I just couldn’t resist making these creamy and chocolatey Irish Cream Cupcakes to help celebrate St. Patrick’s Day this year. They’re a fun and tasty way to celebrate Irish heritage and religion by lacing both the cupcakes and the frosting with Irish Cream.  These cupcakes are deliciously moist and not too sweet with a white chocolate ganache frosting. Good any day of the year in my opinion.
So what’s the Irish in Irish Cream anyway?
Simply put, Irish Cream is a creamy liqueur made with Irish Whiskey, which can only be named as such if distilled on the island of Ireland, among other regulations.
What are we celebrating on St. Patrick’s Day?
St. Patrick’s Day is a cultural and religious celebration recognizing the patron Saint of Ireland, St. Patrick who died on March 17th, 461. He is best known for bringing Christianity to Ireland.
Why do we wear green?
Ireland is also known as The Emerald Isle, referencing green.
St. Patrick used the green shamrock as a tool to teach people about the holy trinity.
Green is one of the primary colours of the Irish flag.
Wearing green makes you invisible to Leprechauns, who are said to pinch anyone not wearing green, and that’s reason enough for me LOL!
Heat cream and Irish cream in a small pot until just at a simmer.
Add chopped white chocolate and butter to a medium size bowl. Pour hot cream over white chocolate and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Whisk until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface and chill until cold, about 4 hours or up to 24 hours in advance.
Using an electric mixer or stand mixer fitted with a whip, whisk ganache until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Use immediately or chill until ready to use.
Chocolate Cupcakes
Preheat oven to 350℉ and line 24 muffin tins with paper liners.
Using an electric mixer or stand mixer fitted with a whip attachment combine all ingredients EXCEPT the water and whisk until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add boiling water and stir to combine.
Pour or scoop 1/4 cup of batter into prepared tins. Bake for 16-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool enough to handle, then remove to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Frost with white chocolate ganache frosting.
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Crunchy, yet melt in your mouth, Lavender White Chocolate Meringues are a sweet treat to be shared. Conveniently just the right size to pop in your mouth like no one will notice, but with a hint of lavender and creamy white chocolate, you won’t be the only one standing near the cookie plate. These pretty meringues with their gorgeous violet colour and hint of lavender tease us with the thought of spring and Easter and they’re fun for everyone.
Meringue is so versatile, can take on many flavours and most any colour. Once whipped up to a stiff peak they hold up well and are easily piped into desired shapes. Quick and easy to whip up, it’s the baking and decorating that take the time in this recipe. But one can still do many things while they’re baking so time essentially is not lost here.
The goal for meringue is to have a smooth outer shell with no browning and dry interior with a nice crunch. To achieve this, a low and slow baking period is required. I suggest an oven no hotter than 200℉ or the meringue has the tendency to crack. Some recipes will have you place in a hot oven, turn the oven off and allow to sit overnight. I find this is not necessary but they do need enough time to bake to achieve a crunchy lightness. It’s perfectly alright to open the oven and give one a taste to see how they’re coming along when you’re not sure. They won’t fall or flatten just because you opened the door. If need be, bake a little longer till they’re light and hollow sounding, then have fun decorating as desired.
Combine sugar and lavender in a small bowl. Rub lavender buds and sugar together with your fingers to help infuse the lavender flavour into the sugar. Cover tightly and allow to sit at room temperature, preferably overnight. Sift sugar to remove lavender before using.
Preheat oven to 200℉. Arrange 2 oven racks with one in the middle and the second above it. Whip egg whites and cream of tartar until frothy and starting to thicken. Gradually add sugar with mixer running. Once all sugar has been added, continue to beat until stiff peak stage and meringue is glossy, about 8-10 minutes. Add desired food colouring and flavouring and whip just to combine.
Line 2 large baking trays with parchment. Fill a large piping bag fitted with a 446P (10 cm round) tip with meringue and pipe into 1"-1 1/2" kisses, spacing 1" apart on baking tray. To pipe kisses, hold tip vertically 1/2"- 3/4" above tray and squeeze until filling has created a 1"-1 1/2" circle. Stop squeezing and lift up, creating the tail.
Once all meringue has been piped, place trays in oven and bake for 2 1/2-3 hours, checking meringue for doneness at the 2 1/2 hour mark. Once meringues are dry and light with a hollow sound and feeling, turn off oven and allow meringues to remain in oven until completely cooled.
Melt white chocolate in a double boiler or microwave on 30 second intervals until smooth. Dip or decorate meringues in chocolate then decorate with sprinkles if desired.
Recipe Notes
Alternatively, you can use lavender flavouring instead of the infused sugar which will eliminate that step.
Meringues can be piped into any desired shape using other tips if desired.
I found it difficult to dip the bottom of the meringues into the chocolate without breaking off their tips. I therefore spread an arc of white chocolate onto the side of the meringue and dipped in sprinkles.
Not your ordinary oatmeal cookies! Blueberry White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies are bursting with dried blueberries and chunks of white chocolate. It makes these oatmeal cookies fabulous. A slightly plump oatmeal cookie with a hint of cinnamon and crispy edges. A great treat and a nice change from the ordinary.
Not only have dried blueberries taken over my cookies, I also use them in my granola, muffins and snack mixes. Anywhere you might think to use dried fruit is where you’ll want to throw in a handful of plump and chewy blueberries. The blueberries are fantastic with the white chocolate in these cookies, but equally delicious in granola with yogurt too. They are my new favourite dried fruit and I’m putting them in everything these days. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!
Recipe source for Blueberry White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies: Â Compelled To Cook
Preheat oven to 350℉. Whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. In a large bowl using a wooden spoon or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment cream together butter and both sugars. Add eggs one at a time, then add vanilla mixing until fully incorporated. Stir in flour, then add oatmeal, white chocolate and bluberries, mixing until just combined.
Line baking sheets with parchment and using approximately 2 tbsp of dough place onto sheet leaving at least 2 inches between cookies. Flatten each cookie slightly with the palm of your hand or bottom of a glass. Bake for approximately 12 minutes in centre of oven. Remove from oven and allow to rest on tray for 3-5 minutes. Remove with a spatula to a cooling rack.
Recipe Notes
It is best to bake only one or two trays at a time in the centre of the oven.
Maple Date and Nut Snack Bites make a nutritious snack that’s naturally sweetened with maple syrup and dates. Packed with nuts, almond butter and hemp seeds they’re a great source of protein, omega 3 fats and essential minerals such as phosphorus, magnesium and iron. Easy to mix together and pack in your lunch or stuff in your back pack or purse to give you a healthy energy boost throughout your day or satisfy your sweet tooth.  A great change from that ordinary granola bar.  Enjoy!
Recipe source for Maple Date and Nut Snack Bites: Â Compelled To Cook
Combine all ingredients except white chocolate in a food processor bowl. Pulse until combined to a fine meal. Form mixture into approximate 1 ounce balls and place onto a large parchment lined tray.
Melt white chocolate over a double boiler or microwave at 30 second intervals and stir until smooth. Drizzle chocolate over snack bites. Chill until firm, about 20 minutes.
Recipe Notes
Will keep refrigerated for several days in a sealed container or can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months. I usually opt to freeze and remove snack bites as needed.
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