Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone! Check out these chic little cupcakes I did : )
Archive for Desserts – Page 2
In honor of national Pi day, here is one of the best recipes I know of. It's my Mom's Apple Pie recipe. My Mom is such a talent in the kitchen! She cooked homemade meals everyday and always encouraged me to learn and create. So thanks Mom!
Mom's Apple Pie
For a 10 inch apple pie
Prepare a pastry for 10 inch two crust apple pie.
Apple Filling:
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
½ t. nutmeg
1 t. cinnamon
Dash of salt
8 cups thinly sliced pared tart apples
3 T. butter or margarine
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Prepare pastry. Stir together sugar, flour, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt; mix with apples. Turn apples into pastry-lined pie pan; dot with butter. Cover with top crust. Make slits in the crust to allow steam to escape. Seal and flute the top. Cover edges with 2-3 inch strip of foil to prevent excessive browning of the edges. Remove foil the last 15 minutes of baking. Bake for 40-50 minutes until crust is brown and juice begins to bubble through the slits in the top. (You may want to put a large cookie sheet on the rack below the pie, incase it drips the sugary mixture.)
It's all the goey, yumminess of a cinnamon bun, wrapped neatly in a cupcake liner! : ) Baking these this way is so nice to serve to a large group of people. There's no pulling them apart and getting your fingers all sticky! Super easy and fabulous! I baked these for my friend Ashley's "Bun in the Oven" baby shower. They were a big hit! But these would be a fabulous treat for your Valentine!
Now there are plenty same day recipes out there that the dough comes together much faster, but I like to let the dough rise overnight. So be aware of that before you start this recipe.
Cinnamon Bun Cupcakes
Makes about 2 dozen cupcakes
What you'll need:
1 pint of whole milk
1/2 vegetable oil
1/2 cup white sugar
1 packet of yeast
4 cups of flour (plus 1 more cup for later and more for dusting)
1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. baking powder
2 sticks of melted butter
2 heaping tbsp. of ground cinnamon
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
For the frosting:
8 oz. cream cheese, room temp.
1/4 cup good butter (1/2 stick)
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
What you'll do:
In a large pot, mix together the milk, vegetable oil and sugar. Bring to a simmer and remove from the heat. Let cool for about an hour. Pour in the yeast and let sit a minute till it dissolves a little. Add in the 4 cups of flour and mix well. Cover with a lid and let rise for about an hour.
Add one more cup of flour, the baking soda and the baking powder. Mix well and place the lid back on the pot and refrigerate overnight.
I hope you slept well! Now it's time to make the buns!
Get your counter space ready, by cleaning well, drying and sprinkling with flour. Take half of the dough and roll out to a thin rough-rectangle shape. Drizzle about a 1/2 a cup of melted butter over the dough evenly. Sprinkle with a very very generous amount of cinnamon. Then the white and brown sugar. Starting at the opposite end start rolling the dough towards you. Try to make it as tight as you can.
Line your cupcake pan with liners and spray them very lightly with cooking spray.
Using a serrated knife (like a bread knife), cut the roll in about 2-inch pieces and place them cut side down in the cupcake liners. Let rise in the pan for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile heat the oven to 375 degrees and make the frosting.
Make the frosting, by mixing it all together in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a hand mixer.
Spoon some melted butter on top of the buns and put them in the oven to bake for about 15 minutes or until golden. Remove from the oven and carefully remove the buns and place them on a wire rack. Immediately frost with the cream cheese frosting so it melts into the buns.
These are best served warm, but you can also serve them at room temp.
Enjoy!
Tools I used:
Mmmm Mmmm Mmmm! Coconut is so yummy! And I have to credit this cookie to my friend Autumn. While we were planning the menu for our friend Ashley's Baby Shower, she wanted to have sugar cookies and something with coconut, so voila! The sugar cookie with coconut frosting was born!
Sugar Cookies with Coconut Frosting
What you'll need:
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
16 tablespoons (2 sticks) of really good unsalted butter, room temp.
1 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Frosting:
1/4 cup coconut milk
2 cups powdered sugar
a couple cups of shredded coconut
What you'll do:
Heat your oven to 375 degrees.
Line your baking sheets with silpat, parchment paper or spray with cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda and salt together and set aside.
Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a big bowl with a hand mixer, cream the butter with both the sugars and mix till combined. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Gradually add in the dry ingredients in 3 batches blending well in-between.
Get your hands wet with warm water and roll 1-inch balls with your fingers. Place on the cookie sheet.
Bake for 12-16 minutes or until the edges just start to turn golden. Let the cookies cool on the sheet for about 2 minutes before removing and placing on a wire rack. Let them cool to room temperature before frosting.
For the frosting:
Combine the sugar and coconut milk and mix well. (It will be on the thin side and will harden on the cookies) Spread the frosting on the cookies and sprinkle with the shredded coconut.
Do not stack the cookies until the frosting has hardened which should take about an hour.
Enjoy!
Tools I used:
So, I'm going to let you have a little slice of the secret family recipes! This is my Aunt Carol's recipe for Sicilian Cassata. It's served at every Christmas. If you love cannoli's then you are going to love this recipe! I wish I had a magic wand to erase calories so I could eat this everyday!
Now this recipe is not the most traditional, but I think it's the best. Most of the time there is candied fruit inside and it's covered with marzipan, but who needs that stuff? We stick to the liquor, cannoli cream and cake!
Sicilian Cassata
What you'll need:
1 pound cake {homemade or store bought is ok for this}
1/4 cup white crème de cacao
1/4 cup Cointraeu
2 lbs. whole milk ricotta cheese {homemade recipe if you like}
1/2 cup almonds, toasted and chopped
1 cup sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1-2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 bag semi sweet chocolate chips {I prefer mini, but you can use regular too}
What you'll do:
In a small bowl, combine the crème de cacao and cointreau and set aside. In a large bowl, beat the ricotta cheese and sugar until smooth. Reserve 1/2 cup or more for frosting. In the large bowl, add in the vanilla and cinnamon and blend well. Fold in the nuts and chocolate chips.
Place slices of cake in a serving dish {approximately 8 x 8} to cover the bottom. Sprinkle with the liquor and smooth on some ricotta mixture.
Continue to layer until the dish is full. Top with the reserved frosting and you can garnish with some additional toasted almonds.
Cover and chill in the refrigerator at least overnight.
Just when you thought I was out of pumpkin recipes, here you go! I love this dip! It makes for the perfect appetizer or dessert. You'll definitely want to break this out for your fall and winter parties!
Pumpkin Dip
What you'll need:
8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup canned pumpkin
about a tsp. of cinnamon
about a tsp. of powdered sugar
What you'll do:
In a mixing bowl, stir all the ingredients. Season to taste. Enjoy with graham crackers, shortbread or ginger cookies.
It was one of my best girlfriends birthday parties this past weekend and I learned a few things about traveling with desserts in the hot desert. . .
The Birthday party was at The Ace Hotel in Palm Springs. If you don't know where that is, it's about 2 hours east of Los Angeles out in the desert. It was a great weekend! Warm weather, hanging out by the pool and flowing champagne : )
So here's what I made:
I made a two tiered carrot cake with cream cheese frosting, red velvet cupcakes and chocolate cupcakes with carmel frosting! Yum!
Tip of the Day:
When you are writing on a cake with frosting, always use a toothpick to write what you like. You can always smooth the icing over to change it. Then use your colored icing to trace the tracks left from the toothpick. It'll always come out perfect!
If you love dark chocolate, this is the cake for you! This cake is so rich and decadent! We served it at the baby shower so it was only appropriate to write "baby" on it : )
Chocolate Ganache CakeWhat you'll need:
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, plus more for pan
3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup fat free sour cream
For the ganache:
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 oz. dark chocolate
What you'll do:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Butter an 8-inch-round cake pan. First, butter the pan, then line bottom with a round of wax paper. Butter paper; dust bottom and sides of pan with cocoa powder, tapping out excess. Using cocoa powder is key here, it will keep your cake from having white dust on it from the flour and it will give the outside of the cake a nice flavor.
For the cake, sift together cocoa, flour, baking powder, and salt. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time. Add in vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the sour cream.
Spread batter in prepared pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Cool 10 minutes in pan, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely, bottom-side up.
When making a cake to be frosted, always place the cake upside down so the cake is nice and flat.
For the ganache, break up the chocolate into a bowl. Bring the heavy cream to a low simmer in a saucepan and pour it in the bowl over the chocolate. Stir with a whisk until shiny and smooth.
Set the rack with cake over a rimmed cookie sheet. Pour glaze over cake, letting it run over sides; spread gently with an spatula. Let set for about 30 minutes.
It's best when served with some fresh whipped cream and maybe some berries on the side.
How do I describe this cake?? Well, there's only one word: YuuuuummmmEEEEE! Rich, chocolatey, dense and silky smooth! I add a minty twist to the crust for a nice flavor kick. It's not like a traditional ricotta cheesecake, it's got more of a mouse like consistency but in a good way. And one of the best parts, it doesn't get baked! Yup, it's a no bake cheesecake : ) If you love chocolate, you are going to LOVE this dessert!
Chocolate Silk Cheesecake
Makes one 9" pie
What you'll need:
14 oz. good chocolate (NO chips! a nice hunk of chocolate. I like valrhona) plus a little for shaving
30 oz. part skim ricotta cheese
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
9 oz. chocolate wafers (I like the chocolate mint wafers, but if you don't like mint, use regular)
What you'll do:
Line the bottom of a 9" spring form pan with wax paper and spray all around with pam cooking spray. Lay all the chocolate wafers on the bottom of the pan.
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler. As it's melting beat the ricotta cheese in a food processor until smooth. When the chocolate is melted pour it in with the cheese and blend until smooth and incorporated.
Whip the heavy cream and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Carefully fold into the chocolate cheese mixture.
Pour the cheesecake mixture over the cookie crust, cover with foil and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
If you don't have a spring form pan, I've got my favorite one in "things I love"
Enjoy!!
I mean don't you want that bite??!!
Who doesn't love creamy, delicious, light, fluffy, cheesecake? No one right!? Here is a little creation layered with fresh blueberries! FYI since I used fresh blueberries I hear by declare this dessert healthy ; )
Actually, it's just the result of me craving cheesecake and making it up with what I had in my fridge! And of course I had to serve it in a wine glass. Don't you just love food served in a wine glass?
Cheesecake Parfait
Makes 2 large portions, or 4 smaller ones
What you'll need:
6 oz. cream cheese at room temperature
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tbsp. pure vanilla extract
a few small handfuls of fresh blueberries (you could really use any fresh fruit)
What you'll do:
In a bowl, beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth and set aside. Whip the cream and vanilla until you have a nice whipped cream on the softer side. Pour the whipped cream into the cream cheese bowl and mix with a hand mixer until smooth.
Either eat with a spoon at this point, or layer the cheesecake mix with the fresh fruit in a bowl, ramekin or in this case a wine glass. Serve chilled.
Enjoy!
