celticircle cuisine ~

Tres Leches Cake From Table For Two...

2012-01-28T20:27:00.000-08:00

http://www.bakeyourday.net/tres-leches-cake-from-table-for-two/#more-1998

great web-site...great recipe...

Friday, January 27, 2012

Tres Leches Cake From Table For Two

Posted by Cassie / 24 comments » / cakes/cupcakes, dessert

Most of you know that today my husband and I are packing up a moving truck and moving to the heart of our city. Our boxes are packed, our friends and family are so excited to help out and I’m dying to get my mixer back on my counter. I’m excited to get back to cooking and baking in my new kitchen but while I’m busy with the move, I am sharing a couple of my favorite bloggers with you. Today, we have Julie from Table for Two. I met Julie a while back and we instantly connected. So much so that I think we might be sisters separated at birth. We even share the same guilty food pleasure (french fries!) I hope you enjoy her post today, I can’t wait to make this cake! ~C.

Hi Bake Your Day fans! I’m Julie over at Table for Two where I blog about my culinary adventures and my everyday life with my other half. Cassie asked me to do a guest post for her today and I happily accepted. I was thrilled!! It was such an honor to receive that email from Cassie askingme to guest post for her. Cassie and I have known each other for a while now. I started my blog last spring and I think I found her immediately through jumping around various bloggers’ blog rolls. I’m so glad that I “met” Cassie. She’s one of the sweetest, most caring, and fun person to talk to. I love reading her blog. Right off the bat, Cassie made it to my Google Reader list and I look forward to all her entries!

We have yet to cross paths with one another but we both agree that we were meant to be friends. So much so that we’ve now started texting each other and are trying to plan a girls weekend in KC! See, this is what I love about the food blogging community. We all share our passion for food and our love for sharing and inspiring others. This community is the best. I’ve “met” some of the nicest and most amazing people that I’m sure to be friends with for life. It just stinks that everyone lives all over the country — but that’s what planes and trips are made for

When Cassie asked me to guest post for her, my mind started to race as to what I should make. I finally settled on tres leches cake. Why? I had been meaning to make this for quite sometime and I had never gotten around to doing so. Perfect time to do it I hope you all indulge a little and enjoy this amazing cake. Bring some for your coworkers or eat it all yourself. I don’t judge

Thank you, Cassie for having me on your blog today! Good luck with your upcoming move! Xo – Julie

Tres Leches Cake
Yield: 12 servings
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
ingredients:
for the cake:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
5 whole eggs, separated
1 cup sugar, divided
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/3 cup whole milk
1 can evaporated milk
1 can sweetened, condensed milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
for the icing:
1/2 pint heavy cream, for whipping
1 1/2 Tbs. Sugar
directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and liberally spray a 9 x 13 inch pan with cooking spray. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the egg yolks with 3/4 cup of sugar on high speed until they're pale yellow. Then mix in the whole milk and vanilla.
Gently pour the yolk mixture over the flour mixture and stir gently until all are combined.
Wash the stand mixer bowl and beat the egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form. Turn the speed down a little to add in the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar then turn it back up to high to beat until the egg whites are stiff but not dry.
Fold the egg white mixture into the batter very gently until just combined. Pour into prepared baking pan and spread to even out the surface.
Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Turn the cake out onto a rimmed platter and allow to cool.
In the meantime, combine condensed milk, evaporated milk, and heavy cream in a small pitcher and mix together.
When cake is cool, pierce the surface with a fork several times. Slowly drizzle all but 1 cup of the milk mixture. I actually ended up using all but 3/4 cup but you can determine whether or not you want more milk in the cake :)
Allow the cake to absorb the milk mixture for about 30 minutes in the fridge (I like eating my tres leches cake cold).
While you're waiting, you can make your icing! Whip 1/2 pint of heaving cream with 1 1/2 tbsp. of sugar until thick and spreadable -- like whipped cream! Spread over the surface of the cake and top with maraschino cherries (in my instance, I didn't have any so I used a raspberry, ha!).
Cut into squares and serve.
Inspired by The Pioneer Woman

Pumpkin Waffles...

2012-01-16T11:10:00.000-08:00

yum, yum, yum...found this at 'my bizzy kitchen'...

pumpkin waffles (made 16 pancakes )

2.5 cups white flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger (loved the addition of this btw)
2 eggs
1/2 cup egg whites
1 cup pumpkin puree

Mix the dry ingredients together. Add remaining ingredients and stir until all the flour is combined. Let the batter sit for 15 minutes.

Heat up your waffle maker (mine heats up in about 5 minutes) and cook for 4-6 minutes. Serve with fresh fruit and pancake syrup.

2012-01-14T10:31:00.000-08:00

"We must be willing to give up the life

we've planned for the life that is waiting

for us."

a lesson i'm still learning...

such a to-do...

2012-01-14T10:24:00.000-08:00

seems this year was very long and full of trials and tribulations...hopefully on the right track now...

a recipe for healing...

"

mexican chicken soup...

years ago a friend gave me a recipe for a spicy chicken vegetable soup...it's been tried and tested and adapted over the years, but with all the recipes i post, i hope you will make it your own...add, subtract, enhance...

the basics...
1 large onion, diced
1 full stalk of celery, chopped
3 large or 6 small carrots, chopped
2 T. of butter or oil
saute until ingredients start to soften...

add...
4 large potatoes, peeled and diced large...
3 cloves of garlic, smashed...
3 large fresh tomatoes chopped or 1 can of diced or crushed tomatoes...
add to veggies...

meat...
i use cooked chicken, if using raw chicken, now is the time to introduce it...i use cooked because soup is a great way to use left-overs...depending on what you have and are using, anywhere from 1 cup-2 cups of chicken...

cover and let sweat...

add liquid, chicken, veggie broth or plain water, i like chicken broth, but who doesn't?...VEGANS and VEG-HEADS that's who!...i've adapted this recipe many times for non-meat eating friends...

seasonings...
salt, pepper, garlic powder or salt if you didn't add fresh...
you can add even more flavor by adding ground cumin and chili powder, but that's another story...

2 large jalapenos, diced finely...
large bunch of cilantro, washed, cleaned and chopped...
add to pot...

at this point cover and let flavors blend...
check seasonings...

serve with corn tortillas or cornbread...

Homemade Tamales...

2011-12-31T10:06:00.000-08:00

yummly always has the best ideas...check out the site for full recipes...fun stuff...

In Hispanic culture, it is traditional to make a big batch of tamales around Christmas and New Years to give as gifts and share with friends. Families gather together to help make the tamales – preparing the masa, filling them with cheeses, meats, and vegetables, wrapping them in corn husk, steaming them – and of course, unwrapping them and enjoying them withfresh salsa verde and sour cream! If you’ve never made your own tamales, now is a great time to adopt this delicious tradition in your home.

Carnitas Tamales in Pipian Sauce (from Sweet Bites)

Homemade Cheese and Pepper Tamales (from Of Baking)

Tamale Bites (from a spicy perspective)

Pork Loin, Chicken, and Beef Tamales (from Cooking on the Side)

Tamales de Frijoles Refritos (from Persephone’s Kitchen)

Roast Corn and Goat Cheese Tamales (from Christopher Cina)

Beef Tamale Pie (from easier than pie)

Roasted Pork Tamales with Salsa Verde (from Crepes of Wrath)

Tamales Verde (from a little bit of Spain in Iowa)

Chocolate Caramel Tamales (from pastry studio)

new year...

2011-12-31T09:34:00.000-08:00

in our home new year's was accompanied by tamales, menudo, bunuelos, black-eyed peas, greens and cornbread...yes, mexicans from texas can blend cultures like no others...but it was all part of the celebration and ritual for good luck in the new year and you can't mess with that...so, the best of new years, all the luck you can handle, a warm place, good friends and a full belly...

Awesome Mushroom Pâté...

2011-12-31T09:26:00.000-08:00

1 1/2 tablespoons finely ground dried mushrooms (a mini food processor should be able to grind a big handful of dried mushrooms)
13 ounces mixed mushrooms, caps quartered, stems roughly chopped (unless they're inedible)
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, left whole and in their paper jackets
About 8 whole stems of thyme
Kosher salt
Freshly cracked black pepper
3 ounces Neufchatel cheese
1 tablespoon flat leaf parsley, packed
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Truffle oil, for drizzling
Baguette, thinly sliced, for serving

Procedures

1
Preheat the broiler. Put a wide ovensafe braising pot on the stove over medium-high heat.
2
Add the olive oil to the hot pot, followed immediately by the mushrooms, dried mushrooms, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper. Toss everything together with tongs so the mushrooms are well coated with the hot olive oil. Put the mushrooms about 5 to 6 inches from the broiler and cook for 15 minutes, tossing once. The residual heat from preheating the pot will help brown the mushrooms. Scrape everything out of the mushroom pot into a bowl to cool.
3
When the mushrooms are room temperature, set aside 1/4 cup for garnish. Put the rest of the mushrooms in the food processor with the Neufchatel, parsley, and lemon juice. Whiz until smooth. Taste, and adjust the seasoning. Decant to a pretty bowl, then drizzle with truffle oil, top with the reserved mushrooms, and serve with thinly sliced baguette.

http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2011/12/awesome-mushroom-pate-recipe.html

2011-11-30T13:14:00.001-08:00

Recipe:

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups granulated white sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon mint extract
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, mix together cocoa, white sugar, and vegetable oil. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla and mint. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt; stir into the cocoa mixture. Cover dough, and chill for at least 2 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Roll dough into one inch balls. Coat each ball in confectioners' sugar before placing onto prepared cookie sheets.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes.

Mini Corn Dog Muffins...

2011-11-14T00:44:00.000-08:00

found this at the 'baking bad' blog...how ingenious!...i would just use home-made and fresh...love the taste of fresh jalapenos...and as i said, you can even make them vegan...

Mini Corn Dog Muffins

from Baking Bad original

Ingredients:

1 package of hot dogs, sliced

1 box Jiffy cornbread mix

1/3 cup water (for mix)

1 egg (for mix)

5 pickled jalapenos, chopped (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a mini muffin tin generously.

Mix cornbread according to directions on box. Add the hotdogs and jalapenos.

Fill each well with mixture. Bake for 13-18 minutes.

Cool for 10 minutes. Serve with favorite corn dog toppings. Enjoy!

change everything to fresh and healthy...you can even make these vegan...

and cheese...there should be cheese...even vegan cheese...

just like grandma used to make...

2011-11-14T00:36:00.000-08:00

i follow a lot of food blogs and this recipe had to shared...

Recipe: Grandma’s Old Fashioned Elixirs Hot Toddy Cold Remedy
©From the Kitchen of Deep South Dish
Prep time: 10 min || Yield: Makes 1

Ingredients
1 oversized mug
8 ounces of boiling water
1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger
3 whole cloves
Cinnamon stick
2 green tea or orange pekoe tea bags
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice and/or a splash of apple cider vinegar
1 to 2 ounces of Jack Daniels whiskey
Slice of lemon
Instructions

Boil the water, stir in the ginger, cloves and cinnamon stick; add the tea bags and steep for 5 minutes. Remove the bags. Zap in the microwave for 1 minute to get it back real hot, then stir in the honey, lemon juice and last, the whiskey. Drop in lemon slice. Drink it while it is still very hot, take a warm bath with some essential oils and crawl up in the bed.

If you’re not really accustomed to the liquor taste, you can add extra honey, or even sugar to help sweeten it more and mask it a bit, but don’t skip the honey. Taste before adding the sugar, then add a little, taste, etc.

Can substitute other alcohol in a pinch such as Wild Turkey, rum, scotch, or brandy. Can also omit the water and use hot apple cider.

The Perfect Apple Cake...

2011-10-01T11:42:00.000-07:00

The Perfect Apple Cake...

A long love affair with fall apples led me on my quest for the perfect apple cake. I've already got the pie thing down. When trying different cake recipes, I found the right combination, from using different techniques and varying quantities from several recipes, all mashed into one. My. Perfect. Version.This cake is moist, but with a great crumb, soft apples punctuated by fragrant nutmeg, and vanilla.

MAKES ONE 8 INCH DEEP DISH CAKE

Ingredients:

2 sourish apples (granny smith, jonathon, ect)

2 cups unbleached all purpose flour

2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter (at room temperature)

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup Honey

1/2 cup almond milk (or soy or regular milk, i just prefer the almond)

2 large eggs

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350F. Lightly grease an 8 inch springform pan. Peel, core, and slice the apples. With half of the apples, turn the slices, and chop three or four times, to get a large dice.

In a bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, and salt until blended, set aside.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the butter until smooth. Add the sugar and honey and beat until fluffy. Add each egg, one at a time, mixing in between, then the vanilla. Scrape your bowl and beat again **I know this seems like a lot of steps, when really, you just want to throw it all in the bowl at once, and mix like a maniac. But, I must stress, that going slowly in this order, really does ensure proper incorporation of all ingredients, and ultimately leads to a more tender cake, and one that doesn't fall in the oven, or rise improperly. So, please do resist the urge to mix everything together at once**

Finally, beat in the milk. At this point, the batter will look kind of weird, like its curdled, don't worry, I promise it will come together when you add the flour. So, on that note, add the flour mixture, and beat until you get a smooth, creamy, beige batter. Woo hoo!

Now stir in your chopped apples, and spread into the prepped pan. Arrange the apple slices, overlapping them slightly, in a circular pattern over the batter.

Put the pan on the top rack of your preheated 350 degree oven for 40-50 minutes. Like with all cakes, this guy is done when a toothpick (or dried spaghetti noodle, is what I use) inserted into the center comes out dry. Allow cake to cool for a little while, and remove the sides of the pan. Voila! Its yummy, all by itself, no additional adornments needed... not even ice cream, which is a revelation for me...

Voila! Its yummy, all by itself, no additional adornments needed... not even ice cream, which is a revelation for me...:

Chocolate Caramel Tart

2011-10-01T11:35:00.000-07:00

this is so many different kinds of wrong!...yum...

Chocolate Caramel Tart (adapted from Claudia Fleming > Marlow & Sons > Saveur)

For the Chocolate Tart Dough

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

For the Caramel Filling

1/2 cup water
2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup heavy cream
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons crème fraîche

For the Chocolate Ganache

1/2 cup heavy cream
3 1/2 ounces extra-bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

Make the tart dough: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and confectioners’ sugar until combined, about 1 minute. Add egg yolk and vanilla, and beat until smooth. Sift in flour and cocoa powder, and beat on low speed until just combined. Scrape the dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap, and form it into a disk; wrap well. Chill until firm, at least 1 hour and up to 3 days.

Preheat oven to 325° F. On a lightly floured surface, roll the tart dough into a large circle 3/16 inch thick. Transfer the tart dough to a 10-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom and press into pan. If it falls apart at all just push it back together in the pan. Chill the tart shell in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Prick the shell all over with a fork. Line with parchment paper filled with pie weights or dried beans and blind bake for 15 minutes. Remove the parchment and weights, and bake until the pastry looks dry and set, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool. (The tart shell can be made 8 hours ahead.)

Make the filling: Place 1/2 cup water in a large saucepan. Add sugar and corn syrup, and cook mixture over medium-high heat, swirling the pan occasionally, until it becomes a dark-amber caramel (I removed it when it was sort of a medium amber since I knew it would continue to cook off heat), about 10 minutes. Remove pan from heat and carefully (the mixture will bubble up) and slowly add the heavy cream followed by the butter and crème fraîche. Stir until smooth. (The caramel can be made up to 5 days ahead and refrigerated in a covered container.) Pour the caramel into the cooled tart shell and allow to set, first at room temperature and then in the regrigerator.

Make the ganache glaze: Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream to a boil. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate, and let stand for 2 minutes, then stir with a rubber spatula until smooth. Pour the ganazhe over the tart. Refrigerate until set.

Remove the tart from the refridgerator 5-10 minutes before you are ready to serve it. Cut the tart into slices and sprinkle each with Fleur de Sel.

2011-09-14T16:12:00.000-07:00

October Cider Cake

Makes one 3-layer cake

3/4 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
3 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup apple cider
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Cider Filling (recipe below)

Creamy Cider Frosting (recipe below)

Chopped pecans (optional)

Cream shortening; gradually add sugar, beating well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Combine flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves; add to creamed mixture alternately with cider, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in lemon juice.

Pour batter into 3 greased and floured 8-inch round cake pans. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes; remove layers from pans, and cool completely in fridge.

Put a thin band of icing along the perimeter of each later, and then pool the Cider Filling inside. Put back in fridge to let it set completely or the filling will ooze out from the weight of the cake (trust me).

Spread top and sides with Creamy Cider Frosting. Garnish top of cake with pecans, if desired.

Cider Filling

1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup apple cider
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons butter or margarine

Combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a heavy saucepan; gradually stir in cider. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened.

Remove from heat. Stir in lemon juice and butter; cool in fridge.

Creamy Cider Frosting

1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon apple cider
1/4 teaspoon salt
About 4 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Combine first 3 ingredients in a heavy saucepan. Boil 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat; cool. Gradually add sugar until spreading consistency; beat until smooth.

2011-09-14T13:50:00.000-07:00

Baked Chicken with Apricots and Currants

Serves 4, source unknown

3-1/2 to 4 lb. chicken, quartered
Salt and pepper to taste
3/4 tsp. ginger
1 c. orange marmalade
¼ c. apple juice
¼ c. orange juice (can be canned)
4 oz. dried apricots
4 oz. currants (or raisins)
2 tbsp. packed brown sugar

Preheat oven 375.

Place chicken, skin-side up in shallow roasting pan – can use disposable.

Sprinkle with salt, pepper and ginger. Spread on jam, pour on 2 juices. Bake 20 minutes.

Remove from oven and add fruit, mixing to incorporate. Sprinkle brown sugar over all. Return to oven and bake, basting frequently, until golden and shiny, about 40-45 minutes.

Remove to platter. Pour some juice over meat and serve.

from amy @ elephant eats

http://www.foodbuzz.com/blogs/4232045-orange-sesame-ginger-chicken

2011-09-10T10:07:00.000-07:00

Mooncake recipe - A recipe for mooncakes, the Chinese snack traditionally served during the Moon or Mid-Autumn Festival.
Learn More about Mooncakes and the Mooncake Festival

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

Filling:
1 pound red azuki beans
water
3/4 cup lard or oil
1-3/4 cups sugar
Water-Shortening Dough:
2 cups flour
5 tablespoons lard
10 tablespoons water
1/4 teaspoon salt
Flaky Dough:
1 cup flour
5 tablespoons lard
red food coloring for design

Preparation:

Filling Instructions: Soak red beans in water to cover 2 hours. Drain and discard the water. Cover with 8 cups fresh water and bring to a boil, then simmer over low heat 1-1/2 hours or until skins open. Strain the beans and discard the skins. Place the strained beans in several layers of cheesecloth and squeeze out any excess water.
Place in a saucepan with the lard or oil and the sugar. Cook, stirring continuously, until almost all the moisture has evaporated. Let cool.

Dough Instructions: You will need 2 cups of filling for the mooncakes. Divide this into 20 portions and shape into balls.Mix ingredients for the water-shortening dough and the flaky dough separately until smooth. Divide each dough into 20 equal portions.
Wrap one portion of flaky dough inside each portion of water-shortening dough. Roll out each piece of dough, then fold in thirds to form three layers. Roll out again, and once more fold in thirds to form three layers.
Flatten each piece of dough with the palm of your hand to form a 3" circle. Place one portion of filling in the center. Gather the edges to enclose the filling and pinch to seal. Place the filled packet in the mold, gently pressing to fit. Invert and remove the mold.
Dilute red food coloring with water and pour onto a damp paper towel on a plate. Take some food coloring onto the cookie-design stamp, then press on top of the mooncake.
Repeat process for remaining mooncakes. Arrange mooncakes on a baking sheet. Bake 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Let cool before serving.

2011-09-04T11:27:00.001-07:00

Fresh Peach Tartlets

You can easily turn this into one large tart (a 10-inch would work best), but it's fun to make dainty little tartlets every once in a while -- especially if there are little ones around.

MAKES 8 TO 12 TARTLETS

The tartlet shells:

2 ounces blanched almonds

6 ounces all-purpose flour

1 ounce sugar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

8 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

2 large egg yolks

2 to 3 tablespoons ice water

Pulse the almonds in the bowl of a food processor until they resemble fine breadcrumbs (careful not to over-grind, or you'll end up with almond butter).

Add the flour, sugar and salt and pulse several times to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the largest pieces of butter are about the size of small peas.

Lightly beat the egg yolks and add to the mixer, pulsing a few times just to combine. As you continue to pulse, gradually add the ice water, a tablespoon at a time, until the dough just starts to come together. (It should stick when you pinch a bit of it between your fingers.) Do not over-mix!

Remove the dough from the mixer and put it on a lightly floured surface. Pat it gently into a disc, wrap it tightly in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight. **Alternatively, you can press the just-mixed dough into the tart tins at this stage and refrigerate until ready to bake.

Heat the oven to 350F. Roll the dough between two floured pieces of plastic wrap until it is about 1/8-inch thick. Put your tartlet tins upside down on top of the dough and cut shapes around them, leaving about half an inch on all sides. Press the dough pieces gently into the tins and level the tops with a rolling pin, removing any excess dough from the edges. Dock the tartlets several times with a fork and fill any larger shells with parchment and baking weights. Refrigerate the tartlet shells for at least 20 minutes.

Bake the shells for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden in color, removing the parchment and baking weights about five minutes before the shells are done. Cool on a rack and then turn the shells out of their tins.

The peach tartlets:

1 cup good peach and/or apricot jam, divided

1 cup mascarpone cheese

4 to 6 small, ripe peaches

Put 1/2 cup of the jam in a small heavy saucepan with a tablespoon of water. Warm gently over medium-low heat as you assemble the tartlets.

Spread a small spoonful of jam over the base of each cooled tartlet shell -- you just want a thin coating. Add a dollop of mascarpone to each and spread gently over the jam.

Wash and dry the peaches, and then cut them into 1/4-inch slices. Arrange them prettily among the tart shells, covering the surface of the mascarpone.

Use a pastry brush to glaze the peaches with the thinned jam. Serve immediately!

hell yeah!...

2011-09-01T21:17:00.000-07:00

Snickerdoodle Ice Cream Sandwiches Recipe

Snickerdoodle cookies are essentially sugar cookies dusted with cinnamon. In this frozen treat, mimic them by combining cinnamon ice cream and sugar cookies. If you want extra cinnamon, use snickerdoodle cookies instead of plain sugar cookies. Want less? Swap out the cinnamon ice cream for vanilla.

Special equipment: A 3-tablespoon ice cream scoop such as this one makes quick work of assembling these sandwiches. If you don’t have one, you can use a larger or smaller scoop or a spoon, but watch for fast-melting ice cream and don’t overstuff the sandwiches.

Game plan: Using this recipe as your guide, dabble with other colors, textures, and flavors. Use different ice creams, drizzle the edible pucks with caramel organache, roll the edges in toasted nuts, coconut, or toffee, or slather the ice cream sandwiches with marshmallow or Nutella. Shape them into mini sandwiches for one-bite party treats. If you have leftovers (an unlikely outcome), store them in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 1 week. This recipe makes 36 cookies, so you’ll have 16 extra for your cookie jar. Time to meet the neighbors.

This recipe was featured as part of our ... read more

INGREDIENTS

For the cookies:

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
3 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

To assemble:

Cinnamon Ice Cream

INSTRUCTIONS

For the cookies:

Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Place 1/4 cup of the sugar in a small bowl and set aside.
Combine the butter and the remaining 1 1/4 cups sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on medium speed until light in color and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Stop the mixer and, using a rubber spatula, scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add the yolks, vanilla, and salt and mix on medium speed until smooth, about 30 seconds. Reduce the speed to low; add the flour, baking soda, and cream of tartar; and mix until the dough just comes together.
Scoop the dough by rounded tablespoons and roll it into balls between your hands until smooth. Coat in the reserved sugar and place on the prepared baking sheet at least 2 inches apart, for a total of 12. Bake until golden brown around the edges but still soft in the center, about 15 to 16 minutes. Immediately transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining dough.

To assemble:

Set aside 20 cookies for the sandwiches. Using a 3-tablespoon or 1-1/2-ounce ice cream scooper and working with 6 cookies at a time (3 bottoms and 3 tops), place a scoop of ice cream on each bottom cookie and top with another cookie. Firmly press the cookies together to evenly disperse the ice cream in the center (be careful not to break the cookies). Immediately wrap each sandwich with plastic wrap and place in the freezer. Repeat with the remaining cookies and ice cream.

2011-09-01T20:59:00.000-07:00

thanks to Lezerlee Lancaster for posting one of my favorite flavor combinations...

lemon lavender cookies

they are a simple sugar cookie with hints of lemon and lavender. it is great as a tea cookie.

lemon lavender cookies
3 tbsp soy milk
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
1 c sugar
1/2 c earth balance (or other vegan margarine)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/3 c flour
1/4 c sugar (for rolling)
2 tsp lavender

add the soy milk, lemon juice and lemon zest together and set aside to let thicken. this works as a egg replacer in cookies or cakes.

meanwhile, work on creaming together the sugar and margarine. i find that using a fork helps a lot, but use an electric mixer if you have one. once the mixture is even you can add the vanilla extract and soy milk concoction and continue to mix.

in a large bowl sift the flour, baking soda and salt. add the wet ingredients to the dry and work until the dough is even and slightly firm. leave the dough in the the refrigerator for a few minutes before rolling into balls, and whenever you aren’t using it.

grind the whole lavender before mixing with the remaining sugar. i do this with a mortar and pestle, but you could use a spice grinder, food processor or even a blender. if you have none of the above you could roll the cookies in whole lavender, the flavor just won’t be as even.

mix the ground lavender and sugar on a large plate for rolling the cookies in.

spoon small, even amounts of the dough into your hands and roll into a ball, then roll evenly in the lavender sugar and place on a cookie sheet covered in parchment paper or aluminum foil. repeat for 6 cookies per pan, then press the dough flat with your hand, the bottom of a glass, or the back of a fork.

bake at 375F for 8-10 minutes. they should no longer look fluffy but make sure to get them out before they brown too much around the edges. let them cool for a minute on the pan before you remove them to cool further on a cooling rack.

yields 24 cookies

2011-09-01T11:12:00.000-07:00

Lemon Tart

Lemon tart is one of those classic desserts that hasn’t really changed much over time, and thats good because a classic lemon tart is a thing of beauty, fresh zingy and tart, totally delicious. I think it is best served on its own if you want to turn into something a bit fancier you could serve it with fresh fruit and vanilla whipped cream, or if you want to create a fab retro lemon meringue pie than top it with the white stuff and hit it with a blow torch, or a creme brulee burnt sugar top.

Lemon Tart

150g plain flour
50g ground almonds
30g icing sugar
pinch of salt
75g unsalted butter
1 egg yolk
1 tbsp ice water
1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste

FillingFinely grated zest of 4 lemons
125g natural golden caster sugar
125ml lemon juice
4 eggs
150ml double cream

For the pastry place the flour, almods, icing sugar and salt into the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Mix the egg yolk, water and vanilla bean paste together and add to the food processor. Pulse until the dough just starts to come together. Tip out onto the worksurface and gently knead until the dough comes together into a uniform mass. Press into a flat disc, wrap in clingfilm and refrigerate for an hour.

Lightly grease a 9-inch fluted tart tin (preferably with a removable base) and preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan. Roll out the pastry and line the prepared tart tin. refrigerate for 15 mins until the pastry has firmed up again. Line the tart shell with parchment and fill with a layer of baking beans or rice. Bake for 20 minutes then remove the parchment and baking beans and bake for a further 5-10 minutes or until the pastry has started to turn golden. Allow the pastry case to cool whilst you make the filling. Reduce the oven temperature to 160C/140C fan.

Place the zest, lemon juice, sugar and eggs into a medium bowl and gently whisk together until smooth. pour in the cream and again gently whisk to combine. You dont want to incorporate air so be careful to whisk nice and gently. Pour the filling into the part baked tart shell and bake for 30 minutes or until the filling has just set. Allow to cool before serving.

Tip: If you worry about a tart with a soggy bottom then allow the part baked tart shell to cool completely then brush with an egg yolk and allow to set. This creates a seal to prevent moisture from the filling making the pastry soggy.

2011-08-31T13:43:00.000-07:00

Mayree's Deep South Cakery with a Side of Life...

2011-08-31T12:41:00.000-07:00

TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2011

Vanilla Bean-Pear Jelly. Not pear jam, pear butter, NOR preserves. Jelly...

Ping! There went the third jar of jelly sealing. I've made vanilla bean-pear jelly this afternoon. It's a departure from the normal processing of one of the South's favorite fresh fruits this time of year: the pear.

Most folks down here put up pear halves for classic pear salad, pears in light syrup for cobblers and pies, pear butter, and pear preserves. They're all canning endeavors worthy of the praise they'll reap when the weather gets cold and late-summer days are long forgotten. But me being me and all, I had to put a spin on normal and went looking for another use for pears. Pear jelly. I found several recipes, and along with the one for apples in the Sure-Jell box, kind of developed this one. If you have this exact recipe and call it yours, rest assured it is a matter of happy coincidence. You're going to have to ~~kiss my grits~~ share the claim 'cause I've LOOKED for it and couldn't find it anywhere except scrawled on the back of the bank envelope it was written on.

Pear juice? Did I buy it? Why no, Silly! The pears drove up to the back porch last week via a cousin. I cooked the pear juice from the peels and cores of a grocery bag full of pears. I didn't weigh them. I know I should have but winging it aka guesstimation, is one of those things this Southern gurl does best. I saved the pear flesh for Pineapple Pear Spread (Preserves).

That's the compost bucket in the bottom left hand corner. And that porcelain on steel pot was too small so I used the canning kettle instead.

Cover the pear peels and cores with water. Don't ask. I don't know how much water; as much water as is necessary to cover the peels and cores by 'bout an inch. Cooking really isn't rocket science. If you use lots more water, you'll have lots more juice but it won't be as flavorful.

Bring to a gentle boil and simmer for 30 minutes or so, until the cores have turned mostly translucent.

Pour off the pear juice. I didn't put this through the Foley food mill. Sometimes when seeds aren't involved, I will. Mashing seeds often releases some kind of bitter something or another. It'll make the nastiest jelly you've ever wasted sugar on. Be careful with seeds.

I like jelly to be clear, free of any fruit particulates. It takes clear juice to do that so I strain it through a double thickness of cheesecloth. PPppfffft! Not really. Cheesecloth is too sophisticated for this kitchen. I use a doubled over birdseye diaper -- never used on a baby's bottom and perfect for straining!

See... I had enough pears for THREE posts! Isn't that exciting? I'll be making Ms. Mona's pear honey and her recipe like Aunt Selma's for Pear Pineapple Spread.

Put the diaper in another jug or deep dish of some sort and pour the juice in.

I know you're ~~impressed~~ surprised with the action shot and that I've enough strength in the left hand to hold a gallon of juice while photographing with my right hand. It's all those fry line maneuvers during WORK work. I got skills!! Who knew?

I like to squeeze every last drop of juice out of the diaper. There wasn't much pulp in it, but it doesn't take much to cloud the jelly. And it does look like a baby wore the diaper after all, doesn't it?

Finally. Jelly time. Split the beans and scrape the seed into the juice.

I made an "M!" Go ahead and put the beans on in there too, adding the box of Sure-Jell and stirring until it's dissolved. The vanilla seeds will be kind of clumpy here, but don't worry -- they'll soon cook apart. Mama tells me I ought not add the pectin until it's in the pot but I've found, using these big measuring cups, that I can see that it's all dissolved and not have any pasty surprises on the bottom of the pot.

Make sure everything else is together: jars sterilized, bands and lids ready, sugar (7 cups) measured out, canning funnel and everything all in one spot.

I like putting the jars in the microwave with hot water in them, keeping the microwave running on medium power. It keeps the jars hot and sterilized and right where I need them. OOOoo... Don't forget the clean damp cloth to wipe the rims of the jars with before sealing either!

Also, don't get so overzealous you forgot you moved the dog's food and water.

From this point on, proceed like any other jelly, bringing the juice with added pectin to a boil.

Add sugar. Time for one minute after rolling boil has been reached.

Take out vanilla beans and skim foam from jelly, eating foam immediately on the softest white bread with every unhealthy additive imagined available at your local Piggly Wiggly. There wasn't any foam this time! How'd that happen?? There's a rule written somewhere stating that no batch of jelly is complete without eating a sampling of it on white sliced bread. Quality control or something or another. I ate jelly this evening.

Pour hot jelly into jars, wipe rims, put on lids and seal! Tadadaaaaa!

That's eight, almost nine, half pints. Or four and a half pints. That jelly in the pint jar is mine.

So there you have it, Ms. Mary! Vanilla Bean-Pear Jelly. If you're a jelly maker you'll want to do this. If you're NOT a jelly maker, you'll want to do this. It is thestar of the gift basket. Unless crabapple jelly is your favorite. And then you'd have to talk to Mama...

Those ingredients again for Vanilla Bean-Pear Jelly are:

5 cups of pear juice

7 cups of granulated sugar

2 vanilla beans

1 box of Sure-Jell.

Y'all saw it getting put together so carry the laptop to the kitchen and try it yourself. You'll be glad you did!

2011-08-26T15:15:00.000-07:00

Milk Jam Chocolate Tarts with Toasted Hazelnuts

How come people don't snack on hazelnuts?

Peanuts, almonds, cashews, even Brazil nuts are definitely snackable. But hazelnuts kind of get left by the wayside.

I mean....they're definitely delicious. No doubt about that. Maybe if they were salted they'd be more snack-worthy?

Or, maybe it's because everyone wants to save them to make these tarts. Bingo.

Hazelnuts pair with chocolate as well as Will Ferrell pairs with stupid comedies. Hazelnuts pair with chocolate as well as my Mom pairs (or puts up with) my Dad. It must be fate.

Let's put some brain cells on this combo...

Nutella. Win!

Ferrero Rocher. Uhh....yes. Put them in my mouth please.

Perugina Baci. I read your little note and then I eat you. Or maybe I eat you first...then read the little note. So what.

How about Chocolate + Hazelnut + Milk Jam.

Whaaaa? Did I just say milk jam?

Basically you combine milk with sugar and baking soda and cook it down very carefully and slowly until it gets all thick and jammy. The baking soda makes the mixture more basic (less acidic) or alkaline which promotes the Maillard Reaction. This is a delicious reaction between proteins and sugars that creates really tasty caramel flavours. Think dulce de leche. Mmm. Yep. Now we're talkin'.

This tart really is like eating ice cream sundae toppings from a pastry shell.

Love it. Make it. Share it.

Share it especially with your partner, spouse or significant other because I'm dedicating this decadent dessert to my crrrrazy parents who are celebrating their 33rd anniversary today!

I truly believe that it is sharing delicious food which has kept them together so long. Unconditional love might play a role too....no biggie.

Happy Anniversary you old married farts! I love ya. You deserve a metal for putting up with me this long, but I hope you will just settle for pretty pictures of delicious tarts.

Milk Jam Chocolate Hazelnut Tarts
Makes six 4-inch tarts
Inspired by Sweet Tartelette

For the crust:
1 cup plus 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
3 tbsp sugar
¼ tsp salt
6 tbsp very cold butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
1 large egg yolk
2-3 tbsp cold milk

For the milk jam:
1 ¾ cups 2% milk
2 tbsp 35% whipping cream
½ cup sugar
¼ tsp baking soda
pinch of salt

For the chocolate ganache:
5 oz dark chocolate (minimum 54% cocoa solids), finely chopped
pinch of salt
1/3 cup 35% whipping cream
2 oz (about ½ cup) whole hazelnuts

To make the pastry, whisk together flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Add butter and toss to coat in flour mixture. Using a pastry blender or your clean fingers, cut or rub butter into flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. The butter should be mostly dispersed with some larger, pea-sized pieces remaining. Whisk egg yolk well with water in a small bowl and drizzle into flour mixture while gently stirring with a fork. Continue to stir until dry ingredients are moistened and it holds together in clumps. Turn dough out onto a clean work surface and bring it together in a ball with your hands, turning it frequently and pressing in loose bits until it is cohesive. Shape dough into a disk, wrap well with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours.

To make the milk jam, place milk, cream, sugar and baking soda in a heavy bottomed 5-quart saucepot and bring to a boil over medium heat. Watch it carefully as it will bubble up and boil over quickly and uncontrollably if it gets too hot. When the mixture is boiling, turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer until thick as jam, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. When it begins to get thick, stir often. Remove from heat, stir in salt, pour into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let cool completely.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough to just over 1/8-inch thickness. Cut out six 5-inch circles and fit each round into a 4-inch fluted tart pan with removable bottom. You can either use a 5-inch round cookie cutter or trace the circumference of a tart pan with a knife keeping about ½-inch extra all the way around. Refrigerate until firm.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Prick pastry all over with a fork and bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack.

To toast hazelnuts, spread them on a baking sheet and bake at 375°F for 7 minutes, shaking pan half-way through.

To make the ganache filling, place chocolate in a small heatproof bowl. Combine cream and salt in a small saucepot over medium-low heat and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and immediately pour over chocolate. Let stand 2 minutes and then slowly stir using a rubber spatula until completely melted and smooth. If chocolate is not completely melted, place bowl over a double boiler and heat gently until melted.

When ready to assemble, spread about 2 tablespoons of milk jam on the bottom of each tart. Scatter about 6 or 7 hazelnuts over the jam and then spoon warm ganache over it to cover completely. Coarsely chop the reserved hazelnuts and sprinkle on top. Server immediately or let cool until ganache is set and serve chilled!

2011-08-26T15:01:00.001-07:00

Cinnamon Caramel Blondies

Sometimes in my kitchen I stick to the predictable. You know- recipes directly from the Martha Stewart website that are tried and true and reliable. Other times, I take those predictable recipes and decide to add a twist to it. One in awhile it works well and I feel like a culinary magician- other times I ruin everything and wish I never messed with Martha.

I have to say that this one was culinary magic. These blondies are some of the most delicious things I've ever tasted. They are gooey, chewy, and sweet with a crispy top and crust. The caramel filling is a perfect surprise and the cinnamon sugar is extra special. I made a huge batch of these and took them to the offices of my new agency. I think they like me a little more now. (I swear, baked goods make EVERYONE like you.) :)

These are basically the child of my Snickerdoodle Blondies and my Caramel-stuffed Snickerdoodles. I had originally envisioned the caramel oozing out all gooey like, but that didn't happen. The batter is VERY thick, so I ended up having to almost swirl the layers together. Needless to say it turned out so much better than I could have imagined. Everyone loved these and I know this is a recipe I'll keep around......in case I want more people to like me :)

PS- Anyone live in Maine? I just booked a role in a play at The Maine Public theatre later in the fall! Very excited. I hope they have a well-stocked kitchen. :)

Cinnamon Caramel Blondies
Print this Recipe
Yield: 24 blondies
2-2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 14 oz bag of caramels unwrapped

1/3 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking pan; set aside.
2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a medium bowl; set aside.
3. Beat together the butter and brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, and then the vanilla. Beat, scraping the bowl, until thoroughly combined. On low speed, gradually add the flour mixture until just combined. Give the dough a final stir with a spatula or wooden spoon to make sure the flour is incorporated.
4. Spread half of the dough evenly into the pan (It is going to be a thick batter so you may need greased spatula to help with this).
5. Heat the caramels and cream in a saucepan over medium-high heat until thick and melted.
6. Pour the caramel sauce over the batter.
7. Distribute the remaining batter as evenly as possible over the caramel. (I found I needed to get my hands dirty for this. I grabbed pieces of dough and flattened it out over the caramel. Do the best you can! If there are areas that aren't totally covered it's OK. It makes it look swirly and fancy.)
8. Combine the granulated sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and sprinkle evenly over the top of the batter.
5. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the surface springs back when gently pressed. Cool completely before cutting. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

focaccia...mmm...

2011-08-24T14:33:00.000-07:00

italian picnic sandwich
30 minutes 40 minutes plus set time

i large focaccia, sliced the length of the middle
Mezzetta Home-Style Basil Pesto
olive tapenade, made with Mezzetta Kalamata Olives and Mezzetta Marini Olives
1 lb. cappacola
1 lb. dry salami
1 lb. sliced mozzarella
Mezzetta Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Mezzetta Roasted Bell Peppers
Mezzetta peperoncinis, on the side, Mezzetta Artichoke Hearts, or both!

Open focaccia and spread with Mezzetta Home-Style Basil Pesto on both sides. Spread a generous layer of tapenade over pesto. Layer cappacola, salami and mozzarella over face of bread. Evenly layer Mezetta Sun-Dried Tomatoe and Mezetta Roasted Bell Peppers over meat and cheese layer. Place top of focaccia on sandwich and wrap tightly. I like to wrap with parchment paper and then with plastic wrap. Alow sand wich to sit 1/2 hour or more to allow flavors to blend. Leave wrapped to cut. Travels well and makes plenty.

Tapenade -
place equal amounts of Mezetta Kalamata Olives and Mezetta Martini Olives (you can use a flavored olive if you wish) in food processor and pulse until evenly chopped and blended.

You can also use your favorite Italian salad dressing as a dipping sauce, or to make a wetter sandwich.

I usually serve this sandwich cold, if your feeling frisky or it's cold outside and you want to serve this with soup, instead of pasta, or potato salad, pop in in a hot (400 degree) oven for 15-20 minutes.

2011-08-24T11:43:00.001-07:00