Maple Syrup and Birthday Cupcakes
This past weekend a good friend from high school was visiting Boston. K had a conference here last week and stayed to hang out this weekend. On top of hanging out with friends, Butler made it to the Final Four! K went to Butler and is the president of his local alumni club!
On Saturday we decided to partake in some local fun by heading up to New Hampshire to go to a maple house where they boil maple syrup. We had beautiful weather on Saturday. It was a bit chilly but sunny and not a cloud in the sky. After arriving at the Grant Family Maple House, we had some food and got in line to learn all about how maple syrup is made.
What we learned is that the sap from the trees has about 2-3% sugar in it straight from the tree. At that percentage, it would take 40 gallons of sap to make 1 gallon of maple syrup!! So they first condense the sap until it reaches about 8% sugar. The sap is then boiled to evaporate off the water.
Once the temperature reads 7 degrees above the boiling point of water, you have syrup! The guy in the maple house even explained how they use a baraometer on the wall to get the barometric pressure so they know the exact boiling temperature of water for that given day. It was all very scientific and extremely interesting.
The small bottles of maple syrup were a sample from each batch they had made at the maple house this season. The guy explained that as the season goes on, the syrup tends to get darker due to the change in the amount of sugar in the sap.
Of course, we had to get some maple products while we were there. Obviously, maple syrup. We also got some maple candies, some maple sugar, and some maple pepper. Can’t wait to find creative ways to use the sugar and pepper. If anyone has suggestions, please let me know!
Also, since K’s birthday was last week, I made him some cupcakes to celebrate. I went with my go-to chocolate cupcake recipe. I love that you can whip these up by dirtying only one bowl and using a whisk! I dipped them in some ganache and topped with festive sprinkles. Aren’t they pretty?
I am Jen the Beantown Baker. Engineer by day and baking maven by night. Hubby serves as my #1 fan and official taste tester. We got hitched back in 2006. Barefoot. In the sand. With the waves crashing behind us. It was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. 
Peanut butter and chocolate is my most favorite combination ever! I’m so happy you love your kitchen and it’s really sweet of you to bake for your designer. Homemade treats are such a delicious way to say thank you:)
Oh wow – these look like the best brownies ever. Beautiful!
Amazing looking brownies!
Does your designer sign on for small projects? We’re looking to add some backsplash. The area behind the sink and stove is just so plain.
Megan, Our designer works at Home Depot in the kitchen department. So I think she only does projects where you order cabinets/countertops from Home Depot…
We start kitchen destruction at the end of the week! I’m so excited!! Great idea about the counter on top of the radiator!! I’d be totally excited is someone showed up to my work with those brownies 🙂
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!! those look sooooooo good!!
Oddly enough I don’t like chocolate or PB on their own but together it’s a whole other story! LOVE it so this is right up my alley.
~ingrid
Yours look great! I am glad you liked them. I was very pleasantly surprised when I tried this for the first time. (And fantastic pictures!)
Can’t wait to try the recipe- thanks! When do we get to see pics of the new (finished) kitchen? 🙂
Peanut butter and brownies! What could be better?
These look phenomenal, what an awesome way to spice up some brownies!
Yum, these look fabulous!
Those look Heavenly!
MMMMM I could seriously go for a whole plate full of those right now!!