Gone in 21 hours….

And 10 of those Aiden was sleeping!  Aiden has devoured 75% of this yummy cake:

Aiden is my baked goods fiend.  He will try my creations and ask for them over and over again.  Jakob likes certain things I make; chocolate chip cookies, cupcakes, sugar cookies, and chocolate cake.  But when it comes to new things like scones, biscuits, or this ah-mazing Strawberry Cake, he hesitates.  Not sure if he will like it he immediately says “No, Thank You” rather than taking a bite to see if he likes it.  Quite frustrating as this goes with ALL food, if he isn’t sure he will like it he refuses to try it.  Makes for a very limited diet for him.   But I digress.

Aiden makes it easy for me to consider if a recipe is a success or not, usually by how quickly he devours it.  And I will guarantee that this recipe from Maria, Two Peas and Their Pod, is a KEEPER.  With strawberries about to come into season here, I can picture this being made many times over.  And will make it with other berries as the seasonal fruit comes in. I look forward to making it again and adding a little bit of lime to it….maybe a glaze?  Not that it needs it.  It is light, a delicate crumb, with the burst of berry slices peeking out.  It is called a cake, but I had no problem serving and eating this for breakfast….Aiden inhaled his piece! (I also recommend eating this with a little dollop of whipped cream….just saying!)

You can find the recipe HERE.  And while you are there, check out Maria’s recipes for cookies….she always has great cookies going on!

Tuesday's with Dorie...chocolate cream pie, my way!

Chocolate Cream Pie with a Layer of Caramel

in a Pretzel Crust!

I was really looking forward to this week's recipe. I love chocolate cream pie. I love Sonic's chocolate cream pie blended thingy....

When looking at the recipe I decided that a chocolate pie crust was not what I wanted to do...I needed to mix it up a little. So I went the salty sweet way....I decided to make a Pretzel Crust! I food processed up some pretzels, mixed in a little salt and sugar and some melted butter to bind it all together. I baked it and was happy when the second time around it held together as a nice tart crust! I also decided to 1/4 the recipe and make two little tarts.....better for my figure and I think they are just cute as can be! A whole chocolate cream pie has no place in my kitchen! And friends are too far away to be taking treats to them every week....so I plan it into my diet these days. It seems to be working.

Back to the pies..... I also decided that to go with the salty pretzel crust that there needed to be a layer of caramel. I think I made it a little too think...but we will see. This was the perfect chance for me to use some of the AMAZING Askinosie chocolate that I got in the mail a couple of months ago.....it is a Mexican 75% dark chocolate....do dark....see?

The chocolate cream in this pie is so rich...I LOVE IT! And I used some of my fantastic vanilla sugar to sweeten the whipped cream just a touch! Absolutely perfect. This pie is rich, creamy, chewy, salty, chocolatey and absolutely phenomenal. I will be making it over and over again.

Be sure to check out the other TWDr's here, and see all their wonderful creations.

And thank you to Kim, from Scrumptious Photography, for choosing this wonderful dessert.

Leave me a comment and let me know what you think!

Take Care,

Tania

Love Big, Bake Often

YWPWT meets TWD

Let me start off by saying that I don't "do" bananas. I like the flavor just fine, but the texture really grosses me out. I can't peel and bite into a banana, I don't like banana pudding, or banana cream pie. (I do like banana bread - no chunks please) So when I saw that this weeks Tuesday's with Dorie was Banana Cream Pie I knew that there would have to be something else baking in my kitchen again. I am so sorry my TWD friends....I just couldn't do it. But hop over to Sing for Your Supper, Amy has Dorie's recipe for the pie there.
Side note: after reading and seeing the pics of all the other TWDr's pies I think the boys really would have loved it! Sorry Boys!


I have had pies on my brain for awhile to come up with my submission for this month's You Want Pies with That? This month's theme is Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, chosen by Jacque & Natashya.


And so I give you.........
Joaquin Phoenix's Cuckoo Coconut Custard Cream Pie!

It is a delicious graham cracker crust, filled with thick and creamy toasted coconut custard, and topped with a vanilla rum whipped cream. And it is divine - I only ate half of one, but I could have eaten all four! But then I wouldn't be able to sit up and type this! Not good!

I cannot wait to submit this as my contribution. It came to me in a dream, as most of my great ideas do, and I was giddy about it. I hope you think I am as clever as I do!! Toot, toot...that's my own horn you hear!

I am going to make next weeks TWD for sure, I promise, no matter what.

Until then,

Take Care, Tania

Love Big, Bake Often

Lessons in Whipped Cream

Tonight Jakob learned the fine art of having whipped cream "dispensed" into your mouth directly from the can!! What a thrill. He thought it was the best thing ever, like he was doing something wrong and doing it with Mama. I got a HUGE kick out of it too. There was such a look of pride in his eyes. Just amazes me how something as simple as Redi-whip can make the end of the day wipe out all the whinning and stubborness of the day. Ahhhh....

Love BIG, Bake Often
Tania