There is always room for dessert!

Dear Chase:

I can't even begin to tell you how many times a day I think about having something sweet and most of the time, it is right before I am about to have my next meal. I usually always have something sweet with my morning coffee but when it comes to lunch and dinner, I actually plan the sweet part before I even think about the savory part. I don't really know where I got my sweet tooth from...but I have a feeling it is from your grandfather. He is such a sweets lover and I must say.... like father...like daughter. I am hoping with all this baking I do weekly, you will appreciate the art of baking as much as I do. Desserts are my sweet endings to every meal and if the ending isn't good.....well, it would just feel like something was missing. So, in the effort of not letting such a thing happen..."I always save some room for dessert". My latest baking challenge was to prepare my dear mother in law a dessert she could present to her friends for a dinner she was hosting. I decided to make her cream puffs and fill them with a sweet pastry creme, drizzle them with caramel and chocolate sauce and then topped them off with roasted almonds. Such an easy but elegant dessert to make for any occasion.

Sweet Condiments

Dear Chase:

When I think back at my time in Las Vegas and working along side some of the worlds greatest pastry chefs, I think about all the tips and techniques that I have picked upthrough the years and how I can best use them in my baking today. One of the pastry chefs at the Bellagio once told me, the easiest way to make a dessert go from good to amazing, is to pair it with the perfect condiment. When we think of savory foods and the condiments that go with them, I think of ketchup with fries, mustard with corn dogs, salsa with chips and so on. Condiments simply makes good foods taste better! So, in this blog I wanted to show you how I make my desserts go from good to great. The best sweet condiments and quite honestly my baking staples are homemade caramel sauce, flavored chocolate sauce, fresh whipped cream and lastly, fresh fruit sauces. (My Personal favorite is a blueberry sauce over lemon pound cake, hmmmm)

Today, I am going to show you how to make caramel sauce that can be used over ice cream, cakes, cookies or whatever your little heart desires.


To start, you will need a bottom heavy pan that heats evenly, a wooden spoon, and a heat proof container to store the warm caramel.

Ingredients:

1 C. White Sugar
1Tbsp. Unsalted Butter, room temperture
1/2 c. Heavy Cream

Next, turn the heat to medium and spread the sugar evenly onto the pan. Do not stir. Let the sugar melt and start the crystallization process, it will take 5-7 minutes. Once the sugar melts, it will turn into a dark amber color at which point you can remove the pan from the heat and allow it to cool for a bit. Once the sugar cools, add the butter until melted.
Transfer caramel into heat proof container and store. Caramel stays fresh for up to 3 weeks but I'm sure it won't last that long:)

Cookie Jar

Dear Chase:

It seems like we have been celebrating so many BIRTHDAYS this month...from friends to families and everybody else in between. Though, I must confess that I have been enjoying the opportunity to bake my little treats to honor those special moments. But this time around we will be celebrating your favorite little cousin's special day...Miki's is turning TWO! We are going to bake her enough cookies to not only fill her guests but it will fill up her cookie jar at home as well. I cannot express how comforting it is to have the aroma of fresh cookies baking in the oven and with the holidays just around the corner, I will be spending alot more time in the kitchen....luckily it is my favorite room in the house! So, what kind of cookies will we be making you ask?

I have decided to make the classic and beloved chocolate chip cookies but this time, I will be using mini-sized chocolate chips and lots of them. I will also be making molasses spice cookies and the most requested cookie of them all....the Snicker Doodle. I usually like to make the cookie doughs the night before and bake them the day of the event. I find that the dough actually works better the next day ....once the dough has a chance to settle in the fridge. I will post the finished product after the party!

Make a Wish!

Dear Chase:

Yesterday we celebrated daddy's Birthday and the day before that we celebrated Avonlea's Birthday. So many joys and good times this weekend not to mention the many warm wishes that went out for them as well. As one of my gifts to the both of them...I decided to make a few batches of my chocolate ganche cupcakes with a peppermint candy on top. This is truly a cupcake for all of the chocolate lovers out there. I start off with a dark, rich and moist chocolate cupcake and then it is topped off with a rich, twice dipped chocolate glaze. How good is that! Everybody complimented me on the cupcakes as to how moist and just how crazy good they are. It was such an amazing feeling to see so many people enjoying them. It just propels me to bake more and more...as well as continue to create more delicious cupcakes to share. It is funny how all of the guests we hinting that I should open my own cupcake store ....and there have been many moments when  I am baking in our kitchen and I think about starting my own business or at least a website to do online orders. What do you think Chase? We should really think about this idea for the next month or so and who knows...next year may be the year to start our own cupcake story.

Profiteroles Please!

Dear Chase:

The picture above is what we will be having for dessert tonight. It is a special occasion (my sister-in-laws Birthday) plus the family decided to have an informal dinner so I thought a decadent dessert would fit the bill. What is it you ask?  The above picture is that of a profiterole, a popular choux pastry. Choux paste is baked into small round puffs that are served cold with a sweet filling and sometimes a topping. A profiterole normally has a filling of whipped cream or pastry cream but in the US and France, ice cream or a whipped cream containing alcohol may be used as well. I like to add Amaretto to my cream filling as well as coffee ice cream in favor of vanilla. Both are super delicious but I find that coffee ice cream compliments the chocolate sauce so perfectly. I decided to make these on the fly last night as I was washing dishes and getting ready to call it a night. It is funny how last minute baking stunts turn out some of the best desserts. This recipe is very easy to make....probably one of the easiest desserts I've ever made. Follow the recipe, add your own fillings and enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 c. All Purpose Flour
1 1/4 c. Whole Milk
1/2 c. Butter, melted
1/4 tsp. Sea Salt
4 Eggs
(Vanilla Ice Cream, Roasted Almonds, Chocolate Sauce)

Directions:

In a medium saucepan, melt together butter, milk and salt. Bring to a simmer but not to a boil and add the flour (sifted). Stirring constantly until the flour and milk mixture form a dough. Continue to stir for 2 minutes on low heat until the dough is well mixed and coats the bottom of the pan. Proceed to place the hot dough in the food processor and mix in (4) large eggs until combined. Do not over mix. You should get a thick paste-like dough. Scoop dough into pastry bag with tip of choice and form 1.5 inch circles to your desired shape. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 18-20mins. Be sure to turn the tray after 15 mins to prevent the puffs from burning.

Once the puffs are done, allow to cool for 20 mins. Cut in half, place filling or ice cream in the center and fold over the top. Drizzle with chocolate sauce and almonds.

Fiber Up!

Dear Chase:

I would have to say that my newest obsession among all my other obsessions is that of the bran muffin. Why bran muffins you ask? Well, I have always been a fan of muffins, breads, cookies and just all things that are not so diet friendly. So, I decided to make my own version of a healthy, high in fiber kind of muffin. I needed something that I would enjoy eating everyday and that is actually good for me.  I have always known of the benefits of fiber but I did shy away from muffins of any kind due to the high carb factor. But now that I have this great bran muffin recipe that gives me a substantial dose of heart healthy fiber along the indulgence of having a perfectly sized muffin. Most muffins that you can purchase in a bakery are just too big and just full of unnecessary calories.  Just so you know Chase, fiber is a key element that everybody should have in their diet and it can be challenging trying to incorporate it on a regular basis. I am constantly looking for ways to better my health...from my weekly yoga sessions to my daily intake of water to making sure our family gets enough fruits and vegetables everyday. So..in order to keep the fiber, carbs and calories in check...I give you my version of a bran muffin.

Preheat oven 375 degrees and bake muffins for about 15-18 minutes

1 1/2 cups Oat or Wheat Bran
1 c. Buttermilk
1/2 c. Canola Oil
1 Egg
1/2 c. Dark Brown Sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1tsp. Honey
1 tsp. Molasses
1 c. Flour
1tsp. Baking Soda
1 tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/2 c. Raisins


Directions:


In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt...set aside. Place oat or wheat bran in a bowl with buttermilk and let soak for 5 minutes. (This allows the bran to soften up a bit before mixing). Next, whisk together egg, sugar, vanilla extract and oil then add in the oat bran mixture. Make sure to fully incorporate all the moist ingredients. Lastly, add the flour mixture and then the raisins. Divide evenly in a muffin pan with lined baking cups and bake for 15-18 minutes.

Trick or Treat

Such an interesting wedding cake!

Dear Chase:

I was surfing the Internet last night as I always do once you have fallen asleep. I find it to be the best time to collect my thoughts, research recipes and come up with creative things to make for the upcoming holiday season. So, I came across this very unusual wedding cake that was themed for a Halloween wedding. I don't know many people who would get married on Halloween but nonetheless the cake was very interesting and super creative. It is Halloween this weekend and we are going to go trick or treating for the first time as a family. I think we may go visit a couple pumpkin patches in the neighborhood if the weather permits. This is your 2nd Halloween Chase and this time around you will be wearing a super fun costume along with all your other little cousins. This year I thought it would be fun to dress up and parade around as the all American classic hamburger. You look so adorable and awfully delicious at the same time...ha!  I don't normally dress up for Halloween myself but I do celebrate it in my own way. When I was your age, my parents would bake dozens and dozens of cookies to pass out instead of the traditional candies that you would normally expect. One of our family bakeries was located in a mall and we would give out mini cookies bites to all the little kiddies. We were actually the most popular store....I remember how all the children and adults alike would come back for seconds and sometimes thirds :) I won't be doing that this year but I will be making pumpkin cupcakes with a honey vanilla frosting in honor of this festive holiday. Not that I need another reason to bake something but I do enjoy it so much that I really do take advantage of every opportunity... ;)