Holiday Baking adventures part 2 – the experiment!

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I did some other regular/ repeat baking this past weekend during a virtual gathering with friends – and it was the BEST WAY to deal with an online gathering – I was. busy, I was doing stuff! Listening to our friends, some of whom we have not seen for months, and contributing in my own special snarky way as appropriate…

I made a small batch of each :

Chocolate cake cookie sandwiches< a variation made by using cake mix and reducing the water and filling them with more of my vegan Swiss buttercream as it is lasting quite nicely!>; Gingerbread cookies; standard chocolate chip cookies < be inspired – I added fireball whiskey to them>

And then, I returned to look at what I had intended to be a truffle mix, but it was too soft.  I had mixed cream cheese, icing sugar and added lemon juice and a tiny bit of vanilla, hoping  the icing sugar would be enough to have it set up and become a rollable ball – nope….I stuck it in the freezer until I have time to contemplate …

So this morning – Happy YULE – I decide a no bake cheese cake direction was a good way to go…

Lemon Truffle Cheesecakelets

Filling – can be used as a straight mousse if you prefer no crust 

  • 2  250g blocks of regular cream cheese – room temp
  • 2 cups icing sugar
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup heavy cream/whipping cream – cold

Cream the cheese, and add the icing sugar, mixing well. Add the lemon juice and vanilla and set aside.

In a separate bowl, whip the cream until stiff. Fold the lemon cheese mixture into the whipped cream gently, until it’s just mixed.

Set aside.

Crust: < I think you can use this in a springform pan as well, I just wanted to make minis so I could give them away easily..>

  •  1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1/3 cup white chocolate chips or Merkel’s pieces
  • 1½  cups unsweetened flaked coconut

Heat the cream in the microwave for 45 seconds or warm it on the stove.  Add the chocolate pieces and stir until melted. Add the coconut and stir well. Divide into 12 muffin cups – about 1 tablespoon each.

Using a flat bottomed glass that fits well, push down the coconut mix into the bottom of the cups with a gentle twisting motion – flattens it nicely and the twists away without the glass getting full of goo.

Fill each cup with the lemon cheesecake mixture and chill in the fridge for 6-12 hours.

YOU WILL HAVE LEFTOVER MOUSSE – pour it into some martini glasses, and stick a graham cracker in each  or make a smaller cheesecake in a separate pan using graham crackers on the bottom…your choice!

ENJOY!

Holiday Baking adventures!

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So many cookies! I was on a roll…
Some of these cookies are long time favourite recipes , some are experiments…

Some are vegan, some are not – but you can modify them yourself I’m sure to explore whatever dietary choices you prefer to make.

Some are gluten free, dairy free, and some are all the bad- er I mean good stuff…#nojudgement

Click through on the recipe links where I found my inspiration and support those bakers too!

Ginger bread Dinosaurs/ or are they cats… or both…

Ginger bread recipe is from the Betty Crocker Cookbook
The cutter I picked up at Ma Cuisine on Dalhousie street here in Ottawa.
And I used the spicy icing left over from my Wolfenoot cookie baking…

Gluten free chocolate chip cookies

This gluten free cookie recipe was a variation on the recipe I found here. The change I made was to use half chick pea flour and half oat flour< I make my own by grinding oats in a coffee grinder>.
I would also recommend chilling the dough before baking- I did not, and the cookies spread out a lot!

Cherry shortbread

Based on the recipe I found here  – and these shortbread cookies melt in your mouth… I used vegan butter replacement, and otherwise followed it.
The dough is super soft when mixed, so chill it for at least 30 minutes before creating these melt in your mouth cookies! And be sure to drain the cherries, if you buy them in syrup.

Oatmeal Coconut choc chip cookie

Here’s the recipe – I choose to add coconut “and” chocolate chips – or sometimes all three!

Oat cookies from no name oatmeal bag

and these chocolate cookies are a family tradition 🎉….but I’m changing things up a bit…

Vegan Chocolate cookie sandwiches

Vegan chocolate cookies and Vegan Swiss Meringue Buttercream frosting…

So this is a variation on one of my families traditions….these are amazing frozen when in their sandwich form ( stolen from the giant Tupperware container in the chest freezer…)

  • ½ cup vegan butter substitute
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 egg replacement*
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • ½ cup cocoa
  •  ½ tsp baking powder
  • 1 ½ tsp baking soda
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 cup oat milk

*egg replacement options :  1 tablespoon ground flax mixed with 1 tablespoon hot water or 1 tablespoon aqua faba < strained liquid from canned chick peas> or your own choice!

Cream the first 2 ingredients then add the next 2.

Mix the dry ingredients together and add, alternating with the oat milk, until you get your batter.

Drop onto parchment paper lined cookie sheet, flattening with wet fingers/ bottom of a glass, and bake for 7 minutes at 400Degrees F.
Cool completely and enjoy as is or fill with frosting to make sandwiches….

Vegan Swiss Buttercream frosting…

So I hybridized the original family recipe, which uses Marshmallow creme < I wasn’t going out to buy this>,  and this Aqaufaba Swiss Buttercream I found online which called for WAY TOO MUCH FAT – as in I had used all my vegan butter by this point in the day

  • 1 ¾ cup aquafaba ( strain the liquid from 1 or 2 cans of chick peas- measure it )
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • ¼ tsp cream of tartar
  • 2 cups of icing sugar
  • ½ cup vegetable shortening ( I used Crisco) softened/at room temperature.
  • 1 ½ tsp vanilla

Mix aquafaba and sugar in a saucepan and bring to boil for 5 minutes…stirring occasionally.
Take off heat, pour into mixing bowl and cool completely ( I put the bowl into the fridge for about 20 minutes.)
Once cool, start whipping the mixture at high speed. You can use a whisk attachment, I suggest not trying to do this by hand unless you have strong arms. It can take up to 15-20 minutes to get it to firm peaks with the machine doing the hard work…
Once you reach that stage, mix  together the cream of tartar and icing sugar, and gradually add that in, whipping it- whip it good…
Add the softened vegetable shortening ( I used Crisco) that is at room temperature, keep whipping to incorporate it fully and finally, add  the vanilla.

You will have leftover frosting- so feel free to halve the recipe…and it will store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks in a. tightly sealed container…

Homemade Steamed Buns…

Recipes Blog

So, I stumbled across this original recipe in social media – so check it first:

 

If you are Vegan – just follow the above amazing recipe and stop reading now.

For omnivores, you can safely continue:

Tofu is not going to happen for the hubby, and I had some minced turkey to use, so my version of these pan fried buns:

Dough – make the same as shown above:

  • – 300 g [~2 1/2 cups] all-purpose (plain) flour
  • – 175 ml [3/4 cup] hot water ⁣
  • – a pinch of salt⁣

Mix all the ingredients together, knead into a dough, let it rest for 30 minutes.

FILLING:
In a skillet, sauté in some oil – I have olive oil, that’s what I use:

  • 1 medium onion chopped finely
  • 1 stalk of celery chopped finely
  • 1 medium carrot, grated
  • ½ cup grated cabbage
  • 200 g minced turkey < or your protein of choice>

Cook it all together until the meat is cooked – this just felt safest as I was not sure how well it might cook from raw in the steamed bun…

Let it cool, and add 1 tablespoon or so each:

  • soya sauce < or your choice of salty>
  • mirin < or your choice of sweet>
  • balsamic vinegar < or your choice of vinegar>
  • sesame oil < or your choice of flavoured oil like garlic oil etc.>

Stir it up and add salt and pepper to taste.

Divide dough into 10 portions, roll each one into 4″-5″ circular disk⁣ to fill.

Spoon in the filling, pinch the buns closed, dip them into the sesame seeds and pan fry as directed, adding the water to finish with steaming as indicated!

Pinched side down, frying in a tiny bit of oil and black sesame seeds.
Flipped and continuing to pan fry.
Added the water and let them steam away!
Added the water and let them steam away!

I served ours with steamed broccoli and green beans < in homage to the original recipe>

served with steamed broccoli and green beans. light and flavourful!

 

 

Wolfenoot 2020 : cookie time

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3 glazes/frostings to assemble, lemon, cinnamon-ginger, and chocolate

It’s Wolfenoot Weekend 2020 and if you have no idea what I am talking about – head over here for more information on this newly created day to celebrate all things Wolfie!

I’ve celebrated over the years as November 23 is also, by coincidence, the adoptaversary of our fur beast Sprocket.

Sprocket finds November walks a bit chilly- wait til January…

And this year, I decided that while my paintings are great for us here at home:

Wolfenoot2020 WolfMoons

I wanted to create something to share with my friends and neighbours – so – Cookietime!

Concept:

Two cookies, layered to replicate the Wolf Moons I painted.

Recipe:

I used the same sugar cookie recipe I used when I made the hubby’s Face Hugger cookie…
Go check it out – but here’s the recipe again this time with white sugar and all purpose flour though!:

Sugar cookie recipe

Cream together:

  • 1 cup butter
  • ¾ cup white sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Mix in

  • 2 ½ cups unbleached all purpose flour
  • ¼ tsp baking soda
  • ¼ tsp salt

Knead into a dough, wrap and chill for an hour. Then roll it out and cut into the shapes you want.
Bake at 350 degrees F until golden – about 9-12 minutes.

Cut 30 Moons using a 2 inch round cutter and sprinkle each with a bit of brown sugar to create the moon surface.

– I actually have a campbell’s soup can that use as my round cookie cutter.

Basic sugar cookies sprinkled with brown sugar to create the full moon

Cut 30 wolf heads: I used the same template that I created a few years ago for my first Wolfenoot silhouette and using a foam tray from the grocery store < waste not!> I have a nice solid wolf pattern to cut around using a knife.

You can find wolf silhouettes online and print them off – make sure the size will fit inside your round cookie cutter

Hand cut wolf heads
Some thinner ones browned a bit more.

 

Make frosting:

  • 3 tablespoons butter or magarine
  • 3 cups icing sugar
  • 3 tablespoons oat milk < or whatever is needed to make it work>

I divided that into 3 and added:

White Glaze: Lemon juice – 2 tablespoons

Tawny shaggy wolf Frosting: 1 teaspoon each cinnamon, ginger powder, and vanilla

Chocolate Glaze: 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, 1 tablespoon butterscotch schnapps

I used each respective frosting/ glaze to assemble and decorate.

Happy Howling Wolfenoot2020

Tim Tams? WTH are Tim Tams…?

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After noting our friend’s social media lamenting about her lack of Tim Tams… and I’ve been binge watching Baking shows….I looked around briefly online to see if these could be purchased nearby.

I stumbled upon this recipe – shared through a few websites…especially this one:

https://www.abeautifulplate.com/homemade-tim-tams/ …Hers look so neat!

A major thank you to the original recipe creator – Sarah from TheSugarhit.com. So many recipes there to check out!

And for a first attempt…here are some pics of the process and what I produced…

Frozen cookie dough between two sheets of parchment- brilliant concept!
Gentle baked biscuits
Biscuits halved because they just seemed too big and I had not actually read the size I was supposed to cut the dough properly!
Chocolate Malt Frosting
Frosting anyone?
Chocolate sandwiches
Dipping process involved fork and spoon!
Dipping in the chocolate
Dipped and chillin
Ready to go or to be decorated!
Vegan royal icing
Piping takes practice

Thanks for checking this out- if you make some, enjoy!
And my inspiration to go on this adventure- author and creative soul, S.M. Carrière!

” not quite Timtams but delicious…” I’ll take it!

Halloween 2020

Personal time

Things are different for sure this year.

I do actually miss the option of an evening gathering with adult friends who are as Halloween Inspired as I am.

So, while yes, I dressed up to go teach class this morning, < Part-time pattern making at my alma mater>, it was different…  Sketching teacher, Rebecca did also dress up, so that was fun.

Dr. Anathea Evermore and Wednesday Adams

Tonight I’ll probably don my garb again to lurk out front < masked and physically distant of course>, in case any kids do come around for candies at the neighbour’s…

There is a little bit of sadness at not being able to admire and encourage a big bunch of other folk who also love to dress up – even as adults!

#WitchesGatheringFolk and  #VixensVictoriousFolk I love and miss you all!

Kudos to everyone out there who did/will do something to be whacky this Halloween – and blessed by to those who are observing Samhain, honouring our dead. There has been much loss this year in my own family, so I’ll be taking some time later to reflect on the folk who have gone beyond this physical realm.

But here’s the fun again….

This year’s costume was a last minute inspiration created in about 2-3 hours < the mask, goggles and purse>, and reusing the Dr. Horrible tunic I had made a few years ago for the hubby to wear.

Click on the thumbnails to see the pics larger!

The outerwear worked with the look!

And introducing:

Dr. Anathea Evermore

The Final look! #Annoyed because someone spelled my name wrong!🥴

She seeks to change the world around her through the application of Science and Magic.

She sees the crap you are trying to pull…with or without her Lenses of Dragon Goggles…

Her eyes glow red with anger at the stupidity of non believers – those who do not believe in science, those who do not understand we are touched by magic.

She brings her Wand of Awareness with her to grant that gift upon those who lack it – sometimes gently tapping their subconscious, sometimes with a crushing blow.

She uses her powers to stitch together new concepts, repair broken dreams, and cut away the unneeded to bring new creations to life.

Measuring time and space to nurture the new ideas as they grow, she pulls them from the ether to manifest them into the physical.

Stand not in her way, and if she needs your help, she’ll ask.

Sunday morning baking- Swedish Apple Pie

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This came through on one of my social media streams and it looked like a very good idea!

Swedish Apple Pie (a crustless apple pie)

Author: Bridget Oland

Ingredients

  • 5 medium apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2“-thick wedges
  • 3 Tbsp. Crosby’s Fancy Molasses
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3⁄4 cup butter
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour (can use half whole wheat)
  • 1 large egg, room temp.
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1⁄4 tsp. ginger

Instructions

 

  1. Preheatovento350F.

  2. Fill a deep 10′′ pie dish with the sliced apples. Sprinkle with cinnamon and drizzle

    over the molasses.

  3. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Remove from heat and whisk

    in sugar, flour, egg, salt and ginger.

  4. Pour over apples, covering as evenly as possible.

  5. Bake until crust is golden brown and crisp, 45minutes to 1 hour.

380 calories per ⅛ pie

https://www.crosbys.com/swedish-apple-pie-with-molasses

PDF: crosbys.com-Swedish Apple Pie a crustless apple pie

I subbed half of the white sugar with brown, and otherwise followed it…Oh and I baked it in my cast iron skillet…

Cored and chopped apples with cinnamon and molasses.
Melted butter, with flour, sugar, egg and ginger whisked in.
Spreading the batter on…
Swedish apple pie (379 calories per ⅛)

Vacay Arting with photos and Procreate

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More playing with Procreate!

While there is something magical about using traditional mediums of paint, chalk, pencil, etc, I’m also finding digital processing a challenging and interesting journey.

These pieces are pretty basic so far, just playing on the theme of fairy doors, and elusive characters that are just barely there. And having taken some inspiring photos on our camping trip has allowed me that fun concept of adding my own touches to existing beautiful settings…

Forest House Moss Lane by Tavalonia

 

 

Forest House: Condo Living by Tavalonia

Forest House by Tavalonia

holiday time…

Personal time

There’s pre travel baking.

There’s keeping up the usual #morningwalks:

There’s sorting and downsizing for a shorter trip/smaller transport…

Gratitude for the mornings, the time off, the clients who are already booked for the return….