Key Lime Pie

Key Lime Pie, originally uploaded by queenofthemoodswingset2.












Key Lime Pie Recipe
www.joyofbaking.com/KeyLimePie.html

Graham Cracker Crust:
1 1/4 cup (125 grams) graham cracker crumbs (can use crushed digestive biscuits)
2 tablespoons (30 grams) granulated white sugar
5 - 6 tablespoons (70 - 85 grams) unsalted butter, melted
Filling:
3 large egg yolks, room temperature
One 14 - ounce (390 grams) can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup (120 ml) key lime juice (can use regular limes)
2 teaspoons grated lime zest (outer skin)
Topping:
1 cup (240 ml) cold heavy whipping cream (double cream) (35-40% butterfat content)
2 tablespoons (30 grams) granulated white sugar

Key Lime Pie: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place the oven rack in the center of the oven. Butter or lightly spray with a non stick vegetable spray, a 9 inch (23 cm) pie or tart pan.

Graham Cracker Crust: Mix together the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter. Press onto the bottom and up the sides of the prepared pan. Bake for about 10 minutes or until set and lightly browned. Remove from oven and place on wire rack to cool while you make the filling

Filling: In the bowl of your electric mixer, with the whisk attachment, beat the egg yolks until pale and fluffy (2-3 minutes). Gradually add the condensed milk and beat until light and fluffy (3-5 minutes). Scrape down the sides of the bowl and then beat in the lime juice and zest.

Pour the filling over the crust and bake for about 10 - 15 minutes, or until the filling is set. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Once it has completely cooled, cover and refrigerator for several hours or overnight.

Once the filling has chilled, in the bowl of your electric mixer, with the whisk attachment (or with a hand mixer), beat the whipping cream and sugar until stiff peaks form. Either pipe (I used a Wilton 1M star tip) or place mounds of whipping cream on top of the filling. Can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days.
Makes 1 - 9 inch (23 cm) pie or tart.

Cherry Cream Pie

Cherry Cream Pie, originally uploaded by queenofthemoodswingset2.

I bought a ton of canned sour cherries and decided to make this pie for my mom for mother's day.  I made the cherry pie filling the night before and it was a little runny the next day.  I'll try adding 1tbsp of corn starch next time to thicken it up.

Cherry Cream Pie

Brown crust at 350 for 10 minutes

Boiled mixture do this first to let it cool!

 ½ cup water
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp corn starch
Mix and bring to a boil, until it gets clear
Let cool on the counter


Meringue:

3 egg whites, beat until stiff with beater
When stiff add
¼ cup sugar, beat until stiff again
Add boiled mixture and beat until stiff again


Pudding
3 egg yolks
⅓ to ½ cup sugar
4 rounded tbsp cornstarch
3 cups milk
1 tsp vanilla (or 1 bean)

Beat 3 egg yolks, add 1/3 – ½ cup sugar.  Dissolve 4 rounded Tbsp of cornstarch in 3 cups milk.  If using vanilla bean, scrape seeds into the milk mixture and let the bean pod cook in the mixture.  Remove pod when finished.  Cook over high heat until it thickens, stirring constantly.  (if not using a bean add 1 tsp vanilla after you take it off the heat)

Pour pudding into the browned crust, top with cherry pie filling, pour meringue on top (leaving the middle open so you can see the cherries) and brown the meringue in the oven at 350 until the meringue looks done.

Cherry Filling (you can use 1 can of canned pie filling, but it’s not as good)

2 can sour cherries
2 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 cup sugar

Drain the juice off the cherries (reserve juice). Add cornstarch to the some of the juice to dissolve it. Cook juice, sugar and corn starch until it thickens.  Add cherries after the juice thickens.

Cherry Cream Pie, originally uploaded by queenofthemoodswingset2.

vanilla pudding, look at all the vanilla caviar!

Cherry Cream Pie, originally uploaded by queenofthemoodswingset2.

Cherry Cream Pie, originally uploaded by queenofthemoodswingset2.

Cherry Cream Pie, originally uploaded by queenofthemoodswingset2.

Cherry Cream Pie, originally uploaded by queenofthemoodswingset2.

Hershey's Perfect Chocolate Cupcakes

Hershey's Perfect Chocolate Cupcakes, originally uploaded by queenofthemoodswingset2.

www.hersheys.com/recipes/recipes/detail.asp?id=184#

*HERSHEY'S "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" Chocolate Cake* *Ingredients:*

- 2 cups sugar
- 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
- 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup boiling water
- "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING(recipe follows)

*Directions:*
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.

2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in
large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2
minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into
prepared pans.

3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out
clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.
Frost with "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING. 10 to 12 servings.

CUPCAKES: Line muffin cups with paper bake cups. Heat oven to 350°F. Fill cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake 22 to 25 minutes. Cool completely. Frost. About 30 cupcakes.

"PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter or margarine
2/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating
to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir
in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting.

Sour Cherry Pie with Star and flower cut-out pattern

Sour Cherry Pie with Star and flower cut-out pattern, originally uploaded by queenofthemoodswingset2.

This is basically the pie that my grandmother would make.  I decided to put a pennsylvania dutch hex symbol on top and it worked out pretty well!

Cherry Pie Recipe

2 pie crusts (I use store bought crusts and roll them super thin)

2 cans sour cherries (for 1 small pie)
1/4 cup corn starch
1 cup sugar

Drain the juice off the cherries (reserve the juice!! )

Add cornstarch to a little bit of the juice to dissolve it. Add Sugar and cornstarch mixture to the juice and cook on medium high until it thickens. Add cherries after the juice starts to thicken.

Pour cherries and juice into pie crust and top with 2nd pie crust.

bake at 375 for an hour

Sour Cherry Pie with Star and flower cut-out pattern, originally uploaded by queenofthemoodswingset2.

Funfetti Cupcakes

Funfetti Cupcakes

I was looking for a homemade version of the classic funfetti cupcake.  This recipe is perfect, fluffy, and has an almost caramelized crust on the top.   The only change I made to the cupcake recipe was to substitute 1/2 of the cake flour with all purpose flour.  I've had a problem with some cake recipes that use cake flour spreading too much when made as a cupcake.
www.thekitchn.com/cake-recipe-funfetti-cake-from-147011
Funfetti Cake from Scratch 

makes two 9-inch round cakes and serves at least 8 people, Or makes about 28 cupcakes
4 egg whites from large eggs
1 cup milk, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
3 cups cake flour (1 1/2 cups cake flour and 1 1/2 cups all purpose if you are making cupcakes)
1 1/2 cups white sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, very soft
8 tablespoons non-hydrogenated shortening
2/3 cup multi-colored jimmies (original called for 1/3)
Heat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease two 9-inch round cake pans. (Or, for a four-layer cake, grease four cake pans.) In a small bowl mix the egg whites, 1/4 cup milk, vanilla and almond extract. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer mix the cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix for 30 seconds or until well-combined. Add the butter and shortening and mix for another 30 seconds, or until well-combined with the flour mixture. Pour in the remaining 3/4 cup milk and continue mixing on medium speed for about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Gradually pour in the egg white mixture, mixing for 30 seconds after each addition. Mix for one more minute. Gently fold in the multi-colored jimmies.
Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans (see this tip on the best way to divide batter between cake pans). If baking four layers, bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the tops are slightly golden and spring back when pressed. If baking two layers, bake for 25 to 30 minutes.
Remove from the oven and place the pans on baking racks to cool for about 10 minutes. Turn the pans over onto the rack. Flip the cake layers over and let them cool completely before icing.

This is my favorite butter cream frosting.  The 1/2 and 1/2 mix of crisco and butter makes it extra light and delicious.

Buttercream Icing
    www.wilton.com/recipe/Buttercream-Icing
    1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
    1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine softened
    1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
    4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar (approximately 1 lb.)
    2 tablespoons milk

Makes: About 3 cups of icing, enough for 2 dozen cupcakes
In large bowl, cream shortening and butter with electric mixer. Add vanilla. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry. Add milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Keep bowl covered with a damp cloth until ready to use.

For best results, keep icing bowl in refrigerator when not in use. Refrigerated in an airtight container, this icing can be stored 2 weeks. Rewhip before using               
For thin (spreading) consistency icing, add 2 tablespoons light corn syrup, water or milk. (do not use lactaid milk, it's too sweet) 

sprinkles, originally uploaded by queenofthemoodswingset2.

 

Funfetti Cupcakes, originally uploaded by queenofthemoodswingset2.

 

Funfetti Cupcakes, originally uploaded by queenofthemoodswingset2.

 
Funfetti Cupcakes, originally uploaded by queenofthemoodswingset2.

Blueberry Muffins with Crumb Topping

I was ambitious today, a woman at work made these, but I don't know where she got the recipe.