Tag Archives: baking

Choco Spread

14 Dec

This morning I have one of the twins home sick.  Poor girl has torcicollo (stiff neck).  We decided to make my mother-in-law’s homemade chocolate spread to give the teachers as Christmas gifts.  I, of course, used 100% Belgian chocolate.  The recipe is:

250 grams Belgian chocolate

250 grams butter

1 can sweetened condensed milk (or 2 tubes if you live in Italy!)

Melt butter and chocolate in saucepan.  When melted and smooth stir in condensed milk.  Take off heat.  Pour into prepared jars.  Simple as that.


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Therapy

1 Dec

It’s time to start thinking of some ideas for cookie decorating for the holiday season.  Once I sit down with my royal icing and blank cookies I go into some sort of trance.  A few hours will pass before I snap out of it and find a table full of cookies like the ones below.  I just find it so therapeutic.  Every year I give a little bag of these cookies to the local bakery and they always look quite dubious.  When I ask a few weeks later if they liked them they always respond with “Ma signora…sono troppe belle per mangiare!” (” Signora, they are too beautiful to actually eat!”).  I’m sure they have a dusty box full of these little sacks from years past.

I love the poppy seed eyes on the little wee chicks.  These were for my daughter’s spring birthday party…

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Cupcake Season

23 Nov

Cupcake season is slowly arriving and I’m looking forward to it.  Sinterklaas parties, Christmas parties, birthday parties…there are more than enough occasions to keep me busy and happy.  I remember the Italians first reaction to cupcakes a decade ago when I  arrived in Italy.  They were confused and maybe a little fearful of them.   Fast forward 10 years and the Italians have finally accepted the famous cupcake and you can even buy them in specialty bakeries in Milan.  Nothing like a cupcake to make your day (or week or month).

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Applesauce Spice Muffins

16 Nov

Is it just me or does this photo of  my muffins have a radioactive green tinge to it?  Yikes. This past week-end I made some very delicious Apple Spice Muffins for the family.  It’s an easy recipe and the muffins are so moist and tasty.  My kids ate about 4 each before I realised what was going on.  Not a lot of dinner was eaten that evening.    Here’s the recipe if you want to give them a try as well.  I found it on http://www.food.com. I didn’t use the spice topping but I’m sure it would be really nice with it as well.

The Absolute Best Applesauce Spice Muffins

  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder(heaping)
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon(can use more or less)
  • 1/2 teaspoon allspice
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup light brown sugar (can use more)
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1 1/4 cups unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 1/4 cups chopped nuts

SPICE TOPPING

  • 6 -7 tablespoons sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon allspice
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Directions:

  1. Set oven to 350°F.
  2. Set oven rack to second-lowest position.
  3. Butter 12 muffin tins or line with paper liners.
  4. For muffins: in a small bowl mix together first 7 dry ingredients.
  5. In another large bowl whisk together eggs and brown sugar until well combined.
  6. Add in melted butter whisking continuously until mixture is creamy.
  7. Stir in applesauce.
  8. Fold in flour mixture until JUST combined.
  9. Stir in nuts.
  10. Divide the batter evenly between muffin tins.
  11. To make the topping: stir together all ingredients then sprinkle over tops of muffin batter.
  12. Bake for about 20-22 minutes, or until muffins test done.
  13. Cool in pan for 5 minutes then remove to a rack to cool.

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Mini brownies

4 Nov

This is my all-time favorite brownie recipe.  I make them for just about any occasion and they are so tasty.  The recipe is from joyofbaking.com.  You can make them in a pan as you would usually for brownies or as mini brownies.  I just put the mini cupcake papers directly on a baking sheet and fill them up.

Brownies:

5 ounces (150 grams) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chopped

1/2 cup (1 stick) (113 grams) unsalted butter cut into pieces

2 tablespoons (15 grams) cocoa powder

1 cup (200 grams) granulated white sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3 large eggs

3/4 cup (95 grams) all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup (125 grams) semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)

Brownies: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and place the rack in the center of the oven. Butter (or spray with a nonstick cooking spray) an 8 inch (20 cm) square pan, and line the bottom of the pan with parchment or wax paper.

Melt the chocolate and butter in a large stainless steel bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water. Remove from heat and stir in the cocoa powder and sugar . Next, whisk in the vanilla extract and eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Finally, stir in the flour, salt and chocolate chips (if using).

Pour into the prepared pan and bake for about 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a little batter and a few moist clumps clinging to it. Do not over bake. Remove from oven.  Enjoy!

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Beautiful cakes…

13 Oct

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