An Homage to SprinkleBakes

Double Ginger, Honey, Raw Cocoa Spiced Hot Chocolate Sticks

I have a food crush on Heather Baird of SprinkleBakes. She is a true culinary artist. Her culinary creativity and her imaginative sense of beauty are unmatched (in my opinion) in the sugar-coated world. She inspires me to push the boundaries of flavor profiles and challenges my eye for the pretty.

She posted a beautifully crafted Spiced Hot Chocolate on a Stick to the ModCloth blog before Christmas and I vowed to attempt it so my 5 year-old could have a unique gift to give her teachers. But sickness fell on our house like an anvil...Maddie missed her last week of school and we all spent most of the Christmas break trying to recover from respiratory issues.

On the eve before she returned to school and our bodies mostly in clear, we gave Heather's recipe a whirl. It was easy and tasty. Mads was so excited to try it. But I couldn't help but think that part of the reason we haven't been able to get over our colds is related to the amount of sugar we consumed over the holidays.

So I adapted the recipe in a way that would still excite my 5 year-old but would put less stress on her hard working immune system. Her only disappointment was that she wasn't allowed to eat the chocolate right off the stick...she is my carbon copy, afterall.

I eliminated the confectioners sugar and added a little raw organic honey and substituted raw organic cocoa powder in place of regular cocoa powder. Both are high in antioxidants so though this is a treat for my little one and not to be consumed daily, it will work with her instead of against her.

The taste is reminiscent of this recipe for Ginger Honey Shot Chocolate I posted earlier...only this version is portable and giftable! Just let the recipients know to stir it into 6 oz of hot milk or non-dairy alternative.

Note: my husband broke his camera lens so I am without his fancy camera and have to use my iPad...this is in no way an attempt to be trendy! :)

Double Ginger Honey Raw Cocoa Spiced Hot Chocolate on a Stick

Adapted from SprinkleBakes guest entry on ModCloth blog.

You will need:
8 oz 70% dark chocolate (I use Callebaut)
1/2 cup pure organic raw cocoa powder (I use Organic Nectars)
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp cinnamon (plus a little to sprinkle on top)
1/4 tsp cloves
2-4 tbs raw organic honey (optional)
Ziploc or piping bag
1 oz paper or plastic cups (or silicone mini muffin tray or rounded ice cube tray might work)
wooden popsicle sticks, lollipop sticks, bamboo/wooden spoons, or a pretty vintage silver spoon (whatever you'd like to use to make the "stick")
star anise and/or cinnamon sticks to garnish

In a double broiler (simmering water in a pot, place bowl with chocolate on top of pot, not touching the water) melt the chocolate until nearly melted. Remove and stir until all chocolate is melted.

Sift in the dry ingredients and stir. It will be quite thick. Stir in honey, if you choose to sweeten, until everything is well combined. It might look a little grainy but that's ok.

Scrape into piping bag (or Ziploc) and squeeze into cups (about 1 oz). Place "stick" in the middle...should be thick enough to hold it upright. Sprinkle a little cinnamon and place a star anise or cinnamon stick (or both) to garnish.

Refrigerate for 5-10 minutes until hard. Should pop out of plastic cups, but you may have to cut it out of paper cups.

Pour 6 oz hot steamed milk over and let melt for a few minutes, then stir.
Enjoy!

One, two chai chai chai...

Spicy Chai Cupcakes with Cinnamon White Chocolate Buttercream

America is celebrating Thanksgiving next week and though most matriarchs will have planned the food, tablescape and nap intervals months ago, in the off chance you find you're a last minute invitee here is a sweet treat to add to feast: Spicy Chai Cupcakes with Cinnamon White Chocolate Buttercream.

As I said last year American Thanksgiving is not to be taken lightly. There are rules of engagement. You are expected to eat, watch college football, eat more, nap, eat again, caffeinate and line up for Black Friday. I offer these tips as a foreigner who experienced five American Thanksgivings:

1. Wear stretchy pants. I cannot emphasize this enough. If you're lucky enough to have maternity pants in your wardrobe consider those you're most prized possession.
2. Wear empire waist shirts that fall loosely and hide the stretchy waist band in your pants. 
3. No button up collar shirts...though your boobs will not grow bigger eating this much food your stomach inevitably will, pushing your boobs up and out of the designated boob area of this type of shirt. This can only end badly with the buttons pulling at the buttonholes like a pre-green Incredible Hulk moment...exposing cleavage or worse: the belly/boob squidge...where the gut and boobs meet. This goes for men too.
4. Forget shapewear...otherwise you'll be digesting your food in your esophagus.
5. If you don't know anything about football, don't pretend you do. Trust me. Pick a pretty colour and cheer. 
6. Pace yourself with both food and cheer. Nobody likes a drunk glutton by the end of the salad round.
7. Rehearse and remember for what and why you are thankful. You will be tested.
8. Bring a change of clothes, comfortable walking shoes, camp chair and blanket for Black Friday lineups. DO NOT bring a guitar. Some other cheeseball already has.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving my American friends!

Spicy Chai Cupcakes with Cinnamon White Chocolate Buttercream

You will need:

Cupcakes:

2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1/4 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp allspice
3/4 cup softened butter
3/4 cup heavy cream or milk
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Cinnamon White Chocolate  Buttercream
adapted from Anna Olson

 2 cups unsalted butter at room temperature
20 ounces good quality white chocolate, melted and cooled to room temperature
2 1/3 cups icing sugar, sifted
2 tsp vanilla extract
cinnamon to sprinkle on top

Directions

Cupcakes

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line cupcake tins with liners. Should yield at least 12 cupcakes.
• In a large bowl whisk dry ingredients. Set aside.
• In stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment cream butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, scraping bowl after each addition. Add vanilla.
• Alternate dry ingredients with cream in three additions beginning and ending with the dry. Scrape down bowl. Don't over mix.
• Fill cupcake liners two thirds full.
• Bake for about 18 minutes, until the tops barely bounce back when lightly pressed
• Let cool

Buttercream

• In a stand-up mixer or in a large bowl with electric beaters, beat butter until fluffy. 
• Beat in cooled melted chocolate on medium speed. Reduce speed and beat in icing sugar and vanilla.
• Chill for about an hour to set before using.
• pipe on to cupcakes and sprinkle cinnamon on top. (if you mix cinnamon into the buttercream it changes the color to almost the same as the cupcakes. For texture and color variation I just sprinkle it on top)