Chocolate Stout Cupcakes

This is the second beer cupcake recipe that I tried, and it turned out better than the first one. The cupcakes actually dome - not sink like the former recipe. 

Although this recipe calls for Guinness, I used Sam Adams Boston Ale. I chose it by accident while I was experimenting with the Sam Adams 25th Anniversary cupcakes. I wanted to use the same beer to maintain some sort of common ground to compare the recipes, but I grabbed the ale instead of the Boston Lager. The ale added a really subtle punch to the recipe, and I would certainly make this again with the ale. But I think that I will try the stout next time, as the recipe calls for.

Also, I used the icing from the Sam Adams recipe. If you decide to use the icing from this recipe, let me know how it is!

Adapted from Big City, Little Kitchen

Cupcakes
1 cup Guinness
1 stick, plus 1 tb, unsalted butter
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 cups dark brown sugar
3/4 cup sour cream
2 eggs
1 tb vanilla extract
2 cups flour
2 1/2 tsp baking soda

Combine the Guinness and the butter, chopped into 1-inch chunks, in a large sauce pan, and heat to melt the butter. Remove from heat, and whisk in the cocoa and sugar. In a bowl, whisk the sour cream with the eggs and vanilla, then add to the beer mixture. Sift together the flour and baking soda, and fold into the batter. Pour into muffin molds and bake for 25 minutes, or until inserted cake tester comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes, remove from muffin tin, and cool completely on a rack.

Icing
8 oz cream cheese
1 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/3 cup milk

Using a mixer, whip cream cheese until smooth, sift in sugar, and beat. Add milk, and beat until smooth. Spread glaze over cooled cupcakes.

NOTE: To create a thinner glaze, use a tablespoon or two more milk; for a topping more akin to icing, use less milk, and perhaps more sugar. In either case, add a little sugar or milk at a time, mix, and check for desired consistency.

Homemade Girl Scout Samoa Bars

Every year several of Mark's coworkers battle it out to sell the most Girl Scout cookies for their daughters. We always buy the Samoas, and Mark always tries to ration them so that they last as long as possible. Our friend David told me that Mark was turning into a sad panda because his supply was running low, and I should surprise him by making some. I found this recipe online, and made them after I was sure that he was out of Samoas at work. I didn't even attempt to make the cookies, because the bars are exactly the same thing, but way easier to make because of the shape.

Adapted from BakingBites.com

Ingredients
Cookie Base
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt

Topping

3 cups shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)

12-oz good-quality chewy caramels (I used Kraft)

1/4 tsp salt

3 tbsp milk

10 oz. dark or semisweet chocolate (chocolate chips are ok)

Directions

Cookie Crust

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking pan, or line with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, cream together sugar and butter, until fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla extract. 3. Working at a low speed, gradually beat in flour and salt until mixture is crumbly, like wet sand. The dough does not need to come together. Pour crumbly dough into prepapred pan and press into an even layer.

4. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until base is set and edges are lightly browned. Cool completely on a wire rack before topping.

Topping
5. Preheat oven to 300. Spread coconut evenly on a parchment-lined baking sheet (preferably one with sides) and toast 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until coconut is golden. Cool on baking sheet, stirring occasionally. Set aside.
6. Unwrap the caramels and place in a large microwave-safe bowl with milk and salt. Cook on high for 3-4 minutes, stopping to stir a few times to help the caramel melt. When smooth, fold in toasted coconut with a spatula.

Putting it together
7. Put dollops of the topping all over the shortbread base. Using the spatula, spread topping into an even layer. Let topping set until cooled.
8. When cooled, cut into 30 bars with a large knife or a pizza cutter (it’s easy to get it through the topping).
9. Once bars are cut, melt chocolate in a small bowl. Heat on high in the microwave in 45 second intervals, stirring thoroughly to prevent scorching. Dip the base of each bar into the chocolate and place on a clean piece of parchment or wax paper. Transfer all remaining chocolate (or melt a bit of additional chocolate, if necessary) into a piping bag or a ziploc bag with the corner snipped off and drizzle bars with chocolate to finish.
10. Let chocolate set completely before storing in an airtight container.