Greeting from the OC!

Greetings from Ocean City! I'm on vacation right now and I'm having a blast! Every where you go there's the smell of funnel cake and salt water. They have some great food down here and I plan to try them all! (or at least a lot of them)



I woke up this morning at 5:30 and after getting dressed, me and mom went for a walk with the dog. After mass, we went for donuts at my favorite donut shop, Dot's Pastry Shop. As we pulled up to the window I nearly died--they're hiring bakers for the summer! Oh, how I wish I lived here, and was skilled enough! I would just love to go into the back were they bake!




So we got 2 dozen donuts and a bear claw.





Jelly and creme filled powder donuts. Okay, the creme filled were amazing. SO much better then the ones you buy a Dunkin' Donuts, and I have nothing against DD!



The donuts here a really soft and almost melt in your mouth. The glazes and fillings are so sweet and delicious. It's no wonder they're packed on Sunday mornings!!

Last night me, my brothers and my sister went on to the board walk and got some pizza. There ae so many shops to choose from: The famous Mack & Manco, Luigi's, and various others. We went for The 3 brothers Italy, they claim they make the world largest pizza! And boy, was it big!! One slice is really like 2! hat i love though is that it's not just big, it GOOD. I wasn't able to get a picture yesterday, but I'm sure we'll go back later in the week, so hang around for a picture!!

Oh yeah, turned 16 on Thursday! I have change my profile now.

Fudgy yummy brownies!

I love Martha Stewart recipes. I often go to her site when looking for a recipe for a specific food. Usually I have a hard time finding one because her searching system stinks, but I found a excellent brownie recipe on there. They're called Super-Fudgy Brownies how could I not make them with a name like that??



They're exactly as she says: moist, fudgy, delicious and chocolatey. Way better than the iced brownies I tried.

The only alteration to recipe were I used milk chocolate, because I didn't have semi-sweet, and I baked them for ony about 30 minutes, rather than 50-60! They probably would have been chocolate bricks if I'd waited any longer.

So, go make them!! Recipe can be found HERE.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie :0

It's a chocolate chip coookie. It's a pie. It's a chocolate chip cookie pie! (and it tastes almost like cake!)

When I found this chocolate chip cookie pie recipe on Bakerella, I knew I had to make it. I love chocolate chip cookies. Believe it or not, I'm not a huge fan of pie, mainly because I'd rather have chocolate or cheese(cake!) than fruit. But chocolate chip cookie pie? That's my kind of dessert.



I still don't have chocolate chips, so I did the same method as my previous post and piped them by hand using fudge frosting.



It doesn't look as good as Bakerella's, but it tastes amazing!!
I used this recipe for the pie crust. It's "yum-o!" >.<

The Perfece Cake, period.

Boy was I shocked to start visiting peoples blogs, only to realize today was the day to post the daring baker's challenge!

Well, I'm sure you know by now this months recipe Is the Perfect Party Cake, hosted by Morven.

The original recipe is a 4 layer white cake, with raspberry jam filling and white buttercream frosting, with a hint of lemon. Our hostess, Morven, let us take are creativity and do what we wanted with the cake. I was really excited since it didn't sound quite like my sort of cake.

I decided to keep the white cake, eliminating the lemon and using just vanilla extract, I then brushed each layer with a simple syrup spiked with a little rum. On each layer I used pastry cream and cover that with chocolate ganache. I added cocoa powder and melted semi-sweet and milk chocolate to the buttercream to make it chocolate, since cake isn't the same without chocolate frosting. (unless it's cream cheese, which was my second idea I never got to try)




Thanks SO MUCH Morven!!

Original recipe:
Perfect Party Cake:
For the Cake

2 1/4 cups cake flour (updated 25 March)
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 ¼ cups whole milk or buttermilk (I prefer buttermilk with the lemon)
4 large egg whites
1 ½ cups sugar
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1 stick (8 tablespoons or 4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ teaspoon pure lemon extract

For the Buttercream
1 cup sugar
4 large egg whites
3 sticks (12 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
¼ cup fresh lemon juice (from 2 large lemons)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For Finishing
2/3 cup seedless raspberry preserves stirred vigorously or warmed gently until spreadable
About 1 ½ cups sweetened shredded coconut

Getting Ready
Centre a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 9 x 2 inch round cake pans and line the bottom of each pan with a round of buttered parchment or wax paper. Put the pans on a baking sheet.

To Make the Cake
Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
Whisk together the milk and egg whites in a medium bowl.
Put the sugar and lemon zest in a mixer bowl or another large bowl and rub them together with your fingers until the sugar is moist and fragrant.
Add the butter and working with the paddle or whisk attachment, or with a hand mixer, beat at medium speed for a full 3 minutes, until the butter and sugar are very light.
Beat in the extract, then add one third of the flour mixture, still beating on medium speed.
Beat in half of the milk-egg mixture, then beat in half of the remaining dry ingredients until incorporated.
Add the rest of the milk and eggs beating until the batter is homogeneous, then add the last of the dry ingredients.
Finally, give the batter a good 2- minute beating to ensure that it is thoroughly mixed and well aerated.
Divide the batter between the two pans and smooth the tops with a rubber spatula.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the cakes are well risen and springy to the touch – a thin knife inserted into the centers should come out clean
Transfer the cakes to cooling racks and cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes, unfold them and peel off the paper liners.
Invert and cool to room temperature, right side up (the cooled cake layers can be wrapped airtight and stored at room temperature overnight or frozen for up to two months).

To Make the Buttercream
Put the sugar and egg whites in a mixer bowl or another large heatproof bowl, fit the bowl over a plan of simmering water and whisk constantly, keeping the mixture over the heat, until it feels hot to the touch, about 3 minutes.
The sugar should be dissolved, and the mixture will look like shiny marshmallow cream.
Remove the bowl from the heat.
Working with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer, beat the meringue on medium speed until it is cool, about 5 minutes.
Switch to the paddle attachment if you have one, and add the butter a stick at a time, beating until smooth.
Once all the butter is in, beat in the buttercream on medium-high speed until it is thick and very smooth, 6-10 minutes.
During this time the buttercream may curdle or separate – just keep beating and it will come together again.
On medium speed, gradually beat in the lemon juice, waiting until each addition is absorbed before adding more, and then the vanilla.
You should have a shiny smooth, velvety, pristine white buttercream. Press a piece of plastic against the surface of the buttercream and set aside briefly.

To Assemble the Cake
Using a sharp serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion, slice each layer horizontally in half.
Put one layer cut side up on a cardboard cake round or a cake plate protected by strips of wax or parchment paper.
Spread it with one third of the preserves.
Cover the jam evenly with about one quarter of the buttercream.
Top with another layer, spread with preserves and buttercream and then do the same with a third layer (you’ll have used all the jam and have buttercream leftover).
Place the last layer cut side down on top of the cake and use the remaining buttercream to frost the sides and top.
Press the coconut into the frosting, patting it gently all over the sides and top.

Serving
The cake is ready to serve as soon as it is assembled, but I think it’s best to let it sit and set for a couple of hours in a cool room – not the refrigerator. Whether you wait or slice and enjoy it immediately, the cake should be served at room temperature; it loses all its subtlety when it’s cold. Depending on your audience you can serve the cake with just about anything from milk to sweet or bubbly wine.

Storing
The cake is best the day it is made, but you can refrigerate it, well covered, for up to two days. Bring it to room temperature before serving. If you want to freeze the cake, slide it into the freezer to set, then wrap it really well – it will keep for up to 2 months in the freezer; defrost it, still wrapped overnight in the refrigerator.

Marbled Gifts

I have four friends, whom I love dearly. Two of them are sisters name Sarah and Heather, the sweetest girls you'll ever meet. The other two are a couple named Tom and Kris. Kris is sort of my adopted Godmother, as she was my sponsor when I made my Confirmation. Tom is a Deacon at my church, also adopted Godfather. I love them all so much, and what says I love you better than a home-baked gift? Especially one with chocolate!











All wrapped up and ready to be given! I can't wait to see if they like them tomorrow. This is the Marbled Pound Cake, from Great Coffee Cakes, Sticky Buns, Muffins & More. It has a shelf life of around 5 days, so I thought this would work best as a gift. It tastes great too. Had to save one for myself...ya'know, couldn't give something away not knowing if it tasted good or not!

Easy & Yummy Chocolate Bread Pudding

I feel awful having not updated my blog in over a week! I kept thinking about my poor blog, being neglected. I decided I needed to give it some love today, so I had to make some something chocolaty...ya'know, for the blog. -cough-

This bread pudding is yummy and chocolaty. It's slightly crisp on top, and pudding-like on the bottom, with melted chocolate all over and cinnamon-sugar goodness.







The recipe follows:

Easy & Yummy Chocolate Bread Pudding
Serves 2 (or one, if you're hungry!)
Calls for 6-inch round baking pan

3-4 slices white bread, such as Wonder Bread
2 1/2 - 3 tbs. butter, melted
____________
1/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup white granulated sugar
1 tsp. cocoa powder (add 1/4 tsp. more for extra chocolate-ness)
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3 Chips Ahoy Chocolate Chip Cookies, finely crumbled (Or a similar crunchy CC cookie)
___________
2/3 cup milk
1 egg, beaten with a fork
1 tsp. sugar
___________
Semi-sweet choclate chips, as desired. (About a handful)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 6-inch baking pan with butter or margarine.

In a bowl whisk together sugars, cocoa, cinnamon and cookie crumbs, until well distributed. Set aside.

Melt the butter. Using a toaster, toast the bread slices, then cut each piece of bread into fours.
One at a time, dip the first four mini-slices into the butter, then place in the bottom of pan. Sprinkle with sugar mixture, and about a tablespoon of the chocolate chips. Continue this until you've used all your bread.

In another bowl, beat the egg, then add the 1 tsp sugar and 2/3 cup milk.

Pour milk mixture into pan, letting it fall over each piece of bread. Place the pan on a baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for about 23 minutes.

(You may have leftover sugar mixture, but it tastes very good on toast!)

And just because I haven't posted in a week it doesn't mean I didn't bake anything! Last saturday I made a delicious coffee cake from my new book. Unfortunately the camera wouldn't cooperate with me and I couldn't get a good, clear picture. Here's an idea of what it looked like though. You can tell it sunk in the middle a bit. It certainly didn't take away from the taste!



Happy ST. Patrick's day everyone!

New favorite recipe of an old time classic.

As I've previously stated, Chocolate Chip Cookies are my favorite cookie. Ever. I could probably eat 2 dozen and still want more. Whenever I made chocolate chip cookies, I always use the Toll House recipe on the chocolate chip bag. I've never, ever tried a different recipe. But since I've starting to really love baking I decided I had to try at least one other recipe. I don't think I need to try another! The "Best Big, Fat, Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie" recipe is my new default. It's all summed up into those words, with the addition of "Gooey" My favorite part. Yum. Yum!





In this case, bigger really is better. The texture really makes it, with just the perfect amount of crispness, but so chewy and gooey, and so big and fat. The cookies looked big even in my Dad's hands!

Best Big, Fat, Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
(Taken from Allrecipes.com, RECIPE HERE)

INGREDIENTS

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.
2. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand using a wooden spoon. Drop cookie dough 1/4 cup at a time onto the prepared cookie sheets. Cookies should be about 3 inches apart.
4. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly toasted. Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

(Following directions from other reviewers on AllRecipes, I chilled my dough in the refrigerator before baking. They came out perfect! And Don't be afraid to make them big!)

Blondies and Easter candy~

So today I made Blondies for the first time in my life. I've never made them, never tasted them. Let me say, I was certainly missing out. They were good. Really good.I used Mark Bittman's recipe, which I tripled, and put in semi-sweet chocolate chunks and walnuts. Just like a thick, chewy, moist chocolate chip cookie! (my absolute favorite cookie)

Smitten Kitchen's Blondies look better than mine, but you can find the recipe on her blog.


Me and my mom were out today, and we had a chance to run into the Candy Barn before picking up my brother from college. As soon as you walk in you get this intense chocolatey smell. It was so tempting me and Mom had to get a few pieces of chocolate to sample, as well as a few things to start our Easter baskets.



Next time I'll get pictures of the actual Candy Store! If I'd known we were going I would've brought the camera.

We also got these adorable candles from Target for our Easter Brunch.



Aren't they cute?

Doughnuts!...sort of...

I was bored, and we had nothing good for a snack in the house, and I've been dying to try this for weeks now, so I decided to bake some doughnuts. Yes, bake. I'm not exactly aloud to fry with yet, and I really don't trust myself. As it is, I've already burnt my sleeve on the jet while making dinner, I don't need another accident like that!

The chocolate frosting is soooo good!
Yup! Not only did some of they have chocolate on them, they had chocolate in them. Those are chocolate chips!
The last one looks more like a muffin then a donut. I baked it in a cupcake holder.

Bakery Sweet Treats

Tonight for a snack I got some sweet treats from my favorite bakery. I've only sampled 2 of their pastries before so I was excited to try more tonight. I picked out the chocolate chip cookie and the chocolate cannoli. My sister got some other pastry filled with a cannoli filling topped with a pretty cherry. Last time I sampled one of those and a lobster tail and both were quite yummy.

Cookie: It really wasn't my favorite. I prefer Mrs. Fields. The inside was a bit to cakey, in a sort of dry way. Not very Moist and chewey-ooey-gooey, which is how I like them.
Cannoli: Yum! I have to admit, I don't really like cannolis, but it's been a while since I had one. The chocolate one, however, was awesome! The filling was very light and fluffy, not heavy at all, unlike the lobster tail I had. The outside was crunchy and chocolatey. Perfect combo!
Unknown Name Pastry: I didn't have it this time, but last time I loved it. If you know what it's called, let me know!
Lobster Tail: Was very crunchy, very filling, very, very good. I think I'll get another one next time!
I'm trying their eclair next time!

Halloween Yummies!

We had our Halloween party on Sunday! It was a blast! We have so many leftovers it's not even funny. We were expecting more people but had a few cancellations. Oh well, more for me!

These are the cupcakes my mom and I baked, sister and I decorated. Inspired by Better Homes and Gardens: Halloween Tricks & Treats issue.


Brownies my sister and I made.

All together.


Overall it was a delicious party. The brownies were made using a scratch recipe. I thought they were a bit dry, maybe I baked them to long? They were still yummy though. For christmas time we make them with an oaty bottom and the best chocolate icing EVER.