Greek Honey Nut Pie - Just a Slightly Different Spin on Baklava

I know what you're all thinking.  Two posts in one week?  Well, I felt that I owed my readers a little something extra for sticking with me through the time gaps.  So please consider this as a "thank you" to all of you!

As my readers know, I love to bake.  A lot!  However, there are only a few things in this world that I have zero self control over when it comes to consuming treats of any kind.  Red Starburst....Haribo gummy bears....lasagna....and BAKLAVA!!  Any of these things, I will eat to the point of having a tummy ache.  I can't help myself.  Well, this post will focus on a baklava..of sorts.

This recipe was found in a Taste of Home special edition magazine that was all about favorite pie recipes.  I tried out a few of the recipes within the magazine and by far my favorite was the Greek Honey Nut Pie submitted by Rosalind Jackson of Stuart, Florida.  It is all of those things you love about baklava.  Layer upon layer of butter and crispy phyllo dough.  Nutty filling and syrupy sweetness.  I'm talking toothache-inducing sweet.  I LOVED it.  This pie is also as beautiful as it is yummy.  Now don't let the appearance of this pie intimidate you.  This is a fairly simple pie to assemble with big results. 

Below is the recipe and a few pics of my take on this scrumptious pie.

Greek Honey Nut Pie

Ingredients:

4 c chopped walnuts

¼ c packed brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 c butter, melted
1 pkg (16 oz, 14 in x 9 in sheet size) frozen phyllo dough, thawed

Syrup:

¾ c sugar

½ c water
½ c honey
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a large bowl, combine the walnuts, brown sugar and cinnamon; set aside.  Brush a 9 inch pie plate with some of the butter; set aside.

Unroll phyllo dough; keep covered with a plastic wrap and a damp towel to prevent it from drying out.  Layer eight sheets of phyllo in prepared pan, brushing each layer with butter and rotating sheets to cover the pie plate.  Let edges of dough hang over sides.  Sprinkle a third of the nut mixture onto the bottom.

Layer four sheets of phyllo over nut mixture in the same manner; sprinkle with a third of the nut mixture.  Repeat these last two steps.  Top with an additional eight sheets of phyllo, again brushing with butter and rotating sheets.  Fold ends of phyllo up over top of  pie; brush with butter.

Using a sharp knife, cut into eight wedges.  Cut 1-2 additional sheets of phyllo into thin strips; arrange decoratively on top.  (Save remaining phyllo for another use).  Bake pie  for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan, combine the sugar, water and honey; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.  Add vanilla.  Pour over warm pie.  Cool on a wire rack before cutting into wedges.  Refrigerate leftovers.

 

Just a few tips while making this delightful pie.  Phyllo dough can be temperamental.  It's very important to keep the phyllo damp while using it.  Do not skip the step of keeping it covered with a damp towel as the phyllo will become dry and brittle.  Also, I used walnuts for this recipe.  If you'd like, swapping out that nut with another type, that would be fine.  I'm interested in trying pistachios next time. 

Thanks everyone!  My next post will be all about festive pies.  Lemon Coconut Cream and Peanut Butter Chocolate Cream.  Stay tuned to Katie's Adventures in the Kitchen!

Cupcakes Galore

Hello Friends.  It's been awhile (and yes...I do feel that I'm saying that too often).  As always I've been busy in life and in the kitchen.  Recently I've been making cupcakes again.  This time around trying out different combinations of cake with frostings. 

My family was invited to a Cinco de Mayo celebration last month.  It's a pretty sure thing that when I'm invited to a gathering, people ask that I bring dessert.  This time around, the hostess mentioned (and shared) a recipe for margarita cupcakes.  Lime margarita to be precise.  Well, the recipe she shared included tequila in the buttercream.  Now, had children not been invited to this party, I would have been daring and included the tequila.  However, knowing that children could inadvertently consume them I made my version without the tequila.  I've included the recipe with the tequila, so make the frosting as you like. 

This recipe was a definite keeper.  The texture of the cupcake was almost like that of an angel food cake.  The buttermilk assists with that special texture (also in the red velvet).  You will see that most of my favorite cake recipes contain buttermilk.  They are to die for.  Also, this buttercream is more of a Swiss meringue buttercream.  The process is a bit more time consuming (slowly cooking the egg whites over a water bath before whipping them with sugar), but doing it gives you the lightest,  melt in your mouth texture.  Absolutely heavenly.

http://cookbook-recipes.org/margarita-cupcakes/

My next set of recipes were made for my son's dance school.  Their competitive dance team held a fundraiser and we showed our support by donating about six dozen cupcakes for them to sell.  I wanted to make two very different cupcakes to hopefully appeal to just about everyone.  So, I went with the chocolate cupcake with chocolate buttercream (yes, both recipes I've posted in the past), as well as red velvet with whipped cream cheese buttercream.  I even managed to rope the hubby/photographer into making white chocolate toppers for the cupcakes (yes, he is even my chocolatier).  The toppers included the dance team's name and the dance school's logo dancer.  He did a GREAT job. 
 
Once again, both of these cake recipes include buttermilk in the batters.  These recipes were also "borrowed" from Sweetapolita.  She is my IDOL.  I also want to make a special point of discussing this whipped cream cheese buttercream.  OH MY GOODNESS!  Yes, it would seem that by adding cubes of cream cheese to whipped butter that you would end up with something incredibly heavy.  WRONG!  The fact that this is whipped into submission, it is so incredibly light and fluffy and creamy and NOT overly sweet.  I'm usually really good at exercising self control while baking.  I'm not a bigger licker of spoons or eater of batters and frosting.  I'm going to be completely honest with all of you.  I licked the frosting bowl once all of the cupcakes were frosted.  I did...and I don't even feel guilty for doing so :)  Here are the recipes and photos.

Sweetapolita’s Perfect Chocolate Cake

Ingredients for the Chocolate Cake:

2-1/2 cups + 1 tablespoon (330 g) all-purpose flour

3 cups (600 g) granulated sugar

1 cup + 1 tablespoon (135 g) Cacao Barry Extra Brute Cocoa Powder (or similar premium brand)

1 tablespoon (15 g) baking soda

1-1/2 teaspoons (7.5 g) baking powder

1-1/2 teaspoons (12 g) salt

3 eggs, at room temperature

1-1/2 cups (360 mL) buttermilk, room temperature

1-1/2 cups (360 mL) strong black coffee, hot

1/2 cup (120 mL) vegetable oil

1-1/2 tablespoons (22.5 mL) pure vanilla extract

 Ingredients for the Belgian Chocolate Frosting:

1 lb butter (2 cups)(454 g), at room temperature

4 cups (500 g) icing sugar (confectioners' or powdered), sifted

1 tablespoon (15 mL) pure vanilla extract

¾ cu ovaltine powder

Pinch of salt

8 oz (250 g) quality Belgian chocolate, chopped, melted and cooled

1/2 cup (120 mL) whipping (35% fat) cream

Directions (Cake)

For the Chocolate Layer Cake:

      Preheat oven to 350° F. Prepare three 8-inch round cake pans (butter, line bottom with parchment paper, butter paper, dust with flour).

  In bowl of electric mixer, sift all dry ingredients, including sugar. Combine eggs,   buttermilk, coffee, oil and vanilla in a measuring cup and beat lightly with a fork.

     Add milk mixture to the dry ingredients mix for 2 minutes on medium speed (you may need the plastic splash-guard that comes with mixer). Divide batter evenly among prepared pans. (Batter will be thin.)

**Bake for 20 minutes and rotate pans in oven. Continue to bake until toothpick or skewer comes almost clean (a few crumbs), about 12 more minutes. Cool on wire racks for 20 minutes then gently invert onto racks until completely cool.

For the Malted Belgian Chocolate Frosting:

      In a bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, combine the icing sugar and butter and beat on low speed for about 1 minute.

 Add malt powder, vanilla and salt, and beat on low until well combined. Add the melted  chocolate and beat on medium speed until smooth (about 2 minutes).

     Add whipping cream and beat on med-high speed for another minute.

 Mix and "work in" with rubber spatula right before applying to cake (to rid of air bubbles).

**  This recipe makes approximately 4 dozen regular sized cupcakes.  Bake cupcakes for 15-17 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Once cupcakes are removed from oven, immediately remove cupcakes from the pans and allow to cool completely on cooling racks.

**  For a “malted” chocolate add the ovaltine to the recipe.  I tend to leave it out for a straight chocolate frosting.

 

Red Velvet Cake

 Ingredients:

3/4 cup (170 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup (225 g) packed light brown sugar

1 cup (200 g) white sugar

1 teaspoon super red soft gel paste, optional

3 eggs, at room temperature

2 cups (260 g) all-purpose flour

1/2 cup (55 g) cake flour

1 tablespoon (8 g) Dutch-process cocoa powder

1 teaspoon (8 g) kosher salt

1-1/2 cups (360 ml) buttermilk, warm

1/4 cup (60 ml) mayonnaise

1 tablespoon (15 ml) vinegar

1-1/4 teaspoons (8 g) baking soda

**3 tablespoons (45 ml) *red velvet flavor

 Instructions:

1.       Preheat oven to 350° F. Butter the bottom of three 8-inch round cake pans, line with parchment rounds, and dust with flour, tapping out the excess.

2.      In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, sugars, red velvet flavor, and red gel paste on medium-high speed until lighter in color and slightly increased in volume, about 5 minutes. Lower the speed to medium and add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until each is fully incorporated before adding the next.

3.      Sift the flour and cocoa powder into a medium bowl. Add the salt to the dry ingredients after sifting, and whisk dry ingredients. Alternate dry ingredients and buttermilk into creamed mixture, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Mix until just incorporated, or finish by hand gently. Fold in mayonnaise.

4.      In a small cup or bowl, combine the vinegar and baking soda until it fizzes, then quickly add the batter and whisk until blended.

5.      Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. If possible, weigh the batter in each cake pan for 460 g each (excluding the pans--you will want to tare the scale each time.) This ensures even layers. Smooth with small offset palette knife, and bake on top of a baking sheet (two pans on sheet for first round, then the final pan) until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Try not to over-bake.

6.      Let pans cool on wire rack for 20 minutes, then invert cakes onto racks, gently, peeling away parchment rounds. Let cool completely.

**This recipe makes approximately 5 dozen regular sized cupcakes.  Bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of cupcakes comes out clean.  Upon removing from the oven immediately remove the cupcakes from the pans and let cool on racks.

 

 

 

Finally, I made a different combination of the same chocolate cake recipe above and combined it with the whipped cream cheese buttercream and topped them with a chocolate ganache drizzle.  Also included in the photos are banana nut cupcakes with the whipped cream cheese buttercream topped with toasted walnuts.  THAT recipe is one that I recently inherited from a friend and it will be featured as a layered cake in a future blog.  Consider the cupcakes a teaser :) 

 

As always I hope you enjoy these recipes.  Please feel free to post pics of any of the recipes you sample.  I'd also love to hear your thoughts on any of the recipes, should you try them.  Finally, always remember to have amazing Adventures in the Kitchen :)

 

A Celebration Fit for a Princess and More

Oh my goodness!!  It's been over a month (going on two) since my last post and for this apologize.  There's been tons going on in our household over the past few months so blogging has been tough, BUT...I'M BACK!

So, first things first.  We made a pretty major purchase.  We bought all new appliances for our kitchen.  As much as I bake I've been jonesing for double ovens for many years.  We finally decided to make the move and go for it.  We settled on a GE Cafe w/Convection.  It is BEAUTIFUL.  Let's just say that I've been having loads of fun playing with it.  This oven runs a bit different from what I'm used to, so I've been trying different types of my favorite recipes to see if I need to tweak times and such.  What this means for all of you is more recipes and pics to post.  My husband has also had some fun photographing the kitchen and our new toys.  I'll be sure to share some of those shots at the end of today's blog.  Now...onto our recipes!

As our title states there is a little bit of everything today.  One of my very best friends in the world had a 5th birthday party for her girlie girl daughter.  Pink and princessy and all of the things I love but do not get to enjoy as the mother of two beautiful boys.  So I jumped at the chance to make pretty pink cupcakes for this beautiful little girl.  With the help of my husband we created a sparkly cupcake tower with white and pink chocolate tiaras.  Take a peek at some of the photos.

The cupcakes were strawberry with strawberry buttercream and chocolate with vanilla buttercream.  I've blogged about both cupcake recipes in prior blogs.  They are Sweetapolita's recipes.  I must give props to my husband for the chocolate work.  That was all him.  Needless to say our pretty princess loved them and we couldn't have been happier.

Now onto two of my favorite sweet treats.  The first being lemon brownies.  They are even better than the standard lemon bars.  It's interesting that this recipe is referred to as a "brownie".  The bars are actually somewhere between a lemon cake and a brownie.  They are the perfect combination of sweet and tart with tons of fresh lemon zest in both the brownie and the icing.  For those of you that love lemon feel free to add as much zest to the recipe as you'd like.  I added quite a bit.  Fair warning.  These bars are addictive.  So addictive that I consumed two-thirds of the pan myself and managed to gain two pounds at a time that I was trying to lose ten.  I'm not going to lie...they were worth it.  Here are a few pics and the recipe.

Lemon Brownies
makes about 25-30 brownies

Ingredients
Zest from 2-3 lemons  
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 room temperature eggs
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (that's 2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

For the glaze
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
Zest from 1 lemon

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with foil, leaving a slight overhang along the edges. Lightly butter the foil.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the lemon zest and granulated sugar. Use your fingertips to rub the lemon zest into the sugar until moist and fragrant; Set aside.
In separate, small bowl, combine the eggs, almond extract, and lemon juice. Whisk to combine; Set aside.
Add the flour, salt, and melted butter to the lemon/sugar mixture. Whisk until well combined. Add the egg mixture and mix until smooth.
Spread the batter into prepared pan.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the center is set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a cooling rack. Cool completely before adding the glaze.

For the glaze: In a medium-size bowl, combine the confectioners' sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Whisk until smooth.
Pour the glaze over the cooled brownies (if needed, use a small off-set spatula to spread it around the entire pan).
Use the foil overhang to remove the brownies from the pan. Cut into squares or rectangles.
Recipe adapted from Sweet Anna's

Finally, carrot cake.  Yes, I realize that Easter has come and gone and I'm so sorry to not have posted this one sooner.  I tried a few recipes and takes on this one before tweaking Sweetapolita's Hawaiian Carrot Cake, turning it into a more traditional carrot cake.  This cake is a perfect balance of sweet and spicy with the best whipped cream cheese buttercream frosting.  Rosie's recipe included pineapple in the cake as well as coconut in the cake and frosting.  My changes included removing the pineapple from the cake and replacing it with 1/2 cup of sweetened applesauce.  I've also removed the coconut from the frosting and kept it as a vanilla cream cheese frosting with the added butter and whipped it until it was incredibly light and fluffy.  I also added toasted chopped walnuts to the sides of the cake.

http://sweetapolita.com/2011/04/hawaiian-carrot-cake-with-coconut-icing/

 

 

 

 

Last, but certainly not least..pics of our kitchen with our new appliances.  I'm enjoying every second of trying recipes in this new oven...old and new.  Thanks so much for sticking with me and checking on the blog.  I love this journey we are all on together.  May you have happy Adventures in the Kitchen!

 



Cake - It's Always a Good Thing.

Good Day Blog Readers!

I'm a firm believer in giving credit where credit is due.  I borrow SO many recipes and ideas from others.  The beauty of the internet is that we have access to so much information.  I like to take FULL advantage of the situation.  I follow other food bloggers.  I read so many cook books.  I faithfully watch The Food Network.  I also purchase seasonal cooking and baking magazines by the boatloads.  This week, I am giving major props to one of my biggest sources of inspiration and my favorite baking blogger......Sweetapolita.  Rosie is AH-Mazing.  Her cakes inspire me to no end.  The best part....her cakes are do-able.  I've tried five of her layer cakes, all levels of difficulty, and mine have turned out beautifully.  I can relate to her posts (which include beautiful photos taken by her).  She's a mom that loves to bake.  She gave up a lucrative career to do what she loves and it has taken off for her.  I have never met Rosie, but I follow her facebook page and her website faithfully and I can say with ease that she is one of my idols.  Right up there with Martha Stewart and Ina Garten. 

Other than Rosie/Sweetapolita, the stars of today's blog are two of her cakes.  One is the vanilla cream double chocolate cake and the other is her triple lemon blueberry cake.  The first is an exercise in sheer decadence.  The other is a celebration of pure springtime.  Both of these cakes do have multiple steps in their creation, but every step is necessary and worth it in the end.

First up is the vanilla cream double chocolate cake.  When I saw this cake on Rosie's site (http://sweetapolita.com/) I knew that is was meant for my husband.  He is a true lover of dark chocolate.  He eats some every single day.  So, for his birthday he received this wonderful creation.  I've attached the link to Rosie's site as well as photos of the our end product (as always taken by my husband PRIOR to consuming the cake).

http://sweetapolita.com/2013/02/vanilla-cream-filled-double-chocolate-cake-for-two/

Do you SEE how decadent this cake is??  The husband took the cake into work the day after I made it and it was gone in minutes.  If chocolate is YOUR thing, this would definitely be your cake.  It is a tall layer cake, but I made it with 6 inch pans (Rosie used 5 inch pans).  A little goes a long way when eating.  Make sure you have a tall glass of milk nearby as well.

The second cake is the triple lemon blueberry cake.  Now...THIS was MY kind of cake.  I love lemon.  Absolutely LOVE it.  I came across this recipe when perusing her website.  I have a very good friend that loves lemon as well.  Her request was that I make her something layered and lemony for her birthday this coming June. I found Rosie's recipe and thought it would be perfect.  In between the layers of lemon blueberry cake is homemade lemon curd.  Talk about heavenly.  I could drink the lemon curd...it is that delectable.   I made the lemon curd the day before (Rosie also includes the recipe for her favorite citrus curd).  Once the components of the cake were made, assembling was a snap.  As you'll see in the photos below, when you cut into this cake, the lemon curd oozes out.  Make sure you sop up every last bit of that curd and spread it on your pieces of cake!  It would be a total waste not to do so. 

http://sweetapolita.com/2011/02/triple-lemon-blueberry-layer-cake/

Does it get any better than this?  I think not!  If blueberries are not your thing, swap them out for raspberries or blackberries.  Both would be wonderful.  I personally think this cake would be wonderful as an Easter dessert.  It is truly Springtime to the palate. 

To Rosie - Sweetapolita:  You are an inspiration to me every day.  Thank you for sharing your skills and insight with us.  I hope that you continue to do so.

To my readers - THANK YOU!  Thank you for allowing me to share my love of baking and cooking with all of you.  You are all an inspiration to me as well.  As a relative newbie to this scene, I appreciate the support I've received from each and every one of you.  I hope you continue to follow me on my journey. 

Have a great day!  May you all have wonderful Adventures in the Kitchen!

Chili and Cornbread - A Perfect Pair

Hello Friends.  Warm welcomes to Norway, New Zealand, Azerbaijan and Taiwan.  I am excited to have our new readers on board.

Well, today it's about my husband.  Not only is he a fabulous photographer, but he also contributes in other ways to the blog on occasion.  He's handy with cookie decorating as well as one heck of a cook.  This week's blog entry covers his very yummy chili recipe.  Winters in Michigan can be filled with extremes.  Last year we had an unseasonably warm Winter with very little snowfall.  This year has proven to be the exact opposite.  We've had some frigid temperatures and TONS of snow.  Though, looking out the window today you'd never know it.  46 degrees and rainy (which means all of that snow has completely melted).  The day that the husband made his amazing chili it was a cold and blustery day and chili was a must on the menu.  As you'll see in the recipe below there are tons of ingredients (mostly spices - a pic of which is now a part of my blog header), however, this recipe is very flexible.  For example, this time around we used ground chuck and ground venison.  It was absolutely superb.  The husband also reduced some of the "hotter" spices so that our son could enjoy it as well.  This is a great Saturday or Sunday dinner dish.  Once you've thrown all of the ingredients into your pot, you let it go for hours, stirring occasionally.  As always, chili is even better on day two. 

Accompanying the chili was a jalapeno cheddar cornbread (my contribution to this lovely meal).  I have always wanted to make homemade cornbread but had never tried.  I came across this recipe on Pinterest and had to give it a whirl.  You will need a cast iron skillet (preferably seasoned) for this recipe.  Here is a pic of the meal as well as the recipe for the chili:

Jeff’s Chili

Ingredients:

2 lbs ground beef chuck/turkey/venison

1 lb bulk Italian sausage

3- 15 oz cans mild chili beans, w/sauce

1-15 oz can medium chili beans, w/sauce

2-28 oz cans diced tomatoes, w/juice

1-6oz can tomato paste

1 large yellow onion, chopped

3 stalks celery, chopped

2 bell peppers, seeded and chopped

1 Tbsp minced garlic

2 green chile peppers, seeded and chopped

5 slices of smoked bacon, chopped

1 can of beer

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

¼ c chili powder

¼ c ancho chili powder

1 tsp cayenne pepper

2 tsp ground cumin

4 cubes beef bouillon

1 Tbsp dried oregano

2 Tbsp cinnamon

2 Tbsp cocoa powder

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp paprika

1 Tbsp white sugar

2 Tbsp brown sugar

Toppers:

Hot pepper sauce; corn chips; shredded cheddar or Monterey jack cheese; sour cream

Directions:

Heat a large stock pot over medium-high heat.  Start cooking the bacon, rendering some of the fat.

Add onion and celery, until onion begins to soften.

Place all meat into the mixture and cook until browned; drain excess grease.

Add remaining ingredients and stir to blend; Cover and simmer on low heat for at least two hours, stirring occasionally.  Add additional salt, pepper and/or chili powder as needed.  The longer this dish cooks, the better it tastes.

Here is the link to the jalapeno cheddar cornbread.  As you can see, it can be made as muffins or in a skillet.  We chose to make it in the skillet:

 http://addapinch.com/cooking/2012/10/28/cheddar-jalapeno-cornbread-muffins-recipe/

That's it for today.  I hope to have another post later this week.  Back to a few desserts and the wonderful mac and cheese recipe that my husband has mastered.  Have a great day! Please remember, if there is anything you'd like to see in this blog, please post and I'll see what I can do.  May you all have many Happy Adventures in the Kitchen!