Spring Battenburg Cake This was my first time making Battenburg cake, and it certainly will not be my last. I'm smitten! I love the bright almond flavor the cake imparts, and I can't help but smile at the colorful two-by-two checked pattern. I had a difficult time finding good step-by-step instructions for this recipe, so I am including my own in this post. I didn't have the two 7" square pans called for in the original recipe, so I had to work around that. I ended up using a 10 x7 stoneware dish with the parchment divider and it worked great. As a final touch, I dressed the cake in white fondant and added pearl dragees. Spring Battenburg Cake [click to print] Serves 6-8 Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line the pan: Fold a piece of parchment paper in half, then, while folded, trim the edges to fit the length of the pan. Bake the cakes: Cream butter and sugar together in the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment. Assemble the cake: Using a serrated knife, trim each cake evenly into two long cuboid cakes.
Currently Baking {Rocher-stuffed Brownies} « Miss Renaissance Truly (in my little world, at least), there’s hardly a better combination than chocolate and hazelnuts. It’s the perfect marriage of intense cocoa flavor & nutty sweetness. I could go on and on about this….those close to me know how intense my love for this combo really is (hence, my crazy addiction to Nutella!) This being said, let me introduce you to heaven in brownie form: the Tartine Bakery Brownie. The only thing better than a deliciously rich brownie or a handful of yummy Rocher is this mash-up of sorts. I used Tartine’s brownie recipe from their book (pictured above, click to see it larger), and simply “dunked” 16 Rocher into the batter before baking. {All images by Miss Renaissance.}
Easy Peanut Butter and Jelly Baby Lattice Pies Good Tuesday to you! I had so much fun making these baby pies! For some reason party food seems more fun when it’s miniature right? So, these are totally doable, they look detailed, but seriously are really easy. Peanut Butter and Jelly is one of those combinations that I could do in almost any dessert. Time to create the lattice top… My strips were a little long, but you get the idea. Brush lightly with egg wash Here you have the lovely little PB&J pies. Peanut Butter and Jelly Baby Lattice Pies 1 roll Pillsbury pie dough 1/2 Cup creamy peanut butter 1 Tablespoon sugar 1/2 Cup Smucker’s Strawberry Preserves 1 egg white whisked with 1 teaspoon water for egg wash Sugar Crystals for sprinkling on top if desired 2 Tablespoons powdered sugar 1. 2. 3. 12 mini pies…..let’s see what the judges think… Think we’ve got some happy taste testers! Other recipes you may enjoy...
Kevin & Amanda Secret Ingredient Christmas Cookies These secret-ingredient cookies are insanely delicious, perfect for Christmas, and are sure to have everyone trying to guess the secret ingredient at cookie swaps! :) It may be a little early to start talking about Christmas cookies, but honestly, these cookies are amazing any time of year! I love nuts (especially when they’re candied) but I can’t stand nuts in my cookies!! What happened next are these decadent, Brown Butter, Cinnamon Toasted Pecan, Oatmeal Snickerdoodles. I am so, so thrilled with how these cookies came out. They were a huge hit with my friends and neighbors. You’ve got to try these at least once. :) Put these on your cookie to-do list! Here’s how I made them. The first step is to brown the butter. Browning butter is so easy. And that’s it! The next step is to toast the pecans. Place the nuts in a large skillet over medium heat. Immediately transfer the nuts to the bowl of a food processor. Add one cup quick 1-minute oats. And whisk to combine. Oh mama mia. 1. 2. 3. 4.
~Caramel Snickerdoodles Hmmm, where do I begin? Should I start with the warm flaky & tender, Cinnamon Sugar coated Crescent Nugget filled with oozing Caramel?! Or should I start with how easy these are and probably the most delicious and impressive thing I’ve ever made with only 3 ingredients? Orrr maybe I’ll start by saying that these little gems are the best Snickerdoodle anything I’ve ever Snickered or Doodled! What you’ll need for 20 Snickery Doodly Delights: 1 Pillsbury Crescents Seamless Dough Sheet Caramel Candies..one per each Doodle. 1 cup of Cinnamon/Sugar..blended to your taste Directions: Cut out about a 2″x2″ piece of dough and wrap it gently and snuggled around one Caramel. Place them onto a baking sheet about 1″ or so apart… Bake them at 350 degrees for about 12 minutes, or until they’re firm and slightly puffy. Let them cool for just a few, but these have to be eaten warm, for maximum Caramel flow… Construct a nice stack of gooey Snickerdoodles so everyone can share….. Don’t forget about yours though!
strawberry, blueberry, cobbler, recipe — Eating Out Loud Berry season is upon us and I couldn’t be more happy. Whether you’re looking for strawberries, blueberries, raspberries or boysenberries, the fruits are becoming readily available and at affordable prices. This berry cobbler is versatile and a great use of any type of berry or soft and juicy fruit. Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve been wrangling with our excess of strawberries. I made strawberry cornmeal muffins, jam and froze a bunch for later use, but I still had quite a few in the fridge. The recipe is simple and perfect for those afraid of baking. I’ve played around with the recipe a little bit, adding some cinnamon and nuts, both of which are optional. Strawberry-Blueberry Magic Cobbler inspired by Grandma Mary’s Magic Cobbler and Southern Peach Cobbler 1/3 cup butter 1 1/2 cups flour 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar 1 1/2 cups milk 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon salt 5 cups chopped fruit 1/3 cup pecans 1/3 cup brown sugar Preheat oven to 375F (190C).
Baked Oatmeal Snack Bars If you’re in need of portable whole grains, these are perfect. They are the flavor of good nutrition! Baked Oatmeal Snack BarsIngredients1.5 cups rolled oats1/2 cup chopped walnuts [or any nuts you like]1/2 cup dried fruit (any you like – raisins, cranberries, dates, figs)1/4 cup seeds (any you like – sunflower, pumpkin, flax, sesame)1 tsp cinnamon1 tsp kosher salt1.25 cups skim milk1 egg1 tsp vanillaMethod:Preheat oven to 350*Mix dry ingredients.Mix wet ingredients.Pour wet into dry. Stir to combine.Pour into a 9×9 baking dish either coated in cooking spray or lined with parchment.Bake for 40 minutes.Cut into 9 squares.Makes 9 servings . Each bar is appx. 170 calories, 3 grams fiber and 5 grams protein. [Cut into 12 squares reduces calories to about 125 calories per square]While delicious, the only sweetness in these comes from the dried fruit. All mixed up: Going into the oven Parchment makes lift out SO easy: So does a pizza cutter : Whole grains to go.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bark Cookie dough in a bark. Now you can eat cookie dough without worry and it can be yours in less than twenty minutes. I know more bark, but I’m thinking you will really love this one. Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bark Don’t be mistaken by the quiet look of this bark. Alright, now, I will ease up on the bark. And I’m going to keep this post super short, since my to-do list is quickly turning into an overdue list. I hate laundry. Well I’m going to remedy this swish-swashing and bing-bonging annoyance by explaining to him we are going to buy clothes and undergarments in bulk like people shop at Costco in bulk-The. Aside from that, just think of how many more desserts I could make if I wasn’t saddled with this silly business of clothes washing. A few notes: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bark Preparation: Line 8×8 pan with parchment or wax paper. Ingredients: 8 oz dark Ghirardelli dark chocolate10 oz white Ghirardelli chocolate½ cup cocoa crisp1/3 cup of dry white cake mix½ cup mini chocolate chips