Show your (and your friends) support for the adventures of QuinJa, Culinary Ninja, by becoming a fan of Cooking-Dojo on Facebook!
Look who came riding (wearing ride no less!) into the Cooking-Dojo... I mean, how can a ride be Pimped Up without a banana seat? Does the QuinJa send this foe "walking home" or does he get run over?!
TALE OF THE TAPE:
QUINJA: 2-1-1
STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE (Celebrity Battler on behalf Dez Sert): 0-0-0
Entourage (PinJa Colada): (12 Cupcakes)
Cake: 2 Cups All Purpose (AP) Flour, 1 Tsp Baking Powder, 0.5 Tsp Salt, 2 Sticks Unsalted Butter (Softened), 1.25 Cups of Sugar, 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract, 3 Large Eggs (Room Temp), 0.75 Cup Whole Milk, 0.25 Cup Dark Rum, 1 Cup Flaked Coconut, 1/2 of a Pineapple (Finely Chopped/Puree)
To make a Pina Colada flavor, I'm making a coconut cupcake base... adding rum and subtracting milk. More rum, less milk sounds like a recipe for future success in life, right? I mean, who needs strong bones when you have a "strong" liver! I've seen people collapsing from a strong roundhouse to the liver but breaking a bone? You've got over 200 of them so there's a lot to
spare!
Icing: 1/2 of a Pineapple (yes, the other half), 4 oz of Philly Cream Cheese (Softened), 1.5 Sticks (6 oz) of Unsalted Butter (Softened), 2 Cups of Powdered Sugar
To balance out the strong coconut cupcake base, I'm making a fruit buttercream icing. You can insert any kind of fruit(s) but pineapple is used here to make the Pina Colada flavor. I think you can substitute mascarpone cheese for the cream cheese. Since I do not recommend eating batter (due to the raw eggs in it), the icing is the only thing that you can TASTE, TASTE and TASTE to adjust the flavor balance.
Ninja Techniques: Baking, Knife Skills (See how I dismember the Pineapple without a food processor!)
Battle Time: 15 minutes for Mise En Place (Prep), 25-35 minutes for baking and however much time you want to use to decorate.
Preheat oven at 350 F.
1. Sift cake flour, salt and baking powder.
Hey, sifting ensures that discover any hidden weapons that you hide in your flour! Hey, it's not being paranoid, it's being "prepared." When stored for long periods, flour can clump and you want to sift to ensure even baking.
2. Cream the butter in the mixer (Speed 2).
3. Add sugar.
4. Add eggs (one at a time).
5. Add vanilla extract.
6. Alternate adding flour mixture and milk (the last third will be the dark rum).
7. Add pineapple.
8. Fold the coconut flakes in.
Folding is not mixing!!! You just want to flip the batter over coconut and then add more coconut and repeat. Remember, it's a nuance... a front kick is different than a switch kick! Shout out to TKD practitioners!
9a. If using a cupcake pan, then spray with non-stick (or use butter) and sprinkle some flour to help remove the cupcakes. Line with paper cupcake cups.
OR
9b.
SecreTech Bonus: The QuinJa uses hi-tech gadgetry to win his battles so I use these
weapons!
If anyone from Le Creuset reads this blog, send me free stuff and I'll review it!
Note: In this battle, I use them like paper liners. Hey, I do my part to save trees... I mean, how can you cause microfractures in your bones (which makes them stronger) if there are no trees to kick?
10. Icing...
Tip: As stated previously, the icing is where you can balance the flavor. Mix all the components and use the ratio that tastes best to you. Use (keep adding) the powdered sugar to get the consistency that you want. Pick the mixture in the fridge to harden as the cupcakes cool.
In my testing, I would reduce the amount of butter as the icing melts pretty quickly. (Go down to 1 stick of butter - hey, you gotta be healthy!)
Van Dammmaggge!!! "I fight to survive!"
Before Baking...
Note: I use
Chicago Metallic pans... hey, if you work for Chicago Metallic and feel like sending me stuff to review...
After Baking...
Plating...
The QuinJa does not yet possess any pastry bags or tips so I decided to freehand (I don't need no stinkin' weapons!) and made a crumple topping!
Ninja Weaknesses (CSI: DC Mystery Bonus):
Note: Baking is a science and I just "winged" this... I'm a scientist in real life so if I can color outside the lines, especially when battling in the Cooking-Dojo... if you can help "solve" these mysteries, I'll make sure to credit you!!! Also, I plan on getting my Pastry Dragon Scroll in Spring 2012...
1. The cupcakes did not rise as high as I expected! Was this the affect of the alcohol? If you have experience with baking and alcohol (I said baking, not drinking!!!), I'd like to hear from you!
2. The cupcakes were more chewy than fluffy than I expected - going by "traditional" cupcake standards. I used fresh pineapple so I think I should have tried to dry it out before adding to the batter or icing.
3. I also used generic grocery store coconut (which contained sugar and tasted like candy) - I should have made time to get pure Coconut Flakes from Whole Foods. It looked like the oils from the coconut played around with the cupcake chemistry.
4. The Le Creuset Silicone Baking Cups can stand on their own and can be placed on a baking sheet. Did combining them with a Chicago Metallic cupcake pan cause some kind of "Weird Science"???
Due to the above, I put these cupcakes in the oven again for 15 minutes at 300F. Didn't make much of a difference!
BONUS: Mint Mojito Cupcakes (12 Cupcakes)
Shout Out to NinaJa, Yoga Goddess... these cupcakes were made for her most awesome bday celebration which included glowsticks, a hot tub (sorry, it was not a time machine) and a painted canvas bday card!
Entourage:
Cake: 1 Cup AP Flour, 1 Tsp Baking Powder, 0.5 Tsp Salt, 1 Stick Unsalted Butter (Softened), 1 Cup Sugar, 2 Large Eggs (Room Temp), 3 Tablespoons (about 45mL) Dark Rum, Zest from One Lime, 0.5 Cup Mint (Finely Chopped), 0.5 Cup (8 oz) Sour Cream
Icing: 5 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter (Softened), 1.5 Tsp Dark Rum, 1 Tablespoon Whole Milk, 1 Tablespoon Mint (Finely Chopped), 1 Tablespoon Lime Juice (15mL), 2 Cups Powdered Sugar, Zest from One Lime for garnish
Do the steps as above and use the Sour Cream as Milk.
Analysis: Hmm... again, did not rise as high as I'd like... was it the alcohol?
This time I used the Le Creuset Silicone baking cups and put on a baking pan - applying the Scientific Method, it appears that these are not the controlling variable...
DRAW!!!
Pros: Both cupcakes tasted like their mixed drink equivalents! While I am a proponent of tasting as you cook, I cannot emphasize and encourage tasting all alcohol, err... ingredients in the above recipes. Hiccup, err... Hiya!
Cons: Yeah, even with my mad skillz of seduction, errr... deduction *hiccup* I'm not sure why certain the cupcakes didn't rise as much as I thought they would. Also, yes, I need to get icing tools to "disguise" the killer taste that is within!
Here's Comes a New Challenger... Welcome Otter Clan!
Potentially weakened by these Cupcake Battles, the QuinJa sends his frozen desserts into battle with the Otter Clan as they invade the Cooking-Dojo!
Starting from top and going clockwise... Amaretto, Double Chocolate, and Mint Chocolate Cupcakes...
DEFEAT FOR THE QUINJA!
As voted by the people (BTW - I plan on "unfriending" you all on Facebook), Otter Clan defeats the QuinJa's frozen desserts (Coffee Ice Cream, Mint Mojito Ice Cream and Red Wine Sangria Sorbet)... you may have bested me but your skillz aren't as "COOL" as mine!
Otter Clan, I was a mere clam succumbing to your ferocious attacks!
Analysis:
1. All cupcakes had amazing texture and moistness!
2. Beautiful presentation... like how you garnished with the Andes Creme de Menthe to emphasize the Mint Chocolate flavor of the cake - tasted like the cupcake version of the candy. Not overpowering... just right.
3. Overall, I think they were better than
Georgetown Cupcake. I like Georgetown Cupcake too...
Note: Otter Clan beat me at Scrabble too! I think she bingo'ed with C-U-P-C-A-K-E!
