Pecan Tarts

It's been a VERY long time since my last post. I just want to sincerely apologize for the long wait. I haven't had many opportunities to bake in the past few months. With that said, Eid is one occasion for which I have to bake no matter what. It doesn't feel like a holiday unless there's goodies to wake up to in the morning and sweet, delicious aromas wafting from the kitchen. I haven't really made anything to do with pastries yet, so I thought I'd give this recipe a try since it seemed less complicated than making an actual pie or tart (which I have YET to try). Pecans are my favorite nuts, so there was also no question about using anything else for the filling (although walnuts are pretty good too). I made the mistake of using pecans that were a little old (which I stored in the fridge for some time.) Note: Always use fresh nuts for the best taste. In fact, always use fresh everything.

And finally, the recipe came from a book that came straight from South Africa (who they say have some of the best bakers) courtesy of  one of my cousins who went there over the past summer. The book is called "Busy Biscuits." Not sure if I like this book yet...I have a to try a few more things and then I will give it an official review. The only thing about these kinds of books from other countries is that they don't always have exact recipes. They give you general measurements for certain ingredients, and then usually you have to figure out some things as you go along. For example, there is no exact measurement for how much flour to use in this recipe, so I had to keep adding flour until I felt the dough was just right. Basically, the dough cannot be too gooey, and you add only very little flour at a time until the dough stops sticking to your fingers and the bowl - it should be pliable enough to roll out and cut out.

This tart wasn't bad at all. The pastry kind of melts in your mouth once you eat it. I feel like the filling could be better, which is why I will also add a different recipe of pecan tarts from another cookie book that I like to use "Cookies: 1,001 Mouthwatering Recipes from Around the World." Here's the final product, and following that is the recipe...

Ingredients:


For the Pastry:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 egg yolk 
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup cake flour (or more...you will definitely need more!)
• 1 tsp vanilla flavoring

For the Filling:

• 30 g butter or margarine (softened)
• 1 egg white
• 1 tbsp cocoa
• 1 level cup chopped pecans
• 2 tbsp powdered sugar

Topping: 

Melting Chocolate (I used Ghirardelli Milk Chocolate Chips and melted it in a double broiler over the stove...YUMMM)

1. Take out a mini muffin pan with 24 cups and set aside. For the pastry, mix the butter, vanilla, and powdered sugar using an electric/stand mixer until fluffy.

2. Next, take an egg and separate the egg yolk from the egg whites. Put aside the egg white to use later for the filling.

3. Take the egg yolk and beat it into the pastry mixture.

4. Fold in the baking powder and cake flour to make a soft dough. After using 1 cup of flour, keep adding flour 1 or 2 tbsp at a time until you reach the right consistency of dough. (Read the intro of this post to get a better idea.)

5. Roll out the dough 4 mm thick, cut into rounds (at least 2-2 and half inches in diameter), and place them VERY GENTLY into the mini muffin cups. Don't press the rounds into the cups too hard or the dough will break. Gently press the top edges down.

6. For the filling, whisk the egg white until stiff. Then add sugar and whisk until it's dissolved. Fold in the cocoa, butter, and chopped pecans.

7. Take the filling, and fill the tarts in the muffin cups. Optional: Place half a pecan on top for decoration.

8. Preheat the oven at 350 degrees F, and then bake the tarts for about 10 minutes.

9. When the tarts are cool, drizzle the tops with melted chocolate. (I used a pastry big and round tip...take the pastry bag, drop in the round tip, fill the pastry bag with the melted chocolate, and squeeze gently!)

Cookies and Cream Cupcakes

These are cupcakes I made a looooong time ago and never got a chance to put up on my blog. From what I remember, they turned out pretty good. You can usually never go wrong with cookies and cream! The frosting and cupcakes are made with bits of Oreo Cookies...the best cookies ever invented in my opinion. Eat these with a nice, big glass of milk and enjoy =)

***UPDATE*** I made these cupcakes again recently and tried to make them a bit differently! (Not to mention after all this time, I've learned a lot more from my previous experiences!) Instead of cookies and cream frosting, I decided to make a vanilla buttercream frosting and I used mini Oreos as decoration. Using my big new star tip really helped me create a clean and professional looking swirl with the frosting. Check out the pictures below...

These are the ones I made the first time around...kind of ashamed of the way they look, but the point of my blog is to document my learning...so here it is:

(Please excuse the lack of effort in my decorating the cupcakes and the horrible quality of the picture - I made these cupcakes for some of my little cousins that day and they couldn't wait to eat them.

The recipe is from 125 Best Cupcake Recipes by Julie Hasson













*Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
*Line a muffin pan with paper liners

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 10 chocolate sandwich cookies, smashed into small bits

Cookies and Cream Frosting -

•  1 1/3 cups confectioner's (icing) sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• pinch of salt
• 1/3 cup whipping cream 
• 1/2 vanilla
• 4 chocolate sandwich cookies, broken into pieces

1. In a small bowl, mix together flour, baking powder and salt.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, butter, and eggs until smooth.

3. Alternately whisk in flour mixture and milk, making three additions of flour mixture and two of milk, beating until smooth.

4. Add cookies, beating just until they're dispersed throughout batter. Do not overbeat.

5. Scoop batter into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 or until golden brown and tops of cupcakes spring back when lightly touched. Let cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and let cool completely on rack. Top cooled cupcakes with frosting.

6. For the frosting, in a small bowl, using a mixer on low speed, beat together the sugar, butter, and salt until well combined. Increase speed to high, beating until light and fluffy. Add cream and vanilla, beating until frosting is smooth. Add broken cookies beating until mixed. Spread frosting on cooled cupcakes with a knife if desired.

Iced Sugar Cookies

Lately I've been all about the cookies...I'm not sure why. At first I think, OK...it's so much easier to make than other things. But actually, it requires a lot more time and patience. For one thing, one recipe makes so much quantity that you spend a lot of your time just baking tray after tray of cookies, constantly checking on the time, making sure the cookies are done just right, and cooling them off. Then there's the decorating part, depending on the cookie. I'd much rather make cookies than cake though, because cookies are more forgiving (in case you mess up).

Usually, I don't have to think much about what to make because my family is ready with their demands suggestions. This occasion was no different. As soon as winter break had begun, my little brother started asking me when I would make him sugar cookies ("you know...the kind with the icing???") I put it off for quite awhile, so I finally decided I should make them for the poor little guy. I never made sugar cookies before, nor have I ever made icing the way it's done for sugar cookies (it requires corn syrup, which for some reason, really grosses me out.)
 
So I searched on the Internet for some good recipes (something else I've been doing a lot lately, despite having quite a few baking books sitting on my shelf). I picked one of the first websites that showed up in the results and decided to give it a shot since it had thousands of good reviews. You can see the recipe here at AllRecipes.com: The Best Rolled Sugar Cookies Recipe. Then I had to look for a good icing recipe, which I found here at wilton.com: Poured Cookie Icing. (For the icing, I used these new disposable piping bags from Wilton that I absolutely love! The piping bag was so strong, I was able to wash and reuse it!)

After I rolled out the chilled dough (I left it in the fridge overnight), I used a star and flower shaped cookie cutter since those were the only decent cookie cutters I had (sadly, as large as my baking collection is, I really have to invest in some good cookie cutters). For decorating, I basically started out by making one recipe of icing, then dividing it in half. One half I put in the piping bag and used a plain tip (it has a circle, so that you can draw designs with it...kind of like writing with a pen), and the other half I colored with blue food coloring. I decided the theme of my cookies was going to be snowflakes to get into the snowy and cold winter spirit that has enveloped Chicago as of late. Basically, I used the blue icing to cover the cookie (as a background), then the white icing to pipe designs to make the cookies look like snowflakes. I also took plain sugar, put it in a ziploc bag, put a few drops of blue food coloring, smashed the sugar all up to mix in the color, and used the colored sugar to sprinkle on the cookies. It adds a fancy touch.

Let me just say that the icing can be a bit tricky. The first batch I made, I thought that the icing was to dry and hard to work with (I guess I ran out of patience and didn't mix it enough), so I added too much milk and it became runny. Here's how the cookies looked:

But then I realized my mistake once the icing wasn't holding up and the designs were just flowing into each other. So I made a second batch with less liquid, and it turned out PERFECT! This icing is amazing because once you leave it alone, it immediately becomes glossy, fixes itself, and in no time dries up. The fact that it dries up quickly though can also be a drawback since you can't mess with it once you leave it for about 5 minutes. This is how the cookies looked after the second time around:

 And last but not least, I had a lot of cookies, so I decided to have some fun with the icing and sprinkles that I had lying around and went a little crazy with the decorating. I'm sure my little nieces and nephews will appreciate it! =)

White Chocolate-Raspberry Cheesecake Squares

People are always asking me what are some easy things to bake. Here's an easy recipe that doesn't compromise on the taste. My mom is a harsh critic when it comes to my baking, and she said it was one of the best. White Chocolate and Raspberry are an incredible combination (just like Cookies and Cream =P), and the fact that the crust is made with Oreo cookies makes it even better! Drizzle it with melted white chocolate (or if you are a chocolate fan...melted chocolate) and you will add the perfect finishing touch.

For the recipe, click on the following link: White Chocolate - Raspberry Cheesecake Squares Recipe from KraftRecipes.com

Chocolate Espresso Swirl Cheesecake

For coffee and chocolate lovers - here's a rich and creamy cheesecake with a hint of espresso and chocolate swirled into the filling, and a crispy Oreo crust.

I decided to make this cheesecake because I was really sick of making my original "Cappuccino" flavored one over and over again for my brother who loves it to death. I finally put my foot down and discovered this recipe in my new cheesecake book 125 Best Cheesecake Recipes. It's the original with a chocolate twist (makes it kind of new in my opinion). Everyone loved it, and since I think they were so sick of the original, decided this was their new favorite! To make it extra yummy, I went ahead and drizzled some chocolate syrup and topped it with whipped cream. (To make it even more rich and delicious, I suggest you make chocolate ganache instead of using chocolate syrup. I however didn't have the time or energy to make it this time. And to make it more flavorful, you can also sprinkle a little bit of cinnamon.)

Ingredients:
Crust -

• 30 Oreo cookies
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Filling -

• 4 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 4 eggs
• 1 tbsp instant coffee powder
• 1 tbsp hot water
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3 oz bittersweet/semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Use a 9-inch cheesecake/springform pan with 3-inch sides. For the crust, in a medium bowl, combine cookie crumbs (use a food processor to crush the Oreo cookies into fine crumbs) and butter. Press into the bottom of the cheesecake pan and freeze.

2. For the filling, in a large mixing bowl using a mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar on medium-high speed for about 3 minutes. Add sour cream. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. 

3. In a small bowl, dissolve coffee powder in hot water. While the mixer is running, pour coffee in a steady stream into the batter. Add the vanilla, then stir 1 cup of the batter into the melted chocolate (make sure it's cooled!) and set aside.Pour remaining batter over frozen crust.

4. Using a spoon, drop puddles of the melted chocolate mixture on top of the batter. Using a small knife, drag through the puddles in spiral motions to create a marbled effect. 

5. Bake the cheesecake in a preheated oven for about 45-55 minutes, or until the top is light brown and the center has a slight jiggle to it. Cool on a rack for about 2 hours. Cover with a plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours before decorating or serving.

Note: Personally, I have found that baking a cheesecake in a water bath makes for a better cheesecake. Before placing the cheesecake to bake in the oven, boil a pot of water. Place the cheesecake in a pan and fill the boiling water about 1/2-1 inch high, then put the cheesecake to bake in the oven. When the cheesecake is done, pull open the oven door and let the cheesecake sit in its water bath for at least 30-60 minutes. Then take out the cheesecake to cool completely before refrigerating.

Red Velvet Cake

I love to make cakes...but it takes a lot of motivation for me to make a cake simply because I think it's too much work to decorate and put it together. However, I got a brand new steel icing spatula and I couldn't wait to use it when putting on the icing (the icing spatula was amazing - it was the first time I felt satisfied with my icing job!).

When I felt like making a cake one day not too long ago, it didn't take long for me to decide it would be Red Velvet since it's something that people are always talking about and I never tried it. I wanted to see what all the hype was about. I have to admit, the first thing that attracted me to it was the deep red hue which contrasts brightly with the bright, white, rich cream cheese frosting.

So how did I feel about the cake? I didn't think it was worth so much of the effort I put into making it, not to mention I used up almost two whole bottles of red food coloring!!! Keep in mind that there are SO many recipes out there for this cake, and the recipe I used was a combination of several recipes. It didn't turn out so moist as I would have liked and the texture turned out pretty crumbly. (In my opinion, cakes should have a moist texture with tight crumbs.) Having said that, it was edible and my little 10 year old brother ate 3/4 of the entire cake, so at least someone really liked it. The recipe below is not the recipe which I used, but feel free to use it if you like. Here's the link: Red Velvet Cake Recipe. The pictures are all mine however =)

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2cups (250 grams) sifted cake flour

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 2 tablespoons (15 grams) regular or Dutch-processed cocoa powder

• 1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature

• 1 1/2 cups (300 grams) granulated white sugar

• 2 large eggs

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk

• 2 tablespoons liquid red food coloring

• 1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar

• 1 teaspoon baking soda
  
  
  For the frosting, see step 9. 
   

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Butter two - 9 inch (23 cm) round cake pans and line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper. Set aside.

2. In a mixing bowl sift together the flour, salt, and cocoa powder. Set aside.

3. In bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until soft (about 1-2 minutes). Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes). Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  

4. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the vanilla extract and beat until combined.

5.  In a measuring cup whisk the buttermilk with the red food coloring. With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk to the butter mixture, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour.

6. In a small cup combine the vinegar and baking soda. Allow the mixture to fizz and then quickly fold into the cake batter. 

7. Working quickly, divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans and smooth the tops with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon.

8. Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 25 - 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean. Cool the cakes in their pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Place a wire rack on top of the cake pan and invert, lifting off the pan. Once the cakes have completely cooled, wrap in plastic and place the cake layers in the refrigerator for at least an hour (or overnight). (This is done to make filling and frosting the cakes easier.)

9. For the frosting, I used the following recipe -

Ingredients: 

• 1 lb cream cheese (2 packages)

• 2 cups icing sugar

• 2 sticks unsalted butter (softened)

• 1 tsp vanilla

• 1 cup whipping cream

In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or with a hand-held electric mixer in a large bowl, mix the cream cheese, sugar, and butter on low speed until incorporated. Slowly beat in the vanilla and then the cream, and mix until light and fluffy (or thick enough to spread). Store in the refrigerator until somewhat stiff, before using. Add sugar or cream as needed to get the right consistency.

10. To assemble the cake, with a serrated knife, cut each cake layer in half, horizontally. You will now have four cake layers. (Or you can just make a two layer cake and not slice each cake in half - just make sure you straighten the top of the cake if needed by slicing the top off - you can use the crumbs like I did to decorate the cake in the end.) Place one of the cake layers top down, onto your serving platter. Spread the cake layer with a layer of frosting. 

 Place another layer of cake on top of the frosting and continue to frost and stack the cake layers. Frost the top and sides of the cake. 

Garnish with cake crumbs or any other decoration you like. (I also used a piping bag and star-shaped tip to pipe designs with the frosting to make it look pretty.)
 

Chunky Chewy Triple Chocolate Chip Cookies

I've always wanted to make the perfect chocolate chip cookie...to me, a cookie like that has to be exactly what the title of this post suggests...chunky, chewy, and soft. Whenever I made the chocolate chip cookie recipe from my Williams-Sonoma baking book, the cookies would turn crunchy and hard within 10 minutes. (Don't get me wrong - I love the book and it's the book that got me started.) However, this particular recipe I've started using not only produces soft and chewy cookies, but the cookies don't change their texture even after a couple of days.

I'd say right now this is my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe, and I've only made a minor change to it. Instead of 2 cups of semisweet chocolate chips...I put 1 cup of semisweet, 1/2 cup white chocolate chips, and 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips. Hence the part of the title that says "triple chocolate chip." I would also suggest cutting back a little on the sugar because for some people these cookies might be a little on the sweet side. And lastly, a tip on making chocolate chip cookies - do NOT leave it in the oven a second longer than the suggested baking time because the cookies can get overdone very fast and it will completely change the taste and texture (causing the cookie to taste burnt and become hard). Here is the link from where I got the recipe: Best Big, Fat, Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie. Enjoy =)

Chocolate-Filled Coconut Cookies

A soft, moist cookie that kind of tastes like macaroons but has an extra kick because of the chocolate filling. It doesn't have a very strong coconut taste, but just enough to fulfill your coconut cravings! It's definitely a cookie worth making again. The recipe is from the book (which I've used for other recipes that I've previously posted on my blog) Cookies: 1,001 Mouthwatering Recipes From Around The World.

 

Ingredients:

• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 large egg
• 3 tbsp shredded coconut 

For choc filling:

• 1 cup icing sugar
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

  

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F; set out two cookie sheets; sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl.

2. Beat the butter, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl with a mixer at medium speed until creamy; add the egg, beating until just blended. 

3. Mix in the dry ingredients; place the coconut in a bowl; roll teaspoons of the dough in the coconut and place 1 inch apart on the cookie sheets 

4. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until lightly browned, rotating the sheets halfway through for even baking. Transfer to racks to cool. 

 

5. Chocolate filling: Beat the icing sugar and melted butter in a bowl; mix in the cocoa powder; stick the cookies together in pairs with the chocolate filling.