11/13/13

Vanilla Porter Chocolate Chip Cookie Cupcakes

The Holy Trinity.

In culinary school, we talked about the Holy Trinity a bunch. Sounds like an odd topic for culinary school, but we were not talking about religion. The Holy Trinity is pretty much the base for every good Cajun recipe. The combination of Onions, Peppers, and Celery. It’s used for everything.

Many cuisines have their form of the Holy Trinity. The French call it Mirepoix: a mixture of 50% Onions, 25% Carrots, and 25% Celery. Leave it to the French cuisine to make everything complicated.

Well, I’m starting my own “Holy Trinity”. Cupcakes, Cookies, and Beer! Oh yea! I’m calling it the Ultimate Holy Trinity!

Nothing bad can come from this combination. Well, maybe an increase waist line, but everything in moderation, right? You only live once? Whatever helps you sleep at night?

A few weeks ago, I wanted Cookies, but I also wanted Cupcakes. What’s a girl to do? Porter Chocolate Chip Cookie Cupcakes, that’s what she did!

I cheated by using store bought, mini, cookies, but oh well. They were amazing, and I had no idea how to make a cookie small enough to fit on a mini cupcake. I’ll add it to my list of things to do.

Do you know how many mini cupcakes a box of cake mix makes? 75! I know because that’s how many cupcakes I had sitting around my house. I brought a bunch to work. I took some to the Barley Dolls meet-up. I gave them to neighbors. I even ate 5 while waiting for water to boil. Not my finest moment!

Mini cupcakes are deceiving. “Oh they’re small. I’ll only have one. But wait, that was only one bite. Now, I want another one…. I’ll have one more.” This continues until your laying on the couch, in a chocolate coma, hating yourself for eating a whole cake… “But they were mini, dammit!”

My advice, proceed with caution. Don’t make this recipe when you’re home alone, depressed, lonely, or in any mood that would encourage the consummation of large amounts of sweets. I do not want anyone mad at me because they ate a whole cake.

The girls in my Barley Dolls group loved these. Girls loving something made of chocolate? Who would have thought?

Huck also requested these for his birthday in 2 weeks. He wants full size cupcakes, so a full size cookie fits on top. Hey, it’s his birthday. Who am I to complain?

I used Breckenridge Brewery’s Vanilla Porter for this recipe. The beer has a very strong Vanilla favor. Maybe too much vanilla, for my liking, but perfect for desserts. I recently used this beer for Vanilla Porter Chocolate Dipped Waffle Cones, and I have a few more ideas. I’m going Vanilla Porter crazy! I cheated with this recipe and used a box cake mix. I used the Vanilla Porter instead of Water in my recipe. If you’re worried the beer flavor will be to strong, you can use a mixture of half beer and half water.

What is your Holy Trinity?

Vanilla Porter Chocolate Chip Cookie Cupcakes

Ingredients

  • 1 box Chocolate Cake Mix
  • Stout or Porter
  • 1/2 cup Mini Chocolate Chips
  • 1 jar Cream Cheese Icing
  • 1/8 cup Stout or Porter Beer
  • Mini Cookies (I used Mini Chips Ahoy)
  • 1/8 cup Chocolate Chips (Chopped)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Follow directions on back of cake mix box for combining ingredients. Substitute the Water for Beer. (All Boxed Cake mixes are different. The box mix I used, called for Eggs, Oil, and Water. The Vanilla Beer I used did not have a strong beer flavor. If you're worried the beer will be to strong, try using 1/2 water 1/2 beer.)
Add Chocolate Chips and fully combined.
Fill cupcake liners with batter 3/4 of the way full.
Bake for 10 minutes (for mini cupcakes) or until toothpick comes out clean when inserted to the center.
Allow cupcakes to completely cool.
Combined Beer and Icing. Add to pipping bag and cover each cupcake as desired.
Sprinkle each cupcake with chocolate and add mini cookie. Crush extra cookies and sprinkle over the top if desired.
ENJOY!
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10/11/13

Vanilla Porter Chocolate Dipping Waffle Cones

Did you know the state dessert of Missouri is the Ice Cream Cone? Me either! I actually learned this little fact while researching this weeks recipe for my UGA themed recipes. Apparently, the Ice Cream Cone became popular at the 1904 St. Louise World’s Fair. I actually read a bunch of different stories regarding the invention of the Ice Cream Cone, but I’m going with this story.

I actually made this yesterday afternoon. Luckily, Huck and Karl were here to help eat them. Otherwise, I’d be forced to eat both of these by myself!

This was my first time trying Breckenridge Brewery’s Vanilla Porter. It tasted like pure vanilla extract. That’s a good thing if you like a strong vanilla flavor. This beer is perfect for dessert.

The Ice Cream is hands down the best Ice Cream I’ve had from the freezer sections. I’ve had my fair share of gelato while in Italy. If fair share means I ate gelato for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and midnight snack, that would be about accurate.

Ice Cream hasn’t been the same since my time in Italy, and I’m not saying this compares to the real thing, by it is pretty damn good!! I wanted a small container of ice cream for this recipe, and I’ve heard good things about Talenti Gelato. If you find this in your freezer section, buy it! You will not be disappointed.

I’m not sure if the waffle cone was invented in Missouri, but either way, this will be a winner… Just like the Dawgs! Hopefully!

Now, I’m off to pack. Huck and I are celebrating our first anniversary this weekend. Can you believe it’s been a year? I still can’t believe we’ve been together almost 6 years! CRAZY!!

Vanilla Porter Chocolate Dipped Waffle Cones

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cups Porter or Stout Beer
  • 1/2 cup Chocolate Chips (Milk or Dark)
  • 4 Waffle Cones
  • 1 1/2 cup Ice Cream of Choice

Directions

Place Beer in a sauce pan over medium low heat. Reduce Beer by half. Pour reduced Beer into a bowl and place in the refrigerator to cool.
Place Chocolate Chips into microwave safe bowl. Add 2 tablespoons cooled Beer and microwave for 10 second increments until chocolate is melted and smooth.
Dip waffle cones into Chocolate to coat the top. I placed my dipped cones in shot glasses and placed in the freezer for 15 minutes to harden.
Combined the additional beer with the Ice Cream. Scoop Ice Cream into cones and enjoy!
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