Showing posts with label dessert. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dessert. Show all posts

Thursday, November 1, 2012

super creamy pumpkin pie


rob LOVES pumpkin pie...so i make sure it's super delicious every time i make it :)  here is my go-to recipe for super creamy, melt-in-your mouth pumpkin pie. hope you and your family love it this thanksgiving!


ingredients:
- 1 8-ounce package of cream cheese, softened
- 2 cups canned pumpkin, mashed
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg + 2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
- 1 cup half & half
- 1/4 cup melted butter, slightly cooled
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 frozen pie shells

directions:
- preheat oven to 350 degrees
- cover each pie crust with foil and bake for 10 minutes
- remove foil and bake for another 5 minutes until it's slightly golden; set aside
- in a large bowl, beat cream cheese with a hand mixer for about 2 minutes
- add pumpkin and beat until combined
- add sugar, salt, eggs and egg yolks, half & half, butter; beat until combined
- add vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg; beat until combined
- pour filling into warm pie crusts; bake for 50 minutes or until center is set
- cool to room temperature; serve with ice cream or whipped cream yeah!

xoxo,
kara

Friday, September 28, 2012

amazing caramel apples


i'm obsessed with caramel apples...obsessed.  and since i got some really beautiful granny smith apples via farm fresh to you, i decided to make some yummy caramel apples!  this recipe is soooooooo easy to make...and the apples are fun to decorate for halloween or to share with friends and family during the holidays.  please enjoy!


ingredients:
- 4 apples (i like to use granny smith apples)
- 14 ounce bag of caramel, unwrapped
- 2 tablespoons vanilla ice cream (or 2 tablespoons of milk)
- 4 wooden sticks (i like to use chopsticks hahaha!)
- toppings...chocolate shavings, pecans, almonds, tj's sugar chocolate coffee bean grinder (which i LOVE!)

directions:
- in a large bowl, microwave the unwrapped caramel pieces and vanilla ice cream for 2 minutes
- meanwhile, either butter a baking sheet or dust it with a coat of sugar 
- remove the stems from the apples and push the wooden sticks through the top until secure
- once the caramel is melted, mix carefully
- coat one apple at a time with generous amounts of caramel; set on prepared baking sheet
- add toppings by either rolling or patting down...enjoy!

xoxo,
kara

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

real strawberry cupcakes (sprinkles style!)


for rob's birthday, i decided to make some strawberry cupcakes, since it's his favorite :)  inspired by martha's recipe, here is my strawberry cupcake recipe for you to try at home...your cupcakes will be as tasty, if not better than sprinkles!  enjoy!


cupcake ingredients:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
- 1/2 cup cake flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup whole fresh or frozen strawberries, thawed
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 large egg whites

strawberry frosting ingredients:
- 1/4 cup whole frozen strawberries, thawed
- 1 cup unsalted butter, slightly cold
- pinch of coarse salt
- 3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

cupcake directions:
- preheat oven to 350 degrees
- line a 12-cup muffin tin or use foiled cupcake liners on a cookie sheet
- in a bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt
- puree thawed frozen strawberries with a food processor or a hand-held blender
- in a separate bowl, mix 1/3 cup of strawberry puree, milk and vanilla together
- using the paddle attachment on an electric mixer, cream butter on med-high speed until light and fluffy
- add sugar and mix until light and fluffy
- reduce speed and add egg and egg whites one at a time
- at the lowest speed, add half the flour mixture, followed by the strawberry mixture, then the rest of the flour mixture, making sure the mixture is just blended between each step
- pour the batter into cupcake liners
- bake for about 15 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean; cool completely on a wire rack before icing!

strawberry frosting directions:
- puree thawed frozen strawberries with a food processor or a hand-held blender
- using the paddle attachment on an electric mixer, cream butter and salt together on medium speed until light and fluffy
- lower speed to low and add sugar; mix until well combined
- add vanilla and 3 tablespoons of strawberry puree and mix until blended
- make sure the frosting is creamy and thick and not over-blended. decorate your cupcakes and enjoy!

xoxo,
kara

Thursday, March 29, 2012

milk chocolate chip and cherry cookie


here is another cookie recipe that uses the base from my amazing chocolate chip cookie recipe.  i like to add cherries for a nice tart & sweet bite that complements the creamy sweetness of the chocolate and cookie dough.  enjoy!


ingredients:
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup butter @ room temperature
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups milk chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup chopped cherries (or any dried fruit)

directions:
- preheat oven to 325 degrees; prepare a cookie sheet with a silpat or foil
- mix flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a bowl 
- in a separate bowl, cream butter with white and brown sugars and vanilla extract until well blended
- add eggs, one at a time and blend until incorporated
- stir in flour mixture and mix well; add chocolate chips and cherries and mix
- drop rounded tablespoons of batter on prepared cookie sheets
- bake for 7 to 9 minutes until golden brown; cool on baking sheet and enjoy!

xoxo,
kara

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

post-holiday candy cookie recipe


using my amazing chocolate chip cookie recipe as a base, you can make all sorts of different types of cookies.  here is my post-holiday candy cookie recipe (ie: use leftover valentines/easter/halloween/christmas candy).  enjoy!


ingredients:
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup butter @ room temperature
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups chopped leftover candy (i recommend rolos, twix, m&ms, snickers, milky ways)


directions:
- preheat oven to 325 degrees; prepare a cookie sheet with a silpat or foil
- mix flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a bowl 
- in a separate bowl, cream butter with white and brown sugars and vanilla extract until well blended
- add eggs, one at a time and blend until incorporated
- stir in flour mixture and mix well; add candy and mix
- drop rounded tablespoons of batter on prepared cookie sheets
- bake for 7 to 9 minutes until golden brown; cool on baking sheet and enjoy!

xoxo,
kara

Thursday, March 22, 2012

amazing chocolate chip cookies


so a little tidbit about me...i used to pull all-nighters all the time in high school to study...and when i did stay up all night, i would take "breaks" and bake cookies.  i have baked hundreds of batches of cookies in the last 20 years, so when i say this chocolate chip cookie recipe is amazing, i mean it!  it took a lot of trial and error to get to this recipe...so bake a batch and enjoy!


ingredients:
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup butter @ room temperature
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups blend of chocolate chips: semi-sweet, milk, dark, bittersweet, etc
- 1/2 cup chopped nuts, totally optional
- 2 tablespoons dry milk powder, also totally optional

directions:
- preheat oven to 325 degrees; prepare a cookie sheet with a silpat or foil
- mix flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a bowl 
- in a separate bowl, cream butter with white and brown sugars and vanilla extract until well blended
- add eggs, one at a time and blend until incorporated
- stir in flour mixture and mix well; add chocolate chips and nuts/milk powder and mix
- drop rounded tablespoons of batter on prepared cookie sheets
- bake for 7 to 9 minutes until golden brown; cool on baking sheet and enjoy!

xoxo,
kara

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

double chocolate brownies


here is a really good, super fudgy brownie recipe that rob and all my friends love.  i've been using this recipe for a long time, so give it a try and enjoy!


ingredients:
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 6 ounces of any type of chocolate; i prefer semisweet but it really depends on how sweet you want it
- 1/4 cup unsweetened dutch-process cocoa powder
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

directions:
- preheat oven to 350 degrees; prepare a square baking pan with butter or oil spray. i also like to use silicon mini cupcake pan
- assemble a double boiler by simmering water in a saucepan with a heat-proof bowl fitted on top 
- in the heat-proof bowl, mix chocolate, butter and cocoa powder until melted; set aside to cool slightly
- in a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking powder and salt
- using the whisk attachment on an electric mixer, whisk together sugar, cinnamon, eggs and vanilla until pale, about 3-5 minutes
- add chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and blend until combined
- reduce speed to low and add flour mixture and mix until combined
- pour batter in prepared baking pan and bake for about 30 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean; cool for 10 minutes or so before cutting.

xoxo,
kara

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

crack pie


so my husband and i got the momofuku & milk cookbooks last year, and we've spent many weekends making all the recipes in the books.  our fave recipe is for sure the crack pie -  it's amazing and like crack (well, as addicting).  although this recipe is super detailed and quite long, it's fun fun to make with your boyfriend, husband, wife, friends, etc.  


Note: Adapted from Momofuku. This pie calls for 2 (10-inch) pie tins. You can substitute 9-inch pie tins, but note that the pies will require additional baking time, about 5 minutes, due to the increased thickness of the filling.

oatmeal cookie crust ingredients:
- 2/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon flour
- Scant 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
- Scant 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup softened butter
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 egg
- Scant 1 cup rolled oats

oatmeal cookie crust directions:
- heat the oven to 375 degrees
- in a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt
- in the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat the butter, brown sugar and sugar until light and fluffy
- whisk the egg into the butter mixture until fully incorporated
- with the mixer running, beat in the flour mixture, a little at a time, until fully combined
- stir in the oats until incorporated
- spread the mixture onto a 9-inch-by-13-inch baking sheet and bake until golden brown and set, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and cool to the touch on a rack
- crumble the cooled cookie to use in the crust

crust ingredients:  
- crumbled cookie for crust
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt

crust directions:
- combine the crumbled cookie, butter, brown sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse until evenly combined and blended (a little of the mixture clumped between your fingers should hold together)
- divide the crust between 2 (10-inch) pie tins
- press the crust into each shell to form a thin, even layer along the bottom and sides of the tins
- set the prepared crusts aside while you prepare the filling

filling ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 3/4 cup plus a scant 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup plus 1 teaspoon milk powder
- 1 cup butter, melted
- 3/4 cup plus a scant 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 8 egg yolks
- 2 prepared crusts
- powdered sugar, garnish

filling directions:
- heat the oven to 350 degrees
- in a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, brown sugar, salt and milk powder
- whisk in the melted butter, then whisk in the heavy cream and vanilla
- gently whisk in the egg yolks, being careful not to add too much air
- divide the filling evenly between the 2 prepared pie shells
- bake the pies, one at a time, for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 325 degrees and bake until the filling is slightly jiggly and golden brown (similar to a pecan pie), about 10 minutes
- remove the pies and cool on a rack
- refrigerate the cooled pies until well chilled
- the pies are meant to be served cold, and the filling will be gooey
- dust with powdered sugar before serving

xoxo,
kara

Monday, January 9, 2012

best coffee cake ever

i've been making coffee cake since middle school - it was always so easy to make, and my dad loved it with his morning coffee.  anyway, after all these years, i wanted to share my coffee cake recipe with everyone.  it's crumbly but super moist, decadent but not too heavy, chocolatey but not too sweet.  enjoy!




topping ingredients:
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, optional
- 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1/2 stick butter, melted then cooled


cake ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 stick butter at room temperature
- 1 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup sour cream (but not the nonfat, lowfat stuff!)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract


directions:
- preheat oven to 350 degrees; grease a 9-inch square baking pan
- mix the topping ingredients together in a bowl and set aside
- sift together flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl, set aside
- in a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar for about 4 minutes until light and fluffy
- add eggs, one at a time, and beat until incorporated
- stir in the sour cream and vanilla extract
- fold in the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda and salt); gently fold the ingredients until there are no lumps
- spoon half of the batter into the baking pan, followed by a layer of the topping mixture, then another layer of the batter. finish with a layer of the topping
- bake for about 40 minutes or until it passes the toothpick test  :)
- serve warm with some ice cream (oh yum!) or with your coffee the next morning (double yum!).  enjoy!


xoxo,
kara