April 5: National Raisin and Spice Bar Day

Today is National Raisin and Spice Bar Day. While they have a different name, I'm gonna say that these interesting bars fit the bill as they do contain raisins and spices: the "1812 Cookie Bar" by Matthews 1812 House. 

webIMG_4458.jpg

A few weeks ago, I was contacted by a mail-order cookie and cake company called Matthews 1812 House. They asked if I would like to try some of their goodies. Well, twist my arm why don't you. I requested the "1812 Cookie Bar", because it seemed like an interesting item, and one unlike anything else I had ever seen.

The description of the bars goes like so: "Tangy apricots, crunchy pecans and chocolate chips are mixed into a honey and brown sugar batter, then baked on a buttery shortbread crust. Finished with our own special browned butter icing, you'll find these bars truly amazing."

While not specifically mentioned in the description, raisins and spices are listed in the ingredients, which is why I find them appropriate for today's national food holiday.

Actually, more than appropriate. Because look at these things. They look crave-worthy, right? Especially on my new custom tray, by Bags of Love. 

They taste crave-worthy, too. I love a good bar cookie, and these are indeed a fine specimen. The cookie base is sturdy and flavorful, with just the right amount of salt, butter, and sweetness coming together. My darling one didn't care for the apricot, but I told him to shut up because I thought it was great, and I'm the one with a food blog, so I win, right? 

But really, for me, what brought these bars together was the browned butter frosting. I don't know if they sneak an elixir of addictiveness into it somehow, but I could eat this stuff with a spoon from a jar and be very happy. It gives the sweet frosting a depth of flavor that lasts on the tongue for several moments after you've taken a bite, in the best way possible. 

I won't lie, these bars are not cheap. A 6x9 tray (a bit smaller than a sheet of printer paper) is $32 plus shipping (I calculated to my home; the total cost would be $44 or so). But they are interesting, and very well made, and they were securely packaged and arrived fresh. So...if you feel like you want a unique, artisan treat, I would say they're worth it for a special occasion. 

Also, I thought the story of the company, which is based in Northwest Connecticut, was cute (right from their site), if not revealing about why the company has its unique name:

"Matthews 1812 House was started in 1979 in the family farmhouse by Blaine and Deanna Matthews. Named after the year the house was built, they started with two fruitcakes (and had two small children at the same time)! Soon there were baking racks in the hallways and people sorting apricots and pecans on the dining room table.

In 1991 the business moved to a dedicated facility just a mile from the farmhouse. With a carousel oven (yes, it rotates), and more room, they expanded from their line of specialty cakes into cookies, bars, and other mouth-watering baked goods."

Check out these bars and the full offerings of Matthews 1812 House here.

24 Hours In and Around the Grand Canyon and Flagstaff

Wow! It has taken me a while to get to this post, but finally I have, and I am so happy to share with you my whirlwind GRAND CANYON ADVENTURE. 

We went to the Grand Canyon for just one day, and stayed in nearby Flagstaff, AZ. While it wasn't a goal at all to hit every spot, we did hit a few good ones, so let me tell you about them. 

It started on a Friday, when I woke up and went to yoga in Santa Fe, with one of my favorite teachers. Afterward, me and my sweetie packed up our pugs and hit the road in our car. Westward on I-40! Pugs in my lap! Let's go! 

In Grants, NM, we paused and had a picnic, because I had thoughtfully packed slices of chocolate cake. Here's the recipe. 

After a few hours and a few small cities, we arrived in Flagstaff, Arizona. Since I'm into craft beer now, we checked out Mother Road Brewery, where I tried their Black IPA. I later used it to make a cake. Good stuff! 

Then, we went to my favorite store, possibly in the world, Black Hound Gallerie. I'll show you just one of the things I've purchased there over previous visits to illustrate the total awesomeness of this establishment:

Then, we had an awesome dinner at Criollo, a Latin american restaurant. This bread pudding was for dessert. 

The next morning, we had my favorite new coffee drink the Flat White at Firecreek Coffee. It was also here that I discovered the existence of something called barista milk, which is gently homogenized to create the most stable texture for frothing. It really is special!

We also observed that they had this, a pretzel breakfast roll among their offerings:

Then we hit up Macy's Coffee Shop, a unique shop featuring all vegetarian food. I got a towering quiche, which was seriously about a foot tall...

and we got cinnamon rolls, which were croissant-like in their flakiness.

And an almond danish. Because, don't do breakfast halfway.

Afterward, we went to...the Grand Canyon! Here I am with one of my pugs, Olive. I know, I know, you can't get over how remarkably good-looking we are. 

What everyone says about the Grand Canyon is true: you can't grasp its amazing-ness until you actually see it. I am so glad I finally got to see it!

On the way back, we passed this establishment. I wonder what they do there?

We headed on back, and snacked on some of the homemade candy corn I made (I told you I'm a bit delayed with posting this trip roundup!). When we got home, we were exhausted but happy.

When is the last time you took a road trip? 

Magical Unicorn Cookies

OMG! My friend Joanne had a baby, and a few of us bloggers are celebrating. I brought unicorns to the party. Unicorn cookies, that is.

You might think that since she had a baby boy, I should go all blue, but I disagree, because I think that unicorns and magic transcend gender. And any boy who can embrace a sprinkled pink unicorn is a boy I'd like in my life. 

Best of all, these cookies are easy to make. It's actually an adaptation of the DIY animal crackers from my second book, The Secret Lives of Baked Goods, but with a magical upgrade: pink icing and plenty of sprinkles. 

BTW, I couldn't find a unicorn cutter and my existing one is in a different city right now, so I went and bought a pony-shaped one.

It was easy to affix horns by hand. So if you can't find a unicorn cutter, buy a pony cutter. Just don't let any un-horned ponies get cornered by unicorns. 

OK, I know you're getting eager to make these babies, so let me help you. 

Scroll to the bottom of the post for the recipe; meantime, directly below you'll find the links to other blogger creations inspired by Joanne, and check out the hashtag #fifteenspatulasbaby to follow the posts and story!

Appetizers

Italian Sub Sandwich Roll-ups from Michael of Inspired by Charm

Smoky Roasted Red Pepper Sun Dried Tomato Hummus from Jeanette of Jeanette’s Healthy Living

Creamy Sweet Potato Soup from Sadie of Dairy Good Life

Whipped Goat Cheese & Blueberry Balsamic Crostini from Meseidy of The Noshery

Rosemary Flatbread with Baked Goat Cheese from Heidi of FoodieCrush

Spring Herb Cream Cheese Appetizer Cups from Rachel of Rachel Cooks

Crostini with Almond Ricotta and spicy olive tapenade from Heather of HeatherChristo

Drinks

Fruit Freeze from Deborah of Taste and Tell

Mint Lemonade from Trish of Mom On Timeout

Ginger Lemonade from Kathy of Panini Happy

Desserts

Chocolate-Covered Rice Krispies Treats from Julie of The Little Kitchen

Orange Fluff from Jamie of My Baking Addiction

Peanut Butter Pretzel Brownies from Susannah of Feast + West

Mini Ombre Heart Cookies from Bridget of Bake at 350

Mini Coconut Pound Cakes from Mary of Barefeet In The Kitchen

Yellow Sheet Cake with Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting from Jennifer of Savory Simple

Unicorn Shaped Cookies from Jessie of CakeSpy

Oreo Cheesecake Bites from Brenda of a farmgirl’s dabbles

Lemon Blueberry Bread from Glory of Glorious Treats

Blintz with Blackberry Sauce from Sommer of A Spicy Perspective

Pastel Rainbow Cake from Bree of Baked Bree

Individual Chocolate Souffles from Andie of Andie Mitchell

 

MAGICAL UNICORN COOKIES 

Makes about 30 (Printable version here)

Ingredients

  • 2 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1⁄8 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 3⁄4 cup (1 1⁄2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to cool room temperature
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 1⁄2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Icing

  • 2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
  • 3-5 tablespoons cream
  • pink (or red) food coloring
  • LOTS AND LOTS OF SPRINKLES

Procedure

  1. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla, stirring until combined.
  3. Add the flour mixture in 3 additions, mixing after each addition just until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
  4. Form the dough into 2 disks and wrap well with plastic; refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. Chilling the dough will ensure that the shapes hold once cut out and that the dough will not spread too much during baking.
  5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
  6. Allow the cookie dough to warm slightly at room temperature before rolling it. On a floured work surface, use a floured rolling pin to roll the dough to about 1⁄4 inch thick. Use your unicorn or pony cutter to cut out as many cookies as you can; re-roll scraps to get more cookies from the dough.
  7. Let the cookies chill (on the baking sheets) in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before baking. This will ensure that they retain a crisp shape.
  8. Bake for 9 to 10 minutes, rotating at the 5 minute mark, or until firm, just lightly brown on the edges, and with a dull finish on top. Let cool on the pan for several minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  9. Mix the confectioners' sugar with cream until it reaches a thick but spreadable consistency. Stir in the food coloring. Working with one cookie at a time, spread the icing on top, and then add the sprinkles right away (they'll stick best right after the cookies are iced).

CONGRATULATIONS, JOANNE!

Greek Yogurt Chocolate Chip Chia Seed Cookies

It is in the name of honesty that I divulge this shameful fact: I don't like yogurt as a stand-alone food.

This may be an unconventional way to set up a recipe post sponsored by Greek Gods Yogurt, so let me explain. I love yogurt as a COMPONENT of other foods. Or combined with other foods. Especially Greek yogurt, which I will use for any and everything from a mayo substitute to a topping for baked potatoes. 

Here's the thing: I have discovered that I do like baking with yogurt. In fact, I love baking with yogurt.

Yogurt--Greek yogurt in particular--lends a tangy, buttermilk-like flavor to baked goods, and an incredibly fluffy texture. I am guessing the texture has something to do with the fact that the acidic component of yogurt acts in tandem with any leaveners to create fluff city, but I am no scientist, so that is only a theory. 

OK, so with all that having been said, I need to tell you that when Greek Gods was all, "let us send you some of our chia seed Greek yogurt to bake with!", I was all (please imagine me saying this in Justin Timberlake's voice) "yeah girl, let me see what I can bake up with your chia seed goo". 

As long as there are no follow up questions, that is exactly how it happened.

So, a few days later the yogurt arrived, and I got baking. I love healthy-ish cookies (you know, the kinds with oats and whole wheat flour, but still plenty of butter and sugar), so I was really psyched about a riff on chocolate chip cookies using this yogurt.

I thought it made a great #whathappenswednesday concept, too: what happens when you make chocolate chip cookies with Greek yogurt?

These cookies came out awesomely! 

As I had previously experienced, the yogurt gave the cookies an amazingly fluffy texture. The chia seeds were subtle, but definitely present, adding a little bit of an earthy flavor and tiny bit of texture. With a bunch of oats and some very good quality chopped chocolate thrown in the batter, these were definitely not your typical chocolate chip cookies, but turned out to be 100% crave-worthy.

I brought some to the yoga studio where I teach, I brought some to a fellow yoga instructor's birthday party, and the rest my sweetheart ate. They all disappeared, nobody declared them too healthy, everyone remarked on the fluffy texture.

These cookies are well worth a try if you want to add a little health to your cookie but, you know, still have a cookie, or if you just want to try something new, or if, like me, this is a way that you can enjoy yogurt. And if you love yogurt, go ahead and dip these cookies in it for added bliss. 

Greek Yogurt Chocolate Chip Chia Seed Cookies

Printable version here

  • 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt (I like salty; use less, like 1/8 to 1/4 tsp if you don't)
  • 1/2 cup, or 1 stick, unsalted butter, softened 
  • 3/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 container (150g) Greek Gods Vanilla Chia Seed Yogurt
  • 2 cups good quality semi or bittersweet chocolate, chopped; or, use chocolate morsels 
  • 1/4 cup rolled oats 
  1. In a large-ish bowl, sift together the flour(s), baking soda, and salt. Set to the side.
  2. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter on medium-high speed, until soft and malleable-looking. Add in the two types of sugar, and continue creaming for 2-3 minutes, or until nice and fluffy. 
  3. Add in the eggs, one at a time, mixing completely and scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
  4. Stir in the vanilla and the Greek yogurt, mixing on low speed to combine. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. The dough will become very gooey at this point.
  5. Add the flour mixture, mixing on low speed to combine. Once completely cohesive, fold in the chocolate and the oats, stirring to ensure even distribution. 
  6. Remove the bowl from the mixer, cover with plastic, and put the bowl in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or (even better) overnight. This is very important as it discourages the cookies from spreading too much, as well as allowing the flavors to come together.
  7. Near the end of your cooling period, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
  8. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone liners. Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough on to the prepared sheets, leaving plenty of room around each cookie to allow for spreading. (I did 12 cookies per sheet). 
  9. Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until golden and "set" on top, rotating the pans at the 5 minute mark. Remove from the oven, let cool on the sheets for a couple of minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. 
  10. Repeat baking until you've used all the dough. I made about 40 cookies from this batch. 
  11. Store leftovers, well wrapped, at room temperature, for up to 5 days. 

Have you ever made cookies with yogurt?

An Easy and Inexpensive Substitute for Mascarpone Cheese

There are a few good reasons why you might want to make a mascarpone cheese substitute.

One is availability. Mascarpone isn't what I would call a rare ingredient, but it can prove tricky to find depending on where you are and what your local market stocks. Even within a grocery store it can be tricky to locate: is it near the fresh pasta, or near the cream cheese? It can take some effort to track it down.

Another is price. When recently developing a recipe that called for mascarpone cheese, I had to fork over $6.99 per container of the stuff. Not too bad for a one-time deal, but when testing recipes, you have to buy 3-4 batches' worth sometimes. That starts to add up! 

So, I thought it might be valuable to offer an alternative to mascarpone cheese. If I do say so myself, I think I have done a very good job here. 

I looked up recipes online to start, but ultimately decided on my own configuration. Butter and cream cheese give this mascarpone substitute a rich flavor and texture, and a touch of lemon (or lime, depending on what the final recipe you're using this for and your taste) helps add to the natural tang of cream cheese; a touch of salt brings out all of the flavors, and a little cream gives it a texture similar to mascarpone.

This can be substituted in equal quantities for mascarpone cheese in your favorite recipe, with delicious results. It doesn't taste identical but in a recipe with other ingredients, it really does come pretty close. 

Mascarpone cheese substitute

Makes a little over 1 cup 

Printable version here

  • 1 brick (8 ounces) full fat cream cheese, room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 1/4 teaspoon lemon or lime juice
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • pinch salt

Mix together the cream cheese, butter, and lemon juice, mixing very completely. Like, start mixing and walk away for 10 minutes thorough mixing (this is literally what I did). 

Add the salt and heavy cream, and mix until creamy and cohesive. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and store in the refrigerator until ready to use. 

Substitute for mascarpone in your favorite recipe! 

Have you ever made an interesting DIY substitute?

Cadbury Creme Scrambled Eggs

What happens when you treat your Cadbury Creme Eggs like real eggs and scramble them for breakfast? That sounds like a great #whathappenswednesday subject to me. Short answer? This happens.

Nope: that's not a pile of poo alongside toast and berries. It's scrambled Cadbury Creme Eggs. Of course, if you'd like a little bit more explanation, I'm happy to oblige. Here's how I went about making this dish. 

Oh yeah, and btw - shout out to Bags of Love for that awesome new cutting board featuring my art!

First, I bought a Cadbury Creme Egg. This took longer than I thought, because --and have any of you had this issue?--apparently they are impossible to scan at grocery store checkouts. This happens every time I try to buy Creme eggs! So. It took far longer than it should have, but finally I was released from line and headed home with my treasure.

Usually, to make scrambled eggs, I would put an egg and a little milk in a bowl or cup and whisk it with a fork. Well, I knew the hard chocolate shell of a cadbury creme egg wouldn't crack and certainly shouldn't be discarded, so I cut it into pieces first, then I whisked it with some milk.

Then, I heated up a little frying pan with a generous pat of butter, over high heat. I turned the egg mixture into the pan, and reduced the heat as soon as it was added (just like regular scrambled eggs).

I kept the mixture moving a little in the pan. At first it seemed like the milk and the chocolate were quite separate, but it began to kind of melt together. 

Once it seemed like the eggs were melty but still had texture, I removed from the pan and transferred to a plate. They looked very boring and distinctly like poop.

Well, I decided they needed accompaniment. Just like regular scrambled eggs! 

webwithoutsprinkles.jpg

So, I added two little slices of pound cake with butter to act as toast, and then some berries to round out the plate and add a healthy element to this breakfast delight.

Normally, I would put salt and pepper on my scrambled eggs, but it hardly seemed the right choice here, so instead I sprinkled the candy version with sprinkles. 

Voila! Breakfast is served. 

It might be ugly but it's full of delicious, and I think you'd be delighted to have this as a cute little snack or decadent easter breakfast for yourself, or to offer your kids. I mean, they're eating a bunch of candy that day anyway, right? At least this way they can pick up some culinary skills, have some fun, and have some fruit on the side. 

Happy Easter! 

The Best Vanilla Cupcakes, According to Me

I know that recipes are titled the best this and the best that all the time. But unlike those other liars I mean it! (I am kidding, mostly)

I don't want to make unrealistic promises. This recipe is not going to revolutionize the way that cake tastes or the way that you eat it. It isn't a NEW flavor of cake. But if you're looking for a solid, reliable, perfectly fluffy and flavorful every time vanilla cupcake recipe? HERE YOU GO. IT IS PERFECT. 

This is my go-to classic birthday cake recipe, in cupcake form. The key to its success is in the mixing. Mixing the egg yolks and whites separately, then adding the egg whites in to the batter at the last minute, creates a beautiful fluffy yet rich cake. Using a little brown sugar doesn't hurt, adding a slight caramelly note to the cupcakes.

These cakes work well with just about any type of frosting you could imagine, from a rich Baci buttercream to a pretty in pink cherry morsel buttercream to my personal favorite classic buttercream. 

I hope you enjoy this recipe - it's a keeper! 

My favorite vanilla cupcakes (and therefore the best)

Printable recipe here

  • 2 1/4 cups sifted cake flour

  • 2 teaspoons baking powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 4 large eggs, separated

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

  • 1/2 cup brown sugar

  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

  • 1 cup buttermilk

  1. Adjust an oven rack in the middle position; preheat the oven to 350 F. Line two 12-cup cupcake tins with cupcake liners.

  2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set to the side.

  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form. Transfer the mixture to a bowl for the moment, and set to the side.

  4. Fit your stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a rotary beater. In the bowl (it’s fine to use the same bowl you just used for the egg whites; no need to wash), cream the butter until fluffy and light, 2-3 minutes on medium-high speed.

  5. Add the sugar(s), and mix until combined and smooth, about another 2 minutes on medium-high speed. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, stirring after each addition and scraping the sides of the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula. Stir in the vanilla.

  6. Add the buttermilk and flour mixtures alternately, in 2-3 additions each. Mix until the batter is smooth and lump-free, scraping the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. The batter will be fairly thick.

  7. By hand, fold the egg whites into the batter, stirring gently and only until no streaks of white remain.

  8. Fill each cupcake liner about ⅔ full; do not overfill, as the batter may bubble over the sides.

  9. Place the cupcake tins in the preheated oven. Bake for 17-20 minutes, rotating the pans at the 10 minute mark to ensure even baking. To test for doneness, you can insert a toothpick or cake tester in the center of a cupcake; it should come out mostly clean.

  10. Remove the tins from the oven, and place on wire racks to cool completely.

Frost them however you'd like! My suggestions: 

CakeSpy's favorite buttercream

Baci buttercream (as seen in this recipe) 

Do you have a go-to vanilla cupcake recipe?

Flourless Chocolate Cake with Beer

You've seen flourless chocolate cakes. You've seen cakes made with beer. But have you ever seen a flourless chocolate cake made with beer? 

This cake is a work of culinary art. Before making the cake, stout beer is slowly simmered with sugar until it reduces into a thickened, slightly caramelized liquid, which imparts a caramelly, malty, rich flavor to the cake without being too boozy.

But wait: beer isn't the only secret ingredient. The second is extra virgin olive oil, which adds a wonderful sweet and nutty flavor to the cake, complementing the unique flavor of the beer reduction. Both of the secret ingredients act in tandem to bring out the flavor of the cake’s not-so-secret ingredient: a big ol' bunch of bittersweet chocolate.

This cake is perfect for St. Patrick's day, and, well, any day.

Recipe here!

Baker's Dozen: A Batch of Sweet Links for National Oatmeal-Nut Waffles Day

Who knew such a holiday existed? Weird, but wonderful. Every other link is inspired by the National holiday at hand; the others are random awesome things I've found here and there. 

Oatmeal nut waffles, plain and simple. (Taste of Home)

Easy patterns to draw. Get artsy! (CakeSpy for Craftsy)

Vegan oatmeal nut waffles. (Eggless Cooking)

Mini monte cristo sandwiches. SO CUTE. (Gringalicious)

Banana nut oatmeal waffles. Yum. (Maebells)

Banana bread bars with browned butter frosting. YES! (Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen)

Soaked oatmeal pecan waffles. Yum. (Tradishen)

A comprehensive guide to icings, frostings, and glazes. (CakeSpy for Craftsy)

Not oatmeal, but with a healthy sort of ingredient spin: Maple walnut spelt waffles. (Emmylou's Kitchen)

Four ingredient homemade Mounds hack. Awesome! (Back for Seconds)

Maple oatmeal cinnamon waffle scones. Add nuts and they're 100% perfect for this holiday. (The Waffle-Off)

Homemade TWINKIES! (CakeSpy for Craftsy)

Peanut butter oatmeal waffles. Yes! (Kathryn's Kitchen)

Anyhow, listen to me on an awesome podcast! (The Dinner Special)

Book of the week: Will It Waffle? 53 Irresistible and Unexpected Recipes to Make in a Waffle Iron. This book is dedicated to seeing what happens when you put weird and unexpected foods in a waffle iron. I guess the real issue is this: why don't you own it already?


DIY Cadbury Creme Style Eggs with No Corn Syrup

I've done it now, you guys. DIY Cadbury creme style eggs. No corn syrup. Maximum deliciousness. 

You've probably already gathered (correctly) that there is a lot of patting myself on the back going on up in here, but let's take just a few more moments to talk about my great accomplishment. 

I love Cadbury Creme Eggs. There was a time, in my childhood, when I loved the mini eggs (which are totally different, more like M+Ms, but not like M+Ms, if you know what I mean) more than creme eggs. I could totally ignore the creme egg in my Easter basket in favor of other candies. 

I know exactly why I didn't care for them. It was the yolk. The candy yolk in the creme eggs grossed me out. 

But as I became older and more worldly, I was able to overcome my dislike of the faux yolk, and actually became a deep appreciator and lover of the Cadbury Creme Egg. As CakeSpy, I have explored the eggs in many a way, from Creme Egg as tragic hero...

to the subject of recipes such as Cadbury Creme Deviled Eggs...

webeatenrolls5.jpg

and Cadbury Creme Eggs Benedict. And more, of course. 

But this year, I've made homemade Cadbury Creme eggs themselves. And I learned that they're really quite easy to put together!

After looking at some of the DIY hacks online, I decided that I didn't really feel like following them, mainly because I didn't have corn syrup in the house and didn't feel like going out to buy it. I don't really like corn syrup, though I will use it when it is really warranted. I just knew that I could work without it here, though. 

I decided to make a mixture using sweetened condensed milk for the filling, and it worked out perfectly the first time! 

By mixing sweetened condensed milk with sugar and flavorings, I was easily able to create a texture that if slightly firmer than the actual eggs, is a pretty good approximation of the texture of the cadbury creme eggs when chilled. By rolling bits of yellow dough within the white, it's easy to attain a yolk, too! The ease with which they come together, in my opinion, overrules the technical differences between my version and the originals. 

Go ahead, give these babies a try! I think you'll like them.

Recipe here.  


Perfect for Easter: Homemade Chocolate Peanut Butter "Eggs"

Let's talk about chocolate peanut butter eggs. Let it be stated from the very beginning that I love the things.

I remember when Reese's debuted their peanut butter eggs. It was a red-letter day--no, year!--for me. Finally, a chocolate and peanut butter confection with a better chocolate (slightly less) to peanut butter (slightly more) ratio. I always felt like I wanted more peanut butter in my cups, and this new formation seemed to address that issue. Unfortunately, they were only in stores around Easter.

Now, Reese's repackages seasonal variations so that you can basically get the higher-ratio-peanut butter treats all year round--there are Christmas and Halloween varieties, and basically those show up in stores like a month after Easter, right?

But I need to tell you that in spite of nearly year-round availability, you should still learn how to make your own chocolate peanut butter eggs. Why?

1. They are better for you. The list of ingredients is not as scary as the Reese's ones. Don't get me wrong, I will eat them, but I won't necessarily be proud of myself for doing so. The homemade ones, I can be proud of eating.

2. They taste better. It's just a fact: you can use better quality ingredients if you make your own choco-pb eggs. I used Peanut Butter and Company peanut butter, and Perugina chocolate, and you can taste the difference with the better ingredients. 

3. You can make them as salty as you wanna. I am obsessed with salt, and I like to add extra salt to basically everything, from chocolate cake to avocado slices to buttered bread. I like to add an extra dash of salt to both the filling and the coating.

4. They are fun to make and people will like them. People will be impressed when you tell them you made a homemade version of a commercial treat. It's a fun way to get people to like you even more.

OK! I think I've made a good case. Make your own chocolate peanut butter eggs!

RECIPE HERE.