Baking Adventure #25

Well hello there! Fancy meeting you here.

We are about half way through the summer, and it has been the busiest, yet one of the best! Last week was my birthday/July 4th weekend, and I opted to make two of my grandma's Strawberry Pies instead of one and a blueberry tart.

It's funny, since I have had this blog and everyone knows I love to bake for others, this year on my birthday, no one asked what I did or what I got for my birthday. Instead, the first and pretty much only question was "Did someone bake YOU a cake?" Well folks, I must report that no one baked me a cake. In fact, while I had MANY birthday desserts (and by many, I mean cheesecake, creme brulee, berry filled churros, ice cream, dark chocolate cake... okay I'm done incriminating my diet), I did NOT once have a slice of birthday cake. It's probably for the best though. Tony Horton, Mr. p90x, would not have been supportive of my birthday dessert binge. (Yes, you're reading this right. I'm currently on Day 43 of p90x. Began on Memorial Day.)

Anyways, back to this week's baking adventure! Not sure why I went off on that tangent...

FOCUS ASHLEY FOCUS!

This week's baking adventure is a baked good that I am not so much a fan of typically. In fact, when I first tasted this particular recipe for it, the person allowing me to try it didn't even know what it was called; thus, allowing for no preconceived judgements to be had, so without further ado...

BLONDIES (or Blonde Brownies) w/Old Timey Caramel Frosting

A little background on Blondies: Blondies were actually developed before Brownies.

Ok, that's it. There's your background. You're welcome.

This recipe was given to me by a friend's mom who tweaked it to make it her own by adding in butterscotch chips and adding a caramel frosting. SWEET doesn't even begin to encompass the final result, so if you're into things with less sugar, DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME but if you're into things that melt in your mouth, ignore the previous warning and give it a try!

First things first: P to the R to the E to the P! [or PREP for those of you who aren't chipper like me in the morning]

The first step in the Blondie making part of the recipe is to melt the butter and brown sugar until smooth.

While the butter and brown sugar are melting, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt, and roughly chop up the pecans.

I halved this recipe, so this is about half a cup. [Make sure to keep stirring the sugar and butter so that it dissolves together well and doesn't burn. If you're NOT a multi-tasker, it's more than okay to chop up the nuts before beginning this step. I just prefer to live my baking life on the wild side.]

After the butter/sugar mixture becomes smooth, remove it from the heat and let cool for about 3-5 minutes while continuing to stir. Next, it's time to add the eggs one at a time... but before you do, did you let the buttery sugar cool long enough? Not sure? Well check and see! Otherwise when adding the eggs, you could be making some sweet scrambled eggs instead!

After adding the eggs, add in the flour mixture making sure to incorporate about 1/3 at a time until everything is fully combined and smooth and dreamy.

After smooth and dreaminess is obtained, stir in the pecans, vanilla extract, AND bbb-bbb-baaaaa [that was my attempt at making a trumpet sound] the butterscotch chips.

Once combined, pour the batter into a greased pan and bake in the oven at 350 for about 25-28 minutes.

After the blondies have baked, allow them to sit out to cool and go to town on making the frosting!

Allow me to interrupt this post for a bit, have I told you lately how much I love frosting? I love it so much in fact that I could eat it with a spoon and nix the cake that typically comes with it altogether, so here's my ode to Frosting (as sung to the tune of "We Love you Conrad" from Bye Bye Birdie):

"I love you frosting,

Oh yes I do.

I love you frosting,

You know it's true.

When you're not near me,

I'm blue.

Oh Frosting, I LOVE YOU!"

Ok, where was I? Oh yes, making the frosting...

Before beginning, make sure to clean out the saucepan you used to make the batter (unlike when making Texas Sheet Cake) or get a new saucepan. Melt more butter and sugar together and allow to boil for a few minutes while stirring occasionally.

Let cool slightly and add powdered sugar and milk.

Then stir to combine and create the most luscious caramel frosting you will set your eyes on.

Pour said luscious caramel frosting over the top of the cooled Blondies and allow to cool completely before cutting into. This will take a couple of hours, so if you absolutely have no self control and can't wait, grab a spoon and dig in! (In fact, I highly recommend this method of consumption.)

Now, you would think that would be the end of this blog post right? RIGHT. Well, I am here to tell you otherwise. Before we go, I should tell you a story and it goes a little something like this:

Once upon a time... There was a pint-sized princess. This princess loved to make sweet, scrumptious things and share with everyone in the land. One day, the princess decided to make a dessert named after her golden locks. This dessert was called Blondies. Everything went smashingly when preparing, making and cooking the Blondies until... duh duh duh... it was time to clean up after sitting the Blondies on the castle counter to cool... Something I forgot to mention is that this princess is quite a clumsy one... and while attempting to clean up the kitchen so that Queen Mom wouldn't banish her for a making a mess, the princess accidentally knocked the cover on the stove and the Blondies pan began to slide to its death on the floor. ALAS, the princess immediately grabbed the pan and all was saved and they lived happily ever after.

THE END

[Please reference the picture below for evidence regarding the heroic efforts of the princess of our story to save the Blondies.]

Luckily! These Blondies were cut into squares when cooled and no one knew any different!

Hope you all have a wonderful week! On a personal note, it's going to be a strenuous one for my family. Would those of you out there please keep my family, in particular my sister, in your prayers over the course of the next week? Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Until next time!

P.S. If you're interested in this recipe, feel free to leave a comment with your email address and I'll send it to you!

Baking Adventures #5 and #6

This week one planned baking adventure had an unplanned addition as well! There was a tie between Cake and Apple Pie for the Pot Luck dinner for tomorrow night's class, so I went with the Apple Pie. My cousin Angie sent her recipe over and it seemed pretty simple. Why not conquer something that intimidates and scares us but could end up wonderful? What's the worst that could happen? Life is all about taking chances and risks.

Now, before I dive into the "planned" baking adventure, let's discuss the "unplanned". Yes, I did use protection... haha, ok bad joke...

Saturday morning was spent doing laundry at my parents' house (no washer and dryer = borrow mom and dad's). While there, I resumed my usual position in the kitchen watching Food Network (my crack) in between loads. However, I got an inkling to bake and started looking through the cabinets... what did I find??? All of the ingredients to make yellow cupcakes!!!

Ok, so cupcake pan, liners (yes, I have a secret love for Winnie the Pooh), and batter ingredients: CHECK! Frosting?........

Frosting is a necessity if you're making cupcakes; Mom had all of the ingredients but one to make cream cheese frosting and all of the ingredients but one to make regular frosting... so I decided to get creative and combine and make my own...

After combining butter, cream cheese, sugar, one Starbucks VIA Columbia roast, and 1/4 cup Godiva coffee liqueur... I ended up with COFFEE LIQUEUR Frosted yellow cupcakes:

I had my dad taste test and he thoroughly enjoyed the frosting. However, I wasn't so much a fan... too much liqueur flavor for me, so I decided to get creative again and combined butter, cream cheese, sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon for CINNAMON/BROWN SUGAR Frosted Yellow Cupcakes:

TA DA!!! These went to my guys at the Cigar Club for some taste testing as well as a couple other close friends. I was a bit nervous as to what my taste testers would say since both frostings were an experiment, and unless everyone lied, they really enjoyed the cupcakes. So it was a successful experiment!

Ok, time for the planned baking adventure:

COUSIN ANGIE'S APPLE PIE

First things first: PREP! This recipe was relatively simple as far as ingredients go. The only two things I needed were nutmeg and apples.

Slicing the apples into thin slices wasn't too bad either.

HOWEVER...

Figuring out how to pile all 6 sliced Golden Delicious apples into the pie pan was a FEAT in of itself.

(Let me let you in on a little secret: I didn't make the pie crust from stratch.. GASP!!! I know, bad Pint Size Baker, bad! However, upon reading through many recipe reviews and advice from my Cousin Angie, I opted to buy Pillsbury pie crust as it is supposed to taste just as good if not better than something I could make on my own. This I will be trying to overcome at a later date though.)

Once all of the apples were piled a mile high in the pie (haha, poet and don't know it!), it was time to add the crumb topping. So sorry there is no photo of this part of the process but my hands were covered in sugar, flour, and butter and there is no Pint Size Baker assistant just yet.

Apple Pie assembly? CHECK

Oven Pre-heated to 425? CHECK

TIME TO BAKE!!! (Little hint: Once you notice the top/crust start to brown, cover with aluminum foil to prevent burning. Also, it's a good idea to place the pie pan on a baking sheet in the event that anything drips or falls off while baking and makes it easier to pull the pie in and out of the oven.)

Now, I'm not sure how this tastes yet as it is for Pot Luck Dinner at my RCIA class tomorrow night, but I'll check back in afterwards and let you know how the reactions are from everyone!

Need Your Help!

So I am having trouble deciding what to bake for our Pot Luck dinner for next Monday's class. The trouble being that baking a pie is a little intimidating as I've never made one from scratch before.

This is where you come in! Please vote below, and whichever option wins by Saturday evening, I'll bake! Thanks in advance for your help! If you have any other suggestions besides the two listed, feel free to post them in the comments section.

Quizzes by Quibblo.com

Baking Adventure #4

This week's baking adventure is dedicated to one of my dearest and best friends in the world, Meredith!

We met way back when in 6th grade and neither distance nor time has keep us apart. She is one of those rare friends who you can go years without much communication, and then it will seem like no time has passed when reconnecting. (However, don't steal her napkin or she'll get mad at you for entire day! hehe) We both share a pet peeve for bad grammar, the desire to be as healthy as possible while still enjoying amazing food, love for good family, and most importantly... a PASSION FOR BAKING!

Meredith is an amazing decorator! I, however, am not. I prefer the more rustic baked goods as my patience for decorating is minimal. Meredith has an amazing talent that's only just begun, but her modest self would tell you otherwise... You be the judge:

[Elmo cake picture courtesy of a facebook album of hers. Hope you don't mind!]

Due to the purpose behind my passion for baking being the joy it brings to people, it seems only appropriate to dedicate this blog to her, our friendship, the joy she brings to my life, and her amazing recipe for...

HUMMINGBIRD CUPCAKES!!!

This week's baking adventure is Meredith's version for Hummingbird Cupcakes. Typically, this recipe calls for a good bit of sugar and is on the unhealthy side. However, Meredith, the baking genius she is, made a healthier version that's just as delicious and not overly sweet.

What's a Hummingbird Cupcake you ask? It includes banana and pineapple in the cake batter and a (reduced fat) cream cheese frosting. Upon researching the reasoning behind the name for this cake, I came across some interesting symbolism behind and facts about Hummingbirds that coincide with our friendship as well as the way we both view life.

Pulled from http://symbolism.wikia.com, the Hummingbird is "a symbol of love, joy, and beauty. The Hummingbird is also able to fly backwards, teaching us that we can look back on our past. But, this bird also teaches that we must not dwell on our past; we need to move forward. When the hummingbird hovers over flowers while drinking nectar, we learn that we should savor each moment, and appreciate the things we love."

Everything happens for a reason, and our past shapes who we are today. Today is a gift, that's why it's called the present. Your friendship is a gift to me Meredith, and I'm so glad to have you in my life after all these years! This recipe is beyond appropriate and so let's begin the adventure...

First things first, Prep!

Next it was time to combine the dry and wet ingredients in their respective bowls and then blend together. Typically, I whisk and stir everything by hand. However, I pulled out an electric hand mixer given to me by an old friend (Thanks Carrie O!) to help speed up the process of the cupcakes. (TIP: If using an electric hand mixer, make sure you twist the bowl 360 degrees a few times while mixing in order to blend the ingredients completely.)

After the wet and dry ingredients were combined, it was time to fold in the smashed banana, crushed pineapple and some cinnamon. (Side note: I halved this recipe as I was just baking for the sake of the adventure and not for a party. It typically makes around 15-20 regular size cupcakes.)

After folding in the banana and pineapple, I spooned the batter into lined cups of the mini muffin pan. (Mini muffin sizes make it easier to share with lots of people!) If you want the cupcakes to puff up over the sides a bit, fill the cup liner up to about 7/8 of the liner itself. I highly recommend this as it creates a great shelf for holding the icing once the cupcakes have cooled.

While the cupcakes are baking in the oven, it's time to make the frosting! For me this is the best part of any cake or cupcake, and I judge baked goods based on the frosting alone if they call for it, i.e. birthday cake. If the frosting is subpar, then chances are I will not eat the cake part either. Yea, yea... maybe I'm a little judgmental but come on! Who doesn't agree that frosting is the best part?

{This is what happens when you neglect to lock the whisks into place in the electric mixer. Oopsy!}

After the frosting was prepared and the second batch of cupcakes were in the oven (I only have one mini muffin pan, so it took 4 batches to get all of the batter baked.), I began to ponder how to make the Hummingbird cupcakes a little more fun, if you will. Sure, they're going to be delicious, but we eat with our eyes first before with our mouths. The frosting was white and so were the cupcakes themselves, and to me, white on white just is a little boring. So I had an "AH HA!" moment and decided to go get some food coloring. However, I still had another batch to bake. Well, this is the adventure part...

While the 4rd and final batch was in the oven, I SPRINTED down the elevator, out the doors of my building, across the parking lot of the grocery, down the baking aisle, grabbed the food coloring, ran to the checkout (where someone yelled "RUN FOREST RUN!" to me), paid, and ran back through the parking lot, through the doors of the building, back up the elevator, and back home. Yea, I know you're never supposed to leave the oven unattended... but shhh, just don't tell anyone k? It'll be our little secret AND I arrived with about 5 minutes to spare left in the baking.

Once I got the proper coloring in the frosting (I went with orange), it was time to frost the cooled cupcakes. This is when the pretty simple cupcake recipe road turned a little curvy and bumpy. As a result of my hot kitchen (lots of heat + small areas = hot kitchen... need a better ventilation system) and the thinner frosting resulting from the food coloring, I had a bit of a mess upon piping onto the cupcakes and had to stick them in the freezer/fridge to set. These weren't the prettiest of my creations, but they were quite tasty!

After the cupcakes were baked and frosted, I was off to my first group of taste testers: the Buckhead Cigar Club family. While there, I got my second request for more Snickerdoodles and a glass of wine in trade for a cupcake! I'd say this baking adventure was a success!!!

Thanks so much Meredith for the recipe and your amazing unconditional friendship and love throughout the years! I cannot wait for N&T to become a reality!

That's it for this baking adventure! If you're curious as to the recipe, please let me know (comment section below) and I will check with Meredith and see if sharing is allowed. If not, you can always place a request in the comment section below as well and I'd gladly bake you some! ;-)

...Until the next baking adventure folks!