Almond Mocha Biscotti

My friend Monica is getting married in October. Yey I'm so exited I love weddings. She is one of the biggest fans of my cooking, she loves home made food ( the only food she loves is home made food) she's also the one who always tries my new recipes.

As a gift for her wedding guests she wanted something home made. After weeks of trying to decide on what actually to make and going back and forth we stopped at biscotti. A few different kinds of biscotti. Today we tried two different recipes both of them made the cut.

Here is one of them.

Ingredients:

3/4 cups of silvered almonds (125 g)

2 cups all purpose flour (300 g)

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (75 g)

2 tsp baking powder

1/8 tsp salt

3 large eggs

1 cup granulated sugar (200 g)

1/2 pure vanilla extract

2 tsp instant coffee granules

1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips.

Preheat oven to 325˚F. Butter a baking sheet or line with silicon matt.

In a large mixing bowl cream the eggs and sugar until pale and creamy ( about 3 minutes).

In a different mixing bowl sift the dry ingredients together: flour, cocoa, baking powder,salt.

With the mixer on low speed gradually beat in the dry ingredients, chocolate chips, instant coffee granules and silvered almonds, to make a stiff dough. Divide the dough in half. With moist hands shape each half into a 12 inch (30 cm) logs and place 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until firm to the touch. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let cool for another 10 minutes.

With a serrated knife cut the biscotti in 1/2 inch tick slices. Place cut-side down on the same baking sheet and bake until crisp 15 to 20 minutes.

Transfer to wire rack and let cool completely.

Serve with a cup of coffee.

Enjoy!

Oreo Cookie Cupcakes

I did tell you guys that I got Martha Stewart's cupcakes book, right? Now I'm making cupcakes and more cupcakes. In our family when it comes to dessert we used the democratic voting system. Who says the politics are not good? Three kids many choices for dessert so we vote. When they looked thru the book the two older ones Brandon and Cass agreed at once for the oreo cupcakes, Alex wanted the marshmallow ones. Being outvoted he dropped the democratic system and started crying that he lost. I know, I know strange thing for a little guy, but not when you have two older brothers. Everything in our house is a competition. From eating to dressing up to sports I mean EVERYTHING.

Lucky for him his older brothers love him a lot, and let him win ( they do most of the time). So he got his cupcakes made first, and then he helped with his brothers choice to.

Here are the official winers of the democratic election (dessert edition).

Ingredients

21 oreo cookies, 15 left whole and 6 coarsely chopped

1/2 cup of sugar

2 large eggs room temperature lightly beaten

1/2 cup sour cream

1 pound cream cheese ( I used 2 packages of light philadelphia cheese)

1 tsp of pure vanilla extract.

pinch salt

Preheat the oven to 275˚F. Line a standard muffin tin with paper liners.

Place one whole cookie in each paper lining.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese on medium high speed until smooth. Gradually add in the sugar, mix until very well combine. Beat in the vanilla. Drizzle in the eggs, a bit at the time, beating to combine and scrapping down the sides of the bowl as need it. Beat in sour cream and salt.

Stir in the chopped cookies by hand.

Divide the batter between the cookie filled cups, filling each almost to the top. I had some left over, and I made to more in my ramekins. bake for about 22 minutes or until filling is set.

Transfer to wire rack to cool completely. Refrigerate in tins for at least 4 hours.

Enjoy!


Other Oreo cookie recipe. 


Oreo Biscotti.

Marshmallow Cream Jumbo Cupcakes

I usually, try not to take my little one shopping with me, and it's not because I don't enjoy his company, it's because I end up buying things that I neither plan for nor do I need them.

A couple a days ago I need it some toiletries so, like usually I planed to go to the drug store. Unfortunately, my oldest son Brandon (14 ) had his kick- boxing class and was unable to baby-sit for me, so... Alexander came with me. Shoppers drug mart the drug store were I'm shopping for the toiletries has a points reward program. I have been saving my points for a while now, planning on getting some Burt's Bees products ( amazing line of natural products). But Alexander had a different idea. He didn't head to the toy isle but for the book section. Nothing wrong with that wright? Kids who love books, every parent's dream. The only thing is my 5 years old loves cook books not kids books, cook books with pictures, colorful pictures. There on the shelf stood in all it's glory Martha Stewart's Cupcakes book...... No Burt's Bees products but we left with the cupcakes book and a very happy Alex.

There will be lots of cupcakes baking from now on.

Stay tuned!

Ingredients

Makes 12 jumbo cupcakes.

1 cup of unsalted butter room temperature plus more for the tins ( 2 sticks)

3/4 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder plus more for the thins

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups granulated sugar

3 large eggs room temperature

1 cup sour cream, room temperature

For marshmallow cream filling:

1 1/2 marshmallow cream such as Marshmallow fluff.

1/2 cup of unsalted butter, cut into pieces, room temperature

Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Brush the jumbo muffins tins with butter and dust with cocoa.

In a large mixing bowl sift the flour,cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In a different large mixing bowl cream together the butter and sugar on medium-high speed, until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one of the time mixing well after each addition taken care to scrape the bowl.

With the mixer on low speed add the dry ingredients alternating with the sour cream. Starting and ending with the dry ingredients.

Divide the batter equally between the prepared tins. It will take about 1/2 a cup.

I only have one jumbo muffin tin so I used 6 ramekins, that I arranged on a baking sheet.

Bake for the 25 minutes or until the tester comes out clean when inserted in the middle.

In a mixing bowl mix together the marshmallow with the butter until smooth.

Cover with plastic wrap and cill for 15 to 30 minutes until slightly firm.

When the cupcakes are done, transfer to wire racks to cool for about 5 minutes. Run an offset spatula or a sharp knife around the edges to loosen. Place onto the cooling rack and let cool completely.

With a small melon baller, scoop out the center of each cupcake from the bottom, reserve to reseal the cupcakes after filling.

Hallow each cupcake a little more discarding the crumbs.Transfer the marshmallow cream filling to a pastry bag fitted with # 8 plain round tip or a ziplock bag with the corner snipped. Insert the tip into the cupcake and fill it almost to the top about 3/4.

Replace the reserved cake pieces to seal. Decorate the tops with the remaining cream.

Filled cupcakes can be stored in an air tight container for up to two days.

Enjoy!