Category Archives: Desserts

Almond-Raisin and Chocolate-Nutella Rugelach

Posted on February 5, 2013 | 3 Comments

Rugelach

Rugelach was always one of those desserts that I wanted to try to make.  For whatever reason, there seemed to be some mystery to it, some complexity locked within its spiral shape.  At the bakery or deli, I always peered through the glass cases with equal parts wonder and admiration.  How did they get that perfect spiral shape?  How did they get the filling so evenly distributed?

In bakeries with rugelach, I always felt tempted to try one.  What was an ordinary, cookie or brownie, when there was rugelach.  What was a simple circle or square when there was a dough-filled spiral?  Indeed, each bakery Continue reading →

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Pineapple-Coconut-Banana Upside-Down Cake

Posted on December 23, 2012 | 1 Comment

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

I was a little skeptical about this recipe when I first saw it.  Flaked coconut is often a miss for me.  The same is true of canned pineapple.  But the convenience of each is undeniable, particularly in the dead of winter, when the idea of finding a beautiful, ripe Pineapple at the local Giant seems utterly fantastic.  But on the strength of the Cooking Light name, I decided to give this recipe a fair chance.

In the course of cooking and posting recipes on my blog, Continue reading →

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Pumpkin Roulade with Ginger Buttercream

Posted on October 13, 2012 | 3 Comments

The idea of making a roulade seemed, at first glance, somewhat intimidating.  There was the rolling, then unrolling, and finally, the re-rolling.  The instructions seemed intricate and the cake seemed delicate.  Visions of a cake suddenly collapsing and crumbling under its own weight flashed before me, wiping away my mixing and baking efforts in a moment.

But then I stopped, and remembered that this was not the first time that I faced what seemed to be an insurmountable cooking hurdle.  There had, after all, been many intimidating cooking projects before this one.  I had made flan, caramelizing sugar.  I had made oat bread, coaxing the yeast.  I had made spanakopita, Continue reading →

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Cinnamon-Sugar Pull-Apart Bread

Posted on May 24, 2012 | 5 Comments

A few weeks ago, my boss came into my office with questions about a case that I was working on.  After I gave him the run-down, he got up to leave, at which point, I asked him to take a seat and to close the door.  I was leaving the job, I said, having accepted a new position.

The news did not come as a surprise, and he offered his sincere congratulations.  He also encouraged me to make the most of my time-off.  There are few instances, he noted, where you are truly off the clock.  In this line of work, weekends get truncated and vacations get interrupted.  There is always another case to read and another motion to file.  There are few moments of true respite.

That time between jobs, however, was one of those truly serene periods, where there are no unanswered emails and waiting voicemails.  There are no blinking red light while you are between jobs.

During my time-off, Continue reading →

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Russian Cigarettes

Posted on March 7, 2012 | 3 Comments

Whenever I opened a variety box of Pepperidge Farm cookies, I always reached for the same cookie first.  Among the Milanos, the Chessman, the Bordeaux, and the Brussels, I made my bee-line for the cigarettes.  I loved the crunchy, yet sweet delicateness in each bite.  I loved the color and texture.  But, more than anything else, I think I just loved the fun shape.  For some inexplicable reason, I loved the idea of a tube cookie!

These cigarettes and the Pepperidge Farm variety share a common ancestry, but these lack some of the crunchiness Continue reading →

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St. Valentine’s Day Pound Cake

Posted on February 14, 2012 | 5 Comments

On Saturday, January 28th, 2012, Caitlin and I got engaged.  I proposed as we sat in adjoining arm chairs, as we watched the sun slowly setting over the Chesapeake Bay.  Later that night, we had dinner in the town of Easton to celebrate the occasion.

The next day, after a warm breakfast with our innkeepers, we strolled about the towns of St. Michael’s, Easton, and Annapolis, hands in tow.  Later that evening, we shared the news with our friends and family.  And then, on Monday, I got ready for work, and Caitlin boarded a plane for Europe, for what has become an all-too-regular business trip.  I haven’t seen her since.

It’s been over two weeks since we got engaged.  But in that sixteen-day span, only two have we spent together.  And with the time-difference and our own demanding schedules, even the passing phone call has become a challenge.  This past weekend, Continue reading →

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Blondie Layer Cake with White Chocolate Icing

Posted on December 9, 2011 | 14 Comments

Caitlin celebrated her birthday last week.  And in preparation of the big day, I scanned my collection of recipes and cookbooks, searching for the perfect layer cake.  Last year I made her the pumpkin crepe cake.  The year before that, the butternut squash layer cake.

This year, I decided, it was time to stray from the harvest theme.  I was looking through my cookbooks, feeling uninspired, when I resolved to make my own cake.  No recipe.  No guide.  I would just with it. Continue reading →

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Chocolate Hazelnut Shortbread Cookies

Posted on October 5, 2011 | 6 Comments

You have to applaud the marketing efforts of Nutella.  Nutella is, as the box proudly proclaims, little more than sugar and a mix of hazelnuts and cocoa.  Indeed, the first ingredient listed is sugar.  Owing to its healthy mix of hazelnuts, the spread also has its share of fat.  And yet, Nutella is branded as a necessary component of a balanced breakfast – as if it contained some vital, indispensable nutrients.  In almost all of its marketing literature, Nutella is featured at the breakfast table.

In fairness, Nutella does not advocate downing spoonful after spoonful of its spread.  Instead, the company notes that without Nutella, you might forego that piece of otherwise boring whole wheat toast.  In that respect, Continue reading →

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Homemade Sea Salt Caramels

Posted on July 17, 2011 | 167 Comments

These are amazing caramels!

When Caitlin and I were in San Francisco last month, we stopped in the Ferry Building along the Embarcadero.  It was around 11:00 a.m. and, even though had lunch plans in an hour, we thought it would be fun to wander through the marketplace.  We shared a sorbet from the Ciao Bella stand and then went across the hall to a small food store to find (something else) to hold me over until lunch.

At the checkout stand, there was a tin bin, filled with several varieties of caramels.  I can’t remember the different kinds, but I do know that we grabbed two or three to have “later.” Continue reading →

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Low-Fat Vanilla-Pistachio Caramels

Posted on July 16, 2011 | 12 Comments

After making my cream caramels, I decided it would be fun to experiment.  In particular, I was curious to know if the recipe would work with low-fat milk instead of cream.  Unfortunately, my adherence to the scientific method was somewhat lackluster.  Instead of introducing a single variable, I introduced two:  pistachios and low-fat milk.

These caramels were not as soft as the plain ones, but they were not altogether hard.  I suspect, though, that it was the chopped pistachios and not the absence of cream that made these caramels a little harder.  On the topic of taste, I’m happy to report Continue reading →

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