Bake at 350

This post isn't really a post...

noreply@blogger.com (bridget {bake at 350}) — Tue, 29 May 2012 12:51:00 +0000

This post is to tell you that, well, I have nothing to post.

You see, I made this beautiful popcorn...Perfecto Popcorn, to be exact...and blogged about how to make fool-proof stovetop popcorn over on Bake at 350 Goes Savory.

Then, I used popcorn in two different dessert recipes. Both of which were "meh"...neither of which were blog-worthy. {Blog-worthy: it's totally a word.}

So until next time, my friends...I leave you with plain popcorn. And ya know, I think that's how I like it best anyway.

Did you bake anything over the weekend?

SprinkleBakes!

noreply@blogger.com (bridget {bake at 350}) — Fri, 25 May 2012 21:49:00 +0000

Do you know Heather from SprinkleBakes?

I hope that you already do, but if you don't, you are in for a treat! Heather writes the blog SprinkleBakes and not only does she make amazing desserts, she's an artist! She makes some of *the* most beautiful confections around. Here, take a peek:

signature sprinkle cake, chocolate amaretto crepe cake, salted caramel cupcakes, Edgar Allen Poe red velvet cake

Lucky for us, in addition to her blog, Heather has a gorgeous new book! It's called:

SprinkleBakes: Dessert Recipes to Inspire Your Inner Artist

SprinkleBakes is filled with cookies, cakes and candies that truly are masterpieces. You'll see that Heather works in sugar, but also color, texture and sculpture to create her confections. In the book, she shares all of the recipes and techniques for each project.

A few of my favorites...

...strawberry mousse with joconde cake. Wow.

...free-form lollipops. How fun are those?!?

...spiral cookies. Totally making these!

...hard caramel. I'm in love with this.

Did I mention the decorated cookies?!? And OH (!) the heart cake!!! Wait until you see it. Awesome.

Would you like a copy of SprinkleBakes? Yes? Oh good! I have a copy to give you!

To enter the giveaway, please use the widget below to sign in and answer the question.

{I know there was some confusion last time, and now I think I have it figured out.}

Your comment will NOT appear in the blog comment section, but rest assured, you are entered.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
If you'd like to leave a comment, but don't want to enter the giveaway, leave a comment in the usual way. Otherwise, use the widget.

Entries will be accepted through midnight EST, May 28th. Winner will be notified via email. Good luck!

Graduation Peanut Butter Cup Push-Pops

noreply@blogger.com (bridget {bake at 350}) — Tue, 22 May 2012 14:30:00 +0000

Please tell me you do things like this, too...

A friend, let's call her Cheryl, tells you about making desserts in push-pop containers. You then see a blog post about them. You decide that you MUST have these containers, and NOW. So, you buy a case (yes, a case), of them....where they sit in your guest room closet for almost a year.

I guess I needed a little push, so to speak, to use my push-pop containers and that came by way of Courtney Dial Whitmore's book, Push-up Pops. While this project isn't in Courtney's book, I used many of her push-pop tips...and seeing her creations gave me the kick in the pants I needed to get started.

{If you don't have time to order push-pop containers, these little graduation cap toppers can easily be added to cupcakes instead.}

First, bake your cake. I used a chocolate cake mix here. (Go ahead, judge if you must.) You'll want to bake your cake in a jellyroll or half sheet pan. Bake and let it cool.

I used a peanut butter buttercream for the pops and you'll need a little for "graduation cap glue," so go ahead and make that while the cake cools. (Recipe below.)

While the cake is cooling, make the graduation caps. These are inspired by the *always* inspiring Bakerella and her graduation cap pops.

You will need:

large "button" sprinkles
sour spaghetti

and also...

Ghiradelli square chocolates
mini Reese's peanut butter cups, not the super tiny ones
frosting for "glue"

Add some frosting to the bottom of the peanut butter cup,
press on an upside-down chocolate square,
add a bit of frosting to the sprinkle and attach to the square,
use a toothpick to "draw" a line of frosting from the sprinkle,
press on a sour spaghetti strand (you may want to trim it),
place these in the refrigerator to set up while you assemble the pops.

Assembling is easy. Press the push-pop container down onto the cake to cut to size. Slide the cake into the container (I used another push-pop "plunger," trimmed of its raised edges to press the cake down). Use a paper towel to wipe away any crumbs before piping the frosting.

Pipe in some frosting. Keep adding layers until you reach the top. Add a graduation cap topper.

Cute, huh? Now I just need to get inspired to use the other 88 containers in my guest room closet.

Peanut Butter Buttercream

1 & 1/2 sticks salted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup Crisco shortening
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 lb. box powdered sugar, sifted
1/4 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup milk

Beat together the butter, shortening, and peanut butter until combined, about 3 minutes. On low speed, add in the sifted powdered sugar in three additions, scraping down the sides and bottom of bowl as needed. Once the sugar has been added, increase the mixer speed to medium-high and beat for 1 minute.

Add in the vanilla and the milk; beat until smooth.

{{psst...if you don't want to buy a case of containers, they are now easily accessible in smaller amounts on Amazon.}}

Lavender & Lemon Scones

noreply@blogger.com (bridget {bake at 350}) — Fri, 18 May 2012 05:30:00 +0000

No judging, ok? I've had this little tin of dried culinary lavender in my cabinet for over a year.

I know, I know....that's a big no-no. You see, sweet Aimee from Simple Bites gave me a tin of culinary lavender at Blissdom (in 2011). ;) I just couldn't find the *perfect* recipe to try with it....so I kept it in my cabinet and would just open the tin and take a whiff occasionally.

No judging, remember?

When Bon Appetit arrived in my mailbox complete with recipe for Lavender Scones, I knew this was the moment.

I changed the recipe up a bit....based on what I had on hand. I also grated in the butter....a trick I learned from Cook's Illustrated a few years ago. More on that in a minute.

In one word, I would describe these scones as "lovely." In more words, they are sweet, flaky, and a little fancy. Planning a tea party, or a ladies' brunch? Make them.

Don't be fooled though, even though they sound girly & dainty, Mr. E and the kiddo LOVED them!

Lavender & Lemon Scones
{makes 16, adapted from Bon Appetit}

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) salted butter
3 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading
3/4 cup sugar
1 TBSP baking powder
1 teaspoon dried culinary lavender
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup half & half, plus more for brushing
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or extract)
sanding sugar
lemon curd

Place the butter in the freezer. Preheat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with parchment.

Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, lavender, salt and baking soda in a large bowl.

On the large holes of a grater, grate the frozen butter and add to the flour mixture. Stir gently, then rub the butter into the flour with your fingers until it resembles a coarse meal.

Whisk together the buttermilk, half & half, lemon zest and vanilla bean paste. Add to the flour/butter mixture and stir until a shaggy dough forms.

Dump the dough onto a floured surface and knead about 5 times, until the dough comes together. Pat into a 10 x 6" rectangle. Halve the dough into two 5 x 6" sections. Cut each section into fourths, then cut each square diagonally. (A bench scraper is the perfect tool for this.)

Place 8 of the scones on the prepared baking sheet. Brush lightly with half & half and sprinkle with sanding sugar. Bake for 13-15 minutes, until golden and done. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.

Meanwhile, place the remaining 8 scones on another baking sheet and freeze in a single layer. Once frozen, place in a freezer bag. Bake from freezer as directed above. Add a few more minutes of cooking time as necessary. If baking all at once, move oven racks to the lower and upper thirds and rotate sheets during cooking.

Once the scones are cooled, serve with a dollop (or three) of lemon curd. I used store-bought, but if you are looking to make your own, check out Sweetapolita's post on Citrus Curd. It's heavenly.

Now that I've been bitten by the lavender bug, I think there's no turning back. I see lavender sugar cookies in my future. And hey, I might even buy a fresh tin! ;)

Thank you, Aimee!

How to: Dry Luster Dust Application...Works for Me Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (bridget {bake at 350}) — Tue, 15 May 2012 22:30:00 +0000

I love using luster dust to add a metallic shine and shimmer to my cookies. Did you know you can apply it wet OR dry?

It's a little hard to see the effect of a dry luster dust application in photos sometimes. Think of it this way....dry luster dust is like a shimmery body powder. Wet luster dust application is like a gold lame skirt.

The wet application is perfect for when you want an opaque finish that really transforms your cookie into silver or gold. These First Communion Chalice cookies are a great example...and the tutorial for applying is there for you as well.

Instead of using the wet application for the keys, I kept the cookies in the same color palette by adding the luster dust dry.

Adding the luster dust dry lets you see the original cookie color, but adds a sheer, metallic shimmer.

It really couldn't be easier. Let your cookies dry overnight, then use a clean and dry paintbrush to brush on the luster.

Can you see the difference? It's a little hard to pick up in a photo. The cookie in front has luster; the one in the back doesn't.

How about now?

The same luster dust color I used here can be found at Sweet!

Happy lustering!

Picket Fence & Sold Sign Cookie Tutorial, as promised

noreply@blogger.com (bridget {bake at 350}) — Sat, 12 May 2012 21:31:00 +0000

See, I didn't forget. I promise. Kinda.

I told you when I posted the New Home cookie collection that I'd be back with the tutorials for the rest of the cookies. Well, it's been a week and a half, but I'm back. Time really does fly, huh?

Let's just get down to business, shall we? Here's what you're going to need:

picket-fence* & rectangle sugar cookies
royal icing, divided and tinted with AmeriColor Bright White, Egg Yellow, Turquoise, Deep Pink, Electric Pink, and Leaf Green
disposable icing bags
couplers and tips, #2, #3, #1
toothpicks
squeeze bottles

*First, you're going to need a template for the picket fence. This shape was the very first cookie shape I ever made from a template. I remember about 10 years ago, standing at Michael's, looking at their wooden cut-out and thinking, that would make a really cute cookie.

I bought it and I wash it just like I wash my wooden spoons. Just lay the clean shape on your dough, and cut around it with a paring knife. This particular one takes about a zillion cuts.

{If you're feeling ambitious, you could cut out the openings in the center. I am not ambitious.}

Alrighty, now that we have the picket fence cookies ready, let's decorate...

Use #2 tips to outline the fence in yellow and sold sign post and sign in white. Use a toothpick to scrape the outlines where they meet on the post. Reserve some of each of the yellow icings for piping details.

Use the yellow with a #2 tip to add dots connecting the sign and post.

Thin the white icing with water, a bit at a time, stirring with a silicone spatula, until it is the consistency of a thick syrup. You'll want to drop a "ribbon" of icing back into the bowl and have it disappear in a count of "one thousand one, one thousand two." Four is too thick, one is too thin. Count of 2-3 is good. Cover with a damp dish towel and let sit for several minutes.

Stir gently with a silicone spatula to pop and large air bubbles that have formed. Pour into a squeeze bottle.

Flood the cookies with the thinned icing. Use a toothpick to guide to edges and pop large air bubbles.

Use a #1.5, 1 or 2 tip to pipe the fence posts and "nails" on the fence. Use a #3 tip to fill in the sign with turquoise icing, using a back and forth motion.

Let the cookies sit for 1 hour.

Use #1 tips to pipe the flower details, in pink and green icings. For the swirly flowers, use a #1 tip to make a larger dot in the lighter pink, then pipe a swirl on top in the darker pink with another #1 tip.

Use a #1 tip to pipe "SOLD" on the sign in yellow icing.

Have you ever made cookies from a template?

Help Whip Cancer for Mother's Day

noreply@blogger.com (bridget {bake at 350}) — Thu, 10 May 2012 20:07:00 +0000

Mother's Day just isn't the same for me since losing my mom to cancer 12 years ago. Sure, my boys (the mister and the kiddo) spoil me for the full weekend, not just the day, but there's always a certain bittersweet feeling that goes along with it.

{I grabbed this picture from my mom's senior yearbook. How fabulous is that photo? And why have I never looked that glamorous at ANY time in my life, let alone as a senior in high school.}

I know I'm not alone...so many of you have shared your stories of losing your moms, too. Maybe you're like me and feel a little twinge of jealousy when you see grandmothers and grandkids playing in the park...or mom and daughters out shopping and getting pedicures. I hate that cancer stole those moments for our family.

The good news...the hopeful news....is that cancer research is going strong. There are companies with big hearts, companies that want our Mother's Days to be sweet, not bittersweet. Companies like The Pampered Chef who donate to cancer charities, like the American Cancer Society.

So today, I take a break from baking to tell you about The Pampered Chef's Help Whip Cancer campaign. Now in its 12^th year, Help Whip Cancer has raised more than $10M towards breast cancer awareness and early detection programs. Even though I didn't lose my mom to breast cancer, I can't help but think that every bit of research will help find a cure, treatments, and early detection for all cancers.

The Pampered Chef is offering special products for sale this May, and $1 from every product sold benefits the American Cancer Society.

In addition, for every "like" on their Facebook page, The Pampered Chef will donate one more dollar to the ACS. How easy is that?

I was lucky enough to receive a package of the specialty products available, and they are adorable! Although I've never attended a Pampered Chef party, I have been gifted with several of their products, and they are always wonderful. These are no exception.

{That batter bowl? I'm a little in love with it.}

The Pampered Chef also wanted to spread the love and give FIVE of you the same set I received! It includes: cake tester, batter bowl with lid, two cake pans, pink silicone spatula, oven mitt & pot holder. You'll love it.

To enter, just leave a comment here with your mom's name.
(Earn as extra entry by leaving a separate comment with one or both of grandmother's names.)
Here are mine: Gayle, Marge, and Opal.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

(Use the widget above to sign in, then leave a comment. It helps me quickly chose random winners AND keeps your email private.)

Five random winners will be chosen; enter through midnight CST Tuesday, May 15th.

{{PS...remember to hope over and like The Pampered Chef's Facebook page and PC will automatically dontate $1!}}

Blueberry Bundt Cake for Mother's Day

noreply@blogger.com (bridget {bake at 350}) — Wed, 09 May 2012 02:24:00 +0000

Brunch is a beautiful thing.

You don't have to wake up early, and really, anything goes at brunch...spicy sausage & egg casseroles, bubbly mimosas, and cake. Did I mention cake?

It's no secret that all moms love brunch. Really. It's a fact. I think you need this Blueberry Bundt Cake at yours.

The recipe is adapted from Warren Brown's new book CakeLove in the Morning. It's such a sweet, cheery book...and if you love making breakfast and brunch, you'll find everything here from waffles to frittatas...and, yes, cake!

The recipe calls for superfine sugar. Don't panic; I'm going to show you how to make it at home. Aaaaaand, we're going to get all fancy with ours and make VANILLA superfine sugar.

{Do you think "Superfine sugar" has an attitude around all of the other sugars? "Sure, you're sweet and all, but I'm SUPERFINE."} These thoughts are what go through my head as I bake.

Back to the cake...

Blueberry Bundt Cake

{adapted from CakeLove in the Morning}

2 & 1/2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
1 TBSP cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2/3 cup milk, room temperature
2/3 cup heavy cream, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 & 3/4 cups vanilla superfine sugar *see note
1 & 3/4 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
5 eggs, room temperature
1 & 1/3 cups fresh blueberries
powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 325.

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, cornstarch, salt and baking soda; set aside.

In another bowl, combine the milk, cream and vanilla. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the sugar and butter.

Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.

On low speed, add the flour in three additions, alternating with the milk mixture, beginning and ending with the flour. Scrape down the bowl between additions. Once everything has been added, run the mixer for an additional 20 seconds on low.

Coat a Bundt pan with baking spray. Pour the batter evenly into the pan. Use a spatula to fold in the blueberries once the batter is in the pan.

{It's fun to do it this way!}

Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Place on a wire cooling rack and let cool in the pan for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, place the wire rack face down on the cake. Invert and flip the rack; place on the counter. Give the cake a few seconds to let gravity do its thing, then, lift the pan off of the cake. Cool completely (or serve warm).

Before serving, dust with sifted powdered sugar.

{Flowers in the middle are optional, but if you're making it for mom, you know she'll appreciate it.}

*To make the vanilla superfine sugar:

Place 3 cups of granulated sugar in the bowl of a food processor.

Scrape in the seeds of one vanilla bean. Process for about 1 to 1.5 minutes.

Voila! Superfine!

There's a slice waiting just for you (and your mom)!

Kalhua-Coffee Ice Cream Dream Cake

noreply@blogger.com (bridget {bake at 350}) — Mon, 07 May 2012 00:56:00 +0000

As much as I love...and I DO love...turning on my oven and baking up some goodies, I also love having a few recipes up my sleeve that require no oven, no stove top, and no mixer.

This dessert pretty much has it all. It’s cold, it’s creamy, it’s crunchy, it’s chocolate-y, it’s coffee-y.

{Coffee-y: it's a new word.}

Really...how can any dessert with these ingredients be bad?

You’ll be layering coffee ice cream with some chocolate graham crackers,

…and layers of COOL WHIP Whipped Topping,

{COOL WHIP is so fluffy and beautiful. I'd like to live on a COOL WHIP cloud.}

….but first, you will spike it with a little Kahlua.

{If you don’t do alcohol, feel free to leave it out.}

You’ll also be adding drizzles of fudge sauce…

….Heath bar bits,

…and top the whole thing off with chopped Symphony bars.

Yeah. It’s a beautiful thing.

Mr. E keeps a mental “top 10” desserts list. This immediately shot up into the top 5. It might even be number one.

Two more things I love about this ice cream cake….

it serves a BUNCH, like 18-24.
it gets better as it sits. Make it a day ahead….or two…or three.

You might also want to only make it when you’re expecting company. Having an ice cream cake that serves 18-24 in your freezer when you only have a little family of three is, well, dangerous. To your waistline. I speak from experience.

Kahlua-Coffee Ice Cream Dream Cake...you need it in your life.

Kahlua-Coffee Ice Cream Dream Cake

30 chocolate graham crackers

6-8 cups coffee ice cream (set out 15 mins. to soften)

6 cups COOL WHIP whipped topping

4 TBSP Kahlua

10-12 oz. jar fudge topping/sauce

1 cup Heath bits

2 Symphony bars, chopped

Line the bottom of a 13x9” pan with chocolate graham crackers (each layer should take 7 full grahams and 1 half graham).

In a bowl, stir 3-4 cups of softened ice cream to loosen it. Use an offset spatula to spread the ice cream over the graham crackers. Top with another layer of grahams.

Stir 2 TBSP Kahlua into 3 cups of COOL WHIP. Spread over the graham crackers.

Microwave the jar of fudge sauce for 20 seconds. Drizzle on half of the fudge over the COOL WHIP layer. Sprinkle on the Heath bits.

Repeat the layers (grahams, ice cream, grahams, Kahlua COOL WHIP, and fudge sauce), replacing the Heath bits with chopped Symphony bars on the top.

Freeze several hours until set.

{A bench scraper is an easy way to cut down through the layers.}

As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program, I received coupons for free COOL WHIP Whipped Topping and a stipend. Sponsored posts are purely for editorial content that we are pleased to have presented by a participating sponsor. Advertisers to not produce content.

Bathing suit season, schmathing suit season. That’s my motto.

What you add makes it. #coolwhipmoms

New Home Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (bridget {bake at 350}) — Thu, 03 May 2012 05:30:00 +0000

Cottages are some of my favorite cookies to make. You can click here, here, and here to see a few versions.

When my sister, who moved recently (boo), asked me to make some cookies for their realtor, I wanted to jazz them up a little bit.

So, I decided to make a little new home cookie collection. When I make "collections," I really try to keep them in the same color scheme. Using the same colors makes the cookies look really pretty and coordinated, and ALSO makes the decorating process so much easier.

Not only are they a nice treat for a great realtor, these make perfect housewarming cookies. Remember that deal we made about welcoming new neighbors?!?

You'll notice on the houses that the door is filled in with piping consistency icing giving it a raised look. This is either because I like the "textured" look of the door, or because I was feeling too lazy to thin another color of icing. Or both. You pick.

Rather than give you a post with 112 pictures and the tutorials for all of the cookies, I'll post the cottage tutorial in this post, and the picket fence, key and SOLD sign will come soon.
{Ooo...the suspense.}

To make the cottage cookies, you will need:

house-shaped sugar cookies
royal icing, divided and tinted with AmeriColor Bright White, Egg Yellow, Turquoise, Deep Pink, Electric Pink, and Leaf Green
disposable icing bags
couplers and tips, #2, #3, #1
toothpicks
squeeze bottles

Use #2 tips to outline the house and roof in white and yellow icings. Reserve some of each of these icings for piping details.
{Yes, use WHITE food coloring.}

Thin the white and yellow icings with water, a bit at a time, stirring with a silicone spatula, until it is the consistency of a thick syrup. You'll want to drop a "ribbon" of icing back into the bowl and have it disappear in a count of "one thousand one, one thousand two." Four is too thick, one is too thin. Count of 2-3 is good. Cover with a damp dishcloth and let sit for several minutes.

Stir gently with a silicone spatula to pop and large air bubbles that have formed. Pour into squeeze bottles as needed.

Flood the cookies with the thinned icing. Use a toothpick to guide to edges and pop large air bubbles.

Use a #3 tip to fill in the door with turquoise icing, using a back and forth motion.

Let the cookies sit for 1 hour.

With a #2 tip, add a doorknob and roof detail in yellow icing. Add the window detail with white, also with a #2.

Use #1 tips to pipe the flower box details, in pink and green icings.

Let the cookies dry uncovered 6-8 hours, or overnight.

Home Sweet Home.

{literally}

Yes, you CAN freeze decorated cookies...Works for Me Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (bridget {bake at 350}) — Tue, 01 May 2012 19:08:00 +0000

We've talked about it before, but for some reason over this last two weeks, I've had SO many questions about freezing cookies, I thought it was time to have "the talk" again.

YES! You can freeze cookies decorated with royal icing!

YES! You can freeze baked cookies that are not decorated!

YES! You can freeze the dough before baking!

Yes! Yes! Yes!!!
{And kiddo thinks all I can say is, "no."}

If you happen to follow along on Instagram, you might have noticed that over the last several weeks, I've been making a kajillion horse cookies. They're Kentucky Derby horses, and they're for a charity event.
{You can read more about it and get the cookie tutorial here.}

Since I don't have room to decorate a kajillion cookies all at one time....we sometimes need to use our kitchen and dining room tables for homework, folding laundry, and you know, eating...I've learned to take on projects like this little-by-little.

These instructions are for cookies decorated with royal icing, if you're freezing unbaked cookies, just don't decorate them first. I guess you knew that.

ONE. Let the cookies dry completely overnight.

TWO. Either individually bag and tie the cookies, or place them in freezer bags.

THREE. Stack the bags in a freezer-safe container. Not only will this give them an added layer of protection, it will keep them from getting crushed by an unwieldy box of corn dogs.

FOUR. Freeze.

FIVE. When ready to use, thaw in the container and bags at ROOM TEMPERATURE for several hours. Never thaw in the refrigerator. Condensation can ruin the icing.

How long can you freeze them? This goes for iced cookies, plain cookies and dough....I think they're best used within 3-6 months. I have, however, tested cookies after being in my freezer for a year. Still good. :)

{This only applies to sugar cookies decorated with royal icing, not glazes or buttercream.}

OK...I need to get these babies back in the freezer...

Freezing cookies....it works for me!

Chocolate Hazelnut Truffles & Amy Atlas

noreply@blogger.com (bridget {bake at 350}) — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Do you have an idea book?

You know, a binder where you store all of the great ideas you see in magazines? Kinda like retro Pinterest.
{Remember life before Pinterest?}

Here's ONE of my idea books. Food & Wine did a feature on dessert tables by Amy Atlas waaaaaaay back in 2009.
{Remember 2009?}

I had never seen anything so pretty in my whole life. A color-coordinated dessert table?!? It went immediately into my idea book. Well, it's 2012 now...and Amy Atlas, queen of gorgeous dessert tables, has a beautiful new book called Sweet Designs.

The book is filled with dessert tables like this one:

{Oh, how sweet!}

And this one:

{Oh, how fun!}

In Sweet Designs, you'll find all of the instructions for baking the desserts (plus short-cut options), crafting the displays, and styling the table.

It makes you want to have a party.

Amanda from i am baker gathered several of us together celebrate and to make one of Amy's recipes...I made the Chocolate Hazelnut Truffles.

In the book, they are actually part of a Halloween table, but the beauty of the ideas is that they are so easily adaptable. I made them for spring.

Chocolate Hazelnut Truffles

{adapted with permission from Sweet Designs by Amy Atlas}

3/4 cup hazelnuts
1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup Nutella
6 TBSP unsalted butter, room temperature
sprinkles

Preheat oven to 350. Lay hazelnuts in a single layer on a cookie sheet and bake for 15-18 minutes. Transfer immediately to a dish towel, cover and steam for 1 minute. Rub vigorously with the towel to loosen the skins.

Chop the hazelnuts (don't worry about an skins that are still on the nuts), and measure out 1/2 cup. (Eat or save any excess.)

Melt the chocolate chips in a bowl over a pan of barely simmering water.

{Side note: I am never without these chocolate chips. Throw a handful in a container of Fage 2% Greek yogurt. Lunch=done.}

Remove from heat and stir in the butter and Nutella. Stir in the chopped hazelnuts. Refrigerate for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until scoopable.

{At this point, I contemplated grabbing a spoon and parking myself and the bowl in front of The Young & the Restless. Be strong, my friends.}

Place the sprinkles on a rimmed plate. Scoop the chilled chocolate mixture by the tablespoon into the palm of your hand and roll into a ball. Roll the truffles in the sprinkles. (You'll probably need to wash your hands several times during this process.)

Place on a cookie sheet and chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Amy would love for a Bake at 350 reader to have a copy of her book! Yay! All you have to do to enter is, leave a comment right here on the blog. That's it! Any comment...well, any polite comment. ;)

~~{Giveaway runs through midnight, April 30th.}~~

***giveaway closed! congrats to lizy b.!***

Aaaaand, there's more. All of those bakers celebrating Amy today? Well, we're ALL giving away a copy of Sweet Designs. So, for more chances to win, go visit these lovely ladies:

Amanda Chocolate Cupcakes {Amy Atlas Giveaway}

The Adventure of Sweet Sugarbelle: Amy Atlas Book Giveaway

TidyMom: Honey Panna Cotta

Two Peas and Their Pod: Banana Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Sweetapolita: Pink Eclairs

Sweetopia: Chocolate Beehive Cupcakes

My Baking Addiction: Banana Whoopie Pies

Bakingdom: Mini Strawberry Trifles

{Please forgive me for 2 posts in a row with giveaways. I just didn't want you to miss out on either chance to win...} :)

Butterfly Cake

noreply@blogger.com (bridget {bake at 350}) — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 21:50:00 +0000

Here's the dill, pickle. Cake decorating is not one of my gifts. Case in point, this R2D2 cake.

So, when I had the chance to try the Cricut Cake Mini, I jumped at it. If you've never seen or heard of a Cricut Cake, it's a cool little machine that cuts designs, patterns, scallops, borders, letters into gum paste or fondant so that they can easily be applied to cakes, cupcakes or cookies.

Pretty darn cool.

First, though, you'll need a delicious cake. I am not above begging, so I'm going to BEG to to make this cake...with or without the ombre butterflies. I took some really beautiful pictures of the cake with one slice missing, so that you could see the inside. Except, I took them without my memory card in my camera, so you'll have to imagine.

The cake is a vanilla bean yellow layer cake and is SERIOUSLY one of the best cakes I've ever had. It's moist without being Tres Leches moist.
(Does Tres Leches give anyone else the heebie jeebies?)

The layers are filled with lemon curd....you can make your own, but I used this one.

I love it...no preservatives and tastes tart and wonderful. The whole thing is topped off with a lemon buttercream. It's so good that my "I-don't-really-like-cake" husband immediately asked for a second piece.

Back to the Cricut Cake Mini...the machines take cartridges with all sorts of options for different designs. I chose one of the Martha cartridges. I {heart} me some Martha.

{It was about midnight when I was doing this; please excuse the pictures.}

Now, I did have a little bit of a learning curve with this. One, I learned I was rolling my gum paste too thick. My advice is to roll it thinner than you think you need it, then roll it thinner again. Two, I live where it's very humid and on top of that, it was storming when I tried this. What helped was rolling out the gum paste very thin and letting it dry at room temperature on the mat for about 10 minutes. Once I learned those little tricks, cutting was a breeze.

After I cut out those butterflies, I propped them up in some mini muffin tins so the wings would dry "in flight."

Once the cake was assembled, I frosted it with the lemon buttercream and just pressed the butterflies right on.

Easy peasy.

{{PS...this is what my kitchen table looked like for 18 hours.}}

Would you like a Cricut Cake Mini?!? I bet you would. I already have a few more projects in mind for mine.

~~To enter, leave a comment here on the blog answering the following question:~~

~~"what is you favorite cake flavor?"~~

For an extra entry, follow Cricut on Pinterest and leave a SEPARATE comment letting me know you did.

{Giveaway runs though April 28th at midnight. Good luck!}

***giveaway closed. Congrats, Jennie P.! Have fun with your Cricut Cake!***

Here's the recipe (make it!)...the cake is adapted from the lovely book Cake Ladies and the frosting is adapted from the lovely Shelly of Cookies and Cups.

Lemon-Vanilla Bean Layer Cake

ingredients:

for the cake:

Crisco for greasing pans
3 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 eggs, separated and at room temperature
3/4 cup whole milk, at room temperature
1/2 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1 TBSP vanilla bean paste

for the filling & frosting:

12 ounces lemon curd
3 sticks (1 & 1/2 cups) salted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup shortening
2 pounds powdered sugar
1/4 - 1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons pure lemon extract

instructions:

Preheat oven to 350.

Grease the cake pans with Crisco, line the bottoms with parchment and grease the parchment. (I used 2-6" pans, and 2-4" pans, and had enough leftover for 8 cupcakes. This will also be enough batter for 3-9" round pans.)

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.

Using the paddle attachment of a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until very light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of bowl as needed.

Add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating until incorporated. Scrape down the sides and bottom of bowl after each addition. Once all yolks have been added, beat for 5 minutes.

In a small bowl, stir together the milk, buttermilk and vanilla bean paste.

On low speed, add the flour and milk mixtures to the butter mixture, alternating between each beginning and ending with the flour. You'll add the flour in four additions and the milk in three. Mix just until incorporated.

In a separate bowl, use the whisk attachment to beat the egg whites until they form a stiff peak. In three additions, gently fold the egg whites into the batter until incorporated.

Scoop the batter into the cake pans. If using 9" (or 8"), divide the batter evenly. If using the smaller pans, put 2 cups batter in the 6" pans and a heaping 3/4 cup batter in the 4" pans.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
9": 25-30 minutes
6": 22-28
4": 18-20 minutes
cupcakes: 15-18 minutes

Let the cakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes on a wire rack. Remove from pans, wrap in plastic wrap while still warm. Place in refrigerator to cool, up to overnight.

Make the lemon buttercream:

With the paddle attachment of a stand mixer, beat together the butter and shortening until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the sifted powdered sugar in four additions, beating on low speed until combined. Once all of the sugar has been added, beat for another 2 minutes. Add in the milk and extract, starting with only 1/4 cup milk. If the frosting is too stiff, add the remaining milk and beat until combined.

Assemble the cake:

Place one cooled cake layer, top down on a cake stand, spread with 1/3 cup lemon curd (for a 6" layer). Top with the remaining 6" layer and cover with buttercream. Place a 4" layer, top down, on the frosted 6" cake. Spread with 1/4 cup lemon curd. Top with the remaining 4" layer. Cover with buttercream.

{{psst....of you'd like to learn more about Cricut, visit them on Facebook and Twitter.}}

Will Run for Ice Cream

noreply@blogger.com (bridget {bake at 350}) — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 00:23:00 +0000

You know, a funny thing happened this year. I started running (or as I told my friend, Teresa, it might technically be "scooting").

Before this, the only time I had ever run was to be first in line for cake at a wedding.

Let me start at the start...in December, I was talking to my friend Amy from She Wears Many Hats. She and Robyn were gearing up to run a 5K together. Amy told me about the Couch to 5K program they were using and said, "you can do it." I'm not sure why, but her words really stuck with me.

Fast forward through Christmas, and many, many gingerbread cookies, I decided to give it a try. Not to be cliche, I started my Couch to 5K on December 28th, not January 1st.

I'm not going to lie....it was hard (it still is). I've never been a "workout person"....other than a very (very) brief stint in college where I skipped class to go to aerobics. (Sorry you had to hear that, Dad.)

I completed the 9-week Couch to 5K (in 11 weeks...I had to repeat a few), but had not signed up for a race. I just figured, I would keep running and maybe sign up for one *someday.*

*Someday* turned out to be the day I saw a flier for the Blue Bell Fun Run. On the flier, it mentioned "FREE ICE CREAM." Well, that's all it took; I signed up.

Saturday was the 5K...and I have to say, it was very emotional for me. Not the end....I was too sweaty and tired (and really had to pee, TMI?), but the beginning of the race had me teary-eyed. The race started slightly downhill and the sight of all of those people running, being in the middle of it, the sound of all of those feet...it brought me to tears. I got a hold of myself...no one wants to run next to a lady with tears steaming down her face and a shaky chin. (Plus, my mascara might run. Yes, I wear makeup to exercise. You're welcome.)

The bonus? The longer I run, the more cookies I can eat. :)

Is this post to encourage you to start running? Only if you want to. This post is really to say...go do SOMETHING. Break out of your comfort zone a bit. It feels good.

{I found this on Pinterest and just love it.}

If you ARE interested in running, let me tell you a few things I couldn't live without:

The running community is INCREDIBLY supportive. They don't care if you're a newbie. On twitter, we have a little #redfacedrunners Club: Amy, Kristen, Robyn, Lauren, Windy, Katrina, Dara, Lori & moi. And my running idols: my dad (who ran a marathon when we were kids), my sister Molly, Toni & Cindy
Shoes: I LOVE these shoes!!! (Plus, Kristan has them, so I feel really cool.}
App love: Get Running 5K...you can listen to your own music and a very nice British lady tells you when to run and walk.
Running skirt: I've found most are a little too short for me, but I LOVE this one from Level 59.
And, this post on running from Amy.

Is there something you've been too scared to try?
What is it?

Nutella-filled Banana Muffins...

noreply@blogger.com (bridget {bake at 350}) — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 16:50:00 +0000

I toyed with the idea of calling these QPTWB Muffins (Quite Possibly the World's Best Muffins), but it seemed a little braggy...and difficult to say. I actually take no credit for these muffins being the best.muffins.ever....it's all due to Nutella.

Inspiration?

...I bought bananas. I came home from the store to see that we already HAD bananas.

I had two choices:
1. Do what I did last time this happened and freeze them for smoothies, or
2. bake with them.

I decided to marry the bananas with Nutella.

Aww...look. They're snuggling.

Here's the low-down: the mashed bananas keep the muffins soft and moist, the salted butter and kosher salt give a double-shot of salty to the sweet, the nutmeg & cloves add just a bit of spice and interest, and the Nutella? Well, it pushed the delicious factor over the top.

Want to make them? Yes, yes you do. Here's how...

Nutella-filled Banana Muffins

ingredients:
2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
1 & 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
2 medium bananas, mashed
1/3 cup milk
2/3 cup Nutella

instructions:
Preheat oven to 350. Line 12 regular size muffin tins with liners and lightly spray with cooking spray (this will keep the muffins from pulling away with the liners). Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. Set aside.

{Don't you love freshly grated nutmeg? If you never tried it, do. you don't even need a fancy-schmancy microplane....the small holes on your grater will do.}

With an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until smooth. Beat in the egg, mashed banana, and milk. Scrape down the sides and bottom of bowl as needed.

With a silicone spatula, gently stir the dry ingredients into the wet. Divide the batter into the 12 muffins tins. Bake 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Place on a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, remove from the tin to cool completely.

Meanwhile, spoon the Nutella into a pastry bag fitted with a large tip. (I used a Wilton 4B.) Once the muffins are cooled, poke the tip into the center of each muffin. Fill until you see the muffin expand a bit and, while squeezing, pull the tip up and out of the muffin.

DEVOUR.

Oh! And if you still have banana muffins on the brain, check out this deliciousness from Jessica at How Sweet It Is. Can you say, "swoon?"

Works for Me Wednesday e-book (!)

noreply@blogger.com (bridget {bake at 350}) — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 05:02:00 +0000

Have you ever looked through the tips on Works for Me Wednesday and thought, "man, I wish I had a book of those?"

Well, guess what? Now you can!

My beautiful neighbor, Kristen (host of Works for Me Wednesday, and blogger at We are THAT Family, and author, and humanitarian, and all-around supermom) and her friend Jennifer DeGroot have put together an e-book called That Works for Me!

The book contains over 800 WFMW tips, organized into 24 different categories and including 300 contributing bloggers.

{A few of the bloggers: Jen from My Kitchen Addiction, Myra from A Blessed Life, and the gals from How Does She?}

Here's a little peek at the categories, as well as a few sample tip summaries:

One thing I LOVE about the e-book is that after reading a synopsis of the tip, one click takes you directly to the original post. It's a win-win for readers and for bloggers. (Kristen is so smart.) Oh, and it's also available on Kindle!

You can purchase a copy here.
{psst...here's $1 off coupon code: SAVE1}

You can submit a tip to enter to win $150 worth of housecleaning here.
{No one enter....I *need* that.}

You can follow along with That Works for Me:

Like TWFM on Facebook (and follow the blog tour of 175+ reviews/giveaways!)
Follow TWFM on Twitter (you might see your Tip of the Day!)
Join TWFM on Pinterest and repin your favorite WFMW posts
Earn money by becoming an Affiliate

And, you can win a copy here!
{yep, right here!}

To enter, just leave a comment with either your favorite WFMW tip (here are a few from moi), or share one of your own tips.

Contest runs through midnight, April 15th. Good luck!

That Works for Me e-book? It works for me! ;)

Peeps Show S'mores Bars

noreply@blogger.com (bridget {bake at 350}) — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 22:44:00 +0000

Confession: Until yesterday, I had never eaten a Peep.

We grew up in an all-chocolate-and-jelly-bean Easter basket family. {I love Easter.}

So, fast-forward to yesterday...I made Peeps Show S'mores Bars. Peeps, combined with semisweet chocolate and a graham-crackery, oaty crust, baked until melty and gooey and messy?
ALL.KINDS.OF.AWESOME.

I love Peeps now, but honestly after taking a bite of one plain, I ONLY want my Peeps baked into these bars.

Scroll on down for the recipe, but here's what you're going to do...

First, Steal all of the Peeps out of your children's Easter baskets.
{I kid; I kid. RUN to the store Monday and stock up on them at half-price.}

OK, you'll make a crust/topping concoction with butter, oats, brown sugar and a few other ingredients...

{It comes together really fast. You won't even need your mixer...just a saucepan...

...and a spoon.}

...about half goes in a pan for the crust...

Here are the ingredients for the filling:

{Hello, Peeps.}

...you'll top the crust with chocolate chips...

...and some Peeps...

...and top with the rest of the topping/crust mixture...

...bake.

You'll let it rest for a bit, then you'll dig in.

It's gooey and delicious...it may not be elegant, but it WILL make your eyes roll back in your head. You might even moan a little.

Peeps Show S'mores Bars

ingredients:
6 TBSP salted butter
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
6 TBSP dark corn syrup
2 & 1/4 cups rolled oats (not instant, not steel cut)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 & 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
15 Peeps

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350. Grease an 8x8 pan. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, heat the butter, brown sugar and corn syrup over medium heat, until the butter is melted and sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in the oats, flour, salt and graham cracker crumbs.

Press a little more than half of this mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Place on a wire rack and let cool completely.

Sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly over the cooled crust. Top with the Peeps, making 3 rows of 5 Peeps.

Cover with the remaining topping/crust mixture.

Bake for 20 minutes; the Peeps will looks slightly misshapen under the topping.

Place on a wire cooling rack and let cool for 20 minutes. Serve warm.
{adapted from S'mores Granola Bars, King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion}

{These bars are good at room temperature, too...but are a-MAZ-ing warm.}

What are you waiting for?!? Go get some Peeps!

Happy Easter, bunnies!

noreply@blogger.com (bridget {bake at 350}) — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 05:10:00 +0000

aaaand, the obsession with double-decker cookies continues....

How do you say Happy Easter? Dots, bunnies, sparkling sugar?

Yep. That should do it.

You've heard of the "double-decker" cookie, right? Two cookies, but only the guilt of eating one. It's part of my new diet plan.

{You know, I thought the pink would be my favorite, but I actually ended up loving the yellow.}

Let me show you how to make them...

For the double-decker bunny cookies, you'll need:

sugar cookies (pick any flavor cut-out here) in scalloped ovals and tiny bunny faces
royal icing, divided and tinted with AmeriColor Lemon Yellow, Electric Pink, Regal Purple, Bright White, and Super Black
couplers and tips: #3, #1
disposable icing bags
squeeze bottles
toothpicks
small paintbrush
small ramekins
meringue powder
basket-style coffee filter
sparking or sanding sugar: yellow, pink and purple

Use a #3 tip to outline the ovals and bunnies. Reserve some of this piping consistency royal icing.

{PS...I'm officially obsessed with this scalloped oval. PPS...anyone else watch Fashion Police? Now I can't say "I'm obsessed" with something without thinking of Kelly Osbourne.}

Thin the yellow, pink, purple and white icings with water, a bit at a time, stirring with a silicone spatula, until it is the consistency of a thick syrup. You'll want to drop a "ribbon" of icing back into the bowl and have it disappear in a count of "one thousand one, one thousand two." Four is too thick, one is too thin. Count of 2-3 is good. Cover with a damp dishcloth and let sit for several minutes.

Stir gently with a silicone spatula to pop and large air bubbles that have formed. Pour into squeeze bottles as needed.

Working a few cookies at a time, fill (flood) the ovals with white icing. Use a toothpick to guide to edges.

On top of the wet white icing, drop dots of the thinned colored icing, starting with the first cookie filled. (Giving the base color a few minutes to set will help prevent bleeding.)

Fill in the bunny faces. Let the cookies dry uncovered 6-8 hours or overnight.

The next day, mix 1/2 teaspoon meringue powder with 1/2 teaspoon water. Brush this mixture onto the bunny faces. Sprinkle on the sugar, shaking the excess off over a coffee filter. Use the filter as a funnel to pour back into the jars. {psst...can you see where I overfilled one?}

Use a #1 tip to pipe eyes on the bunny faces in black. Add a nose in an alternating color.

Pipe a small amount of icing onto the back of the bunny cookies. Place on the ovals and press down slightly to adhere. Let the cookies dry for at least 30 minutes before packaging and stacking.

What are you baking this Easter?

ZipList & Printable Recipes...Works for Me Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (bridget {bake at 350}) — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 22:30:00 +0000

You might have noticed something new on the blog lately.
Have you noticed the cute little buttons on posts with the recipes that look like this:

Let me tell you about them:

Clicking "Save This Recipe" will take you to ZipList where you can save recipes & create grocery lists, not just from this blog, but from tons of other blogs and websites like, oh, Martha Stewart, Confessions of a Cookbook Queen, Cookies and Cups, Recipe Girl, TidyMom, Skinny Taste, A Southern Fairytale, Our Best Bites, and Challenge Dairy...just to name a few. They even have an app!
Clicking "Print This Recipe" will let you, well, print the recipe. Right now this is through Google Docs. Someday, maybe blogger will come up with a cute recipe card option. Until then, print away. I'm including a small picture with every recipe...I don't know about you, but I like to see pictures...I'll keep them small, though, so you don't waste precious printer ink.

What do you think? Do you like the new options? Do you already use ZipList?

This will be a regular feature on new recipes and I'll try to go back to add them to old ones as I get a chance...and as I remember. ;) Are there any requests?

ZipList & Printable Recipes...works for me! :)

Just Hatched! Mini Speckled Egg Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (bridget {bake at 350}) — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 16:30:00 +0000

After making these bird's nest cupcakes with speckled egg cookie toppers last year, I couldn't get speckled eggs off my brain. They are really so simple...and so much FUN to make!

This year, I ditched the cupcakes, added a few colors, piped on some details, and plopped them in berry baskets. {You can get the berry baskets here.}

Two things you must know about these cookies:

One: Mini cookies are a lot harder to resist eating. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Two: Flicking the food coloring, it's fun. It's so much fun that you should do it when your kids are at school...or where they can't see you. Otherwise, I see food coloring being flicked all over your house.
{This is a warning from the uptight mom-lifeguard-teacher-prison warden side of me. If you are one of those cool, laid-back moms I dream of being, by all means, let your kids loose with the flicking.}

To make the mini speckled egg cookies, you will need:

mini egg sugar cookies
royal icing, tinted with AmeriColor Chocolate Brown, Ivory, Avocado Green, and Turquoise mixed with Ivory
coupler and tips (#1.5 or #2, #1, #15 star)
disposable icing bags
squeeze bottles
toothpicks
chocolate brown food coloring
small ramekin
small paintbrush
glove

Using a #1.5 or #2 tip, outline all of the cookies with chocolate brown icing. Reserve leftover brown icing for piping details the next day. (Just place the bag in the refrigerator.)

{Have I mentioned that piping egg shapes make me nervous? My eggs are never exactly perfectly shaped.}

Thin the ivory, green, and turquoise icings with water, a bit at a time, stirring with a silicone spatula, until it is the consistency of a thick syrup. You'll want to drop a "ribbon" of icing back into the bowl and have it disappear in a count of "one thousand one, one thousand two." Four is too thick, one is too thin. Count of 2-3 is good. Cover with a damp dishcloth and let sit for several minutes.

Stir gently with a silicone spatula to pop and large air bubbles that have formed. Pour into squeeze bottles as needed.

Flood the cookies with the colors, using a toothpick to guide to edges and pop large air bubbles.

Let the cookies dry uncovered, 6-8 hours or overnight.

The next day, place all of the cookies close together on a cookie sheet. Mix a few drops of chocolate brown food coloring with a few drops of water in a small ramekin.

Put on your glove...I learned from last year. Dip the paintbrush in the food coloring mixture, and with one finger, flick it onto the cookies. Rotate the cookie sheet every so often to get all of the cookies.

Let the reserved brown icing come to room temperature. Use a #1 or a #15 star tip to add details onto the speckled cookies.

Speckled Egg Cookies...don't you want to try?!?

Cookies...Works for Me Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (bridget {bake at 350}) — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 23:30:00 +0000

Cookies ALWAYS work for me. They really are the world's most perfect food.

And I'm not talking just decorated cookies here...chocolate chip (my personal favorite), oatmeal, peanut butter...ALL cookies!

That's what I was so excited when my friend Maria from Two Peas and Their Pod released her e-cookbook, Cookie Cravings.

Maria is known as a queen of cookies in the food blogging world. She is always coming up with the most delicious and delectable combinations imaginable. For example: Triple Chocolate Oreo Chunk Cookies, and Fluffernutter cookies. See, I told you!

Cookie Cravings is a collection of 30 favorite cookie recipes...each one photographed BEAUTIFULLY by Heidi Larsen of Foodie Crush.

When you purchase the Cookie Cravings Digital Collection, you'll also receive:

Cookie Days, a second book with favorite recipes from other bloggers and cookie decorating inspiration
Printable gifting labels for a year of special occasions from ChicSprinkles.com
Printable Kitchen Conversion Chart
Printable What’s in Maria’s Pantry: Baking Cookies
Printable Cookie Recipe Cards for your own cookie recipes
Printable Chocolate Toffee Almond Cookie Recipe Card from Two Peas and Their Pod
Printable Keep Calm and Bake On Graphic
Computer Screen Saver Wallpapers
VIDEO: Maria’s Step-by-Step Cookie Baking Tutorial

Guess what?!? Maria is giving one Cookie Cravings package away to a Bake at 350 reader! Woot! Cookies! You are going to LOVE it!!!

~~To enter to win, just leave a comment below answering the question:~~

~~"what is your all-time favorite cookie?"~~

~~{PLEASE be sure that your comment links to or includes an email address so I can find you!}~~

~~Giveaway open through Friday, March 30th. Good Luck!~~

***giveaway closed. congrats, jennifer!***

Cookies. They always work for me!

{{oh, and psst...do you know there is a SAVORY side to Bake at 350? There's a cookbook giveaway going on over there as well!}}

Make-Money-From-Your-Teenager Salted Butterscotch Blondies

noreply@blogger.com (bridget {bake at 350}) — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 22:42:00 +0000

How often does your child offer to pay YOU to make something? It really doesn't happen often, um, ever, around here.

A few weeks ago, I volunteered to provide a tray of blondies for an event. Now, if your house is like my house, all sweets must be "tested" before leaving the premises.

Kiddo was 2 bites in and announced,

"I will PAY you to make more of these."

Ok. Deal. What do you think I should charge? $2? $10? A promise he'll come home every weekend when he's away at college? A promise that he'll let me choose his bride, her dress, and provide me with at least one granddaughter since my sister & I have all boys and need to buy some pink and tutus?
Yeah, that ought to do it.

Kiddo is right about these...they are one of our new favorite recipes for spring. Heck, spring, summer, winter, or fall. (Are you singing James Taylor right now?)

The dangerous thing about these bars is...they are SO easy to make. You won't even need your mixer....just a bowl and a spoon.

Now, you will be using Imitation Butter Flavoring.
I know, it sounds a little scary. I'm not asking you to drink it straight up. You'll use a teaspoon. And, if you cut your blondies into 24 squares, you'll only consume 1/24th of a teaspoon in each one. It's totally worth it.

Here's the recipe...you don't even have to pay me.

Salted Butterscotch Blondies

ingredients:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 cups dark brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. butter flavoring
1 & 1/2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
3 eggs, lightly beaten
12 ounces butterscotch chips
1/4 tsp. flaky sea salt

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a 9x13" pan. Set aside.
Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat. Once melted, pour the butter into a bowl and stir in the sugar, salt, baking powder, vanilla and butter flavoring until combined.

Stir in the flour, and then the lightly beaten eggs. Stir until thoroughly combined. Stir in the butterscotch chips.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth with an offset spreader. Sprinkle on the flaky sea salt.

Bake for 30-35 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack before cutting.

{adapted from The King Arthur Flour's Baking Companion}

Salted Butterscotch Blondies.
How much will YOU make from your kids by baking them?

This post was sponsored by Frigidaire. When you check out Suzanne Goin's springtime recipes at www.maketimeforchange.com, Frigidaire will donate $1 to Save the Children's U.S. programs. Plus, you'll be entered for a chance to win the new Frigidaire Range with Symmetry™ Double Ovens– featuring two large ovens (that can each fit up to a 28 pound turkey!), providing the flexibility to cook multiple dishes at the same time at different temperatures, so you can get more on the table at the same time.

It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time...

noreply@blogger.com (bridget {bake at 350}) — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 05:30:00 +0000

Me (whining to husband): I think my cookies are a fail.
Him: That's what you get for messing around with Don Draper.

*sigh* I should have known better.

Are you ready for Sunday night? You know, the return of Don, Betty, Joan, Peggy, Roger, Pete...the gang?

I'm talking about my beloved Mad Men. Season 5 starts Sunday and I thought I would make some really cool Mad Men cookies to celebrate.

Really cool turned into a kinda fail.

Here's how these cookies came about...

Every now and then, I like to look at the "keyword" searches that bring people to the blog. Most you might expect, like "Bake at 350" and "my royal icing is sticky." Sometimes they are really, really funny...I've seen more than one search for "butt cookies." Hmm.

Anyway, one day I came across someone who found my blog searching for "Tom Selleck cookies." I've never made Tom Selleck cookies, but I have mentioned him in a post before. So, I wondered what other "Tom Selleck cookies" might be out there.

I found these. Awesome, right?

So, I thought I'd use the same technique to make Don Draper cookies.

They'd be all cool with captions like...

and...

As it turns out, my Don Drapers look more like Mitt Romney than anything else. Seriously...is that not the spitting image of Mitt Romney?!? I mean, Mitt is pretty handsome and all, but he's no Don Draper.

{I asked kiddo who they looked like and he said "a cross between Mitt Romney and that Blagojevich guy." He knows of Blago...that scares me.}

IF you want to try this method, and be warned, it takes about 142 hours, here's what you'll do...

Find an image and resize it to the size you want. Don't make it too small since you'll be cutting out small details.
Print one copy of the image in color...it's easier to see the edges this way, and another in black and white.
Cut around the edges of the color copy. This will be your template for the cookie shape.
Using an X-acto knife, cut away the black areas of the black & white copy.

Lay this cut-out on top of your dough. Use a paintbrush to fill in the uncovered areas with food coloring. {I used a 1:1 mix of AmeriColor Super Black and water.}
Freeze the painted cookies for 10 minutes before baking to prevent spreading. Then, bake as usual.

Oh, I also made a Joan. I love Joan...a woman with curves...on TV! Woot! Let's hear it for the curvy girls! {OK...I'll stop cheering now.} The Joan cookies didn't turn out so hot, either.

Oh well...it was fun to try. And I'm STILL excited about Mad Men. I may even make a martini. On a Sunday night. {I won't; but quite possibly there will be a glass of wine involved...and cookies, definitely cookies.}

Why I love blogging, TERESA, Doggie silhouette cookies, and Seattle, Seattle, Seattle!!!

noreply@blogger.com (bridget {bake at 350}) — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 18:03:00 +0000

{Be warned...a very wordy post, with lots of personal pictures. But, there ARE cookies, too!}

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. My very favorite thing about blogging is not anything I ever expected or anticipated.

My very favorite thing about blogging is that it has brought some really amazing and true friendships into my life. ♥

For Mother's Day two years ago, Mr. E surprised me with a trip to visit my very first blogging friend, Cheryl from TidyMom. It was so much fun that I decided then and there that visiting bloggy friends in real life must be continued.

When we were thinking about a spring break trip, we decided on Seattle. Yes, warm, sunny Seattle. Neither one of us had really seen the city, and kiddo had never been to that part of the country. And guess who just happens to live there?!?

TERESA from Blooming on Bainbridge!!!

Now, Teresa and I had gotten to the point of texting each other, oh, about 247,000 times a day. It was high time we met...and we DID!!!

We had a wonderful dinner together in Seattle and had a groan-worthy, unbutton-the-top-button-of-your-pants dinner at Teresa's home on Bainbridge Island. (I waited until we were on the ferry back to Seattle to do the unbuttoning...you don't want to be TOO weird when meeting a blog friend.) We were so busy gabbing that we didn't take many pictures.

You know how Teresa is the sunniest, funniest, happiest girl on her blog? Well, she's that x 1,000 in person. And her house? Oh, it's only the cutest place ever.

{Psst...See that handsome man with the cool glasses in the picture with kiddo and & Mr. E? That's Teresa's husband. I swear, bloggers have the best husbands. I just love him.}

Oh, and y'all...Seattle is a foodie town. Great food is everyWHERE! Take a look at this salted caramel cupcake from The Yellow Leaf Cupcake Co.

But, the BEST food we ate all week was at Teresa's house on Bainbridge. Chicken Pot Pie, Mashed Potatoes, all kinds of appetizers, Ina's Chocolate Pudding. Mr. E is so spoiled now.
And I'm chubby.

Let's talk about Seattle...or, our home away from home, the Pan Pacific Hotel.
This was our view:

{No, I'm not kidding. That's the Space Needle. How cool is that?!?}

I'm pretty much in love with this hotel. From the location (in a hip little neighborhood where Amazon is making it's new home), to the service (impeccable), to the WHOLE FOODS MARKET downstairs!

Foodies...if you are planning a trip to BlogHer Food in June, you might want to consider the Pan Pacific! {Y'all...they have free wifi. They know better than to separate a blogger from her wifi.}

{A few more pictures...we didn't stay in the suite pictured up top, but I thought you might want to see it. I'm going to dream about it. The lobby is also very chic and modern...wonderful seafood restaurant and a Starbucks attached (this is Seattle after all!). ALL of the rooms come with BIG soaking tubs and sliding doors that open up to the room. After a long day of walking around Seattle, relax in the tub with a glass of wine, and enjoy your view of the Space Needle. Of course, I did not do this since kiddo was with us, but I imagined it. ;)}

As far as what to see....I could go back and spend a month or so in Seattle just exploring. Well, exploring and EATING. Space Needle, monorail, Pike Place Market, the ferries...there is SO, so much to do!!!

Now to the cookies...

If you know Teresa, and you should, you'll know her ADORABLE Wheaten Terrier doggie, Doogan.

So, I stole a picture of Doogan from Teresa's blog ;), and printed it out.

Then, the day before I made the cookies, I placed the printout on an upside-down cookie sheet and covered it with waxed paper. I outlined and filled the picture, just like I would on a cookie.

For the cookies, I used Callye's method of turning a scalloped circle cookie into a scalloped oval. (I love this!) The cookies were outlined and filled with light turquoise icing.

After the cookies had been drying for about an hour, I peeled the Doogan silhouettes off of the waxed paper and gently placed them on the cookies. (The cookies are still wet enough to hold the silhouette without disturbing the icing.) Then, the cookies dried uncovered overnight.

Since I was visiting Teresa (the queen of pink and gingham), I had to tie her cookies up in some big pink gingham ribbon. ♥

Seattle Spring Break...I recommend it.

{...especially with your sweethearts.}

I'll leave you with one more (can you stand it?) picture. It's blurry, but I think it's my favorite.

Double-decker Rainbow Shamrock Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (bridget {bake at 350}) — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 19:18:00 +0000

You didn't think you'd seen the last of the double-decker cookie, did you?!? Oh no...I sense a double-decker cookie obsession coming on.

As soon as I started thinking about St. Patrick's Day, I wanted to do a shamrock version of the hearts...but I couldn't decide on a background. Then, out-of-the-blue, it came to me....rainbow! Do you know I've NEVER made a rainbow cookie before?!? Never! How is that possible?

Of course, you could really put any shape in the middle for your second cookie...heart, cloud, unicorn... ;)

For the double-decker rainbow shamrock cookies, you will need:

cookies...rectangle and shamrock
royal icing, divided and tinted with AmeriColor leaf green, bright white, super red, orange, egg yellow, sky blue and regal purple
disposable icing bags
couplers and tips (#2)
squeeze bottles
meringue powder
small paintbrush
white sanding sugar

Outline the cookies with a #2 tip. Use green for the shamrock and white for the rectangle. Pipe stripes across the rectangle.

Go ahead and save some of this piping consistency green or white icing....it doesn't matter which one. You won't need it until the next day; this will be your "glue" to attach the cookies together. You can just plop the icing bag right in your fridge.

Thin all of the icings (except white) with water, a little at a time, stirring gently with a rubber spatula, until it is the consistency of a thick syrup. (Here is a video I made a few years ago showing how I do it.) Cover with a damp dish towel and let sit for several minutes.

Stir gently with a rubber spatula to pop any air bubbles that might have formed. Pour into squeeze bottles as needed.

Fill the shamrocks with the green flood icing, using a toothpick to guide to edges and pop large air bubbles.

Fill in the rainbow with the other colors....remember Roy G. Biv? Follow that, but I just skipped green since we have the shamrock, and indigo, because, well, I just did.

TIP: Small spaces, such as the individual rainbow colors have a tendency to cave in, or crater, while drying. After talking with fellow cookiers, we've decided it's trapped air bubbles that don't have anywhere to go. So, to help avoid this...

...don't overfill the area. Use just as much icing as you need to cover the area well, but you don't want a mound of icing.
...run a toothpick all the way through the icing (I use an 8-pattern), even if your icing has already spread across the area to me filled.

Let the cookies dry overnight.

The next day, take the reserved icing out of the fridge to warm up a bit.

Combine 1/4 teaspoon water with 1/4 teaspoon of meringue powder. Brush with mixture onto the shamrock cookies with a small paintbrush. Sprinkle on the sanding sugar and shake off the excess.

Pipe a small amount of icing onto the back of the shamrock. Press onto the rectangle cookie to adhere. Let the cookies dry about 30 minutes before packaging.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!

May your troubles be less,

And your blessings be more

And nothing but happiness,

Come through your door