Feb 21, 2012 >> Entertaining Company Recipes: Snag ’em today!
Want in on a secret? We’ve scored the Entertaining Company’s delicious red velvet cupcake (with cream cheese frosting) and mousse parfaits. They were a hit at our V-Day party and we had to share. Sweet!
ENTERTAINING COMPANY RED VELVET CUPCAKES & CREAM CHEESE FROSTING // Makes 24 Cupcakes
RED VELVET CUPCAKES
2 1/4 cups flour (all-purpose) // 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder // 1 teaspoon baking soda // 1/2 teaspoon salt // 1 cup butter, softened // 2 1/4 cups sugar // 4 eggs // 1 cup sour cream // 1/2 cup buttermilk // 1 ounce red food coloring (perhaps slightly less) // 4 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract // ½ teaspoon Rosewater
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, cold // 1/4 cup butter, cold // 2 tablespoons sour cream // 2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract // 16 ounces confectioners’ sugar
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Set aside.
2.Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Mix in sour cream, milk, food color, vanilla, and Rosewater. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until just blended. Do not overbeat. Spoon batter into 24 paper-lined muffin cups, filling each cup 2/3 full.
3.Bake 18 to 22 minutes or until toothpick inserted into cupcake comes out clean. Gently remove from oven. Cool in pans on wire rack at least 5 minutes.
Remove from pans. Cool completely and frost with Cream Cheese Frosting (only when completely cooled)!
ENTERTAINING COMPANY EASY MOUSSE PARFAITS
For G&F, we used Raspberry and White Chocolate, but you can use any flavors you love!
RASPBERRY MOUSSE
2 cups fresh raspberries or frozen // 1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin // 1 tablespoon lemon juice // 4 cups whipped cream // 1/4 cup sugar
In a saucepan combine 1 1/2 cups raspberries and sugar. Heat and stir over medium heat until turn to liquid. Stir in gelatin. Remove from heat and scrape into a large bowl. Let cool for 5 minutes. Remove chilled whipped cream from refrigerator. Mix 1 cup of whipped cream into raspberry mixture until well combined. Fold in remaining whipped cream. Cover and Chill.
WHITE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE
8 ounces good-quality white chocolate, finely chopped // 1 2/3 cups chilled whipping cream
Stir white chocolate and 2/3 cup cream in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until chocolate is melted. Transfer chocolate mixture to large bowl. Let stand until mixture is cool and just beginning to thicken, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Beat remaining 1 cup cream in medium bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold into cool chocolate mixture in 2 additions. Cover; chill mousse at least 2 hours.
FRESH RASPBERRY LAYER
Chop fresh raspberries and set aside.
When all Mousse has been chilled, pull out whatever ever vessel you’ve selected to use (I love shooters, glass mugs, parfait glasses, etc. Disposable things work well too!). Place Mousse in separate piping bags and line glasses on counter. Start with piping a layer of the Raspberry, then White Chocolate, spoon in Fresh Raspberries, repeat for desired layers (3 to 5 are best). Easiest if you do all of the 1st layer, then all of the 2nd, and so on, like an assembly line! Top with Chocolate Straw, Whole Raspberry, and Fresh Mint!