I made 3 things for appetizer wine club this month: Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing, Pumpkin Dip (with apple slices) and a Turkey Roll with Jarlsberg & Cranberry Mayo. Preliminary taste tests approve of all 3…
Carrot Cupcakes with Mascarpone Icing
Nutritionists have long known that yellow and orange fruits and vegetables are excellent sources of the antioxidant beta-carotene, which the body converts into essential vitamin A, but only recently have the full benefits of this color group of produce come to light. Orange fruits and vegetables taste bright and zesty, and they help keep us healthy in many ways throughout the year. In this recipe, carrots help make these cupcakes moist and sweet.
I used the bundt brownie pan so that they’d look more appetizer-y.
Ingredients
⅓ cup butter, at room temperature
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest
2 eggs
1 cup grated carrot
1 cup AP flour
2 tablespoons AP flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons orange juice, warmed
1 teaspoon baking soda
FOR ICING
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1.5 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
4 ounces cold mascarpone or low fat cream cheese
strips dried mango, for garnish – optional
Method
Preheat an oven to 350°F. Line 10 standard muffin cups with paper liners.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the butter, granulated sugar, maple syrup and orange zest until pale and creamy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Stir in the carrot.
In a bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder. In another small bowl, stir together the orange juice and baking soda. Stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture in two additions, alternating with the orange juice mixture in two additions until smooth. Do not overbeat or the cupcakes will be tough.
Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups. Bake until the cupcakes are risen and lightly golden, about 20 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the cupcakes cool for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto a baking sheet and let cool completely, about 1 hour.
To make the mascarpone icing, in the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the butter and confectioners sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in the lemon zest and mascarpone until blended.
When the cupcakes are cool, frost them and garnish with strips of dried mango.
Cupcakes may be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Makes 10 cupcakes.
Source: Williams Sonoma | (Servings: –)
Pumpkin Dip
I used 1/3 cup brown sugar…
Ingredients
¾ cup 1/3 less fat cream cheese, 6 ounces
¼-½ cup packed brown sugar
½ cup canned pumpkin
2 teaspoons maple syrup
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
24 apple slices
Method
Place first 3 ingredients in a medium bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add syrup and cinnamon, and beat until smooth. Cover and chill 30 minutes. Serve with apple.
Source: Cooking Light, October 2003 | (Servings: 12)
Turkey Roller with Jarlsberg, Arugula and Cranberry Mayo
I haven’t actually put these together yet, I just made my own cranberry sauce…
Ingredients
4 ounces sliced turkey
1.5 ounces arugula
2 ounces Jarlsberg cheese
1 12″ flour tortilla
3 ounces cranberry mayo
CRANBERRY MAYO
2 ounces mayonnaise
1 ounce whole berry cranberry sauce
Method
Spread mayonnaise over the entire surface of the tortilla. Lay arugula leaves over the bottom third of the tortilla (the section of the tortilla closest to you on the work surface). Cover the arugula with the sliced turkey and the cheese. Roll the tortilla tightly to form a roulade. Slice into 6 to 8 pieces and serve.
For Mayo: Mix together until incorporated.
Source: Washington Post | (Servings: 
