S'more Hand Pies

The crisp fall air is giving me fond memories of huddling around a campfire and enjoying the BEST of all campfire treats: s’mores. Sure, you can make s’mores in the microwave but nothing can beat the taste of a marshmallow fresh out of the fire, sandwiched with chocolate and graham cracker.

I kept this in mind while I decided what I was going to bake this week. Now, as anyone who follows my blog regularly knows, my baking schedule has been a ‘little bit’ off. And by ‘off’, I mean not regular at all. But at work we are having a bake off and my number was up this week.

The contest was simple: weekly groups of three competing over creating baking standards. We’d had a week with: brownies, cookies, cakes, cupcakes, muffins, and squares. I actually (completely randomly!) chose ‘Baker choice’. I was happy to have the freedom but with so many baking categories already completed, I was kind of pulling a blank on what I wanted to do.

Hand pies have been on my radar for a while. They’re popping up in a lot of magazines and a recent episode of the Food Networks Eat Street featured Oh my! Pocket pies. They’re very trendy right now although my Mother does like to point out that they’re an over glorified turnover (Yes, I have pointed out the different pastry: pie vs. puff). Whatever way you want to look at it (Or what your opinion may be), they’re still something worth trying out. You can pick whatever classic pie flavor you’d like or try something more updated which is the route I chose.

So I set out to find a recipe similar to that served by Oh my! Pocket pies! I was surprised to see that many blogs hadn’t tackled hand pies yet. The few recipes that I could find were just based off the Betty Crocker recipe. I would much rather prefer to make my own pie crust. I also, as always, did my own spin on the recipe which I’ll write below. I made my Mother’s traditional pie crust recipe which includes such ingredients as a ‘pinch of sugar’ and ‘a little salt’, not very helpful for someone trying to recreate. So I’ve written out Dorie Greenspan’s recipe below.

The pastry on these hand pies turned out so flaky and light. It was a lot lighter then a turnover would be (See Mom? Kidding!). I thought they looked like little pierogies which I hope will make my polish boyfriend proud:). I cut the hand pies out with a 3 inch cookie cutter but if you are going to fold them over like I did: you can definitely use a 4 inch cutter or larger. I sampled the one I cut for the picture below and was disappointed that it just tasted like chocolate. But I later tried another, after is had cooled, and you could definitely taste some of the marshmallow.

I will definitely experiment more with hand pies in the future. I loved the way these turned out and will be looking forward to hearing if my co-workers enjoy them as well.

Pie Crust:

3 cups flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups cold butter, cubed

6 - 8 tablespoons cold water

Coating:

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

½ cup sugar

6 tbsp melted butter

Filling:

1 cup marshmallow cream

4 tbsp softened cream cheese

4 tbsp sugar

1 cup dark chocolate chips

For the pie:

Put flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Using a pastry cutter, cut the cubes of butter into the flour mixture. You should be left with pea sized pieces of butter when fully cut in. Begin adding water in until dough forms a rough ball. Put into an air tight container and refrigerate overnight.

For the filling:

Mix together softened cream cheese and sugar. Add marshmallow cream and chocolate chips.

For the coating:

Put the graham cracker crumbs and granulated sugar in a bowl and set aside. Melt butter in a separate bowl.

Directions:

I rolled my pie crust out and cut them with a 3 inch round cookie cutter. Brush only the outside with melted butter then dip the side coated in butter into the graham cracker mixture. Place a small amount of filling in the center of the pastry disc (Do NOT overfill: the pies will pop open while they are baking. I know it's tempting to stuff 'em full of the good stuff!). Gently fold over so that dough forms a small pocket. Seal edges using a small fork or with your fingers.

Bake at 425°F for 9 to 12 minutes or until pies are browned.

Yields about 24 mini hand pies.

Pumpkin Bread Pudding

The fall season has its own range of ingredients and spices. One of these staples is: pumpkin.

Pumpkin has been stereotyped as something that can only be had in the fall which is a shame. There are so many baked goods with pumpkin that are just delicious!

I was in the grocery store and spotted some pumpkin puree. It’s not always easy to find it year round, so I picked up two tins. It didn’t take me long to find a use for it. In this months food network magazine there was a recipe for pumpkin bread pudding. Sold! I cut down the cream to half of what was called for (replaced by milk) and used challah bread. The result was a classic bread pudding, warm with pumpkin and spices, and given a kick with the ginger. We served it with some praline and cream icing and it was definitely a hit.

Homemade Oreo's

This recipe had been popping up on a lot of blogs and I was very eager to try it out. I am not a very ‘store bought’ baked goods person. I’ve had way too many experiences when something that looks really good in a package: greatly disappoints when consumed. If I’m going to be ‘bad’ and treat myself to something sweet, I want to make sure it's well worth my while. There are of course a few exceptions to this statement, one of them being Oreo’s. I have loved Oreo’s since I was a kid. Remember back in the early 90’s when the icing was dyed neon? We rarely had store bought sweets in the house when I was young so whenever my Mom brought home a bag of Oreo’s it was a source of great excitement.
Above: Batch 1, Batch 2. and Batch 3.

For this recipe, I met a challenge immediately. Dutch process cocoa is not readily available in Canada. The difference between Dutch process and natural cocoa is the bane of many bakers’ existences. What is the difference? Dutch process cocoa has been treated with an alkali which neutralizes its acids. For this reason, any recipe that calls for Dutch process cocoa will always have baking powder in it unless there is another acidic ingredient in the recipe. Natural cocoa powder still posses its acids which means that when you’re making a recipe with this form of cocoa, you don’t require a baking powder: only a baking soda.

Now the recipe that I chose to make unfortunately called for Dutch process cocoa. I tried researching what alternatives could be used. One website suggested that if the quantity used in the recipe was less then ¾ of a cup, there would be no variation to the outcome. To me, this didn’t make a lot of sense but I decided to try it anyway. The first batch had a lot of spreading and all of them ended up cracking. I’m assuming this is because of the presence of both baking powder and baking soda, when my natural cocoa didn’t need it. I wanted to test what the final product would be before I started tweaking the recipe because I deal with many recipes that call for a type of cocoa I don’t have access to. So for the second batch I decided to eliminate the baking soda completely and double the baking powder. They turned out a lot better. There was very minimal spreading which was better for the overall Oreo effect. There was nothing wrong with the large first batch: they still tasted great and were crispy like an Oreo cookie should be. But the cracked appearance took it away from the look I was going for that the second batch accomplished. These two cookies came from the exact same recipe except for one had baking soda and one didn’t: look at what a difference that makes! Also, the second batch tasted a lot better then the larger cookies did. They were a lot fudgier on the inside, while the larger ones didn’t have an overly chocolate taste. Interesting!

So finally, I decided that there was one last variation that I had to try before this recipe was retired for a bit. My second batch still had too much rise for my liking, so for the third batch, I cut out the baking soda completely and put the original amount of baking powder that the recipe called for. This batch still had a little bit of rise to it but I liked the over all outcome much better. The cookies were still fudgy but had a good crispness to them. The cracked a little bit on top but not nearly as much as the first batch.

So the final verdict? These are not your store bought Oreo cookies. Crisp chocolate fudge cookies with a ‘very similar to the original’ vanilla icing. Consider them a gourmet version of your store favorite. I would still like to try the recipe with Dutch process cocoa but for now I’m satisfied with my 3^rd attempt variation on the recipe. I think one of the most interesting aspects of this kitchen experiment was when I took the three variations of cookies to work: everyone like a different one. There was no unanimous favorite to be had. Grab a tall glass of milk and try it out yourself!

Wedding Cakes 2011

The past couple of weeks have been filled with fun travels, work, and other regular summer activities. Anyone who follows my blog is probably wondering if the only thing I’ve baked since May is cookies! Well, the answer is no. I have also been preoccupied by another summer tradition: weddings. When you let people know that you’re a baker, you will invariably be followed up with the same question: Do you do weddings? Nothing can be more awe inspiring then a well done wedding cake and dessert is definitely a major focus in the wedding planning. Alot of people these days opt not to do wedding cakes. There are various reasons for this: the rise of cupcakes have created a break from the cake tradition, deciding to serve desserts that the venue offers, many more people deciding to go budget friendly for their receptions, or a dessert bar with various dessert options. I am a little bit of a traditionalist when it comes to having a cake at the reception; I think it’s a great way to express yourself. So many choices for a wedding have to be made considering your family, guests and friends. But when it comes to the wedding cake you get to choose the cake and icing you like, plus you can have it decorated in any way you choose.

I was fortunate enough this year to get several wedding bookings. Unfortunately, being relatively new to this whole blogging thing, I often find myself without a camera when I need it the most. This is the very situation I found myself in for one of the weddings. So please forgive the poor quality of some of the photos. I am currently in process of creating my ‘about me’ section for this blog which will also have a FAQ about booking weddings with me.

My first wedding was a small cake for the bride and groom and cupcakes for the guests. We chose a traditional vanilla cake filled with chocolate ganache and covered with vanilla buttercream. The cupcakes were vanilla with vanilla icing. By choosing cupcakes as the dessert for the guests but still requesting a small cake, the bride and groom get to cut the cake and get some traditional pictures of eating the cake yet have a more modern offering for their guests.

A more modern twist for a wedding is the dessert bar. For this wedding, I created a mix of desserts and a traditional cake. The dessert bar menu was: brownie pops, carrot cake cookies with cream cheese icing, praline cheesecake bars, lemon squares, chocolate chip cookies, and a lemon cake with vanilla icing. Unfortunately, this was also the wedding that I forgot my camera. These pictures were taken with my cellphone, so please excuse the poor picture quality.

There are still many people that stick with the traditional wedding cake. I made this one for 150 guests. The top and bottom tier was red velvet cake with cream cheese icing. The middle tier was an almond cake with strawberry buttercream. The cake is covered with fondant and has traditional decorations.

I thoroughly enjoyed being a part of each of these weddings. Each bride had such a unique vision of what their cakes would be and what desserts they desired for their guests. The weddings also represent (completely accidentally!) the most popular trends right now: the cupcakes, the dessert bar, and the traditional cake. I am always looking forward to my next challenge and baking for weddings definitely provides that!

Travel diary: Washington DC

I have just returned from a whirlwind trip to beautiful Washington DC. I calculated that we were actually only in the District of Columbia for about 42 hours but we definitely took advantage of every minute of it.

Whenever I visit a city, I make a point of visiting a handful of bakeries. I love seeing creative concepts, unique ideas, and of course: sampling!!

The first bakery on my list was a no brainer: Georgetown Cupcakes home to TLC’s DC Cupcakes. I was intrigued to see for myself if the cupcakes would live up to the hype. All the foodie sites and blogs warned of the massive lineups that form daily at this DC institution. After scoping out the official site, I found my loophole to avoid waiting: preordering. If you’re visiting the city on a limited time frame: you don’t have an hour or two to waste standing in line. A better option is to order online and have it waiting for you when you arrive. You can pick a classic dozen or create a combination of your choice. Perfect!

So on Saturday morning I woke up and made the trek to beautiful Georgetown. I arrived around 10:00am and there was already a 30 minute wait to enter the store. On the website it instructs to go to the cash to pick up your order. Well it looked as if there was no way I was getting passed the girl manning the door. She advised me to a second smaller line to the left of the door. A second employee was retrieving carrier bags already filled with preorders. After a couple of minutes (Note: not an hour!) I had, in my hands, fresh Georgetown cupcakes (GC).

There are a couple of drawbacks to the preorder system. Firstly, I was not allowed to actually enter the shop. Above is a picture I snapped through the window. To be honest, it was blazing hot and there was a ton of people: so I don’t really feel like I missed out too much. The retail space is much smaller then it appears on the show and has a very basic atmosphere: trays of cupcakes, flavors on the wall, and a cash. Secondly, when using the online order system not all flavors are available. I really wanted to try the chocolate lava fudge which is a Saturday option. Unfortunately it was not on the online ordering. Since I didn’t enter the store: I couldn’t order it. Lastly, you have to order a dozen (29$) online if you choose to pre-order. If you want to order a smaller quantity: head to the back of the line!:) A single cupcake is 2.75$, while a half dozen will set you back 15$.

Above: The line at 10:00am, about 20 minutes Above: The line at around 8:00pm, over an hour!

My biggest worry was the aforementioned heat. I ended up traveling all the way back to Montreal with them and luckily there was only one fatality. GC has very sturdy boxes with round slots for each cake: so no worrying about rolling cupcakes.

But on to the best part: how did the cupcakes taste? I customized my own dozen and got: chocolate2, chocolate3, chocolate birthday, chocolate ganache, chocolate & vanilla, red velvet, vanilla2, vanilla birthday, and peanut butter fudge. I’ll review some of them here because several do share the same chocolate cake or vanilla cake base.

My brother sampled the chocolate2 and declared it ‘the most chocolatey thing he’d ever eaten’. How’s that for a rave review? A moist and delicious valrhona chocolate cake with a chocolate valrhona frosting. Another positive comment was about the type of icing. Cupcakes are usually garnished with as much icing as there is cake and it isn’t always good. With GC’s chocolate2 there was no overwhelming gob of icing on the top. Perfection and rated a must try!

Honorable mention goes to the peanut butter fudge. I impulsively put this in my pre-order because I needed one more cupcake. I did not have high expectations, so I was blown out of the water when I actually tasted it. A dark and rich chocolate cake topped with a perfectly ‘peanut buttery’ whipped icing. Oh and did I mention the injected fudge core? A definite standout and a must taste for all cupcake fans.

The one let down in the box? The red velvet. (In the above photo, they're the white icing with the red heart) I would advise to skip this one. The cake itself was moist but had very little chocolate flavor. The icing could be identified as cream cheese but just wasn’t that great. I was disappointed because in the show they talk about the popularity of red velvet a lot. There are other flavors that are much better and deserve a place in your box over this one.

My Dad chose to try the vanilla. I suspect his eye was more drawn to the chocolate offerings but he went for the vanilla instead (And I might add, the only cupcake that was damaged in transit). He let me have a taste and I’ll rate it as ok. Good moist cake and icing but I didn’t find it had an overly vanilla flavor. I would suggest trying one but it’s not a must have.

Overall, my experience at GC was extremely good. The cupcakes were delicious and the staff that I dealt with were nice. I had no problems with the online ordering system and my order was ready on time. If you are in the DC area: I would recommend putting this on list of places to visit.

My second stop was Sprinkles. For other unacquainted Canadians: Sprinkles is an L.A. based cupcake chain. I’d heard of the chain before and was happy to discover there was a location in Washington DC. Sprinkles cupcakes are mostly identified by the round dots that garnish some of the flavors. The staff was very friendly and approachable and made flavor suggestions when I couldn’t make up my mind. I left with the chocolate marshmallow with bittersweet chocolate ganache and Belgian dark chocolate with bittersweet frosting. The cupcakes were 3.50$ each (Ouch!) and 39.00$ a dozen.

A side note that was of interest to me concerning ‘the original cupcake bakery’(I know, I know: bake geek!). Magnolia Bakery is often credited with starting the North American cupcake craze and opened in 1996. Sprinkles opened in 2006 but because it only makes cupcakes they can get away with saying they’re the original cupcake bakery, which is their motto. Interesting how playing with words can turn out, right?

So on to the taste test! The Belgian dark chocolate with bittersweet frosting had a moist and not too overly sweet cake. It would be perfect for someone that does not enjoy overly sweet baked goods. The icing paired with it perfectly and I would definitely recommend trying it. The chocolate marshmallow was also extremely good. I liked that the cake wasn’t too sweet and the icing was delicious and not overwhelming. I didn’t really enjoy the fondant dot on top, but besides that I would recommend trying both variations. I think the only turn-off for this bakery is the price. 3.50$ a cake is a lot. I do see where it could come from: they do use expensive ingredients such as Belgian chocolate. I got a full dozen from GC for 10$ less then the cost of a dozen at Sprinkles. I would suggest trying both chains to see which cupcake you personally prefer but in my opinion: GC is worth more of a visit than Sprinkles.

My last planned stop was at Baked and wired. On foodie sites this was the place to go to avoid the lineups of the well known cupcake shops in the area.

They had tables to sit outside and sitting space inside as well. But what really made an impact on me was the way their bakes good were displayed. There was no large plexiglas divider between you and the display stands. The cookie bar was a complete self serve and the other offerings had glass covers. I’ve never seen a layout like that before: very unique!

There was a lot of raving about the cookies and brownies. I purchased two brownie chunk cookies and a plain jane brownie. My boyfriend and I had a cookie each. They’re a spin on the traditional chocolate chip cookie combination by replacing the chips with brownie chunks: yum! They had good texture but not an overly chocolate or brownie flavor. They were ok. The brownie was moist and the perfect amount of fudginess. You could really taste the cocoa! I would definitely recommend them. Baked and wired has a lot of brownies on their menu which look very appetizing. After my first experience I would be eager to try their other offerings as well. I unfortunately cannot find my bill and prices are not listed on the official website for me to share with you. I didn’t find the pricing outrageous so if I had to try to remember (And remember: this is a total guess!) the cookies were around 1.50$ and the brownie maybe 4.00$.

That was the end of my planned stops. There was a large Dean & Deluca that I popped into as we don’t have them in Canada. They had a large baking counter where everything looked very appealing. I ordered a walnut brownie (5$) which my boyfriend and I both enjoyed. If I had to recommend one between my two brownie purchases of the day: I would say opt for Baked & Wired.

Finally, after 2 whirlwind days we headed back to the hotel. Unable to find a cab we started to walk up Pennsylvania Ave. To my surprise: I saw a familiar sign… It was a Paul’s! To help clarify my surprise, Paul’s is a chain from Paris. The last time I saw one was in France! I promptly dragged my boyfriend inside and ordered traditional macarons(5.45$), a croissant (2.20$), and a sausage pastry. People, you don’t understand. Paul’s has authentic Parisienne croissants. Not the gluey soft ones you get in North America: the flaky and buttery authentic version. You might also be a little shocked by the price of the macarons. Paul’s macarons are about double the size of the macarons you can get here. When I first bought macarons at home after my trip to Patis, I couldn’t figure out why they were so small. If you ever get a chance to go to a Paul’s: take full advantage. I highly recommend it because it is the best place to get a taste of France without crossing the ocean. It was a very pleasant surprise at the end of an incredible weekend.

On the non-baking side, we had such a great time visiting DC. I’d heard some negative feedback about safety at night but we didn’t encounter anything to that effect. The city was beautiful and clean with very friendly people. We took full advantage of visiting the National Mall and Smithsonian’s. Any cook or baker cannot miss Julia Child’s kitchen in the National museum of American History. Another must see was definitely the National Holocaust museum. It is informative, touching, and raw. Not something easily accomplished with such tragic subject matter. Pay attention to the warning on the official site about reserving passes for the permanent exhibition: it was sold out the day I was there. Passes are available in advance online and definitely worth purchasing if you’re visiting in the summer.

So, in closing, I would definitely recommend a visit to Washington DC for its great tourism and of course bakeriesJ. We had such a blast! I wish that we had been able to spend a little more time but I got to see everything I wanted to. Have any of you ever experienced DC? Any bakery recommendations of your own to share in the area?

Book Review: Cake Pops

Ok, so I’ll admit it: it was an impulse buy. I wish I could say that impulse buying is a rare occurrence but with Amazon I can never get away with buying just one or two books. There’s always that one last book that catches my eye and ‘somehow’ ends up in my basket.

I do try to stay away from baking fad books. What do I mean by a fad book? A book that is completely dedicated to a specific trend. Trends in baking and cooking come and go so quickly, it is very rare that every passing trend is permanently embraced. Also, this being the internet age and all, most recipes inevitably end up online. If you’re patient enough to wait you can save a lot of money on books.

That being said, every once and a while a book pops up that I just really want to have. I think that if you know you will get usage out of the book for an extended period of time: it’s worth the purchase. It was through this thought process that I ended up with: Cake Pops.

Cake Pops are very trendy right now and one of the rare items that you can trace back to its creator (Or atleast the person that help to really popularize them). In this case: it’s Bakerella. Bakerella started a blog that kicked off the cake pop phenomenon and was eventually offered a book deal.

Cake pops are unique because they can basically be customized to look like whatever you wish and taste like whatever you want. Plus, they are a small delicious mouthful of cake and icing: what’s not too like?

So, I bought into the cake pop trend. The book is visually stunning, much like Bakerella’s blog. The designs are adorable and very motivating to want to try it out yourself. Also, nothing is overly difficult. All you really need is cake and chocolate.

This book does have its cons. Firstly, I would hesitate to call it a ‘cook book’. This is much more of a design book. There are no actual cake recipes in this book. In fact Bakerella actually suggests using cake mix and store bought icing. Being a cake snob, this definitely made me turn my nose up. But you have to respect her sense of logic behind it. A store bought cake mix is reliable. 9 times out of 10 your cake will turn out perfect and identical to your previous batch. When making a cake from scratch there is always the potential for a margin of error. You forget to put in an egg, you manipulate the quantity of sugar you’re using, your oven is hotter then the temperature suggested in the recipe: just to name a few issues I've had. Also, a home made icing does not have the same consistency as that that you purchase in a can. Think of how many times you’ve made an icing as stiff as Duncan Hines? For me, it’s only when I’m icing cupcakes. Otherwise, I’m perfectly fine with a softer icing to not tear up the crumb of my cake. Not to mention that some icing is softer then others no matter what you do: anything made with an Italian buttercream base will be softer then a traditional American buttercream.

All of this to say, that this book is not a must have to master the art of cake pops. I loved the detailed step by step instructions (Did I mention many with photos?), also the large section of tips of ‘things to avoid’. But all of this, as I mentioned above, can be located online. If you don’t think you need step by step instructions, then you most likely don’t need the book.

Hermit Cookies

My kitchen fall back when I’m in the mood to bake is usually cookies. I don’t know why: they’re not the most time efficient of baking choices or the simplest. But a hot cookie fresh out of the oven with a steaming mug of tea just can’t be beat.

Cookies also offer a HUGE range of flavor options for whatever you’re craving including savory choices.

Today I was hit by a craving for hermit cookies. If you’re not familiar, hermits are a standard drop cookie chock full of raisins, dates, cinnamon, nutmeg, and usually nuts. I use the term ‘usually’ because as in most cases with recipes: there are always variations (Check out a standard recipe and example of a variation here). My families’ recipe is also an example as we omit nuts and instead use chocolate chips. I remember being at school and being shocked that the recipe we were using lacked chocolate because at home chocolate chips were a staple. By sticking with the nut option you would have a very jazzed up spice cookie, but by sticking in the chocolate you have a great variation on the classic chocolate chip cookie.

Chocolate Pudding

As a kid there was nothing I enjoyed more then finding a chocolate Jello pudding at the bottom of my lunch bag. Now, I do have a little bit more refined tastes (In some areas!), so I tend to prefer a home made version more then store bought.

For dessert I made Christine Cushing’s chocolate pudding which we garnished with a dollop of whipped cream: delicious! So smooth and creamy, it satisfies my pudding craving every time.

Cake Pops

As anyone who follows baking trends (or enjoys partaking in baked goods) can tell you: there is a new craze sweeping the nation: Cake Pops. Gone are the days where the ‘be all end all’ for cuteness dwelled solely in cupcake territory alone. There is a new customizable and dare I say ‘flavour-izable’ way to enjoy your cakeJ.

The basic formula is simple enough: bake your favorite cake, crumble it up, mix into your frosting of choice, form into desired shape, coat, and then decorate with whatever you wish. These cake pops can be made into almost anything you can imagine and be in whatever color you desire: perfect for any event. And, as was pointed out to me, you get a mouthful (Or two) of cake without having to commit to a large dessert. Your guests can simply choose the flavor that they enjoy in a portion that won’t overwhelm. You can check out a full recipe with pictures here.

The rise in popularity of Cake Pops is rumored to rest on the shoulders of one famous blogger alone: Bakerella. She is the current reigning Queen of everything Cake Pop and with good reason. The now author has designs that will make even the most jaded baking enthusiasts jaw drop open. Her creativity and imagination has opened a whole new world of treats for any holiday and occasion.

So for my first experimentation, I decided to stray a little from the traditional recipe. My eye had been caught by the Wilton Brownie Pop pans after my last trip to my favorite cooking supply store. I received an order for a bridal shower and decided that there was no better time to try Brownie pops out. Please ignore the use of coffee mugs/glasses in some of the pictures: they were very handy for drying purposes!

I stuck with a classic brownie for all of the pops but experimented with the toppings. I did four variations: white chocolate dipped in cookie crumbs, dark chocolate with sprinkles in the bridal colors, milk chocolate with toffee and chocolate pieces, and…Well…Pink: white chocolate that has been dyed pink, lol. I loved how they turned out! The bride had the choice to mix and match the different variations for her gift bags and also accommodate varied tastes of the guests.

The brownie pop choice did restrict the shape, I do definitely want to try the classic ball format in the future, but I was content with how it all came together.

The bride also greatly enjoys my Linzer cookies, so she chose to include these in her gift bags as well. It’s so nice to see a bride that includes her personal touch and favorites, in her wedding.

Scones

Everyone who knows me (or reads this blog) knows my weakness: bread. When I have a food craving going on more often then not it will be for something bread-like. That being said, I’ve wanted to make scones for a long time. My baking time has been cut down drastically (boo!) by a new job (woo hoo!) which I’m still adapting to. Scones as always on the list of recipes I wanted to try but for some reason I had in my head that they were extremely complicated. Perhaps I mistakenly grouped them into a bread category when they obviously are not.

My boyfriend dislikes scones for their ‘dry texture’ but for me there is nothing better with a steaming cup of earl grey tea. I was raised in a house where the versatile ‘baking powder biscuit’ was used in various situations. There was nothing better then waking up in the morning and smelling my Moms baking powder cinnamon buns. The best part? No waiting period to rise! Baking powder biscuits were also a staple with home made stew and soups. Still warm from the oven with some butter: can’t be beat! What is a baking powder biscuit? Usually: flour, baking powder, salt, butter, and milk. How similar is this to a scone? A scone recipe usually comprises of (variations do of course exist) flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, butter, milk, and an egg. All of this talk about variations of baking powder biscuits makes me think that I should do a complete post on them but for now you’ll have to be satisfied with a known variation on the recipe: scones.

Scones are extremely versatile: you can put most flavorings in them, any sort of fruit or nuts, or choose between sweet and savory options. For my first experience making them I decided to go with a traditional lemon and after a chocolate variation. Once I actually sat down and read over the recipe I was immediately struck by the simplicity of them. Basically, you mix your dry ingredients together, add the moist, sprinkle in any extras, form into rectangle, and finally cut out your scones. I decided to add some dried cranberries, cherries, and blueberries to my lemon batch. I also garnished them with an almond flavored simple drizzle icing. They were SO good. I know I’m the one that made them but I’m still allowed to say it! They had the traditional scone texture with a light lemon flavor. The baking also helped to soften up the dried fruit which really add a nice twist to the lemon.

Unfortunately, this elation did not last through to my chocolate batch. In my experience, scones do not boast ‘over powering’ flavor. To clarify, I’ve never eaten a scone that was so rich I couldn’t finish it. I usually find that they are extremely lightly flavored which is one of the reasons why I like them. Well, my chocolate batch took this to the extreme: they didn’t taste like anything! The nuts really added to the disappointing effect: they added crunch to a tasteless mouthful.

So, I come out of my first scone experience with a 50% success rate which to me is a win. I definitely look forward to testing out some different variations in the future.

Chocolate Ginger Molasses Cookie

As I’ve mentioned before in this blog, some recipes give you doubt from the get-go. I recently discovered the world of Baked a New York City institution that is creating new frontiers in the world of baking. Their products are innovative, creative, and most importantly mouth watering. Yet as I delved deeper into the world of Baked I came to a puzzling realization: most of their episodes are kind of… Well, odd. I wanted to try their Cinnamon icing recipe on Valentine’s Day. I was in a limited time frame and after seeing all the steps it entailed: I winged my own Cinnamon butter cream on the spot. To clarify, there are a ton of ingredients and steps in Baked recipes that just make you question ‘Why?’ On the other hand, and in defense of the recipe, the cinnamon icing is obviously a stove top icing which is usually more time intensive then a classic buttercream.

So this time I decided to try the Baked Chocolate Ginger Molasses cookie. They sounded delicious: I like chocolate, ginger, and… Well you follow the thought process. Yet as I scanned the recipe I felt the familiar sense of puzzlement wash over me. A full tablespoon of baking soda? I don’t think I’ve ever put that much baking soda in anything. More examples: bittersweet chocolate AND cocoa, why? Butter AND shortening? Their cinnamon icing recipe was a lot of the same. Plus all of the temperature rules which I’m consistently pushing to the limits. I am a ‘spur of the moment baker’ which means that leaving eggs and butter out to reach room temperature rarely happens. This recipe calls for the bittersweet chocolate to be cooled to room temperature, which as you correctly assumed: I didn’t do. As long as you incorporate the chocolate slowly: separation won’t be an issue. And then finally, the classic molasses cookie step, of refrigerating the dough, rolling it out, and cutting each cookie individually. I NEVER do this step. Besides being time intensive, there is a loop hole that will help you get the same crisp cookie. My Mom always made molasses cookies this way and I’m sure some recipes do exist with these instructions. First I roll the dough into small balls, take a glass with a smooth bottom, dip the glass into a small bowl of flour, and press each ball flat (See the picture below). You get the same crunchy texture without the whole time commitment.

So after all of that criticism: the cookies turned out really well! I love how they crinkled in the oven. The texture is that of a classic molasses cookie with a snappy outside and soft interior. You can really taste each aspect of the cookie and they all work really well together. So even after all the steps I skipped and doubt for weird ingredient choices everything came together!