Thursday, September 17, 2009

Chocolate Strawberry Tart



I'm not the biggest fan of tarts, but today I had a large box of strawberries and some chocolate on hand, and we all know that theirs nothing better than chocolate & strawberries!!

Ingredients:
-90 gr (3 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
-1 Tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
-3 Tablespoons water
-1 Tablespoon sugar
-1/8 teaspoon salt
-150 g (5 ounces) all purpose flour

How-to:
1.In a saucepan melt butter, add the oil, water, sugar, and pinch of salt. Don’t bring it to a boil, just let the butter melt & mix the ingredients well. 2. In a bowl add melted butter & mix with a fork until you form a dough. 3.Let it rest 4.I used small individual tart pans, and formed small circles and pressed them into the pans. 5.Cut off excess dough and prick the dough with a fork. 6. Bake in the oven for 15-20minute or until golden brown. 7.Take out of oven and let the tarts cool completely.

Filling:
*large bar of dark chocolate or any of your choice
*Strawberries

How-to:
1. Melt chocolate in microwave or with the water bath method. Personally prefer the water bath method. 2. When chocolate is melted, scoop about a full tablespoon into each tart 3. Slice strawberry’s & arrange them on top of the chocolate. 4.Add whop cream of your choice on top of the tarts & enjoy!

Saturday, September 12, 2009

Ka3b lghzal *Moroccan Cookies*


One of my favorite cookies! if you love almonds this will blow your mind away!

Knafa *Middle Eastern dessert*


I just made this last week, recipe coming soon!

Mini Chocolate cake layered with roasted crushed almonds

Ingredints:

*2 cups sugar*
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
*3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
*1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
*1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
*1 teaspoon salt
*2 eggs
*1 cup milk
*1/2 cup vegetable oil
*2 teaspoons vanilla extract
*1 cup boiling water

Directions

1. Grease your pan & preheat oven to 350
2. In a bowl mix the following:

-Flour
-Sugar
-Cocoa
-Baking Powder
-Baking soda
-Salt
3. combine the ingredients above, then slowly add the eggs one at a time, then add the milk & oil & vanilla. Mix will for approximately two minutes, add the warm water.

4. Divide the batter evenly between the pans & bake for 30-35 minutes. (Start working on your frosting)
5. Cool for ten minutes on racks, then remove the cake from the pans and let them cool completely.


Chocolate frosting:

*1/2 Cup butter or margarine *approximately one stick* @ room temperature
*2/3 Cup Hershey’s coco
*3Cups powdered sugar
*1/3Cup Milk
*1teaspoon Vanilla extract

Directions:
1. Make sure butter is at room temperature because its easier to work with when making your own frosting.
2. In a large bowl combine the butter with the cocoa
3. Slowly add the milk & sugar
4. Mix well until frosting is consistent, if frosting appear too hard add a few teaspoons of milk
5. Finally stir in vanilla

Filling:
Toast almonds in the oven (375*) for 10minutes, then crush them using a food processor. When you layer the cake with every layer of frosting place a layer of almonds.

Enjoy

Carrot Cupcakes!


Recipe coming soon.

Chocolate Cupcakes with cappuccino frosting !


If you love chocolate & coffee then this is your perfect morning snack ;)

Chocolate cupcakes:
-1box of devil’s food chocolate cake mix
*Follow directions on box.

Frosting Cream Cheese Icing:
*4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature2
* Tbsp butter, room temperature
*2 cups powdered sugar
*3 Tbsp milk
*2tsp of powdered cappuccino (you can add more or less depending on flavor)
Directions:
Cream butter and cream cheese until silky, then slowly add the sugar and milk. When all ingredients are mixed together slowly add in the cappuccino poweder. Taste to see if the frosting is at the desired taste. Place the frosting in the refrigerator for about 20minutes.

Decorating:
*1bar of dark chocolate

When cupcakes are fully cooled start to frost the cupcakes with the frosting. After all cupcakes are frosted take a potato peeler and start peeling the chocolate bar over cupcakes and they should look like the cupcakes above. For best results the chocolate bar should be cold , its easier to work with. Place cupcakes in fridge

Red Velvet Mini Cake


This was my first time making red velvet from scratch, so I decided to turn to the queen of baking Martha! The following recipe is adapted from her website (http://www.marthastewart.com/). I did make small changes; I did not use a cupcake pan but made it in a normal square pan then when the cake was completely cool I cut out circles with a plastic cookie cutter.

Ingredients:
· 2 1/2 cups cake flour (not self- rising), sifted ( I used cake flour)
· 2 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
· 1 teaspoon salt
· 1 1/2 cups sugar
· 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
· 2 large eggs, room temperature
· 1/2 teaspoon red gel-paste food color
· 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
· 1 cup buttermilk
· 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
· 2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk together cake flour, cocoa, and salt.
2. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, whisk together sugar and oil until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Mix in food color and vanilla.
3. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of buttermilk, and whisking well after each. Stir together the baking soda and vinegar in a small bowl (it will foam); add mixture to the batter, and mix on medium speed 10 seconds.
4. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes. Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.
5. To finish, use a small offset spatula to spread cupcakes with frosting. Refrigerate up to 3 days in airtight containers; bring to room temperature before serving.

Cream Cheese frosting:
Ingredients
Ingredients
· 8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
· 12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
· 1 pound (4 cups) confectioners' sugar, sifted
· 3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Directions
1. Beat butter and cream cheese with a mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low. Add sugar, 1 cup at a time, and then vanilla; mix until smooth. Frosting can be refrigerated for up to 3 days; before using, bring to room temperature, and beat until smooth.

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Chocolate Strawberry Tart



I'm not the biggest fan of tarts, but today I had a large box of strawberries and some chocolate on hand, and we all know that theirs nothing better than chocolate & strawberries!!

Ingredients:
-90 gr (3 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
-1 Tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
-3 Tablespoons water
-1 Tablespoon sugar
-1/8 teaspoon salt
-150 g (5 ounces) all purpose flour

How-to:
1.In a saucepan melt butter, add the oil, water, sugar, and pinch of salt. Don’t bring it to a boil, just let the butter melt & mix the ingredients well. 2. In a bowl add melted butter & mix with a fork until you form a dough. 3.Let it rest 4.I used small individual tart pans, and formed small circles and pressed them into the pans. 5.Cut off excess dough and prick the dough with a fork. 6. Bake in the oven for 15-20minute or until golden brown. 7.Take out of oven and let the tarts cool completely.

Filling:
*large bar of dark chocolate or any of your choice
*Strawberries

How-to:
1. Melt chocolate in microwave or with the water bath method. Personally prefer the water bath method. 2. When chocolate is melted, scoop about a full tablespoon into each tart 3. Slice strawberry’s & arrange them on top of the chocolate. 4.Add whop cream of your choice on top of the tarts & enjoy!

Saturday, September 12, 2009

Ka3b lghzal *Moroccan Cookies*


One of my favorite cookies! if you love almonds this will blow your mind away!

Knafa *Middle Eastern dessert*


I just made this last week, recipe coming soon!

Mini Chocolate cake layered with roasted crushed almonds

Ingredints:

*2 cups sugar*
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
*3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
*1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
*1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
*1 teaspoon salt
*2 eggs
*1 cup milk
*1/2 cup vegetable oil
*2 teaspoons vanilla extract
*1 cup boiling water

Directions

1. Grease your pan & preheat oven to 350
2. In a bowl mix the following:

-Flour
-Sugar
-Cocoa
-Baking Powder
-Baking soda
-Salt
3. combine the ingredients above, then slowly add the eggs one at a time, then add the milk & oil & vanilla. Mix will for approximately two minutes, add the warm water.

4. Divide the batter evenly between the pans & bake for 30-35 minutes. (Start working on your frosting)
5. Cool for ten minutes on racks, then remove the cake from the pans and let them cool completely.


Chocolate frosting:

*1/2 Cup butter or margarine *approximately one stick* @ room temperature
*2/3 Cup Hershey’s coco
*3Cups powdered sugar
*1/3Cup Milk
*1teaspoon Vanilla extract

Directions:
1. Make sure butter is at room temperature because its easier to work with when making your own frosting.
2. In a large bowl combine the butter with the cocoa
3. Slowly add the milk & sugar
4. Mix well until frosting is consistent, if frosting appear too hard add a few teaspoons of milk
5. Finally stir in vanilla

Filling:
Toast almonds in the oven (375*) for 10minutes, then crush them using a food processor. When you layer the cake with every layer of frosting place a layer of almonds.

Enjoy

Carrot Cupcakes!


Recipe coming soon.

Chocolate Cupcakes with cappuccino frosting !


If you love chocolate & coffee then this is your perfect morning snack ;)

Chocolate cupcakes:
-1box of devil’s food chocolate cake mix
*Follow directions on box.

Frosting Cream Cheese Icing:
*4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature2
* Tbsp butter, room temperature
*2 cups powdered sugar
*3 Tbsp milk
*2tsp of powdered cappuccino (you can add more or less depending on flavor)
Directions:
Cream butter and cream cheese until silky, then slowly add the sugar and milk. When all ingredients are mixed together slowly add in the cappuccino poweder. Taste to see if the frosting is at the desired taste. Place the frosting in the refrigerator for about 20minutes.

Decorating:
*1bar of dark chocolate

When cupcakes are fully cooled start to frost the cupcakes with the frosting. After all cupcakes are frosted take a potato peeler and start peeling the chocolate bar over cupcakes and they should look like the cupcakes above. For best results the chocolate bar should be cold , its easier to work with. Place cupcakes in fridge

Red Velvet Mini Cake


This was my first time making red velvet from scratch, so I decided to turn to the queen of baking Martha! The following recipe is adapted from her website (http://www.marthastewart.com/). I did make small changes; I did not use a cupcake pan but made it in a normal square pan then when the cake was completely cool I cut out circles with a plastic cookie cutter.

Ingredients:
· 2 1/2 cups cake flour (not self- rising), sifted ( I used cake flour)
· 2 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
· 1 teaspoon salt
· 1 1/2 cups sugar
· 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
· 2 large eggs, room temperature
· 1/2 teaspoon red gel-paste food color
· 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
· 1 cup buttermilk
· 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
· 2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk together cake flour, cocoa, and salt.
2. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, whisk together sugar and oil until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Mix in food color and vanilla.
3. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of buttermilk, and whisking well after each. Stir together the baking soda and vinegar in a small bowl (it will foam); add mixture to the batter, and mix on medium speed 10 seconds.
4. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes. Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.
5. To finish, use a small offset spatula to spread cupcakes with frosting. Refrigerate up to 3 days in airtight containers; bring to room temperature before serving.

Cream Cheese frosting:
Ingredients
Ingredients
· 8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
· 12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
· 1 pound (4 cups) confectioners' sugar, sifted
· 3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Directions
1. Beat butter and cream cheese with a mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low. Add sugar, 1 cup at a time, and then vanilla; mix until smooth. Frosting can be refrigerated for up to 3 days; before using, bring to room temperature, and beat until smooth.