Ingredient: butter, softened

Lemon Poppy Seed Linzer Butterflies

Who says you can’t have a Linzer cookie in April? Add some lemon-y zing and a butterfly shape and what’s not to love! A descendent of the famous Linzer torte, it’s hard to go wrong with a shortbread-like dough that melts in your mouth and a sweet/tart filling that glues it all together. Linzer cookies employ the same basic recipe as a Linzer torte, but the dough is cut into cookies and form a sandwich around the filling. The top cookie has a small cutout in its center to show off the filling underneath.  

The Linzer Torte, the Austrian mother of the Linzer Cookie, is the oldest known written recipe in history. A copy of the recipe was found in the Veronese Admont Abbey’s journals, dated 1653!  The tart was baked like a pie with a buttery almond crust, filled with black currant preserves and topped with a latticework crust. The recipe was developed using a crust made of nuts since they were easier to come by at times than wheat for flour. While a black currant tart is a perfect way to end a meal, bakers came up with a cookie version they could stock in their shops.

When the Linzer torte was bought to North America in the 19th century, it became very popular. Today, the Linzer cookie is still very commonly used not only for the holidays but anytime of the year in different applications.

This cookie is crisp if served on the same day it is assembled but becomes soft when stored with filling.

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 Lemon Poppy Seed Linzer Butterflies
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Course dessert
Cuisine European
Keyword lemon poppy seed Linzer butterflies
Servings
Ingredients
Shortbread
Lemon Curd
Course dessert
Cuisine European
Keyword lemon poppy seed Linzer butterflies
Servings
Ingredients
Shortbread
Lemon Curd
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Shortbread
  1. In a large bowl, cream butter, white sugar, powdered sugar, vanilla, lemon juice & lemon zest with an electric mixer until light & fluffy. Reduce speed to low & add the flour & salt. Continue to mix until well incorporated. Slowly add poppyseeds & mix until just combined, about 1 minute.
  2. Remove dough from bowl, form into a disk & wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Chill for at least an hour or overnight.
Lemon Curd
  1. Fill a medium saucepan, about halfway full with water & bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer. Fill a large bowl with ice water & set aside.
  2. In a glass or metal bowl, whisk together egg, egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest & salt. Set over the saucepan of simmering water, ensuring that the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water. Whisk the mixture constantly until it reaches 170 F. Immediately remove the bowl from the heat, add butter & whisk until smooth. Place over the bowl of ice water. Cover with plastic wrap making sure it is touching the lemon curd surface so a 'skin' will not form. Let mixture stand at room temperature until cooled & thickened.
Baking
  1. Preheat oven to 325 F.
  2. Roll out shortbread dough on a large sheet of parchment paper to 1/8-inch thickness. Using a butterfly cookie cutter, cut out 36 cookies. Leave 18 of them as is & cut some designs in the wings of the remaining 18 cookies. At this point you may need to place the cookies in the freezer for about 10 minutes so you can remove them easily to the baking sheet without destroying their shapes.
  3. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper & transfer cookies to baking sheet. Bake for about 8-10 minutes or until just baked. Place cookies on a wire rack to cool completely.
Assembly
  1. Spread desired amount of lemon curd on the bottom cookies. If desired, dust the tops with powdered sugar. Lightly press on a top cookie to sandwich the curd. Repeat with remaining tops. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Recipe Notes

• Don’t hesitate to speed up the process by purchasing a jar of lemon curd. There are a lot of real good ones available.

Cinnamon Roll Variety Pack

Baking a variety pack of four different cinnamon roll flavors transforms a single-flavor tray into a versatile, gourmet experience. A visually appealing experience that blends the comfort of a homemade dessert with the excitement of modern flavor experimentation. It caters to different tastes within a single batch, making it an ideal choice for brunch, gifts, or, as some suggest, sharing. 

Moving beyond the classic brown sugar and cinnamon, you can incorporate modern, diverse fillings and toppings. Examples include raspberry-lemon, apple pie, salted caramel, chocolate-hazelnut, orange zest, carrot cake, cardamom, pumpkin or even cream cheese icing variations.

Use one consistent, high-quality yeasted dough for all four variations to ensure even baking times. By packing them together in a small pan, they stay soft and pillowy, a common goal in high-quality homemade baking.

Who doesn’t love a tray of warm, gooey rolls? If you’re a fan of the variety pack, you’re likely drawn to the balance of textures and the social, flexible nature of the format.

 It caters to different palates. While some people crave the classic ‘ooey-gooey’ cinnamon, others might prefer more adventurous toppings.

Including plain rolls in a variety pack ensures that even if you don’t love the experimental flavors, you still have the ‘good ole plain’ ones to fall back on.

Recently, Brion & I had to make a trip out to BC. While waiting in the airport I picked up a magazine to look at and came across a great looking cinnamon roll recipe I thought I should try. For something different I thought it would be nice to do a variety pack instead of just one filling. This is what developed from that idea.

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 Cinnamon Roll Variety Pack
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Course dessert
Cuisine German
Keyword cinnamon roll variety pack
Servings
Ingredients
Dough
Raspberry Filling
Blueberry Filling
Cinnamon Filling
Lemon Curd Filling
Cream Cheese Drizzle
Course dessert
Cuisine German
Keyword cinnamon roll variety pack
Servings
Ingredients
Dough
Raspberry Filling
Blueberry Filling
Cinnamon Filling
Lemon Curd Filling
Cream Cheese Drizzle
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
  1. In a small bowl, combine lukewarm milk, & 2 Tbsp of the sugar; stir until sugar is dissolved. Add in the yeast & allow to sit until frothy.
  2. In a large bowl, combine mashed potatoes, eggs, salt & butter. When yeast mixture is proofed, add to potato mixture, combining well.
  3. In another bowl, whisk together flour & remaining sugar. Combine with wet mixture until dough forms a ball. Knead on a work surface for about 10 minutes then place in a greased bowl.
  4. Cover with plastic wrap & a towel. Allow to rise in a draft-free place for about 1 1/2 hours or until doubled in size.
  5. While the dough rises, make fillings so they have time to chill before using them. IF YOU FEEL THEY WILL NOT BE CHILLED ENOUGH, PREPARE THEM A DAY AHEAD & KEEP IN THE REFRIGERATOR. TAKE FILLINGS OUT WHILE THE DOUGH IS RISING.
  6. RASPBERRY & BLUEBERRY FILLING: Add the raspberries (or blueberries), sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, lemon zest & salt to a saucepan over low heat. Keep stirring until they begin to break down. Once the berries have broken down & released their juices, turn the heat to medium & allow the mixture to boil, stirring for around 4-5 minutes. As the mixture boils, it will thicken & become jelly-like. Make sure to keep stirring so it doesn't burn. Once thick, remove it from the heat, scrape it into a bowl & allow to cool.
  7. CINNAMON FILLING: In a small bowl stir together brown sugar & cinnamon. Measure out 1/4 cup softened butter for spreading.
  8. LEMON CURD FILLING: In a medium saucepan, whisk together the eggs, sugar, cornstarch, if using, lemon juice, zest, & salt until smooth. Place the pan over medium-low heat. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula, making sure to scrape the corners of the pan to prevent scrambling. Cook for 5–8 minutes until the mixture thickens & coats the back of the spoon. It should just begin to bubble. Remove from heat immediately. Stir in the cold, cubed butter one piece at a time until completely melted and smooth. Pour the curd through a fine-mesh strainer into a jar or bowl to remove any bits of zest or egg. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the curd to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or until completely cold and firm.
  9. Lightly grease a 9 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan; set aside. Punch down the dough. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into an 18 x 12-inch rectangle & cut into four sections. Apply the 4 different fillings, tightly roll up filled rectangles into spirals. Pinch dough to seal seams.
  10. Cut each roll into 3 slices; arrange in prepared baking pan. Cover; let rise in a warm place until nearly double in size (30 minutes).
  11. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  12. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown & done in center. While rolls are baking prepare cream cheese drizzle.
  13. CREAM CHEESE DRIZZLE: In a bowl, beat softened cream cheese, softened butter & vanilla with a mixer on medium until combined. Gradually beat in powdered sugar until smooth. Beat in enough milk, 1 tsp at a time, to reach drizzle consistency.
  14. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Using a small spatula, loosen rolls from pan. Place a wire rack on top of pan; place one hand on top of rack & other hand under pan & carefully invert pan with rack (use pot holders to protect your hands). Lift pan off rolls.
  15. Drizzle as many of the rolls as you wish. Serve warm.
Recipe Notes

For the mashed potato, prick a 10-ounce unpeeled potato all over with a fork. Microwave on 100% power (high) for 5 to 7 minutes or until tender. Halve potato and scoop pulp out of skin into a small bowl; discard skin. Mash the potato pulp with a potato masher or an electric mixer on low speed.

Adzuki Bean & Persimmon Thumbprint Cookies

The other day I was thinking of how I could pair two food groups that I have enjoyed using over the years. One being the Japanese red adzuki beans and the other was the persimmon fruit.

The intriguing world of azuki beans has strong roots in Japanese culinary traditions as well, playing a versatile role in sweet and savory dishes.

Likewise, persimmons are a cherished aspect of the Japanese culinary culture. With their vibrant orange hue and sweet, honey-like flavor, they are a favorite autumn and winter fruit. Persimmons have been cultivated in Japan for over a thousand years and are celebrated in art, poetry, and cuisine.

Combining the two in a dessert seems only logical as the red bean paste complements persimmons so nicely, it works out real well. The red bean paste, also known as ‘anko’ in Japanese, is made from adzuki beans that are boiled with sugar. Its flavor is sweet and savory at the same time, with notes of chocolate and walnuts.

Red Bean paste comes in many shapes and forms, but one thing is constant: the ingredient is a special and meaningful component of different East Asian cultures. You can find red bean paste in many different dishes out of Japan, China, Korea and in recipes used all over the world. 

Today, my recipe development is centered around two kinds of thumbprint cookies:

  • Adzuki Bean Oatmeal Flax Cookies w/ Persimmon Compote
  • Persimmon Oatmeal Cookies w/ Adzuki Red Bean Paste
Print Recipe
 Adzuki Bean & Persimmon Thumbprint Cookies
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Course dessert
Cuisine Asia
Keyword adzuki bean & persimmon thumbprint cookies
Servings
Ingredients
Persimmon Compote for Adzuki Bean Cookies
Coarse Adzuki Bean Paste for Persimmon Cookies
Adzuki Bean Cookies
Topping to Roll Adzuki Cookies In
Persimmon Oatmeal Cookies
Course dessert
Cuisine Asia
Keyword adzuki bean & persimmon thumbprint cookies
Servings
Ingredients
Persimmon Compote for Adzuki Bean Cookies
Coarse Adzuki Bean Paste for Persimmon Cookies
Adzuki Bean Cookies
Topping to Roll Adzuki Cookies In
Persimmon Oatmeal Cookies
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Persimmon Compote
  1. Peel persimmon, dice & puree in a cup processor. Place persimmon, sugar & lemon juice in a small saucepan. Cook over a medium high heat, stirring constantly for about 5-8 minutes until mixture becomes sticky & jam like. Set aside to cool.
Adzuki Bean Cookies
  1. Place the oats in the bowl of a food processor & pulse until it resembles coarse flour. Add flour, baking soda, cinnamon & salt & process until combined. Transfer to a large bowl.
  2. Place the bean paste in another bowl along with the butter, 1/2 cup sugar, egg yolk & vanilla. Mix with an electric hand mixer until combined, scraping down sides of bowl.
  3. Pour bean mixture into the oat mixture & stir by hand until almost combined; add the nuts & flaxseed & stir until just blended.
  4. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  5. Place egg white in a small dish. Combine 1/4 cup each of ground flaxseed & brown sugar in a shallow dish. Roll slightly rounded Tbsp of dough into balls. Dip one ball at a time into egg white & then in the sugar mixture. Place 2-inches apart on prepared baking sheet. Press your thumb or index finger into the middle of each cookie. Divide persimmon compote between cookies filling each indentation.
  6. Bake for about 16 minutes until set. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Yield is about 32 cookies depending on the size you prefer to make them.
Persimmon Oatmeal Cookies
  1. Place the oats in the bowl of a food processor & pulse until it resembles coarse flour. Add flour, 5-spice, baking powder, salt & ground flaxseeds & process until combined. Transfer to a large bowl.
  2. Peel persimmon, dice & puree in a cup processor. In a separate bowl, place the persimmon puree, sugar, oil & vanilla & mix until smooth.
  3. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, mixing with a wide spatula just until batter begins to come together, being careful not to overwork it. Add walnuts, folding to distribute them evenly throughout.
  4. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  5. Using a small cookie scoop, scoop out cookie dough onto prepared cookie sheet. Make a well or thumbprint shaped indent in the center of each ball of dough. Divide reserved adzuki bean paste between cookies filling each indentation.
  6. Bake for 11-12 minutes. Don't overbake. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Yield is about 30 cookies depending on the size you prefer to make them.

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
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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
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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.

Chocolate Blueberry/Lemon Inlay Roll Cake

Today we are celebrating my husband Brion’s birthday. Family birthdays forever bring me back to my childhood days. My mother always made the birthday person’s favorite meal on their day along with a cake. Although she excelled at cooking in general, her creative talent was put to good use when she decorated our birthday cakes. As I follow her tradition, I wanted to bake something that was unique for Brion’s birthday.

One of the easiest ways to dress up a basic roll cake is with a design. This technique is one that originated in Japan. The cake rolls are also known as ‘deco rolls’, as the cake rolls are decorated with patterns and baked. Rather than decorating the cake after it’s been baked, this technique pipes it directly onto the cake with batter.

In Japan, the roll cake tradition has continued, with unique flavors like matcha (green tea) and various cream fillings. The use of ‘inlay’ design creates an artistic presentation. The incorporation of unique flavors and decorative techniques continues to evolve and expands the appeal of this iconic dessert. 

With summer in full swing, our backyard is bursting with all its glorious flowers and foliage and even though he would rather I didn’t add his picture to my blog today, I wanted to share this garden view with you. I think it’s a great backdrop for a birthday picture, right!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MY LOVE … YOU’RE THE BEST

Print Recipe
 Chocolate Blueberry/Lemon Inlay Roll Cake
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Course dessert
Cuisine Japan
Keyword blueberry/lemon inlay roll cake
Servings
Ingredients
Lemon Curd
Blueberry Filling
Whipped Cream Cheese Filling
Pattern Batter
Cake Batter
Course dessert
Cuisine Japan
Keyword blueberry/lemon inlay roll cake
Servings
Ingredients
Lemon Curd
Blueberry Filling
Whipped Cream Cheese Filling
Pattern Batter
Cake Batter
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Lemon Curd
  1. Combine sugar & lemon zest in a saucepan. Either with the back of a spoon or your finger tips rub the zest into the sugar. This will coat the sugar crystals with fragrant oils from the lemon peel, adding a whole new dimension of intense lemon flavor to the curd.
  2. Add the whole egg & extra egg yolks to the saucepan with the lemony sugar & whisk until smooth. Mix in lemon juice.
  3. Add butter then place the saucepan over medium heat. Whisk gently & continuously for 6-9 minutes until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Do not walk away because it will transform very quickly. Once you see a bubble emerge from the surface, this indicates that it is thick enough. Do not let it boil.
  4. Immediately pour the hot curd through a fine mesh sieve to remove any pieces of lemon zest or cooked egg white into a dish. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly in contact with the surface & refrigerate until thoroughly chilled & ready to use.
Blueberry Filling
  1. Place all blueberry filling ingredients in a small saucepan. Heat on medium high until blueberries soften & mixture thicken, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat & allow to cool for 5 minutes or so then place in a blender & puree until smooth. This makes it easier when slicing the cake roll. Place in a small dish & cool until ready to use.
Whipped Cream Cheese Filling
  1. For best results, place bowl of the electric mixer & whisks in the freezer for a few minutes to make them real cold. When chilled, place cream cheese & powdered sugar in the bowl & beat together until smooth. Scrape down the bowl as needed. With mixer running on low, add the vanilla & stream in the whipping cream. Turn the speed up & whip until stiff peaks form. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Roll Cake Pattern
  1. Cream together butter, flour, sugar & egg white with a whisk until smooth. Place batter into a piping bag. Trace or free hand your pattern onto a piece of parchment paper. If you want a specific part of the image to appear on the top of the roll cake, place that part of your pattern about 3/4 of the way down the paper.
  2. Before putting the template onto a 10" x 15" jelly roll pan , using a pastry brush (or your fingers), grease the bottom (but not the sides) with vegetable oil. Line the bottom of the greased pan with the template, pressing down to remove any air bubbles. Set aside. By NOT greasing or covering the sides of the pan, the cake sticks to the sides of the pan, helping the cake to rise while baking.
  3. Pipe out your design, keeping in mind that the cake will be viewed in reverse. Place the pan in the freezer until the batter is frozen solid, for about 20 minutes.
Chocolate Cake
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  2. In a small bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking powder & salt. Set aside.
  3. In another bowl, whip egg whites until foamy, gradually adding HALF of the sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form. In a third large bowl, beat egg yolks until thick. Add remaining sugar, vanilla & water; beat until very thick. Gradually fold in flour mixture then egg whites gently folding JUST until fully incorporated so as not to deflate the eggs.
  4. Remove the jelly roll pan from the freezer & pour the cake batter over the frozen design. Gently tap the sheet against the counter to make sure that the batter gets down into all the little nooks & crannies of your design.
  5. Bake in the center of the oven until cake for about 15 minutes or until it tests done with a toothpick. Loosen edges & immediately turn cake onto a piece of parchment paper. REMOVE the parchment that was on the bottom of the cake (while it was baking). Starting at the narrow end, roll up cake in the parchment (you just turned the cake out on to) & cool completely.
Assembling the Cake Roll
  1. Once fully cooled, gently unroll the cake & separate it from the parchment paper.
  2. Spread an even layer of lemon curd onto the cake, leaving about an inch of space around the edges so the filling doesn't ooze out. Next, drizzle a wavy line of blueberry filling over the lemon curd. Then lastly, pipe some of the cream cheese filling in between your blueberry lines. Try to not OVERFILL the cake roll BUT giving it as generous amount of filling as possible.
  3. Very gently roll the cake back into its spiral shape. Set the cake on a platter with your design on top. Cover with plastic wrap & chill in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or longer.
  4. Slice & serve.

Ube Butterfly Cupcakes

I have always loved butterflies… their vibrant colors, graceful flight, and symbolic representation of transformation. Their beauty lies in their intricate wing patterns, which serve purposes like camouflage, mimicry, and mate recognition. The complete life cycle, from caterpillar to butterfly, is also considered a remarkable transformation. The magnificent yet short life of butterflies serves to remind us that life is short and to make the most of each day we have.

I wanted to create a spring/summer inspired treat, so what better way than making some ‘butterfly’ cupcakes. When I was thinking of a filling that would correlate with all the beautiful colors of the butterflies, ube came to mind.

Ube (pronounced OO-bay), is a purple yam native to the Philippines and other areas of Southeast Asia. Ube is a very versatile ingredient. It is not a purple sweet potato or taro, it is a purple yam. Many folks describe ube’s flavor as a mix between vanilla and pistachio. It has a wonderfully earthy and almost nutty flavor and the vibrant purple color inside and out is uniquely photogenic.

Ube has been used for decades in Filipino cuisine and has now caught on in North America, especially in the form of desserts.

The symbolic seasonal butterfly always seems to work its way into my kitchen each year, so this is my creation for this season!

Print Recipe
 Ube Butterfly Cupcakes
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Course dessert
Cuisine Filipino
Keyword ube butterfly cupcakes
Servings
Ingredients
Ube Cream Cheese Filling
Streusel Topping
Cupcakes
Course dessert
Cuisine Filipino
Keyword ube butterfly cupcakes
Servings
Ingredients
Ube Cream Cheese Filling
Streusel Topping
Cupcakes
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Ube Filling
  1. In a bowl, cream butter & cream cheese. Add powdered sugar, ube haleya & coloring. Combine until smooth. Set aside.
Streusel
  1. In a bowl, combine streusel ingredients. Using your finger tips work streusel until crumbles form. Set aside.
Cupcakes
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. On a baking sheet place 7 paper cupcake cups.
  2. In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda & salt. Set aside.
  3. With an electric mixer, beat the butter until smooth & creamy (about 1 minute), then add sugar & cream together. Add eggs, ube extract & sour cream. Mix just enough to combine then fold in flour mixture.
  4. Spoon batter into cupcake cups, filling them about 1/2 full of cupcake batter.
  5. Drop about a Tbsp (or more) into the center of each cupcake, then cover with a thin layer of batter. The cups should be about 3/4 full. Generously top with streusel crumbs. Gently press the crumbs to help them stick to the batter.
  6. Bake for about 25 minutes or until the cupcake has set & the crumbs get a slight golden color.
  7. Remove from oven & allow to cool.
Recipe Notes

Ube Halaya (Jam) BEST TO MAKE A DAY AHEAD OF USING
 454 gm frozen, grated ube Can be purchased in Filipino grocery stores.
 400 ml coconut milk
 300 ml sweetened condensed milk
 110 gm (1/2 cup) unsalted butter

In a medium, heavy saucepan, melt butter. Add coconut & condensed milks; stir until heated. Add thawed, grated ube & combine well. Cook over a low heat. It is important to stir the mixture often during cooking to prevent it from forming a 'crust'. This process takes about 40-50 minutes until the ube is cooked. The mixture should be thick & sticky. Transfer the ube jam to a container & set aside. If you are making this amount, keep in mind you only need 1/2 cup for this recipe but there are plenty of recipes on my site to help use it up.

Chicken ‘Parm’ Stuffed Garlic Bread

Chicken parmesan stuffed garlic bread, a perfect fusion of cheesy goodness and garlicky delight. It’s a scrumptious twist on the classic Italian favorite.

Chicken parmesan, also known as ‘chicken parm’, is a dish that originated in the United States from Italian immigrants. The most widely accepted theory is that chicken parm was created in the 1950s, when Italian immigrants began to adapt their traditional dishes to American ingredients and cooking methods. The dish became a popular staple in restaurants serving Italian American cuisine by the 1950s. The first recorded instance of the dish is in a 1953 recipe book called ‘The Italian Cook Book’ by Ada Boni. 

Chicken parmigiana as we know it always contains the same basic ingredients: chicken breast, often butterflied, breadcrumbs, Italian seasonings, tomato sauce, and mozzarella cheese. But it wasn’t always that way.  In the Old World, that’s Italy prior to the Italian diaspora, the large-scale emigration of Italians from Italy to America, proteins like chicken were not widely available. As such, the original chicken parmigiana was actually made with breaded, fried slices of eggplant in place of chicken for a dish called melanzane alla Parmigiana. This form of the dish originated in Southern Italy, where the poor soil made it difficult to raise animals for food but where enterprising — and thrifty — peasants could scratch out a living growing hardier crops like eggplant. It also thrived in the hot climate of the South.

In North America, most of the time eggplant parmesan is thought of as just the vegetarian version of an Italian American classic. However, it is actually the other way around — eggplant is the original version of this dish.

You would expect a recipe for something with the word ‘parmesan’ in its name to contain just that, but you would be wrong. The cheese most associated with this dish is mozzarella.

This recipe certainly takes chicken parm & garlic bread up a notch. Yum!

Print Recipe
 Chicken 'Parm' Stuffed Garlic Bread
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Course Lunch
Keyword chicken parm stuffed garlic bread
Servings
Ingredients
Roasted Chicken
Other
Garlic Bread
Course Lunch
Keyword chicken parm stuffed garlic bread
Servings
Ingredients
Roasted Chicken
Other
Garlic Bread
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Instructions
Chicken
  1. Slice chicken lengthwise. In a large resealable plastic bag, combine salt, spices & oil; add chicken breast slices. Seal bag & turn to coat.
  2. Preheat oven to 375 F. Line a baking tray with foil paper.
  3. Spread chicken out evenly & bake about 45 minutes or until no longer pink inside. Don't overcook. Remove from oven, cool & chop. Set aside.
Other
  1. Cook bacon & process in food processor for a few seconds, just until a LARGE crumbly texture is reached.
  2. Grate the two different cheeses & combine. Set aside.
Garlic Bread
  1. Cook potato, mash & cool. In a small bowl, combine yeast with lukewarm water; whisk until yeast is dissolved. Let stand about 3 minutes until foamy. Add butter, minced garlic, salt, sour cream & potato; mix well.
  2. Stir in flour, one cup at a time. When dough is completely blended, turn onto a lightly floured surface. Knead dough about 10 minutes, until smooth & elastic. Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap & let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
  3. Remove risen dough from bowl, turn onto lightly floured surface; roll dough to about a 9" x 20" rectangle. Place a large piece of parchment on a sheet pan. Roll dough onto your rolling pin then unroll onto parchment paper. Place 1/2 of the cheese down the center of dough, top it with crumbled bacon, chicken & remaining cheese.
  4. Starting from the long side , bring the two sides up to meet in the center & pick dough together firmly. Fold the short ends in about 1-inch & pinch together. Using the parchment paper, roll 'baguette' over so the pinched seam side is on the bottom.
  5. Cover with plastic wrap; allow to rise for 15 minutes while preheating oven to 375 F. Brush with egg wash if preferred. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden.
Serving
  1. Remove from oven & serve hot with 'pizza sauce' for dipping.

Burgers in Loaded Potato/Bacon Buns

CELEBRATING THE LONG WEEK-END!

For many Canadians, Victoria Day marks the unofficial beginning of summer. It is Canada’s oldest non-religious holiday and although we still hang on to the British Queen’s name (for old times’ sake), this truly Canadian holiday has everything to do with the end of the cold weather and short days and a lot to do with some great food.

Canadians jokingly refer to this holiday as May ‘two-four’ day. This is an inside joke which refers to a case of beer, containing 24 cans. For many, this is the first (warm-ish) long weekend since Easter, so they head to campsites armed with a 24 (can) case of beer to celebrate the beginning of Summer.

Wherever you live across Canada, this May long weekend – typically marks the start of grilling season. It’s time to get outside in the sunshine, fire up the BBQ, and enjoy savory grilled food with family and friends.

Brion & I are enjoying some interesting burgers which are served on ‘swirly burger buns’.

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 Burgers in Loaded Potato/Bacon Buns
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Course Lunch
Keyword burgers in loaded potato/bacon buns
Servings
Ingredients
Buns
Burgers
Burger Toppings
Course Lunch
Keyword burgers in loaded potato/bacon buns
Servings
Ingredients
Buns
Burgers
Burger Toppings
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Rate this recipe!
Instructions
Buns
  1. In a large bowl, combine yeast with lukewarm water; whisk until yeast is dissolved. Let stand for about 3 minutes until foamy.
  2. Add butter, salt, sour cream & potato; mix well. Add bacon, chives & sun-dried tomatoes; mix until just combined. Stir in flour, one cup at a time. When dough is completely blended, turn onto a lightly floured work surface.
  3. Knead dough for about 10 minutes, until smooth & elastic. Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap & let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about an hour.
Assembly/Bake
  1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside.
  2. Remove risen dough from bowl, turn onto lightly floured surface; roll dough to about a 12 x 15-inch rectangle. From the long side, roll the dough like you would for a cinnamon roll & seal the edges. Using a piece of floss, cut roll into 10 pieces.
  3. Place buns on lined baking sheet & lightly brush with egg wash. Sprinkle with everything bagel seasoning. Allow to rise while oven is heating.
  4. Preheat oven to 375 F.
  5. Bake for about 25-30 minutes until light golden brown.
Burgers
  1. In a large bowl, place all burger ingredients. Mix ONLY until combined. Divide mixture into 10 equal portions & form into patties.
  2. Prepare all burger toppings. When buns are baked, grill burger patties, adding cheese slices toward the end so they can melt. Slice buns (grill for a few minutes if you wish) then 'load' burgers & serve.

Wool Roll Bread w/ Apricot Filling

Today, March 28th, is my mother’s birth date. As we honor her beautiful memory, I’m sure each of my siblings will reflect on special times we shared with her. Forty-seven years after her passing, I find myself still doing many things in her likeness. Baking was a shared passion for my mother and I. We liked nothing better than to bake something together. After I moved from ‘home’ and would return for a visit, instead of having a coffee and visit we would get busy and bake something while we talked. Such great memories!

When I was thinking about what I wanted to post today, my mind drifted to the recipe archive that lives in my head, eventually making its way to the yeast breads. This is an area my mother had mastered down to a science.

Bread is so simple but a staple in almost every culture. Just flour, water and yeast, yet despite those few ingredients, there are hundreds of different types of bread across the world. And every culture has some sort of bread product.

It seems that the Wool Roll Bread become trendy in 2021 because of a Malaysian YouTuber. It also resembles some Middle Eastern breads such as shoreek and other European creations, such as Polish babka and Slovenian Belokranjska povitica. The pillowy yeast dough can be stuffed (or not) with a sweet or savory filling, then sliced, rolled and stacked in a round pan, so as the dough rises and bakes, the final result resembles rolls of wool or thick yarn.

The most popular fillings for wool roll bread are dried fruit, nuts, cinnamon, custard, hazelnut, chocolate, and cheese as well as some Asian favorites such as red mung bean paste, ube or purple yam, coconut or coconut jam, and meat. Sometimes the dough is made in different flavors and colors like chocolate, strawberry, and pandan.

There is some kind of magic in seeing the result of these baked bread rolls that come together to form a Bundt-like cake shape, puffed up in a ring of pull-apart bread.

I’ve chosen to fill our wool roll bread with an apricot cream cheese filling which should be a nice compliment to the soft dough.

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 Wool Roll Bread w/ Apricot Filling
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Course dessert
Cuisine European
Keyword wool roll bread w/ custard filling
Servings
Ingredients
Apricot Filling
Cream Cheese Filling
Bread Dough
Course dessert
Cuisine European
Keyword wool roll bread w/ custard filling
Servings
Ingredients
Apricot Filling
Cream Cheese Filling
Bread Dough
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Instructions
Apricot Filling
  1. In a small saucepan, combine dried apricots, orange juice, lemon juice & sugar. Bring to a simmer over medium low heat. Simmer uncovered for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apricots soften & the liquid is reduced by half. Once cool, transfer the mixture to a food processor & process until a puree forms. Set aside until room temperature.
Cream Cheese Filling
  1. In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese & sugar until smooth. Add egg yolk & vanilla, beat to combine. Set aside in refrigerator until ready to use.
Bread
  1. In a small bowl, combine warm milk, sugar & yeast. Let the mixture sit for about 10 minutes until it becomes frothy.
  2. In a large bowl, Combine flour & salt. Cut in the soft butter. Combine lukewarm water with the beaten egg & add to flour/butter mixture. Add the yeast mixture & mix until a dough forms.
  3. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes or until it becomes smooth & elastic. Once the dough is kneaded, place it in a greased bowl, cover with a damp cloth & allow to rise in a draft-free place for about 1 hour or until doubled in size.
  4. Lightly oil a work surface with olive oil. Gently deflate the dough, divide it into four equal pieces & shape each piece into a ball. Cover the dough & let rest for 10 minutes.
  5. Line a 9" springform pan (at least 2" deep) with parchment paper.
  6. Roll out each piece of dough (on the lightly oil surface) into a 6" x 12" rectangle. On the top HALF of each rectangle, spread the cream cheese filling across the entire width of the rectangle (leaving about 1/4" bare on each side) & down about 6" leaving the bottom 6" bare. Next, spread a good sized dollop of apricot filling over the cream cheese filling. Use a fork so you can do this gently.
  7. Using a sharp knife, cut the uncovered dough at the bottom into very thin strips about 1/8" wide. Starting from the filling covered top & rolling toward the uncovered strips, roll the dough into a log about 6" long.
  8. Place each log, seam-side down, into the bottom of the pan so they are snuggled up against the pans outside edge to form a complete circle.
  9. Preheat to the to 350 F.
  10. Brush the rolls lightly with milk, being careful not to deflate the delicate dough. Cover the 'wool rolls' & let them rise for about 60-75 minutes, until puffy.
  11. Bake for 28-32 minutes, until golden brown on top. Remove the roll from the oven & cool it in the pan until you can transfer it safely to a rack to cool completely. Slice & serve.

Pear Cheesecake w/ Oat Pecan Streusel

A cheesecake is always an appropriate dinner party finale, but this version is a true showstopper. This cheesecake really makes the most of pear season, with the fruit layered on top of the cheesecake batter then covered with oat streusel. The wow-factor comes into play with the stained glass candied pears.

Candied Pears are a beautiful and completely edible decoration for cakes, cupcakes, or any other creative baking project.  Modern twists in candying techniques have seen a resurgence in recent years, blending traditional methods with innovative approaches breathing new life into the timeless art of candying fruit.

Today, candied fruit is enjoyed in various forms, from baking ingredients to standalone snacks. It has become a versatile ingredient in both sweet and savory dishes, catering to a wide range of tastes and preferences. The perception of candied fruit has shifted from being a rare luxury to a widely available and beloved treat for people of all backgrounds.

At this time of year, I’m always trying to come up with something special to give as gifts to our neighbors on either side of us. We couldn’t ask for better neighbors so it’s always nice to show our appreciation in some way. We usually try to give something they use when hosting family & friends. The family this pear cheesecake is for have a pear tree in their back yard so I think its safe to say they like pears.

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 Pear Cheesecake w/ Oat Pecan Streusel
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Course dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword pear cheesecake w/ oat pecan streusel
Servings
Ingredients
Stained Glass Candied Pears
Oat Pecan Streusel Crust & Topping
Pear Mixture
Cheesecake Filling
Salted Caramel Sauce - Optional
Course dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword pear cheesecake w/ oat pecan streusel
Servings
Ingredients
Stained Glass Candied Pears
Oat Pecan Streusel Crust & Topping
Pear Mixture
Cheesecake Filling
Salted Caramel Sauce - Optional
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Rate this recipe!
Instructions
Candied Pears
  1. Preheat oven to 300 F.
  2. Combine water & sugar in a large saucepan. Very thinly slice pears all the way across so that you have a cross section of an entire pear. When sugar is dissolved in the water on the stove, stir & add the pear slices to the simple syrup. Simmer for about 6-8 minutes or until you can almost see through pears. Remove from simple syrup with a tongs & lay flat on parchment paper lined baking sheet.
  3. Mix about 2 tablespoons of simple syrup in a small cup with 2 drops of gel coloring of your choice. Prepare one bowl for each color you wish to use. Using a small clean paintbrush, lightly paint each pear slice as desired. Mottle colors a bit on each slice if using more than one color. Dap with a paper towel to remove excess moisture. Flip slices over and paint on the other side. Dap again with paper towel.
  4. Bake the pears for 20 minutes, paint on some clear simple syrup, turn the slices over & paint the other side. Bake another 10 minutes, then repeat.
  5. Remove from the oven & shape immediately if you do not want flat slices. Sprinkle with gold luster dust, if desired.
Streusel Crust & Topping
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line the sides of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter with sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually add in the flour, baking soda & ground cinnamon. Toss in the oats & chopped pecans & combine well. Press half of the mixture into springform pan and bake for 8-10 minutes until slightly golden brown.
Pear Mixture
  1. In a medium bowl, toss together the chopped pears with sugar, starch, cinnamon & nutmeg. Combine well & set aside.
Cheesecake Filling
  1. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the cream cheese & sugar until smooth & creamy. Mix in the vanilla & almond extract. Add the egg & combine until smooth and creamy.
  2. Pour cream cheese mixture onto the slightly warm crust. Spread pears over the cream cheese. Sprinkle the rest of the oatmeal streusel topping covering the pears, pressing down lightly.
  3. Bake until slightly brown & center is set around 50 minutes. Cool completely & refrigerate overnight preferably.
Salted Caramel Sauce
  1. Combine brown sugar, 1/2 & 1/2 cream, butter & salt in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook while whisking gently for a couple of minutes, until it slightly thickens. Add the vanilla & cook another minute. You are not cooking the sauce very long so it remains quite pourable. Turn off heat, cool slightly. Pour sauce into a blender & blend on high until sauce is 'creamy'. Refrigerate until cold.
Decorating/Serving
  1. To decorate, place cheesecake on serving dish & arrange candied pears on top. When ready to serve, slice & drizzle salted caramel sauce over cheesecake.