TWD: Raisin Swirl Bread

in , , ,

I'm afraid of bread making or specifically anything that uses yeast.

There I came clean.  Yep, using yeast scares me, maybe because I just don't feel comfortable with the whole poofing process and the kneading and if I have to take out the rolling pin and measure to get everything perfectly square or rectangular or round... I just break out in hives.

So of course when I saw the choice for Tuesday with Dorie, that Susan of Food.baby had chosen I said a little prayer and then had a bit doubts which turned into a full blown conversation with my bad-ass self telling me to get a grip and reminded me that "I did no join a baking club to sit and do the baking that I'm comfortable doing!" 

So of course I had to do this.  Be one with the yeast and conquer my fears.

Read More

HCB: Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cake

in , , , , , ,

Friday was Tom's birthday.  The original plan was to take the whole weekend off, pack up the car and drive down the Florida coast, looking for one of those adorable places that have a beach cottage right on the beach and stay there soaking up the rays, enjoying the water (before the oil gets here), eating lots of seafood and basically be lazy - The birthday boy told me he rather plan a simple BBQ at the house with friends and family.

So much for my power of persuasion.

When we started to plan the menu for the BBQ, I asked him what he wanted for his birthday cake.  He jumped up and shouted "your coconut cake! Oh, wait, no how about the Zuppa Inglesa?... no, no, wait... maybe the Tres Leche cake."

The boy, was CONFUSE.  Time to save him me some time, because when Marie posted the cake for the month of June and the Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cake fell on the Saturday of the BBQ, I did not waste time in telling him that THIS WAS HIS BIRTHDAY CAKE for him and his 20+ guest, period.

He knew by this time I was drowning in the details of this "simple" party, so he totally agreed and we went with it.

Read More

HCB: Chocolate Butter Cupcakes

in , , ,

Last weekend I tried to get away from the kitchen.  This weekend it was the total opposite, I cooked (and baked) up a storm (recipes coming!).

Unlike my savory dishes where it’s all about improvising and changing it up. Baking for me is about following directions.  I’m not very courageous when it comes to baking.  I  ALWAYS stick to the recipe religiously – if the recipe tells me to bake it in a 9 inch pan, I bake it in a 9 inch pan.  If it’s for a cake, then I bake a cake. If its for a tart, I bake a tart, or a pie or well, you get the picture.  I never deviate from the instructions. That is why, I’m one of those un-daring bakers that DO NOT convert a cake into cupcakes, or halves the recipe, or god forbid MULTIPLIES the recipe – Because: A) It means I have to do division and multiplication and anything that has to do with math!  (Which gets me in trouble – ALL THE TIME!) and B) I find a strange comfort in following the step by step and ending with the intended results - 99.9% of the time.

Read More