2011 has arrived !! Happy New Year !!!
The beginning of a new year is a time to look back and reflect on the previous year.
I’ve loved every minute of this blog’s first year, the new friends I’ve made, and the many things I’ve learned along the way.
So, for today’s post, I’m going to share with you
A little bit of everything
Top Recipes
2010
2. Candy Cake
3. Death by Chocolate Cheesecake
10. Chocolate – Peanut Butter Cake
Although we are not capable of understanding the miracle and wonders of birth and life, but we have watched with joy and amazement our lovely and beautiful daughter growing from newborn to one year old.
At birth everyone at the hospital adored and treated you with utmost care. We gave you the finest care and love enduring many sleepless nights, watching over you, our concern being at every turn your well-being and comfort. We sang you many nursery songs and read lots of stories and your gift back to us was, at first, a heart melting smile followed by your first “mama” and later “daddy” .
We have witnessed your fighting spirit at every turn. On November 2009, although you knew you are going to be loved unconditionally, you didn’t want to leave the comfort of my belly, panicking us and the hospital stuff. Despite the numbers of stories you are read at bed-time, you let us know with no uncertain terms you are not satisfied going to bed. You have even protested by eating away at your crib :)))
At lunch or dinner time you are also a fighter, pushing my hand away with food you find distasteful. We often watch with laughter as you discard food from your tray, dumping the fruit and vegetables onto the floor. To our surprise, you made a great connection with the nature, and by saying this I mean eating flowers, grass and leaves.
Above all, we are amazed that you posses the gift and appreciation for the zest of life. At every turn you make your eyes take notice, something new to discover, something not yet touched and experienced. The inquisitiveness and interest for like you show will prove to be one of your greatest findings.
It was a year full of firsts, you’ve learned so much and had lots of fun.
Happy Birthday out dear Tiffany, may all your dreams come true
love,
Mom & Dad
Candy Cake
Ingredients
2 cups self-raising flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
10 tbsp butter
1 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
few vanilla extract drops
Directions
Melt the butter and set it aside. In a big bowl mix well the flour, sugar and coconut
add the melted butter
buttermilk
eggs, one by one
and vanilla extract. Pour the batter in a 9 inch springform pan and bake the cake in preheated oven at 350F for 55-60 minutes.
Let it cool for few hours and then slice it in two.
For the coconut mousse you need
1 8oz package cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 unsweetened coconut flakes
1 cup heavy cream
Mix the first three ingredients in a bowl and slowly add the heavy cream mixing until stiff
Assembling the cake
In a foiled springform pan place the first layer. Add the coconut mousse and spread
place the second layer on top and cover everything in foil. Put the cake in the fridge for few hours or overnight
Remove the cake from the and place it on serving plate
Cover with a chocolate ganache made from 2/3 cup chocolate chips and scant 1/2 cup heavy cream.
Let the ganache set and start decorating the cake
welcome to CandyLand :d
An inside view
In the end, I’d like to apologize for being away these last couple of days and not visiting your blogs. Now that everything is back to normal I’ll do my best to catch up with all those wonderful recipes you shared.
This recipe was featured on Foodbuzz
The recipe goes to Your Best Recipe @ Spicie Foodie http://spiciefoodie.blogspot.com/p/your-best-recipe.html
Few days ago my baby girl turned 11 months so, as every month, I had to make a cake to celebrate. I really didn’t know what to do, I wanted a cheesecake but in the same time I wanted chocolate so I decided to go with a chocolate cheesecake. Easier said than done, by the time I manage to free my hands and get Tiffany out of the kitchen I told myself that a cheesecake is not actually a birthday cake so I went back to the idea of having a cake. Browsing through my recipes I laid my eyes on a Death by chocolate cake and my mouth started drooling, if that’s not a sign, that I give up.
I like chocolate cakes, actually I love chocolate cakes but I was in the mood some for cheese too so instead of using a chocolate filling why not use, let me think, oh yes, a cheesecake filling.
That seemed to be the perfect cake, now all I needed to do is start making it.
Death by chocolate cake
Ingredients
8 oz chocolate chips
4 oz butter
2/3 cup milk
1 1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
2/3 cup sour cream
2 cups self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
Directions
Place chocolate, butter and milk in a saucepan. Heat gently until smooth.
Remove from heat and add sugar and vanilla. Mix well, let it cool for a while.
In a large bowl beat the egg yolks and sour cream.
Add the chocolate mixture to it.
Sift the flour and baking powder and fold in.
Whisk the egg whites until stiff; fold into the mixture.
Preheat the oven at 350F. Pour the mixture into a greased 10 inch cake pan and bake for 45-50 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. (the recipe is for a 8 inch cake but i didn’t want it too tall so I used a wider cake pan)
Cool in the pan for 15-20 minutes then invert to a wire rack to cool.
When is completely cooled slice the cake in 3 layers, 2 thinner (bottom and top), about half-inch each and 1 (the middle) thicker, about 1 inch.
Leave the bottom and top to a side and with a large cookie cutter or a knife cut 5 rings out of the middle layer. Carefully, separate in 2 parts.
Cover the cake pan with foil. Place one of the thin layers in the bottom and then 3 rings.
Set aside while making the cheesecake filling.
Cheesecake filling – is actually a no bake cheesecake, one of those desserts that you lie shamelessly telling everyone how hard it is to make such a creamy, delicious and no top cracks cheesecake, he he he, does that ring a bell?
Ingredients and Directions
2 8 oz packages cream cheese
1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
juice from 1 lemon
vanilla extract
In a large bowl beat the cream cheese slowly adding the milk.
Add the fresh squeezed lemon juice and vanilla extract. Beat until smooth.
With a piping bag fill the 2 spaces between the cake rings with cheesecake filling.
Lay the other 2 rings on top of the cheesecake and fill the 3 spaces.
Cover with the remaining thin layer and foil and refrigerate over night.
Next day take the cake out of the fridge, remove from the pan and foil and set aside while making the frosting.
White chocolate cheesecake frosting – after all it is a death by chocolate cake, so why not add some chocolate to the frosting
Ingredients and directions
8 oz white chocolate
2 8 oz packages cream cheese
1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
juice from 1 lemon
Melt the chocolate and mix it with the milk
In a bowl beat the cream cheese while slowly adding the chocolate milk mixture
Add the lemon juice and beat until smooth.
Frost the cake
Usually half of the frosting would be enough, but my husband loves a cake with lots of frosting, but you can only make out of 1 package of cream cheese and half can of condensed milk.
Refrigerate the cake for at least 2 hours before the final touches.
closer
stay away, the cake is all mine
These little cakes are the perfect treat on a sunny afternoon while enjoying a cup of coffee.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cup crumbs
6 Tbsp butter
8 oz cream cheese
2 8 oz mascarpone cheese
3/4 cup sugar
3 eggs
rum or almond extract
~ 1/2 cup chocolate chips
*all ingredients must be at room temperature
Directions
For the crust: mix the crumbs with the melted butter.
Press the mixture into the bottom on 18 cupcakes forms.
Put on a sheet pan and bake for 5 minutes at 350F. Remove from the oven and let cool before adding the cheesecake filling.
Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
For the filling: in a bowl combine the cheeses with the sugar until mix until completely blended.
Add the eggs, 1 at time, incorporating completely after each addition.
Add the extract and chocolate chips. Mix carefully.
Pour the filling into the prepared pans.
Put the cupcakes pans into roasting pans and pour in enough hot water to come 3/4 of the way up the sides. Bake at 325F for 20-25 minutes, turn off the oven and leave the cupcakes to cool for another 20-30 minutes without opening the oven.
Serve completely cold
Soft, tangy ricotta cheese is widely used in Italian sweets. The cake sinks lightly after baking, don’t worry, this gives it an authentic appearance.
Ingredients
1 cup toasted walnuts
2/3 cup soft butter
2/3 cup sugar
5 eggs
2/3 cup ricotta
1/3 cup flour
vanilla extract or your choice
Directions
Cream together the butter and 1/2 cup sugar until light and fluffy.
Add the egg yolks, vanilla, ricotta cheese and flout and mix together.
Add the walnuts and mix.
Whisk the egg whites in a large bowl until sniff. Gradually whisk in the remaining sugar.
Carefully fold the whites into the ricotta mixture.
Preheat the oven at 375 F. Grease a 9 inch round cake pan. Turn the mixture into prepared pan and lever the surface.
Bake for 30 minutes until risen and firm. Leave the cake to cool in the pan.
For garnish I mixed 1 8 oz container mascarpone cheese and 2/3 cup ricotta.
Coat the cake with the cheese mixture and decorate as you wish
and serve
a closer view
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
3 large eggs
6 large egg yolks
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons grated lemon peel
1 cup whipping cream
65 gr imported white chocolate (such as Lindt)
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
Combine half of the cream and chocolate in heavy small saucepan. Stir over low heat until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth.
Transfer to large bowl. Whisk in remaining cream and lemon. Refrigerate until well chilled, about 6 hours. (Can be prepared up to 1 day ahead.)
Cake
330 gr all-purpose flour (sifted twice)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
113 gr imported white chocolate (such as Lindt)
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1/2 cup (113 gr) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
Stir chocolate and 1/2 cup cream in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Mix in remaining 1/2 cup cream, milk and lemon.
Mix in remaining 1/2 cup cream, milk and vanilla
Using electric mixer, beat butter and 1 cup sugar in large bowl until fluffy.
Beat in yolks.
Stir dry ingredients into butter mixture alternately with white chocolate mixture, beginning and ending with dry ingredients.
Using electric mix fitted with clean dry beaters, beat egg whites in medium bowl to soft peaks. Gradually beat in remaining 1 cup sugar. Continue beating until stiff but not dry.
Fold whites into cake batter in 2 additions.
Bake in preheated oven at 350F until tester inserted in center comes out clean and cake is beginning to pull away from sides of pan, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Cool cake in pan 10 minutes. Turn cake out onto rack, peel off waxed paper and cool completely. (Can be prepared 4 hours ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature).
When is completely cooled sliced it and leave it about 30 minute at room temperature.
Lemon Cream Cheese Icing
330 gr powdered sugar
340 gr cream cheese
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp finely grated lemon peel
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 cup whipping cream
Blend sugar, cream cheese, lemon juice, lemon peel and extract in processor
Blend in the cream.
Assembling the cake
Lay one slice of cake, cover with lemon curd and lemon cream cheese icing.
Continue with the second slice of cake, lemon curd, lemon cream cheese icing and third layer of cake.
Using electric mixer, beat frosting in another bowl until stiff peaks form.
Cover the top of the cake with the frosting.
Put the cake in the fridge while beat a little over 2 cup whipping cream with sugar for the edges of the cake.
1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
340 gr bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
Bring cream and sugar to simmer in saucepan, whisking to dissolve sugar.
Remove from heat. Add to chocolate; let stand 1 minute.
Whisk until smooth.
Whisk in peanut butter. Chill uncovered overnight.
Cake
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
450 gr golden brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 sachet vanilla sugar
1 cup buttermilk
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter three 9-inch-diameter cake pans
Sift first 4 ingredients into medium bowl.
Using electric mixer, beat butter and peanut butter in large bowl until blended.
Beat in sugars.
Beat in eggs, 1 at a time.
At low-speed, beat in flour mixture alternately with buttermilk. Start and finish with dry ingredients. Add 1-2 tablespoon buttermilk if needed.
Divide batter among pans and spread evenly.
Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool cakes 5 minutes. Turn out onto racks. Cool cakes completely.
Frosting
340 gr cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup powdered sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 sachet vanilla sugar
3/4 cup chilled heavy whipping cream
Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese, 1 cup powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla in large bowl to blend.
Whisk whipping cream and 3/4 cup powdered sugar in bowl until mixture holds medium-firm peaks.
Fold into cream cheese mixture in 3 additions; chill until firm but spreadable, about 1 hour.
Assembling the cake
Place 1 cake layer. Spread with half of filling. Place another layer. Spread with remaining filling. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread frosting over top and sides of cake.
GreenGirl
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