Dessert By Candy

Sensibility Fail Brownies

It was midnight and I was searching for cabbage recipes from my cookbook library. For reasons unknown, I started flipping through Tish Boyle’s The Good Cookie. Obviously my favourite cookie resource did not fulfill my quest for cabbage goodness but it offered something even better. In the Bar Cookie chapter, my eyes lingered over recipe after recipe of brownies in their many guises. I felt the rise of the familiar midnight brownie craving and there was nothing I could do to stop it.

I really ought to be in bed but the promise of soft fudgy treat was tempting. First, I only cut some parchment paper to line the pan. Innocent enough and I could stop what I was doing at any minute. There’s never any harm in having another prepared pan, right? I glanced at my pantry and realized the sugar containers were low. Oh, why not just top them up so they would be ready the next time I bake? My sugar jars were obviously too small and I had some leftover in the paper bag. My gaze fell on the recipe once more. Without even thinking, I converted the volume measurement to weight and scaled out exactly the amount of sugar I needed for Peanut Butter Chocolate Brownies.

A Bar, A Bar, and A Bar

 

I had three different run-ins with bars since Monday. Blessed with Asian’s infamously low tolerance of alcoholic beverages, I am not fond of drinks and never quite know what to do with myself at a bar. Needless to say, I haven’t been to too many bars nor do I have any recommendations for drinking establishments. On Monday, I uncharacteristically went to The Avro, a cozy neighbourhood bar in Toronto’s Leslieville. The reason for my visit was Well Preserved’s HomeEc get-together, of which we share homemade food fit for the monthly theme. Since its inception in January 2012, I’ve been meaning to attend. Unfortunately, I am usually occupied on Monday evenings. My previous attempt was October 2012’s Halloween treats. I was ready to share my box of Lizard’s Eyeballs but my plan was derailed by flood warnings of Hurricane Sandy.

Mad For Marmalade

I entered a baking contest for the first time last weekend and it was a recipe of my own creation. The Mad For Marmalade is an annual workshop and competition hosted by Culinary Historians of Canada with Fort York National Historic Site. I learned about this event from Sarah B Hood who led the Tips For Blue-Ribbon Marmalade session. You can read her review of the event at Eat Locally, Blog Globally. Although I make marmalade at home every year, my passion lies in baking. I decided to create an original recipe featuring homemade Seville Orange Marmalade and Candied Kumquats for the baking competition this year.

My Almond Chocolate Marmalade Bar is made of buttery shortbread, Seville orange marmalade, dark chocolate, cocoa orange scented frangipane, and candied kumquats. I love the timeless combination of chocolate and orange. Being able to enjoy it in a convenient cookie bar form appeals much to my practical nature. I cannot have enough dessert on-the-go options when I am out and about!

Crazy For Coconut

My love for coconut comes from my Dad. Growing up, some of my favourite treats include hard coconut candies, coconut-covered marshmallows, kaya (coconut jam) on toast, curry enriched with coconut milk, voluptuous tapioca coconut pudding, and of course the simple macaroon. They were all introduced to me by dear old Dad. The coveted blue nugget in a box of Quality Street? I always tried to pick out the Coconut Éclairs before my Dad could get to them. Actually, I still do that except I have the whole box all to myself now that we don’t live together anymore.

This week I rekindle my love for coconut with two different treats. Melissa Clark’s Double Coconut Granola is a perennial favourite especially with the crispy caramelized coconut chips. A handful of dried pineapples gave the recipe a pleasant pina colada twist. I haven’t been able to stop snacking on fistfuls of granola in between meals. The other treat is a recipe I’ve been eyeing since Christmas. My holiday cookie extravaganza could not accommodate these Coconut Lime Dream Bite but it was the first recipe I bookmarked in America’s Test Kitchen Christmas Cookies 2012. Lucky for you, the recipe is currently available online for free!

Happy Holidays!

My Winter Solstice Party last weekend was a celebration of good friends, good food, and good drinks as I hoped. But now I am in the enviable position of having way too many holiday cookies at home. As soon as I plated a small fraction of the cookies into towers and platters, I couldn’t stop giggling with glee. Much thanks to Little Brother for capturing that moment. What a sight to behold!

My friends and family all pitched in to share the calories (share the love). It was a sugary buttery sweet celebration and I am thankful to be surrounded by so many loved ones. Happy Holidays from Dessert By Candy. I hope your festive season will be as sweet as mine!

Please, Have A Gluten-Free Cookie

I remember a scene from My Big Fat Greek Wedding in which the aunt breezily stated “That’s alright, I’ll cook lamb” for a vegetarian. Cooking for friends has broadened my horizon on various diets but navigating the holiday season can be challenging with food so steeped with traditions. My holiday cookie dessert extravaganza is coming along nicely and I am only a couple batches short of the target 16. The latest two additions were made especially for my friends on gluten-free diet.

There are many ways to gluten-free dessert nirvana but I have to admit most recipes share a very health-conscious angle. While I am quite happy to nibble on a date nut bar (think Larabar knock off), it is not my idea of holiday cookie. I want decadence! I want festive! I want indulgence!

How To Plan Your Holiday Cookie Assortment

I’m hosting a Winter Solstice party this Saturday and I was out of ideas for dessert. Seriously, dessert is my game yet I had the hardest time deciding on what to make for a crowd. You see, with all the hosting distractions, I want dessert that requires zero attention from me the day of the party. I want something impressive, portioned, bite-size, made ahead of time, does not take up fridge space, and to be lingered over jolly conversations. While I was having breakfast last week, it dawned on me that I should prepare a dazzling assortment of holiday cookies. If I may say so myself, I’m an accomplished cookie baker. A platter of cookies is exactly what I want to serve.

It’s that time of year when everyone bakes cookies. Based on my experience with bake sales and holiday homemade gifts, there are a few tips that I would like to share. Over the next few days, I’ll also show you batches of cookies coming out of my kitchen as the full assortment takes shape.

Hold On Tight

I feel powerless in the face of senseless violence. Tragic news of the Newtown school shooting starkly reminds me we do not live in a safe world and a few selfish violent people among us can take away all that we love and cherish. I long to hold on tightly to my loved ones and do not let go. It is merely a game of chance that we do not fall victim to such horror.

I seek solace in the kitchen. Holiday baking suggests spreading cheers and somehow that does not feel quite right. However, just using my hands to create something tasty lightened the heavy feeling in my heart. My mind was distracted momentarily when all that mattered was making sure the cookies turn out successfully. I chose to make biscotti, something that I’ve only baked once in my life back in culinary school. Biscotti is an addictive treat to me but I absolutely loathe to make them. Every time I pick up a biscotti recipe, I have visions of the half-baked log crumbling to dust when I slice it to individual pieces.

Let There Be Cake (And Cookies Too)

Why am I always attracted to baking missions that require delivering a mountain of cakes and cookies far beyond 50km from my home kitchen? Once I realized my flight to Atlanta, Georgia will not include my beloved skates, I volunteered to support the Athens To Atlanta road skate in a different way. I offered to provide post-race refreshments to over a hundred skaters who will be exhausted and famish after completing their 87 mile journey on skates.

Air travel with this many fragile content can be a recipe for disaster but I’ll worry about that later tonight when I start packing. The last two days, I have been too busy baking, baking, and more baking! Drop cookies and bar cookies are obvious choices since they are sturdy and easy to make. However, they are also mainstays in my holiday gifts which I routinely ship all over the continent to friends and family. I want something different. I want to feed everyone cake.

Christmas Comes Early

When my house is overflowing with shards of toffee, piles of spiced nut mix, mountains of cookies, stacks of brownies, and buckets of homemade caramel popcorn, it must be the holiday season, right? I’m not even arguing that as a food blogger, I prepare for the holidays months in advance for my imaginary publishing schedule. I honestly have a list of names to match with homemade gifts to be hand delivered this weekend. Three months ahead of my normal confectionary madness!

It all came about innocently enough. I baked some cookies a couple of weeks ago. I then casually promised a good friend I will bring him a few when I see him this weekend in Minnesota. I realized I will also see many other friends from all over the continent. If I give them my small token of appreciation this weekend, I can save lots of money from shipping cost have I wait until December. Dollar signs danced before my eyes. Before I could even calm myself down with a mug of peppermint cocoa, I turned my kitchen into Santa’s workshop.