Salted Caramel Cupcakes

I mean really...

Does it get any better than

Salt + Caramel + Chocolate + Vanilla Buttercream = Cupcakes?!

Maybe...but I haven't found it yet.

My friend Julie shows you how to make these little bits o'Heaven step by step!

CLICK HERE for her recipe

Espresso Cupcakes

Amy of Flip Flop Follies has shared her recipe for Espresso Cupcakes as my first "guest blogger" here at Haute Plates! Don't they look delicious?! And beautiful. I can't wait to try them.  Thanks for sharing, Amy! Anyone else want to guest blog a recipe? I'd love it. Let me know!!

Directions

Take one box Dark Chocolate cake mix (I like Duncan Hines) and prepare according to package directions, but substitute water with strong coffee.

Bake into cupcakes or sheet cake and frost with espresso frosting!
 

I made my espresso frosting with instant espresso.

About a TBSP mixed with just a tad bit of boiling water.

Let sit for a few minutes and then mix into a container of vanilla store-bought frosting.

Spread or pipe onto cupcakes or cake.

Chocolate covered coffee/espresso beans would be the perfect topper!

ENJOY!

S'mores Brownies

Remember how I've been trying out "sassy" brownie recipes? This one was over the top yummy! I made them for a barbeque last weekend. I thought it would be more of a kid recipe, but everyone, of all ages, loved them! Double bonus - the recipe is super easy.

Ingredients
1 package brownie mix
6 graham crackers
1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 cup chocolate chips (I used semi-sweet)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Prepare brownie mix according to package directions.
Spread into a greased 8X8 inch pan.
In a medium bowl, break graham crackers into 1 inch pieces and toss with miniature marshmallows and chocolate chips. Set s'more mixture aside.
Bake brownies for 20 minutes in the preheated oven.
Remove, and sprinkle the s'more goodies evenly over the top.
Bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes.
Allow brownies to cool completely before cutting into squares.

ENJOY!

Cheesecake Brownies

I'm not a huge chocolate fan. But brownies are so easy, and such a crowd pleaser. So I've been searching for ways to "sass" them up a bit. Make them more exciting than just the simple chocolate affair. (Apparently Bakerella had the same itch...because she posted THIS on Sunday. YUM! I am going to have to try!) One of my favorite desserts is cheesecake, so I decided to put the two together and see what happened. I loved how the cheesecake cut the chocolate just enough for my liking!

Ingredients
1 18- to 22-ounce package brownie mix
1 8-ounce package cream cheese
1 large egg
1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare brownie mix according to package directions.

Spread into a greased 8x8-inch baking pan.

Using an electric mixer, beat together the cream cheese, egg, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Dollop the cream cheese mixture on top of the brownie batter.

(I seriously need a new brownie pan...this one is so dirty...even when it's clean!)

Swirl together using a knife or skewer.

Bake until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean, about 25 to 30 minutes.

Cool completely in the pan. Cut into squares and ENJOY!

Chocolate Cream Cheese Pastry Cookies

These are the cookies I made for my cookie exchange. The morning after the cookie exchange, I also made breakfast for Matt to take to school for the Science Department. So selfishly, I chose these because I could make them for both events! They taste like mini chocolate croissants. I love how the bittersweet chips balance the sweetness of the cream cheese filling.

Today I went to a Birthday Brunch for one of my girlfriends, and I made these again, using white chocolate chips and dried cranberries instead. They were more sweet than the dark chocolate version, but still very yummy!

Ingredients
1 (17.5 ounce) package frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips, divided

Directions
Roll 1 puff pastry sheet into 14 x 10-inch rectangle on lightly floured surface.
Combine cream cheese sugar and vanilla in small bowl until smooth. (I used the cuisinart)
Spread half cream cheese mixture over puff pastry, leaving 1-inch border on one long side. Sprinkle with half the chocolate chips.
Roll up starting at long side covered with cream cheese. Seal end by moistening with water.
Wrap in saran and refrigerate 1 hour.

Repeat steps with remaining ingredients.
PREHEAT oven to 375 degrees F.
Lightly grease baking sheets or line with parchment paper.
Cut rolls crosswise into 1-inch-thick circles.
Place cut side down on prepared baking sheets.
BAKE for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.
Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Once completely cool, drizzle with a glaze of 2 cups powdered sugar mixed with 2 TBSP milk.
ENJOY!

Allison's Peanut Butter Balls

Ingredients
6 TBSP butter, softened
2 cups peanut butter (entire small jar of PB)
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar (sift after measuring)
3 cups Rice Krispies
2-4 TBS paraffin wax, finely chopped (you can use shortening as well to thin chocolate and make shiny)
3 cups chocolate chips (I use 2C semi and 1C milk)

Directions

1. Line a large baking sheet with wax paper.
2. In a large mixing bowl stir together butter and peanut butter. Stir in vanilla.
3. In another large bowl sift the 2 cups powdered sugar and stir in Rice Krispies.
4. Slowly add the sugar/cereal mixture to the PB mixture. Fold in using a spoon until incorporated. You may need to use your hands to mix everything well. (If the mixture seems too sticky, add a little more powdered sugar. If it seems dry, add a little more Peanut Butter)
5. Take about 1 TBSP of dough and roll into balls using your hands. Work in with hands until it will form balls. Place balls onto wax paper lined sheet. When finished, place balls (still on the wax paper baking sheet) into the fridge to chill. (this makes dipping into chocolate easier)
6. Place chocolate chips and wax into a double boiler. Stir occasionally until all of the wax and chocolate is melted.
   
7. Remove the balls from the fridge. Carefully dip into melted chocolate using a toothpick or fork. Tap off excess chocolate and place back on a wax paper lined baking sheet.
8. When finished return balls to fridge to set and cool. Store in fridge.

ENJOY!

Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

Peppermint is one of the first flavors that comes to my mind when I think of Christmas. I think because of it's color and because of Candy Canes. I love Peppermint ice cream - so much so, it caused me to get my bike stolen in the 7th grade (Libby can attest to the validity of this statement!)....but that's another story! So I decided I wanted to find a Peppermint cookie recipe that I liked. A quick search of the internet resulted in the following cookies from a recipe on FoodNetwork.

The family taste test after dinner last night ended with favorable results. Matt is not a peppermint fan - so he scraped the glaze off and said "The chocolate cookie is great!" MJ loved them so much her eyes rolled back in her head and she sighed. I am assuming MollyB liked them, as she keeps asking for more even now - 6:30AM the following morning. And Munchie, as a result of being fed a tiny bite and wanting more....said COOKIE for the first time!

I think that is evidence enough that these cookies are good! But just to be sure - I thought they were great too. The only thing I will change next time is the glaze. I wont tint it red. Just white. Matt commented that the red looked "pink" and I agreed. And I thought the two colors, plus the candy pieces on top was too much going on. The fact that it was a fabulous chocolate cookie underneath got lost! I thought the cookie tasted a little like a Thin Mint - but more chewy like a brownie. Overall, very yummy!

Ingredients

Cookies
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups chocolate chips

Glaze
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
2 drops peppermint extract, or more to taste
3 1/2 tsp water
2 large (or 8 small) Candy Canes

Directions

For the cookies:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In a mixer beat together the butter with the sugars until fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Add eggs 1 at a time, beating until smooth after each addition and scraping the sides of the bowl.
Add in the vanilla.
On a low speed beat in the flour mixture, a little at a time, until well combined.
Gently mix in chocolate chips.


On an ungreased cookie sheet, drop teaspoons of the batter about 2 inches apart.
Bake until just cracked on top, about 8 to 10 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the cooking time.
Cool completely.

For the glaze:
In a small bowl mix together the sugar; peppermint extract and water until smooth.
Transfer mixture to a medium ziploc bag and snip off the corner.


Drizzle glaze over cooled cookies. Top with crushed Candy Canes.
Let cookies stand until set, about 10 minutes.
ENJOY!

Visit Bringing Up Burns today to meet Aubs and learn her favorite family Christmas tradition!

Vegan Brownies

This recipe can now be found on my family blog,

Bringing Up Burns