Recipes From Scratch

[redrecipesfromscratch]

Snickerdoodles ♦️

Recipe: https://www.joyofbaking.com/Snickerdoodles.html

*Put some cinnamon in the dough

- Unsalted butter -              225 grams / 1 cup (Room temperature)

- Granulated white sugar - 300 grams / 1¹/₂ cups / 50 grams / ¹/₄ cup (Coating)

- Vanilla extract -                4 grams / 1 tsp

- Eggs -                              2 (Room temperature)  

- All purpose flour -            355 grams / 2³/₄ cups

- Cream of tartar* -              8 grams / 2 tsp

- Baking soda -                  4 grams / 1 tsp

- Salt -                                2 grams / ¹/₂ tsp

- Ground cinnamon -         8 grams / 2 tsp

*If you can’t find cream of tartar you can replace it by removing both the cream of tartar and the baking soda and adding 8 grams / 2 tsp of baking powder.

1. Preheat oven to 400ªF (200ºC) and prepare a cookie tray with parchment paper or butter.

2. Beat the butter until it’s smooth.

3. Add the sugar and vanilla extract to the butter and beat at medium high.

4. Add the eggs to the mix one at a time.

5. Whisk the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt and then add it to the butter mix.

6. If the batter is to soft you can refrigerate it for a little while.

7. Mix the white sugar with the cinnamon.

8. Weigh 40 grams of batter to make each cookie, roll it to make a ball and then coat it on the sugar and cinnamon.

9. Place them on the parchment paper and with a glass flatten them until they are about 1cm thick.

10. Bake between 7 to 10 minutes, rotate the tray half through baking.

11. Let them cool completely on a cooling rack.  

[redrecipesfromscratch]

Cinnamon Roll Layer Cake

Recipe: https://thecakeblog.com/2016/11/cinnamon-roll-layer-cake.html

Cake:

- Unsalted butter -             170 grams / ³/₄ cup (Room temperature)

- White granulated sugar - 340 grams / 1¹/₂ cups

- Sour cream -                   170 grams / ³/₄ cup (Room temperature)

- Vanilla extract -                8 grams / 2 tsp

- Large eggs whites -         6 (Room temperature)

- All purpose flour -            410 grams / 2¹/₂ cups 

- Baking powder -              16 grams / 4 tsp

- Ground cinnamon -         4 grams / 1 tsp

- Salt -                                2 grams / ¹/₂ tsp

- Milk -                               180 ml / ³/₄ cup (Room temperature)

- Water -                             60 ml / ¹/₄ cup (Room temperature)

Cinnamon frosting: 

- Salted butter -                 340 grams / 1¹/₂ cups (Room temperature)

- Unsalted butter* -            340 grams / 1¹/₂ cups (Room temperature)

- Powdered sugar -           1680 grams / 12 cups 

- Vanilla extract -               4 grams / 1 tsp

- Ground cinnamon -        4 grams / 1 tsp

- Water -                            60 - 75 ml / 4 - 5 tbsp 

*Replacement for shortening

Cinnamon sugar glaze:

- Powdered sugar -           75 grams / 5 tbsp

- Light brown sugar -        30 grams / 2 tbsp

- Ground cinnamon -        15 grams / 1 tbsp

- Water -                            30 ml / 2 tbsp

1. Prepare three 8 inch cake pans with parchment paper circles in the bottom and grease the sides. Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C).

2. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light in color and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Do not skimp on the creaming time.

3. Add sour cream and vanilla extract and mix until well combined.

4. Add egg whites in two batches, mixing until well combined after each. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to be sure all ingredients are well incorporated.

5. Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then combine the milk and water in a small measuring cup.

6. Add half of the dry ingredients to the batter and mix until well combined. Add the milk mixture and mix until well combined. Add remaining dry ingredients and mix until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to be sure all ingredients are well incorporated.

7. Divide the batter evenly between the cakes pans and bake for about 23-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs.

8. Remove the cakes from the oven and allow to cool for about 2-3 minutes, then remove to cooling racks to cool completely.

Cinnamon Frosting:

1. Beat the butter and shortening together until smooth.

2. Slowly add half of the powdered sugar and mix until smooth.

3. Add the vanilla extract, ground cinnamon and water or milk and mix until smooth.

4. Slowly add remaining powdered sugar and mix until smooth. Set aside.

Cinnamon Sugar Glaze:

1. Add the powdered sugar, brown sugar and cinnamon to a small bowl and whisk to combine. Add the water and whisk until smooth.

Assemble the Cake:

1. To put the cake together, use a large serrated knife to remove the domes from the top of the cakes so that they’re flat. Place the first cake on a serving plate or a cardboard cake round.

2. Spread 2 1/2 tablespoons of cinnamon sugar glaze over the cake layer. Allow it to soak into the cake. Spread 1 cup of frosting in an even layer on top of the cake.

3. Repeat the process with the second layer of cake, glaze and frosting, then add the final layer of cake on top. Set cake aside.

4. Divide the remaining frosting into 3 bowls, with an extra 1 ½ to 2 cups of frosting in one bowl. Leave the bowl with the larger amount of frosting as is, and color the other two bowls with gel icing color to get two other shades of brown.

5. Spread the darkest shade of frosting into an even layer around the bottom of the cake. Add the other colored frosting to the middle of the cake. Finish the top of the cake with the regular uncolored frosting. Smooth out the sides of the cake.

6. To finish off the cake, pipe swirls of frosting around the top edge using an open star tip. I combined the remaining frosting (all shades) and allowed the colors to swirl together.

[redrecipesfromscratch]

Pavlova Wreath

Recipe: https://www.marthastewart.com/1523808/pavlova-wreath

Meringue:

- Egg whites -                     6 

- Granulated white sugar - 1206 grams / 6 cups

- Vanilla extract -                 4 grams / 1 tsp

- Cornstarch -                     4 grams / 1 tsp

- White vinegar -                 4 grams / 1 tsp

For serving:

- Greek yogurt -                  281 ml/ 1¹/₄ cup 

- Heavy cream -                  113 ml / ¹/₂ cup

- White sugar -                    15 grams / 1 tbsp

- Cranberries 

- Framboise 

- Pomegranate

- Mint 

1. In a parchment paper draw a 25cm circle and inside of it a 12cm circle, this will serve as guide. Make sure the drawing on the parchment paper is on the baking tray. 

2. Beat the egg whites, when they start coming to soft peaks add the white sugar very slowly and gradually. 

3. Once it reaches a smooth and peaky texture add the vanilla extract, cornstarch and vinegar.  

4. Preheat the oven to 250ºF (121ºC). 

5. Pipe the meringue onto the parchment paper using a 2cm plain tip. 

*Pro tip: When pipping meringue it’s useful to put some on the sides of the parchment paper and stick it to the tray so it doesn’t move. 

6. Pipe straight down about ten circles of more or less 2cm wide. 

7. With a spoon make a little hollow in each meringue. 

8. Bake for about 1 hour and 10 minutes (until it lift up of the parchment paper), after that turn the oven off and leave it for about one more hour. 

9. Mix the greek yogurt and the heavy cream together, and then add the sugar. 

10. Pour the yogurt mix into the holes of the meringue and decorate with the fruit on top. 

[redrecipesfromscratch]

Butter Cookies

Recipe: https://www.joyofbaking.com/ButterCookies.html

- Unsalted Butter -              226 grams / 1 cup (Room temperature)

- Granulated white sugar - 135 grams / ²/₃ cup

- Large egg -                       1

- Vanilla extract -                 4 grams / 1 tsp      

- Lemon zest                       4 grams / 1tsp

- All purpose flour -             295 grams / 2 ¹/₄ cup 

- Salt -                                  1 gram / ¹/₄ tsp

1. Beat the butter until it is creamy and smooth. 

2. Add the sugar and beat it at medium high until it is smooth and with air. 

3. Beat in the egg, lemon zest and the vanilla extract until it’s all mixed in together. 

4. Whisk together the salt and flour and then add it to the butter mixture until it forms a dough. 

5. Gather the dough in a bowl, wrap it in plastic and chill it. 

6. Roll out the dough and cut the cookies, or have it in a log and cut them out. 

7. Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC) and place the cookies on a baking tray lines with parchment paper. 

8. Bake them until the edges of the cookies are brown (about 10 to 14 minutes). 

9. Let them cool completely on a cooling rack. 

[redrecipesfromscratch]

Banana Bread ♦️

Recipe: https://www.joyofbaking.com/breakfast/BananaBread.html

*A little less sugar

- All purpose flour -             225 grams / 1³/₄ cup

- Granulated white sugar - 150 grams / ³/₄ cup 

- Baking powder -               4 grams / 1 tsp

- Baking soda -                   1 gram / ¹/₄ tsp

- Salt -                                 1 gram / ¹/₄ tsp

- Ground cinnamon -          4 grams / 1 tsp

- Nuts (pecan, walnuts) -    120 grams / 1 cup (Chopped)

- Mashed bananas* -           360ml / 1¹/₂ cups (3 large)

- Large eggs -                       2 (Room temperature)

- Vanilla extract -                 4 grams / 1 tsp

- Melted butter -                  113 grams / ¹/₂ cup (Unsalted)

*For baking very ripped bananas with brown spots are better. 

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC) and prepare a loaf pan with some butter an parchment paper. 

2. In a large bowl mix the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon). 

3. Mix in the nuts.

4. In a large bowl mash the bananas with a fork so it stays thick and not liquid.

5. In another bowl whisk the eggs and add them to the bananas. 

6. Add the vanilla extract and the butter to the banana mix and whisk them together. 

*Pro tip: Let the butter cool down to room temperature before adding it to the mix. 

7. Pour the liquid mix into the dry ingredients and mix until all the dry ingredients are together, but not very liquid. 

8. Pour the mix into the loaf pan and level the top. 

9. Bake it for 60 to 70 minutes until it rises and a tooth pick comes out clean. 

10. Let it cool for 10 minutes and then take it out of the pan.  

https://co.pinterest.com/pin/340936634277712113/ 

[redrecipesfromscratch]

Amaretti Cookies

Recipe: https://www.joyofbaking.com/AmarettiCookies.html

- Super fine white sugar* - 200 grams / 1 cup

- Almond paste -                227 grams 

- Egg whites -                     2 (Room temperature)

- Pearl sugar for decoration

*If you don’t have super fine white sugar, you can take 200 grams of regular sugar and put it in the food processor for about 30 seconds. 

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF (190ºC) and prepare two baking sheets. 

2. After processing the sugar, mix in the almond paste until it is grainy, but fine (like sand). 

3. Mix in the egg whites until you have a smooth batter. 

4. On the baking tray pipe the dough using a 1¹/₄ cm plain tip. 

 *Pro tip: To have the cookies bake properly and not stick to one another, you can draw 4cm circles on a piece of paper, place it on the baking tray and place the parchment on top. 

*Pro tip: To get a perfect dome shaped cookie, flatten the tip that’s left after piping with a little water on your finger. 

5. Put some pearl sugar on top of the cookies. 

6. Bake for about 15 minutes (until they are golden brown, rise and have some little cracks on top), rotate the tray half way through baking. 

7. Place the tray on a cooling rack and let them cool for a while before removing them from the tray. 

[redrecipesfromscratch]

Gingerbread Men

Recipe: https://www.joyofbaking.com/GingerbreadMen.html

- All purpose flour -         390 grams / 3 cups

- Baking soda -                  ³/₄ tsp

- Salt -                                ¹/₂ tsp

- Ground ginger -                 2 tsp

- Ground cinnamon -           1 tsp

- Ground cloves -               ¹/₄ tsp

- Ground nutmeg -             ¹/₄ tsp 

- Unsalted butter -              113 grams / ¹/₂ cup (Room temperature)

- Granulated white sugar - 100 grams / ¹/₂ cup

- Large egg -                       1 (Room temperature)

- Molasses -                        160ml / ²/₃ cup

1. Mix the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg together. 

2. Beat the butter until it’s soft and creamy. 

3. Add the sugar to the butter and beat it until it’s smooth. 

4. Beat the egg in. 

5. After the egg is completely mixed add the molasses.

*Pro tip: Cover the recipient you are measuring molasses in with some nonstick spray in order for it to not stick to it. 

6. Add the dry ingredients by thirds. 

7. Gather the dough in a ball and cut it in half, then make it round and cover each pice in plastic wrap, place it in the fridge for at least 4 hours (or over night). 

8. Flour the surface before rolling the dough. Roll it to about 0.5cm. 

*Pro tip: When rolling keep turning the dough so it doesn’t stick to the counter. 

9. Flour the cutter and cut the gingerbread men. If there is excess flour at the bottom you can remove it with a brush. 

10. Place them on a cookie tray (with parchment paper) leaving 5cm between each one. 

11. Open any holes (if you are using them as ornaments or for gift wrapping). 

12. Cover them with plastic wrap and put them in the fridge for about 10 minutes so they don’t loose their shape in the oven. While the cookies are in the fridge preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ªC).

13. Bake between 8 to 12 minutes (until the outside edges are darker).

*Pro tip: If baking for ornaments of gifts make them a little crispier so they do not fall apart, maybe even a little thicker. 

14. Let them cool for a little and then place them on a cooling rack with a spatula. 

https://co.pinterest.com/pin/318911217360928019/

[redrecipesfromscratch]

Red Velvet Cake - Cream Cheese Frosting

Recipe: https://www.joyofbaking.com/RedVelvetCake.html

Red Velvet Cake:

 - Unsalted butter -                        113 grams / ¹/₂ cup (Room temperature)

- Granulated white sugar -             300 grams / 1¹/₂ cups

- Vanilla extract -                           4 grams / 1 tsp

- Large eggs -                               2 (Room temperature)

- Cake flour* -                               250 grams / 2 cups 2 tbsp

- Unsweetened cocoa powder -  15 grams / 2 tbsp 

- Salt -                                           2 grams / ¹/₂ tsp

- Buttermilk** -                              240 ml / 1 cup 

- Red food coloring -                    22 grams / 2 tbsp  

- Distilled white vinegar -              4 grams / 1 tsp

- Baking soda                               4 grams / 1 tsp 

*Low gluten flour 

** You can substitute buttermilk with 240ml of milk and 1tbsp of lemon juice (let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes)  

Cream Cheese Frosting: 

- Cream cheese -                         220 grams (Room temperature)

- Mascarpone -                            27 grams 

- Vanilla extract -                         4 grams / 1 tsp

- Confectioners sugar -              150 grams / 1 cup

- Heavy whipping cream*** -       300ml / 1 ¹/₄ cups (Cold)

***This means the cream has 35 to 40% butter content, so when it whips  it will get picks. 

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF / 180ºC and butter round cake pans (two 9 inch).  

2. Beat the butter until it’s smooth.

3. Add in the sugar and vanilla extract, mix in high medium speed until light and fluffy.

4. Add each egg, one a time, blending them completely.

5. Sift dry ingredients together (flour, cocoa powder, salt).

6. Mix the red food coloring with the buttermilk.  

7. Beat third of the dry ingredients with the butter and sugar mixture (at low speed) until it’s smooth, then add half of the buttermilk and mix (at low speed). Repeat the process adding another third of the dry ingredients and the rest of the buttermilk and finalising with the last of the dry ingredients. 

8. Mix the baking soda and the vinegar together, add that to the cake batter and beat it. 

9. Quickly after divide the batter between both cake pans (520 grams each) and flatten it with the back of a spoon.

10. Bake for approximately 25 minutes (check a little before and a little after with a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake).

11. When the cakes are ready, place them on a cooling rack for ten minutes before pulling them out of the pans. Then take them out of the pans carefully and butter the rack before placing them there again. 

*Pro tip: Do not frost your cake immediately after baking. Wrap it up and place it inside the refrigerator for at least a couple of hours so it is firmer when the frosting starts. 

12. Beat the cream cheese on medium speed until it’s smooth and then beat in the mascarpone. 

13. Mix in the vanilla extract and confectioners sugar at low speed and after mix at medium speed to get air inside and get fluffy frosting. 

14. Whip the heavy cream (first in low speed and then higher) until you get stiff picks, but not completely firm. 

15. In stages add the whipped cream to the frosting (mix in medium speed). 

16. Frost the cake with a lot of frosting.

*Pro tip: You can put a thin layer of frosting, then refrigerate for 10 to 15 minutes and then finish frosting.  

17. Refrigerate before serving so the frosting doesn’t softs up.

Decoration (Christmas trees):

Recipe: https://www.countryliving.com/food-drinks/recipes/a40484/pine-tree-cake-recipe/

- Green - Vibrant green - Blue - Turquoise candy melts - 75 grams - ¹/₂ cup 

- Bamboo skewers - 6 divided in half to have 12 total

- White sprinkles or pearls

1. Melt the candy melts in separate bowls in the microwave and then mix the colors to have different shades. 

2. Place each color in a different ziplock bag and open a 3mm hole on the corner of each bag. 

3. Place the bamboo skewers on parchment paper with enough distance one from the other so the trees wont stick together.

4. Drizzle the candy melts on each tree leaving enough of the skewer free to place on cake after. 

5. Decorate trees with sprinkles.

6. Let cool for 30 minutes.