sel et sucre

Category: baked goods

  • Lemon Olive Oil Cake

    lemon olive oil cake

    I’m a big fan of olive oil. Extra-virgin, of course. It’s my go-to for roasting vegetables, the first thing I reach for when sauteing onions, and the natural base for homemade salad dressings. I even add it to my soap (it’s a moisturizer!). So here is my ode to olive oil, in the form of a cake. Paired with lemon and rosemary, two among many flavors that sing alongside its fruitiness, the olive oil somehow yields a cake richer than if it had been made with butter. This cake is similar to a sponge cake, fluffed up with beaten egg whites and topped with turbinado sugar, and although I found it deflated after leaving the oven, the texture still seemed spot on to me. I intended to try a couple slices with fresh fruit and whipped cream, but to be honest, it was gone before I had a chance and tasted just perfect as is.

    (more…)

    Related Posts:

  • Honey Lavender Shortbread

    honey lavender shortbread

    I remember baking shortbread when I was younger and craving something sweet. The memory is fuzzy so I must’ve been fairly young, perhaps late elementary school, but I definitely remember the feelings of surprise and pride at my ability to combine ingredients and create something delicious. Shortbread is still a favorite of mine and, luckily for young me, is quite easy to throw together. Adding a little corn starch, as I’ve done here, helps to create the rich crumbly texture. This version is also delicately flavored with lavender and honey for a grown-up twist (that kids will still love). A great recipe, no matter your age!

    (more…)

    Related Posts:

  • Bourbon Cherry Pie

    bourbon cherry pie

    Now that summer is in full swing, I’ve been thinking a lot about pie. Discussing favorite pie flavors with friends, saving up pie recipes, and keeping an eye out for sales on seasonal fruit. So when I saw a major sale on cherries, I knew I had to make a cherry pie. I wanted to put my own twist on the recipe though, and what better way to do that than adding a little bourbon? Maybe it’s just because it’s my favorite liquor and I always have a little around, but I find that bourbon really lends itself well to cooking applications. Here, I soaked pitted sweet cherries in bourbon overnight and was surprised at how much of the whiskey’s oak notes and sweetness came through in the soaked cherries and the resulting pie. I also kept the sugar quantity low to really emphasize the natural flavors of the bourbon and cherries. But this twist is still close enough to the original to please fans of traditional cherry pie. A great choice for the fourth of July – delicious seasonal cherries and a uniquely American liquor.

    (more…)

    Related Posts:

  • Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

    chocolate chip cookie bars

    I’ve mentioned before that I’m not really a traditionalist. So maybe it’s not surprising that I prefer these chocolate chip cookie bars to regular chocolate chip cookies. They’re still the classic combination of sweet buttery cookie dough and rich chocolate chips, but the bar form means they’re nice and golden brown on the outside while staying soft and nearly underbaked on the inside. Plus, they’re easier to make since there’s no measuring out dollops of dough and multiple batches to bake. The sprinkle of sea salt at the end certainly doesn’t hurt either. And you know, just like these cookie bars, these could also be a thoughtful addition to condolence packages, providing a touch of homemade comfort during difficult times.

    (more…)

    Related Posts:

  • Giant Chocolate Caramel Ice Cream Sandwich

    giant chocolate caramel ice cream sandwich

    I love cakes. Baking them, eating them, looking at photos of them. They’re extravagant and delicious. But my boyfriend prefers cookies, and it’s long been a source of tension between us. For his recent birthday, however, we came up with a compromise. An ice cream sandwich the size of a cake. All the extravagance of a cake, even layered almost like a cake, yet really just two giant cookies with ice cream. We tossed around flavors for a while before settling on chocolate and caramel, a classic combination. Baking two very large cookies was as simple as filling two cake pans; this also resulted in a denser and chewier cookie, although I imagine you could just drop the batter on two cookie sheets for thinner and more traditional cookies. The rest of the logistics were a little more difficult than expected. I made the mistake of attempting to layer the ice cream sandwich while the ice cream was freshly churned and very soft which ended up with the bottom cookie absorbing much of the ice cream. I re-filled the cookies with more ice cream after it hardened up in the freezer with better results (only to later discover the ice cream soaked cookie on the bottom with pleasant surprise). The cookies then started to crack when I was re-assembling the giant sandwich (as you can see in the photo), and that’s when I realized: making a giant ice cream sandwich is about having fun and being playful with food. Sometimes you have to try cooking something new, something fun, even though you make mistakes along the way. This has long been how I’ve felt about baking extravagant cakes, and suddenly I’m feeling that way about cookies, too.

    (more…)

    Related Posts:

  • Brownie Cookies

    brownie cookies

    Some people love brownies, and some people love cookies, but most people, myself included, love both. For all of them, these are a revelatory dessert. All of the chocolate decadence of a brownie in cookie form. The key to this magical crossover dessert is large quantities of melted chocolate and eggs which give the cookies a fudge-like texture. Simple to make and guaranteed to please, these cookies should most definitely make their way into your life. You’ll never look at brownies or cookies quite the same way again.

    (more…)

    Related Posts:

  • Garam Masala Cookies

    garam masala cookies

    When it comes to desserts, I much prefer the unusual to the ordinary. I’ve never been one for vanilla ice cream or chocolate chip cookies; they’re tasty, sure, but way too boring for me. Give me something complex and exciting! These garam masala cookies are definitely in line with my dessert philosophy. Yes, they’re sweet, as cookies are meant to be, but they’re also nutty from brown butter and spicy from garam masala. At first, these fragrant cookies are reminiscent of spice cookies, with the familiar flavors of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. But then there are those less familiar notes from the other components of the garam masala. While unusual, these cookies are still thoroughly enjoyable even for less adventurous eaters and were scarfed right up when I baked them for a party. So, whether you always prefer unique desserts or usually opt for more vanilla options, these cookies are worth throwing together the next time you have a chance.

    (more…)

    Related Posts:

  • Carrot Cake Muffins Baked in Eggshells

    carrot cake muffins baked in eggshells

    Usually I’m all about taste, but every once in a while, I decide to cook something mostly for the visual impact. These muffins baked inside of eggshells were perfect for a spring brunch (where I also served scrambled eggs from the emptied out eggs – waste not, want not). You can use this technique with your favorite muffin or cupcake batter, but I decided that carrot cake muffins (a less sweet and more breakfast friendly take on classic carrot cake) with a “yolk” made from a cream cheese filling seemed like a great fit. I was pretty pleased with how these turned out, but I’d definitely do some things differently next time. The batter stuck to the eggshells which I hadn’t quite anticipated, so I think swirling a drop of oil inside them before filling would be useful. I filled my eggs using a plastic bag with the corner cut off, but I think a professional pastry tip would make this a lot easier and quicker. I also overfilled the shells, and while it’s easy enough to scrape off the overflowing muffin after they’re baked, this meant that my “yolks” didn’t end up as pretty little balls in the center of the egg as hoped, so stick to filling the eggs a little less than 2/3rds full. Learn from my mistakes so you don’t have to make them! Even with these small issues (and the hours spent emptying eggshells and piping batter in them), everyone at brunch was very impressed, and it was really fun to crack away the shell and reveal a muffin!

    (more…)

    Related Posts:

  • Homemade Graham Crackers

    homemade graham crackers

    This is probably not shocking to anyone who’s perused this blog, but I can be really ambitious with my cooking projects sometimes. Which is how I found myself in a bind with these graham crackers. I’d committed to making s’mores on an early Saturday afternoon to be the grand finale for the first grill session of the year; I had already invited a couple friends to join and made homemade marshmallows, and I was absolutely determined to make homemade graham crackers for the perfect s’mores. Somehow I easily envisioned myself making the dough on Friday night and baking the crackers on Saturday morning. Of course, I chose not to take into account my full day of work that Friday as well as a party happening at my house that night. The inevitable outcome of which was me frantically making the dough as party guests arrived. But the dough came together surprisingly easily and was soon chilling safely in the fridge for the night while I stayed up, engrossed in conversations. The next thing I knew, I was forcing myself out of bed the next morning with less than eight hours of sleep, because I was absolutely determined to finish these graham crackers. After rolling, cutting, sprinkling on some cinnamon, sugar, and smoked salt (I can’t help myself when it comes to salt and baked goods, and the smokiness seemed like it would be perfect paired with toasted marshmallows), and, inevitably, dropping a few crackers onto the floor (I’ve given up on pretending I’m not a clumsy person), I watched eagerly as they baked and filled the house with an irresistible aroma. The graham crackers were an undisputed success, well worth the frantic stress and lack of sleep (there’s always time to relax and sleep after my stomach is full). And the s’mores? You’ll have to come back on Friday to hear how those turned out.

    (more…)

    Related Posts:

  • Brown Butter Blondies

    brown butter blondies

    Browning butter is truly a magical process. Somehow, simply by adding heat, your run of the mill stick of butter transforms with nutty caramel notes that elevate nearly everything. I’m not usually a butter fiend, but when the aroma of browning butter starts to waft through the air, it’s all I can do not to start eating it plain. Brown butter can be used in both savory and sweet dishes, but I think my favorite use is these brown butter blondies. They’re incredibly easy to make and really showcase the butter’s phenomenal transformation (the combination of the brown butter with brown sugar has prompted many to ask me if there’s caramel in these). This time around, I mixed in finely chopped walnuts and cocoa nibs, but they’ve been equally delicious in the past with hazelnuts and toffee bits. Actually, nearly any leftover sweet bits (or savory, if you’re feeling adventurous) in your pantry can work here, or you can even forgo the mix-ins entirely. I’ve made these blondies for hosting friends, meeting new roommates (one of whom I ended up dating – can’t be a coincidence, right?), bringing along to parties, and just when craving something sweet. Toss these together the next time you’re in the mood for a decadent treat, and you will most assuredly not be disappointed.

    (more…)

    Related Posts: