Cake Release

I do have to say my kitchen is pretty stocked at all times.  Well..... one day last week I prepped my Walmart Grocery pick up order.  I meticulously went through each recipe and added ingredients to my cart.  Checked out and picked up my order later that day.

When I got home and sorted every item out by recipe and went to the cabinet to get the baking spray with flour the can was just about empty.  Oh crud!!!!!  What is a home baker to do?  Go to Pinterest!

I immediately found a recipe for cake release that had lots of good reviews.  I had all the ingredients and decided to whip up a batch.

1 cup of vegetable oil
1 cup of plain shortening
1 cup of All Purpose Flour

In a mixer combine all the ingredients until it become a smooth but loose paste.  Store in a mason jar in the fridge for a couple of months.  You of course could halve this or even quarter it.

I found that using a traditional pastry brush is much better than a silicone brush.  The tradition bristles get into the little crevices of mini bundt pans and the bottoms of the mini muffin pans.

Brownie Bites

Oh my gosh, I spotted this little recipe on Pinterest and HAD to hunt down the Hot Cocoa 3 Musketeers.  Good thing I found them at Target.  You can find the original recipe at Inside BruCrew Life. Granted half of hers were "fancy" with whipped cream and sprinkles.  Miss V and I decided on just brownie bites with candy.

1 box brownie mix and necessary ingredients
1 bag Hot Cocoa 3 Musketeers candy bars (10 oz.) (and she wanted some peppermint kisses on some)

Mix the box brownie mix according to the package directions. Spray a mini muffin tin with non stick spray. (I recommend Baker's Joy (the one with flour for this) Fill each tin with 1 teaspoon brownie batter or use a mini cookie scoop.

Bake at 350 degrees for 11 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool 2 minutes. Press an unwrapped candy bar into the center of each brownie bite. Let cool another 2 minutes.

Use a small offset spatula to loosen the edges of the brownies and pop them out of the tins. Place on a wire rack and let cool completely.

Store in an air tight container. Makes 48 mini brownie bites.

Peppermint Brownies in a Jar

At our church's gift making day, the kids made Peppermint Brownies in a Jar.  I also made some for Miss V's teachers.  You can find the directions at Skip To My Lou.  It also has a link to the printable labels.

I didn't layer these last two in the right order.  I was quickly trying to get them done.  If you see the time on the stove, yes that is AM.....One family already made them and reported that they were FANTASTIC!

Chocolate Malt Brownies in a jar

I found this recipe on Pinterest.  You can find the original recipe at A Spicy Perspective.  The original recipe made 12 half pint jars.  I doubled the recipe and made 24 jars for Teacher Appreciation Lunch.  These came out fantastic and the whipped cream held up great even a couple days later.

The recipe below is for 12 jars.

For the brownies:

1 package brownie mix (13x9 size)
1-2 eggs depending on whether you like them fudgey or cakey.  I prefer fudgey.
1/3 cup coconut oil
1/3 cup water

For the Chocolate Malt Pudding:
3.4 oz package instant chocolate pudding
2 cups cold milk
1/2 cup Ovaltine Malt Powder

For the Chocolate Malt Cream:
1 1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup Ovaltine Malt Powder
1 Tb. cocoa powder
1/4 cup powdered sugar

For the Whipped Cream:
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/3 cup powdered sugar

Preheat your oven to the specification on the brownie mix.

Spray the inside of 12 half pint mason jars.

Mix up your brownies and evenly divide among the 12 jars.  Place the jars on a cookie sheet and bake approx 30 minutes.

For the Chocolate Malt Pudding: Mix the pudding according to package directions incorporating 1/2 cup malted milk powder. Refrigerator until ready to use.

For the Chocolate Malt Cream: Whip 1 1/2 cups heavy cream with 1/4 cup malted milk powder, 1/4 cup powdered sugar and 1 Tb. cocoa powder. Whip to a firm consistency then cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

For the Whipped Cream: Whip the remaining heavy cream with 1/3 cup powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

To assemble: Allow the brownies to cool completely before adding the layers. Neatly add a little less than 1/4 cup scoop of pudding (3 Tb.) to each jar. Followed by the same amount of chocolate malt cream. Top each jar with whipped cream.

I found it easy to use disposable piping bags with the ends snipped off to add the whipped creams.  It also helps to make sure your bowl and beater is well chilled (placed in freezer for about 15 minutes).  

These were a huge hit at school and at home.

Spooky Halloween Trees (Part 2)

Ok so yesterday when I made the Spooky Halloween Tree cookies for my Tricks & Treats workshop, I was NOT happy with them. The cookies were very crumbly and I figured that if the kids went to frost them they would all fall apart and I didn't want that to happen. So I had a couple boxes of brownie mix. I used both boxes and baked them in a half sheet pan for about 30 minutes. I chilled them to make them easier to cut.

At work I cut them into 3x2 rectangles.

After all the kids got their brownies, frosting and decorations I decorated a couple for the parents waiting in the lobby.

I am so glad that I found chocolate twizzlers at Target. They tasted so much better than the black licorice.

I think they came out cute and the frosting was very good! Some of the decorations were from Wilton. Most of the kids picked the Hallow Pumpkin Mix. We also used the 6 mix assortment.

S'mores Bars Version 2

I also made these for our July 4th party.

Ingredients:
8 to 10 whole graham crackers
1 package fudge brownie mix (13-inch x 9-inch pan size)
2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips (I used dark chocolate)
2/3 cup chopped graham crackers

Directions:

Arrange graham crackers in a single layer in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking pan.

Prepare the brownie batter according to package directions. Spread over crackers.

Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

Sprinkle with marshmallows, chocolate chips and chopped graham crackers.

Bake 5 minutes longer or until marshmallows are slightly puffed and golden brown. Cool on a wire rack before cutting.

Stars and Stripes Brownies

Again, more help from Betty Crocker,

1 box (1 lb 6.5 oz) Betty Crocker Original Supreme brownie mix (with chocolate syrup pouch)
Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on brownie mix box

1 container (12 oz) Betty Crocker® Whipped fluffy white frosting
1 tube (0.68 oz) Betty Crocker® red decorating gel
1 tube (0.68 oz) Betty Crocker® blue decorating gel
1 tube (0.68 oz) Betty Crocker® white decorator icing
Betty Crocker® Decorating Decors stars

Heat oven to 350°F. Line 13x9-inch pan with foil so foil extends about 2 inches over sides of pan. Spray foil with cooking spray. Make and bake brownies as directed on box for 13x9-inch pan, using water, oil and eggs. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

Remove brownies from pan by lifting foil; peel foil from sides of brownies. Continue as desired with options below.

Flag Brownies: Frost brownies. Using red decorating gel, pipe stripes onto frosted brownie. Add decors in upper left corner of brownie. 24 brownies

Firecracker Brownies: Using 1-inch round cookie cutter, cut out brownie rounds. Stack 2 brownie rounds together, spreading frosting between rounds and on top. Garnish with decors. 48 brownies

Star Brownies: Using 2 1/2-inch star-shaped cookie cutter, cut brownies. Place frosting in resealable food-storage bag; cut off one bottom corner of bag. Pipe frosting on star-shaped brownies. Sprinkle with decors. 13 brownies

Star Brownies

For our July 4th party, I took a lot of help from Betty! (Betty Crocker, LOL)

1 box (1 lb 6.5 oz) Betty Crocker Original Supreme brownie mix (with chocolate syrup pouch)
Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on brownie mix box

1/2 cup Betty Crocker® Whipped fluffy white frosting (from 12-oz container)
Betty Crocker® Decorating Decors stars

Heat oven to 350°F. Line 13x9-inch pan with foil so foil extends about 2 inches over sides of pan. Spray foil with cooking spray. Make and bake brownies as directed on box for 13x9-inch pan, using water, oil and eggs. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

Remove brownies from pan by lifting foil; peel foil from sides of brownies. Using 2 1/2-inch star-shaped cookie cutter, cut brownies. Place frosting in resealable food-storage plastic bag; seal bag. Cut off one bottom corner of bag. Pipe frosting on star-shaped brownies. Sprinkle with decors.

Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies

Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies, from my new Martha Stewart Cookies cookbook.

FOR THE BATTER
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, plus more for pan
2 ounces good-quality unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
4 ounces good-quality semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

FOR THE FILLING
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a buttered 8-inch square baking pan with foil or parchment paper, allowing 2 inches to hang over sides. Butter lining (excluding overhang); set pan aside.
Make batter: Put butter and chocolates in a heatproof medium bowl set over a pan of simmering water; stir until melted. Let cool slightly.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl, and set aside.
Whisk granulated sugar into chocolate mixture. Add eggs, and whisk until mixture is smooth. Stir in vanilla. Add flour mixture; stir until well incorporated.

Make filling: Stir together butter, confectioners' sugar, peanut butter, salt, and vanilla in a bowl until smooth.

Pour one-third of batter into prepared pan, and spread evenly with a rubber spatula. Place dollops of filling (about 1 tablespoon each) about 1 inch apart on top of batter. Drizzle remaining batter on top, and gently spread to fill pan. Place dollops of remaining filling on top.

With a butter knife, gently swirl filling into batter, running knife lengthwise and crosswise through layers. Bake until a cake tester inserted into brownies (avoid center and edges) comes out with a few crumbs but is not wet, about 45 minutes. Let cool slightly in pan, about 15minutes.

Lift out brownies; let cool completely on a wire rack before cutting into squares.

I didn't have anymore parchment so I sprayed the pan with cooking spray with flour.

3/26 PICTURES!!! (First one is just for Michelle ::wink:: my double boiler)



Chocolate all melted...

1/3rd of the batter and some of the peanut butter mixture

Ready to go in the oven

All done and VERY YUMMY!!