Dessert Pizza

Today I was a bit uninspired for dinner, as I have been for the past 3 weeks. I think I have cook's block because of the new, draining job I've just started. Instead of dreaming of baking goodies, I've been dreaming of working! Not very fun at all.

Anywho, tonight Mr. BB and I were to eat some lame-assed steakettes. I wasn't impressed at all, he jumps at the chance to eat mince but I really despise it. Solution? I made pizza's. They used up the steakettes and made me interested in eating them. This also inspired me to make a dessert pizza. I've been wanting to make one of these for about a year now. I first saw it on thisiswhyyourefat.com and then Giada from Everyday Italian made it- I thought it was funny how she made it as she is wafer thin.

This is my take on it as I didn't have any nutella in the fridge what wasn't a million years old and rock hard. I had used a regular 1/2 cooked pizza base, some left over dulce de leche as the 'sauce', chocolate chips as the 'topping' and finally marshmallows to represent the 'cheese'. Great combo.

I do recommend making this, but only a small one. After devouring the other pizzas for dinner I could barely stomach such a rich heavy dessert. We both barely got through 1 slice each.

Basic Pizza Dough

• 375ml warm water
• 1 sachet of dried yeast
• Pinch of castor sugar
• 600g (4 cups) of bread flour - plain flour is fine to use but I find that I get better results with the bread flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup olive oil, extra for brushing

Method

Preheat oven to 190c.

Combine yeast, luke warm water and sugar in a small bowl. Set aside for 5 mins or until foaming.

Add flour and salt in a large bowl. Add foaming yeast and oil.

Kneed for 10 mins on a lightly floured surface and place into an oiled clean bowl. Set aside for 30 mins or until doubled in size. Cut into 3 pieces and roll out into circles. Pleat edges and brush with oil. Pre-bake for 10 minutes before adding toppings.

Our dinner pizzas..

Breakfast Pizza- Bacon, eggs, sliced steakette cheese, tomato, onion, avocado, spinach.

Antipasto - Steakette, bacon, onion, garlic, sundried tomatoes, olives, mushrooms, basil, cheese

Prepping the base

After spreading the dulce de leche on the 1/2 cooked base.

Marshmallows and choc chips

After 15 mins in the oven

Delicious success

Make one, do it, you're scared.

50th Post! Uncollected Mocha Cake with White Chocolate Buttercream

Firstly, I apologise to my readers for barely commenting on your blogs this week, I've just started a new job and have been EXHAUSTED and not to forget I can't slack off like I used to! But I think I've caught up on all of your posts now :)

The other day I'd offered to make a cake for a friend for an anniversary, just so that I can practice making something without eating it in the end...

I went to the trouble of spending 3 hrs on making this cake AND ruined my fresh manicure to later reveal that they weren't going to collect it, or even let me know that they weren't coming.. Don't know what the story was there but I was stuck with this cake.. So long story short.. I decided to eat it lol. I was proud of my creation. Pity that the other 3/4's are in my freezer waiting for me to binge on it. *Epic sigh*

SO if you want to make this cake for yourself or for someone else, here is there recipe. I sourced this from here via foodgawker. Enjoy!

Mocha Cake- I doubled this recipe to make 2x 17cm round tins.

1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup whole milk

1/2 cup strong brewed coffee, at room temperature

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1 large egg, at room temp

Preheat to 350°F. Line cake pan.

Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a measuring cup, combine the milk and brewed coffee.

In a stand mixer, using a flat beater on medium-high speed, beat the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the egg and beat until combined. Slowly add the flour mixture, alternating with the coffee mixture, ending with the flour mixture.

Fill cake tin about 2/3 full. Bake for about 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cake comes out clean. Let cool before frosting.

White Chocolate Buttercream Icing

1 c. butter, softened

2 c. confectioner’s sugar

6 oz. white chocolate, melted and cooled

3-5 Tbsp. of whipping cream or half and half

Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add white chocolate. Add whipping cream 1 tbsp. at a time until it is the desired consistancy.

Makes 3 1/2 cups

This cake also gave me a chance to practice some buttercream roses.

And mucked around with some piping tips

Cake cracked because I am always too impatient and didn't let it cool yet and flipped it onto the cake stand without trimming the top. Buttercream patched it up nicely though.

Hope you enjoyed this post!!

Ferrero Rocher Rich Fudge Brownies

As you can tell, I have been a bit over cupcakes. I was hankering for something a little bit sweet to take on a picnic at Mt. Cootha today and had an excess of Ferrero Rocher's after stocking up at a clearance sale at Target.



So, I made brownies! I used my favourite brownie recipe from www.taste.com.au
They always turn out rich, tasty, fudgy and sooo good! Definitely my go to recipe that I can adapt to suit any flavour I want to add.

They went down a treat. Made the walk down to the gold mine harder. They made me tired! But here are a couple snaps I took on the way..



Skitso Magpie what was insistent that it was going to have some of our risoni salad



Mr. BB racing ahead.. Apparently whilst taking in the scenery, I was going too slowly

Bridge used to cart over gold



Mine Shaft.. had no gold lol

Fererro Rocher Brownies
Adapted from taste.com.au

200g unsalted butter, chopped
200g dark chocolate, broken into pieces
1 cup brown sugar
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup gluten-free plain flour
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
12 Ferrero Rocher chocolates
4- Ferrero Rocher's chopped
1/4 cup chopped walnuts or hazelnuts.


Method

Preheat oven to 190°C. Line a 5cm deep, 18cm (base) square cake pan with non-stick baking paper.

Prep your chopped Ferrero Rochers and walnuts.

Heat butter, chocolate and sugar in a saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, until melted and smooth. Transfer to a heatproof bowl. Set aside to cool slightly.

Add eggs and vanilla to chocolate mixture. Mix well. Sift flour and cocoa over chocolate mixture. Stir to combine. Mix in chopped Ferrero Rochers and walnuts.



Pour brownie mixture into pan. I have added the Fererro Rochers into the batter just before baking

Bake for 20 minutes or until just set. Set aside to cool. Once cooled, lift out. Wrap in plastic wrap. Place into an airtight container. Stand for 1 day. Cut into pieces. Serve.

Fauxtess Cupcakes

So I'd mentioned in my last post that I was home to take my kitten to the vet to be desexed.. Well whilst at home I was almost sick with worry.

Since the vet mentioned that for her it is major surgery I was nervous for her. So to keep myself busy at home I decided to make some fauxtess cupcakes.. They seemed to be a bit more tricky than regular cupcakes so I gave them a go.

I found that these cupcakes were nice and dense. The batter wasn't as good as my faithful devils food cupcake recipe, but I think the rich cake is a nice change.

Fauxtess Cupcakes
Sourced from Beantown Baker

For the cupcakes - I doubled the recipe and got about 17 instead of 24.
1 cup plus 4 tablespoons cake flour
2/3 cup Dutch-process cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs, separated and at room temperature
2/3 cup canola oil
1 cup plus 4 tablespoons sugar
4 tablespoons water

For the cream filling (Seven Minute Frosting):
This made more than enough to greedily fill the cupcakes and top them.
2 large egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
2 tablespoons water
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract- I used vanilla bean paste as I ran out of extract

For the ganache- I doubled this
1/2 cup cream
200 grams dark chocolate, finely chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

Preheat the oven to 180 and line 2x 12 capacity muffin pans with paper liners. I love these polka dot ones. I got them from ebay a few months back and have been dying to use them.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In a large mixing bowl, beat together egg yolks, canola oil, 1/2 cup sugar and water until well combined. Add the dry ingredients and stir by hand just until combined.


It looked like it wasn't going to come together, but just needed a bit of elbow grease


In a clean medium bowl, beat egg whites at high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and beat until stiff and glossy. Beat one quarter of the whites into the batter to lighten the mixture. Add remaining whites and gently fold the mixture together until no streaks remain.

Evenly divide the batter between the wells of a 12 cup muffin tin coated with nonstick spray (they will be about one-half full). Bake until the cupcakes spring back when lightly touched in the center, about 13 to 16 minutes. Remove and let the cupcakes cool slightly before turning them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.



While waiting for cupcakes to cool, combine filling ingredients with a pinch of salt in a metal bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water and beat with a handheld electric mixer at high speed until frosting is thick and fluffy, 6 to 7 minutes. Remove bowl from heat and continue to beat until slightly cooled. Reserve 1/2 cup of the filling to use for piping the swirls on top of the cupcakes at the end.



Once cupcakes are completely cooled, use the cone method (reserve tops and cut off excess cake) to fill with filling.



Once all cupcakes are filled, make the ganache.



In a small saucepan, heat cream until steaming. Remove from the heat, add chocolate and let stand for 5 minutes. Add the butter and stir until smooth. Transfer the frosting to a small bowl and dip the top of each cupcake to thoroughly coat.

Spoon the reserved filling into a pastry bag fitted with a very small plain tip and pipe swirls across the center of each cupcake. Refrigerate the cupcakes for 10 minutes to set the frosting.

Happy Easter! - Dark Chocolate & Hokey Pokey, Strawberry Flavoured White Chocolate and Choc Mint Hearts

Happy Easter Dear Readers!
.. bit late I know :p

I bet you are sick to death of seeing cupcakes, well they have been on holiday with me for the last few days whilst I went back home.

On Wednesday it dawned on me.. Thursday night I was driving home to visit my family and still haven't made any Easter Goodies! I thought to myself.. "OH CRAP!".. I'd already promised my family that they would be receiving hand made goodies so I couldn't go back on that now.

I panicked.. At lunch I raced to Robins Kitchen at Mt Ommaney and they were completely sold out of Egg Moulds. I knew that I should have bought some 2 weeks ago! *Face Palm*. After work I was supposed to get home early because Mr. BB needed to use my car.. I was naughty and raced to Spotlight Indooroopilly, my heart sunk to see the ravaged shelves. There was nothing left!

I gave up and decided to just buy some store bought Easter presents. I went for 1 last look around for ribbons and other nick nacks only to find some heart shaped bath bomb moulds.. I was SAVED!

I was also making some ensaymada that night for my Mum so I knew that it was going to be a long night of goody making.

I started by making some hokey pokey. I'd always wanted to know how to make it until I was watching Nigella one day. Here is her recipe put to use.

Dark Chocolate Hokey Pokey Easter 'Eggs'

Makes 4

INGREDIENTS
200g Dark Cooking Chocolate

200g Castor Sugar

120g Golden Syrup/Treacle

3 Tsp of Bicarbonate of Soda

Method

Place the pan on the heat and let the mixture first melt, then turn to goo and then to a bubbling mass the colour of maple syrup – this will take 3 minutes or so

Off the heat, whisk in the bicarbonate of soda and watch the syrup turn into a whooshing cloud of aerated pale gold.

Turn this immediately onto a piece of reusable baking parchment or greased foil.

Leave until set and then bash at it, so that it splinters into many glinting pieces.

Once set, melt your chocolate in a bowl over simmering water.

Once melted use a paintbrush to coat the inside of your mould.

Stir in the hokey pokey with the remaining melted chocolate.

Spoon into molds and refrigerate for 20 minutes until set.

Strawberries and Cream 'Eggs'

Makes 2

INGREDIENTS

200g White Cooking Chocolate
1 tsp Strawberry oil- Not Essence

METHOD

I was running out of time as I made these ones the morning before I left so I melted my chocolate in the microwave stopping and stirring at 10 second intervals until fully melted.
Stir in strawberry oil and pour into moulds.

Refrigerate for 20 minutes or until set.



Dark Chocolate and Peppermint Easter 'Eggs'

Makes 2

INGREDIENTS

200g White Cooking Chocolate
1 tsp Peppermint oil- Not Essence

METHOD

Melt in microwave stirring at 10 second intervals until melted. Stir in peppermint oil and pour into moulds.

Refrigerate for 20 minutes or until set.


I bought some noodle boxes from spotlight 4 for $3.99 and stuffed them with crepe paper along with some goodies - eggs, chickies and my yummy chocolates.

How does this compare to overly priced, store bought eggs? I don't know about you but I love things from the heart.. :D

Find my group on Facebook! www.brisbanebaker.blogspot.com

Cookies and Cream Frosting on top of Martha's Devil's Food Cupcakes.. You may have tasted the honey, but I have the hive.

Honest to god love that saying.. It applies to many aspects in my life. I could go on for ages explaining, but I bet you the smarty pants reader has figured it out already ;)

That saying also applies food. I get so frustrated after I'd taste something, then person who made it refuses to share their recipe. So there goes the saying.. "You tasted the honey, but I have the hive".

It is hard to explain, but you feel some kind of sick power knowing that they would have to come back to you for more.. That is why I started my blog - I mean why keep it to myself when I can share it for anyone to enjoy!

Here is one recipe I've always wanted to make but never knew what the exact ingredients were

Unfortunately this recipe didn't make the cut for my cupcake stall. So feel free to make this recipe.. Definitely tasty!

Devils Food Cupcakes with Cookies and Cream Frosting

Again, Martha's Devils Food Cupcakes featured my previous post

Devils Food Cupcakes
By Martha Stewart

• 3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 3/4 cup hot water
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt
• 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter
• 2 1/4 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup sour cream, room temperature

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk together cocoa and hot water until smooth. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

• Melt butter with sugar in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring to combine. Remove from heat, and pour into a mixing bowl. With an electric mixer on medium-low speed, beat until mixture is cooled, 4 to 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add vanilla, then cocoa mixture, and beat until combined. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the sour cream, and beating until just combined after each

• Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three- quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 15 minutes; turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely. Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.

• To finish, use a small offset spatula to spread cupcakes with frosting. Refrigerate up to 3 days in airtight containers; bring to room temperature and garnish with chocolate curls just before serving.

Cookies and Cream Frosting
Sourced from Annies Eats

Ingredients
1 3/4 cups plus 2 tbsp. whipping cream
3 tbsp. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
6 tbsp. Oreo cookie crumbs

For garnish:
24 Oreo cookie halves

Directions:

To prepare the frosting, in the clean bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Beat on medium-high speed until the whipped cream holds stiff peaks. Gently fold in the cookie crumbs with a spatula.

Scoop the mixture into a pastry bag and pipe frosting decoratively on top of the cupcakes. Garnish with Oreo cookie halves

Did I also mention that you can now be a fan of Brisbane Baker on Facebook? Check me out!

Elvis Cupcakes- If the King was alive, he'd be allll over these babies

I have been wanting to make some cupcakes but with peanut butter frosting for a while.. I have a mega cupcake adventure coming up in the next few weeks so I wanted to put this amazing frosting to the test.. Who would love peanut butter more than The King himself?

Elvis Cupcakes
Made up from memories of a few recipes.

Ingredients

Super Moist Banana Cupcakes
From BB's cooking folder :D

Makes approximately 15-18

1 2/3 cups plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp bi-carb

1/4 tsp salt

3 medium overripe bananas

1/3 cup full cream milk

125g unsalted butter

1 1/4 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4-1/2 cup of dark chocolate chips

Line a 12 capacity cupcake tray with patty pans and preheat the oven to 180 degrees.



Mix flour, baking powder, bi-carb, and salt into a bowl, set aside.

In another bowl, mix the bananas, vanilla and milk, set aside.



In your main mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, add in eggs one at a time. Beat until well combined, light and fluffy. Be careful not to over beat.

Pour in 1/3 of dry ingredients, followed by 1/2 of the wet. Ensure that you end with the last 1/3 of the dry ingredients.

Add chocolate chips and fold in gently, try not to knock out too much air.



Add batter into paper lined muffin tin (adding extra choc chips on top for presentation), I like to use the 1/4 measurement cup as this ensures that they are universal in size and pop into the oven!



I bet you are wondering what took up the other 6 spots in my pan.. Well those will be posted shortly :)

Cook for 15-20 Minutes!

When a skewer comes out clean, remove and set aside to cool.

Peanut Butter Frosting

1/2 cup softened butter
1 cup creamy peanut butter
3 tablespoons milk, or as required
2 cups icing sugar

Beat butter and peanut butter until fluffy and there are no lumps, add icing sugar, towards the end add the milk.