Sift 1 1/4 cups of sifted cake flour (not self-rising), 3/4 tsp. of baking powder, and 1/2 tsp. of coarse salt. Scrape out the seeds and save them. Heat it just until bubbles appear around the edge. Then, remove it from heat. Then, let the mixture stand for 15 minutes to thicken. Use an electric mixer set on medium to whisk together 3 whole eggs, 3 egg yolks, and 1 cup of granulated sugar. Whisk the ingredients by hand until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is warm. This should take about 5-6 minutes. Then, remove the bowl from heat. Rotate the tins halfway through. Continue to cook the cupcakes until the centers are solid -- you can test them by sticking a toothpick in the center of the cupcakes -- and the edges of the cupcakes are light golden brown. Then, transfer the tins to wire racks to cool the cupcakes completely. To make the syrup, stir together 1/3 cup of very strong coffee, 1 oz. of marsala wine, and 1/4 cup of granulated sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Let this syrup cool. Set an electric mixer on medium speak and whisk together 1 cup of heavy cream. Whisk together 8 oz. of mascarpone cheese and 1/2 cup of sifted confectioners' sugar until the mixture is smooth. Then, fold the whipped heavy cream into the cheese mixture until it's blended.
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One-sentence summary -- Preheat your oven to 325ºF (162ºC). Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Sift together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Halve one vanilla bean lengthwise. Heat 1/4 cup milk and vanilla-bean pod and seeds in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in 4 tbsp. of unsalted butter until it's melted. Whisk together the whole eggs, yolks, and sugar. Place the mixing bowl over a pan of simmering water. Bake the cupcakes for 20 minutes. Make the syrup. Make the frosting.


When you eat a carbohydrate and the bloodstream transports the molecules to your cells, 1 of 3 things may happen:  Carbs may be burned immediately for energy. Carbs may be stored for the short-term as a compound called glycogen. Carbs may be stored for the long-term as fat. Insulin controls the release of stored fat from fat cells. High levels of insulin from high carbohydrate meals mean that your body burns carbohydrates instead of burning stored fat. By lowering the amount of carbs that you consume, you turn on your body’s fat-burning engines. As a result, you will lose weight.
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One-sentence summary -- Understand what happens when you eat carbohydrates. Understand the role of insulin. Limit the amount of carbohydrates that you eat.


The broken up leaves found in teabags may over-steep and turn bitter faster than loose leaf tea. Loose leaf tea tends to create more complex flavors.  That said it might be a myth that all tea bags contain low-quality tea. As long as you don't let the teabags grow stale, some of them can deliver a tasty cup.  Most black teabags contain finely crushed tea processed with the "CTC" method (crush, tear, curl). Many tea aficionados prefer "orthodox" tea processing, which has whole leaves or large pieces. When sold in teabags, orthodox tea may also be labeled "full leaf," "pure leaf," or "long leaf". The type of water you use can have a major effect on taste. If you dislike the taste of your tap water, filter it before heating it for tea. If the tea still tastes funky, try bottled water. Water labeled "alkaline" may be a good choice, but with so many brands of water and types of tea you may need to experiment on your own. Distilled water tends to make your tea taste flat and dull. Plastic kettles may leech undesirable flavors into your tea. Most quality teas should recommend an ideal water temperature, but you can use these simple rules in most cases (assuming you are near sea level):  Black teas are almost always brewed at near-boiling temperatures. Bring to a boil, then let stand for thirty seconds or so before pouring. Most green teas brew best at 160–170ºF (70–76ºC), or when a column of steam starts rising from the water.  Many Japanese green teas and some early spring Chinese green teas are extra delicate and should not be brewed above 160ºF (70ºC). Anything hotter can make these teas very bitter. Tea leaves develop more complex flavors when they can expand in the water, sometimes as much as five times their original size. If you're using loose leaf tea, don't confine it to a "tea ball" or another small container. Go for stainless steel, cup-shaped brew basket or brew in a teapot with a filtered spout to block the leaves. As a rule of thumb, put in 1 tsp (5 mL) tea leaves (or one teabag) for every 6 oz (175 mL) water. Feel free to add more if you're looking for a stronger taste. (Alternatively, try the Eastern style brewing method described below, which uses a higher concentration of leaves.) If you dislike the flavor of your tea, you may need to give it more time to steep — or you may need to take the leaves out early before they release bitter tannins. Tasting your tea every 30 seconds or so is an easy way to figure out what you prefer. You'll usually end up with good flavors if you follow the guide on the tea label, or use these rules of thumb:  3–5 minutes for black tea or oolong 3 minutes for Chinese green tea About 2 minutes for Japanese green tea 1–3 minutes for white tea  Note — water at a higher temperature extracts flavors much faster. You may need to rely on taste tests if you're eyeballing the temperature. Most loose leaf teas can stand up to a second or third steep in the same sitting. Pay attention to the flavors, which change subtly on each brew. Teabags lose flavor much faster; just squeeze them into the tea to get the flavors out before drinking your first cup. If you're trying to maximize the flavor of the tea itself, listen to the tea snobs: try to enjoy the tea plain, or add at most a splash of dairy and a small spoonful of sweetener to black tea. That said, if you're just trying to enjoy yourself, add as much as you like. Chai tea has a particularly intense flavor, and you can make it yourself by adding cloves, cardamom, and other spices. You can also buy tea that comes pre-flavored. The highest quality teas are rarely sold this way, but that doesn't mean you can't find something you enjoy.
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One-sentence summary --
Start with whole, loose leaf tea (recommended). Choose your water. Heat water in a glass or stainless steel kettle. Brew in a basket or other large container. Taste your tea as it steeps. Steep repeatedly or squeeze the teabag. Add flavoring if necessary.