Gilly's Holiday Menu

Attached is Gilly's Holiday Menu for 2015! To Order Click Here

Things I Have Learned from Being 3

Can you believe Gilly’s is 3? Neither can I. When I whimsically began crafting the idea of Gilly’s, it just seemed, well like an idea. Truth is, as much as we are told to “follow our dreams” it is not always easy. Luckily for me, timing, social media and an iPhone were the perfect ingredients for me to establish my baking page.

Last October, I wrote about how the second year of business can be difficult. That was solely the truth. As much as I adore my baking and crafting recipes for my loyal customers, I have learned and maintained that running a baking page is hard. But as my parents always told me, just because something is difficult, it doesn’t mean that you should dive in and put yourself up to the challenge. The second year of Gilly’s was filled with tribulations, mainly personal reasons. First, there was my mini 2-month break from baking in general. The weight of senior year college life caught up and I was burnt out. All the baking I did in that period was just to feed my craving for sweets; nothing special. Then, I moved! Adapting my baking life to a new kitchen has been a fantastic experience and I’ve been able to produce treats that wouldn’t have been imaginable in my previous apartment.

Thirdly, I got a job!

Those close know to me that the hunt to find a fulltime job was one of the worst and most humbling experiences of my entire life. Reflecting back, realizing that I only had a month of unemployment was not as dreadful as others in my predicament. However, since obtaining this new job, I have had to reevaluate my normal baking schedule, and things are delayed.

Moral of the story: life can get in the way.

But yet, as I continue into my third year, I maintain that I appreciate every single ounce of support I receive. It’s exciting when someone brings up my baking page to me, as it makes me feel like I am spreading my love of baking to all!

Here’s to 3!  

Transition into Fall Baking

Fall baking is my favorite time of the season. Whether it’s the plethora of pumpkin flowing in the grocery store aisles, or the weekend adventures to orchards to whip up an apple treat, fall baking is just the best. Truth be told, I sort of loathe baking in the summer, because my apartment gets way too hot. But in the fall, it’s just the right amount of warmth to mix in the window breeze. Although Chicago’s weather has not transitioned over to fall weather (no complaints here), I started crafting recipes that would aide the changeover from summer baking to fall baking.

It begins with these salted brownie cookies.

If you’re an avid follower of Gilly’s you will know that I absolutely love two desserts: chocolate chip cookies and brownies. Out of all the treats I can skillfully craft, I stick with the classics. Last week, I whipped up brownies and so it seemed natural that the cookie craving would approach. It was Sunday and I was deeply involved with Season 3 of Breaking Bad. Upon the cliffhangers and me screaming at the television, I wanted some chocolate. Researching recipes, I wanted a circular shaped dessert that was easy to bake. I will say some of this craving was inspired from Cupcake Jemma's YouTube page. Brownie cookies equated to the perfect Sunday bake, and proved to be a fantastic recipe to transition into fall.

What makes these crownies (brownie + cookie) so good? They’re simple! You know exactly what they will taste like. The flavor is soft and fudgy, and the best part is they bake on the thinner side so you can have 7 without anyone noticing.

After research, I found the recipe from Jen's Favorite Cookies. All the ingredients needed are often found in anyone’s pantry. To begin using a double boiler, melt the chocolate chips and butter until smooth.

In the bowl of the stand mixer, mix the eggs and sugar. I used the method Cupcake Jemma mentioned in her YouTube video. Using the whisk attachment, mix the eggs and sugar on a medium speed for 5 minutes until it’s light and volume rises in size. Next add the melted chocolate and mix on a low speed.

Finally add the rest of the ingredients: flour, cocoa powder, vanilla, salt and baking powder. Mix on a low speed until incorporated. Since the mixture was watery, I placed my blend in the fridge for 30 minutes. I should mention that I excluded white chocolate chips because I did not have any.

After 30 minutes, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Drop spoonfuls on the sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Let the cookies rest for 5 minutes and move to a wire-baking sheet. I topped my crownies with some sea salt and it was amazing.

Try out these treats and get ready for fall baking!

Brownie Cookies

recipe from Jen's Favorite Cookies

Ingredients:

• ½ cup butter, cut into chunks
• 1 bag (10 - 12 oz.) semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup + 2 T. sugar
• 2 T. cocoa powder
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• ½ tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. baking powder
• ¾ cup flour
• ½ cup white chocolate chips 

Instructions:

1. Over a double boiler, melt butter and chocolate chips together, stirring until completely melted and smooth.
2. Meanwhile, mix together eggs, cocoa powder, and sugar, beating 3-4 minutes on high.
3. Add melted chocolate to egg mixture, and mix well.
4. Add vanilla, salt, and baking powder, and mix. Add flour and mix just until combined.
5. Fold in white chocolate chips.
6. Drop spoonfuls onto a baking sheet, and bake at 350F for 10-12 minutes.

Caramel Stuffed Brownies

I have a love affair with caramel. There is absolutely nothing wrong with it. It’s soft, it’s chewy, and it pairs with chocolate, or salt (two of my other favorite things). Back in the day when I worked in a candy store, the caramel shelf was my favorite to package. I loved the uniform shape and when the caramel was freshly made, it was hard not to sneak the whole tray into my car and drive off into the sunset. Caramel evokes insane reactions on my part. This weekend, I was dog watching for my professor and she said the best words I could ever hear, “I have some extra caramel…do you want it?”

The hallelujah chorus in my head went off as I tried to keep cool. I thought about Netflix and me in bed pounding back caramel, pure bliss. I responded calmly and said, “oh sure if you don’t want it.” I got a tupperware full and I was a happy girl.

The thing that excites me about caramel is that it fits with any dessert. You can have it as a sauce for a tart, a frosting for a cake, or swirl it in really anything. As my favorite season of fall baking approaches, caramel becomes a staple in ensure a comforting flavor. While I wanted to eat the caramel in its true form, I decided against it and decided to make…caramel stuffed brownies.

This idea actually derived from my professor. When she gave me the caramel she mentioned heating it up and swirling it into brownies. I was sold. However, since the move, I have yet to invest in a microwave, because are they really necessary? In this case, yes it would have been helpful, but I went with the traditional stovetop melt.

The recipe I stumbled on was from Show Me the Yummy. Flourless salted caramel brownies. Sold. As much as I love a traditional brownie, I have grown to crave the flourless structure. Using cornstarch instead of flour provides the brownie with the structure it needs, but makes the center feel much fudgier in my opinion. Overall, the taste seems softer.

To begin, I started by melting the chocolate, butter and espresso powder. It is important to keep an eye on this mixture, because if you’re like me and get distracted, it may burn. Luckily, I ran back just in time, but yes, chocolate melting requires the utmost attention.

Next in a large bowl, mix the brown sugar, eggs and vanilla until mixed thoroughly. Then add the cooled chocolate mixture. Finally add the cocoa powder, cornstarch and salt and mix until together. On Show me the Yummy, they suggest pouring half the brownie batter into the pan and baking for 10 minutes. Personally, I dumped the whole batter in and baked for 10 minutes. I then melted the caramel in the pan and poured it directly onto the hot batter. Smother with chocolate chips and bake for around 25 minutes at 350 degrees.

The consensuses of these brownies are that they are amazing. They are soft, chewy, and stuffed with caramel. What more does a dessert need? Add these brownies to your baking list and enjoy!

Flourless Salted Caramel Brownies
recipe from Show Me the Yummy

Ingredients

For the Brownies:

• 6 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 8 oz semi sweet chocolate chips (about 1 cup)
• 1 tablespoon instant coffee or espresso granules 
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• ¼ teaspoon salt 

For the Caramel head over to Show Me the Yummy

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Prepare an 8x8 baking pan by lining it with parchment paper.
3. Set a small saucepan over low heat and add in butter, chocolate chips, and coffee granules.
4. Stir until the butter and chocolate have fully melted. Allow to set and cool slightly.
5. Using a stand mixer beat together eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract for 2 minutes.
6. Add melted chocolate mixture and mix thoroughly.
7. With the mixer on low, add cocoa powder, cornstarch, and salt, mixing until well combined. Scrape down the bowl.
8. Pour half of the batter into prepared pan, spreading it evenly with a greased spatula. Bake for 10 mins minutes or until top has just set in the center.
9. Evenly pour caramel over the brownies.
10. Top with remaining brownie batter.
11. Sprinkle the top with sweet chocolate chips.
12. Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until center is set.
13. Cover with foil and place in fridge for at least 2 hours, or until the brownies are completely cold.

 

Moving & Shaking

Baking in the summer can somewhat be miserable. Living in a tiny apartment in the city has its perks, but it also has its cons. For example, turning on an oven to 350 degrees when it’s 90 degrees outside falls short of ideal. Needless to say, Gilly’s in the summer is nowhere as extreme compared to the cooler months. Aside from the heatwaves that come and go, there’s also been a giant adjustment.

I moved!

I moved into a new apartment with a bigger oven (finally) and a larger kitchen. My soul is so excited. However, while moving is exciting and a chance at a fresh start, it’s exhausting. As much as I love to sift, mix and pour, I need to focus on unpacking, breaking down and hanging things from my walls. It’s been an extensive week of moving, and my poor little website has suffered the consequences.

But, yesterday I found some time. 75% of boxes are all unpacked, 50% of all photos have been hung, but 100% of bake-ware has been stored and cleaned. Thus, I had an opportunity. Yesterday also happened to be my friend Paty’s birthday. When I asked what she wanted for a treat she exclaimed cake bites. However, since rolling and dipping cake bites can be tedious, I found a simple solution.

I love making cake bites, I really do, but they can take up to 5 hours. Sometimes that seems way too long for something my mouth is going to devour in fifty seconds. So instead of taking the traditional route, I chose to modify the cake bites into cake bite bars. I enjoyed them immensely.

The recipe is standard of any other cake bite recipe. Bake a cake, cool cake, crumble cake, add frosting and roll into balls, dip in chocolate. However, when the time came to roll, I simply pressed the batter into a 9x9 pan and froze for 30 minutes. Then I tempered chocolate and let set for an hour. After that, I can into little squares. The process took more than half of the time of the traditional bites. If you’re looking for an easy cake bite option, this is it.

Overall, moving has had its ups and downs. I’m so excited to break in this new oven and experiment with some new treats. My new neighborhood is filled with German and Italian influence which I feel will serve as an inspiration. As for now though, it’s time to get unpacked!

My New Dwelling and Chocolate Frosting

Remember when I wrote about how stressful my life was and I lost my urge to bake?

You can read about it here.

The truth is after my little rant things started to look up. I found a jazzy new apartment in a trendy new neighborhood, and I had a craving for chocolate frosting. The job thing on the other hand…still a work in progress.

But, I took some time to stop whining to do something extremely special. One of my closest friends is moving back to her home and naturally we needed to celebrate.

I could write a whole sentimental statement about this amazing woman whom I am going to dearly miss, but I don’t want to cry, so I’ll spare the feelings. Onto the cupcakes

Last week, I wrote about my newfound love for box cake mixes, and that is still true to this day. For this going away party, I was given the task to make some cupcakes and I happily obliged. In this scenario I wanted to do something classic to pair with the vanilla bean cake.

Enter chocolate frosting.

I love chocolate frosting, simple as that. I think it is the perfect topper for cupcakes, the most divine filling for layers, and the best heap at the end of the spoon. This recipe I found is honestly so easy that anyone can make it. I found the original recipe at Baked Bree.

Try it out!

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

• 2 sticks of unsalted butter, softened 
• 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• ¾ cup cocoa powder, sifted 
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons milk

In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, whip the butter for 1 minute until smooth. By 1-cup additions, add the powdered sugar on a low speed. On a low speed, add the cocoa powder. Mix at a medium speed for 2 minutes. Add the extract, and milk and mix for another minute until desired consistency. Use immediately and store at room temperature.

Box Mixes and Cupcakes

When I started baking, I had a strict rule. No box mixes. I thought to myself, hey if I’m going to be serious about this, I need to eliminate using boxes. To me, using a box mix felt like cheating a recipe and I didn’t want to start a hobby surrounded by cheating.

However, my tune started to shift. Often times, when I wanted to practice piping on a cake, I didn’t want to waste a whole chunk of flour and sugar only to have it consumed by me. I thought my fresh ingredients should be utilized by paying customers.

So I bought a box mix.

Nowadays, I think box mixes aren’t as awful as I thought they were. There’s a plethora of options, whether it be Betty Crocker or Duncan Hines. My biggest issue with the boxes was the ingredients, but now that I have access to Trader Joes and Whole Foods, that’s no longer a problem. My newfound love for box mixes was something that gradually added on. Here’s why.

1.     They’re good for practice. You know how a box mix is going to taste. It can help you distinguish the uneven temperature in your oven, or simply how long to bake a cake for.

2.     They’re cheap. Correlates directly to #1. Box mixes are cheap and they’re everywhere. I’ve bought a box at CVS and even 7/11!

3.     You’re able to modify them. When you think about it, box mixes at their core, are basic dry ingredients that are interchangeable. You can add butter instead of oil, whole milk instead of water. Some people add in pudding! Anything is possible.

4.     They are not intimidating. Everyone can master a box mix. One of the key ingredients to being a great baker is confidence and if a box mix is going to help you feel better about your skills, I say go for it.

So, as a minimal hoarder of box mixes, I picked up a Trader Joe’s Vanilla Cake Mix. I sought this recipe, as it was an exact replica of a recipe I utilized before, just cheaper! It had vanilla beans within the mix. Boo-yah! I followed the mix’s directions and made vanilla cupcakes. Delicious and easy.

For the frosting I made a homemade strawberry buttercream, which was flawless and also super easy! I decorated these cupcakes simply and made them for World Baking Day, which was on Sunday.

At the end of the day, no one cares if you use a box mix. They care about the cupcake you’re dangling in front of their faces.

Gilly’s Strawberry Buttercream

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• 3 to 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 1/3 to ½ cup of Strawberry preserves
• 1-tablespoon vanilla extract
• 3-tablespoons heavy cream

1. In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, whip the butter for 1 minute until smooth. By ½ cup additions, add the powdered sugar on a low speed. Once added, mix at a medium speed for 2 minutes. Add in the strawberry preserves, vanilla and mix for 1 minute. Add the heavy cream and whip until smooth and creamy. Add a droplet of pink food gel for color.

Bakation

I’ve been on a bakation (baking + vacation).

It wasn’t intentional.

As much as I would love to focus all my time and energy on Gilly’s, I am accepting of the fact that I can’t. As much as it annoys and frustrates me, I need to accept that I am a graduating senior who has to pay attention to her life.

Like many millennials, I am graduating college. This is extremely terrifying and exciting at the same point. I would argue that 75% of the time I am relaxed about the whole process. I eagerly apply for jobs, do my academic work, and look for apartments. System is down.

But for the past week, I hit a low. The apartment I loved was sold to someone else. HR departments never reply as quickly as I hoped. I’m giving showings of my current apartment like I’m a full time real estate agent. With all of this and more, I have lost my bakspiration (baking + inspiration). The stress made me sick too and that’s just annoying.

Today when I was on the phone with my sister, I was drafting cheesecake recipes and apart of me just felt like “blah”. So, as the accepting human that I am, I am accepting that I don’t need to bake every other day, (yes I usually bake every other day), and allow myself to focus on my impending graduation.

With that being said, I drafted a lovely cheesecake recipe today and I hope to get it out soon! In the meantime, chocolate chip cookies will suffice.

Stay patient, stay kind!

                                    -- Gilly