• Peaches and Cream Layered Jello Recipe

Ingredients for Peaches and Cream Jello:
2 pkgs. (6 oz each) peach jello, made according to package instructions
2 packets unflavored gelatin (2 packets = 14 grams or 1 1/2 Tbsp )
1 cup boiling hot water + 1 cup cold water
14 oz can sweetened Condensed milk
15 oz can sliced peaches, cut into 1/2″ thick slices

You will need:
Glass 9×13 casserole dish

Prep time: 3 hours 30 mins Total time: 3 hours 30 mins

This jello dessert is not overly sweet and the cream layer in the center is perfectly smooth. A yummy, kid-friendly layered jello recipe.

How to Make a Layered Jello:
1. Make the first peach flavored jello according to package instructions (I used 2 cups ice water for it to cool faster), pour into a 9×13″ glass pan and refrigerate until set (1-2 hrs).

2. After the first layer of jello has been in the fridge at least 45 mins, start on your cream layer: In a medium bowl, combine 2 packets of unflavored gelatin with 1 cup boiling water and stir until fully dissolved. Stir in 1 cup cold water. Pour in condensed milk and stir with a spoon until blended. Let cream layer sit at room temp (no more than 45 min), then gently pour over your set jello layer.

3. Once cream layer is nearly set (this takes about 5 min in the fridge), top with slices of peaches. Note: If you want the peaches to stay put in a pattern and not float up, you want to place them on the cream layer before it is fully set. Place back in the fridge to fully set.

4. You want to start your last jello layer right after the cream layer goes into the fridge. Make the second package of peach flavored jello according to package instructions and let sit on the counter until it is room temperature (30 min – it’s faster if you use ice water) then gently pour over the top of your set peaches and refrigerate until entire jello is fully set. Note: Do not pour warm jello over the cream layer or it will start to melt and become mottled.

Serving: 12-15 servings

18/8/2015 

              Chocolate Cherry Roll with Vanilla  or (RUM) Cream

Ingredients

For the Cake

4 eggs, (cold or room temp)
⅔ cup white sugar
½ cup all-purpose flour
3 Tbsp Unsweetened cocoa powder

For the Frosting

1.5 cup heavy whipping cream
⅓ cup powdered sugar, plus more to sprinkle the finished cake
2 tsp Vanilla or Rum (I used Meyers Dark rum 40% alcohol)
1 cup Canned cherries in light syrup OR whatever fresh or canned fruit you like.

Prep time: 45 mins       Cook time: 15 mins      Total time: 1 hour

Instructions

1-Preheat the Oven to 350˚F (G4  F350  C180  Fan160).

2-Line an 14x16 rimmed baking pan with parchment paper, then butter and flour the top of the parchment paper.

3-In the bowl of your electric mixer, whisk together 4 eggs with ⅔ cup sugar for 12 minutes on high speed until the mixture is thick. Sift in ½ cup flour and 3 Tbsp cocoa powder and gently fold it in, scraping from the bottom of the bowl to make sure you do not have any clumps left in the batter. Continue folding/scraping gently for about 1-2 minutes until the batter is smooth and lump-free. Transfer to your prepped baking pan and Bake at 350˚F for 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

4-You must start rolling the cake when it just comes out of the oven. Transfer your cake to your work surface and place a sheet of parchment paper or a tea towel over the cake, then roll the cake over it, pulling it away from the parchment paper as you roll. Use a thin edged spatula if the cake sticks to the parchment. Let cool to room temp.

5-Clean and completely dry the mixing bowl. Whisk together 1.5 cups heavy whipping cream or double Cream with ⅓ cup powdered sugar on high speed (about 2 minutes) until stiff peaks form, then beat in 2 tsp Vanilla or Rum until well combined. Don't overbeat or it will turn buttery. Refrigerate frosting until ready to use.

6-Once the cake is cooled to room temp, unroll it and spread the top evenly with frosting. Scatter about 1 cup of drained cherries over the top. Roll the cake in the same direction that you rolled it initially. Transfer to your serving platter and sprinkle it generously with powdered sugar. You can cut off the ends for a prettier presentation.

Serving: 8

18/8/15

              Peach Cream Cheese Braided Danish

This is the second time in one week we’ve baked this peach cream cheese danish. You see the first time, we were like, “oh my goodness this is good, we need to show everyone how easy and incredibly good it is!” So here we are. My taste testers didn’t complain.

Ingredients:

For the cream cheese filling:
6 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1 large egg yolk, room temperature
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt 1/2 tsp lemon juice

For the peach Filling:
1 (15 oz) can Del Monte® Sliced Peaches, Raspberry Flavored, drained (keep the juice for smoothies!)

For the pastry:
1 sheet of store-bought frozen puff pastry, thawed according to package instructions
Egg Wash: 1 large egg mixed with 1 Tbsp water

Toppings:
Coarse sugar (I used raw sugar)
Glaze: 1/3 cup Powdered sugar mixed with 1/2 Tbsp Milk

Prep time: 40 mins        Cook time: 28 mins      Total time: 1 hour 8 mins

Preheat Your Oven to 400°F.

Making your Fillings:

1. Place cream cheese and sugar in a bowl and beat on low speed until smooth
2. Add egg yolk, vanilla, salt and lemon juice and continue mixing just until well blended. Set aside.
3. Slice the Del Monte® peaches into 1/4″ thick slices

Prepping the Pastry and Assembly:

1. Dust a sheet of parchment paper with flour. Place your thawed puff pastry dough over it and roll it out slightly to flatten the top.

2. Spread your prepared cream cheese in the middle of your puff pastry lengthwise, staying inside the the middle third of the pastry and leaving a 1″ border at the top and bottom of the pastry.

3. Spread peach slices evenly over the cream cheese.

4. Cut off the top corners and cut out notches in the bottom of your pastry. Use kitchen scissors or a pizza cutter to cut an equal number of 1-inch wide strips diagonally down the sides of the pastry, leaving at least 1/2-inch before you reach the filling. Braid the pastry strips by folding them in, alternating between sides. Whistle while you work, do da doot doot doot da doot….

5. Make an egg wash by briskly beating 1 egg and 1 Tbsp of water with a fork. “forksking,” it sounds a whole lot better than “forking” which could be misconstrued. oh nevermind. Brush the braided pastry with egg wash. Bake at 400˚F for 25-28 min or until top is golden brown.

6. Once the braided danish is cooled to room temp, mix 1/3 cup powdered sugar with 1/2 Tbsp milk and drizzle over the pastry. But if you make the glaze, you’re required to sing a Christmas tune while drizzling. Take your time. This baking gig is fun.

Serving: 4-6

19/8/2015

                  Chocolate Spartak Cake Recipe

Ingredients for Spartak Cake:
1 egg
1 cup sugar
4 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup warm milk
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups minus 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 1/2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa

Ingredients for Spartak Cream:
2 sticks (16 Tbsp) butter, softened at room temp
14 oz can sweetened condensed milk (raw/un-cooked)
8 oz package cream cheese, soft at room temp
3/4 cup of very cold heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 Tbsp powdered sugar

How to Make Spartak Cake Layers:

Preheat the Oven to 350 ° F at step 5 while your dough is standing 20 min. 

1. Sift together 2 cups minus 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour with 1 1/2 tbsp cocoa.

2. Beat together 1 egg and 1 cup sugar with a whisk attachment (medium speed, 6 min).

3. Add 4 Tbsp softened butter, warm milk, and baking soda. Mix on medium/high speed 3 min, until smooth (or mostly smooth).

4. Bring a medium/large pot of water to a boil. Place mixture in a glass bowl or medium sauce pan over the steam (not immersed in the water) for 10 min, stirring frequently.

5. Remove from heat and immediately stir in sifted flour & cocoa and mix well. (Add flour right away or you will ruin the dough and it may crack when you roll it out).Let stand 20 minutes; until dough is just warm; it thickens as it cools: Note: It’s easier to roll out the dough while it’s still warm.

Preheat the Oven to 350 °F.

6. Place a heaping Tbsp over a large sheet of parchment paper. Sprinkle flour over the dough (so it doesn’t stick to your rolling pin) and roll it out to a very thin 9″ circle. Place your round dish over the dough and use a pizza slicer to cut out the circle. Pull the scraps away from the circle or they will bake into it. I was able to get two circles on one large sheet of parchment paper and baked them together. Bake the parchment paper with dough directly on the middle oven rack at 350˚F for 4-5 minutes until the edges barely start to brown (no need for a baking sheet). Don’t touch the top of the cake layer while it’s hot, or you’ll leave finger indents.

Transfer the baked scraps to a separate bowl; you’ll need them for the top.

Transfer to a clean, dry surface. They can be stacked once they are cooled to room temp. You can also make the layers several days in advance and store them in plastic wrap until ready to frost. I’m frugal so I re-used each sheet of parchment paper a couple times and then kept it for a temporary cake decorating surface.

How to Make the cream/frosting:

1. Using the whisk attachment on your stand mixer, beat together 2 packages softened butter and 1 can sweetened condensed milk on medium speed 7 min, scraping down the bowl as needed.

Goodness this by itself might make a luscious cupcake frosting!!

2. Mix in the softened cream cheese a little bit at a time until smooth (2-3 min). It’s important that the cream cheese is really soft or you might get small chunks of cream cheese in the frosting. Scrape down the bowl as needed.

3. In a separate bowl, beat very cold heavy whipping cream and 1 1/2 Tbsp powdered sugar on high speed (about 2 min) or until stiff peaks form. Fold whipped cream into the rest of the frosting until well blended.

Assembling the Cake:

1. Place your first layer over one of the sheets of parchment paper and spread enough frosting to cover the entire surface. Place the next layer on top and press it down with your hand so you don’t end up with air gaps. Repeat step one with all the layers. Finish by frosting the sides.

2. Use a rolling pin to crush the baked cake scraps you set aside (again, another good way to re-use that parchment paper!).

3. Generously sprinkle the crumbs over the top and sides. The sides are tough to put crumbs on. At one point I got frustrated and started throwing crumbs at the cake. Then I learned you can kind of toss the crumbs at the base up onto the cake by flicking the sides of the parchment paper; just do the best you can. Refrigerate overnight (it takes about 10 hours for the layers to soften).

Prep time: 1 hour Cook time: 20 mins Total time: 1 hour 20 mins

Serving: 10-12

20/8/2015

               BREAD Cones

Ingredients:

4cups (500g) bread flour

1-1/2tbsp (22g) sugar

1tsp(5g) salt

25g fresh yeast or 2-1/4tsp active dry yeast

1/4cup (50ml) warm water

2 eggs

2/3cups (170ml) milk warm

4tbsp(60g)butter melted