Macaroons

Every country, or so it seems, has it own style of macarons.  Growing up a macaron was known as and still is that coconut, egg white and sugar concoction mounded up in a little pile to resemble a white snowy mountain.  Then it would be baked to a golden brown colour and cooled.  Maybe a little melted chocolate would be drizzled over the top to take it to the next level of beauty.

Today when you hear people refer to macarons, especially soon-to-be brides, they are probably referring to the pastel or brightly coloured egg white based  European cookies with a center of buttercream.  These tasty beauties have no coconut but still contain the egg whites and sugar of it's Canadian cousin plus ground almonds or almond meal or almond flour.  You know a rose by any other name....

So you may ask, what tickled my fancy to whip up a batch of pretty little macarons.  Well, somehow tonight I started thinking about my age and how in places like France woman of  'a certain age' are more appreciated for their beauty and experience (don't we just call these appreciated woman Cougars here...) and that made me think of France and of Paris and of French Meringue also known as Macarons.  So what started out as me feeling old and fat and tired ended up in light teal macarons with a vanilla buttercream filling.  My mind never ceases to amaze me!

These are not perfect and if I were in a classroom I would have my hand slapped as the tops (and bottoms) do have a little peak.  But after taste testing about 5, you know quality control is important, there was no flavour difference between the ones with the peaks and the ones without.  Plus vanilla buttercream makes the world a better place even if it settles in the wrong spots on 'women of a certain age' bodies.

I used the Swiss Meringue recipe I have as it is more forgiving than the French Meringue recipe.  Macarons are very sensitive to humidity and if you don't believe that try making them on a humid day even with your air conditioner on.  The recipes are similar but the method is not.  Please use a scale and weigh out your ingredients for this and using the egg whites you purchase in a container in the grocery store works well.

Today I have given you the recipe for the macarons I made above.  Please note you could easily 1/2 this recipe as I was able to make 3 large trays out of 1 batch.  

Almond Macaron (Swiss Meringue)

250g ground almonds or almond flour

250g icing sugar (powdered sugar)

200g egg whites

250g sugar

Pinch of salt

2.5ml almond extract

Line a couple of jelly roll pans with parchment and set aside.  If you wish you can draw circles about 1-2 inches on the parchment with about 1 1/2 inches of space between each circle and place the circle side face down on your baking tray as a guide for piping batter.

Place sugar and ground almonds in a food processor and buzz for about 1 minute until a fine powder forms. Put through a sieve and discard any large pieces.  Set mixture aside.

Place sugar and egg whites in heat proof mixing bowl, like your Kitchenaid bowl, and place over a bowl of just simmering water.  Using a whisk, whisk the mixture until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture reaches about 45-50C.  (Tip: if you rub the mixture between your fingers you should not feel any roughness or any sugar granules.)

Now beat the mixture on about medium-high until the whites form soft peaks.  Add in the pinch of salt and your gel type food colouring.  (Liquid food colouring doesn't work so well.) Keep beating until mixture forms medium-stiff peaks.

Using a large rubber spatula, fold in 1/3 of the flour mixture, and combine well.  Fold in the next 1/3, combine well and add in the final 1/3 and combine well.

Now fit a large piping bag with a large round tip and fill with mixture.  Pipe 1-2 inch circles on parchment paper and once piped BANG YOUR TRAYS ON THE COUNTER UNTIL THEY FLATTEN SLIGHTLY.  Now let sit on the counter for about 20 or more minutes.  The tops become firm or develop a slight skin.

Bake at 300F for about 10-12 minutes.  Bottoms should be set and the centre will be slightly moist.  You will be able to lift one right off the sheet without it sticking when they are baked!

Let cool completely and match up sizes so when you put your filling in they look uniform.

You can fill these with chocolate ganache, your favourite Swiss meringue buttercream or your favourite buttercream.  Flavour up your buttercreams with raspberry, strawberry, mango or whatever you love.  Go one step further and divide you batter into 2 or 3 smaller bowls and colour each batch a different colour and match up your fillings.

Starting out...don't be intimidated!

Ready to pipe

Ready to pop into the oven

Voila.

Happy Birthday Sweet Boy! Peanut Butter Oreo Brownies!!

 

Happy Birthday Robert

 

This Sunday, April 28th, will be my son's 20th birthday.  It seems like just a few months ago he was the kid in the green pj's running around with his little brother (the one in the floppy onsie with the hockey stick).  How does this tie in to Peanut Butter Oreo Brownies or Slutty Brownies as he says they're called.

 

Robert has never been a fan of cake and icing (still find it hard to believe I gave birth to a child that isn't a fan of cake and icing...) but he is a fan of peanut butter.  Actually peanut butter has been his staple lunch for most of his child hood.  So mix in a little peanut butter with the Oreo's and pour over a nice brownie batter and you have his requested dessert along with an ice cream cake to celebrate the transition from the teens years to the 'tees'.  You know, no more sevenTEEN, eightTEEN, nineTEEN....now you get to be taken more seriously, well as serious as we will take a twenTEE year old.

 

The recipe Rob found called for an Oreo cookie, a blob of peanut butter, another Oreo on top of that and then brownie batter poured on top.  I thought just 1 Oreo topped with a blob of peanut butter and then topped with the Baker's Chocolate One Bowl Brownie batter (easy and yummy and no mixer required).  Bake in paper lined individual muffin tins and yum a little over the top dessert in a nice portion controlled size.  Add a scoop of ice cream to this and how great would that be.

 

Oreo's topped with peanut butter

With One Bowl Brownie batter on top

 

Finished...see the little bubbles of hot peanut butter oozing out of the top...wait until they cool before enjoying.

 

Oh, by the way this recipe is not for the faint of heart.  Just make it and don't think about it.  Remember it is all in the portion control.

 

Baker's One Bowl Chocolate Brownies

 

Preheat oven to 350F.  Foil line and spray a 13 x 9 inch pan.  Have foil overhand on edges for easy pickup.

 

3/4 cup butter

4 squares Baker's unsweetend chocolate

2 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 cup flour

1 tsp vanilla

Add in's - 1/2 cup chopped peanuts or pecans or other nuts or white chocolate chips

 

In microwave safe bowl melt butter with chocolate and stir until chocolate is smooth; about 2 minutes.  Add in the sugar and mix well then add in the eggs one at a time mixing well after each.  Now add in the vanilla and mix.  Now add in the flour and your add ins.  Stir a few more times and voila! you are done.

 

Spead evenly in prepared pan and bake for about 25 minutes.  Do not overbake.  I prefer my brownies a little underdone to overdone as a moist brownie is the best.

 

Cut them up into small squares when they are cool and layer them with ice cream and finish off with a little whip cream and a few sprinkles.

 

I think you will find these sweet enuf for the sweet tooth in your family.  Happy baking.

 



Sugar Cookies-Better and Better

I seem to be on a bit of a roll with the themed sugar cookies.  Today's post is for a better sugar cookie recipe that is even tastier than the last one. 

I guess I will have to keep mixing, cutting, baking, icing and eating to find 'my' ultimate sugar cookies!  Take a look at these cuties....

These 'Onsie's' are covered with fondant and outlined in royal icing.  They taste delicious and will look cute on a dessert table, tray or even individually wrapped in clear bags.

O.K. I must confess the t.v. is keeping me company while I write this and 'Ready For Love' is the new reality t.v. show with 3 super handsome, successful guys choosing from many women selected by 3 of the world's, YES THE WORLD's, best matchmaker's.  I guess it does kinda fit....finding love, making babies, babies needs onsie's, onsie cookies are for a baby shower....it must be my subconscious leading me to this new reality crap t.v. not JUST my addiction to reality t.v.  Ahhh, I feel better about watching it now!

Back to the cookies...below is the sugar cookie recipe I used.  I did not chill it as directed because I didn't have the time but I would suggest chilling the portion of dough you are not working with while you roll out and cut the cookies from your first portion of dough.  I was able to get about 24 cookies out of this batch using the approx. 4" cutter.  If using a smaller cutter you will obviously get additional cookies.

Sugar Cookies:

5 1/2 cups of flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract

Method:
Preheat oven to 350F.

In large mixer, cream butter and sugar, until smooth.  Add eggs and vanilla to butter mixture and beat well.

In medium bowl mix together the flour, baking powder and salt.

Slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in about 3-4 additions and mix after each until combined.  Do not overmix.

Chill in refrigerator for about 30 minutes.  (I just chilled the dough I wasn't currently working with BUT do know if the dough gets too warm it will be difficult to work with and spread too much while baking).

Roll out dough onto floured surface, to 1/4-inch thickness, and cut with cookie cutters and bake on parchment lined sheets for about 8-12 minutes.  Edges should just be golden not brown.

Let cool.

These cookies are yummy just as is but for this shower I coloured up some white fondant and used the same cookie cutter to cut out the shape and adhered it to the cookie with a little water.  I then mixed up some Royal Icing and outlined the cookies for a little more oomph.  Enjoy!

Sugar Cookies-What's Not to Love

My lovely niece Melissa got engaged a couple of weeks ago and what better way to say 'Congrats' than with a girly get together.  Heart shaped sugar cookies with pink royal icing, chocolate cupcakes with strawberry swiss meringue butter cream icing and cake with pink icing were the treats and I must say there is nothing like biting into that delicious combination of butter and sugars that form the cookie part of the hearts.  Top that with sugary, sweet royal icing, especially in pink, and you have a favourite for everyone!

 

Heart Shaped Sugar Cookies

 

I know it has been months since my last blog but tonight one of my sons showed me (finally) how to get music onto my new ipod...so I feel like I am now technically more savvy and I was able to download the photos from my ipad to my computer to put on my blog.  Wow, I am even more amazing than usual!

 

Back to the cookies.  I have been looking for the perfect sugar cookie recipe and I have been using for some time a recipe from Gay Lea butter with much success.  I did find a recipe on the internet from All Recipes claiming to be the best sugar cookie recipe so I gave that one a try and it was good but then I found another one from Daphna Rabinovich on the Canadian Food Network site and gave it a try.  The heart cookies are from this recipe.

 

I found Daphna's recipe to be a little more tasty as it has brown sugar and white sugar in it.  I think the brown sugar adds to the flavour of the cookie and even without the royal icing it is very tasty. 

 

The only thing I changed was I added another 1/4 cup of butter.  I found I needed it to make the dough come together better before pressing it together to chill.

 

Give it a try and see what you think.  I definitely did not get 36 cookies out of it but I made pretty large cookies as you can see so I was able to get about 18 cookies out of 1 batch.

 

A little hint I discovered which helps with the rolling out process.  After removing dough from fridge let it sit on counter for 10-15 minutes and then gently knead a few times before rolling and cutting.

 

Preheat oven to 375F

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.

 

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I use unbleached)

1/2 tsp baking powder

pinch salt

3/4 cup butter softened (I added anothe 1/4 cup to make 1 cup total)

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

 

In medium bowl combine floour, baking powder and salt.

 

In large bowl using mixer, beat butter until light and fluffy; beat in sugar in 3 additions.  Beat in egg and vanilla.

 

Use wooden spoon stir in flour in 3 additions.

 

Divide dough in half and flatten slightly.  Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in fridge for at least 1 hour or for up to 24 hours.

 

On lightly floured surface, roll out dough, 1 piece at a time, to 1/4-inch thickness.  Use 3-inch cookie cutter, cut out shapes.

 

Press scraps together to reroll. 

 

Bake in centre of oven for 10 minutes or until light golden on bottom and edges.  Let cool on baking sheets.

 



Snicker's Cupcakes

It has been a few weeks since I have had a chance to get into my kitchen and try out something new.  My house has been put up for sale so that has meant it has to look like no one lives in it during the open houses and showings.  Hide the knife block, the cupcake tins, the mixmaster, the dogs and the kids!

So during this time of exile how did I pass the hours?  Why, by looking at more and more food porn everyday.  I must say you do get a little tired of the 'same old' day after day.  I don't get the same tingle from the candy sprinkled chocolate iced cupcake that I used to.  Show me more, show me something I haven't seen before. Luckily I was saved from going to far by the return of my kitchen.

And people tell me I need to get out more!!

These 'cheater' recipes I keep coming across all seem to have one element in common...the cupcake or cake starts from a mix.  And they are raved about.  I think most of us are used to store bought cakes and cupcakes and want that light, airy texture that is not quite there in a scratch cake.  Although I think a cake from scratch is more flavourful it usually is a little denser and people just don't understand all the real ingredients make it this way.  Well, that is my opinion.  But as most of us are in a rush these recipes are pretty much fool-proof and do get great reviews!

In these quick, easy recipes it seems to not matter what type of cake mix you use, vanilla, devil's, chocolate (I have noticed the American's use Devil's food and call them chocolate yet chocolate mix does exist...not sure why they do this) you just add the same ingredients: 1 cup buttermilk, 1/2 cup oil, 3 eggs, 1/2 cup sour cream and 1-2 tsp. of vanilla.

What sets these little darlings apart is the icing and the embellishments.  So here are some pictures and the recipe for Snicker's Cupcakes.  Easy, peasy, really!  You only need a mixer for the icing!

Peanut butter icing atop Devils Food Cupcakes

You will need 1 box Devil's Food Cake Mix (or chocolate)
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup sour cream
3 eggs
1-2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350F.  Line 18 muffin tins with liners.

Whisk together all the ingredients except the cake mix until well combined.  Stir in cake mix and mix until combined.

Fill prepared muffin tins about 3/4 full and bake 20-25 minutes or until tops spring back when lightly touched.  Set aside and cool.

Peanute Butter Icing - I WOULD DOUBLE THIS IF YOU LIKE TO HAVE NICE FULL PILLOWS OF FROSTING!

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup peanut butter, smooth
3-4 cups icing sugar, possibly more
1 tsp vanilla extract
2-4 tablespoons milk or cream (as needed to get spreading consistency)

Snickers bar or 2, cut into pieces to garnish tops
Peanuts, whole or chopped to garnish tops

In a medium bowl using electric mixer beat the butter and peanut butter until smooth and combined well.  Add in the vanilla and mix together.  Add in icing sugar a cup or two at a time and beat until smooth.  Add in milk as needed to get nice smooth spreadable consistency.

Use a knife or an icing bag with a star tip to ice these moist, yummy little cakes and top each with a piece of the chocolate bar and a sprinkle of peanuts.

Want even more....chop another couple of Snickers bars and fold into the cupcake batter.

These are certainly sweet enuf for this Thanksgiving's dessert table.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Icing & Crispy Peanut Chicken

I have been 'Pinning'!  No, not finally hemming pants that have been dragging on the ground because they are too long to wear with my flats or fixing the sweater that has unravelled with a large darning needle.  I mean the pinning where you click on colourful, enticing photos, mostly of food items, sweet food items, for me anyway...and that you save to a board.  Why would you spend time pinning, you ask??  I'm not really sure.  Maybe I am supposed to have some 'Oprah' moments where I gaze longingly at these images and say I WILL GO there, or I WILL do that.  Mostly I'm depressed since I won't look like those people, ever afford to travel to those exotic locals or....but wait...there is one thing I can do!  I will re-create cupcakes and other food items I see just because I can and somehow this will make me feel better about sitting and clicking on assorted photos on the computer.

Believe me this tastes better than my photo makes it look! 
Crispy Peanut Chicken with Dipping Sauce - well I had to make a relatively healthy main course before I could indulge in the cupcakes.  This in some way makes me feel better about my cupcake side dish, my cupcake dessert and my cupcake snack!

Now for the cupcakes.  According to reports on Pinterest from those in the 'know', whoever they may be, these cupcakes are the BEST EVER.  Although made using a box cake mix, yes, truly a box of good old Devil's Food Cake Mix as the base they passed the good friend/neighbour test and I was asked for the recipes of the chicken and the cupcakes. So here you go.

Crispy Peanut Chicken w. Dipping Sauce

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup finely chopped unslated peanuts
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander or parsley
1 tsp grated lime rind
Pinch salt & pepper
1 egg
3 tbsp vegetable oil

Flatten chicken pieces to an even thickness.  In a shallow dish, stir together flour, peanuts, parsley/coriander (if using), lime rind, salt and pepper.  (Note:  I forgot lime once and it still turned out yummy.)  In another shallow dish, lightly beat egg.  Dip chicken into egg and let excess drip off then dip chicken into flour mixture, turning to coat and shaking off excess.

Heat oil in non-stick fry pan over medium-high heat.  Fry chicken, turning once, until cooked through, about 8-10 minutes depending on thickness.

Meanwhile for dipping sauce:  whisk together 2 tablespoons minced green onions, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons rice vinegar and 1 teaspoon brown sugar.  Serve with the chicken as dipping sauce or drizzle over chicken before serving.

Chocolate Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350F.  Line 24 muffin cups with liners.

1 Box Devil's Food Cake Mix
3 eggs
3/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup buttermilk

Whisk together the eggs, sour cream, vegetable oil, vanilla, cinnamon and buttermilk.  (I added 1/4 cup cocoa powder to up the chocolate factor.)  Add in the cake mix and just stir until everything is all mixed together.

Fill muffin cups about three-quarters full and bake until tops spring back lightly when touched or a tooth pick inserted in centre comes out clean.  Cool completely before frosting.

My easy icing is just approx. 1/2 cup room temperature butter, 1/4 cup cocoa powder, 4-6 cups icing sugar and 2-6 tablespoons cream or milk.  Mix together with mixer until well combined and a spreadable consistency. 

Hope you find these recipes Sweet Enuf!  Happy baking.

Toffee Meltaway Shortbread

Looking for a melt in your mouth cookie that will satisfy your sweet tooth.  Even those of you whose go-to cookie of choice normally contains chocolate may be converted to a chocolate free treat.

These little mounds of whipped shortbread peppered with toffee bits will melt in your mouth and are the perfect few bites at the end of a meal or just because. 

Melt in Your Mouth Shortbread!

One of the best things about these cookies is the fact you just scoop and bake.  No chilling in the fridge first, no patting or rolling out and then cutting into shapes.  Just a few minutes spent mixing the butter, sugar and vanilla really well then adding the dry ingredients then the toffee bits and voila! a delicious cookie that will get rave reviews.

As always, make sure your butter is at room temperature and use pure vanilla extract not artifical vanilla extract.  I use toffee bits but chocolate toffee bits would work just as well if you must have your chocolate hit.  Give them a try and I bet they become one of your favourites! 

Toffee Meltaway Shortbread

Preheat oven to 350F.  Parchment line 2 cookie sheets.

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup icing sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup corn starch
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup toffee bits

Beat the butter, icing sugar and vanilla in the large mixing bowl of a stand mixer for several minutes until mixture is creamy.   In a separate bowl mix the flour, corn starch, baking powder and salt together.  Add to creamed mixture in 2 batches and mix.  Add in toffee bits and mix in well...this will only take a few seconds.

The dough will come together nicely! 

Roll heaping tablespoons of dough into balls and place about 2-inches apart on lined baking sheets.  I use a medium or small icecream scoop and just plop the dough onto the baking sheets.

Bake about 15 minutes until bottoms are nicely browned.  Let cool slightly and remove from sheets.  Enjoy!

Coming Soon....Experimenting with Cupcake Bouquets...