You're never to old to start a new romance.
This cake was specially made for my Oma's recent wedding.
Congrats to the newlyweds!
Decadent Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Cream Cheese frosting.
Decorated with pearls, lace, rhinestone studded ribbon, hand-piped decor and fresh flowers.
Wishing you happy baking!
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Saturday, March 16, 2013
Caprese and Cheese Galette...
Crowed pleasing 101: Caprese and Cheese Galette. Yep!
Virtually one of the most simple of recipes and really makes for a tasty snack!
The flakiness from the crust and the boldness of flavors from the tomatoes, basil and cheese really make your taste buds explode.
This recipe was created for a friend's baby shower and turned out to be quite the hit. Try this recipe for yourself and you tell me what you think!!
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Virtually one of the most simple of recipes and really makes for a tasty snack!
The flakiness from the crust and the boldness of flavors from the tomatoes, basil and cheese really make your taste buds explode.
This recipe was created for a friend's baby shower and turned out to be quite the hit. Try this recipe for yourself and you tell me what you think!!
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Caprese and Cheese Galette
Author: Brenna Bowers
Serving: 4
Ingredients:
1 Trader Joe’s Double Pie crust – in the frozen section (2 pie
crust per box) (any premade pie crust will work)
1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes, cut in half
6 leaves fresh basil, torn
16 oz. fresh mozzarella in water, drain water and discard, slice in ¼ rings
salt and pepper
2 Tbs. milk – for brushing on crust
Directions:
Heat your oven to 375 degrees F.
Allow the pie crusts to thaw on the counter until they reach
room temperature.
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or a Silpat to keep from sticking.
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or a Silpat to keep from sticking.
Place each of the pie crusts on the parchment paper and
roll, with a rolling pin, just to make sure the surface is even (don’t roll too
thin for we want some structure from the pie crust).
Divide the ingredients into half. For each pie crust place
the mozzarella, tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper into the center (leaving a 1 ½”
boarder on the edges).
Fold up your edges gently and lightly purse so that the
structure holds. Brush milk on the crust (with a brush or your fingers) to help
with the browning.
Place into the preheated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or
until golden brown and the center is bubbly.
Serve hot!
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Salted Caramel Cupcakes Revamped...
These cupcake are always such a crowd pleaser I couldn't help but revamp the recipe!! Whether you are the baker or the eater, it doesn't get better than this. For the baker, it is a easy recipe because it calls for few ingredients and you use the base of a box cake....I know, I know, a box cake. But yes, I would rather that I found you in the kitchen mastering a semi-homemade recipe rather than just heading right to the store. As for the eater, you will love the richness, bold flavors and unique combo of the salt and caramel. Now let's get cooking!
Salted Caramel Cupcakes
Author: Brenna Bowers
Makes: 24 cupcakes
Ingredients:
1 box Duncan Heinz White Cake Mix (or Pillsbury)
1 box instant butterscotch pudding mix
4 egg whites
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 1/3 cup water
1 tps vanilla extract
1 tps vanilla extract
1 jar Mrs. Richardson Caramel Sauce (found at Safeway/Vons) - for the filling after baking
Directions:
In an electric mixer or by hand, mix
all the ingredients (cake mix through water) until well incorporated. Line 2 cupcake tins with paper liners. Pour the batter into the cupcake liners three-quarters full . Bake at 350 degrees F until done (ready when the toothpick comes out
clean). (Cupcakes take about 13 minutes and the cake rounds a few more minutes).
Let
the cupcakes cool completely! With a paring knife remove a piece of the
cupcake in the center of the top about as big as your pinky finger (not
big at all!).
Fill a baggie or squirt bottle with the Mrs. Richardson Carmel Sauce and pipe into the hole of each cupcake.
Prepare frosting (see below) and pipe/frost over the caramel filled hole.
Caramel Frosting
(Frost cupcakes with this frosting then top with caramel sauce and flake salt)
Author: Brenna Bowers
Makes: enough frosting for 24 cupcakes
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups butter (3 sticks)
¾ lb powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. vanilla
8 oz. Mrs. Richardson Caramel Sauce (found at Safeway/Vons) (Hershey’s Carmel syrup is 2nd best in my opinion)
2 Tbs. milk
Flake salt- found at specialty markets (for garnish)
Directions:
Beat
the butter and powdered sugar very well with a mixer- about 2 to 5 minutes.
Add the other 3 ingredients and whip until well incorporated.
Pipe onto completely cooled cupcakes.
To Assemble Cupcakes: After
having filled each cupcake with caramel sauce and once you have frosted
each cupcake, drizzle more caramel sauce on top of each cupcake and
sprinkle with a light dusting of the flake salt. Enjoy!!!!
Saturday, January 12, 2013
Sugar Cookies - Thick and Chewy - Buffalo...
Brenna's Thick and Chewy Sugar Cookie Tips:
Dough stage - Butter must be room temperature (not melted, not cold). Beat the butter and sugar for 5 or more minutes (should turn fluffy and light white in color). When dough is formed, wrap and chill at the very least 30 minutes.
Rolling stage - Roll the cookies 1/3" to 1/2" thick. Yes, that thick. Place on a cooled cookie sheet. Place in the refrigerator 15 or so minutes (to re-chill the butter) before baking in the oven.
Baking stage - Bake only 6-7 minutes - the cookies will still be soft to the touch and pale in color (not golden brown).
1st stage of creaming the butter and sugar |
2nd stage of creaming the butter and sugar |
3rd (and final) stage of creaming the butter and sugar |
Perfectly creamed butter and sugar (5 minutes later) |
Evenly mix all the wet ingredients |
Place the dough on a lightly floured surface |
Pat the dough into a disk and then wrap with plastic and chill |
Roll to 1/3" to 1/2" thickness |
Roll to 1/3" to 1/2" thickness |
Bake 6-7 minutes - still pale in color |
Thick and fluffy! |
Piping bag and small round tip (or use Ziplock baggies) |
Place over a cup to easily pour in frosting without a mess |
Wilton's Gel Food Coloring - the best |
Just pipe around the edges - let it dry completely |
Fill in the spaces |
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Sugar Cookies Thick and Chewy (Holly)
Author: Brenna Bowers
Serving: 30-40 thick
cookies (about 2-3” each)
Ingredients:
1 cup salted butter (if using unsalted butter, add another ½
tsp of salt), room temp
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
3 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. almond extract
1 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking soda
7 cups flour
Frosting:
4 cups powdered sugar*
2 tsp vanilla extract
4 Tbs milk
brown gel food coloring
chocolate/brown sprinkles
*chocolate frosting: substitute 3 Tbs. of powdered sugar for
unsweetened cocoa powder
Directions:
In an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar for 5
minutes - or until light white and fluffy. Add eggs, vanilla extract and almond
extract; beating until evenly mixed. Add sour cream and again, beat until just
mixed.
In another large bowl, combine salt, baking soda and flour.
Add to the wet mixture, in 3 additions, mixing in between each addition. Mix just
until it forms a dough.
Sprinkle your counter with a light dusting of flour. Press
the dough into a circular disk, adding enough flour to just keep the dough from
sticking to the counter. Place into the refrigerator 30-60 minutes.
With a rolling pin (or wine bottle) roll out the dough on a
lightly floured surface to about 1/3” -1/2” thick. Really. And press with
a cookie cutter. Use a spatula to carefully slide under each cookie and place
onto a parchment-lined cookie sheets (Tip 1).
Bake at 375 degrees F. for 6-7 minutes. THEY WILL NOT LOOK
DONE…BUT THEY ARE! Leave them on the cookie sheet to cool completely before
moving to prevent cracking the cookie.
Frosting:
In an electric mixer, beat all the ingredients together
until evenly mixed. It should be slightly runny, adjust with more powdered
sugar or milk.
Place a small piping tip into a pastry bag (or use a Ziplock
plastic baggie and cut the tip) and fill with the prepared frosting.
Outline each cookie and let the frosting harden. Then go
back in and pipe the frosting to fill each cookie. Top with chocolate
sprinkles.
Tip 1: (Optional)
Sugar cookies have the tendency to flatten as they bake, therefore they loose
their detail. To prevent this, start by placing rolled cookies onto a cooled
parchment-lined cookie sheet. Secondly, place the cookie sheet into the
refrigerator 10-15 minutes to re-chill the butter in the dough and then place
straight into the oven for baking.
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