White Chocolate Cupcakes With Candied Kumquats Food

WHITE CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH CANDIED KUMQUATS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Line three 6-cup muffin pans with paper liners. Place white chocolate in metal bowl set over pan of barely simmering water. Stir until melted and smooth.
• Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat sugar, butter, and vanilla in large bowl until blended. Add hot white chocolate to sugar mixture; stir to combine. Add flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with coconut milk in 2 additions, beating batter just to combine between additions.
• Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites in medium bowl until soft peaks form. Gently fold egg white mixture into batter in 3 additions.
• Divide batter among muffin cups (about 1/4 cup each). Bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool completely. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature.)
• For frosting:
• Stir white chocolate in metal bowl set over saucepan of barely simmering water until melted and smooth. Cool slightly. Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese, butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt in medium bowl until fluffy. Gradually beat in melted white chocolate. Let cool until thickened to spreadable consistency.
• Spread frosting over cupcakes. Drain Candied Kumquats; arrange kumquats decoratively atop cupcakes. (Can be assembled 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)
• *Coconut milk is available at many supermarkets and at Indian, Southeast Asian, and Latin markets.

CANDIED KUMQUATS

Steps:

• Cut kumquats in half crosswise, and remove pits. Place in a medium saucepan with enough water to cover, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Drain in a sieve, and repeat process three more times.
• Place sugar and 1 cup water in a medium saucepan, and bring to a boil. When all sugar has dissolved, reduce heat to low, and add kumquats. Cover, and cook 40 to 45 minutes, until translucent. Remove from heat, and allow to cool completely in syrup. Candied kumquats can be stored in the syrup in an airtight plastic container up to 3 days.

EGGNOG CHEESECAKE WITH CANDIED KUMQUATS

Steps:

• CHEESECAKE.
• 1. Heat oven to 375°F Butter a 9 - or 10 - inch spring form pan with 1 tablespoon of butter; set aside.
• 2. In food processor bowl process cereal about 2 minutes, until a fine crumb forms. Add the 1/3 cup sugar, cinnamon, and salt; process to combine. With processor running, add remaining butter through feed tube just until combined. Press crumb mixture on bottom and 1 inch up sides of prepared pan. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until crisp and lightly browned. Cool on wire rack. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.
• 3. In clean food processor bowl, *process cream cheese until smooth. Add 1 cup sugar until combined. Add eggs; process until creamy, scraping down sides once or twice. Add eggnog, vanilla, bourbon, rum, and brandy; process until combined.
• 4. Gently pour filling into baked crust. Bake 45 minutes or until sides are slightly puffed (center will be soft). Turn off oven and leave door ajar. Let cheesecake stand in oven 1 hour.
• 5. Transfer to wire rack; cool 15 minutes. Using a small thin knife, loosen crust from sides of spring form pan. Cool 30 minutes. Remove sides from pan; cool 1 hour. Cover and refrigerate 6 hours or overnight. To serve, top with Candied Kumquats, if desired.
• ***Cheesecake filling may be prepared with electric mixer, beating on medium speed.
• CANDIED KUMQUATS.
• 1. With paring knife, piercing only skin, cutting four evenly spaced slits in each kumquat. Place in medium saucepan; add cold water to cover. Bring to a simmer over medium heat; cook 5 minutes. Drain in colander.
• 2. In medium saucepan stir to dissolve 1 1/2 cups of the sugar in the 3/4 cup water; add kumquats. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce to low to barely simmer. Cook, uncovered, 30 minutes, until glazed. Remove fruit from syrup with slotted spoon. Place on wire rack over 15x10x1 - inch pan. Cool 10 minutes.
• 3. Place the remaining sugar in small bowl. Roll whole kumquats in sugar. Space on rack and let stand overnight. Store in airtight container in cool, dry place up to 3 months. Kumquats may be sliced before topping cheesecake.

CANDIED KUMQUATS

Steps:

• Bring water and sugar to boil in heavy small saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add kumquat slices. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until kumquats become translucent and tender, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Cool. Do ahead Candied kumquats can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and chill.

WHITE CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Line 24 muffins cups with cupcake papers.
• Melt 1 cups of the white chocolate chips and let cool.
• Melt 1/2 cup butter, let cool slightly.
• On medium speed, mix cake mix, eggs, water, melted white chocolate chips, and 1/2 cup melted butter until combined 1 minute.
• On medium-high beat 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.
• Divide batter between cupcke liners.
• Bake 20-23 minutes ot until inserted toothpick comes out clean.
• Cool 10 minutes.
• Remove from pan and finish cooling on wire racks.
• Cool completely.
• White Chocolate Frosting.
• Melt remaining 1 cup white chocolate chips.
• On medium-high combine white chocolate chips and 1 cup butter until smooth.
• Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy.
• Spread over cooled cupcakes.
• Slice strawberries, leaving the cap end whole.
• Fan strawberries out and top each cupcake with 1 strawberry, if desired.
• You can also sprinkle each cupcake with chopped macadamia nuts, if desired.