pumpkin pie muffins with cream cheese filling

One of my favourite pies is a moist and flavourful pumpkin pie. I loved it as a kid and I love it as an adult. In the fall, closer to Thanksgiving (in Canada!) and Halloween you can easily find the 2 for $5 pies at Safeway or any local grocery store. As a child I loved those... as an adult, not so much. The crusts are moderately better than cardboard and the flavour of filling is, ok. A few years ago for Thanksgiving I found a recipe from somewhere on the internet that was a combination of pumpkin, maple syrup and cayenne pepper (yes, really). I'm not here for Thanksgiving this year, but that won't stop me from enjoying the bounty of pumpkin season...even if it has to come from a can (shhh... don't tell).

I wanted a pumpkin muffin that was rich and moist, and felt like a treat to eat. Stuffed with an gooey cream cheese filling, and topped with pumpkin seeds (which I didn't have so substituted walnuts instead) and a little brown sugar. As these baked the apartment smelled wonderful. Settle in with a cup of tea, wrapped in a blanket on the patio on a cool afternoon, and it is a lovely way to take a time out from the busyness of life.

Muffin Ingredients
4 eggs
1 cup oil
1 x 14 oz can pure pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 1/2 cup white sugar
1/8 cup brown sugar
1 tsp salt
2 1/4 tsp baking powder
1 1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 1/2 cups AP flour
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp baking soda

Cream Cheese Filling Ingredients
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup + 1 tbsp white sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp butter
(you could easily half this and have less cream cheese filling in the muffin, that would be Pete's preference, I like the ooey gooey cream cheese filling)

Topping Ingredients
Small handful of chopped walnuts are pumpkin seeds
2 tbsp brown sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
   
2. Lightly grease a muffin pan and line with muffin liners (I like to grease the pan even though I use the liners so the muffin tops don't get stuck to the pan)
3. Combine filling ingredients until smooth, set aside.
   
4. Combine eggs, oil, and pumpkin until smooth.
5. Stir together dry ingredients and add to the wet.
6. Fill muffin tin 3/4 of the way with batter.
   
7. With two spoons, use one to create a well in each muffin and the other to drop in about a teaspoon of the cream cheese filling.
8. Top with pumpkin seeds or walnuts and a little touch of brown sugar.
   
9. Bake for about 20 minutes. Test the doneness by inserting a toothpick or skewer into the muffin part of the muffin (not the cream cheese part).
   
10. Allow to set for about 15-20 minutes, this allows the cream cheese filling to settle a little more so that the muffins don't tear apart.
    

Makes 18 good sized muffins.

chewy chocolate chip cookies

I love summer...but sometimes I love fall even more. There is something so lovely about the fresh air, the consistently warm weather, the crisp evening air. AND, I feel like the fall brings on the baking bug for me. The call of the oven is louder because the house isn't melting from July/August heat! And work slows down as everyone gets settled in once classes start.

All week long I have been brainstorming things I want to make: cookies, muffins (pumpkin and zucchini) and homemade bread (to accompany several soups I want to make!). I've been reading the food blogs and it seems like everyone is picking up again! One of my favourite bloggers, Annie, made some delicious looking Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies. I thought I would take a stab at them given that I was craving baking, and here they are...

Ingredients:
2 cups plus 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
12 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled until warm
1 cup brown sugar, packed
½ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

(If I was to make these again, I would use less chocolate chips and add some pecans or walnuts to the batter!)

Directions:

1. Adjust oven racks to upper and lower-middle positions. Preheat oven 325°. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. Whisk dry ingredients together in a medium bowl; set aside.
3. With electric mixer, or by hand, mix butter and sugars until thoroughly combined.
4. Beat in egg, yolk, and vanilla until combined.
5. Add dry ingredients and beat at low-speed just until combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
6. Roll a scant half-cup of dough into a ball. Holding dough ball in fingertips of both hands, pull apart into two equal halves. Rotate halves 90 degrees and, with jagged surfaces facing up, place formed dough onto cookie sheet, leaving ample room between each ball.
7. Bake, rotate cookie sheet by 180 degrees halfway through baking, until cookies are light golden brown and outer edges start to harden yet centers are still soft and puffy (approximately 11-14 minutes). Do not overbake.
8. Cool cookies on sheets until able to lift without breaking. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Source: adapted from Annie's Eats, originally from Baking Illustrated

dulce de leche pecan ice cream

At the wedding we went to a few weeks ago, instead of having a seating chart, there was a table with escort cards laid out. On each card there was the name of a guest, their table number and a favourite recipe of the newlywed's to take home (and hopefully make!).

This recipe comes from Pete's escort card. And given that he loves caramel and ice cream, we knew we would have to make it. I have had at the happy couple's house before, and it didn't disappoint when we made it - so a big thank you to them!

This is a delicious ice cream to make...it is not however a healthy treat, sweet and rich - so to make on occasion is good, just not something you may need to have in you freezer at all times. We made a few adaptations to the recipe, so below is what we ended up making.

Ingredients
1 c milk, plus 2 T
1 c whipping cream
4 egg yolks
1/4 c sugar
1 jars dulche de leche (or 1 can prepared sweetened condensed milk)
1/2 c pecan halves
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. In a small saucepan, heat 1 c milk and the cream over medium heat, just until bubbles appear around edge of pan. Remove from heat and set aside.
   
2. In a bowl, beat together egg yolks and sugar. Add warm milk mixture.
   
3. Wipe saucepan clean. Return custard mixture to pan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until custard thickens and coats back of a spoon, 8-10 minutes.
4. Immediately remove from heat and strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl.
   
5. Stir 1/3 can dulce de leche into warm custard.
   
6. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly on surface of custard, and let cool completely.
7. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
8. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Spread pecans on a baking sheet, sprinkle with 1 T of water, and season to taste with pepper. Toast pecans until fragrant and lightly browned, 7-8 minutes. Let cool, then roughly chop. Set aside.
9. Freeze chilled dulce de leche custard in an ice-cream maker. Transfer to a chilled freezer-proof container and fold in toasted pecans. In a small bowl, mix half of the remaining dulce de leche with 2 T milk, then fold into ice cream just enough to form a marbled effect. Freeze until service.
   
10. Accompany ice cream with 1/3 can dulce de leche.

To prepare sweetened condensed milk into dulce de leche:

1. In a large dutch oven, filled with water, bring water to a rolling boil.
2. Carefully drop can of condensed milk into water, ensure it is fully covered, preferably with an inch or two of water.
3. Keep water boiling at a low boil for 3 hours.
4. You will need to keep adding water to the pot to keep the can covered, this allows can to be under constant and equal pressure. (I checked every 15-20 minutes_
   
5. After 3 hours (though many sites say anywhere for as short as 90 minutes) remove can from water and allow to cool.
   
6. You can store the can in the fridge once prepared unopened, and it would last for months.

**Please be careful while preparing the dulce de leche - it can be a little dangerous!**

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma, TASTE

daring baker's challenge: danish braid

For some reason I thought that starting this month's daring baker's challenge at 8:00 pm was a good idea - what was I thinking? Before I even get to that point, let me start by saying that I thought that this month's challenge of Danish Braid sounded exciting, challenging yes, but I was excited to try to create a laminate dough...and i loved that I had everything needed for the recipe except for the whole milk so there was no need spend $50+ on ingredients - so than you to Ben and Kelly who hosted this month!

Back to the 8:00 pm start, I had read through the ingredients, I was prepared to do all the dough turning, and leave it in the fridge overnight to bake the next day. Then came the slow unravellings of what could have been a long evening. My dough mixer wouldn't power up. I had run out of ground cardamom apparently, so had to crack the pods and pound to smithereens with my mortar and pestle. Then I made a batch of dough and forgot to add the eggs, but didn't know until had made the first well and had the liquid pour out all over the counter...and then finally, finally after remaking the dough, rolling out and turning it, but wait, one more mess to clean up, I spilt the carton of milk all over the counter - sigh - by 1:30 am, I was ready to go to bed.

I seldom loose my patience in the kitchen, but boy I am sure Pete was glad that I had something to get my frustrations out on! I enjoyed the process of braiding, it was interesting to see how such a simple step could create something that looked well presented. Below is the result - the dough didn't rise as much as I would have liked.

Ingredients:
For the dough (Detrempe)
1 ounce fresh yeast or 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1/2 cup whole milk
1/3 cup sugar
Zest of 1 orange, finely grated
3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped
2 large eggs, chilled
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
3-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt

For the butter block (Beurrage)
1/2 pound (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Apple Filling
4 Fuji or other apples, peeled, cored, and cut into ¼-inch pieces
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
4 tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions: Dough

1. Combine yeast and milk in a bowl with a hand mixer on low speed or a whisk.
   
2. Add sugar, orange zest, cardamom, vanilla extract, vanilla seeds, eggs, and orange juice and mix well.
   
3. Sift flour and salt on your working surface and make a fountain (My edit after round two - start in a large bowl, make well and add liquid, combine in the same method as follows). Make sure that the “walls” of your fountain are thick and even.
   
4. Pour the liquid in the middle of the fountain.
   
5. With your fingertips, mix the liquid and the flour starting from the middle of the fountain, slowly working towards the edges.
   
6. When the ingredients have been incorporated start kneading the dough with the heel of your hands until it becomes smooth and easy to work with, around 5 to 7 minutes. You might need to add more flour if the dough is sticky.

Directions: Butter Block

1. Combine butter and flour in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat on medium speed for 1 minute.
   
2. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle and then beat for 1 minute more, or until smooth and lump free.
   
3. Set aside at room temperature.

Directions: Turning the Dough

1. After the detrempe has chilled 30 minutes, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface.
   
2. Roll the dough into a rectangle approximately 18 x 13 inches and ¼ inch thick.
   
3. The dough may be sticky, so keep dusting it lightly with flour.
   
4. Spread the butter evenly over the center and right thirds of the dough.
   
5. Fold the left edge of the detrempe to the right, covering half of the butter.
   
6. Fold the right third of the rectangle over the center third. The first turn has now been completed. Mark the dough by poking it with your finger to keep track of your turns, or use a sticky and keep a tally.
   
7. Place the dough on a baking sheet, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
8. Place the dough lengthwise on a floured work surface. The open ends should be to your right and left.
   
9. Roll the dough into another approximately 13 x 18 inch, ¼-inch-thick rectangle.
   
10. Again, fold the left third of the rectangle over the center third and the right third over the center third. No additional butter will be added as it is already in the dough. The second turn has now been completed.
    
11. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.
12. Roll out, turn, and refrigerate the dough two more times, for a total of four single turns. Make sure you are keeping track of your turns. Refrigerate the dough after the final turn for at least 5 hours or overnight.
    
13. The Danish dough is now ready to be used. If you will not be using the dough within 24 hours, freeze it. To do this, roll the dough out to about 1 inch in thickness, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and freeze. Defrost the dough slowly in the refrigerator for easiest handling. Danish dough will keep in the freezer for up to 1 month.
    

Directions: Apple Filling

1. Toss all ingredients except butter in a large bowl.
   
2. Melt the butter in a sauté pan over medium heat until slightly nutty in color, about 6 - 8 minutes.
   
3. Then add the apple mixture and sauté until apples are softened and caramelized, 10 to 15 minutes. If you’ve chosen Fujis, the apples will be caramelized, but have still retained their shape.
   
4. Pour the cooked apples onto a baking sheet to cool completely before forming the braid. (If making ahead, cool to room temperature, seal, and refrigerate.) They will cool faster when spread in a thin layer over the surface of the sheet. After they have cooled, the filling can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Left over filling can be used as an ice cream
   

Putting it all together
(Makes enough for 2 large braids)

Ingredients
1 recipe Danish Dough (see below)
2 cups apple filling, jam, or preserves (see below)

For the egg wash: 1 large egg, plus 1 large egg yolk

Directions:

1. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
   
2. On a lightly floured surface, roll the Danish Dough into a 15 x 20-inch rectangle, ¼ inch thick. If the dough seems elastic and shrinks back when rolled, let it rest for a few minutes, then roll again. Place the dough on the baking sheet.
3. Along one long side of the pastry make parallel, 5-inch-long cuts with a knife or rolling pastry wheel, each about 1 inch apart. Repeat on the opposite side, making sure to line up the cuts with those you’ve already made.
4. Spoon the filling you’ve chosen to fill your braid down the center of the rectangle. Starting with the top and bottom “flaps”, fold the top flap down over the filling to cover. Next, fold the bottom “flap” up to cover filling. This helps keep the braid neat and helps to hold in the filling. Now begin folding the cut side strips of dough over the filling, alternating first left, then right, left, right, until finished. Trim any excess dough and tuck in the ends.
   

Proofing and Baking

1. Spray cooking oil (Pam…) onto a piece of plastic wrap, and place over the braid. Proof at room temperature or, if possible, in a controlled 90 degree F environment for about 2 hours, or until doubled in volume and light to the touch.
2. Near the end of proofing, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Position a rack in the center of the oven.
3. Bake for 10 minutes, then rotate the pan so that the side of the braid previously in the back of the oven is now in the front. Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F, and bake about 15-20 minutes more, or until golden brown. Cool and serve the braid either still warm from the oven or at room temperature. The cooled braid can be wrapped airtight and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, or freeze for 1 month.

strawberry cheesecake bites

Mini-desserts are a favourite of mine to make at gatherings. They are often cute, not too involved and the size helps people take as many or as a few as they like. I came across Annie's blog while searching for a random recipe this weekend. She is recently a new mom - congrats to her!

Anyway, this recipe is a mini cheesecake recipe from her site - and the best thing is that they took literally no time to make. Between prep and baking - 25 minutes!

Cheesecake Bites Ingredients
1 ¼ lb. cream cheese, at room temperature
¾ cup sugar
½ tsp. vanilla extract
¼ cup sour cream
2 eggs, at room temperature
3 tbsp. all-purpose flour

Strawberry Sauce Ingredients
2 cups frozen or fresh hauled strawberries
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup white sugar
2 tbsp cornstarch
3 tbsp water

Cheesecake Bites Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Line a mini-muffin pan with paper liners.
2. To make the filling, in the bowl of an electric mixer beat the cream cheese on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes.
   
3. Reduce the speed to low, gradually add the sugar and beat until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
4. Add the vanilla and sour cream and beat until combined.
   
5. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the flour and beat until combined.
6. Divide the filling among the prepared muffin cups, filling each about ¾ full. Bake until the cheesecakes are just set in the center, about 15 minutes.
7. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the cheesecakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes.
   
8. Using a small offset spatula, transfer the cheesecakes to the rack and let cool completely, about 45 minutes.
9. Refrigerate the cheesecakes in an airtight container at least overnight or up to 3 days. Spoon topping onto cheesecakes just before serving.

Strawberry Sauce Directions:

1. In a sauce pan combine strawberries, sugar and first amount of water.
   
2. Bring to a low simmer for 5 minutes until the strawberries begin to fall apart.
3. I used a potato masher to make sure they were pretty tender.
   
4. In a small bowl combine the cornstarch and second part of water. Ensure there are no lumps and slowly add to the simmering strawberry mixture.
5. Allow to cook and thicken for about one minute.
6. Cool.

>> Assemble cheesecake bites by topping them with the strawberry sauce<<

Makes 48 mini bites

frozen treats: sherbet and ice cream

This weekend I bought a mini ice-cream maker. When you live in a small apartment, with what feels like the world's smallest kitchen you don't have a lot of space for gizmo's and gadgets, and the good things with this little ice cream maker: it fits in our fridge-freezer, AND it makes two flavours at once! With summer coming and trying to eat less processed crap, I thought it would be worth a try. I opted for two different flavours. The first was a rhubarb-strawberry sherbet and the second a simple vanilla ice cream.

Rhubarb- Strawberry Sherbet Ingredients:
1 cup hauled strawberries, sliced
1 cup rhubarb sliced
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
2-3 tablespoons triple sec
1/2 cup whipping cream

Vanilla Ice Cream Ingredients:
1-1/4 cup whipping cream
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract

Rhubarb- Strawberry Sherbet Directions:

1. In a saucepan combine strawberries, rhubarb, water and sugar.
2. Over medium heat allow to stew for 15 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
4. Add triple sec and whipping cream.
5. Using a hand blender, blend it and make sure that it is smooth.
6. Once cool place in ice cream maker and follow your machine's specific directions.

Vanilla Ice Cream Directions:

1. In a bowl combine all the ingredients and mix until sugar dissolves.
2. Place in ice cream maker and follow your machine's specific directions.

Could it get any easier than that?

rhubarb berry pie

I really don't understand how anyone could say they don't like rhubarb. They must have tried to eat it raw or something, because there is nothing like it stewed or baked! (Can you tell I am passionate about this?) For a vegetable/fruit that takes over with it's gigantic leaves and somewhat boring staulks, it is one of my favourite things about late spring and early summer...

When family or friends try to give it away because of it's abundance in their gardens, I welcome it with a big smile. We had some friends over for a bbq, and for dessert, started with fresh rhubarb from Pete's mom's garden, and frozen strawberries and raspberries from our berry picking extravaganza last summer...I thought, a combo made for a perfect summer pie! (Cheezy I know!)

The crust is the crust off of the Tenderflake box (well 1/3 the recipe) and about 2 tbsp of white sugar, this created a slightly cookie like tasty crust.

Pie Crust Ingredients:
5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp white sugar
1/4 teaspoons salt
1 lb tenderflake lard
1 egg, stirred slightly
1 tablespoon vinegar
7/8 cup cold water

Egg Wash
1 egg whisked
2 tbsp water
2 tsp white sugar

Filling Ingredients:
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons orange juice
1/4 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups fresh berries
(we used raspberries and strawberries)
4 cups rhubarb (cut into 1/2 inch pieces)
2 tablespoons butter in small pieces
3 tablespoons cornstarch

Directions:
Dough (enough for 3 x 2 crust pies)

1. Stir the flour, sugar and salt together.
2. Cut in the lard with a pastry blender or 2 knives until the shortening is in pea size pieces.
3. In a measuring cup, combine the egg and vinegar.
4. Add enough cold water to make one cup.
5. Stir the liquid into the flour mixture, adding just enough to make the dough cling together.6
6. Stir the water in with a wooden spoon until mixed thoroughly, then gather the dough into a ball, and separate into 6 portions.
7. Cover and refrigerate for one hour, you can chill over night, covered, providing you leave it at room temp for 15 mins before rolling.
8. Lightly flour surface and roll into circles, then pat the dough into pie pans, following pie recipes. Be careful not to stretch the dough.

* Preheat oven to 425 F.

Filling:

1. In a small bowl, using a fork, stir together the sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, toss the berries and rhubarb together. Ass the sugar mixture and toss to combine and coat the fruit evenly, mix in orange juice.
   
3. Pile the mixture into the prepared pie pan, mounding in the centre.
4. Scatter the butter over the filling.
5. Create a lattice for the top crust - I like this for berry pies because they often have excess juice and this helps reduce it much more than a traditional second crust.
6. Make egg wash by whisking egg and water together. Brush on top of pie and sprinkle with remaining sugar.
   
7. Bake for 20 minutes and then reduce heat to 350 F and bake for another 35-40 minutes longer.
8. If you find it is browning too quickly, gently cover the top of the pie with tinfoil, do not crimp down too near the pie, otherwise steam will not be able to escape.
9. Once pie is browned nicely and the filling is cooked, remove and allow to cool. Cooling will help thicken the filling.
   
10. If you have a cake platter, do not place lid on top while pie is cooling, this will make the crust soggy.
11. Serve warm or at room temperature - delicious with vanilla icecream.

Serves 6.

daring baker's challenge: opera cake

A month ago I would never have been able to tell you anything about an Opera cake other than that it sounded fancy. Well, this month's DB challenge was just that. An incredibly rich and sweet French gateau. I completed the challenge back on Mother's day weekend as a dessert for dinner. My mom had asked for a lemon flavoured dessert so I thought it would be a nice combo with the almond flavour of the joconde (almond cake layer). In theory I thought this would work well, but somehow the sweetness of the buttercream was just too overpowering. The family enjoyed the cake, but when it came to the leftovers I think most begged out :(.


A traditional Opera cake to my understanding has the light jaconde coupled with a dark chocolate ganache. One of the requirements for the challenge, (in keeping with spring) was to keep the colours on the cake to the pastels. I think I prefer the contrast of the dark and the light. On my cake, everything just kind of melts together. I had the light yellow from the lemon buttercream icing, and I flavoured the ganache was a berry liqour, and topped the glaze with a strawberry (which my mom stuffed with sweet and tart cream cheese something...mmm).

Over all I thought the combination of white chocolate, with the richness and sweetness of the buttercream, was just too much.

I did however enjoy making the jaconde. I had never actually made a jelly roll cake before, so that was interesting, and I enjoyed grinding down the almonds into an "almond meal" was kind of fun. I think it would work really nice as a base for a somewhat nuttier version of strawberry shortcake.

For the full recipe check out the lovely blogs of this month's hosts: Lis, Ivonne, Fran and Shea.

daring baker's challenge: cheesecake pops

This month's Daring Bakers' challenge was a success, posting it was not! The deadline to post was Sunday, today is Thursday.... I even had done the challenge a few weeks before, brought it into work for a birthday surprise but failed to take a picture of it before - oops... still new to this whole "take the picture of your food" thing.


Anyhow, Elle and Deborah from Feeding My Enthusiasms and Taste and Tell, respectively, hosted. They chose little cheesecake pops. The creativity of the other Daring Bakers was inspiring. I loved the people who had geometric shapes, perfectly cut and clean...then were those who had been meticulous with the details like the Daring Baker at Delicious Days.

Anyhow, mine were simple. The cheesecake recipe. Melted chocolate chips some vegetable shortening (mmm, yes I know, tasty tasty) and rolled in graham cracker crumbs. I would make these again for sure. They are cute, festive and most importantly yummy. The recipe below is the FULL recipe, I halved it, and I would halve it again, as it made nearly 25 pops (which was plenty).

Ingredients:
Makes 30 – 40 Pops

5X 8-oz. packages cream cheese at room temperature
2 cups sugar
¼ cup all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
5 large eggs
2 egg yolks
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
¼ cup heavy cream
Boiling water as needed
Thirty to forty 8-inch lollipop sticks
1 pound chocolate, finely chopped
(you can use all one kind or half and half of dark, milk, or white)
(Alternately, you can use 1 pound of flavored coatings, also known as summer coating, confectionary coating or wafer chocolate – candy supply stores carry colors, as well as the three kinds of chocolate.)
-2 tablespoons vegetable shortening

(Note: White chocolate is harder to use this way, but not impossible)

Assorted decorations such as chopped nuts, colored jimmies, crushed peppermints, mini chocolate chips, sanding sugars, dragees) - Optional

Directions:

1. Position oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Set some water to boil.
2. In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese, sugar, flour, and salt until smooth. If using a mixer, mix on low speed. Add the whole eggs and the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well (but still at low speed) after each addition. Beat in the vanilla and cream.
3. Grease a 10-inch cake pan (not a springform pan), and pour the batter into the cake pan. Place the pan in a larger roasting pan. Fill the roasting pan with the boiling water until it reaches halfway up the sides of the cake pan. Bake until the cheesecake is firm and slightly golden on top, 35 to 45 minutes.
4. Remove the cheesecake from the water bath and cool to room temperature. Cover the cheesecake with plastic wrap and refrigerate until very cold, at least 3 hours or up to overnight.
5. When the cheesecake is cold and very firm, scoop the cheesecake into 2-ounce balls and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Carefully insert a lollipop stick into each cheesecake ball. Freeze the cheesecake pops, uncovered, until very hard, at least 1 – 2 hours.
6. When the cheesecake pops are frozen and ready for dipping, prepare the chocolate. In the top of a double boiler, set over simmering water, or in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water, heat half the chocolate and half the shortening, stirring often, until chocolate is melted and chocolate and shortening are combined. Stir until completely smooth. Do not heat the chocolate too much or your chocolate will lose it’s shine after it has dried. Save the rest of the chocolate and shortening for later dipping, or use another type of chocolate for variety.
7. Alternately, you can microwave the same amount of chocolate coating pieces on high at 30 second intervals, stirring until smooth.
8. Quickly dip a frozen cheesecake pop in the melted chocolate, swirling quickly to coat it completely. Shake off any excess into the melted chocolate. If you like, you can now roll the pops quickly in optional decorations. You can also drizzle them with a contrasting color of melted chocolate (dark chocolate drizzled over milk chocolate or white chocolate over dark chocolate, etc.)
   
9. Place the pop on a clean parchment paper-lined baking sheet to set. Repeat with remaining pops, melting more chocolate and shortening (or confectionary chocolate pieces) as needed.
10. Refrigerate the pops for up to 24 hours, until ready to serve.
    

This recipe is adapted from Jill O'Connor's book
Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey: Desserts for the Serious Sweet Tooth

wacky wedding cake

Good friends of mine eloped a few weeks back. No one knew, no one, not even their parents...so when they came home and told everyone, it was quite the surprise. Needless to say we wanted to have a small celebration for them. So it was dinner out, a little prosecco and a cake, add the newly weds and it was a great time with friends. The cake below was super easy to make - maybe a little too easy for a wedding cake. It is a chocolate vegan cake, with cherry brandy sprinkled on the layers, cherry pie filling between the layers and then iced with swiss meringue (from last month's Daring Baking Challenge)

This cake recipe was from my mom, she always called it Wacky Cake, it must have been called that because there was no egg or milk in it. Anyhow the great thing about this cake is that at almost any time you have all of these ingredients on hand. The recipe below is enough to make a 2 6" cakes plus 2 ramikens of cake.

Cake Ingredients:

1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons cocoa (unsweetened)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon vinegar
5 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup cold water

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, mix flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt

2. Make three wells in the flour mixture. Put the vanilla in one, in another the vinegar, and in the third the oil. Pour the cold water over the mixture and stir until moistened.

3. Evenly distribute the batter into 2- 6 inch round cake pans (I had a nice small spring form pan that I used) and into 2 small greased ramikens.

4. Bake at 350°F. oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until it springs back when touched lightly.
   
   
5. Once all the cakes have baked and are out of the oven, allow to cool for about 15 minutes and then turn onto colling racks.
   
   
6. Once completely cooled slice the two larger cakes horizontally so that you now have 4 layers plus the two ramikens. Trim any mounds on the cake to be sure that it is level.
   
   
7. Drizzle cherry brandy on all the layers
   
   
8. Begin stacking the cake, adding some filling to one side of the layer, and some of the swiss meringue butter cream to the bottom of the next layer, continue for all the large layers. For the small ramiken layers I cut a "cork" out, added some filling, trimmed the cork and then topped off the mini cake with it.
   
   
9. I took the larger set of cakes and the smaller set and treated them like two separate cakes until right at the end.
   
   
10. Crumb coat both cakes. Refrigerate until the base layer of icing is set.
    
    
11. Ice a final top layer.
    
    
12. Optional --> Take ribbon of your choice and add to bottom of each cake. Hold in place with pins at the back of the cake.
    
    
13. Stack cakes and adorn as you choose.

white button walnut brownies

Who doesn't love a rich delicious brownie? Everything is good in moderation, and you really only need one of these, but don't forget a nice cold class of milk on the side! I have posted two pictures below. The first is the two-bite brownie, the second is made more traditionally in a square pan. I think I was more impressed with the pan method, and if I was to make them again (and I plan on it) I would place the white chocolate buttons on the top the same way I did with the two bite brownies. In the pan, I chopped up the white chocolate, so it just melted in...your choice!

Ingredients
*adapted by Alton Brown's Cocoa Brownies*
4 large eggs
1 cup sugar, sifted
1 cup brown sugar, sifted
8 ounces melted butter
11/4 cups cocoa, sifted
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup flour, sifted
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup walnut pieces
16 white chocolate rounds/wafers

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F
2. Butter and flour an 9-inch square pan or a mini cup cake pan
3. In a bowl beat the eggs at medium speed with a hand mixer until fluffy and light yellow
4. Add both sugars
5. Add all the remaining ingredients excpet for the white chocolate, and mix to combine
6. Pour the batter into a greased and floured 9-inch square pan or the mini cupcake pan
7. Place the white chocolate evenly on top of the pan, in a 4x4 pattern or one on top of each mini cupcake
8. Bake for 45 minutes. Check for doneness with the tried-and-true toothpick method: a toothpick inserted into the center of the pan should come out clean. When it's done, remove to a rack to cool. Resist the temptation to cut into it until it's mostly cool. I would even say that these are better the next day - if you can wait!

daring baker's challenge: dorie's perfect party cake

My first daring baker's challenge completed! Since this is my first challenge, I should explain the process. This is a group of bloggers, and non bloggers who "knead to bake!". At the beginning of each month the host selects a recipe, posts it and sets out the guidelines for what can and what cannot be changed/personalized and also indicated what day everyone will post their final results.

Thank you Morven for hosting this month's challenge. I was excited to make this cake because I love anything lemon. I made it a few weeks ago for a friend's engagement party. For the most part it turned out well. Throughout the month on the Daring Baker's blog some folks were noting that the cake did not rise properly. Morven noted a few changes in the recipe before I baked my cake, but alas mine still did not rise the way I would have liked! I did use cake flour, a different brand than she had suggested, but it was what they had at our local store. As a result I ended up making a second batch of batter after the first had been baked. In the end I had 4 cakes, used 3, and didn't end up slicing them in half as per the recipe.

A few other things. I left out the raspberry preserves, but used both a lemon and lime curd (recipe's below - love these!) And I also made a quick lemon syrup that i brushed on each cake before layering the curd.

One final note about the cake - I loved the marshmallowy icing (Swiss Meringue Buttercream)! I think it was beautiful to make and it was much simpler than I thought it would be...so if I walk away with one thing, it would definately be that!

**I wish I had taken a picture of the slices, the alternate between the yellow and the green lime curd was actually very lovely against the white of the cake and the crisp white of the buttercream**

For the Cake

2 1/4 cups cake flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 ¼ cups buttermilk (the recipe suggested whole milk as an alternate)
4 large egg whites
1 ½ cups sugar
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1 stick (8 tablespoons or 4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ teaspoon pure lemon extract

For the Buttercream
1 cup sugar
4 large egg whites
3 sticks (12 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
¼ cup fresh lemon juice (from 2 large lemons)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract


For the Lemon & Lime Curd
*I made one batch of Lemon & one of Lime*

3 large eggs
1/3 cup fresh lemon or lime juice
1 tablespoon citrus zest
¾ cup granulates sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

Directions:
Move oven rack to centre, heat to 350 degrees Fahrenheit

To Make the Cake

1. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
2. Whisk together the milk and egg whites in a medium bowl.
3. Put the sugar and lemon zest in a mixer bowl or another large bowl and rub them together with your fingers until the sugar is moist and fragrant. (I loved this part!)
4. Add the butter and working with the paddle or whisk attachment, or with a hand mixer, beat at medium speed for a full 3 minutes, until the butter and sugar are very light.
5. Beat in the extract, then add one third of the flour mixture, still beating on medium speed.
6. Beat in half of the milk-egg mixture, then beat in half of the remaining dry ingredients until incorporated.
7. Add the rest of the milk and eggs beating until the batter is homogeneous, then add the last of the dry ingredients.
8. Finally, give the batter a good 2- minute beating to ensure that it is thoroughly mixed and well aerated.
9. Divide the batter between the two pans and smooth the tops with a rubber spatula.
10. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the cakes are well risen and springy to the touch – a thin knife inserted into the centers should come out clean
11. Transfer the cakes to cooling racks and cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes, unfold them and peel off the paper liners.
12. Invert and cool to room temperature, right side up (the cooled cake layers can be wrapped airtight and stored at room temperature overnight or frozen for up to two months).
    

To Make the Buttercream

1. Put the sugar and egg whites in a mixer bowl or another large heatproof bowl, fit the bowl over a plan of simmering water and whisk constantly, keeping the mixture over the heat, until it feels hot to the touch, about 3 minutes.
2. The sugar should be dissolved, and the mixture will look like shiny marshmallow cream.
3. Remove the bowl from the heat.
4. Working with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer, beat the meringue on medium speed until it is cool, about 5 minutes.
5. Switch to the paddle attachment if you have one, and add the butter a stick at a time, beating until smooth.
6. Once all the butter is in, beat in the buttercream on medium-high speed until it is thick and very smooth, 6-10 minutes.
7. During this time the buttercream may curdle or separate – just keep beating and it will come together again.
8. On medium speed, gradually beat in the lemon juice, waiting until each addition is absorbed before adding more, and then the vanilla.
9. You should have a shiny smooth, velvety, pristine white buttercream. Press a piece of plastic against the surface of the buttercream and set aside briefly.
   

To Make the Lemon or Lime Curd

1. In a stainless steel bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water, whisk together the eggs, sugar and lemon juice until blended.
   
2. Cook, stirring constantly (to prevent from curdling), until the mixture becomes thick (like sour cream or hollandaise sauce). This will take approximately 10 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and immediately pour though a fine strainer to remove any lumps.
   
4. Cut the butter into cubes and whisk into the mixture until completely melted. Add the lemon zest and let cool.
   
5. The lemon curd will continue to thicken as it cools.
   
6. Cover immediately (so skin doesn’t form) and refrigerate for up to two weeks.

Makes 1 ½ cups.

To Assemble the Cake

1. Using a sharp serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion, slice each layer horizontally in half. (I didn't do this part as my cake didn't rise enough)
2. Put one layer cut side up on a cardboard cake round or a cake plate protected by strips of wax or parchment paper.
3. Spread it with one third of the preserves.Top with another layer, spread with preserves and buttercream and then do the same with a third layer (you’ll have used all the jam and have buttercream leftover).
4. Place the last layer cut side down on top of the cake and use the remaining buttercream to frost the sides and top.
5. Press the coconut into the frosting, patting it gently all over the sides.
   

easter cake

** So I didn't make this cake as part of a challenge, but I recently stumbled across an Easter Cake Competition over at A Slice of Cherry Pie - it looked fun, so I thought I would submit my cake, though when looking at the posts from last years, it is all in fun (I am not nearly as talented as the others bakers!)**

At family gatherings, I am the one who prefers to bring the dessert. Pies are my preference - but it was time for a cake...this one, Martha inspired *gasp* - to check out the original, it is in the March 08 Martha Stewart Living.

Ingredients for Cake Layers
3 ounces fine-quality semisweet chocolate such as Callebaut
1 1/2 cups hot brewed coffee (I used Swiss Chocolate coffee - even more chocolate flavour!)
3 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
3 large eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups well-shaken buttermilk
3/4 teaspoon vanilla

Ingredients for Peanut Butter Icing
1 cup good quality creamy/smooth peanut butter
1 stick butter (half a cup)
2 cups icing sugar
2-3 Tbsp milk or cream

Ingredients for Chocolate Icing
1oz cocoa
5 Tbs boiling water
6oz butter or soft margarine
9-12oz icing sugar, sifted

For the Cake Layers: *or cupcakes - those turned out great as well*

1. Preheat oven to 300°F. and grease pans. Line bottoms with rounds of wax paper and grease paper.
2. Finely chop chocolate and in a bowl combine with hot coffee. Let mixture stand, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.
3. Into a large bowl sift together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
4. In another large bowl with an electric mixer beat eggs until thickened slightly and lemon colored (about 3 minutes with a standing mixer or 5 minutes with a hand-held mixer).
5. Slowly add oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and melted chocolate mixture to eggs, beating until combined well.
6. Add sugar mixture and beat on medium speed until just combined well.
7. Divide batter between pans and bake in middle of oven until a tester inserted in center comes out clean, 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes. Adjust time accordingly for cupcakes - mini's took about 15 minutes.
8. Cool layers completely in pans on racks. Run a thin knife around edges of pans and invert layers onto racks.
9. Carefully remove wax paper and cool layers completely.
10. Cake layers may be made 1 day ahead and kept, wrapped well in plastic wrap, at room temperature.

For the Peanut Butter Icing:

1. In a large bowl, beat butter and peanut butter until light and fluffy.
2. Slowly beat in 1/2 of the confectioner's sugar.
3. Mix in 1/2 of the milk/cream.
4. Beat in the remaining confectioners' sugar.
5. If necessary, add a little more cream or milk until the frosting reaches a good spreading consistency.
6. I used this for in between the layers of chocolate cake

For the Chocolate Icing:

1. Dissolve the cocoa in the boiling water, making a paste.
2. Cream the fat to soften it, then add the icing sugar and beat really well until the mixture becomes pale in colour and light in texture. (An electric mixer is helpful).
3. Mix in the cooled cocoa.
4. Additional flavouring of vanilla or peppermint essence, dissolved instant coffee or the finely grated rind of half an orange may be added.
5. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator or freezer.

Cake Assembly:

1. Cut off the "humps" of the cakes - put excess cake aside
2. Spread peanut butter frosting between cake layers
3. Spread the chocolate frosting over the sides and top of cake.
4. Take remainder of cake humps and crumble with your hands to make "dirt"
5. Curl chocolate with a veggie peeler and carefully place on sides of cakes
6. If you want to make the nest, this was out of regular filo pastry, shredded with a tablepsoon of butter mixed in and then nestled in a muffin tin - bake at 350 until golden
7. Mushrooms are made from fondant and then dusted with cocoa
8. Flowers are made with tissue paper, floral wire and floral tape - you could buy something similar at Michael's
9. Place Cadbury mini eggs in nest
10. Once everything is in place, dust cake carefully with icing sugar.

**WARNING** this cake is incredibly rich, especially with the peanut butter icing- but good!

lemon drop cupcakes

It was one of my student's birthday this week, and since we were out volunteering in a school I thought a little treat might be in order for our volunteers. It has been beautifully sunny and spring like here, so I thought something light and fresh, and I stumbled on these. I found this recipe online and changed nothing about it except a little less time in the oven as I think mine may be a little wonky, and they turned out phenomenally. I almost skimped out on the lemon syrup step and if you are tempted, don't, it adds a fabulous moisture and even more lemon flavour. YUM!

*the picture does not do these little morsels of lemony goodness justice*

Lemon Cupcakes Ingredients

32-36 cupcake papers
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons cake flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups canola or vegetable oil
2 teaspoons melted honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (approximately one lemon), strained zest of two lemons (additional zest optional for garnish)
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
Lemon drop syrup (recipe follows)

Lemon Drop Syrup

¼ cup sugar
¼ cup water
Juice of one lemon, strained

Combine sugar and water in small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer until sugar dissolves. Transfer to small bowl and let cool before stirring in fresh lemon juice.

Adapted from Holly over at teamsugar.com

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°. Arrange paper liners in muffin tins. Sift together flours, baking soda and salt, and set aside.

In electric mixer, beat together eggs and sugar at a medium-high speed until mixture thickens and color pales, about three minutes. Lower speed and add oil, honey, extracts, lemon juice and lemon zest, stirring until just combined. Mix in buttermilk. Slowly, begin to add flours, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally. Beat on low just until smooth.

Fill cupcake tins ¾ full. Bake 16-20 minutes (my oven 12-14), until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and brush tops with lemon syrup. Cool completely before frosting.

Lemon Cream Icing

Ingredients:
1 cup butter , softened
3 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar
1 lemon, juice of or if you have it 1 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions:
Combine butter, sugar and salt and beat till well combined.
Add lemon juice and vanilla and continue to beat for another 5 minutes or until creamy.


I also think that a lemon cream cheese icing (icing from carrot cake with lemon juice/extract would be delish on these!)

almond roca bark

I love to give treats to family, friends and colleagues with my holiday cards each year. Every year we try something new, a few years back it was "brownies in a jar", last year it was "home made hot cocoa mix cones". This year we made Almond Roca Bark. It is easy, tasty and always a hit. You only need to give a small amount as it is so rich and so sweet.

** sorry I know this picture isn't very good, I took it when I was half asleep**

Ingredients for the Almond Roca Bark
2 cups butter (unsalted)
2 cups white sugar
1 cup whole almonds
1 cup pecans (pieces, halves or whole)
1 large package chocolate chips*

*I recommend milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Combine almonds and pecans in a blender or food processor until quite fine.

Melt butter over high heat, when butter is melted, but not brown, add sugar, stirring until it has fully dissolved. Continue over high heat, bring to a boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly, adding half the almond and pecan nut mixture. Continue to cook, stirring continually until mixture is color of mahogany and sugar is all melted. This can take a while and time seemed to differ between each of our batches. Don't give in to quickly! If you pull the sugar mixture off the stove too soon, it gets chewy and not hard like a real Almond Roca.

Stir as you take it off the heat permanently and pour quickly onto your biggest flat pan with sides, I found lining the pan with a silpad was very useful. Tilt to spread evenly. There may be excess butter that didn't combine, take a carefully folded paper towel and absorb as much as you can.

Once the butter is cleared off, and the candy has semi set, but is still warm, pour on chocolate chips. When they have melted a bit, spread them over the top of the hot mixture with the back of a tablespoon. Once chocolate is melted evenly sprinkle remainder of nut mixture.
Allow to set completely. Break into snack size pieces, store in air tight container, or place in cello gift baggies. Enjoy and happy holidays!

(If you want Almond Roca "mini bars"- like the store bought candy: pour the mixture into a square pan (well greased) and let set, score the bars into 1/2 x 1 inch bars with a butter knife, when it has set - about 20-30 minutes, cut the bars along the scored lines, it should break pretty cleanly. You will then to individually dip each bar into the melted chocolate and then will roll in the nuts mixture).