Hi-ho, Hi-Hats!

Holly's endoscope went well today. She bounced back as curious as ever. And is shaking a baby gate as we speak. The results of the test are: esophagitis or reflux. It's official. We'll try Nexium now and hope for better results than with the Prevacid. The GI doctor could see the inflamed tissue in her esophagus, but thankfully no scar tissue. She took the first capsule, sprinkled over applesauce no problem. Let's hope the rest of the night continues as well.

What else can you do to pass an anxious day? Make a trial run at hi-hat cupcakes. I have been reading about this on other blogs. And had really hoped to make a pistachio/cream cheese frosted hi-hat for St. Patrick's Day. However, this is what I had in the house: Double Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream Icing and White Chocolate hi-hat.

Not too shabby for a first attempt. Here's what I'll improve next time: First, don't OD on chocolate :-) If you are craving chocolate these are for you. Second, make the icing a little stiffer so it will pile a little higher and create an actual HIGH hat. Third, I resolve to stop trying to draw with chocolate. I just can't make this work for me. Royal Icing I can do but not chocolate. These shamrocks are from white chocolate colored green. The chocolate gets too stiff before I can even pipe it out. And finally, I will pay closer attention to the bake time. The could have stayed in the oven a few more minutes.

I do love this recipe for the cupcake. It is from the Our State North Carolina, February 2009 magazine. Chef is Charlotte Fekete

Double Chocolate Cupcakes

1 stick butter
1/2 cup semisweet chips

Melt this together in microwave, 30 sec, stir, 30 sec.

Stir in 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 cup sour cream, 1/3 cup milk, 2 large eggs, 1/2 tsp vanilla.
Whisk in 3/4 cup all purpose flour, 1/4 cup cocoa powder, 1/2 tsp baking powder, pinch of salt.

Mix until combined. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 mins (I should have gone closer to 25 mins!)

If I had the extra sour cream in the house I would have made this glaze like frosting (and skipped the hi-hat trial, still I have to start somewhere!)

1/2 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1 1/2 T cocoa powder.

Spread on cool cupcakes.

The Buttercream Icing I did use came straight off the back of the cocoa powder container. The hi-hat part was far easier than I expected. The icing did not fall off into the chocolate or melt away either. With a picture like the red velvet hi hats, well I can dream can't I?