Chocolate, Red Wine and Blackberry Cupcakes

Blackberries are in abundance at this time of year and I always make sure that I head out to scour the hedgerows in order to ensure that my freezer is well stocked for the winter ahead. It was reported in the news that this year was a bumper year for blackberries due to favourable weather conditions.

This is an interesting cupcake recipe as it contains red wine!!! You can't really taste it but it does add a depth of flavour. The method in general is rather unusual and the mixture is quite runny but it did yield success. There are also blackberries baked into the batter which are lovely and soft after baking and they definitely make for a moist cupcake. This batch was second time lucky as the first time I made these cupcakes I got distracted and forgot to add the sugar and also accidentally used cream of tartar rather than bicarb of soda...bit of a disaster...whoops!

The buttercream is made using the normal method but it gets its colour and flavour from the addition of 6 tablespoons of blackberry puree. I've actually made two batches of these cupcakes now and it's interesting the difference in the colour of the icing both times, the first time it was a darker purple which must just be dependant on the batch of blackberries you use. Smooshing fruit into buttercream icing is a great way to add natural colour, I particularly like using raspberries for this.

I followed the recipe as it was but also found the second time I made these that the icing was quite loose, I therefore added quite a lot more icing sugar until a good piping consistency was reached. I then used a star nozzle to decorate the cupcakes.

I'm entering these cupcakes into this month's AlphaBakes challenge where the letter for October is 'C'. The challenge is hosted by Ros from The More Than Occasional Baker and on alternate months by Caroline Makes. I'm sure Ros will be receiving a deluge of chocolate recipes!

Ingredients

175g butter
100g dark chocolate (72% or above - Peruvian is recommended)
300g plain flour
375g golden caster sugar
25g cocoa powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 eggs
200ml red wine
200-300g punnet blackberries

Buttercream

200g punnet blackberries (as above)
150g soft butter
300g icing sugar

Makes 12. Start by preheating the oven to 180c/160c fan/gas 4.

Place the butter and chocolate in a saucepan and melt gently on the hob until entirely melted and smooth. Meanwhile mix the flour, sugar, cocoa and bicarb of soda with a pinch of salt in a bowl. In a separate bowl or jug whisk the eggs and wine together. Then add the chocolate and egg mixes to the dry ingredients along with 100ml boiling water and whisk until completely smooth with no lumps.

Divide the mixture between 12 large muffin cases. The mixture is quite runny so I used a ladle! Then place 2-3 blackberries on the top of each one. Bake for 35 minutes and then place on a wire rack to cool.

To make the buttercream whizz the remaining blackberries to a pulp and then sieve to give a smooth puree. Beat the butter until it is extremely soft and then add half the icing sugar and mix. Add around 6tbsp of the blackberry puree and the remaining icing sugar and beat together thoroughly. This is then ready to pipe onto the cooled cupcakes. You may also want additional blackberries to top each cupcake.

* Recipe adapted from Olive Magazine - October 2013

Bramble Marshmallows

This month's Random Recipes is something a little bit different...it should more appropriately be called 'Random Ingredients' as the idea was to reach into the deepest darkest recesses of our kitchen cupboards and pull out the first thing we touch.

I stretched into one of my very full baking cupboards and pulled out Gelatine. Now I'm not even sure why I have gelatine in my cupboard and was initially a little bamboozled as to what to make with it but after a little look through one of my recipe folders I came across a recipe for Bramble Marshmallows. As it happens I was quite excited about making Marshmallows as I'd been admiring the Marshmallowists stand at the Cake and Bake Show a few weeks ago and I also have so many blackberries which I collected during September.

My Random Recipe this month is from the BBC GoodFood website. I often print off the recipes I like and put them in a folder with others I've ripped out from various food magazines.

 

To make the marshmallows was actually simplier than I thought...and even more surprisingly they actually tasted like marshmallows! The first stage involved preparing the gelatine by dissolving 9 of the sheets in 150ml of water. 

The other slightly more unusual ingredient in this recipe is Liquid Glucose but you can now buy it in the baking aisle at most supermarkets. The liquid glucose was added to a pan of water along with granulated sugar. This mixutre was then heated to 125C/256F.

Whilst the sugar syrup was heating the egg whites were whisked until stiff and then when ready the sugar syrup was added to them. To add the syrup continue to whisk the eggs and pour in the syrup in a steady stream. A teaspoon of vanilla was also added at this stage.

After whisking for 10 minutes the marshmallow was ready and half the mixture was poured into a 20 x 30 cm baking tray which had been sprinkled with a mixture of icing sugar and cornflour.

The blackberries were then sprinkled over the mixture...mine were a little more 'arranged' to make sure of an even spread.

The marshmallow must then be left in a cool place for at least 2 hours to set until firm. I left mine overnight to make doubly sure.

Finally, the whole thing was turned out on to baking paper which was sprinkled with the icing sugar/cornflour mix. The marshmallows easily cut into squares and to finish they were rolled in the sugar mix.

 The finished product was really yummy and the blackberries give a really great fruity hit.

If I'd realised before how easy marshmallows were to make I'd have tried them well before now. I've already had a look at lots of other marshmallow recipes online, so watch this space!

Random Recipes is hosted by Dom over at Belleau Kitchen. It's a great way to find new recipes and try things you wouldn't normally try...so why not join in next month!

Ingredients

50g icing sugar
50g cornflour
9 sheets gelatine
450g granulated sugar
1 tbsp liquid glucose
2 large egg whites
1 tsp vanilla extract
140g blackberries

Start by lining a 20 x 30cm baking tray. Then sift together the icing sugar and cornflour, sprinkle some of this mixture into the baking tray and then set the rest aside in a bowl. Measure out 150ml hot water and add the 9 sheets of gelatine, these should dissolve into the water but you may need to give it a stir if necessary.

Put 200ml of water into a heavy based saucepan (it shouldn't be non-stick) along with the granulated sugar and liquid glucose. Heat over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved but do not stir, you can however swirl the pan. Once the sugar has dissolved turn up the heat and boil, continue to heat until you reach the firm ball stage, this is 125C/256F on a sugar thermometre.

Whilst the sugar is getting up to temperature, whisk the egg whites until they're stiff. When the sugar syrup reaches 125C/256F then carefully pour it into the jug with the gelatine water. Be very careful as the water will bubble up vigorously when you add the sugar syrup.

Resume with the egg whisking and pour in the sugar syrup in a steady stream as you whisk. Try to avoid pouring the syrup near the beaters otherwise it can splatter. Next add the vanilla extract and then continue to whisk for around 10 minutes. The mixture should be shiny and it will go very stiff.

After 10 minutes pour half the mixture into the prepared tin and then scatter with the blackberries...I was a little less haphazard and 'arranged' the blackberries to ensure even distribution! Pour on the rest of the egg mixture and leave somewhere cool and dry to set for at least 2 hours until firm. I left mine overnight.

To make the squares place some baking parchment onto a chopping board and sprinkle with the remaining icing sugar/cornflour mixture. Turn out the marshmallow and cut into squares and then roll in the sugar mixture. The marshmallows will keep in an airtight jar but are best eaten within a day or so.

* Adapted from BBC GoodFood

Nigella's Forgotten Meringue

This really could be one of the simplest sweet treats you ever eat...what could be easier than whipping up meringue, spreading it in a tin and then leaving it overnight in the oven...completely forgotten!

This is also perfect if you tend to forget to check the bakes in your oven as I occasionally do, as there's no checking required. You literally turn the oven off as soon as the meringue goes in. The resulting meringue is more like marshmallow and then if that wasn't enough it's topped with cream and luscious summer fruits. I did enjoy these little puds but they are very soft, almost wobbly in their marshmallowy-ness and maybe it would have been nice to have a bit of variation in the texture but still delicious and some of the other tasters really enjoyed them!

You can either cut your marshmallowy meringue into 12 squares or if you prefer a more dainty offering then you could go for 16. The great thing about these is that you can also choose whatever fruit you like to top the meringues...I'm quite partial to raspberries so next time I might use them instead.

 

 

As this is a lovely light, summery treat I'm entering it into this month's Forever Nigella event which is run by Sarah at Maison Cupcake and this month is hosted by Homemade by Fleur. I think you could quite easily serve the more refined smaller squares as part of an afternoon tea.

Ingredients

6 egg whites

1/2 tsp salt

250g caster sugar, plus 2 teaspoons

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

1tsp vanilla extract

Butter for greasing

250ml double cream

2 passionfruits

175g blackberries

175g strawberries

This really is one of the easiest things to make. Just preheat the oven to 220c/200c fan/gas 7. Then all you need to do is whisk the egg whites with the salt until they start to form soft peaks. Then add in the sugar bit by bit and then the cream of tartar and vanilla. Continue whisking until the egg whites are stiff and glossy.

The original recipe didn't state a size for the tin but it suggests a swiss roll tin and I had one that was 32x18 cm which worked well. The only thing I didn't like were the slightly sloping sides making the side squares slightly irregular, so I therefore cut these off to make straight edges when I took it out of the tin the next day. So... when you've prepared your meringue and tin, spoon the meringue into it and spread evenly.

That's the hardwork over, as soon as you put it in the oven, turn it off immediately and then just leave overnight. The next day when you're ready to serve whip up the double cream until thickened but still soft. Then spread it over the meringue in the tin and dot with the seeds and pulp from the two passionfruits (the original recipe said 4 but it depends how much you like them!). I then cut my meringue up into squares and removed from the tin before adding the fruit. It cuts nicely into 12 pieces but if you wanted them smaller it could easily do 16. So the final step is just quartering the strawberries and tossing them in 2 tsp of sugar. Finally, scatter the strawberries and blackberries over each square and serve!

* Original recipe from www.nigella.com