An Easter Tradition // Peanut Butter Eggs

I am very thankful that whoever is in charge of picking holidays decided that Easter would fall mid-April this year.  Thank you for that, CEO of Undefined Holiday Date Decisions. 

I am thankful, because this gap between the beginning of spring and the arrival of Easter actually gives me time to craft, decorate, and to share some holiday-inspired recipes with you. 

While I enjoy planning ahead, I have a really challenging time getting my head into spring-mode in the grey and chilly days of early March.  This is why I rarely have themed recipes.  Inspiration tends to come to me in the moment, so if I’m not wearing flip-flops and ogling fresh produce I just cannot will myself to make a sparkling lemonade, or popsicles, or anything else that screams of springtime.  

This year, I have had several weeks of flirtatiously warm days to get my head into this spring game and prepare some treats for your Easter celebrations.  The banners have been hung, the sugar eggs decorated, and now it is time to make the most delicious of my family’s Easter traditions - peanut butter eggs.

Yes, you can buy these in yellow and orange packages at Target, but there is nothing so splendid as a homemade peanut butter egg.  Especially if it was made by my mother. 

There is a story that is retold each year around our family table about the year where my 4-year-old brother consumed an estimated eight of these eggs in one sitting.  When my mother’s eyes were on her company, and everyone else’s on their dinner plates, he visited the dessert table. 

Had I the excuse and charm of a 4-year-old, I might venture to do the same.  There is just something about the union of peanut butter and chocolate.  I like to think of it as the little black dress of the dessert world - it’s charm is undying. 

Peanut butter eggs are one of those six ingredient, no-bake situations that we really have no excuse not to make. 

Peanut butter, melted butter, confectioner’s sugar, and vanilla are whipped together and molded into egg-like shapes.  They are frozen until they are just cold enough to stand up to a bath of melted chocolate.

Ina Garten tells us that is okay to temper our chocolate via microwave and that is good enough for me. 

While many would opt for semi-sweet chocolate because it has a higher melting temperature and is therefore less messy, I am a milk chocolate girl all the way when it comes to these treats.  It’s worth the messy fingers to me, but you can choose your own adventure. 

After the eggs are dipped, they are returned to the freezer just long enough to set the chocolate, then drizzled with white chocolate and maybe dusted with a little gold glitter sugar if you fancy it.  

(I always fancy it.)

Now you can go to town.  I like to eat mine on a paper towel with a spoon because I'm classy like that. 

I know you still have some time before that joyous Sunday, but there’s no harm in making a “test-batch” for now, right?

Sincerely, 

Pedantic Foodie

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Peanut Butter Eggs

makes eight eggs

1 cup smooth peanut butter*

1 1/4 cups confectioner’s sugar, sifted

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

pinch of kosher salt 

3 cups milk or semisweet chocolate chips 

1 cup white chocolate chips 

sprinkles or colored sugar, optional

Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. 

In a large mixing bowl, combine peanut butter and melted butter.  Use an electric mixer to beat until smooth.  With the mixer on low speed, slowly incorporate the confectioner's sugar.  Once the mixture is smooth, beat in vanilla extract and salt.  

Use a 1-ounce spring-loaded ice cream scoop to portion out the eggs.  Shape into eggs and lay the eggs out onto the prepared baking sheet.  Freeze for 15 minutes, until very cold.  While the eggs are chilling, prepare the chocolate. 

Place the milk or semisweet chocolate chips in a small, microwave-safe bowl and microwave for thirty seconds. Stir the chocolate with a spatula and then return to the microwave for an additional thirty seconds.  Repeat this process, stirring well each time, until the chocolate is smooth.  Repeat with the white chocolate. 

Use a fork to gently but quickly dip each egg into the melted milk or semisweet chocolate, shaking gently to remove the excess chocolate so that the eggs are evenly coated.  Place the eggs in the freezer for 5 minutes, then drizzle with the white chocolate and dust with sprinkles or gold sugar.

Freeze for an additional ten minutes; until the chocolate has fully set.  Enjoy straight from the pan, or cover with plastic wrap until ready to serve.  Enjoy! 

*You will want to avoid certain brands of natural peanut butter as they can tend to be very oily and grainy.  We are looking for the ultra smooth peanut butter here - the kind your mom used to spread on your sandwiches. You can find brands of this Jiffy-like peanut butter that are still considered “natural” and that are free of unsavory additives.

Chocolate & Ale Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Frosting

WE INTERRUPT YOUR PREVIOUSLY SCHEDULED PROGRAM (COFFEE TALK) TO BRING YOU SOMETHING HIGHLY DELICIOUS THAT YOU REALLY MUST MAKE REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT YOU ARE IRISH OR WEARING GREEN TODAY.  THANK YOU. 

I wrote that in my very best old-timey radio announcer voice.

So here's the deal.  It is Friday, which means that we should be coffee-talking, but I threw a stray bottle of ale into my chocolate cupcakes the other day and it happened to be incredible.  Coffee Talk will be coming to you tomorrow, but for today, on this very verdant March 17th, we need to talk about the magic of ale and chocolate baked together and covered in caramel. 

I have no doubt that you have noticed my lack of holiday-themed treats.  I do, in fact, make Mr. Pedantic heart-shaped egg-in-hole breakfasts come Valentine's Day, and you will not find me without a batch of peanut butter eggs at my side in April, but here, in this little space of internet, I like to keep things a bit less...Pinterest-y?  I'll leave that to Martha Stewart. 

However, I just could not resist sharing these very holiday-appropriate cupcakes, because while they are quite festive, they are equally delicious. 

They are also the quickest cupcakes you will ever make.  You do not even need to break out your stand mixer for these guys. 

I wish I could properly describe the aroma of these cupcakes baking, but you will just have to bake them yourself to find out.  All I can say is that the scent of rich chocolate baked with yeasty ale is pure heaven. 

While the cupcakes cool, we need to tackle the frosting situation.  Salted caramel and cream cheese just felt right. 

See how smooth that frosting is?  Doesn't it make your eyes so happy? 

The key to a super smooth frosting is soft cream cheese and butter.  If you try to use butter or cream cheese that is even slightly cold you will end up with little cold bits strew throughout the frosting. 

It's been pretty cold these days around Norwyk Manor so I placed my butter and cream cheese atop my stove while the cupcakes baked, flipping them every so often so that the warmth was evenly distributed.  Cheat code for the impatient. 

A super simple homemade caramel goes into the frosting and the leftovers are used for drizzling. 

I also sprinkled a bit of edible gold sugar over these little cakes because the neighborhood leprechaun told me too. 

Let's forgo the pinching and shamrock necklaces and just eat cupcakes.  Cool?  Cool. 

Sincerely, 

Pedantic Foodie

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Chocolate and Ale Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Frosting

makes 2 1/2 dozen / cake recipe adapted from Food 52

for the cupcakes

2 cups pure cane sugar 

1 3/4 cups all-purpose 

3/4 cup cocoa 

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda 

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 

2 eggs 

1/4 cup whole milk 

3/4 cup amber ale 

1/4 cup vegetable oil 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1/4 cup boiling water 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray muffin tins with nonstick spray.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk to combine sugar, all-purpose flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Add eggs, milk, ale, oil, and vanilla extract and whisk until smooth; about two minutes.  Then, whisk in boiling water.  The batter will be quite thin but do not worry! 

Divide the batter evenly amongst the 30 muffin cups, filling each only half way.  These cakes will rise significantly!

Bake for 18-20 minutes, until the cakes spring back when tapped lightly in the center.  Do not open the oven during the baking time else the cupcakes will fall. 

Place the cupcakes on cooling racks to cool while you prepare the frosting. 

for the caramel

3/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon water

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1/2 teaspoon vanilla 

2/3 cup heavy whipping cream

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

In a small sauté pan combine sugar, butter and water.  Place over medium heat and stir until the butter melts and the sugar begins to dissolve.  

Once the sugar has dissolved, cease stirring, and boil for 5-7 minutes, or until amber in color.  Swirl the pan occasionally so that the caramel browns evenly, but do not stir or scape down the sides while the caramel is cooking.  Once the color is correct, remove from heat and add vanilla, heavy cream, and salt.  Be careful as the caramel will bubble and may splatter.  

Once the cream has been stirred in, return the pan to the burner and whisk until the caramel is smooth.

Allow the caramel to cool to room temperature.   

for the frosting

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature 

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 

2 tablespoons heavy cream

2 cups confectioner’s sugar 

1/2 cup salted caramel, cooled 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a large mixing bowl, combine cream cheese and butter.  Beat on medium speed with an electric hand-mixer until smooth.  Reduce the speed to low and beat in heavy cream. 

Continue mixing on the lowest speed while you gradually add confectioner’s sugar; scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions.  

When the frosting is smooth, slowly beat in caramel and vanilla extract.  

Spread the frosting on top of the cooled cupcakes and drizzle with the excess caramel.  Store in airtight containers and refrigerate until ready to serve.  Enjoy! 

Nutella-Stuffed Donut Holes with Vanilla Sugar

There is one story that has been far too long in coming. 

Back in November, Mr. Pedantic and I returned from our honeymoon with a great many stories and adventures to share, but none have elicited such laughter as the donut story.

THE SETTING: Borough Market and A Very Lovely Hotel Room 

THE CHARACTERS: The very newly married Mr. and Mrs. Pedantic

Exactly one week after our wedding day, we found ourselves in the bustling cornucopia that is Borough Market.  I ate so many things, but none of them impressed me more than what would become the goddess of all donuts.

The very best donut in the whole wide world. 

A sugar-encrusted pillow filled with the lightest, creamiest creme filling I have ever tasted.  I handed over my two pounds, and within moments I sent Mr. Pedantic back with another four to acquire more of these utopian pastries.  I cannot even begin to describe how amazing these donuts really were.  

Obviously, the wonder of that tiny stall’s donuts was no secret, because within moments of buying our first, they had sold out and we had to bite our lips and hope with all our hearts that their bakery truck would return with sweet reinforcements before we bid the market a sad farewell. 

Thankfully, the delivery boy came through, and we hopped back on the tube with two donuts in tow.  This time, my paper bag concealed the same pillow-like donut, but filled with a thick, blackberry jam.  Mr. Pedantic stuck with the creme.  I devoured mine the moment we returned to our hotel (typical), but Mr. Pedantic took only a few small bites and then gave his over to me.  We were but moments away from leaving for our dinner reservation, so I decided to show some restraint and tuck the treat away for later. 

We did have a small refrigerator in the room, but it was packed full with $12 bottles of water, so I did the most logical thing I could think of, I wrapped my donut up in its paper bag, and gently placed it in the very empty trash can.  

Now before you judge, there was thought behind my choice.  I did not want to just leave a seemingly unimportant paper bag on the table or nightstand, because I knew that the maids would be coming into clean and turn down the bed while we were out, and I did not want to risk my precious midnight snack being thrown away.  So, I put it in the trash can for safe keeping.  Surely they would not empty a trash can with only one thing in it.

We darted off to dinner and had the best steak in all the world for the second time, and then returned to our beautiful room.  I ran to the trash can and shrieked in horror, “MY DONUT - IT’S GONE!!”  Mr. Pedantic looked concerned and confused as he inquired as to why I had left something I was intending to save in the trash can.  He did not appreciate my logic. 

The maids had carried off my last bites of heaven, and I am still slightly bitter about the whole ordeal.

Of course, the hilarity has yet to wear off for Mr. Pedantic, and whenever there are leftovers my wonderful husband kindly suggests that we find a trash can for safe keeping.  *insert eye-roll*

While the tragedy was a humorous one, in my mind, the best part of the story is remembering the wonder of that glorious donut.

Over the years, I had attempted donuts on multiple occasions, but with little success.  They just were not quite right - certainly not the puffy pillows of my London dreams.

It was not until last week that I discovered the secret - shortening.  In order to get that really light, airy dough, we have to kiss butter goodbye and give a nod to the one thing I really wish was not in my pantry. 

The result is a donut that is almost as wonderful as those angelic puffs of happiness.  I tossed mine in some vanilla sugar - which you should certainly start making if you do not already - and then filled them with Nutella.  I have not quite mastered the magical pastry creme so I used another pretty magical filling that never disappoints. 

Not a one of these will be left in the trashcan.  I’ve learned my lesson.

Sincerely, 

Pedantic Foodie

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Nutella-Stuffed Donut Holes with Vanilla Sugar

makes about 60 / recipe adapted from Alton Brown

• 1 1/2 cups whole milk 
• 1/3 cup vegetable shortening 
• 1/3 cup warm water (about 100 degrees F)
• 1 tablespoon + 1 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
• 2 eggs, well beaten 
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract 
• 23 ounces all-purpose flour (plus extra for rolling out the dough) 
• 2 cups vanilla sugar* 
• 1/2 gallon vegetable oil 
• 1 heaping cup Nutella

Heat milk in a microwave-safe bowl until warm (about 100 degrees); about 3 minutes.  Stir the shortening into the warm milk until melted.  Allow the mixture to cool until just warm. 

Pour warm water into the work bowl of your stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast on top.  Allow the yeast to sit for five minutes.  Add the lukewarm milk and shortening mixture, eggs, sugar, salt, vanilla extract, and half of the flour.  Using the paddle attachment, mix on low speed until the flour is just incorporated and then increase the speed to medium and beat until well combined.  Reduce the speed to low and add the remaining flour.  Beat on medium speed until well combined.  

Switch over to the dough hook attachment and knead the mixture for 3-4 minutes; until the dough is very smooth and has started to pull away from the sides of the bowl.  The dough will still be very sticky, but resist adding more flour.  

Coat a large bowl with nonstick spray and place the dough into the bowl.  Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm, dry area (I usually go for the top of my refrigerator), until doubled in size; about one hour. 

Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface and roll out into a rectangle about 3/4-inch in thickness.  The dough will still be very, very soft.  Use a 1-inch biscuit cutter to punch out the donut holes and place them on a floured baking sheet.  You may re-roll any dough scraps to make more donuts, but only do this once so that the donuts will still be very tender. 

Cover the baking sheet with a paper towel and allow to rise for 30 minutes.  While the donuts are resting, prepare a frying station and the filling.

Line two large baking sheets with paper towels and set cooling racks on top.  Fit a pastry bag with a 1/4-inch tip and fill with Nutella.  Place the vanilla sugar in a pie plate or shallow bowl. 

Fill your deep fryer with 3 inches of oil and heat until the oil has reached 365 degrees F.  Once the oil has come to temperature, drop the donuts into the oil gently, working with 3 to 4 at a time.  Cook the donuts for 1 minute, then flip, and cook on the opposite side for another minute.  

Transfer the donuts to the vanilla sugar and toss to coat.  Set them on the cooling racks to cool slightly before filling them.  To fill, I used the narrow end of a spoon to punch a small hole into the center of the donut, but you could easily use a chopstick instead.  Then, I stuck the end of my pastry bag into the hole and filled them with about 1 teaspoon of Nutella.  If you have one of those fancy cupcake injectors, you can use that instead, just make sure the tip is not overly large. 

These donuts are best served warm with many cups of coffee and good conversation.  Enjoy! 

*Vanilla sugar is very easy to make, and is a wonderful way to use up empty vanilla bean pods that we would typically discard!  Just stick two or three beans into 2 cups of sugar and store in an airtight container.  Allow the sugar to sit for about a month before using.  This will give the sugar plenty of time to soak up the delicate flavors of the beans.