Just so we’re all on the same page here, I have not turned this space into a food blog. Not yet. (Although it may seem like it with all the stuff I have been posting lately.) I will admit, I do enjoy baking and cooking. (And alphabetizing!) A lot. I mean, to such a great degree that the two have already moved their way up the ranks of my favorite things to do, joining crocheting, jewelry-making, and scrapbooking, consequently earning their rightful spot in my blog. Yayness! Having said that, I thought it was only appropriate to post this.

Delightful bars, they are indeed! Chewy. Chocolatey. Nutty. Need I say more?

Start with a really good cookie dough. This one has lots of roasted almonds and toffee bits.

Try your very best not to eat once it’s cooled down.

Oh yes, chocolate toffee bits…

And roasted almonds.

It gets better, wait…

Oh my, chocolate!

So, are you ready to bake? Go ahead, put on your apron and roll up your sleeves. I know you will love this one.

Directions:

1. Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

2. Spray a 7 by 10 3/4-inch nonstick baking pan with vegetable cooking spray. Lay a piece of parchment paper in the pan, allowing the excess paper to overhang the sides. Spray the parchment paper lightly with cooking spray.

3. In a medium bowl, combine the cookie dough, 1/2 of the chopped chocolate-toffee candy pieces, 1/2 of the almond slices and vanilla extract. Using damp fingers, gently press the dough into the prepared pan. Prick the dough all over with a fork. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes until the crust is lightly browned. Cool for 30 minutes.

4. Place the chocolate chips and vegetable oil in a medium bowl. Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water and stir until the chocolate has melted. Cool the chocolate mixture for 10 minutes. Whisk in the mascarpone cheese until the mixture is smooth. Using a spatula, spread the chocolate mixture over the cooled crust. Sprinkle the remaining chocolate-toffee candy pieces and sliced almonds over the chocolate mixture. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours until the chocolate layer is firm.

Peel off the parchment paper and cut into 1 1/2 by 2-inch bars. Serve at room temperature.

Source: Giada De Laurentiis

That’s right, and that somebody is me! *grin* Well, summer school is over, and I have something like, four weeks, before the school year starts. I’m thinking, what better way to spend my vacation than to exhaust the oven and the stand mixer?! I’m on a sugar high right now, and I have yet to come down! <3

Earlier I baked, what I think, are the yummiest scones I have ever tasted. Seriously. It has just the right hint of orange, and it's not too sweet nor too salty. Just the way a scone should be. Oh, did I also mention how flaky it is? Oh. My. Gawd. It crumbles just before you bite it, and then it melts in your mouth. Heaven! Plus I added some mixed berries, mmm! I can't wait to have them again for breakfast! Or snack. You know what, I think I will have one now. I can’t help myself. It’s just THAT darn good.

Mixed Berry Orange Scones

4 cups, plus 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar, plus additional for sprinkling
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
3/4 pound cold unsalted butter, diced
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup cold heavy cream
1 cup dried mixed berries (cranberries, blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries)
1 egg beaten with 2 tablespoons water or milk (for egg wash)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF.

2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and orange zest. Add the cold butter and mix at the lowest speed until the butter is the size of peas.

3. Combine the eggs and heavy cream. With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour egg and cream mixture into the flour and butter mixture. Mix until just blended. (The dough will look lumpy.) Combine the dried mixed berries and the remaining flour, and add to the dough. Mix on low speed until blended.

4. Use an ice cream scoop to drop dough on baking sheet lined with parchment paper, about 2 inches apart. Brush the tops of the scones with egg wash, sprinkle with sugar, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the tops are browned and the insides are fully baked. (Or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.)

*Good to know: The scones will be firm to the touch. Allow the scones to cool for 15 minutes before frosting. Whisk together 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar and 4 teaspoons freshly squeezed orange juice, and drizzle over the scones.

Source: Adapted from Ina Garten’s Cranberry Orange Scones

Guess who finally bought the Zoku Quick Pop Maker? I did, and I am super happy with it! I have been playing with it since I got it. So far I have made four different pop flavors. The first one I tried was the orange pop mix that I bought from Williams-Sonoma. Instead of using milk, I thought, why not yogurt? Boy, was it good! Then there was grape (Welch’s juice concentrate), with milk and heavy cream. That one was good, too. I also tried the other mix from Williams-Sonoma, the chocolate fudge. It was okay. At the moment, I have berry punch (Minute Maid juice concentrate) in my freezer. This flavor, I’m telling you, is the bomb! Then again, I am partial to anything berry flavored.

The thing with the pop maker is, you can make three batches once the pop maker is ready. However, some recipes, depending on the consistency and ingredients, may require longer freezing time, which may result to refreezing the pop maker sooner than you expect. What I found helpful with the freezing process was to put the pop maker in the freezer while waiting. It not only keeps the pop maker frozen, but it also speeds up the freezing time of the pops. Smart, eh? Another smart thing I did was I bought an extra set of the pop sticks, that way I can make lots and lots of ice pops! (And eat them too!)

On another yummy note, I baked some chocolate chip cookies last week, and they’re REALLY good. Trust me. Instead of using semi-sweet chocolate chips that the recipe called for, I used a combination of milk and white chocolate chip. Oh, and one more thing, instead of using a small ice cream scoop to drop the cookie dough, I used a quarter cup, which yielded these huge cookies. Winner.

Don’t just sit there, go bake some. Now.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

(makes 2 dozens)

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup milk chocolate chips
1 cup white chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.

2. In a bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

3. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and the sugars in a large mixing bowl on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add in eggs one at a time, and vanilla.

4. Add flour mixture gradually, until combined.

5. Stir in chocolate chips.

6. Use a mini ice cream scoop to drop cookie dough on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, about 2 inches apart. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes.

No work for me yesterday, so I decided to put my new stand mixer to work. It’s been ages since I baked a cake (excluding the persimmon cake I made months ago). This is quite a feat, considering I’m no pro. Dudes, I have four different recipes for a basic buttermilk cake, and I’m not sure what the difference is between a recipe calling for 3 cups of flour and one with 2 1/2 cups! Density? Gee, Physics, I really hate you.

Because I haven’t baked in a long time, and I haven’t really bought any baking stuff since we moved here, (not even a bottle of vanilla extract) I knew Felix and I had to go shopping. First shopping, then baking… are you kidding me? Can this day last forever?! So, I dragged Felix’s butt all the way to Sur La Table and Wal-Mart, and went crazy over some baking supplies and ingredients for my buttermilk cake.

Taking into consideration my lack of practice and skills, I was prepared for disappointment. However, I was pretty surprised with the flavor and texture of the buttermilk cake. It’s moist, fluffy, and seriously yummy. I’m beginning to think it’s the stand mixer, really. LOL! As for the frosting, well, I’m not really worked up over it, only because I find it too sweet. I’m sure I can make something better. Now, I know it’s not the best looking cake out there, (and what horrendous image quality!) but it tastes really good, I kid you not.

Basic Buttermilk Cake

3/4 cup (1 and 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
2 cups bleached, all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

1. Arrange the rack at the middle of the oven and preheat to 350ºF. Butter 9 inch cake pans and line the bottom with parchment or wax paper.

2. Sift the flour with the baking powder and baking soda. Set aside.

3. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Stop and scrape the bowl. On low speed setting, beat in eggs one at a time.

4. Add a quarter of the flour mixture to the butter-egg mixture, then add vanilla and a third of the buttermilk. Allow ingredients to incorporate before adding another batch of the flour mixture and buttermilk. Repeat the process until all of the flour mixture and buttermilk have been added. Turn to medium speed and beat for about a minute.

5. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and spread to the edges with a spatula. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool pans on a rack for about 5 minutes before removing cakes from pans. Remove the parchment or wax paper and cool completely. Frost if desired.

Enjoy the cake! Meanwhile, the search for the perfect chocolate frosting is on…