Thanksgiving Part II: Pies, Tarts and Cupcakes Oh My!

Thanksgiving week was a very busy week for me as I am sure it was for all you bakers. This is just that start of it right?! I have Christmas cookie boxes coming up and several December birthday cakes to make and decorate and stocking stuffer goodies!

Aside from baking I LOVE San Francisco at night during the holidays. Talk about romantic! Colin and I started going a Christmas date every year where we hop on the California Cable Car line and enjoy the sites and later a nice cozy dinner for two.

At the bottom of California Street we hop on the festively decorated cable car and snuggle up close as we go up, up, up those steep San Francisco hills. We enjoy the ride and the holiday view of pretty decorations and trees decked in lights, giant ornaments, stars and over-sized holiday packages. One of my favorites is the towering crimson tree on the corner of Keary and California in the Financial District. This unique tree is brightly lit by dark red tree lights.

The best part of the whole ride, beside having dinner afterward is when we hop off at the Fairmont Hotel. We walk around Huntington Park, also festively decorated and we sit and admire Grace Cathedral. It truly is a site to see any time of year but especially during the holidays. 

Although I (with the help of my sister) made three things for Thanksgiving ; Pumpkin-Pecan Pie, Baci Tart and Spice Cupcakes with Toasted Walnut Cream Cheese Frosting, I would have to say the winning recipe was the Baci Tart. This you can definitely make it for the Holidays coming up and is actually quite easy once you read the recipe from start to finish.

Baci Tart

This Baci Tart is made by putting together great tasting layers. To start it off a decedent chocolate tart crust, very easy and a great support to hold all that ooey gooey rich flavor. Next, a caramel sauce is made and roasted hazelnuts are added to the caramel sauce and its all poured into the pie shell. While all the goodness is baking in the oven I make a quick whipped cream. And when it comes out of the oven I drizzle chocolate ganache over the tart to make it look like a work of art :) Yummy right? 

This recipe can be found in the lovely baking book, The Art and Soul of Baking by Sur La Table with Cindy Mushet or by clicking here. Really give it a try! Its a show stopper! Here are pics from the other treats I made.

 

Sweet and savory Pumpkin-Pecan Deep Dish Pie

 

Spice Cupcakes with Toasted Walnut Cream Cheese Frosting

Thanksgiving: Part 1 - Cupcakes

Christmas is here again! Christmas in San Francisco is like no other. It’s a bit early for full on Christmas spirit throughout the city but at Union Square Park the Holiday spirit is coming together; kids crowd around the holiday ice rink, all the store windows are decorated with snow-scapes and Santa villages. Visitors from all over stroll the streets bundled up with a cup of coffee sharing the sidewalks with the early bird shoppers. My favorite holiday tradition of all? The puppies and kittens in the window at Macy's (old Gumps tradition) that’s put on by the SPCA! So so adorable!

My other favorite holiday tradition...baking of course! The only reason why I can relax and enjoy the holidays even when it gets crazy. This year because I am making so many treats I have made a schedule for myself and when you have five or six desserts you are making in one week that’s the only way to go. But really I couldn't do it without my stand mixer! If you do a lot of baking, even if its just for the holiday, invest in one, they will last you a lifetime and save you the sweat and tears of mixing by hand. I will keep you in the loop on the holiday makings - this is Part I starting with Thanksgiving!

The first recipe of the holidays I will share with you comes from my co-worker Elizabeth. This recipe, Chocolate Chip Kahlua Cupcakes with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting is a real crowd pleaser and is semi-homemade. Us young girls are pretty busy these days managing our social and professional lives that some times its difficult to make everything from scratch. As you know I am a firm believer in making it from scratch but this recipe I'd say will knock their socks off even if you are short on time.

This recipe was originally made for a bunt cake pan. It translates well into 2 dozen regular cupcakes and 2 dozen minis and the frosting recipe is provided as well but is totally interchangeable. I chose a pumpkin frosting for Thanksgiving but oddly enough the frosting came out tasting more orange than expected changed the name too. But what a great pair the orange frosting made with the chocolate cupcakes. Who doesn't love those chocolate oranges at Christmas? Happy Thanksgiving and enjoy! Stay tuned for Part II.

Kahlua Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

Minis

Kahlua Cake
Recipe provided by Elizabeth Young

1 pkg. Devil’s food cake mix
1 Large pkg. instant chocolate pudding mix
3 Eggs
1 c. Sour cream
1 c. Kahlua
¾ c. Vegetable oil
12 oz. Chocolate chips (I use Ghirardelli 60% baking chips)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine everything but the chocolate chips and mix well. Mix the chocolate chips into the batter. P our into a lightly greased pan or muffin tins with cupcake liners. Bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes (17-20 minutes for regular cupcakes and 10-12 minutes for mini cupcakes). Let cool before removing from pan. Top cooled cake with Pumpkin Cream Cheese Frosting.


Pumpkin Cream Cheese Frosting (that tastes more like orange than pumpkin)
Recipe provided by Country Living at www.countryliving.com

1 package(s) (8-ounce) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup(s) pumpkin purée
1/4 cup(s) (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 tablespoon(s) fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon(s) grated orange zest

1/2 teaspoon(s) pure vanilla extract

4 cup(s) confectioners' sugar, sifted

Blend the cream cheese, pumpkin purée, butter, orange juice, zest, and vanilla in a large bowl using an electric mixer set at medium speed until smooth. Add the sugar and continue to beat until light and creamy -- about 5 more minutes. To keep your frosting super thick first drain most of the liquid from the pumpkin then add the pumpkin a little at a time. If its too soft I found adding more cream cheese helps.