Pudding Made With Pudding: Superpudding!

When I looked "pudding" up in the dictionary, it was defined as "a cooked sweet dish served after the main course of a meal: example, rice pudding". Another dictionary defined it as "a dessert with a creamy consistency". I'm going to be so bold, at this point, to say that the dictionary's definitions are highly underwhelming and don't do pudding justice at all.

Especially when it's pudding like the specimen pictured above, and which I'd like to talk about with you today, which I am going to try to sum up in a single, humble word by calling it...SUPERPUDDING.

You see, it must be called Super because if all pudding is at least good, this one is great. The secret to its success? It's made, instead of milk, with pudding. I know--your head just exploded at the mere concept.

You heard that right. The pudding is mixed with...well, pudding, to create a new variety of the dessert you thought you knew. What separates it from the rest is most notably consistency. If you like a pudding that has the texture of loose yogurt, then don't bother, just go to another website.. But if you like a pudding that is so thick and flavor-packed that it coats the tongue, then this one is for you.

In fact, it is so thick that if you turn a spoonful of it upside down...it will stick to the spoon. I'm totally not kidding.

But how do we mere mortals make this ambrosial dish? It's easy.

All you do is get a box of cook and serve pudding. And you follow the package instructions. But instead of milk, you use pudding. Pre-made. It can be homemade, but you might lose your sense of urgency by waiting for it to cool. 

The pudding mix requested 3 cups of milk; the pudding was just under 3 cups' worth, so I figured...meh, close enough. So I just replaced "milk" with "rice pudding" in the recipe.

I started by pudding the rice pudding in a saucepan. Then I added the pudding mix.

Then, I heated it up. I shoud tell you, though, pudding does not heat like milk. It won't start to simmer, it will start to scorch. So you just keep stirring like your life depended on it so it doesn't scorch, and when it starts to thicken, remove it from the heat.

Give it another stir or two, transfer to a heatproof bowl, and let it chill out in the fridge for a while. Unless you like warm pudding, in which case you can just let it cool until it's warm and not tongue-burningly hot.

Either way, it's going to thicken...a LOT. 

I put mine in pretty parfait cups, and so it didn't look like a chocolate mess, I added a butter cookie for a little color contrast. 

So, let me tell you more about the pudding. Like I have mentioned...it's so thick. To make a comparison, it's almost like the difference between a generic supermarket yogurt and a very thick greek yogurt in terms of how thick it is. 

I loved the combination of rice pudding and chocolate, too. The thickness really seemed to compress everything into an intensely textured and flavored treat. It tasted far more decadent than your everyday chocolate or rice pudding. I was curious to see how it might fare if I let it cool even more, put it into molds or ice cube trays and let it freeze--it seemed like it might be like a frozen truffle or something. Or at least a super-tricked out pudding pop. 

I love you, Superpudding. 

 

Superpudding

• 1 22 ounce tub of pudding (I used Kozy Shack rice pudding)
• 1 box cook and serve pudding (I used a 6 ounce box of chocolate pudding)

Procedure

1. Combine pudding and pudding mix in a medium saucepan on low heat. Stir constantly; after a while, the heated mixture will scorch if you are not constantly stirring. At this point, remove from heat. Put in a heatproof bowl and place plastic wrap directly on top, to keep a skin from forming. 
2. Let cool entirely, if you like your pudding cold. Serve in pretty cups. Keep leftovers refrigerated.

Sweet Art: Two Paintings are Twice as Nice

What follows is a fantastic story about sweet art...and one of the biggest artistic compliments I have ever received! 

It all started about five (!) years ago, when I was commissioned to do a custom painting of a cupcake, a banana, and a John Deere tractor. It's pictured above. It was a fun piece to do--the person who asked for it explained that the cupcake was for her, the banana was to represent her young son, and the tractor was for her husband. So it was a family themed piece!

Well, that was that, and then a few years passed. Then I was contacted by the same customer, who wanted a new piece to give to her husband for their upcoming anniversary! This time, could I re-do the piece from before, but with a berry farm backdrop? 

Well, OK. So I did it, and apparently it went over well, because then I received another note, asking--"could you do another?".

I immediately felt panic--had it been damaged in shipping? Had I done something wrong? But no--apparently, the recipient had loved it SO much that he was scared of even the possibility of losing it, so wanted another, so they could display one, and keep the second as a family keepsake.

Now if that didn't make me feel special, I don't know what would have!

So I did a second painting. With slight differences, because, you know, cupcake paintings are like snowflakes--no two are *quite* the same.

Anyhow--I just thought I would share that sweet story, because it sure made me feel good, and I thought it would make you feel good, too. And, you know, it gives me a chance to show off my artwork. 

Custom art available - email jessieoleson@gmail.com for more info! Other items for sale here.

Sweet Attempt: Mac and Cheese Cookies Recipe

We all have baking failures. Until yesterday, I considered Mac and Cheese Cookies one of mine. I mean, seriously. Mac and Cheese is delicious. Cookies are delicious. But when I tried to combine them into one unholy cookie foodstuff, it was so clearly a mistake. They're from different worlds! This is an ill-fated love story that really has no happy ending.

Until yesterday, that is, when someone spied the old photo of these cookies on Flickr and sent me an email imploring, "Please, please, please can you give me more info on these? Did you make them? Do you have a recipe? Were they as delicious as they look?"

Well, yes, dear reader, I can send you a recipe. But no, I wouldn't say they were delicious. They were strange, not rocking the sweet and salty thing the way that some cookies can, too savory to be dessert-ish but not sweet enough to be a true cookie experience. I think that maybe without the noodles they would stand a chance, might even be good...but...as much as I wanted it to work, no.

All the same, it is a fun memory for me. I remember how excited I was about the cookies; I remember how very badly I wanted them to taste good. They might be right up someone's alley--but I don't think they're quite ready for the masses yet. Or maybe they are? Just in case, from the archives, here's the recipe. Choose your own adventure!

Mac and Cheese Cookies (Printable Recipe Here!)

• 1 cup cooked elbow macaroni
• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup light cream
• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

For the icing

• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup cream
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• more cream, to thin

1. Make the cookies. Blend flour, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl; put off to the side.
2. Mix butter, sugar and egg until fully incorporated; Stir in cream.
3. Add flour mixture little by little, stirring well with each addition, until fully incorporated. Stir in the cheese and elbow macaroni.
4. Allow the dough to chill for about an hour.
5. Preheat oven to 400°F.  

6. Using a teaspoon or a mini ice cream scoop, drop rounds of dough on your lightly greased cookie sheet, leaving at least 2 inches around each dough ball.

7. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. The cookies will not be brown on top, but will have a slight toasty color on the bottom. Let them cool on the sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

8. Make the icing. In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the cream and grated cheese. Once melted and liquid, begin to stir in the sifted confectioners' sugar. If it gets too thick, add a little more cream. Use to glaze over the cooled cookies.

Staples Sells Sweets and I Made Something Tasty With Them

Let's say I was a bit surprised when Staples contacted me to ask if I wanted to do a review for them. My response was something like, "dudes, you do know this is a dessert blog, right?"

But I stayed with them, and I was glad I did. Because for one thing, I learned that apparently supplying food (including snacks and sweets) to offices and corporate accounts is a very big part of Staples' business. Who knew?

Additionally, I was glad because they offered to give me a tablet to test out with my bloggity-blogging. I was just fine with this. I like stuff like that.

 So Staples went ahead and sent me a parcel including a tablet--the Nexus 7--and a big tin of cookies. The picture to the left shows me taking a picture of the tablet with my phone after opening it. Whoa, technology rabbit hole! I was especially excited about these Dansk cookies, because my grandma always used to buy them for us, and I would zero right in on the pretzel cookies. I mean, they're sweet! Cookies! But they LOOK like pretzels! It confounded my 6-year old mind. I was happy to see the cookies again.

So, first, since they were nice enough to send it, my thoughts on the Nexus. I connected it to my at home wifi connection and used it to find some baking ideas which I could use with the butter cookies. I found that it connected very fast, seamlessly, and that the visuals were very nice. I also found that it was VERY handy to use for displaying recipes in the kitchen--so much easier than a laptop. And easier to clean. 

Also nice--the Nexus was easy to hook up my google account with, so it was very easy to plug in all of my info. I found that while it wasn't quite easy to say, create a blog post, on the tablet, it was very easy to log in and make changes to existing blog posts or respond to comments.

But anyway, let's get back to those cookies. Like I said, apparently Staples sells a lot of food. And surprisingly, a lot of it is dessert or sweet stuff. 

What I did with those cookies is this. First, I opened them up and took a nice long look. Then I asked, "are you ready to meet your destiny?". There was no response.

Then, I mashed them all up and mixed them with half a stick of butter. I then pressed it into a foil-lined 8x8-inch pan.

Next, I warmed a jar of dark chocolate peanut butter, and poured it right on top. I spread it as gently as possible.

After that, I melted 4 ounces of semisweet chocolate and spread it on top (again as gently as possible). Then I topped it all with sprinkles.

I let it chill in the fridge overnight, and in the morning I had a deliciously decadent snack. Shortbready! Chocolatey! Peanut buttery! Swoon. Staples may have given me the means, but I made it even better. YUM.

Buttery Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie Treats (Printable recipe here!)

Ingredients

• 3/4 tin of Dansk Cookies (about 30 cookies)
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted
• Dash salt, if you want
• 1 jar peanut butter (I used Dark Chocolate Dreams by Peanut Butter and Co.)
• 4 squares semisweet chocolate (1 ounce each)

Procedure

1. Line an 8x8-inch pan with foil. Set aside.
2. Crush the cookies until they are fairly fine crumbs. Mix with the butter, stirring well. Add in the salt.
3. Press into the bottom of the foil lined pan. Press it down well.
4. Warm the peanut butter until it is pourable. Pour on top of the cookie crust. Spread with a spatula, trying not to upset the cookie crumbs below. Put the pan in the fridge for the moment.
5. In a double boiler, melt the semisweet chocolate. Once melted and pourable, remove the pan from the fridge; gently pour the chocolate over the peanut butter layer on your bars. Use a spatula to spread. Try to do this quickly as the peanut butter will get soft and start to mix with the top layer.
6. Top with sprinkles, if desired. Put back in the fridge and let set until firm before serving (2 hours or so). Keep chilled. 

 Full disclosure, Staples provided me with this Nexus tablet. However, the words and opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own. To see the full line of tablets visit Staples.com.

Clean Out the Cabinets Cake Recipe

It doesn't happen, but every now and again (usually when I know I'm moving soon) I get the urge to clean out all the random ingredients that I have lying around in the kitchen. But I absolutely despise throwing things out--it seems so wasteful. But how to make use of these ingredients in an efficient way? 

Well, when I found myself cleaning out the cabinets recently, I had an inspiration.

It started when I found a box of Jiffy Yellow Cake mix. All of a sudden, I looked at everything else with new eyes.

What if I could combine orphan ingredients, all in one cake? It would certainly be something completely awful, or awesome. Maybe both.

So I rounded up a few things that I thought could possibly work in this monster of a cake: half a jar of peanut butter, a third of a box of Teddy Grahams, a handful of Fun-Size candy bars, and about 2 handfuls of potato chips (plain, salted). 

I started by mixing the cake according to the box ingredients (1 egg, 1/2 cup of water). Then, I stirred in the peanut butter. It smelled really good, and my spirits began to get high.

I then stirred in the rest of it--I broke each candy bar into 3 or 4 pieces, crushed the chips in my hand before adding, but just added the Teddy Grahams as-is. It made for an extremely thick, lumpy batter.

I spread it into a well-greased 8x8-inch pan.

I baked it for 22 minutes at 350 degrees, at which point I took out one of the most alluring-smelling cakes my nose has ever known.

When it cooled, I realized that this was a great opportunity to use another ingredient--half a can of cream cheese frosting--so I added that too. Why not? And sprinkles. Rainbow! 

So, you're wondering after this big buildup, how did it taste? 

I was so glad I hadn't thrown anything out--this cake was a keeper. The peanut butter mixed throughout the batter worked amazingly with the chocolate chunks studded everywhere from the Fun-size candy bars, making it feel like you were eating birthday cake with alternating bites of a peanut butter cup. But all mixed in your mouth. The only weirdness was the Teddy grahams, which had lightly softened in the baking process, just to the point where they were just crunchy enough to distract from the cake texture, but not different enough to really have a crunchy crunch impact. Next time I'd crush them before adding. The chips were a pleasant surprise, adding a nice saltiness which made all the competing tastes--peanut butter, cake, frosting, chocolate--come together in a beautiful salty end note. It's like the most beautiful epilogue. 

Clean Out the Cabinets Cake (Printable recipe here!)

Serves 9

• 1 Box Jiffy Cake
• 1 Egg 
• 1/2 cup water
• Whatever stuff you want to add (I added: half a jar of The Bee's Knees peanut butter by Peanut Butter and Company, 2 handfuls of potato chips, about 6 fun-size candy bars, and a third of a box of Teddy Grahams

Procedure

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Grease a cake pan (round or square).
2. Prepare the cake mix per the package instructions (1 egg and 1/2 cup water). 
3. Once the batter is ready, stir in the peanut butter (or any "wet" ingredients).
4. Stir in the rest of your ingredients.
5. Bake for 20-25 minutes, per the package instructions. When golden, remove from the oven. Cool the cake, and turn out on to a wire rack. Let cool completely.
6. If you have frosting, go ahead and frost it. Add sprinkles (why not?). Enjoy!

January 28: National Blueberry Pancake Day

Source: phoodie.info via Cake on Pinterest

May your National Blueberry Pancake Day be sweet, sticky, and very buttery!

Yes, you heard me right. Today, January 28, is National Blueberry Pancake Day. 

If you're in Philadelphia, or if you find yourself near Philadelphia, anytime soon, please celebrate by getting a "short stack" at the Dutch Eating Place in the Reading Terminal Market. Maybe it's better if you're not in Philadelphia today, though, they're only open Tuesday through Saturday (pancake day observed, anyone?). They are an Amish business, which is why they don't open every day, although many of the vendors are only there Wednesday through Saturday, so consider yourself lucky for the Tuesday. Plus, they wear the cutest Amish garb while they serve you. But I digress. These are some of the finest blueberry pancakes I have ever tasted--fat yet fluffy, with blueberries that taste sweet and tart and have a pleasingly plump texture (not dehydrated, not weird). Plus, they serve their (huge) pancakes with a "pat" of butter that is about the size of a deck of cards--can you see it on the left hand side of the photo above?

Dutch Eating Place, 1200 Arch Street (in the Reading Terminal Market); more info here.

Cake Byte: New Sweets from Flour and Sun Bakery

You know that I don't like to be bossy. But. 

If you find yourself in need of some sweet treats for Valentine's Day, I suggest you hightail it to Flour & Sun Bakery in Pleasantville, NY. Or don't--they ship, too! You can have a parcel of sweetness sent to yourself or your sweetie. Details: they'll send it via USPS with a minimum order of 6 cookies (or 2 cookie necklaces). Shipping charges start at $5.50. For Valentine's day arrival, order by Feb. 8th.

I'm highly qualified to tell you all this as not only have I sampled their goods in person, but I recently received a sample parcel of their seasonal offerings.

It was very well wrapped, I must say. While they say that they are clear on the perils of shipping, saying "can't guarantee what happens to the packages once they leave our hands. If a package is greatly damaged, however, please contact us", this was not a worry for me--everything arrived in perfect condition.

So what was inside? 

First up, the I Love Ewe Cookie ($4): Large sheep cookie iced with royal icing, packaged in a cello bag, tied with a festive ribbon and pretty Valentine's Day tag. Very sweet. 

Next, Bee Mine Cookies ($5): Large beehive cookie iced with royal icing with two adorable fondant bees, packaged in a cello bag, tied with a festive ribbon and pretty Valentine's Day tag.

Then, what a cute idea: a Cookie Heart Necklace ($5.50): 12 small heart cookies strung on a ribbon, packaged in a cello bag, tied with a festive ribbon and pretty Valentine's Day tag.

The parcel also included some items that weren't specifically part of the Valentine menu. A soft pink frosted Heart Cookie was probably my favorite thing out of the bunch, because A) it was pink, B) it had the most buttery-luscious frosting ever, and C) it reminded me of a sweet I love from Seattle, but much fancier. 

It also included--joy!--a Saw Mill River Bar, which is a Flour & Sun original--a huge bar cookie comprised of layers of crackers, caramel & chocolate. Strange, say you? Delicious, say I. You've got to try one of these sweet and salty things. 

I asked owner Denise more about the bar, and she let me know "we started making Saw Mill River Bars about a year and half ago. They are our most popular bar cookie we have. It's club cracker, layer of homemade caramel and peanut butter chips, topped with chocolate and malden sea salt flakes. We also make a version with pretzels and toffee pieces. My baker suggested the name to be honest I can't remember why."

Who really cares though, when it tastes this good?

Pre-order your Valentine's Day cookie by February 8th by calling us at 914.495.3232. You can order just one or several of any of the options for pick up at the bakery. 

Flour & Sun Bakery, 19 Washington Avenue, Pleasantville, NY; online at flourandsunbakery.com

Tutorial for Children: The Art of Stealing Easter Candy

This tutorial is an act of public service, from CakeSpy to the children of the world. 

Every year, millions of children are deprived of the proper amount of Easter candy that they are due. Parents actually hide or otherwise withhold this Easter candy, justifying this behavior by saying it's for the children's health. 

How do I know this? Because, dear readers, I was one of these children. It's true. As a child, every year when stores started displaying their Easter candy wares, my mother would buy bags and bags of candy, notably Cadbury Mini Eggs. And she would dole them out to we starving children only very sparingly--in torturous servings of one or two at a time. Sometimes she'd even hide them around the house, so that we had to perform a mini egg hunt before enjoying our treat! 

But after a while, I got wise. I realized that she had to have a stash somewhere, and I found it. But how to get access to the sweet treasure without mother's watchful eye noticing? 

As a fairly clever kid (if I do say so myself) I devised a way. And now, children of the world, I'd like to share this method with you. I'm posting it now, at the end of January, so you can hone your art as the Easter Candy season approaches--you might just find it works with Valentine's Day candy, too!

Keep in mind that this method works best with bags of candy that contain many small units--for instance, you wouldn't want to do this with say, a two-pack of Reese's cups. You'd be busted right away because the missing pieces would be evident. But to perform this candy-poaching method with a bag of, say, Cadbury Mini Eggs, it works like a charm.

How to Steal Easter Candy Without Your Mom Noticing

Step 1: Assemble your tools. I suggest an X-Acto Knife, and clear tape. You can use a pair of sharp scissors, using one extended scissor leg as a knife, if you don't have access to a knife. The glossy kind of tape is best, but the matte kind is OK. 

Step 2: Turn the bag over, so you are looking at the back of it. Flip the flap on the back.

Step 3: Using your X-Acto knife, gently cut a 2-inch or so incision along the flap which you've flipped back, trying to keep your line as straight as possible. Don't cut too deeply or you might cut through the entire bag by accident!

Step 4: Remove a few candies. I know your impulse is to take a bunch, but stay cool. Don't take too many, or you WILL be busted. There will be more bags, trust me.

Step 5: Cut a strip of tape to the length of the incision. Cut the tape in half, lengthwise, so it is quite narrow. Adhere it to the incision, pressing it flat and smoothing out air bubbles.

Step 6: Fold the flap back.

Voila! Now, take the candy and run. Smile to yourself when mom says "Gosh, they put less and less candies in these bags every year!". 

Cue the "the more you know" music, and let the rainbows provide a fade-out! No need to thank me, but yes, you're very welcome.

CakeSpy Undercover: Revolution Bakery, Santa Fe NM

I'll be totally honest: sometimes, gluten-free baked goods just taste funny to me.

I know it's not their fault. They're made using a different type of flour--flours, in fact! It's not just a matter of swapping "all purpose" for "gluten-free". It's a little trickier than that. Most gluten-free baking is actually done with a mix of a few types of flour, to guarantee a good combination of flavor and texture.

And likewise, the taste doesn't always translate exactly. Some gluten-free flours will impart a more assertive flavor than white flour. That, I think, is what makes the goods kind of funny sometimes. Like, they taste too healthy or they have too crumbly a texture or something.

So when I taste a gluten-free baked good, do try to be aware of these things, that they will never taste exactly like their floury counterparts. 

But they still can be a thing of beauty in their own, gluten-free right. And an example of a bakery that has a good thing going on is Revolution Bakery in Santa Fe, New Mexico. 

At Revolution bakery, they have a big focus on bread as you walk into the cafe, but they also have a very nice selection of pastries and baked goods--they do cakes, too.

Keeping it simple, I chose a quinoa chocolate chip cookie (which was vegan, too) and a cinnamon roll. 

The chocolate chip cookie was very nice. It was crispy around the edges but slightly softer inside. It crumbled lightly when bitten into, like a coarser sort of shortbread, and the flavor was slightly nutty and almost oat-y, which made it taste like a health cookie, sort of. I say "sort of" because it was assertively cookie-ish enough to not ever be confused with a granola bar. This is the type of healthy sweet I like: one that I can tell myself is virtuous, even if it really isn't.

The cinnamon roll was likewise lightly nutty in flavor, which worked quite well with the yeastiness of the pastry. But what this treat is really all about is the cinnamon-sugar filling and frosting, which play together to create a symphony of sweet morning music tastes in your mouth. A very nicely done cinnamon roll. Had I tried this one not knowing it was gluten-free, I might believe that a hippie-ish sort had hid flax or something inside of the dough, but I wouldn't instantly proclaim it gluten-free just upon tasting it. It had a very nice texture, too.

Baked goods are a bit spendy at this spot, but a lot goes into making a gluten-free baked good, and I think they're worth seeking out. So if you find yourself in Santa Fe, hit them up! Just remember to go early in the day, because they can tend to sell out of some things later on.

Revolution Bakery, 1291 San Felipe Boulevard; online here.

Sweet Recipe: Mom McComb’s Mocha Hot Chocolate Pie

CakeSpy Note: This is a sweet exclusive, a recipe from Linda Hundt, owner of Sweetie-licious' Pie Pantry in DeWitt, Michigan.  The recipe is for Mom McComb’s Mocha Hot Chocolate Pie and is an exclusive recipe that has not yet been published, but will be published in Linda's forthcoming cookbook, Sweetie-licious Pies (this coming fall).

While growing up in Michigan, there were plenty of snowy days and all the fun activities that went along with the winter weather, but ice skating was a family favorite.  At the end of our street, there was a darling park that was transformed into an ice rink in the winter. The rink was fashioned with a warming house, outdoor lights and music and was surrounded by large Sycamore trees.  Afterschool, my siblings and I would race home, put on our ice skates, and skate down the ice covered street to the rink. We would meet our friends there to play crack the whip, pretend to be Dorothy Hamill, and ice dance to the music all afternoon. 

On Saturdays, after a full day of skating, and numb from the cold, we would anxiously skate home.  At times, we were not only welcomed by the warmth of the house, but also the fragrant smell of chocolate; as my dear mother had made a big pot of steaming, creamy hot chocolate.  Her hot chocolate was extra special, made with cream, cinnamon and a splash of her leftover morning coffee.  The thick and rich cocoa was always topped by a large marshmallow and served in antique teacups and saucers!  I remember our little hands wrapped around our cups, tipping the marshmallow into the pond of chocolate bliss with our tongues. I remember feeling warm with love while sipping on such a special winter treat, as you will, with this most delicious, cool version created as a pie!

Eat pie, and serve love in all you do!

Mom McComb’s Mocha Hot Chocolate Pie

Recommended: Graham Cracker Crust

Filling

• 2 ½ cups whole milk
• ½ cup half & half
• 1 ¼ cups of sugar
• 4 egg yolks
• 1/3 cup cornstarch
• 1/3 cup Hershey’s Cocoa
• ½ teaspoon coffee extract OR 1 rounded tablespoon finely ground espresso powder
• ¼ teaspoon of vanilla

Garnish – Optional

• Whipped cream
• Marshmallow cream
• Marshmallows
• Chocolate syrup

Procedure

Mix milk, half & half, sugar, egg yolks in medium pan. Sift cornstarch, cocoa and espresso powder, if using, and add to pan. Cook on medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens. Add vanilla extract and coffee extract, if using. Pour filling into pie crust, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Garnish with whipped cream, drizzled marshmallow cream or marshmallows and chocolate syrup.

Cake Byte: Red Velvet Pop-Tarts Exist

Image: theimpulsivebuy on flickr

Apparently, a Pop-Tart and a slice of Red Velvet had a very intimate evening in the breadbox, because this is completely not a joke. It's true. For a limited time only, taking their place in your heart next to the red velvet donut at Dunkin', something that actually exists is Red Velvet Pop-Tarts.

Image: Biggest MenuAs the official Pop-Tarts website says, 

Sweet cream-cheese-flavored filling enveloped by a red velvety crust and topped with vanilla icing and sprinkles. Toast it for a delicious treat your taste buds won't soon forget.

Although I haven't tried them yet, I found a helpful review on Foodette Reviews, who reports:

Surprisingly, they are actually good and taste like their namesake. Albeit, you're not going to find a distinct resemblance to Aunt Sarah's homemade from scratch, vinegar in the batter red velvet cake with mounds of frosting, but these will definitely save you the time and labor you would normally take in making a red velvet cake from a box. They have that raw flour, not-sweet cake batter flavor that I personally adore, and the filling adds a touch of sweetness and a little creaminess, too. Warm, they fared somewhat less successful and tasted like pancake batter, probably because all the frosting evaporated out.  

Red Velvet Pop-tarts, yes; visit the Pop-tarts website for more information or where to buy.

Baker's Dozen: A Batch of Sweet Links!

In Western Washington? Well, you certainly want to enter this Girl Scout Cookie recipe contest!

and another great contest--cupcakes, this time--for anyone to enter, with great prizes!

Milk! It's what's for...dessert?

Grapefruit cheesecake? I'm intrigued.

In Philadelphia? A sweet new series of dessert-making classes at Bredenbeck's!

The great New England Ice Cream trip. I know it's not cold-weather friendly, but I love ice cream any time.

Still a favorite: homemade Samoas girl scout cookies.

Curious about where to find great candy in Arkansas?

Interesting: a new product combines brownies and madeleines.

Peanut butter hot chocolate!!!!!!

I don't like the name "Dump Cake" but I like the look of this pumpkin variety!

Sweet memories: Mini Maple Spam Donuts!

Bittersweet: a bakery closes after 70 years of business in Iowa.

On the road: if this post about a pastry road trip from Seattle to Chicago doesn't make you hungry, I don't know what will!

Cake Byte: Cupcake Royale Debuts Deathcake Royale Ice Cream

Like, OMG. The power and sweet glory that is the Deathcake Royale is now available in ice cream form.

As the Cupcake Royale newsletter reveals, 

"we challenge you to find a more chocolatey ice cream. Now in all cafes, Cupcake Royale introduces Deathcake Royale Ice Cream. Creamy dark chocolate ice cream with a gooey salted fudge swirl and chunks of actual Deathcake! Try a sample and take home a pint!"

Now that's sweet news indeed for anyone in the Seattle area!. Here's more info on the Deathcake Royale. Click here for the Cupcake Royale website.

Giveaway: Entenmann's Prize Pack

I'll admit it: I find the current Entenmann's promotion highly adorable.

In it, their most popular donut, named Rich, last name Frosted, is finally making an honest lady of his "Mrs. Rich Frosted". I mean, the jig is up--where did all those mini donuts and "pop-ems" (donut holes) come from? 

So finally, on his 40th Birthday, which is coming up on January 31, "Rich" the donut dude is going to reveal who his baby-mama is (on facebook, natch). What flavor is she, do you think?

• Glazed Buttermilk Donut?
• Crumb Cake Donut?
• Plain Donut?
• Powdered Donut?

Well, you can guess, but the big reveal will happen soon--the “Mrs.” will be revealed on Rich’s birthday on January 31, 2013, plus a variety of prizes for all Entenmann’s Facebook fans!

But wait, there's more. Not only will "Rich" be celebrating the New Year and his 40th birthday- he’ll also be celebrating the 400,000,000th Rich Frosted Donut to be coming off the production line in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. That's a "hole" lotta dough!

And for you, dear readers, there's a possible prize pack. It includes:

• 1 Rich Frosted T-shirt
• Entenmann's Travel Mug
• 2 Entenmann's Coupons

Personally, I love giveaways like this because the merch is the kind of stuff that is really kitschy and fun as the years go by--I love buying stuff like this at second hand stores, so I think it's fun to have the original promotional stuff.

How do you enter? It's so easy. Either leave a comment on this post, or on my Facebook page, saying what flavor donut you think Rich's missus should be. I'll choose a winner on the 31st, to coincide with the "reveal"! The prize will be sent directly to the recipient from Entenmann's.

More info about the Entenmann's product line can be found at bimbobakeriesusa.com and entenmanns.com.

Update on 2013-02-01 18:12 by Cakespy

UPDATE: THE WINNER!

It's Jenna, who said "The plain donut of course! because she is subtle, understated, demure and oh so amazing on the inside!! :)"

Congratulations Jenna, and everyone else, tune in soon for the next giveaway! 

Pastry Profiles: Hamantashen, Famous 4th Street Delicatessen, Philadelphia

I love Hamantashen. Those jaunty hat-shaped cookies may be most strongly associated with Purim, the Jewish holiday, but really, they taste great pretty much any day of the year. And luckily, they're available pretty much any time of the year at a delightful spot called The Famous 4^th Street Delicatessen in Philadelphia. 

The famous 4^th Street is fantastic for many reasons, but most visually impressive is the sheer size of their baked goods. Seriously, the picture above doesn't quite give you an idea of scale. Their sweets are supersized: their cakes are baked in huge loaves, about 4 times the size of a regular piece of pound cake. Their coconut macaroons are the size of a softball;

the hamantashen measure about 5 inches across. While a mere look at the pricing might seem appalling ($3 for a hamantashen; $8 for an eclair), when considering the size of the goods, it's really quite appropriate.

But back to the hamantashen. Recently I picked up a few because I suspected that I would be able to double up and fill both my face and my soul with joy at once. 

I was right.

I'm not sure what experts would say, but for me, a successful hamantashen has a texture which falls somewhere between butter cookie and scone: very carb-y, lightly crumbly, but not crumble-apart. The Fourth street version managed to heighten my desired texture by attaining a crust that was flaky too. It was brushed with an egg wash for a pretty appearance and a nice light chewiness on top, which ensured that the cookie part crumbled and flaked in my mouth, not my hand. The cherry filling was good without being remarkable; the poppyseed and prune filling was more interesting, with a nice texture from the poppyseeds and the prune added a nice stickiness which contrasted the cookie with its mellow sweetness. It made me want to make like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz and sleep in all that poppy-fueled joy.

These cookies were perfect when paired with milk, and a delight as both an after dinner treat and a breakfast item. If you love Hamantashen, or think you might be willing to try to love it, Famous 4^th street is a good place to try, says this Spy.

Famous 4^th Street Delicatessen, Philadelphia; online here. 

Cake Byte: School of Sweets Program at Bredenbeck's, Philadelphia

Photo: David Difuntorum

Now this is an education we could all use: School of Sweets! It's a new program at Bredenbeck's of Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia! Here are just a few upcoming events.

Dessert Night

7:30 - 9 p.m. $85/couple

Held the first Thursday of each month.

Get a hands-on lesson in preparing three desserts, then savor their flavors with wine pairings. Desserts include mousse tarts, tuxedo strawberries and cake truffles.

Cake Design

2 hours (2 classes)

$125/person

Email us at sales@bredenbecks.com or call 215-247-7374 for details.

Birthday Parties

Cake Decorating (age 9 and up)

2 hours $45/person

We'll demonstrate special techniques and teach your guests how to decorate their own cake.

Includes: 
* 4" cake for each person, plus colored buttercream icing and supplies. 
* 7" cake decorated by our sugar artist to enjoy at the party or take home. 

Cupcake Decorating (age 6 and up)

2 hours $40/person

We'll demonstrate special techniques and decorate cupcakes together!

Includes: 
* 4 cupcakes per person, plus colored buttercream icing and supplies. 

 
In all cases, email sales@bredenbecks.com or call 215-247-7374 for details, or to book.

Sweetened Condensed Milk Funfetti Cake

Certainly, if there were an Official List of Things That Are Grand and Mighty, the following would be on it: Funfetti Cake Mix, Sweetened Condensed Milk, Chocolate Fudge Frosting, and Teddy Grahams. 

So you can imagine how wealthy in sweet riches I felt when I found myself in possession of all of these things, at once, in my kitchen, at the ready. 

Knowing that I needed to make the most of this precious bounty, I thought long and hard before settling on the ideal concoction: a Sweetened Condensed Milk Cake. 

I quickly found a recipe on this forum which detailed how to trick-out a cake mix with sweetened condensed milk for a decadent treat, and was delighted to see that I had all of the ingredients on hand. 

Now, the recipe I started with was somewhat like Houdini Bars--a cake mix crust, but with a sweetened condensed milk and chocolate gooey topping.

But what the heck, I thought, and decided to pour in the sweetened condensed milk right along with the cake mix and see how it baked up. 

And you know what? It worked! The resulting cake was very dense, more like a bar cookie texture; the taste was heavenly sweet, with that lightly caramelly-milk tasting flavor that the sweetened condensed milk so deliciously imparts. So rich. You really shouldn't eat a lot of this. Just kidding. Eat more.

And in a case of pure gilding the lily, I added an extremely thick layer of fudge frosting on top of it all, and since they were on hand, gently placed Teddy Grahams on top. Now, it wasn't my intention, but with those Teddy Grahams gently resting on top of the cake, waiting for their final resting place in the greedy mouth of various sugar fiends, something was pointed out to me by the creators of The Sporkful. These teddies resembled the rows of soldiers so dramatically captured in Gone With the Wind!

So I started to think of it as a Teddy Graham Graveyard. So, that's my secondary title for this cake: Teddy Graham Graveyard Cake.

Sweetened Condensed Milk Funfetti Cake, or Teddy Graham Graveyard Cake

Printable recipe here!

About 1 hour - 24 servings

For the cake

• 1 box cake mix (I used Funfetti)
• 2 large eggs 
• 1/3 cup oil 
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk 
• 1/2 stick butter, melted 

Frosting

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 4 cups confectioners' sugar, divided
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup heavy cream

Teddy Grahams, for garnish

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking pan.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cake mix, eggs, oil, sweetened condensed milk and melted butter in a large bowl with mixer until blended. Pour into the prepared pan. 

Bake 20 to 25 minutes until lightly browned. 

While the cake cools, prepare the frosting. To make the frosting, in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter on high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. In a separate bowl, sift together 3 cups of the confectioners' sugar with the cocoa.

Add the sugar and cocoa mixture to the butter mixture in 2 to 3 additions, beating on low speed to incorporate. Pause to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula after each addition.

Add the salt, vanilla, and cream; increase speed to medium, and beat until the mixture is very fluffy a spreadable consistency. If the frosting is too soft, add a little more sugar; if it's too thick, add additional cream in small increments, mixing after each addition, until it has reached your desired consistency.

Frost the cake all over, right in the pan. It's gonna be a lot of frosting. Sprinkle with nonpareils or sprinkles of your choice, and don't forget the Teddy Grahams.

CakeSpy Undercover: Cookie Confidential, Philadelphia

I'm now going to take a few minutes to tell you about a place called Cookie Confidential in Philadelphia. 

I was first alerted to the magic that is Cookie Confidential by CakeSpy reader--from Canada of all places!--who told me, in so many words, "dudette, they have Philly cheesesteak cookies. For reals! Go eat one!". Of course I was intrigued, and a visit to the website revealed a treasure trove of interesting treats.

Although the name "Cookie Confidential" might suggest a strong emphasis on cookies, it actually seems to be comprised of three main elements: cookies, cupcakes in a jar, and brittles. At the store, they complement it all with Franklin Fountain ice cream. 

But for now, we're going to focus on the cookies. 

They have a large variety of flavors, starting with the classics: chocolate chip, sugar, snickerdoodle, peanut butter...but then, very quickly you'll progress into slightly less-expected flavors, such as chocolate chip bacon, "strawberry shortcake" ("A shortbread cookie is the base for this sweet and creamy treat. We add in fresh pureed strawberries & white chocolate chunks for a satisfying bite of summertime in you mouth, no matter what the weather outside!"), and Lemon cashew...

...and then the downright strange, including Philly Cheesesteak, which is described as "Dehydrated grass fed beef mingles with dehydrated red onions in our organic, cheesy, cheddar cookie topped off with a sweet tomato cream cheese. Try getting one of these from Mrs. Fields!"; Sriracha Mango, "The Rooster Has Landed. No that's not code, the Sriracha Mango cookie is here! Sweet, savory, spicy, spectacular! A little bit of Thai come to roost at Cookie Confidential."; and of course, who could forget the Peanut Butter Hot Dog, "Made initially as a custom order for some friends (thanks Ethan and Nate!), we loved this killer cookie so much it has been added to the line up. We take our traditional peanut buttercookie, splash in some balsamic vinegar and a touch of Philadelphia Bee Co's honey, then add in some chopped up, dehydrated, nitrate free hot dogs... next level intensity. "

We picked up a nice variety of flavors: chocolate chip, brown sugar peach, raspberry balsamic, lemon honey coriander, chocolate chip bacon, and chocolate coconut almond. Since they didn't have it on the day of the initial visit, I returned later for the Philly Cheesesteak (more on that below).

The cookies are not large, so I would suggest trying 2-3 flavors. They are fairly crisp, with a lighter slightly chewy texture in the center. They're quite buttery. In my opinion, you like the style of Tate's chocolate chip cookies, these will probably be right up your alley. 

The chocolate chip was nice, a rich and buttery version of the classic. Brown sugar peach was mellow and comforting, and begged to be paired with lemonade. 

Lemon honey coriander was intriguing, with a slightly spicy flavor that, had I not known what the flavor was, would have eluded me and made me continue eating out of curiosity.

Raspberry balsamic was probably my favorite flavor from the tasting, lightly abrasive from the balsamic but then smoothed around the edges by the sweetness of the berries. A refreshing and interesting cookie.

Chocolate-bacon was salty-sweet; a little bacon goes a long way, and I found myself craving a creamy counterpart--bet this one would have been really nice with ice cream.

Image: Phillymag.comBut I know the one you really want to hear about is the Philly Cheesesteak. I returned for this one because they didn't have it on the day of my first visit. Of course I didn't bring my camera, so to the left you'll see the picture from Philly Magazine.

Actually, I almost feel like this shouldn't be called a cookie--or perhaps it should be re-labeled "savory biscuit". Because when you eat it thinking "cookie", it's strange. It's salty and savory and feels like you want a bowl of tomato soup. But when I thought about it as "savory biscuit", and thought about how it might pair with a bowl of soup, it was actually quite a nice morsel, sort of like a crispy cheese puff with a soupçon of beef. Sort of like a cookie hors d'ouevre. 

So I guess it's all about the way you look at it. Looking at the cookie in that way made it enjoyable to me! 

Although I didn't try one of their cupcakes, I would like to give you a primer on what they do. Cupcakes come either single or double cake in reusable glass jelly jars (return your empty one to the shop for a free cookie!); the mini cupcakes are served in push pop form. As they put it, "Grab a spoon, and get ready for your new bad habit!". I like that.

Flavors include a rotating roster: Red Velvet, Maple Buttermilk, Maple Bacon Buttermilk, Chocolate Buttermilk, Chocolate Bacon Buttermilk, Vanilla Buttermilk, Strawberry Buttermilk, Neapolitan, Chocolate Covered Strawberry, Chocolate Jalapeno, Vanilla Raspberry, Chocolate Raspberry, Banana Split, Apple Chai, plus seasonals (ie Strawberry Limeade, Brown Sugar Peach, Coconut Key Lime, Ginger Snap, Pumpkin, Vanilla Peppermint, Chocolate Peppermint, etc). All available vegan EXCEPT bacon flavors.

They also have "Beer Cakes" which are made with various types of beer, and jars of brittle for sale. 

Overall, this is a fun and adventurous little spot to visit, and naturally I loved the undercover/spy vibe. The only warning I give is don't think you're going to have cookies for breakfast: they open at noon!

Cookie Confidential, 517 S. 5th Street, Philadelphia; online here.

Sweet Art: Faceoffs

Happy Holiday Monday, everyone! I hope you have the day off from work, and suggest you buy yourself a cupcake to celebrate. Or if you do have to work, I suggest you buy yourself two cupcakes, to comfort yourself.

I was recently going through some of my intense pastry faceoff artwork and thought I would post some of my favorite images--guaranteed to make you smile as you decide, in your heart of hearts, who you think would win each battle.

Here, an epic battle between Pop-Tart and Toaster Strudel:

And here, the age-old conflict between bunnies and cake over who deserves carrots more:

And over here, a total freeze-out:

A homemade versus store-bought battle in Seattle:

a cupcake feeling threatened by the seasonal treat of the moment:

One that is not sweet, but savory--battle of the buns!

and proof that sometimes faceoffs are more intellectual:

and finally, perhaps the most epic battle...

Of course, I should also mention that my artwork, prints, and a bunch more products can be purchased here.

Ask CakeSpy: Bakeries in Philadelphia?

Dear CakeSpy,

I live in Seattle and have been a blog follower since you started.  My daughter just moved to Philadelphia and I am visiting her in two weeks.  Please you suggest some bakery "musts", cupcakes included, for us to visit.

Coast to Coast Sweets-Chaser

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Dear Coast to Coast,

First, let me commend you on your fantastic choice in website reading. CakeSpy rules! And so nice to hear from a reader who lives in the city I lived during many of the CakeSpy Years--Seattle--and is soon to visit the city I currently in which I currently reside, Philadelphia. 

Now, I don't like to give blanket suggestions, and if you were a buddy calling me on the phone, I would probably follow up with "well, where are you staying?" so that I could personalize my suggestions based on places you could reasonably get to. But assuming you're staying in the Center City area, and probably not staying too long, let me say that if you were MY guest, I'd probably take you to these places. 

Even if you were only here for 2 hours, I would make sure to take you to the Reading Terminal Market. Preferably between Wednesday and Saturday, because on those magical days, the Amish vendors are present. The Reading Terminal market is Philadelphia's equivalent to the Pike Place Market, but it's housed in the former terminus of the Reading Terminal Railroad. There are foods aplenty to enjoy there, but since we are talking dessert, I'd focus on showing you:

Bassets Ice Cream, which has been doing it since 1861 and doing it well.

Miller's Twist, where they also have ice cream and can serve it to you in a Pretzel cone.

Flying Monkey Patisserie, where I would insist you get the butter cake. If you're brave, go for the pumpple.

Beiler's Bakery, an Amish bakery where they wrap baked goods in plastic wrap like supermarket meat for some reason, but golly-me do I enjoy the Snickerdoodle Whoopie Pies. I would whizz right by the classic whoopies and go straight for the snickerdoodle. If you've never tried Shoofly pie, this wouldn't be a bad place to do it.

If you're there in the 4 o'clock hour or so, I'd take you to Famous Fourth Street Cookies, where at the end of the day the cookies are a dollar each. That is a steal, but other times of day they charge by the pound so you can be adding up a hefty bill.

If we had even more time, I'd take you by Termini Brothers Bakery for a cannoli and to Metropolitan Bakery for just about anything. Oh, and across from Metropolitan Bakery is a chocolate/candy counter where you can try a Wilbur Bud, which some say was the inspiration for the Hershey's Kiss.

Next, I'd once again ask what part of town you're going to be staying in. If you're staying in Old City, I vote that you simply must go to:

Franklin Fountain, an old timey ice cream spot and the next-door candy store, Shane Confectionery.

Tartes, AKA The cutest petite pink bakery ever; a walk-up window only, but very nice cookies and tarts.

Tiffany's Bakery, which is a great bakery in an unlikely location--a mall food court.

Wedge + Fig, for a fantastic grilled cheese and a cheese tart for dessert!

If you're further up, number-wise, in the street numbers in Center City (12th Street and up), I say that you simply must visit:

Brown Betty Dessert Boutique: They have a mini-location here, because you're probably not going to find yourself in the neighborhood where their main location is. Try the sweet potato cake!

Cake and the Beanstalk, for a homey and casual bakery spot owned by a dude who knows his baking--he was a pastry chef in a number of fancy restaurants before opening this cute place, which has the catch phrase "Fee fi fo YUM"! Though not a bakery, pop into Garces Trading Co. across the street too.

Capogiro Gelato: DO IT! One of my absolute favorites.

DiBruno Brothers, which is a gourmet food store but has a lot of sweet treats from various good bakeries in the city, and a case which is nom-worthy to gaze upon.

Federal Donuts, for donuts fried to order, and a tasty new location in the center city area!

Philly Cupcake Company, for very good cupcakes in a nice variety of flavors.

Scoop DeVille, for custom-made soft-serve including the mix-ins of your choice.

Swiss Haus Bakery, for some nice pastries and cakes.

You might not wander southward, but if you do, I also suggest:

Isgro Pasticceria, for a pricey but fun Italian bakery experience--try a cannoli!

Morning Glory Diner, for their delicious biscuits (not necessarily sweet but I will suggest it).

Other bakeries that I think are great but might not be geographically convenient: Belle Cakery, Bredenbeck's, Little Baby's Ice Cream, and Whipped Bake Shop!

There are a ton more bakeries, of course. I do not mean at all for this to be a comprehensive list. But, the ones listed above are very easily visited alongside with the Liberty Bell and all of the popular Philadelphia attractions, so they're the ones I am going to suggest for your first visit! Feel free to check out the Philadelphia tag to see more bakeries I've visited, of course.

Oh! And a regional specialty you'll see around at this time of year in Philadelphia: Irish Potatoes!

Enjoy! 

Love,

CakeSpy