Saturday, September 29, 2012

Fresh Apple Cake

Fresh Apple Cake

Happy fall everyone!  Since this week was the first week of autumn, we decided to make Fresh Apple Cake to help us get in the mood.  This is a really simple cake to make and the cinnamon in it compliments the apple pieces perfectly.  It's really tasty and we hope you try it!


Ingredients:

  • 3 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon (we really love cinnamon so we put a bit extra in it! :)
  • 2 eggs slightly beaten
  • 1 1/4 cups canola oil or cooking oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 3 medium (3 cups) granny smith apples (or any baking apple... we used gala)
  • 1 cup pecans or walnuts

Directions:

     1. Grease 13x9x2 baking pan and pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
     2. In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients.
     3. In a separate bowl, combine eggs, oil, and vanilla.  Stir in apples and nuts.

   
     4. add egg mixture to flour mixture.  Stir until moistened (batter will be thick).

     5. Spread into pan.
     6. Bake for 50-55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

     7. Cool for 1 hour.
     8. Serve with whipped cream and an apple slice (optional).
     9. Enjoy! :)

     Makes 20 Servings

.
     324 calories each.
     18 g. fat
     21 mg. chol.
     187 mg. sodium
     2 g. fiber
     3 g. protein



Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Chocolate Chip Pie

Chocolate Chip Pie

Hello!  We hope you enjoyed our last recipe, and here's another!  This chocolate chip pie is AMAZING!  There's the perfect amount of chocolate in it for all you chocolate lovers out there!  It's delicious blend of melted chocolate chips and chopped pecans make this dessert something you have to try!  This recipe was pretty easy and we hope you like it!

We decided to use a different crust recipe this time.


For the crust:

Ingredients:


  • 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 stick or 1/2 cup all-vegetable shortening
  • 3 tablespoons cold water


    1. Spoon flour into measuring cup and level.  Combine flour and salt in medium bowl.
    2. Cut in 1/2 cup shortening using pastry blender until all flour is blended to form pea-sized chunks.



    3. Sprinkle with water 1 tablespoon at a time.  Lightly toss with fork until dough forms a ball.



    4. Press dough between hands to form a 5-6 inch "pancake".  Flour rolling surface and rolling pin lightly.             Roll dough into circle.  Trim circle 1 1/2 inches larger than upside-down pie plate.  Carefully remove trimmed dough.




5. Wrap dough loosely around rolling pin and fit into pie plate.  Fold edge over and flute the edges.




For the filling:

Ingredients:


  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 cup pecans or walnuts


    1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
    2. Beat eggs in a large mixer bowl until foamy.
    3. Beat in dry ingredients.
    4. Beat in butter.
    5. Stir in chocolate chip and nuts.
    6. Spoon into unbaked pie shell.



    7. Bake for 55-60 minutes or until knife inserted halfway between outside edge and center comes out clean.  Cool.  Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream.



Makes 8-10 servings.




Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Lemon Meringue Pie

Lemon Meringue Pie

From the "Joy of Cooking" cookbook

Yay!  Our first recipe!  We hope you all try making it, because it is DELICIOUS! :)

Crust:
Makes 2 pie crusts
     
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter 
  • 1/4 cup cold vegetable shorting
  • 6 tablespoons ice water
Instructions:

  1. Combine flour, salt, butter, and shortening.  Cut half the shortening into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or work it in lightly with the tips of your fingers until it has the consistency of cornmeal.  Cut the remaining half into the dough until it is pea-sized.  
  2. Sprinkle the dough with 6 tablespoons of ice water.
  3. Blend the water gently into the dough until it just holds together; you may lift the ingredients with a fork, allowing the moisture to spread.  If necessary to hold the ingredients together, add: 1 teaspoon-1 tablespoon of ice water.
  4. Divide the dough in half, roll out one of the dough-balls into a disk.  (You may set the other aside.)
  5. Place and fit the "dough disk" in the pie dish, as in the picture below.
  
  6. Poke holes in the bottom and sides of the crust with a fork.

We put dry beans in the bottom of our crust to prevent bubbles. :)


   7. Now cook the pie crust at 425 degrees for 12 minutes or until golden brown.

Now you are finished with the crust! :)





     Filling:

  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 6 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup cold water
  • 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 3 egg yolks, well beaten
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
  • 1 1/2 cups boiling water
  • 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Instructions:

  1. Combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt into a 2-3 quart saucepan. Stir.
  2. Blend cold water and fresh lemon juice with the cornstarch mixture until smooth.
  3. Next, add the beaten egg yolks.
  4. Set the pan on the stove and bring to a full boil stirring gently.
  5. Once it begins to thicken, simmer for one minute and remove from heat.
  6. Stir in the grated lemon zest.

    7. Now pour the filling into the baked pie crust.

Now it's time to make the meringue!!!




     Meringue:

  • 4 large egg whites, at room temperature
  • 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1/2 cup sugar, preferably powdered sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions:

  1. Beat egg until foamy.
  2. Add the cream of tartar.
  3. Beat again until soft peaks form.  (See picture below.)
When you lift the wisk out of the egg whites,
you should have peaks that sort of fold over.

    4. When you have soft peaks, gradually beat in the sugar.
    5. Keep beating until the peaks are stiff and glossy but not dry.



    6. Now gently stir in the vanilla.
    7. Spread a band of the meringue around the edges of the filling, anchoring it to the crust at all points.
    8. Dollop the remaining over the center and spread it out.

We created peaks on the top of our meringue for decoration!  :)

    9.  Now stick your pie in the oven for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

The tips of our peaks got a little burnt
because we had the oven a little too hot at first.. :(
We then reduced the heat down to 350 degrees and it turned out fine! :)
   
10. Cool completely on a rack then serve or refrigerate for up to 3 days.


   11. Enjoy!


Lemon Meringue Pie!  Very YUMMY!  :) 



 

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Hi Bloggers!



        Hello everyone! Thanks so much for viewing our blog! If you're looking for a website to go to for awesome dessert ideas, you're on the right site!  Every Wednesday we will be posting a picture followed by the recipe from our most recently made dessert! We think it will be really cool and we hope you enjoy viewing it!!! :) Thanks again! :)


P.S. Please vote for the next dessert you would like us to make, and if you have time, we would LOVE it if you left a comment! :)



   -The Twins