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February 8, 2015

Raspberry Charlotte


Do not, I repeat, DO NOT, hesitate to make this Raspberry Charlotte for your loved ones this Valentine's Day.  I cannot begin to tell you how absolutely amazing it tastes and how straight forward the recipe is.  Can you tell how I'm excited I am about it???  It literally took me less than three hours to make, yet the finished cake looks like it came from a posh European tea salon.  Everyone will be impressed! 


Whenever the latest issue of Cook's Illustrated magazine is published online I immediately look to see if there's a dessert or baked good.   Ecstatic doesn't even begin to describe my reaction when I saw the recipe for this raspberry charlotte.  I've made charlottes before, but the kind using store bought lady fingers and some type of mousse.  This recipe blows all of those out of the water!  

Even for a novice the instructions are very easy to follow.  My advice for the best success is to read the recipe several times beforehand and have your equipment and mise en place ready to go.   After that it's smooth sailing.

The only diversion I made from the original recipe was in decorating the finished cake.  Instead of swirling the raspberry jam in a marble pattern on top, in honor of Valentine's Day I made little hearts.  Give this recipe a try...you won't regret it one bit.


February 1, 2015

Cookies & Cream Cupcakes


I've had these Cookies & Cream cupcakes on my mind for quite a while and now that budget planning is over at work I finally found some time to make them. Let's just say they've definitely lived up to my expectations. They're quintessentially American and so delicious.

Every component of the cupcake is bursting with cookies and cream flavor.  For the cake I simply used Rose Levy Beranbaum's Cream Cheese Butter Cake recipe and added crushed Oreo bits.   I did the same for the frosting and added more cookie bits to a whipped vanilla buttercream.