Sweet Maria's

NEW!! Sweet Maria’s Cupcake Bar

ramartijr — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 12:19:22 +0000

Pine Nut Cookie Recipe

maria — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 02:30:20 +0000

Pine Nut Cookies “pignoli”

Print recipe

Serves	40 cookies
Region	Italian
By author	Maria Bruscino Sanchez

These traditional "amaretti" cookies are full of almond flavor. They are naturally wheat free/gluten.

Ingredients

1 1/2 lb almond paste ( or apricot kernel paste) (broken into pebble-size pieces)
1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup confectioners sugar
3 or 4 egg whites
2 cups pine nuts or almonds
confectioners sugar (for coating (optional))

Note

If the dough is sticky, dip your fingers lightly in water to help you roll. This will also help nuts adhere to cookies.

Directions

Step 1
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Step 2
In an electric mixer, combine almond paste, granulated sugar and confectioners sugar on low speed, until blended.
Step 3
Add 3 egg whites. Mix until well blended on medium speed until dough comes together. It should be soft and sticky. If too dry, add additional egg white.
Step 4
Roll dough into balls about 1-inch. Roll in pine nuts, almonds or confectioners sugar, as desired. Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet, spacing each 2 inches apart. Press tops of cookies slightly to flatten.
Step 5
Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.
Step 6
Remove pan from the oven. Let cookies cool completely on parchment.

“What’s for dessert?”

maria — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 19:27:36 +0000

Sunday we celebrated our 21st Annual Sweet Maria’s Company Picnic. I usually start watching the weather reports weeks ahead, hoping and praying that the day turns out nice.The food is actually the easy part; chips/salsa/guacamole, grilled chicken, pulled pork, creamy cilantro coleslaw ,Italian potato salad, and green salad. Sodas, beer, wine, limoncello. The hardest question is always ”What’s for dessert? Because sweets are our business, many of us are jaded with the usual assortment of cakes and cookies. The only solution for the dessert doldrums is the make-your-own sundae bar.

Plus, it’s easy enough to pull together. Pick one flavor ice cream., ( we chose vanilla) and go crazy with the toppings and sauces. Of course it helps when you have the best pastry chefs making your chocolate and caramel sauce… and don’t forget the whipped cream.

My personal favorite, vanilla ice cream, fresh blueberries, a squirt of caramel sauce, streusel topping and whipped cream.

Streusel Topping

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

3 cups flour

3 teaspoons cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 F.

In an electric mixer, combine all ingredients. mix until uniform and crumbly. Spread onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake 15 to 20 minutes,or until golden brown, stirring occasionally.

Let cool. Store in an airtight container. Can be made 2 to 3 days in advance.

How Sweet of You!

maria — Thu, 31 May 2012 14:58:55 +0000

How sweet of you to vote us Best Bakery in the Greater Waterbury area and Best Wedding Cakes in the Waterbury Observer’s Annual Readers Poll. Many thanks to our loyal customers and excellent staff who make it all possible!

It Takes A Village…

admin — Thu, 03 May 2012 14:20:44 +0000

Sometimes it takes a village to build a wedding dessert table. This beautiful wedding at the New Haven Lawn Club featured a pastel assortment of cakes displayed on vintage cake plates. The planning began last December with tastings, designs, color swatches and cake plate arranging.

The lovely couple wanted to echo a similar wedding cake buffet we designed last year. Same concept, but each bride was unique in their desire to create a cake experience through design, texture, and flavor.

By adding meringues, lemon squares and cream puffs to the buffet, guests could have all their sweet fantasies fulfilled.

The planning, baking, and cake decorating are almost incidental in this type of presentation. It all comes down to assembling the cakes on-site on the plates. Post-ceremony, pre-reception plating, piping, arranging. The more staff I can bribe with after-delivery margaritas*, the better. Last minute details, no problem with this crew… romantic tulle on the table, votives and serving pieces in place, cake flavor placards, fabulous flowers from Blush Floral Design , and the groom’s parent’s original wedding cake ornament. Everything in place for happily ever after.

* margaritas at Geronimos New Haven

Almond Joy Cupcakes

admin — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 14:09:24 +0000

Almond Joy cupcakes

Print recipe

Ingredients

1 cup cocoa
1 cup water
2 cups flour
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For Coconut Filling
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 pinch salt
13 oz. coconut milk
1 cup coconut juice
4 cups coconut (shredded )
cup For Ganache
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup heavy cream
for garnish
1 1/2 cup almonds (sliced and toasted)

Directions

Step 1
In a small bowl, pour boiling water over cocoa. Set aside to cool.
Step 2
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Step 3
In an electric mixer, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Mix on low speed until blended.
Step 4
Add eggs and cocoa mixture. Blend on low speed for about 1 minute. Scrape down the bowl.
Step 5
Add buttermilk, oil and vanilla. Beat on low speed 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Beat on medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes, or until smooth. Ladle batter into cupcake lined pans.
Step 6
Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until tester comes out with a fine crumb. Remove pan from the oven.
Step 7
Remove cupcakes from the pan and cool on wire cooling rack. Cool completely before filling and frosting.
Step 8
Make the coconut filling. In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch and salt. Pour in coconut juice and milk and whisk until smooth. Heat over medium heat whisking constantly until thick and boiling. Remove from heat and stir in coconut. Cool completely. Can be made 2 to 3 days in advance. Store refrigerated in an airtight container.
Step 9
For Ganache: In a small saucepan, heat heavy cream until just about boiling, stirring constantly. Place chopped chocolate in a medium bowl. Pour hot cream over chocolate and stir to blend well. Cool to room temperature until mixture resembles thick pudding. Use immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container. To re-heat ganache, slowly heat in a double boiler over simmering water, stirring until smooth.
Step 10
Fill a pastry bag with coconut filling. Cut the tip off the pastry bag to make a hole. Insert tip of pastry bag into the center of the cupcake. Squeeze the bag and release filling into the center of the cupcake. Repeat until all cupcakes are filled. Squeeze additional filling on top of the cupcake.
Step 11
Generously drizzle ganache over top of cupcake. Top with toasted almonds.

Makes 20 cupcakes.

Dried Cranberry Almond Biscotti

admin — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 13:48:40 +0000

Dried Cranberry Almond Biscotti

Print recipe

Makes about 30 cookies. Maria Bruscino Sanchez www.sweet-marias.com

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup flour
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup whole almonds
3 eggs
2 teaspoons amaretto

Directions

Step 1
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Step 2
In a large mixing bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, cranberries and almonds.
Step 3
In a separate bowl, beat eggs and amaretto with a wire whisk.
Step 4
Pour wet ingredients into dry. Mix to combine. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead to make a soft, slightly sticky dough. If dough is too sticky to roll, knead in ½ cup flour.
Step 5
Divide dough into 3 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a loaf about 12-inches long. Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet, spacing each 4 inches apart.
Step 6
Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.
Step 7
Cool slightly.
Step 8
Slice loaves diagonally into ½” slices. Place cookies in a single layer back on the cookie sheet.
Step 9
Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until well browned.
Step 10
Remove from the oven. Cool.

Makes about 30 cookies.

NBC Connecticut, Feast: Sweet Maria’s

admin — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 14:33:28 +0000

Tiffany Cakes: Great things come in small packages!

admin — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 19:19:57 +0000

I’ve always believed that good things come in small packages; especially small Tiffany blue boxes. Although I adore Tiffany jewelry, almost nothing could be better than a Tiffany iced chocolate cake. I was recently asked to create adorable square cupcakes in the Tiffany theme for an longtime customer’s shower. Her idea seemed simple, a small cupcake box for each guest at the shower, prominently displayed on festive cake stands in the center of each table. Perfect idea! dessert and centerpiece all in one.

Those that really know me, know that I would much rather ice a ten tier wedding cake than ice 85 4-inch square cakes. Just a simple patience issue… one that I am working on…. We decided that one cake on top of the tiered stand would be fondant. Although beautiful, no one really wants to eat fondant. We decided to ice 8 small boxes with buttercream that guests could enjoy for dessert . The fondant cake, plus cake stand would be a “take-home” for the lucky guest with the penny under their coffee cup. I love this tradition!

So many tiny gum paste bows later, the cakes were ready for their big day. Carefully delivered and displayed , the cakes were a huge hit. Sometimes the pressure of these days and the weeks leading up to them can be exhausting. But the payoff is the great feeling that comes with being a part of a family’s life events year after year. Exhaustion and teal blue stained fingertips aside, it was a good weekend.