Book of the week: My second book, The Secret Lives of Baked Goods. Why? Well, two reasons. First, it's a great book. Second, National Boston Cream Pie Day is coming up on October 23, and you need time to buy my book, learn about the history of this dessert, and then make it for the big day.

My Birthday Ruled, 100 Percent

September 12, 2016 Jessie Moore

It's hard for me to believe that you didn't know it was my birthday on August 26. Actually, I find it hard to believe that you didn't notice that I basically dedicated August to celebrating my birthday.

You see, CakeSpy (the website) has its birthday on August 1--it was on August 1, 2007 that I made my very first posting.

And then my personal birthday is August 26. So basically, I celebrate myself and what I do all month long.

Can I tell you about how freaking hard the month of August ruled this year?

Well, it started out with me celebrating CakeSpy with a post where I detailed some of my favorite moments from the 9 years that I've owned this site and business. Really, it's worth checking out--you'll get name dropping (Martha! Jay and Silent Bob!) and some delicious recipe inspiration.

Throughout the rest of the month, I celebrated by telling everyone I knew that my birthday was coming. This included my yoga students, cashiers at the grocery store, my postman, and basically any and everyone I came into contact with.

I've always enjoyed my birthday: case in point, me at age 8 or so

My sweetie took me to Charleston as an early birthday present, which was great.

My friend Britney couldn't be around for my birthday, but she gave me a homemade bracelet which says "UNICORN QUEEN" which is now among my Favorite Things on Earth.

But it all culminated on the magical day of August 26. It started with breakfast at Sunny Point Cafe in Asheville, which ended with a birthday cookie.

I should mention: my birthday was on a Friday this year. I teach a yin yoga class with ambient lighting on Friday evenings. Since it was my birthday, I brought cake and champagne.

Not just any cake. I made a cake...

and brought two that my sweetie had commissioned Short Street Cakes to make for me.

And I served the cake (with TINY FORKS TO EAT IT) and champagne DURING my yoga class.

That's right: we held long stretches while eating cake and drinking champagne! OM NOM NAMASTE, indeed!

During the class, everyone went around and said something that they love about me. This just about made me cry.

Afterward, we went out for pizza (because pizza and cake is the best birthday combo!) and I opened presents. And guess what? The restaurant sent out MORE CAKE. This is my "I can't believe there's more cake!" face.

And let's talk about the PRESENTS. I do enough yoga to know that life is not about objects, but man, I CLEANED UP! I got this "handicorn":

and this unicorn tape dispenser:

and this Steve Buscemi (my celebrity crush) t-shirt, a huge donut scarf / throw, and a YOGA PUG TOTE:

and this beautiful unicorn-horn crystal:

and a bunch more awesome (largely, but not all unicorn-related) stuff. I felt so freaking loved.

So, basically, this post is to tell you that my birthday was great. If you'd like to celebrate in this sort of style, I can share a few resources with you:

How to make your birthday as awesome as mine

Come to yoga with me at Violet Owl Wellness if you're in Asheville!
Make the same cake I made using this recipe. To make the unicorn out of sprinkles, I put a cookie cutter on top of the cake and filled it in with rainbow sprinkles - easy!
The ice cream cone toppers I used on my cake were purchased at Duncan & York in Asheville.
I linked to some of the unicorn-related stuff above that you can buy on Amazon; click on the images to go buy.
Read about the tasty treats I ate on my birthday trip to Charleston, here!

Happy birthday to me, indeed!

Baker's Dozen: A Batch of Sweet Links

September 9, 2016 Jessie Moore

One of this year's birthday cakes, by Short Street Cakes!

Creative uses for stale bread. I hope yours goes stale really soon! (Craftsy)

Guinea pigs talking about Pumpkin Spice Everything. HA! (Daily Liked)

Blueberry grunt. Sounds ugly, looks messy-pretty, but tastes delicious. (The Culinary Chase)

How to bake a level cake. (I am Baker)

Steps to follow when converting a cake recipe to cupcakes. Handy! (The Kitchn)

You've never experienced wine pairing like this. (Craftsy)

Berry and halvah ricotta brick toast. OMG. (Sun Diego Eats)

Kitchari! It's not sweet, but it's so good. Check it out! (Craftsy)

"How to make a pie that turns into a cake". I am fascinated by this. (Instructables)

Scientific proof why you should eat a slice of pie, crust-first. (Popular Science)

Chocolate pumpkin cream filled cupcakes. You've got to see them! (Inside BruCrew Life)

Also not sweet, but I am FEELING these vegan zucchini fritters. (Love is In My Tummy)

Caramel cream filled snickerdoodles. (Sweet ReciPEAS)

Object of the week: this shirt. Yoga and unicorns and humor all at once. It is everything!

Can We Talk About Coconut Milk Hot Chocolate?

September 7, 2016 Jessie Moore

It's technically still summer, but the tide has turned on the season. Kids are in school and the air has taken on that magical fall quality. The mornings are cooler, which means that it's a perfect time to switch back to hot beverages if you've been icing your coffee/tea or freezing your hot chocolate all summer.

I need to tell you that while I am not vegan or gluten-free, this hot chocolate is both of those things (well, unless you add honey as an optional sweetener) and it is freaking amazing. It's so incredibly creamy that you won't believe it doesn't contain cream or even ice cream! And the coconut flavor isn't over the top; it's just enough.

Say hello to your new favorite beverage/dessert all in one.

Coconut Milk Hot Chocolate

Makes two - printable version here

For the toasted coconut glass rims and garnish

⅓ cup toasted coconut flakes (sweetened or unsweetened is fine)
1 teaspoon thick maple syrup

For the coconut milk hot chocolate

15 ounces (1 can) coconut milk
pinch salt
1 teaspoon coconut or vanilla extract (see recipe notes)
1 bar (3.5 ounces) good quality dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
Sugar, to taste

Prepare your mugs for the hot chocolate. Place your toasted coconut in a thin layer on top of a shallow plate. Brush the top rims of two mugs with thick maple syrup. Turn the mugs over and dip the sticky rims in the coconut mixture; bits of coconut will cling to the rim of the glass for a pretty presentation. You won’t use all of the coconut; reserve the rest for garnish.

In a medium, thick-bottomed saucepan, combine the coconut milk and salt.

Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-low heat.

Stir the mixture constantly, to keep the chocolate from scorching. It should melt rather quickly, transforming the coconut milk mixture into a rich, chocolatey mixture.

Once the chocolate is melted, stir in the coconut or vanilla extract. Stir lightly to incorporate. Give the mixture a taste. If you’d like it more sweet, add sugar (or honey, or maple syrup) to taste, and continue simmering the mixture until the sugar dissolves. If the mixture is sweet enough as-is, remove from heat after adding the extract.

Divide the hot chocolate between two mugs; garnish with the reserved toasted coconut. Enjoy while still hot.

Recipe notes:

This recipe calls for coconut milk, not coconut water. Don’t use coconut water; it simply won’t be the same!

If coconut is not your thing, you can substitute regular milk, or any other non-dairy milk substitute.

Which extract should you use? You can employ vanilla extract for a well-rounded flavor, or if you like your hot chocolate extra coconutty, use coconut extract.

What's your favorite hot beverage?

Happy Unicorn Bento Box

September 5, 2016 Jessie Moore

When I was younger, I had a peanut butter (CRUNCHY ALWAYS) sandwich in my lunch basically every single day. With few exceptions, this was my lunch from Kindergarten through the time I was a senior in high school.

I'm not telling you this merely to share trivia about my peanut butter consumption; I'm sharing it so that you'll understand why, when Peanut Butter and Company hit me up to create a kid's lunch-friendly bento box idea, I jumped at the opportunity.

Because here, I had not only the chance to revisit the peanut butter-centric lunches of my youth, but also to create the lunchbox of my dreams.

Naturally, I knew it had to involve unicorns and rainbows. And peanut butter, and cake. Here's what I've come up with.

I call it "Happy Unicorn Bento Box". I had it for lunch after taking these photos, and I can tell you from personal experience that it is just as joyful to consume as an adult as I'm sure it would be for a child.

This joyful lunch is not only an object of visual delight, but it's a treat for the senses, too. It provides balance, a little bit of sweetness, a little bit of health, and plenty of fun.

Here's how you make it!

Happy Unicorn Bento Box

You'll need:

a slice of bread
a horse-shaped cookie cutter (see note)
2 or so tablespoons of Peanut Butter and Company Crunch Time Peanut Butter
Sprinkles (RAINBOW)
4-5 baby carrots
4-5 small sticks celery
3-4 cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1 cup purple sticky rice (recipe below)

Let's start with the sandwich, because it's truly the Major Player in the lunchbox, right? Choose a slice of bread that is large enough to accommodate your horse cookie cutter.

Note: why a horse? OK, so I have a unicorn cookie cutter, but I have found that when it comes to cutting out a unicorn's horn in bread, it's just a little too wimpy. So I think you should make the cutout, then fashion a horn with the discarded bread; simply cut a horn shape and use a little bit of peanut butter to make a horn happen.

Top that horse/unicorn with peanut butter (it's always going to be crunchy for me, til the day I die, so go ahead and use PB+Co's Crunch Time). Then, top that with sprinkles, because WHY NOT?

OK, so now that you have a unicorn covered in rainbows, place it in your bento box. Then, make your rice.

How should you make your rice? OK, so I like to use short grain sushi-style rice. Combine 1 cup of rice with 1 1/2 cups of water (or broth, etc). Cook until the water is absorbed. When the water is mostly absorbed, add some red and blue food coloring to make it a deep purple. Set to the side.

OK, so you have your unicorn in your bento box and your rice cooling. Bring your attention back to the box. Layer celery sticks along the bottom, cutting stalks as needed to accommodate the shape of the unicorn. Next, add a layer of cheese slices above the celery. Then, add some yellow or light orange cheese cubes.Then, add a row of carrot slices. Next come the cherry tomato slices.

Finish it off with the rice! To make balls, dip your hands in water, then form the rice into balls. Sprinkle with golden star sprinkles if you happen to have them handy, then place in the box.

Ummm....what about dessert? Please, don't leave your kid (or yourself) hanging. Pack a smaller box with a slice of cake, and use decorating gel and blueberries to form eyes and a mouth. Pack with extra fruit to fill out the box, and, you know, for health.

Enjoy lunch!

Baker's Dozen: A Batch of Sweet Links

September 2, 2016 Jessie Moore

You've gotta check out my latest coloring book calendar page! (via Craftsy)

Homemade cinnamon raisin bagels. (My Gorgeous Recipes)

No-bake salted caramel cups. (Pinch of Yum)

Snickers cheesecake. Well, that's just food porn. And I want it. (Basil and Bubbly)

Good ideas for kids and adults alike: 30 after-school snack ideas. (Craftsy)

Homemade candied figs. I'm gonna try this! (About.com)

Watermelon agua fresca. It's still summer!! (Smart Little Cookie)

No-bake butterscotch pretzel bars. Yes. (Beyond Frosting)

How to dry herbs in the microwave. Interesting! (View from Great Island)

and on the same site...Death by chocolate zucchini bread. This looks great! (View from Great Island)

Mascarpone cheese scones. Awesome! (Call me PMC)

I'm a featured blog in this roundup of "Blogs You Must Read". Well, duh! (YouQueen)

Why we crave sugar and caffeine, and why it's so hard to resist. Interesting. But I'm not going to stop eating doughnuts! (Psychology Today)

Object of the week: This unicorn tank top. I own this, and whenever I wear it to yoga I am the star of the class. People are always asking me where I find my awesome clothes so here you go!

You'll Want to Eat Everything Out of Chocolate Bowls

August 31, 2016 Jessie Moore

Whatever you're eating right now, I am pretty sure it would taste better if you were eating it out of a bowl made of chocolate.

See? It makes even health food fun.

These delectable bowls are composed of one simple ingredient: dark chocolate, which is melted and cleverly molded into a bowl shape using a simple kitchen tools that just about everyone has around: small bowls, a spatula or pastry brush, and plastic wrap. Simply line the bowls with plastic, spread the melted chocolate on the lined surface, and let the chocolate become firm.

Once the bowls have set, they can act as an ingenious and delicious vessel for whatever type of food you prefer.

Recipe notes:

Don’t have a vessel that is ⅓ cup capacity? You can use any small bowl with a capacity between ¼ and ½ cup. The yield in your recipe may differ slightly depending on the size vessel you use to mold your bowls.
If you don’t have six bowls, this is ok: you can make the chocolate bowls a few at a time and re-use the same molding bowls.
Wait until right before you're ready to serve dessert to fill these babies for the best structure.

Chocolate bowls

Makes 6 bowls - Printable version here

Prep time: 20 minutes

Total time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

2 bars (3.5 ounces each) dark or bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

Supplies:

Heavy duty plastic wrap (BPA-free)

a small spatula or pastry brush, to spread chocolate

Rounded cup or bowl with an approximately ⅓ cup capacity

Procedure:

Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler, or by placing it in a heatproof bowl and microwaving in 15-second blasts until the chocolate is mostly melted. Once the chocolate is mostly melted, stir it gently; the remaining bits should melt in the residual heat.

Let the melted chocolate cool for 5-10 minutes. While it cools, line the inside of six small bowls with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic wrap in as smoothly as you can to smooth it into the shape of the bowl (a few small wrinkles are OK). Use enough plastic wrap so that it slightly hangs over the sides, which will make removal easier later. If you don’t have six bowls for molding, this is ok: you can make the chocolate bowls a few at a time and re-use the same molding bowls.

Using either your small spatula or pastry brush, spread a thin and even layer of chocolate inside of the plastic wrap lining each of the molding bowls, taking special attention to spread the chocolate on the sides. Don’t go too nuts: you’ll put a second layer of chocolate in the bowls, so only use about ½ of the melted chocolate for this step. Once you’ve put a layer of chocolate in each plastic-lined bowl, place them in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes. This will help them “set”.

After 10 minutes, remove each bowl unit from the refrigerator. The initial layer of chocolate should be firm and look slightly matte. Brush the inside of each bowl with another layer of chocolate, once again giving special attention to the sides of each bowl.

Return the molding bowls to the refrigerator, and let them set for 10-15 minutes. Remove from the refrigerator, and use the plastic wrap overhanging the sides to pull out the chocolate bowl from the molding bowl. As gently as possible, peel the plastic wrap off. It should come off very easily, and you will be left with chocolate bowls. Keep the bowls in the refrigerator, covered in plastic, until ready to fill.

Once ready to serve, fill the bowls and enjoy!

Vaguely Healthy: Olive Oil Cranberry Chocolate Chip Cookies

August 29, 2016 Jessie Moore

Even though it's been many years since I've gone back to school, this time of year always gets me feeling a little nostalgic about three-ring binders, walking to school under piercingly blue September skies, and fresh pink pearl erasers.

Oh, and after school snacks. Namely, COOKIES.

Now, when I was a kid (and I realize that phrase instantly makes me sound old), there wasn't a whole lot of concern about preservatives.

We were fed Chips Ahoy and Pop-tarts and Dunkin' Donuts (on special occasions) after school. And it's not because our parents were neglectful. It was just kind of normal.

These days, snacks need to be healthy, wholesome, locally sourced, and preferably gluten-free. Because, you see, we're smarter now. We realize that processed foods Are Not Good For Us. Therefore, we feel better when our cookies have expensive whole wheat flour in them. Both physically, and mentally.

OK, I was a little bit tongue in cheek in that last paragraph. Fact is, I still love Pop-Tarts and Chips Ahoy. But I have no delusions that they're "real" food.

Perhaps as my own snacking check-and-balance, I have developed a love for what I call "vaguely healthy cookies".

You know, the ones they sell at Whole Foods that have oats and stuff in them. They're actually very good, and often a little heartier and more satisfying than the sugar-and-not-much-else varieties.

SO this is a long way of telling you that on the days when you feel the need to be morally superior, this is a GREAT cookie recipe to get you there. It's made with olive oil instead of butter, homemade dried cranberries, and contains whole wheat flour. You're winning already!

These cookies may be vaguely healthy, but their deliciousness is not up for debate. They're sweet but tart, they're a little nutty, they have a great crisp on the edges. They're the perfect grown-up after school treat.

Olive Oil Cranberry Chocolate Chip Cookies

Printable recipe here

Prep time: 15 minutes

Total time: 30 minutes, plus cooling

Makes about 24 cookies

1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 cup boiling water
1 ¼ cup all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs, lightly beaten
¼ cup olive oil
¾ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 bar (3.5 ounces) dark chocolate, finely chopped

Place your dried cranberries in a bowl. Pour the boiling water on top of them, and let sit for several minutes, or until the cranberries have become soft. They will also slightly expand in size, too--that is totally fine. Drain the water, and pat the cranberries dry with a towel. Set to the side for the moment.

Position two racks in the middle of your oven; preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.

In a large bowl, sift together the two types of flour, sea salt, and baking soda. Set to the side for the moment.

In a separate large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), mix the eggs until they are lightly frothy. Add the olive oil, and mix until combined.

Add the two types of sugar and the vanilla extract, and stir to combine until everything is wet yet cohesive.

Add the flour mixture, a little at a time, pausing to mix in each addition. The mixture will progress from quite liquid to a firm and solid dough.

Fold in the chopped chocolate and dried cranberries, mixing until evenly dispersed in the dough.

Form the dough into approximately 1 ½ inch balls, and place with about 2 inches around on all sides on your baking sheets.

Bake the cookies for 9-11 minutes, or until lightly golden. Remove from the oven, and let the cookies rest for a few minutes so they can set. Transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool completely.

Pro tip: for an even more developed flavor in your cookies, make this cookie dough a day ahead. Form into balls, and place on the baking sheet, then cover and let it chill overnight. Preheat and bake in the morning; while the dough rests, the flavors can combine, making for a slightly more complex finished flavor.

What's your favorite after school treat?

CakeSpy's Recent Craftsy Posts

August 27, 2016 Jessie Moore

I have been writing some very interesting and cool stuff for the Craftsy blog as of late--check out what I have been writing and making!

FOOD:

How to properly thaw chicken. A handy guide!

Tips for cheesecake success. This is handy!

A guide to the different types of fruit desserts. A handy one!

A guide to Southern side dishes. Yum!

13 creative ways to enjoy waffles. Yes!

ART:

August calendar coloring book page! Free download.

How to draw cartoon eyes. 8 ways!

Inspiring ideas: nature journaling prompts.

How to draw more expressive faces when drawing characters!

August 26: National Cherry Popsicle Day, and Links for my Birthday

August 26, 2016 Jessie Moore

Happy Birthday to ME! Will I be enjoying a cherry popsicle on National Cherry Popsicle Day? HELL NO! I will be having birthday cake. THIS birthday cake.

This is the best birthday cake recipe ever. And I will listen to zero arguments because it is my birthday.

Make today magic, whether it's your birthday or not!

Recipe here.

and since it is my birthday, I'd like to celebrate with a batch of Baker's Dozen links, but all dedicated to funfetti-themed food!

You must make: Funfetti Marshmallows. (CakeSpy)

You also must make: Funfetti Gooey Butter Cake. (CakeSpy)

Funfetti cream pie! (The Domestic Rebel)

Funfetti pie crust! (Studio DIY)

Homemade funfetti cake. (CakeSpy)

Love it: funfetti cake batter breakfast bake. (Running with Spoons)

Funfetti gooey butter cookies! (Cookies & Cups)

Funfetti cheesecake stuffed crescent rolls! (The Chunky Chef)

Funfetti sandwich cookie pops. Yum! (Marisa's Italian Kitchen)

No-bake funfetti fudge. (Spoon University)

Funfetti popsicles! (Unusually lovely)

Funfetti cookies n cream blondies. (A BaJillian Recipes)

Funfetti pudding cookies. (Crazy for Crust)

Book of the week: The Disney Princess Cookbook. Why? Um...because it exists?

Does Peanut Butter from New Zealand Taste Different?

August 25, 2016 Jessie Moore

Not too long ago, I was contacted by Pic's Peanut Butter to see if I would be interested in trying their cool peanut butter from New Zealand.

Well, part of me wanted to scoff at the very idea--after all, peanut butter is an American phenomenon, right? Naturally we do it best.

But I resisted the temptation to, Princess Bride style, say "inconceivable!". Instead, I said "yes, I will try your New Zealand peanut butter." Because I really, really love peanut butter, and they were offering it to me for free.

Plus, they addressed my concern on their website in this amusing letter:

Dear American Person,

Living, as you do, in the spiritual home of peanut butter, you can, if you poke around a bit, find an extraordinary variety of peanut butters and peanut oil. So why on earth should you buy peanut butter from the other side of the world?

Because you won’t find any American peanut butters quite like ours. Despite the fact that our Hi-oleic nuts were developed in the US, they just can’t be grown in America. It’s something to do with cross pollination with ordinary peanuts that makes them revert within a season. The trick is to declare your whole country Hi-oleic, which is what Australia and Argentina have done.

Argentinian Hi-oleics are, however, harvested younger than their Australian cousins, making them sweeter, but with a less intense flavour.

So, that’s why you won’t find any American peanut butter quite like ours. And hey, if you don’t find it the best tasting peanut butter you’ve ever eaten, we will give you your money back.

Well, I wasn't so concerned about getting my money back since I was getting the stuff for free, but I withheld judgment until tasting.

A week or so later I got the peanut butter in the mail, along with a jar of roasted peanuts. I immediately set forth to test the product on a slice of toast I happened to have nearby.

So, back to the big question: does peanut butter from New Zealand taste different?

Well, I've got to tell you, this peanut butter is special.

First, the consistency is different. This is a no-stir peanut butter, but somehow it manages to have the same texture as a stir-type of peanut butter after it has been stirred. So a little bit more liquid (in a good way, in my opinion) but without the stirring needed.

The flavor was unique, too. It was still absolutely recognizable as peanut butter, but it was somehow different, too. It almost tasted as if they had made this peanut butter with those little intensely flavored spanish peanuts; it had a very roasty, robust flavor.

I really liked this peanut butter.

Now, they sent it to me for a review and to test out with baking, but I am going to tell you the truth: I got through the whole jar just eating it on toast and by the spoonful after a few days, and I never got the chance to bake with it.

Which, perhaps is the best review of all: I loved eating it so much I didnt' even get to the intended use.

So if you see this stuff in the stores, give it a try! It's not quite like any other peanut butter I have ever tried.

What's your favorite kind of peanut butter?

Alternate Use for Your Ice Cream Maker: Make Frozen Hot Chocolate!

August 22, 2016 Jessie Moore

Let's get this straight: making ice cream is a noble profession, and ice cream makers do a great job of it for at-home cooks. But have you ever wondered if maybe there was more that your ice cream maker could offer you?

I'm here to say that yes, your ice cream maker is capable of more feats of delicious desserthood, particularly Frozen Hot Chocolate.

Before I go into how to make this magic happen, perhaps you're hoping that I will explain what frozen hot chocolate is, exactly. Happy to oblige.

When I say "frozen hot chocolate", I don't merely mean hot chocolate to which you have added ice cubes. I am referring to a heavenly and rich, thick liquid that happens to be frozen. It might look a bit like a milkshake, but it's no milkshake. It's really just its own thing. Now that I promised to explain it to you, I feel like I am being a little unclear here, but basically, it boils down to this: frozen hot chocolate looks like a chocolate milkshake, but to call it a chocolate shake would simply not do it justice. Frozen hot chocolate has a much larger emphasis on the CHOCOLATE.

Frozen hot chocolate was popularized by NYC restaurant Serendipity 3, an old-school establishment frequented by Andy Warhol back in the day (read about the establishment's history, it's interesting).

According to an Epicurious article, "It's famous, it's infamous, it's notorious. It has destroyed diets and led to love affairs. Marriages have been proposed over it, couples have been wed in it, princes have been made from it. People have traveled from all corners of the world for just one sip of our creamy, dreamy, icy blend of chocolatey goodness. It'll make you want to blow bubbles through your straw. It makes everyone a child again."

Now, when Serendipity 3 finally released their recipe to the public, it asks that you make your fro-ho-cha with a blender. I beg to differ.

As I discovered, if you simply make a great hot chocolate and put it in your ice cream maker, the results are far creamier than blending with ice. It's smooth, it's creamy, and totally delicious. Make your ice cream maker a multi-use tool with this delicious recipe!

Frozen hot chocolate in an ice cream maker

You need:

2 cups milk, half and half, or cream
10 ounces good quality dark chocolate
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt

An ice cream maker, with the drum chilled according to the manufacturer's instructions for making ice cream

1. Make the hot chocolate. In a large saucepan over medium-low heat (or in a double boiler), heat the dairy and chocolate until the chocolate totally melts.

2. Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla, add in a little salt, and let it sit until it reaches room temperature.

3. Transfer the mixture to your ice cream maker, and churn for 10 minutes or so, or until the mixture is totally creamy and thickened. If at any point it starts getting too thick for your liking, just add a little bit more milk/cream.

Enjoy!

Baker's Dozen: A Batch of Sweet Links

August 19, 2016 Jessie Moore

DIY Twinkies! Tooooooo goooooood. (Craftsy)

Peanut butter lover's cookie cake. Whew! (Just About Baked)

Pineapple zucchini bread. Interesting combo! (Inside BruCrew Life)

Cake mix waffles. I am into this. (Betty Crocker)

A field guide to Southern sides. (Craftsy)

Nutella fudge brownies. Gorgeous. (Eva Bakes)

This flourless chocolate cake cannot be missed. (Craftsy)

White chocolate covered red velvet pudding popsicles. OMG! (The Flavor Bender)

Avocado key lime pie popsicles. Fascinating! (Gringalicious)

Not sweet, but AWESOME: brussels sprouts fritters. (The Fitchen)

This icebox cake looks PERFECT. (Life Made Sweeter)

Honey butter potato chips with ice cream? I'm fascinated. (InStyle)

Chocolate almond picnic bars. Make me a batch! (Dine and Dish)

Book of the week: Will Write for Food: The Complete Guide to Writing Cookbooks, Blogs, Reviews, Memoir, and More. This is a handy book for if you want to take food blogging/writing to the next level.

A Visual Guide to Fruit Desserts

August 17, 2016 Jessie Moore

This is far more interesting than learning about, well, a lot of other things I can think of. Educate yourself on fruit desserts, from funnily-named slumps and grunts to pandowdies and cobblers!

This guide details what they are and includes plenty of recipe links. It's worth your time!

Read the full post here.

Six Foodie Things to Enjoy in Charleston

August 15, 2016 Jessie Moore

Last week, I spent 2 days in Charleston, and man oh man, was it a delicious time.

Now, to try to do a comprehensive "best of" post here would not be possible, because we barely scratched the surface of Things That Are Delicious in Charleston. However, in our all too brief visit we did OK, and I'd like to share six highlights that might be worth exploring should you ever find yourself in this lovely Southern city. They're not listed in order of preference, but rather, chronologically on our visit:

1. Pie from Toast

When we first arrived in Charleston, we had heard that Toast was a great downtown option, so we checked it out. This mini-chain offers a fairly straightforward and family-friendly menu of southern favorites. We enjoyed our dinner, but the real treat was dessert: a rich, assertively sized coconut cream pie. With a creamy texture and mild coconut flavor, it was a pleasant introduction to Charleston indeed.

Website: Toast of Charleston

2. Desserts from Carmella's

Interestingly, our server at Toast let us in on a secret: while her restaurant's desserts were great, she said (as we were eating aforementioned pie), the ones a few blocks away at Carmella's were (shh!) even better. So we hastened to see for ourselves!

We got a good variety of desserts here: Oreo mousse, pistachio pie, and buttermilk pie. Each was more gorgeous than the last. The mousse was intoxicatingly rich yet airily light at the same time, with a lovely contrast from pairing a nostalgic flavor (cookies n cream) with a dignified dessert; the pistachio pie was a surprise, with a thick, custard-like texture and a secret layer of chocolate just atop the crust at the bottom of the pie; the buttermilk pie was a pure southern classic. Go here!

Website: Carmella's Dessert Bar

3. Pastries both sweet and savory at Wildflour Pastry

Weird little story: I was ambivalent about going here because a year or so ago I went to another, TOTALLY UNRELATED bakery with Wildflour in the name (I'm not saying where!) which was very lackluster. However, I am glad that good sense and the fact that this was an unrelated bakery prevailed, because oh, what wonders awaited at Wildflour of Charleston.

We tried the doughnut muffin, which was a perfect nugget of carbohydratey delight, with a cakey muffin base featuring a crunchy-crispy exterior coated with cinnamon and sugar; a caramelized apple turnover, which had an out of this world flavor; and also a savory pimento cheese and tomato pie, which was like a mini quiche, and tasted nostalgic and naughty and nurturing all at the same time. The coffee was good, too! Apparently they have another location (we went to the "West Ashley" one), but I am sure the offerings are of equal quality at both.

Website: Wildflour Pastry

4. As much as you can possibly stuff in your face from Early Bird Diner

We stayed near the Early Bird Diner, and drove past it as we were heading toward our hotel. Immediately we both knew we wanted to give it a try; positive online reviews only helped fuel our fire.

We went to Early Bird for breakfast, and basically, what I want to tell you is this: you cannot go wrong. We got a number of different things: biscuits, corn cakes benedict, grits, and a curried veggie scramble, and everything was fantastic. All of it. We all but licked our plates.

I wouldn't say that this place is fancy, but their chefs know what they are doing, and the flavors are thoughtful. The food is well executed. It will leave you longing for more. I want to go back here right now!

Website: Early Bird Diner

5. Dinner at Glass Onion

Situated nearby the Early Bird Diner, this restaurant was also in the area where we stayed, and piqued our curiosity as we drove by. We were rewarded with our decision to go here for dinner.

The menu apparently changes daily, and features local food whenever possible. It shows in the cuisine. While the menu offers fairly standard southern fare, the execution of everything is exquisite. My boo got the fried chicken; I got the shrimp and grits. Both were flavorful and fresh and delicious. Our salad was perfectly constructed, and I have to say, the cornbread that was delivered as an aperitif was awesome--apparently we are not the only ones who think so because they ration it out stingily--our request for more was denied!

Website: The Glass Onion

6. Glazed Gourmet Doughnuts

For a sweet A.M. treat, we loved the offerings from Glazed Gourmet. When we went, they were nearly sold out (good for them!) but we were able to pick up a small sampling, and the doughnuts were well-made, fresh, and well-sized. While I wish I'd had the chance to further investigate their creative flavors, the glazed classic variety certainly hit the spot.

These were definitely fancy doughnuts, but not too fancy, if you know what I mean. Like, they were satisfying, not just fancied up, if you know what I mean? Visit here!

Website: Glazed Gourmet Doughnuts

While unrelated to food, I should also tell you that we took our pugs to the beach, and it was glorious.

What should I check out next time I'm in Charleston?

Baker's Dozen: A Batch of Sweet Links

August 12, 2016 Jessie Moore

How to draw more expressive cartoon faces. (Craftsy)

Fluffy birthday cake muffins. Into it. (Brooklyn Farm Girl)

I enjoyed reading more about the life of Fannie Farmer (and seeing her picture!). (Notable Biographies)

Toasted marshmallow fruity pebbles milkshake. (Pumpkin n Spice)

Great Lakes Crisp. Yum! (Joy in My Kitchen)

Orange dream bars. In case you ever wondered what a creamsicle and lemon bar's baby would look like. (Crazy for Crust)

Anyhow, peanut butter mousse pie. (The Little Kitchen)

Blackberry buttermilk ice cream sandwiches. Yes! (Love & Olive Oil)

I want to make saltwater taffy. (Exploratorium)

Coconut pudding trifles. (Glorious Treats)

A visual guide to fruit desserts. Handy! (Craftsy)

Carrot zucchini bread. Great idea! (Cookazido)

Savory, but I am still interested: a history of fry sauce, Utah's favorite condiment. (Eater)

Book of the week: Science Experiments You Can Eat. These are really fun - designed for kids but even at age 34 I am having a ball with it.

August 10: National S'mores Day

August 10, 2016 Jessie Moore

Happy, happy, happy National S'mores Day, people! Here's how I'd like to celebrate with you: with cupcakes. S'mores cupcakes, yo!

These cupcakes are a sophisticated way to enjoy the classic s'more flavors in a tricked-out way. Rich chocolate cake is studded with graham cracker, chocolate, and marshmallows, then topped with a broiled, toasted meringue buttercream. They are toooooo gooooood, and they will impress all of your friends--guaranteed.

Here's the recipe!

Easy Waffle Layer Cake

August 8, 2016 Jessie Moore

Happy 8/8! That seems like a magical and auspicious date, so I feel like sharing something special.

How about a recipe that is easy to make, highly delicious, and might inspire people to label you a genius? I have such a recipe right here: WAFFLE LAYER CAKE.

Simply put, this is a layer cake made with WAFFLES, people. If you need me to expand on how brilliant it is, I'm happy to:

REASONS WHY THIS WAFFLE CAKE IS BRILLIANT

1. It's all about the frosting.

You might be tempted to think that the little valleys in waffles make it an ineffective layering tool for frosting. You are wrong. What happens is that the frosting gets sucked into those little peaks and valleys, making for far more frosting between cake layers. It might not look as cleanly layered, but one bite in and you'll see what I mean about this being great. And if you're one of those people who says "I don't like too much frosting", you probably shouldn't be on this website, anyway.

2. It is easy to make.

Instead of taking all that time to bake a cake, like a jerk, you can just use a package of waffles to make this cake! Simply toast your waffles while you're whipping up a batch of buttercream, then assemble and frost.

Listen, sometimes, you feel like making a cake. Other times, you want dessert RIGHT NOW. This waffle cake provides a tasty solution for the latter situation.

3. It is breakfast appropriate.

Made with waffles = fine for breakfast. SCIENCE.

4. MEGA TASTY.

Waffles are just lightly sweet, which makes them the perfect accompaniment to an aggressively sweet buttercream. They keep it from getting too sweet, and they add a fascinating, lightly crispy texture that is different from a typical soft layer cake.

Have I sold you yet? Probably, so why don't I go ahead and tell you how to make this thing?

HOW TO MAKE A WAFFLE CAKE

You need:

As many waffles as you feel like (suggested: 4-6)
1 batch buttercream (I used this one)
sprinkles

Toast the waffles. Let them cool while you prepare the buttercream.

Whip up the buttercream. Here it was before all of the chocolate had been added.

Place your first waffle on a work surface, and put a nice dollop of frosting on top. Spread evenly. Put a waffle on top of that, and keep on repeating until your stack of frosted waffles is high enough for your liking.

Frost the top and sides. Garnish with sprinkles.

Put the cake in the fridge for about 10 minutes so the frosting can set (it will make it easier to slice). Slice and serve.

Happy Monday!

Baker's Dozen: A Batch of Sweet Links

August 5, 2016 Jessie Moore

Happy birthday...to CakeSpy! This website turned 9 (!) on August 1. (read more!)

One hour honey almond crunch rolls. YUM. (The Food Charlatan)

These chocolate eclairs look spectacular. (Little Box Brownie)

Strawberry cream Swiss roll. (Unicorns in the Kitchen)

Mocha hazelnut Nanaimo bars. (Flirting With Flour)

Coffee Nanaimo bars. (My Evil Twin)

Peanut butter swirl ice cream. My fave! (Kitchen Joy)

I own this unicorn dress, and get compliments every time I wear it. (Amazon)

Hedgehog shortbread cookies! Too cute! (Six in the Suburbs)

Tips for making the best cheesecake possible. (CakeSpy for Craftsy)

Heart shaped cherry doughnuts. Not just for valentine's day, in my opinion! (Hoosier Homemade)

Banana cream pie "like grandma's". I wish my grandma's had been like this! :-) (Dine and Dish)

Because you have to warm up for dessert somehow: baked eggplant parm. (Love & Olive Oil)

In my opinion, the best birthday cake recipe in the world. (CakeSpy for Craftsy)

Book of the week: The Unicorn Coloring Book. Join the leagues of extraordinary colorers who have already discovered this amazing book I created!

Can I tell you about how freaking hard the month of August ruled this year?

How to make your birthday as awesome as mine

Come to yoga with me at Violet Owl Wellness if you're in Asheville!

Make the same cake I made using this recipe. To make the unicorn out of sprinkles, I put a cookie cutter on top of the cake and filled it in with rainbow sprinkles - easy!

The ice cream cone toppers I used on my cake were purchased at Duncan & York in Asheville.

I linked to some of the unicorn-related stuff above that you can buy on Amazon; click on the images to go buy.

Read about the tasty treats I ate on my birthday trip to Charleston, here!

Happy birthday to me, indeed!

Coconut Milk Hot Chocolate

What's your favorite hot beverage?

Happy Unicorn Bento Box

Enjoy lunch!

Chocolate bowls

We were fed Chips Ahoy and Pop-tarts and Dunkin' Donuts (on special occasions) after school. And it's not because our parents were neglectful. It was just kind of normal.

Perhaps as my own snacking check-and-balance, I have developed a love for what I call "vaguely healthy cookies".

Olive Oil Cranberry Chocolate Chip Cookies

So, back to the big question: does peanut butter from New Zealand taste different?

I really liked this peanut butter.

What's your favorite kind of peanut butter?

Before I go into how to make this magic happen, perhaps you're hoping that I will explain what frozen hot chocolate is, exactly. Happy to oblige.

Frozen hot chocolate in an ice cream maker

1. Pie from Toast

2. Desserts from Carmella's

3. Pastries both sweet and savory at Wildflour Pastry

4. As much as you can possibly stuff in your face from Early Bird Diner

5. Dinner at Glass Onion

6. Glazed Gourmet Doughnuts

What should I check out next time I'm in Charleston?

REASONS WHY THIS WAFFLE CAKE IS BRILLIANT

1. It's all about the frosting.

2. It is easy to make.

3. It is breakfast appropriate.

4. MEGA TASTY.

HOW TO MAKE A WAFFLE CAKE

Happy Monday!