This year, I am spicing up my Valentine's Day chocolate cookies with cayenne and cinnamon. (Along with a nod to February snow by including some marshmallows.) Cayenne pepper and cinnamon create a complex chocolate cookie just right for a Valentine's Treat that says, "You spice up my life!" I know this all sounds a little unlikely but trust me on this one. I first made these for Christmas and was told by my family that these might be the best cookies I have ever made. My family can be tough critics, so I am choosing to believe them! The trick to these cookies is in your ...
Holidays
RASPBERRY PAVLOVA
It's been a long time coming, but this recipe for Raspberry Pavlova is worth wait! Crisp on the outside and pillowy soft on the inside the Pavlova meringue is topped with a delicous raspberry sauce, dark chocolate and passionfruit. Easy to make and serve, a Raspberry Pavlova is a show stopper in any season and for any holiday I had no idea as I boarded the plane to Europe at the end of November 2023 that I had written my last post for the year. Indeed, it never crossed my mind that it would be the middle of January 2024 before I sat down at my desk to share a recipe with you! ...
CHOCOLATE RICE KRISPIE BARS: A HALLOWEEN TREAT!
Chocolate Rice Krispie Treats take the original classic to another level. Made with 3 Musketeer Candy Bars and decorated with candy corn, they are scary delicious with all the flavors of Halloween in a single bite! Did you miss me? I have been so busy that I haven’t had time to think about baking or new recipes, much less to write about them. Things have slowed down now, and I am able to get back in the kitchen. It’s cooled off a lot (thank goodness!) and the holidays are just around the corner. And holidays mean baking!! So here we go— First up, Halloween. I know it’s still 6 ...
THE BEST HOT CROSS BUNS
You know how I feel about Hot Cross Buns! But instead of just being disappointed by them, this time I decided to identify where I felt they were lacking and see if I could fix the problems. And I did it! My Hot Cross Buns are smaller in size than the traditional bun, giving each bite a good ratio of honey glazed crust to soft interior. They are filled with bits of diced apricot, an ingredient with more pop than the humble raisin. And the dough, made with coconut milk and sweetened coconut flakes, is liberally flavored with vanilla and almond. Every bite has a hint of flavor ...
HEARTS FOR VALENTINE’S DAY: OATMEAL LINZER COOKIES
Not a cake baker? Let’s make cookies for Valentine’s Day. A little oatmeal brings a nutty crunch to this raspberry jam-filled sandwich cookie. Cut a little heart in the top cookie so the jam peeks through. Every child and adult in your life will love you for it! When I was a little girl, Valentine’s Day brought color and fun to the otherwise dreary, cold month of February in Connecticut. My mother was too busy with our family of six children to do much more than give us each a hug and kiss but school stepped in. We bought boxes of simple valentines and laboriously labelled them for ...
CHOCOLATE COVERED STRAWBERRY CAKE: A VALENTINE’S GIFT!
Valentine’s Day: hearts and flowers and chocolate covered strawberries! This year I decided to see if I could capture all the goodness of a chocolate covered strawberry in a cake. Layers of strawberry flavored cake, luscious strawberry jam, a dusting of sweet and salty crumb, all surrounded by a rich and luxurious chocolate ganache. I also wanted a cake a homecook could make without special equipment or ingredients. So, this recipe comes complete with shortcuts! You can make the cake from scratch, or you can use a box mix. I made a quick and easy strawberry jam but you ...
PINEAPPPLE TARTS FOR THE LUNAR NEW YEAR
January is named after Janus, the Roman God of duality: beginnings and endings, comings and goings, transitions, doorways, ins and outs. This duality is true for my month of January. For me, January is two faced. On the one hand it is the month of reset: dry January, diets, return to exercise and a lot less partying. On the other hand, in many of the places I have lived it is a month of celebration: eating, drinking and partying! In my last blog, I brought you a piece of the French celebration of twelfth night with its Galette de Rois In this blog, I am going to take you to Asia ...
JANUARY IN PARIS: GALETTE DES ROIS
It’s January in Paris and on the shelves and in the display cases of every patisserie and bakery you will find a Galette Des Rois (King’s Cake). The simple puff pastry shell encases a filling of delicate almond cream and a thin layer of apricot jam. Hidden inside is a small “feve”, traditionally a bean but more often a tiny figurine of the baby Jesus. The lucky finder of the feve receives a paper crown and the title of King for the day. Although Twelfth Night (January 6) is the traditional day for enjoying a King’s Cake, the French will eat their fill throughout the ...
HOLIDAY PINWHEELS: COOKIES IN 20 MINUTES OR LESS
It’s crunch time. Christmas is 4 days away. Maybe you have a freezer full of Christmas cookies, ready to pull out at moment’s notice. Or maybe you haven’t baked a thing. And that’s okay! This is what bakeries are for. But If you wish you had baked something, and you are a little sad you haven’t but you just don’t have time , this recipe is for you. Puff pastry is wrapped around a filling of sugar, lime zest, and cardamom then finished with some holiday sprinkles. Cookies you will be proud of, from start to finsh in 20 minutes or less! Start with a roll of ready-to-bake crescent ...
HAZELNUT LIME SHORTBREAD COOKIES
I took a break last week as I worked on my Christmas shopping. It felt like I needed to get going on that but then I realized, because of the early Thanksgiving, I had more time than I thought. So here I am on this dreary, chilly Saturday, free to get back to baking cookies and sending the recipes your way. In between making my old favorites I have been trying out some new recipes. I chose this one because there is someone in my life who loves lime desserts. This shortbread cookie is flavored with lime and topped with a lime and cream cheese glaze. I could have stopped ...
