Now that it’s been over a two weeks since i’ve tempted you with the sticky toffee butterscotch sauce, it’s time for the rest of the recipe!

This has become a definite favorite of mine since I tried it for the first time last year! I didn’t really know what it was, but after trying it at a restaurant a couple time I just had to try it!

It’s the perfect holiday cake to serve this year. It’s warm, gooey-sticky sweet and tastes even better with whipped cream. I made it for Christmas last year and I’m debating on whether or not making it again this year. I made it last week for a family dinner we went to, but this time instead of using a regular cake pan I used a bundt pan and I added a little spice to it! Otherwise, it doesn’t call for any spices and it was just missing that hint of flavor.

If you’ve never eaten sticky toffee pudding, or have been meaning to bake it, do it now. Now! It is so so so so good. I serve it warm with whipped cream on top. Mmm… I wish it were last week all over again!

I’ve also finally found a place to live in Victoria while I’m at school, and lucky me! I even basically get my own little kitchen on the bottom of the house, as most of the roommates don’t use it. I’m just happy I can bring over my baking dishes!! (more…)

First off Happy Mother’s Day to all the yummy mummies out there!

This mother’s day I wanted to bake something a little more special than just a cake, and seeing as how I had just made my mom a Carrot Cake for her birthday a couple weeks ago, I thought I would hold off on another cakey creation, that we would eat for about a week… So I thought about what my mother might like instead, and then it came to me. A Cheesecake!

A couple reasons for this is because a. my mom had actually came home from work one day a while back with a brand new springform pan for me, cause she knew I didn’t have one, and b. because every time my mom has gone on a cruise ship (and believe me, she’s been on a million) she always says she loves having the NY Cheesecake.  I remember she would go to High Tea every day on the ship just for the cheesecake, and was rather dissapointed once when they didn’t have any! Shocking, a cruise ship with no Cheesecake! So I thought it would be nice to bake her one from scratch, non of this no-bake, pre-bought cardboard tasting cheesecake. Nope, it would be straight fom the oven! And, even though It was hard, I waited the agonizing million hours for it to bake, and cool completely, and store in the fridge over night. Luckily she wasn’t home at the time so I could do all this without her knowledge, and have it ready for the reveal on mothers day morning. Along with pancakes for breakfast and of course home made strawberry coulis! I also found the cutest mothers day card, which I thought was quite fitting! (see below)

Now, I think I had only ever made a cheesecake once before for thanksgiving, a pumpkin one, and it didn’t turn out so great. But! this one is definitely a winner and a great basic like Dorie says. You can add many variations to it or have it just plain. I stuck with plain, and made some strawberry coulis to go with it. The recipe is super easy to follow, and I highly recommend the water bath, and hair dryer technique!.. you’ll see.  Enjoy! Love you mom! (more…)

Show some love this Valentine’s Day by pouring your heart out! Or simply show you care with a cupcake choc-full of hearts! A perfect little treat for your sweet-heart! Cupcakes are quick and easy, but hey, its the thought that counts right? So whip up a batch next saturday, Feb. 14 in time for Valentine’s Day. 

Be sure not to skimp on the icing, layer it on! It’s a day of love afterall, and nothing says love like a huge dollop of frosting, at least for me that is. I have a definite sweet tooth, just ask my dentist! This is the day to indulge in a little extra sweet, so go ahead and have one, or two or three. Who’s counting? Or share one with someone you love!…and then get another one for yourslef later. Enjoy! & happy heart day!

Devil’s Food Cake Recipe 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1½ cups flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• 4 ounces (1 stick), room temperature
• 1½ cups granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• ½ cup milk

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line muffin tin with cupcake liners and set aside.
3. Sift together the cocoa powder, flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder in a bowl.
4. Using a mixer, preferrably with paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugar about 2 minutes until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time until mixed.
5. Stir half of the dry ingredients into the butter mixture, then add milk. Finally stir in the other half of the dry ingredients.
6. Divide the batter into a prepared cupcake/muffin tin with liners. About 3/4 fulll.
7. Bake about 20 minutes, or until set. Let cool completely before icing. 

My Friend Steph’s birthday happens to be on Valentine’s Day too! Heart’s to you Juggdish! xo

Happy Valentine’s Day!

I tried this sticky toffee pudding recipe before and decided it would be perfect for Christmas! So I made another one, only jazzed it up for Christmas! If you would like the recipe, from Joy of Cooking, click here

All this sticky tofee goodness is de-licious!

Try this..now!! Sure it starts with Pitted Dates..but this cake give them a good rep!

Thought I’d add some more pics of my lovely table decor!

Hope you had a good holiday break!..back to school and work now!

I thought this dessert would be very fitting for Christmas Eve, as I’m Italian and TIramisu “Pick Me Up” is a delicious Italian dessert! As tradition goes, Italians don’t eat any meat on Christmas Eve ( much like good friday) so we have a delicious feast of all things Seafood! Prawns, Mussels, Clams, Baccalà, Salmon and much more! (I’ll post some pictures of that too!) I had seen Tiramisu cakes before and thought it would be fun to try it as an alternative to the regular Tiramisu. Of course I found an excellent recipe in one of my favorite books, Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan. I made a few adaptations which made it very delicious!

Recipe: Adapted from Dorie Greenspan Baking: From My Home to Yours

For the Cake:

• 2 cups cake flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/8 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/4 sticks (10 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• Cocoa Powder, for Dusting
• ADAPTATION: Lady Fingers ( Optional for the Middle Layer)

For the Filling and Frosting:

• 1 8-ounce container Marscapone
• 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp kahlua, amaretto or brandy
• 1 cup cold heavy cream
• Strong Cup of Espresso or Coffee for the Syrup

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My Version of Tiramisu Cheese Filling and Frosting:

• 1 pkg Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened
• 1 tub Cool Whip, unthawed
• 1/2 pkg vanilla pudding ( 4 servings )
• 1-2 tbs Milk
• Vanilla 

Getting Ready:

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 9×2 inch round cake pans, dust the insides with flour, tap out the excess, and line the bottoms of the pans with parchment or wax paper. Put the pans on a baking sheet.

To make the cake:

Sift together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until soft and creamy. Add the sugar and beat for another 3 minutes. Add the eggs one by one, and then the yolk, beating for 1 minute after each addition. Beat in the vanilla; don’t be concerned if the mixture looks curdled. Reduce 

the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk, adding the dry ingredients in 3 additions and the milk in 2 (begin and end with the dry ingredients); scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed and mix only until the ingredients disappear into the batter. Divide the batter evenly between the two pans and smooth the tops with a rubber spatula.

Bake for 28 to 30 minutes, rotating the pans at the midway point. When fully baked, the cakes will be golden and springy to the touch and a thin knife inserted into the centers will come out clean. Transfer the cakes to a rack and cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes, unmold them, and peel off the paper liners. Invert and cool to room temperature right-side up.

To make the Syrup:

Brew a strong pot of coffee or espresso, add some sugar to it and let it cool. 

To make the filling and frosting:

Put the mascarpone, sugar, vanilla, and liqueur in a large bowl and whisk just until blended and smooth.

Working with the stand mixer with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer, whip the heavy cream until it holds firm peaks. Switch to a rubber spatula and stir about one quarter of the whipped cream into the mascarpone. Fold in the rest of the whipped cream with a light touch.

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My Version of Filling:

In a stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add Cool Whip slowly and mix until blended. Add Vanilla, about 2 tsp. 

In seperate bowl, stir Jell-O powder and 2 Tbs Milk until dissolved. Add mixture to the cream cheese and cool whip and continue to beat on medium until smooth. You can add more milk if needed. 

Stir until desired consistency. Set aside. 

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To assemble the cake:

Place the First layer right-side up on a cardboard round or a cake plate protected with strips of wax or parchment paper. Using a pastry brush or a small spoon, soak the layer with about one third of the espresso syrup. Smooth some of the frosting over the layer – user about 1 1/4 cups – Dust with Cocoa using a sifter.

Adaptation*** For the Middle Layer, I added Lady FIngers ontop of the 1st layer of cake, and brushed them with the coffee mixture, then spoon over top the frosting/filling and dust with cocoa powder. 

Put the Third cake layer on the counter and soak the top of it with half the remaining espresso syrup, then turn the layer over and position it, soaked side down, over the filling. Soak the top of the cake with the remaining syrup.
With a long metal icing spatula, smooth the frosting ontop of the cake, and around the sides. Dust the top of the cake with cocoa using a sifter. 

Adaptation** I placed lady fingers around the outside of the cake. Measure one and cut all of them the same size so they fit nicely against the cake. 

Refrigerate the cake for a couple of hours (or for up to 1 day) before serving – the elements need time to meld.

This seems like it would be a long process but believe me it isn’t! And my version of the filling is just as yummy and easier to make. Don’t be intimidated by the recipe, the results are delicious!

Enjoy! Hope you all had a delicious holiday!! Here are some pictures from our Italian Christmas Eve Feast!

Nonna Serving Up Something Delicious!

My Favorite!! Prawns! 
Clams and Mussels! 

It was all very delicioius! Thanks Zia!

 Happy Holidays! It’s baking time. And here’s one from Martha Stewart’s Cookie of the Day! With these delicious Chocolate Thumbprints!  I have been baking up a storm today! I hope this makes up for my absense for most of december! But again, I’m a busy student! (not a starving student, clearly!) But all the exams are finished and all the gifts are wrapped! So enjoy all my christmas baking and hope you have a wonderful holiday! (Scroll down for all the latet baking posts for christmas!)