Spinach Olive Oil Cupcake Food

SPINACH CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 6-cup standard muffin tin (or the 6 middle cups of a 12-cup tin) with cooking spray and set aside. Whisk together the heavy cream and eggs in a large bowl and sprinkle with some salt and pepper. Add the leftover creamed spinach and thoroughly combine. Divide the spinach mixture among the muffin cups in the prepared pan. Bake in the middle of the oven until the tops are golden and they spring back to the touch, about 25 minutes. Allow to cool to just warm or room temperature before frosting.
• Meanwhile, add the feta and cream cheese to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until light and fluffy. Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip.
• Pipe the tops of each of the spinach cupcakes with some of the feta frosting. Top each with a sprinkle of paprika and some chopped chives and serve.

LEMON-OLIVE OIL CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two 12-cup muffin pans with paper liners.
• Make the cupcakes: Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Combine the olive oil and sugar in a large bowl and beat with a mixer on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, about 4 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then beat in the vanilla and lemon zest. Reduce the speed to low; beat in the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the milk. Increase the speed to medium high and beat until combined.
• Divide the batter among the muffin cups, filling them three-quarters of the way. Bake until the tops are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes in the pan, then remove to a rack to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make the frosting: Combine the egg whites and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and place over a small pot of simmering water (make sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water). Whisk by hand until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is warm to the touch, about 5 minutes. Remove the bowl from the pot and attach to the mixer; beat with the whisk attachment on high speed until the meringue is shiny and holds stiff peaks, about 7 minutes. Switch to the paddle attachment. With the mixer on medium speed, gradually add the butter and beat until smooth, 1 more minute. Add the vanilla and mix until just combined. Spread the frosting on the cupcakes.

PERFECT CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 6 (or a medium temperature). Line your muffin tray with the muffin cases.
• Beat the egg in a mixing bowl and mix in the milk and vegetable oil. Add the sugar and whisk until sugar has dissolved.
• Sift in the dry ingrediants: flour, baking powder, salt - and mix together until smooth.
• NB: If you are adding colouring or flavouring add it now.
• TIP: If there are bubbles in your mixture giving it a mousse kind of appearance you will have light fluffy cakes!
• Fill the muffin cases TWO THIRDS full. This is important so as not to create small or overflowing mushroom looking cupcakes.
• Cook in the middle of the oven for 25 minutes (approx. depending on your oven!).
• Leave to cool and then decorate as you wish!

BRUNCH TART WITH SPINACH, OLIVES AND LEEKS

Steps:

• In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the leeks and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted, 5 minutes. Add the garlic, stir and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add the spinach and cook until wilted and tender, 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, taste and season with salt and pepper as needed; let cool.
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk the ricotta, 2 eggs, the thyme and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Fold the cooled vegetable mixture and the olives into the ricotta mixture.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry until it's 12 inches square. Using a 12-inch plate or just eyeballing it, cut the dough into a circle (knead the scraps into a ball and save for another use-cheddar straws, say). Transfer the dough to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Spoon the tart filling into the center, leaving a 2-inch border of pastry. Lift the pastry edges and fold over the filling, creasing the dough as needed and leaving the filling exposed in the middle. In a small bowl, whisk the remaining egg with 1 tablespoon water and brush a thin layer of the egg wash on the exposed pastry, taking care not to let egg run down the sides to the pan.
• Bake until the pastry is golden brown, about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest 10 minutes before serving.

CRYSTALLIZED GINGER OLIVE OIL CUPCAKES WITH LIME BUTTERCREAM, OPAL BASIL, MINT, AND LIME ZEST

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line mini cupcake pans with 48 mini cupcake liners.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mix the oil and sugar on high speed until creamy and fully incorporated. Mix in the crystallized ginger until fully incorporated. Add the egg whites and mix well. Sift together the flour, baking powder, ground ginger, and salt in a large bowl. On medium speed, add the flour mixture alternately with the milk and vanilla mixture until combined. Do not over-mix. Fill the cupcake liners three-quarters of the way and bake for 15 minutes.
• To assemble: Using a pastry bag fitted with a small round tip, pipe the top of the cupcakes in a dot pattern with Lime Buttercream, creating 6 dots to cover the tops of the cakes. Snip a small cluster from the stem of each branch of the micro herbs. Place the bunches in the center of the icing. Zest fresh lime zest over the cakes to finish off the garnish.
• Place the lime juice and cornstarch in a small pan on the stove. Cook over medium heat, whisking, until the mixture thickens. Transfer the lime curd to a silicone mat and refrigerate until cool, about 5 minutes. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and salt. Add the cooled lime curd. Add the confectioners' sugar and beat until light and fluffy.

SPINACH AND BLACK OLIVES

Steps:

• Wash and trim tough stems from spinach.
• Mince garlic; pit olives.
• Heat small nonstick pot and spray lightly with pan spray; saute garlic for 30 seconds.
• Add spinach, olives and pepper flakes; cover and steam spinach for a few minutes, until wilted.
• Season with salt, and serve.