The flavor of Chinese five-spice is cozy, comforting, and tastes just like fall! While it’s commonly associated with savory dishes, it can also add an interesting twist to sweet and fruity flavors. The warm and aromatic notes of cinnamon, cloves, and star anise work well with the delicate flavor of pears complementing their natural sweetness.
Chinese Five Spice Powder has been used in Chinese cooking for centuries. Although its origins are somewhat mysterious, it seems to have roots in traditional Chinese medicine. The belief was that this mixture would foster internal harmony by uniting the five main flavors traditionally employed in Chinese cuisine: sweet, sour, pungent, bitter, and salty. By achieving this balance of flavors, aligned with the five main elements (earth, fire, water, metal, and wood), tradition held that one could achieve balance in mind and body.
This flavorful blend of spices typically includes star anise, Szechuan peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon, and fennel seeds and while five spice powder won’t magically cure ailments, it can certainly elevate lackluster dishes.
Chinese five spice as been a favorite of mine for many years. I like it in both sweet and savory dishes but today I thought it would make these ordinary little fall muffins into something special – and it does!
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Chinese 5 Spice Pear & Applesauce Muffins
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Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 F. Line muffin cups with 8 jumbo papers or 12 regular size papers.
Using an electric mixer, cream together butter & sugar then add applesauce, eggs & vanilla & mix until smooth.
In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt & 5-spice powder.
Add flour mixture to wet mixture, folding in only until barely combined then add diced pear & gently fold into mixture.
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.
Cool for 5 minutes before removing from muffin tin.
Pumpkin spice – the festive blend can be found flavoring absolutely everything at this time of year. From late summer to early January, coffee drinks like lattes and cold brews, baked goods such as cookies, muffins, and pies, and various breakfast items like pancakes and oatmeal. It’s also found in cereals, creamers, and even some savory dishes, while non-food products like candles and soaps are popular as well. Its associated spices have become laden with nostalgia during the fall season.
The modern demand for all things pumpkin spice can be traced to Starbucks’ introduction of the Pumpkin Spice Latte (PSL) in 2003. The PSL’s success cemented the combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves as the quintessential flavor of autumn.
The flavor itself is much older. Spice companies like McCormick began selling pre-mixed ‘pumpkin pie spice’—a blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves—in the 1930s. This made the seasonal flavor more accessible to home bakers.
The history of pumpkin spice cream cheese cookies is a recent development, emerging in the 2020s. The cookie gained popularity by combining the established autumn tradition of pumpkin spice with the widespread appeal of cream cheese-filled, ‘bakery-style’ cookies.
These pumpkin spice cream cheese cookies feature a vanilla dough with a pumpkin-spiced filling swirled together in a spiral of simple sweetness and aromatic spice. I guess you could say, ‘the same only different’.
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Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese Cookies
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Ingredients
Pumpkin/Cream Cheese Filling
Ingredients
Pumpkin/Cream Cheese Filling
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Instructions
Cookie Dough
In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder & salt. Set aside.
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.
Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mix on low speed until a thick, sticky dough forms.
Divide dough into 2 equal pieces & chill for at least 2 hours.
Filling
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
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
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.
Preheat oven to 350 F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
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.
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!
Blackberries, with their juicy and sweet-tart flavor, have a fascinating history that spans thousands of years. The history of blackberries is a tapestry woven with ancient uses, cultural symbolism, and artistic inspiration. These delectable berries have captivated people across different cultures and have been cherished for their taste and medicinal properties. From their medicinal properties in traditional medicine to their role in folklore and literature, blackberries have left an indelible mark on human history.
Blackberries have held symbolic meaning in various cultures throughout history. In some European folklore, blackberries were associated with protection against evil spirits and were often used in rituals and ceremonies. They were also believed to bring good fortune and prosperity to those who consumed them.
In Celtic mythology, blackberries were associated with the changing seasons. It was believed that the blackberries gained their rich color when the fairies and spirits of the ‘otherworld’ would bless them during the summer months. Eating blackberries after a certain date, often referred to as ‘Old Michaelmas Day, also called Devil Spits Day’, was considered bad luck, as it was believed that the devil had claimed them according to old British folklore.
Their journey across continents and their ability to adapt to different environments speak to their resilience and popularity.
Brion & I became aware of these wonderful berries several years ago. Now, every chance I get I try to incorporate them into something I’m making whether its sweet or savory. Today they are front and center in these cookies adding loads of flavor.
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Blackberry Cookies
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Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the old-fashioned rolled oats, flour, baking soda, cinnamon & salt. Set dry mixture aside.
In a separate mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter, sugars until the mixture is light & fluffy.
Add egg & vanilla to the wet mixture & beat until well combined.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until a cookie dough forms.
Scoop cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving enough space between each cookie.
Make an indentation in the center of each cookie with your thumb or the back of a spoon. Fill each indentation with 3-4 blackberries. If they are large cut them in half.
Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden.
Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
To the younger generation, the word ‘blackberry’ probably only brings to mind a variety of gadgets, but to those who remember when there were no mobile phones in sight or in hand, the blackberry is first and foremost that small, ripe, juicy fruit that makes excellent pies, jams, jellies and wines.
Over 12 species of blackberries grow in woods and clearings in Canada, mainly in eastern provinces and southern British Columbia. Worldwide, Mexico is the leading producer of blackberries, with nearly the entire crop being produced for export into the off-season fresh markets in North America and Europe.
Although nowadays blackberries are primarily used in cooking, they are known to be very beneficial to health. Having one of the highest antioxidant contents of all fruits, blackberries are good for lowering cholesterol levels, support oral health, strengthen bones, regenerate the skin and aid the digestive system.
Today, I thought I’d incorporate them in a custard tart decorated with some white chocolate. The blackberries not only add color but with their deeper, darker, more complex tart/sweetness, add something very special.
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Blackberry White Chocolate Tart
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Instructions
Pastry
In a food processor, pulse flour, sugar, salt & baking powder to blend. Add butter & pulse 3-4 times, until butter is in pea-size pieces. Sprinkle in the ice water; pulse another 4 times. Turn dough out on a lightly floured surface & knead gently a few times to form a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap & refrigerate for at least an hour.
Custard
In a saucepan, cook blackberries over low heat, stirring frequently, until berries break down & sauce begins to boil. Cook until sauce begins to thicken, 7-10 minutes. Remove from heat, strain through a fine mesh sieve, pressing on solids & discarding seeds & solids. Reserve blackberry juice.
In a small saucepan, whisk together 1/2 & 1/2 cream, sugar & salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently.
In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks, cornstarch & cinnamon (or ginger). Slowly add half of the 1/2 & 1/2 mixture, whisking constantly. Add egg yolk mixture to remaining 1/2 & 1/2 mixture in saucepan & bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, 2-3 minutes.
Remove from heat & whisk in butter & vanilla until butter is melted then whisk in reserved blackberry juice. Pour into a heatproof bowl, cover with plastic wrap, pressing wrap directly onto surface of custard to prevent a skin from forming. Allow to cool completely.
Baking
On a lightly floured surface, roll chilled pastry to 1/8-inch thickness. Transfer to a 14 x 4-inch rectangular tart pan. with a removeable bottom. Freeze for 15 minutes.
Top crust with a piece of parchment paper, letting ends extend over edge of pan. Add pie weights. Bake until lightly golden around edges. Carefully remove paper & pie weights. Bake until lightly golden & surface is set. Let cool completely.
Decorating
Whisk chilled blackberry custard then place into cooled prepared crust. Smooth with a spoon or an offset spatula. Melt white chocolate & place in a small plastic baggie. Snip off the tip of one corner of the bag. Drizzle the chocolate in parallel lines. Top with a few fresh blackberries & small mint leaves, then carefully place tart on a serving tray. Refrigerate until serving.
The Manchester tart is an English baked treat with its roots tracing back to none other than the vibrant city of Manchester, England. This retro tart has a shortcrust pastry base that’s layered with raspberry preserves, custard, desiccated coconut and sometimes glace cherries. The combination of sweet preserves, creamy custard, and coconut creates a wonderful balance of flavors and textures.
The Manchester tart was a staple on school dinner menus until the mid-1980s and is now a staple in bakeries and home kitchens, cherished for its simplicity and delicious taste.
Over the years, the Manchester Tart has undergone numerous adaptations and variations, with some recipes incorporating different fruits, toppings, or pastry bases. However, its essence remains rooted in the tradition of British baking, symbolizing comfort and nostalgia for many who have enjoyed it throughout generations.
For my adaptation of these tarts I made a pastry cream to give a lightness and added some fresh raspberries to give some tang to balance the sweetness of the preserves. Instead of using the traditional glace cherry on top, I went with a few more fresh raspberries.
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Manchester Tarts
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Ingredients
Raspberry Preserves/Fruit
Ingredients
Raspberry Preserves/Fruit
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Instructions
Tart Base
Combine the flour, powdered sugar, cornstarch, salt, & vanilla in a large bowl. Add the butter and mix with your hands until the butter is broken down into pieces the size of peas and the ingredients are well combined. Add the egg and mix with a spatula until the dough is smooth and the egg is fully incorporated. Don’t overmix.
Turn the dough out onto a large piece of plastic wrap and gently shape it into a ball. Wrap the dough in the plastic wrap and flatten it into a disc. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight, until cold but still pliable. It should have the texture of clay.
When the dough has chilled, unwrap the dough and place it on a silicone baking mat on your work surface. Roll it out into a rectangle about 1⁄8 inch thick, using a second silicone sheet on top. The silicone mat makes it easier to lift the rolled-out dough onto the sheet pan later. Make sure to work quickly so the dough doesn’t get too warm.
Place the silicone mat with the dough on a baking sheet.
Using the tart rings, cut out 18 circles of dough. Remove the rest of the dough from around the rings.
Reroll remaining dough between 2 sheets of parchment. Using a sharp knife, slice strips about 10 inches long & 1- inch thick. These strips will make the sides of each tartlet.
Working with one at a time, transfer a strip of dough to one of the tart rings and press it to the sides. Use your fingers to slightly push the bottom of the sides to the dough circle (to seal it). Repeat with the remaining strips of dough. Use a small knife to cut the edge to the rim of the rings.
Transfer the baking sheet containing the tartlet shells to the freezer & freeze for at least 20 minutes.
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Bake tart rings for about 15 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven & take off rings to allow them to cool.
Pastry Cream
Heat the milk over medium high heat & bring it to a simmer, almost to a boil.
While heating the milk, place the sugar, egg yolks, cornstarch, vanilla & salt in a bowl. Whisk until you have a thick, smooth mix then set aside until the milk comes almost to a boil.
As soon as the milk starts to steam or simmer, remove it from the heat. Slowly pour about a half of the hot milk in a thin stream into the egg mix, WHILE WHISKING CONSTANTLY to temper the egg mix. When the eggs have been tempered, add the egg mix back into the hot milk in the saucepan.
Heat the custard base, over medium heat, while whisking vigorously until it starts to thicken – this should take about 1 – 2 minutes. Make sure to reach the corners of the saucepan so that the custard does not stick to the bottom of the pan.
While whisking, let the custard come to a boil (the custard will release bubbles). You may need to stop whisking from time to time for a few seconds to see if the custard is ‘bubbling’. Look for big bubbles breaking the surface of the custard.
Lower the heat and cook for a further 1 – 2 minutes after you see the first bubbles break the surface, and make sure to whisk constantly.
Remove from the heat & add the butter. Whisk in the butter, until it’s completely mixed in.
Pour the custard into a bowl & immediately cover the surface with plastic wrap, making sure the plastic wrap is touching the whole surface. This is to prevent a custard ‘skin’ from forming on top. You can also choose to pass the custard through a sieve to remove any lumps.
Let the custard cool down to room temperature & then let it chill in the fridge for a few hours, until it’s completely chilled.
The custard will have ‘set’ after chilling. So, it is important to whisk the pastry cream to make it smooth before using.
Assembly
Once the base & custard have cooled, spread raspberry preserve over the bottom of pastry cases. Spoon in the custard, then sprinkle with the coconut & chill. Decorate with raspberries and a final sprinkle of powdered sugar on the berries. Serve.
Recipe Notes
- I used two sizes of tart rings - 2 1/4 + 2 1/2" for these.
While certain holidays such as Christmas, lend themselves to giving food as gifts, gift-giving should be thoughtful and sincere.
We give gifts during the holiday season to express gratitude, love, or friendship to those near and dear throughout the year. But the custom of giving gifts goes all the way back to the first Christmas when the wise men brought Jesus three gifts — gold, frankincense and myrrh.
Many of the gifts we give and receive at Christmas time, especially ones related to food, have symbolic meaning and tales of folklore behind them. Others are just fun to make and share with family and friends. Sometimes those food gifts become an anticipated tradition that the gifter enjoys making and the receiver looks forward to every year.
These Christmas cookie wreaths seem like the perfect gift for our neighbors. Hope they like them because they where a lot of fun to make.
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Christmas Cookie Wreaths for Gifts
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Cranberry Lemon Pistachio Cookies
Ingredients
Cranberry Lemon Pistachio Cookies
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Instructions
Spicy Wreath Base
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Mix until dough forms. Divide dough in half for 2 separate wreaths. Roll each half into a long strip about 43-inches long. On 2 sheets of parchment paper, draw 2 round circles each about a 13-inch circumference. Place on baking sheets. Following the circle outline, place a strip of dough on each circle. Press with the back of a spoon to flatten to about a 1/2-inch thickness.
Preheat oven to 310 F. Bake cookie bases for about 15 minutes. They should be baked but not overdone so that the centers are soft. Remove from oven & cool on a wire rack until ready to assemble with cookies.
Cranberry Lemon Pistachio Cookies
In a bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder & salt. Place butter & sugar in a bowl & beat with a mixer until pale & fluffy. Mix in egg yolks, lemon zest & vanilla. Reduce speed to low & gradually mix in flour mixture. Shape into a disk; wrap in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350 F. Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface. Roll out to 1/8-inch thick. Using a 2 1/2-inch round fluted cutter, cut out wreaths. Cut out centers using a 7/8-inch round or star cutter.
Space 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes. bake until just golden, about 12 minutes. Allow to cool for a couple of minutes before icing.
Stir together powdered sugar & lemon juice in a small bowl. Spread each cookie with icing & sprinkle with pistachios and/or pepita seeds & cranberries. Yield: 24
Anise Shortbread Stars
In a bowl, sift together cornstarch, powdered sugar, flour & anise powder. Blend in butter with a spoon, mixing until a soft, smooth dough forms. If the dough is too soft to handle, cover & chill about 1 hour.
Between 2 sheets of parchment paper, roll dough out about 1/2-inch thick. Using a star cookie cutter, cut out stars & sprinkle with coarse white sanding sugar. Transfer to ungreased baking sheets spacing 1 1/2-inches apart. Place baking sheets in refrigerator & chill 30 minutes. Halfway through, preheat oven to 300 F. Bake for about 20 minutes or until edges are just barely browned. Yield: 18
Persimmon Linzer Cookies
In a bowl, sift together flour & salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar & vanilla until light & fluffy. Beat in as much of the flour mixture as possible. Mix the rest & gently knead until dough comes together. Wrap in plastic wrap & chill for 30 minutes.
Prepare persimmon puree. In a saucepan over medium low heat, combine persimmons, sugar, cinnamon & salt. Simmer until thick, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat, cool slightly then transfer to a small food processor. Puree mixture until smooth. Set aside to cool.
Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into rounds with a 2-inch fluted LINZER cookie cutter with a star attachment in the center. Place on lined cookie sheet. Bake for about 12-15 minutes or just until edges begin to brown. Allow cookies to cool to room temperature.
Spread persimmon puree on the flat side of each solid cookie. Dust & decorate cookies with cut outs using powdered sugar & some more puree. Place decorated cookie tops on bottoms spread with puree, making a sandwich.
Assembly
Arrange cookies on wreath base to your liking. You can either 'fasten' them with an bit of icing that will harden (see notes) or just place them on top base. That way they are easy to pick up by guests without to much trouble. The base can be cut into pieces after the top cookies are eaten for some more cookie goodness.
Recipe Notes
ICING FOR ATTACHING COOKIES TO WREATH:
After Christmas, Halloween is one of the most commercial holidays in Canada. Canadians love going over the top for Halloween. Not only with creative costumes but with the exterior and interior decorations of their homes which are often decorated with fall elements like dried leaves and pumpkin-themed decor.
Halloween in Canada is celebrated on October 31 each year. Even though the festival is celebrated with a lot of pizazz and character, Halloween is not a public holiday in any part of the world.
You would be surprised to know that against popular belief of Halloween having a serious North American following, it is a very British-Irish origin story. The Celts believed that on the night of October 31st, the ghosts of the dead would come back to earth and cause havoc. To ward off evil spirits, people would dress up in costumes, carve jack-o-lanterns, and have bonfires.
Halloween is a great way to celebrate the fabulous fall season in Canada with its spooky decorations, costumes, and treats and to remember the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, which marked the end of summer and the beginning of winter.
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Fall Cookie Leaves
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Instructions
Whisk together flour & salt in a small bowl.
Beat together butter & sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes in a stand mixer or 6 minutes with a hand mixer. Beat in egg & vanilla. Reduce speed to low & add dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.
Divide dough into 4 different bowls. Add a couple of drops of color to each portion of dough. Form into disks. Chill disks, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 1 hour.
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On a floured work surface, place dollops of colored cookie dough next to each other. Using a floured rolling pin, roll out to a thickness of 1/4-inch. Don't OVER ROLL cookie dough.
Using different leaf cookie cutters, cut out various leaf shapes. Cut out as many cookies as possible from dough with cutters and transfer to 2 ungreased large baking sheets, arranging cookies about 1 inch apart. Sprinkle with coarse sugar if you wish.
Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until edges are golden, 10 to 12 minutes, do not overbake. Transfer to racks to cool completely.
Recipe Notes
- You can just sprinkle with coarse sugar or if you prefer, glaze them as I did.
- Because it just happens to be Halloween, I added a few 'cinnamon sugar tortilla bats' to my tray just for fun.
As peach season wanes and the late summer sun shines brightest, plums arrive in their multicolored splendor. They come in vibrant red, yellow, orange, green, and pink-purple colors.
Plums belong to the same family as peaches, nectarines and apricots. Over 2,000 varieties of plums exist, each with a diverse set of shapes and colors, and they are divided into the following six categories – Japanese, American, Ornamental, Damson, Wild, and European.
One of the best things about plums is how versatile they are. Both sweet and spicy recipes work well with them. Brown sugar, cardamom, nutmeg, and cinnamon are plums’ best friends.
Plums aren’t the summer darling of fruits and are underutilized. But that means you can easily use them to add an unexpected twist to traditional recipes.
Gently spiced, this plum tart celebrates the summer-into-fall season. Quartered and nestled into the batter, the plums soften into mulberry-colored pockets as they bake.
While a slice of this seasonal fruit tart needs no embellishment, a scoop of vanilla ice cream or some whipped cream doesn’t hurt.
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Late Summer Plum Tart
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Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 F. Line the sides of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper.
In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon & cardamom.
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, cream butter & 1 cup sugar until pale & fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg & vanilla; beat on low speed until well combined. Gradually add the flour mixture alternating with the milk. Beat on low speed until smooth & thick.
Transfer the batter to prepared baking pan & smooth the top with a spoon or offset spatula. Arrange plums on top, skin side up, in circular patterns. Sprinkle the remaining 2 Tbsp of sugar over plums.
Bake for 60 minutes or until golden on top & set in the center.
Remove from oven then remove sides from springform pan leaving the base in place. Cool completely on a wire rack. Slice & serve with ice cream or whipped cream if desired.
