Pastries with Chantilly Cream

Here's another recipe for the quick recipe box. Since posting the quick Chocolate Cupcakes with Salty Caramel Frosting, I've been thinking about other super easy and fast recipes that you can whip up in just minutes. I keep coming up with the same concept, half store bought and the other half made from scratch. Making pastries is no easy challenge, it takes time, attention and lots of patience, but a great way to skip all that and get great results is using store bought puff pastry. For this recipe I used puff pastry, which I cut it into squares and placed in a cupcake tray and baked until golden. I then filled them with Chantilly Cream, which is super delicious and extremely easy to make, you just need 3 ingredients and your done! This dessert tastes super light, so it's great for summer and it literally does not take more than about 20-25 mins to make! If you're feeling more adventurous you can definitely  switch the vanilla in the Chantilly Cream for orange, lemon or liquor. Another choice could also be grating or drizzling chocolate over the cream. Hope you like it!

Let me know!

Xo

Flor

Chantilly Cream

1 cup heavy whipping cream

2 tablespoons confectioner sugar

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract.

Combine all three ingredients and whip until desired consistency. Chill in the refrigerator until moment of use. 

Miniature Lemon Delights

There's something about lemon sweets that just makes them perfect for summer. I usually wouldn't put Butter Cream Frosting and the word light in the same sentence, but this one is particularly light and refreshing tasting. I used a basic vanilla cupcake recipe, super easy to make, because I wanted it to be about the lemon frosting. I thought of maybe doing lemon cupcakes, but the vanilla ones were really the perfect canvas for the frosting and gave for a more light tasting sweet and not an overpowering lemon taste. I went for miniature cupcakes instead of the regular ones, to keep them bite sized and in the same line of simple and light. This recipe works perfectly for a summer get together, they're petite and refreshing, which is really important in hot summer days. I'll be posting more recipes about lemon treats during the next couple of weeks, I personally think lemon is the way to go during summer, plus I saw a lemon and honey tart that's just calling my name! Hope you like the recipe!

Let me know!

Xo

Flor

Vanilla Cupcakes

1 1/3 cups sifted flour

3/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup vegetable shortening

2/3 cup milk

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together into a large mixing bowl. Add shortening and milk, stir to blend, then beat slowly about 1 1/2 minutes with an electric mixer. 

Add egg and vanilla and beat slowly 1 1/2 minutes. Bake 20-25 minutes until cakes are golden brown and springy to the touch. Let cool.

Butter Cream Frosting

1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened to room temp

1 (1-pound) box confectioners' sugar, sifted

4-5 tablespoons lemon juice

3-4 teaspoons finely grated lemon rind

1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

Cream butter until fluffily; beat in sugar, a little at a time, adding alternately with lemon juice. Mix in finely grated lemon rind and salt and beat until satiny and of good spreading consistency.

Vanilla Pound Cake

Pound cakes are the perfect dessert for those warm days to come, really rich and buttery, but they still feel light when you eat them, so deceiving. This recipe is one that everyone should have, it's really simple to make and you can make so many variations from the same recipe. You can go with some fresher options like lemons, limes and oranges or some richer ones like chocolate, caramel or rum. The same stands for the glaze, you can go simple with the cake and twist it up with glaze, adding nuts or rose water and even just dusting some confectioner sugar. This pound cake recipe makes two cakes, so it's perfect for a party or a dinner between friends and it's so simple that it takes one stress away from party planning. I love decorating with fresh flowers, it's a perfect idea for spring and really easy. You can make the Glaze Recipe and use it for both cakes.  Hope you enjoy the post & try out the recipe!

Xo

Flor

Recipe:

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp

2 cups granulated sugar, divided

4 extra large eggs, room temp

3 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon kosher salt

3/4 cup buttermilk, room temp

1 teaspoon pure vanilla

Directions

Preheat ove to 350 degrees F. Grease & flour 2 (8 1/2 by 4 1/2 by 2 1/2 inch) loaf pans. Line the bottoms with parchment paper.

Cream butter & granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for about 5 mins, or until light & fluffily. With the mixer on medium speed, beat in the eggs, 1 at a time.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, & salt. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk and vanilla. Add the flour & buttermilk mixtures alternately to the batter, beginning & ending with the flour. Divide the batter evenly between the pans, smooth the tops, & bake for 45 mins to 1 hr, until cake tester come out clean.

When the cakes are done, let them cool for 10 mins. Take them out of the pans, place them on a baking rack & allows the to cool completely. You can wrap them well & store in the refrigerator if not for immediate use.

Source: Ina Garten (Barefoot Contessa)  

Glaze:

2 tablespoons melted butter 

1 cup confectioner sugar

1 teaspoon Vanilla extract

2 tablespoons milk (if needed)

Directions:

Combine the 2 tablespoons of melted butter, vanilla and confectioner sugar; if the result is too thick add milk. ( I suggest you add one and if it remains to thick add the second).

Coconut Cake

With Valentine's Day already in the past, I wanted to post a recipe that had nothing to do with chocolate... to help those that had an overdose of chocolate on V-Day. I tried this coconut cake at my grandmother's house not long ago and was completely obsessed with it from the get go. This cake is super moist and has a lot of texture. It's perfect for that dinner party where you want to impress your guest with your baking skills and exotic recipes, and the best part is that it's really easy to make. I hope you enjoy the recipe & photos! Bon Appetit!

Xo
Flor

Ingredients:

1/2 lb butter

2 cups sugar

6 eggs (lightly beaten)

1 box Nilla Wafers

1 can shredded coconut (remove syrup)*

1 tablespoons vanilla

1 cup walnuts

Directions:

1. Crush the vanilla wafers

2. Crush the walnuts into small pieces

3. Beat butter with sugar

4. Add the lightly beaten eggs to the mixture

5. Fold the rest of the ingredients- the last ingredient to be added should be the walnuts

6. Bake for 1 1/4 hours at 300 degrees F

Glaze:

2 tablespoons melted butter

1 cup confectioner sugar

1 teaspoon Vanilla

2 Tablespoons milk (if needed)

Combine the 2 tablespoons of melted butter, vanilla and confectioner sugar; if the result is too thick add milk ( I suggest to add first 1 tablespoon and if still too thick add the second). 

Black & White Cupcakes

With Valentine's Day a mere 17 days away I've been inspired to share some recipe ideas for you to enjoy with loved ones. Of course Valentine's is synonymous with chocolate but that does not mean that all other desserts are scratched out! This Vanilla Cupcake recipe makes the most moist and delicious cupcakes ever. I made a Chocolate Ganache layer for this cupcakes and then made Butter Frosting to top it of. I usually find Butter frosting too sweet but this Chocolate Ganache is so full of flavor that it balances out the sweetness.  Hope you enjoy this post! Let me know!

Yellow Cupcakes

1 1/3 Cups sifted flour

3/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup vegetable shortening

2/3 cup milk

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Sift flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together into a large mixing bowl.

Add shortening and milk, stir to blend, then beat slowly about 1 1/2 minutes with an electric mixer.

Add egg and vanilla and beat slowly 1 1/2 minutes. 

Spoon batter into muffin tins lined with cupcake papers, filling half full. Bake 20-25 minutes until cakes are golden brown and springy to the touch.

Remove cakes from pans and cool upright on wire racks. Frost as desired. 

Butter Frosting

1/3 cup butter

4 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar

1/4 cup milk

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Additional milk

1. In a large mixing bowl beat butter until fluffy. Gradually add 2 cups of the powdered sugar, beating well. Slowly beat in 1/4 cup milk and vanilla.

2. Gradually add remaining powdered sugar, beating until combined. If necessary, beat in a little additional milk to make frosting that is easy to spread. Tint with food coloring as desired. Transfer unused frosting to a storage container and chill for up to 1 week.