I'm Back

Hello Everyone! I stepped away from blogging about desserts for awhile and when I tried to get back in I could not. But today by some fluke of nature blogger let me in. So I am uncertain about continuing to blog about my baking challenges. I still do them from time to time and will continue to do so. I pray that my blog has encouraged you take on challenges in your own life. They will move you in a forward motion. You will grow because of them and your life will be changed for the better. Keep moving forward. Blessings to you all.

Desserts coming out of my ears!

So you have probably wondered what I have been up to lately. Well just your regular baking. Cookies and the like. But lately we have had a birthday in our family. My son turned 7! So we had planned a camping party. So I went to work on making a camping cake. Look at many designs on line and came up with my own. Here is what it looked like. It turned out really good.

 Then today I made a Black Forest Trifle. If you have never had one you must. If you like black forest cake that is. I made my trifle with chocolate Guinness cake, whipped cream, vanilla pudding, cherry pie filling and dark chocolate shavings. I did my layers in this order. Chocolate cake, pudding, cherry pie filling, then whipped cream. Ended with whipped cream and chocolate shavings on top. I can't wait to eat it. I also made my vanilla pudding from scratch. I think it tastes better then instant and is so easy to make. Any one can do it. Here is the recipe I used.
Vanilla Pudding
1/3 cup sugar
2 tbsp cornstarch
1/8 tsp salt
2 cups milk
2 large egg yolks, slightly beaten
2 tbsp butter
2 tsp vanilla
1. Mix sugar, cornstarch and salt in 2 quart saucepan. Gradually stir in milk. Cook over mdeium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils Boil and stir 1 minute.
2. Gradually stir at least half of the hot mixture into the egg yolk; stir back into hot mixture in saucepan. Boil and stir 1 minute; remove from heat. stir in butter and vanilla.
3. Pour pudding into dessert dishes or bowl. Cover and refrigerate until serving. Refrigerate any remaining dessert. Like there is going to be. LOL
Tip: take plastic wrap and lay it on the pudding sealing it completely to cover. That way you wont get an icky film developing on the pudding.

 Then when checking out the blogs that I follow I found this yummy sounding dessert I have not tried before and just had to. So when my husband got back from work yesterday he went off to the store for me and bought ice cream. How can Ben say no to more dessert. Here is the link to the original idea. Found at joy the baker Ice cream cupcakes. Does that not sound sooo good! I am in the process of making them. I can't wait to try one. But tomorrow as I am eating trifle today. What I did was bake brownie bottom and put drumstick ice cream in the middle I did not know they made drumstick ice cream. Its vanilla ice cream with waffle cone bits covered in chocolate. Then I made a ganache to put on top. Here they are in stages. You must try this. Again so easy your kids will love you. Or that special someone. I think its the kind of dessert that gets you anything  you  want. Well maybe its not that good. But give it a try and find out.

 Oh and after all this dessert crazyness it does not stop. I am having my 40th birthday party on Saturday! So more cake making and eating. Oi! Stay tuned for what I make next.

Rainbow Cake

So I can't get this to post in the proper blog post. But here is the rainbow cake pic. I just love how this turned out. My niece Brianna took the shot. She is a great photographer. Thanks for this Bri!

Rainbow Cake

My mom was watching Martha Stewart the other day and saw her guest Whisk Kid  make this rainbow cake. I went on line to watch the show and find Whisk Kids blog. I was so impressed. It looked amazing. I had to make it. So I thought mothers day would be a great day to do it. As my whole family was coming down to dinner. It turned out great. I would definitely make this again. Baking is so much fun! Pics are not working to up load. But I will get one on here as soon as I can.

Biscotti

So I have never made biscotti before today. I had a friend request I make some. So I did. I don't know why I didn't make it before. But I sure will be trying other recipes. The one I made was so easy. But the recipe did not make nearly as much as it said it would. It claimed that it made 2 + 1/2 dozen. I thought great some for my friend and some for us. But no such luck. One recipe only made 6 pieces. That sucked. I hate small recipes. I want one that makes lots of stuff. Oh well. Tasted all right. I am not much of a fan of biscotti. I find it too hard. But I read recently that biscotti does not have to be hard. You can make it soft medium or hard. Mine today turned out medium. I would have liked them softer. Ben thought they should have been hard. Cause that is what people are use to. But I disagree. I don't like my cookies to taste like rocks and chip a tooth each time I eat one. But hey that may just be me. I would love to share a pic with you but I forgot to take one before my friend took the cookies home. If you don't know what biscotti is google search for it and you will find lots of pics and stuff. So what are you baking these days? I pray I inspire you to go and try something new. Something you have never done before. You may surprise yourself with how easy it actually is. Like I did today.

Cookie Decorating

Hello all!Yes it has been a while since I wrote anything. I have been so busy with life and stuff that I have not had time to blog lately. So I wanted to tell you about some cookie fun I have been having. I love making cookie. That is one of my favourite things to bake. I love making cut out cookies in different shapes and icing them. I have recently discovered royal icing. As a way to decorate your cookies. So I have been having fun practicing. I have been inspired by this blog that I have been following. sweetopia This blog rocks. If you want to see some amazing cookies you check it out. I have really gotten into this whole cookie decorating thing. There is a local bakery in my area that specializes in decorated cookies. The work they do is great. I have learned that they offer decorating classes. So I plan on signing up. The place is called Sweet Impressions. Check them out. Here are some of the cookies I have made.

Cookie Pizza

Hey sorry I have not been around much. I have been busy. Life tends to get in the way of doing fun things. Or am I taking a break from challenges in the kitchen to do easy things. I can get so overwhelmed by trying something new that it hinders me from moving forward. Any ways not to keep you from stopping by and checking out what I am up to I want to show you what I have been doing. Today I made cookie pizzas. They were so much fun. I made one with brownie base and the other with a chocolate chip base then loaded on the ganache and toppings. Looks so good. They are going to Ben's work. I like to send stuff over there every now and then. Also this weekend they all have to work overtime. So this should brighten there days. If they make it to the second day and if I know these guys it will be gone on Saturday.

 This is the chocolate chip pizza cookie.

This is the brownie pizza cookie. Yum I say.