Eclair Cake

This is a favorite dessert around here.

It's one of those recipes that is super easy, but has a great "Wow" factor.

Makes an elegant dessert for Bridal or Baby Showers or other special events.

My recipe is a combination of 2 similar recipes, one from my recipe guru, Sharla; and one from  Amy.

Eclair Cake

Crust:

1 1/2 cubes margarine or butter

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 cups water

6 large eggs

In a medium saucepan, combine margarine and water and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and mix in flour. Allow mixture to cool in pan for 10 minutes. In a separate bowl, whip 6 eggs until well blended. Pour eggs over mixture in saucepan. Use a hand mixer to combine mixture until it has a smooth consistency and appears glossy. Spread into a greased jelly roll pan (12x17) with a rubber spatula. Bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Cool completely. (I make the crust the night before)

Crust will puff up, but flattens as it cools.

Topping:

8 oz. package cream cheese

3 TBS. milk

2 small packages vanilla instant pudding mix

3 cups milk

16 oz carton Cool Whip

Chocolate Syrup

Beat cream cheese and 3 TBS milk until smooth.

Beat vanilla instant pudding mix with 3 cups of milk. When thick, mix with cream cheese mixture.

Fold in Cool Whip.

Spread on cooled crust, leaving a little of the edge showing.

Drizzle with chocolate syrup.

Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.

Cut into squares to serve.

Makes about 24 large squares

Candy Corn Cupcakes~Recipe Review

A couple of months ago, I saw a recipe for Candy Corn Twist Cupcakes in LHJ. I thought they looked pretty cool...but perhaps a little above my skill level!

Later, I was looking online for the recipe, and found these Candy Corn Cupcakes at Our Best Bites. On the same post, there is also a great video tutorial on frosting cupcakes! Bonus!!!

This was my first attempt at piping the frosting on, and I think they look fabulous! But we'll talk more about the frosting in a minute...

First, let's talk about the cake. I used the doctored up cake-mix recipe that is posted on the blog. I used vanilla instead of almond flavoring, because that was all I had.

I also couldn't find the right food coloring colors. Who knew every single store in UT County would be out of yellow and orange?  You'd think it was Halloween, or something! I ended up getting colors that were close...Buttercup Yellow and Copper. 

This is the batter after I have divided it and added the food coloring.  At this point I am getting a little worried. The batter is pretty thick. Mine actually was kind of a yucky, pasty consistency. And I had quite a bit more batter than the recipe said I would end up with...
And Buttercup Yellow and Copper turned out looking a lot like Fry Sauce and Mustard! I figured if the cupcakes didn't turn out as Candy Corns, maybe I could do some sort of Condiment Cupcake. :) I'm sure that would be a big hit!

Okay, so I have more batter than I was expecting, and it has an odd consistency and a slightly unappetizing color.  No matter, I just forged on ahead!  The next issue I ran in to was when I put the batter in the cupcake liners and then tapped (pounded?) the cupcake pan on the counter to spread the batter. The batter just sat there in a glob. I had to wet the tip of my finger and spread it out to the sides.  The good news is, they did bake up rather nicely. I easily got 24 cupcakes and still had enough batter to make maybe 3-4 more cupcakes. What I was short on, was patience, so the rest of the batter went down the sink. Next time, I think I'll use just a tiny bit more batter for each cupcake.

The cupcakes looked pretty~ and despite the coloring flaw, they did look like candy corns.  But I did not like the cake itself.  The cupcakes were very dry and lacked flavor. Pretty much like eating a dry sponge. Now, I will try this recipe again~ because it does get rave reviews.  I'm not sure what went wrong, so hopefully it was just a one time thing. 

But now...let's talk about the frosting, shall we? 
First, let's get the failure out of the way!
I used the Perfect Cupcake Frosting and Filling that was recommended in the recipe. I read through the recipe very carefully, and paid close attention to all the pictures. I also read the comments so I could get a good feel for the recipe, as I have never made a cooked frosting before. (But there are recipes similar to this one pretty much everywhere right now, so I wanted to give it a try).

One hint I read was to make sure you cook the frosting long enough.  Some people were having less than desirable results by not cooking the flour and milk to the proper stage/consistency.
I am happy to report I did not have this problem.

Just the opposite, in fact! I cooked mine a little too long. Just know that when the flour/milk mixture starts to thicken, it gets real thick, real fast! So I am including some helpful photos of what the frosting should NOT look like at this stage!  Consistency of mashed potatoes=bad.  Okay?  Okay.

See, I can't even get it to go through my mesh strainer! Fail!!! Dump it down the sink, run to the computer, look up Tasty Kitchen where you know you've seen a similar recipe...and attempt that one instead!
I used the "That's the Best Frosting I've Ever Had" recipe, which is similar to the first one, but without the whole pesky straining it through a strainer step.  I also read Ree's Tutorial; "That's Still the Best Frosting I've Ever Had"! Just to make sure I had all my bases covered.

A couple tips: Don't overcook (already covered that one!)
The recipe states that the sugar and butter should be beaten/whipped whatever until it is no longer grainy. Well...I beat mine for about 12 minutes and it still had a slightly grainy texture. But once I added the flour/milk mixture and beat it all together, it was just fine. Actually, more than fine...absolutely heavenly.
And then...there's the whole cooling the milk/flour. I used the cooling method from the first recipe, because it seemed easier. DO NOT put this in the fridge to cool!!! Because if you do, you will have a nice, thick skin that will form on the top...which you will notice at exactly the same time that you stir it up a bit. It will be all lumpy and yucky. Then you will want to cry a little, because you don't want to have to start over AGAIN!!!
Do cool it in the ice water in the sink.  (Don't worry, those pesky little lumps beat right out when I combined all the ingredients). Just remember...whip the heck out of it and all will be right with the world. This really is a fabulous frosting!  I like frosting, the rest of my family merely tolerate it. Can you believe no one ate any of the cupcakes?  They wouldn't even try the frosting!!! Don't worry, I'll keep making it~ they're bound to try it eventually! Meantime...all the more frosting for me!!!!

The Verdict:

Rainbow Method: Very easy to do, with a high "wow" factor. Win/Win!

Cake: Bleh. Dry and flavorless. I will try it again though.

Frosting: To. Die For! I might have licked the spoon, and the whisk...and the bowl.  Who am I kidding? I ate 2 spoonfuls of frosting when no one was looking!

Blond Toffee Brownies

I've been on somewhat of a baking kick lately.

Not that anyone is complaining. 

Well, maybe just a little because baking you know, heats up the house & it's summer and all...

But other than that, yeah no complaining. 

Perhaps the baking binge is because I recently acquired this:

Oooh, baby! I have been coveting   wanting one of these for a long, long time!

When we moved back to Utah...we were over at Amy & Gary's and I noticed she had a Kitchen Aid. 

I actually said to Rick; "When did Amy get a Kitchen Aid?  No Fair!".  I was J-E-A-L-O-U-S!!! 

I got over it...really, I did! 

But...on Mother's Day this year, Rick and Emily had a huge surprise for me! 

I cried when I unwrapped it!  It was awesome!!!

Then I got sick before I could even use it...so now I guess I'm trying to catch up!!! 

And I have been putting it to good use, that's for sure.

Now, for the recipe (finally).

I used to make these years ago, but had forgotten about them...A while back I remembered that I used to have a toffee brownie recipe...but I couldn't find it anywhere.  I was pretty sure I had gotten the recipe off of a package of toffee bits...but search as I might, I couldn't find it.

Then, just a few days ago...I remembered that the recipe was from a magazine! Aren't our brains wonderful?  I went searching through my collection of cooking magazines and there it was!!! I knew it was the right recipe because I had written some notes on it. 

Okay, so NOW, here is the recipe (gees, get to the recipe already, would ya?)

Blond Toffee Brownies

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups flour

2 tsps. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup English Toffee bits

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Beat in vanilla.  Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Stir in toffee bits.

Batter will be thick. Spread evenly into a greased 9x13x2 in baking pan.  Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.  Cool. Cut into bars to serve.

My notes:

The bars are thin, which is probably good because they are very rich!  The toffee melts, so they are also pretty gooey...Next time I make them, I'm going to use the toffee bits that have the chocolate.  Shane told me these are really good, but he thinks they need just a little chocolate. 

Peanut Butter Bars

One year, for my birthday, my grandma gave me this:

A recipe box filled with her favorite handwritten recipes.
It is still a gift I treasure. Many of her favorite recipes have become my favorites too!

One of my most requested recipes is one I got from Grandma, peanut butter bars! These are so good, and simple to make!

Peanut Butter Bars

3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened

3/4 cup peanut butter (I like chunky)

3/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

2 eggs

3/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 cups old fashioned rolled oats

1 cup peanut butter, whipped (I like creamy)

16 oz tub chocolate frosting

Mix first eight ingredients. Then add all the flour and oats. Mix well.

Spread onto a 10x15 cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes or until edges are beginning to brown.

Remove from oven and spread whipped peanut butter on hot cake.

Cool and then spread with chocolate frosting.

Cut into bars and serve.

Love Rolls, A Family Tradition

See that yummy goodness? This is a "secret" family recipe that has been passed down in my husband's family for six generations. So, at the peril of my life...I'm going to blog about it!


First, a little history. Rick's grandmother taught me how to make these. She learned to make them from her grandmother. A written recipe never existed. My mother in law tried to write it down years ago, and put the recipe in a ward cookbook! Her children were very upset with her! After all, it is a secret! Hence the "peril of my life" statement!


Several years ago, I asked Grandma to teach me how to make them, and she agreed. I wrote the recipe down as she made them. The interesting thing is, another sister-in-law did the same thing...and we both have slightly different recipes. Mine has cinnamon, hers does not. Grandma told us both that our recipes were "authentic". I think Grandma just threw in whatever struck her fancy! :)


As far as we know, no one else makes these, and Rick's family is the only branch of the family tree that makes them, with the exception of a couple of cousins.


I do not know when or where the recipe actually originated. And since Grandma has passed away I don't know all those details.


From my notes, I have that Grandma Clay learned to make them from her Grandmother, Missouri Clay Browning. Missouri Clay was born in 1855 and died in 1936. She and her family joined the LDS Church in 1892 and shortly thereafter, she moved with her husband and 6 boys to Utah. Grandpa's first wife died from complications of childbirth, leaving 6 small boys. Missouri Clay raised them and bore 4 of her own children after migrating to Utah. That is just a very brief overview of her history. She is a fascinating woman and I can't wait to meet her!


Now, on to the recipe...


The dough is simply a baking powder biscuit dough with some sugar added.
Here I have stirred together flour, baking powder, cream of tartar, sugar and a little salt.

Then add the shortening.

Cut the shortening into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Add the milk

And stir with a fork until until a ball is formed

Turn the dough onto a floured surface, and roll into a rectangle, about 1/2 an inch thick.

Spread the dough with softened butter and sprinkle sugar, cinnamon and a little nutmeg on top.

Then roll the dough up

And cut into about 2 inch slices (just like you would do cinnamon rolls).

Meanwhile, throw the sauce together. Heat water, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in a pan, and boil for 5 minutes. Originally this step was done in a 9x13 pan on the stove-top and after the biscuits were added the full pan was transferred to the oven. After a few mishaps, we adapted the method to be a little easier and a little safer!

(Did you know boiling sugary water causes 3rd degree burns if you drop a pan and it pours all over your feet? Take my word for it, it does!)

Now, put a 9x13 pan in the oven, and pour the syrup in the pan. The pan will be a little more than half full.

Plop the rolls into the sauce. I usually get 12 plus a few extra...

Bake for about 1/2 an hour (15 minutes at 400 degrees, then 15-20 minutes at 375 degrees).
The sauce will thicken as it cooks, and the rolls will be a nice golden brown on top.

Oh, yum!

You want to serve them warm, right out of the oven. A pan seldom lasts too long around here!

All that sauce in the bottom of the pan? Go ahead and spoon some over the rolls. Be generous!

You can add a splash of milk or even half and half if you like.

Oh my...these are so good!

And you can't really tell from this picture, but as an added bonus, some of the sauce spilled over in to the bottom of the oven (it always does) and it caught on fire!!! How thrilling! Good thing the rolls were already done and on the counter!

*This is the first time I have ever made these by myself. Rick and I have always made them together, I do the sauce and he does the dough. The boys said I "did good".

Love Rolls

Dough

4 cups flour

6 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. cream of tartar (optional)

1 tsp. salt

6 Tbs. sugar

1 cup shortening

1 1/3 cups milk

Softened butter, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg

Stir together flour, baking powder, cream of tartar, salt and sugar. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add milk all at once, stir until dough begins to form a ball. Turn out onto lightly floured surface. Roll dough 1/2 inch thick. Sread with softened butter and sprinkle with sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg (no measurements, but be generous with the sugar and cinnamon and go easy on the nutmeg or it can be overpowering).

Roll dough up and slice into 1-2 inch slices.

Sauce

6 cups water

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 +1/8 tsp. nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirrring ocassionally. Boil for 5 minutes.

Place a 9x13 pan in the oven. Carefully pour sauce in to the pan. Gently drop rolls in to the sauce.

Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 375 and bake an additional 15-20 minutes or until rolls are golden brown and sauce is thickened.

Serve warm, topped with sauce. May top with milk or cream if desired.

Makes approximately 12 rolls

*If you make a bigger batch, do not double the sauce. It has to be made in individual batches or it doesn't set up properly.