Walnut and Maple Cupcakes

I felt in need of some autumn flavours this week. Walnuts are in season and I had stumbled upon a bottle of really good maple syrup at the shops (it can be hard to find in the UK).

The Cakes (makes 2 dozen)

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C and line 2 muffin tins with cupcake papers.

Take 3 large eggs and measure their mass, it will be approx 200g. Measure out an equal mass of; Caster Sugar, Butter, Self Raising Flour and half the same mass of walnuts. You will also need 1 tsp high quality vanilla essence, 1 1/2 tablespoons of canola oil, 1/4 tsp baking powder and 12 teaspoons of coffee liqueur.

Beat together the butter and sugar until they go light in colour and fluffy.
Then add the eggs and vanilla and beat hard until smooth and frothy.
Sift in the flour and baking powder and fold into the mix, then stir in the oil.
Finally chop the walnuts into small pieces and stir in until evenly distributed through the mix. Divide evenly between the cupcake cases and bake in the middle of the oven for approximately 15-20 minutes.

Allow them to cool on a wire rack, then prick the tops a few times with a skewer. Drizzle 1/2 a teaspoon of coffee liqueur onto each cupcake.

The Cream Cheese Maple Icing

57g - 1/4 cup of butter
28g - 1/8 cup of vegetable shortening (Trex)
114g - 4oz cream cheese
400g - 14 oz Icing sugar
3 Tablespoons of Maple syrup.

Beat all these ingredients together until smooth. Cover tightly and refrigerate for about an hour before piping. This is necessary as the icing is a little softer than most cream cheese icing.

Vanilla and Nutmeg Biscuits

I have been searching far and wide for a biscuit/cookie recipe that holds it's shape really well and has the crunchiness of a proper English Biscuit. This weekend I found my biscuit nirvana! These are yummy, and to my taste buds, Vanilla and Nutmeg are a match made in heaven.

I also learned a few things about helping them stay in shape.

Numero Uno: In the past I have been rolling the dough too thin. I have found a thickness of 2-3 x £1 coin stacked gave me much better results.

Numero erm 2: When re rolling the uncut cookie dough bits, kneed them back together really well, and then chill again for 10 minutes before re rolling. I found this got rid of bubbling on the surface.

Here I have decorated them with Regal Ice Fondant and a touch of edible lustre. However they are also great with Royal Icing. Sweet and simple for tea at my Mother in Law's.

227 grams(1 cup)Butter, room temperature
300 grams (1 1/2 cups) White Caster Sugar
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
2 large Eggs
2 teaspoons high quality pure Vanilla Extract
460 grams (3 1/2 cups) Plain Flour
1 1/2 teaspoons of freshly grated Nutmeg (2 tsp if you really like nutmeg)

1. In a bowl, or your mixer, mix the butter and sugar until light coloured and fluffy.
2. Now beat in the eggs and Vanilla until smooth.
3. Sift in the Flour, Baking Powder and Nutmeg.
4. Now mix until the whole thing comes together into a dough(If using a mixer switch to the dough hook).
5. Wrap well and place in the fridge OVER NIGHT!

6. Next day heat the oven to 175 degrees C.
7. Roll out your dough to a thickness between 2-3 £1 coins stacked.
8. Cut into the desired shapes and place on a baking tray in the middle of the oven.
9. Bake for around 10 mins (depending on cookie size). They are ready when the edges are just starting to brown.
10. Cool on a wire rack before icing.