The Canadian Baker

Gunn's Cheese Onion Buns

2012-01-23T16:43:00.000-05:00

I've been wanting to make these for a long while. Every time I read the recipe I could imagine how the the cheesey-oniony goodness would just melt in my mouth. I was not disappointed.

If you're comfortable with yeast and shaping dough then making these buns will be a rewarding experience. Just give yourself time to complete the whole process and be prepared to amaze yourself and anyone you care to share with. Next time I think I'll add more cheese.

The recipe comes from Gunn's in Winnipeg, They make tons of yummy goodies and now you can too.

Gunn's Cheese Onion Buns

1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 1/3 cups warm milk
2 tsp dry active yeast
2 eggs
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 tsp salt
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (approx)
4 tsp butter, melted
2 cups old Cheddar cheese, shredded
2 tbsp poppy seeds
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup mayonnaise

In a small bowl, dissolve 4 tsp of the sugar in warm milk. Sprinkle in yeast; let stand until frothy, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl and using an electric mixer, beat eggs. Remove 2 tbsp of the beaten egg; reserve in small airtight container in refrigerator. Add remaining sugar to beaten eggs in bowl; beat until thick and pale yellow, about 2 minutes. Stir in yeast mixture, oil and salt. With wooden spoon, stir in enough flour to make a slightly sticky dough.

Turn out onto lightly floured surface; knead, adding as much of the remaining flour as necessary to prevent sticking, until smooth and elastic, 10 to 12 minutes. Place in greased bowl, turning to grease all over. Cover with plastic wrap; let rise in warm place until doubled in bulk, about 2 hours.

Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.

Punch down dough, turn out onto lightly floured surface. Divide in half. Roll each half into 12 x 8-inch (30 x 20 cm) rectangle. Brush each with half of the melted butter, leaving a 1/2 -inch (1 cm) border uncovered; sprinkle each with half each of the cheese and poppy seeds. Brush edges lightly with reserved beaten egg.

Starting at long side, roll up; pinch seam to seal. Cut into 2-inch (5 cm) thick slices; place, about 2 inches (5cm) apart, on prepared pans. Press to flatten to 1 inch (2.5 cm) thickness. Cover with clean tea towel and let rise in warm place until doubled in bulk, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Brush lightly with reserved beaten eggs; sprinkle with onion. Top each with 1 tsp mayonnaise. Bake in top and bottom thirds of 375 F (190 C) oven, switching and rotating pans halfway through, until golden and buns sound hollow when tapped on bottoms, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer to rack, let cool. Makes 12 large buns.

Recipe Source: The Complete Canadian Living Baking Book, 2008

Chocolate Chocolate Muffins

2012-01-10T15:55:00.000-05:00

Chocolate and more chocolate is pretty much what you'll get if you make these muffins. They remind me of the chocolate fudge muffin from Mmmuffins - dense and dark. I made them a little healthier by replacing some of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat. No one knew. Don't overbake them or they'll be dry and a dry chocolate muffin is no fun at all.

Chocolate Chocolate Muffins
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup butter
3 squares unsweetened chocolate
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 400F. Grease a 12-cup muffin pan or line with wrappers.

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, sugar and baking soda. Set it aside.

In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt together the butter and unsweetened chocolate. Stir until smooth, then remove from heat and let cool for just a minute. Add the buttermilk, egg and vanilla, whisking the mixture until everything is well combined. Stir in the flour mixture, mixing just until all the ingredients are moistened, then add the chocolate chips. Mix until the chips are evenly distributed.

Spoon batter into well-greased (or paper-lined) muffin pan, filling the cups to the top. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out clean. Let cool for a couple of minutes before removing from the pan, then transfer to a rack to cool more or less completely. Makes 10 chocolate chocolate muffins.

Recipe Source: The Clueless Baker, 2001

Accidental Trifle

2012-01-01T16:01:00.001-05:00

Happy New Year! To start things off with a bang here is the trifle I made for Christmas. Contrary to its name, it was no accident - every component was planned out. It was sweet, creamy delicious and massive. I only have one glass bowl so I had to almost double it so it wouldn't look wimpy.

There are hundreds of trifle recipes out there and no doubt you have a favourite one. If you're new to trifle-making, this is a good recipe to try out. The basics are there - cake, custard, whipped cream and fruit. Total yumminess in every bite. You can use store-bought products or homemade, whichever you prefer. Personalize it to your tastes and prepare to wow everyone.

Accidental Trifle

1 stale or fresh layer cake or pound cake
6 cups strawberries, raspberries, blueberries (or any combination thereof)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 recipe prepared cream filling (recipe below)
2 cups 35% whipping cream
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1/4 cup sherry (any kind), optional
1 cup raspberry or apricot jam

Cut the cake up into slices, as evenly as you can - they can be ragged or funny shaped: it doesn't matter. Prepared fruit (wash, slice, peel do whatever must be done) and toss it with 1/4 cup of the sugar. Prepare the cream filling and let cool.

Pour the whipping cream into a large bowl and add the remaining 2 tbsp of sugar. Beat with an electric mixer on high speed until the cream is thick and holds a soft peak when you lift the beaters from the bowl. Set aside.

Arrange about half of the cake slices in a layer on the bottom of your prettiest glass bowl (approximately 8-inch/20cm in diameter). Sprinkle the cake slices with sherry, then spread with half of the jam. Top with half of the fruit, then slather with half of the cream filling. Cover with half of the whipped cream.

Now repeat: the rest of the cake slices, more sherry, the rest of the jam, the rest of the fruit, rest of the custard and the rest of the whipped cream. Smooth the top of the whipped cream and decorate with a few extra berries. Makes 8-10 servings.

Cream Filling

2 cups milk
3 eggs
2/3 cup granulated sugar
3 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 tbsp granulated sugar

Blend together the milk, eggs, 1/3 cup sugar, cornstarch and flour. Blend until smooth, then pour into a medium-sized heavy saucepan. Cook, stirring almost constantly with a whisk, over medium-low heat until the mixture becomes smooth and thick - 5 to 8 minutes. Do not leave this stuff alone for a second. It will thicken suddenly and without warning. Remove from heat and stir in the butter and vanilla, whisking until smooth. Cover the surface of the hot custard with a layer of plastic wrap (to prevent a skin from forming), and refrigerate for an hour or two until completely cooled.

With an electric mixer, beat the whipping cream with the 1 tbsp of sugar until stiff. Peel the plastic wrap off the custard and beat briefly with the mixer so it is smooth and creamy. Gently fold in the whipping cream until fully incorporated. Now its ready to use in your trifle.

Recipe Source: The Clueless Baker, 2001

Notes: I made my trifle without sherry and used strawberry jam.

Gingerbread Men

2011-12-24T13:04:00.000-05:00

Making your own gingerbread is rewarding and simple to do. It's most likely better than anything you could buy at your local coffee shop or grocery. You can bake to your desired doneness - softer for dunking but firm enough to hold whatever shape you make. Yummy!

Wishing everyone a safe and happy Holiday Season!

Gingerbread Men
1 egg
1/2 cup molasses
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening, melted
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger

In a large bowl, mix together the egg, molasses, sugar, melted shortening and baking soda. Beat well.

In another bowl, stir together the flour, cinnamon and ginger. Add flour mixture to the egg mixture, blending well. Chill the dough for several hours or overnight.

When you're ready to bake, preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease two cookie sheets, or line them with parchment.

Cut the dough into 4 pieces. Form each portion into a nice compact ball, flouring it well. Roll out each piece on a well-floured surface to about 1/8-inch (3mm) thickness.

Using cookie cutters, cut out gingerbread people (or animals, or dumptrucks etc.). Carefully transfer people to the cookie sheets and bake for 5 to 7 minutes - until very lightly browned around the edges. Watch them closely - small shapes will bake more quickly than large ones.

Let your cookies cool for a minute or two before removing them to a rack to cool completely. Decorate with icing. Let icing set before eating (if you can wait).

Icing Paint
4 cups icing sugar
1/3 cup water
paste food colouring

In bowl, whisk sugar with water, adding up to 2 tbsp more water if necessary to make spreadable. Tint with food coluring as desired.

Recipe Sources: The Clueless Baker, 2001 & Canadianliving.com

Mini Panettone Cookies

2011-12-19T10:13:00.001-05:00

The Holiday Season is here and with it comes all the smells and flavours we associate with this time of the year. I don't think you can go into a grocery store without seeing boxes of Panettone stacked like a mountain. If you like this seasonal bread then you'll enjoy these cookies flavoured with fennel, almond and orange.

The cookies are very petite and the batter is thin-ish so when you make them try to put even amounts of the cherries, nuts and raisins in each so they end up being roughly the same size.

Mini Panettone Cookies

1/4 cup salted butter, softened
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp grated orange rind
1/2 tsp almond extract
1/2 tsp anise extract (or 1/2 tsp fennel seeds or anise seeds, crushed)
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking soda, baking powder and salt
1/4 cup chopped candied red cherries
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts or toasted slivered almonds

Icing

1 cup icing sugar
2 tbsp salted butter, softened
4 tsp milk

In large bowl, beat butter, sugar and egg until fluffy; beat in orange rind, and almond and anise extracts. In separate bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; stir into butter mixture. Stir in cherries, raisins and nuts.

Drop by rounded 1 tsp about 2 inches apart, onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Bake in 350F oven until golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to racks, let cool.

Icing: In small bowl, beat icing sugar, butter and milk until smooth. Using piping bag fitted with plain tip or resealable plastic bag with corner tip cut off, pipe icing decoratively over cookies. (Or spread with knife.) Makes about 60 cookies.

Recipe Source: Canadian Living Holiday Celebrations, 2009

Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Cookies

2011-12-12T14:24:00.002-05:00

Peanut butter cookies are one of my favourite cookies. They're easy, fast and always taste delicious. Add some chocolate chips and they become out of this world.

This recipe completely uses whole wheat flour. Sometimes too much whole wheat can make baked goods heavy and loose its light texture. In these cookies there is no fear of that - no one will know! The texture is chewy and I baked mine a little longer so the edges were crispy and the centre soft. If you want, the recipe can be made with all-purpose flour or a mixture of both.

Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Cookies

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 egg
1 1/4 cup all-purpose or whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 375F.

In large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, beat together the butter, peanut butter, granulated and brown sugars and the egg until creamy ans thoroughly mixed. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and blend very well.

Now make the cookies: by hand, roll the dough into 1-inch (2 cm) balls, place them on an ungreased cookie sheet, leaving 2 inches (5 cm) between them to allow for spreading. For the classic peanut butter cookie look, flatten each ball of dough with a fork, pressing lightly to make a criss-cross pattern. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until cookies have puffed slightly and are lightly browned on the bottom. Makes about 3 1/2 dozen.

Recipe Source: The Clueless Baker, 2001

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

2011-12-05T21:12:00.000-05:00

I've made chocolate chip cookies countless times and am always interested in new versions of this classic. I haven't really had a go-to recipe until I came across this one from Bite Me by sisters Julie Albert and Lisa Gnat.

For starters, these cookies are larger than most cookies and do not flatten out to become thin discs. They are solid, dunkable and chewy - just how I like my cookies. I've made them a lot and they've never disappointed. Impress your family and friends and whip up a batch today!

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 1/2 milk chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt.

In an electric mixer, cream together butter, brown sugar and sugar on medium speed until well blended. Beat in vanilla, egg and egg yolk until light and fluffy. On low speed, add flour mixture and chocolate chips, mixing just until flour disappears.

Drop dough by 1/4 cup at a time, 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.

Bake for 15 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool a few minutes before transferring cookies to a wire rack.

Yield: 20-24 large cookies.

Recipe Source: Bite Me, 2009 by Julie Albert & Lisa Gnat

Naughty Biscotti

2011-12-02T16:58:00.002-05:00

I've been a fan of the Podleski sisters ever since they released Looneyspoons in 1996. I have all four of their cookbooks and their latest, The Looneyspoons Collection, was given to me a few weeks ago as a gift. It contains their greatest recipe hits updated and some brand new ones. It's a beautiful book to go through and I do think there is something for everyone in it.

If you're familiar with Janet and Greta then you know they give their recipes quirky and humorous names. Naughty Biscotti is their version of a lemon, cranberry and pistachio biscotti that does not disappoint. They are chock full of bright flavour and colour. They're a breeze to put together and, as they say in the recipe, the longer you bake them the crisipier they get. I followed the recipe as is and was very happy with the end result. The are delicious and nutritious. Can't argue with a cookie that has oat bran in it. :)

Naughty Biscotti

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup oat bran
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup lightly packed brown sugar
2 tbsp butter, at room temperature
2 eggs
1 egg white
1 1/2 tbsp grated lemon zest
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup chopped dried cranberries
1/2 cup chopped pistachios

Preheeat oven to 350F. Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray and set aside.

Combine flour, oat bran, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat together both sugars and butter on medium speed of electric mixer for 1 minute. Add eggs, egg white, lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla. Beat again until well blended. Using a wooden spoon, add flour mixture to sugar mixture and stir just until blended. Dough will be thick. Add cranberries and pistachios and mix well.

Divide dough in half. Using lightly floured or greased hands, shape each half into an 8 x 3 x 1/4-inch loaf and place on prepared cookie sheet, about 3 inches apart. Add a bit more flour if dough is too sticky.

Bake on middle oven rack for 20 minutes. Remove loaves from cookie sheet and cool on wire rack for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 275F. Transfer loaves to a cutting board. Using a very sharp knife cut each loaf crosswise on a diagonal into 9 slices. (You'll have some scraps from the end pieces, so go ahead and eat them. Everyone knows scraps have zero calories.) Place slices, cut-side down, on same cookie sheet. Return to oven and bake for 8 minutes. Turn biscotti over and bake for 8 more minutes. Cool completely on wire rack. Biscotti will harden as they cool.

Note: If you prefer super-hard biscotti, increase baking time from 8 minutes to 10 minutes per side.

Recipe Source: The Looneyspoons Collection, Janet & Greta Podleski, 2011

Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream

2011-11-25T16:19:00.002-05:00

I made cupcakes yesterday after a very long time. They were for a birthday and I decided to jazz them up by using origami paper for the liners which worked perfectly. The little bit of extra flair upped the oomph factor and made for a seriously pretty platter.

The cupcakes were moist and tasty on their own and the buttercream was deliciously creamy. The recipes are easy to follow and make. The cupcake recipe is actually for chocolate cake but I made 21 cupcakes with the batter and baked them for 20-22 minutes.

Good Old Chocolate Cake

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 cups milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare two greased and parchment-lined 9-inch round cake pans or one 9 x 13-inch rectangular pan. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda. Add the milk, vegetable oil and vanilla and beat with an electric mixer for about 2 minutes until smooth, scraping down the sides several times. Add the eggs and beat for another 2 minutes.

Pour batter into prepared pans, them slam the pans on the counter once or twice to eliminate bubbles. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes, then invert onto a rack, peel off the paper, and let cool completely before doing something delicious with it.

Makes two 9-inch round layers or one 9 x 13-inch rectangular cake.

Deluxe Buttercream Icing

1 cup unsalted butter

4 cups icing sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup whipping cream

In a large bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer until creamy. Add the icing sugar and beat until well blended. Add the vanilla and whipping cream and continue to beat on high speed until frosting is fluffy and creamy - about 5 minutes. (You can add up to 2 tbsp of additional whipping cream if you feel that the frosting is too stiff.)

Makes more than enough ultra-creamy frosting to generously fill and frost a two-layer, 8 or 9-inch round cake. Or more than enough to thickly frost the top of a 9 x 13-inch cake.

Recipe Source: The Clueless Baker, 2001

Baklava

2011-05-12T13:36:00.000-04:00

I love baklava and have eaten a lot of it. I've tried it with all different types and nuts, shapes and flavours. They ones I have enjoyed the most have been made by friends - crispy and moist but certainly not dry.

Since this was my first attempt, I used the easiest recipe I could find. I didn't want to get fancy, I just wanted to get a feel for the technique and how it all came together.

I've concluded that putting baklava together is not hard. Once I had everything ready it came together without mishap but it did take a while to assemble. Covering the phyllo is essential because if the sheets get dry and break you'll have a hard time brushing with butter. Scoring the phyllo turned out to be fairly easy, though I did make one incorrect cut. A sharp knife = success. Once you're done, congratulate yourself. All you have to do now is bake it and pour hot honey all over the top. Easy.

Overall, a great recipe for all bakers. It turned out crispy on top and chewy-moist throughout. You can mix it up with different nut and flavourings but if you're looking for a 'classic'-tasting baklava, this is for you.

Recipe: Baklava

Baklava

2011-05-12T13:21:00.000-04:00

4 cups finely chopped walnuts

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1 lb phyllo pastry leaves (1 package), thawed

1 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 1/2 cups honey

1 tbsp lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 300 F (150 C)

In a large bowl, toss together the walnuts, sugar, and cinnamon. Set aside.

Unroll the package of phyllo pastry onto a sheet of waxed paper. Cover with a second sheet of waxed paper and a clean dish towel. (The waxed paper will keep the phyllo from drying out and the towel will keep the whole thing weighted down and covered.)

Brush a 9 x 13-inch (23 x 33 cm) rectangular baking dish with some of the melted butter. Now, remove one full sheet of phyllo pastry from the stack and place in the baking dish, allowing it to extend up the sides of the dish. Brush with melted butter. Repeat until you have 6 layers of phyllo pastry in the baking dish, brushing each one with melted butter. Sprinkle with 1 cup (250 mL) of the walnut mixture.

Now, cut the remaining sheets of phyllo pastry crosswise in half. (A half sheet of phyllo should fit the baking dish almost exactly.) Place one of these half-sheets over the layer of walnuts in the baking dish. Brush with butter. Repeat until you have 6 layers of phyllo, each brushed with butter. Sprinkle with 1 cup of the walnut mixture.

OK, so far we've used half of the walnut mixture. Right? Repeat this procedure - 6 sheets of phyllo, 1 cup walnuts, 6 more sheets of phyllo, another cup of walnuts, blah, blah, blah - until all the walnuts are gone. The top layer should be 6 sheets of phyllo pastry.

Trim away the excess phyllo pastry (the stuff that's sticking up from the bottom layer overhang) and brush the top with melted butter. with a very sharp knife, cut through the top few layers of pastry in a diamond pattern (4 long rows, then diagonally across) and bake for 1 1/2 hours, or until the top is golden and crisp.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, heat the honey with the lemon juice until hot but not boiling. Spoon the hot honey evenly over the baklava as soon as it comes out of the oven. Let cool completely before cutting into diamonds (along the pre-cut lines) and serving. Makes at least 24 pieces.

Whoopie Pies with Cream Cheese Filling

2011-03-18T16:55:00.004-04:00

I've made Whoopie pies in the past and don't remember them striking me as a super-duper-I-have-to-make-these-again kind of treat. Recently, a friend sent me this recipe on two separate occasions so I gave them a go since she was visiting today.

From the picture you can see the cookies are of the dark and cakey variety. The rich-looking batter was simple to put together. Now what makes these cookies make you want to say "Whoopie" is the cream cheese filling. It adds a nice sweetened tang to the chocolate of the cookie. Be warned, it is a rich treat but they are big-ish so sharing isn't a problem. I guess you could fill it with icing or some other filler-type substance but the cream cheese is, to quote from Rachael Ray, yum-o!

Overall, a thumbs up treat. Everyone who tried one liked it so it's a keeper.

Recipe: Whoopie Pies with Cream Cheese Filling

Cinnamon Swirl Breakfast Bread

2011-02-28T19:08:00.003-05:00

I bought Bite Me ages ago at Indigo. I didn't set out to do this but as I flipped through it I was hooked by the recipes, humour and, most importantly, the bold graphics. If you own this book, you know what I mean. :)

I have made many a dinner from it (the Fiesta Bowl Salad is always a hit) so I made this bread one lazy Sunday. All I can say is that you won't be disappointed with the result.

This bread bakes at a lower temperature so the cinnamon sugar topping did not burn like others can. The loaf itself was moist and tangy - very eatable. The only modification I made was to put two layers of cinnamon swirl within the loaf. I always find that I don't put enough in one layer and end up dumping way too much on top. (Perhaps this is why it burns?? Hmmm)

This lovely loaf was a snap to throw together and quite satisfying. If you're looking to check out a new book, Bite Me is worth a peek.

Recipe: Cinnamon Swirl Breakfast Bread

Cranberry Upside-Downer

2010-10-25T18:58:00.003-04:00

I thought that making a cranberry upside-down cake in October would be fitting since Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving during this month and its cranberry season pretty much from now until Christmas. I like making these cakes - always hoping while holding the hot pan that it will flip out nicely.

This cake is a snap to put together. The recipe is straightforward and you end up with a sweet cake topped with tangy berries and walnuts. Yummy all on its own but divine with vanilla ice cream. I made this in a 9-inch round pan and had no problems.

This cake was used as a 'Tuesdays with Dorie' recipe some time ago so you'll find bloggers from all over the singing its praises just like me.

Recipe: Cranberry Upside-Downer

Chocolate Gingerbread Pretzels

2010-10-11T19:32:00.003-04:00

Recently I have been asked when I'll start baking or blogging again. I haven't really stopped baking but blogging did take a backseat to life. I did miss it but, when posting became more of a chore than a fun pastime, it was time for a break.

However, I hope to start posting with some regularity and maybe treat myself to a new camera. I was in Indigo the other day and saw the new Holiday issue from Canadian Living. I was pumped because it was an all-cookie publication and I love cookies.

My son chose this as the first cookie to make. Be warned that they do take some to make, chill, shape, bake and glaze. Though the process is long, the cookies are yummy - sort of cakey, yet firm. They offer up all the traditional holiday flavours such as gingerbread, cinnamon and molasses and the glaze adds a nice sweetness to the spiciness of the cookie.

Sort of Pfeffernusse-esque. I hope to try out more recipes to share with you. Enjoy!

Recipe: Chocolate Gingerbread Pretzels

Pumpkin Spice Muffins

2009-10-23T17:15:00.004-04:00

It is cold and dreary here today. The leaves have almost all but fallen off because of the wind and rain but at least its Friday.

I made these muffins a while ago and wish I actually had one right now so I could eat it. Today is the perfect day for a spicy pumpkin muffin and a hot drink to warm up with. As I typed the recipe, I realized the cream cheese concoction is actually a spread not an icing as I've demonstrated in the picture. I was wondering why it made so little and was not very sweet. Just goes to show - read the recipe!

Have a great weekend!

Recipe: Pumpkin Spice Muffins

Spiced Pecan Tart

2009-10-03T20:48:00.005-04:00

Fall is in the air and that means Thanksgiving is around the corner for us Canadians. I usually make pumpkin pie for dessert and most likely will again this year but if you're looking for something new try this Spiced Pecan Tart. It's easy, delicious and gives you a great reason to use your tart pan.

The tart consists of a pat-in pastry (no rolling required) and a spicy pecan filling that can be made with or without the addition of bourbon. What I like about making tarts is that they're generally smaller than pies thus requiring less ingredients and they're simpler to pull together. If you feel daunted by pies and crusts, tarts may be for you and they do look very impressive when served. This tart filling is just the right combination of gooey and firm with lots of crunch pecans to balance it out.

Overall, a super tart! Now all I have to work on is taking a decent picture of a slice!
Recipe: Spiced Pecan Tart

Chocolate Espresso Sandwich Cookies

2009-09-21T10:10:00.004-04:00

Making cookies is a special thing. Making the cookies into sandwiches is even more special. Who wouldn't be happy to see a plate of homemade coffee flavoured chocolate cookies with a creamy ganache filling ready to be devoured?

These cookies are very easy to pull together and have a solid chewy texture. They also have the perfect density to be sandwiched - they don't crumble or break apart and hold the ganache in place.

If you don't want to use ganache I think a coffee flavoured buttercream would work but would make the overall cookie a bit sweeter. Regardless, anyone you make these cookies for will definitely be impressed.

Sorry for the choppy post - I'm feeling rusty today!

Recipe: Chocolate Espresso Sandwich Cookies

Oatmeal Coconut Cookie Ice-Cream Sandwiches

2009-08-26T13:52:00.003-04:00

I love ice cream sandwiches and have spent many years eating the typical rectangular chocolate ones with vanilla ice cream. (Who doesn't love those?) If you're looking to up the ante by trying to make your own, these oatmeal coconut cookies are perfect.

What you end up with is a very large, thin and chewy cookie that is perfect for filling with ice cream. After they have completely chilled, the cookies do not break or crumble and hold the ice cream perfectly. They are easy to bite through and the finished product is quite substantial - 2 whole cookies and a half cup of ice cream can really fill you up! If they're too big for you, just make smaller cookies and adjust the baking time accordingly. Let the ice cream soften a bit before filling. This process may get a bit messy, but its worth it.

The recipe calls for rum raisin ice cream but I substituted Breyers Dark Chocolate Velvet instead. The deep chocolately flavour went wonderfully with the coconut for a truly decadent treat. After trying all three of the new Breyers flavours, I think my favorite is the Banana Cream Pie with the Chocolate Cheesecake in second place and the Chocolate Velvet not far behind. Really though, I just love ice cream and these three did not disappoint. Try them out and see which one you like the best and if you're a resident of Canada you can enter to win some neat prizes if you create your own Breyers Moment. Check out the prizes here and the rules here.

Recipe: Oatmeal Coconut Cookie Ice-Cream Sandwiches

Chipster Topped Brownies

2009-08-14T07:56:00.003-04:00

The summer is passing me by at a surprisingly fast clip. After spending some relaxing family time in White Rock, I've come home to find I only have 3 weeks of fun left!

I made these chipster brownies some time ago. They consists of a very moist and chewy brownie topped with chocolate chip cookie dough. If you like these two treats then you'll love these. I enjoyed the brownie a lot. They were solid, dense and satisfying. I did have some trouble spreading the cookie dough over the brownie layer so there were some gaps where the brownie batter poked through. I also think the cookie batter baked a tad too much and got crispier than I would have liked. Certainly, you can make these brownies sans cookie dough and still have sweet satisfaction.

I topped the brownies with Breyers Chocolate Cheesecake ice cream to make it extra special. This rich ice cream blends chocolate and cheesecake to produce a decadent, creamy and tangy treat. The cheesecake part is very subtle and there are no actual cheesecake chunks in the mix. I would say it runs a very close second to the Banana Cream Pie!

Recipe: Chipster Topped Brownies

Daring Bakers July Challenge - Milan Cookies

2009-07-27T13:27:00.004-04:00

The July Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Nicole at Sweet Tooth. She chose Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Cookies and Milan Cookies from pastry chef Gale Gand of the Food Network.

This month participants were given the option of making one or two types of cookies. I only made the Milans and not the marshmallow ones.

I don't do a lot of piped cookies so I was happy to give these a try. The batter was easy to put together but there was a lot of it so I was piping for a long time. I also found the the instructions to pipe 1-inch lengths a little crazy. The cookies were very tiny so I ended up completing the rest by piping about 4-inch lengths and putting two side by side so they'd be a little wider. This worked and eventually I finished.

Overall, I think the cookies tasted okay. They were crispy at the edges and chewy in the middle. Piping the batter was unpredictable - some cookies spread into wacky shapes. The ganache was perfect as ganache usually is. Even though they weren't my favourite, they all got eaten. What did help redeem them was pairing them with luscious Breyers Banana Cream Pie ice cream. I had added some coconut extract to the cookies so they were 'tropical' which went perfectly with the banana, vanilla, and graham cracker flavours.

To see how the other Daring Bakers fared with their cookies, check out the Daring Kitchen. Thanks to Harbinger for providing the ice cream.

Blondie Cupcakes

2009-07-22T10:16:00.003-04:00

Cupcakes are all the rage these days. It's no wonder that Martha Stewart has come out with a cookbook with 175 recipes dedicated to them. Up until now, I have never owned one of her cookbooks but Cupcakes seems to be a great fit for me.

The first thing that I noticed is that there is a beautiful colour picture for every single cupcake in the book. This is awesome. The recipes themselves seem straightforward and of course, they can be dressed up with a multitude of frostings, fillings and other visually interesting embellishments.

For my first cupcake, I made the Blondie Cupcakes which is a twist on the traditional blondie bar. After mixing up the batter the cupcakes are baked for 30 minutes. The thing to remember is that the batter is dense and not fluffy. There is a fine line to walk here between the cupcake being golden and chewy and burnt and hard. Half an hour is more than normal cupcakes are baked so check carefully and use paper liners. This will make removal extremely easy.

The cupcake itself is very nice. It is solid and substantial. They may have seemed hard on the outside but they were chewy on the inside. Store them in a container to keep them moist and enjoy. Thank you to Random House for providing me with this book.

Recipe: Blondie Cupcakes

Sweet Cherry Custard Tart

2009-07-15T19:30:00.002-04:00

After finally using my tart pan for the Bakewell Tart, I looked for some recipes that would allow me to use it again. Since it is cherry season here in Ontario, I chose this custard tart to show off this juicy fruit rather than just eat them all from the bowl.

The first thing I needed was a cherry pitter which I finally found at Kitchen Stuff Plus. Pitting cherries is serious business...after I was done my hands were blood red! I'm guessing that the messier you get, the better the cherries.

I made this tart two times. The first was with cherries purchased from the grocery store. While the cherries were sweet, they were firm and not juicy but still made a good tart. The second tart, pictured to the left, was made with cherries from the local Farmer's Market. You can see how the cherry juice seeped into the custard making it more cohesive than the first tart. I also baked the second tart for five minutes less giving me a firm, yet moist vanilla custard.

Overall, this tart was a undisputed hit. The tart dough is forgiving if you tear it, and the preparation is not daunting at all. Pitting the cherries probably took longer than mixing up the filling. If you're looking for something to make with cherries, keep this tart in mind - it's toothsome and fresh!

Recipe: Sweet Cherry Custard Tart

Raspberry Streusel Muffins & Oatmeal Raisin Muffins

2009-07-07T08:52:00.008-04:00

I've got a backlog of muffins waiting to posted about. Here's a quick write-up about two of them.

Raspberry Streusel Muffins are exactly what they sound like. Fresh raspberries incorporated into a cakey batter and topped with almond streusel. I did not have slivered almonds so I used ground almonds in the stresuel which was fine though the muffin ended up lacking visual interest. This muffin would be equally great with blueberries. The only issue I had was that the raspberries ended up mainly at the bottom of the muffin despite the higher oven temperature. If any of you have tips on how to keep fresh fruit distributed evenly throughout, I would appreciate them. Overall, a very nice muffin perfect for beginner bakers and sharing with others.

Oatmeal Raisin Muffins require a bit more prep work. A portion of the oats are ground for this muffin and combined with regular oats to make a hearty, spicy muffin. They're pretty healthy and if you don't like nuts or raisins, either can be omitted or increased to your liking. Remember to not overbake them or they'll be dry. They take a little bit more effort but can still be pulled together in about 15 minutes.

Recipes: Raspberry Streusel Muffins & Oatmeal Raisin Muffins

Whole Wheat Sunflower Seed Muffins

2009-06-30T08:16:00.005-04:00

Now that summer is here, I finally feel like I have enough time to devote to baking and blogging. I made these muffins quite a while ago from my new book and wanted to share with you.

Sometimes when you bake, substitutions need to be made. I had all the ingredients I needed but had no sunflower seeds. My lovely neighbour graciously let me borrow some pumpkin seeds which I happily used.

These muffins are easy to prepare and full of flavour and texture. There is a hint of spiciness from the ginger, zing from the lemon and crunch from the pepitas, so much in fact that I wish I had added more to the batter. They're not your typical muffins but are delicious. I also like the fact that they're mostly made with whole wheat flour making them healthier than most. Give them a try with a seed of your choice!

Recipe: Whole Wheat Sunflower Seed Muffins

Daring Bakers June Challenge - Bakewell Tart..er..Pudding

2009-06-27T00:00:00.001-04:00

The June Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Jasmine of Confessions of a Cardamom Addict and Annemarie of Ambrosia and Nectar. They chose a Traditional (UK) Bakewell Tart... er... pudding that was inspired by a rich baking history dating back to the 1800's in England.

Finally a challenge that allowed me to bring out my as-yet-unused tart pan. The Bakewell Tart consists of three parts - a sweet pastry, jam and frangipane, a lovely almond filling. I opted to do a classic flavour combination of almond paired with raspberry jam and ended up with, in my opinion, a very authentic tasting tart.

The crust was solid and held everything together. The jam was seedless store-bought and provided a splash of sweetness and the frangipane was light in texture and the star of the tart. It cut beautifully and tasted even better cold the next day.

I really enjoyed this challenge. The tart was easy to prepare, looks impressive and was extremely edible. I will make it a point to work with frangipane again - I loved it.

Golden Cinnamon Loaf

2009-06-04T18:05:00.003-04:00

The next recipe I tried out from my new book was the Golden Cinnamon Loaf. Again, I was not disappointed with the results. I won't bother going into the nitty gritty, but if you follow the instructions and give yourself enough time, you will be successful. What you end up with are two great loaves filled with cinnamony goodness.

One thing I tried that eased the process was to freeze the butter and then grate it. This worked really well and the butter got evenly distributed throughout the dry ingredients. Also, I didn't crisp them up at the end as I liked them the way they were. This loaf makes excellent toast especially when slathered in butter.

Recipe: Golden Cinnamon Loaf

Simple Sweet Dough, Crumb Buns & Sticky Buns

2009-05-15T20:16:00.004-04:00

I just bought a new baking book called Great Coffee Cakes, Sticky Buns, Muffins & More by Carole Walter. It was an impulse buy since I wanted to get free shipping from Amazon and what I had in my shopping cart didn't add up to $39. Anyways, as I was scrolling through the baking section, I judged this book by its cover and happily proceeded to the checkout.

When I got it two days later, I did a quick skim and quickly realized we would become great friends. This is my type of book - home baked goodness on every page. Mr. CB said to go for the gusto and make the sticky buns on the cover - "Why else would have bothered to buy this book?" he said. Good point.

So I got some yeast and got to business. There is a deep sense of satisfaction when it comes to baking. After mixing up all kinds of stuff you get a beautiful cake for instance. Baking with yeast takes this satisfaction up to a whole new level. Watching the dough rise and then bake into a warm gooey pecan sticky bun makes my day.

They say first impressions are the most important and this book has made an impressive one. The dough recipe is easy to execute as are the accompanying recipes for crumb and sticky buns. What's convenient is that the dough recipe makes about 2 lbs and this can be divided in half to make different treats. The only thing I found finicky was making sticky buns in a muffin tin. They were not that easy to remove though perhaps Mr. CB didn't butter the cavities generously enough. Also, the sticky part got hard and had to be reheated so it didn't get stuck in your teeth. Two minor nuisances for such yummy results.

Recipes: Simple Sweet Dough, Crumb Buns & Sticky Buns

Granola Grabbers & Vitality Review

2009-05-02T17:42:00.007-04:00

I've been meaning to post about these cookies for about six weeks now. I made them to use up a box of granola I had and didn't want to waste. The recipe comes from Dorie Greenspan and produces a smallish, crunchy cookie filled with lots of little goodies such as raisins, nuts and coconut.

The dough is crumbly and requires a little handling but once baked they taste really wholesome. Of course, whatever type of granola you use will influence the flavour of your cookie and mine came out infused with vanilla and complemented with almonds. It is a nice homey, down to earth cookie that can be tailored to suit different tastes.

The thing about granola is that sometimes it can get stuck in your teeth. The best way I can think to help with this problem is to brush them and the Oral B Vitality Pro White Toothbrush can help with this.

This toothbrush gives you that "I just got my teeth cleaned at the dentist" feel without the anxiety. It took me a while to get used to holding and using the brush because you don't use the traditional brushing motions. Once on, the brush simply needs to be moved across and between the teeth as the cleaning head does all the work. You can add toothpaste as you go and make sure it is securely on the bristles. The first time I used the Vitality, the toothpaste went flying when I turned it on. It takes a little longer to do a good job but the results are worth it. Your teeth feel cleaner and it is easy to make contact with all those hard to reach spots.

If you want to share the base, replacement brush heads are available too. Mr. CB has been using the Vitality toothbrush and is sold. His dentist told him it is an excellent product and he's a believer. If you're pressed for time, just do a traditional brush and polish with the Vitality. Perfect for getting rid of granola! Thanks to MS&L for providing the product that was used for this review.

Recipe: Granola Grabbers

Daring Bakers April Challenge - Cheesecake

2009-04-27T17:58:00.002-04:00

The April 2009 challenge is hosted by Jenny from Jenny Bakes. She has chosen Abbey's Infamous Cheesecake as the challenge.

I love cheesecake. I always have and always will. This love affair started many years ago. When I was younger we would shop at a grocery store now called Michael-Angelo's. The bakery was situated in the back of the store and sometimes my mom would let us choose something to take home. This is a big deal because it did not happen often. I repeatedly chose a slice of cheesecake. There were only three flavours and I regularly chose the chocolate swirl. I loved its cold creaminess and never tired of it.

Fast forward to this month's challenge. I was so happy to be making cheesecake! I decided to make mine with an Oreo crust and broken Oreos stirred into the filling. Simple but delicious. The cheesecake was luscious and infused with vanilla. It wasn't too sweet or firm and the mini versions I made were the perfect serving. Everyone loved them and the recipe is definitely a keeper. If you haven't made cheesecake before and would like to try, make muffin-sized ones. They're less daunting and if you have a big enough pan to fit your muffin tin into you can still do a water bath.

Thanks Jenny for a sublime challenge!

Ricotta Cookies

2009-04-08T20:40:00.003-04:00

If you thought that ricotta cheese was only for lasagna and filling ravioli I have some news for you. Ricotta makes one great cookie! When I first saw the recipe I was won over - I love ricotta and cakey cookies. I was also intrigued. What would these cookies taste like?

After mixing up the batter (which came together beautifully) the dough was soft but droppable. The cookies came out fluffy and mild tasting. The ricotta was not discernible (to me anyways) but they were delicious. I suppose you could add a little lemon zest to give them some extra flavour but I liked them as they were. Once I added the colourful cream cheese icing they were even better. The sweet tang complemented the cookie beautifully.

So bake yourself a little happiness. Spring is here, albeit with some snow, the bulbs are popping up and a long weekend is around the corner. All good things in my book!

Recipe: Ricotta Cookies

Daring Bakers March Challenge - Lasagna

2009-03-29T19:02:00.011-04:00

After much procrastination, my lasagna is finished. I waited until the last minute to complete this month's challenge again. Most likely because I was
daunted - making homemade pasta is not something I do regularly. But I was game and I wanted to try. First off, I made the spinach pasta. I ended up
using 4 eggs in the recipe provided to get, what I thought, was the right consistency. Looking back now I realize it was too soft. As it rested, I made the bechamel and meat sauces - two things I can do.

When the time came to roll the pasta, I used the pasta roller attachment for my KitchenAid stand mixer. It was so much fun and effortless to use!
Feeding the pasta dough through was really nifty to see even though every sheet I got had holes in it. Now that I'm over the anxiety of trying to make my own pasta, I will definitely give it another go.

Once the sheets were rolled, I assembled it all and put it in the oven to bake. When it came time to eat it, I had mostly positive reviews. I only had two issues with the pasta that were my own fault. In some places, the pasta was too thick where it was overlapping and in some places it was too thin and sort of disintegrated into the final dish. However, overall I am pleased with the results as it tasted fantastic!

I would like to thank Harbinger for sending me the KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer Gourmet Pasta Kit. It came at the perfect time for this Daring Bakers challenge. This amazing kit came with a pasta roller, fettuccine cutter, pasta server and spoon, cleaning brush and two boxes of Ecco La Pasta pasta flour, one egg and one spinach. The roller worked beautifully and the instructions were very easy to follow.

The March 2009 challenge is hosted by Mary of Beans and Caviar, Melinda of Melbourne Larder and Enza of Io Da Grande. They have chosen Lasagne of Emilia-Romagna from The Splendid Table by Lynne Rossetto Kasper as the challenge.

Empire Cookies

2009-03-19T19:45:00.005-04:00

I bet you've seen these cookies at your local grocery store. Empire cookies have a distinctly elegant look due in part to the shiny sugar glaze and cherry on top. If you've been meaning to try them out, definitely do - they're delicious.

The one aspect of this cookie that I really liked was that there was no chilling time required for the dough. After you mix it up, you can roll it out right away and get to work with your cookie cutters. I would definitely recommend stirring all the ingredients with a wooden spoon as the recipe suggests. I started with my mixer and was a bit worried because the batter was coarse and crumbly but when I switched to a spoon it creamed together nicely.

Rolling, cutting and baking went smoothly as well. Once they were cool, I filled some cookies with raspberry jam and some with a non-traditional dark chocolate spread, spread the glaze on and placed a sliver of candied cherry on top.

You need to give the cookies a little time for the glaze to set. Once it it, these little sandwiches are perfect little almondy bites. The cookies is tender, the jam tart and the glaze sweet - all components of one great cookie. My neighbour loved it with the raspberry jam and Mr. CB enjoyed the chocolate version. All in all, they're worth the time and effort to make and look great on a platter. Perfect for showers, high tea and lazy Saturday afternoons.

Recipe: Empire Cookies

Beautiful Buttermilk Muffins - Orange Poppy Seed Version

2009-03-12T12:55:00.003-04:00

I've been slacking off on my baking lately. I have all these recipes earmarked to try but can't get around to making any of them! Out of necessity, and an acute lack of packable lunch snacks, I made muffins last week.

The base recipe is for a basic buttermilk muffin. From there you can add in all kinds of stuff to jazz them up. There are some variations after the original recipe that may inspire you.

For budding bakers, muffins are a good place to start. Lining the pan means clean up can be kept to a minimum and no fancy techniques are needed to produce tasty baked goods.

These muffins are great and not dry at all. The size is perfect for kids, not huge and not flat. They're freezable so you can make them ahead of time and grab one when you're on the go.

Recipe: Beautiful Buttermilk Muffins

Daring Bakers February Challenge - Valentino Cake

2009-02-28T11:24:00.002-05:00

If you've never had a flourless chocolate cake, you have to make one and eat it. It is divine!

I was pretty happy to see that our challenge this month only required three ingredients - chocolate, butter and eggs. I figured I couldn't mess it up too much! The Valentino cake came together beautifully, baked with out a hitch and tasted amazing. It is sort of like fudge but not so creamy and it melts in your mouth like butter. It is definitely rich and thin slices will satisfy any chocolate craving.

I topped my cake with plain sweetened whipped cream to let the fabulousness of the cake take centre stage. The Valentino is probably my favourite challenge so far and I can see myself making it again. Yummy!

The February 2009 challenge is hosted by Wendy of WMPE's blog and Dharm of Dad ~ Baker & Chef. We have chosen a Chocolate Valentino cake by Chef Wan; a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Dharm and a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Wendy as the challenge.

Peanut Butter Brownies

2009-02-13T20:14:00.004-05:00

When I started baking brownies, I used a boxed mix. The pictures always looked so tempting and delectable I just had to give them a try. I thought there was no way I could mess them up but I did. Batch after batch came out horribly dry and hard even after I switched to homemade. I wondered how someone could make the elusive moist and chewy brownies I desired.

Fast forward to today and I have become better at baking these perennial favourites. This time I have added peanut butter and was rewarded with an awesome brownie. Dense and chocolaty with a peanut butter accent, these brownies are fabulous. The icing complements the bittersweet brownies by adding a little sweetness. They taste great at room temperature and even better straight out of the fridge.

Recipe: Peanut Butter Brownies

Daring Bakers January Challenge - Tuiles

2009-01-29T00:00:00.000-05:00

After missing a few DB challenges, I was glad to be participating this month because we were making tuiles. I have only made bowl-shaped ones once before and was looking forward to trying a new shape.

The tuile batter is pretty straightforward and made with easy to access ingredients. The only things I didn't sift were the flour and icing sugar. I don't think it made a big difference but I found that I still had small bits of butter after everything was incorporated. The batter, even after refrigeration, was still thinnish which sometimes led to wacky-shaped tuiles rather than circular. I made a small portion of chocolate batter so some tuiles had chocolate striping and some were plain.

After they were baked, I waited a few seconds before lifting off and rolling around a wooden spoon handle. They were a little sticky and some tore. After they cooled, I filled them with PC Dark Chocolate Spread and my kids ate them all. I paired some with strawberry frozen yogurt and they ate those too. My tuiles were a bit soft and definitely not crunchy - most likely caused by human error. The whole process was not difficult and fun to try. Thanks for a great challenge!

This month's challenge is brought to us by Karen of Bake My Day and Zorra of 1x umruehren bitte aka Kochtopf. They have chosen Tuiles from The Chocolate Book by Angélique Schmeink and Nougatine and Chocolate Tuiles from Michel Roux.

Pizza Dough

2009-01-26T20:12:00.003-05:00

I used to avoid yeasted breads because I thought they were difficult and temperamental to work with. Would the yeast rise? What's the right water temperature? After many attempts, some successful, some not, I feel much more comfortable working with those little magical granules.

Pizza is something I make almost every week. Having a good pizza dough recipe makes all the difference. A bad recipe can frustrate you to no end but a good one means limitless pizza possibilities. The one I use is easy to work with and does not shrink when I roll it out. I substitute some whole wheat flour in for the all-purpose to make it healthier.

You can use it as a pizza base, for cheesy soft breadsticks or Middle Eastern flatbread (Manakeesh Bil Za'atar) as I did.

Recipe: Pizza Dough

Sour Cream Pound Cake & A Winner!

2009-01-09T18:36:00.003-05:00

Well I hope all of you had a great week. I did but I'm so glad its Friday! So in anticipation of the weekend to come, I will tell you all about this fabulous pound cake and hope it inspires you to bake something yummy.

Pound cake is really really versatile. You can eat it as is, toast it, use it in trifle, to dip in chocolate fondue...and probably a whole load of other things I haven't heard of. Everyone should have one great pound cake recipe and this one is mine and should be yours if you don't have one already.

The cake is perfectly moist and dense. It came out lovely, golden and delicious and is the perfect treat to have wit tea, coffee, lattes, espresso...well, you get the idea.

I would also like to congratulate Allison who was the winner of the book giveaway! Allison if you could send me an e-mail (located at the bottom of the right column) with your address, your book will be in the mail as soon as possible. Thank you to all of you who entered and have a great weekend!

Recipe: Sour Cream Pound Cake

Dark and Dangerous Triple Chocolate Cookies

2009-01-02T13:06:00.003-05:00

As my winter vacation comes to a close I want to wish you all a very Happy New Year! Having a couple weeks off really helped me to get back on track and hopefully back to baking on a regular basis.

This January marks the three year anniversary of The Canadian Baker. Way back in 2006 I had nary an idea of what the world of blogging was let alone how many bloggers enjoyed baking as much as I do. Along the way I hope I encouraged some of you out there to give homemade a try - it isn't all that daunting! So, as we ring in 2009, I will continue to do my thing and perhaps someone will say "Hey, that doesn't look so hard!" or "I can do that!" Trust - you can do it. :)

As a Thank You to all of you, I'm giving away one copy of Little Cakes from the Whimsical Bakehouse published by Random House. All you need to do is leave a comment and I'll announce the winner on January 9, 2009.

So if you're thinking of dusting of your beaters, cookies are always an easy way to start baking. If you like chocolate, these Dark & Dangerous cookies will fit the bill. They're chocolatey, chewy and sweet. Not my most favourite cookie, but one that will satisfy a craving tout de suite.

Recipe: Dark and Dangerous Triple Chocolate Cookies

Cakey Chocolate Sandwiches

2008-12-31T08:54:00.002-05:00

After looking through Home for the Holidays, I knew these cookies would be at the top of my list to make. They're small and remind me of a cookie that I like but don't buy often because I can easily eat the whole package.

Cakey chocolate sandwiches are exactly what their name implies. Two soft cocoa cookies sandwich a simple vanilla icing which makes for a tasty treat. The cookies are soft and need to completely cool before filling. They're a bit fragile so if your icing is stiff, you can add tiny amounts of cream to soften it up otherwise your cookie will break.

I found these cookies tasted better the next day after the icing and cookies had time to mingle together. They don't taste anything like a purchased cookie and if you put a plate of these out for kids they'll disappear.

As 2008 winds down, I want to wish you all a Happy New Year! Thanks for reading and I'll see you on the other side!

Recipe: Cakey Chocolate Sandwiches

Cranberry Jewel Fudge

2008-12-28T21:59:00.003-05:00

I hope all of you are having a great holiday season! I know I am because my oven is finally fixed! Yahoo!

So soon I will be back to baking but until then, I share with you some fudge that I made recently. It's no-bake and super easy. If you've never attempted fudge, try it out...you will not be disappointed with the results. Use the best chocolate as possible so your final product is smooth and creamy. You can omit the cranberry topping and use one of the the variations in the recipe.

Happy days are here again..... :)

Recipe: Cranberry Jewel Fudge

Haystacks

2008-12-08T13:23:00.004-05:00

What do you make when you're still waiting for your oven to be repaired and everyone around you wants something sweet? You make Haystacks is what you do.

No doubt you've heard about these cookies (which have been around for years) and know that they come in a multitude of variations. Most recipes include the dry chow mein noodles but I opted for corn flakes because I think they look neater.

They're really a kid-friendly no-bake cookie. Melt, stir, scoop, and chill. They were a little messy though, and more than once I had a stack fall apart on me. I pretty much left them in the shape of the measuring scoop I used because I was afraid to touch them - they're fragile before they firm up.

All in all, haystacks are an impressive, crunchy and easy treat to make and, as a bonus, the recipe makes a whole bunch. Make them smaller if you want more cookies and personalize them as you like. Topping with red, green and white sprinkles would definitely look festive on any cookie tray.

Recipe: Haystacks

All the way from Calgary?

2008-11-18T17:55:00.002-05:00

Hi All!
I just wanted to let you guys know that I haven't abandoned my blog. Ever since I cooked turkey at Thanksgiving my oven had been kaput and giving me a horrendous error message on the display. It took a month for someone to look at it just to tell me that my touchpad is shot and a new one needs to be ordered from Calgary. This should take a week. I hope. I haven't been able to use my oven for over a month. It's depressing and I can't even coax myself to make no-bake/stovetop/frozen treats to post about. I just bought the newest Canadian Living "Home for the Holidays" magazine so I hope I'm back in action soon so I can get my bake on! Cheers!

Coconut Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing

2008-10-16T22:44:00.004-04:00

I've been waiting for a long time to make these muffins - two years, in fact. It wasn't until a friend of mine bought me a bottle of Bickford coconut extract that I finally had my chance.

What starts out as a deceptively plain cupcake recipe with the addition of coconut turns out to be one super amazing treat. The cupcake is lovely and turns out perfectly cakey. The special element that takes it to the next level is the icing.

I thought that a cream cheese icing might be too heavy for coconut cupcakes. Though I love it, I've only had it on carrot cake and it has that certain taste that just goes with that cake. Rather than do my own icing, I followed the recipe and wow! The icing was fabulous and I probably wouldn't have known it contained cream cheese if I didn't make it myself. It was smooth, sweet and completely yummy.

I loved these little cakes even though I was only able to make ten rather than the suggested twelve. They reminded me of the packaged coconut Billot Logs I used to eat when I was a kid but a thousand times better. If you love coconut give them a try. You won't be disappointed!

Recipe: Coconut Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing

Daring Bakers September Challenge - Lavash

2008-09-27T12:07:00.003-04:00

Here we are - another month, another challenge. The special thing about this month's choice is that it is the first time we've made something that is vegan and/or gluten free. The participants this month had the option to make lavash traditionally (with flour) or gluten-free. I opted to make my lavash with flour and was pleased with the results.

Lavash is an Armenian flat cracker bread that pairs well with pretty much any type of dip or spread. To make it, a yeasted dough is rolled paper thin and baked. It can be topped with spices, sesame seeds, salt and even cinnamon. I chose to use whole cumin seeds since I was going to use them with an eggplant dip.

The whole process was very easy and much like making pizza dough. I scored the dough into rectangles but you can leave the dough whole and break it into shards when it is finished.

The final product came out very nice. I had no trouble with rolling out the dough. The crackers were crunchy and tasted exactly how you would imagine a cracker to taste. I enjoyed this challenge and would consider trying to make them again as my family liked them and patiently waited until I took a picture before devouring every last one.

Thanks to Natalie from Gluten A Go Go, and co-host Shel of Musings From the Fishbowl for this easy and fun challenge. Check out their websites for the complete recipe and check out the DB blogroll for hundreds of different interpretations of this recipe.

Blueberry-Brown Sugar Plain Cake

2008-09-17T17:53:00.003-04:00

With the summer behind us and fall quickly approaching, I'm posting one of the last summer berry recipes I made this year. Blueberry-Brown Sugar Plain Cake is aptly named and quite tasty for something seemingly so humble.

What it is, is a type of crumb cake without all the fancy toppings - no streusel or crumble to be seen. What you end up with is a fairly thin cake theoretically studded with blueberries. As you can see from the picture, the blueberries settled to the bottom of the cake. I did make it in a slightly larger pan than called for in the recipe so this may account for the sinkage.

Regardless, the cake was moist and tasty with a little hint of caramel-ly flavour from the brown sugar - perfect for snacking or with tea. If desired, you could dust it with some icing sugar for a little pizazz but it really is fine all by itself.

Recipe: Blueberry-Brown Sugar Plain Cake

And the Winner is...

2008-09-11T17:36:00.003-04:00

Hi All,

I have some good news and some bad news. The bad news is that I missed yesterday's deadline (sorry!) but the good news is that Carole R. is the winner of the Loblaws basket! Congratulations.

Please e-mail me (click "Email me" on the right side at the bottom) so I can get your details.

Thanks to all of you who entered!

Eat Well Save More

2008-09-03T17:26:00.008-04:00

Recently, Loblaws, Fortinos and Zehrs launched the "Eat Well Save More" program. When I was contacted about the program, I was interested in letting you all know about it because I do quite a lot of shopping at the bagless Loblaw Superstore. Now, more than a thousand prices on items customers buy most at Zehrs, Fortinos, Loblaws, Loblaw Great Food and Your Independent Grocer locations in Ontario have been reduced. In addition to the already low prices at Real Canadian Superstore and Loblaw Superstore consumers will continue to see lower prices on even more items.

What it means is that many of the products you already buy are even more affordable.

Loblaw comparison shops weekly tens of thousands of items to ensure they offer the best prices to consumers. Loblaw strives to offer key items on the everyday shopping list at great value and for shoppers, this means not having to compromise on quality.

To find out more about Eat Well Save More and what items are part of the initiative , check out the weekly flyers at Loblaws, Zehrs or Fortinos.

Thanks to the nice people at MS&L Digital, I received a basket of products that are part of the Eat Well Save more program. If you too would like to receive a basket, just leave a comment and I will randomly choose a winner on Wednesday Sept. 10, 2008.

Daring Bakers August Challenge - Éclairs

2008-08-30T10:00:00.001-04:00

After a whirlwind summer, I have finally have the time to participate in a DB challenge. Éclairs were chosen for August and I was excited to get my hands dirty, so to speak.

Éclairs consist of a choux dough, pastry cream filling and chocolate glaze. The whole process is not hard but takes time to make sure things aren't rushed.

This challenge was a huge learning lesson for me. Even with the best of efforts, the finished product ended up being disappointing. My choux ended up a little flat and eggy but the other components were great. They were still able to be sliced and filled. I'm glad I tried them, now I just have to perfect them.

Thanks to Tony Tahhan and MeetaK for choosing something that we love to eat but not necessarily love to make. You can check out the DB blogroll to see what everyone else made and I'm pretty sure someone there has the complete recipe available for your reading pleasure.

Have a great long weekend!

Orange Bundt Cake

2008-08-14T10:40:00.004-04:00

Here's another Bundt cake that I made recently. This orange cake may share the same shape as my previous cake but it is quite different in a couple ways.

Firstly, the preparation method is different. For this cake, which is very delicate, you have to incorporate the whites and yolks separately. Yolks are mixed with the butter and sugar and the whites are whipped and folded in afterward. This makes for a lighter, airier cake.

Secondly, the moistness and flavour of the cake are almost completely dependent on an orange glaze that is prepared in a saucepan and poured over the cake twice - once while in the pan, and then over top when it is unmolded. The recipe given for the glaze is generous and I used it all even though I didn't think I needed it. It soaked into the cake nicely and gave the cake a shiny-ish wet look and a sticky feel.

One thing I noticed is that this cake didn't rise really, really high - just high enough. A light dusting of icing sugar made it look pretty. Even though the cake came out just fine, I would bake it a little less to get a lighter brown crust. All in all, the cake was not a bad one - it just had a finickier preparation than most other bundt cakes. Some may not like the sugar syrup in the cake, others may like the sweetness it gives. So as the French say, chacun à son goût!

Recipe: Orange Bundt Cake

Classic Banana Bundt Cake

2008-08-07T10:09:00.003-04:00

Baking with bananas is something we all do whether we want to or not. I've done it a few times here on my blog and will probably continue to do so in the future. It can't be helped - I will always have ripe bananas in my freezer waiting to be mashed and turned into something delectable.

Case in point is this wonderful banana bundt cake. By using your basic pantry staples and some super-ripe bananas you too can create a perfect cake. It's moist and banana-y in just the right way. It reminds me of cakes that belong on the diner counter waiting to be sliced and distributed to hungry patrons. I, however, have not had the pleasure of growing up with diners and soda fountains but I imagine this cake would feel right at home under a glass dome.

To make this cake taste its best, you must use bananas so ripe they seem like liquid and can 'pour' out of their skin. I know this sounds unappetizing, but trust me, your tastebuds will be happy. So will anyone who eats this cake. It's the best banana cake I've made in ages.

Recipe: Classic Banana Bundt Cake

Baker's One Bowl Brownies

2008-07-29T08:49:00.002-04:00

Brownie recipes come in all shapes and sizes. Some are cakey, some are chewy and some have all different kinds of add-ins that make them extra-special. Usually, if I wanted to make spur-of-the-moment brownies I was always lacking in some essential ingredient but, with these one bowl brownies, as long as you have the basics, you can eat brownies.

The recipe is not a fussy one and one thing that I like is that the recipe makes a 9 x 13-inch pan - more than enough to enjoy and share with friends. They are super dense and moist as long as they're not overbaked. For me, this means about 25 minutes. They're not thick or cakey and go perfectly with a cold glass of milk. If you want something fancier, use them as a base for ice cream sundaes and, as always, make them yours by adding in nuts, chocolate chips or top with a favourite chocolate icing.

If you're like me and brownies are sometimes a hit-or-miss affair, give these a try. They're easy, don't cost a whole lot to prepare and are perfect for the budding baker.

Recipe: Baker's One Bowl Brownies

Blueberry Crumble Bars

2008-07-15T08:39:00.003-04:00

Here's another blueberry recipe to try out. Blueberry crumble bars are exactly what the name implies - juicy blueberries nestled underneath a sweet brown sugar crumble. If you're looking for a dessert the is reminiscent of blueberry pie without actually having to make one, this may be for you.

The bar consists of a brown sugar crust which is simply mixed in a bowl. The blueberry filling is easy to pull together since the fruit requires no cutting, peeling or slicing. Wash, toss and you're done. The crumble is my favourite part of the whole bar. I love the sugary crunchiness it imparts which goes well with the juicy berries. In less than an hour, you have a pretty tasty treat.

Overall, I give these bars a thumbs up. The only issue I have is with the crust which I found to be very thin. When patting it into the pan, I had barely enough to cover the whole bottom. Call me old fashioned but I like a substantial crust that holds the filling without falling apart. If I had doubled the recipe maybe I would have got what I wanted but no matter. I also found the texture of the crust to be crunchy in a maple candy sort of way. A little bit grainy. It was by no means inedible and would have probably tasted fabulous crumbled on top of creamy vanilla ice cream.

Recipe: Blueberry Crumble Bars

Crunchy-Top Blueberry Muffins

2008-07-10T08:46:00.003-04:00

Summer berries are finally here and in Ontario and that means berry desserts are on the menu. They may not all be local but there presence is welcome nonetheless.

I made these muffins a while back for a senior kindergarten graduation. The recipe calls for full-sized muffins but I made mini ones to fit in little hands. I also left off the crunchy topping since all it is only sugar and orange rind.

The feedback I got was that the muffins were yummy and my own family, who ate the not-so-perfect ones, really liked them and asked for more. Unfortunately, that's about all I can say about them because I didn't write anything down about the final product and summer holidays have seemed to give everyone in my house temporary memory loss.

All I can say was that they were a breeze to make and bake and if you try them maybe you'll have more to say about them than me!

Recipe: Crunchy-Top Blueberry Muffins

Simply Sensational Chocolate Chip Cookies

2008-06-17T12:45:00.005-04:00

In our house, June not only marks the beginning of summer but the end of the school year. Things are slowly coming to a close in class and with only eight days left, there is much anticipation for the upcoming holidays.

Throughout the year, my youngest has kept a reading log that I scrupulously kept updated my the minute (literally) with the goal being 2500 minutes for the year. Well, he made it and as a fun celebratory activity, his teacher had a baking party for the class and made these Simply Sensational Chocolate Chip Cookies.

I made and baked these cookies the day he brought the recipe home. The only thing I would have liked to have had was more regular-sized chocolate chips. I had to use mini ones which was okay in a pinch. What I liked about these cookies was that the oatmeal was blended giving the cookies a smoother appearance, but still textured, and the addition of grated chocolate gave the cookies more flair.

I would definitely make these cookies again with more chocolate. They were not flat nor too rounded and baked well even though I had to refrigerate some of the dough. Bake them longer for a crispier cookie but I like my cookies crisp on the edges and chewy on the inside. To make them even more fun for kids, use M & M's which is what I think I'll do next time.

Recipe: Simply Sensational Chocolate Chip Cookies

Buttery Jam Cookies

2008-06-10T16:27:00.003-04:00

If you're looking for a simple and tasty cookie to have with tea, these jam cookies are for you.

I intended to make these cookies with apricot jam, as the recipe suggests, but by the time I got around to making them, the apricot jam was gone and boysenberry had taken its place. This dark jam turned my cookie dough purple and I realized that, esthetically, a light-hued jam would have looked much better.

Nevertheless, I made my purple cookies while the small people around me gave me their observations on what the dough looked like, which unfortunately I cannot reproduce here. Despite their wacky colour, the cookies came out just fine. They did not spread a lot and the dough was stiff enough that I was able to roll them into even-sized balls. They were soft with a cakey texture and not overly buttery, as their name suggests.

They don't look glamorous but they're good for snacking. Give them a try with any jam of your choice.

Recipe: Buttery Jam Cookies

Daring Bakers May Challenge - Opera Cake

2008-05-28T12:37:00.003-04:00

The lovely founders of the Daring Baker Empire, Ivonne and Lis, chose the challenge for the month of May along with two new members Fran and Shea. In true DB style, they decided on the Opera cake - a three layer almond jaconde, layered with buttercream, mousse and chocolate glaze. In true Canadian Baker style, I left this cake to the last two days before the clock struck midnight. Good thing I gave myself the extra day because I needed it.

After having completed the cake, I can say that if you tackle all the components one by one, you'll be fine. I had never baked a cake in a jelly roll pan before and was eager to see how it would turn out. I pulled it off without a hitch which was quite gratifying.

Assembling the cake is not difficult either. Each layer of cake is brushed with soaking liquid and covered with buttercream. Unfortunately I didn't buy enough white chocolate to complete the ganache/mousse layer so I topped my cake with strawberry buttercream and a white chocolate glaze. My glaze dripped down the sides of the cake whereas I have seen some cakes by uber-talented DBers with nary a drip in sight. I guess I need to practice!

Overall, I'm happy that I made this cake. It challenged me and when making a new type of dessert with different techniques I'm never sure if I'm doing it right until I'm finished. Well, its not the most polished cake but I'm pleased with how it turned out. Definitely edible and sweet, sweet sweet!

To see the complete recipe, visit Cream Puffs in Venice and to see all the amazing, different and imaginative cakes by the DB army, check out the blogroll.

Fruity Soda Bread

2008-05-20T08:56:00.003-04:00

Soda bread is a type of quick bread that can easily be made in a matter of minutes. It is usually made as a large circle and scored on the top with a knife. What makes it quick is the use of baking soda as a leavening agent rather than yeast.

Soda bread can be made savoury or sweet as in the picture. It makes a great meal accompaniment and its texture is reminiscent of a scone. It is best eaten within a few days and can be toasted and slathered in butter or jam.

This recipe produced a bread that was soft on the inside and crusty on the outside. Once cooled it sliced really well, though the dough was too soft to be scored before baking. Soda bread could also be made in smaller portions but you have to remember to shorten the baking time accordingly. Making soda bread is also a great way to use up the mish-mash of supplies in your cupboard. Only have a few raisins, currants and candied fruit? No problem, make a soda bread and your odds and ends will make something spectacular.

Recipe: Fruity Soda Bread

Almond Biscotti

2008-05-08T08:55:00.003-04:00

Biscotti is a large coffeehouse chain staple. Everywhere you go, there are those huge glass jars layered with these perfectly identical Italian cookies ready to be dunked into hot beverages across Canada. I never really enjoy these commercial biscotti because I find them more rock-hard than crisp and dry as they should be. Perhaps because of this aversion, I don't make them very often at home but when asked by Mr. CB, I relent.

Biscotti is a double baked cookie. After making the dough (which is sticky) it has to be shaped into logs and then baked. Afterwards, they're taken out of the oven, cooled and sliced. From there, you pop them back in the oven to golden them up and get them crisp. I have tried different recipes, some of which brown more quickly than others, but I found with this Canadian Living recipe the biscotti turned out perfectly. They were nicely golden on the outside and, when cooled, were crunchy, dunkable and thoroughly enjoyable.

Recipe: Almond Biscotti

Daring Bakers April Challenge - Cheesecake Pops

2008-04-27T18:50:00.004-04:00

This month Deb from Taste and Tell and Elle from Feeding My Enthusiasms chose a fun challenge for all of us to try - Cheesecake Pops.

What are these little confections, you ask? They're frozen cheesecake balls that are dipped in your choice of chocolate and dressed up any which way you like. I dipped my pops in three types of chocolate and used a variety of sprinkles.

The cheesecake baked up great. I had no problems with it. The cheesecake tasted very yummy and was not heavy at all. Even though scooping and rolling was a little messy, the balls froze well. Dipping was a breeze too. I found it was easier to spoon the chocolate over the balls than dip them directly into the melted chocolate.

If you ever want to make something novel for a party or occasion, these would not be a bad choice. They're fun and imaginative and you can customize them any way you like. I know some Daring Bakers even flavoured their chocolate. I enjoyed this challenge immensely and the cheesecake is definitely a keeper, even if you only make one-third of the recipe.

To see the recipe, please visit Elle or Deb and to see all the other Daring Baker creations, please go to the blogroll.

Brrrrr-ownies

2008-04-22T13:39:00.004-04:00

I first saw the brownie-mint patty combination in a Maida Heatter cookbook. She put a layer of mint patties between the brownie mixture and, since I enjoy the mint-chocolate combination, it sounded quite delicious.

Fast-forward a few years and and I have finally gotten around to making a similar version using plain old Coolmints. I would have bought the suggested York Peppermint Pattie Bites had I read the recipe through completely. No worries though - I just chopped them up, followed the directions and was rewarded with a chewy, minty brownie.

I liked how some of the pieces held their shape and provided a nice contrast to the brownie dough. I did end up with a thin layer of mint filling covering the bottom of the brownies which was not a problem at all when it came to getting eaten. These brownies formed a nice thin crackly top and were best eaten once they were completely cool. (They are fragile otherwise.)

Enjoy with some cold milk, or turn them into brownie sundaes as Dorie suggests. Either way, this is one super-cool treat!

Recipe: Brrrrr-ownies

Honey-Wheat Cookies

2008-04-16T16:59:00.003-04:00

I was pretty excited to see a recipe for a wheat germ cookie in my new cookbook. Up until now, wheat germ had been chilling in my fridge (it has a high oil content and can go rancid if stored incorrectly) only used once in something way back when. Finally, something that showcased this healthy product on its own rather than being cursorily sprinkled on yogurt or muffins. (Plus, it let me get rid of my stash.)

Give yourself some time to make these as you need to let the dough chill for at least 2 hours. The recipe is straightforward with no baking gymnastics required. Once chilled, the cookies are rolled in more wheat germ and baked.

What you end up with are perfectly uniform cookies a little bigger than the size of a Toonie. They are nutty, chewy and tangy (from lemon zest) all at the same time. I used PC Organics Pure Honey and I think the flavour would change depending on what type of honey you use. These cookies went over well in my house (with adults anyways) and are a perfect match for tea. Definitely a healthy treat keeper.

Recipe: Honey-Wheat Cookies

Chocolate Malted Whopper Drops

2008-04-08T08:31:00.003-04:00

Do you like Maltesers - those crunchy chocolate-covered balls of yumminess? If you do, then these cookies are made for you.

These Whopper (or Malteser) Drops are hearty, chocolatey cookies filled with bittersweet chocolate, malt balls, malt powder and cocoa. They are intense and slightly cakey but wholly satisfying.

If you're wondering about malt powder, you can substitute Ovaltine, a powdered drink mix. When I was younger I tried hot Ovaltine and thought it was pretty much the anti-hot chocolate but, as I've grown, I have come to see the benefit of this malty beverage. I still don't drink it but, its esteem has risen in my eyes since I can bake with it.

Also, try to find bittersweet chocolate. It gives the cookies a certain 'poshness' that semi sweet chocolate would not be able to. The bitterness goes well with the malt and sweetness of the balls. When I make these again I would leave the Maltesers whole since they sort of disappeared in the cookie dough. Try them out - they're not pretty but they're good!

Recipe: Chocolate Malted Whopper Drops

Daring Bakers March Challenge - Perfect Party Cake

2008-03-31T15:46:00.003-04:00

This month's DB challenge was hosted by the marvelous Morven at Food Art and Random Thoughts. She had us all make a the Perfect Party Cake from Dorie Greenspan's Baking from my Home to Yours. (This is why I bought the book in the first place but I couldn't spill the beans on why I bought it.)

The party cake is different from others as there are no egg yolks in the mix and the ingredients are not added in like most other layer cakes. I will spare you from the methodology as you can read it in the recipe, but what you end up with is a lovely, moist snow white cake.

I would have liked my cakes to rise a bit more so I could do the proper 4 layers but I measured them and they were between 1-2 cm thick. I didn't want to destroy them so I left it as a two layer cake.

There was quite a lot of room for experimentation with this challenge and I decided to frost my cake with sweetened whipped cream and fill the cake with more whipped cream and blueberry jam. Since the cake is lemony, the blueberry flavour worked really well. Overall I liked this cake very much and so did those who ate it. To see all the interesting variations please visit the Daring Baker Blogroll. To see the recipe go to Morven's blog and check out her cake creation. Thanks Morven for a great choice!

Chocolate-Chocolate Chunk Muffins

2008-03-26T13:25:00.003-04:00

One book that I've been reading about for quite some time on baking blogs is Dorie Greenspan's Baking From my Home to Yours. I've heard nothing but rave reviews so I finally bought it from Indigo.ca which, by the way, was much cheaper than buying it directly from Chapters.

This book is serious and heavy. Dorie writes with a friendly familiarity and the book is really gorgeous. The recipes are accessible and you can imagine yourself making them all. It's the perfect 'go to' book when you need something fabulous for any occasion.

Case in point are these Chocolate-Chocolate Chunk Muffins. I have a friend who recently moved into the area so I made these for her. I didn't have to look long to find the perfect "Welcome to the Neighbourhood" treat since Breakfast Sweets is the first chapter. They're not too sweet and really chocolately. They're especially good warm when the chocolate chunks are still soft and melty.

So if you're in the market for a new baking book, check it out. You won't be disappointed.

Recipe: Chocolate-Chocolate Chunk Muffins

Dixie Bars

2008-03-19T19:46:00.002-04:00

I don't know why these squares are named Dixie Bars. I did some cursory investigation on the Internet but didn't really find much about their history. All I could glean was that this is a Southern American treat and that's about it. I have never been to the Deep South so I can't vouch for their authenticity but these bars sure are good.

First, you start with shortbread-like crust. Do not brown it a lot otherwise it will become as hard as rock. Mine was gently browned but could easily have been taken out five minutes earlier. This is all the baking that's required - the rest is just chilling.

The filling is the real show stopper of this bar. After cooking down condensed milk you get a toffee coloured mixture that is then mixed with pecans and poured on top. I always think the mixture looks caramel coloured in the pot but when I spread it on the base, I realize it's not that dark after all. You have to remember to watch it while stirring - it will burn if you forget it. After chilling, you top with melted chocolate and wait for it to set before digging in.

These bars remind me of Twix Bars, just with nuts. I really enjoy the chewy centre and the three components go together very well. They're rich and indulgent and perfect for those with a real sweet tooth.

Recipe: Dixie Bars

Cranberry Coconut Muffins

2008-03-12T17:25:00.003-04:00

Cranberries again, you ask? Well since I still had about one-third of a package of frozen berries, the answer would be yes. It's also March Break here and muffins always come in handy during the day when small people come to you saying, or yelling, "I'm hungry!".

I pretty much made this recipe as written except that I added a very small handful of mini chocolate chips. I figured they would go well with both cranberries and coconut as well as provide some sweetness to balance the tart cranberries. They mixed up nicely and turned out light and fluffy. They don't come with much of a muffin top though and are relatively flat. I don't really mind, though a nicely rounded muffin is always preferable. (To me anyways.)

They're kid friendly and freezable like most muffins. If I wanted to freeze them I could bury them in the four feet of pristine white snow in my backyard but you can just put them in your freezer.

Recipe: Cranberry Coconut Muffins

Cranberry Pear Bars

2008-03-05T16:03:00.004-05:00

These Cranberry Pear Bars were not on the menu for today. I didn't have all the ingredients for what I originally intended to make so when I saw a frozen package of cranberries in the freezer, I decided to do something with them instead.

I have posted quite a few recipes like this one where an oat base is topped with fruit and then sprinkled with reserved base mixture. This recipe is even easier because you can whizz everything up in a food processor or you can use a pastry blender. The cranberry filling is similar to making cranberry sauce except you don't let it get as thick or as sweet as the turkey topper. I suppose you could use regular cranberry sauce, the choice would be up to you.

The overall bar is quite wholesome and healthy tasting. It is definitely not sugary sweet and the tartness of the cranberries shines through. I think some cinnamon in the oat base would be a great addition to make it more flavourful but on the whole, it is quite a nice bar. They slice very cleanly and can be frozen so you can enjoy them for much longer than you first anticipated.

Recipe: Cranberry Pear Bars

Chocolate Caramel Bars

2008-02-22T17:06:00.003-05:00

Looking for something sweet and gooey? Well, look no further than these Chocolate Caramel Bars. They are oozing with gooey and sweet sweet sweet.

Start with melting down some creamy vanilla caramels. (Try not to eat them all.) Make an oat-based crust and, while it prebakes, stir your caramel mixture until it is a smooth golden liquid. It may take a few attempts to melt the caramels in the microwave but it eventually works. Pour chips or chopped chocolate on the base and then pour the caramel sauce. Finally, top with the oat mixture and bake for 20 minutes.

If I were going to make these again, I would line my pan with foil or parchment for easy removal. These bars were sticky! Also, try to let them cool completely so they firm up and cut nicely. Popping them in the fridge after they've cooled is not a bad idea. Overall I liked them enough. They taste much better chilled and firm. If you like your caramel soft and warm, ice cream would be an excellent accompaniment to this toothsome bar.

Recipe: Chocolate Caramel Bars

Peanut Butter Shortbread Rounds

2008-02-12T14:37:00.001-05:00

As I sit here, snow is falling outside my window. The weather has not changed a bit since last week. To warm myself up, I combined two things I love and made one scrumptious cookie.

Peanut Butter Shortbread Rounds are the ultimate shortbread cookie. They are soft, tender and melt-in-your-mouth heaven. Really, you don't have to chew if you don't want to. When you touch the cookies, you can feel the butter. By baking them at a lower temperature, they bake for longer and do not brown like regular cookies. Using natural peanut butter for this recipe is best since you get unadulterated peanutty flavour but I suppose you could use regular PB but I can't vouch for how they'll taste.

These gems are not time consuming to pull together so just give yourself time for rolling, chilling and baking and you'll be fine. They may look unassuming but they have lots of flavour. If you want to make them more interesting, roll the cookies thinner (1/8 inch) and sandwich them together with jam or melted chocolate. If you do that, then why not drizzle some chocolate over top? They would look fabulous and be even more perfect for sharing with the ones you love.

Recipe: Peanut Butter Shortbread Rounds

Coconut Custard Squares

2008-02-08T10:25:00.001-05:00

I've seen enough snow this winter. We just got through another huge snowfall and the snowbanks are as tall as me. I like winter because I know Spring is around the corner but I don't like shoveling rock hard ice off the driveway. If you find yourself in a similar predicament, I suggest baking with tropical ingredients to make it seem warmer than it really is.

I've wanted to make these Coconut Custard Squares for a while and finally bought a new 9-inch pan for the occasion. The bar is a layering of sweet pastry crust, coconut filling and cashews for the topping. No special skills are involved for the crust. You just pat it into the pan. The filling is also quite easy to whip up. Just remember to pour it evenly otherwise you'll have some squares that are more custardy than others. The cashews add a nice touch but do not necessarily add any crunch.

The squares are quite nice and the custard is very subtle in it coconutness. It is surely creamy and pleasing to eat. The crust is not overwhelmingly sweet and the bars cut very cleanly. They taste much better the next day after they have been thoroughly chilled.

Recipe: Coconut Custard Squares

Flourgirls Bakery

2008-02-01T13:27:00.000-05:00

The cupcake craze has come to Milton! Years ago, you could first see the trend emerging in New York at Magnolia Bakery. They created these colourful sugary confections to the delight of customers and tourists alike. Since then, the cupcake has never looked back. It gained popularity because it appealed to those desiring a single-serving dessert, are easy to eat and come in all different types of flavours. Now the cupcake has come to my backyard.

Flourgirls is a new bakery that opened in late 2007. What started off as a home-based business has now become a cozy spot for those looking to satisfy their sweet tooth, have a coffee and chat with friends. Patrons can delight at a display case filled with full-sized and miniature cupcakes. The day I went there were many to choose from and I picked Lemon, Raspberry, Marisol (dulce de leche) and Mocha cupcakes. (All of the cupcakes were chocolate, except for the Lemon which was vanilla.)

First of all, I can definitely say that children will love these cupcakes. I barely had enough time to take some pictures before they were ravaged upon by my family. I chose a Marisol cupcake for myself and throughly enjoyed the half that I ate. The icing was ultra light, smooth and velvety. It was buttercream at its best. The cake was moist and fluffy creating a overall tasty cupcake.

So if you're ever in Old Milton, do check them out. They also sell cakes and other baked goods that are listed on their website www.flourgirls.com.

Flourgirls
14 Mill Street Unit 103
Milton, ON
6 cupcakes sell for $13.65 (tax included)

Daring Bakers January Challenge - Lemon Meringue Pie

2008-01-28T15:59:00.001-05:00

This month's Daring Baker Challenge was hosted by yours truly. In true DB form, I chose something I had never made before and was not at all certain would turn out nicely. As the host, I should have picked something awfully easy (Ha!) but instead I chose to have our baking conglomerate make a Lemon Meringue Pie.

LMP is not difficult to make. There is a crust, filling and meringue. There was a lot of chatter on the DB blog beforehand about the curd filling with some bakers vouching for its fabulousness and some for its lacklustreness. It is with all these thoughts swirling in my head that I made my pie.

I consider myself a competent baker. With the pie, the crust and meringue came out very well but my filling was a little soft. It would have made a lovely spread for crumpets and two days later it had firmed up quite a bit. I would have liked to make the pie again as some members had no problems with it but I ran out of time. I am a true believer of emotions affecting baking because almost 100% of the time it shows. It just goes to show that not all recipes are a walk in the park and that, if you're the host, you're not exempt from baking problems. Sigh. (I have taken a picture of the cut pie and when I find my USB cable I will post a picture.) I consider this challenge not have been a complete failure. I did learn a lot about cornstarch and its properties and about weepy meringue, which I didn't have. (Yeah!)

So I want to thank all the Daring Bakers who chose to participate this month. There were lots of different results - some great and some not so great. If you follow the exploits of the Daring Bakers, please check out our blogroll to see Lemon Meringue Pies from around the world.

Recipe: Lemon Meringue Pie

Chocolate Sandwich Cookies

2008-01-24T17:40:00.001-05:00

If you're looking for something super chocolatey, these cookies are for you. They take a little bit of work and a ruler, but the end result is definitely quite worth it.

If you think of the chocolate Peak Freans sandwich cookie, these are similar, though not exactly the same. The cookies are dark with an intense cocoa flavour. They're softer than store-bought cookies and instead of being filled with icing, they're held together by a delicious chocolate ganache. If that wasn't enough, one end is dipped in the ganache and then into sprinkles. Pretty darn tasty if you ask me. Add a glass of cold milk and you have the best snack ever. (Well, if you're seven and in grade two, you do.)

So if you're going to make them, just take your time and read the instructions. Even though I measured perfect 10 x 10 squares, some cookies came out wider than others. And when you're done, you get to lick the extra ganache off the spoon. Yum!

Recipe: Chocolate Sandwich Cookies

Oatmeal Apple Cookies

2008-01-17T17:47:00.001-05:00

I think there is no limit on what you can do with a basic oatmeal cookie. Eat them plain or dress them up - either way, they're one of my favourite cookies.

These oatmeal apple cookies are no exception. I ended up making them because I wanted to use up some apples that were better suited for baking rather than eating. After throwing in the optional walnuts and raisins, I had a pretty hardy, quasi-healthy cookie. The addition of fresh apple added a nice texture complement to the crunchy nuts and chewy raisins. Each bite was different which made these cookies anything but boring. They went over well in my house but I believe these cookies are best eaten soon after they are made, not a week later.

On another note, I would like to thank all of you that read my little blog. This month is Canadian Baker's 2nd Anniversary and what a two years it has been. In 2006 I had no idea how vast and amazing the food blogging world was and now in 2008 I am proud to be part of this virtual community. It has been a great ride and I've met some wonderful people all because I wanted to share my baking with others. Once again, thanks for your support. You guys are the best.

Recipe: Oatmeal Apple Cookies

Pumpkin Chocolate Bread

2008-01-04T09:59:00.001-05:00

If you're looking for something easy to make with pumpkin puree, definitely think about making Pumpkin Chocolate Bread. It's quick, virtually mess-free and tasty!

I don't make quick breads as much as I used to. I like making them since you pour everything into a pan and forget about it for about an hour. The only thing that bothers me is that, because of the loaf's density, my crust always comes out looking a little more done than it should. It gives the overall deceiving appearance of being overdone while, in fact, its not.

This loaf was no exception. The exterior is dark and browned while the inside is moist, flavourful and studded with chocolate chips. They serve this loaf at Island Lake Lodge in B.C. to the delight of skiers. It's perfect on a cold winter's day with a hot drink to warm up after an afternoon of snowman building, sledding and snowballs.

Recipe: Pumpkin Chocolate Bread

Orange Sour Cream Bundt Cake

2008-01-01T11:50:00.001-05:00

I apologize for being MIA for so long. The holidays were busy and fun but left little time for posting. Finally, I have some down time and can concentrate on blogging!

I made this cake about three weeks ago for no particular reason other than I wanted to make a plain 'homey' cake but don't let the simplicity of the name deceive you.

When made, this cake is moist and full of orange flavour. The egg whites are added in separately so you get a nice light cake that tastes even better if you serve it with the syrup and blueberries. It's the kind of cake that looks inviting on a cake platter waiting to be shared with friends.

You can also make this cake in six mini 1-cup Bundt pans. Just halve the batter and bake for only 30 minutes. Either way, you'll have some great cake to enjoy!

Happy New Year!

Recipe: Orange Sour Cream Bundt Cake

Baked Chocolate Mousse

2007-12-17T19:01:00.001-05:00

Mousse is one of those desserts that can be made a myriad of ways and comes in all kinds of different forms. Some don't like to make (or eat) it because of uncooked eggs in the mix but, I found this baked version that puts that fear to rest.

The mousse mixture contains sugar, chocolate, eggs and butter. This concoction is combined and poured into a round baking pan. It is then placed in a bain-marie in the oven. I was not sure what to expect texture-wise. Would it be runny, soft or firm when it came out?

After 40 minutes it was finished and was solid. I let it cool and inverted it onto a cake plate and placed it in the refrigerator since we weren't going to eat it that night. I did, however, sneak a small taste and the texture was smooth and not too sweet but I wasn't entirely convinced I liked it.

The next day the mousse tasted fabulous. It was like dense chocolate cake with the texture of a cheesecake. It was moist but a little crumbly and melted on the tongue. The mousse sliced like a dream as well. I was pleasantly surprised that my family liked it and asked for seconds. It was not quite as sweet as it should have been since I had to substitute some of the semisweet with unsweetened. After adding a generous dollop of cinnamon whipped cream and I had a impressive, yet easy to prepare, dessert.

Recipe: Baked Chocolate Mousse

Menu For Hope 4 (CA04)

2007-12-11T17:26:00.000-05:00

Menu For Hope is here once again. For those of you who don't know, Menu For Hope is an annual online raffle created by Pim that benefits humanitarian causes around the world. This year the beneficiary is once again the United Nations World Food Program, specifically the school lunch program in Lesotho, Africa.

The raffle runs from December 10 to 21 and you can see the complete list of prizes at Chez Pim. This year I am donating a one year subscription to one of my most favourite magazines - Canadian Living. CL is known for their fabulous "Tested til Perfect" recipes, informative articles and crafting ideas. I have had a subscription since 2000 and I know that whoever wins this prize will not be disappointed!

If you would like to buy a ticket for this prize, the code is CA 04. To see the entire list of great Canadian prizes, please visit the Domestic Goddess.
Donation/ticket buying instructions:

1. Choose a prize (or prizes) from the master list. (Chez Pim's blog)

2. Go to the donation site. (Firstgiving)

3. Please specify which prize you'd like in the 'Personal Message' section in the donation form when confirming your donation. You must write in how many tickets per prize, and please use the prize code (for example CA04).

Each $10 you donate will give you one raffle ticket toward a prize of your choice. For example, a donation of $50 can be 2 tickets for CA01 and 3 tickets for CA02. Please write 2xCA01, 3xCA02

4. If your company matches your charity donation, please check the box and fill in the information so we could claim the corporate match.

5. Please check the box to allow us to see your email address so that we could contact you in case you win. Your email address will not be shared with anyone.

Check Chez Pim on Wednesday Jaunary 9th, 2008 for the results of the raffle.

* N.B: Canadian tax laws prohibit charitable donation receipts to be issued by registered Canadian charities for raffle or lottery tickets. The UNWFP is a U.S.-based charity; should any donation receipts issued, you should seek the advice of a professional regarding applying them to your Canadian income tax return.

Tender Sugar Cookies

2007-12-05T10:02:00.001-05:00

The holiday season would not be complete without sugar cookies on the dessert menu. They're one of the most versatile cookies out there - they can be shaped into anything you desire or simply rolled in sugar or decorated with icing.

The sugar cookie recipe I used is from BHG and I liked it because there was no chilling time required. I don't mind making rolled cookie-cutter cookies but sometimes you just don't have time to wait. The dough is straightforward and I was able to make the cookies immediately, though if you need to, refrigerating them is not a problem.

An important thing to remember when rolling the dough into balls is to not use too much force or 'smush' the dough unnecessarily. This will usually result in tougher cookies that are missing a tender crumb texture. Afterwards, I (quite liberally) rolled the balls in different coloured sugars just for fun and visual interest.

The cookies also bake at a lower temperature for a longer time (sort of like shortbread) so they come out very lightly browned on the bottom and melt in your mouth delicious. They're perfect to make with kids (or anyone who loves sprinkles) and are easy enough for the most novice of bakers so give them a try. Happy Baking!

Recipe: Tender Sugar Cookies

Daring Bakers November Challenge - Tender Potato Bread

2007-11-26T16:42:00.000-05:00

This month the Daring Bakers challenged themselves to make Potato Bread. You may think that this doesn't sound particularly hard or exciting, but I assure you that would be an incorrect assumption.

The lovely Tanna of My Kitchen in Half Cups chose this recipe so that we'd be able to expand our baking horizons and use new ingredients. I have never baked with potatoes so I was looking forward to see how the bread would turn out. After reviewing the recipe I got to work and didn't leave it to the last minute like I usually do.

First of all, the dough turned out very soft and sticky. I ended up adding 7 and a half cups of flour to get a nice dough consistency. I let it proof in my oven and unfortunately didn't use a big enough bowl because when I came back after the first rise, the dough was exploding over the sides. Be aware that the recipe makes a lot of dough.

I had enough dough to make a 9 x 13-inch pan holding 12 buns and two 9-inch round focaccia breads. Sadly, I don't have a picture of the latter since they got eaten first. I added some shredded cheese to the bun tops and baked them up. Let me just say, the bread was wonderful.

The potato bread had a chewy texture and a crispy crust. It definitely didn't taste like regular white bread but it didn't taste like potatoes either. The buns rose so high that you were full after just one. I used them to eat with chili and turned the rest into breakfast egg and cheese sandwiches. It was a winner and I didn't have any problems with potato weights or the yeast. I would, however, make less next time.

For the complete recipe, please visit Tanna and for all the many talented creations made by my fellow Daring Bakers, check out the blogroll.

Quick Orange Buns

2007-11-21T17:18:00.001-05:00

I've wanted to make these buns forever but each time I tried to, I never had oranges. I don't always buy them because I don't like peeling them. (I know, that's pretty lame.) Our fruit basket usually has apples, pears and bananas - easy fruit. However, on the last shopping trip I bought a mesh bag of oranges because in November there isn't a lot of in-season fruit to choose from.

These buns are made from a scone-type dough with the addition of eggs. It is soft and I didn't add too much extra flour so they wouldn't become tough. Kneading it was sticky business but it shaped into a square really well. The orange sugar mixture you use to fill the buns was a little excessive as a lot of it leaked out the sides. I believe that perhaps this was done on purpose to create a caramelized filling however I would reduce it next time.

Rolling the dough took some patience and coaxing. Soft dough + lots of sugar = sighs of frustration. The final product does not look remotely rolled. They do taste really yummy though. The sugar gives the top a nice sweet crunch and the bun itself is fluffy, like a homemade tea biscuit. I'm sure that they would have been even better had the sugar not leaked out the bottom of my tube pan and filled the oven with smoke. Baking the buns in a tube pan makes a pretty ring that can be pulled apart and eaten with a pat of butter or drizzled with an icing sugar glaze.

Recipe: Quick Orange Buns

Kipferl

2007-11-16T09:41:00.000-05:00

Kipferl is an almond vanilla cookie hailing from Germany. From what I've managed to find out, it is a Christmas cookie shaped like a crescent that is eaten with tea and jam but I think you could eat these little delicacies anytime morning, noon and night.

The dough is similar to a sugar cookie with the addition of ground almonds. After a brief chilling period, they're shaped and baked. I think some of my crescents look like "U"s and "C"s. It took me some time to get them all looking similar. They do take a little extra effort and my dough got really hard so I had to soften it up to keep from crumbling. Once they come out of the oven , they're dusted with more sugar and ready to be enjoyed.

Kipferl has a distinct and pronounced vanilla flavour while the almonds add a gentle undertone. They browned considerably after 12 minutes so watch them closely. The cookie texture is like a sugar cookie but the ground almonds add a bit of texture. Overall, I really liked making and eating the Kipferl. They taste really fabulous the next day or even the day after after the flavours have had a chance to mingle. Again, they would make an interesting and tasty addition to any cookie tray.

Recipe: Kipferl

Snickerdoodle Croissant Cookies

2007-10-31T18:08:00.001-04:00

Here's another cookie from the BHG Christmas Cookie publication. Snickerdoodle Croissant Cookies are a fancy name for what is typically known as rugelach. The cookie consists of a cream cheese dough that is chilled, rolled and sprinkled with a sweet filling. Once this is done, the dough is cut into wedges and rolled up to resemble croissants.

This particular cookie dough was easy to work with. It rolled out well with a little help from some flour. The filling was fairly simple, consisting only of brown sugar, cinnamon and pecans. The recipe called for each circle of dough to be cut into 12 wedges. I decided to do this by cutting the dough like pizza slices but you can't get twelve even pieces if you keep dividing the sections so I ended up with some cookies that were larger than others.

Overall these cookies were tasty and worth the little extra effort you need to make them. The cream cheese dough really stands out with its tangy flavour. I would have liked a punchier filling as cinnamon sugar is really mild but it was meant to mimic a Snickerdoodle cookie which it did especially well. This is a cookie that can be filled a multitude of different ways and would look very nice on a cookie tray.

Recipe: Snickerdoodle Croissant Cookies

Old Dad's Oatmeal Cookies

2007-10-26T11:49:00.000-04:00

I made these cookies quite a while ago but have been procrastinating about posting about them. It's not that I don't like them, its just that I haven't dedicated any proper blogging time into my schedule. Now, with a little time to myself and some Radiohead, I can finally get down to business.

The reasons I like these cookies:

1. They use almost 3 cups of oats. Now that's a real oatmeal cookie.

2. They're sturdy and versatile. Leave them plain or dress them up. Turn them into ice cream sandwiches. It's all good.

3. They're easy, fast and mixes up in one bowl.

The one thing about using Crisco is that sometimes when you have a plain cookie like this one, the flavour can become flat and tasteless so you really need to add the salt called for in the recipe. I also used cinnamon to jazz up the flavour which is totally optional - it just depends on what you like. The recipe makes a lot of cookies so invite some friends over and share. Or have a Hallowe'en party, add orange and dark brown M&M's and call them Super Crunchy And Really Yummy (SCARY) cookies.......or not.

Recipe: Old Dad's Oatmeal Cookies

Cappuccino Love Bites

2007-10-16T17:50:00.000-04:00

The holiday season is quickly descending on us. I know this because I see Christmas cookie magazines everywhere I go tempting me with pretty goodies on the cover. I finally broke down and bought the BHG Christmas Cookies publication promising 102 yummy treats. This was in no way an impulse buy ( OK, maybe a little) but I have faith in BHG as I've bought previous holiday issues. Also, I just really love looking at new baking recipes - always fun and inspiring!

Well, let's just say the magazine didn't disappoint. It's filled with tons of fabulous recipes and I decided to make these Cappuccino Love Bites because I know that Mr. CB adores coffee and I don't use nearly enough coffee flavouring in my baking. Turns out, these little cookies were a hit, with young and old alike.

Making the cookie batter is straightforward. Once it is prepared, it is rolled in a mixture of sugar and instant coffee granules. Once they've baked, a kiss is popped on top and, after it melts a bit, swirled for fancy effect. Mr. CB thought this would make the cookie too sweet but he pleasantly surprised that it didn't. The coffee granules offer a bit of bitterness which is nice with the sweet creamy chocolate. If you don't like coffee granules, you can adjust the sugar/granules ratio to your liking.

Overall, I give these cookies an enthusiastic thumbs up. They look interesting and taste great too. I'm looking forward to making them again and again and again....

On another note, I'd like send a shout out to my fabulous and amazing in-laws for gifting me with what every baker covets - a KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer. Thank you, thank you! Oh, the treats I can make (and send to BC)! xoxo

Recipe: Cappuccino Love Bites

Apricot Coconut Almond Squares

2007-10-05T12:24:00.000-04:00

I can't remember why I bought the bag of apricots that has been languishing in my pantry cupboard. There were a lot of them at one point but the stash has diminished greatly due to voracious snacking. I like dried apricots - they're chewy, healthy and easy to bake with. I also found a lonely bag of coconut so I decided they'd be good friends and threw them together into one tasty bar.

To make this bar cookie, you need to soften up the apricots by simmering them in a liquid. I chose water but you could also add more flavour by using orange juice or Citrus Five Alive - whatever you fancy. Once they're a bit mushier (but not like a puree) you mix it up with a whole bunch of other good stuff and bake it over a shortbread crust. I was unsure how they would come out but I needn't have worried.

After 30 minutes they were done and a nice light shade of brown. I let them cool for a bit and them sliced them up into neat squares. So far so good but, as they say, they proof is in the pudding or eating or something. The bars were surprisingly delicious. I knew they'd taste good, but not this good. They buttery crust went together amazingly well with the sweet chewy apricot filling. I chopped my apricots a little larger so I had nice big chunks intermingled with coconut and crunchy almonds. A winner on all accounts. They're perfect for a dessert tray and if you throw in some dried cranberries, they'd look even prettier.

Recipe: Apricot Coconut Almond Squares

Daring Bakers September Challenge - Cinnamon Buns

2007-10-01T21:24:00.000-04:00

With every new month comes a new and exciting Daring Baker challenge. Alas, I am a few days late in posting about September's treat-of-the-month so it is no surprise that Cinnamon Buns and/or Sticky Buns were the order of the day.

Let me start by saying that I love making cinnamon buns. Once the apprehension of using yeast evaporated, making these yummy swirls of cinnamony goodness were a breeze. I especially liked the recipe that Marce from Pip in the City had us use. It produced a fabulous dough that was both soft and airy. I have made buns in the past with a different recipe and noticed that sometimes the dough ended up cakey and hard, but not this time. I was really quite impressed with the final result.

One thing I though made these buns more special was the addition of lemon rind into the dough. It gives the buns an extra flavour dimension but not so much that the lemon is overpowering. I also liked the simple cinnamon sugar filling. It was light and didn't overpower the bun. I suppose if you like, brown sugar mixed with cinnamon would give you a more substantial filling - it all depends on what your tastebuds like.

Overall I can't say enough good things about these buns. The dough was a dream (though I had to add extra flour) and they came out perfect even though I was pressed for time and had to reduce the proofing times somewhat. One little thing I tweaked was to warm up the milk before adding it to the mix. I just thought this would help the yeast do its magic and I'm just so used to doing it anyways. This was my favourite DB challenge by far and and I am officially adopting Marce's recipe as my own. It's great. Period.

To see the other gorgeous buns made by my fellow Daring Bakers, check out our growing blogroll. To see the complete recipe, please visit Marce.

Cheddar Mustard Muffins

2007-09-26T12:05:00.001-04:00

Now that autumn is in full swing, my focus on
on meal planning has taken a turn towards comfort food. Nothing is more welcome on a cool crisp day than a steaming hot bowl of soup or chili. I enjoy cool weather cooking because it means I get to use my slow cooker a lot more and along with the stews and such, it is nice to have a baked accompaniment for dipping.

I made these Cheddar Mustard muffins to have with lasagna. They're chock full of cheese, grainy Dijon, red peppers and freshly ground black pepper. To make these, I used my Spice Depot black pepper grinder. What is a Spice Depot grinder, you ask? It is a typical spice bottle that has a grinder under the lid so all you have to do is turn it upside down and twist. Voila, fresh and instant spice! What I like about the grinder is that the pepper comes out coarsely so it adds not only flavour, but texture to the muffins. I was able to also put a quick sprinkle on top of each muffin for added colour. The grinder was very useful and you use only what you need, so the spice is never stale.

The muffins were very piquant. There were a lot of complementary flavours present and would be enjoyed by those who like assertive seasoning. I didn't use smooth Dijon and I suspect that the muffin would taste quite different from using grainy mustard. I prefer grainy as it looks and tastes nicer. So next time you want something other than a crusty baguette, try these out. They're easy and flavoursome!

(Disclosure: I was provided (with thanks) a bottle of each Spice Depot Black Peppercorns, Sea Salt and Salad Seasoning.)

Recipe: Cheddar Mustard Muffins

Prize Winning Apple Pie

2007-09-12T11:19:00.001-04:00

I would like to say that I won a prize for making this pie, however I did not. Grandma Thompson's Prize-Winning Apple Pie is the official name of this recipe and was made by Brenda Hall from Collingwood. She won the prize, not me.

The making of this pie is very appropriately timed. There is a coolness in the morning breeze signaling the coming of Autumn and orchards are beckoning us to come 'pick your own'. In order to enjoy the abundance of fresh Ontario apples, I went to Chudleigh's Apple Farm to marvel at the numerous apple varieties they offer and to enjoy one of the last beautiful days of summer.

The apples that were available for picking the day I went were Ginger Gold and Wealthy. I had never heard of either and was excited to go out into the orchard to pick them straight off the tree. We were told that two apples equaled a pound and they sure were huge! Nothing beats eating a crisp, juicy apple off the tree - the Ginger Gold was gorgeous and I picked a bagful of Wealthy apples to take home and bake with.

I decided to try a different apple pie recipe from my usual one. The crust called for sour cream and lard. As I don't have lard on hand, I replaced it with all vegetable shortening. I don't know how much of a difference this had on the final product, but I find that you can make a great crust using butter and shortening. The only mistake I made was slicing my apples too thinly. Next time I'll make them thicker so that they don't make the filling all mushy. Overall, the pie was enjoyable - the crust was nice and the filling was spiced perfectly.

If you have the opportunity to pick your own apples I highly suggest you do! It's lots of fun for everyone and if you get hungry, no problem, eat an apple. Just watch out for all those pesky bees - they're in apple heaven.

Recipe: Prize Winning Apple Pie

Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake

2007-09-03T14:55:00.000-04:00

You've all seen the recipe on the label of a jar of mayonnaise - Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake. Hmmm, you thought. How would that taste? Would it taste mayonnaise-y? I decided to make the cake for myself to see how it would turn out. Mind you, I didn't use a box of chocolate cake mix as the recipe suggests. I had a different recipe that specifically called for mayonnaise which I thought would give me a better idea of how the mayonnaise flavours or doesn't flavour the cake.

My decision to make this cake coincides with a country-wide Hellmann's Taste Test that asks Canadians whether or not they can tell the difference between Real and Half The Fat mayonnaise. I always buy real mayonnaise but, to be fair to the general idea of the taste test, I made two cakes using both types of mayo. It was up to my taste-testers to see if there were any discernable differences.

The first difference I noticed was in appearance. Real mayonnaise is thicker and scoopable whereas Half the Fat is creamier. When incorporating it into the cake batter, the Half the Fat mayo dissolved very smoothly. Both cakes baked up exactly the same way in exactly the same amount of time. The interesting thing about the recipe I used is that it doesn't require butter at all - the mayo completely replaces it. Once the cakes were frosted, it was time moment of truth. Would one taste better than the other?

The result? Both cakes tasted the same. They were both moist and chocolaty with no mayo flavouring evident at all. I knew which cake was which but, if someone was presented with two slices I don't think they would have been able to tell the difference. I've concluded that, in this particular cake, both types of mayo worked equally as good as the other. There was no sacrificing of taste and, if you're counting calories, Half Fat mayo cake would be a reasonable dessert choice, icing being optional.

To see if there's a taste test going on in your neck of the woods, check Hellmann's for details. They're running until September 23 at a grocery store near you.

(Disclosure: In anticipation of this event, I was provided (with thanks) a jar of each Hellmann's Real Mayonnaise and Hellmann's Half the Fat.)

Recipe: Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake

Daring Bakers August Challenge - Milk Chocolate & Caramel Tart

2007-08-29T12:17:00.000-04:00

Another month has come to a close which signals that a new Daring Bakers challenge has been completed. This month our feature presentation was a Milk Chocolate Caramel Tart chosen by Veronica of Veronica's Test Kitchen and Patricia of Technicolor Kitchen. I was quite excited to try it out since milk chocolate and caramel are two of my favourite flavours.

The tart consists of three elements - a hazelnut/chocolate crust, caramel filling and milk chocolate mousse topping. All three parts are easy enough to produce on their own. The dough rolled out beautifully for me and did not puff up at all when it was blind-baked. The caramel was fun to make as well and this time I didn't look away at all and the result was a beautiful golden butterscotch colour with taste to match. The mousse was a breeze as well and only required folding together melted milk chocolate and whipped cream.

As I assembled the tart, I realized my caramel was runny and it did not set up overnight. It was a fantastic consistency for pouring over ice cream or dipping strawberries but not for a tart filling. Once it was cut, the caramel oozed out so there are no cut pictures to show.

Despite the flowing caramel, I really enjoyed the flavour of the tart. The crust added a crunch to the smooth caramel and fluffy mousse. I'm not sure if I'd make it again but now I know that I would really like to get myself a proper tart pan! To serve the tart, I just spooned the caramel over the slices when I served them. It's a big sweet tart so hopefully you'll have plenty of people to share it with.

To see the beautiful creations made by other Daring Bakers please go here. To see the complete recipe, check out Veronica's post here or Patricia's post here.

Baci di Dama

2007-08-23T10:23:00.001-04:00

Have you ever had a recipe that you've always wanted to make but never got around to? I'm sure most of you can empathize with my sentiment; having a recipe that wouldn't (or couldn't) go away because it was stuck in the recesses of your brain waiting to become real. For me, the recipe was Baci di Dama and finally after years of waiting, these cookies became a reality.

"Lady's Kisses" are a very apt name for these little buttery almond cookies. They're light and sweet, but getting the perfect one can sometimes be elusive. Normally, I don't have a lot of trouble making new types of cookies but these ones were like trying to get a kiss on the lips, failing and settling for a kiss on the forehead instead.

The dough for the Baci di Dama is very dry and crumbly. It requires a lot of squeezing to be able to be rolled into a ball for baking. Once they were all lined up like marbles I baked them for the suggested 12 minutes and got a some darkly burnt ones and some flat cookies. I sort of panicked when I took them out wondering how I could get so many cookie shape variations on one try. For the second batch, I reduced the baking time by two minutes which made a huge difference and picked out the better ones to fill with Nutella. Overall, the cookies were fantastic to eat. They were delicate, sandy and not too sweet. I could have eaten them plain, but filling them with chocolate is what you're supposed to do and it makes for a much nicer presentation. I would definitely try to make these again and if you do try to make them, have patience - it takes a bit of time to roll out all those teaspoon-sized balls!

Recipe: Baci di Dama

How-To: Plum Crumb Cake

2007-08-15T12:23:00.001-04:00

As August draws us closer to September and farther from July, the last of summer's fruit makes an appearance ready to be enjoyed before apple season. One fruit that is both versatile and widely available in Ontario is the plum. With it, a veritable cornucopia of delicious desserts can be created and savoured while awaiting the arrival of Autumn.

I decided to make a Plum Crumb Cake because it is the type of cake that my family loves. It also makes a large 9 x 13 cake so there is plenty to share. This cake is fluffy and lemon-scented, topped with juicy red plums and crowned with a buttery brown sugar crumble. For this recipe I've added some step-by-step directions to show the process of making this cake from start to finish. I hope some of you will find this helpful.

Step One

Cream the butter and sugar together. Add your eggs and you should have a pale yellow mixture, close to the consistency of icing.

Step Two

Alternately add the sour cream and dry ingredients into the butter mixture.

Step Three

Your final batter should look like this - thick yet not stiff. Scrape the batter into your prepared pan.

Step Four

Place the sliced plums decoratively over the batter.

Step Five

Sprinkle with the crumb topping. Pop it in the oven and in less than an hour, you'll be enjoying some lovely cake!

Recipe: Plum Crumb Cake

Lemon Tea Cookies

2007-08-13T19:11:00.001-04:00

A couple weeks ago, my neighbour, Little Man, turned three and his mom decided to have a small gathering for cake cutting and presents. After making a chocolate cake for him, I wanted to make something non-chocolate for the adults, specifically his grandmother who, like my own mom, loves lemon. As this was a last minute decision, I had to find something lemony, quick and tea-worthy.

I wanted something crispier than a drop cookie and I found the perfect cookies in a seven year old publication from BHG. Essentially, the cookie is lemon shortbread topped with lemon glaze. The recipe does not mention re-rolling scraps which you inevitably end up with if you cut out circles. I hate to waste dough so I re-rolled as gently as possible to max out my cookie output. Normally, I don't find too much of a difference in cookie texture when I do this, but this time I could tell the first rolled cookies from the last. The last lost their easy flakiness and were noticeably 'tougher' or as tough as a shortbread cookie can become. The glaze in the recipe calls for specific items which I didn't have so I used lemon juice mixed with icing sugar and, to punch up the colour, a little yellow paste colouring with hot pink sparkles. One thing I liked was that you could roll out the dough right away without any chilling time. Overall, the cookies were good but not mind blowing. They're quick, easy and perfect for novice bakers.

Recipe: Lemon Tea Cookies

Coconut Almond Macaroons

2007-08-06T20:15:00.001-04:00

After using egg yolks for the failed Bavarian cream I made last month, I was left with egg whites that had macaroons written all over them. Why macaroons, you ask? Because I love macaroons! I love the chewy coconut texture and the burst of sweetness that fills your mouth when you bite into one. I especially love them more when they're dipped in glorious, effulgent chocolate.

These macaroons are made by whipping up egg whites and folding them into a dry mixture which consists of coconut, lemon zest and ground almonds. If you're new to whipping egg whites, just beat them with your mixer until they increase in volume, become opaque and the peaks hold their shape when you pull the beaters out. (They don't flop over like the top of a jester's hat. A little flop is okay but not a lot.) Bake them in the oven and soon you'll be enjoying some delicious cookies.

I made these cookies on a hot day with no AC so I had to store them in the refrigerator once they were dipped to avoid meltage. The final product was wonderful - crisp on the outside, chewy on the inside with a hint of lemon. Macaroon heaven - enjoy!

Recipe: Coconut Almond Macaroons

Daring Bakers July Challenge - Strawberry Mirror Cake

2007-07-30T10:56:00.001-04:00

And the Daring Bakers are off again! This month the challenge was decided on by the demiurgic Peabody from Culinary Concoctions. She chose to have us all make a Strawberry Mirror Cake and, after reading about the wonderful cakes my fellow DBs made, I was very tempted to not post my final result.

The recipe was long and technical. If broken down into manageable components, this was an easy hurdle to overcome. After planning and buying all the necessary ingredients, I got to work. I was not too worried about the cake but, the cream and mirror held some additional challenges as they contained gelatin, a product I don't use. After finding agar agar, I had to hope it would work just as well as its animal counterpart. I was tempted to use some sort of Jello product but as you can see, I didn't! Sticking to a recipe is one thing I do very well.

After making the cakes, which were thin-ish I tackled the cream, stirring in the agar agar to measure the same as gelatin. I should have dissolved it completely in hot boiling water as there were some hard bits in the final cream. When I layered it in the pan with the cake I was hoping it would keep its shape, which it did. Yeah!

Now I don't know if I should have waited longer before pouring on the mirror but when I did, the smooth strawberry liquid disturbed the cream creating swirls. I was stumped and couldn't take it off so I kept pouring hoping for the best. After refrigerating it, I had a pink-topped cake with a mirror which had mysteriously sunk to the bottom of the cake. I tasted it and it had a gel-like consistency so the agar agar worked, though, unfortunately the mirror was on the wrong end.

Looking back at my experience, I would now modify the cakes to be baked in two round pans as opposed to one large pan with the cake circles being cut out. The rest would stay the same. I was initially hesitant to try it at all because of the ingredients but I'm glad I did. The challenge made me go out and look for ingredients I normally wouldn't have in my cupboard. Making gelatin-based desserts is new territory for me so I'll have to keep plugging away until I can master it.

Overall, I'm not sure if I can appreciate the flavour of the cake. Those who tried it said it tasted good and reminded them of trifle. I'm hesitant to give my version a two thumbs up as I'm sure I could do it better next time. I was also a little bummed about the mirror and the hard flakes - two things which greatly coloured how I saw this particular cake.

Thanks to Peabody for your bold choice! A big thank you goes out to all the Daring Bakers whose support and encouragement cushion the blow of disaster. Please visit Peabody's site for the full recipe and to see what all the other brilliant Daring Bakers created, click here. Looking forward to next month!

SHF 33 - Pineapple Coconut Cookies

2007-07-24T08:58:00.000-04:00

Tropical Paradise is the theme for the 33rd edition of Sugar High Friday. Mary at Alpineberry wanted us to come up with something that said 'tropical' to us and write about it. The best way I could bring the tropics home was to make use of island fruits, notably coconut and pineapple.

These cookies come from the book Ripe for Dessert by David Lebovitz. I instinctively looked through this book first because he has organized his book by fruit and chapter two was entitled Tropical Fruit - perfect for this challenge!

The recipe is super simple to pull together and makes use of everyday ingredients. The cookie is sort of like a macaroon, crispier on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. I had to decrease the baking time by ten minutes but if you like a more browned cookies, then you can leave it in for the full 30 minutes.

The baked cookies packed a pineapple punch! The caramely flavour of sugared pineapple melded nicely with the chewy coconut. They were moist and small enough to pop in your mouth. David Lebovitz said this was his favourite current pineapple coconut cookie and, although I'm still undecided on this, my taste-testers seemed to like them a lot. If you'd like, dress them up with a drizzle of chocolate or a sprinkling of powdered sugar. No matter what you do, these cookies have Tropical written all over them!

Recipe: Pineapple Coconut Cookies

Bubble Bread

2007-07-13T14:43:00.000-04:00

If you want to impress friends and family, making a Bubble Bread is the way to do it. This fun-to-make bread consists of a yeasted sweet dough that is rolled into golf ball-sized chunks, then rolled in butter and cinnamon-sugar and arranged in a Bundt pan. After it had risen, you bake it and devour the sweet cinnamony morsels that have been drizzled (or not) in a sugar glaze.

When making this bread, give yourself enough time to make the dough and let it rise. I think it took me about 2 hours from start to finish with no dilly-dallying. The final result looks really neat - sort a cross between cinnamon buns and a Bundt cake. It is also fun to eat and the portions are smaller so, in theory, the guilt factor is as well. It's like eating a Timbit instead of a whole doughnut, you know? I've included some modifications to the recipe in the recipe link below just for reference. I know some of you may be weary of working with yeast and I totally understand where you're coming from. But, if you're looking to challenge yourself this is a yummy way to get started.

Recipes: Universal Sweet Dough & Bubble Bread