93: Caramel Chocolate Chip Pecan Pie

Hey peeps....made some caramel chocolate chip pecan pie today!! I know...Its a mouthful...but I just could not resist putting all the good stuff in there. Baked this for a pie contest I participating in :).

Recipe:

For a 9-inch pie crust,
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. sugar
¼ tsp. salt
8 Tbsp. cold, unsalted butter, grated with a cheese grater
3 Tbsp. very cold water

For the filling,

28 caramel candy

1 cup chocolate chips

¼ cup butter
¼ cup water
¾ cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
½ tsp. vanilla extract

½ tsp. nutmeg
¼ tsp. salt
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans, roasted

Combine and blend the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl.  Add in the cold grated butter and knead the mix. Mix in the cold water and continue kneading the dough, until the butter is completely worked into the flour. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 mins.  Remove from the refrigerator and roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface.

Pre-heat the oven to 400 F. Roll out the dough gently into a 9-inch pie pan. Fold edges under, and crimp with fingers. Prick bottom and sides of pie crust with a fork. Bake the pie crust for 8 to 10 mins or until lightly browned; cool on wire rack.

Combine the caramels, butter, and water in large saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, 5 to 7 mins. or until caramels and butter is completely melted. Remove from heat. Stir together the sugar, eggs, vanilla extract and nutmeg. Stir this into the caramel mixture until thoroughly combined. Stir in  the pecans. Pour this into the prepared crust.

Bake pie at 400 F for 10 mins. Reduce heat to 350 F, and bake for 20 more mins, Remove pie to a wire rack to cool.

I ended up making 2 pies....one for the contest and another one for home....I had to eat my own pie!

Hope y'all are having a good week so far....I am so looking forward to the weekend...having crazy busy days at work...

P.S.: (Nov 24 2010) I won the Pie Bake Off!!

I am so Happy!!! I win my first bake off...

75: Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Made some yummy and gooey chocolate chip pancakes for my Hubby dearest.. for the sweetheart that he is.. :)

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1 1/4 cups milk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 cup semisweet mini chocolate chips

Whisk together all ingredients except chips until just combined. Add the chips. Heat a pan over medium heat until hot and lightly brush with butter. Working in batches, pour 3 Tbsp. batter per pancake onto pan. Cook until golden-brown, about 1 minute. Flip the pancake and cook other side, about 1 minute more.

Have it warm...I could not resist eating them straight from the pan without syrup....the warm molten chocolate chips in the pancake just melt in you mouth...yumminess...

56: Mint Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

Mint chocolate chip cupcakes to cure some Sunday evening blues.....

1/2 cup unsalted butter

2/3 cup granulated white sugar

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon peppermint extract

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup milk

1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.

In the bowl beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract and peppermint extract.

In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Add the flour mixture and milk, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour. Add the chocolate chips and mix.

Evenly fill the muffin cups with the batter and bake for about 18-20 minutes or until nicely browned and a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Once the cupcakes have completely cooled, frost with icing.

Peppermint cream cheese icing

8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1 pound (4 cups) confectioners’ sugar, sifted

3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon peppermint extract

Beat butter and cream cheese until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low. Add sugar, 1 cup at a time, and then vanilla & peppermint extract; mix until smooth.

Have a great start to the week y'all....