Apricot Lemonade Iced Tea
ING 4 cups water 7 tea bags cup sugar 12 oz can frozen lemonade concentrate,
partially thawed cup chilled apricot nectar 4 cups cold water Ice cubes Mint sprigs
METHOD BTB 4 c water; offheat, add tea bags; cover/steep 5 min. Discard tea bags.
Stir in sugar til dissolved; cool slightly. Transfer to a pitcher; cool completely.
Add lemonade concentrate and nectar to tea; stir in cold water.
Serve over ice with mint sprig.
Decadent Triple Chocolate Cupcakes
ING For chocolate cupcakes: 3 medium eggs room temperature 6 tbsp yogurt or sour cream 3/4 cup + 1/2 tbsp 190 mL milk, room temperature 3 tsp lemon juice 3 1/3 cups 400 g plain gluten free flour blend (I've used a simple shop-bought blend containing only rice, potato and maize flour with no added xanthan gum) 3/8 cup 45 g cocoa powder 3/4 tsp xanthan gum 3 tsp baking powder 1 7/8 cups 375 g sugar1/2 tsp salt 3 sticks 339 g softened unsalted butter 5 1/3 oz 150 g dark chocolate, melted ING For chocolate buttercream frosting: 6 sticks 680 g softened unsalted butter 4 cups 480 g powdered/icing sugar 1 cup 120 g cocoa powder 1/4 - 1/2 tsp salt 10 1/2 oz 300 g dark chocolate, melted and cooled to room temp
Prep For chocolate cupcakes: Pre-heat the oven to 355 ºF (180 ºC) and line tins with cupcake liners.
BATTER In a small bowl, mix together the eggs, yogurt or sour cream, milk and lemon juice. Set aside. Sift together the gluten free flour blend, cocoa powder, xanthan gum and baking powder. Add in the sugar and salt, and mix well. Add the softened butter to the dry ingredients. Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand mixer with the double beater attachment, whisk the butter into the dry ingredients until you get small, pea-sized pieces. Add the milk+egg mixture and whisk until you get a smooth cupcake batter. Add in the melted chocolate and whisk until evenly incorporated. Evenly distribute the cupcake batter among the cupcake cases – they should be each about 3/4 filled. Bake 355 ºF (180 ºC) for about 20 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean;cool.
For chocolate fudge sauce: store bought or homemade
For chocolate buttercream frosting: In a stand mixer using a paddle attachment, or using a hand mixer with the double beater attachments, beat the butter for 2 - 3 minutes, until pale and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar, and beat for a further 5 minutes. Add the cocoa powder and salt, and beat until evenly distributed in the buttercream. Add in the melted (and cooled) dark chocolate, and beat until you get a rich, fluffy chocolate frosting with an even chocolate brown colour.
Assembling cupcakes: Use apple corer or piping nozzle to create tunnel to fill with chocolate fudge sauce.
Pipe on chocolate buttercream frosting with Wilton 2D nozzle. Sprinkle with chocolate shavings.