tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39700704712910769942024-03-06T00:50:04.620-08:00Baking Becca(domestic goddess in training)Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger46125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3970070471291076994.post-66226720747211708462013-04-05T14:10:00.002-07:002013-04-05T14:10:59.216-07:00Orange Spiced Scones...or What Have You<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG8lURf4psQbNVvSlhElidR0su-TxGR8gb9Ip2YODvcimFj66hu8UkV2mvifTt3uz_Y4QI3sENo_nzsOqYKvD1WYBvVpqJ6AmLztgc00a2SIxN-ANjWTefDQb-BnGgRiYqNQy8OvkIc80/s1600/orange+spice+scone+edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG8lURf4psQbNVvSlhElidR0su-TxGR8gb9Ip2YODvcimFj66hu8UkV2mvifTt3uz_Y4QI3sENo_nzsOqYKvD1WYBvVpqJ6AmLztgc00a2SIxN-ANjWTefDQb-BnGgRiYqNQy8OvkIc80/s400/orange+spice+scone+edit.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I've got a confession to make, here, folks. I have always wanted to like scones. I really have. I load them up with jam and whipped cream and tell myself I like them, but usually they are just too dry for me. Then I tried this recipe out for St. Patrick's day and it was scone redemption. I guess to some purists these may not technically be scones. Their texture is closer to coffee cake than it is to the dry biscuit texture that I'm used to in scones, but whatever they are--scones, slices of coffee cake, or something else entirely, this won our family over.<br />
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Orange Spiced Scones<br />
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Ingredients:<br />
3 c. all-purpose flour<br />
1/2 tsp. salt<br />
2 Tbsp. baking powder<br />
1 c. sugar<br />
1/2 c. cold unsalted butter<br />
2 eggs<br />
1 c. heavy cream<br />
zest of two oranges<br />
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Topping:<br />
1/2 c. sugar<br />
1/4 c. flour<br />
1 tsp. cinnamon<br />
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter<br />
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Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a cookie sheet and set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, sugar, and orange zest. Using a cheese grater, grate 1/2 c. butter into bowl and toss lightly until mixed evenly (be careful not to over-mix--you want the mixture to be crumbly). In a separate bowl, lightly beat the eggs, then add them to the flour and butter mixture until evenly absorbed. Add cream and mix until combined. Turn mixture out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide in two and shape each into a round "loaf." Place on cookie sheet. <br />
Mix together sugar, flour, and cinnamon for topping. Grate 4 Tbsp. butter into this mixture and mix until crumbly. Sprinkle over both scone rounds. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. Cut rounds into wedges and serve.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3970070471291076994.post-88147360068144926242013-04-01T16:29:00.000-07:002013-04-01T16:34:43.432-07:00Cabbage and Beef Soup<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQNbDch858q9X6MbZZGUZBYt_xNWOBP9g3xoa0NMzkPG6yMo4_2SKn7_1vl69KRy8ZPQ2uGP96PQYI57HSW158L5DXWpSxg6Ej_QGLa6FAJ7Bz4mo4C0tBfyp60BpivjB-27Q2YwDhTzE/s1600/Cabbage+Soup.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQNbDch858q9X6MbZZGUZBYt_xNWOBP9g3xoa0NMzkPG6yMo4_2SKn7_1vl69KRy8ZPQ2uGP96PQYI57HSW158L5DXWpSxg6Ej_QGLa6FAJ7Bz4mo4C0tBfyp60BpivjB-27Q2YwDhTzE/s400/Cabbage+Soup.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Now, I'll admit that when people hear the words "cabbage soup," shivers of excitement don't start running up and down their spine. I'm posting this recipe anyway because, folks, I love this soup. It's hands down my favorite way to eat cabbage. It is packed with flavor and is such a nice way to warm up on a chilly spring evening. Try it with <a href="http://bakingbecca.blogspot.com/2013/03/irish-soda-bread.html" target="_blank">soda bread</a> and it's the perfect easy meal for St. Patrick's day season. Try it and you may really, really like it. Try it and you may, I say.<br />
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Cabbage and Beef Soup<br />
<a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PI9M8IEqqDwBC0wMIl_gZnADpIAKDuSpVh0fDCGO6l4/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank">Printable Recipe</a><br />
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Ingredients:<br />
1 lb. lean ground beef<br />
1/2 tsp. garlic salt<br />
1/4 tsp. garlic powder<br />
1/4 tsp. pepper<br />
2 stalks celery, chopped<br />
1 (16 oz.) can red kidney beans (undrained)<br />
1/2 medium head cabbage, chopped<br />
1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes<br />
1 (28 oz.) can water<br />
4 beef bouillon cubes<br />
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Directions:<br />
Brown beef; add all remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 1 hour. Soup can be frozen in serving size portions.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3970070471291076994.post-64689486138839618722013-03-31T16:05:00.000-07:002013-04-01T07:52:42.502-07:00Irish Soda Bread<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9xbferLtWPIoBNKPvsEdta9REsz6kzkp-kk-2wH2PFQumcVjxV23pLItcXnL3xy71v8VTNNCPNLEqCjbeRK7kNU2zHoApRF5bP4UmQ1m6FDvlFGkIefwQksD7AnLBWBe9QVN5IDzQZcM/s1600/Irish+Soda+Bread.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9xbferLtWPIoBNKPvsEdta9REsz6kzkp-kk-2wH2PFQumcVjxV23pLItcXnL3xy71v8VTNNCPNLEqCjbeRK7kNU2zHoApRF5bP4UmQ1m6FDvlFGkIefwQksD7AnLBWBe9QVN5IDzQZcM/s400/Irish+Soda+Bread.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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I hope your March was lovely, everyone! I've been baking and cooking up a storm this month, and here's the first recipe I want to share with you: Irish Soda Bread. I love this bread because you can make it in under an hour, start to finish, which is great if you're like me and forget that you wanted homemade bread for dinner until it's about an hour till you eat. Ahem. Also, you can get in touch with your Irish roots while you make it, or just pretend to be Irish if you don't have any Irish roots.</div>
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The key to successful soda bread is to not knead it too much. Knead it just long enough to get everything to stick together and then call it good. This is known as having a "soft hand" and will result in the best soda bread.</div>
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Irish Soda Bread</div>
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<a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1M28lnYSztkS4XnQUSXBPLvUGkKGWBpeKhE-4jY8HXtY/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank">Printable Recipe</a></div>
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Ingredients:</div>
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4 c. flour</div>
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1 tsp. salt</div>
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1 tsp. baking soda</div>
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1 tsp. sugar</div>
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2 1/4 c. buttermilk</div>
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Cornmeal</div>
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Directions:</div>
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Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Combine the dry ingredients and add buttermilk to make a soft dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead very lightly until it just sticks together. Form into a thick round loaf (about as thick as your fist). Sprinkle baking sheet with cornmeal and place loaf on sheet. Cut an "x" into the top of the loaf and bake for 40 to 45 minutes. When done, remove loaf from oven and wrap in a dishtowel to soften the crust. Serve warm, dipped in a good bowl of soup (recipe to come).</div>
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<br />Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05184443056329610023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3970070471291076994.post-48169106640058390352013-02-16T15:32:00.000-08:002013-02-16T15:32:23.414-08:00Hello Again!Hello, my friends, hello. Once upon a time I decided to combine my two blogs--one a baking blog, one a family blog, into one. I tried that for a while, but I've come to realize I kind of miss having one blog designated to my baking adventures. Also, my Google stats tell me that Baking Becca has continued to get consistent traffic despite not being updated in so long. So, I've decided to resurrect Baking Becca and once more use it as my designated baking blog. For those of you (mostly family) who have been following my combined blog, I'm still going to be posting there too, this one will just be the one I post the most food on. I hope you visit frequently and leave comments. I've got some fun stuff planned in the not-too-distant future!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3970070471291076994.post-82454445667138916092010-10-11T13:31:00.000-07:002010-10-11T14:29:36.945-07:00Pumpkin Roll<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZSGVQV_fBohu4mq_jLcn6qCFKzA9TAXPIowQeIcxyV6AgSXQJTlptK5dkoJ5xtbEb9sG_6jifReW9KUfGUJnuDBfD4zq2OameajY_uoLQ5ENRBdmgSARMqtaTD-_hGExGacE9XjdvwDw/s1600/DSCF2103.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZSGVQV_fBohu4mq_jLcn6qCFKzA9TAXPIowQeIcxyV6AgSXQJTlptK5dkoJ5xtbEb9sG_6jifReW9KUfGUJnuDBfD4zq2OameajY_uoLQ5ENRBdmgSARMqtaTD-_hGExGacE9XjdvwDw/s400/DSCF2103.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526891378732345330" /></a><br />Several years ago I was visiting my friend, Lynette, in Washington, D.C. and she made an amazing pumpkin roll for dessert. I remember her saying it wasn't that hard to do, but I was seriously impressed by the look of it and I loved the taste of it. It's taken me all these years to finally remember to try making one, but an ad and recipe for this Libby's pumpkin roll got me cooking, and boy am I glad. I loved it so much I made it for dessert for the past two Sundays. It really isn't hard to make, and it tastes soooo good. How do you like that? It looks good, tastes good, and isn't difficult. Sort of like a good looking, sweet, low-maintenance boyfriend. Only in my case I married that boyfriend, but you really shouldn't try to marry this pumpkin roll. Just eat it. Much less messy. So if you've been searching for something delicious and fall-alicious to bake, try this out. You won't be sorry.<br /><br />Pumpkin Roll:<br />Ingredients:<br />Cake:<br />1/4 cup powdered sugar (to sprinkle on dish towel)<br />3/4 cup all-purpose flour<br />1/2 teaspoon baking powder<br />1/2 teaspoon baking soda<br />1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon<br />1/2 teaspoon ground cloves<br />1/4 teaspoon salt<br />3 large eggs<br />1 cup granulated sugar<br />2/3 cup canned pumpkin<br />1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)<br /><br />Filling:<br />1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, at room temperature<br />1 cup powdered sugar, sifted<br />6 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened<br />1 teaspoon vanilla extract<br />Powdered sugar (optional for decoration)<br /><br />Directions:<br />For Cake: Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease 15x10-inch jelly-roll pan; line with wax paper. Grease and flour paper. Sprinkle a thin, cotton kitchen towel with powdered sugar.<br />Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt in small bowl. Beat eggs and granulated sugar in large mixer bowl until thick. Beat in pumpkin. Stir in flour mixture. Spread evenly into prepared pan. Sprinkle with nuts (I left the nuts out).<br />Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched. (If using a dark-colored pan, begin checking for doneness at 11 minutes.) Immediately loosen and turn cake onto prepared towel. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7c42YtT5sYaZPvBYb5PCVebfy8owriOmW3kxdnM43nJvUzCT7jpTnJZ9JPm6HeVuIFwMnsGnFL1dt_9ltMVp-Qoo1r1B6cIiH2YwdD3KhoT5-vHwytjZga-xswzOYeoRrBKygkSoCyyw/s1600/DSCF2094.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7c42YtT5sYaZPvBYb5PCVebfy8owriOmW3kxdnM43nJvUzCT7jpTnJZ9JPm6HeVuIFwMnsGnFL1dt_9ltMVp-Qoo1r1B6cIiH2YwdD3KhoT5-vHwytjZga-xswzOYeoRrBKygkSoCyyw/s400/DSCF2094.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526890620222399074" /></a><br />Carefully peel off paper (I used a butter knife to gently ease it off in the sticky spots). <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij7JG6znEOFY6FDRJoiRWS1l3D9KhP8ym7x6bpQIgH0QWs_QovyCqpKwYmCvPhR8rAmXGkWgeD-RQoTEjZ28V7rl4BtxVnh_ALgjm5siMeCfGA3yEDBtkANoGBBWVTEMbAOq0M-FwNWa8/s1600/DSCF2095.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij7JG6znEOFY6FDRJoiRWS1l3D9KhP8ym7x6bpQIgH0QWs_QovyCqpKwYmCvPhR8rAmXGkWgeD-RQoTEjZ28V7rl4BtxVnh_ALgjm5siMeCfGA3yEDBtkANoGBBWVTEMbAOq0M-FwNWa8/s400/DSCF2095.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526890766345824194" /></a><br />Roll up cake and towel together, starting with narrow end. Cool on wire rack.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFqlo1ppIp7Wi4F5KU_tcVzfEiFRBPWE-ERPTm3TEMo67XGooEUpm7PkR17U6Z1aepljfBGXYh0LS6cE_zFkfFYV1uZxQGaB9jMypISWXDqFznBZ8eVHDqJ2uAhpukN1Sh3EQ2TvOJBpk/s1600/DSCF2096.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFqlo1ppIp7Wi4F5KU_tcVzfEiFRBPWE-ERPTm3TEMo67XGooEUpm7PkR17U6Z1aepljfBGXYh0LS6cE_zFkfFYV1uZxQGaB9jMypISWXDqFznBZ8eVHDqJ2uAhpukN1Sh3EQ2TvOJBpk/s400/DSCF2096.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526890940086520114" /></a><br />For filling: Beat cream cheese, 1 cup powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl until smooth. Carefully unroll cake.<br />Spread cream cheese mixture over cake. Reroll cake. I did this by gently using my hand to start it rolling and then lifting the towel to help it roll onto itself as shown in the following pictures:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVw8HK0Tr3r-2-xuEYeo2BuovGa_bQdaL2Xb5WsAkyaU8kIdWwTVdwE1amUPEyBwWQaAznXfSPPmzhB1s8cRG5BWNioaXbAmEX8f7YTpphN474qLDYhl1X_P_es39ZZ_LCitmMob6pskY/s1600/DSCF2097.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVw8HK0Tr3r-2-xuEYeo2BuovGa_bQdaL2Xb5WsAkyaU8kIdWwTVdwE1amUPEyBwWQaAznXfSPPmzhB1s8cRG5BWNioaXbAmEX8f7YTpphN474qLDYhl1X_P_es39ZZ_LCitmMob6pskY/s400/DSCF2097.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526891046387427682" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnQYYrjuPO3XTvpLlSuMCH15I3V7a8NBhRfzFt0DEAEox6eRsL1ABCJ5nc8taFmnufVkLpOyDt7ycpkLX-oNPPS4m-1FWdCsRpFS4gYhmWYAalWhFrvipDIy0pST6IXl0QUVv_eCKGNWc/s1600/DSCF2098.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnQYYrjuPO3XTvpLlSuMCH15I3V7a8NBhRfzFt0DEAEox6eRsL1ABCJ5nc8taFmnufVkLpOyDt7ycpkLX-oNPPS4m-1FWdCsRpFS4gYhmWYAalWhFrvipDIy0pST6IXl0QUVv_eCKGNWc/s400/DSCF2098.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526891172331901698" /></a><br />Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving, if desired.<br />Baking tip: Be sure to put enough powdered sugar on the towel when rolling up the cake so it will not stick.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3970070471291076994.post-25306605384263566462010-10-08T21:51:00.000-07:002010-10-11T13:30:35.904-07:00I'm Not Dead. I Think I'll Go for a Walk.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeTYJh48s0WY-NFk8JuKFdEzs-zqV4ASrGH4OSmk4D5Kf2fo4wpisaE4KMsISv5lyD7Tyg4FlM7QuyQxlpuKFlGn5qCzkHNca2DLYZbmFb63YMSOpet7CqFFgaETG_ahyphenhyphenCW25Ub2aiLLw/s1600/pretty+peach+pie.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeTYJh48s0WY-NFk8JuKFdEzs-zqV4ASrGH4OSmk4D5Kf2fo4wpisaE4KMsISv5lyD7Tyg4FlM7QuyQxlpuKFlGn5qCzkHNca2DLYZbmFb63YMSOpet7CqFFgaETG_ahyphenhyphenCW25Ub2aiLLw/s400/pretty+peach+pie.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525907672865986514" /></a><br />Ah, dear readers. Bless you if there are any of you still left after my embarrassingly long absence. Having a baby and ooing and awing over him has taken up most of my free time lately, but I am dipping my proverbial toe back in to the blogging pool and am about ready to take the plunge again. So, to kick things off, here is a peach pie. You see, fall has arrived here in my neck of the woods and with it a fierce craving for pie on my part. And peaches--oh heavenly peaches--are just about to disappear, so before they are completely gone I decided to turn a few into this baby:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCPZNstRfOPQDdUjOwpWLjGFhxl33zOrIZ6dPoAC1XVZVa6uH_21FQA926KZ4aGji7ORmbsAJbqrZhp_-9EMjdiHHAhRT8KUZiRSVSL1LuJAHyboMuQXjGR7ChIOCzCaFAET1Mbo6oq7A/s1600/pretty+peach+pie+close-up.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCPZNstRfOPQDdUjOwpWLjGFhxl33zOrIZ6dPoAC1XVZVa6uH_21FQA926KZ4aGji7ORmbsAJbqrZhp_-9EMjdiHHAhRT8KUZiRSVSL1LuJAHyboMuQXjGR7ChIOCzCaFAET1Mbo6oq7A/s400/pretty+peach+pie+close-up.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525909515598601778" /></a><br />Forgive the fluorescent lighting in this pictures and my slightly skiddy-wompus crust, but I was going more for taste than for beauty with this one. I was watching old episodes of Pushing Daisies the other day and was intrigued with the idea of a peach pie with a brown sugar crust and thought I'd play around. I added a tablespoon of brown sugar to my regular pie crust which made it a bit sweeter, but not quite as noticeably brown-sugary as I was hoping. Any tips on making a delectable brown sugar crust, friends? As for the filling, I like the one in my good old 1950s version of the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook which I will list below.<br /><br />Now for an invitation. I know there are at least a few of you out there that read this blog, and I know more than a few of you have a great pie recipe in your book, so hows about sharing them? I am loving pie in a big way right now and would love to try out some new recipes, so if you wouldn't mind sharing them, please comment and post your recipe. And if we don't get very many, no worries, I'll just start working my way through my relatives' recipes which is where I usually go when I don't know what to cook. But I really would love to hear what pies you readers like to make, so comment away.<br /><br />Peach Pie<br /><br />3/4 cup sugar<br />2 to 3 tablespoons flour<br />1/4 teaspoon cinnamon or nutmeg (I used cinnamon)<br />5 cups sliced, peeled fresh peaches<br />2 tablespoons butter or margarine<br />1 recipe pie crust<br /><br />Combine sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Add to peaches; mix lightly. Spread in 9-inch pastry lined piepan. Dot with butter. Adjust lattice top crust; flute edges. Bake in hot oven (400 degrees F) 45 to 50 minutes.<br /><br />I love the flavor of this one, but be warned--the filling is a bit runny. I'll have to play around with different thickeners. I'm thinking some peach-flavored gelatin or cornstarch, but I'll welcome any other ideas.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3970070471291076994.post-39922299525315085992010-02-27T12:57:00.000-08:002010-02-28T13:27:03.024-08:00Daring Bakers' Challenge: Tiramisu from Scratch<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJdMLz21W-mBZ7ZdfQi0YV-4QWetX0kCi2IDcQJy1qfPVbHoISO99uCSnszgeiv6SQ-idqyaCLNkSbA4z28Kz75x64OMdm83q4TqJbvSqznpnS2fOPkIpyOdBrv8JJCxHLikC88-rakQE/s1600-h/DSCF1543.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJdMLz21W-mBZ7ZdfQi0YV-4QWetX0kCi2IDcQJy1qfPVbHoISO99uCSnszgeiv6SQ-idqyaCLNkSbA4z28Kz75x64OMdm83q4TqJbvSqznpnS2fOPkIpyOdBrv8JJCxHLikC88-rakQE/s400/DSCF1543.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443030728478848290" /></a><br />The February 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Aparna of My Diverse Kitchen and Deeba of Passionate About Baking. They chose Tiramisu as the challenge for the month. Their challenge recipe is based on recipes from The Washington Post, Cordon Bleu at Home and Baking Obsession.<br /><br />I have to admit, my relationship with this challenge was sort of complicated. No offense to Aparna or Deeba, but I kind of had a love/hate thing going on with this whole thing. For starters, I wasn't super excited when I read that it was the challenge this month because the tiramisu I'd tasted before (using Postum) just wasn't my very favorite, but I was willing to give it a try. I read through the ingredients and saw that it used espresso (which I kind of figured it would), but also Marsala (I can't have coffee or alcohol for religious reasons) and that they recommended just substituting more espresso for the Marsala if you didn't want to use alcohol. Yeah. Thanks for that. Then I had the idea of using raspberry syrup to replace the espresso and Marsala and started to get excited. Then I read through the directions and saw that this could take 2-3 days start to finish because you had to make your own mascarpone which had to sit overnight and chill. As did the pastry cream. And the zabaglione. And the assembled tiramisu. And we were baking our own lady fingers. Oh, brother.<br /><br />I knew things were going to be frustrating when after an hour of trying to get my cream to the desired temperature to make mascarpone cheese (it was only supposed to take 15 minutes) I gave up and just added the lemon juice to try to get it to curdle. If I were the swearing type, I would probably have let a few fly during this part of the challenge. I was actually very impressed that the mixture at the end which just seemed like really thin custard was able to set up into a cream cheesy consistency as promised. I was also very glad that it tasted better than other mascarpone cheese that I have encountered in the past. This just tasted pleasantly like slightly tangy cream.<br /><br />As for the pastry cream and the zabaglione, they were delicious and the lemon zest really went well with the raspberry flavor. And when you mixed them together with whipped cream and the mascarpone--oh, landy. That was the "love" part of the love/hate relationship I had with this dessert. I could have eaten that creamy concoction by the spoonful.<br /><br />The lady fingers were one of the "hate" parts. I was also sorely tempted to swear because of them. They made a horrible mess of my kitchen, which might have something to do with the fact that my two-year-old was "helping," and they didn't bake up as big or as fluffy as I think they were supposed to. But what they hey, they worked well enough in the finished dessert. They were just kind of creepy, anorexic, skeletal lady fingers instead of nice plump pretty ones.<br /><br />Looking back on the whole thing, it was a good challenge and my family all loved the finished product. It challenged me, which was nice, I just kind of had a bad attitude about the fact that it took three days to make and used almost every pot, pan, and cookie sheet in the house. And I wanted to swear. Several times. Way more than ten times. All I could think about as I made it was that it had better darn well be worth it in the end, and I think it was. I'm just probably never going to make it again.<br /><br />If you have three days to kill and want to make this dessert (you glutton for punishment, you), you can find the recipe <a href="http://aprna00.googlepages.com/tiramisu">here</a>. To make my non-alcoholic, caffeine free version, just use raspberry syrup wherever it calls for Marsala or espresso and put three drops of red food coloring into the zabaglione to make it look pretty. Here is my recipe for the raspberry syrup:<br /><br />Ingredients:<br />3 cups raspberries (I used frozen ones I got from my sister-in-law's garden this summer. Mmm.)<br />1/2 c. sugar<br />1 tsp. lemon juice<br /><br />Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat slightly and allow the mixture to simmer until the berries start to break down, helping the process along my mashing them slightly with a spoon. Go ahead and think of whatever is bugging you at the moment while you squish them. It will make it more fun. When you've had enough mashing and simmering, remove from heat and strain through a fine mesh sieve to remove the seeds. Allow to cool to room temperature. I diluted some of the resulting syrup with water for the Marsala substitution because I didn't want it to be too strong, but if I were to do it again I would probably just leave it full strength and I'll bet it would be delicious.Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05184443056329610023noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3970070471291076994.post-5254896792990068852010-01-27T13:32:00.000-08:002010-01-27T14:01:06.455-08:00Daring Bakers' Challenge: Graham Wafers and Nanaimo Bars<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtm1o-eYIcZ1_teTPDN2K_M5CYyH87XIJozhaeLrmtyKrcr7ZrRlajyBDoSNGZWTgBvpj1ymkQhIzOvS4hspD5qiBujMk3w31PQOHbeFjsyZDVL0jz2qun2VvNOpmxOaJV-8jIFaCkXPQ/s1600-h/Nanaimo+Bars.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtm1o-eYIcZ1_teTPDN2K_M5CYyH87XIJozhaeLrmtyKrcr7ZrRlajyBDoSNGZWTgBvpj1ymkQhIzOvS4hspD5qiBujMk3w31PQOHbeFjsyZDVL0jz2qun2VvNOpmxOaJV-8jIFaCkXPQ/s400/Nanaimo+Bars.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5431537751683294770" /></a><br />The January 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Lauren of Celiac Teen. Lauren chose Gluten-Free Graham Wafers and Nanaimo Bars as the challenge for the month. The sources she based her recipe on are 101 Cookbooks and www.nanaimo.ca. <br /><br />Wow, can you believe it friends? I'm actually posting this challenge on time, something I haven't done since oh, maybe June? Anyway, here it is and I thought this was a pretty good challenge. It wasn't very hard which was nice since we're still getting settled after our crazy December move, and I had never made homemade graham crackers before, something that I've been meaning to try. <br /><br />Even though we were encouraged to make the graham crackers gluten-free, I just didn't have the budget to go out and buy three types of flour that I will probably never use again, so I just used regular old wheat flour which was also allowed. The graham cracker recipe was very forgiving. I fudged some things by not freezing my butter, using light brown sugar instead of dark, and 1% milk instead of whole, and it all turned out fine. That's my kind of recipe. <br /><br />The Nanaimo bars were pretty good--I especially liked the bottom layer. Mmmm. I wasn't crazy about the middle layer which reminded me of cheap birthday cake frosting, but I am toying with the idea of making these again with either a lighter, more custardy middle layer or a cream cheesy layer. Cheap birthday cake likeness aside, this was a fun challenge and a nice introduction to a popular Canadian treat just in time for the Olympics.<br /><br />The recipe:<br />For Gluten-Free Graham Wafers<br />Ingredients<br />1 cup (138 g) (4.9 ounces) Sweet rice flour (also known as glutinous rice flour)<br />3/4 cup (100 g) (3.5 ounces) Tapioca Starch/Flour<br />1/2 cup (65 g) (2.3 ounces) Sorghum Flour<br />(*I just used 2 1/4 c. regular flour)<br />1 cup (200 g) (7.1 ounces) Dark Brown Sugar, Lightly packed (*I used light since that's what I had)<br />1 teaspoon (5 mL) Baking soda<br />3/4 teaspoon (4 mL ) Salt<br />7 tablespoons (100 g) (3 ½ ounces) Unsalted Butter, cut into 1-inch cubes and frozen (*I didn't want to bother with freezing the butter, so I just cut it up right out of the fridge and it was fine.)<br />1/3 cup (80 mL) Honey, Mild-flavoured such as clover.<br />5 tablespoons (75 mL) Whole Milk (*I used 1% since that's what I had)<br />2 tablespoons (30 mL) Pure Vanilla Extract <br /><br />Directions:<br />1. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, combine the flours, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt. Pulse on low to incorporate. Add the butter and pulse on and off, until the mixture is the consistency of a coarse meal. If making by hand, combine aforementioned dry ingredients with a whisk, then cut in butter until you have a coarse meal. No chunks of butter should be visible.<br />2. In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together the honey, milk and vanilla. Add to the flour mixture until the dough barely comes together. It will be very soft and sticky.<br />3. Turn the dough onto a surface well-floured with sweet rice flour and pat the dough into a rectangle about 1 inch thick. Wrap in plastic and chill until firm, about 2 hours, or overnight.<br />4. Divide the dough in half and return one half to the refrigerator. Sift an even layer of sweet rice flour onto the work surface and roll the dough into a long rectangle, about 1/8 inch thick. The dough will be quite sticky, so flour as necessary. Cut into 4 by 4 inch squares. Gather the scraps together and set aside. Place wafers on one or two parchment-lined baking sheets. Chill until firm, about 30 to 45 minutes. Repeat with the second batch of dough.<br />5. Adjust the rack to the upper and lower positions and preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius).<br />6. Gather the scraps together into a ball, chill until firm, and reroll. Dust the surface with more sweet rice flour and roll out the dough to get a couple more wafers.<br />7. Prick the wafers with toothpick or fork, not all the way through, in two or more rows.<br />8. Bake for 25 minutes, until browned and slightly firm to the touch, rotating sheets halfway through to ensure even baking. Might take less, and the starting location of each sheet may determine its required time. The ones that started on the bottom browned faster.<br />9. When cooled completely, place enough wafers in food processor to make 1 ¼ cups (300 mL) of crumbs. Another way to do this is to place in a large ziplock bag, force all air out and smash with a rolling pin until wafers are crumbs.<br /><br />Nanaimo Bars<br />Ingredients:<br /><br />For Nanaimo Bars — Bottom Layer<br />1/2 cup (115 g) (4 ounces) Unsalted Butter<br />1/4 cup (50 g) (1.8 ounces) Granulated Sugar<br />5 tablespoons (75 mL) Unsweetened Cocoa<br />1 Large Egg, Beaten<br />1 1/4 cups (300 mL) (160 g) (5.6 ounces) Gluten Free Graham Wafer Crumbs (See previous recipe)<br />1/2 cup (55 g) (1.9 ounces) Almonds (Any type, Finely chopped)<br />1 cup (130 g) (4.5 ounces) Coconut (Shredded, sweetened or unsweetened)<br /><br />For Nanaimo Bars — Middle Layer<br />1/2 cup (115 g) (4 ounces) Unsalted Butter<br />2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons (40 mL) Heavy Cream<br />2 tablespoons (30 mL) Vanilla Custard Powder (Such as Bird’s. Vanilla pudding mix may be substituted.)<br />2 cups (254 g) (8.9 ounces) Icing Sugar <br /><br />For Nanaimo Bars — Top Layer<br />4 ounces (115 g) Semi-sweet chocolate<br />2 tablespoons (28 g) (1 ounce) Unsalted Butter <br /><br />Directions:<br />1. For bottom Layer: Melt unsalted butter, sugar and cocoa in top of a double boiler. Add egg and stir to cook and thicken. Remove from heat. Stir in crumbs, nuts and coconut. Press firmly into an ungreased 8 by 8 inch pan.<br />2. For Middle Layer: Cream butter, cream, custard powder, and icing sugar together well. Beat until light in colour. Spread over bottom layer.<br />3. For Top Layer: Melt chocolate and unsalted butter over low heat. Cool. Once cool, pour over middle layer and chill.Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05184443056329610023noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3970070471291076994.post-22909046491271437792010-01-01T21:35:00.000-08:002010-01-01T22:05:55.097-08:00Daring Bakers' Challenge: Gingerbread Houses<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkbtjwFZekb8cI_N9-WynvsWQfK7PORbqPLQP-VvuPAHgqO7PjN0lZiOlAVjo1JPbZTNM9jHofI6ngfHSgAwMwYhSWbINWM6SbWVgqAPVRlw-LcfaN8R4cJZG02kJeYN3tAHMP7HnW4yk/s1600-h/Gingerbread+house+edit.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkbtjwFZekb8cI_N9-WynvsWQfK7PORbqPLQP-VvuPAHgqO7PjN0lZiOlAVjo1JPbZTNM9jHofI6ngfHSgAwMwYhSWbINWM6SbWVgqAPVRlw-LcfaN8R4cJZG02kJeYN3tAHMP7HnW4yk/s400/Gingerbread+house+edit.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422016238944628050" /></a><br />The December 2009 Daring Bakers’ challenge was brought to you by Anna of Very Small Anna and Y of Lemonpi. They chose to challenge Daring Bakers’ everywhere to bake and assemble a gingerbread house from scratch. They chose recipes from Good Housekeeping and from The Great Scandinavian Baking Book as the challenge recipes.<br /><br />Hello, my blog-world friends. I am sorry I've been gone for so long. Some of the blame goes to the fact that I'm just plain lazy, but I do have two other reasons for neglecting this blog that are a little better:<br /><br />1. My family and I just moved. During finals week. The week before Christmas. Consequently, cooking and baking exciting things weren't really high on my priority list.<br /><br />2. I am pregnant with my second child and morning sickness has taken it's toll. Sadly, there were some days that I just couldn't even look at a cookbook or think about food blogs. And the idea of making the cannoli that was last month's Daring Bakers' challenge turned my stomach and I just couldn't do it. But I'm into my second trimester now and feeling much better, so I felt it was finally time to get back into things.<br /><br />The challenge this month was so fun and festive. I love gingerbread houses, and I was excited to try to make an entirely edible one--usually I just cheat and hot glue my houses together. We were given a choice of two recipes we could use. I chose the Scandinavian one to pay homage to my Swedish roots, and I must say, they weren't kidding when they warned that the recipe was made more for sturdiness than for taste. This gingerbread made my house smell wonderful but tasted like spiced modeling clay. It was very durable, though. Even though some daring bakers complained that the dough was dry and I did have to add a couple of extra tablespoons of water and still had some cracking around the edges as I rolled it out, I liked working with this dough. It held it's shape well as I transported it to cookie sheets, and the baked pieces were nice and sturdy.<br /><br />For my template, I used one I found <a href="http://gingerbreadbydesign.com/gingerbreadbydesign-freepatterns.htm">here</a> at gingerbreadbydesign.com. I would have liked to decorate it more, but I was already late posting this and my two year old was eating the candy almost as fast as I could put it on. Anyway, enjoy, and happy New Year!<br /><br />Scandinavian Gingerbread (Pepparkakstuga)<br />from The Great Scandinavian Baking Book by Beatrice Ojakangas http://astore.amazon.com/thedarkit-20/detail/0816634963<br /><br />1 cup butter, room temperature [226g]<br />1 cup brown sugar, well packed [220g]<br />2 tablespoons cinnamon<br />4 teaspoons ground ginger<br />3 teaspoons ground cloves<br />2 teaspoons baking soda<br />½ cup boiling water<br />5 cups all-purpose flour [875g]<br /><br />1. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until blended. Add the cinnamon, ginger and cloves. Mix the baking soda with the boiling water and add to the dough along with the flour. Mix to make a stiff dough. If necessary add more water, a tablespoon at a time. Chill 2 hours or overnight. <br /><br />2. Cut patterns for the house, making patterns for the roof, front walls, gabled walls, chimney and door out of cardboard. <br /><br />3. Roll the dough out on a large, ungreased baking sheet and place the patterns on the dough. Mark off the various pieces with a knife, but leave the pieces in place. <br /><br />4. [I rolled out the dough on a floured bench, roughly 1/8 inch thick (which allows for fact that the dough puffs a little when baked), cut required shapes and transferred these to the baking sheet. Any scraps I saved and rerolled at the end.] <br /><br />5. Preheat the oven to 375'F (190'C). Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until the cookie dough feels firm. After baking, again place the pattern on top of the gingerbread and trim the shapes, cutting the edges with a straight-edged knife. Leave to cool on the baking sheet. <br /><br />Royal Icing:<br /><br />1 large egg white<br />3 cups (330g) powdered sugar<br />1 teaspoon white vinegar<br />1 teaspoon almond extract<br /><br />Beat all ingredients until smooth, adding the powdered sugar gradually to get the desired consistency. Pipe on pieces and allow to dry before assembling. If you aren't using it all at once you can keep it in a small bowl, loosely covered with a damp towel for a few hours until ready to use. You may have to beat it slightly to get it an even consistency if the top sets up a bit. Piped on the house, this will set up hard over time.<br /><br />P.S. The original recipe called for making a simple syrup to "glue" the house together, but I just used the royal icing and it was fine.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3970070471291076994.post-55958325553208269612009-10-04T19:24:00.001-07:002013-02-16T15:02:50.918-08:00Sea Food<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1yT22fYG7t-dkuW6LBI2B20CSSyEr1ifDW7qe0dGNpfbuzrlGDHUjg7bQEt4nDI-E6Ku5eEioeT1Z97zzaNR_AaCMmmsrKIHOYAmWGZhLGn24tqWyK0dqyZgtC98aG49Ob7JNObsotD4/s1600-h/veggie+sailboat.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 295px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1yT22fYG7t-dkuW6LBI2B20CSSyEr1ifDW7qe0dGNpfbuzrlGDHUjg7bQEt4nDI-E6Ku5eEioeT1Z97zzaNR_AaCMmmsrKIHOYAmWGZhLGn24tqWyK0dqyZgtC98aG49Ob7JNObsotD4/s400/veggie+sailboat.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388938019096384402" /></a><br />I saw this idea in a Family Fun calendar I have and loved it, so I made it for lunch one day for my son and me. It was a lot of fun, and any way to get kids to eat more vegetables is great in my book. I used a tomato for the boat and a yellow pepper for the sail, but you can also use cheese or lettuce for the sail and a cucumber or pepper for the boat. Whatever floats your boat, tee hee.<br /><br />Veggie Sailboats<br />You will need: <br />Halves of pickling cucumber, plum tomatoes, or peppers<br />Tuna salad<br />Carrot or celery sticks<br />Pepper, lettuce, or cheese<br /><br />Directions:<br />Halve a cucumber, plum tomato, or pepper. Scoop the seeds out and fill each half with tuna salad. Stick in a carrot or celery stick for the mast. Set a triangle sail of pepper, lettuce, or cheese next to the mast. For the full effect, serve the lunch on a blue plate scattered with fish-shaped crackers.Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05184443056329610023noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3970070471291076994.post-1660149240773107232009-09-28T21:25:00.000-07:002009-09-28T21:39:36.222-07:00Daring Bakers Challenge: Vols-au-Vent<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmcM3JWkyBthKbbenUCEESn6x-0pbqbnyXfzwtrst1ub7vfyBpGIhm4Dk8Eg5uijDXifnCstP1K4cmK06YYnbz-1mMpoeKPfrHtRv9LLH8plqqLr9QctbSb38mxZddtl_pwZ-fomEIZMg/s1600-h/vols-au-vent.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmcM3JWkyBthKbbenUCEESn6x-0pbqbnyXfzwtrst1ub7vfyBpGIhm4Dk8Eg5uijDXifnCstP1K4cmK06YYnbz-1mMpoeKPfrHtRv9LLH8plqqLr9QctbSb38mxZddtl_pwZ-fomEIZMg/s400/vols-au-vent.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386743715128255746" /></a><br />The September 2009 Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Steph of A Whisk and a Spoon. She chose the French treat, Vols-au-Vent based on the Puff Pastry recipe by Michel Richard from the cookbook Baking With Julia by Dorie Greenspan.<br /><br />Well, better late than never, right? I was actually supposed to post this yesterday, but once again I waited until the last minute and just couldn't get these all assembled by last night. The main part of the challenge this month was to make your own puff pastry. It was really pretty enjoyable--not too hard, just a little time consuming. I really think I will be making my own puff pastry in the future, even if it's just to see if I can get it to puff up as much as it was supposed to. For some reason mine just stayed a little too flat.<br /><br />Vols-au-vent can be filled with either sweet or savory fillings, and while my mouth watered at the idea of a homemade vanilla custardy filling topped with whipped cream and strawberries, I decided to fill mine with chicken salad so I could serve these for dinner. Oh, this pastry is good. It's so buttery and flaky, I had a hard time not eating them before they were filled. Here's the recipe for those of you wanting to taste the buttery goodness for themselves:<br /><br />Puff Pastry Vols-au-Vent<br /><br />Equipment:<br />-food processor (will make mixing dough easy, but I imagine this can be done by hand as well)<br />-rolling pin<br />-pastry brush<br />-metal bench scraper (optional, but recommended)<br />-plastic wrap<br />-baking sheet<br />-parchment paper<br />-silicone baking mat (optional, but recommended)<br />-set of round cutters (optional, but recommended)<br />-sharp chef’s knife<br />-fork<br />-oven<br />-cooling rack<br /><br />Prep Times:<br />-about 4-5 hours to prepare the puff pastry dough (much of this time is inactive, while you wait for the dough to chill between turns…it can be stretched out over an even longer period of time if that better suits your schedule)<br />-about 1.5 hours to shape, chill and bake the vols-au-vent after your puff pastry dough is complete<br /><br />Forming and Baking the Vols-au-Vent<br />Yield: 1/3 of the puff pastry recipe below will yield about 8-10 1.5” vols-au-vent or 4 4” vols-au-vent<br /><br />In addition to the equipment listed above, you will need:<br />-well-chilled puff pastry dough (recipe below)<br />-egg wash (1 egg or yolk beaten with a small amount of water)<br />-your filling of choice<br /><br />Line a baking sheet with parchment and set aside.<br /><br />Using a knife or metal bench scraper, divided your chilled puff pastry dough into three equal pieces. Work with one piece of the dough, and leave the rest wrapped and chilled. (If you are looking to make more vols-au-vent than the yield stated above, you can roll and cut the remaining two pieces of dough as well…if not, then leave refrigerated for the time being or prepare it for longer-term freezer storage. See the “Tips” section below for more storage info.)<br /><br />On a lightly floured surface, roll the piece of dough into a rectangle about 1/8 to 1/4-inch (3-6 mm) thick. Transfer it to the baking sheet and refrigerate for about 10 minutes before proceeding with the cutting. <br /><br />(This assumes you will be using round cutters, but if you do not have them, it is possible to cut square vols-au-vents using a sharp chef’s knife.) For smaller, hors d'oeuvre sized vols-au-vent, use a 1.5” round cutter to cut out 8-10 circles. For larger sized vols-au-vent, fit for a main course or dessert, use a 4” cutter to cut out about 4 circles. Make clean, sharp cuts and try not to twist your cutters back and forth or drag your knife through the dough. Half of these rounds will be for the bases, and the other half will be for the sides. (Save any scrap by stacking—not wadding up—the pieces…they can be re-rolled and used if you need extra dough. If you do need to re-roll scrap to get enough disks, be sure to use any rounds cut from it for the bases, not the ring-shaped sides.)<br /><br />Using a ¾-inch cutter for small vols-au-vent, or a 2- to 2.5-inch round cutter for large, cut centers from half of the rounds to make rings. These rings will become the sides of the vols-au-vent, while the solid disks will be the bottoms. You can either save the center cut-outs to bake off as little “caps” for you vols-au-vent, or put them in the scrap pile.<br /><br /><br /><br />Dock the solid bottom rounds with a fork (prick them lightly, making sure not to go all the way through the pastry) and lightly brush them with egg wash. Place the rings directly on top of the bottom rounds and very lightly press them to adhere. Brush the top rings lightly with egg wash, trying not to drip any down the sides (which may inhibit rise). If you are using the little “caps,” dock and egg wash them as well.<br /><br /><br /><br />Refrigerate the assembled vols-au-vent on the lined baking sheet while you pre-heat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC). (You could also cover and refrigerate them for a few hours at this point.)<br /><br />Once the oven is heated, remove the sheet from the refrigerator and place a silicon baking mat (preferred because of its weight) or another sheet of parchment over top of the shells. This will help them rise evenly. Bake the shells until they have risen and begin to brown, about 10-15 minutes depending on their size. Reduce the oven temperature to 350ºF (180ºC), and remove the silicon mat or parchment sheet from the top of the vols-au-vent. If the centers have risen up inside the vols-au-vent, you can gently press them down. Continue baking (with no sheet on top) until the layers are golden, about 15-20 minutes more. (If you are baking the center “caps” they will likely be finished well ahead of the shells, so keep an eye on them and remove them from the oven when browned.)<br /><br />Remove to a rack to cool. Cool to room temperature for cold fillings or to warm for hot fillings.<br /><br />Fill and serve.<br /><br />*For additional rise on the larger-sized vols-au-vents, you can stack one or two additional ring layers on top of each other (using egg wash to "glue"). This will give higher sides to larger vols-au-vents, but is not advisable for the smaller ones, whose bases may not be large enough to support the extra weight.<br /><br />*Although they are at their best filled and eaten soon after baking, baked vols-au-vent shells can be stored airtight for a day.<br /><br />*Shaped, unbaked vols-au-vent can be wrapped and frozen for up to a month (bake from frozen, egg-washing them first). <br /><br />Michel Richard’s Puff Pastry Dough<br />From: Baking with Julia by Dorie Greenspan<br />Yield: 2-1/2 pounds dough<br /><br />Steph’s note: This recipe makes more than you will need for the quantity of vols-au-vent stated above. While I encourage you to make the full recipe of puff pastry, as extra dough freezes well, you can halve it successfully if you’d rather not have much leftover.<br /><br />There is a wonderful on-line video from the PBS show “Baking with Julia” that accompanies the book. In it, Michel Richard and Julia Child demonstrate making puff pastry dough (although they go on to use it in other applications). They do seem to give slightly different ingredient measurements verbally than the ones in the book…I listed the recipe as it appears printed in the book. http://video.pbs.org/video/1174110297/search/Pastry<br /><br />Ingredients:<br />2-1/2 cups (12.2 oz/ 354 g) unbleached all-purpose flour<br />1-1/4 cups (5.0 oz/ 142 g) cake flour<br />1 tbsp. salt (you can cut this by half for a less salty dough or for sweet preparations)<br />1-1/4 cups (10 fl oz/ 300 ml) ice water<br />1 pound (16 oz/ 454 g) very cold unsalted butter <br /><br />plus extra flour for dusting work surface<br /><br />Mixing the Dough:<br /><br />Check the capacity of your food processor before you start. If it cannot hold the full quantity of ingredients, make the dough into two batches and combine them. <br /><br />Put the all-purpose flour, cake flour, and salt in the work bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade and pulse a couple of times just to mix. Add the water all at once, pulsing until the dough forms a ball on the blade. The dough will be very moist and pliable and will hold together when squeezed between your fingers. (Actually, it will feel like Play-Doh.) <br /><br />Remove the dough from the machine, form it into a ball, with a small sharp knife, slash the top in a tic-tac-toe pattern. Wrap the dough in a damp towel and refrigerate for about 5 minutes. <br /><br />Meanwhile, place the butter between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and beat it with a rolling pin until it flattens into a square that's about 1" thick. Take care that the butter remains cool and firm: if it has softened or become oily, chill it before continuing. <br /><br />Incorporating the Butter:<br /><br />Unwrap the dough and place it on a work surface dusted with all-purpose flour (A cool piece of marble is the ideal surface for puff pastry) with your rolling pin (preferably a French rolling pin without handles), press on the dough to flatten it and then roll it into a 10" square. Keep the top and bottom of the dough well floured to prevent sticking and lift the dough and move it around frequently. Starting from the center of the square, roll out over each corner to create a thick center pad with "ears," or flaps. <br /><br />Place the cold butter in the middle of the dough and fold the ears over the butter, stretching them as needed so that they overlap slightly and encase the butter completely. (If you have to stretch the dough, stretch it from all over; don't just pull the ends) you should now have a package that is 8" square. <br /><br />To make great puff pastry, it is important to keep the dough cold at all times. There are specified times for chilling the dough, but if your room is warm, or you work slowly, or you find that for no particular reason the butter starts to ooze out of the pastry, cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate it . You can stop at any point in the process and continue at your convenience or when the dough is properly chilled. <br /><br />Making the Turns:<br /><br />Gently but firmly press the rolling pin against the top and bottom edges of the square (this will help keep it square). Then, keeping the work surface and the top of the dough well floured to prevent sticking, roll the dough into a rectangle that is three times as long as the square you started with, about 24" (don't worry about the width of the rectangle: if you get the 24", everything else will work itself out.) With this first roll, it is particularly important that the butter be rolled evenly along the length and width of the rectangle; check when you start rolling that the butter is moving along well, and roll a bit harder or more evenly, if necessary, to get a smooth, even dough-butter sandwich (use your arm-strength!). <br /><br />With a pastry brush, brush off the excess flour from the top of the dough, and fold the rectangle up from the bottom and down from the top in thirds, like a business letter, brushing off the excess flour. You have completed one turn. <br /><br />Rotate the dough so that the closed fold is to your left, like the spine of a book. Repeat the rolling and folding process, rolling the dough to a length of 24" and then folding it in thirds. This is the second turn.<br /><br />Chilling the Dough:<br /><br />If the dough is still cool and no butter is oozing out, you can give the dough another two turns now. If the condition of the dough is iffy, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes. Each time you refrigerate the dough, mark the number of turns you've completed by indenting the dough with your fingertips. It is best to refrigerate the dough for 30 to 60 minutes between each set of two turns. <br /><br />The total number of turns needed is six. If you prefer, you can give the dough just four turns now, chill it overnight, and do the last two turns the next day. Puff pastry is extremely flexible in this regard. However, no matter how you arrange your schedule, you should plan to chill the dough for at least an hour before cutting or shaping it.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3970070471291076994.post-68731046445755504162009-09-28T16:30:00.000-07:002009-09-28T16:30:00.505-07:00Butternut Soup with Parmesan Croutons<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6rjWe1ZLPWrnNvlrAysBiBC1Z0d3MvZd_CgWHZimqj-8Xu_9KouBxX0DYijjUKZGUQrRmadfWa6nQTvSX7yPL4__XXkap4kbBdDf4Cq1SsZ-ZFIWB-UMgW73tgH3J-XP59-HuJmqG13s/s1600-h/DSCF1369.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6rjWe1ZLPWrnNvlrAysBiBC1Z0d3MvZd_CgWHZimqj-8Xu_9KouBxX0DYijjUKZGUQrRmadfWa6nQTvSX7yPL4__XXkap4kbBdDf4Cq1SsZ-ZFIWB-UMgW73tgH3J-XP59-HuJmqG13s/s400/DSCF1369.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384067410420946178" /></a><br />I love early fall. I say early fall because <em>late</em> fall, well, let's just say we're not the best of friends. But in early fall you still have plenty of warm days and green trees with just the slightest hint of changing color in higher elevations. Ah. Unfortunately, the warm weather can't always last and if the weather reports are right, we're in for quite the cold spell this week. So, for the sake of warding off that autumn chill, here's a recipe for some tasty butternut soup with Parmesan croutons that I tried a couple of weeks ago. Admittedly not everyone loves squash, but by way of recommendation let me tell you that my squash-averse husband said (with wonder) that this soup didn't even taste like squash. So there you go. Give it a try whether you're a squash fan or not.<br /><br />Butternut Soup with Parmesan Croutons<br />(from Healthy Cooking magazine)<br />Ingredients:<br />1 medium butternut squash (about 3 lbs.), peeled, seeded and cut into 1-in. cubes<br />2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided<br />1/4 tsp. pepper<br />1 large onion, chopped<br />3 celery ribs, chopped<br />2 Tbsp. minced fresh sage or 2 tsp. rubbed sage<br />3 cans (14-1/2 oz. each) reduced-sodium chicken broth (or regular if that's what you have on hand)<br /><br />For Croutons:<br />2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese<br />2 Tbsp. olive oil<br />1 Tbsp. minced fresh sage or 1 tsp. rubbed sage<br />2 garlic cloves, minced<br />2 cups cubed French bread (1/2-in. cubes)<br />Cooking spray<br />Additional grated Parmesan cheese, optional<br /><br />Directions:<br />1. Place squash in a 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan lightly coated with cooking spray. Drizzle with 1 Tbsp. oil; sprinkle with pepper. Toss to coat. Bake, uncovered, at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 30-35 minutes or until tender, stirring every 15 minutes. Set aside.<br />2. In a Dutch oven/heavy stew pot saute the onion, celery and sage in remaining oil until tender. Stir in broth and reserved squash. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until heated through. Cool slightly. <br />3. In a blender, puree soup in batches until smooth. Return to the pan; heat through.<br />4. For croutons, in a small bowl, combine the cheese, oil, sage and garlic. Add bread cubes and spritz with cooking spray; toss to coat. Place on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 5-8 minutes or until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Serve with soup and sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese if desired.Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05184443056329610023noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3970070471291076994.post-8848216462803855682009-09-21T16:31:00.000-07:002009-09-26T14:58:47.559-07:00Monkey Cupcakes for My Littlest Sous Chef<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3-UdiZ-syqbTLdK0UxTmwiRsNI5lUVGlazl_sJnXjwgmj1Nn3Z9aHUrHmS4EWBPVrK_PK4X57O70AQxR_EMBrTXQflNF7vA1eXptO9wZYKubRvJPz4ytVpZSCy2yc4hAZGCUU5hxYbyk/s1600-h/DSCF1373.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3-UdiZ-syqbTLdK0UxTmwiRsNI5lUVGlazl_sJnXjwgmj1Nn3Z9aHUrHmS4EWBPVrK_PK4X57O70AQxR_EMBrTXQflNF7vA1eXptO9wZYKubRvJPz4ytVpZSCy2yc4hAZGCUU5hxYbyk/s400/DSCF1373.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384068654982246786" /></a><br />A little over a week ago my son had his second birthday. Man, that feels weird to type that when I could swear up and down that he just turned one. Nevertheless, he is now two and I wanted to make something monkey-themed for his birthday given the fact that he has been obsessed with <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0381971/">Curious George</a> in a big way for the past three months. So, after a google search for monkey cupcakes, I decided on one I saw on the <a href="http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Monkey-Cupcakes">Taste of Home </a> website, with some slight modifications. They were a hit, and I took it to be an especially good sign when even my two year old could tell what they were. So in case you are planning a monkey-themed bash of your own in the not-too-distant future, here are the instructions:<br /><br />Ingredients: <br />1 package (18-1/4 ounces) chocolate cake mix<br />1 can (16 ounces) chocolate frosting<br />vanilla wafers<br />Black and red decorating gel<br /><br />Directions: <br />Bake cupcakes according to cake mix instructions. Cool completely. Set aside about 1/4 cup chocolate frosting. Frost cupcakes with remaining frosting. With a serrated knife, cut off a fourth from each vanilla wafer. Save these fourths, as these will become the ears. Place your remaining 3/4 wafer on each cupcake, with the rounded edge of wafer near edge of cupcake, for the face. Add dots of black gel for nostrils. With red gel, pipe a mouth on each. <br />Pipe dots of black gel for eyes. Using reserved frosting and a #16 star tip, pipe hair. Place two reserved wafer fourths on either side of the monkey's head for ears (you'll need to cut extras from other wafers--there won't be enough if you just use the ones from making the faces). Yield: 2 dozen.Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05184443056329610023noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3970070471291076994.post-21918171471884706352009-08-28T21:49:00.000-07:002009-08-28T22:29:46.442-07:00Daring Bakers' Challenge: Dobos Torte<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Tx4fGLZHgoccLnyWs-xV7vU3KnCZ3M8n1VlVx1JtN77m0NG9sowsX5MSDiCKY5h62MHAkQgsfExONsVKIXHx-yns2yFT9h1ONCgP89qB3nSKXure_q3yKNH5835VXl6bJdZf9VdCO14/s1600-h/dobos+torte.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Tx4fGLZHgoccLnyWs-xV7vU3KnCZ3M8n1VlVx1JtN77m0NG9sowsX5MSDiCKY5h62MHAkQgsfExONsVKIXHx-yns2yFT9h1ONCgP89qB3nSKXure_q3yKNH5835VXl6bJdZf9VdCO14/s400/dobos+torte.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375243714915814354" /></a><br />The August 2009 Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Angela of A Spoonful of Sugar and Lorraine of Not Quite Nigella. They chose the spectacular Dobos Torte based on a recipe from Rick Rodgers' cookbook Kaffeehaus: Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Caffés of Vienna, Budapest, and Prague.<br /><br />I'm late posting this month because I've been sick for the past week with some weird virus and a sinus infection on top of that, so it's taken me a while to get through all the steps involved in making this torte. Also, I finished after dark tonight and didn't want to delay posting any longer, so I took my picture with horribly unflattering fluorescent light. Forgive me.<br /><br />Now about the recipe, I actually was (pleasantly) surprised that this wasn't harder to make. I was a little intimidated looking at the pictures that the hosts posted when they told us what our challenge would be this month, but really it wasn't bad. Maybe part of it was that I made mini dobos instead of the full sized version. I just knew that my husband, son, and I couldn't or shouldn't eat a whole one. Another thing I did differently is I eliminated the nuts that the original version has coating the sides of the torte because my son has a nut allergy. I wanted to try toffee bits instead but didn't have any. Maybe next time.<br /><br />As far as taste goes, the star of this torte is the chocolate buttercream with an emphasis on <em>butter</em>. Seriously, I almost felt like I was eating chocolate butter, but it stopped just short of being too rich. It was so smooth and velvety, I kind of wanted to fill truffles with it. If you make it, just make sure you follow what the instructions say and make sure your chocolate mixture is completely room temperature before you add the butter. Also, make sure your butter isn't too soft--apparently some people had trouble getting their buttercream to set up because of overly-soft butter. <br /><br />Anyway, this was fun, pretty, enough of a challenge to be good for Daring Bakers, but easy enough that I could do it sick. For the recipe you can go to the host bakers' blogs: <a href="http://www.aspoonfulofsugar.net/wp/2009/08/dobos-torta-a-daring-bakers-challenge/#more-1471">A Spoonful of Sugar</a> or <a href="http://www.notquitenigella.com/2009/08/27/dobos-torta-daring-bakers-august-2009-challenge/">Not Quite Nigella</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU0dpwOdoe_AUqMVyAiBSkdzSU-MONkY3HZ5bkN4HiW0h4kVzrp2onoyj4HR3q16Cd8PC-tyUIhPR2bbYNGzss-FWeFEoN2ip2Ckpbyu4UfugYrYqUcFE4mA0QuGedzYvx-0wb6PAdCSQ/s1600-h/dobos+cross+section.bmp"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 330px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU0dpwOdoe_AUqMVyAiBSkdzSU-MONkY3HZ5bkN4HiW0h4kVzrp2onoyj4HR3q16Cd8PC-tyUIhPR2bbYNGzss-FWeFEoN2ip2Ckpbyu4UfugYrYqUcFE4mA0QuGedzYvx-0wb6PAdCSQ/s400/dobos+cross+section.bmp" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375252279168956994" /></a><br />Enjoy!Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05184443056329610023noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3970070471291076994.post-41828553455842961492009-08-10T07:00:00.000-07:002009-08-10T07:00:00.171-07:00Spiced Plum Pie<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjro1wipI9uwGzxROgQJRFlFaMPL6VrzW3uGPHn9MfKGL1lSz3_jZKStXPBjDA-peMeJsnOPTK_SS7-6G_4B3sH02StIZ8eRJpFwnCzqTWhYgOabYsZ3MvJOa5_Z0M1Rd_HwiMz-hfEhro/s1600-h/plum+pie.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367685153373825842" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjro1wipI9uwGzxROgQJRFlFaMPL6VrzW3uGPHn9MfKGL1lSz3_jZKStXPBjDA-peMeJsnOPTK_SS7-6G_4B3sH02StIZ8eRJpFwnCzqTWhYgOabYsZ3MvJOa5_Z0M1Rd_HwiMz-hfEhro/s400/plum+pie.JPG" /></a>I think this has been the summer of free produce for me. I've been mooching off relatives' gardens for strawberries and raspberries, and this week I got a whole bunch of plums from my parents who went a little overboard on the produce purchasing at Costco. Unfortunately I'm the only raw-plum eater at my house and there was no way I was going to eat them all before they went bad, so I decided I'd put them in a pie and see if my husband would eat them too. So I did, and he did, and we liked it. A lot.<br /><br />I was really glad that this turned out, since neither of us knew quite what to expect. I had never had plum pie before and didn't have a recipe, so I found two that I liked the sound of, combined them into one, and the result was pretty tasty, if I do say so myself. This pie kind of tasted like Christmas to me with all the spice. If you're not as much of a spice fan as I am you could certainly cut back on it a little, but I thought it was just right. The texture was kind of like peach pie, while the taste was almost like a spiced version of rhubarb pie without the funny aftertaste that I sometimes get from rhubarb.<br /><br />I used the basic eating plum that is available in most grocery stores, but I'll bet local plums off a neighbor's tree would be delicious. Or you could even experiment with combining different plum varieties in one pie. Maybe three kinds of plums to make the three-plum pie that I've heard of on <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0925266/">Pushing Daisies</a>. Mmm. Anyway, here's the recipe. Enjoy!<br /><br /><em>Ooh, don't these plums look pretty?</em><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmNdXAR3J_qj-f9aKOEgnPPeSYUhxO9vOIpQ6vZIyAJl8Ni6Bww8welcO83LHXWtWkWAxap8PmB0V2-n123Jj2zsTgdfHZ_Nd1cR-tOzt2WGNgE2sBB79CnXRj0td5RNlbrE9NOTKuGCU/s1600-h/plum+pie2.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367690458983105586" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmNdXAR3J_qj-f9aKOEgnPPeSYUhxO9vOIpQ6vZIyAJl8Ni6Bww8welcO83LHXWtWkWAxap8PmB0V2-n123Jj2zsTgdfHZ_Nd1cR-tOzt2WGNgE2sBB79CnXRj0td5RNlbrE9NOTKuGCU/s400/plum+pie2.JPG" /></a><br />Ingredients:<br />Pastry for a 9-inch double-crust pie (my family's absolute favorite recipe is below)<br />1/4 cup packed brown sugar<br />1/4 cup saltine crumbs<br />1 1/2 pounds fresh plums, pitted and sliced into fairly thick slices (I used 6 plums)<br />1 cup sugar<br />1/4 cup all-purpose flour<br />1 teaspoon ground cinnamon<br />1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg<br />1 teaspoon grated orange peel or orange extract<br />3 tablespoons cold butter or margarine<br />1 teaspoon cinnamon-sugar<br /><br />Directions:<br />In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and crumbs. Line a 9-inch pie pan with bottom crust; sprinkle with brown sugar mixture and pack gently. Cover with plums. Combine the sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and orange peel; cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over plums. Roll out remaining pastry to fit top of pie. Make small cuts or slits in top crust; place over plums. Seal and flute edges. Brush the top of the crust with milk (avoiding edges), and sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake 25 minutes more or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack at least 10 minutes before cutting. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream if desired.<br /><br />Aunt Helen's Pie Crust:<br />Direction:<br />2 c. flour<br />1 c. shortening<br />1 t. (skimpy) salt<br />1/3 c. flour<br />1/2 c. water<br /><br />Ingredients:<br />Cut shortening into flour using pastry blender or two butter knives until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. In small bowl, mix together the 1/3 c. flour, water, and salt with fork until smooth (this is called the slurry, for you vocabulary nuts out there). Add slowly to first mixture, blending with fork, just until it all sticks together. Drop dough on lightly floured board; knead 3-5 times, or until dough just forms a smoother ball. Do not overknead or crust will be tough. Roll out as desired.Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05184443056329610023noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3970070471291076994.post-44220366227840226232009-07-28T12:21:00.000-07:002009-07-28T13:40:36.192-07:00Daring Bakers' Challenge: Mallow and/or Milan Cookies (grass optional)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8FxNspSA0p0weiqMOutsHc_KK5gsz1j2MJ4uL3YBhcCxNFnC3ITClfoTv-ufWkMIyZUWE_s88BaaangbmdpXPxqMP8qiBcspAuZA2u5d2ZPzBiUzI0G1OjddBjm0V_Iv56riY1TNYI1A/s1600-h/DSCF1298.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8FxNspSA0p0weiqMOutsHc_KK5gsz1j2MJ4uL3YBhcCxNFnC3ITClfoTv-ufWkMIyZUWE_s88BaaangbmdpXPxqMP8qiBcspAuZA2u5d2ZPzBiUzI0G1OjddBjm0V_Iv56riY1TNYI1A/s400/DSCF1298.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363613616177297458" /></a><br />The July Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Nicole at <a href="http://sweetendingz.blogspot.com/" jquery1248809567056="25">Sweet Tooth</a>. She chose Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Cookies and Milan Cookies from pastry chef Gale Gand of the <a title="The Food Network" href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/" jquery1248809567056="26">Food Network</a>.<br /><br />These cookies used to be pretty. Their chocolate coating used to be shiny and clean and smooth. But then I was going to take them to some friends so I wouldn't end up eating them, and as I was getting into the car they slipped and fell all over the grass next to my parking spot. Ah, poop. But you know what? Our lawn hasn't been fertilized in a really long time, and our neighbors with a dog moved so there weren't any little doggy piles around, so I piled them back on the plate and went ahead and ate them, picking the grass off as I went. And I liked them. A lot. So even though this was a bit of a (literal) belly-flop, I still liked this month's challenge. Nicole, bless you for choosing a fairly simple challenge for the crazy month of July. Even with it being easy I'm still posting a day late, but what can you do? The challenge was to make these mallow cookies, and/or Milan cookies. Being a slacker, I just did the mallows, but it was plenty for me this month. The recipe is below, and it's really pretty easy and good. I used milk chocolate for the glaze instead of semi-sweet since that's what I had, but be aware that milk chocolate won't set up as firm as semi-sweet. Also, since I didn't have a 1 or 1 1/2 inch cookie cutter, I just rolled the dough into a log, covered it in waxed paper and refrigerated it that way and then sliced it into 1/8 inch slices before baking and it worked beautifully.<br /><br />Mallows(Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Cookies)<br />Recipe courtesy Gale Gand, from Food Network website<br />Serves: about 2 dozen cookies<br /><br />• 3 cups (375grams/13.23oz) all purpose flour<br />• 1/2 cup (112.5grams/3.97oz) white sugar<br />• 1/2 teaspoon salt<br />• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder<br />• 3/8 teaspoon baking soda<br />• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon<br />• 12 tablespoons (170grams/ 6 oz) unsalted butter<br />• 3 eggs, whisked together<br />• Homemade marshmallows, recipe follows<br />• Chocolate glaze, recipe follows<br /><br />1. In a mixer with the paddle attachment, blend the dry ingredients.<br />2. On low speed, add the butter and mix until sandy.<br />3. Add the eggs and mix until combine.<br />4. Form the dough into a disk, wrap with clingfilm or parchment and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 3 days.<br />5. When ready to bake, grease a cookie sheet or line it with parchment paper or a silicon mat.<br />6. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.<br />7. Roll out the dough to 1/8-inch thickness, on a lightly floured surface. Use a 1 to 1 1/2 inches cookie cutter to cut out small rounds of dough.<br />8. Transfer to the prepared pan and bake for 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Let cool to room temperature.<br />9. Pipe a “kiss” of marshmallow onto each cookie. Let set at room temperature for 2 hours.<br />10. Line a cookie sheet with parchment or silicon mat.<br />11. One at a time, gently drop the marshmallow-topped cookies into the hot chocolate glaze.<br />12. Lift out with a fork and let excess chocolate drip back into the bowl.<br />13. Place on the prepared pan and let set at room temperature until the coating is firm, about 1 to 2 hours.<br /><br />Note: if you don’t want to make your own marshmallows, you can cut a large marshmallow in half and place on the cookie base. Heat in a preheated 350-degree oven to slump the marshmallow slightly, it will expand and brown a little. Let cool, then proceed with the chocolate dipping. (I went ahead and did it this way with the store-bought marshmallows. Did I mention I was a slacker?)<br /><br />Homemade marshmallows:<br />• 1/4 cup water• 1/4 cup light corn syrup<br />• 3/4 cup (168.76 grams/5.95oz) sugar<br />• 1 tablespoon powdered gelatin<br />• 2 tablespoons cold water<br />• 2 egg whites , room temperature<br />• 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract<br /><br />1. In a saucepan, combine the water, corn syrup, and sugar, bring to a boil until “soft-ball” stage, or 235 degrees on a candy thermometer.<br />2. Sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water and let dissolve.<br />3. Remove the syrup from the heat, add the gelatin, and mix.<br />4. Whip the whites until soft peaks form and pour the syrup into the whites.<br />5. Add the vanilla and continue whipping until stiff.<br />6. Transfer to a pastry bag.<br /><br />Chocolate glaze:<br />• 12 ounces semisweet chocolate<br />• 1 Tbsp. + 2 tsp. shortening<br />1. Melt the 2 ingredients together in the top of a double boiler or a bowl set over barely simmering water.Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05184443056329610023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3970070471291076994.post-17136863552071720012009-07-24T09:18:00.000-07:002009-07-24T12:06:28.577-07:00Iron Cupcake Herbs: Lime Ginger Cupcakes with Lime Basil Frosting<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpj8KEcBSVDXyw0ZU2PtyvhvP64Lzc-nmwkQXH7WC383tORLFaK_Z07snUdj1IP-Lj4NMuh3-TQGNwEWbv0nQ9kQfm66QkPfwK6nhOtlICA3AgdLR0SHO57ySqVUOHlNbQElL0HHSrP20/s1600-h/lime+ginger+basil2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpj8KEcBSVDXyw0ZU2PtyvhvP64Lzc-nmwkQXH7WC383tORLFaK_Z07snUdj1IP-Lj4NMuh3-TQGNwEWbv0nQ9kQfm66QkPfwK6nhOtlICA3AgdLR0SHO57ySqVUOHlNbQElL0HHSrP20/s400/lime+ginger+basil2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362087247972954194" /></a><br />I have definitely been slacking off in the Iron Cupcake area lately, but this month I finally got things in gear and am competing again. It helped that the ingredient this month was herbs. I have some lovely basil growing on my porch and I needed to use it, so this challenge provided the perfect opportunity to try it in something sweet instead of just the usual savory stuff. The cupcakes I created are sort of Thai-inspired using lime, ginger, and basil, and boy are they good. I love, love, LOVE lime, and these cupcakes make such nice use of it, combining it with a subtle taste of ginger and basil in a not-to-sweet little package. Ahhh. Before I can give you the recipe, I need to tell you where to vote and mention the lovely prizes that go to the winner of this month's challenge. Voting goes from Tuesday, July 28 to Wednesday, August 5 at noon. To vote, click on <a href="http://mkecupcakequeen.blogspot.com/">this link</a> or on my Iron Cupcake badge at the bottom of this page. The prizes and sponsers are:<br /><br />A sweet cupcake ID bracelet by INSANEJELLYFISH, <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5021935">http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5021935</a><br />A treat from CIRCLEMONKEY, <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5335273">http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5335273</a><br />Something from Sweet Cuppin' Cakes Cupcakery, <a href="http://www.acupcakery.com">http://www.acupcakery.com</a><br />and art from CAKESPY, <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5243382">http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5243382</a><br /><br />Last and certainly not least, corporate prize providers: HEAD CHEFS by FIESTA PRODUCTS <a href="http://www.fiestaproducts.com">http://www.fiestaproducts.com</a>, HELLO CUPCAKE by Karen Tack and Alan Richardson <a href="http://blog.hellocupcakebook.com">http://blog.hellocupcakebook.com</a>, JESSIE STEELE APRONS <a href="http://www.jessiesteele.com">http://www.jessiesteele.com</a>, TASTE OF HOME books <a href="http://www.tasteofhome.com ">http://www.tasteofhome.com </a>, and a t-shirt from UPWITHCUPCAKES.COM <a href="http://www.upwithcupcakes.com">http://www.upwithcupcakes.com</a>.<br />Iron Cupcake:Earth is sponsored in part by 1-800-Flowers, http://www.1800flowers.com.<br />Learn more at the Iron Cupcake Cuphub: <a href="http://ironcupcake.blogspot.com/">http://ironcupcake.blogspot.com</a><br /><br />And now, here's the recipe:<br /><br />Lime Ginger Cupcakes with Basil Frosting <br />Cupcakes:<br />Ingredients<br />1/4 c. canola oil <br />1 c. sugar<br />zest of 1 lime<br />2 eggs<br />1/2 c. buttermilk<br />1/4 c. fresh lime juice<br />1/2 t. vanilla extract<br />1/4 t. almond extract<br />1 T. grated fresh ginger<br />1 1/2 c. flour<br />1/4 t. salt<br />1/2 t. baking powder <br /><br />Directions:<br />Mix together butter, sugar, and lime zest. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well between each one. Add buttermilk, lime juice, vanilla, almond extract, and ginger and mix until combined. In another bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder.<br /><br />Add about 1/3 of the dry mixture to the wet mixture, mixing just until combined and repeating until all of dry mixture has been added.<br /><br />Fill paper-lined muffin cups about 3/4 full. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or till tops are barely golden or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.<br /><br />Makes about 12 cupcakes.<br /><br />Frosting:<br />8 oz. cream cheese (room temperature)<br />6 T. butter (room temperature)<br />zest and juice of 1 lime<br />1/2 t. vanilla extract<br />3 T. lime syrup (recipe below)<br />pinch salt<br />1 c. powdered sugar (more if stiffer frosting is desired)<br /><br />Cream cream cheese and butter together. Add lime juice and zest, lime syrup, and vanilla extract and beat until light and fluffy. Slowly add salt and powdered sugar, mixing until thoroughly combined.<br /><br />Lime syrup<br />1 c. water<br />3/4 c. sugar<br />1/3 c. lime juice<br />5 fresh basil leaves<br />1 lime peel strip (1 ½ inches x ½ inch)<br /><br />In a small saucepan, combine the water, sugar, lemon juice, basil and lime peel and bring to a boil. Boil until reduced to about 1 cup. Strain and discard the basil and lime peel. Cool completely.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3970070471291076994.post-12096002442960391402009-07-11T22:31:00.000-07:002009-07-11T22:51:32.112-07:00What to Do With Zucchini: Part 1<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4_nn4yMbDEs8UNyGivtp3bzFqVPnh7YKe-ZhHF3MYpawLnIvL9R4uQSUkharCS9dD4HUMgd4xAKmUEtcI67KoC1UiULJoan0Vsa3SuA67o5BQwFxiaQmcy619joHbOhMZXdpXjuu5wDA/s1600-h/zucchini+casserole.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4_nn4yMbDEs8UNyGivtp3bzFqVPnh7YKe-ZhHF3MYpawLnIvL9R4uQSUkharCS9dD4HUMgd4xAKmUEtcI67KoC1UiULJoan0Vsa3SuA67o5BQwFxiaQmcy619joHbOhMZXdpXjuu5wDA/s400/zucchini+casserole.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357442342233155570" /></a><br />O.k., friends, I'll admit this isn't the most photogenic food, but trust me--this casserole is <em>so good</em>. From the zesty dressing crumbs on top to the creamy filling, I love this stuff. The recipe calls just for zucchini, but you can add in some crookneck squash with wonderful results too. My husband has never been a zucchini or squash fan (unless it's shredded beyond recognition and hidden in zucchini bread or cake), but he <em>loved</em> this. And with zucchini season upon us, many of you will soon be up to your ears in zucchini--whether you planted some in your own garden or just have a neighbor who keeps trying to pawn them off on you. So why not think out of the zucchini-bread-box and try this casserole. You won't be sorry. <br /><br />Zucchini Casserole<br /><br />Ingredients:<br />5-6 c. diced zucchini<br />1-2 c. grated carrots<br />1 t. dried onion<br />1 can cream of chicken soup<br />1 c. sour cream<br />1-2 c. grated cheese<br />1/2 c. margarine or butter, melted<br />8 oz. seasoned dressing crumbs<br /><br />Directions:<br />Cook zucchini, onion, and carrots in small quantity of water until barely tender. Add soup, sour cream, and cheese. Mix margarine with dressing crumbs. Fold half the crumbs into zucchini mixture. Put zucchini/dressing mixture in 9x13" pan. Sprinkle with remaining crumbs. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3970070471291076994.post-70377713177908839812009-06-27T22:16:00.000-07:002009-06-30T12:40:49.502-07:00Daring Bakers' Challenge: Bakewell Tart<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDoM5N8EOZ-HRU4uR0jDjyhyphenhyphen29uKVufAKq3rF4KgiHGJaKM7mIME-ui5M_1xCTR4bmsjJ0kiusyheWUWtwQxufUtmsCbw03BSs5CAZF4_bNCnD_y7iap9Wcv0JBAyNlvBuqHmlzz9NgGA/s1600-h/bakewell+pudding3.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDoM5N8EOZ-HRU4uR0jDjyhyphenhyphen29uKVufAKq3rF4KgiHGJaKM7mIME-ui5M_1xCTR4bmsjJ0kiusyheWUWtwQxufUtmsCbw03BSs5CAZF4_bNCnD_y7iap9Wcv0JBAyNlvBuqHmlzz9NgGA/s400/bakewell+pudding3.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353207661757678498" /></a><br />The June Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Jasmine of Confessions of a Cardamom Addict and Annemarie of Ambrosia and Nectar. They chose a Traditional (UK) Bakewell Tart... er... pudding that was inspired by a rich baking history dating back to the 1800's in England.<br /><br />I really liked this challenge--the recipe really was pretty simple but with such nice results. Not that there's anything wrong with the more labor-intensive challenges, but this is what I needed this month, folks. Good choice, Jasmine and Annemarie. Even with the optional element of making your own jam or jelly to use in the recipe (I made strawberry freezer jam) it wasn't too tricky.<br /><br />I like that this tart isn't too sweet. It really would do just as nicely as a breakfast pastry as it does for a dessert. I really think this is something I'll make again, which I can't say about every challenge.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9o6O-11Af56lrazWNIjnZ3ZDGpO639uBRKhZFFns8UciSFXkPDim9lZUCKCYD9nWjqgs9Dot0ADp-d7FeYAVMXIZRcbPMXIK1KNAnMioeJpnAQ5aYBVokT4O2QDJtxHaZKkZsJbeNsgA/s1600-h/bakewell+edit1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9o6O-11Af56lrazWNIjnZ3ZDGpO639uBRKhZFFns8UciSFXkPDim9lZUCKCYD9nWjqgs9Dot0ADp-d7FeYAVMXIZRcbPMXIK1KNAnMioeJpnAQ5aYBVokT4O2QDJtxHaZKkZsJbeNsgA/s400/bakewell+edit1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352249987722059058" /></a><br />Bakewell Tart…er…pudding<br />Makes one 23cm (9” tart)<br />Prep time: less than 10 minutes (plus time for the individual elements)<br />Resting time: 15 minutes<br />Baking time: 30 minutes<br />Equipment needed: 23cm (9”) tart pan or pie tin (preferably with ridged edges), rolling pin<br /><br />One quantity sweet shortcrust pastry (recipe follows)<br />Bench flour<br />250ml (1cup (8 US fl. oz)) jam or curd, warmed for spreadability<br />One quantity frangipane (recipe follows)<br />One handful blanched, flaked almonds<br /><br />Assembling the tart<br />Place the chilled dough disc on a lightly floured surface. If it's overly cold, you will need to let it become acclimatised for about 15 minutes before you roll it out. Flour the rolling pin and roll the pastry to 5mm (1/4”) thickness, by rolling in one direction only (start from the centre and roll away from you), and turning the disc a quarter turn after each roll. When the pastry is to the desired size and thickness, transfer it to the tart pan, press in and trim the excess dough. Patch any holes, fissures or tears with trimmed bits. Chill in the freezer for 15 minutes.<br /><br />Preheat oven to 200C/400F.<br /><br />Remove shell from freezer, spread as even a layer as you can of jam onto the pastry base. Top with frangipane, spreading to cover the entire surface of the tart. Smooth the top and pop into the oven for 30 minutes. Five minutes before the tart is done, the top will be poofy and brownish. Remove from oven and strew flaked almonds on top and return to the heat for the last five minutes of baking.<br />(Baking Becca note: Don't worry if it looks pretty brown when you take it out of the oven. Some people said they got nervous and took theirs out too early and were sorry for it. This is how mine looked and it was just right:)<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZYeHw94KBDurLP3YCgednbyhhbbbByFEk640FH1T2DiOaj7NboMAd4Sd3xEZOp4P2tOtugwRShLWXEEvHjUpn_ipgrXD90k6y8krQBlGQLQVMwLgO0XMMK-TF9axoTMlmZyYFiFrcdGg/s1600-h/bakewell+pudding.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZYeHw94KBDurLP3YCgednbyhhbbbByFEk640FH1T2DiOaj7NboMAd4Sd3xEZOp4P2tOtugwRShLWXEEvHjUpn_ipgrXD90k6y8krQBlGQLQVMwLgO0XMMK-TF9axoTMlmZyYFiFrcdGg/s400/bakewell+pudding.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352246898487001090" /></a><br />The finished tart will have a golden crust and the frangipane will be tanned, poofy and a bit spongy-looking. Remove from the oven and cool on the counter. Serve warm, with crème fraîche, whipped cream or custard sauce if you wish (I dusted it with powdered sugar).<br /><br />When you slice into the tart, the almond paste will be firm, but slightly squidgy and the crust should be crisp but not tough.<br /><br />Jasmine’s notes:<br />• If you cannot have nuts, you can try substituting Victoria sponge for the frangipane. It's a pretty popular popular cake, so you shouldn't have any troubles finding one in one of your cookbooks or through a Google search. That said, our dear Natalie at Gluten a Go Go has sourced some recipes and linked to them in the related alt.db thread.<br />• You can use whichever jam you wish, but if you choose something with a lot of seeds, such as raspberry or blackberry, you should sieve them out.<br />• The jam quantity can be anywhere from 60ml (1/4 cup) to 250ml (1cup), depending upon how “damp” and strongly flavoured your preserves are. I made it with the lesser quantity of home made strawberry jam, while Annemarie made it with the greater quantity of cherry jam; we both had fabulous results. If in doubt, just split the difference and spread 150ml (2/3cup) on the crust.<br />Annemarie’s notes:<br />• The excess shortcrust can be rolled out and cut into cookie-shapes (heck, it’s pretty darned close to a shortbread dough).<br /><br />Sweet shortcrust pastry<br />Prep time: 15-20 minutes<br />Resting time: 30 minutes (minimum)<br />Equipment needed: bowls, box grater, cling film<br /><br />8oz (about 1 3/4 loose packed) all purpose flour<br />1oz (a little more than 1/8 c.) sugar<br />1/2 tsp salt<br />4oz (1/2 c.) unsalted butter, cold (frozen is better)<br />2 egg yolks<br />1/2 tsp almond extract (optional)<br />1-2 Tbsp cold water (I used three--I live in a dry environment.)<br /><br />Sift together flour, sugar and salt. Grate butter into the flour mixture, using the large hole-side of a box grater. Using your finger tips only, and working very quickly, rub the fat into the flour until the mixture resembles bread crumbs. Set aside.<br /><br />Lightly beat the egg yolks with the almond extract (if using) and quickly mix into the flour mixture. Keep mixing while dribbling in the water, only adding enough to form a cohesive and slightly sticky dough. <br /><br />Form the dough into a disc, wrap in cling and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes<br /><br />Jasmine’s notes:<br />• I make this using vanilla salt and vanilla sugar.<br />• If you wish, you can substitute the seeds of one vanilla bean, one teaspoon of vanilla paste or one teaspoon of vanilla extract for the almond extract<br /><br />Frangipane<br />Prep time: 10-15 minutes<br />Equipment needed: bowls, hand mixer, rubber spatula<br /><br />4.5oz (1 stick plus a little less than a Tbsp. for me) unsalted butter, softened<br />4.5oz powdered sugar (I'm not sure how much this is in cups--I forgot to measure)<br />3 eggs<br />1/2 tsp almond extract<br />4.5oz (forgot to measure) ground almonds<br />1oz (forgot to measure) all purpose flour<br /><br />Cream butter and sugar together for about a minute or until the mixture is primrose (light yellow) in colour and very fluffy. Scrape down the side of the bowl and add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. The batter may appear to curdle. In the words of Douglas Adams: Don’t panic. Really. It’ll be fine. After all three are in, pour in the almond extract and mix for about another 30 seconds and scrape down the sides again. With the beaters on, spoon in the ground nuts and the flour. Mix well. The mixture will be soft, keep its slightly curdled look (mostly from the almonds) and retain its pallid yellow colour.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3970070471291076994.post-61343738010896561612009-06-22T15:31:00.000-07:002009-06-22T21:48:33.963-07:00Strawberry Pie<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSe0E0jEA5Z-Dwv8U-lxELgCdsFNoYxgrLToUNJ4e1bl4oPzqX0xyplPp0nMIuuBKq_R9ZozyB3Lmi4LlmDsqKcRkB5gDp7PrxwDBfI9DHg1lkq8FKMyj1s1xQrWdcAaU65bLyMAmABRg/s1600-h/strawberry+pie1+edit.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSe0E0jEA5Z-Dwv8U-lxELgCdsFNoYxgrLToUNJ4e1bl4oPzqX0xyplPp0nMIuuBKq_R9ZozyB3Lmi4LlmDsqKcRkB5gDp7PrxwDBfI9DHg1lkq8FKMyj1s1xQrWdcAaU65bLyMAmABRg/s400/strawberry+pie1+edit.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350380012944705122" /></a><br />Let me tell you, friends--just thinking about this pie makes me hungry. Lately my parents' garden has been producing oodles of strawberries. And by oodles I mean they are up to their eyeballs in strawberries and my usually mild-mannered father has an urge to swear every time he goes out to the garden and sees how many more strawberries he has to pick, wash, and stem. So, I've been taking as many of them off their hands as I can, and my favorite way to use them is in this pie. Oh how I love this pie. The recipe comes from my mother who got it from a friend who got it from her next-door neighbor's best friend's cat's cousin once-removed or something like that--you know how recipes are. But regardless of it's origins, this is a spectacular pie. <br />The ingredient that turns this pie from ho-hum strawberry into mmm-mmm-strawberry is the thin layer of cream cheese you spread on the pie crust before adding the strawberries. It also has the added benefit of protecting your crust from getting soggy, because soggy crust is just yucky. You can use a store-bought pie crust or make your own. If you do make your own, allow me to recommend putting some tin foil on it and weighting it down with rice, beans, or pie weights for the first 8 minutes or so of baking to keep it from bubbling or shrinking too much. That's because you bake it ahead of time on its own (called blind baking, fyi), which means there isn't the nice heavy filling to weigh it down. And now, the recipe:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWE90Cuqamafvkv7MlflUgdwrKZAgkc6jDEFA9bmEa8fsGB5QdW3yz5q5fABRN0FdQz6FQDciEK1LUU014JdPo24ksqnrit76AAeGEa3P0zrMA6YXYhgPBarXMo_4-7eH65q5Cw3DzvQI/s1600-h/strawberry+pie2+edit.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWE90Cuqamafvkv7MlflUgdwrKZAgkc6jDEFA9bmEa8fsGB5QdW3yz5q5fABRN0FdQz6FQDciEK1LUU014JdPo24ksqnrit76AAeGEa3P0zrMA6YXYhgPBarXMo_4-7eH65q5Cw3DzvQI/s400/strawberry+pie2+edit.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350380109899286098" /></a><br />Strawberry Pie<br />Ingredients:<br />1 c. sugar<br />1 c. water<br />3 T. cornstarch<br />3 T. strawberry gelatin<br />3 c. fresh strawberries, sliced <br />9 inch deep dish pie crust, baked<br />3 oz. cream cheese, slightly softened.<br />Directions:<br />Spread a thin layer of cream cheese in the bottom and up the sides of the baked pie crust. In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, water, and cornstarch. Cook over medium high heat until it boils and thickens. Remove from heat; add gelatin. Cool slightly. Slice berries and place them in the bottom of the baked pie shell. Cover with strawberry mixture. Chill for at least one hour. Top with whipped cream. Pie is best eaten the day it is made because the crust can get a little soggy if kept too long.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3970070471291076994.post-84350308189199561742009-06-12T14:15:00.000-07:002009-07-17T15:05:56.747-07:00My Take on Heidi's Brownies<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig3OjXypiGhCcG7Bh16MkeT0fDu09LbkIrDk-gdn-psQvpaX8Tk197gvfG0ylmFrtvK6F-haxqGyPYL32DnLQ6MDnEmAqEb-sil777-I0klm_zyvAyWmtH8YSlnQ98_aOlHmCT_EvwBSk/s1600-h/brownies.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig3OjXypiGhCcG7Bh16MkeT0fDu09LbkIrDk-gdn-psQvpaX8Tk197gvfG0ylmFrtvK6F-haxqGyPYL32DnLQ6MDnEmAqEb-sil777-I0klm_zyvAyWmtH8YSlnQ98_aOlHmCT_EvwBSk/s400/brownies.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346553526262448722" /></a><br />*Note: I just went to make this recipe and realized I left a very important ingredient out when I typed this post: sugar! I am so sorry if anyone attempted to make these without the sugar. I have added it into the recipe in this post, so now (fingers crossed) everything should be right.<br /><br />I have a dear friend who was also my roommate about four times. Her name is Heidi. Hi, Heidi! One of the many, many reasons Heidi rocks is the fact that she makes delicious brownies. I love chocolate, but some brownie recipes I've tried are so chocolaty they leave you begging for milk after just one bite. Not Heidi's. They strike just the right balance between strong and understated. They're subtle but not weak. They're kind of like Heidi, come to think of it. They have only one flaw--they don't have a shiny, flaky top. And to my husband, that's a serious problem. So I've doctored up the recipe a bit, added a little salt because I love how it sets off the chocolate flavor, and voila! The deliciousness of Heidi's brownies but with a shiny top. If you want them more chocolaty you can use semi-sweet instead of milk chocolate chips. And just a hint: Heidi always used Mexican vanilla and it makes these taste SO good, so if you have access to some, please use it!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj_bSKPbu6YWbYkSPT-nZBikhZGsnkceEDlFIsufiJ0PQMWA4r5wps978uUSeuv9mntUds4d27oU3EJfLrh0wv1DNBbMxvrh6PhHaWFyYB9ZJ2INkfmBuk-ShydKkartWAkfD9nwZCNdQ/s1600-h/brownies2.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj_bSKPbu6YWbYkSPT-nZBikhZGsnkceEDlFIsufiJ0PQMWA4r5wps978uUSeuv9mntUds4d27oU3EJfLrh0wv1DNBbMxvrh6PhHaWFyYB9ZJ2INkfmBuk-ShydKkartWAkfD9nwZCNdQ/s400/brownies2.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346561708087079218" /></a><br />Chocolate Brownies<br />Ingredients:<br />2/3 c.unsalted butter<br />1/4 c. milk chocolate chips<br />1 c. sugar<br />2 eggs<br />1 t. vanilla<br />1/4 c. cocoa<br />1 c. flour<br />1/4 tsp. salt<br />1/4 c. hot cocoa mix<br /><br />Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a double boiler or heat-proof bowl set over boiling water, melt chocolate chips and butter together. Allow to cool slightly. In the meantime, blend other ingredients together in a separate medium bowl. Add some of this mixture to the melted chocolate mixture and mix well. Add melted chocolate mixture to the rest of the ingredients and mix until well combined. Spread in a greased 7x11" pan and bake for 30 minutes.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3970070471291076994.post-12197401912145822642009-06-01T12:30:00.000-07:002010-01-12T12:51:31.137-08:00I was on t.v.!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9qw9vIVGUJmDapme2W6ebaFnpEHfffLRVwZMxKYn6MjQI7HW05NCOcVlvlTF2ZVNeRFVCnfmsn85He1TzccZTFmgayXy9qwcsXU4ZJ9vQa1BWTl_LKCG_BakgVAoHv4LowKkmIxe315o/s1600-h/Cinnamon+Choc+Chip+Cookies.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9qw9vIVGUJmDapme2W6ebaFnpEHfffLRVwZMxKYn6MjQI7HW05NCOcVlvlTF2ZVNeRFVCnfmsn85He1TzccZTFmgayXy9qwcsXU4ZJ9vQa1BWTl_LKCG_BakgVAoHv4LowKkmIxe315o/s400/Cinnamon+Choc+Chip+Cookies.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425958493358236050" /></a><br />And I won a cookie bake-off! You can see the video clip <a href="http://studio5.ksl.com/index.php?nid=24&sid=6611176">here</a>. As background, a local t.v. station had viewers send in their favorite chocolate chip cookie recipes which they were then going to compile on their website, but they decided it would be fun if they had about five viewers come on t.v. and do a bake-off. They liked the sound of my recipe and invited me to be one of the five contestants, and I won! Here is the lovely prize package that I got:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI-nb4F2vnVD_8dfdJTaK97ZEwaX4mscJ-zTqEDT3-TG51k8DotuGn8U-trntqtpfMJ4ujydvRydo_3ILP2uLbk6A0FMcO5VB-sCcyYvZ5HWCFEJ0dE5VWeHZ4wvJrDtOmPHbID5vJLuA/s1600-h/DSCF1176.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI-nb4F2vnVD_8dfdJTaK97ZEwaX4mscJ-zTqEDT3-TG51k8DotuGn8U-trntqtpfMJ4ujydvRydo_3ILP2uLbk6A0FMcO5VB-sCcyYvZ5HWCFEJ0dE5VWeHZ4wvJrDtOmPHbID5vJLuA/s400/DSCF1176.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342447151591989314" /></a><br />It's a little hard to see, but I got two really nice cookie sheets, collapsible measuring cups, a new liquid measure, a silicone baking mat from Sur la Table (how did they know I just ran out of parchment paper?), a battery-operated flour sifter, and a <em>Martha Stewart's Cookies</em> cookbook. Woohoo!<br /><br />The downside to this has been the fact that it has seriously distracted me from blogging--that and the fact that I've been out of town A LOT lately. So, in hopes that it will make up for how silent I've been lately, I give you my winning cookie recipe. But wait! There's more! I messed around with the recipe after I submitted it and found a few extra things I like to do to make these cookies even more delicious, and I'm only sharing them with Baking Becca readers. All two of you out there. ;) So, here is my new and improved recipe for Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Cookies, a Baking Becca exclusive:<br /><br />Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Cookies <br />Ingredients:<br />2 sticks butter<br />2 eggs <br />½ t. vanilla <br />1 c. sugar <br />1 c. brown sugar <br />1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour <br />1 1/2 c. bread flour<br />1 t. baking soda <br />1 t. baking powder <br />2 t. cinnamon <br />¾ t. salt <br />1 (12 oz.) bag chocolate chips <br /><br />Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Allow one stick of butter to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, and melt the other stick. Cream butter for two minutes. Add vanilla and sugar and cream another minute or two or until light and fluffy. Mix in eggs. Blend dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Drop by tablespoonful onto greased cookie sheet. Sprinkle each dough ball with some ground sea salt. Bake for 8-10 <br />minutes.<br />Enjoy!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3970070471291076994.post-67306069308559136432009-04-27T10:13:00.001-07:002009-04-27T10:42:07.134-07:00Daring Bakers Challenge: Cheesecake<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHVLwM2DGfajuA4-O4_FzghsDvDKhQSbp7V_zEWL9g8c-26PjSY0suUhoAf7cDLfH42GwiiDfOpLREj1zCQ8seBJNDcULlVJrEa-cm4-7nshpl2Z43XKEyYr-5WB0v35iRU_ZivWXNdRE/s1600-h/dbcheesecake1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHVLwM2DGfajuA4-O4_FzghsDvDKhQSbp7V_zEWL9g8c-26PjSY0suUhoAf7cDLfH42GwiiDfOpLREj1zCQ8seBJNDcULlVJrEa-cm4-7nshpl2Z43XKEyYr-5WB0v35iRU_ZivWXNdRE/s400/dbcheesecake1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329420790678148930" /></a><br />The April 2009 challenge is hosted by Jenny from Jenny Bakes. She has chosen Abbey's Infamous Cheesecake as the challenge.<br /><br />Oh boy, I liked this challenge. This is such a creamy, tasty cheesecake, and not too difficult to make. I also liked the fact that Jenny wanted everyone to be creative and add their own spin on this cheesecake to make it their own. I made mine a Strawberries and Cream cheesecake: oven roasted strawberries swirled into the cheesecake batter with thin layer of plain vanilla cheesecake on top. I made it for Easter Sunday and it was a hit with my family. I can't wait to experiment more with this great recipe!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU13AXnugTYFyT0Zo_UeGmxwxn2tww9RFvOmO8ntjeKVVB1M17RTuUWkQHHgEKNI5f_KgTcNr4cHumpSGcLrDPtXWlREErTofF4v091_SgfFJhrxM3jbn6O6hFDwlRCPwbOu2F4NsmdM4/s1600-h/dbcheesecake2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU13AXnugTYFyT0Zo_UeGmxwxn2tww9RFvOmO8ntjeKVVB1M17RTuUWkQHHgEKNI5f_KgTcNr4cHumpSGcLrDPtXWlREErTofF4v091_SgfFJhrxM3jbn6O6hFDwlRCPwbOu2F4NsmdM4/s400/dbcheesecake2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329420716653534578" /></a><br />Abbey's Infamous Cheesecake: (Instructions for making it strawberries and cream at bottom of page)<br /><br />crust:<br />2 cups / 180 g graham cracker crumbs<br />1 stick / 4 oz butter, melted<br />2 tbsp. / 24 g sugar<br />1 tsp. vanilla extract<br /><br />cheesecake:<br />3 sticks of cream cheese, 8 oz each (total of 24 oz) room temperature<br />1 cup / 210 g sugar<br />3 large eggs<br />1 cup / 8 oz heavy cream<br />1 tbsp. lemon juice<br />1 tbsp. vanilla extract (or the innards of a vanilla bean)<br /><br />DIRECTIONS:<br />1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (Gas Mark 4 = 180C = Moderate heat). Begin to boil a large pot of water for the water bath.<br /><br />2. Mix together the crust ingredients and press into your preferred pan. You can press the crust just into the bottom, or up the sides of the pan too - baker's choice. Set crust aside.<br /><br />3. Combine cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of a stand-mixer (or in a large bowl if using a hand-mixer) and cream together until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, fully incorporating each before adding the next. Make sure to scrape down the bowl in between each egg. Add heavy cream, vanilla, and lemon juice, and blend until smooth and creamy.<br /><br />4. Pour batter into prepared crust and tap the pan on the counter a few times to bring all air bubbles to the surface. Place pan into a larger pan and pour boiling water into the larger pan until halfway up the side of the cheesecake pan. If cheesecake pan is not airtight, cover bottom securely with foil before adding water.<br /><br />5. Bake 45 to 55 minutes, until it is almost done - this can be hard to judge, but you're looking for the cake to hold together, but still have a lot of jiggle to it in the center. You don't want it to be completely firm at this stage. Close the oven door, turn the heat off, and let rest in the cooling oven for one hour. This lets the cake finish cooking and cool down gently enough so that it won't crack on the top. After one hour, remove cheesecake from oven and lift carefully out of water bath. Let it finish cooling on the counter, and then cover and put in the fridge to chill. Once fully chilled, it is ready to serve.<br /><br />Pan note: The creator of this recipe used to use a springform pan, but no matter how well she wrapped the thing in tin foil, water would always seep in and make the crust soggy. Now she uses one of those 1-use foil "casserole" shaped pans from the grocery store. They're 8 or 9 inches wide and really deep, and best of all, water-tight. When it comes time to serve, just cut the foil away. I couldn't find a foil pan so I used a springform pan, but I placed the pan of water on the rack underneath it and it seemed to work beautifully--no cracking or anything.<br /><br />Strawberries and Cream Cheesecake:<br />Ingredients:<br />1 pound strawberries, hulled<br />3 T. light corn syrup<br /><br />Directions:<br />Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Place strawberries in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with corn syrup, and toss gently to coat. Bake until syrup thickens and strawberries turn deep red and shrink slightly, about 1 hour 30 minutes. Transfer strawberries and syrup to a medium bowl, and mash with potato masher. Let cool completely.<br />Prepare cheesecake batter and crust as described in Abbey's cheesecake recipe above. Transfer most of cheesecake batter to bowl with strawberries leaving about 1 1/2 cups in original bowl. In bowl with strawberries stir batter and strawberries to combine. Pour strawberry-cream cheese mixture into pan on top of crust; smooth with an offset spatula. Carefully spoon dollops of plain cream cheese mixture on top, smoothing with an offset spatula. Bake according to Abbey's directions.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3970070471291076994.post-69289163479796328852009-04-24T08:59:00.000-07:002009-07-24T11:11:42.826-07:00Iron Cupcake: Soda Pop<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1DwW1kAWRiafiTv63TMP-lB-gW_xFQXxg9_DfKslJaeaoS_KprzkJx0ieoWXUSekiN6m2gEqsrz2xdYCeeHijlkUa_9ZgPJgHFU_zwK6_e6WE8SzLlQci8K1qbgDZnVewtAXn2AlGkRc/s1600-h/Creamsicle+Float+1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1DwW1kAWRiafiTv63TMP-lB-gW_xFQXxg9_DfKslJaeaoS_KprzkJx0ieoWXUSekiN6m2gEqsrz2xdYCeeHijlkUa_9ZgPJgHFU_zwK6_e6WE8SzLlQci8K1qbgDZnVewtAXn2AlGkRc/s400/Creamsicle+Float+1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329468530908418194" /></a><br />I'm barely making the deadline this month, but I just managed to finish making my Iron Cupcake: Soda Pop entry: Creamsicle Float cupcakes! I used orange Fanta as my soda pop, and I must say, friends, this is my favorite cupcake I've made so far for Iron Cupcake. The delicate orange flavor, the fluffy marshmallow frosting, mmm. But wait! There's more! The thing that puts the float in Creamsicle Float. . .<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmipeyyS-QE1rRoj1aqAm-5Ejbq1clvRERWK_KXYqUsMCB4XemBJnJDoGF7eHtSUj0xLazqIl1G3JbhbcyuIeKzFrkyC7kCez7EK9Ud1_lR8xRCQukdGqhguB7bYHI8h2gdp3Fmtc92go/s1600-h/creamsicle+cupcakes.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmipeyyS-QE1rRoj1aqAm-5Ejbq1clvRERWK_KXYqUsMCB4XemBJnJDoGF7eHtSUj0xLazqIl1G3JbhbcyuIeKzFrkyC7kCez7EK9Ud1_lR8xRCQukdGqhguB7bYHI8h2gdp3Fmtc92go/s400/creamsicle+cupcakes.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328289700849367170" /></a><br />. . .a layer of vanilla ice cream. Ah, the goodness.<br /><br />Before I post the recipe, just remember that you can vote for my cupcake until May 4 by clicking on <a href="http://mkecupcakequeen.blogspot.com/">this link</a> or on my Iron Cupcake badge at the bottom of the page. Here are the prizes this month:<br /><br />A creation by FRUITFLYPIE <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=16748">http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=16748</a>.<br />A pair of cupcake earrings from LOTS OF SPRINKLES at <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6057281">http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6057281</a>. <br />Something from Sweet Cuppin' Cakes Cupcakery, <a href="http://www.acupcakery.com">http://www.acupcakery.com</a><br />and art from CAKESPY, <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5243382">http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5243382</a><br />Last and certainly not least, corporate prize providers: HEAD CHEFS by FIESTA PRODUCTS <a href="http://www.fiestaproducts.com">http://www.fiestaproducts.com</a>, HELLO CUPCAKE by Karen Tack and Alan Richardson <a href="http://blog.hellocupcakebook.com">http://blog.hellocupcakebook.com</a>, JESSIE STEELE APRONS <a href="http://www.jessiesteele.com">http://www.jessiesteele.com</a>, TASTE OF HOME books <a href="http://www.tasteofhome.com ">http://www.tasteofhome.com </a>, and a t-shirt from UPWITHCUPCAKES.COM <a href="http://www.upwithcupcakes.com">http://www.upwithcupcakes.com</a>.<br />Iron Cupcake:Earth is sponsored in part by 1-800-Flowers, http://www.1800flowers.com.<br />Learn more at the Iron Cupcake Cuphub: <a href="http://ironcupcake.blogspot.com/">http://ironcupcake.blogspot.com</a><br /><br />And now the recipe:<br /><br />Creamsicle Float Cupcakes<br />Cake:<br />3/4 c. butter<br />3 eggs<br />2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour<br />2 1/2 t. baking powder<br />1/2 t. salt<br />1 1/2 c. sugar<br />1 t. vanilla<br />1 t. orange flavoring<br />2 t. grated orange peel<br />3/4 c. milk<br />1/2 c. orange Fanta<br />6 drops of yellow food coloring<br />6 drops of red food coloring<br /><br />Let butter and eggs sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, line cupcake pan with cupcake liners. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.<br />In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Gradually add sugar, about 1/4 c. at a time, beating on medium speed until well combined and scraping sides of bowl. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes more. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating after each addition (about 1 minute total). Beat in vanilla, orange flavoring, grated orange peel, and food coloring. In a separate bowl or measuring cup, mix milk and orange Fanta together. Alternately add flour mixture and milk mixture to butter mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Fill cupcake cups 1/3 full. Bake at 375 degree F for 13-15 minutes. Yields about 3 dozen.<br /><br />Marshmallow Frosting:<br />4 large egg whites<br />1 cup sugar<br />1/2 t. cream of tartar<br />1 t. vanilla extract<br /><br />Mix egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar in a double boiler or heatproof bowl over simmering water. Whisk constantly for 3 to 4 minutes or until sugar is dissolved and egg whites are warm. <br />Remove the pan or bowl from the simmering water and stove. Using a hand mixer or electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat, starting on low speed, gradually increasing to high, until stiff, glossy peaks form, 5 to 7 minutes. Add vanilla, and mix until combined. Use immediately. <br /><br />Assembly:<br />Line cupcake pan with foil liners. Allow several scoops of ice cream to sit at room temperature for a few minutes in a bowl. Stir until spreadable. Cut cupcakes in two. Place bottom half in a foil cupcake liner and press it down. Spread ice cream on top. Top with other half of cupcake. Freeze several hours or overnight. When ready to eat, allow to sit about 3 minutes our of freezer then remove from cupcake pan, frost, and serve.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3970070471291076994.post-46599208362725440032009-04-03T13:00:00.001-07:002009-04-03T13:18:11.760-07:00Spring Asparagus<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc6fOp154eflUSVkkTqj9lFukccJUK6h9rRV074zc0heXdxVnw8dPtb-DvpSbFFb0IAzOUJA_P6SYjqMVPKehxSiXA3vs72hreuWmWcNZx-TF2li0WU7kln36o41NgqfpCGjT9MrXuS90/s1600-h/roasted+asparagus.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 303px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc6fOp154eflUSVkkTqj9lFukccJUK6h9rRV074zc0heXdxVnw8dPtb-DvpSbFFb0IAzOUJA_P6SYjqMVPKehxSiXA3vs72hreuWmWcNZx-TF2li0WU7kln36o41NgqfpCGjT9MrXuS90/s400/roasted+asparagus.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5320557612629323938" /></a><br />Mmm. Asparagus. I love this vegetable. I know, however, that not everyone shares my feelings for this noble vegetable. But if you aren't a fan of asparagus, please, please try it cooked like this before you swear it off forever: drizzled with butter or olive oil, sprinkled with salt and pepper, and baked until perfectly tender. Try it like this and you might just become a convert--it worked for my husband. And for those of you who already like asparagus, even if it's radioactive yellow and from a can, you're in for a treat. This is adapted from a recipe called Julie's Asparagus that my mom clipped from a newspaper and passed along to me. Enjoy!<br /> <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv2N4hSOLH1MPdBN8dGuGGl4z6OzOifJL6vxIVjaV9dgF9nWNd0fcO6A1h9pKi-U_G_X9bgoeGJHXbzg03fNONb8FilctzbOItTE5okMKX1-RkWxEwqHLysA-UeCcycftZRNj4dqb1pZ0/s1600-h/asparagus1.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv2N4hSOLH1MPdBN8dGuGGl4z6OzOifJL6vxIVjaV9dgF9nWNd0fcO6A1h9pKi-U_G_X9bgoeGJHXbzg03fNONb8FilctzbOItTE5okMKX1-RkWxEwqHLysA-UeCcycftZRNj4dqb1pZ0/s400/asparagus1.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5320557851245668802" /></a><br />Cook's note: If you’re serving a larger crowd, the recipe doubles or triples beautifully. Just be sure the asparagus is in no more than a layer or two thick, or it will not cook evenly. Use a second baking dish if necessary.<br /><br />Ingredients:<br />1 lb. Fresh pencil-thin asparagus spears<br />2 T. butter (or olive oil)<br />Salt and black pepper to taste.<br /><br />Preheat the oven to 450°. Rinse and drain the asparagus, and snap of the tough ends where they break naturally (do not peel). Arrange the spears in a 9x13 in. glass or ceramic baking dish in 1 or 2 layers. Melt the butter, drizzle over asparagus, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover the dish snuggly with aluminum foil. Bake until crisp tender, about 15 minutes, or longer to desired doneness. Serve at once. Serves four.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1