Course: dessert

Persimmon Apple Crumble Pie

Persimmons are definitely a fruit that’s underrated. If you haven’t used them before, now is a good time to give them a try. Where we are, here in Canada, you start seeing them in the grocery stores around October. A bit pricey at first but they get better as the winter rolls along. Persimmons are in season between November and February. Mildly sweet and juicy with a slight crunch reminiscent of a cross between a peach and a pear. Since there is only a short window in which you can enjoy this exotic fruit, persimmons make up for it by working well in both sweet and savory recipes. Treat them like you would an apple and turn them into jams, puree, tarts and cakes. Paired with pork adds a nice fruity and caramelizing sweetness.

The persimmon is Japan’s national fruit. The most commonly found varieties are the ‘Hachiya’, round with a slightly elongated, pointed base and the ‘Fuyu’, smaller and more tomato shaped. When ripe, both have a red-orange skin and flesh, creamy texture and a tangy-sweet, vanilla like flavor. Persimmons are usually sold unripe, so leave them on the counter for a day or two until the skin deepens to a rich sunset orange.

Classic apple pie gets a seasonal, honey sweet twist when mixed with fresh persimmons and a crunchy topping in this apple persimmon crumble pie.

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 Persimmon Apple Crumble Pie
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Course dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword apple persimmon crumble pie
Servings
Ingredients
Pastry
Filling
Crumble Topping
Cream Topping
Finishing
Course dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword apple persimmon crumble pie
Servings
Ingredients
Pastry
Filling
Crumble Topping
Cream Topping
Finishing
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Instructions
Pastry
  1. Remove the dough disk from refrigerator & roll out onto a lightly floured surface into a 12" round about ⅛" thick. Gently transfer the rolled dough into a deep dish 9" pie pan, leaving a 1-2" overhang all the way around.
  2. Tuck the edge underneath itself to form a ring around the edge of the pie plate. Flute the edges by pinching the dough between your thumb & pointer finger on one hand & your pointer finger knuckle on the other. Place the pie shell in the freezer to keep chilled while you prepare the filling.
Filling
  1. Peel & core the apples & persimmons, then cut into ⅛"- ¼" slices. Place in a large mixing bowl & toss with the lemon juice, sugars, & spices. Set aside for at least 15 minutes so the juices begin to release from the fruit.
  2. Preheat oven to 400 F.
Crumble Topping
  1. Combine the cold butter cubes, flour, sugars, oats, almonds, salt & cinnamon together in a large bowl. Use your hands to work the butter into the other ingredients until coarse crumbles the size of peas form.
Assemble/Bake
  1. Pour the apple filling into the bottom shell, forming a mound that is taller in the center of the pie.
  2. Whisk the egg & water until blended. Gently brush the exposed, fluted edges of the pie with the egg wash. Sprinkle the crust with coarse sugar. Top pie evenly with crumble topping.
  3. Bake at 400 F. for 20 minutes, then lower the temperature to 375 F. & bake for another 30-40 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. Bake until the filling is bubbly and the crumble topping turns a deep golden color, you may need to cover the edges and or/tent the pie to keep from over-browning. The fruit should be just soft when poked with a toothpick. Allow to cool on a rack for at least 1-3 hours before serving.
Cream Topping
  1. Whip together sour cream & vanilla sugar.
  2. Serve with your choice of 'cream topping', vanilla ice cream or whipped topping.

Anise Seed Borrachio Cookies

Anise seed borrachio cookies are a special treat that combines the aromatic flavor of anise seeds with the rich, warming notes of rum. These cookies present a sophisticated twist on traditional baked goods. The recipe is simple yet yields cookies that are especially flavorful, making them ideal for special occasions or as a gourmet homemade gift.

The rich and complex flavors of these cookies have their roots in traditional European baking, where anise has long been a popular flavor in desserts and bread. The addition of rum, referred to as ‘borrachio’ (drunken) in Spanish, gives these cookies a unique twist, blending cultural influences to create a modern classic. This recipe is a testament to the evolution of baking, where traditional ingredients meet contemporary tastes.

Borrachio anise cookies are a shortbread type of cookie flavored with anise seed-soaked-in-rum, which gives them their distinctive ‘boozy’ quality. The addition of alcohol to the recipe is a common feature in some Spanish and Mexican desserts. They are often enjoyed with a cup of strong black tea, coffee or a dessert wine as a festive treat during holidays and celebrations.

The recipe, while seemingly straightforward, benefits from careful execution and attention to detail, ensuring a batch of these cookies that will meet all expectations of an iconic anise cookie.

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 Anise Seed Borrachio Cookies
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Course dessert
Cuisine Spanish
Keyword anise seed Borrachio cookies
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COOKIES
Ingredients
Course dessert
Cuisine Spanish
Keyword anise seed Borrachio cookies
Servings
COOKIES
Ingredients
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Instructions
Dough
  1. Place rum & anise seeds in a small bowl. Set aside to marinate, preferably overnight.
  2. Beat butter, sugar, vanilla & anise extract together in a medium bowl until smooth.; stir in rum mixture.. Whisk in egg. Combine flour, cinnamon (cloves), baking powder & salt in a bowl; stir into butter mixture then add chopped nuts (if using) & combine until well blended. Cover bowl & chill in refrigerator for at least an hour or overnight..
Assembly
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. For the assembly there is a number of ways to go with this: 1. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness; cut into desired shapes using cookie cutters. 2. Place dough into a spritz cookie press & squeeze out desired shapes onto cookie sheets. 3. Scoop out cookie dough into balls; flatten slightly using a WELL FLOURED cookie press to create a design deep enough that it will still be there after baking.
  3. Bake until lightly browned on bottoms, about 10-15 minutes. Cool on baking sheets, 3-5 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.
Recipe Notes

To draw attention to the anise flavor in the cookies, I placed whole anise on top of the cookies in my blog picture which I removed before serving.

Adzuki Sweet Red Bean Rugelach

Aduki, or adzuki beans, also known as cowpeas or red mung beans, are small red sweet-flavored beans popular in Oriental cuisine. They come from East Asia and are prevalent in places like Japan, China, and Korea, playing a versatile role that can be used in sweet and savory dishes.

  • Regarding sweet dishes, you can use them to make red bean paste, which can be used as a filling for desserts like mochi, pancakes, or ice cream. You can also use them to make sweet aduki bean soup, a popular dessert in Japan.
  • Adzuki beans can also be used in savory dishes, such as stews, soups, and curries. They work particularly well in dishes with a slightly sweet flavor, such as a Japanese-style curry.
  • Using adzuki beans in a salad adds some protein and texture. They work particularly well in salads with a slightly sweet dressing, such as a sweet mustard dressing.
  • For a snack, adzuki beans can be roasted in the oven with some spices to create a crunchy snack high in protein and fiber.

Rugelach is an irresistible baked treat which is both delicious and versatile. So is it a pastry or a cookie? Rugelach’s unique buttery, tender dough wrapped around any variety of tasty fillings seems to straddle the line.

Traditionally, rugelach was made with yeast dough but the pastry has evolved and is now made with cream cheese which is both quicker and easier to make. The cream cheese dough was first used by North American bakers in the 1940’s, and now forms the staple of the modern rugelach we know today.

This Jewish-Asian fusion cookie combines Jewish rugelach pastry and the widely popular Asian dessert filling: adzuki red bean paste. The pastry dough and red bean paste are rolled together, then sprinkled with black sesame seeds and coarse sugar. When baked it creates a cookie that is ‘nutty’, sweet, buttery and crispy. Perfect for the holidays!

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 Adzuki Sweet Red Bean Rugelach
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Course dessert
Cuisine Asia
Keyword adzuki red bean rugelach
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Rugelach
Filling
Course dessert
Cuisine Asia
Keyword adzuki red bean rugelach
Servings
Ingredients
Rugelach
Filling
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Instructions
  1. In a food processor, whisk together flour & salt. Add cream cheese & butter; cut into the flour mixture until coarse crumbs form.
  2. Add egg yolk & cold water to the dough, combining until the mixture is thoroughly moistened & clumpy. Gather dough together into a rough ball & divide in half, flattening each half into a disk. Wrap disks & refrigerate, 2 hours or overnight.
  3. Preheat oven to 375 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  4. Roll out each disk into a 1/8" - 3/16" thick circle, dusting with powdered sugar to prevent sticking. Spread with red bean paste, leaving a 1/4" border around the edges. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the circle into 16 equal triangular slices.
  5. To roll, cut a little notch into the wide end of the triangle & pull the ends apart slightly. Start with that same side & roll inwards, taking care not to roll too tightly and squeeze out the filling. Tuck the end underneath & pinch slightly to fix in place. Repeat for the remaining pieces. Brush rugelach lightly with egg wash then sprinkle with black sesame seeds & coarse sugar.
  6. Space at least 1" apart on baking sheet. Refrigerate for another 20 minutes. Bake for 20-24 minutes until cookies are golden brown. Remove, dust with a little powdered sugar, and let cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
  7. Remove from oven & allow to cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Stamped Christmas Shortbread

Christmas is just around the corner and even though there’s lots to do, there’s always time for a batch of Christmas cookies. Especially a simple cookie, like these stamped shortbread cookies, that go together quickly, taste great, and look fancy and festive. They’re great for sharing and go well with things like that afternoon coffee or tea.

Shortbread was always a cookie my mother kept in her Christmas cookie repertoire.  It seems it’s not Christmas without some of them around. This year I got interested in making some ‘stamped’ cookies to give them a special look.

The history of stamped Christmas cookies can be traced back to ancient civilizations. Women in Scandinavian countries traditionally baked cookies for special occasions using carved stamps handed down from generation to generation of family bakers. It was customary to give decorative cakes and cookies to friends during the Christmas season, weddings, christenings, and other festive occasions. Some traditions never change. As a nod to history, the Nordiska Museum  in Stockholm, Sweden has a collection of cookie stamps dating back to the 17th century in their permanent collection.

Eleanor Rycraft was the first American artist to introduce finely detailed, handmade-in-America terra cotta cookie stamps. Eleanor and her husband, Carroll, started their company, Rycraft, in 1968. Eleanor patterned her ceramic cookie stamps in the manner of the antique wooden Scandinavian stamps handed down through generations. As a potter, Rycraft saw the possibility of using clay to make these cookie stamps using the designs made in the Scandinavian tradition.

Cookie stamps were given away as gifts during the holidays. Christmas time was, and still is, a traditional occasion on which to make stamped cookies. 

Something else I did with this shortbread was I added some pure vanilla and cinnamon extract instead of the usual almond flavor. It was quite nice!

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 Stamped Christmas Shortbread
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Course dessert
Cuisine European
Keyword stamped shortbread cookies
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Course dessert
Cuisine European
Keyword stamped shortbread cookies
Servings
Ingredients
Votes: 1
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Instructions
  1. In a food processor, pulse the cornstarch, powdered sugar & flour until combined. With the processor running, drop in the pieces of butter, one at a time. Pulse a few times until evenly distributed. Add vanilla & cinnamon extracts. Process just until the dough comes together and sticks together in a ball.
  2. Note: if you don't have a food processor, you can make the dough in a bowl, using a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the flour mixture. Then use your hands to work in the liquid until it comes together into a dough.
  3. Shape the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic, & refrigerate for 20 minutes.
  4. Divide the dough into 16 equal portions. Roll each portion between your hands to shape a ball & LIGHTLY dust each ball of dough in flour. Place the dough balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
  5. Dip a cookie stamp in flour, then tap off the excess. Center the stamp over a ball of dough, then firmly (but lightly) press down on the dough, until it flattens slightly & spreads out all the way to the edge of the stamp. Carefully pull the dough off the stamp & set onto the baking sheet. If needed, use a round or scalloped cookie cutter to trim off the uneven edges. Save scraps.
  6. Repeat pressing all the cookies, dipping the stamp in flour & tapping off the excess in between each. Gather up all the scraps from the trimmed edges, roll into a ball, dust in flour & press one more cookie, for a total of 16 cookies.
  7. Leave the cookies plain or decorate with colored non-perils. Alternately, you could roll the cookie balls in colored sugar before stamping.
  8. Place all the stamped cookies about 1 inch apart on the baking sheet. Set the baking sheet in the refrigerator & chill the pressed cookies for 1 hour. Chilling the dough prior to baking ensures that the dough maintains its shape in the oven & doesn't spread.
  9. Preheat the oven to 300 F.
  10. Bake the chilled cookies on the center oven rack for 12-15 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned.
  11. Cool the cookies ON the pan for 5 minutes, then carefully transfer them to a cooling rack.

Aged Cheddar & Apple Focaccia

Focaccia is a wonderful and aromatic bread with a rich history that transcends cultural boundaries. Focaccia seems to have medieval origins and gained popularity in the 16th century. It was a common breakfast choice for port workers who had little time to eat. Paired with a glass of white wine, it provided energy for their morning tasks. 

Over time, focaccia has evolved into an expression of culinary craftsmanship, with bakers creating intricate designs and flavor combinations.

Apple and cheddar focaccia is a unique pairing that can definitely elevate your holiday entertaining. This focaccia combines the sweetness of apples with the savory richness of aged cheddar bringing out the best in both. It’s easy to make and pairs beautifully with wine, making it perfect for gatherings.

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 Aged Cheddar & Apple Focaccia
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Course dessert
Cuisine European
Keyword aged cheddar & apple focaccia
Servings
Ingredients
Dough
Topping
Finishing
Course dessert
Cuisine European
Keyword aged cheddar & apple focaccia
Servings
Ingredients
Dough
Topping
Finishing
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Dough
  1. In a large bowl or the bowl, combine the warm water & honey & stir well. Sprinkle in the yeast. Let stand 5 minutes. Stir in 1 Tbsp. olive oil.
  2. Add 2 cups of the flour, the salt & thyme leaves & knead in. Continue adding the remaining flour in small increments, as needed, until well incorporated. Dough will be moist & may look a bit sticky still.
  3. Generously flour a work surface. Remove dough to work surface & lightly flour the top of the dough, then form into a ball. Cover with a tea towel let stand 10 minutes.
  4. Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with a large sheet of parchment paper.
  5. Gently press dough in to prepared baking pan, using your fingertips to stretch & push it so it fills the entire pan. Work as gently as possible so you don’t remove all the air from the dough. Cover dough with a tea towel & let stand 15-20 minutes.
Toppings
  1. Meanwhile, prepare the apple slices. Using a very sharp knife or a mandolin, slice the apples super thin. I wanted to have round slices so I sliced the apples thinly then cut out the centers with a miniature star cookie cutter. Grate cheese. Set toppings aside.
Assembly
  1. Use your fingertips to make some indentations in the dough. Scatter dough with 1/2 of the shredded cheese. Top with sliced apples. Place 3 thyme sprigs randomly on top of apples. Drizzle with 1 Tbsp. olive oil.
  2. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven & scatter remaining cheese on top. Return to oven for a further 3-5 minutes, or until cheese has melted. If desired, pop under the oven broiler for a short time to brown cheese a bit. Remove from oven. Allow to stand a couple of minutes, then loosen from pan and slice focaccia on to a cooling rack. While warm, top with a sprinkling of flaky salt & a scattering of a few fresh thyme leaves.
  3. To serve, use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to cut in to serving pieces. Drizzle with a bit of honey to serve, if you wish.

Clementine Kiwi Upside Down Puddings

At Christmas time, the clementine is one of the most popular and plentiful varieties, its tight, glossy skin often accompanied by a sprig of zesty leaves. Many of us have fond memories of when they were stuffed into Christmas stockings with other nostalgic treats.

Most people probably don’t know where this clementine tradition comes from, but the mythical story is rather a charming one. It tells how Saint Nicholas, the 4th century Greek bishop upon whom Santa Claus was modelled, one day heard of a poor man who had failed to find suitors for his three daughters, lacking money for their dowries. Nicholas sought out the man’s house and tipped three sacks of gold down the chimney, where the coins happened to land in the girls’ stockings, which were drying beside the fire. The clementines (or oranges) in our modern Christmas stockings are said to be a symbol of the saint’s generosity. Poverty and desire probably also played a role in fostering the custom in times past, oranges were not only an affordable gift, but also a brief taste of exotic, sunnier climes.

As for the clementine itself, its origins are somewhat uncertain. Oranges are like roses, with endless hybrids having been cultivated over the centuries, each with its own particular shape, scent, texture and taste. The clementine is a mixture of a mandarin and a classic sweet orange, and is said to have been discovered by Clement Rodier, a French monk living in 19th century Algeria, who found it growing in the orchard of the orphanage he ran.

It’s that easy peel factor, along with a lack of seeds, that has catapulted the clementine above old-fashioned oranges in popularity.

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 Clementine Kiwi Upside Down Puddings
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Course dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword clementine kiwi upside down puddings
Servings
Ingredients
Topping
Pudding Cake
Vanilla/Lime Sauce
Course dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword clementine kiwi upside down puddings
Servings
Ingredients
Topping
Pudding Cake
Vanilla/Lime Sauce
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Instructions
Topping
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  2. From parchment paper, cut circles to lay on the bottom of 6 individual custard cups. Divide melted butter between the cups. Sprinkle brown sugar over top the butter. Top with clementine & kiwi slices.
Pudding/Cake
  1. In a small bowl, beat together eggs & sugar until thick; gradually beat in oil. In a small dish, combine flour, baking powder, spices & salt. Stir flour mixture into egg/sugar mixture, then add juice (or milk) & vanilla. Stir ONLY until combined.
  2. Pour batter over fruit in custard cups, dividing it evenly between them. Bake 15-20 minutes or until they test done with a toothpick. Allow cakes to cool for about 5 minutes, then invert onto a rack to finish cooling.
Vanilla/Lime Sauce
  1. In a small saucepan, combine sugar & cornstarch. Add water & bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook for a few minutes until sauce has thickened. Remove from heat & add vanilla & lime juice. Stir well & set aside to cool.
Assembly
  1. Divide sauce between 6 individual dessert plates & top with a clementine/kiwi cake. Serve warm or cold.

Chinese 5 Spice Pear & Applesauce Muffins

The flavor of Chinese five-spice is cozy, comforting, and tastes just like fall! While it’s commonly associated with savory dishes, it can also add an interesting twist to sweet and fruity flavors. The warm and aromatic notes of cinnamon, cloves, and star anise work well with the delicate flavor of pears complementing their natural sweetness.

Chinese Five Spice Powder has been used in Chinese cooking for centuries. Although its origins are somewhat mysterious, it seems to have roots in traditional Chinese medicine. The belief was that this mixture would foster internal harmony by uniting the five main flavors traditionally employed in Chinese cuisine: sweet, sour, pungent, bitter, and salty. By achieving this balance of flavors, aligned with the five main elements (earth, fire, water, metal, and wood), tradition held that one could achieve balance in mind and body.

This flavorful blend of spices typically includes star anise, Szechuan peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon, and fennel seeds and while five spice powder won’t magically cure ailments, it can certainly elevate lackluster dishes.

Chinese five spice as been a favorite of mine for many years. I like it in both sweet and savory dishes but today I thought it would make these ordinary little fall muffins into something special – and it does!

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 Chinese 5 Spice Pear & Applesauce Muffins
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Course dessert
Cuisine Chinese
Keyword Chinese 5-spice pear & applesauce muffins
Servings
LARGE
Ingredients
Muffins
Topping
Course dessert
Cuisine Chinese
Keyword Chinese 5-spice pear & applesauce muffins
Servings
LARGE
Ingredients
Muffins
Topping
Votes: 1
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Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line muffin cups with 8 jumbo papers or 12 regular size papers.
  2. Using an electric mixer, cream together butter & sugar then add applesauce, eggs & vanilla & mix until smooth.
  3. In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt & 5-spice powder.
  4. Add flour mixture to wet mixture, folding in only until barely combined then add diced pear & gently fold into mixture.
  5. Scoop the batter evenly into prepared muffin tin. Divide topping between muffins & gently spread over top using a fork. Bake 25-30 minutes & a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
  6. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from muffin tin.

Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese Cookies

Pumpkin spice – the festive blend can be found flavoring absolutely everything at this time of year. From late summer to early January, coffee drinks like lattes and cold brews, baked goods such as cookies, muffins, and pies, and various breakfast items like pancakes and oatmeal. It’s also found in cereals, creamers, and even some savory dishes, while non-food products like candles and soaps are popular as well. Its associated spices have become laden with nostalgia during the fall season.

The modern demand for all things pumpkin spice can be traced to Starbucks’ introduction of the Pumpkin Spice Latte (PSL) in 2003. The PSL’s success cemented the combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves as the quintessential flavor of autumn. 

The flavor itself is much older. Spice companies like McCormick began selling pre-mixed ‘pumpkin pie spice’—a blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves—in the 1930s. This made the seasonal flavor more accessible to home bakers. 

The history of pumpkin spice cream cheese cookies is a recent development, emerging in the 2020s. The cookie gained popularity by combining the established autumn tradition of pumpkin spice with the widespread appeal of cream cheese-filled, ‘bakery-style’ cookies. 

These pumpkin spice cream cheese cookies feature a vanilla dough with a pumpkin-spiced filling swirled together in a spiral of simple sweetness and aromatic spice. I guess you could say, ‘the same only different’.

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 Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese Cookies
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Course dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword pumpkin spice cream cheese cookies
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Ingredients
Cookie Dough
Pumpkin/Cream Cheese Filling
Course dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword pumpkin spice cream cheese cookies
Servings
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
Pumpkin/Cream Cheese Filling
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Instructions
Cookie Dough
  1. In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder & salt. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, beat softened butter & sugar until light & fluffy, approx. 2 minutes. Add the egg, egg yolk & vanilla. Mix until well combined, about 1 minute.
  3. Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mix on low speed until a thick, sticky dough forms.
  4. Divide dough into 2 equal pieces & chill for at least 2 hours.
Filling
  1. In a bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add powdered sugar, pumpkin puree, spices & vanilla. Beat until smooth & creamy. Set aside but do not refrigerate.
Assembly
  1. Once dough has chilled, roll out one piece of dough at a time between 2 large pieces of parchment paper about 1/4 inch thickness. Divide filling mixture between the two rolled out pieces of dough.. Using the parchment paper, roll each tightly into a log. Cover with plastic wrap & place in freezer overnight.
Baking
  1. Remove dough from freezer & allow to sit at room temperature only long enough so you can slice it as this is a very soft dough.
  2. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
  3. Slice logs (I like to use floss for slicing to make a clean cut) into 1/4"-1/2" thick cookies. Sprinkle with pepita seeds. Arrange on cookie sheets & bake for 10-12 minutes.
  4. Allow to cool for 2-5 minutes on the pan then remove them to a cooling rack.
Recipe Notes

These are a soft cookie & are best eaten within a few days. We enjoyed them so much that wasn't a problem!

Halloween Soul Cakes

Today’s Halloween traditions are all about feasting on chocolate and sweets, but you might be surprised to learn we’ve actually been celebrating this time of year with sugary treats since medieval times. ‘Souling’, the ancient precursor to trick-or-treating, involved the giving of a small, round cake in exchange for prayers to commemorate the dead during All Hallows’ Eve (Halloween), All Saints’ Day (1 November) and All Souls’ Day (2 November). On these days, all Saints in Heaven — known and unknown — are venerated, their intercession begged, and relief is offered the Holy Souls in Purgatory through indulgent prayers and special Masses.

During the evening of the vigil of the feast of All Saints ( All Hallows in Olde English), children in cities, towns, villages, and hamlets would go ‘souling’— strolling door-to-door, calling on their extended families, friends, and neighbors, singing ancient souling hymns about the need to pray for those in Purgatory. Grateful housewives presented singers with small, round loaves of sweet quick breads, small cakes looking like muffins, or thick cookies, each marked with a cross of raisins or currants. The singers ate them warm, while saying prayers for the souls of that family’s faithful departed in Purgatory. This particular custom was popular in Britain and Ireland in the Middle Ages and was maintained for many centuries.

These small round cakes made of flour and spices were generally made with ingredients like oats or wheat, honey, butter or oil for sustenance; salt for wisdom; cinnamon to help banish negative energies; nutmeg to bring prosperity into your home; and ginger for healing. 

This is the origin of the Halloween tradition of ‘Trick or Treat’. The trickery wasn’t part of the original tradition.

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 Halloween Soul Cakes
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Course dessert
Cuisine European
Keyword Halloween soul cookies
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Ingredients
Course dessert
Cuisine European
Keyword Halloween soul cookies
Servings
Ingredients
Votes: 1
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Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
  2. Cream the butter & sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolks. Sift together the flour & mixed spice. Add to the creamed mixture along with the milk to give you a soft dough that you can easily roll out. Stir in the currants.
  3. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into rounds with a 2 1/2-inch cookie cutter. Using the dull side of a knife mark a light cross indentation into the tops of each biscuit. Push additional currants into the crosses. Sprinkle with a bit of coarse sugar & place about 2 inches apart on the baking tray.
  4. Bake for 10 - 15 minutes until puffed & golden brown. Remove from oven & cool on a wire rack.
  5. Store in an airtight container.
Recipe Notes
  • MIXED SPICE:

  • Combine 1 TBSP ground cinnamon, 1 tsp each of ground coriander and nutmeg, 1/2 tsp of ground ginger, 1/4 tsp each of ground cloves and allspice. Mix well and store in an airtight container out of the light for up to 6 months.

Chai Liqueur Cinnamon Rolls

The air is chilly, the leaves are turning, the sun is shining, and the skies are blue. Frost has visited and that ‘end of summer’ feel is in the air.

But there’s more to fall flavors than just pumpkin spice. Before there was pumpkin spice, there was chai to keep you warm and cozy all autumn long. You might even recognize some of the flavors in chai as they are similar to pumpkin spice with clove, cinnamon, and cardamom. The classic way to enjoy chai is in tea, but it seems Craft Chai Liqueur is becoming a timeless staple.

I had never really heard about chai liqueur until Brion brought some home one evening to try. In the winter of 2011, Brion and I traveled Turkey for a month. We were meeting our Trafalgar tour group in Istanbul. Arriving a day early gave us time to ‘snoop’ around a bit. Next to our hotel was a ‘Starbucks’, so we went in. When Brion ordered my coffee, they gave me a ‘Pumpkin Spice Chai Latte’ by mistake. That pumpkin chai flavor was just incredible. I have been addicted to it ever since.

We both thought this chai liqueur tasted nice so naturally I was inspired to do some recipe development to see if I could use it in baked goods. There are many recipes using the chai spices such as cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves, nutmeg and anise. I wanted to incorporate the actual liqueur as well as pop up the flavor a bit more.

But first, just a bit about the JAYA CHAI LIQUEUR itself … Created by Faaiza Ramji, a native of Edmonton, Canada, (our home city) JAYA is more than a spirit—it’s a tribute to the cultural icon of chai. With a deep respect for her South Asian heritage, Faaiza was inspired by the way chai has brought people together, whether at bustling street corners or in the quiet warmth of family homes. Every bottle of JAYA is rooted in tradition and history, a modern celebration of the centuries-old ritual of chai.

Alberta-based distillery ‘Field Notes’ is the brainchild of Faaiza Ramji. During a directorial tenure in economic development, she learned the immense value of agriculture in Alberta. Although Canada produces many of the basic ingredients the world relies upon, very few of those ingredients end up as finished products on local shelves, sacrificing GDP, jobs and additional downstream benefits to foreign countries. Greatly influenced by her South Asian heritage—where her grandmother, aunts and mother embraced natural remedies using herbs and spices to aid digestion, boost immunity, and even nourish skin—Faaiza formed a partnership in 2021 with Lindsey Good, a dedicated grower and owner of a 100-year-old farm in southern Alberta. Together, driven to build a complete food ecosystem within the Canadian Prairies by turning more local crops into more finished products the world can enjoy, Ramji and Good planted the seeds for a new kind of Alberta distillery and called it Field Notes. Chai liqueurs are rare in the Canadian market and Jaya Chai Liqueur uses distilled Canadian oats, filtered water, assam tea, Alberta beet sugar and a blend of spices like cardamom and clove for an invigorating, authentic chai flavor.

Edmonton’s distillery scene just got a recent boost, as Field Notes’ Jaya Chai Liqueur won a double gold, given because of its cumulative high score — a 98 out of 100 — from the judges at the 2024 San Francisco International Spirits Competition.

This brings me back to my recipe development which I focused on some chai liqueur cinnamon rolls. They ‘re a little more involved than the classic cinnamon rolls but I think you will find their well worth it.

Print Recipe
 Chai Liqueur Cinnamon Rolls
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Course dessert
Cuisine European
Keyword chai liqueur cinnamon rolls
Servings
Ingredients
Dough
Filling
Chai Cream Cheese Glaze
Course dessert
Cuisine European
Keyword chai liqueur cinnamon rolls
Servings
Ingredients
Dough
Filling
Chai Cream Cheese Glaze
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Instructions
Dough
  1. Marinate raisins in Chai liqueur overnight, Stir occasionally.
  2. Dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup lukewarm water with 1 tsp sugar. Set aside for 5 minutes.
  3. In a large bowl, sift 1 cup of the flour. Stir in yeast mixture & lukewarm milk. Cover with plastic & let stand in a draft free place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
  4. While the dough rises, make the filling. Combine the sugar & spices together in a small bowl and mix well. Set aside.
  5. Punch down firmly & work in beaten egg, ¼ cup sugar, vanilla & pieces of softened butter. Sift the remaining 2 cups of flour with salt & work in 1 ½ cups to form a soft dough. Turn dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead in the remaining ½ cup of flour & raisin/liqueur mixture. This becomes a very soft & buttery dough but is not sticky.
  6. Roll dough out into a long rectangle about 16 x 12- inches on a well-floured surface. Spread the 2 Tbsp butter for the filling all the way to the edge of the dough. Sprinkle the sugar mixture over the butter, pressing it down to stick to the butter.
  7. From the long end, roll the dough away from you into a tight roll, sealing the bottom edge down by pinching the dough together.
  8. Use floss or a very sharp knife to cut the dough into 8 even rolls. Place the rolls in an 8-inch spring form pan. Brush rolls with egg wash. Cover the buns loosely with plastic wrap & allow to rise in a warm, draft-free spot until about 1 1/2 times the size. Toward the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350 F. & set an oven rack in the middle position.
  9. Bake the cinnamon rolls for about 55 minutes or until they are golden brown and no longer doughy. Remove from oven & allow to cool.
Glaze
  1. Using a mixer, combine the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, chai liqueur & milk. Beat on low speed, gradually increasing to high until light and fluffy. Brush glaze evenly over the rolls.