Bungalow Nights (Beach House No. 9) (43 page)

He tilted his head. “So...”

Her heart lurched as she gazed upon this beautiful man: soldier, healer, nurturer. Lover. As her father had said, there was something special about him.

Thinking of her dad, Layla felt herself smile, and for the first time it wasn’t tinged with the bittersweet pain of loss. She glanced over her shoulder, wondering if that green flash truly signified his soul had crossed over.

“So...” Vance prompted again.

Maybe it meant it was time she crossed over to a new life, as well. Heart rising to her throat, she turned to face her future. “So,” she said slowly, “I’ve decided I want to start being happy right this second.”

Then she launched herself forward and he caught her to him, his mouth finding hers to spread heat and magic all through her system.
Yes, there’s definitely something enchanting about this place,
she thought, before her mind misted over with happiness.

* * *

L
ATER THAT NIGHT
, when Vance was sleeping, she slid from his possessive grasp and crept out of bed. Unlike the last time she’d sneaked away, this time she went no farther than the dark kitchen. His laptop sat on the counter, and she used it to log on to her mail service. After clicking Compose, she stared a few moments at the blank screen and then wrote:

Dear Dad,

As usual, you picked the right man for the job.

Love, Layla

Closing the computer after hitting Send, she gave it a pat before returning to bed. Vance half awoke as she crawled under the covers. Opening his eyes, he looked at her face as he pulled her close again. “Why are you smiling?” he murmured.

She kissed his throat. “Because tonight, the ether doesn’t seem all that far away.”

* * * * *

From Layla’s Karma Cupcakes Recipes File

Chocolate Chai Cupcakes

You can create your own chai spice mix according to your tastes by adjusting the ingredients below and/or adding others. Like a little more cinnamon? Go right ahead! Don’t like cloves? Just omit. Cardamom is one of the most expensive spices on the planet by weight, but it provides a glorious, exotic base note. Well worth the cost.

Chai Spice Mix

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground cloves

½ teaspoon nutmeg

½ teaspoon ginger

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

Combine in small bowl.

For Cupcakes

Makes about 12 regular cupcakes

3 ounces bittersweet chocolate

(at least 60% cacao suggested)

½ cup all-purpose flour

½ cup cake flour

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon chai spice mix

¼ cup unsalted butter, room temperature

½ cup sugar

^1/3
cup light brown sugar, packed

2 eggs at room temperature

½ cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.

Break up chocolate and place in microwaveable container. Melt in microwave, taking into account the particularities of your appliance. Start slow! Once complete, set aside.

Using a whisk, stir the flours, baking soda and salt together in a bowl. Stir in the chai spice mixture.

Cream the butter and both sugars together in a mixer on medium speed until soft and creamy. Add in the chocolate and mix. One at a time, add the eggs, beating each in completely before the next. Alternate adding portions of the flour mixture and the buttermilk until they are completely incorporated.

Fill the cupcake liners about 3/4 full. Bake in oven for 15 to 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the cupcakes comes out clean. Take into account your own oven and keep a close eye! Cool before decorating.

These taste wonderful without any icing (don’t miss taste testing at least one from the oven!). But the Whipped Spiced Chocolate Icing will make it a truly decadent treat. Can also use Milk Chocolate Frosting.

Whipped Spiced Chocolate Icing

4 ounces semisweet chocolate, broken into pieces
(chocolate chips work just fine)

½ cup heavy cream

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

½ teaspoon cinnamon

Place chocolate into a medium heatproof bowl.

Put cream, nutmeg and cinnamon in a saucepan, stir, then place over medium heat. While continuing to stir, heat just until it comes to a simmer.

Pour cream mix over chocolate. Let sit for a few moments, then stir until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is smooth.

Put bowl into refrigerator and chill until firm
(approximately an hour—can be left there until ready for next step).

Using a mixer, whip the cooled mixture until it is light and fluffy. Be careful not to overwhip!

Dharma Dulce de Leche Cupcakes

NOTE
: THE ICING FOR THESE CUPCAKES REQUIRES A CANDY/OIL THERMOMETER.

Dulce de leche can be loosely translated as “milk candy” and is milk that is cooked until the milk sugars caramelize. It has a lighter taste than caramel and there are a variety of methods for making it (you can also purchase it in a jar). Leftovers can be used to drizzle over ice cream or to jazz up plain slices of pound cake. The oven method for making dulce de leche requires little attendance and results in a beautiful, honey-colored sauce. One can of milk will make enough for the cupcakes and icing below, but you can use additional cans to make more dulce de leche as desired.

Oven Method Dulce de Leche

Preheat oven to 425°F. Empty one can sweetened, condensed milk into a shallow baking dish or pie plate. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Place foil-wrapped dish in another, larger dish and fill that with hot water until it reaches halfway up the container holding the condensed milk.

Place in the oven for 1 to 1 1/4 hours, checking every thirty minutes or so and refilling water if necessary.

Carefully remove pans from oven. Remove pan now holding dulce de leche from larger one and allow to cool completely. Using a whisk, smooth out cooled mixture.

For Cupcakes

Makes about 12 regular cupcakes

¾ cup all-purpose flour

¾ cup cake flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

(make sure there are no lumps! Push through fine sieve if necessary)

^1/8
teaspoon baking soda

¾ stick unsalted butter, at room temperature

^2/3
cups sugar

½ teaspoon salt

¼ cup dulce de leche

2 large eggs, at room temperature

^1/8
cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

^3/8
cup buttermilk, room temperature

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.

Using a whisk, stir both flours, baking powder and baking soda in a bowl. In mixer, cream together butter, sugar and salt on medium speed until light and fluffy. At a low mixing speed, slowly add the dulce de leche until incorporated. Add eggs one at a time, beating well, then the oil and vanilla. Again at low speed, add the flour mixture and buttermilk a little at a time, alternating between the two. Don’t overmix.

Fill the cupcake liners about 2/3-3/4 full. Bake in oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the cupcakes comes out clean. Take into account your own oven and keep a close eye! Cool before decorating.

Dulce de Leche Buttercream Icing

2 large egg whites

¾ cup sugar

pinch of salt

1½ sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature

¼ cup dulce de leche

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

With a mixer, beat the egg whites, sugar and salt together in a heatproof bowl. Set the bowl over a pan of simmering water and heat, stirring with a whisk the entire time, until the mixture registers 160°F on a candy/oil thermometer.

Using the mixer again, beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. If outside of mixer bowl is not yet cool, rub ice along the outside until the surface no longer holds any heat. Next, at medium speed, gradually add the butter, a tablespoon or so at a time. Then, at medium-high speed, beat until the frosting is thick. Add in the dulce de leche and vanilla and beat until incorporated and frosting is smooth.

Avocado Cupcakes with Milk Chocolate Frosting

This dense cake has the color of a pistachio nut and a slight tang. Goes well with a sweet icing!

For Cupcakes

Makes about 12 regular cupcakes

1 large, ripe Hass avocado, pitted and sliced (when held in the palm of your hand, a ripe avocado will yield to gentle pressure)

¾ cup low fat or skim milk

^1/3
cup vanilla or plain low fat yogurt

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ cup white sugar

1½ cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

(make sure there are no lumps! Push through fine sieve if necessary)

¾ teaspoon baking soda

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners. Using a fork, mash avocado slices in a bowl, then transfer to a large food processor or blender. Add milk, yogurt, vanilla and sugar. Mix until a smooth puree is formed (you don’t want any chunks of avocado).

Using a whisk, stir together flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a bowl. Use a hand mixer or whisk to gently add avocado mixture. Mix until just combined yet smooth.

Fill the cupcake liners about 2/3-3/4 full. Bake in oven for 18 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the cupcakes comes out clean. Take into account your own oven and keep a close eye! Cool before decorating.

Milk Chocolate Frosting

½ cup heavy cream

6 ounces milk chocolate, broken up

Pour cream into a small saucepan. Put over medium-high heat until the cream begins to boil. Remove pan from heat, add the chocolate. Let stand until chocolate is melted. Using a large spoon, beat the mixture until it is smooth. Let cool to room temperature. Once cooled, use an electric mixer to whip into a thick frosting that forms gentle peaks.

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ISBN: 9781460306444

Copyright © 2013 by Christie Ridgway

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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

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