Tag Archives: Baking

February 6, 2013 · 2:54 am

Super Bowl Cupcakes

Super Bowl Cupcakes

Did you watch the Super Bowl?

Even though my city’s team wasn’t in the Super Bowl, I still had fun watching the game, all of the commercials and, of course, the FOOD!

I saw this Super Bowl dessert recipe for Pull Apart Touchdown Cupcakes and just had to make it/them! This recipe was a lot of fun – I definitely reached out to some of my boyfriend’s friends to help me with a play-by-play option to set-up all of the players (Sour Patch Kids) on the field (cupcake valley). After all, I wanted it to be as “authentic” as a Super Bowl dessert has the potential to be!

What recipes did you make or do you make for watching sports?

Cheers!

 

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November 27, 2012 · 12:39 am

Mini Salted Caramel Cheesecakes


When I was younger, I was also incredibly busy and felt like I was never at home. Now that I’m older, I really enjoy the times that I am able to come home and see my family. This past Thanksgiving was no different. I usually participate in baking or cooking festivities for Thanksgiving; however, this Thanksgiving I completely ran out of time and my family and friends handled everything. It was actually quite relaxing and I’m quite thankful for for that!

Like many other Americans, one of our traditions during the Thanksgiving holiday is to watch all of the intense rivalry football games.  I decided to make Mini Salted Caramel Cheesecakes from Cooking Light for a nice treat during the games. The actual recipe is not difficult, but the time needed between steps was a bit lengthy. Therefore, it was a perfect baking adventure to do between quarters of football this past Saturday!

Step 1: Crush Vanilla Wafers for Crust

Step 2: Place Crust in Cupcake Tin; Bake

Step 3: Mix Filling Ingredients Together;
Place in Cooled Cupcake Tin

Step 4: Bake and Let Cool

Step 5: Create Caramel and
Place on Top; Sprinkle Salt Flakes; Eat

Again, I’ve totally been overdoing it on the “mini” trend lately. But, when I saw this recipe, I just couldn’t resist! The crust uses vanilla wafers which provides a different burst of crumbly texture and sweet flavors, especially when combined with the salted caramel. I’m a total fan of using salted caramel because it helps dilute some of the overly sweet flavors of desserts and makes it a bit more enjoyable.

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving or if you don’t celebrate Thanksgiving, I hope you had a wonderful weekend!

Cheers!

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September 16, 2012 · 11:35 pm

Pie Lollipops


All right, all right… so I’m totally aware that I posted a few weeks ago about how I was semi-bored with pies and wanted to try something different for dessert. And, in all fairness, I was totally in the mood to try something unique, outrageous or something that required a trip to some specialty shops to acquire ingredients. But, this idea became quickly obsolete once I stumbled upon the idea of Cherry Hand Pies.

These Cherry Hand Pies looked absolutely delicious; however, I wanted to make this dessert in a smaller format so I figured that something like pie lollipops would be ideal. Again, even though I’ve made too many pies in the past year, I figured that a new and different format would make it totally worth it!

Step 1: Make Dough


Step 2: Prepare Pie Filling


Step 3: Cut Out Pie Shapes


Step 4: Brush Edges With Egg Wash;
Spoon Filling Onto Dough; Crimp and Press
Other Side Together; Put Stick into Dough

Step 5: Bake and Enjoy!


These pie lollipops remind of the current trend of cake pops. But, in my opinion, these are easier to make and a little bit more rewarding for the sheer fact that they actually resemble a mini pie in appearance. These are a perfect treat that can be taken to barbecues, dinner parties or exactly whatever you are feeling like at the time. Plus, there isn’t that much of a learning curve since they aren’t that different from a normal pie!

Cheers!

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August 22, 2012 · 2:21 am

Nectarine Raspberry Pie

Let’s face it – a pie is a pie. All right, that sounded like an incredibly silly statement, but I promise it’s true. Just hear me out. I will attest that a homemade, totally-from-scratch-pie does take a lot of time and effort and if done well is totally worth it. But, really, it’s all about what is actually in the pie a.k.a the delicious filling. I’ve made too many apple, blackberry or blueberry pies to last a lifetime (okay, not really, but you get the point). So, like I said, the key to the pie is the filling!

This past weekend I wanted to make a pie. So, when I saw a recipe for Nectarine Raspberry Pie, I got a little excited. I do realize that this isn’t the most unique pie; however, it is definitely different than the norm so I figured I needed to go for it. Plus, I’m always in the mood for experimenting with new recipes!

Step 1: Make Pie Dough


Step 2: Put Filling in and Bake


Step 3: Slice and Eat


I normally like making a pie with intricate latices, but I totally embraced the opportunity to make this pie more rustic with a full-fledged cover. The edges on this pie browned a little bit more quickly than I expected, but in the end, the pie still cooked well and the flavors from the fruit developed well.

This is definitely a great pie if you’re in the mood for something different than the standard apple or cherry pie.

Cheers!

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July 5, 2012 · 5:02 pm

Happy July Fourth!


Happy July 4th! I hope everyone had a safe and fun day with friends and family (and with plenty of delicious food, of course!). This cake is from Better Homes and Gardens Festive Fourth of July Desserts. I didn’t put the jam on it; however, I think it still turned out well. Just a simple cake with plenty of fresh berries and frosting!

What did you make for July 4th?

Cheers!

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June 4, 2012 · 8:11 pm

Brown Butter Raspberry Tart

How I ended up picking this recipe was strikingly similar to how I decide to purchase something when I’m shopping for clothes. How? Well, sometimes when I have shopped, I have purchased something that “I thought I liked” on the spot. Unfortunately, some of these impulse buys have resulted in disappointment after a few weeks because what “I thought I liked” I didn’t actually like at all. So, in order to nix buyer’s remorse, I’ve eliminated impulse buys and instead try to wait a few days or weeks before purchasing something “I think I like”. My rule is that if I still like the item in a few days or weeks, I’ll consider buying based on need, budget, etc.!

Choosing this recipe was no different. I had been eyeing this Brown Butter Raspberry Tart for quite some time. So, yesterday, after thinking about it some more, I realized that I’ve thought about it enough – I had read all of the positive reviews and it looked amazing so I just needed to do it!

And, I’m glad I did.

Step 1: Make Crust and Bake (Let Cool);
Mix Together Eggs, Sugar and Salt 


Step 2: Brown Butter in Pan

Step 3: Mix Egg Mixture and
Browned Butter Together 


Step 4: Arrange Raspberries “Pointy”
Side Up on Bottom of Cooled Crust;
Carefully Pour Liquid Mixture Over; Bake 


Step 5: Cut a Slice and Enjoy!

I absolutely love the rustic feel of this tart. In my opinion, I think the tartness of the raspberry offsets the sweet filling nicely. I’m glad I chose wisely with the recipe, but perhaps I shouldn’t have taken so long. Oh well, at least I picked a good recipe that I’ll have plenty of opportunities to replicate in the future.

Perhaps I’ll start using my “shopping” techniques more often with my selection of recipes from now on!

Cheers!

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March 19, 2012 · 3:09 am

Rhubarb Apple Pie


In my opinion, rhubarb is vastly unrecognized, often forgotten about, and I’d almost go as far to say that it doesn’t quite get the attention that it deserves. I might be biased (probably); however, it is my belief that the distinct sour and tartness of rhubarb baked into desserts is phenomenal.

This past weekend, I found this recipe for Rhubarb-Apple Pie in the latest issue of Cooking Light. I realize that not everyone is as crazy as I am about rhubarb; therefore, I liked the fact that this recipe paired rhubarb with another fruit in order to compliment its flavor with something more sweet. I think that this genius move increased the likelihood that more people would try it. As a result, my aspiration is that I can hopefully convert more people to like rhubarb with this recipe now!

Step 1: Slice Rhubarb and Peel/Slice Apples


Step 2: Combine Apples and Rhubarb
With Sugars, Lemon, Cinnamon and Flour


Step 3: Combine Butter, Brown Sugar and
Flour for Topping (I added Oats!)


Step 4: Place Fruit in Dough and
Place Topping on Top


Step 5: Bake and Eat!

I normally like to make my own pie dough; however, I simplified the baking process by using a pre-made crust from the grocery store which saved a lot of time and effort; therefore, the rest of this recipe was very easy with the simple chopping and assembly of the ingredients into the crust. All in all, I’m very happy with the result of this pie. The rhubarb combined immensely well with the apple and provided a dessert that was more attractive to those who aren’t as much of a fan of strictly sour desserts. A must-try and one that will be repeated again!

Cheers!


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March 11, 2012 · 6:37 pm

Homemade “Twix” Bars

I can’t quite explain it, but I receive the utmost joy and feel a sense of triumph after making a popular item “homemade”. Do you ever feel the same feeling I experience? Lately, I have been seeing a plethora of homemade girl scout cookies, peanut butter cups and more of the like. I am intrigued by these recipes, but it wasn’t until I saw a recipe on Annie’s Eats, an amazing food blog, for Salted Chocolate Caramel Shortbread Bars (aka very similar to the ever popular Twix bars) that I felt truly compelled to make this homemade rendition. Although these look similar to the esteemed Twix, the flavors are a little bit different as a result of the addition of salt and the substitution for dark chocolate. However, these modifications were the tipping point for my decision to make this recipe!

Step 1: Make Dough and Press
Into Dish and Bake
Step 2: Melt Caramels (I used this step from this recipe)
and Layer On Top of Cooled Crust
Step 3: Melt Chocolate and Layer On Top


Step 4: Let Cool, Sprinkle Salt On Top and Eat

Even though mine didn’t turn out as perfectly as Annie’s, I still experienced a great sense of satisfaction after making these. Plus, this recipe was very simple and one that will be repeated again and again! And, if you want to go the more traditional route of a “Twix” – just use milk chocolate and omit the salt.

Cheers!

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March 4, 2012 · 7:27 pm

Blood Orange Tart


Lately, I feel as though I have been seeing so many blood orange-centric recipes and drinks spurting up everywhere. This is probably completely the result of some of my recent bouts of time spent on Pinterest; however, after seeing so many recipes, I knew I had found my calling to make something with this intriguing and beautiful fruit. Of course, I soon learned that blood oranges are actually quite a hot commodity and are only available at certain points during the year. After calling two grocery stores and finding out they did not have them, I became quite discouraged. But, as the age-old phrase says, “third time is always a charm” and I found success with the third grocery store I called.

After a quick search, I found a recipe that many have tried from Food and Wine Magazine: Flaky Blood Orange Tart. My eyes were instantly sold after gazing at its rustic look and the mention of a flaky crust. And, since it was coming from such a reliable source, I knew I had to try it!

Step 1: Make Dough


Step 2: Peel and Slice Blood Oranges


Step 3: Roll Out Dough and Arrange
Blood Orange Slices on Top


Step 4: Fold Up Edges Around
Oranges and Brush Edges with Egg Wash

Step 4: Bake at 375 Degrees and Eat!

Even though peeling and removing the pith from these oranges took what seemed like forever and my fingers were stained a purple-y/red color for a day, the end result was totally worth it. I can definitely see why these are such an esteemed fruit. The intense and unique flavor of these oranges paired with a flaky crust is perfect for a brunch treat. If you ever get the chance, I’d highly recommend trying this recipe or using blood oranges in a different type of concoction. Have a great Sunday everyone!

Cheers!

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February 27, 2012 · 12:44 am

Homemade Ice Cream: Pumpkin Pie

For Christmas, my wonderful boyfriend bought me an ice cream machine from Cuisinart. I was thrilled at his neat choice and was just waiting for the perfect weekend to try it. This past weekend I finally had enough time to peruse through recipes. While searching, I found plenty of amazing recipes, but I figured that I’d play it “safe” the first time around with Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream.

Step 1: Mix Together Wet Ingredients With Mixer
Step 2: Add Pumpkin Purée and Spices

Step 3: Place in Ice Cream Maker

Step 4: Take Out After 25 Minutes and Freeze

Step 5: Scoop and Eat!


I am definitely happy with the results from this ice cream maker. Pretty simple and little effort and time required. Now I’m inspired to “spice it up” a bit the next time I decide to make ice cream. Curious what I mean? Stay tuned!

Cheers!

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