Category Archives: Home Baking

Spring Grasshopper Pie

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Makes 1x 9″ pie

Ingredients

Crust

  • 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
  • 1/2 cup mini-pretzels
  • 2 oz white chocolate
  • 6 Tbsp soft unsalted butter

Filling

  • 3 cups mini marshmallows
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 1/4 cup St. Germain elderflower liqeur
  • 1/4 cup Meyer lemon juice
  • zest 1 Meyer lemon
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • Yellow food coloring, optional

To finish/ decorate

  • 1 tsp powdered gelatin
  • 2 Tbsp water
  • 1cup whipping cream
  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • Fresh raspberries

Method

  1. Process the crumbs, mini-pretzels, chocolate in a food processor until they form a crumb mixture. Add the butter and process until the mixture starts to clump together
  2. Press the mixture into a high-sided fluted tart pan, making a smooth base and sides with your hands or the back of a spoon. Put it into the refrigerator to chill and harden
  3. Melt the marshmallows in a saucepan over low gentle heat along with the milk. Once the milk starts to foam (not boil), take off the heat and keep stirring until the marshmallows blend into the milk to make a smooth mixture
  4. Transfer the mixture into a heatproof bowl, then whisk in the elderflower liqeur, lemon juice and zest. Leave to cool to room temperature
  5. In a separate medium bowl, whisk the cream until it starts to hold soft peaks then, still whisking on slow, add the cooled marshmallow mixture. This filling will be soft and thick, so that it will eventually drop easily out of the bowl into the chilled pie crust
  6. When the marshmallow mixture and cream are combined, whisk in a few drops of food coloring, if using
  7. Spread the filling into the chilled base, swirling it about with a spatula to fill evenly. Put the pie in the refrigerator, uncovered, to chill overnight or for a minimum of 4 hours until firm
  8. In a small bowl combine the powdered gelatin and water. Leave to rest until absorbed. Heat in microwave for 10-15 seconds, until the gelatin is disolved. Set aside to cool while you prepare the whipped cream
  9. In a separate medium bowl combine the whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Whip to soft peaks
  10. With you whisk running on low, gently add in the gelatin solution and continue whisking. Once all the gelatin has been added, increase speed and whip to firm peak stage.
  11. Pipe/ decorate the top of the set pie to your preference and finish with fresh raspberries

Ultimate Chocolate Cookies

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Makes 16

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup  packed light or dark brown sugar
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2/3 cup  natural unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp espresso powder
  • 2 Tbsp milk powder
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp milk
  • 2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolater chips, or chunks
  • 1/3 cup milk chocolate chips, or chunks
  • 1/3 cup white chocolate chips, or chunks 

Method

  1. In stand mixer bowl fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together on medium high speed until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla extract, and then beat on high speed until combined
  2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, espresso powder, milk powder and salt together until combined. With the mixer running on low speed, slowly add to the creamed butter mixture. Beat on low until combined
  3. Add in the milk, beating to combine on high speed
  4. Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in the chocolate chips. Cover dough tightly and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour
  5. Remove cookie dough from the refrigerator and allow to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes. If the cookie dough chilled longer than 3 hours, let it sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes. This will make it easier to scoop
  6. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
  7. Scoop the dough into balls, I use a 2 tablespoon cookie dough scoop. Arrange on a thew preared cookie sheets allowing 2-3 inches between
  8. Bake the cookies for 11-12 minutes or until the edges appear set and the centers still look soft. Remove them from the oven and lightly bang the baking sheet on the counter 2-3 times
  9. Cool cookies for 5 minutes on the baking sheet. Transfer to cooling rack to cool completely 
  10. Cover leftover cookies tightly and store at room temperature in an air-tight container for up to 1 week

Chocoflan

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Ingredients

Cake Layer

  • 1 box chocolate fudge cake mix
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/2 cup canola
  • 3 eggs

Flan Layer

  • 2oz semi-sweet chocolate, melted and cooled to room temperature
  • 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated)
  • 8oz cream cheese, full fat, softened
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 4 eggs

Method

  1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 12-cup fluted tube cake pan, or bundt pan, with cooking spray
  2. In large bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil and 3 eggs with electric mixer on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour batter into prepared cake pan
  3. In blender, combine the Flan layer ingredients. Cover; blend on high speed until smooth and uniform in color. Slowly pour, or ladle, the flan mixture evenly over the cake batter. (Flan mixture will mix a little with batter, but they will separate during baking)
  4. Spray piece of foil with cooking spray, and place sprayed side down over top of pan; cover tightly
  5. Place cake pan in large roasting pan; add between 1-2 inches water, creating a water bath for the cake
  6. Bake 1 hour 30 minutes to ensure cake. To check insert toothpick, or skewer, inserted in center of cake layer will come out clean. Remove cake pan from water bath to cooling rack and remove foil. Cool at room temperature 1 hour. Refrigerate in pan, uncovered, 2 hours
  7. Remove from refrigerator and, if needed, run thin metal spatula around outer and inside edges of pan to loosen cake. Place serving plate upside down on cake pan; turn plate and pan over. Remove pan. Slice and serve!
  8. Store loosely covered with cling wrap in refrigerator

Krispie Treat Hearts

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Makes 16

Ingredients

Treat Hearts

  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 12 ounces of mini marshmallows
  • 6 cups crisped rice cereal

To Finish/ Glaze

  • 6 oz chocolate (white or dark chocolate), melted
  • Decorative sprinkles
  • food coloring (optional)

Method

  1. In a large saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the marshmallows and stir continuously until completely smooth. Remove from heat
  2. Stir in the Rice Krispies cereal until completely coated
  3. Turn the mixture out onto a large sheet of parchment paper or wax paper. Using a greased spatula, shape it into a large rectangle, keeping it about an inch deep all over
  4. Grease a 3-inch heart shaped cookie cutter and cut out the hearts. Once you’ve made the first round of cuts, reshape the remaining marshamallow mixture into another smaller square or rectangle and repeat until you’ve cut all the hearts
  5. Let the hearts harden for about 15 minutes while you melt the chocolate in a double boiler or microwave safe bowl
  6. Dip the treats into the chocolate, or drizzle the chocolate, and add sprinkles. Harden in the fridge for about 10 minutes or just until the chocolate is set

Note: Treats taste best the day they are made. However, you can make them up to three days ahead and they’ll taste pretty fresh.

Red Velvet Cake Truffles

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Makes 42

Ingredients

  • 1 box red velvet cake mix (plus ingredients listed on the box to prepare the cake)
  • 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
  • 2 Tablespoons butter, unsalted
  • 12 oz milk, dark or white chocolate chips

Method

  1. Prepare and bake the cake according to package instructions. Let cool completely before moving on to the next step.
  2. Using a fork or your hands, break the cake into fine crumbs into a large bowl.
  3. Add softened cream cheese and knead gently with your hands until cream cheese is fully incorporated. You can mix together with a wooden spoon, or spatula, but I find using your hands works best here
  4. You can use your hands or a cookie scoop to roll into 42 cake balls (about 1 heaping tablespoon per ball) and place on a wax paper-lined baking sheet. Place in the fridge to chill while you prepare the chocolate
  5. Heat chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl until completely melted, stirring to combine
  6. Remove cake balls form the fridge and place one ball at a time into the melted chocolate. Using forks, evenly coat each ball with the chocolate. Use the forks to remove the truffle from the chocolate and before transferring it back to the baking sheet, slightly tap the fork against the side of the bowl to get rid of any excess chocolate. Place on the baking sheet and repeat with remaining chocolate balls.
  7. Pour leftover melted chocolate into a small ziptop bag, cut off one corner and pipe melted chocolate in desired design on top
  8. Return truffles to the fridge for 15 minutes or until truffles are set