Tuesday, May 26, 2009

TWD - Chipster-Topped Brownies

I wanted to love these, I really did. I was so excited to see that Beth of Supplicious had chosen the Chipster-Topped Brownies as this week's Tuesdays with Dorie recipe. I mean, a brownie topped with a chocolate chip cookie dough... Where does Dorie come up with these ideas?!


But in the end, I was underwhelmed. The brownie, which contains soooo much chocolate, was just meh, and the cookie crust sort of detached from the brownie, so it was like eating a chocolate chip cookie on top of a brownie, literally. Maybe I just had too high expectations for this recipe, I haven't had any feedback yet as Martin took the rest of the brownie to work today. We'll see what his taste-testers have to say. Check out Beth's blog for the recipe and the Tuesdays with Dorie website to see how the other bakers fared this week!
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Tuesday, May 19, 2009

TWD - Fresh Mango Muffins

I have a weird relationship with mangoes. I want to like them but they always seem to have this funny aftertaste that I just can't get used to. So, when I saw that Kelly of Baking with the Boys had chosen Fresh Mango Bread for this week's Tuesdays with Dorie recipe, what I first tried to do was make the bread with another kind of fruit. I made lemon Raspberry bread, which was very good, but not photogenic at all! Then, when we went grocery shopping last weekend, there were mangoes on sale so I thought: "What the heck!" and threw caution to the wind.

I did cut the recipe in half though and make muffins, just in case the lime zest, cinnamon and ginger didn't hide the taste of the mango quite enough and I used slivered almonds instead of raisins for an added crunch. And now, I'm sort of sad I didn't make the entire recipe. What a great muffin! Very moist and tender from the mango, even more so the day after they're baked, and the spices and zest really make it interesting. And, I guess the mango loses its funny aftertaste after it's baked... Or, I just got mangoes without aftertaste, who knows?

I can see making this muffin with raspberries or blueberries or even pineapple chunks. Different every time but still delicious, I'm sure. So go check out Kelly's blog for the recipe and visit the other Tuesdays with Dorie members for further inspiration!
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Thursday, May 7, 2009

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

Sometimes I get frustrated that I don't have a designated space for taking the photos I use on this blog. I wish I could have a place where all my bowls and spoons and plates and cups were right there when I need them and all my place mats and napkins and table cloths were always nicely ironed and ready to use. I wish I didn't have to clear the kitchen table of the crayons and papers and sippy cups and crumbs from breakfast or lunch.

But, other times, I just roll with it. I am, after all, a mom of three with the youngest, a soon to be 2 year old, getting way ahead of herself with the "terrible twos". So I just pop the cooling muffin tray on the table with the doodles and the crayons and I take the photos that I need. And sometimes, it doesn't turn out half bad. You have to go with what life gives you, right?

So if life gave you a few lemons, buttermilk you need to use up and poppy seeds you got for some dish ages ago and you have no idea what to do with, try these muffins, won't you? They're moist and fragrant and the perfect thing to wake up to on a cold and rainy morning.

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins (Adapted from Tammy’s Recipes)


2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons poppy seeds
1 egg
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons lemon zest (the zest from about two large lemons)
1/4 cup melted butter
1 1/4 cups buttermilk

1 tsp vanilla


Preheat oven to 350F.


In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.


In a smaller bowl combine the sugar and lemon zest. Rub them together until the sugar is slightly moist and fragrant. Add the egg, the butter, the buttermilk and the vanilla. Mix well.


Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients, and stir just until moistened. Do not over mix. The batter will be fairly thick.


Divide batter evenly into 12 paper-lined or greased muffin cups. Bake muffins on rack in the middle of the oven for 20-25 minutes, until muffins test done.


Allow muffins to cool in pan for about 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to finish cooling.

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Tuesday, May 5, 2009

TWD - Tiramisu Cake

I went back and forth a lot on this one as I've never had Tiramisu but the concept has always intrigued me. To me it's sort of a cross between a cake and a cheesecake with coffee flavor thrown in the mix. Megan of My Baking Adventures chose this recipe for us Tuesdays with Dorie bakers to try this week and I'm glad I finally decided to make it.

It's not a very difficult cake to make, it just has a few different components and once everything is put together it needs time to rest a little so you need to think ahead if you want to make this for your next dinner party. The cake part is a straight forward vanilla flavored cake that, once baked and cooled, you soak with a coffee flavored syrup. Next time I make this, I'll make more syrup as I thought the finished product was a bit dry. I was expecting a much moister cake. Then, you make a filling and frosting consisting of mascarpone cheese, whipped cream, sugar and espresso extract. That's the cheesecake part. I was supposed to finely chop some chocolate to sandwich in between the two cakes but it was late when I put the cake together and I totally forgot. Oh, well, next time, right?

By the way, that little hand there in the background of the second picture? That's Olivia, "helping" me. Maybe she'll be a food stylist when she grows up... In any case, the cake went over well with the tasters at my house. Martin even said that it reminded him of a Tiramisu he'd had at a restaurant a long time ago. Isn't that sweet? He took half the cake in to work to share with his co-workers. Thank goodness! I don't even want to know how many calories are in a slice of that cake. Maybe it's just as well I forgot the chocolate, huh? I'll let you know how the cake went over with his co-workers, as soon as I find out... In the mean time, check out Megan's blog for the recipe and take a look at what the rest of the Tuesdays with Dorie gang came up with. There's bound to be a few creative Tiramisu Cakes out there today!

EDIT: It seems Martin's co-workers enjoyed the cake! Yay! I think I might send more goodies their way very, very soon... :)
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