18 Saturday Jan 2020
Posted in almonds, Apples, Cake, Make Ahead
Tags
all-purpose flour, almond flour, apples, baking powder, brandy, eggs, sliced almonds, sour cream, sugar, vanilla extract
This is a wonderful, little-black-dress type of dessert. Everyone should have this in their repertoire. It goes together quickly, it’s comfort-food delicious, it keeps and it’s more than a dessert. It’s damn fine for breakfast! Continue reading
23 Monday Dec 2019
Posted in Bread, Comfort Food, Desserts, Dried Fruit, Vegetarian
Tags
bourbon, Bread, Dried Fruit, eggs, half and half, heavy cream, milk, Spices, sugar, vanilla extract
When I was a child, bread pudding was a frequent visitor to our table. My father loved custard-y things and my mother’s bread pudding fit that bill perfectly. I make mine a bit different, but the roots are in that farm kitchen. Continue reading
23 Monday Dec 2019
Posted in Pie, raisins, sour cream
Tags
all-purpose flour, bourbon, cane sugar, cider vinegar, eggs, heavy cream, pie crust, raisins, Spices, vanilla etract
My mother came from a long line of damn fine cooks. Some cooked meat well, others were bakers. I always think of Aunt Mary as a baker. Though I suspect she could make a mean pot roast. She made this pie. It was her little bit of heaven, and it is a culinary delight to behold. Continue reading
31 Saturday Aug 2019
Posted in Cake, Chocolate, Comfort Food, Vegetarian
Tags
baking soda, Bing cherries, cherry brandy, cocoa, coffee, espresso powder, flour, Greek-style yogurt, salt, sugar, vanilla extract, vegetable oil, vinegar
The Goddess likes cake. Yes, she does. She doesn’t have much of a sweet tooth, but chocolate cake is so good for breakfast. This recipe is a riff on that old Peg Bracken cake from her “I Hate to Cook” cookbook. In her recipe, you mix the cake right in the pan you’re going to bake it in. It was a drop-dead easy recipe and had such a good flavor, so naturally The Goddess tossed in some bing cherries…naturally. Continue reading
24 Saturday Aug 2019
Posted in Bars, Cookies, Make Ahead, Vegetarian
Tags
all-purpose flour, baking powder, butter, chocolate chips, eggs, light brown sugar, Maldon sea salt, pecans, vanilla extract, white sugar
These are rich and chewy, with bits of crunchy, toasted pecans, gooey chocolate and coconut…and they’re just plain good. So pour the coffee and invite a friend…. Continue reading
14 Wednesday Aug 2019
Posted in Dairy, Desserts, Fruit, Latin Food, Make Ahead, Vegetarian
Tags
cane sugar, condensed milk, corn syrup, eggs, evaporated milk, half and half, vanilla extract, yellow cake
Tres Leches is the perfect dessert for entertaining. It’s rich, delicious and must be made ahead of time. Did I mention it’s mind-bendingly delicious? You really can’t overstate the delicious-ness quotient. Continue reading
13 Saturday Apr 2019
Posted in Cake, Chocolate, Vegetarian, Wine
Tags
all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, brown sugar, eggs, Greek yogurt, hot coffee, unsweetened cocoa, vanilla extract, vegetable oil, white sugar
In days past, before measurements were standardized, this is how things were put together. Every woman had her “special” tea cup, she used just for baking, or not. This is the way my grandmother made chocolate cake. And what a cake it is. Continue reading
01 Tuesday Jan 2019
Posted in Cake, New Year's Eve
Tags
“I don’t think any day is worth living without thinking about what you’re going to eat next at all times.”—Nora Ephron
The late Nora Ephron was known both as a great cook, and for not eating dessert. But, later in her life, she would have lunch with friends and they, at her insistence, ordered multiple desserts, having small, reasonable bites of all of them. Isn’t that a lovely concept? Sharing…and eating!
Mmmmmm…cake! And chocolate cake at that. Isn’t it a delightful way to ring in 2019? Seriously, this is one of the best chocolate cakes I’ve eaten in a long, long time. This lovely cake was baked and decorated by a talented friend and she made it from scratch, too. Oh yes…did I mention she is “almost twelve-years-old”? Isn’t that wonderful? This young woman is a serious baker and should be an inspiration to us all. She reminds us to attempt the things we enjoy, but we perhaps find a bit daunting. To have courage to attempt those daunting things. To challenge ourselves. To look for the good in others. To find joy in simple things.
I think that’s what the New Year is all about. The potential of what may be. Or maybe, what will we make of the opportunities that come our way. And at this time of year, when many of us are thinking about diets, remember to enjoy the good things in life, too. Like cake. Happy New Year!
18 Thursday Oct 2018
Posted in Coconut, Desserts, Gluten Free Option, Pudding, Vegetarian
Tags
brown sugar, butter, coconut milk, cornstarch, egg yolks, flour, heavy cream, sugar, sweetened coconut, vanilla, vanilla extract, white chocolate, whole milk
The Spicy Honey has an office BBQ and thought it would be a good idea for The Goddess to “whip up” dessert. He’s thoughtful that way. But, The Goddess doesn’t mind, because dessert is good, and this is particularly good. It’s rich, creamy and just delicious, so isn’t that just the perfect thing to have at a BBQ? Continue reading
03 Wednesday Oct 2018
Posted in Chocolate, Desserts, Gluten Free Option, Vegetarian
Tags
all-purpose flour, bourbon, brown sugar, cocoa powder, eggs, espresso, unsalted butter, unsweetened chocolate, vanilla extract, white sugar
I’m a chewy, fudgy brownie-type of woman. Cake brownies are well, just cake, really. Brownies should be dense and moist and rich. These brownies are all that, but they have the added bonus of coffee and bourbon. We’ll say these are “adult” brownies…I think they’re better the next day, but they’re damn fine, just out of the oven and cooled for maybe 15 minutes, too…damn fine! Continue reading
