Orange Angel Food Cake & Winnie the Pooh

It was recently brought to my attention that Winnie the Pooh, the lovable, simple, somewhat overweight bear and I share some similar qualities or quirks.  A friend of mine recently read an article by the Canadian Medical Association,  no lie, there is actually an article outlining the different disorders the Winnie-the-Pooh story book characters may suffer from now and in the future.  (Question: As they are fictional and never grow up how can they possibly develop additional disorders?)

The Poohster and I have a similar fixation.  We are both obsessed with sweets. His being honey and mine being sugar, brown sugar, icing sugar, super fine sugar....I see what my friend means.

Orange Angel Food Cake

And tonight because of that fixation I baked up this light and simple but tasty Angel Food Cake.

The recipe is from The Barefoot Contessa's Family Style cookbook and her version is made with lemon.  I used orange zest instead of the lemon as that is what I had available.  This cake makes up light and moist and is great topped with a glaze, or whipped cream and a few berries.  

A couple of tips before going ahead and grabbing your bundt pan....you will need superfine or fruit sugar for this recipe.  Superfine sugar, fruit sugar and quick dissolving sugar are all exactly the same.  It is just granulated sugar processed finer.  It is more expensive and occasionally difficult to find so pull out your food processor, add in the required amount of sugar and process it for about 60 seconds.  You have now saved yourself about $3.00.  

The recipe calls for Cake flour (same as Cake & Pastry flour BUT different from Self-Rising flour) and says "1 1/3 cups sifted cake flour", which means you sift your flour BEFORE measuring out the required amount.  And yes, it will make a difference.  If you measure out the 1 1/3 cups and sift it then measure out 1 1/3 cups there will be flour left over.  This step helps to keep you cake light and fluffy.

I used pasturized eggs whites found in the dairy section as I just don't know what to do with the dozen or so egg yolks I would have left over after separating all those eggs.  

Always make sure you have your ingredients ready to go and double check you have everything. That way you will not find out once you have started you do not have or cannot find the Cream of Tartar.  I did make the recipe without the Cream of Tartar tonight but normally I use it. Cream of Tartar is a stabilizer and it helps to keep your whipped egg whites thick and stiff once whipped to that point.

So back to Winnie, Piglet, Owl, Tigger, Kanga, Rabbit, Christopher Robin and my issues.  Winnie suffers from Impulsivity with Obsessive Fixations on Honey.  He will grab it whenever he can and is prepared to take risks to acquire it.  I can relate.  Whenever I see a vanilla cake with vanilla frosting my mouth actually salivates.  It is like I will never, ever, ever have another piece of cake so I must eat as much as possible when the opportunity strikes.  It doesn't matter that I see it every day...I cannot help myself.  So obviously this obsessive behaviour is contributing to Winnie's obesity and my widening back end.  Do you remember when he was so fat he got stuck trying to get out of, I think it was, Piglet's or Rabbit's, door!  

I'm not sure I have reached the risk taking stage yet of searching out sugar but I would imagine if the last Smarties box on earth required me to risk a limb I might just go for it.  And Winnie also suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder which is displayed by his repetitive counting.  Is that like humming continually without realizing your doing it or ordering another cupcake book just because it is out there!

The character I found most interesting was Christopher Robin.  The CMA has diagnosed him with possible Schizophrenia as his imagination often manifests itself through auditory hallucinations-all of the characters are formed in his mind.  He may outgrow this as he is only a child.

My comment to them is....Christopher Robin is not real.  He is just as imaginary as Winnie, Tigger and the rest.  Enough said.

Orange Angel Food Cake- Especially delightful on a Blustery Day

Preheat oven to 350F.  Light spray a bundt pan with cooking spray and set aside.

2 cups superfine sugar, divided
1 1/3 cups sifted cake flour 
1 1/2 cups egg whites, room temperature (approx. 10-12 eggs)
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
3/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons grated orange zest

Combine 1/2 cup of sugar with flour and sift together (Ina says 4x but I did it 1x).

In the bowl of an electric mixer place egg whites, salt and cream of tartar.  Using whisk attachment beat on high until the eggs make medium-firm peaks.  With the mixer on medium speed add in the remaining 1 1/2 cups of sugar by sprinkling it over the beaten egg whites. Whisk with mixer for several minutes until mixture is thick and shiny.  Whisk in the vanilla and orange zest and continue to whisk until very thick, about 1 minute more.  Remove bowl from mixer.

Egg Whites - Thick & Shiny
Using a rubber spatula, fold in about 1/4 of the flour mixture.  Continue adding flour in fourths folding in with rubber spatula until it is all incorporated.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.  Bake for 35-40 minutes until the cake springs back when touched lightly.

Remove and let cool.  Use small rubber spatula to loosen cake from center and sides and invent onto cake plate or cooling rack.

Now sit down and enjoy a piece of this and celebrate whatever quirks make you the unique individual you are.

Ambrosial Raspberry Lemon Scones with Streusel Topping- Amazing!

Raspberry Lemon Scones with Streusel Topping

Today's post is about truly amazing, fabulously delightful, divine tasting scones and a bunch of 6 degrees of separation stuff, which is all after the recipe just in case you get bored before then!

First things first though.  I cannot take any credit for the above amazing scones.  These are like nothing I have had in ages or maybe ever.  If you have been purchasing scones at Starbucks or elsewhere STOP immediately!  Don't waste your precious money on a substandard product....at least make these once.  Just once and you will see what I mean.

I did take the photo of my cousin Jan's scones which she quickly (I mean you can make these beauties in 10 minutes-not counting baking time) baked up during my visit.  Our friend Mary sent us a link she found on Pinterest from BE BOOK BOUND, a blog that ran this recipe on February 15, 2012.

The original recipe is for Terri Bender's Lemon Blueberry Scones, which Mary made with raspberries instead of the blueberries.  She sent us the link and raved about them.  Jan has made them several times using the raspberries.  I did not get around to baking them up myself but for sure they are on my list.

One of the great things is they are just so flavourful, tender and moist.  Even the next day they retain they moistness.  Struesel topping adds so much to them and then just a small bit of glaze truly sets them apart as a must bake again treat.

So go ahead and give them a try!  Just remember we have subbed in raspberries wherever blueberries are called for.

Preheat oven to 400F.  Parchment line a baking sheet. 

My suggestions:  You don't need a food processor.  Just use your fingertips to work in butter or a pastry cutter.  No buttermilk...no worries...add 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to a liquid measuring cup and fill with milk to 3/4 cup measure.  Let sit for about 5 minutes.  No need to cut out biscuits.  Just pat out into a circle or square and cut through with a knife into wedges or circles.  When finished baking go over cuts again.

2 1/4 cups flour

2 tsp baking  powder

1/2 tsp each salt & baking soda

4 tablespoons sugar

1/2 cup COLD butter, cut into small cubes

3/4 cup buttermilk

1 egg

3/4 cup raspberries

grated zest from 1 lemon

Streusel Topping-mix together in small bowl and set aside

1/4 cup oats

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon butter, melted

1 tablespoon flour

Lemon Glaze-mix together while scones are baking

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 cups icing sugar

1 tablespoon butter, melted

Sift the dry ingredients of the scone into a food processor. Add the cold, cubed butter into bowl of food processor with the lemon zest.  Pulse the mixture until the butter is the size of peas.  Pour the mixture into a large bowl, add the raspberries and toss with the flour mixture.  

Mix together the buttermilk and egg and add to the dry ingredients.  Fold together gently, being careful not to break the berries.  Press dough into a large circles on a floured surface.  Cut out dough with a biscuit cutter.  Sprinkle Streusel on top of biscuits and place them on prepared cookie sheet and bake for approximately 18-20 minutes.

Let scones cool slightly before glazing.

Now on to the 6-Degrees of Separation kinda thing.  You know the game where everyone in Hollywood is somehow connected to Kevin Bacon.  For example he starred in Foot Loose with Sean Penn's brother so he is connected back to Sean Penn..ONLY this is with Bruce Jenner, The Kardashian's and David Foster.  I'm not sure how this even began sometime during the whole baking and eating scones but it seems having access to an iPad allows you to google just way too much stuff.  

So let's begin...Bruce Jenner who most of us recognize as Kris Jenner's (nee Kardashian) poorly face-lifted husband was a Gold Medal Decathlon winner in the 1976 Summer Olympics and appeared on boxes of Wheaties (this was before athletes commanded huge price tags for advertisements, etc.)  During this time he was married to his 1st wife and had 2 children.  He also was the replacement for Erik Estrada (if you remember him you are dating yourself big time) on the hit t.v. show CHiPs!  (Who knew he was so famous before the Kardashian's!!)  Now it gets even more interesting.  His 2nd wife was Linda Thompson, who had a 5 year live-in relationship with the King, and yes, I do mean Elvis.  Really.  Linda then married Bruce and they had 2 boys, Brandon and Brody.  Yes, from the Princes of Bel-Air the short lived reality show that aired just before the divorce of Linda and her next husband David Foster.  Oh, but I am getting ahead of myself.

So Linda and Bruce have 2 boys.  Brody went on to act or reality act on The Hills.  Not sure what Brandon's claim to fame is other then they have the spoiled rich good looking thing working for them.  O.K. are you following so far.

Bruce now is married to Kris the mother of the 4 Kardashian children and they procreate and add another 2 girls into the mix, Kendall and Kylie.  So Bruce has 6 kids.  

How does all this tie in to the tabloid grabbing Kardashian's with the 6 degrees of separation.  

Brody and Brandon are step siblings.

Kendall and Kylie are half siblings.

Burt and Casey (from his 1st marriage) are half siblings to Brody and Brandon

What is even more interesting is David Foster who was married for, I believe, quite a long time to Linda Thompson, has 5 biological daughters.  Sara Foster who was on 90210 and Erin Foster who was on The O.C.  

And you remember Clay Aiken, the guy who won a season of American Idol.  Well David Foster's sister is the mother of his child.  Isn't Clay gay?  How does that all work?

Remember I did state today was a lot about nothing.   If you can retain any of this silly information it might come in handy in a trivia game.  Goretti, are you there??

Go have a scone!

Banana Butterscotch Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Icing & Toffee Bits

Banana Butterscotch Cupcakes
Topped with Brown Sugar Icing and Toffee

Today's recipe is Fluffy Banana Cake baked into cupcake liners and topped with a basic buttery icing to which I added a few tablespoons of brown sugar and after icing topped with some toffee bits for a little more of the butterscotch/caramel flavour and to add a little pizzaz.

This wonderful recipe is delicious baked in 8-inch cake pans but works well and bakes up great as cupcakes.  Fold in toffee bits, chocolate chips, white chocolate, even walnuts to the batter to add a little crunch or flavour.  These treats are moist and definitely sweet even without icing.

In today's recipe I used butter instead of the shortening called for in the original Sunbeam Mixmaster Recipe book from 1951/1952.  Seriously, we have been using this recipe forever and it was included in the recipe book accompanying my mom's Sunbeam Mixmaster which she received as a wedding gift way back when.  The recipe is great and has never failed us.  I have taken the liberty to paraphrase some of the instructions!

Fluffy Banana Cake (or Cupcakes)

Preheat oven to 350F.  Prepare muffin tins or cake tins.

2 large or 3 small ripe bananas, peeled and mashed

Sift together:

2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

Into large bowl of mixer put:

1/2 cup shortening (room temperature)  I used butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

Beat on medium-high speed for 1 1/2 minutes.  Scrap down sides of bowl.

Now add 1/4 cup buttermilk or sour milk into bowl of mixer and mix in quickly.

Add the sifted flour mixture alternately with the mashed banana while beating on a low speed. Scrape down sides of bowl and beat in flour in 3 additions and banana in 2 additions.  Mix only until flour has blended in.

Fold in any optional ingredients you may be using such as nuts, chocolate chips, etc.

Divide evenly into prepared pans and bake for approximately 25-30 minutes in preheated oven. Cake is done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool completely before icing.

Uniced Banana Butterscotch Cupcake
Still tasty, sweet and moist!

Cupcake with icing and toffee
Even Better

Imperfect Perfection - Macaroons

My Imperfect Macaroons!

I came across a blog by BraveTart, a baker who makes macaroons several times a day in a kitchen in the hot and humid climate of Florida.

What's so unique about another recipe or article about macaroons?  Well the fact that she says these little treats which can be so finicky to make and have a mystique surrounding them (they won't turn out if it is humid, the egg whites need to be aged for the best results, they must sit for at least 20 minutes to dry to help develop their feet before baking, etc., etc.) are really quite simple to make and most of the mystique is just nonsense.

BraveTart goes on to walk you through a recipe and also has an article on 10 Myths about Macaroons.  Check out BraveTart.com.

The point that stood out to me the most was that no matter what they look like they still taste great. You only need to be worried they are not perfect if you are selling them in a Bakery.  Otherwise give yourself a pat on the back for making them and give yourself a few times to get down the piping, the fillings and the correct consistency of your whipped egg whites and sugar before you give up.

I ate so many of my imperfects that I had to go for a walk and do one of those workouts you find on Pinterest that are supposed to scorch calories...and yes they were delicious especially the ones filled with the chocolate ganache.

So don't let these little babies intimidate you, everything needs practice and no matter their shape or size a macaroon filled with chocolate ganache, a little buttercream or even some nutella, is still perfection.  Or at least one type of perfection.  Let's not forget vanilla cupcakes, chocolate studded brownies, banana bread, shortbreads, oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, toffee...

Pumpkin-Raisin Cake....So Moist & Flavourful

Pumpkin Cake warm from the oven

Well it certainly has been a while and I suppose the road to Hell is awaiting me...you know the road to Hell is paved with good intentions!  Believe me my blogging intentions are always good.

It just seems that between the idea of the recipe(s) I would like to bake or ice or decorate and the spare time to make it happen I seem to have a time management issue.  Or maybe it is having a full time job that interferes...which is a good thing...the job I mean.

Today's recipe is a truly easy, as in only a wooden spoon is needed to mix everything to perfection, moist and flavourful cake.  I tried this recipe from Nancie McDermott's book 'Southern Cakes' and it is a definite fav.

This book is filled with a little history on each cake such as it's origin or tips passed on from family or other cooks.  There are a variety of  recipes like Red Velvet cake, Ocracoke Island Fig cake, Tomato Soup cake, etc.  So this is not your everyday run of the mill cake book.

I have made this cake many times and I prefer to leave out the raisins.  I also ice it with my favourite buttercream instead of the offered Lemon-Cream Cheese Frosting.  The cake is currently baking up as I write this.

Give it a try you won't be disappointed!

TIP: make sure to buy pure pumpkin NOT pumpkin pie filling!  As well check the ingredient label to make sure your pure pumpkin is not a blend of squash and pumpkin.

PUMPKIN-RAISIN CAKE

Preheat oven to 325F.  Grease 2 8- or 9-inch pans.

2 1/2 cups self-rising flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 cup raisins
1cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 cups canned pumpkin

In a medium bowl, combine the self-rising flour with the cinnamon and nutmeg, stirring with a fork to mix everything well.  In another medium bowl, combine the raisins and nuts with 1/4 cup of the flour mixture and 2 tablespoons of the oil and toss to mix well.

In a large bowl, combine the sugar and the remaining 1 cup of oil, and mix well with a wooden spoon.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add the remaining flour mixture all at once and stir just until the flour disappears into the batter.  Add the pumpkin and mix thoroughly.  Stir in the floured raisins and nuts, gently mix them in well, and then quickly transfer the batter to the cake pans.

Bake at 325F for about 25 minutes, or until the cake begins to pull away from sides of the pan and springs back when touched lightly in the center.  Cool completely.

Ice with cream-cheese frosting, or glaze or icing.

SPICED TOFFEE CHIP COOKIES

 Spicy Toffee Cookies warm from the oven

On a hot humid day like today most of you are thinking about a cold beer or a pink lemonade on ice.  I waited until the sun was setting so I could turn my oven on and not overheat my house!  Mind you sipping on the iced beverage did help pass the time.

I have had this recipe sitting in a drawer for months with the intention of whipping it up when I had a few minutes.  These contain spices you often associate with the winter season, cinnamon, nutmeg and ground ginger. In my mind warm cookies with a hit of toffee are great for any season.  Just remember if you know anyone with a nut allergy toffee chips contain almonds.

Today during a terrific yoga class the instructor was talking to the class about contentment and enjoying what you have.  We spend so much time thinking about what to do next, our to-do list, how to get more stuff and ways to run around and do more in less time so maybe, just maybe, we can have a half hour to ourselves.

How does this tie into Spicy Toffee Cookies....well it got me to thinking how happy I am in the kitchen and how very content I am in my new space and how happy I am when something I make turns out as tasty as I hope and that lead me to pull out this recipe that keeps getting put on the top of the pile of 'my bake it up soon' recipes but never seems to get done.  So today I took my yoga instructor's advice and enjoyed all my moments of baking up these easy spiced cookies.  I especially enjoyed the "quality control" portion of the exercise.

These are so quick and easy to make they will be added to my regular rotation.

Spiced Toffee Chip Cookies

Preheat oven to 350F.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar, light or dark
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 cup toffee bits (I used SKOR bits)
Optional:  3-4 tablespoons of granulated sugar

Beat butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until light.  Add in egg and beat well.  Add in vanilla and mix in well.

In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.  Add into butter mixture and mix until incorporated (just until you no flour is visible).  Add in toffee bits and stir in well.

Drop by tablespoonful onto prepared sheets and DO NOT flatten.  (You could roll into balls but I find using a medium or small ice cream scoop is easier as the dough is quite buttery.)  Space cookies about 2 inches apart as they flatten out and spread during baking.

If you wish you can roll the blobs of dough or the little balls in the sugar before placing on the baking sheets.  I just sprinkled some sugar over top of the cookies before baking.

Bake about 12 minutes or until set.

Suggestion:  Instead of toffee bits chop up some Skor bars and add in the chocolate toffee bar pieces.

I don't think you can eat just one of these spicy toffee chewy cookies.
 

Chocolate Shortbread Cookies

I seem to be craving chocolate more than usual, which is saying something believe you me, and I remembered a mouth-watering rich chocolate goodie I used to bake up.  I found this easy to whip up chocolate shortbread recipe back in 2006 on the 'Chipits' site.  

I did omit the white Chipits when I baked these up as I wanted to roll them and cut them out into shapes.  By all means add it some white chocolate chips, or mini chocolate chips or dark chocolate chips.  But these are definite winners on their own without the add ins.

The dough comes together nicely in a stand mixer and is fairly soft but can still be quickly kneaded together and patted out to about 1/4 inch thickness.  You could even drop the dough by spoonfuls and flatten slightly with the heel of your hand onto the prepared sheets to hasten the process.

Little Chocolate Angels

1 cup butter, room temperature

1 1/4 cups icing sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup cocoa

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

chocolate chips if desired

Preheat oven to 300F and line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Beat butter, sugar and vanilla until creamy.  Add in cocoa and blend well.  Gradually add flour, stirring until smooth.  (I did all steps in my stand mixer using the #1 speed when adding in cocoa and flour).

Roll or pat the dough out to about 1/4-inch thickness on lightly floured surface.  (I patted out in 3 different portions for ease of handling.) Using cookie cutter cut out desired shapes and place about an inch apart on prepared sheets.  You can re-roll scrapes of dough.

Bake for about 15-20 minutes until firm.  

Like I mentioned how easy is that and they are superb...well in my humble opinion.

These will also freeze well!  Great with a cup of tea or coffee on a beautiful Sunday in June.