Pastry Profiles: Oatmeal Fudge Brownie at Gill's Deli, Rutland VT

Gill's Deli in Rutland, VT, is famous for its sandwiches.

But, you know, they also have a nice little array of home-baked goodies too.

When I went to Gill's as a sandwich ambassador for Serious Eats (my title, not theirs) I was able to scope out the bakery case, too, and pick up some treats.

But the one I want to tell you about is the Oatmeal fudge brownie.

Sort of like a chocolate fudge bar cookie on the base, this baby was studded with a sweet, crunchy oat topping which added a nice, nutty flavor, as well as a satisfying heartiness to the bar. Not a fancy treat by any means, it was a nostalgic, lunchbox style treat that was charming to find among the sandwiches, and worth picking one up if you find yourself in the environs.

Gill's Deli, Rutland, VT. Online here.

Maple Madness: Vermont Maple Cookies with Maple Buttercream and Canadian Bacon Recipe

Fact: Vermont Maple cookies are pretty awesome.

But, you know, that's not to say that they can't be made better with the addition of two things that make pretty much everything better: frosting and bacon. When paired with the fact that this enables you to eat two cookies, at once, with frosting and bacon, pretty much puts us all at the point of awesome overload. Here's how you do it.

Vermont Maple Cookies with Maple Buttercream and Canadian Bacon

For the cookies

• 1 batch Vermont Maple Cookies (find recipe here)

For the frosting and garnish (frosting adapted from this recipe)

• 3 large egg yolks
• 1 cup pure maple syrup, best quality
• 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces
• To garnish: 3-4 slices Canadian bacon, glazed with 1 tablespoon of maple syrup and baked until very crispy, and crumbled

Procedure

1. Bake cookies and let cool.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg yolkson high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes; set aside. In a small saucepan set over medium-high heat, bring the maple syrup to a boil, and cook until it registers 240 on a candy thermometer, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat.With the mixer running, slowly pour syrup down the side of the bowl in a slow, steady stream, until completely incorporated, about 1 minute.
3. Continue beating until bowl is just slightly warm to the touch, 4 to 5 minutes. Add butter, one piece at a time, until thoroughly incorporated and the frosting is fluffy, about 4 minutes more.
4. Turn over one of your cookies and place a healthy dollop on the bottom. Sandwich a second cookie, bottom-side down, on top. Sprinkle the exposed frosting sides with crumbled bacon. Enjoy.

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 Love: A Bakery Crush on A Dozen Eggs Bake Shoppe, Mount Holly, VT

I'm not against a little matchmaking...when the match in question is a bakery.

So when CakeSpy reader Jen wrote saying "have I met a bakery that would be great for you!" I clicked over to their website, and knew that she was right: we were a perfect match. 

That was how my long-distance love affair began with A Dozen Eggs Bake Shoppe, a sweet bakery in Mount Holly, Vermont. 

Now, I have a few reasons why one should love A Dozen Eggs--sweetly decorated cookies for just about every occasion and interest (say hello to your new go-to source for baseball, female golfing, ballet, birthday, skunk-love, penguin, and butterfly cookies); cupcakes that look pretty and like they have a great frosting-to-cake-ratio; and of course, that New England classic, the Whoopie Pie. Several of the items can be shipped, too.

But of course, from a distance, it's hard to tell how the sweets taste. Just as good as they look, Jen assures us, who, when asked her favorite items from the shop, had this to say:

"Well their cookies are not only impeccably decorated but delicious as well.  So are their homemade marshmallows! And my dogs have enjoyed their pumpkin doggy biscotti.  Too many to list!!"

That's good enough for me. Another bakery match made in heaven!

In Vermont? You can check out A Dozen Eggs yourself at 1871 Route 103 in Mount Holly Vermont; or, some items are also available for nationwide shipping too via their website; online at adozeneggs.com.