Caramels, Bonbons et Chocolats

Bacon and Egg Candy

2012-02-04T07:33:00.000-05:00

I cannot take credit for this delightful idea, I found it - where else - on Pinterest. Indeed, there were many versions but I liked this one the best.

How cute would this be as the dessert at a breakfast or brunch party?

Truth be told, I wasn't hopeful that this would be as tasty as it was cute.

But something about the crispy, savoury, salty pretzels offset against the sweet of the chocolate really makes this an addictive treat.

At first I thought I would be able to take the discs of white candy melts and somehow melt them individually on a pan so that they kept their round shape. I soon realized this was ridiculous and took the suggested route.

Ingredients:

Yellow Smarties (or for my American readers - M&Ms) picked out of one bag
Pretzel sticks - buy one bag and use what you need
White candy melts or white chocolate chips - I used about half a bag of a 14 oz Wilton candy melts

Makes about 24 but it will depend on your preference for its size I liked them quite small

Directions:

You can either use the double boiler method - or take the easy way out. Using a microwave-safe bowl, place the candy melts and zap them in 20 second increments, mixing the candy melts in between. Don't keep microwaving until it's fully melted. You want to see a bit of solids still in the bowl, and mix it until it's the same liquid consistency.
Now you have to work fast. Take a tablespoon and place blobs of the melted candy on parchment paper laid on cookie sheets.
Smooth them out a bit - but not too thin so that they don't split easily once they solidify. Use up all the melted candy before you start putting the pretzel sticks and Smarties on top.
Place the cookie sheets in the fridge to firm them up, about 20 minutes at least. After they're ready, you can keep them at room temperature in an airtight container.

Substitutions: None, but I was thinking green Smarties or M&Ms would make for an adorable Green Eggs and Ham-themed treat!

Would I make this again? Yes, I think this is an easy way to make something crowd-pleasing.

Grade: Five stars out of five.

The case of the curious Christmas cake pops

2012-01-25T18:30:00.000-05:00

Christmas is well behind us, I know.

I can't even use Armenian Christmas as an excuse (it falls on January 6) but I think this post on cake pops still merits a read for those of you, seasoned or newbie, who are considering making these.

While I have always dismissed suggestions cake pops were the new cupcakes, I also followed this trend from a distance. I concede I thought they were a charming novelty.

I skulked around on Bakerella's blog but I wasn't sure I'd have the patience to make some of her more complicated creations, nor did I want to. But then I started seeing some simpler designs that I thought I'd be able to recreate.

And when I volunteered to make desserts for my Christmas Eve dinner, like I always do, I thought it might be a good time to try my hand at cake pops. I'd be home the day before, and I like making treats that are individual-sized for large parties.

Well, it's a good thing I tried making these the day before because they were an #epic #fail. If you ask my family, they may disagree, as they begged me to leave the discarded, destroyed remains in a plate to nibble on, proclaiming that these were delicious.

And sure, they were. Cake-mix balls mixed with store-bought frosting, dipped in candy melts and topped with sprinkles. Sugary-sugar, and sweet sweet sugar. Brain surgery? No, not really.

Still, I didn't get the hang of it right off the bat.

The first cake pop I made was too heavy, so it completely fell off the lollipop stick as it was drying.

The second? Same thing.

I quickly realized I'd made a couple of big mistakes. First, I didn't think I'd have enough candy melts, so I mixed my supply with some white chocolate chips. Big, bad mistake. I should have stuck to just the candy melts because the chocolate chips made the mixture too heavy, making the ball too heavy, in turn making it impossible for it to stay on the stick.

I had no problems when I melted the red candy coating in the next batch.

The second big mistake was following a cake pops recipe that was not Bakerella's (the undisputed cake pop expert). You can see a basic recipe from her posted at CTV.ca.

Her recipe suggests, after chilling the cake balls, to dip the sticks in the melted candy coating and then push it into the ball.

Instead, I made the balls, stuck in the sticks, and then chilled them.

The result was cracked-open balls, uneven candy coating. In short, a hot mess.

Once I got the hang of it after some fevered googling, I ended up with about 15 in total.

Not enough to take to the party, so I whipped up some cookie-dough truffles instead. I need to stop experimenting for Christmas Eve because I always end up stressing myself out. Remind me I said this some time in December, ok?

Substitutions: None.

Grade: Three stars out of five. After all it's a cake mix-frosting concoction. The appearance is no one's fault but my own, but I feel like they ended up looking like more of an elementary school project than one created by someone as serious about pastries and desserts like me.

Would I make this again? Maybe. Juuuuust maybe. But not for a while

My Grandma's Armenian Tell Kadayif

2011-12-31T06:24:00.000-05:00

I am making my way through a book about food writing, and it suggests that blog postings about our childhood memories of food are commonplace and therefore - well, rather boring.

Humour me, then, please as this is a topic close to my heart.

This is about my Grandmother Mariam's Tell Kadayif, an Armenian version of a dessert commonly made in the Middle East. "Tell" means "string" in Armenian, due to the thin, long strands of the kadayif.

Kadayif consists of shredded phyllo pastry, which you can find at Greek or Middle Eastern grocers. This dessert is flavoured with rose water; filled with thickened cream, or cheese or walnuts; and topped with a thickened sugar syrup. Western palates might find it more savoury than they're used to, and perhaps more exotic as well due to the generous helpings of nuts, and rose water - a distinctly flowery and pungent taste. The closest thing I can compare it to is baklava, but that's just the nut-filled version. The cheese-filled kadayif, my favourite, may be described like a cross between baklava, shredded wheat, and maybe the ricotta filling of cannoli. But for me, it just tastes like a visit to my grandma's.

My father's mother passed away last month on the 19th and I am having some trouble reconciling myself with the fact that she's gone, and I can't tell her that my son has been asking to go see "Little Nene" (Little Grandmother because of her height).

I'm having trouble coming to terms with the fact that I can't ask for her advice on how to make Armenian recipes that are endangered because no one bothers to take the time to record them, or because the cookbooks are written in Armenian and it takes too long to translate them. I'm having trouble wrapping my head around the fact I'll never see her again at Christmas.

Knowing all this, my husband, so thoughtfully this Christmas, gifted me a copy of an English-language Armenian cookbook from the 1970s that he sourced online. It's market value - used, mind you - is $100. That's telling, isn't it?

I will use this book as a guide, that's for sure. But I feel lucky enough to have a few recipes of my grandmother's and her voice in my mind. I've realized I was just like her when it came to cooking or baking - hesitant to stray from instructions, abandoning recipes at the drop of a hat if I missed any ingredients, and pedantic to the point of perfectionist. I am her namesake, after all.

I'm not going to outline the recipe here because, I think her death is still too fresh, and I'm selfishly hoarding the recipe as something of my grandmother's just for me. But this recipe is pretty close, except for the recommended cheese - I used ricotta instead.

My grandma and I at my wedding in 2007.

This Christmas, I tried to honour my grandma's memory by making her famous sarma, which are grape leaves stuffed with a rice mixture, and tell kadayif. The first version I made, with the walnut filling, as delicious as it was, wasn't how I remembered my grandma's kadayif.

It was browned and crispy - almost like the texture of baklava, nutty and aromatic thanks to the generous portion of cinnamon and rose water, but not quite right. Now how I remembered it. So I made a second one - this time with the ricotta filling.

The consistency was right this time, softer but still dense like a baked pan of angel hair pasta, with a warm layer of thick cheese sandwiched right in the middle, and scented with the aromatic liquid of sugar syrup flavoured with rose water. And when I took that first bite, I was instantly transported to a time 20 years ago when I never counted calories, when a visit to grandma always meant a bone-breaking hug, and a square of her famous, warmed-up tell kadayif.

Dark chocolate Buche de Noel with meringue mushrooms

2011-12-29T09:52:00.000-05:00

This is the single, proudest moment I've had as a baker this holiday season. I really thought I lost my baking mojo until I produced this whimsical Buche de Noel. I'll admit I've made quite a few cheesy treats over my time. I like the glitz and the glam and the glitter and the flashing lights. I like the red and the green and the cartoon-type figures that please my toddler.

But a Buche de Noel, a traditional dessert served at Christmas, is for me evocative of a fallen log in a snow-dusted forest. It's untouched, it's pure. It's a quiet, delicious moment undisturbed by the usual din and racket. It's indulgent simply because it takes so long to create something that disappears in just a few minutes.

Making a Buche de Noel has been on my baking bucket list for a long time. I used to Google "Buche de Noel" every Christmas, vow to pick one up from a French pastry shop and run out of time. Then I had a kid, and I lost hope that I'd ever be able to find the time to attempt this. But when I saw Canadian Living's version of a Buche de Noel covered in shards of dark chocolate, I regained hope that I'd be able to master this one and avoid the amateur-looking yule logs you see with fork tine marks in the buttercream.

It took me several days. I started with the meringue mushrooms, which admittedly were not in the Canadian Living recipe but that I'd seen in other photos of yule logs. You can find the recipe on the Joy of Baking site here. They came together easily although I had to start over again I realized the egg whites I brought home were not in a sealed container. And then I thought the meringue would never peak. But it did. I kept these in an airtight container for several days and they were fresh as the day I made them.

I made the cake 24 hours before the dinner party and rolled it in a tea towel and stuck it in my fridge to chill. On the day of the party, I made the buttercream and rerolled the cake, which did in fact crack slightly - but I was able to mask the cracks with the cream.

Next, I prepared the shards of chocolate, meant to mimic peeling bark, and then I dusted icing sugar all over the log. I finished the yule log by dusting the mushrooms with cocoa powder and placing them here and there.

I'll be honest, I didn't get to taste this cake after it all came together, although I sampled the cream and bits of cake as I baked but I'm told it was delicious, and there was none left.

Substitutions: Well, the meringue mushrooms came from a different recipe, but I didn't substitute anything in the cake recipe itself.

Would I make this again? Oh, most definitely. I'm thinking I could easily make this again with a dark chocolate cake base, and white chocolate shards of bark to create a birch bark. One thing I should have done was lopped off the ends of the roll so they were more even. Next time!

Grade: Five stars out of five.

Florentiners a la Mama

2011-12-23T05:52:00.000-05:00

When I first opened the pages of Gesine Bullock-Prado's cookbook "Sugar Baby" I'll admit the first thought that crossed my mind was, "Oh she's used her famous sister Sandra Bullock's name to get a book deal." But not long after I realized this was the passion project of someone without any formal training who turned what she love into a successful business, someone who truly loved baking. Someone who was funny, and authentic.

I was hesitant to try out her recipe for Florentiners a la Mama because it has German roots and involves a candy thermometer and anything that has German roots and involves a candy thermometer requires precision.
And sometimes, due to circumstances out of my control (*cough, cough, my toddler*), I can't be precise with timing when I'm cooking or baking. But I barrelled ahead anyway and made these cookies. (You can find the recipe here). And boy am I glad I silenced my inner critics.

These are the best cookies I made this holiday season, possibly all year. Buttery, crunchy morsels of pure indulgence. These aren't the easiest cookies to make - they spread and can go from not-ready to burnt in a matter of seconds. But they are worth all the trouble. I wish the photo I took was better but please take my word anyway. I've made florentines in the past, but this recipe trumps that one, by far.

Substitutions: None (just be sure to use parchment paper, not wax paper as I've done in the past with another similar recipe - epic sticky failure).

Would I make this again? Oooooh yes, even though these cookies lure me over to the danger zone and I can't. Just. Eat. One.

Grade: Five stars out of five. Indeed, they are a bit tricky to make, but they are gorgeous and catch the light. Oh, and they're over-the-top delicious. They're the kind of cookie you make for friends but decide to keep for yourself.

White-Chocolate Cherry Shortbread

2011-12-22T06:51:00.000-05:00

This recipe caught my eye on Pinterest with the simple caption: "Apparently, the best Christmas cookie ever." "Best" piqued my interest, and "ever" drove it home. How could I possibly ignore the recipe for the best Christmas cookie ever?

So I decide to make it on a whim and take it to my friend's house as my contribution to her annual cookie swap. I had already made a couple of other kinds of cookies but this one seemed like it would be my show-stopper.

Besides, I have never been able to truly master shortbread, and I thought this might be the recipe to change my unlucky streak. Not quite. This is a pretty cookie yes, but it's also a high-maintenance one. Unlike classic shortbread, it's delicate and doesn't hold its form well.

What really bothered me though, and I swear I'm not this insecure about everything, is that no one ever said these were tasty, I think they were just OK. For met my part, I liked the underlying hint of cherry-almond but I wished the cookie was a bit more dense.

Here's the thing: I love maraschino cherries - I even eat them straight out of the jar. But I know a lot of people detest them, and so perhaps it was the underlying maraschino cherry flavour that threw people off.

It's subtle, though, and I don't think you would be able to identify it unless told it was there. And I didn't tell people it was there unless they asked what kind of cookies they were. If you want to try this yourself (and if I haven't turned you off yet) you can find the recipe at the Better Homes and Gardens website.

Substitutions: In the original recipe you'll see they've used red and white jimmies to dip the cookies in, I used Christmas-coloured nonpareils and plain white ones. You be the judge of which you prefer. I don't think the Christmas-colours quite work with the delicate pink of this cookie, however.
My husband told me he liked the cookies straight out of the oven, before I dipped them in white chocolate and sprinkles but I firmly disagree, they need a mellow taste to round them out, and the crunch of the sprinkles is a satisfying counterpoint to the crumbly cookie.

Would I make this again? Honestly, probably not, I don't think it was worth all the effort. If I'm going to go to all the trouble of making dozens of cookies and then dipping them, I'd probably make nut-based ones that have a longer shelf life and seem to find greater appeal among the masses.

Grade: Four stars out of five. These would make great additions to a princess-themed birthday, or a tea party or even bridal shower. I just don't think they're show-stoppers all on their lonesome. And they're not festive nor flavourful enough to be the ideal Christmas cookie. Next?

Canadian Living's Really Good Rum Balls

2011-12-21T16:07:00.000-05:00

I considered not blogging about this recipe because I'm not crazy about this photo and I'm a big perfectionist. But, I'm also a realist and these rum balls were such a hit they're all gone, and I can't bear not to share the recipe with you. I'm not making them again just for the photo, sorry.

I never used to like rum balls, but over the last couple of years I've developed a soft spot for those gigantic tennis ball-sized rum balls I can get at mom-and-pop run Italian bakeries.

Those are cake-based, though, and these are not. But here's a fun factoid. My colleague, who has chef's training, told me you should stay away from rum balls in bakeries because they're made of the cake scraps the pastry chefs don't want to toss out. Maybe that's not such a bad thing? You be the judge. Either way, these rum balls were the homeliest of sweets I displayed on my three-tier stand at work and they were also the ones that elicited the most praise and finished the fastest.

They're smaller than I thought they'd be, but they fit right inside the mini-cupcake liners so they're convenient for parties.

I found this recipe in a "Special Holiday Edition" of Canadian Living magazine but you can also find the recipe here.

Substitutions: None

Would I make this again? I think I will because they were pretty straightforward and big hit with people of varying taste palates. But I still prefer the cake-based rum balls.

Grade: Three-and-a-half stars out of five. Points docked for lack of doughy-cakey-goodness.

Hershey's Candy Cane Blossoms

2011-12-20T06:52:00.000-05:00

You know that saying: Don't judge a book by it's cover? Well, I'd like to meet the puritan who came up with that one to have a word or two. Because we're going to judge a book by it cover even if we don't want to! As a book publishing graduate, I study the cover: It tells me the market the publisher is going for. It tells me if it's won any awards, it tells me what other prominent authors think of the text. A cover is important.

And I also decide to make cookies based on their appearance, obviously. Especially during the holidays. So I flagged this recipe on Pinterest because I loved the vibrant Christmas colours. And we eat, first, with our eyes.

But. And this is a big BUT. This recipe turned out to be a bit of a fail. To begin with, I used a peanut butter cookie recipe I was using to make another cookie when that cookie started to fall apart and I had a whole batch of peanut butter cookie dough just sitting and starting at me.

When I pulled the out of the oven to cool, however, they started falling a bit flat.

Maybe this recipe was destined to fail because I'm just not a big fan of chocolate and mint. Or mint in desserts at all. I said a tiny prayer and made these anyway, hoping the candy cane and peanut butter flavour would go well together. Despite my prayer, I wasn't a convert and I'm still not a believer in the peanut-butter-and-candy-cane union.

Yet a couple of people who tried them raved about the pairing. So what do I know? Maybe it's an acquired taste. Maybe I would have liked these better if I alternated the cookies and used red and green sanding sugar.

Substitutions: Where do I start? I used a peanut butter base. Don't do that. Follow this recipe instead. When I ran out of sanding sugar, I whizzed my granulated sugar with a few drops of my high-quality food colouring. The granulated sugar did a much better job of sticking to, and coloring these cookies than the already-red sanding sugar did. I'd take the extra minute and do the same. It's also a lot cheaper and will save you a trip to the bulk food store.

Would I make these again? Nope.

Grade: Two stars out of five. Do you really want me to go into why, again? I'm getting depressed just thinking about it. (I was worried that I was losing my baking mojo this month but I just made a kick-ass Buche de Noel and I have thrown that thought right out of my mind).

Santa Hat Party Mix

2011-12-19T05:00:00.000-05:00

I like alliteration. I like sequins. I like punny jokes. I like Palm Beach fashion. I like a bit of camp. Isn't it obvious? I like a good gimmick. So by the time Christmas rolls around, I've already been bookmarking festive recipes for months. This one jumped right out at me on Pinterest because I'd never seen anything like it and the Santa hats were so festive, so fantastic, so fun! Flavour had absolutely nothing to do with it.

I thought it would be a fun, quick party mix to take to one of my work events during the holidays, which is getting harder and harder to plan for because my co-workers expect me to come up with something interesting every time. Last year I made Chocolate Gingerbread House Petits Fours, and Nigella's Christmas Cornflake Wreaths. In years past, I've also made Festive Cheesecake Pops, which my co-workers are still talking about. And they're used to my bringing in cupcakes so I try to switch things up a bit. You can find the recipe for this party mix here.

So here's the thing, I got the oohs and aaahs I was hoping for over the Santa hats. (Damn straight, they took me an hour-and-a-half to make on a Friday night - and I'm not even including making the rest of the party mix.) My one colleague even called me a genius! I can't take credit for the idea obviously but these Santa hats were showstoppers sure enough.

But you know what? I found the party mix a bit too cloying in sweetness. And maybe it's the fact that there were several other sweet items at work that day, or the fact I forgot to take napkins or plates for my colleagues, but there was quite a bit leftover for me to take home. And that's telling, isn't it?

Substitutions: These are the regular Bugles rather than the caramel ones the recipe suggests. PS - Bugles used to be sold in Canada, and apparently came back into the market this December, but they may be hard to find. To be honest, I think the caramel Bugles are adding another sweet element that's unnecessary. We bought these Bugles at Wal-Mart.

Would I make this again? Maybe the Santa hats for some other party mix. But not this party mix. It's too - obvious. Too expected. Too sweet. Too much white chocolate (gasp! I know, but it happens). And next time I make these Santa hats, I'll try to prop them up so the excess candy melts drip right off and give them a cleaner look.

Grade: Three stars out of five for the Santa hats, the rest of the party mix gets a big fat zero.

Sweetapolita's Inside-Out (Mini) Neapolitan Cake

2011-12-17T06:58:00.000-05:00

Isn't this sweet? I made this mini cake with 4.5 inch springform fans for a dear friend of mine for her 30th birthday. I wanted to make something special so I thought I'd tackle a three-buttercream recipe. I was inspired from the cover of the latest cookbook from Miette (I just adore the bare edges) but mainly from Sweetapolita.

It was harder to make than I thought because I didn't level the layers of cake properly so one of them was at an angle, and it seemed to me like the cake would tip over.

This cake ended up being a bit of an investment because of the springform pans, but I'm so glad I purchased them because I am always looking for a way to indulge my friends and I think a mini-tiered cake is the perfect way.

I'll be honest. This recipe has completely changed the way I feel about buttercream. I love it now. This buttercream recipe is to die for. And you can play with it to produce strawberry, vanilla and chocolate buttercream as you see here.
If I may be perfectly blunt: Don't try to recreate this unless you use the best products. Grocery-store food colouring will not cut it. I literally ordered strawberry puree from a cooks' supply store and it made all the difference. The strawberry buttercream actually tasted like strawberries rather than some chemical version of the fruit. (I did add a teeny bit of pink food gel, but I only needed a little bit because I was using what the professionals use).

Normally, when I eat buttercream I taste butter first before any other flavour. Not with this recipe, it tastes like clouds of heaven. It is delicate, smooth - but not reminiscent of a mouthful of butter in the slightest. I think the cake base helped too. It was deep, dark, luscious, and held it's own.

This recipe is not for newbies. I had to make it over several days as it will take some time. But if you have some experience baking, try your hand, you may just be surprised at what you can do.

Substitutions: None (well, other than the mini springform pans).

Would I make this again: Yes, but only for my nearest and dearest.

Grade: Five stars out of five. Fool-proof recipe, eye-catching, delectable. It ticks off all my boxes. I love this recipe.

Nutella Swirl Pound Cake with Espresso Glaze

2011-12-15T05:56:00.000-05:00

I've said this before, maybe a handful times, but this time I really mean it: I think this is the best cake I've ever made in my life. Ever.

And it's not just my ego speaking. Several people said so. It's the kind of cake that whispers your name when you pass by, whispering, imploring you to cut "Just another small sliver." It was gone, and fast.

I made it for my husband's birthday because a) he loves Nutella; b) he loves espresso and c) I don't need to impress him with fancy piping skills or rosettes. Even my mother in law, who is a great cook and baker in her own right asked me "You bought this ready-made, right?" Nope.

Of course, it's not difficult to make a pound cake tasty, with the amount of butter that goes into it. But this one goes above and beyond with the swirls of Nutella and the sugary tang of espresso glaze on top. I got the recipe by way of, who else, Sweetapolita. Genius.

Substitutions: None. Don't mess with perfection. Just, don't.

Would I make this again? Yep, in fact I plan on making it for my father's birthday in January.

Grade: Five stars out of five. Please make this, and then message me to tell me how much you loved it. Or even if you didn't, that's OK too.

Owl Cupcakes

2011-12-12T17:32:00.000-05:00

Whooooo loves owls? Apparently, the masses, because they're everywhere lately: Anthropologie, Crate and Barrel, Winners. You name it. I'm slightly miffed because I loved owls even before they earned a cultish following. Still, I couldn't resist making these owl cupcakes. At first I was going to make them for Halloween but when our plans got cancelled, I made them anyway.
The recipe comes by way of Duncan Hines, but I never would have seen it if it weren't for Pinterest.

Substitutions: I wish I used the mini Oreos, because I think they would have looked a bit cuter. Or even the Double Stuf ones because it was a bit hard to separate the cookies without scratching the cream right off. I read somewhere that if you microwaved the cookies for about 10 seconds it was easier to take them apart. I tried it, but I can't say for sure it worked. I also used Reese's Pieces rather than Junior mints and all the other candies listed in this recipe. I also used a piping tip normally used to make butter cream leaves to make the hair between the owl's ears.

I also used my very own chocolate butter cream but I expect frosting out of a can would work just as well.

Would I make these again? Undoubtedly, but this time I'll give myself more time. These looked super easy to me, and they were a bit more finicky than I expected. Still, they were a super hit with the adults and the kids and the party I took them too. Warning: Not everyone thinks owls are cute. In some cultures, they are ominous omens of death.

Grade: Four stars out of five. These are no culinary masterpieces. But they are downright cute, and you can find all the elements not only at your nearest convenience store, but probably right in your own cupboards. And you'll look like a pro.

Dare to dream: Christmas wish list

2011-11-18T05:30:00.000-05:00

Preparing my Christmas wish list has been inordinately easier than in past years because I've been keeping track on Pinterest and Etsy.

In keeping with tradition in years past, this post will only touch on the food-related items on my Christmas wish list. But you can find the whole thing here. And while you're at it, follow me on Pinterest too!

Anthropologie owl cookie jar, as seen on the show "Modern Family": Whooooo loves owls? I do, I do. Sorry, I love a cheesy pun.

Truth is, I find myself wincing when I see the plastic containers filled with homemade cookies on my countertop. I just find it ugly, and I think this owl would fit in perfectly in my retro-chic kitchen.

Cupcake Courier 36-Cupcake Plastic Storage Container: I've always wished for a multi-levelled cupcake caddy, because I hate walking around with two of my caddies when it would be easier to stack them. I don't even think I can get this in Canada, but if you know differently, let me know.

Koziol Babell tiered stand: Wouldn't this be darling covered in petits four, cupcakes, or even fruits on a beautifully decorated dining table?

I know. I want it. I love anything Koziol, often their products are plastic and not precious enough you feel you can't use them. In fact, I want two of these in different colours. I just can't decide which ones. Hot pink and red? White and turquoise? Decisions, decisions

Williams-Sonoma gift cakelet pan: Let's be honest. I'd probably never use this, because it would mean having to paint the cakelets and I wouldn't feel like getting around to it, but isn't it lovely to look at?

KitchenAid Food Processor: I've been fighting it too long. Counter space be damned. This would make my life easier, it's true. I need one. And in a vibrant colour. I bought the KitchenAid mixer in white to save money and now I'm regretting it.

French tin that says Sucre: God knows where I can find one. But it's on my mind. And I check Etsy all the time. Maybe it wouldn't fit my retro-chic theme. Maybe it's too shabby chic. Whatever. *Insert Gallic shrug here*. I still want one. This photo is from the food blog of pastry chef David Lebovitz, whose name you've heard me mention time and time again.

Not only is he an amazing pastry chef, but he has the most perfect tin that says Sucre.

Wooden crate for food blog photography: I think this one on Sweetapolita's blog is perfect but I haven't found one that even comes close.

Glass cloche on pedestal: Wouldn't this be a nicer way to store my baking than in the airtight containers I mentioned above?

I've been looking for a glass dome that would fit nicely on top of my existing cake stands, but I can't find one. Sure enough, these ones are available on an American site that doesn't ship to Canada.

Croquembouches class: This seems like an insurmountable mountain. I'm not sure I could make these alone, but I probably could if I took the class at the Bonnie Gordon School of Confectionary Arts. Plus I would go home with my very own croquembouches, and I would have lots to share with my family and friends, hint hint.

If you're still not inspired, see my Christmas wish lists from years past: 2010, 2009, and also 2008.

Announcing the winner of the cookbook giveaway

2011-11-16T06:44:00.000-05:00

And the winner of the SNOG Healthy Treats cookbook giveaway is.... (Can I get a virtual drumroll please?)

Reader Amy from Sherwood Park, Alberta. (Amy, check your email inbox or a request for your mailing address!)

She wrote "I like the welcome baby cupcakes- great idea I am going to use at the next baby shower I host!"

If you haven't had a chance to check them out, here are the welcome baby boy cupcakes and also the welcome baby girl cupcakes.

It was wonderful hearing which posts you all liked best! You can read the comments from the other contest entries here. Stay tuned, I may just do this sooner rather than wait a whole year to do it again.

(And, please, don't be shy! I had hundreds of page views from lurkers too shy to post!)

Cake batter and sprinkle bark

2011-11-12T07:46:00.000-05:00

This recipe comes to you by way of one of of my favorite bloggers these days -- you guessed it -- Sweetapolita. Obviously I haven't outgrown my childhood need for sprinkles, because this called out for me as soon as I saw it on Rosie's blog. Heck, my favorite donut is the Hawaiian so this was a no-brainer.
You may notice some of the nonpareils and jimmies are not evenly distributed. That's because I decided I would include my son in this venture and he just dumped them right in the middle as I yelped and tried to spread them in the melting chocolate. And he went back to watching race cars on his iPad. Right.

But the beauty of this bark is that it's okay to be uneven, crooked.

Substitutions: Really the decoration is up to you so it shouldn't even count as a substitution but I used silver and gold dust as well as the nonpareils and jimmies, which is not so obvious in this photo. Why not use Christmas-coloured sprinkles instead, if you are making these for the holidays? Or baby blue and white ones for a shower? It's a blank canvas, really.

Would I make this again? Maybe. Probably, for my kid's next birthday if there are other children there. But I have to admit I liked this recipe for bark better. It's one of my first blog posts ever, and I have made it again and again. It's more time consuming, though, and better suited to the mature crowd than the under-four-foot set.

Grade: Three-and-a-half stars out of five.

Pssst. Have you entered my cookbook giveaway yet? It's still open. Go do it now!

Fancy a Snog? Blogiversary cookbook giveaway!

2011-11-07T06:42:00.000-05:00

It's been three years since I published my first post on this blog, and I can hardly believe it. In the three years since I launched Caramels, Bonbons et Chocolats, I've moved house, had a baby, improved my photography skills, returned to work, launched an Etsy shop for cupcake decorations with my sister, shed 60 pounds of marital and baby weight, and met some wonderful people online and in real life who share my passion for baking. It's been a real thrill.

In honour of my blogiversary, I've decided to give away a book, the "Snog Healthy Treats Cookbook."

What can you expect in this cookbook? "Yogurt, Granita & Other Frozen Treats: Frozen Yogurt in three flavours; Natural, Green Tea and Chocolate, tasty toppings, such as Dark Chocolate and Cashew Slivers or Peanut Pineapple Chunks, other treats include Pomegranate Vanilla Pod Frozen Yogurt. Gluten-free Healthy Baked Treats featured are Tangerine, Olive Oil and Hazelnut Cake and Orange and Blossom Custard Cakes. ... Raw Food recipes to try are Lemon Cashew Bars and Mojito Mousse on Coconut Crunch.

"Finally, a selection of fresh Smoothies & Drinks includes Iced Almond Chai, Orange Agua Fresca with Beet Swirl and Papaya Lassi."

**CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED. Thanks for the entries! **

So what's the catch?

All you need to do is leave a comment telling me your name, where you're from, your favourite blog post on my blog, and your email so I can contact you for your address if you win the book.

If you'd prefer to keep your email address anonymous, just send me your email address at mary.sagharian (at) gmail.com (but you still need to leave a comment with the other details.)

I'll select an entry using a random number generator based on the number of your entry and I will ship the book to the winner. You have one week, until midnight ET on November 14 to post an entry. I will announce the winner on November 16.

To give you some food for thought before you post a comment on your favorite post on this blog, below you'll find my 10 most popular posts over the past year.

Bon appetit!

10 most-popular posts on Caramels, Bonbons et Chocolats over the past year (starting from most popular):

Pumpkin-Swirl Brownies

2011-11-06T07:13:00.002-05:00

Sometimes, admittedly, I feel lazy. My friends and family may tell you I'm definitely not lazy because I'm always on the go, but sometimes I just don't feel like seeing a recipe through.

So I take shortcuts. Case in point: During my quick stop at Trader Joe's in Boston, one of the mixes I picked up was a brownie mix. In fact, it shouldn't even be called a mix, because you didn't have to add anything to it, just pour it into a brownie pan and bake. How amazing is that? But, I had leftover pumpkin puree and I wondered if there was a recipe that could help me combine both flavours.

A short Google search told me Martha Stewart had the answer (of course she did). Pumpkin-Swirl Brownies! You can find the recipe here. You can substitute any other quick brownie mix into this recipe, or perhaps follow the recipe if you have the time.

Substitutions: Other than the obvious, I did make a mistake. Rather than topping the chocolate batter with the pumpkin, I mixed them. The result was a less-obvious pumpkin component. I'm not convinced my brownies would have had that bright orange pumpkin colour even if I had followed the recipe to the letter, but you'll want to read this recipe over a couple of times. I found the wording wasn't very clear.

Would I make this again: I don't think so. It was good but at the end of the day I like the more fudge, less cake-like brownies and I had to keep these in the oven for so long to cook these through that the edges became rather dry. It's worth experimenting if you love the taste combination, however, because the flavours were definitely there.

Grade: Three stars out of five.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Tarts

2011-11-05T08:36:00.000-04:00

Do you love chocolate chip cookies? Do you love the buttery goodness of a pie? Do you want to whip up something quickly with what you have in your pantry? You'll want to bookmark this post.

I first read about Bakerella's Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie, when a friend of mine told me she was making this recipe alongside pumpkin pie for their family's Thanksgiving celebrations. I was intrigued, and I couldn't resist searching for the ingredients in my pantry.
I usually have a frozen pie crust or two in my freezer but when I realized I ran out, I thought I was out of luck. Fortunately, I found a box of frozen tart shells which I used instead. About half of the batter was left over but I just froze it until I was able to buy the frozen pie shells and make the pie version on another date.

Long story short: This recipe is easily adaptable. Add more nuts, or less chocolate chips if you wish and it will still be a winner.

Substitutions: Tart shells rather than pie shells. Just keep an eye on them as they bake, they will bake in about half the time the recipe calls for (about 30 minutes rather than an hour) but it will depend on your oven. They may still seem slightly under baked after you pull them out, but don't forget they keep baking even after they're out of the oven.

Would I make this again? Yes, like I mentioned I pulled out the leftover frozen batter, let it sit at room temperature for a bit and then filled another frozen pie shell when I had company coming over unexpectedly. This is not the most, shall we say, high-brow of desserts. But it will do the trick with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream.

Grade: Four stars out of five. No matter what, I will always feel guilty for using a frozen pie shell or tart. And I wouldn't necessarily serve this to my foodie friends who have come to except something fancy at the end of dinner. But you can get the goodness of a chocolate chip cookie without worrying about burning it, and without worrying about the batter spreading. And there isn't a single person who wouldn't take at least one bite of this tart. This recipe is a home cook's dream come true.

Sweetapolita's Cinnabon-style cinnamon rolls

2011-10-28T06:35:00.000-04:00

Listen, if you are on a diet, don't make these. Because there is absolutely no way you can exercise portion control if you get a whiff. Maybe you will have the self control to devour only half of one after pulling them out of the oven and smearing on the frosting. You'd be forgiven for ripping off a piece and swallowing it whole. Indeed.

But the next morning when you open the fridge and find the tray of cinnamon rolls staring at you, you will find yourself reaching for a plate and warming another one in the microwave for a few seconds and then slathering on more frosting. The aroma is intoxicating, the rolls soft, the frosting perfectly sticky sweet. The smell lingers and snakes its down from the kitchen and into the family room and taps you on the shoulder, impatiently, reminding you it's ready for the taking.

The only way around it is to make these and give them away. Right away. I am speaking from experience. If you haven't already met her yet, allow me to introduce you to cake designer Sweetapolita, also known as Rosie Alyea aka my new girl crush. I find myself checking her blog incessantly, endlessly inspired by the whimsy in her cakes and cupcakes. And she is a true perfectionist.

If you couldn't tell by her photographs, you will know from her recipes. Detailed yes, but they also pass the taste test once you try them yourself. She's also a local, having been taught by the likes of some of the best in the business at the Bonnie Gordon School of Confectionary Arts, where I attended a few classes and have blogged about in the past. Well, that's quite an introduction isn't it? Rosie, if you're reading this, I'd love to meet you for tea and to worship at your feet. Serious. Anywho, you can find the recipe for these cinnamon rolls here.

At first I wondered whether it would be worth it to go to all this trouble to make just 12 rolls, but the truth is it wasn't all that much trouble and these are 12 gigantic rolls.

Substitutions: None, but I did end up letting the dough rise for hours, rather than just one hour, due to circumstances out of my control when I had to rush out of the house to deal with a family emergency. When I returned, I punched some of the air out of the dough, but I'm convinced these would have not turned out quite so doughy if I had returned on time. For that reason, I was unable to roll the dough quite as thin and then to roll it as tightly as I hoped. In the future, I will take greater care to do so, and I think the rolls will look better and have more layers for the cinnamon-brown sugar mix to hide in.

Would I make this again? Um, yep. I probably will, because ordinary cinnamon rolls can't live up this recipe And you should probably make it too, as long as you are not within smell-wafting distance because I may have to break down your door.

Grade: Five stars out of five.

Martha Stewart's Honey-Cinnamon Frosting

2011-10-25T06:00:00.000-04:00

I'm always on the lookout for great-tasting frosting, which pipes well, and isn't necessarily buttercream. I was in a bind one afternoon when I realized I had to make a quick frosting.

I needed to take photos of our Famous 'Stache Movember cupcake toppers and wrappers for our Etsy shop Frost and Fete (see the entire set here) but I didn't want to waste all my butter on making buttercream I didn't even like.

I quickly rifled through my well-loved edition of Martha Stewart's "Cupcakes" and found something I hoped, and prayed would work out. The photo in the book didn't reveal whether it would pipe beautifully or if it was just one of those slather and smear frostings.

Fortunately for me this honey-cinnamon frosting came together just beautifully, piped easily, and to top it all off -- it's delicious. Normally I don't dedicate an entire post to frosting, but this one is a winner and this post jumped to the front of the line. If you don't like honey, you might find this a bit strong and a bit too sweet, but that's how I like it.

Also, you'll need a touch more food colouring than you're used to because this frosting is not snow-white but if you use the good quality colouring you'll be fine.

Martha Stewart's Pumpkin-Chocolate Tiramisu

2011-10-20T07:00:00.000-04:00

If you love pumpkin, if you love chocolate, heck even if you just love cake, you will love this dessert.

I found this recipe after doing some Googling to find a way to use up my leftover pumpkin puree.

And I'm so very glad I took a chance on this revamp of the classic Italian dessert. Luscious, moist, delicate, the perfect combination of fall flavours. What can I say? I'm a big fan of this dessert.

It came together rather easily, especially because it's a no-bake recipe, as you will know if you've made tiramisu before. If you are a tiramisu purist, don't be turned off. The pumpkin flavour works in harmony with the chocolate and almond-flavoured liqueur despite any apprehensions you might have.

And if you follow my lead, and lightly brush the ladyfingers rather than soaking them until they fall apart, this tiramisu will hold its consistency rather nicely and keep its layers distinct and intact. (Don't use up the cocoa mixture, you may have some liquid left over).

Otherwise, I fear you may run the risk of producing something that is more like a mousse than the shape and consistency of a tiramisu as you know it. You can find the recipe on the Martha Stewart website.

Substitutions: None, but I do wish I had mixed in some instant espresso powder in with the cocoa powder to add that coffee flavour. Granted, it may be a touch strong for some palates, but that's how I like my coffee - and my desserts.

Would I make the again? Oh yes. Maybe even for the upcoming holiday season. It's lovely to look at it, lovely to taste, and holds it's flavour and shape extremely well in the refrigerator even a couple of days after you first made it.

Grade: Five stars out of five. Not only is it a sophisticated way to end a dinner party but chances are good your guests have never tried anything like it.

Pumpkin muffins with cinnamon streusel

2011-10-15T07:00:00.000-04:00

I was in Boston to attend a conference last month and I entered Trader Joe's to grab a bottle of water. I had five minutes to get in and out. In the span of those few seconds on the way to the cash register, I ended up grabbing a bottle of organic agave syrup, a store-brand brownies mix, and also a dry mix to make pumpkin bread.

All told, I spent just a few bucks if you can believe it. I couldn't believe my eyes. That would never happen in Toronto. Anything organic or foodie is going to set you back, as some of my dear readers will attest. When I came home, I threw open the door to my baking cupboard and things started falling out: piping tips, candles, a jar of maraschino cherries. (I guess I'm one of those clean-counters, messy-cupboards kind of people).

In any case, I started weeding through all the bags of sugar and flour that had accumulated and realized there was no time like Thanksgiving weekend (last weekend for us Canadian folks) to make something with the pumpkin bread mix.

But rather than pumpkin bread, I decided to make pumpkin muffins. I wanted to jazz them up and add some crunch so I quickly looked up a recipe for cinnamon streusel and tossed that together too. At first it looked like I had much too much streusel, and ended up disposing of some of it after putting just a teaspoon or two on top of each muffin cup.

But after I pulled the muffins out of the oven I realized I could have used all the streusel and they would have turned out even better. The streusel gave these muffins that perfect muffin top crunchiness eulogized on Seinfeld.

If you can't get to Trader Joe's or you are secretly judging me for making muffins from a box, than use this recipe from a previous blog post. But you may want to try this cinnamon streusel instead. It doesn't compete with the pumpkin flavours. Just delish.

Marie-Helene's apple cake

2011-10-14T06:03:00.000-04:00

It's been nearly a year since I made this cake for my father's birthday and I'll admit part of the reason why I haven't written about it until now is because I'm disappointed in the photo. But this cake was so simply delicious I'd be remiss in my duty to my blog readers if I skipped it entirely.

I made this cake around the time Dorie Greenspan's "Around the French Table" came out, a book that has not once disappointed me. A book you must purchase if you haven't already. I've written about Dorie Greenspan several times already and there's good reason for that.

She's a true francophile who writes recipes for the everyday person but works with the top professionals. Her recipes turn out. Every time. How many times can you say that about someone else? In any case, the reason why I baked this cake for my dad's birthday is because he expects me to bake him a cake every year, even if he doesn't admit it. His birthday falls right after Christmas, and by then we've run out of gift ideas (he always asks for lottery tickets and socks, and well, that's boring.) And finally, my father prefers fruit-based cakes to sugary confections with heavy frosting. So, Marie-Helene's apple cake it was. You can find the recipe here. I don't think he reads this blog so I'm not giving away any secrets

So, how did it turn out, you're apt to be wondering by now. Well, my sister called me to demand "What the heck is in this cake? It's amazing!" The cake, well, it looks somewhat homely. My camera skills are partly to blame for the appearance, admittedly. But the depth of flavours more than make up for that.

Substitutions: None. I did follow the recipe's instructions to use four different kinds of apples, though I can't remember what they were.

Would I make this again? I think I would. But in apple season. Perhaps to take on a picnic, or to bake for your family to eat throughout the weekend when the mood overtakes them, because it's the kind of cake that tastes even better the next day.

Grade: Four-and-a-half stars out of five. Simple. Delicious. Classically French. You can make it with ingredients you have on hand. And yet it won't taste like anything you've made before.

Paula Deen's red velvet cupcakes

2011-10-12T07:32:00.001-04:00

Now this, THIS is a red velvet cupcake. I've blogged about #redvelvetfails in the past. (Ahem, Martha). But then, came Paula Deen, and her full-fat, high in sugar, full of love recipes, y'all. High in calories but delish. And lo and behold, I became a red velvet baking queen. I made her recipe for a baby shower (you can see how they looked here, awfully cute with pink roses) but I didn't stop there.

The problem with the Martha Stewart recipe was that it fell flat in flavour and colour. If you're anti-food colouring, you're not going to like this recipe. But that's what it comes down to. Good food colouring. Not the Wilton brand or the stuff you find at the grocery store.You'll need to order some from the professional baking stores or from Williams-Sonoma. The better the quality the less you need to use. If you're still with me, here's the recipe from Paula Deen.

The photo at top is how I decorated my regular-sized cupcakes while the ones below are mini cupcakes I decorated for Valentine's Day. Really, though, I think the ones in the top photo are the way to go. So grab some red decorating sugar while you're picking up the food colouring gel.

Substitutions: None. But I used the best possible ingredients: Valhrona cocoa, Nielsen-Massey vanilla extract, full-fat cream cheese. If you're going to make red velvet cupcakes, at least make them properly. If you're on a diet. Just eat half of what you would normally eat. Or eat a mini. It'll sate your sweet tooth and keep you just as happy as eating the whole thing, believe me.

Would I make these again? Oh yes. Oh yes and yes. I bought a red velvet mini at a gourmet food shop just yesterday and it was obviously slightly old because it was dry. These are better.

Grade: Five stars out of five. Iconic, moist, impressive. Can't go wrong. Make a huge batch and freeze them if you must (wrap in plastic wrap and then put in air-tight containers or baggies.

Lemon-kissed buttercream cupcakes

2011-10-10T08:00:00.001-04:00

While I tend to fall back on tried-and-true cupcake recipes such as vanilla bean or Devil's Food, sometimes I yearn for a little lemon.

I made these for a springtime party but I've also made them since then for a baby shower. I found this recipe online when I wanted something a bit more sophisticated at the last minute and I knew I had lemons in the fridge.

I can't remember if I've mentioned before but I'm not the biggest fan of buttercream.

I love how it looks when you pipe it, but there are certain recipes that just taste much too buttery for my taste. This recipe changed my mind. This has become my favourite buttercream recipe ever.

If you don't like lemon, suck it up and try it out anyway. You will be pleasantly surprised I think. A testament to how much I like this recipe is the fact that it's bookmarked on my BlackBerry. I finished these cupcakes off simply my placing them in these Wilton flower-shaped liners I had on hand.