tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75041783339864478842011-11-09T14:08:24.532-08:00symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.comBlogger1051100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-74737536597069608562010-05-19T08:04:00.000-07:002010-05-30T09:20:36.280-07:00

Here is a deliciously simple recipe to use locally available produce!  Rose petal jelly tastes like spring in full bloom. It has a sweet  light lemon flavor followed with a gentle floral note from the rose petals. It is quite simply one of the most delightful jellies I have tasted. I have been eating it straight out of the jar (with a spoon of course :p) until I can get around to using it in a

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-82601943242097828712010-05-09T12:37:00.000-07:002010-05-09T12:37:58.326-07:00

I have some sad news to share today.I lost one of my chickens- Amanda.She escaped her chicken yard by flying over a 5 foot fence.Scout was on hand and... well.Chickens sound and look a lot like squeaky toys. Once she stopped squeaking he came and got me with a worried look.After talking with a friend who has raised chickens I found out chickens can fly. She had chicks escaping a 10ft fence! 

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-87737152447774842442010-05-06T17:29:00.000-07:002010-05-06T17:29:01.824-07:00

Chickens go through a gawky teenage phase. Hen's are people too I guess! My birds have gotten so big so quickly. They were only little peeps for about 2 weeks then I moved them from my horse's 5 gallon water bucket to an old feed bin twice the size. The coop upgrade only lasted a week and they started jumping out giving my dog, scout, the thrill of his life! Luckily I was on hand to toss them

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-34096083892218704132010-05-01T12:21:00.000-07:002010-05-01T12:21:03.982-07:00

Thank you to everyone who entered the give away for my 100th blog post!I used random.org to generate the number 24 for Smitten Sugar! Congratulations!

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-15168236766367993732010-04-28T10:02:00.000-07:002010-04-28T10:02:56.461-07:00

This is a continuing post about my journey with raw milk. Hopefully you are thinking about processed milk and beginning to question some of the decisions food safety experts make where your food is concerned. I am not against safety measures to protect me from food born illness. I do believe the animal producing the food should be part of that safety and quality process. Happy cows = happy

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-8461225012740109182010-04-22T08:28:00.000-07:002010-05-12T10:25:30.771-07:00

 What is kefir and why would you drink it?Kefir is a fermented dairy beverage you can make at home using kefir grains. The grains look like cauliflower and are squishy.(Like my very technical lingo?)  The grains are made up of a community of yeast and bacteria. It has more good gut bugs (probiotics) than yogurt. So I drink it cause it is full of beneficial bacteria, has antioxidant properties,

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-36408962411771888632010-04-20T04:53:00.000-07:002010-04-20T04:53:00.433-07:00

For the last week at work I have undergone sensory training. I have eaten every type of chocolate available for purchase. We tasted every variety of milk from skim to buttermilk and a variety of fruits. It was eye opening. I have never equated chocolate with burnt rubber, brown fruit or sour milk. Now I can not help but really analyze the food I am tasting. Did you know people have their

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-83086515189485219652010-04-18T09:31:00.000-07:002010-04-20T07:58:57.847-07:00

Wow I just can not believe I have kept this going for as long as I have!When I first started this little baking blog I thought it would be a way of making my baking obsession seem legit. I could make it seem like I NEEDED to bake 3 or for cakes a week for RESEARCH and Blog Material. Then I started meeting other bloggers and I realized what a great community we have.There have been days when a

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-18336278322952762712010-04-16T14:15:00.000-07:002010-04-28T17:34:07.181-07:00

Every Saturday I do something illegal and dangerous.I drive out to a local farm and purchase unpasteurized cow milk. Ok so it isn't entirely illegal.- at least not in Oregon. "Under Oregon state law, commercial dairies are prohibited from distributing raw milk. The only exception is for small operations with three cows or less, which are permitted to sell raw milk on-site but cannot advertise

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-57809571236486247652010-04-09T06:30:00.000-07:002010-04-09T06:30:06.361-07:00

I never had the true Brooklyn Blackout Cake experience. This is a chocolate cake which captures a bit of American history. The story goes that there was a great neighborhood bakery in Brooklyn called Ebinger's. They were famous for the Blackout Cake. Legend has it the cake originated during the war when Blackouts were practiced in the city. Ebinger's made this cake famous and baked it for 74

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-18132437969657573162010-04-04T00:39:00.000-07:002010-04-22T08:29:21.992-07:00

I was reading through one of my favorite baking books, "Baking: From My Home to Yours" by Dorie Greenspan, because I have been needing some baking inspiration. The majority of my cakes have been disappointing lately and I was really ready for a quick and successful cake. I love baking from Dories book. It is like working side by side in the kitchen with an old friend. When I got to the French

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-53305988695059989552010-04-02T04:46:00.000-07:002010-04-02T04:46:00.090-07:00

 I can not believe how fast chickens grow! Here they are at 2 weeks old thwarting my attempts to get an accurate read on the thermometer to maintain precise coop temps.   And now just look at them at almost 4 weeks! Here is Lady Ezmeralda Marmalade. Such a diva with her feather boa!   Next up we have a little speckled Sussex with no name. look at those shoulder pad like wings. she reminds me of

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-20879130328654293952010-04-01T11:09:00.000-07:002010-04-02T07:31:16.121-07:00

Do You have a favorite Chef?

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-46868255978244137372010-03-30T12:37:00.000-07:002010-03-30T12:37:43.311-07:00

 I was down in California a couple of weeks ago for the Natural Food and Product Expo. I was manning the booth for the company I work for and getting a chance to meet foodies from all over. It was such a fun event! If you are not familiar with Expo West imagine you are strolling through Whole Foods market and you can taste every single item on the shelf. As you are tasting you can talk directly

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-89905155727891780292010-03-28T16:18:00.000-07:002010-03-28T16:18:22.181-07:00

So I was watching Shrek 2 when I noticed an eerie resemblence between Scout and Puss in Boots.

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-44112392287939328192010-03-20T01:44:00.000-07:002010-03-20T01:44:00.434-07:00

For the month of March the Cake Slice Bakers top voted cake was the Pineapple Upside-down cake. The only time I remember having this cake was served with my school lunch at the cafeteria in grade school.  This cake is better than my old Alma mater was capable of whipping up for hoards of hungry 3rd graders. The flavors are really lovely. Just imagine sweet brown sugar coated fruit with hits of

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-74213442967483720272010-03-19T19:51:00.000-07:002010-03-19T19:51:11.238-07:00

I can not stand how cute these babies are! OH MY! I have named the little yellow chick lady marmalade - I was making some lemon ginger marmalade yesterday and it seems to fit her. Any suggestions for the other two? I have wanted laying hens for awhile but I live in town and never thought it was possible until I met a neighbor who had chickens and ducks. Right downtown! I would go visit those

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-33954260907908877742010-03-14T13:03:00.000-07:002010-03-26T13:26:01.696-07:00

I have almost a full bag of marshmallows left from my last Cake Slice Bakers challenge and I happened to see Monica's recipe for magic bars. (If you have not visited her blog - Lick the Bowl Good, do yourself a favor a go drool over her beautiful photos and recipes)  With a couple of ingredient swaps and sheer luck I ended up with a pretty tasty little treat reminicent of a s'mores bar. Magic

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-22186344837064343082010-03-07T09:52:00.000-08:002010-03-07T09:52:06.707-08:00

After much trial and error I have finally found my favorite recipe for Honey Wheat Bread. It is hearty and soft with a good balance of nutty and sweet flavors. It is a straight dough method which means you can just jump right in. No need for overnight fermenting or a starter. This has become my go to sandwich bread. Whole Wheat Bread Recipe from " On Cooking a Textbook of Culinary Fundamentals

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-9779552537790442452010-02-27T13:21:00.000-08:002010-02-27T13:21:00.116-08:00

 I made this cake for a holiday work party because who better to test new recipes on than coworkers right? Don't worry, none of my guinea pigs coworkers were harmed during the experiment! If you want an impressive chocolate cake for the holidays or just for your self this one got rave reviews and requests for the recipe. Decorating this 3 layer beauty couldn't be easier. Just cover with a

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-1047567099348097842010-02-20T00:00:00.000-08:002010-02-20T00:00:04.963-08:00

Here we are in February and it is time for the monthly reveal of another Cake Slice Bakers challenge. This month the bakers top pick was a Mississippi mud Cake. I was really excited to try this cake since it is not something I would ever choose on my own. The cake is basically a brownie bottom covered in marshmallows and a fudge frosting. I halved the recipe and I'm glad I did because this

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-90304514154334342502010-02-13T13:32:00.000-08:002010-02-13T13:32:54.595-08:00

Have a sweet Day!

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-62689765766894512362010-02-08T07:00:00.000-08:002010-02-08T07:00:10.880-08:00

Chiffon is one of my favorite cakes to bake and any sort of citrus flavor is sure to be a hit at my house. I have made  Raspberry Chiffon and Lemon Chiffon and decided it was time for orange to make an appearance here at Symphonious Sweets. I have made this cake many times but, never able to just leave a good recipe alone, I decided to try something a little different. The Raspberry Chiffon

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-69193399423539463432010-02-01T08:09:00.000-08:002010-02-03T11:20:47.768-08:00

 Eclairs! What could be better for an elegant weekend treat with coffee. You don't have to go to a bakery for these anymore! They are surprisingly simple. The baked unfilled shells can be made in advance and frozen for several weeks or stored a few days at room temperature. Eclair paste (Pate a choux) is unique among pastry doughs because it is cooked before baking. The dough is more batter-like

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-26474466872080750822010-01-28T11:30:00.000-08:002010-01-28T11:30:49.847-08:00

Here is a question to any other horse owners out there... My horse has always been boarded and now I may have the opportunity to have him home with me. What do you think the pros and cons are for each situation? Since I have never had him at home I am really curious to hear from those of you who have moved your horses home and how that compares to having them boarded. I have boarded at a

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-31681779911137221952010-01-25T09:15:00.000-08:002010-01-26T18:21:23.220-08:00

Since I am easily influenced by large images flickering across a screen I have decided to make some changes in my grocery shopping habits.If you have not seen Food Inc. I highly recommend you check it out. I think the most eye opening part of the movie for me was the realization that packaged food really is not healthy and it barely resembles the food it tries so hard to imitate once you start

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-12000934975553907622010-01-20T05:37:00.000-08:002010-01-20T05:37:00.507-08:00

This month the Cake Slice Bakers chose a Red Velvet Cake recipe to tackle from our current cook book selection  Southern Cakes: Sweet and Irresistible Recipes for Everyday Celebrations by Nancie McDermott Whew! This cake is the reason I bought this book. I have never had nor have I ever baked a Red Velvet cake but boy do I want to photograph one! They really are one of the most photogenic

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-1066076495699381932010-01-17T12:03:00.000-08:002010-01-17T12:03:05.120-08:00

  I have been a little under the weather so my baking adventures have slowed a bit. With all this new found spare time I stumbled upon a really great food blog while looking for caramel corn recipes that is so funny you should check it out! It is my first blog crush of 2010. The blog is called Amateur Gourmet and the recipe was done in 2005!  I had no idea food blogging went that far back.

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-19438544475202985152010-01-01T11:00:00.000-08:002010-01-01T11:00:00.911-08:00

  I grew up in south Florida. My mother planted key lime trees every time we got a new house. Kind of a nice gift to leave behind to new owners once we moved. On a recent trip home for my sister's wedding I asked my mom to make a key lime pie.  She had key limes freshly picked and ready to go. She pulled out this recipe and told me to go for it... thanks mom! This is an original family

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-23780253072592171732009-12-25T06:35:00.000-08:002010-12-04T15:36:09.638-08:00

Oh Yeah!That's what I'm talking about! Creamy, chocolately, melt in your mouth, holiday goodness.I have taken on the task of making fudge for my family this year. My Papa used to be the family fudge maker and after he passed away none of us were able to take his place. He made this fudge in secret. Like a jolly elf every December he would start the fudge making process. We would get pounds of

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-2679737761414487922009-12-20T04:00:00.000-08:002009-12-20T04:00:00.397-08:00

I was feeling a little rebellious when I read this months cake slice recipe for white chocolate cake with a cream cheese and white chocolate frosting. The recipe just seemed kind of bland... I did not want to skip this months bake along so I started fudging the recipe, just a little- at first. I decided to add some freshly made cranberry and orange jam as a filling. Then before I knew it the

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-17718289342921899352009-12-19T10:18:00.000-08:002009-12-20T13:03:37.467-08:00

Ok. Here is my problem and I need some advice. I baked this cake for a work party tonight. I am really trying to control my urge to cut out just a "tiny" slice for a photo shoot. My coworkers know I blog but would it be weird to show up with a missing slice? What if I replace the slice?? It's a chocolate peppermint cake with pink peppermint filling. I don't know aboout you, but, I feel a liitle

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-5632388640853831282009-12-17T17:19:00.000-08:002009-12-17T18:39:15.508-08:00

What in the world happened to my butter? Hmm I left it here on my counter. Need to get it soft enough for my frosting recipe... Scout? Where are you?    Hmmm... SCOUT! Did You eat my butter??! Gah! Gross! Guess I better pull out some more.   Now to finish watching Oprah...  "Oh boy more butter! Yum. "

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-1293456982087181222009-12-13T09:15:00.000-08:002009-12-13T09:15:00.104-08:00

The inspiration.   The Good The Bad The Ugly Via con Dios my fellow macroneers!

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-12538029002916374492009-12-06T09:14:00.000-08:002009-12-06T09:14:31.497-08:00

I happened to find some really tasty goat cheese at the local farmers market and needed a special cracker to gobble sample it  with. The fancy crackers worthy of this goat cheese would make a dent in my ranch fund (yep I'm house hunting!) so I decided to make my own fancy crackers. The recipe is simple and versatile. Use whatever flours you have on hand combined with your choice of seasonings.

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-63489950378414243232009-11-21T09:32:00.000-08:002009-11-22T09:18:51.114-08:00

This is such an easy dessert to convert to an animal free recipe. I have tried a couple of variations, one with vegan margarine and one with coconut oil. The margarine adds a better depth of flavor and buttery note but, if you are really watching the type of oil or fats you consume the coconut is a great substitution for margarine. This recipe has been tested on my co-workers - food scientists,

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-30359909358752502762009-11-10T22:39:00.000-08:002009-11-10T22:39:52.176-08:00

After 5  batches of these french cookies I am finally having some fun with them! Thanks to all the Daring Bakers for your inspiration!

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-24849114501847846922009-11-02T13:20:00.000-08:002009-11-02T13:20:57.619-08:00

It all started here! A lonely little tree with the most gorgeous ruby red apples I had ever seen. This is the kind of apple the witch tricked snow white into eating! So bright, so red, and so crispy sweet!  (Yes we tasted as we picked!)   These apples called to me. I was out at Deterings Orchard with my friend A to check out the Apple Days Festival and pick some fruit. We could not

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-14695343098657737912009-10-26T03:21:00.000-07:002009-10-26T03:21:20.213-07:00

 I HAVE FINALLY DONE IT! I have been trying to master foccocia. It seems simple enough. Water, olive oil, flour, salt, yeast and water. Right?  NOT! But I wont bog you down with my failures. But how about a photo?   This one came out like a giant greasy cracker. Even the sprinkle of Asiago cheese did not help :( Several recipes later it all came together for me! I just want to share with you a

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-69707559068086451302009-10-20T05:00:00.000-07:002009-10-20T05:00:05.099-07:00

The Cake Slice Bakers' have selected a new cook book to bake from for the next year. Southern Cakes: Sweet and Irresistible Recipes for Everyday Celebrations by Nancie McDermott.  I have had this book for awhile and have turned out some pretty impressive desserts like this , this and  this, so I was super excited to have this book become our group baking guide. This is one of those cookbooks that

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-85937521819310764302009-10-11T14:52:00.000-07:002009-10-11T14:55:42.283-07:00

I was on my nightly walk through the neighborhood with Scout collecting hazelnuts and such when a neighbor stopped me to ask if I was gathering fruit. When I answered yes he invited me a few houses over to his back yard to pick as much fruit as I wanted... AS MUCH FRUIT AS I WANTED. The Italian plum trees were overloaded with ripe fruit so I picked as many as I could put in my plastic grocery

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-76275717287413584592009-10-04T20:11:00.000-07:002009-10-04T20:11:21.905-07:00

Pears are ripe in the Willamette Valley so I headed out to Deterings Orchard this weekend to pick apples and pears.  Some pears were dried. Some pears were made into pear butter and canned.   And a few lucky pears went into a cake experiment.   Can you see the difference? No? how about a side by side comparison?   The slice on the left is made with butter. The slice on the right is made with

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-12142803969399999902009-09-30T09:04:00.000-07:002009-09-30T09:04:18.723-07:00

Or as we call them here in Oregon... Filberts! I have known for years that I live right down the road from a remnant hazelnut orchard. It is sort of strange considering I live "down town". In all this time I never thought about collecting these nuts for myself. Instead I would purchase them for about oh.. some insane amount.. per pound at a national grocery chain. Weird huh. Well not this

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-43831869601002090432009-09-27T13:04:00.000-07:002009-09-27T13:21:21.013-07:00

I am a member of a book of the month club. My intention was to join for the free books, pay for my 3 required books, and get the heck out! The problem friends, is that it isn't just ANY book club it is a COOK BOOK book club. What was I thinking!? Well, I thought I was just about done falling for their tricks with big discounts and member only offers when a featured selection ended up at my

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-69420595510017560702009-09-20T05:40:00.000-07:002009-09-21T12:09:47.794-07:00

This bitter sweet triple chocolate fudge cake is the perfect finale to Sky High: Irresistible Triple-Layer Cakes for the cake slice bakers. Next month we begin baking from our new selection southern cakes.   This cake is good. Deep dark chocolate cake layers with a hint of cinnamon filled with white chocolate mousse and topped with a chocolate sour cream frosting. I had problems with the mousse

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-63887163019913388962009-09-13T10:14:00.000-07:002009-09-13T10:14:00.242-07:00

Kugelhopf, kugelhopf, kugelhopf! My new favorite word to say... kugelhopf! The kugelhopf and I were destined to meet. Months ago I found a mini bundt pan at goodwill. It turns out it is really a mini kugelhopf pan!!! GAH! I only realized this after I made it, decided I love kugelhopf, and needed an authentic kugelhopf pan. ( I swear I can not stop saying typing that word!)For those of you

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-56389896105618273732009-09-12T09:57:00.000-07:002009-09-12T09:57:49.939-07:00

 I have to admit I have not been very inspired to bake lately. Recipes seem to fall short of my expectations or fail completely. Then one day I was zipping around on your blogs when I got a seriouse crush on an apron over at  Moogie and Pap a really great food blog. I mean who can resist skull and crossbones wearing little pink bows!? And the pink ruffles! OH MY!  I kept hoping moogie would open

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-86329528148503450552009-09-06T10:18:00.000-07:002009-09-06T10:18:01.929-07:00

With temperatures soaring into the 100's a recipe really has to be oven worthy to get made these days. These cookies are completely worth it!  This is a flavor combination I have been trying at work and it just has not really worked out. I brought the leftover ingredients home and decided to see if it could work in a baked good and my golly gosh darn these are good!The key ingredients are the

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-44309538968651216052009-09-06T10:09:00.000-07:002009-09-06T10:09:23.170-07:00

I thought I was having a stroke of brilliance when I started concocting this recipe. I love the flavor of peaches and basil on top of pound cake so why not put that flavor IN the cake! HA!  The cake is good and moist but, none  of the peach basil flavor really came through except on the bottom of the cake where all of the peach bits were hanging about. Even as a regular peach cake I really need

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-37818178552812443912009-08-29T13:11:00.000-07:002009-08-29T13:42:09.965-07:00

This is my favorite guy! Soooo Handsome! Can you believe he is 24 years old?His name is Saudi and he is an Arabian horse.This is Saudi last winter. He is wearing his raincoat. I think he looks good in green! Winters here in Oregon are wet and muddy so every good horse mom makes sure to get a good raincoat for their pony.Then there is this goofball!Conveniently located during a photo shoot of some

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-31052914481558713572009-08-20T05:53:00.000-07:002009-08-20T07:48:16.086-07:00

I'm really glad I gave the August Cake Slice challenge a try. The recipe for the Pistachio Petit Four cake from Sky High Irresistible Triple-Layer Cakes by Alisa Huntsman and Peter Wynne was a bit intimidating since it called for marzipan and ganache. If I have not said it before I really love this cookbook. The flavor combinations are interesting and the instructions are clear and easy to

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-50049279238372826002009-08-09T14:20:00.001-07:002010-01-15T08:26:25.392-08:00

I scored this flat of mixed berries at the Eugene Farmers Market. Raspberries, marionberries, blackberries, and cherries all perfectly ripe and locally grown. I did my best to gobble them up the second I purchased them. Aren't they beautiful! I think I managed to eat a fair amount the first day. By the second day the berries stated looking a little sad so I put them in a cobbler. The recipe is

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-34401520250507645092009-07-29T06:23:00.000-07:002009-08-09T17:33:59.070-07:00

I am still at it! This is Pound cake attempt number 3 AND 4! I got to thinking about the whole issue of shortening in my previous recipes and I just could not with good conscience proceed without trying a traditional pound cake. NO CHEATING! No leavening agents, no sour cream or cream cheese, and definitely no shortening. Just to see the difference. I poured over dozens of Pound Cake recipes

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-49869895768713963992009-07-27T20:40:00.000-07:002009-07-27T20:46:31.113-07:00

This is my new favorite thing!  Thank you slow like honey!You should make one too! 

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-29598258083180928862009-07-26T14:53:00.000-07:002009-07-26T18:19:01.618-07:00

I have been trying all sorts of waffle recipes. Yeasted, overnight, beaten egg whites, lemon, buttermilk, quick and easy, long and drawn out... the results were good but, not really blog worthy. My Waffle iron found a new home on a lonely shelf. I began to obsess about other recipes (see Pound cakes!). Then one glorious afternoon I took a trip to the wine country.  I was perusing the brunch menu

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-75246856368086503222009-07-22T19:56:00.000-07:002010-01-15T08:24:50.838-08:00

I think this may be the fancy-est dessert I have made to date. The inspiration struck on Tuesday at the local farmers market in downtown Eugene. If you live near here and have not checked out the weekday market it is amazing. The focus is on local produce AND local food products. I tried some really beautiful rose petal jam (for the life of me I cant figure out why I did not buy a jar!), homemade

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-85385067764136185022009-07-20T07:46:00.000-07:002009-07-20T07:46:00.878-07:00

I was at the Oregon Country Fair and could not be persauded to turn on my oven!

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-39540107613870945692009-07-17T19:43:00.000-07:002009-07-17T20:00:17.482-07:00

Blood orange buttercream frosting and a vanilla cupcake!I have ordered a cupcake only cook book... sigh... It has begun.

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-72061548720412398702009-07-17T18:39:00.000-07:002009-07-26T18:15:14.223-07:00

Well if Miss Edna could win a blue ribbon with this pound cake I bet I can too! This is my second pound cake from the book  "Southern Cakes: Sweet and Irresistible Recipes for Everyday Celebrations" by Nancy McDermott.This is one fabulous pound cake! It came out tall and proud from my tube pan. the crust was golden with a delicate crunch. The interior had a dense crumb, moist but not soggy

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-1249269173851221862009-07-17T17:45:00.000-07:002009-09-25T10:51:19.155-07:00

I think I have found a new love! Simple, easy to transport, great with coffee in the morning or topped with fruit for a healthy snack, pound cake can do it all. I don't know how I overlooked this cake but now that i have found it I can NOT  stop researching recipes. So far I have made 2 of them both from the same book "Southern Cakes: Sweet and Irresistible Recipes for Everyday Celebrations" by

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-81237099422616465462009-07-05T10:58:00.000-07:002009-07-15T13:23:26.844-07:00

These are gooood! They are tart and sweet with an earthy undertone from the matcha (green tea powder). I made these in the morning and took them to a 4th of July party later that evening. I am happy to say they all disappeared way before the fireworks started! I found the recipe on sophitimoms site and made some adjustments. The green tea is really subtle (undetectable) in this so if you really

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-70671406007433819022009-07-03T08:00:00.000-07:002009-07-03T08:07:55.383-07:00

Happy Holidays to all of you! Summer is really here and the heat has really curbed my baking addiction. Here is a blueberry pie I made with fresh local berries picked over on Greenhill Road. The berries grown here are organic and super big and juicy! I plan to go tubing down the river and enjoy the summer weather. Hope you are all enjoying the holiday and warm weather!

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-44063761420222428442009-06-21T16:50:00.000-07:002009-06-21T17:12:02.033-07:00

Step over strawberry, there's a new scone in town! How does white chocolate with cranberries sound? Not really the healthy fruity breakfast scone but these are really good!I tried the recipe from Cooks Illustrated for this scone and I have to say I prefer it to my strawberry scones. Now this could be operator error. I have not made scones before. The strawberries were super juicy and I did not

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-26282751491166301402009-06-20T06:00:00.000-07:002009-06-20T09:00:30.677-07:00

The June selection for the Cake Slice is the Pina Colada Cake. It is a brown sugar cake (YUM) with a pineapple filling made by simmering a can of crushed pineapple a vanilla bean and sugar(Double YUM), some rum( more YUM) and a coconut butter cream.I was really reluctant to make this cake in regular 8" sky high style so I went with petite fours. Wow are they cute! A little time consuming but the

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-74093174499622608402009-06-18T15:56:00.000-07:002009-06-19T16:41:38.353-07:00

I have been waiting patiently for the harvest of local strawberries. And NOW they are HERE!!! Hurray! For the next 2-3 weeks the local strawberries will be pouring in! That means I can FINALLY try this scone recipe I spotted on LuLu the Baker's blog months and months ago. I was drooling and planning the second I saw her beautiful scone photos!I have not made scones before so I did not realize

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-48370911301154586512009-06-13T09:23:00.000-07:002009-06-13T10:50:42.844-07:00

AKA sour cream-chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting and chocolate-peanut butter glaze, whew! This cake comes from the fabulous cook book Sky High Cakes. I cant recommend this book enough! I have yet to try a cake out of this book that has let me down. The flavor combinations are innovative. If you love making celebration cakes get your self a copy! I love the PB and chocolate combo. Forget

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-27187989856686681012009-05-31T11:01:00.000-07:002009-05-31T14:46:56.688-07:00

Certain cakes put me in a nostalgic state of mind. The Chiffon cake is one that transports me to my idea of the 1950's(No I was not alive and baking cakes in the 1950's! gah!) A time when you could drop by your neighbors house and have coffee and homemade cake any day of the week. Beehive hairdos, horned rim glasses and of course Chiffon cakes.And now class, a little history lesson... According

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-84035317301123425332009-05-25T11:32:00.000-07:002009-06-13T11:03:09.946-07:00

Here is one of those posts that totally slipped my mind until I saw this bread popping up on other food blogs. I baked this bread back in March but, due to a hectic work schedule, forgot all about posting it. So..... I bring you Anadama Bread!This recipe is from my all time favorite "go to" cook book - The New Farm Cookbook. After reading the recipe from the current posts about Anadama bread from

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-18982024846120910232009-05-23T18:25:00.000-07:002009-05-23T18:42:15.602-07:00

I don't know about you but, to me there is something magical about cake. You start with your basic ingredients- flour, sugar, butter, eggs- then you choose flavors, mix it all up and put it in the oven. The batter is transformed into a soft and spongy texture perfect for shaping and frosting. The chemistry of baking is magic in and of itself but then there is the personal magic that happens.

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-32015657272825265612009-05-20T06:33:00.000-07:002009-06-13T10:50:33.114-07:00

Oh boy. Where to start with this one? I made my cake in 3 6 inch cake pans as usual but when I scaled down the recipe I miscalculated the butter and added an extra 3 ounces. No biggie what cake isn't better with more butter? The cakes where flat and a bit greasy but still tasty. So I continued on to the frosting choices. A brown sugar butter cream with a whole pound of butter or a brown sugar 7

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-43047265611190452752009-05-09T11:30:00.000-07:002009-06-13T10:48:41.718-07:00

What could be easier for an elegant mother's day breakfast than these oven baked Dutch Babies? You may know these as German pancakes, David Eyre’s Pancake, Swedish puffs, or Puff pancakes. They are a cross between a soufflé and an omelet. They can be served with a simple squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a sprinkle of powdered sugar or really dressed up with fresh berries and Creme Fraiche. This "

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-62756700877776872422009-05-06T14:00:00.000-07:002009-06-13T10:49:51.113-07:00

I spotted this recipe on Smitten Kitchen's blog Then I spotted them again on David Lebovits blog.Then I spotted saltines at the grocery store! These are quick, cheap, and easy- insert joke here!Here is the recipe from Smitten kitchens blog. Chocolate Caramel Crack(ers)Adapted from David Lebovitz, who adapted it from Marcy Goldman who is the genius that first applied this to matzo4 to 6 sheets

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-66895313781825835562009-04-20T07:00:00.000-07:002009-06-13T10:50:13.874-07:00

Can we get a collective YUM for this cake! When I got my copy of Sky High this recipe really grabbed me by the belly. The title reads like poetry " Chai Cake with Honey Ginger Cream". I patiently waited for our group to select this cake and April was our month! The sneak peeks from other cake slice bakers were very encouraging so be sure to check out other versions here.

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-24098777280624545482009-04-19T12:56:00.000-07:002009-06-13T10:51:11.295-07:00

It seems like I just don't have as much time to bake since spring rolled in. With that in mind I have been perusing the blogosphere for the quickest and tastiest recipes I can find. I found  one for lemon curd made in the microwave awhile back when I became the owner of a 5 pound bag of lemons. It just sounded WAY too simple so of course I chose to make a couple more complicated (but delicious)

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-33005178228678011442009-04-19T12:42:00.001-07:002009-06-13T11:03:09.946-07:00

This recipe is kind of cheating. I used a buttermilk biscuit mix and just tossed in some fresh chives and sharp cheddar cheese. Easy Peasy. Once out of the oven I brushed on melted butter and garlic.That"s all there is too it! I think I spent more time setting up the photo then making the biscuits!

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-82401060025168331692009-04-05T11:56:00.000-07:002009-06-13T10:51:47.830-07:00

This is my all time favorite lemon cookie recipe. I make them every spring. It was originally a vegan recipe from back in the day... Since embracing eggs and butter I have returned this to a non-vegan cookie recipe. It works really well in both directions. The result is a cookie with a slight crunch to the crust, a soft cakey interior, and a refreshing light lemon flavor that really pops! Spring

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-29516586152513991612009-04-02T19:11:00.002-07:002009-06-13T10:52:08.486-07:00

After a long la-ahng search for Brioche in my neck of the woods I finally gave up and baked one myself!  So many foodies have raved about this bread. Is it because of the unbelievable 3 sticks of butter? The required 12 or more hour refrigerated slow rise? The gorgeous finished product?Maybe.For me it is turning a stale loaf of brioche into Bostock!  Don't get me wrong Brioche really is a lovely

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-19451340570546572922009-03-20T07:46:00.000-07:002009-06-13T10:52:24.904-07:00

This month the Cake Slice Bakers voted on the Triple Lemon Chiffon Cake from "Sky High Cakes".All was going according to the recipe. I placed the first sponge like layer on the cake board and piled on the lemon curd filling... glorious! I placed the second layer on the first. Checked for seeping lemon curd and finding none slathered on my next addition of lemon curd. Some curd crept and oozed out

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-64691432528385698872009-03-05T18:35:00.000-08:002009-06-13T10:52:36.917-07:00

I  found a recipe for candied oranges on Brownie Points website. I can't be sure what drew me to this particular method. Probable the absolutely gorgeous photos on her site ;).This procedure takes commitment, like 2 weeks worth! I know!  Each day after the initial prep work you must drain the syrup, add more sugar, dissolve it into the syrup you just drained, and pour it back into the container

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-80910525799911103912009-02-28T11:09:00.000-08:002009-09-19T17:43:58.741-07:00

The saying goes that anyone can make a great cake one time but it takes real skill to consitently produce a great cake... With this in mind I think it is time to revisit the Chocolate Domingo cake I made for Alix's Birthday. I just can not get this cake out of my head! (cue super cheesy music...  cant get it out of my head  woah oh ohhh) I tried to go with the whole Placido Domingo vibe(I mean

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-18597134567361121172009-02-28T07:09:00.000-08:002009-06-13T10:54:38.935-07:00

The February 2009 challenge is hosted by Wendy of WMPE's blog and Dharm of Dad ~ Baker & Chef. We have chosen a Chocolate Valentino cake by Chef Wan; a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Dharm and a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Wendy as the challenge.Here is a true confession... I'm really not a girl who goes bonkers for anything chocolate.It seems somehow appropriate to me that my first challenge as

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-90476822474941867722009-02-22T16:20:00.000-08:002009-06-13T10:53:25.703-07:00

I want to thank Grace over at A Southern Grace for this awesome recipe.   As I looked at her photos and read the description I thought GENIUS! it's like a caramel apple! but in the much preferred cake form!  I had some apples laying around and no intention to actually eat them in their natural good for you state, so I got busy with the apple dapple recipe. It is a really easy, quick to put

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-33770557458391789892009-02-20T06:39:00.000-08:002009-09-24T18:28:40.569-07:00

This is my first challenge as a new member of The Cake Slice Bakers. I joined this group after purchasing the cook book "Sky High : Irresistible Triple Layer Cakes" by Alicia Huntsman and Peter Wynne. Ive always admired tall, complicated cakes, but never had the courage to tackle one myself. I'm happy to say I have conquered my fear of layered cakes! This Southern Coconut Cake was a great

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-27183102966048757452009-02-19T16:03:00.001-08:002009-06-13T11:00:50.981-07:00

SWF iso the perfect buttermilk biscuit.             You- light, flakey, and easily put together.       HWP though taller is a plus!                                  Do you have the ingredients to make a good match? 

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-31015635644215500672009-02-16T08:28:00.000-08:002009-06-13T10:54:38.935-07:00

I was sorting through my ever growing collection of baked goods photos when I noticed some pretty awful looking madeleines. I'm sad to say I have not picked up the gauntlet or pulled out my madeleine pan since my 3rd failed attempt.  So for the sake of food bloggers everywhere here is the continuing saga of madeleine mania... the search to create a perfect madeleine.Part II. The Recipe. After

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-41509942522032561232009-02-10T08:44:00.000-08:002009-06-13T10:55:57.530-07:00

My friend A and I decided to have lunch at our local patisserie Sweet Life. Let me tell you this place has it all! The display case goes on for miles making decisions nearly impossible. They have vegan options as well as sweets crammed full of buttery goodness. You can see which side of the baking line I tend to swerve toward... butter all the way!Anyway, A and I were enjoying our lunch time

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-43793203871126283862009-02-08T11:28:00.000-08:002009-09-19T17:42:53.946-07:00

... an excellent excuse to bake a cake!!! I swear I could easily bake a few cakes a week.. hey, I have a lot of flour to use up! LOL . The ease with which this cake came together makes me want to throw another one together.. just to check the results... for consistency's sake... yeah,, um. So this lovely little chocolate cake is AMAZING! It is the one and only Chocolate Domingo from The Cake

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-25205734811079888162009-02-07T15:14:00.000-08:002009-06-13T11:03:09.946-07:00

It is time for another installment of BYOB (bake your own bread). The master dough recipe from Artisan Bread in 5minutes a Day. I weighed out a pound of refrigorated dough, added some molasses, oats, chopped walnuts, and dried blueberries, mixed in the gooey mess and baked. I really like the versitility of the master recipe. I have made everything from seeded rolls to this fruit loaf. It adapts

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-88577223278405313372009-02-01T15:00:00.000-08:002009-06-13T10:55:45.575-07:00

This cake looks so awesome in the Baking from my Home to Yours photograph that I could not wait until an occasion presented itself which would require a cake. Finally, the occasion of a house warming party for some friends who just purchased their first new home was on my social calendar.I did a lot of research on food blogs. This recipe has been made by the Daring Bakers and Tuesday's with Dorie

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-86640067667176320552009-01-28T16:58:00.001-08:002009-06-13T10:56:53.388-07:00

Sooo yummy! Last weekend I made the innocent decision to go to our local restaurant supply store. No harm in just looking around, right? eh hem... well I ended up with 50 pounds of cake flour, 5 dozen eggs, and a 5 pound bag of lemons. Really I don't know how this happened. The cake flour was just such a good deal I couldn't pass it up even though I tried to talk myself out of the purchase

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-88356517320048775642009-01-23T13:29:00.000-08:002009-06-13T10:57:00.498-07:00

Thanks goes out to sandy At the Baker's Bench  for coming up with the idea for BYOB ( bake your own bread). I recently got a copy of  "Artisan Bread in five minutes a day" and made my first batch of dough for the refrigerator. There is no kneading involved yet the results are a light, airy, chewy loaf of bread. It goes against everything I know not to knead this dough! So with out further delay

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-90539830650176042242009-01-17T14:04:00.000-08:002009-06-13T10:57:48.720-07:00

OK... So this is a pretty crummy (hee hee ... I just cant help the puns!) photo of the brownies I made... but notice my pupperoo, Scout, in the back! Perhaps this photo is foreshadowing his k-9 intention to stealthily gobble up my brownies when my attention is elsewhere! 

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-45196983509670815932009-01-17T13:50:00.000-08:002009-11-22T09:20:38.036-08:00

It has been awhile since I have attempted a vegan dessert but, there was a time when butter, eggs, and cows milk were not a part of my life. So I decided to revisit a vegan recipe I used to love for brownies. The original recipe is from The New Farm Cookbook. I highly recommend this cookbook for vegetarian or vegan cooking. My copy is so well worn and written in that I have replaced it twice.

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-28972721103186377012009-01-13T20:02:00.000-08:002009-05-25T11:18:31.479-07:00

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-70838352474550335272009-01-13T17:58:00.000-08:002009-05-25T11:18:31.479-07:00

This week I enlisted the help of some friends to decorate mocha flavored meringues. I have to say I am super impressed with just how much these little candies resemble button mushrooms! I found the recipe here One word of warning... be very careful about humidity when making these. I made the meringues the night before and they were crispy and lite. The next day I melted the chocolate "glue" over

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-74887696894159924142009-01-08T17:31:00.000-08:002009-06-13T10:56:40.072-07:00

Shortbread is one of my fAAvorite cookies. The simplicity of the recipe makes them easy to prepare anytime. My recent acquisition of a fancy shortbread pan has given my shortbread an elegant design and was well worth the money. I think the key to really great shortbread is to use the best butter you can find. I splurged on Vermont Butter and Cheese Company's cultured butter. I accidentally bought

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-39116237436852507222009-01-04T17:59:00.000-08:002009-05-25T11:17:39.368-07:00

OOh madeleines! I have been obsessing about these scalloped shaped cookies since I noticed the photos in Baking from My Home To Yours. It started innocently enough... some calls around town to locate an actual living madeleine. Nothing. Next I decided " What the hell, I'll just bake them myself." Which brought me to the next obstacle in my pursuit of madeleines, the pan. Another couple of weeks,

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-60960962271556422942008-12-25T13:17:00.000-08:002009-06-13T10:58:33.319-07:00

I really can't believe I have never made a tart before. What was I so afraid of? This recipe is simple and gives fantastic results (another Dorie Greenspan recipe of course!) you go from almond paste and some sliced pears, from a can even, to a fluffy, puffy, almond cream filling. It's like magic or chemistry or really just plain delicious! Oh boy, I really need to get this one out of my house

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-13965341023345419382008-12-22T16:12:00.000-08:002009-05-25T11:14:20.460-07:00

I love the aroma of Rooibos tea and after experimenting with matcha I thought, hey why not rooibos powder! So I came up with this little recipe.3/4 cup Confectioners sugar5 oz Unsalted butter, cut into cubes1 3/4 cup All-purpose flour3 Large egg yolks1.5 TBS powdered Rooibos tea1/ 2 teaspoon vanilla extractPinch of salt1 cup Granulated sugar (for coating)If any of you try this let me know your

symphonious sweetshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447120671969538417noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504178333986447884.post-88827363862250516282008-12-21T15:04:00.000-08:002009-05-25T11:16:26.212-07:00

Cocoa Almond Meringues are a quick and easy confection perfect for using up any egg whites you may have accumulated. I chopped up a huckleberry razzle chocolate bar I received as a gift instead of the regular chocolate the recipe called for. This cookie(?) is a mass of fudgey chocolately goodness surrounded by a melt in your mouth meringue cocoa crust.  This is another recipe from Dorie Greenspan

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