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  • in Recipes

    Easy No-Bake Mimosa Pies in Glasses

    Serve up some brunch time fun with these Easy No-Bake Mimosa Pies in pretty glasses. A cup of chilled champagne is stirred right into the zesty orange pie filling.

    I’ve had brunch on my mind with Mother’s Day coming up. My regular menu needs a refresh, so I created a brand new recipe based on an old nostalgic favorite. First, can we all agree that the unofficial cocktail of brunch would have to be the mimosa? I think so.

    This recipe gives me all the Betty Draper vibes. It’s based on a mid-century recipe called Creamy Jell-O Pie. If you’ve ever made it, then you know it’s practically mousse in a pie crust. In fact, you could probably omit the crust in this recipe and just serve it as mousse. But since I love a graham crust, I patted some buttered crumbs into the bottom of each pretty dessert glass.
    The filling starts with a 3 oz. box of orange Jell-O. You probably already know the first step of making Jell-O is dissolving it in hot water. The second step is adding cold water, but instead, we’re adding chilled sparkling wine or champagne. Mix it up well and fold it together with freshly whipped cream.

    Pour the filling over the crust, chill, and garnish. It’s so easy! And there’s no mistaking its inspiration with all that champagne flavor sparkling through.

    Talk about fluffy! For the best, and tastiest results get Jell-O brand gelatin with no artificial sweeteners or high fructose corn syrup. It’s easy to find because it says this right on the box in a big green bubble. I don’t often use convenience foods in my baking, but I honestly appreciate Jell-O’s versatility. There’s a reason it’s been around for so long!
    Served in footed glasses, these easy no-bake mimosa pies look beautiful presented together on a serving tray. If you’d rather enjoy this as pie you can slice, the filling can be poured into a 9-inch graham cracker pie crust.

    Easy No-Bake Mimosa Pies in Glasses

    Heather Baird

    Serve up some brunch time fun with these Easy No-Bake Mimosa Pies in pretty glasses. A cup of chilled champagne is stirred right into the zesty orange pie filling.
    See my variations for an alcohol-free version and an Orange Creamsicle version in the recipe notes.

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    Prep Time 25 minsTotal Time 25 mins

    Course DessertCuisine American

    Servings 6

    Ingredients US CustomaryMetric Pie crust3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs2 tablespoons unsalted butter meltedMimosa filling1 small box orange Jell-O 3 oz.2/3 cup boiling water1 cup chilled champagne or sparkling white wine1 cup heavy whipping cream3 tablespoons granulated sugarGarnishes1/2 cup heavy cream2 tablespoons granulated sugar6 fresh orange wedgesZest of one orange6 mint sprigs
    Instructions Pie crustStir together graham cracker crumbs and melted butter in a medium bowl. Mash together with a rubber spatula until the crumbs are completely coated and resemble wet sand.In the bottom of six footed dessert glasses or cups (about 8 oz. each), divide the crumbs between the glasses (this will be slightly more than 2 tablespoons of buttered crumb per glass). Tamp down gently with a spoon or the bottom of a shot glass. Refrigerate while you work on the pie filling.Mimosa fillingCombine the orange Jell-O and boiling water in a large bowl. Whisk together until the Jell-O is dissolved. Add in the chilled champagne/wine and whisk again until combined and slightly thickened.Place 1 cup heavy cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whip attachment. Beat until soft peaks form. Add dissolved Jell-O mixture to the whipped cream and fold together until creamy and consistent with no white streaks remaining. Divide the mixture between dessert cups, filling them within 1-inch of the top of the glasses. Refrigerate until firm, about 3-4 hours.GarnishesBeat the heavy cream in the bowl of an electric mixer while gradually adding the granulated sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form. Dollop or pipe whipped cream on top of the set pie filling. Sprinkle orange zest over cups. Stand an orange wedge upright into the whipped cream and place mint sprigs beside the orange slices.Refrigerate until ready to serve.
    NotesFor an alcohol-free version of this dessert, use white sparkling grape juice in place of the champagne.
    Creamsicle version: Replace the champagne with an equal amount of cream soda. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract to the pie filling. Garnish with whipped cream.
    The crust, filling and whipped cream topping can be made and assembled 2 days in advance. Garnish with the zest, mint, and fresh orange slices just before serving.

    Keyword heavy cream, orange Jell-O, pink champange pastry cream

    You may also enjoy: LEGGI TUTTO

  • in Recipes

    Toile Print Lemon-Lavender Shortbread

    Serve these lemon-lavender shortbread cookies as an elegant tea time treat. Toile print wafer decors turn them into edible works of art.

    Guess who appreciates a pretty toile print on just about anything? My mom. I’ve been thinking about what to make in honor of Mother’s Day, and when I came across toile-printed wafer paper -well. It was a done deal. Toile print fabric harks back to 1760’s-1800’s and often depicts people in French pastoral settings. I thought this one was especially nice for Mother’s Day because it shows women tending their children, having tea, and even washing up some laundry. Ah, some things never change!

    There was no doubt about it – this shortbread had to taste as beautiful as its decoration looks. I added the zest of a whole lemon and fragrant culinary lavender to my favorite shortbread recipe. Shortbread is so simple with few ingredients, so the dough mixes up really quickly. The lemon and lavender flavors are absolutely beautiful together. I just love a floral note for spring.

    If you’ve never used wafer paper, then now’s the time! It’s tasteless and melds with buttercream, royal icing, fondant, or modeling chocolate. The toile wafer paper is printed with large and small vignettes. Larger cookies, made with a 3″ cutter as I’ve used here, will accommodate a large vignette – like those ladies lunching above. Use smaller cutters for smaller images.
    The colors of the paper really pop on a white background. So I recommend using white sculpting chocolate as a base because it rolls out smoothly like fondant and tastes great! White chocolate Fondarific is the stuff to get. Stamp it out with the same cookie cutter you used for the shortbread. If you’re not into storing a tub of modeling chocolate, then you could also use royal icing. Check out this blog post for using royal icing and wafer paper together.

    Frame your (cookie) art.
    Piping gel is ideal for attaching the image to the cookie. I often recommend corn syrup as an alternative, but it doesn’t have the starches that gives piping gel its stickiness. Stick to piping gel (ha!). Fondx is my fave.
    I lined the edges of the cookies with sugar pearls, and because I didn’t want to add them one by one using tweezers – I cheated. If you brush the edges with piping gel and dip them in the pearls, a bunch randomly stick to the edges. Use a toothpick to line them up and scoot off the extras.

    I don’t think I’ve ever made shortbread ‘sandwiches’ until now! In order to balance the barely sweet shortbread I made some lemon cream to fill them. This makes each sandwich is a formidable dessert. Just one packaged up in a cellophane bag and tied with ribbon would make a beautiful gift!

    Pretty and tasty – so perfect for mom, or any time you need a special treat. I think these would make pretty wedding favors. You could use any printed wafer paper appropriate for your party. It’s like wallpaper for desserts!

    These cookies are delish, whether or not you decide to decorate them with toile print. The recipe is simple and the classic flavors of lemon and lavender together in shortbread just can’t be beat for a spring treat.
    I’m leaving the link for the toile paper again, right here. You may want to explore some other designs, too!

    Toile Print Lemon-Lavender Shortbread Cookies

    Heather Baird

    Serve these lemon-lavender shortbread cookies as an elegant tea time treat. Toile print wafer decors turn them into edible works of art. This recipe makes about twelve 3-inch cookies, or 6 cookie sandwiches. If using large and small cookie cutters, the yield may be higher.

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    Prep Time 1 hrCook Time 20 minsTotal Time 1 hr 20 mins

    Course DessertCuisine American

    Servings 6

    Equipmentsoft art brushToothpicksfood color marker
    Ingredients US CustomaryMetric Lemon-lavender shortbread1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature1 tablespoon lemon zest1 1/2 tablespoons dried culinary lavender1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar2 cups all-purpose flour1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea saltLemon filling1/2 cup unsalted butter3 cups confectioners’ sugar1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice1 teaspoon lemon extractMilk or cream to thinWafer paper décor12 oz. white sculpting chocolate kneadedPiping gel1 sheet toile print wafer paperFood color marker1 cup sugar pearls
    Instructions ShortbreadPreheat the oven to 325F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter, lemon zest, lavender, and confectioners’ sugar. Mix until creamy. Add in the flour and salt. Mixture will be crumbly at first, keep mixing until a thick non-sticky dough is achieved.Roll the dough between two pieces of parchment paper to 1/4-inch thickness. Transfer to the refrigerator. Stamp shapes out of the chilled dough using a 3 inch square cookie cutter and place on the baking sheets. Bake for 15- 20 minutes, or until the edges start to brown. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely.Lemon fillingCombine the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whip. Beat on low speed then increase is ingredients are incorporated. Mixture will be crumbly at first. Add lemon juice and extract. Add milk or cream 1 tablespoon at a time until mixture comes to spreading consistency. Cover bowl with a damp towel until ready for use.Wafer paper decorsOn a confectioners’ sugar-dusted work surface, roll out the sculpting chocolate. Stamp shapes from the piece using the same cookie cutter used for the shortbread. Using a small art brush, dab a few dots of piping gel on the backs of the pieces and attach to the shortbread cookies.Lay the wafer paper on a clean, dry surface. Use the same cookie cutter to trace shapes from the piece of toile paper, centering the cutter on a vignette. Cut out 6 pieces. Trim the edges further if needed to perfectly fit onto the sculpting chocolate squares. Turn the wafer paper over and coat it with piping gel. Affix to the white chocolate square. Immediately turn the cookie over so the wafer paper is flat against the work surface. Repeat with remaining cookies. Let stand until set, about 1 hour.Turn cookies over and brush a thin line of piping gel around the top edges of the cookies (on the wafer paper square). Dip edges in sugar pearls immediately after brushing (work with 1 at a time). Use a toothpick to line up the pearls single-file, around the top edge of the cookies. Push extras off of the sides using the toothpick. Let stand until set.AssemblyPipe or spread lemon cream onto the plain shortbread cookies and top with a decorated cookie. Do not refrigerate. Store cookies at room temperature, loosely covered with plastic wrap or packaged in cellophane bags.
    NotesIf you make different sizes of cookies as I did, you may have slightly higher yield. Bake all large cookies on one pan, bake the smaller ones on another to promote even baking. Bake smaller cookies for less time, 12 minutes approximate.
    Water is the enemy of wafer paper. Make sure all surfaces and hands are try before touching. 
    If piping gel seems thick, put a little in a cup and microwave for 5 seconds to loosen. This helps the brush to glide across the backs of the wafer paper for even coating.
    Do not refrigerate the decorated cookies. 

    Keyword culinary lavender, printed wafer paper, shortbread

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  • in Recipes

    Strawberry Brioche Tarts

    A hybrid between enriched bread and delicate pastry, brioche is the best of both worlds. The addition of eggs, butter, and milk to a sweetened dough is the secret to a luxurious crumb, making brioche the picture-perfect base for fillings and toppings. For our Strawberry Brioche Tarts, we highlight the season’s freshest fruit. These light-as-air […] LEGGI TUTTO

  • in Recipes

    Butter Pecan Praline Cake

    Here’s a cake as southern as the Kentucky Derby itself! Butter Pecan Praline Cake is the perfect sweet treat to make for Derby Day, but it’s a favorite for all occasions.

    This cake is so nice, I made it twice!
    Derby Day is coming up and I wanted to make something special for the occasion. A cake brimming with butter, brown sugar, and pecan flavors seems fitting. It’s a southern favorite that I make year-round. It would be great for Mother’s Day, Memorial Day, or bookmark it for Thanksgiving because those brown sugar flavors taste just right when the leaves turn.

    I couldn’t resist making a horseshoe-shaped version of this cake loaded with red roses in true derby style. The pageantry – namely the blanket of red roses draped across the winning horse’s back – is truly a sight to behold. This cake pays homage to that.
    However, the original 3-layer version is a good no-frills, all-purpose recipe. So I made it, too! And you should make it any time you crave something that tastes like it came from a southern grandma’s kitchen.

    This cake is an easy task for home bakers. The buttery layers don’t rise much in the center, so they really don’t need much leveling, if any. The buttercream frosting is loaded with finely ground pecans. It lends itself best to big swirls with an offset spatula, but you can also pipe it! The ground pecans are fine enough to pass through a decorator tip.

    The only thing more it requires is some chopped pecans pressed into the bottom edge of the cake, and a sprinkle on top.

    The horseshoe garland cake.
    Bake the batter in a 13×9 pan instead of 3 round layers. Cut a horseshoe-shaped template from a piece of parchment and tack it onto the cooled cake using toothpicks. Give it a trim with a serrated knife and save the cake scraps for breakfast (or a trifle!).

    Cover the horseshoe in a thick layer of the butter pecan frosting. In addition, you’ll need a double batch of American buttercream tinted red for the roses. You can find my recipe for that here (or in the Sprinkle Bakes book!).
    Also, you can find my buttercream rose tutorial here. The same technique applies for these roses, except you’ll make them slightly smaller and pipe the roses on a #7 flower nail head. Scoot the flower off of the nail head using some flower-lifting scissors, or a spatula.

    Place each rose side-by side on the cake. I don’t think any two of my flowers were the same – ha! My advice is to aim for beauty, not perfection. Those are two very different things, in my opinion.

    So, now I have two Butter Pecan Praline cakes – guess I’d better get to sharing! I don’t think I’ll have a problem finding any takers, do you?
    The recipe below gives the instructions for the 9-inch round layer cake, and you’ll find directions for the horseshoe cake in the recipe notes.

    Butter Pecan Praline Cake

    Heather Baird

    This Butter Pecan Praline Cake is a southern favorite. It’s perfect for Derby Day, but it’s welcome at our table at any time of year!Be sure to use the spoon and sweep method when measuring the flour, and sift it so the baked cake has a light, fluffy texture.

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    Prep Time 25 minsCook Time 30 minsTotal Time 55 mins

    Course DessertCuisine American, Southern United States

    Servings 12

    Equipment3 round cake pans, 9 inches each
    Ingredients  Brown sugar cake layers3 cups all-purpose flour1/2 teaspoon baking powder1/2 teaspoon baking soda1/2 teaspoon salt1 cup unsalted butter room temperature1 cup light brown sugar1 1/2 cups granulated sugar4 large eggs room temperature1 tablespoon vanilla extract1 1/4 cups whole milkButtercream pecan frosting2/3 cup unsalted butter6 cups powdered sugar1/2 cup heavy cream or milk1 tablespoon vanilla extract1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt1 cup pecans finely ground1 cup chopped pecans
    Instructions Brown sugar cake layersPreheat oven to 350 °F. Spray three 9″ round cake pans with flour-based cooking spray.Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter until creamy. Add brown sugar and granulated sugar and beat until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time. Mix well with each addition. Add vanilla extract and beat until well-blended.Add 1/2 of the flour mixture to the creamed mixture. Add in all the milk; mix well. Add remaining flour mixture and combine until just incorporated. Using a large rubber spatula, scrape down the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl and fold together by hand so that all ingredients are well incorporated.Divide batter evenly into the prepared pans, slightly more than 2 cups of batter per pan. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick tester comes out clean. Cool the cakes in the pan 7-10 minutes. Turn layers out of pans to rest a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.Butter Pecan FrostingIn the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whip attachment, beat the butter until creamy. Add 2 cups of powdered sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Drizzle in a little heavy cream. Gradually add remaining powdered sugar alternating with the heavy cream. Scrape down the sides and the bottom of the mixing bowl with a spatula so that all ingredients are well incorporated. Add vanilla and salt; beat well. Beat in the 1 cup of finely ground pecans.Fill cakes with the frosting and stack; coat the outside of the cake with a thin crumb coat of frosting. Refrigerate until firm, 15 minutes. Cover the outside of the cake with swirls of frosting. Press chopped pecans onto the bottom edge of the cake. Transfer leftover frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large open star tip. Pipe stars around the top edge of the cake. Immediately sprinkle chopped pecans over the stars.
    NotesFor the horseshoe cake, bake the cake batter in a 13×9 inch pan for about 50 minutes. Tent the top of the cake if it begins to overbrown.
    Lay a piece of parchment paper flat on a work surface. Lay the bottom of a 13×9 inch pan on the parchment and trace around it. Cut out the shape. Draw a horseshoe within the shape and cut it out to use as a template. Lay the template on the baked, cooled cake and tack down onto the cake with toothpicks. Carve around the cake using a serrated knife. Save cake scraps for cake pops, trifles, or snacking.
    Make the butter pecan buttercream as directed and frost the entire cake. Tint two batches of American buttercream red (scroll to the bottom of this post for recipe). Pipe roses using #104 petal tip onto #7 flower nails (see this post for buttercream roses tutorial). Transfer to the top of the horseshoe cake using flower lifting scissors or a spatula.

    Keyword brown sugar cake, butter pecan frosting

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  • in Recipes

    Cabbage Cake

    Freshly picked from my kitchen to yours, this “Cabbage” is made of butter cake layers filled with toffee-speckled buttercream. The trompe l’oeil exterior is molded using real cabbage leaves!

    Baking has always been my happy place, but making this cabbage cake was the most fun I’ve had in a while! I got the idea for it while browsing some old pastry periodicals. I’ve made little chocolate leaves plenty of times. You just paint chocolate right onto a mint or rose leaf, let it set, and then peel away to reveal your edible foliage. This was the same idea, but on a much larger scale!

    Start with a sturdy cabbage with big waxy-looking leaves. I did a test run and found savoy cabbage to be the most convincing because of their deeply veined leaves. They also have a pretty frilly edge.
    Pick off about 6 or 7 leaves. Wash and dry them thoroughly.

    Choose your coating.
    A few leaves were tested with white chocolate, and others with vanilla almond bark. Both came out pretty and looked just the same, but the almond bark is less meltable while you’re handling it so that’s what I used. Almond bark is a confectioners’ coating with a silly name because it doesn’t actually have any almonds in it. But that’s a story for another time.
    Use what you prefer, but if you have very warm hands then you might want to consider using the less melty almond bark as a fail safe. I tinted these leaves bright green (maybe a little too bright?!) with a combo of green and yellow oil-based candy coloring. Coat the inside of the cabbage leaves using a soft art brush. Make sure to go all the way out to the curly tips.

    Don’t underestimate the amount of chocolate/candy you’ll need here! There’s a lot of real estate to cover on these big curved leaves. And they require a second coat for stability. You’ll need about 48 oz. which could be very costly using real white chocolate. Two 24 oz. packages of almond bark would get the job done cost effectively.
    Crumple up some aluminum foil to make a cradle for the leaves. The coated leaves are heavy! The aluminum foil helps them keep their curve.

    Chill the double-coated leaves in the refrigerator until they are firm. It’s so much fun peeling the leaves away from the chocolate. Because the leaves are so waxy, like silicone, they don’t stick!

    Kids will love this. If you don’t want to make a whole cake you could just have fun making the cabbage leaves. There’s absolutely no trace of cabbage flavor on the candy leaves, if you were curious.

    The cake!
    Underneath those leaves I built a 6-inch butter cake with toffee bits folded into the buttercream. It is a tasty little treat!

    Keep this cake on the small side. The leaves should be able to fit around the entire cake comfortably, with most of them resting and meeting at the top center.

    Round the top of the cake by carving away the top edge. Doing this is important because it helps the curved leaves have something to easily form to. You want the cake to bear the weight of the leaves.

    The leaves are heavy so stick the first three leaves on to the freshly iced cake then refrigerate it. It’s important that this base layer is sturdy, because more heavy leaves will be added.

    Re-heat your leftover green candy and use it as glue to stick the remaining leaves on. If it seems to take a long time for the leaves to stick together, tie some kitchen twine around the center of the assembled leaves. This will hold it all together until the candy dries.

    Remove a leaf or two to cut the cake, or you could smash it open if you were into theatrics (or if you’re in front of a crowd – I would totally do this at a family dinner!).

    I will go on record to say, this is the yummiest cabbage I’ve ever tasted! (Hehe.) If you like the looks of this cake, then you might like to see my Peas and Carrots cake right here.

    I learned so much from making this cake, and I’m already planning another one in a different color. Be sure to check out the video to see the entire assembly.
    Remember folks, Eat Your Veggies!

    Cabbage Cake

    Heather Baird

    Freshly picked from my kitchen to yours, this “Cabbage” is made of butter cake layers filled with toffee-speckled buttercream. The trompe l’oeil exterior is molded using real cabbage leaves.I use a special oil-based food color to tint the candy. This can be found at specialty baking shops and online. Or, you could leave the candy untinted for a white cabbage. Semisweet chocolate or chocolate almond bark can also be used for a dark brown chocolate cabbage, which is cute, too!

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    Prep Time 1 hrCook Time 30 mins

    Course DessertCuisine American

    Servings 10

    Equipmentsoft bristle art brushaluminum foilkitchen dedicated tweezerskitchen twine
    Ingredients US CustomaryMetric Cabbage leaves7-8 savoy cabbage leaves washed and patted dry48 oz. vanilla/white almond bark or white chocolateGreen oil-based candy food colorYellow oil-based candy food colorCake1 1/2 cups unsalted butter softened2 1/2 cups sugar5 eggs at room temperature1 tablespoon vanilla extract3 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon baking powder1/2 teaspoon salt1 cup whole milk at room temperatureButtercream frosting2 cups unsalted butter softened8 cups confectioners’ sugar1 teaspoon vanilla extractMilk or cream if necessary1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt1/3 cup toffee bitsGreen food colorAssembly1/2 cup chocolate cookie crumbs
    Instructions Cabbage leavesPlace the savoy cabbage leaves on a large baking sheet. Melt the white candy/chocolate in a large microwave-safe bowl in 30 second increments. Stir well in between heating, and use the residual heat from the bowl to melt the candy. This will prevent over-heating. Stir in the food colors a little at a time until a bright green color is achieved.Pour about 1/4 cup of the candy into a cabbage leaf and use the art brush to spread the candy all the way to the edges. Crumple a piece of aluminum foil to cradle the leaf and return the leaf to the baking tray. Repeat the process with remaining leaves. Allow the leaves to stand until set Re-heat candy if needed and give the leaves a second coat. Transfer to the refrigerator while you prepare the cake. Reserve leftover candy.CakePreheat the oven to 350F. Coat four 6-inch cake pans with flour-based baking spray.In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until lightened in color and fluffy, about 4 minutes.Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the milk; begin and end with flour. Beat until the batter is smooth and thoroughly combined.Divide batter between pans and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the cakes are golden on top and a toothpick tester comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in the pan. Invert and transfer cakes to cooling racks. Cool completely, then level the tops of the cake using a serrated knife or cake leveler.ButtercreamIn the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, mix together the butter and sugar. Begin mixing on low speed until the mixture is crumbly. Increase to high and beat for 3 minutes. Add the vanilla extract and beat again for another minute until light and fluffy. Beat in the sea salt. If the buttercream is too stiff, add milk or heavy cream 1 tablespoon at a time until the mixture is of spreading consistency.Remove 1/2 of the frosting to a bowl and fold in the toffee bits. Tint the remaining frosting green using the food color.AssemblyPeel fresh lettuce leaves away from the candy. If pieces of fresh cabbage stick into grooves, remove them with a pair of kitchen-dedicated tweezers. Set aside.Place a cake layer on a serving plate or cake stand. Fill and stack using the toffee buttercream and other cake layers. Chill the cake for 30 minutes. Trim away the top edge of the cake using a serrated knife to create a dome shape. Cover the entire cake with the green buttercream. Reserve leftover buttercream.While the buttercream is fresh and tacky, position three cabbage leaves around the cake, allowing the curved edges of the leaves to rest against the top dome of the cake. Refrigerate until firm.Re-heat leftover green candy and have green frosting ready to hand.Stack more leaves around the cake, covering any large gaps. Use a small art brush to dab dots of melted candy where the edges of the leaves meet the other leaves. Tie kitchen twine around the center of the assembled leaves to hold them in place while they set. Transfer the cake to the refrigerator to speed setting. Use dots or swirls of frosting to fil in any gaps using an offset spatula.Before serving, remove the kitchen twine and spoon chocolate cookie crumbs (‘dirt’) around the edge of the cake.To serve, disassemble one or two lettuce leaves at a time; cut the cake into servings. Break the leaves into pieces and serve alongside slices of cake.
    NotesMake sure cabbage leaves are completely dry before using.
    Chocolate and candy food colors are found at kitchen specialty shops and online. See blog post for resources.
     

    Keyword butter cake, savoy cabbage leaves, toffee bits, vanilla almond bark

    You may also enjoy: LEGGI TUTTO

  • in Recipes

    Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Blondies

    Nothing beats the dynamic duo of chocolate and peanut butter! These Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Blondies are an easy weeknight dessert or lunchbox treat.

    If you’re looking for comfort on a plate – here it is! Eating too many of these peanut butter chocolate chip blondies is so easy. I’ve had more than my share and I’m not even sorry. Each slice is chewy, chocolaty, and incredibly peanut buttery with both flavors of chips sprinkled throughout.

    Who doesn’t love a good 13×9 pan dessert? The golden brown pillowed corners are a little chewier than the middle, so that’s the slice I went for first! These cut neatly, so I could see them being a nice addition to kid’s lunches, or any time you need a totable sweet. I adapted this recipe from a Bake Sale book I purchased years ago. So of course these would be perfect for bake sales (when we’re allowed to have those again!).

    With a creamy batter composed of butter, brown sugar, and peanut butter, there’s nothing not to love. It would be super easy to switch up this recipe with M&M’s or Reese’s Pieces, but honestly it’s wonderful as-is. If peanut allergies are an issue, then the creamy peanut butter can be swapped out for almond butter or sunflower butter. You could also omit the peanut butter chips and substitute vanilla or butterscotch morsels.

    Freeze some for later!

    There will be plenty to share, but no judgement here if you’re planning to keep them all for yourself. These freeze well (and taste pretty good straight from the freezer!) so you can enjoy some now and put the rest on ice. I like to slice them up and wrap them individually before freezing because it’s easier to grab one or two portions. And it takes less time to thaw.

    Making this recipe gluten-free would be easy using a 1-to-1 flour. King Arthur Baking’s Measure for Measure Flour is my favorite! I always keep a bag on hand because I have family with those dietary considerations.

    Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Blondies

    Heather Baird

    These blondie bars are packed with a double dose of peanut butter flavor with creamy peanut butter and peanut butter chips in the mix. Mini chocolate chips disperse evenly and give the perfect amount of chocolate flavor against all that peanut butter. If you don’t have mini chips, regular chips will work.

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    Prep Time 15 minsCook Time 22 mins

    Course DessertCuisine American

    Servings 12

    Equipment13×9 inch pan
    Ingredients US CustomaryMetric 1/2 tablespoon butter for greasing pan2 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon baking powder1 teaspoon salt3/4 cup butter melted1 1/2 cup brown sugar1/2 cup granulated sugar1/2 cup creamy peanut butter1 teaspoon vanilla extract2 eggs1 cup peanut butter chips1 cup mini chocolate chips divided
    Instructions Preheat oven to 350 degrees.Evenly coat the inside of a 13×9 inch pan or baking dish with butter and set aside.Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl.In the bowl of an electric mixer combine the melted butter, brown sugar, white sugar and peanut butter. Beat together until well combined. Add in vanilla and eggs; mix well.Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture a little at a time, mixing on low speed. Fold in the peanut butter chips and 3/4 cup of the chocolate chips.Spread the dough into the prepared pan evenly. Sprinkle the top with the remaining 1/4 cup of mini chips and press lightly into the dough.Bake 18-22 minutes until golden brown on the edges, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool completely in the pan before cutting.

    NotesIf peanut allergy is a consideration, shelf stable almond butter or sunflower butter will work in place of the creamy peanut butter. Swap the peanut butter chips for butterscotch or white chocolate morsels. 
    Make this recipe gluten-free with King Arthur Baking’s Measure for Measure flour. See blog post for link.  Make sure the peanut butter and baking chips you use are labeled gluten-free. Enjoy Life Foods is a purveyor of fine allergy-free and gluten-free baking morsels. 

    Keyword chocolate chips, creamy peanut butter, peanut butter chips

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