20 Sweets in 20 Weeks - #6: Apple Sauce and Blueberry Drop Cookies

In all honesty I was kind of disappointed when these cookies won the poll. You see these cookies are actually kinda, sorta, well a little bit healthy. And funnily enough even though I really, really want to lose weight the thought of healthy baked goods sometimes just doesn't appeal. So there you have it. But anyways, I made the cookies because I made a promise to my dear readers and you know what? They actually aren't that bad. They certainly aren't a devilish chocolate cookie but they are quite good for a nice healthy treat. These cookies are moist, with a cake-like texture, a hint of cinnamon flavour and some nice chewy bits thanks to the dried blueberries.

So if you are on a bit of a health kick and want some reduced-sugar cookies that actually taste good, then why not give these a try?

Apple Sauce and Blueberry Cookies (from 500 Cookies by Philippa Vanstone)
Makes 30

115g unsalted butter, softened
50g demerera sugar
1 egg
300g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
pinch of salt
50g dried blueberries (I used 70g)
225 unsweetened apple sauce (I used 250g)
2 tbsp water (I omitted the water)

1. Preheat the oven to 180C.
2. Beat the butter and sugar in a bowl until light and fluffy. Add the egg and beat well.
3. Stir in the sifted dry ingredients, dried blueberries, apple sauce and water one at a time (I omitted the water).
4. Drop teaspoonfuls onto a non-stick baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes.
5. Store in an airtight container for 2-3 days.

Y is lemon 'Y'oghurt Cupcakes

Lemon yoghurt cake topped with blueberry swiss meringue buttercream

What comes to mind when you think of yoghurt? To me it is instantly berries - delicious, fantastic berries. When yoghurt won the poll I knew straight away that I wanted to incorporate berries into the cupcakes somehow. But then I remembered the waffle cupcakes, they had blueberries in the cake and I only made them a short while ago. So I decided that the cake portion of these cupcakes would have to have a different flavour, something that goes well with berries. And that my friends is how I decided upon lemon yoghurt cupcakes.


Lemon Yoghurt Cupcakes (from Best Recipes)
Makes approximately 24 cupcakes

1 3/4 cups caster sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
2-3 tsp lemon juice (I used 3)
Grated zest of 2 lemons
3/4 cup oil (I used vegetable oil)
1 cup natural yoghurt (I used low-fat)
2 cups self-raising flour

1. Preheat oven to 180 C and line 2 12-hole muffin trays with cupcake cases.
   
2. In a bowl mix sugar, eggs, salt, juice, zest and oil with a fork.
3. Add remaining ingredients and combine well.
4. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
   

Now seen as I had some frozen blueberries left over from the previously made waffle cupcakes I decided that the buttercream would be blueberry flavoured, so....

Blueberry Swiss Meringue Buttercream

4 egg whites
270g caster sugar
250g unsalted butter
500g blueberries, pureed

1. Follow the directions for Almond SMBC but replace the vanilla and almond with the pureed blueberries.
2. Once the cupcake have cooled pipe a swirl of the SMBC onto each cupcake.

Doesn't it look pretty...


And just for a bit of fun I thought I would show you my miniature photography set up today. Normally I have a big light box out but I couldn't be bothered moving it. So a piece of paper and three lamps seemed to work quite nicely.


The ratings?

Me - 7/10 - I love the blueberry SMBC but the cake was a bit dense/too moist for me. Still yummy though :)
Mat - 7/10 - it was good but he is over lemon.

Baking Mondays - W is for Waffle Cupcakes

Blueberry-buttermilk cake topped with maple syrup Swiss meringue butter cream, sprinkled with blueberries and drizzled with maple syrup

What does a waffle mean to you? To me it means a blueberry waffle with maple syrup, ice-cream and some extra blueberries on top - can you say yum? So when waffles won the poll last week I knew exactly what I wanted to make and I am happy to say that unlike last week, these cupcakes did not fail to impress - everything went according to plan, and the plan was awesome! So without further ado...

Blueberry-Buttermilk Cupcakes (from epicurious)
Makes 24 cupcakes

3 cups plain flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 2/3 cups caster sugar
3/4 cup (169g) unsalted butter, softened
3 large eggs
1 tbsp grated orange peel (I only had enough for 3/4 tbsp)
2 tsps vanilla extract
3/4 cup buttermilk (I used 1 cup)
2 cups (320g) frozen blueberries

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Line 2 12-hole muffin trays with cupcake cases.
2. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl (I sifted all the dry ingredients first).
   
3. Using an electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Beat in the orange peel and vanilla.
   
4. Beat in the dry ingredients in 3 additions alternately with the buttermilk in 2 additions.
   
5. Fold in the blueberries.
   
6. Spoon the mixture into the muffin trays and bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
7. Cool cupcakes in trays for 10 minutes and then transfer to wire rack.
   

Now while the cupcakes are cooling you can prepare your...

Maple Syrup Swiss Meringue Butter Cream

4 egg whites
1 1/4 cups caster sugar
250g unsalted butter, softened
2 tbsp maple syrup

Follow the instructions for Almond Swiss Meringue Butter Cream but omit the almond and vanilla and instead add the maple syrup.

Now that the cupcakes are cooled, pipe a swirl of Maple Syrup Swiss Meringue Butter Cream on each one...


To finish up top each cupcake with a blueberry (or a few if you are feeling generous) and then drizzle with maple syrup...


Now enjoy your cupcake...


The ratings?

Me - 10/10, I love blueberry cakes - and this one is delicious! The maple syrup SMBC is a wonderful flavour.
Mat - 10/10, sensational!