Peach Mousse Cake

I made this mousse cake a few months back but never got around to updating the blog with it. Its another version of my strawberry mousse cake which I made last year and has been very very VERY popular!

I’m planning on making many more variations of the mousse cake since its sooo easy! Your only limitation is your imagination. If any of you make another variation of this recipe please link me! I would love to see :)

This is going to be a very short blog post, just a quick update. I probably wont be updating again until next week because I have a VERY busy week ahead of me (2 assignments due, a resume to do, a career fair and a LOT of readings Ive fallen behind on!!)

But without further adu, here is the recipe:

Peach Mousse Cake:
For Complete recipe and directions for how to make the base and the cream for the mousse etc go to the Strawberry Mousse Cake Recipe

Peach Gele:
400 g fresh peaches, washed, peeled, and diced
100 g water
160 g caster sugar
5 tsp powdered gelatin
400 g cream

Wash and hull the peaches and place in a sauce pan. Add the water, caster sugar, and gelatin and simmer until all the gelatin dissolves. Cool the mixture and blend the mixture in a blender or food processor until the mixture is pureed.

Reserve about a cup of the mixture to pour on top later on.

Then, fold the remaining mixture (as much as you want ….can be half of it or all of it…I prefer to use all for a punch of peach!) into the whipped cream.

And that’s it! Refer back to the strawberry mousse cake recipe for assembly.
Instead of melted chocolate, pour the peach gele and allow to set

And a note! A question that comes up quite often from my strawberry mousse cake is how I get the cream around the SIDE of the cake. For me, the cake always shrinks back a bit, but I also cut around it to get rid of the dry parts. This provides lots of room for the cream!

Recipe Rating:

I would give this a 9.5 stars out of 10!! (highest I've rated anything yet!) It was amazingly good! I personally lovedddd it! The only critique I heard was that it was a bit too peachy, but I didnt mind...its what I was going for! ;)

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Whipped Cream Rolls

I’ve been trying to go through all of the back log of recipes I’ve made and to start blogging about them. Last semester I was so very busy, but the few times I had a chance to bake I did. So I will probably be taking turns posting older and newer pictures and recipes. :)

I made these little delicious creamy rolls a few months ago, and let me tell you, they were amazinngggg! My parents (especially my mom love anything to do with whipped cream) and back when she was a little girl, she would eat these pastries back home in Iran. Let me tell you something, Iranians LOVE their whipped cream pastries. Like, every other street has at LEAST one bakery selling whipped cream pastries. Mmmm

I originally intended to make these with a sponge cake. But unfortunately, sometimes life gives you lemons, and then smacks you in the face. That’s what happened. And of course, when life smacks you in the face and throws you off the cliff, you get right back up right? Right. So I did. Only it smacked me down again. Ouch.

My first sponge cake burned and became dry and hard as a cookie! I have NO IDEA why, since I baked it at same temperature and same conditions as every other time. So, determined to make this with a sponge cake, I made a new batch and this time the cake turned out, well, like a cake, and not a piece of charcoal.

Great right? Not so fast. When I tried to peel the wax paper off the cake, half of the cake came with me. I was about ready to start pulling my hair out! Yes. Angry is an understatement. I had been in the kitchen for 2 hours, made a mess of a kitchen and had nothing to show for it. To add to that, it was getting dark soon and I was loosing precious daylight hours to photograph these babies.

Desperate times call for desperate measures. I used a cake mix. * sigh *

Surprisingly though, it turned out pretty good :) So, that’s the way I’m going to give the recipe! (Using a cake mix made 2 rolls)

Enjoy!

Whipped Cream Rolls

Ingredients:

* Whipped cream → made from about a liter of cream. (click here for my detailed how to step to make home made whipped cream)
* a few tablespoons of icing sugar
* Cake mix and add ins as instructed by the cake mix box (ex. Eggs, milk)
* sliced and toasted almonds and/or chocolate sprinkles
* about 2-4 ounces of chocolate or cocoa powder to taste (if using)

Directions:

1. Prepare the cake mix following the instructions.
2. Bake in a jelly roll pan if you have it, if not, use a 13×9x2-inch metal baking pan.
3. Once baked allow to cool slightly, just so that it doesn’t crumble when handling it, but make sure it doesn’t cool down completely. It needs to be slightly warm to work.
4. Then take a clean kitchen cloth and sprinkle a bit of icing sugar all over the cloth through a sifter, and lay the cake on top
5. Then, being very careful, and using the cloth, start rolling the cake.
6. Once completely cooled, allow it to sit until fully cooled (about 20 min)
7. Then carefully unroll and spread it with your whipped cream
(some variations would be to add jam or melt some chocolate and add to the whipped cream [or use coco powder] – I did both , 1 roll with just vanilla cream and one with chocolate!)
8. Carefully re-roll the cake
9. Spread the top with a layer of whipped cream, and sprinkle almonds or sprinkles on top
10. Slice into individual pieces and place inside cupcake wrappers, to make it easier to handle

REVIEW OF RECIPE:
I really loved how these turned out, they in theory shouldn’t be too hard to make, but the sponge cake disaster really set me back. However, the end result was fantastic, the cake didn’t last to see morning! This would make an excellent addition to a tea party or brunch! Overall, I would rate this recipe as 8/10 . It was really good :)

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Whipping Cream

a few samples of my photography - (click for better quality)

If you would rather skip to the recipe, skip the blue :)

New Years Resolutions are funny things arent they? People make vows that they usually dont keep. Mostly people make vows that they know they wont be able to keep. So why make them?

I had always wondered this, and had never made any. I knew as soon as I made a new years resolution that it wouldnt be long before I broke it. I mean, who went and made new years so special anyways? Why can I only make a vow to change something in my life for the better only once a year? As a child it had always confused me when I would hear adults making these vows. Even more when fellow classmates would proclaim their new years resolutions during lunch break, telling all who would listen that they vowed to eat more junk food.

cinque terre 2009 - (click for better quality)

Anywho, I'm getting a bit off topic now, so, I'll get back to my point, because there is one. I promise. I have never been one to make new years resolutions because I stubbornly believed that this one day shouldnt be any different than any others, should I want a change. I could have it any other time of the year!

However, this year is different. For some reason, I felt this want, this need to make some, so I did. And I would like to share them with you as they will be having a huge impact on my blog.

1) to do MORE : this is probably the reason I felt almost obliged to make vows this year. I feel like I'm not doing much with my life.

Dont get me wrong, I know WHERE I'm going and what I will be doing. In fact I have a 4 year, 10 year, and 20 year plan lined up. It's quite rare to meet an 18 year old who has her life all figured out and planned out. But thats me. The over achieving, overly prepared, and overly planning, uni student. There are parts of my life that I have worked hard to achieve, and am very proud of, such as my education and being an A student, and knowing what I'm going to be doing. At the age of 18 I also have a very nice resume, from working in a member of parliament's office at 15 to working for the Ministry of Child and Youth Services last summer. Planning and knowing gives me a huge sense of security. However, I have come to realize that in my life, in my personal 'fun time' life...I have no life.

My days are filled with going to class, studying, eating, and watching tv shows and movies on my mac. I shop. I bake. (and I have been neglecting that for a while too!) However, it sadens me when I realize I dont do much else. I'm a young healthy girl who should be out there conquering the world, doing whatever I like, but instead Im too lazy to even bother. I just sit home and do nothing worth talking about.

cinque terre 2009- (click for better quality)

This is why I feel I need a change. I have decided to do more. Life is too short. I've noticed not just with myself, but with those around me, that as we grow older we forget how to have fun. I think back to a few years ago, I did so much more! I would read at least 3-5 novels a month. You would not find me not sitting somewhere drawing or painting. I loved going out and playing around in the snow with my younger brother, staying outside until my toes were numb. I volunteered SO much! I helped organizations such as the food bank and the blood donor clinics and I used to love helping others.

(click for better quality)

But now? I cant think of the last time I drew something. The last book I read for fun? 4 years ago. wow. It just dawned on me how LONG ago that was! And snow? I cringe at the thought of it. So this year, I vow to do more. to be more. to live more. Whose with me? ;) I'm sure I am not alone in this. I believe everyone falls into a rut ...a state of doing nothingness...going to school/work...coming home....watching some tv...go to the mall for an hour or two and go to sleep and redo the whole thing the next day.

So, how will this effect my blog? I intend to update more. At least once a week, but I will aim for 2-3 times a week. This will thus force me to bake more, something I enjoy immensely. I also plan on learning more about photography. I have $1000+ worth of photography equipment, yet I dont bother to properly learn! I just play around with it ..enough to make a picture and thats that...whats the point? In fact, in the ONE day that I decided to learn more about photography, I learned something AMAZING for food photography, which is custom white balance. (more on that soon;))

Vatican City (click for better quality)

2) I intend to take better care of myself. Therefore drink more water, put on this strange thing called sunscreen ;) , and eat better. I sometimes stop and wonder when the lst time I had fruit was....and I honestly can not remember! :O I also go out of my way to avoid exercise (take the 4 flights of stairs to the top of Uni Center at school? Pshh Ill take the elevator thanks. ) Wow...its a wonder I'm still alive isnt it? So I will hopefully be posting some more healthy recipes ;)

I have decided that 2010 is going to be the year I do more, help more, be more. WHO IS WITH ME?:D Do you guys have any new years resolutions? I recommend everybody post them onto their blog. I feel that if it is up here, for the world to see, I cant just give up at it. It's not just me vs me....its me vs world opinion ;)

But yes, I'll shut up now and get on to the whipped cream.

SO, I'll get to the reason you are probably AT this post in the first place! The Whipped cream :)

My parents hate buttercream icing. gasp, I know. How do you think I feel? Try frosting a cake with regular old whipped cream, and you will feel my pain. In my opinion, buttercream is so much easier to work with. However, I have had to use whipped cream and after fighting against it, I decided to embrace it :) My major obstacle with it has been that it gets too soft and looses its shape after its left outside for more than 15 min.

With these steps, you can be sure to make a nice batch of fresh homemade whipped cream that doesn't get too soft and droop off, but is a nice stiff consistency, perfect for covering a cake, and even doing a little decorating.

Please do yourself a favor.

Don't buy store bought prepared whipped cream. It tastes so artificial. Why not make the fresh thing, without any preservatives, when it is soooo easy and soooo yummy to do?:)


Ok so first, some tips:

1) It would be a LOT easier to do this in a stand mixer, but handheld one would work too...it would just take a LOT longer :)

2) Pre-chill the bowl you will be using to make the cream in (dont use plastic)

3) Pre-chill your whisk attachment

4) Always use cream with a minimum fat content of 35% cream

5) Chilling the cream in the freezer before beating will make it be a lot stiffer and prettier when you make the whipped cream

6) Regular granulated sugar can be used in the place of icing sugar, but icing sugars higher cornstarchy content makes the cream stiffer and in my opinion yummier

6) work fast - whipped cream can be worked with very well when you follow these steps, but it is still cream, and should not be store out for too long. Once you have frosted the cake make sure you place it back in the fridge. This will make sure the cream doesn't go bad, and the re-refrigeration will make the frosting nice and stiff to the touch.

**click here for a printable version

Whipped Cream Recipe

Ingredients:
1 Liter Whipping Cream * 2-3 tsp gelatin * 2 tablespoons of cold water * 1/4 cup - 1/2 cup icing sugar * 1 tsp vanilla (preferably vanilla sugar) Instructions: 1. Sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water and let sit until its firm.

2. Pour all of the cream into your chilled bowl and add about 1/4 cup of sifted icing sugar (if using) and begin to beat. 3. Keep beating your cream until it starts looking like loose cream. You can taste test at this point and determine whether you would like to add more sugar or not.
4. Pour in the vanilla and gelatin and beat until the cream reaches a point where it can hold a peak. To test this, lift the whisk up and if the peak stays up it is ready, if it droops, it needs more beating.

*** Be careful NOT to overbeat the cream, as it will begin to curdle and turn into butter! Beat JUST until the cream is stiff enough to hold a peak or not droop off your whisk


**I have NO idea why the recipe is coming up underlined! SORRY!

I AM PLANNING ON POSTING A RECIPE TO USE THIS WHIPPED CREAM WITH EITHER THURSDAY OR FRIDAY, SO COME BACK SOON!:)

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Chocolate Almond Cookie Bark

Yay! Brand spanking new layout! What do you guys think?:)

After having such a busy and colorful one for a while I realized I needed a change to something new and simple and not so color packed :p. I originally loved this at first….but now I’m not as happy with it…maybe its because I spent a few too many hrs on it? Fixing the glitches and tweeking this and that? Lol You guys should let me know what you think...is it just me? Or is it missing something?:/ (Also, how does it look in your browser? Everything working right? I only tested it on my browser [firefox])

Anywho, moving on to these yummy yummy bars!
I made these a little while back as Christmas gifts for some friends. They didn’t turn out how I intended them to originally….I was going to sprinkle some butterscotch and white chocolate chips that I had left over all over them…but they went…weird….

I think they may have gone bad? It was the WEIRDESS thing…it WOULD NOT melt! Just turned into this gunk thing…and smelled like cow manure :P SO suffice to say I had to throw it out…but I needed to put SOMETHING on there! So I decided to toast some almonds and sprinkle them on top…and omg am I glad I did! They are SO good! I intend to make these again…and omit other chocolates and just do the almonds!

The original recipe is from Bon Appetite but I got it off recipegirl.com (to give credit where credit is due ☺ ) The only difference between this recipe and hers is that she dropped on 1 cup chopped Hershey’s Candy Cane Kisses and 2 ounces of white chocolate instead of the almonds.



Also, I’ve decided to start rating my recipes… both for my own reference and for my readers. SO, here’s my rating scheme:

1 star = DISGUSTING …..5 stars = its good…nothing AMAZING but its good…average…. And 10 stars = AMAZING FOOD SENT FROM HEAVEN

I intend to rate pretty harshly yet fairly, so I will rarely give anything a 10 (unless it really deserves it…and my readers will KNOW its THAT amazing), nor will I rate things a 1 often (lets hope I don’t have to!)

For this recipe I would give it a solid 8 stars….reallyyyy yummy :)

Chocolate Almond Bark Cookies
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg yolk
6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped (or use chocolate chips)
½ - 1 cup toasted sliced almonds (to taste)

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 13×9x2-inch metal baking pan with nonstick spray. Line bottom of pan with long strip of 9-inch-wide parchment paper, leaving overhang on both short sides of pan.

2. Whisk flour and salt in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until creamy, about 2 minutes. Gradually beat in sugar. Continue beating until mixture is light and fluffy, stopping occasionally to scrape down sides of bowl, about 3 minutes. Beat in vanilla, then egg yolk. Gradually add flour mixture, beating on low speed just to blend.

3. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls into prepared baking pan, spacing evenly. Using moistened fingertips, press dough to form even layer over bottom of pan. Pierce dough all over with fork.

4. Bake cookie base until light golden brown and slightly puffed and edges begin to come away from sides of pan, about 30 minutes. Place pan on rack; immediately sprinkle bittersweet chocolate over. Let stand until chocolate softens, about 3 minutes. Using small offset spatula, spread bittersweet chocolate over top of cookie in thin even layer. Immediately sprinkle toasted almonds. Chill until set, about 30 minutes.

6. Using paper overhang as aid, lift cookie from pan and transfer to work surface. Using large knife, cut cookie into irregular pieces.

Cooking Tips:
*DO AHEAD Can be made 1 week ahead. Store in refrigerator (or freezer) in airtight containers between layers of waxed paper or parchment paper. Can be stored in the freezer for several weeks.

Yield: About 36 pieces

a few of the Christmas gifts I gave this year :)

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Oooey gooey brownies

Hello!

Yes, I know, Im awful. I promised to update very often during the Christmas break, and what do I do? I go AWOL. If you would like to know why, read on, if not, skip the italics:)

why have I been AWOL? because 2 days after i posted I got a case of strep throat…a BAD case of strep throat :(
See, I get strep throat probably more often than the average person, maybe about 2 times a year? ( its awful cause the one thing I cant stand is my throat hurting…sniffles? Cough? Bring it on! But spare me the soar throat ! But of course, life can be cruel, and strep throat it is)

But this time it was the worst case I ever had. It was so bad I couldn’t swallow or even talk! ( and if you know anything about me I a) eat like there is quite literally no tomorrow….chances are at any given time I am stuffing my face, and b) the only thing I do more than eating is talking :P therefore, this case of strep SUCKED! BIG TIME. And caused me to be robbed of a better part of my Christmas vacation.

*sigh*

I should probably warn you that I didnt bother to photoshop these pics :P so bare with me

But, enough about me, on to these chocolaty goodnesses :)


Perfect for a cold winter day…to just sit in and do nothing but hang out with the family and enjoy a nice hot melting brownie, bite by bite! :) (we enjoyed it while it was -30C (-22 F) outside in the middle of a snow storm while watching a movie!)

I had originally made this mix to give away to a friend for Christmas ( yes I did all the packaging ;)) , but after a long story made short, that was deemed impossible.

But I couldn’t just waste a perfectly chocolatey batch of brownies now there could I? I made these after I was feeling a bit better from my strep and no longer contagious. But unlike my usually very anal self which includes the following steps:
1) Bake to perfection, take out of pan, allow to cool completely
2) Spread the creamy frosting JUST right all over
3) Cut into perfect little pieces
4) Take perfect little pictures on perfect little plates with perfect lighting

I decided to spare my siblings this today…. And just decided to serve this warm right out of the oven! I didn’t bother taking it out of the pan….just slathered on the frosting (and it melted all over it! mmmm ) and we dug in with spoons.


Or you could just do it the old fashion way and wait for it to cool!
Enjoy!

I sprinkled some sliced almonds on my side!

Hershey’s Best Brownies

Ingredients:
* 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, melted
* 1 cup sugar
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 2 eggs
* 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
* 1/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
* 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup chopped nuts(optional)
* CREAMY BROWNIE FROSTING(recipe follows)

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 9-inch square baking pan.
2. Stir together butter, sugar and vanilla in bowl. Add eggs; beat well with spoon. Stir together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; gradually add to egg mixture, beating until well blended. Stir in nuts, if desired. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan.
3. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Prepare CREAMY BROWNIE FROSTING; spread over brownies. Cut into squares. About 16 brownies.

CREAMY BROWNIE FROSTING
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
3 tablespoons HERSHEY'S Cocoa
1 tablespoon light corn syrup or honey
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup powdered sugar
1 to 2 tablespoons milk

Beat butter, cocoa, corn syrup and vanilla in small bowl until blended. Add powdered sugar and milk; beat to spreading consistency. About 1 cup frosting.

New Years Resolution: TRY to update blog about once a week!:D

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