Tag: Baked From Scratch

Mango Citrus Tart

I’ve owned a tart pan with a removable bottom for years and have only used it a handful of times. I believe I bought it to make a frangipane tart over 10 years ago. If you search my blog, you can find the recipe. The pictures are so bad from that post that I will refrain from posting the link.  In case you are wondering though, frangipane is basically as an almond tart. You can use almond flour, almond paste or ground almonds to make the custard filling and it usually has a fruit added in as well. I got to dust off my tart pan to make a Mango Citrus Tart I recently came across in an issue of Food Network Magazine. And don’t worry, you don’t have to peel or chop any mangoes to make this tart, you simply use frozen mango pulp thawed as the base for the filling.

Before I made the filling, I made the crust for the tart. In my food processor I processed graham crackers until they were finely ground before adding in melted butter. Once the mixture was combined, I pressed it into the bottom and up the sides of the tart pan. To make sure the crust was even and compact in the pan I used the bottom of a glass to press and smooth it down. After baking the crust, I let it cool on wire rack while I made the filling.

To make the filling I combined the mango puree with eggs, cornstarch, sugar, salt, lime and lemon juice in a medium saucepan. After whisking everything together until it was combined, I used a rubber spatula to stir it while heating it on medium-low heat until it was slightly thickened. Don’t make the same mistake I did, I stopped stirring for a few seconds and the mixture immediately started to bubble. Thankfully nothing bubbled over, and it didn’t scorch.  I removed the filling from the heat and stirred in unsalted butter until it melted.

Once the filling was ready, I placed the crust on a baking sheet and strained it through a fine mesh sieve directly into the cooled crust.

I then placed it in the oven for about 30 minutes. I ended up baking it a few minutes too long as the filling ended up cracking in a few places…

But it was nothing that a little whipped cream and lime zest couldn’t cover up and besides it didn’t alter the flavor of the tart one bit. It was delish! Not too sweet and the mango flavor was spot on!

Mango Citrus Tart

Ingredients:

For the crust:

14 whole graham crackers

2 tablespoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

6 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

For the filling:

1 14oz package frozen mango puree, thawed*

6 large eggs plus 2 egg yolks

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup lime juice

3 tablespoons lemon juice

Pinch of kosher salt

4 tablespoon unsalted butter, cubed

*To thaw the puree I placed it in the refrigerator overnight

For the topping:

1 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Zest of 1 lime

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

For the crust: Break the graham crackers into pieces and place in the bowl of a food processor along with the sugar and salt. Process until the crackers are finely ground. Add in the butter and pulse to combine. Press the mixture evenly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch tart pan. Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven until the crust is golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

For the filling: In a medium saucepan whisk together the mango puree, whole eggs, egg yolks, cornstarch, sugar, lime juice, lemon juice and salt until smooth and combined. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula, until the mixture begins to thicken, about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and add in the butter and stir until the butter has completely melted.

Place the cooled crust on a baking sheet. Strain the mango filling through a fine mesh sieve directly into the crust. Bake until the filling is set but the center is still a bit jiggly, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool to room temperature before refrigerating for 4 to 6 hours.

For the whipped cream: Combine the heavy cream, confectioners’ sugar and vanilla extract in a medium bowl and beat with a hand mixer on medium speed until stiff peaks form.

Prior to serving the tart top with the whipped cream and sprinkle zest on top.

Recipe from Food Network

Malted Chocolate Brownies

I’ve made quite a few desserts with malted milk powder as the star ingredient, and I must say none have ever disappointed. My favorite by far are the Malted Chocolate Chip Cookies I shared over 10 years ago and still make to this day – thankfully my pictures have improved since then! Today’s Malted Chocolate Brownies are a very close second though. These brownies are rich and decadent, but not overly sweet. The malted milk powder really enhances the chocolate flavor in them.

To start, I heated butter and sugar together in a saucepan over medium-low heat until the sugar mostly dissolved. I didn’t want to leave it on the heat too long and end up with the beginnings of caramel sauce. In a large bowl I whisked together eggs, vanilla extract, cocoa powder, malted milk powder, salt and baking powder. I slowly poured the butter mixture into the egg mixture and stirred everything together until it was smooth. I then stirred in the flour and finally folded in milk chocolate chips. I transferred the batter to a 9×13-inch baking pan I lined with parchment paper. And finally, I topped the batter with chopped malted milk balls (i.e. Whoppers).

After baking for about 35 minutes they were done. The malted milk balls on top ended up with a nice caramel color and some of the pieces that were still decent size after chopping them gave a nice malted milk taste to the brownies. Just a quick note in case you are thinking of doing the same, I actually didn’t slice these brownies the same day I baked them. I wrapped them in plastic wrap and kept them at room temperature and then sliced them the following day to try to keep them fresh an extra day or two. And, I will point out, as with most brownies, you should warm your knife under hot tap water before slicing. You will get cleaner slices that way.

If you are looking for more recipes with malted milk powder, check these out:

Malted Brownies

Malted S’mores Ice Cream

Chocolate Malted Cupcakes with Fluffy Vanilla Frosting

Malted Chocolate Brownies

Ingredients:

2 sticks unsalted butter

2 cups sugar

4 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 cup malted milk powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 cups flour

1 11.5 oz. bag milk chocolate chips

1 5 oz. package malted milk balls (Whoppers), roughly chopped or gently crushed in a resealable bag

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a 9×13-inch baking dish with parchment paper leaving an overhang on all sides.

In a medium saucepan heat the butter and sugar on medium-low heat until the butter melts and the sugar has mostly dissolved.

In a large bowl whisk the eggs and vanilla extract until combined. Whisk in the cocoa powder, malted milk powder, kosher salt and baking powder.

Gradually stir the butter mixture into the egg mixture and stir until smooth. Add the flour and stir until just combined. And finally, fold in the chocolate chips.

Spread the batter evenly into the prepared dish and top with the malted milk balls, pressing them lightly into the batter.

Baked in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, until the edges begin to pull away from the sides of the pan and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out mostly clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack to room temperature then slice. Store in an airtight container.

Recipe from Real Simple

Blueberry-Almond Quick Bread

Today’s post prompted me to do a little research on the difference between a quick bread (i.e. pumpkin or zucchini) and a loaf cake (i.e. a marble loaf cake) and what I ended up finding was some conflicting information. A few articles said quick breads are usually savory and often call for buttermilk (not entirely true) and then there was some baking science information regarding baking soda. What it comes to in basic terms is that quick breads are denser than loaf cakes. Something I completely agree with!

One of the best things I found about making this quick bread, a Blueberry-Almond Quick Bread that is, is that I didn’t have to break out my hand mixer or pull my stand mixer out from the corner of my kitchen counter. I simply used one whisk to whisk together the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet ingredients in another and then used a rubber spatula to fold everything together. It doesn’t get easier than that.

Initially I thought the recipe may have called for too many blueberries as the first few slices were heavily laden with them and there was barely any bread/cake, but after a few more slices the blueberries appeared to be more evenly dispersed.

And while this bread is dense, it is incredibly moist. The reason for both of those things, using oil instead of butter in the batter. Oil tends to result in a cake that has a more even crumb that can stay moist for days. So, why aren’t all cakes made with oil then? Well, because cakes made with butter tend to taste better. That should in no means deter you from making cakes with oil though. You just have to balance the flavors and add a little extra of this and that (spices, extracts and nuts) to get the flavor you want.

One last thing about this quick bread, it’s the perfect treat for any time of the day. Be it breakfast, brunch, an afternoon treat or a yummy dessert! Personally I had a piece for breakfast one day and dessert on another.

Blueberry Almond Quick Bread

Ingredients:

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup plain yogurt

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon flour

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup sliced almonds

1/2 cup old-fashioned oats

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 1/4 cups fresh blueberries

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray a 9 x 5 – inch loaf pan with cooking or baking spray.

In a large bowl whisk together the flour (1 1/2 cups), sugar, almonds, oats, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, baking soda and nutmeg.

In a medium bowl whisk together the vegetable oil, yogurt, eggs and vanilla extract until well combined and then fold into the flour mixture until just combined.

Toss the blueberries with the remaining tablespoon of flour and then fold into the batter.

Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan and bake in the oven for 55 to 65 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let the cake cool in the pan for 1 hour and then remove and place on a wire rack to cool completely.

Recipe from Food Network

Chocolate Salted Caramel Chip Cookies

You may have noticed that I have been experimenting with cake mixes recently. I posted three recipes in a row that used cake mixes as their base – a Banana Chocolate Marble Loaf Cake, a Chocolate Crumb Cake and a Peanut Butter Chocolate Marble Loaf Cake – and today I am sharing with you a recipe for cookies that uses a cake mix as their base. A Chocolate Salted Caramel Chip Cookie.

Cake Mix Cookies aren’t anything new. If you do a quick Google search for “Cake Mix Cookies” you will have your choice of recipes to try. I remember trying a recipe years ago and I just didn’t like it. I followed a recipe from a fellow blogger who ranted and raved about them, and I found the cookies to be flat and lacking flavor (they quickly went into the trash). Granted, from what I recall they didn’t do much to alter the “cake mix” flavor or texture. In other words, no add-ins like chocolate chips, vanilla extract, sprinkles, etc. Those small things go a long way in flavor and texture!

So, what made me want to try my hand at these cookies again? Well, not too long ago I bought two bags of Caramel Sea Salt Chips from Trader Joe’s. I knew I wanted to make a chocolate cookie with them, but I didn’t really want to follow the recipe that was on the bag. I am making a conscious effort to create recipes myself for the different things that pop into my head – I am still trying recipes I rip out of magazines and come across on social media and online that I will be sharing though. So, I did some brainstorming and decided to try my hand once again with cake mix cookies. I added in vanilla extract and coffee to help bring out the chocolate flavor. And I ended up with a cookie that was flavorful and thick. Definitely one that I will be making again and now that I have a good ratio of what to mix with the cake mix, I may experiment with other cake mix flavors!

A quick note, if you cannot find sea salt caramel chips you could use butterscotch chips instead and sprinkle the top of each cookie with sea salt prior to baking. One of my friends loved these cookies because of the sweet and salty combination but I told him not to get too attached since I did purchase the caramel chips from Trader Joe’s and things get discontinued there out of nowhere (I went to buy some spices a few weeks ago and all of a sudden they are no longer carrying ground ginger – HUH!?!). Thankfully Hershey’s makes their own version and butterscotch is a good alternative. 

Chocolate Salted Caramel Chip Cookies

  • Servings: 2 Dozen Cookies
  • Print

Ingredients:

1 15.25 oz. box chocolate cake mix (I used Duncan Hines Devil’s Food)

1 1/2 teaspoons instant coffee

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup salted caramel chips**

*I used Cafe Bustelo Instant Espresso.

**I used Trader Joe’s Caramel Sea Salt Chips. Hershey’s brand also sells Sea Salt Caramel Chips.

Directions:

In a large bowl combine the cake mix, instant coffee, vegetable oil, eggs and vanilla extract. Using a hand mixer on medium speed and beat until well combined. Stir in the caramel chips.

Refrigerate the dough for 1 hour. This will help to prevent the cookies from spreading while baking since the dough will be soft after mixing it together.

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Use a cookie scoop (1 1/2 tablespoons) to drop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets 2 inches apart.

Bake 10-11 minutes, until the cookies are set. The center of the cookies will look underbaked, but they will firm up as they cool. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Store in an airtight container.

Notes:

If you cannot find Salted Caramel Chips, you could use Butterscotch Chips and sprinkle the top of the scooped cookie dough with sea salt prior to baking.

Recipe first appeared on Bead Yarn & Spatula.

Cheesecake Marbled Carrot Loaf Cake

With Easter a few days away, you may be dusting off your recipe for Carrot Cake to bake for the holiday. I did a little research to figure out why carrots in general are popular this time of the year. And while I didn’t get a concrete answer it’s pretty much what I figured (and what I have possibly written before), it’s because of the Easter Bunny. Children would leave carrots out for the Easter Bunny to thank the bunny for their Easter Baskets usually filled with chocolate treats. Not a bad trade off if you ask me. And while I do like carrot cake itself – that wasn’t always the case, a few office birthdays turned by taste buds – I will admit the best part is the cream cheese frosting. So, when I came across a recipe for a carrot loaf cake that was layered with a cheesecake filling in the recent issue of Food Network Magazine, I knew I had to try it ASAP!

Now, normally when I make carrot cake, I grate the carrots using the shredding disc of my food processor. For this recipe it specifically stated that the carrots needed to be finely grated and I just didn’t feel like doing it by hand using a box grater (which the recipe suggested), so, I grated the carrots first using the shredding disc and then inserted the s-blade (the standard blade of most food processors) and pulsed the carrots a few times to get them finely grated. This saved me a lot of time and pain. One other extra step for this cake was toasting the pecans. If you like, you could swap the pecans for walnuts. I normally use walnuts when I make carrot cake, but I had some pecans in my refrigerator that I wanted to use before they expired.

Once the carrots were shredded and the pecans toasted, it was time to make the cake. I started by making the cheesecake filling. I whisked together cream cheese, an egg, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract and salt until smooth and refrigerated it until I was done making the batter. I made the batter by whisking together the dry ingredients in one bowl, the wet ingredients in another and then combining them and finally folding in the carrot and pecans. One thing I left out from the original recipe was crushed pineapple. I was concerned that leaving it out would result in my cake being a bit dry but that wasn’t the case at all. To get the marbled effect I alternated layers of the carrot cake batter and cream cheese filling in a 9 x 5 – inch loaf pan.

After baking and cooling the cake it I topped it with a cream cheese drizzle. And then it was time to enjoy a slice and it didn’t disappoint. It’s a quick and yummy alternative to your traditional carrot cake.

Looking for a more traditional carrot cake recipe, check these out:

Carrot Cake

Carrot Cake for Two

And a recipe for Carrot Cake with a Moroccan flair:

Spice Market Carrot Cake

Cheesecake Marbled Carrot Loaf Cake

Ingredients:

For the Cake:

3/4 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups finely grated peeled carrots

For the Filling:

1 8oz package cream cheese, at room temperature

1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

For the Icing:

2oz cream cheese, at room temperature

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Spray a 9 x 5 – inch loaf pan with cooking/baking spray and then line with parchment paper leaving an overhang on all sides.

Spread the chopped pecans on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 8-10 minutes, until the pecans are a shade or two darker. Allow to cool completely.

For the Filling:

In a medium bowl whisk the cream cheese until fluffy. Add in the confectioners’ sugar, egg, vanilla and salt and continue whisking until the mixture is smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.

For the Cake:

In a medium bowl whisk together the dry ingredients – flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl whisk together both sugars, oil, eggs and vanilla until smooth.

Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture and mix everything together with a rubber spatula until mostly combined. Add in the carrots and pecans and fold until just combined.

Spread a third of the cake batter (about 1 cup) into the prepared loaf pan. Dollop and spread half of the cream cheese filling over the batter stopping about a 1/2-inch from the edges. Repeat with another layer of the carrot cake batter and the remaining cream cheese filling and then top with the remaining carrot cake batter. Tap the pan on the counter a few times to remove any air bubbles and then bake in the preheated oven for 75 to 90 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Place the pan on a wire rack and let the cake cool for 1 hour inside of the pan and then use the parchment paper to remove the cake and place on the wire rack to cool completely.

For the Icing:

Whisk the cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl until smooth and fluffy. Add in the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla and salt and continue to whisk until the mixture is smooth. Transfer to a piping bag (or a resealable bag with a corner snipped) and pipe the icing on the cooled cake.

*The original recipe also called for an 8oz can of crushed pineapple (drained) added to the cake batter which I omitted.

Recipe from Food Network 

Almond Ricotta Cheesecake

I tend to buy ricotta cheese when it’s on sale with the idea that I am going to make baked ziti or possibly stuffed shells. I check the date and usually it’s not expiring for a month or two, so I think to myself “I have time.” What ends up happening is I remember that said ricotta cheese is in the fridge usually a week or two before it’s going to expire, and I start racking my brain on what to make with it. And of course, I am not in the mood to make anything Italian at that time. You would think I would have learned my lesson by now, but of course not. But it is how I came up with the recipe for today’s post, a quick and easy Almond Ricotta Cheesecake.

After combining six simple ingredients and pouring the batter into a 9-inch graham cracker crust I popped the cheesecake in the oven. Unfortunately, it did crack. I probably left it in the oven just a few minutes too long.

It didn’t ruin the taste though and some toasted sliced almonds covered up any imperfections. As well as a dusting of confectioners’ sugar. Now, if you’ve never had a ricotta cheese-based cheesecake, I should note that it’s not as smooth and creamy as a cream cheese one. Some may even say it’s a bit granular, but it is delicious nonetheless and the almond flavor in this one really stands out. So, if you find yourself with an extra two cups of ricotta cheese or happen to see a small container on sale, you have the perfect recipe for it.

Almond Ricotta Cheesecake

Ingredients:

9-inch graham cracker crust

2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese

1 8oz. block cream cheese, at room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tablespoon almond extract

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1/3 cup slice almonds, toasted*

Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

*To toast the almonds, spread on a baking sheet and bake in a 350 F oven for 8 minutes. Cool before using.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325F. Place the graham cracker crust on a baking sheet.

In a large bowl beat together the ricotta cheese, cream cheese, sugar, almond and vanilla extracts with a hand mixer on medium speed until blended. Add the eggs and continue beating until the eggs are well incorporated and the mixture is smooth.

Pour the batter into the graham cracker crust and bake for 45-55 minutes. Until the cheesecake is set around the edges and still slightly jiggly in the center.

Cool on a wire rack and then refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Prior to serving spread the toasted almonds on top of the cheesecake and then sift confectioners’ sugar on top.

Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

Recipe first appeared on Bead Yarn & Spatula.

11 Years…

Last week marked 11 years that I started this blog. It all started with an Elmo cake I made for my oldest niece’s birthday. Since then, there have been posts highlighting other theme cakes, birthday cakes, holiday cakes, cookies, pies, yarn projects and even some jewelry. And a few other things in between.

When I started, I was basically winging it (to some extent I probably still am). I got the basics of how to post my story and pics and went with it. I am still unsure about SEO, but I keep trudging along. I remember when I posted a recipe I would always take (and post) a pic of all of my ingredients assembled for it. It was something I saw other bloggers do so I figured I should do it as well. I moved away from that quite some time ago. Truth be told, nowadays I can be in such a zone creating (be it baking, knitting/crocheting, etc.) that I tend to forget to take a pic of the steps. I focus more now on getting a good pic of the finished project. I’m still working on getting those just right as well. I feel like I’m chasing the sunlight around my house. The different seasons tend to make the sunlight in my house perfect at different times of the day and in different areas of my house. And lately we have been having a ton of cloudy days, so my pics have been looking a bit gray. My recent location for photos has been by my front door. I set-up a table by my storm door to get as much unobstructed natural light as I can. This involves me contorting and squatting in a tight space to get the picture just right. And probably has my neighbors who have spotted me doing this wondering what the heck I am doing as they aren’t able to see my set-up, just me taking pics. When I come home at night I tend to stand in my yard and look up at the stars (which I think may be an odd sight at night), so this just adds to my eccentricities. It might be time to invest in one of those nifty backdrops to take my pictures though.

During these 11 years there have been times when I thought about ending my blog or taking an extended break from it. But I enjoy creating and writing and what better way to flex that muscle than with a blog. I have noticed that quite a few blogs I do (or did) follow have stopped and I get it. Blogging does take some time and I don’t just mean the writing (which of course takes time as well). You have to create the content. Whether it be working on a creative piece, testing a recipe, creating a recipe from scratch, that all takes time. And having extra time to do things is such a commodity! I am constantly making lists or going through things in my head to make sure I get everything I want done done. There’s always a list. I get such a feeling of accomplishment when I cross things off my lists. Maybe it’s a psychological thing, regardless, it works, and I am going with it. I have even started to try and map out the things I want to post about as well. Baking things earlier for holiday posts so I am not scrambling a day or two before to get all done. So, cheers to 11 years and hopefully too many more to come! Oh, and here’s a pic of my niece’s birthday cake this year… She turned 13 so instead of a theme cake something a bit more sophisticated!

Sprinkle Sugar Cookies

Happy Valentine’s Day! Rose are red, violets are blue, I have sprinkle cookies for you! Sorry for the cheesiness, I just couldn’t resist. That popped into my head the other day when I was thinking of what to write for these cookies. For a second I thought about switching up my plan for these cookies and using sprinkle colors to represent the teams playing in the Super Bowl this past weekend – since I was taking them to a Super Bowl party- but that would have been red & green, so I decided to spread a little love with them instead. That brings up a good point about these cookies, you can switch up the sprinkle colors for any occasion. They will taste good regardless. Similar to the Cookie Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies I shared a few weeks ago.

A couple of things to note about these cookies. The dough can be made in a food processor or using a hand/stand mixer. Since I like easy clean-ups, I opted to use my food processor. While the recipe I was following stated that you could use the butter and cream cheese right out of the refrigerator if using a food processor, I let both come to room temperature. Be sure to refrigerate the dough prior to baking, if not, the cookies will spread considerably. Also, the cookies will appear under baked when they come out of the oven but will firm up after cooling on the baking sheet for a few minutes. Resist the temptation to put them back in the oven for an extra minute or two.

Confetti Cookies

  • Servings: 28 Cookies
  • Print

Ingredients:

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into chunks

2 ounces cream cheese (1/4 of an 8-ounce brick), cut into chunks

1 1/4 cups sugar

1 large egg

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup sprinkles

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In the bowl of a food processor add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Pulse a few times to mix together. Add the butter cream cheese and sugar and process until the mixture comes together. Add the egg and vanilla extract and process until a ball of dough forms. You may need to scrape the bowl down a few times to ensure everything combines and mixes together. Transfer the dough to a bowl and refrigerate for about 20-30 minutes so the dough can firm up.

Place sprinkles in a small bowl. Use a cookie scoop to scoop the dough. Roll the dough in your hands and then roll in the sprinkles before placing on the prepared cookies sheets 2 inches apart. Use the bottom of a glass to press the cookies down about 1/4 to 1/2 – inch. If the cookies have any bare spots press more sprinkles into the dough.

Bake in the preheated oven for 9 to 10 minutes. Cookies will appear under baked and very soft. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

If you opt to use a hand mixer or stand mixer to make the dough… In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer) beat the butter, cream cheese and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla extract beat again until well combined. With the mixer on low add in the flour mixture and beat until combined. Refrigerate 20-30 minutes until firm and then continue with directions.

Store in an airtight container.

Recipe from Smitten Kitchen.

Raspberry Molten Lava Cakes

I may be a few years late sharing a recipe for molten lava cakes. They were all the rage years ago. I swear any restaurant I went to had their own version of these chocolate cakes. Truth be told though; I still enjoy them. What’s not to love about a chocolate cake that is semi-baked and oozes chocolate when you cut into it? Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and you have the perfect dessert. I had an idea though to add a little something extra to them. One of my favorite combinations is raspberry and chocolate. Before Godiva closed all their stores, I would make full use of their loyalty program that included a free piece of chocolate every month and would always get their Raspberry Truffle. So, I thought what about a Raspberry Molten Lava Cake.

Now, while I love the combination of raspberry and chocolate, there is one thing I don’t like… raspberry seeds. I wanted to be able to enjoy this molten without the seeds getting in the way. I never noticed how many seeds are in raspberries until I baked with them. Somehow, they just aren’t as annoying when you eat fresh raspberries. So, to avoid those pesky seeds I opted to use seedless raspberry jam. I prepped my batter, which took less than 10 minutes, and then filled my ramekins about 2/3 full and then placed 2 teaspoons of the jam in the center of each.

I then topped the raspberry jam with the remaining batter.

And finally baked them on a baking sheet in my preheated oven. And while they did rise significantly, they didn’t overflow while baking.

After letting them cool for a few minutes I carefully inverted one onto a plate.

And I must say, the first word that came to mind when I enjoyed my first bite was perfection. The cake itself wasn’t overly sweet, it was baked just right and there was just the right amount of “lava” that flowed out. And let’s not forget about the raspberry flavor… the two teaspoons was just the right amount.

Raspberry Molten Lava Cakes

Ingredients:

6oz. semi-sweet chocolate*

1 stick unsalted butter

1/2 cup sugar

3 large eggs

1/4 cup flour

8 teaspoons seedless raspberry jam

Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

*I used a combination of a 4oz. Ghirardelli baking bar and 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips. If using a baking bar, chop the chocolate before melting with butter.

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 F. Spray 4 6-oz ramekins with baking spray and place on a baking sheet.

In a microwave safe bowl combine the butter and chocolate and microwave for 30-second intervals until the butter melts. Stir the butter and chocolate together until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth.

In a medium bowl beat the sugar and eggs together on medium speed until pale and fluffy.

Fold the egg mixture into the chocolate until just combined. Then fold in the flour until the mixture is well combined and smooth.

Spoon 1/3 cup of batter into each of the prepared ramekins. Top each with 2 teaspoons of raspberry jam and then top with the remaining batter – 1/4 cup in each.

Bake on the baking sheet in the oven for 15-16 minutes. Allow to cool on the pan 5-10 minutes before carefully inverting the cake onto a plate. Dust with confectioners’ sugar and enjoy.

For any leftovers, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. To heat, microwave for 30-seconds. Let sit for a minute and then invert on a plate and enjoy.

Recipe first appeared on Bead Yarn & Spatula.

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Happy February! Today I am sharing a dessert that is perfect to make any time of year but would be perfect to serve for Valentine’s Day as it’s oh so chocolaty! It’s a Flourless Chocolate Cake.

This is probably one of the simplest cakes I’ve made since it only required 1-bowl to make. In a microwave-safe bowl I combined chopped semi-sweet chocolate and butter and microwaved it in 30-second intervals until the butter melted. There’s no need to keep heating the two until the chocolate melts. By the time the butter has melted the chocolate is soft enough that it will finish melting when the two are stirred together, and you don’t want to overheat the chocolate. After the butter and chocolate were smooth, I stirred in sugar, salt and vanilla extract. Next, I added in three eggs. To make incorporating the eggs easier I broke the yolks of the eggs. And finally, I stirred in cocoa powder. I used Dutch-process cocoa powder, but you could also use regular unsweetened cocoa powder as well.

Once the cake was baked and cooled, I topped it with a quick and easy chocolate ganache. To speed up the ganache setting I placed the cake in the refrigerator. You could let it set at room temperature, but it will take a few hours to do so. Once the ganache had set, I dusted the top with confectioners’ sugar and added a few raspberries for a sweet touch. If you do refrigerate the cake, just be sure to let it sit at room temperature prior to serving. I let mine sit for about 45 minutes and it was perfect.

While I thought the cake was going to be overly sweet, surprisingly it wasn’t. It was decadent though. Reminding me of the perfect chocolate truffle, rich and smooth. One other perk about this cake… it’s gluten-free. I’m not gluten-free, but I know for those who are sometimes finding a dessert that is easy to make with simple ingredients and not lacking in flavor can be a challenge.

Flourless Chocolate Cake

For the Cake:

1 4oz. semi-sweet chocolate baking bar*, chopped

1 stick unsalted butter

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 large eggs

1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder

For the Chocolate Ganache:

1 4oz. semi-sweet chocolate baking bar*, chopped

1/2 cup heavy cream

Confectioners’ sugar and raspberries (or another berry) for topping

*I used a Ghirardelli baking bar, alternatively you could also use 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Directions:

For the Cake:

Preheat oven to 375 F. Spray an 8-inch round cake pan with baking spray. Line the bottom with a piece of parchment paper and then spray the paper.

In a microwave-safe bowl add the butter and chocolate and heat in the microwave for 30-second intervals until the butter has melted. Stir the two together until smooth.

Stir in the sugar, salt and vanilla extract to the chocolate mixture until smooth. Next, stir in the 3 eggs until they are well combined, and the mixture is smooth once again. Finally, stir in the cocoa powder until just combined.

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. The cake will form a thin crust and the temperature of the cake should be 200 F when an instant read thermometer is inserted in the center.

Let the cake cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Carefully loosen the edges of the cake and invert the cake onto a serving platter. Allow the cake to cool completely.

For the Chocolate Ganache:

Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Place the heavy cream in a glass measuring cup and heat in the microwave until it begins to simmer, 45 seconds – 1 minute.

Pour the heavy cream over the chocolate. Let it sit for 5 minutes and then stir both together to melt the chocolate. Keep stirring until the mixture is smooth. Let it sit for a few minutes so it can thicken up a bit and then pour over the cake. Spreading it onto the cake evenly.

Let the ganache set, either at room temperature or in the refrigerator.

Once the ganache is set, dust the top of the cake with confectioners’ sugar and top with raspberries.

Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

Recipe modified from King Arthur Baking

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