A Photo A Day [Day 120]

I have a snow day from work, which should cheer me up if I didn't have to spend most of it shoveling. Not to complain too much but I hate snow. Anything that causes me extra work, makes it difficult and dangerous to drive, and forces me to use up one of my precious personal days at work irks me. I'm convinced that any adult who claims to love the stuff must have servants to shovel the snow, not have to be at work at 8:00 AM, and not worry about the deductible for any snow-related car accidents they might have. That said, it does give me an opportunity to relive some of the best memories of my childhood: reading Calvin and Hobbes. Today the only thing that kept me going as I shoveled was the thought that I'd get to recreate one of my favorite strips in my own front yard. Of course, in typical fashion, I managed to screw it up and rendered it useless. Since I'm sure you can't tell what's going on I'll first share the original comic strip so you can understand what I was trying to stage:

(Source)

And now my version:


My husband thought the ice cream scooper was a hair dryer. :( At least I tried.

A Photo A Day - Holiday Cheer [Days 116 - 119]

An annual Christmas tradition around here is the devouring of an entire pan of Snickers fudge. Here's my brother eating his portion, which happens to be about half of the 9" x 13" pan.

Day 116

Played around with inverting the colors on this picture and now I'm wishing I had a white Christmas tree. These are my Bumble slippers worn for special occasions like Christmas. One of my cats is terrified of them and backs away in fear whenever he sees them on my feet.

Day 117

Day 118

'Tis the season for stupid snow that cuts my family's visit short and causes my mother-in-law to get into an accident and wind up in the hospital on Christmas Day. Still, I'm trying to find something good about the end of the holidays by sprucing up my car a bit.

Day 119

This week's theme: holiday spirit

Boston Cream Pie Cheesecake

I have committed an unspeakable crime against my bathroom scale: I have made a Boston Cream Pie Cheesecake. As if eating a big slice of cheesecake twice the recommended serving size isn't bad enough I just had to go and layer it with pastry cream, sponge cake, and chocolate topping. Where has all of my sense gone? I blame the holidays. Somehow I'm able to excuse this calorie-laden indulgence simply by saying, "It's the holidays." That's what the holidays are for, right?

When I saw the recipe over at Moogie & Pap I was instantly smitten and determined to make it for myself. Then I scrolled down and saw the instructions. And kept scrolling, scrolling, and scrolled some more because they are incredibly long. Understandable since each distinct layer has to be made separately but it was enough to put me off the idea until I realized that the Christmas presents I got for my family this year mostly stink so I should make up for it with an awe-inspiring dessert. Even so I went back and forth considering how much of my scarce Christmas prep time it would take and it wasn't until I walked out of the grocery store with more cream cheese than I typically use in a year that I was sure I'd make it.

Unfortunately this is not a story of dessert triumph. You'd think that with a recipe like that it would turn out to be the most heavenly dessert ever invented by man but no. It was not to be. While the baking process went smoothly aside from the numerous dishes that needed to be washed the end result was less than stunning. I'm not even talking about the fact that the cake layer shrunk up so much that it's noticeably smaller than the bottom two layers. We all know I'm not concerned about aesthetics as long as my dessert is tasty. Unfortunately, it somehow went wrong during the freezing process and while the cheesecake, cake, and chocolate topping are delicious the pastry cream developed an off-putting texture once thawed. It's edible when eaten with a large dose of the other layers but I chose to remove as much of it as I could before eating my slice. Incredibly disappointing considering how excited I was by the concept and how delicious the individual elements tasted before freezing.

I wish I knew where I went wrong so I could make sure to never repeat the mistake. Perhaps I cooked the pastry cream too long, perhaps I didn't wrap it tightly enough before freezing. Who knows? All I know is that the dessert that was supposed to wow everyone turned out to be useless. Boo. Good thing it's Christmas so I had about five other desserts on hand as backup.

Boston Cream Pie Cheesecake
Recipe adapted from Moogie & Pap

Ingredients for the Cheesecake Layer:
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
1 & 1/3 cups sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 extra-large eggs
2/3 cup heavy or whipping cream

Ingredients for the Pastry Cream:
1 & 1/4 cups milk (use whole, not 2% or skim)
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 extra-large egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 to 2 drops yellow food coloring, (optional)

Ingredients for the Sponge Cake (1 layer):
1/2 cup sifted cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 extra-large eggs, separated
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon pure lemon extract
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Ingredients for the Chocolate Topping:
4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons light corn syrup
1/2 cup heavy cream

To Finish:
Whipped Cream, optional

Directions:
1. Early in the day, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and generously butter the bottom and sides of one 9-inch springform pan and one 9-inch round layer cake pan. Wrap the outside of the springform (but not the cake pan) with aluminum foil, covering the bottom and extending all the way up the sides. Very important: Line the bottom of the cake pan (but not the springform) with parchment or waxed paper (don't let the paper come up the sides).

2. Put one package of the cream cheese, 1/3 cup of sugar, and the cornstarch in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low until creamy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl a couple of times. Blend in the remaining cream cheese, one package at a time, scraping down the bowl after each. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat in the remaining 1 cup sugar, then the vanilla. Blend in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after adding each. Beat in the cream just until it's completely blended. Be careful not to overmix!

3. Gently spoon the batter into the foil-wrapped springform and place it in a large shallow pan containing hot water that comes about 1 inch up the sides of the springform. Bake the cake at 350 degrees until the edges are light golden brown and the top is slightly golden tan, about 1 & 1/4 hours. Remove the cake from the water bath, transfer to a wire rack, and cool in the pan for 2 hours, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate (while still in the pan) until it's completely cold, about 4 hours.

4. While the cheesecake is baking, make the pastry cream. Heat the milk, cream, and butter together in a large saucepan over medium-high heat just until it bubbles around the edge, stirring until the butter has melted and is incorporated. Remove from the heat. Meanwhile, beat the egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch together in a large bowl with a mixer on high until the mixture thickens and turns light yellow, about 3 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and beat in about 1 cup of the hot cream mixture. Return this to the saucepan, stirring constantly over medium heat until the mixture thickens and comes to a full boil (watch carefully as this will take only about a couple of minutes). Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and food coloring. Immediately transfer to a medium-size bowl (this stops the cooking), place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pastry cream (this prevents a skin from forming), and refrigerate until cold and set, at least 2 hours.

5. While the pastry cream chills, make the sponge cake. Check that the oven is preheated to 350 degrees and that the water bath has been removed. In a small bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Beat the egg yolks in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high for 3 minutes. While the mixer is still running, slowly add 1/4 cup of the sugar and continue beating until thick, light yellow ribbons form in the bowl, about 5 minutes more. Beat in the extracts. Sift the flour mixture over the batter and stir it in by hand, just until no white flecks are visible. Blend in the melted butter.

6. Put the egg whites and cream of tartar in a clean medium-size bowl and , with clean, dry beaters, beat with the mixer on high until frothy. Gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form (the whites will stand up and look glossy, not dry). Fold about one-third of the whites into the batter, then the remaining whites. Don't worry if you still see a few white specks -- they'll disappear during baking. Gently spread out the batter over the bottom of the single cake pan and bake until golden (not wet or sticky) and the center springs back when lightly touched, about, 15 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then turn out onto the rack and gently peel off the paper liner. Let the cake cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.

7. When the cheesecake and sponge cake are cold and the pastry cream has set, assemble the cake. Keep the cheesecake in the springform and gently spread the pastry cream over it, using a rubber spatula (avoid stirring the cream at this stage, as you might break its gel). Place the sponge cake, top side up, on the pastry cream. Press down gently. Cover the cake (still in the pan) with plastic wrap and freeze overnight.

8. To make the chocolate topping, put the chocolate and corn syrup in a small bowl. In a small saucepan, bring the cream to a boil. Pour the cream over the chocolate and stir until smooth. Cool slightly before glazing the cake. Take the cake out of the freezer and, using a long, marrow metal spatula, quickly spread the fudge over the top while it's still in the pan. Using the tip of a pointed knife, push a few drips over the edge of the cake. This gives the cake a finished look. Return the pan to the freezer until the chocolate has set (do not cover), about 30 minutes.

9. (Optional) Fill a pastry bag fitted with a small round tip (#2) with the whipped cream. Pipe a white web on top of the cake, making thin lines 3/8 inch apart (don't worry if the lines are a little wavy, as that's a nice homemade touch). Return the cake to the freezer until the web has set, about 30 minutes more.

10. To serve, let the cake stand at room temperature for 10 minutes, then release and remove the ring of the springform, leaving the cake on the bottom of the pan. Place on a serving plate and refrigerate until ready to serve (this cake takes about 2 hours in the refrigerator to thaw enough to easily slice). Use a sharp straight-edge knife to cut it. Refrigerate any leftover cake or wrap and freeze for up to 1 month.

My Cupcake Is A Work Of Art

No, that's not evidence of an inflated ego, although I think some of my cupcakes come pretty close to being divine. What I mean is that one of my cupcake creations has literally become art, soon to be available for sale on Etsy! I was approached last week by Lisa from The Lunch Box Project where she turns delicious food into art. She's currently doing a project where she's making 16 cupcake illustrations that will eventually be compiled onto a poster. The prints will also be sold individually. Of course I was thrilled and honored that she wanted to include my Sweet Coconut Tea Cupcakes, the ones that won the Sweetest Kitchen's Mystery Box competition a few months back. After checking out Lisa's Etsy shop I was even more excited to see what she'd come up with for mine since her style is just great. Good thing she's such a prolific artist because I didn't have to wait long to see it. I now present to you my cupcake, officially a work of art:


Thanks to Lisa for this wonderful opportunity and for including me in such a fun project!

Season's Eatings!

I am going to risk alienating all of my followers by diverging sharply from the cheery, festive holiday posts out there on other, more respectable blogs. As cute as I find those more traditional holiday crafts and free printables you're all nicely offering, we all know that my heart truly lies with the scary, creepy, and morbid. Which is why I just had to share these spiffy zombie holiday printables out there for the 0.000001% of you out there like me.

We'll kick it off with something completely sacrilegious sure to horrify half of you: a zombie nativity scene. This is so offensive that the site originally hosting it took it down but clever little zombie lovers out there have mercifully preserved it for the rest of us. You can download the PDF here.


The rest of the downloads come from a site promoting the book Rise Again: A Zombie Thriller by Ben Tripp. You can find more fun downloads including alternate book covers, a zombie half mask, and iPhone wallpapers here. My favorites are the holiday ones including these holiday cards:


Mom always said that it's rude to not send Christmas cards out to the extended family.


They bill these are ornaments or gift tags but I'm seeing the makings of a Christmas garland here.


These gift tags make me sad that I've already wrapped and delivered most of my presents this year. I'll just have to print some out and save then with my Christmas goodies to use next year.

Of course, I wish I'd discovered all of this sooner so I would have had time to get everything cut out and up to decorate my home for the holidays in a way that truly suits me. Oh well, it's never too early to start planning for next Christmas. Assuming the zombie apocalypse doesn't occur and wipe us all out before then.

A Photo A Day [Days 114 & 115]

I'm now on track with this week's theme: holiday spirit. I'm so ready for Christmas that I'm only too happy to take holiday-themed pics. I've got my Christmas dinner menu planned, groceries bought, presents under the tree, and my family visiting. What more could I want?

Around here everyone gets into the holiday spirit, including the creepy Halloween critters:

Day 114

I received a lovely flower arrangement as a Christmas gift at work today. I love the simplicity of the red and white color combination.

Day 115

Bakerella's Oreo Truffles

The other day my husband was surfing the web when I heard him exclaim, "Oreo truffles! Ooh, those look good!" It's rare that he gets excited about any food other than pizza so I had to go check it out to see what sort of gourmet delicacy he was drooling over. Turns out they are the exact same truffles I've made for him in the past, which he's conveniently forgotten about so I get no credit for my hard work. Since Christmas is all about giving (and traffic and the grocery store running out of those crucial Christmas dinner ingredients) I made a last-minute addition to my Christmas preparations and decided to make him some to refresh his memory. It's an old idea but a goodie: Oreos pulverized and mixed with cream cheese, rolled into bite-sized morsels, and dunked in white chocolate bark. Simple and aside from the tedious process of rolling each truffle not too involved. I've made these and the popular cake balls from Bakerella's site several times in the past and although my decorations are never anywhere near as intricate as hers they're still delicious. These are perfect for those of you who aren't bakers but want to give a homemade treat.

Oreo Truffles
Recipe from Bakerella


1 package Oreo cookies (use cookie including the cream center)
1 8 oz. package cream cheese (softened)
White chocolate bark

1. Finely crush cookies in a food processor and by hand if necessary. Stir in softened cream cheese. Use the back of a large spoon to help mash the two together.
2. Roll the mixture into 1″ balls and place on wax paper covered cookie sheet. Pop into the refrigerator while you melt the chocolate bark.
3. Melt chocolate bark as directed on the package and then dip balls into chocolate, tap off extra and set aside on wax paper covered cookie sheet to dry. If desired, sprinkle with Christmas sprinkles.
4. Once dry, remove from wax paper and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Unless you eat them all before it gets to that stage.