50 Sweetest Moments of 2014

It's been a delicious year.

Full of life, love, and alotalotalotalotofdessert. You know what? I'd like to look back at the year to re-visit some of my sweetest moments: things I ate, places I went, art I made. Why don't you join me for a loving look back? I've arranged 50 of my finest moments from the year, in no particular order, for our mutual enjoyment. Cue the memory montage music:

1. I tackled the controversial subject of things that are not dessert. 

2. I went to the Pillsbury Bake-Off and got to hug the doughboy, and taste the million-dollar winning recipe.

3. I went to Bali, where they served mini cookies with lattes.

4. In the case of Seniman Coffee in Bali, they served the latte with a mini coconut pancake.

5. I made millet cookies.

6. I made magic cookie bars.

7. I delved into the art of guilty pleasure desserts.

8. Two words: funfetti marshmallows.

9. Two more words: Magnum Gold.



10. I made a comprehensive post about the delicious sweets of  New Mexico.

11. I made ice cream...with butter.

12. I made what I consider the only flourless chocolate cake.
Flourless chocolate cake.

13. Along with King Arthur Flour, I learned how to make the perfect pie crust.

14. I invented Cadbury creme egg in hole toast.

15. I learned how to make d.i.y. sweetened condensed milk.

16. I discovered Dessert Mash-Ups by Dorothy of Crazy For Crust.

17. I made cornmeal pecan cookies.

18. I made the most marvellous marble swirl cake.

19. I made an absolutely perfect pie with King Arthur Flour.

20. I discovered that you can make Millionaire's shortbread with store bought sugar cookie dough.

21. I made amazing bread with blue corn and pinon.

22. I fell in love with caramels by Liddabit Sweets.

23. I made homemade rock candy. oooooh.

24. I went on the road trip of the century.

25. I taught the world about "The Cake".

26. I discovered how to make black rice pudding, a Balinese specialty, at home.

27. Three words: Breakfast. Nanaimo. Bars.

28. I shared a delectable Irish Soda Bread recipe.

29. I taught you how to make tres leches cake.

30. Not joking: I made peanut butter banana croissant doughnuts.

31. I made chocolate babka with olive oil!

32. I made NYC-style rainbow cookies.

33. I made Vanilla Kreme doughnuts inspired by Dunkin'!

35. How brilliant was this: cookie cups filled with milk.

36. I made chocolate filled cookies. Bliss.

37. I made a tutorial for how to make "honeycomb" out of chocolate.

38. I created "Pop-Hearts".

39. And then I outdid myself by making unicorn Pop-tarts.

40. I figured out how to make doughnuts using cookie dough mix.

41. I made my own nutella!

42. I went healthy for a few minutes and made this hippie drink inspired by one I enjoyed in Bali.

43. Then I went back to the sweets and made a white chocolate cranberry pie that I still dream about.

44. I learned how to make ice cream without an ice cream maker!

45. I educated you on what pumpkin pie spice is, exactly.

46. I figured out a way to make any and every cookie better.

47. I invented a fictional yoga cafe.

48. I really did some terrible things to cereal.

49. I created some possible new Pop-Tart flavors.

50. We discussed eating disorders and food blogs.

This was a very meaningful moment for me in 2014. I wrote a blog post entitled "Of Eating Disorders and Food Blogs" detailing my eating disorder recovery. The response was incredible, and I feel so lucky to have such terrific and inspiring readers. I consider you all my friends.

What was your sweetest moment of 2014?

CakeSpy's Recent Craftsy Posts

Chocolate filled cookies. The best!

This post is from a while back, but worth a look: a beginner's guide to veganizing your baked goods.

Also from a bit back but worth a look: how to make stabilized whipped cream.

Fine, Christmas is over, but a cookie table will serve you all year long.

Getting started with pencil drawing. An informative and cute post!

How to paint a snowy scene in watercolor. Adorable!

Learn some cool sketching techniques to improve your art.

Baker's Dozen: A Batch of Sweet Links

Guess whose work was featured in the James Beard Foundation's newsletter? (MINE! MINE!)

DIY cookie sheet chalkboard. SO clever! (The Spiffy Cookie)

Homemade peppermint oreos. (Joanne Eats Well With Others)

The history of conversation hearts. (BHG)

The ONLY flourless chocolate cake recipe. (Right here)

I want these: pistachio creams. (Betty Crocker)

Brown butter coconut shortbread (Clockwork Lemon)

A foolproof way to make perfect lemon curd. (Fine Cooking)

An amazingly comprehensive collection of cutters, knives, and tools for pastry chefs. Yes, you can shop, but it's also suitable for reference. (Pastrychef.com)

A great collection of baking spices with an explanation of history and uses. (The Spice House)

DIY peeps. I'm ready for them already (Baking Bites)

Lemon sour cream pie. (Tastes Better from Scratch)

Brown sugar buttercream...it makes everything better. (Craftsy)

Something I loved this year and every year: the Vanilla Kreme donut from Dunkin Donuts (CakeSpy) 

Book of the week: Baking: From My Home to Yours. By Dorie Greenspan. This. Is. A. Good. Book.

The Only Flourless Chocolate Cake Recipe.

If you believe my mother (and she's a pretty honest person), my first word as a baby, aside from "mama" and "papa"...was "chocolate". Apparently, it occurred following an incident where my grandma gave baby-me a fat spoonful of chocolate frosting, against my mother's wishes. As the story goes, my eyes lit up and I said the magic word: "chok-lit". True story.

So clearly, chocolate has played an important role in my life. It's been a lifelong friend.

In spite of that, however, I don't consider myself a "chocoholic". I would more often choose a blondie than a brownie, and I like the cookie part better than the chocolate chip part of cookies. But when I do get a chocolate craving, it is fierce, and I want chocolate and nothing else in my mouth.

In Santa Fe, where I currently reside, I have been introduced to one of my favorite chocolate cakes, which always satisfies chocolate cravings: the flourless decadence cake at Whole Foods. It's a very dense chocolate cake with (because, why not) a thick ganache topping). I don't know exactly what it is about this cake, but it is GOOD. Here's a picture of it:

When I recently wrote an article for New Mexico Magazine (out in January!), one of the recipes I developed was for a decadent flourless chocolate cake. When I made it, I was surprised at how close the cake part was to the Whole Foods variety, so I tried a new variation which featured not only flourless chocolate cake, but an all-over ganache topping.

Well, my friends, it worked, and I believe I have found the perfect homemade hack of the Whole Foods decadence cake.

I don't know how to express it in words, quite, but I will try. This cake is very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very chocolatey. If you have a chocolate craving, this will do the trick. There's more than a full pound of chocolate encased in its glossy ganache-coated exterior. This cake means chocolate business.

The salt is key in this recipe, as it brings out the chocolatiness. If you want, you can add a teaspoon of coffee powder to amp up the chocolate flavor even more, but I don't find it necessary.

If you love chocolate, this is the only flourless chocolate cake recipe you'll ever need. If you don't love chocolate, this might be he one that makes you a believer.

Process shots from cake making:

Whipping the egg whites

Adding the eggs to the chocolate

Folding the egg whites into the chocolate

Pour into the pan

Baked cake

The only flourless chocolate cake recipe.

Makes one 9-inch round cake

For the cake

• 1 pound bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 11 tablespoons (1 stick plus three tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into ½ inch cubes
• 5 large eggs, divided
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar

For the sauce

• 1 batch ganache with cocoa powder

Procedure

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. Grease the top of the parchment paper.
2. In the top of a double boiler or in a large bowl set atop a saucepan of lightly simmering water with 2 inches between the top of the water level and the bottom of the bowl, melt the chocolate and butter. Stir frequently until the chocolate and butter have melted to the point where there are only a few small lumps. Remove from heat and continue stirring until these unmelted bits have melted in the residual heat.
3. Whisk in the egg yolks into the still-warm chocolate mixture. Whisk quickly so that the eggs will be incorporated without beginning to cook (nobody likes scrambled eggs in their cake). Stir in the vanilla extract.
4. In a separate bowl using a hand mixer, or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the egg whites and salt until soft peaks form. Once soft peaks form, stop the mixing and add the sugar. Scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary to make sure no sugar has stuck to the sides of the bowl. Continue mixing until the whites have attained firm peaks, but not so long that they become dry.
5. Using a rubber spatula, fold the egg white mixture into the chocolate mixture in two separate additions (it’s just easier to manage that way). Mix only until there are no more traces of white and the mixture is fully combined.
6. Using the same rubber spatula, scrape the thick chocolate mixture into your prepared baking pan.
7. Place the pan in a larger baking dish or roasting pan, and fill the larger pan with water until it reaches halfway up the cake pan’s height.
8. Place the entire unit (cake pan within bain-marie) into the oven. Bake for 30 minutes. The top and sides will be set, but the middle may jiggle a bit. This is OK.
9. Remove the cake from the pan of water (the water level should have reduced making it easier to remove). Let the cake cool in the pan. When ready to remove from the pan, run a sharp knife around the perimeter of the cake pan to loosen the edges. Place a serving platter on top of the cake pan, and flip both the pan and the plate so that the cake is on top. It should come out easily. The parchment may stay in the pan or it may come off with the cake; remove from the cake if so. Store in the refrigerator until the cake has completely set.
10. While the cake cools, make the ganache as specified in the recipe. Let it cool until it has thickened to a spreadable but thick consistency, and spread all over the cake. 
11. Keep the cake in the refrigerator until ready to serve; let it come to room temperature before serving.

Do you like flourless chocolate cake?

"The Cake"

I need to tell you about something called The Cake.

Here's the story: my darling one has a handwritten book of family recipes, and one is definitely more captivating than any others, because its name is simple, mysterious, and a bit imperious...

It has a credit of Claire Goddard. I have never had the pleasure of meeting Claire, but based on her cake, I'm pretty sure I would like her. 

This cake is pretty, but perhaps not exceptional to look at: it just looks like a pleasant cake baked in a doughnut shape.

But one bite will tell you that there is something special about the cake. It's rich, probably owing to the high amount of eggs, and it is a bit tipsy, owing to the whopping 3/4 cup sherry (or rum, thankyouverymuch). It also has that certain addictive quality that boxed yellow cake always seems to impart on a cake (evidence: gooey butter cake). It's the sort of cake that doesn't need frosting...

but hey, why not?

Even in spite of the above selling points, I'm not sure how exactly to explain the pleasure of The Cake. It isn't the fanciest dessert you've ever had, but it's got star quality--a certain je ne sais quoi that you can't quite put your finger on, but you're drawn to nonetheless.

The Cake is worth your time--I promise. A little treasure from my family's memory box to yours.

"The Cake"

Slightly adapted from Claire Goddard

Note: the original recipe calls for 3/4 cup vegetable oil; we used part coconut oil. You can use 3/4 cup vegetable oil if you prefer.

I used Pillsbury Super Moist Yellow Cake Mix for this recipe. 

• Serves 6-8 
• Prep: 10 minutes
• Baking time: 45-50 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 box yellow cake mix
• 1 package vanilla instant pudding
• 4 unbeaten eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup coconut oil plus 1 tablespoon 
• 3/4 cup sherry or rum
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 1/2 cups buttercream frosting, for topping (optional but suggested)

Procedure

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a tube or bundt pan; set to the side.
2. Combine all of the ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on medium speed for 5 minutes.
3. Transfer to a greased tube pan (we used a bundt pan). 
4. Bake for 45-50 minutes. Let cool for about 20 minutes before inverting on to a serving rack. Serve as-is, or covered with frosting (that is my suggestion) or with ice cream. 

Do you have any mysterious family recipes?

Stacked Cinnamon Roll Christmas Tree

When Pillsbury sent me their latest grouping of seasonal recipes, I knew I had to share this one. It's so cute, and it's composed of cinnamon rolls. I mean, I don't see any other necessary components to make this awesome.

This recipe is courtesy of Pillsbury - check out their other holiday ideas. Enjoy!

Cinnamon Roll Christmas Tree

Ingredients

• 1 can (12.4 oz) pillsbury refrigerated cinnamon rolls with icing
• 1/2 teaspoon colored sugar

Procedure

1. Heat oven to 400°F. Spray large cookie sheet with cooking spray. Separate dough into 8 rolls. Use kitchen scissors or knife to cut each roll into 4 pieces.
2. Shape each piece into small ball, and place on cookie sheet. Place 10 balls in a single layer, clustered and touching together to form a round disk shape. Continue with a formation of 8 balls, then 6 balls, then 4 balls, 3 balls and finally a single ball. There will be a total of 6 disks (including the single ball), which will form the layers of the tree after baking.
3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until browned. Cool on cookie sheet 2 minutes. Meanwhile, transfer icing to microwavable liquid measuring cup. Microwave uncovered on High 10 to 15 seconds or until pourable.
4. Use large, flat spatula to transfer largest disk to serving platter or cake plate. Drizzle with small amount of icing, then top with next largest disk. Drizzle with small amount of icing. Continue with remaining disks, ending with single ball. Drizzle remaining icing over tree. After drizzling, immediately sprinkle with colored sugar.

What's your favorite holiday breakfast?

Create a Cookie Table Like a Pro.

Read the full article here.

Baker's Dozen: A Batch of Sweet Links

How to make a Santa cake. Impress everyone! You win Christmas! (Paul Bradford Cakes)

Italian sesame cookies. I loved these growing up and can't wait to make them as a grown-up! (Hunting for the Very Best)

Chocolate cinnamon rolls. Well done. (Heather's French Press)

Chocolate pecan tassies. I want these so bad! (American Heritage Cooking)

Five ingredient chocolate candy. This, I can handle. (Show me the Yummy)

Peanut butter honey shortbread. Some of my favorite flavors all in one cookie. (Savory Nothings)

Peppermint pinwheels. INTO IT. (Bake.Eat.Repeat)

Ever heard of Goan nankhatai? (Flavors of Mumbai)

Mantecaditos con guayaba. Translation: DELICIOUS. (The Noshery)

Salted peanut sandwich cookies. YUM! (Pillsbury)

Ever baked with persimmon? I haven't, and these sweet persimmon bars sound great. (Flavor the Moments)

A sweet discussion of the holiday cookie tradition. (Cape Gazette)

If you have an eating disorder, here are some tips for surviving a stressful food holiday season. (Unicorn Love)

Chocolate filled cookies! (CakeSpy for Craftsy)

Did you know I'm on Instagram? Follow me! (Do it here)

Book of the week: Beard On Bread. This book is a classic, and with good reason. This book is like a people's bread bible--accessible, informative, and full of illustrations.

Chocolate Babka is the Best Thing Ever

RECIPE HERE!

The best thing ever? Cake that masquerades as "breakfast bread". And my new favorite? Babka. Chocolate babka, to be specific.

Chocolate babka first entered my consciousness when it was the subject of a Seinfeld episode. It wasn't until a couple years later, when I lived in New York City, that I tried the stuff--from Zabar's, naturally. 

I'll tell you how I felt about babka: I liked it. 

Babka makes for sweet eating: a lightly sweetened yeast bread with a feathery texture which is weighted down to seriously sweet territory with an inner swirl of dark chocolate. It makes for an addictive combination, let me tell you. 

Apparently, the babka we eat stateside is a bit different from "the original", you know, from the old country. I'm willing to believe that one is good, too, but I am pretty sure I'd still prefer the American version, stuffed with chocolate. 

When I paired up with Colavita to make some recipes for their website using their olive oils, I was super-psyched to try out babka sans butter. I have to say, the olive oil works tremendously in this recipe--it has a smooth, lightly fruit-like flavor that brings out the best parts of the bread and chocolate, marrying them in the most delicious way. 

To read more about babka, check out the post on the Colavita blog. And here is my awesome babka recipe.

Pleasuretown: Chocolate Filled Cookies

What's better than cookies? Cookies filled with chocolate. Recipe here.