Category Archives: baking

Foodporn Alert: Cinnamon Swirl Pancakes with Maple Mascarpone Glaze!

03 Monday Dec 2012

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How does that sound? How about how does that look? They’re a fun twist on the ordinary, which you may know is what I’m all about. Still simple, but with a creative twist.

Just use your favorite pancake recipe as the base. Then mix a stick of melted butter with about 3/4 cup dark brown sugar and 1 tablespoon of cinnamon and mix well. Set aside to cool. Mix your pancake batter. Now mix your glaze. I used mascarpone instead of cream cheese, a healthy dose of pure maple syrup and powdered sugar and whisked until I ended up with a nice pourable consistency.

You’ll need to make sure the consistency of the brown sugar mixture is pourable but still thick and grainy, as you’ll want it to hold its shape when you swirl it onto the pancake.

Pour your pancake batter onto a hot griddle and just when you see the first sign of bubbles in the batter, squeeze the sugar mixture into the batter, starting in the center, working around toward the outside in a concentric circle. Then when the pancake is golden on the bottom, just flip. Lower the heat to low/simmer and cook on the swirl side for a couple minutes. Then flip back over, turn off the heat and let sit for about 30 seconds while the caramelized sugar sets up.

To serve, pile the pancakes on a plate, drizzle the maple cream glaze around the pancake in the same pattern and serve with a side of maple syrup, though you may not need it.

Tastes like a cross between a pancake and cinnamon bun! Enjoy!

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Homemade Mini S’Mores!

04 Tuesday Sep 2012

Posted by in baking, chocolate, cookies, dessert, recipes

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First, forget the store bought marshmallows, make your own! (try Martha Stewart’s recipe) Then cut graham crackers in small squares (about an inch or so). I cut the marshmallows into squares, topped each cracker with a chocolate ganache (my recipe, in The Art of Breakfast) and then sandwich. Then another dab of the ganache and a bit of toasted coconut! Voila! Mini S’Mores! That’s foodporn 🙂

 

Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal Cake with Vanilla Cream and Rhubarb Sauce

06 Tuesday Mar 2012

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Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal Cake with Vanilla Cream, Rhubarb Sauce and Fresh Strawberries (from The Art of Breakfast)

This was one of the most surprising and requested recipes we served at the inn, probably because of its simplicity and the health benefits of oats. It was surprising as many people who don’t typically like oatmeal really enjoyed this because of its cake-like texture. I even kept pre-printed cards with the inn’s logo and recipe at the checkout desk in anticipation of the request! Give it a try: you just might convert some oatmeal naysayers like I did.

½  cup canola or vegetable oil
½ cup walnut oil (if not available, use a total of 1 cup vegetable oil)
1¼ cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1½ teaspoons salt
1 cup whole milk
1¼ cups half and half
6 cups thick cut rolled oats (not quick cook or instant)
Combine the oils, sugar, eggs, cinnamon, baking powder, vanilla, salt, milk and half and half in a mixer and beat until well combined. Add the oats and mix thoroughly.

Pour the mixture into a greased 9×13 glass baking dish, cover with plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Remove the dish from refrigerator and allow to sit while oven is heating.

Bake uncovered for 30 minutes, until lightly brown on top. Cut into squares, place in shallow bowl, and top with a good amount of the Vanilla Cream, a nice drizzle of the Rhubarb Sauce and garnish with some fresh sliced strawberries.

This freezes and rewarms in the microwave beautifully. Kids will love it for a healthier breakfast!

Vanilla Cream

Heat 2 cups milk with 1 tablespoon vanilla, 1 tablespoon sugar in microwave or on stovetop until warm.

Rhubarb Sauce

Makes about 2 ½ cups

4 cups chopped fresh rhubarb ½ cup water
½ cup granulated sugar

Cook the rhubarb, water, and sugar in a medium saucepan, covered, for 20 to 25 minutes until soft. Remove from the heat and puree with an immersion blender until smooth. Serve immediately or let cool and refrigerate until ready to use. Warm in the microwave before serving. This can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for 4 weeks.

Recipe Wednesday: The Best Ever Sour Cream Coffee Cake!

05 Wednesday Oct 2011

Posted by in baking, breakfast, cakes, cookbook, dessert, food photography, recipes

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Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Serves 10 to 14
Batter:
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup sour cream
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups flour
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
Filling:

2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/2 stick butter, melted
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the two sticks of butter and sugar in a mixer and beat with a paddle attachment for about a minute. Add the sour cream and eggs and mix until smooth. Fold in the vanilla, flour, salt, and baking powder. Pour just under half of the batter into a well greased Bundt pan.

Melt the half stick of butter. Mix it together with the cinnamon, brown sugar, and pecans, Pour the mixture on top of the batter in the center. Layer the remaining batter.

Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before removing from the pan. (If you’re making muffins or in 9×12 pan, reduce the baking time to about 35-40 minutes.)

Keeps fresh for several days and freezes well to do ahead!!!

The recipe is in my cookbook, The Art of Breakfast

Chocolate Cherry Cordial Tart, from The Art of Breakfast

01 Monday Aug 2011

Posted by in baking, chocolate, cookbook, dessert, food photography, foodporn, recipes

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Chocolate Cherry Cordial Tart

Wonderful as an afternoon treat with coffee or tea.
Add a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream and you have a perfect dessert.

Serves 8

4 cups fresh sweet Bing cherries, pitted
1/2  cup sugar
1/4 cup port wine
1 tablespoon chocolate balsamic
vinegar (I use Fiore), but if not
available, use an aged Balsamic
1 teaspoon arrow root powder
(dissolved in a couple
tablespoons of the port)
2 teaspoons cocoa powder
1 sheet frozen puff pastry,
thawed
4 ounces softened cream cheese
4 ounces shaved chocolate (or
Chips)

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. Mix the pitted cherries with the sugar, port,
balsamic, dissolved arrow root powder, and cocoa
and put into medium saucepan. Cook over medium
heat until sauce comes to a boil. Remove cherries and boil
sauce 2 to 3 minutes longer to thicken. Remove from heat and
place cherries back into sauce and allow to rest.

3. Press the puff pastry sheet into a 9-inch shallow and greased baking dish or tart
pan.

4. Spread the softened cream cheese on the pastry. Spread the chocolate shavings
(or chips) evenly over the cream cheese. And using a slotted spoon, place the
cherries in a single layer over chocolate.

5. Bake for 35 minutes. Allow to cool at least 20 minutes before serving.

Recipes can be found in The Art of Breakfast, How to Bring B&B Entertaining Home

Valentines Day Breakfast in Bed

09 Wednesday Feb 2011

Posted by in bacon, baking, breakfast, chocolate, cookbook, recipes

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My afternoon in the Danforth Inn’s kitchen with Meredith Goad, food writer for the Portland Press Herald was fun and delicious. My first video (photographers are usually behind the camera) seems a tad boring to me but I’ll work on it for next time.

The Danforth’s kitchen seems home to me, it’s one of Kim Swan’s inns and the one where I hold the Art of Breakfast cooking workshops for Maine’s Innkeeping Academy that we started a little over a year ago.

 

 

I love to show how combining simple ingredients in unique ways can elevate breakfast and add a touch of sophistication.

Ah, the lost Art of Breakfast?

 

Read the full story and get recipes for the menu

Malted Peanut Butter Cookies

07 Monday Feb 2011

Posted by in baking, cookies, recipes

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A small twist on a classic cookie.

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup peanut butter (heaping)

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon malted milk powder

2 tablespoons milk

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Cream sugar, butter, peanut butter and malted milk powder until smooth. Add egg, milk, vanilla and mix for another minute. Fold in dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated. Fold in chips.

Place small scoopfuls onto a lined baking sheet and sprinkle sugar on top. Press the tines of a fork in a criss-cross pattern. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.