SUZIE SWEET TOOTH

Cakes, Treats, and Everything Sweet

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    • Chocolate Cupcakes With Vanilla Filling

      “Love Honor and Cherish”

      Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Bean Buttercream filling and Chocolate Ganache Icing

      Finding something new or experiencing something new can be very exciting. I think it’s what helps keep our brain tuned. Is there anything better than experiencing new love?

      Love is hopeful. Love is special. Love is energizing. Love is knowing you are a bit more complete. Love can come from any source.

      Love is baking~ at least for me :-)  It’s how I express love and also it helps turn an ordinary week into something fun.

      This week we had an informal wedding shower for one of the gals at work. I wanted to make something that was a bit retro and fun, so I made chocolate cupcakes with vanilla bean buttercream filling. The script on the cakes symbolizes new love and also reminds us “old married folk” that we should always love, honor and cherish our partner.

      Chocolate Cake (the recipe is on the can of Hershey’s Cocoa) Hershey’s “perfectly chocolate cake”)

      {I’m too lazy to post it here today-hey it’s a Saturday…} this recipe is tried and true for those timid bakers out there. It is reliable and always on the back of the cocoa canister. :-) I like to substitute hot strong coffee in place of the boiling water though; it adds another depth of flavor. You can stick with the classic recipe on the can though and it will be great.

      Fill the cupcake liners about  2/3- 3/4 full. Bake at 350 º for about 20 minutes. Let the cakes cool in the pan on a wire rack. Makes about 20 cakes.

      Vanilla bean swiss buttercream

      2 large egg whites

      1/2 C sugar

      1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter

      1 1/2 tsp. vanilla bean paste

      In the bowl of a stand mixer combine the eggs whites and sugar and place over a pot with simmering water. Whisk the egg whites and sugar and heat until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is about 160 degree. Turn off the heat. Attach the mixer bowl onto the mixer with the whisk attachment and whisk the mixture on medium until the bottom of the bowl is almost cool to the touch and the mixture has turned into a nice stiff meringue.  This will take several minutes. With the mixer on medium high, add the softened butter one tablespoon at a time and continue to mix until all the butter is incorporated and the mixture is smooth. It will go through a curdled looking stage as it mixes; but don’t worry keep adding the butter and it will come together. Add in the vanilla bean paste and mix to combine.

      “Cakeage Assemblage”

      Once the cupcakes are cool, take an apple corer and remove a piece of the cake to creat the hole for the buttercream filling. Pipe in the buttercream filling. Pipe all the cakes at once so you have them all ready for dipping. Level off the buttercream so the mound is flat and  level with the top of the cupcake and remove any crumbs that you find on the top of the cake; this will ensure a smoother finish once you dip the cakes.

      Prepare the Chocolate ganache.

      Dip the cupcakes into the ganache icing and let them set up at room temperature before piping on the script.

      Pipe your script with a number 3 round piping tip onto the cupcakes. Store the cakes in an airtight container at room temperature.

      Chocolate ganache icing

      1 C semisweet chocolate chips

      1/2 C heavy cream

      1 Tbsp. corn syrup

      In a small bowl place the chocolate. Heat the heavy cream and corn syrup until just boiling. Pour the cream over the chocolate and let the mixture sit for 2 minutes. Whisk the mixture slowly until smooth; try not to incorporate too much air as to prevent bubbles. Tap the bowl on the counter several times to release any air bubbles to the top. Poke the bubbles with a tooth pick or bamboo skewer. Let the ganache mixture sit for about 7 minutes before dipping the cakes.

      Royal Icing  for script writing

      2 Tablespoons meringue powder

      1/4 C water

      8 oz. (1/2 lb.) Confectioners sugar

      1/2 tsp. clear vanilla (optional)

      Whisk the meringue powder and water until mixture is foamy. Sift in the sugar in small amounts and whisk on low until you have a nice glossy meringue. Increase to medium high and whisk until stiff peaks. This will take about 5 minutes. Place the icing into a bowl and add a tsp. of water at a time; stir until the mixture is has medium stiff peaks. Place the icing in a piping bag fitted with a No. 3 round tip and pipe the script onto the cakes. Keep the end of the piping bag/tip wrapped with a damp paper towel while you are working to avoid the tip drying out and thus preventing the icing from drying in the tip. Keep the icing covered also while you are working so the icing does not dry out and crust over.

      Happy Baking,

      Suzie

      printable recipe:

      https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1OOym9I4vG6O6dmGJ8lnQp7INvm_cipzd7d0zdq5K7JA

    • Key Lime Pie Squares

      Key Lime Pie Squares

      Key lime pie just might have to be part of my parting meal.

      I know that sounds rather morbid…but when it’s time to cash in my chips, this is the dessert I think I want to be gumming down in my last moments. It is my ultimate favorite dessert.  I’m a citrus dessert lover any day over anything else. These bars are the perfect yin and yang balance. I love the tang of the filling and the sweet white chocolate topping in these bars. This is a great recipe to bring to a shower or potluck. It is super easy and everyone seems to love them.

      2 (5 oz.) packages Pepperidge Farm Gingerbreadman cookies

      1 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled

      2 Tablespoons sugar

      4 egg yolks (from large eggs)

      1 large egg

      2 cans sweetened condensed milk

      1 cup bottled key lime juice (I like Nellie & Joe’s brand)

      grated lime zest; from 2 limes

      2 drops green food coloring

      1/3 C heavy cream

      8 oz. white chocolate chopped fine

      Preheat the oven to 350 º. Line a 9×13 inch pan with a parchment paper sling both length wise and width wise so that there is at least a 2 inch overhang.

      Pulverize the 2 packages of cookies in the food processor until fine crumbs. Add the sugar and melted butter and pulse to combine. Press the mixture firmly in the bottom of the pan and bake at 350º for about 12-14 minutes until the crust appears mostly firm. Remove the pan from the oven, place on a wire rack, and let the crust cool while you work on the filling.

      Filling: Whisk the egg yolks and whole egg until thoroughly combined. Add the sweetened condensed milk, lime juice, lime zest, and drops of food coloring; whisk until smooth and combined.

      Pour the filling over the crust and bake at 325 degrees for about 20 minutes until the filling appears set when you jiggle the pan. Do not over bake. The filling might appear slightly wet but as long as it does not appear too loose when jiggled,  it is perfect.

      Let the bars cool completely and then refrigerate the bars until very chilled; at least 2 hours. Once the bars are chilled prepare the white chocolate topping..

      White Chocolate topping: In a small sauce pan heat the heavy cream until boiled; remove from the heat. Place the chopped white chocolate in a medium bowl and pour over the hot heavy cream and let the mixture sit for about 20 seconds, then slowly whisk the mixture until it is combined and smooth;try not to incorporate too much air into the mixture. Let the mixture cool for about 10 minutes. Pour the mixture over the cooled bars and return the pan to the refrigerator and let the bars cool for several hours or even overnight before cutting.

      Lift the solid mass out from the pan and peel away the sides of the parchment paper and cut the bars into desired size. They are rich so don’t cut them too big.

      Printable recipe link:

      https://docs.google.com/document/d/1K5a8ctUyBhDcctJH_KNxmD-JsjgVYklh4YCy8BUveyg/edit?hl=en_US&authkey=CPbxu4IG

      Happy Baking

      Suzie

    • Key Lime Pie Bars

      Key Lime Pie Bars

      Please note: This is a repost of my original post; I changed my recipe sl. by adding an extra egg yolk.

      Key lime pie just might have to be part of my final meal on Earth.

      I know that sounds rather morbid…but when it’s time to cash in my chips, this is the dessert I think I want to be gumming down in my last moments. It is my ultimate favorite dessert.  I’m a citrus dessert lover any day over anything else. These bars are the perfect yin and yang balance. I love the tang of the filling and the sweet white chocolate topping in these bars. This is a great recipe to bring to a shower or potluck. It is super easy and everyone seems to love them.

      2 (5 oz.) packages Pepperidge Farm Gingerbreadman cookies

      1 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled

      2 Tablespoons sugar

      5 egg yolks (from large eggs)

      1 large egg

      2 cans sweetened condensed milk

      1 cup bottled key lime juice (I like Nellie & Joe’s brand)

      grated lime zest; from 2 limes

      2 drops green food coloring *optional

      1/3 C heavy cream

      8.0 oz. white chocolate chopped fine (I like Lindt)

      Preheat the oven to 350 º. Line a 9×13 inch pan with a parchment paper sling both length wise and width wise so that there is at least a 2 inch overhang.

      Pulverize the 2 packages of cookies in the food processor until fine crumbs. Add the sugar and melted butter and pulse to combine. Press the mixture firmly in the bottom of the pan and bake at 350º for about 12-14 minutes until the crust appears mostly firm. Remove the pan from the oven, place on a wire rack, and let the crust cool while you work on the filling.

      Filling: Whisk the egg yolks and whole egg until thoroughly combined. Add the sweetened condensed milk, lime juice, lime zest, and drops of food coloring; whisk until smooth and combined.

      Pour the filling over the crust and bake at 325 degrees for about 20 minutes until the filling appears set when you jiggle the pan. Do not over bake. The filling might appear slightly wet but as long as it does not appear too loose when jiggled,  it is perfect.

      Let the bars cool completely and then refrigerate the bars until very chilled; at least 2 hours. Once the bars are chilled prepare the white chocolate topping..

      White Chocolate topping: In a small sauce pan heat the heavy cream until boiled; remove from the heat. Place the chopped white chocolate in a medium bowl and pour over the hot heavy cream and let the mixture sit for about 20 seconds, then slowly whisk the mixture until it is combined and smooth;try not to incorporate too much air into the mixture. Let the mixture cool for about 10 minutes. Pour the mixture over the cooled bars and return the pan to the refrigerator and let the bars cool for several hours or even overnight before cutting.

      Lift the solid mass out from the pan and peel away the sides of the parchment paper and cut the bars into desired size. They are rich so don’t cut them too big.

      Happy Baking

      Suzie

    • Pithivier with Frangipane and Cherries

      Classic Almond Pithivier with Cherries

      Almond frangipane and sweet cherries baked in puff pastry.

      Cherry Pithivier

      We went out to dinner Friday night with some friends and after dinner the waiter gave us complimentary Amaretto liquor. When I smelled the Amaretto, it suddenly reminded me of frangipane, and  I could not stop thinking about it….All day Saturday I kept thinking about frangipane. No matter what I did, there it was in my mind.

      I got inspired when I went to the market and saw all the sweet cherries. Frangipane is the main focus of this dessert. It is so easy to make. It just takes a few ingredients, a few minutes and your trusty food processor.

      Cherries for pithivier

      Frangipane

      1 heaping C sliced blanched almonds

      1/2 C sugar

      1 stick softened room temp butter

      1-1/2 Tablespoons flour

      1 egg yolk

      1 whole egg

      1 Tablespoon + 1 tsp. Kirsch (cherry flavored liquor)

      1 tsp. almond extract

      Remaining Ingredients:

      1 C sweet cherries; washed, dried, pitted and cut in half

      Store bought Puff pastry;thawed  [I like Dufour if you can find it] (enough for 2  nine to 10 inch rounds)

      Egg wash (one egg yolk mixed with 1 T half/half or heavy cream)

      Sugar glaze (1 T corn syrup mixed with 1-1/2  tsp. water)

      1. Cut out 2 rounds of puff pastry; cut one 9 round. Cut another round only slightly bigger than the first; this will be the top portion. Set both aside in the refrigerator to chill.

      2. Prepare the Frangipane:

      In a food processor place the sliced almonds, sugar and process until finely ground. Add the butter and process until smooth. Add the flour and pulse/process. Don’t over process or you will form gluten. Add the egg, egg yolk and pulse again until smooth. Add the flavorings pulse/process until smooth. Remove the frangipane to a bowl and carefully fold in the cherries. Chill the frangipane until ready.

      3. Prepare a 1/2 sheet pan with a piece of parchment paper. Set the smaller round of puff pastry on the parchment lined  pan and spread the frangipane in the center of the puff round so that the filling is about an inch thick but leaving about 1 to 1 -1/2 inch border.  Egg wash around the border lightly; being careful not to get  the edge of the pastry too wet. This will ensure the top pastry can seal in the filling when placed. Place the top pastry circle over the filling and carefully press out any air pockets and seal up the filling. With the tip of a sharp knife score decorative marks on the top circle in an arc pattern being careful not to go all the way in with the knife. [See the picture below as a guide]. Take the back of the knife and use it to tuck in all around the edge around the pastry. Chill the prepared pithivier pastry for one hour.

      4. After an hour brush the pithivier with egg wash being careful not to let the wash run down the side of the puff or it will not rise correctly.

      Pithivier unbaked

      5. Bake for 15 minutes at 425º . Reduce the heat to 350º  and  bake for 20 minutes. Brush the puff with the  glaze and bake for an additional 15 minutes. Let the puff cool on a wire rack and serve while still warm.

    • Raspberry Pate de Fruits (fruit jellies)

       

       

      Candy was simple and fun in the 60’s. Candy buttons, necco wafers, pixi sticks…ah the list goes on….

      For some reason I’m having a 60’s flashback kind of day…I’m talkin’ Leave it to Beaver, Lost in Space, Twilight Zone and chuckles. All good memories from the 60’s.

      You know…. chuckles the fruit jellied candies that came stuck together in a row of flavors. Delicious fruit flavored jellies…and the one weird anomalous licorice dude  stuck in for good measure… Fruit imposter!

      Fruit jellies are “Pâte de Fruits” it  just depends on whether you are American or French  :-)

      As a kid I loved chuckles.  Now truth be told, they are a bit sweet; but still tasty none the less. If someone offered me one I would still eat it; except for the licorice dude…definitely not him.

      Pâte de Fruits are wonderfully different in that they are very potent, and rich in fruit flavor.

      Power up the Twilight Zone Netflix reruns and sit down with your sweetie and enjoy a good pâte de fruit ala  chuckle or two… :-)

      Recipe adapted from  “The Art Of The Chocolatier” by Ewald Notter

      Raspberry Pâte de Fruits

      595 gms. Sugar

      25 gms. Pectin (powdered kind)

      510 gms. Raspberry puree [takes about 4 (6 oz.) small containers of fruit] (Puree the washed and drained fruit in a food processor, and strain through a fine mesh wire strainer)

      100 gms. Light Corn syrup

      8 gms.  Tartaric acid  (optional-can be found in a cake supply store)

      Sugar, for coating

      1) Prepare an 8×8 square pan lined with a parchment paper sling.  Whisk together the sugar and the pectin. (This will prevent any lumps forming when it is added to the puree.)

      2) Bring the puree to a simmer. Stir in the sugar and pectin mixture. Bring the mixture to a boil, then add the corn syrup.

      3) Cook to 225° on a candy thermometer (this takes about 15-20 minutes)

      4) Meanwhile, mix  the tartaric acid with equal amount of boiling water. (you can skip this step; the acid gives the candy a nice tang)

      5) Remove the puree mixture from the heat and stir in the tartaric acid solution.

      6) Pour the mixture into small silicone candy molds or a 8×8 inch pan. If using a silicone candy mold; I like to pour the mixture first into a glass measuring cup so it is easier to pour into the individual areas of the candy  mold.

      7) Let the candies cool until firm and set to room temperature. (Takes about 2 hours). Pop out of the mold, or if using a pan, cut into small squares.

      8) Toss the candies in sugar to coat all sides. Store at room temperature.

      Printable Recipe:

        https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1JyFq7bDQxIjmevYwON4eT-gpsTwVKvPs80ux5S2wWWc

      Suzie

       

       

       

    • White Chocolate Raspberry Cake

      “Happy Anniversary” White Chocolate Raspberry Cake

      I made this cake for my friend Jill’s parent’s 40th Wedding Anniversary. The cake is a tender white cake flavored with almond and vanilla, paired with homemade raspberry filling and white chocolate buttercream frosting. I love the combination of white chocolate and raspberry. Raspberries are in season right now so I always love to use what’s in season. I like to buy fresh raspberries when they are on sale, then I wash and dry them and  lay them out on a sheet pan in the freezer; after they have frozen solid, then I repack them up for another trip to the freezer in ziplock freezer bags.  Even if you buy frozen fruit remember; buy when that fruit is at the peak of season, and you know you are getting the best quality.  For the recipe below I have made it easy for everyone and you can buy a 12 oz. bag of frozen raspberries.

      The cake recipe is from King Arthur Flour company www.kingarthurflour.com  and I was dying to try out the recipe as they have a new cake flour blend and the recipe is actually on the back of the box. Thier flours are very high quality and this new cake flour blend  is my new favorite of cake flours; it’s a bit pricey, but it is worth the extra money.  It is made without any chemicals and unbleached, and I seriously think it’s one of the best white cake recipes I’ve had; it’s very moist and tender just like the name implies. And believe me, I’ve tried quite a few of white cake recipes in my day.

      “Tender White Cake”  {recipe from King Arthur Flour}

      Yield: 2  layer cake with (8 or 9 inch rounds), one  9 x 13 pan, or 20-24 cupcakes.

      Note: If you are making a party cake like I did; I double the recipe (so I can fill and have a 2 layer cake) and make 2 of the 9 x 13. A 9 x 13 will feed 15-21 people nicely.

      Ingredients:

      2 3/4  C  King Arthur Unbleached Cake Flour Blend

      1 2/3  C  Sugar; superfine is best – {See my tip below}*

      1 Tablespoon baking powder

      3/4 tsp.  salt

      3/4 C unsalted butter; softened to room temp

      4 large egg whites plus 1 whole egg

      1 C full-fat vanilla yogurt OR 1 C whole milk {I used whole milk and it came out divine}

      2 tsp. vanilla extract

      1 tsp. almond extract

      * Suzie tip: Don’t buy superfine sugar in the store; they jack up the price and all you need to do is put good old regular white sugar in your food processor and whiz it for a few seconds with the metal blade to turn it into superfine. I buy sugar in huge quantities;  [shocking, I know] to save money :-)  and what I do is have 2 separate containers for my sugar; one labeled “superfine” and when I have a chance I just whiz some  in the food processor and pour it into my container.

      Directions:

      Preheat the oven to 350 ° F

      Mix all of the dry ingredients for 2 minutes on slow speed, to blend and aerate the flour. This is actually part of the back of the box instructions but telling you; [DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP!] this is my own personal two cents here. This helps ensure a loftier cake. Add the soft butter and mix into a paste; (my two cents again;  it will actually look more like wet sand). Add the egg whites, then the whole egg, beating after each addition to begin building the structure of the cake. Scrap down the sides and bottom of the bowl periodically.

      In a small bowl, whisk the yogurt (or milk), with the vanilla and almond extracts. Add that mixture, 1/3 at a time, to the egg mixture. Bet 1-2 minutes after each addition, until fluffy, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl. Pour batter into greased and floured or parchment-lined pans (two 8″ or 9″ round, one 9″ x 13″, or 20 to 24 cupcakes).

      Bake the cake(s) in a preheated 350º F oven for 25-30 minutes or (see below) time tips from King Arthur.

      For 8-9 inch pans ~ 25-30  minutes

      For 9 x 13 inch pan ~ 23-26 minutes

      For cupcakes ~ 20 minutes.

      The cake I did was a 9 x 13 and mine took 29 minutes; so there ya go; but everyone’s oven is different.

      Raspberry Filling: This recipe is a bit time-consuming; but it’s worth the effort. {Note; this is not only a filling but great on scones, blended into ice cream for a milk shake, spread on pancakes, Hell→ straight out of the bowl} :-)  I’m just sayin’…

      I will sometimes double or triple this recipe because it  freezes very nicely; so it saves you time when the urge strikes you to make a cake!

      1 bag of frozen unsweetened raspberries (12 oz.) {thawed for 30 minutes}

      1/4  C water

      1/3 C Sugar

      1/4 C  orange juice

      3/4 tsp. cinnamon

      3 Tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 2 Tablespoons cold water to make a “slurry”

      Directions:

      In  a 3 quart pot; place the entire bag of raspberries; including any juice that has collected in the bag;  heat the raspberries, water, sugar, orange juice and cinnamon until mixture has boiled and berries  have broken down to where they do not look whole anymore. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer over a bowl and push  and press the mixture with a spatula several times through the strainer to encourage the puree to collect on  the underside of the strainer ; and  with the spatula scrape the puree that  clings to the underside and let fall/collect in the bowl. Keep doing this until you can no longer collect any puree from the underside of the strainer and it looks like all you have left are raspberry seeds. Discard seeds. Pour your collected mass of puree/juices back into the pot and add your slurry of cornstarch and water. Bring the mixture back to a boil; whisking constantly until the mixture thickens. Pour into a bowl and refrigerate until mixture is cool. Before I place the mixture in the fridge…

      * Suzie tip: I like to taste the mixture and see if it is sweet enough; If it’s not quite sweet enough for your taste; at this point I add a Tablespoon of light corn syrup or more if you need to adjust the sweetness and mix with a spoon. Let the mixture cool completely before attempting to fill the cake.

      White Chocolate Buttercream

      Ingredients:

      2 sticks unsalted butter

      3 C  confectioners sugar

      pinch of salt

      4 oz. white chocolate (melted & cooled)

      1 tsp. vanilla extract

      4 Tablespoons  half and half

      Directions:

      In a medium bowl; sift the sugar and add in the pinch of salt to mix. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment;  beat the butter and confectioners sugar until very fluffy; start slow so the sugar does not go flying. Stop the mixer to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as you go. Add in the vanilla and mix. Add in the chocolate that has been cooled; make sure it is totally cooled before adding. Beat the mixture on high for about 3 minutes.

      Madeira simple syrup:

      In a small saucepan boil 1/2 C water and 1/2 C water until the sugar dissolves. Add in one Tablespoon of Madeira. If you don’t have Madeira; don’t sweat it. Matter of fact you can skip this step all together. It’s a cheffy thing; we like to brush our cakes with simple syrup.

      Cake assembly:

      Let the cakes cool completely. I shave off a very thin layer of the tops of the cakes to create a nice flat surface. Brush each layer with the Madeira syrup.

      Pipe a ring of buttercream damn around the perimeter of one cake layer; this will ensure the filling does not seep out. I use a piping bag with a large round tip but if you don’t have one; simply use a large ziplock bag; fill your bag with the buttercream and cut a corner off of the bag so you can “pipe” your ring of buttercream damn. Fill in with the raspberry filling and level off the filling so that it is flat. Place the next cake layer on top and brush with syrup. Cover the top and sides with the buttercream.

      Enjoy

      Happy Baking!

      Suzie