St. Paddy's Day Cake

I think I should start by saying that this is not really a recipe ... or even a tutorial for that matter (although I will link to one).  I just made this cake and I was pretty proud of it :-)  I guess this is more of a design idea for a St.Paddy's Day cake.

Here are the details of the cake:

- I made 4 8" cakes, two are plain, and two I coloured green - I just used box cake, but you can use any vanilla cake recipe you like

- Irish Cream Frosting - Made my favourite vanilla frosting and added about 5 Tbsp of Irish cream

- Took about 3 days to complete but I was going slow

- I followed this tutorial from Sprinkles Bakes take a look around her site, it's awesome

- The Pot of Gold on top of my cake is a cake pop that I just dipped in some gold sprinkles

Happy St.Paddy's Day!!

Salted Caramel Macarons

Welcome to my latest obsession ... macarons!  Okay, I guess it's not a full blown obsession yet but it's probably not a good sign when your mother bets your sister $5 that you'll be dropping by with macarons ... even before you've told them you're making some.

I made my first batch last week and the picture above is probably my 5th or 6th batch.  To be fair it took me about 2 to 3 batches before I finally got these puppies right. I had definitely heard the horror stories about making macarons .. they crack, they are too flat, they don't get the 'foot' on the bottom, they're too chewey, they're too hard...and the like.  So I did what I always do when something seems difficult, go into research mode!

I found this amazing tutorial on ohsopretty.com.  She details everything so perfectly that it was honestly hard to fail at this.  The hardest part is incorporating your almonds/icing sugar into your egg whites ... if you mix too much, you get flat macarons ... if you mix too little, they crack.  I also used her recipe which I am really liking.  Read her tutorial, it's fantastic!

Okay, no more talking ... here's how I did it:

Ingredients:

2 egg whites (room temperature)
30 g sugar (original recipe calls for castor sugar or berry sugar ... I didn't have that)
60 g almond flour
116 g icing sugar
food colouring (I used Americolor in Gold)
Sea salt and Turbinado Sugar for sprinkling (optional)

Slightly adapted from ohsopretty

Step 1: Prepare

Using a #12 Wilton round tip, set up your icing bag and place it in a tall glass or vase (see picture below).  This tip makes it easier to fill an icing bag without needing a mysterious third arm.  Also, get out a large baking tray and line it with either a silpat and/or parchment paper.  I used both.  If you are meticulous about the size of your macarons, you might want to trace circles on your parchment paper using either a small cookie cutter or a shot glass.  Make sure the marks are face down so you don't bake pen or pencil into your macarons ... gross.

#12 Tip from Wilton

Step 2: Whip the egg whites

In the (very clean and VERY DRY) bowl of your stand mixer, whip your egg whites.  If there is any moisture in the bowl or if any of the yolk gets in there, you should just cut your losses and start again.  Your whites won't whip.  Once they start to look white and foamy (like the pic below), gradually add your 30 gms of sugar. Keep whipping while you do the next step. You want your egg whites to get nice and stiff.

Foamy egg whites

Step 3: Combine/Sift your dry ingredients

In another bowl add your icing sugar and the almond meal.  Sift these together.  This will ensure a smooth top.  Confession time ... I didn't have a big sifter, so I took a whisk and whisked these together. Not as good as sifting, but it has worked pretty well for me.  Picture of the whisked ingredients below.

Sifted Icing Sugar with Almond Flour

Step 3: Add the dry ingredients and your food colouring

When your egg whites are nice and stiff (like the pictures below), remove it from your mixer.  Add the dry ingredients and your food colouring.  I like to add the colour in now because I find if you add it to your egg whites while they are still whipping, they don't get as stiff.

Sifted ingredients + stiff egg whites + 3 drops Americolor in Gold

Step 4: Fold your dry ingredients

Using a dry spatula, gently fold your dry ingredients into your wet ones.  Do it gently.  Not sure how to fold?  Watch this video.  Actually, just watch this video anyway, it's awesome.  

You want to keep folding until your mixture looks like the pics below.  Just until it will run off your spatula without breaking.  Then fill your waiting icing bag.

Heard this described as 'lava' but that never helped me - I gently folded about 45 times until it just ran off my spatula without breaking

Step 5: pipe your macarons

Pipe little discs onto your waiting baking sheet by holding the bag in one place (don't swirl the bag around as you pipe).  Just simply press he desired amount on the tray and when your done stop and flick your wrist a little so you don't have a pointy top.  If you folded your mixture to the right consistency, those little tops will go away.

Give your baking tray a few firm taps on your counter top to bring any air bubbles to the top.  Use a toothpick and pop any bubbles that rise to the top.

Set your oven to 325 degrees F.

Let the tray sit on your counter for 10-15 minutes until the tops of your macarons are dry to the touch.  This is what gives the macarons their signature 'feet'.  Sprinkle with salt and turbinado sugar if desired.

Step 6: Bake

Place your macarons in the oven at 325 degrees for 10 minutes.  I like to rotate the tray halfway through the baking time.  Then reduce your oven to 275 degrees for 6 minutes ... again I rotate half way through.  You should see the 'feet' after the first 10 minutes of baking.  When they're done the bottoms should be lightly brown but the tops shouldn't be brown at all.

Check out my 'feet'!!

Let cool. If you baked them enough, they should come off your baking sheet easily.

Step 7: Fill with your desired caramel

I made an easy dulce de leche sauce, but it takes forever.  I made it by boiling a can of sweetened condensed milk ... and I do mean boiling the entire can.  Google it.  My only tip here is to make sure the entire can is submerged while boiling.  This ensures that the can won't explode, and that your caramel will be evenly browned throughout the can.  If you don't like this method, feel free to use any caramel you like ... even store bought.

And that's it!  Done!  Voila!  Be ready for the oooo's and ahhhh's!

Yup, I ate that

I like this picture ... but they kind of look like little hamburgers, don't they??  :-D

No Bake Oreo Cheesecake Dessert Shots

I have a sweet tooth, there, I said it :-)  Yes, I know you are all doing your fake surprise face right now.  Lately though, I've been trying to eat better and that doesn't always include the full serving of dessert that I'd like to be eating.  Enter the dessert shot.

This dessert is a combination of two ideas....1) Dessert in a shot glass and 2) Sex in a pan dessert.  If you haven't heard of the latter, google it ... but probably not at work just in case you get some unsavoury results..hehe.

So what's in the glass you ask?  First, a layer of crumbled Oreo cookies, then a cream cheese mixture, then some whipped cream, chocolate pudding, more whipped cream, and a sprinkling of Oreo cookies just for fun. These puppies come in around 150 calories per shot.  YAY!

Ingredients (makes 8):

Oreo Layer:
9 Oreo cookies

Whipped Cream Layer:
1 Cup Whipping cream
2 Tbsp icing sugar
1 pkt whip it by Dr. Oetker (optional)
--divide this in two

Cream Cheese Layer:
1/2 package cream cheese (room temperature)
2 Tbsp sour cream
1/4 cup grandulated Splenda (or sugar if you prefer)
+ 1/2 of the whipped cream prepared above

Chocolate Pudding:
Jell-o sugar-free pudding prepared as directed

Instructions:

Step 1: Prepare the whipped cream
Make sure your whipping cream is very cold.  Add whip it, and sugar and whip until stiff peaks.  Set aside.

Step 2: The cream cheese layer
In the bowl of your stand mixer, add the cream cheese and sour cream.  Whip until smooth.  Add your splenda (or sugar) and mix again.  Then gently fold in half of the whipped cream you prepared above.

Step 3: The Oreo layer
Place your Oreos in a food processor and grind until crumbly.  Doesn't have to be perfect.

Step 4: Assemble
Start with your Oreos, press it into the bottom of your shot glasses.  Next add a thin layer of cream cheese (it's fairly tart so you don't have to add too much).  Add a thin layer of whipped cream followed by some chocolate pudding.  Top it off with a little more whipped cream and some crumbled Oreos for flair.

Keep these in the fridge.  These can easily be made the day or two before a party.

Raw Oatmeal Cookie Energy Bites

I can't believe it's been so long since I've posted!  Feels like a lifetime ago.  In that time I've gone to Thailand, lost my camera (and my SD card), baked my way through Christmas, ate my way through Christmas, and changed jobs.  Needless to say it's been a busy few months!  The good news is that I've been baking like a crazy person and I have sooo many recipes to share.

Just to ease my way back I thought I'd start with something simple.  I've seen so many recipes out there for homemade lara bars I thought I'd give it a try.  My first attempt? ... yeah ... that was a disaster.  Grainy, oily, kind of hard.  The good news is that I've fixed it....and now it's awesome ... and SUPER easy.  These are a no-bake version of oatmeal cookies, and at about 50 calories per ball, it's easy to stick to your new years resolutions.

You can also make them gluten-free or paleo by removing the oats.

Ingredients (makes 16 bites)

1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup walnut halves (I used raw)
1/4 cup rolled oats
2 Tbsp unsweetened coconut (I used shredded)
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Step 1: Soak the Raisins
Place raisins in a bowl and add about 1 cup of water.  Let them sit for an hour or so.  This step is important because if your raisins are too dry you'll end up with a grainy mess that won't stick together.

Step 2: Grind the Walnuts
Place walnuts in a food processor and grind until grainy.  Not too long, you don't want walnut butter.

Step 3: Add the Oats, Coconut, and Cinnamon
Add rolled oats, coconut, and cinnamon to the food processor and give it a couple of pulses.

Step 4: Add the Raisins
When your raisins are nice and soft, drain the water out and add your raisins to the walnut mixture.  Pulse until it looks like dough.

Step 5: Form into balls
Form into balls about 3cm in diameter.  I used a 3cm ice cream scoop to portion out my bites.

Step 6:
Refrigerate.  You can eat them without refrigerating, but I like them a little cold, keeps them firmer.

Now get out there and make your own.