This weekend I was comissioned with baking a dessert for the La Familia Leon reunion. This reunion is done every year for my mom's side of the family. Since my Ace disaster required that I was unable to pay my mother her 300 dollar rent, I decided I'd make dessert so she wouldn't need to stress out too much. My desserts of choice?
Ameretto (or sometimes flavored Tequila) Sprinkle Cake
and
Home Made Girl Scout Samoas
Below I will detail how to make both. The Amaretto Sprinkle Cake is by far the easiest. I used to make it in Santa Cruz for everyone's birthday. It became a Team Gay favorite, I even believe that there was some drama once over who got the last piece of cake. I believe it was a girl I detested. She did not endear herself to me by eating the last slice of my Lesley Lovah's birthday cake.
Amaretto Sprinkle Cake
One box of Pillsbury's Funfetti cake mix.
4 to 6 oz of Amaretto liquor. (I use Trader Joes Amaretto di Amore imitation which is 8 bucks, vs. the 20 dollar Disaronno. I used to use Almond Tequila, but got that in Puerto Vallarta tequila tasting and they don't sell it online. I still like that better!)
1 cup of powdered sugar.
1 cup of chocolate chips. (Any kind really, I like milk chocolate but I think I'll try semi-sweet. Dark chocolate would be amazing!)
1 bunt cake pan.
Non stick spray.
Directions:
Prepare cake according to box.
Add 1-2 oz of Amaretto liquor to the batter.
Pour into greased bunt cake pan. (The pan makes the cake look great since you don't put any ridiculous frosting on it.)
Bake according to box.
Allow to cool. Place on large platter.
Once cooled poke a few hole in the cake with a fork. Pour 1-4 oz of Amaretto on the cake slowly, allowing it to be absorbed.
After the liquor has been absorbed somewhat, pour the powdered sugar in a sifter and lightly distribute the powdered sugar on the cake.
Melt chocolate chips according to package. (Usually one cup per one minute)
Dip a fork in melted chocolate and drizzle over the bunt cake.
Enjoy! My mother has eaten this as breakfast for like forever. I've used a "real" cake mix a few times, but its so stressful. I'll keep my funfetti cake near and dear to my heart!
Home Made Girl Scout Samoa's
(Found on Tastespotting, my favorite website ever!)
Adapted from OnceUponAPlate
Orange comments are mine
Recipe for Cookies:
1 cup butter, soft
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
up to 2 tbsp milk
Preheat oven to 350F.
In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar.
Mix in flour, baking powder and salt at a low speed, followed by the vanilla and milk, adding in the milk as needed to make the dough come together without being sticky The dough should come together into a soft, not-too-sticky ball.
(Add in a bit of extra flour if your dough is very sticky or if too dry add milk in small quantities.)
Roll the dough (working in two or three batches) out between pieces of wax paper to about 1/4-inch thickness.
(I find that the dough is very sticky at times. If this is the case, I find that putting it in the fridge between batches/at the beginning makes it much easier to handle.)
Use a 1 1/2-inch round cookie cutter to make rounds.
Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and use a knife, or the end of a wide straw, to cut a smaller center hole. Repeat with remaining dough.
(Not really all that important. The hole makes the cookie more authentic and lighter but my tummy doesn't really care.)
*Alternatively, use scant tablespoons of dough and press into an even layer in a mini donut pan to form the rounds.*
Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes, until bottoms are lightly browned and cookies are set.
*If using a mini donut pan, bake for only about 10 minutes, until edges are light gold.*
Cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
(Very important! If you don't let them cool, the Carmel wont stick to the cookie.)
Topping
3 cups shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)
12-oz good-quality chewy caramels
1/4 tsp salt
3 tbsp milk
8 oz. dark or semisweet chocolate (chocolate chips are ok)
Preheat oven to 300. Spread coconut evenly on a parchment-lined baking sheet (preferably one with sides) and toast 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until coconut is golden. Cool on baking sheet, stirring occasionally. Set aside.
(Don't forget to stir it! I always burn my coconut if I forget to stir it. This step I always do before I bake the cookies.)
Unwrap the caramels and place in a large microwave-safe bowl with milk and salt. Cook on high for 3-4 minutes, stopping to stir a few times to help the caramel melt. When smooth, fold in toasted coconut with a spatula.
Using the spatula or a small offset spatula, spread topping on cooled cookies, using about 2-3 tsp per cookie. Reheat caramel for a few seconds in the microwave if it gets too firm to work with.
(Be very very careful! The carmel and coconut is very hot and I always burn my fingers when frosting the cookies)
Set carmel topping by sticking the cookie sheets in the fridge.
(Carmel takes a while to set and you need to prepare it so the chocolate on the bottom can set also. Putting it in the fridge lets you manipulate the cookie without it sticking to everything.)
Melt chocolate in a small bowl. Heat on high in the microwave in 45 second intervals, stirring thoroughly to prevent scorching.
Ice the cookie with the chocolate and place on a clean piece of parchment paper carmel side down.
Allow to set in fridge.
Transfer all remaining chocolate (or melt a bit of additional chocolate, if necessary) into a piping bag or a ziplock bag with the corner snipped off and drizzle finished cookies with chocolate.
(I never do this. I have yet to really understand how how I'm supposed to stick piping hot chocolate into something plastic and not burn my hands or melt the bag)
Let chocolate set completely before storing in an airtight container.
Makes about 3 1/2-4 dozen cookies.
(if you make the dough really thin.)
These cookies are pretty time consuming to make. A good idea is to have a friend help you. Woody helped me and we got it done in an hour!
The highlight of my weekend besides spending some good quality time with La Familia? Getting a really tacky chandelier and cleaning it up. Once Woody saw it in the sunlight, he was eager to put it in his new apartment. Sqeee! Now its time to help Woody move in. How exciting!
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