project: brittle.

This week I've been working on a little Christmas project and that's making brittle. It's a bit time consuming but it's also pretty relaxing. One batch makes roughly 2lbs. And I've made about six different batches. To me, this is definitely a labor of love. I really like baking but for some reason this is my favorite. 

I started off making just the plain peanut brittle then figured I could add some different flavors and it kind of took off. Several different flavors, a few different nuts but for the most part one awesome outcome: everyone that's tried it loves it. 

This year, I had been searching all year ( on and off) on how to make a bacon brittle. I couldn't find anything but just candied bacon. So I took matters into my own hands and decided to make a bacon peanut brittle. It came out pretty decent. Not a complete wow like the spicy nor the cinnamon brittles I make but it wasn't disgusting so that's technically a win in itself. 

Pictured is the different steps to the bacon peanut brittle. 

kitchen adventures: s'mores cupcakes

A friend of mine had given the idea to make s'mores cupcakes... I didn't know how to exactly execute this so it took a bit. I finally figured it out and I'd say it turned out pretty awesomely. It's a graham cracker crust, chocolate cake middle and a marshmallow fluff frosting. This was a nice bounce back from the mishap that the Root Beer Float cupcakes were. 

kitchen misadventures: root beer cupcakes

This week was a bit of a downer. Had found a recipe on another blog that looked so good, I had to try it. Needless to say, they didn't turn out the way they should have, at all. They taste the way they should, they just aren't the picture perfect that I'd like them to be. Oh well, when I get around to it, I know the tweaks that I'll be making.

Also, high altitude baking... I need to remember that.

kitchen adventures: creamsicle(ish) cupcakes.

This week's was a tiny bit of a misadventure. I was trying to make a cream soda frosting but it came out more like a glaze. Hopefully, I know where that step was wrong and soon I'll work on fixing it. These are kinda my take on a creamsicle.

Cupcakes hanging out on the cooling rack

The cupcake front and center is one of the six that I tried with the glaze mishap. Still good and it did taste like cream soda but it didn't come out like it should have. Oh well, can't always come out perfect. 

One of the next cupcakes on my list of ideas to try is a root beer or one with Blue Moon beer. Of course, I'll be posting it so cross your fingers. 

kitchen adventures: cherry lime cupcakes.

I didn't exactly have a recipe for these, just an idea.  They're a lime cupcake with cherry frosting. Not much to change on them, maybe flip the flavors or add some garnish.  Pretty satisfied with the way they came out and that's saying something. 

Here they are close to getting out of the oven. One of these days I'll remember to take pics from start to finish. They even smelled delicious.

Taken right before frosting on the cooling rack. 

Here they are all frosted with some garnished with lime zest. 

kitchen adventures: mountain dew cupcakes.

I've always been a fan of taking a recipe and making it my own. Strawberry peanut butter cookies, spicy peanut brittle... you name it. This time I went looking for this recipe for mountain dew cupcakes, I've tasted them before and they were delicious so I had to see if I could make them for myself. It was fairly easy just a bit messy to make. I'm definitely going to work on perfecting these.

kitchen adventures: apple turon

During the week I found this awesome recipe courtesy of CASA Veneracion. It's an apple turon (think sweet dessert eggroll). I'm pretty sure it's a keeper.

This is the not yet baked but rolled up drizzled in butter. 

And this is the end product. It didn't need the powdered sugar but it sure does look nice. 

this morning's quick little adventure