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Peachy Keen: Gingery Fresh Peach Shortcakes

Sep 4, 2013 · 5 Comments

I need to hang on to summer for just a little longer. I know it's officially September now, so the Unofficial Food Blogger's Code requires that I officially start obsessing over pumpkin-spice everything, but I'm not ready for that just yet.

It's not that I don't love the flavours of fall (pumpkin-spiced or otherwise), but moving into fall mode means letting go of everything that I love about late summer - the golden late afternoon glow that pours into my house, the lazy weekend breakfasts in our sun-dappled backyard, the ripe sweet corn and tomatoes from the farmers market, and the fact that I don't have to find a matching pair of socks each morning....

End of Summer Blues: Wild Blueberry Basil Hand Pies

Aug 14, 2013 · 10 Comments

It seems like summer is determined to fly by in a blur this year, leaving me no choice but to frantically try to cram as much as I can into each precious weekend.

Some of the items on my summertime bucket list are already checked off, like long bike rides, big brunches eaten on sidewalk patios, Big Summer Potluck, Saturday morning outings to the farmer's market, and beers in the backyard....

Secret Recipe Club: Easy Peach Rhubarb Cake

Aug 4, 2013 · 18 Comments

According to my calendar, we're already partway into August. Can you believe it? I sure can't.

Thankfully, as fast as the summer seems to be flying by, it's already been full of fun adventures, good times with friends, and lots of delicious food, so I can't really complain.

I've also been working on a few projects, which means there's also been lots of baking and cooking and writing up a storm behind the scenes. I'll be sharing all of those projects with you over the next little while, but in the meantime, it's time for some Secret Recipe Club fun, in the form of a ridiculous easy Peach Rhubarb Cake....

Secret Recipe Club: Curry Ice Cream with Mango and Pistachio

Jul 8, 2013 · 22 Comments

I know, I know.

You're probably wondering if I've finally lost my mind in a fit of post-wedding insanity. I mean, curry ice cream sounds about as appealing as sardines with chocolate sauce, right? Nevertheless, I assure you that I am totally in possession of my faculties.

I had pretty much the same reaction when I first spotted this recipe on Cheap Ethnic Eatz as I was browsing around for a recipe to recreate for this month's Secret Recipe Club. But the more I thought about it, the more my thoughts started to shift from ewwww to hmmmm....

The Canadian Food Experience Project: Ontario Strawberry Fritters

Jul 7, 2013 · 12 Comments

Guess what... it's time for the second installment of the year-long Canadian Food Experience Project! The brainchild of Valerie Lugonja (A Canadian Foodie), this project challenges us as Canadian food writers to explore our national food identity.

This month, our challenge was to write about "A Regional Canadian Food", which is something of a no-brainer at this time of year for Ontario, as far as I'm concerned.

I'm talking, of course, about Ontario strawberries, the tiny ruby-red berries that are one of the first signs of summertime in my little corner of the world. Unlike their overblown Californian cousins, our berries are small and rounded, and packed full of bright flavour.

The Strawberry's Canadian Connection

And, as it happens, the modern-day cultivated strawberry (fragaria ananassa) has a Canadian connection lurking in its past....

Guest Post: Honeymoon Blondies from KellyBakes

Jun 13, 2013 · 7 Comments

I’m off on honeymoon in Spain at the moment, which means I’m probably stuffing my face with delicious food as we speak (or plotting my next meal… or sleeping off a previous meal… or maybe making a token attempt at doing something other than eating).

While I’m away, I’ve asked some of my favourite bloggers to contribute posts – today, it’s Kelly of Kelly Bakes, who I first met a couple of years ago at Eat Write Retreat! in Washington DC. She's a pocket-sized firecracker, a hilarious podcaster, and a gluten-free baker extraordinaire. (And also, she likes donuts and bourbon, which means we're totally soulmates and stuff.)

So, without further ado… here’s Kelly!

//

When I think about honeymoons, a few things come to mind: sunshine, warm places and lots of tropical fruity drinks.

So, in spirit of Isabelle’s honeymoon, I adapted a recipe from The Back in the Day Bakery Cookbook to share with you....

Pass the Cookbook Club: Mocha-Cinnamon Pots de Creme

Feb 28, 2013 · 16 Comments

I'm obviously a sucker for punishment. I mean, I've been swamped on both the work and life fronts, and yet here I am signing up for yet another monthly blogging event.

On the other hand, this event happens to be hosted by the lovely Kita of Pass the Sushi, who is totally the cat's pyjamas as far as I'm concerned. So there was no way I wasn't hopping on this bandwagon as it rolled by.

It also helps that I can totally relate to her goal. Who doesn't want to dust off all those cookbooks that are sitting neglected on her bookshelf and finally try those delicious-looking recipes?

For our inaugural journey, we're cooking for The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Food From My Frontier by Ree Drummond....

Christmas Week: Mini Bakewell Tarts

Dec 7, 2012 · 41 Comments

All good things must come to an end, and that includes Christmas Week. But there's still one more recipe to share before we go, on the theme of Christmas Pies and Pastries.

I had a few options, but in the end I couldn't pass up the excuse to crack open a jar of homemade jam to make these adorable mini bakewell tarts. They have all the deliciousness of the original, but in a two-bite format that's perfect for holiday cookie trays.

...

Christmas Week: Mini Holiday Gingerbread Loaves

Dec 6, 2012 · 13 Comments

Welcome back to Christmas Week! As soon as I saw that today's theme was Gingerbread Surprise, I knew immediately what I should make - my own homemade take on the oh-so-addictive Holiday Gingerbread from Starbucks.

Truth is, I've got a bit of a Starbucks habit.

I'm one of those folks who can't do anything without my daily 2pm caffeine fix, which usually comes in the form of a tall non-fat latte. Sometimes I get a little crazy and add a vanilla shot, but that's about as far as I'm willing to stray. I like to think I've got it under control.

That is, until the red holiday cups show up at the beginning of November. That's when I know I'm in trouble, because that can only mean one thing: the holiday gingerbread is back....

Christmas Week: Cranberry-Walnut Coffeecake

Dec 5, 2012 · 13 Comments

Welcome to day three of Christmas week, where it's all about the cakes and cupcakes!

I'll admit, I was a little stumped when I started trying to decide what to make for today's theme - it was too late to make a fruitcake, and I just don't have the patience to fuss with piping pretty rosettes of buttercream onto a layer cake pretty much any time of the year, let alone during the busiest time of year in my kitchen. I'm just more of a straightforward snacking cake kinda gal.

So as far as the holidays are concerned, this is totally my kinda cake. It's easy to assemble and keeps the fuss factor at a minimum, but the bright red layer of cranberry filling nestled beneath the buttery walnut crumble topping still makes it feel appropriately festive (and also looks rather pretty, if I do say so myself).

And let's not forget the cake base, which gets its crumbly texture and a lovely speckled colour from a hefty dose of ground walnuts. It's delicious enough to substitute for the batter in all your regular coffeecake recipes - use it with a sweet cinnamon swirl, sub the finely chopped cranberries for wild blueberries or chopped peaches once summertime rolls back around.

Best of all, it stays moist for days, which means you can prepare it a day or two ahead and still serve it up to company without feeling the slightest bit of guilt.

And if you should have leftovers once the guests have gone, you can theoretically snag a piece on your way out the door in the morning and call it breakfast. (I may or may not have done that on Monday morning. Theoretically speaking, of course.) I mean, it's made with fruit and nuts, right?

In other words, I think this would probably be your kinda cake, too... especially since it's so much harder to justify eating buttercream breakfast.

Not that I'd have experience with that either. You know, theoretically.

//

Cranberry-Walnut Coffeecake

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

50 mins

Total time

1 hour 5 mins

This coffeecake has a hidden surprise... sandwiched between the walnut-speckled streusel topping and the tender buttery cake is a layer of festive bright red cranberries! Bring one to a holiday pot-luck, or bake one up for unexpected guests.

Author: Isabelle Boucher (Crumb)

Recipe type: Dessert

Serves: 16

Ingredients

Cranberry Filling:

2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
½ cup sugar

Streusel Topping:

⅓ cup flour
½ tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch salt
¼ cup cold butter, cut into small cubes
½ cup finely chopped walnuts
¼ cup packed brown sugar

Cake

1 cup packed brown sugar
½ cup butter, softened
2 eggs
¾ cup buttermilk
½ tsp vanilla extract
1½ cups all purpose flour
½ cup ground walnuts
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt

Instructions

Make the Cranberry Filling:

In the bowl of a food processor, combine cranberries and sugar. Pulse until berries are very finely chopped, but not pureed. Set aside.

Prepare the Streusel:

In a small bowl, combine flour, cinnamon and salt. Using a pastry cutter or two sharp knives, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in remaining streusel ingredients until well combined and crumbly, and set aside.

Make the Cake:

Preheat oven to 350F. Generously grease a 9x13 inch pan.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add buttermilk and vanilla, and stir until smooth.
In a separate bowl, combine flour, ground walnuts, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Fold into the wet ingredients, mixing only until just barely combined.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth into an even layer. Spoon the chopped cranberries onto the batter, smoothing into a more-or-less even layer, leaving a little border around the edges. Sprinkle streusel onto the cranberry layer.
Bake in preheated oven for about 40-50 minutes, or until topping is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out with a moist crumb. Let cool for about an hour before cutting into pieces and serving.

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Welcome to day #3 of Christmas Week, a multi-blogger event co-hosted by Kim of Cravings of a Lunatic and Jen of Juanita’s Cocina. Today’s theme for Christmas Week is “Christmas Cakes and Cupcakes”. Make sure you visit all the participating bloggers today to see what special dish they whipped up for you:

Christmas Coconut Cake by Kim of Cravings of a Lunatic
Cranberry Coffee Cake by Jen of Juanita's Cocina
Holly Topped White Cupcakes by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
Eggnog Pound Cake with Rum Glaze by Anuradha of Baker Street
Christmas in the Tropics Cake by Kristen of Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker
Cranberry-Walnut Coffecake by Isabelle of Crumb
Pumpkin Dream Cake by Erin of Dinners, Dishes and Desserts
Christmas Red Velvet Mug Cake by Erin of The Spiffy Cookie
Reindeer Cupcakes by Ramona of Curry and Comfort
Whiskey Nut Fruitcake by Heather of Girlichef
Tres Leches Cake by Cathy of The Dutch Baker's Daughter
Monkey Bread Cupcakes by Chung-Ah of Damn Delicious

Secret Recipe Club: Iced Pumpkin Chocolate Spice Bundt Cake

Oct 8, 2012 · 28 Comments

Would you believe it's Secret Recipe Club time again? It's hard to believe October is here already. (And boy, did fall not waste any time in announcing its arrival this year - it's been fiendishly cold outside all weekend, and the autumn colours are in full swing already.)

This month, I was assigned to Kate, who blogs over at Kitchen Trial and Error.

I first discovered Kate's blog through the SRC, where her mad photography skillz pretty much guarantee that her post is one of the first I check out in each month's blog hop....

Lovin' Spoonfuls - Warm Raspberry-Chocolate Pudding Cake

Feb 13, 2011 · 19 Comments

I can still remember the first time I ever ate Warm Chocolate Pudding Cake.

It was the late nineties, and my parents had just packed up the house and moved to the East Coast, leaving me behind in Toronto. I had stayed behind in Toronto to finish my university studies, living on-campus in one of the residence buildings.

Back then, my eating habits weren't quite as refined. Meals were generally planned around what was easiest, cheapest and most convenient. Needless to say, I made more instant ramen, Kraft Dinner and packaged soups than I care to admit (and more often than not, ate them straight out of the pot to avoid having to wash a bowl)....

I'm Just Nutty for You, Honey - Honeyed Nut Tart

Dec 28, 2010 · 12 Comments

One of the rites of passage in any relationship is The Big Trip. It's essentially a trial by fire - can the two of you survive spending every waking (and sleeping) moment together in a faraway land, or will you crack under the pressure of jetlag, uncomfortable hotel rooms, missed buses and trains, lost luggage, and puzzling foreign customs?

For The Boy and I, The Big Trip came a little before our first anniversary, when we decided to spend a week and a half exploring Andalusia before shooting off to Barcelona by train for a four-day stay....

The Tell-Tale Cake - Blueberry-Cornmeal Upside Down Babycakes

Aug 19, 2010 · 14 Comments

Some recipes are born of necessity, like when I find myself with a pile of overripe pears in the fruit basket or an overwhelming amount of mint in the garden.

Some recipes are inspired by a single, irresistible ingredient that I absolutely can't pass up, like baby eggplants at the greengrocer or ripe peaches at the market....

I Scream, You Scream... - Blueberry-Hyssop Ice Cream

Aug 9, 2010 · 28 Comments

I discovered anise hyssop quite by accident last summer, when I picked up a small seedling of Blue Flame Hyssop at the local garden centre. I was lured by the promise that it would be tough enough to survive the combination of shade and neglect that is my garden, and its pale purple blooms.

A year later, my little seedling has grown into a sprawling metre-tall bush beside my front door.

For most of the summer, it cheerfully greets me each morning with a wave of its feathery spears of lavender-blue flowers, filling the air with the happy buzzing of the local bumblebees who can't resist its sweet smell....

Spice and Everything Nice: Black Pepper Panna Cotta w/ Strawberries & Balsamic Syrup

Aug 3, 2010 · 17 Comments

In some ways, I can be awfully predictable. I always squee over fat little animals (both the real kind and the drawn/sculpted kind). I always call dibs on the blue piece when I'm playing Trivial Pursuit. And I always, always order panna cotta if it's on the dessert menu (unless there's creme brulee, in which case I'll play eenie meenie to figure out which one I want).

I guess I just have a soft spot for puddings, panna cottas, creme brulees, pots de cremes, and thick, creamy, custardy sorts of desserts in general. The problem is that their soft and creamy texture is like a pair of well-worn flannel pyjamas - soothing and comfortable, but better suited to a cozy family occasion than a knock-his-socks-off hot date. In other words, it's... well... kind of boring.

This recipe, on the other hand, is most certainly not boring. Sure, it's got the cozy familiarity of a panna cotta, but it's also playful and sophisticated, with flecks with black pepper and a border of gleaming red strawberries drizzled with dark balsamic syrup. If regular panna cotta is flannel pyjamas, then this is a little black dress with a pair of killer red stilettos.

The combination of flavours might seem a little unusual, considering we usually treat pepper and balsamic vinegar as savoury ingredients, but Italians have been serving strawberries this way for a long time. The sweet-and-sour tang of the vinegar and the sharp bite of the pepper are a surprisingly good match for ripe strawberries, accentuating the sweetness of the fruit, while the panna cotta provides a creamy base for it all.

The only catch with this dessert is that it absolutely has to be made with the best berries you can find and a good-quality balsamic vinegar. Its beauty lies in its simplicity - in the contrast of pillowy soft panna cotta with its subtle peppery notes, of the aromatic balsamic vinegar, and of the acidity of the strawberries. I'm not saying that you should splurge on an $100 bottle of imported balsamic, by any means, but do spend the extra dollar or two to upgrade to a reasonably good-quality brand if you can.

As for the fruit, if you're having trouble finding good strawberries (ie. something local and not giant watery-tasting ones from California), sour cherries or raspberries would be a good alternative.

//

Black Pepper Panna Cotta with Strawberries & Balsamic Syrup

Prep time

4 hours

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

4 hours 20 mins

This dessert is a playful, yet sophisticated spin on the classic Italian combination of strawberries with black pepper and balsamic vinegar.

Author: Isabelle Boucher (Crumb)

Recipe type: Dessert

Serves: 4

Ingredients

Panna Cotta:

1 packet (¼ oz) gelatin
½ cup milk
½ cup heavy cream
¼ cup sugar
½ tsp finely ground black pepper
1½ cups plain full-fat yogurt
½ tsp vanilla extract

Balsamic Syrup:

½ cup balsamic vinegar
¼ cup sugar

Garnish:

Sliced fresh strawberries

Instructions

To prepare the panna cotta, pour milk into a small bowl. Sprinkle with gelatin, and set aside for 5 minutes to soften.
In a small saucepan, heat the cream, sugar and pepper over medium heat until wisps of steam appear. Remove from heat and add in the milk and gelatin mixture, stirring until the gelatin is completely dissolved. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
In a separate bowl, combine the yogurt and vanilla extract. Whisk in the cooled milk/cream/gelatin mixture, stirring until smooth and evenly combined.
Pour into four 1-cup ramekins. Cover with plastic wrap, and chill for at least four hours to set the gelatin, but preferably overnight to allow the pepper flavour to infuse throughout.
Meanwhile, prepare the balsamic syrup. In a small saucepan set over medium-high heat, combine the balsamic vinegar and sugar. Bring to a boil, and cook, stirring regularly, until mixture is syrupy and reduced by half.
Remove from heat and allow to cool completely before using. (Leftover syrup will keep in the fridge for several weeks in an airtight container, and makes a wonderful topping for vanilla ice cream or fresh fruits)
To serve, dip each ramekin very briefly into hot water to loosen the panna cotta, then carefully invert onto a dessert plate. Spoon sliced strawberries around each of the panna cottas, and drizzle with a spoonful or two of balsamic syrup. Serve immediately.

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Little Miss Sunshine: Yellow Plum Clafoutis

Jul 29, 2010 · 19 Comments

My love affair with plums is already well-documented here, so I'm not going to bore you with another one of my long-winded odes to their awesomeness.

Soooo... instead, I'm going to bore with a long-winded ode to the awesomeness of clafoutis. Or, more specifically, a yellow plum clafoutis that combines two wonderful things into one perfect easy summer dessert.

Despite the fact that it's dead simple to make and incredibly delicious, clafoutis doesn't seem to be all that popular here in Canada, which is an awful shame - especially once you come to realise that it's one of the best desserts to make with the fabulous locally-grown fruits that are available at this time of year. ...

Recipe Rewind #3 - Mom's Marshmallow Cake

Jun 26, 2010 · 13 Comments

This is a super-special edition of Recipe Rewind, because a certain someone (ie. me) just celebrated a birthday. My thirty-second birthday, actually, which isn't a particularly special or significant number... but hey, since when do I need an excuse to celebrate?

Since I'm firmly entrenched in my early 30s now, I guess that means I'm officially a grownup, not that I particularly feel like one on most days. (Except when I catch one of the neighbourhood kids running across my lawn, that is.)

Anyway, it only seemed appropriate that I should celebrate with a cake that is as un-grownup as I am....

Prince Charming: Apple Pecan and Cherry Loaf

Apr 26, 2010 · 4 Comments

When the Red Prince apple launched in Ontario last fall, it was backed by the kind of extensive PR campaign you'd expect for a big budget Hollywood film rather than a humble fruit. We're talking Twitter feeds, Facebook fan pages, and free giveaways by the tens of thousands... hell, they went so far as to hand-deliver samples on velvet pillows to a lucky few journalists.

As it happens, one of the rules I live by is that the overall quality of a product is inversely proportional to the amount of hype behind it. I mean, just look at the barrage of advertisements for The Backup Plan... since it seems that I can't even turn on the TV, surf the web or ride the bus without being subjected to an ad for that movie, there's no doubt in my mind that it's an epic suck-fest.

(Well, that and the fact that J-Lo hasn't made a decent movie since Out of Sight, not to mention that any rom-com that uses a turkey baster pregnancy as a major plot point is bound to be cringe-worthy... but let's save that conversation for another day, shall we?)

Anyway, that's why I was so pleasantly surprised when I finally got around to trying a Red Prince a couple of weeks ago. I wouldn't say it's special enough to merit the velvet pillow treatment, but it was certainly tasty enough to convince me to part with some of my hard-earned cash and bring a small basket of apples home.

To make the most of these bright red apples, I decided to make an apple cake with sour dried cherries and pecans. It's a simple loaf cake that can be whipped together in the time it takes for the oven to preheat, and can be made with any baking-friendly apples you happen to have... so no worries if there isn't any Red Prince at your local market.

One small note: don't be alarmed if it looks like there isn't nearly enough batter for all the chopped apples - trust me, everything will settle into place as it bakes, and the end result is a gorgeous chunky loaf that's full of tender apple pieces, interspersed with tart cherries and crunchy nuts, and just enough cake to hold it all together. Perfect for an afternoon snack, or a quick breakfast on the go.

//

Apple, Pecan and Cherry Loaf

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

50 mins

Total time

1 hour 5 mins

This chunky loaf is full of tender apple pieces, interspersed with tart dried cherries and crunchy nuts, with just enough cake to hold it all together.

Author: Isabelle Boucher (Crumb)

Recipe type: Dessert

Serves: 12

Ingredients

Apple, Pecan and Cherry Loaf
½ cup butter, softened
½ cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup flour
½ cup ground almonds
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp salt
2 apples, cored, peeled and roughly chopped
½ cup dried tart cherries
¼ cup chopped pecans

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly butter a loaf tin, and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well between each addition. Stir in vanilla.
In a separate bowl, combine flour, ground nuts, baking powder, spices and salt. Add to the wet ingredients, along with chopped apples, pecans and dried cherries, and stir until just barely combined.
Spoon batter into the prepared loaf tin, and bake in preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. To avoid a crumbly mess, let the cake cool in the tin for at least 20 minutes before attempting to slice.

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Suddenly Summer - Peach-Blueberry Upside Down Cake

Aug 11, 2009 · 2 Comments

...and just like that, summer finally decided to make an appearance. It's sunny, hot and muggy enough to make the city feel like a giant outdoor sauna. Even so, I'm rather excited by this turn of events because it means my tomatoes will actually get around to ripening and that my cute halter tops will do more this year than just line the inside of a drawer.

To celebrate this monumental event, I figured I'd bake a cake. (that is what one does for celebrations, no?) And since peaches and blueberries are what's in season, it only seemed appropriate to use them together in my celebratory dessert - it's a combination that just screams summer in my books, after all....

Ice Cream Experiments: Blood Orange Basil Ice Cream

May 4, 2009 · 7 Comments

Two years ago, when we first moved into our house, I ended up buying a Donvier ice cream maker on a whim. It's nothing fancy - no wires, no motors, no layering of ice and salt. It's just good old-fashioned hand crank action and a removable freezer bowl.

To The Boy, though, this humble little gadget is his excuse to turn the kitchen into an experimental laboratory - he's constantly dreaming up new flavour combinations, some of them fairly traditional and some that are... well... a little less orthodox to say the least.

In fact, for the past two years he's been trying to talk me into letting him make bacon ice cream, but I'm not sold on it. Yet....