Baking – Page 2

French Onion Soup

Published on January 10, 2014January 9, 2014 by T.W.O.7 Comments

French Onion Soup

There are only a couple places that we like to go for French Onion Soup, but we can assure you that nothing beats T.W.O.’s French Onion Soup! It’s savory, light and healthier than most recipes! Every minute cooking it will be worth it in the end!

Ingredients:
– Beef broth*
– 5 sweet onions, sliced
– 1 bottle dark beer
– ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
– 3 cloves garlic, minced
– Salt
– Pepper
– Olive oil
– Baguette, sliced
– Mozzarella, sliced

*The secret to this recipe is the broth. T.W.O. used the broth from their seven-bone roast they cooked a couple nights before. The meat was seasoned with Montreal Steak seasoning and onion soup mix. Make sure to strain the broth before using it for your French Onion Soup!

Sautee the onions and garlic in olive oil for 8-10 minutes or until soft. Add salt and pepper to taste.

In a pot, bring the beef broth to a boil. Add the garlic and onions. Slowly stir in the beer, balsamic vinegar and fresh pepper. Cook on high heat for 1 minute.

Bring the temperature down to low and cover the soup. Cook for about 40 minutes to 1 hour.

Once the soup is ready, ladle some into an oven safe bowl. Turn the oven on broil or 500°F. Put the bread in the oven and broil until a little toasted. Once toasted, put the bread in the soup and top with a slice of mozzarella.

Place the soup in the oven and broil for about 3 minutes or until the cheese browns a bit. Remove from the oven and place on a plate so you don’t burn your hands!

Ready to serve! Happy cooking.

Cheese-Filled Pastry

Published on December 5, 2013December 4, 2013 by T.W.O.Leave a comment

Waking up in the morning and enjoying a cup of coffee along with a fresh piece of pastry is typical of the European lifestyle. T.W.O. would love to take on that same tradition and bring it to the States. Every day is a vacation, right? Well not exactly, but T.W.O. can help out in the pastry department. Learn how to make this scrumptious cheese pastry that will “WOW” a crowd!

Ingredients

For the Dough:
-2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast
– ¼ cup water, lukewarm
– ½ cup 2% milk, lukewarm
-¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
– ¾ cup granulated sugar
-1 Tablespoon vanilla
– 1 egg
– 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

For the Filling:
-8 ounces cream cheese or Neufchâtel, room temperature
-½ cup granulated sugar
-1 egg
-1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
– 2 teaspoons lemon zest or orange zest
-3 Tablespoons flour
– 1 cup of your favorite fruit jam or chocolate chips*

*T.W.O. doubled the recipe and made 3 large braids. They used apricot jam, boysenberry preserves and chocolate chips.

In a small bowl, mix the lukewarm water and the yeast together. Set aside. Mix all the dough ingredients together in a large bowl. (It’s best to use a mixer or a pastry blender) Mix in the water/yeast mixture. The dough should form a soft, smooth ball. Set aside and cover for about 2 hours or until the dough has doubled in size.

While the dough is rising, start making the filling. Using a KitchenAid or handmixer, mix the cream cheese until fluffy. Add the egg, sugar and vanilla. Mix well. Finally, add the lemon/orange zest and flour. Place the filling in the refrigerator to chill.

After the dough has doubled in size, place the dough on a floured surface and divide in half. Roll each dough out into a long rectangle making sure it is rolled out evenly.

Spread the cream cheese filling in the middle of the dough. Top with your favorite jam or chocolate chips. Cut 1 inch wide strips around the edge of the dough. Fold the strips towards the middle to create a lattice top.

Click the thumbnails for a larger photo

Once completed, cover the pastries and set aside to rise for about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350ᴼF.

Right before the pastry is ready to go in the oven, brush the dough with egg whites. Sprinkle with sugar. The pastries will bake for about 30 minutes, but watch them closely so your dough doesn’t get brown.

Ready yet? I think so! Now it’s time to pour yourself some coffee and enjoy your pastry! T.W.O. suggests eating the pastry warm. If you want to reheat the pastry, cover it with foil and place it in a 200ᴼF oven for about 15 minutes.

Happy Baking!

French Silk Pie

Published on December 4, 2013December 3, 2013 by T.W.O.Leave a comment

Are you a chocolate lover? Are you a pie lover? Well, you are in luck! T.W.O. has the perfect recipe for your –French Silk Pie. It’s a rich, fluffy, dense mousse pie that will be great for your next dinner party!

Ingredients:

-4 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
-1 teaspoon butter or shortening
-1 cup unsalted butter, softened
-1 ½ cups granulated sugar
-2 tablespoons vanilla extract
-4 eggs, room temperature
-1 fully pre-baked 9 inch pie shell (See recipe HERE)
-3 cups whipped cream

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a microwave safe bowl, head the chocolate and butter/shortening in 20-second intervals, stirring between each interval until completely melted. Cool for 10 minutes.

With a KitchenAid or handmixer, cream together butter, sugar until fluffy. Add the melted chocolate gradually until mixed well. Add vanilla.

Using a whisk or the whisk attachment, add one egg at a time. Each egg should be beat for 5 minutes, totaling 20 minutes. The filling should be thick and fluffy. Once you get the consistency, add the filling to a pre-baked pie shell.

Place the pie in the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until a butter knife comes out clean. Let the pie cool for about 30 minutes. Once cooled, place the pie in the refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours. It’s best to make this pie the night before.

Just when you are ready to serve, put the whipped cream on top of the pie. Garnish the top of the pie with shaved chocolate.

By this time, I am sure you are ready to taste this delectable, chocolaty pie!

Happy Baking!

Pear & Almond Galette

Published on November 27, 2013November 26, 2013 by T.W.O.Leave a comment

Galette’s are a quick and easy alternative to making a pie or tart. It doesn’t require a special pan or master technic. Check out how to make this pear & almond galette.

Ingredients

*Flaky Crust:

-2 cups flour
-¾ cup shortening (T.W.O. uses butter flavor)
– 2-3 Tablespoons sugar
– 5-6 Tablespoons cold water
-1 egg white
*Please note this recipe usually makes two pie crusts, so adjust accordingly based on the size you want your galette

Filling:

– 7 ounces almond paste
– 5 Comice Pears, peeled & sliced
– ¼ cup granulated sugar
– 2 Tablespoons cinnamon
– 2 Tablespoons nutmeg
– 2 Tablespoons cornstarch

Preheat oven to 425ᴼF. In a bowl mix the flour, shortening, sugar and cold water. T.W.O. uses a pastry blender to mix the dough together until you form it into a ball. Set aside.

In a bowl, carefully mix the sliced pears, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and cornstarch. Be careful not to break the pears while mixing.

To roll out the dough, make sure your surface is floured so that the dough doesn’t stick to your countertop or mat. Using your rolling pin, roll the dough out evenly in a circular shape. With the assistance of a spatula, move the rolled out dough into the oiled or “PAM’ed” baking pan or cookie sheet. Next, add the almond paste to the center of the dough. You want to make sure the clumps of paste are distributed evenly, leaving a 1 inch border around the edge of the circle. Next add the pear mixture on top of the almond paste.

Using a knife, cut ½ thick strips along the edge of the dough. Next, take each strip and fold over to make a crust. Each strip should be crisscross. Brush the crust with the egg white and sprinkle sugar on top.

Bake the galette for about 35 minutes or until the fruit mixture is bubbling. Check the crust at 15 minutes and if the pie crust is getting brown, cover with foil. Remove the galette and let it sit for 15 minutes before serving. If you don’t plan to eat the galette right away, T.W.O. suggests warming it up prior to eating. Add a scoop of ice cream and you have yourself a gourmet dessert!!!

Happy Baking!!

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Published on November 21, 2013November 19, 2013 by T.W.O.Leave a comment

Need a recipe for the holidays that will really impress your guests? Well, T.W.O. has the perfect solution for you – Pumpkin Cheesecake. It’s a moist, creamy and delectable cake that will compliment any meal. There is even better news too – you can make it the night before so you don’t have to worry about baking the day of your dinner party!

Ingredients

Crust:
– 1 ¾ cups graham cracker crumbs
– 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
– ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
– ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
– 1 stick butter, melted

Cheesecake filling:
– 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
– 1 (8-ounce) packages Neufchâtel, room temperature
– 1 (15-ounce) can pureed pumpkin
– 3 eggs plus 1 egg yolk
– ¼ cup sour cream
– 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
– 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
– 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
– ½ teaspoon ground cloves
– 2 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
– 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350ᴼF.

In a bowl, mix the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and butter. Create crust by pressing this mixture to the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Put aside.

Using a mixer (T.W.O. uses a KitchenAid mixer), beat cream cheese until smooth. It is important to make sure your cream cheese is room temperature so the filling doesn’t contain chunks of cream cheese. Add in eggs, yolk, pumpkin, sour cream, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Mix well. Slowly combine flour into the filling mixture.

Pour the filling into the springform pan, and make sure it’s evenly distributed. Put a bowl of water on the bottom wrack of the oven. This helps prevent any cracks in your filling. Place the cheesecake in the oven for about 1 hour or until a butter knife comes out clean. Set aside and let cool for 30 minutes. Cover the cake and place in the refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours. T.W.O.suggests leaving it overnight.

Once you are ready to eat, add some whipped cream to the top of the cake, garnish with a sprinkle of cinnamon and serve! Don’t be surprised if people ask for seconds or get caught eating it for breakfast! T.W.O. did!

Happy Baking!!

Chili – Cornbread

Published on November 4, 2013November 4, 2013 by T.W.O.Leave a comment

Fall is in full swing at T.W.O.’s house and that means cornbread and chili are on the menu. Learn how to make a chili-cornbread that is a great addition to your chili supper.

Ingredients:

– 2 boxes Jiffy Cornbread Mix
– 2 eggs
– 2/3 cup milk (T.W.O. used almond milk)
– 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
– 1 can cream of corn, 14.75 oz can
– 1 can diced Ortega chili, 7 oz can

Preheat oven to 400°. In a bowl, mix cornbread mix, egg and milk until creamy. Slowly add in ¾ cup cheese, cream of corn and Ortega chili. Once mixed, pour batter into a greased 8.5 x 11 pyrex dish. Sprinkle ¼ cup of cheese on top of the cornbread before putting in the oven.

Batter is Ready!

Cooking in the oven

Cook for 20-25 minutes. Once done, take the cornbread out and serve immediately. Add some honey if desired and your chili night will be complete! Later this week, T.W.O. will be featuring their chili recipe, so stay tuned!

Happy Baking!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Published on October 21, 2013October 21, 2013 by T.W.O.1 Comment

T.W.O. has made a ton of chocolate chip cookies in their lifetime and we discovered that throughout the years, new recipes are constantly evolving. Most recently, T.W.O. adapted this recipe that has a secret ingredient. Find out the trick to making the best chocolate chip cookie!

Ingredients:

– 2 1/4 cups unbleached flour
– 1 teaspoon baking soda
– 1 ½ teaspoons cornstarch
– 1.5 sticks unsalted butter, soften
– ¾ cups light brown sugar
– ½ cup sugar
– 1 egg + 1 egg yolk
– 3 teaspoons vanilla
– 2 cups chocolate chips

In a bowl, mix butter, sugar, brown sugar, egg and yolk together. (T.W.O. uses a KitchenAid mixer!) Once mixed well, add the flour, baking soda and the secret ingredient CORNSTARCH! After 3 minutes, slowly add in the chocolate chips. Place the dough in the refrigerator overnight or for a minimum 3 hours.

Don’t forget to taste the dough!

When you are ready to bake the cookies, take the dough out of the refrigerator. Pre-heat 350ᴼF. Let the dough sit out on the counter for about 15 minutes while the oven is pre-heating. Roll the dough into balls and place them on an oil-sprayed cookie sheet. Next, place the cookies in the oven for 10-11 minutes depending on your oven.

Once they are finished, take the cookies out of the oven. Place the baked cooked on a cooling rack and grab yourself a glass of milk and enjoy!

Happy Baking!

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Published on October 17, 2013October 15, 2013 by T.W.O.Leave a comment

Don’t throw away those brown bananas you have sitting on the counter; instead make chocolate chip banana bread! And T.W.O. did that exact thing for a Sunday afternoon project. It’s a great recipe for breakfast, a snack or even a sweet tooth craving after dinner.

Ingredients

– 2 ½ cups flour
-1 cup sugar
-3 ½ teaspoons baking powder
– 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
-¾ cups milk (or almond milk)
-1 egg
-1 cup mashed bananas, ripe (~2 to 3 medium bananas)
-2-3 cups Chocolate Chips

Preheat oven to 350º. In a mixer (T.W.O. uses a KitchenAid), cream the oil, sugar and egg. Once mixed, add the mashed bananas and milk.

Next, slowly add the flour and the baking powder. The batter should be thick, but not sticky. After about 4 minutes, stop the mixer. Slowly fold in (or on low speed in the mixer) the chocolate chips. Depending on your love for chocolate, feel free to add more or less!

Put in the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes. You know the bread is ready, when you poke the loaf with a butter knife and it comes out clean!

Happy Baking!

Peach + Boysenberry Pie

Published on August 20, 2013September 21, 2013 by T.W.O.2 Comments

The ultimate summer dessert – Peach Pie!!!! It’s a fresh, light and sweet ending to a perfect barbecued meal. Grab your rolling pins (or wine bottles!) and let’s start baking!

Ingredients:

Flaky Crust:
2 cups flour
¾ cup shortening (T.W.O. uses butter flavor)
2-3 Tablespoons sugar
5-6 Tablespoons cold water

Pie Filling:
5-6 yellow peaches
1 cup boysenberries
1 Tablespoon nutmeg
1 Tablespoon cinnamon
1 ½ Tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 350°.

In a bowl mix the flour, shortening, sugar and cold water. T.W.O. uses a pastry blender to mix the dough together. Form the dough in a ball and set aside.

Now for the filling! Make sure the peaches are washed and dried well. You don’t want extra protein in your pie! There are two ways you can remove the skin from the peaches…either blanch them in water or peel the skins off or you can take a carving knife and remove the skin like a peeler. T.W.O. removed the skin using a small knife.

Halve the peaches and remove the pit. Cut the peaches in thin slices and place in a bowl. Once all the peaches are sliced, add the nutmeg, cinnamon, sugar and boysenberries. Mix well, but not too much since you don’t want the fruit to break.

Let’s roll that dough now! Make sure your surface is floured well so that the dough doesn’t stick to your countertop or mat. Take a “hand-full” of dough and put aside. (This will be for the lattice top) Using your rolling pin/ wine bottle, roll the remaining dough out evenly in a circular shape. With the assistance of a spatula, move the rolled out dough into the oiled or “PAM’ed” pie dish. Pinch the crust tops with your fingers to make a stylish pattern. Once the dough is set, sprinkle the bottom of the pie with cornstarch. This will absorb the juices from the peaches to prevent a soggy crust.

Take your peach filling and place it in the pie dish. Make sure the ingredients are evenly distributed.

Almost there! Now it’s time for the lattice. Roll the remanding dough out thinly with your rolling pin/ wine bottle to form a rectangle. Take a sharp knife and cut long stripes in the dough. Use these stripes to create the lattice formation for the topper. Be creative with your placement!

Place the pie dish on a cookie sheet lined with foil to prevent any excess juice from the pie to drip onto the bottom of the oven. Also, put foil around the pie crush so that it doesn’t burn. It’s oven time! The pie should take about 45 minutes, but let’s face it, not all ovens are the same, so just keep an eye on it! T.W.O. knows the pie is ready when the juices are bubbling!

Once the pie is removed from the oven, T.W.O. likes to place it on a wire rack so that the pie can cool down a bit. Wait 15 minutes, 45 minutes or 4 hours to eat this pie- it’s delicious anytime! T.W.O. suggests adding a scoop of vanilla ice cream to your slice! Enjoy!!!

Introducing T.W.O

Published on August 14, 2013August 14, 2013 by twinswithoriginality5 Comments

…..And T.W.O. is launched!!!! After more than 20 years of keeping our recipes, DIY projects, travels and style behind closed doors we decided to share them with the world. T.W.O is excited about this new adventure and hopes that you will enjoy all the posts as much as T.W.O had in creating them!

Now sit back, relax and enjoy T.W.O!