Fruit and Creme Strawberry Twinkies

by The Retroist
from http://www.retroist.com/

Back in the day I would buy Hostess products anytime I had money to get them at our local corner market. I would try all their products and was especially excited when they introduced a new product called Fruit and Creme Strawberry Twinkies. They were so good creme and this almost jelly like strawberry together in the trust twinkie shell. Sadly just as quickly as they came, they disappeared and I never expected to see them again.

Then last summer I was in a supermarket near my house when I spotted something I had not expected to ever see again, Strawberry and Creme Twinkies (they also had Ho-Hos)! I bought up a box and could not wait to get out to the car to have one. I bit into it and it just was not the same. These were, as the box said, strawberry creme, not strawberry AND creme. It was okay, but it just didn’t capture the magic of my youth. So I will continue to wait, hoping that this tasty and unusual variations on the Twinkie will one day rear its delicious head again.


Why is it always creme and not cream. Is the a culinary thing or does creme just sound classier?

GIRL MEETS FOOD - BACON CUPCAKES

From: http://www.viceland.com/

Squeeeee! I love cupcakes! I love them so much I’m going to open my own boutique bakery! But only if I can fit it in around my daily thrifting and passion for hammering out handmade fascinators! But for now, let’s just have a cupcakes and appletinis party! We can watch Bridget Jones together and then sit in a circle talking to our vaginas in a hand mirror! Exclamation marks!
Actually, I truly believe that it is possible to eat a cupcake without being a twee dick about it. New wave liberated Stepford wife retro femininity bullshit is not really my bag, and I maintain that you don’t have to wear a floral dress to bake. You can wear a cum- and lager-stained Snuggie. So there.
Bacon Cupcakes
As I’ve said before, bacon is the porn of the meat world. Everything can be improved by adding bacon. I know this recipe sounds really gross, and to be honest, the piggy dripping you’re gonna be slapping in is gross. You have to think of it as an all-in-one breakfast. Like this. Yum.
Ingredients
Pack of bacon rashers
Leftover bacon-y drippings
¼ - cup of unsalted butter
1 - egg
¼ - cup of brown sugar
¼ - cup of maple syrup
1 ¼ - cup of self-raising flour
½ - tsp of baking powder
1/3 - cup of milk
For the icing…
1/3 - cup of butter
1 - tbspn of maple syrup
1 - tsp of vanilla essence
1 - cup of icing sugar
Sprinkles
More bacon
Step 1.

Fry your bacon rashers until they’re extra crispy. Be sure to waft the evaporating bacon water into your hair and the pores of your face, as seen in Fig. 1. When you shower later and the water drips down into your mouth, it’ll be like you got to eat it twice! Oh, and remember, you’re saving the elixir of life that is the leftover piggy dripping.

Step 2.

Once your rashers are cool, go at your meat pile with a knife and set aside. Clean off the knife, too, it’ll come in handy later when you’re hacking into your chest to perform a DIY heart bypass.

Step 3.

Put the butter, sugar, syrup, and fatty bacon slush you rescued from the pan earlier into a bowl and beat off… the mixture. Mmmm.

Step 4.

Whisk in the egg. It will look like cat vomit at this point. You’re going to have to power through that.

Step 5.

Sieve in the rest of your dry ingredients.

Step 6.

Slop in the milk and fold together till it stops looking like something Shane MacGowan just spit up.

Step 7.

BACON!

Step 8.

Plop your porky blobfish into ruffs and bake for 20 minutes at 350f.

Step 9.

OK, they’re wonky because they’re “rustic.” Just like my breasts.

Step 10.

The frosting is un-fuckupable. Just dump all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk. If you start worrying about prissy shit like piping, you’re probably not gonna enjoy the phrase “garnish with bacon.” More eating, less making stuff look pretty.

There you have it, both the perfect hangover cure AND a majestic army of bacon beauties. As always, eat alone on the kitchen floor with a Lactulose chaser.
JOANNA FUERTES-KNIGHT

Read the rest at Vice Magazine: GIRL MEETS FOOD - BACON CUPCAKES - Viceland Today

Drunken Dunkin' Donuts! Five Great Donut and Alcohol Combos

By Robin Wheeler
From blogs.riverfronttimes.com

It's a positively Homer Simpsonian concept with a Mr. Burns execution. Chef Zac Young of Flex Mussels in New York City and Top Chef: Just Desserts has been injecting doughnut holes with upscale booze. Of course, it's a hit. How could it not be? It's doughnuts and alcohol! But not everyone can afford handmade doughnuts infused with Maker's Mark and caramel. Or the trip to New York to buy them.

So why not visit your nearest Dunkin' Donuts, then pop by your local supermarket's liquor aisle and make your own?


Apple Crumb Donutini

You know the problem with apple-crumb doughnuts? Very little apple flavor, too many crumbs. Boost the apple to eXXXtreme and dam down the crumbs with Sour Apple Pucker and voilà -- Apple Crumb Donutini!

Bavarian JägerKreme

That "kreme" tends to congeal on the tongue, clammy and flavorless. What better way to honor this pastry's German roots than with an injection of Jägermeister? It's the perfect brunch for college bros everywhere!

Jell-Y Shot

Until Dunkin' Donuts devises a way to put actual Jell-O in a doughnut, injecting Everclear into this pastry is as close as we'll get to a doughnut Jell-O shot.

Hpno-Cruller

For something that bears a French name, these babies suffer from some serious ennui in the style department. Where's the joie de vivre? The je ne sais quoi? A soak in blue-tinted will make it runway-ready in no time!

Old-Fashioned Cake Donut

Old-Fashioned Donut, old-fashioned cocktail! Soak the dry pastry in McCormick whiskey, add a dash of bitters and a twist of lemon. It's a Don Draper Donut!

The Kings' Dessert - or, how to create 16,000 honey strings in two minutes

The World’s Top 10 Most Luxurious Desserts

In Daily List, by stephaniem
 
Ever feel the distinct need to spend a crapload of money on some sugar and cream? Of course not, but let’s look at how the other half live, shall we?
I have compiled a list of wicked ridiculously expensive desserts that probably taste so-so, but intrigue all of us brownie out of the box eaters. Get your American Express ready, kids — it’s sugar and gold shopping time!

10. Diamond Fruitcake

We all know the holidays are coming up and if you want to ensure nobody will re-gift or trash your fruitcake, invest in this 1.65 million-diamond piece of awesome. This cake is encrusted with 223 diamonds and you can still eat it. Win, win, friends and who cares if it tastes bad…THERE ARE 223 DIAMONDS ON IT. And we all know it’s all about gifts at Christmas.

9. Strawberries Arnaud

This is no normal plate of strawberries, ladies. The berries are marinated in a wicked expensive port, served with fresh mint and cream and are garnished with a 5-carat pink-diamond ring. Just snatch the menu, order it and bill your beau later. Stop being a wimp. Do it.

8. The Sultan’s Golden Cake

If you’re thinking about taking a romantic trip to Istanbul (stop the sneering, it could happen.) stop by the Ciragan Palace and indulge in delicious rum, caramelized black truffles and gold, real edible gold, dessert. You get to keep the silver cake box it comes in and I say for $1,000, it’s a steal.

7. The Madeleine Truffle

This $250 truffle isn’t expensive because it’s made of gold or has diamond chunks in it; this lofty price tag is all about the labor. Apparently, the ganache is whipped by hand until it’s as smooth as your nana’s hands. Plus, the poor little old chocolate maker has to make the stuff in an ultra cold refrigerated room. Now get out your wallets and give this guy some cash. He deserves it.

6. The Brownie Extraordinaire

The fact that this $1,000 brownie is in Jersey still makes me giggle. I guess they’re trying to class up the joint by throwing in Italian hazelnuts, dark chocolate brownies and crystal atomizers so people can squirt port into their greedy, greasy mouths after every bite.

5. Golden Opulence Sundae

Gold. Gold. Gold. Although, this dessert chooses insanely expensive chocolate over Hershey’s syrup and candied fruits, gold covered almonds and chocolate truffles over walnuts and a maraschino cherry, I still can’t quite wrap my cheap mind around the $1,000 price tag for…friggin’ ice cream.

4. Chocolate Variation

Stopping by Italy? Shoot your heavy pockets into Mezzaluna and sample the scrumptious chocolate dessert that has been ranked one of the most expensive desserts in the world — $640. It’s made with champagne sorbet (made from Roederer Cristal) and, of course edible golden leaves. I’m thinking this is where all the cash for gold is going.

3. Macaroons Haute Couture

I searched and searched as to why these macaroons have the hefty $7,414 price tag, but other than the “fleur de sel,” butter cream and balsamic vinegar, I have no real explanation for you. I can tell you that they do have peanut butter one’s so, if you are a crazy peanut butter lover that feels like cleaning out your 401k, go for it.

2. The Fortress Aquamarine

This dessert served in Sri Lanka is $14,500 and well worth it. There’s some chocolate, cream, some sort of berry, a red squiggly on the plate and a gianormous 80-carat aquamarine gem. Gimme. Gimme. Gimme.

1. Platinum Cake

Dear Boyfriend,
I want this ordinary cake covered in platinum jewelry. It is only $130,000 and I will never ask for another piece of jewelry again…this year.
Thank you.
XOXO,
Stephanie (Feel free to cross out my name and insert yours.)

Blueberry Pie Cupcakes...Yum!!

The Ten Retired Girl Scout Cookies Fans Miss Most

By: Vicki Santillano (View Profile)
From: http://www.divinecaroline.com

Everyone has a favorite when it comes to Girl Scout cookies. You can claim to like many of them, but at the end of the day, allegiance usually falls into one cookie camp. I’m on Team Thin Mint and have been since childhood. My loyalty was only cemented in college when my roommate introduced me to the wonder that is frozen Thin Mints. Clearly, I’m not alone in my love, since they’re currently the most popular cookie, monopolizing 25 percent of sales. (Sorry, coconut lovers: Samoas trail behind, at 19 percent.)

But, whether you live for Samoas (also known as Caramel deLites, depending on which of the two Girl Scout cookie suppliers—ABC Smart Cookie and Little Brownie Bakers—sells in your area) or hoard Tagalongs (aka Peanut Butter Patties), chances are, you feel quite strongly about them. So imagine how devastating it would be to find out they were put into retirement. Every year, old and often beloved cookies have to make way for newer kinds, much to the chagrin of Girl Scout cookie enthusiasts across the land. But though they’re no longer in production, certain varieties remain steadfastly in consumers’ memories—and hearts. (Some pictures approximated).

1. Lemon Coolers
These vanilla wafers had a touch of lemon zest and were dusted with powdered sugar. The sugar was replaced with lemon icing and the name changed to Lemonades, but hardcore fans still pine for the powdered variety.

2. Aloha Chips
Aloha Chips were around for only a couple of years in the early 2000s and sold only in certain areas of the country, but they’re still mentioned in online forums and articles dedicated to Girl Scout cookie nostalgia. They were dotted with white chocolate chips and macadamia nuts.

3. Kookaburras
Some remember these as Kit Kats in cookie form. Kookaburras had layers of wafers and caramel that were coated in milk chocolate.

4. Scot-Teas
Shortbread cookies are one of three types that must be offered every year by Girl Scout troops. (The other two are Thin Mints and Peanut Butter Sandwiches/Do-Si-Dos.) But whether they’re called Shortbreads or Trefoils in your town, they lack the sprinkled sugar that endeared cookie enthusiasts to Scot-Teas.

5. Oxfords/Chalet Cremes
Back before the Girl Scouts organization focused on selling cookies you couldn’t get anywhere else (sneaky!), it offered what we know today as Oreos. These chocolate cookies with vanilla crème filling were sold back in the early fundraising days.

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6. Ole Oles
Think of Ole Oles like Mexican wedding cookies with coconut. These powdered sugar cookies had pecans and bits of coconut and were sold between 2001 and 2003 before they got the ax.

7. Iced Berry Piñatas
Sounds like a fun name for party punch, but Piñatas were actually cookie versions of the Danish pastry. They were sugar cookies with berry jam at the center and icing drizzled on top.

8. Juliettes
Juliettes were supposedly named after the Girl Scouts’ founder, Juliette Low. In some parts of the country, they were called Golden Nut Clusters. With milk chocolate, caramel, and pecans, they developed a wide fan base during their run from the 1980s to the mid-’90s.

9. Double Dutch
Like Oxfords/Chalet Cremes, these chocolate cookies with chocolate chips weren’t unique enough for the Girl Scouts organization to keep them in rotation longer than a couple of years.

10. Golden Yangles
Technically, these aren’t cookies, but I found enough references to them on the Internet to warrant their inclusion. During the 1980s, the Girl Scouts tried to get into the cracker market with Golden Yangles, cheddar-flavored, triangle-shaped crackers. As far as I can tell, that was the first and last attempt, but fans still haven’t forgotten them.

I’d never heard of some of these prior to my research, but the way people talk about Lemon Coolers, Aloha Chips, and Juliettes, I can’t help but wonder what I’ve missed out on. Thin Mints probably won’t be discontinued anytime soon, but based on how many cookies the Girl Scouts have rotated through since they began selling in 1917, I’d better buy a few extra boxes this season, just to be sure.

First published March 2010

Coldstone Breakthrough: Ice Cream That Transforms Into Pudding

Posted by: Mark Levine

Wow -- is this the frozen confectionary breakthrough of the year? The decade? Coldstone is about to release ice cream that doesn't melt. No, this sweet wonder simply transforms into JELL-O pudding...

Pictured: Butterscotch Velvet Cone

Coldstone Tastemaster (how do we apply for this job?), Ray Karam, has been working with JELL-O pudding in rigorous taste tests to create a sweet frozen treat that "...has a mouth feel much like a velvety mousse."

When your bowl of freshly-scooped Coldstone sits at room temperature for a while, an amazing transformation occurs. The ice cream skips melting and turns into pudding instead (or so the legend goes).

Coldstone is releasing four flavors that will only be available for a limited time -- in locations from June 3rd until July 28th (SO DON'T DROP THE BALL -- get over there!). Find your closest location here.

Pictured: Chocolate-y Goodness Cone

To compliment the cutting-edge ice cream, Coldstone also has two new creations to showcase the flavors:

Butterscotch Velvet -- Butterscotch JELL-O Pudding Ice Cream mixed with Butterfinger, Reese's Peanut Butter Cup and Caramel.

Chocolatel-y Goodness -- Chocolate JELL-O Pudding Ice Cream mixed with Peanut Butter, Caramel and Fudge.

[wipes drool off keyboard]

Recipes for the new flavors are going up on the Coldstone Creamery site so you can make ice cream sandwiches, JELL-O pudding ice cream pops and snacks at home.

Learn how to GRILL ice cream here, watch Food Detectives take on Upside Down Ice Cream or just get some other ice cream ideas....