Leaving on a jet plane...

Hello my loyal, wonderful readers! I wanted to let you know that I will be off on an adventure for the next week or so. I'll be spending time in Napa and San Francisco with my fabulous fiance on our pre-wedding honeymoon. I hope to be tasting delicious wines and pairing them with delicious meals. I'll try to bring back some pictures and some desserts to try. See you after Easter and Passover! Happy baking! Be sure to check me out on Facebook in the meantime, and send me pictures of your own wonderful baking adventures!

Coffee crumb cake



Cooling on the rack

I'm giving you an update of my coffee crumb cake! It was a delicious success. Here are the pictures as well...



Upside down coffee crumb cake

Waft in the sweetness

Today I'm baking my version of my mom's famous coffee cake. I've given it a brand new twist, creating an upside down coffee crumb cake. This cake never fails to please! Pictures will be updated on my Facebook album. Search: Lizzy Bee's Bakery or check out my website at www.lizzybeesbakery.com.

Happy baking!

Freezer burn

After making beautiful cake layers, you will need to cut the top to even them out. This results in a straight cake. It's best not to cut cake as soon as it's out of the oven - if it's too soft, it will all crumble and break. Try wrapping your layers tightly in plastic wrap, sitting each on a cardboard cake round first, and freeze briefly. Put it in the freezer at least 30 minutes to an hour, longer if you prefer. The longer it's in there, the harder the cake layers get (obviously). You want the layers to be firm enough to cut and even out, but not so firm that it's too hard to cut. Place one hand on top to hold the cake in place, and use your cake knife to saw through the layer. Be careful of your fingers! Good luck and happy baking!

Liquify that sugar!

This topic is slightly ironic, considering i just posted about nut allergies, but I try to be well-rounded, what can I say? Making candied nuts isn't hard, if you watch what you're doing and work quickly. An easy way to measure is to think of the ratio 1:1. If you're making a lot, try 1 cup of sugar to 1 cup of nuts. Similarly you can try 1/2 cup of sugar to 1/2 cup of nuts...you get the idea. Usually I just eyeball how much sugar I'd like to use, but if you're not comfortable with that, try the ratio.

Here's how it works:
First take foil and make lips on all sides, folding up each side like the bottom of a box.

1. Heat the sugar in a large sauté pan over medium to medium high heat, occasionally shaking the pan to move the crystals around.
2. When it starts melting, make sure to shake the pan vigorously and often. You're waiting for the sugar to get a nice deep caramely color, but not so dark that it looks burnt (because chances are, it is...and it'll smell).
3. Be sure your shaking out all of the lumps so it melts evenly. Don't use a spoon in this process...it'll get stuck and it's awful to clean.
4. Once you've got the color you're looking for (the darker the color means the richer the flavor), remove pan from heat.
5. Pour in the nuts (nut type is your choice, though I like walnuts, almonds, or pecans). Now
you can use your spoon to mix QUICKLY.
6. Quickly pour onto the foil on your cutting board. Let sit until cool and hardened, and then break into pieces.
Happy baking!

Fruity tip of the day

Here's a quick tip for your summery fruit tarts and pies: When cutting a strawberry, use a paring knife (they're small and easy to maneuver). Insert the tip around the top of the strawberry, cutting just the stem and leaves. Flip the strawberry on it's top, where it's now smooth, and slice into even slices. Usually about 1/2 inch will do. You usually want to have even slices if you're cooking the fruit, so it cooks evenly. However when using fruit uncooked, even slices look more professional and appealing. Happy baking!

Fruit bars to satisfy the family

After a wonderful response from a post a few days ago about nut-free desserts, I thought it was only fair that I share my deliciously chewy and fruity oat bars. This recipe is adapted from a nuttier version in The Washington Post, and made to fit the nut-free lifestyle. Happy baking!

Fruity Granola Bars

Ingredients

• 1 cup granola
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, melted, plus more for greasing the pan
• 1 cup strawberry preserves

Directions

1.       Preheat the oven to 350°. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan and line the bottom and sides with parchment paper. Spread the chopped pecans in a pie plate and toast for about 5 minutes, until lightly browned and fragrant. Let cool.

2.       In a large bowl, whisk the flour with the rolled oats, granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt, baking soda and granola. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the melted butter until the oat mixture is thoroughly combined.

3.       Press two-thirds of the oat mixture in an even layer on the bottom of the prepared baking pan and top with the strawberry preserves. Sprinkle the preserves with the remaining oat mixture.

4.       Bake the bars for about 45 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking, until the top is golden brown. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the granola bars cool completely, about 3 hours. Cut into squares and serve.

Make Ahead: The bars can be kept in an airtight container for up to 1 week.