baking smart

Pre-heat oven and let it reach baking temperature for best results.  Try to bake using the upper and lower thirds of the oven racks.  And remember it is best to rotate baked goods halfway through cooking.

Taste batters.  Just a little.  You may have forgotten the sugar – or something else and when you taste it – it can help you remember.  This happened to me once at the hotel.  I forgot the sugar and the chocolate batter tasted awful.  Luckily I was able to add the sugar (albeit out of order) but was able to salvage the dessert and the cost of the chocolate.  Also taste for spices and salt.  You can add more or less depending on your taste.  Try to develop the desserts as you like them.

Wash fruits before you bake with them.  Especially when you are using the fruit’s zest.  Try to use only the colored part of the zest – do not dig down with your microplane or grater because the white part – under the skin is very bitter.

things i love – chocolate drizzled pop corn

So I make this myself and I love love love it.  But I know that many don’t feel like tempering chocolate so this makes it easy…buying it!

Stever’s (they make those ridiculous marshmallows) makes an awesome drizzle popcorn.  First, the popcorn is fresh which is important.  Second, the milk chocolate is just so tasty and smooth and third, they lay it on so thick!  Thick thick so that big chunks of popcorn stick together with the chocolate acting like glue.  We love it.

As mentioned when I talked about the chocolate marshmallows, Stever’s has a website – but you can’t order on-line.  But call and they are so nice and friendly up in Rochester, NY that you will likely make a new friend :).

Click here for the link.

 

guittard superchips

I love these chips.  My sis in law Kathy introduced us (me and chip) about a year and a half ago.  They are bigger than a Nestle chip, but flatter and stay softer in baked goods.  But I do love Nestle and Ghiradelli and many more!

I searched the web (because I can’t find them locally) and found them at Chososphere!  I love this site – so many awesome products and chocolates.  And you can buy in bulk!

Again, no money for me here in this rec – just sharing!

Here is the direct link.  And they sell in larger amounts and so many other products – you will get lost in a chocolate haven.

more chocolate

things i love – Lilac Chocolate covered graham crackers

We have taste tested many many many chocolate covered graham crackersand these ones from Li-Lac are probably our favorite.  Even better than mine!

There is something about their chocolate that keeps us enchanted.  The coating is especially thin (like their All American Bars) yet very satisfying.  The whole big graham is coated so that too is appealing.

Li-lac has a great website and so many delicious items.  Again, very pricey so save these for those special people in your life (or just for you!)

Enjoy –

cookie do roll up and freeze

You don’t have to bake all your cookies at once.  Bake some fresh and then freeze or refrigerate the dough for another day (or month!)

Just take a piece of Stretch-tite (or any wrap) and spoon the dough into a long log.  Fold the plastic wrap over, then roll it up and you are set for slice and bake.

Another photo and more directions and thoughts are at the bottom of this post.

 

things i love – Lilac Chocolate All American Bar

Lisi's Kitchen

All  American Bars from Li-Lac Chocolates.

These are delicious.  Beyond good.  Greg and I have taste tested many or these bars often called “all american bars” or “s’mores” or “marshmallow bars” and well, these ones from Li-Lac Chocolate win.  There is something about the marshmallow,  it is light, fluffy and moist and not cloyingly sweet.  The chocolate is so delicate – thinly coated and therefore not overbearing.  It’s as if they dipped these in chocolate and shook vigorously to get rid of the excess chocolate  (and normally I like excess!)

As mentioned – Greg loves these very much.  So much that I kind of hide them from Andy and Sylvie so he gets to eat the bulk of them.  I can’t help it since he is so particular these days and it is nice to see him indulge.  Although only a half at a time for him.

These bars are pricey.  Very pricey so save for a special event or a special someone.  You can order on-line and they have a nice small shop in Grand Central as well as the West Village.

Again, I’m not making any money here – I’m just sharing some of the good stuff!

 

things i love!

Lisi's Kitchen

Stevers Candies chocolate marshmallows.  These are scrumptious!  Truly.  A family fave.

Eyes light up when I bring these gems out for company.  Friends eagerly ask “did you make these!?”  I reluctantly tell the truth and say no…I didn’t, but they are better than any candy I could ever make.

I often order gift boxes for the holidays and hostess gifts but I (we) often end up eating most of them since it is too difficult to give them away.

Located in Rochester NY – I found them with my grandma and mom (both from Rochester) and have been calling every year since.  Call because you can’t order on-line although they have a lovely and descriptive website.  And many more delicious treats.  And boy – the people in Rochester are really nice and so pleasant on the phone.  I’m serious.

Milk and dark – both delicious btw.

This is not an ad – nor do I get these for free…I’m just sharing some things I love so that you too can enjoy if you choose.

 

popcorn brittle

Yum.  Crunchy, sweet, salty and then chocolaty!  I made these treats and they were a hit with mostly me, Mark and Jack (Andy’s friends) and my sis in law Linda.  She kept telling Patrick that they were good “Patrick this is good!”  but sadly he refuses to enjoy popcorn in any form.  I happen to love popcorn.  It is up there with ice cream and brownies and lasagna.  So when I came across this recipe in Cooking Light – I was eager to try it.  Make no mistake, there is nothing really “lite” about these nuggets save for the fact popcorn replaces nuts.  Oh and speaking of nuts, my niece Emily who is severely allergic took a look at these and said, “wow, nuts” (clearly dissapointed that I made something so obviously nutty and placed it right in front her!)  But I was happy to report that these treats were miraculously nut free!  The brittle is good as is – or, like me you can dip or drizzle them with chocolate.  If you choose to keep them clean, crunch the brittle and mix it into vanilla ice cream.  Yum.

These can be a little tricky to make in that you must be careful working with the hot sugar – and you need a candy thermometer.  But beyond that – not too difficult.  Then of course the chocolate – the tempering of the chocolate.  See past posts for that and remember if you are into it, investing in a small tempering machine can be very helpful.

Oh, and these little gems last a long time so great for the holidays.

Enjoy –

popcorn brittle

5 1/2 cups popcorn (I cooked in a tad of oil and salted – you can also use plain, or air popped but I like the salt with the sweet)
1 1/2 cups sugar
6 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons molasses
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt (unless you salted your popcorn like me)

Line a baking sheet with foil and coat foil with cooking spray.

Place popcorn in a lare zip lock bag.  Seal and crush with a mallet or rolling pin.  Set aside.

Place sugar, syrup and water and a medium small saucepan and cook for 1 minute or until sugar dissolves.  Stir to help it melt.

Now take next steps carefully as this mixture will become very hot.

Then cook, over medium high heat without stirring until a candy thermometer registers at 270 degrees (should take 7-9 minutes or so) then add molasses and butter – and cook until therm registers at 290 degrees.  Remove from heat.

Stir in baking soda, vanilla and salt.  Then add the reserved popcorn and mix to combine quickly – then carefully pour onto prepared baking sheet.  Spread with a palet knife or back of a spoon to flatten as best you can.

Let cool completely then break or cut into chunks.  Dip in tempered chocolate for an extra treat!

Enjoy-

classic home desserts

I love Richard Sax’s cookbook!  He devoted more than a decade to searching out and perfecting 350 of the world’s best and most beloved home desserts. Everything is here: cobblers and crisps, cakes and cookies, puddings and soufflés, pies and pastries, ice creams and sauces.  Winner of a James Beard Award and a Julia Child Award!

Purchase this book on Amazon!

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