Caramel Chai Crumb Cake

For all you tea lovers out there, here is an idea to make a crumb cake using your favorite tea! Today I used a caramel chai. Chai tea is my absolute favorite and it was also a snow day, so to warm my soul I wanted some spice. This recipe recipe will also work with a Pumpkin spice, and even a cinnamon tea. Tea is becoming more popular among the young adults, and adults. Even though coffee still wins, tea is becoming more of an afternoon drink. So for your next brunch, or tea party try this recipe to wow your guest.

Also for this recipe, I used canola oil for the cake instead of butter. Canola oil is a great substitute for butter, it has more healthy unsaturated fats. There's you're fun fact for the day!

Here is how you can make this delicious cake:

Preheat oven 400 degree

Ingredients: 

2 cups Flour

1 tablespoon Baking Powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup sugar

1 stick butter ( I used 1/2 cup canola oil)

2 eggs

1/4 cup strong brewed chai tea

1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

For the topping:

5 tablespoons Sugar

5 tablespoons Flour

3 tablespoons butter

2 teaspoons cinnamon

Step 1: Steep the tea bag for 5 minutes.

Step 2: Stir flour, baking powder in a bowl

Step 3: In a mixer, mix eggs, sugar,and butter

Step 4: Add brewed tea, milk, vanilla to wet ingredients

Step 5: Fold in the dry to the wet ingredients until well combined and no flour pockets

Step 6: Pour batter into baking pan, or even muffin tins. Whichever you want

Step 7: Using a fork,combine all ingredients for the topping to create a crumb topping. Pour over the batter in the cake pan, or if you want muffins then spoon topping on each muffin.

Step 8: Bake for 20 minutes. Let cool

When I do make these next time, I want to make a glaze for them. If you try this recipe, and make a glaze leave me a comment with you decided to make. I would love to hear your opinions.

Happy baking xo

How to make the best fudge brownies

I live by boxed brownie mix! Honestly it's the only store bought mix I will never stop buying. Each time I need a little chocolate pick me up, the box of Duncan Hines brownie mix will always be there to comfort me. 
Every time I do use the mix, I try to find ways to change it. Either by adding chocolate chips, peanut butter, and even cookie dough. This time I did something way different, and this time the brownies stayed fudgey for a whole 4 days. Here's what I did:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
As directed on the back of the Duncan Hines box you'll need: 
2 eggs
2/3 cups oil
1/4 cup water

But this is what I did differently...forget that 1/4 cup water. I saw I still had some brewed coffee from earlier in the day, so I thought why not. So I replaced the water in the recipe with leftover coffee. We all like to recycle, right?

Mix all the ingredients together and pour into a baking dish. Now with the batter in the baking dish, take some hot fudge from the jar or the Hershey's syrup, and drizzle on the batter. You can make a design like the one I did, or swirl it as you wish.

Bake for 30 minutes. Set a timer, mine actually came out perfectly after 30 minutes.

Let cool. Then cut anyway you want. I always cut them in tiny squares. It makes me feel like I can eat as many as I want since they're small portions.

I swear these were possibly the best brownies I've made in a while, and I make some pretty amazing brownies. They stayed moist, and unbelievably fudgey for days. I couldn't stop eating them during the weekend cause they never got stale or hard. 

Next time, I think I might try using caramel sauce instead of chocolate sauce. We'll see how that goes. 

If you try this recipe, let me know if you had the same results as I did, and if you added anything extra!

Happy Baking xo

Brown Sugar Snickerdoodle Cookies

Happy Monday Everyone!

Lately I have been obsessed with putting brown sugar and cinnamon in my coffee since Dunkin Donuts debuted their new flavor of coffee at the beginning of the winter season. I was also in the mood for sweets, which is no different than any other day.

With the snow falling outside, I walked into my kitchen and decided I wanted to make my sister's favorite cookie, a snickerdoodle. I just wanted to put a twist on the original snickerdoodle cookie and thought why not replace the white sugar with brown sugar in the recipe. This is how this cookie has now come to be. I did have to adjust how I made them, but they came out perfectly. 

If you want to try these delicious, little cookies here is how...

Ingredients:

14 Tbs butter

1 3/4 cup Brown sugar

2 1/4 cup Flour

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

1/4 tsp Baking Powder

3/4 tsp salt

1 egg plus 1 egg yolk

1 1/2 Tbs vanilla

**in small bowl to the side combine white sugar and cinnamon for rolling the dough in. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Step 1: In a saucepan melt the butter on low. We want to make brown butter for this recipe. Once it starts getting an amber color and a nutty aroma, turn off heat and place in a small bowl and let cool. About 10 minutes. *You still want it to be soft.

Step 2: Once the butter has cooled, cream the brown sugar and brown together until well combined.

Step 3: Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla. Combine well.

Step 4: Fold in the dry ingredients until fully blended together.

Step 5: I used a Tablespoon scoop to make these cookies, You can use whatever size scoop you wish. Scoop the dough and roll eat ball in the sugar cinnamon mixture you set aside earlier. Place each dough ball on a parchment lined sheet pan.

Step 6: Bake for 10-12 minutes until the bottom of the cookies are golden brown.

Step 7: Let cool (or don't) and enjoy! 

I paired mine with a cinnamon honey tea, and it was probably the best afternoon snack.

Happy Baking to you all! xo

Candied Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Hello Bloggers!

This is perhaps one of the best recipes I could have came up with! Everyone loves chocolate chip cookies and who doesn't love bacon! This cookie comforts you with the best of both worlds. This idea came across my mind while I was planning a menu for one of my classes at Johnson & Wales. My group had already thought of plenty of comforting foods such as tomato soup and chicken pot pie. What better way to end a meal than with a candied bacon chocolate chip cookie!

I know you guys don't want to keep reading my nonsense because you honestly just want to now know how to make these delicious cookies! Well here are my tips and tricks to make these the best cookies you'll ever have!

Ingredients:

Candied Bacon
8 thick cut slices
1/2 cup Brown sugar

Cookies
2 1/4 cup All purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup Sugar
1 cup Brown sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350
Step 1: Lay each slice of bacon on a bacon sheet. Sprinkle each piece with brown sugar and place in oven. Watch the bacon because once it starts to caramelize on one side, you will flip it oven to sprinkle more brown sugar on the other side. Finish baking it off.
Step 2: Remove bacon once crispy and brown sugar is melted. Let cool. Chop it up into chunks, you actually want to taste the bacon in these cookies.
Step 3: Cream the butter and sugars together. Add the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk into the butter mixture.
Step 4: Add the flour and baking soda into the bowl, then fold in the chocolate chips and candied bacon.
Step 5: You can decide on what size scoop you want to use. I just used a tablespoon size and scooped onto  a parchment lined baking sheet.
Step 6: Bake 10-12 minutes or until bottoms of cookies are just slightly brown. They will harden up a little  bit when cooling.
Step 7: Pour yourself a glass of milk and enjoy yourself some cookies!

Let me know if you try this recipe or if you try something different with the recipe. I would love to hear your thoughts.

Happy Baking! xo

Tiramisu Cupcakes!

Hello Bloggers!

I have for you yet another cupcake that will blow your mind! A tiramisu cupcake! It seems to be lately that everyone is enjoying a little piece of this heavenly dessert. This recipe is very simple, and the product is way too good to be true!

First make any vanilla cupcake recipe you wish, yes this means even a box cake mix! Once the cupcakes are nice and cooled, take some instant espresso and add the water to it. With a bbq sauce brush ( yes that's what I still call it) brush the tops of the cupcakes so it can absorb the espresso. You want to be able to take it, so don't be afraid if you think you've added too much.

For the frosting, take 3 sticks of butter and 1 pound of cream cheese and start to whip the two together on high until pale and fluffy. Next add 2 cups powdered sugar and some vanilla extract. Then add in 8 ounces of mascarpone and whip until incorporated.

Top the cupcakes with the frosting and dust with cocoa powder! Viola, you have a simple dessert for your next party or late night snack ;)

Sundae Cupcakes!

Don't we all just need a sundae sometimes? These Sundae Cupcakes are so cute and easy to make. 

Regular vanilla cupcakes, or any flavor you wish. Dip the cooked cupcakes in melted chocolate, sprinkle with sprinkles and top with buttercream & a cherry!

So simple but yet an elegant dessert!

Rustic Blueberry Pie

Mmm who doesn't like a good pie! I've never met anyone who didn't like the sight or taste of a blueberry pie!

This pie was made with simple ingredients you have laying around your pantry!

Here's what you'll need:
Crust-
All purpose flour
Butter cubed
Pinch of salt
Milk

Filling-
Blueberries
Cinnamon
Flour
Sugar
Lemon juice

I typically just eye ball the filling to what I believe will taste good and you can never have too many blueberries in a pie!