Pillsbury Bake-Off Countdown: Chocolate, Ginger-Cream and Pear Tart

March 19, 2012 Cakespy

CakeSpy Note: I am beyond ecstatic to announce that I have been invited as a media guest to the 45th Annual Pillsbury Bake-Off in Orlando, Florida! The event will take place in late March; til then, I am going to feature several of the sweets finalists here in anticipation of the big day!

Chocolate, Ginger-Cream and Pear Tart. Oh, my! It looks so hard, and so fancy. But it's not! Well, not hard to make, that is. "Create a pastry-chef standout dessert with flaky pastry, creamy pear filling and a just-right chocolate top. You can do it!" says Pillsbury Bake-off finalist Maria Scotto di Santolo of Berlin, New Jersey.

Chocolate, Ginger-Cream and Pear Tart

12 servings

Tart

1 Pillsbury® refrigerated pie crust, softened as directed on box
2 cans (15 oz each) pear halves in juice, drained
1 tablespoon turbinado sugar (raw sugar)
2 1/2 teaspoons Ground Ginger
2 tablespoons bread crumbs
4oz (half of 8-oz package) cream cheese, softened
1/2cup mascarpone cheese (from 8-oz container), softened
3/4cup Eagle Brand® Sweetened Condensed Milk (from 14-oz can)
1/4 cup Unsalted or Salted Butter, softened
1 egg
1 egg Yolk
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup Hershey's® Special Dark® chocolate baking chips
1teaspoon corn syrup

Garnish

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped
1/4 cup Chopped Walnuts

Heat oven to 450°F. In ungreased 10- or 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom, press pie crust evenly in bottom and up side of pan. Generously prick crust with fork.
Bake 6 to 9 minutes or until golden brown. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F. Cool crust 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, reserve 2 pear halves for garnish; refrigerate. Slice remaining pear halves; place in small bowl. Add raw sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of the ginger and bread crumbs; toss gently to coat. In medium bowl, beat cream cheese and mascarpone with electric mixer on high speed until smooth. Add condensed milk, butter, remaining 2 teaspoons ginger, 1 whole egg and 1 egg yolk; beat on medium speed until well blended. Spread 1 cup filling over cooled crust; arrange pear slices on top. Spread remaining filling over pears.
Bake at 325°F 40 to 50 minutes or until set and golden brown around edge. Cool 30 minutes.
In small microwavable bowl, microwave 1/3 cup whipping cream and chocolate chips on High 1 to 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds, or until smooth. Stir in corn syrup until well blended. Spread over cooled tart. Refrigerate 1 hour 30 minutes or until set.
Cut reserved pear halves into 12 slices. Remove side of pan. To serve, cut into 12 wedges. Top each wedge with 2 tablespoons whipped cream, 1 pear slice and 1 teaspoon walnuts. Store covered in refrigerator.

Pillsbury Bake-Off Countdown: Coconut-Almond Doughnut Pop-ems

March 19, 2012 Cakespy

Now, a few things stand out about this recipe for Coconut-almond Doughnut Pop-ems, created by Kathy Matulewicz of Clifton, New Jersey.

First? The recipe was created by a fellow Jersey girl. Clifton is a different part of the state than I grew up in, but still, this matters. Second, the recipe is for Coconut-Almond Doughnut Pop-ems. I don't even know what that means, but based on the picture, I want them in my mouth.

Third, they include an ingredient called "imitation butter flavor". What? Have you ever heard of that?

Fourth, they are easy. As the inventor puts it, "Family favorite doughnuts just got easier! Cut up biscuits; bake up into mini doughnuts, then glaze and sprinkle for the perfect finish." Oh joy! Here's the recipe.

Coconut-Almond Doughnut Pop-ems

Makes 32

1 can (16.3 oz) Pillsbury® Grands!® Homestyle refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
3/4 cup hole Almonds
2 cups shredded coconut
2 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
1/2 teaspoon Pure Almond Extract
1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Imitation Butter Flavor
3 tablespoons milk

Procedure

Heat oven to 350°F. Separate dough into 8 biscuits. Cut each biscuit into 4 wedges. Roll each wedge into a ball. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake 13 to 17 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 5 minutes on cooling rack.
Meanwhile, in food processor, place almonds. Process 15 to 30 seconds until almonds are ground. Transfer almonds to shallow dish. Place coconut in another shallow dish. In small bowl, combine powdered sugar, vanilla, almond extract, butter flavor and milk; beat with wire whisk until blended and smooth.
Line cookie sheet with cooking parchment paper. When cooled, dip half of each pop-em in glaze, allowing excess glaze to drip off before dipping glazed portion into almonds. Place on lined cookie sheet. Freeze 5 minutes to set glaze, if necessary.
Dip the uncoated side of each pop-em in glaze, allowing excess glaze to drip off before dipping into coconut. Place on cookie sheet. Let stand 5 minutes for glaze to set. Store tightly covered.

Molly Allen's Prize-Winning Neapolitan Blondie Bars Recipe

March 16, 2012 Cakespy

CakeSpy Note: Remember that amazing "So You Wanna Be a CakeSpy?" Contest?Well, with the winner's trip to Seattle coming up, I thought I'd take some time to focus on several of the finalists and profiling them and their recipes. Let's get to know grand-prize winner Molly, whose winning recipe for Neapolitan Blondiesis bringing her to Seattle *today* to eat dessert with me, Head Spy Jessie!

-What does being a CakeSpy mean to you? Being a CakeSpy,to me, means eternal sweet glory. Since I have found CakeSpy, I continue to be incredibly inspired. I have posted for her several times, and just love the motto behind the site. The world really would be a much happier place if everybody ate cake (or another sweet treat) each day.

-How did you dream up your dessert? I knew I needed something cute. I knew I needed something fun. I knew I needed something delicious, new, and exciting! My favorite thing to bake is definitely Blondies, mainly because I can add so many things to them like Butterfingers or Candy Corn, and they always turn out deliciously! I ended up deciding that I needed to use that as my base and go from there. When it popped in my head, I was eating a bowl of Neapolitan Ice Cream, my favorite. The idea sparked, I looked it up, and found out that nobody else on the web has made such a treat! Neapolitan cake and cookies, definitely, but not Neapolitan Blondies! Then I wrote it down, baked, and magic came out of the oven.

-Cake or pie? Absolutely CAKE. No competition there.

-What would be your "last meal" dessert? A lot of cake. Specifically, 1/2 a dozen Red Velvet Cupcakes and 1/2 a dozen Carrot Cake Cupcakes. Oh, and don't be skimpy on the cream cheese frosting either, I like a huge dollop.

Here's the recipe for Neapolitan Blondies--it also appears on Molly's website.

Neapolitan Blondie Bars

The Vanilla Layer:

1/2 C Butter, Melted
1 C Light Brown Sugar
1 Egg
1 Tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
1/2 Tsp Baking Powder
1/8 Tsp Baking Soda
1 1/3 C Flour

Procedure

Beat the butter and sugar, then add the egg. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, then beat until a thick batter forms. Set this aside, until each batter is complete.

The Strawberry Layer:

1/2 C Butter, Melted
1 C Light Brown Sugar
1 Egg
1 C Smucker’s Strawberry Sundae Syrup
1/2 Tsp Baking Powder
1/8 Tsp Baking Soda
1 1/3 C Flour

Procedure

Beat the butter and sugar, then add the egg. Pour in the Strawberry Syrup and continue beating. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, then beat until a batter forms. This batter won’t be as thick as the vanilla layer. Set this aside, until each batter is complete.

The Chocolate Layer:

1 Stick of Butter (1/2 Cup), softened
3/4 C White Sugar
1/2 Tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
2 Eggs
1/2 C Flour
1/4 Tsp Baking Powder
1/2 C Cocoa
1/4 Tsp Salt

Procedure

Cream the butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla, and continue to beat. Stir in flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa until a thick batter forms.

Assembly:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Using a greased rectangular pan, pour in the Strawberry layer. Scoop the Vanilla layer on top, aiming to cover the 1st layer evenly. Top the Vanilla Layer with the Chocolate brownie layer.
Bake for 28-30 minutes, until the top begins to crack and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Let the bars cool and set.

Pillsbury Bake-Off Countdown: Chocolate-Hazelnut-Coconut Bars

March 16, 2012 Cakespy

Highly related to her recipe for Chocolate-Hazelnut-Coconut Bars, I officially invite Teresa Berkey of Hanover, New Hampshire to come live with me.

Here's her description of this sweet treat: "Layers are the luscious secret to deliciously easy cookie bars." Good luck with this recipe at the Pillsbury Bake-off, Teresa! Here's the recipe for everyone else:

Chocolate-Hazelnut-Coconut Bars

makes 24 bars

1 roll Pillsbury® refrigerated chocolate flavored chip cookie dough
1 1/4cups hazelnut spread with cocoa (from 13-oz jar)
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 Egg White
1 can (14 oz) Eagle Brand® Sweetened Condensed Milk
3 cups shredded coconut
1 teaspoon pure Vanilla Extract
3 tablespoons Butter
1/2cup toasted shredded coconut, if desired*

Procedure

Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 13x9-inch pan (dark pan not recommended) with Crisco® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray. Let cookie dough stand at room temperature 10 minutes to soften. In large bowl, break up cookie dough. Stir in 3/4 cup of the hazelnut spread until blended. Press dough evenly in bottom of pan.
Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 30 minutes. In large bowl, beat cream cheese and egg white with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add condensed milk, 3 cups coconut and vanilla; beat until well blended. Pour over crust. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until light golden brown and set. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
In 1-quart saucepan, heat remaining 1/2 cup hazelnut spread and butter over low heat, stirring constantly, until melted. Spread over cooled bars; sprinkle with toasted coconut.
Refrigerate 30 minutes or until topping is set. For bars, cut into 6 rows by 4 rows. Store covered in refrigerator.

Baker's Dozen: A Batch of Sweet Links

March 15, 2012 Cakespy

Whoa: those are not flowers! They're flour-and-sugar!

Whoopie Pie Cake: this one's a beauty.

Lucky charm: trap a leprechaun with this cake!

Sweet memories: remember when I messed with all that Soda Bread?

Sweet recycling: Turn your cupcake box into a laptop case!

SpyMom's favorite Irish Soda Bread recipe, though, I would not mess with.

Heaven: chocolate chip cheesecake bar cookies.

I don't know about you, but I prefer to eat my pie in slab form.

Short and stout: chocolate stout whiskey cupcakes recipe.

Cadbury Creme Deviled Eggs. Tis the Season.

Millet muffins: they're not as healthy as they sound (and I say that as a compliment).

Bakery I wanna visit: Alice Bakery.

Another bakery I wanna visit: Newman's Bakery, Swampscott, MA.

Two Fat Cats is changing ownership! Hope they keep the whoopie pie recipe the same.

Brownie pudding, anyone?

Peeps S'more ice cream pie. Yes.

Sweet art: Pantone themed fruit tarts.

Cake Byte: CakeSpy Featured in Woman's World Magazine!

March 15, 2012 Cakespy

Guess what? I was featured as an expert in Woman's World Magazine. Because, you know, my thoughts on cupcake mix matter.

In case you can't read that teeny-tiny type, what I say is "When Betty Crocker debuted these cupcake mixes--complete with vanilla and chocolate cream fillings--I put on my cutest apron and did a happy dance," gushes Jessie of CakeSpy.com. "Who wouldn't get a kick out of making cupcakes with a secret inside? They're decadent and super-moist, all thanks to that delicious filling!".

Pillsbury Bake-Off Countdown: Hazelnut-French Silk Turtle Pie

March 15, 2012 Cakespy

Hazelnut and chocolate, that killer combo which is the cornerstone of that sweet manna we call "Nutella".

And, as it happens, the flavor combo that is bringing Craig Partin or Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina to the Pillsbury Bake-off as a finalist with his Hazelnut-French Silk Turtle Pie! "Oh my, turtle pie! A rich flaky pie crust holds a creamy filling with chocolate and caramel" says he. Here's the recipe:

Hazelnut-French Silk Turtle Pie

8 servings

Ingredients

1Pillsbury® refrigerated pie crust, softened as directed on box
1package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1cup hazelnut spread with cocoa (from 13-oz jar)
1tablespoon packed brown sugar
1container (8 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed
1/4cup graham cracker crumbs
1/3cup Hershey’s® Caramel Syrup
2oz Hershey’s® semi-sweet baking chocolate, chopped
2tablespoons Fisher® Chef's Naturals® Chopped Hazelnuts (filberts)

Heat oven to 450°F. Make pie crust as directed on box for One-Crust Baked Shell using 9-inch glass pie plate. Cool completely.
Meanwhile, in large bowl, beat cream cheese, hazelnut spread and brown sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Carefully fold in whipped topping and graham cracker crumbs until blended. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the caramel syrup; set aside. Pour remaining caramel syrup into cooled pie crust; spread evenly. Spoon and spread cream cheese mixture over caramel layer.
Freeze 1 hour or until firm. Remove from freezer 15 minutes before serving.
Meanwhile, in small microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate on High 30 to 60 seconds, stirring every 10 seconds, until smooth. Drizzle melted chocolate and reserved caramel syrup over top of pie; sprinkle with hazelnuts. Store covered in refrigerator.

Batter Chatter: Interview With Jana of The Dessert Kitchen

March 15, 2012 Cakespy

You know what's the best? Eating cake, duh. But second-best is learning the back-stories behind the baker. I recently got to know Jana of The Dessert Kitchen a bit better -- why don't you, too? After all, she makes a mean peanut butter chocolate chip cookie sandwich!

The Dessert Kitchen. Who are you and what do you bake? The Dessert Kitchen is a small one woman bakery turning out delicious special orders almost daily. I bake pies, cookies, cakes and tarts. I also make truffles. All special requests are strongly considered.

How long have you been in business? I'm pretty sure I've been in business all my life, but wasn't getting paid. Things really got going in November 2010.

Cadbury on easter: mini eggs or creme eggs? Mini eggs.

You do a "pie a month". Which has been your biggest success? Chocolate buttermilk pie. They went crazy for it!

If you had a pet koala, what would you name it? Dingbat

What dessert do you think is over-rated? Red Velvet cake. I've never had one that wasn't dry and the taste is just weird.

What's your favorite cookbook? I love cookbooks and several favorites. So much inspiration. To choose just one, I feel I'm cheating on the others, but if I must choose.. I'm drawing a lot of inspiration from the Pie and Pastry Bible right now.

Brunch: do you go sweet or savory? Savory, I have weak spot for eggy, cheesy porky casseroles.

Do you think the cupcake bubble is going to burst, as I have read in some magazines? I don't think so. While cupcakes seem to be a fad,It's the # 1 request I get. They are portable, versatile and cake. Who gets tired of cake?

What would be the perfect cake-filled day for you? Eating the day away at all of my favorite bakeries.

What's next for you and your business? I'll have cupcakes turning up at Seattle's Frankly Sweets on Pier 55 on the weekends. It's an experiment for them and for me.

For more, visit Jana's website!

Linda Huang: A Profile, and Recipe for Frau Brownies

March 14, 2012 Cakespy

What does being a CakeSpy mean to you? Being a CakeSpy means that I've been recognized as someone who has an unhealthy appreciation of sweets, and thank goodness there are more of you guys out there (you guys wouldn't judge me for baking a batch of cookies the night before an exam, right?). It also means that I have an amazing group of family, friends, and pharmacy classmates that helped me get this far in the contest. Thank you all.

How did you dream up this dessert? To be honest, I am not the original creator of Frau brownies. I have a friend at Purdue who raved about these magical "Frau brownies" from his high school. I asked for the recipe, made my first batch for his birthday, and have been making them for friends ever since. The real creator of Frau brownies is a local German teacher. I met her for the first time the day after I found out I was a CakeSpy finalist, and she's just as sweet as the Frau brownies she created. I asked her what her inspiration was, to which she responded "Hmmmm, the inspiration, I guess, was decadence and seeing how much richness I could put in each bite… My daughter loves Rice Krispie treats. My husband and I love chocolate. We all are crazy about peanut butter. My mom would always make treats with melted chocolate chips and butterscotch bits together with something salty like pretzels or potato sticks. Just figured everything would go together well!!!" She's amazing, right?

Cake or pie? My gut reaction is to say cake. A good piece of pie can be so hard to find these days. Cake can also be portable (cupcakes!!), so that's a big plus for me.

What would be your "last meal" dessert? The cinnamon caramel donuts at Rise 'N Roll in Middlebury. I've never really cared for donuts until a co-worker brought these to work last summer. They are pillowy clouds of heaven that melt in your mouth. No joke.

Frau Brownies

Yield:one 9x13 inch pan

INGREDIENTS

1 family-size box brownies, baked “cake-style” (usually with 3 eggs)
1 7 oz container marshmallow fluff
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips
1 cup peanut butter
about 7 cups rice crispies

DIRECTIONS

Prepare brownies in a 13x9 inch pan as per instructions on the box to bake more “cakey” brownies. This usually means using 3 eggs instead of 2 eggs.
Allow brownies to cool completely.Slightly warm the marshmallow fluff , then spread the fluff onto the brownies until covering every nook and cranny.
Gently melt the chocolate and butterscotch chips together. Swirl in the peanut butter. Mix in the rice crispies one cup at a time into the chocolate, butterscotch, and peanut butter mixture. Pat the mixture on top of the fluff and allow to cool and harden.

Pi Day Sweetness

March 14, 2012 Cakespy

Today is March 14, or to math nerds, Pi Day.

And since Pi sounds a lot like pie, it's also a great excuse to eat dessert.

And here are my three (I can't suggest a .14 thing) suggestions for three sweet ways to spend your Pi Day.

First: Make a Pi-Shaped Pie! It's very easy, and exceedingly delicious.

Second: Explore Let Them Eat Pie, an online pie shop which sells adorable pie jars (they're also sold at the Williams-Sonoma Artisan Market!) The baker has passed on a discount code--use code "pi314" (not in quotes) in the checkout, and you'll get 20% off.

Third: Pie It Forward! The new book Pie It Forward: Pies, Tarts, Tortes, Galettes, and Other Pastries Reinvented is a sweet invitation to bake something sweet and pass it on. What will you bake, and for who?

Happy Pi Day!

Pillsbury Bake-Off Countdown: Peanut Butter Crunch Layer Bars

March 14, 2012 Cakespy

It's time to hit the bars. No, I don't mean to drink mai tais. I mean bar cookies, and boy are these ones good-looking: Peanut Butter Crunch Layer Bars.

They're a finalist in the upcoming Pillsbury Bake-Off, invented by Becky Pifer of Blanchard, MI, who says "Create ultimate bars in an easy way, starting with refrigerated cookie dough. Toffee, nuts, butterscotch and chocolate all rolled into layered goodness." That's a whole lot to love in just one bar.

Peanut Butter Crunch Layer Bars

Makes 36 bars

2 rolls Pillsbury® refrigerated peanut butter cookie dough
3/4 cup Heath® Bits 'O Brickle toffee bits
1 cup Reese’s peanut butter baking chips
1 3/4cups Fisher brand Nut Topping
1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
1 bag (12 oz) semi-sweet chocolate baking chips
1 bag (11 oz) butterscotch baking chips
1/4 cup Creamy Peanut Butter

Procedure

Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 13x9-inch pan (dark pan not recommended) with Crisco® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray. In large bowl, break up 1 1/2 rolls of cookie dough. (Refrigerate 1/2 roll cookie dough for another use.) Add toffee bits, peanut butter chips, 1/2 cup of the nut topping and vanilla. Mix with wooden spoon or knead with hands until well blended. Press evenly in bottom of pan.
Bake for 18 to 24 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
In large microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips and butterscotch chips on High 2 to 2 minutes 30 seconds, stirring every 30 seconds, until smooth.
Stir in peanut butter until smooth. Spread over cooled bars. Sprinkle with remaining 1 1/4 cups nut topping; press in lightly. Refrigerate 30 minutes or until firm. For bars, cut into 6 rows by 6 rows. Store covered.

Allyson Dwyer's Stuffed Funfetti Cake Ball Truffles

March 13, 2012 Cakespy

CakeSpy Note: Remember that amazing "So You Wanna Be a CakeSpy?" Contest? Well, with the winner's trip to Seattle coming up, I thought I'd take some time to focus on several of the finalists and profiling them and their recipes. Let's get to know Allyson Dwyer and discover her recipe for Stuffed Funfetti Cake Ball Truffles!

What does being a CakeSpy mean to you? Being a CakeSpy means keeping your eyes open for the most unique and interesting of baked goods, and making sure to try them! I'm always super excited to find and make things that I think to be new flavors that totally change what you think baking can be. Like cookies that have fruity pebbles in them in NYC, or vegetable flavored ice cream in Baltimore, or a garam masala scone at my favorite bakery in NJ. Finding these things, plus making your own versions, is being a CakeSpy!

How did you come up with your amazing dessert entry? Going along with my CakeSpy philosophy, that is how I dreamt up enhancing one of my favorite treats: cakeballs. My friend introduced Red Velvet cakeballs to me, and ever since she told me how to make them, I have make many versions like pistachio, vanilla, orange, halloween-themed. They are so much fun to make! And stuffing them with a surprise in the center seemed like the next logical step to making them even better.

Cake or Pie? I have always been a cake person. Cake is so versatile, it can be so many flavors both within the cake, and the frosting, what you put in the layers or on top. Pie is delicious but its form doesn't all low for all the change cake does. Plus, I have more fun making a huge decadent cake for special occasions.

What would your "last meal" dessert be? Either my family's recipe for Irish Soda Bread with marmalade on top, or something from my favorite bakery of all time, The Flaky Tart, in Atlantic Highlands NJ. They have the best cinnamon buns, the best muffins, the best scones and brownies and pastries. They can't be beat and I can eat myself to death with their amazing treats!

Here's her recipe:

Stuffed Funfetti Cake Ball Truffles

1 Box of Funfetti Cake Mix
Vanilla Buttercream
(1 cup unsalted butter softened, 3-4 cups confectioners sugar, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, 3-4 tablespoons cream, a pinch of salt)
1 Recipe of Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, for stuffing
(3/4 cup granulated sugar, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1 cup of unsalted butter softened, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 egg, 2 1/4 cup flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 cups chocolate chips)
Peanut Butter Cups, Chocolate Caramels, or anything you'd love stuffed into your cake ball
White chocolate chips
Rainbow sprinkles for decoration

Directions:

Make cookie dough in advance: cream butter with sugar, and add egg, and extract. Add dry ingredients until well combined, and fold in chocolate chips. Let chill in the fridge for a while because it will be easier to work with.
Bake cake as directed for your funfetti. While cake is baking, make frosting by combining sugar and butter, and adding the vanilla and cream and salt until combined and fluffy. When cake is done in oven, let cool completely.
When cake is cooled, crumble with hands, and spoon in tablespoons of frosting at a time and stir. You will have to use your hands to fully combine the two, but do not add all the frosting because you do not want it to be mostly frosting.
Prepare a baking sheet and place a piece of wax paper, and set out your items for stuffing the cakeballs. Then (and you can eyeball the amount) scoop up a small amount of cake/frosting mixture and form half a circle. Then you can place anything you with (such as a small chunk of cookie dough, rounded out, or peanut butter cup) within. Then pick up more cake/frosting mixture and cover completely. Make sure shape looks round, and place on the baking sheet.
Once done, place the baking sheet in the freezer for an hour or two. Once at a cold, solid temperature, melt white chocolate. Dip frozen cakeballs in the chocolate, making sure to let excess come off, and place back on baking sheet/wax paper, and throw some sprinkles on!
Place in fridge to let chocolate settle, and that's it!

Cake Byte: Inhalable Desserts

March 13, 2012 Cakespy

I'm totally not kidding. As I learned from this website,

Are you still eating dessert, like a jerk?

Time to get with it: it's now possible to inhale your cinnamon roll or buttercream-frosted cupcake.

Diet company Vaportrim is attempting to recreate that type of alternative to smoking that e-cigarettes are trying to provide, but with dessert. Presenting, inhalable desserts, including cupcake, strawberry shortcake, cinnamon bun, peach cobbler, milk chocolate, and more.

Here's someone eating--er, not eating it--

I'm still not convinced, but it was fun to read about. Find out more here.

Pillsbury Bake-Off Countdown: Chocolate-Cherry Stuffed French Toast

March 13, 2012 Cakespy

Now, this sounds tasty: "crusty French loaf slices hide the surprise creamy chocolate chip pocket in French toast, topped with a warm, tart cherry sauce. Mmm."

And who do we have to thank for this sweet contribution to society? Beverly Weaver Rossell of Morgantown, Indiana, that's who: her recipe for Chocolate-Cherry Stuffed French Toast is a finalist in this year's Pillsbury Bake-Off! Now, I should note: it wasn't strictly necessary for me to add googly eyes to the picture, but it was awfully fun to do.

Here's the recipe.

Chocolate-Cherry Stuffed French Toast

1can Pillsbury® refrigerated crusty French loaf
1/2 cup coconut milk (from 13.66-oz can)
1 LAND O LAKES® Egg
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon Pure Almond Extract
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1/4 cup Hershey's® milk chocolate baking chips (from 11.5-oz bag)
1/2 cup Fisher® Roasted and Salted Almonds, chopped
1 jar (12 oz) Cherry Preserves
3 tablespoons Butter

Garnish, if desired

Flaked coconut
Fresh mint leaves

Procedure

Heat oven to 350°F. Spray cookie sheet with Crisco® Butter Flavor No-Stick Cooking Spray. Place dough, seam side down, on cookie sheet. Using sharp knife, cut 5 diagonal 1/2-inch-deep slashes on top of dough. In small bowl, beat together coconut milk and egg. Lightly brush top and sides of loaf with egg mixture; refrigerate remaining egg mixture.
Bake 24 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer loaf to cooling rack. Cool 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, in medium bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and almond extract with electric mixer on medium speed until blended. Stir in coconut, chocolate chips and almonds; set aside.
Using sharp bread knife, cut thin slice off each end of loaf; discard. Cut loaf into 8 thick slices. Cut each bread slice crosswise down center to within 1/4 inch of bottom to form pocket. Spoon 2 rounded tablespoons cream cheese mixture into each pocket. Press gently to close.
Dip stuffed slices in reserved egg mixture. Spray 12-inch skillet generously with Crisco® Butter Flavor Cooking Spray. Cook slices over medium-high heat about 4 minutes, turning once, or until golden brown.
Meanwhile, in small saucepan over medium heat, stir together cherry preserves and butter until mixture is warm and butter is melted. Serve French toast slices topped with warm cherry mixture. Garnish with coconut and mint.

Pillsbury Bake-Off Countdown: Carrot Cake Tart

March 13, 2012 Cakespy

Laura Majchrzak of Hunt Valley, Maryland, is clearly a genius. Need I say much more than the blessed, wonderful, lovely words "Carrot Cake Tart"?

As Laura puts it, "Love carrot cake? Love pie? Bake them together in an ultimate dessert with cream cheese frosting and over-the-top caramel drizzle!"

Carrot Cake Tart

Serves 12

For the tart

1Pillsbury® refrigerated pie crust, softened as directed on box
1/4cup LAND O LAKES® Unsalted Butter, melted, cooled slightly
1cup packed light brown sugar
1/3cup light corn syrup
2LAND O LAKES® Eggs
2/3cup Pillsbury BEST® All Purpose Flour
1teaspoon McCormick® Ground Cinnamon
1/2teaspoon baking soda
1/2teaspoon salt
1 1/2cups shredded carrots
1/2cup raisins
1/2cup Fisher® Chef’s Naturals® Chopped Pecans

Frosting

2 packages (3 oz each) cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons Unsalted Butter, softened
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract

Garnish

12 whole Fisher® Praline Pecans
1/2 cup Hershey’s® caramel syrup
12 carrot curls, if desired*

Procedure

Heat oven to 350°F. Place large cookie sheet on middle oven rack. Unroll pie crust; place in ungreased 10-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Press crust firmly against bottom and side of pan; trim edges.
In large bowl, beat 1/4 cup melted butter, brown sugar and corn syrup with electric mixer on medium speed until blended; beat in eggs until blended. Add flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt; beat on low speed until blended. Stir in carrots, raisins and chopped pecans. Spread mixture evenly over bottom of crust-lined pan. Place tart on cookie sheet in oven.
Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until filling is set and deep golden brown. Cool completely on cooling rack, about 1 hour. Remove side of pan; place tart on serving plate.
In medium bowl, beat cream cheese and 2 tablespoons butter with electric mixer on high speed until smooth. Add powdered sugar and vanilla; beat on low speed until creamy. Frost cooled tart. Place praline pecans evenly around edge of tart. Refrigerate 1 hour.
To serve, cut into 12 wedges. Drizzle each serving with 2 teaspoons caramel syrup; garnish each with carrot curl. Store covered in refrigerator.

Pillsbury Bake-Off Countdown: Butternut Squash Brunch Braid

March 13, 2012 Cakespy

Image: Pillsbury Bake-OffCakeSpy Note: I am beyond ecstatic to announce that I have been invited as a media guest to the 45th Annual Pillsbury Bake-Off in Orlando, Florida! The event will take place in late March; til then, I am going to feature several of the sweets finalists here in anticipation of the big day!

I'll confess: I was on the fence about whether or not to include this one in the "sweets" category--but then again, like so many brunch dishes, it straddles that border of sugar-meet-savory, and ultimately the excess of the dish made me want to include it. Butternut squash soaked in sugar and bacon and wrapped in decadent pastry? Yes, please.

As inventor Natalie Edwards of Boxborough, MA says, "You're invited to a fabulous brunch! Braid and bake an easy crescent dish with a savory onion, squash and Parmesan filling." Invitation accepted!

Butternut Squash Brunch Braid

Serves 6

Ingredients

2 1/2cups cubed (1/2 inch) seeded peeled butternut squash
1 tablespoon Crisco® 100% Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon McCormick® Ground Black Pepper
4 slices bacon, chopped (about 4 oz)
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon Ground Thyme
1 can Pillsbury® Crescent Recipe Creations® refrigerated seamless dough sheet
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg white, beaten

Procedure

Heat oven to 425°F. In medium bowl, combine squash, olive oil, brown sugar and pepper; toss to coat. Spoon mixture into ungreased 15x10-inch pan with sides.
Roast 15 to 20 minutes, turning occasionally, or until squash is light brown on edges and tender when pierced with fork. Set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F.
Meanwhile, in 10-inch skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until almost crisp. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon pieces to paper towels. Add onion and thyme to bacon drippings in skillet. Cook and stir onion over medium heat until onion is brown and softened, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in bacon.
Spray large cookie sheet with No-Stick Cooking Spray. Unroll dough onto cookie sheet; press to 12x8-inch rectangle. Spoon onion mixture in 4-inch-wide strip lengthwise down center of dough. Top onion with butternut squash; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
With scissors or sharp knife, make cuts 1 inch apart on long sides of dough to within 1/2 inch of filling. Alternately cross strips over filling; press ends to seal. Brush with egg white.
Bake at 375°F 20 to 25 minutes or until deep golden brown. Cool 5 minutes. Cut crosswise into 6 slices.

Sweet Find: How to Eat a Cupcake by Meg Donohue

March 13, 2012 Cakespy

Recently I received a review copy of How to Eat a Cupcake, a novel by Meg Donohue.

It features an engaging story of friendship, the trials that come with growing up...and, most importantly, a lot of cupcakes.

For me, though, one of the most beautifully written passages was directly related to "How to eat a cupcake":

I had, I'll admit, effected a certain style--a method, if you will--of cupcake eating. To begin, you remove the cupcake liner carefully so as to not unnecessarily crumble the cake, and set it aside. You then turn the cupcake slowly in your hand, taking bites along the line where cake meets icing, your mouth filling with the perfect combination of both components. Once you've come full circle, you gently twist off the bottom half inch of cake, a move that takes considerable finesse and leaves a delicate sliver of cake--the ideal size for lying flat on your tongue and allowing it to slowly dissolve, building anticipation for that final bite. To finish, you are left with the center cylinder of cake and icing, the cupcakes very heart, someteimes filled with a surprising burst of custard or jam or mousse, sometimes not, but always, always the most moist, flavorful bite of the entire cupcake. Take a breath before diving into that final, perfect bite; it is to be savored for as long as possible. Finally, of course, you scavenge the crumbs from the cupcake liner you set aside during step one, then ball the liner into your fist and overhand it into the nearest receptacle. Make the shot? You get another cupcake.

They say "write what you know" and that is proof enough for me that this was written by a true cupcake lover!

For the book tour dates, visit Cupcakes Take the Cake!

Giveaway: Joy the Baker Cookbook!

March 12, 2012 Cakespy

This Saturday, one of my favorite sweet and awesome people in the world, Joy Wilson (but you can call her Joy the Baker) is coming to CakeSpy Shop in Seattle to promote her new book, Joy the Baker Cookbook: 100 Simple and Comforting Recipes !

You can buy her book, buy my book too, and hang out with both of us as well as the winner of the and the winner of the "So You Wanna Be a CakeSpy?" contest, Molly Allen!

But. In the odd event that you are not able to make it -- be it that you've recently lost a limb, found yourself stranded in a blizzard, or perhaps just live 2000 miles away from Seattle--there's a silver lining to that cloud: I'm giving away a copy of Joy's amazing book right here!

How do you enter? It's totally easy. You just tell me why YOU deserve it. Now, I'll be honest: the winner will be chosen at random, so cleverness is not vital in your response, but it sure will amuse me.

That's right: the heat is on. Tell me why YOU deserve the Joy the Baker cookbook ! The winner will be chosen on March 17 at noon PST.

Update on 2012-03-20 12:31 by Cakespy

UPDATE: THE WINNER! It's Courtney, whose name was chosen at random. Why is she deserving, though? "I deserve the Joy the Baker cookbook because Joy's blog is the first food blog I ever read. It inspired me to start my own food blog, and three years later, her blog is still the first one I read every day" :)

Of course, you also read THIS website, right Courtney? Congratulations!

Everyone's Irish: Chocolate Irish Cream Pie for Serious Eats

March 12, 2012 Cakespy

Chocolate cream pie is undoubtedly a thing of beauty, especially when it is encased in a chocolate cookie crust. But when a celebration is in order, you can make it even better by adding a little bit of booze. A simple splash of Irish cream gives this already delicious triple chocolate pie an intoxicating upgrade, adding a creamy and slightly bracing (in a good way) flavor contrast.

Not into alcohol? Not a problem. Simply skip the strong stuff in favor of heavy cream sprinkled with a shake of cocoa powder, or whip up a batch of non-alcoholic Irish cream.

Between the buzz of the spirits and the sugar high from the chocolate, one slice of this pie may find you doing an Irish-style jig.

For the full post and recipe, visit Serious Eats!

Seeking Sweetness: Daily Snapshot, A Banana Split's View of the World

March 12, 2012 Cakespy

CakeSpy Note: if you follow me on facebook or Twitter, you probably know I'm partial to documenting my sweet goings-on. Here's where I post a daily feel-good photo, for no particular reason other than to showcase these sweet little nothings, in hopes that they'll make you smile.

Here's a sweet bit of wisdom I found in the (bound-to-be-a-classic) book I just purchased: The Banana Split Book: Everything There Is to Know about America's Greatest Dessert. Such a powerful thought! Also: there is a Banana Split Festival!?