and sugar.
> Cream until light and fluffy, usually about 2 minutes.
> Separate the eggs into two glasses/small bowls. Add the yolks into the creamed butter and sugar. Add in the vanilla extract.
> Mix until smooth and light
> Add in the melted chocolate.
> Mix until well incorporated.

> In a separate bowl, sift the flour, baking powder and bicarb together. Measure the milk out in a jug. Place half the flour mix into the batter and half the milk.
> Mix until well incorporated and then repeat with the other half of the flour and milk. Mix until lovely and smooth.
> Place the egg whites in a small bowl. Whisk them until they form soft peaks. Place into the batter.

> By hand, with a spatula, carefully fold in the egg whites. Don’t be tempted to really whisk them in well, you’ll ruin the volume you have. Here’s the mix half way through folding, I know it looks gross, but persevere 🙂
> Keep folding until combined, once it’s combined don’t be tempted to keep mixing.

> Split the batter between the cupcake cases. About 2/3 full will do it.
> Place in the oven for 20-25 minutes until an inserted skewer comes out clean.
> Remove the cupcakes from the tray as quickly as you can, yes they’ll still be hot, use oven gloves and be careful, but it means the papers don’t peel away from the cake.
> Leave on a wire rack to cool completely.
> Once cooled, place Oreo’s in a sandwich/ziploc bag.
> Beat the heck out of them with a rolling pin until they resemble rubble 🙂
> To make the frosting, place the sugar, golden syrup and water in a small saucepan with a sugar thermometer attached.

> Cook on a high heat until your thermometer measures “soft-ball” around 115 degrees C. The bubbles will almost start to stick together. This will take around 2 minutes.

> WOW look at that! 😀 It looks like a science experiment! Remove from the heat.
> Place the egg whites in the bowl of your stand mixer or a large bowl.
> Whisk until soft peaks form.
> Turn the speed down to low and gradually and constantly pour the hot sugar mix into the egg whites.

> Once all the sugar mixture is mixed into the egg whites, turn the speed up to medium-high until it becomes thick and glossy.
> This frosting makes enough to spread onto the cupcakes with a little left over, not enough to pipe. Spoon a little frosting onto a cooled cupcake and then, using the back of the spoon ensure the cupcake is covered. Repeat until all the cupcakes are frosted.
> Grab some pieces of Oreo rubble and sprinkle onto the cupcakes to garnish.