All posts by Ashley

Spiral Cookies

These cookies were certainly an experiment based off of a recipe that I found, which immediately reminded me of Pilsbury’s slice and bake cookies that used to hit store shelves for tons of different holidays. They’re a nice, crisp almost crumbly texture that reminds me a bit of shortbread. The almond flavouring is also a nice touch. The recipe calls to do this in a food processor, but I don’t have one, so I had to adapt a bit to make it work. The key to these is to be patient when rolling up the dough!! It’s actually a bit tricky and if you aren’t careful, they dough will crack.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups + 2 Tablespoons flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2/3 cup icing sugar
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 1/4 cups (285 grams) unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • food colouring
  • sprinkles

Directions

1. In the food processor, combine 2 cups of the flour, baking powder, salt, icing sugar, and sugar. Once combined, add the cubes of butter and process again.

2. Add the vanilla and process until the dough comes together in a ball. Divide the dough in half, and set half aside.

3. Add the almond extract, 2 Tablespoons of flour, and the food colouring. Process until combined and the colour is evenly distributed throughout the dough.

4. Roll out each half of the dough between two sheets of baking parchment or wax paper. Try and keep them squared and relatively the same size. This will make your life a LOT easier. Place each sheet of dough onto a baking sheet (still sandwiched between the paper) and place in the fridge to chill for about 2 hours.

5. Once chilled, remove the dough sheets from the fridge and remove the top sheet of wax paper from each one. Stack the sheets of dough on top of each other, trying to line them up as close as possible. Gently roll over the stacked dough a tiny bit just to meld them together, then trim the long edges with a sharp knife to even them up. Leave them to sit until they soften a bit.

6. When the dough is more pliable, gently roll the dough into a log, starting at the long end. Take your time at this part so that you don’t split or crack the dough!

7. Once rolled, completely coat the log of dough in sprinkles. The easiest way to do this is to pour all of the sprinkles out onto a large baking tray so that they don’t roll all over your kitchen. After coating, tightly wrap the dough in plastic wrap, then place in the fridge to chill again for a few hours. I left my dough in overnight just to be sure.

8. When the dough has thoroughly chilled, preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C).

9. Remove the log from the fridge and remove the plastic wrap. Using a sharp knife, slice the log into 1/4-inch (0.6 cm) thick slices. Place them on a baking sheet, leaving a lot of space around them, as they will spread a bit. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes. These cookies don’t turn golden brown, so be careful not to overbake.

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by Ashley on February 8, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Cookies
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Posted by Ashley on February 8, 2012

https://pajamabaker.com/2012/02/08/spiral-cookies/

Earl Grey Cupcakes with Lemon Buttercream

Living in the UK, I’ve come to learn that the British value their cup of tea. So when I came across this recipe for Earl Grey cupcakes, I had to pay sugary tribute to the afternoon cuppa. My only challenge was converting a vegan recipe to a normal one, but it worked out well. I think my favorite part of the cupcake is the super fresh lemon-y taste from the buttercream, and the hint of tea that starts to work it’s way through your tastebuds as the cupcake melts in your mouth. These cupcakes do not rise very much, but are super soft due to sifting in the dry ingredients, so be sure to fill the cases up to just below the brim.

Ingredients

For the cupcakes:

  • 1 cup milk
  • 4 Earl Grey teabags
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/2 plain yogurt
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda (sodium bicarbonate)
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1/2 teaspoon orange zest
For the frosting:
  • 1/2 cup (115 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 cups icing sugar (sifted)
  • zest of 1/2 lemon
  • 1-1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375° F (approx 190°C). Place cupcake liners into a the pan.

2. In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, heat the milk until just before boiling. Add the tea bags, the orange zest, and the lemon zest; stir and remove from the heat. Cover the pan and let sit for 10 minutes. After that time, remove the tea bags, being sure to squeeze all of the liquid out of them.

3. In a large bowl, mix together the oil, yogurt, sugar, vanilla and tea mixture until all yogurt lumps disappear. Mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, in a separate bowl then sift into the wet mixture. Mix until all of the large lumps are gone.

4. Fill each of the cupcake liners with the batter to just below the brim. Bake for 15-20 mins, or until a cake tester comes out clean when pushed through the center. Let rest in the pan for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

5. To make the frosting, cream the butter in a large bowl using an electric mixer. Gradually sift in the icing sugar, scraping the bowl with a spatula in between each addition. Add in the lemon juice and lemon zest, then continue to mix on the high setting until the frosting becomes light and airy.

6. Fill a piping bag with the buttercream and pipe onto the top of the cupcakes.

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by Ashley on January 29, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Cupcakes
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Posted by Ashley on January 29, 2012

https://pajamabaker.com/2012/01/29/earl-grey-cupcakes-with-lemon-buttercream/

Oreo Cheesecake Brownies

In my internet recipe hunting, I came across this recipe for Oreo Cheesecake Brownies from Sweet Pea’s Kitchen. I absolutely LOVE cheesecake brownies, and it had been a looooong time since I last had one. So combine my love for cheesecake, chocolate, AND Oreos?! How could it be any more perfect?

I gave these brownies a shot, and they were wonderful. However, this recipe only makes about a half-batch, so you may want to double up if you want to make a full 9×13 Pyrex dish’s worth. In a way this works out well, since I have 2 half-size Pyrex dishes, so I made one normal batch, and one batch with peppermint added to the cheesecake, which was also delicious. Also, I had to increase the baking time quite a bit – most likely due to using the deeper pans. So be sure to keep an eye on them to avoid over or under baking! You’ll know when they’re done when the cheesecake swirls start to brown on top a bit.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup (115 grams) unsalted butter
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
  • 3/4 cup icing sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened dark cocoa powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 1/3 cups coarsely chopped Oreo cookies

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350° F (approx 175°C). Butter the bottom and sides of a 8 inch metal baking pan (I used glass Pyrex dishes for my brownies). Put a long piece of parchment paper in the bottom of the pan, letting the parchment extend up two sides of the pan and overhang slightly on both ends. (This will make it easy to remove the bars from the pan after they have baked. This is a must do!!) Butter the parchment.

2. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Whisk in sugar and bring to a boil, whisking frequently; boil 1 minute. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes.

3. In a medium bowl, beat together cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar and vanilla extract until combined, about 1 minute using a hand mixer. This will be the cheesecake for your brownies. If you want to make the peppermint version, use 1 tsp of vanilla, and 1 tsp of peppermint extra. You can also swirl in some red food colouring if you’d like.

4. In a separate medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder and salt; whisk until combined.

5. In a second large bowl, whisk together eggs until combined. Whisk in melted butter-sugar mixture until well combined. Stir in flour mixture until just combined, followed by Oreo cookies. Again, if you’re making the peppermint version and it’s around Christmas – try substituting with the red creme-filled Oreos for that extra holiday touch.

6. Bake for 24-28 minutes, until brownies and cheesecake are set. A knife inserted into the cheesecake mixture should come out clean and the edges will be lightly browned.

7. Let cool completely in pan on a cooling rack before lifting out the parchment paper to remove the brownies. Cut, and serve.

2 Comments
by Ashley on January 28, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Brownies, Holiday Baking
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Posted by Ashley on January 28, 2012

https://pajamabaker.com/2012/01/28/oreo-cheesecake-brownies/

Peppermint Bark

Peppermint Bark is one of my favorite holiday treats. My dad used to make it, and there’s something about the crunchy, minty, chocolate-y taste that just makes it perfect for Christmas. It’s also a super simple way to make homemade gifts for family and friends. I don’t have an exact recipe for this, because I just eyeball it and do everything based on intuition, so here’s a step-by-step guide.

Ingredients

white chocolate
dark chocolate (I use dark instead of milk, because it doesn’t melt as easily in your hands, making it easier to handle)
peppermint extract
candy canes
red food coloring

Directions

1. Crush the candy canes into tiny pieces. The easiest way to do this is with a food processor; but if you don’t have one, just double bag the candy in some ziploc bags and press down on them with a rolling pin or hammer. Be sure to put a towel under and on top of the bags so you don’t dent your countertops!

2. Slowly melt the dark chocolate in a double boiler, with the water on a simmer. Be sure not to let any water or steam drip into the chocolate, because that ruins it! As the chocolate is melting, stir it with a spatula to help prevent it from burning and to help keep it smooth.

3. Line a baking tray with plastic wrap, then pour in the melted dark chocolate so it forms a thin layer. Then place the tray into the fridge to set up.

4. While the dark chocolate is in the fridge, melt the white chocolate in the same way. Once the chocolate is melted, stir in the peppermint extract.

5. Remove the dark chocolate tray from the fridge, then pour the white chocolate on top. You may need to use a spatula to spread it evenly, just be careful that you don’t use too much pressure, as some of the dark chocolate may mix in (it melts a tiny bit because of the hot white chocolate).

6. After pouring in the white chocolate, use a toothpick to swirl the red food coloring through. Then sprinkle on the crushed candy cane pieces. Return the tray to the fridge to set up for at least an hour.

7. When the chocolate is all set, use the overhanging plastic wrap to slide the chocolate out of the tray. Then carefully press down onto the chocolate to break it into large chunks. Store these in an airtight container. You can store in the fridge, but be sure to let the bark sit out at room temperature for about ten or fifteen minutes to soften a bit so you don’t break your teeth!

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by Ashley on January 15, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Holiday Baking, Sweets
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Posted by Ashley on January 15, 2012

https://pajamabaker.com/2012/01/15/peppermint-bark/

The Pajama Baker

My name is Ashley. 

I grew up in Virginia in a family that loves to bake, so naturally I found myself interested in all things flour, sugar, and icing. In 2010, I moved across the Atlantic to study for my Master’s degree in London. I decided that the best way to make the UK seem more like home was to bake. I quickly found myself covered in flour almost every weekend, and I gained quite a reputation amongst my friends for my cakes, cookies, brownies, and other baking experiments.

During the week, I work as a design strategist, but on the weekends, I tend to bake. My boyfriend laughed when he’d wake up to the aroma of warm vanilla wafting through our flat, only find me in the kitchen on Saturday mornings, still in my pajamas, covered in flour or chocolate and with the oven on full blast.

So I’ve decided to chronicle my weekend adventures in baking in order to compile a collection of my favorite recipes, as well as my experiments in learning new ones.

Here goes nothing!

2 Comments
by Ashley on January 15, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Life

Posted by Ashley on January 15, 2012

https://pajamabaker.com/2012/01/15/the-pajama-baker/

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