Tag: sweet

Red Velvet Beet Cupcakes for the Toronto Raptors

Red Velvet is one of those cakes that usually looks more exciting than it tastes. After years of trying, I finally create the PERFECT RED VELVET CUPCAKE!

The secret ingredient? BEETS!

To cheer on the Toronto Raptors, I combined the perfect red velvet cupcake with the perfect cream cheese frosting, and decorated them with a delicious chocolate raptor claw.

These cupcakes are great for parties and you do not have to feel that guilty for eating them.

Check out the video and recipe below!

Making the Perfect Red Velvet CakE

Ingredients:
(Yields ~9 – 10 Normal Cupcakes)
– 1/4 cup Buttermilk (or 1/4 cup of Milk + 1 tsp White Vinegar – let stand 10 minutes before using)
– 1 – 2 Medium Beets for Roasted Beet Puree
– 1/2 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
– 2 tsp Fresh Lemon Juice
– 1 Egg
– 3 tbsp Natural Cocoa Powder
– 1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
– 2 tbsp Water
– 1 cup All Purpose Flour (I use Five Roses Brand)
– 3/4 cup Sugar (I use Redpath’s Special Fine Granulated Sugar)
– Pinch of Salt
– 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
– 1/2 tsp Baking Powder

STEP 1: Roasted Beet Puree

– 1 – 2 Medium sized beets
– Wash beets thoroughly
– Place on aluminum foil with a drizzle of olive oil and salt
– Bake at 350 F for 75 Minutes, or until tender
– Cool and then Peel the Skin
– Chop beets in a food processor with 2-3 tbsp of water until they are coarsely ground.

STEP 2: Blend Wet Ingredients

– Combine the following in food processor
– 1/4 cup Buttermilk
– 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp Beet Puree (from Step 1)
– 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
– 2 tsp Fresh Lemon Juice

– Blend until completely smooth

– Add 1 Egg and pulse a few times until it is mixed

STEP 3: Warm over Medium Heat

– 3 tbsp Natural Cocoa Powder
– 1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
– 2 tbsp Water
– Gently simmer for a few minutes, whisking periodically so the cocoa does not burn, and then turn off the heat.
– Allow to cool for 5 to 10 minutes before next step.

STEP 4: Sift Together

– 1 cup All Purpose Flour
– 3/4 cup Sugar
– Pinch of Salt
– 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
– 1/2 tsp Baking Powder

– Pre-heat your oven to 350 F
– Whisk together dry ingredients
– Add the slightly cooled Cocoa and Oil Mixture, and mix to combine.
– Add your Beet mixture in three stages.
– Scrape down the bowl and mix for 10 seconds after each addition.

– Fill your lined cupcake tins with batter
– Use an ice cream scoop for even cakes and cooking time.

– Bake at 350 F for 18 – 20 minutes.
– You can usually tell they are done when you smell cake!

Making your Chocolate “Raptor Claw” Decorations

What you Need:
– 3/4 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
– 1 tbsp Cream
– Red Sugar Crystals
– Silicone Baking Liner

– Combine the chocolate chips and cream.
– Microwave on Medium Heat for 1 minute.
– Mix well. If chocolate has not melted, heat for 30 seconds at medium heat (repeat if necessary).
– Use a tea spoon to spread your chocolate “claws” onto your silicone baking liner.
– When you are happy with your shapes, sprinkle with red sugar crystals.
– Place your baking liner on a tray and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

Making The Perfect Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:
(Yields ~6 Heavily Frosted Cupcakes)
– 1/4 cup Unsalted Butter, Room Temperature
– 3 tbsp Special Fine Granulated Sugar
– 1/2 cup Philadelphia Cream Cheese, Room Temperature
– 1 tbsp Icing Sugar
– 2 tbsp Whole Milk

– Add Butter and sugar to stand mixer and beat for approximately 10 minutes.
– The mixture will roughly double in size and turn white.
– When it has whipped enough, you will not notice the texture of sugar crystals.
– When the butter and sugar is whipped, add Philadelphia Cream Cheese, icing sugar and milk.
– Whip for a few minutes, scraping down the bowl, until the icing is light and fluffy.

ASSEMBLING your Cupcakes

– Use a ziplock bag to pipe your Cream Cheese Frosting onto cooled cupcakes.
– Sprinkle with Red Decorative Sugar Crystals.
– Carefully remove Chocolate “Claws” from Silicone Baking Sheet (use a knife or spatula to help).
– Gently place your claws and serve!

Sweet Easter Bunny and Chick Shaped Buns

Everyone loves receiving homemade goodies during the holidays – impress your friends and family members with these adorable Bunny and Chick Shaped Sweet Easter Buns!

Inspired by the traditional Greek sweet bread recipe for tsoureki, they can be enjoyed after your meal, or, the best way, eaten for breakfast with butter and honey.  Wrap them up in pretty bags to delight everyone around you, or place them on your holiday table for a tasty centrepiece.

Happy Easter!

Quick & Easy Cornbread

Have you ever found a recipe, studied it meticulously, dreamt about making it, and then when you finally had the time to bake it, it just did not turn out?

It is so frustrating to put all that time, effort and expense into a recipe that ends up in the trash or being fed to the squirrels. After countless experiments, I finally adapted the perfect tender, lightly sweet, and crispy-topped cornbread.

Bonus – this is a small batch recipe. Enjoy your cornbread for two to three days without having any waste. This recipe can easily be doubled if you are cooking for a family or a party.

Since it is a Basic Recipe, experiment with different flavourings like cheddar cheese, chilli powder or jalepeno peppers.

Cheese, Please

I cannot figure out what makes cheese so magical, but somehow it has the ability to elevate every dish that it is paired with.

It is wonderfully versatile and can be used for sweets, savoury, baked, fried, or enjoyed on its own. The only thing better than cheese is learning how to make your own.

I recently decided to try my hand at making Ricotta Cheese. It was so creamy and delicious, not to mention ridiculously easy, that I could not believe I had put it off for so long. Try this simple recipe and enjoy having Fresh Ricotta Cheese everyday.

You’re Welcome.

Superfoods for the Win

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If I am being honest, I have never really enjoyed vegan foods – especially desserts and pastries. However, dietary restrictions and allergies are a big concern for me and my clients. I do not want to limit people’s enjoyment of my food because of an allergy or a lifestyle.

After months of thinking and experimenting, I finally created a flaky, vegan coconut oil pie crust that the biggest butter fanatics would enjoy.

With the help of the personal training team at Clean Workout, we created a pie that is not only vegan, but packed with superfoods. It will help fuel your body from the inside out, while satisfying your dessert craving.

Enjoy it! It is practically guilt-free!

For the Lemon Fanatics

These lemon bars are the ultimate treat for lemon fanatics. They are simple and can be made in one bowl for easy clean up.

A word of caution – they are very tart! For less tang, use 1/2 cup of lemon juice instead of 2/3 cup.

Try this recipe with any citrus – lime is equally delicious – but use less sugar if you are making it with orange juice.

Enjoy!

These Tangy Lemon Bars should be kept in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator. They will last at least one week, if they are not gobbled up sooner.

These Tangy Lemon Bars should be kept in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator. They will last at least one week, if they are not gobbled up sooner.

Making The Perfect Chocolate Cupcake

For years I have scoured cookbooks, the internet, folklore and everywhere in between in search of the perfect chocolate cake base. Something light, fluffy, moist and dangerously chocolatey.

One day, I was in my usual Mad Scientist mood and created the most incredible dark chocolate cake that I had ever tried.

Intensely dark, ultra moist and a soft crumb. This was the perfect chocolate cupcake.

Now, I am sharing my secret catering recipe with you.

Enjoy.

Leave your caramel sauce in the refrigerator for a few hours before serving. It will set up giving you a smooth, rich, dense topping that can be spooned on top of your cupcakes. Try this as a cake filling, as well!

 

wen sweet almond mint cleansing conditioner

Is “Wen” Worth the Hype?

Infomercial-junkies everywhere have thought about trying Wen products at least once. The cleansing conditioner system replaces your shampoo and conditioner, and should provide exceptional results when used with their own styling products.

I have been using the original Sweet Almond Mint formula for more than three months and am constantly confused and conflicted about its performance.

You should read and follow the instructions before your first use, but you will quickly figure out what works best for your hair. For long hair, they recommend using 24 – 32 pumps of cleansing conditioner. They suggest using half the pumps (12 – 16) for the first wash, and repeating with the rest. I always wash and repeat, but instead of pumping all the product into my hand at once, I use 5 pumps to distribute over the sides of my scalp, another 5 pumps on the crown, add a little water to disperse the product, and then the final 5 pumps to clean the back of my head and pull through the ends (15 pumps total for the first wash). I rinse and repeat with 4 pumps for the sides, 4 pumps on the crown, and 4 underneath and through the ends (12 pumps for the second wash).

The most important thing I discovered when using Wen is that you cannot rush the final rinse. After trying to rinse the product out of my hair while standing upright, I flip my head over and rinse it again with cool water, focusing on the scalp. It is very important to wash all the product off the scalp and finish with cool water, otherwise it will leave your hair flat with an oily residue. They recommend applying one pump of product to the ends of your hair as a leave in, but I find that makes my hair look too heavy and needs to be washed sooner.

It takes some getting used to the feeling of applying conditioner to your scalp, especially when using so much product for one wash. The first time I used Wen, I pumped the full 12 pumps into my hand and felt like I had used most of the bottle. If you follow their directions, you will go through the bottles fairly quickly (around one bottle per month), but you will probably find that you can go an extra day or two without washing your hair.

I am conflicted about Wen because, while my hair feels very soft and has great shine, if you are in a rush and do not rinse everything perfectly, or do not rinse with cool water, you have to wash your hair sooner. I also feel like their styling products leave my hair feeling dry and brittle. Despite the rave reviews I have heard about Wen over the years, the cost does not justify the results, for me. I will stick to my all time favourite shampoo and conditioner, Pureology for colour treated hair.

wen sweet almond mint cleansing conditioner

Is Wen worth the hype? The original Sweet Almond Mint formula does not perform as well as it smells.