You might not expect to find a slice of French pastry heaven in Santa Fe, New Mexico, but the truth is the city is experiencing a francophile streak on the dessert scene. One place that stands out is Clafoutis, a French-owned cafe and bakery where everything is very authentic, and very delicious. More
True: Santa Fe is more famed for chiles than croissants. But if you take the time to check out the bakeries in town, you'll notice a distinct thread of Francophilia. So between your bites of sopaipillas and biscochitos, here are some French style spots you might want to try. More
The Cadbury Creme Scotch Egg is coated with a thick cocoa-kissed batter, then coated in cookie crumbs and deep-fried. When eaten warm, the taste calls to mind that of a deep-fried candy bars that one can find at state fairs, but in my opinion, a slightly more complex flavor. It's the perfect dessert counterpart to the classic Scotch Egg: similar visually, and every bit as decadent. Happy Easter indeed. More
While all of the crispy-crusted cake donuts are crave-worthy, you'll find a real shining star in the Lemon Pistachio White Chocolate variety. The extreme sweetness of the white chocolate is tempered by a hint of lemon zest and beautifully complemented by the salty pistachio bits. When all of these flavors come together in a bite with the perfect crunch of the craggy donut exterior, giving way to its fluffy but substantial interior, you may experience donut nirvana. More
I had the most incredible idea to make the tiny bars more fun: I'd melt together about 100 of the mini bars to form a monstrous Mega Fun-Size Bar! Now that sounds like fun. More
I find corn muffins to be an exceedingly lovable food, especially when they contain fat kernels of corn. But since October is prime time for candy, I wondered—what might happen if I swapped real corn for candy corn? More
Recently, I asked my favorite Pineapple Upside-Down Cake recipe a serious question: "What would you like to be for Halloween this year?". After considering various options, such as Doughnut Upside-Down Cake, Tarte Tatin, and various other options for the inverted dessert, we decided to go with something festive: Candy Corn Upside-Down Cake. More
While pumpkin bread is wonderful in its simplicity, it is possible to heighten your seasonal eating by adding a healthy helping of chocolate chip cookie dough to the batter. It gives the bread a decadently gooey center, and the spiciness of the pumpkin bread works beautifully with the brown sugar and chocolate in the cookies. Feel like gilding the lily? Go ahead, serve it with ice cream. More
A letter in the mail is a wonderful treat. But a letter is even better when it's delivered by way of a sandwich cookie snack. More
Don't let the photo fool you: while these holey treats may resemble doughnuts, they're actually pies! They are made up of morsels of pie crust which are filled, rolled up, and pinched to ensure the filling stays inside, then fried. While they're certainly not health food, they certainly are delicious. More
You might be hesitant to embrace the idea of Avocado Pie. After all, avocado is probably more famous for its starring role in guacamole, or as a sandwich or salad component than as a delicious dessert item. But avocado isn't unknown in the world of sweets, and this pie might just help you change your mind. More
These pretty cupcakes have a kaleidoscope-like multicolored starburst pattern that will definitely elicit "ooh" and "ahhs" when served. More
Here's the classic I chose for my late August birthday this year: a fluffy golden yellow cake topped with a crowning glory of rich, stick-to-your-teeth fudge frosting. The contrast of light cake and thick frosting is simply beyond compare. More
See for yourself how enrobing a cake slice in chocolate brings it to indulgent new heights, and yet how eating it off of a stick somehow keeps the experience playful. More
The refreshing minty flavor of the cookies pairs perfectly with a rich, thick chocolate filling, making them a crowd-pleasing dessert. More
If some is good, more is amazing. That's the guiding principle behind the mega-brownie that is the stunningly delicious and unbelievably rich result of combining brownies with the Canadian delight known as Nanaimo bars. More
Wellesley Fudge cake, named after the women's college, is a deeply indulgent chocolate cake topped with a slab of thick fudge frosting, the likes of which will stick to your front teeth in the most pleasing way. More
Lane Cake: now there's a tall southern belle of a layer cake. It's filled with coconut, chopped fruit and nuts, and a generous serving of whiskey or brandy, and topped off with a snowy range of fluffy frosting. More
It's simple fact: food is more fun when it provides a pretty visual. And what could be a more fun way to enjoy the official treat of summer—ice cream—than in the form of rainbow ice cream pops? More
As pleasing as watermelon is as a palate cleanser or side dish, when it comes to dessert, I want something a little more substantial. So to get a pretty look but more of a sugary dessert wallop, I've created my own idealized version of watermelon, in cake form. More
When it comes to festive food for Independence Day, here's a sweet treat that really takes the cake: a layer cake decorated to resemble the American Flag! More
Riddle me this: why should burgers and hot dogs have all the fun on your grill this summer? They shouldn't, and here's the dessert to prove it: Grilled Pound Cake. More
Sure, you could eat a banana split in the usual way. Or, you could cake—er, shake—things up and serve it as a cake. And judging by the title of the recipe, I think you can probably tell which method I am going to suggest. More
To choose just a few favorites from my recipe archives was nearly impossible, but I gave it my best shot in this sugar-filled slideshow, selecting the recipes that make me smile and want to stuff my face full of cake (or cookies, or pie) every time. More
As the custard sets, it absorbs some of the rich butteriness of the frosting, infusing the entire pie. As a result, the taste is kind of like cream pie meets birthday cake, in a decidedly delicious way. More
@evilsciencechick and @cary - what's wrong with cookie dough? Just the ubiquity of it in recipes these days? Maybe it has jumped the shark but I personally still find it tasty.
@figeater - no worries. Yes, I am a good person who tries to do the right thing :-) Unfortunately I suppose that is a downside of the internet "content flood" as you so aptly put it. Information gets shared and traded and adapted and adopted so rapidly that sometimes it is very difficult to get to the source of things. And it's a good reminder to always be diligent: next time, I'll say "hey, buddy, this recipe is really delicious! Where'd you get it, anyhow?".
@figeater - once again, my apologies; it really is an innocent misunderstanding wherein a recipe was passed on to me and its source was not clear. I have actually been in touch with contacts at Cook's Country and they are quite understanding. It is very good to have the guidelines listed above; a good resource for all bloggers. Thank you.
@chuckh - it is actually silver sprinkles. Not necessary, I just happened to have them.
@figeater - my apologies, as you are correct in assuming that is where the recipe came from. When it was passed to me, it was not credited and I actually didn't know where it came from. Accept my apologies but please know it was an unintentional omission; I have updated the recipe to reflect the source.
Thank you for noticing and for obviously being a sweets fan!
Even though Flying monkey's doesn't have yeast, it sure is a fine specimen, one of my favorites. I have more photos of yeasted cakes on my "7 butter cakes we love in Philadelphia" feature, right on this site!
Hi there - sorry for the confusion! Don't transfer the mixture til the end of step 3 (when you re use the bowl for the whites). I had made an edit and missed changing that part. I will update the recipe, but wanted to make sure I let you know in the meantime!
No problem! You saw it before I could even comment!
Definitely store them in the refrigerator. They should last for a good 4 days.
@theplateismystage: Understood with the dangerous territory. Why mess with the perfection that is the Nanaimo Bar? But it was a fun baking experiment, and they tasted pretty good!
Last time I went to Vancouver, I visited Savary Island Pie Co. and they offered a nanaimo bar with a peanut butter krispie treat on the bottom instead of the usual coconut cocoa graham cracker base. At first I thought sacrilege but gosh, was it GOOD! http://www.cakespy.com/blog/2010/11/2/happy-overload-peanut-butter-crispy-nanaimo-bar-from-savary.html
Thank you @carrie vasios for the change! My apologies if anyone was offended by the use of "girl" rather than "woman". I have a friend who attended Wellesley who referred to it in that way herself, so it just wasn't even on my mind!
@epulo - I stuck with ice cream in keeping with National Ice Cream Month - all july long! :-) There's no reason on earth these couldn't be done with sherbet or water ice, in my opinion; it might just take some trial and error to make sure the colors don't run.
I have not tried it with beet juice, but if you prefer to tint your cakes naturally (which I commend) I think it would work fine!
It is a pretty eggy cake, adapted from the Parker House hotel Boston Cream pie (cake part only) It works great for shaping and cutting which is why I chose it. It isn't for everyone. This cake concept will work with virtually any recipe that will yield 3 layers of cake!
@candide: usually the recipes are published a few minutes after the intro post. It should be up shortly!
@carmason: Visiting Haegle's was a real highlight for me - it has been there since 1930 and is so old-school charming.
@toad3000 ha! Well, what I found is that (alas) after traveling on the train with them for a while, they all start to look sort of similar -- gooey yellow on top of a crust. :-) However, they are all SO good!
@cookiequiz: I believe that this is a little trick of the light with my camera, affected by the way the chocolate "sinks" into the tortillas as the torte sits; you have to use a pretty sharp knife to slice the torte, but still, the chocolatiness will kind of "drag" and color the torte as you slice. So - that is to say - I think it's just a few natural variations. :-)
I should also note that I bought tortillas from a place that makes them fresh and I remember that particular tortilla on the top had an air bubble.
@moz11 - can you suggest some good places in St Louis that offer a cream cheese-free gooey butter cake? It seems that all the "famous" ones I have found include cream cheese.
http://www.riverfronttimes.com/bestof/2009/award/best-gooey-butter-cake-854757/
http://parkavenuecoffee.com/products/gooey-butter/moms-traditional-original
http://whatscookingamerica.net/History/Cakes/GooeyButterCake.htm
HilaryH: thank you for confirming that! Very interesting. It makes me even more curious about the invention of the cake now. The St. Louis butter cake has such a specific story attached to it, but the Philadelphia version seems to have come from German settlers and (uh oh) could it even be older than Gooey Butter Cake??
@may_be : I have seen this recipe too. I'd love to hear more input from St. Louis residents, but it appears to me that Melissa Clark's recipe is *more* like Philadelphia Butter cake than the typical Gooey Butter cake - most recipes I have seen call for cream cheese and a more yellow cake type base, and most of the famous St. Louis bakeries seem to offer this sort - that I know of. I would not dream of making myself out to be a St Louis expert, however.
@tastee : Oh, enjoy! Thanks!
@therealchiffonade: Not quite blondie-esque, it is lacking the brown sugar carameliness but I can see how you'd make the texture comparison. It's really unlike any other sweet I have ever tasted. You do get yeastiness from the base, but it's really an anchor for the delicious goo on top.
@onewallkitchen - my mom does that too - she uses a coffee grinder (which she only uses for this purpose, not for coffee) for it.
@dashofginger: Have you been reading my diary? :-) No, stuff your face with it.
These Chocolate Clouds from Sarabeth Levine's Sarabeth's Bakery are made for chocolate chip enthusiasts who love that crisp, airy crunch to their cookie. More
@cary - I actually laughed out loud at that! Because it's so true. And yet..like watching a Lifetime Original Movie...I can't seem to stop myself...
@ShawnaM - OMG my favorite pie EVER!! That thing was epic. http://www.cakespy.com/blog/2009/11/3/candy-massacre-leftover-halloween-candy-pie-for-serious-eats.html