Have a happy and safe Halloween Everyone! Don’t overdo it on the candy 
I have some tasty desserts to be featured this week!
xoxo
Happy Halloween!
Monthly Archives: October 2011
Caramel Sauce
With Halloween fast approaching, I thought I would post a recipe for caramel sauce. It will be great for all those apples. You can skip the cream to have just the caramel. But if you would like to have a nice dip for apple slices – adding the cream is the way to go!
As you can see, mine is a bit on the darker side. Once the sugar starts to caramelize and turn amber, it cooks fast even if you take it off the heat.
Caramel Sauce
1 cup granulated sugar
4 Tbsp water
2 Tbsp light corn syrup
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream ( let stand in room temperature for 20 min. )
1/2 tsp salt ( if you want the salted version)
Note: I went with the directions from Joe Pastry on making caramel sauce.I highly recommend visiting Joe’s website for a photo tutorial on making the caramel.
Mix sugar, water and corn syrup in a medium saucepan. Cook on high. Instead of stirring, swirl the pan on the burner. It will bubble up after about a minute. Keep an eye on it. Soon you will see that it starts to turn light amber. Swirl the saucepan. When the caramel reaches desired color, take of the heat and stir in the cream. Add salt if desired. Stir. Let cool before tasting! Pour into a jar.
xoxo,
Anna
Pinterest’s Best Halloween Treats – Round-up
Halloween is only 4 days away. Here is a collection of the best treats found on Pinterest.They are a great inspiration for me this year.
First up – cupcakes. And what other than Mummy Cupcakes from Love and Olive Oil. Easy to make and sure to wow the crowd.
I could not pass on Bakarella‘s cake pops. This year, she featured Eye Ball Pops.
Her Halloween Pops from 2008 still make Pinterest‘s Best, in my opinion.
Now combine Mummy character and cake pops and you get this:
Mummy Pops! You have to admit – How Does She did a great job. They are adorable! Or should I say spooky!
Now onto the cakes. Big guns here.
First, the Spider Cake by Cookies and Cups. My Girls already added this to our Halloween treats list for this year.
I am baker made this Boo-tiful Cake. It is sure to impress kids and adults.
Are you ready for Halloween? Did you get inspired by other baker’s ideas this year?
Emperor’s Apple Pancakes
This is what we had for breakfast today.
Our Girls loved it! And if your kids say: ” You are the best, Mom!” and your husband gives you a big smooch and says: “Every breakfast is like a Sunday breakfast in this kitchen.” – you are bound to have a great day.
We have a little tradition in our family – we make waffles and pancakes for breakfast on every Sunday morning. Yes, it’s Wednesday, but I had this recipe following me for a while now and today was the day to try it. So worth it!
The recipe I used comes from Rose Marie Donhauser’s book “Apples & Pears Favorite Recipes”. I changed it slightly. Instead of a wok, I used a medium size saucepan. Also, I didn’t add melted butter to the pancake batter.
Emperor’s Apple Pancakes
adapted from Rose Marie Donhauser’s “Apples & Pears Favorite Recipes” ( I didn’t find it available on Amazon )
3 eggs
2/3 cup of all-purpose flour
7 oz milk
4 1/4 tbsp butter
2 apples
2 tbsp sugar + 1 tsp ground cinnamon ( mixed together in a small bowl )
makes 4 medium size puffed pancakes
Separate the eggs.
Place egg yolks in a mixing bowl. Add flour and milk. Beat together until combined.
Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold into the yolks mixture.
Peel apples, cut into quarters and then slice thinly.
In a medium saucepan melt butter. Add the apples. Let cook for about 3 minutes. Sprinkle with the cinnamon and sugar mixture. Stir. Let caramelize. Pour into a bowl.
In the same saucepan, place 1/4 of your caramelized apples. Top with 1/4 of the pancake batter. Cook on medium heat, until the edges start to brown and when you shake the saucepan gently – the pancake slides easily. Flip gently to cook the other side. Repeat to make 4 pancakes.
Serve warm, sprinkled with powdered sugar.
Enjoy!
Spice Cupcakes with Cinnamon Buttercream
Spice cake is one of those flavors that you start to crave when leaves turn orange. Cinnamon seems to be the first spice you think of when you turn your calendar page on October 1st.
Enjoy the last warm afternoons, when the sunshine hits the orange – red leaves and makes your backyard glow in Fall colors.
Enjoy them while they last.
Enjoy them with your loved ones.
Enjoy them with spice cupcakes topped with cinnamon buttercream.
Let’s make cupcakes! .
Spice Cupcakes
adapted from Better Homes and Gardens “Cookbook Bridal Edition”
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups buttermilk or sour milk
Let your butter and eggs stand in room temperature for at least 30 minutes. Line your cupcake pan with paper liners. Set aside. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
In a bowl, whisk together dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. Set aside.
I am mixing bowl, beat butter and shortening until light and fluffy. Add sugar and vanilla. Beat all until combined. Add eggs, one at a time. Beat well after each addition.
Add the dry ingredients, alternating with buttermilk. Make sure you start and finish with the flour mixture.
Fill your cupcake liners 2/3 full.
Bake for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cupcake comes out clean.
Cool the cupcakes in the pan for a minute or two, then place on wire rack to cool completely.
Frost with the cinnamon buttercream. I used Wilton’s tip 1M to decorate the cupcakes.
Tip: To make sour milk: place 1 tbsp of lemon juice or vinegar in a clean glass measuring cup. Add enough milk to make 1 cup total. Stir. Let stand for 5 minutes before using.
Buttercream
adapted from Wilton
1/2 cup of solid vegetable shortening
1/2 cup of butter, at room temperature
1 tsp of vanilla extract
4 cups of confectioners’ sugar, sifted ( about 1lb )
1 Tbs of milk
1 tsp of cinnamon
Cream shortening and butter with electric mixer. Add vanilla. Mix to combine. Add sugar, 1/2 cup at a time. Beat well after each addition. Add milk and beat until buttercream is light and fluffy. Add cinnamon. Whip until combined. Keep covered with a damp cloth until you are ready to use it. Keep refrigerated in airtight container for up to 2 weeks. Whip for a couple of minutes before using.
Enjoy!
