Raspberry Friands

What are Friands? EXCELLENT! How's that for an answer? In fact, one of the most fantastic baked treats I have ever eaten in fact.

Plus, I am no longer a Friand OR silicone bakeware virgin any longer. I feel liberated. I feel free. I feel like making another batch !

First, about the bakeware. This is my first experience using silicone bakeware. I purchased my silicone muffin cups solely for the purpose of making Friands. Having read about Friands for awhile now I simply couldn't resist making them any longer. So out I went last night in search of some silicone pans as you need this type of flexible bakeware to ensure the easy removable of these delicate cakes. I couldn't find any snazzy molds other than muffin pans but they worked out incredibly well regardless.

Now, on to the Friands. Friands are small, moist (and I mean MOIST) cakes made with almond meal, lots of egg whites and some flour. While delicate and delicious on its own, the Friand can also be flavored with fruits such as blueberries, raspberries, lemon or orange. I like to use fresh fruit in all my baking but you can substitute frozen as well but don't thaw first.

After my first bite I was hooked. In fact, I said to hubby, "This is a prime example of why I bake. It is like tasting nirvana." And it is. Sheer bliss.

I had one, then two. Then another with a glorious cup of dark roast coffee. I intend to have another later this evening to finish off the week with a big smile on my face.

If you want to experience nirvana too then let's get baking!

RECIPE:
*source recipe: Almond, Vanilla and Raspberry Friands, Little Cafe Cakes

WHAT YOU NEED

175g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 cup (100g) ground almonds
6 egg whites, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (210g) confectioner's (icing) sugar, sifted
1/2 cup (70g) all purpose flour, sifted
1 cup fresh raspberries

MAKE IT

PREHEAT oven to 375F
SPRAY 2 silicone muffin pans with cooking spray (1o muffin cups are enough)
PLACE muffin pans on cookie sheet(s)
IN LARGE BOWL, fold all ingredients together until combined
WITH ICE CREAM SCOOP, fill each muffin cup 1/2 full with batter
BAKE 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean
LET COOL in pans 5 minutes
TO REMOVE, with your thumb press up the bottom of each muffin cup to raise up the Friands
PLACE Friands on cooling rack to cool completely

LOVELY eaten as-is or with a dollop of freshed whipped cream.

ENJOY!

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Gluten-Free Lemon Cupcakes

I know, here we are again. Me and yet another cupcake recipe. I doubt you mind. I mean, who can get can enough of cupcakes? I can't. And I also cannot stop testing recipes from my recently purchased cookbook Gluten-Free Cupcakes by Elana Amsterdam.

I had been planning to make Elana's Lime Cupcakes for a few days now. I had even picked up several limes for the occasion on my last grocery outing. Or so I thought. Seems that I must have become distracted at the lime bin because they are not here. I have been guilty of this type of thing alot lately. Is this what comes with middle-age? I guess so. At least for me.

Now that all said, I did find nestled in my crisper a TON of lemons. So I decided to stick with her recipe for lime cupcakes but alter things a bit to turn them into lemon cupcakes instead. They turned out beautifully and I will definitely be making these again.

These cupcakes are INCREDIBLY moist. In fact I have not tasted many this moist in a long while, especially gluten-free cupcakes. The moisture is a result of the addition of 3 eggs, honey and grapeseed oil. This recipe only makes 8 cupcakes so as you can see, 3 eggs is quite a lot for such a small amount of cupcakes. They do the trick ! The flour combo of 1:1 coconut and almond flours also adds moisture and an incredibly rich crumb. DIVINE.

Her recipe recommends finishing them with a coconut frosting. I opted for a lemon buttercream with a hint of cream cheese instead. If you like the style of piping I used then use an open, large round piping tip. Play with your piping on waxed paper for awhile until you get the desired look then simply scrape the frosting back into your piping bag and start decorating the cupcakes!

Let's get started, shall we?


RECIPE:
*altered source recipe: Lime Cupcakes, Gluten-Free Cupcakes by Elana Amsterdam

WHAT YOU NEED

CUPCAKES
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup almond flour (remove any lumps by mashing together with your fingers)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3 eggs at room temperature
1/2 cup grapeseed oil
1/2 cup agave nectar (I used honey)
1/4 teaspoon pure lemon oil
zest from one large lemon

FROSTING
1/2 cup butter at room temperature
1/4 cup cream cheese at room temperature
2 cups icing sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons whipping cream
1/8 teaspoon pure lemon oil

MAKE IT

CUPCAKES
PREHEAT oven to 350F
LINE 8 muffin cups with paper liners (double the liners because these do tend to discolor as they bake due to the oil)
IN MEDIUM BOWL, whisk together first 4 cupcake ingredients
IN LARGE BOWL, whisk together remaining cupcake ingredients
WITH SPATULA OR SPOON, fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients stirring until combined
SCOOP 1/4 cup of batter into each muffin liner
BAKE 18-22 minutes until cupcakes are golden and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean
LET cool in pan 5 minutes
TRANSFER cupcakes to cooling rack and let cool completely before frosting

FROSTING
IN BOWL OF STAND MIXER fitted with paddle attachment, whip butter and cream cheese on MED speed for 2 minutes
ADD sifted icing sugar combining first on slow speed then increasing to MED and mixing 4-5 minutes
ADD REMAINING ingredients and mix until fully incorporated and icing is smooth and creamy
PIPE FROSTING onto cupcakes

ENJOY !



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Individual Cherry Pies

A short and sweet post for individual cherry pies. These take no time at all to prepare if you opt for store-bought crust and canned pie filling. If you would rather go the "from scratch" route, then simply prepare your favorite pie crust (enough for a double crust) and approximately 2 cups of your preferred pie filling.

This recipe makes 8 small pies. Perfect for a sweet summer dessert. I like to top mine with vanilla bean ice cream but whipped cream would be amazing too!

Without further ado, let's get baking!

RECIPE:

WHAT YOU NEED

Enough pie dough for 2 crusts - store bought or homemade
Your preferred pie filling . Approx. 2 cups worth. I used homemade cherry pie filling created with a recipe from Gesine Prado-Bullock's book Confections of a Closet Master Baker
1-2 tablespoons milk or light cream
Turbinado sugar for sprinkling

MAKE IT

PREHEAT oven to 350F
HAVE a muffin pan ready to go - ungreased

ROLL out your crusts as you would for regular pies. Using a round cookie/biscuit cutter with a 5" diameter ( I used a glass dessert bowl), cut out 16 rounds.
FILL 8 liners with crusts ensuring there is a bit of crust overlapping the top of the muffin cups
FILL 3/4 full with pie filling
PLACE remaining crusts over top of filling
CRIMP down edges so top and bottom crusts are well sealed
CUT small slits in tops to let out steam as they bake
BRUSH milk or cream over tops of crusts
SPRINKLE with turbinado sugar
BAKE 30-35 minutes until crusts are golden brown

LET COOL in pan 5 minutes
REMOVE pies to cooling rack
SERVE warm or at room temperature

ENJOY!

Karmel Cake

I like simple cakes. Don't get me wrong, I like layer cakes topped with fluffy buttercream too any day of the week. But sometimes simplicity really works. This is one of those cakes. Now don't let me lead you down the path assuming simple refers to preparation vs presentation because with this cake there is a bit of boiling sugar to deal with at the onset. But from then on out it is smooth sailing. Top a slice of this gorgeous caramel cake with coffee-infused whipped cream and you have an elegant yet humble dessert.

This recipe hails from Rose's Heavenly Cakes - a cookbook that has become a new favorite for me around here and a go-to one when in the mood for cake. It has a vast variety of recipes that range from anything from oil-based cakes to light and delicate genoise. The latter half of the book focuses on smaller cakes (even cupcakes are featured) and finishes off with wedding cakes. Speckled throughout the book are stunning photos and tips that every baker should know and put to good use during their baking adventures.


Named after Rose's friend Karmel, this cake caught my attention because of the caramel flavor infusion created as a result of adding a boiled-down mixture of brown sugar, milk and butter. I adore the idea of homemade caramel sauce and the addition of the sauce to the batter really brings out the sweet flavor I love. The cake itself is not "gooey" in any way, shape or form which is surprising given the caramel addition. I prefer it served still a bit warm from the oven. If you need to store it overnight, wrap it in cling film. Ensure to raise up the wrap on top of the cake with toothpicks though because the top of the cake will start to get tacky as it rests and the cling film will pull off the top crust.

This is a perfect cake for any night of the week or even as a finale to a light lunch. Rose recommends serving it with coffee whipped cream (which I did ) but this is also lovely topped with a scoop of rich and creamy vanilla bean ice cream and a drizzle of your favorite butterscotch sauce.

So without further delay, let's get baking!

RECIPE:
*source recipe: Karmel Cake, Rose's Heavenly Cakes

WHAT YOU NEED

1 cup light brown sugar, preferrably Muscovado
1 1/4 cups milk, divided
2 tablesoons unsalted butter
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups cake flour or bleached all-purpose flour, sifted into measuring cup
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter

MAKE IT

SPRAY 9" round cake pan with cooking spray and cover base with parchment paper
SPRAY parchment paper with cooking spray (spray with the addition of flour is recommended)
SET oven rack in lower third of oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

CARAMEL SAUCE

HAVE a 2-cup or larger heatproof glass measure, coated with nonstick cooking spray.
IN A MEDIUM SAUCEPAN, with a silicone spatula, stir together the brown sugar, 3/4 cup of milk and the butter.
BRING the mixture to a boil over medium-low heat, stirring constantly.
STOP stirring and boil until an instant-read thermometer registers 238 degrees, the soft ball stage.
TILT the pan to get enough depth for an accurate reading. It will take about 10 minutes or more to reach this stage, and the mixture will look slightly curdled.
WHEN sugar reaches temperature, immediately remove the pan from the heat and pour the mixture into a prepared glass measure to stop the cooking. You should have 1 cup. If less, add cold water to equal 1 cup.
SCRAPE mixture into a medium bowl and gently whisk in the remaining milk. Don't worry if some of the liquid crystallizes on the bottom, it will dissolve during baking.
PLACE the bowl on a wire rack and allow the mixture to cool until is is no longer warm to the touch. It will take about an hour, but to speed cooling, it's fine to set the glass measure in a bowl of ice water. If desired, stir the mixture a few times while cooling in order to equalize the temperature.

MAKE BATTER

IN MEDIUM BOWL, whisk the eggs and vanilla until just lightly combined.
IN BOWL OF STAND MIXER fitted with the flat beater, mix the flour, baking powder and salt on low speed for 30 seconds.
ADD the butter and cooled caramel.
MIX on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened.
RAISE the speed to medium and beat for 1 1/2 minutes.
SCRAPE down the sides of the bowl.
STARTING on medium-low speed, gradually add the egg mixture in two parts, beating on medium speed for 30 seconds after each addition to incorporate the ingredients and strengthen the structure.
USING a silicone spatula, scrape the batter ito the prepared pan, and smooth surface evenly with a small offset spatula.

BAKE for 25 to 35 minutes or until a wire cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean and the cake springs back when pressed lightly in the center.
THE CAKE should start to shrink from the sides of the pan only after removal from the oven.

SERVE with sweetened whipped cream infused with some instant espresso powder. Or feel free to serve any way your heart desires !

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Hummingbird Bakery's Traditional Brownies

Another superb recipe from the Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook. These are dense, rich, and true to their word : traditional. They taste the way a brownie is expected to taste. A bit of a dry, crisp crust. A thick, chewy and oh-so-moist center.

Because chocolate is the most prevalent ingredient and the flavor that really shines through here, it is essential to use top quality chocolate. Otherwise you can expect a mediocre brownie and who wants that?

I used a mixture of 70% Callebaut dark chocolate and Lindt dark chocolate in these bars and the taste is nothing less than phenomenal.

It is also one of the fastest brownie recipes I have ever made. Comes together in a snap! Baked at a low temperature for just 30 minutes ensures no dry edges and no over-baking.

These are amazing jazzed up for dessert too. Serve a square of warm brownie topped with vanilla bean ice cream and a drizzle of hot fudge sauce. Nothing beats it !

Now let's get started

The look of a perfectly baked brownie:

The crust starts to dry a bit and the brownies pull away from the sides of the pan

RECIPE:
*altered source recipe: Traditional Brownies, Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook

WHAT YOU NEED

6-1/2 oz. bittersweet chocolate*, roughly chopped (*I used 1/2 Dark Callebaut and 1/2 Dark Lindt)
1-1/2 sticks unsalted butter
1-2/3 cups sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 eggs

MAKE IT

LINE 9” X 13” baking pan with parchment paper
SPRAY parchment paper with cooking spray
PREHEAT the oven to 325°F
MELT chocolate and butter in a large saucepan stirring constantly with a silicon spatula
REMOVE from heat and add the sugar stirring until well incorporated
ADD flour and stir until well incorporated
FOLD in eggs and blend with spatula until thick and smooth
POUR batter into prepared pan
BAKE 30-35 minutes until top is starting to get flaky and edges have pulled away a bit from side of pan

LET COOL completely before cutting into bars

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