Orange Cupcakes

It's almost time for me to go back to school so I thought I would squeeze in a recipe or two before I head back to dorm life. I have enjoyed my time home but I am anxious to get back into routine...even though I do not have unlimited access to my kitchen supplies. I wanted to make something I have not made before but also something that was not too difficult. I had a craving for cupcakes so I was looking at what flavor combination I have not made yet. I came across a recipe for orange cupcakes and thought it was the perfect choice considering I had orange juice and fresh oranges on hand. I was so pleased by the cupcakes. I think they could have been more orange-y but they were good for the first time. Also, I whipped the egg white by hand, which is something I have not done before. It took a lot of arm muscle but that justified why I could eat multiple cupcakes later!

In the past, I have had difficulties folding in egg whites but I did it perfectly this time. The only problem is that I baked the cupcakes too long. I do one thing right and I mess something else up...isn't that how it is always is? Next time, it'll be a delectable cupcake, I just know it! Two key things that I did in this recipe: not overfolding the egg whites and sifting the dry ingredients. The cupcakes came out nice and airy with a hint of orange! I am a fan!

I was debating whether I wanted to make a buttercream frosting or cream cheese frosting and since I had some cream cheese on hand, I made an orange cream cheese frosting. It was so good, it's like eating orange cheesecake (my latest obsession is cheesecake)!

 I love the specks of orange zest in the frosting!

Peanut Butter Cookies with Chocolate Drizzle

 

I will be the first one to tell you that I am an avid peanut butter fan. I eat peanut butter practically everyday. I think I mentioned that I eat a peanut butter and banana sandwich everyday for breakfast. This past summer, I went on an European cruise and the selection for breakfast is enormous. It had everything I wanted, English muffins, banana, plain yogurt...everything but peanut butter. I thought it was absolutely crazy and then I forgot that I was on an EUROPEAN cruise so what do they have instead? Jam, butter, and Nutella! I went a week without peanut butter, it was hard but I survived. 

Anyways, as much as I like peanut butter, I am not a fan of peanut butter cookies. There's something about the balance of sugar and peanut butter that makes the cookie unappealing to me. On top of that, whenever you go somewhere and there is a selection of cookie, the peanut butter cookies are always the one left behind. I have been on a baking craze since I have been home so when I thought of the idea to make cookies for a friend, I remembered he likes peanut butter cookies. I whipped out my Better Homes and Garden cookbook and found a peanut butter cookie recipe. To my surprise, the cookies turned out well and I would not mind eating these cookies. Granted, I would not pick this cookie over a chocolate chip cookie but it was one of the better peanut butter cookies I have had. There's a first time for everything and surprisingly, I don't think it's going to be my last time making these cookies. 

Chocolate Florentine

 I have always enjoyed eating florentines but never thought to make them. Florentines are thin and crispy and typically has nuts or fruit in the batter. Other times, florentines are plain and dipped in chocolate or chocolate is sandwiched between two florentine to make a sandwich. I had two inspirations to make florentines. Every year, my friend gives me a tin of holiday cookies and one of my favorites is the florentine. Also, this cookies has a lot of oatmeal and my dad likes cookies with oatmeal in it (If you do too, check out Oatmeal Cookies).

Florentines are similar to lace cookies but there are some notable differences, one being the fact that florentines use a lot more oatmeal and uses corn syrup while lace cookies uses just butter and has a chewier consistency. Since there are no leavening agents in the cookies, it is easy to play with proportions of certain ingredients such as sugar. I used 3/4 cup of sugar instead of the 1 cup this recipe called for. I felt with corn syrup and chocolate, the cookie would be overwhelmingly sweet so I cut the sugar and I think it is the perfect balance for a cookie. Of course it's not overly sweet but for the individuals with a palette that cannot handle really sweet cookies, use 3/4 cup of sugar. I know my dad will enjoy these!

Sugar Cookies - The Cookie Cutter Kind

 

It is honestly not the holidays in my house unless there are sugar cookies. Usually, I attempt to make the perfect light, thin, and crisp sugar cookies but those are nowhere near picture worthy. Instead I used the same dough and rolled them out to drop cookies and this is what resulted. Also, my family is torn between soft and chewy and thin and crispy sugar cookies. This year, I satisfied both parties! Which side do I prefer? Thin and crispy of course.

I'm still working on finding the perfect thin and crispy recipe that is easy to roll out and use cookies cutter with. I'm guessing I have to find a recipe that uses more flour so I'll let you know when I find it. These cookies are great for decorating but sometimes I like them just they way they are, plain.

I have used a recipe from Sunsets cookbook for years but in order to achieve the thin and crispy cookie, I had to modify the recipe to make the cookies airy and lighter. I ended up replacing all of the granulated sugar with powdered sugar and in the end, I achieved light and airy cookies but it was too soft to roll out and use cookie cutters. Either way, I prefer taste and flavor over appearance any day. I guess it doesn't hurt to have a pretty appearance either because I get pretty pictures like these!

Waffles

Growing up, I always made waffles from the box. I'd like to think at the time, my palette was not refined enough to know any better. I'd make waffles on the weekend all the time for my family and my mom  always complain about how she did not like the Bisquick mix but I had no problem with it. As time went by, I learned that my mom was right, aren't they always. Since then, I made a few waffles from scratch but nothing that satisfied my waffle hunger. I finally found a recipe worth blogging about. I did not realize until I made the waffles that there was no milk but I had buttermilk and almond milk. So...I used mainly buttermilk and a little of the almond milk but the buttermilk was too overpowering. Next time I will add half buttermilk and half milk. I just have to make sure I have milk at home! Other than the lingering aftertaste of tangy buttermilk, everything else was great! The texture and flavor was exactly what I was looking for in a waffle.

I did not realize how much of a difference whipping the egg whites does to the waffle. It makes a significant difference. It's a little time consuming but worth every minute. It is essential to fluffy waffles (in addition to the buttermilk). This is important step and this will make good waffles be great waffles.

Forward to 2011

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I failed at my 2010 To-Bake list but that is what New Year resolutions are for. I am intent on changing for 2011. I took the 2010 list and omitted/added things to the list. I hope I can follow the list so let's see how well I do this year!

2011 To-Bake List

1. seven layer bars

2. cinnamon rolls

3. cheesecake

4. flourless chocolate cake

5. coconut cake (or cupcakes)

6. English muffins

7. molten chocolate cake

8. revel bars

9. green tea sponge cake (see Matcha Cupcakes - practically the same thing)

10. the "ideal" brownie

11. popovers

12. lychee panna cotta

13. semifreddo

14. tiramisu

15. beer bread

16. Pot de creme
17. Tres leches cake/cupcakes

Things to remember but not necessary on my list of things to make:
- tortoni
- torte
- Amaretti cookies

[I'll probably edit the list a few times because I'm still looking for things I want to make]

Oatmeal Cookies

It's nice to be home for Christmas and the holidays because that means I get to bake as much as I want! While baking adds to the holiday pounds, at least I'm enjoying my time off. Speaking of holiday pounds, I do not think oatmeal cookies are as bad as other baking goods. I'd like to think because there is oatmeal, there is some nutritional value, right? Anyways, I like oatmeal and I like raisin but I never had the urge to make oatmeal raisin cookies. However, this recipe is a good recipe, especially if you want something different from the standard chocolate chip cookies. You can take this oatmeal cookie recipe and add in chocolate chips and voila, you have a completely different cookie.

I changed the proportion of brown sugar and white sugar and I liked how it turned out. It gave the cookie a richer butter flavor which I love considering the recipe does not have as much butter compared to other cookies.

These cookies are very versatile so try different add-ins when you want something a little different. I split my batch in half. I left half of the batch plain while I added raisins to the other half.