Category: Cooking and Baking

It’s becoming a tradition for me to make a batch of English toffee for my husband every Valentine’s Day.  He loves English toffee, but I don’t make it very often so it’s a thoughtful gift.  This year I wanted to try something other than broken shards of toffee in a bag or tin, so I sprayed some non-stick spray in some heart shaped metal pans and poured the hot toffee in them.


I then sprinkled the hot toffee with chocolate chips, let them melt a little, then spread the chocolate and pressed chopped pistachios into the cooling chocolate.  I worried that the toffee might be difficult to release from the pans, but they came out very easily and none of them broke.


I don’t think my husband cares what shape the toffee comes in, but I enjoyed trying something new.   Sometimes the best treats are common things in a new shape.

If you’re wondering, this is the toffee recipe I use:

English Toffee Ingredients:
2 cups butter 2 cups sugar 1/4 tsp. salt 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips 1 cup finely chopped nuts (I used pistachios) In a large heavy bottomed saucepan, combine butter, sugar and salt.  Cook over medium heat, stirring until the butter is melted.  Allow to come to a boil, and cook until mixture becomes a dark amber color and the temperature has reached 285 degrees F.  (My recipe says to stir occasionally, but I’ve found that if I don’t stir pretty frequently the bottom sometimes burns.)

Line baking pan with aluminum foil or spray with non-stick spray.

When toffee reaches proper temperature, pour onto prepared pan.  Sprinkle chocolate chips over the top and let set a minute or two to soften.  Spread chocolate into thin even layer.  Sprinkle nuts over chocolate and press in slightly.

Place toffee in refrigerator, if desired, to speed setting.  Break into pieces and store in an airtight container.

Enjoy!


Hopeful Homemaker

I found this cookie recipe in Matthew Mead’s Christmas publication and intended to make it but didn’t get to it until January.  These cookies are amazing!  They’re different, not overly sweet, chewy and have great flavor.


The method of preparation is unlike any cookie I’ve made, which intrigued me.   It might intrigue you, too.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup heavy cream 1/2 cup granulated sugar 4 Tb. butter, divided 1 cup sliced almonds 1/2 cup dried cranberries 2 Tb. chopped candied orange peel (optional) 1/3 cup flour 1/4 cup chocolate chips Preheat oven to 350.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a saucepan, combine the cream, sugar and 3 Tb. butter.  Bring to a boil.  Add almonds, cranberries, orange peel and flour.  Stir to combine.  Remove from heat.

Drop cookies by the teaspoon at least 2-3 inches apart on baking sheet.  These cookies spread during baking, so space them well.  Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the edges are brown and crisp.  Let cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then remove to cooling racks.

Melt chocolate chips with remaining 1 Tb. butter.  Drizzle chocolate over cookies.  Serve and enjoy!


A few notes:

I’ve made this recipe twice, once with candied orange peel and once without.  I was the only person who could taste a difference.  It doesn’t make or break the recipe.

I dropped my batter by the tablespoon.  I got 2 1/2 dozen cookies by this measure.

The first time I made them I drizzled chocolate on them.  The second time I didn’t.  They’re delicious both ways.  I liked them so much that I skipped the chocolate on the second batch.


I’m happy to add this recipe to my cookie recipe file.  It’s unlike any other cookie I’ve tried.  I hope you try them!


Jennifer

After my little comparison between cakes and life yesterday I figure the least I could do is share with you the recipe.  It’s one of those cake-mix-gone-gourmet recipes and we won’t even talk about how fattening it is.  We’ll just talk about how incredibly moist and flavorful it is and you can just file it away in your mind as an easy, sure-win Valentines Day dessert in the next few weeks.  It’s really good.  {And I’m lucky we have ten people to share with in my house; it means I can’t eat too much.}

I got the recipe from Bonnie at Cotton Way , but I did make a small change, which I’ll tell you about.


Here’s what you need to make this luscious cake.

Chocolate Fudge Cake 1 fudge cake mix 4 eggs 1/2 cup oil 1/2 cup water 1 large box instant vanilla pudding 1 cup sour cream 1 3/4  cup milk chocolate chips, divided 1/4 cup butter 3/4 cup whipping cream If you’re like me you got to the pudding and sour cream and in your mind you said, “Yep, moist!”  Oh yes, very moist.

In a mixing bowl, combine cake mix, eggs, oil, water, pudding and sour cream.  Mix together for 5 minutes.  Add one cup chocolate chips and stir in.  Grease a bundt pan and spoon batter into pan.  Bake at 350 for 55 minutes.  Cool in pan for 15 minutes, then invert.  Cool completely (at least another 30 minutes).


Here is where I diverted from the recipe.  It calls for a can of store bought chocolate frosting, and without offending any store bought frosting fans, I’ll just say that I don’t buy it.  Period.  So we needed another alternative.  I had some whipping cream in the refrigerator that needed to be used, so I whipped up some chocolate ganache.  It was fabulous, a great pairing with this cake.

For the ganache:

3/4 cup whipping cream 1/4 cup butter 3/4 cup chocolate chips  (I usually use semi-sweet, but since I had just opened a bag of milk chocolate chips for the cake I used them instead, and surprisingly, it didn’t taste too sweet.)

In a small saucepan, heat cream and butter until just before it boils.  Remove from heat.  Place chocolate chips in a bowl and pour hot cream mixture over the chocolate chips.  Whisk until chocolate is completely melted and the ganache is smooth.  Let sit, stirring occasionally, while it cools.  You want it to cool to a good drizzling consistency, still warm enough to meander down the sides of the cake, but cool enough that it goes very slowly and doesn’t puddle.  It takes a little while, but it’s worth waiting.

Let the ganache set and serve that cake!  I hope you love it.  And here’s just one more picture of an incredibly moist cake with ganache on top.  I love the way it shines slightly in the light.  YUM!


Oh, we’ve been embellishing some mini notebooks this week over at Sisterview .  It’s a fun way to get the creative juices flowing, and would be a fun activity with the kids too. You could turn it into a Valentine as well.  Check them out!

Have a great weekend!

Hopeful Homemaker