Eat Cake For Breakfast: Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Cake That Is...

Cute Shirt Kate Spade!

and

I think I will...

Click on ME for the Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Cake recipe by the wonderful Miss Stewart.

No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Oat Cookies

Oh my sweet mama, these are amazing...
 

·  2 cups sugar

·  1 stick butter

·  3 Tbsp. cocoa powder

·  1/2 cup milk

·  1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter

·  1 ½  tsp. vanilla extract

·  3 cups oatmeal (old fashioned rolled oats, not instant)

Mix the sugar, butter, cocoa, and milk in a medium saucepan. Boil for 1 minute. Stir

Reduce heat and stir in the peanut butter and vanilla. Mix quickly until peanut butter melts, then add the oatmeal. Mix until the ingredients are well blended. Stir for a couple more minutes on low heat (you want the oats to slightly cook, so they won't be hard when you eat them).

Drop spoonfuls onto tin foil, wax or parchment paper. Allow to set and cool completely before serving. I would suggest putting them in the fridge if you want them to set faster.
Makes 2 dozen 3 inch cookies.


This is revised version of a Lick the Bowl Good recipe.
Picture 1

Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie n’ Oreo Fudge Brownies

Ohhhh so bad...but soooo good.

Click here for the amazing recipe.

Vanilla Bean Peach Cake with Peach Soaking Syrup

Oh Yum.

By: Joanne Choi

From Week of Menus

  

Makes 10-inch bundt cake, serving 12 to 14
Cake:
3 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 vanilla bean, split, seeds
1 cup sour cream
1 ½ cups diced fresh peaches

Syrup:
⅓ cup fresh peach puree, strained
⅔ cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon orange juice

Method:
Place rack in center of oven, and preheat oven to 350. Grease and lightly flour inside of 10 inch bundt pan.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.
Using either a stand mixer (paddle attachment) or a hand mixer, beat the butter at medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Gradually add sugar and beat at medium-high speed until the mixture is light in texture and color, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time, beating for 30 to 40 seconds after each addition. Scrape down sides of bowl as necessary. Beat in vanilla bean. At low speed, add flour mixture in three additions, alternating with sour cream. (Add a bit of flour, a bit of sour cream, a bit of flour, a bit of sour cream, a bit of flour.)

Scoop half of batter into pan and spread with spatula. Sprinkle with peaches. Scoop remaining half of batter on top of peaches. Smooth with spatula.
Bake cake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan on a cooling rack for 10 minutes, then invert it onto another rack. Place the cake, on the rack, over a baking sheet.

While cake is baking, make syrup. Combine peach puree, sugar, and orange juice in a small non reactive saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Using a pastry brush, dab syrup generously all over surface of the warm cake, allowing it to soak into the cake before reapplying. Let the cake cool completely.

Pictures:Week of Menus

Chocolate Éclairs With Vanilla Bean Custard Filling

I love making these...they are actually easier than you would think. As soon as I make them they're gone. Everyone loves chocolate éclairs!

Ingredients

Pastry:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 eggs

Filling:

• 2 cups whole milk
• 1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
• 6 egg yolks
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter

Chocolate Icing

• 2 (1 ounce) squares semisweet chocolate
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar (sifted)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons hot water

Directions

Pastry:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Grease a cookie sheet.

In a medium saucepan, combine 1/2 cup butter and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil, stirring until butter melts completely. Reduce heat to low, and add flour and salt. Stir vigorously until mixture leaves the sides of the pan and begins to form a stiff ball. Remove from heat.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating well to incorporate completely after each addition.

With a spoon or a pastry bag fitted with a No. 10, or larger, tip, spoon or pipe dough onto cookie sheet in 1 1/2 x 4 inch strips.

Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven, then reduce heat to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) and bake 20 minutes more, until hollow sounding when lightly tapped on the bottom. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Poke a hole on one end of each éclair (for the filling) and set aside until your custard is ready.

Custard Filling:

In a medium saucepan, heat the milk and vanilla beanto a boil over medium heat. Immediately turn off the heat and set aside to infuse for 15 minutes.

In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the cornstarch and whiskvigorously until no lumps remain. Whisk in 1/4 cup of the hot milk mixture until incorporated.

Whisk in the remaining hot milk mixture, reserving the saucepan. Pour the mixture through a strainer back into the saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, until thickened and slowly boiling. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter. Let cool slightly.

Cover with plastic wrap, lightly pressing the plastic against the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Chill at least 20 minutes or until the custard is cool enough to be spooned into a piping bag to fill your éclairs.

*Filling techniques. I like to use a pastry piping bag, but if you don't have one handy, you can also use a Ziploc bag and cut one corner off. When filling the pastries, be sure to tap them on the counter to make sure the custard is distributed the whole length.

Chocolate Icing:

Melt the chocolate and 2 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Stir in 1 cup of sifted confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Stir in hot water, one tablespoon at a time, until icing is smooth and has reached desired consistency. Remove from heat, cool slightly, and dip the top of each filled éclair into the chocolate icing. Refrigerate until serving.

This is an altered and combined version of two separate recipes found on Allrecipes and Foodnetwork.
Picture by: A Bit of Bees Knees

 

Amaretto-Soaked White Chocolate Dipped Cherries

40 fresh cherries
750 mL bottle of amaretto (about 3 cups)
12 ounces white chocolate chips
Vegetable oil

With a knife, make small ¼-inch cuts into the bottom of each cherry. Place the cherries into mason jars, filling each jar about ¾ of the way full.
*(If you are making these for a party and you don't want to bother your guest with cherry pits, try using needle nose pliers to carefully pull out each pit where you cut your X).

Fill each jar with amaretto to just cover the cherries. Close each jar securely, and shake gently for 10 seconds before placing into the refrigerator. Let cherries soak overnight, or up to 48 hours.

Strain the cherry mixture (you can reserve the slightly cherry-flavored amaretto for cocktails) into a colander. Pat down each cherry with a paper towel or cloth until each one is dry.

Melt white chocolate chips in the microwave, adding vegetable oil as needed. Stir well to create a chocolate coating.

Dip each cherry into the white chocolate coating. Let excess chocolate drip off before placing the cherries on to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silpat mats.

Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes before serving. Keeps best in the fridge for up to 1 day.

Adapted Recipe and Pictures from Formal Fringe.

A Romantic Dessert Served On The Titanic: Baked Apples With Custard And Meringue

This beautiful dessert was served on the Titanic in 1912  –– Apple Meringue. Baked apples and creamy custard with an ethereal meringue. 

Ooooh how romantic!

This post comes to you by the very talented lostpastremembered. You should check out her fascinating post on heroes and cowards, love stories and tragedies of the Titanic.

I'm thinking about making Danny this for our Valentine's dessert

xoxo

 

Baked Apples With Curtard And Meringue

 

Serves 4

 

2 Lbs apples peeled, cored and sliced

2 T butter

¼ to 1/3c sugar (to taste, the custard and meringue are sweet)

Juice of 1 lemon

3 egg yolks, beaten

3 T sugar

pinch salt

1 3/4 c of scalded milk (whole milk)

1/2 t vanilla

 

 

5 egg whites

5 T sugar

pinch cream of tartar

Melt the butter, lemon and sugar and toss with the apple slices. Bake the apples at 350º, covered,

till soft but not mushy, 30 - 40 minutes, tossing a few times. Drain the apples. You can reduce the liquid to a thick glaze and put in the bottom of your container but if you don't drain them the custard will be too liquid. Fill oven proof dishes 1/3 to 1/2 full of apples, to your taste.

Combine the yolks and sugar and beat until smooth. Add the salt and scalded milk. Pour it over the apples. Place the custard apple cups in a deep baking pan and fill the pan with water until the cups are half submerged. Bake at 350º until the custard is mostly firm about 50 minutes. Chill.

 

 

Combine egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar in a large mixing bowl. Beat on high until the sugar granules have dissolved and the meringue can hold stiff peaks.

 

When apple custard is cooled, pipe or spoon the meringue on the top and put in a 350’ oven for 10 minutes or until golden brown.

 

Recipe adapted from lostpastremembered.

Pictures 1

 

German Chocolate Bombs

Oh I want to make these so bad! Could you imagine bringing these out at a dinner party? Everyone would be so excited! Are you ready for a culinary challenge?

         
Recipe found at Fine Cooking by Karen Hatfield

These showstoppers are a creative spin on a classic dessert. Here, individual ganache-glazed chocolate cake bombs are filled with decadent chocolate mousse and creamy pecan-coconut pudding. And, they're the perfect ending for a dinner party because you can make them ahead. Yields 10 individual bombs 

For the cake
Cooking spray
4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 oz. (1/4 cup) natural cocoa powder
1-1/2 cups boiling water
7 oz. (1-1/2 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1-1/2 cups packed dark brown sugar
8 oz. (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Tip: This recipe contains raw eggs; if that’s a concern, buy pasteurized.

For the coconut-pecan filling
3-1/4 oz. (about 1 cup) sweetened, shredded dried coconut, toasted and cooled
3 oz. (2/3 cup) pecans, toasted and cooled
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2-1/2 oz. (5 Tbs.) unsalted butter, cut into chunks
6 large egg yolks
1 5-oz. can evaporated milk
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

For the chocolate mousse
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate (preferably 70% cacao), chopped (about 1 cup)
3-1/2 oz. (7 Tbs.) unsalted butter
2 large eggs, separated
1 Tbs. granulated sugar
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Pinch kosher salt

For the glaze
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate (preferably 70% cacao), finely chopped (about 1 cup)
2 Tbs. light corn syrup
1 cup heavy cream

---

Make the cake 
Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 325°F. Coat a 13x18-inch rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.
Put the chocolate and cocoa in a medium heatproof bowl, add the boiling water, and whisk to combine and melt the chocolate. Set aside to cool slightly. In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt.
Beat the sugar and butter in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes, stopping to scrape the bowl halfway through. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Slowly add the buttermilk and vanilla—the batter will look curdled at this point. Reduce the mixer speed to low. Alternate adding the flour mixture (in 3 additions) with the chocolate mixture (in 2 additions), ending with the flour mixture. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and tap the pan on the counter to level the batter.
Bake until the cake springs back when poked in the center with a finger, about 20 minutes. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. (Well-wrapped, the cake will keep for up to 2 days in the refrigerator, or up to 1 month in the freezer.)

Make the coconut-pecan filling 
Pulse the coconut and pecans in a food processor until they resemble coarse cornmeal.
Combine the sugar, butter, egg yolks, evaporated milk, and vanilla in a 3-quart saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a spoon or spatula, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the spoon and hold a trail when a finger is drawn through it, 6 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and whip on high speed until cooled, fluffy, and slightly lightened in color, 6 to 10 minutes. Add the coconut-pecan mixture and beat on medium speed until combined, 1 minute more. Refrigerate until ready to use. (You can refrigerate the filling for up to 1 week.)

Make the chocolate mousse
 Melt the chocolate and butter in a large bowl set in a skillet of barely simmering water. Remove from the heat and stir with a spatula to combine. Set aside to cool slightly.
Whip the egg whites in a clean stand mixer fitted with a clean whisk attachment on medium-high speed to soft peaks, 1 to 2 minutes. Slowly add the sugar and continue to whip to stiff peaks, 3 to 4 minutes.
In a medium bowl, whip the cream with a whisk or electric hand mixer to medium-stiff peaks.
In a small bowl, combine the egg yolks, vanilla, and salt. Mix the egg yolk mixture into the chocolate mixture with a spatula. Fold in the whipped egg whites, then fold in the whipped cream—there shouldn’t be any visible streaks.

Assemble the bombes 
Set two silicone bombe molds that hold at least 5 bombes each (3-1/4-inch diameter and 1/2-cup capacity) on a 13x18-inch rimmed baking sheet.
Turn the cake out onto a cutting board. Use a 3-1/8-inch round cutter to cut 10 circles from the chocolate cake. 
Scoop about 1/4 cup of the mousse into each mold and smear it evenly all over the insides of the molds with the back of a small spoon. Refrigerate or freeze until set, 10 to 20 minutes. Evenly distribute the coconut-pecan filling among the molds (about 2-1/2 Tbs. each), and then gently press a cake circle into each mold. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze overnight.
Unmold the frozen bombes one at a time onto a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet. Let sit until nearly room temperature, 2 to 3 hours.

Glaze the bombes
 Put the chopped chocolate and corn syrup in a medium stainless-steel bowl. In a small saucepan, heat the cream over medium-high heat until just boiling, then pour it over the chocolate mixture and let sit for 3 minutes. Whisk gently until smooth. Transfer to a liquid measuring cup for easy pouring.
Pour the glaze evenly over the bombs to coat them completely. Refrigerate until set, about 2 hours. (Glaze the bombs no more than 8 hours in advance.)
Let the bombs sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving.

nutrition information 
(per serving):
Calories (kcal): 850; Fat (g): 63; Fat Calories (kcal): 560; Saturated Fat (g): 36; Protein (g): 11; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 20; Carbohydrates (g): 67; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 4.5; Sodium (mg): 210; Cholesterol (mg): 310; Fiber (g): 6;

photo: Scott Phillips

From Fine Cooking 114 , pp. 82-87

Amazing Lollipops

Check out these awesome all natural lollipops from the Groovy Baker on Etsy. They've been featured by Rachel Ray and Real Simple magazine. Wowza! Here is a list of the current flavors in the shop.

I want them all!

                             Peach & Cream                            Blackberry Merlot Mulled Wine

                       Grapefruit Rosemary                                        Creme Brulee

Orange Blossom Thyme

Mimosa Lollipop

Blackberry Merlot Mulled Wine

Peaches and cream

Creme Brulee

Apricot Saffron

Grapefruit Rosemary

 Honey Rosewater Cardamom

 Bacchus Cherry Merlot

Vanilla Pomegranate

 Baklava

Mead

Aztec Chocolate

Cherry Cordial

Tangerine Chamomile

Vanilla Cream Soda

Lemon Sugar

23K Gold Grand Marnier

Honey Tangerine

Watermelon BubbleGum

Vanilla Honey with Fig

Peach Schnapps

Candy Apple

Mint

Gingerbread

Vanilla Sugar

Sugar Cookie

Cotton Candy

Peppermint Swirl

Strawberry Punch with Champagne

Cherry Cola with a Hint of Champagne

Raspberries with Chocolate Chips

This is brilliant.

So fancy and easy!

Thank you Little Cakes. 

Vanilla Bean Cupcakes with Rose Buttercream Frosting and Sugared Rose Petals

The recipe for the vanilla bean cupcakes is a modified version from  CupcakeProject and it is by far the best homemade cupcake recipe I've ever made -- dense, rich, moist and bursting with vanilla bean flavor! The rose frosting and sugared rose petals are something that I whipped up myself. Vanilla and rose are a match made in Heaven. These cupcakes are a definite must for any girly party.

P.S. Guys like them too!

Vanilla Bean Cupcakes

Yield: 12 cupcakes

• 1 cup (225 grams) granulated sugar
• 1 vanilla bean
• 1 3/4 cups (175 grams) cake flour, not self-rising
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup (57 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1/3 cup (75 grams) full-fat sour cream
• 1/4 cup canola oil or vegetable oil (60 ml)
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup (160 ml) whole milk

*(I didn’t have whole milk in the fridge, so I substituted with 1/3 cup low fat milk and 1/3 cup half and half and the cupcakes turned out perfectly)

Preheat oven to 350 F (175 C).

1. In a small bowl, combine sugar and seeds from the vanilla bean.
2. Rub the vanilla bean seeds and sugar between you fingers, to break up any clumps of seeds and to better infuse the vanilla flavor into the sugar. Set aside.
3. In a medium-sized mixing bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, mix together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
4. Add the vanilla bean sugar and mix until well combined.
5. Add butter and mix on medium-low speed for three minutes. Because there is so little butter, you'll end up with a very fine crumb texture.
6. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, sour cream, oil, and vanilla extract until smooth.
7. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and beat on medium speed until just combined.
8. Slowly add milk and mix on low speed until just combined. The batter will be liquid. (Don't worry, you didn't do anything wrong. It's supposed to be that way.)
9. Fill cupcake liners just over 1/2 full.
10. Bake for 14 minutes and then test to see if they are done. They are done when a toothpick comes out without wet batter stuck to it. The cupcakes should appear white with specks of vanilla bean. They should not turn a golden brown. If they are not done, test again in two minutes. If they are still not done, test again in another two minutes.
11. When the cupcakes are done, remove them immediately from the tins and leave them on a cooling rack (or just on your counter if you don't own a cooling rack) to cool.

Rose Frosting

1 container of vanilla frosting

1/2 cup of unsalted butter (room temperature)

1/2 cup of confectioners sugar

2 drops of red food coloring

3 tablespoons of rose water

This frosting is the super easy cheaters way of making Rose Buttercream Frosting with half the fat. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl on high-speed until smooth and light pink in color. The consistency should be thick enough to hold peaks, but soft enough to easily spread.

 

Sugared Rose Petals

Preheat oven to 300 F

1 rose or 15 rose petals (I used pink roses)

1 egg white

1/2 cup of sugar (for coating)

Carefully wash and dry about 15 petals. Cut off the hard bottom of each petal (that is the bitter part...not yummy). In a small bowl whisk 1 egg white. Dip each petal one at a time into the egg white and then into the sugar. Be sure to coat the entire petal to protect it from browning in the baking process. Place sugared petals on a baking sheet lined with wax paper or a silpat. Place in the the oven for 35 minutes or until the petals are crispy.

Easy Chocolate and Coffee Fudge with Vanilla Salt

This recipe by Citrus and Candy looks divine!

Homemade Gingerbread Cookies

I made these gingerbread cookies last week with my nanny kids. I love this recipe, it comes out perfectly every time.
Recipe comes from Annie's Eats.

Ingredients:
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1½ tsp. ground cloves
2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
16 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 cup molasses
1 large egg

Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and spices to combine; set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in the molasses and egg until combined. Add in the dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated. Cover the bowl and chill the dough for at least one hour.
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured work surface to about ¼-inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Place the cookie shapes onto the prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through baking. Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire cooling rack and let cool completely. Decorate as desired.

12 Delectable Holiday Desserts

Oh mama these look amazing.

Here are the best of Martha's marvelous holiday recipes.

Chocolate-Peppermint Profiteroles

Eggnog Mousse



Blood Orange Cheesecake

Almond Crunch Ice Cream Cake

Croquembouch

Hazelnut-Praline Torte

Golden Pear Cream Puffs

Sticky Toffee Pudding

Scandinavian Princess Cake

Baked Alaska with Chocolate Cake and Chocolate Ice Cream

Mascarpone Semifreddo with Cherry-Port Sauce

Pesche Con Crema (Peaches with Cream)