Pumpkin Cupcakes

I have always had something special with pumpkin treats, its not that here in Mexico is that popular but I don´t know, I just love it.

I had a spare can of pumpkin puree and decided to do something with it

I hope you like this easy and delicious recipe

Preheat oven to 350°f

 place your paper cases

MUFFINS

2 cups white sugar

1 1/4 cups vegetable oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups canned pumpkin

2 tsp. baking soda

4 eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour

3 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp.salt

HOW TO

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon, set aside.

In a large bowl combine sugar and oil, blend in vanilla and pumpkin.

then beat in eggs one at a time.

Gradually beat in flour mixture,

Spread batter into prepared paper cases.

Bake for about 20 min or until a toothpick inserted into the

 center of the cake comes out clean, allow to

Decoration

sift some powder sugar if you like

My Favorite Flan

As a little girl I learned from my mother this delicious flan recipe, which I hope you like, you can add different flavours such as almond or rum, you only have to substitute it for vanilla

Ingredients

1 can condensed milk

1 can evaporated milk

1 cup of whole milk

1 Tbsp. vanilla

3 eggs

1 cup of sugar for the caramel

How to

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

 You will need one medium size mold and one bigger to put it in for water bath.

Pour 1 cup sugar in warm pan over medium heat.

  Constantly stir sugar until is browns and becomes caramel. Quickly pour  caramel into the medium mold, tilting it to swirl the caramel around the sides as much as possible, reheat caramel if it starts to harden.

In a mixer or with a whisk, blend the eggs together. Mix in the milks , then the vanilla. Blend smooth after each ingredient is added.

Pour custard into mold. Place it in a large mold, it can be glass or ceramic baking dish and fill with about 1-2 inches of hot water. Bake for 45 minutes in the water bath and check with a knife just to the side of the center. If knife comes out clean, it's ready.

Wait 2 hours till its set, unmold and put it in the fridge for about 2 more hours.

Enjoy

Chocolate Strips (cake decorations)

One day I was thinking of how could I do a simple, fun and delicious decoration for a cake, so I came up with this one, Chocolate Strips covered with sugar crystals or sprinkles.

Ingredients

200 grs. semi-sweet chocolate

your favorite sugar sprinkles (as much as desired)

How to

Line a baking sheet with waxed paper

 melt the chocolate and with a little spatula try to apply a thin layer of chocolate

then sprinkle the sugar and take them to the fridge until set

carefully peel off the chocolate strips.

arrange strips all over the cake

ready!!

Crema Catalana Sticks

I found this delicious "Turrón de Crema Catalana" an Spanish Specialty which we love, I dicided to do something about the last two packages I had so here´s the recipe and how-to, I hope you like it, my family loved it, in fact they´re very nice and almost always like what I do ha ha ha, its a fun way to make something out of delicious treats and left overs we enjoy during Christmas Season

First you have to find this Turrón, there are other brands, you can always use "Turrón de yema" too

it looks like this when you open it

you cut it in sticks wide or narrow ,that depends on how you like them

Prepare a chocolate ganache, I did a small portion, 100grs of semi-sweet chocolate and 3 Tbsp of whole milk, you heat the milk and add the chocolate in pieces, you integrate both with a spoon and the ganache is ready! you can always add( butter, 1/2 a tsp. and rum 1Tbsp, instead of 2 Tbsp. of milk)

cover half the sticks with the chocolate ganache

I also had some leftover chocolates, so I cut them in small pieces, you can also use walnuts, almonds, pistachios or dried fruits

and you sprinkle some chocolate pieces over the chocolate ganache and arrange them over some lined paper so when the chocolate sets you can put them somewhere else

S´mores Truffles

S´mores Truffles.... mmmm I can´t think of anything yummier!
I had some truffle ganache left over and wanted to try this recipe long time ago, where marshmallows are covered with creamy chocolate ganache and covered with  graham crumbs. I´m always trying to develop recipes which can offer something intresting, in this case I think the different textures play an important role.

I always recomend to use high quality chocolate for great truffles

  This recipe yields about 2 dozen truffles.

Ingredients:
9oz. bittersweet chocolate finely chopped (about 1.25 cups)
2/3 cup cream
4 graham cracker sheets
1/2 cup miniature marshmallow

How to

1.Crush the graham crackers in a food processor

2.Place the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat and scald it until bubbles being to appear around the sides of the pan. Pour the cream over the chocolate and allow it to soften and melt the chocolate for one minute.

3.using a whisk, gently stir to combine the cream and chocolate.

4.Cover the truffle mixture with cling wrap and allow it to cool to room temperature. Once cool, refrigerate it until it has the texture of semi-firm cookie dough, about 90 minutes.

5.to form the truffles, make sure you have all of the ingredients (ganache, graham crumbs, and marshmallows) set out.

Using a small spoon, scoop up a ball of ganache about the size of a large marble. Press one or two mini marshmallows into the center of the ball, and scoop out a little more ganache with the spoon, pressing it over the marshmallows to cover them completely with chocolate.

6.Drop the truffle into the bowl of graham crumbs. Roll it around until it is coated with crumbs

7.Truffles can be served immediately, or stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Bring them to room temperature before serving.

enjoy!

Chestnut Pound Cake

This pound cake is really good, it's so soft and moist. Great with a cup of coffee or tea anytime.

I had french chestnut puree so I decided to use it and it came out very good. Chestnut puree is easy to find, the best comes from France

 Hope you like it.

POUND CAKE

225 gr. butter

2 cups sugar

6 eggs

439 grs. chestnut puree

   1 tsp. baking powder

1 tbs. vanilla

2 cups flour

DECORATION

 powder sugar

HOW TO

Cream butter in mixer

Add sugar

Add eggs, mix

Add vanilla, mix

Add Chestnut Puree

Add baking powder

Add flour

Bake for 45 minutes on medium heat.

Let stand for 30 minutes

Sift some powder sugar for decoration.

Enjoy!

HAPPY NEW YEAR

This post is specially created for all of you my friends that share with me the passion of baking and creating. 

 I enjoy so much having this blog and thinking what to do and the best way to show it,but most of all I´m happy to share with you the little things that make me happy.

I also want to thank each one of you who have taken some time to write a comment, I´m grateful.

I wish you all a Happy New Year,

 may you be all blessed

Magali