Pistachio Cake

Pistachio-Cardamom-Caramel Cake

Ingredients:

1 box of white cake mix (I used DH)
1 cup of cake flour
1/2 cup of white granulated sugar (*I cut down the sugar because the coffee
   creamer and ice cream topping have lots of it)
2 teaspoons baking power
1 envelope dry pistachio pudding mix
1 teaspoon of salt (*If using salted pistachios omit salt).
1 teaspoon of ground cardamom.
****Sift dry ingredients twice and set aside.


1 cup of sour cream
1 stick of butter (at room temp.)
1/4 cup of veg. oil
1/3 cup of cream cheese at room temp.
   (*I always add cream cheese to my WASC recipe, you can omit
   this if you want, I just love the richness that it adds to the cake)
1/4 cup of brown sugar
**Cream these ingredients in the mixer for about 3 mins
  or until completely blended together.


4 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Lorann pistachio oil flavor
*Add these ingredients to mixer until blended with the other ingredients.



1/2 cup of vanilla caramel coffee creamer
1/2 cup of caramel ice cream topping
3/4 cup of buttermilk
*Mix together all liquids and alternate with dry ingredients into the mixer.


1 cup of chopped pistachios (*don’t forget the pistachios! –fold into the
   the mix at the very end)


I baked it in a 325 degree oven. Fits 2, 8 inch pans. I cooked it for almost
60 minutes, but that can change. from oven to oven, or the size pan that
you are using.

For the filling:
Bettercream non-dairy whipped topping with Lorann Pistachio oil.
You can add some crushed pistachios to it, if you want for added
crunch.

I think the creator of the recipe was Macsmom, but not sure. I can
say that I loved it. The cake was moist till the last bite!

Hope you enjoy!!
Edna :)

Photography by Edna De La Cruz
All Rights Reserved 2012
This photo may not be republished or reproduced in any manner without the expressed permission of the author.

Tips for Making and Rolling out Gingerbread Houses

This is the first in a series of three Gingerbread House Tutorials. Here are a few baking tips for your Gingerbread, along with a few patterns for your convenience.

Gingerbread House Recipe

• 1/3 cup soft shortening
• 1cup brown sugar, packed
• 1-1/2 cups dark molasses
• 2/3 cup cold water
• 7 cups flour
• 2 tsps. Baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. allspice
• 1 tsp. ginger
• 1 tsp. ground cloves
• 1 tsp. cinnamon

Mix shortening, brown sugar, and molasses thoroughly.  Stir in water, Blend all dry ingredients; stir in. Chill dough.

A few tips for rolling out gingerbread:

Once your dough is chilled, it is easier to manage. Cut dough in half.

Cut parchment to fit an 10X15” jellyroll pan.  Spray pan and paper with a light coat of nonstick spray.

Form dough into a rectangle, then roll out on a floured silicone mat.

Roll with equal pressure from the center of the dough to the ends.

Flip the rolled dough onto the paper lined jellyroll pan; Make a 10X15 solid cookie by rolling the dough to 1/8” thickness. 

Place your pattern on the dough and score with a pizza cutter.

For the porch pillars, just roll out dough into two 1/2" diameter logs.

Using a toothpick, score a light indention or two on the logs to create a bit of interest.

Keep your cutter clean while working.

Trace pattern pieces, leaving all dough in place to prevent dough from spreading or changing shape while baking.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake gingerbread  7-8 minute just until edges begin to brown slightly.

Remove from oven and and lightly roll hot gingerbread to flatten our any humps from baking.

Re-score on scored lines while gingerbread is still  quite warm

Work quickly and carefully.

If the dough cools too much the pieces will crack, however dough can easily be cut while hot. Nest carefully place the parchment paper with the scored gingerbread onto a baking rack to cool completely.

When cooled, remove from the parchment paper and allow the bread to set for a 24 hour period to harden.  Allow to harden at least one day before attempting to piece house together.  ***  Below are a few patterns just to get you started. Cut your patterns from cardboard or foam core and assemble with tape beforehand, especially if you are adding elements to your structure, such as a porch, vestibule, gables or any other addition you want to create. This step makes it easier to envision your assembly when constructing with gingerbread and sugar and well worth the extra time.

If you label your cardboard pieces, you will find it much easier to identify how your pattern should be placed. Be creative and have fun!

PATTERNS

 

 Gingerbread recipe shared from ICES, New Mexico chapter.

Jacque Benson—October 2007 In the next tutorial, a few easy tips for constructing your house.

This tutorial and photography is the property of Jacque Benson- copyright 2012- and used with permission from the author. This material may not be used, copied or printed without expressed permission from the author, Jacque Benson.

Let's Call it even!-Strategies for Baking Even Cake Layers

One thing I love as a baker is when the layers come out of the oven, not only

evenly baked, but level too!

Through the years, from here and there, I have picked up a few great tips 

for baking those even layers.  Through teachers, books, the internet and even Mom, I

have garnered a few tips along the way.
Hopefully these tips may help you become a happy baker too!

I start by cutting parchment paper to fit the inside of the pan. Using parchment paper helps keep the bottom of cake from baking too dark a crust, releasing the cake from the pan very easily.

Directions Here
for correctly cutting parchment liners.

Another tool I use is Baking Strips.
Before mixing the batter, just soak the strips in water for about 1/2 hour, then wring out excess water.  These will be wrapped around the perimeter of the pan and will help to bake very even layers without humps.

The third baking tool that is essential for even baking is a heating core, especially when the cake pan measures 10" or more.

There are two type methods to ensure even baking in the center of your cake layer.

The first way uses a commerical heating core. 

You can find these anywhere that sells Wilton supplies.

1.  Prepare the pan and the heating core by either greasing the bottom and sides with vegetable shortening, then flouring the sides lightly;   (or spray the bottom and sides with a prepared baking spray, such as Bake Easy, Baker's Joy with Flour, Baking Pam with Flour.)

2.Place a precut parchment paper over the bottom of pan. Grease or Spray the parchment paper lightly and place the prepared (greased and floured) heating core in the center of the pan.

 3. Wrap the pan with damp Baking Strips, and secure with pin.

 4. Pour the batter into your pan evenly, as well as into the heating core.

The second way to add a heating core to your pan is to use

an inverted stainless steel Flower Nail.

 1. Grease and flour pan...or spray with Baking Spray.

 2. Push Flower nail into the center of precut parchment paper.

 3. Place on bottom of pan, and lightly grease or spray parchment paper and flower nail.

 

4. Pour the batter evenly in pan, already prepared with secured dampened baking strip.

 5. Bake the cake layers in oven, leaving plenty of space for even baking air flow.

No matter what the recipe says, for the average cake, I check at 28 minutes. 

Most cakes are fully baked with the 28-30 minute time frame, depending on the size and depth of the pan, as well as the density of the recipe.

 6. When cake layers are fully baked, remove from oven onto a baking rack.

After about 5 minutes, remove the heating core by lifting out of the center.

 Cover the pans with waxed paper and invert onto baking rack to cool completely.

 Once the layer is inverted, lift the flower nail from the center.

The parchment paper enables the removal without destroying the center of the layer.

 Allow the layers to cool completely. See how beautifully even they are?

 Place the cake from the heating core in the center, then cut even with

the height of the layer.

This is a german chocolate cake.

Once completely cooled,it will be filled with coconut pecan filling.

No leveling needed, nor humps cut from the middle.

 

Once filled, it was iced with a milk chocolate ganache.

After chilling well, the cake was glazed with a bittersweet ganache.

So by adding a few steps at the beginning, 

I was able to eliminate a few messy steps before stacking the cake!

Happy Baking!

Tutorial and Photos
by
Jacque Benson
2011
All Rights Reserved

This material may not be republished or reproduced in any manner without the expressed permission of the author.

"C is for cookie...."

As I was on my semester break from school, I can honestly say the food item I thought of the most and made most often was a chocolate chip cookie. I didn't always make the same recipe, because I have a tendency to tinker, and try out multiple recipes to see if I can get the flavor and texture that I want. A chocolate chip cookie, to me, is the ultimate comfort food. Chocolate chip cookies are relatively easy to make, and they are quick, unless you want to chill the dough before baking, which is one of my favorite techniques.

I have seen numerous threads on the various forums I belong to, searching for the quintessential chocolate chip cookie. The purpose of this article isn't to tell you the recipe I think is best, but to give tips and pointers on how and why cookies turn out the way they do..

these cookies are the result of The Best, Big Fat, Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie

COOKIE CHARACTERISTICS

Cookies usually have five basic characteristics. The desired outcome dictates the recipe components.

the characteristics are: Crispness, Softness, Chewiness and Spread

Crisp cookies are low in moisture. Softness is the opposite of crispness. Sometimes we confuse chewiness with softness, HOWEVER, all chewy cookies are soft, but not all soft cookies are chewy. Spread is basically how much the cookie holds it shape.


snickerdoodles (one of my faves)

GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR COOKIE CHARACTERISTICS
Crispness
***Most crisp cookies come from a stiff dough. There is a low proportion of liquid compared to other ingredients
***Crisp cookies have a high sugar and fat content
***longer baking time, evaporates more moisture in the recipe
***small size, cookies dries out faster during baking
***proper storage, if cookies are stored where they can absorb moisture they can become soft

Softness
***Hi proportion of liquid compared to other ingredients
***low sugar and fat
***include honey,molasses or corn syrup. these ingredients absorb moisture so they support a softer cookie
***underbaking the cookie will allow it to remain soft. Less moisture is lost
***larger size (also thicker) cookies retain more moisture
***soft cookies should be stored tightly covered or they can dry out

Chewiness
***High sugar/liquid, but low fat
***High proportion of eggs
***strong flour or gluten developed during mixing

Spread
***high sugar increases spread. regular granulated sugar (as compared to confectioners or superfine sugar) increases spread, like little ball bearings
***high leavening content (baking soda and/or powder) encourages spread
***the amount of "creaming" the sugar and fat increases spread. If you cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy your cookies will spread more that if you take the same recipe and creamed those ingredients less
***low oven temp increases spread. Higher temps cause the cookie to "set up" faster before it has a chance to spread
***a thinner batter (high liquid content) spreads more than a stiffer batter
***strong flour or gluten developed decreases spread (using the same recipe with cake or pastry flour instead of all purpose will cause the cookies to spread more)
***heavily greased pans causes cookies to spread more

These tips are not all inclusive to every recipe ever developed, but they can certainly help you determine what a recipe should turn out like. On the recipe linked to above (Big, Fat, Chewy) I can point out 3 things that contribute to its chewiness.
1. one added yolk
2. more brown sugar than white sugar
3. the butter is melted, which caused the butter and sugar to just be mixed and not creamed

In addition, the baking recommendation is for 325 degrees and a 1/4 cup scoop..

Now, I just had the sudden urge to bake chocolate chip cookies! Stay tuned for troubleshooting tips!



Samele Thorner 2010 All rights reserved
This material may not be republished or reproduced in any manner without the expressed permission of the author.

Old Fashioned Orange Cake

My father's favorite cake is the orange cake his mother used to make. An old fashioned orange cake. And there are many family stories swirling around this legendary cake. So in an attempt to recreate this cake for my Dad for Father's day, I searched for a similar cake recipe . I finally found one in a vintage Betty Crocker cookbook that sounded much like the description of Grandma's Orange Cake. Now I know that no one can ever match the memory of a mother's masterpiece, but this was a close second. It was a flavorful and moist yellow cake, filled with an rich orange curd and frosted with a Fluffly white boiled icing that crusted like divinity, yet was soft to cut.

Old Fashioned Orange Cake

• 
  
  1-5/8 cups sifted cake flour
• 
  
  1 cup sugar
• 
  
  2 teaspoons baking powder
• 
  
  1/2 teaspoon salt
• 
  
  1/2 cup soft shortening
• 
  
  1/3 cup water
• 
  
  1/3 cup orange juice
• 
  
  2 large eggs

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour two 8" round pans.

Sift together cake flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add shortening.

Mix the water and orange juice. Pour in half the liquid and beat for 2 minutes.

Add remaining liquid and eggs and beat for 2 more minutes. Pour into prepared

pans. Bake for 28-35 minutes until the cake springs back in the middle.

Cool. Torte the layers and fill with Rich Orange Filling.

Ice with Comfort Frosting

Rich Orange Filling

• 1 cup sugar
• 3 Tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup orange juice
• 2 Tablespoons orange zest
• 1-1/2 Tablespoons lemon juice
• 3 egg yolks, slightly beaten
• 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

Mix together the first 6 ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil and boil one minute, stirring constantly. Whisk in egg yolks and cook one minute more. Stir in butter. Chill before using.

Comfort Frosting

• 
  
  1-1/2 cups sugar
• 
  
  6 Tablespoons water
• 
  
  1-1/2 Tablespoon white corn syrup
• 
  
  2 large egg whites ( 1/4 cup )
• 
  
  1/4 teaspoon orange extract

Mix sugar, water, and corn syrup in a saucepan. Boil slowly, without stirring until syrup spins a

6-8" thread (242degrees). Keep saucepan covered for the first 3 minutes to keep crystals from forming on sides of pan.

While syrup is cooking, beat egg whites with an electric mixer until stiff enough to hold to a point.

With mixer beating, pour hot syrup very slowly in a thin stream into stiffly beaten egg whites. Add orange extract. Continue to beat until frosting holds its shape. Spread on top and sides of cake.

How to bake a great Cake

Here are some basics to follow..

1. Generously grease inside of pan..I love the sprays like Baker's Joy or Pam for baking.
Some people use shortening and some flour, but I don't love the deposits of flour. So if you do
the flour method, make sure to tap the excess flour out.

2. Turn oven 10 to 15 minutes before you plan to use it to allow time for it heat to baking temperature.

3. Measure liquids at eye level in standard liquid measuring cups. Baking requires for everything
to be perfectly measure..

4. For best results use large egg size eggs (about 1/4 cup each).

5. Beat the cake mix batters for the time and speed specified. Time the beating carefully, beating only for the length of time and the mixer speed specified in the recipe directions.
Over beating breaks down the cake structure and causes low volume and shrinkage during the cooling of the cake.
Under beating produces a lumpy batter in which the ingredients are not properly mix.

6. If using more batter than one cake mix yields for a large pan reduce oven temperature approximately 25* and increase baking time.
If you have a small mixer, do one package of mix at a time.

7. Bake your cake immediately after mixing, as near the center (both vertical and horizontal center), of the oven as possible. Allow at least an inch of space on all sides and between the pans. If you use 2 oven racks, stagger the pans so one cake is not directly above the other.

8.Test your cake for doneness while they are still in the oven. Time of baking will change according to temperature, type of cake, and size of pan.

9. Avoid opening oven until the cake looks done. Usually it's starts smelling like cake in the house and the cake starts separating from the pan. There are more chances for the cake to fall down in the center if the door of the oven is open.

10. Cool cakes in pan for ten minutes on cake rack. Larger cakes might need more time.
If cake has cooled too long and won't release from pan, return it to a warm oven (250*), for a few minutes and then release the cake from the pan.

11. For bigger cakes you can use a cookie sheet to flip the cake. If the cake has a dome do not let the cake rest on that side, it can break your cake. Don't decorate a cake that is still warm..

12. Inaccurate oven temperatures account for the majority of baking problems. If your cakes have indications of under baking get an oven thermometer to make sure you have the proper temperature. If your cake is baking higher on one side more than the other, could be oven temperature, but make sure your oven is leveled.

13. Cakes can be frozen for up to 3 months wrapped in saran wrap and then heavy duty aluminum foil.

14. Iced cakes must be frozen tightly wrapped. When defrosting, keep cake wrapped until completely thawed.

15. Cakes that are not iced can be at room temperature for up to 24 hours. But keep in mind the chances of a dry cake will go up, the longer it stays without icing. Icing keeps the moisture in the cake..

Hope this helps!

Edna De la Cruz.. :)

Tutorial courtesy of Edna De La Cruz
2009
All Rights Reserved
This material may not be republished or reproduced in any manner without the expressed permission of the author.

Agbay-- A Wonderful tool for leveling cakes

Creating a beautiful cake can be challenging!
Whether you are preparing a simple layer cake or a multi-tiered cake, the success the finished overall look starts with the foundation on which it is built.

It is essential to start with a perfectly level cake to attain a beautiful and stable cake.

If the cake isn't level, problems will occur with stability such as shifting and can
negatively effect the overall look of the finished cake. Those unsightly bulges on the sides of a cake are a direct cause of uneven layers. And then, leveling a cake can be a challenge all of its own!

Until now....

One tool that has made life easier for cake decorating is the Agbay Cake Leveler.

Maureen Agbay is a cake decorator.

Watching her work and seeing her Wedding Cake business escalating, her husband, Tony, decided to come up with an easier way to level a cake. He did just that, devising a wonderful and easy system to level and torte a cake at the same time. Now the Agbay Cake Leveler has taken the struggle out of leveling a cake.

Here is how it works.

Simply adjust the blade to the height you need and tighten the knob.

On this cake, I chose to level the height and torte the cake at the same time.

In a side to side motion, slide the Agbay leveler through the cake.

( Do not place your hands

on the back side of cake to stablize.

The blades on the leveler are extremely sharp.)

Voila! Leveled and torted in one easy action!

There is also a very nifty blade cleaner that Agbay offers too.

It is wonderful for

loosening the sticky crumbs from the blades

without cutting your fingers.

When finished, just replace the tubes back over the blades

and store until you bake your next cake.

To order your own Agbay, click on this link:
http://www.agbayproducts.com/

This product is well worth the investment!! You will have peace of mind knowing each layer of your next cake is level and cut down on preparation time as well.

Happy Baking!


Article courtesy of Jacque Benson
2009 All Rights Reserved

This material may not be republished or reproduced in any manner without the expressed permission of the author.

Key Lime Mini Tarts

Perfect for Summer entertaining!
These rich 2 inch tarts are the perfect ending to any summer or outdoor entertaining. Key Lime filling over a Pecan shortbread cookie, topped with fresh blueberries and strawberries and drizzled with grenadine syrup.

Start by making the pecan shortbread ( I used a mini cheesecake pan with removable bottoms.) After popping the cookies into the oven, make the key lime curd.
After both are cooled, then just mix your filling, pipe it onto the cookie and top with your fresh fruit. Although I used strawberries and blueberries, this tart would be terrific with tart pie cherries, peaches, or raspberries.

MINI KEY LIME TARTS ON PECAN SHORTBREAD CRUST

Pecan Shortbread
Key Lime Filling
Fresh Fruit
Grenadine, Strawberry or Pomegranate Syrup


Pecan Shortbread

1 stick + 2T. softened butter (10 Tbsp)
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/8 tsp Butterscotch Lorann oil (opt)
1-1/4 cups sifted flour
2/3 cup pecans, finely ground

Cream your butter and sugar together with the Lorann oil. Add the flour with the pecans. Chill dough for about 15 minutes for easier handling. Divide into 24 balls and press into the bottom of ungreased pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely.

Key Lime Filling

1/2 cup Key lime juice ( I use "Nellie and Joe's")
1 Tbsp cornstarch
6 egg yolks, all albumen removed
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup chilled butter, cut into small pieces
8 oz. softened and whipped cream cheese

Blend Key Lime Juice together with cornstarch. Pour into a sauce pan; and whisk in egg yolks and sugar. Add butter and cook over med-low heat , stirring constantly until translucent and mixture holds its shape when stirred. Press through a sieve, pour into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, chilling thoroughly. Add cream cheese and mix together well.

Assemble tarts:
Place Key Lime filling in a pastry bag with a fluted tip. Pipe over each cookie, still in pan. Chill well, then lift out of cheesecake pan and remove the pan bottoms. Arrange sliced strawberries and blueberries on the top of each tart, and drizzle with syrup. 

Makes 2 dozen 2" tarts...and don't ask how many calories...you don't want to know!

Links for Products listed in this recipe:

NorPro Mini Cheesecake Pan http://www.amazon.com/Norpro-Mini-Cheesecake-Pan/dp/B0006IW02M
LorAnn Butterscotch Oil https://www.lorannoils.com/c-2-lorann-gourmet.aspx
Nellie and Joe's Key Lime Juice http://www.keylimejuice.com/recipes.htm
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Photography and Instructions by Jacque Benson 2009 all rights reserved

This material may not be republished or reproduced in any manner without the expressed permission of the author.