bittersweetbaker

Archive for March, 2010|Monthly archive page

Brigadeiros

In Confections on March 26, 2010 at 1:27 pm
From Adriana Baking

I have been wanting to try brigadeiros ever since I saw them on 17 and Baking. A cross between a truffle and fudge, they sounded too good to pass up.

I was especially tired when I came home from a long day at school today, and needed to bake as a way of relaxing. I headed straight to the computer, and checked out a couple food blogs for inspiration. I didn’t have much time to spare, but wanted to make something that would be just as good as something time consuming. So I turned to brigadeiros. I had all the ingredients needed to make them: sweetened condensed milk, cocoa powder, and butter. They are really that simple. And I don’t know how I managed to mess them up. Read the rest of this entry »

Soft Sugar Cookies

In Cookies on March 21, 2010 at 5:55 pm
From Adriana Baking

Sometimes I’ll see a recipe somewhere that I just have to make. I’ll read through the directions, picturing myself measuring out sugar, beating eggs, or folding flour into a batter.  As I would make the recipe in my head, the need to bake that very thing would grow more and more urgent.  

From Adriana Baking

Read the rest of this entry »

Lemon Bars and a Feel of Spring

In Brownies and Bars on March 15, 2010 at 4:44 pm
From Adriana Baking

The weather seems to change abruptly from cold to hot every spring.

Along with the weather change, there are changes in peoples’ attitude as well.
They have a spring to their stride as they walk that was not there before. They smile more often, and laugh too.

The cold that was there before is gone, and instead, and new warmth has replaced it.

One of my favorite changes are the smells. From the smell of the orange blossoms blooming by the soccer field to the smell of the grated lemon zest I used in these bars, the promise of spring is everywhere. Read the rest of this entry »

Perfect In Pink Piggy Cupcakes, and Swiss Meringue Buttercream

In Muffins and Cupcakes on March 9, 2010 at 2:24 pm
From Adriana Baking

I wake up every other morning at 6:30 on vacations and weekends to go jogging. Like I find peace in baking, I also find peace in running. I blank out and don’t think about anything, just enjoy hearing the pit-pat of my feet as they hit the ground. This morning when I got to the track there were a couple other runners there. Some were warming up and walking, while others were already running. It was already getting hot, and as I started to jog, I could feel the heat creep around my neck, then linger there for a couple seconds before being washed away by a cool breeze. It was peaceful this morning; the birds were chirping and the sea was still. But as I got to my fourth lap, my knees started to hurt and the sound of my feet hitting the ground was no longer a pleasant pit-pat but a loud thump-thump. Read the rest of this entry »

Freshly Baked Bagels

In Yeast Breads on March 8, 2010 at 5:21 pm
From Adriana Baking

I love the smell of baking bread. It is a sweet, homey smell, that makes me feel comforted and joyful all at once. I also love to work with yeast. Personally, I don’t understand why some people feel intimidated by it. Yeast is just a bunch of eukaryotic microoganisms. I actually feel in control when I work with yeast. You give it sugar, warm water, and time, and you’re all set. Yeast is sort of like your own mini pet. :) So don’t be intimidated, and go ahead and bake yourself some fresh bagels with yeast as your friend. Read the rest of this entry »

Homemade Pasta Tutorial

In Pasta on March 8, 2010 at 4:21 pm
From Adriana Baking

This morning I woke up with plans for the perfect day in my head. I had dreamed all night long about what I would bake and blog about in the morning.

I love making plans for the day with the times all written out, then being a couple of hours ahead of schedule. I still get that happy feeling every time I realize I have a few extra hours to spend. It is sort of like the feeling you get during daylight saving time. A whole extra hour in the day to spend any way you wish!

Homemade pasta was one of those things to blog about on my schedule, better than any store bought pasta you could ever find. It has a kind of airiness to it; it’s light and fresh, and absolutely irresistible. We’ve had it three times in the last couple days, and we are having it again for dinner tonight. Need I say more? Read the rest of this entry »

Dark Chocolate Pecan and Apricot Brownie Cookies

In Chocolate, Cookies, Fruits on March 5, 2010 at 4:59 pm
From Adriana Baking

Another chocolate cookie recipe?

Yep, that’s right. But I have an excuse: these are really good.

They’re pretty different than the Flourless Fudge Cookies, and maybe not as good.

But don’t let that turn you off!

They’re not as good for my tastes, but that doesn’t mean they are bad, or not as good for your tastes.

These are more filling, and they have flour and whole eggs in them, including melted chocolate. They’re the thick, substantial kind of cookie.

But they’re just as easy to make as the Flourless Fudge Cookies.

They don’t have cocoa powder, which makes them slightly less chocolaty.

I added pecans and apricots to them, but you can add anything you like. Next time, I won’t add the apricots; they were out of place and did not add anything except for extra chew. Read the rest of this entry »

Pull-Apart Buttermilk-Onion Rolls

In Yeast Breads on March 1, 2010 at 6:03 pm
From Adriana Baking

I love onions.

I love onion bread. Really, really love it.

And so when I saw this recipe on this wonderful blog, I just knew I had to try them.

And I’m so glad I did.

The bread was so good. It was surprisingly moist, soft, and so buttery. The onions were caramelized and spread out onto the dough before rolling them up.

I was planning on serving the rolls with the chili we were having for dinner, but unfortunately they took just a bit longer to make than I thought they would.

I would say about 2 and a half hours, including the rising time.

For all onion bread lovers, here’s the recipe, with my notes in red, and step by step pictures. Read the rest of this entry »

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