So, I’m just going to come out and say it: I have a problem. The San Francisco pastry scene, which I’ve only recently begun to discover in all its splendor, is far too enticing. I can’t stay away. I can’t not shovel pastries into my mouth. I can’t resist seeking out a new bakery. I … Continue reading »
Baked Sunday Mornings: Alfajores
Alpha-what, now?! I speak 3 languages and consider myself pretty worldly, and I definitely make a point of investigating pastries any time I travel; and yet, I didn’t know what Alfajores were before embarking on this week’s Baked Sunday Mornings recipe. Pronounced ‘alfa-HOR-es’, these South American “caramel”-filled sandwich cookies are featured in the Caramel chapter … Continue reading »
Baked Sunday Mornings: Triple Rum Black Pepper Cake
99 bottles of rum on the wall, 99 bottles of rum…. Oh wait, that’s not how the song goes, is it. Perhaps it’s time to brush up on my pirate tunes? Despite my shoddy maritime musical repertoire, one thing I can say about pirates with a good deal of certainty is that Captain Jack Sparrow … Continue reading »
The Bee’s Knees: Pull-Apart Honey-Cola Cake with Lemon-Vanilla Bean Crème Anglaise
I live in California. What we call “winter” is a pathetic shadow of what the rest of the country endures for several months of the year, and it seems that this year’s cold season has been particularly long in many regions. I have reveled in our 70°+ March and April days, weeks-long stretches of brilliant … Continue reading »
Baked Sunday Mornings: Sunrise Key Lime Tarts
This has been a very busy week of pastry research for me– simultaneously glorious and oh-so-gluttonous… As I was on Spring Break from work (you know, that whole “reality” business), I had the opportunity to play in San Francisco to my heart’s content, and play I did. I’m working on a separate blog post about … Continue reading »
Baked Sunday Mornings: Aunt Sassy Cake
Pistachios are such curious little nuts. I don’t think I’ve ever really examined them before– I generally just crack them open and pop ‘em in my mouth without a whole lot of thought. For this week’s Baked Sunday Mornings assignment, I got up close and personal with those irregular, bright green, purple-wrapped little guys. Aunt Sassy Cake, … Continue reading »
Baked Sunday Mornings: Cheddar Corn Soufflé
In preparing for this Cheddar Corn Soufflé recipe, I was a little nervous–all those wives-tales about soufflés falling if you make too much noise or turn on the light or look at it the wrong way… Were they true?? The recipe is housed in the Cheese chapter of Baked Elements, and so far BAKED’s cheese … Continue reading »
Sunshine in Your Mouth: Meyer Lemon-Brown Butter Bars
A week ago, I had a different world view: our education system is badly in need of an overhaul; babies should wear hats with animal ears; all people should be able to get married; Nicki Minaj is the worst American Idol judge ever; and fruit desserts are just okay. Little did I know that my … Continue reading »
Pucker Up, Buttercup: Super Lemon Curd
Last week, I was gifted with some gorgeous Meyer lemons, which inspired me to make lemon bars for the first time. I was also interested in experimenting with lemon curd, another new adventure for me. While hunting for recipes, I found the best of both worlds: Joanne Chang’s recipe for Lemon Lust Bars from Flour: … Continue reading »
Taste the Luck o’ the Irish: Chocolate Shamrock Sandwich Cookies
Got luck? I love shamrocks. They make me happy– any time of year, really. The symbol of the shamrock is of course associated with Ireland today, and has come to be synonymous with St. Patrick’s Day. The word comes from the Irish-Gaelic seamróg, meaning “little clover”. Legend has it that St. Patrick used this 3-leaf … Continue reading »