Desserts

There's a surprise inside

October 17, 2008 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

I love peanut butter, and I love it on any number of things. I am also a huge fan of cookies, I really don’t turn down anything sweet…ever. Peanut butter cookies are one of my favorites and also a classic, which mean that pretty much any time I have one it brings back memories of my childhood. Nothing beats a peanut butter cookie with a tall glass of milk!

Since it’s fall there are all types of fall inspired foods; both sweet and savory. One of the new things I have come across this fall are the Candy Corn Kisses by Hershey’s; they are awesome! There are many people that have discovered these and made their own goodies using these Kisses. I decided that I would try making something using these as well. I decided to try to put a new spin on a classic favorite; put a Candy Corn Kiss inside a peanut butter cookie…the combination is pretty tasty.

I think the peanut butter cookie is rich by itself; so with the kisses mixed in them it makes it that much more rich. This is a different combination but it’s sooooo good. The burst of color that you get when you bite into the cookie is such a nice surprise and a good way to add some color for a fall themed party.

Peanut Butter, Candy Corn Cookies

Ingredients:

3/4 Cup butter flavored Crisco

1 1/4 Cup peanut butter

1 1/2 Cup brown sugar

1/2 Cup sugar

4 Eggs

1 1/2 Teaspoon vanilla

2 Teaspoons baking soda

3 Cups flour

1/2 Teaspoon salt

60 Candy Corn Kisses

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F.

In mixer cream crisco and peanut butter until smooth. Slowly add brown sugar and granulated sugar, mix until thoroughly combined. Gradually add baking soda, flour, and salt; once combined add in eggs (one at a time) and vanilla.

Take a scoop of cookie dough, roll together, press Kiss in the middle of the dough and then cover. Once the Kiss is completely covered place on prepared cookie sheet. Bake on 350 for 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven, let cookies cool on tray for 5 minutes then remove to cooling rack. Let cookies completely cool before storing.

Recipe by: Lynsey Lou

Put the Key Lime in the Cookie and you mix it all together!

October 9, 2008 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

I love key lime, I’ve never had anything key lime that I haven’t liked. One of my favorite desserts is Key Lime Pie, and I guess the pie has started my obsession with all things key lime. I am always looking for new recipes that include key lime so that I can expand my key lime recipes. I have seen several key lime cookie recipes on websites and blogs, that were of all different varieties.

I came across a white chocolate chip key lime cookie recipe the other day while looking around the internet and I thought it sounded pretty interesting. I thought about this recipe for a little bit because I was just wasn’t too sure of this combination, I thought it would be good but it was just one of those things that was just a little bit different and a “branch out”. I finally talked myself into making them and while I was mixing them up my mouth started watering. I tasted a little bit of the batter just to get an idea of what it was like I from that first taste I was addicted!

When I first tried to get Spencer to taste it he was a little leary of the whole combination. I waited until the first batch of cookies came out and took him one fresh out of the oven to try. He ate it, thought about it for a few minutes and decided they were pretty tasty when he came back for another one. These cookies have been a hit with everyone that has tried them. If you’re a key lime fan I definitely suggest trying these…they are awesome!

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup butter-softened

1 Cup sugar

1 Large egg

1 Large egg yolk

1 1/2 Cups flour

1 Teaspoon baking powder

1/2 Teaspoon salt

1/4 Cup key lime juice

1 1/2 teaspoons lime zest

3/4 Cup white chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F.

Cream butter, sugar, egg, egg yolk in a large bowl. Sift flour, salt, and baking powder. Blend in flour mixture. Add lime zest and lime juice. Fold in white chocolate chips.

Refrigerate dough for about 15 minutes. Place dough on prepared cookie sheet, bake for 8-10 minutes. After removing from oven, let cookies sit on sheet for 5 minutes then move to cooling rack.

Adapted from All Recipes

Chocolatey, Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

October 9, 2008 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

It seems like there are many people on a mission to find the perfect chocolate chip cookie with the perfect desired consistency. I too am on that mission; there are tons of CC cookie recipes out there and I have tried multiple ones but it seems like they are too thick, too thin or just they just do not come out as I’ve intended or wanted.

The other recipes I have tried have been rather tastey and awesome when they first come out of the oven, but after they are in a container for a few days they just aren’t as good…in my opinion. I was looking for a cookie that was of medium thickness, chewy (both fresh from the oven and after a few days) and just the perfect consistency. It seems like I’ve finally created the perfect cookie…for me and they seem to be a hit for everyone that’s tried them.

When I was working with this cookie batter it was a matter of trial and error at first. I mixed up the batter, made a small batch, let them sit and then tried them. I would add a little more of this and that and then try the process again. After about 3 little tweaks here and there I finally had my perfect cookie that I desired.

During this time of creating this cookie I was also baking for a couple of soldiers for Operation Baking Gals, which is an awesome way to give a little back to the people who are fighting so hard for our country, so after I perfected this cookie I thought it would be a great one to send over to the troops. I doubled my recipe in order to have enough for the troops and to be able to experiment to get the cookies exactly how I wanted.

***I made a larger recipe in order to be able to send 2 dozen to each soldier I volunteered for but you could easily half the recipe and make a much smaller batch. This recipe made approximately 64 cookies.

Ingredients:

2 Cups butter flavored Crisco

1 1/4 Cup packed brown sugar

1 1/2 Cup granulated sugar

3 Eggs

3 1/2 Cups flour

1/2 Cup Milk chocolate chips- melted

3 Teaspoons vanilla

2 Teaspoons baking soda

2 Teaspoons salt

1 1/2-2 Cups chocolate chips – semi sweet

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Cream Crisco for one mintue then add brown sugar and sugar until creamed. Mix in eggs until well combined. Add vanilla and melted chocolate. Sift flour, baking soda and salt together. Slowly add ingredients to Crisco sugar mixture. Once mixed add chocolate chips to mixture.

Refrigerate dough for 15-30 minutes and then spoon on prepared cookie sheet, I made dough balls about the size of a walnut. Place remaining batter in refrigerator until ready to spoon onto cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes. After removing from oven let sit on sheet for 5 minutes before moving to cooling rack.

***To get a crunchy, flatter cookie take out 3/4 Cup to 1 Cup of the flour that is called for.

Recipe Source: Lynsey

Miami Beach Birthday Cake

September 26, 2008 by Lynsey 2 Comments

For my birthday my boss made me a cake called “Miami Beach Birthday Cake”. I have to say that is one of the best cakes I’ve ever had and my husband loved it too. So for his birthday I asked my husband what kind of cake he wanted. He thought about it for a while, I named different cakes for a while and then he decided he wanted the same kind I had on my birthday.

I have never tasted a cake like this; it was so good but very different than cakes I’ve had in the past.  All the elements of this cake combined made the end result incredible. The cake is a heavier more dense cake, but the icing is so light and fluffy they complimented each other well.
Also, this month Joelen’s Culinary Adventures is featuring bakeware as her “Tastey Tools”. I’ve been looking for something to cook to submit to Joelen’s and Spencer’s cake turned out to be the perfect cake.

This time baking is a time of firsts for me. I have been in the kitchen baking my entire life but this time it’s with a new mixer, new pans and a recipe that I’ve never made before.  I’m set in my own ways and so this is a pretty big thing combining all these new elements at once.  Spencer, my wonderful husband, was nice enough to treat me to a Kitchen Aid Mixer!!! That alone made my year; and the same day I also got some new cake pans…which I was in dyer need of. So the least I could do after all these treats was try to make him a delicous cake! Everything, all the new elements, worked together wonderfully and we had an awesome birthday cake!

Miami Beach Birthday Cake:
For the cake:
1 Cup chocolate chips
1/2 Cup graham cracker crumbs
1/3 Cup melted butter
1/2 Cup chopped walnuts
2 Cups flour
1 Teaspoon salt
1 Teaspoon baking soda
1/2 Cup butter
1 1/2 Cup sugar
2 Eggs
1 Teaspoon vanilla
For the frosting:
1 1/4 Cup buttermilk
1 Cup heavy cream
2 Tablespoons sugar
Directions:
Heat oven to 375 F.
Melt 1/3 Cup chocolate chips. Grease and flour bottom of 3, 9 inch cake pans. Combine graham cracker crumbs and melted butter, stire in walnuts and rest of chocolate chips. Set aside.
Combine flour, baking soda and salt. Cream butter, gradually add sugar. Cream well. Add eggs. Blend in melted chocolate chips and vanilla. At a low speed add dry ingredients alternately with 1 1/4 cups buttermilk-beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Pour into prepared pans. SPrinkle pans with crumb mixture.
Bake at 375 for 30-40 minutes. Cool.
For the Frosting:
Beat heavy cream with 2 tablespoons sugar until stiff. Fill and frost the cakes, keeping the crumb sides up. Refrigerate before serving and any leftovers.
***If you have time to make the cake in advance it ices better if you freeze it first. I made the cake and baked it one night, let it cool, covered it well, and put it in the freezer over night and iced it the next evening. This helps eliminate the crumbs getting mixed up in your icing.

Recipe Source: www.fareshare.net/recipesV10-03M.html, and Judy

Symphony Brownies

September 26, 2008 by Lynsey 1 Comment

I am a huge fan of chocolate; the more chocolate the better in my opinion. I was over at a friends house the other day when she showed me these brownies she had made. Right when she pulled the cover off of the container my jaw dropped; they were the thickest brownies I think I’ve ever seen. Not only was the brownie mix Ghirardelli, to top it off there were candy bars in the middle of the brownies. I knew from the site I would be in heaven when I tasted them.

From the first bite I was in awe and very addicted to these tastey treats. Later on my husband came over and I was telling him about them; he just went on and on about them and how awesome they were. He said they were some of the best brownies he’s ever had. This really means something coming from him because he’s usually not a big fan of “rich” tasting desserts. He seriously could not get enough of them.

Since I have tried these brownies I’ve been on a kick of making them. I went to visit my parents and when I told my mom about them we immediately went to the store to get the ingredients to make them. It was love at first taste for my parents! After we made them at my parents I made them to take with me and my husband to his birthday weekend…they were a hit there as well.

This has to be one of my new favorite desserts. It’s so easy to throw together and so quick too. Now that these have been tested on people of all “sweet” likings I figured they are very much “fan approved”!!! Not that they wouldn’t be a hit, because the recipe originated from Paula Deen. Would we expect anything less than something so rich and tempting? Now don’t be shocked, there is no butter in this recipe anywhere but she definitely keeps up her reputations for rich and savory desserts by adding 3 Symphony bars!

Symphony Brownies:

Ingredients:

2 Boxes Ghirardelli brownie mix (I chose the double chocolate mix by Ghirardelli…made for a 9×9 pan)

Oil

Eggs

Water

3 Symphony Bars (I used the ones with almonds and toffee bits)

Directions:

Preheat oven to temperature indicated on box.

Mix 1 box of brownie mix and pour in prepared 9×13 pan. Unwrap the 3 candy bars and place on top of brownie mix in pan. Mix the other box of brownies and pour over the candy bars.

Place in oven and cook for 20-25 minutes, turn/rotate them and cook for additional 20-25 minutes.

Recipe adapted from a friend and Paula Deen

Raspberry Curd Tartlets

September 9, 2008 by Lynsey 1 Comment

This was another recipe I made for the family reunion over the Labor Day weekend. I kept the salad pretty easy so I could focus on these tartlets. I am a huge fan of lemon curd, my Grandma makes the best lemon curd I’ve ever had, so when I came across this recipe for Raspberry Curd I knew I just had to give it a try. I came across this recipe a few weeks ago and from then on I was looking for an excuse to make it and the family reunion was a perfect excuse.

This recipe was fairly easy, I think the thing that gave me the most problems was the seeding of the raspberries. I followed the directions and tried to seed them after the puree and the mixture wasn’t thin enough to actually run through or be pressed through my strainer; so after getting a little frustrated with it I went ahead and melted the butter and mixed the puree and butter together and then tried to seed it again and that worked so much better.

I started these fairly late in the evening, my own fault, but time was really an issue since I knew I had to wake up early the next day. I feel had I had more time I would have been able to work with the pastry mixture a little more and actually make the sides pretty and neat. It really bothered me leaving the sides/tops undone because I’m such a perfection and want everything to look pretty, but it was either have pretty pastries and no sanity or still have my sanity…I chose sanity! When I do try these again I’ll re-post my picture and hopefully it will look a lot better than these.

The combination of the tart crust, which tasted like a butter cookie with almonds, and the raspberry curd was absolutely awesome. The tarts were light and flaky and then the raspberries came in with a burst of flavor. These were so good and a big hit at the reunion!

Ingredients:

1 Cup butter, softened

1/2 Cup confectioners’ sugar

1 Teaspoon vanilla extract

2 Cups all-purpose flour

Dash salt

1/2 Cup finely chopped almonds

Raspberry Curd:

1 Package (10 ounces) frozen unsweetened raspberries, thawed

3 Tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 Cup butter

3 Tablespoons sugar

4 Eggs

Red liquid food coloring, optional

Whipped cream, fresh raspberries and mint

Directions:

Tartlets:

In a large bow, cream butter and confectioners’ sugar until light and fluffy. Add vanilla. Combine flour and salt; add to creamed mixture and beat until smooth. Stir in almonds.

Press into 2 1/2 inch tartlet pans, trim edges. Place pans on a baking sheet. Bake at 375 F for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Remove from pans.

Raspberry Curd:

Combine raspberries and lemon juice in a blender or food processor; cover and process until pureed. Press through a strainer to remove seeds.

In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Reduce heat to low; add the raspberry puree, sugar and eggs. Cook and stir for 10-15 minutes or until mixture is smooth and thickened and reaches 160 degrees. Remove from the heat. Add food coloring, if desired. Press plastic wrap on surface of curd. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

Spoon about 3 tablespoons of curd into each tart shell; top with whipped cream, raspberries and mint. Refrigerate leftovers.

Courtsey of Taste of Home Cookbook

Chocolate Cupcakes with White Chocolate Buttercream Icing

September 1, 2008 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

At my work we are always looking for excuses to bring goodies and have “snacks” on any given day. The other day was one of our co-workers last day so that meant we had to send her off with a good farewell; so what better way to send someone off that cupcakes!?!?! I love cupcakes; they are so much fun and a great way to have cake in an easier version to eat. This specific recipe was pretty easy but all I did was get a cupcake mix; which is pretty nifty because it comes with the cupcake liners and everything, and then I spiced it up a little bit. I had quite a few things going on the night I needed to bake them so that’s why I used a little help from a box mix. They were so good but the icing it what made them; I love this icing and it will add that something special to any recipe…homemade or box. Everyone loved the cupcakes, they went over very well and needless to say I came home empty handed.

Ingredients:

Cupcakes-

1 Box Duncan Hines chocolate cupcake mix ( plus ingredients listed on box)

1/2 Cup chocolate chunks

1 Small box chocolate pudding

Icing-

1 Package (6 squares) white baking chocolate

1/4 Cup whipping cream or milk

1 Cup cold, unsalted butter

1 Cup powdered sugar

Directions:

Cupcakes–

Preheat oven at 350 F. Line muffin pan with cupcake liners. Mix cupcakes as directed on box. Once mixed add pudding and mix in and then stir in chocolate chunks. Fill cupcake liners with batter and bake for time specified on cupcake mix box.

Icing-

Microwave chocolate and whipping cream in large bowl on high until almost melted, stiring every 45 seconds. Stir until chocolate is completely melted.

Cool 30 minutes or until room temperature, stirring occassionally.

Add butter gradually, beating with electric mixer on high until well blended. Add sugar, beating until light and fluffy.

Place in icing bag and pipe onto cupcake or spread onto cupcake/cake with a knife.

Icicng courtesy of Kraft Food

Cupcakes courtesy of a box mix and a little “spice” by Lynsey Lou

Key Lime Pie

July 27, 2008 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

I am a huge fan of things sweet and tart; but mix the two together and it’s a guaranteed winner. Key lime pie is one of my long time favorite desserts. Every time I go out and it’s on the menu it’s guaranteed I’m going to get a piece for dessert.

I have made many desserts that have the sweet and tart combination but I have never taken on the challenge of making a key lime pie myself. One day I searched all day for the perfect recipe to try out; I really never found one that really jumped out at me and had everything I wanted in one. There are some that seemed like the flavor would be muted because of lack of lime or too much other stuff so I decided to write one myself. I figured if I wrote it myself it would include everything I was hunting for.

The first attempt turned out pretty good. I was very impressed with it; especially for it being my first attempt. I will definitely make it again; I may try to “tweak” it a little to make the filling a little thicker initially so it doesn’t have to bake as long but that’s probably the only change I’ll make.

***If you’re not a big fan of lip puckering tartness half the amount of key lime juice used.

Key Lime Pie

Crust:

5-6 Tablespoons butter, melted

1 Cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 Cup almonds
1/2 Cup pretzels
1/8 Teaspoon sugar

Filling:
1 Can sweetened condesned milk
1 Egg, beaten
2 Egg yolks
Zest of 1 lime
1 Cup sugar
1 Cup key lime juice (I used Nellie and Joe’s)

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Crust:Place pretzels and almonds in bag and smash with rolling pin until in course pieces. (I wanted to be able to see the almonds in the crust and I didn’t want the almonds or pretzels to be a powder so that’s why I coarsely crushed them) Combine butter, graham cracker crumbs, almonds, pretzels, and sugar and mix until completely combined. Once mixed together put mixture in 9 inch pie plate;pat the mixture in the pan until pan is completely lined.

Once finished place for 10-12 minutes or until crust is completely cooked. Remove from oven and let cool.

Filling:
Beat egg and egg yolks. Combine condensed milk, eggs, sugar and combine. Once combined add lime juice and lime zest and blend together completely. Pour in cooled pie crust.

Bake 20-25 minutes or until filling is set. Let cool and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Recipe Source: A Lynsey Original

Neiman-Marcus Cookies

July 11, 2008 by Lynsey 1 Comment

I have been craving some cookies for quite some time now. I haven’t really had the chance to make any in a while but this week I made up my mind I was going to make some. These are some of my favorite cookies; a definite “go to” recipe that never fails.

These cookies are so great. They turn out just right all the time; so oooey and gooey. One of those cookies that great right out of the oven and just as good the next day. I’m sure quite a few people have made them and enjoyed them; for those of you who have yet to try them I hope when you do you enjoy them just as much as I do.

Neiman-Marcus Cookies

1 Cup butter

12 oz. Chocolate Chips

2 Cups flour

1 Cup brown sugar

1/2 Teaspoon salt

1 Cup sugar

1 8oz Hershey Bar (grated)

2 1/2 Cups blended oatmeal

2 Eggs

1 Teaspoon baking powder

1 Teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 Cups chopped nuts (any kind)

Directions:

Measure oatmeal and blend to a fine powder. Cream the butter and both sugars. Add eggs and vanilla, then mix with flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder and soda.

Fold in chocolate chips, Hershey Bar, and nuts. Roll into balls and place 2 inches apart on cookie sheet.

Bake for 10 minutes at 350 F.

***I added 1/2 cup of heath bits.

Deep-Dish Apple-Blackberry Pie

July 10, 2008 by Lynsey 1 Comment

I had some fresh blackberries that I needed to do something with before they went bad; I was searching for recipes on the internet when I came across this one that looked so good. I love baking pies and it’s been a while since I’ve made one so this one was calling out my name. It was a good blend of 2 fruits that went so well together. The crust was incredible as well; with the walnuts and sugar everything just went so well together.

Deep-Dish Apple-Blackberry Pie

FILLING:

1 1/2 Tablespoons lemon juice

1 Teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 pounds tart apples (about 6 apples)

2/3 Cup sugar

1/4 Cup cornstarch

2 Cups blackberries (frozen or fresh)

1 Recipe Walnut Pastry Dough (Recipe Follows)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Combine lemon juice and vanilla in large bowl. Peel, core, and cut apples into 3/4 inch chunks, tossing them in lemon juice mixture as you work.

Mix 2/3 cup sugar and cornstarch and toss with apples. Then add blackberries.

Roll thelarger piece of dough into a 13-inch circle. Place the dough in a prepared pan, letting excess dough hang over the edges. Gently press the dough into bottom and sides of pan.

With a rubber spatula, scrape the apple-blackberry filling into pie shell.

Roll out smaller disk of dough, making an 11-inch circle. Place the dough over filling. Press together edges of pastry to seal. With the tip of a sharp knife, cut 3 or 4 short slashes to vent steam.

Moisten a pastry brush with water and lightly brush top of pie. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar. Place the pie on a baking sheet with sides.

Bake until crust is golden and filling bubbles, 45 to 55 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for about 1 hour. Serve warm or at room temperature.

PASTRY:

1/2 cup walnuts
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cold butter, cut into pieces
3 tablespoons walnut oil
6-7 tablespoons cold water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Spread walnuts in a pie pan and bake for 5 to 7 minutes, or until fragrant. Let cool.

Combine the walnuts, flour, sugar and salt in a food processor; process until the walnuts are finely chopped. Add butter and process until incorporated. Transfer to a large bowl.

Drizzle oil over the flour mixture. Use your fingertips to rub the oil into the mixture. One tablespoon at a time, add water and mix with a fork until dough is crumbly and holds together when pressed.

Divide dough into 2 pieces, 1 slightly larger than the other, and form each into a disk.

Recipe Source: www.foodnetwork.com

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