Streuselkuchen: Crumb Cake

Streuselkuchen: Crumb Cake

Streuselkuchen: Crumb Cake

Streuselkuchen: Crumb Cake

If you love crumb cake you really need to try this recipe from Cooking Classy (link below). Crumb cake in German is called Streuselkuchen, and the crumb is the star of the cake. The cake itself is dense but moist with a lovely hint of vanilla and has a tinge of a tangy bite from the sour cream. The ingredients come together perfectly. I recommend you make the crumb topping first so it sets while you make the cake batter. It is important to let the melted butter cool completely before adding it to the rest of the crumb ingredients.

We enjoyed this Streuselkuchen with coffee at work yesterday and everyone loved it. This recipe is a keeper and it is easy to put together, so whenever you are in the mood for crumb cake go for it. See recipe below.

Streuselkuchen: Crumb Cake

Ingredients:
Cake:
1 cup King Arthur All-Purpose Flour

1/2 cup Granulated Sugar

3/4 teaspoon Baking Powder

 1/8 teaspoon Baking Soda

1/4 teaspoon Coarse Salt

5 tablespoons Unsalted Butter, softened

1 Large Egg

1/4 cup Milk

1/4 cup Sour Cream

1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract

Streuselkuchen: Crumb Cake

Crumb Topping:
1 cup + 2 tablespoons King Arthur All Purpose Flour

1/3 cup Light Brown Sugar, packed

1/3 cup Granulated Sugar

1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon Coarse Salt

1/2 cup, 1 stick Unsalted Butter, melted

Directions:
Grease and Flour an 8-inch square pan. I use Wilton Bake Easy Non-Stick Spray. Line pan with a piece of parchment that overhangs (doing this will make the cake easy to lift out of the pan), and then grease and flour over the top.

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Topping Directions:
Melt butter in microwave for about 30 seconds to 1 minute or more depending on wattage. Do in 15 seconds increments until melted. Let cool completely.

In a large bowl, whisk together brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt.

Add cooled melted butter and combine.

Slowly add flour and mix together with spatula until fully incorporated.

Use a fork to fluff up the mixture until crumbs form; set aside.

Streuselkuchen: Crumb Cake

Cake Directions
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

Whisk together in a small bowl milk and sour cream; set aside.

In the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium-high speed, beat the butter and sugar together until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes.

Scrape the bowl and mix for 5-10 seconds more.

Add egg and vanilla extract and mix until incorporated.

Turn mixer to low speed, add 1/3 of the flour mixture and mix until incorporated.

Add 1/2 of the milk mixture and mix until incorporated.

Add another 1/3 of the flour mixture and mix together.

Scrape down sides of the bowl as needed with a spatula.

Add the remaining milk mixture and mix until incorporated.

Add the last 1/3 of the flour mixture and mix together.

Streuselkuchen: Crumb Cake

Pour batter in prepared pan and spread into an even layer.

Spread the crumb mixture all over the top covering the cake batter completely.

Bake for 32-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

My cake was done in 33 minutes.

Oven temperatures vary so start checking the cake at the 30 minute mark and adjust extra time accordingly.

Let cake cool in pan for about 10 minutes and then lift using the parchment paper overhang onto a wire rack to finish cooling.

Cut into squares and serve on cake plate with coffee or tea. Yum!

If you have leftover (I didn't), store in an airtight container. 

For the Crumb Cake recipe, visit Cooking Classy:
https://www.cookingclassy.com/crumb-cake/

Enjoy!

-Sophia/Two Frys

Stir Fry with Pepper Palace Hawaiian Luau Sauce

Stir Fry with Pepper Palace Hawaiian Luau Sauce

Stir Fry with Pepper Palace Hawaiian Luau Sauce

While we were on vacation in San Francisco, CA we went to the Pepper Palace and Allen tried various samples from mild to extremely hot and bought some hot sauces. We spent a good amount of time in the Pepper Palace and Allen spoke to the manager about various sauces and ingredients. This hearty and very flavorful beef and pepper stir fry meal is easy to make and tastes amazing. We used one of the sauces Allen bought at the Pepper Palace for this dish, Hawaiian Luau Sauce. If desired, you can replace the beef for chicken, shrimp or mushrooms.

Stir Fry with Pepper Palace Hawaiian Luau Sauce

Pepper Palace Hawaiian Luau Sauce is one of the tastiest sauces we have tried. Hawaiian Luau Sauce is a pineapple based sauce with a mild heat level. It has a sweet-tangy taste from the pineapple, mango, honey, and vinegar and is perfect for stir fry. This sauce is versatile and great for chicken, seafood, and your favorite vegetable dishes. The sauce ingredients are: pineapple juice, vinegar, honey, mango, tomato paste, soy sauce, black pepper, salt, ginger, red and green bell pepper, garlic, onion, red pepper, and xanthan gum. The taste is bold and the ingredients are packed into each bite of this sauce. Stir fry recipe below.

Jasmine Rice with Parsley

Ingredients
1 to 2 cups Jasmine Rice (depending on how much rice you want)

Beef Round Steak (or any cut you prefer), thinly sliced

1 Red Bell Pepper, sliced

1 Green Bell Pepper, sliced

1 Yellow Bell Pepper, sliced

Stir fry getting sauced up

Peppers and Onions cooked

1/2 of a medium sized Yellow Onion, sliced

1/2 cup Pepper Palace Hawaiian Luau Sauce

1 teaspoon Sushi Chef Sesame Oil

Beef seasoned

Peppers and onions seasoned

1 tablespoon Kikkoman Less-Sodium Soy Sauce

1 tablespoon Lightly Dried Parsley

Kosher Salt to taste

Cracked Pepper to taste

2 tablespoons, California Olive Ranch Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Here's some Hawaiian Luau Sauce on Allen's Fried Rice from a takeout dinner recently

Directions
Wash, dry, slice peppers and onion, and toss into a bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste; set aside.

Set up your rice cooker and make jasmine rice.

Slice beef and season both sides with salt and pepper.

Allen in the Pepper Palace, San Francisco, CA

Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to large skillet on medium heat and when hot, add pepper strips and sliced onions.

Cook for about 5-7 minutes stirring frequently. When done turn off heat, set aside.

Pepper Palace, San Francisco, CA

Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to large skillet on medium heat and when hot, add beef.

Cook for about 4-5 minutes stirring frequently, add onion/pepper strips and stir together.

The End Hot Sauce, Pepper Palace, San Francisco, CA

Add Pepper Palace Hawaiian Luau Sauce, sesame oil, and soy sauce, and stir together. Simmer for about 5 minutes.

Add parsley to cooked rice and stir together.

Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco, CA

The Two Frys: Sophia and Allen, Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco, CA

Serve beef stir fry over jasmine rice.

For further information about Pepper Palace Hawaiian Luau Sauce and their other products, visit:
https://www.pepperpalace.com/

Enjoy!

-Sophia and Allen/Two Frys

Strawberry Cake

Strawberry Cake

Strawberry Cake

Strawberry Cake

Strawberry Cake

Happy Valentine's Day! I baked this yummy strawberry cake last night for the love of my life, Allen. Today is also our Engagement Anniversary so this cake has a special meaning for us both. I planned ahead with the ingredients since it took me awhile to find freeze-dried strawberries in my area. I am a big fan of the blog, Sally's Baking Addiction and used her recipe for homemade strawberry cake (link below) and it was outstanding in every way. The strawberry taste comes through with every bite. The cake is moist, has a great texture and ever-present strawberry flavor. The strawberry frosting is tangy from the cream cheese with a balanced sweetness from the freeze-dried strawberries. If you love strawberries trust me, you need to bake this cake. It takes a few more steps than a standard layer cake, but the extra effort is well worth it. I bought the sprinkles from Fancy Sprinkles and the Sugar Roses are Wilton. See recipe below.

Strawberry Cake side view

Lots of pretty sprinkles all around the bottom

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups Cake Flour, sifted

2 teaspoons Baking Powder

1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda

1 teaspoon Coarse Salt

3/4 cup, 1 1/2 sticks Unsalted Butter, softened

1 3/4 cups Granulated Sugar

5 large Egg Whites, room temperature

2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract

1/2 cup Milk, room temperature

1/3 cup Sour Cream, room temperature

1 pound Fresh Strawberries reduced to 1/2 cup Strawberry Puree

Strawberry Cake and 1 slice for us each

Such a lovely and yummy cake!

Directions
Cut off tops of strawberries and puree in processor or blender.

On low heat add strawberry puree to sauce pan and reduce for 20-30 minutes. Save 1/2 cup for cake and set aside the rest for a smoothie. Let cool completely. I placed in the fridge for 2-3 hours.

If you have more time leave in fridge overnight.

Strawberry Cake slice

Strawberry Cake, another slice

Heat oven to 350°F.

Grease and lightly flour two 9-inch heart shape, round or square cake pans. I use Wilton Bake Easy Spray.

In a large bowl whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together, set aside.

Pretty sprinkles

Cake is frosted and ready for decorations

Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment on medium-high speed, beat the butter and sugar together until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes.

Scrape the bowl and mix for 5-10 seconds more.

Turn mixer to high speed, and egg whites and beat until incorporated, about 2 minutes.

Turn mixer to medium speed, and add sour cream and vanilla extract.

Scrape bowl with spatula and mix for 5-10 seconds more.

Frosting is complete

Just filled center

Turn mixer to low speed, add flour mixture and mix until incorporated.

Add milk and mix just until incorporated.

Turn mixer off and whisk in 1/2 cup of reduced strawberry puree.

Pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake for around 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Place cakes on wire racks and after 10 minutes run spatula or knife around the edges.

Wait another 15 minutes and invert onto wire racks lined with parchment or wax paper and cool cakes completely, about 1 hour before frosting.

Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

Freeze-Dried Strawberries now a powder thanks to my Ninja

Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
1 cup Freeze-Dried Strawberries (when pulsed to powder you need 1/2 cup for the frosting)

1 8 oz. Cream Cheese, softened

1/2 cup, 1 stick Unsalted Butter, softened

3 cups Powdered/Confectioners Sugar

2 tablespoons Milk

1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract

1/2 teaspoon Coarse Salt

My heart shaped pans and the Freeze-Dried Strawberries I bought

Frosting Directions
In a blender or processor (I use my Ninja) pulse the Freeze-Dried Strawberries into a powder. You will end up with 1/2 cup; set aside.

In a large bowl using a hand-held or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on high speed, beat the cream cheese for 1 minute until creamy.

Beat in the butter and mix until incorporated.

Strawberry cake batter

Turn mixer to low speed and add the sugar, strawberry powder, 1 tablespoon milk, and vanilla extract and beat until incorporated.

Add the last tablespoon of milk and mix for 20-25 seconds.

Add salt and mix for 5-10 seconds more.

Place first cake layer with top down on cake turntable, stand or plate, and cover with frosting.

Strawberry Puree reducing down

Made Strawberry Puree in my Ninja

Add second cake layer with top side down over the first layer, and frost top and then sides of cake.

Place sugar roses over the top of the cake and sprinkles on the bottom of the cake covering all sides if desired.

Place in cake safe and put in fridge to set.

Cover and keep in fridge covered for 5-7 days.

For the Homemade Strawberry Cake recipe, visit Sally's Baking Addiction:
https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2018/01/05/strawberry-cake/

Enjoy!

-Sophia/Two Frys

Strawberry Cookies

Strawberry Cookies

Strawberry Cookies

Wafer Paper Nostalgic Charm Designs I bought from Fancy Flours

I almost did not make these strawberry cookies. It just so happend one day prior to baking the cookies, I could not find a key ingredient, strawberry extract. I checked about 10 stores in my area and no one had it. I decided to use 2 teaspoons of the Jello Strawberry Gelatin powder and added a little milk. The cookies came out amazing. I plan to order strawberry extract online for future baking and so this does not happen to me again. I came across this recipe via the blog, Created By Diane (link below) so refer to her recipe if you are using strawberry extract as I made adjustments. In her recipe she uses chocolate icing, but I needed royal icing. See recipe below. I hope you all have a Happy Valentine's Day.

Strawberry Cookies

Heart with Arrow Strawberry Cookies

Strawberry Cookies with lots of nonpareils

Yield: 2 to 2 1/2 Dozen Cookies (depending on cutter size)

Ingredients
3 cups King Arthur All Purpose Flour

2 teaspoons Baking Powder

1 1/2 cups Powdered Sugar

1 teaspoon Coarse Salt

2 teaspoons of Jello Strawberry Gelatin Powder

2 tablespoons Milk

1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract

1 cup, 2 sticks Salted Butter, softened

1 Large Egg

Lot of sprinkles on these Strawberry Cookies

Strawberry Heart Cookies

Mini Strawberry Heart Cookies

Directions
Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.

Cream butter and sugar in a hand held mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment on medium speed; 1-2 minutes. Do not overmix.

Scrape sides of bowl with spatula and mix for 10 seconds.

Strawberry Cookies

Strawberry Cookies

Strawberry Cookies

Add egg, vanilla extract, milk, and mix until incorporated.

Scrape sides of bowl and mix for 5 seconds.

On low speed, add the strawberry powder and mix until incorporated, about 25 seconds.

Slowly add flour mixture and incorporate.

Strawberry Heart Wafer Paper Cookies

Strawberry Heart Wafer Paper Cookies

Strawberry Heart Wafer Paper Cookies, Close-Up

The dough is ready when it begins to clump around paddle attachment.

Cut in half and roll dough into 2 balls, cover with plastic wrap and chill in fridge for 1-2 hours or overnight.

Take half of the dough leaving unused dough covered with plastic wrap in fridge until ready to use.

Strawberry Heart Wafer Paper Cookies, Close-Up

Strawberry Heart Wafer Paper Cookies, Close-Up

Strawberry Heart Wafer Paper Cookies, Close-Up

Strawberry Heart Wafer Paper Cookies, Close-Up

Heat oven to 350°F.

Use two sheets of parchment paper with dough in between and roll with rolling pin until desired thickness is reached.

If needed, dip cutters in flour, shake off excess, and make shapes.

Place onto cookies sheets lined with parchment paper, and put in freezer for 15 minutes. The cookies hold their shape when you do this.

Bake 9-12 minutes or until the edges have slightly browned. My cookies baked in 12 minutes.

Wait 5 minutes before transferring cookies on cooling racks to complete cooling.

Decorate once cookies have cooled completely.

Strawberry Heart Wafer Paper Cookies, Cupid Close-Up

Strawberry Heart Wafer Paper Cookies, Close-Up

Strawberry Heart Wafer Paper Cookies, Close-Up

Strawberry Heart Wafer Paper Cookies, Close-Up

Large Batch Royal Icing
Ingredients
8 Egg Whites

8 teaspoons Lemon Juice, freshly squeezed

12 cups Powdered/Confectioners' Sugar, sifted

1 teaspoon Clear Vanilla Extract

2-4 tablespoons Water, as needed

Strawberry Heart Wafer Paper Cookies, Close-Up

Strawberry Heart Wafer Paper Cookies, Close-Up

Strawberry Heart Wafer Paper Cookies, Close-Up

Directions
In a large bowl, sift powdered sugar, set aside.

In a bowl, add egg whites.

In a bowl, whisk together the egg whites and lemon juice.

Transfer to stand or hand held mixer with paddle attachment and mix on high for 1-2 minutes.

Add vanilla extract and mix for 5-10 seconds.

Just iced all the cookies

I cut the wafer paper shapes and icing is dry so I can adhere to cookies

Wafer paper adhered

After wafer paper set, I added a border around, and while wet added white sparkling sugar

With mixer speed on low, slowly add sifted sugar and beat on low until smooth.

If needed, you may add 1 teaspoon of water at a time until you reach the right consistency. Watch the Joy of Baking (link at the end) video for both Flooding Consistency and Piping Consistency Royal Icing. If you prefer a recipe using Meringue Powder, it is also available at this link.

Separate the icing in plastic containers with lids according to how many different colors needed for tinting.

I used AmeriColor Soft Gel Paste Food Color in Super Red, Pink, and Fuchsia. Use 1-2 drops at a time until you achieve the color you need.

Icing Colors I used for my Valentine's Cookies

Keep the containers covered until you are ready to color.

Transfer the icing immediately into squeeze bottles.

I outlined the cookies, and waited 1/2 hour and then filled them.

Arrows are Wilton Icing Decorations ordered from Amazon; one cracked in transit :(

Use a paintbrush or cookie stick to reach edges, and use tip of cookie stick or a toothpick to pop any air bubbles.

Add sprinkles, confetti, nonpareils, colored sugars, sugar pearls, silver dragees, etc... over wet icing.

Let cookies dry overnight. This is essential so the icing does not stick together when you stack them or place in cookie tins for gifts.

Sugars, nonpareils, dragees, etc. I used for my Valentine's Cookies

If you are baking and it is humid, you may need more time for the cookies to dry.

Wafer Paper Directions
Once the cookie icing has completely dried use a brush dipped in light corn syrup and carefully brush on the undecorated side, and then gently press design side up onto the cookie.

Carefully move to set in place.

Be gentle or the wafer paper can break easily.

Once you add all the wafer paper designs to the cookies, place wax paper on a wire rack and put the cookies with the designs face down for 10 minutes to set.

If desired, take border icing and run a heart along the wafer edges and while wet, add white sparkling sugar shaking off excess.

Let dry overnight.

For the Strawberry Cut Out Cookies with Chocolate Icing, visit Created By Diane:
https://www.createdby-diane.com/2013/02/strawberry-cut-out-cookies-with-chocolate-icing.html

Please visit, Joy of Baking for the Royal Icing Recipe and Video Tutorial:
http://www.joyofbaking.com/RoyalIcing.html

Enjoy!

-Sophia/Two Frys