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Thursday, January 30, 2014

Cream Puffs


  • 1 cup water
  • 1 stick unsalted butter (1/2 cup)
  • 5 oz all purpose flour (1 cup)
  • pinch of salt
  • 4 extra large eggs (or 5 large)
  • For the pastry cream:
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp sugar
  • 5 egg yolks
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • pinch of salt
  • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
*sources: fifteen spatulas

The reason I put this recipe is because this recipe from the source is the simplest and cheapest way to make the  cream puffs.

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Cookie Tips!

Here are some tips I found to make cookies. These tips should make them better, cause I'm always having trouble with cookies :(
Hope this makes it better! 

~ Measure flour correctly
~ Chill the dough before baking
~ Use a silicon rolling pin
~ Soften butter properly
~ Use fresh ingredients
~ Reduce flour by 3 tbs to 1/4 cup (this makes the cookies tender, so they won't dry out)

Thursday, January 16, 2014

Coffee Macarons With Nutella Ganache

I have one of those huge jars of Nutella at home with nothing to do with it!! It's crazy, I know!! 
Sooo... I had to look for a few things to do with it and found this delicious solution. Enjoy!


Ingredients:


For The Shells:
90 Grams Egg Whites (About 3) At Room Temperature And Aged For 3 Days
30 Grams Sugar
200 Grams Powdered Sugar
110 Grams Finely Ground Almonds
2 Teaspoons Instant Coffee (Additional for Topping If Desired)
For The Nutella Ganache:
1/2 Cup Heavy Cream
3/4 Cup Dark Chocolate
3 Tablespoons Nutella

Directions:

In a food processor, blend the almonds, coffee and icing sugar until very finely ground, then set aside. (I also found it helpful to push the mixer through a sieve to remove any larger pieces.)
In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk, beat the egg whites until foamy, then slowly begin to add the granulated sugar until you have created a glossy meringue.
Add the almond mixture to the meringues all at once, and quickly fold to blend and break up some of the air.
Continue to slowly mix until the almonds are incorporated into the meringues and the mixture resembles lava. (It should not take more than 50 strokes to accomplish this.)
Once you have the right consistency, fill a pastry bag with a plain tip with the mixture, and carefully pipe circles of about 1.5 inches in diameter about 2 inches apart onto parchment paper.
Once you have completed piping allow the macarons to rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes to an hour to develop a skin. (You can tell if this has happened by lightly touching the top with your finger. If the mixture does not stick to your finger they are ready for baking.)
Preheat the oven to 280 degrees F. and carefully slide the parchment sheets onto a baking sheet and bake the macarons for 15 to 20 minutes depending on how large you piped them.
While baking they should rise with airy feet developing.
Once baked remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes.
Carefully remove from the parchment using a small metal spatula.
If you have any trouble with the macarons sticking you can place a couple of drops of water under the parchment.
Store macarons in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to add the filling.
To make the filling heat the cream in a small pot until just before it begins to boil, then break up the chocolate and mix it into the hot cream until it has completely melted.
Add the Nutella and stir to blend.
Refrigerate the filling for an hour or two until it begins to firm up enough to be of spreading consistency.
Either pipe or spoon some of the filling onto one half of a macaron, and then top with another of equal size.

Peanut Butter Cups

1 3/4 cups of all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup of butter, softened
1/2 cup of white sugar
1/2 cup of peanut butter
1/2 cup of packed brown sugar
1 egg beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons milk
40 miniature chocolate covered peanut butter cups, unwrapped.
 
Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix  the flour, salt and baking soda
  2. Cream the butter, sugar, peanut butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in the egg, vanilla and milk. Add the flour; mix well. Shape into 40 balls and place each into an ungreased mini muffin pan.
  3. Bake at 375 degrees for about 8 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately press a mini peanut butter cup into each ball. Cool and remove from pan.

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Red Velvet Cheesecake

Have you ever had red velvet cake? It's so delicious! While looking up new recipes I found this red velvet cheesecake! How amazing does that sound?! 

Really good right? So I decided to share it with you guys. Enjoy!


Ingredients:

1
box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® devil’s food cake mix
1/2
cup butter or margarine, softened
3
packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
1
cup semisweet chocolate chips (6 oz), melted, cooled slightly
1/2
cup sour cream
3/4
cup sugar
1
tablespoon red food color
3
eggs
2
cups frozen (thawed) whipped topping


Directions:

*Heat oven to 300°F. Wrap outside bottom and side of 10-inch springform pan with heavy-duty foil. Spray inside of pan with baking spray with flour. Reserve 1/4 cup of the cake mix for filling; set aside. In large bowl, beat remaining cake mix and butter with electric mixer on low speed. Press in bottom and 1 1/2 inches up side of pan.

*In large bowl, beat reserved 1/4 cup cake mix, the cream cheese, chocolate, sour cream, sugar and food color with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Beat in eggs, one at a time, just until blended. Pour over crust.

  • *Bake 1 hour 5 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes or until edge of cheesecake is set at least 2 inches from edge of pan but center of cheesecake still jiggles slightly when moved. Turn off oven; open oven door 4 inches. Leave cheesecake in oven 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cool in pan on cooling rack 30 minutes. Refrigerate 6 hours or overnight. Run small metal spatula around edge of pan; remove side of pan. Pipe whipped topping around outer edge of cheesecake. Store covered in refrigerator.

Croissants

Croissants are very easy to make, especially if you make them with the help of pillsbury! Since pillsbury has the dough pre-made, all you have to do is literally pop the can open.

-the dough is already pre-cut, so all you have to do is tear it out, and roll it out! 
**very simple and cheap to make..also tasty :)

2014!


Happy New Years!! We'll be back with tons of great desserts for the new year!! Happy 2014!