Granny’s Mini Pecan Pie Tarts

Posted on June 14, 2015 by Better Baking Bible

PECAN PIE CLOSE-UP / SEA TURTLE / CC BY , IMG_5886 / ISABELLE / CC BY

Calling all nut lovers – satisfy your sweet tooth this season with you very own homemade pecan pie tarts! You shouldn’t have to settle for only a slice of pecan pie when you can have your very own mini-pecan tarts overloaded with healthy nuts and a gooey mixture of brown sugar, butter, eggs and vanilla. These pecan pie tarts are hands down my favorite dessert and make the perfect treat to toss in a zip-lock bag and take with you on the go. You can even make this recipe in advance and display the tarts on tiered cupcake holders for an elegant presentation and a warm welcome to the upcoming season. If you are looking for a Thanksgiving dessert or a mini gift for x-mas, I would definitely have these tarts at the top of my list.

Granny’s Mini Pecan Pie Tarts

Yields 12

These mini pecan tarts are easy to make desserts and make great snacks to take to school or to the office!

Ingredients:

For Pie Tarts

2 (3-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped pecans

For Filling

3 large eggs, beaten
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
3/4 cup light corn syrup
2 tbsp butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

To Make Pie Tarts

In a medium bowl, beat together cream cheese and 2/3 cup butter at medium speed. Beat in flour and salt until combined and divide the dough in half. Flatten each half into a circle about 1 inch thick, wrap in plastic wrap and let it chill for 1 hour.
Shape dough into 2-inch balls and flatten them. Place each into in 3-inch muffin cups, forming each into a shell and letting it form a lip above the cups. You can use a fork to press into the edges to make little decorative lines. Sprinkle pecans evenly in pastry cups.

To Make Filling

Whisk together eggs, brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, vanilla extract and salt until blended.
Pour mixture evenly over pecans until pastries are full. Bake at 350F for 30-35 minutes or until set.

Tutorial: How to Make Mascarpone Cheese at Home for Cheap! All You Need is Heavy Cream and Lemon Juice!

Posted on June 9, 2015 by Better Baking Bible

MASCARPONE / DAVID ERICSON / CC BY , CHEESECAKE / FREDERIQUE VOISIN-DEMERY / CC BY , MASCARPONE / STU_SPIVACK / CC BY, CARAMEL / ROSENBEGAL / CC BY

We all know that mascarpone cheese can be expensive, but did you know that there’s a way to make it at home? This budget-friendly recipe is truly a keeper, and you’ll never want to buy mascarpone from the store again! All you need are two basic ingredients to make this delicious cheese. Heavy cream and lemon juice are all you need to put this together, and a little bit of patience. Use your homemade mascarpone with your favorite tiramisu recipe, or simply spread it on a bagel for a tasty breakfast!

Ingredients:

1) Saucepan

2) 2 cups heavy cream (this recipe makes approximately 2 cups of mascarpone cheese)

3) 1 lemon

4) Strainer

5) Unbleached cheese cloth

6) Large bowl

7) Candy thermometer

Steps:

1.) Take out your saucepan, pour in the 2 cups of heavy cream, and stick in your candy thermometer. Bring the cream to a simmer. The temperature on the thermometer should be around 180 F. Keep the temperature around 180 F.

2.) Allow the cream to simmer at 180 F for 3 minutes. Add in lemon juice. Allow it to simmer for an additional 3 minutes, then take the cream off the heat. Leave it to cool until it’s room temperature.

3.) Take out your strainer and line it with 3 layers of cheesecloth. Place a bowl under the strainer. Pour the mascarpone into the strainer.

4.) Place the strainer with the bowl underneath into the fridge. Leave it there overnight. In the morning, your mascarpone will be thick and creamy. The mascarpone will be good in the fridge for 1 week.

The ORIGINAL Marble Cupcakes With Buttercream Frosting – Super Easy!

Posted on June 7, 2015 by Better Baking Bible

Marble Cupcakes / F_A / CC BY

These marble cupcakes really hit the bulls eye topped with creamy vanilla and chocolate buttercream frosting! Marble cake has so many different versions, but we’ve never done it before with marbled icing. This recipe is easy peasy, and you probably already have all the ingredients in your pantry!

The ORIGINAL Marble Cupcakes With Buttercream Frosting – Super Easy!

Ingredients:

For Cupcakes

2/3 Cups unsalted butter
2/3 Cups sugar
3 large eggs
½ Tsp salt
1 1/2 Cups flour
2 Tsp baking powder
1 Tsp baking soda
50 ml of milk
2 Tsp vanilla extract
3 Tbsp Cocoa Powder

For Chocolate and Vanilla Icing

1 Cup butter
450g Philadelphia cream cheese, chopped into chunks
8 Cups icing sugar
2 Tbsp milk
60g Cocoa powder
1 Tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

To Make Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 356F and line cupcake tray with cupcake cups. Using an electric mixer, whip butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Mix in eggs, milk, and vanilla extract. Slowly mix in flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda until well combined.
Place half of the mixture in another bowl and add the cocoa powder to one of the bowls.
Spoon a bit of the vanilla and a bit of the chocolate batter into your cupcake cups and use a knife to carefully wiggle through your cupcake. Bake for about 20 minutes.

To Make Icing

Using an electric mixer, whip butter until light and fluffy. Slowly add in cream cheese chunks and whip just until combined, being careful to not over-mix.
Slowly add in icing sugar and milk. Divide icing into two bowls and in one add the vanilla extract and in the other add the cocoa powder. Now add vanilla extract or Cocoa powder and mix until well combined.
Place icing into a piping bag and pipe your cupcakes!

Chocolate Ice Cream Oreo Pecan Mud Pie

Posted on June 6, 2015 by Better Baking Bible

Mud Pie / Spider.Dog / CC BY

Love ice cream on a hot summer day? This chocolate Oreo cookie pecan mud pie is infused with flavour and dripping with yumminess. With a hint of coffee ice cream and garnished with whipping cream and even MORE Oreos and pecans, it’s really a delicious treat the whole family would love. It also makes a cool frozen dessert that’s so simple to make, it doesn’t even require much baking!

Chocolate Cookie Pecan Mud Pie

Ingredients:

13 Oreo cookies, crumbled
3 tbsp unsalted buter, melted
1 egg white, lightly beaten
1-1/4 cups pecans, chopped and toasted
1/4 cup sugar
2 cups coffee ice cream
2 cups chocolate ice cream
13 Oreo cookies, chopped and divided (leave some for decorating the top!)
Frozen whipping cream for decorating

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 F. In a large bowl, mix together Oreos and butter and press into a 9″ pie plate. Brush the top of the Oreos with the egg white and place in the oven for about 5 minutes.
Combine both ice creams and 1 cup of chopped Oreos and 1 cup of pecans. Dump mixture into crust and freeze for 10-15 minutes. Using the remaining cookies and pecans, sprinkle onto top of pie and press (Leave a bit to decorate the top!). Freeze pie for at least 7-10 hours.
To decorate, swirl whipping cream over the whole pie and sprinkle chopped Oreos and pecans.

Notes

To toast pecans, place in the oven on a cookie sheet for about 10 minutes.

Hummingbird Cake Recipe with Cream Cheese Frosting

Posted on June 3, 2015 by Better Baking Bible

A lovely way to start of the spring and summer season with a multi-layered hummingbird cake filled with cream cheese frosting! Moist pineapple, crunchy pecans or walnuts and loads of flavor!

*If you would like to share my recipe and photos please provide proper credit and a link back. Thanks!

Hummingbird Cake Recipe with Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

3 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp table salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp allspice
1 1/3 cups vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla sugar
3 eggs (lightly whipped)
1 ½ cups mashed bananas
2 cups toasted pecans or walnuts (chopped and divided)
1 can crushed, undrained pineapple (about 1 oz can)
1 cup butter, softened
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp salt
2 packages of cream cheese (8 oz each package), chopped in chunks

Directions:

To Make Cake

Preheat oven to 350 F and grease/flour three 9” cake pans.
Mix dry ingredients first in a large bowl: flour, 2 cups sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and allspice.
Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix well: vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and eggs. Add banana, 1 cup of pecans or walnuts, and pineapple until combined.
Divide batter between the 3 pans and bake for about 25 minutes. Let cakes cool before removing to wire racks.

To Make Frosting

Beat butter and powdered sugar together using an electric mixer. Add the vanilla extract and then start to combine the cream cheese, 1 chunk at a time.
Spread the frosting evenly between all the layers, as well as the top and sides of the cake. Sprinkle chopped and toasted pecans/walnuts all over cake.

Baking Dilemma: Making My Small Kitchen Look Big and Bake Like a Pro!

Posted on May 21, 2015 by Better Baking Bible

Small kitchen? No problem! You can still bake like a pro and make the most of the tiniest kitchen spaces with my tried-and-true tricks!

Apartments are great for living in, but they can be tight on the space especially in the kitchen area. When you’re a hobbyist baker you will quickly find out that you need lots of space and may be hemmed in by the kitchen’s size. Here are 5 tricks you can use to make your small kitchen look a lot bigger in a snap:

1. Save Space with a Smart Layout

When you’re looking at how to design your kitchen for maximum efficiency, you want to cut out dead space, so if you have corners, then think about corner kitchen drawers, and put in Lazy Susans – small circular surfaces that rotate – into your cabinets so that you can make those hard-to-reach places more functional.

2. Specify Working Stations

As a baker, you need as much space as you can get, so it’s worth looking at setting up specific areas for different jobs. Your work surfaces are the most important to start with, otherwise you can’t make your goodies very easily. Your mixing area is probably the key zone. Get some hooks on the wall to hang up the utensils you need so that you can reach them easily. Have your mixing bowls in cabinets underneath so that you save time by not searching them out somewhere else.

When you’re using electric gadgets, have them on the worktop if you use them daily, or otherwise make space in the cabinet below.

3. Hang Up Pots and Pans

These are huge users of space in cabinets and cupboards, so think smart and hang them up. A traditional French-style kitchen, for example, will have pots and pans hanging from the ceiling, on the wall, or even on racks in front of a window. It’s a classic way to save space, they’re easy to access, and they give you more room everywhere else.

4. Remove Curtains and Blinds

Windows let in light, and that can help to brighten your kitchen space. Window coverings are important here. Curtains can look good but they take up space, and in a kitchen they get dirty. You have to wash them and get them dry.

Window shutters are a good alternative. Traditional shutters take far less space and are a lot easier to clean than curtains, so consider installing them when you’re looking to increase the sense of space you have.

5. Install a Mirrored Backsplash

When your space is small but you want to create the sensation that it’s a fair bit larger than it is, install mirrors wherever you have the option. They will give that illusion that you have more space than you really do – and can also help you to feel less confined. Consider a mirrored backsplash for a glamourized look that will make your kitchen look huge!

Making a small kitchen look bigger isn’t impossible, it just takes a little bit of creativity and careful planning. If you are cramped and absolutely need a larger kitchen, consider upgrading to a spacious condo. I’m actually in the process of choosing between renting one of the spacious Yorkville rentals in Toronto, or one of the apartments for rent in Winnipeg, the kitchens are large making a whole other decorating challenge – finding the perfect color, theme, and decor!

Photos By: Infarrantly Creative, Minty House blogspot

Linzer Cookies With Raspberry Jam – Perfect for Valentine’s Day!

Posted on January 8, 2015 by Better Baking Bible

Linzer cookies are a classic, and these have been tweaked for Valentine’s Day! They’ve got the classic taste we all love in a Linzer cookie, but with a raspberry twist! The raspberry jam goes great with this soft and buttery cookie, and it’s topped with powdered sugar. These cookies would look wonderful packaged with a ribbon as a teacher gift, or as a school snack for your kids. Love is in the air, so make a big batch of these yummy cookies for that special someone!

Photos: Cooking Classy.

Linzer Cookies With Raspberry Jam – Perfect for Valentine’s Day!

Classic buttery Linzer cookies tweaked for Valentine’s Day with raspberry jam and dusted with powdered sugar. Makes a great teacher gift!

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar, plus more for dusting
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
8 oz raspberry jam

Instructions:

In a large bowl, whisk flour, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
In a food processor, add almonds and brown sugar. Pulse until they’re finely ground. Set aside.
In another bowl, beat butter and powdered sugar using an electric mixer on low speed. When combined, increase speed to medium-high and beat until creamy (1 minute).
Add in egg, vanilla, and almond extract. Mix.
Add in almond mixture. Mix.
On low speed, gradually add in flour mixture. Mix until combined.
Form the dough into a ball and wrap it in a sheet of plastic wrap. Chill in the fridge for 2 hours.
Preheat your oven to 350 F.
Dust your work surface with flour and take out the dough from the fridge. Cut the dough in half and roll out each half evenly until it’s 1/8″-1/6″ thick.
Cut into heart shapes with a cookie cutter. Using a smaller heart shape cookie cutter, cut out small hearts into the centers of half of the hearts.
Transfer the hearts onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Space them about 1″ apart. If the hearts have warmed up, place them in the fridge for a few minutes. They must go into the oven cold.
Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes until the edges are golden. Cool on wire racks.
Spread jam over the whole hearts and top with heart that’s been cut out in the center.
Dust cookies with powdered sugar.
Store in an airtight container.