For anyone looking for party and holiday ideas, “Celebrations 101” by Rick Rodgers ($29.95) has the authority of a master.
Rodgers, author of “Thanksgiving 101” and “Christmas 101” among a raft of other books, is surely going to send cooks to the kitchen with his new cookbook in hand – and a whole lot of confidence.
The book sets out 20 menus and more than 100 easy-to-make recipes for entertaining family and friends. Rodgers conjures up a Mother’s Day brunch, for example, suggests a menu, supplies the recipes, provides a shopping list and a preparation timetable. You tie on your own apron.
For Halloween, Rodgers says he avoids going overboard with spookiness but gives a nod to the grotesque with his blood-red cupcakes, which can be as red as the amount of food coloring you add to the batter. He says he prefers food-coloring paste, available at most kitchenware stores, because it colors the batter a deeper red than liquid food coloring.
Don’t make food that’s too difficult to eat and serve, he says. Cupcakes are manageable for people wearing costumes, masks and makeup, and these are “topped with gummy candies in the shape of worms, bugs, and other gross things that will bring out the kid in you.”
Red Velvet cupcakes
21/2cups all-purpose flour
3tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-processed)
1teaspoon baking soda
1/2teaspoon salt
1cup buttermilk or 2/3 cup plain low-fat yogurt mixed with 1/3 cup milk
1tablespoon cider or red wine vinegar
1teaspoon vanilla extract
1teaspoon red food-coloring paste or 2 tablespoons liquid red food coloring
8tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into pieces
1 1/2cups sugar
2large eggs, at room temperature
Frosting:
2/3cup heavy cream
5ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
Assorted gummy worms and bugs, for decorating the cupcakes
To make the cupcakes, position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Line 16 muffin tins (you will use 2 muffin pans with 12 indentations each) with paper cupcake liners, staggering the liners in the tins so they are somewhat evenly distributed. (In other words, don’t put all the liners on one side of the muffin pan or the cupcakes could bake unevenly.)
Sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt together. Mix the buttermilk, vinegar, vanilla and food coloring in a glass measuring cup.
Beat the butter in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Gradually add the sugar and beat until the mixture is very light in color with a sandy texture, about 3 minutes. One at a time, beat in the eggs. On low speed, in three additions, beat in the flour, alternating with two additions of the buttermilk, beating well after each addition and scraping down the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula. Fill each muffin tin about three-fourths full with the batter.
Bake until the cupcakes spring back when lightly pressed in the centers, 18 to 20 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the tins, transfer to wire cake racks, and cool completely.
To make the frosting, bring the heavy cream to a simmer in a medium saucepan over high heat. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate. Let stand for 3 minutes to melt the chocolate, then whisk until smooth. Transfer to a medium bowl. Cool until the chocolate mixture is as thick as chocolate pudding.
Using a wire whisk or an electric mixer on medium speed, whip the chocolate mixture just until it is light and fluffy. Do not overbeat or the frosting will be grainy. Spread the icing over the cupcakes and top with the candies.
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