Pinterest Food Finds

Today I am going to include SEVERAL different recipes that I found and LOVED!  I felt like a true food CHEMIST, experimenting, having a little faith the recipe would work and then PLEASED with the results!

source: A Beautiful Mess

what I liked about this recipe is that they give VARIATIONS on what you can make with just a simple recipe see A BEAUTIFUL MESS for more ideas!

Simple Chocolate Cupcakes makes 1 dozen

2 1/4 cups flour 

1/4 cup cocoa 

2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons baking soda 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

2 cups water 

2/3 cup oil 

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons vinegar (Note: this cupcake recipe is vegan friendly!)

In a bowl whisk together the dry ingredients. In another bowl mix together the wet ingredients. Combine these and stir just until no lumps are left. Pour the batter into a lined cupcake pan and bake at 350 F for 22-25 minutes.

**MY TAKES**

- I ended up making 2 dozen because I didn't fill my muffin tins all the way up--they were still a nice size.

- I was surprised that there weren't any eggs!  

- NO, it didn't taste like vinegar--it had a nice light chocolate taste.

I decided that I wanted to make homemade hostess cupcakes.  That was wonderful, except for the fact I didn't have any Marshmallow Creme, it was HOT outside and I didn't want to run to the store.  What to do?  I checked out recipes on how to make my own Marshmallow Creme of course!  I chose two and this is the one that is AMAZING:

source: Confectionalism

Yield- 3 cups

Ingredients:

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 1/3 cup water
• pinch of salt
• 2 large egg whites, at room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Stir together the sugar, corn syrup, water, and salt in a medium, heavy bottomed, saucepan over high heat.
2. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, until the mixture reaches 240°F on a candy/fat thermometer. Read next step to prepare meringue while you wait.
3. While the sugar is boiling: Place the egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Begin whipping the egg whites to soft peaks on medium speed. (you want the egg whites whipped and ready, so when the suer syrup comes to 250 degrees F you can immediately drizzle it in. If they’re whipping up faster than your syrup is coming to temperature, just stop the mixer at soft peaks until the syrup is to temp.)
4. When the syrup reaches 240°F, reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly pour about 3 tablespoons of syrup into the egg whites to warm them Slowly pour in the rest of the syrup, between the bowl and the whip. Increase the speed to medium high and whip until the marshmallow crème is stiff and glossy, about 6 minutes.
5. Add in the vanilla and whip 1 minute more.
6. Use immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

**MY TAKES:**

- Seriously SO cool to experiment in the kitchen--I was SO surprised by the results.  One minute your mixture is mixing and the next, it's marshmallow creme!

- this makes A LOT, but that's okay--the leftovers are just yummy!

- if you want "stiffer" marshmallow creme beat longer.

- adding these two recipes together.  My tasters (my kids) said they like the marshmallow creme just on the top as a frosting.  So next time I will just be REAL generous with the "frosting".

Thanks for stopping by!