Hello Bakers,
It’s Super Bowl Sunday and I am not baking today. Today it’s all about guacamole - have to have it for Super Bowl. I posted this on Facebook today and wanted to share it with you. We will be back to baking soon.
Here you go - add this to your playbook. Happy Super Bowl Sunday!!! XO, Colette
Recipe is in the body of the video - it’s super easy…and delicious. I hope you try it.
Hello Bakers,
Today is National Hot Chocolate Day! And it is freezing all over the country, even here in Los Angeles. The country is gripped in Arctic Cold. Record breaking temperatures makes this National Hot Chocolate Day truly significant. I did a one minute PSA, see below for this year’s National Hot Chocolate Day. In the video I give you a recipe for hot chocolate mix that you can keep in a cool dry cupboard for up to 3 months. The amounts in the recipe are below are more finessed then the ones in the video.
Hot Chocolate Mix Recipe - marshmallows optional
If you leave the marshmallows out, it will keep longer. They don’t spoil they just dry out. But marshmallows make this special. Hot chocolate without marshmallows…I don’t know about that. Enjoy!
Equipment: 2 qt jar, one with a clamp type lid works well, measuring cups, teaspoons , whisk, large bowl to mix
Ingredients:
1 1/3 cups nonfat or full fat dry milk powder
1/3 cup + 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1/3 cup Natural cocoa like Hershey’s - does not have to be Dutch Process. Inexpensive natural cocoa works just fine
Optional: 1 Tablespoon vanilla powder
3/4 cup mini marshmallows.
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, whisk until thoroughly combined. Transfer to jar.
To make cocoa: Place 1/2 cup cocoa mix in a mug and 8 ounces of hot water or milk. Stir well and enjoy.
Hot Chocolate Mix Recipe - marshmallows optional
If you leave the marshmallows out, it will keep longer. They don’t spoil they just dry out. But marshmallows make this special. Hot chocolate without marshmallows…I don’t know about that. Enjoy!
Equipment: 2 qt jar, one with a clamp type lid works well, measuring cups, teaspoons , whisk, large bowl to mix
Ingredients:
1 1/3 cups nonfat or full fat dry milk powder
1/3 cup + 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1/3 cup Natural cocoa like Hershey’s - does not have to be Dutch Process. Inexpensive natural cocoa works just fine
Optional: 1 Tablespoon vanilla powder
3/4 cup mini marshmallows.
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, whisk until thoroughly combined. Transfer to jar.
To make cocoa: Place 1/2 cup cocoa mix in a mug and 8 ounces of hot water or milk. Stir well and enjoy.
You know you want some hot chocolate. Cause it’s cold outside.
Hello Bakers,
Have you ever heard of the Great Molasses flood of 1919? Until last week I had no idea that exactly 100 years ago, 231 million gallons of molasses destroyed a portion of Boston’s North End.
I explain what happened in the video below:
Molasses Crinkle Cookies
Yield: 24 Medium size cookies
Equipment: Stand Mixer fitted with paddle attachment, spatula, offset spatula (good for cleaning batter off of paddle, 1/2 sheet tray lined with parchment, 1/4 sheet tray lined with parchment, #30 scoop **cookies can be made larger or smaller - increase or decrease baking time by a few minutes.
Equipment for cookies
Ingredients:
3 ounces (85g) Butter, slightly softened
2.43 Ounces (69g) Shortening
5 1/4 ounces (149g) Granulated sugar
4 1/2 ounces (128g) Molasses **I used Grandma’s brand
2 eggs (large)
12.75 ounces (361g) all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 Teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon (good pinch) cloves
1/8 teaspoon (good pinch) nutmeg
Molasses Crinkle Cookies - Mise en Place
Extra Sugar for rolling cookie balls in.
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter, shortening and sugar on low speed for one minute if the butter and shortening are not smooth, mix an additional 30 seconds.
Stop the mixer and scrape down. Add molasses, mix for 1 more minutes on medium speed.
Add eggs, one at a time at low speed, stop the mixer and scrape down between each addition, mix only until the eggs and butter mixture are combined - no more then 45 seconds of mixing at medium low speed.
Second egg about to be mixed in.
Sift together, flour, salt, baking soda and spices.
First addition of flour, ready to mix - remember mix on low speed just until combined. Do not over mix
Add flour in two increments, mixing only until just combined.
Chill the dough for one hour. **Pro tip!!!! Scrape the dough onto a parchment lined quarter sheet pan, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate - this is what professional and pastry chefs do when they want to chill dough quickly. It works for custards too.
Molasses cookie dough - ready to chill
Preheat oven to 350
Scoop the cookies into balls and slightly round. Roll in extra sugar and place on baking tray 1 - 1 1/2” apart. (How many place here). Sprinkle a little extra sugar on top.
I was able to fit 12 on a half sheet pan.
Bake for 12- 14 minutes. Double pan at the 8 minute mark. When baked they will have lost their shine, the sugar should sparkle but they shouldn’t take on extra color. Increase or decrease baking time depending on how large or small you have scooped them.
Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks with a few slices of apple. If you like to send cookies to families and friends this is a good choice.
Sweet spicy goodness…perfect with a cold glass of milk…
Sweet buttery bliss…bake these then grab a moment for yourself….
Hello Bakers,
The holidays are fun but I love it when they are over and the New Year begins. I know … I sound like the Grinch but I love the feeling of getting back on track. Do you get super energized in January? I do - and it’s been worse this year because I have been watching “Tidying Up with Marie Kondo” on Netflix. The show has inspired much tidying on my part. Which is great but tiring and overwhelming at times. I am loving the boxes though and the folding - life changing for drawers.
Now the antidote for tiredness and overwhelm coming from tidying, too much work, the news and our rushed life in general is right here on the blog - that’s right blueberry muffins.
Sit back and close your eyes...imagine buttery sweetness, light textured fluffy crumb that melts in the mouth, the slight tang from the buttermilk or sour cream, the zing of the optional lemon zest and the blueberries bursting with flavor. Pair this with a steaming cup of coffee or tea and it’s Bliss - hence the title. All the madness can be forgotten with each delicious bite.
I love big muffins - big Texas style muffins - so big that I can go breakfast to dinner without stopping. Normally, I am into miniature pastries and desserts but not when it comes to muffins.
You might like smaller muffins and this batter can be scooped into a normal 12 cup muffin tin or made into mini muffins. No matter what size I am in favor of muffin liners - so much easier to remove and one baking not with out them the crust of the muffins is more caramelized. Pair your scoop size with the cup size. And speaking of scooping usually for muffins you want the bottom of the scoop slightly rounded not flat.
Here are some scoop sizes - It’s good to have a variety - mine all bring me joy.
One large scoop for 12 cup pan and one large and one medium scoop for the 6 cup muffin pan and the third scoop from the left for the mini muffin pan
I hope you get a chance to try this recipe and then find a moment to sit back an savor one while it is still warm…
Happy Baking! XO, Colette
Blueberry Muffins
Equipment: stand mixer, paddle, muffin tin, paper liners, scoop, spatula, small bowl for berries.
Ingredients:
Blueberry Muffin Mise en Place - The blueberries are tossed in 2 Tablespoons of flour (extra flour) and then placed in the freezer until needed. They need to stay frozen until needed.
8 oz. butter
7 oz sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 lemon zested (optional)
2 eggs
12 oz all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
½ tsp. salt
10 oz sour cream, buttermilk or yogurt
10 oz Frozen blueberries - toss with 2 Tablespoons of flour
Method: Creaming Method
Oven: 350 degrees
Yield: 6 large muffins, 12-14 regular size muffins, 24-28 mini muffins
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter, sugar and vanilla and optional lemon zest until light and fluffy - this takes about 10 minutes - I time it - on medium speed. This is an important step as the creaming of butter and sugar aids in the leavening process.
Add eggs one at a time, mix on speed 1 for 20 seconds and then speed 2 for an additional 25-30 seconds until the egg and butter are well combined. Turn off mixer and scrape down the mixer in between adding eggs.
Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Alternate adding the flour mix (3 increments) and sour cream (2 increments).
Lightly toss frozen blueberries with 2 Tbs of AP flour. Fold in the blueberries to the batter very gently by hand with a spatula.
Scoop into muffin tins. Top with streusel, sanding sugar (large crystal sugar) or granulated sugar (this can be mixed with lemon zest. If you have leftover batter after scooping you can put it in the refrigerator until the first batch comes out of the oven or bake it in a well greased Brioche a tete mold or a greased mini muffin pan.
Bake at 350 degrees. Start checking at 20 degrees - depending on the size they can take 25-35 minutes. When are they done - when a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
Baked muffins can be frozen for about a month. Thaw and refresh in a 350 degree oven for 5-7 minutes. Photo step by step below.
Butter and sugar after creaming - it should lighten in color.
How it looks after the eggs are added
Flour is in - mix only until the dry ingredients are incorporated.
Berries are in - mix lightly
Scooped muffins, topped with granulated sugar mixed with lemon zest
Golden brown…and they test clean with a skewer