Recently, while making bread pudding, I found myself in posession of a unique problem: too many cubes of bread. The recipe I was using required about 5 cups of cubed day-old bread, and I had about 7 cups. It was a good bread, too: a loaf of Rubicon Bakery's cinnamon bread (something they make exclusively for Whole Foods, I just learned while looking at their website).

It's a very nice loaf of bread, so I didn't want to waste the cubes by throwing them out. But then again, it was too many cubes to use in the recipe...so what to do?

That's when it hit me. I would exactly what I would if it were a non-sweet bread: I'd make croutons. Only since this bread was already sweet, I wouldn't try to make them savory croutons for salads--I'd make them sweet croutons, for dessert toppings.

Dessert Croutons! Are you not shivering with sweet anticipation right now?

I looked at a homemade crouton recipe as a reference, and then set to tailoring the recipe to work as a sweet dish.

I was going to cover them with butter, but then I realized I had no butter. But I did have olive oil. I remember hearing a radio interview in which Alice Medrich gushes about the utter loveliness of olive oil on ice cream, so I thought...why not give this a try? If the dessert croutons are made with olive oil, maybe they'll work really nicely with ice cream.

So, I preheated the oven then coated the cubes with some olive oil and gave them a gentle but thorough stir. Then, I dusted them with a little cinnamon sugar (why not?).

Then, I put them in a pan.

Then, I baked 'em up, pausing to flip them over after about 8 minutes.

At about 16 minutes, I took them out. I let them cool for a while, then broke out the ice cream.

Wait...I think I'll add some chocolate sauce, too. That never hurts anything. Plus, I reasoned, it would add a color contrast and help the croutons stick for a nice photo. I am, after all, a food blogger.

Now let's add those croutons...

YES! Just look at how the cinnamon swirl adds a pretty echoing color to the chocolate sauce. Look at how wonderfully golden and toasty they look.

Upon tasing them, these croutons were proclaimed a rousing success. They're not as sweet as crumbled cookies or cake, but they act in the same manner as an ice cream topping: adding a little extra flavor and texture. The crunchiness was also more intense than that of a cookie or cake crumb, so it added a really nice contrast to the soft ice cream and chocolate sauce. The ideal moment was about 1/4 to 1/2 of the way in, when the croutons just started to become soft as they absorbed the ice cream and chocolate. Perfect.

The olive oil actually worked out excellently. It acted as a nice counterpart to the sweetness of the other toppings, and added a complexity to the other flavors--especially the chocolate. The glaze on the bread, too, contributed to the deliciousness: in the oven, it appeared to have melted into the bread, but upon crunching into one of the croutons, I learned that it actually formed a sort of sweet shellac all over them. It also made for a fascinating flavor combination with the olive oil.

While I am eager to try this again with butter, I have to say, I was really rewarded by the olive oil version.

Here's the recipe so you can try it out at home! Keep in mind since you're probably using this recipe with leftover bread, I am going to make it open ended for you.

Dessert Croutons--a field guide (printable version here)

Ingredients

Cubed day old bread (at least a cup's worth, to make it worth your while)
Olive oil or melted butter--about 2 tablespoons per 1 cup of bread
Cinnamon and sugar, to taste

Procedure

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
While the oven preheats, put the cubed bread in a large bowl. Drizzle evenly with the olive oil or butter, stirring so that everything gets coated. You can add more if you feel that they're too dry.
Add cinnamon and sugar, if desired, and stir to coat.
Transfer the cubes to a baking pan where they can lie in a single, flat layer.
Place in the preheated oven, and bake for anywhere between 15 and 25 minutes (it will vary depending on the bread you use). Turn the croutons about 8-10 minutes in, so that they will be browned evenly. You'll know they're done when they're golden and toasty.
Remove from the oven and let cool before using. Store leftovers in an airtight container. They'll keep very well for a few weeks.

Giveaway: Craft-A-Doodle Book

July 31, 2013 Cakespy

Guess what? Last year, I was asked to contribute to a book called Craft-a-Doodle: 75 Creative Exercises from 18 Artists. Of course I was happy to do it. Basically, the idea was that 18 creative types like myself were to contribute idea prompts, to inspire the reader to get moving, creatively speaking.

So, I did it! And now, a year later, the book is out! Hooray! You'll find some great creative prompts by myself, and other talented people. It was all put together by the lovely Jenny Doh.

So, I'll bet you're pretty interested in the book, yes? Want to win a copy?

OK! Let's do a giveaway, right here, right now. How do you enter? It's so easy.

To enter: All you have to do is leave a comment on this post (comment moderation is enabled, so if it does not pop up right away, don't panic) saying what gets YOU inspired. Is it dancing in your living room? Drawing stars on notebook paper? Drunk-texting ex boyfriends? (Wait...) Whatever it is that gets you inspired, get the rest of us inspired by letting us know!

I'll choose a winner at random one week from today, on August 7, at 5pm PST, and announce it shortly thereafter. Because the publisher will be sending the book directly from their US warehouse, they have asked that only US entrants be eligible. Good luck!

Meantime, buy the book here: Craft-a-Doodle: 75 Creative Exercises from 18 Artists

Update on 2013-08-09 02:00 by Cakespy

UPDATE: The winner!

A winner has been chosen, sweeties! It's Amber T. of Washington. She says, "I get inspired by the opportunity to make a difference. I'm also a fan of Flora Chang's art and thi book in particular fits my creative needs for a quick art project prompt whenever I find myself unexpectedly with free time, sans kids!".

Congrats, Amber, and enjoy the inspiration from this sweet book!

Secret Lives Book Tour, Part Three: Albuquerque, Jersey Shore, Philadelphia, and Seattle Again

July 29, 2013 Cakespy

What a long, but awesome road, it's been! My third and final leg of book tour supporting The Secret Lives of Baked Goods: Sweet Stories & Recipes for America's Favorite Desserts has come to a close, and if you have a few minutes (of course you do, you're on the internet! It's leisuretime here!) I'd love to tell you about my adventures.

(P.S. If you want to read about the first two parts of my book tour, here's part one, and here's part two!)

First was an event in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Don't you just love saying the word "Albuquerque"? I had an event at a bookstore called Bookworks, where my NAME WAS FEATURED ON A BIG MARQUEE. This was a great life moment, but even better was the fact that almost the entire audience was composed of people who work in the film industry in New Mexico. It made for a wonderful and varied crowd!

Next up was a trip to the Jersey Shore. Now, a trip to this part of the world is always dear to me because it's where I grew up, but it was especially wonderful this time because I had a book event close to my hometown. It was at a wonderful little bookstore called Booktowne in Manasquan, New Jersey, and I was delighted to see a nice-sized crowd of people who came, including some former high school classmates who happened to be in town and read about the event!

I also served some Smith Island Cake, which is never a bad thing. Did I mention they sold out of books? That made me feel like a Jersey Shore Superstar.

Next up, on the same day, was a book event at a bookstore called Towne Book Center in Collegeville, PA (yes, I had an event at Booktowne then at Towne Book Center, one after the other). This was a super fun event because it was a dessert potluck, where everyone brought something sweet and we all got to taste it--then, everyone told us the story behind theirs. I tasted some really good stuff, AND got a really exciting Congo Bar recipe from one of the entrants that I can't wait to try out.

But one of the biggest highlights? Brett and Christina, both contestants from last year's Pillsbury Bake-Off, were in attendance! So we had a mini Bake-Off reunion. How cool is that? Christina won last year (winning recipe here!), so she's got a million reasons not to be at the contest this year. But I was so excited to hear that Brett (here's his entry from last year) will be a finalist again this year, with another delicious-sounding dessert called Heavenly Hazelnut Torte with Mascarpone Cream!

That was a great event!

But that wasn't all to the Pennsylvania leg of tour. I also taught a baking class in Philadelphia, at a fine establishment called COOK. I wore a hot pink dress and had a great time teaching people how to make Smith Island Cake, Lemon Meringue Pie, and Alice B Toklas Truffles (Toke-less ones, you know).

Then, I had about a week to rest and hang out at my house. I spent that time wisely, making milk fudge and learning how to make overnight French toast. I also made homemade croutons for the first time, which is ridiculously rewarding. Yumsies.

Then, I hopped a flight back to Seattle for a few more book events.

Hellooooo, Seattle! I was picked up by my sweet friend Nicole (bloggy persona: So Suzette) who is also the person I went to eat with at Wandering Goose Cafe the next morning. I got something called "Big Trouble" which consisted of a warm biscuit with honey, banana, and lots of peanut butter. It was. So. Good. Just looking at it should tell you that this is a biscuit that means business.

The same day, I did a baking demo at the Tom Douglas Summer Camp. This was probably the best demo I had ever done. Now, the fact that they gave me a glass of wine before my demo made me (in my opinion) even funnier than usual, and the crew was GREAT. We talked a lot about Nanaimo bars, which was one of the demo items. Smith Island Cake and Toklas Truffles, too.

The next day, I had off, so I hung around Seattle and went to Crumble & Flake with my friends Laurie, Iris, and Matthew (they also happen to be a family). Actually, Matthew was on his way to do some book touring of his own, for his new e-book, Pretty Good Number One: An American Family Eats Tokyo . It is about his family's eating adventures in Tokyo. You probably need it. Don't you love the cover? Well, don't judge it by the cover! Cos the writing is even better.

Our pastries were also awesome. I got the kouign amann.

I also picked up some macarons to bring to the great staff at my publisher, Sasquatch Books. They liked me pretty well that day, I'd say.

I was then summoned back by the Tom Douglas people--apparently, this night was their closing party, and Tom himself needed a karaoke partner. I was happy to make a repeat performance! Here we are together, to prove it really happened.

The song we sung, by the way? "People who need people". Yep.

There was still more awesome to come in Seattle, though. The next day I had a sweet signing at Mrs. Cook's in the University Village, and got to meet a bunch of cool people there. And I brought brownies from the book...

Whew! After that, I was pretty tired, but there was still more to do! I had a booth at the Urban Craft Uprising on both Saturday and Sunday, where I sold books, cards, and products. I left with fistfuls of money and good memories, and got to see my buddies Kristen of Schmancy and Rosalie of Ugly Baby and Kari Chapin, genius writer of many books.

And guess who else came to say hi? PEABODY! Of Culinary Concoctions by Peabody! My baking hero! She always makes me smile.

It was a great fair!

I got a tasty dessert with my friends Nicole and Ramon after the fair one of the nights...delicious Cupcake Royale ice cream!

Monday morning after the fair, I hopped a plane and flew out of Seattle. Then, I headed for Los Angeles! There, I was a vendor at the Renegade Craft Fair, where I also sold my books.

There, I saw many LA buddies and (hooray!) got to visit the Sprinkles cupcake ATM. The line was really long though, so I got ice cream instead. Their ice cream is good--the cookies they use for ice cream sandwiches are awesome.

I also went, on reader Zita's suggestion, to The Pie Hole, where I got their version of a Pop-tart. This thing was good, even though it cost as much as a box of pop-tarts!

I also had the good fortune of sharing a craft fair booth with Vici Victual, a cookie baking business that is seriously awesome. The cookies may look like normal cookies, but the taste is extraordinary. Soft, but firmer on the edges (not quite crisp. I like soft so this was good for me). Beautifully balanced flavor. Seek them out in LA--they're at craft fairs and the like.

Thank you to everyone who bought my book, came to my book tour events, and generally made my life sweeter.

And in case you missed out...buy the book here! The Secret Lives of Baked Goods: Sweet Stories & Recipes for America's Favorite Desserts! And don't forget to buy my first book too, Cakespy Presents Sweet Treats for a Sugar-Filled Life!

Sweet Book: Cake Decorating with Modeling Chocolate

July 28, 2013 Cakespy

A while ago, I received the book Cake Decorating with Modeling Chocolate in the mail as a review copy. I blame myself for taking so long to post about it, but I've been doing a ton of travel for book tour and, you know, for fun--Seattle, San Francisco, Portland, Chicago, Philadelphia, New Jersey, New York, Los Angeles, and probably several places I've neglected to mention. It's all been a lot of fun but sheesh--time for me to get back to spyin' sweet stuff. So, back to the book, which is coming at you from Kristen Coniaris of the website Wicked Goodies.

Have you ever worked with modeling chocolate? If not, it might be about time to expand your cake decorating repertoire. To me, modeling chocolate is sort of like working with modeling wax--if not in taste, at least in texture. It's a malleable substance that is easy to use in a myriad of cake decorating projects. And this book is here to teach you how to make them. I'll go ahead (spoiler!) and tell you about what I consider the most vital skill to be learned in the book:

Yes! How to make a camo booty out of modeling chocolate! Everyone needs to know that, because you never know when you'll need such a cake.

Joking aside, though, this cake is action-packed with all sorts of modeling chocolate information, lore, and projects. If you choose not to go for the camo booty (mistake!), there are also wonderful tutorials such as this:

aren't those flowers gorgeous?

There are also plenty of tips for the beginner, including troubleshooting for if things go wrong:

and tips on how to successfully tint your modeling chocolate like all the colors of the rainbow.

And, of course, many tips that you'll learn when you buy the book.

I found myself very drawn to the more unusual tutorials in the book, such as this pig lounging in mud.

Of course, the rainbow and unicorn-loving side of me loved tutorials such as this, for a rainbow zebra print cake:

C'est fantastique!

As you can see, this book wonderfully melds education (teaching you what modeling chocolate is, and how to use it) with creativity (refer to camo booty). It's a great volume on modeling chocolate, and if you've been interested in adding this skill to your decorating repertoire, I suggest this book!

Buy it here: Cake Decorating with Modeling Chocolate.

The Bake-Off is Coming: Toasted Coconut Cheesecake Parfaits

July 28, 2013 Cakespy

CakeSpy Note: OMG! The 46th Annual Pillsbury Bake-Off is coming! Since I so deeply loved attending the 45th Bake-Off, I thought I would get you excited early by sharing some of the finalists' recipes. Narrowed down from zillions of entries, I'll profile some of the 100 finalists--but of course, based on the subject matter of this site, I will focus on sweets! You can follow them by clicking the bakeoff tag below the post to see which ones have been posted so far. Enjoy!

Hey! Did you know that today (July 28) is National Milk Chocolate Day? And Tuesday (July 30) is National Cheesecake Day? It's true. And it's a great day to enjoy these easy to prepare Toasted Coconut Cheesecake Parfaits, which, as the name might imply, are packed with tasty stuff--including milk chocolate frosting! Therefore, it's the perfect sweet to celebrate this extra special week. This recipe is from Bake-Off finalist Gloria Seymour of Rohnert Park, California.

Toasted Coconut Cheesecake Parfaits

Prep time 30 minutes - Total Time 1 hour, 30 minutes

Makes 12

1 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut
1 tablespoon Smucker's® Caramel Flavored Topping
1/2 cup Pillsbury® Creamy Supreme® Milk Chocolate Frosting
2 teaspoons brewed coffee, room temperature
3 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
1 can (14 oz) Eagle Brand® Sweetened Condensed Milk
2 tablespoons vanilla instant pudding and pie filling mix (from 4-serving size box)

Procedure

Heat oven to 350°F.
Spread 1 cup of the coconut in ungreased shallow pan. Bake 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. Cool 15 minutes.
In small bowl, mix toasted coconut and caramel topping. Meanwhile, in small microwavable bowl, microwave frosting on High 15 seconds or until smooth and creamy. Stir in coffee until well blended. Set aside.
In large bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk, scraping bowl occasionally until smooth. Add remaining 1/2 cup coconut and pudding mix; beat on low speed until well blended.
To assemble, spoon 1 1/2 teaspoons of the toasted coconut mixture into each of 12 (4 oz) glasses. Top with 3 tablespoons of the coconut cream cheese mixture, 1 teaspoon of the toasted coconut mixture and remaining coconut cream cheese mixture. Top each with about 2 teaspoons frosting mixture; sprinkle with remaining toasted coconut mixture. Refrigerate 1 hour. Store in refrigerator.

Baker's Dozen: A Batch of Sweet Links!

July 26, 2013 Cakespy

Still a fave: Triple chocolate Nanaimo bars!

Why add honey to a recipe with baking soda? Interesting response.

Healthy desserts? Just say no.

Just another reason to move to Canada!

Should Starbucks stop using Palm Oil in their baked goods?

Does singing "Happy Birthday" actually make cake taste better?

Lemonade Peeps? Believe it. Bubblegum flavored, too.

People. Cotton candy ice cream!!

A Syrian-style baklava...with no honey!

Bakery I wanna visit: Donut Divas, Miami.

In Buttercream, there are a few major players.

From the archives: this one time I made bread and then got all feisty and sweet with it.

Fantastic rainbow cakes! View a collection of 'em here.

The Bake-Off is Coming: Red White and Blue Dessert Tacos

July 25, 2013 Cakespy

The first recipe I'll feature? A wonderful one: Red, White, and Blue Dessert Tacos. Created by Charlotte Giltner of Mesa, AZ, all you have to do is "Fold flaky biscuits around whipped cream and berries to create a taco-inspired dessert." Easy and sweet! Here's the recipe.

Red, White, and Blue Dessert Tacos

Total time: 30 minutes

8 servings

2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
1cup fresh blueberries
2/3 cups sugar
1 cup whipping cream
1 can Pillsbury® Grands!® Flaky Layers refrigerated Butter Tastin'® biscuits
2 tablespoons Pillsbury BEST® All Purpose Flour
1/4cup Crisco® Pure Vegetable Oil

In medium bowl, gently mix strawberries, blueberries and 4 tablespoons of the sugar. Cover; refrigerate, stirring occasionally.
In small bowl, beat whipping cream with electric mixer on low speed until slightly thickened. Increase speed to medium. Slowly add 2 tablespoons of the sugar, beating until stiff peaks form. Cover; refrigerate.
Separate dough into 8 biscuits. Sprinkle flour on work surface; press or roll each biscuit into 6-inch round.
In 12-inch skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat. Add 2 biscuit rounds to skillet; cook 30 seconds to 1 minute on each side or until light golden brown. Repeat with remaining biscuit rounds, adding more oil as needed. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle one side of the biscuit rounds with the remaining 4 tablespoons sugar.
With slotted spoon, spoon 1/3 cup fruit mixture lengthwise in middle of unsugared side of each biscuit round. Spoon rounded 1/4 cup whipped cream along outside edge of fruit; fold biscuit round over to form taco. Serve immediately.

For more Bake-Off fun, visit the official website.

Happiness is a Dairy Queen Sundae

July 23, 2013 Cakespy

It's a funny thing about road trips. It's like by getting in a car and traveling a distance, your senses go through an awakening of sorts. All of a sudden you're a stranger in a strange land, and your senses are honed in this new world. Rather than drifting through your day in usual habits, you're practically pelted with new experiences, places, sights, and things. It's a fantastic opportunity to regain a certain curiosity about the world.

Of course, there's also the subject of food.

Sometimes, road trips can introduce you to spectacular foods, be it a regional specialty or a blue plate special or a particularly excellent roadside burger. Nobody knows this better than Jane and Michael Stern, pioneers on the subject.

Sometimes, though, the food where you happen to stop during the hours you stop there totally sucks--that unique burger joint is closed for the day and all you've got at your disposal is gas station grub.

It's times like these--and I am speaking for myself, but perhaps you agree?--that my perception about what is a "good" food and what is just ho-hum shifts.

Starbucks, for instance. I like Starbucks, but living in a city, they're hardly destination-worthy--they're just around when you need them. But when you've just driven like 600 miles in one of the Dakotas and seen beautiful scenery but not much else for hours, if you see a sign for a Starbucks coming up, it's almost like a divine ray of sun shining right on you.

Likewise with Dunkin Donuts, Baskin Robbins, and Dairy Queen.

Now, as you'll know if you are a regular reader of this site...I'm not necessarily a sweets elitist. While I love me a fancy kouign amann or Opera cake or a delicately constructed battenberg cake, there's never been a point at which I feel I'm too good for Pop-tarts, Oreos, or the delectable Vanilla Kreme variety at Dunkin' Donuts. So I should say that I'm not opposed to eating mass produced ice cream--although I often consider it far more interesting to try regional joints with interesting flavors.

But I've got to tell you, that last week, when I was road tripping from Santa Fe to Los Angeles, when I stopped at the first eatery I'd seen for miles and miles, somewhere in either New Mexico or Arizona, and the single only eatery in town was a Dairy Queen, I could have wept for joy.

And those tears could have turned to straight-out sobs when I was served a peanut butter sundae.

Now, to the uninitiated, a "sundae" at DQ is really just ice cream with a sauce on top. If you want what I consider a sundae (whipped cream and a cherry in addition to the topping), there's an extra charge.

But sometimes, ice cream with sauce is all you need in the world. And they have quite a few different toppings to choose from at Dairy Queen, including but not limited to toffee, chocolate, peanut butter, strawberry, et cetera. After consulting with the cashier for what was probably an awkwardly long time about their different toppings (I was shown the industrial sized tubs from which they are ladled on to the soft serve ice cream), I decided on the peanut butter.

The employee got a cup and pulled a lever, and into the cup cascaded a hypnotic stream of extruded soft serve ice cream. A perfect little tail-loop on top.

Then, she reached for the industrial sized container of peanut butter sauce--it was called "Liquid Peanut Butter". It had a pump, and she squeezed a generous three or four pumps on to my soft serve. I could tell she liked me!

Photo via PostneoThen, it was delivered to my hot little hand. It was roughly $3 for the small size.

Now. In my non-road trip life, I would rarely have indulged in a moment like this. I would have been seeking out the really good stuff--the Salt and Straw, the Cupcake Royale, the Hoffman's, the ultimate Maple Creemee in Vermont.

But at this particular moment, outside of that Dairy Queen somewhere in New Mexico or Arizona, sitting outside under an umbrella, listening to the whizz of cars whooshing by on the nearby freeway, I stopped to savor. I paused. I watched the workers across the street at an auto body shop. I enjoyed every bit of my ice cream, one little spoonful at a time, industrial topping and all.

And I'll tell you, the experience was absolutely perfect.

What's your favorite guilty pleasure food while road tripping?

CakeSpy for Craftsy: A Primer on the Different Types of Cakes

July 22, 2013 Cakespy

Listen! I know you're hungry for more CakeSpy updates, but I have been driving to and from Los Angeles from Santa Fe, so I've been kind of occupied and internet-less! But in the meantime, I thought you might like a sneak peek of a fantastic article I wrote for Craftsy regarding different types of cakes!

There are so many wonderful cakes in the world. From Angel Food and Birthday Cake to Red Velvet and Strawberry Shortcake, there are infinite glorious variations on this luscious and inherently happy food. But did you know that most cakes are just variations of a few simple types? It’s true. Learn the basic types of cakes, and you have a base of batter knowledge that you can take in hundreds of different cake decorating and flavor directions.

Curious? Well, you'll want to read the full article. I made a wonderful primer on the different types of cakes for Craftsy.com, which you can read on their site!

Baker's Dozen: A Batch of Sweet Links!

July 19, 2013 Cakespy

This weekend I'll be selling artwork at the Renegade Craft Fair in Los Angeles! Details here.

I find it oddly fascinating: kiwi paste.

Baking retailers: can savory food sales help fuel the sales of sweets?

Avocado! Potato! Sauerkraut! They can all be used in cake.

A story of cake excavation! Or at least baking history discovered.

Can baking improve mental health? One pioneering business wants to find out.

Avocado breakfast pudding?

I want these: frosted cornflake cereal clusters.

A fave: Brownstone Front Cake.

Also a fave forever: Doughnut Strawberry Shortcake.

Speaking of donuts, I think I'd look cute in this doughnut shirt-dress.

I just found something called the Cake Appreciation Society on Facebook, and it made me smile.

Would you try a miso maple doughnut?

The Story of Animal Crackers

July 17, 2013 Cakespy

CakeSpy Note: Sometimes, I like doing sweet things for you, readers. And so I decided to share an inside look at one of my favorite stories--and recipes!--from my new book, The Secret Lives of Baked Goods: Sweet Stories & Recipes for America's Favorite Desserts. This tale is all about animal crackers. Enjoy!

“Animal crackers and cocoa to drink that is the finest of suppers I think; when I am grown up and have what I please I think I shall always insist upon these.”

—Actor and writer Christopher Morley

Everyone loves those curious animal-shaped cookies that pack a crunch and are called “crackers.” But how is it that these proud little animals began marching their way into our mouths and hearts?

Well. The custom of crafting cookies that resemble creatures is nothing new— as early as the 1600s in Germany, bakers were making sweet treats resembling savage beasts. But it wasn’t until the 1800s that the wheels began to turn, set- ting off the chain reaction that made these sweet crackers a snacking staple. For this we owe a thank-you to the industrial revolution: that’s when biscuits, cookies, and crackers began to be manufactured in factories.

In Victorian England, “crisp biscuits”—that’s sweet, cracker-like cookies, to Americans— were very popular. Some of these biscuits were shaped like animals. A hint of things to come was evident when Zoologicals, animal-shaped cook- ies made by Philadelphia baker Walter G. Wilson, were sold at the Centennial Exposition of 1876—the first world’s fair in America. (This pivotal event yielded many innovations, including the introduction of the Dewey Decimal system, the ice cream soda, and the grand debut of the Statue of Liberty’s torch, before it was affixed to the rest of her body in New York City.)

After acquiring two New York City bakeries that produced animal-shaped biscuits, the National Biscuit Company (later Nabisco) began producing animal-shaped biscuits on a commercial scale which allowed for widespread distribution.

Serendipitously, this timing coincided with P. T. Barnum’s growing reputation as an international showman and circus owner. Perhaps sensing a sales opportunity, several companies had begun marketing foods of all sorts with circus-themed packaging, and these biscuits were a natural tie-in. The National Biscuit Company did it most famously, with their 1902 debut of the animal-shaped crackers. Marketed as a specialty holiday item, they were sold in a small box resembling a circus cage with a handle at the top, for displaying as an ornament.

The crackers proved so popular that they were soon being produced year-round, the ornament string promoted as an easy way for children to transport the cookies. In 1948, they were renamed Barnum’s Animal Crackers, which is what they’re still called today. But for all the glittering success of the Barnum associa- tion, the circus man did not receive payment for the use of his name: according to an article in the Washington Post, he never got a cent for the crackers.

Ready for a recipe? Here's an adaptation of the one in the book. For more sweet stories and recipes, buy the book: The Secret Lives of Baked Goods: Sweet Stories & Recipes for America's Favorite Desserts.

Homemade Animal Crackers (Printable version here)

Makes about 6 dozen

Ingredients

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

Procedure

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla, stirring until combined.
Add the flour mixture in 3 additions, mixing after each addition just until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Form the dough into 2 disks and wrap well with plastic; refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. Chilling the dough will ensure that the shapes hold once cut out and that the dough will not spread too much during baking.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
Allow the cookie dough to warm slightly at room temperature before rolling it. On a floured work surface, use a floured rolling pin to roll the dough to about 1⁄4 inch thick. Use small animal-shaped cut- ters to cut the dough (of course, other small cutters will work, too). Using a metal spatula, transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheets. Gather up the dough scraps and re-roll to make more cookies. Leave a small amount of room around each cookie to allow for spreading. If desired, you can use toothpicks to enhance the details on the animals, or add faces.
Let the cookies chill (on the baking sheets) in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before baking. This will ensure even further that the dough retains any details you’ve added.
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes ,or until firm, just lightly brown on the edges, and with a dull finish on top. Let cool on the pan for several minutes, then transfer to a flat surface (they may fall through a wire rack) to cool completely. Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to 7 days.

And in closing:

Per Panati's Extraordinary Origins of Everyday Things, children across America tend to “nibble away at the animals in definite order of dismem- berment: back legs, forelegs, head, and lastly the body.”

Sweet Infographic!

July 17, 2013 Cakespy

Totally sweet! I created an extremely helpful infographic for Craftsy regarding decorating tips and their appropriate uses. This is the small version--for a bigger and more detailed version, check out the Craftsy post!

CakeSpy for Craftsy: Unusual Cakes Roundup

July 16, 2013 Cakespy

Photo via Faith Gorsky of An Edible Mosaic

That, my friends, is a parsnip cake. It's true! It is an unexpected, but delicious, addition to a cake--it lends the finished product a lightly spicy and rather intriguing flavor.

It's also part of a roundup I created recently for Craftsy regarding cakes with unexpected and unusual ingredients. Here's a sneak peek:

Salad Dressing cake

What’s the secret ingredient? In the case of these unusual cakes, it’s definitely not what you’d expect! From avocados to beets to parsnips and even tomato soup and sauerkraut, each one has a highly unusual key ingredient. Yes, they might sound strange, but adventurous bakers will find that these quirky recipes yield delicious results! Let the cake adventure begin...

For the full roundup, visit Craftsy! I think you'll enjoy.

Baker's Dozen: A Batch of Sweet Links!

July 12, 2013 Cakespy

Ever tried infused vodka? How 'bout Sour Gummi Bear infused vodka?

I have no idea what this says but doesn't it look tasty?

The best kind of party? A baked alaska party.

Whipped cream roulade: heaven.

I believe I need this pistachio shortbread in my life.

Vanilla bean cinnamon roll cake. YES!

Interesting: do you ever prefer frozen baked goods?

This rainbow cake makes me smile. A lot.

Unusual dessert with mustard. Interesting...

What is cream of tartar, anyway?

Discover a new sweet: Kalakand.

I want to visit this bakery...mainly because they tout themselves as "state of the tart".

How to make a dummy wedding cake. Also fun for fooling friends!

Upcoming Book Events: Seattle!

July 9, 2013 Cakespy

Oh, Seattle! My former hometown, and one of the sweetest places I know. Home to delicious cupcakes, delicious ice cream (sometimes at the same place!), and delicious buttermilk biscuits.

And for the next nearly-a-week, home again for me, too!

Here's what I'll be up to, and I hope I'll see you at one of these sweet events to support my book, The Secret Lives of Baked Goods: Sweet Stories & Recipes for America's Favorite Desserts!

First up, we've got a meet and greet at Mrs. Cook's, a wonderful cookery supply store in the University Village (there is a Trophy Cupcakes nearby, too!). Please, come and buy a copy (or 10) of my book and I'll sign them for you!

Signing at Mrs. Cook's

Date: Friday, July 12
Time: 1-3 p.m.
Location: Mrs. Cooks, University Village. More info here!

Then, over the weekend, I will be selling my artwork (and copies of both of my books!) at the Urban Craft Uprising. I'll have a Square reader so I can take credit cards, too! Sweet!

Urban Craft Uprising

Dates: Sat. and Sun., July 13 and 14
Time: 11-5 both days
Location: Seattle Center. More information at the Urban Craft Uprising website!

Hope to see you this week, Seattle Sweeties! If not, feel free to buy my book online--it's waiting for you: The Secret Lives of Baked Goods: Sweet Stories & Recipes for America's Favorite Desserts.

CakeSpy for Craftsy: Crusting Buttercream

July 9, 2013 Cakespy

When you think of the word “crust”, you probably think more of pie than cake. But crust can also be an important term to assign to cakes–particularly pertaining to buttercream. A crusting buttercream is one that will set up firmly enough so that it can be touched lightly without making a mark. Although still relatively delicate, this crust can be a very helpful asset to decorators, making a nicely primed surface for all sorts of cake decoration, from decorative piping to fondant or gum paste adornment.

I offered up a recipe and more information on Crusting buttercream for the website Craftsy--for the full article and recipe, visit Craftsy!

Sweet Discovery: Isabella's Cookie Company

July 7, 2013 Cakespy

Do you ever look at a cookie long and hard, say "I'm gonna eat you" in a sort of cowboy-gangsta drawl, and then imagine it screaming when you bite into it?

No, neither do I. Especially not when eating this Red Velvet Cookie from Isabella's Cookie Company.

Wait, what was I talking about? Oh yes, cookies. Namely, the ones in the box of samples I recently received from the aforementioned Isabella's, a boutique cookie company based in Redondo Beach, California (am I the only one who hears Patti Smith saying "gone-gone"?), with availability mostly in the Southern California area (at stores such as Whole Foods) but available for purchase online, too. I was pretty psyched to receive them, because they seem like a cool company. And they offer all of these flavors! Dazzling, no?

In my sample box, there were three flavors: Red Velvet, Ginger, and "The Limey".

What I liked first, before even sampling any of them, was the nice size and satisfying weight of the cookies. They were small-ish, but a good size to enjoy two (not too huge that one is more than enough, but not so tiny that you need like six). They had a satisfying heft, and I had a feeling they'd make a good snacking cookie.

Here's a picture of the Limey from the website. Inspired by Key Lime pie, this cookie has a strong lime presence, but also has bits of handmade graham crackers, white chocolate chips, and --brand new -- they just "added sweet lime-infused vanilla drizzle to make your lips go smack!". It's a tasty cookie, and I like the creative cookie take on a classic pie.

The other two varieties, it turned out, were both vegan--the V-Ging, a molasses ginger cookie with a vanilla drizzle, and their newest addition, the Vegan Red Velvet cookie. They teamed up with another business, The Buttermilk Truck to create this treat, which "combines the heavenly flavor of their red velvet pancake but topped with a sweet vanilla drizzle."

I'll tell you the truth. I am probably not the most qualified to review the Ginger cookies, because...I do not like ginger cookies. They're like, a second or third choice cookie flavor for me. But an associate who is a fan says that they were moist and chewy and just this side of underbaked...in a good way.

I do, however, feel qualified to tell you about the Red Velvet variety.

Like, yum. There's a nice little cocoa scent to them, and a really nice texture. Moist. Slightly crisped (but not crispy) on the edges. Chewy. Dense in the center, like they are approaching cookie dough, but they have most definitely been baked. An interesting, almost buttermilk type flavor, but gee whiz, they're vegan! I have no idea what they put in them, but this is a very good cookie. Were I to taste it blindfolded, I might not say "Red Velvet" right away if asked to guess the flavor. But I would say it was good. Not too sweet, actually. A hint of cocoa, a lot of nice, dense, slightly soured (in that buttermilk way--good thing) flavor. A nice hit of sugar from the glaze. A perfect cookie with milk.

Overall, I will tell you this--I was impressed. Since I received the samples gratis (I love my life), I didn't know how much they cost when I received them. But I looked it up--$6.50 for a bag of 10. I vote "worth it".

A sweet cookie find indeed!

Isabella's Cookies--find them online (including a store locator) here.

What is a Torma? Hint: it involves butter.

July 6, 2013 Cakespy

Before a few days ago, I'd never heard of Torma. And I'll admit, part of me is ashamed because I consider myself an unabashed lover of butter, and it being that I've toured a butter factory and all, I do feel like I know more about the delicious stuff than the average person.

But I didn't know what Torma was.

Now, in case you hadn't gathered, Torma does have something to do with butter. I learned about it when I was recently invited to TormaFest at the Rubin Museum of Art in NYC. In the invite, it was explained that

"Torma, traditional Tibetan butter sculptures used as offerings in shrines during special ceremonies. Torma are traditionally made with a mix of barley flour and butter which creates a mixture that is soft and pliable yet durable. Colors are added according to the purpose of the particular torma and the most commonly used colors are red, blue, yellow, green and white."

Photo via Shambhala TimesI hit the internet to learn a bit more. Basically, they are figures made mostly of flour and butter used in tantric rituals or as offerings in Tibetan Buddhism. The tradition of such offerings dates back quite some time, and has straddled a few different religions, especially in the East. Some are flat, some are conical.

As for the uses, the tormas can represent deities during meditation, but they can also be used to "appease spirits, accumulate merit, or remove obstacles". Others are used as offerings before a feast, and will actually be consumed. The ones in this last category will sometimes have more toothsome ingredients included (egg, milk, sugar, honey).

The name comes from the root word gtor-ba which means to "cast away, break up, or scatter". This is to say that while making an offering, the idea is to also let go or to not hold on to tightly (emotionally, or physically). Pretty deep, huh?

Thankfully, there is a helpful blog post entitled "Torma Making, Illustrated" which was further able to introduce me to the art by linking to a video which shows the steps involved:

While the video features marzipan rather than the barley and butter mixture, I think you get the idea: basically, you're creating a lovely little offering for your altar and Overall, it seems like an extremely meditative practice.

For some interesting musings on Tormas, visit this site.

CakeSpy Undercover: Sugar Bakery and Sweet Shop Cupcake Truck, Connecticut

July 6, 2013 Cakespy

I'd like to tell you the truth: I suspect that I receive more pictures of desserts that people have eaten than the average bear. People are sending me dessert pictures all the time. Usually, though, they don't do things that would satisfy my spy curiosity, such as include what the dessert is or where they ate it. They just send a picture.

But a few days ago, when a few of my friends were at a Zombies concert in Connecticut and saw a cupcake truck, not only did they send me a photo of the partially eaten cupcake...but they included tasting notes and more information about the truck, too. It has a cute story, so I thought I would share it with you, dear readers.

The truck is the mobile outpost of East Haven's Sugar Bakery & Sweet Shop, a bakery which has been around since 2004. It's run by a mother-daughter team, Carol Vollono and Brenda DePonte. According to their website, Brenda had been living in New York City studying fashion merchandising and marketing, and missed her family, but even more importantly, she missed how they connected over dessert. While visiting home, mom and daughter were having a sesh discussing their dreams and future plans, and somehow dessert came up. Inspired by the dessert boom in the city and wanting to take advantage of mom's baking skills, they decided to give commercial baking a go, putting a new twist on classic recipes. Apparently, "The collaboration of the two minds was epic. Sugar Bakery was born!"

I think that's cute. But cuter still? The goods.

They're delivered in this adorable truck. Wouldn't you be happy to see this at a concert?

And wouldn't you be even happier, when you approached, to see this menu?

Well, they must be good if they've been on TV, right?

Definitely time to give it a try. My buddies chose the "Big Blue", a blueberry cupcake with blueberry mousse filling and...you guessed it, blueberry buttercream. Here's a before shot.

As reported, this was a very good cupcake, not to mention healthy "account of the blueberries". That definitely fits into my world view of sweets!

Sugar Bakery and Sweet Shop, 422-424 Main Street, East Haven, CT, with a roving truck, too. Find them online here.