Peonies, Pitchers and Piping Hot Muffins

My two largest peony bushes are quickly coming to the end of their flowering season.

That leaves two others still to be enjoyed.

With the recent storms, I've taken to bringing plenty of the blooms indoors to enjoy. I tend to gravitate to white pitchers and the turquoise one with the peony motif.

Of course, feathering one's nest means perfuming the house with something from the oven.  

Let's not leave that job solely to the pink peonies.

Spiced Apple Muffins.

The recipe is from Company's Coming: Muffins and More by Jean Paré.

It may be raining heavily outdoors, but I have peonies, pitchers and piping hot muffins.

 Care to join me?

A Little Note: My Little Home and Garden is now on Facebook. 

Please click the Facebook badge in the right hand margin (or here) to link directly to the page. 

I hope that you say "hello" if you pop over to visit! 

I'm pleased to be linking with Cottage Garden Party at Fishtail Cottage.

If I made this, I don't know if I could eat it!

This just looks incredible, I found the picture and had to find the recipe to go with it. I found it at clockwork lemon blog. It looks quite spectacular! 

Pull Apart Lemon Coffee Cake

The title says "cake" but I really feel that "bread" better describes what this is. Sweet yeasty dough cut and slathered with butter and lemon infused sugar is baked and then spread with lemon cream cheese icing. Once its iced you can just peel the slices off, no need to cut (who has time to find a knife anyways??)

When I think coffee cake I think dense, moist, and sweet.. this is more soft, lemony, and sweet-ish. Bread is a better description.

However, it really doesn't matter what you call it, its not going to be around for long after you make it. This one was pulled to pieces and disappeared in a flash at our brunch on Sunday. Nobody cared what category of baked good it fell under

I found the recipe at 17 and Baking and I knew that I *had* to make it for brunch. I changed the recipe slightly because I wanted to be able to make the dough the night before and then just assemble the loaf and bake it the morning of thebrunch.

The dough is a bit sticky so having a stand mixer helps form it without getting it all over your hands. I know that stickiness makes everyone want to add extra flour, but resist the urge! A higher moisture content (which causes the stickiness) makes a softer, more flavorful loaf. Too much flour= dry bread.

It also helps to have a ruler as a guide for cutting the strips of dough before stacking them and cutting again. It early (and thus dark) when I was rolling out the dough so I've hidden my ugly picture of cutting the dough here if you want to see an example.

This made the house smell amazing..bread baking + lemon sugar mmm.

After about 20 minutes of baking I tented my loaf with some tinfoil to prevent the top from turning too dark before the rest of it had finished baking. After around 40 minutes I pulled it out of the oven and tipped it onto a cooling rack.

The loaf gets spread with lemon cream cheese icing while its still warm. It melts into all the nooks and crannies and makes everything sweet and tangy and gooey.

Soft inside with flecks of lemon and orange zest. Once you start peeling...

...its hard to stop.

Even the end pieces are delicious, the lemon sugar caramelizes on them and makes a sweet crunchy shell.

I can't wait to try it with cinnamon and brown sugar.

Pull Apart Lemon Coffee Cake (Bread)

Sweet Yeast Dough

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (You might not use all of this)

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 1/4 teaspoons (1 envelope) instant yeast 

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup whole milk

2 ounces unsalted butter

1/4 cup (2 fluid ounces) water

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 large eggs, at room temperature

Lemon Sugar Filling

1/2 cup granulated sugar

Zest of three lemons

1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest

2 ounces unsalted butter, melted

Tangy Cream Cheese Icing

3 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon whole milk

1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Make the dough:

1. In the microwave heat the butter and the milk together until the butter melts. Set aside to cool slightly. While it is cooling Mix two cups of the flour with the yeast and the sugar in the bowl of a mixer. Then add the water to the milk mixture and stir in the vanilla extract

2. Pour the milk mixture over the flour mixer and stir until combined. Turn the mixer on low speed and add the eggs one at a time, mixing each egg until it is combined. Add another 1/2 of the flour and the salt and mix till combined.

3. Sprinkle the dough with 2 tbsp of flour and knead it with the dough hook for 3 minutes. The dough will be sticky but should become soft and smooth from the kneading. Place the dough in a large bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm place 45-60 minutes or until doubled in size.

Make Ahead Tip: If you want to make the dough the night before you bake it just gently deflate the dough after its first rise, place back in the bowl and cover it with plastic. Stick it in the fridge overnight (it will continue to rise, but at a much slower rate. Plus you get added flavor in the bread from the benefit of a slow, cold rise) The next day take the dough out and bring it to room temperature before proceeding with the next steps. I like to cover my dough with a damp piece of paper towel and stick it in my oven at the lowest temperature until it is room temp.

4. Mix the sugar, lemon zest, and orange zest. It will draw out the citrus oils and make the sugar sandy and fragrant.

5. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9″x5″ loaf pan or spray it will baking spray

6. Forming the loaf: Deflate the dough with your hand. Flour a work surface and roll the dough into a 20″ by 12″ rectangle. This part is a lot easier with a ruler on hand! Use a pastry brush to thickly coat the dough with the melted butter

7. Use a pizza cutter, pastry cutter, or a sharp knife to cut the dough crosswise in five strips, each about 12″ by 4″ (it might not be this exact size, but try to make the five strips be equal sizes). Sprinkle 1 1/2 tablespoons of the lemon sugar over the first buttered rectangle and gently press the sugar in. Top it with a second rectangle, sprinkling that one with 1 1/2 tablespoons of lemon sugar as well. Continue to top with rectangles and sprinkle, so you have a stack of five 12″ by 4″ rectangles, all buttered and topped with lemon sugar. 

8. Slice this new stack crosswise, through all five layers, into 6 equal rectangles (each should be 4″ by 2″.) Carefully transfer these strips of dough into the loaf pan, cut edges up, side by side. it might be a little roomy, but the bread will rise and expand after baking. Loosely cover the pan with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place until puffy and almost doubled in size, 30 to 50 minutes.

9.Bake the loaf for 20 minutes and then check to make sure that top isn't browning too quickly. If it is, just cover the top of the loaf with tinfoil and continue baking. My loaf took a little over 40 minutes to bake completely. When done, transfer to a wire rack and let cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes.

10. Meanwhile, make the cream cheese icing. Beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar in a medium bowl with a wooden spoon until smooth, then add the milk and lemon juice. Stir until creamy and smooth. Spread over the warm bread (you might want to put some plastic wrap or parchment paper under the bread to catch the drips)

11. Eat!

via:seddy5.typepad.com/blog

Rainbow Cake Recipe!

It’s the ever-popular rainbow cake… with a natural twist! Kelsey Hilts of Itsy Bitsy Foodies – is here today sharing her clever tutorial for a Rainbow Cake with Natural Dyes! The rainbow colors are achieved using colorful fruits, veggies, and egg yolks. Thanks so much to Kelsey for sharing this creative recipe with others that want to avoid regular food coloring and still eat their rainbow cake too. ;)

THE CHALLENGE

From Kelsey: “Rainbow cakes are everywhere these days. I made one last summer and my family and guests loved the bright, vibrant colors. But in the back of my mind I couldn’t help but think of the negative discussion and controversy surrounding chemical food coloring. My husband was actually the one to challenge me to make a rainbow cake with natural food dyes.

My son, who is my toughest critic, ate it (while exclaiming, It’s beautiful, Mommy!) The rest of my family concurred that surprisingly it tasted just like cake and that it seemed much more palatable than the typical bright rainbow cake made with synthetic dyes. So, I considered the baking experiment a success. I would much rather serve my loved ones a beet or carrot-colored cake than an artificially-colored alternative.

A rainbow cake made with natural dyes can be an incredible and fun learning experience for your kids. They can brainstorm fruits, veggies and other colorful foods and then experiment with creating a beautiful and natural rainbow. Not only is it educational but it can also help your kids learn to appreciate the natural beauty of foods. And the process can be translated into many other cooking projects or non-edible projects such as homemade finger paints and homemade playdough.”

Rainbow Cake with Homemade, All-Natural Dyes

by Kelsey Hilts

: 

INGREDIENTS:

::

NATURAL DYES:

– 1-2 Tbsp beet juice

– 1 Tbsp carrot juice

– 1 egg yolk

– 1 Tbsp spinach juice

– 1+ Tbsp blueberry juice

– 1+ Tbsp blackberry juice

WHITE CAKE {Courtesy of Cooking Light}:

– 3 1/2 cups flour

– 2 tsp baking powder

– 1/2 tsp baking soda

– 1 3/4 cups sugar

– 1/4 cup butter

– 1 1/2 Tbsp oil

– 2 egg whites

– 1 2/3 cups milk, divided

– 1/2 cup plain, fat-free yogurt

– 2 1/2 tsp vanilla

BUTTERCREAM FROSTING:

– 3 3/4 cups powdered sugar

– 1/2 cup butter, softened

– 1 tsp vanilla

– 3 Tbsp milk

WHIPPED CREAM FROSTING:

– 2 cups heavy cream

– 1/4 cup powdered sugar

– 1/8 tsp salt

– 1 tsp vanilla extract

*****

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS:

::

NATURAL DYES:

Red: Juice beets in a juicer or use the liquid in canned beets.

Orange: Juice carrots in a juicer or buy carrot juice.

Yellow: (you’ll use an egg yolks for this)

Green: Juice spinach in a juicer.

Blue: Microwave roughly 1/4 cup frozen blueberries in 30 second intervals until they start to burst, straining out 1+ Tbsp of blueberry juice.

Purple: Microwave roughly 1/4 cup frozen blackberries in 30 second intervals until they start to burst, straining out 1+ Tbsp of blackberry juice.

WHITE CAKE {Courtesy of Cooking Light}:

1. Cream the butter, oil and sugar. Add the egg whites and beat well. Add the vanilla, 1 cup milk and yogurt alternately with the flour, baking powder and baking soda.

2. Pour six 1/2-cup portions of cake batter into separate bowls. Mix the natural dye into each bowl {2 Tbsp beet juice, 1 1/2 Tbsp carrot juice, 1 egg yolk + 1 Tbsp milk, 1 Tbsp spinach juice, 1 Tbsp blueberry juice and 1 Tbsp blackberry juice, adjusting the color by using more or less dye}. Reserve the remaining batter for a different use. {You will either need to add roughly 4 1/2 Tbsp milk to the remaining batter or the equivalent in natural dye.}

3. Pour each 1/2 cup colored batter into a greased and floured 5 1/2-inch cake pan.

5. Bake the cakes for 10-15 minutes or until the top of the cake springs back to the touch and a toothpick comes out clean.

6. Let the cakes cool for five minutes in the pan and then gently slide a knife around the edges and invert the cakes on a wire rack to cool completely.

{You could also make cupcakes by layering the colored batter into each lined cupcake tin.}

BUTTERCREAM FROSTING:

1. Mix the ingredients and beat for several minutes until a smooth, creamy frosting forms.

2. Adjust the consistency by adding more powdered sugar or milk.

WHIPPED CREAM FROSTING:

1. Beat the cream, sugar and salt at medium speed until stiff peaks form.

2. Fold in the vanilla extract.

RAINBOW CAKE:

1. Assemble the cake once the layers have completely cooled.

2. Place the purple layer on the serving cake platter.

3. Spread a couple of spoonfuls of buttercream frosting over the top of the layer, smoothing it until it is even.

4. Place the blue layer on top and repeat the process until the red layer is on top.

5. Place the layered cake in the freezer for five minutes to let the icing set so that when you ice the exterior of the cake the layers won’t slide around.

6. Using a knife, generously coat the top and sides of the cake with buttercream frosting, smoothing it with a spatula or a table knife, making sure that it is completely covered but getting rid of excess frosting.

7. Then spread the whipped cream frosting on top for a finishing coat, either spreading it smooth with a knife or spatula or pulling it into soft peaks using a knife or the back of a spoon.

Then serve your beautiful rainbow cake!

Chocolate-- Yummmm! Great Cake Recipe!

Although not scientifically proven, chocolate is believed by many, to be an aphrodisiac. The theory is supported by the fact that chocolate does contain among many chemicals the stimulants: caffeine, theobromine, and phenyethylamine.

More than twice as many women than men eat and crave chocolate.

Chocolate produces the effects of a mild anti-depressant by increasing serotonin and endorphin levels in the brain.

More than 66 percent of the worlds cacao is produced in Africa and 98 percent of the worlds cocoa is produced by just 15 countries.

More than twice as many women than men eat and crave chocolate.

More than 7 billion chocolate chips are eaten annually.

Ninety percent of the worlds cacao is grown on small family run farms, no larger than 12 acres.

Napoleon always carried chocolate with him, which he ate as a pick-me-up whenever he needed an energy boost. (and we all thought he bought it for Josephine...).

Despite being high in fat content, chocolate doesn't appear to raise blood cholesterol levels.

Almost half the world's chocolate is consumed in America.

Allergies to chocolate are uncommon (isn't that good to know).

Terry's of York will produce over 350 million segments of chocolate orange per year.

The biggest chocolate structure ever made was a 4,484lb, 10 foot tall, Easter egg, made in Melbourne Australia.

Chocolate contains a small quantity of caffeine emulates a mild amphetamine.

Research suggests that chocolate was originally used more than 2,500 years ago, begining in Central America. The Mayan civilisation considered Cacao to be a divine gift and so, it was held in high regard. It was used ceremoniously and sometimes as a form of currency. The name 'Cacao' is a Maya word meaning 'god food' which after being introduced to Europe in the 16th century, formed the basis of the Latin name for the Cacao tree 'Theobrama Cacao' meaning 'food for the gods'. It is thought that the word 'cocoa' has come about through a miss-spelling of 'cacao.'

The name chocolate comes from the Aztec word xocalati meaning bitter water. Not surprising, considering they made a drink, by mixing cacao beans with chillies, achiote, cornmeal, and some reports suggest the inclusion hallucinogenic Mushrooms (probably helped to get over the taste).

More than 7 billion chocolate chips are eaten annually.

Have you ever had a chocolate cake from "Nothing Bundt Cakes"?  If you haven't they're amazing! Well this recipe below is a pretty good match to their chocolate chocolate chip cake! 

Ingredients

1 (18.25 ounce) package devil's food cake mix

1 (5.9 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix

1 cup sour cream

1 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs

1/2 cup warm water

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

In a large bowl, mix together the cake and pudding mixes, sour cream, oil, beaten eggs and water. Stir in the chocolate chips and pour batter into a well greased 12 cup bundt pan.

Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until top is springy to the touch and a wooden toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool cake thoroughly in pan at least an hour and a half before inverting onto a plate If desired, dust the cake with powdered sugar.

It also tastes great with a sour cream frosting on it!

Sour Cream Frosting

Ingredients

4 tablespoons butter, softened

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar

Directions

In a medium bowl, mix together the butter, sour cream, vanilla, lemon juice and salt. Stir in confectioners' sugar, and beat with an electric mixer until smooth.

/www.streetdirectory.com/,g-ol-den.tumblr.com

So Creative! Really Cool Cupcakes!

I think I'll have to try this one! Love it!

In a few days, Peter Cottontail will be hoppin’ down the bunny trail… so we better have some carrots ready for him!But not just any carrots. Really, how many boring carrots can one bunny eat? I say we go for sparkling carrotswith a surprise inside!

Hi, it’s Carrie Sellman from Half Baked, the cake blog for sweet inspiration. I’m happy to be back at HWTM today, sharing a different kind of carrot recipe – just in time for EASTER! Sure to make your little egg-hunters squeal with delight, these carrots are actually cupcakes!! Cake batter is baked inside an ice cream cone, topped with icing and then coated in orange candy and oodles of sprinkles. Edible grass provides the finishing touch on top.Just look inside!

*****

SPARKLING CARROT CUPCAKES – A DIY TUTORIAL

by Carrie Sellman

makes 12 cupcakes

INGREDIENTS:

– Ice Cream Cones (12)

– Chocolate Cake Batter (made from mix or from scratch)

– Buttercream Icing (store bought or homemade)

– Orange Candy Melts (2 packs)

– Orange Sprinkles (2 jars)

– Green Edible Candy Grass

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place an oven-safe wire rack on top. Stand ice cream cones upright in slots of wire rack. Cones must fit snuggly or they will fall over when baking. Some batter may leak out the bottom of cone while baking (but that’s why we’re lining our baking sheet with parchment).

2. Fill each cone 2/3 of the way full with cake batter. Bake approximately 15 minutes at 350 degrees, until toothpick comes out almost clean. Let cool completely.

3. Top each cone with a small mound of icing. Return to wire tray and place in freezer for 15 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, melt orange candy coating in a tall microwave-safe container. Heat in microwave for 30 seconds at 50% power. Stir. Repeat until candy is completely melted.

5. Dip chilled cone into melted orange candy, holding the pointed end of cone with your fingers (icing goes down). Cover as much as possible. Pull up and out of candy coating slowly.

6. Before candy coating hardens, hold cone over a bowl and coat with orange sprinkles. Sprinkle, sprinkle, sprinkle until all areas are covered. Let excess sprinkles fall into bowl so you can reuse.

7. Set cone onto parchment paper, icing side down, until hard. This is a good time to touch up any areas you missed, especially the tip. They firm up quickly and will actually be quite solid once set. Do not worry if they are a little wonky or knobby. Real carrots aren’t perfect either!

8. Using a toothpick, make a small hole in the top center of the carrot. Insert a few pieces of edible grass and trim to desired length.

ENJOY!

*****

STYLING IDEAS:

– Stand carrots upright in a popcorn cone holder. I attached a white wooden fence to my popcorn holder for an extra little touch. Spoon crushed Oreo crumbs around the carrots to look like dirt.

– Bake extra cake batter in a loaf pan. Cover this cake with icing and crushed Oreo crumbs. Use this as your ‘display stand’ by inserting carrots into cake.

– Simply lay carrots on a plate covered with crushed Oreos or extra edible grass.

– Place carrots in individual cellophane bags and tie with a green ribbon to create favor or portable treat.

Happy Easter!

Sweet Springtime Recipe

Matcha Delight

via:happyhomebaking.blogspot.com

I had made plans earlier to make a tiramisu torte for a potluck party. However, it was later decided that the gathering would be at a restaurant instead, so I was left with a tub of mascarpone cheese and a pack of sponge fingers.

Just when the expiry date of the cream cheese was up, I managed to use it to make a green tea version of the Tiramisu Charlotte Cake with a new can of matcha powder.

I tweak the recipe a little to incorporate the matcha powder in the filling and the syrup for dipping the sponge fingers. When mixing the mascarpone cheese, I first experimented with one teaspoon of matcha powder. The green tea flavour was not as prominent as I like it to be. So I added in another teaspoon and the taste was just right...at least I know my kids would be able to accept it without any complaints. However, with that extra teaspoon of matcha powder, the mixture turned grainy and I started to get worried.

I guess my 'make-believe' baking fairy has returned from holidays, after mixing the whipped cream to the mascarpone cheese mixture, the resulting filling became very smooth and the colour has changed into a nice pastel green.

Instead of using dairy cream, I made this green tiramisu with non-dairy whipping cream which is lighter and less rich.

I didn't have any idea how to go about decorating the cake. In the end, I took a small piece of baking paper and cut out some simple flowers to use as stencil. I wish I could do better with the decoration...but, with my limited skills and lack of artistic talent, I guess I would not be able to create anything better than this ;')

Although I have not tasted any green tea tiramisu before, I must say this concoction turned out to be a great dessert. So simple to prepare and yet tasted deliciously light and refreshing. All of us like the distinct matcha flavour, including my younger kid who is never a matcha fan ^-^

Matcha Tiramisu

Ingredients:

(makes a 7" cake)

Filling:
250g mascarpone cheese
2 tablespoons icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons matcha powder
200 ml non-dairy whipping cream

Matcha Syrup:
1 tablespoon matcha powder
1/2 cup (125ml) boiling water

about 24 sponge fingers (savoiardi)
extra matcha powder for dusting



Method:
To make the Matcha Syrup:
Dissolve matcha powder in boiling water. Leave to cool.

To make the Filling:
In a mixing bowl, with a manual whisk, whisk mascarpone cheese with icing sugar and vanilla extract. Add in two teaspoons matcha powder and mix until blended.

With an electric mixer whisk the non-dairy whipping cream until stiff peak. With a spatula, fold in 1/3 of the whipped cream to the mascarpone mixture. Fold in the remaining whipped cream to the mascarpone mixture.

To assemble the cake:
Cut off one end of the sponge fingers so that each one is about 3" in length. Line the sides of a 7" round baking pan* (with a removable base or use a springform pan) with the sponge fingers. You will need about 17 sponge fingers (depending on the type/brand). If the last sponge finger cannot fit in nicely, trim away part of it to fit it in. Save the leftover small pieces.

One at a time, gently dip (do not soak) sponge fingers in the matcha syrup and use them to line the base of the pan. Or you can use a brush to brush the sponge fingers with the matcha syrup. Cut the sponge fingers into shorter lengths if necessary. Use the leftover pieces to fill the gaps.

Spoon over half of the filling. Spread evenly. Repeat with another layer of sponge fingers and spoon over the remaining filling. Spread and smooth the top. Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, best left overnight.

Just before serving, unmold the cake and dust the top with matcha powder.

Note:
*If you do not have a springform pan or a pan with a removable base, you can improvise by lining a normal round pan with a large sheet of aluminium foil. Give allowance of about 1~2 inches for the foil to hang over the rim of the pan. Place a cake board inside the lined pan. Follow the steps above. To unmold, simply lift up the cake from the pan by gripping the foil. Transfer the cake onto a serving plate and carefully remove the foil.