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Muffin Cake

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I have a lot of raspberries.  What can I say?

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup milk

1 egg, beaten

6 tbsp melted butter

3 tablespoons lemon juice

 

1/2 cup raspberry jam (see recipe below)

ICING

1 cup powdered sugar

1-2 tablespoons lemon juice

DIRECTIONS

Mash 1 cup of raspberries in a small saucepan. Add 1/4 cup water and 1/4 cup sugar.  Bring to a slow boil for approximately 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Butter and flour 9 inch round cake tin.

Whisk together dry ingredients.

Stir in wet ingredients. Do not over mix.

Pour into prepared cake pan. Swirl in raspberry jam on surface.

Bake for approx. 20-22 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.

When cool, mix powdered sugar with lemon juice and drizzle on top.

 

Love, Chocolate Cake.

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img_4910I came across this cake on AddAPinch.com and will never look back. It’s the kind of cake that you make for people you love and people you want to love you back.

 INGREDIENTS

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking powder

1½ teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon espresso powder

1 cup milk

½ cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup boiling water

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350º F. Prepare two 9-inch cake pans by spraying with baking spray or buttering and lightly flouring.

For the cake:

Sift together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt and espresso powder into the bowl of a stand mixer.

Add milk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla to flour mixture and mix together on medium speed until well combined. Reduce speed and carefully add boiling water to the cake batter. Beat on high speed for about 1 minute to add air to the batter.

Distribute cake batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes, remove from the pan and cool completely.

Frost. Eat. Love.

CHOCOLATE BUTTER CREAM

INGREDIENTS

1½ cups butter, softened

1 cup unsweetened cocoa

5 cups confectioner’s sugar

½ cup milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

½ teaspoon espresso powder

DIRECTIONS

Add cocoa to a large bowl or bowl of stand mixer. Whisk through to remove any lumps.

Cream together butter and cocoa powder until well-combined.

Add sugar and milk to cocoa mixture by adding 1 cup of sugar followed by about a tablespoon of milk. After each addition has been combined, turn mixer onto a high speed for about a minute. Repeat until all sugar and milk have been added.

Add vanilla extract and espresso powder and combine well.

If frosting appears too dry, add more milk, a tablespoon at a time until it reaches the right consistency. If it appears to wet and does not hold its form, add more confectioner’s sugar, a tablespoon at a time until it reaches the right consistency.

I got the recipe here.

 

 

 

 

Baby Elephant Ears

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I spent yesterday making puff pastry.  I need a lot of practice.  I’ll be making a few a my faves with this dough and see how it works best.  Today it is bite-sized elephant ears.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups granulated sugar

1 tablespoon cinnamon

2 sheets puff pastry

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Sprinkle 1/2 the sugar mix on a clean work surface. Lay the puff pastry on top of the sugar and sprinkle the remaining sugar mix on top of the pastry.
Using a rolling pin, roll the sugar into the dough, and roll the dough into an even rectangle, about 1/8-inch thick.
Working from the short ends of the rectangle, roll up each end of the dough to meet in the middle. Lay the rolls on top of each other and gently press to secure. Wrap the dough in plastic and let sit in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
Cut the dough into slices that are 1/4-inch thick. Lay the slices on 2 parchment paper or silpat-lined sheet trays and bake in the preheated oven for 12 minutes. Turn the slices over and bake for another 6 to 7 minutes. When done, the cookies should be golden brown.
Remove from the oven, and cool on a rack before serving.

I worked with this recipe.

Round Raspberry Cake

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I have a ton of raspberries.  The smell of this cake baking in the oven is as amazing.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 stick unsalted butter softened

2/3 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar divided

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 large egg

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 cup fresh berries

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Butter and flour a 9-inch round cake pan.

Whisk together dry ingredients.

Beat butter and 2/3 cup sugar with an electric mixer at medium for approx. 2 minutes then beat in egg and vanilla.

At low speed, mix in dry ingredients in three batches alternating with buttermilk–beginning and ending with flour.

Spoon batter into cake pan, smooth top and scatter raspberries even over the top.  Sprinting with remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar.

Bake until toothpick comes out clean about 25-30 minutes. Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then turn out to cool.

I got the recipe here.

Everything Bread

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Start this the night before and your family can wake up to a fresh loaf of rustic bread. Why don’t you get to wake up to a fresh loaf of rustic bread? Well, someone has to bake it. 

INGREDIENTS

3 cups flour

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon Instant yeast

Approx. 1 1/2 cups water

1 teaspoon each of minced onion, caraway, sesame, and poppy seeds

DIRECTIONS

Mix together the first 3 ingredients. Slowly add the water until dough is wet and a little loose.  combine minced onion, and seeds then fold into the dough.  Cover and let sit on the counter overnight.  In the morning heat oven to 500 degrees with dutch oven in it so it gets hot too.  Once the oven and pot have been heating for about 30 minutes, plop the dough into the dutch oven, sprinkle with additional seeds and onion if desired. Cook covered for 30 minutes.  Take lid off and let the top of the bread brown for about 10-15 minutes.

Aunt Jeanne’s Oatmeal Cookies

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This is from my husband’s Aunt Jeanne.  Amazingly simple and delicious.

INGREDIENTS

2 sticks softened salted butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup golden raisins

1 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 cups oats

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cream butter and sugars.  Add eggs, one at a time, vanilla, then cinnamon.  Mix in walnuts and raisins.  Mix in dry ingredients.

Spoon out onto cookie sheet teaspoon sized drops and bake for approximately 10 minutes until done.  Cool on rack and enjoy.

 

Thin Red Raspberry Line

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A little lemon and fresh raspberries turns a plain pound cake into a thing of beauty.

INGREDIENTS

½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 ¼ cups sugar

1 ½ teaspoons grated lemon zest

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus additional for pan

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

¾ cup sour cream

2 cups fresh raspberries

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9-inch loaf pan with parchment paper then butter and flour it. Using an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light. Mix in the lemon zest. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until light and fluffy. Mix in the vanilla.

Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the batter alternately with the sour cream, mixing just to combine. Spread half of the batter in the prepared pan. Cover with the raspberries. Top with the remaining batter, smoothing out the top.

Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour and 20 minutes. Place on a rack to cool. Turn the cake out of the pan and dust the top with powdered sugar. Cut into slices and serve.

I worked with this recipe.

 

Leftover Tarts

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I used the leftover pastry from the quiche I made today and decided to make this little bites of heaven.

INGREDIENTS

Pastry

225 grams flour

140 grams cold unsalted butter, roughly cubed

1 large egg yolk

2-3 tablespoons ice-cold water

Filling

1 whole egg

2 egg yolks

115 grams sugar

2 tablespoons cornflour

400ml milk

2 tsp vanilla

Dash of cinnamon for decoration

DIRECTIONS

To make the pastry, cut the cold butter into the flour until it has a breadcrumb like appearance. Whisk the egg yolk with 2 tbsp water and pour in. Mix the pastry by hand and knead for a few minute s but not overworking. Pat into a thick disc, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes or up to 48 hours.

Return the pastry to a cool room temperature. Roll out as thinly as you can and line a 4cm deep, 23cm round tart tin with a removable base. Tuck pastry into the corners, without stretching it, and trim off the overhang.

Chill for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

To make the custard, put egg, yolks, sugar and cornstarch in a pan and mix well together then gradually add the milk until mixture is well mixed and smooth.

Place pan on medium heat and stir constantly until mixture thickens and comes to the boil. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

Roll out pastry very thin. Use a small glass to cut out circles. Line mini muffin tins with the pastry. Scoop some custard in each one and bake for about 20-25 minutes until crust is browned and custard is golden on top. Sprinkle with cinnamon when cooled a bit.

 

Cauliflower and Red Onion Quiche

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I had no idea how this was gonna come out and I am beyond thrilled.

INGREDIENTS

Pastry

225 grams flour

140 grams cold unsalted butter, roughly cubed

1 large egg yolk

2-3 tablespoons ice-cold water

Filling

1 small cauliflower broken into small florets

½ red onion sautéed in olive oil, salt and pepper

3 large free-range eggs

284 ml cream

6oz finely grated cheese (a mixture of cheese is good)

salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS

To make the pastry, cut the cold butter into the flour until it has a breadcrumb like appearance. Whisk the egg yolk with 2 tbsp water and pour in. Mix the pastry by hand and knead for a few minutes but not overworking. Pat into a thick disc, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes or up to 48 hours.

Return the pastry to a cool room temperature. Roll out as thinly as you can and line a 4cm deep, 23cm round tart tin with a removable base. Tuck pastry into the corners, without stretching it, and trim off the overhang.

Chill for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Line the pastry with foil (no need to prick pastry), weigh it down with ceramic or dried beans, then bake for 12-15 minutes. Remove foil and beans, and cook for another 5-7 minutes until the pastry has lost all rawness but is still pale golden.

Meanwhile, bring a saucepan of salted water to boil, add the cauliflower and cook for 5 minutes, timed from when the water’s back to the boil. Drain well and leave to cool. Sautee onions with olive oil, salt and pepper and let cool.

Combine eggs, cream, and all the grated cheese, sprinkle with salt and pepper.. Stir in the cauliflower and then pour the mixture into the case, lay the onion on top. Bake for 30 minutes or until the pastry is golden and the filling is set but just trembles. Leave for 30 minutes, as quiche is at its best served warm.

Quickie Cinnamon Bread

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We all have time for a quickie every now and then. Brings a smile to everyone’s face.

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1-1/2 cups sugar, divided
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup melted butter, cooled
  • 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, combine flour, 1 cup sugar, baking soda and salt. Combine buttermilk, egg, sour cream and melted butter; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. In a small bowl, combine cinnamon and remaining sugar. 

Grease the bottom only of a 9×5-in. loaf pan. Pour half of the batter into pan; sprinkle with half the cinnamon-sugar. Carefully spread with remaining batter and sprinkle with remaining cinnamon-sugar; cut through batter with a knife to swirl.

Bake 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely. 

I got the recipe here.