Sweets

  1. May 18, 2013 by The Squishy Monster

    Wanna know a secret?  A crazy one at that?  I used to not be such a big fan of chocolate.  I liked it ok but didn’t get what all the who-ha was all about but as I’ve gotten older, the craving has evolved into something fierce with a life all of its own.  Case in point, I have absentmindedly been licking off homemade fudge by the spoonful all day today.  I meant to reserve it for a bucket of pistachio-pistachio ice cream but it sat there on the counter, ever so not innocently and that was my mistake.  Now I’m making jokes about being air-lifted out of my house on Facebook (but seriously, I kid.  If you want something, I’m a firm believer that you should go after it.  However, it should be good to point out that moderation is key, a word that I know nothing about obviously).

    That being said, won’t you indulge in a bit of chocolate fun with me?  It has less calories that way (I hear) ;)

    How to Make Chocolate Crème Brûlée

    5.0 from 5 reviews

    Chocolate Crème Brûlée
     
    Save Print

    Author:

    Ingredients
    • 2 room temperature egg yolks
    • 1 tb sugar
    • ¾ c room temperature heavy cream
    • 1 tb sugar
    • ¼ c chopped bittersweet chocolate (or chips)
    • 2 ts kahlua (or vanilla)
    • ¼ ts fine salt
    • Sugar for sprinkling (I like using raw sugar but regular granulated works)

    Instructions
    1. In a bowl, whisk together your yolks and 1 tb of sugar.
    2. In a pot over medium-low, heat your cream, 1 tb sugar, and chocolate. Whisk until the chocolate melts and sugar dissolves.
    3. Splash in your kahlua or vanilla and sprinkle in your salt.
    4. Slowly scrape in your yolk mixture and continue to whisk until slightly thickened.
    5. Strain through a mesh sieve and pour evenly into ramekins set in a larger dish and slowly pour hot water half way up the sides.
    6. Bake at 350 for 25-35 minutes. Cool for about 30 minutes and refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours.
    7. Before serving, liberally sprinkle with sugar and caramelize the tops with a hand/blow torch (or use the broiler in your oven)

     

    Categories: Chocolate Chocolate Sweets Sweets Videos | 39 Comments

  2. A Very Sweet Mother’s Day

    May 8, 2013 by The Squishy Monster

    I will eternally be grateful to my mother for her unconditional love and support, not to mention all the lessons she taught me along the way.  I am the woman I am because of her and honestly, I feel like everyday should be mother’s day!  It is from her that I watched and learned how to work hard, persevere, and never give up on what’s important to you.  My mama would work 12-14 hour days while taking care of 2 tots, breast feeding one or the other, and making sure there was a hot dinner on the table every night, never once making us feel neglected or unloved.  She also had the strength to smear on her lipstick and don on her sunday best to sing in the church choir *whew!*  Just thinking about it all makes me dizzy!  Not to mention, mama’s are constantly doing things behind-the-scenes that children are never keen to be it your favorite box of cereal that magically appeared in the pantry, rips and tears that were quietly sewn, or kisses that were gently pressed into the faces of sleeping children.  That’s just what mama’s do.  So whether you’re a mama, have a mama, or know a mama, show them some love!  {and you might be able to start with these incredibly decadent panna cotta} ;)

    Mother’s Day Recipe Panna Cotta

    5.0 from 7 reviews

    Panna Cotta
     
    Save Print

    Author:

    Ingredients
    • 1 c whole milk
    • 4 ts unflavored gelatin
    • 1½ c heavy cream
    • ½ c sugar
    • 2 ts pure vanilla extract
    • ¼ ts fine salt
    • ½ c pureed berries*

    Instructions
    1. Over medium-low heat, stir together your milk and gelatin. You don’t want this to boil.
    2. Stir in everything else until the sugar dissolves.
    3. Remove from the heat and cool for about 10-15 minutes.
    4. Ladle into serving glasses and refrigerate for up to 6 hours.
    5. Garnish with fresh berries (or chocolate curls, candied fruit, etc) and serve cool.

    Notes
    *you could also use the same amount of an infused tea, citrus, coffee, chocolate, etc.

    Last years Mother’s Day treat.

    Happy {early} Mother’s Day!

    Love,

    Your Squishy Monster ^.~

    I love you very, very much, Mama Squishy!!!!!

     

    Categories: Holidays Holidays Sweets Sweets Videos | 42 Comments

  3. Cinco de Mayo!

    May 4, 2013 by The Squishy Monster

    I’ve begun my festivities early as I’ll be spending Sunday with the family watching traditional Korean fan dances, (true story). I took these over to a get together yesterday and they were a hit so my test panel agrees that you should totally try these ;)

    Cinco de Mayo Recipe Strawberry Margarita Cupcakes

    5.0 from 6 reviews

    Strawberry Margarita Cupcakes
     
    Save Print

     

    Author:
    Serves: 1 dozen

    Ingredients
    • 1 c unbleached flour
    • 1½ ts baking powder (not soda)
    • ¼ ts fine salt
    • 6 tb melted unsalted butter
    • ¾ c sugar
    • 3 room temperature egg whites
    • ½ c room temperature whole buttermilk*
    • Zest/juice of one lime
    • 1½ tb tequila**
    • ¼ c strawberry puree**
    • 1 c unsalted room temperature butter
    • 2 c- 2½ c sifted powdered sugar
    • 1-2 tb heavy cream
    • 2 tb tequila
    • Zest of 1 lime
    • Coarse salt/limes for garnish

    Instructions
    1. In a bowl, sift together your flour, powder, and salt. Set aside.
    2. In a separate bowl, cream together your butter and sugar.
    3. Add in your whites one at a time.
    4. Slowly pour in your buttermilk then zest/juice your lime.
    5. Splash in your tequila.
    6. Add your puree.
    7. In 3 separate additions, begin sprinkling in your “dry bowl” to your “wet bowl.” Just mix to combine (do not over mix).
    8. Bake at 350 for 17-19 minutes.
    9. Meanwhile, whip up your frosting.
    10. Break up your butter and slowly add your powdered sugar.
    11. Splash in a bit of cream and tequila and keep checking the consistency.
    12. Add in your zest and more powdered sugar as needed.
    13. When your cakes are cooled, frost (I used a 2D Wilton tip) and sprinkle with a bit of coarse salt and add a lime wedge.

    Notes
    *You may also sub with almond/coconut milk. **You can omit the tequila altogether, just replace with 2 ts vanilla extract ***You can also omit the strawberries with other berries.

    Wishing everyone a happy and safe Cinco de Mayo!

    Love.

    Your Squishy Monster ^.~

    Categories: Cakes/Cupcakes Holidays Sweets Videos | 30 Comments

  4. Honey Giveaway

    April 10, 2013 by The Squishy Monster

    When I was a kid, we’d smash together 2 pieces of white bread with a thick smear of honey and stuff it all with sliced bananas.  Now as an “adult,” I tend to gravitate towards more responsible whole grains but this bread just gives me plenty of reason to reminisce and happily nosh on one of my favorite childhood treats (not to mention, it makes a killer breakfast with or without a generous helping of nutella)!

    Honey Banana Bread + Giveaway!

    5.0 from 6 reviews

    Honey Banana Bread
     
    Save Print

    Prep time

    Cook time

    Total time

     

    Author:

    Ingredients
    • 3 brown-ish bananas
    • ½ c pure honey
    • 1 ts pumpkin spice
    • 2 c unbleached flour
    • 1 ts baking soda
    • ½ ts fine salt
    • 1 ts flax seed powder
    • 2 room temperature eggs
    • ¾ c sugar (brown works well here too)
    • ½ c veggie or canola oil
    • ½ c whole plain yogurt
    • 2 ts pure vanilla
    • Optional: toasted walnuts

    Instructions
    1. In a small bowl, roughly mash your bananas with your honey and spice.
    2. In bowl number one, sift together your flour, soda, salt, and flax.
    3. In bowl number two, beat together your eggs and sugar.
    4. Add in your oil and yogurt then your vanilla.
    5. Lastly, add in your bananas.
    6. Slowly combine bowls one and two in 3 separate additions, taking care not to over beat.
    7. Grease/line a loaf pan and bake at 350 for 55-60 minutes.

    {Homemade Pumpkin Spice}

    To enter a chance to win some delicious golden honey from Skinny J Farms, just be subscribed to my cooking channel and like them on Facebook.

    Love ya, honey!

    Your Squishy Monster ^.~

    Categories: Breakfast Breakfast Cakes/Cupcakes Cakes/Cupcakes Sweets Sweets Videos | 45 Comments

  5. March 15, 2013 by The Squishy Monster

    When I think of green, I think of that fun time I had eating green eggs and ham on Dr. Seuss day in grade school, the green movement that’s all the rage, and emeralds.  Green is good (apparently) so I decided that for St. Patrick’s day, I’d start off the weekend right with these Irish creme infused crêpes.  If you can work a blender and have the patience to wait while they chill, there’s absolutely no reason you can’t make these!

    How to Make St. Patrick’s Day Crêpes

    5.0 from 3 reviews

    Crêpes
     
    Save Print

    Prep time

    Cook time

    Total time

     

    Author:

    Ingredients
    • ½ c water
    • ½ c whole milk
    • 2 tb melted butter
    • ¼ ts fine salt
    • 1 ts vanilla
    • 2 tb Irish creme
    • Green food color
    • 2 eggs
    • 1 c sifted unbleached all purpose flour
    Filling
    • 8 oz softened cream/mascarpone cheese
    • 2 tb softened butter
    • ½-1 c sifted powdered sugar
    • 1 tb Irish creme
    • Optional:
    • Mint extract
    • Chocolate
    • Powdered sugar for dusting

    Instructions
    1. In a blender/food processor (additionally, you can also whisk by hand), tip in your water, milk, butter, salt, and vanilla. Mix.
    2. This second step is optional where you add your Irish creme and green color. Mix.
    3. Lastly, sprinkle in your flour. Mix.
    4. Allow your batter to chill for 35-45 minutes.
    5. In a non stick pan greased with butter, dribble just a bit of your batter to the pan and swirl to spread out evenly into a thin sheet. When it dries and you see bubbles, flip once and cook for another few minutes on the other side.
    6. For the filling, blend everything together.
    7. To assemble, take your cooled crêpe, and spread your filling on on side, fold over, drizzle with chocolate and dust with powdered sugar.

     

    Categories: Breakfast Breakfast Holidays Holidays Sweets Sweets Videos | 32 Comments

  6. March 12, 2013 by The Squishy Monster

    When I was little, Easter would often times find me with chocolate stains on my pastel dress, ribbons untied and loose on my crazy hair, and madly stomping around in pretty pink shoes, scuffed from the sugar high that an Easter basket always induced.  Down on the bottom, underneath the curly grass and plastic egg shells, I’d always discover these chocolate eggs, always patiently awaiting the moment to be greedily snatched and devoured.  Now as a “grown up,” I realize  how futile it would be to expect an Easter basket to recreate memories past so I decided to take matters into my own hands.  So today, I bring to you, Cadbury creme eggs, the homemade version.

    How to Make Cadbury Creme Eggs

    5.0 from 7 reviews

    Cadbury Creme Eggs
     
    Save Print

    Author:

    Ingredients
    • 1 c golden/corn syrup
    • 12 tb room temperature unsalted butter
    • 1 ts fine salt
    • 1 ts vanilla
    • 6 c sifted powdered sugar
    • Yellow food color
    • 24 oz chopped bittersweet chocolate

    Instructions
    1. Cream together your syrup, butter, and salt.
    2. Tip in your vanilla.
    3. Slowly add in a cup of powdered sugar at a time.
    4. In a separate bowl, spoon in about ⅓ of your mixture and tint this to the shade of yellow you need for the “yolk.”
    5. Freeze both bowls for 20 minutes.
    6. Roll out about ½ ts scoops of your yellow mixture and pop back into the freezer while you work with the white mixture.
    7. Take 1 tb scoops of your whites and flatten out into a rough disk. Make an indentation with your thumb and wrap your “yolk” around it. Work in batches and freeze your “eggs” as you go.
    8. While your “eggs” are freezing, temper your chocolate.
    9. In a double boiler, slowly melt your chopped chocolate. Take each “egg” out individually and carefully immerse each one into the pool of chocolate. Tap off any excess and allow to firm up on wax/parchment.

    Love, candy, and Easter bunnies y’all!

    Your Squishy Monster ^.~

    Categories: Chocolate Chocolate Holidays Holidays Sweets Sweets Videos | 52 Comments

  7. Drink More Chocolate!

    February 15, 2013 by The Squishy Monster

    I woke up to a thick layer of ice glazed over my windshield so you’d better believe that after I got all the necessary things out of the way, I made a beeline for the kitchen and whipped up two gigantic mugs of this delicious hot chocolate (all for me, mind you). There’s something about the thick velvety texture and contrast of the soft pillowy cream and bite from the sticky caramel sauce that makes you feel instantly comforted. For me, it’s also nostalgia. How many of you guys can recall childhood moments where hot chocolate was just positively necessary? It’s just what happened when you came bounding in breathlessly from an epic snow ball fight and you’re tracking in dirty snow with mom telling you how she just mopped the floor. So whether this is for yourself to recreate happy memories with or you’ve now got kids of your own, I highly recommend not only making this, but whipping up two…one to warm you up and the other because more chocolate is never a bad thing!

    How to Make Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate

    5.0 from 6 reviews

    Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate
     
    Save Print

    Prep time

    Cook time

    Total time

     

    Author:

    Ingredients
    Hot Chocolate
    • 2 c half and half
    • 5 oz chocolate
    • 1 ts vanilla
    • pinch of salt
    Salted Caramel*
    • 1 c brown sugar
    • ½ c heavy cream
    • 4 tb unsalted butter
    • 1 ts grey sea/fleur de sel/kosher salt
    • 1 ts vanilla
    Whipped Cream
    • ½ c cold whipping cream
    • ½-1 tb sugar
    • ½ ts vanilla

    Instructions
    1. Begin by heating your half and half.
    2. Slowly tumble in your chocolate and whisk until incorporated.
    3. Tip in your vanilla and salt.
    4. For the sauce, cook everything but the vanilla over medium-low heat for about 5-10 minutes whisk until the entire mixture gets thicker. Turn off the heat and whisk in your vanilla. Cool, pour into a container and refrigerate until use.
    5. For the whipped cream, make sure all your components are cold and using a whisk attachment, begin beating your cream.
    6. Sprinkle in your sugar and vanilla and continue beating. The entire thing should come together within 5-10 minutes.

    Notes
    *This caramel sauce is amazing on everything! Try it on everything from ice cream to using it as a stuffing for cupcakes. Additionally, I wouldn’t be averse to bathing in this stuff!

    Love and more chocolate!

    Your Squishy Monster ^.~

    Categories: Chocolate Drinks Sweets Videos | 28 Comments

  8. Make It Better With Ice Cream!

    February 8, 2013 by The Squishy Monster

    One of my most popular videos to date was my Mocha Mochi Video.  So much so, I thought to myself, “self, what can we do to make it even better?”  I assure you it only took a few seconds for me to internally scream “ice cream!!!!”  I feel like it’s a party whenever ice cream is involved.  It also makes me think of younger years when cake and ice cream were served where balloons and friends met.  Happy times.  One of the more difficult things to grasp as I got older, I found was that innocence lost.  Somehow, gathering people in one room to jump on a trampoline and play pin the tail on a donkey sans alcohol just doesn’t seem as fun.  Not always true but fair to say and it kind of makes me sad that gone are those days.  So let’s recreate some light and happy fun with green tea + mochi + ice cream (hold onto your hats guys, it sounds like it could get pretty crazy, haha).

    How to Make Green Tea Mochi Ice Cream

    4.6 from 5 reviews

    Green Tea Mochi Ice Cream
     
    Save Print

    Prep time

    Cook time

    Total time

     

    Author:

    Ingredients
    Mochi
    • 2 ts matcha (green tea powder)
    • 1 c SWEET rice four
    • 4 tb sugar
    • ½ ts salt
    • 1 c water
    • Wheat starch for work surface
    Green Tea Ice Cream
    • 2 c cold heavy cream
    • 1 c powdered sugar
    • 5 ts matcha

    Instructions
    1. In your first bowl, beat your cream into soft peaks. Sprinkle in your powdered sugar and matcha. Freeze until firm.
    2. In your second bowl, sift together your matcha, sweet rice flour, sugar, and salt. Slowly whisk in your cold water.
    3. Cover with plastic and steam for about 3 minutes. Using a spoon/spatula, beat and stretch this dough until it becomes elastic.
    4. Dust your work surface and begin “rolling” our your dough. Cut into squares and set aside.
    5. Work quickly and fill each square with your firm ice cream. Pinch to seal and keep in your freezer.

    Notes
    It helps to scoop out miniature balls out of your set ice cream and allowing them to firm up as well. Laying your cut mochi in muffin tins for ease also helps. Remember to work rather quickly and with later consideration, I actually found that working with the mochi sheets while they were still slightly warm was easier.

    Custard based Green Tea Ice Cream:
    2 c heavy cream
    4 egg yolks
    1/4 ts salt
    1/2 c sugar
    1 tb Matcha

    Bring cream to boil and remove from heat.
    Whisk together yolks, salt, sugar, and matcha and slowly temper (add in a bit of cream to your yolk mixture.  Make sure to do this slowly in a very slow stream, whisking well).
    Put everything back on the heat until it reaches 170.
    Strain through a fine sieve and allow to cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.
    Freeze in an ice cream maker.

    Sweet and chewy,

    Love,

    Your Squishy Monster ^.~

    Categories: Gluten Free Gluten Free Sweets Sweets Videos | 41 Comments

  9. 2 Ingredient/5 Minute Fix!

    February 4, 2013 by The Squishy Monster

    As I write this, I’m in bed nibbling on my third piece of white chocolate fudge.  Lately, I’ve taken to hoarding all my yummies into bed with me which is absolutely no bueno.  My rationale right now is that the fudge probably won’t leave a crumb trail but alas, I digress.  I’ll tend to the ant problem later…

    This may very well be the most easiest recipe that will live in my recipe index so definitely check it out.

    Ridiculously Easy Valentine Fudge

    5.0 from 4 reviews

    Fudge
     
    Save Print

    Prep time

    Cook time

    Total time

     

    Author:

    Ingredients
    • 20 oz chocolate chips
    • 10 oz sweetened condensed milk

    Instructions
    1. Melt both in 30 second intervals in the microwave.
    2. Stir and pour into desired molds.
    3. Set and eat.

    Disappointing lovers may come and go but chocolate will always be there, haha.  (Especially in this case because it’s just so quick and simple)!

    Love you more than chocolate,

    Your Squishy Monster ^.~

    Categories: Chocolate Chocolate Sweets Sweets Videos | 40 Comments

  10. Cookies for my Neighbor

    January 10, 2013 by The Squishy Monster

    Does anyone else miss Mr. Rogers?  He taught me so many valuable lessons as a kid.  None of that high-fructose-dipped, “you feel like you’re on speed when you watch this” crap that’s on now.  (Which by the way, he referred to as a “bombardment” even in the 60′s).  Makes me sad.  What’s gonna be left when and if I’m ready to have children of my own?  I digress.  I used to sprawl out on the floor, half leaning on my brother, sipping my favorite apple juice and listen to Mr. Rogers as he lent you valuable nuggets of wisdom.  Dare I give him credit for laying the foundations  for my Pack Away Hunger project?  This was precisely why Mr. Rogers was so important.  He taught you, whether it be in real life or make-believe, that it was important to treat people well, to be honest, to work hard…

    mr_rogers I’m not ashamed to say that I love Mr. Rogers.

    He’s also inspired me to share cookies.  (Cookies take priority, haha).  Won’t you be my neighbor?

    Cookies for my Neighbor { How to Make Ginger Molasses }

    5.0 from 3 reviews

    Ginger Molasses Cookies
     
    Save Print

    Author:

    Ingredients
    • ¾ c melted butter
    • 1 c sugar
    • 1 room temperature egg
    • ¼ c unsulphured molasses*
    • 2 c unbleached flour
    • 2 ts baking soda
    • ½ ts fine salt
    • 1 ts cinnamon
    • ½ ts cloves
    • ½ ts ginger
    • ½ ts nutmeg
    • 1 turn of black pepper
    • Optional: candied ginger

    Instructions
    1. In your first bowl, blend together your butter and sugar. Add in your egg and molasses.
    2. In your second bowl, sift together all your dry ingredients.
    3. Begin adding them in separate additions to your first, wet bowl.
    4. Mix until just combined, taking care not to over mix. Fold in candied ginger if you like.
    5. Bake at 375 for 8-9 minutes,

    Notes
    *Please do not use blackstrap

    Love and neighborly Cookie Monsters,

    Your Squishy Monster ^.~

    Categories: Cookies Cookies Holidays Holidays Sweets Sweets Videos | 43 Comments

Older Entries

  • 1

    Welcome to The Squishy Monster!

    Here, I'll share the stories of my on going love affair with food as well as step-by-step tutorials/cooking videos featuring original recipes. I'm a firm believer that despite our differences, our one commonality as humans? Food.
    I'm 100% Southern & 100% Korean. My name is Angela and my friends call me The Squishy Monster.

  • Recent Posts

  • Support "Pack Away Hunger"

    		•