A Birthday Celebration

I've said it many times and will say it again, I love celebrating birthdays!  They are such a joyful time and being able to contribute to make it a special day is absolutely amazing.  I recently was asked to make a cake for a 2nd birthday.  It doesn't get much better than that!  


Winnie the Pooh was on order.  It was an expedited cake, so there wasn't much time to prepare.  I wanted to do several characters but only had time to do Pooh himself.  I made a tree and a honey pot to liven the cake up.


Chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream was requested.  I adapted a recipe from http://bakingbites.com/2005/04/cooking-school-white-cake-and-buttercream/

This was a really fun cake - it was the first cake I made where I created characters with fondant.  I also received rave reviews from the family I made it for!
"I had to hide the cake and cut him a very small peace so he doesn't finish it! I am not a cake person! I HAVE HAD 3 pieces! IT SO FREAKIN' DELISH! THANK YOU for making our little person's special day even more special!!!!!"


Fluffy Chocolate Cake


Ingredients
5 large egg whites
1 cup milk
2 1/4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup cocoa powder
2 1/2 cups cake flour, sifted
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature (I used Kerrygold to amp up the flavor of the cake)


Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line 8 x 3 inch cake pan with parchment, grease and flour pan.
2. In a medium bowl combine and stir the egg whites, 1/4 cup of milk and the vanilla.  Set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the dry ingredients together on low speed for 30 seconds.
4. Add the butter and remaining 3/4 cup of milk, and mix on low speed until just moistened.  Increase to medium speed and mix for 1 1/2 minutes.
5. Scrape the sides of the bowl and begin to add the egg mixture in 3 separate batches; beat on medium speed for 20 seconds after each addition.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan.
7. Bake one hour and ten minutes, or until cake tester comes out clean.  Let cool on wire rack.

Chocolate Buttercream

Ingredients

1 1/2 stick unsalted butter, room temperature (I use Kerrygold Pure Irish Butter)

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 1/4 cups powdered sugar (I typically use more than this to achieve the consistency I need)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 tablespoons milk

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/3 cup Ovaltine

Directions

Cream together butter, cocoa powder and salt.  Butter mixture will be extremely thick. Turn off the mixer, scrape down the sides of the bowl and add powdered sugar one cup at a time.  Turn mixer on low and mix in powdered sugar while adding milk and vanilla extract.  Beat until smooth.  Mix together heavy cream and Ovaltine.  Turn mixer speed to medium and pour cream mixture into the frosting in a slow, steady stream.  More powdered sugar may be added or less of the cream and Ovaltime to reach your desired consistency.

A Family Tradition

Christmas yields fond memories, but mostly delicious smells in my parents’ home.   

On Christmas Eve every year growing up we would celebrate with my mother’s family, who happens to be Polish and Serbian.  This required traditional Polish/Serbian fare for our meal.  My Grandmother and Mother would spend hours in the kitchen making homemade Pierogi. First came the dough, ravioli type dough made from scratch.  Next the fillings.  It was a tradition in my Grandmother’s kitchen (or should I say her Grandmother’s kitchen) to make both meat and cheese fillings.  Now I know many of you reading this ask yourself, “don’t Pierogi traditionally have a potato or potato and cheese filling?”  Yes, they can be, but Pierogi fillings greatly differ depending on the region you lived in.   My Grandmother and Grandfather used a meat and a cheese filling based on the Serbian traditions from my Grandfather. 


Now, when I help my mother make the Pierogi usually the whole family participates.  My brother has helped us fill the dough and shape the Pierogi and my dad usually pan fries them – the final step. Here are the steps my family uses to make our variation of Pierogi. Oh – I wish Christmas was around the corner again.  Such a special treat! 


Step 1:  Making the Dough - Fannie Farmer Ravioli Dough - Double Recipe - 3 Cups Flour; 2 Eggs; 1 tspn salt; Warm Water -   Sift flour and salt on a board, make depression in center, drop in egg, mix with a fork and moisten with warm water to a stiff dough. Knead until smooth, cover with a warm bowl, and let stand thirty minutes. (Work fast before the dough dries or it will not stick together!)

Step 2: Making the Fillings 
Meat - Fry onion, add 2 pounds fried ground beef, salt and pepper; drain fat (add a small bit of flour to help soak grease).  Add 3 chopped hard boiled eggs. 
Cheese -  8 oz. ricotta cheese; scant finely chopped white onion-raw; 1 raw egg; pinch of salt--mix together. 

Step 3: Rolling the Dough; Filling; Creating that Special Braid 

Roll out dough paper thin; cut with biscuit cutter or coffee mug.  Stretch the dough into a thin, round disc.  Fill the dough with either meat or cheese filling.  Leave enough room to seal - folding the dough over and pressing the edges together.  Create a braid border to seal the edges, folding over the dough in small sections. 

Step 4: Boil - Boil gently for ten minutes, or until all pierogi are floating.  Drain.  Arrange on a platter so they won't stick together. 

Step 5: Pan Fry - We use a European style butter - generous portions!  Pan fry the Pierogi until golden brown and crisp. 


Step 6: Enjoy!


We eat these with a dollop of sour cream.  My mouth is watering just thinking about our wonderful tradition!

A Christmas Eve Brunch

                            

Christmas is here!
I love Christmas.  Our immediate family gathers together at my Mom and Dad's to celebrate the holiday.  Christmas is a smaller celebration than Thanksgiving.  It is quieter, more relaxed and wonderful.  (Don't let me mislead you, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.  We are able to see all of our aunts, uncles and cousins.  We share wonderful meals and are always laughing!)  



We decided to start Christmas Eve this morning with a festive brunch.  I made a Sausage Cheese Breakfast Casserole last night to pop into the oven this morning.  It called for turkey sausage and low-fat cheese to lighten this casserole.  I did use a full-fat cheese for added flavor, but followed the recipe otherwise.  It was unbelievably delicious and still fairly low in calories to help us conserve for all of the Christmas cookies.  


Georgia Peaches anyone?  Yes, please!  I used one ounce Peach Schnapps, one ounce orange juice and filled the rest of the glasses with champagne.  Oh my goodness, so good.  And it is never to early on Christmas to have a little bubbly!







I've been promising my brother, A, for months that I would make him the blueberry streusel muffins.  As an added side dish, I whipped these up this morning.  As good as ever - super moist and filled with blueberries.  Yum.


My cousin, J, was a tremendous help this morning.  He even made the potatoes.  He baked them, then sliced them adding them to a pot with butter and diced onions.  Wow.  No better way to start the day!


Merry Christmas!

Happy Birthday, J!

I've said it once, birthdays are wonderful.  A time to remember how amazing life can be and the joys it brings to all of us.  I had the great honor of celebrating with my favorite cousin, J.  Vanilla on vanilla was the request.  I tested a new vanilla cake recipe.  I think I found a winner!  It stayed so moist and was absolutely delicious.


I made my classic vanilla buttercream.  For the filling I chose a white chocolate, raspberry ganache.  Boil 1 cup whipping cream for 5 minutes, take off heat and add 5 oz. white chocolate to melt.  Refrigerate for 1 hour to set.  Add chopped raspberries to cream mixture after 1 hour refrigeration.  Pour over cake layer.

This was my first square cake, and it was so much fun to make!  I "wrapped" it to represent a present.  I made my own fondant - wrapping the entire cake with white fondant.  I then colored the remaining fondant blue and used strips for the ribbon.  I wrapped 1/4" strips around dowel rods and let dry to make the curliques.

The cake turned out beautifully.  Happy Birthday, J!

Cookie Extravaganza

Kitchen is clean, butter is at room temperature and the Christmas music is playing.  Let the baking festivities begin!


Many people host holiday cookie exchanges to make baking for the holidays easier.  Now I know why!  I spent the weekend baking.  It was absolutely wonderful, but a true challenge.  I started with making homemade dog biscuits for my sisters puppy.  A lovely Christmas gift from the heart.  The biscuits came out wonderfully.  They were a little puffy, but they smelled of chicken and looked like the expensive dog biscuits you buy in the high-end shops, so I was happy.  Now on to the cookies for humans!


I want to give cookies away this year as a nice treat for people.  I'm making the cookie I'm known for - the classic chocolate chip.  I've made chocolate chip cookies more times than I can count.  This is the cookie that got me started on baking as a hobby!  They are wonderfully delicious, and super easy to make.  I made a double batch to ensure plenty for the family and all of my gift boxes!  

Next up - Ooey Gooey Butter Cookies.  This recipe is a family recipe.  I remember my Aunt A making these when I was a kid.  Exactly how they sound, ooey, gooey, buttery, melt in your mouth - YUM!  These still are an all time favorite at our house.  


And don't forget the sugar cookies!  I made a double batch of these so I could give plenty away and still have some left over for the family.  I made these for A and C's baby shower, and they were a huge hit.  I'm hoping these will go over just as well, if not better than the last time I made them.  I chose a variety of shapes to get into the holiday spirit, Christmas trees, stockings, candy canes, gingerbread men, stars and snowmen.  Decorating is a bit of a challenge.  I'm not sure I have the right tools to make these look as awesome as they could, but close enough!  And practice makes perfect, so I guess I'll just have to make more of these in the near future.


I am looking forward to giving these sweet treats away and sharing them with my family.  Looking forward to Christmas!


Happy holidays! 

Muffins - Absolute Perfection

How to describe a muffin.  If made correctly, they have a perfectly moist inside with a crunchy topping – melt in your mouth deliciousness, especially hot from the oven.  I’ve always had a love for breakfast food.  I can eat breakfast for breakfast, lunch or dinner.  And don’t forget about brunch!  Taking my love for baking and combining it with breakfast food has become a real treat on the weekends.  Glorious muffins, hot from the oven with a small pat of butter.  Nothing is better when you’re still in your sleepy state first thing on a Saturday.

As children, mom used to make us blueberry streusel muffins after church.  These are the muffins that come out of a box.  They were delicious, but the formula changed over the last year and they certainly aren’t the same.  We used to beg for these muffins.  They were so good!  I was experimenting one weekend trying to recreate these delicious memories of childhood.  Success has been found.

I started with a recipe for apple pie streusel muffins, but made a few changes, including swapping out the apples for blueberries.  Followed then by banana.  What else was I to do with the bananas that were slowly turning from ripe to screaming "bake with me please?!"  Substituting three bananas for the blueberries, these muffins turned out phenomenal.  Moist in the center, with the crunch of the streusel topping.  Absolute perfection.    

Birthday Celebrations

I absolutely love birthdays.  We commemorate how wonderful the gift of life is and all the joy it brings.  Nothing more makes me happier than getting to share in someone’s birthday celebration.  As I’ve grown as a baker, this usually involves me making a cake or cupcakes to bring to the party.  After all, everyone must make a birthday wish, and you can’t do that without a cake or cupcake to put the candle in!

This month I’ve had the honor of making two very special birthday cakes, both for family members.  The first cake was for a first birthday party.  Minnie Mouse was the theme!  I can’t think of a more fun theme for a first birthday.  An absolute blast to make!  All hands on deck for this cake.  I had my dad help me with the power tools.  Yes, power tools in the kitchen!  After fully washing, of course, we drilled holes into the cake boards and cake to insert a dowel rod for extra support.  This was quite the experience! 

For the ultimate introduction to sugar, chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream.  Yum.  This was made for the “smash” cake the birthday girl dug into.  I made a tiered cake for the rest of the party goers to enjoy.  Two layers were chocolate with whipped Oreo filling and the third was chocolate with a chocolate peanut butter ganache filling.  So delicious.

The second cake I had the privilege of making was for my dear sister.  


She wanted something classic but with an edge.  We decided on a black tiered cake, but miniature, with tiny roses made of fondant as an accent.  The roses really pop against the black fondant.  She wanted the cake to look sexy, so we went with chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream.  The reviews were outstanding.  I was even asked at the restaurant where we purchased the cake.  I was happy to tell the wait staff that I had made it.  What a compliment!

Happy Birthday B!!