Ariadne Pure: Raw Honey with Hazelnuts Review

About a month ago, I was contacted by Tasos of Ariadne Pure asking me to review one of their newer products, a raw honey with hazelnuts spread. A quick look at their website www.ariadnepure.com allowed me to learn a little more about Ariadne Pure. Ariadne Pure specializes in Greek centered products whether it be Extra Virgin Olive oil, wines or organic raw honeys. So, when asked if I would be willing to review their raw honey with hazelnuts, I happily obliged. Not to mention, it's also organic.

First of all, when I opened the package and pulled out the jar, I was impressed with just how it looked. It was simple, yet elegant at the same time. There's just something about putting a simple piece of decorative paper with twine, a long with a label, that just makes things look as if they took the time and effort just to make sure everything looks as good as their product tastes. Simply, it just shows that they believe in their product completely.

Now for the taste. Before I even opened the jar, I had preconceived notions of what it was going to taste like. Think Nutella without the chocolate, and replace that with the floral sweetness of honey. I also thought it would be chunky from the hazelnuts, giving it a crunchy textural aspect.

What did it actually taste like? It was sweet with those hints of floral notes from the honey and the flavor of the hazelnuts came right through. However, unlike what I thought about the texture before, this raw honey with hazelnut spread was completely smooth which surprised me. It was legitimately like Nutella, without the chocolate, and really allowed the honey to shine with hints of hazelnut flavor. Cool right? But, be careful with this product, a little goes a long way. Remember, this is honey! It would be a no-no to take a spoon and eat it straight out of the jar like Nutella. But hey, who am I to judge?

I would love to try this product on biscuits, bake it into corn muffins, or make cakes out of it! Given that the texture is smooth, this can be used directly in recipes that call for honey. This honey will give added flavor from the hazelnuts, which will add more dimension to recipes. Not into hazelnuts? Well, head on over to www.ariadnepure.com and check out their other honey spreads with almonds, peanuts and so much more!

I want to thank Ariadne Pure for allowing me to review their product. This is the thing I love about being a food blogger. It has allowed me to venture out and try products that I wouldn't normally go out and try, because I don't have knowledge of every single company out there. Before being contacted by Ariadne Pure, I had no clue it existed! Now that I know about them, so can you all!! So, get out there and try their product and let me and them know what you think of their stuff!

-Aaron John

The Winner Is.....

You've waited long enough and the winning number is....

THREE!! That means Blake has won!! :D Congratulations Blake! I will e-mail you for your $25 Gift Certificate to CSN Stores. Thank you to everyone that entered and a special thanks to CSN Stores for allowing me to do this. Stay tuned. Who knows what I will be giving away! :)

-Aaron John

Giveaway Entrants And Your Numbers

Hey! So, I numbered all the giveaway entrants in the order you all entered just to make it easier and so you know what your actual number is when I use Random.org. The winner will be announced tomorrow!! Good Luck to everyone!!

xmadeintaiwan: 1

Domestic Diva: 2

Blake: 3, 4

Shala_Darkstone: 5, 6, 7

Aubrey Laine: 8, 9, 10

Liz: 11, 12, 13

-Aaron John

It's Time For Another Giveaway!

How's everyone doing this Wednesday? I know there are a lot of Winter Storms happening around the country but Seattle is as sunny as can be. :) Also, since it is a Wednesday, there are only two more days until the weekend! Excited?? I know I am. If the thought of the weekend does n0t excite you, don't worry. I can get you excited. If you follow me on twitter, you would have known yesterday that I was doing a giveaway. Well, the time has come!! Probably everyone's favorite event. A chance to enter a new giveaway!! CSN stores is allowing me to do another giveaway towards their websites! I've said this time and time again but CSN Stores just have a plethora of different items. Modern furniture, kitchen utensils, baking tools and so much more. Have you checked them out? Well, you better if you want to win! :) 

CSN Stores is giving you the chance to win a $25 Gift Certificate for any of their online stores! Good Luck to all! Here's how to enter:

You must be a follower of "AJ's Cooking Secrets" through the Google Friend Connect located on the left side bar of my blog to enter this giveaway. If you are not a follower, your entry and/or entries will not be counted.

You have THREE chances to enter!!

1. Leave a comment stating what you would like to buy from CSN Stores with the $25 Gift Certificate, along with your email.

2. Become a fan/liker of my Facebook Fan Page : AJ's Cooking Secrets and leave a comment below stating that you have become a fan/liker. If you are already a fan/liker of my FB Fan Page, leave a comment stating that you are.

3. Follow me on Twitter @aaronjohn04 and leave a comment below stating that you have become a follower. If you are already a follower of my twitter page, leave a comment stating that you are.

Important Guidelines:

-Must be a follower of this blog, "AJ's Cooking Secrets", through Google Friend Connect located on the left side bar for your entry/entries to count. Anyone who "enters" without being a follower of this blog will not be entered into the drawing.

-The Giveaway will last until Wednesday, February 9th, 2011 at 11:59 PM PST. The winner will be drawn using Random.org. The winner will then be announced in a blog post, on my facebook page and emailed that they are the winner. From there, the winner will receive a Gift Certificate Code towards CSN stores.

-Aaron John

Facebook Fan Page

And The Winner Is.....

You've waited a week and the results are in. The lucky number is.....11. That means the winner of a $45 Gift Certificate to CSN Stores is Pixie!! Congratulations Pixie!! I will contact you with your prize shortly. Thanks to everyone who entered my giveaway and a special thanks to CSN Stores! Keep checking back on my blog. You never know what surprises are in store.

-Aaron John

Facebook Fan Page

Giveaway Entrants And Your Numbers

As usual, I numbered the entries myself to make it easier in picking the winner through Random.org. Look for your name and numbers and Good Luck!! The winner will be announced tomorrow!

Celeste: 1

Necinco: 2

Vindel: 3, 4, 5

Tim: 6, 7, 8

Mandy: 9

Pixie: 10, 11, 12

Claire: 13

Liz: 14, 15, 16

-Aaron John

Facebook Fan Page

Pumpkin Cupcakes With Maple Cream Cheese Frosting And A Giveaway!

So the past two days have been SNOW DAYS here in Seattle! That makes my Thanksgiving break extended by 2 days! Yay! Speaking of Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving is here! Well, it's tomorrow but still...Thanksgiving is here!! I don't know about you but it has come just at the right time. I'm fully prepared to stuff my face with delicious food and be around family. I live for the holidays because it's one of the only times out of the year where the whole family gets together. There's just something about it that makes you all happy inside. Anywho, so it's Thanksgiving so it only seems logical to have a Thanks-giveaway! So if you haven't checked out CSN Stores after my multiple posts about CSN Stores, get to it!! Get coffee tables, a lamp, heck even get yourself a huge fountain! Whatever makes you happy. I'll talk about this later.

In honor of Thanksgiving, why not make something pumpkin related. This was my first time working with pumpkin and it was well...Interesting? ha. It was fun working with a new ingredient because I was able to increase my "Ingredient Use Count". You can read on for the end results of these cupcakes late on as well.

Now, back to what you've all been waiting for, the Thanks-Giveaway. CSN Stores is giving you the chance to win a $45 Gift Certificate for any of their online stores! I repeat, $45 Gift Certificate!! Here's how to enter:

You must be a follower of "AJ's Cooking Secrets" through the Google Friend Connect located on the left side bar of my blog to enter this giveaway. If you are not a follower, your entry and/or entries will not be counted.

You have THREE chances to enter!!

1. Leave a comment stating what you would like to buy from CSN Stores with the $45 Gift Certificate, along with your email.

2. Become a fan/liker of my Facebook Fan Page : AJ's Cooking Secrets and leave a comment below stating that you have become a fan/liker. If you are already a fan/liker of my FB Fan Page, leave a comment stating that you are.

3. Follow me on Twitter @aaronjohn04 and leave a comment below stating that you have become a follower. If you are already a follower of my twitter page, leave a comment stating that you are.

Important Guidelines:

-Must be a follower of this blog, "AJ's Cooking Secrets", through Google Friend Connect located on the left side bar for your entry/entries to count. Anyone who "enters" without being a follower of this blog will not be entered into the drawing.

-The Giveaway will last until Wednesday, December 1st, 2010 at 11:59 PM PST. The winner will be drawn using Random.org. The winner will then be announced in a blog post, on my facebook page and emailed that they are the winner. From there, the winner will be contacted by CSN Stores where you will receive a Gift Certificate Code.

Tips
-It's a fairly straightforward recipe so don't over mix the batter and don't over bake your cupcakes. Stick a toothpick into the cupcake and if there's a tiny bit of crumbs that stick, it's ready to take out. Some people say to take them out when a toothpick is clean but you have to remember that the cupcakes will somewhat continue to cook because of the heat that is retained in the pan and the cupcake itself.

Results
Taste: The cupcake itself was very reminiscent of a carrot cake in terms of the flavor of the spices but with the slight flavor of pumpkin instead of carrots. I personally felt it was missing an a "lil' somethin' somethin'". The Maple Cream Cheese frosting didn't taste like Maple. Maybe because I used a tablespoon of maple syrup instead? But it was missing that Maple flavor. 

Texture: Definitely a moist cupcake because of the use of the pumpkin and the oil. The frosting was smooth and creamy.


Pumpkin Cupcakes With Maple Cream Cheese Frosting (Makes 10 cupcakes)
Recipe by Ina Garten

Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup canned pumpkin purée (8 ounces), not pie filling
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 cup vegetable oil
Maple Frosting (recipe follows)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped Heath bars, for serving (2 1.4-ounce bars)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Brush or spray the top of 10 muffin tins with vegetable oil and line them with 10 paper liners.

Into a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. In a larger bowl, whisk together the eggs, pumpkin purée, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vegetable oil. Add the flour mixture and stir until combined.

Divide the batter among the prepared tins (I use a level 2 1/4-inch ice cream scoop) and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Set aside to cool completely.

Spread the cupcakes with the Maple Frosting and sprinkle with the chopped toffee bits.

Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
6 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon Boyajian Natural Maple Flavor
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the cream cheese and butter on low speed until smooth. Stir in the maple flavoring and vanilla extract. With the mixer still on low, slowly add the confectioners' sugar and mix until smooth.

-Aaron John

Facebook Fan Page

And The Winner Is.....

The winning number is 16. That means that Michael wins the $55 Gift Certificate to CSN Stores. Congrats!! I will contact you about your prize.  This is the second time Michael has won so he will not be eligible to enter the next TWO giveaways. Seriously, what are the chances for winning twice?! I'm in shock just as much as you are! Anywho, I guess that's about it for this post. Thank you to everyone who entered and thanks to CSN Stores for allowing me to do this giveaway. Who knows what other surprises are in store?

-Aaron John

My Food Outings: AJ's Food Adventure

Facebook Fan Page

Giveaway Entrants And Your Numbers

Here we go. I numbered the entries myself again. Look for your name and numbers and Good Luck!! The winner will be announced shortly!

J_feng: 1

Blake: 2

Domestic Diva: 3

Mamipdx: 4, 5, 6, 7

An Open Book: 8

Elaine: 9

Dee: 10, 11, 12, 13

Daphne: 14

Michael: 15, 16, 17

Liz: 18, 19, 20, 21

Debbie: 22, 23, 24

Meeyeehere: 25, 26, 27

-Aaron John

My Food Outings: AJ's Food Adventure

Facebook Fan Page

Love Potion #31 And A Giveaway

Oh Seattle weather, how you ruin my pictures by hiding the sun with your clouds... haha

I guess today's your lucky day because it's once again time for another Giveaway courtesy of CSN Stores. Woot! I guess this is my thank you to you for helping me out in the Project Food Blog Competion.Like I've said many times before, CSN stores has so many great products to buy. Whether you need some new Bed Sets or even a kitchen table, they've got it. Seriously, if you still haven't checked out CSN yet (even though I've said it multiple times), go and do it! ha. Plus, you can think of what you can buy with this Gift Certificate! :)

Let's get back to the giveaway a little later. This post is going to be somewhat short since I have so much work to do! lol. But, in continuation of my "Ice Cream Into Cookies" project, I decided to do another cookie. This cookie is mirrored after Baskin Robbins "Love Potion #31" Ice Cream. In honor of that ice cream, this "Love Potion #31" cookie is simply a chocolate chip cookie dough mixed with white and milk chocolate chips and is baked with raspberry jam in the center. Think of it as a chocolate chip cookie meets a thumbprint cookie.

Now, back to what you've all been waiting for, the giveaway. Like I said before, I was approached by CSN to do a giveaway. This time, CSN Stores is giving you the chance to win a $55 Gift Certificate for any of their online stores! I repeat, $55 Gift Certificate!! Here's how to enter:

You must be a follower of "AJ's Cooking Secrets" through the Google Friend Connect located on the left side bar of my blog to enter this giveaway. If you are not a follower, your entry and/or entries will not be counted.

You have FOUR chances to enter!!

1. Leave a comment stating what you would like to buy from CSN Stores with the $55 Gift Certificate, along with your email.

2. Follow my other blog, AJ's Food Adventure, and leave a comment below stating that you have become a follower. If you are already a follower of my other blog, leave a comment stating that you are.

3. Become a fan/liker of my Facebook Fan Page : AJ's Cooking Secrets and leave a comment below stating that you have become a fan/liker. If you are already a fan/liker of my FB Fan Page, leave a comment stating that you are.

4. Follow me on Twitter @aaronjohn04 and leave a comment below stating that you have become a follower. If you are already a follower of my twitter page, leave a comment stating that you are.

**If entering all four times, leave four different comments.

Important Guidelines:

-Must be a follower of this blog, "AJ's Cooking Secrets", through Google Friend Connect located on the left side bar for your entry/entries to count. Anyone who "enters" without being a follower of this blog will not be entered into the drawing.

-The Giveaway will last until Sunday, October 20, 2010 at 11:59 PM PST. The winner will be drawn using Random.org. The winner will then be announced in a blog post, on my facebook page and emailed that they are the winner. From there, the winner will be contacted by CSN Stores where you will receive a Gift Certificate Code.

Results

Taste: Combination of the classic milk chocolate flavor and vanilla flavored white chocolate topped off with tart raspberry jam to cut the sweetness

Texture: Classic chewiness from the cookie but with an extra added chewiness from the raspberry jam that cooked in the oven.

Tips
-There aren't really many tips to this cookie, I guess a key tip is to not overfill each scoop of cookie dough with chocolate chips? You're probably saying to yourself, "Whaaa? You're crazy! I want my chocolate!" but seriously, it helps when you go to make an indentation for the jam.

"Love Potion #31" Cookie (Makes 1 Dozen 5 inch Cookies or 4 Dozen Mini Cookies)

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup white sugar

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 large eggs

1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips

1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips

1/2 cup Raspberry Jam

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.

Place the butter, sugar, and brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer; cream together on medium speed until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Beat in the vanilla and eggs. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture and continue to mix until a smooth batter forms. Turn off the mixer and fold in the chocolate chips using the spatula.

To form the cookies, scoop about 1/4 cup of cookie dough into your hands and roll it around into a ball; place them about 3-inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets; you should get about 4 cookies on each pan. Press down the tops of the dough slightly and make an indentation in the center. Fill the center with about 1/2 tsp of raspberry jam. Bake until the cookies are light brown, 12 minutes for chewy cookies, or about 15 minutes for crispy cookies.

Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough/cookie sheets.

-Aaron John

My Food Outings: AJ's Food Adventure

Facebook Fan Page

The Winner Is.....

Drumroll please.......The winning number is 18!! This means that Stephanie is the winner of a $35 Gift Certificate for CSN Stores. Congrats!! I will contact you for your prize.

Thank you so much to everyone who entered! A special thanks to CSN Stores for allowing me to do this giveaway as well!! This giveaway would not have been possible without you guys and the help of CSN! I guess that's about it for this post. Once again, thank you to everyone for participating!! Tune in next time because who knows what I will be giving away or doing on my blog!! :D

-Aaron John

My Food Outings: AJ's Food Adventure

Facebook Fan Page

Giveaway Entrants And Your Numbers

Just like my last giveaway, I'm going to number the entries myself. Look for your name and numbers and Good Luck!! The winner will be announced shortly!

Mamipdx: 1, 2

An Open Book: 3

Pixie: 4, 5, 6, 7

Michael: 8, 9, 10

Susitravl: 11, 12, 13

Krissie: 14, 15, 16, 17

Stephanie: 18, 19, 20, 21

-Aaron John

My Food Outings: AJ's Food Adventure

Facebook Fan Page

Molten Chocolate Cake With A Surprise Inside...Another Giveaway That Is!

Today is your lucky day! The surprise isn't IN the Molten Chocolate Cake, it's literally in this blog post. Once again, I was contacted by CSN Stores to do another giveaway. If you still haven't given CSN Stores a look-see, get to it!! They seriously have everything. Need some Modern Bedding to spruce up your bedroom? Well, they have it! Need some new furniture? They have that! Need a simple pot? They even have that. Seriously, with their 200+ stores, the possibilities are endless! I'll talk more about this later.

Well, two weeks after the egg fiasco (which I still think is going on) and it's time to make the Molten Chocolate Cake I planned for. This recipe comes from Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Mark Bittman and this is also the first time that I will try a Molten Chocolate Cake. There has been so much hype about a Molten Chocolate Cake that I had to make it. This recipe is extremely simple to follow that it was made in no time. When I tried the cake, it's essentially a chocolate cake, meets a melted chocolate bar, meets a souffle. The cake was fluffy like a souffle with the center somewhat liquidy (I left it in the oven a minute too long). Overall, it tasted "ehhhh". I'm not exactly sure what the "best" Molten Chocolate Cake is supposed to taste like but I'm not exactly a fan. haha. It definitely tasted like dark chocolate but I think I have to get used to the "molten" center. I think I'm a little sketchy about it since the eggs are basically still raw. I'm not a fan of a Molten Chocolate Cake just yet but, maybe in the future, I will be. As of right now, I would gladly eat a chocolate cake with fudge sauce on top or even a chocolate cupcake that is baked with a chocolate truffle on the inside rather than this Molten Chocolate Cake. Would that be great or what?! Well, that's for next time. ha.

Now, back to the giveaway. Like I said before, I was approached by CSN to do a giveaway. This time, CSN Stores is giving you the chance to win a $35 Gift Certificate for any of their online stores! Here's how to enter:

You must be a follower of "AJ's Cooking Secrets" through the Google Friend Connect located on the left side bar of my blog to enter this giveaway. If you are not a follower, your entry and/or entries will not be counted.

You have FOUR chances to enter!!

1. Leave a comment stating what you would like to buy from CSN Stores with the $35 Gift Certificate, along with your email.

2. Follow my other blog, AJ's Food Adventure, and leave a comment below stating that you have become a follower. If you are already a follower of my other blog, leave a comment stating that you are.

3. Become a fan/liker of my Facebook Fan Page : AJ's Cooking Secrets and leave a comment below stating that you have become a fan/liker. If you are already a fan/liker of my FB Fan Page, leave a comment stating that you are.

4. Follow me on Twitter @aaronjohn04 and leave a comment below stating that you have become a follower. If you are already a follower of my twitter page, leave a comment stating that you are.

**If entering all four times, leave four different comments.

Important Guidelines:

-Must be a follower of this blog, "AJ's Cooking Secrets", through Google Friend Connect located on the left side bar for your entry/entries to count. Anyone who "enters" without being a follower of this blog will not be entered into the drawing.

-The Giveaway will last until Sunday, September 19, 2010 at 11:59 PM PST. The winner will be drawn using Random.org. The winner will then be announced in a blog post, on my facebook page and emailed that they are the winner. From there, the winner will be contacted by CSN Stores where you will receive a Gift Certificate Code.

Now, here's my tips and recipe to the Molten Chocolate Cake.

**Tips

-You're going to love this tip. You can actually make this cake ahead of time! Follow the recipe as stated and when you divide the batter into the molds, store it in the refrigerator until you're ready! All you have to do is take it out of the refrigerator about 30 min before baking, to allow the cake batter to come to room temperature, then bake it off!

-I personally think that the cake looks better presented in a ramekin rather than un-molding it. I un-molded one of the cakes and it had a sort of "wrinkly" outside. If you like that, go for it. haha

Molten Chocolate Cake (Makes 4 individual cakes)

Ingredients

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for molds

2 teaspoons all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting molds

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, preferably Valrhona

2 large whole eggs

2 large egg yolks

1/4 cup sugar

Directions

Butter and lightly flour four 4-ounce molds, ramekins, or custard cups. Tap out excess flour; butter and flour them again, and set aside.

In the top of a double boiler or heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, combine butter and chocolate; heat until chocolate has almost completely melted.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together eggs, yolks, and sugar until light and thick.

Add melted chocolate mixture, and beat to combine. Quickly beat in flour until just combined. Divide batter evenly among the molds.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place filled molds on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake until the sides have set but the centers remain soft, 6 to 7 minutes.

Invert each mold onto a plate, and let rest 10 seconds. Unmold by lifting up one corner of the mold; the cake will fall out onto the plate. Serve immediately.

-Aaron John

My Food Outings: AJ's Food Adventure

Facebook Fan Page

And The Winner Is......

Drumroll please.......The winning number is 17!! This means that Michaelappelgate_2013 is the winner of a $60 Gift Certificate for CSN Stores. Congrats!! I will contact you for your prize.

Thank you so much to everyone who entered! A special thanks to CSN Stores for allowing me to do this giveaway as well!! Doing my first ever giveaway was a blast and would not have been possible without you guys and the help of CSN! Also, hello to all my new followers of my blog! :) I hope you guys like my blog! I guess that's about it for this post. Once again, thank you to everyone for participating!! Tune in next time because who knows what new and crazy things I will be giving away or doing on my blog!! :D

-Aaron John

My Food Outings: AJ's Food Adventure

Facebook Fan Page

My First Giveaway Entrants And Your Numbers

My first ever giveaway is now closed! :D So, I decided to number the entrants in my first giveaway myself and give out your numbers to make it easier when using Random.org since the numbering on the side of each comment didn't work so well because of multiple entries by people and some not being able to enter due to CSN not being available in their location. I simply numbered them in order in which you commented, when you commented and by how many entries you had. So, Good Luck to all entrants and the winner will be announced soon. For now, look for your name below, check your numbers and come back soon to see if you've won. If there are any questions, shoot me an email. Otherwise, Here are your numbers:

Jess@Sugar High: 1, 2

Ashley: 3

Domestic Diva: 4

Michael Toa: Sorry about CSN not being in the UK. :(

Le: 5

Kerry: 6, 7

Tim: 8, 9

Lisa: 10

Claire: 11

Jaja: Sorry about CSN not being in the Phillipines! :(

Bao.carmen: 12

Cheryl: 13, 14, 15

Michael: 16, 17

SolDucky: 18, 19, 20

Pixie: 21, 22, 23

Thatlittlehouse: 24, 25

Sharon: 26, 27

April8114: 28

-Aaron John

My Food Outings: AJ's Food Adventure

Facebook Fan Page

Coconut Macaroons (Filipino Style) And My First Ever Giveaway!! (Giveaway Now Closed)

That's right! The major role you guys play in this blog post is that you guys get to enter my first ever giveaway!! Let me explain a little bit about the giveaway, talk about this week's food creation, then back to the giveaway, okay? Once again, I was approached by CSN stores. Remember how I was able to review a product for CSN? Well, they're back and this time you guys get the opportunity to win something great in my FIRST EVER GIVEAWAY! Trust me, this is a great giveaway!! Definitely give CSN a look see. They have so many great products for your dining room such as Kitchen Tables, for your kitchen such as appliances and baking pans, and even things for dogs! They have so many websites specified to different products that the possibilities are endless. More on this giveaway later. Time for this week's food post.

For a coconut lover, coconut macaroons must be a top favorite because they are so jam-packed full of coconut. That slightly chewiness and "crunchy" texture from the coconut is to die for. However, these aren't any other macaroons. These are the Filipino Coconut Macaroons. I mean, basically all Coconut Macaroons use the same ingredients: eggs, sweetened condensed milk and coconut of course. However, the Filipino Coconut Macaroons are made in paper cups and sometimes a crust. Why did I decide to make these? When I made Granola weeks ago, I used coconut and when my mom saw that, she immediately said "Are you making coconut macaroons?". My mom told me that when she was living in the Philippines, at every wedding anniversary of her parents, her parents' cousins always served the Filipino Coconut Macaroons and it was her favorite. She described it as the same coconut macaroons but the difference was it had a crust to it. So, I went searching for a recipe like that one but no such luck. There was no recipe that contained the crust. I did find a recipe for Macapuno Tarts but my mom said it was different. So, I just made the Filipino Coconut Macaroons with paper cups as stated.

What was the result? These were chewy, had a nice crust to them, moist in the center and had a great texture from the coconut. However, it was a little sweet for my taste so I may reduce the sugar a bit in the future. Overall, really good recipe. My mom even liked it. The recipe will be at the end of this post!

Now, back to my FIRST EVER, SPECTACULAR GIVEAWAY!!! (Now Closed)

Like I said before, I was approached by CSN to do a giveaway this time. What's this SPECTACULAR GIVEAWAY you ask? CSN Stores is giving you the chance to win a $60 Gift Certificate for any of their online stores! Sounds fantastic, right? I don't exactly know what to do for a giveaway but I looked around at how other people formatted their giveaways and here's the criteria to enter:

You must be a follower of "AJ's Cooking Secrets" through the Google Friend Connect located on the left side bar of my blog to enter this giveaway. If you are not a follower, your entry and/or entries will not be counted.

You have THREE chances to enter!! (Be sure to place your email in your comment and, if entering multiple times, make different comments for the entries. It makes it easier for me)

1. Leave a comment stating what you would like to buy from CSN Stores with the fantastic $60 Gift Certificate along with your email.

2. Follow me on Twitter @aaronjohn04 and leave a comment below stating that you have become a follower. If you are already a follower of my twitter page, leave a comment stating that you are.

3. Become a fan/liker of my Facebook Fan Page : AJ's Cooking Secrets and leave a comment below stating that you have become a fan/liker. If you are already a fan/liker of my FB Fan Page, leave a comment stating that you are.

**If entering all three times, leave three different comments.

Important Guidelines:

-Must be a follower of this blog, "AJ's Cooking Secrets", through Google Friend Connect located on the left side bar for your entry/entries to count. Anyone who "enters" without being a follower of this blog will not be entered into the drawing.

-The Giveaway will last until Sunday, August 22, 2010 at 11:59 PM PST. The winner will be drawn using Random.org. The winner will then be announced in a blog post, on my facebook page and emailed that they are the winner. From there, the winner will be contacted by CSN Stores where you will receive a Gift Certificate Code.

Great giveaway, right? Remember, have your email in your comment!! The more entries you have, the better chance you have to win!! :DD Good Luck to all!!

Filipino Coconut Macaroons

Ingredients

14 oz. of shredded coconut

14 oz. can condensed milk

½ tsp vanilla extract

½ cup butter

½ cup light brown sugar

3 eggs

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Once butter has softened add it to mixing bowl and cream it by gradually adding sugar until blended. Then add vanilla extract, eggs and condensed milk. Mix all ingredients well. Once mixed, add coconut and stir into mixture using a spatula. Once all ingredients are incorporated spoon into mini muffin cups and bake for approx. 15 – 20 minutes until they are slightly golden brown on top.

-Aaron John

My Food Outings: AJ's Food Adventure

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Sour Cream-Chocolate Bundt Cake

So, Sour Cream-Chocolate Bundt Cake is the cake for today. In addition to this cake, it's also time to do a review from CSN. A couple weeks ago, I mentioned in my Baklava post that I was approached my CSN to do a review and/or giveaway. Well, here it is! One of the items I was able to obtain to review from CSN was a 10 inch Bundt Pan made by Faberware. I got this pan specifically for this cake and I'm glad I chose it. This pan is heavy duty, non-stick and is super easy to clean! What a great pan! In addition, I love how there's an "extension" of the edges to create a sort of "handle" for easy placing and removal from the oven. It makes life so much easier. Overall, CSN is a great place to buy products. You get your items within a week or so, so the wait isn't bad.

Now, back to food! So Sour Cream-Chocolate Bundt Cake. Let's see. There are a TON of recipes for a Chocolate Bundt Cake out there so how did I decide which one to use? Well, the recipe looked really good. It had a ton of chocolate in it. The amount of cocoa powder was half the amount of flour!! Plus it had required more melted chocolate! Say whaaaa?! Heck yeah! haha. In addition to looking at the recipe for the cake itself, a majority of them used a ganache to top it off. I personally didn't want that. The reason behind this was, many years ago, my mom brought home a slice of a Chocolate Bundt Cake that her co-worker made and it was seriously the best chocolate cake I've ever eaten that didn't have a frosting. It was a simple chocolate cake and nothing more but it was SOOOO GOOD!!. This cake, didn't have a ganache on it. Instead, there was this sort of outer coating of sugar? You know when you make an icing with powdered sugar and milk, it hardens? Well, the coating had the sort of same texture of that but the whiteness from a powdered sugar icing wasn't there. So what was it?! I don't know! haha. This recipe from Williams-Sonoma was the only recipe I was able to find that had a cake recipe that looked good and had a brushing of simple syrup instead of ganache. It seemed like a winner to me.

What was the result? I don't know quite yet. It will be served later tonight. However, I did make mini cupcakes out of the batter to have a taste test and I was disappointed with the flavor. It didn't have a rich chocolate flavor even though it had a ton in it. In addition, it's extremely dry!! I don't know what cake the reviewers of this recipe were eating but this cake wasn't very good unless you like dry, unchocolate-y cake. I'm kind of embarrassed to serve this. I mean, the cake is alright but I was expecting a deeply rich tasting chocolate cake. It was missing that "umphhhh" to really take it to the next level. Maybe the bundt cake will taste better than the mini cupcakes testers.....Here's the recipe and my tips!!

**Update, I sliced a tiny piece to taste and this cake is still dry. I will not be serving this. Thanks Williams-Sonoma for wasting 2 sticks of my butter, a ton of chocolate and 1 lb of sour cream. Ya'll are great.....

**Tips
-Mix the batter well but don't over beat. The ingredients need to be incorporated completely.

-Instead of using flour when buttering and flouring a pan, use cocoa powder for chocolate cakes. It prevents white marks.

-Most Important Of All: Don't use guests as guinea pigs....Make a recipe beforehand!

Sour Cream-Chocolate Bundt Cake (Serves 16)
Ingredients:
For the cake:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
16 Tbs. (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups sour cream
6 oz. bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled slightly

For the glaze:
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
1 Tbs. chocolate liqueur

Confectioners' sugar for dusting
Whipped cream for serving

Directions
Have all the ingredients at room temperature.

Position a rack in the center of an oven and preheat to 325°F. Grease and flour a decorative 10-cup Bundt® pan.

To make the cake, over a sheet of waxed paper, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt; repeat until well blended. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy, 30 to 45 seconds. Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the granulated sugar, beating until blended. Increase the speed to medium-high and continue beating, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl, until the mixture is light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the eggs a little at a time, beating each addition until incorporated before adding more, until the mixture is thick and creamy, 1 to 2 minutes; stop mixer occasionally and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Beat in the vanilla.

Reduce the speed to low and fold in the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the sour cream and beginning and ending with the flour, until just blended and no lumps of flour remain. Then gently fold in the chocolate.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spreading the batter so the sides are about 1 inch higher than the center. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour. Transfer to a wire rack and cool the cake upright in the pan for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the glaze: In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the granulated sugar and water and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate liqueur.

Set the rack over a sheet of waxed paper, invert the pan onto the rack and lift off the pan. Generously brush the warm cake with the glaze. Let the cake cool to room temperature, then dust with confectioners' sugar just before serving. Top slices with a dollop of whipped cream.


-Aaron John
My Food Outings: AJ's Food Adventure
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