Course: dessert

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!

Print Recipe
 Chinese 5 Spice Pear & Applesauce Muffins
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
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
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
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’.

Print Recipe
 Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese Cookies
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Course dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword pumpkin spice cream cheese cookies
Servings
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
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
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.

Print Recipe
 Halloween Soul Cakes
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Course dessert
Cuisine European
Keyword Halloween soul cookies
Servings
Ingredients
Course dessert
Cuisine European
Keyword Halloween soul cookies
Servings
Ingredients
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
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.

Grated Apple Pie w/ Salted Carmel Topping

Many cultures have embraced the apple pie and put their own spin on it, so why is it known as the quintessential American dessert. German immigrants brought over the modern hamburger and Italians were the first to combine cheese with macaroni. Apple pie—a dish that commonly follows the words ‘American as’ —has a reputation for being one of the rare dishes the country can fully claim. But as it turns out, the history of the iconic American dessert isn’t so simple.

The phrase ‘as American as apple pie’ emerged in the early 20th century. It gained widespread popularity during World War II, when soldiers were asked what they were fighting for. The response often included apple pie, alongside other symbols of American life like mom and baseball. This association cemented apple pie’s status as a quintessential American food.

For some cooks, grated apple pie was a practical alternative to the traditional sliced version. Grating or shredding the apples creates a pie with a tender, uniform, and almost custard-like filling, unlike the chunkier texture of a standard pie. Shredding the fruit reduces the cooking time required to soften the apples, which was an advantage for home bakers. As shown in some historic recipes, eggs and melted butter were often mixed into the grated apples, creating a richer filling. 

This pie reminds me of an experience I had that seems quite comical when I think of it now. Before I had ever studied in the commercial food industry or made any number of pies, a friend gave me a recipe for a ‘Swiss’ apple pie. Her instructions were to place the shredded apple in a pastry lined pie pan. Next, pour vanilla pudding over the apples and bake. It sounded great! I purchased a box of Jell-O brand vanilla pudding & pie filling, made a crust and filled it with shredded apples. I assumed you were supposed to cook the pudding before covering the apples with it for some reason. Wrong!! What resulted was apples baked in a pastry shell with a ‘rubber top’. I guess we all have to start somewhere, right?!

Today, I wanted to revisit the grated apple pie idea being fall with all the wonderful apples that are in season right now.

Print Recipe
 Grated Apple Pie w/ Salted Carmel Topping
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Course dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword grated apple pie w/ parsnip pastry & salted caramel
Servings
Ingredients
Pastry
Apple Filling
Salted Caramel Sauce
Course dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword grated apple pie w/ parsnip pastry & salted caramel
Servings
Ingredients
Pastry
Apple Filling
Salted Caramel Sauce
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Instructions
Pastry
  1. Sift flour, sugar & baking powder into a bowl. Add salt & rub butter into flour with fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, vinegar & water. Sprinkle the egg/water mixture over the flour mixture & combine ONLY until dough comes together. DO NOT OVERMIX. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap & refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Apple Pie
  1. Preheat oven to 450 F.
  2. Grate apples & combine with lemon juice.
  3. Line a 9-inch pie plate with chilled pastry. In a bowl, mix together the sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg & salt. Sprinkle 3 Tbsp evenly in the bottom of the crust & set the rest aside.
  4. In a mixing bowl, beat the butter until creamy. Add the remaining sugar mixture & beat until incorporated. Add the vanilla & eggs. Beat until mixed well & the mixture turns lighter. Stir in the apples.
  5. Pour the filling mixture into the crust & spread out evenly. Place a pie ring or one made out of aluminum foil around the edges of the crust.
  6. Bake at 450 F. for 15 minutes then reduce heat to 350 F. & bake for an additional 30-35 minutes. If the crust is not brown enough, remove the pie ring for the last 10 minutes of the cooking time.
Salted Caramel Sauce
  1. Place the sugar & water into a large heavy bottomed saucepan. Cook, stirring, over a low heat until sugar has dissolved. Increase heat & bring to a boil for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until you get a deep amber color.
  2. Remove from heat & immediately add the heavy cream & stir. Be careful as it will bubble up quite a lot. Once the caramel has dissolved into the cream, add the butter & salt. Place in a small blender & blend for a few seconds until mixture comes together nicely. Place into a small container & cool.
Finish
  1. Once pie is at room temperature, brush or drizzle sauce over the apple filling. Chill further & serve.
Recipe Notes

The purpose of putting some of the sugar mixture into the bottom of the pie crust is to absorb some of the liquid that forms when sugar & fruit are mixed together.
If the apples produce a lot of juice, drain them BEFORE adding them to the batter. If you pour off the juice after adding the apples to the batter, you will lose a lot of the spice flavor.
Using a deep dish will help avoid it from running over in the oven.

Root Vegetable Apricot Cake

We’re entering the in between… that time when some days are super nice and the sun is shining and if you don’t look at the date on the calendar, you’d swear it’s the middle of July, and some days you need a jacket and it’s gloomy and you can feel the season changing in the air?

The time when the flowers are still blooming and the leaves are starting to change. Fall food is popping up in the stores and it’s more than just pumpkin spice everything.

So why not make a ‘root vegetable cake’? I know, you’re thinking you don’t really want anything called root vegetable cake. But keep an open mind because it’s just a cake with carrots, parsnips and some beets. They’re all shredded and combined with warm spices to make a hearty cake, dotted with dried apricots and pepita seeds. The spice and earthiness of the cake are complemented by the rich sweetness and subtle tang of the ginger cream cheese frosting.  Altogether, it’s pretty much the perfect bite – while the root veggies keep this cake soft and add a subtly sweet, earthy flavor; the apricots and pepita seeds add texture. Then it’s topped off with the luxurious creaminess of the ginger frosting. What’s not to love!

Print Recipe
 Root Vegetable Apricot Cake
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Course dessert
Cuisine British
Keyword root vegetable apricot cake
Servings
Ingredients
Cake
Ginger Cream Cheese Frosting
Course dessert
Cuisine British
Keyword root vegetable apricot cake
Servings
Ingredients
Cake
Ginger Cream Cheese Frosting
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Instructions
Cake
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease the base & sides of a 8-inch round cake pan with a little oil. Line the base with parchment paper.
  2. Peel & grate the carrots, beets & parsnips into a large bowl. Zest an orange & add to the vegetables.
  3. Pour in the syrup, eggs & olive oil, then mix to combine. Next, fold in the flour, spices, baking powder, baking soda & salt.
  4. Finely dice the apricots, then add them to the bowl along with the seeds, then mix everything until just combined but DO NOT OVERMIX.
  5. Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan & bake for 30 to 35 minutes, rotating the tin after 20 minutes, until the top is a light pink-golden tone. The cake should bounce back when pressed lightly, & a skewer inserted into the center will come out clean when fully cooked. Remove from the oven & leave to cool in the pan.
Ginger Frosting
  1. Place room temperature cream cheese, ginger & butter into a mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer. beat until creamy & smooth. Slowly add the powdered sugar until all is incorporated.
Assembly
  1. When the cake is completely cool, transfer to a plate, then finish with the icing, smoothing it over the sides & top of the cake. Decorate as you wish slice & serve.
Recipe Notes

If you are like me, maple syrup is not something I usually have on hand. Here's a good substitute ... 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup water & 1/4 tsp maple extract. Place the sugar & water in a small saucepan. Simmer on low heat, stirring frequently, until sugar is dissolved & mixture thickens slightly, 3-5 minutes. Stir in maple extract (adjust to taste). Allow to cool before using (mixture thickens as it cools).

Beet Quick Bread

While we are all familiar with carrot cake, there are a variety of other vegetables that are suitable for baking. Beets, zucchini, parsnips, pumpkin and sweet potato can deliver a sweet flavor, while helping keep cakes moist.

On the surface, vegetables and cakes seem like strange bedfellows. However, the two can complement each other, as evidenced by carrot cake and zucchini bread.

Cake inherently isn’t good for anyone. Adding vegetables makes it slightly healthier, but in the end, it’s still cake. I guess you could say, baked goods with veggies are a better-for-you alternative, but not the next superfood. That being said, it’s still not going to deter me from making some beet ‘bread’ today.

The history of using beets in baking dates back to wartime rationing and has evolved into a beloved treat. During World War II, when sugar was rationed and resources were limited, inventive home bakers began using beets as a natural sweetener and a means to add moisture to their cakes. Beets were widely available and proved to be a valuable ingredient in dessert recipes. Over the years, this wartime innovation has evolved into a popular and nutritious cake variation.

Print Recipe
 Beet Quick Bread
Votes: 2
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Course dessert
Cuisine Canadian
Keyword beet quick bread
Servings
Ingredients
Course dessert
Cuisine Canadian
Keyword beet quick bread
Servings
Ingredients
Votes: 2
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
  2. Wrap the beets loosely in foil, place on a baking sheet & bake in the center of the oven for 45 minutes or until fork tender. Remove from the oven, set aside to cool then discard the skin (it should peel off easily). Puree the beetroot with the pear & apple juice. You can do this step in advance.
  3. Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease a 9 1/2" loaf pan, line with parchment paper & set aside.
  4. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, lemon zest & salt. Stir thoroughly using a whisk. Set aside.
  5. Beat together the eggs, sugar & oil for about 2 minutes until fluffy. Pour in the beet mixture & stir well to combine.
  6. Add the seeds/nuts of choice & the flour mixture. Stir just to combine (stop stirring when the dry ingredients have disappeared). The batter will be lumpy.
  7. Transfer the batter into the prepared loaf pan, smooth out the top with the back of a spoon & bake in the middle of the oven for 1 hour & 5 minutes (or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean).
  8. Remove from the oven & leave to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Lift the bread out of the pan with the parchment paper & place on a cooling rack. Cool completely before slicing (store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge).
  9. Serve on its own as a snack, for breakfast or brunch, with butter or cream cheese. Although the top is so pink & it looks like its been iced, this is just the way it comes out of the oven. It's so interesting that the outside stays the red color of the beets but the inside is a brown color.
Recipe Notes

You can bake the beets in advance. Once cooled, refrigerate them (overnight) until you are ready to use.
You can freeze the entire loaf in a freezer bag or freeze individual slices (separated with pieces of parchment in an airtight container) to enjoy later.

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
You:
Rate this recipe!
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
You:
Rate this recipe!
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.

Banana Crumble

Crumbles have everything. They are sweet/tart, yielding, crunchy and caramelized. Another beauty of crumbles is that they have so few ingredients, sometimes as few as four – fruit, flour, butter and sugar – which, with the addition of heat, transform themselves into puddings of sublime comfort.

The most likely origin story for crumble is that it originated in the United Kingdom in the 18th century. At that time, crumble was known as ‘cottage pudding’ and was a more accessible and simpler alternative to pastry-based pies, which required more ingredients and time to prepare. Crumble gained popularity in Britain, Ireland, and across the Commonwealth of Nations, becoming a ‘national institution’. 

While the exact origin of ‘banana’ crumble is less clear, the dessert is a variation of the traditional crumble, featuring bananas as the main fruit component. Have you ever wondered why you see crumble recipes for berries, pears, apple – just about any fruit but bananas? Generally, bananas don’t come to mind when we think about fruit desserts like crisps or crumbles. We naturally assume that they would not hold up to being baked. However, it all comes down to the ripeness of the bananas being used.  You want the banana to be ripe as far as being a nice bright yellow without any green on it or any signs of starting to over ripen. 

I think you will find banana crumble is extremely good all by itself but is made even better with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. 

Print Recipe
 Banana Crumble
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Course dessert
Cuisine British
Keyword banana crumble
Servings
Ingredients
Topping
Filling
Course dessert
Cuisine British
Keyword banana crumble
Servings
Ingredients
Topping
Filling
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Instructions
Topping
  1. Combine all the topping ingredients ( except pecans) in a medium size bowl & work them together with your fingers until they become crumbly. Add the toasted pecans to the bowl. Stir to mix. Refrigerate the topping while you make the filling.
Filling
  1. In a saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over low heat. Add the brown sugar & stir until it dissolves, about 3 minutes. It will become a wet looking mass of sugar that slides around the pan. Stir in the cinnamon, cardamom & salt. Add the orange juice, be careful it will sizzle up & splatter a little bit. Cook about one minute until it thickens slightly.
  2. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  3. Add the banana chunks & toss gently until they are coated. Divide banana chunks with sauce evenly between 6 ramekins. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the bananas.
  4. Bake until topping is golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let cool about 10 minutes before serving.
  5. Top with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream if desired.

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Mousse Domes

Strawberries — loved for their sweet taste and heart shape, have symbolized purity, perfection, love and passion throughout the ages. It is very common for us to give little thought to where our food comes from and the back breaking labor that it took to get it to our various parts of the country.

Travel can always be filed under the category ‘learning experience’. I find it so important to set oneself outside our ‘bubble’ to fully understand and not become complacent about the many things we take for granted.

Over the years, Brion and I have spent many holiday hours travelling along the Big Sur coast of California, USA. While there we would use Monterrey as our ‘home base’ and make little day trips to the surrounding area. Just inland from Monterrey is the agricultural jewel known as the Salinas Valley. This is one of the major valleys and most productive agricultural regions of California. Having a unique coastal environment with its western ocean exposure (less than 10 miles away) provides moderate temperatures year-round. Warm sunny days and cool foggy nights are the perfect combination for growing strawberries.

I find myself going back to those years I was raised on the farm when Brion & I were driving along looking at the fields of produce growing. I have often felt much appreciation and compassion for the farm workers standing, bent over in the heat of the blazing sun for hours tending these crops.

I have many memories of my own parents working long, hard hours to provide for us on our family farm. I am grateful to have learned to appreciate the efforts of others that make life good.

These strawberry mousse ‘domes’ celebrate those wonderful strawberries as well as satisfying the chocolate lover.

Print Recipe
 Chocolate Covered Strawberry Mousse Domes
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Course dessert
Keyword chocolate covered strawberry mousse cakes
Servings
Ingredients
Brownie
Strawberry Mousse
Glaze
Course dessert
Keyword chocolate covered strawberry mousse cakes
Servings
Ingredients
Brownie
Strawberry Mousse
Glaze
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Instructions
Brownie
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  2. Lightly butter a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan & line with a 9-inch strip of parchment paper (the two short ends will be uncovered); lightly butter parchment.
  3. Melt butter in a medium saucepan. Remove from heat & add chopped chocolate, stirring until smooth (the residual heat from the pan should be plenty to melt the chocolate.)
  4. Stir in sugar; mixture should be lukewarm, no longer hot to the touch. If it's still pretty warm, let it cool for a minute or two.
  5. Whisk in eggs until batter is smooth & shiny.
  6. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder & salt in a small bowl. Sprinkle over chocolate mixture & fold with a spatula until just incorporated.
  7. Pour batter into prepared pan & spread into an even layer. Bake for about 20 minutes or until top is set & a toothpick inserted near the middle comes out with moist crumbs (not gooey batter). Set pan on a wire rack & let cool completely. The brownie layer can be made a day ahead of time; once cool, cover pan tightly and refrigerate overnight until ready to use.
  8. Lift the cooled brownie out of the pan using the parchment overhang as handles. Cut off the edges, then cut into six 2-inch squares.
Strawberry Mousse
  1. Place water in a small dish; sprinkle gelatin over top & set aside to bloom for at least 5 minutes.
  2. Heat milk in a small saucepan set over low heat until it just starts to steam (try not to let it boil).
  3. Mix together egg yolk & sugar in a bowl until it forms a thick paste. Slowly spoon some of the hot milk into the yolk mixture, whisking constantly until the paste thins out a bit. Drizzle in the remaining milk & whisk until smooth.
  4. Return mixture to the saucepan & return to low heat & cook, stirring & scraping the bottom of the pan consistently, until the mixture thickens slightly to coat the back of a spoon.
  5. Remove from heat & whisk in gelatin until smooth. Transfer to a medium-large bowl & set aside.
  6. Meanwhile, purée strawberries & lemon juice in a blender or food processor until smooth. Transfer to a liquid measuring cup (you should have about 1/2 cup purée, if you have more than that save the excess for another use). Whisk strawberry purée into lukewarm custard mixture, then place bowl in refrigerator while you whip the cream.
  7. In a clean bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat heavy cream until it holds soft peaks. Add 1/3 of cream to the cooled strawberry mixture & fold to lighten, then add remaining cream & fold until fully incorporated & no white streaks or lumps remain.
  8. To assemble your cakes, spoon or pipe the mousse into 5- (4 oz) silicone dome molds (they’re just over 3 inches in diameter), about 2/3 of the way full. Gently press a brownie square into the top of each mousse-filled mold. Scrape with an offset spatula to make the top perfectly level with the top of the mold. Freeze at least 3 hours or overnight until completely firm.
  9. Before you make the glaze, remove cakes from molds and place on a frozen cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Return to freezer until just before glazing.
Glaze
  1. Place chopped chocolate in a medium-sized, heat-proof bowl and set aside.
  2. Heat cream & corn syrup in a small saucepan until it just starts to bubble (do not let it boil).
  3. Pour over chopped chocolate & let sit for 30 seconds, then gently whisk, starting in the center & moving in gentle concentric circles until an emulsion forms, then working your way out to the edges until the entire mixture is smooth & emulsified.
  4. Remove cakes from freezer & place on a cookie sheet, elevated off the sheet using small jars or cookie cutters (ideally something smaller in diameter than the cake itself so the glaze can drip off). You may also want to cut out small rounds of parchment to place under each cake to make them easier to transfer.
  5. Pour glaze generously over cakes, taking care to ensure there are no bare spots left. Gently scrape the edges to remove any remaining drops, then carefully transfer cakes using a small offset spatula to cardboard cake rounds or small pieces of cardboard for easy movement. Any leftover glaze can be scraped up & refrigerated in an airtight container for another use.
  6. Glazed cakes will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Let come to room temperature before serving.