For Drop Biscuits, you can just mix the ingredients and drop them into rustic piles.
STEP BY STEP
Pulse the butter with half the dry ingredients in a food processor.
Add the COLD buttermilk and mix briefly using your hands – or better yet a bench scraper – DO NOT OVERMIX or biscuits will be tough.
Roll flat, fold in thirds and repeat a total of FOUR TIMES – Folding, but not kneading. Brush each layer lightly with butter before folding.
Your final mat should be about 9×12 inches.
Cover and let it rest in the fridge for an hour
Put on floured surface and cut the edges of with a VERY sharp knife.
– If using a circle cutter DO NOT TWIST the cutter. This will crimp the edge and flatten your biscuits, Cutting the edge off also affects how well the biscuit layers can rise and separate.
Cut the remaining mat into squares.
Put on baking sheet about 1/2 inch apart.
Brush lightly with melted butter or spray with spray shortening
Bake at 400° for 18-22 minutes – Turn tray around about halfway between cooking
Ingredients:
1/4 Red pepper, fine dice
1/4 Green pepper, fine dice
1/4 Medium Red onion, fine dice
1 green onion, finely sliced
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and finely diced
1 tsp. Garlic, minced
1/2 juice and zest from 1 Lemon
2 TBL Cilantro, coarsely chopped
Pinch of Cayenne pepper
To taste: Ancho Chile powder
To taste: Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large avocado, finely diced
Directions:
1. Place peppers, onions, tomatoes, garlic, lemon, cilantro, and seasonings in a mixing bowl and mix well. Adjust seasonings.
2. Add avocado, fold in gently and check seasoning again.
TIPS AND TRICKS
Halve the avocado. You may have seen people hack the seed with their knife. Be very careful if you do this, because it is very easy to get your finger too.
I prefer to slightly squeeze the avocado, and the seed will nearly pop out.
You can score the avocado right in the skin, then just scoop it out with a spoon. Here is a video by Expert Village.
If you are making a lot of guacamole, after you halve the avocado, press it through a bread drying rack that has metal struts going both directions creating a grid. Just press the avocado through this into a bowl.
You can also scrape an avocado against the side of a glass. Here is a video by Crazy Russian Hacker.
I am from Ohio. Back east avocados are called mangoes. Bell peppers are also called mangoes. Here in Arizona mangoes are called mangoes, avocados and called avocados and bell peppers are called bell peppers.
To ripen an avocado, place it in a bag with a banana.
Place a can of sweetened condensed milk (with the label removed) on its side in the bottom of a stockpot filled with water, and covering the can completely with water, plus about an inch. Replenishing the water as necessary to keep the can totally submerged. This prevents the can from bursting.
LONG AND SLOW METHOD – CONSISTENT RESULTS
Keep the closed can at a low simmer for 3-4 hours.
Using tongs, transfer the can to a wire rack and let cool completely before opening.
Drizzle the caramel over the ice cream or use it as a filling for sandwich cookies.
Leftover dulce de leche can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight tight container and re-warmed in a double boiler or microwave.
FASTER DULCE de LECHE
If you are in a hurry, pour the condensed milk into a casserole, then put the casserole into a larger baking pan with hot water coming up about halfway. Cover the casserole with foil and bake at 350º for 90 minutes.
Here is another recipe
Alternate Recipe
Step 1: Heat the sugarover medium heat in a non-stick frying pan or 2-quart saucepan. Stir constantly using a rubber spatula. Within a few minutes the sugar will start to liquify and turn amber in color. Keep stirring until the sugar fully dissolves into a brown-colored syrup.
Step 2: Turn the flame down low and add the sweetened condensed milk (keep stirring as you’re adding it) and then add the butter and vanilla extract. The caramelized sugar will start to harden and bubble when you add the ingredients. Keep stirring, the mixture will become smooth again after 5-7 minutes.
Step 3: Carefully transfer the dulce de leche to a small bowl or mason jar. Let it cool slightly.
Biscotti is essentially twice-baked bread usually served with some kind of toppings on top.
Practically any bread can be baked, sliced, and baked again, then topped to create a tasteful biscotti.
Mix dough recipe to the left and bake for 35 minutes at 300º – for nearly round biscotti, wrap the dough in parchment paper in a roll, then staple the ends of the paper. Bake as directed.
Cool 10 minutes, then cut into 3/8 inch slices.
Put onto a baking tray and then bake at 300º for 25 minutes.
Be creative with toppings.
Another good biscotti is using hazelnuts.
Boil 2 C of water, then add 1/4 C baking soda.
Boil 2 C hazelnuts for 3 minutes – you will get a lot of foam and black water.
Pintxos (pronounced PEEN chose) have been around in Spain for many years. They are now catching on in the United States. It is essentially a TAPAS which is a more common word.
A TAPAS literally translates as a small top. Drinks were served with (bartender’s choice) of a tapas plate on top, so that it would keep the bugs and flies out. Not quite as necessary as before there was indoor plumbing, tapas is still served in most restaurants and bars in Spain. The picture link below shows lots of food on most of the plates. A tapas in Spain would be a few pieces on the plate, and would run you a dollar or two.
Aceituna is the Spanish word for olive. These are frequently served on the side, just as we are served taco chips at a Mexican restaurant.
Boquerones are anchovies. They are usually lightly picked or in a heavy cream. They will frequently be served on top of biscotti or a cracker.
La Gilda is the toothpick on which the aceitunas and boquerones are skewered along with a guindilla pepper.
Montaditos are small sandwiches served with shaved slices of Iberican Ham, which is a staple in most Spanish kitchens.
Morcilla is Spanish pork blood sausage. No my favorite, but at least I can say I’ve tried it.
Pulpo IS one of my favorites. Octopus – grilled and served in a small pool of guajillo tomato and pepper salsa
A collection of photos of different types of tapas would fill my entire computer, so here is a GOOGLE LINK that will allow you to view hundreds of different tapas. If you have an even mildly active imagination, you will see plenty of these that you could create for your next party or potluck.
Stack the crepes on a serving dish and layer one crepe, then spread a thin layer of cream cheese.
Another crepe and then jelly.
Another crepe then Nutella or drizzled Nestle Chocolate Syrup
Another crepe and a thin layer of scrambled egg
Another crepe and more cream cheese
Continue until you feel you have made enough to feed everyone.
End with a a crepe on top.
Carefully cut them into eight wedges and serve with syrup or honey.
For a lunch crepe (ala quiche style) substitute chicken, egg, turkey or tuna salad for some of the sweeter ingredients. Perhaps a layer of Romaine lettuce
It is more than important… it’s CRITICAL… to embrace the diversity of the world. Our World Wednesday dineouts are open to anyone who cares to join us. It is an attempt to experience the diversity in the Valley of the Sun.
GERMAN
Haus Murphy’s . 5739 W Glendale Ave, Glendale, AZ 85301
Zur Kate
IRISH
Tim Finnegan’s . Irish – 9201 N 29th Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85051
Rosie McCaffrey’s
Metro Irish Pub
FRENCH
Zinc Bistro
Kierland Commons, 15034 N Scottsdale Rd #140, Scottsdale, AZ 85254
Christopher Crush . French
ENGLISH / BRITISH
George and Dragon – 4240 N Central Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85012
The Rose and Crown
SCANDANAVIAN
Beaver Choice
SOUTHERN AMERICA
Mrs White’s Golden Rule Café – 808 E Jefferson St, Phoenix, AZ 85034
Lo Lo Chicken and Waffle – 1220 S Central Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85003
AFGANI
Khyber Halal – 4030 N 24th St, Phoenix, AZ 85016
BOSNIAN
Café Sarajevo
PERUVIAN
Villa Peru
KOREAN
Café Ga Hyang – 4362 W Olive Ave, Glendale, AZ 85302
INDIAN
New India Bazaar – 2544 N 7th St #101, Phoenix, AZ 85006
Little India
Flavors of India
Curry Corner
ETHIOPIAN
Café Lalibella – 849 W University Dr, Tempe, AZ 85281
Abyssinia Restaurant – 842 E Indian School Rd
Gojo – 3015 E Thomas Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85016
THAI
Nunthaporn Thai
Sa Bai Modern Thai – 4121 E Thomas Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85018
Yupha Kitchen
ITALIAN
Franco’s Italian Café
Chris Bianco
GREEK
Greektown
VIETNAMESE
Phở Bình Minh – 4141 N 35th Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85017
Khai Hoan
Reathrey Sekong
Hue Gourmet
SERBIAN
Café Sarajevo – 3411 W Northern Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85051
JAPANESE
Nobuo Japanese at Teeter House – 622 E Adams St
ShinBay
JEWISH
Goldman’s Deli
CHINESE
Hong Kong Asian
Sing High – 27 W Madison St, Phoenix, AZ 85003
FILIPINO
Casa Filipina – Thunderbird Square, 3531 W Thunderbird Rd
November 16, 2012 is the date of the demise of one of This Country’s Traditions: The Twinkie. I’ve pieced together several recipes, and I think that this is the best of all of them, which results in something close to the original.
(Update: The world is saved. In July 2013 they started making the Twinkie again.)
See multiple recipes on this page. Take your pick and see which one is right for you.
The Twinkie was invented in 1930 by the late James A. Dewar, then the Chicago-area regional manager of Continental Baking Company, the parent corporation behind the Hostess trademark. At the time, Continental made “Little Short Cake Fingers” only during the six-week strawberry season, and Dewar realized that the aluminum pans in which the cakes were baked sat idle the rest of the year. He came up with the idea of injecting the little cakes with a creamy filling to make them a year-round product and decided to charge a nickel for a package of two.
But Dewar couldn’t come up with a catchy name for the treat – that is, until he set out on a business trip to St. Louis. Along the road he saw a sign for Twinkle Toe Shoes, and the name Twinkies evolved. Sales took off, and Dewar reportedly ate two Twinkies every day for much of his life. He died in 1985.
The spongy treat has evolved into an American phenomenon, from which nearly everyone has slurped the creamy center. Today the Twinkie is Continental’s top Hostess-line seller, with the injection machines filling as many as 52,000 every hour.
You will need a spice bottle, approximately the size of a Twinkie, ten 12 x 14 -inch pieces of aluminum foil, a cake decorator or pastry bag, and a chopstick.
Twinkie Recipe #1
The Cake
Nonstick spray
4 egg whites, beaten until stiff
one 16-ounce box golden pound cake mix
2/3 cup water (160 ml)
The Cake – From Scratch
Creme Filling
2 teaspoons very hot water
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups marshmallow creme (one 7-ounce jar)
1/4 cup (57g) non-hydrogenated shortening or coconut oil (Crisco in a pinch)
1/4 cup (57g) margarine
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla (See Tidbits)
1. Combine the salt with the hot water in a small bowl and stir until salt is dissolved. Let this mixture cool.
2. Combine the marshmallow creme, shortening, powdered sugar, and vanilla in a medium bowl and mix well with an electric mixer on high speed until fluffy.
3. Add the salt solution to the filling mixture and combine.
Makes 1 1/2 cups.
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Fold each piece of aluminum foil in half twice. Wrap the folded foil around the spice bottle to create a mold. Leave the top of the mold open for pouring in the batter. Make ten of these molds and arrange them on a cookie sheet or in a shallow pan. Grease the inside of each mold with a light coating of nonstick spray.
3. Disregard the directions on the box of cake mix. Instead, beat the egg whites until stiff. In a separate bowl combine cake mix with water, and beat until thoroughly blended (about 2 minutes). Fold egg whites into the cake batter and slowly combine until completely mixed.
4. Pour the batter into the molds, filling each one about 3/4 of an inch. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean.
5. For the filling, combine the salt with the hot water in a small bowl and stir until salt is dissolved. Let this mixture cool.
6. Combine the marshmallow creme, shortening, powdered sugar, and vanilla in a medium bowl and mix well with an electric mixer on high speed until fluffy.
7. Add the salt solution to the filling mixture and combine.
8. When the cakes are done and cooled, use a skewer or chopstick to make three holes in the bottom of each one. Move the stick around inside of each cake to create space for the filling.
9. Using a cake decorator or pastry bag, inject each cake with filling through all three holes.
Makes 10.
Credits for Recipe Components:
www.TopSecretRecipes.com
www.instructables.com
Twinkie Recipe #2 – from Scratch
Ingredients
Nonstick cooking spray or vegetable oil
1/2 cup cake flour
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons milk, preferably whole
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 large eggs, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tarter
Seven-Minute Filling, er, Frosting
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle position.
2. To make your shiny, single-use Twinkie molds, start with a piece of aluminum foil, preferably heavy-duty, that’s approximately 14 inches long. It should be just a little longer than it is wide. Fold the foil in half lengthwise, then fold it in half again to create a rectangle that’s about 6 inches long and 7 inches wide. Repeat to make a dozen rectangles.
3. Place 1 sheet of folded foil on your work surface, with the long side facing you. Place a standard-size plastic or glass spice jar on its side in the center of the foil, the jar’s long side also facing you. Bring the long sides of the foil up around the jar. The foil won’t reach all the way around, and that’s okay. Fold the foil in around both top and bottom ends of the spice jar, nice and tight. You’ll end up with a sort of trough situation. (Cookbook author Todd Wilbur has a video of the process here; if you’re impatient, fast forward to 1:10, where the action starts.) Repeat until you have 12 foil Twinkie molds. Spritz the molds with an obscenely generous amount of nonstick spray or use your fingertips to coat the molds with vegetable oil. Place the Twinkie molds on a baking sheet or in a roasting pan.
4. Whisk the flours, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl.
5. Heat the milk and butter in a small saucepan over low heat until the butter melts. Remove from the heat add the vanilla. Cover to keep warm.
6. Separate the eggs, placing the whites in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or, if using a hand mixer or whisk, a large mixing bowl) and reserving the yolks in another bowl. Beat the whites on high speed until foamy. Gradually add 6 tablespoons of the sugar and the cream of tartar and continue to beat until the whites reach soft, moist peaks.
7. Transfer the beaten egg whites to a large bowl and add the egg yolks to the standing mixer bowl—there’s no need to clean the bowl (or, if using a hand mixer or whisk, simply place the egg yolks in a separate large bowl). Beat the egg yolks with the remaining 6 tablespoons sugar on medium-high speed until the mixture is very thick and a pale lemon color, about 5 minutes. Add the beaten egg whites to the yolks, but do not mix.
8. Sprinkle the flour mixture over the egg whites and then mix everything on low speed for just 10 seconds (or, if using a hand mixer or whisk, until blended but not thoroughly combined). Remove the bowl from the mixer, make a well in one side of the batter, and pour the melted butter mixture into the bowl. Fold gently with a large rubber spatula until the batter shows no trace of flour and the whites and yolks are evenly mixed, about 8 strokes.
9. Immediately scrape the batter into the prepared molds, filling each with about 3/4 inch of batter. Bake until the cake tops are light brown and feel firm and spring back when touched, 13 to 15 minutes. Transfer the pan containing the molds to a wire rack and allow the cakes to cool in the molds.
10. Just before filling, remove each cake from the foil. Using the end of a chopstick, poke three holes in the bottom of each cake, just like in the bottom of real Twinkies. Wiggle the tip of the chopstick around quite a lot to make room for the filling. (Again, you can see this in action here, beginning at minute 3.)
11. Transfer the frosting to a pastry bag fit with a small tip (about 1/4 inch across). Pipe the frosting into the holes you created in the bottom of the cakes. As you fill each cake, hold it in your hand and press your palm gently around it so you can feel the cake expand, taking care not to overfill and crack the cake.
12. Unlike real Twinkies, these won’t last indefinitely. They’re best served still slightly warm.
My kitchen smells like a Hostess bakery. Those of us who grew up in a town that had a Hostess bakery will never forget that smell. Driving through that part of town was always pleasant, since the air smelled of Wonder bread, Twinkies, or whatever snack they happened to be baking that day.
And now it’s in my kitchen. Sweet, sugary Twinkie goodness. Even better than the original.
I’ve only eaten Twinkies a few times in my life. As a kid, I wasn’t allowed to eat very many “fake” foods. It seems to have worked out well because to this day I don’t have much desire to eat processed foods. Thanks mom!
I won’t say that these Twinkies are healthy, but they certainly are worth the rare indulgence. I made these as a surprise treat for my boyfriend. He loves Twinkies, but knows that I don’t really approve of the store bought variety. The verdict? Much better than store bought!
To get the light, spongy cake shell requires a few extra steps. First, beat the egg whites until they are very stiff.
After mixing the batter, fold the egg whites in gently. The volume of the batter will increase greatly. See all those bubbles? This batter is fluffy!
To get the authentic Twinkie shape, use this canoe pan. Or, if you prefer, use a cupcake pan. I couldn’t resist trying the canoe pan. The cakes came out looking exactly like Twinkies!
The fun part is filling the cakes. Hold them in the palm of your hand, stick the icing tip into the cake and squeeze! Not too much, or the cake may explode. When you’re done, they’ll look very professional.
Final score? Store bought Twinkies: 39 ingredients. Homemade Twinkies: 12 ingredients.
Twinkie Recipe #4
Vanilla Snack Cakes (Twinkies)
Adapted from King Arthur Flour
Yield: 24 cakes
Preheat the oven to 350°. Spray a canoe pan or muffin tins with cooking spray and set aside.
Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until they are very stiff. They should hold their shape when removed from the bowl. Set aside.
Combine the flour, corn starch, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk together or beat on low speed for a minute, until combined. Add oil, water, Princess flavoring, and egg yolks. Beat on medium speed until smooth.
Using a rubber spatula, gently scoop 1/3 of the egg whites into the batter. Fold the egg whites in by slicing the spatula through the center of the bowl, gently scooping batter from the bottom and wrapping it over the top. Turn the bowl 1/4 turn and repeat until the egg whites are barely visible. Repeat this process with each remaining 1/3 of the egg whites.
Spoon the batter into the pan, filling the wells 2/3 full. Bake for 8-12 minutes, or until cakes are golden brown and just starting to pull away from the sides of the pan. Cakes will puff up when cooking, but will settle as they cool. Cool the cakes in the pan for 5 minutes, then gently remove them from the pan using a rubber spatula. Allow them to cool, flat side down, directly on the cooling rack.
Filling:
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup milk (I used soy milk)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
In a small saucepan, heat the flour and milk over medium heat, stirring constantly. When the mixture becomes a paste (about 5 minutes), remove from heat and allow to cool for 1 minute. Stir in the vanilla extract. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming, and set aside to cool completely.
With an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the cooled milk mixture and beat for about 5 minutes, until smooth and creamy.
Use the pastry filler that comes with the pan (or a pastry bag with round tip) to fill the cakes. Place the tip about halfway into the cake and squeeze gently. Holding the cake in your palm while filling it will allow you to feel when it is full. Fill each cake 3 times to ensure that each bite contains cream filling!
Twinkie Recipe #5
Hostess Twinkie Sponge Cake. Photo by NorthwestGal
6 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 salt
1/2 cup scalded milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or 1 teaspoon almond extract
Directions:
1 – Beat eggs til thick&lemon colored (about 5 minutes with an electric mixer on medium speed).
2 – Gradually add the sugar a few spoons at a time; beat another 3 minutes.
3 – Slowly add flour, baking powder, salt.
4 – Beat in milk in three equal portions till blended.
5 – Add Flavoring.
6 – Beat 2 minutes.
7 – Pour batter into greased & floured jelly roll pan.
8 – Bake in the center of a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 38-42 minute (or till toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
9 – Cool on rack, 1 hour.
10 – Cut into finger shapes to resemble the original Twinkie cakes.
11 – Spread with filling and form into sandwiches.
12 – Wrap and refrigerate or freeze to use as needed.
13 – Keeps for up to 3 weeks refrigerated. Freezes almost indefinitely if wrapped well.
Read more at: http://www.food.com/recipe/hostess-twinkie-sponge-cake-356820?oc=linkback
Twinkie Recipe #6 – Golden Twinkie
2 cup all-purpose flour
3 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup whole milk
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Spray molds/pan with non-stick spray.
Sift together flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl and set aside.
In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugar at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. Next, beat in the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute in between each addition. Reduce the mixer speed and add flour mixture alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Add the vanilla and mix until the batter just comes together. Over mixing with make your cake chewy. Makes 12 cakes.
Spray your Twinkie canoes and bake at 350 for 15 minutes, or until the cakes are just a light golden color and a tester inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool.
Cream Filling
¼ cup shortening (I prefer Crisco brand)
¼ cup margarine
1 cup sifted powdered or 10x sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
Beat together the shortening and margarine until light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar in a little at a time and beat on high until peaks form. Add vanilla and beat for one minute. Place in prepared icing tubes for piping into cakes.
To fill the cakes, insert the icing tip – preferably a large star tip – into three points along the flat-side of the cake, about 1/8 of an inch deep. Squeeze lightly until you see the filling begin to ooze out.
For more on food and for more recipes check out twinklevanwinkle.com.
Slightly softened cream cheese
. Spread onto plate
Chili sauce or cocktail sauce
. Spread over cream cheese
1 can fancy crab meat or miniature shrimp
. Spread over meat
Scallions, cilantro, minced red bell pepper
. Sprinkle over top
If you are making a lot of guacamole, after you halve the avocado, press it through a bread drying rack that has metal struts going both directions creating a grid. Just press the avocado through this into a bowl.
