Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Saturday: Baker's Hours

Last Saturday was Bakefest 2009. I was bakin' my cupcakes off for my best friend's Birthday Brunch on Sunday.

BAKED GOODS ROLL CALL!!

Blackberry toads.. I mean scones with lemon curd and tangerine muffins.
Lemon anisette biscotti.
Coconut cookies. (Here's also a view of the spread)
And of course, the reason we are all here... Chocolate cupcakes with cream cheese frosting and shaved coconut.
Everything turned out amazing! It was the first time I made scones and they tasted like heaven. The only thing is that the blackberries bled and made them look like toads. Next time I'll fold in the fruit at the end. Other than that, everything was perfect. The chocolate cupcakes are now my own recipe, molded and tried to perfection. My own secret recipe. And the biscotti is my Mother's recipe. So you won't get those recipes. I will however give out the tangerine muffins and the scones.

Tangerine Muffins
(from TASTE OF HOME)

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 carton (8 ounces) vanilla yogurt
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons milk
1 cup diced peeled tangerine
1 tablespoon grated tangerine peel

Directions:
In a bowl, combine the first five ingredients. In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, egg, butter and milk until smooth; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Stir in tangerine and peel.
Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 400° for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to wire rack. Yield: 1 dozen.

Blackberry Scones
(from RECIPE ZAAR)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup low-fat milk
1 egg
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup cold butter, cubed
3 tablespoons white sugar
1 cup frozen blackberries

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Whisk the milk and the egg together until frothy and then set aside. In a large bowl, blend the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the butter and blend the mixture with your hands until you have no lumps larger than a pea. Add the sugar and the blackberries and toss about until the blackberries are coated with the flour mixture. Add the egg mixture slowly until the dough comes together. Leave any remaining egg mixture to brush on as glaze.

Turn dough out onto a clean counter and knead it no more than 12 times. Pat dough into a round approximately 1/2 an inch thick, and cut into 8 wedges. Place on an ungreased baking sheet or a Silpat. Using a pastry brush, glaze wedges with remaining egg mixture. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until golden. Cool on a wire rack.

Enjoy!

(HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY LADY RENA!!!!)

Tuesday, January 20, 2009