Smore's Ice Cream Bars

I feel like it's been a while since I posted something. Not because I haven't made anything, although I have been cutting back, but because I've had my hands full. It's hard enough to find time to do everything I need/want to do with a newborn and toddler as it is, posting a recipe gets the back burner. So to make up for my lack of posts, here's a 2 in 1.
I love all things smores, so it was a given that I had to try making these. Especially since I like having a homemade treat in the freezer I can pull out and eat as I wish. Which i'm learning can be a very bad thing.. These ice cream sandwiches reminded me of an It's-It (the kind with oatmeal cookie and vanilla ice cream) if you've ever tried those.
The homemade graham crackers were real good, although mine turned out more like cookies. But that's ok..I like cookies :) Definitely something i'll make again. Except for I needed to bake them a little longer because they were a little doughey tasting. Once they were frozen though it was alright.
The roasted marshmallow ice cream was good too, but not really something I would eat by itself. But make it into a sundae or something and i'm sure i'd be all over it. I should also note that instead of making the meringue for the ice cream, I just used store bought marshmallows and roasted them on a baking sheet then blended it up with the custard.

Smore's Ice Cream Sandwiches
Pennies on a Platter



Graham Crackers:
Yield: 48 2-inch squares
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed and frozen
1/3 cup honey
5 tablespoons milk, full-fat preferred
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:
Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking soda and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pulse to incorporate. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture is the consistency of coarse meal.
Whisk together the honey, milk and vanilla in a small bowl. Pour into the flour mixture and pulse again a few times until the dough barely comes together. It will be soft and somewhat sticky. Lightly dust a large piece of plastic wrap with flour, then turn the dough out onto it and pat into a rectangle about 1-inch thick. Wrap it and chill until firm, about 2 hours or overnight. Meanwhile, prepare the topping by mixing together the 3 tablespoons sugar and ground cinnamon in a small bowl or shaker; set aside.
Once the dough is firm, remove from plastic wrap and roll out on a lightly floured surface to about 1/4-inch thick rectangle. Flour the rolling pin as necessary. Cut into 2-inch squares and place on lined baking sheets. Sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar topping then chill until firm, about 30 to 45 minutes in the fridge or 15 to 20 minutes in the freezer.
Adjust the oven rack to the upper and lower positions and preheat the oven to 350˚F.
Using a fork, prick the dough to form three dotted rows. Bake the crackers/cookies for 15 to 25 minutes, until browned and slightly firm to the touch, rotating sheets halfway through to ensure even baking. Bake for a shorter time if desiring more of a cookie texture. Sprinkle with more cinnamon sugar after baking, if desired.

Roasted Marshmallow Ice Cream
Ingredients:
4 eggs, divided
About 1 cup sugar, divided
1/4 cup water
2 cups milk
1 cup whipping cream
Pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the marshmallow meringue:
Combine 2/3 cup of the sugar and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Stir until the sugar dissolves, with the heat on low, until it reaches between 236˚-244˚F. Try not to let it boil. In the meantime, you can start following the instructions below to make the custard.
Once the syrup reaches 230˚F, start whipping the egg whites until reaches soft peaks. Add the cream of tartar and continue to beat until reaches stiff peaks. With the mixer still on, pour the hot sugar syrup into the egg whites in a thin stream. Beat until somewhat cooled, then spread onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Broil for a few minutes, until nicely browned.

For the custard:
In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and 3 tablespoons of the sugar until the mixture is pale yellow; set aside. While keeping an eye on the sugar syrup, warm the milk, cream and salt in a medium heavy saucepan until almost boiling. Temper the eggs by slowly whisking 1/2 cup of the warmed cream into the egg yolks, while stirring constantly to avoid curdling. Slowly whisk in the rest of the cream into the egg yolks, then pour back into the saucepan and continue to heat on medium-low until the custard thickens (about 3-6 minutes). Place a lid on the saucepan to keep the custard warm until the marshmallow meringue is ready.
Once the marshmallow meringue is ready, transfer the custard into a large bowl and whisk in the roasted marshmallow meringue. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Just before freezing, whisk the mixture again and stir in the vanilla. Freeze according to your ice cream freezer manufacturer’s instructions.

Assemble the Sandwiches:
you'll need:
homemade graham crackers
roasted marshmallow ice cream
ganache

When making the ice cream, after churning in your freezer bowl, spread the ice cream in a 9×13 parchment-lined pan. Freeze overnight.
The next day, match your graham crackers into pairs by size. Make the ganache and spread a thin layer on one cookie from each pair. Set on a baking sheet and freeze for 20 minutes to partially harden the chocolate. (This will create a sturdier base for holding the ice cream.)
Remove the ice cream from the pan by lifting the parchment paper and set on a cutting board. Using a knife, cut the ice cream into squares or rectangles equal to the size of your graham crackers, one portion for each pair of grahams. Place the ice cream square on the ganache and sandwich the other graham cracker on top, gently pressing together. Return back to the baking sheet and freeze until hard. Wrap individually in foil and keep stored in the freezer.
Makes about 8-10 sandwiches

Brownie Ice Cream Cake

My husband offered to make my birthday cake for me this year, it was a nice offer but it's something I prefer to do myself. This is a super simple recipe and one of the things I like most about it is you store it in the freezer and you can cut off a slice to eat whenever you want some. Normally I don't make cakes for the reason that there's only 2 of us and I don't want half of it to go to waste. Not a problem with this cake though. Matt didn't care too much for the marshmallows on top but that was my favorite part!! The brownie gets a little hard from being frozen, but that's expected and it still tasted great. I had a hard time picking what ice cream to use but decided to keep it simple and go with chocolate chip. I'm already thinking of different ice cream combinations to use because there will be a next time! Oh, and don't forget the hot fudge!

Brownie Ice Cream Cake
recipe girl

*updated 7/7/12: I made this cake for my birthday again this year, this time using chocolate peanut butter cup ice cream. Definitely was better with something simple like chocolate chip! I really need to get some butane for my kitchen torch..the broiler always works faster than expected!

Ingredients:
BROWNIE LAYER:
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 ounce unsweetened chocolate
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
2 large eggs
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. instant espresso powder (optional)
1/8 tsp. salt

ICE CREAM LAYER:

1 1/2 qts. ice cream, any flavor (I used chocolate chip)

MARSHMALLOW LAYER:

1 cup marshmallow cream
1 Tbsp. water
4 – 5 cups mini marshmallows

TOPPING:

hot fudge

Directions:

1. Prepare brownie layer- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. In a microwave-safe bowl, heat chocolates and butter together in small bursts, just until melted. Stir until smooth. Sift together flour & baking powder. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and sugar. Whisk in chocolate mixture. Add the dry ingredients, espresso powder and salt. Stir until combined. Spread brownie batter in the prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Cool completely before continuing with the recipe.
2. Take ice cream out of the freezer and soften for a bit, just until it’s easy enough to mash around and spread. Spread the ice cream over the brownie layer.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together marshmallow cream and water. Stir in 3 cups of marshmallows. Spread the marshmallow mixture over the ice cream. Sprinkle 2 remaining cups of marshmallows on top. Freeze until the ice cream is hard, at least 6 hours- but best overnight.
4. Toasting the marshmallows- If you have a handheld blowtorch, run a knife around the inside edge of the springform pan. Release the latch and remove the ring. Use a very sharp, wide, thin knife to run under the brownie layer to release it from the pan and transfer it to a serving platter. Torch the marshmallows until they’re golden brown. If using the broiler, adjust the rack so the ice cream cake will be 2 – 3 inches from the heating element. Preheat the broiler. Leave the cake in the pan, put it on a baking pan, and place it under the heating element. Broil until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Run a knife around the inside edge of the pan and remove the pan.
5. Serve immediately with a good amount of hot fudge. Freeze leftovers and eat as you wish, for up to one week.
Serves: 10

Barbie/Princess Cake

My little guy did it. He arrived June 10th and has been keeping me busy since. Today was Rylee's 2nd birthday and her cake is the first thing i've baked from scratch in a couple of weeks. I wanted to make something small and settled on a barbie/princess cake. I looked at several different ones I came across on the internet then set out to make my own not following anything specifically. First I needed to find a small barbie type doll. I found this one at the dollar store and it was perfect. It was actually a mermaid and I ended up breaking the fin off because it was a little too tall. Using a small, round pyrex bowl and another small pyrex dish, I baked a 1/2 recipe of this chocolate cake, which was really good and one i'm sure i'll be making again. I frosted it with vanilla buttercream that was also a keeper. It tasted like the frosting on a cake you would get from the bakery or store. The only problem I had was that it was about a million degrees in my kitchen and the frosting started to melt. It ended up being ok though, especially since Rylee couldn't care less if it looked nice or not.

Easy Vanilla Buttercream
The Way the Cookie Crumbles

Makes 3 cups
Ingredients:
20 tablespoons (2½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2½ cups Confectioners’ sugar (10 ounces)
1/8 tablespoons table salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons heavy cream


Directions:
In standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat butter at medium-high speed until smooth, about 20 seconds. Add confectioners’ sugar and salt; beat at medium-low speed until most of the sugar is moistened, about 45 seconds. Scrape down bowl and beat at medium speed until mixture is fully combined, about 15 seconds; scrape bowl, add vanilla and heavy cream, and beat at medium speed until incorporated, about 10 seconds, then increase speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, scraping down bowl once or twice.

Hot Dog Buns

Hope everyone is having a great Memorial Day! It's been a while since I posted anything. Last week I bought a 4lb. container of strawberries because they were on sale for really cheap and used some of them to make strawberry bread. I wasn't super crazy about it and didn't get a picture so I didn't bother posting it. Other than that i've been pretty lazy about baking lately.
Since today is Memorial Day and that means bbq, I used this opportunity to make homemade hot dog buns. I've been wanting to try it for a while but it's not that often we eat hot dogs. Making hot dog buns from scratch isn't something I would want to do everytime since it's so much easier (and probably cheaper too) to just buy a bag. But these turned out great and I wouldn't mind making them again if I get in the mood to. This recipe can also be used to make hamburger buns. I only made 1/2 the recipe and had 9 buns.
Hot Dog Buns
King Arthur Flour

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 packets or 2 scant tablespoons active dry yeast

1/2 cup warm water (105°F to 115°F)

2 cups warm milk (105°F to 115°F)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 teaspoons salt

6 to 7 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

*egg wash: 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon cold water

sesame, poppy or caraway seeds or coarse salt (optional)

Directions:

In a large bowl, dissolve the sugar and then the yeast in the warm water. Add the milk, oil, salt and 3 cups of flour to the yeast mixture. Beat vigorously for 2 minutes.Gradually add flour, 1/4 cup at a time, until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface. Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.

Put the dough into an oiled bowl. Turn once to coat the entire ball of dough with oil. Cover with a dampened towel and let rise until doubled, about one hour.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly oiled work surface. Divide into 18 equal pieces. This is done most easily by dividing the dough first into thirds, then those thirds into halves, then the halves into thirds. Shape each piece into a ball. Roll the balls into cylinders, 4 1/2-inches in length. Flatten the cylinders slightly; dough rises more in the center so this will give a gently rounded top versus a high top.

For soft-sided buns, place them on a well-seasoned baking sheet a half inch apart so they'll grow together when they rise. For crisper buns, place them three inches apart. Cover with a towel and let rise until almost doubled, about 45 minutes.

Fifteen minutes before you want to bake your buns, preheat your oven to 400°F. Just before baking, lightly brush the tops of the buns with the egg wash and sprinkle with seeds, if you choose. Bake for 20 min. or until lightly golden.
yield: 18

Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake

With a title like this, you know it's going to be good. I wanted to be sure to try this recipe soon because who knows when i'll be able to have time to make something like this after the baby comes. Well, i'm sure i'll have time but whether or not I want to put the energy into it is something else. I've tried another mousse cake recipe (double chocolate mousse torte) not too long ago and wanted to see how this one compared since I really liked the other one. Oh..my..deliciousness. I have to say they were close equals in my book and depending on the mood im in or what ingredients I have on hand would determine which one to make. Really they were pretty much the same thing, except the other was topped with whipped cream and this one was topped with white chocolate mousse. We shared some of the cake, but mostly we ate it. And i'm not ashamed because it was worth it, and that's all that matters.

Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake
Cook's Illustrated via. Annie's Eats

For the bottom layer:

6 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces (plus extra for greasing the pan)

7 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

¾ tsp. instant espresso powder

1½ tsp. vanilla extract

4 large eggs, separated

Pinch of salt

1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed

For the middle layer:

2 tbsp. cocoa powder, preferably Dutch-processed

5 tbsp. hot water

7 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

1½ cups heavy cream

1 tbsp. granulated sugarPinch of salt

For the top layer:

¾ tsp. powdered gelatin

1 tbsp. water

6 oz. white chocolate, finely chopped

1½ cups heavy cream

For garnish:

Chocolate curls or cocoa powder

Directions:

To make the bottom layer, butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. (I lined the bottom of the pan with a parchment round for easy removal later.) Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 325˚ F. Combine the butter, chocolate, and espresso powder in a large heatproof bowl set over simmering water. Stir occasionally until the mixture is smooth. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the vanilla and egg yolks. Set aside.

In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and salt on medium speed until foamy, about 30 seconds. Crumble half of the brown sugar into the mixing bowl with your fingers to remove any lumps. Beat until incorporated, about 15 seconds. Add the remaining brown sugar and continue to beat on high speed until stiff peaks form, about 1 minute more. Using a whisk, mix one-third of the beaten egg whites to the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Fold in the remaining egg whites gently with a rubber spatula until no streaks remain. Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan and smooth the top with a spatula.

Bake until the cake has risen, is firm around the edges and the center has just set but is still soft (should spring back after pressing gently with a finger), about 14-18 minutes. Transfer the cake to a wire rack to cool completely, at least 1 hour. Do not remove the cake from the pan. (If not making the second layer right away, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to proceed.)

To make the second layer, whisk together the cocoa powder and hot water in a small bowl; set aside. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth. Once melted, remove from the heat and let cool slightly, 2-5 minutes.
In the clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the cream, sugar and salt on medium speed until the mixture begins to thicken, about 30 seconds. Increase the speed to high and whip until soft peaks form when the whisk is lifted, 30-60 seconds. Whisk in the cocoa powder mixture until smooth. Using a whisk, mix one-third of the whipped cream to the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Fold in the remaining whipped cream gently with a rubber spatula until no streaks remain. Pour the mousse into the springform pan over the cooled cake and tap gently on the counter 3 times to remove air bubbles. Gently smooth the top with a spatula. Wipe the inside edge of the pan to remove any drips. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes while preparing the top layer.

To make the top layer, sprinkle the gelatin over the water in a small bowl and let stand at least 5 minutes to soften. Place the white chocolate in a medium bowl. Bring ½ cup of the cream to a boil in a small saucepan. Remove the pan from the heat, add the gelatin mixture and stir until dissolved. Pour the hot cream mixture over the white chocolate and let stand about 1 minute. Whisk until the mixture is smooth. Cool to room temperature, about 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

In the clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the remaining 1 cup of cream at medium speed until it begins to thicken. Increase the speed to high and whip until soft peaks form when the whisk is lifted, 30-60 seconds. Using a whisk, mix one-third of the whipped cream to the white chocolate mixture to lighten it. Fold in the remaining whipped cream gently with a rubber spatula until no streaks remain. Spoon the white chocolate mousse into the pan over the middle layer. Smooth the top with an offset spatula. Return the cake to the refrigerator and chill until set, at least 2½ hours.

Baby Shower Cake Pops

Cake pops have never been something that interested me. I'm not one to spend a lot of time or detail on little things. I get bored after a little while and things start to get sloppy for the sake of getting the job done. And you spend so much time and they're eaten so fast. But for some reason when thinking of a dessert to make for a baby shower, I thought i'd give them a try. And I didn't want to go simple like just drizzling some chocolate or sprinkles on top. I wanted to make them look like a baby. Don't ask me why. I have no artistic ability at all. Ask me to draw anything and it looks like a 5 year old did it. I think maybe because I wish I was artistic so every once in a while i'll try my luck again only to realize why I don't do things like this.

Anyway, these took a long...time. And it didn't help that it was about 80 degrees outside (which means it was way, way hotter in my kitchen). I had no idea of all the things that could go wrong while making these and ended up having quite a few casualties.. Some of the candy coating on some of them cracked and even broke off and a few of them fell off the stick (which im wondering if it's because it was so hot inside they got melty and just fell through the stick..). I was losing my patience but after you've come so far you just gotta stick it out. My husband ended up making the bows for me (the whole lack of artistic ability thing again) which was really nice. I made the fondant one night, the bows the next night and everything else the next day. I used fondant for the bows and pacifier- which had a sprinkle on top of it. I tried a few different ideas for face features, but this is what I ended up with. Cute or creepy- you decide. It was fun to try but I think next time i'll ditch the stick and just go with cake balls, ones that don't require anything too 'artsy' for me.

Baby Shower Cake Pops


(I just thought this picture was kind of funny)

I'm not going to post the marshmallow fondant recipe, but here's the link for it: Marshmallow Fondant from All Recipes

And instructions on how to make the cake pops, from Bakerella

Dark Chocolate Raspberry Ice Cream

I kind of made this recipe on a whim since I had a carton of cream that needed to be used asap and I happened to have some frozen raspberries left-over from the lemonade I made a few weeks ago. It was really easy and quick to make (aside from waiting time) and the ingredients are simple. I loved the texture of the ice cream, it was so thick and creamy. The raspberry and chocolate wasn't my favorite (maybe next time i'll try strawberry...) but it was still good. I'm usually pretty lazy when it comes to home made ice cream, i've only made it 3 times in the last 7 months or so since I got the machine but I enjoy it every time I do.

Dark Chocolate Raspberry Ice Cream
Pennies on a Platter

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
5 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
2/3 cup sugar
2 cups raspberries, fresh or frozen

Directions:
In a large, heavy saucepan, whisk together the whipping cream, cocoa powder, and sugar. Whisk frequently and heat until it comes to a full, rolling boil and starts to foam. Remove from the heat and stir in the raspberries. Cover and let stand for 10 minutes.
Transfer the mixture to a food processor or blender and purée. Press through a strainer over a mixing bowl to remove the seeds.
Chill overnight in the fridge and then freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.