Cinnamon Rolls

This week I have been really wanting cinnamon rolls, so I thought they would be a great thing to make for this.

Ingredients:

For The Dough:

• 1/4-ounce package yeast
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1/2 cup scalded milk
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup butter or shortening
• 1 egg
• 3 1/2-4 cups all-purpose flour

For The Filling

• 1/2 cup butter, plus more for greasing
• 3/4 cup sugar, plus more for pan
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 3/4 cup raisins, walnuts, or pecans (optional)

For The Icing/Glaze

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3-6 tablespoons hot water

Directions:

Gather Ingredients.

In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water and set aside.

In a large bowl mix milk, sugar, melted butter, salt, and egg. Add 2 cups of flour and mix until smooth. Add yeast mixture. Mix in remaining flour until dough is easy to handle.

Knead dough on lightly floured surface for 5 to 10 minutes, I suggest lightly flouring your hands as well. Place in well-greased bowl, cover and let rise until doubled in size. Usually 1-1 1/2 hours. I let mine rise for  1 1/2 hours.

When doubled in size, punch down dough. Roll out onto a floured surface into a 15 by 9-inch rectangle.

Spread melted butter all over the dough. mix sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the buttered dough. If desired sprinkle Raisins, walnuts, and pecans on the dough too. This can get messy!

Beginning at the 15-inch side, roll up the dough and pinch the ends together to seal.

Cut into 12-15 slices.

Preheat oven to 350F.

Coat the bottom of the baking pan with butter and sprinkle with sugar. Place cinnamon slices close together in pan and let dough rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.

Bake for about 30 minutes. Mine took exactly 30 minutes, but it depends on the oven.

Meanwhile, mix butter and powdered sugar together. Mix in vanilla. Add water one tablespoon at a time until icing reaches desired consistency. spread icing over slightly cooled rolls.

My Experience:
I enjoyed making these a lot, other than all the waiting. The cinnamon rolls were good, but they weren't the best I have ever eaten. If I were to change anything or make these again I would cook them less so they are more doughy because they were a little hard on the top.

Gatsby Project

This week I had to do a project for my English class, and I decided to incorporate baking into it. I ended up baking two cakes and hollowing one out. Due to various problems I do not have a a lot of photos, but I will do my best to describe a mental Image. I made two cakes, one was a plain white cake with raspberry butter cream frosting.

 For the White cake with raspberry butter cream frosting I used these recipes:
Ingredients:

For The White Cake:

• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For The Raspberry Frosting:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 6-8 cups powdered sugar (I used 5)
• 1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam (I used a full cup)
• Milk (optional)
• Red food colouring (optional)

Directions:

For The Cake:

Preheat the oven to 350F. Butter two 8-inch round cake pans and line bottoms with parchment; butter parchment as well. Using parchment paper is very important because it helps the cake come out of the pan easier. 

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat together butter and granulated sugar with a mixer on medium speed until combined, 1 to 2 minutes. Add eggs and beat well, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. Reduce speed to low and gradually add flour mixture, beating until combined. Add milk and vanilla and beat until just combined.

 Divide the batter between pans; smooth tops with an off-set spatula. Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean, 33 to 35 minutes. Mine took 35 minutes.

Let cakes cool in pans on wire racks 15 minutes. Turn out cakes onto racks to cool completely.

For the Frosting:

Mix butter and jam in an electric mixer on medium speed until creamy, and well incorporated, this will take about 2 minutes.

Add powdered sugar one cup, or half cups at a time until you reach your desired taste and consistency. I ended up sing 5 cups of powdered sugar, adding half cups at a time. Keep the mixer on a low speed so the powdered sugar doesn't explode everywhere.

If the frosting gets too thick you can add a bit of milk to thin it out, if it gets too thin add a bit more powdered sugar. If your frosting is not the desired pink colour you desire, add a bit of red food colouring to it.

Ingredients:

For The Chocolate Cake:

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups sugar

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon espresso powder

1 cup milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup boiling water

For The Chocolate Frosting:

1 1/2 cups butter (3 sticks), softened

1 cup unsweetened cocoa

5 cups confectioner’s sugar

1/2 cup milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon espresso powder

Directions For The Cake
Preheat oven to 350º F. Prepare two 9-inch cake pans by greasing the pans with butter, then parchment paper, then buttering the parchment paper.

Add flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt and espresso powder to a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk through to combine or, using your paddle attachment, stir through flour mixture until combined well.

Add milk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla to flour mixture and mix together on medium speed until well combined. Reduce speed and carefully add boiling water to the cake batter. Beat on high speed for about 1 minute to add air to the batter.


Distribute cake batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. My cake took 40 minutes to bake.


Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes, remove from the pan and cool completely.

Notes/My Experience:
I had a good experience with both recipes, though I believe the chocolate one turned out better. I hollowed out the white cake to show the hollowness of the upper class in the novel "The Great Gatsby." The cake started to cave in when I was frosting it, so I cut out a piece of tinfoil and frosted over it, it took everyone by surprise! I had a lot of fun trying to figure out an idea for my project, and I'm glad it turned out so well!

Enjoy!xx 

Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes With Meringue Frosting

Ingredients:

For the Cake:

• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 4 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/4 cups self-rising flour
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• Seedless raspberry jam
• Fresh raspberries (optional)

For the Frosting:

• 3 large egg whites
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

For the Cupcakes:

Gather ingredients.

Preheat oven to 350F. Line 12 standard (1/3-cup) muffin cups with paper liners.

Using an electric mixer, beat butter, 1 1/2 cups sugar, and 3 teaspoons lemon peel in a bowl until fluffy and pale yellow. Beat in eggs one at a time. Beat in half of flour. Beat in buttermilk and 2 tablespoons lemon juice, then remaining flour.

Drop one rounded tablespoonful of batter into each paper liner. Drop one teaspoon raspberry jam onto the center of batter. Cover jam with remaining batter. You will want to fill the cupcake liners 2/3 of the way full, to avoid over pouring cupcakes.

Bake cupcakes until tester inserted half way into the center comes out clean, about 23 minutes. Cool cupcakes in pan on rack. Cool completely before frosting. My cupcakes took exactly 23 minutes, which is oddly specific, but it works. When inserting the tester you will want to stick it in towards the side of the cupcake to make sure you don't get jam on it.

For the Frosting:

In a large, clean heatproof bowl, combine the egg whites, sugar, water and corn syrup. Set the bowl over (but not touching) simmering water in a saucepan and heat the mixture, whisking constantly, until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is very warm to the touch (about 160F on an instant-read thermometer), about two minutes. Remove the bowl from the saucepan. Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat until glossy and voluminous, about 5 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Use right away. My mixture took longer to heat up than two minutes. If you are planning on using this I suggest you really use it right away, it starts to get weird after awhile.

My Experience:

I have never made this recipe. I have also never made meringue frosting before. These cupcakes turned out really well. The only thing I would change is the frosting, and how much I put in the cupcakes. I didn't fill the cupcake liners as much as I should. I was experimenting with a different frosting than normal and although it was good, it wasn't my favourite. I would recommend using a raspberry butter cream frosting, considering that you still probably have some raspberry jam left. This was a very nice recipe that I would recommend to anyone!

Enjoy!xx

Toffee

This week I made toffee, it's pretty quick if you have time to stand in one spot and stir hot butter sugar for awhile. 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (two sticks) butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4-6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts (pecans, almonds, ect.)
• Candy thermometer

Directions:

Gather ingredients.

Chop chocolate and nuts. Put parchment paper or a silicone baking mat on a large baking sheet. If you use parchment paper dab butter on the corners before putting it on the baking sheet. 

Melt, and stir butter and sugar in a pot over medium heat, add water. Use a pot that can handle the expansion of the mixture as it cooks. Keep stirring!

Once the butter and sugar are mixed together, turn down heat to low, continuing to stir. The toffee will start to expand at this point, depending on the stove. Still stirring.

Once the toffee reaches 300F on the candy thermometer, or if it is a light caramel brown color, remove from heat, and stir in vanilla. Pour onto the prepared baking sheet spread it around with a knife or rubber spatula, not too thin, not too thick.

put chocolate chips on the hot toffee and let them melt. spread the chocolate evenly on the surface of the toffee. Sprinkle nuts over the chocolate.

Put toffee in the fridge for at least an hour, or until cooled completely. Once chilled break into pieces and serve.

My Experience:

This toffee recipe is the best one I've tried. It is pretty simple, and it makes amazing toffee. I always end up burning myself or pouring hot sugar on me so definitely be careful. I wrote this recipe out of memory, so if there is a part that doesn't seem right, please let me know!

Enjoy!xx

Mexican Wedding Cakes

This is a recipe I have been making for a long time, I've made these cookies countless times, they are quick and easy!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup pecans (or walnuts, almonds, ect..)
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup flour, sifted

Directions:

Gather ingredients.

Preheat oven to 350

Toast pecans (walnuts, almonds) on a cookie sheet in the oven for 2 to 3 minutes. After they are toasted, place them on a cutting board and chop until very fine. Let them cool. The  nuts should be chopped very finely, almost like flour.

In the mixer, beat butter until fluffy and well blended. Add salt, powdered sugar and vanilla. Then add the cooled nuts.

Gradually sift the flour over the mixture as you mix. Mix until well blended. Refrigerate until firm, if time allows. This takes about 10 minutes or so. Firm the dough into 1-inch balls.

Bake for 10 to 15 minutes. Mine took about 12 minutes. Roll hot cookies in powdered sugar.

My Experience:

These cookies are super easy, and very yummy. I have been experimenting with them, adding cinnamon or a different kind of nut. You can add all kinds of ingredients, like dried cranberries, coconut shreds, fruit zests, anything. This recipe make very many cookies, 15 at tops. I recommend doubling the recipe if you want to bring these to a party!

Enjoy!xx 

Red Velvet Cake

This recipe is from a book called "bon appetit" I have never made this type of cake before.
Ingredients:
Cake:

• 2 1/4 cups sifted cake flour (sifted then measured)
• 2 tablespoons natural unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon red food colouring
• 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
• 2 large eggs

Frosting:

• 2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• various toppings

Directions

Gather ingredients.

Cake:

Preheat oven to 350F.

Butter and flour two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. I didn't have the correct size cake pans so I had to make it a larger, one layer cake. If you had  to do what I did you could have cut the cake into layers.

Sift flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a medium bowl. Whisk (in a different, smaller bowl), buttermilk, food colouring, vinegar and vanilla to blend. Using an electric mixer, beat sugar and butter until well blended. Beat in eggs one at a time. Beat in dry ingredients alternatively with the buttermilk mixture. Divide between prepared pans.

Bake cakes until tester inserted into the middle comes out clean, about 27 minutes. Cool pans on racks for 10 minutes. Cut around pan sides to loosen cakes. Turn cakes onto racks; cool completely.

Frosting:

Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter in a large bowl until smooth. Beat in Vanilla. Add sugar and blend until smooth. This is much easier if the cream cheese and butter are softened. 

Frost cake, and decorate however you want.

My Experience:

This was my first time making red velvet cake, it was pretty easy. I had no idea there was vinegar in it though. Everyone seemed to like it. It wasn't my favourite thing to make though. I definitely have room to improve with this recipe.

Enjoy!xx

Chocolate No Bake Oatmeal Cookies

This recipe is not out of my usual cookbook.
Ingredients:

• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup evaporated milk
• 2 tablespoons cocoa
• 1 stick butter
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cup quick-cooking oatmeal

Directions:

Gather ingredients.

Combine sugar, milk, cocoa, and butter in a saucepan.

Cook over medium heat for two minutes, stirring constantly to prevent sticking.

Remove from heat.

Add vanilla, mix well.

Add oatmeal and blend thoroughly. (DO NOT USE INSTANT OATMEAL)

Let cool, do not bake, cookies are ready to enjoy.

My Experience:

These cookies are very easy to make, and require little skill. My mom used to make these cookies when she was little, and made them for me when I was little. They are definitely one of my favourites!

Enjoy!xx