Eggnog Fudge

It's the most wonderful baking time of the year!  I whipped up some easy eggnog fudge to add something different to my cookie tray this year.

I'm not going to pretend to be a super fan of eggnog, but put the flavors into fudge and it works out nicely.

Eggnog Fudge
From Real Housemoms

Ingredients
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup butter
2/3 cup eggnog
1 tsp nutmeg, plus more for sprinkling
12 oz white chocolate
7 oz marshmallow cream
1 tsp vanilla

1. Grease a 9 inch square pan.**
2. In a medium saucepan combine sugar, butter, eggnog, and nutmeg.  Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. When it comes to a rolling boil, insert a candy thermometer. Heat to 235 degrees F.  This will take about 10 minutes.
3. Remove pan from heat and add white chocolate, vanilla, and marshmallow cream. Stir until mixture is fluffy and has lost its shine.
4. Spread evenly into prepared pan.  Cool completely before cutting into squares.

**I found the fudge difficult to get out of the pan, so I would recommend lining it with parchment paper.

Don't be intimidated by the candy thermometer!  I just used the digital thermometer I use for cooking meats and everything worked out perfectly.

I wish you all a sweet holiday season!

Cranberry Bliss Bars, Starbucks Copycat Recipe

If you have never tried a cranberry bliss bar from Starbucks, I am really quite sorry for you.  However, luck is on your side, because now you can make them in your very own kitchen!

These are going to be a great addition to my Christmas dessert tray. I love a good bar cookie recipe because you don't have to keep rotating cookie sheets all day long.



Cranberry Bliss Bars
From Recipe Girl

Ingredients
1 1/2 sticks of butter
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
3/4 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup dried cranberries
6 oz white chocolate chips

8 oz cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
6 oz white chocolate, melted
1/2 cup dried cranberries

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 13x9 inch pan, set aside. Melt butter a small bowl in the microwave, stir in brown sugar. In a large mixing bowl mix butter and sugar mixture with 2 eggs and vanilla.  Gradually add flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
2. Gently stir in cranberries and white chocolate chips. Spread into prepared pan, batter will be thick and almost dough-like. Bake 18-21 minutes. Cool completely.
3. Using a hand mixer, combine cream cheese and powdered sugar. Beat in half of the melted white chocolate.  Spread over cooled bars. Sprinkle with cranberries and drizzle with remaining white chocolate.



I chose to cut mine in triangles because that is what Starbucks does.  Feel free to just make rectangles or just eat the whole pan with a fork while watching Lifetime Christmas movies.

Apple Streusel Cheesecake Bars

THESE ARE EVERYTHING!

It's a cheesecake!

It's an apple crisp!

It's so much graham cracker crust!

Apple Streusel Cheesecake Bars

Ingredients
For the crust:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 stick melted butter
1/4 cup sugar

For the cheesecake:
3 packages cream cheese
3/4 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

For the apples:
3 apples, peeled, cored, finely chopped
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

For the streusel:
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup flour
1/2 cup oats
1/2 cup butter, softened

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Mix together melted butter and graham cracker crumbs. Press into a 13x9 inch pan. Bake for 10 minutes.
2. Wipe out that bowl and mix cheesecake filling together until smooth.  Pour onto crust.
3. Wipe out the same bowl and mix the apples with cinnamon and sugar.  Spread evenly over cheesecake layer.
4. Mix the streusel ingredients together until it resembles wet sand.  Sprinkle evenly over the apples.  Bake for 40-45 minutes or until filling is set and streusel is browned.  Cool for at least 3 hours before slicing into bars.

This makes a ton of massive bars so your Christmas crowd will be stuffed for sure. Enjoy!

Brownie + Cookie = Brookie

It's time for the 3rd annual Christmas cookie party! You can see our previous parties here and here.

I baked up a massive batch of brookies to bring to the event. What is this mythical brookie I speak of? Why, it's when a chocolate chip cookie and a brownie come together in the words of Grayson from Top Chef "like sex in the mouth."

Yes, they are that good.

Brookies
From Cookies and Cups

Ingredients

For the cookie dough:
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups flour
2 cups chocolate chips

For the brownie
1 box brownie mix, 18oz
1 1/4 cup flour
3 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil

1. Preheat oven to 350. Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy.
2. Add eggs and vanilla and mix. Mix in baking soda, salt, and flour until combined. Then stir in chocolate chips. Set aside.
3. Mix flour and brownie mix. Add in eggs and oil and stir until combined.
4. To assemble the cookies: Take a tablespoon full of each dough and roll together. Bake 2 inches apart for 9-10 minutes on an ungreased cookie sheet. Cool for 3-4 minutes on sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

*Note: If you only have 1 cookie sheet to bake with, put the dough in the fridge while each batch bakes in the oven.

This recipe makes a ton of cookies and you will be glad because they are delicious!

We will definitely all be eating cookies for days. Excellent work everyone!

Green Tea Chocolate Cake

I got a free can of matcha powder from an Amazon seller a few weeks ago.  It was fine as a cup of hot tea, but I wanted to know what else this perplexing green powder can do.  A quick internet search led me to see I could bake with it!

And so I give you green tea chocolate cake!

Green Tea Chocolate Cake

From Crepes of Wrath

Ingredients

1 3/4 cup flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

3 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup sour cream or plain yogurt

1/3 cup cocoa powder

2-3 tbsp matcha powder

1. Preheat oven to 350 and grease an 8x8 inch pan. Beat butter and sugar until light an fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until combined. Slowly add in flour, baking powder, milk, and sour cream.

2. Take half of the batter into another bowl and mix in cocoa powder. Mix matcha powder to the first bowl. 

3. Place alternating dollops of the batter in the prepared pan.  Use a knife to swirl. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely before serving.

I know this sounds totally weird, but it is delicious I promise. Try the batter with 2 tbsp of powder before you go and add another to the mix to see if you like the flavor.

This would be a fun addition to your Christmas baking...because it's green and it's delicious! Also, since it has tea in it you can totally eat it for breakfast.

Gingerbread Bundt Cake

It is not often I take on a recipe like this.  From scratch, more than 10 ingredients, definitely not a KTC recipe.

I promise you there is nothing difficult about this recipe and it truly is delicious with all the flavors of Christmas mixed in there.

Gingerbread Bundt Cake
Adapted From Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients
1 cup stout beer, I used Left Hand Nitro Stout
1 cup molasses
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
3 eggs
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
powdered sugar for dusting

1. Preheat oven to 350. Generously butter and flour a bundt pan, knock out the excess flour.
2. Bring stout and molasses to a boil in a saucepan. Remove from heat and stir in baking soda. Cool to room temperature.
3. Mix flour, baking powder, and spices in a large mixing bowl.  In a separate bowl mix oil and sugars. Then whisk in oil and molasses mixture. Combine wet and dry ingredients.
4. Pour batter into prepared pan, bang on the counter a few times to release air bubbles. Bake 50 minutes, until toothpick comes out with just a few crumbs. Cool cake 5 minutes before removing from pan.
5. Dust cooled cake with powdered sugar. Enjoy!

This cake goes perfectly with a cup of tea.  You can also eat it for breakfast like I have been doing for the passed few days!

I wish you all a happy new year! I'll be back here in 2015.

Christmas Cookie Party

It cookie time folks! This is my second year hosting a cookie swap party.  The first was back in 2012 and can be seen here.

I decided to make treasure cookies.  They have all the ingredients of a magic square in cookie form.

Treasure Cookies

From Cookies and Cups

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 cups graham crackers, crushed
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
1 1/4 cup flaked coconut
2 cups chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 375. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Toss it all into a big bowl and mix it up.  Sorry, I just can be bothered with that whole separate bowl for dry and wet ingredients.
3. Scoop tablespoons of dough onto prepared pan leaving and inch or two for the cookies to spread. Bake 9-11 minutes, until edges are golden brown.
4.  Allow cookies to cool 3-4 minutes on the pan before removing them to a cooling rack.
5. Eat them all!!

So excited to use some new bake-ware!

Treasure cookies stay soft and chewy even days later.

Those are gingersnaps covered with marshmallow fluff, caramel, and pecans!

These are snowball cookies made with ground peanuts and filled with chocolate chips and peanut butter cups!

These are chocolate cookies filled with crushed peppermint and chocolate ganache!

Another successful evening of nonstop eating. I hope to do it all over again next year!

Homemade Marshmallows

Today was a pretty incredible day.  I made homemade marshmallows.  Not just any homemade marshmallows mind you, cinnamon dolce homemade marshmallows.  I almost feel bad telling you about it because I have a feeling you did something really lame today.  Like maybe you went to work?  I'm so sorry.  I made marshmallows.

Here you can see the line up of ingredients.  I used a Better Homes and Gardens recipe for these flavored marshmallows.

Flavored Marshmallows

From BHG

Ingredients

4 envelopes unflavored gelatin

3/4 cup water

3 cups granulated sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

1/2 cup purchased syrup, I used cinnamon dolce from Starbucks

1/4 tsp salt

Powdered sugar for cutting and dusting

1. Line a 13x9x2-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving paper handging over sides. Coat parchment paper with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.

2. To a very large mixing bowl add gelatin. Pour water over to cover completely; stir to combine. 
3. In a large saucepan combine the granulated sugar, corn syrup, flavored syrup, and salt over medium heat; stirring until sugar is completely melted. Bring sugar mixture to boiling over medium-high heat; attach a candy thermometer to saucepan. Boil 1 to 2 minutes more or until thermometer registers 240 degrees F.
4. Slowly add sugar mixture to gelatin bowl.  Mix on high until mixture is white and fluffy, about 5 minutes, and bowl is cool to the touch.
5. Transfer marshmallows to prepared pan.  Chill, uncovered, at least 4 hours or overnight.
6. When ready to cut, sift powdered sugar over top of marshmallows in pan. Turn out onto cutting board, remove paper.  Sift powered sugar on top.  Coat a sharp knife with powdered sugar and cut marshmallows into 1 inch squares.  Dredge squares in additional powdered sugar.  Eat up!

They came out of the parchment lined pan nicely.  I was worried, but check it out, perfect!

Piles of marshmallows and powdered sugar all over the place!

I packaged them in little baggies to give as gifts.  Don't you wish you could be so lucky!

Don't worry, I tested them out in a cup of hot cocoa.  They are a definite success!

Frosting Candy

If you like sugar, sugar, and more sugar, this candy is for you!

I used the recipe for buttercream pinwheel candies from Cookies and Cups.  For the filling I chose to use Speculoos Cookie Butter, courtesy of Trader Joe's.  I will say I used waaaaay more confectioners sugar than the recipe called for.  I had a lot of trouble getting the dough to form.

Buuuut let's move on to pictures of crazy sweet candies!

This is the dough rolled out.  Just sugar, butter, and milk here kids.

I would have liked more cookie butter flavor, but that was all I had left in the jar

I'll be straight up with you guys, these babies are way too sweet for me.  But they look pretty darn cute and everyone else seemed to enjoy them so who am I to judge!

Christmas baking is complete, now what to cook up for new year's eve?

Cake Batter Truffles

I'm going to blow your mind with this one guys.  Cake batter truffles!  Best part about them? They knock cake pops on their ass in flavor and ease of preparation!!  That's right, I went there.  I think they are better than cake pops and they are so much easier.  It's a no brainer guys.  Forget the cake pops, ditch the oven, and get with these cake batter truffles.

Cake Batter Truffles
Adapted from Averie Cooks

3 cups white cake mix
1 1/2 cups sweetened condensed milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
optional: food coloring, I used green to make them festive for Christmas
optional: sprinkles to top finished truffles
3 cups chocolate chips

1. Combine first 4 ingredients in a mixing bowl.  Let dough set up in fridge for 15-20 minutes.
2. Roll dough into balls.  I made mine about a half a tablespoon big. Freeze balls for 30 minutes until firm.
3. Melt chocolate in microwave safe bowl 30 seconds at a time, stirring after each set of 30 seconds.
4. Coat frozen balls on melted chocolate.  Top with sprinkles for some extra flair.

These babies are pretty darn decadent and would make a fabulous addition to your holiday cookie tray.  They would also be a great homemade gift.  So hop to it guys, your guests will be glad you made them.  You can thank me later.

Chocolate Candy Canes

I saw this idea on one of my many pinterest binges.  This blogger made then with full size candy canes, but I figure no one likes candy canes that much so I made them with mini candy canes.

First I melted the candy in the oven.  I gave them a little extra push together using some toothpicks to help me out when they came out of the oven.

Then I melted come chocolate candy melts in a piping bag and filled in the little hearts.

I must say I think the mini canes just add to the cuteness of it all.

I think they make lovely little gift toppers.

Christmas Tree Cupcakes

When I heard there was a baking contest at my company's holiday party I knew I needed to be a part of it.  I also knew I needed to win (or at least put in a serious effort to win).  After hours and days of scouring the internet for adorable cupcake ideas I settled on the Christmas tree.

For the cupcake itself I made mint chocolate chip brownie cupcakes a la Martha Stewart. I put in an entire bag of mint chocolate chips (these were my own addition).

I also used her butter cream frosting recipe for these cupcakes.

I was hesitant to even share these recipes with you because there is a terrifying amount of butter involved. Do yourself a favor and don't look at the recipes ok? It's better no one knows how terrible these are for you to consume.

I found sugar sheets at Michael's and used it to make the stars.  I made a stencil and then used an exacto knife to cut them out.  Then I dusted the stars with pearl dust (I splurged).

I decorated the trees with some Christmas sprinkles that I like to think look like lights.

How freaking cute are they!? 

And yeaaaaaaaaa I won the baking contest!!!!!!!!!

Christmas Cookie Batch 7

AHHHHH! We forgot about a cookie!! Yes 7 different kinds of cookies, 8 if you count the snaps that are on the tray. Happy Birthday Jesus, I hope you like cookies instead of cake!

These are lemon ricotta cookies a la Giada De Laurentiis

I've got one more dessert present coming up next!

Christmas Cookies, Batch 3, 4, 5, 6

Yes that's right, 6 kinds of cookies all tolled. Are we insane? Maybe. Are we cooking even more than just 6 kinds of cookies? Yes, so lookout for more food shortly.

Chocolate Crinkles

Pignoli (pine nut) cookies

Nut balls rolled in confectioners and granulated sugar

Spritz cookies, made into those fun shapes with a cookie press that was both exciting and infuriating all rolled into one.