Irish Chocolate Stout Food

CHOCOLATE STOUT CAKE WITH IRISH CREAM FROSTING

Steps:

• For the chocolate stout cake: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan with the room temperature butter, then line it with parchment paper.
• Whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Combine the stout, melted butter, vanilla extract and vinegar in a separate large bowl and mix well. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few crumbs, 30 to 40 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.
• For the Irish cream frosting: Beat the cream cheese in a large bowl with an electric mixer until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the confectioners' sugar and mix on low speed until smooth and combined. Add 1 tablespoon of the Irish cream liqueur and mix until smooth and spreadable, 2 to 3 minutes. You can add another tablespoon of liqueur if needed to get the right consistency--it should be smooth but still thick enough to spread.
• Remove the cake from the pan and spread the frosting on top. Use a vegetable peeler to shave the chocolate over the top. Serve.

CHOCOLATE STOUT AND IRISH CREAM LIQUEUR CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a cupcake or muffin pan with 24 regular-size cupcake liners.
• Place the stout and butter in a medium-size saucepan and whisk together on medium heat until the butter is melted. Remove from the heat. Sift the cocoa powder into a medium-size bowl and add the sugar. Slowly whisk into the stout mixture. In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, eggs, and vanilla and lightly whisk until smooth. Add this mixture to the saucepan and whisk thoroughly (it may appear lumpy). Sift the flour and baking soda together in another small bowl and then add it to the saucepan, mixing a final time until the color is even.
• Fill the cupcake liners three-quarters full with batter and bake until the cakes spring back after touching, about 27 minutes. Cool the cupcakes in their pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
• To assemble: Pipe the frosting onto cooled cupcakes using a large plain tip. Dust with cocoa powder if preferred.
• Cream the butter in the bowl of an electric stand mixer until pale. Turn the mixer to low speed and add the Irish liqueur in a steady stream. Slowly add the confectioners' sugar and continue beating until a creamy consistency is achieved.

CHOCOLATE STOUT CUPCAKES WITH IRISH CREAM BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Place foil or paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups.
• In large bowl, beat all cupcake ingredients with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Divide batter among muffin cups.
• Bake 18 to 23 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove cupcakes from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely.
• In large bowl, beat shortening and butter with electric mixer on low speed until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating until combined. Add vanilla and 2 tablespoons of the liqueur; beat until blended. Add enough of the remaining 1 to 2 tablespoons liqueur, 1 teaspoon at a time, beating until frosting is light and fluffy.
• Spoon frosting into decorating bag fitted with #1M star tip; pipe frosting in circular pattern on tops of cupcakes.

IRISH CHOCOLATE STOUT

Steps:

• Pour 3 gallons of water into a large stainless steel pot. Heat to 130 degrees F (55 degrees C). This works best using an outdoor propane burner from a turkey fryer, but you can also use your stove. Add 1 teaspoon gypsum, English malt, chocolate malt, roasted barley and black patent malt in a nylon steeping bag. Steep for 30 minutes, maintaining the temperature.n
• After 30 minutes, increase the heat to 152 degrees F (65 degrees C). Steep for 60 minutes, maintaining a constant temperature. Remove grains to a separate pot to drain and bring the wort to a boil. Rinse the grains with water of the same temperature and pour the liquid into the pot. Stir in the dry malt extract and 1 teaspoon of gypsum. Return to a boil and add the Fuggles hops; set a timer for 60 minutes. When there are 15 minutes left, add the Irish moss. When 10 minutes are left, add the Willamette hops.n
• About the same time as you add the Irish moss and final hops, prepare an ice bath by filling a sink, large tub or cooler with ice. When the time is up, remove the pot from the heat, cover and place in the ice bath. Be careful not to drop anything into the pot that is not sterilized, including spoons. Cool your wort to 68 degrees F (20 degrees C). You can swirl around the ice bath to help it cool.n
• Meanwhile, dissolve the yeast in 1 cup of water (70 degrees F) and let it stand until ready to use. This will help to keep from shocking your yeast and ensure a faster start of the fermentation.n
• Strain the wort into a sterile fermenter (carboy) and add the yeast. Add enough bottled or boiled and cooled water to reach the 5 1/2 gallon mark, about 1 1/2 more gallons. Seal with a cap and shake or rotate to mix in the yeast. Replace the cap on the fermenter with an airlock and place in a cool dry place where the temperature remains consistently below 70 degrees F (21 degrees C). Ferment for 7 days or until it stops foaming.n
• Use a sterile siphon hose to transfer the beer to a secondary fermenter. Set in a place where the temperature is 64 degrees F (17 degrees C). Cap with the airlock and ferment for 14 days, or until the specific gravity has dropped to 1.005 when tested using a hydrometer or does not change for several days.n
• Sterilize your bottles for bottling. Pour the beer into a new sterile 5 gallon bucket and stir in the corn sugar until dissolved. Siphon into sterile bottles and cap. Let the beer prime in the bottle for at least 14 days in a place where the temperature stays below 70 degrees F (21 degrees C).n