Mississippi Mud Cake

The recipe for all coffee and chocolate lovers

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups plain flour
1tsp baking powder
5 oz chocolate bar (pick you favorite chocolate)
1 cup butter
1/2 cup of coffee
pinch of salt
2 cups granulated sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla

Instructions

1.Preheat the oven to 350 F and grease two 9in cake pans.
2. In a bowl sift the flour and baking powder.
3. In a saucepan over low heat, melt the chocolate, butter, coffee, salt, sugar, stirring occasionally until the m0isture is smooth and the sugar is dissolved.
4. Pour the chocolate mixture into a bowl and cool slightly. With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat in the eggs and vanilla, decrease the speed and beat in the flour.
5. Pour into the prepared pans.
6. BAKE for 25-30 minutes until you insert a skewer or toothpick and it comes out with a few crumbs. DO NOT OVERBAKE or the cake will be too dry.


---Reporting Chef Sweet Cheeks

Elenis NY-Disappointed by their Retail Project Manager

Eleni's NY is a beautiful location with great cookies and cupcake designs but I was disappointed by them this Monday by their Retail Project Manager (Christina DiFeo). Let me begin by saying that I applied for a position at Eleni's NY and was emailed by Christina that she wanted to have a phone interview with me. I informed her that I was available for the interview on the date she stated on the email. She then emailed me again to reschedule for Monday afternoon and I said I was available for the phone interview.

When Monday came, I was really excited because it was a great opportunity to get a chance to get a interview to work for Eleni's NY. I came out of class 5 min before the time she told me she was going to call and I waited and waited. I starred at my phone for more than 20 min and she never called. I sent her an email asking her if everything was fine because she didn't call me for the interview. About three days went by and I didn't receive no response from her. Finally, at the end of the third day I received an email from her just stating, "So sorry I wasn't able to call you on Monday. Would you have some time to talk this Friday? If so, please let me know what time."


Once again, I informed her that I was available for the phone interview on Friday at either 12 or 3 pm or when she was available. Friday came and again she didn't call. I was like is she playing games with me. She sent me an email later that day stating, "12 and 3 didn't work. Can I give you a call Monday? Does 1 work." I emailed her again, informing her that I was available on Monday at 1 pm. Your going to laugh now, 1 pm came and she didn't call again. She finally sent me an email later that day to inform me that they filled all the spots for the position.

Why would someone have the nerve to say such a thing after not calling 3 straight times and leaving me waiting for a phone interview. Christina DiFeo, Retail Project Manager for Eleni's NY is very unprofessional with the way she handled this process. I believe I deserve an apology from Eleni's NY for what I had to go through during the none interview process and the many times their Retail Project Manager Christina DiFeo left me like a fool waiting for her interview. I still can't believe what she did to me. I did not deserve this.

Let me know what you feel about this. Leave me your comments.

---Reporting Chef Sweet Cheeks

What a great Tom Selleck Cake Design

A cake that is a little manly with a whole lot of chic added around it lol. This is a really great decorated Tom Selleck cake. I was surfing the web for some creative cakes and I found this one. I think it's a pretty creative cake for someone's Hairy birthday lol Let me know your comments about this cake design.




http://www.seriouseats.com/2008/07/tom-selleck-birthday-cake.html

Cake Image: Thanks to seriousseats.com

---Reporting Chef Sweet Cheeks

The Fall season is here and I think of Pie

Apple Pie-Many love it and many just wonder why people love it so much.

This is the first video of delicious pies for this wonderful fall season I will be posting. This video is on how to make a delicious Apple Pie with fresh green apples that just melt in you mouth. The video is one of the best simple videos to follow for those who haven't done a pie before. When I do a pie, I always do my fresh fruit filling separate and then add it to the pie crust but it's not wrong doing it the way they do it. I prefer my way better just because you get to taste the filling before you place it on the pie crust. Now go and start baking your pie.




How To Make Apple Pie


---Reporting Chef Sweet Cheeks

Elenis NY- One of my favorite spots at Chelsea market

I don't know if you have ever passed by Chelsea market but when you do remember to take a look at Eleni's NY. They create some of the most unique, creative, delicious cookies and cupcakes in the market. They might be a little pricey for some people but when you are craving the munchies this spot has some good treats for your sweet tooth. You can check out there website for more delicious sweets at Eleni's NY. Ok, it's time to stop licking your screen and go to Eleni's to try a delicious cookie or cupcake.

Eleni's New York
75 9th Ave
New York, NY 10011-7006
(212) 255-6804

Check out some of there images.

Eleni's NY Store Front


Halloween cookies by Eleni's NY


Eleni's NY famous Hollywood Oscar cupcakes


---Reporting Chef Sweet Cheeks

How to cover a cake with Fondant -A video tutorial

This is one of the best Fondant video tutorials that I was able to find online thanks to Planet Cake. Watch the video and learn how to cover your own cake with fondant. It does look very easy but let me tell you from experience, it will take you a few tries before you get it right. It will get a little frustrating at times but don't worry because practice makes perfect. Enjoy the video and if you have any question, feel free to leave me a comment.



---Reporting Chef Sweet Cheeks

Getting back to business

Wow, it has been a while since my last post. It's time to get back into action and bring you the best of baking from online sites and baking shops from around NYC. I believe all of you were waiting to see the images of the wedding cake I baked and decorated for my friends wedding on August 16. It was a great honor for me to do my friends wedding cake, which came out so delicious and very pretty. Of course behind every cake you make, there is usually a wonderful or an adventurous story.The wedding cake I made has a pretty good one. lol. I'm going to allow you to appreciate the wedding cake first before I let you know the adventurous story behind that cake. Well, stay tune for my next post. More images coming soon.





---Reporting Chef Sweet Cheeks

Top 3 favorite kids baking videos

#1 video Baking Ginger Bread Snowman with Pearl
She is deaf and speech isn't the easiest for her but she is a great baker. Two thumbs up for her.

Baking Gingerbread from sosij on Vimeo.

#2 video Baking Cookie ornaments with Andrew
A quite baker but he is a non stop worker, very focused. lol.

Baking Ornaments from Andrew Tang on Vimeo.

#3 video Baking a cake with Ruby
Mama's little helper, that's Ruby

Baking a cake with Mom from roobee on Vimeo.

Second part of Ruby's video

Mixing it up from roobee on Vimeo.

These little bakers are all on their way at becoming great professional bakers. These are my top 3 little bakers, I'm not sure if you would agree with me. If you don't agree leave me a comment or let me know of a better kids baking video you have seen on the web. If you have any little ones, create a video and let me know about it so I could post it up on my blog.

---Reporting Chef Sweet Cheeks

Sugarbloom cupcakes, filled with true cupcake decorators

Photo credit: Flickr user Bev(Sugarbloom cupcakes)

I was rooming through flickr looking for some cupcake pictures and I stop to check out Sugarbloom photos. Wow, they are awesome. Their cupcake skills are on another level from what I'm used to seeing around the East Coast of the US. I would love to try their cupcakes and review them on my blog but they are located all the way in Perth, Western Australia. I guess I will have to wait until the day I go to Australia to try these cupcakes or try to get them to deliver me some express to New York City. I highly recommend them because their designs are professional, original, and creatively fun. They have motivated me to start working harder on my cupcake skills lol. I'm gonna see if I can reach Sugarbloom and interview them for a special post for the blog. So stay tune as I go and hunt them down. For the mean time go check out their website at SUGARBLOOM .

---Reporting Chef Sweet Cheeks

Planning out a baking weekend

Photo Credit: Flickr user o'Hollysweet

Time is flying by fast as I prepare my recipe for a wedding cake I will make in August. It will be a three tier cake with a combination of Dominican cake and Jamaican white rum cake. It's for a good colleague of mine who is getting married and I have the privilege to create her wedding cake.

This weekend I will be baking both the Dominican cake and Jamaican cake and covering them with fondant. I will be filling the cakes with some delicious home made vanilla cream. I will take pictures of some of the steps I will be taking so stay posted over the weekend for some pictures and a little sneak peek of one of my recipes.

FYI, above is a photo of a wedding cake just to give you a little idea of how its going to look like. The color will be purple and the flowers will be arranged differently.

---Reporting Chef Sweet Cheeks

The Famous Red Velvet as a delicious cupcake

FeedBack: Red Velvet from Washingtonian.com on Vimeo.

When I started in the baking business, I kept hearing about Red Velvet and never new how it looked or how it taste. So one day I decided to go to a baking shop to try a slice of Red Velvet and what can I say I was very disappointed by the taste and the cream. I didn't blame the Red Velvet for that let down but I blamed it to the bad recipe from the bake shop I went to. I decided to get the recipe for the Red Velvet and bake it myself and make my own cream. Wow, that cream on top of that Red Velvet was amazing, I applauded myself for a great job and the little alterations I made on the recipe I found. It always comes down to the recipe and the ingredients, don't use cheap stuff to make a delicious type of cake because it wont be the same.

Enough of me and check out this great video on a bake shop called Red Velvet at Washington DC.

---Reporting Chef Sweet Cheeks

Recipe of the Week-Butterscotch Blondies

Photo by Flickr user Nags the Cook

Butterscotch Blondies Recipe-Mmmmlicious (Dedicated to Elien)

Makes about 36 bars.


Ingredients
Butter, softened ---> 3/4 cup or (1-1/2 sticks)
Packed light brown sugar ---> 3/4 cup
Granulated sugar ---> 1/2 cup
___________________________
Eggs ---> 2 whole eggs
___________________________
All-purpose flour ---> 2 cups
Baking soda ---> 1 teaspoon
Salt ---> 1/2 teaspoon
Butterscotch Chips ---> 1-3/4 cups
Chopped nuts(optional) ---> 1 cup

Procedure:
Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 13x9x2-inch baking pan.

Creaming Method

1. Beat butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar in large bowl until creamy.

2. Add eggs; beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to butter mixture, beating until well blended.

3. Stir in butterscotch chips and nuts, if desired. Spread in prepared pan.

4. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until top is golden brown and center is set. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars.

---Reporting Chef Sweet Cheeks

The Food Network- Amazing Cake Challenge

Photo credit: FoodNetwork.com

I just finished watching a great episode on The Amazing Cake Challenge. It's one of my other favorite cake decorating shows on the food network channel because it challenges you to become creative and step up from your usual comfort zone of decorating cakes. Today's challenge was to decorate a cake for triplet twins that were going to turn 18 years old. Every competitor presented unique and amazing cake designs but of course only one could win. The winner was Norman Davis from The Sweet Life. Check out some of his work on his website or catch him on another Amazing Cake Challenge episode.

---Reporting Chef Sweet Cheeks

Cake Decorating-Using Butter Cream

In The Kitchen - Buttercream Cake from Sacramento Bee on Vimeo.

I enjoy the videos by Gwen Schoen, which she shows you how to do a variety of baking and decorating methods. In this video she shows how to decorate a cake with butter cream. For those that don't have an idea on how to decorate a cake then watch this video and start taking notes.

---Reporting Chef Sweet Cheeks

Recipe of the Week-Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Photo credit: Flickr User Dulcedo Blog

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Recipe (Makes about 4 Dozen cookies)

Ingredients
-Butter 8oz
-Brown Sugar 1 lb
-Salt 1 tsp
________________
Eggs 4 oz
Vanilla extract 2 tsp
Milk 1 oz
________________
Cake Flour 12 oz
Baking Powder 0.5 oz
Baking Soda 0.25 oz
Oats 10 oz
Raisins 8 oz (as much as you like)

Procedure

Preheat oven to 350 degrees before starting. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Creaming Mixing Method

1.Place the butter, brown sugar and salt in the mixing bowl. Cream these ingredients at low speed.

2.Add the eggs, milk, and vanilla extract gradually at low speed.

3.Sift in the oats with other dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda). Blend raisins in last. Mix until everything is just combined.

4.Do not over mix, or gluten will develop.

After you are done mixing, use a spoon to drop a spoonful of the mix on a greased flat pan. Make sure to give space for each spoonful of the cookie dough.

If you have any questions just comment on the post and I will respond back as soon as possible.

---Reporting Chef Sweet Cheeks

Watch the cookies rise-A great short video

Baking Cookies from Andreas*D on Vimeo.

It's amazing how the dough just rises with the heat and when it has reached its baking time, it flattens down a little.

The reasons that a cookie dough rises (depending on type of cookie):

-baking soda

-baking powder

-egg white

---Reporting Chef Sweet Cheeks

Sugar Cookies Video

Baking from Bebe on Vimeo.

When I pressed play, I just started laughing at what she was using to roll out her cookie dough. I have never seen some one use a beer bottle to spread their dough but what can I say it's different but not highly recommended because it is uneven when you roll with a beer bottle. Other than the beer bottle, the sugar cookies look well cooked and deliciously yummmy.

---Reporting Chef Sweet Cheeks

Ace of Cakes- Breakdancer cake with a twist

I love Ace of Cakes, Charm City Cakes rules. In this episode they create a very unique and personal birthday cake for a young girl who loves peanut butter cups and is an ill break dancer. You have to love it when cake decorating goes on another level and you could still eat the cake lol.

So, go ahead and check out this great episode.

---Reporting Chef Sweet Cheeks.

Welcome All Sweet Lovers

Photo by Flickr user creativista

Chef Sweet Cheeks reporting: I'm full of ideas and love creating delicious sweets for each individual for any occasion.

In this site I will be posting some of my favorite baking recipes and take you into some of the best bake shops across the world.

I will also update you on different news in the baking world.

So stay stay tune as I begin to bake and swift to a bake shop near you.