Marshmallow pops

I made these marshmallow pops for my mom´s birthday, and they turned out to be the perfect treat, they´re simple and really fun to do....besides quickly too, here´s what you need for making 30 marshmallow pops:

- 30 Bamboo skewers

- 30 Marshmallows

- 120 grs white chocolate

- Sprinkles

OMG....I loooooooove marshmallows! So good.

Chop the white chocolate and melt it in a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, stir occasionally so it won´t burn, meanwhile insert the bamboo skewers into the marshmallows.

Once the chocolate is completely melted dip in the marshmallow pops and add the sprinkles.

Put them in a glass, one apart from each other and put them in the fridge for about 10 minutes or until they are completely dry.

New year´s yule log

This yule log is really my pride, I had never make one before, thought it was gonna be difficult, but it turned out to be one of the most simple things I´ve made. The sponge cake is heavenly, it melts away in your mouth, the filling is incredible and the chocolate topping is amazing!

I got the recipe from an incredible website called www.joyofbaking.com, I really recommend this recipe...it's mouthwatering!

The mushrooms and mistletoe are made out of homemade marshmallow fondant (http://whatscookingamerica.net/PegW/Fondant.htm) and food coloring.

Here's the link of the sponge cake and the filling: http://www.joyofbaking.com/YuleLog.html

And here's the recipe of the chocolate frosting: http://www.joyofbaking.com/ChocolateCake.html

This is how it looks on the inside =) Yum!!

Fortune Cookies

The idea of making fortune cookies just came out of the blue...and as soon as I got that idea I started to look for the messages that was gonna put inside them...quite a challenge I must say...cause me and my sister had to look for over 80 messages!!....well, we were very picky, but it was definitely worth it, every minute we spent searching and writing and also baking, cause they were a hit at new year's eve...after 12 o`clock we all opened our cookies and saw our future comming ahaha.

We cut pink, green and blue papers....the pink papers were only about love, the green ones about money and the blue ones about health and some other stuff....they turned the perfect tradition for the new year, so I'll be making them year after year, but of course I'll be updating them...for next year I plan to dip them in chocolate.....only the tips....but for now I'll introduce to you my fortune cookies recipe, hope you make this a new tradition too!

These are the ingredients: (makes about 80 fortune cookies)

- 3 cups flour

- 1 cup butter, cold

- 1 1/2 cup sugar

- 1 egg

- 1 tsp lemon zest

- 1/2 cup warm milk

- Fortune messages (if you want my opinion you should look for the messages one day ahead, because they can take a while)

- Preheat your oven at 392º (200ºC), and butter your pan, set aside.

- In a medium bowl mix butter and sugar until creamy, then add the egg and the sifted flour, finally add milk until you get a dough that doesn't stick to your fingers.

- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it chill in the fridge for about 30 minutes or until firm,

- Roll out the dough until it is about 1/4 inch thick, and cut circles with a glass or a cookie cutter.

- Put the message in the center of the cookie (you can fold it as I did, or place a longer message, as I did later and think its better).

- Then fold the cookie into half and press the edges so it won't open in the oven.

- Press the middle of the cookie to fold it in half again.

- Finally fold the cookie until the corners meet.

-Place the cookies in the buttered pan, at a small distance between one another, since they barely increase their volume, and bake them for about 6 to 8 minutes, or until they are slightly golden.

And done! Happy baking =)

Christmas Cake / Pan de Pascua

Hi! today I'll be sharing with you this great recipe. Well...this one was made by my mom...eating Christmas cake or Pan de Pascua as it is called in Spanish is the most typical christmas tradition in Chile, among with the Cola de Mono (it means mokey tail ahaha) which is a kind of an eggnog but with alcohol in it...I like it without the alcohol...well, the thing is that everyone seems to just love this two things...including me, but how could I not love this beautiful cake....the taste is incredible, and me and my family eat A LOT for Christmas, I really mean it...my mom makes about 15 of these cakes each Christmas, cause she gives away like the half =( so I really recomend it for christmas or well...for whenever you want.

Holi! hoy compartiré con ustedes esta excelente receta. Bueno....esta la hizo mi mamá....comer pan de pascua es una de las mas típicas tradiciones navideñas en Chile, junto con la cola de mono, que es como el rompope pero con alcohol... a mi me gusta sin alcohol....bueno, el asunto es que a todo el mundo parece encantarle estas dos cosas... incluyéndome a mi, pero como no adorar este hermoso pan de pascua...el sabor es increíble, mi familia y yo comemos MUCHO en navidad, hablo en serio....mi mamá hace como 15 de estos panes de pascua durante cada navidad, porque regala como la mitad =( así que realmente lo recomiendo para navidad o bueno.....para cuando quieran.

Ingredients: (makes 2 7 inch cakes)

- 250 grs butter

- 4 cups flour

- 2 cups sugar

- 200 grs walnuts

- 200 grs almonds

- 200 grs chocolate, chopped

- 200 grs crystallized fruit, grounded

- 2 tbsp lemon or orange zest

- 1 tsp cinnamon powder

- 1 tsp clove (powder)

- 1 tsp baking soda

- 4 eggs

- 330 cc. black beer

- 1 tsp baking powder

Glazing:

- orange juice

- icing sugar

- Preheat oven to 375º (180ºC), butter and flour your pans, set aside.

- Beat butter and sugar until creamy, then add eggs one by one and then incorporate the walnuts, chocolate, zest, clove and malt, beat in to incorporate everything and finally add the flour, baking soda and baking powder.

- Fill the pans up to 3/4 of it, and put them into the oven for about an hour or until a knife or a cake tester comes out clean.

- For the glazing just mix orange juice and icing sugar and pour it on top of the Christmas cake =)

Ingredientes: (para 2 panes de 17 cm de diámetro)

- 250 grs de mantequilla

- 4 tazas de harina

- 2 tazas de azúcar

- 200 grs de nueces

- 200 grs de almendras

- 200 grs de chocolate, picado

- 200 grs fruta confitada, molida

- 2 cdas de ralladura de limón o naranja

- 1 cdta de canela en polvo

- 1 cdta de clavo de olor (en polvo)

- 1 cdta de bicarbonato

- 4 huevos

- 330 cc. cerveza negra o malta

- 1 cdta de polvos de hornear

Glaseado:

- jugo de naranja

- azúcar flor

- Pre-calentar el horno a 180°C, enmantequillar y enharinar los moldes, reservar.

- Batir la mantequilla y azúcar hasta que esté cremoso, luego agregar los huevos de a uno e incorporar las nueces, chocolate, ralladura, nuez moscada y cerveza negra, batir hasta que todo esté incorporado, finalmente agregar la harina, bicarbonato y polvos de hornear.

- Llenar los moldes hasta 3/4, hornearlos durante una hora o hasta que al insertar un palito de brocheta, éste salga limpio.

- Para el glaseado simplemente mezclar jugo de naranja con azúcar flor y verterlo sobre el pan de pascua =)

Lemon Meringue Pie Cupcakes

I made this lemon meringue pie cupcakes yesterday because I really needed to bake some of these cuties...and what a better way to enjoy a warm afternoon than with something really citric...mmmm....this is how they look on the inside:

Can you see it??....it was soooo delicious!

Ingredients:

Cupcakes: (makes about 30)

- 3 cups flour

- 2 cups sugar

- 1 tbsp baking powder

- 3/4 tsp salt

- 4 large eggs

- 1 cup room tº milk

- 1 cup butter at room tº

- 2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

- Mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt until well combined, you can do it with your electric mixer if you want.

- In a large measurement bowl whisk the eggs, milk and vanilla...then add it slowly to the dry misture and beat until all the ingredients are well combined.

- Divide the batter evenly among the liners, about 1/3 and make a hole in the middle, like this:

Then in the middle of the hole add about a teaspoon of the lemon mixture.

Ingredients:

- 1/2 can condensed milk

- 1/4 cup lemon juice

- 2 egg yolks

Directions:

- Mix the condensed milk and lemon juice for about a minute and then add the egg yolks, mix until well combined. And now you can fill your cupcake.

When they´re done put then in the oven for about 20 minutes or until golden.

This is how they look when they´re ready....mmmm....but there´s one thing missing....

The meringue! Beat 4 egg whites until hard peaks are formed and add syrup (6 tbsp sugar and 6 tbsp water, bring it to a boil until thick). And beat well until it is cooled (7 minutes aprox). Finally add some icing sugar (1/4 cup) and beat for another minute.

Decorate your cupcakes!

And for a final touch use your kitchen blowtorch if you have one....but if you don´t then don´t worry....because they look good anyway.

But is so fun to burn them ahahahahaha!

And one last one picture......awww...so cute! Hope you like them.

Tiny Pizzas...Yum!

Yesterday we had spaghetti night at my sister´school...I was gonna go with her and my boyfriend, but we found out that they had cancelled at the last minute....but we decided to still eat something yummy....so we made tiny pizzas...with all kinds of filling. Since we were at home there was also my brother and my great-aunt...my parents were out, but we made some for them too. Each one of us made our own pizzas.....they turned out fantastic!

Ther we have: Ham, salame, corn, mediterranean sauce, bolognese sauce, mushrooms, cheese, caramelized onion, basil, scallion, green pepper, orange pepper, and for seasoning: oregano, merquen (smoked chile), salt, cayenne pepper, and dill.

Here´s how they look after they came out of the oven:

This is a ham, cheese, salame, mushroom and green pepper pizza.

And this is a ham, cheese, onion, mushroom and orange pepper pizza.....this was mine....so goooood!

Pizza dough: (24 tiny pizzas aprox)

- 4 cups flour

- 2 large eggs

- 1/2 cup warm milk

- 1 tsp salt

- 12 tbsp oil

- 2 tsp baking powder

- cayenne pepper, dill, oregano, etc.

Directions:

Put all the dry ingredients and mix, and then add the rest of the ingredients, knead the dough until it is firm (about 1 minute) wrap it with plastic foil or put it in a ziploc bag (remember to remove the air) and let it rest in the fridge for half an hour. Meanwhile wash and cut all the ingredients you want for filling the dough, and butter and flour your molds.

Prepare your pizza and put it in the oven for 15 minutes....enjoy!

For making the caramelized onion:

- 2 small onions or 1 big onion

- 1 cup of water, aprox.

- 1 beef stock cube (or 1 tbsp soy sauce)
- 1 tbsp sugar

- 5 tbsp oil

Directions:

Heat your frying pan and add the oil, then sitr in the onions when the oil is hot, and fry until they tender (about 10 minutes), then add some water for another 10 minutes more....finally add the stock cube and sugar...yum!

Chicken enchiladas

These are my dad´s favorites...and no wonder cause they are perfect for when you just want to prepare a quick lunch and if you want you can make the filling ahead and prepare them in just minutes, this is what you will need:

- 12 flour tortillas

- 2 chicken breasts cooked and cut into cubes

- 1 cup heavy cream

- 150 grs chopped nuts

- 200 grs mushrooms

- 1 cup grated cheese

- Salt and pepper

- Preheat your oven at 375º (180ºC).

- In a large bowl mix the diced chicken, nuts, mushrooms and cheese, then add the cream and finally season it with salt and pepper.

- Then fill the tortillas and wrap them, put them in a glass pan and cover them completely with cream, that way they won´t burn in the oven.

- Finally sprinkle some grated cheese and put the chicken enchiladas for about 15 minutes or until they are golden.