Today's patriotic recipes include: Baked by Melissa's
American Popper & my very own berry lemonade sangria!
Having your friends and family over for a barbecue? Give your traditional lemonade a patriotic edge with my berry lemonade sangria!
Ingredients:
6 lemons
2 packages of raspberries
1 package of blueberries
3 bottles of white wine (I prefer champagne)
Instructions:
Juice lemons and berries into a bowl. Strain three times and pour into pitcher. Mix wine into pitcher and garnish with lemon slices and berries. (Serves about 12) Enjoy!
I stopped by Baked by Melissa yesterday and ordered their Fourth of July cupcake, American Popper. As soon as I bit into the cupcake, it literally was exploding with flavor.
I recommend you stop by and try one for yourself. Be warned the candy topping will shock your tongue! For the more domestic individuals like myself, make this cupcake yourself with the recipe below!
Ingredients:
Cake:
2 large eggs
1 3/4 cups (175 grams) sifted cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup (200 grams) granulated white sugar, divided
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup (120 ml) milk
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
Red & Blue dye
Butter Frosting:
2 cups (230 grams) confectioners sugar (icing or powdered sugar), sifted
1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2-3 tablespoons milk or light cream
Candy Topping:
White chocolate
Pop Rocks
Instructions:
Candy Topping:
Melt white chocolate in a metal bowl over a pot of boiling water until it has a smooth consistency. Don't take your eyes off the bowl and be sure to be constantly stirring or you may end up burning your chocolate (Ewww!). Once your chocolate is completely melted, pour it onto a cookie sheet and sprinkle your pop rocks on top! Place the cookie sheet in the fridge so the chocolate will get nice and firm.
Cupcake:
While eggs are still cold separate the eggs, placing the yolks in one bowl and the whites in another bowl. Cover the two bowls with plastic wrap and allow the eggs to come to room temperature before using (about 30 minutes).
In a mixing bowl sift or whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until soft (about 1-2 minutes). Add 3/4 cup (150 grams) of the sugar and beat until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes). Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Beat in the vanilla extract. Then, with the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and milk, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour.
In a clean bowl of your electric mixer, with the whisk attachment, (or with a hand mixer) beat the egg whites until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and continue beating until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup (50 grams) of sugar and continue to beat until stiff peaks form. With a rubber spatula gently fold a little of the whites into the batter to lighten it, and then fold in the remaining whites until combined. Do not over mix the batter or it will deflate.
Separate batter into three bowls. Keep one bowl white, dye the second red, and dye the third blue. Fill cupcake cups by using a spoon full of batter from each of the three bowls. Bake for about 18 - 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
Frosting
While the cupcakes are cooling, in an electric mixer cream the butter until smooth and well blended. Add the vanilla extract. With the mixer on low speed, gradually beat in the sugar. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the milk and beat on high speed until frosting is light and fluffy (about 5 minutes). Pipe frosting onto cupcakes and top with a piece of the chocolate Pop Rock candy! Enjoy!
