sweetened condensed milk Archives - Simply Sells Kitchen

Coconut Cream Cake

Sandra Sells — Mon, 21 Feb 2022 04:42:37 +0000

Anyone that has been to a church potluck hopefully has encountered amazing dessert tables. I love a big gathering that shows off everyone’s culinary efforts. Even though you may encounter some disturbing ones, it’s still a really fun experience. On a personal note, my preference is to try foods from homes that I am familiar with. I have come across quite a few mamas and grandmas that get it right and know how to feed a crowd. They can create desserts and meals that are delicious masterpieces. I want to share with you a coconut cream cake recipe that is a play on our Simply Sells’ tres leches cake that we have shared already. This new recipe shows that with a few ingredient swap-outs this cake is a totally different taste experience. This coconut cream cake was actually a dessert that one of Kodi’s friends used to make in college. The cake seems to have a sense of maturity – if a cake could be mature. In my world, its lightly toasted coconut garnish makes the cake seem very adult. We should share with our kids, but maybe we will keep it our little secret for a while longer. This coconut cream cake’s made-from-scratch-base is the same as our tres leches cake but the flavor is totally new. And, like the tres leches cake, the effort really is minimal. After you make the cake base and let it cool, poke the cake all over with a fork, and then pour the crema de coco (coconut cream) and sweetened condensed milk on top. Top it with homemade whipping cream, and then prepare the coconut garnishment. Place unsweetened coconut flakes on a sheet pan and put it in the oven. Toast the flakes until they turn light golden brown, and be sure to immediately remove the pan from the oven as coconut can burn easily if left in too long. Sprinkle the top of the cake with the toasted coconut. You can even decorate the top with some toasted almonds or fresh fruit. We like to use strawberries, but it can be anything you desire! The moisture in this coconut cream cake fills your mouth with beautiful sweetness, and the toasted coconut is the cherry on top. This cake can really stand on its own at any occasion – party or potluck – but keep in mind that it may need refrigeration. I hope you try this delicious cake at your next gathering (small or large) and indulge in this sweet treat. Enjoy!

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Millionaire Shortbread

Sandra Sells — Sat, 25 Dec 2021 15:18:18 +0000

I have wanted to make this dessert for our Simply Sells Kitchen family since we started the website. Nothing excites me more than to bring you into our family and share what we enjoy in times of celebration. I come from a family that has very few traditions, but this one seems to have stuck for a long period of time. No pun intended as the caramel in this recipe is no joke, Ha! I wouldn’t say we have generational traditions but we usually bring this millionaire shortbread recipe out during Christmas time and have for years. Christmas traditions help bring on the Christmas cheer. Our Millionaire Shortbread is a layered dessert that has shortbread as the base, followed by a rich caramel in the middle and covered in chocolate. The ingredients are simple in each layer but bring a lot of richness when combined. It is a dessert that you would find in the UK, as it originated in Scotland (the Scottish are known for their shortbread). The layers of this bar resemble the components of a Twix candy bar. The UK is famous for their sweets and buttery pastries, which may be my biased opinion because I was born in England, but I honestly believe they make delicious sweets. Making Shortbread The first step in making Millionaire Shortbread is to make the shortbread biscuit layer. Start by preheating the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit, and then prepare an 8×8 pan by lining it with parchment paper that overhangs the pan so that you can lift the entire dessert out of the pan when it is complete. Next, in a large bowl beat together the sugar and butter till fluffy. Slowly add the flour and salt, and then combine them until crumbly in texture. Press the dough into the prepared pan and then bake for about 35 minutes. The corners should be a light brown and the center like a soft baked cookie. Let it sit out to cool. The second step is to begin the next layer, which is the caramel. This is the part that requires a little muscle but isn’t as hard as you may think. A candy thermometer ensures that you get the caramel to the right candy stage. Start by melting the butter in a medium saucepan on medium heat. To the butter, add the can of sweetened condensed milk, light corn syrup, and salt. Begin to stir the ingredients together and monitor consistently to avoid burning the mixture. While stirring, insert the candy thermometer and bring the temperature up to 220-225 degrees. The consistency should be soft and the appearance a light golden milky color. Next, mix in the vanilla. The last step for this stage is to pour the caramel over the shortbread layer, spreading it evenly. Last but not least it is time melt the chocolate. I have used several types of chocolate and I have never been disappointed. Begin by melting the chocolate over a double boiler or use your microwave. Once the chocolate is melted, pour it over the caramel layer, spreading it evenly. It takes about 30-40 minutes for the chocolate to set, but if you place the pan in the fridge it may speed up the process. To serve your Millionaire Shortbread To serve the millionaire shortbread or “caramel squares,” as my mother calls them, lift the dessert out of the pan by using the overhung parchment paper and transfer it to a cutting board. A tip for cutting the shortbread is that cutting them upside down on the shortbread side is easier. The size of the bars is a personal choice and no judgement will be given (ha ha). The millionaire shortbread bars are so delicious it seems like you can’t have just one. I hope you enjoy these with your family and friends! They are great to package up as a gift, also.

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Tres Leches Cake

Sandra Sells — Mon, 30 Aug 2021 14:55:06 +0000

Baking at the Sells household is always a fun family affair. Whether brownies, cookies, or cakes it doesn’t matter. Kodi and I love it, the kids love it and, of course, neither of us can hardly wait to lick the spoon! This tres leches (three milks) cake is no exception. Baking as a family For us, baking dessert is a sign that we are relaxed and happy. Out come the kid’s stepping stools shortly followed by the young ones slightly arguing about who will be the closest to the mixing bowl action. We get so much happiness from our family coming together. I really do believe baking is therapeutic and brings a sense of hope that something good is just on the horizon. I know that might sound slightly dramatic but it does bring tons of joy in our house! We’ve always had a sweet tooth – who doesn’t – so we want to share a tres leches cake recipe that is sure to cure sweet tooth cravings. Besides satisfying your own sweet tooth the recipe is fantastic for a potluck, party or family gathering. History of Tres Leches Historically, canned evaporated milk used in tres leches started being made in the 1850’s and became more popular in the early to mid-twentieth century during both world wars. At that time it was popular to soak sponge cake in evaporated milk to preserve or sustain the cake’s life. In trying to keep up with demand for canned evaporated milks, companies expanded operations to Central and South America. Some say Nicaragua was responsible for using canned evaporated milk to create the delicious tres leches treat while others trace its origin to England in the Middle Ages. Miami even tries to stake claim to the origin of the popular dessert. Either way, regardless of who’s responsible, we can all agree that tres leches is truly a heavenly and magical dessert! The back story Our recipe started as a cure for Kodi’s sweet tooth back in his college days. It was originally a budget branch-off recipe of a coconut cake that he learned to make while living in Boston, which always hit the spot. After moving back to Florida, he discovered and grew a love for Spanish flavored foods. Tres leches cake has been a favorite of his since. In the beginning, he started with box cake, a few milky toppings, and then covered in sweet whipped topping. The cake was quick, easy, delicious and required very little effort. Now that we are well beyond college days, the cake has been reinvented into an upgraded version made from scratch. The result gives bragging rights to any baker! The tres leches recipe can be adapted for any holiday by decorating the top with colored sprinkles, berries or any other seasonal fruit. By doubling the recipe you can make a very large sheet cake that will really impress at your next gathering. Have fun and let us know what you think! Feel free and be creative!

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