Snickers with Caramel Buttercream Cupcakes

Ingredients

FOR THE CUPCAKES
2/3 cup cocoa powder
2/3 cup boiling water
2/3 cup milk
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 3/4 cups sugar
3 eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

FOR THE FILLING
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 tablespoon corn syrup (can be omitted, but watch the sugar color more vigilantly)
1/4 cup water
1 cup heavy cream
pinch salt
5 tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

36 Snickers miniatures, quartered

FOR THE FROSTING
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 lb. confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup caramel sauce (from the filling)
1 to 2 tablespoons heavy cream

FOR THE GARNISH
24 Snickers miniatures, quartered
about 7 tablespoons (scant half cup) of caramel sauce (from filling)

METHOD

To make the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners.

In a large (4 cup) measuring cup, combine the water and cocoa powder and whisk thoroughly. Stir in the milk; set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

In a large bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Stir in the eggs, one at a time, then scrape the bowl and add the vanilla. Sprinkle 1/3 of the flour mixture over the batter and beat until just combined. Add half of the cocoa mixture, mix until combined, then repeat with the remaining flour and cocoa mixtures, scraping the bowl as needed.

Place 2 tablespoons of batter in each cupcake liner and bake for 18-20 minutes, or untila toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

To make the filling: Place the sugar, water, and corn syrup in a small saucepan, stirring to combine. Without stirring, bring to a boil over high heat, swirling the ingredients in the pan occasionally. Continue boiling until the mixture reaches an amber color. Remove from heat and very carefully (the mixture will quickly expand and sputter) add the cream in a slow steady stream, being sure to stir constantly. Once combined, add the salt and butter and continue stirring until both are completely melted and combined. Stir in the vanilla. Cool to room temperature before using. Reserve 3/4 cup of the filling for the frosting and garnish. Once cooled, stir in the quartered Snickers candy.

To make the frosting: Beat the butter on high speed until light and fluffy. Beat in the sugar until combined. Stir in the vanilla, sugar, and caramel. Add 1 tablespoon of heavy cream and whisk on high for 4 minutes. If necessary, add more heavy cream, up to 1 extra tablespoon.

Assemble the cupcakes: Once the cupcakes are cooled, use a paring knife to cut a small cone of cake out of the center (or use an apple corer to core out a small piece of cake). Fill each cupcake with a portion of the Snickers caramel filling (about a tablespoon each, which will be 5 or 6 candies in each cupcake). Frost each cupcake as desired. Garnish with cupcake with 4 or 5 quartered Snickers candies, per cupcake, and drizzle with caramel sauce.

http://bakingdom.com/2011/03/snickers-cupcakes.html

Love Choc Cookies

Hi, there...

I'm back again with not in a good condition of health but still in a good mood of baking. Well, I have been away from kitchen for long, long time ago and I have forgot the feeling of hanging the pan, batter mixer, looking at the oven and play with the flour! Busy of work - it said. *smiling*
So, I was thinking on something sweet and crunchy to eat on this Deepavali Festive. Unfortunately, I am having a fever, even right now, while typing this blog. Anyway, it must happen...and it did happened last night...

It all started from finding the flour and sugar and then...my COOK BOOK! I can't wait to start baking! I looked at the clock - it was 9.15pm. I really want to do it. Let's start with the pictures...

This is part of my stuffs. I love the egg beater because it's colorful. Thus, I enjoyed myself while beating the egg or batter. The blue spatula light up my eyes as the color is sweet and just nice to look at. Hehehe...

I'm using a simple Butter Cookie recipe for my sweet Love Choc. Trust me, it is very simple and you can find the ingredients at any store/supermarket.

Ingredients
200g butter
300g wheat flour
200g icing sugar
1/4 tbsp Vanilla essence

Method
Put all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix it and keep on mix it until it become a dough. *So that it's easy to roll and cut the cookie*


This is the final dough. Remember, keep on mix it and don't give up or don't even say 'TIRED'.
Hehehe... You will feel the satisfaction once you done it.


Taa-dhaaa....!!! I like to use love-shaped cookie cutter because it always look sweet to me. But, actually... The reason I baked this cookies is because of my sweetheart. We had an argument, kinda huge argument. I have tried to discuss but these things are too complicated and the only way to be back as normal is by toleration. I need to tolerate and consider in any matter. So, I made this Love Choc cookies for him. I hope he will like it..*Sigh*
Alright,let's continue...

Once you have cut the dough, take it up slowly and put it in the bake pan. Arrange it nicely and don't get too close because the dough will double-sized. Not really big but I guess this is the result of having butter. Then, it is ready to bake for about 8-10 minutes until it turn golden yellowish and you can feel the smell...

Busy putting the choc layer

Now, when you have baked the cookies, it's time for you to decorate it! Like me, I chose to dip the chocolate and let it stick on the cookies. Yummy! Can't wait to show you next.

The finishing of Love Choc Cookies

Glory of Thoughts: Dark Night

Glory of Thoughts: Dark Night

Dark Night

It is a dark night, it is a dark outside. As I was sitting in this living room, waiting for this tired eyes with a dark night accompany me. Several things played in my mind and keep on approaching this emotion. These has something to do with my life and future. First of all, I'm writing this because I feel this is the right section or medium for me to express everything I felt about every aspects. I would like to apologize to whom ever that might think I'm expressing this or saying this to them.

I'm such a person who loves making jokes. I love to laugh and laugh and keep on laugh. I love to be outspoken but not at all time, I still have the sensitivity aspect. Well, I know I am not a good person, a good girl or a good lover. I'm just being me. I'm just expressing my character even though I know sometimes or most of the time I have hurt others feeling. And, I'm SORRY for that.

But, tonight, I would like to say about someone that I really love the most, someone that I really care about and perhaps someone that I intend to live and die with.

Dear Lover,

I never want to blame you or makes you feel awful. No, I didn't mean to.
I never want to compare you with somebody else. No, I didn't mean to.
I never want to make you feel sad or regret of what have you done. No, I didn't mean to.
I want you to know that I will always loves you and cares for you. Always.

But, don't you know what I expected from you? A LOVE. That's about it. I need LOVE from you because I believe that once the LOVE is developed, you will appreciate me and so do I. I know my working schedule is sometimes over the line, like crazy when I don't have so much time to spend with you. I know I always come back home late and I don't have so much time to text you. I don't have many choices, sweetheart. There are time that I will be so damn busy especially when it is peak time for roadshows and events. But that does not mean I forget about you, that does not mean I cheated on you, that does not mean I played or even flirt with another man. I always remember you, sweetheart.

Therefore, I need you immediately when I know that is the only time I will have. It's not that I push you, makes you stress out with me or acting so annoying. Definitely, no. Yes, I felt disapointed when everytime you failed to fill my needs. Even though with relevant excuses. That does not mean I hate you or put a blame on you.

It is because I miss you. Thinking how much time I have missed to spend with you and not all of our plans achieved. You still owe me a picnic at the lake.

I'm giving you a space now, for you to think it wisely what will happened to you, me, us and our relationship. I'm giving you time so that you could plan or changed. Again, this doesn't mean I hate you. Like I told you before, I could have left you or dumb you if I wanted to. But, that's not what I dreamed about.

I want you to know... You will always be my sweetheart, my lover, my darling...
I Love You ~


Cordially,
A Lover

Glory of Thoughts: A Letter To Chiki

Glory of Thoughts: A Letter To Chiki

A Letter To Chiki

Monday, 3^rd October 2011 was the day. It was a good Monday morning, bright sky with fresh air. Birds were flying freely, like the world is theirs. Children were everywhere, going to school. And, it was the day you changed everything in me. It was the day you turned everything to plain and dark. It was the day when you ran away from home, when we had lost you. You didn’t come back home.

It was Tuesday when I received a call from my mother. She said you didn’t come back since yesterday. I was not at home, I know. I was about to go to work and I left home for five days but you were gone on my first day of outstation. You went out and didn’t come back. I was so nervous when I’ve been told you were not at home. I prayed to God to save your life and showed you way to go home if you’d lost.

I cannot stop myself from thinking about you. All that I am concerned of is you. I know when you left the house, you were not feeling well, sneezing and flu. I remembered the day I brought you to clinic on Sunday, and you had your medication. We were good at that time. I could see how comfort you were at that time. Your appetites were also good. But why you’re not home yet? Why you have to do this to your family, to us? Well, at least think of me!

I told myself to be calm again and again. At first, I believed I could see you again. I believed that you will come back to our sweet home. I believed that you will somehow remembered us and come back. But, you did not. You totally did not. Because it was Wednesday! And you still not at home yet! Where are you, sweetheart? Where are you?

I’ve been waiting and waiting and keep on waiting. Again, I tried to be calm. Again, I told myself to be calm and wait. Until today, I cannot wait anymore. I just can’t. I’m afraid of losing you, sweetheart. I cannot accept the fact and definitely I am not ready yet to accept this. Without realized, tears dropped on my cheeks. I began to cry hardly, thinking of you. All I did was crying until I my eyes feel the pain. I begged to God – “Please return it back you to me.” I missed you.

Thursday, 6^th October 2011 – Late this evening, I found myself thinking about you again. I look at your picture and I cried. I cannot stop crying. Tears were falling like a river. And I began to cry again while looking at your picture. I prayed to God again, like I spoke to Him. “Please return it back to me. I want it to be back again.”

I hate the feeling of lost. The feeling when you’d lost something that you love the most and care of the most, something that it is part of your family. I hate this feeling. Please, sweetheart. Please come back home. If you’re a human, I would have post this on newspapers and magazines. But, you’re only a cat. A cat that I loved the most. A cat that would accompany me while I’m sleeping. A cat that would stay on my bed waiting for me every single night and morning. Please… Come back. I missed you so much.

I will keep on waiting, sweetheart. I hope to see you on my front door, calling me and stay with us. And I will always love you, sweetheart. Always will.

Lot's of Love,

Nadia

Make-Up Things ???

Early in this morning, I chose to pick up an article that explained and tells us about women and life. It was a long article but the contents were useful. It touched lots of topic but I would like to share this to all of you about the make-up things.

Women are the best asset in the world. Women portrays the image of mothers, wife, daughters and sisters. Women also portray symbols of love, negotiation, soft and kind. Women find ways to express themselves with makeup, using creative ideas to enhance their features or even to hide some features that aren’t particularly appealing. Some of the basic reasons in addition to those mentioned are to gain self-confidence and, for very young women, to appear older.

Speaking about women and make up, they are like sisters which I can say, cannot be separated for almost all of them. It gives the color to us and play important roles for us to face public. It does not mean that we need to wear all elements such as eye-shadows, mascaras, blushers, lipsticks, eye-liners, eye-brows, lip-liners, foundations and compact powders. At least 1 or 2 touch of the following are just fine to avoid our faces look pale or should Il say it will appear lethargic.

Why make-up is so important for women?
Many of us have this kind of question especially for those who are just new to it and also to those who actually did not even interested in wearing them all. However, I have different opinions. I believe make-up will bring such good benefits to us. Reasons are as follows;

1. Good level of confident
Personally, I think by having a little bit of colors on our face, we might change 10 perspectives from different audiences. If you ask me from my previous experiences, I would definitely said that it does help me in terms of increasing my level of confidence because when you know you are well dressed-up or should I say in appropriate way to bring yourself towards the public, you are in the confidence zone. Instead of that, you will be able to handle any situation expertly even tough you are actually wrong but the confidence level that you had obtained have saved you.

This is also along the same lines as putting your best foot forward. The first thing a person usually notices is a woman's face. If it has been enhanced with skillfully applied makeup, a woman often feels ready for the world and confident in proceeding through the day. This does not mean that she couldn't be confident without the makeup; it simply serves as a booster to her natural self-confidence.

2. Image Appearance
This element is so much important to me. I'm sorry if I purposely hurt your feeling but I will still stick to my point of view. I have been trained ever since when I was study as a communication student. When your field of work requires you to meet people from all stages, image appearance is the first element that need to be considered. Giving a situation of women who are good in terms of image appearance and to those who are not. It does not make any difference physically but it will reflects the perspective of others. Hence, it will, again, reflect back to you.

So, these are just my thoughts about women and make-ups. I do not blame those who are not really into this nor to those who are really into this.

Just for sharing. =)

Chiao...~~~