Thursday, February 17, 2011

Sugar Cookie Frosting Recipe

This is from I am Baker.

* 1 cup Confectioners Sugar (powder sugar)
* 1 Tablespoon Milk
* 1 drop Lemon Juice (fresh or processed)
* 1 Tablespoon Light Corn Syrup

Combine powder sugar, corn syrup, and lemon juice in a bowl.

******This next step is important!******

If you need a thicker frosting, say for outlining your cookies, add LESS milk. Just a drop at a time.

If you have already outlined your cookies and need a to fill in or ’spill’ your cookies, you can add more milk (as much as you would need) to make your frosting very runny.

If you are using food coloring, be sure to use LESS milk. Most food colorings are liquid and can make your frosting more runny. If you are using a gel food coloring, your milk quanity can remain the same.

If you want to add different flavors, you can add drops of vanilla extract, almond extract, lemon, etc. to flavor your frosting.

If you want more SHINE, use more corn syrup and less milk.

This frosting will stay good for days in the fridge.

Paula Deen's Red Velvet Cake

Paula Deen's Grandmother Paul's Red Velvet Cake Recipe

Cake:
2 cups sugar
1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
2 eggs
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 ounces red food coloring
2 1/2 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon vinegar

Icing:
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
1 stick butter, softened
1 cup melted marshmallows
1 (1-pound) box confectioners' sugar
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup chopped pecans

Cake: Preheat Oven 350

In a mixing bowl, cream the sugar and butter, beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and mix well after each addition. Mix cocoa and food coloring together and then add to sugar mixture; mix well. Sift together flour and salt. Add flour mixture to the creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk. Blend in vanilla. In a small bowl, combine baking soda and vinegar and add to mixture. Pour batter into 3 (8-inch) round greased and floured pans. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from heat and cool completely before frosting.

Icing:
Blend cream cheese and butter together in a mixing bowl. Add marshmallows and sugar and blend. Fold in coconut and nuts. Spread between layers and on top and sides of cooled cake.

Note: The only change I make is the coconut in the icing.

Homemade Marshmallows

A variation of Alton Brown’s recipe.

3 packages unflavored gelatin

1 cup ice cold water, divided

12 ounces granulated sugar, approximately 1 1/2 cups

1 cup corn syrup

1/2 t salt

1 t vanilla extract

1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

Nonstick spray



1. Place the gelatin into the bowl of a mixer along with 1/2 cup of the water. Get the whisk on your mixer in place and ready to rumble.

2. In a small saucepan, mix the remaining 1/2 cup water, sugar, corn syrup and salt on medium high heat, cover and cook for approximately 3 to 4 minutes.

3. Use a candy thermometer and allow the mix to get to 240 degrees F. This will take about 8 minutes.

4. Once the mixture hits 240 degrees, immediately remove from the heat.

5. Get your mixer going on low speed and slowly pour your sugar syrup into the bowl of the gelatin mixture. Once you have added all of the syrup, increase the speed to high.

6. Whip that stuff to death until it looks very thick and fluffy. This will take about 15 minutes. Patience, patience, patience. 15 minutes is going to seem long.

7. Add vanilla and and whip it another minute.

Pouring it out in the pan…the super sticky factor

Combine the confectioners’ sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl. Lightly spray a 13 by 9-inch metal baking pan with nonstick spray. Mix the powdered sugar and cornstarch together in a small bowl. You are going to use this mixture several times before you get to the finish line here. First use it to coat the bottom of the pan. Save what you have left for later use.


Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. This stuff is super STICKY so use a oiled up spatula to spread it evenly. You can then use more of your powdered sugar/cornstarch mixture to dust the top of marshmallows. Reserve the rest for later. Allow the marshmallows to sit uncovered for a few hours or even overnight.


Turn the marshmallows out onto a cutting board and use a pizza cutter, that you’ve dusted with the powdered sugar/corn starch mixture, to cut into 1-inch squares. Once cut, lightly dust all sides of each marshmallow with the remaining mixture, using additional if necessary. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

Variations: Get creative and change up the shape by using cookie cutters. Heart shaped marshmallows would be adorable for Valentine’s Day. You could even dip them and chocolate and coat with colorful sugar sprinkles…voila! Valentine’s Day Marshmallows!

Hot Chocolate

From: NASHVILLE CHOCOLATE KITCHEN

HOT CHOCOLATE RECIPE:

(Serves 10-12)

1quart cold whole milk (set aside 1 Cup)

½ t potato starch

1 quart half & half

12 oz. semi sweet chocolate, finely chopped.

8 oz. milk chocolate, finely chopped.

1 t vanilla

¼ t sea salt

1. In a small bowl, mix 1 C of cold milk with the potato starch. Whisk until thoroughly blended. Set aside.

2. In a large pot, add remaining milk and ingredients. Stir until chocolate is melted. Serve very warm with homemade marshmallows.

Variations: Adjust chocolate profile according to your taste. For example, if you are a lover of dark chocolate then use all dark chocolate. Also, if you enjoy a thicker “drinking chocolate,” add a slight bit more potato starch in the beginning, as this acts as a thickening agent. If the above recipe seems too thick for you, skip the potato starch. Word to the wise…you must mix the potato starch in the beginning with cold milk. If the potato starch goes into a warm liquid, the result will be potato dumplings.

Monday, February 7, 2011

Frozen Corn

Another recipe from Grandma. This is my all time favorite corn recipe. I still remember removing corn from the cob on those hot August days.

15 cups cooked corn
3/4 cups sugar
2 tbsp. salt
5 cups ice water

Let stand in refrigerator to good and cold and put in freezer bags.

Strawberry Pop Cake

This is the recipe my Mom chose for her birthday when she was little. I will be making it this week for my Mom's birthday.

Cream 3/4 cup shortening with 2 cups sugar
Add in separate bowl:
1-7 oz. bottle strawberry pop
alternate with:
3 cups cake flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt

Beat everything together. Fold in 5 stiffly beaten egg whites
Bake 2 layers at 350 degrees. Time unknown - use toothpick test.

Grandma S

Marshmallow Frosting

Recipe from Grandma Sturtz

Put marshmallows in double boiler
add 1 tbsp hot water
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
1/8 tsp. salt
Boil until still peaks and pour over 2 egg whites and beat and add vanilla.

Variation:
2 egg whites
1 1/2 cups sugar
6 tbsp. water
6 large marshmallows, quartered
1 tsp. pure vanilla (or other flavorings - see below)
1/4 tsp. cream or tartar or Bakewell Cream

In the top of a double boiler, over boiling water, combine 2 egg whites, unbeaten, sugar, water, and quartered marshmallows. Cook over rapidly boiling water, beating for about 10 minutes or until mixture stands in peaks. (Use a portable electric mixer).

Remove the top of the double boiler from heat and stir in vanilla extract and cream of tartar. Beat for another 5 minutes, or until thick and of good spreading consistency.

Marshmallow Fondant

16 ounces white mini-marshmallows (use a good quality brand)
2 to 5 tablespoons water
2 pounds icing sugar (please use C&H Cane Powdered Sugar for the best results)
1/2 cup Crisco shortening (you will be digging into it so place in a very easily accessed bowl)

Directions:

NOTE: Please be careful, this first stage can get hot.

Melt marshmallows and 2 tablespoons of water in a microwave or double boiler. To microwave, place the bowl in the microwave for 30 seconds, open microwave and stir, back in microwave for 30 seconds more, open microwave and stir again, and continue doing this until melted. It usually takes about 2 1/2 minutes total.

Place 3/4 of the powdered sugar on the top of the melted marshmallow mix.

Now grease your hands GENEROUSLY (palms, backs, and in between fingers), then heavily grease the counter you will be using and dump the bowl of marshmallow/sugar mixture in the middle. (By the way, this recipe is also good for your hands. When I’m done, they are baby soft.)
Start kneading like you would bread dough. You will immediately see why you have greased your hands. If you have children in the room they will either laugh at you or look at you with a questioning expression. You might even hear a muttered, “What are you doing?”

Keep kneading, this stuff is sticky at this stage! Add the rest of the powdered sugar and knead some more. Re-grease your hands and counter when the fondant starts sticking. If the mix is tearing easily, it is to dry, so add water (about 1/2 tablespoon at a time and then knead it in). It usually takes me about 8 minutes to get a firm smooth elastic ball so that it will stretch without tearing when you apply it to the cake.

It is best if you can let it sit, double wrapped, overnight (but you can use it right away if there are no tiny bits of dry powdered sugar). If you do see them, you will need to knead and maybe add a few more drops of water.

Prepare the fondant icing for storing by coating it with a good layer of Crisco shortening, wrap in a plastic-type wrap product and then put it in a re-sealable or Ziploc bag. Squeeze out as much air as possible.

MM Fondant icing will hold very well in the refrigerator for weeks. If I know that I have a cake to decorate, I usually make two (2) batches on a free night during the week so it is ready when I need it. Take advantage of the fact that this fondant icing can be prepared well in advance.
Now it’s time to start. Your cake should be baked, and completely cooled. If you have a shaped cake, you can trim it now and then place the cake on a prepared cake board. In other words, you are assembling the cake puzzle on the board. You can also place the cake on the board first and then trim (you must be extra careful not to damage the covered board). I personally find that shaping first is the easiest and then transferring the cake.

Give the top and sides of the cake a nice thick 1/4-inch coating of Buttercream Icing.

Pre-shape your icing into approximately the shape of your cake. For a round cake, make a disk shape. For a rectangular make a log shape.

Some instructors tell you to only sprinkle cornstarch on your counter before you put the fondant icing down, sprinkle with more corn starch, and then roll fondant icing out to desired shape. Some teachers advise that you grease the counter, put the fondant icing down, and lightly grease the top of the fondant icing as need to prevent sticking.

I prefer the cornstarch myself, but during very dry atmospheric conditions, I have been known to use the shortening method. The grease will help to hold in the moisture and keeps the fondant icing pliable. If necessary, add drops of water and knead it in thoroughly before proceeding. You will need to try out both ways in the future and decide what you like the most. A third alternative is a large-sized Roulpat Mat (31 x 23 inches). It really does work well and it can also help you with moving a large piece of rolled out fondant. I’ve never done it, but I was told that you just gently bend the mat edges downward with the icing still on it. Place the edge of mat and the icing next to the edge of the butter-creamed cake and flip the fondant icing over the cake. What was the top of the fondant icing that you rolled out, is now touching the buttercream and what was the bottom side is now the topside that you see.

Roll the icing at least 1/8-inch thick. It’s thick enough for ease of handling and strength integrity. I wouldn’t go any thinner than 1/8-inch for the cake covering. When I’m making decorations with the fondant icing, I will sometimes roll it thinner. The MM Fondant icing is very forgiving and rarely tears but everything has it limits.

Quickly place the fondant icing at one bottom edge of the cake and unroll the rolling pin, holding it about 2 inches over the cake. Your fondant icing will then “fall” into place. You should also have a bit of overhang over the edges.

You might need a little cornstarch at this stage, but only use it very sparingly if you have a dark colored icing. I very lightly sprinkle the cornstarch over the surface and use a buffing motion with my hand to move it around and to level the surface. This motion seals the fondant icing to the buttercream, works out the bumps in the icing below the surface, and removes flaws from the joined areas in the cakes surface below. Please use a VERY gentle pressure to rub the surface of the icing. I often have a little pile of the cornstarch on the counter and dip my hands in it as needed. Here is an important tip: Watch out for your fingernails as long nails can mark up your surface quickly and it is very difficult to smooth them back out.

If you notice a bubble in the surface, take a thin sharp needle and poke a tiny hole, at an angle, in the bubble. If you poke straight down, you can almost always see the hole even after the most careful smoothing. The angled hole lets the air out of the bubble, and with a tiny bit of rubbing you can reseal the hole.

I keep a clean, soft pastry brush close by, to move the cornstarch around.
Do this lightly or you can leave brush marks on the surface that are almost impossible to remove. A number of companies make fondant smoothers for around $10. I have one, but I’ve used it only once and I’ve used my hands ever since. For me, it is easier and quicker. If you don’t handle the smoother correctly, you can damage the fondant’s finish.

Gently, with the side of your hand, push the fondant into the sides of the cake against the cake board.