Snickerdoodles
September 2, 2008 at 10:26 pm | In Dessert | 14 CommentsTags: cookies, snickerdoodles, working mom
I’m a full time working mom and am still enjoying my baking! Okay, maybe the blogging has dropped off a bit, and exercising…but I’m doing my best. And I don’t even know how to “do better” at the moment. All I know is one day at a time.
So today I managed to work a full day, relish my kids’ first day of kindergarten, get them to soccer practice, and still have time to make cookies! (Yes, I have a great hubby who helps out a lot).
Snickerdoodles (because kids should have milk and cookies waiting for them at home, right M?)
- 1/2 cup butter at room temp
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
In a mixing bowl beat butter until creamy. Add about half of the flour, the 1 cup of sugar, the egg, vanilla, baking soda, and cream of tartar. Beat until combined. Beat in remaining flour. Scoop batter onto plastic wrap. Shape into a long log. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Cut pieces. Roll pieces into circles. Combine the 2 Tbsp sugar and cinnamon. Roll the balls in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Makes about 2 dozen.
From Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook c. 1989
Today I slipped a little note card into their lunchboxes. Tomorrow my kids will have some homemade cookies. I’d say that’s doing better!
Here’s a photo from this morning. I am fortunate to be working at the private school that my kids are attending. The elementary and secondary students share a campus, so my office is a stones-throw away from the kindergarten wing.
If there is an ideal for me to go back to work full time, this is it. I am doing teacher support. It’s my dream job. I am loving it.
Cream Puffs
August 31, 2008 at 3:39 pm | In Daring Bakers | 20 CommentsTags: cream puffs, Daring Bakers, eclairs
My Chocolate Eclairs look like Cream Puffs, I know. “And where’s the chocolate?”, you may be wondering. It’s there, in a bowl on the side.
This months Daring Bakers challenge was hands-down my all time favorite. I LOVED these! Given the option of how to use the chocolate (in or out) I decided out and on the side. Yes, I dipped one (or two) in the chocolate glaze. I ate it (them).
But these didn’t need the chocolate. They were perfect as is. Lovely Pate a Choux (cream puff dough). Vanilla bean pastry cream. Lightly dusted with powdered sugar.
I began this challenge by making my cream puff dough, pipping it out into small circles and then freezing them. I also made the chocolate sauce that was to be used in the chocolate glaze.
The next day I used my chocolate sauce to make my chocolate glaze. I also made my vanilla bean pastry cream.
With everything ready, it was so easy to bake these, fill, and plate.
And they were so good. I am counting the days until I can make these again. Until then, I will be sitting here wishing that I had a few left overs.
My thanks to Tony and Meetak for the great Daring Bakers Challenge!
Vanilla Bean Pastry Cream (from The Secrets of Baking by Sherry Yard)
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup sugar, divided
- 1 vanilla bean split and scraped
- 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- pinch of salt
- 3 large eggs, chilled
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
Bring the milk, 1/4 cup of the sugar, and the vanilla bean and seeds to a simmer in a medium nonreactive saucepan over medium heat.
Meanwhile, sift together the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, the flour, and salt. Whisk the eggs in a large bowl. Add the sifted dry ingredients to the eggs and whisk until fluffy.
When the milk comes to a simmer, remove from the heat and ladle out 1/2 cup of the hot milk and drizzle it slowly into the eggs while whisking. Once the 1/2 cup milk is incorporated into the eggs, pour the mixture back into the hot milk, whisking constantly. Be sure to scrape all the eggs into the pan with a rubber spatula.
Immediately begin to rapidly whisk the pastry cream. In less than 1 minute, it will boil and begin to thicken. Continue to whisk for about 3 minutes, or until it has the consistency of pudding. To test the cream for doneness, tilt the saucepan to one side. The cream should pull away from the pan completely.
Strain the pastry cream through a fine-mesh strainer. Add the butter and stir until it is melted and incorporated. If the cream seems grainy, pulse in a food processor until smooth. The cream is now ready to use, or it can be cooled to room temp and refrigerated for up to 3 days. To prevent a skin from forming as it cools, place a sheet of plastic film directly to the surface.
Coconut Cream Pies Gone Bye
August 18, 2008 at 8:06 pm | In Pies | 15 CommentsTags: coconut, coconut cream pie
When my dad asked for a coconut cream pie, I couldn’t refuse. After days of research, I finally settled on a recipe found on All Recipes (one of my favorite online sources). The original recipe calls for 3 cups of heavy cream, but after reading the reviews I followed the suggestion of 1 1/2 cups half-and-half and 1 1/2 cups coconut milk…it was a hit!
Actually, they were a hit! I decided to try out my new 5″ pie tins found at Sur La Table, (or as I like to think of it, Disneyland for the baker).
My cute little pie crusts (because I cannot resist any dessert in miniature).
Look how darling! There is nothing like diving into your own pie.
Did I mention there is toasted coconut inside and out?
Coconut Cream Pie (from All Recipes)
- 1 1/2 cups half-and-half
- 1 1/2 cups coconut milk*
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup flaked coconut, toasted and divided
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Prepared Pie Shell, baked
- Freshly Whipped Cream
In a medium saucepan, combine half-and-half, coconut milk, eggs, sugar, flour and salt. Bring to a boil over low heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in 3/4 cup of the coconut and the vanilla extract. Pour into pie shell and cover with plastic wrap. Chill for 4 hours of overnight. Top with freshly whipped cream and remaining toasted coconut.
*The first time I tried this recipe I used this coconut milk. No good. The coconut cream was way too thick.
Then I tried this coconut milk. The coconut cream filling was smooth and creamy.
And if you are still reading this post and wondering where I’ve been or what I’ve been up to…here’s a recap…
A trip to Santa Barbara for my sister’s baby shower. She is one of those beautiful pregnant girls that you hate, but then you get to know her and find our she is one of the sweetest people in the world. Check out Angela’s site for more photos, and you’ll know why people (no, not me!) would be jealous.
A trip to Donner Lake for a family vacation. One of our favorite activities is crawdad fishing. Here’s my son actually holding a crawdad!
And now our days of summer are coming to a rapid end…today I saw my office. Yes, that’s right, I said office. I am going back to work. Full time. Beginning Monday, August 25th.
Almond Cake
July 30, 2008 at 12:27 am | In Daring Bakers | 21 CommentsTags: cake, Daring Bakers
I didn’t know what to title this Daring Bakers Challenge…Filbert Gateau with Praline Buttercream? What the heck is that? Oh, it’s one of those cakes. A genoise cake with syrup, buttercream, whipped cream, a glaze and ganache. Ugggg.
Thank goodness for Gretchen. She talked me down off the wall and I got to work. She helped me decide on an almond genoise (cake) brushed with an almond syrup, layered with almond buttercream, whipped cream, topped with an apricot glaze (I know, sounds wierd), covered by a chocolate ganache.
Whew! Did you get all that? If you are still having trouble picturing this cake, maybe this will help…
Or this…
How about this…
What you are looking at is an Almond Gateau with Almond Buttercream. It was…just okay. I had a slice. My hubby had a slice. That was it. Gretchen encouraged me to give it away, but why? It’s just not me. It’s not my kind of cake.
But, I’m glad I made this cake. I finally feel comfortable with genoise. I got a great rise out of this one. And this buttercream was okay. Probably the one I would prefer to make again if I had to.
I’m sure of the thousands of Filbert Gateau with Praline Buttercreams, you will find many many more beautiful and great tasting cakes.
Yum Yum Smiles
July 23, 2008 at 6:30 pm | In Extras, Pies | 2 CommentsTags: awards, chocolate cream pie, Dessert
You must have known it was coming. Photos of the winning chocolate cream pie with…
curls!!!
And speaking of winning awards…
I would like to thank Diannes Dishes for The Yum Yum Award!
and thanks to Megans Cookin for The Smile Award!
Characteristics for the Smile Award:
1. Must display a cheerful attitude. (not necessarily at all times–we are all human)
2. Must love one another
3. Must make mistakes
4. Must learn from others
5. Must be a positive contributor to blog world
6. Must love life
7. Must love kids
These are the rules:
1. The recipient must link back to the award’s creator (http://www.thebabblingsofmere.blogspot.com/)
2. You must post these rules if you receive the award.
3. You must chose 5 people to receive the award after receiving it yourself
4. You must fit the characteristics of the recipient of the award, as posted by Mere.
5. You must post the characteristics of a recipient.
6. You must create a post sharing your win with others.
7. You must thank your giver.
My first Smile Award goes to Diannes Dishes because her food is inspiring, her photos are wonderful, and her garden is a thing of envy.
I would like to pass The Yum Yum Award and The Smile Award on to:
Canela y Comino. I love how Gretchen shares about the people and dishes of Peru while honoring her very American upbringing.
Colette’s Bakery. She bakes and dances, has a fun family, and is only 16 years old. I love peeking into her life.
Couch Cubicle. This girl is a riot! She always makes me laugh with her funny life stories.
A Southern Grace. She has great food, great photos, and is a great story teller.
And my final Yum Yum award goes to Megans Cookin. It’s no surprise that Megan’s food looks yummy and tastes yummy.
If I could, I would pass on a slice to each and every one of you!
Handheld Peach Pies
July 22, 2008 at 3:09 pm | In Pies | 9 CommentsTags: peach pie
What do you do when you have a lot of extra pie crust? Make more pies, of course! But rather then one big pie, I wanted to do something smaller, so I made these free form handheld peach pies.
Truth be told, I should have added some cinnamon, peach liquor, brown sugar, something, anything to give the filling more taste. But they are so cute. So, a recipe for the peach pie filling will come soon. (Bet they would taste great with lemon curd or chocolate cream filling!)
For now, here’s how I made these handheld pies:
Roll out chilled dough, cut it into the shape of a long oval.
Spoon 1/4 cup of filling onto one side of the dough.
Fold the top over.
Pinch the sides.
Brush the top and sides with egg yolk wash. (1 egg yolk plus 1 T water)
Poke holes in the top with fork tinges.
Wrap tightly and store in the freezer.
I was ready to bake these little pies the next day. Preheat the oven to 325. Bake for 45 minutes or until the filling is bubbling. If the top crust is not yet golden brown, put under the broiler for a couple of minutes…watch carefully! Allow to cool to room temp. Store in the refrigerator.
I must say, I am shocked at how forgiving this pie crust is. Despite being the scraps from the blueberry pie, it’s still flakey and yummy. Too bad it has a combination of crisco and butter. But I’m willing to overlook the crisco…yes, this crust is that good.
Blueberry Pie: Revisited
July 21, 2008 at 3:47 pm | In Pies | 11 CommentsTags: blueberry, blueberry pie
I made this pie last week. It was good. But I thought that cinnamon would be better than the called-for orange. For me, cinnamon was the right choice. This is how I think blueberry pie should taste!
The blueberry taste is so fresh and comes bursting through. I love how this pie filling holds up when sliced. And the Tuesdays with Dorie group was right on with the crust, perfectly flakey and goes excellently with this pie.
I wish I had done the lattice top, but wanted to try something different. I learned to cut out shapes after moving the upper-crust to the pie.
This recipe is a keeper. Maybe even a contender in next year’s Pie Contest. Ice Cream not necessary.
Happy 6th Birthday
July 13, 2008 at 9:09 pm | In Cupcakes, twins | 15 CommentsTags: birthday cupcakes, dogs, R2-D2, star wars, twins
My kids turned 6 years old today. It feels like a lifetime ago when they came into the world. So much has changed since then.
Here’s a photo of me on July 12, 2002 (my twins original due date), as we were leaving for the hospital.
And here were are today…
Then…
And now…
Think he liked the cupcakes?
Here’s how I made these R2-D2 Cupcake Toppers.
I made dog candies for my daughter’s cupcakes. She loves dogs.
One mom asked where I ordered the dog candies from! That was a nice compliment (I think). To make these I picked up a dog candy mold from Michaels. The hard part was doing the dogs one at a time. First the nose, mouth and eyes. Then the dog collar and tongue. Then the dog tag. And finally the whole dog. After each part I had to put my candy into the refrigerator so it could quickly set up.
It was a super fun day, but now I’m beat…back to the gym tomorrow!
Award Winning Pie?
July 12, 2008 at 8:41 pm | In Pies | 10 CommentsTags: blue ribbon pie, chocolate cream pie
How embarrassing! My goal was to make an edible pie that would be eaten rather than thrown into the garbage…I never expected (or even hoped for) 1st Prize!
Blueberry Pie
July 11, 2008 at 3:09 pm | In Pies | 10 CommentsTags: blueberry, blueberry pie, pie
Look! Look! My very first lattice crust! Isn’t it pretty?
Blueberry pie with a lattice top seems like the quintessential Church Picnic dessert, so I wanted to try one this week and consider it for submission into the Pie Contest.
I found this recipe on Food Network from Chef Alton Brown. The filling was very easy to make and set up beautifully. Next time I’ll substitute cinnamon for the orange.
Blueberry Pie a la mode…fantastic!
And don’t worry about all of these pies in my house. I took this pie to my parents house. They just arrived home from 3 weeks in Italy and this pie was the perfect “welcome home” pie!
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