Friday, August 26, 2011

CASSATA CUPCAKES & REFLECTING ON HOLIDAYS

Cassata Cupcakes Lake 1 3 bis
The holidays are oficially over. Done, as energetic, charismatic and infamous chef Gordon Ramsay would put it. The dream has died, at least for now. It is once again time to face the harsh facts, cold reality and boring everyday, imposed routine. Impossible to escape the rat race. It never ceases to harass you like a hungry hyena and suck you dry of your energy and vital force like a famished vampire. Whether we consent to it or not we are all slaves to the wage (or to the system)...
"Run away from all your boredom
Run away from all your whoredom and wave
Your worries, and cares, goodbye

All it takes is one decision

A lot of guts, a little vision to wave

Your worries, and cares goodbye

It's a maze for rats to try

It's a race, a race for rats

A race for rats to die
It's a race, a race for rats
A race for rats to die..."

- Excerpt taken from the song "Slave To The Wage" By Placebo
The feeling of constantly running and wasting your existence for others is even stronger when it is impossible for you to make the most of those oh so precious, yet hilariously rare free days. Then, taking a break is a little bit of a torture as you are trapped in your rabbit box apartment and sentenced to not going out of a perimeter of a few kilometers around your domicile as taking cars, trains or aeroplanes is definitely not in your budget. So, in a way you feel trapped, deprived and like in a jail since you cannot escape your village, town and canton in order to get some fresh air. Money really determines the size of your cage, so to speak.

Don't get me wrong, though. I love to spend quality time between my four walls and if I had more resources, I would not be the kind of person who would travel frenetically and never be able to take some time out to relax at home. I am quite a tranquil and domestic "animal" who doesn't like to get stressed around or run like a maniac just for the sake of going away. Such tiring activities are not for me. They leave me empty and depress me. It is just another grind and I don't need that as I already have a plateful of this monotonous treadmill called modern life.

Tourist trap legolands, prefabricated and ugly hotels, phony paradises that all look the same wherever you go, people-crammed destinations, sanitized/sterile activities and accomodations (Western food, four-star beds, luxurious resorts, comfy trips, etc...) that don't disorientate you too much, yet just let you get a secure but not too mind-boggling glimpse of the exotic country you are "visiting" (most individuals don't want to a too drastic change of scene although they want to set foot on the other side of the globe), mindless and soulless quickie holidays that leave you feeling barren as well as drained or demented quests for things to boost about in front of your colleagues, family or friends repulse me. Instead of that, I'd rather see nothing else than my usual environment as I believe that if you go far afield it should have a purpose and be an enrichening as well as bewildering experience!

Why would one want to endure a long and exhausting journey, pollute the air we breathe and throw their savings earned from their hard labourship out of the window for a shellless vacation? What the point in getting into so much trouble just to export your safe way of living abroad?

Cassata Cupcakes 4 bis
In my opinion, travelling is synonymous of discovery, astounding enlightement, indelible memories, stepping out of your comfort zone, enjoying the beauty of different and learning about other civilizations/traditions. In absence of that, I prefer to have fun without skipping latitudes and to play the tourist in my own district, thus rediscovering my city as well as the countryside surrounding. In fact, that's what I do every time I go out for a walk. I try to see the things I know in a totally new fashion...

It is to be said that blogs are a marvelous medium for journeying on a trip without leaving your seat. They open you up to other cultures, patterns of thinking and offer you a highly pleasurable visual stimulus. Quite a voyeuristic way of living through others, but so soul-uplifting when you are in need of some serious daydreaming in order to flee your tedious and not so glamorous life for a short while.

Cooking gives you the means of fantacizing and freeing yourself from your shackles too. I cannot recall how many times my mind has wandered to distant lands while having a amazing meal. Food is really a world in itself.


Last week, for example, I prepared two foreign dishes that transported me to wonderful climes. Eating "Moussaka" and "Lime Rabbit" has helped me catch a sight of sunny Greece with its beautiful and deserted Peloponese beaches, turquoise sea, goat and sheep covered mountainous regions, lovely terrace coffees, amazing, atmospheric and rugged landscapes, olive tree filled valleys, friendly natives, ancients ruins, and stunning gastronomy as well as g
et a peek of the Antilles and its Caribbean blue waters, verdoyant nature, colorful vegetation and houses, exhuberant inhabitants, heavenly scenery and its exquisitely spicy cuisine. Very refreshing.

This is why, today, I wish to share with you my take on an Italian classic and make you forget that your children are going back to school very soon and that hot weather amusements as well as frivolity have sadly come to an end with the closing of the holiday season.

My Sicily-inspired "Cassata Cupcakes" will surely make you remember those deliciously lazy moments you spent while reading a book on your longchair, idly sitting on a restaurant patio, lethargically sleeping on the living room couch, gullibly sipping on a glass of frozen cold rosé, shamelessly faking boredom, fervently admiring the sun setting in the crimson horizon, flirting with the waves and effortlessly loitering around the streets of an unknown village or metropolis.

Of course, considering the fact that I am a person who likes to be creative, always itches to change recipes and to add her personal touch to them, it was out of question for me not to invent my own version of this gorgeous entremet. So instead of preparing a big cake, I baked cupcakes. Nonetheless, I decided to stuff them with a traditional filling and decorate them with rolled green marzipan as it is done in Sicily.

This is a fresh, refined, spicy, lightly boozy and divine summer sweet treat that is perfect for afternoon teas or parties with friends and is the ideal Sunday family lunch/dinner dessert. Just try it, you'll be ravished by its heavely taste.

Cassata Cupcakes 1 2 bis
~ Cassata Cupcakes ~
Cupcake recipe adapated from Amy Sedaris' "I Like You: Hospitality Under The Influence" and ricotta filling by Rosa Mayland 2011.

Makes about 12 cupcakes.

Ingredients for the "Cupcakes":
3/4 Cup (90g) Unsalted butter
3/4 Cup (158g) Castor sugar

1 Egg (~63g)
1 Tsp Pure vanilla extract
1/3 Tsp Orange zest paste (or orange essence)
1 1/4 Tsp Baking powder
1/4 Tsp Salt

1 1/4 Cups (160g) Plain white flour

5/8 Cups minus 1 1/2 Tbs (130ml) Milk

Ingredients For The "Ricotta Filling":
1 Cup (250g) Ricotta cheese, strained (see instructions here)
1/2 Cup (60g) Confectioner’s sugar, sifted
3/4 Tsp Ground cinnamon
1 1/2 Tsp Pure vanilla extract
2/3 Tsp Orange zest paste (or orange essence)
4 Tbs (60g) Chocolate (60%), finely chopped
1 Tbs Whisky
Ingredients For The "Decoration":
200g Green marzipan
Whisky
, to taste

Cassato Cupcakes Russian Church 1 6 bis
Method For The "Cupcakes":
1. Turn the oven on to 190° C (375° F).
2. In a medium bowl, mix together all dry ingredients (salt, baking powder and flour). Set aside.
3. In a big bowl, cream the butter until smooth.
4. Add the sugar and cream again until the mixture is white, light and fluffy.
5. Add the 2 eggs, one at a time while beating/mixing well until blended.
6. Add the vanilla and orange zest paste, then the dry ingredients and the milk, alternatively, while mixing well, until all ingredients are totally combined (homogenous batt
er).
7. Pour into individual baking cups, until they are about 2/3 full.
8. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of one cupcake comes out clean.
Method For The "Ricotta Filling":
1. In the bowl of your electric mixer, beat the ricotta until smooth and creamy.
2. Add the confectioner’s sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, orange zest paste and blend until homogenous.
3. Stir in the chopped chocolate and whisky.

4. Chill until firm.
Method for "Putting The Cupcakes together":
1. Cut the cupcakes in two (horizontally).
2. Brush the insides with a bit of whisky.
3. Spread 2 tsps ricotta filling on the bottom part of the cupcake and assemble.
4. Roll the marzipan between two sheets of plastic film and cut rounds about the size of a cupcake, then cover the top of each cupcake with them.
5. Serve.

Remarks:
The cupcakes can also be made in advance and frozen for up to 3 months.
The filling can be made up to 24 hours prior to filling the cupcakes. Just cover and keep refrigerated.

Serving suggestions:
Serve those cupcakes as a teatime treat or for dessert with a good cup of coffee or some sparkling wine (Champagne, Prosecco or Clairette de Dille).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cassata Cupcakes Old Town 1 4 bis
~ Cupcakes Façon Cassata ~
Recette pour les cupcakes adaptée de Amy Sedaris "I Like You: Hospitality Under The Influence" et recette pour la garniture à la ricotta par Rosa Mayland 2011.


Pour environ 12 cupcakes.

Ingrédients pour les "Cupcakes":
60g de Beurre non-salé
160g de Sucre cristallisé
1 Oeufs (~63g)
1 CC de d'Extrait de vanille pure
1/3 CC de Pâte de zeste d'orange (ou d'essence d'orange)
1 1/4 CC de Poudre à lever/cake
1/4 CC de Sel

160g de Farine blanche/fleur
130ml de lait
Ingrédients Pour La "Garniture A La Ricotta":
250g de Ricotta, égouttée (voir instructions ici)
60g de Sucre en poudre, tamisé
3/4 de Cannelle en poudre
1 1/2 CC d'Extrait de vanille pure
2/3 CC de Pâte de zeste d'orange (ou d'essence d'orange)
60g de Chocolat (60%), finement haché
1 CS de Whisky
Ingredients For The "Decoration":
200g de Massepain vert
Whisky, selon goût

Cassata Cupcakes 2 2 bis
Méthode Pour Les "Cupcakes":
1. Préchauffer le four à 190° C (375° F).
2. Dans un bol moyen, mélanger tous
les ingrédients secs (sel, poudre à lever et farine). Mettre de côté.
3. Dans un grand bol, battre le beurre en pommade.
4. Ajouter le sucre et battre jusqu'à
ce que le mélange devienne blanc et mousseux.
5. Ajouter les oeufs, un à la fois, tout en
battant bien après chaque ajout afin d'obtenir un mélange homogène.
6. Ajouter la vanille et la pâte de zeste d'orange, puis les ingrédients secs, tout en alternant avec le lait et en mélangeant bien afin d'obtenir une pâte homogène.
7. Mettre la pâte dans les caissettes et remplir seulement au 2/3.
8. Cuire pendant 20 minutes, jusqu'à ce que les cupcakes soient dorés et
que la lame d'en couteau en ressorte propre.
Méthode Pour La "Garniture A La Ricotta":
1. Dans le bol d'un batteur électrique, battre la ricotta jusqu'elle soit lisse et crémeuse.
2. Ajouter le sucre en poudre, la canelle, la vanille, le zeste d'orange en purée et battre à nouveau afin que le mélange soit homogène.

4. Ajouter le chocolate et le whisky.
5. Mettre au frigo afin que la garniture se rafermisse.
Méthode Por "L'assemblage Des Cupcakes":
1.
Couper (horizontalement) les cupcakes en 2 parties égales.
2. Peindre chacune des deux parties intérieures avec un peu de whisky.
3. Etaler 2 CC de garniture à la ricotta sur la partie inférieure du cupcake.
4. Rouler le massepain et découper un rond de la taille du cupcake, puis recouvrir le dessus du cupcake avec.
5. Servir.

Remarques:
Si vouls le désirez, il vous eat possible de congeler les cupcakes (3 mois au m aximum).
La garniture peut être préparée 24 heures à l'avance et gardée au frigo.

Idées de présentation:
Servir ces cupcakes l'heure du thé ou comme dessert, avec un bon café et un vin mousseux de qualité (Champagne, Prosecco ou Clairette de Dille).

Cassata Cupcakes Spider 1 5 bis

112 comments:

  1. Que dire! Tout est si splendide! Tout mais vraiment tout!
    merci Rosa!

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  2. So true that food is a world in itself! There's always more to learn about the world through food. Your filled cupcakes look fantastic, and I love that Amy Sedaris book!

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  3. Whisky and ricotta in the filling take these over the top Rosa.

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  4. i'd like if you saw my first video recipe for a chef contest...you can see a link on my blog or cut&paste this address
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPiSNgSSkXo&feature=player_profilepage

    thnaks so much

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  5. Love the idea of a cassata cupcake! It's a perfect combination, they look gorgeous!

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  6. The cupcakes are gorgeous, your post is so beautifully written and inspiring and as always, the photos are exquisite

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  7. I agree with some of your thoughts about travelling and even more with the unique world of food.
    Your cupcakes are unique and look wonderful!

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  8. Ils sont vraiment superbes ces cupcakes et quel travail d'écriture Rosa.

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  9. J'ai pris beaucoup de plaisir a te lire, loucher sur ton chef d'oeuvre, revoir Geneve...
    Un bemol cependant, que je ne connais pas encore l'araignee-maman !

    bises

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  10. Great pictures, and those cupcakes look and sound incredible! : )

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  11. Well done! These cakes look amazing-stunning pictures and lovely flavors. thanks for sharing.

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  12. Beautiful cupcakes. Cold reality alright, winters coming:) Have a nice weekend

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  13. very impressive post . carry on..

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  14. Your recipes always bring back wonderful memories for me :) My grandmother used to make Cassata cake all the time!! Thanks for the smile.

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  15. Ils sont vraiment adorables ces petits cupcakes. J'en prendrais bien un cet après-midi avec un thé. Merci Rosa!

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  16. A Spoonful of Yumm8:26 PM, August 26, 2011

    this looks yummy ! lovely images :)

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  17. Beautiful pictures! I love how you did the topping. That is so cute!

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  18. Amy Sedaris is hysterical! I love her book. :D
    The cupcakes are so unusual-looking and gorgeous. :)

    Have a great weekend, Rosa!

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  19. I love those cakes! I do not love that spider thing! (although, I appreciate its artistic beauty still scares the hell outta me...)
    Miss T xx

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  20. I love teh background music:) And you pics and your cupcakes.Hear me..but its through I love your posts;)

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  21. Ils sont superbes et vraiment gourmands comme tout !
    Tes photos sont toujours aussi belles.
    Bisous

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  22. Très jolis cupcakes! J'aime particulièrement la photo style couche de soleil!

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  23. These cakes look and sound incredible. They are really beautiful! I love your photographs, colorful, pretty and vibrant. I adore that spider sculpture I totally want one. :p

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  24. You my friend have just invited us on the most beautiful visual journey. Thanks for the armchair travels. What I would do to bite into that delectable treat :)

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  25. Lovely Pictures Rosa and as always wonderfully luscious cupcakes!!!!!. Its so true that food always bring back memories, I grew up eating cassata ice cream, intact it was the only ice cream cake i wanted.
    Yours look perfect....

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  26. Lovely post as usual Rosa. As some wise person said, the day you stop learning, the world stops moving'

    The cup cakes look fantastic. I have had cassata flavoured ice cream in my childhood and this is the first time after so many years, I have seen a mention of them. Thank you for sharing the recipe

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  27. Beautiful, eloquent post, Rosa. I'm the same way about a vacation spent traveling...I often return home exhausted! (Not to mention that I usually get homesick at some poing while I'm gone, lol...what can I say, I like routine.) Your cupcakes are really lovely!

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  28. Qu'est-ce qu'ils sont mignons ces cupcakes! J'en prendrais bien un!

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  29. mmmmm mmmmm mmmm i am drooling like no other.

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  30. Those cupcakes look so yummy & pretty Rosa..I m so glad that you had a wonderful holiday- beautiful pictures..love the first one a lot!

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  31. Those look too pretty to eat! Seriously. I just want to stare at them all day long. ;)

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  32. Pretty irresistible little cakes. I'd love to have a bite.

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  33. Quelle jolie variante de cupcake gourmand... Et Louise pour finir... Oh...

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  34. A spectacular dessert. I love traveling but don't go often enough. I'll have to borrow your idea and travel through food.

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  35. Pretty, marvelous cup cakes!!!! For me...holidays are special & fun when spent with loved ones, doing things u enjoy most..be it cooking, watching a movie at home, walk on the beach etc etc...irrespective on the huge amount spent on traveling, hotels etc..Try making each day a vacation for may be an hour & u wont feel so monotonous with every day routines..:)
    Prathima Rao
    Prats Corner

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  36. Ces petites gourmandises sont délicieusement appétissantes
    Je te souhaite un agréable week-end
    Bise
    Valérie.

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  37. A lovely post, Rosa. There's a touch of fragility in both your delicate cupcakes and well spoken words.

    Thank you so much for sharing...

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  38. Cute cuppies, looks delicious and lovely pictures.

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  39. Great posts and cupcakes also. I concur with some of your thoughts about travelling, love the food part of visiting different areas. Like your music!

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  40. j'aime bcp le travail de Louise Bourgeois !pierre

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  41. These are by far the prettiest cupcakes I've ever seen - gorgeous Rosa!

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  42. Une belle gourmandise pour un délicieux goûter!

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  43. Ils sont superbes tes cupcakes et joliment présenté !
    Très bonne soirée en ce samedi,
    Bisous, Doria

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  44. J'aime beaucoup ces petits cupcakes à l'italienne. C'est très original.
    Je suis née à Genève et j'y ai habité quelques années. Nous vivions tout près de l'église russe.
    Bon dimanche
    verO

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  45. My family used to eat cassata cake at every birthday so these are bringing back such good foodie memories!

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  46. As usual your photos are just : waouh. I particularly love the one with the extreme blue sky and russian church roof.
    And the cupcakes are just delicious.
    Bises

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  47. Wow. I really love your avant garde style and your interpretation of what a simple "cupcake" can be. The whiskey adds a surprising punctuation while your presentation is very classy. I'm gonna have to keep an eye on your work. Btw, your photography....did manage to take me away to a Swiss cafe (the one around the corner from the church ;-)

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  48. rosa our winter will soon be here too and i am dreading it. as it is we rarely get enough sun and with winter fast approaching the sun is even more limited. hopefully soon we will be back in california with plenty of sun. i get so depressed without it.
    i've always eaten my cucpakes by taking them apart, putting the bottom half on top of the frosting to then have a cupcake sandwich--so I can see why this is a very good recipe. LOL do you like this cookbook?

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  49. Such unique cupcakes! I would really love to try these!

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  50. This is a new recipe for me, but looks absolutely delicious. I love the citrus and the ricotta filling...wish I had one, just one, right now! Ok, maybe two or three ;-)

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  51. Les vacances arrivent à leur fin mais on garde le moral avec plein de bons souvenirs et ces bons cupcakes ;-)) Giorgia & Cyril

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  52. It goes without saying that everything here is beautiful, Rosa. The cupcakes are darling, and your photos are just stunning!

    I agree with everything you said about travelling... extending that into living abroad.

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  53. Tu es Hallucinante ma belle Rosa!!

    Bo dimanche à toi XX

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  54. J'adore l'idée du massepain pour le décorer, ça remplace la sempiternelle couche de glaçage au beurre ! En tout cas tes cupcakes sont très beaux :) Bonne soirée !

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  55. I do agree with you that blogging opens up the window of getting to know other countries' cultures. That is wonderful!

    And this Sicilian cupcakes are beautiful. The green marzipan topping makes them so outstanding, lovely!

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  56. These are so beautiful, and I love arm chair traveling with your photos.

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  57. These have got to be some of the cutest, most delicious cupcakes I've seen! Cheers!

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  58. Hey Rosa, The cassata cupcakes are looking so Gud and Appetizing… !
    A very well made post with beautiful pictures as always. I've bookmarked this special recipe of urs and wud love to give it a shot asap. Have a wonderful week ahead. Thanks & Regards, Sonia !!!

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  59. I love reading your blog because of the pictures of places alongside the food...Hmm the cassata cupcakes look so delicious!

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  60. I certainly share your views on travel and vacation and I was going to add more but got totally distracted by your yummy and beautiful cassata cupcakes. What a delicious looking treat.

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  61. Mesmerizing pics Rosa ~ glad you had a great time! Those cupcakes are insanely gorgeous n to die for delicious!!
    US Masala

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  62. Oh Rosa...these are gorgeous! I love your flair for creativity here. Holidays are made to be remembered!

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  63. Mouthwatering cupcakes and beautifully presentated. Lovely photos and the spider is very impressive!

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  64. Rosa,
    beautiful photos of your town. Keep up this wonderful work!

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  65. Love the cassata cupcakes, esp. the ricotta filling. So smooth and creamy.
    Totally with you about cooking that opens you up to other cultures....and to understand and enjoy!

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  66. So true.. cooking for those who love it is a journey to freedom:) Gorgeous cupcakes! and thanks again for the so truly beautiful photographs!

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  67. What a great post! Y our cupcakes are so clever and the photography truly special.

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  68. Whisky and Ricotta? how very different and I can well imagine the gorgeous taste of these cupcakes...You are so right...A world of food exists in its own right - so much to see, learn about and explore...

    beautiful post!

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  69. C'est vraiment superbe !
    Biz

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  70. Beautiful photos! I really love the look of Cassata cupcakes! Bookmark this to try!! :)

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  71. Totally agree with you. Love your travel pictures.

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  72. You're so right, it really is nice to get out and explore. Gorgeous photos, and I'm loving those cupcakes. So unique! I'd love one right now. :)

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  73. First timer here.

    I've got to say, amazing photos. And now, not only I crave a sweet dessert, but also a great vacation :D

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  74. Such an interesting combination of flavours, not seen something like this before! Have just discovered your blog, love your photos. :)

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  75. Beautiful cupcakes and I love the idea of afternoon tea!

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  76. ah, le découpage en massepain, une vraie dentelle, l'art du détail!
    ( et moi qui adore les araignées et qui découvre cette sculpture....)

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  77. such beautiful pictures and that cupcakes looks delicious. beautiful colorful presentation!

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  78. Food and travel, these are two of my favorite things!

    Beautiful pics!

    http://foodiekim.com/

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  79. By far the cutest cupcake I've ever seen !
    I like the scalloped icing on top and how you have nicely encased the frosting in the little cake. Perfectly done !

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  80. Absolutely beautiful photos Rosa and a very creative cupcake idea! :D

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  81. Wow rosa - These are just gorgeous. And the flavors are right up my alley - I remember eating wonderful cassatas in Sicily.

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  82. I love that your cupcakes are presented in such a unique way, They are so beautiful - love the marzipan disk on top and the frosting/cream in the middle. This is how I want to present my cupcakes from now on :) LOoe your write up, your town and your photos of it!

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  83. fantastic cupcakes and food does help us to travel love your city so pretty

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  84. Rosa, I never get tired of your pictures...always so pretty and so interesting.
    The cupcakes look beautiful and delicious with all the flavors together.
    Hope you have a fantastic week :-)

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  85. Rosa, I keep seeing you all over the place on all of the blogs I read and thinking, 'I really must go and check out her blog...' FINALLY. FINALLY I HAVE.

    Lord, I have been missing out! You paint pictures beautifully with your words and your photography is simply stunning.

    I too am a bit of a homebody at heart, preferring to be able to cook something simple at home, though I do love to travel... but I think if I were able to travel always I'd need a home to escape to in all of the countries I visited! Something of my own =)

    Beautiful little cassatas, beautiful words, beautiful blog. I'll be back.

    Jax x

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  86. Tes photos culinaires sont de plus en plus belles, et les autres... c'est splendide, vraiment!
    Elle se trouve où cette sculpture de Louise Bourgeois? Il me semble en avoir vu des reproductions ailleurs???
    Bonne semaine!

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  87. The cupcakes are such beautiful works of art!

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  88. like still life art, i love your words so inspiring!!

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  89. PASCALE: Merci beaucoup! :-) C'est une sculpture itinérante. En ce moment, elle est à Genève (Suisse)...

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  90. Rosa what a BEAUTIFUL post and such a stunning recipe! Ive never seen cupcakes quite like this and they sound truly delicious :)

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  91. Wonderfully said, travel has to lead to discovery and learning about the place you visit. And when at home, food is a great way to escape from the mundane. I love reading about another country's culture and knowing its food makes me feel connected.

    Cassata is a popular Indian ice-cream flavor and was a special treat when we were kids- cake & ice cream all in one! Making them as cupcakes is ingenious.

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  92. And I jealously think - I can have an entire cassata to myself! These are so lovely - and I do find huge inspiration from blogs - but it will never be a substitute for getting out into the world.

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  93. What a lovely trip! Thank you for taking me with you! xo

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  94. Hey Rosa...Regarding your query on curry leaves chutney powder on Prats Corner...@ Roasa...Im not sure you can try the same with the dried ones..In case you want to experiment..you could just toast the remaining ingredients & then try & dry grind with the curry leaves..Here we have abundant supply of fresh curry leaves, including our own backyard..So we do not get them in their dried form..I have actually never seen how it tastes & smells!! In case you do try it out with dried ones..let me know how it turns out!!
    Prathima Rao
    Prats Corner

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  95. Beautiful photo recap of your holiday! And these cupcakes are amazing...so beautiful and decedent!
    Hope you are having a wonderful week Rosa

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  96. Ils ont l'air bien moelleux tes muffins!
    Un régal!

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  97. Gorgeous cupcakes... and your holiday photos. :D

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  98. Gorgeous love the fantastic music.

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  99. the cupcakes looks so gorgeous .. i want to try that one .. nice photos .. thanks for sharing ..

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  100. Rosa nice post I like writing, beautiful photos and a perfect cake, you're namesake Rosa and I Rosita, hugs.

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  101. i love it when orange is used in baked goods--it's so refreshing! beautiful cupcakes, rosa!

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  102. When travelling, I always like to experience the country that I am visiting and I have always found it annoying that hotels tend to only serve western meals rather than the local cuisine.

    Now you have me thinking about Moussaka again...

    These cupcakes look great!

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  103. I don't see the point of traveling just to say I've been there! If I travel I like to have enough time to really get a feel for a place ... and that takes more than a couple of days or weeks! I'm quite happy to stay at or near home.

    Those cakes look beautiful and I bet they taste yum.

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  104. Superbe recette, superbes photos ! J'aime trop !

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  105. I love Amy Sedaris, tho I've never tried any of her recipes. The ricotta filling sounds like just the thing. gorgeous photos too, I think you live in a particularly picturesque part of the world, although it is surely your photography that makes it so!

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  106. Lovely cupcakes! I love the marzipan topping-so elegant!

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  107. Tres beau - tout (les ciels plombes, l'araignee, les petits gateaux si charmants).

    Bon weekend Rosa.

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  108. Adorable cupcakes! These are super cute and sound super tasty, too. Yum!

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