Sweet Nothings: Conversation Heart Cream Pie for Serious Eats

I'm pretty sure that I can count on on hand the number of people who genuinely love the taste of Conversation Hearts. And that's when I think really hard.

Conversation Heart Cream Pie, however, is a different story.

Believe it or not, letting those sugary-chalky lumps steep in milk before making a cream pie custard filling actually does yield a surprisingly toothsome (if slightly tooth-decaying) pastry product. No, it's not fine dining—it's best described as vanilla cream pudding pie punctuated with melty, pastel sugar cubes—but it goes down much easier than you'd think, especially when crowned with a cloud of freshly whipped cream.

For the full entry, recipe, and more pictures, visit Serious Eats!

Taking it to the Sweet: Paletas Popsicle Art

As you know, CakeSpy is a big supporter of the idea that sweetness ought to be infused in your life on a daily basis--both literally and figuratively.

And clearly, the couple behind The Paletas (discovered by a sweet spy tip from CS buddy Tom) are my sweet soul-mates: they create popsicle art that they leave around their world, in an effort to give people pause and ideally add a sense of whimsy and joy to their lives (not unlike my fake cupcake project!).

Although they prefer to remain anonymous, one of the creators was kind enough to give me a small mission statement:

We draw and make things all of the time and one day we were at the craft store and saw the little popsicle sticks so we decided to make some small clay pops that we would just glue in random spots. No real reason, just something strange for the passersby. Eventually they evolved into anthropomorphic creatures, I think the one's with faces draw people in a little more, you connect with whatever emotion they have. So now we mostly make plastic pops and stickers. The plastic is so much fun to experiment with, it's kind of expensive but way easier to work with than clay. There is no real reason for doing it other than to make the observer's surroundings a little more interesting and inspire people to wonder. It's something to do, a creative muse to focus our efforts. It's also tons of fun trading art with other artists around the world. 

Why go to all that effort? As one of the Paletas so sweetly put it, "Sometimes a sense of wonder can inspire the imagination of the viewer/finder. "

If that isn't a sweet outlook, I don't know what is, friends.

Check out art that is "cold as ice, twice as nice" on The Paletas tumblr page and on Flickr!

Sweet Giveaway: Sweet Art For Sweethearts!

For no particular reason, other than I think you're sweet and I like you, I'd like to offer up a sweet giveaway: a framed CakeSpy print!

This 5x7 framed print depicts a sweetly subversive scene: Cuppie enjoying a red velvet cupcake and some delicious coffee! It has an inner mat and is printed in vibrant ink on a thick cardstock paper.

And it will go to one lucky winner! How do you put your name in the hat? It's, like, totally easy. Just leave a comment below weighing in on this important question: when it comes to Red Velvet Cake, what is your favorite frosting? A traditional boiled frosting? A classic cream cheese frosting? Or perhaps a vanilla or even cocoa buttercream?

This giveaway will close one week from today, on February 13, at noon PST. The winner will be announced shortly thereafter. Of course, if you can't wait to buy CakeSpy art, click on over to cakespyshop.com!

Update on Tuesday, February 15, 2011 by Cakespy

UPDATE: THE WINNER! Sweeties, we have a winner. It's Lucy, who (duh!) says that Cream Cheese is her choice! Congratulations!

Stick It: LolliPies by A La Mode Pies, Seattle

So, earlier this week I headed over to the Center of the Universe (aka Fremont, Seattle) for a secret spy assignment: namely, to eat pie at newly-opened Pie.

Little did I know that even more pie would be in my future. After Twittering that I'd just visited Pie, I received a message from nearby Blue Moon Burgers saying "you should come try our LolliPies!".

Um, OK.

So I walked over and what should I find at this burger joint but a beautiful display of pocket pies on sticks! Now, these aren't Pie Pops like the baby-ones I made for Serious Eats a while back--these are respectably, bigger-than-a-fist-sized pies on not so much of a popsicle stick, more like a tongue depressor. 

They had a few flavors available--I chose the "Blue Hawaiian", which I knew was a specialty.

On a stick, this already-good pie is positively genius. The higher crust-to-filling ratio allows the eater to attain a heightened state of carb-o-loading bliss, and the blueberry-pineapple-coconut filling was rich and sweet enough to stand up to all that delicious crust. Nice detail: it was topped with more toasty coconut on top.

Of course, it got even better when I topped it with a jaunty dollop of freshly whipped cream.

LolliPies by A La Mode Pies, available at Blue Moon Burgers and various other locations; learn more at A La Mode Pies.

Baker's Dozen: A Batch of Sweet Links

 Happy, happy, happy weekend! Let's get it off to a totally sweet start with a baker's dozen of links:

Let's Talk About Pie Less and Eat It More: Another reason to love Baked's Matt Lewis.

Of course, as Megan Seling reminds us in The Stranger...pie has arrived...but then again, PIE NEVER LEFT.

...and also if you're in Seattle, eat pie at these places, says Nancy Leson (she is to be listened to).

Speaking of pie (I realize that I am talking about pie and should be eating it more), do you believe I once thought it needed help being cooler?

Remember my obsession with the Mazurka Bar? Author Judi Hendricks (who got me obsessed in the first place) blogs about it here!

In NYC? Please get your cookie on, with the return of Dorie Greenspan's CookieBar!

Mama, what's a Kruffle? Tell you when you're older. Just kidding - they're cake truffles!

Sweets for your sweet: Truffle Truffle candies on the TastingTable Sweet Shop!

Warm and Fuzzy: Cotton Candy Heart Cookies by Chic Cookies!

Fame and sweet fortune: CakeSpy isn't the only one being filmed this week. Trophy Cupcakes is going to be featured on The Cooking Channel!

For those of you who will not be watching the Super Bowl, Melissa Clark proposes a pinkies-out feast of crumpets and marmalade. I say you can do both.

Speaking of the NY Times, Mark Bittman (who I am in love with, sorry Mr. CakeSpy) steps down as the Minimalist. To honor him? A link to one of his desserts, Mexican Chocolate Tofu Pudding.

Sweet memories: Avocado cake for Serious Eats (perfect for the leftover avocados once you've made your super bowl guacamole!).

Cake Byte: CakeSpy on TV Tonight!

Seattle Channel Video can be played in Flash Player 9 and up

Oh, hey, buddies. If you're finding me hard to reach these days, it's probably because I'm a huge TV star now. And to prove it, watch the video above! It will also air at 7pm this evening (Thursday, 2/3) on the Seattle Channel!

Great Balls of Cake: Cake Balls from 3.14 Bakery, White Center, WA

...and to think, I was about to order a cookie.

It's true: when I recently made a trek to finally visit two West Seattle bakeries I'd never visited in person, I had all but settled on a cookie at 3.14 Bakery (as you'll recall, I have tried their cinnamon rolls, thanks to Stacy!).

But on my way to the register to pay, I saw this unassuming little sign:

OMG! Cake Balls! Forget you, cookie!

And so I got the Red Velvet covered in white chocolate.

There is a problem with these cake balls, and it is the fact that the amount of joy resulting from the $1 price tag is simply not in line. These are dollar bites of heaven. Beyond rich cake, kept moist by a protective wall of white chocolate, these are not high cuisine, but they're awfully tasty. (Disclaimer: CakeSpy loves white chocolate)

If you find yourself in West Seattle, get one. Or ten. You decide.

Cake Balls! (and they have other stuff too). From 3.14 Bakery, 9602 16th Ave SW, Seattle. On Facebook here.

Small But Mighty: Mini Mini Pies from Pie, Fremont, Seattle

Fremont, Seattle, is the center of the universe. Well, if you trust street signs and locals, that is. 

And for pie lovers, the new epicenter is Pie, a pint-sized shop specializing in small pies both sweet and savory. They just opened but have already been featured in the Seattle Times, The Stranger (by the inimitable Megan Seling), and now on CakeSpy.

The pies are available in two sizes: mini (cupcake sized) and mini mini (thumbprint sized). I got the mini-mini ones because it meant I could eat more.

Flavors sampled: Lemon Custard, Peanut Butter and Jelly, and Key Lime. Thoughts?

The pie is good. The crust is very flaky, like a croissant-meets-puff-pastry-pie-crust hybrid. This is very good for flaky crust lovers, but if you prefer a sturdier and chewier crust, you'd be better served at High 5 Pie or Shoofly. 

The fillings are good. The lemon and lime varieties are tart and not overly-sweet; the peanut butter and jelly I found to be a standout, rich but piquant with a touch of jelly, and the perfect foil to the flaky crust--the peanut butter kind of got absorbed and made it nice and thick and dense (and yes, I am one of those "I love more crust" types of people, though Mr. Spy is not and loves flaky crust). 

The logo is good. No bigger bummer than a bad bakery logo. And theirs passes CakeSpy scrutiny.

Also, I love the fact that you can watch the pies being made. LOVE!

And although I deplore diets, I should mention that the teeny tiny mini size is ideal for those who are still New Year's Resolution-ing--they allow a good taste, without being overly indulgent. 

Pie, 3515 Fremont Ave. N, Seattle; online at sweetandsavorypie.com. Find them on Facebook here, follow them on Twitter here. 

Cake Byte: Watch CakeSpy on TV Tomorrow on The Seattle Channel

Andy Warhol once said "When I got my first TV set, I stopped caring so much about having close relationships with other people".

And how sweet is this: tomorrow you can get all up close and personal with a professional Cake Gumshoe without having to leave the comfort of your own home!

That's right, sweeties: CakeSpy's gonna be on TV. 

CityStream, a fantastic show on The Seattle Channel, sent a crew over to my store last week to film a spot about my sweet art and gallery dedicated to awesome art. And you can watch it tomorrow, Thursday, Feb. 3, at 7pm!

Of course, if you're not in Seattle or won't be around, you can also watch it online (I believe they will put it up a day or two after it airs).

For schedules and more, visit the CityStream Page!

Sweet Start: Custom Cereal by me & goji

A while back, I was contacted by a custom artisanal cereal company called me&goji with a sweet offer to try out their build-your-own-cereal tool for free. 

Very cool, but unless it's being used in cereal treats of some sort, I have to be honest: I am not much of a cereal eater.

But then it hit me: could I use this as an opportunity to create the least healthy--and therefore most delicious-- cereal on earth?

Well, I was certainly going to try.

So, when you start the "build your own cereal" adventure, you are greeted with an array of base cereals with which to start your mix, including flax flakes, oats, and something called "healthy hoops". I scrolled right on past these choices and settled on what was clearly the best: "Choco Granola".

After that, you get to add various mix-ins to customize your cereal. Choices include things like healthy, fiber-rich fruit, oat, and nut mixtures.

Of course, they also include things like the melange I chose, which included Cacao nibs, coconut, macadamias, cocoa almonds, choco-peanuts, chocolate chips...and, for health, banana chips.  And I called it...

Now, I'm not going to say that this is the least healthy cereal ever, but it certainly does sound more like the ingredient list for a rich cookie bar than for cereal, doesn't it?

But proof is in the pudding, so how did it taste?

In a word: rich. This was like taking trail mix and removing all of the pesky raisins that get in your way and adding a whole lot more delicious stuff. When covered in milk it became a decadent treat of a breakfast, one that left the remaining milk tasting like some sort of Momofuku dream.

You could use me & goji to create a delicious, healthful cereal--but if you ask me, it's far tastier to create a dessert-of-a-breakfast for a sin-cereal-y delicious treat.

Create your own cereal confection--I mean, creation-- at meandgoji.com. Oh, and they have some Valentine's Day Specials, too!