Blueberries-and-Cream Mall Muffins

Our house is overflowing with frozen berries after a summer of nothing but berry picking:

raspberries, strawberries, blueberries and blackberries.

And apparently, my mom likes muffins.

I always thought pound cake was her only preference.

Well, she also said flat muffins didn't taste as good as the huge mushroom cap muffins.


Right...

Anyhow... voilà!

Blueberries-and-Cream Mall Muffins

from A Passion for Baking by Marcy Goldman

2 1/4 cups sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
4 large eggs
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp each pure lemon and orange extract, optional
5 cups, approximately, all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk
(to substitute: 1 tbsp vinegar or lemon juice + milk to make 1 cup; let sit for 5 - 10 minutes)
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups semi-frozen blueberries

Preheat oven to 425 F. Arrange oven rack to middle position (which is the upper third of many ovens).

Generously spray a 12-cup large or standard muffin pan or a 24-cup small muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray and then line with paper muffin liners. Place pan on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.

In a mixer bowl, blend sugar with oil and butter. Briskly add eggs, vanilla, and other extracts. Fold in 4 coups flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Blend somewhat before next blending in buttermilk and sour cream. Batter should be quite thick; if not, add a touch more flour. Gently fold in berries with a spatula, trying not to break them apart.

Using a large ice-cream scoop, scoop a very large amount of batter into prepared muffin cups, loading them as full as you can. You need almost a scoop and a half of batter per cup. Dust tops of mussinw tiah little sugar. (optional)

Bake 15 minutes at 425°F (220°C); then reduce oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) and bake until muffins are golden brown and spring back when gently pressed with fingertips, about 12 to 16 more minutes. Let col 5 minutes before removing from pan.

For two 8- x 4-inch loaves, bake at 350°F (175°C) for 45 minutes or more, using same fingertip test for doneness.

Homemade Almond Joy

As soon as I saw this on Joy the Baker, it was destiny: I knew I had to make it.

 

My mom is a huge fan of coconut.

And every nut you can possibly think of...

 

The perfect solution: coconut + almonds

And a little condensed milk wouldn't hurt, right?

 
How about... dipped in chocolate?

Mine didn't turn out very pretty.

Whatever...

Chocolate is chocolate.


Homemade Almond Joy
from Joy the Baker 

7 ounces sweetened condensed milk

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

pinch of salt

2 1/2 cups unsweetened flaked coconut

30 almonds

about 20 ounces (a bag and a half) of good quality semi sweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, spread raw almonds onto a baking sheet and toast for about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

In a medium bowl, whisk together sweetened condensed milk, powdered sugar, salt and vanilla extract.  Stir in the unsweetened coconut.  The mixture will be thick.  Place mixture in the freezer for 3o minutes.  It’s easier to work with if it’s a little cold.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Remove the coconut mixture from the freezer.  With clean hands shape one tablespoon of coconut into a little log about 2 inches long and 3/4-inch thick.  Press the logs together very well so they don’t crack when dipped.

Place the log on the lined baking sheet and continue until all of the coconut mixture is gone.  Rinse hands occasionally if they get too sticky.  Press an almond on top of each coconut log.  It might not completely stick.  That’s ok.  Place the baking sheet in the fridge to chill while you melt the chocolate.

Place a medium  pot with two inches of water over a medium flame.  Bring the water to a simmer.  Place chocolate chips in a heat proof bowl and place the bowl over the simmering water.  Stir the chocolate as it melts.  Turn off the flame once the chocolate has melted but keep the bowl of melted chocolate over the hot water.

Remove the coconut candies from the fridge.  Place one coconut almond log on a fork.  Use a spoon to scoop a bit of chocolate over the almond.  This will help the almond stick to the candy and not fall off during dipping.  Lower fork into chocolate and spoon chocolate over candy to coat.  Lift fork and gently shake to release some of the chocolate.  Scrape the bottom of the fork along the side of the bowl and place on the lined baking sheet.  You might need a toothpick to help get the candy off the fork. Repeat until all candy is coated in chocolate.  If chocolate gets thick, just turn on the flame and heat slightly.

Let dipped candy harden in the fridge for 45 minutes.  Store in an airtight container at room temperature.  If you need to layer the candy in a container, use waxed paper to separate the layers.

Simple Butter Cookies

These are the simplest butter cookies - ever.

It wasn't even a matter of picking and choosing. (maybe except for which cookie cutter to use)

I was visiting someone and I knew exactly what they would like :)

Simple as that.

If only the same rule applied to everything else...

The recipe is from my recipe book that I started (and stopped) writing out.

Which is why the sentences are so choppy.

Too lazy to copy word-for-word, I kept the bare essentials.

Simple Butter Cookies

1 cup butter
1 cup icing sugar
2 cups flour

Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Beat butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar; beat well. Stir in flour. Mix on low. Roll in 1/4 inch. Cut using cookie cutter. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove when cooled. 

Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies

Cranberry Craze #3

I hate unfinished business.

So... Here we go.

Just before posting, I was just in the middle of a mini marathon of Disney songs.

My all time favorites: The Lion King, Pocahontas, Aladdin, and Beauty & the Beast...

(and what do you know, I was singing in that order..)

Random fact: I can sing A Whole New World en français :)

Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies
(source: unknown)

2 large eggs
1 3/4 cups brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup cooking oil
1 tsp vanilla

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda

1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup white chocolate chips

Beat eggs and brown sugar in large bowl until thick and pale. Add cooking oil and vanilla. Beat until smooth.

Combine next 3 ingredients in small bowl. Add to brown sugar mixture in 2 additions, mixing well after each addition until no dry flour remains.

Add cranberries and chocolate chips. Mix well. Chill, covered, for 1 hour. Roll into balls, using 1 tbsp for each. Arrange about 2 inches (5 cm) apart on greased cookie sheets. Bake in 375°F (190°C) oven for about 10 minutes until golden. Let stand on cookie sheets for 5 minutes. Remove cookies from cookie sheets and place on wire racks to cool.

Note: I was being lazy so I stuck my cookie batter in the freezer for 15 minutes.
I'm no baking expert (especially when it comes to "chilled" cookies) but maybe this is why my cookies turned very soft.

Cranberry Cheese Muffins

Cranberry Craze #2

I know I should really be studying for my CENS (Central Eastern Northern European Studies) midterm but I haven't finished my Cranberry Craziness.

It's not that I don't want to study.
To be honest, this course is my favorite out of everything I've taken so far.

What's it about?

Err.. Representations of the Holocaust.

Yes, I know. My idea of "fun" is learning about the actions of Reserve Police Battalion 101 in the General Government of Poland during Aktion Reinhard in '42.

But.. yeah. I think I'll stop there.

Cranberry Cheese Muffins
(source: unknown)


3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1 cup dried cranberries
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried thyme (I omitted this... because I didn't have any)

2 large eggs
1 cup milk
1/3 cup cooking oil

Measure the first 8 ingredients into large bowl. Stir. Make a well in center.

Beat remaining 3 ingredients in medium bowl. Add to well. Stir until just moistened. Fill 12 greased muffin cups 3/4 cull. Bake in 375°F (190°C) oven for 20 to 25 minutes until wooden pick installed in center of muffin comes out clean. Let stand in pan for 5 minutes.
Remove muffins from pan and place on wire rack to cool.

Cranberry Almond Biscotti

Cranberry Craze #1

October 9th, 2010 was the Annual Fort Langley Cranberry Festival.

My only memory of the Cranberry Festival is from last year (or maybe it the year before):
the ridiculous line-up at the free pancake breakfast. Oh, and the box of cranberry scones we devoured. So my mom and I decided not to go this year.

I had to study for midterms my one and only midterm anyway.
Or read Robert Graves’ Goodbye to All That.
Or work on my online course (Earth’s Gems and Jewels).

What ended up happening? None of the above.

Later that day, I was given a bag of fresh cranberries from someone who had been at the festival. Now, I’ve never worked with cranberries before. Berries sure, but never cranberries.
And I had no idea what to do with them.

What to do, what to do…

Answer: Bake! (what else?)

My mom had borrowed a recipe book – just on cranberries.
And that is where the Cranberry Craze began.
I ended up baking three variations of cranberry products
– all on the same day.

But I won’t bore you with all three at once.

Cranberry & Almond Biscotti
(source: unknown)

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup cold butter, cut up
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp almond extract
2/3 cup dried cranberries
2/3 cup whole almonds

Combine first 4 ingredients in large bowl. Cut in margarine until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in center.

Beat eggs and extract with fork in small bowl until frothy. Add to well. Mix until stiff dough forms. Turn out onto lightly floured surface. Shape dough into ball. Flatten slightly.

Sprinkle cranberries and almond over top. Press down lightly. Fold dough in half to enclose cranberries and almonds. Knead for 1 to 2 minutes until evenly distributed. Divide dough into 4 equal portions. Shape each portion into 6 inch (15 cm) long log. Place logs crosswise on greased cookie sheets about 2 inches (5 cm) apart. Flatten logs slightly.

Bake in 350°F (175°C) oven for about 20 minutes until golden. Let stand on cookie sheet for about 20 minutes until cool enough to handle. Using serrated knife, cut logs diagonally into 1/2 inch (12 mm) slices. Arrange evenly spaced apart on greased cookie sheets.

Reduce heat to 300°F (150°C). Bake for about 20 minutes, turning at halftime, until dry and crisp. Let stand on cookie sheets for 5 minutes. Remove biscotti from cookie sheets and place on wire racks to cool.

Bagles (Plain/Cheddar Cheese)

I love bagels.

I used to work at a bagel cafe in our neighborhood. They had about 20 different kinds
(I'm not joking!) of new york style, boiled bagels. Plain, Whole Wheat, Cranberry, Multi-grain, Cheddar Cheese, Cheese and Herb, Sesame Seeds, Poppy Seeds...
I could go on and on. 

But. My ultimate favorite was chocolate chip. A hot chocolate chip bagel just out of the toaster smothered in butter. It was like having a chocolate chip cookie for breakfast.I had one everyday - usually in the car as I drove to school in the mornings. As I ate one half, I would keep the other half wrapped up in tin foil so the heat wouldn't escape.

Sadly, the cafe doesn't make them anymore. Under new ownership, they only make about 5 different kinds. Which I could live with if the bagels were the same. I think they have a new baker. They added a few other types of bread - ones you usually see in Korean bakeries. They also serve gelato, which is great. But.. it just isn't the same. Oh well. Life goes on. I've learned to live without my chocolate chip bagels in the morning.

So I decided to make my own. This recipe is from www.17andbaking.com, another wonderful blog. Despite having the story of success in front of my eyes, I was skeptical at first. Home-made bagels? Me? I anticipated failure - so that I wouldn't be disappointed.

The results? Let's just say I made another (double) batch 2 days later. 

Plain Bagels
from 17 and Baking

2 tsp dry yeast
1 1/2 tbsp sugar
1 1/4 cups (300 ml) warm water
3 1/2 cups (500 g) unbleached flour, plus extra for kneading
1 1/2 tsp salt

For Cheddar Cheese Bagels
Ingredients for Plain Bagels +
1 c shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese, for topping
1 egg white, beaten

Sprinkle the yeast and sugar into 1/2 cup of the water in a small bowl. Leave for 5 minutes and then stir to dissolve. In a large bowl, mix the flour and salt together. Form a well in the center and pour in the dissolved yeast.

Pour half of the remaining water into the well. Mix in the flour and stir in the reserved water as needed, forming a firm and moist dough. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Gradually work in as much additional flour as possible while comfortably kneading to form a stiff and firm dough. (For cheddar cheese bagels, add 1 c grated cheddar cheese before kneading.)

Put the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, turning the dough to coat it. Cover with a towel and let rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size. Punch down and let the dough rest 10 minutes.

Divide the dough into 8 pieces. Shape each piece into a ball – cup between your hands and press the bottoms together between your palms. Press down to get rid of air bubbles and roll the dough between your palm and the work surface to form a smooth ball. Coat a finger in flour and press it through each ball to form a ring.

Work the rest of your fingers into the hole, stretching the ring and widening the hole to about 1/3 of the bagel’s diameter. Place the bagels on a lightly oiled baking sheet and cover with a damp towel. Let rest for 10 minutes and preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).

Bring a large pan of water to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Use a perforated skimmer to lower the bagels into the water in batches of 2-3. Boil, uncovered, until they rise to the surface, about 1 minute. Turn them over once. Then remove from the pan, letting the water drain, and transfer to a lightly oiled baking sheet. (For cheese bagels, brush top of bagels with egg white. Sprinkle a tablespoon of cheddar cheese on top) Bake 20 minutes, until golden, and cool on a wire rack.

Pear Spice Cake with Walnut Praline Topping

Can anyone think of a better way to begin October than baking with a friend?

No? I didn't think so.

Jessica (a dear friend from high school whom, I might add, I have not seen for... years) and I have been planning a get-together - yes, to bake! I don't know why we didn't think of it sooner. All we needed to figure out: where, when, & what.

While we were planning, Jessica told me about this website: www.joythebaker.com - and it was love at first sight. The design and writing is very cute. I highly recommend it.

So for days, I went through Joy's Recipe Index trying to find the perfect one. But being the typical indecisive me, I couldn't choose. (As you can tell, I have serious issues with my indecisiveness if a baker can't even choose what she wants to bake).

Here is our finished product: with all of its yummy gooey goodness.

While we were waiting for our cake to finish baking, we watched a video of Joy and her friend Jill (Joy & Jill Bake Out) making Apple Tart Tatin. I have a feeling that might be our next project. You never know. We might even start our own Hannah & Jessica Bake Out!

Pear Spice Cake with Walnut Praline Topping

from Joy the Baker

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground allspice
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla
1  cups buttermilk
3 pears, peeled, cored and diced into roughly 1/2-inch pieces (about 1 to 1 1/4 cups of fruit)
1 cup walnuts (3 ounces), toasted , cooled, and finely chopped

Make cake:
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour bundt pan.

Sift together flour,  baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. Beat together butter, sugar, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg in another bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes in a standing mixer or 4 with a handheld. Add yolks 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to low, then add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately in batches, mixing well after each addition.  Fold in pear pieces and chopped walnuts.

Beat egg whites in another bowl with cleaned beaters until they just hold stiff peaks, then fold whites into batter gently but thoroughly.

Spoon batter into pan, smoothing top, and bake until a wooden pick or skewer comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes. Cool cake in pan on a rack 10 minutes, then invert onto rack and cool completely.

Walnut Praline Topping

3/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup whipping cream
1 cups walnuts, roughly chopped, toasted

Stir golden brown sugar, whipping cream and  1/2 cup butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat until smooth. Boil 3 minutes, stirring often. Stir in walnut pieces. Spoon warm topping over warm cake. Serve warm or at room temperature.