tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48309670082759494052024-03-05T10:50:04.325-08:00Notes from My Food DiaryElizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09122014680180628266noreply@blogger.comBlogger238125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4830967008275949405.post-89893909350910710842018-04-14T20:40:00.000-07:002018-04-14T20:40:00.877-07:00No-Bake Strawberry Shortcake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Why is this spring so wet? I'm dreaming of picking strawberries and wishing that the season comes soon hence this post.<br />
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I'm always a fan of tiramisu and this time I decided to try a no-bake strawberry shortcake, tiramisu style. This recipe has a clever substitution for making mousse without using raw egg. I know there's recipe for making tiramisu without raw eggs which I often use and like. Marshmallow creme is one of the ingredients to make the mousse and honestly, when I look at a recipe that calls for it, I still flinch. Why? Because in my mind I always think that this stuff is so sweet and bad. And yes, I know this stuff is actually egg whites, sugar, and corn syrup, which are things that I always use for making desserts. If I have time to make it homemade I'd do it but I didn't so store-bought is the one I have to use this time.<br />
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On to the mousse which also has cream cheese and when everything is whipped and put together, it actually is very good! The texture is very creamy and light and just enough sweetness that isn't overpowering.<br />
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I did change a few things, mainly the pureed strawberries that are called for in the recipe. I made my own strawberry jam which is a low-sugar type, so I used that instead. And I added more chopped strawberries in the layering process to get more strawberries in the cake. Plus maybe a bit more lemon zest! Other than that, the cake is quite simple to make and very delicious.<br />
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My presentation is sucks though. I had a hard time getting those cake squares out of the pan without messing up the mousse. Maybe I should invest in a loose-bottomed square pan which is out of my budget right now? Especially since I like this type of deserts :) So yeah, ignore the messiness but trust me on the flavor!<br />
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<h3>
<span style="color: #cc0000;">No-Bake Strawberry Shortcake</span></h3>
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Yield 9 to 12 slices<br />
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<b>For the mousse:</b><br />
1 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream, divided<br />
1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar<br />
12 oz cream cheese, softened<br />
7 oz marshmallow creme<br />
4 oz fresh strawberries plus a bunch of whole strawberries, cut into half for decoration<br />
1/4 cup low-sugar or no-added sugar strawberry jam<br />
Zest of 1 lemon<br />
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<b>For the crust:</b><br />
1 1/2 (11 oz) packages ladyfingers<br />
1/2 cup orange juice in a bowl<br />
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<b>Make the mousse:</b><br />
Place mixing bowl and whisk attachment in the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes to chill before preceding to whip the cream. Pour 1 3/4 cups of heavy whipping cream into the bowl and beat on medium-high speed until the cream gets bubbly. Slowly add confectioners' sugar and continue beating on high speed until stiff peaks form. Measure out 3/4 cup of whipped cream for the topping and set aside. The rest will be mixed with the rest of mousse ingredients.<br />
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Beat the cream cheese in the same bowl on medium-high speed for 2 to 3 minutes until it's light and fluffy, scraping sides of bowl often. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of whipping cream and marshmallow creme, and beat until well combined. Chop strawberries into small pieces and set them aside for the garnish. Mix strawberry jam with lemon zest, pour this into the cream cheese mixture and beat until well combined. Fold in the remaining whipped cream (aside from 3/4 cup reserved whipped cream) into the mixture and beat until combined.<br />
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<b>Make the crust:</b><br />
Spray the bottom of a 9-inch square dish with cooking spray. Dip the top of each ladyfinger into the bowl of orange juice. Line the bottom of the dish with 1 layer of dipped ladyfinger, cut if necessary to fit in. Next, evenly spread half of the mousse over the ladyfingers. Scatter with half of the chopped fresh strawberries. Again, dip the rest of the ladyfingers in the orange juice and line them on top of the first layer of mousse. Lastly, spread the rest of the mousse over ladyfingers, scatter the rest of chopped strawberries. If desired, top the mousse with swirls of remaining whipped cream and decorate with half strawberry. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours to allow each layer to set.<br />
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<i>Source: adapted from No-Bake Layered Desserts and Icebox Cakes by Julianne Bayer</i><br />
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<br />Elizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09122014680180628266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4830967008275949405.post-45451737657910863222018-02-22T10:36:00.002-08:002018-02-22T10:36:20.515-08:00Hamburger-Vegetable Soup with Tortellini<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Today is a second day of snow day so there's no school for my son and myself. Yesterday I did housework that included laundry, vacuuming, mopping, and dusting! It's very rare that I got to do dusting when I do my weekly cleaning--ooppsss--as that chore is very tedious and I do not like it at all. If I can do dusting at least once a month, it is already a triumph for me. Hey, I am not perfect, are you? :)<br />
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I also did some baking which I will probably post the recipe in here. I do like having snow day because I get to catch up with my chores and to play around in the kitchen. And yes, I am the kind of person who can't sit still because I will end up eating snacks all day long. Plus, being at home always makes me hungry; I think it's the comfort of the home that brings calm, stability, or equilibrium to my mind that the immediate response--at least for me--is hunger.<br />
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Speaking of being hungry, this past weekend I made this soup which was soo good and easy. It defines comfort food with rich tomato broth and the pillow-like texture of cheese tortellini. The flavor is very similar to having hamburgers; that's a plus!<br />
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Wouldn't this be great to have on snow days?<br />
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<h3>
<span style="color: #e69138;">Hamburger-Vegetable Soup with Tortellini</span></h3>
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Serves 6 to 8<br />
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<br />
1 pound lean ground beef<br />
1 cup chopped yellow onion<br />
1 teaspoon vegetable oil, if needed<br />
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) petite diced tomatoes, no-salt added<br />
6 cups beef stock or broth<br />
2 cups tomato juice<br />
1/4 teaspoon dry Italian seasonings<br />
1 teaspoon salt<br />
Freshly ground pepper to taste<br />
2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce<br />
2 to 3 drops Tabasco sauce<br />
1 package (10 ounces) frozen mixed vegetables, rinsed<br />
1 package (9 ounces) cheese-filled tortellini<br />
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for topping<br />
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In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, brown meat with onion until meat is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add oil if needed to keep meat from sticking. Add tomatoes, stock, tomato juice, dry Italian seasonings, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and Tabasco sauce. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes.<br />
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Increase heat to medium-high. Add vegetables and tortellini and cook, uncovered, until vegetables and tortellini are tender, about 10 minutes. Ladle into a bowl and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.<br />
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<i>Source: adapted from The Big Book of Soups and Stews by Maryana Vollstedt</i><br />
<br />Elizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09122014680180628266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4830967008275949405.post-15138902545123690922018-02-17T21:47:00.001-08:002018-02-17T21:47:55.509-08:00Banana Bundt Cake with Toffee Sauce<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm not kidding when I said I'm going to put this recipe on the blog but boy, did it take a long time for me to do it!<br />
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This cake was a hit in my family that I made it twice in a month. I do love it as well, I thought the cake was very tender, not too sweet, and it allows you add a variety of ingredients to it; for example, dried fruits, chocolate chips, or nuts. I keep the add-ons less than a cup because I fear that if it's too much, the batter will get too heavy and dense.<br />
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The original recipe didn't have anything on it but I added dried currants because they're my number one choice for dried fruits. These were soaked in a bit of rum for a few hours. Plus since I had that leftover toffee sauce from making sticky toffee pudding tart, I decided to use it up on this cake. Everything worked well together and flavor profile was sublime.<br />
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I hope you'll enjoy it as well as my family did!<br />
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<h3>
<span style="color: #741b47;">Banana Bundt Cake with Toffee Sauce</span></h3>
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Makes one 10- or 12-inch Bundt cake<br />
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<br />
3/4 cup dried currants<br />
1/4 cup rum or apple juice<br />
3 cups all-purpose flour<br />
2 teaspoon baking soda<br />
1/2 teaspoon salt<br />
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature<br />
2 cups sugar<br />
1 teaspoon vanilla extract<br />
2 large eggs, at room temperature<br />
4 very ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups)<br />
1 cup sour cream<br />
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About 1-1 1/4 cup <a href="http://notesfrommyfooddiary.blogspot.com/2018/01/sticky-toffee-pudding-tart.html">Toffee Sauce</a><br />
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Place a rack in the center of the oven; preheat oven to 350F degrees. Generously butter and flour or coat with baker's spray a 10- or 12-inch Bundt cake pan.<br />
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Combine dried currants with rum or apple juice and let macerate for a few hours. Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.<br />
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Use a paddle attachment on a stand mixer, beat butter and sugar at medium speed until fluffy and pale in color. Beat in vanilla, then add eggs, one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each. Turn the speed to low, add bananas. Slowly add dry ingredients and then all of the sour cream. Fold the macerated currants with juice with a spatula until just combined. Pour batter into prepared pan. Smooth the top and bang the pan gently against the counter a few times.<br />
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Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. If the top starts to brown quickly, cover it lightly with a piece of foil. Transfer the cake onto a rack and let cool for 10 minutes. Unmold the cake to a rack and let it cool to room temperature. If desired, the cake can be covered with plastic wrap and left overnight to develop more flavor.<br />
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When the cake is cool, drizzle the toffee sauce over the cake, letting it drips down the sides.<br />
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<i>Source: adapted from Baking with Dorie, Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest Publications, 2017</i><br />
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<br />Elizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09122014680180628266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4830967008275949405.post-18729824622422925352018-01-07T19:50:00.000-08:002018-01-07T19:50:12.284-08:00Sticky Toffee Pudding Tart<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Happy New Year!! I don't think that I would make it to the new year with a new post but here I am, making an effort to sit down and write the recipe to share :D</div>
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This dessert was actually made last year but I made the toffee sauce twice within two weeks time because it went nicely with another baked item that I created with leftover bananas. Now I've let out a little hint of what will be the next post ;)</div>
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We all loved this tart; it had amazing flavor and the right crispness of the crust. The toffee sauce was as lovely as the tart, I would think that it would be good with ice cream as well.<br />
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So here is the recipe!<br />
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<h3>
<span style="color: #76a5af;">Sticky Toffee Pudding Tart</span></h3>
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Makes one 9-inch tart<br />
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<b>For the crust:</b><br />
1 batch simple tart dough, recipe follows<br />
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<b>For the filling:</b><br />
1 cup all-purpose flour<br />
1 teaspoon baking powder<br />
1 teaspoon salt<br />
1 cup pitted dates<br />
1 cup hot brewed coffee<br />
1 teaspoon baking soda<br />
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened<br />
3/4 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed<br />
2 eggs, lightly beaten<br />
1 teaspoon lemon zest<br />
1 teaspoon vanilla extract<br />
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<b>For the sauce:</b><br />
1/2 cup unsalted butter<br />
1/2 cup heavy cream<br />
1 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed<br />
Pinch of salt or more, to taste<br />
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<b>Make the crust</b>: Preheat the oven to 350 degree F. Roll the dough into a rough 11-inch round. Line a 9-inch round tart pan with the dough and dock. Freeze the dough for 20 minutes. Line the dough with parchment, fill it with pie weights or dried beans, and blind bake it for 20 minutes. Remove the weights and parchment and bake the crust for 10 to 15 minutes more, until the bottom no longer looks raw and wet.<br />
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<b>Make the filling</b>: In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.<br />
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Chop the dates into very small pieces. Place them in a small bowl and add the hot coffee and baking soda and stir. Set aside until cooled.<br />
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In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and then the lemon zest and vanilla; beat until blended. Gradually add the flour mixture and mix until just combined.<br />
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Remove the mixing bowl from the machine and fold in the date mixture by hand, using a rubber spatula. Pour the filling into the prepared shell. Bake until the pudding is set, 30 to 35 minutes.<br />
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<b>Make the sauce</b>: Combine the butter, cream, brown sugar, and salt in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir constantly until the sugar has completely melted, then raise the heat to medium and simmer gently until the sauce thickens, about 10 minutes.<br />
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<b>How to serve</b>: Spread 1 cup of the sauce over the top of the tart. Serve it immediately, drizzling a little more toffee sauce over each piece.<br />
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<h3>
<span style="color: #76a5af;">Simple Tart Dough</span></h3>
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Makes 2 1/2 pounds dough, enough for 3 to 4 (8- to 9-inch) tarts or 12 to 16 mini tarts<br />
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<br />
4 cups all purpose flour, cold<br />
2 cups unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and chilled<br />
1 teaspoon salt<br />
1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk<br />
1 egg, at room temperature, lightly beaten<br />
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In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment, pulse together the flour, butter, and salt until the mixture resembles cornmeal.<br />
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In a small bowl, whisk together the condensed milk and egg. While pulsing, slowly pour this into the flour until the dough just comes together.<br />
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Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and gently turn over a few times until it is smooth, the dry ingredients have been completely integrated, and the dough holds together. Take care not to overwork it.<br />
<br />
Shape the dough into a loose circle, cover it with plastic wrap, and allow to rest in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes.<br />
<br />
<i>For this recipe, I divide the dough into 4 portions. Each portions will weigh about .625 pounds or 5/8 of a pound. Then I flatten each portion and double wrap it with plastic. These will freeze for about a month.</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<i>Source: adapted from Pie It Forward by Gesine Bullock-Prado</i><br />
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<br />Elizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09122014680180628266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4830967008275949405.post-29981661765182582322017-12-23T20:44:00.000-08:002017-12-23T20:44:44.647-08:00Orange-Cranberry-Nut Fruit Cake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Are you all ready for Christmas? I am! We always have a mellow Christmas celebration and my husband and I always emphasize the importance of the birth of Jesus instead of having lots of gifts under the tree. It helps with all the craziness that's going on around the season. It really doesn't matter if we have many gifts or only one. We tell our son that the important things is to be with family and enjoy the season by doing something good. I digress.</div>
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Every Christmas I try to bake a fruitcake. I have a couple of favorite recipes but this year I wanted to try something new. This recipe is a keeper. As it stated in the original King Arthur Flour website, this is more of a cake than a traditional fruitcake. I do like the light version of fruitcake but I don't mind the dark one if it's being offered to me :)</div>
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My family likes fruitcake as well so they're looking forward to it every year. And even my son commented that this was a good one!</div>
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<h3>
<span style="color: #c27ba0;"><br /></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="color: #c27ba0;">Orange-Cranberry-Nut Fruit Cake</span></h3>
<br />
<b>Fruit:</b><br />
2 cups dried cranberries<br />
2 cups dried fruits (I chose a combination of golden raisins, dried currants, dried apricots, and candied citron)<br />
1/2 cup orange liqueur<br />
1 3/4 cups candied red cherries<br />
<br />
<b>Cake:</b><br />
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature<br />
2 cups sugar<br />
2 teaspoons baking powder<br />
1 teaspoon salt<br />
1/4 teaspoon orange oil<br />
4 large eggs<br />
3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour<br />
1 cup orange juice<br />
2 cups diced pecans<br />
<br />
<b>Glaze:</b><br />
1/3 cup orange juice<br />
1/3 cup suagr<br />
<br />
<b>Icing:</b><br />
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar<br />
Enough milk to make a thick but pourable icing<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Prepare the fruit:</b> Combine dried fruits with orange liqueur in a bowl. Cover and microwave for 1 to 2 minutes, stir, then set aside to cool.<br />
<br />
Preheat the oven to 325 degree F.<br />
<br />
<b>Prepare the cake:</b> In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light-colored and fluffy. Beat in the baking powder, salt, and flavors.<br />
<br />
Beat in the eggs one at a time. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl, and beat again briefly, to incorporate any sticky residue.<br />
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Stir in the flour alternately with the orange juice.<br />
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Stir in the undrained fruit, the candied cherries, and pecans.<br />
<br />
Lightly grease two 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" loaf pans.<br />
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Spoon batter into the lightly greased baking pans, filling them about three-quarters full.<br />
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Bake the cakes for 50 to 70 minutes. When done, the cakes will be a light golden brown all over, and a long skewer inserted into the center will come out clean. If cakes brown too quickly during baking, cover lightly with aluminum foil.<br />
<br />
<b>Make the glaze:</b> Stir together the orange juice and sugar while the cakes are baking. Warm briefly in the microwave; about 45 seconds. Stir to help dissolve the sugar. Set aside to rest at room temperature, stirring occasionally to continue dissolving the sugar.<br />
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Remove the cakes from the oven, place on the cooling rack. Let cool for 10 minutes then turn them out onto the rack. Brush the warm cakes all over with the glaze, continuing to brush until you've used it all.<br />
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When completely cooled, wrap well and let "age" at least 24 hours; the cake improves with a 24-hour rest.<br />
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Drizzle with icing just before serving.<br />
<br />
Store cake, well wrapped, at room temperature; it should keep for a couple of weeks. Freeze for longer storage.<br />
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<br />
<i>Source: adapted from <a href="https://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/orange-cranberry-nut-fruit-cake-recipe">King Arthur Flour website</a></i>Elizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09122014680180628266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4830967008275949405.post-66832962257066879882017-12-11T20:44:00.001-08:002017-12-11T20:44:21.600-08:00Pumpkin Walnut Cake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I made this cake when I had a break, that is over Thanksgiving break :) I know I'm way behind posting related recipe according to the season; but I've given up trying to follow the trend because it's just not enough time in my life to do that anymore.<br />
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I thought this cake is delicious all around; it was a moist and has tender crumbs. It reminded me of my mom's pumpkin roll cake--flavor-wise--but hers uses no eggs while this has. This year I'm in love with pumpkin spice all over again. My favorite beverage right now is chai tea latte with lots of pumpkin spice; it's a nice drink to have when the weather is dropping down to the 30's.<br />
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The caramel whipped cream is equally good, I actually have never made it before and thought, why didn't I try this sooner? Combining caramel and whipped cream is simply divine. The original recipe doesn't use salt but I did put in a generous pinch of it because I really thought it needed it.<br />
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The recipe came from my favorite book in my book shelves, The Cake Book by Tish Boyle. There are numerous recipes that I haven't even tried and all sounds very yummy.<br />
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Here is the recipe:<br />
<br />
<h3>
<span style="color: #783f04;">Pumpkin Walnut Cake</span></h3>
<br />
Makes one 9-inch square cake<br />
<br />
1 3/4 cups cake flour<br />
1 teaspoon baking soda<br />
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon<br />
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger<br />
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg<br />
1/2 teaspoon salt<br />
2 large eggs<br />
3/4 cup granulated sugar<br />
3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar<br />
1/2 cup safflower oil or other neutral vegetable oil<br />
1 cup pumpkin puree<br />
1/3 cup whole milk<br />
1 teaspoon vanilla extract<br />
3/4 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped<br />
<br />
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degree F. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch square baking pan.<br />
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Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt into a medium bowl. Whisk to combine well, and set aside.<br />
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In the bowl of an electric mixer, using the whisk attachment, beat the eggs with both sugars at medium speed until pale, about 2 minutes. Add the oil, pumpkin puree, milk, and vanilla extract and mix until blended. Add the flour mixture at low speed in three additions, mixing just until blended. Remove the bowl from the mixer stand and stir in the walnuts. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.<br />
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Bake the cake for 25 to 30 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool the cake completely in the pan on a wire rack.<br />
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To serve, cut the cake into squares, and top each with a large dollop of the cream.<br />
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<h3>
<span style="color: #783f04;">Caramel Cream</span></h3>
<br />
Makes about 3 cups<br />
<br />
3/4 cup granulated sugar<br />
3 tablespoons water<br />
1/4 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice<br />
1 1/4 cups heavy cream, divided<br />
Generous pinch of sea salt<br />
1/4 cup mascarpone cheese<br />
1 teaspoon vanilla extra<br />
<br />
<br />
In a small heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, water, and lemon juice and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat to high and cook without stirring, occasionally brushing down the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush, until the syrup caramelizes and turns a golden amber color, about 4 minutes.<br />
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Remove the pan from the heat and carefully add 1/2 cup of the heavy cream (the mixture will bubble up) and sea salt, stirring until smooth. Carefully pour the hot caramel into a heatproof glass measure and loosely cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate the caramel until chilled, about 2 hours.<br />
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In the bowl of an electric mixer, using the whisk attachment, beat the remaining 3/4 cup cream with the mascarpone cheese and vanilla at medium speed until blended. Add the chilled caramel and beat at a high speed until the mixture forms soft peaks. Use immediately, or cover and refrigerate.<br />
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<i>Source: The Cake Book by Tish Boyle</i>Elizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09122014680180628266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4830967008275949405.post-91844722022121728842017-12-08T20:12:00.000-08:002017-12-08T20:12:16.250-08:00Whole Wheat Apple Cake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A whole wheat apple cake that's moist and choke-full of apples. I love making easy cake like this because it's flavorful and light enough for after weekdays after dinner desserts. We eat it for breakfast, of course, because the recipe said that it was for that time of day :)<br />
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Any apples will do for this cake, I had some homegrown Fuji and Gala that I used. It's a recipe that uses spices that are so wonderful this time of year. The house smells so fragrant while I baked this cake.<br />
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The cake is slightly darker here because I didn't cover it after 45 minutes of baking. Oops...it's something that I missed, as usual, for not reading too carefully towards the end. The color is pretty dark on top but the inside is still moist. <br />
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So here is the recipe for your enjoyment!<br />
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<h3>
<span style="color: #7f6000;">Whole Wheat Apple Cake</span></h3>
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Makes 1 9-inch cake<br />
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<br />
3 apples, Granny Smith, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces<br />
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar<br />
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon<br />
Pinch of ground cloves<br />
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour<br />
1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour<br />
1 teaspoon baking soda<br />
1 teaspoon baking powder<br />
1/4 teaspoon salt<br />
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan<br />
1 cup granulated sugar<br />
3 large eggs<br />
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract<br />
1 1/4 cups plain whole-milk yogurt<br />
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<br />
Preheat oven to 350 degree F. In a medium bowl, combine apples, 1/2 cup light-brown sugar, cinnamon, and cloves; set aside. Sift together the flours, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl; set aside. Butter a 9-inch springform pan.<br />
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In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, until well combined. Add vanilla extract, and combine. Add reserved flour mixture and yogurt; stir until well combined. Fold in two-thirds of the reserved apple mixture.<br />
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Spoon half of the batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle remaining apple mixture evenly over batter. Top with remaining batter; smooth with a spatula. Sprinkle top with remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar.<br />
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Bake cake until golden brown and a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean, 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes. Cover with foil after 45 minutes of baking. Let cool 20 minutes before releasing cake from the pan.<br />
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<i>Source: adapted from The Martha Stewart Living Christmas Cookbook</i><br />
<br />Elizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09122014680180628266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4830967008275949405.post-21374851148847751102017-11-20T20:45:00.001-08:002017-11-20T20:45:59.769-08:00Mini Chocolate-Cinnamon Rolls<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm so excited with a week break I have from work. Yes, it is a Thanksgiving break for me and what do I have in mind? My plan is to bake and cook! I'm trying to squeeze in as many baking activities in a week, plus some cooking for Thanksgiving day for my family.<br />
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So far, I've managed to make these mini chocolate-cinnamon rolls for breakfast. They're bite-sized morsels that I don't think it is a sin that they are categorized as desserts. I slather these buns very well with butter and cinnamon-sugar. Then chocolate chips were added liberally all over. Then I rolled them as tight as I can, not an easy feat because the dough is pretty thin, but it can be done! When it's still warm, the melted chocolate is a delicious addition to these buns.<br />
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When they're this small, my family can eat about 5 at once for breakfast. I'm surprised that I only ate 3 but then I ate another 2 for desserts :D<br />
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The week will get busy so I better share this today!<br />
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<h3>
<span style="color: #0b5394;">Mini Chocolate-Cinnamon Rolls</span></h3>
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<br />
Makes about 40 small buns<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Dough</b>:<br />
1 cup water<br />
1/4 cup dry milk<br />
3/4 teaspoon salt<br />
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar<br />
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature<br />
3 1/2 cups bread flour<br />
3/4 teaspoon bread machine or instant yeast<br />
<br />
<b>Filling</b>:<br />
1 tablespoons ground cinnamon<br />
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed<br />
Pinch of salt<br />
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened; divided<br />
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, divided<br />
<br />
<b>Glaze</b>:<br />
2 cups confectioners' sugar<br />
1 teaspoon vanilla extract<br />
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened<br />
Pinch of salt<br />
2 tablespoons milk, more if needed to make a flowing consistency<br />
<br />
<br />
I used bread machine to make my dough so place the ingredients for the dough into the bread pan in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select Dough Cycle.<br />
<br />
<i>For the filling</i>: combine ground cinnamon, brown sugar, and salt in a small bowl.<br />
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Once the cycle is done, remove dough to a lightly floured board; cover with a large bowl and let rest 10 to 15 minutes.<br />
<br />
Divide the dough in half. Roll out each half to a 20-by 7-inch rectangle. Spread one rectangle with 3 tablespoons soft butter to within 1/2 inch of the edges. Sprinkle half of the cinnamon sugar mixture then scatter half of the chocolate chips over the dough. <br />
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Beginning at the long side, roll jellyroll-style. Pinch to seal seam. Cut into 20 1-inch pieces. Place these, cut side up, on a large baking sheet lined with parchment or sprayed with cooking spray. Repeat procedure with remaining dough. Cover and let dough rise in a warm, draft-free place for 30 to 40 minutes, or until doubled in volume. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 degree F.<br />
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Bake in a preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until buns start to brown around the sides. Allow to stand for a few minutes while preparing the glaze.<br />
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<i>For the glaze</i>: combine all the ingredients for the glaze in a bowl and whisk until well-combined.<br />
<br />
Drizzle the glaze onto the buns while they are still warm.<br />
<br />
<br />
<i>Source: adapted from 300 Best Bread Machine Recipes by Donna Washburn and Heather Butt</i><br />
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<br />Elizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09122014680180628266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4830967008275949405.post-59405164415142660742017-11-06T20:29:00.004-08:002017-11-06T20:29:53.537-08:00Oatmeal-Cranberry Cookies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Oh my, November is here already. The fall color is spectacular here and the weather is actually pretty nice up until a few days ago. I think it is time to crave for comfort foods again. I've been doing some cooking with my Instant Pot and the dishes I made were stew and casserole. My family also has been craving hot apple cider and hot cocoa; I love having them while snuggling up with my comfy blanket.<br />
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One of the requests my family has been asking me to make is cookies. I guess they are starting to miss my baking. The last time I baked was when my son had a birthday about three weeks ago. I cheated because I used boxed cake mix, but I made my own marshmallow frosting. It was a delicious cake nonetheless and I think I like to make it again using a homemade cake.<br />
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So here it is, oatmeal-cranberry cookies that I made over the weekend. The recipe is quite simple; originally it was a oatmeal-raisin cookies but we love cranberries more than raisins. I like how the recipe uses nutmeg instead of cinnamon. I think there's cinnamon overuse in baking that I'm glad I don't have to use it all the time. These cookies are chewy with a little crunch on the edge. My family is loving the treat in their lunch boxes this week!<br />
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<h3>
<span style="color: #660000;">Oatmeal-Cranberry Cookies</span></h3>
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Makes about 40 medium-sized cookies<br />
<br />
<br />
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour<br />
1/2 teaspoon table salt<br />
1/2 teaspoon baking powder<br />
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg<br />
16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened<br />
1 cup packed light brown sugar<br />
1 cup granulated sugar<br />
2 large eggs<br />
3 cups old-fashioned oates<br />
1 1/2 cups dried cranberries<br />
<br />
<br />
Adjust the oven racks to the upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk the flour, salt, baking powder, and nutmeg together in a medium bowl; set aside.<br />
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In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugars at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix until combined, about 30 seconds.<br />
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Decrease the speed to low and slowly add the dry ingredients until combined, about 30 seconds. Mix in the oats and dried cranberries until just incorporated.<br />
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Divide the dough into about 40 portions, each a generous 1 tablespoon, and roll them between your hands into balls about 1 inch in diameter. Place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1 inch apart.<br />
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Bake, switching and rotating the sheets halfway through the baking time, until the cookies turn golden brown around the edges, 22 to 25 minutes. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets for 2 minutes; using a wide metal spatula, transfer the cookies to a wire rack and cool to room temperature.<br />
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<i>Source: adapted from The Complete America's Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook 2001-2017</i>Elizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09122014680180628266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4830967008275949405.post-47322500437763357212017-09-23T15:43:00.000-07:002017-09-23T15:43:37.649-07:00Peach-Apricot Cobbler with Crystallized Ginger<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My apology for not keeping up with the blog. I feel like it's getting a bit challenging to write a post here. Some weeks I don't even make desserts. The desire is there but my energy is being channeled somewhere else. This September is particularly challenging, with a new year of school starting, there's a lot of distractions and happenings at work that when I get home and especially on weekend, I don't feel like making anything. Hopefully next month things will start to get easier and I can go back to baking on weekends.<br />
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This cobbler is one of desserts I made a while ago. I was fortunate to get some more fresh peaches from Peach Cove Farm in Canby that I went ahead making some canned peach sauce and the leftovers were made into this cobbler. The fresh apricot is there because I just happened to have it and wouldn't want them to go to waste.<br />
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I ate the cobbler unadorned as breakfast, but feel free to add ice cream and make it a dessert if you like. I love crystallized ginger, that bold flavor and the zing they impart on things, a little goes but this has quite a bit. I guess you'll have to really like it to be able to enjoy this cobbler.<br />
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<h3>
<span style="color: #e69138;">Peach Cobbler with Crystallized Ginger</span></h3>
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Serves 8<br />
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<br />
10 yellow peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced<br />
2 fresh apricots, pitted and sliced<br />
1 lemon<br />
1 1/2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated<br />
1/3 cup granulated sugar<br />
2 tablespoons cornstarch<br />
Kosher salt<br />
2 cups all-purpose flour<br />
2 teaspoons baking powder<br />
1/2 cup crystallized ginger, coarsely chopped<br />
4 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into pieces<br />
1 1/4 cups heavy cream, plus cream for brushing<br />
1/4 cup demerara sugar<br />
Vanilla ice cream for serving--<i>optional</i><br />
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Preheat the oven to 375 degree F.<br />
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Put the peach and apricot slices in a bowl. Finely grate 2 teaspoons zest from the lemon, then squeeze 2 tablespoons juice. Add both to the peaches and apricots. Add the grated ginger, granulated sugar, cornstarch, and a pinch of salt and toss gently.<br />
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In a food processor, combine the flour, the baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add the crystallized ginger and pulse briefly to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Transfer to a large bowl, add the 1 1/4 cups cream, and mix until the dough comes together. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead 2 or 3 times to bring it together into a ball. Shape the dough into a round about 1/2 inch thick, then cut the dough into 8 even wedges.<br />
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Transfer the peach-apricot mixture to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and arrange the dough wedges on top in 2 rows of 4 wedges, alternating the points. Brush the wedges with cream and sprinkle with the demerara sugar. Bake for 25 minutes. Loosely cover the dish with foil and continue baking until the topping is deep golden brown and the juices are bubbling, 10-20 minutes. Let cool, uncovered, for at least 20 minutes. Serve the cobbler with ice cream, if preferred.<br />
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<i>Source: adapted from Dessert of the Day by Kim Laidlaw</i>Elizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09122014680180628266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4830967008275949405.post-15872229452448489852017-08-18T22:12:00.000-07:002017-08-18T22:12:04.622-07:00Roasted Cherry-Mint No-Churn Ice Cream<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Well, if the weather is still warm enough to eat ice cream, I would suggest making this cherry-mint no-churn ice cream. I fell behind posting what I made this month because I've been very busy lately, with camping last week and then some volunteer work my son and I were doing this week. But, I have to admit, most nights I look forward to spend time with my family during the summer. We love to watch movie and summertime is the time we catch up with movies. And sometimes we're doing things outside. So even as I'm still baking and creating desserts I don't have time to write the post! <br />
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The idea of making this combination comes from me starring in the opened kitchen pantry and saw a box of Girl Scout Cookie's Thin Mint. I love those cookies! Love it more than Oreos, really. But buying a box of that isn't very friendly to my wallet, so it's best to ration the consumption. Anyway, I had cherries also sitting in the fridge. I thought by combining these two, I would get an exciting flavors. <br />
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The cherries got roasted for some time in a 400F oven. I was thinking roasting them would bring more sweetness and give them caramelization. Caramelization equals sweeter, right?<br />
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Okay, so here's the recipe because I need to watch a movie! :D<br />
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<h3>
<span style="color: #76a5af;">Roasted Cherry-Mint No-Churn Ice Cream</span></h3>
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Serves 8-10<br />
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<br />
1 tablespoon kirsch (cherry brandy)<br />
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract<br />
3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk<br />
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt<br />
2 cups heavy whipping cream<br />
1 cup roasted cherries, <i>see instruction below</i><br />
1 cup coarsely chopped Thin Mint cookies--<i>depending on how you like the cookies, you can add more if you want!</i><br />
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<br />
In a large bowl whisk together kirsch and vanilla extract with sweetened condensed milk and salt.<br />
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With a mixer, whip heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Fold the cream into the condensed milk mixture. Fold the roasted cherries.<br />
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Line a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap or wax paper. Spoon half of the ice cream mixture. Add half of the cookies, mix gently with spoon. Spoon the rest of the ice cream mixture and then add the last half of cookies. Press plastic wrap onto the surface of ice cream and wrap tightly. Freeze until firm, or for at least 12 hours before serving.<br />
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Let ice cream stands for 10 minutes or so before scooping. <br />
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<b>How to roast cherries</b>: <i>Heat oven to 400F. Place cherries on a baking sheet and roast until soft, about 10 minutes. Cool before using.</i> <br />
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<br />Elizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09122014680180628266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4830967008275949405.post-87650069586426482782017-08-03T12:32:00.005-07:002017-08-03T12:32:48.585-07:00Peach Cheesecake with Blueberry Topping<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Since the weather is awfully sweltering here in Oregon, I thought what better way than to share a cool dessert such as this peach cheesecake? Every summer, we've always had fresh picked peaches from a friend's farm in Canby. There's a joy of wanting for special fruits or produce when they're in season. I love how in the summer, there's fruits to eat based on what's ripening that week. I've had local watermelon now that they're available and boy, they're much sweeter than other variety!<br />
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I've made several things with peaches but never in a cheesecake. This one is quite simple, basically the peaches are diced then marinated in whiskey. In this case, I did it with Grand Marnier because that's what I have. Then I make the crumbs and cheesecake batter. Finally it's baked in a 350F oven. Whether you want to bake it with water-bath method or straight bake method is up to you. I've tried both and there's things I like with both method. The only drawback with the straight bake one is that the cheesecake is prone to cracking. But if you like to top it with something, sometimes it doesn't really matter.<br />
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<br />
The blueberry topping and caramel sauce is my spur of the moment additions. I had plenty of blueberries in the fridge that I would like to use up. They go together nicely!<br />
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<br />
<h3>
<span style="color: #3d85c6;">Peach Cheesecake with Blueberry Topping</span></h3>
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Serves 10 to 12<br />
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<br />
<b>Crust:</b><br />
1 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs<br />
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted<br />
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<b>Filling:</b><br />
1 cup diced peeled peaches (about 2 medium)<br />
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier or whiskey<br />
3 packages (each 8 oz/250g) cream cheese, softened<br />
1 cup plain yogurt<br />
1 cup packed brown sugar<br />
3 eggs<br />
1 teaspoon vanilla extract<br />
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<b>Blueberry topping</b>:<br />
2 cups fresh blueberries, picked over<br />
1/4 cup sugar<br />
Zest of 1 orange<br />
1/4 cup orange juice<br />
1 teaspoon cornstarch<br />
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Caramel sauce, homemade or store-bought<br />
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<br />
<b>To make the crust:</b> In a bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs and butter. Press into bottom of cheesecake pan and freeze.<br />
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<b>To make the filling:</b> In a small bowl, combine peaches and Grand Marnier. Set aside<br />
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In a mixer bowl, fitted with paddle attachment, beat cream cheese, yogurt and brown sugar on medium-high speed until very smooth, for 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Fold in soaked peaches, with juices, and vanilla by hand.<br />
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Pour over frozen crust, smoothing out to sides of pan. Bake in a preheated oven until top is light brown and center has a slight jiggle to it, 45 to 55 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack for 2 hours. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours before serving.<br />
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<b>To make blueberry topping: </b> In a saucepan, combine blueberries, sugar and orange zest. In a small bowl, mix together orange juice and cornstarch; pour this mixture into the saucepan. Cook in medium heat until blueberries pop, bubbly and start to thicken, about 6-8 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. <br />
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When ready to serve, drizzle some caramel sauce on a plate, place a slice of cheesecake and drizzle some blueberry topping on top.<br />
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<i>Source: adapted from The Cheesecake Bible by George Geary</i><br />
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<br />Elizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09122014680180628266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4830967008275949405.post-79514327399723428512017-07-25T11:08:00.000-07:002017-07-25T11:10:19.054-07:00Triple-Berry Pie with Pecan Crumb Topping<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When I went picking a couple of weeks ago, I saw that tayberries were still available and Marionberries were beginning to ripen. I decided to pick just a few cups thinking that I'd make berry pies. I had in mind a pie with crumb toppings after making a double-crust pie already.<br />
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So here's what I made with those berries, a triple-berry pie with blueberries, tayberries and Marionberries. I fell in love with tayberries this summer. The flavor is more delicate that the other blackberry variety; it's said to have a floral and aromatic flavor. It's a little bit too late to make jam from tayberry this year but I vow to try it next year. I'm already thinking of infusing the jam with tea.<br />
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My family loves this triple-berry pie because apparently the combo works! The crumb topping has crunchy pecan and toothsome oats. Often I have too much crumb topping but I usually put them in a bag and freeze them until I need them again. Good thing I have a few 4-inch tart pans lined with leftover pie crusts that I stored in the freezer. The blueberries got made into these little pans with lemon zest, the juice, a few teaspoons of cornstarch, some sprinkling of cinnamon and some sugar. The tart baked quicker than the whole pie and it's equally as good!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq2m3yb6nmML_nzqg-TrIMXlGWy67SYHRruwQXmu-JHc5Xc_dDj0y1bVUagXtm0sALVso5gBvBugoVzqYts-VQh-Kvevrk_0dPpo5BFKSbCONSB-lNNygTlAAMHlryY6WEB0ehOfi3DBp3/s1600/Triple-Berry+Pie+with+Pecan+Crumb+Topping-6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="641" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq2m3yb6nmML_nzqg-TrIMXlGWy67SYHRruwQXmu-JHc5Xc_dDj0y1bVUagXtm0sALVso5gBvBugoVzqYts-VQh-Kvevrk_0dPpo5BFKSbCONSB-lNNygTlAAMHlryY6WEB0ehOfi3DBp3/s1600/Triple-Berry+Pie+with+Pecan+Crumb+Topping-6.jpg" /></a></div>
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The bottom picture is what my individual blueberry tart looks like. They're gone in a couple of days!<br />
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My advice is to stock up with whipped cream or ice cream to eat these various pies/tarts in the summer! No wonder I can't store anything else more important in my fridge! :D<br />
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<h3>
<span style="color: #741b47;">Triple-Berry Pie with Pecan Crumb Topping</span></h3>
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Serves 8 to 10<br />
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1 dough (makes single piecrust) from <a href="http://notesfrommyfooddiary.blogspot.com/2016/11/sweet-potato-pie.html">All-Butter Piecrust</a>, refrigerated<br />
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<b>For Filling:</b><br />
1 1/4 cups fresh blueberries<br />
1 1/4 cups fresh Marionberries<br />
1 1/2 cups fresh tayberries<br />
1/2 cup sugar--<i>taste your berries, if they're particularly sour, add more sugar. I personally like less sweet of filling</i><br />
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract<br />
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon<br />
Pinch of salt<br />
2 tablespoon cornstarch<br />
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice<br />
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest<br />
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<b>For Pecan Crumb Topping:</b><br />
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour<br />
1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar<br />
1/2 teaspoon salt<br />
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes<br />
3/4 cup pecan pieces<br />
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats<br />
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Preheat oven to 400 degree F.<br />
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On a floured surface, roll the dough into a 12-inch circle. Drape the dough onto the rolling pin and invert it into a 9-inch pie pan. Gently tuck the pastry into the pan, without stretching in. Trim the edges and fold under. Crimp edges decoratively. Place in the freezer while you're readying the filling and crumb topping.<br />
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Combine the berries in a large bowl. Fold in sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon and salt. Mix cornstarch, lemon juice and zest in a small bowl. Pour into the filling and stir. Set aside.<br />
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Blend flour, grown sugar and salt in a food processor. Add butter; using on/off turns, process until mixture resembles fine moist clumps. Add pecans and oats. Using on/off turns, do a few turn just until nuts and oats are combined.<br />
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Take the pie crust and fill it with berry mixture, smooth the mixture with a spoon. Sprinkle pecan topping evenly over the fruits. Mound it in the center a bit but do not overfill. I like just enough crumbs to about 1/4-inch thick around the edges, perhaps. Freeze the remaining crumbs for the next pie project.<br />
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Bake pie at bottom rack for 25-30 minutes. If necessary, place an old baking pan on the oven floor to catch the juice overflowing from the pie. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degree F. Continue baking until topping is brown and juices bubble thickly, about 30-40 minutes. If necessary, tent the topping with foil if it browns too fast. Cool pie on rack 1 hour. Serve warm or at room temperature.<br />
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<br />Elizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09122014680180628266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4830967008275949405.post-57156984421145038272017-07-19T22:05:00.000-07:002017-07-19T22:05:42.950-07:00Cherry-Almond Coffee Cake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Last week my family went cherry picking at Hood River and some two cups of those cherries went into this coffee cake. We picked mostly Bings and some Rainier too. The wind was blowing hard while we picked the fruits but the view was still gorgeous. Lots of sunshine and surprisingly not many people went picking that day. <br />
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We went to the same farm, Hood River U-Pick Organic Cherries, last year as well. Their fruits are large, sweet and easy to pick so we're happy to be back this year. And as usual, we picked more than we can eat in a day or two :) </div>
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Making a coffee cake is an easy way to use up the cherries. It then can be served as dessert or snack. This particular one is spot on, not too sweet, has tender crumbs and stay moist for a few days. I meant to soak the cherries in kirschwasser but forgot, so feel free to soak the fruits if you like for overnight, I bet it'll be even tastier!</div>
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<span style="color: #660000;">Cherry-Almond Coffee Cake</span></h3>
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Serves 12</div>
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1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature plus more for the pan</div>
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2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour</div>
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2 teaspoon baking powder</div>
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1 teaspoon baking soda</div>
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1/2 teaspoon kosher salt</div>
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1 1/2 cups slivered almonds</div>
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3/4 cup brown sugar, packed</div>
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1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon</div>
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1 cup granulated sugar</div>
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3 large eggs</div>
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2 teaspoon almond extract</div>
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1 cup sour cream</div>
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2 cups fresh cherries, pitted and cut in half</div>
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Preheat oven to 375 degree F. Butter an angel food cake pan. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.</div>
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In a small bowl, combine the almonds, brown sugar and cinnamon; transfer half to a second bowl.</div>
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Using an electric mixer, beat the sugar and 2 sticks butter to combine, about 2 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then the almond extract. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture, mixing until just combined. Mix in the sour cream until just combined (the batter should be very thick).</div>
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Scoop half of the batter into the prepared pan, spreading to evenly distribute it, and sprinkle with the walnut mixture. Scatter cut cherries on top of mixture. Top with the remaining batter and sprinkle with the remaining topping. Bake for 25 minutes.</div>
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Reduce oven temperature to 300 degree F and bake until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean, 15 to 20 minutes more. Let the cake cool completely in the pan before unmolding and serving.</div>
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<i>Source: adapted from Woman's Day, December 2016/January 2017</i></div>
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<br />Elizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09122014680180628266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4830967008275949405.post-50912699753625388722017-06-30T21:42:00.000-07:002017-06-30T21:42:29.566-07:00Strawberry-Raspberry No-Churn Ice Cream with Chocolate Chunks<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FX_7g5Ck6Gc/WVcQ9_eM_LI/AAAAAAAADY0/M9r6Y2BcU1QZP_jrA2G76g54n_XjQHqjwCLcBGAs/s1600/Strawberry-Raspberry-Chocolate%2BNo-Churn%2BIce%2BCream-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="641" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FX_7g5Ck6Gc/WVcQ9_eM_LI/AAAAAAAADY0/M9r6Y2BcU1QZP_jrA2G76g54n_XjQHqjwCLcBGAs/s1600/Strawberry-Raspberry-Chocolate%2BNo-Churn%2BIce%2BCream-3.jpg" /></a></div>
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The title says it all, it's a combo of two different berries that I picked this past week, along with chopped bittersweet chocolate. The idea came because I wanted to make ice cream, the easy way. I found recipes for no-churn ice cream and decided to try it. This particular recipe uses less sweetened condensed milk than other recipes which made me think it's less sweet. Other recipes use one can of that stuff but with the same amount of whipping cream; that I think is way too sweet. But maybe I shouldn't say anything before trying it out :D<br />
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And I also recently tried a new flavor of jam after reading new books about preserving, raspberry "lemonade" jam. It's made with raspberries, lemon juice, honey, and pectin. I love the flavor combination and thought that the jam will go together with strawberry base ice cream. As if it's not enough, I went ahead and chopped bittersweet chocolate to add to the ice cream. Since I haven't provided the recipe for the jam, a regular strawberry jam can be used to make this ice cream.<br />
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When I was ready to serve this, I also had some strawberries left. I was thinking of making something quick and easy, thus strawberry sauce was conceived :) This sauce was the bomb because the strawberries were fresh and I picked the right variety for it. Something that's made from in-season fruits always turn out to be the best in flavor. I just love how fresh-picked strawberries smell! Eating the ice cream with the sauce after dinner has become the highpoint of our summer days.<br />
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I set aside a few cupful of the ice cream for making ice cream sandwich. Now I didn't make the cookies myself but I have Chips Ahoy! Thin Double Chocolate in the pantry. It's a fine substitute in a pinch. Well, well, everybody loves it! Now I'm gonna probably play around with other flavor this summer and make more ice cream sandwich.<br />
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<h3>
<span style="color: #e06666;">Strawberry-Raspberry No-Churn Ice Cream with Chocolate Chunks</span></h3>
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Serves 8-10<br />
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1 tablespoon vanilla extract<br />
3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk<br />
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt<br />
2 cups heavy whipping cream<br />
1 cup finely diced strawberries<br />
1/2 cup chopped bittersweet chocolate<br />
1/3 cup jam, raspberry or strawberry jam, warmed just until loosen up<br />
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In a large bowl whisk together vanilla extract with sweetened condensed milk and salt.<br />
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With a mixer, whip heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Fold the cream into the condensed milk mixture. Fold the diced strawberries and chocolate.<br />
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Line a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap or wax paper. Spoon half of the ice cream mixture. Add half of jam, swirl with butter knife. Spoon the rest of the ice cream mixture and then swirl the last half of the jam. Press plastic wrap onto the surface of ice cream and wrap tightly. Freeze until firm, or for at least 12 hours before serving.<br />
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Let ice cream stands for 10 minutes or so before scooping. At this time, you can scoop a spoonful into one cookie, press another cookie on top. Smooth the sides with a small offset spatula. Wrap the ice cream cookies an freeze until firm again.<br />
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<i>Source: adapted from <a href="http://bellyfull.net/2016/05/31/no-churn-strawberry-ice-cream/">Belly Full</a></i><br />
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<br />Elizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09122014680180628266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4830967008275949405.post-33347911728027586152017-06-13T21:17:00.000-07:002017-06-13T21:17:33.289-07:00Fresh Strawberry Pie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm so happy that local strawberries are finally available. With a longer cool season that made its way till June, I thought I wouldn't see berries ripening or even happening this month. But, it's here and that's what makes me rejoice!<br />
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As I mentioned before, I'm running out of strawberry jam stock so I really need to replenish it. With the strawberries, I love the flavor of local strawberries over supermarket variety, especially the Hood variety. It's my go-to strawberry to pick for making jam and when it's in season I have to act quick or they'd be gone. Last Sunday I dragged my family to Beaverton area, precisely to <a href="http://www.hoffmanfarmsstore.com/">Hoffman Farms</a>, to help me pick strawberries. I've gone to this farm for about 2 years in a row and I really like their fruits. <br />
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This year is the first year I've picked strawberries though. I was expecting muddy field, but they've lined the path between the rows with straws so that we didn't have to muck around in the mud. It rained the day before and it was kind of cloudy on the day, so we always expect the worse in this Oregon weather.<br />
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There are 4 types of strawberries available and we picked Hood, Albion and Sweet Sunrise. Like I said the Hood was made into jam; I got 5 pints out of almost 5 pounds. The Albion will be eaten fresh, and the slightly tart-more on sweet Sweet Sunrise was made into this fresh pie. I was glad I picked this variety because it has character and it suited this pie. <br />
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I didn't plan ahead on making pie but as it happens, I had 2 homemade pie crusts sitting in the freezer. So it's an impromptu dessert. I used my favorite pie crust recipe, which was used in making <a href="http://notesfrommyfooddiary.blogspot.com/2016/11/sweet-potato-pie.html">this Sweet Potato Pie</a>. What I like about it is that it makes 3 crusts which is quite handy; I can make a double crust pie and a single crust pie right away. I think it's time to make another batch so I'm ready for the next dessert day!<br />
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Anyway, as with a fresh fruit pie, it's a messy eating but it's deliciously out of the world. We love serving a slice with whipped cream, and we don't mind if the pie looks lopsided or is too runny!<br />
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<h3>
<span style="color: #cc0000;">Fresh Strawberry Pie</span></h3>
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Serves 8<br />
<br />
1 recipe double-crust pie dough, see <a href="http://notesfrommyfooddiary.blogspot.com/2016/11/sweet-potato-pie.html">this recipe</a><br />
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<br />
8 cups strawberries, hulled and quartered<br />
2/3 cup sugar or more depending on how tart the strawberries are (mine were sweet enough that I didn't need to add a lot of it)<br />
2 tablespoons cornstarch<br />
1 teaspoon grated fresh orange zest<br />
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract<br />
Pinch salt<br />
Milk for glaze<br />
2 teaspoons sugar<br />
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Roll one disk of dough into a 12-inch circle on a lightly floured counter, then fit it into a 9-inch pie plate, letting the excess dough hang over the edge; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Roll the other disk of dough into a 12-inch circle on a lightly floured counter, then transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.<br />
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Toss strawberries and 2/3 cup of sugar in a large bowl. Let sit for about 1 hour, tossing occasionally. <br />
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Adjust an oven rack to the lowest position; place a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet on the rack, and heat the oven to 425F.<br />
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Drain the fruit thoroughly on a colander, reserving 1/4 cup of the juice. In a large bowl, mix together the drained fruit, cornstarch, orange zest, vanilla extract and salt. If the fruit tastes tart, add more sugar gradually until it suits your taste.<br />
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Dump the fruit into the dough-lined pie plate, mounding it slightly in the middle. Cover the top with the second piece of dough. Trim, fold and crimp the edges and cut 8 vent holes in the top. Brush the crust with milk and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons sugar.<br />
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Place the pie on the heated baking sheet and bake until top crust is golden, about 25 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 375F, rotate the baking sheet, and continue to bake until the crust is golden brown, 25 to 35 minutes longer. Let the pie cool on a wire rack until the filling has set, about 2 hours; serve slightly warm or at room temperature.<br />
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<i>Source: filling adapted from The America's Test Kitchen Family Baking Book</i><br />
<br />Elizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09122014680180628266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4830967008275949405.post-67497640448095295282017-05-30T15:29:00.000-07:002017-06-30T20:09:07.765-07:00Java Chocolate Crunch Buns<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This buns were made because my husband requested chocolate bread. I didn't realize at the time that this wasn't a sweet bun recipe, instead it was a coffee and chocolate flavored buns. Those two flavors were faint in taste, but it did color the bread brownish. The pistachio nuts wasn't enough to satisfy the crunch factor in my opinion. Maybe a bit more in quantity would be better next time.<br />
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There's this book that I just bought, which is called <b>300 Best Bread Machine Recipes</b> and I've been making a variety of bread from it. It's a bread machine book, but a lot of time, I converted it an oven-baked bread. It's fairly simple to prepare it and our family likes it better. I own another book of bread machine recipe but I get bored easily so I had to buy another one to play with :D<br />
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My husband did used it for making his sandwich for lunch and he was happy about it. The texture was great, it was quite soft and fluffy. Oh, the original recipe was a loaf but since I had a bit of time on my hand, I made them into rolls :) The recipe will make about 12 buns. Also, I added beaten egg glaze and a sprinkling of cocoa powder on the buns. Honestly, I don't mind making it again actually with lots more pistachio, of course.<br />
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Well, it's a short post today; and here's the recipe!<br />
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<h3>
<span style="color: #783f04;">Java Chocolate Crunch Loaf</span></h3>
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Makes 1 loaf or about 12 small-sized buns<br />
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<br />
3/4 cup water<br />
1/3 cup freshly brewed coffee (room temperature)<br />
1/4 cup nonfat dry milk<br />
1 1/4 teaspoon salt<br />
2 tablespoons liquid honey<br />
2 tablespoons vegetable oil<br />
3 1/4 cups bread flour<br />
1 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted<br />
1/3 cup pistachio nuts--can increase to 1/2 cup if you want<br />
1 1/2 teaspoon bread machine or instant yeast<br />
<br />
Measure all ingredients into baking pan in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Insert pan into the oven chamber.<br />
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Select <b>Dough Cycle</b>.<br />
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At the end of its cycle, remove the dough to a lightly floured surface. Cover and let rest for 5 minutes. Prepare a 9-x 5-inch loaf pan, spray it with nonstick cooking spray. Or if making buns, lay a parchment paper on a large baking sheet.<br />
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Roll the dough into an 8-x 10-inch rectangle. Working form the short side, roll jellyroll-style. Seal the seam by pinching the dough between the thumb and forefinger. Place the dough seam down in the pan. Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place until doubles in size. Usually I preheat my oven to 150F for 15 minutes before I have to put my bread in. I turn it off, wait for 5 minutes then put the bread in. This will take about 1 hour for the loaf to double.<br />
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If you're interested in making small-sized buns, divide the dough into 12 balls. Roll each ball on a floured surface until smooth. Place them on baking sheet, cover with a towel and let rise until doubles. Before baking, brush the tops with egg glaze (1 egg beaten with a tiny amount of water) and sprinkle with cocoa powder.<br />
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Bake the bread in a 350F oven for 35-40 minutes for loaf; about 20-25 minutes for buns, depending on the oven. Remove the baked loaf or buns from the baking sheet immediately and set on a rack to cool. <br />
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<i>Source: 300 Best Bread Machine Recipes by Donna Washburn and Heather Butt</i><br />
<br />Elizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09122014680180628266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4830967008275949405.post-26092843994163710912017-05-11T17:55:00.000-07:002017-05-11T17:55:54.203-07:00Peanut Butter-Brownie Cheesecake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Since we had the no-bake cheesecake, my family wanted me to make another one right away. When it's that good, there's no stopping the craving!</div>
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This one is obviously a baked cheesecake, which I haven't made for a long time I didn't think I would be successful. I managed to bake it just right with only a sliver of crack. That 2 minutes extra time I added at the end was unnecessary obviously.</div>
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The combo flavor is the one that everyone loves. But don't be alarmed that I used up a small jar of peanut butter to make the filling! I'm sure my PCP won't be too happy with the cholesterol-laden food I'm eating at home.<br />
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The brownie bottom has bits of bittersweet chocolate which I thought was nice. The recipe calls for finely chopped, but I went with perhaps bigger pieces. Brownie was chewy and chocolaty, a perfect vessel for the creamy and smooth peanut butter filling.<br />
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We didn't polish this off in one day, we couldn't anyway. We ate sliver by sliver until it's no more. I found out that I like eating cheesecake when it's really cold while my son likes it at room temperature.<br />
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Well, here is the recipe; give it a try!<br />
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<h3>
<span style="color: #4c1130;">Peanut-Butter Brownie Cheesecake</span></h3>
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Serves 12 servings<br />
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<b>Crust:</b><br />
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate chopped<br />
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, diced<br />
1/2 cup sifted unbleached all-purpose flour (sifted, then measured)<br />
1/8 teaspoon salt<br />
1/8 teaspoon baking powder<br />
2 large eggs<br />
1 cup (packed) golden brown sugar<br />
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract<br />
1/2 ounce bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped<br />
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<b>Filling:</b><br />
12 ounces Philadelphia-brand cream cheese, room temperature<br />
1 cup (packed) golden brown sugar<br />
3 large eggs<br />
1/2 cup sour cream<br />
1 1/3 cups creamy peanut butter<br />
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<b>Topping:</b><br />
3/4 cup sour cream<br />
2 teaspoons sugar<br />
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter<br />
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<b>To make the crust:</b> Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350F. Butter 9-inch diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides. Dust pan lightly with flour; tap out excess.<br />
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Stir unsweetened chocolate and butter in heavy small saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth. Cool. Whisk flour, salt, and baking powder in small bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat eggs and brown sugar in medium bowl until very thick, abut 4 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl. Beat in melted chocolate mixture, vanilla, and chopped bittersweet chocolate. Add flour mixture and beat until just blended.<br />
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Spread 1 cup brownie batter over bottom of prepared pan. Bake until firm, about 17 minutes. Cool bottom crust in pan in freezer 15 minutes. Maintain oven temperature.<br />
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<b>To make the filling:</b> Blend cream cheese and brown sugar in processor until smooth. Add eggs and sour cream; using on/off turns, process until mixture is smooth, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl. Using on/off turns, blend in peanut butter. Using small knife, spread remaining brownie batter evenly around sides of pan, sealing batter to bottom crust. Pour in filling (filling will not be as high as brownie batter).<br />
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Bake until center of cheesecake is gently set and brownie sides have fallen to form 1-inch-wide ring around filling, about 30 minutes.<br />
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<b>To make the topping:</b> Whisk sour cream and sugar in small bowl to blend. Spread evenly atop hot cheesecake to within 3/4 inch of edge. Bake cheesecake 1 minute longer.<br />
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Set cake on rack. Cut around top edge of pan sides to loosen cake. Cool cake completely. Place peanut butter in pastry bag fitted with small (No.1) star tip. Pipe tiny rosettes of peanut butter around edge of sour cream. Chill cake until rosettes are firm, about 30 minutes. Cover pan tightly with foil and chill cake overnight.<br />
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Cut around pan sides to loosen cake. Remove pan sides. Transfer cheesecake to platter. Cut into wedges and serve.<br />
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<i>Source: adapted from Bon Appetit Desserts</i><br />
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<br />Elizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09122014680180628266noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4830967008275949405.post-2350402223548848722017-04-22T17:21:00.000-07:002017-04-22T17:21:51.858-07:00No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My apology for being absent for a long time. I think I mentioned it on my last post that I'm taking more responsibility at work now that my priorities at home has also changed. I also don't feel like making desserts or sweet treats for a while so this break is much needed. <br />
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My son also has an early bird class which makes my day is longer than usual. I'm in bed by 10 most nights and I believe sleep is one of things I won't miss out. A well rested wife and mommy is a much appreciated person during the day :)<br />
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This month I finally feel the urge to start baking again. But the first thing I made is actually involves little time in the oven. I had a slice of cheesecake on my church potluck and I wanted to eat cheesecake at home. I don't think I've ever made no-bake cheesecake before that this time is the right time to try it. Strawberries have started coming in the stores so automatically it's the fruit that I fancy putting in the no-bake cheesecake.<br />
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The crust is made of chocolate graham crackers with some oats and brown sugar. It tastes very yummy; actually this combo strawberry and chocolate is super delicious. The addition of whipped cream and extra strawberries on top makes it even better. This actually reminds me of strawberry ice cream without the brain freeze!<br />
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Now the fresh strawberry slices are mixed with melted marrionberry jam because I run out of my strawberry jam. They taste just fine with it, it's just when photographed it looks a little funny with those little seeds of marrionberry. This also told me that I need to make more strawberry jam in a month or two.<br />
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I hope you'll give this a try!<br />
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<h3>
<span style="color: #cc0000;">No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake</span></h3>
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Serves 10<br />
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<b>Crust:</b><br />
9 whole chocolate graham crackers<br />
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats<br />
3 tablespoons (packed) golden brown sugar<br />
1/2 teaspoon salt<br />
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted<br />
1 teaspoon vanilla extract<br />
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<b>Filling:</b><br />
1/4 cup water<br />
1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin (from 2 envelopes)<br />
1 1/2 8-ounce packages Philadelphia-brand cream cheese, room temperature<br />
1 cup heavy whipping cream<br />
1 cup sugar<br />
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice<br />
3 cups chopped strawberries<br />
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<b>Topping:</b><br />
1 cup chilled heavy whipping cream<br />
1 tablespoon sugar<br />
4 cups fresh strawberries, cut in half<br />
1/2 cup strawberry jam<br />
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<b><i>To make the crust:</i></b> Preheat oven to 350F. Blend graham crackers, oats, brown sugar, and salt in processor until graham crackers are finely ground. Add melted butter and vanilla; process until moist crumbs form. Press crumb mixture onto bottom and 1 inch up sides of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides. Bake crust until deep golden brown, about 12 minutes. Cool.<br />
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<b><i>To make the filling:</i></b> Pour 1/4 cup water into small saucepan; sprinkle gelatin over. Let stand until gelatin softens, about 15 minutes. Stir over very low heat just until gelatin dissolves. Blend cream cheese, cream, sugar, and lemon juice in processor until smooth, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl. Add berries; puree until smooth. With machine running, add warm gelatin mixture through feed tube and blend well. Pour filling into crust. Cover; chill overnight.<br />
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Cut around pan sides to loosen cake; remove pan sides. Transfer cake to platter.<br />
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<b><i>Topping:</i></b> Using electric mixer, beat cream and sugar in medium bowl until peaks form. Spread cream mixture thickly over top of cheesecake. Place berries in bowl. Heat jam in small saucepan over low heat until just melted. Pour jam over berries; toss to coat. Mound coated berries on cream, leaving 1-inch plain border. Chill cake at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.<br />
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<i>Source: adapted from Bon Appetit Desserts</i>Elizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09122014680180628266noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4830967008275949405.post-70999995551868564142017-01-09T20:45:00.003-08:002017-01-09T20:45:56.765-08:00Easy Fruit Cake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When I wrote my last post it was in 2016 :P I know I've been absent from the blog for many weeks. I usually am pretty good of closing the year with a Christmas post, but this year my end of year break was marked by my mom's illness that necessitated an ER visit, my working at adult community center, and an unpredictable future regarding a friend's moving day and how it would play on my regular job. It was a stressful end of year and I didn't think of wanting to sit and write a post. But, my family had a fun catching lots of Netflix TV episodes and I think that's where most of my free time went :)<br />
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And since the departure of my co-worker, I've been working harder at work and longer hours. Consequently my free time is now so precious that I'd rather spent sleeping! I even skipped going to the gym today and I do miss it. I'd love to go the gym to clear my mind, and that's the purpose of my workout. If I can work out five days a week I'd do it because I came home in a better spirit.<br />
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Anyhow...I have a recipe that I was going to share in December but had to put it in the back burner. Did I tell you that I love fruitcake? Yes, I do and I'm glad my family loves it too. I admit, I much prefer lighter fruitcake than the heavy, dark, and old-fashioned one; but if there's one available, I wouldn't mind at all. This cake is moist and has almond flour, plenty of fruitcake mix and buttery. It was my husband's favorite that I think I made it twice; one during the break and a couple of weeks later. Pretty easy and lovely!<br />
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<h3>
<span style="color: #c27ba0;">Easy Fruit Cake</span></h3>
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Serves 12<br />
<br />
<br />
225 g unsalted butter, at room temperature<br />
225 g sugar<br />
4 large eggs<br />
225 g self-rising flour<br />
100 g ground almond<br />
1/2 teaspoon almond extract<br />
450 g mixed dried fruit<br />
25 g slivered or flaked almonds<br />
<br />
<br />
Preheat the oven to 325F. Grease an 8-inch springform with cooking spray; line the base and sides of the pan with baking parchment. <br />
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In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until fluffy, then add the eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition to prevent curdling.<br />
<br />
Fold in the flour, ground almonds, and almond extract and beat until all the ingredients are thoroughly mixed. Gently fold the dried fruit into the mixture, stirring with a wooden spoon until well combined.<br />
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Spoon the mixture into the pan and level the top. Sprinkle the surface with the slivered/flaked almonds. Cover the bottom of the pan with aluminum foil because it will leak during baking.<br />
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Put the pan into the oven and bake for 1 1/2-2 hours. Test the cake using a skewer inserted in the cake, it should be clean and dry; if not return the cake to the oven to cook further. Cover the top with aluminum foil if it is going brown too soon. When the cake is done, remove from the oven and leave to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.<br />
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<i>Source: adapted from Marry Berry's Cookery Course</i><br />
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<br />Elizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09122014680180628266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4830967008275949405.post-4867031744584942572016-12-09T12:21:00.000-08:002016-12-09T12:21:10.320-08:00Gingerbread Cinnamon Buns<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Another day of staying at home because of snow day. It snowed late morning yesterday and even though there was not much accumulation, the snow has turned into a thin coat of ice this morning. The school was canceled which meant I didn't have to go to work either. Honestly I didn't feel like going to work :) I have to drive uphill to my work and if the roads weren't cleared, which sometimes can happen, I'd rather stay home. <br />
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Because of that, I had quite a bit of time at home right now. I ventured out to the back yard to take photos of icicles and then went back to do the same with my fruitcake. Yes, I made a fruitcake yesterday afternoon. No, it isn't a brick-heavy one; this is a lighter fruit cake from a Mary Berry's recipes. I made this first last month and we really loved it. It is rather cakey with lots of dried sour cherries, raisins, and fruitcake mix. Some people are turned off by that fruitcake mix, but I don't mind it at all; my mom used to make a Dutch-style fruitcake using glace red and green cherries when I was young so I grew up eating it.<br />
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I will share the recipe later on but this time I want to share what I made for breakfast last weekend. This is gingerbread cinnamon buns because we're a fan of cinnamon buns. I think these buns are perfect for the season, the smell of the spices when they're baked is absolutely delicious. I've always made cinnamon buns the night before and let them do the second proofing in the fridge. In the morning of, I take them out and let rest for 30 minutes before baking them. The freshly baked buns are ready in less than 30 minutes.<br />
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<h3>
<span style="color: #783f04;">Gingerbread Cinnamon Buns</span></h3>
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Makes 9 servings<br />
<br />
<br />
1/4 cup warm water (105-115 degrees F)<br />
2 pkg. active dry yeast<br />
1/2 cup evaporated milk<br />
1/3 cup molasses<br />
1/4 cup packed brown sugar<br />
2 tablespoons vegetable oil<br />
1/2 teaspoon salt<br />
3 3/4 to 4 cups all-purpose flour<br />
1/4 cup packed brown sugar<br />
2 tablespoons granulated sugar<br />
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon<br />
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger<br />
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves<br />
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened<br />
1 recipe <b>Spiced Glaze</b><br />
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In a large bowl combine the warm water and the yeast, stirring to dissolve yeast. Let stand 5 minutes. Stir in the next six ingredients (through salt). Stir in as much of the flour as you can.<br />
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Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough of the remaining flour to make a moderately soft dough that is smooth and elastic (3 to 5 minutes total). Shape dough into a ball. Place in a lightly greased bowl, turning once to grease surface. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double in size (1 to 1 1/2 hours).<br />
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Punch down dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Cover and let stand for 10 minutes. Lightly grease a 13x9-inch baking pan. For filling, combine the next five ingredients (through cloves).<br />
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Roll dough into a 12x8-inch rectangle. Spread dough with butter. Sprinkle with filling, leaving 1 inch unfilled along one of the long sides. Roll up rectangle, starting from the filled long side. Pinch dough to seal seams. Cut into 12 slices. Arrange and let rise in a warm place until nearly double in size (about 45 minutes). At this point, you can cover it with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator to proof for overnight.<br />
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake 22 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Drizzle with Spiced Glaze.<br />
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<b>Spiced Glaze:</b> Stir together 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon milk, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. Stir in additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, to make a glaze drizzling consistency.<br />
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<i>Source: adapted from Fall Baking 2015, Better Homes and Gardens</i>Elizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09122014680180628266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4830967008275949405.post-57374645653938630482016-12-03T16:09:00.000-08:002016-12-03T16:09:07.094-08:00Peanut Butter Cup Bars<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Our family will never say no to chocolate and peanut butter and I think that's a good enough reason to make these bars. They are fairly easy to make and taste very similar to Reese's peanut butter cups. I think this is an obligatory item to make for gift giving to those who have the same love to peanut butter and chocolate like we do.<br />
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<h3>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #76a5af;">Peanut Butter Cup Bars</span></span></h3>
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Makes 48 bars<br />
<br />
<br />
Nonstick cooking spry<br />
3/4 butter<br />
1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter<br />
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar<br />
1 1/2 cups finely crushed honey graham cereal<br />
1 11.5-oz. package milk chocolate pieces<br />
3 tablespoons shortening<br />
8 to 10 chocolate-covered peanut butter cups, chopped<br />
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Line a 13x9-inch baking pan with foil, extending the foil over edges of the pan. Lightly coat the foil with cooking spray. In a large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add peanut butter; heat and stir until melted and smooth. Stir in powdered sugar and crushed cereal; mix well. Pat the peanut butter mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan.<br />
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In a medium bowl microwave chocolate pieces and shortening for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes or just until melted and smooth, stirring every 30 seconds. Spread melted chocolate over the peanut butter layer. Sprinkle with chopped peanut butter cups. Cover and chill 30 minutes or until firm. Use edges of foil to lift uncut bars out of pan. Transfer to a cutting board. Cut into bars.<br />
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<i>Source: Christmas Cookie by Better Homes and Gardens, 2016</i>Elizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09122014680180628266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4830967008275949405.post-45686318393106189242016-11-24T11:52:00.000-08:002016-11-24T11:52:44.684-08:00Sweet Potato Pie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Happy Thanksgiving!!!<br />
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This is a post that may be a bit late, you know, to bake a pie on the day of, but it may be a recipe to try on the next Thanksgiving day. I don't normally make pumpkin pie myself; I find it a bit bland and not substantial. But this year I decided to make on--with sweet potato--because I personally love that knobby root vegetable better than sugar pumpkin.<br />
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To my surprise I enjoy eating it so much that I think I'm ready to make it a tradition of baking it every year. This one pie is a simple variety of so many out there with outrageous add-ins. It is a strictly sweet potato with cream, milk, brown sugar, eggs, and lots of spices. And as always, my favorite part is topping it with lightly sweetened whipped cream, yumm...<br />
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The crust recipe here is for three 9-inch pie which you can freeze after you divide the dough into three portions. Wrap it well with plastic wrap and freeze up for a month. I've always like having extra pie dough in my freezer anyway because I don't know always know when my pie craving strike; that way it's halfway done!<br />
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<h3>
<span style="color: #e69138;">Sweet Potato Pie</span></h3>
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Makes 12 servings<br />
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1 recipe <b>All-Butter Piecrust</b>, recipe follows<br />
1 1/4 pounds sweet potatoes<br />
1 cup whipping cream<br />
3/4 packed brown sugar<br />
1/2 cup whole milk<br />
2 eggs<br />
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon<br />
1/2 teaspoon allspice<br />
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg<br />
Pinch of kosher salt<br />
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Prepare the <b>All-Butter Piecrust</b> as directed, except after removing foil and weights, bake about 5 minutes more or until set but not browned. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Prick the sweet potatoes all over with a fork, wrap them in foil, and roast in the oven 60 to 70 minutes or until tender. Reduce oven to 375 degrees F.<br />
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Let sweet potatoes cool. Peel and place in a bowl. Mash with a potato masher. (You should have about 2 cups.) In a food processor combine mashed sweet potatoes, cream, brown sugar, milk, eggs, the spices, and a pinch of kosher salt. Cover and process just until smooth. Pour the sweet potato filling into the piecrust. Cover edges of pie with foil (or use a metal pie crust shield). Bake 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 20 to 30 minutes more or until evenly puffed and a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.<br />
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<b>All-Butter Piecrust</b><br />
<br />
Makes three 9-inch piecrusts<br />
<br />
3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour<br />
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt<br />
3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces<br />
3/4-1 cup cold water<br />
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In a large bowl whisk together flour and 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt. Using a pastry blender or your fingers, work butter into flour mixture until butter is bean-size. Stir in 3/4 cup of the water, a few tablespoons at a time. Squeeze a small handful of dough. If dough is still crumbly, stir in the remaining water, 1 tablespoon at a time.<br />
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Turn dough out in a mound on a work surface. Starting with a quarter of the mixture, smear the section of the dough with palm of your hand, pushing away from the mound. Repeat with remaining dough sections. Gather the dough into a ball, divide into thirds, wrap in plastic wrap, and press each into a round disk. Chill 30 to 60 minutes. At this point, you can freeze the remaining two in a freezer bag and store for up to a month in the freezer.<br />
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Using a floured rolling pin a generously floured surface, roll dough into a 12-inch circle. Transfer to a 9-inch pie plate and trim to 1/2-inc beyond edge of pie plate. Fold extra dough under, even with the pie plate edges; press it together. Flute as desired. Prick the bottom and sides of dough several times with a fork.<br />
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Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line dough with a double thickness of foil; fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake about 20 minutes or until sides are golden and firm. Remove weights and foil. Proceeds with the rest of pie direction. If wanting to have a finished pie crust, continue baking the crust after removing weights; 10 to 15 minutes more or until the bottom is golden. Cool completely on wire rack.<br />
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<i>Source: adapted from <a href="http://www.bhg.com/recipe/sweet-potato-pie/">Better Homes and Garden, recipe by Ian Knauer</a></i><br />
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<br />Elizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09122014680180628266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4830967008275949405.post-60345453634408301602016-11-11T23:23:00.000-08:002016-11-11T23:23:14.770-08:00S'Mores Cupcakes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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To break the monotonous bread posts, I thought I would share a cupcake recipe. This was the cupcakes that I made for my son's birthday last month. I had to return the book to the library before I had a chance to write down the recipe hence the gap of almost a month. So here in November I'm writing the recipe since I got to borrow the book again. The book is called <b>Cake Magic! Mix and Match Your Way to 100 Amazing Combinations by Caroline Wright</b>. I've always loved trying out recipes from a new book and this book has lots of colorful photos and ideas to make cakes from a few basic recipes. There are about eight cake recipes where each recipe has four or five variants of flavors. It's pretty interesting and I'd love to try some more recipes.<br />
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So there's a dry cake mix that you need to prepare before you choose which kind of cake you'd want to make. In this case, I chose to do a brown sugar cake. I'd add brown sugar, butter, eggs, yogurt, etc to the dry cake mix to make the cake. Within brown sugar cake category, there's a few options/add-ins to the cake. For example, cinnamon-raisin, nuts, chocolate chip, root beer , and so on. In addition to that, this book uses different kinds of syrups to soak the cake, sort of making it has a more complex flavor and helping the cake stays moist. It's kinda fun to pick and choose which flavor combinations to go with, and the book gives plenty of pairings examples.<br />
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The only thing that I don't like is the method of making the cake. It involves only dump and stir the ingredients resulting in a cake that has quick-bread-like texture rather than a fine and luxurious crumbs. I'm going to try the creaming method next time I try another recipe, hoping to improve the texture of the cake. But we love the flavor combination for this time and this S'mores Cupcakes was a hit!<br />
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<h3>
<span style="color: #7f6000;">S'Mores Cupcakes</span></h3>
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Yields 24 cupcakes<br />
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<b>Cake Magic! Cake Mix:</b><br />
<br />
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour<br />
1 1/2 cups sugar<br />
3/4 teaspoon baking soda<br />
3/4 teaspoon baking powder<br />
1 teaspoon table salt<br />
<br />
Place all of the ingredients in a large bowl and whisk together well to combine. Whisk the mix again before measuring.<br />
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<b>Brown Sugar Cake:</b><br />
<br />
1 quantity of Cake Magic! Cake Mix, whisked well before measuring<br />
1/4 teaspoon baking soda<br />
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar<br />
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled<br />
3/4 cup full-fat plain yogurt<br />
2/3 cup water<br />
1 tablespoon unsulfured molasses<br />
1 teaspoon vanilla extract<br />
4 large eggs, at room temperature<br />
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<b>Vanilla Syrup</b><br />
<b>Bittersweet Chocolate Frosting</b><br />
<b>Graham Cracker Crumble</b><br />
Mini marshmallows or large marshmallows, cut into two<br />
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Preheat the oven to 350 degree F. Line 2 x 12-cup muffin pans with cupcake liners.<br />
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Whisk together the cake mix, baking soda, and brown sugar in a large bowl. Stir in the butter, yogurt, water, molasses, vanilla, and eggs until moistened and no lumps remain. Divide the batter between the prepared pans.<br />
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Bake until the layers are domed and a few moist crumbs cling to a skewer inserted in the center of the cake, 20 to 25 minutes. Make the <b>Vanilla Syrup.</b><br />
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Remove the pans from the oven, pierce the cupcakes while they're still in the pans with a skewer. Generously brush the <b>Vanilla Syrup</b> over the surface to the hot cakes. Place the pans on cooling rack to cool completely. This may take up to an hour. Take the cupcakes out of the pans.<br />
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While waiting for the cupcakes to cool, make the frosting. Frost the cupcakes with <b>Bittersweet Chocolate Frosting</b>. Sprinkle the <b>Graham Cracker Crumble</b> on top, pat down to make them stick. Top each cupcake with marshmallows. Torch the marshmallows until slightly blackened. <br />
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<b>Vanilla Syrup:</b><br />
<br />
Makes 1 cup<br />
<br />
1/2 cup sugar<br />
1/2 cup water<br />
Pinch of salt<br />
1 tablespoon vanilla extract<br />
<br />
Combine the sugar, water, and salt in a small saucepan, bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and boil for about 5 minutes. Stir to dissolve the sugar, then stir in the vanilla and remove from the heat. Set aside to cool. Use the syrup warm or let it stand, covered, until it reaches room temperature.<br />
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<b>Bittersweet Chocolate Frosting:</b><br />
<br />
Makes 2 cups<br />
<br />
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature<br />
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder<br />
Pinch of salt<br />
2 cups confectioners' sugar<br />
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled<br />
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Combine the butter, unsweetened cocoa powder, salt, and 1 cup of the sugar in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until incorporated, about 1 minute. Add the remaining sugar and beat on medium speed until the frosting is pale and no longer grainy, about 2 minutes.<br />
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<b>Graham Cracker Crumble:</b><br />
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Makes about 3 cups<br />
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2 sleeves graham crackers (about 10 cracker sheets), finely crushed (about 2 cups)<br />
1/4 cup malted milk powder<br />
2 tablespoons sugar<br />
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt<br />
6 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted<br />
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Preheat the oven to 300 degree F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.<br />
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Combine the graham cracker crumbs, malted milk powder, sugar, and salt in a large bowl and toss to combine. Drizzle with melted butter over the crumb mixture and stir until clumps form.<br />
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Scatter the clumps onto the prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Bake until the crumbles are golden brown and fragrant, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool completely before using.<br />
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This can be made ahead as it can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature, for up to 3 days.<br />
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<i>Source: adapted from Cake Magic! Mix and Match Your Way to 100 Amazing Combination by Caroline Wright</i>Elizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09122014680180628266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4830967008275949405.post-33301823133429995022016-10-22T21:11:00.004-07:002016-10-22T21:11:52.379-07:00Pumpkin Loaf with Pumpkin Seeds<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This I believe is my second post of pumpkin-related baked goods that I made this month. Everyone else is on to their 10th pumpkin posts, I'm still working my way up, lol. It's just my schedule this month is preventing me to bake as frequently as I want to. But no worries, I've a few posts to write before I've to make new stuff.<br />
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Anyway, this bread--yes, it's another bread post--caught my eyes and it came from the same blog that has the sweet bread loaf. I decided that since I had all the ingredients why not make it. The bread barely taste like pumpkin, it's unlike a pumpkin quick-bread; this has a very subtle pumpkin flavor but it's moist throughout and was very good with a cream cheese spread. I bet it'll make a great pumpkin French toast. Too bad I didn't think about it until today.<br />
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Because I like to make my dough in a bread maker, I dump all the wet ingredients first then add the dry ingredients with yeast on top. If making this on a mixer with a dough hook, you have to make sure that it's sufficiently kneaded, do a window-pane test, proof, and then proceed to the shaping part of the recipe.<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="color: red;"><strong>Pumpkin Loaf with Pumpkin Seeds</strong></span></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15.84px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15.84px;" /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15.84px;">350g bread flour</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15.84px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-size: 15.84px;">½ teaspoon salt</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-size: 15.84px;">1 teaspoon instant yeast</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15.84px;">140g milk </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15.84px;">130g pumpkin puree (steamed pumpkin and mashed with a fork)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-size: 15.84px;">2 tablespoon honey </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15.84px;">26g unsalted butter, softened</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15.84px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15.84px;">Beaten egg for egg wash</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15.84px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15.84px;">Raw, unsalted pumpkin seeds -- <i>I used about 1/3 cup or so</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15.84px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15.84px;">Additional butter for brushing, optional </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">In a mixer bowl, place bread flour and salt, give it a little stir. Add yeast, milk, pumpkin puree, honey, and butter. With a dough hook, knead the dough until smooth and elastic. Do a window-pane test. Grease another large bowl, dump the dough into it, cover with plastic wrap, and let it proof for about 1 hour.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">If making with a bread maker, place all the wet ingredients first then add the dry ingredients with the yeast on the very top. Select Dough cycle.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">When the dough has doubled, place it on a well-floured surface, punch one time to release the gas. Roll the dough into a ball and let it rest, covered with towel, for 20 minutes.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">Grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Flatten the dough into a large rectangular shape. Roll it up like making a swiss roll, starting from the short side. Place the dough into the pan, seam side down. Let it proof again for another hour or until the dough has doubled in size. </span><span style="background-color: white;">Preheat oven to 350 degree F.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Brush the top with beaten egg, scatter pumpkin seeds and pat them down to make them stick. Bake in the oven for about 25 minutes or until the bread is hollow when tap on the bottom. Once it's done baking, brush the top with butter if desired; remove it from the pan and cool on a wire rack.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">To keep the bread soft, store in plastic bag for 2-3 days at room temperature.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15.84px;"><i>Source: adapted from <a href="http://angelcookbakelove.blogspot.com/2011/04/pumpkin-loaf-with-pumpkin-seeds.html?m=1">Cook Bake Love</a></i></span></span>Elizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09122014680180628266noreply@blogger.com0