Long Overdue Update

So I've been extremely neglectful as of late. I still have a recipe or two that need to be uploaded. I haven't really done a lot of baking in the past few months. The reason for this is because I've been doing a lot of dog sitting, so I don't spend as much time with my own oven [for which the propane bill is grateful for]. I don't like to bake in kitchens other than mine for the most part. And I will be going on vacation twice in the next two months so there will be another reason for a lack of baking.

My office simultaneously thanks and hates me for that I think! I promise more recipes will be coming down the pike soon. I will make a concerted effort to begin baking again once it gets cool enough. Though my family reunion is coming up soon as well as a party with my boyfriend that I should probably bake something for.

All in good time, I promise!

Currant Scones

So in honor of St. Patrick's Day, I decided to make scones. I went to a coworker's house to make them because it was Sunday and that means The Walking Dead. Zombies and scones. A match made in heaven.

I've only made scones once before for my ex-boyfriend. It wasn't a rousing success, but apparently they were still good. They just were really flat for some reason. I'm pretty sure it was because I used baking soda rather than baking powder. Baking soda causes things to spread while baking powder causes things to rise. The more you know. I also never had currants before, but they are pretty good. They look like grapes but taste like less sweet raisins. [This recipe is from Alton Brown, whom I love!]

I also learned at a friend's bridal shower that the correct pronunciation of scone is "scaan." Who knew. My scones flew from the table so I guess I will be making more for St. Patrick's Day tomorrow.

Currant Scones

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup sugar

4 tablespoons of butter

2 tablespoons vegetable shortening

3/4 cup cream

handful of dried currants or cranberries

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Mix well. Cut in butter and shortening.

In a separate bowl, combine cream with beaten egg, then add to try ingredients. Stir in the fruit.

Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Roll dough out and cut into biscuit-sized rounds. Bake for 15 minutes until brown.

Serve with warm with butter and tea.

Roasted Butternut Squash and Coconut Soup with Chévre Yogurt

Roasted Butternut Squash and Coconut Soup with Chévre Yogurt

Ingredients:

1 butternut squash or hokkaido pumpkin

1 can coconut milk

1 cup boiling water

1 sprig fresh rosemary 

1/2 to 1-inch fresh ginger, peeled and grated

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

150 grams soft goat cheese

4 tablespoons Greek yogurt

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Farenheit. Divide the butternut squash in half with a sharp knife and remove seeds with a spoon. Place both halves on a baking tray, cut side down. Bake in the oven for 25 to 40 minutes depending on the size of the squash. The halves are ready when the skin is brown and bubbly.

Remove the halves from the oven and let cool for several minutes. Spoon out the inside and place in a blender together with the rest of the ingredients. Blend on high speed until completely smooth. Add extra water, if desired and season to taste.

Prepare the chévre by whisking the goat cheese and Greek yogurt together in a small bowl.

Serve the soup with a dollop of chévre yogurt and freshly ground pepper.

 

Cannoli Cheesecake

So I was planning on posting this close to Christmas... So Merry belated-Christmas and happy holidays to my faithful readers. If I have any. I'm pretty sure I do. Haha anyway, I hope your holidays were merry and bright and that you were able to spend time with your families.

I branched away from my normal cookies and brownies and instead decided to make cannoli cheesecake. My friend Kayla and her mother made this for Thanksgiving and I was lucky enough to get a piece. My lord, was it delicious! When I dropped off Kayla's Christmas gift, she gave me her mother's recipe. I owe about three people the recipe! Finally, I decided to post it! Sorry for the delay.

 

Cannoli Cheesecake

 

 

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups chocolate graham crackers

2 tablespoons sugar

1/4 cup of melted butter

3 pounds ricotta cheese

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup flour

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 teaspoons grated orange zest, fresh

7 eggs, lightly beaten

1/3 cup mini chocolate chips

 

Ingredients:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Wrap a 9-inch springform pan securely with foil, twice.

 

Mix the melted butter and graham crackers together and press one half of an inch up the side and bake 10 minutes. Let cool.

 

Beat the ricotta cheese and sugar together until smooth. Beat in the flour, vanilla and orange zest. Add eggs one at a time and blend at a low speed until only incorporated. Mix in the chocolate chips.

 

Pour in the pan and sprinkle some chocolate chips on the top. Place in a large baking pan and at 1 inch of hot water.

 

Bake for 75 minutes or until the center is almost set. Carefully remove from the oven and lift the pan out of the water. Cool on a rack for 10 minutes. Remove the foil and run the knife around the edge to loosen.

 

Cool for one hour and remove the sides of the pan. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

 

 



Coconut Cream Pie

So I made this for New Year's Eve with one of my coworkers. I love all things coconut. It's one of my favorite things. I meant to post this is several recipes when I made them, but sometimes I'm easily distracted.

 

I went to my coworker's house and she and I had a blast. We made food and took way too many Snapchats and sent them to our other coworker. New Year's always seems to be a silly holiday. Plus, I had to go to a meeting the next day when I originally had off. Not fun, but it is the job I suppose.

 

I feel like coconut cream pie doesn't need an introduction but I gave one anyway. But apparently I'm terrible at toasting coconut. It was more like well done but still delicious! I was slightly drunk when I took the photos [New Year's. HELLO] so I apologize.

Coconut Cream Pie

Ingredients:

[filling]

1 1/2 cup half and half

1 1/2 cup coconut milk

2 eggs

3/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup corn starch

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup coconut, toasted

1 teaspoon of coconut or vanilla extract

[whipped topping]

1 small carton of heavy cream

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon coconut extract

[shortbread pie crust]

1 cup butter

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fareinheit. For the pie crust, mix together the butter, flour and confectioners' sugar. Press into the bottom of a nine by 13 inch pie plate. Bake for approximately 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before filling.

For the filling, in a medium saucepan, combine the half and half, coconut milk, eggs, sugar, corn starch and salt. Bring to a boil over low heat, whisking constantly.

When it starts to boil a little bit and thickens up to about the consistency of a thick pudding [about 15 to 20 minutes], remove from heat.

Stir in 3/4 of the coconut and the coconut or vanilla extract. Pour into the pie shell and chill for two to four hours or until firm.

While pie is cooling, whip together topping ingredients with electric beaters. When pie is completely cooled, top with whipped topping and sprinkle with the remaining toasted coconut.

Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies with Almond Flowers

I saw a picture on Instagram recently that was of a beautifully made cookie. It was a thumbprint cookie that used almonds to make a flower and I immediately knew I would have to make them. This was definitely the weekend of baking. Besides a brief interlude to look a bridesmaids dresses, I spent most of my weekend baking and spending time with my parents and uncles. Not too bad. Much cheaper than going out in my opinion. And, surprising for my age, I'd much rather stay in than go out to a bar or whatnot.

Most thumbprint cookies will use jam and jellies to fill the depression made by your thumb [duh!] but since I'm not a huge fan of jam and jelly and the people in my office seem to enjoy chocolate, I decided to shake things up a bit. I used chocolate instead. They came out just as pretty. I'm really happy with these. My mother said this was always one of her favorite cookies to make as a child. They look delicious! As per usually, I increased the amount of ingredients needed to yield more cookies.

I'm not sure if I'm making anything new for Christmas this year, but if I do, you know I will post it. If I don't, I want to wish everyone and their families and friends a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy Festivus and whatever other holidays you may celebrate like International Dalek Remembrance Day or. Please take the time out of your day to be kind and loving towards one another. Family is the most important thing that you have. Be kind to those you do not know and try to do a good deed for them.

Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies with Almond Flowers

Ingredients:

1 1/4 stick of unsalted butter, divided

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped

3/4 teaspoon corn syrup

sliced almonds

sugar pearls

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat [Hey! I totally need one of those!] and set aside. If you chose not to use either of the two, you won't have to grease the baking sheet.

In a power of an electric mixer fixed with a paddle attachment, beat together one stick of butter, sugar, salt and vanilla on medium-high speed until smooth [about two minutes]. Beat in the flour, beginning on low speed and increasing to medium-high.

Using a small cookie scoop [I need one of these too!] or heaping teaspoons, roll the dough into balls and place one inch apart on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, remove from the oven and make an indentation into the middle of each cookie. [This is where the whole "thumbprint" cookie comes in, but just use a melon baller or something similar so you don't burn your thumb off.] Return to the over and bake until the cookies are light brown on the edges [between seven and nine minutes]. Remove to a wire rack to cool.

Combine the chocolate, two tablespoons of butter and corn syrup in a small heat-proof bowl. Set over a pot of simmering water, stirring occasionally until melted and smooth. Allow the mixture to cool slightly. When the cookies are cool, fill the thumbprints with the chocolate mixture.

Carefully place five of the sliced in the middle of the chocolate mixture in the shape of a flower and leave enough space in the middle for the pearls as the stigma.

 

M&M Cookies

So I spent most of the day baking and still have some to do. Not that I don't bake like crazy for my office to begin with, but last year during Christmas, I made probably close to 400-plus cookies for everyone. I will be doing four different types of cookie again this year: M&M cookies, raspberry cheesecake cookies, sugar cookies and chocolate thumbprint cookies.

I decided against doing chocolate chip cookies this year, which used to be my staple cookie, but I'll be baking more tomorrow and will end up baking some chocolate chunk cookies because my uncle is up from Delaware and my mom suggested I bake him some stuff to take home. He asked for chocolate chip so chocolate chip he shall get.

Earlier in the week, my mom bought me some red and green mini M&Ms and I decided to make sugar cookies with them to add to my office Christmas cookies. My dad and uncle said they turned out delicious since I let them have one after lunch.

 

M&M Cookies

Ingredients:



1 stick butter

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

red and green mini M&Ms

 

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

 

Melt the butter in a large mixing bowl for two 20-second increments. Stir in sugar. Once it is slightly cooled [around three minutes], beat in the egg and vanilla.

 

In a separate bowl, combine the flour and baking powder. Stir this into the butter and sugar mixture. Add the M&Ms and mix together well.

 

Roll the dough into quarter-size balls. Place the cookie balls on a baking sheet, two to three inches apart. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.