There is just something magical about Christmas. I am already planning the Christmas Hampers in my mind for next year—along the lines of jars full of long lasting homemade treats such as salted caramel (which I made last night with brilliant results!) , pepper and chilli jam, vanilla extract and gingerbread cookies. *sigh*. For me, the reds, greens and whites coupled with mulled wine and Christmas carols is a dream. This year, in honour of an Indian Christmas, I whipped up a batch of these incredibly light, fluffy and moist Orange Blossom and Pistachio Cupcakes, sitting on this adorable snowman plate. A very Merry Christmas to all!
Ingredients: (makes exactly 12 regular sized cupcakes)
1. 1/2 cup yogurt
2. 2/3 cup milk
3. 1/3 cup canola oil
4. 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
5. 1 to 2 tablespoons orange blossom flavour
6. 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
7. 2 tablespoons cornstarch
8. 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
9. 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
10. 1/4 teaspoon salt
11. 1/3 cup roughly chopped pistachios
12. 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 175*c. Put cupcakes papers in the cupcake pan.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together yogurt, milk, oil, sugar, and extract. Sift in flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, cardamom and salt. Mix until relatively smooth. Add the pistachios.
3. Fill the cupcake papers two thirds up and bake for 22 – 24 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Glaze:
1. 1 cup icing/powdered sugar
2. 1 ½ tbs orange blossom extract
3. 2 tbs milk
4. 20gm unsalted butter
Method:
1. Simply mix in all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well with a fork top form a moist and molten glaze. The glaze made way too much in my opinion for 12 cupcakes, but you can always halve the recipe for the glaze, or do what I did—save it for the next batch!
2. Spoon onto each cupcake and top with a few crushed pistachios, or any Christmas decorations you may have lying around.
Feedback:
1. The combination of orange blossom and pistachio felt almost like a Middle Eastern inspired pairing. You can even make this without orange blossom, and use rosewater instead!
2. I bought these adorable Christmas toppings when I was in Texas a few months ago, and got the silver edible glitter from Lola’s in London.
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