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{the pastry queen’s} favorite chocolate chip cookies.

September 26, 2010 in Sweets + Treats with 4 Comments

They look good, don’t they?

I must admit – I sort of cheated on this week’s edition of Project Pastry Queen. I made these cookies for a Labor Day celebration just a few short weeks ago. I couldn’t help myself. Chocolate chip cookies are just the quintessential American dessert – and thus perfect for a Labor Day picnic at the pool with friends. I considered other classics – like s’mores or whoopie pies, or s’more-whoopie pies, perhaps – but finally settled on these cookies, figuring someone in the group was bound to pick them for the Project.

I, of course, was right. How could you not want to know what the Pastry Queen herself deems to be her *favorite* chocolate chip cookies? I know I was curious.

As it turns out, they were good. Really good. The best I’ve ever had? I can’t be entirely sure of that, but they were definitely up there. What I can tell you is that everyone who came near these little mounds of goodness devoured them – each person eating 3 or 4, at a minimum – and no one could seem to stop raving about them. The cookies stole the show.

Rebecca didn’t specify which type of chocolate chips to use, and so I took the liberty of using both milk chocolate and semi-sweet, which is something I always like to do when given the choice. I like to keep a dangerous amount of various chips in my cabinet – dark, milk, mini, semi-sweet – so that no matter what, I can always whip up some kind of chocolatey treat.

The real stars in these cookies are the {3 cups of} nuts – both walnuts and pecans, toasted, of course. They add crunch, and they give the cookies that homemade quality that may make you wonder if Grandma is hiding somewhere around the corner. The cookies are crunchy themselves, but the great part is that there’s still some chewiness going on. I really liked the texture, but I’m venturing to say that some people who prefer a softer cookie – and there are a lot of people who do – wouldn’t call this cookie their favorite.

Me, on the other hand – I don’t think I could pigeonhole myself into liking one type of cookie best. Chewy, crunchy, tender, crispy, soft – I don’t discriminate. I like ‘em all.

Be sure to check out Kalyna’s fabulous blog for the recipe!

lemon-champagne bars with strawberry brûlée topping.

September 19, 2010 in Sweets + Treats with 5 Comments

I had a lot of fun making this spin on the classic lemon bar for Project Pastry Queen this week.

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Possibly too much fun.

Partly because champagne being a key ingredient inspired me to buy several bottles of champagne yesterday. There was breakfast pizzas all day long. There were heaping plates of prosciutto, figs, and cheese. And there was what felt like an unlimited supply of bubbly. It was a pretty fabulous day – but more on that, later.

I decided to start the bars last night, which was a great idea because – as I’ve found with many of the Pastry Queen recipes – they require a step where they need to be refrigerated for two hours or overnight. It’s a very simple recipe: all you need to do is make an easy pie crust bottom, bake it for a few, then make your lemon filling, and bake that overtop of the crust. The lemon filling is a bit more time consuming because it takes about 30 minutes to cook in total; you have to first let it thicken, then whisk in your chilled butter one tablespoon at a time – there are 12 total – and then let it thicken about 10 minutes more. The end result is a sweet, lightly lemony, pudding-like filling, with just the slightest hint of champagne.

I woke up this morning very excited, because today was the day I first got to use my new kitchen torch. I put Daniel to work on getting the butane all set up for me while I sliced my strawberries and laid them out over the dessert. I then covered them in an even layer of sugar, and got to work with the torch. I’d never used one before, and I was surprised to see that you had to really spend some time on each section of the dessert – I kind of thought one little motion would set the whole thing in flames. The sugar didn’t quite crystallize like I thought it would, and this may have been because there was too much moisture. I tried sticking them in the freezer for about 20 minutes, but there was still a layer of moisture laying on the top so I ended up just pouring it right off. The end result was a little messy – but undeniably delicious.

I then may or may not have eaten an entire vat of it for breakfast. And there may or may not have been a glass of champagne involved.

Be sure to check our Ginny’s lovely blog, Just Get Floury, for the full recipe – and see how all of the other fabulous members fared here!

seventh heaven chocolate truffle cake.

September 12, 2010 in Sweets + Treats with 15 Comments

I love chocolate.

I mean – I really, really love chocolate. Do you know how much chocolate is in this cake? 36 ounces. That’s over 2 pounds.

Does this frighten you? Not me. This is the kind of thing that excites me. Buying 9 Ghirardelli chocolate bars at once will do that for a real chocolate lover. And if you don’t love chocolate, you should probably get out of here. Seriously. Nothing good can come of this for all you crazy non-chocolate lovers out there.

Is it weird that I think people who don’t like chocolate are crazy? It’s nothing personal.

You can imagine, that – even as indecisive as I tend to be – when it was my turn to pick the recipe for Project Pastry Queen, I didn’t have much of a problem choosing. As delicious as all of the recipes may be, I knew I had to stay true to myself. Those who know me best would have been truly disappointed had I chosen anything except for this cake.

Because I really, really love chocolate.

And as for the cake? Well, I could go on and on telling you about how sinful it is. How rich, how decadent, how over-the-top heavenly. I could tell you about how the cake layers are so moist and so light, with only the most delicate hint of chocolate – creating the perfect balance between the cake and the layers of truffle filling.

No, I won’t tell you all of this. I’ll just tell you to go ahead and make it. Take yourself to the store, load up your shopping cart with an obscene amount of chocolate, and bake this cake. I’ll warn you – you may begin to secretly feel like you have super powers. If you’re smart, you may even pop open a bottle of champagne. And you should. Because this - this is something worth celebrating.

Seventh Heaven Chocolate Truffle Cake

Cake:

  • 2 1/3 cups cake flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 ounce unsweetened chocolate
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 2 1/3 cups firmly packed golden brown sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 cup boiling water

Ganache Frosting:

  • 24 ounces bittersweet chocolate (70% cacao – I used Ghirardelli which was 60%), finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 2 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup light corn syrup

Truffle Filling:

  • 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
  • 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped into small pieces
  • 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 6 large egg yolks
  • 2/3 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons Grand Marnier (optional)

To make the cake:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two 12 by 17-inch rimmed baking pans with silicone mats or parchment paper and coat with nonstick cooking spray. Make sure the parchment is wrinkle-free or the cakes will be uneven when baked. Place one baking rack one-third from the bottom of the over and the second two-thirds from the bottom. (If you only have one pan, you can bake the cakes separately on the middle rack of the oven, washing the pan in between).

Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Coarsely chop the chocolate and melt it in a small metal bowl set over a saucepan with 2 inches of simmering water, or in the microwave. Stir the melted chocolate until smooth and remove it from the heat.

Using an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl on medium-high speed about 2 minutes, until light and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating on medium speed for 30 seconds after each addition. Add the melted chocolate and vanilla to the batter and beat until incorporated. Add one-third of the flour mixture and beat on medium speed for 20 seconds. Add 1/2 cup of the sour cream and beat for another 20 seconds. Continue alternating additions until all of the dry ingredients and sour cream have been added. Add the boiling water and mix thoroughly on medium speed for 30 seconds.

{My note: I’ve never used boiling water in a cake batter before. Has anyone else? It made me feel super-old school}

Pour the batter into a large measuring cup. Pour half of the batter into each of the prepared pans. Bake for 7 to 12 minutes, until the cake springs back when lightly touched or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Monitor the layers carefully for doneness; they may be done at different times. Remove the cake from the oven and cool for at least 30 minutes.

To make the ganache:

Place the chocolate and butter in a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until it is very hot and just begins to steam. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and butter and stir until the mixture is smooth. Add the vanilla and the corn syrup; stir until the ganache is smooth and glossy. The ganache will be too soft to frost the cake immediately; it must sit at room temperature about 2 hours to firm up. The ganache can be made the night before the cake is assembled and left, covered, at room temperature. (Do not refrigerate it, or it will become too hard to handle.)

To make the truffle filling:

Melt both chocolates, the butter, and the cream in a large bowl set over a saucepan with 2 inches of simmering water. Remove from the heat to cool. Using a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the yolks in another large bowl on high speed about 5 minutes, until thick and light in color. Add the melted chocolate mixture and beat on medium-high speed for 1 minute. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and Grand Marnier and mix on medium speed until incorporated.

{My note: Make sure to wait until the truffle filling cools completely until you try to assemble the cake. I didn’t, and it was much thinner and harder to work with. Once it cools, it becomes much thicker and won’t slide off the edges of the cake}

To assemble the cake:

Invert the cooled cake onto a flat surface lined with waxed paper. Cut each cake into 3 equal rectangles (see Tip). You will have 6 rectangles of cake total. Put 1 cake layer on a cake plate, spread the top with a thick layer of truffle filling (about 1/5 of the filling), and cover the filling with another layer of cake. Continue with a layer of filling and a layer of cake until all of the cake layers are used, but do not spread filling over the top layer. Cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate about 2 to 3 hours, until firm.

Remove the cake from the refrigerator and frost it with the cooled ganache. Cut the cake with a long serrated knife, dipping it in a tall glass of hot water between each slice. Well wrapped, the cake will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 3 weeks.

Tip: A ruler and dental floss can ease the job of cutting this cake into equal parts before frosting. Use the ruler to measure out 3 equal portions of each cake, measuring from one side of the cake’s short end to the other. Stretch unflavored floss from one end of the cake to the other and push down lightly to mark a straight line. Follow the line with your knife to cut the cake into squares.

peach + cream cheese tart.

August 8, 2010 in Sweets + Treats with 7 Comments

I think I may have said this before.

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Imperfection can sometimes be pretty perfect.

I have to admit – I haven’t had many disasters in my experience in the kitchen yet. I could probably count on my fingers the number of times I’ve royally screwed things up.  And I guess if we’re saying “royally,” then we’re talking one hand.

I leave this to the fact that for the most part, I’ve chosen good recipes from good chefs to learn from. Yes, it’s pretty difficult to screw up a recipe from Ina.

The other piece of the pie here – or should I say tart {sorry, couldn’t resist} – is that it’s actually quite difficult to “royally” screw something up. We’re talking making something that’s inedible. Unsalvageable. Something that must head straight into the garbage can.

To tell you the truth, I can’t remember ever doing this. Don’t be mad at me.

Like I said, I blame Ina.

Still – I’ve come pretty close. I’ve slightly screwed things up. I’ve made minor – sometimes creeping toward major – mistakes.

Like when I made this tart. I didn’t realize I needed a 10-inch tart pan, and instead used my 9-inch. I mean, really? Now we need two different sizes of tart pans? The size of my kitchen just isn’t cut out for this, people. Ask Dan. He’s fast to tell me there’s no more room between the Christmas decorations and the cake dome under the sink of our second bathroom. True story.

The smart thing to do would have been to either cut the recipe down – though that can get tricky – or just not pour all of the filling into the pan. Duh. But I’m not always so smart.

The problem was, the cream cheese/mascarpone filling was just so lusciously good. I couldn’t possibly throw any of it away. I had to try to get it all in the pan. And if you’re all over there wondering, I wonder why she didn’t eat it – like with a spoon? Believe me. I did. There was a lot of it.

And then there was the tart dough. This was the first time I’d made one {unlike here, when I used a refrigerated pre-made crust}, and I had some trouble rolling it out. Usually, I don’t have these sorts of problems. Usually, I’m not cursing out pieces of dough and rolling pins in my kitchen. In the words of the great Tim Gunn, I made it work. There was a little too much dough, so I threw a lot of it away. And it was still a little too thick in the pan for my taste. But it was still damn good. I mean, it was a lemon zest tart crust. That’s right – lemon zest. In the crust. Good stuff.

So we’ve got lemon zest tart crust. A filling made of mascarpone and cream cheese. There were other things, like eggs, sugar, flour, and vanilla extract. But we don’t care so much about that stuff. We care about the cheese. And did I mention there were peaches?

After you {over}pour the cream cheese filling into the pan, you top it with peaches covered in cinnamon-sugar. This involves peeling and pitting the peaches, which was new to me. I used a vegetable peeler, and although I’m sure you can get some fancy peach-pitting device, I just cut them in half, ripped them apart, and cut the pits out myself. Easy enough. There was also a part about scoring the back of the peach halves. I did it, but I was confused. Was it just to make them pretty? Does it change how they cook? Who knows. I was much more concerned with the cinnamon-sugar party that came afterward. See? I don’t know everything. I mess things up. I don’t know much about fruit scoring, and I totally overflowed this gorgeous pile of deliciousness into a big mess.

But let’s get back to that part about salvaging. 

I knew it was going to overflow, so I put a pan lined in foil underneath the tart pan when I baked it. If I hadn’t done that, it would have been bad. I would have felt really bad for poor Daniel. After it cooled, I was able to just cut the overflowed mess right off the edges. I finished the tart with a simple glaze of apricot jam, brandy, and a bit of water, and all was right in the world. So, I did what anyone else in my position would do.

I got drunk.

I’m skipping over a few things here. We were having dinner guests that night, so I had a lot of other food to prep. So I prepped. I had wine. I cooked. I had more wine. And by the time our friends arrived, I was feeling great. We had wine. I forgot to take a picture of my tart in its whole, beautifully salvaged form. It happens. Life is all about imperfections. That’s what makes it perfect.

To get the recipe and create your own perfect mess of imperfections, head on over to fellow Project Pastry Queen member Tara’s blog, Smells Like Home.

project pastry queen.

August 7, 2010 in Sweets + Treats with 2 Comments

Because I apparently don’t think I bake enough butter-laden, calorie-dense, over-the-top luscious treats in my spare time, I’ve decided to join a baking group.

Project Pastry Queen.

I’d started to hear a lot about this alleged Pastry Queen, and I was intrigued. Many of my favorite bloggers swear by this famous baker from a small town in Texas. Her name is Rebecca Rather, and she is the proud owner of Rather Sweet Bakery and Café. How did she become known as the Pastry Queen? Well, the story is that she and a bunch of female pastry chefs used to gather for monthly dinners, and were eventually dubbed  the Pastry Queens by a reporter for the Austin Chronicle. The rest of the ladies all later dropped out of the business, and Rebecca became the last woman standing – thus leaving her the last Pastry Queen. The name stuck. Love that story.

But, I didn’t know any of this yet when I first saw this post on Crème Brûlée French Toast {which, by the way, I absolutely plan on making}. This post is what introduced me to Project Pastry Queen, a blog set up strictly for working one’s way through the Pastry Queen cookbook. Like I said, I had been hearing things. So I hopped over to Amazon to check out the cookbook.

I was in.

So – I signed up, bought the book, and here I am. Snuggling nightly with my copy of the Pastry Queen cookbook. Seriously. It’s that amazing.

I think what I love most is Rebecca’s approach to baking. She may be the most un-fussy and down to earth baker I’ve ever come across. Her recipes are pretty outrageous – some of them more complicated than others – but the one thing they all have in common is they seem to have been developed with love. But not just any love. Good, old-fashioned, homegrown Texas love.

Everything is bigger in Texas, isn’t it?

Some of the recipes I am compulsively-obsessing over are her Jailhouse Potato-Cinnamon Rolls, Bourbon Pumpkin Tart with Streusel Topping, Apple-Smoked Bacon and Cheddar Scones, Tuxedo Cake, Toffee Bar Brownie Torte, White-on-White Buttermilk Cake with Jack Daniel’s Buttercream… And the list goes on. And on. And on.

Just be prepared. It’s going to get nutty.

All starting tomorrow with the Fredericksburg Peach Cream Cheese Tart. Stay tuned.

strawberry + peach tart.

July 12, 2010 in Healthy Eats, Sweets + Treats with 8 Comments

This is what happens when you live in Florida, and what are considered to be “seasonal” foods are actually harder to find.

I wouldn’t dare expect the Publix I frequent to the carry rhubarb, but I was hoping Whole Foods would come through.

Nope. Apparently, they were out.

{I’ve since been several times and haven’t seen the so-called seasonal vegetable/fruit anywhere}

I’ve never cooked with rhubarb, let alone even eaten the stuff. So suffice it to say, I’ve been pretty curious lately,  as I’ve been seeing it plastered across just about every blog I read. I guess I’ll have to keep enjoying reading about what everyone else is doing, as for now, there’s no rhubarb in sight for me.

I can’t be too upset about it, however – because with the lack of rhubarb came this delicious creation using strawberries and peaches instead. I made this for an impromptu summer BBQ with friends, and I think it was the perfect light and healthy summer dessert. Coming in at around 200 calories a slice (for the rhubarb version – we’re assuming them to be similar), you really can’t beat it.

Strawberry + Peach Tart

Adapted from Cooking Light’s Strawberry-Rhubarb Tart

  • 1/2 (15-ounce) package refrigerated pie dough
  • 2 cups sliced peaches
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 2 teaspoons water
  • 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon, divided
  • 3 cups sliced strawberries
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • Blackberries, for garnish
  • Whipped cream, for serving

Preheat oven to 400°.

Press dough into bottom and up sides of a 10-inch tart pan. Line bottom of dough with a piece of foil; arrange pie weights or dried beans (I use rice) on foil. Bake at 400° for 5 minutes. Remove pie weights and foil. Bake an additional 5 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Combine 1/4 cup sugar, cornstarch, water, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer for a few minutes, stirring frequently. Make sure you reduce it long enough to allow it to thicken up – I probably didn’t reduce long enough, and ended up with a bit of liquid in some areas of the tart. Remove from heat, and stir in peaches and strawberries. Stir together well and spoon fruit mixture into prepared crust. Combine 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon and 1 tablespoon of sugar; sprinkle evenly over tart.

Place tart on a baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 30 minutes or until filling is set. Cool on a wire rack.

Add a few blackberries in the center for garnish, if you like, and serve with whipped cream.

What are YOUR favorite light and easy desserts for summer?

{american} flag cake.

July 2, 2010 in Sweets + Treats with 16 Comments

This was a very special cake, for many reasons.

For one, it was the first time I ever used a pastry bag and actually liked it – which was a big moment for me. Another reason is that I made it for a BFF’s party celebrating her man, who recently became an official citizen of the United States. He’s from Canada, and although he’s lived here his whole life, he was still super excited because he has serious American spirit; we were excited, too, because it gave us a reason to throw a huge party complete with every classically American dish you can think of, and a whole lot of sweet tea vodka and apple pie martinis.

And, you know, it also represents our country’s independence. So that’s cool, too.

You should probably {at least} consider making it this weekend, because not only is it as festive as it gets, it’s also beyond delicious. I literally can’t even tell you how obsessed people were with this cake – I heard everything from it’s the best cake they’d ever had, to intense threats recommendations to open my own bakery. The cake itself is a sponge cake, so it’s super dense and moist, and it has so much flavor – thanks to a heavy dose of butter. The icing is a cream cheese/buttercream variety, and it was also a huge hit – everyone loved how the tartness of the berries complemented it. It takes some time to pipe the icing and place all the berries on top, but I promise you – it’s not that hard, and that means a lot coming from someone as pastry bag-challenged as myself.

{What I finally figured out: you must use a big enough pastry bag! Get plenty of icing in there, but make sure you don’t overfill the bag so that you can fold the top of it over your hand}

Flag Cake

Recipe courtesy of Ina Garten

  • 18 tablespoons (2 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 3 cups sugar
  • 6 extra-large eggs at room temperature
  • 1 cup sour cream at room temperature
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1/3 cup cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda

For the icing:

  • 1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 1 1/2 pounds cream cheese at room temperature
  • 1 pound confectioners’ sugar, sifted
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

For your stars + stripes:

  • 2 half-pints blueberries
  • 3 half-pints raspberries

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter and flour (or use Pam for baking) an 18 by 13 by 1 1/2-inch sheet pan. I think my sheet pan is actually 18 x 12 x 1, and it worked out just fine. I think it’s a little tricky to find a pan this exact size recommended – so use what you have. If it’s something much smaller, like a half sheet pan, you can always split the cake into 2, or halve it – which would be an especially good idea if you have a smaller group, because this recipe makes a ton of cake.

Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on high speed, until light and fluffy. On medium speed, add the eggs, 2 at a time, then add the sour cream and vanilla. Scrape down the sides and stir until smooth.

Sift together the flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking soda in a bowl. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the butter mixture until just combined. No over-mixing! Pour into the prepared pan. Smooth the top with a spatula. Bake in the center of the oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool to room temperature.

Like Ina, I served this cake right in the pan. If you want to turn it out onto a board before frosting, use parchment paper when you grease and flour the pan.

For the icing, combine the butter, cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mixing just until smooth. Easy-peasy.

Spread three-fourths of the icing on the top of the cooled sheet cake. If you want to, you can outline the flag on the top of the cake with a toothpick, though I didn’t find this step necessary. Fill the upper left corner with blueberries. Place 2 rows of raspberries across the top of the cake like a red stripe.

Put the remaining icing in a pastry bag fitted with a star tip. Hold the bag with the edges folded over your hand (see below), and use your other hand to spatula the icing into the bag. Make sure to use a big enough bag, and to fill it about halfway or a little more. Squeeze the icing so that its pushed down to the tip and there’s no air in the bag, and squeeze the icing out gently. Try doing a little practice run on your counter, if you’re an amateur like me.

You want to try and gently squeeze it out as evenly as possible when you’re doing the stripes. I certainly didn’t do a perfect job, but once I figured out how to hold the bag and did a few practice lines, I started getting the hang of it.

Pipe two rows of white stripes below the first stripe of raspberries. Alternate rows of raspberries and icing until the flag is completed. I didn’t have enough room to do the last 2 stripes of raspberries, so I ended up just piping extra icing there – just make it work! Pipe stars on top of the blueberries. I probably got a little carried away here and did too many white stars – you can try spacing them out a little better than I did for a closer result to Ina’s.

End result: an imperfectly perfect + richly delicious flag cake, sure to steal the show.

Have a fabulous {and safe} Fourth of July, dolls!

turtle ice cream pie.

June 22, 2010 in Sweets + Treats with 9 Comments

{It’s pretty ridiculous}

I have my BFF Jess to thank, because it was her love for everything turtle that inspired me to make this for her birthday. Sure, everyone loves a good old-fashioned cake or cupcakes for their special day – but I think it’s fun to change it up once in a while, and give them something totally personalized.

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This was relatively easy – the only thing you need to know is that it takes a while. You have to spread a layer of softened ice cream, drizzle caramel overtop, and then freeze it for an hour. 3 times. Then freeze overnight before making the topping. So, it’s a bit of prep work – but I promise you, the end result is worth it. I cheated a little bit, and didn’t let it freeze an entire hour each time. I guess that’s why my layers are a little sloppy looking; if you want a picture-perfect slice, then by all means follow the directions to a T – but I can promise you it’s just as delicious this way.

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Turtle Ice Cream Pie

Adapted from Bon Appétit

The crust:

  • 1 1/2 cups pecan halves or pieces (6 to 7 ounces), toasted, divided
  • 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs (about 5 whole graham crackers, finely crushed in resealable plastic bag)
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted {I use Smart Balance, as always}

Easy homemade caramel and ice cream filling:

  • 3/4 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 3 tablespoons dark corn syrup {I only had light corn syrup and it turned out just fine}
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter {Smart Balance}
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 pints (4 cups) premium vanilla ice cream, divided {I used light}

Ganache:

  • 5 1/2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
  • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons dark corn syrup {again, only had light}
  • 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt

Make the crust:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Using on/off turns, finely chop 1 cup pecans in processor; transfer to medium bowl. Mix in graham cracker crumbs and sugar. Drizzle butter over; blend until evenly moistened. Press mixture firmly over bottom and up sides of 9-inch glass pie dish (not on rim).

Bake crust until golden brown, about 12 minutes (if crust puffs, press firmly back into place). Cool crust completely. Wrap in foil and freeze at least 1 hour. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep frozen.

Make the caramel sauce and filling:
Bring first 3 ingredients to boil in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat, whisking until sugar dissolves. Boil caramel 5 minutes, whisking occasionally. Turn off heat; whisk in butter, vanilla, and salt. Cool completely.

Slightly soften 1 cup vanilla ice cream in microwave on low in 10-second intervals. Spread ice cream evenly in frozen pie crust; spread 1/4 cup caramel over. Freeze pie until ice cream and caramel are firm, about 1 hour. Repeat with remaining vanilla ice cream in three 1-cup portions and caramel in two 1/4-cup portions. Freeze pie overnight. Cover and reserve remaining caramel at room temperature.

Make the ganache:
Combine chocolate, cream, and corn syrup in medium metal bowl. Place over saucepan of simmering water and whisk until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Whisk in vanilla and salt. Cool ganache at room temperature until thick but still pourable, about 30 minutes.

Pour ganache evenly over frozen pie. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup pecans. Freeze until ganache is firm, at least 45 minutes. Drizzle decoratively with 1/4 cup reserved caramel. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and keep frozen. Cover and chill remaining caramel.

Let pie stand 10 minutes at room temperature. Rewarm remaining caramel, stirring over low heat. Cut pie into wedges and serve with caramel.

sugar donut {coffee} ice cream cupcakes.

May 27, 2010 in Sweets + Treats with 27 Comments

It’s time.

I know you’ve all been dying to know what I conjured up for the 2010 Ice Cream Cupcake Roundup.

Or – maybe I’ve just been dying to show you. Either way.

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When I first learned about this contest being sponsored by the Cupcake Project and Scoopalicious, I knew I had to enter. I had never made ice cream cupcakes before – and I was intrigued. I started by browsing through all of the previous years’ entries, and I was beyond impressed. I knew that if I was going to take a stab at this, my entry would have to stand out. I needed a perfect combination that hadn’t been done before. Immediately, the sugar donut muffins I had recently seen over at Baking Bites popped into my mind. These could easily be transformed into sugar donut cupcakes, I thought.

Sugar.Donut.Cupcakes.

Does it get any better than that?

Yes, it does. When you add coffee Häagen-Dazs – and top it off with some freshly whipped cinnamon-sugar cream.

What’s that? You want to get really crazy? Okay, fine. We’ll serve some sugar-coated donut holes on the side. Now, we’re there – pure and unadulterated ice cream cupcake bliss.

I have to tell you, I wish these cupcakes could be judged based on a taste test. Because these are hands-down one of the most delicious things to ever come out of my kitchen. And they’re not even that difficult to make. The only downside (or upside, depending on how you look at it) is they’re best when eaten right away – and thus, no saving for later.

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Sugar Donut Cupcakes

  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 1/2 cups cake flour
  • 2 tsp baking power
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 tbsp butter, melted
  • 3/4 cup sugar, for rolling

To make the cupcakes:

Preheat your oven to 350F. Lightly grease your muffin tin with cooking spray or vegetable oil. In a large bowl, beat together the sugar and egg until nice and light in color. In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg. Since I never have cake flour on hand, I make it myself using all-purpose flour and cornstarch. Just replace 2 tablespoons of flour with cornstarch, for each cup you need. Sift together a few times – I probably went for 5; the more you sift, the closer to cake flour it becomes. Now pour the flour mixture into the egg mixture and stir to combine. Pour in vegetable oil, buttermilk and vanilla extract – stir until just combined. Don’t overmix, lovelies.

Divide batter evenly into 10  cups, filling each about 3/4 full. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

While your cupcakes are baking, melt the butter and pour the remaining sugar into a small bowl. When the cupcakes are done, remove from the pan and let them sit for a few minutes. Now, roll them in the melted butter and then in the sugar. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Time to make some freshly whipped cream:

Making whipped cream is so super-easy that once you’ve done it once, it can be a little dangerous. All you do is beat some heavy cream in a bowl, and add a bit of sugar – like this. I also added a bit of cinnamon.

Now, for the ice cream:

First, take your ice cream out of the freezer and let in soften for about 10 minutes. I used Häagen-Dazs because I find it to be the best coffee ice cream ever made, but you could use something else or make your own.

{The grand prize for the contest happens to be an ice cream maker, so if I happen to make it to the second round of voting – and you happen to vote for me during the second half of June – I could win it, and make the ice cream for you next time. Just sayin’.}

Cut your cupcakes in half. First, add a dollop of your cinnamon-sugar whipped cream to the top half of the cupcakes. You can do this with a pastry bag and a large tip, or by cutting a little hole in a plastic bag. Here is a fab tutorial on working with a pastry bag – and don’t feel bad if you make a mess and hate life when you’re using it. I still can’t seem to figure the damned thing out.

Now, take a small scoop of ice cream and place onto the bottom half of the cupcake. Place your frosted top on your ice creamed-bottom, and you’re good to go. Just sprinkle with some cinnamon-sugar and D.I.E.

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A long, slow, and delicious death in ice cream-cupcake-donut heaven.

robin’s egg easter cupcakes.

April 6, 2010 in Sweets + Treats with 2 Comments

I know, I know. Easter is over. Still – I wanted to share with you what I made for one of my *favorite* holidays.

{I’m obsessed with Easter for many reasons – but Cadbury Creme Eggs probably top the list}

I initially saw this idea on the Food Network’s website as I was perusing all of their adorable Easter cupcakes. I wasn’t in love with the cake and icing recipes they used but I did love the idea of the little egg nests. I fell in love with this yellow cake recipe; the cupcakes hadn’t been auditioned yet, so I figured I should give it a try. I had also just seen a recipe for an easy vanilla buttercream so that was taken care of, too.

Robin’s Egg Easter Cupcakes

  • 1 batch (12-15) vanilla cupcakes
  • 1 1/2 cups vanilla frosting
  • 1 cup coconut
  • 1 bag Cadbury Mini Eggs (or other Easter candy such as malted milk eggs)
  • Green and blue food coloring

To make the green coconut grass, place the coconut into a Ziploc bag and add 2-3 drops of the green food coloring. You can make it as green as you’d like; I added just a little to make the green lighter and more of a pastel. Just squish it around in the bag until the color is evenly distributed.

To make the light blue frosting, just add a few drops of blue food coloring to any vanilla icing you wish. I added 3 or 4 drops to the buttercream frosting I used to make it a light Robin’s egg blue. You could also add red and blue food coloring to make purple, or yellow food coloring for yellow frosting, etc.

Frost your cupcakes, then add a small mound of the coconut grass on top. Finish them off with a couple of candy eggs. (Tip: dab each egg with a tiny bit of frosting – this will create a ‘glue’ so they stick to the coconut.)

Best Yellow Cupcakes

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Yield: 12-15 cupcakes

  • 2 cups plus 1 tablespoons cake flour (see below for what to do if you can’t find any)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3/4  teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 cup buttermilk, well-shaken

Preheat oven to 350°F.

If you’re like me and can’t get your hands on cake flour anywhere near you {soon I will remember to actually order some online – promise}, here is what you do. For each cup of ‘homemade’ cake flour, just take one cup of flour, remove 2 tablespoons and replace with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. You then need to sift it a bunch of times (like 5) to give it that superfine and fluffy consistency that cake flour has. Yes, it’s kind of annoying, but it’s a must. You don’t need a sifter (I don’t even have one) – you just need one of those mesh strainers that you use to drain pasta and veggies. Take 2 bowls and sift the flour mixture from one into another for a total of 5 times.

Now sift the baking powder, baking soda, and salt into the flour (or you can add these before you start sifting).

In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until pale and fluffy, then beat in vanilla. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well and scraping down the bowl after each addition. At low speed, beat in buttermilk until just combined (mixture will look curdled – this is what you want). Now add your flour mixture in three batches, mixing until each addition is just incorporated.

Distribute batter evenly throughout cupcake tin(s). Fill them up a little over halfway, otherwise you will end up with overflowing cupcakes like I did. {They came out fine in the end – all that love nest topping covers up any imperfections.} Bake until golden and a wooden toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean, about 15 to 20 minutes. Don’t overbake! Cool in pan on a rack for 10 minutes, then remove them and let them cool completely.

Easy Vanilla Buttercream

Adapted from Brown Eyed Baker

Yield: About 1 1/2 cups (enough for 12-15 cupcakes)

  • 1 1/4 sticks unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 1/4 cups confectioner’s sugar
  • Pinch salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract (original recipe called for vanilla bean as well; instead I upped the extract)
  • 1 tablespoon heavy cream

In a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the butter at medium-high speed until smooth, about 20 seconds.

Add confectioner’s sugar and salt; beat at medium-low speed until most of the sugar is moistened, about 1 minute. Scrape down the bowl and beat at medium speed until mixture is fully incorporated, about 30 seconds; scrape bowl, add vanilla and heavy cream, and beat at medium speed until incorporated, about 20 seconds, then increase speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, scraping down bowl once or twice.

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