Oatmeal Chocolate Blueberry Cookies

Does it ever happen that you have exactly the right ingredients for a recipe you've chosen on the spot?

Doesn't happen for me either.

This week I thought it had, but it turns out using fresh instead of frozen blueberries is not always an upgrade.

I suppose after all my chocolate mousse adventures that a cookie might seem kind of dull.  But in lieu of my recent illness I found it hard to be organized enough to do something more complicated.

The important thing is they are still edible.  And different from my bog-standard chocolate chip cookie!  (I haven't blogged about these - but I will - I stand by my belief that they are and always will be the best and most addictive cookie in existence).

I know the batter would have come up much nicer if I'd followed the recipe 100%. *heavy sigh*

You may have noticed (or not) that there was no post from me last week.  My sincere apologies to anyone I may have disappointed!  I was bedridden with a nasty virus and besides the fact that I couldn't move, I didn't think anyone would want to eat my diseased baking anyway...But don't worry I am completely recovered and possibly even healthier than before I was sick! (Owed to an increased intake in multivitamins).  So I guarantee my blueberry cookies are germ-free.

You can find the full recipe here.

In closing I'd like to say Happy Birthday to Prince George, who turns one on Tuesday.  I intended to celebrate with a blue sponge cake...Maybe next week.

Although, at the rate I am adding bananas to my freezer I think it will have to be banana bread.

Cheerio,

Nicola ♡

Mini Banana Cream Cutie Pies

You can never have too many frozen bananas.

I can think of endless uses for the extra ones I bought today.  Namely: smoothies and banana bread.

If I could live off smoothies and banana bread I would.

I am starting to become a frozen banana hoarder.  Should I see someone about this??

It's been hot here.  I did NOT want to turn my oven on.  So I threw together all of the ingredients I was craving and this is the result.

A layer of graham cracker crust, followed by dark chocolate, fresh banana slices and then GUESS WHAT: whipped cream on top (duhhh).

Oh-my-NOMS they hit the spot.  And they look cute.

I am soooo diggin the layers lately.  Princess Lay-ah.  HA. I am so funny (.....um NOT...).

The only difficulty I encountered with these little treats is making them hold their shape.  The crust is a bit crumbly and the bananas like to slide off the chocolate...but who cares when the whole thing is going straight in my mouth anyways??

In any case I think it may have been a better idea to add the bananas before the chocolate was set so they wouldn't be so slippery.

I covered my baking tray in saran wrap before filling the cups with the crust, based off a blog I was reading the other day.  I was a bit skeptical at first but it actually worked surprisingly well.

The chocolate layer was inspired by a truffle recipe I tried about a week ago.

I also had a major craving for Retro Banana Cream Pie.  Et voila.

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Mini Banana Cream Pies*

1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 tbsps granulated sugar
4 tbsp margarine, melted

2 oz dark chocolate
2 tbsps whipping cream

1 ripe banana

1/4 cup whipping cream
1 tsp maple syrup

*This recipe only makes about 9 pies, but it should be fairly easy to double...or triple...or quadruple.

Line muffin tray with saran wrap, making sure there is enough excess to push the base down into the cups.

In small bowl combine crumbs, sugar, and margarine.  Press about 1 tbsp of the mixture into each cup of the muffin tray.  Chill for 10-15 minutes in the freezer.

Chop chocolate into very fine pieces.  Pour into small bowl and set aside.

Remove muffin tray from freezer.  Heat 2 tbsps cream on stove until just boiling.  Pour over chocolate and stir until smooth.

Spread chocolate evenly over each base.  Chill in fridge for at least 20 minutes.

Slice banana, set aside.  Whip 1/4 cup cream, adding maple syrup just before the cream is completely whipped.

Remove chocolate base from saran wrap.  Arrange 3-4 banana slices on each pie and top with a spoonful of whipped cream (I used a ziplock bag to pipette the cream for a more aesthetically appealing effect).
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See?  Pretty.

Until next week,

Nicola ♡

Fresh Fruit Tart with Custard Cream Filling • Happy Birthdays All Around

Help!

There is a giant plate of fruit cream tart in my fridge I don't know what to do with.

I realized today why I have been stuck on squares this summer.  With no one in the house but me to eat my baking, I need something easily transportable otherwise my diet would end up severely out of whack...

The product of my labor today is a fruit tart, made with a layer of sweet crumble crust, topped with vanilla custard cream, and finally a selection of fresh fruits from the local market (except the kiwis; they snuck in from some tropical place).

Is it just me or does that sound like a server's spiel??

It is a combination of three different recipes and some of my own creativity.  Which of course posed a similar problem to the cookies on Wednesday: it has the potential for complete disaster.  But somehow I was lucky again and the mish-mash of recipes worked out!

I will have to articulate the recipe here because it would be a feat to explain where all the bits and pieces came from.  Since my Mum is visiting me a week after her birthday, and good old Canada has her birthday in two days, it is very much a celebratory tart.

(In England 'tart' is also slang for a female prostitute.  I know I'm supposed to be a mature adult but I still have trouble typing 'celebratory tart' without giggling.)

It is also the result of me wanting to make pastry and it being too hot for cake.  Except it's not really pastry.  But I'll work up to that.  I know I need to perfect my pastry if I want to be one of those amazing pastry granny ladies eventually.

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Fresh Fruit Cream Tart

1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened to room temperature

1 cup milk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract*
5 tbsps sugar
3 large egg yolks
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp flour
1 tbsp margarine
1/2 cup whipping cream

2-3 cups fresh fruit (I used kiwi, strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries, but mangos or peaches would also be a nice addition)

*I used artificial (owed to student budget), but Martha Stewart suggests using a proper vanilla bean...maybe in another life

Crumble Crust
Preheat oven to 350F.  Combine flour, sugar, and butter in large bowl.  Beat with hand mixer until fine crumb forms.  Press into lightly greased 12 inch springform pan, making sure to push about an inch up the sides.  Bake for about 15 mins, or until golden brown.  Remove and let cool completely.

Custard Cream Filling
Cook milk, vanilla, and 4 tbsps vanilla in saucepan over high heat until just about to boil.

In small bowl beat egg yolks with remaining sugar.  Add cornstarch and flour and whisk until completely combined.  Slowly pour heated mixture over egg mixture, whisking constantly.  Return to stove on med-high heat and continue to whisk until thickened, about 2 mins.

Remove from heat and stir in butter until incorporated.  Let cool slightly, cover with saran wrap and then refrigerate until set, about 30 mins.  Make sure the plastic is pressed directly on custard to avoid condensation.

Once the custard is set, whip cream in small bowl with hand mixer.  Fold into custard.  Remove crust from springform pan.  Spread custard cream evenly over crust with a spatula.  Refrigerate about 10 mins.

Meanwhile, chop and wash fruit and set aside.  Remove the tart from fridge and arrange fruit as desired.

Store in the fridge for up to 4 days.  Mother suggests this is unreasonable because it will be gone in one.

Recipe adapted from the following websites: Martha Stewart, The Food Network, and Joy of Baking.
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I think turning my oven on in today's heat put me at risk of heat stroke.  IT'S SO HOT HERE.  How do people live in climates like this??!?

For this reason I'm glad I didn't make a full-on pie.  Would have passed out for sure.

Perhaps I should save my pastry-making till the winter, when our oven is the main source of heat. (Cue mental image of five girls wrapped in blankets huddled around the stove watching a pie bake).

As much as I wanted summer, I already miss the cold...at least when you're cold there's no end of blankets to smother yourself in.  In the heat there are only so many layers of clothes you can remove.

Aaaaaaand on that note,

Happy Canada Day!  Happy Birthday Mum! And FESTIVUS for the REST OF US!

Peace & Love

Nicola ♡

Ah-ma-zing Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

It's hump day.  I made oatmeal cookies.

Now don't think I plan to start posting on Wednesdays too.  But I just HAD to share this.

They are so goooooooooooood.  I don't think I will bother with another dessert after this.  Just make oatmeal cookies forever.  BCFLs. Best Cookies For Lifeeeee.

Ahem. I need a hobby.

It was so so easy to make these.  I adapted them from the oatmeal chocolate chip recipe I usually use, which I got from my Mum, and I'm not sure where she got it from, but these recipes are all pretty much the same anyways right??

I need to put it in ink before it is lost from my mind forever.  So here it is ladies and gentlemen:

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Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

1/2 cup butter, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp milk

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch nutmeg
pinch salt

1 cup quick oats
1/2-3/4 cup raisins*

*I used sultana raisins, in all honesty because I bought them by accident a while back and wanted to use them up, but they taste fine.  Actually I think they might be better than regular raisins because they aren't too sweet.

Preheat the oven to 350F.  Grease two baking trays and set aside.

Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in small bowl.  Set aside.

In large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the egg, vanilla, and milk and beat until just combined.

Gradually fold in flour mixture.  Stir in oats, and then raisins.

Drop cookies onto tray in 1-1/2 inch balls approximately 2 inches apart.  (Or use your own judgment for bigger or smaller cookies).

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges are golden brown.  For best texture, swap the trays half way through (ie. if one tray is on a higher rack swap it with the one beneath it and vice versa).
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The nice thing about this recipe is that you can do it all by hand.  No machinery required.  Less messy that way, AND you can pretend to build arm muscle.

For some reason, this poster comes to mind.

Also, I always use slightly less sugar than it says.  That way I can feel slightly healthier.

This evening I found myself bustling about the kitchen in an apron listening to a 1930s playlist.  There is something about Big Band music that is both relaxing and motivational at the same time.  One day I am going to be one of those grannies who bakes all day and makes THE best cookies.  Is it strange this is what I dream about?

Welllll now that I've procrastinated enough, it's back to the working world for me.  Sunday couldn't come any faster.

Bon soir, mes amis

Nicola ♡

Chocolate Cream Puffs

I didn't know how I was going to top last week's brownies.

"F***. This is good." Was the reaction I got a few times on Monday.

HOW DO YOU BEAT THAT

I have two choices: 1) make this week's baking tastier than last week's
2) ....drown in shame (and possibly chocolate)

So naturally I have decided to take it to the next level, and make something I have been meaning to try since I started this blog: profiteroles (aka. cream puffs, or puff pastry filled with cream and topped with chocolate sauce...I can see the drool on your chin).

This could either be a complete disaster or make it even harder for me to come up with a dessert next week.

I once went a month without chocolate.  I don't know how that was humanly possible.  It should not be in anyone's nature to go without chocolate for that long.

The recipe I chose uses whole wheat flour.  I have to say I was a bit nervous about that.  I mean, whole wheat + chocolate? Sounds kind of gross right?  I'm already outdoing myself with the puff pastry, so trying to make them healthy too? I'd say that increased my risk of failure tenfold.

But apparently the stars are in my quarter and I was destined for success again.  They are delectable.  How did I manage that??!?

I didn't have a pipette so I made one from a ziplock bag.  That mousse was the messiest thing I have dealt with so far.  It was one of those situations where you have to accept that you are going to get sticky.  Or creamy.  Or dirty.  Or some other adjective that doesn't make it sound like my kitchen was getting hot in more ways than one.  When did baking become so inappropriate?!

I've often read that you shouldn't melt chocolate chips because they won't produce the same smoothness that baker's chocolate does.  If I was being really picky, I'd agree with this statement.  The chocolate sauce in this recipe definitely did not turn out as silky as the ganache from last week (there may have even been a few lumps *gasp*).  But I hardly think anyone will notice.  I know I didn't.

If you are feeling courageous and want to try these out for yourself, here's the recipe.  Don't be intimidated by their finesse.  Profiteroles are simpler to make than you'd imagine.

I hardly know how I will challenge myself next week.

Fingers crossed that my luck hasn't run out.

Until then,

Nicola ♡

Red. Velvet. Oreo. Brownies. What?

I mean I know I said no more squares, and red velvet should be reserved for Valentines Day.... but OMG.

When my coworker showed me this recipe I basically had a foodgasm.

As I write this they are chillin' in the fridge (haha).  I could not be more excited to pull them out and try one.  I am hanging on the edge of my seat! (Ok I realize this could just be due to all the icing I polished off the spatula earlier, but STILL)

I varied the method for the brownie bit slightly based on good experience with a different brownie recipe.  Instead of just melting the butter and combining it with the other ingredients, I melted it in a saucepan on low heat, dissolved the sugar, and then successively added the rest of the ingredients with the heat still on.  We'll see how it turns out.

A few hours later...

My brain: THE GANACHE. Is. So. Perfect. I am thoroughly impressed with myself.

But - weirdly - the brownie base is crunchy? What is up with that? I mean, it tastes good, but that is sooooooooo not what I was expecting from something with 'red velvet' in the title.  'Crunchy' and 'velvet' just don't mix in my mind.

I have a suspicion that these so-called brownies are actually just nanaimo bars in disguise.  Three-tiered cream, crunch, and chocolate?  Yep.  Definitely a distant relative.

I was a little worried that these would be too sweet, but actually they're pretty tolerable.  Much more than tolerable, in fact.  Rich and creamy and ohhh-myyy-tastebuds.  The crunchy brownie layer was a happy accident.

Oh yeah, and to add to my general satisfaction, I DIDN'T USE REAL OREOS!  The metro brand was half the price.  Scoreeeeeee.

Work friends, if you are reading this: you better bring your sweet tooth to work tomorrow because these are a reaaaaal treat.

That is allll from me this evening folks, I think I'd better get my running shoes out...before I turn into a ganache myself!

Until next week,

Nicola ♡