For our fifth meeting, we gathered at the Willis home down on the south side. UGA vs. LSU was the big game of the weekend (at least for most of us), so a Cajun theme was chosen for the event. While there, we dined on food ranging from muffulettas to fried gator! With the game being pretty much a blowout, the cornhole boards were put to good use. I even found out that I throw much better with a laughing baby in my arms!! Who'd a thunk it?
As the evening wound down, we tried to decide about the date and location of the year's final meeting. We have tentatively set December 13 as the date with either Kyma or Maggiano's as our location. The children will sit this final event out as the adults (at least in years of age) hit the town.
Here are the dishes we enjoyed this time:
Appetizers:
Muffuletta
Fried Gator Tail
Main dish:
Jambalaya
Sides:
Salad
Kid's Main:
Mummy Dogs
Dessert:
Creme Brulee Cupcakes
http://howtoeatacupcake.net/2008/03/creme-brulee-cupcakes.html
Cupcake recipe from Cupcakes Galore by Gail Wagman.
Frosting recipe from Everyday Baking from Everyday Food.
Crème Brûlée Cupcakes
Makes about 24 cupcakes (the book said 16; I got 23)
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt, plus a pinch for the egg whites
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 ½ cups sugar
2 eggs, separated
1 cup milk
3 tablespoons caramel syrup (ice cream topping)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Mix flour, baking powder, and salt together and set aside.
3. Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Alternately beat in dry ingredients and milk. Add caramel syrup and vanilla. Beat until smooth.
4. Beat egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff but not dry. Gently fold whites into batter.
5. Spoon batter into cupcake papers, filling cups about 2/3 full. Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool.
BROWN SUGAR SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM
1 cup light brown sugar
4 egg whites
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup powdered sugar
Put sugar, egg whites and salt into the top of a double boiler over a pan of simmering water. Whisking constantly, cook until sugar has dissolved and mixture is warm (about 160 degrees). Pour heated egg whites into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat egg white mixture on high speed until it forms stiff (but not dry) peaks. Continue beating until fluffy and cooled, about 7 minutes total. Switch to the paddle attachment. With mixer on medium-low, add butter two tablespoons at a time, beating well after each addition. Increase speed to medium-high; continue beating until frosting appears thick, about 3 minutes. Add in powdered sugar and reduce speed to low and continue beating for about 1 minute to reduce air bubbles.
