Mixing The Batter

Sweet Avenue Pastries
Meet The Baker
Ask me anything
Archive
RSS
passionateaboutbaking: Fresh Cherry Wholewheat Chocolate Cakelets
341
passionateaboutbaking: Quintessential : Black Forest Cake
342

eatyourchow:

After an incredible four-course dinner at The Cooks’ House, we walked down the street and into exactly what I’ve always pictured heaven to look like: a table piled high with pies upon pies—and someone standing next to it handing me a fork. Grand Traverse Pie Company (my new favorite place on Earth) treated us to every one of their pies, and even let us taste test some new concoctions they’re working on. Two words: APPLE BACON. 

The shop’s story is just as sweet as its goods. When approaching their forties, Mike and Denise Busley realized something was missing. On a quest for “inner satisfaction, purpose, and passion,” they quit their jobs, packed up their family, and moved from San Diego to Northern Michigan to follow their dream of opening a pie shop. Sixteen years and as many locations later, the Busleys are living their dream daily, while also giving back to the community in a major way. 

If you’re a regular reader, you know I love many (aka, every) desserts. But when I really think about it, pie is my absolute favorite. I especially love Blueberry and Key Lime, and Grand Traverse Pie Company makes the best ones I’ve ever tasted in both categories. Spoiler alert: these pies were the highlight of my entire trip.

765
veganfood: Chocolate Stout Donuts (by AsstroGirl)
409
bakeddd: biscoff brownie cake click here for recipe
728
foodopia: chocolate covered blueberries: recipe here
436
ronniefein: I’m old fashioned. I like dinner parties where we eat in the dining room and I use my good china and utensils and cloth napkins. It’s feels so lavish, a really nice break from the every-day stuff, and all the more welcome because I don’t do it very often. I don’t mind the work. And in fact, the food I cook is mostly easy stuff I can prepare in advance, so that when the guests come (never more than 6 people), I can spend the time with them rather than fuss in the kitchen and miss all the conversation. So, next weekend, when 4 of my friends will be at my house for dinner, I plan on serving a vegetable cream soup — maybe with fresh summer tomatoes — that I’ll make on Thursday and the main course will be a cold, poached salmon served with cool vegetables vinaigrette (all cooked by Friday, late afternoon). Desserts are usually simple too, but I wanted to be a bit whimsical this time, so I started early and already have some of it stored away in the freezer: almond cookies from an old recipe that I molded into muffin tins (it could have been brioche molds or mini-tart pans) until they held their shape. I also made ginger ice cream, to fit inside those cookie cups. It’s all done but for the garnish: a few snips of fresh mint from my garden (but you could add a sauce or some whipped cream or mashed fresh berries). Just a few quick hors d’oeuvre and I’m done. All ahead of time. Almond Cookie Cups with Ginger Ice Cream the Cookie Cups: 4 ounces unsalted butter 6 tablespoons sugar 1/2 cup ground toasted almonds 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 egg whites at room temperature 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, sifted Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a cookie sheet. Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat for 1-2 minutes at medium speed or until well blended. Add the almonds, vanilla extract, egg whites and flour and blend them in thoroughly. For each cookie, spoon some of the batter onto the cookie sheet and spread with the back of a spoon into a thin circle about 3-inches in diameter. Bake for 6-8 minutes or the edges have browned. Carefully and quickly remove each cookie and slip into a muffin tin or brioche mold. Let cool for 5 minutes, then place on a cake rack to cool completely. Fill with ice cream and serve. These may be frozen. NOTE: for best results and to make it easy, bake 2 cookies at a time. Makes 12 Ginger Ice Cream 4 cups half and half cream 1/2 cup sugar 4 large egg yolks 3/4 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger 1/4 cup ginger liqueur (or 2 tablespoons liquid from preserved ginger), optional Heat 2 cups of the cream over medium heat until bubbles appear around the edges of the pan. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the sugar and egg yolks at medium speed for 3-5 minutes or until light and thick. Gradually add the heated cream and blend the ingredients for about one minute or until smooth. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 5-6 minutes or until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. Strain the mixture into a bowl, pour in the remaining cream and blend it in thoroughly. Refrigerate until cold. Stir in the vanilla extract and the ginger. Freeze in an ice cream freezer according to manufacturer’s directions. When the mixture is almost completely frozen, pour in the liqueur, if used, and freeze completely. Makes about 1-1/2 quarts P.S. I am part of a group called The Kosher Connection, which includes kosher food bloggers throughout the world. This recipe is a first in a series of a monthly “recipe challenge.” You can follow all the recipes on Twitter with #kosherrecipes. For other fabulous recipes from our team see: Fudge Bars Forbidden Black Rice with Cherries Chocolate and Vanilla Twist Pops Frozen Chocolate Crunch Cake Bourbon Peach Milk Shake Raspberry Avocado Sorbet Cornflake Crunch Ice Cream Iced Cappuccino Baked Alaska Dairy Free Halvah Pistachio Ice Cream BonBons Black Forest Kulfis Iced Mochaccino Strawberry Float Peppermint Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches
139
gastronomyfiles: Mars Bar Cheesecake (by Inspire Kelly)
1431
oxygenarians: These are really good. I used this recipe
491
diet-killers: Victoria’s Cakes (от Monapart Barcelona)
2377

americastestkitchen:

Raspberry-Coconut Cloud Cake

A tunnel of raspberry mousse makes this angel (food cake) sing. Get the step-by-step instructions.

1260
gastrogirl: quadruple-layer rice krispie treat.
689
bakeitinacake: Lena of Seattle (woot woot!) shared this awesome photo with me this morning. These are treats she and her roommate made for Lena’s boyfriend’s birthday last month. That is a brownie baked into a Funfetti cupcake and topped with a caramel-filled chocolate chip cookie. More cupcakes should be topped with cookies. Here’s Lena’s post about them on her blog (where she posts other pretty and tasty looking things!). Thanks for sharing, Lena!
122
bakeitinacake: Banana pudding pie! In a vanilla cupcake! Topped with banana pudding buttercream! Nilla wafer crumbs! And butterscotch! Totally worthy of every single one of these exclamation points, I promise. (Recipe will be posted later today.)
84
bakeitinacake: Bake a Twix in a brownie! Just mix up your favorite brownie batter (or use this recipe here), spread the batter into a 9x9 non-stick baking pan, and arrange about 25 mini Twix candy bars on top of the batter before sticking them in the oven (like so). Bake for about 22-25 minutes (your recipe may vary), until a toothpick inserted into the center of the pan comes out clean. You’re left with little pools of chocolate, caramel, and Twix cookies melted into the top of the brownies. SO GOOD! (For best results, allow the brownies to completely cool before cutting—as hard as it might be to wait.)
509