8.28.2008

#11) M&M Mouthfuls

For the past couple of weeks I have been staying at my parents. And see, no one loves cookies more than my brother so seeing as I am moving out again tomorrow, I decided to get him to help me make my latest sweet treat. So I went back to that wonderful cookie cookbook from my birthday and adapted a "Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Chip Cookie to make this adorable version.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup M&M minis
Steps:

-Preheat oven to 350°F.
-Stir together flour, baking soda, and salt.
-Cream butter with sugars. Add eggs, one at a time.
-Add flour mixture to creamed mixture in three additions. Fold in with rubber spatula.
-Fold in chocolate chips and M&M minis.
-Drop onto un-greased cookie sheet from rounded tablespoon.
-Bake for 10-12 minutes.

*For that true bakery look, we added some chocolate chips and M&M minis on top of the dropped cookies before baking.
*Should make about 4 dozen cookies :)

8.27.2008

#10) Bakeapple Muffins with Streusel Topping

School starts soon and that means my baking time will be drastically decreased... But you all know what that means, right? As much baking as possible before September 4 LOL. I still had some bakeapples left in the freezer when I went in search of a sweet treat main ingredient today, so I decided to make some muffins, and what makes a tasty muffin even better???? Streusel topping of course. Dig in!

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp brown sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 egg + 1 egg white
1/2 cup milk
2 tbsp sour cream
1 1/2 cup berries

1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
3 tbsp butter
1 tsp cinnamon

Steps:

-Thaw berries, if frozen.
-Preheat oven to 425°F and spray muffin tin(s) with non-stick spray.
-Stir together flour, sugars, salt, and baking powder.
-In a small boil whisk together oil, egg, milk, and sour cream. Add to dry ingredietns with as few strokes of the spatula as possible.
-Fold in berries.
-Using a 1/4-cup measure, fill muffin tin(s) to the top.
-In a bowl mix together the brown sugar, flour, butter, and cinnamon. Sprinkle over muffin tin(s).
-Bake for 20-25 minutes

*Makes about 18 muffins
*Be sure not to add too many berries... The muffins will not bake properly.

8.23.2008

#9) Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Cupcakes

Recently, while on vacation, bf and I went to a U-Pick. Now I have a cherished bag of raspberries crying out to be turned into delectable sweet treats... Today I decided to make some of my raspberry cake fill and pair it with some oh-so-sweet chocolate. This recipe makes a rich cupcake filled with sweet and sour raspberries and gooey chocolate.

Ingredients
:


Filling
2 cups raspberries
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
1.5 tbsp cornstarch

-Bring berries and 1/3 cup water to a boil. Simmer for 10-15 minutes.
-Strain the berry mixture and return to heat.
-Add cornstarch to remaining water. Whisk into berry mixture.
-Add sugar and bring to a boil. Simmer for 8-10 minutes.
-Cool completely.

Cupcakes (All at room temperature)
3/4 cup butter
2/3 cup sugar

2/3 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1 cup buttermilk, shaken (1 cup regular milk + 1 tbsp vinegar)

1/2 cup sour cream

2 tbsp brewed coffee

1 3/4 cup flour
1 cup cocoa
1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt
150 chocolate chips (preferably dark)

Steps:

-Preheat oven to 350°F. Line pan with paper liners.

-Cream butter with sugars for 5 minutes on high.

-At low speed, add eggs, one at a time, followed by the vanilla.
-In another bowl, whisk together buttermilk, sour cream, and coffee.

-In a third bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.

-At low speed, add the milk and flour mixtures to the butter alternately, in thirds. (You should begin with the milk and end with the flour.)

-Mix only until blended. Fold slightly with a spatula.

-Place 1 tbsp of batter in the bottom of each liner. Top with 1 tsp cake fill and 5 chocolate chips. Cover completely with remaining batter.
-Bake for 20 minutes.

*Should make about 30 cupcakes. Happy eating!

8.21.2008

#8) Bakeapple Bars

As part of our vacation, the bf and I spent some time in southern Labrador with the "in-laws." While we were there we spent a day picking bakeapples. It was my first time tasting bakeapples and I fell in love a little... Okay, let's be honest, I fell in love a lot. I like mixing them with sugar for toast well enough, but these berries are too good not to bake with. This sweet treat is my own spin on blueberry squares, so you can use practically any berry you like. Don't let the length of the ingredients scare you - this recipe is simple and delicious!

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar, divided in half cups
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup butter
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
3 tsp cornstarch
4 cups berries

Steps:

-Preheat oven to 375°F.
-Grease a 9x13 pan.
-Stir together 1/2 cup sugar, brown sugar, flour, and baking powder. Add salt and cinnamon.
-Beat egg with vanilla. Add to flour mixture.
-Cut in butter with a fork or pastry blender. The mixture will be crumbly.
-Pat down half the dough into the pan.
-Stir together 1/2 cup sugar and cornstarch. Gently mix in berries.
-Spread berry mixture over the crust. Crumble the remaining dough over top.
-Bake for 50 minutes. Cool completely before cutting into squares.

*The smell of the the bakeapples baking is enough to make you hungry :)
*A scoop of ice cream over top makes this sweet treat even tastier!

8.18.2008

#7) Double Chocolate Banana Cookies

My birthday was a little better than a week ago, and being as smart as she is, my bestest girlfriend gave me a cookbook all about cookies. I couldn't wait to try one of the yummy looking recipes, so here is my first attempt. This sweet treat goes heavy on the chocolate, so if you aren't into cocoa as much as me, I would steer clear :)

Ingredients:

3-4 extra-ripe bananas
2 cups oats (I used quick oats)
2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1 /4 cup butter, melted
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 cups chocolate chips
1 cup chopped roasted almonds

Steps:

-Beat bananas with hand mixer.
-In another bowl, combine oats, sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Mix well.
-Stir in bananas, butter, and eggs until blended. Add chocolate chips and almonds.
-Refrigerate for 1 hour, until partially firm. (Batter will run if not chilled, as seen below)
-Preheat oven to 350°F.
-Drop batter unto greased cookie sheets by the 1/4-cup measure. Flatten slightly with a spatula.
-Bake for 15-17 minutes on the middle rack. Cool on wire rack.

Info:

-I halved the recipe above and got 20 large cookies.
-the 1/4-cup measure makes for a big cookie. If you would like smaller try tablespoon drops.
-Refrigerate batter right up until you place it into the oven. If not you will get monsters like those in the second picture HaHa.

8.15.2008

#6) Peanut Butter Balls

Vacation was fun, but once it was over all I could think about was getting back into the kitchen to make some home-style sweet treats. Two of my favorite things in life are peanut butter and chocolate, and any recipe that puts them together is worth a shot! This one is an old favorite that is religiously requested by the bf and my brother :) The recipe is easily doubled, or tripled even, so make as many as you want as big as you want!

Ingredients:

1 cup peanut butter (light works fine)
1 cup icing sugar
1 cup rice crispies
1 tbsp butter
1pkg chocolate chips (I used 1 cup milk chocolate discs from my local bulk store)
1/4 block parowax (pure refined wax, used commonly for candle making)*

*I assure you, even though it doesn't say on the box it is edible, it is.

Steps:

-Mix together peanut butter, icing sugar, rice crispies, and butter together. Roll into balls.
-Cover one or more cookie sheets with waxed paper.
-Melt the parowax over low heat, then add the chocolate. Stir until smooth.
-Keeping the chocolate mixture over very low heat, dip the balls in one at a time, transferring to cookie sheets with two spoons.
-Let sit in fridge for 30 minutes.

Tips:
-Leftover chocolate can be used to dip almost anything: marshmallows, gummy candy, fruit...
-Semisweet chocolate is a bit healthier than milk chocolate.

8.03.2008

Vacation

Hey everyone!

So, remember when I mentioned that "much-needed vacation?" Well the time has finally arrived!!!

I will be back with even tastier sweet treats by Aug 15th. See you all then!

Dani