Toffee Chocolate Shortbread

 

I recently bought several LorAnn bakery emulsions.  Have you heard of them? They are flavorings that don’t fade in intensity after baking, as alcohol based extracts do.  I really wanted to experiment with the Butter Vanilla emulsion and use it in something that would highlight the flavor.  I normally don’t go for shortbread, but I didn’t have any eggs, so it fit the bill. I added toffee bits to give it some caramelization. Toffee bits are my secret weapon for cookies – they take them to another level.  Let’s see how Butter Vanilla works…

 

Check out the verdict at the end of the post!

Toffee Chocolate Shortbread

Adapted from here.

Ingredients

1 cup salted butter, softened

2/3 cup icing (confectioner’s) sugar

1 teaspoon LorAnn Butter Vanilla (or vanilla extract)

2 cups flour

1/3 cup toffee bits

1/3 cup finely chopped dark chocolate

Directions

1.  In a stand mixer, beat butter for a minute until fluffy. Add sugar and beat until fluffy.

2.  Add vanilla and beat until incorporated.

3.  Add flour and mix on low just until incorporated.  It will have a crumbly texture.

4.  Fold in toffee bits and chopped chocolate.

5.  Put in a ziplock bag (10.5” x 11”) and roll out with a rolling pin with the bag open so that the dough spreads evenly in the bag.  Close and refrigerate overnight.

To bake:

6.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

7.  Open bag by slicing the sides.  Cut into squares (I got 24).  Dock with a fork (prick with a fork so that it pierces to the bottom of the cookie).

8.  Bake on a cookie sheet for 14 minutes – an extra minute or 2 if you like more caramelized edges.  Cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes before cooling on a rack.

 

Ready to pack into a ziplock.

Verdict: These were great! Crispy with caramelized edges. The Butter Vanilla emulsion gave it a subtle vanilla flavor that fit the cookie well.  Some of the other emulsions are strong, so it was nice that this one was more subtle and natural tasting.  I loved how there are such few ingredients in shortbread but the end cookie is soo good!

Malt Cake

Happy Birthday!  It was the boyfriend’s mom’s birthday and I knew I wanted to make her a cake because I didn’t get a chance to last year since the boyfriend told me the day of, that it was her birthday dinner  (rolling eyes).  I wanted to try another cake from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking since the last cake I made from it was such a hit.  I decided to go with the malt cake.

Check out the verdict at the end of the post!

Malt Cake

Slightly adapted from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking

Original recipe was doubled, but I cut it in half to make 3 6-inch layers, which was plenty.

Ingredients

1 cup + 2 Tablespoons cake flour

¼ cup + 2 Tablespoon all purpose flour

½ Tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

½ cup malted milk powder (I used Ovaltine)

1 cup salted butter at room temperature (original recipe called for ½ shortening)

1 cup sugar

½ Tablespoon vanilla

1 cup ice cold water

2 egg whites, room temperature

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line cake pan bottoms with parchment and grease and flour the sides.

2.  Into a bowl, sift flours, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, and malt powder so that they’re mixed.  Set aside.

3.  In a separate bowl or with a stand mixer, beat butter until fluffy (3 minutes).  Add sugar and vanilla and beat for another 3 minutes.

4.  On low speed, add flour mixture and water in 3 additions, alternating, starting and ending with flour.  Mix only until combined.

5.  In another bowl, beat egg whites until they form soft peaks.  Fold into batter.

6.  Divide batter into bowls and bake for 26 minutes (or until toothpick comes out clean).  Cool before frosting (I froze the layers).

 

Before baking.

After baking.

Milk Chocolate Frosting

Original recipe was doubled, but I cut it in half.

Ingredients

4 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

4 oz milk chocolate, finely chopped

¾ cup heavy cream

1 Tablespoon corn syrup

¾ cup salted butter, room temperature

Directions

1.  Place chocolates in a bowl.

2.  In a saucepan, bring cream and corn syrup to a boil over medium heat.

3.  Pour over chocolate and let sit for 3 minutes.

4.  Stir from the inside out until combined and smooth.  Cool to room temperature (I made the day before and let it sit out on the counter).

5.  Beat the chocolate with a whisk attachment for a minute.  Gradually add cubes of butter and beat until smooth and light.

Ready to frost.

Assembly

Place first layer of cake on a plate and spread the Milk Chocolate Frosting on top.  Place 2^nd layer and top with Frosting.  Place top layer on and add a crumb coat to the entire cake.  Place in freezer for a few minutes to harden the crumb coat.  Add final layer of frosting and decorate.

Crumb coat.

Verdict - Everyone seemed to enjoy the cake.  The boyfriend said “malt-y!”.  I was disappointed with the cake layers – they were kind of wet even though they were cooked all the way through.  Maybe it was the freezing process that made them too moist.  However, I really liked the frosting – it was so fluffy, it reminded me of chocolate mousse! I’ll definitely make the frosting again!

Mint Chocolate Layer Cake

It was my friend’s birthday and I wanted to make her a mint chocolate cake because she loves that combo. I might be the only one who’s not a big fan, but it wasn’t MY birthday, was it?  I’ve been wanting to make something from the Baked booked ever since I got it a few months ago, and it was perfect because it has a recipe for Grasshopper Pie.  I deleted the alcohol (my friend is expecting), subbed the shortening with butter, and halved the recipe for a nice 6 inch, 3 tiered cake.

Check out the verdict at the end of the post!

Mint Chocolate Layer Cake

Chocolate Cake Layers

Adapted from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking

Ingredients

¼ cup + 2 Tablespoons of dark cocoa powder

½ cup + 2 Tablespoons hot coffee

1/3 cup sour cream

1 1/3 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

1/2 + 2 Tablespoons salted butter, room temperature

¾ cup sugar

½ cup packed brown sugar

1 ½ eggs, room temp (1/2 egg = 2 Tablespoons)

½ Tablespoon vanilla extract

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

2.  Line bottom of 3, 6-inch pans with parchment, and butter and flour the sides.

3.  In a bowl, combine cocoa, coffee, and sour cream.  Mix and set a sided.

4.  In a medium bowl, sift flour baking powder, and baking soda.

5.  Beat butter in a stand mixer with paddle attachment until fluffy. Add sugars, and beat for 5 minutes.

6.  Add eggs and vanilla and beat until mixed.

7.  Add flour and coffee mixture alternately to butter mixture in 3 additions, beating until just combined after each addition.

8.  Put into pans and bake for 33 minutes.  Cool in pans for 20 minutes before cooling on racks.

*I made a head of time and froze them.  This makes them really moist.

 

Before baking.

After baking.

Mint Buttercream

Adapted from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking 

Ingredients

1 cup + 2 Tablespoons sugar

¼ cup flour

1 cup + 2 Tablespoons milk

¼ cup heavy/whipping cream

1 ¼ cup salted butter, room temperature

1 teaspoon peppermint extract

Green gel food colouring

¼ cup finely chopped chocolate (to add to final coat of buttercream)

Directions

Day 1

1.    In a medium saucepan, mix flour, sugar, and milk. 

2.    Cook over medium heat whisking continuously until it comes to a boil and has thickened.

3.    Pour into a bowl and place plastic wrap directly onto the mixture.  Cool in the fridge overnight.

Day 2

4.  In a stand mixer, whip the thickened flour with a whisk attachment.

5.  Add butter one tablespoon at a time.  Beat until combine and smooth (it took me 30 minutes).

6.  Add peppermint and green food colouring.

 

It's not ready yet. Keep whipping until it's nice and smooth.

Mint Chocolate Ganache

Adapted from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking

Ingredients

3 oz dark chocolate, coarsely chopped

½ cup heavy/whipping cream

¼ teaspoon peppermint extract

Directions

1.    Put chopped chocolate in a bowl.

2.    Bring cream to a simmer and pour over chocolate.  Let sit for 2 minutes, then stir to incorporate.

3.    Add peppermint extract.

 

The ganache.

Assembly

1.  Place first layer of cake on a plate/board.

2.  Spread half the ganache on top.

3.  Spread some buttercream on top.

4.  Place second layer of cake on top, and repeat.

5.  Cover entire cake with a layer of buttercream and put in fridge for a few minutes to firm up.

6.  Mix finely chopped chocolate to remaining buttercream and spread on entire cake.  Decorate and serve.

Verdict: Even though I’m not a fan of mint chocolate, this cake was pretty good.  I really liked the chocolate cake – very moist, strong chocolate flavour, and not too sweet.  I had mixed feelings about the frosting – it was fluffy and not too sweet, but as with every time I make a cooked frosting, it curdled a bit after sitting for a few minutes.  It took 30 minutes to come together, and it was nice and smooth, but started to split.  I’m not sure why this happens to me – I know others don’t have this problem. Luckily, my friend loved the cake and was totally surprised! The boyfriend said that it tasted just like the mint chocolate chip ice cream.