The Weekend Cooks

EASY CARAMEL CAKE Ingredients Cake 1/2 cup butter, room temperature 1 cup light brown sugar 3 eggs 1 tablespoon vanilla 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon kosher salt 2 cups all purpose flour 3/4 cup milk 2 cups caramel sauce, divided Frosting 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature 1/2 cup butter, room temperature 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla 4 cups powdered sugar Method Cake Preheat oven to 180 C . Spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick spray and set aside. In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment mix the butter and brown sugar together on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add eggs in one at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add in the vanilla, baking powder and salt and mix to combine. Turn the mixer speed to low and add in the flour and the milk in alternating additions, beginning and ending with the flour. Mix until smooth, about 30 seconds, scraping the sides of the bowl...

Almond and Honey Brittle Ingredients 1/4 cup almond oil 4 cups sliced blanched almonds 2 cups sugar 1 cup honey 1/4 cup water Method Preheat the oven to 204C. Grease a baking sheet with the almond oil. Place the almonds on a separate baking sheet and toast them in the oven until light golden brown, about 5 minutes. Set aside. In a medium, very heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the sugar, honey, and water and cook over medium-high heat until the sugar liquefies, then turns light golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. It should register 310 degrees Fahrenheit on a candy thermometer; this is referred to as the “hard-crack” stage. Do not stir, but brush the sugar crystals off the inside of the pan with a wet pastry brush as necessary. Once the sugar begins to brown (to the color of a football), remove the pan from the heat (watch very carefully, as the sugar can burn quickly). Once the caramel is off the heat, add the almonds to the pot and stir quickly to i...

Decadent Coffee Fudge Ingredients 284 g white chocolate, chopped 170 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped 1 300-mL can sweetened condensed milk 2 Tbsp coffee powder ½ Tbsp water Method Line a 8x8 inch baking pan with parchment paper; set aside. In a small bowl, dissolve coffee powder in water (it will be thick). In a heatproof bowl over a pot of barely simmering water, melt together the white chocolate, bittersweet chocolate, sweetened condensed milk, and coffee mixture, stirring constantly until smooth, about 5 minutes. Scrape chocolate mixture into prepared pan, smoothing the top. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or overnight, until fudge is firm. Lift fudge out of pan (by grabbing the parchment paper) and place on a cutting board. Cut into squares using a hot knife.

The Best Homemade Peanut Butter Ingredients BASIC PEANUT BUTTER 2 cups (300 grams) unsalted shelled peanuts 1/4 to 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1 to 2 teaspoons honey 1 to 3 teaspoons peanut or vegetable oil, if needed ALMOND PEANUT BUTTER 1 cup (150 grams) unsalted shelled peanuts 1 cup (150 grams) unsalted whole almonds 1/4 to 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1 to 2 teaspoons honey 1 to 3 teaspoons peanut or vegetable oil, if needed CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER 2 cups (300 grams) unsalted shelled peanuts 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 2 tablespoons peanut oil or vegetable oil, plus more as needed 1/2 cup (45 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder 1 1/2 cups (170 grams) powdered sugar Method ROAST NUTS Heat oven to 176 degrees C. Add the nuts to a round or square cake pan (or rimmed baking sheet). Roast nuts for 3 minutes, shake pan then roast another 3 to 5 minutes or until the nuts are lightly browned and smell nutty (careful, ...

Home Made Malva Pudding This recipe serves 2 Ingredients For the Pudding  1/2 coffee cup of sugar  1 egg  25g butter  2 spoons smooth apricot jam (I used Mirabelle plum jam - Mirabelle is a round and yellow type of plum quite common in France and a specialty of the region I come from)  1 coffee cup of flour (I used soya flour, which is gluten free) flour  1 coffee cup of milk  1 tablespoon vinegar( I used white wine vinegar)  1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda For the Sauce  50g butter  1/2 coffee cup sugar  ½ coffee cup water  1 coffee cup cream or milk (I chose the evil option: double cream - I don't regret it!)  1 teaspoon vanilla essence Method Making the Pudding:  Mix the sugar, egg, butter and jam together well  Add the flour and milk. Mix well  Add the bicarb and vinegar and mix again  Pour in earthenware, bake at 180°...

Honey Almond Granola Ingredients 3 cups of quick cooking oats 3/4 cup of sliced almonds 1/2 cup grated coconut 1/2 cup honey, local if at all possible 1/4 cup of coconut oil, melted 2 tablespoons of warm water 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract Method Preheat your oven to 325 °F (163 °C). Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl. (Oats, almonds, and coconut) Make sure you have mixed it evenly and set it to the side. Using a smaller bowl, stir together the wet ingredients. (Honey, coconut oil, water, and vanilla extract) You will need to melt the coconut oil in the microwave for about 10 seconds. Make sure the ingredients are well combined. Pour the wet mixture slowly over the dry mixture. Stir thoroughly to ensure that the mixture is well combined. Spray nonstick cooking spray over your baking tray. This will make sure the granola won't stick. Line the baking tray with baking paper. Make sure the baking paper covers all of the inside of the t...

Cinnamon Coffee Cake Ingredients Cake Batter 3/4 cup (150g) sugar 1/4 cup (1/2 stick or 60g) soft butter or margarine 1 egg 1/2 cup (120 ml) milk 1 1/2 cups (190g) flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt Filling 1/2 cup (110g) brown sugar, packed 2 tablespoons flour 1 to 2 teaspoons cinnamon 2 tablespoons (30g) butter or margarine Method Preheat oven to 350ºF or 180ºC. Grease a 9- by 9- by 2-inch baking pan. Beat sugar, 1/4 cup butter or margarine, and egg until creamy. Stir in milk. Mix flour, baking powder, and salt thoroughly. Stir flour mixture into creamy mixture. Stir until dry ingredients are barely moistened. Filling Combine brown sugar, flour and cinnamon. Cut in 2 tablespoons butter or margarine until crumbly and add it to the dry ingredients. Spread half the batter in the cake pan. Top with half of the brown sugar filling. Top with remaining batter. Top with remaining brown sugar fi...