my latest challenge...

...motherhood - baby Aria arrived on Sept. 3 and we are smitten. she keeps me out of the kitchen but for now, i certainly don't mind. now that i'm on mat leave and once we find our groove, i will do my best to post more and more! stay tuned...

what would an oil rig look like as a cake...

molten mocha cakes...

molten (or lava chocolate) cakes may be one of the most decent yet most simple dessert you will ever make. i first attempted this experiment a few years ago as a request by my fiancee. i'm not gonna lie, i'm fairly certain the result is one of the reason's i have a ring on my finger! they are divine and dead easy to make - you don't even need ramekins, the batter can be simply poured into buttered and sugared muffin tins. the key is to not overbake - the result will be, well, a plain ol' chocolate cake. the few ingredients involved also make an excellent vehicle for many chocolate combinations - you could add most anything including espresso powder (as i did this time), mint extract, almond extract, even crushed walnuts or pecans. top as you wish, whipped cream, crushed raspberries, chocolate ganache - i, however, happen to be a bit of a purist and indulge in straight up lava cake!

ps. in the background is d's mini computer, quite possibly the best kitchen tool yet! no, it doesn't mix batter or whip egg whites, but it's so incredibly handy to have on the countertop for recipes.

recipe:

adapted from www.marthastewart.com

makes 4 servings

2 tbsp unsalted butter, plus more for ramekins/muffin tins

1/3 cup icing sugar, plus more for dusting ramekins/muffin tins

3 ounces semi-sweet or dark chocolate

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

1 tsp espresso powder

pinch of salt

3 tbsp all purpose flour

* with a pastry brush or piece of parchment, butter four 6-ounce ramekins or standard muffin tins - give the butter a good dusting of icing sugar to coat

* melt butter and chocolate in the microwave, stirring after every 20 seconds

* while the chocolate and butter are cooling, whisk the icing sugar, egg, egg yolk, salt and espresso powder - stir in cooled chocolate

* add the flour, just stirring to combine and pour batter into ramekins - at this point you can throw in the fridge until minutes before you would like to serve

* bake at 400* for 10 minutes, the middle will be wobbly but that is the result you want. let cool 10 minutes, run a knife around the edge of the ramekins and invert onto plate - dust with icing sugar or top as you wish and serve ASAP!

yet another cake...

* simple chocolate vanilla swirl sheet cake with vanilla bean buttercream

monkey's lunch...

moist chocolate cake with banana buttercream filling and cloaked with dark chocolate ganache

i heart polaroids...

i can't express in words how much i love this blog (www.mypolaroidblog.blogspot.com)...it's one of my faves and i continue to check it out everyday for new posts, her photos are stunning and styling is incredible.   trust me, this isn't the last time you will hear about or see polaroids on this blog...stay tuned.

{image c/o Jen Gotch}

wholewheat scones + manky weather...

when the weather behaves as badly as it did on monday, the only place i desire to be (besides wandering the streets of paris with my boy) is in the kitchen.  the only problem yesterday was that i did not want to leave the house so i had to find a recipe which i had all the ingredients for.  after perusing my fave blogs for a while, i decided on scones. exciting?  no, not really but i love them, have not made in a while and happened to have all required items.  the odd thing is i didn't even make the recipe posted on this great blog, www.flotation9.net/sweetfineday/ - they made bran scones which were somewhat tempting but i knew then for sure that my bf wouldn't eat them!  

the recipe i found satisfied my craving...it's incredibly simple and a great base for any type of scone, i added a handful of mini chocolate chips and frozen berries but pretty much anything goes - they could even host cheese and chives for a savoury treat.  *the important note - do not overwork or knead the dough, as much as you have the urge to, DON'T DO IT!  by doing this, you are going to create a dense, tough pastry. 

the best part of making biscuits and the like is that they don't require any fancy kitchen tools, just the basics and in 30 minutes or so, you have delicious, warm-out-of-the-oven snacks!  

recipe: 

adapted from www.marthastewart.com

makes 8 large scones

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup wholewheat flour

1 tbsp baking powder

3 tbsp sugar

3/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups berries

1 tsp lemon zest (i used blood orange)

6 tbsp unsalted butter, cold and cut into small pieces

2 eggs

1/3 cup whipping cream (or half n half)

coarse sugar for sprinkling

* whisk dry ingredients together

* by hand, cut the butter pieces into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal, use a pastry cutter or 2 knives

* fold in the berries and zest...make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients

* mix the cream and eggs, beat to break up eggs and add to flour mixture - mix only until just incorporated

* tumble the mess of berries, butter, cream and flour onto a work surface and gently press together

* shape into a square, cut into 4 squares and then cut each square diagonally to create 8 triangles

* brush the tops with cream and sprinkle with coarse sugar, if you like and bake at 400 degrees C for 22-24 minutes

happy 1st birthday molly

vanilla butter cake filled with dark chocolate ganache and vanilla buttercream frosting

what did you do this weekend?

well, i will tell you what i did...i baked, i baked A LOT!  it was monthly fix this weekend (sugar high's baking subscription - first weekend of the month, you receive a delivery of assorted treats) and i must say, i'm quite proud of the end result:

- nutella blondies

- blueberries and cream cookies

- bouchon (french cork-shaped brownies...to die for!)

- ginger raspberry sandwiches

- apple fritters

- monster cookies

oh and have i ever mentioned i enjoy orange...especially in the kitchen.  it's just so fun and bright, a great contrast to our white cupboards and tile and dark counter top. if kitchen aid managed to produce their industrial mixer in citrus colours instead of ordinary white, i would totally own one in orange.  

threadless...

i'm currently looking out the window of a british row house in market harborough, england...it's pouring rain but so green and lush, hard to believe only a week ago i was still in the snow. naturally, i'm on vacation - and no access to a kitchen to deliver any sweet treats to you. for now, here is some eye candy - www.threadless.com - a super cool t-shirt website, a must-check-out kinda site. i'm wearing this one today, definitely my favourite but i have many others. keep your eye on the site as they frequently have great $5 sales! i'll soon be off canal boating...see you in may...

mmm....donuts

i’m constantly looking for a baking challenge…i pour over recipe books, magazines, blogs, searching for interesting treats.  then i came across these lemon pistachio donuts. although donuts may not seem uber-challenging or even incredibly interesting, i was still intrigued by the idea of a homemade donut.  i vaguely recall my mother making them but don’t remember the smell of the dough as it hits the hot oil, the bubbly, crackly sounds and watching each little wheel of dough rise and expand before you eyes in mere seconds.  

oddly enough, i stumbled upon this recipe in one of my fave magazines, ReadyMade.   for you DIY'ers out there, i highly recommend this zine...it has super awesome ideas and articles for some pretty sweet projects, crafts, clothing, cooking, etc, etc...

the process takes a bit of time but each step was fairly simple – a stand-up mixer or beaters with a dough hook definitely make life a lot easier.  for the avid baker, i highly recommend a stand-up mixer…my KitchenAid has seen me through endless wedding cakes, last minute cookie orders and even a very tricky French brioche recipe (I can share that one day soon…).   

the experiment took little more than mixing, folding and rolling.  the steps may look daunting but i promise it only takes some time and mad skills are not required.

i must admit, it was a very satisfying experiment…i have attempted now twice and both times the end result was glorious.  your regular donut from Tim’s does not even remotely compare to a fresh, still warm from the fryer, donut.  the simplicity of this lemon glazed yeast donut was divine…no sprinkles or gooey jam oozing out, just delicious fried dough with the subtle sweet-tart finish on top.  the perfect Easter treat!

recipe:
adapted from Sara Spearin's recipe in ReadyMade Magazine

donuts:
3/4 c milk
3 tbsp shortening
1/2 tbsp unsalted butter
4 tbsp sugar, divided
3 tbsp water at room temp
4 tsp active dry yeast
1 1/4 c all purpose flour, divided
2 tbsp honey
1 egg + 1 egg yolk
1/2 c potato flour
2 tsp salt
2 tbsp cake flour
1 1/2 tbsp ground pistachios
zest of 2 lemons
shortening or canola oil for frying

glaze:
2 c icing sugar
2 tbsp lemon zest
2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tbsp honey
1/4 c milk
coarsely ground pistachios for topping

directions:
* heat milk until 115 degrees F, add shortening and butter, stir until starting to melt and add 1 tbsp sugar
* pour in room temp water, mixture should be around 105-110 degrees F
* whisk in yeast and 1/2 c all purpose flour (does not have to be smooth), place in warm place uncovered for 10-
  20 minutes (mixture should be doubled)
* transfer yeast slurry to large bowl (or stand mixer bowl), attach dough hook and add remaining sugar, honey, egg,
  egg yolk, remaining all purpose flour, potato flour and salt
* mix/knead for 7 minutes, add cake flour, lemon zest and finely ground pistachios, mix for another 3 minutes
* cover bowl tightly, place in warm spot for 45 minutes - 1 1/2 hours until dough has doubled
* turn dough out onto lightly floured surface, pat into 6 inch square, fold in half, pat into another 6 inch square, repeat
* let dough rest for 3 minutes, if sticking to surface, dust lightly with more flour
* dip a circle cutter of your choice into flour and cut out donuts, use a smaller circle to remove centers (you can either
  fry the middles for 'bits' or add back to dough for more larger donuts)
* place donuts on floured cookie sheet, not too close together, and loosely cover with plastic wrap to rise until doubled
* heat shortening in deep saucepan or electric frying pan, must have a 2 inch depth for oil or shortening, heat to 365
  degrees F (be sure to have a cooling rack and tongs next to oil
* after donuts have doubled, drop in 2 or 3 at a time (don't crowd them) and flip when a golden brown, it only takes 
  about 1 minute or so...let cool for 12-15 minutes
* whisk together glaze ingredients (if too thin, add a bit more icing sugar, too thick add milk), dunk in donuts halfway
  and sprinkles with pistachios!
*** BEST EATEN FRESH ***

whopper blondies...

who doesn't love brownies?  they are pretty much the bomb.  i don't think everyone shares the same love of everything chocolate, however.  there are a few soles out there that don't necessarily love that rich, dense, chewy treat…for these people, blondies may be the answer.  basically a brownie sans chocolate, blondies have that brownie texture and are oh so dense and chewy. 

second question: who loved whoppers as a child?  i loved the milk carton container that they used to come in and the crispy, airy texture when you bit into one.  this may seem off topic but ties in well with the treat of the week.  my brother required a lil' snack while he was doing my taxes - seems like a fair trade to me!  i get my taxes done by someone else and all i have to offer is some baking in return.  i had ample ingredients at home but wanted something uncomplicated and quick…blondies!  he loves cookies, and well, these are cookies but in bar form.  then i stumbled upon some Ovaltine and Maltesers in my baking cupboard that i was saving to make Whopper Blondies…perfect!

the beauty of this recipe is that you can substitute in so many different fun ingredients - for the purists, chocolate

chips are great but for the adventurous, dried cranberries, white chocolate chips and toffee bits are divine…any combination of dried fruit and nuts create a dense granola bar.  i was inspired by the Brewer's Malt Blondies from my new fave cookbook 'Baked' but didn't want soooo many blondies (last thing I need is leftovers!).  i just grabbed a simple blondie recipe off of www.marthastewart.com and tweeked it a lil'.  the result was just as I had hoped…chewy, not too sweet and a bits of crunchiness from the whoppers. 

the recipe:

adapted from www.marthastewart.com

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/3 cup white sugar

1 large egg, room temperature

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup all purpose flour

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 tbsp Ovaltine (preferably chocolate flavour)

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup crushed Whoppers or Maltesers

* prepare 8x8 baking pan by lining with parchment or brushing with melted butter

* combine melted butter and both sugars

* whisk in egg and vanilla

* fold in flour, salt, Ovaltine, chocolate chips and Whoppers

* spread into prepared pan and bake at 350 degrees C for 40 minutes or so, until the point of a knife comes out clean

* allow to cool to room temperature and cut into bars, store at room temperature up to 3 days or freeze up to 2 months

gevuld koek...

this is me...circa 1980 - before blogs existed and when holly hobby was super cool.  i recently fell in love blogs. i really, really, really do love 'em.  i read countless design, cooking and wedding blogs each and every day. they offer endless inspiration.  i figured i would give this whole blog idea a shot, not realizing how nervous i would be to publish my very first post.  i have been literally sitting on this for weeks! it's ridiculous...but here you go, my first crack at it...

it only seems fitting that i offer a little lesson on gevuld koek seeing as it's the cookie in the picture/header for 'treat of the week'.  my bf often reminisces about dutch cookies from his childhood, this one seemed especially intriguing and easy...

gevuld koek are basically to two sugar cookies sandwiched together with an almond filling.  the recipe requires few ingredients and the delicate, simple result is delicious.  it just involves a little stirring, chilling and rolling.  it's that simple!  

before you jump right in, there is one ingredient you might not have on hand - almond meal.  i can't say it's readily available in grocery stores BUT you can find it in health food stores and you can even make your own by just whizzing blanched almonds in your food processor until they are fine and crumby.  

i always start with room temperature ingredients...not everyone has enough foresight to pull the butter out of the fridge and allow it to come out of it's chilled state BUT warm ingredients (not melted) do produce the best results, i promise.  

the dough comes together simply - just cream butter and sugar, combine the 1/2 egg and gently stir in the dry ingredients.  my first try resulted in dry dough...i panicked and cursed a little but added a few drops of milk and it came together quite nicely.  throw it in the fridge wrapped in plastic wrap and take a coffee break, not too long though.  i find if you leave it to chill too long, it takes an equal amount of time to come to a 'rollable' temperature.  

in the meantime, you can also prepare the filling - again, a quick stir and it's ready to be piped. now, i must admit something...i'm not a big fan of doughs that you have to roll out, they are my arch nemesis.  they are a great source of frustration - until i stumbled upon these cookies.  they roll out beautifully!   cut out a few rounds with a biscuit cutter, lay on the cookie sheet and pipe a swirl of aromatic almond filling.  i did let out a few inappropriate words when i laid the top cookie over the filling and some oozed out the side, making it seemingly impossible to seal the edges but a little firm pressure and coaxing seemed to do the trick.  

a pastry brush now comes in handy as well.  if you don't own one, i highly recommend it.  you don't have to go to those fancy foodie shops to get one either - most grocery stores carry them...my bf and i found insanely cheap brushes at Lina's on Centre St., a great Italian market (i use mine for baking, he uses his for painting his smaller woodworking projects!). anywho, give the cookies a brush with the egg yolks and top with a whole almond.  pop in the oven at 350 degrees, bake 12-14 minutes 'til brown on the edges.  gevuld koek keep well too...don't feel the need to eat every last one the first day, unless you really want to!  until next week...

the recipe:

adapted from cooking diaries blog 

1/3 c + 2 tbsp butter, room temperature

3/4 c    white sugar

1/2 egg (you'll see...)

1 tbsp lemon juice

2 c all purpose flour, sifted

pinch salt

pinch  baking soda

2 egg yolks, beaten for tops

12 whole almonds, for tops

filling:

1/2 c almond meal

1/2 c + 2 tbsp white sugar

1 1/2 eggs

2 drops pure almond extract (feel free to add more if you like, i did!)

directions:

* cream butter + sugar until light and fluffy

* add 1/2 egg + lemon juice

* gently stir in dry ingredients until dough comes together

*  tumble dough onto plastic wrap, press into circle and chill for 30 minutes

* combine all filling ingredients and fill piping bag (or you can spoon onto dough circle)

* roll out dough to 1/2 cm thick on lightly floured surface...cut out circles

* place half the circles on a cookie sheet lined with parchment...pipe or spoon filling

* top with other circle and press to seal edges...brush with egg yolks and top with almond

* bake for 12-14 minutes at 350 degrees C