Let's just talk about how much I miss cookies.
Because it's a lot.
Never did I realize how much I ate cookies before giving them up for Lent. I would eat them here, I would eat them babysitting, I would eat them in my class, I would even eat them with a mouse. Seriously, it was a lot of cookies and a lot of eating leftover cookies from children.
I'm reading the cookbook my sister bought me entitled The Happy Baker: A Girl's Guide to Emotional Baking. It's hilarious, wonderful, and soon you will see plenty of recipes from it posted.
Except that it has so many COOKIES! And I desperately want them.
Especially with titles like "Where have all the good cowboys gone cookies" and "Match Made in Heaven Dark Chocolate cookies" and "Tall Dark and Carmel cookies"
There are a few bar and brownie recipes that I'll make in my "Mollie needs a loophole for her sweet tooth". But for now, send some recipes my way that are not cookies.
- Mollie
Monday, April 4, 2011
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Birthday Sweetness
A whirlwind of finals, spring break, and new adventures in my life has left me with a lot to write and a lot less time to do it in. Therefore I will write now to tell you about the great baking adventures this first week of class has left me with.
My friend Caylie's birthday was on Tuesday. During spring break we had discussed playing board games Monday night and going out at midnight to celebrate her turning 21 at that exact moment with drinks and revelry. From that point on I was on a quest: to make her a beautiful birthday cake.
I enlisted her room mate via facebook to help find out what kinds of cakes she enjoyed while I scoured the internet and my own supply of recipes for something fascinating. It came down to me agonizing over various options the Sunday beforehand with no clue as to what would be perfect. I came down to a funfetti, because it's bright, colorful, and fun just like she is. I also discovered a Whipped Cream Frosting Recipe that was a tantalizing combination of cream cheese and whipped cream that I had to try. Home made supplies in tow I was prepared to make the cake.
I found a site with some Google searching that showed how to make and box your own cake mix as well as make funfetti cake. This Smockity Frocks' recipe turned out particularly delicious, with a nice softness and a delicious I-can't-keep-my-fingers-out-of-it batter.
The Simple, but Delicious White Cake recipe:
Ingredients
Then it states to "cut" in shortening until fine crumbs are formed. While I had no idea what this was, the internet described it as a process to have the fat more separated than usual. I used a butter knife, but the internet again recommended a fancy cutting tool that is apparently pretty cheap. I just cut it up, pushing and mixing as I cut it, and kept playing with it until a crummy mixture seemed to be forming that fit.
Now add the eggs, milk, and vanilla and beat at low speed for 1 minute, and high speed for 2 minutes. Make sure you get all of it in there, so scrape the sides frequently. It recommends beating the egg whites separately for a lighter cake which I didn't try, but my cake was still very fluffy.
Now is the fun part! Dump in your sprinkles! I just shook in all sorts of oblong sprinkles, of all colors and seasons, but the recipe itself recommends 1/4 cup of oblong sprinkles. Either way it's important that they are OBLONG and not the little round ones, which will just make the batter weird colored and not pop as well when baking. Pour batter into your pan, I split it into two circular cake pans sprayed with pam, and bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes. The recipe itself calls for 25-30, but my sides were a bit burnt at 25, so I suggest keeping an eye on it once it hits 20 just to see how your oven handles the cake.
From here on out I got a lot more particular with everything I did. I followed All Recipe's Cake Frosting tips rather than just slopping everything together because I want to see the final piece as soon as possible. This means making sure the cake is cooled completely. I let mine sit in the pan for a while, removed it from the pan to cool even more, and then began to do what I think of as "cake shaving". This means trimming the top and bottoms of each layer of the cake to get off that brownish outside section, make the cake flat, and keep off that crunchier sections that may have baked faster. This is really yummy for the chef, especially if you haven't had dinner yet.
But before I did all my trimming and as the cake cooled, I began with the frosting recipe. This has gotten a lot of mixed reviews due to some people having problems with the cream and getting the wrong consistency. This is why you should ALWAYS read reviews to find out what changes the recipe might need. This led me to start by placing my medium sized bowl, the beaters, and heavy whipping cream in the freezer while I began getting the rest of the ingredients together.
In another bowl I placed 1 softened (8 ounce) package of cream cheese, 1 cup of sifted powdered sugar, 1/8 teaspoon of salt, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. I used low-fat cream cheese and still came out with an amazing frosting, so feel free to be a little healthy in your fatty frosting. The important aspect is I didn't mix this bowl yet. I kept everything there without letting the mixer touch it. Instead I pulled out the heavy whipping cream, beaters, and bowl from the freezer (letting them sit there for around 10 minutes total) and began to work on that. Pour 1 1/2 cups of the heavy whipping cream into the bowl and beat until stiff peaks form. I've done this part with my mom before, so I knew what to look for, but if you don't feel free to google search for videos or photos. You don't want to beat past the stiff peaks aspect or it'll be a lot harder to have the right texture.
Now that the whipped cream has formed stiff peaks you can beat together the cream cheese mixture. It's okay if some of the whipped cream gets into this mixture from the beaters, but it can't be the other way around. If the fatty cream cheese sticks to the beaters when you're trying to beat the stiff peaks it'll be a lot harder - this is why I waited to beat the cream cheese mixture. Once it's beaten, fold in the whipped cream. Give it a taste or two and sweeten if you feel necessary. Remember though it'll get sweeter once in the fridge - which I didn't expect to happen.
From there I did a quick crumb coat, again following the Cake Tips to do a thin layer on the top of the first layer, placing the second layer on top, and frosting a thin layer all over the tops and sides to keep it all together and looking nice. This was placed into the fridge with the rest of the frosting to chill for a bit. Then I was able to pull out the cake and have some fun!
Here you can feel free to lob on large amounts of frosting and smooth all over. Make it tastey, smooth, and use the spatula to try and make the edges not so rough. This was a very tedious task, but fun once I felt I knew what I was doing. Once most of the frosting was on the cake and pretty well spread all over I used a butter knife with water on it to try and keep it smoother. This was hard since it was so small in comparison and left some lines on my cake, but for a first time at really working at icing a cake I felt good about it. From there on out I just enjoyed decorating it bright and fun for my friend. I wish I knew a better way to get the small rainbow ball sprinkles on the sides rather than shaking it at the cake like I did - hoping they'd stick right.
I don't think I'll ever be a writer for a cake company - my handwriting is too terrible, but it was fun. That's what counts right? Plus I used purple princess sparkle icing that had a glimmer in it that even caught their attention while cutting it. I thought that would be a little detail only I would enjoy, but it was noticed, which always makes you feel extra special.
The cake itself turned out light, fluffy, and sweet. I learned later from my friend Ashley that I should have tossed a drop of lemon juice in to really make the sprinkles pop inside the cake, rather than just random colors throughout.
This cake adventure was large and made me appreciate the simpleness of a cupcake. Yet it also made me want to learn the more extensive decorating techniques of making a cake. I think I'm going to play around with it much more than I usually do now that I have a basis of knowledge.
Most importantly though, Caylie got two cakes and was pretty thrilled with cake, birthday, and friends. And this is why I love baking.
- Mollie
My friend Caylie's birthday was on Tuesday. During spring break we had discussed playing board games Monday night and going out at midnight to celebrate her turning 21 at that exact moment with drinks and revelry. From that point on I was on a quest: to make her a beautiful birthday cake.
I enlisted her room mate via facebook to help find out what kinds of cakes she enjoyed while I scoured the internet and my own supply of recipes for something fascinating. It came down to me agonizing over various options the Sunday beforehand with no clue as to what would be perfect. I came down to a funfetti, because it's bright, colorful, and fun just like she is. I also discovered a Whipped Cream Frosting Recipe that was a tantalizing combination of cream cheese and whipped cream that I had to try. Home made supplies in tow I was prepared to make the cake.
I found a site with some Google searching that showed how to make and box your own cake mix as well as make funfetti cake. This Smockity Frocks' recipe turned out particularly delicious, with a nice softness and a delicious I-can't-keep-my-fingers-out-of-it batter.
The Simple, but Delicious White Cake recipe:
Ingredients
- 2 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups white sugar
- 1/2 cup shortening
- 3 egg whites
- 1 cup milk (I used skim)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Then it states to "cut" in shortening until fine crumbs are formed. While I had no idea what this was, the internet described it as a process to have the fat more separated than usual. I used a butter knife, but the internet again recommended a fancy cutting tool that is apparently pretty cheap. I just cut it up, pushing and mixing as I cut it, and kept playing with it until a crummy mixture seemed to be forming that fit.
Now add the eggs, milk, and vanilla and beat at low speed for 1 minute, and high speed for 2 minutes. Make sure you get all of it in there, so scrape the sides frequently. It recommends beating the egg whites separately for a lighter cake which I didn't try, but my cake was still very fluffy.
Now is the fun part! Dump in your sprinkles! I just shook in all sorts of oblong sprinkles, of all colors and seasons, but the recipe itself recommends 1/4 cup of oblong sprinkles. Either way it's important that they are OBLONG and not the little round ones, which will just make the batter weird colored and not pop as well when baking. Pour batter into your pan, I split it into two circular cake pans sprayed with pam, and bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes. The recipe itself calls for 25-30, but my sides were a bit burnt at 25, so I suggest keeping an eye on it once it hits 20 just to see how your oven handles the cake.
But before I did all my trimming and as the cake cooled, I began with the frosting recipe. This has gotten a lot of mixed reviews due to some people having problems with the cream and getting the wrong consistency. This is why you should ALWAYS read reviews to find out what changes the recipe might need. This led me to start by placing my medium sized bowl, the beaters, and heavy whipping cream in the freezer while I began getting the rest of the ingredients together.
In another bowl I placed 1 softened (8 ounce) package of cream cheese, 1 cup of sifted powdered sugar, 1/8 teaspoon of salt, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. I used low-fat cream cheese and still came out with an amazing frosting, so feel free to be a little healthy in your fatty frosting. The important aspect is I didn't mix this bowl yet. I kept everything there without letting the mixer touch it. Instead I pulled out the heavy whipping cream, beaters, and bowl from the freezer (letting them sit there for around 10 minutes total) and began to work on that. Pour 1 1/2 cups of the heavy whipping cream into the bowl and beat until stiff peaks form. I've done this part with my mom before, so I knew what to look for, but if you don't feel free to google search for videos or photos. You don't want to beat past the stiff peaks aspect or it'll be a lot harder to have the right texture.
Now that the whipped cream has formed stiff peaks you can beat together the cream cheese mixture. It's okay if some of the whipped cream gets into this mixture from the beaters, but it can't be the other way around. If the fatty cream cheese sticks to the beaters when you're trying to beat the stiff peaks it'll be a lot harder - this is why I waited to beat the cream cheese mixture. Once it's beaten, fold in the whipped cream. Give it a taste or two and sweeten if you feel necessary. Remember though it'll get sweeter once in the fridge - which I didn't expect to happen.
From there I did a quick crumb coat, again following the Cake Tips to do a thin layer on the top of the first layer, placing the second layer on top, and frosting a thin layer all over the tops and sides to keep it all together and looking nice. This was placed into the fridge with the rest of the frosting to chill for a bit. Then I was able to pull out the cake and have some fun! Here you can feel free to lob on large amounts of frosting and smooth all over. Make it tastey, smooth, and use the spatula to try and make the edges not so rough. This was a very tedious task, but fun once I felt I knew what I was doing. Once most of the frosting was on the cake and pretty well spread all over I used a butter knife with water on it to try and keep it smoother. This was hard since it was so small in comparison and left some lines on my cake, but for a first time at really working at icing a cake I felt good about it. From there on out I just enjoyed decorating it bright and fun for my friend. I wish I knew a better way to get the small rainbow ball sprinkles on the sides rather than shaking it at the cake like I did - hoping they'd stick right.
The cake itself turned out light, fluffy, and sweet. I learned later from my friend Ashley that I should have tossed a drop of lemon juice in to really make the sprinkles pop inside the cake, rather than just random colors throughout.
Most importantly though, Caylie got two cakes and was pretty thrilled with cake, birthday, and friends. And this is why I love baking.
- Mollie
Thursday, March 17, 2011
A Delicious Wannabe
Once more, cupcakes have helped me through my lack of candy and ice cream. The celebration Pheobe's cupcakes my boyfriend got were devoured quickly, so even the remains were no longer in sight. Yet, my second cupcake was a little less exciting than my first.
First, take a look at my boyfriend's second choice. To the left is a mint chocolate chip cupcake. I decided to wait and post these cupcakes for St. Patrick's Day because they both felt very Irish-y. Not exactly Irish, but look at the green! We giggled about it and were excited at first since the wrapper didn't reveal the green at all beforehand. There it was once it's wrapping was pulled away - a green tint. It looks a little moldy in retrospect - so it might not be the best presentation, but I was originally so started I thought it was fun. He was very thrilled by the mint, the mint butter cream, and the chocolate chips all mixed together. I think he also loved that the cake was yellow and not chocolate. So he wasn't eating a Thin Mint cupcake or a wannabe Ande's. Instead it was minty and chocolate chip focused. He was thrilled.
I, on the other hand, may have been more thrilled when I first picked up my cupcake than by the time I finished it. I felt like the cupcake itself was kind of a mystery. Mine was a Chocolate Toffee Stout cupcake (as seen on the right). It is describe as "chocolate cake filled with Stout toffee topped with brown sugar butter cream and toffee drizzle." The toffee drizzle was thrilling, although it looks a little sloppy on the top. If on cupcake wars the design of the drizzle would be frowned upon, but the taste of it was wonderful. In addition, I was addicted to the brown sugar butter cream. Sometimes frosting is hard for people to deal with, especially when it is swirled on top of a cupcake and you can get more frosting than cake in one bite. Yet this frosting felt soft, sweet, and almost like it would melt in my mouth. I loved that feeling. The cake was also a delightful chocolate comparison with it. But my biggest question is: What is Stout toffee?!
Originally I was concerned about getting this cupcake, since I'm not a beer fan. But the toffee aspect intrigued me and I thought that if it was in the center it wouldn't be too beer-y or scare me that much. The strangest part was I didn't taste it at all. The middle part had a different texture than the cake. It was no longer this moist, springy, solid instead it felt a little liquid-like. But looking at the cake there was nothing dripping out, like the marshmallow in the Snowball cupcake, and the coloring wasn't very different. There was only a slight sheen. I tried biting just the cake. The texture was prominently different without there being frosting in the mix. When the frosting was there, you would have had no idea this cupcake was supposed to be filled with something.
I now understand a little more when on Cupcake Wars they say they don't get all the flavors that are mentioned. It happens. There was no stout or real toffee besides the frosting. Although good, I left my wrapper in the trash confused and unsure what to think. Of course my sweet tooth enjoyed the chocolate, but my inner foodie searching for something new and exciting was let down. I'd suggest trying a different Irish inspired cupcake - I hear Guinness are yummy and much more beer flavored for you beer lovers out there.
So Happy St. Patricks Day! Eat, drink, and be merry!
- Mollie
Originally I was concerned about getting this cupcake, since I'm not a beer fan. But the toffee aspect intrigued me and I thought that if it was in the center it wouldn't be too beer-y or scare me that much. The strangest part was I didn't taste it at all. The middle part had a different texture than the cake. It was no longer this moist, springy, solid instead it felt a little liquid-like. But looking at the cake there was nothing dripping out, like the marshmallow in the Snowball cupcake, and the coloring wasn't very different. There was only a slight sheen. I tried biting just the cake. The texture was prominently different without there being frosting in the mix. When the frosting was there, you would have had no idea this cupcake was supposed to be filled with something.
I now understand a little more when on Cupcake Wars they say they don't get all the flavors that are mentioned. It happens. There was no stout or real toffee besides the frosting. Although good, I left my wrapper in the trash confused and unsure what to think. Of course my sweet tooth enjoyed the chocolate, but my inner foodie searching for something new and exciting was let down. I'd suggest trying a different Irish inspired cupcake - I hear Guinness are yummy and much more beer flavored for you beer lovers out there.
So Happy St. Patricks Day! Eat, drink, and be merry!
- Mollie
Thursday, March 10, 2011
A Snowball Anxious for Spring
Yesterday I was informed that I have received an independent contractor position with K. Grace.
Meaning, I have a new job! This is especially exciting because I am now able to have a changing schedule that works with me and my hopefully upcoming internship. As well as I can do family things and plan my schedule ahead of time and not a few days before. To say the least, I was giddy. I wanted cake. I wanted celebration.
So that's what I did.
My boyfriend and I walked down Broadway to good ol' Pheobe's cupcakes to pick out delicious little cakes to enjoy on the special day. It was actually more difficult than usual. For those who have read my previous Pheobe's blogs, they tend to have a very similar menu with only a few rotating each time I go in. Yet this time we were greeted by quite a few delicious newcomers, including Key Lime Macadamia Nut, Chocolate Toffee Stout, Irish Coffee, and Green Snowball. I spent my first minute or so that I entered drooling over their giant cinnamon rolls (which I didn't know they had!) before realizing that I came in for cake and I had plenty of options. We came home with this bountiful supply of baked goods:
I was thrilled by the fact that I could get two cupcakes that had chocolate and didn't break my lent promise. No candy, no ice cream, no cookies. Cupcakes are just the trick for my lent season.
Of course, the boyfriend got his usual Very Vanilla. He tells me that vanilla to him is like chocolate to me. I don't think he understand the capacity his love must be for vanilla to meet that equation. Or maybe he does and I just can't seem to fathom how vanilla can ever compete. Either way, I just enjoyed his cute festive sprinkles. To the right you can see the color and the cute topped shamrock. Although St. Patty's is still a week away, it made me smile and wonder what they'll do next week.
He also got a mint chocolate chip and I got a Chocolate Toffee Stout for later in the week - by which I mean they will be devoured quite quickly in my frenzy of finals.
My celebration cupcake made my heart leap like joy. To the left stands the Green Snowball. Again, festive which always brings joy to my heart. Yet the implication of it being similar to a Hostess SnoBall made my decision that much easier. I fell in love with SnoBalls at a young age and have missed them since I've started eating healthier. So this cupcake was the answer to my childhood memories.
The chocolate cake was soft and springy topped with a beautiful buttercream. I loved the coconut shavings, but my boyfriend and others might be terrified of the stringy nature it has. The green was a little light on my cupcake and I wish if they were calling it a Green Snowball to put a brighter pop of color into it - instead I decided it was anxious for spring. The green is starting to come in - hinting at St Patty's Day and the soon to be green trees and grass.
Yet what really took the cake (pardon my pun) was inside. A nice bite revealed to me a gooey, beautiful center of marshmallow creme. Not marshmallow fluff or a marshmallow peep, but beautiful cream. Just enjoy it for a moment with me:
That is what I'm talking about. The beautiful cream flowed out of the cupcake and into my mouth. The only issue with this beautiful brimming marshmallow is that it wanted to flow faster than I could eat it (SHOCK!). It was one of the few cupcakes where I grabbed a plate and began to dig in with a fork. For me it was enjoyable still because I could be sure to get all the cake, buttercream, marshmallow, and coconut in one bite and I felt fancy eating a little cupcake on a plate. Yet for others this could be a drippy, sticky mess.
If you want to try this cupcake, be warned, the inside will drip on you. I would suggest not trying to walk and eat with it. As well as don't try to talk or do other things with it, because it will catch you off guard and leave you with a questionable white spot. Otherwise, this is a delicious cupcake that would only intrigue me more if the frosting was also marshmallow based. yummm.
- Mollie
Meaning, I have a new job! This is especially exciting because I am now able to have a changing schedule that works with me and my hopefully upcoming internship. As well as I can do family things and plan my schedule ahead of time and not a few days before. To say the least, I was giddy. I wanted cake. I wanted celebration.
So that's what I did.
My boyfriend and I walked down Broadway to good ol' Pheobe's cupcakes to pick out delicious little cakes to enjoy on the special day. It was actually more difficult than usual. For those who have read my previous Pheobe's blogs, they tend to have a very similar menu with only a few rotating each time I go in. Yet this time we were greeted by quite a few delicious newcomers, including Key Lime Macadamia Nut, Chocolate Toffee Stout, Irish Coffee, and Green Snowball. I spent my first minute or so that I entered drooling over their giant cinnamon rolls (which I didn't know they had!) before realizing that I came in for cake and I had plenty of options. We came home with this bountiful supply of baked goods:
I was thrilled by the fact that I could get two cupcakes that had chocolate and didn't break my lent promise. No candy, no ice cream, no cookies. Cupcakes are just the trick for my lent season.Of course, the boyfriend got his usual Very Vanilla. He tells me that vanilla to him is like chocolate to me. I don't think he understand the capacity his love must be for vanilla to meet that equation. Or maybe he does and I just can't seem to fathom how vanilla can ever compete. Either way, I just enjoyed his cute festive sprinkles. To the right you can see the color and the cute topped shamrock. Although St. Patty's is still a week away, it made me smile and wonder what they'll do next week.
He also got a mint chocolate chip and I got a Chocolate Toffee Stout for later in the week - by which I mean they will be devoured quite quickly in my frenzy of finals.
The chocolate cake was soft and springy topped with a beautiful buttercream. I loved the coconut shavings, but my boyfriend and others might be terrified of the stringy nature it has. The green was a little light on my cupcake and I wish if they were calling it a Green Snowball to put a brighter pop of color into it - instead I decided it was anxious for spring. The green is starting to come in - hinting at St Patty's Day and the soon to be green trees and grass.
Yet what really took the cake (pardon my pun) was inside. A nice bite revealed to me a gooey, beautiful center of marshmallow creme. Not marshmallow fluff or a marshmallow peep, but beautiful cream. Just enjoy it for a moment with me:
If you want to try this cupcake, be warned, the inside will drip on you. I would suggest not trying to walk and eat with it. As well as don't try to talk or do other things with it, because it will catch you off guard and leave you with a questionable white spot. Otherwise, this is a delicious cupcake that would only intrigue me more if the frosting was also marshmallow based. yummm.
- Mollie
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
After fasting for 40 days and nights, he was hungry.
Those of you who are religious and those who are not may know that today, Ash Wednesday, marks the first day of Lent. This year is my first official Lent, which sounds strange since I've lived through how many other, but it is the first one that I am celebrating as a Catholic. This means I will not eat meat on Fridays and I am going to give up something that is a worldly distraction or keeps me away from my relationship with God.
The hardest part of this will be that I am giving up cookies, ice cream, and candy.
Oh yes, you heard me right.
I am a little bit obsessive about having some kind of cookie, candy, or ice cream in the house so I can have it when I'm in a mood, to celebrate, or just because I feel I need it.
So to challenge myself I am giving up all three of these delicious parts of my life. That means you will probably hear me whine on my blog about it, or that I will start baking more. I didn't give up any other baked goods besides cookies (unless there is candy or ice cream involved in them). This means I will still be writing and you can journey with me during my Lent discovery of what else I can find to satisfy my ever constant sweet tooth.
- Mollie
The hardest part of this will be that I am giving up cookies, ice cream, and candy.
Oh yes, you heard me right.
I am a little bit obsessive about having some kind of cookie, candy, or ice cream in the house so I can have it when I'm in a mood, to celebrate, or just because I feel I need it.
So to challenge myself I am giving up all three of these delicious parts of my life. That means you will probably hear me whine on my blog about it, or that I will start baking more. I didn't give up any other baked goods besides cookies (unless there is candy or ice cream involved in them). This means I will still be writing and you can journey with me during my Lent discovery of what else I can find to satisfy my ever constant sweet tooth.
- Mollie
Monday, March 7, 2011
Sweet Sugary Love
Dear blog,
I sincerely apologize for not having been to see you or write to you recently. It has caused much anguish in my heart that I've been laboring over papers, essays, tests, and books rather than mixing together sugars, butter, flour, and creating something delicious to write to you about. Or even having time to go out and eat a delicious dessert. Instead I have been hard at work, stuffing spoonfuls of cookies and cream ice cream into my face in my moments of chocolate cravings.
But, the good news is I have something fun to write about.
Although it was quite a while away now, I baked delicious cheesecake for Valentine's day. When I found the recipe I knew it was perfect, especially with the heart shaped pans I have. So, although it's almost a month late, revel in the delicious cheesecake goodness.
Double Decker Oreo Cheesecake
Ready in about 6 hours. So prepare ahead of time.
Difficulty: 3 - Not so hard preparation, but there is a knowledge in baking Cheesecake that I had no grasp of when I started.
First off, be smarter than I was. Go here and read Allrecipes.com article on making Cheesecake. It will give you all the tips and tricks that I didn't have. This means you will not have cracks in your cheesecake, you will not idle near it worriedly as I did, and the edges will not be a little crispier than you expected. I had a few problems since my pan sizes were different than they were, which led me to be edgy and leave it in longer than I needed since I wasn't sure how to check for Cheesecake. The thermometer is so clever it didn't even cross my mind. So be sure to read up just to keep your cheesecake beautiful and soft.
Now, the Ingredients:
You begin by heating the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. This is where you should also get your pan ready, whether it be springform, cupcake, regular cake, or heart-shaped. While I just greased mine up with baking spray, I like the idea of lining it with parchment paper, it may make for a lot less of a mess in the end. Especially with this multi-layered cheesecake. In addition, if you are using a springform or anything that might let water seep into it, cover the outside with the tinfoil to keep water from getting in and ruining the texture of your cake.
Now is the fun part. Whip out your food processor (this was the first time I got to use mine!), throw about 30 cookies in there, and grind until fine. I really enjoyed this part. Perhaps a little too much. Then add the butter (either in your processor or another bowl) and mix well. This will be your crust so carefully press into the bottom of your pan, covering each part equally. They recommend a 13x9 for this recipe, so be sure you do conversions to make sure you don't have too much extra crust like I did - unless you enjoy eating cookie crumbs and having them fall into your blouse. oops!
In a large bowl, beat all your cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla together until well blended. Add in the sour cream and mix it all up. Add your eggs one at a time, beating after each one until just blended. Over beating, which I have often done, will let more air into your batter causing for a higher chance of cracks on the surface.
Then we deviate from the recipe a little. I enjoy reading the comments on each recipe on allrecipes, because they will always clue you into little slip ups in the overall structure. Here you should split the cheesecake batter in half. In one half of the batter stir in the melted chocolate. Hopefully you split it in half exactly so it's not too chocolately (where you can always add more plain batter) or not chocolatey enough (where you're just sad). Pour the chocolate batter into the cheesecake pan first, spreading it across the pan. Then pour the regular batter on top of the chocolate batter. This is a lot easier to spread on top of another batter because of the softness it has without the thick chocolate. Then have fun sprinkling the remaining cookies on top, either by crumbling them with your hands or chopping them up.
Now comes the meticulous part. Place your cheesecake pan into another pan (whatever it fits in that has high sides) and use a teakettle - or some other kind of pouring device that won't get the liquid into your cheesecake - to pour hot water in the outer pan. Then bake for 45 minutes or until the center is 'set'. I'm not 100% sure what set should mean, but I know it shouldn't be too brown and it shouldn't be still that soft batter. It will be 160-165 degrees F. if you are smart and use a thermometer. If you aren't smart and don't have one (like me) then you can use a small knife in the center, like a cake, to see if it comes out clean.
After baking it will need to cool completely. After that run a knife around the edges to keep it from sticking, like most of mine did, and let it refrigerate for around 4 hours. I dug in too fast, but if you look to the right at that beauty, how could you resist?
Okay, so it's not that beautiful. The edges are a little more brown because I didn't adjust the time exactly for my smaller pan, the top is a bit cracked since I didn't put it in a water bath, BUT it was still yummy. The cookies, chocolate, and cheesecake layers all blended together nicely and I couldn't resist eating it every day for dessert for quite a few days.
All in all, it was a good learning experience. Cheesecake does take a lot more thought than just following a simple recipe and throwing stuff together. I think I like it that way. Maybe I'll try it again soon.
But, until then, I still have lots of papers and work to do. Stress baking or stress eating will commence soon.
Don't worry. I'll tell you all about it.
- Mollie
I sincerely apologize for not having been to see you or write to you recently. It has caused much anguish in my heart that I've been laboring over papers, essays, tests, and books rather than mixing together sugars, butter, flour, and creating something delicious to write to you about. Or even having time to go out and eat a delicious dessert. Instead I have been hard at work, stuffing spoonfuls of cookies and cream ice cream into my face in my moments of chocolate cravings.
But, the good news is I have something fun to write about.
Although it was quite a while away now, I baked delicious cheesecake for Valentine's day. When I found the recipe I knew it was perfect, especially with the heart shaped pans I have. So, although it's almost a month late, revel in the delicious cheesecake goodness.
Double Decker Oreo Cheesecake
Ready in about 6 hours. So prepare ahead of time.
Difficulty: 3 - Not so hard preparation, but there is a knowledge in baking Cheesecake that I had no grasp of when I started.
First off, be smarter than I was. Go here and read Allrecipes.com article on making Cheesecake. It will give you all the tips and tricks that I didn't have. This means you will not have cracks in your cheesecake, you will not idle near it worriedly as I did, and the edges will not be a little crispier than you expected. I had a few problems since my pan sizes were different than they were, which led me to be edgy and leave it in longer than I needed since I wasn't sure how to check for Cheesecake. The thermometer is so clever it didn't even cross my mind. So be sure to read up just to keep your cheesecake beautiful and soft.
Now, the Ingredients:
- 1 package of Oreo Chocolate Sandwich Cookies. (try not to eat most of them if you are making the whole 16 serving recipe, it was hard for me)
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 4 packages of 8 oz Cream Cheese, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup sour cream
- 4 eggs
- 4 squares (1 oz) Semi-sweet chocolate, melted
You begin by heating the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. This is where you should also get your pan ready, whether it be springform, cupcake, regular cake, or heart-shaped. While I just greased mine up with baking spray, I like the idea of lining it with parchment paper, it may make for a lot less of a mess in the end. Especially with this multi-layered cheesecake. In addition, if you are using a springform or anything that might let water seep into it, cover the outside with the tinfoil to keep water from getting in and ruining the texture of your cake.
Now is the fun part. Whip out your food processor (this was the first time I got to use mine!), throw about 30 cookies in there, and grind until fine. I really enjoyed this part. Perhaps a little too much. Then add the butter (either in your processor or another bowl) and mix well. This will be your crust so carefully press into the bottom of your pan, covering each part equally. They recommend a 13x9 for this recipe, so be sure you do conversions to make sure you don't have too much extra crust like I did - unless you enjoy eating cookie crumbs and having them fall into your blouse. oops!
In a large bowl, beat all your cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla together until well blended. Add in the sour cream and mix it all up. Add your eggs one at a time, beating after each one until just blended. Over beating, which I have often done, will let more air into your batter causing for a higher chance of cracks on the surface.
Then we deviate from the recipe a little. I enjoy reading the comments on each recipe on allrecipes, because they will always clue you into little slip ups in the overall structure. Here you should split the cheesecake batter in half. In one half of the batter stir in the melted chocolate. Hopefully you split it in half exactly so it's not too chocolately (where you can always add more plain batter) or not chocolatey enough (where you're just sad). Pour the chocolate batter into the cheesecake pan first, spreading it across the pan. Then pour the regular batter on top of the chocolate batter. This is a lot easier to spread on top of another batter because of the softness it has without the thick chocolate. Then have fun sprinkling the remaining cookies on top, either by crumbling them with your hands or chopping them up.
Now comes the meticulous part. Place your cheesecake pan into another pan (whatever it fits in that has high sides) and use a teakettle - or some other kind of pouring device that won't get the liquid into your cheesecake - to pour hot water in the outer pan. Then bake for 45 minutes or until the center is 'set'. I'm not 100% sure what set should mean, but I know it shouldn't be too brown and it shouldn't be still that soft batter. It will be 160-165 degrees F. if you are smart and use a thermometer. If you aren't smart and don't have one (like me) then you can use a small knife in the center, like a cake, to see if it comes out clean.
Okay, so it's not that beautiful. The edges are a little more brown because I didn't adjust the time exactly for my smaller pan, the top is a bit cracked since I didn't put it in a water bath, BUT it was still yummy. The cookies, chocolate, and cheesecake layers all blended together nicely and I couldn't resist eating it every day for dessert for quite a few days.
All in all, it was a good learning experience. Cheesecake does take a lot more thought than just following a simple recipe and throwing stuff together. I think I like it that way. Maybe I'll try it again soon.
But, until then, I still have lots of papers and work to do. Stress baking or stress eating will commence soon.
Don't worry. I'll tell you all about it.
- Mollie
Monday, February 7, 2011
The Cookie's in the Cake
Sometimes the most miraculous of ideas come from the least likely places. Those who never are involved in a certain subject often have the most clear perspective and can come in fresh, with a new idea.
Now usually I wouldn't be saying this about baking, because there are a lot of factors involved in baking that can lead to mishaps such as burning and chemical mishaps. Yet my boyfriend's silly nature lead to a miracle in the baking world. As I discussed baking a chocolate fudge cake mix that I had in the pantry waiting for a slow day, he discussed buying cookies at the store. When I said I could make cake instead, or he could go buy cookies if he didn't want cake, he insisted that both happen. It didn't make sense to me. He said he would buy cookies and put them in the cake. In the cake? Yes, as in inside the cake.
You have had cake. You have had cookie cake. You have eaten cookies and cake probably in the same delicious day. Yet have you ever actually stuffed a chocolate cake with cookies? The idea of putting cookies inside seemed a little strange, but I suggested making a cookie dough. He didn't want actual cookie dough pieces though. He wanted fully baked cookies. We compared the chocolate chip cookie recipe and the cake box recipe. Both were at similar temperatures, but the cake usually baked around 25-30 minutes while the cookie took 9-11 minutes. The cookie would take longer though if it was inside the cake itself, because the chocolate goodness around it would reduce the amount of heat getting to the dough. Therefore, we decided to let the cake itself start cooking for 12 minutes and then stuff the still soft cake with the cookie dough.
Excited for our experiment, which we had no idea how it would work, my boyfriend began to mix the cake mix as I made cookie dough from scratch. He put the cake into the oven and set the timer. Then after the 12 minutes, it was time to stuff the cake. This was really messy, but allowed for a delicious cleaning up process. My boyfriend spooned small balls of cookie dough, which I then used the end of another spoon to press into the cake. The experiment looked like this (see right photo) before it was put back into the oven. The edges were more cooked than we expected, so it was harder to get the dough into the more cooked cake and we were left with some parts with more cake than cookie. Yet it still was stuffed with cookies and went back into the oven for the remaining 20-ish minutes.
Finally, the smell of chocolate floated through the kitchen and the buzzer rang. Our experiment was ready. Like a mad scientist I pulled it from the oven, thrilled to see my precious baby:
The cake was cooked and the cookies were too. It wasn't what we expected with the cookies peeking out of the top, but it ended up being absolutely wonderful. It would have been better if we hadn't left it originally in for 12 minutes, but rather 7 or 8 and then put in the cookies, but at least we knew the cookies wouldn't be burnt. They were soft next to the cake and when we put chocolate frosting on top it was the perfect dessert.
Can you see the delicious piece of cookie within the chocolate? It's there. It was soft with chocolate chips and that fresh cookie taste. The cookies never got stale either! The cake was so good that I rushed home many days to devour a large piece with a mug of milk.
Now you know, experiments can turn into beautifully delicious pieces of art. Do not be afraid, chefs. There will always be risks, but sometimes they lead to satisfying your sweet tooth in a way it's never known before.
- Mollie
Now usually I wouldn't be saying this about baking, because there are a lot of factors involved in baking that can lead to mishaps such as burning and chemical mishaps. Yet my boyfriend's silly nature lead to a miracle in the baking world. As I discussed baking a chocolate fudge cake mix that I had in the pantry waiting for a slow day, he discussed buying cookies at the store. When I said I could make cake instead, or he could go buy cookies if he didn't want cake, he insisted that both happen. It didn't make sense to me. He said he would buy cookies and put them in the cake. In the cake? Yes, as in inside the cake.
You have had cake. You have had cookie cake. You have eaten cookies and cake probably in the same delicious day. Yet have you ever actually stuffed a chocolate cake with cookies? The idea of putting cookies inside seemed a little strange, but I suggested making a cookie dough. He didn't want actual cookie dough pieces though. He wanted fully baked cookies. We compared the chocolate chip cookie recipe and the cake box recipe. Both were at similar temperatures, but the cake usually baked around 25-30 minutes while the cookie took 9-11 minutes. The cookie would take longer though if it was inside the cake itself, because the chocolate goodness around it would reduce the amount of heat getting to the dough. Therefore, we decided to let the cake itself start cooking for 12 minutes and then stuff the still soft cake with the cookie dough.
Excited for our experiment, which we had no idea how it would work, my boyfriend began to mix the cake mix as I made cookie dough from scratch. He put the cake into the oven and set the timer. Then after the 12 minutes, it was time to stuff the cake. This was really messy, but allowed for a delicious cleaning up process. My boyfriend spooned small balls of cookie dough, which I then used the end of another spoon to press into the cake. The experiment looked like this (see right photo) before it was put back into the oven. The edges were more cooked than we expected, so it was harder to get the dough into the more cooked cake and we were left with some parts with more cake than cookie. Yet it still was stuffed with cookies and went back into the oven for the remaining 20-ish minutes.Finally, the smell of chocolate floated through the kitchen and the buzzer rang. Our experiment was ready. Like a mad scientist I pulled it from the oven, thrilled to see my precious baby:
Can you see the delicious piece of cookie within the chocolate? It's there. It was soft with chocolate chips and that fresh cookie taste. The cookies never got stale either! The cake was so good that I rushed home many days to devour a large piece with a mug of milk.
Now you know, experiments can turn into beautifully delicious pieces of art. Do not be afraid, chefs. There will always be risks, but sometimes they lead to satisfying your sweet tooth in a way it's never known before.
- Mollie
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Disappearing Pineapple Cupcake
When I eat a cupcake it usually consists of my whole mouth encompassing a large portion of the cupcake to get the frosting, center, and cake all in one glorious bite, and then little bites to get a little bit of both and savor the rest. There are a few exceptions: 1) cupcakes that I inhale, because I cannot help the deliciousness from flowing into my mouth and 2) cupcakes where I am hunting for something inside of it.
Often in Cupcake Wars on food network you hear them say they didn't get enough of this flavor that was stated to have been there, or that they didn't taste it at all. I am usually confused by this statement. Bewildered by how they could not taste what sounds delectable or sometimes even strange. Yet today I had that first experience.
I had bought a Pineapple Right-side up cupcake from Pheobe's cupcakes last Saturday to eat in celebration of the Bear's going to the Superbowl. Alas, this did not happen. Therefore it waited for me for another celebration in the fridge. Today I decided it was a day to celebrate and devour a cupcake I had never had before. The cherry on top was exciting enough. I slurped it up before the rest of the cupcake was out of it's liner. I took one bite and enjoyed the soft cake, but something was missing. I literally picked at this cupcake. A little bit of the cake: soft, moist, buttery. A little bit of the filling: sweet, kinda caramel-esque flavored. A little bit of the frosting: delicious butter cream in a perfect thick swirl on top. But something was off...
Then I realized.
Where was the pineapple?!
There was no actual pineapple slice anywhere, as I had imagined in my head hiding underneath that beautiful frosting awaiting my teeth to sink into it's sweet crunch. There wasn't a heavy flavor of pineapple juice in the cake. The middle may have had a bit of the sweetness to a pineapple, but no real pineapple taste anywhere. The cake was yellow, buttery, and had a little spice. But the fruit was missing. It had disappeared. No bite could find it.
The cupcake is not listed on the Pheobe's website as one of the flavors. Although these do, sorta, rotate weekly, perhaps it's just not a usual one and that's where the slip up happened. Or the sign was mislabeled? I don't know what had happened, but the perfectly fine cupcake ended up being more disappointing because of the missing ingredient that should have been key.
Don't lose your sweet tooth
- Mollie
Often in Cupcake Wars on food network you hear them say they didn't get enough of this flavor that was stated to have been there, or that they didn't taste it at all. I am usually confused by this statement. Bewildered by how they could not taste what sounds delectable or sometimes even strange. Yet today I had that first experience.
I had bought a Pineapple Right-side up cupcake from Pheobe's cupcakes last Saturday to eat in celebration of the Bear's going to the Superbowl. Alas, this did not happen. Therefore it waited for me for another celebration in the fridge. Today I decided it was a day to celebrate and devour a cupcake I had never had before. The cherry on top was exciting enough. I slurped it up before the rest of the cupcake was out of it's liner. I took one bite and enjoyed the soft cake, but something was missing. I literally picked at this cupcake. A little bit of the cake: soft, moist, buttery. A little bit of the filling: sweet, kinda caramel-esque flavored. A little bit of the frosting: delicious butter cream in a perfect thick swirl on top. But something was off...
Then I realized.
Where was the pineapple?!
There was no actual pineapple slice anywhere, as I had imagined in my head hiding underneath that beautiful frosting awaiting my teeth to sink into it's sweet crunch. There wasn't a heavy flavor of pineapple juice in the cake. The middle may have had a bit of the sweetness to a pineapple, but no real pineapple taste anywhere. The cake was yellow, buttery, and had a little spice. But the fruit was missing. It had disappeared. No bite could find it.
The cupcake is not listed on the Pheobe's website as one of the flavors. Although these do, sorta, rotate weekly, perhaps it's just not a usual one and that's where the slip up happened. Or the sign was mislabeled? I don't know what had happened, but the perfectly fine cupcake ended up being more disappointing because of the missing ingredient that should have been key.
Don't lose your sweet tooth
- Mollie
Saturday, January 22, 2011
The Perfect Combination of Chocolate and Peanut Butter has a Rival
Pheobe's cupcakes has become an easy dessert stop on the way home from various locations, work, school, Noodle Company, the cold wind, whatever it is I couldn't deny the thought of stopping in today and getting a cupcake. The choices were hard, mainly because, again, they had a very rigid set of flavors as I mentioned in a past blog. Their website shows a list that is weekly, but I've noticed that only a few of them change. The usual very vanilla, death by chocolate, red velvet, tuxedo, funfetti, caramella and peanut butter fudgey are there. There was the addition of one today: the pineapple right-side up cupcake. I'll write more about this cupcake soon (since it's waiting patiently in the fridge for my will to break and devour it).
I decided to get the peanut butter fudgey for today, because the Reece's commercials have been making me crave chocolate and peanut butter. So much that I almost had a pb&j for breakfast just for a taste of peanut butter. Yet that wouldn't have satisfied my chocolate addiction, so this cupcake was perfect.
I've had this cupcake once before, when my room mate got it for me, but it had been sitting in the fridge for a bit before I ate it. This led to a harder cream frosting, which brought a much harsher and stronger peanut butter pop than I had hoped for. I decided to give the little guy another chance anyway.
Now first off, never let this one sit in the fridge that long. Just devour it right then and there if you can. The butter cream frosting has a perfect fluffy-ness that is soft with a beautiful peanut butter flavoring. There is no punch into your face. Instead it's smooth, airy, with a peanut butter taste that compliments the texture. It's the perfect kind of cream to get on the tip of your nose while you're trying to dig into the cheesecake bottom (which I did). Oh, did I not mention it was cheesecake? oh yes. There is a chocolate and cream cheese mixture that is, again, light and fluffy.
I learned from a Food Feuds episode about the variety of cheesecake fluffiness. Usual New York style cheesecake is much more thick and heavy. So while this cupcake is not your typical, authentic New York cheesecake, it's the kind that I would much rather dig into: the fluffy and airy kind. I also think this melds well with the light cream frosting. You do not feel heavy or like it's hard to finish the cupcake. Instead you savor every bite, carefully tying together the frosting and the cheesecake.
Now my only curiosity left, is it always a cheesecake cake on the bottom? On the website it lists it as chocolate cake with "a baked in cream cheese top", but in the store it said cheesecake. My hope is that it's always made this way, focusing on the light airy cheesecake quality. If you give it a try, let me know!
- Mollie
I've had this cupcake once before, when my room mate got it for me, but it had been sitting in the fridge for a bit before I ate it. This led to a harder cream frosting, which brought a much harsher and stronger peanut butter pop than I had hoped for. I decided to give the little guy another chance anyway.
Now first off, never let this one sit in the fridge that long. Just devour it right then and there if you can. The butter cream frosting has a perfect fluffy-ness that is soft with a beautiful peanut butter flavoring. There is no punch into your face. Instead it's smooth, airy, with a peanut butter taste that compliments the texture. It's the perfect kind of cream to get on the tip of your nose while you're trying to dig into the cheesecake bottom (which I did). Oh, did I not mention it was cheesecake? oh yes. There is a chocolate and cream cheese mixture that is, again, light and fluffy.
I learned from a Food Feuds episode about the variety of cheesecake fluffiness. Usual New York style cheesecake is much more thick and heavy. So while this cupcake is not your typical, authentic New York cheesecake, it's the kind that I would much rather dig into: the fluffy and airy kind. I also think this melds well with the light cream frosting. You do not feel heavy or like it's hard to finish the cupcake. Instead you savor every bite, carefully tying together the frosting and the cheesecake.
Now my only curiosity left, is it always a cheesecake cake on the bottom? On the website it lists it as chocolate cake with "a baked in cream cheese top", but in the store it said cheesecake. My hope is that it's always made this way, focusing on the light airy cheesecake quality. If you give it a try, let me know!
- Mollie
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Things I love after a long day
The top five things I enjoy after a long day.
Now I never thought I would come home from a long day, sweaty from a workout, feeling pretty good about life, and reach for a carrot cupcake. But today I did.
The last Sweet Mandy B's cupcake awaited me when I opened the fridge. After finishing off the pan of brownies I made yesterday, it was my one sweet treat for today. I couldn't resist.
If you don't like carrot cake, you will probably not like this cupcake, because it is beautiful crafted to be a carrot cake cupcake. There is that fun nutty flavoring, raisins, orange pieces that you can see to give it color, and a carrot flavor that is not artificial and not overwhelming. The best part is the cream cheese frosting. It is so perfect with that nutty flavoring that I had to calm myself down so I wouldn't just eat the whole top of the cupcake in one bite. While I had only a single pecan on top of mine, it was delicious when I got it with the cake and frosting all mixed together. I bet these cupcakes, pictured above, would be even more fun with the nuts sprinkled on top.
So try out this little treat to mix up your sweets and feel even a little bit healthy about eating a cupcake. It does count as a serving of vegetables right? Let's just say it does. Enjoy!
- Mollie
- Cuddling with my boyfriend and/or kitten. Preferably both. Those boys make everything in the world all right.
- Warm food awaiting me or made quickly upon my arrival, especially when I don't have to make it. Even just warmed up Chinese food seems to calm my spirits.
- A big cup of warm hot cocoa, especially with some marshmallows.
- Laying back and watching Disney movies, the food network, or shows about weddings (like David Tutera or Say Yes to the Dress)
- A cupcake.
 |
| Photo on flickr by mkecupcakequeen |
Now I never thought I would come home from a long day, sweaty from a workout, feeling pretty good about life, and reach for a carrot cupcake. But today I did.
The last Sweet Mandy B's cupcake awaited me when I opened the fridge. After finishing off the pan of brownies I made yesterday, it was my one sweet treat for today. I couldn't resist.
If you don't like carrot cake, you will probably not like this cupcake, because it is beautiful crafted to be a carrot cake cupcake. There is that fun nutty flavoring, raisins, orange pieces that you can see to give it color, and a carrot flavor that is not artificial and not overwhelming. The best part is the cream cheese frosting. It is so perfect with that nutty flavoring that I had to calm myself down so I wouldn't just eat the whole top of the cupcake in one bite. While I had only a single pecan on top of mine, it was delicious when I got it with the cake and frosting all mixed together. I bet these cupcakes, pictured above, would be even more fun with the nuts sprinkled on top.
So try out this little treat to mix up your sweets and feel even a little bit healthy about eating a cupcake. It does count as a serving of vegetables right? Let's just say it does. Enjoy!
- Mollie
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