Ingredient: cream cheese, softened

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!

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 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.

Blackberry Cheesecake Galette

Is it a crostata or a galette? There’re actually two different names for the same thing. A galette and a crostata are essentially the same type of dessert (one comes from France and one comes from Italy). Crostatas and galettes are typically free-form and rustic, with the dough edges folded up around the filling.

When it comes to pastries and cakes, the French have given the world more techniques, recipes and methods than anyone else. No other country has taken the simple combination of flour, dairy and heat to create such a varied range of delicious dishes, both sweet and savory.

Blackberries are sometimes forgotten, unlike their more popular cousins’ strawberries and blueberries. Even if you don’t love them raw, baked blackberries are something special.

Blackberries are cherished for their enticing flavor, nutritional value, and versatility in recipes. Whether enjoyed as a fresh snack or incorporated into mouthwatering dishes, blackberries remain a beloved fruit that connects us to a rich tapestry of history and nature.

Today I’m making a blackberry cheesecake galette. The combination of buttery pastry and juicy, plump blackberries with cream cheese is simply heavenly.

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 Blackberry Cheesecake Galette
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Course dessert
Cuisine French
Keyword blackberry cheesecake galette
Servings
Ingredients
Pastry
Filling
Finish Ingredients
Course dessert
Cuisine French
Keyword blackberry cheesecake galette
Servings
Ingredients
Pastry
Filling
Finish Ingredients
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Pastry
  1. In a small bowl, combine sour cream & ice water; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, sugar & salt. Using a pastry blender or finger tips, cut in the butter until mixture resembles BOTH coarse crumbs & small peas. Sprinkle the cold sour cream mixture over dough, 1 Tbsp at a time, tossing with a fork to evenly distribute it. After you have added all the sour cream mixture, dough should be moist enough to stick together when pressed; if not, add additional cold water, 1 tsp at a time. Do not overwork dough.
  2. Press dough into a disk shape & wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. The dough can be kept in the refrigerator for a day or two or it can be wrapped airtight & frozen for a month. Thaw, still wrapped in refrigerator.
Filling
  1. In a small bowl, combine 1 Tbsp sugar with 1 Tbsp cornstarch. Sprinkle over blackberries with a squeeze of lime juice. Set aside.
  2. In a medium bowl, beat softened cream cheese with whole egg & egg white until light & fluffy. Beat in 7 Tbsp sugar, zest, vanilla & a pinch of salt.
Assembly
  1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
  2. Remove pastry from refrigerator. On a large sheet of parchment paper, roll out pastry dough into a 12-inch circle. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over dough, leaving a 1 1/2-inch border. Spoon the blackberry mixture over cream cheese, leaving any excess juice in bowl. Gently fold outside edges of pastry over, pleating to hold filling in. Brush with egg wash & sprinkle with coarse sugar.
  3. Bake 45 minutes or until filling bubbles up & crust is golden. test with knife to see that the cream cheese is set. Cool for at least 20 minutes on a wire rack before serving.

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
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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.

Artichoke Cupcakes

HAPPY ST. PATRICK’S DAY!

St. Patrick’s Day is a funny thing here in Canada. It’s the one time each year that people seek out green food and drinks, everything from shamrock shakes, a green bagel, or green beer are part of our version of this holiday.

Green food has been getting more and more ‘creative’ on this particular holiday. Clean eating, green foods like spinach, avocado and broccoli for example. A walk through the grocery store produce section will provide a variety of examples of just how many green foods are available to use in meals and snacks.

In the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day, I wanted to incorporate some green food in some desserts. What better excuse could I have to make some artichoke cupcakes!

Over the years, Brion and I have vacationed many times in the Carmel / Monterey area on the Central Coast of California. As a rule, we make Pacific Grove ‘home base’ and from there do numerous day trips. About a 20-minute drive inland from Monterey Bay is the tiny agricultural town of Castroville. When you enter into the town you will see a sign that says, ‘Artichoke Center of the World’.  Where the rich, fertile soil of the Salinas Valley meets the sands of Monterey Bay, these fog-shrouded fields prove to be the ideal location for the commercial cultivation of Heirloom artichokes.

About another 20-minute drive further north you come to another agricultural town called Watsonville. Just before we reached the town, I spotted a sign advertising ‘artichoke cupcakes’ from Pezzini Farms. We have never eaten anything sweet associated with artichokes before now. This charming roadside market goes deep into the crop that made this chunk of California famous.

Now, Watsonville might not be the self-proclaimed Artichoke Center of the World like its neighbor, Castroville. But it still ranks right up there in growing this distinctive plant that’s actually an herb.

Pezzini Farms is family-owned and has been growing and selling Heirloom Green Globe artichokes since 1929. The family immigrated to the United States from Italy bringing with them their family’s artichoke root stalk. 

The market offers a great selection of fresh produce that includes artichokes sold individually or in bulk. The store also has a wide selection of artichoke products that featured jarred artichoke hearts, artichoke dip mix, and artichoke marinara sauce, among others. By the register, customers were enticed by an array of sweet pastries displayed under glass dessert domes. Among them were decadent artichoke cupcakes topped with thick frosting.

It inspired me to think of artichokes in a whole new way. Brion & I purchased a cupcake to see how it would taste. The dense cake wasn’t overly sweet, with chunks of artichoke heart adding an almost earthy quality. The frosting was velvety with a little cream cheese bounce. A good comparison would be like a zucchini bread or a carrot cake.

Of course, as soon as we came home, I couldn’t wait to try to recreate this interesting little cupcake and what a better time than today. Think artichoke green for St. Patrick’s day!

I’ve added a few pictures I hope you will enjoy.

  • Pezzini store pics x 2
  • Artichokes growing in the fields
  • Production line
  • Store cupcakes
  • Life-size signage
Print Recipe
 Artichoke Cupcakes
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Course dessert
Cuisine Canadian
Keyword artichoke cupcakes
Servings
LARGE CUPCAKES
Ingredients
Cupcake Batter
Cream Cheese Frosting
Course dessert
Cuisine Canadian
Keyword artichoke cupcakes
Servings
LARGE CUPCAKES
Ingredients
Cupcake Batter
Cream Cheese Frosting
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Cupcakes
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a 6-cup muffin pan with large paper liners (or 12 small paper liners).
  2. Drain artichoke hearts well & mince into very small uniform pieces. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, vanilla, lemon zest, lemon juice, water & oil.
  4. In another bowl, sift together flour, white & brown sugars, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cardamom & ginger.
  5. Combine wet ingredients with dry ingredients, then gently fold in the minced artichokes with a spatula until they are completely incorporated into the batter.
  6. Fill the prepared muffin tins with the batter & bake about 30 minutes for the large size (20-25 minutes for small size).
  7. Once the cupcakes are baked through, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Frosting
  1. With an electric mixer, beat butter & cream cheese until creamy & well combined & lump free.
  2. Add vanilla & salt, mix to combine. With mixer on low, gradually add the powdered sugar until completely combined.
  3. Frost cupcakes as desired.

Strawberry Cheesecake w/ Danish Rum Balls

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!

In keeping with Valentines Day, I’m pairing the classic duo of strawberry & chocolate today. At some point, in the many years I spent in the commercial food service industry, I learned the history of the iconic Danish Rum Balls or ‘Romkugler’. These legendary little sweets came about due to leftovers and day old cake that Danish bakers couldn’t sell. Even though they did their best to make the right amount of baked goods so that it would all be sold during the day, they always had leftovers which would not be fresh enough to be sold the day after. They came up with an idea to add jam & rum extract to the day old chocolate cake and the classic rum ball was created.

Today, the rum ball is not considered an unwanted leftover or solely made to avoid food waste. Instead, these little ‘cakes’ continue to appear on the present day bakery shelves.

I think these mini rum balls are the perfect compliment to the strawberry cheesecakes. Sweet, but heh …. its Valentines!!

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 Strawberry Cheesecake w/ Danish Rum Balls
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Course dessert
Cuisine American, Dutch, European
Keyword strawberry cheesecake + Danish rum balls
Servings
MINI CHEESECAKES
Ingredients
Crumb Base
Cheesecake
Garnishes
Danish Rum Balls - Makes about 39 mini size
Course dessert
Cuisine American, Dutch, European
Keyword strawberry cheesecake + Danish rum balls
Servings
MINI CHEESECAKES
Ingredients
Crumb Base
Cheesecake
Garnishes
Danish Rum Balls - Makes about 39 mini size
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Crumb Base
  1. In a small bowl, combine Oreo crumbs, sugar & melted butter (mixture should have the consistency of wet sand). Place 1 1/2 tablespoons in the bottom of each 'cup' of an individual cheesecake pan. Press the mixture down firmly to form the crust.
Cheesecake Batter
  1. Dice 150 gm strawberries. Reserve several strawberries for garnish.
  2. Process strawberries in a food processor slightly; add softened cream cheese, sugar, orange & lemon juices. Continue to process until very smooth.
  3. Soften gelatin in cold water; stir over low heat until dissolved. Beat into cheese mixture.
  4. Divide cheesecake batter between 14 individual 'cups' in cheesecake pan. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Carefully remove cheesecakes from molds.
Mini Rum Balls
  1. In a food processor, process cake until crumbly. Add jam & rum then process until the dough has a uniform consistency.
  2. Roll dough into 1/2 oz. size balls. Refrigerate until chilled for about an hour..
  3. In a double boiler, melt chocolate with shortening, stirring until smooth. Roll balls in chocolate, allowing excess to drip off. Place on a piece of dry wax paper until set.
  4. When ready to serve, top each cheesecake with a rosette of whipped cream & a slice of strawberry garnished with a mint leaf. Serve with a Danish rum ball on the side.
Recipe Notes
  • If you're cheesecake pan only has 12 cups, use a mini muffin pan for the extra two cheesecakes.
  • If you want to increase the strawberry flavor in the cheesecakes add 1/2 tsp Lor Ann strawberry flavor to the batter and for some extra color, a bit of red GEL food coloring.
  • If you wish, don't hesitate to add finely chopped nuts to the rum balls or roll them in chocolate sprinkles.

Shrimp Stuffed Salmon Paupiettes

HAPPY NEW YEAR’S DAY!

New Year’s celebrations bring thoughts of new beginnings. People all over the world are preparing traditional foods in hopes of bringing good luck and fortune in 2025. On the list for many: seafood, especially fish. Many believe fish to be a lucky New Year’s food because fish scales resemble coins. Fish also swim in schools, which for many can inspire feelings of abundance. Finally, fish travel forward, representing progress.

In North America the most common type of fish often served on New Year’s is salmon, as the color pink is often used to signify luck. 

For our New Year’s meal, we are having a stuffed salmon paupiette.

A paupiette is a French dish made from a thin piece of meat, poultry or fish that is stuffed with additional ingredients. The base of the dish is pounded thin and covered with a filling of finely chopped vegetables, meats, fruits, breadcrumbs and tightly formed into a roll. Once the stuffed fish, poultry or meat is cooked through, it is generally cut into small rounds prior to serving. Paupiettes are also commonly referred to as roulades, a word based on the French word meaning ‘to roll’.

BEST WISHES FOR HEALTH & HAPPINESS TO EVERYONE IN 2025!

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 Shrimp Stuffed Salmon Paupiettes
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Course Main Dish
Keyword shrimp stuffed salmon paupiettes
Servings
Ingredients
Course Main Dish
Keyword shrimp stuffed salmon paupiettes
Servings
Ingredients
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
  1. Slice salmon fillet into 2 or 4 long strips. Flatten GENTLY with a meat mallet. Rub fillets with olive oil then season with salt & pepper.
  2. Melt butter over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add garlic & onion; sauté until onions are translucent. Add shrimp, salt & Old Bay seasoning.
  3. Sauté until shrimp is barely pink. Transfer to a bowl & allow to cool. When cooled, add parsley, bread crumbs & cream cheese to shrimp mixture & gently stir to blend ingredients.
  4. Preheat oven to 375 F.
  5. Divide stuffing mixture between the 4 strips of salmon fillet. Spread stuffing out evenly & roll each one up, jelly-roll style. Tie each one with some kitchen twine to ensure they will stay rolled.
  6. Place the stuffed fillets in a shallow baking dish. Bake salmon for 45 minutes or until salmon is JUST cooked. Place grape tomatoes in a small baking dish, toss with either some Golden Italian dressing or olive oil & roast until skins are slightly popping open.
  7. Serve with roasted tomatoes & guacamole on the side.

Spiced Persimmon & Cranberry Linzer Torte

Originating from Linz, Austria, the Linzer torte is one of the oldest tortes in the world, found in an Austrian abbey in the early 1700s.

It is made with a buttery pastry dough with a significant amount of ground nuts, typically hazelnuts, but often with almonds or walnuts. With a lattice design on the top, it is traditionally filled with red currant jam; but raspberry, apricot and plum are quite popular too.

Linzer cookies employ the same recipe as the Linzer torte but instead the dough is cut into cookies and two of them form a sandwich around the preserves.  Moreover, the top cookie has a small cutout in its center (known as Linzer eyes), thus exposing the underlying jam and adding to the visual appeal. 

When Linzer torte was brought to North America in the 19th century, it became very popular. Today the Linzer cookie is still very commonly used in celebrating Christmas and other holidays as well.

There are countless versions of Linzer tortes around showcasing different nuts, different preserves, and so on such as tahini and sesame Linzer, beets Linzer, a lemon curd Linzer and a chestnut apple Linzer just to name a few.

With my passion for ‘recipe development’, I wanted to come up with a ‘Linzer torte’ that showcased persimmons and cranberries for Christmas. This is what developed!

Print Recipe
 Spiced Persimmon & Cranberry Linzer Torte
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Cuisine European
Keyword spiced persimmon & cranberry Linzer torte
Servings
Ingredients
Linzer Cookie Crust
Spiced Cranberries
Spiced Persimmons
Cheesecake Filling
Cuisine European
Keyword spiced persimmon & cranberry Linzer torte
Servings
Ingredients
Linzer Cookie Crust
Spiced Cranberries
Spiced Persimmons
Cheesecake Filling
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Crust
  1. In a bowl, sift together flour & salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar & vanilla until light & fluffy. Beat in as much flour mixture as possible. Mix in the rest & gently knead till dough comes together. Form into a disk & wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for at least 30 minutes.
Cranberries
  1. In a saucepan, combine whole berry sauce, raspberries, sugar, orange zest & cinnamon. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the sauce thickens & is bubbly. Remove from heat & allow to cool. The sauce will thicken slightly as it cools.
Persimmons
  1. Place the melted butter in a large bowl & stir in the honey & spices. Stir well, then add persimmon slices. Toss to coat each slice well.
Cheesecake Filling
  1. Using a mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth then add sugar & blend well. Add eggs & vanilla, beat until smooth.
Baking
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  2. Between 2 sheets of parchment paper, roll out 2/3 of pastry into a 10-inch circle. Place in an 8-inch springform pan. From the remaining 1/3 of the pastry cut a 5-inch circle. In the center of this circle cut a 3-inch circle (this should resemble a Linzer cookie). If you wish you can cut out a few 'stars' for decorations. Lay pastry ring & stars on parchment paper & place on a baking sheet. Blind bake pastry in the springform pan for 8 minutes or until barely set. Bake the ring & stars until golden.
  3. Remove springform pan from oven & pour cream cheese mixture over warm crust. Bake for 20 minutes or until crust is lightly golden & cheesecake tests done. Set aside to cool.
Assembly
  1. When cheesecake has cooled, place the slices of persimmon, overlapping each other to form 2 circles around the outer edge. Spoon spiced cranberries in the middle of the persimmons.
  2. Sprinkle baked pastry ring & stars with powdered sugar & place on top of cranberries. Press down slightly. Your torte should resemble a large Linzer cookie when finished.
Recipe Notes
  • You will have extra cranberry sauce which can be easily used over the holiday season I found. Brion & I liked them so much we added extra to our slices of torte.

Mincemeat Filled Cookies

December is just around the corner and when I was growing up, that was officially ‘baking season’ for my mom. Many of the ingredients for the special things she would bake at this time of year were just too expensive to have on hand all the time. While we were at school, over the weeks prior to Christmas, she would bake many different kinds of cookies and squares. When we would arrive home in the late afternoon, there was no trace of what she had baked. Every cookie tin and various other containers were being filled with these glorious goodies. It all became part of the mystery and suspense of the season.

Like many traditions, the origin of the Christmas baking ‘bonanza’ comes from medieval times. Winter solstice rituals were conducted long before Christmas became the huge commercial holiday it is today. Celebrations revolved around food. By the Middle Ages, the Christmas holiday had overtaken solstice rituals and the pastry world was experiencing some big changes. Spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg and black pepper as well as dried exotic fruits were becoming available. Expensive delicacies like sugar, lard and butter all became treasured ingredients that could only be afforded on this most important holiday.

Unlike pies and cakes, cookies could easily be shared and given to friends and neighbors. Our modern-day Christmas cookies are baked for similar reasons. They’re given as hostess gifts in festive tins, used on giant dessert trays and of course they make for wonderful family baking traditions.

I realize ‘mincemeat’ doesn’t appeal to everyone’s pallet. These days the ‘all-fruit’ varieties have made it much more appealing. Since Brion and I both enjoy the all-fruit mincemeat, I thought I’d do a Christmas version. Pairing the flavors of anise, apple, mincemeat and lemon was really nice.

Print Recipe
 Mincemeat Filled Cookies
Votes: 2
Rating: 5
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Cuisine American
Keyword mincemeat filled cookies
Servings
DOZEN
Ingredients
Mincemeat
Cheesecake Cookies
Lemon Glaze
Cuisine American
Keyword mincemeat filled cookies
Servings
DOZEN
Ingredients
Mincemeat
Cheesecake Cookies
Lemon Glaze
Votes: 2
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Instructions
Mincemeat
  1. In a large saucepan, combine all ingredients. Over a medium-low heat bring to a simmer. Turn heat to low & continue to simmer, stirring often, until mixture thickens. Remove from heat & cool until ready to use.
Cookies
  1. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese & butter until fluffy & smooth; 1-2 minutes. Add sugar; beat another 1-2 minutes then add eggs & anise extract & continue beating 1 more minute.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, anise seed & salt. Gradually add dry ingredients to the butter mixture & stir just until incorporated. Do NOT over mix. Divide dough in half. If the dough seems to soft to roll at this point, chill for about an hour before proceeding on.
  3. Between 2 sheets of parchment paper, roll each half of the dough to a 1/8"-1/4" thickness. Remove top sheet & using a 2 1/2" (6 cm) round cookie cutter, cut out cookies. Using the top sheet of parchment, lay rounds about 2" apart. Slide a plastic cutting board under parchment paper & transfer to freezer for about 30 minutes. (I found this made it much easier to continue the procedure).
  4. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  5. Remove cookies from freezer. Spoon about a teaspoon of COLD mincemeat filling onto center of each circle. Wet edges a bit with water or beaten egg. Fold cookies in half & using a fork, press edges to seal. (If your mincemeat filling is well chilled, I found it didn't run out of the cookies while being baked).
  6. Bake cookies for 10-11 minutes. Cookies should be light in color, not browned & just starting to brown on bottom. * Length of baking time may vary from oven to oven. Cool cookies on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Lemon Glaze
  1. In a small bowl, combine glaze ingredients & beat to a drizzle consistency. When cookies are cooled, drizzle with glaze.
Recipe Notes
  • SPICE COMBO
  • 2 Tbsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ginger
  • 1/2 tsp cardamom
  • 1/4 tsp cloves
  • 1/4 tsp allspice
  • Combine well & store in a spice bottle.
  • PREPARED MINCEMEAT FILLING
  • 700 ml 5-fruit mincemeat (suet-free)
  • 1 1/2 cups apple, cored & finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice
  • Combine mincemeat filling ingredients & refrigerate until needed.

Apple Crisp Snack Cake

In Canada, apples are available throughout the year. About 100 species of apples are grown in the country. With their bright colors, crisp texture and clean, slightly spicy flavor, apples are the perfect fall icon.

Today’s blog recipe is a bit of a different take on a beloved old classic. Apple crisp is a North American dessert which combines tender apples covered with a delectable crunchy topping. It is one of the common desserts that does not have the regular bottom crust and uses sliced or diced apples, generously doused in cinnamon and sugar, as the bottom layer.

The streusel which covers the apples can employ a wide variety of different flour types, nuts, and oats, commonly combined with butter and sugar. It results in a crumbly topping, which usually completely coats the apples, allowing them to release and cook inside the flavorful juices.

Apple crisp is believed to have stemmed from the British crumble, and today these two classics merely differ in their names. Even though the North American crisp was particularly made with oats, which resulted in a crunchier coating, nowadays both varieties can employ various ingredients.

This warm and spicy ‘apple crisp snack cake’ is a comforting twist on the favorite fall dessert. Filled with apples and topped with more apples, cream cheese drizzle the perfect crispy streusel. Orange pumpkins might be more popular this month, but there’s no better time than now to take advantage of apple fresh season.

Print Recipe
 Apple Crisp Snack Cake
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Course dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword apple crisp cupcakes
Servings
SERVINGS
Ingredients
Cake
Apple Topping
Drizzle
Baked Crisp Topping
Course dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword apple crisp cupcakes
Servings
SERVINGS
Ingredients
Cake
Apple Topping
Drizzle
Baked Crisp Topping
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Instructions
Cake
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line an 8 x 8inch baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
  2. Peel, core & grate apples. Sift flour, cornstarch, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, cardamom & salt together in a medium bowl & set aside.
  3. Using a mixer, cream butter & sugar until light. Scrape the bowl & add the whole egg, mixing on medium-high for about a minute. Scrape the bowl again & add the egg white & vanilla; mix for another 2 minutes.
  4. Alternately fold in flour mixture & buttermilk, then gently fold in grated apples.
  5. Pour/spread batter into prepared baking pan. Bake for about 30-40 minutes or until a cake tester comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Allow to cool in pan on a wire rack.
Baked Crisp Topping
  1. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Place all ingredients except butter in a bowl. Combine well then add softened butter. Mix until the mixture begins to form pea-sized clusters. Spread mixture evenly on the parchment lined cookie sheet, then bake at 350 F. for 5 minutes. Stir the topping around a bit, then bake for another 5 minutes until it begins to turn golden brown. Let crisp topping cool completely to room temperature. If crisp mixture is too chunky break it up with your fingers slightly.
Apple Topping
  1. Place apples , lemon juice & water in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until softened, but not falling apart. Add brown sugar, cinnamon & salt. Cook for a minute to dissolve sugar. Remove & cool until cake is baked & ready to top.
Drizzle
  1. Sift powdered sugar with salt. Set aside. Cream softened cream cheese & butter with a mixer for about 2 minutes. Add vanilla & mix to combine. Add powdered sugar & slowly incorporate into wet mixture. Add milk & beat to create a drizzle consistency.
Assembly
  1. When cake is cool, carefully & evenly spread apple topping over top of cake. Using a small piping bag, drizzle icing over apples (using a spatula, lightly spread a bit of drizzle on sides). Next, top cake with baked crisp topping. Slice & serve.
Recipe Notes
  • To make your own buttermilk, place 2 tsp of white vinegar or lemon juice in your measuring cup & add milk to equal 2/3 cup, stir & let stand until room temperature.
  • If you prefer cupcakes over the snack cake, no problem. Same idea just a different shape. Your choice!

 

Chai Cinnamon Crescents

It’s the fall season, so bring on the chai flavored recipes! Fall can encompass many different flavors including apple, pumpkin, maple, cranberry and ginger just to name a few. To me, baked goods and chai spices are a no-brainer. Traditionally, chai is made into a tea which consists of milk, spices, sweetener, and black tea. Chai spices can be used for so much more than just tea. Once you make your basic chai spice recipe, there are so many ways to utilize it.

Chai can include several different spices. Cardamom is the most common ingredient, followed by a mixture of cinnamon, ginger, star anise and cloves. Pepper and coriander, nutmeg and fennel are also used but they are slightly less common.

In the winter of 2011, Brion and I traveled Turkey for a month. We were meeting with the 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.

A stay in Istanbul would not be complete without a traditional and unforgettable boat excursion up the Bosphorus, that winding strait that separates Europe and Asia. Its shores are a mixture of past and present, grand splendor and simple beauty. Modern hotels stand next to shore-front wooden villas, marble palaces in contrast to rustic stone fortresses and elegant compounds neighboring small fishing villages. Since Turkey actually straddles two separate continents, its culture features strong elements and traditions from both east and west. At that point in time, we found Turkey a relaxed country to travel in which made our time there very enjoyable.

These crescent rolls are a shortcut to making the classic cinnamon rolls using cream cheese pastry and that incredible flavor of the chai spice. Yum!

Print Recipe
 Chai Cinnamon Crescents
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Course dessert
Cuisine Middle Eastern
Keyword chai crescent rolls
Servings
Ingredients
Chai Spice Filling
Crescents
Drizzle
Course dessert
Cuisine Middle Eastern
Keyword chai crescent rolls
Servings
Ingredients
Chai Spice Filling
Crescents
Drizzle
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Instructions
Chai Spice Filling
  1. Whisk together all chai spices with brown sugar. Set aside.
Crescents
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In a bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder & salt. With a pastry blender, cut in cream cheese & shortening until mixture resembles coarse peas. Stir in milk. On a lightly floured work surface, knead dough gently about 20 times.
  3. Form dough in a ball then roll out into a 14-inch circumference. Spread butter over the surface of dough then spread spice/sugar combo (all but 1 tsp needed for drizzle) evenly over the butter.
  4. Cut circle into 12-14 equal wedges. Roll each wedge from the outside edge to form a crescent shape. Slightly curve each one & place on baking sheet.
  5. Bake for about 20 minutes or until pastry is baked. Remove from oven & place on wire cooling rack.
Drizzle
  1. In a small bowl, beat together cream cheese & butter until smooth. Add 1/2 tsp chai spice mix, powdered sugar, salt & vanilla. Beat until well combined then add enough milk to make a drizzle consistency. When crescents are cool, drizzle & serve.