From the monthly archives:

August 2009

25 Excuses to Bake in September

August 31, 2009 | 28 Comments | Email | Print

Can you believe that we’re a day away from September? I have no idea where the summer went, but ready or not, here comes fall! Apple picking, football parties, hearty stews, spicy chili – all signs that fall has arrived. In case you are short on ideas for what to bake in the coming month, [...]

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Lemon-Limoncello Cupcakes

August 30, 2009 | 62 Comments | Email | Print
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These cupcakes have almost rendered me speechless. Trying to come up with the words to describe the incredible flavor experience that these provide is no small task. These lemon beauties topped off an Italian-themed meal (one that had begun with the Fontina-Stuffed Bacon-Wrapped Dates as an appetizer) and was the perfect clean-flavored dessert that I [...]

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How to Build a Baking Pantry, Part II: Ingredients (Advanced)

August 28, 2009 | 20 Comments | Email | Print

[This is Part Two in a four-part series on stocking a baking pantry. You can catch up on basic ingredients by checking out How to Build a Baking Pantry, Part I: Ingredients (Beginner).] So, you’ve mastered chocolate chip cookies and quick breads and feel like you’re ready to move on to more advanced baking, but [...]

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Polenta Pizza: Guest Post on In Jennie’s Kitchen

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How to Build a Baking Pantry, Part I: Ingredients (Beginner)

August 26, 2009 | 30 Comments | Email | Print

Welcome to my pantry! The above shelving unit is essentially my baking “pantry”. As you can see, I keep a lot of supplies, ingredients, cookbooks, and tools here. This is actually one of two areas where I keep baking supplies – the other houses all of my baking pans and other tools/utensils (you’ll get to [...]

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Fontina-Stuffed, Bacon-Wrapped Dates

August 25, 2009 | 37 Comments | Email | Print
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This is quite possibly the most amazing appetizer I have ever made; I have never seen anything gobbled up by a crowd so quickly. Although it’s certainly not surprising as to why – combining moist, sweet dates with creamy cheese and salty, crisp bacon creates a flavor combination that is nothing short of fabulous. In [...]

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Blueberry-Buttermilk Scones

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Ahh scones. Tender and flaky, part biscuit and part muffin, sweet or savory. Perfect for breakfast or dessert. Is there a more perfect concoction? I should think not. I fell in love with them the very first time I made Dark Chocolate Chip Scones, which was years before Brown Eyed Baker was given life. Admittedly, [...]

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Potato-Bacon Torte

August 24, 2009 | 24 Comments | Email | Print

It is unlikely that I will ever utter a bad word about a dish that combines potatoes, bacon, cream, and buttery pie crust, and this torte is no exception. The only bad thing, really, is that it’s so fabulous you’ll be in danger of eating the entire thing by yourself. Multiple layers of thinly sliced [...]

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How to Make Pate a Choux & Fill Eclairs and Cream Puffs

August 19, 2009 | 27 Comments | Email | Print

[This is Part 2 in a two-part tutorial series that I put together to illustrate how to make pastry cream and how to make pâte à choux dough for cream puffs and éclairs. If you missed the first part, feel free to go back and read Part 1: Pastry Cream.] Éclairs and cream puffs are [...]

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How to Make Pastry Cream

August 18, 2009 | 48 Comments | Email | Print

I recently received an order for eclairs and cream puffs and since the How to Decorate Cookies with Royal Icing tutorial was so well-received, I thought that this order would provide a good opportunity to share with you a step-by-step tutorial on how pastry cream is made, as well as how the pâte à choux [...]

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