Let's Jam: Jamprint Cookies Recipe from Oddfellows Cafe, Seattle

Anyone who has ever visited Seattle's Oddfellows Cafe knows what a beautiful and special things its bakery case contains. From biscuits to blondies to bundts (and even homemade Ho-hos!), they've got something for every sweet tooth. And now, here's one of their secrets: a recipe for their Jamprint Cookies (a sort of thumbprint-meets-macaroon cookie). They urge you to post pictures on their Facebook page if you try the recipe out!

Here's how to make this magic happen at home:

Jamprint Cookies

 Ingredients

• .75 lbs butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 3.5 cups flour
• .5 teaspoon salt
• flaked coconut, for edges
• jam (of your choosing), about 1 teaspoon per cookie

Procedure 

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Cream butter + sugar in mixer w/ paddle attachment, add vanilla + salt
3. Sift in the flour, mix until dough comes together
4. Wrap in plastic, chill for 1 hr
5. Roll it into 1 ounce balls, dip balls in egg wash + roll in flaked coconut
6. Put ball on a baking sheet + indent the top, fill with jam.
7. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until coconut is toasted and jam thickens.

Sweetness in the Morning: Coffee Spanish Torrijas Recipe

Nomsies! A big thank you to Eagle Brand Condensed Milk and to Ingrid Hoffman, who were kind enough to share this recipe for Coffee Spanish Torrijas (described to me as "like Spanish French Toast").

Coffee Spanish Torrijas

Yield: 6-8 servings / Prep Time: 10 Minutes / Cook Time: 5 Minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 (14 oz.) can Sweetened Condensed Milk, divided
• 1/3 cup strong brewed coffee, plus 4 tsp., divided
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 2 to 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 (6 oz.) loaf French bread, cut into 16 (1/2-inch) slices
• Ground cinnamon 

Instructions:

1. HEAT oven to 250°F. Place small baking sheet in oven.
2. WHISK together 2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk, 1/3 cup coffee and vanilla in large bowl. Whisk egg in medium shallow bowl until blended.
3. HEAT 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet over medium heat. Dip one bread slice at a time in milk mixture, then in beaten egg, turning to coat both sides. Place 5 to 6 slices in heated skillet. Cook until browned, about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Place on baking sheet in oven to keep warm. Repeat with remaining slices adding more oil as needed.
4. COMBINE remaining sweetened condensed milk and 4 teaspoons coffee in small bowl to make topping. Drizzle topping over warm bread slices just before serving. Sprinkle with cinnamon.
5. For a citrus topping, stir 1 teaspoon lime juice and 1/4 teaspoon grated lime peel into topping.

Hoppy Easter: Carrot Cake Truffles Recipe for Serious Eats

How do you capture the Easter Bunny?

Not with carrots, that's for sure: way too healthy, and if there's one life lesson that holds true, it's that you catch more flies with honey.

That is to say, try your luck with these little nuggets of delight known as Carrot Cake Truffles, inspired by the basic cake pop recipe from my bloggy BFF Bakerella. Comprised of dense carrot cake mixed with cream cheese to form a decadent filling, a coating of high-quality white chocolate adds a sweet finish, making for a hoppy, er, happy eating experience. Even if you don't capture the Easter Bunny, your happiness is pretty much guaranteed.

For the full entry and recipe, visit Serious Eats!

So Corny: Easter Candy Corn Recipe for Serious Eats

It's time to let you in on a little secret: Easter Corn is the same thing as Candy Corn, but colored differently. And like Candy Corn, it tastes better when made at home.

Of course, you can make the most of this festive treat by coloring it creatively. Instead of tricolors, why not go for five stripes of pastel sweetness? And, going even further, why not serve it in overturned baby-food jars to form the cutest enchanted forest-style terrarium treats you've ever seen? With all that magic, you might just give the Easter Bunny a run for its money.

For the full entry and recipe, visit Serious Eats!

Get Dirty: Dirt Cake Recipe from Cake Gumshoe Sabrina

Have you ever heard of "Dirt Cake"? Well, neither had I, sweet friends, but Cake Gumshoe Sabrina was kind enough to share after I had what can only be described as a "Facebook freakout" after seeing her post pictures of this masterpiece online.

Here's the 411, from Sabrina:

According to your comment, I'm assuming you have never had the yumminess that is 'DIRT CAKE!' It is quite simple to make and makes for a happy tummy.

Dirt Cake

• 1 regular-sized package of Oreos (or store brand)
• 1 box of instant chocolate Jello pudding mix (the no-cook version)
• 3 cups of milk
• 1/2 or 1 tub of whipped topping 
• 1 package of gummi worms

Procedure

1. Step 1: Crush your Oreos! I place cookies in a large ziploc bag, gently use a rubber mallet to break them down to smaller pieces/crumbs. HINT: You could also use a blender if you've got one handy, it's a lot faster. If you use one, break up the cookies a little bit beforehand to help w/ the process.
2. Step 2: Make some mud. Prepare the package of pudding mix by combining 3 cups of milk and blending thoroughly. Add 1/2 to a full tub of thawed whipped topping (as found in the freezer section) and mix well.
3. Step 3: Build! In a deep bowl, clear flower pot or several individual bowls, add a layer of crushed Oreos (aka dirt) then spoon a layer of your mud pudding, follow with another layer of dirt and repeat until you're out of both. I usually end up with 3 layers of cookie crumbs and 2 layers of pudding.  HINT: As you build your layers, feel free to drop a few gummi worms in!
4. Step 4: Garish. Add gummi worms to the top of the 'cake' and refrigerate for several hours.  HINT: If you happen to have a sprig of fake flowers laying around, clean the plastic stem and stick it into the dirt cake. Sometimes the flowers can be too heavy or lopsided so this won't always work...but it definitely adds to the effect! 

Enjoy!

Sweet Fusion: Easter Candy Choco Taco Plate Recipe for Serious Eats

It's true, I am a genius.What happens when you combine Easter Candy with a Choco Taco?

Nothing good, that's what. Instead, you have something great. This Easter-themed "taco plate" is fusion at its best, with sweet "tacos" filled with ice cream and all manner of pastel sweets, topped with green-tinted shredded coconut which simultaneously mimics Easter basket grass and shredded lettuce. Bonus points if you serve it up with a side of "rice and beans"—rice pudding studded with jelly beans, of course.

For the full entry and recipe, visit Serious Eats!

Sweet Spot: Oatmeal Raisinet Cookies Recipe by Cake Gumshoe Christine

CakeSpy Note: This is a guest post from Cake Gumshoe Christine Mullen, a photographer and food blogger from Ottawa, Ontario. She enjoys experimenting in the kitchen and photographing the results but ultimately hates doing the dishes. She blogs at Munchin With Munchkin.

I have the biggest weak spot for chocolate covered raisins. Every time I bite into one it brings me back to my earliest childhood memory.

I remember the specific moment I was hooked for life. It was December of 1989. My mother was on Christmas holidays and she decided to take me to see my first movie. We drove to Britannia which had both an indoor theatre and a drive in.

When we entered the theatre I was mesmerized by the speckled carpet, the sparkling ceiling and the overwhelming smell of popcorn. As we stood in line my eyes focused on a glass display case at the front
counter filled with colourful boxes of candy.

When we finally got to the front of the line my mother purchased our tickets and asked me if I wanted a treat. In my 3 years of life I rarely had candy so I knew this was a special occasion. As I peered through the glass my options were overwhelming. Without the ability to read my decision was determined solely by the colour of the box. I came to the conclusion that the purple box would contain the best treat and mother happily agreed.

With large purple box in hand we walked to our theatre and chose seats
close to the front. My memories of the movie are vague but I remember
sharing that box of raisinets and thinking my mother was the coolest
person in the whole world.

My mother is coming to visit me this week so in preparation I made these oatmeal raisinet cookies to share with her. They are incredibly soft and chewy and the chocolate covered raisins add that taste of childhood every great cookie should have.

Oatmeal Raisinet Cookies

Makes about two dozen cookies

• 1 cup butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 Tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
• 1 Tsp. baking soda
• ½  Tsp. salt
• 3 cups old fashioned oats
• 1 ½ cups chocolate covered raisins

Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. In a large bowl cream the butter and sugars.
3. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until fully combined.
4. Stir in the baking soda, salt, and flour and mix until just combined, being careful not to over mix. Briefly mix in the oats. Add the chocolate covered raisins and stir until just combined.
5. Scoop 1 tablespoon of cookie dough onto un-greased cookie sheets about half an inch apart.
6. Bake for 10 – 12 minutes until the cookies are golden brown along the edges.

Feeling Toasty: Coconut French Toast With Bananas Foster Recipe from Joe Yonan

What happens when coconut, French Toast, and Bananas Foster make sweet love?

Well, find out for yourself (pervert!)--check out Serve Yourself: Nightly Adventures in Cooking for One by Joe Yonan. He was kind enough to share the following recipe from the new release:

Coconut French Toast with Bananas Foster

• 3 tablespoons pecan halves
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup coconut milk
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 thick (3/4- to 1-inch) slice rich white bread, such as brioche or challah, trimmed neatly into a round or square (crusts removed)
• 1/4 cup Japanese-style panko
• 2 tablespoons dried unsweetened coconut flakes (medium shred)
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon dark brown sugar
• 1 banana, peeled and diagonally sliced 1/2 inch thick
• 2 tablespoons dark rum

Procedure

1. Toast the pecans in a small, dry skillet over medium-high heat, shaking the pan frequently, until they start to turn dark brown and smell very fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Immediately transfer them to a plate to cool.
2. Whisk the egg, coconut milk, and vanilla extract together in a shallow bowl. Add the bread; let it stand for about 10 minutes, turning it over about halfway through, until it has absorbed most of the liquid.
3. Combine the panko crumbs, coconut, and granulated sugar on a plate. Use a spatula to transfer the soaked bread to the crumb mixture, and turn to coat both sides evenly. Pat as much of the mixture as you can onto the bread.
4. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium-low heat in a small skillet. Add the bread and cook until it is golden brown and crusted, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn it over and cook another few minutes, until it is golden brown on the second side. (Reduce the temperature as needed to keep the bread from getting too dark.) Transfer to a plate. The inside of the French toast will be fairly spongy.
5. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon of butter to the pan and let it melt. Add the brown sugar and stir until it melts, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the banana slices and stir until they are warmed through and coated with the butter in the pan, 1 minute. Add the pecans and rum, and stir to combine.
6. Spoon the warmed banana mixture over the French toast, and eat.

Note: Some brands of coconut milk, such as Chaokoh from Thailand, are available in 5.6-ounce cans rather than the standard 13.5 to 14 ounces. Store coconut milk in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or freeze in ice-cube trays and then store the cubes in freezer-safe heavy-duty plastic bags for several months.

Reprinted with permission from Serve Yourself: Nightly Adventures in Cooking for One by Joe Yonan copyright © 2011. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House, Inc.

Maple Madness: Vermont Maple Cookies Recipe for Serious Eats

When it comes to baking with maple, Grade C (or sometimes Grade B; see note, below) is anything but average.

It's is the deepest, darkest, most assertively maple-flavored grade of syrup you can get; while it can be a bit strong for, say, topping your pancakes (that's Grade A territory), the higher-octane stuff lends a rich, almost caramel-like maple flavor to baked goods. These simple drop cookies, adapted from a recipe I discovered in a vintage Vermont baking pamphlet at the Maple Museum of New England, are an ideal recipe to let the maple flavor shine.

They're great on their own, or if you want to double your pleasure, sandwich two with a smear of buttercream.

Note: As I learned on this website, Grade C Maple Syrup is no longer used by USDA. Grade C Maple Syrup is now designated USDA Grade B Maple Syrup. However, while in Vermont last week, I still saw a lot of maple labeled Grade C. If you can't locate Grade C maple syrup, simply choose the darkest Grade B variety you can find.

For the full entry and recipe, visit Serious Eats!

Sweet and Salty: Closeup on the Maple Canadian Bacon Nanaimo Bars Recipe

CakeSpy Note: by popular request, here's an individual post, all on its own (originally part of this massive Nanaimo Bar oeuvre), for the Maple Canadian Bacon Nanaimo Bars. Um, plus I thought it would make for a great entry in the Denny's / Foodbuzz Baconalia challenge for a chance to win! Enjoy!

Inspired by two other Canadian specialties, these bars were made with a "blonde" (sans cocoa) bottom layer, topped with a maple-infused buttercream center, all of which was topped off with a thick layer of white chocolate sprinkled with brown sugar and Canadian bacon baked until crispy with a maple glaze.

Makes 24-36 bars, depending on how hungry you are

Bottom Layer

• ½ cup unsalted butter
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 egg beaten
• 1 ¼ cups graham wafer crumbs
• ½ c. finely chopped pecans
• 1 cup coconut

Middle Layer

• ½ cup unsalted butter
• 2 Tablespoons cream
• 2 teaspoons maple syrup (I used grade B)
• 2 Tbsp. vanilla custard powder or vanilla instant pudding powder
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar

Top Layer

• 3-4 slices canadian bacon
• 2 teaspoons maple syrup
• 3/4 cup white chocolate chips
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar

 Procedure

1. Melt the butter and sugar in the top of double boiler. Add egg and stir to cook and thicken. Remove from heat. Stir in crumbs, coconut, and nuts. Press firmly into an ungreased 8" x 8" pan.
2. Cream butter, cream, custard powder, sugar, and syrup together well. Beat until light. Spread over bottom layer, making sure that it is as smooth and flat as possible. 
3. Prepare the bacon. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and line a sheet with parchment. Place the canadian bacon slices on top of the parchment, and drizzle with the maple syrup. Place in the oven until it is very crispy, turning after about 5 minutes. For me, the slices were fairly thin so it only took about 10 minutes total to get them very, very crispy. Remove from the oven and let cool while you prepare the rest of the topping.
4. Melt white chocolate in the microwave in 20 second increments, stirring after heating, until it is melted and smooth enough to spread on top of the buttercream layer. Spread it on top as quickly and smoothly as you can.
5. Sprinkle the brown sugar on top of the white chocolate, and then crumble the bacon on top, making sure to get even coverage.