Candycorn Cupcakes

Thursday, I was in the grocery store.  And I spotted candy corn.  I don't even like it that much.  But I had to buy it.  It was calling out to me.  It is nearly Halloween, after all.  I just knew I could turn it into an interesting cookie.  But, then I didn't.  Instead, I made cupcakes.

These actually turned out to be much cuter than I really thought they would.  And, the cake recipe was fantastic.  It's a little complicated in that you mix up most of the batter, but then you whip up a meringue and fold it into the batter.  This step adds a fluffiness to the cake that takes it from being an ordinary, every day cupcake to a very tender, exceptional one.

Candy Corn Cupcakes:

2 large eggs, separated

1 3/4 cups sifted cake flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup Earth Balance vegan butter, at room temperature

1 cup granulated white sugar, divided

1 teaspoon pure vanilla

1/2 cup rice milk

1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

Preheat oven to 350.

Separate eggs and set aside.

Sift together the cake flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon and set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter until soft, about 1 minute.  Add 3/4 cup sugar and beat until soft and fluffy, 2-3 minutes.  Add in the egg whites, one at a time, and beat after each addition.  Add the vanilla and mix well.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.  Add the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.

Move the mixture to a separate bowl.

For this next part, you need the bowl of your mixer to be very clean.  Squeaky clean. 

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until foamy.  Add the cream of tarter and beat on high speed until soft peaks form.  Slowly add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beat on high until stiff peaks form.  With a rubber or silicone spatula fold in some of the egg white mixture into the batter mixture.  Fold until combined and then fold in the remaining egg white mixture.  Be careful not to overfold so the mixture doesn't deflate.  

Divide the batter evenly among three bowls (or, two additional bowls to the one you already have.  Each bowl should contain 1/3 of the batter mixture).  Add Americolor orange gel coloring to one of the bowls.  Add egg yellow to another.  Leave the third without coloring.

Divide each color of batter evenly among lined cupcake pan, starting with the uncolored batter on the bottom, followed by the orange, topped off by the yellow.  Bake for 18-25 minutes (mine took 21 minutes).

While cupcakes are cooling, mix up your favorite frosting.  Also divide it into thirds and color just like you did the batter.  Put each color into a disposable piping bag.  Snip a .5 inch section off the tip of each.  Fit another disposable pastry bag with a very large piping tip. (I used this one.)  Insert each of the three bags into the bag fitted with the pastry tube so that you are squeezing all three colors through the tip at once.  (Here's a great tutorial.)  Top with a piece of candy corn and watch them get gobbled up!      

Source:  Cake slightly adapted from Joy of Baking.

 

Texas Governor's Mansion Cowboy Cookies

I apologize for the lack of posting lately.  Things here have just been, well, busy.  Life seems to get away from me before I even realize it has begun.  My girls are absolutely beautiful and wonderful and make every day worth living (and every night worth waking up several times).  But, they are a handful.  There never seems to be a moment when everyone is happy.  Unless, of course, everyone is sleeping.  But, even then the moments are fleeting.  Baking is typically my refuge, but there just does not seem to be enough hours in the day to bake the things I want.  You should see the list of recipes I've been planning to try - it grows daily!

Despite our wonderful (and reliable) chaos, I have been working on a chocolate nut-free, milk-free macaron with a pretty amazing milk-free filling.  I have the taste down, just not the aesthetics.  So, hopefully that will be on here soon enough.  In the meantime, though, I did whip up these chocolate chip oatmeal cookies.  There's a bit of a back story, and you may find it irrelevant, but well, it's my blog and I feel like telling it (so there)...

*If you are a guy, or are not, or have never been, a nursing mother, you really may not care about this next part.  In fact, you may find it a little TMI and be annoyed by it.  Whatevs.  Just skip on down.*  

As I've mentioned 8000 times before, I am nursing my milk-allergic infant.  We had a bumpy ride the first few weeks (cracking, bleeding, mastitis twice and a nasty case of thrush. Yuck.), but overall things have gone smoothly.  For some reason, though, in the last few days I have become a bit worried about my milk supply.  Truthfully, I have no reason to be concerned.  I've always had oversupply.  If my little one pulls off before let-down has subsided she gets a shot to the face.  And she usually ends up drenched.  But, she's now 6 months old and my supply is evening out a bit.  Instead of waking up leaking and engorged, things are fairly controlled now.  But, I've also been spending lots of time in the gym and I know I'm not drinking the water I should.  As any nursing mom knows, this can all lead to panic.  Where's my crazy-huge supply?  Why am I not walking around with two giant, painful rocks anymore??  What have I done????  Mah poor bay-bay!!!

I know.  And you're right.

But, in order to calm my nerves, I decided to eat me some oats.  Yup.  Oats.  I have read in several places that oats can help to boost your milk supply.  And by several I mean KellyMom.  But, the thing is, I hate oatmeal.  HATE it.  It's just so mushy.  And gross.  Yuck.  But, oatmeal cookies?  I can get behind those.  So, there you have it.  The reason I randomly made oatmeal cookies at 9pm on a Sunday night.

Okay, so if you've made it this far in the post, just bear with me as I quickly explain these cookies...  These are out of the book, Presidential Cookies.  It includes a cookie, or sweet treat, from every administration through President George W. Bush.  (I do not know if a new version has been released since the latest election, so please do not go crying foul over lack of inclusion.)  I have been making Laura Bush's Texas Governor's Mansion Cowboy Cookies out of this cookbook for a few years now, and they are always a hit.  But, somehow, I managed to forget about them and it's now been over a year since I last baked them.  Horrible!

But, these are so yummy.  In fact, in the middle of baking these, I went to nurse my daughter back down to sleep, and when I came into the kitchen again, there were suddenly four less cookies.  In ten minutes.  Obviously, my husband likes them a little.  

Mrs. Bush's recipe calls for coconut and nuts.  Because of our food allergies, I don't use either, but I will include them below so you can add them if you'd like.  Also, I halved her recipe.  The original quantities make either an enormous cookie or an enormous amount of cookies.  Mrs. Bush recommends using a 1/4 cup dough per cookie for giant ones, or 2 Tbs. per cookie for smaller ones.  I just used a large spoon to scoop them and even with the recipe halved still made 25 very large cookies.  If you would like to make her full recipe just double everything (you will need 3 eggs for the full version).   

Laura Bush's Texas Governor's Mansion Cowboy Cookies:

1 1/2 Cup all-purpose flour
scant 1 Tbs. ground cinnamon  (full recipe also calls for 1 Tbs, but I used nearly the full Tbs. in the recipe)
1/2 Tbs. baking powder
1/2 Tbs. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 sticks Earth Balance vegan butter, at room temp (or, regular butter)
3/4 Cup packed light-brown sugar
3/4 Cup granulated sugar
1 egg, 1 egg yolk (3 whole eggs for full recipe)
1/2 Tbs. vanilla
1 1/2 Cup milk-free semi-sweet chocolate chips, such as Enjoy Life
1 1/2 Cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1 Cup sweetened flake coconut
1 Cup chopped pecans (4 oz.)

Preheat oven to 350.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, mix together flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Set aside.

In the the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy.  Slowly add in the sugars and beat for an additional two minutes.

Add in the egg and yolk, beating well.  Add in vanilla.  On low speed, slowly add in chocolate chips.  Add flour mixture on low speed and mix until just combined.  Add in oats and mix on low until all ingredients are well incorporated (but do not over mix).

Scoop out approx. 2 Tablespoons of dough per cookie (or, 1/4 cup dough per cookie for giant cookies, leaving 3 inches between each) and place on parchment lined cookie sheet.  Bake in preheated oven for 12-17 minutes for smaller cookies (it took mine 13.5 minutes), or 17-29 minutes for the larger cookies.  Makes 2-2.5 dozen using 2 Tbs. dough per cookie.

Enjoy!

Source:  Adapted from Presidential Cookies Cookbook by Bev Young.

 

Frosting for the Cause - Brush Embroidered Sugar Cookies

Today, I am guest posting over at Frosting for the Cause.  This is a wonderful website dedicated to raising money for cancer research and to sharing our baked goods with those who help cancer patients.  When I signed up for the post, I agreed to donate $25 to cancer research, to do a tutorial and to donate the baked goods from my tutorial to a local cancer or hospice center.  So, today I am delivering my brush embroidered royal icing sugar cookies to the Life With Cancer center here in Fairfax, VA.  While the cookies are certainly a small gesture, I do hope maybe they will bring some joy to the staff who devote their lives to helping patients wage courageous battles against a horrendous disease.  If any of you would like to sign up for Frosting for the Cause, please do.  It certainly is a worthy cause...

Chocolate Chip Meringue Cookies

This quick and yummy recipe comes from one of my favorite blogs:  Gina's Skinny Taste.  Gina is a genius when it comes to reworking fabulous but fatty recipes into healthier versions.  What I appreciate most about Gina is she doesn't use artificial ingredients.  She uses butter and sugar and oil, but in sparing amounts and combined with ingredients like unsweetened applesauce.  Every recipe I have made from her site has become an instant favorite in our home, including this one.

The main dish for dinner was also from Gina's website - the chicken cacciatore - but I wanted to also whip up a quick, but not too decadent dessert (or, maybe I had a sweet tooth but didn't want to overdo it.  But that's just a maybe).  These little meringues were light and fluffy and delicious.  I wish I had one right now...

Chocolate Chip Meringue Cookies: 
3 large egg whites (room temperature)
1/8 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup Enjoy Life semi-sweet mini chocolate chips (or other dairy free chocolate chip)


Heat oven to 300.  

Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Using a stand mixer with a whisk attachment and a squeaky clean metal bowl (make sure everything is clean and dry), beat the egg whites and cream of tartar together at high speed until soft peaks form (mine were fairly stiff and it took about 10 minutes).

Gradually add the sugar in a little at a time, followed by the vanilla, beating well after each addition until you get stiff peaks, the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is glossy.

Fold in the chocolate chips.

Using a disposable pastry bag (or ziploc bag) with the tip cut off, pipe cookies onto cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 30-45 minutes (it took me 33 minutes), until the cookies are *just* dry.  Let cool and store covered, at room temperature.  Makes around 30 cookies.

(P.S.  You must also immediately make this recipe for Asian Glazed Drumsticks.  I would have drunk the sauce with a straw if I didn't think my husband would turn away in shame.  I promise to do a post on it later, but do not wait.  Make it.  NOW.)

Source:  Gina's Skinny Taste.

Hurricane Cookies

Oh, Irene.  Our friends back home in NC are still dealing with the aftermath of Irene.  She was angry when she hit the coast, and it will take a long while to recover completely from her wrath.  But, here in DC, there was much ado about nothing.  Sure, it rained.  And, sure, it was windy.  But, overall, Irene's power had gone bust by the time she drifted through here.  We did lose power for about 12 hours, and I may have stayed wide awake staring suspiciously at the trees that looked like they were tempted to lean on our roof, but other than that, Irene was just, well, a dud.

However, Irene's rain and wind did keep us trapped inside for a day.  So, the Monkey and I made cookies.  Or, I made cookies while she played with water in the sink.  And, what I thought would be a fun activity of frosting them together, turned into her licking the bowl while I tried to get the frosting onto the cookies and off her.  You'd think I'd know by now that the 2 year old always wins.

When it became evident that she had no interest in decorating cookies, I whipped out a pastry bag and used a 1M tip to make roses on the tops of the cookies.  They turned out to be quite pretty, and the icing crusted really well.  This type of frosting (with shortening), is a bit too sweet for me but seems to mellow after it rests for a bit.  These soft sugar cookies, though, are fantastic.  Simply amazing.  You must make them.  Today.

 
Soft Sugar Cookies:
2/3 cup shortening
2/3 cup Earth Balance vegan butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 1/3 cups all purpose flour


Vegan Shortening Frosting:
1/2 cup shortening
4 1/2 cups powdered sugar (no need to sift)
1/4 cups + 2 Tbsp. rice milk
1 tsp. vanilla




Preheat oven to 350.

Cream butter, shortening and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes if using vegan butter (3-5 minutes if using regular butter).

On medium speed combine add in the eggs and vanilla and mix until well combined.

With the mixer on low speed, addthe baking powder, salt and flour and mix until it just comes together.

Using a medium dough scoop, roll into somewhat uniform balls, placing approximately 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper (don't worry, the dough is supposed to be sticky).

Bake 7 - 10 minutes until edges are *just* golden.

Once cookies are done, let them cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheet until they can be moved to a cooling rack without falling apart.

To make the frosting:
 While the cookies are cooling...with a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and on medium high speed, cream the shortening and powdered sugar together until smooth.  Slowly add in the rice milk and vanilla and mix until smooth.

If you want, color the frosting with whatever color you'd like (I used Americolor electric blue).  You can either spoon the frosting onto the cookies, or use a pastry bag with a decorative tip and pipe on pretty designs.  I used a Wilton 1M tip.

Source:  University of Cookie.

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes with Fondant Toppers & Two Frostings!

These cupcakes are always a big hit, and they are really quite easy to whip up.  Except for the cake flour, you probably always have each of the ingredients in your cupboards.  They are also easily made to be milk-free.  I used these for my daughter's second birthday, and most recently when I got last minute word that a friend was coming to town with her newborn.  And, as usual, they were gobbled up by kids and adults alike, and my husband moped around a bit when I left the few remaining ones at our friends' house.

On half of these, I used my standard cream cheese frosting.  I wanted to toss in a bit of cinnamon to give it a nice kick, but my husband talked me out of it.  Next time, I will, so if you'd like to as well just throw in a teaspoon or so of cinnamon.  Mix it up to taste.

And, because I was not the only one present avoiding milk for allergy reasons, I used a milk-free buttercream on the other half.  It actually tastes very good considering it is made from vegan butter.  The biggest difference is that it just doesn't become as creamy, and always looks a little "cracked" when it's piped.  As though it needs a bit more liquid.  You can add as much rice milk in as you want, but just be warned that it will never have the nice creamy texture of a cream cheese frosting or traditional buttercream, so don't overdo it and end up with soup.

I also topped these with cute little fondant toppers.  Luckily, I had some marshmallow fondant already all made up, and so just rolled it out (I'll post a recipe for that later), used an impression kit and cut out cute little shapes.  They were adorable and easy.    

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes:
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1½ cups cake flour, sifted
1 tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. ground cinnamon
1 cup (2 sticks) Earth Balance vegan butter (or, unsalted butter) at room temperature
1¾ cups sugar
4 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1¼ cups rice milk


Preheat oven to 350 and line two cupcake pans with liners.

In a medium bowl combine both flours, baking powder, salt and cinnamon and whisk to combine.

In stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3-5 minutes (vegan butter takes a bit longer to become fluffy).  Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.  Add the vanilla.  With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture in three additions alternating with the rice milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.  Mix each addition until just incorporated.  Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake pans.  Bake 18-20 minutes until the middle is springy to the touch.  Allow to cool in the pans until cool enough to remove to a cooling rack.  Let cool completely before frosting.

Check this link for Cream Cheese Frosting.
 
For the Vegan Buttercream:
1 stick (1/2 cup) of Earth Balance vegan butter
1 Box Powdered Sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 Tbs. rice milk, to begin

Cream vegan butter and powdered sugar until fluffy, about 5 minutes.  Beat in vanilla.  Add in rice milk, check the creaminess and continue to add rice milk in very small quantities until desired consistency has been reached.

A few notes:

Occasionally, I will briefly refrigerate the frosting so that it holds its shape better when piped.  It seems to be so heavy that is doesn't stay nicely swirled.  Chilling will stop that to some extent, but too long and it will make it crack even more.

For the frostings and fondant toppers I used Americolor Electric Blue and Electric Orange (I also used leaf green for some toppers that aren't pictured).

Source:  Recipe adapted from Annies Eats.

Strawberry Cream Cheese Tart

For whatever reason, anytime we have a potluck gathering at church, I feel the pressure.  I just always want to whip up something special and memorable, and this Sunday was no different.  The "theme" for our monthly gathering of POPS members (Parents of Preschoolers) was brunch, and that is just the one meal for which I always struggle to produce inspired dishes.  But, this time I think I finally did it.  This strawberry cream cheese tart was delicious (or so I was told after it was quickly gobbled up), and so easy to prepare.  There are a few elements to it, and so it takes a while to complete the entire thing, but each individual component was easy to prepare and the final product is stunning.  My photos are certainly inadequate.  

A couple notes:  If you are preparing this for an early morning event, I'm sure it will be tempting to assemble the final product the night before.  I just don't think I would do that.  I didn't test it out, but I assume the crust would become soggy and a flaky crust is a must for a successful tart.  I made the crust, cooled, and topped with the chocolate layer and let sit out overnight so it would set.  I did also make the cream cheese filling ahead and refrigerate overnight.  But, I waited to slice the strawberries because I didn't want them to become too juicy or wilted overnight.     

Strawberry Cream Cheese Tart:  

For the crust:
1 large egg yolk
1 Tbsp. heavy cream
½ tsp. vanilla extract
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

2/3 cup powdered sugar
¼ tsp. salt
8 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into 16 cubes

For the ganache:
2 oz. semisweet chocolate chips

¼ cup heavy cream
1 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature

For the filling:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
½ cup powdered sugar, sifted
½ tsp. vanilla extract
2 Tbsp. milk

For topping:
Fresh strawberries, sliced
Melted semisweet chocolate for drizzling (optional)

Small amount of vegetable oil

To make the crust, whisk together the egg yolk, cream and vanilla in a small bowl and set aside.  Place the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor.  Pulse just enough to combine.  Drop the butter pieces sporadically over the flour mixture and pulse to cut the butter into the flour until the mixture is crumbly, several 1-second pulses.  With the food processor running, add the egg mixture and process until the dough just comes together, about 7-10 seconds.  Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, in a 6-inch disc, and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 48.  (If you plan to roll the dough out, refrigerate for at least a few hours.  If you just plan to press into the pan, 1 hour is enough).  

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and, if you would like to roll it out, lightly flour a work surface with flour and roll the dough to a roughly 13-inch sqaure.  Transfer the dough to a 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom, press the the dough evenly to the sides of the tart pan and remove the excess.  

If you do not want to roll the dough out (I did this because my dough was not stiff enough), just press the dough evenly into a 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom.  If you have extra hanging off the top, just remove it.

Set the tart pan on a large plate and freeze for 30 minutes.

While the dough is in the freezer, adjust an oven rack to middle position and preheat the oven to 375°F.  Set the dough-lined pan on a baking sheet and line tightly - but gently – with aluminum foil, making sure to cover the edges, as well.  Either fill with pie weights or with a bag of dried beans, making sure to fill to the top of the pan.  Bake for 30 minutes, rotating halfway through the baking time.  Remove from the oven and carefully remove the foil and weights/beans.  Continue to bake until edges are deep golden brown, 5-8 minutes longer.  Transfer to a wire rack and cool.

To make the ganache, place the chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl.  Bring the cream to a simmer in a small saucepan stirring often to keep a skin from forming.  Remove from the heat and pour over the chocolate.   Stir together until a smooth ganache forms.  Whisk in the butter.  Spread the ganache in a thin even layer over the bottom of the cooled tart shell.  If completely assembling the tart, allow the ganache to set before proceeding.  If preparing over the course of two days, allow to sit overnight.

To make the filling, beat together the cream cheese and powdered sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed until smooth.  Mix in the vanilla and milk.  Spread the cream cheese mixture over the cooled ganache in the tart shell.

Slice the fresh strawberries, choosing the prettiest ones in the container.  Starting from the outside and working toward the center, place the sliced strawberries, pointy side towards the outside edge of the tart, in concentric circles slightly overlapping each other.  Very gently press/tap the berries into the cream cheese mixture to help keep them in place, but be careful not to submerge the strawberries in the cream cheese, as the tart will begin to look messy.  

If using melted chocolate as a final garnish, combine chocolate chips and a splash of vegetable oil in microwave-proof bowl.  Melt in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in-between.  Once melted, place the chocolate in either a freezer bag or pastry bag, snip off the end, and drizzle in circles around the tart.  Chill until ready to serve.


Source:  Slightly adapted from Annie's Eats.

For my husband...

Even as I type this, I'm not sure which recipe I will choose to accompany this post.  However, it has been on my mind since I read of Jennie's sudden loss.  I don't know Jennie, and only discovered her blog after seeing so many posts in the food blog world in tribute to her husband.  But, I have learned in the last few days that Jennie isn't much different from me.  She has two young girls and a husband she adored.  She laughs and works hard and cherishes her family.  But, last week her husband was suddenly taken from her by a heart attack.  She's now a single mom and a widow, and from what I can tell she's not much - if any - older than me.  This is a time in our lives when we're supposed to be fretting over lack of sleep and how to potty train and teach manners.  We're not supposed to be learning how to cope without our husbands.  Our soul mates.

In loving memory of her husband, Jennie asked that everyone bake a peanut butter pie and share it with the ones they love this past Friday.  I found her posts on Saturday as I was already in the midst of baking a tart for Sunday School.  But, I haven't been able to get her - or her girls - off my mind.  Jennie's enormous loss has made me think about the love I have for my husband and how blessed I am God brought him to me.  I cannot imagine having to face each day without him beside me.  He's an incredible father who brings joy to each of our two daughters every day.  He's my partner, my best friend, my love.  Even in our worst moments, I love him fiercely.  So, with Mikey's memory in mind and in acknowledgement of the turmoil Jennie is facing, I wanted to bake my husband something truly special.  We don't eat peanut butter much in this house, as we are not yet sure if our girls have allergies, but my husband does love sweets.  And, I love baking them for him as they bring him such childlike joy.  I'm blessed not to be standing in Jennie's shoes, and I want to make sure my husband knows how much I truly cherish him.

But, which recipe should I bake?

Well, when my husband treats himself with a sinful, store-bought dessert, it is typically with Little Debbie Oatmeal Creme Pies.  I'll admit, they're a weakness of mine, so he knows to hide them away in his desk somewhere so I don't even know they're in the house.  But, because I know how happy they would make him, I've decided on a homemade version.  These were incredibly easy, and tasty - and I think he'll have to hide them, as well.

On half of the cookie pairs, I added a thin layer of melted chocolate to each inside, then plopped on the creme.  I didn't want to alter the original too much, which is why I only applied the chocolate to half.  (I have a tendency to want to over-complicate things).  It's all just a matter of personal taste, but I've included the how-to for adding it, if you want.

Oh, I also made these milk-free because, well, I'm not an idiot.  I know eventually, I'll give in and eat one.  But, the only ingredient to substitute was the butter.  Otherwise, the recipe is already milk-free.

Enjoy these and make sure you share them with someone you love.  For Mikey.

Homemade Oatmeal Creme Pies:

For the cookies:
1 cup butter (or Earth Balance vegan butter)
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
scant 1 Tbs. molasses
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
scant 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 cups quick oats (I don't think old fashioned would work as well here)

For the creme filling:
2 tsp. very hot water
1/4 tsp. salt (I used kosher, but I think regular ole table salt would dissolve better)
7 oz. marshmallow fluff
1/2 cup shortening (do not substitute butter.  The flavor will be off.)
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350.

Combine flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon in a bowl and set aside.  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, sugars, molasses, vanilla, and eggs.  Add the flour mixture to the butter/sugar mixture and mix on low until combined.  With the mixer on low, add in the quick oats and mix until incorporated.  Drop dough in roughly equal amounts - about a Tbs. - onto cookie sheets covered in parchment paper.  Bake for 10-12 minutes (typically took about 10.5 mins).  The edges should just be starting to brown and the cookies should look just a little undercooked.  You do not want them to brown all over.  Move to a cooling rack and prepare the filling:

 In a small prep bowl, combine the very hot water and the 1/4 tsp. salt.  Allow the salt to dissolve and the water to cool.  Meanwhile, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the marshmallow fluff, shortening, powdered sugar, and vanilla.  Beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Add the cooled water and mix well.

Once cookies are cooled, spoon filling onto one cookie, and top with another cookie similar in shape and size.

Makes about 15 sandwiches.

If using optional chocolate: 

Combine approx. 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips and a splash of vegetable oil in a microwave safe bowl.  Microwave in 30 second intervals until melted and spreadable.  Spread thin layer on desired number of cookies before topping with filling.

Source:  Slightly adapted from Nosh With Me. 

Sugar Cookie Recipe - Update

Since I last posted about the sugar cookie recipe I like most, I have officially changed my mind.  I know, I know.  But, I really do like the Martha Stewart recipe best.  It just makes a ton of dough and makes delicious cookies.  A difficult feat.  They do tend to puff out more than I like, but that just means I have to roll the dough thinner.  And, don't let the cookies touch on the baking sheet.  This will make them rise more (but do touch biscuits against one another for more fluffiness).

Martha Stewart's Roll-Out Cookies (from Martha Stewart Living's July issue):
4 cups all purpose flour, plus more for dusting surface
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. coarse salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temp.
2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract


Sift flour, baking powder and salt into large bowl.  Beat butter and sugar on medium high speed until pale and fluffy about 3 minutes.  Beat in eggs, one at a time.  Reduce speed to low and add in flour mixture, then vanilla.  Refrigerate dough, wrapped in plastic, for at least an hour (but if you leave it too long it will be difficult to work with.  When this happens, I microwave it in 10 second intervals until it's pliable again).  Roll on floured surface until about 1/4" thick and cut into desired shapes.

Martha's recipe says to refrigerate cutout shapes for 30 minutes prior to baking and to bake for 17-19 minutes.  I don't always refrigerate and it only takes about 10 minutes for the cookies to bake when I do not.  Whether I chill the cut dough usually depends on my time, whether I'm concerned about the dough losing shape (chilling will retard any spreading/rising) and whether the shapes have appendages likely to break off (in which case, I do chill).  Regardless, do use greased parchment paper.  I usually get 2-3 dozen out of this dough, though it will obviously depend on the size of your individual cookies.  And, baking time largely depends on the size and thickness of the cookies and the temperature of the dough.  Just start checking it at 10 minutes until you reach the desired color.  Remember, you do not want the cookies to brown, but you don't want them to be too soft, either.

If you are concerned about your dough losing shape during baking, you must roll this dough out to be thin.  It does tend to puff more than the previous recipe I posted, but my husband swears they are much tastier.  They are a bit sweeter, I think.  The biggest reason I have been choosing this dough is because it's just a larger batch; therefore, it simply produces more cookies at once.


Happy Baking!

Decorated Sugar Cookies

I am going to do a how-to post for royal icing at some point.  I promise.  I'm no expert, but I am learning more and more helpful tips and I'm anxious to share them.  But, that will be a very involved post with lots of pictures and, well, I just don't have the time at the moment.  In the meantime, though, I will continue to post photos of cookies that I decorate in case you're looking for inspiration.

Also, my husband has convinced me to set up an etsy shop, so if you're in the market for some cookies hop on over to Sugar Loaf Eats and shop 'til you drop.  If what you're looking for isn't listed, just shoot me a message on etsy.  Chances are I have the shape you need and can get it out to you in just a few days.

In the last few weeks I have baked and decorated *almost* countless amounts of cookies.  First, ice cream cones and cupcakes for Bible School.  Followed by seahorses and starfish for my daughter's second birthday.  Then, baby onesies for an expectant friend.  And finally, my mother-in-law actually became my first paying customer.  I didn't like it.  I was definitely uncomfortable letting her pay me for anything, so I eased my conscience by sending lots extra.  She threw a Mexican themed party this weekend and wanted accompanying cookies.  So, I made sombreros with moustaches, maracas, and red chili peppers.  I also included a few just for my father-in-law because he loves the icing, which is reminiscent of those childhood animal crackers with the smooth, hard frosting.


So, here they all are in *almost* chronological order...


Ice Cream Cones and Cupcakes for the VBS teachers at our church.  They had over 600 kids in VBS this year and we are not a mega-church - that's just mind-blowing!

Starfish and Seahorses for my daughter's birthday party.  We used them as the party favors.  Her cake was an awesome fondant covered birthday cake with mermaids and seahorses.  My cousin made it for me and I will post pictures of it as soon as I get them from my mom.  I am still in awe that she was able to do everything she did for the cake - and that she did it for free!  She truly is a talented baker (visit her Facebook page, Sandy K's Cakes).

 

 

Mexican themed cookies for my mother-in-law's party.  The maracas were all different, though made with the same four colors.  I used a very simple marbling technique.  I packaged the sombrero's with the moustaches, and they were adorable (at least, I thought they were).

And, these are my absolute favorites!  I just learned this technique and was really just trying it out on these cookies.  I wanted to send a few just to my father-in-law and thought, what better time to practice?  I knew he wouldn't care if they were ugly, but they turned out to be absolutely stunning.

 

And, then there were these.  I ended up tossing them out (and by tossing them out, I mean eating them, but I did not send them).  I thought I would try a new royal icing recipe, because, well, the grass is always greener.  Thank goodness I thought ahead enough to start this batch before the Mexican cookies or I would have been in trouble.  You see, my friend (who was due this weekend) is not expecting these so it was okay to not send them.  But, this is essentially how cookies turn out when you get careless with the mixing and over fluff.  Too much air = bleeding and uneven drying.  See all that splotchiness on there?  Not good.  They didn't even harden.  Just stayed a semi-wet crumbly mess.  It was really too bad, too, because I love how the designs turned out.  They did still taste pretty great, though.

Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing

I have somewhat recently discovered the art of decorating sugar cookies with royal icing.  The simple frosting leaves a smooth and polished look on the cookie.  Though not pliable like fondant, it still gives a very impressive result, and with practice, is not that difficult (when it all works out, that is).  While royal icing is nothing more than sifted powdered sugar, meringue powder and water, it is a seemingly complicated process that is too involved to include in this post.  One day, when I have oodles of free time (ha!), I will post a how-to on royal icing based on my personal experiences.  Until then, go on over to Bake at 350 and check out her tutorials and decorations.  She is incredible!

A component that cannot be left out of royal icing cookies is, of course, the cookie.  And, this is where my quest for the perfect sugar cookie comes in to action.  You see, I love sugar cookies.  Soft, chewy and not too sweet, they are the perfect cookie.  Unless they are hard and brittle and a complete disappointment.  In my obviously important opinion, there are few culinary disasters worse than a hard, dry sugar cookie.  So, naturally I want my decorated cookies to be tasty as well, and I have tried no less than 10 different recipes to figure out which one I like best.  And here is what I have discovered along the way that applies to nearly all recipes:

1.)  You must roll the dough out to be very thin, or most sugar cookie recipes will puff and spread too much during the baking process, losing their shape.
2.) For most recipes, you do not want the cookies to brown completely, but you do want to cook them until the edges have *just* started to brown or they will be too soft.   
3.)  Against all better judgment, you want the cookies to be on the harder side.  The moisture from the water in the icing will soften them up, so you don't want them to be so soft they fall apart.
4.)  Put the dough in the fridge even if the recipe doesn't call for it.  Stiffening it up just a little will make it easier to roll and cut.  If you refrigerate it too long, soften it in the microwave in 10 second increments until it is just pliable.


But, now that I've said all that, I must contradict myself a bit....I just like my cookies soft, and I like them to be thicker.  I can't help myself.  And, no cookie should exist solely to look pretty.  It should also be delicious and too much icing to cookie ratio destroys that.  So, while I like the taste of many of the recipes I have tried, the most reliable for tasty cookie decorating is this:

Sugar Cookies:
1 cup butter
1 cup powdered sugar
1 egg, beaten
2 t. vanilla
1 t. salt
2 ½ c. sifted flour

Sift flour and set aside.  Cream the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Add the powdered sugar and mix well.  Blend in the egg, followed by the vanilla and salt.  Add the flour and mix just until combined and dough forms.  Pat the dough into a disc, cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator until firm, about an hour, or even overnight.

When ready to roll dough, generously flour the surface you will roll on, as well as your rolling pin.  It also helps to pat a small amount of flour onto your own hands and the top of the dough.  Roll the dough to ¼” thickness (or as much as 1/2", though it is not recommended by any other baker out there) and cut with cookie cutters and place cookie sheets that have been well-greased or lined with parchment paper.  Bake at 375° for 8-10 min (start with 8, and check every 30 seconds until done). Cookies should not brown.  Cool and decorate with frosting of your choice.  Makes ~30 cookies, depending on the size of the cookie.

And, here are just a few examples of cookies I recently decorated.  Notice how smooth the finish is of the icing (that's glorious for a type A like me)!

Source:  Adapted from Annie's Eats.

Hi Hat Cupcakes

I have wanted to try my hand at these cupcakes since I first saw them on Bakerella.  But, I was a bit intimidated by them.  I've never been great at getting melted chocolate to dry smoothly onto a baked good.  It frustrates me.  I'm much too Type A to have frumpy looking chocolate, no matter how good it may taste.  But, I decided this was the weekend the hi hat cupcake was going to meet it's match.  Apparently, though, it was just as determined to defeat me.  First, I baked a batch on Friday evening.  I've always had issues with chocolate cupcakes, too, as they tend to droop.  But, the recipe called for chocolate and By George, I was going to make chocolate.  They were ugly, but tasty.  I had them all beautifully frosted and was placing them into the fridge so the icing could firm up when I bumped the cooling rack they were on.  Each and every one of the dozen cupcakes landed frosting side down on the floor.  Every. Single. One.  I cried.  I like to think it's still the post partum hormones that made me cry, but I did actually shed tears.  And that made me angry, too.  Saturday came and I could feel my chance for vengeance.  I woke up thinking about these cupcakes and how to conquer them.  I decided to make the chocolate chip cupcakes from the previous recipe and to forget those wretched looking chocolate ones.  I also (of course) would use cream cheese frosting instead of the Martha Stewart option that involved a candy thermometer and a handmixer (since I don't actually own a handmixer).  So, with my plan in mind, off I went to my CrossFit workout.  The first "move" of our workout was a 400m run.  I made it 200m, twisted my ankle and fell flat on my face.  Truthfully, I thought I had broken my ankle.  It instantly hurt that badly.  I limped back, feeling like an idiot, and had to sit watching everyone else work up a fun sweat.  It's two days later and the swelling is just now subsiding.  But, I managed to make those *&*!^% cupcakes.  With the injured leg propped on a chair that I slid around the kitchen, I pulled it off.  And, I would do it again.  They were absolutely worth it and a huge hit.  Everyone at the cookout we took them to just raved about them.  Now, I'm ready to dip everything I bake into chocolate.

So, that mouth full being said, my changes to the Martha Stewart recipe are reflected below.  Because these weren't milk-free, I couldn't eat one, but my husband said the cream cheese was the way to go.  Again (as I say with nearly every recipe), it cut the sweetness and it's just incredibly easy to make.  Just make sure you stick them in the fridge or freezer to firm up.  Also, because the recipe for the chocolate chip cupcakes makes more than Martha's recipe, the amount of chocolate to dip with called for in the original recipe, was not enough.  I would double it next time and I have reflected that below.

Hi Hat Cupcakes:

Brown Sugar Chocolate Chip Cupcakes:  
3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1½ cups light brown sugar, packed
4 large eggs
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
1 cup milk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips (semisweet or bittersweet)

For the cream cheese frosting:
16 ozs. cream cheese, softened
2 sticks butter, softened
2 lbs. powdered sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract


Dipping Chocolate:
2 bags (24 oz. total) mini semisweet chocolate chips
6 Tbs. canola or vegetable oil


Preheat oven to 350.


Line two cupcake pans with paper liners (24 total).  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and brown sugar.  Beat together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Mix in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.  Stir together to blend. Add the dry ingredients to the mixer bowl on low speed, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients, mixing each addition just until incorporated.  Blend in the vanilla. Fold in the chocolate chips with a spatula.

Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake liners.   Bake for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Allow to cool in the pan 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the frosting, beat together the butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a standmixer (or by hand).  Slowly add the cream cheese and vanilla and beat together until frosting is creamy and well combined.


Frost the cooled cupcakes using a disposable pastry bag and a pastry tip with a wide round opening.  Place the frosted cupcakes into the freezer so the frosting can firm up while you are melting the chocolate for dipping.


Combine 1 bag of the semisweet chocolate chips with 3 Tbs. canola or vegetable oil.  Heat in the microwave in 30 second intervals until melted and smooth.  Let chocolate sit for a few minutes so it is not hot and will not melt frosting.  Pour melted chocolate into a smaller, but wide mouthed cup or tumbler (I used a toddler cup).  Dip the cupcakes individually by holding them upside down and submerging into the chocolate.  Place dipped cupcake onto papertowel or baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Spoon extra chocolate onto cupcakes as needed (be careful because this part can become messy looking).  Allow dipped cupcakes to sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes to firm up.  Place them into the refrigerator, if you'd like, to firm up, too, especially if transporting them.  But, do not leave them in the fridge too long or they may sweat when taken out and cause the chocolate and frosting to soften and collapse. 

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

This weekend we had two cookouts to attend, and I was asked to bring dessert to both.  I wanted to make something that wasn't complicated but would wow all the same.  I've made these cupcakes a few times before and they are always a visually stunning hit (despite the lack of evidence from my poor photos below).  I should point out there are several components to these, but overall they are fairly easy to make.  The assembly process is the most difficult part and that's merely because it's a bit time consuming.  With a toddler and newborn, anything time consuming is something I just don't have time to tackle, so the fact that I plan to make these again in a few days should speak volumes.  After the girls went down for the night, I was able to get my much needed baking therapy and enjoyed every minute of it.  Hopefully, these will bring you some fun time in the kitchen as well!

My biggest pointers for these are to 1.) make the cupcakes and cookie dough filling the day before you need them; 2.) use a pastry bag to fill the cupcakes as it will be much quicker and less messy, and 3.) use a large, round pastry tip to frost them (and any other cupcakes you ever make).  The original recipe calls for a brown sugar icing (see link at bottom of recipe), but I thought that was just a bit too sweet.  I used cream cheese frosting because I felt like it cut the sweetness a bit.  And, because cream cheese frosting is always a hit.  Also, if you are feeling particularly ambitious, you can use the cupcake middles and any left over frosting and chocolate chips to create cake pops.  I really wanted to do this but that whole lack of time thing just kept getting in the way!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting:

Ingredients for the cupcakes:
3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1½ cups light brown sugar, packed
4 large eggs
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
1 cup milk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips (semisweet or bittersweet)

For the filling:
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
6 tbsp. light brown sugar, packed
1 cup plus 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
7 oz. sweetened condensed milk
½ tsp. vanilla extract
¼ cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

For the frosting:
16 ozs. cream cheese
2 sticks butter
2 lbs. powdered sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract

Garnish:

• Tiny versions of your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe (you may want to cook these a little longer than normal since the frosting will soften them up quite a bit)

• Mini chocolate chips

To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350° F.

Line two cupcake pans with paper liners (24 total).  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and brown sugar.  Beat together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Mix in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.  Stir together to blend. Add the dry ingredients to the mixer bowl on low speed, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients, mixing each addition just until incorporated.  Blend in the vanilla. Fold in the chocolate chips with a spatula.

Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake liners.   Bake for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Allow to cool in the pan 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the cookie dough filling, combine the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and cream on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Beat in the flour, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla until incorporated and smooth.  Stir in the chocolate chips.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the mixture has firmed up a bit, about an hour, if you plan to use immediately.  The dough can also be refrigerated overnight if you plan to assemble the next day.  If the dough becomes too stiff, microwave in 10 second intervals, making sure not to overheat or the mini chocolate chips will melt.

To fill the cupcakes, cut a cone-shaped portion out of the center of each cupcake.  Fill a disposable pastry bag with the dough and cut off the tip.  Squeeze the bag gently to fill each cupcake.  Do not worry about over-filling as it will be covered in frosting.

To make the frosting, beat together the butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until creamy.  With the mixer on low, add in the confectioners’ sugar and mix until smooth.  Beat in the vanilla extract until smooth and well blended.

Frost the filled cupcakes as desired, sprinkling with mini chocolate chips and topping with mini chocolate chip cookies for decoration.

Source: Adapted from Annie's Eats.

Happy 31st! (And, saying "I love you" with Red Velvet & Chocolate)

 Red Velvet & Chocolate Layer Cake with Chocolate Ganache and Cream Cheese Buttercream

My husband's 31st birthday was on Wednesday, May 25th.  And, the love of my life has a serious sweet tooth.  I try to always bake something special to celebrate the big day, especially since he won't let me make a big deal about it otherwise.  His favorite cake is red velvet, and he requested it this year, but I couldn't just leave it at that.  Red velvet is just too simple.  Since we just welcomed our second baby girl two months ago, I wanted to make this year extra special because he truly is a wonderful father and husband.  And, especially because he's the only reason I've gotten any sleep these last 8 weeks!  Also, my in-laws were visiting this week and they are both wonderful cooks/bakers.  I had to do something creative.

I had an idea to do a layer cake, but it wasn't until the very end when I really figured out exactly what I was doing.  Until then, I had a vague idea that I somehow wanted to use a dense chocolate cake, chocolate ganache, red velvet and cream cheese icing.  I searched more recipes than I care to admit, and finally decided to use this Chocolate Cake and Dark Chocolate Ganache from Food & Wine, Joy of Baking's Red Velvet Cake and Martha Stewart's Cream Cheese Buttercream Icing.  And, the whole inspiration for the overall cake idea came from a desire to make a ruffle cake with the icing, with Cook Like a Champion's strawberry champagne baby shower cake as an example.  She links to a tutorial that makes the whole process incredibly easy.  The end result was a visually stunning cake and one that I was told was absolutely delicious (I couldn't actually eat any since I'm nursing a milk allergic child and must avoid milk myself).  My mother-in-law, who doesn't even like sweets, ate two pieces so I take that as a huge compliment.

I was greatly surprised by how beautiful the cake was and how wonderful it (reportedly) tasted, but there are a few things I would do differently next time:  the recipe for the chocolate cake called for it to be baked in a jelly roll pan and cut.  I baked it in two 8 inch cake pans.  Since it's nearly a flourless cake, there wasn't much rising and my cakes ended up looking like what my husband's mother calls stadium cakes - high seating on the side, and ground level middle.  I wanted thin layers anyway, so it was okay, as I simply just cut them, but next time it may be easier to cut them from the jelly roll pan.

Also, I think I would use my mother's cream cheese icing recipe.  I didn't have the exact recipe at the time (and still don't) and didn't want to bother her at work for it since I needed it immediately.  Martha Stewart's recipe was fabulous, but I just remember my mother's as better and not quite as sweet.  It's entirely possible, though, that my mom's is exactly the same and I just have an unexplainable aversion to all things Martha.  Whatev.  

So, here are the results:

At this point, I was a little discouraged.  I haven't made many layer cakes in my lifetime, and it just didn't look like it was coming together all that well.  Let's face it, it was fairly hideous at this point.  But, I kept at it (mainly because I had few other options).  

So, what you see here is - from the bottom up - chocolate cake, dark chocolate ganache, red velvet cake, and cream cheese buttercream icing.  All this is repeated once more.

 After the layers were stacked, I put a crumb coat on, then started with the ruffles.  I used a Wilton #150 petal tip. 

The most difficult part of the ruffling process was getting the lines somewhat straight.  I definitely could tell where I started and where I finished because my ruffles were tighter and straighter as I went.  But, in the end, it turned out beautifully and was so, so easy.

This is looking down on the top.  Again, so easy and yet it looks so complicated (and please forgive the lack of photographic quality here).

 My husband loved this cake and is still eating on it, nearly five days later, and I get to live vicariously through him every time he eats a big ole piece!