CakeSpy

Stick It: Chocolate Covered Brownie on a Stick from Hot Cookie, San Francisco

noreply@blogger.com (Cakespy) — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 02:29:00 +0000

What food isn't enhanced by being served on a stick?

While you mull over that question for the ages, let me present the most delicious thing consumed by a Cake Gumshoe recently: the chocolate covered brownie on a stick from Hot Cookie in the Castro neighborhood of San Francisco.

When you enter Hot Cookie, you'll notice a few things. First, the attractive and well-groomed fellas that man the store do not look like they eat many cookies. However, they are awfully friendly and cute, and serve them up with a sweet sense of humor--in addition to the expected chocolate chip, oatmeal, and peanut butter varieties, they also have a variety of bar cookies, including erotic varieties (which prompted one CitySearch reviewer to aptly dub it "sort of a younger, borderline lewd Mrs. Field's"), and--the star of this writeup--the chocolate covered brownie on a stick.

Undoubtedly you'll take on the task of eating this sweet treat already liking it (it is on a stick, after all), but happily, you'll continue to enjoy it as the chocolatey taste hits. The chocolate coating is simply ingenious--not only does it ensure that the brownie stays planted on the popsicle stick, but it also keeps the brownie moist and offers an added hit of decadence. The brownie itself is fudgy and very chocolatey, not necessarily subtle, but around bite three or four you might just find yourself not caring about that very much.

(CakeSpy Note: Oh, and if you happen to have a four-legged friend with you, we found that the nearby Best in Show had a great variety of pup-cakes and treats).

Hot Cookie, 407 Castro Street, San Francisco, CA; (415) 621-2350‎.

Pork Roll: Bacon Cinnamon Rolls By Rainy Day Gal

noreply@blogger.com (Cakespy) — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 17:41:00 +0000

CakeSpy Note: This is a guest post from Rainy Day Gal (a.k.a. Jenny Miller), a fellow Seattle blogger with a major sweet tooth. Her current endeavor is "The 12 Days of Bakemas"--12 days, 12 recipes, and 12 million dirty dishes."

Yeah, you heard me.

You're not going to believe these. And you're really not going to
believe how ridiculously easy they are to make. My nine-month old could
bake em.

You need two ingredients:

1. Bacon.

2. Cinnamon rolls. I swear by these "Grands" Cinnabon doodleybobs.

Of course, if you're feeling ambitious, you could always make your
own. But if you're exhausted, have been picking up Cheerios off the
floor for two months, and have no energy to shower let alone make your own
dang cinnamon rolls, stick with me.

Click here for more!

First, fry up that bacon. Not all the way--give it sort of a half-fry. You
don't want to make it too crunchy because it'll snap when you try to roll
it up into those cinnamonny buns. Plus, it'll cook more in le oven.

Let it drain on paper towels. For big cinnamon rolls, you'll need two
slices of bacon per roll. For the tiny guys, you just need one.

Pop that can. How I looove that sound. Separate the rolls.

Unroll them on a piece of parchment paper or a big ol' cutting board.

Lay the bacon strips across the dough....

...roll 'em up...

...lay them in a greased pan and bake according to package directions.

Sit by the oven and twiddle your thumbs.

Ding! They're done!

Frost 'em.

Smell 'em.

Ready?

Set?

SWOON.

I think these things have to qualify as a religious experience. Someone
call the Vatican.

And it's a crime how easy they are to make. Something this good you should
have to work for, right?

Wrong.

Make these Christmas morning. Thank me later.

Happy 6th Day of Bakemas!

-RDG

Bacon Cinnamon Rolls

Buy bacon.
Buy cinnamon rolls.
Cook bacon.
Roll bacon into cinnamon rolls.
Bake cinnamon rolls.
Frost cinnamon rolls.
Eat cinnamon rolls.
Repeat.

Use Your Eggnoggin: Eggnog Nanaimo Bars For Serious Eats

noreply@blogger.com (Cakespy) — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 04:51:00 +0000

Anyone who has ever had a Nanaimo bar knows they are a singular sensation of a treat: unforgivingly rich, unbelievably indulgent, and completely irresistible.

And in celebration of the holidays, I'd like to present a version that is, if possible, even more over-the-top decadent: the Holiday Eggnog Nanaimo Bar. This variation is heaped with serious holiday cheer including a spicy, nutty white chocolate top layer and a rich, creamy, eggnog-and-booze-infused middle layer.

These bars are truly the stuff that dreams (and New Year's resolutions) are made of: your arteries may say no, but you'll find it hard to stop saying yes.

For the full post and recipe, check out Serious Eats!

America the Sweet: The First Published Christmas Cookie Recipe in America

noreply@blogger.com (Cakespy) — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 20:00:00 +0000

Christmas is rich in tradition--and equally rich in cookies (hooray!). But have you ever paused to wonder what the cookie selection might have been like for our ancestors?

Well, in case you had been curious, here is a recipe from what is largely considered America's first cookbook (to clarify, the first cookbook featuring American food published in America--there had been other British books which had been released here previously), American Cookery by Amelia Simmons, which was published in 1796.

If these cookies sound more like hockey pucks than delicious treats to you, please, don't despair--after all, as Amelia advises that "if put in an earthen pot, and dry cellar, or damp room, they will be finer, softer and better when six months old." Whew!

Christmas Cookey

From American Cookery by Amelia Simmons, 1796

"To three pound of flour, sprinkle a tea cup of fine powdered coriander seed, rub in one pound of butter, and one and a half pound sugar, dissolve one teaspoonful of pearlash (a rising agent) in a tea cup of milk, knead all together well, roll three quarters of an inch thick, and cut or stamp into shape and slice you please, bake slowly fifteen or twenty minutes; tho' hard and dry at first, if put in an earthen pot, and dry cellar, or damp room, they will be finer, softer and better when six months old."

Babka's Your Uncle: A Carbohydratey Christmas Breakfast Idea from Rainy Day Gal

noreply@blogger.com (Cakespy) — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 06:07:00 +0000

CakeSpy Note: This is a guest post from Rainy Day Gal (a.k.a. Jenny Miller), a fellow Seattle blogger with a major sweet tooth. Her current endeavor is "The 12 Days of Bakemas"--12 days, 12 recipes, and 12 million dirty dishes."

Bab-what? Bab-who?

The word is Babka, my friends, and you should really get to know each other.

What is babka, you ask? It's an eastern European bread twisted and rolled up with chocolate and cinnamony goodness, topped off with a sprinkling of streusel.

Why is it called babka? Because it's darn fun to say. Or, as my other good friend Wikipedia informed me, it stems from the Polish noun "baba," meaning grandmother--so-named because of its resemblance to a grandmother.

Huh. I don't know about your grandmother, but mine is definitely twisted, stuffed with chocolate and perpetually covered in streusel. Quite a fitting name, I'd say.

Before we get going, I must say: of what I have made so far in this 12 days of Bakemas adventure, chocolate babka has been by far my favorite. And here are the reasons why:

1) The dough is soft and chewy like the inside of a cinnamon roll.

2) Said dough is covered in melted chocolate.

3) The streusel on top gives it a buttery, sugary crunch.

4) It's pretty and swirly and twisty.

5) It's fun to say. Babka. Baaaabka. You try.

Alright. Enough talkie talkie. Ready to do this thing?

Let's go.

(Click here for the full recipe and directions!)

You need flour. Bread flour and all-purpose, please.

Also snag some cocoa powder, salt, powdered sugar, granulated sugar, and cinnamon from your pantry.

You'll also need vanilla extract, 1 packet of dry active yeast, cooking spray, butter, one egg (yolk only), and 3/4 cup of 1% milk.

And finally, the star of the show: Chocolate. Semi-sweet, and 4 ounces of it.

Now, put on that apron (or as I like to call it, an "old college sweatshirt") and let's begin.

Warm up the milk and pour it into the bowl of a stand mixer.

Add 1 teaspoon granulated sugar (make sure your camera is not in focus during this step: very important)...

...and that packet-o-yeast. Turn on the mixer and blend until the yeast has dissolved. Let stand 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, measure out 6 tablespoons of granulated sugar. Turns out it's about 1/3 cup. Throw in 1/4 teaspoon salt while you're at it.

Add the sugar/salt mixture...

...1 teaspoon vanilla extract...

...and egg yolk. Give it a stir.

Measure out 1/3 cup all-purpose flour and add 1 1/4 cups bread flour.

Switch attachments to your dough hook, but not before pretending to be Captain Hook for 4 minutes.

Slowly add the flours while the mixer is running. Mix until a purdy dough begins to form.

Now, soften 5 tablespoons of butter...

...and add it to the dough. Mix until all of the buttah is incorporated.

Turn the whole mess out onto a floured surface. Warning: it's a gonna be sticky. And greasy.

Keep 1/3 cup all-purpose flour right next to ya...

...and knead for about 10 minutes, adding the flour a tablespoon at a time until it no longer sticks to your hands. The dough should be smooove and elastic.

Spray a bowl (non-metal, please) with cooking spray, plop in that mound-o-dough, give it a flip to coat the whole durn thing with cooking spray, cover, and let rest in a warm place for about 1 1/2 hours (or until it's doubled in size).

Meanwhile, grab that bee-youtiful chocolate.

Give it a good chop...

...and throw it in a bowl.

Add 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder.

Give it a good stir.

Alrighty. We've done the dough and the filling. Now let's prep the streusel.

In a bowl, combine 1 tablespoon butter, one tablespoon flour, and one tablespoon powdered sugar.

Mash it all up with a fork, and then stick it in the fridge until we're ready to use it.

Finally, let's get our bread pan ready. Line the bottom with parchment paper, and then spray the whole dang thing with cooking spray.

Now would also be a good time to preheat your oven to 350°.

Is your dough ready? If you're not sure, press two fingers into it. If the indentations stay put, it's good to go. If not, let it rise longer.

If it's ready, punch it down, re-cover, and let rest five minutes.

Now then. Flip it out onto a floured surface and roll into a 15"x15" square.

Spread out the filling on top of the dough, leaving a little room at the edges.

Roll it up nice and tight, pinching the edges closed....

...and give it a few good twists. That is what's going to make it all swirly and purdy.

Squeeze it into your bread pan. If it looks like a snake, that's cool. It won't taste like one. I promise.

Crumble the streusel on top, and stick this bad boy in the oven for 40 minutes, or until it sounds hollow when you tap the top.

Or until it looks like this.

Oh my.

This is going to be gooood.

Let it cool in the pan for a few minutes, then flip it out onto a wire rack to let cool completely. And by "completely," I mean as long as you can prevent yourself from ripping that sucker in half and inhaling the whole dang thing.

I think I lasted all of 7.5 minutes. I then cut out the middle piece (above) and scarfed it.

Then I let the rest of the loaf cool like a good little gal.

I must say, this stuff was delicious warm and cold. When it was warm, the chocolate was melty and gooey. But when it was cold, the chocolate had hardened and gave it delicious little rungs of texture.

I'd love this bread warm on Christmas morning. Coffee, a warm, gooey slice of this chocolatey delight, and hanging out with my favorite peeps.

Heavenly.

Happy 12 Days of Bakemas!

-RDG

Chocolate Babka Recipe

from Cooking Light

Ingredients for dough

1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
3/4 cup warm 1% low-fat milk (105° to 110°)
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten
7.5 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 2/3 cups), divided
5.85 ounces bread flour (about 1 1/4 cups)
5 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces and softened
Cooking spray

Ingredients for Filling
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
Ingredients for streusel
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon butter, softened
Procedure

Dissolve 1 teaspoon granulated sugar and yeast in warm milk in the bowl of a stand mixer; let stand 5 minutes. Stir in 6 tablespoons granulated sugar, vanilla extract, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and egg yolk. Weigh or lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Add 6 ounces (about 1 1/3 cups) all-purpose flour and bread flour to milk mixture; beat with dough hook attachment at medium speed until well blended (about 2 minutes). Add 5 tablespoons butter, beating until well blended. Scrape dough out onto a floured surface (dough will be very sticky). Knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes); add 1.5 ounces (about 1/3 cup) all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands (dough will be very soft).
Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 1 1/2 hours or until doubled in size. (Gently press two fingers into dough. If indentation remains, dough has risen enough.) Punch dough down; cover and let dough rest 5 minutes.
Line the bottom of a 9 x 5?inch loaf pan with parchment paper; coat sides of pan with cooking spray.
To prepare filling, combine 1/2 cup granulated sugar, cocoa, cinnamon, salt, and chocolate in a medium bowl; set aside.
Place dough on a generously floured surface; roll dough out into a 16-inch square. Sprinkle filling over dough, leaving a 1/4-inch border around edges. Roll up dough tightly, jelly-roll fashion; pinch seam and ends to seal. Holding dough by ends, twist dough 4 times as if wringing out a towel. Fit dough into prepared pan. Cover and let rise 45 minutes or until doubled in size.
Preheat oven to 350°.
To prepare streusel, combine powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, and 1 tablespoon softened butter, stirring with a fork until mixture is crumbly; sprinkle streusel evenly over dough. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until loaf is browned on bottom and sounds hollow when tapped. Cool bread in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool bread completely on wire rack before slicing.

Foodbuzz 24, 24, 24: A Sweet Snowball Cookie Celebration

noreply@blogger.com (Cakespy) — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 07:56:00 +0000

Snowballs. Russian Tea Cakes. Greek Kourambiedes. Bullets. Mexican Wedding Cakes. Viennese Crescents. Moldy Mice. Armenian Sugar Cookies. What does this international sampler of cookies have in common? Quite a bit, it seems--they are just a few (I've counted over 20!) of the countless riffs on the same basic cookie, comprised of butter and (usually) ground nuts, a melt-in-your mouth treat which is liberally coated in confectioners' sugar and seems to be a mainstay in so many special occasions.

So what gives? I took it upon myself to learn more about this cookie, ultimately applying the knowledge in the sweetest way possible for the December Foodbuzz 24, 24, 24 project: by taste-testing seven different batches of these international treats with a group of friends and reporting not only on the intellectual findings, but dishing on the goods as well.

But first, a little background. What's up with this cookie? Foodtimeline.org offers up the 411:

According to several food history sources and cookbooks...these are a universal holiday cookie-type treat. This means this recipe is not necessarily connected to any one specific country. It is connected with the tradition of saving rich and expensive food (the richest butter, finest sugar, choicest nuts) for special occasions.

Of course, that having been said, the cookies do perhaps take their root from the Middle East:

Food historians trace the history of these cookies and cakes to Medieval Arab cuisine, which was rich in sugar. Small sugar cakes with nuts (most often almonds) and spices were known to these cooks and quickly adopted by the Europeans. This sweet culinary tradition was imported by the Moors to Spain, diffused and assimilated throughout Europe, then introduced to the New World by 16th century explorers. Sugar cookies, as we know them today, made their appearance in th 17th century. About sugar. Recipes called Mexican wedding cakes descend from this tradition. They first appear in American cookbooks in the 1950s.

See? I bet you're feeling smarter already. And now, Let it snow confectioners' sugar:

Snowballs

About the cookie: This is probably the most famous American version of the cookie--its name seems to stem from their appearance after being rolled in confectioners' sugar. The first mention I could find was a 1939 article in the Chicago Tribune, where it says "don't wait for signs of snow to make these frosty-looking snowball cookies, for they're good in any season". Regional variations will call for filberts, almonds, walnuts, or pecans.
Tasting notes: I made the standard-issue version not unlike the ones I grew up with. These ones, made with walnuts, tasted nostalgic, but didn't necessarily separate themselves from the crowd. But still--they were a delight to eat.

Snowball Recipe

Ingredients

2 cups sifted flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1-1/2 cups chopped walnuts
1-lb. confectioners sugar to roll cookies in

Directions

Sift flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix butter with sugar until very light and fluffy. Mix in flour mixture. Stir in walnuts. Refrigerate until easy to handle.
Make balls in the palm of your hand by tablespoons. Place on a lightly greased cookie sheet, and bake in a 350 degree F. oven until golden brown, being careful bottoms do not burn.
Place confectioners sugar in a large bowl. Take cookies from oven and gently put into bowl. Carefully, they are hot, toss cookies in sugar until they are coated.

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Bullets

About the cookie: These cookies are closely related to the snowball--in fact, I might even surmise that they are a regional version of them, based on the fact that some snowball recipes list a possible variation as using macadamia nuts. However, these ones intrigued me: in the leadup to the recipe, the writer notes that "when we were growing up, my sister Tammie rated these her favorite cookie".
Tasting Notes: Clearly sister Tammie knew what she was talking about. These cookies are the absolute lap of luxury. Flavorwise, they couldn't be more rich: the already buttery-tasting macadamia nuts pair perfectly with this buttery cookie, and they really do just crumble in your mouth. Yes, macadamias are expensive--but this one is worth the splurge. These were one of the top two cookies tasted.

Bullets Recipe

Adapted from Cookies by Natalie Hartanov Haughton

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup flour
1 cup chopped macadamia nuts
confectioners' sugar

Directions
Preheat oven to 350. In a medium bowl, beat together butter, granulated sugar and vanilla until creamy. Add flour, beating until well blended. If necessary, work with fingers until dough holds together. Blend in nuts. Shape into one-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 15-17 minutes, or until bottoms are golden. Remove cookie sheets; cool on racks. After they have cooled for about 30 minutes, roll in confectioners' sugar, coating completely. Makes 30.
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Greek Kourambiedes (or Kourabiethes)

About the cookie: On Whipped, the site where I found this recipe, it says "in the bakeries of Greece, the Kourabiethes are piled up high and deep and look like a mound of little snowballs. My trusty, old-school Greek cookbook reads, 'Kourabiethes are the national cookies of the Greeks for Christmas and New Year’s Day.'
Tasting Notes: True to Whipped's word, these are truly "Greek little balls of heaven". The rosewater adds a certain je ne sais quoi to the cookies, giving them a unique flavor. I shaped some of these into crescents as well.

Greek Kourabiethes Recipe

Only slightly adapted from the recipe on Whipped

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter
about 2 cups of confectioners' sugar
1 egg yolk
1 T brandy
2 1/2 cups flour
1/8 teaspoon baking powder
rose water
1/2 cup finely chopped almonds

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix butter and 1 cup sugar until very light and fluffy. Stir in egg yolk and brandy. Mix sifted flour and baking powder in a separate bowl. Mix in the flour and baking powder a little at a time until dough no longer sticks to your fingers. Mix in almonds while mixing in flour, accomodating for the extra ingredient and not letting the cookies get too dry. Knead well until dough is smooth and can easily be rolled; shape into balls or crescents--follow your bliss. Place on parchment paper on a baking sheet. Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until very light brown. While still warm, brush very lightly with orange flower or rose water. Roll in confectioner’s sugar and set on a tray or plate. Use the remaining sugar to sift over top until well covered.
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Mexican Wedding Cakes

About the cookie: Per Foodtimeline.org,

The cookie is old, the name is new. Food historians place the first recipes named "Mexican wedding cakes" in the 1950s. Why the name? Our books and databases offer no explanations. Perhaps timing is everything? Culinary evidence confirms Mexican wedding cakes are almost identical to Russian Tea Cakes. During the 1950s and 1960s relations between Russia and the United States were strained. It is possible the Cold War provided the impetus for renaming this popular cookie. Coincidentally...this period saw the mainstreaming of TexMex cuisine into American culture.

Tasting Notes: What set these cookies apart was the addition of cinnamon--they added a spicy holiday flair to the cookies and really set them apart from the rest. As you can see by the photo, even pugs couldn't avoid the holiday charm of these cookies.

Mexican Wedding Cakes Recipe

Adapted from Epicurious

Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup pecans, toasted, coarsely ground
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until light and fluffy. Add 1/2 cup powdered sugar and vanilla; beat until well blended. Beat in flour, then pecans. Divide dough in half; form each half into ball. Wrap separately in plastic; chill until cold, about 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk remaining 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar and cinnamon in pie dish to blend. Set cinnamon sugar aside.
Working with half of chilled dough, roll dough by 2 teaspoonfuls between palms into balls. Arrange balls on heavy large baking sheet, spacing 1/2 inch apart. Bake cookies until golden brown on bottom and just pale golden on top, about 18 minutes. Cool cookies 5 minutes on baking sheet. Gently toss warm cookies in cinnamon sugar to coat completely. Transfer coated cookies to rack and cool completely. Repeat procedure with remaining half of dough. (Cookies can be prepared 2 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature; reserve remaining cinnamon sugar.)
Sift remaining cinnamon sugar over cookies and serve.

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Moldy Mice

About the cookie: This is a rich, buttery pecan cookie smothered in confectioners' sugar, which to the best of my knowledge first cropped up under this name in a 1950 Junior League cookbook entitled Charleston Receipts. What of the name? As you can read on Serious Eats (where you can also find the recipe) I have two theories: first, if you squint really hard at the cookies, they sort of resemble tiny mice covered with mold. Second--my favored theory--is that it is a clever deterrent technique dreamed up by a baker frustrated by their delectable morsels disappearing too quickly.
Tasting Notes: These rich, tender cookies were a big hit: toasting the pecans before baking really added something.

Moldy Mice Recipe

You can find it on Serious Eats!

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Russian Teacakes

About the cookie: Per foodtimeline.org,

Noble Russian cuisine (along with every other facet of noble life) was influenced by prevailing French customs during the 18th century. Tea was first introduced to Russia in 1618, but the Russian tea ceremony of samovars and sweet cakes was a legacy of Francophile Catherine the Great in the 18th century. It is interesting to note that A Gift to Young Housewives, Elena Molokhovet [1870s popular Russian cookbook] contains plenty of recipes for a variety of small baked goods, none specifically entitled Russian tea cakes. There are, however, several recipes which use similar ingredients.

Tasting notes: What can be said? This recipe is a classic.

Russian Teacakes Recipe

Adapted from Betty Crocker

Ingredients

1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup finely chopped nuts
1/4 teaspoon salt
Powdered sugar

Directions

Heat oven to 400ºF
Mix butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar and the vanilla in large bowl. Stir in flour, nuts and salt until dough holds together.
Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place about 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until set but not brown. Remove from cookie sheet. Cool slightly on wire rack.
Roll warm cookies in powdered sugar; cool on wire rack. Roll in powdered sugar again.

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Armenian Sugar Cookies (Shakarishee)

About the cookie: This is a traditional cookie, called shakarishee, which I am told is a commonly served item at weddings or other special occasions.
Tasting Notes: Sweeter than some others, this recipe yielded a cookie that looked more like a drop cookie when baked rather than holding a snowball shape; the nuts were only an accent in this version, but what held true to all of the other recipes was the texture, which was crumbly and dense and delicious. Taster Jasen, who is himself Armenian, commented that "these make me feel like I should be at an Armenian wedding".

Armenian Sugar Cookies Recipe

Adapted from this Shakarishee Recipe

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups flour
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 cup softened butter [unsalted]
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts

Directions

In a large bowl, beat together the butter, egg yolk and the sugar until smooth and almost white in color. Add flour and blend well. If you are using the nuts, this is the time to add them in. Shape into small rectangles about 3/4" by 1 1/2".
Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned on the sides. Note: The recipe notes that a blanched almond or walnut half can be placed on top of the cookie before baking, but for uniformity I did not add this.

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Viennese Crescents

About the cookie: Well, it seems that Vienna has a bit of a history with delicious crescents--could the shape of this cookie be connected to the other famous crescent from that fair city, the croissant? Read on for Wikipedia's roundup:

Fanciful stories of how the kipfel - and so, ultimately, the croissant - was created are culinary legends, at least one going back to the 19th century. These include tales that it was invented in Europe to celebrate the defeat of a Muslim invasion at the decisive Battle of Tours by the Franks in 732, with the shape representing the Islamic crescent;that it was invented in Vienna, Austria in 1683 to celebrate the defeat of the Turks to Polish forces in the Turkish siege of the city, as a reference to the crescents on the Turkish flags, when bakers staying up all night heard the tunneling operation and gave the alarm; tales linking croissants with the kifli and the siege of Buda in 1686; and those detailing Marie Antoinette's hankering after a Polish specialty.

Tasting Notes: This is a winner. The almonds paired with almond extract was an idea I got from Cook's Illustrated, and it really did give the cookies a full, almond-y flavor and helped balance out the fact that almonds are a drier nut than some of the more smooth, buttery varieties I had tried in other recipes. These were simply lovely.

Viennese Crescents Recipe

Makes about 36

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup butter
1 cup ground almonds
1/2 cup sifted confectioners' sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 F.
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, butter, nuts, 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, salt, almond extract, and vanilla. Hand mix until thoroughly blended. Shape dough into a ball; cover and refrigerate for about an hour.
Remove dough from refrigerator and form into 1 inch balls. Roll each ball into a small roll, 3 inches long. Place rolls 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet, and bend each one to make a crescent shape.
Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until set but not brown.
Let stand 1 minute, then remove from cookie sheets and place on racks to cool. After about 30 minutes, dip cookies in the confectioners' sugar to coat them. If not served right away, dip them again directly before serving to ensure a snowy coating.

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So, to sum it all up? It was particularly sweet to see how this cookie transcends so many borders: even though our cultures may be very different, we all have some sort of variation of this cookie in common. Regardless of the language you speak or the culture you come from, a cookie made of butter, ground nuts, and coated in confectioners' sugar is a type of equality that is within reach for everyone: easy to make, and completely delicious.

Cake Byte: Cake Central Magazine to Launch in March 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Cakespy) — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 02:44:00 +0000

I don't know about you, but I get totally excited when I hear about something new in the cake community. And a sweet bit of news recently came my way via Leanne, whose delicious cakes I have sampled and who has purchased my artwork--she's part of a new cake publication, Cake Central, which will be publishing their first issue in March of 2010!

Here's the blurb from the Cake Central website:

Cake Makers, Foodies, and Cake Enthusiasts alike have been waiting for a first-class cake decorating magazine and that wait is over. Cake Central’s Glossy Printed Magazine is coming in March and currently taking subscription orders.

The cost of the (monthly) magazine is only $60/year with FREE shipping within the USA.

The pages of Cake Central the Magazine will feature:

high quality cake pictures

up-and-coming and celebrity cake decorators

recipes

tutorials

product reviews

and more for the novice

and the professional cake decorator.

This premium publication is ideal for anyone who bakes, makes cakes, aspires to make cakes, watches cake decorating shows, or has an interest in beautiful food!

I can't wait too see what they come up with! For more information or to subscribe, visit the Cake Central website.

Sweet Art: Sweet Tooth of the Tiger Bake Sale Residency Program

noreply@blogger.com (Cakespy) — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 02:28:00 +0000

Sweet Tooth of the Tiger is at it again, with a feisty new art-meets-sweets idea: The Bake Sale Residency Program! If you are in NYC and want to learn more, there is an upcoming info session; read on for some details about the project and the place and time can be found at the bottom of this posting!

As you may know, the Residency Program is a way for people who like to bake to raise money for a creative project. Need costumes for a performance? Travel funds to attend a conference? Mini DV tapes for a video project? A bake sale held at a highly trafficked art event can help.

Sweet Tooth of the Tiger will be hosting an information session at 303 Grand gallery in Brooklyn on Wednesday, January 13th from 7-9pm. As an interest to participate in the Residency Program grows, this required information session (for all prospective Residents) will be a space for learning about the process of the Residency, asking any questions you may have, as well as mingling with other prospective Residents. Please come out and join us in January! Cookies will be served! RSVP's are requested but not required. Email me to RSVP.

We also can't overlook the need for venues and organizations to sign up to host a bake sale. Without you, the Residency Program would be incomplete! Please consider hosting a bake sale at your next upcoming event. The Residency Program is a great way to support creatives in their effort to sustain their practice, as well as feed your guests if you have little to no budget for refreshments. Please send me an email if you would like to host a bake sale. We'd love to see you at the information session as well!

Info session details:
Bake Sale Residency Information Session
Wednesday, January 13th, 7-9pm, 303 Grand, Brooklyn (map)

For more information, visit the Sweet Tooth of the Tiger website.

Baker's Dozen: A Batch of Sweet Holiday Recipes!

noreply@blogger.com (Cakespy) — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 18:45:00 +0000

Christmas is just a week away--which begs the question, why don't you have something sweet in your mouth, right now? Here's a batch of sweet ideas to get you baking!

Doughnut stop believing: these doughnut snowmen are an adorable way to justify eating four doughnuts at once!

These s'mores cookies by Lovin in the Oven look ooey, gooey, and pretty perfect (pictured below).

Utziger Haselnuss Leckerli via Petit Atelier Cuisine. Try and say that three times fast. Better yet, don't--just eat them up.

RecipeGirl's chocolate mint filled cookies are a rich (yet refreshing) delight.

Iced Eggnog Cookies by Cookie Madness: yes, yes, yes!

Maple bacon chocolate chip cookies by Food Blogga: she's pretty much covered all the bases here.

Because tiny things are cute: mini gingerbread houses by Not Martha.

Gingerbread Cupcakes on Martha Stewart: you know you want some.

Dulce de leche cashew thumbprints by Peabody. Doesn't the thought just make you shiver with happiness?

Bring on the figgy pudding with this recipe from Dorie Greenspan.

If you're feeling ambitious, why not give this cassata recipe a go?

Gingerbread Mad Men by yours truly: possibly a new classic.

Decidedly NOT gingerbread: a house made of chocolate and bacon to keep Santa fat and happy.

Sweet Love: A Bakery Crush on Crumb

noreply@blogger.com (Cakespy) — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 16:46:00 +0000

Sweet infatuation has hit again: CakeSpy has a bakery crush.

And that crush is called Crumb {a bakery}, and it is (regrettably for this Seattleite) all the way in Atlanta.

I came across this special order bakery via the site You Are What You Eat...or Reheat, in which the writer opens her ode by saying "Crumb {a bakery} may just be the new love of my life". I'm with you, buddy.

The experience starts with their beautifully designed and printed letterpress labels...

...and gets even better once you get to the goods, which consist primarily of gorgeous macarons and cupcakes.

The hardest part is imagining what I'd want to taste first: perhaps the Liz's Lemon cupcake (lemon cake topped with honey-lemon cream cheese frosting)? Or maybe the pistachio macaron with rich, creamy pistachio filling?

Check out Crumb {a bakery} online on their website, their blog, and get instant pleasure with their Twitter updates!

Batter Chatter: Interview with of Bredenbeck's Bakery, Philadelphia PA

noreply@blogger.com (Cakespy) — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 08:20:00 +0000

Karen H. Rohde is the owner of Bredenbeck’s Bakery, a Philadelphia tradition since 1889. Initially opened by a Bavarian immigrant baker, Bredenbeck’s was later turned over to the bakery’s longtime employees, Otto and Walter Haug, Rohde’s grandfather and father. The two owned and operated the bakery until Rohde opened the bakery’s current location almost 27 years ago. So what is life like for someone who so clearly has deep roots in baking? Let's see:

CakeSpy: You spent your childhood living above Bredenbeck’s bread and sweet bakery. When you opened the current Bredenbeck’s, what made you decide to stop baking bread?
Karen Rohde: My dad and grandfather’s bakery was a full line bakery, so they baked both bread and sweets. When I opened in Chestnut Hill, I initially had breads and sweets, but the public taste changed to crustier breads and my ovens couldn’t make that, so I stopped making bread all together.

CS: What was it like working for your grandfather and father?
KR: My father was my mentor. He treated people fairly. He appreciated all the hard work they did for Bredenbeck’s. I continue in the same mind set.

CS: What were Bredenbeck’s Bakery customers like when you were a child? Have they changed over the years? If so, how?
KR: When I was a child, there was a bakery on every block. Sadly, that’s not the case anymore. Customers today thank us for being in business. They see so many small businesses that close because they can’t compete with large chain stores. So, they don’t take us for granted.

CS: What inspired you to continue your grandfather’s and father’s legacy by opening a Bredenbeck’s of your own?
KR: I always wanted to have my own business, whether it was a child day care or something to do with food. I really wanted to open a restaurant. My father suggested I open my own bakery since I spent so much of my life working at his bakery.

CS: You’ve owned this business for almost 27 years. How have the products changed?
KR: Diets have changed. People don’t necessarily indulge they way they used to. Instead of half or whole cakes, I now have individual slices or pieces to cater to those folks.

CS: Do you prefer sweet or salty food?
KR: Salty!

CS: If you were trapped in the bakery and needed to eat baked goods to sustain, what would you dig into first?
KR: Oh, that’s a tough one. I’ll say our custard éclairs.

CS: What’s your favorite time of year for the bakery? Why?
KR: Summer – May, June. That’s when the Ice Cream Parlor half of Bredenbeck’s is open. So, the whole building--Ice Cream and Bakery--are producing delicious teats.

CS: What’s the absolute favorite treat of Philadelphians who come into your shop?
KR: Strawberry shortcake. We’ve made it the same way for 70 years.

CS: What’s the most popular cake flavor among brides/grooms?
KR: Raspberry swirl pound cake. It’s decadent, and a crowd pleaser!

CS: What’s the most unique/crazy cake you’ve ever created?
KR: We created a gigantic cowboy hat cake for a convention at the Spectrum in Center City. It was so huge that it had to be assembled on-site, and on a flatbed---because they had two horses pull it around the main floor!

CS: What makes Bredenbeck’s unique?
KR: We are one of the few bakeries who still invest the time and love to create authentic German cookies each holiday season. Our whole staff is so creative, and you can tell by the way we go all-out to decorate the store and change our product lines for each season. We are so proud of our top-notch customer service. We always, always, always do our best to accommodate our customers. And we refuse to compromise our quality just because prices go up—we use the best ingredients and always bake from scratch.

CS: Baked good trends come and go...are there any desserts of yester-year that you'd love to see re-emerge? Or any that you were happy to see go?
KR: I'd like to bring back our Butterscotch Loaf. The basic recipe is a cinnamon bun roll with nuts that serves 8-10 slices. It was baked in a loaf pan that was coated with cinnamon bun smear. While it was still hot after baking, it was turned out and the loaf was covered with the caramelized smear. Our customers would send these to the solders in Vietnam. I have recently thought about bringing it back, but we are already selling so much comfort food that I'm trying to keep our selection diverse.

Fruit cake is recipe that I put away back in 2000 and will not bring back! I wanted to go into to the new millenium without fruit cake. I never liked it! It costs a lot to make, and it's so notorious for being the "unwanted holiday treat," that it really did not sell very well. Johnny Carson joked that there is only one fruit cake in existence, and that it gets passed around the country!

Check out the bakery in person at 8126 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19118 or online at bredenbecks.com.

Cake Quandary: What To Do With Leftover Almond Paste

noreply@blogger.com (Cakespy) — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 04:45:00 +0000

How many times has this happened to you: a delicious recipe calls for not quite a full can of almond paste, and now you're left with a strange amount, not quite enough to make a full recipe of something, but enough that you feel like you want to use it for something. Is it fated to wither away in your fridge? Not necessarily. Here are several suggestions (from readers and around the internet) for utilizing a small amount of almond paste:

Roll it into little balls, the size of your thumb fingernail, then roll in either cinnamon or cocoa for rich, addictive little morsels.
Mix it with equal parts of mascarpone and spread on toast or an english muffin.
Spread it onto a piece of foil, lightly toast it in an oven or toaster oven. Crumble and sprinkle over the top of an amaretto cocktail with crushed ice.
Soften it and swirl into brownies or cupcakes for a light, nutty flavor.
Put it on the bottom of an apple pie, just on top of the lower crust. Or do a free-form galette. Yummy heaven. (via chou_in )
Dip it in chocolate and eat it whole. (via loveandoliveoil)
Use it like marzipan to form into small creatures! (via scifi_girl21 )
Add it to pancakes in the morning, either in the batter with a little almond extract or as a topping with a little chocolate.
Mix it with chopped almonds and chunky chocolate and put in puff pastry.
Add it to any cookie dough recipe-- it would enhance flavor without changing consistency. (via jenniferkateab )
Use it to turn a plain butter cake into an almond cake. Cream the almond paste with the butter (add in small increments) for 3 minutes and then proceed with the recipe as directed. (via lapastrychef )

Cake Byte: CakeSpy Contributions to Serious Eats Featured in O Magazine!

noreply@blogger.com (Cakespy) — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 00:29:00 +0000

Watch out, Gayle--you've got some competition. Oprah and CakeSpy are, like, practically BFF!

OK, this might be a slight stretch. However, I am delighted to report that the January issue of O Magazine has a feature on Serious Eats (a site to which I regularly contribute) in which they feature a photo and shout-out to some of my contributions! It may be tiny, but there my name is, right on page 32. Which means, you guessed it, that now I can officially tell everybody that I have been featured in O Magazine.

Next stop, world cake domination.

O Magazine's January issue is on newsstands now!

Christmas Cookie Collection: Chocolate Cream Cheese Graham Cracker Bars

noreply@blogger.com (Cakespy) — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 21:02:00 +0000

Ah, Christmas Cookie Season, that decadent and delicious time of year when moderation is thrown out the window. Sweet, sweet Christmas cookie season.

And in that spirit of rich decadence, here's a sweet little confection I recently made for the C+H Sugar Holiday recipe spree (full disclosure--they gave me a $20 gift card for ingredients. I felt fine about this as I often use their products anyway!). Dense, rich, and decidedly not low-fat or low-carb, these little morsels fall into the territory of so bad, but so good--and are completely habit-forming.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Graham Cracker Bars

- makes about 24 small bars -

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup sugar (I used C+H's baker's sugar, which is really quite wonderful--it falls somewhere between confectioners' and granulated sugar in texture)
1 egg, beaten
1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts (pecans would also work nicely I think)
About 1 cup chocolate cream cheese frosting (it was leftover from a batch I made from this recipe)--or the frosting of your choice.

Procedure

Prepare the base. In a saucepan, heat butter and sugar until the sugar is completely absorbed in the liquid. Add beaten egg and stir to thicken. Remove from heat and stir in the graham cracker crumbs and nuts. Press into a greased and parchment-lined 8x8-inch pan. Pat in firmly and evenly. Let this chill for about 2 hours.
Spread the frosting thickly and evenly on top of the graham cracker base. Let chill until it is firm, and if desired, decorate the top with festive christmas icing (I used Wilton's glitter gel in red and green and their opaque writing icing in white).

Oh Nuts: Peppernuts Cookies for Serious Eats

noreply@blogger.com (Cakespy) — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 20:25:00 +0000

Forget old letters and diaries—for me, old recipes are far more interesting. Not only do they teach us about the past, but they also offer the opportunity to share an intimate moment with the bakers of yesteryear.

So when I came across this employee-submitted recipe for Peppernuts (or Pfeffernusse in German), a small nut-shaped cookie in the Wilton Cookie Exchange book, described as being handed down over at least three generations, I immediately knew I wanted to give it a try.
While the first sheet came out crunchy, spicy, and overall pretty tasty, they had one fatal flaw: they were hopelessly unattractive.

I decided to divide the remaining dough by making half of the cookies in the traditional way (by scattering bits of dough on the sheet and baking lumpy little cookies) and half by carefully shaping the cookies into rounds.

Though both versions tasted the same, the prettier ones disappeared faster.

You can check out the entire post and recipe at Serious Eats.

Sweet Art: Cuppie Has a Snack

noreply@blogger.com (Cakespy) — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 01:59:00 +0000

Oh, Cuppie. Your cuteness makes us forgive much of your mischief, but you may have gone too far this time. Cuppie, for the love of blog, what have you done?

Sweet Excess: Cool Ranch Dorito Creme Brulee

noreply@blogger.com (Cakespy) — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 08:13:00 +0000

Cool Ranch Dorito Creme Brulee. Too much, or just enough? You be the judge--or better yet, don't--trust these tasters to do it for you. This video documents the reactions of tasters, and has a link to a recipe. This video comes via Phil, a very good friend of the CakeSpy enterprise.

Stalking Sweetness: The Tale of the Modjeska

noreply@blogger.com (Cakespy) — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 07:00:00 +0000

While leafing through the most recent Williams-Sonoma catalogue, my attention was captured by this description of their caramel marshmallows (pictured above): "dubbed 'modjeskas,' these soft caramel confections were named in honor of a beautiful Polish actress by a fervent admirer".

Sounded like a nice way of saying "serious candy stalker" to me--that is to say, I had to find out more. A bit more lore was available on the Bauer's Candy website:

It's not a word you'll find in Webster's dictionary; it's the name of a Polish actress. Madame Helena Modjeska, famed queen of the European stage, appeared at the McCauley Theater in Louisville, KY. Her appearance in 1883 was the U.S. debut of the play "A Doll's House" written by Henrick Ibsen. Her theatrical performance was enthralling to a patron attending this debut, Mr. Anton Busath, owner of Busath Candies, who was honored by an introduction to the beautiful actress. He asked and was granted permission to name his confection after her. After Busath Candies closed in 1947, we began calling our "Caramel Biscuit" the "Modjeska" in honor of the creator, Anton Busath.

Not only did Modjeska grant permission for her name to be used, says this site, but "in fact, she even agreed to autograph a photo, which Anton then used to promote the candy—an early example of a celebrity endorsement. The rest is confectionary history."

Alas, no information was available on whether or not there was a Mrs. Anton Busath, and if so, how she felt about the candy's name.

What else can be said? Stalking has never been so sweet.

To purchase modjeskas, visit williams-sonoma.com or bauerscandy.com.

Cake Byte: Sweet Things Cupcakes Now Open in Tacoma!

noreply@blogger.com (Cakespy) — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 06:08:00 +0000

You know what the world needs right now? More cupcakes.

Happily, Sweet Things is right on top of that need--they just opened in Tacoma, Washington. The shop specializes in cupcakes (both a daily assortment and special orders) and also has a retail section featuring cake stands, notecards, and other gift items. Based on the feedback of Tacoma guy-about-town Kevin Frietas, they're worth a trek:

We snagged a 4-box of raspberry vanilla, chocolate mint, chocolate chocolate, and red velvet. The raspberry vanilla frosting was excellent, the chocolate cake with mint frosting balanced well and didn't overwhelm one way or the other, the chocolate chocolate was dark and smooth, and the red velvet was tasty but forgettable. We spied their carrot cake and hopefully there will be more interesting flavors to come like lavender, sweet potato, and mocha cherry mentioned over at the TNT Diner back in May.

And they've really got some sweetness baking for the holidays, per an email from one of the owners:

For the Christmas Season we are offering a 4-pack consisting of Gingerbread, Eggnog, Candy Cane, and Winter Wonderland. The Gingerbread is frosted with a spiced buttercream and finished off with a trio of spice drops. The Eggnog cake has an accompanying eggnog buttercream, a light dusting of nutmeg, and two white chocolate 'straws'. Candy Cane is a deep, dark chocolate cake frosted with mint buttercream tinted the palest mint green color, and it is then rolled in crushed candy canes, and topped off with another dollop of mint buttercream with a sugar "candy cane". Lastly, our Winter Wonderland is our Classic vanilla/vanilla frosted in an icy blue vanilla buttercream, sprinkled with sugar crystals for sparkle and shine and topped with two cute white snowflakes.

Sounds like Washington just got a lot sweeter! I can't wait to try their cupcakes myself!

For more information, visit the Sweet Things Cupcakes website.

Sweet Charity: CakeSpy and Menu For Hope 6!

noreply@blogger.com (Cakespy) — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 00:52:00 +0000

As totally sweet as it is to receive gifts around the holiday, sometimes it's even sweeter to give back. With that in mind, CakeSpy is happy to donate an original 11x14 framed watercolor painting featuring cupcakes and bacon (awesome!) as part of this year's Menu For Hope!

What is Menu For Hope, you ask? Here's the scoop, via Chez Pim:

Menu For Hope is an annual fundraising campaign hosted by Pim Techamuanvivit and a revolving group of food bloggers around the world. Five years ago, the devastating tsunami in Southeast Asia inspired me to find a way to help, and the very first Menu for Hope was born. The campaign has since become a yearly affair.

Each December, food bloggers from all over the world join the campaign by offering a delectable array of food-related items for the Menu for Hope raffle. Anyone – and that means you too - can participate. For every $10 donated, you earn one virtual ticket to bid on an item of your choice. At the end of the two-week campaign, the tickets are drawn and the results announced on Chez Pim on Monday, January 18.

So how do you get in on this sweet action? To Donate and Enter the Menu for Hope Raffle, here's what you need to do:

Choose a bid item or bid items of your choice from our Menu for Hope main bid item list (the code for my donation is UW31).
Go to the donation site at Firstgiving and make a donation.
Please specify which bid item you'd like in the 'Personal Message' section in the donation form when confirming your donation. You must write-in how many tickets per bid item, and please use the bid item code (remember--mine is UW31).
Each $10 you donate will give you one raffle ticket toward a bid item of your choice. For example, a donation of $50 can be 2 tickets for EU01 and 3 tickets for EU02 - 2xEU01, 3xEU02.
If your company matches your charity donation, please check the box and fill in the information so we could claim the corporate match.
Please check the box to allow us to see your email address so that we can contact you in case you win. Your email address will not be shared with anyone.
Check back on Chez Pim on Monday, January 18 for the results of the raffle.

Thanks for your participation, and good luck in the raffle!

Sweet Variation: Alternate Construction for the Berlinerkranser

noreply@blogger.com (Cakespy) — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 00:13:00 +0000

Do you like the idea of the berlinerkranser , but not the idea of rolling and twisting dozens of cookies? Happily, there is a variation on the cookie which is a bit faster but no less delicious: using the same dough, the cookies can be formed into buttery little thumbprint cookies with pretty sprinkles on the side. Here's the recipe variation:

Berlinerkranser, Reconstructed

- makes about 36 cookies -

Recipe adapted from Betty Crocker's Cooky Book

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups butter (3 sticks)
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons grated orange rind
2 eggs
4 cups flour
red and green candied cherries
(optional) red and green sprinkles, mixed together in a small dish

Procedure

Mix butter, 1 cup sugar, orange rind, and eggs thoroughly. Stir in sifted flour until fully incorporated. Chill dough.
Heat oven to 400°F. Break off small pieces of dough and roll into circles, a little smaller than a ping pong ball.
With a finger, press an indent into each cookie and press a piece of candied cherry in the indent. If desired, roll the sides of the cookie in red and green sprinkles for a pretty effect.
Bake for 12 minutes, or until set but not brown.

Sweet Holiday Cookies: Berlinerkranser For Serious Eats

noreply@blogger.com (Cakespy) — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 22:08:00 +0000

In spite of what the name may imply, the Berlinerkranser is actually not German at all—in just about every recipe I have seen, these rich wreath-shaped butter cookies are said to hail from Norway, where they are a holiday tradition.
Could it be the result of German immigration patterns? Or perhaps these buttery wreaths call to mind the holiday decorations from Berlin?
Alas, while I cannot answer these questions, I can attest to their deliciousness. Buttery, crumbly, and complemented with a whisper of tartness from orange zest and plenty of sweetness from candied fruit garnish, these cookies are like a bite of holiday cheer.

You can find the full entry and recipe at Serious Eats.

Lovin in the Oven: Almond Tea Cake Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Cakespy) — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 05:30:00 +0000

So, a few weeks ago I received this package in the mail with a bunch of recipes from Love N Bake, a company which makes fancy pastry fillings (almond paste, praline filling, chocolate filling, etc). "Whatever" I thought.

And then two days later, a big ol' box of said fillings arrived in the mail. Sweet! I was excited not only because they were free (cheapskate!), but because each flavor had recipes on the label (don't you just love back of the box recipes?). So I set to trying out the recipe on their almond paste package, for Almond Tea Cake. Don't let its unassuming appearance deceive you--this cake is heavenly. Simultaneously light and buttery all at once, it's got an amazingly luxuriant feeling in the mouth, and is equally as delicious as a breakfast treat, teatime companion or (with whipped cream) a respectable dinner dessert.

Almond Tea Cake

1/2 cup almond paste (I used Love N Bake's...but you probably guessed that)
3/4 cup sugar
1 stick (4 ounces) butter, softened
3 eggs
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup flour
1 tablespoon vanilla
Optional: 1/2 cup white chocolate, cut into coarse pieces (I scattered them on top just before baking--yum)

Procedure

Beat the almond paste with the sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add ther butter and beat until fluffy. eat in the eggs. Stir well and then fold in the baking powder, flour and vanilla.
Spread the batter into a greased 8-inch cake pan. If you'd like to add the white chocolate, add it now, scattering it evenly over the surface of the cake (it's ok if some sinks). Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean. Cool on a rack, and unmold. If desired, dust with powdered sugar before serving.

Holiday Beer Cheer: Beer Honey Torte With Banana and Rum Flambe Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Cakespy) — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 02:36:00 +0000

In case you didn't know it, there's a website out there called BitterSweet Partnership--and it is dedicated to "unleashing women's love for beer". I know, who knew, right?
But I was instantly intrigued when they emailed me a rather delicious-looking dessert recipe (developed with UK chef Allegra McEvedy) which includes, of all things, an unlikely pairing of beer, bananas, honey and rum: a recipe for a Honey Torte with Banana and Rum Flambe. Now that sounded good enough to share! While I haven't tried the recipe yet, I thought it was fascinating enough to post. Feeling brave? Here's how you can make it:

Beewyched Christmas Honey Torte With Banana & Rum Flambé
Part of the Bittersweet Christmas Beery Menu

Ingredients

1 bottle beewyched beer
400g stoned dates – the stickier the better
1 tsp bicarb
50g sultanas
150g butter, unsalted and at room temp
2 eggs
180g ground almonds
100g plain ﬂour
30g soft dark brown sugar
half a tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp honey

Topping ingredients

2 to 3 bananas
a handful of ﬂaked almonds
2 tbsp butter
2 tablespoons soft dark brown sugar
80ml rum
1 tub vanilla ice cream

Procedure

Pre-heat the oven to 160ºC. Simmer the dates and sultanas in the beer, stirring occasionally for 15 mins until like a very thick compote.
Either vigorously by hand or with an electric mixer, beat the sugar and butter, then add the eggs one by one.
Sift the ﬂour with the bicarb and then fold into the mix, along with the honey, ground almonds and vanilla extract.
Once the compote has reached a suitably dolloping consistency, spread it out thinly on a large plate/baking tray to cool down.
Use a knob of butter to grease the inside of a springform cake tin about 20cm across by 6cm deep. Then toss in a small handful of plain ﬂour and coat the inside lightly in it, knocking out the excess into the mix.
When the date compote has stopped steaming, fold it into the mix and then tip everything into the cake tin.
Cook for 1hr 10mins, then leave to sit for 10mins before lifting out onto a serving plate (ideally your torte will still be warm-ish when you are ready to serve)
When it comes to the bananas, get a heavy-based frying pan onto a medium/high heat and melt the butter in it so that it starts to ﬁzzle. Cut the bananas into oblique 2cm thick chunks and fry them and the ﬂaked almonds for just a couple of minutes until the ’nanas begin to soften and get a slight colour.
Sprinkle on the soft brown sugar and swirl and toss until all the sugar has melted in the butter and the bananas are coated. Spoon these on top of the torte then take the cake to the table and turn off the lights!
In your smallest saucepan gently heat the rum until it’s steaming and just about to start simmering, then quickly pour the hot rum all over your cake and spark it up with a match. Voila!

Magic in the Middle: The Sandwich Cookie Pan by Williams-Sonoma

noreply@blogger.com (Cakespy) — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 02:00:00 +0000

O.M.G. alert. Really, this awesomeness doesn't really need more than an introduction. Say hello to the Sandwich Cookie Cake Pan by Williams-Sonoma.

Here's what they have to say about it:

Sandwich cookies are a childhood favorite one never outgrows. Our pair of baking pans captures this nostalgic treat as a luscious cake. Enjoy the classic pairing of chocolate and vanilla cream or try a more sophisticated combination such as espresso-fudge cake with cappuccino cream filling. The set includes two nonstick baking pans that turn out cakes embossed with "cookie." The cast aluminum pans spread heat evenly for uniform baking. Our exclusive ceramic-reinforced Goldtouch™ coating ensures easy release and cleanup. Hand wash. 9" diam. Set of two pans. A Williams-Sonoma exclusive.

Buy it--now!--at williams-sonoma.com. P.S. If you already knew about this pan, why didn't you tell me about it?