Stacey Makes It

Thought I'd make something easy. Stacey's Dark Chocolate Pretzel Sticks Ingredients: 60% El Rey Dark Chocolate couverture Organic Turbinado Sugar crystals Honey Wheat Pretzel sticks from Trader Joe's I tempered the dark chocolate and dipped the pretzels into it.  Then I sprinkled them with the turbinado sugar. Ta-dah!

It was my boyfriend's birthday today so I thought I'd make something a little bit different.  Figured I'd try out some sort of coconut cake.  Stacey's Coconut Cake Ingredients: 1 1/2c unbleached white flour, organic 1/2c brown rice flour, organic 2 tbs cornstarch 1 1/2c sugar, organic 1 tsp salt 2 tsp baking powder 3/4c coconut flakes 1 1/2c lite coconut milk 1/4c coconut oil 1/4c canola oil 2 eggs First I preheated the oven to 350F.  Then, I mixed the dry ingredients together. I melted the coconut oil, then added it to the canola, coconut milk, and eggs and whisked everything together with a fork.  I poured the wet ingredients into the dry and mixed everything up.  I didn't want too much cake for home, since it was just my boyfriend and I eating it, so I poured about 1.5-2" of batter into a 7x7" cake pan lined with parchment paper.  I poured the rest into another pan.  You can probably pour all of it into an 8x8" or a 9x9" cake ...

Typically when I'm dipping things in chocolate, I have a little bit of chocolate left over which I save for random projects.  This is one of those. I love coconut haystacks, but I often think they are too sweet and kind of ugly.  In this version, I was going for something more light and flaky... elegant, if you will. ;) These are guestimates since I was using ingredients that I just had around. 4-6oz chocolate couverture (mix of milk, dark) 1 to 1 1/2c coconut chips, unsweetened, organic ( NutsOnline.com's version is my favorite) First I toasted the coconut - you have to watch it in the toaster and be really careful when you do this.  Coconut is like tissue paper and burns REALLY fast. What you want is for it to be a nice golden brown and crunchy.  I usually put my toaster oven on 300F and do 5 minute increments, stirring it in between so that it browns evenly.  Somewhere around 10 minutes mine is done, but it might take longer depending on your tray size,...

If you love coconut and chocolate, you'll love these moist, chewy cookies.  I used to work with Jeff Ma at Protrade and Citizen Sports  and one day he asked me to make something with coconut in it, so he likes to say that he helped me come up with the recipe. :D  It was always his favorite cookie in my arsenal.  I also used to make these when I had my farmer's market stand in Millbrae. Stacey's Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookie Ingredients:   1c+2tbs sugar, organic 1 1/4c brown sugar, organic 1c butter, salted, organic (2 sticks) 1/2c coconut milk, organic (regular, aka not low-fat, is best) 2 eggs, organic 2 tsp vanilla bean paste 2c unbleached white flour, organic 1 1/2c whole wheat flour, organic (I always throw some whole wheat in to get some whole grains in, but you can use all unbleached white if you prefer) 2tbs cornstarch 1 1/4 tsp baking soda 1 1/2 tsp baking powder 1 1/2 tsp salt 1c shredded coconut, organic 2 1/2c Guittard semi-sweet chocolate chips ...

For those of you who are friends with me on facebook, you might have already seen this series.  But, I thought it would be fun to make it into a post so you could see all the pictures at once. Adm. Ackbar: They've been banned, Lizzie, but we got one! We got one!!! Adm. Ackbar: Don't just sit there! Help me get the wrapper off! Lizzie: I'm helping! Adm. Ackbar: Good job, Lizzie! You broke through! Adm. Ackbar: Here, have some chocolate. Adm. Ackbar: Let's open it up! What do you think is inside, Lizzie? Lizzie: Whatever it is, it's pretty packed in there, Admiral... I'm afraid... Adm. Ackbar: Uhhh... wtf is this? Lizzie: I'm not sure, Admiral...  Lizzie: We should at least look at the instruction manual.  Hmm, it says "Magic" in the corner. Adm Ackbar: Yeah, I think we need some for this to not be a piece of crap. Adm Ackbar: Blow, Lizzie! At least we'll follow the instructions and see what thi...

Yes, I know, it's been too long.  But, every year football season happens (although this year wasn't so certain), and every year for the past four years my life gets sucked away doing work for fantasy football apps.  And yes, I also know I'm stealing many a sports nut's dream job and whining pathetically about it. So, now, my return to blogging with my first successful upside down cake! Without further ado... Stacey's Peachy Plum Upside-Down Cake Ingredients: 1 1/4c sugar, organic 1c unbleached white flour, organic 1c whole wheat flour, organic 1/4c cornstarch 1/4c canola oil, organic 1/4c butter, salted, organic (1/2 a stick) 1c whole milk, organic 1/4c water 1 tbs vanilla bean paste 2 eggs, organic 1/4c lemon juice Bottoming (since it's not really "topping?"): 1/2c dark brown sugar, organic 6 tbs butter 1 yellow peach 4 small plums 1 8x8" glass baking dish 1 loaf pan (I always end up making enough batter so I can leave...

For those few of you who have gotten to try these caramels, yes, this is THE caramel recipe. I had debated publishing this recipe, but then I decided that I'm never going to make money via my food creations, and really I want to be an author instead, thus exchanging one impossible dream for another. :)  So, without further ado... Stacey's Caramel Recipe : 1.5c heavy cream, organic 2.25c whole milk, organic 3c sugar, organic 1 vanilla bean 1.5c glucose 3/4 stick (6 tbs) of butter, organic Oiled parchment paper in 7x7" and 10x10" cake pans Candy thermometer First, a WARNING : Caramel takes forever to make.  So be ready to have at least 2 hours to do the first part.  Since I needed extra caramel, this is 1.5x my normal recipe where I would only fill the 10x10" cake pan.  I should also note that you need the really sturdy cake pans that won't warp.  If you use cake pans or jelly roll pans that warp, your caramel is going to be all different thickne...