Monday, March 30, 2009
Peanut Blossom Cookies
Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup peanut butter (smooth or crunchy)
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated white sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Coating:
1/3 cup granulated white sugar
Garnish:
48 milk chocolate Kisses, unwrapped
Line three baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), cream the butter. Add the peanut butter and sugars and beat until light and fluffy (about 2 - 3 minutes). Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat to combine. Beat in the milk. In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to the peanut butter mixture and beat until incorporated. Cover and chill the batter for about an hour, or until firm enough to roll into balls.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) and place rack in the center of the oven.
Roll the batter into 1 inch (2.54) round balls. Place the granulated white sugar in a shallow bowl and roll each ball in the sugar. Place on the prepared baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches (5 cm) apart.
Bake the cookies for about 8 - 10 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly browned. Immediately upon removing the cookies from the oven, place a chocolate Kiss in the center of each cookie, pressing down until the cookie just starts to crack. Cool completely on a wire rack.
Makes about 4 dozen cookies.
Read more: "Peanut Blossom Cookies Recipe With Picture - Joyofbaking.com" -http://www.joyofbaking.com/PeanutBlossomCookies.html#ixzz0BIXPpcOT
*Brooke
Monday, March 23, 2009
Sunglasses
Sunglasses Cake
This is the perfect recipe for a summer pool party or a week at the beach. Get decked out in your favorite sunglasses to match your cake. These glasses are glamorous and easily fashioned from one nine-inch round cake.
RECIPE INGREDIENTS: | |
 | 9-inch round cake baked from your favorite recipe |
| 1/2 cup chocolate frosting |
| 1 1/2 cups white frosting |
| Pink food coloring or icing color |
| Gumdrops |
| Pink sugar sprinkles 1. Once the cake has cooled, cut off the domed top with a large knife. |
2. Cut the cake in half, making sure the curve is gradual (an exaggerated curve will create angular lenses). Cut out a 2 1/2- by 1-inch notch on each side.
3. Flip one half of the cake over and join the 2 pieces at the bridge.
4. Create the lenses with chocolate frosting, leaving a 1-inch border around the edge for the rims.
5. Tint the white frosting pink (you'll need about 50 drops of food coloring or 1/8 teaspoon of icing color), then finish frosting the cake. Decorate the pink frames with the sprinkles. Cut the gumdrops in half crosswise, then create star shapes with mini cookie cutters. Serves 10.
Strawberry Gateau
SERVES: 16
INGREDIENTS
For the sponge cake:
>6 eggs
>1 cup (200g) sugar
>2 teaspoons baking powder
>1 2/3 cups (200g) flour
>1 teaspoon vanilla essence
For the crème pâtissière:
>2 egg yolks
>4 tablespoons sugar
>2 tablespoons cornstarch
>2 cups (500ml) milk
>50g butter
>750g strawberries
>1/2 cup (100g) sugar
>1 packet strawberry jelly (4 servings)
>2 cups (500ml) cream, double
>6 tablespoons icing sugar
For the syrup:
>1/2 cup (125ml) water
>1/2 cup (100g) sugar
>3 tablespoons cognac, brandy or rum
PREPARATION:
Syrup
>Place sugar and water in a saucepan.
>Bring to a boil and keep cooking for 5 minutes.
>Remove from heat and stir in cognac.
>Wash 500g of strawberries, cut in halves and place in a bowl, with ½ cup of sugar. Refrigerate for 3 hours.
Sponge cake
>Beat eggs and sugar with electric mixer for about 15 minutes, until light yellow and creamy.
>Fold in vanilla essence.
>Sift together flour and baking powder and gently fold into egg mixture.
>Pour mixture into a 24cm round tin, greased on the sides and lined with nonstick baking paper at the base.
>Bake in a moderate oven for about 30 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer.
>Remove from oven and let stand for a few minutes before turning out.
>Cool on a wire rack.
Cook’s tip: You can place it in the freezer for a few minutes before cutting it.
Crème pâtissière
>Place egg yolks and sugar in a small saucepan. Mix well.
>Fold in cornstarch and milk.
>Cook over a medium heat, stirring continuously until the mixture thickens.
>Bring to a boil and keep cooking for 2 more minutes.
>Remove from heat and fold in butter.
>Cut cake horizontally into four layers.
(Take into account that the top layer must be about 3cm thick).
>It is advisable to cut layers while spreading them with the filling.
>The top layer is the one that is covered by the nonstick baking paper.
>Cut bottom layer and place it on a serving dish.
>Brush with syrup, without reaching the edges.
>Spread with crème pâtissière and arrange some strawberries onto it ( previously drained), making sure they reach the edges of the cake, so they can be seen.
>Repeat this procedure until you get to the top layer.
>Cut this into a 3-4cm wide ring.
>Spread with some crème pàtissière and place it on top of the gâteau.
>Whip cream with icing sugar until stiff.
>Fill a piping bag fitted with a large fluted nozzle (1M,22 or 2D) and pipe rosettes of cream around the inner edge of the ring, forming a high frame which will contain the jelly.
>Reserve remaining cream in the fridge.
>Prepare strawberry jelly, according to the instructions in the packet.
>Allow to cool until half-set.
>Arrange remaining strawberry halves on top of the cake, in the central well framed by cream rosettes.
>Spoon half-set jelly over strawberries, but reserve some.
>Refrigerate until jelly is set.
>Heat remaining jelly again until liquid and pour it over the strawberries until completely covered by an even layer of jelly.
>Refrigerate until set.
>Use remaining cream to decorate sides and top of gâteau with a piping bag fitted with a large fluted nozzle (1M , 22 or 2D). Refrigerate until serving. (Do not freeze or the jelly would melt at the moment of serving).
*Brooke
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Caramel Bon Bons
Here is a quick and easy treat to make for friends and family. It's a treat that everyone will love and want to keep grabbing for more, so if you're having a party or having friends over, make sure you make enough of these little treats to keep everyone satisfied!
Caramel bonbons
INGREDIENTS
1/2kg dulce de leche (milk jam or caramel)
1 tablespoon bitter chocolate powder
plain sweet biscuits, crushed
2 tablespoons cognac ( French brandy)
2 tablespoons walnuts, ground
chocolate granules
PREPARATION
Put dulce de leche, chocolate powder, cognac, round walnuts and crushed biscuits into a mixing bowl.
Mix well to form a firm dough.
Grease your hands and form small balls with the mixture.
Roll the balls over chocolate granule until well coated.
Serve them in small paper cases.
ENJOY!
*Brooke
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Craving Something Sweet?
Sweets like candy, cakes, ice cream, and pies have been around for decades. You can find sweets anywhere and everywhere today, so if you are someone who enjoys the taste of something sweet after dinner or at any time of the day, you are at the right spot! I will be talking about sweet treats and posting fun, delicious recipes for everyone to try, so have fun and try something new!
Irish Chocolate Mint Dessert
Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups (3 sticks) plus 6 tablespoons butter or margarine, divided
2 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 eggs
3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2-2/3 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon water
1 teaspoon mint extract
4 drops green food color
1 cup HERSHEY'S SPECIAL DARK Chocolate Chips or HERSHEY'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
*Brooke
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