Caramel Apple Pie Cookies

I have tried these and everyone that loves pie, love these. I use a 21 oz can of apple filling (Had about 1/2 cup left). With the two pie crusts I can get about 17 (mason jar lid size). Also, I cut the “cookie size” out first, then layer with caramel, apple filling, and crust strips. Eggs wash. Drizzle with your sugar, nutmeg, and cinnamon. The temp on my stove , set at 350 degrees makes them just fine at about 25-30 minutes. I made mine for a style show, babyshower, and just because. Going to try cherry and peach next!

Recipe >> Caramel Apple Pie Cookies @ cincyshopper.com

Millionaire Shortbread Tartelette

 photo credit: http://www.tarteletteblog.com

Millionaire Shortbread Tartelette

original recipe: http://www.tarteletteblog.com/2007/04/donna-hays-millionaire-shortbread.html

For the shortbread crust:

• 150g all purpose flour / 1.5 cups
• 100g brown sugar / 0.5cup
• 125g butter, melted / 1 stick plus 1 Tb

Mix the flour, sugar and melted butter. Spoon (or use your fingertips) the mixture into the bottom of the mini muffin tins. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 F. Remove from the oven and set aside while you prepare the filling.

Caramel Filling:

• 130 gr. golden syrup / 1.5 cups (I used grade B maple syrup)
• 125 gr butter / 1 stick plus 1 Tb.
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk (14 0z)

Combine the golden syrup, butter and condensed milkin a large saucepan and cook over low heat for about 10 minutes, or until it thickens and takes on a golden color. Remove from the heat, let cool for a minute and divide among the tart shells. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.

Chocolate Ganache:

• 185 gr dark chocolate / 6.5 oz
• 1 Tb. vegetable oil

Melt the chocolate in the microwave or on top of a double boiler. Add the oil and mix well to combine. Spoon some over each tart shells and allow to set in the fridge.

Verdict: I doubled up on the quantities to make sure I had some for us and the girls at work tomorrow and I am glad I did. These disappeared while the host was pouring coffee. I am looking forward to making them again.

Double Chocolate Pumpkin Cake with Pumpkin Spice Buttercream

photo credit: http://picky-palate.com

Double Chocolate Pumpkin Cake with Pumpkin Spice Buttercream

original recipe: http://picky-palate.com/2011/10/06/double-chocolate-pumpkin-cake-with-pumpkin-spice-buttercream/

Ingredients:

• 1 box devils food cake mix
• 1 small box instant chocolate pudding
• 1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup buttermilk or milk
• 4 large eggs
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 15 ounce can pumpkin (reserving 2 Tablespoons for buttercream)
• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• Pumpkin Spice Buttercream
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons reserved pumpkin
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4 to 5 cups powdered sugar
• 2 to 4 tablespoons milk

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and spray two 9×5 inch bread pans with non-stick cooking spray.

2. In a stand or electric mixer, place cake mix, pudding mix, oil, buttermilk, eggs, sour cream and can of pumpkin, and chocolate chips–mix all ingredients until well combined, about 1 to 2 minutes. Divide cake batter evenly into prepared bread pans. Bake for 55-60 minutes or until cooked through.

3. While cakes are baking prepare the buttercream. Place butter, reserved 2 tablespoons pumpkin and cinnamon into stand or electric mixer. Mix on high until well combined. Slowly add the powdered sugar until thick and creamy. Slowly add the milk until buttercream is a nice consistency. Frost over cooled cakes, slice and serve.

Makes 16 servings

Note: This recipe can be used to make 24 cupcakes as well. Bake at 350 for about 15-20 minutes, until baked through.

Easter Egg Cookie Dough Truffles

I saw these amazing truffles and knew I had to try them for myself. They are WONDERFUL and I have gotten many compliments. I found out that you could also use a hand mixer for this recipe and other helpful tips:

Before attempting to shape the truffles, put them in the fridge for an out or two (or about half the time in the freezer) so that they won’t stick to your hands. If you don’t even have time to chill them, get a small bowl of water and put a little on your hands before shaping the truffles so that the cookie dough doesn’t stick to your hands, but not too much water that would cause your truffles to be wet or soggy.

Remember not to make your truffles monster-sized, or they might be too sweet. I ended up making 47 truffles, so maybe I accidentally doubled the recipe because it said it made 20-24 truffles, or I just made them on the smaller size.

If you don’t like white chocolate, these are still perfectly yummy in dark chocolate!

You can put different drops of food dye in white chocolate instead of having to buy several colors.

Be prepared to get messy! Unless you are experienced with truffle making, you might just get melting chocolate splattered onto your baking surface.

Good looking truffles take a good amount of time and patience, so you get the best results when you are not rushing.

Recipe >> Easter Egg Cookie Dough Truffles @ wineandglue.com

Irish chocolate cake with Baileys buttercream frosting

The cake is superb! So easy to make. It rises up nice and light, yet stays very moist and the flavor is rich and delicious! Perfect texture. I baked it in a 9" springform so it took about 10 more minutes to bake to perfection. 

The whipped cream frosting was very good, not too sweet and held up well to applying it to the cake. Next time I will double the Bailey's in the frosting too - you could taste it, but I wanted more. It took several slices to decide :)

Recipe >> Irish chocolate cake with Baileys buttercream frosting @ culinaryginger.com

Soft and Light Japanese Cheesecake

A light and fluffy cheesecake made with whipped eggs and very little cream cheese."

This was my first time baking a cheesecake. I like this recipe because it doesn't use as much cream cheese, which makes this a light cheesecake. I halved the recipe to make a small cheesecake and added a tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice.

It turned out wonderfully! Just like the japanese cheesecakes from asian bakeries. Light like a spongecake (as i think it should be), yet still delicious and easy to make.




Get the recipe here >> Soft and Light as Air Japanese Cheesecake @ sugarywinzy.com

BUTTERFLY PRETZELS

Ahh, the first day of Spring. At least for some of us. The forecast, per the usual, isn’t looking too bright for us Minnesota peeps. But at the very least we can start thinking or rather, dreaming of Spring and things such as flowers, grass and warmer weather. I really need all that I can get to remind me that it will eventually get nicer. To say it’s been a rough winter would be an understatement. I don’t want to complain or anything, but seriously…anyone with me? Midwesterners, East coast friends?! I know we’re not alone here.

I was inspired to make these from a cupcake I saw on Pinterest about a year ago. These were very simple to make and look how cute they turned out! You could easily serve these on their own or also use them as a cupcake/cake topper.

I had some leftover Valentine M&M’s and they worked perfectly for Spring colors – I just left out the red colored ones! Or you could always buy Spring colored ones – haha.

Make sure you buy the dipping sticks because normal pretzel sticks won’t be nearly wide enough to support an M&M.

Also, when you dip the pretzel stick in the Vanilla CANDIQUIK, let it sit for a couple minutes before you attach the M&M’s because they are heavy and might slide to one side if the coating hasn’t started to set.

If you wanted to, you could even add a couple dots for eyes, but I think they are perfectly cute as-is!

Here’s the how – to! BUTTERFLY PRETZELS @ butterwithasideofbread.com

Easy Buckeyes

This is a great recipe. But I did cut the sugar down.  I read most of the reviews and here are my tips. Only use 3 cups of powdered sugar if you don't sift it. Only add 1 cup at a time. The first cup you can use with a spoon, but the second and third cups use your hands it is so much easier. Then after you roll them into balls, put the tooth picks in and then put them in the fridge. I just melted the chocolate in the microwave (in a plastic container with a lid setting on top) because it is so much easier and quicker. Just do it 30 seconds at a time until melted. Then you dip the balls in the chocolate leaving a little of the peanut butter showing at the top so it looks like a real buckeye nut. Do not cover the entire ball with chocolate. If you don't like the tooth pick hole showing, just smooth it with your finger. But honestly these are so delicious, who cares if there is a tooth pick hole. Hope these tips help. Thanks

Get the recipe here >> Easy Buckeyes @ cakescottage.com

Neapolitan Millionaire Cake

I just wanted to say that I made this minus the top layer. I didn’t have the ingredients for it. And chocolate rossetted the whole thing. It was lovely. Next big occasion I have I’m making it again.  With the top layer.
I did add a little salt to the chocolate cake layer as I can’t imagine cake without a pinch of salt.
Perfection.

Recipe >> Neapolitan Millionaire Cake @ lifeloveandsugar.com