Thanks to Random.org, we got the names of everyone who gave us a Valentine's Day retweet, assigned them a number, and got ourselves two winners for heart and abstract homemade marshmallows!

Congrats Joyce and Zendy!!!

The Number:  1089

The Winners:

What to do now:  In order to mail you your marshmallow treats, I need you to email me at info [at] kissmybundt [dot] net

Getting your Treats: To get your treats, please email me your name and your mailing address, and they'll go in the next day's mail!  You must respond by Tuesday, February 22st because the Marshmallows will expire.  :)

I've been combing my imagination for the perfect "sweet" recipe that I could share with you all so that you can take some time this week to make for your friends and loved ones.  Something unique that would "WOW" them.

First, I thought about a bite-sized layer cake square covered in dark chocolate glaze.  Maybe a chocolate and hazelnut cake with Nutella buttercream covered in dark chocolate glaze.  I made some on Saturday for a Birthday Party.  And while Incredibly delicious, it didn't seem "unique" enough.  

Then I thought about a vanilla cake with a strawberry buttercream, coated in vanilla bean royal icing…  

Tasty, but I still wanted to share something more unique with you all.

Last night was pretty cold in Los Angeles, which is almost comedic since I just returned from Chicago's 29 degree evenings.  As a result of last night's chill, I thought of the perfect treat for Valentines Day.  

First, this treat is a home-made take on a classic that many people don't know you can make at home.  Because the gift is crafted, it increases its value.  Another thing about this treat is that it's perfect with real hot chocolate, which can keep you warm on a winter night.

My Favorite Valentine's Day  2012 recipe would have to be Haute Chocolate with Homemade Vanilla Bean HEART-shaped Marshmallows.

When I made this for friends last night, I was surprised how many of them had never had a homemade marshmallow or even knew you could make it in your own home with less than 6 ingredients.

Without further delay, Happy Valentine's Day to all of our loved ones and super supportive friends/fans.

Recipe

House-made Heart Shaped Marshmallows*

Non-stick dusting solution

• 1/4 cup cornstarch  
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

Marshmallow Ingredients

• 1/2  Cup of cold water
• 3 envelopes of unflavored gelatin (or 3 tablespoons)
• 1 1/2 cups granulated white sugar
• 1 cup and 1 tablespoon of light corn syrup
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 vanilla bean or 1 tablespoon of vanilla bean paste or 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract

 DIRECTIONS

 1. Pre-Measure (“Mise”):  Measure out all the ingredients and set aside.  (This process moves so quickly, so this is an important step.)

2. Set Gelatin:  Pour cold water into a bowl and sprinkle gelatin on top.

3.  Prepare Pan:  Grease (or spray with an oil spray, like Pam) a 13x9x2 brownie pan.   In a small bowl combine cornstarch and powdered sugar.  Next, pour some of the dusting mixture into the brownie pan and coat the pan.  Tap out the excess.

4. Cook Sugars:  Combine salt and sugar.  Pour sugar, salt, and corn syrup into a medium saucepot and bring to a boil.  Cook for about 8 minutes, or until the mixture reaches 260 degrees on a candy thermometer.

*Candy Thermometer Hint:  Attach thermometer to the side of the saucepot, but be sure that the tip of the thermometer isn’t touching the bottom of the pot.  If it is touching the bottom of the pot, it will register the heat of the pot and not the contents of the pot.

5. Prep Mixing Bowl:  While your sugar mixture is coming to a boil, put the gelatin into the mixing bowl.

6.  Pour Sugar Mixture into Gelatin:  When the sugar mixture is close to 260 degrees,  turn mixer onto medium high speed (level 8 on a stand mixer).  When the sugar mixture reaches 260 degrees, immediately remove from heat and pour into the gelatin mixture.  Beat for 4 minutes.

7. Add Vanilla:  Into the sugar and gelatin mixture, add contents of 1 vanilla bean (scraping the insides and not the pod). Conversely, you can add 1 tablespoon of vanilla bean paste or 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract. 8. 

8.  Continue Beating:  Continue beating for 4 more minutes.

9. Spread It: Grease a rubber spatula, and transfer marshmallow fluff into the prepared baking pan.  This stuff cools quickly, believe me, so spread before it cools. Cover with plastic wrap.

10.  Cool it:  Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

11.  Cut It:  Dust a countertop or cutting board with cornstarch mixture.  Flip marshmallow sheet out of pan and onto cutting surface.

• To make heart shapes, lightly grease a heart-shaped cookie cutter and cut out the heart shapes.  If you’re finding it hard to punch through the marshmallow, I like to use a rolling pin to “roll” over the cutter for extra help. 

• Alternatively, you can cut the marshmallow into strips and cut into small pieces
• No matter what method you use to cut the marshmallows, I recommend dusting in the cornstarch mixture to make sure the edges aren’t sticky

Marshmallows will keep for up to a week in a air-tight container.  Do not refrigerate.

For a Haute Chocolate, follow this Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 2 Cups of Milk
• 3 tablespoons of sugar (you can use whatever sweetener your want, and sweeten to your own taste)
• 2.5 ounces of dark chocolate (around 54% cacao).
• 2 tsp cocoa powder (for added richness)

Directions:

• Pour milk into a sauce pot  and bring to a near boil.
• Add all the ingredients and whisk together until chocolate is melted.
• Drop in some homemade marshmallows and warm up with the ones you love!

Enjoy!

-Chrysta

While I operated Kiss My Bundt Bakery as a retail bakeshop, red velvet cake was best seller year-round.  We would sell about 4 red velvet cakes for every 1 cake of another flavor, which is amazing given that we offered about 14 different flavors each day.

I'm not exactly sure why Red Velvet is so beloved, but I do know that nearly every bakery I visit, from San Francisco to New York City, sells more Red Velvet than any other flavor, just like I did.

Perhaps it's the alluring red color, perhaps it's the indistinguishable flavor (is it Vanilla?  Chocolate? ), or many its the cream cheese frosting.  Either way, this Red Velvet cake recipe helped put me on the "map."  

Now that we're moments away from Valentine's Day, I thought that one of the best recipes to share with you all is this Red Velvet Cake.  The obvious red color makes this cake a Valentine's Day "go-to".    Whether its for your best friend, partner, kids, or co-workers, this is a great way to express love and affection for the special people in your life.

For your baking support, I'm going to share my recipe with you.  

Actually, we shared it with the LA Times about 3 years ago when they asked us for their recipe.  And, you should know, they considered our Red Velvet cake one of the best in the City!  What an honor!

Kiss My Bundt's Red Velvet Cake Recipe

A good friend of mine was talking about his favorite pie.

I mentioned mine were apple or chocolate silk.  Now that I think about it, I also love Coconut Cream Pie.  He then raved about "Kool-Aid Pie". Then he made one. Have you ever had this? 

As requested:  A Kool-Aid Pie Recipe, from my good friend Dorian.

Ingredients:

1.)  Two packets of Kool-Aid in any flavor you like.  (no matter how you slice it, it's going to be an unnatural color!)

2.) 1 can of condensed milk.

3.) 1 tub of Cool-Whip.

4)  1 pre-made graham cracker crust.

Directions:

1.) Combine Cool-Whip, Condensed Milk, and Kool-Aid Packets.  Dorian used a blue lemonade Kool-Aid that was so tart, I had him had 5 tbsp of powdered sugar.

2.) Pour Kool-Aid "Cream" into the Graham Cracker Crust.  

3.) Refrigerate for 2 hours to set the filling.

Now, as crazy as this recipe is, and for the many months I "dogged" my friend for this dessert abomination, it really wasn't half bad.  In fact, it was kinda tasty.  I won't be selling to my clients, but there may be a party or event that this could be really kitschy and fun.

And there is it–Kool-Aid Pie!

It wasn't until I was in college that I first discovered Nutella.  It wasn't something we ate growing up in the South.  But, like many of the foods I discovered once I moved to the West Coast, I can't image a life without it.  

Smooth, like peanut butter, but not as tacky/sticky. Chocolatey, but not overwhelmingly so. And Nutty, as the name Nutella would suggest.  On toasted baguettes or on a freshly dipped pretzel (or finger), Nutella really is special.  

So, in honor of World Nutella Day, I created a Chocolate Nutella Cake.  The recipe below is for you.  If you make it, let me know how it went!

Kiss My Bundt's Chocolate Nutella Cake

Ingredients:

Chocolate Nutella Cake

• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup whole milk  (You can use skim, 2%, whole, or soy.)
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil  
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup boiling water
• 8 ounces of hazelnuts, roasted and ground
• ¼ C Nutella

Chocolate Nutella Glaze

• 6 ounces of dark chocolate
• 6 ounces of unsalted butter
• 1/3 Cup Nutella

DIRECTIONS:

Step 1:  Roast the Hazelnuts:

We roast the hazelnuts to develop a great flavor and to easily remove the husks on the nuts.  If you find hazelnuts with their husks removed, you could still roast the nuts for 7 minutes, or until browned.

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Spread the hazelnuts on a cookie sheet.  I like to line the cookie sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
3. Place cookie sheet in the oven, and bake for 15 minutes, being sure to shake pan every 5 minutes to toss the nuts around.
4. Remove pan fom oven and let nuts cool for 2 minutes.  In batches, pour nuts into a dish cloth and rub them around so remove the skins.  Discard the skins and place cleaned nuts into a bowl.
5. When all skins are removed, place nuts into a food processor and grind until fine.  Stop before you make nut butter.
6. You should have about 1 Cup of hazelnuts.
7. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.

Step 2:  Infuse the milk

Hazelnuts have a lot of flavor not only in their meat but also in their natural oils.  By letting the nuts steep in the milk, the milk gains the hazelnut flavor, thus ensuring that flavor will exist throughout the cake batter.

1. Measure 1 cup of milk and put into a saucepot.  Add the ground hazelnuts. 
2. Warm the milk over medium heat for 4 minutes. 
3. Remove milk from heat and set aside.

 Step 3:  Make the Cake Batter.

1. Make sure oven is set at 350°F. 
2. Grease and flour your pans.  This recipe makes 2-9”inch rounds or 1 large (12 Cup Capacity) Bundt Pan
3. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large mixing bowl.
4.  In a separate bowl, combine eggs, oil and vanilla.  Beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes.  Slowly add the cooled milk and hazelnut mixture. 
5. Slowly add the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients.  Be sure to scrape the sides of the bow.
6. Stir in the Nutella.
7. Stir in boiling water at a low speed to minimize splattering.  Please note the batter will be thin. 
8. Pour batter into prepared pans.
9. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.  (9”inch cake rounds should take about minutes.   Big Ol Bundts should take about 50 minutes. 
10. Cool cake 15 minutes and then remove from pan to wire rack.
11. Cool cake completely before frosting.

Nutella Chocolate Glaze

1. Over medium heat, melt the butter.
2. Once butter is melted, remove from heat.
3. Combine the butter and chocolate.  Let ingredients sit one minute, then stir until chocolate is completely melted. 
4. Stir in Nutella.

 At this point, the glaze will be fairly thin because it is hot.  The cooler it gets, the thicker it gets.  The thicker it gets, the more coverage you’ll have on the cake (and the more you'll have in your belly).

FROSTING YOUR CAKE:

For a Bundt Cake:  Pour the glaze over the bundt cake.

For a layer cake:   You can use a cooled glaze to spread between layer cakes or use a buttercream of your liking.  You can use warm glaze to pur over the cake just as you would ganache.

First, a disclaimer:

To make this pie in 20 minutes or less, you gotta implement a few shortcuts.  I guess I'm semi-invoking Sandra Lee on this one…but just this once, I promise@

•  Store Bought (pre-made) Crust:  This recipe calls for pre-made pie crust dough.  Now, you all know how I feel about scratch made:  things taste better when made from scratch, plus, you get the bragging rights.  But if you don't have the time to make the dough from scratch, you can make a decent pie with a filling that compensates for the pre-made crust.  Here's an interesting taste test done by Good HouseKeeping Magazine on store-bought crust.  
• FYI:  I'm testing a bunch of pie crust recipes using butter, lard, shortening, and vegetable oil for a series on pies I'll be writing about in the Spring, just in time for berry season. 

Now, to the 15-20 minute pie recipe.

This recipe was used to make 2 little apple tarts for a nice dinner for two.  Perhaps a nice Valentines' Day touch for the apple of your eye!

Equipment Needed:

1. Two 4 or 5-inch tart pans.
2. Knife
3. Peeler
4. Saucepot

Ingredients:

• Store-bought pie crust. (I used Pillsbury, which is pretty much a salty/savory pie crust that isn't very sweet. )
• 2 medium sized apples (i like Granny Smiths or Pink Lady's for the firm texture.  Using one of each gives you tart and sweet contracts in your pie.)
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/3 Cup Brown Sugar
• 2 tablespoons of milk (I used skim. You can also use water).
• A small pinch of salt* (optional)
   

Directions:

1. Get Hot: Preheat oven to to 400 degrees.

2. Get Dough:  Unroll pie crust onto a cutting board, or counter dusted in flour or covered with parchment paper.

3. Portion Crust:  Lie dough on top of tart pan and when you have a 2 inches of overhang, cut the dough. Each 9-inch round will make 2 pie crusts (2 bottoms and 2 tops)  Press dough into the tart pan to form the crust, being sure to press the bottom and sides firmly.  Alternatively, for a 4-inch diameter pie crust you want to cut a 5.5-inch diameter circle with a cutter (or if using a knife, cut a 5 inch square, press in tart pan, and cut off excess).

4. Bake Crust:  Once crust is in pressed into the tart pan, cut a 6 inch piece of parchment paper and place into the bottom of the raw pie crust.  On top of the parchment, place about  1/3 cup of dry beans. These pie weights will make sure the pie crust bakes flat without bubbles on the bottom.  Bake for 8 minutes.  Then, remove from oven and take out the parchment and beans.  Place back in oven for 2 more minutes. Then remove from oven.

5. Make Filling:  While the pie crust is in the oven, peel 2 medium sized apples.  Slice the sides off of the apple, and dice.  (yields about 7 ounces of chopped apples).  Toss Apples with cinnamon and salt.  Place apples into a sauce pot over medium heat.  Meanwhile stir milk (or water) into the brown sugar until the sugar is dissolved.  Now add this sugar liquid into the apples and stir until coated.  Cook for 4 minutes.  (at this point, you should be taking the pie crusts out of the oven.)

6.  Get Filling into Crust:  Distribute caramel apple filling equally into the pie shells.  If you cannot wait, you can eat the pie right now.  Dollop with whipped cream or ice cream for an even tastier treat.

7.  Top Crust Time: If you are so inclined to make a top crust, it's worth the time.   You'll have 1/2 of the pastry crust circle remaining.  Using the Tart Pan as a cookie cutter, cut out two top crusts with the remaining dough.  *Note, if you don't have more than 2 tart pans, you will have to cut the top crusts at the same time you cut the bottom crusts.   Place Pie Crusts on top of the apple filling, pressing down to seal the pie.  Cut two slits in the top so any moisture can steam out.  Brush top of crust with milk (I omit an egg wash to keep this pie simple).  Then sprinkle crust with sugar. (White or Raw work better than brown sugar).  This adds sweetness to this savory-esque crust, and it gives it a nice sparkle, too.

8. Final Bake:  Bake Pie at 375 degrees for 10 minutes, or until crust is browned.

9.  Eat. EAT.  EAT! 

Come see our Photo Album and Citrus Tips from the Kiss My Bundt Bakery's Facebook:  

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Sign up for this Sunday's Baking Class at Surfas Los Angeles, and get 20% off:  (offer expires Friday 1/13/2012): 

In case you didn't get this link on Facebook or Twitter this week, here is a repost:

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When it comes to holiday baking flavors, there are many flavors that represent the season.  To me, Egg Nog has to be in the Top 3.

This delicious cake can be made with or without alcohol.  I'll share the recipe adjustments, just in case you want to decrease or increase the amount of alcohol in your cake.  

Egg Nog Cake:  Adapted from from "Kiss My Bundt:  recipes from the award winning bakery." 

Cake Ingredients:

6 ounces of unsalted butter

1 1/2 cups of granulated white sugar

3 large eggs, room temperature

1 cup eggnog + 1/4 Cup of Bourbon or Rum or Brandy. 

•    To increase the "booziness" you can use 3/4 C of eggnog and 1/2 C of your favorite alcohol.

•    Though the alcohol will mostly bake-out, if you would like to make the cake alcohol-free, you can use 1 1/4 Cup of Eggnog and omit the alcohol from the recipe)

2 1/2 cups flour

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

Cake Directions:

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. 

2. Using an electric mixer, combine the butter and sugar until creamy and fluffy. (about 2 minutes)

3.  Add the eggs, one at a time, making sure each egg is fully incorporated before adding another.

4.  In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. Set aside.

5. Combine the eggnog and alcohol into 1 container.  Set aside. 

6.  Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients into the butter mixture. Next, add 1/2 of the eggnog mixture.  Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl.  Continue mixing the batter, alternating between dry (flour mixture) and wet ingredients (eggnog mixture) until all ingredients are thoroughly mixed.  Begin and end with the dry mixture.

7. Pour the batter into pans that have been greased and floured. **The recipe will make one (10 to 12 cup) bundt cake, 24 mini bundt cupcakes, 16 cupcakes, and two 9" cake pans.

8. Bake until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean and the cake doesn't jiggle when shaken, about 55 minutes for a Big ol Bundt cake. 


9. Cool the cake in the pan for at least 10 minutes. Then invert onto a serving plate. If cake resists, cool for an additional 15 minutes. Cool completely before frosting, at least 1 hour for a single large bundt cake.

**This cake recipe makes 24 Mini Bundt Cupcakes (1/2 C capacity) or 12 Baby Bundt Cakes (1C capacity)

Classic Egg Nog Glaze:

Ingredients:

~3 Cups of Powdered Sugar (measured then sifted).  

~1/4 Cup of Liquid* (For your liquid, you can use any combination of eggnog, bourbon rum, or brandy).   

Directions:

1. Put liquid into a mixing bowl.

2.  Slowly add the powdered sugar into the liquid until powdered sugar is completely dissolved.

3.  If you want a thicker glaze, add more powdered sugar.  For a thinner glaze, add more liquid.

4.  Pour glaze on a cooled cake, and let glaze set and harden (about 30 minutes).

5.  To spice up presentation, sprinkle ground nutmeg on top of the white glaze!

6.  Eat and enjoy!

To booze up cake even more, you could brush pure brandy, rum, or bourbon onto the cake before adding the glaze.

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Happy Baking and Happy Eating… and Happy Holidays!

"My daughter and I took a baking class about 1-2 years ago. I have kept the recipes we received and I have a question on your buttercream frosting- for the plain unflavored buttercream recipe asks for 8 oz of Butter- is this unsalted butter? I bragged about having an awesome recipe and am now committed to making 50 cupcakes- I don’t want to ruin the frosting. Please let me know!!!!!"

If this question was related to cake batter, in a pinch, you can use salted butter and just omit any salt for the recipe.  But since this question is about buttercream, the answer is that it needs to be 100% unsalted butter.  Salted Butter = salty buttercream.  And if that's not the flavor profile you are going for, you will be displeased.

Happy Baking

Seasonal Baking Class: Winter Citrus Cakes 

Kiss My Bundt Baking Academy @SURFAS

While we normally associate citrus fruits with summertime and lemonade, in Southern California, we see an abundance of Blood Oranges, Grapefruit, Naval Oranges and Lemons in our Winter Months.

This baking class features our favorite cakes that feature the tart and sweet sides of citrus. 

For more information, view the class description here:  http://wintercitrusbaking.eventbrite.com/