Prague Adventures Part II

The beautiful clock tower

Delays, delays... I'm always delayed! But I'm working on it!

entertaining music

Here's Part II of my Prague fun.
On our first morning we went on an awesome free walking tour through the center of Prague. I saw so many amazing eateries while we were walking but there just wasn't enough time to stop, not if I wanted to learn about Prague's history too... I chose to satiate my brain and ignore my stomach for a while (which was silly since I hadn't eaten breakfast). On our one break, Endira did get Mulled Wine which was delicious. I could have gotten food but I was having way too much fun relaxing in the sun listening to this older man play saxophone and singing. He even sang in Italian for the crowd.
When the tour ended we went back into the market and got chicken skewers with onions and red

Chicken Skewers and beers on the street

peppers. They were well seasoned, smoky, and juicy, fresh off the grill.  The skewers were served in a long toasted bun. They were delicious but slightly difficult to eat unless you removed the chicken and vegetables from the stick which was quite difficult to do with no plates while sitting on the ground. That being said, I managed it and it was totally worth it.  Removing the skewers made it a lot easier to eat and we were very happy. We also had some beers with our meal while sitting in the shade of the gorgeous clock tower.

me and my dark beer

Then more beer. I tried dark beer for the first time and it was delicious. It wasn't as dark or as thick as Guiness nor was it a meal unto itself. It was a little heavier than the blonde beers I've tried before but it was not overly rich and really tasty. I liked it even better than the Pillsner.

my beautiful berries

We walked around center and found another market to explore as well. It was mostly witches (I'm still not quite sure what they were doing there), beautiful paintings and other artisan made things.  It was quaint and adorable and I wanted to buy everything. I especially wanted to buy the fruit. It was beautiful and fresh and the colors were vividly bright. It was awesome.
Then we went back to touring. We went to the Jewish quarter

from the window of the
museum

and saw the museums and WWII memorials there and we also saw one of the oldest standing Jewish cemeteries. It was absolutely stunning and a little eerie. The oldest grave that I saw dates back to the 1400's. I would actually really like to learn more about that cemetery because it was so crowded with graves spanning back centuries. They are literally one on top of the other, no space, no plan. It is hauntingly beautiful.
Afterwards we wandered around the city some more and grabbed another snack before heading over to the Ice Bar (more on that in a moment). We went back to the market

I was super hungry so I forgot to take a before shot.

again and I got a grilled cheese on toast. But it wasn't like the grilled cheese that you think of in the states. it was quite literally a hunk of cheese placed directly on the burner until melted, creamy on the inside and crisp on the outside.  It was served on a piece of bread and had a wonderful flavor and texture. I'm not sure what kind of cheese it was but it was quite delicious.  Endira instead opted to try some goulash soup.  It was quite tasty and considerably lighter than the goulash main

course that I'd tried the evening before.  It had a kick of spice but it wasn't overwhelming. the soup had a full and heart flavor.
Next we headed over to the the Ice Bar by Charles Bridge.  I insisted on going. I could not resist, a bar made of ice where drinks are served in glasses made of ice, yeahhh, it was necessary.

I'm such a goofball 

We found discount flyers at our hostel and so got an extra shot each which was lovely.  We got to go into a bar made of ice for 20 minutes (they have timed sessions to make sure no one gets too cold) and it was absolutely hilarious.  They decked us out in big silver jackets and black gloves and then we got to do 2 shots each. We danced a bit and goofed around taking pictures, but we weren't even really that cold. However, there was an Italian family with us and well, they were definitely feeling the cold. Italians are freddolosi, aka they're always cold. They had me cracking up because they were shivering and jumping about while we were sitting on the ice chairs and having a ball. There's an ice bar in Rome and I would absolutely love to go to that one too. It would be especially nice in the summer since it gets so hot here.

Selfies

After we got done being silly in the Ice bar we walked along the river and took some selfies before
heading back to the market for another snack. We decided to do a snack and then a late dinner (another snack really) since we were signed up for a 9pm ghost tour. Endira got another sausage while I decided to go for something sweet. I decided to try something called "fried curd". Really, it was fried dough with a sweet filling inside. I, of course, chose chocolate. It was so good. The dough was crisp and not too sweet and the chocolate wasn't overwhelming.
And then we went to our ghost tour.  It was interesting but not particularly scary (the stories had potential but you could absolutely tell that our tour guide didn't believe a word she was saying).
Afterwards we grabbed some dinner at a Mexican restaurant called Las Adelitas. It was quite good with large portions. The strawberry margarita was also great. But I'll write more about that in another blog.

And then we headed back to our hostel to rest because we had big plans for the next morning.

Prague Adventures Part I
Prague Adventures Part III

Recipe: Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes with Fresh Raspberry Whipped Cream

More Cupcakes!!
I know! I need to start sharing recipes for other things, but I happen to do cupcakes really well. Plus, I get a lot of cupcake requests so I keep making them. :D I will, however, try to post up other recipes soon.

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup chocolate almond milk
1-2 tsp vanilla extract
6 tbs butter, room temperature
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 package fresh raspberries, halved
1/4 cup freh raspberry puree
3 tbs cocoa powder
1/4 cup chocolate chips

Delicious! They had a really nice almost brownie-like richness!

Preheat oven to 350 °. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together. In a separate bowl, when the butter is room temperature, beat it and the sugar until pale and fluffy. Continue mixing and beat in 1 egg at a time followed by the vanilla. Then slowly add in the flour alternating with the chocolate milk and then the raspberry puree. Then carefully stir in the raspberries.
Line a muffin tin and drop in about 3 tablespoons of batter.  Top each cupcake with chocolate chips. Bake for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in tin.

Served with fresh Raspberry whipped cream

It only made 12 cupcakes so I think for next time I'll double the recipe. They came out rich and not too dense and the whipped cream was utterly perfect.

Whipped Cream
1 cup heavy cream
3 tbs brown sugar
10-15 fresh raspberries, pureed or 2 tbs raspberry jam

Whenever I make whipped cream, I freeze a metal bowl for about ten minutes. It really helps the cream get to stiff peaks quickly.
First, whip the cream and sugar together. Then as your cream comes to soft peaks slowly begin to pour in the pureed raspberries. If you find that your raspberries are a little sour, add in tsp or so of regular sugar. If you don't have fresh raspberries, you can also use jam and then you can cut out most of the sugar.

Recipe: Mini Chocolate Pear Cupcakes

So, I haven't written a blog in ages and I miss it!  I miss writing about food, taking pictures of food, cooking new and unique things.
Earlier today a couple of my high school students (for anyone who doesn't know, I tutor kids English) started asking if we could have a party for their last day of summer school with me... Now, I have no intention of letting them party when we have to talk about the last chapters of Huckleberry Finn, however, I did allow them to convince me to bring them party food.  As a result I've been baking happily for a few hours.  I decided to make Mini Peach Cupcakes adapting my Nectarine Raspberry Cupcake Recipe as a base.
I also decided to please the chocoholic in me by creating a new chocolate cupcake also using the same recipe base since I like the consistency. Ever since Italy I have been fascinated with the combination of chocolate and pear so I decided to try the combination myself.
I went for the mini cupcake so I can feed more of my students but this recipe should absolutely work with regular sized cupcakes as well.

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup milk (preferably whole milk)
1-2 tsp vanilla extract
6 tbs butter, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 medium pear, peeled, deseeded and finely chopped
3 tbs cocoa powder
1/4 cup chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350°. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together. In a separate bowl beat the butter and sugar until it is pale and fluffy. Make sure the butter is room temperature! It makes this step so much easier. Continue mixing and beat in 1 egg at a time followed by the vanilla. The slowly add in the flour alternating with the milk. I actually decided to add another 1/4 cup of milk because it was feeling a little too dry since it's so hot outside.  Stir in the pear and chocolate chips gently.
Line a mini muffin tin (or regular muffin tin). Bake for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick will come out clean.  Let cool in tin.

Recipe: Chocolate Chip Red Velvet Cookies

I made these ages ago but I never got around to posting up the recipe soooo here it is now.  They were utterly delicious and if you like red velvet cupcakes, I think you'll like these! I also think these will be super festive for the 4th of July.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups flour
3 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 or 2 tsp vanilla
1 or 2 tsp red food coloring (maybe blue food coloring for the Fourth of July)
1/2 cup chocolate chips (you can use white chocolate chips for Valentine's Day or Christmas or even Fourth of July)

Preheat the oven to 350°. In a bowl whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt and then set aside.

With a hand mixer, whip together the butter, sugar and vinegar until pale and fluffy about 3 to 4 minutes. Mix in egg. Add in the vanilla and red food coloring. Blend well and then slowly add in the dry ingredients. Once well combined, mix in the chocolate chips.

Shape the dough into balls; about a tablespoon each. Place each onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or sprayed with Pam.  In my oven it took about 11 minutes, but keep a close eye on them to make sure they don't burn.  Allow to cool on the cookie sheet.

Store in an airtight container in between layers of parchment paper.

I can't wait to make these again!  Who knows, maybe I'll make them for the bbq this weekend! And if I wait to make them for the 4th of July I'll make them with white chocolate chips.  I'll probably make a blue variety then as well!

Recipe: Chocolate Chip Strawberry Cupcakes with Fresh Whipped Cream

So I've been trying to get around to baking for weeks now but something always seems to get in the way. Either work, or outings, or karaoke, or exhaustion...
I told myself I was going to bake on Sunday no matter what, and then Sunday got here, and well... I almost didn't bake!  I went to the Brooklyn Botanical gardens to see the Cherry Blossom Festival and by the time I got home it was after 6pm...
I lazed on the couch reading and texting with a friend... I kept saying I was going to bake, but I wasn't feeling particularly motivated.
However, I have promised a lot of cupcakes over the last few weeks, sooo at around 8pm I searched for a new and fun recipe to use. I found Strawberry Cupcakes with Strawberry Meringue Frosting. It looks like a good recipe adapted from something in a Martha Stewart Cookbook. I then had to further adapt it because I was missing a couple of ingredients and the stores were already closed when I noticed.
I got around to putting the mix together around 1 and then baked Monday morning.
There is no explanation for my laziness but I just could not pull myself together to finish baking Sunday night. Luckily I woke up and finished everything Monday morning!

These can be served with or without a frosting because they are super flavorful.

Chocolate Chip Strawberry Cupcakes
3 cups flour
1 tbs baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3 eggs
1 egg white
1 cup almond milk
2 cups finely chopped fresh strawberries
1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350° and line your cupcake tins.  The recipe should make 34 cupcakes.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt, and then put to the side.

In another bowl with an electric blender, cream together the butter, sugar and vanilla extract. Blend for about 3 minutes or until the mixture is pale and fluffy. Then add the eggs and egg white, one at a time, beating until each one is fully incorporated. Add the flour in two batches, alternating with the almond milk. (I actually wasn't paying attention and added all of the milk before the flour... I think it does change the consistency, as does the almond milk I used).
At this point, use a spatula to fold in the chocolate chips and strawberries. I waited till the next morning to chop the strawberries and add them into the batter because it had gotten too late. I was able to fill 34 liners.
Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes and voilaaaa.
                                        YUMMY CUPCAKES

Fresh out of the oven!

I chose to make a simple whipped cream. Just 2 cups of heavy whipping cream, 2 tbs brown sugar.  I made sure the cream was very cold andd so was the container that I whipped it in.

I served half with whipped cream and half without, and they were delicious both ways!

Recipe: Updated Valentine's Day Chocolate Russian Cupcakes

For the Superbowl I made White Russian Cupcakes with Espresso Whipped Cream , but for as good as they came out, I wanted to try one more time and tweak. I wanted to get a fluffier cupcake and since it's Valentines Day I decided to add some chocolate!

Chocolate Russian Cupcakes:
1 1/2 cups flour
2 tsps baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup sugar
6 tbs unsalted butter, softened
3 large egg whites
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 oz Vodka (preferably Vanilla Vodka)
1/4 cup espresso
1/2 cup bailey's coffee creamer
2-3 tbs coccoa powder

Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a cupcake pan. The recipe makes around 16 cupcakes.
Sift the flour, baking powder (hint: be generous with your teaspoons), coccoa powder and salt into a large bowl and set aside.
In a bowl, use a hand mixer to whip the eggwhites to soft peaks. Don't overwhip and put to the side.
In another bowl cream the butter and sugar. Add in the vanilla, vodka and coffee and mix until smooth. Blend in the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the bailey's cream. Start and end with flour. Once well incorporated, put your hand mixer away. Gently fold the egg whites into the rest of the batter using a rubber spatula.
Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely before icing.

They came out a lot fluffier this way and I really enjoyed the hint of chocolate. For frosting, I made the same espresso whipped cream, but did it in larger quantities, meaning I frosted every single cupcake this time.  :)

Espresso Whipped Cream
2 cups whipping cream
6 tbls brown sugar
2 tsps vanilla
4-8 tbls espresso

Whip the cream and brown sugar until you get still peaks (this will take considerably longer than if you whip only one cup at a time). Fold in the vanilla and espresso gently.

Then for toppings, I made (successfully this time!) red glitter sugar.  I took about a quarter cup of sugar (I didn't properly measure) and mixed it with 3 drops of red food coloring. Then I baked the red sugar for about 10 minutes at 300°F, checking on it ever few minutes.  If it over heats you wind up with colorful caramel rather than glitter sugar.  So watch out!
Then after frosting, I sprinkled the cupcakes with the sugar and voila, Valentines day cupcakes! Beautiful and tasty.

Ten reasons Chocolate makes a better boyfriend

Valentine's Day is here yet again... Once a year all of the single people get reminded that they have no significant other, no missing piece, no... well, I think you get the picture (especially if you're single... like me). For those of you with soulmates, your other half, ecc... Congrats!
Hahahaha Ok, I acknowledge, I'm starting to sound bitter. But I'm always single on Valentine's Day.

But I kind of think that's ok.

Chocolate makes a WAYYYY better boyfriend than an actual boyfriend.

1. Chocolate never says No... No mouth. No arguing. You will always win. 
2. It is completely replaceable... When you devour Chocolate, just go to the store and replace. 
3. And you can get any flavor, any time you want. Dark, White, Caramel, Milk, Coffee... 
4. You can totally pick quantity over quality. If you want alot of Chocolate, no problem. You can get hershey kisses for your bite sized treats, or nutella for a rich spread, or twix for a little crunch or m&m's for some color on a rainy day. It's not considered cheating to have multiple pieces of Chocolate lying around waiting for just the right moment. 
5. Watching your figure? You can always go for Quality over quantity. Go for that piece of rich dark Chocolate, that Perugina, that Godiva truffle to die for. Savor the flavor, the sweet complexity of sensations in your mouth. 
6. Chocolate will always melt for you. A little heat and that Chocolate is history. 
7. Chocolate will never tell you that you're getting fat. I repeat, no mouth, no contest. 
8. Chocolate will never leave you. It has no legs. It cannot escape. It will stay with you, until you make it disappear. No one will question you about said missing Chocolate. 
9. Everyone loves Chocolate! Even if it's just a little bit, or secretly, I'm convinced EVERYONE (of importance) loves Chocolate. There will be no parents telling you Chocolate is not good enough for you; No best friends scoffing and wondering what you're doing with said Chocolate. Who can resist a little sweet Chocolate?
10. Chocolate will always make you smile and take away some of your tears. Try to resist its particular charms and you will find you can't. It will always bring at least a small smile to your face. 

So on this Valentine's Day let's toast to Chocolate and all its delicious goodness. 

And now, I think I'll go find some chocolate to savor. 

--Raspberry Truffle

Restaurant Review: Ferrara Bakery and Café

I discovered a fantastic little dessert place in Little Italy this Sunday. Although, I guess I shouldn't call it little. It was kind of a big place. Ferrara Bakery and Café is on the corner of Grand and Mulberry, smack in the middle of the small area known as Little Italy. I had no idea that it is one of the oldest bakeries still operating in the area and has a sister restaurant nearby (that hopefully I'll get to try out soon).

I was out for Chinese New Year with some friends and we were haplessly wandering around looking for dessert. We found Ferrara. It was like a beacon on the corner calling our names with bright lights. Ang and Andrea were drawn like moths to a flame and crossed the street and then proceeded to look in through the glass doors. I was a little more skeptical. From the outside it looked like a tourist trap to me. Bright lights, big signs, but it was definitely appealing. The setup was welcoming and the girls were set. I was definitely willing to give it a try. After all, looks can be deceiving. 

tasteful decor

Upon entering the bakery, I was surprised at how big it actually was. It looked like a slightly larger, yet typical pasticceria in Florence. It had a traditional vibe but with a elegant yet simple twist. It was well lit, and elegantly set up with tasteful Valentines Day decorations (earlier in the evening we had passed a restaurant that Cupid had apparently thrown up on). 

gorgeous and typical pasticceria

On the left, there was a pastry bar with a beautiful bounty of desserts, from traditional Italian cookies, to more delicate and complicated cookies, to Italian pastries like sfogliatelle, cannoli and babà, to typical american and french pastries, to beautiful cakes (both slices and whole) with chocolate, vanilla and fruits.  It was a beautiful sight that had my mouth watering. Based on looks alone, I wanted one of everything. We had to grab a table and try some (yes more than one) of those desserts. 

I would have loved to have one of these fruit tortes... and then I saw chocolate lol

During the brief wait, I took a bunch of pictures, fascinated at the variety of desserts available. We arrived later in the evening so I know that during the morning hours and early afternoon there were probably even more desserts available. I can't wait to go back and try other things!  But I suppose I should tell you about what I actually ate.

a macaron cake as well as some other gorgeous bites

Looking at the menu was a challenge because there was so much to choose from. There were alcoholic drinks, coffee drinks and chocolate drinks available. I had to stop looking because I was just getting overwhelmed. The dessert menu was just as extensive as the drink menu and included the various partries as well as gelato. I think I looked at the menu for a good 20 minutes until finally we had to give our server our order. 

Our waitress was friendly and quite helpful as well as patient given our indecisiveness. 

You look hungry, have a cannoli! really hungry? have a chocolate cannoli!

The girls each decided to try a trio, meaning they got to try three mini desserts of their choosing. Unfortunately, I don't quite remember what they each chose, although I had a nibble of most everything and it was all delicious. And Andrea also ordered some kind of mocha capuccino thing that had fresh whipped cream on top that she seemed to really enjoy while Steve got a trio of gelato, chocolate, hazelnut and salted caramel. I, instead, decided to order a white chocolate raspberry ribbon cake with a glass of milk (as per suggestion of our server lol... best idea ever!). 

The dessert arrived pretty quickly and it was absolutely gorgeous. 

Oh my goodness. Gorgeous! and tasty too. While looking at the menu, I had contemplated the prices and worried that we were about to have a typical tourist experience. The desserts were on the slightly pricey side (my cake was $7.75 and the hot chocolates were around $5 each). But I was pleasantly surprised. The desserts well exceeded my expectations. The chocolate mousses in the trios were spectacular and my chocolate cake was dense and creamy. The whipped cream was fresh and the white chocolate was a lovely accent. It wasn't what I had been expecting, but it was delicious and the milk was a fantastic palate cleanser to break up my massive chocolate consumption. 

My delightful cake, glass of milk and the yummy gelato

I also thoroughly enjoyed the gelato. The consistency was creamy and smooth. It wasn't quite the same as gelato in Florence, but it was up there. The chocolate was probably my favorite but I also really liked the hazelnut. 

Struggling, but I did finish everything!

We definitely took our time enjoying our dessert. No one rushed us as we devoured our sweets and chatted and goofed around talking about other good times. 

We all pretty much cleared our plates, although I won't lie, I definitely slowed down about 1/2 way through my cake. It was really rich and we had had quite a lot to eat for dinner.  

I think next time I'm in little Italy, I'll definitely be stopping in to pick up a few pastries for friends (and myself of course!). I really had a good experience and a great dessert that I would eat again.  

-Raspberry Truffle

P.S. I thought this mini wedding cake was absolutely gorgeous. I may have to order it next time I stop by! 

Recipe: Beer Cupcakes with Chocolate Beer Frosting and Caramel Bacon

Ok, so for the last batch of cupcakes I definitely cheated.... I had to! I got tired lol... So I used a cake mix and just adjusted the recipe.

I used a box of Pillsbury White Cake. Rather than using a cup of water as called for on the box, I used 1 cup of High Life Miller Life. I also added a teaspoon of orange zest.
Then I followed the rest of the directions.

I pulled them out of the oven and then brushed them with a little more of the beer.

Once they cooled, it was time for frosting.

Chocolate Beer Butter Cream:
1 stick butter (room temperature)
3 tbs cocoa powder
1 cup powdered sugar
3 tbs beer, poured and settled before being measured out
1 tsp salt

Beat the butter until smooth for about 2 minutes. Slowly add in the sugar, cocoa powder, beer and salt. Beat for about 5 minutes.

Frost and eat.

Or you can make caramel bacon as a garnish.

Caramel Bacon: 
1/2 cup caramel sauce (either bought or homemade)
1 tsp paprika
bacon

Cut your bacon into 1/2 inch pieces. Mix the caramel and paprika together. Coat each piece of bacon and then lay on a baking sheet. Bake for aout 20 minutes or until crisp.

Place a couple of pieces on each cupcake and serve.

Eat and enjoy!! I was seriously surprised at how good these are!  The caramel bacon is SOOO delicious!

And that's what I'll be enjoing for the superbowl.

-Raspberry Truffle

Recipe: Semi Homemade Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes with Strawberry Creamcheese Frosting

I've been trying to figure out what dessert I should make for Valentine's Day. I don't have a Valentine but I think it'll be fun to bring a little treat to the girls I work with. There are really quite a few options for pink and red desserts for the holiday but I started flipping through my old pictures and found these. Chocolate covered strawberry cupcakes with strawberry cream cheese frosting. It brings in the colors and flavors that make me think of heart day.

I made these originally for my birthday way back in September. I made red velvet cupcakes from scratch and then didn't feel like searching for a chocolate cake recipe... I know, really lazy... But I cooked my entire birthday dinner by my lonesome, so I figured one set of cupcakes with a shortcut wasn't that bad.
Luckily, we had a box of dark chocolate cake mix, so I started with that.

I decided that I wanted to use the combination of chocolate and strawberry and made a Chocolate covered strawberry cupcake with a creamcheese frosting (which was easy since I was already making cream cheese frosting for the red velvet).

So here's my semi-homemade recipe:

For the cupcakes:
1 box of chocolate cake mix and all the ingredients indicated by the box.
12 small to medium strawberries, cleaned with tops removed

Preheat your oven to 350°F and follow the directions of your boxed mix.  Line your muffin tin with your choice of liner (maybe fun hearts for Valentines Day). Fill them about 3/4 of the way fill and pop a strawberry into each. Lower the heat to 325°F and pop your cupcakes into the oven for between 20-25 minutes or until the chocolate has set. The strawberries will cook down into an almost syrupy consistency.
Put them to the side to cool.
Let them cool fully before frosting.

For the frosting:
1/2 cup margarine (room temperature)
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese (room temperature)
1/4 to 1/2 a box confectioners' sugar (depending on your taste), sifted
4-5 medium strawberries, cleaned and then pureed.
1 teaspoon vanilla

Cream the margarine and cream cheese with an electric blender. Then add the sugar a little at a time. Be careful, this can get messy if your not careful (this I know from experience)!Mix in the vanilla. At this point you could put the frosting into the fridge and use as a regular cream cheese frosting. It's quite delicious.
If you want a strawberry frosting, blend in the strawberry puree now.
I like to put the frosting into a ziplock bag, cut of the tip and decorate the cupcakes with a large swirl pattern. For the strawberry frosting, make sure you refridgerate for at least a half hour before decorating.

Forgive the messy frosting! I should have let the frosting sit in the fridge for at least a half hour before  decorating. 

Mine came out a little messy, but they were delicious and moist and a big crowd pleaser.

-Raspberry Truffle

Recipe: Chocolate Chip Red Velvet cupcakes

I absolutely love Paula Deen and I love her recipe for Red Velvet Cake. It comes out wonderfully moist and delicious. Here's my version as cupcakes with chocolate chips and a cream cheese frosting!

Homemade Chocolate Chip Red Velvet Cupcakes before frosting

For the Red Velvet Cupcakes:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1-2 tablespoons of semi-sweet cocoa powder
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups olive oil (or another lighter oil such as canola or sunflower oil)
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 (1-ounce) bottle red food coloring (but you only need a few drops)
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 a package of semi sweet or dark chocolate chips

For the cream cheese frosting:
1/2 cup margarine
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
1/4 to 1/2 a box confectioners' sugar (depending on your taste), sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla


For the Red Velvet Cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line your cupcake tins.

Cream the sugar and eggs together in a large bowl.

Sift the flour, baking soda and cocoa into the sugar and egg mixture. As far as I'm concerned, the more cocoa you add, the better the cupcakes will taste and the darker your red velvet will look (I've occassionally been so overzealous that my red velvet has wound up simply looking like chocolate cake).

In a separate bowl mix the oil, vinegar, food coloring (add until you get the desired redness, remembering that the coco will later make it appear richer), and vanilla together. Add slowly to the other bowl along with the buttermilk, beating continuously until well blended. Blend in the chocolate chips. The more the better!

Once smooth with no lumps, pour the batter into the cupcake tins about 3/4 of the way full. Tap to even out the batter and release air bubbles. Bake for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Cool completely before frosting.

For the frosting:
Cream the margarine and cream cheese well when at room temperature. Add sugar and beat until mixed but not to the point that it loses its shape. Mix in the vanilla and put in the fridge until ready for use. I like to put the frosting into a ziplock bag, cut of the tip and decorate the cupcakes with a large swirl pattern. Sprinkle the finished cupcakes with a light dusting of cocoa powder.

Recipe: Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

3 cups flour

½ tsp salt
1½ tsp baking powder
1½ tsp baking soda
1 cup sugar (+ 1/2 cup to taste)
½ cup unsalted butter
2 eggs
1 cup heavy cream
5 - 6 very ripe bananas
1 1/4 cup chocolate chips 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare two muffin pans with cupcake liners.

Sift or whisk flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. In a separate bowl, mash the bananas and then cream with the sugar and butter. Mix in the eggs one at a time and then add the cream slowly.

Add dry ingredients to the egg mixture until incorporated. Mix in the chocolate chips. Fill each muffin tin 3/4 full.

Bake muffins for about 18 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

-Raspberry Truffle

Recipe: Chocolate Chip Zucchini bread

1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 pinch of salt
1 egg
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup milk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup shredded zucchini
1 cup chocolate chips
(optional 1/2 cup chopped walnuts)

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease pan with butter.
2. Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a bowl. In another bowl blend egg, oil, milk and vanilla extract. Stir into dry ingredients until just moist then fold in zucchini, chocolate chips and walnuts.
3.Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown.

--Raspberry Truffle

Restaurant Review: Baldovino (Firenze)

The cozy comfort and elegance of Baldovino

There are so many wonderful things I can say about Baldovino.  I've been going to this restaurant since 2006, the first time I studied in Florence and in 2011 I'm still going back.
I don't remember who told me about Baldovino but there's a lot to be said about this little restaurant tucked away behind the Dante Statue right next door to Santa Croce.
The restaurant is beautiful with beautiful colors and a very warm homey feel. When you first enter the restaurant seems small, but if you walk further back there are several other spacious rooms away from the main door. 
The waiters are friendly and always willing to speak Italian or English whichever your preference. As a first time visitor expect a menu in English! It vaguely bothers me, but I understand the impulse. Now that I've gone so often, that I call the waiters by name and get greeted with kisses and the general "how are yous?" and the occassional scolding of "You haven't been here in forever!" So they know to give me the menu in Italian.
However, for most first timers English menu and then the amazing waiters will ask which language you'd prefer to hear the specials (I mean honestly, even if I wasn't fluent in Italian I'd ask for the Italian! It makes everything sound so gorgeous and fluid and although the waiters' English is not generally bad, there is a certain amount of chopiness that comes with speaking your non-native language).
The menu is fairly large with antipasti, primi, secondi and pizza (plus of course desserts and such!). Now, I'm a creature of habit. I always get pizza when I go to Baldovino and I very rarely stray from my usuals.
Of the antipasti, I believe I've only tried their Tuscan-style Hummus, but it's to die for and if you're really hungry, you should definitely go for it!
Believe it or not, I've never gotten pasta or meat at this restaurant, although my mother and many of my friends have tried various dishes. I've heard nothing but good things and the menu rotates with the seasons. If you're in Florence during the winter months, I would seriously suggest trying something involving cinghiale (wild boar), rabbit or duck.
And now onto pizza!  I have tried many of the Baldovino pizzas, although I inevitably always go back to my two favorites.

Pizza Fiorentina

The first pizza I ever tried at Baldovino, back in 2006 was the Pizza Fiorentina.  It's still one of my favorites and I can't describe just how much I love this pizza. Delicious white pizza (no tomato sauce) with mozzarella, ricotta, spinach and an egg cracked and backed on top to gooey perfection. Egg on pizza? Yes, I know it sounds kind of strange, but honestly the egg is what makes this pizza special. The egg is essentially baked to the point of over easy, so you wind up with something similar to the consistency of eggs benedict. The egg yolks are just runny enough to blend perfectly with delicious tastes of cheese and spinach. It's light yet filling, so perfect for a Friday night meal with a glass of red wine.

Pizza Giardiniera

My second favorite pizza and the one I have continually gotten the last few months at Baldovino is the Pizza Giardiniera, or the garden pizza. It utilizes a small amount of tomato sauce and lots of fresh mozzzarella but the calling card of this pizza are the fresh vegetables lightly cooked on top. It has fresh peppers (either red or yellow), slices of red ripe tomato, red onions, mushrooms and black olives (that I either give to friends or request not put on my pizza since I don't eat olives). It's another refreshing and healthy pizza that makes me smile. It doesn't hurt that the pizza is absolutely gorgeous to look at as well. Also for this particular pizza, I usually request olio piccante (spicy olive oil) to drizzle on top because the slight heat is quite complimentary to the other ingredients.

If I'm with friends I love to end my meal with dessert! My favorite is the chocolate cake. It's dark chocolate smooth richness on a plate and is covered in homemade whipped cream, usually accompanied by fresh strawberries. Mmmm... I just made myself hungry.

La Torta Cioccolata: Perfect to share with friends

Finish off your meal with an expresso or even better a limoncello!

~Raspberry Truffle

Recipe: chocolate chip cookies

well, I'm still perfecting the recipe, but they came out pretty good anyway :)  I apologize for the lack of precision, i don't have any measuring utensils and i'm translating everything from Italian...

1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar lightly packed (I accidently overpacked mine)
1 egg (although i think 2 would be better)

1 stick of butter (approximate, because here they go by grams, and i used less i think)

1 small package vanilla (in the states 1 tbs vanilla extract) 

1/2 package baking soda equivalent lol  (prolly 2tbs) 
1/2 200 gram br of chocolate chopped up

Preheat oven to 170*c

Take all dry ingredients and mix into a bowl

Add egg and butter and mix together until cookie dough consistrncys achieved.  If the dough gets too sticky add a little bit more flour. 

Place aluminum foil in pan for easy cleanup, roll dough into 1/2 inch to inch balls and space carefully in pan. Bake until slightly golden.  Remove from pan and place on paper towel in sealable tuperware to maintain soft baked quality :) 

I'll still be editing this recipe though.  It's kind of necessary :)

~Raspberry Truffle