Art of Dessert

Coconut and Lime Macaroons (Vegan with Gluten-free Alternative)

2012-01-22T16:09:00.000-08:00

It's been a cold and rainy weekend and I'm not liking it too much. There was a little break of sunshine today but the clouds rolled back in by the end of the day. Tomorrow's forecast is even more rain. This kind of weather just makes me want to stay in bed all day and dream about some tropical island somewhere. Wouldn't it be nice to just relax on a large hammock under some coconut trees near a white sand beach? Aaaaaaaaaah...that sounds so perfect right now. Instead I'm sitting in front of the computer with a space heater directed at me. Brrrrrrrrrrr

I guess that explains why I've been so obsessed with coconuts lately. From drinking coconut juice to cooking with coconut milk, I'm surprised I haven't turned into a coconut! What I love about them is that they seem to be synonymous with warm tropical getaways. With this cold and dreary weather lately, I kinda want to be transported there, even if it's only within the confines of my own kitchen.

In the midst of this coconut obsession, I've given a tropical twist to a few of my favorite desserts by adding coconut to them. I added shredded coconut and a pinch of ground ginger to some palmiers I made for a family gathering. The toasted coconut inside layers of sweet flaky puff pastry were to-die-for! They were devoured immediately. I also made some rice krispie treats but replaced the butter with coconut oil and mixed in some sweetened flaked coconut. Oh my goodness! The sweet aroma of the coconut oil was simply intoxicating with each crispy, marshmallowy bite. Next time I'm gonna try adding chopped dried pineapple. I can just imagine how incredible that's gonna taste.

But my ultimate, most favorite creation this month are these coconut and lime macaroons. A few years ago, I figured out a way to make egg-free coconut macaroons by replacing the egg whites with sweetened condensed milk and all-purpose flour. They tasted absolutely amazing! This time around, I decided to make them dairy-free as well as egg-free. I replaced the sweetened condensed milk with coconut milk and powdered sugar. I also added a bit of lime zest and lime juice for a hint of citrus flavor.

These macaroons are insanely addicting! Just as soon as I finish eating one, I'm back in the kitchen grabbing another. They're so crunchy on the outside and moist and chewy on the inside. I love seeing the tiny green flecks of lime zest and tasting the lime flavor with each bite. It really adds some brightness to the macaroon and probably makes them even more irresistible (at least I think so). I better share these before I eat them all.

By the way, Art of Dessert reached 500,000 visitors earlier this month! Woohoo! Thank you, thank you, thank you everyone for your liking my blog! I'm so grateful that my passion for making desserts is bringing a bit of happiness to so many of you. I truly appreciate your support :-)

Coconut Lime Macaroons (Vegan with Gluten-free Alternative)
Makes about 3 dozen macaroons
Allergy Note: contains wheat ingredients*

14 oz. bag shredded coconut
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar (aka confectioner's sugar)
1 cup coconut milk
1 tsp lime zest
1 tsp. lime juice
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt

*for a gluten-free alternative, replace 3/4 cup all-purpose flour with gluten-free flour or Mochiko sweet rice flour (this will result in a macaroon that is still crunchy on the outside by chewier on the inside)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

In a large bowl, combine shredded coconut, powdered sugar, coconut milk, lime zest and lime juice. Add flour, baking powder and salt. Mix together until blended. Using a cookie scoop, place on prepared baking sheets two inches apart. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until golden brown around the edges. Allow to cool completely before serving.

Golden Champagne Truffles

2011-12-30T18:59:00.000-08:00

Aren't these truffles absolutely gorgeous? I thought I'd take some Champagne Truffles and dress them up for New Year's Eve. I coated them with white chocolate and brushed them with some shimmery gold luster dust. They look almost too pretty to eat!

I got the idea to make these truffles from my sister. She loves these truffles and asked me if I could cover some in white chocolate so I did. They looked so elegant. Of course, I had kick it up a notch and put a little sparkle on them. Wow! Now, these look like they belong in a glitzy and glamorous party! Let's ring in the New Year with these fabulous Golden Champagne Truffles! Woohoo!

Happy New Year Everyone!

Golden Champagne Truffles
Makes about 40 truffles
Allergy Note: contains dairy ingredients

truffle filling:
4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup butter
3/4 cup champagne
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup orange-flavored liqueur (I use Grand Marnier)

coating:
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
4 tsp. vegetable shortening
2 cups white chocolate
4 tsp. vegetable shortening

gold luster dust
small paintbrush

For the truffle filling: place chocolate chips in a large bowl and set aside. On low heat, melt together butter, honey, champagne and liqueur in a saucepan. Pour over chocolate chips and stir until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until the mixture is slightly firm.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or waxed paper. Measure out teaspoonfuls of the truffle filling and drop them onto the cookie sheet. Freeze them for 15 to 20 and then roll them into balls. Freeze them again for 10 to 15 minutes more or until firm.

For the coating: Line one cookie sheet with parchment paper or wax paper. Melt semisweet chocolate chips and shortening in a double boiler; stir till smooth. Remove from heat. Place the cookie sheet of naked truffles on one side, the bowl of semisweet chocolate coating in front of you, and the lined cookie sheet on the other side. Using a fork, drop the truffles into the chocolate coating one at a time, quickly coat them and remove. Gently shake off any extra chocolate and place the truffle onto the lined cookie sheet. Allow chocolate coating to set.

Line the empty cookie sheet with a new sheet of parchment paper or wax paper. In another bowl, melt white chocolate chips and shortening in a double boiler; stir until smooth. Remove from heat. Place the cookie sheet of truffles on one side, the bowl of white chocolate coating in front of you, and the lined cookie sheet on the other side. Using a fork, drop the truffles into the white chocolate coating one at a time, quickly coat them and remove. Gently shake off any extra coating and place the truffle onto the lined cookie sheet. When the white chocolate coating has set, brush with gold luster dust.

You can store the truffles in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Graham Cracker Gingerbread House with Marshmallow Icing

2011-12-23T18:53:00.000-08:00

I was picking up my son from school last week and he was admiring all the gingerbread houses that the 4th and 5th graders were carrying home.

Son: "Wow! Mom, did they bake ALL those gingerbread houses at school today?"
Me: "No honey, I think those are made out of graham crackers."
Son: "Ooooooooh! Can we make gingerbread houses out of graham crackers too?"
Me: "Sure."

The boys' gingerbread house last year

Now, normally we would be making gingerbread houses out of the egg-free gingerbread, but since we already made ornaments out of gingerbread (which have been disappearing from my tree) and the boys can eat graham crackers, it would be a nice change (and less work for me) to use them this year.

My 2 year old thinks the tree is his own cookie buffet

And to make my life A LOT easier, I figured out a simple egg-free and dairy-free alternative to attaching the house together: melted marshmallows! It works for rice krispie treats so it should work for a graham cracker gingerbread house.

I used Golden Grahams cereal for the roof shingles

I melted a bag of marshmallows (about 40 large ones or 4 cups of the miniature) with 1 tablespoon of shortening in the microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute. After stirring it till smooth, I spread some of the melted marshmallow onto cardboard cake circles. We applied some melted marshmallow to the sides of the graham crackers and attached them together. It worked!

Nerds, Mike n Ikes and Skittles to decorate the front of the house

We had a bunch of candy left over from Halloween (yeah, can you believe that?) so we used them up to decorate our houses. We also got some extra peppermint candies for the fence and Enjoy Life Boom Choco Boom bars for the doors.

Corn Chex windows and Twizzlers, Laffy Taffy and Mike n Ikes for the fence.

One note about cutting the triangle pieces for the roof: use a serrated knife and go only one direction. Going back and forth (in a sawing motion), will break the graham cracker. As you can see with the picture below, we had quite a few broken pieces. It's okay though, we'll make S'mores Marshmallows out of them :-)

Yup, that's a big jar of candy alright

The only problem with marshmallow icing is it sticks to EVERYTHING! And I had to stick the bowl of marshmallows back in the microwave a few times to melt it again because it firmed up in the bowl.

I just love seeing my kids enjoy this family tradition.

Check out the boys' gingerbread houses this year!

And here's my niece's pink gingerbread house.

This is the second house my oldest son made. It even has a slide on the side :-)

My brother really got into building his gingerbread house. He made this scale model of our old house. Wow!

As you can see, we all had fun making these gingerbread houses. We even had a competition this weekend to see who made the best one. We let my one-year old niece pick her favorite but she was more interested in eating the graham crackers than picking a winner so we decided we all won :-)

Happy Holidays!

Holiday Candy Ideas

2011-12-20T11:46:00.000-08:00

My kitchen has turned into a mini chocolate factory. It's candy making time! For the past few days, I've been filling these boxes with all sorts of mouthwatering candies to give to my friends and family. Yes, it's been a little crazy in the kitchen and I'm sure my lack of sleep has contributed to my loopy mental state, but I think it's all worth the effort in the end. I just couldn't think of anything more special to give to my loved ones than these homemade candies.

If you're thinking of making homemade treats for the holidays, here are some that you might like to try. They range from elegant truffles to quick-and-easy treats and allergen-friendly candies. You can make them a few days in advance and store them in airtight containers in the fridge. If you're planning to ship them, I recommend overnight or 2-3 days shipping so they'll still be fresh when they arrive at their destination. And if you're wondering where I bought the boxes and satin ribbon, I got them from Paper Mart . I've always ordered my boxes in bulk because I use them throughout the year but especially during the holidays.

Happy Holidays Everyone and Happy Candy Making!

Champagne Truffles are an all-time favorite with my friends and family. Everyone loves them and I think they're the perfect chocolates to ring in the new year.

These El Diablo Chocolate Truffles have ground cayenne pepper in the filling and generously sprinkled with more cayenne pepper outside. If you like fiery foods, these truffles will be perfect for you.

Cobblestone Fudge are my version of the chocolate cobblestones we made back in pastry school. They're traditionally topped with dried fruits and nuts. To save time, I usually mix in the fruits and nuts in to the fudge, let them set in a baking pan then cut them into squares or portion them out straight into the candy paper liners. For a nut-free alternative, I replace the pistachios and almonds with roasted sunflower seeds and roasted pumpkin seeds (also called "pepitas").

Although these Egg-free Coconut Macaroons are technically a cookie, they're so sweet and chewy that they taste like a candy. If you want, you can even drizzle or dip them in melted chocolate. For a tropical and exotic flavor, you can try my Jackfruit Coconut Macaroons.

These Sunbutter Cookie Candy were inspired by Paula Deen's recipe for Georgia Cookie Candy. I replaced the peanut butter with Sunbutter spread and added roasted sunflower seeds for extra crunch and texture. For an allergen-free chocolate, you can use Enjoy Life brand or Chocolate Dream if you're not allergic to soy.

You can turn these Bird's Nest Cookies into festive holiday candies by leaving out the egg-shaped candies and topping them with colorful sprinkles, red and green candies or dried fruit.

I melted some allergen-free chocolate chips and Sunbutter spread then tossed in some Chex cereal and powdered sugar to make these Sunbutter Muddy Buddies. You can tuck these inside a cellophane bag to give away as a gift or serve them at your holiday party.

Another fun melt-and-mix candy is White Trash. There's lots of recipes out there and different ways to make them. I just melted a 12 ounce bag of white chocolate chips with 1 teaspoon of shortening in the microwave then mixed in 1 cup Rice Chex, 1 cup pretzels and 1/2 cup dried cranberries.

Try the shortcut version of these Salted Caramels. By replacing the light cream with 1 can of sweetened condensed milk, it shortened the cooking time to 15-20 minutes!

Would you believe that the secret ingredient to these Chocolate Orange Truffles is Tang? Yes, I used a powdered drink to flavor these truffles and they taste just like those chocolate oranges you have to whack to open.

If the El Diablo is too much cayenne for your taste, try these Mexican Hot Chocolate Truffles . They have just enough cayenne to perk up your taste buds and I also added some ground cinnamon and almond extract.

I made these Red Wine Truffles with Dried Cherries in honor of my grandmother Dolores. She loves red wine and chocolate so I combined them into a truffle and topped them with chopped dried cherries.

I haven't posted the recipe for these Black Coffee Truffles yet but if you follow the El Diablo Truffle recipe, just replace the 1 tablespoon ground cayenne pepper with 4 tablespoons Kahlua coffee liqueur and then sprinkle with ground coffee instead of ground cayenne pepper.

I was scrambling for something to make for my kids' classmates last week and decided to make Candy Cane Marshmallows. All you need to do is to melt a 12 oz. bag of chocolate chips with 2 teaspoons of shortening in the microwave. Then, completely cover the marshmallows in the melted chocolate before coating them with crushed candy canes (1 package).

You can also try these S'mores Marshmallows. Simply follow the instructions above but replace the crushed candy canes with crushed graham crackers. If you want you can package these with the candy cane marshmallows for the kids :-)

Please note: I am not a paid endorser nor did I accept any freebies of the brands or products mentioned in this post. I just love them and wanted to share them with you :-)

Red Wine Truffles with Dried Cherries

2011-12-17T11:13:00.000-08:00

I was trying to come up with a new truffle recipe this week and I remembered how much my grandmother Dolores loves Champagne Truffles. I always send her a box every Christmas along with other sweet treats. Last year, I actually made them for her 90th birthday celebration. This year, I thought I would create a truffle inspired by her. She's the one who taught me how to make delicious Filipino desserts and I'd like to think I inherited her passion for cooking and baking. So Lola Do, if you're reading this, I dedicate this truffle to you :-)

Lola Do at her 90th birthday party, holding up a favor box filled with Champagne truffles

My grandma loves drinking red wine everyday. I still remember the big green jug of Spanada my dad would buy for her, sometimes by the case. I'm sure she enjoys other red wines but that seems to be her favorite. She would have a glass along with her meal or wait till bedtime to enjoy as a nightcap. That must be her secret for living such a long and fruitful life.

Another one of my grandma's favorites is chocolate. Ah, now wine and chocolate, what could be a better pairing than that? So that's why I decided to combine her two favorites and create a truffle in honor of her. These truffles are made with a luscious filling of red wine and chocolate with a little bit of butter and honey. I coated them with a shell of bittersweet chocolate and then topped them with chopped dried cherries. I think the tartness of the dried cherries really compliment the red wine and bittersweet chocolate. Oh I can't wait to send these to her!

Red Wine Truffles with Dried Cherries
Makes about 40 truffles
Allergy Note: contains dairy ingredients*

filling:
3 1/4 cups bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate chips*(I use Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate chips)
1 cup red wine
1/4 cup butter*
1/4 cup honey

coating:
2 cups bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate chips*(I use Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate chips)
4 teaspoons shortening

topping:
1 cup dried cherries, chopped into small pieces

*For a dairy-free alternative for chocolate chips, you can use Enjoy Life brand or Chocolate Dream brand. For a dairy-free alternative for butter, you can use an allowed margarine or buttery spread. You can also use Spectrum Naturals organic shortening.

For the truffle filling: place chocolate chips in a large bowl and set aside. On low heat, melt together red wine, butter and honey in a saucepan. Pour over chocolate chips and stir until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until the mixture is slightly firm.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or waxed paper. Measure out about 1 tablespoon of the truffle filling, roll them and drop them onto the cookie sheet. Freeze them for 15 to 20 and then roll them into balls. Freeze them again for 10 to 15 minutes more or until firm.

For the coating: Melt chocolate chips and shortening in a double boiler; stir until smooth. Place the cookie sheet with rolled truffle filling on one side and the bowl of coating chocolate in front of you. Line another cookie sheet with parchment paper or waxed paper and place a bowl of chopped dried cherries on the other side. Drop the truffles into the chocolate coating one at a time, quickly coat them and remove with a fork. Gently shake off any extra chocolate and place the truffle onto the empty cookie sheet. Sprinkle with chopped dried cherries on top. Repeat till all the truffles are coated with chocolate and topped with dried cherries. Wait for coating to be firm before transferring into candy boxes or an airtight container.

You can store the truffles in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Please note: I am not a paid endorser nor did I accept any freebies of the brands or products mentioned in this post. I just love them and wanted to share them with you :-)

Cookie Exchange 2011 Roundup

2011-12-11T08:00:00.000-08:00

Thank you, thank you, thank you everyone for sharing all your wonderful cookie recipes! To be honest, I was a little nervous about this. This is the first time I've ever hosted a virtual cookie exchange and I wasn't sure if anyone was going to respond. My stomach was in knots for the past two weeks. I basically just crossed my fingers, my toes and my eyes, hoping for a good turnout. So I'm very happy and very grateful to all of you who were so sweet to take time out of your busy holiday schedule to participate in this event.

We've got a beautiful collection of allergen-friendly cookies to share so I'm just gonna get right to it.

Anzac Cookies
- by Jeanette from Jeanette's Healthy Living
Anzac stands for "Australian and New Zealand Army Corps" and these cookies were shipped to Anzac soldiers during World War I. They were sturdy cookies and did not spoil easily so they were perfect to ship around the world.

Quinoa Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies
- by Jeanette from Jeanette's Healthy Living
These are an adaptation of a banana oatmeal cookie recipe Jeanette found in Tina Haupert's book, Carrots N Cake.

Coconut Date Balls
- by Lisa from Allergy Free Vintage Cookery

Lisa used an old family recipe called Frying Pan cookies and adjusted the ingredients to make these cookies for Teatime Tuesday.

Seven Layer Bars
- by Lisa from Allergy Free Vintage Cookery
This well-known traditional dessert is reinvented by replacing the butter and sweetened condensed milk with coconut milk and coconut oil.

Chewy Banana Breakfast Bars
-by Elizabeth from Easy Breezy Food Allergies
These breakfast bars are filled with bananas, oats, honey, chocolate chips and Sunbutter. I think these are perfect for anytime, not just breakfast.

Sunbutter Thumbprint Cookies
-by Elizabeth from Easy Breezy Food Allergies
Elizabeth takes the classic thumbprint cookies and made them allergen-free! She even added Sunbutter, my favorite :-)

Egg-free, Dairy-free, Nut-free Sunbutter Chocolate Chip Oat Cookies
-by Lori from Jazzy Allergy Recipes

These are one of Jazlyn's favorite cookies. They're crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside and filled with oats and chocolate chips.

Brown Sugar Cookies
-by Lori from Jazzy Allergy Recipes

Lori's girls say these cookies taste like Nilla wafers, only softer and with a wonderful brown sugar flavor.

Pecan Puffs
- by Elizabeth from Four and Twenty Blackberries
These pecan puffs are a classic holiday cookie and they're egg-free.

El Maggie Churros
-by Maggie from Maggie Mae'd
These egg-free churros will be a great to enjoy with your hot chocolate during this cold weather.

Ridiculously Yummy Peppermint Chocolates
-by Kim and Megan from Welcoming Kitchen
I think my boys and I will be making these quick and easy allergen-free peppermint chocolates pretty soon. I'm sure we'll have fun eating some candy canes while we're making them.

Gluten-free Sugar Cookies
-by Kim and Megan from Welcoming Kitchen
You can make these allergen-free sugar cookies as is or you can add different flavorings if you desire.

Here are a few more allergen-friendly cookie recipes I found that I couldn't pass up. I just had to share them with you :-)

Nut-free "PB" Coffee Chunk Cookies from Food for Dorks

Chewy Molasses Date Cookies(redone grain-free) from Dog Hill Kitchen

Candied Ginger and Tangerine Shortbread from Passionate About Baking

Chocolate Chunk Blondies (Vegan) from The Allergic Kid

Dairy, Egg and Nut-Free Oatmeal Creme Pies from Food Allergy Mama

And here's a great video from Cybele Pascal for her Gluten-free Double Choco Chunk Cookies

Thank you again to everyone who participated in this virtual cookie exchange! I hope to see you again next year with more cookie recipes to share :-)

Happy Holidays and Happy Baking!

Not-So-Nutty Fruitcake Cookies (Vegan, Nut-free and Soy-free)

2011-12-08T15:53:00.000-08:00

I may have doomed these cookies for life by naming them after a much despised holiday treat. And I know a lot of you will dismiss them just because of their namesake. You might even think I'm nuts for picking such a horrible name for these delicious cookies, but I don't think so. If you like fruitcake, then these Not-So-Nutty Fruitcake Cookies will definitely remind you of it. But if you don't like fruitcake, I still think you'll like these cookies because, unlike the infamous fruitcake, they're not basted with booze and they're not cloyingly sweet with candied fruit. Laugh as you may, crack a few jokes or two, but after you take a bite, you just might think I'm not-so-nutty after all.

I wouldn't exactly call myself a big fan of fruitcake but I've tried to like it over the years. My mom absolutely adores the stuff so we'd always have it around the house. She's the only person I know who will buy fruitcake for herself during the holidays. Every year, I would take a small slice and try it, thinking maybe this is the year I will finally love fruitcake and every year I realize I'm so wrong.

So this year, I've decided I'm going to create the kind of fruitcake I know I'll love...in cookie form! I mean, who doesn't love cookies, right? My thoughts exactly. Since my kids have multiple food allergies, I made these cookies egg-free, dairy-free, nut-free, peanut-free and soy-free. Despite leaving out all these ingredients, they're still moist and delicious and they're also jam-packed with flavor.

These cookies are beautifully studded with red cranberries, orange apricots, golden sultanas and dark raisins. To add a bit of crunch while keeping them nut-free, I added some roasted sunflower seeds and roasted pumpkin seeds. My kids actually prefer them without the seeds so I make a batch and just add seeds to half of the cookies for Hubby and I. They're also perfumed with aromatic spices like cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves. Instead of basting them with alcohol, I lightly brushed them with the bright flavor of orange juice.

I hope you'll try these not-so-nutty fruitcake cookies for the holidays and let me know what you think :-)

Happy Holidays!

Not-So-Nutty Fruitcake Cookies
Makes about 3 dozen cookies
Allergy Note: contains wheat ingredients

1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup golden raisins (sultanas)
1/4 cup raisins
1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup oat bran*
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cups vegetable shortening (I use Spectrum Naturals organic shortening)
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon orange zest (one medium-sized orange)
1/2 cup roasted sunflower seeds (optional)
1/2 cup roasted pumpkin seeds, sometimes called "pepitas"(optional)

orange juice for basting

Note: You may replace the oat bran with 1/4 cup wheat germ or rolled oats. If you prefer, you can also just replace it with 1/4 cup all-purpose flour.

Preheat the oven to 350 F degrees. Line three cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.

In a microwave-safe small bowl, combine orange juice, golden raisins, raisins, dried cranberries and dried apricots. Microwave for 1-2 minutes. Stir and allow to cool.

Sift together flour, oat bran, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat together shortening, brown sugar, applesauce, vanilla extract and orange zest. Mix in the cooled dried fruit mixture until combined. Slowly add the dry ingredients. Fold in the sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds. Using a cookie scoop, drop about 2 tablespoons of the cookie dough onto the prepared cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Gently press down each cookie.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown around the edges. Lightly brush with orange juice. Let cool completely before removing from cookie sheet.

Tutorial: Baby Elmo Birthday Cake and Cupcakes

2011-12-03T11:00:00.000-08:00

Photo Credit: Kristen Somera

Guess what? My little boy turned two this summer and I still haven't written about his FIRST birthday cake. How lame is that? So what's my excuse? Well, for one thing, I didn't get a chance to take any pictures during his party. I was running around like a crazy mom while Hubby was busy keeping the kids entertained. Pretty much the same thing happened this summer but we made sure we took pictures this time. And of course, I'll be writing about it next year...when he turns 3! Anyway, I gathered up all the pictures I could find (with the help of friends and family) so I can finally sit down and write about his adorable little cake.

My son LOVES watching Sesame Street so for his first birthday it was all about Elmo and his friends. When I went to the party supply store to pick out decorations, I came across the cutest invitation ever. It was Baby Elmo and Baby Big Bird and it was specifically for a 1st birthday party. Perfect!

I took a look at the invitation and was immediately struck by this brilliant idea of making a sculpted Baby Elmo holding a small birthday cake. There was only one teensy weensy problem: I don't know how to sculpt cakes to save my life! Yes, I've made a few 3D cakes in the past but I've only managed to pull them off with the help of molded cake pans and cake decorating books that guided me every step of the way. This is a whole new adventure for me. It could turn pretty awesome or pretty awful. What did I get myself into?

For the sake of preserving my sanity, I opted to make Baby Elmo out of rice krispie treats rather than stressing myself over carving him out of cake. Heck, if celebrity pastry chefs use them in cake competitions, why not me? I rest my cake...I mean case.

So here's what I used to make this Baby Elmo Cake and cupcakes (brace yourselves people):

- 2 recipes of rice krispie treats (I added 2 extra cups of the rice krispie cereal to make it firmer)
- 1 recipe allergen-free banana cake recipe and vanilla frosting
- 1 recipe egg-free red velvet cupcakes
- 1 recipe egg-free chocolate cupcakes
- 3 pounds red rolled fondant
- 1 1/2 pound white rolled fondant
- 2 ounces orange rolled fondant
- 1 pound yellow rolled fondant
- 1 pound green rolled fondant
- 1 pound blue rolled fondant
- 1 cup vegetable shortening
- shell tool from gumpaste modeling tool kit
- veining tool from gumpaste modeling tool kit
- toothpicks
- bamboo skewers
- paring knife
- small spatula
- black icing color
- small paintbrush
- black food color pen

First, I formed the rice krispie treats into Elmo's head, body, arms and legs. I used the invitation as a guide to see if I got the proportions right. I made the arms and legs flatter on one side so they would attach better to the body. I let the rice krispie treats firm up for about two hours before covering them with fondant.

I rolled some red fondant to about 1/2 inch thickness and covered Elmo's head. I applied a layer of vegetable shortening onto the red fondant to keep it from drying out and to make it more pliable to create Elmo's fur.

I used a shell tool to create Elmo's fur. My brother actually gave me the idea of using it. At first, I was layering short strands of rolled fondant onto the head but I soon realized it was gonna take me FOREVER to finish. Since my brother studied fine arts in college and he knows how to sculpt, I asked him if there was a better way to do this.

He rummaged though my cake decorating tools and narrowed it down to the veining tool and shell tool. He tested them out on a small piece of fondant and the shell tool was the clear winner. To make the fur, simply press the shell tool against the fondant and gently sweep it down and to the side. When you pull the shell tool away from the fondant, it creates nice wisps of fur.

I repeated the same technique for the body, arms and legs but I made sure I varied the direction of where the fur was going. I didn't realize I was going the same direction for the head until I stopped and looked at it. I tried to redo it but the fondant was already drying so I just left it as is and moved on.

To make the hands and feet, I formed two round pieces for the hands and two square pieces for the feet. I used the shell tool to make the fur then used a paring knife to cut sections for the fingers and toes. I attached the hands to the arms and the feet to the legs with some bamboo skewers. I covered the seams by laying a strip of fondant over it and creating more fur with the shell tool.

To make Elmo's diaper, I wrapped a piece of white rolled fondant around the base of the body. I used the veining tool to create a crease across the top of the diaper.

To assemble Baby Elmo, I stuck a long bamboo skewer through the middle of his body and attached his head on top. I attached the arms and legs on each side of his body and rested each hand on top of each foot.

To shape Elmo's mouth, I used a paring knife to cut through the fondant and rice krispie treats then I gently shaped it to make Elmo's adorable smile.

I covered the exposed rice krispie treats with a small piece of fondant before painting the inside of Elmo's mouth with black icing color.

To make the eyes, I rolled some white fondant into two balls and attached them on top of Elmo's head with some toothpicks. I probably should have used fondant-covered rice krispie treats instead of using solid fondant because they were so heavy and it took several toothpicks to keep them in place. Ayayay! If it hadn't been for that little orange nose, his eyes would've fallen off. I made some round circles of fondant and attached it to the center each eye then painted them black to make the pupils.

Here's the finished Baby Elmo sans birthday cake. Isn't he just adorable? My friend Maggie has this amazing machine called a Cricut Cake and she made letters out of fondant to spell out his name :-)

Photo Credit: Ryan Rivera

For his little birthday cake, I baked my allergen-free banana cake in two 6-inch cake pans (the rest of the batter I used to bake cupcakes). I rolled some blue and green fondant and cut them into strips to decorate the sides and used round cutters to decorate the borders. I made yellow fondant scrolls for the top as well as circles stacked together to place the Baby Elmo candle on.

Photo Credit: Kristen Somera

I also baked red velvet and chocolate cupcakes to accompany the Baby Elmo cake. For the cupcake toppers, I made some Elmo faces and friend Maggie made some monogram discs. To make the Elmo faces, I used a small round cookie cutter to make circles out of red fondant. I attached two white circles for the eyes and a small orange circle for nose then I used a black food color pen for the eyes and mouth. To make the monograms, Maggie used her Cricut Cake to make the M's out of rolled fondant and attached them to fondant circles.

Photo Credit: Ryan Rivera

After we sang "Happy Birthday and the birthday boy blew out his candle, one of the kids pulled out Elmo's eye and pretty soon the rest of the kids wanted a piece of Elmo too. They passed around his eyeballs like they were playing hot potato and one kid actually ate Elmo's nose! When the party was over, Elmo's eyes found their way back on his head but, as you can tell, they were roughed up quite a bit :-)

Call for Submissions: Cookie Exchange 2011

2011-11-28T16:56:00.000-08:00

Gingerbread Man

The holiday season has finally arrived! I know all of you are gonna be busy baking up a storm and making wonderful desserts for all your friends and family. One of the things I always wished I could do but haven't had the chance to is have a cookie exchange. So I thought why not host a virtual cookie exchange and feature all of your favorite cookie recipes.

Sugar Cookies

I would really LOVE to see a collection of allergen-friendly recipes (i.e. recipes free of at least one or two of the top food allergens found in cookies: peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, soy, wheat and dairy). Since my two kids have multiple food allergies (my oldest is allergic to peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish, fish, eggs and soy; my youngest is allergic to eggs and dairy), I'm always trying to find or create recipes that both of them can enjoy. And even though they're not allergic to wheat anymore, I know how challenging it is to bake without key ingredients like wheat, eggs and dairy. If you're a parent of a child (or children) with food allergies, you know how difficult it is to navigate around all the food-centric festivities during this time of year. It's truly a blessing to find "safe" treats for them to enjoy during the holidays.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

If you'd like to participate, please share a cookie recipe (or two) from your blog. You can submit an old post or a new one. I would appreciate a mention and a link back to this cookie exchange event in your post but it is not required. If you'd like, you may simply write, "I submitted this recipe to be a part of Cookie Exchange 2011 hosted by Rianne at Art of Dessert." Send an email with "Cookie Exchange 2011" in the subject line to artofdessert (at) gmail (dot) com and include the following information:

- Your name
- Your Blog's name
- Your Post URL/Permalink
- One 150x150 pixel photo

Sunbutter and Chocolate Rice Krispie Treats

The deadline to submit your recipes is midnight PST Saturday December 10, 2011 so I can post all of your wonderful recipes in time for everyone to try them out for the holidays :-)

Thank you so much for participating in this event and I can't wait to see all your wonderful cookie recipes!

HAPPY BAKING!

- Rianne

Simple Shortbread Cookies

Egg-Free and Dairy-Free Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

2011-11-21T17:32:00.000-08:00

I have a confession to make: I don't like pumpkin pie. If I had to choose between pumpkin pie or apple pie, I'd choose apple pie. I'm sorry but there's just something about pumpkin pie that I never quite liked. Maybe it's the mushy texture of the filling that I find unappealing. I know the pumpkin isn't to blame. I've tried other desserts that have pumpkin in them and I actually liked them. So the question I pose is this: Can I create a pumpkin dessert that my family and I can enjoy for Thanksgiving? The answer is yes.

What I noticed about the pumpkin desserts that I did like is that they were cakes, not pies, and they had some sort of cream cheese filling or frosting in them. Many years ago, I made Paula Deen's pumpkin gooey butter cake for Thanksgiving. It was so incredibly easy to make and it was a hit with everyone. Basically, you combine yellow cake mix, melted butter and an egg to make the crust and then you mix pumpkin puree, cream cheese, powdered sugar, eggs and some spices to make the filling. It was a little too sweet for me though, so I reduced the amount of powdered sugar and it tasted much better.

Another recipe I've tried and love is Libby's classic pumpkin roll. It may look intimidating at first but this jelly roll is actually easy to make and takes 15 minutes to bake. The only adjustment I made to this recipe is I doubled the amount of cinnamon because I felt it needed a bit more of that spice. What I love love love about this recipe is the cream cheese filling. It's very light and not too sweet which works so well with pumpkin roll.

With these two classic desserts as inspiration, I created my own egg-free and dairy-free dessert. These pumpkin spice cupcakes are so moist and so delicious, they're the perfect finale to any Thanksgiving feast. They're filled with warm aromatic spices like cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves. It smells and tastes like the holidays just biting into one of these cupcakes. I actually made mini cupcakes this weekend when I met up with some friends and they were just the right size to eat with our coffee and tea. They were also the perfect size for the kids.

I have two options for the frosting because my youngest has a dairy allergy. The first one is an adaptation of the cream cheese filling I love from Libby's pumpkin roll and the second one is my go-to vanilla frosting for any of my allergy-free/vegan cupcakes. You can sprinkle a little bit of cinnamon on top to make them look a bit more festive.

I hope you'll try these pumpkin spice cupcakes and I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Egg-Free and Dairy-Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes
Makes 2 dozen cupcakes or 4 dozen mini cupcakes
Allergy Note: contains wheat ingredients*

cupcakes:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil (I used canola oil)
1/2 cup applesauce
1 tsp. vanilla extract

cream cheese frosting:*
1 (8 oz. bar) cream cheese
1/2 cup (a stick) butter, softened
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract

*allergen-free vanilla frosting:
3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1/2 cup Spectrum vegetable shortening (found in healthfood stores)
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2-3 Tbsp. rice milk

ground cinnamon for topping

to make the cupcakes:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place paper liners on two cupcake pans or two mini cupcakes pans.

Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and nutmeg. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine pumpkin puree, brown sugar, oil, applesauce and vanilla extract. Mix in dry ingredients till combined. Pour into prepared cupcake pans about 2/3 full. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes (12-15 minutes for mini cupcakes) or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool before frosting.

to make the frosting:
cream cheese frosting:
In a medium bowl, mix together cream cheese and butter till smooth. Slowly add powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Beat till fluffy.

allergen-free frosting:
Using a whisk attachment, beat together the powdered sugar and vegetable shortening till light and fluffy. Add vanilla extract and rice milk.

to decorate the cupcakes:
Pipe a swirl of frosting on top of the cupcake and sprinkle with a little cinnamon.

Please note: I am not a paid endorser nor did I accept any freebies of the brands or products mentioned in this post. I just love them and wanted to share them with you :-)

Deep Fried Apple Pies

2011-11-19T01:17:00.000-08:00

Okay. I know what you're thinking. Deep fried apple pies? For Thanksgiving? Why....YES! Come to think of it, these are perfect for any time of the year. I'm planning to make these next week and I'm sure they'll be a hit with everyone :-)

Now what gave me the brilliant idea to make these delectable treats? Well, I actually went to my favorite fast food restaurant and ordered their famous apple pie. It's been decades since I've enjoyed these pies so I thought I'd try them again. But much to my surprise, when I got my pie, it wasn't the same pie I knew from many years ago. What happened to the golden crispy crust? What happened to that intoxicating aroma that wafted up to your nose before you even opened the box? And, wait...a...minute, what happened to the cute red box?!?

What?!? They've replaced it?!?

But why?

Alright alright alright. So they're trying to make things healthier nowadays. Kudos to them. I can respect that. But I sure do miss those fried apple pies. Don't you? So for nostalgia's sake, I decided to take a crack at making these sweet pastries from scratch. And since it's the holidays, I thought wouldn't it be nice to take my friends and family down memory lane with me? Of course.

First, I wanted to recapture that ooey gooey apple filling. When I'm making apple pies, I like to use two or three different types of apples. I think this gives the apple filling a nice balance of flavors and textures. So for these fried apple pies, I chose Granny Smith for its tartness, Rome Beauty for its firm texture and mild sweetness, and then Jonagold for its blend of tartness and sweetness. I cooked the apples with some brown sugar and cinnamon then I used a simple water/cornstarch mixture to thicken it.

For the crust, I borrowed an idea from my mom. She used to make pineapple pies back in the Philippines and she made an empanada dough for the crust. I thought that would be the ideal crust for my fried apple pies as well. It was nice and flaky and had a wonderful golden color when it was fried. I added a touch of brown sugar just to give the crust a bit of sweetness.

Instead of making the pies rectangular-shaped like the ones in the fast food place, I chose to shape them the old-fashioned way. I don't know about you, but these crescent-shaped pies made me think of a time when life was much simpler. That's probably why we love comfort food so much. They remind us of happier times and maybe it's a way for us to reconnect to our past.

In my case, I used to love these fried apple pies when I was a kid. I guess I'm feeling a bit nostalgic about happier times during my childhood when the holidays roll around. It's kinda nice that I can whip up something in the kitchen and relive those food memories all over again and pass them down to my little ones. I wonder what food memories they'll have of their childhood :-)

I hope you'll take a trip down memory lane with me and make these fried apple pies. If you're pressed for time, it's okay to use store-bought pie dough. You can also serve these with some vanilla ice cream and maybe drizzle them with some caramel sauce.

Happy Holidays!

Deep Fried Apple Pies
Makes 10-12 pies, depending on how big you want them
Allergy Note: contains wheat ingredients

apple filling:
3 apples (i.e. Granny Smith, Gala, Jonathan, Golden Delicious, Jonagold, Rome Beauty ) peeled, cored and cut into cubes
1/2 cup water
2-3 Tbs. brown sugar (depending on the apples you choose, you may need more or less brown sugar)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch of salt
1 Tbs. cornstarch
2 Tbs. water

pie dough*:
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tsp. brown sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 cup ice cold water

vegetable oil (I used canola oil)

cinnamon sugar (1-2 tsp. ground cinnamon plus 1/2 cup sugar), optional

*You can substitute with store-bought pie dough. They're usually found in the frozen food aisle near the cookie dough.

To make the apple filling:
Combine apples, 1/2 cup water, sugar and cinnamon in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook until apples are slightly tender. Mix together the tapioca starch and water. Stir into the apple mixture until thickened. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

To make the pie dough:
In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar and salt. Using a pastry blender or a fork, cut the shortening into tiny pieces until the flour mixture resembles the texture of cornmeal. add a little bit of milk and stir gently with a fork If the mixture still appears dry and crumbly, add the remaining water, 1 teaspoon at a time for the smaller quantity of dough, a tablespoon at a time for the larger quantity, until the dough holds together easily.

To assemble the pies:
Roll the pie dough to about 1/8 inch thickness and cut circles of about 4-5 inches in diameter. You can use a cookie cutter or place a ramekin on top of the pie dough and cut around it using a paring knife. Scoop about a tablespoon of filling and place into the center of each circle. Fold over and seal by pressing a fork all around the edges. Refrigerate for about 10 minutes.

To cook the pies:
Heat oil in a skillet or deep fryer to 375 F degrees. (Tip: An easy way to test if the oil is hot enough is by dropping a small piece of dough into the oil. If the dough starts bubbling fast, then the oil is hot enough. If the bubbles are slow, the oil isn't hot enough) Fry each pie till golden brown around the edges. Use tongs to gently flip over gently and cook the other side for one minute.

Remove from oil and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle some cinnamon sugar while it's hot. Serve immediately.

Sunbutter and Chocolate Chip Rice Krispie Treats

2011-11-14T20:45:00.000-08:00

I haven't had a chance to post anything lately. I've been on this never-ending merry-go-round called the cold and flu, thanks to my adorable little kids. Don't know when we're getting off this crazy ride but I thought I'd share a simple and easy treat I made recently. It definitely put a smile on their cute sniffly faces :-)

One of the things I used to love as a kid was peanut butter and chocolate. And I'm not talking about peanut butter cups or anything like that. I would take a big piece of chocolate and scoop up some peanut butter straight from the jar and eat it. Yeah, I was a weird kid back then but I grew out of it (I think). But since my oldest son has a severe peanut allergy (as well as tree nut allergies), I've had to stay far, far away from anything containing peanuts.

When I discovered sunflower seed spread, I couldn't tell you how happy I was. It was like finding a hidden treasure or something. And I'm pretty sure I heard a choir of angels sing when I picked up that first jar and placed it in my shopping cart. Yup. It was kind of a big deal to me. Sunflower seed spread has a nutty and creamy quality to it much like peanut butter. True, it doesn't taste exactly like peanut butter but it's pretty close considering the other options I've tried. You can usually find it in the grocery store right next to the peanut butter and jelly. I actually found Sunbutter at my local Target store.

I decided to put a little twist on our family favorite last week. I made a batch of rice krispie treats and mixed in a little bit of Sunbutter into the melted marshmallows before adding the rice krispies. Then I spread some more Sunbutter over the rice krispie treats and sprinkled some chocolate chips on top. I used EnjoyLife mini chocolate chips because they're allergen-free.

These were amazing! The combination of Sunbutter and chocolate chips went so well with the rice krispie treats. My kids just gobbled them up and so did I. Maybe I'll add some dried cranberries to it for Thanksgiving next week :-)

Sunbutter and Chocolate Chip Rice Krispie Treats
Makes about 12 servings

2 Tbs. Spectrum organic shortening
2 Tbs. Sunbutter sunflower seed spread
1 package (10 oz., about 40) regular marshmallows or 4 cups miniature marshmallows
6 cups Rice Krispies cereal

topping:
Sunbutter sunflower seed spread
EnjoyLife mini chocolate chips

In large saucepan melt shortening over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat. Add Sunbutter and Rice Krispies cereal. Stir until well coated. Using greased spatula or wax paper, press mixture into 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan coated with shortening. Spread a even layer of Sunbutter on top of the Rice Krispie Treats. Sprinkle with mini chocolate chips. Allow to cool then cut into 12 squares.

Microwave directions:
In microwave-safe bowl heat shortening and marshmallows on HIGH for 3 minutes, stirring after 2 minutes. Stir until smooth. Follow the directions above. Microwave cooking times may vary.

Please note: I am not a paid endorser nor did I accept any freebies of the brands or products mentioned in this post. I just love them and wanted to share them with you :-)

El Diablo Chocolate Truffles

2011-10-30T17:05:00.000-07:00

If you love my Mexican Hot Chocolate Truffles but wanted more heat, I've created these fiery hot truffles just for you. El Diablo (Spanish for "the devil") has three times the amount of cayenne pepper in them and I've sprinkled a generous amount of cayenne pepper on top, just in case it's not hot enough for you :-)

El Diablo Chocolate Truffles
Makes about 3 to 4 dozen truffles
Allergy Note: contains dairy ingredients

truffle filling:
1 1/2 lbs. (about 3 3/4 cups) bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup heavy cream
4 Tbs. butter
2 Tbs. honey
1 Tbs. ground cayenne pepper
1 tsp. vanilla extract

coating:
1 cup bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 tsp. shortening

ground cayenne pepper

To make the truffle filling:
Combine heavy cream, butter, honey, cayenne pepper and vanilla extract in a saucepan and cook over low heat until it starts to simmer. Place the chocolate chips in a medium bowl. Remove heavy cream mixture from heat and pour over the bowl of chocolate chips. Wait for a few minutes for the chocolate to soften. Using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, slowly stir the mixture until it becomes smooth and shiny. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour or until the mixture is slightly firm.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or waxed paper. Measure about 1 tablespoon of the truffle filling and drop them onto the cookie sheet. Refrigerate them for about 20 to 30 minutes until firm and then roll them into balls. Refrigerate them again for 10 to 15 minutes more or until firm.

For the coating chocolate, combine the chocolate chips and vegetable shortening in a bowl and melt over hot water. Stir until smooth. Drop the truffles into the chocolate coating one at a time, quickly coat them and remove with a fork. Gently shake off any extra chocolate and place the truffle onto the cookie sheet. Sprinkle ground cayenne pepper on top before the chocolate sets up. Store the truffles in an airtight container.

Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes

2011-10-25T17:04:00.000-07:00

These cupcakes actually started out as egg-free vanilla cupcakes for my oldest son. But when my youngest son developed a dairy allergy (as well as an egg allergy), I decided to make these vegan vanilla cupcakes so both of them could enjoy them :-)

If you would like to switch them back to egg-free vanilla cupcakes, simply replace the 1 cup of Spectrum organic shortening with 1 cup butter (softened to room temperature) and the 1 1/2 cups rice milk with 1 1/2 cups cow's milk (whole fat, low fat or nonfat). For the chocolate frosting, simply replace the 3-4 tablespoons of rice milk with 3-4 tablespoons of cow's milk (whole fat, low fat or nonfat).

Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes
Makes 24 cupcakes
Allergy note: contains wheat ingredients

3 1/2 cups flour
4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup Spectrum organic vegetable shortening
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. corn syrup or agave nectar
2 Tbs. vinegar
4 Tbs. orange juice
1 1/2 cups rice milk
zest of one lemon (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Prepare two muffin pans with paper cupcake liners.

Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, cream together shortening and sugar till light and fluffy. Slowly add in vanilla extract and corn syrup. In a small mixing bowl, combine orange juice, vinegar and rice milk. Alternate adding the dry ingredients and wet ingredients into the sugar mixture until well incorporated. Pour into prepared muffin pans (about 2/3 full).

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out dry. Let cool completely before decorating.

Chocolate Frosting
Makes about 2 1/2 cups frosting

1/2 cup Spectrum organic vegetable shortening (found in healthfood stores)
3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1/4 cup cocoa powder
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3-4 Tbsp. rice milk

Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer, mix together vegetable shortening, powdered sugar and cocoa powder till combined. Add vanilla extract and rice milk. Beat till light and fluffy.

Chocolate Wasted Mini Cupcakes

2011-10-23T17:59:00.000-07:00

Still looking for more ways to get chocolate wasted?

Here's a bite-sized version of the Chocolate Wasted Cake I made for my brother. Mini cupcakes! They're so cute and so perfect to serve at parties. I'm pretty sure these will be a hit this holiday season or any season for that matter :-)

Topped with chocolate chips and melted chocolate

Topped with Hershey Kisses, Kit Kat pieces, mini Hershey bars, Heath toffee pieces and Twix pieces.

Chocolate Wasted Mini Cupcakes
Makes about 4 dozen mini cupcakes
Allergy Note: contains wheat and dairy ingredients
(See notes for allergen-friendly or vegan alternatives)

cupcakes:
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup cocoa powder
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 cups milk*
1 cup butter, melted*
4 tsp. honey
2 tsp. vanilla extract

frosting:
4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup butter, softened to room temperature*
1/3-1/2 cup whole milk* (start out with 1/3 cup of milk and add more milk to your desired consistency)
1 tsp. vanilla extract

flavored liqueur for drizzling, like chocolate, coffee or almond (optional)

melted chocolate for drizzling, :
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips*
2-3 Tbs. heavy cream or vegetable oil

semi-sweet chocolate chips or assorted chocolate candies

Note:
For the cupcakes: instead of milk, you can replace it with water or cooled brewed coffee. Instead of butter, you can use vegetable oil. Instead of honey, you can use corn syrup or agave nectar.
For the frosting : instead of butter, you can use any allowed margarine, Spectrum organic vegetable shortening, or coconut oil. Instead of milk, you can use rice milk or soy milk.
For allergen-free alternatives for the semi-sweet chocolate chips, you can try Enjoy Life chocolate chips, bars or cookies)

To make the cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 325 F degrees. Line mini muffin pans with liners. Set aside.

Sift together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. In a separate mixing bowl, combine milk, butter, honey and vanilla extract. Slowly add the dry ingredients into the milk/butter mixture. Mix until combined. Pour batter into prepared muffin pans (about 2/3 full). Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before decorating.

To make the frosting:

In a large mixing bowl, sift together powdered sugar and cocoa powder. Add the butter, milk and vanilla extract. Using an electric mixer, slowly mix together at a low speed. Once all the ingredients are combined, increase the speed and beat till fluffy.

To assemble the cupcakes:
Lightly drizzle each cupcake with a little bit of your liqueur of choice. Place the frosting in a piping bag with a star tip or round tip. Pipe frosting on each cupcake. Top with a few semi-sweet chocolate chips or assorted chocolate candies. Drizzle the melted chocolate all over the top of each cupcake.
Please note: I am not a paid endorser nor did I accept any free samples of the brands or products mentioned in this post. I just love them and wanted to share them with you :-)

Tutorial: Transformers Autobot Cake

2011-10-15T15:11:00.000-07:00

When I was a little kid, I used watch Transformers with my brothers and sister. I remember we used to go to our parents' bedroom on Saturday mornings to watch cartoons. It's so funny now that I think about it because now my kids are doing the same thing. I guess that's my life coming full circle, huh? My hubby also grew up watching Transformers, so it was no surprise when one day he decided to get the entire DVD set. We had a Transformers marathon that weekend. It was awesome :-)

My friend Jaycee asked me if I could make a birthday cake for his son, Sebastian. When he told me that he's a huge Transformers fan, I already knew I was gonna have fun making this cake. I decided to put the iconic Autobot symbol front and center on top of the cake. It just isn't a Transformers cake without it. For the sides of the cake, I was inspired to replicate the flames on Optimus Prime's body. If you LOVE Transformers, I think you're gonna love this cake.

Here's what I used to make this cake:

-red rolled fondant
-blue rolled fondant
-black rolled fondant
-silver luster dust
-black icing color
-lemon extract
-paintbrushes
-rolling pin
-paring knife
-scissors
-small icing spatula

First, I covered the cake in blue rolled fondant. Next, I created a template for the Autobot symbol. I searched the internet for an image, saved it, resized it to fit the top of the cake and printed it. Then, I cut out the image, placed it on top of some black rolled fondant and used a paring knife to cut out the black border.
I cut each piece of the Autobot symbol and placed them on top of some red rolled fondant and used a paring knife to cut away each piece. I let the rolled fondant pieces dry a little bit so they won't be so soft to handle when I attach them to the black border. I brushed some lemon extract on the back of each red piece and gently pressed them onto the black border. Last, I brushed some lemon extract on the back of the black border and placed it on top of the cake.

To create the flames, I took some strips of red rolled fondant and cut away a freehand flame design. I attached the flames on the sides of the cake with a little bit of lemon extract. To give the flames some dimension, I mixed some silver luster dust and lemon extract then painted a silver border around the flames. I also used some black icing color to paint a black shadow around the flames.

To make the birthday plaque, I just cut out a rectangle out of the black rolled fondant and used the silver luster dust/lemon extract and a small paintbrush to write out the birthday greeting.

Avocado Ice Cream

2011-10-12T16:22:00.000-07:00

Photo Credit: Kristen Somera

Just when I was starting to enjoy the cool weather, it heats up again! Well, I guess it's not too late for me to share another one of my favorite frozen treats. This is my take on my grandma's avocado ice cream. It's so rich and creamy and the best part is you don't need an ice cream maker to make it :-)

Avocado Ice Cream
Makes about 1 1/2 quarts
Allergy information: contains dairy

1 1/2 cup ripe California avocados (about 2)
1 tsp. lemon juice
14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup milk
1 cup whipping cream
2 Tbs granulated sugar

In a blender or food processor, puree avocados and lemon juice till smooth. Add sweetened condensed milk and milk. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the whipping cream and sugar to soft peaks. Pour in the avocado mixture and mix till combined. Transfer into a airtight container and freeze for at least 4 hours.

Chocolate Wasted Cake

2011-10-08T22:14:00.000-07:00

Ever since my brother started using the phrase "I wanna get chocolate wasted" from the movie Grown Ups, I've been wanting to make this cake for his birthday. Being a chocoholic myself, I had no trouble coming up with ways to fill this cake with layer upon layer of chocolatey goodness. Just looking at this cake, I think you'll agree that it definitely deserves its name.

Photo Credit: Ryan Rivera

To create this chocolate beauty, I baked two layers of delicious chocolate cake. Then, I drizzled each cake layer with some Kahlua. I wanted to use chocolate liqueur like Godiva dark chocolate or white chocolate, but all I had on hand was Kahlua, which is a coffee-flavored liqueur and Disaronno, which is an almond-flavored liqueur. Either one would've worked well with the chocolate but since my brother also loves coffee, I decided to go with the Kahlua. Then, I filled and frosted the cake with rich chocolate buttercream.

Then, I completely covered the sides of the cake with Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips. The trick to doing this is to take a handful of chocolate chips and gently press them onto the cake. I placed the cake on a revolving cake stand and I had a large shallow bowl underneath it to catch any chocolate chips that may fall.

Next, I topped the cake with an assortment of chocolate candies. For this cake, I used Hershey Kisses, Hershey bars, Kit Kat bars, Twix bars and Whoppers. With so many candy choices of out there, I'm sure I can make this cake dozens of times and have a different batch of candies to top the cake every time.

Last, I drizzled some melted chocolate all over the cake. I crisscrossed the melted chocolate on top and then poured more around the edges of the cake. Think Jackson Pollock. I made sure there was plenty of melted chocolate dripping down the sides of the cake. I think it makes it look even more decadent and mouthwatering.

I hope this cake inspires you to create your own chocolate wasted cake. What I love about this cake is it's absolutely over-the-top with chocolate and yet it's pretty easy to make, even for a novice baker. It's the kind of cake you just wanna dive into and devour. You can use your own chocolate cake recipe and top it with all the chocolate candy your heart desires. And with Halloween just around the corner, I'm sure they'll be plenty of chocolate candy around to make this cake :-)

Special thanks to Jef at My Food Geek for sharing some food photography tips with me recently. I tried them out and I'm really happy with how my pictures turned out. Thanks again my friend!

Chocolate Wasted Cake
Makes 8-12 servings
Allergy Note: contains wheat and dairy ingredients
(See notes for allergen-friendly or vegan alternatives)

cake:
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup cocoa powder
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 cups milk
1 cup butter, melted
4 tsp. honey
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

frosting:
4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup butter, softened to room temperature
1/3-1/2 cup whole milk (start out with 1/3 cup of milk and add more milk to your desired consistency)
1 tsp. vanilla extract

liqueur for drizzling on the cake layers (i.e. chocolate, coffee or almond)

melted chocolate for drizzling, :
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips*
2-3 Tbs. heavy cream or vegetable oil
semi-sweet chocolate chips for the sides of the cake

assorted chocolate candies for the top of the cake*

To make the cake:

(Note: Instead of milk, you can replace it with water or cooled brewed coffee. Instead of butter, you can use vegetable oil. Instead of honey, you can use corn syrup or agave nectar. Instead of semi-sweet chocolate chips, you can use Enjoy Life brand chocolate chips. For allergen-free alternatives for the candies, you can try Enjoy Life chocolate chips, bars or cookies)

Preheat oven to 325 F degrees. Grease and dust two 8-inch or 9-inch cake pans with cocoa powder. Set aside.

Sift together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. In a separate mixing bowl, combine milk, butter, honey and vanilla extract. Slowly add the dry ingredients into the milk/butter mixture. Mix until combined. Fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips. Pour in the batter into prepared cake pans. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and wait for about 10 minutes to remove from cake pans and place on a cooling rack. Allow to cool completely before decorating.

To make the frosting:

Note: instead of butter, you can use any allowed margarine, Spectrum organic vegetable shortening, or coconut oil. Instead of milk, you can use rice milk or soy milk.

In a large mixing bowl, sift together powdered sugar and cocoa powder. Add the butter, milk and vanilla extract. Using an electric mixer, slowly mix together at a low speed. Once all the ingredients are combined, increase the speed and beat till fluffy.

To assemble the cake:

Place the first cake layer on a plate or cake circle. Lightly drizzle with liqueur. Spread an even layer of frosting. Place the second cake layer on top of the frosting. Lightly drizzle with liqueur. Cover the sides and top of the cake with frosting. Cover the sides of the cake with semi-sweet chocolate chips and cover the top with assorted chocolate candies. Drizzle the melted chocolate all over the top of the cake and let it drip down the sides of the cake.

Please note: I am not a paid endorser nor did I accept any free samples of the brands or products mentioned in this post. I just love them and wanted to share them with you :-)

Allergen-free Chocolate Banana Pops

2011-09-04T16:47:00.000-07:00

Are you looking for an allergen-free frozen treat to beat the heat? Try these chocolate banana pops. My kids LOVE them! I used Enjoy Life chocolate mega chunks and Spectrum organics shortening for the coating. For an added crunch, I rolled them in crispy brown rice cereal. You can even get the kids involved in making them.

Another variation that I've tried is to spread a thin layer of sunflower seed butter (Sunbutter and Trader Joe's are brands that I like) all over the banana pops and then freezing them. Then I covered them with the chocolate coating and rolled them in crispy rice cereal. I also covered some in rainbow sprinkles. So pretty.

Have fun and get creative with these fun frozen treats :-)

Allergen-free Chocolate Banana Pops
Makes 8 banana pops

4 ripe bananas
1 cup Enjoy Life chocolate mega chunks (you can also use Enjoy Life mini chips)
2-3 tsp. Spectrum organic shortening (you can also try Spectrum organic coconut oil)
1 cup crispy brown rice cereal (or regular crispy rice cereal)
popsicle sticks or lollipop sticks

Peel and cut each banana in half crosswise and insert a popsicle stick or lollipop stick into the cut side of each half. Place on a tray, cover with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for at least 2 hours or until frozen.

Melt the chocolate and shortening in a double boiler, over low to medium heat and make sure the water is not touching the bottom of the bowl. Remove from heat. Place the puffed rice cereal in a shallow dish or a plate. Dip the frozen banana into the chocolate coating, turning it to coat (you can use a spoon to help you coat more evenly) and immediately roll in the crispy brown rice cereal. Place on a tray covered in waxed paper. Serve immediately or wrap individually in plastic wrap or waxed paper and freeze for up to 2 weeks.

Please note: I am not a paid endorser nor did I accept any free samples of the brands or products mentioned in this post. I just love them and I wanted to share them with you :-)

No-Bake Honey Yogurt Cheesecake

2011-09-03T17:44:00.000-07:00

Believe it or not, the last place I wanna be this Labor Day weekend is in a hot kitchen. So I'm giving my oven the day off and I'm making something quick so I can just chillax for the rest of the weekend. What's the magic ingredient of this simple and easy dessert? Greek yogurt.

One day, I was having breakfast with my sister and she introduced me to Greek yogurt. At first I wasn't sure if I was gonna like it (too healthy for me, I thought) but once I tried it, I was pretty much hooked ever since. I love how rich and creamy it tastes, unlike other yogurts I've eaten in the past. And when you top it with some fresh fruit and a drizzle of honey, it's like you're eating dessert for breakfast! So with that thought swirling in my head, I wondered if I could create a delicious dessert using Greek yogurt. And the answer is yes :-)

This light and luscious cheesecake is so deceptively indulgent and it's virtually effortless to make. Instead of adding whipped cream, which is what most no-bake cheesecakes call for, I used thick and creamy (not to mention healthy) Greek yogurt. Drizzle a little bit of honey on top and serve with some fresh fruit and voila! You got yourself a decadent cheesecake that's actually good for you :-)

HAVE A WONDERFUL LABOR DAY :-)

No-Bake Honey Yogurt Cheesecake
Makes 8-12 servings
Allergy Note: contains dairy and wheat ingredients

filling:
two 8-oz. bars of cream cheese
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups nonfat Greek yogurt, plain
1 Tbs. lemon juice

crust:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
5 Tbs. butter, melted
3 Tbs. granulated sugar

honey
fresh fruit to garnish (optional)

For the crust:
In a medium mixing bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, butter and sugar until blended. Press onto the bottom of a well-greased 8-inch or 9-inch round cake pan and up the sides about an inch (a spring form pan, tart pan or even individual ramekins will work too). Place in the refrigerator to chill.

For the filling:
In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add in the honey, sugar and vanilla extract. Add in the Greek yogurt and lemon juice; mix until blended . Pour the filling over the chilled graham cracker crust and smooth the top. Cover and refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours, or overnight.

Serve with a drizzle of honey and some fresh fruit.

Please note: I am not a paid endorser nor did I accept any freebies of the brands or products mentioned in this post. I just love them and wanted to share them with you :-)

Celebrating Three Years of Blogging with Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes

2011-09-02T00:55:00.000-07:00

Vegan chocolate cupcake topped with my son's number 3 birthday candle

Wow! Has it really been three years since I started this blog? I can't believe it. What started out as a creative outlet for silly ol' me (sidelined by motherhood and having to face the challenge of raising two kids with multiple food allergies) has turned into something so fulfilling and so rewarding.

My very first post! Pineapple Apple Pie

When I started blogging, I didn't think anyone would be interested in reading it except for my friends and family. I never would have imagined that sharing my stories and my recipes would impact so many people, especially all the parents (and grandparents) who've written to me, thanking me for opening up a brand new world of desserts for their kids. I am so incredibly humbled by your kind words. It makes me so happy that the recipes I've created for the love of my kids are also being enjoyed by kids (and grown-ups) all over the world.

Egg-free pancakes

The first recipe I adapted to accommodate my kids' food allergies was my Mom's banana cake and till this day, I still make this special treat on a regular basis. This is the recipe I used for their first birthday cakes and it warms my heart to know that other kids were able to have their birthday cake and eat it too because years ago, I wanted so badly for my son to have a cake that he could enjoy on his birthday. I realize now how simple little things like cake and cookies could make such a big difference for anyone who couldn't enjoy them because of food allergies or even dietary restrictions. I had no idea that so many vegetarians and vegans visit my blog searching for delicious desserts. Thank you so much for your support!

Banana Cake from my post, Dealing with Food Allergies

As I browse through my blog and see all the cakes that I've made, I remember the rollercoaster of emotions that I went through with each cake. I never took any formal training in art so I always have a healthy dose of self-doubt when I take on a project. Of course, whenever I make my kids' cakes, it's a total labor of love and the payoff is seeing their faces light up when they see their birthday cakes.

Lego birthday cakes and cupcakes

When I made my sister's handbag cake, I was in tears when I tried and tried but couldn't get the handles to stay upright. But in the end, she loved her cake and to top it off, Elisa Strauss left a comment on my post (Omg!) and I found out that David Lebovitz shared a link on his Facebook page. Thank you Elisa for inspiring me to make the cake and thank you David for shining the spotlight on me that day!

My sister's Marc Jacobs Handbag Cake

And when I made the Twilight cake, I knew nothing about Twilight. I was actually scared to death to make that cake because I knew there were alot of diehard fans out there and if I messed it up, I was gonna hear about it. Whew! Thank goodness I pulled that off. It's been a huge learning process for me making all these cakes and despite all stress and anxiety, I love it and I wanna learn more.

These are just some of the highlights of the past three years and I hope to continue sharing more stories and recipes with everyone. Now, I know my posts have been few and far between lately, but now that both kids are going to school (one full-time and the other part-time), I can actually put more time and focus into my blog. Yay!

To celebrate this milestone, I'd like to share a cupcake recipe I created for my son. He just celebrated his birthday last month and since he's still allergic to eggs and dairy, I made him some vegan chocolate cupcakes. They're so moist and chocolatey, you can't even tell there's no eggs, milk or butter in them :-)

Update: I just found out about America's Test Kitchen's "Dish It Your Way" Blogger Challenge and this week's challenge: CUPCAKES. I'm gonna cross my fingers and submit this recipe :-) If you have a great cupcake recipe, please visit their site (see link above). You could win a 1-year online subscription to Cook's Country Magazine!

Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes
makes 2 1/2 dozen cupcakes
Allergy note: contains wheat

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup cocoa powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups water (you can also use rice milk, soy milk or even cooled brewed coffee)
1 cup canola oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp. agave nectar or corn syrup
1 cup EnjoyLife brand chocolate chips or Chocolate Dream brand baking chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line three muffin tins with cupcake liners.

Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine sugar, water, oil, vanilla extract and agave nectar. Slowly add the dry ingredients. Mix till combined. Fold in chocolate chips. Pour into lined muffin tins (about 2/3 full). Bake for 20-25 minutes or till a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean). Let cool completely before adding frosting.

Vegan Chocolate Frosting

1 1/2 cups vegetable shortening (I use Spectrum organic)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup rice milk or soy milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
8 cups powdered sugar
2 cups cocoa powder

Using an electric mixer on low speed, combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl till well blended. Increase the speed to medium or high. Beat till light and fluffy.

Please note: I am not a paid endorser nor did I accept any freebies of the brands or products mentioned in this post. I just love them and wanted to share it with you :-)

Karioka (Deep-fried Coconut Rice Balls with Brown Sugar Glaze)

2011-06-27T08:00:00.000-07:00

When my friend brought these over a few weeks ago, I said something that I wished I didn't. "I wish I knew how to make karioka. Nope. Strike that. I'm gonna learn how to make karioka!" Before I knew it, I was searching online for recipes, adjusting a few ingredients to fit my liking and cooking up a batch of my own homemade karioka. After I took my first bite, I knew I was in big trouble...

They were absolutely delicious! I couldn't stop eating them and the same goes for my non-dessert eating husband. "See [as he takes a bite of karioka], this is why I can never lose weight." LOL Which brings me back to why I wish I didn't say, "I'm gonna learn how to make karioka!" It's become an instant family favorite and I'm probably gonna be making a lot these quite often (maybe even tomorrow).

So what exactly is karioka? It's basically a deep-fried dough that's dipped in a sweet glaze. I guess you can say it's the Filipino version of a donut. When you bite into one, you get the sweetness from the brown sugar glaze, then the crunchiness from the crispy outside and finally the chewiness of the coconut rice ball inside. Sweet. Crunchy. Chewy. PERFECT! It's a popular street food in the Philippines and it's usually sold alongside other deep-fried sweets like turon (bananas and jackfruit inside a lumpia wrapper), banana cue (bananas with caramelized brown sugar) and kamote cue (sweet potato with caramelized brown sugar).

I remember when I was a little girl, I used to buy my afterschool snacks from the street vendors that would line up outside my school. I'd buy things like sorbetes (dirty ice cream), banana cue, fresh sugar cane, singkamas or mangga with bagoong (jicama or green mangoes with shrimp paste) and fish balls dipped in all three sauces (yeah). My mom didn't exactly like the idea of me eating street food, so I made sure I finished all my snacks in the jeepney before I got home. Strangely enough, I don't think I ever tried karioka until I arrived here in the United States. Well, that's a shame.

What I love about karioka (besides eating them, of course) is that they are so easy to make. It's ridiculous! I mean, all you need is four ingredients: sweet rice flour, flaked coconut, coconut milk and brown sugar. Well, five if you count the vegetable oil. Okay then, five ingredients. Just mix them together, deep-fry them and glaze them. That's it! Now why haven't I tried to learn how to make these sooner?

Well, after making karioka and absolutely loving it, I thought I'd get a little creative and add some filling inside. It's kind of an idea a borrowed from another dessert called butsi (or buchi). They're sesame seed balls filled with red bean paste. I figured it would be interesting to do the same for karioka but instead of red bean paste, I wanted to try some traditional Filipino flavors.

I picked up some canned langka (jack fruit), ube (purple yam) and macapuno (gelatinous mutant coconut). All of these are available in Filipino or Asian supermarkets. Jack fruit is a tropical fruit that's typically eaten fresh in the Philippines, but here in the United States, you can most likely find them canned in syrup. Ube and macapuno are commonly used to flavor ice cream or used as filling for desserts.

Out of the three choices, the first one I tried was the ube filling. I used a piping bag to pipe the filling into the center. I pinched the dough to seal the filling inside and gently rerolled it into a ball.

It actually turned out pretty good. The filling stayed in the center and when I bit into the karioka, I got a nice ube flavor inside. I might wanna try this again but with my aunt's recipe for ube halaya, which is thicker and richer than the ube in a jar.

The next one I tried was the jack fruit. I chopped it up into small pieces and put about 1/2 teaspoon of it inside the karioka. THIS is definitely a winner! The flavors of the coconut and jack fruit just worked so well together. I've gotta make these again soon :-)

The last one I tried was the macapuno and it didn't do so well (which explains why I don't have a photo of it). Maybe it was a textural thing or the macapuno had too much liquid. It just tasted soggy in the middle. And the macapuno flavor just faded away into the background. That's too bad. I really like macapuno, just didn't work with karioka I guess. Well, two out of three ain't so bad.

I have a feeling I'll be making a lot of these for my next summer get-together. Fourth of July maybe? Hmmmm...

Karioka
Adapted from Panlasang Pinoy
Makes about 24 pieces

dough:
2 cups Mochiko sweet rice flour
2 cups sweetened flaked coconut
1 1/2 cups coconut milk

3 cups vegetable oil

glaze:
1 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup coconut milk

optional fillings:
ube (purple yam)
langka (jackfruit), chopped
macapuno (gelatinous mutant coconut), chopped

bamboo skewers

In a mixing bowl, combine sweet rice flour, flaked coconut and coconut milk. Take two tablespoons of the dough and shape into a ball. Set aside. (If adding filling, poke a hole in the ball and add about 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of filling inside then gently close up the hole and reshape the dough into a ball)

Heat up the oil in a wok or deep pan to medium-high heat. (Tip: one way to test if the oil is hot enough is by dropping a small piece of dough into the oil. If the dough starts bubbling right away, then the oil is hot enough. If the dough bubbles slowly or you don't see any bubbles at all, then oil isn't hot enough). Cook the balls for about 5 to 7 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer the cooked karioka onto a plate lined with paper towels to soak up the excess oil. Set aside.

In a medium sauce pan, combine brown sugar and coconut milk. Bring to a boil and then remove from heat. Dip the karioka in the brown sugar glaze until completely coated. Carefully place four of the karioka into each bamboo skewer. Serve immediately.

Please note: I am not a paid endorser nor did I accept any freebies of the brands or products mentioned in this post. I just love them and want to share it with you :-)

Colorful Rice Krispie Egg Treats

2011-04-08T15:38:00.000-07:00

Photo Credit: Ryan Rivera

You know what I love about Springtime? Everywhere I look, there's a delightful array of vibrant colors. The bright blue sky makes such a great backdrop for the warm yellow sun and soft white clouds. There's fresh green foliage covering the landscape and beautiful blooming flowers everywhere. All these cheerful, pretty colors instantly put me in a happy mood. If that colorful image doesn't put a smile on your face, then I don't know what will. Well...maybe a rice krispie treat covered in rainbow sprinkles will do the trick :-)

Rice Krispie treats are an all-time favorite in my house. Whenever I make these marshmallowy goodies, they disappear fast. It's a good thing they're so quick and easy to make. I always keep an ample supply of Rice Krispies cereal and marshmallows in my pantry so I can whip these up in a pinch. I usually cut them into huge squares and display them inside a glass dome cake stand. For Easter, I thought it would be fun and festive to shape them into eggs :-)

I borrowed a couple of ideas from the Rice Krispies website to create these colorful rice krispie egg treats. They have these cute Easter Egg Dipper Treats that are dipped in melted chocolate and then covered with sprinkles. But only the bottom half of the eggs are dipped and decorated. I thought it would be prettier if the entire egg was coated with melted white chocolate and then covered with sprinkles. Another great idea I used was from their Hidden Surprise Easter Egg Treats. They used plastic eggs to mold and shape the rice krispie treats into perfectly shaped eggs.

How absolutely adorable are these? My son and I made these rice krispie egg treats for his kindergarten class. We had so much fun decorating them. We nestled each egg in some paper Easter grass and tucked them inside decorative treat bags. He was so excited to share them with his teachers and classmates.

I hope you decide to make these adorable treats for your family and friends :-)

Have a wonderful Easter everyone!

Rice Krispie Egg Treats
Makes about 3 dozen regular-size eggs or 1 dozen jumbo eggs
Allergy Note: contains dairy (please see note below for dairy-free options)

3 Tbs. butter or margarine*
1 package (10 oz., about 40) regular marshmallows or 4 cups miniature marshmallows
7 cups Rice Krispies cereal

1 package (11.5 oz) white chocolate chips*
1 Tbs. vegetable oil

2-3 cups rainbow sprinkles (non-pareils and jimmies)

plastic eggs, regular or jumbo (cleaned and coated with vegetable oil)

Note: For a dairy-free and soy-free alternative, replace 3 Tbs. butter with 2 Tbs. vegetable oil. Replace white chocolate chips with Chocolate Dream sweet baking chips or Enjoy Life semi-sweet chocolate chips.

In microwave-safe bowl heat butter and marshmallows on HIGH for 2 minutes. Stir until smooth. Follow steps 2 and 3 above. Microwave cooking times may vary.

Using greased hands, firmly press Rice Krispies® mixture into both halves of each plastic egg. Press both halves together. Remove from molds. Place on wax paper. Cool slightly.

In a small microwave-safe bowl, heat white chocolate chips and vegetable oil on HIGH for 1 minute. Stir until smooth. Pour sprinkles in a shallow bowl or pie plate. Apply a thin layer of white chocolate over the top half of the egg. Gently roll the egg over the sprinkles to coat evenly. Place on wax paper and allow to set. Repeat for the rest of the eggs. Apply a thin layer of white chocolate to the bottom half of the egg and roll over the sprinkles to coat evenly. Allow to set before serving.

Variations:
Instead of using sprinkles, try crushed Oreos, graham cracker crumbs, toffee bits or toasted coconut.
Instead of white chocolate chips, try milk chocolate, dark chocolate or butterscotch morsels.

Please note: I am not a paid endorser nor did I accept any freebies of the brands or products mentioned in this post. I just love them and wanted to share it with you :-)

Ginataang Bilo-bilo

2011-02-25T23:13:00.000-08:00

A big winter storm is heading down this weekend and it's bringing some pretty chilly temperatures along with it. You know what that means? Yup. I'm gonna need some serious comfort food to warm my belly. My all-time favorite comfort food has got to be my grandma's ginataang bilo-bilo. It's a sweet and hearty stew made with coconut milk, tropical fruits, tubers, tapioca pearls and glutinous rice balls. This luscious dessert really sticks to your ribs, which makes it so perfect for the cold weather. Mmmmmmm...

My grandma taught me how to make ginataang bilo-bilo when I was a little girl, but my memories of learning how to make it weren't exactly fun and happy. It was more like detention because instead of playing and watching cartoons with my brothers and sister, I was stuck in the kitchen helping out.

My grandma would always assign me to the most incredibly tedious task of rolling the dough balls. I'd reluctantly sit at the kitchen table and stare at the bowl of dough in front of me. I'd pinch off a small amount, roll it in between my hands to form a ball and place it neatly on a plate. It was so time-consuming rolling those little suckers one by one. By the time I finished rolling them, my palms were covered with this thick layer of rice flour paste.

One day, I tried to speed things up a little. While my grandma was busy preparing the other ingredients, I made the dough balls bigger than they were supposed to. But my grandma caught me right away. She looked at the plate, plucked off all the "rejects" and put them back in the bowl. "Do them again," she said. I just sentenced myself to more work and rolled some more dough balls. I definitely learned my lesson then. Never ever mess with grandma. Never.

I might not have appreciated it back then, but I'm so lucky that she took the time to teach me how to make ginataang bilo-bilo. It's definitely one of those family recipes I'll hold near and dear to my heart and I hope it would get passed on from generation to generation :-)

Ginataang Bilo-Bilo
Makes 12 - 16 servings

dough balls:
1 cup plus 2 Tbs. Mochiko sweet rice flour
2/3 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
6 cups water

stew:
4-15 oz. cans coconut milk
1/2 cup sugar
4 ripe burro bananas (saba), peeled and cut into cubes
2 cups sweet potato (kamote) or yam, peeled and cut into cubes
2 cups purple yam (ube), peeled and cut into cubes
2 cups jackfruit (langka), cut into strips (reserve the syrup)
1/2 cup tapioca pearls (sago), soaked in water for 30 minutes

To make the dough balls:
In a small mixing bowl, combine sweet rice flour with the 2/3 cup water. Mix together to form a dough. Roll the dough in to marble-sized balls. Place the dough balls in a plate and cover with a damp tea towel or paper towel. Pour 6 cups of water and 1/2 cup sugar in to a saucepan. Bring to a simmer to dissolve the sugar. Then, carefully drop in the dough balls. When they float to the top, scoop them out and place in a bowl.

To make the stew:
In a large pot, combine coconut milk, water, reserved syrup from the jackfruit and 1/2 cup sugar. Bring to a boil and then lower heat to a simmer. Add the sweet potatoes and purple yam. Cook till tender. Add the burro bananas and tapioca pearls.Cook till the bananas are tender and the tapioca pearls are translucent. Add the jackfruit and rice balls last. Cook till the jackfruit is soft.

Note: To keep the purple yams from getting overcooked and turning the coconut milk purple, you can cook them in the sugar water right after you cook the dough balls.

Please note: I am not a paid endorser nor did I accept any freebies of the brands or products mentioned in this post. I just love them and wanted to share it with you :-)

Egg-Free Red Velvet Cupcakes

2011-02-13T15:24:00.000-08:00

The wait is over! It's finally here! I figured out how to make egg-free red velvet cupcakes just in time for Valentine's Day. And they taste just like my regular red velvet cupcakes. Woohoo!
I've been working on this recipe for a while now. I was actually hoping to post this last year, but I just couldn't get it right. I already lost count how many times I've tried and failed, but I knew if I just kept at it eventually it'll work. I'm so excited to share this with you.

I made these for my son's kindergarten class :-)

Happy Valentine's Day Everyone!

Egg-free Red Velvet Cupcakes
Makes about 24 cupcakes
Allergy note: contains dairy and wheat ingredients

cupcakes:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
4 Tbs. cocoa powder
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup butter, melted
2 cups whole milk, room temperature
2 Tbs. vinegar
1 3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 Tbs. corn syrup or honey
1 Tbs. no-taste red food coloring gel or paste (i.e. Wilton icing colors)

frosting:
8 oz. bar cream cheese
1/2 cup butter, softened to room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 cups powdered (confectioner's) sugar, measured then sifted

heart decorations:
24 oz. package Wilton rolled fondant
Wilton icing colors in pink, orange, violet, green and yellow
heart cookie cutter or fondant cut-out
red food coloring pen or red food coloring and a fine tip brush
fondant rolling pin
powdered sugar for rolling

To make the cupcakes:
Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Line two muffin pans with baking cups. Sift together the dry ingredients: flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, mix together milk and vinegar. Set aside for one minute then add butter, sugar, vanilla extract, corn syrup (or honey) and red food coloring. Pour the wet ingredients in with the dry ingredients. Mix until combined. Pour the batter into the lined muffin pan to 2/3 full. Tip: use an ice cream scooper to portion out the batter evenly and neatly. Bake for 15 to 20 or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean. Let cool completely before frosting and decorating.

To make the frosting:
With the mixer on a low speed, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla extract until blended. Slowly add the powdered sugar, a cup at a time. Once all the powdered sugar is added, increase to a higher speed to whip up the frosting till light and fluffy. Use a large round piping tip to pipe the frosting onto each cupcake.

To make the heart decorations:
Divide the fondant in five equal pieces and tint them pink, purple, green, yellow and orange. Dust a flat surface with powdered sugar and roll the fondant to 1/4-inch thick. Cut heart shapes using cookie cutter or fondant cut-out. Write out sayings (Be Mine, Love, Hug Me etc.) using red food coloring pen.

Please note: I am not a paid endorser nor did I accept any freebies of the brands or products mentioned in this post. I just love them and wanted to share it with you :-)