Banoffee Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

I have to admit...lately I`ve put chocolate in almost any baked goodie. I mean, chocolate makes everything better, ain`t it so? These cookies are the result of my inability to decide whether I want a Banoffee Pie or a classic Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie.  

For those of you who wonder what a Banoffee Pie is: it is one of the most incredibly decadent pies that are worth the calories. This is a fact! Its main ingredients are bananas and a caramel/toffee filling, all sitting in a charming biscuit crust. There were some rumors that Banoffee Pie also contains coffee in it. The name is coming from these ingredients banana, toffee, and maybe coffee. Got it? Every pie has a story.

It`s really nice to bake these for somebody, so you are not tempted to eat the whole batch. No, seriously, they are that good. If your dearest one is ill, he/she will be more than happy to nibble on these while they sip their tea and wipe their Rudolf nose. 

Also, dunk them in milk. Eat. And I want to see if you can resist the urge to grab another one. Bet you can`t! 

Ingredients:

125 gr soft, unsalted butter(room temperature)

50 gr. peanut butter

1/2 cup + 3 Tablespoons packed brown sugar (I used muscovado)

1/2 granulated white sugar

1 egg + 1 egg yolk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 ripe banana, mashed

100 gr semisweet dark chocolate (at least 55% cocoa content)

135 gr caramels (chopped into small pieces)

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoon baking soda

350 gr flour

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 d C/375 d F. Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, beat the butter with the brown sugar and the white one until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the peanut butter in and mix some more.

3. Add the whole egg and the egg yolk, along with the vanilla extract and the banana. Mix for another 30 seconds on high speed.

4. Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder in and use a spatula to incorporate it in. Right before it is completely incorporated and the dough is formed, add the chopped caramels and the chocolate.

5. Using an ice cream scoop or a tablespoon, dollop some dough on the cookie sheets, leaving a bit of space between each one as they will spread, the caramel will ooze and you know...cookies.

6. Bake for about 10-12 minutes or until they are golden brown and slightly soft in the middle. Allow them to cool completely in the pan before eating. Or burn your tongue right away, it`s up to you.

NOTE! These can be stored in an airtight container somewhere cool (like your pantry or fridge) and last up to 1 week and a half. IF they last so long... :D

Rainbow Swirl Cupcakes

Rainbow...because I need it in my life right now.

I don`t even want to get out of my house. The weather is so wet and depressing. I honestly can`t say that winter (or, whatever, almost winter) is my time of the year. I just don`t enjoy the rain, the cold, cars splashing you because of the puddles, which by the way, are freakin` dirty! At least where I live.

So I made cupcakes...

But not just a regular cupcake with boring, mainstream vanilla frosting. I don`t like plain frosting, I need a kick! Instead, I made a fluffy, marshmallow (or meringue, whatever you want to call it) frosting, colored it the best way I could and piped it on the little cakes. Oh, and I was generous with it. Because I can and because I deserve.

Just take a moment to look at them! They are the most incredible cupcakes I`ve made so far. They are special in their little own way and honestly: aren`t they cute? I don`t need an answer. 

This recipe is so simple, yet so impressive. It`s just perfect for any occasion. Imagine how happy you could make your friend/family member if you made these for them.

Enough said, here`s the recipe:

Ingredients:

135 gr soft butter

135 gr white sugar

35 gr cream cheese

zest of 1 medium orange

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 Tablespoon honey

3 Tablespoons milk

300 gr white flour

pinch of salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

Marshmallow frosting:

3 egg whites

200 gr sugar

pinch of salt

1/4 teaspoon almond or vanilla extract

powder or gel food coloring (not liquid!), use whatever colors you prefer (I used red, yellow and blue)

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 180 C/375 d F. Place cupcake paper liners in your muffin pan and set aside.

2.In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar with the mixer on high speed for 5 minutes. Add the cream cheese and continue beating for another minute or so. 

3. Mix in the orange zest, the eggs, one at a time and the honey. Whip it good!

4. In a separate bowl, sift the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and add these ingredients to your previous butter-sugar-eggs mixture. Do it in 3 batched. Lastly, add the milk and mix for another minute.

5. Divide the batter evenly between the cavities and bake the cupcakes for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let them cool completely before frosting them.

Marshmallow Frosting:

1. In a heat-safe bowl, put your egg whites, salt and sugar. Set the bowl over a pot of simmering water, making sure that the bottom of the bowl does NOT come in contact with the hot water or you`ll have a mess, trust me. 

2. Using an electric mixer, whip these ingredients together at high speed until there are no more sugar granules to be felt. To test this, rub some of the mixture between your fingers. If you still have some sugar granules, continue whipping until they are gone.

3. Take the bowl off the heat and continue mixing on high until stiff peaks form and the bottom of the bowl feels neutral to the touch (close to room temperature). Add the vanilla extract.

4. To obtain the rainbow effect, divide the frosting evenly in 3 bowls. Add a different coloring to each bowl and mix well so that the frosting has an uniform color.

5. Holding your piping bag horizontally, try to "stack" the colors. Watch this video from Cupcake Jemma which will show you the trick.  Pipe the frosting on your cupcakes and dig in!