Baked Churros

May the 4th is Star Wars Day and May the 5th is Cinco De Mayo so in honor of these, we made churros or cinnamon lightsabers. These were made with choux paste and baked in the oven. They were not as crispy as the traditional fried churros but they were yummy in a cream puff sort of way. We sprinkled them with cinnamon sugar and dipped them in caramel sauce.

Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies

Red Velvet Beet Cupcakes

After making the carrot cupcakes, I had some leftover cream cheese frosting. What to do with it? I decided to make red velvet cupcakes though I didn't want to add red food coloring. Continuing on with the veggie theme, I made red velvet beet cupcakes. The boys loved them at first until I told them there were beets in it. Then they weren't so keen but still ate them anyway.

Spicy Chocolate Panna Cotta

This panna cotta is made with the vanilla panna cotta recipe. I added some melted chocolate to it and some cayenne pepper.

August's Birthday Dessert- Layered Panna Cotta

August loves panna cotta. This year he requested panna cotta with caramel and chocolate. I made this layered dessert with vanilla panna cotta on the bottom, caramel panna cotta in the middle and a dark chocolate whipped cream on the top. I garnished it with fresh raspberries and chocolate curls and decorations made by piping melted chocolate onto parchment and setting it in the fridge. The chocolate curls were made by spreading melted chocolate onto the back of a cookie sheet and setting it in the freezer, then using a knife, I scraped the chocolate into the rolled cigar shape.

Double Chocolate Crinkle Cookies and Good Bitches Baking

It's my first bake for Good Bitches Baking. They are an organization where home bakers can donate treats to those in need. I made double chocolate crinkle cookies and dropped them off at the Newtown Mission. Looking forward to monthly baking for a good cause. The recipe can be found on Sally's Baking Addiction. At first the powdered sugar melted due to the butter and was yellowish. Sage and I found that if we rolled it really well in the powdered sugar, the white was brighter.

Carrot Feijoa Cupcakes

Feijoas

 

Carrot cupcakes to celebrate Easter! I was given some feijoas by a friend. These are also known as pineapple guavas. I scooped out the flesh and added them into the cupcake batter. The carrot cupcake recipe is from Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa. I frosted them with cream cheese frosting and piped a carrot design on the top. They were really moist!

Pear Ginger Braided Pie

Pate Brisee is a flaky pie dough. I made this pie using pears and grated ginger. For the top, I braided some pie dough and arranged it into concentric circles. I wanted to deviate from the traditional plain pie crust or lattice.

Chocolate Hot Cross Buns

Sage wanted chocolate hot cross buns for Easter. I made these and added some melted chocolate to the batter as well as dark chocolate chunks. The boys and Tallulah enjoyed them after a full morning at the Easter egg hunt.

Peacherine Cake

What is a peacherine? It is a fruit that is less fuzzy than a peach but firm like a nectarine. It is both sweet and tart. This peacherine cake is made using the recipe I usually use for the apple cake. It is sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar as the peacherines were a little tart for my taste.

Rainbow Fruit Tart

This tart has a pate sablee crust which is a sandy shortbread cookie. On top of that is a vanilla bean pastry cream. It is topped with fruits and brushed with an apricot glaze.