College Style Fried Ice Cream

As I said last time, this will be my last post for a while, I'm leaving college for summer (yea!) and I'm going to leave with a simple and tasty treat. When I think of fried ice cream I think of baking complications and birthdays at Mexican restaurants. I don't have a deep-fat fryer to begin with. So this is a slight twist to the average recipe, because let's be real, what college student doesn't have ice cream and cereal in their room? Though I wouldn't suggest Chunky Monkey and Captain Crunch, but a fudgey ice cream and cinnamon flavored cereal wouldn't be horrible. Oh the possibilities...


College Style Fried Ice Cream


1 pint of vanilla ice cream (or desired ice cream, I have Ben & Jerry's Cake Batter)
2 cups of Cinnamon Toast Crunch (or desired cereal)
2 T. butter, melted
3 T. honey
1/8 tsp. cinnamon

Fresh Scoops

Crunched cereal and butter

Scoop desired size of ice cream scoops and place on either a plate or baking sheet. My fridge can only hold plates and I don't have an ice cream scoop so my spoon created small scoops. Freeze for about an hour or more; until they're firm.

Scoops rolled in cereal mix

In a shallow bowl, crunch cereal and mix with melted butter until mixed. Then roll ice cream scoops until completely covered in cereal. Freeze overnight. If you wrap them in plastic wrap, they can be frozen for a longer period of time.

Scoops with honey drizzle

When ready to serve, stir the honey and cinnamon in a microwave safe cup or bowl and microwave until smooth and runny, about . Place ice cream scoops into bowls and drizzle with honey mixture. Serve immediately.

Some ice cream/cereal combinations probably won't work with the honey drizzle so you might want to leave it off. You can also use normal toppings like chocolate and caramel, and they are good enough to eat without a drizzle even.

Until I bake next, I'm Sarah

Peace

Cooking Storage in Small Spaces

One of the biggest problems with baking in small spaces is limited storing space. As I'm in a college dorm, what little storage I have goes to clothes and other material goods - not baking. However, I've made it work. Here are some tricks that I use.

I have a drawer in my dresser that I use as a 'pantry' and goods area:

I fit (from left to right) food coloring, cinnamon sugar, sprinkles, coffee, coffee creamer, vanilla and almond extract, large plastic bags, saran wrap, aluminum foil, four, powdered, granulated and brown sugar, cookbook, salt, honey, tooth picks, baking soda and powder, corn starch, coca powder, cinnamon, rolling pin wrapped in silpat, small plastic bags, cooking spray.

 

 

And it some how still closes shut without problem. Just so you know, the dimensions are 25"x20"x5". Of course all perishables are kept in the fridge.

I also keep all my utensils (minus everyday plates and forks, etc) inside a plastic tub that I store in my closet. I could/should go to the next size up but the lid closes, so I'm not complaining. The dimensions are 14"x10"x7".

 


Pretty much everything that I showed at the beginning of the blog fits in there. The key is to stacking and layering. A deep bowl can hold lots of things and spatulas can fit under the roundness. A flat dish can hold a folded apron if you want to keep it there. Another way to organize it is by importance or by what you use more often. If you want to keep two smaller boxes, one for more used/common items and the other for less used/unique items, that would work also.

I keep my sheet cake pan, cookie sheet, and container in a cloth bag that either hangs from a doorknob or is in its true spot at the top of my closet. I could probably fit them in my drawer but this is just how I've had it.

I'm going to leave for the summer with one last treat to cool off with. Hint: cinnamon toast crunch.

Until I bake next, I'm Sarah
Peace

Freeze and Bake Chocolate Chip Cookies

The problem with wanting a few cookies is that you'll have to bake 2 dozen in the process. However, if you make the dough and then freeze it, you can bake as many as you want when you want to have the cookies. All you have to do is add some time in the oven to compensate. You don't have to use the recipe I use below, it should work with any basic cookie, like sugar, peanut butter, and such.


Freeze and Bake Chocolate Chip Cookies

Small and large bowl, measuring cups and spoons, whisk, spatula, cookie pan, plate, plastic bags, flat spatula

2 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour                          1⁄2 cup granulated sugar

3⁄4 tsp. baking soda                                          2 eggs

3⁄4 tsp. salt                                                           2 tsp. vanilla extract

20 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted                 12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

Mix together the flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl. Set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in the vanilla.

Gradually add the flour mixture and whisk until just combined. Using a spatula, fold in the chocolate chips.

Drop the dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto a cookie pan or plate and put into the freezer for about 30 minutes. Once the drops are frozen, place into a bag to store. This recipe makes a lot, so the bag should last a while if you allow it.

When you’re ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 350 and place the frozen cookies onto a cookie sheet. Bake until golden brown, 15-20 minutes.

Until I bake next, I'm Sarah

Peace

Basic Baking Problems Podcast

I interviewed my mother and sister on simple problems that they've had before in baking. Mary is a dentist in Kansas but always bakes. In her first apartment she had one of the smallest kitchens there is. Katie is a college student, also in Kansas, and though her kitchen is bigger than my mom's first kitchen, it could use some more counter space.

Podcast Powered By Podbean

I want to mention that when we talked about high elevation, the area we have baked in was around 8,600 feet above sea level. If you have any questions to the answers, just leave a comment and I’ll try to respond to them. Baking in all sorts of places is possible, just don’t give up.

Until I bake next, I'm Sarah

Peace

Here is a transcribed copy of the interview. I know it's hard to understand my family at times, so here it is written down. :)

Podcast Script

Really Chocolatey Pie

Now this pie isn't for the week of heart. My mother loves chocolate and so my father and I created this pie. It's simple to make, store, and serve but its rich because of all the chocolate.

Take a store bought pie crust, preferably an Oreo or chocolate one, and put a layer of chocolate frosting. Then sprinkle broken candy as a layer, we chose kit kats. Put another layer of chocolate frosting. Then top with a layer of whip cream and the option to sprinkle more candy pieces. Store in the freezer.

Until I bake next, I'm Sarah

Peace

Panless Tart

I don't have a tart pan, mini tart pan, or even a cupcake pan as previously established. But I want to make a raspberry tart. The presentation isn't whats key to me - flavor is key. I've read that you can use a spring form pan (used for cheesecakes) or even pie pans, but I have neither. The only dish I have with sides is a Le Creuset baking dish that holds about 16 oz (aka, it's not big).

Finished tart

Solution: Most tart pans are 9-11 inches wide and about an inch think. Get basic foil paper, find a round object (like a plate) within those inches and put the object in the middle of the foil. Leave room to fold and scrunch but keep the bottom flat. Try not to poke any holes through. Once the round bottom is formed, fold the foil to create an edge. You can get creative and do a zigzag design that most tart pans have or just keep it a simple flat edge.

Fresh Fruit Pan-less Tart


Utensils needed: small, medium, and large bowls, measuring cups and spoons, whisk, large fork, plastic wrap/bag, knife, small/medium saucepan, spatula

Crust:

1 egg yolk                                               2/3 c. powdered sugar

1 T. heavy cream                                 ¼ t. salt

½ t. vanilla extract                            8 T. (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 ¼ c. all-purpose flour

Separate the egg yolk and whisk in a small bowl yolk, cream, and vanilla then set aside. In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, and salt until combined. Scatter cold butter pieces over the top of the flour mixture and using a large fork, cut and mix the butter until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal; around 5 minutes. Add half of the egg mixture and partially mix with fork, then add the second half and mix completely. The dough should start to clump and stick together. Place the dough in plastic wrap or a plastic bag and press into a flat 6-inch disk-like shape. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

While letting the chilled dough soften slightly at room temperature, time to make part of the pan. Get out some aluminum foil and rip out two equal sheets just over a foot long. Place a plate about 9-inches in diameter in the middle and place something heavy on top. Create a definite flat, round bottom and then fold the extra upwards. Fold the edges backwards in half to create a firm edge, about an inch high. Remove the plate and fold the extra edges in. For a more decorative look, crimp the edges to make a zigzag edge.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough until it is able to cover the bottom of the foil and over an inch in extra. Try to get an even width. Carefully fold the dough in half and then half again into a triangle. Place the tip in the center and unfold. Place the plate on top of the dough and slightly press down to get a slight impression. Trim the edges of the crust by cutting/snipping any dough past the foil edge. Freeze for 30 minutes.

Adjust the oven rack to the middle and heat the oven to 350 degrees, if you actually have a tart pan go up to 375. Set the tart pan on a baking sheet. Take a sheet of foil and place over the tart dough and over the edges. Fill the pan with baking weights or coins. Bake for 15 minutes, rotate, and bake for another 15 minutes. Carefully remove the weights and foil by peeling the corners of the top foil into a pouch. After a few seconds, the foil will actually cool off to touch. Continue baking until the crust is a deep golden brown, 5-10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack or cool towel to cool completely.

Filling:

2 c. half-and-half                               3 T. cornstarch

½ c. granulated sugar                     4 T. unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Pinch of salt                                        1 ½ t. vanilla extract

5 egg yolks

In a separate medium bowl, whisk the separated egg yolks, cornstarch, and remaining 2 T. of sugar together until smooth. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the half-and-half, 6 T. of sugar, and salt to a simmer (little bubbles on the edge and steaming) stirring with a spatula occasionally.

Simmering half&half mixture

Yolk mixture

Turn off heat and slowly whisk about 1 cup of the hot half-and-half into the yolks. Put the half-and-half mixture back on medium heat. Then slowly whisk in the yolks back into the simmering half-and-half mixture. Whisking constantly, return the mixture to a simmer and cook until thickened and a few bubbles burst on the surface, about 30 seconds, this is very quick. Remove from heat, whisk in the butter and vanilla.

Thickened mixture

Butter and vanilla added

Lay a sheet of plastic wrap flush to surface of the cream but away from the sides of the pot until cool enough to not melt the plastic. Refrigerate until cold, about 3 hours. The plastic prevents a skin from forming.

Once everything is cooled, whisk the pastry cream and then spread it over the bottom of the baked and cooled tart crust. When about to serve, place cleaned fruit on top. I used raspberries but you can use strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, kiwi – think of it as a classy fruit pizza. Cover with plastic wrap and keep refrigerated.

Covered tart

Add fruit in any design

I didn't keep track of time this recipe, but I got everything (from the dough to the decorating) done in one day.

Until I bake next, 
I'm Sarah

Peace

Sugar Cookies

At home there's a good chance that there are some cookie cutters lying about. My home always had buckets of different shapes. But here at college - I have zero cutters. I'm also a college student which makes finding the time and money to go out and by cutters limited. Here comes household cookie cutters! There are cups, using a knife to cut shapes, and random cookie cutters you might actually have (I have a cutter of my school mascot for some reason).

Another problem with sugar cookies is that you have roll out the dough and in small spaces that can be hard. The first way to help with that is cut in smaller batches; cut the ball of dough into small chunks.

Sugar Cookies

Makes: ±2 dozen     Cookie prep time: 15 min    Fridge time: 6-8 hours    Bake time: 1 hour   Icing prep and assembly time: 1 hour

Utensils needed: measuring cups and spoons, spatula, whisk, large & small mixing bowls, plastic wrap, flat spatula, small dish, cookie sheet, container, 4 spoon, 2 small bowls, 4 sandwich size plastic bags

The Cookie:

1 c. butter, softened (2 sticks)         1/2 t. almond extract
1 c. granulated sugar                           2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
2 eggs                                                         1 1/2 t. baking powder
1 t. vanilla extract


In a large bowl, using a whisk cream butter and sugar until grainy-smooth, 2-4 minutes. If not using a mixer, cut butter into smaller pieces to mix and use a knife to help declump the whisk. Whisk in eggs and extracts until fluffy, 3 solid minutes. In a separate small bowl, combine flour and baking powder with a spatula. Stir flour mixture in creamed mixture and combine well. Using the spatula, form the dough into a ball and place on a square of plastic wrap to wrap tightly or a plastic bag with the air removed and refrigerate for 6-8 hours or overnight.


After the refrigerated time, preheat the oven to 375 degrees and have the racks at a normal medium height. Cut off a 1/3 of the dough and put the rest back in the fridge. On a well floured surface with a floured rolling pin, roll out a section of the dough to 1/4-inch thick. If you don't trust the cleanliness of your table like me, lightly flour another pan. If you also don't have a rolling pin like I do, use a smooth round object like a can, water bottle, and the longer the object the better. I have a jar of peanut butter to use.


Flour your hands well as this is a sticky dough but with flour it gets better. Work the dough with your hands a little and start flattening the dough with your hands. Flatten your dough and flip it over, reflouring the pan/table if necessary. Flip and roll until until the dough doesn't stick anymore and is 1/4-inch thick.


Get a small flat dish like a plate and put flour in it, this will be to dip the edges of your cutters and cups into so they don't stick. Cut out cookies using cups (an elongated cup can be an oval), cutters, or knifing a shape and transfer using a flat spatula to the cookie sheet (spray or butter if not non-stick). Smash and reroll the dough after you get as many cookies as you can out. If the dough becomes too sticky to work with but back in the fridge and get another section. The very last scrapes of the dough I always smash together and either mold into random shapes or eat it (which isn't good because of the raw eggs...)


Bake 8-12 minutes or until edges are lightly golden brown. Using the flat spatula remove done cookies to another pan or a wire rack to cool for 30 min to an hour. If your oven is browning the cookies too quickly, lower the temp to 350 and increase the time. If you only have one cookie sheet like me then lay a cool damp washcloth under the cookie sheet to help it cool off quickly.

The Icing/Assembly:

2 tubs of store bought icing (preferably white so the color comes through)
food coloring


As the cookies are done and cooling, get two small bowls out and separate the icing into 4 equal shares. Then add food coloring. I'm made blue, red, green, and kept the last section white. Taking a plastic bag and using the spoon for that color, fill the bag but leave room at a corner. Then cut a small corner off, the diagonal line you've made should not be longer than 2 cm. The smaller the cut the thinner the icing will come out. Now you can decorate the cookies with lines, dots, zigzag, outlines - don't forget the sprinkles!

Until I bake next, I'm Sarah

Peace