Sláinte!!! 

St. Patrick's Day is coming up and these Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes are a definite winner!  Why are they called Irish Car Bombs?  Because of the popular bar shot with 3 Irish ingredients - Irish Whiskey, Irish Cream and Guinness Stout.  In cupcake talk, it is Guinness chocolate cake, Irish whiskey ganache filling and Baileys buttercream frosting.  We need a few more ingredients to make these cupcakes but they are sooooo delicious...in fact spectacular!!!!!!  But you judge for yourself.

Caley and I have made these before and they have become a tradition at the office of The Travel Agent Next Door.  

Caley and the cupcakes

Here is the recipe...Makes 24

There are many versions around so this has been adapted from a few of them

What's in the cupcakes?

• 1 cup Guinness stout
• 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ¾ cup  cocoa powder
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1½ teaspoons baking soda
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• ⅔ cup sour cream

What's in the Whiskey Ganache Filling?

•  8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped 
• ⅔ cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons Irish whiskey

What's in the Bailey's Frosting:

• 2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 5 cups powdered sugar
• 7 tablespoons Bailey’s Irish Cream

HOW DO WE MAKE THEM???

First the cupcakes

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 standard tins (12 cupcakes in each) with liners.
2. Heat the Guinness and butter in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add the cocoa powder and whisk until the mixture is smooth. Remove from the heat and cool slightly.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt and set aside.
4. Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs and sour cream on medium speed until combined. 
5. Add the slightly cooled Guinness-chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and beat just to combine. 
6. Reduce the speed to low, add the flour mixture and beat just until it starts to come together, about 30 seconds. Using a rubber spatula, fold the batter until completely combined. 
7. Divide the batter among the cupcake liners about 2/3 full and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean ( about 17 minutes)
8. Cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then remove the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely.

Second - The Whiskey Ganache Filling

1. Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. 
2. Place the heavy cream in a small saucepan and bring to simmer over medium heat. Immediately pour it over the chocolate, then let it sit for two minutes. 
3. Using a rubber spatula, gently stir the mixture from the center outward until smooth. Add the butter and whiskey and stir until combined. 
4. Let the ganache cool until thick but still soft enough to be piped, about 30 minutes. (If it becomes too stiff, whisk it until it gets softer)

Third - Inserting the Ganache into the Cupcakes

1. You can either use a paring knife, apple corer, or large pastry tip to cut out the centers of the cooled cupcakes- going about halfway down.  I then used a teaspoon and filled the centers with the ganache.

Fourth - Top it with the Baileys Frosting

1. Using the whisk attachment of the electric mixer, whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally. 
2. Reduce the speed to medium-low and gradually - (actually very slowly so you are not enveloped in a white cloud) add the powdered sugar until all of it is incorporated. 
3. Add the Baileys and increase the speed to medium-high and whip for another 2 to 3 minutes, until it is light and fluffy.  (Be careful because it tends to splash)
4. Using your favourite decorating tip, an offset spatula or a simple knife,  frost the cupcakes and decorate with sprinkles, if desired.  

Voila!  A  cupcake winner!!!!

Until we bake again...

Penny

xxx

The Waterford Blaa- Happy St. Paddy's Day!

A Waterford blaa is a doughy, white bread bun speciality particularly associated with Waterford, Ireland. It is currently made in Waterford and County Kilkenny and was historically made in Wexford. (Wikipedia). It actually has protected status by the EU...Kind of like Champagne I guess?

And so, I decided to try out this recipe from a great blog I follow - Karen's Kitchen Stories


These buns were easy to make. They are good the same day- tender and fluffy on the inside and crusty on the outside - but go stale pretty quickly.

WATERFORD BLAA RECIPE
This recipe makes 24
I made them for Leslie's St Paddy's Day Pardy!

Ingredients

900 grams (285 to 300 ml) lukewarm (100 degrees F) water
30 grams (about 1 tablespoon plus 3/4 teaspoon) instant yeast
30 grams (about 2 1/4 tsp) sugar
1500 grams bread flour (just less than 12 cups) plus more for coating the rolls
20 grams (about 1 3/4 tsp) fine sea salt
30 grams (about 3/4 tablespoon) room temperature unsalted butter

Instructions

Place the warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer and add the yeast and the sugar.
Mix gentlyAdd the flour, salt, and butter. Stir with a wooden spoon or a dough whisk until just combined.
Place the bowl on the mixer and mix with the dough hook for 10 minutes, adding more water early on as needed to achieve a smooth dough. I didn't need to add more....

Place the dough into an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 40 to 45 minutes.

Ooops left it tooooo long!!! STOP!!!!

Line 3 x 9 inch by 13 inch baking pan with parchment, and dust it liberally with flour.
Remove the dough from the bowl and deflate it. I first divided it in half then quarters and finally had 24 equal pieces
Form each piece into a ball, and then press each ball with the palm of your hand to flatten it into a disk. As you can see, mine didn't flatten so much so don't worry. Place each disk side by side into the pan (2 disks x 4 disks). Cover the pan with plastic wrap and place it in a warm spot to rise, about 45 to 50 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

When the Blaas are ready, liberally dust them with flour, but don't overdo it or you will be eating flour!!. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes.
Lift the parchment out of the pan and place the Blaas on a wire rack. Using a pastry brush, distribute the flour that is already on the rolls evenly over the tops and brush excess from the bottoms too.
The rolls can be served warm or cooled. Cool completely before storing. You can wrap them in plastic if you are going to store them for the next day.

Remember check out Karen's Kitchen Stories! This recipe was inspired by Comfort and Spice by Niamh Shields

Until we bake again....

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Penny

Irish Soda Bread...

Camera guy filmed this video of me making Irish Soda Bread.  This is a quick bread so it is completely different than many of the breads I've been making lately. Spread it with some butter (salted) and some nice jam or marmalade...and enjoy!  It is quick, easy and inexpensive!

Ingredients
3cups all-purpose flour
1cup cake flour
1 1/2teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2teaspoons cream of tartar
1 1/2teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2cups buttermilk
1 tablespoon melted butter
Instructions
1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees and adjust a rack to the center position. Place the flours, soda, cream of tartar, salt and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and rub it into the flour using your fingers until it is  incorporated and the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in the center and add the buttermilk. Work the liquid into the flour mixture using a wooden spoon or dough whisk  until the dough comes together in large clumps. Dump  the dough onto a work surface and knead briefly until the loose flour is just moistened. The dough will still be rough and uneven.

2. Form the dough into a dome shape about 6 to 7 inches in diameter and place in a cast iron skillet. Score a 1 inch deep  cross on top of the loaf and place in the heated oven. Bake until nicely browned and a tester comes out clean when inserted into the center of the loaf, about 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from oven and brush with a tablespoon of melted butter. Cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

Until we bake again...
Penny