Simple & stunning cake in a puff pastry crust
I've learned the hard way not to make a new dessert for a party. You've gotta do a test run. I know I can stand by this simple but super-impressive Blueberry Basque Cheesecake from Half-Baked Harvest because I made it twice in one week to the same glorious effect.
Here I go divulging secrets: The crust is just store-bought frozen puff pastry. The filling comes together in one bowl with an electric mixer. Minimal patience or technique is required, aside from making sure everything you're mixing ends up smooth and creamy.
Also, this is a cheesecake that embraces those dreaded cracks on top. You can't mess this one up! It's rustic and divine and will, I think, become a regular in my dessert rotation for its ease of preparation and the "ooh"s and "aah"s it inspires.
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BLUEBERRY BASQUE CHEESECAKE
WHAT YOU'LL NEED
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
2 8-oz. packages cream cheese, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
3 TBS flour
2 cups fresh blueberries
extra sugar for dusting
WHAT YOU'LL DO
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9-inch spring-form pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
2. On a lightly-floured surface, gently roll out the thawed puff pastry, trying to maintain an even square. Press the rolled pastry into the prepared pan. If it doesn't go all the way up the sides, that's okay. *Note: If some of the dough spills over the top of the pan, tear the excess and press up the sides to fill in any gaps.
3. Place the pastry-lined pan in the fridge while making the filling.
4. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and 3/4-cup sugar until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until well-incorporated and smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add cream, vanilla, and salt and beat until combined.
5. Sift 3 TBS flour into the batter and beat until smooth. Pour the batter into the pastry-lined pan. Gently sprinkle the blueberries over the filling (it's okay if some sink). Gently fold the corners and edges of the puff pastry over the filling. Sprinkle the top with 2 TBS sugar, hitting the top of the crust as well as the blueberries.
6. Bake in the heated oven for 55 to 65 minutes until golden brown on top and still jiggly in the middle. Let cool for 5 minutes, then un-mold and allow to cool completely. Serve at room temperature or chilled.
*Note: Let cool for a couple hours if you can before storing in the fridge. Best to bring it to room temperature before serving, and best served within 1–2 days of baking.
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This cheesecake was scrumptious the next day, but it was especially heavenly just a couple hours out of the oven. If possible, bake this cake the same day you're serving it for the best crust and filling texture.
Pre-made pie crust & jarred jam make it easy
Poptarts sure are nostalgic for many of us. If there's someone in your life that's a particular fan, what better treat for a special occasion than a homemade version? With the help of refrigerated pie crust and a jar of your favorite jam, it couldn't be easier.
I initially tested three flavors: strawberry, blackberry, and Nutella. While the blackberry and Nutella were good enough, take my word for it that strawberry is the only flavor you need. There's just something about the potency of that scrumptious strawberry flavor that works best in a poptart. Why mess with perfection?
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HOMEMADE POPTARTS
Yield: 6 poptarts
WHAT YOU'LL NEED
2 whole refrigerated pre-made pie crusts
1/2 cup fruit jam, plus 1 TBS for icing (I used strawberry)
1 TBS cornstarch
1 egg
1 cup powdered sugar
1 TBS heavy cream (more as needed)
sprinkles
WHAT YOU'LL DO
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In a small bowl, mix jam with cornstarch. In a second small bowl, whisk the egg.
3. Flour a work surface and roll each pie crust into circles, about 11 inches across. Cut the edges from the circles to make 9-inch squares. Cut each square into three even strips. Note: My dough was not a perfect square and my strips were not exactly even. That's okay!
4. Spoon 1–2 TBS of jam on one end of each strip. Brush egg around the edges of the dough to act as glue, then fold the strip over to form a pocket for the jam. Use a fork to crimp all sides. Repeat to make six poptarts.
5. Move the poptarts to the prepared baking sheet (a spatula helps). Bake 15–18 minutes, or until golden. Cool completely on a wire rack.
6. To make the icing: Whisk powdered sugar, 1 TBS jam, and 1–2 TBS cream together to create a glaze. Spoon on top of each poptart and immediately top with sprinkles. Let the icing dry.
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Think poptarts are a touch juvenile? Don't let the name fool you. These really have more of a hand-pie consistency. I'm also happy to report that while these are super scrumptious right out of the oven, they hold up overnight, too. You can always reheat them in the oven before digging in, but they are plenty yummy at room temperature — a fact I wouldn't have believed until I lived it.
Shout out to Sommer Collier at The Pioneer Woman for bringing these babies into my life!
The best and only recipe you'll ever need
If you think pumpkin bread is seasonal, I beg to differ. The fact that you can reach into your pantry any time and snag a can of pumpkin to do your baking bidding makes this a breakfast bread for all seasons.
The couple cans of pumpkin I had in my cabinet came in super handy on certain near-record-breaking subzero days we've had this Wisconsin winter. As if the convenience of canned pumpkin wasn't enough, I also discovered the perfect recipe from Once Upon a Chef that calls for one entire can of pumpkin to yield two scrumptious loaves of bread.
That's right: One can. Two loves. No awkward leftover pumpkin sitting in the fridge for weeks, well-intended for another baked good that will never be. So thank you, Once Upon a Chef, for giving the world a no-waste recipe that's double the delicious trouble.
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PUMPKIN BREAD
(yields two loaves)
WHAT YOU'LL NEED
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
3/4 cup (1 and 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 large eggs, at room temp
1 15-oz can 100% pure pumpkin (Libby's brand works!)
1 tsp vanilla (optional)
WHAT YOU'LL DO
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees with oven rack in middle position. Grease and flour two 8x4-inch loaf pans (or use baking spray with flour in it).
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, and whisk until combined. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until just blended. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue beating for a few minutes until very light and fluffy. Beat in the pumpkin. Note: If the mixture looks grainy, at this point, that's okay.
4. Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until just combined.
5. Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans. Bake for 60 to 75 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool loaves in the pans for about 10 minutes, then turn onto a wire rack to cool completely.
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I love the crusty top this bread boasts when it's just out of the oven. It's just as tasty the next day, especially if (pro tip!) you toast individual slices in the oven or toaster oven for that just-baked texture. You could also wrap the entire bread in foil and pop it in a 350-degree oven for about 15 minutes.
Morsels with M&Ms, Reese's, oats & nuts
Sometimes, you need a January Saturday where you pull the comforter out into the living room, plop down to binge Netflix for nigh 12 hours, do face masks, eat chili, drink bloody marys in the morning & hot toddies in the evening, and break only to bake a sweet smackerel.
These monster cookies from the New York Times are great because they come together easily and always turn out super yummy — a little crisp, a little chewy. And they're big. The addition of nuts and oats give some great texture, and cute, colorful candy pieces are, in my opinion, good mental therapy for a dreary winter's day. Like Winnie the Pooh said, "Nobody can be uncheered with a balloon." I say, nobody can be uncheered with a monster cookie.
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MONSTER COOKIES
(makes 12 hefty cookies)
WHAT YOU'LL NEED
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup rolled oats
9 TBS butter, at room temperature (I used 5 TBS salted, 4 TBS unsalted, because that's what I had)
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup chopped pecans (I used walnuts in a pinch)
1/2 cup M&Ms
1/2 cup Reese's pieces (you can do just one candy or the other, but I prefer the mix)
WHAT YOU'LL DO
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and oats. Set aside.
2. In a larger bowl, beat together butter and sugars until creamy. Add egg and vanilla and beat again until smooth.
3. Add flour mixture to butter mixture and beat until smooth. By hand, fold in nuts and candy pieces.
4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, or grease it. Using a measuring cup, scoop out 1/4-cup balls of dough. Place on the prepared baking pan, then flatten slightly into fat disks, about 1/2-inch high. Bake six cookies at a time to give them room to spread.
5. Bake until very lightly browned, 14–20 minutes (I took mine out at 14, so start checking then). Let stand a few minutes to harden a bit, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. The bottom of the cookies should have a nice soft golden color.
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I originally tried making these cookies smaller than the recommended 1/4-cup size, which turned out to be a mistake. The ratios of nuts and candy are simply better in a bigger cookie! So feel free to go big. I also love how you can adapt these for most any holiday by using festive M&Ms. But who needs a holiday? Winter in Wisco needs all the festive feelings we can get. Stay happy, stay warm, bake something!
Recipe for chocolate & peanut butter cereal treats
It doesn't get much easier or sinfully delicious than puppy chow. Next to rice krispie treats, this sweet snack is probably one of the simplest ones to throw together. Once these glorious little morsels are done, good luck tearing yourself away.
I found lots of recipes online whose ratios of peanut butter to chocolate to powdered sugar vary slightly. Some forego the vanilla — some don't even have butter. Some call for a mere nine cups of Chex cereal, while a standard box is filled with 11 cups. What happened to "no Chex left behind," huh? Oh the humanity!
To fix these egregious errors and oversights, I consulted my friend and puppy chow expert, Rachel. She's made puppy chow on a large scale as a camp counselor — even going so far as to make it over an open fire! And she always brings the chow to our up north girls weekends. Thanks to her, I think we've unlocked the ideal ratios for the perfect puppy chow. Come with us on this journey.
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PUPPY CHOW
WHAT YOU'LL NEED
1 11-cup box of Chex (I used rice)
1 stick butter (I used salted)
3/4 cup peanut butter
1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla
3–4 cups powdered sugar (I used 4)
Two doubled-up brown paper grocery bags
WHAT YOU'LL DO
1. In a large pot, melt the butter on the stove. Add the peanut butter, vanilla, and chocolate chips, stirring until everything is mixed together and completely smooth.
2. Add the Chex a bit at a time, pausing to mix between each addition and make sure all the cereal pieces are covered in the chocolate & peanut butter mixture. Continue until you've added and coated the entire box.
3. Double-up a couple of brown paper grocery bags. (You could probably get away with just one, but better safe than sorry!) Pour the Chex from the pot into the paper bag, and add 2 cups of powdered sugar. Shake the bag like your life depends on it. Peek inside, and add another 1-2 cups of powdered sugar, continuing to shake like crazy until everything is coated.
*Note: I added 4 cups total of powdered sugar, and it was divine. But the choice is yours if you think 3 cups will suffice.
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I swear, after this post, I can't make puppy chow anymore. It is my drug. It is the sweet I can't I can't say "no" to. Even when I can feel my body saying,"Stop with the sugar already!" there's a reflex that kicks in and just won't quit. So make this recipe if you want to be everyone's favorite. But don't make it unless you want to eat a whole party-sized bowl of puppy chow by yourself. But do make it. You'll probably regret it if you don't.
Easy-peasy, gluten-free morsels
Cookie bars and brownies are a no-brainer when it comes to bringing a sweet to share. But when charged with dessert at a dinner party where the hostess avoids gluten, what's a baker to do? After a light google, a King Arthur Flour recipe for gluten-free almond flour shortbread cookies quickly became the winner.
With just five simple ingredients and a bake time of 8–10 minutes, it was a fairly easy choice. You can flavor these little gluten-less nuggets with almond extract, vanilla, or even lemon. I doubled the recipe and divided my dough in two for half almond, half vanilla.
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SHORTBREAD COOKIES WITH ALMOND FLOUR
WHAT YOU'LL NEED
1 cup almond flour
3 TBS softened butter
3 TBS confectioners sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract, or 1/4 tsp almond extract
WHAT YOU'LL DO
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Mix all of the ingredients in a bowl until a cohesive dough forms (I used a fork, then switched to my hands).
3. Scoop 1-inch balls of dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Arrange the balls of dough about 2 inches apart. (You will get 12–15 cookies out of this recipe, depending how large you make them.)
4. Use a fork to flatten each cookie to about 1/4-inch thick, making a crosshatch design. Or, for an almond version, flatten each dough ball a bit with the fork, then gently press a slivered almond in the center of each. (If you don't press the almond in enough, it may pop off later — but it's just for garnish, so no biggie.)
5. Bake the cookies for 8–10 minutes, until they are just starting to turn golden. (These do get dark on the bottom quickly, so definitely check them at the 8-minute mark. If the bottoms look golden, they're done.)
6. Remove cookies from the oven, and cool on the pan for about 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Before serving, I dusted the vanilla cookies with a little powdered sugar, just for prettiness.
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The amounts of vanilla and almond extract are for one batch of cookies. So if you double the recipe and divide the dough in half to make two flavors of cookie, you'll still do a 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract in one half of your dough and 1/8 tsp of almond extract in the other half of your dough. Almond extract is much more potent than vanilla, which is why a little goes a long way.
By doubling the recipe, I got about 24 cookies — and I'm happy to say they were all gone by the end of our four-person, gluten-free dinner party. Sounds like too many cookies for four people in one evening, but these babies are really adorably tiny — and addictive. Perfect little morsels, whether you're eating gluten or not.
Gluten-free & mostly wholesome
In search of a yummy muffin recipe for Thanksgiving weekend, I circled back to one I'd drooled over on Instagram a while back — Pinch of Yum's favorite pumpkin muffins. Note that you do need a food processor or blender for this recipe.
I liked that the muffins were free of flour and refined sugar, so they're packed with (mostly) wholesome ingredients — something we could all use more of after all the Thanksgiving over-eating. These muffins turned out really tasty! Delicious right out of the oven, and yummy the next day — especially if you zap 'em in the microwave for about 15 seconds.
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PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP OAT MUFFINS
WHAT YOU'LL NEED
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup pumpkin purée (canned works!)
6 oz. or 1 small container plain Greek yogurt (I subbed sour cream)
1/2 cup real maple syrup
2 eggs
1 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
1 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chocolate chips (optional)
*Note: Though the muffins were plenty tasty as-is (all those chocolate morsels!) I may try adding more spice next time (starting with 1/8 tsp each clove, nutmeg, or pumpkin pie spice) and/or 1/4–1/2 tsp of vanilla, because why not?
WHAT YOU'LL DO
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a muffin tin.
2. In a food processor or blender, pulse the oats until they're mostly smooth.
3. If your food processor is large enough, add all other ingredients (minus chocolate chips) and pulse until just combined. If your food processor is small, transfer the pulsed oats to a large mixing bowl, add the remaining ingredients, and beat with an electric mixer until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
4. Pour batter into prepared muffin tin. Bake for 15–20 minutes. Let cool 5–10 minutes in the pan before removing. Enjoy warm!
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These muffins disappeared in no time, and I have to say it was nice knowing they're made with such a short list of simple ingredients. Will definitely make again — give 'em a whirl, friends!
Quick & easy lemon, feta & spinach pasta
At a birthday potluck earlier this July, my dear friend Kaitlyn showed up with a scrumptious tortellini pasta salad. We stood around the bowl, picking out the cheese-filled nuggets one at a time and wolfing them down — it was too addictive to wait for forks.
Kait said the salad was so easy to make and such a crowd pleaser, she always doubles or triples the recipe. And she was right! Her doubled recipe was gone by the end of the birthday night. I wasted no time getting the recipe from her, and doubled the recipe myself for a party last weekend. Rave reviews? You better believe it.
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TORTELLINI PASTA SALAD
*This is a single recipe, sufficient for a family of 4–6. But for a bigger party, double it!
WHAT YOU'LL NEED
1 package tortellini, cooked and rinsed (I used refrigerated)
1 and 1/2 cups chopped fresh spinach (or more, to taste)
1/2 to 1 red onion, finely chopped
1 and 1/2 cups crumbled feta cheese
juice of 1 lemon
zest of 1 lemon
1 package Good Seasons Italian Dressing (recipe on package)
WHAT YOU'LL DO
1. Cook the pasta and rinse thoroughly under cold water. Chop the spinach and onion and toss with feta in a large mixing bowl.
2. Follow the instructions on the Good Seasons package to make Italian dressing — the "less oil" version. You'll need: 1/4 cup vinegar (I used red wine vinegar), 1/4 cup olive oil, and water.
3. Toss everything together, but reserve 1/3 of the Italian dressing and lemon juice to mix in just before serving. Allow pasta to rest in the fridge for a few hours, or overnight.
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This is one of those recipes that it's okay to eyeball. I find that too much red onion can be overpowering, so I used only half of one. After letting the pasta sit in the fridge overnight, I added more feta and spinach, along with the 1/3 cup reserved dressing and lemon juice, just before serving to bring some freshness and moisture to the salad (which gets a bit congealed with time). This really is a foolproof recipe, and with how quickly and easily it comes together, it's easily going to be my new go-to pasta salad for parties.
Toppings & dough are all you need
I admire my friend Fritz for a zillion reasons, but today I want to talk about how she's a grill boss (not to be confused with a girlboss, which she also is). While I like to cook and bake, I've never attempted the big scary grill that sits on my parents' patio. Yes I've been a self-acknowledged weenie, but Fritz's most recent adventures in grilling may just turn the tide. Because: Pizza.
Have you ever cooked pizza on the grill? Neither had I before Fritz recently suggested it. All you need is store-bought dough and toppings of your choice. Wizard that she is, Fritz had an array of scrumptious toppings all chopped and lined up: mushrooms, eggplant, zucchini, onion, shredded cheese, sliced fresh mozzarella, pepperoni, chopped basil, and sauce. We tenderized some of the toppings (mushrooms, eggplant, and zucchini) by sautéing them for a few minutes.
For the dough, Fritz bought the Sendik's store-made kind, which we rolled out ourselves. You have to roll until it's very, very thin — otherwise your finished pizza will turn out rather doughy. If the dough springs back, don't give up! Keep rolling, tossing, and working that dough til it's quite thin. Then comes the grill.
Heat the grill, brush one side of the rolled-out dough with olive oil, and place the dough oil-side down on the grill. We didn't have too much trouble with the dough sinking between the grill grates, but to be safe, you might want to use a grill pan. Cook for 2–3 minutes, staying vigilant so the crust doesn't burn. In the mean time, make sure your toppings are ready to go — you'll have to work fast!
After the 2-3 minutes are up, brush the top side with olive oil and flip it. Working quickly, top with sauce, cheese, and toppings. Close the lid of the grill and let cook another 2-ish minutes. Plate it, and voila! I was really impressed with how our grilled pizzas turned out, but since Fritz was at the helm (with the help of grill-fearless boyfriend Charlie) I don't know why I expected anything less.
Homemade sauce + vegetarian filling
There are few recipes that make me say with absolute confidence that A.) everyone will flip out over how yummy this is, B.) you will be thrilled to eat the leftovers a week straight (should there be any), and C.) it's really, truly easy to make. Well heaven bless Kate, of Cookie & Kate, because her recipes usually check off all of these boxes — and her enchiladas have quickly become a new favorite.
If you like spinach and artichoke dip, or if you just like enchiladas, I promise this is the kind of recipe that'll leave you licking the plate. The amounts below make a pan of six large enchiladas, and you really only need one per person (they're filling) so you can feed a party of six, no problem. Or you can enjoy the leftovers for the next week; Adam and I did and loved every minute of it.
As for the ease, you make your own enchilada sauce, which means measuring some spices and opening some cans. Easy. You can make the sauce the night before, then whip up the enchilada filling, bake these bad boys, and have dinner on the table in no time. Serve with some smashed avocado and sour cream. Yummy sounds soon to follow.
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SPINACH & ARTICHOKE ENCHILADAS
WHAT YOU'LL NEED
ENCHILADA SAUCE
3 TBS olive oil
3 TBS whole wheat or all-purpose flour
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cinnamon
2 TBS tomato paste
2 cups vegetable broth
1 tsp apple cider or distilled white vinegar
black pepper, to taste
ENCHILADAS
2 TBS olive oil
1 cup chopped red onion
1/4 tsp salt
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 14-oz. can artichokes, chopped
1 4-oz. can diced green chiles (I used mild)
12 oz. baby spinach (see Spinach Note, below)
1 15-oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup sour cream
additional salt & pepper, to taste
6 8-inch whole wheat tortillas
1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
homemade enchilada sauce (above)
chopped fresh cilantro, for serving
avocado & lime juice, for serving
* Spinach Note: When you buy spinach, check out the ounces on the package. A big tub of spinach will be about 10 ounces; I used an entire tub, plus a couple more heaping handfuls in this recipe. It looks like a lot, even too much — but it wilts like crazy. Trust me!
WHAT YOU'LL DO
1. To make the sauce: Measure the flour and spices into a small bowl. Measure tomato paste and vegetable broth. Place all these near the stove (having everything ready before you start cooking is key!).
2. In a medium-sized pot, heat 3 TBS oil until shimmering. Pour in the flour and spice mixture, whisking constantly. Cook 1 minute until fragrant and deepened in color. Whisk in the tomato paste, then slowly pour in the broth while whisking constantly to remove any lumps.
3. Bring the sauce to a simmer, then reduce heat to maintain a simmer, whisking often, for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat once the sauce has thickened a bit (it will thicken more as it cools), and whisk in vinegar and black pepper to taste. Set the sauce aside.
4. To make the enchiladas: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9 by 13-inch pan.
5. In a large skillet, warm 2 TBS oil until shimmering. Add chopped onion and 1/4 tsp salt. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is tender and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook about 30 seconds.
5. Add the drained, chopped artichokes and green chiles to the skillet. Add a few handfuls of spinach (I tore the spinach into slightly smaller pieces as I added it to the skillet). Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then mix until the spinach is wilted. Continue adding handfuls of spinach, sprinkling with salt and pepper as you go and stirring frequently, until all of the spinach has been added. Cook until all the spinach is wilted and most of the excess moisture has evaporated from the pan.
6. Remove from heat and stir in the drained black beans and sour cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper. *Note: I found that sprinkling in salt and pepper while adding the spinach resulted in a perfectly-seasoned mixture, but taste-test it to see.
7. Pour 1/2 cup enchilada sauce into the prepared pan and evenly coat the bottom. To assemble, spoon 1/2 cup of spinach/artichoke mixture into the center of a tortilla. Snugly wrap the tortilla, and place it seam-side-down against the edge of the pan. Repeat for a total of 6 enchiladas in the pan. Drizzle with remaining sauce, leaving the edges of the enchiladas bare. Sprinkle shredded cheese on top.
8. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes before serving. To serve: Sprinkle with chopped cilantro. Serve with sour cream and chopped or mashed avocado mixed with some red onion, cilantro, lime juice, salt & pepper.
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I love that these are not only delicious, but there's also hardly any "bad" stuff in here. There's 1/4 cup sour cream in the entire enchilada filing, and 1 cup of cheese spread over the entire pan. Whole wheat tortillas sound like a bad idea, but you really can't tell in the recipe — it's amazing! These enchiladas hit that sweet spot of flavor, ease, and lightened-up. They are, in a word, magic.
Recipes for Mom's sweet tooth
When cooking on a holiday, the easier the better. On Mother's Day, I somehow feel even more compelled to make it all look like a breeze — like, "Look Ma! You raised an expert meal planner and wizard in the kitchen who makes minimal mess with delicious results — now aren't you proud?!" Plus, my mom is just awesome and deserves a day where people make her tasty treats while she sits with her feet up.
Because my mom has a sweet tooth, I'm sharing three sweet breakfast recipes today — all tried and true and sure to elicit lots of yummy sounds from Mom. I haven't decided yet which will land on the Lawler family breakfast table this Sunday, but I know I can't go wrong with any of these babies.
Cinnamon sugar muffins
Have you heard of a duffin? A donut-muffin? The internet was making similar cinnamon sugar muffins before the duffin was born! I know because I found the recipe years ago and they've been my mom's favorite ever since. The muffin batter comes together quickly and in one bowl. After they're baked, the hot muffins are dipped in melted butter and a cinnamon-sugar mix, giving them a sort of faux-fried exterior. I think they're best fresh from the oven, but you can also make them the day before and reheat in the microwave for about 15 seconds, as they're best served warm.
Dutch baby pancake
A giant pancake, baked in a skillet in the oven. The batter for this one also comes together in one bowl, and the result is plenty impressive. Start by heating your skillet in the oven, then pour in the batter and return the skillet to the oven. The batter will creep up the sides of the pan and puff up beautifully. This pancake serves a family of four perfectly, but you could eke out more servings if you had other goodies on the side. Serve with powdered sugar, and lemon and wait for the applause to roll in.
Pancakes with blueberry-lemon sauce
Make your Mother's Day pancakes something special with this scrumptious blueberry-lemon sauce. Blueberry and lemon are MFEO (made for each other), and the nice thing about this sauce is that you can make it ahead of time and just warm it on Sunday morning. I used it to top the Pioneer Woman's blueberry pancakes, but you could use it on any pancake recipe really. The flavors are so wonderful, fans of berries and lemon will inevitably fawn over this sauce.
Tips for minimal mess: Anything you can make ahead, do. If you can't make ahead, measure ahead. Measure out the dry ingredients for muffins or pancakes and store in a ziplock bag until you're ready to get cookin'. It's amazing how much mess that eliminates and time it saves.
Julia Child's Reine de Saba
I've had Julia's cake on my must-try list for years now and finally had my Julie & Julia moment a couple weeks ago. While you might want to go at this cake with a couple of spoons, please don't. The making of it is a process. There's separating of eggs and stiff peaks and ground almonds involved. It's not difficult, but it takes a little time and love — and it's worth it. I love the almond flavor in this cake and the dense, fudgy texture. It's downright dreamy!
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CHOCOLATE ALMOND CAKE
WHAT YOU'LL NEED
CAKE
8 TBS unsalted butter at room temp, plus more for pan
1/2 cup cake flour, plus more for pan
4 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 TBS freshly-brewed coffee or rum (I used coffee)
2/3 cup sugar, plus 1 TBS sugar
3 eggs, separated
pinch of salt
1/3 cup ground almonds (I used a mini food processor)
1/4 tsp almond extract
8-inch cake pan (I used 9-inch, but 8 would be best!)
Parchment paper
FROSTING
2 oz. semisweet chocolate
2 TBS freshly-brewed coffee or rum (I used coffee)
6 TBS unsalted butter, at room temp
sliced almonds for garnish
WHAT YOU'LL DO
1. To make the cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour the cake pan. Cut a piece of parchment paper and place in the bottom of the pan.
2. Melt the chocolate and coffee/rum together in the microwave, heating in 30-second increments and stirring until smooth.
3. Grind almonds in food processor until you have 1/3 cup (or buy ground almonds and measure 1/3 cup).
4. In a large bowl, beat butter and 2/3 cup sugar until pale yellow and fluffy. Add the egg yolks and beat until well blended.
5. In another large bowl, with clean beaters, beat the egg whites and salt until soft peaks form. Sprinkle with 1 TBS sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.
6. With a rubber spatula, mix the melted chocolate into the butter/sugar mixture. Stir in the ground almonds and almond extract. Stir in one quarter of the beaten egg whites to lighten the batter. Continuing folding in a quarter of the egg whites at a time, alternating with sifted flour. Repeat until incorporated, but do not over work!
7. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake about 25 minutes, or until the edges are set and the center is still moist. Place on cooling rack for 10 minutes, then run a knife around edge and flip the cake onto the rack. Cool completely before frosting (I let it cool overnight).
8. To make the frosting: Fill a large bowl with ice water. Melt the chocolate and coffee/rum together in a medium-sized bowl in the microwave, heating in 30-second increments and stirring until smooth. Beat in butter. Set the bowl into the ice bath and beat until the mixture has cooled to a spreading consistency. Remove from ice bath and frost the cake. Garnish with sliced almonds.
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I mentioned above that I used a 9-inch cake pan, though the recipe called for an 8-inch pan. Either way, this isn't a ginormous cake, but I imagine the 8-inch pan would yield a slightly taller, cuter cake. My 9-inch cake seemed rather flat and measly, though it looked miles better after frosting and tasted wonderful. This cake would be ideal for a group of eight or ten chocolate lovers — especially those in search of a Julie & Julia moment.
Cake cookies with buttercream frosting
You know those supermarket cake cookies with the quarter-inch frosting? People either love 'em or hate 'em? There's a copycat recipe for that! Now fair warning: The weird thing about these cookies is that the cookie itself tastes like a big ol' nothing. Truly, one bite and you won't even be tempted to take a second.
But once you let the frosting get cozy with the cookie overnight, some kind of magic happens — and the crowd goes wild. If I'm being totally honest, I'd rather have one of these angel sugar cookies. But if you're a Lofthouse cake cookie connoisseur, you gotta make these babies! People say they're better than store-bought.
Word of warning before you think you can have these cookies in your belly tonight... you can't. These are multi-step, multi-day cookies. Sounds obnoxious, but it's actually kind of nice to do a little bit every day instead of making a mountain of mess. Plus, I don't always have hours to devote to baking — but can I squeeze in time to just make some dough or frosting? Sure! Here's how I did it. Day one: Make cookie dough. Day two: Bake the cookies. Day three: Frost the cookies. Day four: Stuff your face.
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COPYCAT LOFTHOUSE SUGAR COOKIES
Makes 4 dozen cookies
WHAT YOU'LL NEED
COOKIES
6 cups flour, divided
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup butter, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 and 1/2 cups sour cream
FROSTING
1 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar
6 TBS heavy cream
Sprinkles
*Note: If this sounds like too much, halve the recipe like I did. To halve 3 eggs, add one to the mix, then whisk a second in a small bowl and pour in half the liquid.
WHAT YOU'LL DO
1. For the cookies: Reserve 1 cup of flour for step 4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining cups of flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add vanilla and sour cream and beat at a low speed until just combined.
3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, beating until just combined.
4. Add additional flour 1/4 cup at a time, until the dough reaches the right consistency for rolling (I ended up adding the full cup).
5. Divide dough into two sections and flatten into rectangles, about 1 and 1/2 inches thick. Wrap in plastic wrap. Chill in the fridge overnight.
6. To bake the cookies: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with nonstick cooking spray. Flour a work surface and rolling pin, and roll each rectangle of chilled dough to about a 1/4-inch thickness. Use a 2 and 1/2-inch round cookie cutter (a drinking glass also works!) to cut out circles.
7. Place on prepared baking sheet, and bake for 7–8 minutes, or until pale gold and just set. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely before frosting. (I cooled the cookies overnight, but you could bake and frost in the same day if you like!)
8. For the frosting: In a large bowl, cream together butter and vanilla. Slowly beat in powdered sugar. Once smooth, add heavy cream, 1 TBS at a time, until the frosting is the right spreading consistency. Frost the cookies, top with sprinkles. Store on the counter in an airtight container. Allow the frosting to set and the flavors to develop overnight. This is key!
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These cookies seem rather involved, but each step is really quite manageable. If you spread out the process over a series of days, as I did, it ends up being a leisurely endeavor. However, I would suggest halving the recipe. I always do and still end up with more cookies than I can handle. Plus, they're a little tricky to store, as stacking frosted cookies isn't ideal.
Also, if you're going to halve the recipe, I recommend still making the full amount of frosting. If you want to pile the frosting on each cookie, as I did, there's just not enough to go around — better to have more than not enough. Happy baking!
