These are yummy. I also made these for Christmas and have since been asked for the recipe several times. You can actually find it in several places if you just Google it, but here is a link anyway: Cookie Dough Truffles
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups all purpose flour
1 can (14oz.) sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
candy melts or chocolate bark for dipping and drizzling
In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until fluffy, beat in vanilla. Gradually add the flour, alternating with the milk. Stir in chocolate chips and walnuts.
Using a cookie scoop, scoop out 1" portions and drop onto waxed paper. Loosely cover and chill for about 1 hour.
Remove from fridge and roll into balls. Place back into the fridge for about 1 hour.
Melt candy melts or chocolate and dip the balls coating them evenly. Drizzle with another color of melted chocolate and chill for another 15 minutes or so until set.(Sorry I don't have a picture.)
Friday, February 3, 2012
Moisturizing Kitchen Hand Scrub
I made this hand scrub to give away at Christmas and I absolutely LOVE it. It makes my hands feel so soft and smooth. And it couldn't be easier. I filled jars and tied a cocktail spoon to the top with raffia.
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup kosher salt
zest of 1 large lemon (or other citrus)
1 cup olive oil
1/4 tsp pure lemon extract, optional
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. If you like a slightly stronger fragrance, add the extract. Spoon into a pretty jar. Makes enough to fill a 1pt canning jar.
Good Life Eats
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup kosher salt
zest of 1 large lemon (or other citrus)
1 cup olive oil
1/4 tsp pure lemon extract, optional
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. If you like a slightly stronger fragrance, add the extract. Spoon into a pretty jar. Makes enough to fill a 1pt canning jar.
Good Life Eats
Sand Rail
Hello again. About a month ago I was asked to create a cake with a few challenges. First, a German Chocolate cake without coconut or nuts. Second, a replica of a sand rail without fondant or butter cream. So, I made a chocolate cake (the chocolate mousse cake from my last post to be exact, because I really love how moist and chocolatey it is). Then, I made the German Chocolate frosting without the coconut or nuts. I added in a whole bag of Skor toffee bits. It turned out really good, although not as soft as a traditional frosting would have been.
I began with a recipe for Coconut Pecan Frosting.
Coconut Pecan Frosting
1 cup of sugar
1 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup butter
3 eggs beaten
1 1/3 cups flaked coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
1 tsp vanilla
In a medium saucepan combine sugar, milk, butter and eggs. Cook over medium heat until the mixture starts to bubble, stirring constantly. Stir in the coconut, pecans and vanilla. Let cool to room temperature. Fill and frost your cake.
Enough to fill and frost 2-9" layers
I modified this slightly. I omitted the coconut and nuts and waited until the frosting had cooled a bit so that the chocolate covered Skor bits wouldn't melt. Then I mixed in the toffee bits put it in the fridge (because it has eggs in it) until I needed it. Although I would recommend making it closer to when you need it because it really was too hard to spread after being chilled. But it tasted really good.
Then, instead of butter cream or fondant, I made whipped cream icing. This stuff is great on hot chocolate too.
Decorating Whipped Cream Icing
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 Tbsp sifted confectioners sugar
2 Tbsp piping gel
1/2 tsp clear vanilla
Combine whipping cream and sugar in a mixing bowl. Whip to soft peaks. Add piping gel and vanilla, then continue to whip until you have stiff peaks. Do not over beat.
Note: You can find the piping gel at Michael's or other cake supply shop. Also, I recommend beating it or making it smooth before adding it. You will over beat the whipped cream trying to beat out any lumps in the gel.
To make chocolate whipped cream, I added a tablespoon or two of sifted cocoa powder to the cream and sugar.
I used the chocolate whipped cream to frost the sides of the chocolate cake and to create a border for the German Chocolate frosting.
Next came the dune buggy or sand rail cake. I baked 2 vanilla cakes in loaf pans. I had to adjust baking time and temperature for these but you will have to see what your oven will do.
I trimmed and layered them to make the frame of the sand rail. I stacked them on top of the German Chocolate cake and stabilized with a wooden dowel. (We didn't need another cake catastrophe.) I layered with whipped cream. Then I colored the rest of the whipped cream orange and frosted the body of the sand rail. I had to let it chill at this point.
After chilling for a little while to keep the whipped cream set, I cut out a stencil of paper and "spray painted" the detail in black. I knew that if I had tried to pipe it on in black, it would have bled into the orange.
I let it chill again before inserting the fondant wheels (a little out of proportion), fondant seats and floral wire roll cage. I added the finishing touches and I think it came out pretty good considering the limitations in decorating medium.
I began with a recipe for Coconut Pecan Frosting.
Coconut Pecan Frosting
1 cup of sugar
1 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup butter
3 eggs beaten
1 1/3 cups flaked coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
1 tsp vanilla
In a medium saucepan combine sugar, milk, butter and eggs. Cook over medium heat until the mixture starts to bubble, stirring constantly. Stir in the coconut, pecans and vanilla. Let cool to room temperature. Fill and frost your cake.
Enough to fill and frost 2-9" layers
I modified this slightly. I omitted the coconut and nuts and waited until the frosting had cooled a bit so that the chocolate covered Skor bits wouldn't melt. Then I mixed in the toffee bits put it in the fridge (because it has eggs in it) until I needed it. Although I would recommend making it closer to when you need it because it really was too hard to spread after being chilled. But it tasted really good.
Then, instead of butter cream or fondant, I made whipped cream icing. This stuff is great on hot chocolate too.
Decorating Whipped Cream Icing
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 Tbsp sifted confectioners sugar
2 Tbsp piping gel
1/2 tsp clear vanilla
Combine whipping cream and sugar in a mixing bowl. Whip to soft peaks. Add piping gel and vanilla, then continue to whip until you have stiff peaks. Do not over beat.
Note: You can find the piping gel at Michael's or other cake supply shop. Also, I recommend beating it or making it smooth before adding it. You will over beat the whipped cream trying to beat out any lumps in the gel.
To make chocolate whipped cream, I added a tablespoon or two of sifted cocoa powder to the cream and sugar.
I used the chocolate whipped cream to frost the sides of the chocolate cake and to create a border for the German Chocolate frosting.
Next came the dune buggy or sand rail cake. I baked 2 vanilla cakes in loaf pans. I had to adjust baking time and temperature for these but you will have to see what your oven will do.
I trimmed and layered them to make the frame of the sand rail. I stacked them on top of the German Chocolate cake and stabilized with a wooden dowel. (We didn't need another cake catastrophe.) I layered with whipped cream. Then I colored the rest of the whipped cream orange and frosted the body of the sand rail. I had to let it chill at this point.
After chilling for a little while to keep the whipped cream set, I cut out a stencil of paper and "spray painted" the detail in black. I knew that if I had tried to pipe it on in black, it would have bled into the orange.
I let it chill again before inserting the fondant wheels (a little out of proportion), fondant seats and floral wire roll cage. I added the finishing touches and I think it came out pretty good considering the limitations in decorating medium.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)