Mar 052013
 

Why in the world we don’t seem to have these bars in the US? I see them everywhere here, so simple and how can you go wrong with chocolate, marshmallows, and digestive biscuits? Almost Impossible. The British version does not have nuts, but since in the US and I am American, Rocky Road Ice Cream has nuts in it,  I decided to add peanuts. Plus I had leftover honey roasted peanuts so I thought they would make the perfect edition.

Rocky Road Bars

Rocky Road Bars

Rocky Road Bars Recipe

18 oz of milk chocolate

8 digestive biscuits broken up but not ground/graham crackers would also work (about 4-5)

150 grams or 5.2 oz of Mini Marshmallows

3/4 Cup of Honey Roasted Peanuts or a Nut of your choice

Optional you could add 1/2 cup of raisins or dried cranberries- I did not want to give these any nutritional value so mine did not have them!

8×8 inch baking dish- line the bottom with greased parchment paper.

Rocky Road Bars

Rocky Road Bars

In a Double Boiler melt the milk chocolate. Once the milk chocolate is completely melted remove from heat and let cool slightly for 2-3 minutes. Then add your ingredients and mix together with a large spoon until all the biscuits, marshmallows, and peanuts are covered. Pour the mixture into the dish and evenly spread out. Refrigerate it for 2-3 hours until the chocolate had harden. Now ready to cut and serve.

It is great to eat on its own, but I took a little with some chocolate ice-cream to make my own version of rocky road ice cream!

 

 

Feb 272013
 

I have been wanting to make this cake for about 5 years now. And last week decided I was going to do it. I got this cookbook years ago after a business trip to Dallas. I went to one of Steven Pyles’s  restaurants and fell in love with his corn muffins. I liked them so much I asked the restaurant for the recipe, they said I could find it in his cookbook. It was out of print but I found one. In his book I came across this cake and thought it looked so good.

Heaven and Hell Cake

Heaven and Hell Cake

I am not going to lie this cake is a little bit of work. But would be great for a large dinner party and was able to make it a day a head. Was great to have one less thing to make the day of. I had a lot of ganache left over will let you know what later what it inspired me to make:)

Angel Food Cake

1 1/3 Cup of Cake Flour

2 Cups of Confectioners; sugar

2 Cups of egg whites (about 13-14 eggs)

2 Teaspoons of cream of tartar

Pinch of salt

1 1/3 Cup of Sugar

2 Teaspoons of Vanilla

1 Teaspoon of Almond Extract

Devil’s Food Cake

1/2 Cup of Cocoa Powder

1 Cup of Strong Coffee

1/3 Cup of Shortening

1 1/2 Cups of Sugar

1 Teaspoon of Vanilla

2 Large Eggs

1 1/2 Cups of cake flour

3/4 teaspoon of salt

1/4 Teaspoon of baking powder

1 teaspoon of baking soda

Peanut Butter Mouse

12 oz of Cream Cheese

1 3/4 Cup of Confectioners’ sugar

2 Cups of peanut butter at room temperature

3/4 Cup of heavy cream whipped stiff

Ganache

2 Cups of Cream

2 Pounds of milk Chocolate chopped.

Angel Food Cake

Cut a circle of parchment paper or waxed paper to fit the bottom of a 10-inch cake pan. Do not grease the pan or paper. Preheat oven to 375 F.

Sift together the flour and confectioners’ sugar. Place the egg whites in the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer. Beat slow;y while adding the cream of tartar and salt. Continue beating for 2 minutes. Increase the speed to medium and pour the sugar into the whites by tablespoons until all is incorporated. Continue beating about 3 minutes longer. When the egg whites form stiff peaks, add the vanilla and almond extract. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Sprinkle half of the powdered sugar flour mixture over the top of the egg whites and fold in with a rubber spatula. Sprinkle in the remaining sugar-flour mixture and fold in again, using a minimum number of strokes so that the egg eggs do not deflate. Gently spoon the mixture into the pan and bake for 1 hour.

Remove from the oven and let cool.  Once cool, carefully slice the cake in half horizontally with a serrated knife to make 2 layers.

Devil’s Food Cake

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Oil and flour a 10-inch cake pan.

Sift the cocoa powder into a small mixing bowl; drizzle in the coffee while whisking to make a smooth paste. Combine the shortening, sugar, vanilla, and eggs in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat with a paddle attachment for 2 minutes on medium speed.

Sift together the flour, slat, baking powder, and baking soda in a large bowl. Alternately add the cocoa-coffee mixture and the dry ingredients to the sugar-egg mixture; continue beating until incorporated. Pour the batter into the cake pan and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let cool. Once cool, carefully slice the cake in half with a serrated knife to make 2 layers.

Peanut Butter Mousse

Whip the cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer until light and creamy.  Gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar.  Add the peanut butter, continue beating until thoroughly incorporated and fluffy.  Transfer the mixture to another bowl.  Place the heavy cream in the electric mixer bowl and whip until stiff.  Fold the whipped cream into the peanut buter mixture.

Ganache

Bring the cream to a boil in a medium saucepan  Sti in the chocolate.  Cover the pan for the chocolate to melt quickly. Once Melted, whisk the mixture to combine thoroughly.  Let cool to room temperature before frosting the cake.

 

Assembly

Place once layer of Devil’s Food cake on a cake plate and sppon 1/3 of the peanut butter mousse on top.  Place a layer of the ANgel Food Cake on top of the mousse, then spread with another third of the Peanut Butter Mousee.  COntinue layering until you have four layers of cake and three layers of mousse.

Whisk the Ganache and spread with a spatula over the top and sides of the cake to frost generously.  Chill for at least two hours before serving.

 

 

Feb 252013
 

I feel these are coming back into vogue. I have always loved them and sometimes forget how simple they are to make. Seriously, it is merging the best of two worlds a brownie and chocolate chip cookies! And the best part, they are so much easier than a chocolate chip cookie since you spread the batter out into a pan and dont have to make individual cookies and wait for one sheet to be done before the other sheet goes in!

Blonde Brownies

Blonde Brownies

Chewy Blonde Brown

Heat Oven 375

1 Cup of Dark Brown Sugar

1/2 Cup of Melted Butter

1 Egg

1 Teaspoon of Vanilla extract

1 Cup of Flour

1/2 Teaspoons of Baking Soda

1/4 Teaspoon of Baking Powder

Pinch of Salt

1 Cup of Chocolate Chips ( I used a mixture of white chocolate and semi-sweet dark chocolate)

In a mixing bowl add the dark brown sugar and melted butter and mix until combined followed by 1 egg and vanilla and mix for about 1-2 minutes. Sift in the flour baking soda, baking powder and salt and mix on low until evenly combined and then mix in the chocolate bits.

Grease a 8×8 inch square pan and evenly spread the batter. Bake for 15-20 minutes until a nice light brown crust has formed on the top. Let cool slightly before serving. I think these are great to serve as dessert and could spruce up with some chocolate sauce and ice cream, as an addition to a lunch and served on own or as I made them for a care package since they pack really well!

 

Feb 072013
 

In England it is tradition on your birthday to bring the cake or the cupcakes. So as my birthday approaches, Saturday, I thought I would make some special cupcakes. I am headed to San Sebastian, Spain for the weekend with a few friends and thought using the Bueno Bar in my cupcake would be a great idea. Since Nutella is one of my favorite things ever, what a better way to top my birthday cupcakes!

Bueno Cupcakes with Nutella Frosting

Bueno Cupcakes with Nutella Frosting

 

1 1/2 Cup of Sugar (Separated out 1 Cup and 1/2 Cup)

3 Egg White

1 1/2 Cup of Flour

1 Teaspoon of baking powder

1/4 Teaspoon of Salt

1 Teaspoon of Vanilla

6 Tablespoons of Butter

2/3 Cup of Whole Milk

16 Bueno Bars

Nutella Frosting

Preheat Oven to 350

In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and  1 Cup of sugar until light and fluffy about 3 Minutes. Add in the vanilla, once the vanilla is combined alternate with dry ingredients (Flour, Salt and Baking Soda) and the milk.

In a Separate bowl, whip the egg whites, once foam forms slowly add in the remaining 1/2 Cup of sugar and continue mixing until peaks form. At this point fold in egg white mixture in 1/4 batches into the other batter.

Bueno Bars at Bottom of Cupcake

Bueno Bars at Bottom of Cupcake

Prepare the Cupcake liners, place two pieces of the Bueno bar at the bottom of each liner and then spoon the batter on top. Bake for 20 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.

Let cool completely before frosting. Top each cupcake with half of a Bueno Bar.

Happy Birthday to Me!

 

 

Feb 122010
 

Sugar Cookies

Here is a great classic recipe for a simple rolled cookie. Yes, any cut out cookie does take a little bit more work than a drop cookie. One way I cut a corner with these cookies is that instead of frosting them, I just dipped them half in chocolate. I found this fabulous sparkle plate at TARGET. I was so excited I bought 8.

Preheat Oven to 375

1/3 Cup of Butter

1/3 Cup of Shortening/Crisco

¾ Cup of Sugar

2 Teaspoons of Vanilla

1 Egg

4 Teaspoons of Milk

2 Cups of Flour

2 Teaspoons of Baking Powered

In a mixing bowl, beat together the butter, Crisco, sugar, and vanilla. Flowed by adding the egg and whipping until light and fluffy. Mix in the milk and then stir in the flour and baking powder.  Divide batter into three equal parts and wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour.

On a floured Surface roll out one of the parts of dough to about 1/8th inch. With a cookie cutter cut the dough with the cutter and place on baking sheet. Bake for 6 minutes.

You can eat them as is, sprinkle with sprinkles before baking, ice after being cooled or dip them in melted chocolate as I did.

Aug 042009
 

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I thought this was just about the cutest favor that was given out at a shower recently. A candy shish Kebob

These were bright, colorful, and looked so adorable all individually wrapped displayed in a basket. My only disappointment was that I only got one! They were homemade but totally looked store bought!

 

Jul 092009
 

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This past holiday weekend I went home with some friends.  Since having people over to my tiny apartment is really not an option, I thought I would take advantage of space at home and I do enjoy cooking with my mom.  One of my friends who came had just finished business school, now I know she worked very hard but I also know she become enriched from her travels. Her suggestion was that we grill some rum soaked Pineapple for the BBQ.  That this is what she had done every/one night on one of her vacations in school. While it was served as a snack at this bbq – it also serves as a great topping for burgers and grilled chicken sandwiches.  What we also found out that some people liked the burned wedges since some of our slices were not perfectly cut. This was a brilliant idea and a huge success they were loved by all!

1 Whole Pineapple (with skin removed and sliced ½ inch thick)

1 Cup of Dark Rum

¾ Cup of Brown Sugar

Fresh Ginger Zest about 3 Teaspoons

½ Cup of Water to dissolve the sugar in

Combine all ingredients into Pyrex dish and let pineapple marinate for at least 1 hour. Grill pineapple on each side for 1 minute.

Other ideas for flavoring: Honey, Lemon, Lime, Cinnamon, Ground Cloves, and Vanilla.

Jun 232009
 

 

 

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This is a different take on Pound Cake with Whipped Cream and Strawberries. This was a perfectly portable dessert that I made to bring to a picnic.

1 Stick of Butter

½ Cup of Vegetable Shortening

1 ½ Cup of Sugar

3 Eggs

1 ½ Cup of Flour

½ Teaspoon of Baking Soda

1 Cup of Milk

1 Teaspoon of Vanilla Extract

Preheat Oven 350

In a mixing bowl mix together Butter, Vegetable Shortening, and Sugar for about 2 minutes. Mix one egg in at a time and vanilla.  Add the Flour, Baking Soda, and Milk alternating between the dry and wet ingredients. Fill cupcake cups about ¾ of the way to the top and bake for 18-22 minutes until a tester comes out clean. Let cool completely before topping them with whipped cream. Makes about 15 Cupcakes.

Strawberry Whipped Cream

1 Pint of Heavy Cream

1 Cup of Marshmallow Fluff

7 Medium Sized Strawberries

2 Teaspoons of Sugar

Dice up the strawberries and in a bowl toss them with the sugar- let stand for just a minute or so. In a separate bowl add the Heavy Cream, Fluff and Strawberry Mixture and beat until light and fluffy. Note: the cream did splatter a lot with the Fluff. Top each cupcake with whipped cream; I finished them off by topping them with a chocolate cover strawberry.

May 202009
 

 

 

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I went to tea and one of the treats served was a strawberry piped with whipped cream. I thought this was an ingenious idea. Cut off stem so strawberry can stand flat and then cut an X on the other end of the strawberry and with a pastry bag pipe in the whipped cream.

Apr 292009
 

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Blueberry Maple Muffins/Cupcakes
I was making a dessert for a friend’s birthday and I told her I would come up with something original. She told me don’t go crazy’ I guess people who know me, know I have a tendency to be slightly over the top. Anyway while I was trying to come up with something new I started looking at the ingredients that I had available that might be fun. I had two jars of Maple syrup. This lead me to think about pancakes and blueberry pancakes well then why can’t I do the same with a blueberry muffin. So I tried it. I used my Blueberry muffin recipe and added ½ cup of Maple syrup. I was so pleased with them I quickly called home as I always think of my mom when making Blueberry Muffins.
Well, that was not enough. Since the cupcake has taken over the country/world I had to make a frosting. I decided to go with a Maple Buttercream. It would be too much and for me to say that, it must be too much if the icing was globed on like a traditional cupcake. I just piped a little out on top of the muffin and topped it off with a blueberry. Now I had blueberry pancake cupcakes!

Maple Frosting
1/2 Cup of Maple Syrup (Can add more if desire more maple flavor)
1 Stick of Butter Softened
1 Box of Powdered Sugar (1 pound)
3 Tablespoons of Milk

Whip all ingredient together until light. fluffy, and smooth.
Place a dolop on each now cupcake.