Going, going, gone.

Guys! Sorry I haven't been posting; I've been so insanely busy finishing up school and packing for camp! I'm going to be a camp counselor this summer so I'm going to be gone until August 12th!! It'll be super fun but with no baking I'm going to go a bit crazy :P

For the time I'm gone I'm not going to be posting, but you can be expecting lots and lots of posts when I get back!

As a parting gift, I'll leave you with my absolute favorite toffee recipe! Hope you enjoy it.

 butter toffee
adapted from wolfgang puck

Ingredients & Directions

• 1 cup sliced almonds, toasted
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1/3 cup light corn syrup
• 1/3 cup water
• 8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, cut into small pieces, or 1 and 1/4 cups chocolate chips

1. Grease a baking sheet (10x15x1) with butter; set aside.2. To make the toffee: Place sugar in a small deep saucepan. Add the corn syrup and water and, over medium heat, bring to a boil. Let boil until large bubbles form on the surface for 3 to 4 minutes. Cover with foil and boil 5 minutes longer.
3. Add the pieces of butter and continue cooking, uncovered, over medium heat until temperature reaches 300 degrees F on a candy thermometer, about 30 minutes. Do not stir.
4. Remove from heat and immediately add the salt, baking soda, and 1/2 cup of chopped nuts. Stir with a wooden spoon until well combined.
5. Pour the toffee mixture on the oiled baking tray and, using the offset spatula, spread the mixture out. The toffee will thicken very quickly, so work as fast as you can. When cool, blot some of the oil or vegetable spray with a clean towel.
6. While the toffee mixture is cooling, melt the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl placed over simmering water. When almost melted, turn off heat and let the chocolate continue to melt, stirring occasionally. Keep warm.
7. When toffee is hardened, pour melted chocolate on top and top with remaining nuts before the chocolate hardens.
8. Allow to harden completely and then break up into pieces.

Photo Cred.

Who doesn't like s'mores cookie muffin cups?!

Woah! I finally have my own baking blog. My sister has been pushing me to make one for MONTHS but I just simply have not had time to do it. But now, school is almost done and a whole summer of baking lays ahead of me, so I figured, why not?!

Well, let me introduce myself before we get into the baking. My name is Rachel Conners. I'm 16 years old and heading into my senior year of high school. SOOO hectic! But I can't wait to graduate! I live in San Diego, California. I was a cheerleader for 9 years, but I actually quit 2 weeks ago. Just...done with it. You understand, right? Obviously, I love to bake. Like..abnormal amounts. There is ALWAYS a treat in my house. Currently sitting in my kitchen is a delicious cornbread (if I do say so myself), a pan of brookies (cookie/brownie bar type things) glazed in chocolate ganache, some chocolate and peanut butter cookies (HOLY YUM), a few Coconut Brigadeiros, and a few left over muffins from when I made my sister a bunch of healthy muffins to bring to her work. And of course, I have my s'mores cookie muffin cups. These delicious cookie cups will be my first recipes on my brand new blog!!!
These little cups of deliciousness are insanely tasty. They have SUCH a rich, intensely chocolate flavor due to the combination of both chocolate chips and cocoa powder. The marshmallows will make the cookies have a little well in the middle, but trust me - those marshmallows create this amazing, sweet chewy cookie that makes you forgive the decent appearance. I'm pretty excited about this...in case you can't tell...Well enough with the chit-chat, let's get to the recipe. I hope you enjoy these as much as I did :)

s'mores cookie muffin cups

Ingredients:
1 1/2 sticks softened butter (3/4 cup)
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 3/4 cups flour
1 1/4 cups cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup chocolate chips
2 full graham crackers
1 cup mini-marshmallows

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a mini-muffin pan.
2. Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt into a bowl; set aside. Cream the butter and sugars until well combined and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl. Slowly beat in the eggs one at a time and then add in the vanilla. Mix until well combined. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients along with chocolate chips and mix until just combined.
3. Fill each mini-muffin tin about 3/4 of the way full (no specified amount because tin-sizes vary). Break up graham crackers into large pieces and put a piece into each muffin tin. Place 3 or 4 mini marshmallows on top of the cookie dough. Bake for 11-15 minutes.