Hostess Cupcake Ice Cream Recipe

You guys know the story- I love to cook but could never have an actual cooking blog, so sometimes the baker/cook in me hijacks a post or two with a recipe. 

Today is a good one. I promise. 

There was once this recipe of Full House where Michelle is trying to cook and is putting different combinations of food together, all of them bad (up until the end where she probably makes something the whole family loves and the studio audience goes "awww" together). Anyway, you get the gist; there are a lot of good foods that should never be paired together. But  vanilla ice cream and Hostess Cupcakes? This is a combination you should most definitely try. My husband had some last night and said it was good as anything you'd buy from a store. Sawyer also gave rave reviews. 

First of all, there are lots of different ice cream makers out there, but I have found that the attachment for my KitchenAid Stand Mixer is by far the best. I also have some ice cream containers from Sur la Table that have nice silicone tops that are airtight and easy to clean. I keep the attachment bowl in the freezer at all times so that it stays as cold as it possibly can be and that I'm ready to go if the ice-cream making mood strikes me. It is definitely not cheap, but you get what you pay for, as with many things in life. 

This is a no-cook recipe, so if raw eggs bother you... don't make it. Or I guess you could go the more custard-y route, but this is the best recipe I've used and have never gotten sick.  

Recipe

3 Hostess Cupcakes, frozen for at least a few hours

2 large eggs

3/4 cup sugar

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1 cup 2% milk 

1 3/4 tsp vanilla extract 

1. Whisk eggs in a mixing bowl for two minutes

2. Add in half the sugar, whisk a few seconds, add in the rest. Continue to whisk  for another minute until blended.

3. Whisk in vanilla, cream, and milk, adding a little at a time and then whisking as you go

4. Add the mixture to the ice cream maker. If you are using the same as I am, I pull it out of the freezer at this point so that it doesn't increase in temperature at all. Turn on and let stir for fifteen minutes.

5. While the ice cream is freezing, chop the Hostess Cupcakes into small pieces. Honestly, it doesn't really matter because they'll fall apart anyway, but mine were maybe 1/3 inch cubes. No need to be exact, at all.

6. After at least fifteen minutes of churning, your ice cream should be the consistency of a thick shake. Don't turn off the mixer! Add the cupcake chunks in slowly, giving the mixer time to stir in a handful at a time. 

7. After all the pieces have been added, let the mixer incorporate for a minute or so and then turn the machine off. Pour the ice cream with the help of a spatula into your ice cream container. Make sure it is sealed tightly! 

8. Freeze for eight hours and then enjoy! Homemade ice cream doesn't typically have the same longevity as your store-bought brands, so eat it within a few days. 

This recipe has been adapted from Ben & Jerry's Homemade Ice Cream & Dessert Book by Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield (1987)

Pumpkin Molasses Cookies

[mad food photographer skills]

So, I was thinking that there might not be enough pumpkin recipes in the blog world. You know, a shortage of sorts. Kind of like the drought in California, but with pumpkin. So, in the interest of helping America, I bring you Pumpkin Molasses Cookies.

The molasses is subtle, so I'm sure you could add more if you compensate accordingly with the flour. Also, please note that the color of Nestle's Pumpkin Spice Morsels are absolutely offensive,  and the taste is a fairly strong (but reasonably so). I baked half the batch on one day and half the other; the cookies that had time to set in the fridge had a bit more of a stronger flavor, as to be expected. The end result is soft, pumpkin-y and delicious. 

Pumpkin Molasses Cookies

Yield: 3 dozen(ish)

Time: 15 minutes to prep

Ingredients: 

1 tsp molasses

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 bag of Nestle's Pumpkin Spice Morsels

2 1/4 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 1/4 cups brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 (3.4 ounce) package of pudding (I used vanilla)

2 eggs

1 cup of unsalted butter, softened 

1. Preheat oven to 350 if you plan on baking immediately 

2. Combine butter, sugars, molasses, and eggs in mixer, combine as you always do when making cookies

3.  Mix in pudding and pumpkin pie spice

4. Slowly add flour and baking soda

5. When everything is all mixed up and ready to go, stir in the morsels 

6. Drop on cookie sheet and bake from 10-12 minutes, depending on your balls size and oven efficiency

Served best with Pumpkin Spiced Latte from Starbs.

Just kidding. I've never even had one. And did me saying "Starbs" make you cringe? Good. It was supposed to.

Base of recipe is adapted from this cookie recipe, which I adore.

 

Stop Reading and Bake a Pie

 

I promise, I'm not turning into a food blogger, but once in awhile I like to mix business with pleasure. This weekend I combined a few recipes and made a Caramel Apple Pie, which I made last year for Thanksgiving. Truth be told, I wanted to get a dress rehearsal in before this year, since it's been eleven months since my first, and only, shot. Seriously, who wants to fuck up the Thanksgiving pies? Anyway, I'm not a huge apple pie fan - more of a pumpkin girl - but I actually like this one, so it can't be half bad (I do love making apple pies, though- such a labor of love with all the peeling, chopping, and lattice making). It's the perfect fall dessert. Well, after anything with pumpkin, anyway.

Before the recipe, I have to tout the homemade pie crust. I know everyone thinks it's a pain in the ass to bust one out yourself, but it's not. I promise. Plus you can't say something's truly homemade if one of the main components is store-bought. Bragging rights, bitch! 

Caramel Apple Pie

Carmel and topping inspired by Annie's Eats Caramel Apple Bars

Filling and crust from The Joy of Cooking

As always, I'm not a professional, so excuse the mistakes!

Caramel:

9 ounces of caramel candies, unwrapped (no shit)

2 tbsp. heavy cream

Topping:

3/4 cup flour

1/6 cup of sugar

1/6 cup brown sugar

1/3 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp ground cinnamon

6 tbsp cold unsalted, butter, cut into chunks

1/2 large egg yolk

1/2 tsp vanilla

I know some of these measurements are a bit strange, but I halved the original recipe; don't stress, just eyeball most of them if you don't have a 1/6 cup

Crust:

1 1/4 cups flour

1/4 tsp salt

1/3 cup shortening

5 tbsp ice cold water

Filling:

6 cups of peeled, thinly sliced apples (I used 4 1/2 large Granny Smiths)

1 tbsp of lemon juice 

3/4 cup sugar

2 tbsp flour

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 

Filling:

1. Peel and slice apples- I like mine as thin as possible

2. Sprinkle lemon juice on top, mix up (this is optional, it's just to prevent browning while prepping everything else)

3. Add sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg- evenly coat, set aside

Topping: 

1. Combine dry ingredients

2. With a pastry cutter (if you don't have one a fork works; cutters seem to the do the job faster, but I know they're not necessarily common tools), cut in butter until combined well (small clusters will start forming; main goal is to break up the butter well)

3. Stir in vanilla and egg yolk until topping is moistened (it will still be quite dry, and there will be some chunks- totally fine). Set aside.

 

Crust:

1. Combine flour and salt 

2. With a pastry cutter (or fork) slowly cut in shortening, in small spoon-fulls. As you cut in, small pea-like balls (or even a little smaller) will start to form. Don't "smush" everything together- just toss lightly, so that it reminds you almost of wet sand. Or something like that. You don't want chunks of butter.

3. Once little balls (ha. ha. ha.) have started to form, add in the ice water a tablespoon at a time, continuing to toss with your cutter or fork. Continue until the dough is completely moistened and you have one big ball (I usually use my hands to combine everything at the end).

4. On a floured surface, roll out the dough into a circle big enough to fit your 9-inch pie pan. Once done, wrap the crust loosely over the rolling pin and eas it into your pan. Adjust as necessary.

5. Trim edges, or make a fancy-schmancy design, if that's your thing. 

6. Set aside.

Caramel Sauce

1. Combine caramels and heaving cream in a small pot over medium heat, stirring very frequently.

2. Remove from heat as soon as all candies are melted.

Assembling

1. Pour caramel onto pie crust, spreading out with a spoon (I stopped when I had maybe 1/2 cup left)

2. Carefully layer the apples on top of the caramel

3. Thoroughly cover the apples with the crumbled topping- use it all!

Baking

1. Here's where it get's tricky- a typical pie would bake for an hour, while the bars with the crumble topping only half as long. I compromised.

2. Bake pie for 25 minutes at 375- check to make sure the top isn't burning

3. Lower temperature to 350 and bake for an additional 20 minute, checking frequently to make sure there's no burning happening. I have a pretty decent oven that bakes evenly, so I didn't have any problem, but you never know.

4. Once the top and any visible pie crust is a golden brown remove and let cool for a few hours. 

 

Rice Krispy Interlude [Recipe]

Even readers have to eat, right? 

Right. 

Today I made some good ol' Rice Krispy Treats with a twist, inspired by the recipe from Smitten Kitchen. I bake a lot, so the fact that I'm actually posting the recipe on here says something. They're damn good, friends, if I do say so myself (pats self on back).

Salted Brown Butter Rice Krispy Treats with Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chips

Let's remember that I'm not a recipe writer, nor do I ever intend to be... 

Time: 20-ish minutes

Yield: Depends on how big your squares are; let's go with 2-20

Ingredients:

1.5 sticks of unsalted butter (or 6 ounces)

1 15-ounce bag of mini marshmallows

9 cups of Rice Krispies (or the Trader Joes knock off, like I used)

1/2 teaspoon of sea salt*

2/3 bag of mixed peanut butter and chocolate chips

Steps:

1. Pray that you don't screw up the butter browning part. I've gotten pretty good at it since I've been doing it almost once a week for various recipes, but the first time can be a little nerve-wracking. If you're not down with the G.O.D, then check out YouTube for some videos (you're all self-sufficient adults, so I'm not giving you links). 

2. Either spray or butter a cake pan (I think mine as a 9 x 13)

3. In a large stock pot, heat butter over medium heat, stirring gently. Once it completely melts crank it up to medium-high and watch it like a hawk. Browning butter can turn into blackening butter extremely fast, so be careful. Once the water starts evaporating from the butter it will start foaming and slowly change to an amber color (keep stirring). Once it becomes the color of, let's say caramel, stir for fifteen more seconds and remove the pot from heat. When in doubt remove the pan- black butter is burnt butter, and burnt butter tastes like shit.

4. Dump in marshmallows and salt- stir continuously. I returned my pot to the stove over low heat to speed up the melting process. 

5. After the marshmallows and butter have become one fully combined, dump in the krispies. Stir until you almost have an even coating of the butter/marshmallow mixture on the krispies and dump in the chips. Stir some more.

6. Pour in pan, grab a metal spoon and run it under cool water- use it to flatten out the mixture. Let cool for awhile and then eat. 

7. Calculate how many miles you will have to ride on your bike to burn off the many, many treats you will eat. 

[food photographer I am not]

* The sea salt could be left out; it's definitely not over-powering, but if you're watching your sodium levels you might as well eliminate it from the recipe.

This recipe was inspired by a recipe from Smitten Kitchen, which is one of the best food blogs I've ever read.