Chocolate Pudding Poke Cake

Photo from Betty Crocker.com

It's that time of year when your kids come home from school and tell you that they need to bring a treat for a school party.  What a great opportunity to let your kids do the baking!  This poke cake recipe is very easy for them make.  They will enjoy poking the cake full of holes and drizzling lucious chocolate pudding inside.  Here is the recipe from Betty Crocker:

Ingredients

1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® chocolate fudge cake mix
Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box
1 box (4-serving size) milk chocolate instant pudding and pie filling mix
2 cups cold milk

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan).
2. Make, bake and cool cake as directed on box for 13x9-inch pan.
3. Poke cake every 1/2 inch with handle of wooden spoon. In medium bowl, beat pudding mix and milk with whisk about 2 minutes. Pour pudding evenly over cake. Run knife around sides of pan to loosen cake. Refrigerate about 2 hours or until chilled. Store loosely covered in refrigerator.               

I hope you will take the time to bake with your kids.  It's a great way to spend your time and teach them family recipes that they will treasure the rest of their lives. 

Happy baking,
Pam

Cake Baking Tips from Duncan Hines

Photo from Duncan Hines

There is nothing worse than baking your favorite cake recipe and having it not turn out the way you wanted.  I gathered these baking tips from Duncan Hines to try and help you prevent any problems with your cake recipes.  Notice how similar the solutions are to each other.  By just following these tips, you can prevent nearly every disaster out there!

Cake Did Not Rise

~ Pan is too large

~ Oven temperature is too low – under- baked

~ Under-beating the batter

~ Added too much liquid

~ Batter sat too long before baking

Cake Fell or Dipped, Was Soggy, Compact or Heavy

~ Oven running too cool, under-baked

~ Cake removed from oven before completely baked

~ Too much liquid

~ Extra ingredients added to batter

~ Excessive over-beating

~ Used too much batter per pan

~ Didn’t use cool water, cold eggs

Batter Ran Over Sides of Pan

~ Oven temperature too low

~ Pans too small, too much batter per pan

~ Batter unevenly divided between pans.  Fill pans ½ full, not more than 1” deep

~ Too much liquid

~ Oven racks not level

~ Pans not placed in center of oven

Cake Sticks to Pan, Difficult to Remove

~ Pans not greased heavily enough

~ Cooled improper length of time.  If cake is too hot it will break easily.  If cooled too long in pan, the shortening begins to harden and can “glue” the cake to the pan.

~ Cake not loosened with knife or spatula before removal

Cake Wet, Moist, Weeps When Stored

~ Under-baked

~ Not completely cooled before frosted or stored

~ Frosting a frozen cake

~ Freezing a frosted cake

~ Stored in an area that was too warm or humid

Sheet Cakes Split, Cracked

~ Not enough batter in pan

~ Stored at too warm a temperature, store at 40F in warm, humid months

Cake Split, Humped or Peaked Too Much, Shrunk, Had Holes And Tunnels, Dry, Crumbly

~ All of these problems can indicate over-baking which results from too hot an oven or too long a bake time.

~ Holes and tunnels can also be caused by failure to scrape bottom and sides of bowl when mixing batter.  Excessively lumpy mix.

Custard-Like Streak Across Cake

~ Streak across bottom of cake, too much liquid

~ Streak under top crust of cake, under-baked

~ Extra ingredients added to batter

~ Excessive over-beating

~ Failure to scrape or improperly scraping bottom and sides of the bowl

Layers Uneven

~ Oven racks not level

~ Pans not centered in oven

~ Too much liquid

~ Under-mixing

~ Oven temperature too high

Uneven Browning

~ Oven not pre-heated

~ Used dark, dented or warped pans

~ Oven racks not level

Cake Difficult to Frost

~ Cake not removed from pan properly

~ Cake cooled in wrong position, cakes should cool right side up on a cooling rack

~ Cake not completely cool before frosting

~ Excessive crumbs not brushed away

~ Frosting not of a good spreading consistency

~ Try using a crumb coat before frosting

Cake Broke, Crumbled When Assembled

~ Cake stored in too warm or humid area

~ Cake not supported with rack when de-panning or turning over

~ Cakes not stacked with adequate supports

Also, for best results use the recommended amounts of water, eggs and oil.  In hot weather, use cold water and cold eggs.  Be sure that your oven is calibrated to the right temperture.   I hope this helps you to bake the perfect cake every time!

Happy baking,

Pam

Another "Taste of Home" Recipe to Share

Last week I attended the Taste of Home Cooking School in Omaha and was thrilled to have won a door prize.  It was a new edition of the Taste of Home Cookbook.  Inside the binder was a bonus book  with 125 best-of-the-best contest winning recipes.  As I flipped through it, I saw one of my recipes that I sent in to their "Cookbook Recipe Contest."  Taste of Home will occasionally publish recipes that did not win the top prize in a contest, but attracted their attention anyway.  I was surprised when I accidentally came across one of my recipes in the book!

I don't have a picture of the cookies, but wanted to share the recipe with you.  It looks like the Taste of Home economists doubled my recipe.  This amount will make plenty for a crowd.  You can even make the cookies a little smaller to get even more.  Here is how they published my recipe:

Caramel-Cashew Dark Chocolate Chippers

4 cups of salted cashews

1 cup of sugar

1 cup of packed brown sugar

1 cup of butter, softened

1 can (13.4oz.) dulce de leche

4 eggs

1/3 cup of buttermilk

2 teaspoons of vanilla

5 cups of biscuit baking mix

2 – 12oz. packages of dark chocolate chips

Additional sugar

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Place cashews and sugars in a food processor; cover and process until nuts are finely chopped.

In a large bowl, beat butter and dulce de leche until blended.  Beat in eggs, buttermilk and vanilla.  Combine baking mix and cashew mixture; gradually add to butter mixture and mix well.  Stir in chocolate chips (dough will be sticky).

Drop dough by ¼ cupfuls 4 inches apart onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets (or use a non-stick silicone mat).  Coat bottom of a glass with cooking spray, then dip in additional sugar.  Flatten cookies with prepared glass to 2 ½” circles, re-dipping in sugar as needed.

Bake at 325 degrees for 15-18 minutes or until edges begin to brown.  Cool for 3 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

Makes 3 dozen

That makes four recipes that I know of!  It's such a thrill and an honor to have my recipes recognized by a national cooking magazine.  It makes all of the time I spend creating new tastes well worth the effort.  I hope you will enjoy it, too!

Happy Baking,

Pam

Marcona Almonds Gaining Popularity

Photo by marconaalmonds.net

Imported from the Catalonia region of Spain, the Marcona almond is known as the “queen of almonds.”  Their popularity in the United States began in the late 1990’s.  With a growing interest in Spanish cuisine, these magnificent almonds are popping up everywhere.  You may have seen them on finer restaurant menus and in gourmet food shops.  Maybe you watched your favorite chef prepare a dish on television using Marcona almonds.

The texture of these almonds is similar to a macadamia nut with a rich, sweet flavor.  They have a higher fat content and their shape is slightly rounder and more plump compared to their California cousins.  The Marcona almond is very hard to crack open.  The tough shell helps to keep any insects from getting to the tender kernel.  Because the almond has its own barrier no pesticides are needed to grow them.  Most often you will find the almonds already shelled.  They come plain, or some are even seasoned with spices.

The traditional Spanish dessert called “turron” is made with honey, sugar, egg whites and Marcona almonds.  It is very similar to a nougat confection shaped into a round cake and served during the Christmas holiday.

The health benefits of the Marcona are similar to regular almonds.  Consumers who eat them regularly are less likely to get heart disease if they follow a heart-healthy diet. 

If you would like to try these almonds, you can find them at your local Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods Market.  Be prepared to spend a little more money for them.  They are the perfect treat if you plan on entertaining with a Tapas Bar.

Happy baking,

Pam

Sources:  Food Lover’s Companion

                  Marconaalmonds.net

Low Gluten Flour Mix

For a while now, I have wanted to post a recipe for a gluten-free flour mix.  I looked over many different recipes and came up with my own version.  During my research I discovered that my version was not totally gluten-free.  It contains barley flour which does have a small amount of gluten in it.

Just for “the health of it” I wanted to keep the barley flour in.  My flour mix has now become “low gluten” instead of “gluten-free.”  It’s for those of you (like me) who do not have a problem eating gluten, but want to cut back on it to enhance a healthier lifestyle.  I could never totally give up gluten, but I feel better cutting back on it in some of my favorite recipes.

The first thing you will discover when you make your own low gluten flour is that it is not cheap!  The most expensive ingredient is the xanthan gum.  This ingredient is produced by the fermentation of glucose and adds volume and viscosity to gluten-free baked goods.   The good thing about xanthan gum is that you only need a small amount for each batch.   If you can find a friend who wants to try it with you, you can share the expense.

The following is my recipe for low gluten flour mix:

1 – 24oz. bag of brown rice flour (4 ¼ cups)

¾ cup of potato starch flour

1 ½ cups of sweet rice flour

2/3 cup of corn flour

1 1/3 cups of tapioca flour

1 cup of barley flour

½ cup of dry milk powder

1 ½ Tablespoons of xanthan gum powder

Mix all of the ingredients together carefully and store in an airtight container.  This recipe makes 10 cups of flour.   Try substituting it in your favorite cookie or quick bread recipes.

Most of the ingredients can be found in the health food section of the grocery store.  Bob’s Red Mill is one of the common brands you will see.  Also be sure that your baking powder and baking soda are fresh.  You need strong leavening to help with the structure of your baked goods.  You may also substitute the barley flour with oat flour.  Your mix will still be low gluten, as oat flour contains some gluten as well. 

I hope you will give this recipe a try if you are considering a low gluten diet, or just want to cut back.  You may even feel better for it!

Happy baking,

Pam

Confetti Cake Mix Cookies

I have decided to post this very simple cookie recipe that is made with a cake mix.  It's the perfect cookie if you don't have time to bake.  There are only three ingredients! 

Okay, so you have seen this recipe a million times on the box of Pillsbury Funfetti cake mix.  But how many of you have actually made it?  This is my daughter's favorite mix to make cupcakes with, so I always have some on hand.  I decided to finally try it.  I have to tell you, this cookie is probably one of the best tasting and best looking cookies I've ever made.  It's perfect for kid parties, potlucks and the upcoming Easter holiday.  Here is the recipe from the box, (the way I make it!)

1 - 18.9oz. box of Pillsbury Funfetti Cake Mix

1/3 cup of oil

2 eggs

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.  Line a large cookie sheet with a non-stick silicone baking mat.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, oil and eggs.  Mix well until it resembles cookie dough.  I used my 2" metal cookie scoop and got exactly one dozen cookies.  Lightly flatten the tops a bit with your hand before baking.  Bake at 325 degrees for 15-16 minutes or until just set in the middle.

That's it.  The result is a soft, chewy, (hard to eat only one) amazing cookie!

You can frost them if you like, but they are prettier without it.  You won't miss it anyway.  I hope you will remember to make these the next time you are in a hurry to whip up a quick sweet treat.  Keep in mind that you can choose any flavor of cake mix you want to make cookies.  Experiment with your favorite flavor!

Happy Baking,

Pam

Are you a "Sweet Genius?"

Photo by Food Network

Any of you who watch the Food Network regularly have probably seen the hit show “Sweet Genius.”  The show is returning for a second season starting March 15 on the Food Network Channel.  Pastry chefs from around the country compete for a $10,000 prize.  It’s kind of like an “Iron Chef” or “Chopped” competition where the chefs only create decadent and sweet desserts.

The host of the show is also the judge.  His name is Ron Ben-Israel and he is a renowned dessert master and pastry chef.  He is the owner of “Ron Ben-Israel Cakes” in Manhattan.  The business was started in 1999 and has become one of the most prestigious bakeries in the country.  Ron’s cakes are delivered all over the United States and abroad.

Honestly, I had never heard of Ron Ben-Israel before the show started.  I guess I wanted to learn a little more about him and share it with you.  Ron used to be a professional modern dancer before entering the world of pastry arts.  He also served in the Israeli Army.  The rigorous training from both careers helped him pursue the world of pastry. 

As a young child he was inspired by his Viennese mother’s culinary talents.  Martha Stewart is credited for discovering Ron and his masterful cakes when he arrived in New York to start his business. Each cake that Ron creates is just as important to him as the first one.  He never loses his passion for making the best, most decadent cake for any special occasion.

Ron is also a master pastry instructor at the International Culinary Center in New York City.  He has won gold medals for his pastry achievements.  The famous Zagat Survey has said “he’s the wedding cake master.”  He participates in many fund raising events to give back to the community.

It just goes to show that anyone can become a master pastry chef if they really pursue it.  Ron has taken that direction and has given the world some of the best desserts ever imagined.  I am looking forward to watching the new season of “Sweet Genius” to help inspire me as an amateur chef to create decadent desserts!

Happy Baking,

Pam

Sources:  foodnetwork.com and weddingcakes.com