Wednesday Desserts
Today's desserts consist of a little of this, a little of that, and a whole lot of yum. Check out the Carrot Cake Cheesecake Bars, the Chocolate Bean Cupcakes, or any of the other desserts in today's post. Enjoy!
FROZEN CRANBERRY-CREAM PIE
This was in the November 2013 issue of Vegetarian Times (page 40). It begins, "Sweet-tart cranberry sauce is swirled together with Greek frozen yogurt for an easy holiday dessert. If you’re not a fan of allspice, try ground cloves or cinnamon instead. For a sweeter, creamier pie, double the amount of frozen yogurt." Makes 8 servings. Great for holiday table
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/frozen-cranberry-cream-pie/.
Ingredients
1 12-oz. bag fresh or frozen cranberries
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/8 tsp. ground allspice
1 cup vanilla Greek frozen yogurt, softened 10 to 15 minutes
1 9-inch prepared graham cracker crust
Preparation
Bring cranberries, light brown sugar, 1/2 cup water, allspice, and a dash of salt, if desired, to a simmer in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 10 minutes, or until mixture is thickened. Mash with potato masher to break up any remaining whole cranberries. Transfer to large bowl, and cool.
Fold frozen yogurt into cooled cranberry sauce. Spread in prepared crust. Freeze 2 hours, or until firm.
RASPBERRY CHILL
This is from the May, 2004 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 26. It begins, "This snappy, user-friendly recipe comes together in just minutes, providing a cooling bite for a heated main course. To gild the lily, garnish this sweet with fresh raspberries since they are coming into season. Offer this with a fruity herbed tea and vanilla cookies." Makes 4 servings
You can view this online at https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/raspberry-chill/.
Ingredients
2 cups frozen raspberries
1 1-lb. pkg. lite silken tofu
1/4 cup vanilla soymilk
1/4 cup brown rice syrup
1 pint fresh raspberries for garnish
1/2 cup crushed pecans for garnish
Directions
Put frozen raspberries, tofu, soymilk and brown rice syrup in blender, and process until smooth. 2. Pour or spoon into serving dish or individual compotes, and garnish with raspberries and pecans before serving.
CARROT CAKE CHEESECAKE BARS
This is from the Food Network, and begins, "You'll never have to choose between carrot cake and cheesecake for springtime gatherings again. This mashup starts with a spiced shortbread crust, continues with a carrot juice curd filling that tastes just like carrot cake and finishes with a no-bake cheesecake on top. These colorful, layered bars are topped off with a quick walnut crumble made right in the microwave!"
Active Time: 1 hour; Total Time: 9 hours (includes cooling and chilling times); Yield: 16 bars; Level: Intermediate
To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/carrot-cake-cheesecake-bars-11850240.
Ingredients
Crust:
Nonstick cooking spray, for the pan
2 cups all-purpose flour (see Cook’s Note)
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 stick (8 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, diced
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 large egg
Carrot Juice Curd Filling:
1 cup carrot juice
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons whole milk
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
6 large eggs plus 4 yolks
2 sticks (1 cup) cold unsalted butter, diced
Walnut Crumble:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons roughly chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons rolled oats
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
No-Bake Cheesecake:
1/3 cup heavy cream
12 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice (from 1/2 lemon)
1 tablespoon sour cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Directions
For the crust: Position an oven rack in the bottom third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9-inch square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang on 2 of the sides.
Add the flour, confectioners’ sugar, butter, cinnamon and salt to a food processor. Pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-size pieces. Add the egg and 1 tablespoon cold water and pulse until the dough comes together. Press the dough into the bottom of the prepared pan. Prick the dough all over with a fork. Bake until the crust is golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool slightly on a rack, about 15 minutes.
For the carrot juice curd filling: Meanwhile, whisk the carrot juice, granulated sugar, milk, cinnamon, salt and whole eggs and yolks in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat until well combined. Add the butter a few pieces at a time, whisking constantly and making sure the butter is melted before adding more, and continue to cook until the mixture is thick, a little lighter in color and coats the back of a spoon, 12 to 15 minutes. Strain the curd if any lumps form, then pour into the crust and smooth with a spatula.
Bake until the curd is set (a small part in the center may still be a little jiggly), 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool slightly on a rack, about 30 minutes, then transfer to the refrigerator to cool completely, about 30 minutes.
For the walnut crumble: Meanwhile, microwave the butter in a small microwave-safe bowl until melted, about 1 minute. Stir in the walnuts, brown sugar, oats, cinnamon and salt. Microwave until the sugar is dissolved, about 1 minute. Let cool in the bowl until the crumble is crunchy, about 30 minutes. Cover tightly or transfer to an airtight container and store at room temperature until ready to use.
For the no-bake cheesecake: Once the curd filling is chilled, whip the heavy cream in a medium bowl with a whisk until stiff, fluffy peaks form, 3 to 4 minutes (or 1 to 2 minutes using an electric mixer on medium speed); set aside.
Beat the cream cheese and granulated sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce the speed to medium low, add the lemon juice, sour cream and vanilla and beat until just combined, 1 to 2 minutes. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture with a large rubber spatula.
Pour the batter on top of the curd filling and smooth the top with an offset spatula. Cover tightly and refrigerate until set, at least 6 hours and up to 24 hours.
Just before serving, sprinkle the walnut crumble on top. Cut into squares and serve cold.
Cook’s Note
When measuring flour, we spoon it into a dry measuring cup and level off the excess. (Scooping directly from the bag compacts the flour, resulting in dry baked goods).
BLACKBERRY FOOL
This is from Vallery Lomas in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Vallery wrote, "Whipping up this dessert may be the wisest decision you’ll make in the summer: It comes together quickly and uses only five ingredients. Mashed juicy berries folded into lightly whipped cream results in a simple dish that manages to feel both decadent and light. Macerating ripe in-season blackberries in sugar extracts their natural sweetness and goodness. Serve this dish with shortbread cookies for a buttery crumble to contrast the creamy blend."
Yield: 6 servings; Time: 15 minutes
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022353-blackberry-fool.
Ingredients
1 pint fresh blackberries (12 ounces)
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
Shortbread cookies, for serving (optional)
Preparation
Place the blackberries in a medium bowl and sprinkle with the granulated sugar, then drizzle with the vanilla. Toss lightly to evenly coat. Allow to steep for 10 minutes, then mash the blackberries until they release their juices and form a thick pulp.
Combine the heavy cream and confectioners’ sugar in another medium bowl. Use an electric stand or hand mixer or whisk to whip the cream to medium peaks. (When you lift the beater or whisk, the cream should hold a peak for a moment.)
Pour the berry mixture over the cream and use a rubber spatula to gently fold until combined. You can leave streaks of the berry mixture or completely incorporate it. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day. To serve, scoop into glasses or dishes and top with cookies if desired.
SHORTBREAD, 10 WAYS
This is from Melissa Clark in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Melissa wrote, "Shortbread is not only one of the easiest desserts you can possibly make, it’s also one of the most adaptable. As long as you keep the butter-to-flour ratio constant (1 stick butter to 1 cup flour), everything else is negotiable. You can reduce or increase the sugar and salt, or mix in any type of flavoring from citrus zest to vanilla to herbs and spices. You can even alter the type of flour, swapping in some rice flour for all-purpose flour for increased crunch, or cornmeal for a nubby texture. Just be cautious about adding liquid to the dough; any more than one tablespoon could interfere with the texture. Here we give a master recipe and nine variations to play around with."
Yield: 24 servings; Time: 1 hour, plus cooling
This was featured in "The Simplest Shortbread You Can Bake", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018784-shortbread-10-ways.
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon fine salt
2 sticks/1 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch chunks
Preparation
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Pulse together flour, sugar and salt in a food processor. Add butter and pulse to fine crumbs. Pulse a few more times until some of the crumbs start to come together, but don’t overprocess; the dough should be somewhat crumbly. (You can also mix the dough in a bowl using two knives or a pastry cutter.)
Press dough into an even layer in an ungreased 8- or 9-inch-square baking pan, or a 9-inch pie pan. Prick dough all over with a fork. Bake until golden brown, about 35 to 40 minutes for the 9-inch square or pie pan, 45 to 50 minutes for the 8-inch. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Cut into squares, bars or wedges while still warm.
Tips
Here are nine variations for the master shortbread recipe above.
Scottish Shortbread: Use 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour and 1/2 cup white rice flour.
Tender Shortbread: Substitute confectioners' sugar for the granulated sugar, and 1/3 cup cornstarch for 1/3 cup of flour.
Vanilla Bean Shortbread: Split a vanilla bean in half lengthwise and use the back of a knife to scrape out the pulp. Pulse the pulp into the flour-sugar mixture before adding butter. Or add up to 1 teaspoon vanilla extract with the butter.
Citrus Shortbread: Add 1 to 1-1/2 teaspoons finely grated lemon, lime or orange zest with the flour. Add up to 1 teaspoon orange blossom water with the butter if desired. These are classic with poppy seeds.
Nut Shortbread: Grind 1/2 cup toasted nuts in the food processor with the flour before combining with remaining ingredients.
Spice or Seed Shortbread: Add up to 1 teaspoon spices, like ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg or cardamom, or seeds like caraway or anise. Or add up to 3 tablespoons poppy or sesame seeds.
Brown or Maple Sugar Shortbread: Substitute 1/3 cup light or dark brown sugar or maple sugar for the granulated. This yields a slightly softer shortbread.
Cornmeal or Whole Wheat Shortbread: Substitute up to 1/2 cup cornmeal or whole wheat flour for 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour. Season with spices, seeds, citrus or rosemary if desired.
Buckwheat Shortbread: Substitute up to 1/3 cup buckwheat flour for 1/3 cup of all-purpose flour.
CHOCOLATE BEAN CUPCAKES
This is from the July/August 2005 issue of Vegetarian Times (page 41). Makes 12 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Cupcakes
1/3 cup soy margarine, melted
1-1/4 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs or 1/2 cup egg substitute
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 Tbs. grated orange zest, optional
1 15.5-oz. can black beans, drained, rinsed and pureed
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
Frosting
1/2 cup soy margarine
2 cups confectioners' sugar
4 Tbs. frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
12 chocolate kisses
Preparation
Preheat oven to 375F. Line 12 cupcake tins with paper liners.
To make Cupcakes: Using electric mixer on high, beat margarine, sugar and eggs for 3 minutes, or until thick and creamy.
Fold vanilla extract and orange zest, if using, into puréed beans. In small bowl, whisk together cocoa powder, flour and baking powder.
Fold egg mixture into beans, then fold flour mixture into beans by thirds. Fill cupcake tins two-thirds full. Bake 20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 5 minutes. Remove, and cool on rack.
Meanwhile, to make Frosting: Using electric mixer, beat margarine until smooth. Beat in confectioners’ sugar then juice concentrate until smooth. If too stiff, add 1 tsp. water at a time. Tint with food coloring, if desired. Top each cupcake with 2 tsp. frosting and a candy kiss.
FROZEN CRANBERRY-CREAM PIE
This was in the November 2013 issue of Vegetarian Times (page 40). It begins, "Sweet-tart cranberry sauce is swirled together with Greek frozen yogurt for an easy holiday dessert. If you’re not a fan of allspice, try ground cloves or cinnamon instead. For a sweeter, creamier pie, double the amount of frozen yogurt." Makes 8 servings. Great for holiday table
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/frozen-cranberry-cream-pie/.
Ingredients
1 12-oz. bag fresh or frozen cranberries
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/8 tsp. ground allspice
1 cup vanilla Greek frozen yogurt, softened 10 to 15 minutes
1 9-inch prepared graham cracker crust
Preparation
Bring cranberries, light brown sugar, 1/2 cup water, allspice, and a dash of salt, if desired, to a simmer in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 10 minutes, or until mixture is thickened. Mash with potato masher to break up any remaining whole cranberries. Transfer to large bowl, and cool.
Fold frozen yogurt into cooled cranberry sauce. Spread in prepared crust. Freeze 2 hours, or until firm.
RASPBERRY CHILL
This is from the May, 2004 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 26. It begins, "This snappy, user-friendly recipe comes together in just minutes, providing a cooling bite for a heated main course. To gild the lily, garnish this sweet with fresh raspberries since they are coming into season. Offer this with a fruity herbed tea and vanilla cookies." Makes 4 servings
You can view this online at https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/raspberry-chill/.
Ingredients
2 cups frozen raspberries
1 1-lb. pkg. lite silken tofu
1/4 cup vanilla soymilk
1/4 cup brown rice syrup
1 pint fresh raspberries for garnish
1/2 cup crushed pecans for garnish
Directions
Put frozen raspberries, tofu, soymilk and brown rice syrup in blender, and process until smooth. 2. Pour or spoon into serving dish or individual compotes, and garnish with raspberries and pecans before serving.
CARROT CAKE CHEESECAKE BARS
This is from the Food Network, and begins, "You'll never have to choose between carrot cake and cheesecake for springtime gatherings again. This mashup starts with a spiced shortbread crust, continues with a carrot juice curd filling that tastes just like carrot cake and finishes with a no-bake cheesecake on top. These colorful, layered bars are topped off with a quick walnut crumble made right in the microwave!"
Active Time: 1 hour; Total Time: 9 hours (includes cooling and chilling times); Yield: 16 bars; Level: Intermediate
To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/carrot-cake-cheesecake-bars-11850240.
Ingredients
Crust:
Nonstick cooking spray, for the pan
2 cups all-purpose flour (see Cook’s Note)
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 stick (8 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, diced
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 large egg
Carrot Juice Curd Filling:
1 cup carrot juice
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons whole milk
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
6 large eggs plus 4 yolks
2 sticks (1 cup) cold unsalted butter, diced
Walnut Crumble:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons roughly chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons rolled oats
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
No-Bake Cheesecake:
1/3 cup heavy cream
12 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice (from 1/2 lemon)
1 tablespoon sour cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Directions
For the crust: Position an oven rack in the bottom third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9-inch square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang on 2 of the sides.
Add the flour, confectioners’ sugar, butter, cinnamon and salt to a food processor. Pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-size pieces. Add the egg and 1 tablespoon cold water and pulse until the dough comes together. Press the dough into the bottom of the prepared pan. Prick the dough all over with a fork. Bake until the crust is golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool slightly on a rack, about 15 minutes.
For the carrot juice curd filling: Meanwhile, whisk the carrot juice, granulated sugar, milk, cinnamon, salt and whole eggs and yolks in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat until well combined. Add the butter a few pieces at a time, whisking constantly and making sure the butter is melted before adding more, and continue to cook until the mixture is thick, a little lighter in color and coats the back of a spoon, 12 to 15 minutes. Strain the curd if any lumps form, then pour into the crust and smooth with a spatula.
Bake until the curd is set (a small part in the center may still be a little jiggly), 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool slightly on a rack, about 30 minutes, then transfer to the refrigerator to cool completely, about 30 minutes.
For the walnut crumble: Meanwhile, microwave the butter in a small microwave-safe bowl until melted, about 1 minute. Stir in the walnuts, brown sugar, oats, cinnamon and salt. Microwave until the sugar is dissolved, about 1 minute. Let cool in the bowl until the crumble is crunchy, about 30 minutes. Cover tightly or transfer to an airtight container and store at room temperature until ready to use.
For the no-bake cheesecake: Once the curd filling is chilled, whip the heavy cream in a medium bowl with a whisk until stiff, fluffy peaks form, 3 to 4 minutes (or 1 to 2 minutes using an electric mixer on medium speed); set aside.
Beat the cream cheese and granulated sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce the speed to medium low, add the lemon juice, sour cream and vanilla and beat until just combined, 1 to 2 minutes. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture with a large rubber spatula.
Pour the batter on top of the curd filling and smooth the top with an offset spatula. Cover tightly and refrigerate until set, at least 6 hours and up to 24 hours.
Just before serving, sprinkle the walnut crumble on top. Cut into squares and serve cold.
Cook’s Note
When measuring flour, we spoon it into a dry measuring cup and level off the excess. (Scooping directly from the bag compacts the flour, resulting in dry baked goods).
BLACKBERRY FOOL
This is from Vallery Lomas in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Vallery wrote, "Whipping up this dessert may be the wisest decision you’ll make in the summer: It comes together quickly and uses only five ingredients. Mashed juicy berries folded into lightly whipped cream results in a simple dish that manages to feel both decadent and light. Macerating ripe in-season blackberries in sugar extracts their natural sweetness and goodness. Serve this dish with shortbread cookies for a buttery crumble to contrast the creamy blend."
Yield: 6 servings; Time: 15 minutes
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022353-blackberry-fool.
Ingredients
1 pint fresh blackberries (12 ounces)
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
Shortbread cookies, for serving (optional)
Preparation
Place the blackberries in a medium bowl and sprinkle with the granulated sugar, then drizzle with the vanilla. Toss lightly to evenly coat. Allow to steep for 10 minutes, then mash the blackberries until they release their juices and form a thick pulp.
Combine the heavy cream and confectioners’ sugar in another medium bowl. Use an electric stand or hand mixer or whisk to whip the cream to medium peaks. (When you lift the beater or whisk, the cream should hold a peak for a moment.)
Pour the berry mixture over the cream and use a rubber spatula to gently fold until combined. You can leave streaks of the berry mixture or completely incorporate it. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day. To serve, scoop into glasses or dishes and top with cookies if desired.
SHORTBREAD, 10 WAYS
This is from Melissa Clark in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Melissa wrote, "Shortbread is not only one of the easiest desserts you can possibly make, it’s also one of the most adaptable. As long as you keep the butter-to-flour ratio constant (1 stick butter to 1 cup flour), everything else is negotiable. You can reduce or increase the sugar and salt, or mix in any type of flavoring from citrus zest to vanilla to herbs and spices. You can even alter the type of flour, swapping in some rice flour for all-purpose flour for increased crunch, or cornmeal for a nubby texture. Just be cautious about adding liquid to the dough; any more than one tablespoon could interfere with the texture. Here we give a master recipe and nine variations to play around with."
Yield: 24 servings; Time: 1 hour, plus cooling
This was featured in "The Simplest Shortbread You Can Bake", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018784-shortbread-10-ways.
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon fine salt
2 sticks/1 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch chunks
Preparation
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Pulse together flour, sugar and salt in a food processor. Add butter and pulse to fine crumbs. Pulse a few more times until some of the crumbs start to come together, but don’t overprocess; the dough should be somewhat crumbly. (You can also mix the dough in a bowl using two knives or a pastry cutter.)
Press dough into an even layer in an ungreased 8- or 9-inch-square baking pan, or a 9-inch pie pan. Prick dough all over with a fork. Bake until golden brown, about 35 to 40 minutes for the 9-inch square or pie pan, 45 to 50 minutes for the 8-inch. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Cut into squares, bars or wedges while still warm.
Tips
Here are nine variations for the master shortbread recipe above.
Scottish Shortbread: Use 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour and 1/2 cup white rice flour.
Tender Shortbread: Substitute confectioners' sugar for the granulated sugar, and 1/3 cup cornstarch for 1/3 cup of flour.
Vanilla Bean Shortbread: Split a vanilla bean in half lengthwise and use the back of a knife to scrape out the pulp. Pulse the pulp into the flour-sugar mixture before adding butter. Or add up to 1 teaspoon vanilla extract with the butter.
Citrus Shortbread: Add 1 to 1-1/2 teaspoons finely grated lemon, lime or orange zest with the flour. Add up to 1 teaspoon orange blossom water with the butter if desired. These are classic with poppy seeds.
Nut Shortbread: Grind 1/2 cup toasted nuts in the food processor with the flour before combining with remaining ingredients.
Spice or Seed Shortbread: Add up to 1 teaspoon spices, like ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg or cardamom, or seeds like caraway or anise. Or add up to 3 tablespoons poppy or sesame seeds.
Brown or Maple Sugar Shortbread: Substitute 1/3 cup light or dark brown sugar or maple sugar for the granulated. This yields a slightly softer shortbread.
Cornmeal or Whole Wheat Shortbread: Substitute up to 1/2 cup cornmeal or whole wheat flour for 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour. Season with spices, seeds, citrus or rosemary if desired.
Buckwheat Shortbread: Substitute up to 1/3 cup buckwheat flour for 1/3 cup of all-purpose flour.
CHOCOLATE BEAN CUPCAKES
This is from the July/August 2005 issue of Vegetarian Times (page 41). Makes 12 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Cupcakes
1/3 cup soy margarine, melted
1-1/4 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs or 1/2 cup egg substitute
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 Tbs. grated orange zest, optional
1 15.5-oz. can black beans, drained, rinsed and pureed
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
Frosting
1/2 cup soy margarine
2 cups confectioners' sugar
4 Tbs. frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
12 chocolate kisses
Preparation
Preheat oven to 375F. Line 12 cupcake tins with paper liners.
To make Cupcakes: Using electric mixer on high, beat margarine, sugar and eggs for 3 minutes, or until thick and creamy.
Fold vanilla extract and orange zest, if using, into puréed beans. In small bowl, whisk together cocoa powder, flour and baking powder.
Fold egg mixture into beans, then fold flour mixture into beans by thirds. Fill cupcake tins two-thirds full. Bake 20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 5 minutes. Remove, and cool on rack.
Meanwhile, to make Frosting: Using electric mixer, beat margarine until smooth. Beat in confectioners’ sugar then juice concentrate until smooth. If too stiff, add 1 tsp. water at a time. Tint with food coloring, if desired. Top each cupcake with 2 tsp. frosting and a candy kiss.
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