Homemade Nutella

Homemade Nutella
1 1/2 cup whole hazelnuts
1 1/2 cups whole milk
3/4 cup powdered milk
1 Tbsp. mild-flavored honey
pinch salt
1 heaping cup chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, or chips
1 scant cup chopped milk chocolate, or chips

On a rimmed baking sheet, toast the nuts in a 400ºF for 10 minutes, or until fragrant and their skins begin to pop. Transfer to a tea towel, gather into a bundle and rub together to remove as much of their skins as possible. While warm, transfer to the bowl of a food processor and blend until they go from finely ground to pasty and thick, like natural peanut butter.
Meanwhile, warm the milk, powdered milk, honey and salt in a small saucepan just until it starts to boil. Remove from heat. In a glass or stainless steel bowl set over a pan of simmering water (or in the microwave), melt the chocolates, stirring occasionally until smooth. Add the melted chocolate to the ground nuts and continue to process the mixture, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add the warm milk mixture and process until everything is well blended and as smooth as you can get it.

Makes about 2 cups.Adapted from the Encyclopédie du Chocolat, by way of David Lebovitz.
         

Homemade Pure Vanilla Extract

Homemade Pure Vanilla Extract
Prep Time: 5 mins

Ingredients:
10 vanilla beans, split lengthwise
1 liter vodka

Directions:
Place the vanilla beans in the bottle of vodka and seal.
Store in a cool, dark area such as a kitchen cabinet for 3 weeks, shaking the bottle every week. Three weeks is the minimum, store it 6 months for the best flavor. After using, replace with more vodka.

The same beans will continue to flavor the vanilla for up to a year.

The Periodic Table of...

I came across this periodic table designed by Andrew Plotkin (2003). I was so amazed at the way the table was designed and how he described it as a scientific and rigorous approach to patisserie. (Smart Right!)

He sells the poster of the periodic table at Cafepress.com for $15.00.

The Periodic Table of Cupcakes 

 

I saw The Periodic Table of Cupcakes at http://www.womansday.com/Articles/Recipes/Dessert-Recipes/Periodic-Table-of-Cupcakes.html, it's pretty neat. If you go to their site and click on any cell you will get a recipe. I think I would of done better in chemistry class, if my teacher taught either of these two periodic tables.

 

White Chocolate Rice Krispy Treats

 I made these for my family the other day and they were so yummy...I have always made these, just like the recipe has always been. But this time, I made my own marshmallows and added white chocolate to the list of ingredients. Rice Krispy Treats I have made for gosh knows how long, I'm pretty like everyone else. I don't think I can ever go back to the way, I had been making them. Also for a change, I sprinkle them with powdered sugar. The first reaction I got from my kids was, "powdered sugar". After they tasted them, they were sold. They told me that they were the best Rice Krispy Treats ever, I thought so too. I want to say it was because of my really good homemade marshmallows I'd made and I think a small percentage it was, but the white chocolate I added, I'm sure is what sent them over the top.

I love Canadian Desserts...

                                        

  In a previous post, I had talked about going on a mission to search out old cookbooks and recipes. I have been searching, but for some reason, I have let myself get side tracked, and now, I'm all things Canadian. Well maybe not all things Canadian, but Canadian desserts, yes. I think it's probably because I came across this tasty dessert, in my Woman's World Magazine and thought it looked really scrumptious. When I read the ingredients, I was sold. One thing I have been doing lately, is making dishes and desserts that in the past, I might not have attempted to make. Several weeks ago, I made Maple Pouding Chomeur, which literally means (poor man's pudding). This dessert is, on my gosh, absolutely AMAZING. I am upset with the fact that I have gone all my life without ever eating this. Really, I'm not surprised it has taken this long, considering I live in Texas, far from Canada. I'm somewhat envious that Canadians have been eating this dessert since the Great Depression and I'm just now, discovering it. This definitely will not be the last Canadian dessert I make. I have seen this recipe written many different ways, but this one I absolutely love, and it is extremely fool proof.

MAPLE POUDING CHOMEUR

Ingredients:
1 cup APF
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbs. shortening
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
1 cup maple syrup
3/4 cup water
2 tsp. butter
1/2 cup sweetened, flaked coconut

Directions: Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Butter 8" square baking pan. Mix flour, baking powder and salt. Beat in sugar and shortening, then beat in egg. Alternately beat in milk and flour mixture until stiff batter forms. Spread in pan. In pot, mix syrup and water; bring to boil. Remove from heat; stir in butter. Slowly pour over batter dough; sprinkle with coconut. Bake 35 minutes. Serves 9

When I was ready to cut and serve my dessert, I scooped a dollop of whip cream on top, but vanilla ice cream would kick it up a notch.

My Cookbook Obsession!!!

  For as long as I can remember, I have had a cookbook obsession. I own many cookbooks and not all are created equal. I must say for me personally, I'm a fan of cookbooks with pictures. I'm not sure if it's because I can see what the finished product looks like, or if it makes for a more exciting book to use. For some reason, when I open cookbooks that have pictures, I'm less overwhelmed with the recipe, if I can see what it looks like, even though the recipe might be really complex. To me, it doesn't matter if it has a few ingredients or an endless amount, pictures make them all seem simple.

  One of my favorite cookbooks is anything Sandra Lee. I like the whole semi-homemade concept she is known for and her budget friendly meal shows. I know her cookbooks are on the simple side when it comes to her recipes but I like the simplicity of it. I will say, even though I really like having pictures in a cookbook, I have seen some cookbooks fall short depicting the food in the photography. Not Sandra Lee, she does not disappoint with all the beautiful pictures throughout her books. She doesn't stop with just food, she goes on and creates some of the most amazing tablescapes, I have ever seen. One thing about her tablescapes, like her recipes, they are budget friendly too. She has made tablescaping something you can do on a modest budget.

  My latest interest, has been to find cookbooks and recipes that are very old. So for now, I'm on a mission to find some of the oldest cookbooks and recipes out there.

World Of Blogging

  It's 22 days into the New Year and I finally decided to enter the world of blogging. Starting my own blog has been an interest of mine for awhile and with a little push and encouragement from my daughter, Bakarazzi is now a reality.

  Bakarazzi will be a place to talk all things baking. From recipes to cookbooks and maybe a cooking show or product review here and there, Bakarazzi hopefully will become everyone's go to bake site.