Maple Buttercream Recipes

Steps:

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg yolkson high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes; set aside. In a small saucepan setover medium-high heat, bring the maple syrup to a boil, and cook until it registers240 degrees on a candy thermometer, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat.
• With the mixer running, slowly pour syrup down the side of the bowl in a slow, steady stream, until completely incorporated, about 1 minute. Continue beating until bowl is just slightly warm to the touch, 4 to 5 minutes. Add butter, one piece at atime, until thoroughly incorporated and the frosting is fluffy, about 4 minutes more.

Steps:

• Make the cornbread: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Whisk the eggs, buttermilk, vanilla and melted butter in a bowl. In another bowl, whisk the cornmeal, flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt.
• Add the cornmeal mixture to the egg mixture and mix with a wooden spoon until just incorporated. Gently fold the blueberries into the batter. Transfer to the prepared baking dish and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool completely before frosting.
• Make the frosting: Beat the butter in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add 3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar in batches, alternating with the milk; continue beating until smooth. Add the maple syrup, cinnamon, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, and nutmeg to taste. Add the remaining 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar if necessary to reach a spreadable consistency. Spread on the cornbread.

Steps:

• Beat confectioners' sugar, butter, and syrup together in a bowl using an electric mixer until smooth. Add cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, to sugar mixture and beat until frosting is thickened and desired consistency.

Steps:

• Beat egg whites with cream of tartar and salt in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until they just hold soft peaks. Add maple sugar 1 teaspoon at a time, beating, and continue to beat until whites just hold stiff peaks.
• Boil syrup in a small heavy saucepan over moderate heat, undisturbed, until it reaches soft-ball stage (registering 238 to 242°F on thermometer), about 3 to 7 minutes. Immediately remove from heat and slowly pour hot syrup in a slow stream down side of bowl into egg whites, beating constantly at high speed. Beat meringue, scraping down side of bowl occasionally with a rubber spatula, until meringue is cool to the touch, about 6 minutes. (It's important that meringue be fully cooled before proceeding.)
• With mixer at medium speed, add butter 1 tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition. (If buttercream looks soupy after some butter is added, meringue is too warm: Chill bottom of bowl in a larger bowl of ice and cold water for a few seconds before continuing to beat in remaining butter.) Continue beating until buttercream is smooth. (Mixture may look curdled before all butter is added but will come together before beating is finished.)

Steps:

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg yolks on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, pour maple syrup into a medium saucepan. Place pan over medium-high heat; bring syrup to a boil. Cook syrup until a candy thermometer registers 240 degrees (just above soft-ball stage), about 15 minutes.
• Remove the saucepan from the heat. While the electric mixer is running, pour the syrup in a slow, steady stream down the side of the mixing bowl into the egg-yolk mixture (it is essential that the syrup touches the side of the bowl as you pour it in so the sugar will be very evenly incorporated and not splatter onto the sides of the bowl) until the syrup has been completely incorporated, about 1 1/2 minutes. Beat until the bowl is just slightly warm to the touch, 5 to 6 minutes.
• Add butter, one piece at a time, until all of it has been completely incorporated and the frosting is fluffy, about 4 minutes more. Use immediately.

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, beat egg yolks on until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
• In a medium saucepan, bring the maple syrup to a boil over medium to medium-high heat. Let cook until it registers 240 degrees on a candy thermometer, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat.
• With the mixer running, slowly pour syrup down the side of the bowl in a slow, steady stream, until completely incorporated, about 1 minute. Continue beating until bowl is just slightly warm to the touch, 4 to 5 minutes. Add butter, one piece at a time, and mix until thoroughly incorporated and the frosting is fluffy, about 4 minutes more.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350*.
• Spread the 1 cup of pecans in a small baking pan and toast in the oven, stirring frequently, for 6-9 minutes, or until lightly browned, be careful not to burn. Immediately turn out into a small bowl. Let stand until completely cooled; set aside.
• In a medium bowl, thoroughly stir together the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
• In a food processor, process the pecans and brown sugar continuously until the pecans are completely pureed and form a paste, 3-4 minutes -- scraping down sides of processor and bottom several times.
• Add the butter and process until well blended. Add the powdered sugar, maple syrup, egg yolk, and vanilla and process until very well blended and smooth. Add the flour mixture and process in on/off pulses just until evenly incorporated.
• Divide the dough into thirds. Place each portion between large sheets of wax paper. Roll out each portion to a generous 1/8" thick; check the underside of dough and smooth out any wrinkles that form. Stack the rolled portions, paper and all on a baking sheet.
• Freeze for 30 minutes or until chilled and firm.The dough may be frozen for up to 24 hours, let thaw before using.Prehat oven to 350*.Grease several baking sheets or coat with nonstick spray.
• Working with one portion at a time and leaving remaining portions chilled, gently peel away, then pat one sheet of wax paper back into place. Flip dough over, then peel off and discard the second piece of paper. Using a.
• 1 1/2-1 3/4" round or oval, scalloped or fluted cookie cutter, cut out cookies.if at any point the dough softens too much to handle easily, transfer dough to freezer to firm up.Using a spatula, carefully transfer the dough to the baking sheets, spacing about 1 1/2" apart. Reroll any dough scraps. Continue cutting out the cookies until all the dough is used. Lightly sprinkle half the cookies with the finely chopped pecans, patting them down to embed them slightly -- these rounds will be the sandwich tops.
• Bake the cookies one sheet at a time in the upper third of the oven for 6-8 minutes or until just tinged with brown and slightly darker around the edges. Reverse sheets halfway through from front to back to ensure even browning.Transfer sheet to wire rack and let set 2-3 minutes so cookies firm up slightly.Using a spatula, transfer cookies to wire rack to cool completely.
• BUTTERCREAM.
• in a small heavy saucepan, bring the maply syrup to a simmer over medium-high heat. Simmer briskly for 2 minutes.
• Remove from heat.let cool slightly.
• Pour the syrup into the food processor. Let stand until barefly warm.
• Add the powdered sugar, butter and vanilla and process just until well blended and smooth. Spread a generous measuring teaspoon of buttercream over the underside of each untopped round.Cover each with a pecan-topped round.
• Gently press down and then adjust the top if necessary.
• Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week or freeze up to one month.