Blueberry Muffin Baby

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When I wasn't totally winning in epic snowball battles today, I was spending some time in my favorite apron, whipping up some coffeehouse-worthy treats. Observe:

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This recipe called for two cups of fresh blueberries, but they're out of season.  Never fear, for frozen works just as well, my friends! Look at all those berries!

These muffins are full of antioxidants...and you know, lots of sugar and butter and flour. Whatever.

Moving on...

DSCN0083Here's the mix post-berries. ISN'T IT GORGEOUS? It smelled so good as well.

DSCN0086To me, a great muffin has never, ever reached its full potential unless it has that buttery, sugary, sprinkled topping. And it's so easy to make! All you need is flour, sugar, butter, and clean fingers to combine and sprinkle!

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Fresh out of the oven and almost ready to eat! (My friends were lurking quite close to me as I took this. But it just wouldn't be a good food post if I didn't take better pictures, now would it?)

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DSCN0093RIGHT after this photo was taken, we had two each and started dreaming about breakfast so we could eat them again.

It'll be super sad when these babies are gone.

What You'll Need:

  • 7 Tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/3 cup whole milk
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups fresh blueberries

 

FOR THE TOPPING:

  • 3 Tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3 1/2 tablespoons sugar

Find the recipe here!

HAPPY BAKING!

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The Time I Tried (AND MADE) Sweet Potato Pie

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DSCN0070 RIght, so we all know that my relationship with yams thus far in my cooking career has been rocky at best.  But, I had some leftover from the weekend before and when life gives you yams...

Never mind.

So for starters I would just like to note that not only is that a homemade crust, but it was no-roll, and it took me thirty minutes. THIRTY MINUTES. And it was all thanks to Joy The Baker!

This time around I boiled those potatoes for 40 minutes, and then cooked them some more! If you can stick a sharp knife straight down the middle of one of those jokers with absolutely no resistance whatsoever, you've done your job spectacularly, my friend.

From there it was totally smooth sailing. 50 minutes later and...

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Voila! A pie that spilled a little in transit from the counter to the oven, but that tasted AMAZING!  (And was completely gone after two days.) Not too shabby for my first try at pie, wouldn't you say?

I'll tell you something: it made me immediately forget all about the nightmare that was the weekend before.

I, Sydney, blogger and home cook, will never fear the yam again.

Progress!

What You'll Need:

  • 2 cups mashed cooked sweet potatoes
  • 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
  • 2- 5oz cans evaporated milk (1 1/4 cups evaporated milk)
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla

Get the recipe here!

Happy baking!

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The Time I Tried (and Failed) to Make Sweet Potato Cupcakes

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DSCN0056 You guys I tried. I really, really tried.

Every weekend I make it a point to bake. I love to bake. (You know this, you follow me.) So there I was, just like every weekend, perusing my hundreds of recipes that I've collected online when suddenly, I found it: a recipe for light and fluffy sweet potato cupcakes. I knew I had to make them.

So I make my grocery list, I go to the store, and already I run into a problem: It's winter, and canned sweet potato is no longer available. No matter, we have a blender, so I grab three yams, and I go on my way.

Something I wish I had known before I tried to puree my own vegetables:

YOU HAVE TO COOK THEM FIRST.

Given the fact that my love for cooking is admittedly still in its early stages, this little kitchen trick is one I'd never learned. So there I was, adding water to a blender and pureeing those yams like there was no tomorrow. And puree them I did...kind of.

DSCN0057So as you can see, my should-be smooth puree was a tad bit on the chunky side. But not one to give up, (ESPECIALLY SINCE I HAD ALREADY PURCHASED YAMS TO PROVE I COULD MAKE THESE BABIES.) I forged on ahead. The cupcakes might have a little texture to them, but they were going to be great, I just knew it.

Then arose the next problem...in the form of buttermilk. Now, I don't know if you're like me, but I never find a use for buttermilk. I'll buy it for a recipe, then never, ever use it again. Then a friend of mine mentioned a way to make my own, and being a huge lover of DIY, I jumped on that!

"Just add a tablespoon of vinegar, fill up the rest with milk, and let it sit for a while," she said. Okay, easy enough.

Just to be sure, I looked up a few recipes confirming exactly what she'd told me, with just one speed bump: one recipe said 5-10 minutes, and one said 15, but the rest was right.

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I decided to wait ten minutes. The recipe said that I should see it curd, but I didn't. I figured that since I'd done it all right, that it was buttermilk, and forged ahead. OH BOY was that possibly the biggest mistake.

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My cupcake mixture ended up being far too watery for the average cupcake, but as I put it in I thought, "Hey, no big deal. You've never made sweet potato cupcakes, and maybe this is just their way." Wrong. So wrong.

DSCN0062Into the oven my babies went. Uncooked is how they returned to me.

The funny thing was: cooked on the bottom and top they were, but mushy in the middle as well. I just couldn't understand it! What had I done so wrong? What had I done to deserve such a tragedy? How could they smell just like Thanksgiving, but a watery one at best? And then it hit me like a sack of yams: the "buttermilk." 

Of course. I never let it curd, and this was my result. I felt defeated and a little sad: everything I'd made up until this point had turned out fabulously, and then this.

So now, if you've made it this far, you may be saying to yourself, "What's the point?"

The point, my beautiful or handsome reader, is that even though this experience got me down, even though I totally failed, I still carried on. I still looked up recipes the nest weekend, and I'm still happy.

 

This blog serves as a documentation of my journey as a cook, but it also serves as a way to share. I know there are other future cooks and bakers out there that want to do more, but are too afraid they'll fail. And let me tell you: you might. I did, and still do. But that's half the fun isn't it? Failing is part of learning, and learning is an everyday occurrence for even the best cooks.

 

Keep at it. Always cook. Always bake. Always do it with a smile on your face.

 

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My Date With Oatmeal Raisin

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Ah, oatmeal raisin cookies: a staple of my childhood. I am a big fan of a crunchy on the outside, chewy on the inside, cookie. Too much crunch and you've lost me. Too chewy, and it's probably time to stick it back in the oven. But when done just right, you've got me right where you want me.

I am a HUGE (honestly, that might be an understatement) fan of The Smitten Kitchen, and just found the best recipe for the thick, chewy, oatmeal raisin cookie. (That sort of rhymes if you read it a certain way.)

This is how I spent my Saturday:

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DSCN0049For this post, there are no "after" pictures because as soon as they were done, most of them were eaten by me and my housemates. Nonetheless, my experience was great.

What I Learned:

1. This recipe was an adaption of the one found on the back of the Quaker Oats box. (I know, not really that important, but I found it interesting, so here you go.)

2. Oatmeal Raisin dough is fun to work with.

3. Chill your dough before you bake it. I chilled mine for 30 minutes, and I promise, it totally helped with the thickness.

4. Parchment paper is my new best friend and cleanup was a breeze. (My beloved cookie sheet is permanently stained with the shapes of 12+ Christmas trees from a baking adventure long ago. I didn't butter as well as I thought, and now I'll always be reminded. Side note within this side note: those christmas tree cookies were DELICIOUS.)

What You'll Need:

  • 1/2 cup (1 stick, 4 ounces, or 115 grams) butter, softened
  • 2/3 cup (125 grams) light brown sugar, packed
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup (95 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon table salt (I often use a half teaspoon, but I like more salt in my baked goods)
  • 1 1/2 cups (120 grams) rolled oats
  • 3/4 cup (120 grams) raisins
  • 1/2 cup walnuts (65 grams), chopped (optional)

Check out the recipe here!

Happy baking!

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The Time I Made Shortbread

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My love for shortbread knows absolutely no limits. It's buttery (especially when I make it), but light enough that you can eat a few pieces, and it still feels like a snack.  

Over the holidays I decided to try my hand at it, and the results were marvelous!

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What I learned:

1. Making shortbread is so simple, and so easy to do! And if you make a mix large enough, you can have shortbread cookies for days and days!

2. Shortbread dough can be a bit tough at times to work with. It is ESSENTIAL that your work space is well-floured before rolling out your dough. If it isn't, you'll constantly have to pull dough off your rolling pin. Trust me on this one. It's sticky.

3. My life motto: The more butter, the better.

These little cookies were perfect for my afternoon tea party!

What You'll Need:

  • 1  Cup Butter
  • 3/4  Cup Powdered Sugar
  • 1  Teaspoon Vanilla
  • 2 1/2  Cups  All-purpose flour

Check out the recipe here!

Happy baking!

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My dream appliance: a KitchenAid Stand Mixer. They are so classic. Did you know that since their creation, the design has not changed? And these babies have been around for a VERY long time.

It's just one of those things; If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Am I right?

 

THE DAY I get my mixer, is the day I make these absolutely adorable cookies.

 

 

So, Let's Talk About Cheesecake.

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Two words for you: Pumpkin. Cheesecake. My roommates and I were throwing a little "At the Coffeehouse" themed shindig, and since it was my idea, I wanted to make something appropriate for fall, and fancy! So, pumpkin cheesecake was a no-brainer.  And let me tell you: it was actually (relatively) easy!

So here was my day:

All I want is to be Julia Child in the kitchen.

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Making the DELICIOUS FILLING was pretty interesting. Tons of sour cream, and lots of pureed pumpkin. I would also like to add that I did all of this before I had my baby (my KitchenAid Hand Mixer). The mixing probably took a good 20 minutes. Now that my hand mixer is around, making this in the future will be a quick breeze! (And my wrist won't feel like it's about to fall off.)

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A few things I learned about crusts:

1. When the directions say to use a specific size pan, do what you're told. This crust is meant for a 9 x 13 size pan, but all we had was 7 X 10. We had one very thick crust.

2, Make sure your rolling space is NICE AND FLOURED. If not, it WILL stick:

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Et voila, the final product:

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Since this was the beginning of my Baking Adventures, I cheated and bought cream cheese frosting to spread on the top.

A Few Things I Learned About Frosting Cheesecake:

1. You have to wait until the cake filling is frozen.

2. If you don't wait until the filling is frozen, spreading the frosting is like spreading frosting onto very creamy soup. Also, you will misjudge how much frosting you need, and you'll put too much.

3. Just wait until it's frozen.

I topped off the top with Pumpkin Pie Spice (who even knew there was such a thing? Everyone else, apparently).

It was delicious. DELICIOUS. And I was so proud of myself for making my first dessert with lasting power!

And oh yeah, here's the recipe from Serious Eats!

Ingredients

Makes 24 bars, active time 1 hour, total time 4 hours, including cooling

  • For the Sweet Pastry Dough
  • 1 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1⁄4 cup sugar
  • 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
  • 4 ounces (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1⁄2-inch cubes
  • 1 large egg
  • For the Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling
  • 16 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1⁄2 cup sugar
  • 3⁄4 cup pumpkin puree (see page 100)
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 2 large eggs
  • Cream Cheese Frosting
  • 4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 3 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
  • 1⁄2 cup pecans, toasted (page 19), coarsely chopped (optional)

Procedures

  1.  For the Sweet Pastry Dough

    Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch glass or light-colored metal baking pan. Line the bottom with a sheet of parchment paper and butter the parchment.

  2.  Place the flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor and pulse until combined. Add the butter and pulse until sandy (6 to 10 quick pulses). In a small bowl, whisk the egg and add it to the food processor. Pulse just until the dough begins to hold together (if the dough seems exceedingly dry and crumbly, add a teaspoon of water and pulse again). Form the dough into a disk, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
  3.  Dust a work surface with a sprinkling of flour. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a rectangle slightly larger than 9 by 13 inches (the size of the pan) and about 1⁄4 inch thick. The dough might be sticky, so turn it with a bench knife or spatula as needed and keep the work surface floured. Some people find it easier to roll the dough between two layers of parchment paper—this can make it less messy and easier to transfer to the pan.
  4.  Ever so gently, guide the dough into the pan and lightly press it—without pulling—into the bottom; it is not necessary to bring the dough up the sides of the pan, only to completely cover the bottom of the pan. Trim off any excess. Place the pan in the freezer for 30 minutes.
  5.  Preheat the oven to 375°F.
  6.  Remove the pan from the freezer, line it with aluminum foil, and fill it three-quarters full with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove the foil and weights and bake for another 10 minutes, until the crust is lightly browned. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool. Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F.

  7.  For the Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling

    In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium speed just until it is lump free and smooth. Do not overbeat or the tops of the bars may crack. Add the sugar and beat again until well combined, about 2 minutes.

  8.  In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, maple syrup, vanilla bean paste, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice. Add this mixture to the cream cheese mixture and beat on medium-low speed until completely combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat until the mixture is smooth. Note: This batter is slightly looser than the average cheesecake batter.
  9.  Pour the mixture over the crust and bake for 23 to 30 minutes, or until the bars are set and slightly puffy (if the tops start to crack, the bars are overbaked). Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and allow the bars to come to room temperature, then refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

  1. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until it is completely smooth. Add the cream cheese and beat until combined. Add the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and salt and beat until smooth (be careful not to overbeat the frosting or it will lose its structure). The frosting can be made a day ahead: after mixing, cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate; let it soften to room temperature before using.
  2.  Use an offset spatula to spread the frosting evenly across the top of the filling layer. If you like, sprinkle the pecans evenly over the top of the frosting. Place the bars in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to set before cutting and serving.

The bars can be stored in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for up to 3 days.

Happy Baking!

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