Yin Yang Cupcakes Recipes

YIN YANG CUPCAKES

Steps:

• CUPCAKES: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, mix flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and sugar together. Add butter and milk and mix at medium speed for 2 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla and beat 2 more minutes.
• Divide the batter in half, and mix coffee and cocoa powder into one half of the batter, mixing well for 2 minutes to incorporate. (using two pyrex measuring cups or containers with spouts works well for this).
• Using both hands, pour equally and at the same time both batters into lined muffin tins so that they fill each cup equally side by side (it helps if you have a helper nearby).
• Carefully place muffin pan into the oven and bake for approximately 20-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely on cooling racks.
• MAKE THE FROSTING: Place butter and confectioners sugar in a bowl and beat until creamy. Blend in half and half and vanilla.
• Divide the icing and mix cocoa powder into one half, mixing well. Frost a yin-yang design over top in opposing color of each side of the muffin (white frosting on chocolate side, chocolate frosting on white side).

YIN YANG COOKIES

Steps:

• Sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda and set aside.
• In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter at low speed for a minute or two until soft. Add the shortening and sugar and continue beating until fluffy. Add the eggs, vanilla, corn syrup, and almond extract and increase the speed to medium for about 1 minute. Stop the mixer and add half of the flour mixture, then beat slowly until all the flour is incorporated. Next, add half the sour cream, then mix slowly. Repeat until all the flour mixture and sour cream are incorporated. Allow the dough to rest in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes.
• While the dough chills, make the icing. Sift the confectioners' sugar into a bowl. Combine the corn syrup and water in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Stir the hot mixture into the confectioners' sugar, stirring vigorously. Add the butter and vanilla and stir until the mixture is smooth. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and store at room temperature until the cookies are ready to be iced.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Scoop a ball of cookie dough (about 1/4 cup) onto the cookie sheet one at a time, placing them about 1 inch apart. Roll each cookie scoop into a ball between your palms and flatten each one slightly to a thickness of at least 1/2 inch.
• Bake the cookies for 10 minutes, or until slightly risen and golden brown on the edges.
• Remove them from the baking sheet with a spatula, and place them on a plate. Ice the cookies by spreading a thin layer of icing on each one with an offset spatula while they are still warm.
• To decorate, make a batch or 1/2 batch of Dark Chocolate Plastique (the recipe yields more than you will need here but freezes well). I like using a round pastry tip and a paring knife to cut out shapes. Roll out the plastique on parchment paper until very thin. Cut a yin yang shape (like a large comma) with a paring knife to fit on the top of your cookie. Use an offset spatula to move the plastique comma onto the iced cookie. You need only one side, because when you place the plastique on the iced cookie, it will stick, creating the black-and-white, yin yang pattern. This may involve some trial and error to get just the right fit, but it becomes easy as you go along. You can use your pastry tip to punch out the "eye" of the yin yang symbol before you place it on the cookie for the full effect.

YIN YANG SOUP

Steps:

• Tomato Soup: In a saucepan, heat oil. Sweat onions, ginger, garlic, and green onions until glossy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add lime leaf and lemongrass. Continue to sweat another minute. Add the tomatoes, and tomato paste, and season with salt, pepper, and sugar. Bring to a boil and lower to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes. Remove the lime leaf and lemongrass. Transfer to a blender, add butter, and chile oil, and process to a puree. Strain through a chinois and chill over a bowl of ice. Reserve.
• To make the Pea Soup: In a saucepan, heat oil. Sweat onions, ginger, garlic, and green onions until glossy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add Thai basil and coconut milk. Bring to a boil, lower to a simmer, and add peas. Season with salt, pepper, and sugar. Simmer for 5 minutes. Remove Thai basil. Transfer to a blender, add butter, and process to a puree. Strain through a chinois and chill over a bowl of ice.
• To prepare the Lobster Salad: In a bowl, combine the lobster meat, mango, and Thai basil. Add 1/4 cup of Asian vinaigrette and season with salt and pepper. Chill until ready to serve.
• To serve: Place a 2-inch mold ring in center of soup plate. Spoon the lobster salad inside the ring. Press to mold. Ladle the soups on each side of ring. Decorate soup by placing a spoonful of contrasting soups over plated soups. In a bowl, mix the herbs and micro greens with Asian Vinaigrette. Season with salt and pepper. Top lobster salad with micro green mixture and a slice of fried lotus root. Carefully remove ring. Serve immediately.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, sesame oil, peanut oil, soy sauce, and lemon juice. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Reserve until ready to use.

YIN & YANG

Steps:

• Place salty side of ritz cracker down.
• Cover the other side with cool whip.
• Try to put it all in your mouth at one time.

SPAM CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• In a large bowl, grate the SPAM.
• Add eggs, oats and milk, and mix well.
• Lightly spray a 12- cup muffin tin with cooking spray.
• Fill each cup 2/3 full with SPAM mixture.
• Using back of spoon, press mixture into tins.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, mustard, vinegar and water.
• Lightly spoon glaze mixture over SPAM mixture.
• Bake for 35 to 30 minutes or until set.
• Remove cupcakes from oven.
• Place oven rack 2-3 inches from top heat element (broil).
• Top each cupcake with potatoes.
• Broil cupcakes until lightly browned, 2-3 minutes.
• Let cool in tin for 5 minutes before serving.