Small Party Clone Costco Sheet Cake

Mar 30, 2022

Small Party Clone Costco Sheet Cake – Candy Coated Culinista

I’m am currently on a retro sheet cake mood and I remembered that Costco cake that was at every get together along with other cake selections. But in the time of smaller gatherings do we really need a full sheet cake. This is my take on that Costco classic.

Yield/Serving: 12 -18 slices
Prep Time: 20 min.
Cook Time: 20 min.
Difficulty level is: medium

Ingredients
⦁ 1½ cups granulated sugar
⦁ 1½ cups all-purpose flour
⦁ 1½ tsp baking powder
⦁ 1½ tsp baking soda
⦁ ½ tsp sea salt
⦁ 1 3/4 cups milk, divided
⦁ 2 eggs
⦁ 6 tsp vanilla extract, divided
⦁ 3/4 cup canola or sunflower oil
⦁ ½ cup heavy cream
⦁ ½ package instant vanilla pudding mix
⦁ 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
⦁ 5 cups confectioners’ sugar

Assembly
Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Spray 9″ x 13″ cake pan with non-stick cooking spray.
3. Add parchment paper to the bottom of the pan.
4. Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, combine sugar, flour baking powder, baking soda and sea salt.
5. Add in eggs one at a time.
6. Pour in one and a quarter cups milk, 3 tsp vanilla extract and oil and mix until just combined.
7. Pour into pan and bake for 20 minutes until light and golden brown or a cake tester inserted comes out clean.
8. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
   Filling
9. Using a stand mixer with the whisk attachment add half cup of the heavy cream, ¼ cup of milk and 1 tsp of vanilla extract.
10. Whip the mixture and add half a package of pudding mix until combined.
11. Increase speed to whip until a thick pudding.
12. Transfer to a bowl and place in the refrigerator to chill.
    Buttercream
13. Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, whip butter until smooth.
14. Add in the two cups of confectioners’ sugar one cup at a time.
15. Slowly add in ¼ cup of milk along with 2 tsp of vanilla extract.
16. Add in the remaining confectioners’ sugar.
17. Once combined increase speed and whip for 5 minutes.
    Cake
18. Cut cake in half and place on a cake cardboard or platter.
19. Make an outline around the edges of buttercream.
20. Fill with pudding.
21. Place other half of cake on top and crumb coat and place in fridge for 1 hr to set.
22. Frost sides with a spatula and pipe words, decorate and add sprinkles.

Please Enjoy
My thoughts
Okay this cake was soooooooo delicious. I was 100% worried that the filling would leak even with the frosting barrier. I have never added a filling to a cake and I just didn’t know the outcome. Well I was unnecessarily worried as the filling stayed put and you know what it tasted delicious. The cake was moist with a nice crumb and the filling was creamy and rich with vanilla. The decoration was done in that retro style and lettering. My decorating skills are still lack luster but I see small improvements and for my first time piping cursive and it was half decent. One day I will have the most perfectly decorated cake however; for now taste and love will have to bring my cakes home.

Small Party Clone Costco Sheet Cake – Candy Coated Culinista

Small Party Clone Costco Sheet Cake – Candy Coated Culinista

Caprese Salad Salad

Mar 25, 2022

Caprese Salad

I was totally craving a caprese salald but I only wanted the esscence of the salad.

Yield/Serving: 6
Prep Time: 10 min.
Cook Time: 10 min.
Difficulty level is: Easy

Ingredients
Salad
⦁ 1 bunch spinach, stems removed
⦁ 24 mini bocconcini balls
⦁ 1 pint multi-coloured grape tomatoes, halved
Dressing
⦁ 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
⦁ 1/4 cup fig balsamic vinegar
⦁ sea salt, to taste
⦁ Black pepper, to taste
⦁ 2 tbsp honey

Assembly
Salad

1. Combine spinach. bocconcini and grape tomatoes into a bowl and set aside.
   Dressing
2. In a small bowl mix together ingredients until imulsified.
3. Drizzle over salad and serve.

Please Enjoy

My thoughts
I just really love salads and trying new combinations. I saw this mini bocconcini balls and knew what i was making imemdiately just without the basil.

Mint Maple Hot Chocolate Cookies

Mar 15, 2022

Mint Maple Hot Chocolate Cookies – Candy Coated Culinista

Spring is almost here. We had Fool’s Spring a week ago and then it snowed again. Well now the weather looks like it is consistently going up and this is my farwell to winter cookies.

Yield/Serving: 16
Prep Time: 35 min.
Cook Time: 12 min.

Difficulty level is: Medium

Ingredients
⦁ ½ cup plus 2 tbsp unsalted butter, browned
⦁ 8 large marshmallows, cut in half or quarters
⦁ 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
⦁ ¼ cup cocoa powder
⦁ 3 tbsp After-Eight hot chocolate mix
⦁ 2 tsp baking soda
⦁ ½ tsp sea salt
⦁ ¼ cup coconut oil, soft but not melted
⦁ ½ cup granulated sugar
⦁ ½ cup demerara sugar
⦁ 200g mint chocolate chips, melted
⦁ ½ tsp peppermint extract
⦁ 1 large egg, room temperature
⦁ ¼ cup maple syrup
⦁ 4 tbsp milk
⦁ ¼ cup granulated sugar, for rolling

Assembly

1. Preheat oven to 325°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Using a saucepan over medium heat place butter in saucepan and stir ocassionally. When it begins to foam and crackle continue stirring until an amber light brown colour is acheived.
3. Remove from heat and place into a heatproof bowl and place in refridgerator for 45 minutes until solid.
4. Place marshmallow pieces onto a cookie sheet and place in freezer.
5. In a large bowl whisk together flour, cocoa powder, hot chocolate, baking soda and salt and set aside.
6. Using a heatproof bowl melt mint chocolate chips and stor at 30 second intervals until completed smooth.
7. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed, beat brown butter, coconut oil, granulated sugar, demerara sugar together until light and fluffy.
8. Add egg and mix until incorporated.
9. Add maple syrup and mix on low speed.
10. Add melted chocolate and continue on low speed.
11. Slowly add in dry ingredients until combined and don’t overmix.
12. Add 4 tbsp milk.
13. Divide batter into 16 pieces and then and remove marshmallow from freezer.
14. Take first ball and split in half and add marshmallows to it and cover with other half of dough and roll in granulated sugar.
15. Place cookies on baking sheet leaving two apart to allow to spread.
16. Let cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes and then transfer to cooling rack.

Please Enjoy
My thoughts
I had fun experimenting with this recipe. It took three changes to get to this recipe. The cookies is slightly crunchy around the edges and fudgy chewy in the center. If you are a fan of After-Eights and Mint Chocolate Chip anything this is for you. I don’t care for Mint Chocolate since I was a kid; but I wanted to have fun creating a recipe and it turned out quite well. A touch of maple along with the mint makes this one delicious cookie.

Korean Short Ribs

Mar 10, 2022

Want to try something new? I love ribs and never have had these. I really don’t know how I have never tried these before.

Korean Short Ribs

Yield/Serving: 4
Prep Time: 10 min.
Cook Time: 4 to 6 min.
Difficulty level is: Easy

Ingredients
⦁ ½ soy sauce
⦁ ¼ cup golden brown sugar, packed
⦁ 1 Asian pear, peeled and finely grated
⦁ 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
⦁ 1 tbsp sesame oil
⦁ 1 tbsp grated ginger
⦁ 1 tbsp sesame seeds
⦁ 2 green onions, thinly sliced
⦁ 2 pounds Korean style beef short ribs

Assembly

1. Using a medium bowl, whisk together soy sauce, sugar, pear, garlic, sesame oil, ginger, sesame seeds and green onions.
2. Pour into a zip loc bag and add shirt ribs and marinate overnight turning the bag occasionally.
3. Using a grill or grill pan on medium-high heat, add short ribs flipping once until cooked about 2 to 3 minutes on each side.
4. Serve.

Tips
⦁ Serve with jasmine rice and bok choy.

Please Enjoy
My thoughts
Tender, juicy and so simple for a weeknight meal I wish I had found this cut earlier. The marinade seals it which the delicate pear notes. This will be in my rotation more when I find this cut at the grocery store.

Rosemary Bread for One

Mar 2, 2022

Rosemary Bread for One – Candy Coated Culinista

So I was craving carbs hard and this happened.

Yield/Serving: 1 small loaf
Prep Time: 15 min.
Inactive Time: 1hr & 30 min.
Cook Time: 35 min.
Difficulty level is: Easy

Ingredients
⦁ 1 tsp active dry yeast
⦁ 1 tsp honey
⦁ 2/3 cups warm water
⦁ 1 tsp kosher salt
⦁ 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
⦁ 1 sprig rosemary finely chopped

Assembly

1. Using a large mixing bowl combine yeast, honey and warm water.
2. Let yeast proof for 5 minutes until mixture is foamy.
3. Add flour and mix with a spatula until mixture comes together.
4. Add salt and mix until no dry flour remains.
5. Cover bowl with a clean towel and let rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
6. When dough has risen, flour surface and tip dough out. (Don’t punch the dough)
7. Shape dough into a round folding into itslef twelve times until it stiffens.
8. Place in a small bowl seam side down and cover for another 30 minutes to an hour while you preheat oven to 460°F.
9. Place Dutch oven in the oven also with the lid on and allow to heat up.
10. Remove Dutch oven from oven just beore your ready to bake and place dough seam side up on parchment paper inside.
11. Bake for 25 minutes with the lid on.
12. Remove lid and then bake for 5-10 minutes more.
13. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool for at least 30 minutes.

Please Enjoy

My thoughts
I love bread but a loaf of bread is far too much bread for one person to consume in my opinion. So I stay away from breads for this reason; but sometimes I crave it and I have the perfect recipe now for just enough for a few days and I’m good til the next time. The bread was fresh and with the rosemary and a smear of butter it was delicious.