Such Pretty Things

Eton Mess with Pastel Meringues

I have literally been meaning to share this recipe since last August! When we returned home from vacation in Italy last summer, I discovered that the beautiful pastel meringues I had brought back with me did not survive the journey. They were a sad, crumbly mess and I felt just terrible.

What to do?  Well, when life hands you smashed meringues, you make Eton Mess! If you are not familiar with it, Eton Mess is a classic British dessert that typically consists of a delicious combination of fruit, whipped cream, and meringue. I decided it would be the perfect (and pretty) solution to my crushed meringue debacle. :-)

Ingredients:

- 1 pint Heavy whipping cream

- 1 tsp. Vanilla extract

- 2 T. Confectioner's sugar

- Meringues (homemade or store bought)

- Fruit of your choice (I used strawberries)

 Directions:

Begin by making the whipped cream. Please don't use anything from a can or tub for this, real whipped cream is so simple to make and it tastes sooo much better!  Just place your cold heavy cream in the mixer. I like to add a little sugar and vanilla to mine, but this is totally optional. Whip on high speed until fairly thick - just be careful not to over-whip it or you will end up with butter! Next, crumble your meringues into small pieces (I was obviously able to skip this step!). Just place them in a plastic bag and crush them lightly with a rolling pin.

Now, wash and prepare your fruit.  I used strawberries because I really like them and they looked good, but you can use any fruit you like.

I just sliced them into bite-sized pieces.  Now, the fun part!  Mix it all together.  Yes, it will be a real "mess", but that's totally OK!

I like to serve Eton Mess in individual clear martini glasses because the ingredients look so pretty, but you can use any type of serving vessel (I've even made this as one large dessert in a trifle bowl).

As a finishing touch, I topped mine off with more meringue bits.

Eton Mess makes a really lovely - and surprisingly light - spring or summer dessert.  Perfect for Easter or Mother's Day!

XOXO

Jessica

Chocolate Covered Matzoh

The Jewish holiday of Passover begins this Friday night and if you celebrate (or even if you don't!), you might want to try making some chocolate covered matzoh. It's crunchy and sweet with just a little salt for contrast - sort of like a yummy chocolate covered pretzel. And so simple to make- only three ingredients!

Ingredients:

- Matzoh (I used the salted variety)

- Chocolate candy melts (white, milk, dark, etc...)

- Sprinkles, mini marshmallows, chopped nuts, etc...

Directions:

Lay your sheets of matzoh on a parchment covered baking sheet. Melt the chocolate according to the manufacturer's directions and spread evenly over the matzoh. I just covered one side, but if you want to make it truly decadent, let one side set up and then turn it over and coat the other side.

Working quickly, sprinkle on the toppings of your choice and allow to completely set up.

Once the chocolate is hardened, break up the matzoh into pieces and serve. Delish! And pretty, too!

Happy Passover!

XOXO

Jessica

Pretty Baking: Rice Krispie Caramel Bon-bons

I always like to give home-made sweets to family and friends for the holidays. In addition to the requisite cookies this year, I thought I'd make some Rice Krispie Caramel Bon-bons. These are truly delicious and so simple to make - only five ingredients and no baking required!

Ingredients:

- 8 cups Rice Krispie Cereal

- 3 T melted Butter

- 4 cups Mini Marshmallows (or 10 oz. large marshmallows)

- 8 oz. Caramels (I like Kraft)

- 1 package Chocolate Melts (white, milk, or dark)

- Sprinkles, crushed peppermint candies, nuts, etc... (optional)

- Toothpicks

Directions: Place rice krispie cereal in a large bowl. Melt Marshmallows with butter and stir to combine. Melt caramels according to package directions. Using a large spoon, quickly stir the melted marshmallow mixture and caramel into the cereal. It will be HOT, so be careful! Once it cools to the touch, you may want to use your hands to form the balls.  Try coating them with a little butter or cooking spray to keep the mixture from sticking to your fingers. Once mixed, quickly form little balls (approximately 1-inch in diameter) and place them on a cookies sheet to harden.

Melt chocolate according to directions. Pierce each bon-bon ball with a toothpick and use it to dip the ball in the chocolate. Decorate them immediately with sprinkles, if desired. Then place on a parchment or wax covered cookie sheet. Remove the toothpicks before the chocolate hardens and then allow the balls to set up completely.

Once set, you can present them in pretty boxes or tins.  I love these pretty berry baskets from Shop Sweet Lulu... 

Just fill them with colorful tissue and fill with your bon-bons! Of course, you can also just serve them to your family and guests! These really are yummy - the addition of creamy caramel elevates them (beyond the typical rice krispie treat) to true candy bar status!

Happy (no)baking!

XOXO

Jessica

Mini (Half) Birthday Bundt Cake

I think I've mentioned before that half-birthdays are a pretty big deal in our family. I guess we just love any excuse to celebrate...and eat cake! This year, I cheated a bit and bought a mini vanilla bundt cake at Whole Foods.  It was so cute and just the perfect size for a "half" birthday.  I whipped up some pink icing to drizzle over the top and decorated it with a variety of colorful sprinkles...

To add to the festive feel, I added some pastel confetti,

mini party hats,

and a sweet little birdie garland...

If you personally don't embrace the whole "half-birthday" thing (although you really should!), this mini party would be great for just a regular old birthday as well. :-)

XOXO

Jessica

"Sugared" Sugar Cookies for Valentine's Day

I always make sure to bake some heart-shaped cookies for Valentine's Day. I often make my "sugared" sugar cookies - which are really just sugar cookies, covered with icing and sprinkled (liberally) with colored sugar. 

Here's how I make them: I always start with a a good basic sugar cookie recipe - my favorites are from the incredible Glory of Glorious Treats and Martha Stewart. You will also need icing in as many shades as you wish (I chose light pink, hot pink, lavender, and mint) and matching sugars in the same colors.

People always ask me for my pourable icing recipe, but the truth is, I don't use an actual recipe. I just kind of wing it - in a bowl, I place some sifted (for smooth icing) powdered sugar. Then I add some milk, one tablespoon at a time until the icing is thick, but still pourable. I also like to add some clear vanilla extract for flavor. When I have my desired consistency, I add my food coloring.

As for the colored sugars, you can easily buy them at the supermarket or cake decorating supply shop. But, if you are picky about exact colors and/or want to save some money - tint your own - it's soooo easy. Just place some sugar in a ziploc baggie with a bit of powdered food coloring and shake it up. That's it!

After my cookies are baked and cooled, I place them on a wire rack set inside a larger cookie sheet that has sides (this is a must or you will have icing flowing all over the place). To decorate the cookies, I just pour the icing over the cookies until they are completely covered and then quickly sprinkle on the matching colored sugar.  Yes, it's a bit messy, but really simple - and the mess stays in the pan!

You can seen some variations of these that I've made in previous years, here and here.

XOXO

Jessica

Homemade Hot Chocolate

Like much of the Northeast, we are enjoying another snowy day around here.  The girls are delighted to miss another day of school and we're having fun just hanging out in our pajamas, snuggling under piles of blankets, and watching movies. Oh, and drinking hot chocolate. LOTS of hot chocolate.

On lazy days like this, I like to make my own - it's really simple and tastes sooo much better than the grocery store variety.

Here's what you'll need (Makes approx. 4 cups):

- 4 1/2 cups of milk

- 1/4 cup of good quality unsweetened cocoa (Hersheys is good, but also try Callebaut or Droste)

- 1/2 cup sugar

- 1 tsp. vanilla extract

- Marshmallows, whipped cream, sprinkles (optional)

Directions: In a saucepan, mix the cocoa, sugar, and 1/2 a cup of the milk together. Cook at medium heat, stirring constantly until the sugar has dissolved and mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat and add remaining 4 cups of milk and vanilla. Heat to desired temperature.

And serve with toppings of your choice!

Stay warm and cozy!

XOXO

Jessica

 

 

Pretty Chanukah: Sufganiot (Donuts!)

I can't believe how quickly the holiday season has arrived this year!  With both Chanukah and Thanksgiving this week and Christmas and New Year's just around the corner, I feel as if I will hardly have time to catch my breath!  Can you relate?  Anyway, I am going to do my very best to fit in lots and lots of festive and creative holiday ideas!

Today, I wanted to share a super easy shortcut for making Sufganiot, the delicious jelly donuts that are traditionally served during the celebration of Chanukah. Nothing beats the real thing, but if you find yourself short on time and you're not in the mood to break out the deep fryer, these will do quite nicely.  I begin by buying fresh donuts from a fabulous bakery in my neighborhood...you may of heard of it? Dunkin' Donuts? Yes, Dunkin' Donuts! I like to buy the little Munchkins (so cute) and I find that the plain vanilla glazed ones work the best (the chocolate ones, while yummy, are just too dense to fill). Using a pastry bag fitted with a good sized round tip, make a small hole in the bottom of the donuts and gently fill with some jelly of your choice (I like raspberry). Next, make up a quick glaze of powdered sugar and milk (it should be thick, but pourable) and dip the tops of the donuts in the glaze, allowing the excess to drip off.  Immediately sprinkle with some colored sugar or sprinkles and place on some parchment or wax paper to set up. As you can imagine, these are an especially popular treat with the kiddies!  And soooo easy and inexpensive (the Munchins are only about $7 for 50!).  They make great holiday gifts, too....

XO

Jessica

S'mores Bars

Looking for an easy and delicious Autumn treat? Look no further - these S'mores Bars are truly incredible!

They taste just like real s'mores, but come in a neat little bar version. I adapted the recipe from Ann Thorton's Spicy Smoky S'mores Bars. Hers are wonderful, but these are a bit more traditional.  Here's what you'll need:

Ingredients:

1 1/2 sticks salted butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
3 cups milk chocolate chips
4 cups mini-marshmallows

18 plain graham crackers (about 2 packages)

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottom and sides of a 9 by 13-inch baking pan with foil or parchment paper, leaving some extra overhang for lifting the bars out later. If using foil, grease well with some extra softened butter.

Place the graham crackers in a plastic bag and smack it with a rolling pin until the crumbs resemble a fine meal.  You will need about 2 cups. In a large bowl, combine your crumbs with the sugar, vanilla and melted butter. The mixture should look and feel like wet sand. Set aside a heaping 1/2 cup of the crumb mixture for the topping. Press the remaining crumb mixture into the bottom the foil-lined pan. Pop your crust into the oven and bake until it is golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove the crust from the oven and allow it to cool.

Melt the milk chocolate - either in a saucepan over low heat or in the microwave, watching it carefully and stirring every 30 seconds until melted.

Preheat the broiler.

Pour the melted chocolate over the cooled graham cracker crust. Spread the chocolate evenly over the crust. Sprinkle the marshmallows over the chocolate and press them lightly into the chocolate. Then, sprinkle the reserved crumb mixture over and in between the marshmallows so that you cannot see the chocolate peaking through the marshmallows.

Broil the bars 6 inches from the flame until the marshmallows are golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes.

Refrigerate the bars until the chocolate is set and hard (2+ hours). Grab the ends of the foil/parchment and lift the bars out of the pan in 1 piece. Move the whole thing to a cutting board and cut it into 24 squares.

Oh, and make sure to make lots of these, as I promise you they won't last long!

:-)

Jessica

Chocolate Caramel Apples

Well, Autumn is officially here. I can see the leaves are starting to change color and apples abound at the local farmer's markets. I decided it was time to make some caramel apples...or better yet, chocolate caramel apples!

These are delicious and so fun to make with the kiddies. I could get all fancy and make my own caramel, but honestly, Kraft does a pretty darn good job.  So, grab a bag or two of caramels (the sticks are usually included), some good quality chocolate, some of your favorite apples (I like to use a nice, firm variety with a hint of tartness to offset all that sweetness), and some sprinkles.

Your apples should be at room temperature. Wash and dry your apples very well. Remove the stems and Insert the sticks firmly into the apples. Dip your apples in the caramel according to the directions of the package (the microwave makes this super easy) and set aside to dry on some parchment paper. When the caramel has set up, dip or drizzle the apples with the melted chocolate....and quickly add some sprinkles before it hardens. Allow to set up completely.

A few tips: Try to use organic apples or those from the farmer's market. The ones in the supermarket often have wax on them that will interfere with the adhesion of the caramel. Also, after dipping in the chocolate, you can put the apples in the fridge for a few minutes to help the chocolate set up quicker.

For fun, I like to put mine in cello bags and tie them with come ribbons made from vintage fabric!

Bon appetit!

:-)

Jessica

 

Frozen Lemonade Popsicles

With long, hot summer days upon us, I thought it would be fun to make some frozen lemonade popcicles.  My family LOVES frozen lemonade and we always make sure to get some when we are visiting fairs and amusement parks.

These popsicles couldn't be easier.  All you need is lemonade (I like homemade, but there are many good store-bought varieties available), liquid food coloring (this is optional, but I just love the colorful results), popsicle molds, and popsicle sticks. To make the striped pops, simply divide your lemonade into as many parts as colors desired. Add your food coloring to each one. Home-made lemonade has barely any color, so you really shouldn't have any issues getting your desired colors. For pastel shades, just use a tiny drop and if you over-do it, just dilute with more lemonade. Now, fill each mold with a little bit of the first color and freeze. When that layer is frozen, add your next color and so on. Remember - you will need to add your popsicle sticks when the liquid level is high enough to touch the sticks. Continue layering and freezing until your molds are completely filled.

You can also try tilting the molds (just be careful not to spill!) to get a diagonal effect!

Voila! The perfect summer treat!

XOXO

Jessica