(I apologize for the lack of pictures, they will be up soon, I’m currently having medical issues with my kitty, so my kitty is coming first for the time being!)

Honestly I loved the idea of this month’s challenge, almost like a s’more in a cookie. The cookies came out okay, except for the actual cookie part. I could have done without the cookie in the Mallow Cookies, they kinda sucked. They were dry, sandy (but not in the tasty way), and just dull. I think a regular sugar cookie would have done just as well, or even if I substituted a graham cracker cookie for the cookie. Now that would have been awesome.

I’ve made marshmallows before, so that was no problem. I encourage you to try too, its easier than it seems. I do recommend investing in a candy thermometer, I got mine for about $6 so they are relatively inexpensive as well! Work quickly with the marshmallow though, it sets up quickly, and definitely have a damp towel or washcloth handy, its sticky!

Recipe:

Prep Time: 10 min
Inactive Prep Time: 5 min
Cook Time: 10 min
Serves: about 2 dozen cookies

3 cups (375grams/13.23oz) all purpose flour
1/2 cup (112.5grams/3.97oz) white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
12 tablespoons (170grams/ 6 oz) unsalted butter
3 eggs, whisked together
Homemade marshmallows, recipe follows
Chocolate glaze, recipe follows

1. In a mixer with the paddle attachment, blend the dry ingredients.
2. On low speed, add the butter and mix until sandy.
3. Add the eggs and mix until combine.
4. Form the dough into a disk, wrap with clingfilm or parchment and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 3 days.
5. When ready to bake, grease a cookie sheet or line it with parchment paper or a silicon mat.
6. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
7. Roll out the dough to 1/8-inch thickness, on a lightly floured surface. Use a 1 to 1 1/2 inches cookie cutter to cut out small rounds of dough.
8. Transfer to the prepared pan and bake for 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Let cool to room temperature.
9. Pipe a “kiss” of marshmallow onto each cookie. Let set at room temperature for 2 hours.
10. Line a cookie sheet with parchment or silicon mat.
11. One at a time, gently drop the marshmallow-topped cookies into the hot chocolate glaze.
12. Lift out with a fork and let excess chocolate drip back into the bowl.
13. Place on the prepared pan and let set at room temperature until the coating is firm, about 1 to 2 hours.

Note: if you don’t want to make your own marshmallows, you can cut a large marshmallow in half and place on the cookie base. Heat in a preheated 350-degree oven to slump the marshmallow slightly, it will expand and brown a little. Let cool, then proceed with the chocolate dipping.

Homemade marshmallows:
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup light corn syrup
3/4 cup (168.76 grams/5.95oz) sugar
1 tablespoon powdered gelatin
2 tablespoons cold water
2 egg whites , room temperature
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. In a saucepan, combine the water, corn syrup, and sugar, bring to a boil until “soft-ball” stage, or 235 degrees on a candy thermometer.
2. Sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water and let dissolve.
3. Remove the syrup from the heat, add the gelatin, and mix.
4. Whip the whites until soft peaks form and pour the syrup into the whites.
5. Add the vanilla and continue whipping until stiff.
6. Transfer to a pastry bag.

Chocolate glaze:
12 ounces semisweet chocolate
2 ounces cocoa butter or vegetable oil

1. Melt the 2 ingredients together in the top of a double boiler or a bowl set over barely simmering water.

I must say, this cheesecake is the creamiest and the smoothest – texture wise, but my margarita version has quite a bite!

Abbey’s Infamous Cheesecake (Margarita Flavored):

crust:
2 cups / 180 g graham cracker crumbs
1 stick / 4 oz butter, melted
1 tbsp. / 24 g sugar
1 tbsp kosher salt

cheesecake:
3 sticks of cream cheese, 8 oz each (total of 24 oz) room temperature
1 cup / 210 g sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup / 8 oz heavy cream
1 tbsp. lime juice
zest of 1 lime
1 tbsp tequila (I prefer 1800)
1 tbsp gran marnier

Margarita Curd Topping:
1/3 cup margarita (however you like to make them – alcohol included!)
2 large eggs
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter , cut into 1/2-inch cubes and chilled
1 tbsp heavy cream
pinch of salt

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (Gas Mark 4 = 180C = Moderate heat). Begin to boil a large pot of water for the water bath.

2. Mix together the crust ingredients and press into your preferred pan. You can press the crust just into the bottom, or up the sides of the pan too – baker’s choice. Set crust aside. (If using a springform, set the bottom of the pan into and pull it up around the sides leaving the top open to fill with the filling. This keeps the water out and your crust from getting soggy!)

3. Combine cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of a stand-mixer (or in a large bowl if using a hand-mixer) and cream together until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, fully incorporating each before adding the next. Make sure to scrape down the bowl in between each egg. Add heavy cream, lime juice, lime zest, and alcohol and blend until smooth and creamy. (I actually ended up adding approximately another tablespoon or two of the alcohol and it didn’t mess with the recipe too much, if anything I think it helped keep it smooth and silky instead of that crumbly-ish sandy-ish texture.)

4. Pour batter into prepared crust and tap the pan on the counter a few times to bring all air bubbles to the surface. Place pan into a larger pan and pour boiling water into the larger pan until halfway up the side of the cheesecake pan. If cheesecake pan is not airtight, cover bottom securely with foil before adding water.

5. Bake 45 to 55 minutes, until it is almost done – this can be hard to judge, but you’re looking for the cake to hold together, but still have a lot of jiggle to it in the center. You don’t want it to be completely firm at this stage. Close the oven door, turn the heat off, and let rest in the cooling oven for one hour. This lets the cake finish cooking and cool down gently enough so that it won’t crack on the top. After one hour, remove cheesecake from oven and lift carefully out of water bath. Let it finish cooling on the counter, and then cover and put in the fridge to chill.

6. While the cheesecake is cooling, make the margarita curd. Heat the margarita in a small non-reactive saucepan over med heat until steaming (but NOT boiling!!!!). Whisk the eggs and yolk in a bowl, then slowly whiskin the sugar.

7. Whisking constantly, slowly pour in the hot margarita mix into the eggs (this is tricky, but you can do it!). Return the mixture back into the pan head over medium, stirring constantly (SERIOUSLY!) until the mixture is thick enough to cling to the spoon, about 3 mins.

8. Remove the pan and slowly stir the butter in one piece at a time, not adding more butter until each individual piece has melted/disappeared. Really, you have to do this, it sucks, I know. Then stir in the cream and salt, and pour through a fine mesh strainer. If the curd is still warm, cover with saran wrap (so it doesn’t get a skin) and cool in the refrigerator.

9. De-pan the cheese cake, top with the curd and enjoy!

(PS I apologize to the daring bakers for posting this two days late! I’m still trying to figure out where everything is in the forum!)

I hope everyone goes and watches it as it looks interesting and informative and will hopefully teach the nation about where they’re food really comes from. The reviews promise it not to be one of those shock movies that tells you to stop eating meat, and buy organic, so you don’t destroy the world. Instead it pushes the viewers to start a revolution concerning where they’re food, organic or not, vegan or meat eater, really comes from, the factory farm.

For more information visit websites on the movie:
http://robertkennerfilms.com/films/files/detail.php?id=8
http://www.participantmedia.com/films/coming_soon/foodinc.php
http://www.takepart.com/foodinc/

For those in Ohio it should be playing at the Athens International Film Festival but they still have last years info on the website.

(This video may be offensive to some people, jsyk.)

Peanut butter and jelly is my standby lunchtime staple. I don’t even really like peanut butter. I just eat it because its easy to make, and peanut butter and jelly don’t go bad if you don’t eat it the same day you make it. Sometimes the bread can get a little soggy if you use a really wet jelly, but that’s about it.

I could give you some spiffy peanut butter and jelly cookies, or bread, or cake, but I think I’m going to leave it simple and pure to the original this time.

This was the first time I used my decorating tips and semi-professional techniques. I think it turned out pretty well. The cake is lemon with lemon curd filling (really tasty). Then covered with insanely sweet buttercream. I actually haven’t tasted the cake itself, I made it for someone else so it is currently sitting in a cake box on the counter. I have tasted all the leftover crumbs and trimmings though!

I know, its insane! The brightness, the colors, the craziness!!!

But I kind of like it even though its crazy. I’d have to say its pretty good considering it is the first time I have ever decorated a cake with decorating tips. Up to this point all I had done was slap some frosting on stuff and spike it with a knife or trace designs into it with a spoon or something.

Woot! Maybe I’ll should try something simpler next time.