Stuff In My Yogurt

A new series commences: Stuff In My Yogurt.

It's pretty much all about the kinds of delicious "stuff" I add to my greek yogurt. You probably could have figured that out without me telling you...

It is no secret that I am a huge fan of Greek Yogurt! My favourite is simply plain, 0% greek yogurt. Even though it is 0%, I still think it's so creamy and thick and everything I dream about! And when it is plain, then we can get all creative and add whatever the heck we want! And whatever the heck we have kickin' in the fridge!

I was recently inspired by this post about yogurt toppings. The photos are FANTASTIC, and were styled and shot by one of my favourite bloggers: Top With Cinnamon.

The picture above was taken from those ideas: blueberries + lemon juice + granulated sugar (mash it!) then topped with more fresh blueberries and lemon zest.

This here above us would be greek yogurt + bananas + cinnamon + crushed peanuts. (and an apricot-jammed muffin and some almond milk)

Breakfast time is indeed the best time.

Rock on, greek yogurt...
Rock on.

PB and J Cupcakes

I am not quite sure how to get this across, but I am seriously in love with Peanut Butter and Jam. Like, a lot. A LOT A LOT.

Whenever I see PB and J anything, I am all over it. It is the epitome of childhood comfort food! I love PB and J so much... I made it a starring role in one of my final projects in college this past year. Homework can't get much cooler than that, am I right?

The best part was that our class was having a potluck on our last day of school. I think potluck is one of my favourite words, because it means: I get to cook something! And I knew that whatever I made had to match my PB and J project that I was handing in, obviously. Matching your projects is very important.

It has been a while since we had this potluck... but it's never to late for a little PB & J I always say.

I had seen this recipe in this book a long time ago, and had filed it away in my "To Bake" list in my head (a list that forever grows longer and longer). And what better time to bake a batch of Peanut Butter and Jam cupcakes? No better time! Well, to be honest, it is hard to find a bad time to make these. They are darn cute, and ever so tasty. I might even have to say they taste better than they look. Which is perfectly okay with me.

Here are some pictures of my final project I created: A PB and J Recipe Book! (That is actually a pillow. Yes, Art School is the best.)

Pillow book!

Opens up...

Instructions, illustrated. To make simple things even simpler.

Peanut Butter and Jam. The best love story I know!

PB and J Cupcakes
Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart

Some notes: Depending on your preference/what happens to be in the fridge at the time, you could use sour cream in place of the greek yogurt. I did not have any roasted peanuts on hand, but if you do, chop them up and fold them in at then end for a lovely crunch! My favourite peanut butter is the all natural chunky kind, so this is what I used. But you could really use whatever you like or have on hand!

You will need:

• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup butter
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 2/3 cup chunky natural peanut butter
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup greek yogurt

Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt, set aside. In the bowl of a standing mixer, cream together the butter and the sugar. Mix in the peanut butter until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed just until everything is incorporated. Mix in the vanilla. Gradually add in the flour mixture until just combined. Stir in the greek yogurt.

Divide the batter evenly among paper lined muffin tins, and bake at 375 for 20-22 minutes if you are making regular sized cupcakes, or for 13-15 minutes if you are making mini cupcakes.

Cool completely before frosting with Peanut Butter Frosting!

For the Frosting:

• 6 ounces cream cheese
• 1/3 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup heavy cream

Cream the cream cheese together with the sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the salt and the peanut butter and beat to combine. Mix in the vanilla.

In a separate bowl, whisk the cream to medium peaks, then the the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture.

Notes for the Frosting: Although I mentioned for the cupcake batter that you could use whatever peanut butter you desired, I feel fairly strongly that this frosting really requires the peanut butter to be of a creamy nature, not chunky. Unless of course you like the funk. Using creamy peanut butter makes this into the silkiest peanut butter frosting... just when you thought peanut butter couldn't get any more delicious and addictive... Sorry.

Assembly time!

Fill a pastry bag fitted with a star tip with the creamy frosting, and pipe a pretty swirl atop each cooled cupcake. Make a small indent in the top of the swirl where the raspberry jam will sit. I found this easiest to do by dipping my finger in a little water before each one, then the frosting doesn't stick to your finger. Using a small spoon, scoop a little raspberry jam and dollop on the tops of each cupcake. 

Now you have a load of delicious and creamy peanut butter cupcakes, adorned with a sparkling ruby of raspberry jam.

It's all the wonders of childhood... but better... and with more sugar :)

Happy PB and J - ing!

<3 Lari

Strawberries and Cream Scones

The other day, I had a revelation of sorts. I realized, that I really, really like scones! And more of these flaky, buttery things of goodness should be pumping out of my kitchen. They are the perfect weekend breakfast indulgence. Eat them fresh out of the oven, with a little butter, and it cannot be beat. Yup, life with fresh scones in it doesn't get much better in my world.

I had recently bought a basket of fresh strawberries (because they were on sale, cha-ching) and was dreaming/reading up recipes to use them in. Maybe muffins or a loaf? And then, whilst scrolling through archives of one of my favourite blogs I discovered "Strawberries and Cream Biscuits". (Biscuits, scones, are they the same? I don't know for sure but I do know they are both uhmazing.) Done and done! I could taste the buttery yumminess already.

And since when I made them, Valentines was only a week away so obviously they are heart shaped. Which is another fun thing about biscuits and scones. I love recipes in which you can cut things into shapes... because you can be simple and sophisticated with squares, rectangles or circles. Or you can get fancy and pull out the cookie cutter collection. Fancy dancey.

Strawberries and Cream Scones

Recipe slightly adapted from Smitten Kitchen

(I changed the name of the recipe mostly because I am a sucker for alliteration.)

Notes:

If you don't have a pastry cutter, cut in the flour with two knives. OR use your hands and crumble it with your fingers. OR freeze the butter, then grate it in with a cheese grater. 

If you don't have half and half cream, you can use whatever kind of milk you have on hand. The original recipe calls for heavy cream, I have only tried these with half and half, but I am sure they would still be yummy (and healthier) with milk, just not as rich tasting. 

You are the master of your kitchen, choose your own adventure.

Let's Make Scones! Or biscuits! Whatever!

You will need:

• 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 6 tbsp (3 ounces) cold butter, cut into cubes
• 1 cup chopped, ripe strawberries
• 1 cup half and half cream, (and a little extra for brushing, optional)
• Turbinado sugar for sprinkling (optional)

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Toss in the cubed butter and cut in with a pastry cutter (or, see notes!)

When the butter resembles coarse crumbs, toss in the strawberries and coat them with the flour. The stir in the cream until the dough is combined. Do not over mix the dough at this point, because you don't want to fully blend in the butter. By not fully blending the butter into the flour mixture, your scones will bake up light and flaky! Which is totally what we are going for. No hockey pucks here.

Turn out the dough onto a floured work surface. Gently roll out the dough, flouring the top as needed, to about 3/4" thick. Remember to not overwork the dough too much to keep the butter flaky. Cut out desired shapes, I choose hearts! Place on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. At this point you can bake them as is, or you can brush the tops with a little additional cream and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. I tried both, and both are good. The sugar gives an nice added sweet crunch which is always fun.

 Bake at 425F for about 12 minutes until lightly golden on the edges. Let cool on the pan for a few minutes or as long as you can take it, then slice in half, smear on the butter, watch it melt, take a bite, fall in love. You are welcome.

These are also an exceptionally tasty afternoon snack, British Style! With butter and jam, served with a cup of tea. Jolly Good!

Here's to hoping there shall be many more scones in my future. And yours as well.

Happy Belated Valentines Day!

<3 Lari 

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

When I was younger I thought carrot cake was gross. I also thought cream cheese was disgusting. WHO DID I THINK I WAS?!

Actually, a more correct statement would be when I was younger I thought any kind of cake other than chocolate cake was gross. I was born a chocoholic... and still am. Proudly.

My mother's birthday and mine are very close together and often times growing up, we would celebrate our birthdays with our extended family at the same time. To make us still feel unique and special, my dear Gran would bake two cakes, one for each of us! My mom's cake would be her favourite cake: carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. Mine was always Chocolate cake with chocolate frosting (and Gran did indeed make the best). 

So obviously when it came time to have cake, I went for chocolate! Because what can be better than chocolate?? (I have found in life that the answer to this question is not rhetorical, and the answer is most often: nothing can be better than chocolate.)

Perhaps I never gave carrot cake a fair chance from the get go. I am pleased to say that over the years, I have given carrot cake many more tries, and I have discovered am actually a big fan! My tastebuds have matured like my parents promised they would and now I make carrot cake and cream cheese frosting and I LOVE IT. It has found its way in to my recipe repertoire.

Don't get me wrong, if I have a choice between carrot cake and chocolate cake, I gotta go for the chocolate. But now I totally appreciate a good carrot version: soft and tender with thin threads of bright orange ribboning through, warmly spiced and topped with a pure white, silky cream cheese frosting... I get it now.

Like many things in life, there are about a bajillion different variations for carrot cake... This recipe is what I would think of as a simple, classic version: no fancy frills or add ins. However it is easy to make it your own by adding in some fanciness. I would try folding chopped pecans into the batter before baking, or spiking to the frosting with maple syrup. But here is the basic, and mini is cuter so they are in cupcake form!

Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Recipe slightly adapted from Martha

For the cupcakes:

• 1 pound of carrots, peeled and grated
• 3 eggs
• 1/3 cup buttermilk
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable or canola oil
• seeds from 1 vanilla bean pod (If you don't have a a vanilla bean pod, use 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract)
• 3 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves

Whisk together the first 6 ingredients until combined. Sift over the remaining ingredients and mix until just incorporated. Divide the batter evenly among paper lined cupcake tins, filling each about 3/4 full. Bake at 325 for about 23-28 minutes. (*If you are using mini muffins tins, I find that the baking time is about 15 minutes)

Transfer tins to wire racks to cool for 10 minutes, then turn out cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.

Alternatively, I find these cupcakes unfrosted make a delicious mid afternoon snack with a tea or coffee :)

For the frosting:

• 8 oz cream cheese
• 2 oz butter
• 4 cups sifted powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla

Beat the cream cheese and the butter until soft. Gradually add the powdered sugar and beat until fluffy. Mix in the vanilla.

Transfer the mixture to a piping bag fitted with a star tip.

Swirl the cream cheese frosting onto each cupcake and share with all your friends.

This totally counts as a serving of vegetables. And the frosting is a serving of dairy. Like a solid meal, right? Does this count??

Happy Baking!

<3Lari

Pumpkin Pecan Cake

This cake was invented for a friend of mine who was having a birthday! I asked her what her dream birthday cake would be, and she said she loves pumpkin spice, and cream cheese frosting, and nuts. Good choice, my friend, good choice indeed. My friends have such great taste.
This is what I invented for her: A moist pumpkin spice cake, frosted with a maple cream cheese frosting and garnished with toasted pecans. For a little extra somethin' special, I adorned the top of her cake with a heart made from maple candied pecans (one of my favourite treats!).

With some help from her roommate, I snuck over to her house to surprise her with a (very belated) birthday cake! She promptly stopped her vacuuming and invited me to partake in a slice. And if I do say so myself... This cake was darn delicious.

It would be totally charming in cupcake form too, I think. A perfect cake for Autumn or winter weather! 

Pumpkin Spice Cake

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart's cupcake recipe

You will need:

• 2 cups cake flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp cloves
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 1/4 cups brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup butter milk
• 3/4 cup canned pumpkin puree, or homemade if you have some kickin

Grease and flour two 8" round cake pans and set aside. Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices.

In the bowl of a standing mixer, cream the butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time until each is incorporated, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk. Lastly, fold in the pumpkin puree. 

Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans and bake in a 350 oven for anywhere between 25-35 minutes. Oven times may vary! Depending on how crazy your oven is. Regardless, your cake is done when:

a) you poke it gently and it kind of spongily springs back in response or...

b)when you insert a skewer or a toothpick, and it comes out clean , not all battery.

Try not to over bake it, because over baking is the number one crime in the kitchen. However if you find that your cake is a little dry, don't beat yourself up... that's what frosting is for! On that note...

Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

You will need:

• 1 cup (8 ounce package) cream cheese
• 1/4 cup (2 ounces) butter
• 4 cups sifted icing sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla 
• 1/4 tsp maple extract
• 1 tbsp maple syrup

Cream the cream cheese and the butter together. On low speed, gradually add in the icing sugar a bit at a time, scraping down the bowl as needed. Mix in the extracts and the maple syrup, then beat the frosting on a medium high speed until fluffy and delicious. :)

Candied Pecans

Pecan halves

Maple syrup

pinch of salt

I don't really give measurements, because I find that they are not required. Just use as many pecans as you want, and make sure they are evenly covered with a thin layer of syrup. The only real way to mess this up is to forget them in the oven.

Combine all of the ingredients and toss about on a lined baking sheet. Bake at 350 for about ten minutes until your house smells yummy, and the syrup has candied itself onto the pecans as if by magic!

Try not to eat them all before they make it onto the cake... this is easier said than done.

Long live the Pumpkin Spice.
<3 Lari

Candied Citrus Peel

This Christmas I have been experimenting! With candy making. I love baking (duh) and have been doing it my whole life. However, the whole candy making thing is very foreign, slightly terrifying, and extensively exciting to me. I find it rather mysterious... if that is not weird  And something that I would like to get better at. So far my candy making adventures have come in the form of marshmallows, and chocolate truffles (coming soon)... and today's treat: Candied Citrus Peel!

There was a recipe for Christmas cookies (also coming soon) that I have been eager to make, and as part of the ingredient list it calls for candied lemon peel, and candied orange peel. Yes, you can indeed trot off to the store and buy some pre-maid... but where is the fun, I ask? I have always wanted to try making my own anyways, so it seemed like an appropriate time. 

You can use this recipe for any type of citrus fruit. I have tried it with lemon and orange so far, but I think it would be really interesting to try lime and/or grapefruit... Keep in mind that you should not mix the fruits, because the resulting flavour would be wack (but this is an assumption). Making candied peel is an excellent use for something that you would otherwise throw away! I am a fan of the idea of not letting anything go to waste.

Candied Citrus Peel
Recipe inspired by and adapted from Food Coma and Smitten Kitchen

You will need:

• citrus fruit of your choosing (I found it easy to use about 3 at a time)
• 1 1/2 cups water (plus more for blanching)
• 1 1/2 cups sugar

There is a reason why we do not eat the peels normally. They are gross and bitter! But by blanching the peels three times in boiling water, changing the water each time, the bitterness will happily boil away.

So, fill a small pot with water and bring to a boil. Whilst waiting for the water to boil, you can prep the peels for blanching. The easiest way to do this I found was to cut a small piece off of the top and bottom of the fruit. Then, cut long strips from the top to the bottom. Be careful to only cut the peel and not too far into the fruit, otherwise resulting in frustration when you try and separate the two. Not that I know what that feels like...

Peel away the peel from the flesh of the fruit.

Once the water has boiled, place the peel slices in the water and blanch for about 3 minutes. Drain and rinse, then repeat this process but with fresh boiling water. TIP! If you can, have two pots going at a time so you dont waste time waiting for the water to boil. It's Christmas. We are busy. We do not have time to watch water boil. Once the fruit has been blanched three times, it is time for the candy-ing part!

In a small saucepan over medium high heat, boil together equal parts water and sugar to make a simple syrup. I found for working with three fruits at a time, 1 1/2 cups of each worked well.

When the Sugar has completely dissolved and the syrup is bubbling and boiling, add the peels. Lower the heat, cover the pot, and leave the peels to simmer for about 1 hour. Stir the peels every so often.

After an hour, use a slotted spoon to remove the peels from the syrup and leave to cool on a wire rack.

At this stage, there are a few options for the future of your peels. As I was just going to use them inside cookie batter, I left them as is and kept them in an airtight container in my fridge. You could go the Food Coma route and roll them in sugar, or you could go the Smitten Kitchen route and dip them in dark chocolate (Oh yes, I think that is what will happen with the leftovers).

I think a cute little package of chocolate dipped homemade candied peel would make a darling gift for friends and neighbors this Christmas!

Happy Candying!

<3 Lari

Dark Chocolate Candy Cane Cake

Chocolate and Mint. Arguably one of the best combinations of all time. And when it is in the form of a chocolate cake with a dark chocolate frosting spiked with peppermint and garnished with crushed candy canes... it is no exception! I first made this cake for somebody else, but I, along with the rest of my family, was slightly jealous that we did not get to indulge in the cake eating experience. So, at our next family dinner my mother requested demanded that I make one for us! It is now going to be a holiday staple around my house... it is simply divine. We served it with some festive peppermint ice cream alongside... ohhh baby! I just love the holidays!

Dark Chocolate Candy Cane Cake

Chocolate Cake:

• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 2/3 cup butter
• 1 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 2 1/4 cup flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/3 cup buttermilk

1) Stir together the cocoa powder and the boiling water, set aside.

2)Cream together the butter and sugar. Add in the vanilla, then the eggs.

3) In a separate bowl, sift together the dry ingredients. Alternate adding the dry ingredients to the butter mixture with the buttermilk, mixing until just combined after each addition. Blend in the cocoa powder/water mixture.

4)Pour the batter into two greased and floured 9" round cake pans. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Cool the cakes inside their pans for at least ten minutes, then let them cool completely before frosting.

When I bake cake, I usually bake it a few days of even weeks in advance. Once your cake is baked and cooled completely, you can wrap up the individual layers and pop it in the freezer. It can chill out there for up to 3 months! So that when it is time for cake, all you have to do is pull it out of the freezer and decorate it. By the time your guests have arrived and it's dessert time, your cake will be ready to be devoured, and you will have minimal "last-minute-cake" stress. :)

Dark Chocolate Peppermint Frosting:

• 2 2/3 cup icing sugar
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 6 tbsp butter
• 5 tbsp milk
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 tsp peppermint extract

Cream the butter, add the cocoa powder, milk and vanilla and peppermint. Gradually add the icing sugar until it is the consistency you dream of.

Assembly time!

Place one cake layer on a fancy platter which you are going to present your masterpiece on. Cover the top with about one third of the frosting. Place the other cake layer on top, and coat the top and the sides of the cake with the remaining frosting in an even layer. Use your knife or spatula to make pretty little swirls of frosting on the top of the cake.

For the sides of my cake, I took peppermint flavoured candy canes and crushed them using a rolling pin. Then I took the crushed candy in my hands and gracefully slap it on the sides of the cake, pressing gently to adhere it. Those little bits of candy cane that don't stick to the sides and just fall onto the platter need not go to waste! Just sweep them off the plate and continue adhering them to the rest of your cake.

TADAA! A chocolatey-minty-masterpiece :)

PS I decided last minute to decorate the top of my cake with two little candy canes making a cute little heart. Awe.

<3 Lari