Category Archives: Desserts

April 9, 2011 · 10:20 pm

A Butterfly in Buttercream

Today is my Little J’s 7th birthday. It is amazing how quickly time flies. My once-upon-a-time-baby is all grown up and decorating her own cakes now! I am glad she is still interested in fun little girl things like butterflies. Last year we made Cupcakes topped with Chocolate Butterflies for her 6th birthday. This year it was one great big butterfly cake.

Little J was in charge of design and decorations. She chose the color patterns of the icing sections, the sprinkles and the M&M borders (I love Easter-colored candies!). She also put on all of the M&Ms and sprinkles and shaped the antennae. She is very meticulous! My job was heavy construction: cake cutting and icing spreading.

She carefully separated a rainbow mix of sprinkles into separate colors.

If you look closely, the sprinkles are shaped like tiny butterflies. Little J says they are the baby butterflies and the big cake is the Mommy Butterfly.

Congratulations Little J on a cake well done!

—

Happy 7th Birthday Little J. We love you lots!

RECIPE:

Buttercream Icing

½ cup butter
½ cup shortening (or additional butter)
1 lb (4 cups) powdered sugar, sifted
2 Tbs milk
1 tsp vanilla
dash salt
Additional milk to thin icing

Cream butter and shortening with a mixer. Beat in powdered sugar, 2 Tbs milk, vanilla and salt. This yields 3 CUPS STIFF icing (for piping borders and decorations).

For thinner icing (spreading on cake): Gradually beat in additional milk, 1 tsp at a time, until icing is desired consistency.

—

FOR CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM: Add 3 oz. unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled and additional 1 Tbs milk.

NoEmptyChairs.me

—

2 Comments

Filed under Desserts, Kids' Cakes

Tagged as baking with kids, birthday, birthday cake, buttercream, butterflies, butterfly cake, cake, cake decorating, chocolate buttercream, dessert, frosting, icing, recipe

March 22, 2011 · 11:46 am

Creamy Citrus Cheesecake

For Brian’s birthday a couple of weeks ago we had this wonderful cheesecake. It is a very creamy cheesecake flavored with lemon and orange zest and juice. You can use blood oranges or regular naval oranges. Lime would also be a great flavor, instead of the lemon. The recipe comes from Aimée Bourque, who is the editor of Simple Bites and author of the blog Under the High Chair.

The original recipe did not have you bake the cheesecake in a water bath, but I did because I think it helps the cheesecake cook more uniformly, and reduces cracks on the top of the cheesecake. To prepare your pan for a waterbath, wrap the springform pan in a double layer of foil. Or: this time I did one layer of foil and then put the pan in an oven-safe bag (the kind used for roasting turkeys). Place wrapped pan in a larger roasting pan and add hot, almost boiling, water to the roasting pan to a level about halfway up the outside of the springform pan.

If you are nervous about moving a pan full of boiling water: pull the oven rack out slightly from the hot oven. Place roasting pan on the oven rack, place springform pan in the roasting pan, and then add boiling water to the roasting pan. Carefully push oven rack back into the oven.

Just out of the oven-No Cracks!

A citrus zest-spiked sour cream makes a perfect topping and hides any imperfections that develop in the top of the cheesecake as the cheesecake cools.

I served this cheesecake with fresh blueberries and this fabulous homemade Blueberry Syrup.

It is flavorful enough that it could also be served on its own without any topping.

RECIPE:

Creamy Citrus Cheesecake

Servings: 10-12
Print

Crust:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 ½ Tbs granulated sugar
¼ cup unsalted butter, melted

Filling:
3 pkg (24 oz) cream cheese
¾ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup sour cream
Zest and juice of one lime or small lemon (wash before zesting)
Zest and juice of half an orange (wash before zesting; remaining half will be used in topping)
5 large eggs, room temperature

Topping:
1 cup sour cream
Zest and juice of half an orange
6 Tbs granulated sugar

Place oven rack on the lowest level of the oven. Preheat oven to 350°F.

For the crust:
In a small bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs and sugar. Add melted butter and mix. Press onto the bottom of a nine-inch springform pan. Bake crust for 8-10 minutes until slightly golden. Cool. Wrap springform pan in a double layer of foil, or one layer of foil and then place in an oven bag (like the kind used for turkeys). Place springform pan in a larger roasting pan.

For the filling:
With a mixer, beat together cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add sour cream, citrus zest and juice. Mix well. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing until just incorporated.

Pour filling over crumb crust. Fill roasting pan (not springform pan!) with very hot (almost boiling) water to about 2-inches deep.

Bake cheesecake in the water bath for about 60 minutes. The cheesecake will have puffed significantly, and the middle will still be slightly jiggly. Remove pan from water bath and run a sharp knife around the sides, but do not remove ring. Cool for 15 minutes on a wire rack on the counter.

For the topping:
Combine sour cream, orange zest and juice, and sugar together in a small bowl. Pour over slightly cooled cheesecake and let stand for half an hour at room temperature.
Cover cheesecake pan tightly with plastic wrap, taking care not to disturb the surface of the cheesecake. Chill for at least four hours or overnight.

To serve:
Remove plastic wrap and lift off the outer edge of the spring form pan. If desired, slide a sharp knife under the crust and slide the cheesecake off the spring form base and onto a cake stand or serving platter.

Serve cheesecake alone, or topped with fresh berries or homemade blueberry syrup.

Recipe adapted from Aimée Bourque on Savory Sweet Life

NoEmptyChairs.me

4 Comments

Filed under Desserts

Tagged as baking, blueberry, cake, cheesecake, citrus, cream cheese, graham cracker crust, lemon, orange, recipe, springform, water bath

December 9, 2010 · 9:47 pm

Even More Christmas Cookies

If you are still looking for more Christmas cookies, here are some other great ideas for giving (and keeping).

Swedish Peppar KaKar:
(a soft mild gingerbread; even more fun when you make them tiny)

Mint Oreo Cookies:
(super easy: start with a cake mix)

Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies:
(soft, chewy cookies all dressed up for Christmas)

Cherry Nut Mudslides:
(a great cookie for more discriminating tastes)

Snickerdoodles:
(as much fun to eat as to say)

Raspberry Almond Linzer Cookies:
(my favorite cookies ever)

Peanut Butter Kisses:
(try using some of the fancy Kisses flavors)

Chocolate Rolo and Andes Chocolate Mint Cookies:
(two very different cookies from one easy dough)

Russian Tea Cakes:
(these are the kids’ favorites-they are suckers for a little colored sugar)

Chocolate Caramel Thumbprints:
(Santa’s favorite indulgence)

Sugar Cookies:
(soft and slightly sweet; the anchor of any respectable Christmas cookie tray)

1 Comment

Filed under Cookies, Desserts

Tagged as baking, christmas, Christmas plate, cookie plate, Cookies, cooking, dessert, easy, holiday, recipes

December 8, 2010 · 7:57 am

2010 Twelve (More) Days of Christmas Cookies Recap

Here is a recap of our Second Annual Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies. For me, I am off to the gym to try and burn off a few of these calories.

Happy Baking!

—

DAY 1: Raspberry Crumb Bars

DAY 2: Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

DAY 3: Chocolate Nutella Cookies

DAY 4: Glazed Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies

DAY 5: Almond Macaroon Brownies

DAY 6: Trail Mix Cookies

DAY 7: Cream Cheese Cut-Out Cookies

DAY 8: Chocolate Revel Bars

DAY 9: Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl Cookies

DAY 10: Caramel Pecan Bars

DAY 11: Turtle Pretzel Snaps

DAY 12: Coconut Macaroons

4 Comments

Filed under Candy, Cookies, Desserts

Tagged as baking, candy, christmas, Christmas cookies, cookie tray, Cookies, cooking, dessert, food, holiday, recipe, twelve days

December 6, 2010 · 9:23 pm

Twelve (More) Days of Christmas Cookies: Old-Fashioned Coconut Macaroons

DAY 12: For our final Christmas cookie this season, a traditional coconut macaroon. This is a flourless, gluten-free cookie made from coconut, egg whites, sugar, and almond extract. They can be made sugar-free as well by using unsweetened coconut and a sugar substitute. The ones pictured here are the full-sugar variety.

The “dough” is cooked on the stove prior to baking, which leaves you with a wonderful chewy macaroon on the inside and slightly crispy toasted coconut on the outside. Dipping the bottoms in chocolate is optional, but I definitely recommend it.

12-4-10 008-1

12-4-10 016-1

RECIPE:

Coconut Macaroons

Servings: 4 dozen
Print

1 (14 oz) pkg flaked sweetened coconut
6 egg whites
1 cup sugar
¼ tsp salt
2 tsp almond extract
1 cup semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate chips, melted (optional)

Preheat oven to 325°F.

In a medium saucepan, stir together coconut, egg whites, sugar, and salt. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring constantly (a spoon drawn through the mixture should leave a clean path). Remove from heat; stir in almond extract.

Drop onto greased cookie sheets (or line with a Silpat) by rounded teaspoonfuls. Let stand on cookie sheets for 15 minutes before baking. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool on pan for 2 minutes before removing to wire rack. Cool completely.

Dip bottoms of macaroons in melted chocolate, if desired. Place on waxed paper until chocolate has hardened.

Makes about 4 dozen cookies

NoEmptyChairs.me

TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS COOKIES (2010) RECAP:
DAY 1: Raspberry Crumb Bars
DAY 2: Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
DAY 3: Chocolate Nutella Cookies
DAY 4: Glazed Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies
DAY 5: Almond Macaroon Brownies
DAY 6: Trail Mix Cookies
DAY 7: Cream Cheese Cut-Out Cookies
DAY 8: Chocolate Revel Bars
DAY 9: Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl Cookies
DAY 10: Caramel Pecan Bars
DAY 11: Turtle Pretzel Snaps

5 Comments

Filed under Candy, Cookies, Desserts

Tagged as almond extract, baking, chewy, chocolate, chocolate dipped, christmas, coconut, cooked, Cookies, cooking, dessert, egg whites, food, gluten free, one bowl, recipe, stovetop, sugar free

December 5, 2010 · 9:14 pm

Twelve (More) Days of Christmas Cookies: Turtle Pretzel Snaps

12-1-10 029-1

DAY 11: Technically, these are a candy, not a cookie, but they still make a great addition to any holiday cookie tray. Sweet & salty; crunch & chewy. A great combination of tastes and textures.

These candies are a simple, fun alternative to traditional Turtle Candies. They are also an easy treat to make with kids. They can do almost all of the work themselves.

The base of these treats is a Pretzel Snap: the square criss-crossed shaped pretzels that look kind of like a window pane. Place the pretzels in a single layer on a lined baking sheet. You can use a Silpat, parchment paper or foil to line the pan. Top each pretzel with half of a caramel. Instead of a caramel, you can also use a Rolo candy. I prefer the flavor of the plain caramel, topped with a bittersweet chocolate chip. Using plain caramels also allows me to make some “chocolate free” candies for Little A. But the Rolos do save you one step.

Bake the caramel topped pretzels for about 5-7 minutes, until caramels (or Rolos) are soft. Remove from oven and immediately top with a chocolate chip. I like the Ghirardelli bittersweet chips, for both the flavor and the fact that they are slightly bigger than normal semi-sweet chocolate chips. (If you are using Rolos, you don’t need to use any chocolate chips) The chocolate will melt by the time you have finished putting one on each caramel. Press one M&M or toasted pecan half into the soft chocolate. Let candies cool completely before moving from baking sheet.

RECIPE:

Turtle Pretzel Snaps

Pretzel Snaps (criss-cross shaped)
Caramels or Rolos
Chocolate chips (if using plain caramels); I like the larger Ghirardelli bittersweet chips
Peanut M&Ms
Whole Pecans, toasted (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Lay pretzel snaps in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with a Silpat, parchment paper or foil. Cut caramels in half and place one half on each pretzel (Alternately, top each pretzel with a Rolo candy). Bake for 5-7 minutes, or until caramels are soft. Remove from oven and immediately top each caramel with one chocolate chip (omit chocolate chips when using Rolos). When chocolate is soft, press an M&M or pecan half into the chocolate. Let chocolate harden before moving to a serving plate.

NoEmptyChairs.me