Recipe Revisit: Bakeapple Blossoms (with White Chocolate and Maple Fleur de sel)

An update on a crowd favourite!

A simple shortbread cookie filled with a slightly tart bakeapple filling.

Every now and then I look through some of the older recipes here on my blog and I am a little disappointed with how underwhelming some of the photos are.  Many of these recipes were posted well before hubby and I had decent camera gear and good photo editing software, hence the poor lighting, bad colour, and unsharp images.  And every time I look through those old posts, the Type A personality (the one I try so poorly to hide) nags at me incessantly to redo the photos on nearly every single recipe posted before 2011.  But there are so many new and exciting recipes out there to play with, that I really can't see myself going back and pouring over all of those old ones.  That being said, there are some of those old recipes I go back to time and time again because they are crowd pleasers, old favourites, or just downright delicious :)

One of the most popular recipes on Sweet Treats by Dani is #51) Bakeapple Blossoms and its one I make over and over and over again.  I originally posted the recipe back in 2009 - before hubby was officially hubby, before our little cookie monster was even on our radar, before our first mortgage, and before decent camera gear and photo software.  It has always bothered me that such a unique and popular recipe had such mediocre pictures, so I gave Ms. Type A her own way this time.  I whipped up a new batch, put on some finishing touches, and snapped some new and improved pictures.  What do you think?

Then

Now

Bakeapple Filling

Ingredients

1 cup bakeapples
1/4 cup water
7 tbsp sugar (adjust according to the tartness of your berries)
2 tsp corn starch

Steps

-Boil berries with 3/4 of the water. Simmer for 3-5 minutes.
-Push the cooked berries through a fine sieve, discarding the seeds.
-Whisk corn starch into remaining water. Add cornstarch mixture and sugar to berries.
-Cook for another 2-3 minutes. Let cool completely.

Shortbread Cookies

Ingredients

1 1/8 cup butter, softened 
2/3 cup sugar 
1 tsp vanilla 
2 cups flour 

Steps

- Combine butter, sugar and extract in mixer bowl and beat until creamy. 
- Add the flour, scraping often until well mixed. 
- Refrigerate dough for 1 hour. Work together with hands upon removing from refrigerator.
- Heat oven to 350°F. 
- Shape dough into 1 inch balls and place them on silpat or parchment lined cookie sheet. 
- Use a tsp measure to make an indentation in the center of each cookie.
- Fill the indentation with a small dollop of your fruit filling.
- Bake for 14 - 18 minutes, or until edges are lightly browned. 
- Place cookies in wire rack and cool completely.

*Drizzle with melted white chocolate and add a sprinkle of maple fleur de sel, if desired.

Printable Recipe :)

#92) Flourless Chocolate Cake with Homemade Mint Ice Cream

Chocolate lovers unite!  

This is the desert to please any and all chocolate lovers worldwide :)

Although this cake is called "Flourless Chocolate Cake" it would be better named "Chocolate Truffle Cake" because it is like sitting down with your favourite, delectable chocolate truffle and a fork.  Rich, dense, creamy, and chocolatey.  And the mint ice cream on the side is the perfect pairing, with its light mint flavour from fresh mint leaves and peppermint tea.  It helps to cleanse the palette between the heavenly bites of creamy chocolate cake.

The cake itself is simply divine and I support all the claims made by the author in terms of ingredients, methods, etcetera.  My only complaint is removing the cake from the springform pan.  The book (Cook's Illustrated: All-Time Best Chocolate Recipes) made it sound so easy - flip it over on some parchment, peel off the bottom of the pan and the parchment round, flip over on to your cake stand.  Well, my cake did not want to let go of the bottom of the pan or the parchment round...  I had to cut out two slices of cake and gingerly remove them, with minor damage to the slices, before I could get my spatula under the parchment round to release the rest of the bake.  In hindsight, maybe I should have left a lip of parchment outside of the springform pan to give me something to hold on to when removing the cake, but I am not sure if that would cause issues with the water bath and possible water seeping into the springform pan.  Anyone out there have any tips on that?

Now let's talk ice cream!  Is there any better treat for a lazy almost-summer day?  I think not ;)  And what possible flavour could go with this decadent chocolate truffle cake than mint?  A perfect match, if I do say so myself. 

I am very new to the world of ice cream making - this is just my third batch.  However, I have learnt some valuable lessons is researching recipes and making a few of my own.

Lesson #1 - the type of dairy you use is crucial, as it will be the deciding factor when it comes to the texture of your ice cream.  Long story short, the higher the fat content, the creamier the ice cream.  I stick to whipping cream as it really does lend that stick-to-your-tongue creaminess I crave from ice cream.  But if you are looking to lighten things up a little you can certainly use half-and-half or even 2% milk, but it will make for an icier ice cream.

 Lesson # 2 - Do NOT walk away from simmering cream or cooking custard!  Unless you want ice cream à la scorched cream or scrambled eggs, stay next to those pots while they are on the stove.  Dairy is a bit of a diva and will go form a nice simmer to burnt in 60 seconds flat.  (And I am convinced it knows when you're not watching!)  And those eggs you just added to your simmering dairy?  I am confident their goal in life is to grow up and become scrambled eggs.  Keep your burner on low-medium heat and constantly stir your custard.  (And when in doubt, strain the cooked custard before you put it in to chill.)

Lesson # 3 - Patience is key.  Just like you want your dairy to come to a nice simmer in the beginning, you also want your nicely cooked custard to chill adequately before throwing it into the ice cream maker.  4 hours minimum seems to be the rule of thumb, but I always chill it in the fridge overnight to be safe.

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

8 eggs, chilled

1 pound (16 ounces) bittersweet of semisweet chocolate (I used semisweet)

1 cup butter (16 tablespoons), softened (use REAL butter, not margarine)

1/4 strong brewed coffee, room temperature

Steps

Preheat oven to 325°F.  

Grease bottom and sides of 8" springform pan.  Line bottom with parchment.  (I would likely add a collar of parchment around the sides of the springform pan next time as well.)

Wrap outside of springform pan with two large pieces of aluminum foil.  Set in roasting pan.  

Boil full kettle of water.

Whip all 8 eggs together on medium speed until doubled in volume; about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine chocolate, butter, and coffee in top of double boiler.  Over simmering water, allow chocolate, butter, and coffee to melt together, stirring occasionally.  Do not let the water touch the bottom of the bowl.

Remove chocolate mixture from heat and fold in 1/3 of the whipped eggs until few streaks are visible.  Add remaining whipped eggs in two additions, mixing until homogenous.

Transfer batter to prepared pan.  Set roasting rack on oven rack and fill with  enough boiling water to come about halfway up the sides of the springform pan.

Bake 22-25 minutes or until cake registers 140°F (mine took the full 25 minutes).  Edges will be just set and the centre may look underdone.  Don't worry, it will continue to firm up as it cools.

Cool completely in pan.  Wrap pain in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Before removing from the pan, run a knife around edges to loosen the cake form the sides of the pan.  Invert cake onto a sheet of parchment and remove the bottom of the pan and parchment round.  Reinvent cake on to your cake stand.  (Like I said, this method was problematic for me and if anyone has any tips I am all ears!)

Mint Ice Cream

Ingredients

2 cups whipping cream

1 cup whole milk

Mint leaves (I used one small bunch from our mint plant and about 1 tbsp of peppermint tea leaves)

6 eggs yolks

1/2 cup sugar (could be reduced, in my opinion)

*a pinch of salt could be used here as well to round out the sweetness

Steps

In a saucepan (preferably not non-stick) , bring cream and milk to a simmer.  Remove from heat and add your mint and/or tea leaves.  Cover and let steep for 2 hours.  (I've done some reading on the topic of flavouring ice creams with tea leaves and 2 hours seems to be enough time to let the flavours marinate and it won't take you all day to get the custard finished.)

In another saucepan, whisk together egg yolks and sugar.  Strain your flavoured dairy mixture into the yolk mixture.  Whisk until combined and set over low-medium heat.  Cook, whisking frequently, until custard forms (run your finger through the custard left on the back of your spoon - if a clean line remains, its custard).

Strain custard into an airtight container and refrigerate overnight.

Churn ice cream according to your ice cream maker's manufacturer's instructions.  Freeze to harden (I had mine in the freezer for about 3 hours.)

*Hubby and I found the mint flavour a little grassy for our tastebuds.  We found it was very enjoyable with the cake, but not so much on its own.

Printable Recipes :)

     

And we're back!

After months and months of trying to reclaim this blog, I have finally found my way in and can't start sharing sweet treats here with you all again :)  I am beyond excited!!!!  Check out my Facebook page and Instagram profile for a look at what I've been up to lately ;) 

#91) Lemon Poppyseed Sandwich Cookies with Strawberry Cream Cheese Filling

As I was bustling around the kitchen making these lovely little sweet treats, it dawned on me just how much I have missed baking over the past year.  Don't get me wrong, I simply adore the trips to the playground, the toddler cuddles, and the countless other adorable 'mommy' things that have been occupying my time lately... but there is something about a dusting of flour over the countertop, the smell of freshly baked cookies, and licking the icing bowl clean that makes me dance around the kitchen with a goofy grin on my face.

For my 'come-back' recipe I wanted to use some fresh summer flavours - lemon and strawberry are two of my favourites and I figured it would be even better to mix them together than to just use one.  The cookies have a crisp lemon flavour and they melt in your mouth.  The filling has the expected tang of cream cheese frosting balanced with the sweetness of strawberry jam.

Mr Treat has a very different opinion than I regarding how much filling is appropriate in a sandwich cookie.  His philosophy - less is more (let the flavours blend, not compete).  My philosophy - more is more (let the flavours scream from the rooftops that they are here!).  He won this time, but I will leave it to you to decide how much of this scrumptious frosting filling to sandwich between your cookies (note that I only used about half of the frosting this recipe made and am currently looking into how to use it up in another recipe before I devour it all with a spoon).

And although I wouldn't suggest handing over the platter of cookies to any kid, Toddler Treat thoroughly enjoyed the bite or two he stole from his momma's treat.

Cookies

Ingredients 

1 cup butter or margarine, room temperature

1 ½ cups icing sugar

1 egg, room temperature

2 tsp lemon zest (1 large lemon or 2 small lemons)

2 tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed

1 tsp vanilla, or seeds of 1 vanilla pod

3-3 1/2 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

1tsp salt

2 tsp poppy seeds

Steps

Preheat oven to 400°F.

On low speed and with whisk attachment, cream together butter and icing sugar until pea-sized beads form. 

Change to paddle attachment.  Add the egg, zest, juice, and vanilla.  Scrape sides and bottom of bowl and mix on low to combine.

In a large bowl sift together 3 cups of flour, baking powder, and salt then add to the wet ingredients one cupful at a time. 

Mix until the dough forms a ball on the paddle.  Add a little extra flour if the dough seems sticky. 

Roll out on parchment paper to about 1/4" thickness (if your dough is slightly sticky you will need to dust with flour occasionally . Cut into desired shapes and bake for 7-9 minutes, or until slightly firm and lightly golden on the bottom.  Carefully remove from own and let cool completely on wire rack.

Strawberry Cream Cheese Filling

Ingredients

4 ounces cream cheese (half a block), chilled

1/4 cup butter or margarine, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla

2 1/2 cups icing sugar

2 to 4 tablespoons strawberry jam

Steps

With paddle attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese on high speed until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and mix to combine.

Add 2 1/2 cups of icing sugar, and beat until the sugar is incorporated. The mixture will be thick. 

With the mixer on low speed, add 2 tablespoons of jam and beat until well combined. Add more jam by the tablespoon if necessary to create a smooth texture. The filling, however, should remain thick.

Assembly

Transfer the filling to a pastry bag and pipe filling onto the underside of half the cookies. Top the filling of each with a second cookie.  Chill until the filling is firm.

*Yield will vary depending on thickness and diameter of cutouts.

#90) Coco Chai Rooibos Chiffon Cake with Maple Meringue

Inspiration, according to Oxford Dictionaries, is "the process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something, especially to do something creative."

For the first installment of Anna's Bake Off, Anna Olson has asked her fans to make her Earl Grey Chiffon Cake with Maple Meringue (or add your own creative flair).  She also asked that we keep tea time in mind for our photos and talk to her about what inspires us.  

Well, I went the creative route and made a couple little changes to the recipe.  First of all, I halved the cake recipe as husband and I have no will power whatsoever and would devour the entire thing between the two of us. I used David's Tea Coco Chai Rooibos (amazing!) as the flavor base for the cake, used some vanilla sugar I had kicking around, and I traded out the lemon zest for orange zest.  I also added some sugar shards as a garnish to finish it all off.

As for my inspiration, well, can you see the springtime tea pot in the background there?  Well that springtime tea pot represents my spring baby, who made his début just 10 weeks ago.  In such a short time this little bundle has changed my life incredibly and he has come to inspire me in so many ways.  His adorable giggles are proof that I can do the hardest job in the world and that alone inspires me to throw myself headfirst into any other challenges that come my way.  Boiling syrup - why not?  Making meringue - no problem!  This kid's momma can do anything :)  (Well, she can try to anyway)

Just an FYI - this was my very first attempt at a chiffon cake and seeing as I had never made one before, I didn't have the proper tube pan in the kitchen.  Although the end product was delicious, because I couldn't cool the cake upside down, there was a certain airiness missing.  So my advice to all you chiffon cake newbies - get the right pan!

Coco Chai Rooibos Chiffon Cake

Ingredients

1 1/2  tsp Coco Chai Rooibos loose tea
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp  boiling water
4 egg whites, room temperature
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1 cup + 2 tbsp pastry flour
1/2 cup sugar, seperated
1/4 cup vanilla sugar
1 1/4 tsp  baking powder
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 egg yolks, room temperature
1/2 tsp finely grated orange zest
1.5 oz  milk chocolate, chopped and melted

Steps

- Preheat the oven to 325 F.  Keep an 10-inch tube pan ungreased.  (I used 8-inch round pan - not the best idea I ever had)

- Steep the tea in the boiling water, until the water cools to room temperature.  Remove tea diffuser.

- Whip the whites with the cream of tartar until foamy, then add 2 tbsp of the sugar and continue whipping until the whites hold a medium peak.  Set aside.

- Sift flour, remaining sugar, vanilla sugar, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl or into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment.  Add cooled tea, vegetable oil, egg yolks, vanilla and orange zest.  Whip this mixture on high until it is thick, about 4 minutes.  Add the melted milk chocolate and whip in on low speed.  Fold in half of the whipped egg whites by hand until they are incorporated, then fold in the remaining whites (the batter will be quite fluid).

- Bake the cake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top of the cake springs back when gently pressed.  (With the right kind of pan...) Invert the cake pan onto a cooling rack and cool the cake upside down in its pan.  To extract the cake, run a spatula or knife around the outside edge of the cake, then tap the cake out onto a plate.
Maple Meringue

Ingredients 

2  egg whites, room temperature
1/2 tsp  cream of tartar
2 tbsp sugar
3/4 cup  pure maple syrup

Steps

- Whip egg whites with cream of tartar until foamy, then add sugar and whip to a soft peak.  

- Bring maple syrup to a boil and cook uncovered and without stirring until it reaches a temperature of 242 F (softball stage) on a candy thermometer.  

- While beating on medium speed, carefully pour maple syrup into meringue by pouring it down the side of the bowl (this will help prevent splashing of hot syrup) and continue whipping until mixture has cooled but is not quite room temperature, about 3 minutes.

- Use a spatula to spread the meringue over the entire surface of the cake (use a small spatula or butter knife to frost the cake inside the center hole).  

Sugar Shards

Ingredients

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

Steps

- Combine sugar and water in sauce pan.  Heat and stir on medium-low until sugar is dissolved.

- Boil, uncovered, on medium-high for 5-10 minutes, without stirring, until deep golden brown color.

- Pour onto greased baking sheet and let cool for 20 minutes.

- Use knife to break into shards. 

- Use tongs to garnish cake with shards (to avoid pesky finger prints on your pretty sugar shards).

#89) Strawberry Surprise Mini Cupcakes

Wow!  So much to share...  and not just the delicious little cupcakes in the picture :)

Husband and I have welcomed our own little sweetie into the world!  Our little man is already 9 weeks old and is perfect in every possible way :)  He has changed our lives in so many ways, but it seems like things are just how they were always meant to be - a truly amazing feeling.  It blows me away how much he changes each and every single day... before you know it he'll be making sweet treats of his own, maybe like these cute little cupcakes :)

Now, for anyone who reads my recipes, you know I am a chocoholic at heart - there's no denying it.  So the thought of a simple vanilla cupcake doesn't really excite me all that much, but throw some homemade Strawberry Rhubarb Apple Jam in the middle of that thing and I am all over it!  Top it all off with some fluffy Strawberry Rhubarb Frosting and I will devour it :)  So that's just what I did.  Give it a try and let me know how many you chow down before sharing!

Vanilla Cupcakes

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup vanilla sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup Strawberry Rhubarb Apple Jam, recipe found here

Steps

-Preheat oven to 350F.  Line mini cupcake pan with paper liners.
-Cream butter and sugars.
-Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
-Whisk together dry ingredients in small bowl.
-Alternately add dry ingredients and milk, stirring to incorporate after each addition.
-Divide half the batter between 24 mini cupcake liners.
-Spoon 1/2 teaspoon of jam into each liner.
-Cover jam with remaining batter.
-Bake for 7-9 minutes.
-Let cool completely.  Frost and enjoy!

*makes 24 mini cupcakes

Strawberry Rhubarb Frosting

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cup icing sugar
2-3 tbsp Strawberry Rhubarb Apple Jam, depending on personal taste

Steps

-Cream butter.
-Slowly beat in icing sugar.
-Stir in jam.

#88) Cocoa Bliss Chocolate Cake

Okay guys, we've got less than two weeks left to go until our little bun comes out of the oven!  It sure is a very exciting time for us and we couldn't be happier, but I have a feeling if you asked my husband what the hardest part of having a pregnant wife is, he would surely say something about all the munchie missions I have sent him on in the last 9 months.  I have asked for everything from chips to burgers to slushies...  But for those of you who know me well, you know that I have asked, even begged, for chocolate cake!  And this hasn't been one of these one-time only, limited time offer cravings either - this one pops up every other week.  (My poor husband!)  So, knowing my weakness for homemade versus store-bought cake, he offered to make me a decadent, over-the-top chocolate cake full of whipping cream, cream cheese, and butter...  Oh yeah, I am that lucky ladies!  But sometimes its the simplest things in life that bring the most pleasure, so we worked together and made this very simple yet very satisfying chocolate cake with chocolate frosting.  No fancy ingredients, just all the good ones :)  Try it out the next time you are craving chocolate cake and you won't be disappointed, I promise!

                                                       Photo by souRIRE photography


Chocolate Cake 

Ingredients

2 cups sugar

1 3/4 cups flour

3/4 cup cocoa powder (the better the cocoa, the better the cake!)

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 eggs

1 cup milk (I used half evaporated milk and half water)

1/2 cup vegetable oil (don't skimp, trust me its worth every drop)

2 tsp vanilla

1 cup boiling water

Steps

-Preheat oven to 350F.  Grease and flour two 9-inch round pans.

-Mix together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in large bowl.

-In a small bowl gently whisk together eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla.  Add to dry ingredients and mix on medium until well-incorporated.

-Stir in boiling water (don't worry, the batter really is supposed to be that thin).  Pour batter into prepared pans.

-Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Let the cakes cool in pans for about 10 minutes, then remove and let cool on wire racks.  Let cool completely then slather on the icing :)

Chocolate Icing

Ingredients

1/2 cup margarine, melted (I didn't have any butter in the fridge)

2/3 cup cocoa powder

3 cups icing sugar

1/3 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla

Steps

-Stir together melted butter and cocoa.  Add about 1 cup of icing sugar then half the milk.  Stir to incorporate.

-Add the remaining icing sugar, milk, and vanilla.  Stir to combine.  (At this point I like to give my Kitchen Aid a good work out and let it whip that frosting for several minutes to make it as fluffy as possible - so delicious!)

*Be sure to check out this week's "Sweets for a Saturday" here: http://sweet-as-sugar-cookies.blogspot.ca/2012/04/sweets-for-saturday-66.html

#87) Chewy Oatmeal Crunchies & an Announcement

I haven't been around much lately, have I?  Not since July!  I have a laundy list of excuses to explain my absence, if you're interested...

Let's see...  where to start???  Well let's start with August...

August - travelled to best friends' wedding :)  brought parents back to the Big Land :):)  (didn't leave a lot of computer time)

September - new job, oh and (warning, big announcement coming up...) first trimester exhaustion = zombie

*That's right, we've got a bun in the oven!!!!!  And well, he's almost ready to make his début (6 more weeks).

October & November - I worked and I slept, that is all.  Who knew a baby the size of a pea needed so much of momma's energy?????

December & January - tried to catch up on some of the regular things I had missed out on in October and November (husband, friends, dog, etc.)

February & March - oh this is a fun one... Sick leave due to pregnancy-related, severe hip and pelvic pain (this makes buzzing around in the kitchen pretty much impossible...  these cookies would not exist if it wasn't for husband's help, trust me.)

So there you have it, my plea for your forgiveness.  I promise to do better from now on, really, I do!  Please accept these cookies as my sincere apology.  They are chewy and crunchy all at the same time, thanks to the rice crispies (who says you can't have your cake and eat it too?).

PS - Stay tuned, I think there might be another sweet treat in the near future, if I can walk tomorrow, that is :)

Ingredients

2/3 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tbsp vanilla
2 cups rolled oats, old-fashioned (not instant)
1 cup flour
1 cup rice crispies
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Steps

-Pre-heat oven to 375F.

-Beat butter and brown sugar unitl fluffy.

-Beat in egg and vanilla.

-Add dry ingredients.

-Stir in chocolate chips.

-Spoon heaping tablespoonfuls onto greased or lined cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart.

-Bake for 10 minutes or until golden.  Let cool on pan for 2 minutes, before removing to wire rack to cool completely.

*makes about 3 dozen cookies.

#86) Starwberry Rhubarb Apple Jam

While I was thinking abut what to write for this post it dawned on me it is really all about generosity - the generosity of others to be more specific.

See, all the major players in this post - the strawberries and rhubarb in the jam, and the bread in the photo - were all given to me.  The strawberries and the homemade whole wheat bread are from my generous mother-in-law, and the rhubarb was a gift from one of husband's co-workers (those Rhubarb Pie Cupcakes I sent him to work with must have been ok :p).

The other "invisible" key player in this post is the food science lesson I learned thanks to Christina over at Form V Artisan.  She has a couple of posts where she generously explained the science behind making strawberry jam - all about negatively charged pectin and candy thermometers - the whole bit.  So I took what I learned from her and applied it to my own jam concoction, and I have to say, it worked out just as she said it would!

So you see, all you need sometimes to be inspired to get in the kitchen is the generosity of others!

Now on to the recipe - it was my first attempt ever at homemade jam...  I usually leave the jam making to my aunt who generously brings some to Newfoundland for me each summer.  But I decided I am a big girl now and it is time to figure out how to do it myself.  The jam has a great texture - thick, smooth, and sticky :)  Husband would have liked some more fruit chunks, but what can I say, I like smooth jam so I mashed away at the fruit while it was cooking :)  There is a touch too much cinnamon so next time (yes, there will be a next time) I will add maybe just half.  And oddly enough, the one little apple I added for extra pectin packed a lot of punch.  Next time maybe just half an apple.

So there you have it - my first ever homemade jam!  Hope you enjoy :)

Ingredients

2 2/3 cups rhubarb, chopped (if frozen, let thaw first)
1 cup strawberries, chopped (if frozen, let thaw first)
1 granny smith apple, peeled and chopped into small pieces
1 1/3 cup sugar (don't skimp! see this post)
1 tbsp cinnamon
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

Steps

-Add rhubarb, strawberries, and apple to a large pot and put over medium heat.  Stir occasionally until some liquid has been released (3-5 minutes).
-Add sugar and cinnamon and bring to a boil.  Let boil for 3 minutes, then add lemon juice.
-If you have a candy thermometer, attach it to your pot and continue to boil, stirring occasionally until you get to 220F.  (If you do not have a candy thermometer, continue to boil, stirring occasionally until mixture is thick and resembles syrup - about 15-20 minutes.  You will see the bottom of the pan as you stir.)
-Transfer to sterilized jar(s) and let cool completely before refrigerating.

*I got two small jars of jam, which would be about one large jar.  If you double, triple, quadruple, etc this recipe be sure to do so precisely.

A Blog Birthday and an Epic Fail

A few days ago Sweet Treats turned 3!!! (Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday dear Sweet Treats, Happy Birthday to you.)  So I thought it would be a cool idea to run a poll here and on our facebook page to see which one of our favourite recipes we should revisit for the occasion.  Surprise, surprise - peanut butter balls won!  (Chocolate and peanut butter - always a favourite!)

But just revisiting a recipe wasn't exciting enough.  I thought it would be really fun to put a new spin on an old favourite.  So what can you do to a peanut butter ball, I wondered...  Add BACON of course!!!

In theory - great idea.  In reality - kind of a fail.

I made the peanut butter ball filling as per usual and then added 6 strips of crumbled bacon.  I thought for sure the bacon flavour would add that nice smoky, salty layer to the peanut butter...  Um, no!  The bacon got totally lost in the peanut butter and all I was left with were peanut butter balls with added calories :(

Even though the recipe didn't work out the way I had hoped, I am still very happy that Sweet Treats has been around for three whole years and look forward to future blog birthdays.  And I am very thankful for all the readers across the world who take the time to stop by Sweet Treats every now and again.  Keep it coming - I will have new treats soon, I promise...  Strawberry rhubarb jam anyone???  Stay tuned!

Speaking of birthdays, I have one coming up very soon and can't decide what kind of sweet treat to celebrate with.  Suggestions?

#85) Rhubarb Pie Cupcakes

I may love sweet treats, but I have to tell ya, I really do love tart flavours.  Give me a bit of lemon any day!  So that's why I was so excited when one of husband's co-workers kindly gave me a big bag of fresh rhubarb from her garden.  The only question was, "What do I make?"

I could have done the ol' strawberry rhubarb combination, but that just seemed too straight forward.  Then it dawned on me that I haven't made cupcake in way too long!  So there you have it - a rhubarb pie cupcake :)

The cupcake itself is kind of heavy, due the skipped creaming step, but I wanted to mimic a tart shell you might put your pie filling in.  The pie filling is straight up rhubarb with just enough sweetness to take the edge off.  And the frosting?  OMG the frosting!  I am not great at frosting and I am not a huge fan of how overly sweet homemade frosting can be.  Also, I wanted to re-create the whipped cream you might have on a piece of rhubarb pie.  So I went on the hunt for something a little different and found 7-minute frosting.  Okay, mine took more like 14 minutes, but SO worth it!  It's like a fluffy marshmallow sitting on the top of the cupcakes.

Give 'em a try and let me know what you think :)  Oh, and don't forget to vote for our blogiversay recipe revisit to your left.  Thanks!

Rhubarb Pie Filling

Ingredients

4 cups chopped rhubarb

1 1/3 cups sugar (start with 1 cup and add accordingly throughout cooking process depending on the tartness of your rhubarb)

6 tablespoons flour

Steps

-Combine all ingredients in large saucepan.  Cook over med-high heat for about 10 minutes, until liquid from rhubarb moistens the mixture.  (I covered mine and stirred often.)
-Reduce heat to low and let cook until all the rhubarb pieces have broken down.  Mixture should be thick.

-Remove from saucepan to bowl and allow to cool completely.

Cupcakes

Ingredients

3 1/2 cups cake flour (for those of you with AP flour - measure out all your flour, remove 7 tbsp, replace with 7 tbsp cornstarch - def worth the extra effort!)
2 cups sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup milk
4 eggs
2 egg whites
2 tsp vanilla

Steps

- Preheat the oven to 350F. Line muffin cups with paper liners.
- Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into large, deep bowl.
- Add the butter and 1/2 cup of the milk. Mix on medium speed until dough-like consistency.
- In a separate bowl, blend the eggs, egg whites, the remaining 1/2 cup milk and the vanilla. Add to the batter in 3 additions, mixing for 2 minutes on medium speed after each addition. Scrape down the bowl between additions.

Assembly

-Add 1 heaping tablespoon of batter to liners.  To centre of batter add 1 1/2 tsp of rhubarb filling.  Cover filling with another tablespoon of batter (be sure the bottom batter and top batter meet to seal in the filling).
-Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until skewer comes out clean.
-Let cool completely on wire rack.

*Makes 3 dozen filled cupcakes.

7-Minute Frosting

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups sugar
1/3 cup water

3 egg whites

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

1 tbsp vanilla (I used homemade rhubarb syrup)

Steps

-Add sugar, water, egg whites, and cream of tartar to a large double boiler bowl.  Beat with electric mixer until mixture is foamy (about 1 minute).
-Put bowl over simmering water and beat with mixer until soft peaks form (supposed to be about 7 minutes but it took me more like 14).
-Remove from heat, add vanilla, and continue to beat to thicken frosting (about 2 minutes).
-Let cool completely before using.

#84) Berry Burst Muffins

It's the last day of Canada Day weekend.  I wish I could say its been a sunshine-y weekend filled with BBQs and beers, but really its been one rainy day after another - and more in the forecast.  I feel particularly bad for husband, because he downright loves Canada Day!  Even with the rain pouring down he put not one, not two, but three Canadian flags up in your front yard :)  So to raise our spirits I headed to the kitchen today armed with some of husband's favourite flavours - berry and maple.

These cranberry muffins have a great texture and a good play on sweet and sour.  Although husband thinks the muffin could have been a little sweeter, it complimented the tart cranberries nicely. 

The crunchy maple topping wasn't as good as I had hoped.  It kind of crumbles off as you are eating the muffin.  So two options: 1) push the topping down into the batter before baking or 2) skip the topping and just sprinkle the batter with a hefty serving of maple sugar before baking.

The berry filling is delicious, but you can easily double the recipe and add more to the insides of your muffins if you want.

So give 'em a go and let me know if they brighten up your rainy day :)

Berry Filling

Ingredients

1 cup mixed berries (fresh or frozen)
1/4 cup water
1/8 cup sugar
1/2 tbsp cornstarch

Steps

-Bring berries, water, and sugar to a boil and let summer until about half the water has evaporated. Reduce to low heat.

-Mix together cornstarch with enough water to make a runny paste. Add to berry mixture, constantly stirring, until berry mixture begins to thicken.

-Continue to cook for 2 minutes over low heat.

-Push through a sieve and funnel into a squeeze bottle.  Let cool until needed.


Crunchy Maple Topping

Ingredients

1/4 cup maple sugar
1/4 cup flour
3 tbsp butter

Steps

-Mix together in a small bowl and set aside until needed.


Cranberry Muffins
Ingredients

2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups cranberries, chopped
2 eggs
3/4 cup sugar (use 1 cup if you like 'em sweet)
1 cup yogurt (I used raspberry flavoured)
1/2 cup oil
1/2 tsp vanilla

Steps

-Preheat oven to 400F.  Line a muffin tray with 12 paper liners.
-In a large bowl stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Add cranberries and stir to coat (this will keep them from sinking to the bottom of your muffins).
-In a small bowl mix together eggs, sugar, yogurt, oil, and vanilla.  Add to dry ingredients, stirring just until combined.
-Divide batter between 12 lined muffin cups.  Top each muffin with maple topping.
-Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean (mine took 18 minutes).
-Let cool for 10 minutes on wire rack still in the tray.  Remove from tray and place on rack.
-Insert the nozzle of the squirt bottle into top of each muffin (as far in as it will go) and squeeze until berry filling starts to ooze out. 
-Let cool completely on wire rack.

#83) Little Lemon Pies

"A change is as good as a rest." - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930)

Changes keep life interesting, I get that. But there is too much of a good thing, right?

For the past 13 years, half of my life, I have moved 10 times. That's a lot of change. Each move has been for different reasons - following my family, moving for school, finding new job opportunities. It has been hard in a lot of ways - never really having a home, no permanent address, not to mention actually moving all of my belongings. The past couple of years have been the hardest because I am married now and have a newly purchased home, only I have been living 3 1/2 hours away, separated by a gravel highway (yeah they still exist in some corners of the world).

BUT... that is all over now because I have moved into our new home with husband permanently! No more temporary mailing addresses, no more packing up my life. I am home :)

You know what that means, right? I finally get to enjoy my new kitchen and all its fixins. Expect lots of new sweet treats over the summer, and remember, if you have any requests or suggestions e-mail me at dani@sweettreatsdani.com or find us on facebook :)

What better way to start off summer with some refreshing lemon pie? These two-bite pies are great for your next BBQ with some friends, or your next work social.

Pie Crust

Ingredients

1 1/4 cup flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp grated lemon zest
1/2 cup butter
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
2 tbsp cold water

Steps

-In a medium bowl, stir together flour, sugar, lemon zest, and butter until small, coarse crumbs appear. (I used a fork for this, but it would have been easier with a pastry cutter.)
-In small bowl, combine egg yolk and water. Stir into flour mixture.
-Knead pie dough into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.

-Preheat oven to 375F. Spread pie dough into an ungreased mini-muffin pan (makes 24). Bake for 10 minutes or until golden. (They will puff up, don't worry!)
-Let cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and let cool completely on wire rack.

Lemon Curd

Ingredients

1 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup water
2/3 cup sugar
2 tsp lemon zest
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp butter
3 egg yolks, lightly beaten

Steps

-Mix cornstarch and water together in medium saucepan. Add sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and butter. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and bubbly.
-Stir half of hot lemon mixture into slightly beaten eggs. Add egg mixture to saucepan. Bring to gentle boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and cook for 2 minutes.
-Pour into bowl and cover with plastic wrap (touching the surface of the curd) and chill until needed.

-Once pie shells and curd have cooled completely, fill shells with about 1 1/2 tsp of curd each. (There will probably be a little left over, but that shouldn't be a problem... Lick that spoon!!!)

***I used 2 lemons for the zest and juice in this recipe.