agree to disagree about red velvet cake.

i don't know about you but i am a theme girl.
love to embrace the theme.
parties. holidays.
all about the theme.

almost by accident {and by almost i mean totally on purpose} it seems that i have shared a halloween dessert here every year and even though our new diet low calorie/low cholesterol way of life has no room for sweets, there are one or two exceptions to be made.

when up late brainstorming a wicked cool idea to share with you for this year {man i have to get a life! ha!} i thought of what i had done in years past - i have done pumpkin, then chocolate & pumpkin and chocolate - and decided it was time for something totally different. time to shake things up.
almost immediately i went to red velvet cake.
halloween. blood. guts. you get the idea.
one problem though - i had fallen out of love with my recipe. i made it last christmas and found it too dense and dry. very blah.

back to the drawing board.
cake testing time.
yes i could have scoured the web and found one that would do the trick but where is the fun in that?
woah is me, eh? life really does suck around here sometimes.
;)
thankfully not TOO far into the process we struck gold.
moist. springy. beautifully RED!!
right after getting this down on paper and patting myself heartily on the back, a few request for halloween style cupcakes for this week popped up - perfect timing!

hopefully they are a hit.
what kid doesn't want to bite into something that looks like it may squirt blood back?
well i know mine would! ha!

happy halloween!!!

ps : this is not a decorating post...i stink at decorating! awful. horrible. these were actually just regular cupcakes and i attempted to change them up - make them more halloweeny. just look at that eyeball!!! yes, that is supposed to be a monsters eyeball up there with the mummy and vampire bite......i tried.
{head in hands, ashamed.}
#theytastesogoodhopefullynoonewillnotice

re-thought red velvet cupcakes
for the icing i used my classic buttercream icing.

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour....you could also use cake flour is you want.
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup canola oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tbsp water
one good squeeze of red colour - paste form. if using liquid then a tbsp - you can always add more!!!
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup boiling water
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp apple cider vinegar

pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.
place liners in your trays and set aside {will make approx. 24 regular cupcakes or approx. 36 mini's} or butter and flour two 9-inch pans.

in your mixer beat together sugar, eggs and oil. add vanilla. while this is mixing mix together cocoa, water and colour in a small bowl till you form a paste. add to egg mix and beat until incorporated.

in a separate bowl sift together flour, baking powder and salt.

add you flour mix, alternating with the buttermilk, to your wet ingredients - starting a stopping with the flour mix. once this is fully incorporated add your boiling water. mix together.
now comes to fancy part - in a small bowl mix together the baking soda and vinegar. now fold that into the mix gently. this makes your cupcakes rise nice and high.

now carefully fill your cupcakes liners 3/4 full - mixture is really runny - tap your pans on the counter to release some of the air and place them in the oven. 12 - 14 minutes for mini cupcakes, 20 to 22 minute for larger ones and about 30 - 35 mins for cake rounds. cupcakes are ready when they spring back when touched on the top. let cool 10 mins in pans on rack, then remove from pans and let cool completely before attempting to decorate.

against the grain.

i am a firm believer that chocolate does not have to be involved in everything.
that one can get by without it. you can curb a sweet-tooth without it.
that given the right ingredients, everything can be lovely and wonderful. it does not always have to include chocolate.
especially in banana bread.
if you have beautifully dark over ripe bananas, the elixir which they contain should be enough.
i have stated this over and over and over. things have enough sugar already and we should appreciate them for it.

then you encounter the rainy day.
that day where darkness hang over and the thoughts of being cozy enter your mind and then that little pest - chocolate - creeps in there too.
a day where you would like nothing more than to curl up with a mug of something hot and a warm hearty baked good.
a day where banana snack cake with a hint of chocolate peeking through hits the spot.
it's the day where i eat my words....for just this one moment.

now this is not an everyday cake. it's not meant to replace our favorite around here. it's meant to be brought out on only very special occasion.
like a rainy day.
today is such a day.

banana snack cake.
it's moments like these where i wish my kids were nut people - biting into a shard of a toasted pecan would be a welcomed surprise - a pleasant little crunch. and if you have some laying around, a dollop of softly whip cream on top wouldn't be the worst either.

preheat your oven to 350. spray a 8x8 pan with cooking spray. set aside.

if you want to add toasted pecans now is the time to toast them. you will add 1/2 a cup plus 3 tablespoons of pecan halves or broken chunks to a pie plate. put in the oven for 5 minutes. toss and check. if not browned enough, put back in for one minute increments till you are sastified - DO NOT LEAVE YOUR OVEN! you will forget about them and have to start over only to find out that was all you have. not that i am speaking from experience or anything....
once they are toasted, let cool and chop into smaller pieces - split into two bowls - 1/2 cup and 3 tablespoons.

add 2 eggs to your stand mixer or bowl and blend slightly. add 3 bananas or one cup of mush to eggs and blend slightly. add a 1/4 cup of canola oil and blend slightly. {are you following the trend here?} add 1 tsp of pure vanilla extract. blend. add in 1/2 a cup of white sugar and half a cup of brown. blend. now add in 3/4 cup of whole wheat flour, 3/4 cup all purpose flour - unbleached!!! - 1 tsp of baking soda and 1/2 a tsp salt. gently blend this in. add one cup of chocolate chips or chunks and your optional 1/2 cup of toasted pecans. once all incorporated scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula and give it a couple turns by hand just to make sure you get all the bits in there. pour into your prepared pan,  sprinkle the top with the reserved 3 tablespoons of toasted pecans and bake for 55 minutes, rotating the pan half way through. let cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes, remove from pan and serve either slightly warm or room temp.

will keep for 3 days in an airtight container but we all know it won't survive the night.
;)

a cake built for two {plus enough for two short stacks.}

okay now let's switch gears.
yes i know i just told you to eat chocolate for breakfast. that valentines is all about chocolate...but you can have too much of a good thing, right?
don't you think after making the pain au chocolate, indulging in some afternoon chocolate hearts {it is VALENTINES after all?}, thankfully accepting some chocolates from your kids, husband, significant other...don't you think by 5pm you may be over chocolate just a little bit?

thought so.
ladies {and gents}...start your engines!

who doesn't enjoy a little lemon in winter?
helps with the blues. awakens the taste buds. provides us with memories of summer and sunshine.
perfect.

here i am going to let you in on my little secret...my lemon cake.

i once doubted myself about it once upon a time. i thought since i didn't have my own cookbook how could mine be any good? i should defer to the lucky and use their recipe. it's in print, has a gorgeous photo beside it. love. so i made it. i made it for a dinner party and i actually served it to people. as i took my first bite i felt my face fall. it was disgusting! how could i serve this to people?! more to the point - how could i take this away from them without them knowing and freeze time just like in out of this world, whip up THIS version and serve that instead?! WHY had i doubted myself?!

because that's my M.O. i have no confidence in myself most days. i question my decisions over and over and go to THAT place all the time. yet i know i have the skills and what i make IS delicious. i served this in my bakery for pete's sake! it was a hit! but i guess sometimes the grass is always greener......

plus i have mad respect for anyone with a cookbook - i am sort of a cookbook junkie. a collector as it were. but i knew better. in the back of my mind i was questioning why i wasn't just making mine and why was i making one that contained shortening? oh well, live and learn. so now you may question my validity here and ask yourself if mine is good enough for YOU. well i have made this enough times since to say yes it is and if you are not satisfied i shall refund your money, no questions asked. i understand. believe me.

my one hurdle with this cake - or any cake! - is the decorating.  i am not a cake decorator by any means. i think i missed that gene when they were passing them out. i can make a mean cake that will have you talking forever {yeah i know - a little full of myself there! ha!} but....you will never be talking about how pretty it looked. ever. because they are not. maybe it's that i am shaking too much after sampling the icing every 5 seconds. or that i tend to rush that part. fact is: i suck at it and i am okay with that. if THAT is my one fault {here i go again! i'm on a roll} then i can live with it.

seriously.

come to think of it i may start a new trend that doesn't require any decorating at all - deconstructed cakes. a chunk of cake here. a blob of icing there. some filling drizzled over the top, coulis style.
done.
not meant to be pretty and you won't agonize over it.
it will be all the rage.
i'm so cool.

;)

make this for your friends and family. they will thank you for it & love you too.

happy valentines to you and yours.
xo

meyer lemon buttermilk cake with lemon cream cheese frosting, lemon curd and a healthy dose of sweetened shredded coconut {toasted if you dare!}

the original design on this cake was inspired by stephmodo and a similar one she had made - using different taste elements though. i have gone through the steps over and over may times on how she assembled it and i am calling bulls*%t. no way she got this to be like that. no way. as she is practically perfect in every way i will give her credit on most things but i will not believe this worked for her. do it this way: schmear a blob of lemon curd over the plate and lay your slice on it sideways gently nestling it into the bed of curd.
lemon cake, deconstructed. boom!

1 cup unsalted butter - room temperature.
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour - spooned and leveled.
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp meyer lemon zest {using the zest you have in your freezer right??}
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
2 tbsp meyer lemon juice {ditto.}
1 cup buttermilk

sweetened shredded coconut.

lemon curd. recipe found here.

lemon cream cheese icing. recipe below.

for cake:
preheat oven to 350 degrees. butter and flour your tins. this recipe will make 2 9-inch rounds, 12 regular cups cakes. lots of mini's and enough for 3 3-inch layers {found great little spring form tins at homesense!} and about 20 mini's.

in a medium bowl mix together flour through to zest. set aside.

in a mixer with the paddle beat together the butter and sugar until fluffy. add eggs and yolks one at a time till incorporated. add lemon juice to buttermilk. alternating, starting and ending with flour, add the flour mix and buttermilk to your butter mix. mix until just combined and smooth.

divide batter among your pans - being sure to weigh your pans if doing cakes - and place in your pre-heated oven. bake cake layers for 35 minutes, cupcakes for 20 and mini's for 12. let cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack. run knife along edges of pans and invert cakes on to wire racks to cool completely. brush with lemon syrup while still warm if desired.

lemon syrup you ask? that's a baker's secret that i am going to let you in on! you know how you get a bakery cake and they are so moist and you never seem to get that effect at home? simple syrup is the secret.
1 cup of sugar
1 cup of water
boil this together over medium and then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. remove from heat and cool slightly. for lemon now add a 1/3 of a cup of lemon juice. poke your cake with a wooden skewer or fork all over and brush with syrup. repeat a few times if you want. save the rest for later.
there you go...the big secret!

assemble your cake: trim off top, if needed, flip over so the flat bottom is up and place you cake on a cake stand or platter with parchment or wax paper tucked underneath {so you can pull it out when you are done and have a clean surface. everyone will wonder how you got your cake up there!} and brush with more syrup if you want. now spread 1/3 to 1/2 cup of frosting on the top and sprinkle the top with coconut. place the second layer on top and do the same {only add coconut here if you are going for three} and if you are going for three do that now but don't top with coconut yet. now ice the outside of the cake {crumb coat first, chill for about 20 minutes, then finish icing} and top to make one gorgeous white cake and then cover the entire outside, pressing it in, and top with as much coconut as you want!

lemon cream cheese icing:
8 oz of cream cheese - room temp
1/2 cup of unsalted butter - room temp
1 1/2 to 2 pounds of icing sugar - sifted into your bowl
2 to 4 tbsp of lemon juice

beat together the butter and cream cheese till smooth and incorporated. slowly add 1 1/2 pounds of your icing sugar and lemon juice. after adding in all your lemon juice decide whether you need more stiffness in your icing or not. if it's too runny add some more icing sugar a little at a time.

a valentines treat.

valentines is a time to embrace the chocolate.
welcome it in. treasure it. enjoy it.
i adhere to this philosophy. these teachings. {and for arguments sake, because we are all friends here, i may take a dry run at the practice a week or two ahead of time - just to assimilate myself.}
anyways, valentines. chocolate. the two go hand in hand. end of story.

so why not start the day out with it? brilliant!
in a perfect world we would all wake up with perfect hair, make-up in place, tip-toe out of the house at dawn, rush out to our local patisserie and pick up the most delicately beautiful pain au chocolate {chocolate croissants.}, sneak back in, put on coffee, display them a la martha stewart, await your crew in the kitchen, smile on your face and collect our awards for mother of the year.
blah, blah, blah......

but this is not a perfect world and you are not going to sneak out to do this.
but....you can make these and place first-runner up. trust me.

rockstar.


jen's quick pain au chocolate.

1 sheet prepared puff pastry
1 pure chocolate candy bar (at least 100 grams or the equivalent in chocolate chips.}
1 egg - for an egg wash to make it all golden and shiny!

defrost your sheet of puff pastry in the fridge overnight. 
pre-heat your oven to 425.
roll it out on your cookie sheet, keeping it on the paper. cut it in four equal parts then cut each square on the diagonal into two triangles.  lift your triangles off the paper and on to your sheet - you could leave them on the paper for now if you want. place a block or two of chocolate {or pile of chips} at the longest part of the triangle and roll it gently into the pastry. curl your ends around - you want to make sure your chocolate is sealed inside. ***with puff pastry you have to work fast. if you find your pastry getting too soft toss the whole sheet in the fridge to firm up - about 5 minutes. place your croissants equally over the sheet and brush with an egg wash - lightly beat your egg in a bowl and using a pastry brush paint your pain au chocolate - then place in the fridge for 10 minutes to chill. remove and bake for 10 to 12 minutes until golden brown. if they are not golden after this time bake them for 1 minute increments till you are satisfied. pull out of oven let cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes, remove from pan, serve and take in the compliments.

happy valentines day!
xo

 

kitchen tips: two for one. {the latter is more for my canadian peeps.}

today i was bustling around in the kitchen.
today was a ped day. {day off school}
today was surprisingly low key.

today i got down to business.

coop has asked for chocolate chip cookies to take for school for the 100th day so i decided i would make the mix today to get it out of the way. i also wanted to try something out. i saw this idea on pinterest and it actually worked! you make your mix and then place a tablespoon full in an empty ice cube tray and freeze then voila! perfect kid size cookies! i got about 32 this way and i usually only get about 18 when i do my normal size. this is the perfect size for a crowd. a nice bite. and this way on wednesday night i pull them out and just pop them on the tray and place them in the oven! but you can also think of it this way - have a bag in the freezer at all times and while you are about to sit down for dinner toss a few on a tray, place in oven and for dessert you will have fresh baked cookies! and hopefully you will have a scoop of vanilla to top it off with! or if guests unexpectedly drop by you have something to bake up for an afternoon treat - you will blow them away with your preparedness.
fresh baked cookies at your finger tips! genius!

so glad i thought of it..... ;)

okay i know i promised you a two for one and here it is. as we canadians know our butter stick - or should i say brick? - does not come with a tablespoon measurement up the side like our lucky americans do - we only get cups. {yes you can find it with the spoons but it's twice as much - for measurements?} sometimes there is a recipe that calls for a few tablespoons of butter and then you have to get a brick to room temperature dig in and....well you get the point. anyways here's my trick - the times when i need room temperature butter for something, say like the chocolate chip cookies i mentioned above, i will pull out the whole brick the night before and leave it out on the counter. the next day i will cut off my one cup, place that aside and get to work. {or make my cookies first and then turn my attention to my second half, whatever.} at this point i dig in with my tablespoon and measure out the whole half, place the blobs on a baking sheet, place the sheet in the freezer to freeze them individually and then once they are hard, place them in a ziplock. and there you go - individual tablespoons of butter ready for you!

brilliant.

now go and bake something.
you know you want to!

when one is blue; make bread, not war.

this place is my happy place.
i try to make it a rule that what i let out to the world is happy, joyous. wonderful.
sometimes it's to the point where tony asks if he could live in the blog. ha!

but can you indulge me a little today?
today i am blah.
lately i have been blah.
i am so tired. i am down on myself. i am just.....down.
this house is such a mess that it's hard to figure out where to start.
there seems to be a bit of everything everywhere...i keep running across things in rooms that have no business being there. they were not cleared by customs for their trip around the house and it's starting to get under my skin.
and the kids rooms! oh. my. goodness. if the governement got wind of what was going on in there they would declare a state of emergency and we would all be evacuated to seek high ground. i would love to go in there and purge and buy storage solutions and get it in order but...a)this is a no spend month and b) that's not teaching them anything.  it's just driving me nuts. and i am afraind the course we are one is one for not - i don't think they really care.
i know this is not glmorous talk for a wednesday and i should be preparing for valentines, baking something fabulous and sharing some links that i have found around the web for cool crafts and gifts but i am not.
i am drowning in the state of this house.

so what is the natural course for one to take when they are down? make bread of course.
oh yeah and eat WAY too many chocolate chips.

thanks for listening.

the recipe i used is found here. she did such a good job in explaining the steps and sharing her own story i thought she could tell it in her words.

christmas shortbread made in january and not eaten as one would expect it to be.

at christmas time there were grand plans. days were to be set aside for baking. enjoying . merriment. in reality though the days were spent shopping, finally getting the decorations up, caring for those who were puking. one little girl finally decided on the 23rd what her wish might be - 7 stores were then combed on christmas eve for said gift only for the wrong thing to be bought and since returned and a newer shiner version will be bought as a collaboration for christmas AND her birthday. so this being said not all good plans are done...is that the saying? i can't remember. who cares.
this year christmas came too fast and too furious. before we knew it - it was over.
{i still haven't sent out my cards...epic fail!}

since those days of cheer i have had a lump of dough staring me in the face everyday tauting me - what's going on here? are you going to make me or what?

then came one morning as breakfast was being made where enough was enough. i was tired of feeling like the christmas failure in where the only treats consumed over the holidays were store bought. this house was going to smell like christmas dammit...even though christmas was over weeks ago. the oven was cranked, the dough pulled out and tony looked at me puzzled "you're baking?" yes. in the middle of everything this was going to happen.
by hook or by crook.

they were made, cooled, sliced, photographed and devored. not like you would expect - settled with a mug of something hot for dipping, a nice conversaion or just watching the snowflakes silently fall. slowly. delicately. with care and thought.

nope.

they were scoffed down amidst the screaming. crying. pandemonium of everyday.

but they were delicious. i long for more.

maybe today is a good day for more.....

shortbread.
this recipe was written down and placed in my binder cookbook so i really do not know where i got it from. i am not going to claim it as mine but i can't give credit either. but it's delicious..trust me. 

1 cup unsalted butter, room temp + a little extra for your pan
2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon of salt
1/2 cup sugar {you could use icing sugar as well.}

pre-heat oven to 325F degrees. butter a 8 or 9 inch round or square cake pan. set aside.
sift together the flour and salt.
in your electric mixer cream butter until light and fluffy. add sugar and beat together for about 3 minutes. scrape down side, beat another minute, scrapes down sides again {i know i know, enough with the scraping!} and add flour mix, pulsing till incorporated as to not fling flour everywhere!! {i am NOT speaking from experience here...this is just a tip.} halfway through give the bowl a scrape and beat together a few minutes more till it holds together once squeezed.

press your dough into prepared pan, score into wedges and prick it all over with a fork. this is delicate, do not picture your bosses face or react to your kids constant screaming.....poor dough.

bake until firm in the middle and slightly brown around the edges - about 50 minutes. be your own judge - it may take longer depending on the oven. once done place on wire cooling rack till cool, pop it out of the pan, cut it into wedges and please eat it properly. do not do as we do.

;)

santa's workshop.

today is the day.
teacher present day.

every year i make the presents and every year they are very well recieved. the principal of the kids school tells me that she meticulously eats the granola i give her at end of year and christmas so "it lasts her six months till the next offering." since hearing such a nice comment i decided to double her bag - cause now it's from two kids! ;)

the school my kids go to is kind of amazing with the teachers giving their all and completely loving their job and the kids. it kind of helps too that they think my kids are pretty rad. in my books, anyone who thinks that deserves a big bag of sweets!

some of what i made is from yours truly and some has been inspired from pinterest.

hot chocolate kit.

i have seen many of these around - single serving and enough for a group. i combined a few i saw into what we gave out. hot chocolate mix on the bottom, then mini chocolate chips, then mini marshmallows and finally some crushed up candy canes {i put these in a little baggie as they are for a particular taste.} and to add that something extra  some chocolate dipped wooden spoons for stirring and striped paper straws for sipping!

whole wheat pancake mix.

my secret recipe. this, my granola and my cupcakes were the first thing i started selling when i started my business. i have been handing this out for years and the recipe is off limits...sorry!!

maple granola and cranberry crunch granola.

maple granola pictured.

big hits! and again...top secret recipe. i wouldn't even give it to my mom! ha!

honey orange cranberry sauce.

in late november i made a large batch and canned it for this very purpose. to can the sauce - sterilize your jars and lids. pour warm sauce into hot jars and place in canning pot. process for 20 minutes, starting from when the water starts boiling again. perfect for christmas dinner!

hot fudge sauce.

my new secret weapon! this sauce is amazing and i will be letting you in on it in the next couple of days. come back for it - you won't be sorry!

shortbread. {not pictured.}

last year we handed out this version but this year i went plain, simple, classic. and nobody does it better than martha!!
{i did the fingers but didn't dip them.}

cranberry almond bark.

this is something i have been doing for years! like i think about 15 years. i started out using white chocolate because it definitely looks more festive but since i can't stand the stuff i have changed to milk. when this recipe was first developed it was determined by price not measurement. i knew what i wanted to spend so i mapped it out that way. a few years later i went with my dad to the store to get the ingredients and as we approached the bulk section he asked my what i needed. i answered him "$6 of chocolate melting wafers, $3 of whole unsalted almonds and $3 of cranberries." he stopped dead in his tracks, looked at me and proclaimed "that is the craziest recipe i have ever heard." in turn i said "well - that's all i want to spend." yes i could have said 1200 grams of chocolate, 200 grams of cranberries and 200 grams of almonds...but where is the fun in that? plus a girl has to budget - especially at christmas time!!!
{please don't judge the recipe by my picture...my kitchen got hot so the chocolate heated a bit causing some white colouration!! oops!}

cranberry almond bark
1200 grams choclate melting wafers or your favorite chocolate
200 grams dried cranberries
200 grams whole unsalted almonds

first toast your almonds. pre-heat the oven to 375. spread the almonds out on a tray and place in oven for 5 minutes. pull out toss on tray and place in for another 3 minutes. pull out once more and if you think they need a little more {like me but i don't know that strength of your oven!} place them in for two more minutes. remove from oven and let cool.

once they are cool melt your chocolate. place your chocolate wafers or chopped up chocolate bits into a heat proof bowl and either use a double boiler or microwave. i use the microwave. i heat it for 30 seconds, pull it out, stir it and then place back into micro. i then repeat this in 15 seconds intervals. yes this sounds horrendous but it doesn't burn your chocolate and you will be happier for it. once it's all melted add in your cranberries and almonds {you may have to upgrade to a larger bowl at this point.} then pour onto a pan covered in parchment - sides too! - then put it in a coerner of your kitchen and forget about it. let in harden. once nice and hard, lift it off the parchment slightly and smack it down. keep doing this till it breaks into your desired sized and number of pieces. bag it up and hand them out!!

cinnamon stars.

these were something i saw on pinterest and had to do them ourselves. each one of our packages will have one of these with them as well. and did you see the ribbon? it was such a score from pick your plum - merry christmas from the gronick family - personalized ribbon? yes please!

our tags.

i love christmas cards. i love the design and the sentiment behind them. what i can never do  is bear to part with them so i thought if i turned them into something else and spread their cheer that would be awesome. so i came up with this - using the covers of old cards as new tags for our gifts.
perfectly festive and to quote mooseletoe... so perfectly perfect.

what are the teachers on your list getting this year?

happy holidays from us to you!

xoxo

christmas truffles.

growing up we always indulged in holiday baking {kind of hard not to when your dad owns restaurants and your mom is a caterer}. there were points where the kitchen counter could not be seen for the abundance of ingredients and one would wonder how such delicacies could be created from such chaos.

fast forward 15 years and not much has changed. we still create an abundance of baking every year. we still create in chaos. sometimes the ingredients change with the times, the trends, the market. but some classics stick with us...these are such gems.

i remember absentmindedly scooping, rolling, dipping and placing trays and trays of these as we all gathered around the kitchen counter and gabbed about the goings ons - who was going out with who, who was fighting with who, who wanted to do what, who wanted what for christmas....you know - teenage stuff. and through all this, before you knew it, trays of these truffles had been made and no one really remember how we got from point A to point B. they were then wrapped up in cellophane or placed in pretty boxes and put in the fridge for when the occasion deemed them necessary. or they were eaten on the spot while the conversation between mother and daughters continued....that special moment when the walls were dropped, conflict left the building and laughter was let in.

this year i decided to add these to our givings as they are so simple and yet so special at the same time. i can't wait till the day i can have that same experience with my kids.

that's the magic of christmas.

chocolate truffles.
one recipe chocolate ganache - well chilled
a baking tray covered with parchment
a glass of warm water
a melon baller, optional, or teaspoon toppings, any of the following:
icing sugar
cocoa
sprinkles
finely chopped toasted nuts
toasted coconut

create one recipe of my chocolate ganache. make sure it is well chilled. in small bowls place desired toppings - one with icing sugar, one with cocoa, one with toasted coconut etc... . with your melon baller or a teaspoon, which has been dipped in your glass of warm water, scoop out a small ball of the ganache {about the size of a quarter maybe a little bigger - one bite}, roll it between your hands to create a smooth ball, put in the bowl of your choice, coat with topping, remove with a fork - by lifting it out not spearing it - place on tray and repeat. **icing sugar balls need two dips - i have found the first layer tends to get soaked up by the chocolate. once all the ganache is used, place your trays in the fridge to firm up the truffles. keep refrigerated until ready to use - remove from fridge 30 minutes before serving.

**if you notice that your chocolate is getting too soft during the balling stage, place your bowl back in the fridge and run your hands under cold water. wait about 5 minutes and the resume.

**to toast coconut: pre-heat your oven to about 300. place your coconut on a tray or cake pan. place in the oven for no longer than 5 mins {maybe shorted depending on your oven}. toss and let cool.

**for the nuts do the same at the coconut just have your temperature at 350.

one has to post about chocolate at christmas.

sooo...the other day i went to my trusty food log here on the good old blog only to see that i did not have chocolate ganache listed! how can that be?? i was shocked so i decided to do something about it.

make this today or tomorrow and check back on friday...i'm going to show you what to do with it!

what would christmas be without a chocolate post?

chocolate ganache
8 oz good quality semi-sweet, milk or dark chocolate
1 cup of whipping/heavy cream
peppermint or orange extract {optional}

chop up your chocolate into fairly small pieces. place in a heatproof bowl. heat your cream on the stove until just boiling {tip: do not put on heat and then go outside to perfect your photography skills for said post...just saying} pour hot cream over chopped chocolate, let sit for one minute then, starting in the center, stir cream into chocolate till shiny and smooth and no more cream in visible. **if using extract now would be the time to add it - i would start with 1/4 teaspoon at a time and do it to taste...peppermint extract is super strong, i don't remember about the orange. to be on the safe side taste as you go! set aside and let cool till firm. {you can stick it in the fridge just let it get set out in room temp, cover with plastic wrap making sure the wrap is right on the chocolate mix then chill till needed.}

over the weekend.

you know when you have a weekend where you are thinking up things to do just to fill the time? or relishing in the fact that there is nothing to do?
last weekend was not such a beast.

ours was packed.

and the cool factor? it was packed with some firsts. i love those.

the first first was aydan's first sleepover.
with the brownies.
at the clubhouse...how cool is that?
she rocked it.

it didn't start till 6pm so the anticipation built and built all day till she was absolutely bursting!!
in honour of the sleepover we made cupcakes to take for all the girls - there were 11 girls and 3 "owls" {leaders.}
since the mascot for brownies is the owl it was only fitting that we made owl cupcakes.

so cute right?
and they were super easy....here's the steps:

first make a batch of this chocolate cake. instead of cake pans use cupcake tins. this should yeild 24 - i got 22 but some of mine were too big. line your tin with liners and fill 1/2 to 3/4 full. bake at 350 for about 20 mins. top should feel springy and since ovens vary please use your judgement - bake for an extra minute at a time till you are satisfied. let cool completely - very important!!! your icing will melt off!

now for the owls - the eyes are oreo halves with m&m's! make some buttercream icing {tint your favorite colour or leave white for snowy owls....since the brownie uniform is blue and brown we did blue owls} or chocolate ganache. set aside. now divide your oreos and m&m's. you will need one orange m&m {or smartie} for the beak per cupcake and two brown or coloured per cupcake for the eyes. also you will need 2 x cream halves of an oreo per cupcake. i have found that canadian oreos and american oreos are different...?? i know.....and mine were tough to come apart cleanly. american oreos are softer centers. if you find yourself in this predicament...although my stomach didn't mind as it got all the duds...place a row of oreo's from the tray into the microwave for about 15 seconds then twist and separate. warming them a bit helps.
now ice your cupcake, grab two oreo halves - place on top, place two eye candies on cream filling as close to the center as possible and push an orange candy in sideways for the beak! done!

i saw these somewhere on the internet at one time - can't remember where - and i just winged it. 
i think they turned out rather well.

while these cupcakes were baking another first was going on...copper went to his first playdate at someone's home...by himself! no sister, no me, no tony, no someone he has known for a long time.
it was to one of his best friend's from school and he had a blast! no nervousness, no shyness. he just jumped right in and had the best time. so proud of him!!! and happy for his as well. hppy he has taken this step.

now on to the third first of the weekend.....cooper had his first kfc! i know i know...we shouldn't eat the stuff and as you can tell we haven't had it for 6 years {probably longer}. it was okay...not like either of us remember it to be though. and i think that was our last. we didn't feel so good afterwards. we have found a doctor oz recipe cheating to be kfc and we liked that better. i'll pass that on to you guys as well.

so after kfc, three rounds of volcano island countdown {our new favorite family game} and no call from the clubhouse, we were ready to hunker down for the night.

tony went and got aydan at 10 on sunday and she came home just bustling with excitement and tales to tell.

sunday also marked the day that we put up our outside christmas decorations. i know maybe a little early but with the schedule over the next couple of weeks this is the time that presented itself. i wanted to get you a picture of it all lit up at night but yeah that didn't happen..another time i hope! nice to have it all ready and done....and tony was happy that we got rid of the cornstalks and pumpkins! ha!

in my books, this weekend was a success.

:)

let them eat cake. {chocolate pumpkin graveyard layer cake}

halloween is fast approaching and we only put our decorations out last night.
yep.
we are about a week behind.

i have really felt like that lately.
like i am a week behind and cannot catch up.
like it's all passing me by in fast motion and i am stuck in slow-motion land forgetting how long tasks actually take. over-scheduling my days and falling further and further behind. and not axing things because i want to get them done. completed.

but i am burnt out.

what i need is cake.
a cake day.
a day where we make a cake, decorate it and sit around and eat it and laugh and have a good time.
i need to forget about all the things i want to do - project life, sewing projects, tv room project, wrapping christmas present {yes you read that right.}, house decorating finishing touches.
i need to forget about all this and cut a big wedge of cake and sit there and enjoy every mouthful.
right down to the last bite.
that's what i need.
now.

and making it a halloween cake is the icing on the cake.
:)

i love cake days.

chocolate pumpkin graveyard layer cake.
this cake has pure pumpkin in it {read about roasting your own pumpkin here}. tastes delicious and doesn't make you feel ssoooo guilty as you cut yourself another wedge! because lets face facts - you ARE going to enjoy a second slice!!


1 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
2/3 cup cocoa
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup home roasted or canned real pumpkin (not pie filling)
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup unsalted butter - softened
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
3 large eggs and one egg yolk

milano or monaco cookies
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
old fashioned butercream {recipe follows}
bittersweet chocolate glaze {recipe follows.}

Pre-heat oven to 375'F.
butter and line with parchment {butter your parchment as well} two round cake pans - 8inch or 9.
Sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir the buttermilk, pumpkin and vanilla extract together in a small bowl.
In an electric mixer beat together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and the yolk and beat until well incorporated. Reduce mixer speed and alternately beat in flour mix and buttermilk mix in thirds.
evenly distribute batter between pans. {i weigh my pans.} tap lightly on counter to release air bubbles, place in oven and bake for about 35 mins or until tester inserted in middle comes out clean.
Remove from oven, place on cooling rack and cool in tray for 10 mins. Remove from pans and let cool completely before icing.
Keep at room temp in a air-tight container for up to 2 days (best) or refrigerate for up to 5 days but bring to room temp before serving.

old-fashioned buttercream icing

3/4 pounds of unsalted butter - softened {the butter from above makes this portion slightly shy of 3/4 of a pound....that's okay.}

500 grams sifted icing sugar

6 to 9 tablespoons milk

3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

gel food colouring

in an electric mixer blend butter till all nice and creamy. scrape down sides of bowl. in little bits, start adding icing sugar and blend after each addition. also start adding milk as well. when all incorporated add vanilla extract. keep tasting along the way for desired sweetness and consistency. once perfected tint away to your heart desires!

i tinted orange for this - obviously.

Bittersweet chocolate glaze
4 oz bittersweet chocolate - chopped
1 tbsp unsalted butter
3 tbsp light corn syrup
1/2 cup heavy cream

Place chocolate, butter and corn syrup in a heatsafe bowl. Heat the heavy cream over low to medium heat and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and pour over chocolate mixture. Let stand for 3 minutes. Stir gently with a whisk until all the components are blended and smooth. Let stand for 3 - 5 minutes to thicken.

to assemble this cake:
use some of the orange icing for the center. then make sure you do a crumb coat - take a small portion of the icing and spread a thin layer over the outside to seal in the crumbs. let set for about 15 minutes {in the fridge if you can.} then ice the rest of the cake concentrating more on the sides. then add the glaze. test it by seeing if it coats the back of a spoon with out too much run off. pour right in the center of the cake and let it organically run over the sides {you can give it a little push here or there.}.

the cookies:
melt some chocolate in a bowl in the microwave in 15 second increments, stirring between times. once melted pour into a parchment cone or ziplock baggie with the corner cut. pipe out your lettering and let set.

once glaze is set on cake insert your "tombstones" into the cake. your cemetery is complete!

happy halloween!!!