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Friday, June 20, 2025

Coconut-Pecan Frosting Recipe for German Chocolate Cake or Cupcakes

I've been making homemade German chocolate cake for decades and it is the most requested cake for any occasion in our home, probably because they are not commonly available. If you try to eat a store-bought German chocolate cake you would probably swear off of ever eating them again. Store-bought does not compare to homemade!

I personally make both my cake and my frosting from scratch. This is one cake and frosting that you are not likely to find in a box or can. As a matter of fact, the one time I tasted coconut-pecan frosting in a can, I hated the heavy lard taste. The word "gross" comes to mind.

Unfortunately, store bought cakes or pre-made frosting in a can will make you think you don't like German chocolate cake. But, if you have never tried a homemade German chocolate cake, then you have never tried a real German chocolate cake.

Coconut Pecan Frosting Recipe
Sylvestermouse - ReviewThisReviews.com

You actually make coconut pecan frosting by cooking it on the stove top, like candy. The pan matters. You need a heavy pan that will hold heat. I still use my grandmother's 4 quart Wagner Ware Sydney-O Magnalite pan (4684-P). Do not use a pan with non-stick coating.

INGREDIENTS

4 egg yolks

1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk (shake well before opening)

1½ tsp. vanilla

1½ cups sugar

3/4 cup butter

1 pkg. (7 oz.) Baker's Angel Flake Coconut (2-2/3 cups)

1½ cups chopped pecans

DIRECTIONS

1) Finely chop the pecans

2) Beat egg yolks, milk and vanilla in heavy saucepan with whisk until blended

3) Add sugar and butter; cook on medium heat 20 - 25 min. or until thickened and golden brown, stirring constantly

Remove from heat

4) Add coconut and pecans. Mix well

Cool to spreading consistency.

Click Here for the German Chocolate Cake Recipe published separately

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One note, please don't give up if the frosting is not perfect the first time you make it. Like so many things in cooking, sometimes you need to make it a few times to perfect it with your cookware and stove.

The Brands I Use

I prefer to stick to specific brands, unless a company changes their recipe or goes out of business. I still use the brands that my mother and grandmother used when baking.

Pet Whole Evaporated Milk, 12 ounceCheck Price McCormick Vanilla ExtractCheck Price Baker's Angel Flake Coconut Sweetened 7 OunceCheck Price Fisher Chef's Naturals Unsalted Chopped Pecans - ResealableCheck Price Prepworks by Progressive (Red)Check Price

If you want a Magnalite saucepan like mine, you will need to purchase it in an antique store or secondary market like Ebay. Current day Magnalite is not the same vintage Wagner Ware brand made in Sydney, Ohio. The current pans are made in China of a lighterweight material and is not the Magnalite I recommend. Magnalite Saucepan - 4 quart - 4684-M or 4684-P (-P or -M doesn't matter. They represent the mold used when making)

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Coconut-Pecan Frosting Recipe for German Chocolate Cake or Cupcakes Written by:

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Friday, January 31, 2025

Stainless Steel Batter Dispenser for Pancakes, Cake Pops & More Reviewed

I recently purchased the Shoxil 20 oz Pancake Batter Dispenser to use with my new Pancake Puff Maker and it works perfectly. Because it was so easy to handle, I decided to try it when making pancakes on my griddle.

This batter dispenser is truly awesome!

The dispenser is available in two sizes, 20 or 40 ounce. I purchased the smaller 20 ounce size because the other customer reviews indicated that the smaller size was large enough for one recipe of pancake batter. It is highly unlikely that I would ever need the larger size simply because I could just add more batter to the dispenser as needed. When filled, the smaller size will be lighter weight too.

Previously when making pancakes, I used my glass mixing bowl with a spout for pouring the batter, but I found this batter dispenser to be easier to stop the flow of batter. Plus, I have always been concerned about touching my glass bowl to a hot griddle. That has never happened, but it is still a concern.

The stainless steel batter dispenser is lighter than the glass bowl and much easier to balance over the hot griddle.

Features of the Stainless Steel Batter Dispenser

20oz Batter DispenserCheck PriceIn addition to being lightweight, there are several other attributes of the batter dispenser that I really like.

Stainless Steel is anti-rust
4 Silicone Nozzles in varying sizes to alter flow
Handle
Squeeze Trigger to start & stop flow
Resting Stand included
Durable
Dishwasher Safe

I haven't had the opportunity to try my new batter dispenser on cupcakes, muffins, or my mini cheesecakes yet, but I expect it will make pouring batter evenly into all of the mini cupcake pans much easier. I am definitely looking forward to using this dispenser on other baked treats.

Friday, January 24, 2025

Stonewall Kitchen Pancake Puff Maker - Cake Pop Maker Reviewed

Cake pops have been around for a long time, but I never considered making them with pancake batter and filling them with jam until I discovered the Stonewall Kitchen Pancake Puff Maker. By naming it a puff maker, instead of a cake pop maker, the maker grabbed my attention while Christmas shopping this past year. I purchased one for myself and one for all of my siblings.

My sister-in-law in North Carolina was the first to try out her Christmas gift. That may be because she opened it as soon as it arrived, plus she loves to cook. Like me, she loves new kitchen gadgets. Since she had a Christmas luncheon to attend the following day, she perused the included cookbook, and selected a recipe to try the following day. She made several batches for the party. She used the vanilla cake recipe in the cookbook but decorated the batches with different toppings. She covered some with a chocolate glaze (recipe also included in the cookbook) and decorated them with sprinkles. She put confectioners sugar on some and cinnamon sugar on another batch. Not only did she report that they were fun and easy to make, but the guests loved them. I did laugh when she told me that she had to beg to snatch a few for my brother since she neglected to leave some behind at home for him. By the way, my sister-in-law calls the puff maker her donut hole maker since the vanilla puffs with glaze that she made looks and tastes like donut holes.

I waited for my "now experienced puff maker" sister-in-law to come for a visit before New Years to try my new puff maker. I wanted to make the pancake puffs for breakfast and she was more than willing to jump right in and "play". We made some plain pancake puffs to cover with pancake syrup and we filled some with jam. They were delicious!

Since we used teaspoons to put the batter and the filling in the maker reservoirs, I went in search of a batter dispenser and jelly dispensers so I could work faster. The batter starts cooking as soon as it hits the maker reservoirs which caused some of our puffs to brown more on the bottom. They didn't burn, but being able to work faster with less mess around the edges of the reservoir cups appealed to me.

My Pancake Puffs filled with Blueberry Jam are not as pretty as the puffs on the front of the box, but they were quite tasty!

The Stonewall Kitchen Pancake Puff Maker

Along with the pancake puff maker, I included a can of the Stonewall Kitchen Buttermilk Pancake & Waffle Mix and a jar of the Stonewall Kitchen Wild Maine Blueberry Jam. We have previously used the pancake mix and the blueberry jam, so I was confident that those products would be excellent choices for making the puffs. Those are the products I used when making the pancake puffs featured above.

Features of the Stonewall Kitchen Pancake Puff Maker

Click to Check Price or Purchase the
Stonewall Kitchen Pancake Puff Maker

Non-stick baking plates
Power on and ready lights
Locking Lid Latch
Non-skid rubber feet
Bake 12 puffs in 4 - 6 minutes
Includes fork tool
Includes puff cooling tray stand
Includes treat sticks
Recipe Cookbook included
Wipe Clean - do not immerse in water

How to Make Pancake Puffs

Mix batter
Release the lid latch and open the puff maker
Coat the nonstick surfaces and reservoirs with vegetable oil or cooking spray
Preheat puff maker with lid closed
When ready light is green, fill puff maker reservoirs*
Close the lid
Cook for 5 minutes
Use the fork tool to remove the hot puffs & set on cooling tray
Add glaze & decorations if desired

* If you want to bake filled puffs, add batter, then jam or filling and top with more batter. Each section should be approximately 1/3 of the reservoir. Try not to overfill the reservoirs.

By the way, none of my puffs looked like the ones on the box. The bottoms of mine were all browner than the tops. It doesn't matter to me, but I wouldn't want to mislead our readers.

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In the introduction, I mentioned that I sought out a batter dispenser. I am thrilled with my choice which is featured below. It worked perfectly using the smallest silicone funnel that came with the dispenser.

Stonewall Kitchen Buttermilk Pancake & Waffle Mix, 16 Ounces

Shoxil 20oz Pancake Batter Dispenser, Multi-Caliber Stainless Steel Funnel Cake Dispenser with Stand Great for Pancakes, Cupcakes or Any Baked Goods

Stonewall Kitchen Gourmet Wild Maine Blueberry Jam, Bursting with Tiny, Hand Raked Maine Blueberries, Made in USA, Comes in Beautiful Jar, 3.75 oz

Saturday, September 14, 2024

Book Reviews of the ‘Tea by the Sea’ Cozy Mystery Series

Vicki Delany, a Canadian crime writer, has written a series of Cozy Mysteries. A Tea by the Sea Mystery series is one of them. It is a delightful series featuring Lily Roberts, owner of a Cape Cod Tearoom.

Continuing Characters in the Series

This series takes place on the Outer Cape of Cape Cod facing Cape Cod Bay where Lily Roberts recently opened an authentic English Tearoom in a refurbished old stone building located on the property of her grandmother Rose’s grand old Victorian B & B.

Lily, a professional pastry chef, left the restaurant business in New York City to realize her dream of owning and operating her own tearoom she named “Tea by the Sea”. She also helps her 85-year-old grandmother run her B & B “Victoria-on-Sea” by cooking the breakfast part of the bed & breakfast early each morning before her tearoom opens at 11:00 A.M.

Lily lives in the guest cottage on the B & B property, along with her labradoodle Eclair, so named because of the cream stripe that runs through her curly brown fur. Grandmother Rose has a spoiled cat with the Scottish name Robert the Bruce (Robbie, for short).

Other continuing characters include Lily’s best friend Bernie (Bernadette), a forensic accountant who leaves her NYC job to move to Cape Cod for the summer to write a book. Then there is Simon, the young (and good looking) Englishman who takes over his uncle’s job as gardener for the extensive gardens that surround the B & B and tearoom. Lily’s helpers in the tearoom include Cheryl & Marybeth, mother & daughter, who help run the tearoom while Lily bakes.

Each of these characters, including the animals, appear throughout the entire series and lend importance to each storyline.

Because each book seems to include a murder that somehow always involves Lily and her family & friends, we also get to know the crotchety old town police detective Chuck Williams - nearing retirement age and rather lazy - and his new assistant, Detective Amy Redmond, young and experienced (coming to Cape Cod from the Boston PD), but under the command of Detective Williams, who tends to narrow his focus to not investigate as well as he should.

Synopses of this 5 Book Series

Tea & Treachery

A Cape Cod tea shop owner (Lily Roberts) must solve the murder of a local real estate developer to help her feisty grandmother, Rose, out of a jam after Rose is accused of the murder.

Murder in a Teacup

Cape Cod tearoom owner/pastry chef, Lily Roberts, gets herself in trouble when she unknowingly serves one of her grandmother's B&B guests a deadly cup of tea. Lily has to assume her part-time sleuth role to find the real killer and save herself.

Murder Spills the Tea

When a popular TV baking show comes to Cape Cod to film at Lily’s charming tearoom, a celebrity chef and judge is murdered at the tearoom. Having lost his temper on-camera with a member of Lily's staff, Cheryl Wainwright ends up a suspect in his murder. Now Lily must investigate to clear her friend’s name.

Steeped in Malice

Fine English teas are always served in china teacups (never mugs), as presentation is important. Finding herself low on teacups for her tearoom, Lily attends an antique show to replace her fragile stock. There she finds a delightful Peter Rabbit-themed tea set in a wicker basket, perfect for children’s events.

Days later, a rude woman (Kimberly) arrives at the tearoom to demand the tea set back. She wants an envelope hidden in the basket’s lining.

Turns out, the envelope was the last will and testament of Kimberly’s mother, and changes what an earlier will decreed (leaving Kimberly out of the inheritance entirely). Meanwhile, Kimberly’s half-sister Rachel is also looking for the new will. As is Kimberly’s new husband (who just happens to have been Lily’s former NYC chef boyfriend).

When one of the sisters is found dead on the grounds of the B & B, naturally Lily, Rose and their friends become involved. A simple case of greed and too many suspects make for another fun cozy mystery.

Tea & Treachery (Tea by the Sea Mysteries)

Murder in a Teacup (Tea by the Sea Mysteries)

Murder Spills the Tea (Tea by the Sea Mysteries)

Steeped in Malice (Tea by the Sea Mysteries)

The latest (and last book in the series) Book Five, Trouble is Brewing, was just published in 2024.

Trouble is Brewing

Lily’s Cape Cod tearoom hosts a bridal shower for two families who are staying at Rose’s bed and breakfast. As the gifts are being opened, a gruesome gift sends the guest of honor screaming in fear.

The shocking gift is just one of many other tensions surrounding the families of the bride & groom. The mother’s-in-law are sniping at each other, and the groom's father, Ralph, offers his son a sizable bribe to call off the wedding.

Then Ralph is murdered and the wedding is postponed. All the members of the wedding party seem too willing to believe the worst of each other. Since this involves Lily and Rose, plus the tearoom and B & B, of course Lily becomes involved.

Trouble Is Brewing (Tea by the Sea Mysteries)

SUMMARY

Each book in the series is charming. We learn all about the various teas served in the tearoom, from the simple Cream Tea - Tea & Scones - all the way to the Royal Tea, which is very fancy indeed, including a three-tiered tray filled with fancy scones, delectable sandwiches and tiny tasty desserts. Each book also has recipes at the end for the various scones, tarts, cupcakes and sandwiches served for these teas.

We also get to know each character individually, including their interesting personalities, and how they interact with each other.

I was first drawn to this cozy mystery series because of the name of the town on Cape Cod used in the stories. Author Delany calls the town ‘North Augusta’, which immediately caught my attention because I once lived in North Augusta, South Carolina. North Augusta on Cape Cod is not a real place, but it is mentioned as being close to North Truro (Cape Cod, Massachusetts) and turns out to be the perfect location for a mystery series.

Cozy Mysteries frequently feature an ordinary person who somehow becomes involved as an amateur sleuth in a crime. They are often a known community person, such as a librarian, a book store owner, or, as in this series, the pastry chef of a tearoom, each taking place in a small community.

The Tea by the Sea Mystery Series is absolutely delightful and filled with characters you will come to love. I highly recommend this Cozy Mystery series by Vicki Delany.

*A Tea by the Sea series of cozy mysteries review is written by Wednesday Elf

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Wednesday, January 17, 2024

The Best Sugar-Free Hot Cocoa Bombs — An Outstanding Low-Carb Treat

We're in the thick of winter snowstorms here in New England. Since I have a bad back, my husband does the snow shoveling. I always greet him upon his return with a steaming cup of hot cocoa to warm him up and show my appreciation.

Since we both stopped eating sugar a few years ago (and feel so much better as a result), now I make sugar-free hot chocolate. If it's the weekend, I usually prepare my Ultimate Keto Hot Chocolate recipe, which is rich and decadent and has pretty much spoiled commercial hot cocoa mixes for us, but takes a bit more time and effort than using an instant hot cocoa mix.

However, when sugar-free ChocZero Hot Cocoa Bombs launched a few months ago, I was anxious to try them. Fortunately, they did not disappoint!

Now, if I want to make delicious hot cocoa with mini marshmallows quickly and easily, I just heat some almond or macadamia milk, drop in a ChocZero hot cocoa bomb, and stir until dissolved. Here's my product review of this outstanding low-carb treat.

Image created using Canva generative AI

I have talked about ChocZero sugar-free chocolate and other sweet treats sweetened with natural monk fruit here on Review This Reviews, including ChocZero's mini marshmallows in my High-Protein, Sugar-Free Rocky Road Cottage Cheese Ice Cream recipe (still one of my favorites!); their regular sugar-free marshmallows in my Healthy Pistachio Cherry Chocolate Chip Marshmallow Cereal Treats recipe; my review of the best sugar-free chocolate hazelnut spreads; ChocZero's fabulous truffles, chocolate keto bark, butter cookies, chewy caramels, jams, cookie spread, honey, and Rhea chocolate peanut nougat candy bars in my review of An Awesome Low Carb Gourmet Gift Basket Everyone Will Love; ChocZero's coffee syrups in my Refreshing Vanilla Italian Soda recipe; their sugar-free strawberry jam in my Low Carb Keto Shortcake Cupcakes recipe; and more.

So, even though I have been somewhat disappointed in the low-carb, sugar-free hot cocoa mixes I have tried, I knew ChocZero's sugar-free hot cocoa bombs would be worth a try.

What I Love About ChocZero Hot Cocoa Bombs

Awesome Packaging

ChocZero Keto Hot Cocoa Bombs - Premium Zero Sugar Added Milk Chocolate Melting Bomb Gift Set - Filled with Sugar-Free Marshmallows (4 Count)

The first thing you notice when you receive your order of ChocZero Hot Cocoa Bombs is the fabulous packaging.

The clear plastic box is printed with the ChocZero brand, product name, product image, and other pertinent information.

Because the outer box is clear, you can see through to the inside, where each hot cocoa bomb is snugly wrapped in festive bright gold foil that makes it look extra special.

There are four hot cocoa bombs per box. Inside the outer box, there is a protective molded plastic shell with four spherical depressions that cradle the foil-wrapped chocolate spheres and prevent them from being broken or otherwise harmed during transit.

The first two boxes I ordered were a gift for my husband since he loves hot chocolate so much.

Convenience

My husband and I really love my Ultimate Keto Hot Chocolate recipe and if I have all the ingredients on hand, it's a special treat.

However, the ChocZero Hot Cocoa Bombs are the first low-carb, sugar-free hot cocoa "mix" we've tried that we really enjoy.

They are also quicker and easier to prepare than my from-scratch recipe when we're looking for instant gratification.

And unwrapping each gold foil-wrapped ball really does add something special to the experience of making hot cocoa!

Rich Chocolate Taste and Luscious Mouthfeel

Like my ultimate keto hot chocolate recipe, the ChocZero Hot Cocoa Bombs include both cocoa powder and chocolate.

The chocolate shell creates a richer chocolate taste and a more luscious mouthfeel than the hot cocoa mix inside alone.

The chocolate shell also contains not only the sugar-free hot cocoa mix but also sugar-free mini marshmallows, which my husband and I both love in our hot cocoa.

Unlike most sugar-free hot cocoa mixes we've tried, we don't need to add anything to make this taste better, although we often enjoy adding a splash of one of ChocZero's flavoring syrups.

How I Use ChocZero Sugar-Free Hot Cocoa Bombs

We start by unwrapping each hot cocoa bomb and placing it in a large mug.

Next, we heat the milk. Although you can use any kind of milk you prefer, we prefer to use either unsweetened vanilla almond milk or unsweetened vanilla macadamia milk to make our hot cocoa, since they are lower in natural sugar and carbs than dairy milk. We sometimes add a splash of heavy cream for added richness.

It's important to heat the milk very hot before pouring it over the hot cocoa bomb, and it takes a bit of stirring to completely melt the outer milk chocolate shell and dissolve the cocoa mix.

ChocZero Sugar Free Peppermint Syrup for Coffee - Keto Flavoring Syrups - Low Calorie Simple Syrup for Flavored Drinks (26.5 ounce bottle/750ml)

My husband and I love the flavor combination of chocolate and peppermint, so we usually add a splash of the awesome ChocZero Sugar-Free Peppermint Syrup into our prepared hot cocoa.

We also enjoy our cocoa with a splash of other ChocZero flavoring syrups, especially caramel or hazelnut. They're fabulous and don't have the unpleasant aftertaste or questionable sweeteners used in other brands of sugar-free syrups.

This flavored hot cocoa makes such a satisfying, sweet, low-carb treat that we often enjoy it for dessert.

What's Next?

I noticed the packaging includes the descriptor "Milk," so I'm hoping that ChocZero will be adding dark chocolate hot cocoa bombs in the future.

One of the things I love about this brand is that they are always improving their products and adding new ones based on customer feedback.

So, ChocZero, if you're reading this, I hope you'll consider making dark chocolate hot cocoa bombs next! 💓🍫

The Best Sugar-Free Hot Cocoa Bombs — An Outstanding Low-Carb Treat by Margaret Schindel

Saturday, October 14, 2023

Dessert Reviews for National Dessert Day

National Dessert Day is celebrated each year on October 14th in the middle of National Dessert Month (October). October is known as the month of sweets (think Halloween Candy!), so having a dessert month & day fits right in.

The contributors to Review This Reviews have written many reviews of various types of desserts, any one of which would be a tasty treat for after dinner, an after school snack or a bedtime snack. Whether you are partial to cakes, cupcakes, pies, cookies, or ice cream ~ or perhaps a taste of chocolate candy ~ you will find reviews of many special desserts and dessert days (some with recipes) as you read down the page.

Let Them Eat Cake!

The well-known French saying Let Them Eat Cake! can be taken to heart on many cake ~ and cupcake ~ days throughout the year. The exact dates we love to celebrate particular kinds of cakes/cupcakes can be found in this fun review: Cakes and Cupcakes Special Days

A recipe for very tasty Carrot Cake Cupcakes can be found here.

A fabulously delicious whipped cream and fresh berries cake called Chantilly Cake is the best cake I ever tasted.

If regular cakes are not your 'thing', how about a tasty cheesecake recipe?

Pies Galore!

If you prefer pie, there are many Pie Days to celebrate throughout the year, one of which may be your favorite. Mine is chocolate, which does not appear to have it's own special day ~ but should! :) The list of many special pie days can be found in this review of National Pie Day celebrated on January 23rd.

Another Pie review is for National Cherry Pie Day celebrated around President's Day each February.

Or a favorite of mine, a Key-Lime Pie recipe.

Cookie Monster!

If 'cookies' are your thing, you are in exactly the right month, as October is National Cookie Month!

If Brownies are your favorite type of cookie, here's a delicious recipe for celebrating National Brownie Day on December 8th.

Chocoholics Rejoice!

If you love chocolate, you are in for a treat with this list of Chocolate Days in July!

Fruits for Dessert

If fruits are your preferred dessert of choice, check out Pineapple Day on June 27th.

There's also Watermelon Day on August 3rd.

And Banana Day on April 20th

Plus, the ever popular Chocolate Covered Fruit recipes.

Keto-Friendly Desserts

And last, but certainly not least, before you despair because your dietary restrictions won't allow you celebrate National Dessert Day, here is a list of Keto-Friendly dessert recipes.

Dessert Day Summary

One of my favorite online blogs is the website Dinner, Then Dessert, where you will find a whole bunch of yummy dessert recipes. Read the review of Dinner, Then Dessert here.

Remember, calories don't count on Dessert Day, so indulge with your favorite choice.