Baked Sunday Mornings: Soft Candy Caramels

This week the Baked group is making their own version of Nutella...I just didn't want to go through all the expense of buying hazelnuts and whipping up a batch just to have it sit and go bad.  I am the only one who would eat chocolate hazelnut spread in my house so I went rogue this week.  I made a recipe that I really wanted to make but missed it for some reason or the other.  Soft Candy Caramels.

Being a novice caramel maker, I evidently let the caramel cook for too long, I watched my candy thermometer very closely and waited for it to reach 240-250 degrees, it took forever!  Sadly, my caramels were not soft, they were firm and chewy. 

They did taste really good but you are liable to pull a filling out if you are not careful!  Oh well, better luck next time!

The recipe for the caramels is here

If you would like to see what the others did with the Chocolate Hazelnut Spread head on over to Baked Sunday Mornings.

We are making Alfajores next week.  That I am looking forward to!

Until then,

Enjoy!

Baked Sunday Mornings: Triple Rum Black Pepper Cake

This week the baked group is baking rum cakes....this is not your ordinary rum cake, it has a little twist to it...black pepper!  When I first saw the name of this cake I thought, ewwww...black pepper?  After thinking it over I came to the conclusion that black pepper might just be a very interesting taste sensation to this lovely little rum cake.  

So I jumped right in and gave it a try!    This cake has quite a bit of rum in it...some in the cake, then in the syrup that is soaked into the cake and then in the glaze that goes on the cake. I quartered the recipe because I don't need a big old rum cake laying around the kitchen (my evil twin will surely come out to taunt me with it!)  I have a cute little bundt pan that was just the right size.

The cake wasn't too boozy...After all the rum I had my doubts, but it was just the right amount.  The black pepper was there but not overpowering at all.  This cake is incredibly delicious!

  The recipe is found here.  And you can see all the other gorgeous cakes the other bakers did here.

Give it a try.

Be sure to check back next Sunday to see what the Baked Sunday Morning Bakers have up their sleeve!

Until then...

Enjoy!

Jillian's Fudge Brownies

These brownies are made with wholesome ingredients like whole wheat flour, honey, olive oil and applesauce!  They are  chocolatey and fudgy and satisfy the chocolate beast inside of me!!  Give them a try!  They would be great without the nuts and chocolate chips...so it is not necessary to add them.



Jillian's Fudge Brownies
adapted from sparkpeople.com

Ingredients
non-stick olive oil cooking spray
2/3 cup mild honey like clover or orange blossom
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder like Ghiardelli
1/2 cup white whole-wheat flour like King Arthur Flour
1/4 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, optional
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, optional

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8 baking pan with parchment and spray with olive oil.
2. Measure the honey into a deep-sided small bowl and microwave on high power 45 seconds. Whisk
in the cocoa powder and let cool.
3. Meanwhile in a small bowl whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together.
4. In a large bowl whisk applesauce, oil, egg, and vanilla together until well combined. Whisk in the
cooled honey-cocoa mixture until smooth. Add the flour mixture and stir until all the flour is
incorporated. Stir in the walnuts and chocolate chips if using.
5. Add the batter to the prepared pan and spread out evenly. Bake until the surface looks dry around
the edges and a toothpick in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs clinging to it, about 25
minutes or 30 minutes if you added walnuts and chocolate chips. Don't over bake.
6. Cool the pan on a wire rack. Once cool refrigerate for 20-30 minutes. Remove the brownies using
the parchment to a cutting board and slice into 16 squares. For clean cuts wipe the knife clean after
each cut and dip in hot water. Store in an airtight container in a cool place 3-4 days.

Notes
86 calories each without walnuts and chocolate chips, 136 calories with walnuts and chocolate chip

Enjoy and be healthy!

Asparagus Frittata

 Baking on the healthy side today and made this beautiful breakfast or lunch dish that is delicious and whips up in only 30 minutes!  Add a nice green salad and you've got a nutritious meal that won't break the calorie bank!

Asparagus Frittata

a recipe from Better Homes and Gardens

ingredients

3/4  pound  fresh asparagus spears or one 10-ounce package frozen cut asparagus

6    eggs

3/4  cup  low-fat cottage cheese

2  teaspoons  yellow mustard

1/8  teaspoon  salt

Dash    pepper

Nonstick spray coating

1  cup  sliced fresh mushrooms

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

1    small tomato, cut into wedges, or 1/4 cup chopped tomato

parsley

directions

Cook fresh asparagus spears in a small amount of boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes or until crisp-tender; drain. Reserve 3 spears for garnish; cut remaining asparagus into 1-inch pieces. Or, cook frozen asparagus according to package directions; drain. Set aside.

Meanwhile, in a medium mixing bowl beat eggs until foamy. Beat in cottage cheese, mustard, salt, and pepper; set aside.

Spray a 10-inch ovenproof skillet with nonstick spray coating. Cook mushrooms over medium heat until just tender. Stir in asparagus pieces. Pour egg mixture over mushrooms and asparagus. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.  (If using fresh asparagus, arrange the 3 reserved spears on top.)

Cook mixture over low heat about 5 minutes or until mixture bubbles slightly and begins to set around the edges.

Bake frittata, uncovered, in a 400 degree F oven about 10 minutes or until set. Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley. Garnish each serving with tomato. Makes 4 servings.

nutrition information

Per serving: Calories 183, Total Fat 10 g, Cholesterol 416 mg, Sodium 375 mg, Carbohydrate 7 g, Protein 18 g. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

ABC: Cheese-stuffed Crusty Loaves

Cheesy-stuffed Crusty Loaves King Arthur Flour Starter 1 1/4 cups King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon instant yeast 1/2 cup cool water Dough all of the starter 1 cup + 2 tablespoons to 1 1/4 cups lukewarm water* 1 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon Pizza Dough Flavor (optional) 3 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour 1/2 teaspoon instant yeast *Use the greater amount of water in winter, when conditions are dry; and the lesser amount in summer, when the weather is humid. Filling 2 1/2 cups grated Gruyère cheese, or the grated/shredded cheese of your choice (sharp cheddar, or a mixture of provolone and mozzarella are tasty) 1 tablespoon garlic oil (optional) 1 tablespoon Pizza Seasoning (optional) Directions 1) To make the starter: Mix the 1 1/4 cups flour, salt, yeast, and 1/2 cup water in a medium-sized bowl. Mix till well combined; the starter will be very dry. Cover and let rest overnight at room temperature; it'll become bubbly. 2) To make the dough: Combine the risen starter with the water, salt, flour, and yeast. Knead—by hand, mixer, or bread machine set on the dough cycle—to make a smooth dough. 3) Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let it rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, till it's nearly doubled in bulk. 4) Gently deflate the dough, and pat and stretch it into a 3/4"-thick rectangle, about 9" x 12". Spritz with water, and sprinkle with the grated cheese. 5) Starting with a long side, roll it into a log, pinching the seam to seal. Place the log, seam-side down, on a lightly floured or lightly oiled surface. 6) Cover it and let it rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, till it's puffy though not doubled in bulk. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 425°F. 7) Gently cut the log into four crosswise slices, for mini-breads; or simply cut the dough in half, for two normal-sized loaves. Place them on one (for two loaves) or two (for four mini-loaves) lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheets, cut side up. Spread them open a bit, if necessary, to more fully expose the cheese. Spritz with warm water, and immediately place them in the preheated oven. 8) Bake for 20 minutes (for the mini-loaves), or 35 minutes (for the full-sized loaves), or until the cheese is melted and the loaves are a very deep golden brown. Remove them from the oven, and cool on a rack. ( I made rolls by making 2 logs and cutting them into 7 pieces each.  They were great warm but not so great when they cooled.  I think I may have baked them too long) We are making English Muffins next month!  Should be interesting! Enjoy!

Aunt Sassy Cake: Baked Sunday Mornings

This week the Baked group is making a cake!

Since I love pistachios I didn't want to pass this one up.  It did not disappoint....it was most and delicious.  I loved the flavor of the honey vanilla  buttercream but I couldn't seem to get it to come out really smooth.  Not too sure what I was doing wrong.  It tasted really good though!

To get the recipe, click here

This one is going to work with the hubby in the morning :)

Enjoy!

Lemon Bar Cheesecake for Bebe

Today is my Mom's 85th birthday!  I wanted to make her cake and when I asked what kind she wanted she told me that she liked lemon cake and then told me she saw a recipe for a lemon cheesecake that she thought looked good.  Being the good daughter that I am, I made her the cheesecake that she saw in Southern Living.  It is called Lemon Bar Cheesecake.

The recipe sparked my interest because it had a pie crust instead of a graham cracker crust.  It had lemon curd swirled throughout the cheesecake with a layer of lemon curd on top.   The crust was easy to make but a real bear to get into the springform pan...I hung with it and pieced and patched and did the best I could.  They claimed that you did not need to blind bake the crust if you did it in a dark pan.  So I didn't, because I had a dark springform pan....and like magic, it turned out just great.

 Then you can top it off with candied lemon slices.  Which I did.  You just simmered lemon slices in sugar and lemon juice.  Then let it cool.

Everyone really enjoyed it...especially my Mom

Happy 85th Birthday, Bebe!  

Love you to the moon and back!

Lemon Bar Cheesecake

Using a dark springform pan ensures a golden brown crust 

without having to bake before adding the filling.

Southern Living FEBRUARY 2013

Yield: Makes 10 to 12 servings

Hands-on:40 Minutes

Total:22 Hours, 45 Minutes

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup cold butter, cubed

2 egg yolks

1 to 2 Tbsp. ice-cold water

4 (8-oz.) packages cream cheese, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

4 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups Quick and Easy Lemon Curd, divided

Candied Lemon Slices (optional)

Preparation

Pulse first 3 ingredients in a food processor 3 or 4 times or just until blended. Add butter, and pulse 5 or 6 times or until crumbly. Whisk together egg yolks and 1 Tbsp. ice-cold water in a small bowl; add to butter mixture, and process until dough forms a ball and pulls away from sides of bowl, adding up to 1 Tbsp. remaining ice-cold water, 1 tsp. at a time, if necessary. Shape dough into a disk; wrap in plastic wrap. Chill 4 to 24 hours.

2. Roll dough into a 14-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Fit dough into a lightly greased 9-inch dark springform pan, gently pressing on bottom and up sides of pan; trim and discard excess dough. Chill 30 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 325°. Beat cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer 3 minutes or until smooth. Gradually add granulated sugar, beating until blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until yellow disappears after each addition. Beat in vanilla.

4. Pour two-thirds of cheesecake batter (about 4 cups) into prepared crust; dollop 1 cup lemon curd over batter in pan, and gently swirl with a knife. Spoon remaining batter into pan.

5. Bake at 325° for 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes or just until center is set. Turn oven off. Let cheesecake stand in oven, with door closed, 15 minutes. Remove cheesecake from oven, and gently run a knife around outer edge of cheesecake to loosen from sides of pan. (Do not remove sides of pan.) Cool completely in pan on a wire rack (about 1 hour). Cover and chill 8 to 24 hours.

6. Remove sides of pan, and transfer cheesecake to a serving platter. Spoon remaining 1 cup lemon curd over cheesecake, and, if desired, top with Candied Lemon Slices.