Canela and Comino » Dessert

{TWD} Coconut Tea Cake

Gretchen Noelle — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 08:10:23 +0000

Dorie mentions on the page of this recipe that it was from a friend who likes a “dry cake” which was intriguing. Mind you I thought about many ways to “spruce up” what was sounding to be a bit blah. Dry. Coconut. Cake. I mean, really, who looks forward to that?

But, I did not even let the “I have no Bundt pan” problem stop me. Instead I chose to make only half the recipe and make a Coconut Tea Loaf.

So what did I think? What do you think I think? It was coconut. Believe me, some of the coconut desserts have surprised me and I have truthfully enjoyed them. But sometimes one just seems to jump out from hiding to get in my face and remind me why I have a thing against bagged shredded white paper coconut in my desserts. The texture was delightful and I might even make it again, but would definitely leave out the shredded bits.

Coconut Tea Cake is being served up for Tuesdays With Dorie. This TWD recipe was chosen by Carmen of Carmen Cooks. Enjoy more Coconut Tea Cake by visiting the blogroll at the Tuesdays With Dorie website. Or, see what other goodies we have enjoyed on past weeks!

Welcome Spring! Cupcakes

Gretchen Noelle — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 15:29:11 +0000

Today marks the first day of spring and it has announced itself with a gentle warming effect over the last few days. What fun to see life begin to grow, flowers begin to bloom and the feeling in the air change without much effort.

Spring also seems to bring about a change of food cravings – from baked squashes to fresh fruits & veggies. But another thing that spring brings forth is the excitement of delicious flavors baked into an adorable cupcake.

Funny thing with these is that they were the “leftovers” from a larger cake that I made with flowers leftover from another project. Isn’t it delightful how the leftovers can sometimes turn out to be a bit better than the original? Another delight of spring don’t you think?

What are you looking forward to now that spring is here?

I am looking forward to baking up more of these cute & delicious spring cupcakes!

Fresh Orange Cupcakes

Adapted from Cake Doctor
Makes about 24 cupcakes

1 package of yellow cake mix
1/4 cup of sugar
1 tablespoon of orange zest
1 cup of orange juice
1/2 cup of canola oil
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
4 large eggs

1. In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, sugar, and orange zest. Whisk to combine. Add orange juice, canola oil, vanilla extract and eggs. Blend with the mixer on low speed for one minute, then speed it up to medium and beat for 2 more minutes.

2. Fill cupcake papers about 1/2 to 2/3 full. Bake at 350F until golden in color and a toothpick test comes out clean, about 22-25 minutes.

3. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Tropical Cream Cheese Buttercream

Makes about 7 cups

1 (8 oz) package of cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup of butter, softened
1 cup of vegetable shortening
1 teaspoon of coconut extract
1 teaspoon of almond extract
1 teaspoon of butter flavoring
1 teaspoon of (clear) vanilla extract
1/4 cup of milk
2 pounds of powdered sugar
2 tablespoons of meringue powder
1 tablespoon of fine salt

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, butter and shortening together at medium speed until light & fluffy, about 1 minute.

2. Add coconut, almond & vanilla extract, butter flavoring and milk and beat at medium speed until completely combined, about 3-5 minutes.

3. Combine the powdered sugar, meringue powder and salt together (NOTE: easiest to do by purchasing a 2 pound bag of powdered sugar and adding the meringue powder and salt to the bag, holding it closed and moving the contents gently to combine) and add to the cream cheese mixture in three parts, beating on low speed until well combined, using a spatula to scrape down the sides.

4. Increase speed to medium and beat for about 1 minute to increase volume. Add additional milk by the teaspoon to reach desired consistency.

5. Use Wilton tip 1M to swirl frosting onto cupcakes.

{TWD} Chocolate Pistachio Tart

Gretchen Noelle — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 06:13:52 +0000

With St. Patrick’s Day around the corner (by just minutes) I wanted to adjust this week’s TWD recipe to be a bit more “green”. So then I had to decide between exchanging the raspberries either for kiwi fruit or pistachio nuts. These will be cut into squares for the weekly meeting tomorrow at work, so I haven’t tasted them yet.

So the real question is…would you eat a chocolate pistachio square for a 9am meeting? On St. Patrick’s Day?

Chocolate Pistachio Tart is being served up for Tuesdays With Dorie. This TWD recipe was chosen by Rachelle of Mommy? I’m Hungry! Enjoy more Soft Chocolate Tarts by visiting the blogroll at the Tuesdays With Dorie website. Or, see what other goodies we have enjoyed on past weeks!

{TWD} Thumbprints For Us Big Guys

Gretchen Noelle — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 06:16:03 +0000

Sometimes I find that I stray from a recipe and it turns out ten times more delicious! Sometimes I find that a change I makes affects the dish more than I had desired. Every so often, I read through a recipe really carefully and thoroughly.

The last batch of cookies I made, I discovered just before I planned to pop them into the oven that I was supposed to chill the dough for hours. Those clumbsy mistakes are frustrating because I make plans to make, bake and take things to certain places and when I don’t read carefully, I find that I am not meeting a schedule that I set out for myself.

So, I read this recipe thoroughly. Or sort of thoroughly. Here is where I got stuck…we were told to hold the cookie dough ball with the pointer finger and thumb of one hand and make an indentation with our pinky of the other hand. PINKY? Or, she said, make the indentation with the bottom of a wooden spoon. Come on, how can we make “Thumbprints” if we don’t use our THUMBS to make the prints?!?!

I know, trite and petty. But I just had to stir up some kind of drama to keep you from eating these cookies. They are way too yummy to share! Make your own and stick your thumb in them! Oh, and I made mine with almond flour and blackberry seedless jam. Delicious!

Evening Update: The half batch I made yesterday was not enough. I made a full batch today and took them to a friends house. They were devoured.

Thumbprints For Us Big Guys are being served up for Tuesdays With Dorie. This TWD recipe was chosen by Mike of Ugly Food Dude. Enjoy more Thumbprint Cookies by visiting the blogroll at the Tuesdays With Dorie website. Or, see what other goodies we have enjoyed on past weeks!

{TWD} Toasted-Coconut Custard Tart

Gretchen Noelle — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 15:16:14 +0000

I may have commented before on my, well, lack of like for coconut. I have a great deal of aversion to the paper like shreds sold in bags here in the states. While in Peru, I realized that coconut does not actually come from the bags themselves (although it does seem to taste like it!) but that the fresh coconut fruit is spectacular.

I have decided to be a bit more forgiving, a bit more welcoming to coconut these days. Kind of like friends who had a disagreement for many years and then decided to put it all past them, but they still aren’t totally trusting of one another. It seems like sometimes I am intrigued by coconut and others times, just simply put off.

When I saw that March was roaring in like a lion with this toasted coconut custard tart (try saying that five times fast!), I was a bit apprehensive. Toasted coconut custard, sitting on top of a sweet dough crust and covered ever so gently by a cloud of whipped cream, then dusted with a bit more toasted coconut. The crust sounded fine, the topping, in the end, was just a simple whipped cream, but is was that layer sandwiched in the middle that had me worried. A plain vanilla custard with shreds of coconut mixed in? Really?

Nevertheless, I have tried renewing my commitment to Dorie, because I know that it forces me to do things, well like this, that I would not normally make and that often times allows me to learn new combinations or techniques.

Making Dorie’s custards always worries me. There. I said it. The directions for the custards seem overly complicated and I stir away, just knowing that something is bound to go wrong. Oftentimes it does. I still haven’t quite figured out what makes it harder than it should be. I made this particular custard with a great deal of anxiety. I do not currently own a strainer and I was worried that the way she has us make it would cause lumps & bumps that I would not be able to strain away. The custard seems to go from 0 to 60 in a matter of seconds. The instructions say, bring it to a boil and boil 2 minutes. Ha! It started to bubble and then one side of the pot seemed to form one giant clump and reminded me of the days I would make play-dough. So I started to whisk it as rapidly as I could and removed it from the heat. No full boil, no 2 minutes. My whisk broke because the custard was so stiff. Mind you, I was not about to be stopped. After it chilled, it easily could have been sliced with a knife I’ll have you know.

But, I must give credit where credit is due. In the end, the tart did turn out quite lovely. It was delicious and well received by my friends. Truthfully, I would probably even make it again. Interested in making it in your very own kitchen? Check out the recipe at Beryl’s blog!

Toasted Coconut Custard Tart is being served up for Tuesdays With Dorie. This TWD recipe was chosen by Beryl of Cinemon Girl. Enjoy more Toasted Coconut Custard Tart by visiting the blogroll at the Tuesdays With Dorie website. Or, see what other goodies we have enjoyed on past weeks!

{TWD} Honey Wheat Cookies

Gretchen Noelle — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 01:58:29 +0000

The adventures with Dorie have included a lot of butter and chocolate. In moderation, those things are not that bad, but on a weekly basis, they tend to be slightly frightening. This week’s ingredients include honey instead of loads of sugar, wheat germ instead of, well, everything bad for you…so this week’s recipe seemed to be considered healthy in comparison.

These cookies were preceded by rave reviews by other TWD bakers and I myself enjoyed them as a nice change from cake and chocolate. You may be hesitant since you don’t have wheat germ on hand. But in these delicious cookies, there really is no substitute. You can use leftover wheat germ for recipes like Turkey Ricotta Meatballs, Banana Split Pancakes, or Carrot Cake.

For my cookies, I confess my slight diversion from the recipe in adding more salt and less wheat germ. I added extra salt (1 teaspoon) because clover honey seems to sweet to me and I wanted to be sure to offset the sweetness. The cookies were terrific that way. Also, I had it in my mind to make them by a certain, that being said, I did not read the entire list of directions which instructed me to chill the dough. I threw it all in a ziploc, flattened it out and froze them for a short time. I then cut open the bag, cut them into squares and popped them into the oven, all the while realizing that the “rolling into balls and coating with wheat germ” might have been an integral step. But I liked them my way. A lot.

Honey Wheat Cookies are being served up for Tuesdays With Dorie. This TWD recipe was chosen by Michelle of Flourchild. Enjoy more Honey Wheat Cookies by visiting the blogroll at the Tuesdays With Dorie website. Or, see what other goodies we have enjoyed on past weeks!

Wilton Cake Decorating Class One

Gretchen Noelle — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 06:03:34 +0000

Several weeks ago, I chose to sign myself up for cake decorating classes. It is not often that I actually choose to do something simply because I want to instead of because I “have” to or because I “should”. It delights me that I have learned so many things in a few short weeks. Currently I am in course two and loving those classes as well.

I wanted to share a few of the pictures with you of the cakes that I have recently baked for the classes. Which one is your favorite?

{TWD} Cocoa Nana Bread

Gretchen Noelle — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 08:01:23 +0000

Do you enjoy dessert for breakfast? I always enjoy the luxury of enjoying a true sweet treat with my morning coffee. You know how banana bread can be the perfect delight morning noon and night? It is like that great balance between something sweet and (sort of) healthy.

But now I am going to one-up you. This isn’t just banana bread. It is banana bread with it’s best foot forward – chocolate! This really tastes way more like dessert than a breakfast bread, which for me is actually quite delightful.

I am sure you already have your favorite banana bread recipe. Maybe you even have it memorized? But, I want to encourage you to make this when you have a few extra bananas. You WON’T be disappointed!

Cocoa Nana Bread is being served up for Tuesdays With Dorie. This TWD recipe was chosen by Steph of Obsessed with Baking. Enjoy more Cocoa Nana Bread, by visiting the blogroll at the Tuesdays With Dorie website. Or, see what other goodies we have enjoyed on past weeks!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Birthday Cake

Gretchen Noelle — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 08:01:05 +0000

Birthdays are meant to be celebrated. Cakes are meant to be eaten. Parties are meant to be enjoyed. One day out of each year is dedicated to you alone (well, unless you are a twin!). Some of my birthdays have been wonderful – celebrated with friends, out on the town, and even some surprises! Some have been days that I just wanted to get through. When my friends have birthdays, I enjoy trying to make the day special for them. The best way I know how to do this it by making a cake that they personally request or that I am sure they will enjoy.

Being a continent away from friends makes it more difficult to celebrate and to make their day special. Such is the case today. I am far away from a good friend, but nevertheless hope to do what I can to make it special by making a cake he would be sure to enjoy if he could have a bite.

Aunque no puedo estar contigo por tu dia feliz, quise hacer algo para sepas que eres un amigo muy especial. Muchisimas gracias por tu amistad y espero que tengas un feliz cumpleaños hoy!

Cocoa Buttermilk Cake

Adapted from Sunset
Makes a 2-layer 8-inch cake

6 tablespoons of butter, softened
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1 1/2 cups of flour
1/4 cup of cocoa powder
2 teaspoons of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of salt
2/3 cup buttermilk

1. Preheat oven to 350F.

2. In a mixer, combine butter and sugar; beat until creamy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing about 30 seconds in between each egg. Add vanilla and mix in as well.

3. In a separate bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Add a third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, followed by half of the buttermilk. Add another third of the flour mixture, the rest of the buttermilk and the remaining flour mixture.

4. Divide into 2 8-inch cake pans coated with cooking spray. (Cover with a wax paper circle and coat with additional cooking spray, if desired.) Bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when tested.

5. Remove from oven and cool in pans for 10 minutes on a wire rack. Remove from pans, transfer to wire rack and cool completely.

Peanut Butter Buttercream Frosting

Adapted from Wilton
Makes about 3 cups

1/3 cup of shortening
1/3 cup of butter
3/4 cup of peanut butter
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
4 cups of powdered sugar
6 tablespoons milk

1. In a mixing bowl, cream together shortening and butter until well combined. Add peanut butter and vanilla extract, beat until combined. Add powdered sugar one cup at a time, beating between each addition (frosting will be stiff & dry). Add milk, one tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached. Use to frost the layer of cake and top with chocolate jimmies.

Gingersnap Shortbread

Gretchen Noelle — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 04:53:54 +0000

Gingersnap and gingerbread, to me, seem like the underdog of the baked goods world. September rings in with everything apple. October highlights all things pumpkin. In November, you simply cannot get away from Thanksgiving goodness with recipes like pecan pies. And December…don’t get me started on peppermint, Christmas cookies and Yule Logs!

Although ginger can be a wonderful accent flavor in so many of the fall flavors, I love it so much, I really think it needs it’s very own time to shine! The spice combined with the sweet is absolutely not something loved and adored by so many in Peru. But, that sure never stopped me from baking ginger into my cakes, cookies and breads.

Mind you, I have found a chewy ginger cookie that I swoon over. But, these shortbread seem to be a delicious way to combine the flavor of January with the wonderful crisp shortbread. Of course, you might enjoy these just as they are, but I personally would add a bit more ginger next time. Because ginger is the underdog and it should be celebrated!!

Gingersnap Shortbread

Makes 16 cookies
Adapted from Holiday Baking 2009

2 cups of flour
1/2 cup of powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of ground cloves
1 cup of cold butter
2 tablespoons of molasses

1. In a large bowl combine flour, powdered sugar, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. Cut in butter and molasses with a pastry cutter or two knives until the mixture has small crumbs. Knead the dough until it comes together.

2. Press into a 8×8 square baking dish. Prick the shortbread dough with the tines of a fork. Cut into 16 squares. Freeze for 30 minutes.

3. Preheat oven to 325F. Bake shortbread for 18-20 minutes. Re-cut cookies before they completely cool. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.