halloween cupcakes

It's still 5 weeks away but TV/radio/retail stores are screaming halloween already.  In fact, as early as August while shopping for a dress at Marshalls, I was baffled by the overpowering eerie sight of orange and owl-inspired home decor.  I was like "what's with all the owl?" ^_^   It wasn't until i entered another store with the same themed decoration that i realized it was all for halloween.

Last night while digging into my files i stumbled upon some photos of the halloween cupcakes i made last year.  They are cute and so easy to make and my little cupcake monster loved it!

Here's what you need:

• chocolate cupcakes
• jet-puffed marshmallows
• m&m candies or skittles
• gummy worms
• lifesaver gummies
• licorice candy laces
• chocolate chips
• white frosting (vanilla)
• chocolate frosting (or you can color your white frosting dark brown)
• red and brown decorating icing (i use ready-to-use icing tubes; if you don't have it, just color your white frosting with red and brown and snip a small hole in a ziplock bag to pipe the frosting)
• oreo cookies, finely crushed
• toothpicks

1.  Bake your favorite chocolate cupcake recipe.

2.  To make spider cupcakes:

• Cover your cupcakes with chocolate frosting.   If you don't have chocolate frosting, you can use vanilla frosting and color it dark brown
• Cut a marshmallow in half crosswise.  Stick two marshmallow pieces to each cupcake to make the eyes
• Dab one side of the M&M candy with a little frosting and stick it to the marshmallows.  Use another M&M candy to make the nose.
• Sprinkle the rest of the cupcake with finely crushed oreo cookies (you can also use chocolate sprinkles)
• Using a toothpick, poke 4 holes on each side of the cupcake
• Cute your licorice lace into 8 equal pieces and insert into each hole.  Remember: a spider has 8 legs. ^_^

3.  To make eyeball cupcakes:

• Frost your cupcake with vanilla frosting
• Insert one chocolate chip into the center of the lifesaver gummy
• Stick the lifesaver gummy at the center of the cupcake
• Use red decorating icing to draw small veiny lines on the eyeballs.

4.  To make spider web cupcakes:

• Frost your cupcakes with vanilla frosting
• Squeeze circles of brown decorating gel on each cupcake.
• Using a toothpick, draw a line from the center of the cupcake outward to make a web.

5.  To make worm cupcakes:

• Frost your cupcakes with chocolate frosting
• Cover cupcake with finely-crushed oreo cookies (or chocolate sprinkles)
• Top cupcake with gummy worms.  Make a hole into the cupcake and insert the gummy worms to make it appear that they're coming out of the dirt.

How fun and simple is that?  The secret is using candies you can all find at the store.  There are tons of them, in different sizes and shapes.  Special halloween edition candies are already available at this time so grab them and be creative.

puto with cheese

Puto is a steamed rice cake popular in the Philippines.  It is usually round-shaped and comes in bite-size and cupcake-size, topped with cheese or salted egg or with shredded coconut on the side.  It is also a favorite pair to a savory dish known as dinuguan.  It can be served as a snack or dessert, infused with different flavors with colors to match e.g. purple puto (ube-flavored), green puto (pandan-flavored) or the usual white puto (buttered) topped with cheese.

While puto is so easy to make, your major challenge is getting the bamboo steamer and plastic puto molds.  I already have a bamboo steamer but where, oh where, can i buy plastic puto molds?

Back in May, I experimented on using two alternatives to the traditional plastic molds:  silicone baking molds i got from World Market ($2.49/set of 6 regular size; $2.49/dozen of mini cups) and stainless-steel condiment cups (2.5 oz) from Walmart (less than $1 for a set of 4).  Here's the comparison:

The only visible difference is the size and shape.  The ones i made using the stainless-steel condiment cups are much taller and slimmer while the ones from the colorful silicone cups are shaped like a regular muffin/cupcake with pretty ridges on the side.  While they tasted the same, i personally prefer the silicone cups. 


From then on i've been making puto using the silicone baking molds in both mini- and regular sizes. I have about 4 dozens of these molds so i don't have to hurriedly remove the puto, wash the molds and use them again.   It's also best to remove the puto from the molds after they have cooled completely.

Here's a simple recipe i adapted from Panlasang Pinoy.  This makes a LOT of puto so i usually just use half of the ingredients.  Even that is more than enough for my family of three.

I've also tried using puto mix i got from the Filipino/Asian store and tasted just as good. Just follow the directions in the box and add cheese.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups flour, sifted
• 2 cups sugar, sifted
• 2 1/2 tbsp baking powder
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• pandan essence (optional)
• 1 piece egg, raw
• small slices of cheese (i use Kraft American Singles sliced in strips)
• water for steaming

Procedure:

Note: If you're using puto mix, skip #1 & #2 and proceed to #3.

1.  In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar and baking powder then mix well.

2.  Add the melted butter, evaporated milk, egg, water and pandan essence (about 5 drops)  then mix all the ingredients thoroughly.

3.  Pour the mixture in individual molds about 3/4 full.  For a cheesier taste, i fill the mold enough to cover the bottom, drop about an inch strip of cheese and fill it again. By doing this, your puto is not only cheesy on top but also inside :)

4.  Fill a wok or pan that fits your bamboo steamer with water until just below the bottom of the bamboo. Cover and set the water to boiling.

5.  Arrange the molds in the steamer, cover then steam for about 20 minutes.  If you’re using a metal/stainless-steel steamer, place a cloth between the pan and the cover. The cloth will catch the steam and prevent the condensation from falling into the puto which will prevent them from rising properly.  (I experimented on this too out of curiosity.  I used a glass lid and as expected, the puto didn't rise).

6.  When you're down to the last minute, remove the cover and quickly top each puto with cheese slices.

7.  When done, remove from the steamer and let cool completely.  If you remove them from the molds while they are still wet, hot and soggy, you will disfigure them.

8.  Do the same with the remaining mixture. Make sure you check the wok/skillet if you have enough water for steaming before you start the next batch.

9.  Serve either hot or cold.

Enjoy!

filipino style chicken empanada *step-by-step guide*

Empanada is a type of pastry stuffed with meat, potato, carrots, and green peas, among others, which is made by placing the filling in the middle of a flattened dough and sealing it by folding the edges.  It is common in the Philippines, Latin America and Western Europe.

It can be baked or fried and usually stuffed with either chicken, pork or beef...perfect for breakfast, parties and snacks. 

My husband always brags about her Lola Ester's best-tasting empanadas.  His aunts say the same thing but unfortunately, none of them knew how to replicate it or at least kept a recipe. *tsk tsk*  Auntie Norma found a set of dough press in their kitchen couple of years ago, she said it belonged to Lola Ester and since she has no use for it, she passed it on to me.  They looked new, still in the original package.  It's as if Lola Ester bought it but decided not to use it (my guess is that having done it countless times, it must have been easier for her to fold and press the dough manually).

After years of ignoring the dough press, I have decided to give it a try.  The filling was easy - similar to making menudo - but it's the dough that intimidates me.  I started really slow but after the first batch finally got the hang of it. Practice... practice.  I've made about 2 batches for the past couple of weeks.   I'm thinking of bringing it to our next potluck party :)

For all of you out there who thinks it is a difficult task, let me show you how to do it step-by-step complete with pictures.  Grab your rolling pin and let's have fun! :)

Chicken Empanada Recipe

Filling

2 lbs coarsely chopped chicken (you can use chicken breast but thighs taste better)

2 tbsp cooking oil

salt and pepper to taste

1 piece medium-sized yellow onion, minced

2 gloves garlic, minced

1 medium potato, diced

1 carrot, diced

1/4 cup raisins

1/2 can cream of asparagus soup

1/2 cup green peas (if you don't like green peas like me, you can disregard this)

2 hard-boiled eggs cut into strips (optional...boil the eggs when you are ready to put the filling onto the dough)

1. In a heated pan with cooking oil, saute garlic, onion & carrot until onions are soft and translucent.
2. Add chicken and stir fry until meat is cooked thru (about 5 minutes). 
3. Add cream of asparagus soup and potatoes and cook until vegetables are tender (about 10 minutes).
4. Add green peas and raisins and simmer for about 5 minutes.
5. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
6. Remove from heat. Set aside to cool or store in refrigerator overnight.

Tip:  Prepare the filling ahead of time.  I usually cook it at night and refrigerate overnight to make the flavors blend really well.  If you're in a rush, give it at least half an hour to cool down... you don't want to put a hot filling straight onto the dough. 

I've also tried freezing the extra filling i had and used it for the next batch a couple days later.  Works great too.

Dough

3 cups flour

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup butter, cold

6 tbsp ice water

1 raw egg (for use later as egg wash - see instructions #16-18)

Tools you need: rolling pin, pastry blender (if you don't have one you can use bread knife/fork), pastry brush, round cookie cutter or dough press

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt then mix well.
2. Cut the cold butter into small thin pieces and drop them on the mixing bowl with the dry ingredients.
3. Using a fork, two bread knives, a pastry blender or your fingers, work the butter into the flour (i use both pastry blender and fingers).
4. Don't stop until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. 
5. Add cold water one tablespoon at a time and mix all the ingredients thoroughly.
6. Keep mixing until a dough is formed.
7. Divide the dough into individual pieces by grabbing a piece from the whole mixture and rolling it in your hand until a pingpong-sized ball is formed. Do this until all the dough is consumed. Chill in refrigerator for at least 20 minutes or until ready to use.
8. On a floured surface and with floured hands, press the spherical dough with your palm to make it flat.
9. Use a floured rolling pin to flatten it fully while creating a round shape.  Make sure the flattened dough is wide enough to fit on your dough press or a round cookie cutter.

Got that? Easy, huh! :)  Now time to put the filling.  If adding hard-boiled egg, make sure you have it ready, sliced into strips.

If using a dough press:

10.  Pick the size you want for your empanada (i use medium mold)

11.  Take the flattened/rolled dough and place it directly onto the "bowl" shaped, top side of the mold. Gently press and stretch out the dough into the bowl area and over the ridged edges.  Fill with about 1 tbsp of chicken filling and 2 small slices of hard-boiled egg on half of mold. (using your fingers or a small brush, you can also moisten the edges of the dough with a little water so that the dough will stick together better.  I'm too lazy to do this.)

12.  Gently close it and apply light pressure.  Remove excess dough and use again when you have enough excess dough to shape a ball.

13.  Gently open the mold.  See how pretty it is? ;)


If you have no dough press:

Use a round cookie cutter or top rim of any bowl to press on the dough, cut a spherical shape then remove excess dough.  Place the filling and slices of hard-boiled egg at the middle of the dough.  Fold the dough so that opposite ends meet then press the edges together and seal with fork or twist/fold/pinch.  As you can see in the photo, i'm not very good at it.

14.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit

15.  On a greased baking tray or lined with waxed paper,  arrange the sealed doughs.

16.  Prepare the egg wash by cracking an egg and separating the  white from the yolk.

17.  Beat the egg white lightly and mix about 1 teaspoon of water.

18.  Brush each empanada with egg wash. 

19.  Bake for 25 minutes.  

10.  Remove from oven and allow to cool in tray for 5 minutes.

21.  Transfer on a cooling rack.

Note:  You can also deep fry at 365 degrees F for about 5 minutes, turning once to brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels.    

ENJOY!