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

Brownie Mix Bliss Cookbook

This is one of my favorite cookbooks to have handy when you need a delicious chocolate dessert in a hurry.  Most of us have at least one box of brownie mix in our pantry at any given time.  Anyone who bakes from scratch would have to admit that they have made brownies from a mix simply because they can’t be beat.  How would you like to take that brownie mix and turn it into something other than fudgy, chewy, gooey brownies?  It can be done using the recipes provided by Camilla V. Saulsbury.

Along with her recipes to transform a simple brownie mix into the best brownie you ever tasted, Camilla offers such decadent treats as Coffee Toffee Chocolate Biscotti, Cashew Butter Brickle Brownie Cookies, Bananas Foster Chocolate Upside Down Cake, Boston Brownie Cream Pie, Brownie Baked Alaska, Chocolate Chip Brownie Trifle, and Brownie Bottomed Crème Brulee.  If that’s not enough, there are several recipes for frostings and glazes to adorn your chocolate masterpieces. 

Camilla offers her successful baking tips with each and every recipe.  Her personalized stories about each recipe will bring you back to your childhood.  She gives you ideas on how to vary her recipes.  For all of you recipe contest foodies, this is how you learn to create your own original recipes!   I have followed Camilla’s culinary adventures for years.  I first saw her competing on the National Chicken Cook Off.  She has had many recipes published in food magazines, and continues to write her own food blog.

Here is one of the recipes from Brownie Mix Bliss:

Chocolate-Dipped Brownie “Truffles”

1 - 19.5oz to 19.8oz package of brownie mix

½ cup of vegetable oil

¼ cup of water

2 large eggs

1 – 8oz box of semisweet baking chocolate squares, coarsely chopped

1 – 14oz can of sweetened condensed milk

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

1 Tablespoon of unsalted butter

Decorations: chopped nuts, candy sprinkles, white chocolate, or confectioner’s (edible) glitter (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (325 for dark coated metal pans).  Position a rack in the lower third of the oven.  Spray the bottom only of a 13 x 9” baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.

In a medium mixing bowl, mix the brownie mix, oil, water and eggs with a wooden spoon until just blended and all the dry ingredients are moistened.  Spread batter into prepared pan.

Bake 28-30 minutes until just set at center (do not over-bake).  Transfer brownies to a wire rack and immediately cut into 48 pieces.  Working quickly, roll each piece into a ball; place on wire racks and cool completely.

In a heavy saucepan or double boiler over low heat, melt chocolate with condensed milk, stirring until smooth.  Turn heat to lowest possible setting; stir in vanilla and butter.

Place one brownie ball at a time on a fork; dip into chocolate and coat thoroughly.  Place on rack for excess chocolate to drip off.  If desired, sprinkle truffles with nuts, white chocolate or decorative candies.  Refrigerate at least 1 hour to set the chocolate.  Store in the refrigerator.  Makes 48 truffles.

I know you will love this cookbook.  It’s sure to be one of those that gets a lot of use.  With more than 175 recipes, there’s something for everyone!

Enjoy more recipes from Camilla at her food blog “Enlightened Cooking.”  You can find it at enlightenedcooking.blogspot.com

Happy Baking,

Pam

Setting Up with Unflavored Gelatin

I wanted to talk a little bit about using unflavored or plain gelatin in molded desserts.   How many of you have tried to make a dessert using gelatin and were thoroughly disappointed with the outcome?  You ended up with a bowl of soup rather than a jellied dessert.  I would first like to share with you what exactly plain gelatin is, and all of the different ways it can be used.

Unflavored gelatin is an odorless, colorless and tasteless protein (about 85% to be exact) used as a thickening agent.  It can be used for jelling molded desserts or salads and thickening soups or pies.   Gelatin is derived from the bones and connective tissues from animals.  Most commercial gelatin today is a by-product of pig skin.   This explains why my daughter’s vegan friend would never eat any Jell-O when I served it to her!  Other alternative thickening agents for vegans would be carrageen or agar, which are derived from seaweed.   Pectin is acceptable as it is derived naturally from fruits and veggies.

In order for gelatin to set up it needs to first be dissolved in cold water, slightly heated and then chilled.  How hard can that be?  If you don’t follow all of these steps you will be disappointed.  The biggest mistake made is letting the liquid come to a boil or get too hot.  Once gelatin starts to boil it will begin to lose its thickening properties.  Another reason for failure could be from using too much sugar in the recipe.  This can cause the gelatin to stay too soft and not properly set up.

To use, lightly sprinkle one packet of dry gelatin over ¼ cup of cold water in a saucepan and let it soften for 5 minutes.  You want to carefully sprinkle the gelatin so as not to form any clumps.  This step helps the gelatin to swell up which makes it easier to dissolve.  Heat slowly on medium low heat and stir until dissolved and the liquid looks clear.  Do not let the mixture boil!  Test the temperature with your finger to make sure it does not get too hot.  The gelatin is now ready to use in your recipe.    One ¼ ounce packet will jell about 2 cups of liquid. 

The chilling time for 2 cups of liquid is about two hours.  When doubling a recipe use only 3 ¾ cups of liquid.  To maintain the gelatinous state always keep your jellied dessert in the refrigerator.  To keep it from forming a rubbery skin on top, cover it tightly with a lid or plastic wrap.

One thing you should know about adding fruit to your molded dessert is that some tropical fruits like fresh pineapple, papaya, fresh figs, kiwi and even gingerroot contain an enzyme called bromelain which can break down the thickening properties of gelatin.   When these tropical fruits are cooked, the enzyme is deactivated.  So using canned pineapple for example would be okay. 

 If you are using a mold to form your dessert, first spray it with cooking spray before filling to help the dessert release easily.   Another way to release it is to dip the chilled mold into a bowl of warm water for 10 seconds or so, loosen the edges with a knife, then unmold onto a serving dish.  Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.   

I hope this information about unflavored gelatin is helpful to you.  You can learn more about gelatin at homecooking.about.com

Happy Baking,

Pam   

Chocolate Chip Yogurt Cookies - Review



Photo by Shannon's Kitchen Creations

One way that I choose a recipe for review is to go through all of the ingredients and see if any of them catch my eye.  This recipe uses white whole wheat flour which I have been loving a lot lately.  Yes, there is such a thing as “white” whole wheat.  It’s not as heavy as regular whole wheat flour, and has more nutrition than plain all-purpose or white flour.  I like the lighter texture you get from using it.

This recipe contains no eggs, but does add plain, non-fat yogurt.  Other than that, you should have all of the rest of the ingredients in your well-stocked pantry.

To start with, I noticed that Shannon preheats the oven to 375 degrees.  Those of you who know me well, also know that I like to bake all of my cookies at 325 degrees.  I figured that I could just add a few extra minutes to the baking time.  My reason for baking at 325 degrees is because I never want to over-bake my cookies.  I’m one of those who loves a soft and chewy cookie, rather than a hard and crispy one.  By the looks of Shannon’s baked cookies, I think she likes them soft, too.

The recipe does not specify what type of brown sugar to use, so I used light brown sugar.  The reason I chose the light version is because there is more moisture in dark brown sugar.   Also, she did not mention what type of butter to use, so I used unsalted and let it come up to room temperature for easy blending.  If you don’t have time to wait for the butter to soften, you can always set the microwave to defrost and run only for a few seconds at a time until it softens.  Be careful not to let it melt.  The brand of yogurt I had on hand was Kalona Super Natural Organic.

Lastly, I did not have any semi-sweet chocolate chips so I used dark chocolate chips.  I believe that Shannon’s recipe works great with any flavor of chocolate chips you like.  When you use dark or bittersweet chocolate it helps to cut through the sweetness a bit, giving your taste buds a little sweet and bitter at the same time.  Not to mention the health benefits of dark chocolate…

Shannon’s recipe wants you to drop the dough by rounded Tablespoons for each cookie.  My greediness got the best of me, and I had to make them just a bit bigger.  I used my 1 ½” metal cookie scoop for each cookie.  I baked them at 325 degrees for 14-15 minutes, just until the middle set.  I then let them cool a few minutes on the baking sheet before removing them to a cooling rack.  Using my scoop I got 24 cookies.  Here’s a photo of how my cookies turned out.

Photo by Cordial Crumb

Are you ready?  THESE COOKIES WERE AWESOME!!  They were everything I love in a good chocolate chip cookie.   The cookies were all gone within 24 hours.   I made them a second time for a gathering of friends.  All of the comments were positive.  Everyone loved them!  I highly recommend this recipe if you need to bring something for a pot luck.  Make a second batch for yourself, because there won’t be any leftovers! 

Here is Shannon's recipe:

• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup plain nonfat Chobani Greek yogurt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup white whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

          Makes 36 cookies

     Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.
2. In a medium bowl, cream together the brown sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Stir in yogurt and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into the creamed mixture until incorporated, then mix in chocolate chips. Drop by rounded tablespoons, 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets. ( I use this handy dandy scooper, so they are perfectly portioned!!)
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until the edges begin to brown. Cool for a minute on the cookie tray before removing.

I want to thank Shannon’s Kitchen Creations for sharing this recipe.  To see more of Shannon’s creations, go to www.shannonskitchencreations.com

Happy Baking,

Pam



Chocolate Mousse Cups with Strawberries





With Valentine's Day just around the corner, I thought I would share an idea I had several years ago.  This one is so easy that you don't even need a recipe.  One component you need is some prepared chocolate mousse.  Because there are zillions of recipes for chocolate mousse, use your all-time favorite, or purchase some already made.

Now for the fun part.  The diamond-shaped chocolate cups really make this treat special.  I am not a fan of silicone baking pans, but I do like the silicone baking cups for molding the chocolate.  They come in several different shapes.  I happened to have the diamond shaped ones in my cupboard.  Just melt some of your favorite chocolate.  I used dark chocolate, but feel free to try milk or even white chocolate if you like.  You will need a small paint brush, clean and unused.  Working quickly, paint the insides of the molds with the melted chocolate.  Set them on a tray and refrigerate to help set the chocolate faster.  Once they are firm, carefully peel back the molds.  The chocolate cups should come out effortlessly.  Here is a picture of the silicone molds from the Sweet Baking Supply Company:

Now you can fill or pipe the chocolate mousse into the molded cups.  Garnish with fresh whipped cream and strawberry slices.  For fun you can make chocolate butterfly wings to garnish the top.  Fill a piping bag with some melted chocolate. Use a writing tip to make wing shapes on a piece of waxed paper.  Let the wings firm up before using.  I also lightly dusted the plate with cocoa powder for a nice touch.

I hope you will serve this easy, but impressive dessert to your loved ones on Valentine's Day.  It's a nice change of pace from the usual boxed chocolates.  (which by the way, I would not pass up either!!)

Happy Baking,

Pam