Sundae Kind of Love

You know what I love? Things that remind me of being a kid again.

Lamb Chops, Looney Tunes, and Winnie the Pooh

Crunch Bars

Confetti Cake

Mike Piazza, Chuck Norris, and Johnathan Taylor Thomas

And this magical breakfast item called a German Pancake.

There is only one place I know that makes these scrumptious pancakes and it is in my hometown. Anytime I visited home it was surely on my “what to eat list.”

At the restaurant they have two sizes: baby and classic. I remember the first time I got the big one, it was like a right of passage. I was almost eating the same amount as my garbage disposal brother, almost…it was wonderful and a bit belly achingly painful.

Now this pancake is served with only powdered sugar, lemon, and butter. So simple and so darn delicious. Although sometimes a hefty serving of a glorious Blackberry syrup was slathered on the pancake as well…delish!

So I decided to make that too!

Watch this magical pancake grow in the oven on a Saturday morning with Looney Tunes in the background and feel like a kid again. I sure did!

German Pancake with Blackberry Syrup

Adapted from Food Network Kitchens

For the pancake:

• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 cup milk, warmed
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons vegetable shortening
• Confectioners’ sugar

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, salt, sugar, milk, vanilla, and butter. Whisk in the flour to make a smooth batter. Set aside.

Heat a well-seasoned 10-inch cast-iron skillet in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove and brush the inside with the shortening. Pour in the batter and bake for 15 minutes.

Lower the oven to 350 degrees F. and continue baking until puffed and golden brown, about 13 to 15 minutes more. Run a knife around the edge of the skillet. Sift the confectioners’ sugar over the pancake.

For the Blackberry Sauce:

• 1 pint of Blackberries
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, and seeds scraped out with a knife and reserved
• Grated zest of 1/2 lemon
• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, vanilla bean and seeds, lemon zest and juice, and water. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to low. Simmer very gently until syrupy, about 25 minutes. Then spread all over your German Pancake!

Do you ever have those days when your tastebuds are pulling you in 20 different directions?

Sometimes I think of the weirdest concoctions…Like a PB and J potato chip pastrami sando. Sweet, Salty, and Meaty mmmm….EW!

Its like when I was little pretending to be a weird scientist putting whatever looks good in a mixing bowl and whisking it all together. 

Red hots, shampoo, mustard, whipped cream, a little root beer. No I didn’t eat that, that’d just be nasty…and poisonous.

Well I have created a wonderful snack, or meal if you so choose, to satisfy all your conflicting tastebuds. Baby stuffed croissants.

I filled some of these fellas with raspberry preserves, some with peanut butter and chocolate, and others with pepper jack cheese. But really the possibilities are endless!

I wonder how tasty potato chips and chocolate would be? Next time!

Mini Stuffed Croissants

1 package croissant dough (like Pillsbury dough boy ones that pop all crazy when you open them)

fillings of your choice

1. Follow directions on packaging for preheating and unrolling

2. Make sure you dont over fill the croissants otherwise it will be one big mess and quite difficult to roll up your croissant properly. I used about a teaspoon of whatever the filling I was using. Don’t worry you’ll be able to taste it…promise.

3.Bake croissants according to packaging ie until golden brown and flakey.

4. Take out of oven and and satisfy all those tastebuds of yours!

Oh me oh my! Has life taken an unexpected turn. I had to disappear for a little while (obviously), but I’m back with all sorts of wonderful ideas and new inspiration.

Fresh fruit being the most predominant. I mean take a look at these beauts!

Nectarines and blueberries together. The colors alone blow me away!

I know summer’s over but these are two fruits that are still showing up at my fruit stands, and maybe yours too? I just can’t let go of summer. I mean don’t get me wrong I am ecstatic that this gosh forsaken desert heat (let’s say around 120 degrees F) is starting to subside, but when it burns your eyes and melts your skin to walk outside, well you just don’t. So it seems like my days of summer slipped right past me.

But just add a little brown sugar and everything else dissipates.

I know the fruit may not be as sweet and juicy as they were in their peak ripe season but what better way to transform them, and yourself, back into the sandy beach, margarita drinking, ice cream melting, sun bathing days of summer than to bake them into a fruit cobbler?!

Honestly, this recipe can be adapted to fit any preference. So grab some fruit that’s just sitting in your fridge or whatevs is lookin good at the fruit stand and give this recipe a go!

Necatrine and Blueberry Browned Butter Cobbler

adapted from Joy the Baker

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 Tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

pinch of cloves

pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

3/4 cup milk (low fat milk will work fine)

3 cups sliced nectarines, skins left on

2 cups of blueberries

1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Melt the butter in a medium saute pan set over medium high heat until it bubbles and turns a nut brown color.  Watch the butter closely, as it can go from browned to burnt in just a few seconds.  The butter will have all sorts of browned bits in it.  That’s the good stuff!

Pour the butter into an 8-inch or 9-inch square baking dish.

In a medium bowl, stir together the granulated sugar, flour, baking powder and spices.  Add milk and stir.

Pour the mixture on top of the melted butter.  Here’s the hard part:  do not stir!  Without mixing, arrange the fruit evenly over the top of the batter.  Sprinkle with brown sugar.

Bake the cobbler for 40 to 45 minutes, until the top turns golden brown.  Amazingly, the batter will migrate from the bottom of the pan to nestle  the fruit. 

Big news!

I’m making a friend’s wedding dessert!

I’ll be making a beautiful croquembouche.That’s kroh-kuhm-booshhhhhh.

And if you want to get fancy [Fr.  kraw-kahn-boosh]. 

Ever heard of it? Neither had I really. I knew OF it. You know, one of those super technical, super scary French pastries. The ones you don’t even want to try for fear of damaging your baking ego.

Essentially it’s a tower of cream puffs covered in caramel…delicious right?

Welp, I’m delving right into it and I’m way excited!

I’m taking one step at a time starting with profiteroles, which is the French term for what we Americans know as cream puffs.

They’re nice and airy little poofs…yah poofs. That then get filled with the most delicious vanilla custard that sops up the flavor of a whole vanilla bean. I love when recipes do that it always adds the best touch to the creation.

Now, there is caramel making that comes with this process, don’t fret. I tooootally burnt my first batch. No biggee, just started over and very carefully watched for the first sign of carmelization o sugar, which happens to be a beautiful amber color.

Watch out for that dark spot on the left….signs of burnt caramel….but doesn’t it look pretty?

Profiteroles in Caramel Sauce

From Bon Appetit Desserts

Puffs

• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 large eggs

Filling

• 1 tablespoon water
• 1/2 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
• 2 cups whole milk
• 2/3 cup whipping cream
• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
• 6 large egg yolks
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• Pinch of salt

Sauce

• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 1/3 cup water
• 2/3 cup whipping cream
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, cut into cubes

Puffs

• Bring 1 cup water and butter to boil in heavy medium saucepan. Reduce heat to low; add flour and salt. Stir until mixture is smooth and pulls away from sides of pan, forming ball, about 1 minute. Transfer to large bowl. Using handheld mixer, beat in eggs 1 at a time, blending well after each addition. Cover dough loosely with plastic. Let stand until cool, about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 425°F. Lightly butter 2 large baking sheets. Spoon dough into pastry bag fitted with 1/2-inch plain tip. Pipe 1-inch rounds on prepared baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Using moistened fingertips, smooth rounds. Bake until golden brown and puffed, about 23 minutes. Remove puffs from oven; turn off heat. Pierce side of each puff with tip of small knife. Return puffs to oven; let stand 10 minutes with door ajar. Remove from oven and cool completely. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

Filling

• Place 1 tablespoon water in small bowl. Sprinkle gelatin over. Bring milk, cream, and vanilla bean to simmer in heavy large saucepan. Whisk egg yolks, sugar, flour, and salt in large bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in hot milk mixture; return to saucepan. Whisk over medium heat until filling thickens and boils, about 1 minute. Stir in gelatin mixture. Transfer filling to medium bowl. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface of filling and chill until cold, about 3 hours. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.
• Spoon pastry cream filling into pastry bag fitted with 1/4-inch plain tip. Insert tip into cut on each puff and fill with cream. DO AHEAD Can be prepared 8 hours ahead. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Sauce

• Stir sugar and 1/3 cup water in heavy large saucepan over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to high and boil without stirring until syrup turns deep amber color, occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan. Add cream (mixture will bubble vigorously). Whisk in butter. Remove from heat.
• VERY carefully dip the puffs into the caramel and set aside to set….or to cool enough to pop 3 in your watering mouth.

             

This is one of those cakes that can be eaten all day. Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. Or even Brunch, Linner, and Midnight Snack. 

Apples seem to do that, they’re universal like that.

I loooove using Granny Smith apples when I bake. They balance the sweetness of baked goods so well with their tart taste and they are wonderful for awakening your tastebuds!

The cake balances that apple, brown sugar, buttery topping so well by being dense enough to withhold the weight, but light enough to have at least two helpings…I don’t judge.

Enjoy folks!

Apple Upside Down Cake
recipe from America’s Test Kitchen Magazine

Serves 8

You will need a 9-inch nonstick cake pan with sides that are at least 2 inches high for this cake. Alternatively, use a 10-inch ovenproof stainless steel skillet (don’t use cast iron) to both cook the apples and bake the cake, with the following modifications: Cook the apples in the skillet and set them aside while mixing the batter (it’s OK if the skillet is still warm when the batter is added) and increase the baking time by 7 to 9 minutes. If you don’t have either a 2-inch high cake pan or an ovenproof skillet, use an 8-inch square pan.

Ingredients

Topping

• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter , cut into 4 pieces, plus extra for pan
• 4 Granny Smith apples or Golden Delicious (about 2 pounds), peeled and cored
• 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar (4 2/3 ounces)
• 2 teaspoons juice from 1 lemon

Cake

• 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour (5 ounces)
• 1 tablespoon cornmeal (optional)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar (5 1/4 ounces)
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar (1 3/4 ounces)
• 2 large eggs
• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter , melted and cooled slightly
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

• 1. FOR THE TOPPING: Butter bottom and sides of 9-inch round, 2-inch-deep nonstick cake pan; set aside. Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 350 degrees.

• 2. Halve apples from pole to pole. Cut 2 apples into 1/4-inch-thick slices; set aside. Cut remaining 2 apples into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Heat butter in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. When foaming subsides, add 1/2-inch-thick apple slices and cook, stirring 2 or 3 times, until apples begin to caramelize, 4 to 6 minutes. (Do not fully cook apples.) Add 1/4-inch-thick apple slices, brown sugar, and lemon juice; continue cooking, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves and apples are coated, about 1 minute longer. Transfer apple mixture to prepared pan and lightly press into even layer. Set aside while preparing cake.

• 3. FOR THE CAKE: Whisk flour, cornmeal (if using), baking powder, and salt together in medium bowl; set aside. Whisk granulated sugar, brown sugar, and eggs together in large bowl until thick and homogeneous, about 45 seconds. Slowly whisk in butter until combined. Add sour cream and vanilla; whisk until combined. Add flour mixture and whisk until just combined. Pour batter into pan and spread evenly over fruit. Bake until cake is golden brown and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes.

• 4. Cool pan on wire rack 20 minutes. Run paring knife around sides of cake to loosen. Place wire rack over cake pan. Holding rack tightly, invert cake pan and wire rack together; lift off cake pan. Place wire rack over baking sheet or large plate to catch any drips. If any fruit sticks to pan bottom, remove and position it on top of cake. Let cake cool 20 minutes (or longer to cool it completely), then transfer to serving platter, cut into pieces, and serve.

Truth? I’m exhausted.

It’s been a heck of a couple weeks and, well, we’re still in the thick of it.

I have been sick 3 times in the past 3 weeks, I got another job (count ‘em, that’s 1,2,3!), and Colin and I are trying to find a new apartment in San Luis Obispo by April 1st.

So when I say I’m exhausted, I’m not being a whiner, I really mean it, really.

Between those three life scrambling dealios, I hardly have time to remember to eat breakfast, and well this lovely blog has suffered.

P.S. when I don’t remember to eat breakfast, now that’s a problem. I personally believe in the powers that a square meal can have on the rest of your day, plus it gives me the right to make these Banana Waffles.

These waffles were a saving grace for my sanity. Oh-so-scrumptious!

Take a morning, afternoon, or what the heck, even an evening to try these tasty treats.

Oh hey, I just noticed they kinda look like clovers. Look at that, just in time for St. Patty’s Day!

Whole Wheat Banana Waffles

adapted from Joy the Baker’s recipe for Whole Wheat Banana Walnut Pancakes

1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/3 cup cornmeal

1 Tablespoon sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs, separated

1/4 cup vegetable oil, plus additional for brushing the skillet

1 1/2 cup whole milk, plus additional if needed

3 ripe bananas, 2 mashed and one diced

Whisk together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl  Whisk together yolks, oil and 1 1/2 cups milk in another bowl and add to the flour mixture, whisking until smooth.  Let batter stand for 5 minutes to allow flour to absorb liquid (batter will thicken).

If batter is too thick to fall easily from a spoon, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons additional milk.

Fold in bananas

Beat egg whites in a large bowl with an electric mixer at moderately high speed until they just hold stiff peaks.  With a whisk, gently but thoroughly fold into batter.

Pour about a 1/4 cup of batter onto your waffle iron and leave in for about 3 minutes.

Top with Lyle’s Golden Syrup, Peanut Butter, Freshly Sliced Bananas and Cinnamon.

What the heck! Why didn’t anyone convince me to LOVE cheesecake?

I was a picky eater when I was little. I basically just wanted to eat sweets all day everyday. Look where that got me!

I probably didn’t like cheesecake because it wasn’t chocolate or covered in sour sugar crystals.

My new found love came during my friend’s absurdly wonderful 21st birthday. Somewhere in the whirlwind of that weekend I have a vision of 5 girls, forks in hand, with the hot mess munchies, sitting around a homemade new york style cheesecake shoveling it into our mouths. Attractive right? Im pretty sure I have a photo of this that will stay in the depths of my albums…along with some other “attractive” photos from that weekend.

Back to the cheesecake. It was incredible.

So I had to make my own.

It was much easier than I anticipated. But do make sure you have a roasting pan to create a water bath for the cheesecake. I had to McGiver a pan because I didn’t triple check. Always triple check, it’s better than double checking, promise.

I also decided to add a raspberry reduction. The color is stunning, no?

Cheesecake is so rich, so don’t forget to share or else you’ll get a major stomach ache. Karma.

Sharing is caring.

New York Cheesecake in bon appetit Desserts

Crust:

9 whole graham crackers

5 Tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

3 Tablespoons sugar

Filling:

5 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature

1 1/2 Cups sugar

4 large eggs

1 large egg yolk

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

1 Tablespoon unbleached all purpose flour

Preparation:

Crust: Preheat oven to 325ºF. Grind graham crackers to coarse crumbs in processor. Add butter and sugar. Process until blended and crumb mixture begins to stick together. Press crumb mixture into the bottom (not sides) of a 9-inch in diameter springform pan with 2 3/4 inch high sides. Bake crust until golden and firm to touch, about 25 minutes. Cool crust in pan on rack. Wrap outside of pan with 3 layers of heavy-duty foil. Maintain oven temperature.

Filling: Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese in large bowl until fluffy (this took quite awhile for me, so be patient. There’s A LOT of cream cheese!). Gradually add sugar, beating until blended. Beat in eggs and egg yolk 1 at a time just until blended, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl. Beat in lemon juice, vanilla, and salt. Sift flour over; beat on low speed until blended. Scrape filling over cooled pie crust in pan.

Place cake pan in large roasting pan. Add enough hot water to roasting pan to come halfway up sides of cake pan; place in oven. Bake cheesecake in water bath until center is softly set, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove from oven. Let stand in water bath for 5 minutes. PLace cheesecake in pan on rack. Cut around pan sides to loosen cake. Cool completely to room temperature. Cover and chill overnight.

Do Ahead: Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.

Cut around pan sides again; remove pan sides. Cut cheesecake into wedges.

Raspberry Reduction

Ingredients:

2 Cups of frozen raspberries

1/2 Cup sugar

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

Preparation:

Place frozen raspberries in a pan over medium heat. Wait for the raspberries to thaw a bit before slowly stirring in the sugar and lemon juice. Let the mixture simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Allow to completely cool before topping the cheesecake.

Three and thirteen have always been my favorite numbers. Three because it was my Mommy’s favorite number and I wanted to be just like her when I was little and thirteen because everyone thought it was spooky and I wanted to be unique. They stuck.

But I’m reconsidering. The number two seems to be pretty significant in my life.

I was born on 12/20.

I was also born at 2:22pm (how weird is that?)

I’m in my 20s.

You see where this is going.

Well needless to say, I like doing things in twos especially when it comes to Pies and Aprons. I made 2 pies for a Picking Daisies apron photo shoot by Henry Bruington

Photo by Henry Bruington

You can check out the other apron photos (and all the other awesome work he does) on Henry’s Flickr here and the rest of the amazing products Picking Daisies sells here!

Photo by Henry Bruington

Fresh Strawberry Pie

Ingredients:

A scrumptious flaky Pie Crust recipe

2-3 lbs fresh strawberries

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3 Tablespoons tapioca starch

1/2 Cup water

1 Tablespoon butter

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 400º F. On a floured surface, roll out dough into a 12-inch circle and fit into a 9-inch pie pan. Trim overhang and make a decorative edge. Prick dough with fork multiple times to allow steam to escape.
2. Line pie crust with foil and place pie weights on the foil. Blind bake the crust until golden brown and transfer to a wire rack to cool.
3. To prepare filling, crush enough berries to measure 1 cup
4. In a sauce pan, mix together sugar and tapioca starch. Add crushed berries and water. Cook over medium heat, stirring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook for 2 more minutes. Remove pan from heat, stir in butter, and scrape mixture into a bowl to cool.
5. Once completely cooled poor mixture into pie crust. Slice remaining berries and arrange them on top of mixture. Chill for at least 2 hours.

Raspberry Pie

Ingredients:

1 recipe for a 9 inch double pie crust
4 cups raspberries
1 cup white sugar
4 tablespoons tapioca starch
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons butter

1 egg for brushing crust

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 425º F
2. Mix together the raspberries, sugar, tapioca starch, lemon juice, cinnamon and salt until raspberries are well covered.
3. Pour into 9 or 10-inch pastry shell. Dot with butter, top with crust.
4. To make a lattice crust go here
5. Mix the egg with a tablespoon on water and brush on top pie crust. Bake at 425º F for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 375º F for another 25 minutes.

I love color. I love every single color!

I love Red

and Orange

oh and I adore Yellow

surely I love Green

I love the calming sensations of Blue

and I love the backdrop for the stars that is given by Indigo

and who could forget about the vivaciousness of Violet

What can I say, I’m a color lovin kinda gal! I tend to steer clear from plain jane characteristics. But every now and again, generally while in Trader Joe’s shopping for breakfast food, it occurs to me how much I adore Vanilla. Vanilla yogurt with vanilla granola and oh my Vanilla Cupcakes with vanilla beans!

Using vanilla beans in cupcakes is a way good idea. Like big time. Like not having expectations for holidays like Valentines Day and New Year’s Eve good idea. That’s always a good idea.

Making these cupcakes is also a good idea. Doooooooooooo it!

Vanilla Cupcakes
adapted from The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook

Ingredients:

For the cake:

120g plain flour
140g caster sugar
1 ½ tsp baking powder
a pinch of salt
40g unsalted butter, at room temperature
120ml whole milk
1 egg
¼tsp vanilla extract

¼ vanilla bean with seeds scraped out

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F) Gas 3.
2. Put the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and butter in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or use a handheld electric whisk) and beat on slow speed until you get a sandy consistency and everything is combined. Gradually pour in half the milk and beat until the milk is just incorporated.
3. Whisk the egg, vanilla extract and remaining milk together in a separate bowl for a few seconds, then pour into the flour mixture and continue beating until just incorporated (scrape any unmixed ingredients from the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula). Continue mixing for a couple more minutes until the mixture is smooth. Do not overmix.
4. Spoon the mixture into the paper cases until two-thirds full and bake in the preheated oven for 20–25 minutes, or until light golden and the sponge bounces back when touched.
5. A skewer inserted in the centre should come out clean. Leave the cupcakes to cool slightly in the tray before turning out onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

Vanilla Meringue Buttercream

found on the wonderful Joy the Baker’s blog here

Ingredients:

4 ounces egg whites

8 ounces granulated sugar

12 ounces unsalted butter, softened

pinch of salt

Preparation:

Place a medium sized pan with about 3 inches of water over medium heat.  Place egg whites and salt in a medium sized bowl to create a double boiler over the simmering water.

Once water is simmering, place bowl of egg whites over water, making sure that simmering water does not touch the bottom of the egg white bowl.  Whisk egg whites and gradually add 8 ounces of sugar.

Whisk egg whites and sugar over double boiler, whisking constantly, until sugar is completely dissolved, about 5-8 minutes.

Remove egg white bowl from double boiler and pour egg white and sugar mixture into the bowl of an electric mixer.  With the whisk attachment, whisk egg white and sugar on medium speed for about 4 minutes.

While the eggs are whisking, cut softened butter into large chunks, about 8 chunks per stick of butter.  When egg white mixture has body and is slightly cooked, stop the mixer and switch to the paddle attachment.  With the mixer on medium speed, add butter one chunk at a time, letting each chunk of butter incorporate into the egg white mixture for about 20 seconds.

Continue to slowly add the butter chunks, stopping the mixer to scrape down the bowl as necessary.

As you are adding the last chunks of butter, the buttercream will start to look curdled.  Don’t worry, just keep the mixer going and add the remaining butter, it will all come together, and the curdled look will disappear.