papaya scones

Coconut-Pineapple Loaf Cake

Once again, a very "moist cake."  This one I felt the need to get rid of the many cans of pineapple chunks my grandma has provided me with in the bulk supply of costco.  I found this cake, but unfortunately I do not have sour cream sitting around.  I've been running into a lot of recipes lately that call for sour cream, so I looked for a substitute and found that for every cup of sour cream, you can use a cup of yogurt plus 1 tsp. of baking soda.  For this recipe, I did not have any plain yogurt, so I used 8 oz. of yoplait pineapple upside down cake yogurt and 1 tsp. of baking soda.  I like to freeze my yogurts, so I thawed the 8 oz. I needed in the microwave at 20 seconds, and so the yogurt had a thicker texture than regular refrigerated yogurt.  I was very satisfied with the outcome, and would definitely make again.



Coconut-Pineapple Loaf Cake
adopted from Martha Stewart
Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pan
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda + 1 teaspoon added w/yogurt
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup (8 ounces) Yoplait Pineapple Upside-Down Cake yogurt
• 1 can (20 ounces) pineapple chunks in juice, drained well
• Directions:
• 
  
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread coconut on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until lightly toasted, tossing occasionally, 6 to 10 minutes; set aside. Butter and flour a 9-by-5-inch (8-cup) loaf pan; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
  2. Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Reduce speed to low, and alternately add flour mixture in three parts and yogurt in two (remaining 1 tsp baking soda divided between the two parts), beginning and ending with flour mixture. Mix just until combined (do not overmix).
  3. Using a rubber spatula, fold pineapple and 1 cup coconut into batter. Spoon into prepared pan, and smooth top; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup coconut. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 65 to 70 minutes (cover pan with foil halfway through). Let cake cool in pan 15 minutes. Remove from pan, and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Housewoman

Today, after my late awakening, almost into the late afternoon, I decided to be ultra-productive, and make some cookie dough, mop the tile floors, and bake a cake.  The cake was due to my need to get rid of a bunch of bananas I haven't touched since I put into the fridge (which turned completely black, without loosing their shape or form).  I found this recipe that instead of an upside-down pineapple cake, used bananas.  It produced a very "moist" cake.  The peanut butter cookies I have made before, also gluten free, but the idea to dip them in chocolate came from bakerella.  Since I ran out of Baker's chocolate, I decided to use the chocolate fruit dip I had stored in my fridge.  After letting the cookies sit out for two days, the chocolate still did not harden.





The pictures of the banana cake look unappetizing, as it looks more like an anchovie cake.
upside down banana cake:

I cannot find the exact recipe I used, but it is similar to the one found here.


PB cookies

Oats 'n Shit

Gluten free recipe, Peter suggested I should promote to BJ's as new pizookie flavor called "Oats and Shit." When I first started making these, I didn't follow the instructions exactly and did not food process the oats (due to my lack of machinery). So when they started baking, they looked really mushy like they would not solidify into a cookie texture. However, after baking for the directed time, and letting them rest on the baking sheet, they molded into cookies, with nice crispy edges that had a carmelized taste. I'd like to brag and say that rumor has it, Anthony said they were the best fucking cookies he has ever had.


Salted Cashew Crunch Cookies
from Bake or Break
Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats, ground for 30 seconds in a food processor (I did not food process, because I did not have equipment)
• 2 cups salted cashew pieces or coarsely chopped cashews
• Directions:
• 
  
  Preheat oven to 350°.
  In a medium bowl, beat butter, sugar, salt, baking powder, vanilla, and egg. Add oats and mix. Then, mix in cashews.
  Drop dough by tablespoonfuls onto lightly greased or lined baking sheets. Sprinkle each cookie with salt. Flatten cookies to about 3/8-inch thick.
  Bake 12-14 minutes, or until light golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool on the baking pans.

Brownie filled Cookies

I love making bigass cookies.  And these top it. Consisting of brownie AND cookie, makes this masterpiece a brookie.  When I saw these on bakerella, I immediately bookmarked them and knew I had to make them some point this summer.  I had to take care that the dough stayed chilled, so that it was easier to work with.  However, the dough was still frustrating,  probably due to my disability of putting too large of brownie chunks inside the cookies.  Cookies worthy for a celebration, and celebrate we did with the best ice cream everrrr.

Dough and Brownie:

Interior:

Brownie Pillow Cookies

from bakerella

Ingredients:
1 package brownie mix

1 cup butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs, plus 1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
12 oz. bag miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips (I just used regular sized chips)

Directions:
Make brownies according to package and let cool. Cut about ten 1 inch squares. I used a 13x9 pan.

For the chocolate chip cookie dough, beat butter with a mixer until creamy.

Add brown sugar and beat until smooth.

Add eggs, yolk and vanilla. Beat until smooth.

Combine flour, baking powder, soda and salt in a medium bowl and stir together with a wire whisk.

Add flour to butter mixture and beat until combined. Stir in mini chips.

Let dough chill covered in the refrigerator for at least an hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Use a measuring cup to scoop batter by the 1/2 cup. Since it’s chilled, you may need to pack it with a spoon. Then use the spoon to remove the dough from the cup and place it on parchment paper. Work quickly so the dough remains chilled or either prepare one cookie at a time so the rest of the dough remains cold.

After the dough is on the parchment paper, make an indention and place a 1 inch square brownie in the center. Press the brownie down gently and work the remaining dough around the brownie. You can use your hands to shape the dough into a ball.

Chill the dough that you are not working with.  Once you complete a sheet, chill the formed balls in the fridge until you are ready to bake.  The key is to make sure the dough stays cold.

Prepare six cookies at a time using a large baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for about 18 minutes. Return the remaining dough to the refrigerator until time to bake the second batch.

Cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes and then cool completely on a wire rack.

Makes about ten cookies using a little less than a 1/2 cup of dough for each cookie.

If your cookies start to get too brown before they are done baking, you can place a sheet of aluminum foil over top for the last few minutes.

My face and Cookie:

Celebration of Faye's last day of server training! Cookie and Ice Cream (Rite-Aid Chocolate Malted Krunch, om nom nom) Party

Lime Bars

Since Key Lime Pie is Anthony's favorite dessert, these were made in part by me and faye to seduce/bribe him into giving us both a day off to go to SeaWorld.  Except everyone thought I was trying to bribe my way into a server promotion.  Super easy recipe, definitely do-able with my lack of any type of tart or springform pan.

Won us a day at SeaWorld. SHAM SLAM! (now to be adopted/initiated into the entourage)

Lime Bars   

by Evil Shenanigans

Ingredients:

For the crust:


1 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs


6 tablespoons salted butter, melted

1/4 cup sugar
zest of one lime

For the filling:


2 large egg yolks


1-14 oz. can fat free sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup lime juice

Directions:

1. Heat the oven to 350F, then grease an 8″ square pan, line it with parchment paper that hangs over the edge of the pan by a few inches (so you can remove the bars from the pan more easily). 

2. Combine the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, sugar, and zest.  Press into the prepared pan, pressing the crust mixture one inch up the side of the pan.  3. Bake for 10 minutes.  Allow to cool completely.

4. Once the crust is cooled combine the egg yolks and condensed milk until well mixed.  Stir in the lime juice and combine.  It will begin to thicken slightly.

3. Pour the filling into the crust, making sure the filling reaches the edges.  Bake for 15 minutes, or until just set.

4. Cool to room temperature, then chill for at least one hour, overnight is better.  Pull the bars out of the pan using the parchment paper and transfer to a cutting board.  Cut into 16 squares with a serrated knife.  To make cutting cleaner wipe the knife with a damp cloth between cuts.