Kitchen Tips

How to Clean Up after Homemade Caramel Sauce #ScrubDishCloth

July 5, 2016

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #ScrubDishCloth #CollectiveBias

Homemade Caramel Sauce is delicious, but sometimes the clean up can be daunting. Here’s an easy recipe and tip to cleaning up a sticky, caramel mess with the new Scotch-Brite® Scrubbing Dish Cloth.

How to Clean Up after Homemade Caramel Sauce #ScrubDishCloth from LoveandConfections.com

Summer is all about ice cream and frozen treats. I love caramel sauce (and hot fudge) on top of vanilla bean ice cream, but I don’t love the cleanup. Once caramel cools, it can become difficult to clean out of the pot.

When I make caramel, I always try to clean the pot as soon as I am done using it. In culinary school, I was taught to fill the pot back up with water, bring it to a boil, then clean it out. While that is a good method, it takes more time to clean out the caramel. I tried the Scotch-Brite Scrubbing Dish Cloth, with a high quality fiber dish cloth on one side and Scotch-Brite® scrubbing dots on the other, making it quicker and easier to clean up.

This caramel recipe makes a good amount – almost 2 half-pint canning jars. It can stay refrigerated for up to two weeks. I usually top my homemade vanilla bean ice cream with caramel, but you could also put it on brownies, cupcakes and even waffles for breakfast. The sky is the limit!

The Scotch-Brite Scrubbing Dish Cloth is washable, reusable and sturdy. It gives you a non-scratching scrubbing power as well as the wiping and drying capability of a dish cloth. You can find the new Scotch-Brite® Scrubbing Dish Cloth in your local Target for $4.99. They are available in 2 packs in gray, mint, coral and navy. There are no current Cartwheel offers, but check your Cartwheel app often, because the Scotch-Brite brand frequently has coupons.

Enjoy caramel without worrying about the cleanup by using the new Scotch-Brite® Scrubbing Dish Cloth. Find more recipes and cleaning tips here.

Here is a handy Kitchen Measurement Cheat Sheet that you can keep nearby. When using ingredients, it’s good to know the proper measurments, so you don’t have to dirty more dishes by re-measuring. But, if you do need to do some extra washing, the Scotch-Brite® Scrubbing Dish Cloth will help.

Caramel Sauce

By Love and Confections
Published 07/05/2016

Ingredients

1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon salt, optional

Instructions

Place sugar in a medium saucepan on medium heat, stirring constantly with a heat-resistant spatula. The sugar will eventually clump and start to melt.
Once the sugar melts, it will start to brown and darken to an amber color. Do not let it darken or burn. Stay with the pot and do not leave it on the stove. Switch to using a whisk
Quickly, but carefully, stir in the butter. The mixture will bubble rapidly. Once the butter is melted, slowly drizzle in the heavy cream. The mixture will bubble, rise, and possibly splatter. Boil for 1 minute, then remove from heat.
Pour into glass jars and let stand on the counter until it is room temperature. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Warm before using.

Yield: 2 half-pint jars
Cook time: 10 mins.
Total time: 10 mins.
Tags: Caramel, Caramel Sauce, Topping

Until next time,
LOVE & CONFECTIONS!

Bread Baking Tips – Working with Yeast

November 18, 2014

Don’t be afraid of using yeast. This post contains a lot of information, but it is necessary to understand yeast before diving head first into your first bread, or a good refresher for anyone who has worked with yeast before. ~~Don’t forget to scroll all the way down and enter for your chance to win the Bread-Baking Giveaway~~! Giveaway closed.

Yeast is a one-celled living organism that is practically everywhere. Yeast is on vegetables, fruits and even in the air. It requires specific conditions to grow, including moisture, warmth and sugar. Yeast is sensitive to temperature, so it slows down or speeds up depending on the temperature around it.

There are a few different types of yeast available. Baker’s Yeast is a commercially grown, laboratory made yeast available to professional bakers. Commercial yeast is more readily available for the home baker: Fresh or Compressed Yeast, Active Dry, Instant Active Dry and Osmotolerant Instant Active Dry. Fresh or Compressed Yeast usually comes in a small cake shape, is light in color and crumbles easily. It does not require the warmer water temperature to dissolve and cannot be killed with cold water. Fresh Yeast lasts about 2 weeks and can be frozen for 3-4 months.

Active Dry Yeast are tiny granules that have been dried or dehydrated to increase its shelf life, and sold in vacuum-packed jars or packets. If unopened, the Active Dry Yeast usually has a shelf life up to 1 year. Once it is opened, storing in the refrigerator for up to 2 months is recommended. A small percentage of the yeast may die due to the drying process. It is always good to do a yeast test before baking, to make sure your yeast is still good. Yeast becomes dormant when dried until mixed with warm water and re-hydrated. When baking with Active Dry Yeast, it usually needs 4 times its weight in warm water to activate. Cold water can damage or kill it, as can water that is too hot.

Instant Active Dry Yeast, usually referred to as Instant Yeast or Rapid-Rise Yeast, is similar to the Active Dry by going through a drying process. The Instant Yeast drying process is a little more gentle and usually produces fewer dead yeast cells. Instant Yeast absorbs water more quickly and does not have to wait several minutes to activate. It also makes more carbon dioxide gas per cell than Active Dry Yeast, so a smaller amount can be used to achieve the same results. Instant Yeast doesn’t require proofing and can be sprinkled directly into the dry ingredients or dissolved into a portion of the wet ingredients when baking. Similar to Active Dry, Instant Yeast should not be added into cold water or dough because the temperature can damage or kill it. Instant Yeast usually has a longer shelf life than Active Dry Yeast – unopened at least a year, or stored in the refrigerator for several months. It is best when it is wrapped air-tight and kept in the freezer.

Osmotolerant Instant Active Dry Yeast is a special yeast used in rich, sweet doughs that contain a higher amount of sugar, eggs and fats. Osmotolerant Yeast is designed to work with the small amounts of moisture in these types of breads, where Active Dry and Instant might have a harder time. This type of yeast is not as common as the Active Dry or Instant, which are more readily available in stores.

Here are a few good resources for more information on yeast:

Until next time,
LOVE & CONFECTIONS!

Information summarized from Red Star Yeast and “About Professional Baking”.

Mint Simple Syrup

September 1, 2014

Mint Simple Syrup is a great sweetener for cocktail or cocktails. With little time and effort you can create a great tasting simple syrup too.

I absolutely love mojitos. I am definitely a rum kinda girl. Growing up in Miami, I was highly influenced by all the different cultures around me. I absolutely LOVE Cuban food and there were usually mojitos at all the parties I went to.

I am, however, not a fan of the muddled mojitos with mint leaves. I just don’t like drinking or sipping through a straw and ending up eating mint. I would rather have the flavor than the actual leaves. I love a good classic mojito, but adding different tropical flavors make them even better. Pineapple and Strawberry are my go-to add-ins, and I love creating new mojito recipes

Tomorrow I have a fabulous Guava Mojito on the blog that uses this Mint Simple Syrup, so don’t forget to come back for the recipe. It is definitely going to be a regular in the mojito rotation. Soak up those last Summer rays and enjoy some Mint Simple Syrup in your next cocktail!

Mint Simple Syrup

a Love and Confection original

Click here for a printable recipe

Mint Simple Syrup Ingredients:
– 16 ounces Water
– 16 ounces Granulated Sugar
– 10-15 sprigs Mint, washed and dried

Mint Simple Syrup Directions:

1. Heat Water and Sugar in a medium sauce pan until the sugar has dissolved, stirring occasionally.
2. Take the pan off the heat and add in the Mint and with a spoon, submerge it into the syrup. Cover with a lid and let it steep until the syrup comes to room temperature.
3. Discard Mint and store the Mint Simple Syrup in mason jar(s) in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Enjoy!

Until next time,

LOVE & CONFECTIONS!

Don’t forget to check out my other #SanibelBeachWeek recipes and round-ups

Cocktail Round-Up 1

Cocktail Round-Up 2

How to Freeze Blueberries

June 5, 2014

When you have a bunch of Blueberries, freeze them so you always have some on hand.

I recently went Blueberry picking. I go every year and I love it. There is nothing like a freshly picked blueberry, but when I pick at least 5 lbs at a time, I need a good way to store all those blue beauties. I went picking the second weekend of our season, so some of the bushes weren’t completely ripe yet – that didn’t deter me, because we still left with a huge amount.

To freeze blueberries, there are basically 2 different schools of thought: washing before freezing or washing after thawing. I always wash my blueberries before I freeze them, mainly because I just take them straight from the freezer and put them right into a recipe. Some people think that washing before freezing results in a tough skin, but I really don’t notice a difference.

How to Freeze Blueberries
1. Sort through Blueberries, picking out any stems or berries that are not good.
2. Thoroughly rinse your Blueberries. I generally do this in batches because there are so many.
3. Place Blueberries on a sheet tray with sides (jelly roll pan) lined with paper towels.
4. Let the Blueberries dry completely. Remove the paper towels.
5. Place the tray in your freezer for a minimum 4 hours.
6. Once the Blueberries are completely frozen, place them in a freezer-safe plastic bag that is labeled with the date. You can also measure/weigh out how many Blueberries are in each bag to make it easier for future recipes.

Even Gracie had fun Blueberry picking!

Until next time

LOVE & CONFECTIONS!

Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice

October 18, 2013

I am wishing for Fall weather here in Florida and to hopefully speed it along, I created my own Pumpkin Pie Spice. With Fall baking, that little spice container in the grocery store never seems to be enough and always runs out right when I need it. Pumpkin Pie Spice is quick and easy to make and you probably have all the spice ingredients already in your pantry or spice drawer.

The internet has been blowing up with Pumpkin Spice this and Pumpkin Spice that since early September. I love all those delicious creations that I see on Pinterest and FoodGawker. Hopefully I will not be too busy with Baby prep in the next few weeks to add to all the gloriousness (yes, that’s my made-up word) of Pumpkin Spice baking.

Pumpkin Pie Spice
a Love & Confections original recipe

Pumpkin Pie Spice Ingredients:
– 1/4 cup ground Cinnamon
– 1 tablespoon ground Nutmeg, freshly grated if you have it
– 1 tablespoon ground Ginger
– 2 teaspoons ground Allspice
– 1 teaspoon ground Clove*
*some people like Clove in their spice mix, but I personally do not care for it, so it it up to you if you wish to add it in.

Pumpkin Pie Spice Directions:
– Add all spices in a jar, with a tight-fitting lid, and shake to combine. Any type of mason or canning jar would be perfect.

Until next time,
LOVE & CONFECTIONS!

Simple Syrup

July 29, 2011

A staple in every kitchen should be Simple Syrup, also known as liquid sugar simple syrup or bar syrup. It is made by stirring granulated sugar and water in a sauce pan until the sugar dissolves. The liquid is then cooled and can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The ratio of sugar to water is 1:1, and sometimes up to 2:1 – I personally use the 1:1 ratio when I make it.

Simple syrup can be used to sweeten drinks – like sweet tea, juices, and alcoholic beverages -, moisten cakes, candying fruits, and many more culinary applications. Simple syrup can also be flavored with ingredients such as vanilla beans, mint, basil, coffee, etc. The flavor possibilities are endless.

Simple Syrup

Simple Syrup Ingredients:
– 16 ounces Sugar
– 16 ounces Water

Simple Syrup Directions:
1. Combine Sugar and Water in sauce pan. Stir and place over medium heat.
2. Stir occasionally while the sugar dissolves in the water.
3. Once the sugar has completely dissolved, remove from heat and let it come to room temperature before using
4. If not using immediately, place in airtight container in the refrigerator. Shake before use.

Until next time,
LOVE & CONFECTIONS!

Conversions & Equivalents

April 11, 2010

Measurements and conversions for everyone – Baking & Pastry or Culinary. Keep these handy!

Conversions & Equivalents from Smitten Kitchen

Temperature Conversions
275°F = 140°C = gas mark 1
300°F = 150°C = gas mark 2
325°F = 165°C = gas mark 3
350°F = 180°C = gas mark 4
375°F = 190°C = gas mark 5
400°F = 200°C = gas mark 6
425°F = 220°C = gas mark 7
450°F = 230°C = gas mark 9
475°F = 240°C = gas mark 10

Volume Equivalents
60 drops = 1 teaspoon
1 dash = 1/16 teaspoon
1 pinch = 1/8 teaspoon
1 teaspoon = 1/3 tablespoon = 1/6 ounce
2 teaspoons = 2/3 tablespoon = 1/3 ounce
3 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon = 1/2 ounce
2 tablespoons = 1/8 cup = 1 ounce = 1 standard coffee scoop
4 tablespoons = 1/4 cup = 2 ounces
5 1/3 tablespoons = 1/3 cup = 2 2/3 ounces
8 tablespoons = 1/2 cup = 4 ounces = 1 gill
16 tablespoons = 1 cup = 8 ounces
2 cups =1 pint = 1/2 quart = 16 ounces
4 cups = 2 pints = 1 quart = 32 ounces
16 cups = 8 pints = 4 quarts = 1 gallon

Ingredient-Specific Equivalents
Butter
1 stick = 4 ounces = 8 tablespoons = 1/2 cup
4 sticks = 16 ounces = 32 tablespoons = 2 cups
Chocolate
1 ounce = 1/4 cup grated
6 ounces chips = 1 cup chips
1 pound cocoa = 4 cups cocoa
Creams
Half and half = 1/2 milk + 1/2 cream = 10.5 to 18 percent butterfat
Light cream = 18 percent butterfat
Light whipping cream = 30 to 26 percent butterfat
Heavy cream = whipping cream = 36 percent or more butterfat
Double cream = extra-thick double cream = clotted or Devonshire cream = 42 percent butterfat
Eggs
1 large egg (approximately) = 1 tablespoon yolk + 2 tablespoons white
1 cup = 4 jumbo = 4 to 5 extra-large = 5 large = 5 to 6 medium = 7 small
Flour
1 pound = 4 cups all-purpose or bread flours = 4 3/4 cups cake flour
1 cup sifted cake flour = 7/8 cup sifted all-purpose
1+ cup self-rising flour = 1 cup sifted all-purpose flour + 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder + 1/2 teaspoon salt
Lemon
1 lemon = 1 to 3 tablespoons juice, 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons grated zest
4 large lemons = 1 cup juice = 1/4 cup grated zest
Onion
1 pound = 2 1/2 cups sliced or chopped
Sugars
1 pound white = 2 cups white = 454 grams
1 pound packed brown = 2 1/4 cups packed brown
1 cup packed brown = 1 cup white
1 pound superfine sugar = 1 cup white sugar = 190 grams
1 pound powdered sugar = 3 1/2 to 4 cups
1 3/4 cups powdered sugar = 1 cup white sugar
1 cup powdered sugar = 80 grams
100 grams white sugar = 1/2 cup
Yeast
1 cake = 3/5 ounce = 1 packet dry = 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 teaspoons dry

Until next time,
Love & Confections