Category: Dessert

Dessert, Sweets

Flashback Friday – Time Warp

by Wendi2 Comments on Flashback Friday – Time Warp

Flashback Friday

The following originally appeared on 8/6/08 at Exit 51

Flashback Friday – Time Warp

Despite my decision to outsource most of the cooking for last Friday’s dinner party, I did manage my time well enough to put a few homemade dishes on the table.  I think a dinner party should be about enjoying time with your guests, not slaving over a hot stove.  So if time doesn’t permit me to get dishes done ahead of time, I have no qualms about letting someone else do the work for me.  I also have no shame about letting my guests know that, no, I did not fry up all that chicken; it came out of a red and white bucket.  My time is at least worth an order of 16 piece extra crispy to go. Continue reading “Flashback Friday – Time Warp” →

Dessert, Sweets

Pumpkin Tart

by Wendi36 Comments on Pumpkin Tart

I am a planner.  Perhaps I’ve mentioned that before? I like to know where I’m going and how I’m getting there before I embark on a journey…whether it be out in the world or in my kitchen.  So I hate it when I have a plan all nicely laid out and someone comes along and tells me that I should do something different.  Change, especially last minute change,  and I don’t see eye to eye.  So it is grudgingly that I let it into my world.

Now that we’ve established that I’m the kind of person that would rather eat glass than do something like change my menu at the last minute, I’m going to put on my hypocrite hat and say that while I’m sure you have a lovely dessert planned for Thanksgiving this week, you need to forget about that.  Because you absolutely need to make this pumpkin tart. I know that might sound like nails on a chalkboard to you (it would to me), but I would not suggest such a thing if it weren’t imperative that you become acquainted with this tart.

I’m not going to pretend that this tart is any less of a calorie bomb than its cousin, pumpkin pie.  It’s got butter, sugar, chocolate, creme fraiche, and egg; there’s nothing light about it.  The chocolate spice crust is a perfect complement to the custard filling that is silky and rich but avoids being heavy or overly sweet.

So why should you make a change this late in the game?  Because in addition to being a welcome change from pumpkin pie and being an outstanding dessert on its own merits, pumpkin tart is unexpected.  You can get a pumpkin pie anywhere.  Walk into any grocery store or kwikimart and you’ll  be bombarded with mass produced, industrial, pumpkin pies for sale.  As tasty as they are, they’re a dime a dozen.  While not any more complicated than a pumpkin pie, pumpkin tart just looks fancy.  And that little bit of fancy makes you feel special.

So this Thanksgiving, go for special.  Curse me all you want now as long as you are prepared to take every word back when you experience pumpkin tart.

Chocolate Tart Crust

Adapted from Martha Stewart

BAH Note: I have Sweet Mary to thank for introducing me to Pumpkin Tart.  She brought it to our Inspired Supper and I was so impressed by the tart that I finally pulled out the tart pan that has been sitting in the cabinet for over a year and made it myself.  Despite having the dough as cold as possible, I still found that it warmed up quickly resulting in sticking and tearing.  If that happens, put the dough back in the fridge for ten or fifteen minutes to firm back up before continuing.  A big hunk of dough ripped off as I was placing it in the pan so I just used my fingers to work the pieces back together.  After it’s filled, you can’t tell whether you rolled your dough perfectly or whether it fought you like a rebellious teenager.  So don’t sweat it.

  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, frozen
  • 1 large egg
  • 4 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

Whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa, salt, and spices in the work bowl of your mixer. Using a box grater, quickly grate the butter into the flour mixture.  Using your hands, gently fold the butter into the flour mixture.  Place the bowl, along with the paddle attachment from your mixer, into the refrigerator (or freezer if you have the room) for 20 to 30 minutes.  Then mix on low for a few minutes until the mixtures resembles coarse meal and the butter is pea-sized. Add the egg and mix until everything just comes together to form a dough.  Shape the into a disk, cover it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least an hour, and up to a day, before proceeding.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Roll the dough out to 1/8 inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Brush off the excess flour. Transfer the dough to your 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Press the dough into the bottom and up the sides of the pan and trim the edges. Use a fork to lightly prick all over the bottom of the dough. Chill for 30 minutes.

Bake the shell until it is firm, about 15 minutes. Immediately sprinkle the bottom of the shell with the chopped chocolate and smooth with a spatula.

{printable recipe}

Pumpkin Tart Filling

Adapted from Martha Stewart

  • 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
  • 3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
  • 8 oz creme fraiche
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 2 oz bittersweet chocolate

In a medium bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, brown sugar, creme fraiche, and spices.  Taste for seasoning and add more spice as desired.  Add the eggs and whisk until smooth. Pass the mix through a fine sieve set over a clean bowl, discarding any solids. Pour the filing into the prepared chocolate crust.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes or until the filling is set.  Transfer to a wire rack and cool for 30 minutes.

Melt the chocolate in the microwave in 30 second intervals until melted. Use a fork or piping bag with a very narrow tip to drizzle the chocolate over the tart forming decorative stripes. Chill for at least an hour before serving.

{printable recipe}

Dessert, Sweets

Desserts 4 Today Just Peachy Ice Cream

by Wendi14 Comments on Desserts 4 Today Just Peachy Ice Cream

Dear Abby Dodge,

Thank you for giving some less than pretty, late in the season peaches a chance to shine.

xoxox,

Me

What happens when what’s left of your last flat of peaches from Trader Joe’s don’t age well? You can either take the loss or get creative.  With the help of Abby Dodge, and her recipe for Just Peachy Ice Cream in Desserts 4 Today, I got creative.

Do yourself a favor, ask my friend Googley about Abby Dodge and how you can get your hands on Desserts 4 Today.  Because it’s pretty crazy what you can do with just 4 ingredients.  Go.  Ask. Googley.

Dessert

Flashback Friday – Clazy

by Wendi6 Comments on Flashback Friday – Clazy

Flashback Friday

The following originally appeared on 7/28/08 at Exit 51

Clazy

In a single word, this will be one clazy week.  I’ve got several major deadlines at work that require varying degrees of my time.  I’m hosting dinner for 8 on Friday.  And this weekend, the mistah and I will embark on the South Beach program (I hate the word diet).

The reason for SB is that I think we could definitely be making some better food choice at our house.  And if our wardrobes happen to fit better as a result, so much the better. Continue reading “Flashback Friday – Clazy” →

Dessert, Sweets

Coconut Macaroons

by Wendi25 Comments on Coconut Macaroons

The Universe has a way of bringing the most fascinating people into my life.  So what do you think happened when I gathered a bunch of them around the dinner table?  Only the best dinner party I’ve ever given, that’s what.  Who were these fascinating people, you might be asking yourself.  Let me tell you.

Sweet Mary – Seriously one of the most generous souls, Mary has taken her love of education, food, and travel and woven them together into the fabric of her life experiences.  A common theme throughout all of her adventures is the idea of community.  Whether it is on a small island in French Polynesia, in the classroom, or around her kitchen table, Mary has seen the power that comes from connecting with other people in meaningful ways.

Inspired Taste – Adam and Joanne use their love of food and cooking together to strengthen their relationship.  I admire the fact that they prepare food together and it is a positive experience.  That means that there is hope that one day The Mistah and I can truly collaborate in the kitchen, which I think is pretty inspiring.

Angry Asian Creations – Lan has seen parts of the world I can only imagine abstractly.  Like Ethiopia.  I mean, I know where it is on a map but I can’t even begin to comprehend what it must be like to live there. She is also an example of a good Bread Bible Student and proof that if I would just apply myself, I would be rewarded.

Grace Before Meals – Combining his love of food and his faith, Fr. Leo knows the power that comes from sharing a meal together.  And he is on a mission to get us around the table strengthening our families, building our communities.  Maybe more than anyone I know, Fr. Leo is so perfectly suited to his vocation that I can’t imagine him in any other role.

Gathered around the table, sharing a meal, we told our stories.  We talked about our hopes and aspirations.  There may have even been an admission of some Food Network crushes, the details of which will stay among the six of us.  So in those moments when I ask myself why I keep this food blog going, I only need to remember the feeling of community, understanding, and inspiration that we created.

I sent all my guests home with coconut macaroons.  They left with goodies, but their presence was a tremendous gift to me.

Coconut Macaroons

Adapted from Baking Bites

BAH Note:  You don’t have to use a stand mixer for this recipe. A hand held one would work just fine as would some good old fashioned elbow grease.  These morsels are moist and chewy perfection.

  • 14 ounces sweetened flake coconut
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 large egg whites
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract

Heat the oven to 350 degrees and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Place the coconut in a food processor and pulse until the coconut is chopped into rice size pieces.

In the work bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk together the egg whites, sugar, and salt.  When smooth, add the cornstarch and 1 teaspoon of almond extract and whisk until smooth.  Add the coconut and continue to whisk until it is evenly coated.

Using a small ice cream scoop (approximately 1 tablespoon) portion out the macaroons onto your parchment and bake for 15 – 20 minutes until they are golden on the bottom and just browned on top.  Cool on the sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes approximately 24.

{printable recipe}

Dessert, Sweets

Caramel Apple Muffins

by Wendi49 Comments on Caramel Apple Muffins

I’ve been half jokingly telling some folks I follow on Twitter that I am going to have parental controls installed on my computer that will block me from seeing the wonderous things they are making with butter, sugar, and flour.  Because anymore, I feel like I gain 5 pounds by just turning on the pc and going through my reader.

So I do try and be deliberate about what recipes I print out and bring home.  And I try to have a strategy outlined as to how the baked goods will exit our house as quickly as possible to limit my opportunities to overindulge.  Typically, this plan involves coworkers.  They bear the brunt of my sugary obsession.  But recently, the Universe presented me with the opportunity to share my compulsion to ‘bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean’ with my neighbors.  I’ll set the scene for you.

The Mistah and I had gone out to grab some dinner.  There may have been tater tots and chocolate malted milkshakes involved.  Then again, there may not have.  You’d have to have been on Twitter that night to know for sure.  And while we were out, someone hit my car parked back at home.  How do I know this?  Because a neighbor came knocking on our door at 10pm to ask whether the car parked under the street lamp was ours.  When we confirmed that it was, she proceeded to explain how earlier the car had been hit not once, not twice, but three times by another driver.  This outrageousness had been witnessed by several folks and they managed to record the tag number of the driver before she fled the scene.  Because you know that driver did not leave a note.

So the neighbors see everything that happens, they get the tag number.  And they called the police to report the hit and run.  In a million years, I would never have seen that one coming.  Using the information provided by the witnesses, the officer matched the tag number with a person and went and paid her a little visit.  And so it was that when this neighbor came over to let us know that our car had been hit and I went outside to inspect the damage, I found the card the officer had left with all of the information about the driver that I would need to file a claim.

Really.  I can call my insurance company and let them know which of Allsate’s customers is going to be funding the new side panel and hood on my car.  This had to be thanked and rewarded because I really think most people would have turned a blind eye to the whole thing.  So I decided that the appropriate way to say thanks was with butter, sugar, flour, apples, and caramel.  Because I wanted to make Caramel Apple Muffins.  I just did not want to be left alone with them.

So that’s what I did.  I made muffins.  I had some challenges.  I may have had a failed experiment in using a food processor to chop caramel candies.  I may have had to clean scorched batter and topping off of pans and pizza stones.  But I was able to go knocking on a couple of doors and use Caramel Apple Muffins to say thank you.

I can’t guarantee that if you look out for your neighbors one of them will show up on your doorstep with some freshly baked muffins.  But it sure as hell can’t hurt your chances either.

Caramel Apple Muffins

Adapted from Sugarcrafter.net

BAH Note: It was a huge pain to chop up the caramels.  I wonder what would happen if you just nestled a whole caramel in each muffin cup?  Also, I made the mistake of overfilling my muffin cups.  So when the batter rose I ended up with a mix of batter and topping scorching on the pan and dripping down onto my pizza stone.  My point?  Don’t overfill.  After the baking was done, I was tweeting with @Sugarcrafter and we decided that this would be great as a cake with some brown sugar icing.

  • 2 cups flour
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/4 cup butter, melted
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tart apple, peeled and diced (between 1/2 cup and 1 cup)
  • 12 caramels, chopped
  • 1/ cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup quick cooking oats
  • 3 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and coat a muffin pan well with nonstick spray.

Combine the brown sugar, oats, 3 tablespoons butter, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon in a bowl and set aside.

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, spices and salt.

In a second bowl mix together the milk, egg, 1/4 cup butter, and vanilla.

Stir the wet ingredients into the dry until everything is just combined.  Fold the caramel and apple into the batter.

Fill the muffin cups 3/4 full and top with the brown sugar mixture.

Bake 20 – 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.  Cool the muffins in the pan for 5 minutes before carefully turning them out onto a wire rack to cool.

{printable recipe}

Dessert, Food Memories, Sweets

Food Memories – Russian Tea Cakes

by Wendi34 Comments on Food Memories – Russian Tea Cakes

I discovered Ali and her blog 3 Baking Sheet to the Wind earlier this year on one of my rabbit hole trips on the interwebs. At first, I could not quite believe there was another person out there who devoted massive amounts of mental storage capacity to pop culture phenomenons such as Teen Witch, Heathers, The Breakfast Club, Willy Wonka (the original), and Summer Rental. It’s like she’s the voice inside my head telling me to click over to these time sucks when I see them in my Tivo Channel Guide. Not only does Ali know and lurv these movies, she finds ways to tie them to a recipe in her ‘Sugared Cinema’ selection each and every Friday. The other days of the week, she’s rocking out fabulous decorated cakes, cookies, and throwing down some serious beer.  The tag line of her blog isn’t “I like baking and drinking craft beer…sometimes simultaneously” for nothing. So it wasn’t too long before I started pestering Ali for a Food Memory. She kindly obliged with the following memory for one of the easiest, tastiest cookies I’ve ever made.

Russian Tea Cakes

During the Christmas season, my mom and her best friend would pick a day to get together in our kitchen and spend the entire day baking.  They started the tradition when I was around 5 or 6 years old and carried out the tradition for a good 10 years or so.  My mom would get experimental and try out a new recipe every now and then but for the most part, they would stick to the old faithfuls:  red and green sprinkled sugar cookies, chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal cookies, fudge, date bars and Russian tea cookies.

As a kid, I had pretty typical tastes when it came to sweets.  The sugar cookies were my favorite (she could have thrown sprinkles on a stapler and I would’ve eaten it.)  I never could understand why she insisted on making those powdery Russian tea ball things, though.

As I got older, I found myself sneaking cookies from the Russian tea container.  They were so wonderfully buttery (even more so than the sugar cookies) and I was addicted to them, right down to the powdery residue it left on my fingers.  After a long hiatus, we decided to bring back the Baking Day tradition last Christmas.  There were a lot of new additions, some from me and some from my sister, but we knew the day wouldn’t be the same without my Mom making those Russian tea cookies.

Russian Tea Cookies

Adapted from AllRecipes.com

BAH Note:  Ali didn’t have her mom’s exact recipe but she poked around online until she found one that was close to what she remembered.  I tweeted to Ali that I was kicking myself for scaling the recipe down and only making a half batch.  I could not stop eating these morsels.  At 12 minutes, they are perfectly undercooked so that the center is still slightly moist while the outside is crisp.  The decision to omit the walnuts completely and  substitute almond for vanilla was mine and mine alone.  And I stick by it.  I can’t eat nuts, period. And I’m not usually big on almond flavor but in these cookies it was the perfect counter to the buttery, sugary goodness.  I can see why these would have become a favorite in Ali’s house growing up.

  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • 6 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar

Heat the oven to 350 degrees and line two sheet pans with parchment paper.

Combine the flour and 6 tablespoons of powdered sugar in a medium bowl and whisk until combined.

In the work bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and almond extract until it is smooth.  Slowly add the flour mixture and mix until fully combined.

Roll the dough in to 1 inch balls and place them about 1 inch apart on the prepared sheets.  Bake for 12 minutes.  Allow the cookies to cool completely before rolling them in the 1/3 cup powdered sugar.

{printable recipe}

Dessert, Sweets

Emergency Cupcakes and Marshmallow Buttercream Frosting

by Wendi55 Comments on Emergency Cupcakes and Marshmallow Buttercream Frosting

How do people find time to bake during the week?  In my world, baking is usually a weekend only activity because I just can not make the time to rock out the cookies, cakes, and other sweets after a full day of work.  My patience and attention are spent by the time I get home and baking is not something you want to only sort of pay attention to.  When I’m not paying full attention I do things like mix up baking soda and baking powder, or intend to scale a recipe down but don’t think through all the steps and put in half the sugar but all the flour.  If I’m going to be producing baked goods on a weeknight, it better be an emergency, and the recipe better be Wendiproof.

I just so happened to find myself in a situation during the week where cupcakes were called for and I had what turned out to be a Wendiproof recipe at my disposal.  And let me tell you something, you NEED to have this recipe in your repertoire. I don’t think I’ve ever said that about anything.  But these cupcakes and marshmallow buttercream frosting are the perfect solution to any baked good emergency that you could encounter.  The method is beautifully simple, the ingredients are pantry staples, and the results are amazing.  This recipe will wow people into thinking you slaved away in the name of cupcakes.  The truth, that these cupcakes nearly make themselves, can stay our secret.

Emergency Cupcakes

Adapted from Abby Dodge

  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup hot water
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 egg

Heat the oven to 350 degrees and line a muffin tin with paper or foil liners.

Whisk together the flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl until well combined.  Combine the water, oil, and vanilla in a measuring cup or small bowl and add to the dry mixture.  Add the egg and stir until blended, about 1 minute.

Using an ice cream disher, fill each liner about 3/4 full of batter.  Bake for 19 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out cleanly.

Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning the cupcakes out and placing them on a rack to cool completely.

{printable recipe}

Marshmallow Buttercream Frosting

Adapted from Abby Dodge

BAH Note:  This may become my favorite, go to frosting.  It is ridiculously easy to make, the texture is exquisite, and even I managed to pipe it decently. Although I’d like to see what happens if I reduce the amount of butter down to a stick or maybe a stick and a half.  Two sticks of butter gives you a very rich frosting.  Not that it’s a bad thing.  I bet that if you had a mind to fill your cupcakes as well, this frosting would oblige.

  • 2 sticks of butter, at room temperature
  • 7 ounces marshmallow fluff
  • 3/4 cup confectioners sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Combine the butter and marshmallow in the work bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Beat on medium until completely smooth.  Reduce speed to low and add confectioners sugar, vanilla, and salt.  Continue to beat until smooth and fluffy.

{printable recipe}

Breakfast/Brunch, Dessert, Sweets

Doughnut Muffins

by Wendi29 Comments on Doughnut Muffins

Back at the Big Summer Potluck, there was one dish that caught everyone’s attention. That’s not a small feat among a group of food bloggers. But one morsel was the belle of the ball.  And they may very well be my undoing.  Because nothing tastes as good as mini muffins that have the texture of a doughnut and a buttery, spiced sugary coating.  I purposely redid the recipe to make them bite sized because I know firsthand that making them full size is no guarantee that I won’t just keep eating them.  I’ve joked with Jen of How To: Simplify, to whom we all pledged our allegiance for bringing these into our lives, that the secret ingredient in the recipe is crack because these morsels are utterly and completely addictive.

And as if the original isn’t enough, now I see that Tracy of Sugarcrafter, another Potluck alum, went and made a Caramel Apple version for fall.  I sent them both a passive/aggressive tweet saying that I will hold them personally responsible when I can no longer fit into my jeans.

But there’s a little part of me that says that if I have to go up a pants size, these muffins are a pretty damn good reason. And please, hold your judgment until you have experienced the ecstasy that is the mini doughnut muffin.

Doughnut Mini Muffins

Adapted from Jenn at How To: Simplify

  • 1 3/4 cup flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/3 cup oil
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1 stick of butter, melted and cooled
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons cinnamon

Heat oven to 350 degrees and spray two mini muffin tins with nonstick cooking spray.

Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon in a medium bowl.

Combine the oil, sugar, egg, and milk in a large bowl.  Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix just until combined.  Fill each muffin cup approximately 3/4 full of batter and bake for about 10 to 12 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

While the muffins are baking, combine the 2/3 cup sugar and 2 tablespoons cinnamon in a small bowl and make sure your butter is melted.  When you remove the muffins from the oven, immediately remove them from the pan, dip them in the melted butter, and then coat them in the spiced sugar.

{printable recipe}

Dessert, Sweets

NiceCream

by Wendi14 Comments on NiceCream

Ice Cream Shooter

I’m usually late to try the newest, hottest, trendiest recipes.  But somehow, I found myself jumping on the Single Ingredient Ice Cream bandwagon before it passed me by.  Actually, I feel like I couldn’t turn around on the interwebs without running into it.  So I gathered the necessary ingredient(s) to see what all the fuss was about.

I thought I had found a long term replacement for Ben and Jerry’s until one of my friends pointed out that bananas are uber high on the glycymic index which means that for my South Beachish eating habits, they really aren’t the best food choice on a regular basis.  That’s a shame because with enough peanut butter and cocoa powder to mask the banana, it really is an enjoyable treat that you’d swear was ice cream.

So while I lament yet another failure in my quest to be one of the hip kidz, you might want to click on over here, and here, and here to see what all the dang fuss is about.