Sweet & Salty Dark Chocolate Brownies (aka Your New Favorite Recipe!)

These are the perfect sweet & salty treat for any day of the week! Layers of browned butter dark chocolate brownie batter, soft maple salted caramel, more batter then topped with dark chocolate chunks and crunchy sea salt. Better enjoyed when fully cooled, these are so delicious you may not make it that far!

sweet & salty brownies

Sweet & Salty Dark Chocolate Brownies 

(yield 16, 2" brownies)

3 oz AP flour

.75 oz sesame or almond flour

3/4 teaspoon sea salt

0.4 oz cocoa powder

8 1/2 oz dark chocolate chunks (60–70%), divided

4.75 oz browned butter (from about 6oz total)

4.75 oz sugar

1.75 oz brown sugar

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

For the caramel layer:

4 oz granulated sugar

4 1/2 teaspoons maple syrup

1 oz water

3.75 oz cream

3/4 teaspoon sea salt, divided

1. Brown the butter in a small saucepan (here’s a good demo); place 6.5 ounces of the chocolate chunks in a medium heat proof bowl. Pour browned butter over chocolate and let sit for about 1 minute while the butter melts the chocolate. Stir with a whisk until melted, a few lumps are ok. Set aside to cool slightly.

the browned butter & dark chocolate chunks, melting together

2. In another mixing bowl, combine flours, cocoa, and salt; set aside. Add sugars to browned butter & chocolate mixture, and beat well with a wooden spoon. Add eggs one at a time and mix well after each one. Add vanilla and stir. Add in flour/cocoa mixture and stir until combined. Set aside.

3. Preheat oven or toaster oven to 300 degrees. Line 8"x8" baking pan with parchment paper. To make caramel filling, place sugar, water, and maple syrup in a medium sauce pan and cook over medium heat until bubbly and temperature on candy thermometer reaches 260’. Add cream and salt, mixture will bubble vigorously. Cook until 240’ is reached on candy thermometer (do not exceed 248’ or else the caramel will be crunchy). Remove from heat and set aside.

my method for lining a square pan, with parchment and binder clips!

4. Spread half of the brownie batter into prepared pan. Drizzle warm caramel over batter (keep away from sides of pan). Spoon remaining brownie batter over caramel and spread out evenly. Sprinkle top with remaining 2 ounces of chocolate chunks and 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt. Bake at 300’ for 30-40 minutes, rotating every 10 minutes. Brownies are done when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with just a few crumbs. Let cool completely. Refrigerate until firm before cutting.

Happy Baking (and Eating!)

the finished brownies!

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Your New Favorite Gingerbread Recipe - Blueberry & Chocolate!

I've been away from blogging for a few years(!) yet it's the perfect time to make a comeback - a sweet & spicy holiday comeback!

I'm a huge fan of Nigella Lawson and have watched, re-watched, and watched Simply Nigella on repeat over the past year. Despite the season containing only 6 episodes, this show encapsulates the feeling (for me) of the holidays; warm, spicy, sweet, and inviting. And the lighting and setting of the show? Any baker or cook's dream!

Scene from Simply Nigella (photo from here)

In Episode 5, Nigella fawns over a prodigious tackle box of licorice array - candies, powders, bars, syrups, and even an anise-y black currant incarnation. She goes on to create a chocolate licorice layer cake adorned with fresh black currants, the inspiration for this unique gingerbread delight.

The Inspiration (photo from here)

Another long-standing inspiration for my baking is Smitten Kitchen. What baker has she not inspired with her simple and enticing recipes and expertly styled photos? Whenever I start thinking about creating a recipe, I turn to the vast interwebs of endless information. I used to go straight to Martha Stewart for base recipes (I still do from time to time); yet, with the plethora of available baker blogs, it is a baker's blessing to have a wider array of modern inspiration.

Licorice and molasses have always held a similar place in my heart and palate; my dad and I are on Team Black Licorice, while my mom and brother prefer the red ropes of our childhood. I love the herby, anisey, rooty flavor. Similar to old-timey soda of yesteryear sarsaparilla, the spicy sulphur of molasses rings the licorice bell of my brain. To me, they are an earthy incarnation of a by-gone era.

Yet, I digress; this recipe is adapted from Smitten Kitchen's Spicy Gingerbread Cookies which, in itself, is an amazing classic spicy cookie recipe (I made it as well!). The addition of finely ground white pepper (SK uses black) and coriander both play well with the smokey spiciness inherent to most gingerbread cookie recipes. The addition of barley malt syrup adds a malty earthiness as well; honey or maple syrup can be used in substitution.

So here you go; have fun, enjoy, and share with those you love!

Freeze dried blueberries and unsweetened cocoa powder

Blueberry & Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies

(adapted from Smitten Kitchen)

Yield 24, 2-3" cookies

12oz AP flour (about 2 3/4 cups)

.6oz ground freeze dried blueberries* (about 2 T)

.5oz unsweetened cocoa powder (2 T)

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp baking powder

1 tp ground ginger

1 tsp ground cinnamon

3/4 tsp finely ground white pepper

3/4 tsp ground coriander

1/2 tsp coarse salt (sea or kosher)

4oz unsalted butter, softened (1 stick)

3oz dark brown sugar (about 3/4 cup)

1oz granulated sugar (about 1/4 cup)

1 large egg, room temperature

3oz molasses, unsulphured (about 3 T)

1oz barley malt syrup (or honey, about 1 T)

*as Nigella would say, "blitz" the freeze dried blueberries in a coffee or spice grinder until finely ground

1. Place all of the dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl (flour through salt) and stir until spices are distributed; set aside.
2. In the bowl of a mixer, cream butter and sugars together until fluffy. Add the egg and mix until even fluffier. Add the molasses and malt syrup (or honey). Mix until combined. 
3. Add dry ingredients and mix until well combined. Dough may appear to be somewhat dry and crumbly but will come together after a few moments. If it doesn't add a drop or two more of molasses or honey until the dough comes together. 
4. Split dough into two and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 2 days. (The flavors will develop the longer you leave the dough to rest, but don't leave it for more than 2 days; you can also freeze the dough at this point.)
5. Preheat oven to 350'. Roll out cold dough on lightly floured work surface to desired thickness (I roll mine to about 1/4" to 1/3", but roll thinner for crispy cookies, thicker for chewier cookies).
6. Cut out into desired shapes and bake on parchment lined sheets for 12-15 minutes depending on cookie size and thickness.
7. Let cool on wire racks for about 5 minutes. Decorate with your favorite royal icing or buttercream, or eat just as-is!

The finished cookies!

Interview about Eating Well for Phoenix New Time's "Chef and Tell" Series; "It's Not a One Size Fits All for Everyone"

Photo by Evie Carpenter for Phoenix New Times/Chow Bella. 

Over the summer, I was invited by the managing editor of Phoenix New Times to do some allergy-friendly baking. With grocery bags in tow, I was excited to share several new recipes I'd recently developed featuring local ingredients (like Agritopia Farm's raw honey). I was pleasantly surprised that my new friend had invited a staff writer and photographer to join us and document our afternoon in the kitchen. What followed were hours of chatting about my philosophy on food allergies and how, as a pastry chef with my own food allergies and intolerances, I am committed to making allergy-friendly recipes accessible and enjoyable for all.

Please enjoy the entire interview here.

xo,

Marisa, The Radical Cupcake

delicious dairy free & low sugar vanilla bean ice cream

I can't remember a Fourth of July when we didn't have freshly churned vanilla ice cream topped with just picked strawberries from our garden. Our version was made without eggs yolks and had a slightly icy consistency. We used an old wooden hand crank machine, the kind that you had to use lots of ice and rock salt to make. (A little food science - the rock salt lowers the melting temperature of the ice, therefore chilling the ice cream not only faster but at a lower temperature.) My mom would sit on the machine while either my brother or I would crank, and dad would add more ice and salt as needed. The entire process seemed to take hours but it was worth it! I have very sweet memories of these holidays we used as excuses to dust off the ice cream machine. 

photo from here

Since going dairy free several years ago, I have missed ice cream. Especially handmade ice cream. Here is a great low sugar adaptation, with an infused richness from vanilla bean pods and just a little honey to make it the perfect amount of sweet. Top scoops of this delicious cold treat with fresh cut strawberries, a fruit compote, or homemade hot fudge sauce and you will be the hit of your holiday party!

For this recipe, I do recommend using whole vanilla bean. The flavor derived from steeping the coconut milk from real beans is unsurpassed by any extracts you can use. Vanilla beans are available at some grocery stores (I've found them at Whole Foods), as well as specialty stores like Sur la Table. They can be expensive, yes, but trust me - the flavor of this ice cream makes the extra cost worth it! Plus, you can use the leftover pod to make vanilla sugar, or grind them up to make a delicious flavoring for virtually any recipe calling for vanilla/extract. If you can't find vanilla bean, use 2 tablespoons of good quality vanilla extract instead. 

photo from here


Recipe for Dairy Free Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
(Yield 1 quart)
* hands on time is minimal with this recipe but it takes time for the base to chill and to harden once frozen in the ice cream machine. I recommend starting this at least one day before you plan to enjoy *

Ingredients
- 16 oz coconut milk (2 cups), full fat & without added preservatives if possible
- 6 oz almond milk (3/4 cup), or your preferred non dairy milk
- 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped
- 4 large egg yolks
- 3 oz raw honey (about 1/4 cup), local if possible
- 1 tablespoon good quality vanilla extract
- pinch sea salt or kosher salt

Procedure
1. Place coconut milk and almond milk in a small to medium sized saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat.

2. While milks are heating, split and scrape 1 vanilla bean. Here's a great step by step from The Kitchn.

3. Once milks have come to a simmer, turn off the heat and add the vanilla bean seeds and pod pieces to the sauce pan. Stir gently with a whisk to separate seeds. Cover saucepan with lid and let steep for at least 20 minutes. You can do this step a day ahead and let the vanilla steep in the milks overnight, just put the saucepan in the fridge and keep covered. The longer the bean and seeds have to infuse the milks, the better. 

4. While vanilla bean is steeping in the milks, separate 4 eggs and place yolks in a smallish bowl (I put mine in a 1 cup Pyrex measuring cup) and stir gently with a whisk. Save the whites for your morning omelette.

5. Remove the vanilla pod pieces from the milks and rinse gently to remove the milk. Save these pieces and, once dry, place in a container of sugar to make vanilla sugar or grind in a spice/coffee grinder to make ground vanilla.

6. Return the saucepan containing the now vanilla-infused milks to the stove and heat to a simmer over medium heat. Once reheated, pour about a quarter cup of warm milk into the bowl of egg yolks, stirring constantly so the yolks don't scramble. Stir well to combine and then return yolk/milk mixture back to saucepan with the remaining milk.

7. With heat set to medium, stir milk/yolk mixture with a whisk constantly until mixture thickens slightly and would coat the back of a wooden spoon. Do not overcook or eggs will scramble and the mixture might curdle. (If this happens, don't fret. Just put the entire mixture into a blender and blend until uniform. Be careful putting a warm mixture into a blender, however. Make sure to remove the center portion of the blender lid and cover with a kitchen towel before turning on.)

8. Off heat, add honey, vanilla, and salt to the cooked egg/milk mixture. Stir well. Set pan over bowl of ice water to let cool to room temperature before placing in refrigerator to cool completely. You can place the ice cream base in another container or just cover the saucepan with a lid. Let chill at least 4 hours, or overnight.

9. Remove base from fridge and freeze in an ice cream machine, per their instructions. Generally, ice cream machines call for churning at least 20-30 minutes. I churn mine about 25 minutes.

10. Remove ice cream from machine and place in a freezer container. Freeze until firm, about 4 hours. You can enjoy straight from the machine if you like a soft serve consistency.

Serve with fresh fruit, compote, hot fudge, or your favorite topping!

Wishing all a very happy and safe Fourth!

xo,

Marisa, The Radical Cupcake

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Have a Holly Jolly (& Sweet) Holiday! Gluten Free & Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Chex Mix

As a child growing up outside of Seattle, I don't remember a holiday that didn't include an overflowing bowl of freshly baked Chex Mix. My father, an accomplished home cook and avid watcher of Julia Child cooking shows, routinely made the popular cereal concoction but never followed the original recipe proudly displayed on its box. Sometimes he'd add a simple dash of cayenne pepper for a bit of a Southwest feel, other times it was cheese crackers, homemade BBQ sauce, and Tabasco.

photo by Runs With Spatulas

 In lieu of the traditional mix, this holiday I've opted for a slightly sweet, chocolatey, and nutty version that is gluten free & vegan ("Glutenfreegan™"), dairy free, egg free, soy free, and low in refined sugar (modified from Chex's "Muddy Buddies®" recipe). Our recipe contains nuts (almonds & coconut oil) but can be made without. It also contains rice & corn (from the Chex®; corn is also in most conventional powdered sugars); if you are allergic or avoiding either one of these ingredients, you can substitute the other cereal for the entire amount listed below. Wholesome Sweeteners offers a powdered sugar made without corn (but it tends to clump easily, I recommend sifting the powdered sugar before step 6 below). For those with peanut allergies, just swap in almond butter for the peanut butter. 

Here's the recipe (Yields 8 cups):

3 cups (3.5 oz) Corn Chex®

3 cups (3.5 oz) Rice Chex®

2 cups (11 oz) raw or toasted almonds*

1/2 cup (4.5 oz) natural peanut or almond butter (no added sugar)

1/2 cup (3 oz) 70-85% chocolate, chopped (I use Theo Chocolate 85%)

2 tablespoons (1 oz) raw organic virgin coconut oil, melted (I use Trader Joe's brand) or non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening for those with nut allergies (I use Spectrum Organic brand)

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon (about 2 pinches) freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 cup powdered sugar (organic preferred)

cereal mixture, once coated with chocolate

How to make GF&V Chocolate Peanut Butter Chex Mix:

1. Place cereal and almonds in a large mixing bowl and set aside. 

*If using raw almonds, place nuts on a cookie sheet at toast at 325 for 10 minutes. Let cool slightly before adding to the cereal. If making without nuts, add 2 additional cups of cereal to substitute. 

2. Place peanut or almond butter, chopped chocolate, coconut oil (or shortening, if using), cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg in small sauce pan and heat over medium low heat until chocolate is melted. Stir well with a whisk until all ingredients are combined.

3. Pour chocolate mixture over cereal & nut mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until all the cereal and nuts are coated. 

4. Line 2 standard sized cookie sheets with parchment/wax paper (or use silicon baking mats) and place half of the coated cereal mixture onto each sheet, spreading into a single layer.

5. Place cookie sheets in refrigerator to help the chocolate set, takes about 30 minutes.

6. Remove sheets from refrigerator and using a metal or wood spatula, transfer cereal mix into a resealable gallon plastic bag. Place powdered sugar on top of cereal, seal bag, and shake until evenly coated.

7. Store in air tight container in refrigerator. 

Share with family & enjoy!!

xoxo, 

Marisa, The Radical Cupcake

glutenfreegan!

announcing a new handle and perspective on eating, baking, and general allergy-friendly sweetness we're calling glutenfreegan! as an executive pastry chef with recently diagnosed food allergies, I'll be committed to writing recipes for the bakers, pastry chefs, and sweet-enthusiasts alike ...

this is a long time coming, and a field I've been committed to for over 10 years. diagnosed with a lactose intolerance in my 20's, I've avoided dairy ever since but knew there were probably others lurking within. I'll post more details about the diagnosis soon.

please check back often for more information as this is where I'll be posting until the new site is up and running. until then, you can follow glutenfreegan on Instagram & Twitter, or via our Facebook page for The Radical Cupcake.

thanks!

xoxo, marisa

aka "The Radical Cupcake"

we've been away ...

it's been awhile since our last post. like over a year. we've been busy starting a new business. but we're coming back, and returning in style! we'll be writing about and sharing allergy-friendly baking recipes, as well as making our very own gluten free flour mix available to the public! it's going to be sweet, so be sure to follow us on facebook, twitter, and instagram to get all the latest & greatest news.

 

xoxo, marisa

aka "The Radical Cupcake"

 

photo by Catherine Jeanette Photography

 

We've Been Nominated, again!

Thanks to all of our awesome supporters, customers, and fans, we've been nominated for a second year in a row in the Best Cakes category of the Best of Western Washington Poll!

We've been nominated! (AND WON!)

Updated 10/31/10 - THANK YOU for all who voted, we were seleceted as the "Top 5 Wedding Cakes" in the Best of Western Washington poll! As a thank you, we'll be hosting a customer appreciation party in early 2011. Stay tuned for more information!

Vote for us in the 'Best Cakes' category for the Best of Western Washington!



Thank you for your support!

Cupcake Giveway - Thanks for Playing!

Our lucky winners have been drawn! Thanks to all who joined our mailing list! Don't worry, there will be plenty more contests, free cupcakes, and other fun giveways!

Stay tuned for our first post regarding the trailer renovations, they started this past weekend!

Thank you all for following!

- The Radical Cupcake

Cupcake Giveaway!

The title says it all, we are giving away cupcakes! Join our mailing list between now and April 5th and one lucky winner will be chosen at random and will win a dozen free cupcakes! (update 4/5/10, winners have been selected but please join our mailing list anyways!) Winner will be notified and you can pick up your cupcakes at CupcakeCamp Seattle!

When: Saturday April 10th, 11AM - 2PM

Where: 415 Westlake, Seattle WA

Why: Because who doesn’t love cupcakes?!

Plus there will be some fun competitions and a fundraiser for the Hope Heart Institute

* don't worry, if you can't pick up your cupcakes at CupcakeCamp, we'll sort something out

* if you don't live in the Seattle area and are chosen as the winner, we'll either mail you a gift certificate or a substitution for cupcakes
* the winner will be notified by email on April 6th, 2010.

fine print: this offer has no cash value and can not be redeemed for anything besides cupcakes or a substitution chosen by The Radical Cupcake. This offer is transferable to someone else as long as they live in the Seattle area and can pick up the cupcakes, as agreed upon by all parties.

questions? please contact us

Retro [out]Fitting a Retro Themed Bakery

I’ve been fascinated with “old stuff” for as long as I can remember and have collected vintage objects and artifacts for years. From musty cigar boxes to vintage food tins, I love the aesthetic and story behind the dusty treasures. As a child, I even dreamed of being an Egyptologist (really really old stuff) and that dream (partially) came true after graduating with both Environmental Studies and Anthropology/Archaeology degrees.

My evident passion for baking, love for historical objects, and annoyingly persistent entrepreneurial drive are the paramount reasons behind starting a mobile bakery. I can’t think of anything more iconic (and totally rad!) than outfitting a 50’s Airstream trailer with mid-century kitchen artifacts and delivering/serving amazingly tasty baked goods to the masses. The dream is also homage to my grandparents who taught me how to bake (my grandmother, a home-ec teacher) and have an appreciation for history and the environment (my grandfather, a geologist). [More on my grandparents in future posts.]

Building upon the collection of “old stuff” that I already have, I’ve started expanding my collection specific to the mid-century era vintage kitchen ware. [“Mid-century” is the time period from approximately 1933/37 to 1963/65 (exact era dates depend on who you ask); I’m focusing my search on post WWII to mid-1960 objects.] My recent acquisitions are shown below, a lovely assortment of aluminum & melamine kitchenware.

Aluminum Ware

Aluminum kitchen appliances and accessories flooded the market post World War II since many manufacturing plants had retrofitted their equipment to produce aluminum products in support of the war effort. Aluminum was rationed during the war; in fact, in some cities aluminum scraps were collected to be used for civilian purposes so that the first-grade aluminum would be available for airplanes and other defense needs.

No mid-century  kitchen would be complete without a few essential aluminum accessories – assorted canisters & containers, cake “keepers” and platters, and cookie cutters. I've recently added these to my collection:

   

Melamine Tableware

Melamine also has a historical connection with WWII – the plastic compound, when combined with certain chemicals then exposed to a heating and cooling cycle, is virtually unbreakable. The durable dishware became a popular choice for the U.S. military, specifically Navy ships. Melamine conveyed a very modern aesthetic to the mid-century housewife and thusly became a staple in kitchens nationwide. 

Several popular manufacturers can be identified as distinct mid-century providers of the very collectable & colorful resin products: Boontonware & Mallo-Ware.

Boontonware was manufactured by the Boonton Molding Company in Boonton, New Jersey (also manufactured Melmac, a brand named melamine product). Boontonware reached the height of its popularity in 1951. Mallo-Ware was another type of melamine dinnerware created by P. R. Mallory Plastics, Inc. of Chicago, Illinois. Both manufacturers primarily produced the melamine dinnerware during the 1950’s and 1960’s. (If you decide to start collecting, be sure to check out this book, and maybe this one too. And be sure to check the bottom for an official trademark!) I love all the rich colors, here are some of my recent purchases:

Be sure to come back soon for more photos and my recent vintage acquisitions! Thanks for reading!

Going Mobile

Welcome! This is The Radical Cupcake's first official post on our new blog. And this blog is dedicated to our new venture for 2010 -

GOING MOBILE!

This has long been planned but with the right resources, timing, and support tRC is making it happen! Please check back soon for updates - this blog is the source for real time, up to date information about the Mobile Organic Bakery (the 'MOB')'s progress!

Thanks to all who view, read, peruse, and blog about this blog!

Blog under construction, check back soon!