Ingredient: vanilla

Ube Bread Pudding w/ Ube Cream Cheese Drizzle

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. Its special taste reminds one of vanilla, pistachios or chestnuts. 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.

When I first tried using it sometime back, it was in some sweet rolls that were filled with ube ‘halaya’ or jam and topped with Edam cheese. We absolutely loved them. My next adventure was some ube cheesecake for Easter (2019). Both of these recipes have been published here on the blog.

Now, I’m taking it another step further and making an Ube Bread Pudding. This dessert is best made over two days due to that fact that you are making the ube bread from scratch. Should be interesting!

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 Ube Bread Pudding w/ Ube Cream Cheese Drizzle
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Rating: 5
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Course dessert
Cuisine Filipino
Keyword ube bread pudding w/ ube cream cheese drizzle
Servings
Ingredients
Ube Halaya (jam) Filling for Bread
Ube Bread
Ube Bread Pudding
Ube Cream Cheese Drizzle
Course dessert
Cuisine Filipino
Keyword ube bread pudding w/ ube cream cheese drizzle
Servings
Ingredients
Ube Halaya (jam) Filling for Bread
Ube Bread
Ube Bread Pudding
Ube Cream Cheese Drizzle
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Ube Halaya
  1. In a medium, heavy saucepan, melt butter. Add coconut & condensed milks; stir until heated. Add thawed, grated ube & stir everything together. This process takes about 40-50 minutes until the ube is cooked. The mixture will be thick & sticky. It is important to stir the mixture often during cooking to prevent it from forming a crust. Transfer the ube halaya to a container & set aside.
Ube Bread
  1. In a small dish, heat milk to lukewarm. Add yeast & 1 tsp sugar; let sit for 5 minutes to allow yeast to activate. In a large bowl, whisk together remaining 1/4 cup sugar, melted butter, sour cream & egg. Add yeast mixture & stir to combine.
  2. In another bowl, whisk flour & salt. Add flour mixture to yeast mixture 1 cup at a time, combining after each addition. Once all the flour has been added, knead on a lightly floured surface for about 2 minutes.
  3. Lightly grease the large bowl, place dough in it & cover with plastic wrap & a tea towel. Allow to rest for at least one hour, in a draft-free place until dough has doubled in volume. Grate cheese & set aside in refrigerator until needed.
  4. Grease 2 loaf pans. Punch dough down & divide in half. Roll each piece out to about 7x7-inch (18x18 cm) square. Spread ube halaya over each one leaving about 1/2-inch border all the way around. Sprinkle each square with Edam cheese then roll up in jelly-roll style. Pinch to seal seams & place seam side down in loaf pans. Cover with plastic wrap & a tea towel. Allow to rise for an hour or until doubled in size.
  5. Preheat oven to 350 F. Bake bread for about 50 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven; cool for just a few minutes then pat with butter. Sprinkle with more grated cheese.
Ube Bread Pudding (ON THE FOLLOWING DAY)
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter a 8 x 8-inch baking dish. Cut thick slices of ube bread into 1-inch cubes & spread out in baking dish. In a saucepan, melt butter into milk on medium-high; do not let it boil. Remove from heat when butter is melted.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk eggs & coconut extract together. Slowly pour egg mixture into butter/milk mixture & begin whisking immediately to avoid scrambling the egg mixture. Pour custard over the ube bread pieces; use a spoon to work liquid between the pieces.
  3. Bake for about 30-45 minutes or until the top is springy. While the bread pudding is baking, make the ube drizzle.
Ube Drizzle
  1. In a bowl, using a mixer, beat butter for 2 minutes then add cream cheese & beat for another minute. Add powdered sugar slowly then beat thoroughly; add vanilla. Mix in ube halaya until well combined. Add enough milk to make a drizzle consistency. Either drizzle bread pudding before or after cutting into serving pieces.
Recipe Notes
  • You will have extra Ube Bread & Ube Halaya but it will no doubt be eaten before you have a chance to freeze it. Other than just enjoying it by the slice, it makes great French toast as well.

French Silk Angel Food Cupcakes

BIRTHDAY WISHES!

Angel food cake has always been one of Brion’s favorite desserts. I’m not sure why but it is and since we are celebrating his birthday today, I’m pulling out all the stops and making a French Silk Angel Food Cupcakes!

With its featherlight crumb, gleaming white hue, and fat-free formula, angel food cakes are a perfect canvas for fresh summer fruit and a little whipped cream. It’s just that, while angel food cake with fruit and cream is a quick dessert, it’s not exactly an impressive one.

If you chose to take the angel food cake in a celebratory (say, birthday) direction, it can be stunning.

Fill It: turn your angel food cake into a faux Boston Cream Cake with some custard and chocolate ganache.

Slice It: in horizontal layers, spread some lemon curd between the pieces and replace the top. 

Layer It: cut the cake in half, making two layers. Slather banana pudding on top of the bottom layer and top the pudding with banana slices. Place the top cake layer over the bananas and drizzle the whole cake with a thick layer of caramel sauce.

Grill It: using balsamic butter, along with fresh strawberries, create a unique dessert. Serve with ice cream for the perfect end to any backyard barbecue.

Frost It: with some ultra-smooth and creamy French silk mousse (the smooth chocolate mousse sort of resembles the softness of silk). Add some fresh strawberries and you have party food!

As we grow older, it comes clearer everyday, what a special privilege it is to simply have each other to share life with. The little everyday things seem to take on a much greater importance. Maybe its the state of our world at this time that has made it very clear not to take anything for granted. Throughout our married life Brion has always gone above and beyond to look after us. I am grateful to have the privilege of such a loving and caring husband.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRION, WITH LOVE!

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 French Silk Angel Food Cupcakes
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Course dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword French silk angel food
Servings
CUPCAKES
Ingredients
Cupcakes
French Silk Mousse
Course dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword French silk angel food
Servings
CUPCAKES
Ingredients
Cupcakes
French Silk Mousse
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Cupcakes
  1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Place paper or foil baking cups in 30 -36 regular sized muffin cups.
  2. Beat cake mix, cornstarch, vanilla & water in an extra large glass or metal bowl on low speed for 30 seconds then beat on medium speed for another 3 minutes. Fill cups 2/3-3/4 full of batter.
  3. Bake 12 - 20 minutes or until golden brown & cracks feel dry. Remove from oven & cool completely.
Mousse Topping
  1. Melt chocolate in a large microwave safe bowl for 30 seconds, then stir, heat for 30 seconds again, then stir well, then heat in 10 second increments, stirring between each, until smooth. Allow to cool 5 minutes.
  2. Beat cream cheese in a large bowl with a hand mixer until smooth. Add chocolate & mix to combined, then mix in vanilla. Fold in the cool whip.
  3. Spoon mousse into a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip. Make a generous swirl on top of each cupcake & decorate with some sliced strawberries. Refrigerate until served.

Summer Fruit Tart

PRECIOUS MEMORIES OF LORETTA

Over the years I have shared many experiences on the blog that I had enjoyed with my sister Loretta. She was an avid follower of the blog and always encouraged me to keep writing. In February, Loretta’s time on this earth ended. Her passing has left such an empty place in my heart. There is something very special about having an older sibling. For me, I just wanted to be with her and do everything and anything she could think of. For her, it was probably not quite as much fun having this ‘brat’ tagging along all the time asking questions.

Something Loretta and I always had in common was being adventurous. Whenever we got the chance to explore something mysterious that was right up our alley. One such occasion arose one day when we decided to investigate an old empty farmhouse. This house was 3-4 kilometers from our farm. The land itself was being farmed by a neighboring farmer and was posted ‘No Trespassing’. Nevertheless, this intriguing old  ‘haunted house’  was like a magnet for us. If I remember correctly, it took a little bit of doing to get in, but we managed it. For being such an old house, I recall the inside being quite unique in its design. It had one of those staircases that you see in the movies. We went upstairs and snooped around. Of course, to add to the intrigue, one room was locked. When we listened, we could hear a distinct buzzing or humming sound. After figuring out how to get in, to our surprise wasps had made it their home. The floor was covered with a huge pile of dead wasps but there were still lots of live ones buzzing around. At this point we decided we had best call it a day and leave. Just when we were about to go the farmer came and was working in the fields close to the buildings. Not to be caught ‘trespassing’ we hid by a granary, then high-tailed it out of there as soon as the coast was clear.

Another such memory was that of the ‘clam race’ we invented. About 6 kilometers or so from our farm, the Willow Creek ran through the farmlands. Starting up at the Chain Lakes in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, it snaked its way through southern Alberta eventually emptying into the Old Man River. On occasion, during summer vacation, Loretta and I would either walk or ride our bike down to the creek. This was fun because we could roll up our pant legs and walk in the water when it was so hot. We came to realize that there were some ‘clam beds’ as we explored different areas of the creek. Just for fun one day we decided to line up some of the clams across the width of the creek. On our next trip we would check to see how far they had gone. There are endless memories that replay over and over in my mind. Life in the fifties had a such a gentle rhythm to it …. what a pleasure it was to be a kid at that time and be a part of it all.

Later in our adult years, Loretta and I had the opportunity to spend a vacation travelling the California coast. It was an amazing experience with memories to last a lifetime. Although our lives took us in many different directions, we always seemed to gravitate back to our sibling bond.

In 2001, Loretta had joined my husband, Brion and I on a French vacation. After we had left Paris, we drove 613 km (380 miles) south to the sleepy village of St. Thibery. This little medieval village, population of 2481, can be traced back more than 4000 years of known history. For this segment of the trip, we had rented an apartment in St Thibery to use as ‘home base’ during our time there. Many of these houses are from the 14th, 15th and 17th century. The apartment was quaint but adequate, even having a roof top patio. We spent about a week in St Thibery and it was there that the three of us made some special memories enjoying our leisure French brunches.

Loretta lived in many places during her life, including California and Vancouver Island, but was particularly drawn to the Peace Country in Northern Alberta. She worked as an LPN for 25 years north of Grand Prairie for Central Peace Hospital in Spirit River and Fairview General Hospital.

Loretta had a love for music, gardening, crafting, and reading. She cared for all animals big and small which included one little precious Dachshund dog named Amigo.

Loretta & Amigo spent a lot of time after she retired with Brion & I. For many years they would come and look after our home while we were away on vacation. Of course, that always included some time after we came home so we could enjoy their company. The three of us loved Amigo so it was great being together.

Today, July 25, would have been Loretta’s 80th birthday. I wanted to make something special on the blog to honor her memory. This fruit tart was what developed.

Loretta was a very kind, gentle soul. She was a sister, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, friend and professional health care worker as well as many other things she did with such love and compassion.

Wishing you where here today, for even just a while so I could say happy birthday and see your loving smile.

The only gifts today will be the sweet memories you left behind of laughter, joy and happiness that echo in my mind.

I’ll gaze upon your pictures, I’ll think of you with love and hope you’re doing fine in heaven up above.

May our friends and family in heaven hold you closely and sing you a song. I’ll be sending a million hugs and kisses to today and all year long.

As we remember Loretta today, we hold on to those precious memories she left with us that will never fade from our minds.

Print Recipe
 Summer Fruit Tart
Apple cream cheese filling with a wonderful blend of 'Dutch' spices, baked in a shortbread cookie crust and topped with fresh fruit!
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Course dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword summer fruit tart
Servings
Ingredients
Shortbread Crust
Filling
Glaze
Fresh Fruit
Course dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword summer fruit tart
Servings
Ingredients
Shortbread Crust
Filling
Glaze
Fresh Fruit
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Instructions
Crust
  1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
  2. In a food processor, combine flour, powdered sugar & cornstarch. Cover & process until combined; add butter. Pulse with on/off turns until mixture forms fine crumbs. Press mixture onto the bottom & 1 1/2" up the sides of a 9" spring form pan.
Filling
  1. Beat cream cheese & 1/4 cup sugar with mixer until well blended. Add egg & vanilla; mix well. Spread onto bottom of crust. Mix remaining sugar, 2 Tbsp flour & spice blend. Add to apples in a large bowl; toss to coat. Spoon over cream cheese layer.
  2. Bake, cover with foil for about 20 minutes. Uncover & continue to bake for another 30 minutes or until apples are tender. Remove from ove & cool completely on a wire rack.
Glaze/Fruit
  1. Place sugar, cornstarch & water into a saucepan and bring a boil while constantly stirring with a hand whisk or a spoon.
  2. Once boiled, remove the glaze from the heat and let it cool a bit. Stir every 3-5 minutes to prevent a film from forming on the surface of the glaze.
  3. Prepare fruit for topping. Place in 12 'wedges' on top of cooled tart. With a silicone brush, gently apply the glaze on top of the fruit to keep the made pattern. Refrigerate the pastry for at least 1 hour before serving.
Recipe Notes
  • SPICE BLEND MIX
  • 4 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp cloves
  • 1 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp white pepper
  • 1 tsp anise seed
  • 1/2 tsp ginger
  • 1/4 tsp cardamom
  • 1/4 tsp mace
  • Grind the spices together in a coffee grinder or blender; place in a screw-top jar in the refrigerator.
  • Any extra spice mix can be used in recipes calling for 'apple or pumpkin pie spice'.

Stuffed Raspberry Cream Pancakes

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!

Here in Canada, we set aside the second Sunday in May to honor our mother’s with expressions of love and gratitude.

As I grow older, I realize how many ways I unconsciously emulate my mother. I loved everything about her and as a kid I could never imagine life without her. But in the natural sequence of events, that’s not how it works. I guess along with many other things, I’m grateful for the fact that she was there through my childhood. She passed away at the age of sixty and although she is no longer on this earth, her wonderful memory will live on in our hearts forever.

We are fortunate to still have Brion’s mother, Dolores. In January this year, we were able to spend four days visiting with her. It was so wonderful to be able to do that once again.  

This blog is especially to honor: the special memories of my mother for her endless giving of selfless love – my mother-in-law, Dolores, for her kind ways and raising that ‘special’ man I love sharing my life with – to my sisters, who have given so much of themselves to be such great moms.

Pancakes are one of mankind’s oldest prepared foods, which is why you’ll find some iteration of them in virtually every cuisine around the world.

For most North Americans, the word ‘pancake’ conjures a stack of fluffy, hot-off-the-griddle ‘flapjacks’, a pat of butter slowly melting beneath some maple syrup. But pancakes take many forms around the world, from delicate French crepes sprinkled with sugar to spongy, sour Ethiopian injera to chewy-crisp Japanese okonomiyaki, studded with seafood and drizzled with sticky brown sauce and mayo.

Both pancakes and flatbreads embody the idea that the most common and basic ingredients can combine into a whole far greater than the sum of its parts. They’re quick-cooking and don’t require anything more than a pan (or a rock) and a heat source, but they’re also the basis for more involved cooking methods, canvases for countless ingredient combinations. They’re staple foods to be peppered with seafood, poultry, aromatics, or fruit; topped with whipped cream or cheeses, syrups, caviar, chutneys, or jam.

Have you ever made stuffed pancakes? If not, you’re going to love this recipe! Stuffed pancakes do take a bit more time to prepare than regular pancakes, but they are really worth it.

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 Stuffed Raspberry Cream Pancakes
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Cuisine American
Keyword raspberry sour cream stuffed pancakes
Servings
Ingredients
Raspberry Sauce
Cream Cheese Filling
Sour Cream Pancakes
Cuisine American
Keyword raspberry sour cream stuffed pancakes
Servings
Ingredients
Raspberry Sauce
Cream Cheese Filling
Sour Cream Pancakes
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Raspberry Sauce
  1. In a small saucepan, combine cornstarch, sugar & salt. Add water & raspberries; cook until 'clear' & bubbling. Remove from heat & add butter, lemon juice. If you wish , press sauce through a sieve to eliminate the seeds. Set aside.
Cream Cheese Filling
  1. In a bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add remaining filling ingredients beating until smooth. Set aside.
Pancakes
  1. In a large bowl, whisk together egg, sugar, milk, sour cream, butter & vanilla.
  2. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda & salt.
  3. Add flour mixture to the liquid mixture & whisk together until no large lumps remain but don't overmix. Let the batter sit for 15 minutes. You can even refrigerate it overnight & cook the next morning.
  4. Heat a nonstick griddle on medium-low heat. To ensure your pancakes cook all the way through, you'll want the heat a little lower than for other pancakes.
  5. Using a 1/3 cup measuring cup & scoop the batter to fill it up & pour an evenly round circle of batter on the griddle. I find using the bottom of the measuring cup helps to create the circle.
  6. Let it cook until little bubbles form, then pop, & the indentations stay on the batter. Pipe a small amount of the filling on half of the pancake, making sure not to get too close to the edges & not to overfill it.
  7. Fold the uncooked pancake over the filling. The edge of raw batter on the top half should touch the raw edge on the bottom when folded. It will continue to cook & seal itself on the griddle.
  8. Put a 'lid' over the pancakes to help them to cook through. Flip as needed to keep the browning even. Allow them to cook until all the batter looks cooked through.
  9. Serve with fresh raspberries & sauce.

Flapper Tarts

Flapper pie is a traditional dish from the prairies of western Canada. The name seems to stem from the fact that the pie originated in the era of the ‘flapper girl’. Flappers were modern, young girls in the 1920s, often with a slightly immoral behavior. Precursors of the 1920s flapper were both, the late Victorian ‘new woman’ and the Edwardian ‘Gibson girl’.

Unlike their Victorian grandmothers, 1920s flappers cut off their long hair and wore a bob instead. They also wore makeup, smoked and drank alcohol in public. And like all 1920’s women, flappers wore short (knee-length) dresses. However, unlike more conservative women, flappers wore only the bare necessities under their dresses, often just a slip and rolled stockings.

Flapper pie was served in every café that graced small, Canadian prairie towns. Some foods are so regionally specific that people outside of a certain geographic area have never even heard of them, let alone tasted the dishes. Such is the case with flapper pie.

Flapper pie is a decadent combination of three components: a cinnamon-y, graham cracker crust, a creamy vanilla custard filling and a meringue topping. Instead of a pie I decided to make individual tarts.

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 Flapper Tarts
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Course dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword flapper tarts
Servings
Ingredients
Crumb Crust
Filling
Meringue
Course dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword flapper tarts
Servings
Ingredients
Crumb Crust
Filling
Meringue
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Crust
  1. Preheat oven to 325 F.
  2. Combine crust ingredients; reserving 1/3 cup for topping. Line a 12 cup muffin pan with paper liners. Place 2 Tbsp of crumbs in each one, gently pushing up the sides & over the bottom. Try not to press to firmly to avoid them becoming to hard after baking.
  3. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or just until crumbs stick together & brown slightly.
Meringue Stabilizer
  1. In a small saucepan, combine 1/2 cup water & 1 Tbsp cornstarch (listed in meringue ingredients); bring to a boil & thicken. Set aside to cool.
Filling
  1. In a heavy saucepan, heat 2 cups milk until it boils. In a small bowl, combine sugar & cornstarch, then add salt, egg yolks, 1/4 cup milk & vanilla. Whisk into boiling milk; continuing to whisk until mixture returns to a boil & thickens. Pour into baked tart shells.
Meringue
  1. Adjust oven temperature to 350 F. Beat egg whites & salt until frothy then gradually add sugar, beating until stiff. Add vanilla & MERINGUE STABALIZER, beating until stiff peaks form.
  2. Pipe the meringue over the custard in tart shells making sure it touches crust to seal & prevent it from shrinking after browning. Top with reserved crumbs.
  3. Bake tarts until golden, about 10-12 minutes. Cool completely set away from drafts.
Recipe Notes
  • The meringue stabilizer is used to ensure there is no 'weeping' as the meringue cools & sets.
  • If you prefer to make pie instead, this amount of ingredients will make a 9-inch pie nicely.

Hot Cross Bun French Toast/Buns

CELEBRATING GOOD FRIDAY!

I find the aroma of the hot cross buns baking, is so intoxicating. Brion & I have always loved these soft, spicy little buns. Each year, at Easter time, I really enjoy making some version of Easter bread or buns (of course, trying to make it just a bit better than the year past). While I was giving this some thought, I read a comment where someone was complaining that they had too many hot cross buns leftover from Easter. Is there really such a thing as having too many hot cross buns … seriously!

For me, brunch is never an afterthought, especially on a holiday. I think a decadent French toast made with light and fluffy hot cross bread, in an orange and vanilla scented milk bath, topped with raspberry compote and Greek yogurt is the perfect Easter brunch idea.

While hot cross buns are now sold and enjoyed throughout the year, they were once reserved for Good Friday alone. There is no one clear explanation … some theories rest in Christian symbolism while there are also more than a few stories that indicate hot cross buns were baked on Good Friday for superstitious reasons.

Since I have become a huge fan of Dom Benedictine Liqueur not only as a drink but in sweet & savory recipes, I’m using it in this hot cross bun bread to kick it up one notch higher. I think it will be the perfect choice for an amazing Easter brunch French toast.

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 Hot Cross Bun French Toast/Buns
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Course Brunch
Cuisine American
Keyword hot cross bun French toast
Servings
Ingredients
Hot Cross Bun/Loaf Dough
Icing for Hot Cross Buns
Orange Scented Milk bath for French Toast
Raspberry Compote
Course Brunch
Cuisine American
Keyword hot cross bun French toast
Servings
Ingredients
Hot Cross Bun/Loaf Dough
Icing for Hot Cross Buns
Orange Scented Milk bath for French Toast
Raspberry Compote
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Hot Cross Bun/Loaf Dough h
  1. Marinate raisins & candied fruit in Benedictine liqueur overnight. Stirring 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 2 cups 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. Punch down firmly & work in beaten eggs, 1/2 cup sugar, lemon zest, vanilla & pieces of softened butter.
  4. Sift remaining 3 1/3 cups of flour with salt, cinnamon & cardamom & work 2 cups in to form a soft dough. Turn dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead in remaining 1 1/3 cup of flour & fruit mixture. This becomes a very soft & buttery dough but is not sticky. Invert the dough onto a lightly floured work surface & dust with flour. Cut the dough into 2 equal portions.
  5. With the first portion, roll out the dough into a 9x12-inch rectangle. Roll dough up in jelly-roll fashion & place in a 12 x 5-inch cylinder baking pan. With the second piece of dough, cut into 12 pieces & form into balls to make hot cross buns. Place in a 9-inch round baking pan. Brush loaf & buns with egg wash.
  6. Cover both loosely with plastic wrap & allow to rise in a warm, draft-free place until 1 1/2 times the size, about 1-2 hours. Toward the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350 F. & set an oven rack in the middle position.
  7. Gently brush risen dough again with egg wash. Bake 30-35 minutes or until both loaf & buns are a nice golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.
Icing for Hot Cross Buns
  1. To pipe a cross on the top of the buns, wait until the buns have cooled. Whisk together the lemon juice & some of the powdered sugar. Keep adding powdered sugar until you get a thick consistency. Place in a plastic sandwich bag. Snip off a small piece from the corner of the bag and use the bag to pipe crosses on buns.
Orange Scented Milk Bath
  1. Heat pan or skillet over medium heat. Mix eggs, milk, vanilla and orange zest in a shallow flat bowl or dish until well combined. Dip the bread in the egg mixture allowing the bread to soak up some of the mixture. Turn the bread and repeat on the other side. Grease preheated pan with butter. Fry toast until golden brown on one side. Flip toast and fry until golden on remaining side. Serve immediately with raspberry syrup.
Raspberry Syrup
  1. In a small pot, combine the syrup ingredients. Place over a medium heat & cook for 5-7 minutes or until the sugar has dissolved & the raspberries have become syrupy. Press through a sieve. Serve with French toast along with yogurt if preferred.
Recipe Notes
  • The story of Benedictine dates back to 1510 when a Venetian monk of the Abbey of Fécamp, Dom Bernardo Vincelli, created an elixir intended to support good health. It includes a combination of 27 herbs and spices derived from plants from around the globe, including juniper, myrrh, saffron, vanilla, thyme, coriander and more. The liqueur tastes primarily of honey and baking spices, with citrus peel, herb, and stone fruit notes.

Strawberry Love Notes

No sooner is Christmas behind us than the next ‘special’ event is coming up fast, Valentine’s Day. It isn’t a true holiday, but it sure gets treated like one. Most every mainstream holiday has some candy or treat representing it. Christmas has candy canes, Halloween has candy corn, and Valentine’s Day has chocolate and strawberries.

There’s also a lot more romantic history to strawberries than meets the eye. Our favorite red berry dates back to Ancient Rome where it was considered the symbol of Venus, the goddess of love, because of its bright red color and intoxicating taste. The fruit looks so alluring in fact, that strawberries were carved into church altars and cathedral pillars in medieval times to represent perfection. Legend has it that when two people split a strawberry, they’ll fall in love.

Strawberries are one of nature’s true pleasures; they do not contain much sugar, but they have a sweet and wonderful taste, so they can be enjoyed without any guilt!

Brion & I have never felt the need to give gifts on ‘occasions’ but rather just a card with a loving and sincere verse. As we grow older, it comes clearer every day, the special privilege it is to simply have each other to share life with. I thought these little strawberry love notes were fitting for a Valentine blog.

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 Strawberry Love Notes
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Course dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword strawberry love notes
Servings
Ingredients
Pastry
Strawberry Filling
Course dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword strawberry love notes
Servings
Ingredients
Pastry
Strawberry Filling
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Pastry
  1. In a bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder & salt. Cut in shortening with a pastry blender or your finger tips. In a 1/2 cup measure, place the beaten egg & vinegar then add enough ice water to fill measuring cup. Make a well in flour mixture & add wet ingredients. Mix with a fork until combined into a pastry dough. Chill until filling is ready.
Filling
  1. In a bowl, combine strawberries, sugar, cornstarch & vanilla. Set aside.
Assembly
  1. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough until it is about 1/8-inch thick. Open a 4 x 51/2-inch paper envelope & use as a pattern. Reduce the pattern to make a smaller envelope if desired. Cut pastry into 6 envelopes & 12 small heart shaped cut outs.
  2. Fill pastry with strawberry filling, but not on the back flap. Following the folds of the paper envelope, fold the cut out pastry, leaving the upper flap open.
  3. Preheat oven to 375 F.
  4. Place a couple of heart shaped cut outs on folded edges of the pastry envelope. Place pastries on parchment lined baking sheet. Brush with egg wash then sprinkle with sanding sugar.
  5. Bake pastries for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned. Do not remove from baking sheet until completely cooled.
Recipe Notes
  • I used an AIR-BAKE pan so the tops would not overbake by the time the bottom was browned.

Apricot Orange Newtons

Do you recall the iconic Fig Newton? For some, fig newtons were the loser cookie – the one you would only eat out of pure desperation if there was nothing else resembling dessert in sight. What could be worse than mysterious, brown fruit ‘goo’ wrapped up in flavorless, dry ‘cake’? They felt that it was not a treat, it was a healthy breakfast disguised as a cookie.

I really don’t remember eating any amount of fig newton cookies myself, probably because my mother always baked. When I did finally taste them as an adult, I actually liked them. Maybe that had something to do with my love for figs or maybe I just like cookies…not sure!

The ‘fig newton’ was one of the earliest commercially baked products in North America. Introduced by the Kennedy Biscuit Company in 1891, fig newtons were named after the town of Newton, Massachusetts, which was near the factory that first produced the cookie commercially. Kennedy Biscuit eventually merged with several other bakeries to form the National Biscuit Company, now known as Nabisco.

The recipe for the fig filling was the brainchild of Charles M. Roser, a cookie maker born in Ohio, USA. Roser worked for a bakery in Philadelphia who sold his recipe to the Kennedy Biscuit company.

The manufacture of fig newtons was made possible by the creation of Florida inventor James Henry Mitchell, who revolutionized the packaged cookie business by building an apparatus that could make a hollow cookie crust and fill it with fruit preserves. His machine worked like funnel within a funnel; the inside funnel supplied jam, while the outside funnel pumped out the dough. This produced an endless length of filled cookie, which could then be cut into smaller pieces. 

Original fig newtons were the only variety available until the 1980s and as of 2012, Nabisco now makes several varieties of the ‘newton’, which, in addition to the original fig filling, include versions filled with apple cinnamon, strawberry, raspberry, blueberry and mixed berry.

As Nabisco likes to remind us, ‘newtons aren’t just cookies’, they’re fruit and cake. Bringing me to the idea of apricot newtons. There seems to be numerous versions of them around so we shall see how these one turn out.

Print Recipe
 Apricot Orange Newtons
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Course dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword apricot orange newtons
Servings
Ingredients
Dough
Filling
Course dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword apricot orange newtons
Servings
Ingredients
Dough
Filling
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Instructions
Dough
  1. Whisk the flours, baking powder, cardamom & salt together in a medium bowl.
  2. Beat the butter & brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed until light & fluffy, about 3 minutes. Stop the mixer & add the egg & vanilla. Finely grate the zest of the orange into the bowl (save the zested orange for the filling). Beat on medium speed until incorporated. Stop the mixer & scrape down the sides of the bowl & the paddle with a rubber spatula.
  3. Return the mixer to low speed, gradually add the flour; mix until just combined (the dough will be very soft and sticky). Scrape the dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap & press into a disk about 1-inch thick. Wrap the disk tightly in the plastic wrap & refrigerate until firm, but still pliable, about 2 hours. Meanwhile, make the filling.
Filling
  1. Place the apricots in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment & process until finely chopped, about 30 seconds. Transfer the mixture to a small saucepan. (No need to wash out the food processor; you will use it again.)
  2. Juice the zested orange and add 2 tablespoons of the juice to the pan. Add the water & honey. Heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the apricots plump up and all the liquid is absorbed, about 4 minutes.
  3. Transfer the mixture back to the food processor and process into a smooth paste, about 1 minute. Let the mixture cool completely.
Assembly
  1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper & set aside. Transfer the cooled apricot mixture to a piping bag or resealable plastic bag.
  2. Dust a work surface generously with flour. Unwrap the disk of dough and cut it into 3 equal pieces (about 6 1/2 oz (185 gm) each). Place one piece on the work surface, rewrap the other 2 pieces back in plastic wrap; refrigerate those 2 pieces.
  3. Reshape the remaining piece of dough into a log about 2 inches wide and 4 inches long. Place the log with the short side facing you, generously dust the top with flour, and roll into a 1/2-inch-thick rectangle about 4 inches wide and 12 inches long.
  4. Using kitchen shears, snip off a bottom corner of the plastic bag or piping bag. Pipe enough filling down the center of the piece of dough so that it is 1-inch wide and 1/4-inch thick.
  5. Using a bench scraper, scrape up the right side of the dough & gently fold it over the center so it reaches the middle of the filling. Repeat with the left side of the dough. Gently pat the top of the dough down with your hands, pinching it together as needed, so that it completely covers the filling and flattens slightly. (It should now be in a Fig Newton shape.)
  6. Cut the filled dough in half crosswise. Using the bench scraper, carefully flip each piece over & transfer to the baking sheet so that it is seam-side down. Repeat with the rolling & filling of the remaining 2 pieces of dough, using flour as needed to prevent the dough from sticking. You will end up with 6 filled & shaped pieces of dough on the baking sheet, so space them in 2 rows of 3 each, about 2 inches apart.
  7. Chill the logs for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 hour. Meanwhile, arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 350 F.
  8. Bake until just lightly browned around the edges, 15 to 17 minutes. Cut each bar crosswise into 5 pieces and let cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Spiced Rhubarb & Orange Cakes

Having frozen rhubarb to bake into a spiced rhubarb & orange cake in the middle of winter is a treat! Rhubarb is treasured by many simply for its sophisticated flavor. Those who love rhubarb, value its tart pungency, which more often than not is mellowed with sugar and made aromatic with vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom or orange rind.

Sweets are the staple at the end of a meal; the luring incentive for the kids to eat their vegetables, the weakness for many dieters, and the go-to fix for those with sugar addictions.

Hot or cold, a simple mini dessert can turn an average meal into a memorable event. Rhubarb and orange is a much-loved flavor combination, making this recipe a perfect winter dessert. 

Print Recipe
 Spiced Rhubarb & Orange Pudding
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Course dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword spiced rhubarb & orange pudding
Servings
Ingredients
Course dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword spiced rhubarb & orange pudding
Servings
Ingredients
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Instructions
  1. Place orange in a deep saucepan, cover with water. Place saucepan over high heat & bring to a boil. Place a lid on it & reduce heat to low. Simmer until the orange is very tender when pierced with a sharp knife. Drain, quarter & set aside to cool completely.
  2. Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly butter six-1 cup ovenproof baking dishes.
  3. Place rhubarb, brown sugar, spices, vanilla & water in a heavy based saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer & cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-6 minutes until rhubarb thickens. Remove from heat & set aside.
  4. Place cooled orange quarters with the skin on into a food processor & puree until smooth. Add flour, butter, buttermilk, sugar & eggs & process until smooth.
  5. Divide batter among prepared baking dishes. Place on a baking tray & bake for 40 minutes or until tops are golden.
  6. Serve warm topped with spiced rhubarb & whip cream.

Barley Flour Multigrain Scones

It’s a wonderful thing when you find ingredients that truly marry well together. Like a good relationship this melding of flavors is a partnership of sorts, where each player complements the other, bringing out the best in its partner without losing any of its own shine. Cooking is full of classic flavor pairings, caramel & sea salt, cinnamon & apple, cranberry & camembert, vine ripened tomatoes & creamy mozzarella cheese, and a springtime favorite – sweet strawberries and tangy rhubarb.

It’s this simultaneous transformation and showcasing of raw ingredients that inspires us, to experiment with flavors in the kitchen. The idea of partnering jam and scones by sandwiching a tangy or sweet layer of jam between two buttery rounds of barley based dough works perfect.

The scone itself has so little sugar that it is not too sweet– making it an excellent accompaniment for your choice of apricot, blueberry, raspberry, fig, plum or blackberry jam.

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 Barley Flour Multigrain Scones
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Course Brunch
Cuisine American
Keyword barley multigrain scones
Servings
Ingredients
Course Brunch
Cuisine American
Keyword barley multigrain scones
Servings
Ingredients
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
  2. In a bowl, combine milk with apple cider vinegar. Add multigrain cereal & allow to sit for about 30 minutes.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together oatmeal, barley & white flour, brown sugar, cardamom, baking powder & salt. Cut in cold butter with a pastry cutter until it resembles small peas.
  4. Add egg & vanilla to multigrain/ milk mixture; lightly beat. Using a fork, carefully combine wet & dry mixtures.
  5. On a work surface, sprinkle a bit of oatmeal & flour, place dough on it & with a spatula roll dough a few times until a rough ball forms. Divide the dough in half.
  6. On a sheet of parchment paper, pat out 1/2 of the dough into an 8-inch circle. Carefully spread jam over dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Since the dough is quite soft, using a spoon, drop remaining dough in dollops over jam. With a fork, carefully spread the dollops out as evenly as you can to cover the whole scone. Sprinkle whole or ground flax seeds over scone.
  7. Place parchment with scone on a flat baking sheet & bake for about 25 minutes or until it tests done with a toothpick. Remove from oven & allow to cool slightly. Cut into 10 wedges & serve.