Posts Tagged ‘Baking’

Do you know what icing is made of? I didn’t until I made it last weekend. It’s very simply made from confectioner’s sugar, condensed milk, and lemon. It is different from frosting, which is fluffier and has fat, like butter or cream, and it is whipped. Icing is mostly sugar, has a smooth texture, and is thinner. Frosting is more malleable, and its purpose is full coverage on cakes and cupcakes; icing is better for decorating cookies, adorning cakes, and all that fancy stuff. I’m hoping this year I make […]

Since my peanut harvest, I’ve had peanuts on the brain, and I felt like being cozy with cookies. I decided to make a warm batch of classic peanut butter cookies. I didn’t overthink it, I went straight to the queen, Martha Stewart, and found a perfect recipe. It calls for 1½ cups of peanut butter, and that made me think, “How did we get from peanuts to the smooth, creamy American treat we so dearly identify with from childhood?” According to the National Peanut Board, the Inca and Aztecs were […]

The saying goes “You win some, you lose some.” right? Welp, this one I lost. My baking saga last week reminded me that most often, failing teaches us more than when we succeed. Embracing defeat as a learning opportunity is a fundamental aspect of personal growth. It’s through setbacks that we gain insights and refine our strategies to move forward. And so, while this is embarrassing, I decided to publish my baking failure instead of scratching the column. Also, I couldn’t think of anything else to write about. Just in […]

In my unending quest to be seasonally appropriate and my yearning to learn how to bake sweets and eat them, I decided it was necessary to make M&M Christmas Cookies. I wanted chewy cookies (my fav), so I began an internet search. Multiple sources said 2-3 hours of dough refrigeration is needed, adding cornstarch and undercooking creates the perfect soft texture. Chilling the dough for three hours was troublesome considering my column was already past the deadline. With that in mind, I sourced the internet for the fastest, easiest, chewiest, […]

Most of my choices are based on aesthetics, not practicality. Look at this cover design! The book also matches my cat. A few weeks back I wrote that I’ve pulled my cookbooks off the shelf, using them for recipes instead of the stupid internet. This week, I chose Better Homes and Gardens, New Cookbook.  Note, “new” means published in 1981. That’s my birth year and all the more reason to try it out.  Old doesn’t mean irrelevant. After flipping though, I firmly concluded this is a fantastic book. The recipes […]

Chances are you’ve seen focaccia flower bread recipes popping up everywhere in your social feeds. My natural inclination as a “traditional cook” is to snub food trends. But I have to admit, this recipe looks pretty, pretty. Also… I love flowers… and I love bread. So I put my food snobbery aside and jumped on the bread wagon. Also, I’ve been meaning to venture into breadmaking and baking to challenge myself this winter. Here was the opportunity. The incentive for me was adorning the bread with beautiful flower depictions made […]

As a follow up to my column in this weeks Wave, I’ve posted three delicious Rosh Hashanah recipes. If you try them, I would love to hear about it and see pictures! Gloria’s Noodle Pudding Honey Caramel Apple Galette Found on: girlinthelittleredkitchen.com Ingredients For the pastry dough – adapted from Alice Waters: 1 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar 1/8 teaspoon salt 6 tablespoons, cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces 3 1/2 tablespoons cold water For the galette: 2 pounds tart apples, peeled, cored and sliced into […]

This was my first try at homemade icing. I don’t have much baking experience and so this was an attempt to gain some. It was so easy and guess what… it tasted like real frosting! I want to try different flavors next time and add nuts or strawberries. I found this recipe on delish.com. My only tip is to make sure the frosting is at room temperate before using. I’m sure all the bakers out there are laughing – you would think this is intuitive but I made the frosting the night before and put it […]

There’s food that you just start craving when the weather is vortexing. I turn to soup, hearty meats, red wine and a touch of whiskey here and there. Possible explanations for these cravings… We are less active and less social in the winter, which could increase anxiety and depression and lead to stress eating and overconsumption. (I’m guilty of all mentioned here) Comfort foods are generally sweet, fatty and calorie-dense, which may help temporarily improve mood and alleviate anxiety or stress. In other words, many people may be self-medicating with […]

  The Christmas songs always start right after Thanksgiving. The car radio would remain on the station playing the festive songs, and as my girls were growing up they would get so excited because they knew what was just around the corner. The weeks up to Christmas were a constant reminder of that special day. We had our annual trip to visit Santa at Macy`s for photos. We would stop and look at the tree at Rockefeller Center, and stop in St. Patrick’s to light candles. Then we would walk […]