Homemade Marshmallows!!!

Once you try these delicious homemade marshmallows, you'll never go back to the store-bought ones! They're easier than you think!
 3 envelopes of unflavored Knox gelatin
1/2 cup cold water
2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cups corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
Confectioners' sugar for dredging

In the bowl of an electric mixer, sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 cup cold water. Soak for several minutes. In the meantime, combine sugar, corn syrup, and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and boil hard for 1 minute.

Pour boiling syrup into gelatin and mix at high speed. Add the salt and beat for 12 minutes. Add vanilla (or another flavor) and incorporate into mixture. Scrape into a 9 x 9-inch pan lined with oiled plastic wrap and spread evenly.
(Lightly oil hands and spatula or bowl scraper). After pouring marshmallow mixture into the pan, take another piece of plastic wrap and press mixture into the pan.

Let the marshmallow sit for a few hours, preferably overnight. Remove from pan, dredge the marshmallow slab with confectioners' sugar and cut into squares with a greased Knife or scissors. Dredge (isn't that the weirdest word!?) each piece of marshmallow in confectioners' sugar.

I dipped some in Fudge!

(The fudge was just equal parts Melted Semi-Sweet Chocolate & Chocolate Frosting)
Good Luck!

Want S'more? Cupcakes that is!

These S'mores cupcakes really do taste like s'mores! For the frosting I whipped up some homemade Marshmallows (Recipe coming soon!) and spread them on the cupcakes.

S'more Cupcakes

Makes 24

1 "Family Size" box Pillsbury Fudge Brownies

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup vegetable oil

3 eggs

--------------------------------------
20 graham crackers

1 stick unsalted butter, melted

1/2 sugar

1 bag mini chocolate chips

2 Hershey Bars

Start by preheating you oven to 350 degrees, & line your muffin pans with 24 cupcake wrappers. making the brownie mix according to package instructions, but use 3 eggs instead of 2 for cake-like brownies. Set aside.

For the Grahm Cracker "Crust", combine graham crackers and sugar in food processor, pulse until crackers are crushed into small even crumbs. Slowly add melted butter a little at a time, pulsing after each addition until you get a mixture that's still crumbly, but firm when pressed. Drop a Tablespoon of the crumbs into each cupcake liner & press them down with a small glass. I used a Mini-Tart Shaper from Pampered Chef. On top of that, sprinkle on 1 teaspoon of mini chocolate chips. Pop that into the oven for 5 minutes to firm the crust & start melting the chocolate chips.

Remove the pans from the oven & fill them 3/4 full with the brownie batter. Then, sprinkle another teaspoon of mini chocolate chips & another Tablespoon of the Graham Cracker mixture. Place pans back in the oven & bake for about 20 minutes.

 When they come out they'll look like this! Now you have to decide what you want to do for the frosting.

You can whip up some of Martha Stewart's Marshmallow Frosting.

Or you can spread on a little Marshmallow Fluff & stick a big marshmallow on top like Rebecca from Homemaker's Habitat did.

Or spread on some homemade marshmallow like I did, then stick on a Hershey's piece & Your done!

Happy Baking!

Oreo Truffles

I absolutely love all things Oreo. So when I first saw these I had to make them right away!

You Need:

1 package of softened Cream Cheese

44 Oreo Cookies
White Almond bark for dipping.

Crush the Oreos in a food processor (filling and all) until they are fine crumbs.

Add your cream cheese to the cookie cumbs and mash them together with the back of a spoon (or your hands).

Shape them into 1 inch balls with a mini ice-cream scooper and refrigerate for a couple hours before you dip them into Almond Bark. Store them in the refrigerator.
These won't last long!

Chocolate Overload Cupcakes & Breast Cancer Awareness

These fabulous looking cupcakes are made with homemade Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Ganache AND Chocolate Mousse Frosting. I've been meaning to share the recipe for my Chocolate Mousse Frosting since I featured it on my Chocolate Candy Bar Surprise Cupcakes. The recipe is super easy!

Ingredients:

1 Cup of Milk

1 box of Chocolate Pudding Mix

1 Container of Cool Whip

All you need to do is Whisk together the milk and pudding mix, and then add the Cool Whip (make sure that the Cool Whip is room temperature). You could also use different flavors of pudding mix if you like.

As you also may know, October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. So bake some Pink cupcakes to show your Support!

Happy Baking!

Cookie Dough Pie

If you like Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough (and I'm sure you all do), you'll love this!

This is the easiest thing you'll ever make!

I know this isn't baking, but I just have to share this recipe because it's super easy! I stumbled onto this recipe from Leisl's Confection Dissection (a really great blog), and I knew I had to make it! The recipe is originally from Big Red Kitchen. If you have 5 minutes, you can easily throw this together & pop it in the fridge!

You will need*:

Cool Whip

Store bought Chocolate Chip Cookies

(I used Keebler because they're thicker than Chip's Ahoy.)

Several cups of Milk

(enough for dipping the cookies)

Optional: Chocolate Syrup or Chocolate Chips

*The amounts of the ingredients vary, so have extra on hand

Quickly dip cookies in milk, shake off the excess milk and layer them in a 9 inch pie plate, or another glass dish. Break up the cookies to fill any gaps. Once the first layer is complete, top with a thin layer of Cool Whip. Repeat twice more making last layer of Cool Whip a bit thicker.

Garnish with Chocolate Syrup, Chocolate Chips, or some Cookie Crumbs if desired. Place in the fridge several hours before serving.

Here is an image of Robin Sue's Cookie Dough Pie

(From Big Red Kitchen)

Good Luck!!

Cookie Dough Brownies

These are SO good & SO easy to make!

I first saw these on Bakerella's blog. I wanted to make them really bad, but I forgot about the recipe and just recently stumbled onto it again. I'm glad I did because I don't know what the world would be like without these! I love you Betty!

You will need:

1 box Betty Crocker Ultimate Fudge Supreme brownie mix
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
2 eggs

1 pouch Betty Crocker chocolate chip cookie mix

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 egg


Heat oven to 350ºF. Grease the bottom of a glass 9x13-inch pan with cooking spray, or grease with shortening. Make brownie mix as directed on the box, using oil, water and 2 eggs. Spread the brownie batter in your pan.

Make cookie mix as directed on pouch, using butter and 1 egg. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls evenly onto brownie batterPress the dough down lightly. (You can also just spread the cookie dough on top.)

(You May think ^these^ look burnt, but that's how they should look.)

Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted 2 inches from side of pan comes out almost clean. Cool on cooling rack 30 minutes.

Once the brownies are cool, pour on the Chocolate Ganache (or you can use regular chocolate frosting) & wait several hours for it to set up. ENJOY!

Chocolate Ganache

12 oz. of chocolate chips (1 bag)

6 Tablespoons butter

3/4 Cup Whipping Cream

Melt the butter in a pan with the Whipping Cream over Medium Heat. Once that starts boiling, stir in the Chocolate Chips until Smooth. Pour it on your brownies!!

These Fabulous Cookie Dough Brownies were baked by the Fabulous Rhiannon of Pink Sugar Desserts

And these were baked by the always fabulous

Bakerella!

Happy Baking!

Mini Oreo Cheescakes

Cookies and Cream Mini Cheesecakes from

Martha Stewart Cupcakes

As soon as I saw this recipe from The Busty Baker (Originally from Martha Stewart Cupcakes) I knew I had to make them for my mom's birthday! She loved them! Well at least she said she did, and that's good enough for me! My brother ate the most of them though.

Ingredients:

42 Oreos or other cream filled chocolate sandwich cookies

(30 left whole and 12 coarsely chopped)

2 pounds cream cheese (room temperature)

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

4 large eggs room temperature (lightly beaten)

1 cup sour cream

Pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 275F. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners, or if you use aluminum foil liners (like I did), you dont need muffin tins. Place 1 whole cookie in the bottom of each lined cup.

With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Gradually add the sugar, and beat until combined. Beat in the vanilla. Dump eggs in gradually, and scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in sour cream and salt. Stir in chopped cookies by hand with a rubber spatula.

Divide batter evenly among cookie filled cups, fill each almost to the top. (You can also sprinkle extra Oreo crumbs on top before baking.) Bake until the the filling is set, this will take approximately 22 minutes. Remember to rotate the cheesecakes halfway through. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Refrigerate (in tins) for at least 4 hours (preferably overnight). Remove from tins just before serving.

Happy Baking!

Chocolate Candy Bar Surprise Cupcakes!

Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Mousse Frosting and a Candy bar Surprise inside!

This is a Fun and Simple Recipe Idea to use for any occasion!

Start by making your favorite Standard Cupcake Recipe, but don't fill up the Cupcake Liners quite as full as you normally do. Once you fill up your cupcake liners, insert a small bite-size candy bar of your choice (I used 3 Musketeers, but you could use Snickers or Milky Way as well). If you can't find the bite-size candy bars, you can cut the Fun-Size bars in half like I did.

Yummy!

I frosted mine with my Special Chocolate Mousse Frosting! (Recipe coming Soon!)

Happy Cupcaking!

Whoopie Pies!

These are SO good!

I made these a few years back, and I recently stumbled upon the recipe and decided to make them again! I did change the filling recipe by not adding as much shortening, but adding more marshmallow cream. They are surprisingly easy to make, and they taste just like Oreo Cakesters! (Even my super picky brother liked them!)

First Come the cookies!
1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 cup milk

1 egg

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Beat all of the ingredients together until well mixed, and refrigerate for 1 hour. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees and drop the dough, one Tablespoon at a time onto an gaeased cookie sheet covered in parchment paper. Bake the cookies for 5-10 minutes. While the cookies cool, make the filling.

Creamy, Fluffy, & Gooey Filling!

1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening

2 cups confectioners’ sugar

2 1/2 cups marshmallow cream

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 to 6 tablespoons milk

Beat the shortening, sugar, marshmallow cream, vanilla, and 3 tablespoons of the milk together until fluffy. Add more milk if needed. Spoon a generous dollop of filling on half of the cooled cookies, and place another cookie on top to make a sandwich.

Happy Baking!

Chocolate Meringue Cookies!

Yummy Melt-in-your-Mouth Chocolate Meringues!

This recipe is from Taste of Homes' Best Loved Cookies & Bars. This is the first time I've made Meringues & I think they turned out great! (I think mine looked better than the Test Kitchen's.)

Ingredients:

3 Egg Whites

1/4 teaspoon Cream of Tarter

1/4 teaspoon Salt

1 Cup Sugar

3 Tablespoons baking Cocoa

3 Tablespoons mini Semisweet Chocolate Chips (optional)
3 Tablespoons finely crushed Walnuts or Almonds (optional)

Place egg whites in a large mixing bowl & let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Beat egg whites on high until foamy. Add salt and cream of tarter until soft peaks form. Gradually add the sugar one tablespoon at a time until stiff peaks form (about 6 minutes). Beat in cocoa and fold in chocolate chips or nuts if desired.

Cut a hole in the corner of a pastry bag and insert a Large Round or Star Shaped Pastry Tip. Fill the bag with the meringue. Squeeze out hearts or round star shapes about 2 inches apart onto lightly greased baking sheets. Bake at 300 degrees for 20-25 minutes, or until firm to the touch. Remove meringues and place on wire racks to cool. Store cookies in an airtight container.

Happy Baking!

(For info on Egg White's and their various stages, click HERE)

Cream Filled Chocolate Cupcakes!

Creamy Center Cupcakes & Vanilla Frosting from:
Taste of Home's Cupcakes! Muffins and More

First, Prepare and bake a box cake according to the package instructions and let the cupcakes cool.

Light & Fluffy Cream Filling

3/4 cup shortening
2/3 cup confectioners' sugar
1 cup marshmallow creme
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a large bowl, cream the sugar & shortening until it's Light & Fluffy.
Add the Marshmallow Cream and Vanilla & Mix Well!

To Fill the Cupcakes:

Cut a small hole in the corner of a Pastry Bag or plastic bag and enter a small tip. Fill the bag with the Cream and push the tip down to the center of the cupcake and squeeze the bag to release the Filling (Only for a few seconds). The Cupcake may expand a little.

Once your cupcakes are all filled up you can start making the Frosting! Here is the recipe I used, It's from Taste of Home's Cupcakes! Muffins and More cookbook as well.

Vanilla Frosting

2 cups confectioners' sugar

2 tablespoons butter (softened)

2 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I used clear vanilla)

Food Coloring, optional

Beat all ingredients until smooth & fluffy.

To Frost, insert a Decorating Tip into the corner of a Pastry Bag & cut a small hole just big enough for the end of the tip. Fill the bag & Frost!

Good Luck!

Bakerella Inspired Cake Truffles

I made Cake truffles using Bakerella's recipe for her Cake Pops.

First, I made a regular box cake in a 9 x 13 inch pan. I let it cool, and then I crumbled it up in a large bowl.

Then, I mixed in 1 16 oz. can of frosting. I couldn't decide which flavor to use, so I did half chocolate and half white.After the frosting is mixed in well, using a small ice-cream scoop, Scoop the Cake mixture into approximately 1 inch size balls, and refridgerate until the balls become firm (about a couple of hours). Once the balls are firm, roll them in your hands to make them smooth. I would recomend storing them in the freezing for another hour or two until you are ready to dip them in Chocolate. If want colored chocolate, you should use Wilton Candy Melts. DO NOT add food coloring to the chocolate inless it does not contain water. Always read the package instructions before melting or adding anything to your chocolate.

I drizzled some chocolate on mine,
but you can always use sprinkles or nuts to garnish your cake truffles.

Bakerella shapes hers into cupcakes. Too Cute!
You can see Bakerella's Official Recipe here, and a video of her making them on The Martha Stewart Show here.

Good Luck!