Ginger and Lemon Madeleines

This is a lovely recipe from Food and Drink Winter 2013.  The browned butter makes all the difference in the batter, giving it a nutty taste.  I had never heard of Madeleines before and learned that there are special pans you can buy to make them.  I will have to look around and see if I can find a store that supplies them.  These were made with mini muffin tins.

BATTER
Melted butter and all purpose flour for preparing the pan
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
2 1/2 tsp finely grated fresh ginger
3/4 cup sifted cake flour
1/4 tsp baking powder

LEMON GLAZE
3/4 cup icing sugar
1 1/2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Icing sugar for dusting

1. Brush inside of mini-muffin tins with a thin layer of melted butter.  Dust with all purpose flour, invert pan and tap out excess flour
2. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until foamy.  Continue heating until the foam subsides and the butter turn a golden brown colour.  Transfer to a bowl to stop the cooking and cool 10 minutes.
3. Beat eggs and both sugars together in an electric mixer using the whisk attachment.  Continue beating 2 to 3 minutes or just until the mixture is foamy and lightened in colour.  Beat in the grated ginger.
4. Combine the flour and baking powder, and with the mixer on low speed, add to the egg mixture. Mix just until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
5. Add the brown butter and mix just until the butter is incorporated.
6. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, filling about two thirds full. Refrigerate for 1 hour to firm up the batter.
7. Preheat the oven to 375F.
8. Place pan in the oven and bake until the cakes are lightly browned and just set, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven, invert pan over a wire cooling rack and tap lightly to release cakes.
9. For the glaze, stir together the icing sugar and lemon juice until smooth.  Dip the tops of the cakes into the glaze, allowing the excess glaze to fall back into the bowl.  Allow the glaze to firm up and dust the tops with icing sugar if desired, just before serving.  The cakes will keep 2 to 3 days in an airtight container.

Banana Cupcakes with White Chocolate Ganache Icing

I made these at Christmas!  They were a little different from the traditional treats and were delicious.  I think they would work well for Easter as well.

Cupcakes
2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 large ripe bananas
1/2 cup sour cream
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup butter, softened

Icing
6 oz (170g) white chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup whipping cream

• Preheat the oven to 350F.  Line a muffin pan with 12 paper cupcake liners.  
• In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt until very well mixed.  Set aside.
• Put the bananas, sour cream, eggs and vanilla in a blender or food processor.  Blend until completely smooth, scraping down the sides once or twice.  Add the butter and continue to puree until smooth and creamy yellow in colour.
• Pour banana mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients.  Beat with an electric mixer for 1 to 2 minutes or until the batter is smooth and creamy.  Spoon into cupcake liners, filling them equally - the batter will come nearly to the top.  Place in the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until lightly browned and a toothpick poked into the middle comes out clean.  Remove cupcakes from the pan and let cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make the white chocolate ganache icing.  Place the chopped chocolate in a bowl.  Heat the whipping cream by placing it in a microwave-safe measuring cup and zapping for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until boiling.  Pour about half of the hot cream into the bowl with the chopped chocolate and stir until the chocolate begins to melt.  Add the remaining cream and continue stirring until the mixture becomes smooth.  If the chocolate doesn't totally melt, place the bowl in the microwave and zap for about 10 seconds at a time until melted.  Don't overcook!  Refrigerate the mixture for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it cools to room temperature and begins to thicken.
• When ganache is cool, beat with an electric mixer until it forms a thick, creamy almost fluffy - icing.  Working quickly, swirl over the top of cooled banana cupcakes.  Refrigerate until set.

Pumpkin Cupcakes

These are definitely kid approved!  Great for Halloween or any time, kids can help decorate once they are done.  Based on a recipe from Todays Parent magazine October 2009.

2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp each ground ginger, nutmeg and allspice
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1/2 cup milk
Icing and decorating supplies

Preheat oven to 350F.  Line 16 muffin tin compartments with paper cupcake liners
In medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice.  Set aside.

Using an electric mixer, beat together butter and sugar until light and creamy - about 3 to 4 minutes.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each.  Beat in pumpkin puree.  On low speed, alternately stir flour mixture and milk into butter mixture, starting and ending with the flour.  Mix until just combined.

Pour the batter into prepared cupcake liners, filling each 3/4 full.  Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes; they're done when a toothpick poked into the middle of a cupcake comes out clean, with no batter clinging to it.  Let the cupcakes cool for 5 minutes, then remove from pan to cool completely.

Ice and decorate!