Sweet Teeth and Rhubarb

I have a sweet tooth that is as deep as the ocean and as high as the sky. That is to say that my sweet tooth is practically infinite. I wonder if my love for sugar is genetic, if maybe I was born this way. But I've since discovered all these articles suggesting that sugar is a kind of drug that, once introduced into our diets, we forever crave. Therefore, this love of sweets must have been learned. And I think I know where it all began.

Pretty well all of my early childhood memories take place at my grandparents house in Burnaby. This place was an oasis, an escape from reality in a sense. I remember a lot of things about that house. I remember climbing to the top of the great maple tree in the front yard, where I would sit for hours, thinking, writing, spying on unsuspecting next door neighbours, and dreaming of far away lands. I hid from the world within a thick blanket of the tree's dark, dense leaves. I also remember the freezer in the basement, which my Grandma would fill with Popsicles, Revellos and Fudgesicles. We never had such fun treats at my house (Grandma also had a cupboard filled with forbidden snacks such as Gushers, Fruit by the Foot, and Fruit Roll Up's!). I once found an entire tray of Petite Fours tucked away in the freezer. I distinctly remember pulling out the box and popping the beautifully decorated sugary squares into my mouth one after the other after the other while I sat perched on top of the freezer. All this goes to say that my love of sweets was fueled by my grandparents, who filled my belly time and time again with all sorts of sugary snacks.

Another memory I have of that big beautiful house was the rhubarb plant in the backyard that nearly consumed an entire plot of land. I remember it's bright red stalks that grew as past my knees and leaves as big as my head. I remember my horror when I took a bite out of one of the luscious stalks and discovered how incredibly awful it was capable of tasting. I couldn't feel my tongue for a week. Strangely enough, I don't remember ever trying rhubarb again until after my grandpa passed away, and after my grandma sold their home. Somehow rhubarb made it's way back into my life, in far tastier forms such as tarts, pies, and gelato. My sweet tooth prohibits me from turning down a slice of pie, and it so happens that rhubarb combined with sugar, and a tiny bit of grated orange zest tastes really damn good. Old memories dissolved, and voila! Rhubarb is one of my all time favorite spring ingredients.

Last week it was nice enough to put burgers on the grill and eat dinner outside in the sun. Sunshine don't come easy these days so to celebrate the occasion, I volunteered to make dessert. Rhubarb is in season and I was feeling slightly sentimental so I opted for something comforting: Rhubarb Crumb Cake. Light and buttery, sweet and crumbly, slightly tart from the rhubarb, and completely perfect for a spring evening spent on the patio... straight up rhubarb love. I keep calling it a crumb cake because you do make a bunch of delicious sugary crumbs to sprinkle on top, although I suppose it is also a kind of Coffee cake. Technicalities aside, this cake satisfied my sweet tooth in a totally adequate way. And I got my rhubarb fix. Win! When the rain settled in again the next morning, it made a balanced meal accompanied by a big mug of tea. That's what's so nice about this cake: it's appropriate for any kind of weather, no matter how bipolar.

I am thankful for springtime (regardless of it's rude weather), rhubarb, and grandparents who were kind enough to nurture my sweet tooth which otherwise may not exist today.

Big Crumb Coffee Cake with Rhubarb

Adapted from The New York Times 6/6/07

Butter for greasing pan

For the rhubarb filling:

1/2 pound rhubarb, trimmed

1/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

For the crumbs:

1/3 cup dark brown sugar

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick or 4 ounces) butter, melted

1 3/4 cups cake flour

For the cake:

1/3 cup sour cream

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup cake flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons softened butter, cut into 8 pieces

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease an 8-inch-square baking pan. For filling, slice rhubarb 1/2 inch thick and toss with sugar, cornstarch and ginger. Set aside.

To make crumbs, in a large bowl, whisk sugars, spices, and slat into melted butter until smooth. Then, add flour with a spatula or wooden spoon. It will look and feel like solid dough. Leave it pressed together in the bottom of a small bowl and set aside.

To prepare cake, in a small bowl, stir together the sour cream, egg, egg yolk and vanilla. Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add butter and a spoonful of sour cream mixture and mix on medium speed until flour is moistened. Increase speed and beat for 30 seconds. Add remaining sour cream mixture in two batches, beating for 20 seconds after each addition, and scraping down the sides of bowl with a spatula. Scoop out about 1/2 cup batter and set aside.

Scrape remaining batter into prepared pan. Spoon rhubarb over batter. Dollop set-aside batter over rhubarb; it does not have to be even.

Using your fingers, break topping mixture into big crumbs, about 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch in size. They do not have to be uniform, but make sure most are around that size. Sprinkle over cake. Bake cake until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean of batter (it might be moist from rhubarb), 45 to 55 minutes. Cool completely before serving.

Yield: 6-8 servings.

Lets Date

It has been brought to my attention that I am prone to experience over the top excitement far more than the average person. Sunshine, dance parties, strenuous workouts, kisses, and movie nights all tend to evoke the same reaction from me. Life is filled with so many beautiful and wonderful things, I just can't help myself.

I'm going to share some of this excitement with you today in the form of a totally unfussy and unpretentious date bar that will win over just about anyone, including yourself. Uh huh.

Before I get started here, we need to have a serious talk. Some people seem to be ridiculously scared of dates, or dried fruit in general. I'll admit that I do my best to avoid raisins at any cost, but dates, I swear are the most lovely little things on the planet. Do you realize that dates quite literally melt and become caramel when they are left to mingle on the stove in a pot of water? I don't think I need to say much else on the subject, because I am fairly certain everyone on the planet loves caramel. And if you don't like caramel, what is wrong with you?

Now that we've settled that, how do you feel about Valentines day?

I feel like it's in style for everyone to loath this day and complain about it as much as possible. Is it silly to have a day dedicated to roses, candy, and love? Are you kidding me, no! Roses AND candy AND romance... OH BABY! Is it ridiculous to have a day devoted to reminding those we love that we still love them, even though it's February 14? Okay, perhaps a little. But these date bars make a really lovely Valentines day treat. Not too over-the-top, which is great cause no one wants to seem too overeager these days, but ridiculously delicious... the kind of date (bar) you'd bring home to meet your mother. Ha!

Oh, I know what some of you are thinking.

You are thinking, "Whatever. I'm allergic to roses, candy is bad for my teeth, and my love broke my heart into a million pieces."

Fair enough. But hey,

you owe it to yourself to be excited every now and then.

These date bars, humble as they seem, are worth getting excited about. I promise.

Classic Date Bars

Adapted from Bon Appetit, February 2004

I returned home the other day to find that my sweet-souled sister had whipped up a batch of date bars, I was pretty dang happy. My happiness skyrocketed (it's possible, apparently) upon first bite when I realized that they were hands down the best date bars I have ever eaten. Ever. They were comforting, with a hint of cinnamon, slightly crumbly, and terribly moist. I've had my fair share of date bars. I'm telling you people, these are the real deal!

Thanks Em, for introducing me to these!

1 1/2 cups water

1 1/2 chopped pitted dates

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup (packed) dark brown sugar

1 cup old-fashioned oats

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, diced, room temperature

Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter 8x8-inch metal baking pan. Bring 1 1/2 cups water to simmer in medium saucepan. Add dates; simmer until very soft and thick, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Cool to room temperature. Stir in vanilla.

Combine flour, sugar, oats, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in large bowl; stir to blend. Add butter. Using fingertips, rub in until moist clumps form. Press half of oat mixture (firmly!!) evenly over bottom of prepared pan. Spread date mixture over. Sprinkle with remaining oat mixture; press gently to adhere. Bake until brown at edges and golden brown and set in center, about 40 minutes. Cool completely on rack. Cut into bars and serve.

Yield: makes about 16 bars

Mellow Mallow

Does anyone like January?

I mean, seriously? Do you?

I don't. I really, truly do not like January.

I feel kind of tired all the time. I get mad at the trees for not having any leaves; I curse the sky for hastily turning dark so early day after day; I start school again and I have to find that "balance" again, that damn balance that I never seem to perfectly master.

But hey! It's almost over! February is two days away! That's a cause for celebration!

Because this time of year seems to stay way beyond its friendly welcome, I give myself bi-weekly projects to tackle. Sometimes I scrub down all our cupboards with Murphy's Oil Soap (yes, that is something I look forward to... anything is a welcome change from school work. Yesterday I swear I literally went cross-eyed because of the amount of reading I had to do), or sometimes I find a semi-daunting recipe and make a mess of the kitchen. Making a mess of the kitchen... I'm getting really good at doing that these days. I made marshmallows, from scratch one grey January afternoon. It was sweet and sticky and all together wonderful.

Marshmallows were always one of those strange foods that I never understood the logic behind. I never really thought much about how they were made or where they came from, but it never really mattered much because they were fantastic. But take one look at the ingredient list on the back of a package of these guys in the supermarket, and you may not ever want to eat them again. How can something so pure and innocent contain so many ingredients?

One of the nicer things about homemade marshmallows is that there is nothing scary inside of them. Just 8 ingredients (all of which you can pronounce!) whip up into those magical, springy, fluffy, soft squares that practically melt in your mouth. Also, did I forget to mention that these taste great? Like really, really great? Oh my, are they ever good.

I just can't get enough. In fact, tomorrow it is highly probable that I will boycott scrubbing the cupboards in favor of making another batch...

It's almost February after all.

Homemade Vanilla Bean Marshmallows

Adapted from Gourmet, 1998

Making your own homemade marshmallows doesn't have to result in a gigantic sticky, gooey mess. Whatever you do, don't be a goof and stick your fingers into the fluffy white mass in the mixer. I know it is tempting. I KNOW! But seriously, just don't. I've learned from experience now. The first time I made these, I couldn't help myself, I swear that white fluff was beckoning me. This resulted in me finding marshmallow in strange places on myself and in my kitchen for DAYS afterward.

This recipe makes A LOT of marshmallows. If you find yourself stuck with a whole bunch, I suggest you make rice crispy squares of of them (don't even tell me you aren't guilty of consuming an entire pan at least once in your life).

Oh and these marshmallows sandwiched between two cookies with some high quality chocolate - WOAH! Just sayin'...

About 1 cup confectioners' sugar

3 1/2 envelopes (2 tablespoons plus 2 1/2 teaspoons) unflavored gelatin

1 cup cold water, divided

2 cups granulated sugar (I used cane sugar)

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 large egg whites

1/2 of a scraped vanilla bean (alternately: 1 tablespoon vanilla extract)

Oil bottom and sides of a 13 x 9 -inch rectangular metal baking pan (with 2-inch high sides) and dust bottom and sides with some confectioners' sugar.

In bowl of a standing electric mixer or in a large bowl sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 cup cold water, and stand to soften .

In a 3-quart heavy saucepan cook granulated sugar, corn syrup, second 1/2 of cold water, and salt over low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until sugar is dissolved. Increase heat to moderate and boil mixture, without stirring, until a candy or digital thermometer registers 240 F, about 12 minutes. Remove pan from heat and pour sugar mixture over gelatin mixture, stirring until gelatin is dissolved.

with standing or a hand-held mixer beat mixture on high speed until white, thick, and nearly tripled in volume, about six minutes if using standing mixer or about 10 minutes if using hand-held mixer. (This may take even longer if you are using a hand mixer).

In separate medium bowl with cleaned beaters beat egg whites until they just hold stiff peaks. Beat whites and vanilla into sugar mixture until just combined. Pour mixture into baking pan and don't fret if you don't get it all out.

Sift 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar evenly over top. Chill marshmallow, uncovered, until firm, at least three hours, and up to one day.

Run a thin knife around edges of pan and invert pan onto a large cutting board. Lifting up one corner of inverted pan, with fingers loosen marshmallow and ease onto cutting board. With a large knife trim edges of marshmallow and cut marshmallow into roughly one-inch cubes. (An oiled pizza cutter works well here too.) Sift remaining confectioners' sugar back into your now-empty baking pan, and roll the marshmallows through it, on all six sides, before shaking off the excess and packing them away.

Yield: Makes about 96- 1 inch marshmallows

Note: Marshmallows keep in an airtight container at cool room temperature for 1 week.

Like Magic

As people have been so kind to point out, Christmas is 19 days away. That just snuck out of nowhere didn't it? If you are anything like me, you have completely neglected all Christmas baking and instead have been leaving all studying and essay writing for the last minute possible. This procrastination is not typical of me and is a terrible habit to get into, in case you were wondering. Last week, after an intensive 4-day essay writing stint in the basement, my brain turned entirely to mush and I completely forgot basic sentence structure and how to compose an essay. It was horrifying and resulted in me breaking down in tears and babbling on about how I had finally gone on and broke myself. Another thing you should know if you do decide to leave your work for the last minute: Breaks are mandatory. For your sanity's sake.

You know what is a great way to set your mind at ease and use your break time productively? Turn on Vince Guaraldi Trio's A Charlie Brown Christmas and crank some holiday cookies out of your oven. See, I wish someone had told me this last week.

This time of year is pretty magical and I am so excited because I have some really beautiful, sweet, and wonderful treats to share with you. There will be lots of butter and sugar involved, but you aren't allowed to complain about that because it's December, for goodness sake! I promise, come January, I'll go to the opposite extreme and we'll get all healthy again, at least for a while. But for now... lets just enjoy the magic of now.

Chocolate Hazelnut Crinkle Cookies

Adapted from Gourmet, December 2006

More chocolate? What is going on here? I make no apologies for this trend. I first tried this recipe a year ago and fell in love. They are quickly becoming a Christmas tradition around here. Rich and chewy, these cookies are seriously addictive. Good luck eating just one.

Please note, these do need a couple hours to hang out in the fridge! So, for all you busy bee's out there: take a break!! make the dough and put it in the fridge! then get back to work! then take a break! and bake these up!!

2/3 cup hazelnuts

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

6 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (no more than 60% cacao if marked), finely chopped

2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, softened

1 ½ cups packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs

¼ cup whole milk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

¾ cup confectioners sugar

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.

Toast hazelnuts in a shallow baking pan in oven until skins split and nuts are pale golden brown, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven (turn oven off), then wrap hazelnuts in a kitchen towel and rub to remove any loose skins. Cool nuts completely. Pulse nuts with granulated sugar in a food processor until finely chopped.

Melt chocolate in a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water or in top of a double boiler, stirring until smooth. Remove bowl from heat and set aside.

Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.

Beat together butter and brown sugar in another bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until creamy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in melted chocolate until just combined. Add milk and vanilla, beating to incorporate. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture, mixing until just combined. Stir in nut mixture. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill dough until firm, 2 to 3 hours.

Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

Sift confectioners sugar into a bowl. Halve dough and chill 1 half, wrapped in plastic wrap. Roll remaining half into 1-inch balls, placing them on a sheet of waxed paper as rolled. Roll balls, 3 or 4 at a time, in confectioners sugar to coat generously and arrange 2 inches apart on lined baking sheets.

Bake, switching position halfway through baking, until cookies are puffed and cracked and edges feel dry (but centers are still slightly soft), 12 to 18 minutes total. Transfer cookies (still on parchment) to racks to cool completely.

While first batch is baking, roll remaining dough into balls. Line cooled cookie sheets with fresh parchment, then coat balls with confectioners sugar and bake in same manner.

Nostalgic, In Regards to Cookies and Other Things

Sometimes I live more in the past than I do in the present. I can't help it, really. I'm sappy and I'm nostalgic.

What's a girl to do?

Although I'm only 21, I find myself slowly starting to forget certain memories about my childhood. I forget what our apartment in Edmonton looks like. I know I was only four when we lived there, and I know the layout of a cheap apartment isn't actually that important an image to remember forever. But what if that means other, more important memories are going to follow suit, slipping right out of my mind, and like helium balloons float right on up to the top of the sky until they disappear entirely. And I'm sure someone once said our memories and traditions what make us who we are. Oh dear.

Luckily, there are other memories about that place and time that remain as vivid as though they just happened yesterday. For example, although I can't for the life of me remember what our apartment looked like, I do remember Linda's. Remember Linda? She was our neighbour in Edmonton who changed my families lives forever upon the gift of her famous homemade gingerbread men. Anyway, not only was Linda a hip artist with an incredibly kind heart, she was also a gracious host who let my brother and I spend hours playing with action figures on her kitchen floor. I don't know exactly when it was that Linda decided to switch it up and hand me a Monster Cookie instead of a Gingerbread Man, but every now and then she did that kind of thing. Linda's Monster Cookies captured my 5-year-old heart, and I recall loving them almost as much as I loved her gingerbread. I loved how moist and hearty they were, and I was especially smitten with the Smarties that were scattered through the dough. Every bite was something different and new, and I loved that.

When I made these cookies last week, I was transported back 17 years ago, back to another city, another time, another place. It struck me that food is a funny thing that way... able to awaken even the most faded and distant memories, of a time long forgotten.

So,

I know I've got a sentimental heart. But there is nothing wrong with walking down memory lane from time to time. Especially when it involves fresh baked cookies, still warm from the oven.

Monster Cookies

Adapted from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking

Somewhere between the oatmeal cookie, peanut butter cookie, and chocolate chip cookie lies the Monster Cookie. It's chewy, sweet, and completely comforting. The folks at Baked urge you not to forget the corn syrup, as it is an integral part of the cookie. Don't ask questions. Just do.

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking soda

Pinch of salt

5 3/4 cups rolled oats

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) cold, unsalted butter, cut into cubes

1 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar

1/1/4 cups granulated sugar

5 large eggs

1/4 teaspoon light corn syrup

1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 cups creamy peanut butter (or other nut butter substitute)

1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup (6 ounces) M&M's

In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, and salt together. Add the oats and stir until the ingredients are evenly combined.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter until smooth and pale in colour. Add the sugars and mix on low speed until just incorporated. Do not overmix.

Scrape down the bowl and add the eggs, one at a time, beating until smooth (about 20 seconds) and scraping down the bowl after each addition. Add the corn syrup and vanilla and beat until just incorporated.

Scrape down the bowl and add the peanut butter. Mix on low speed until just combined. Add the oat mixture in three additions, mixing on low speed until just incorporated.

Use a spatula or wooden spoon to fold in the chocolate chips and M&Ms. Cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate for 5 hours.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Use an ice cream scoop with a release mechanism to scoop out the dough in 2-tablespoon-size balls onto the prepared baking sheets, 2 inches apart. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through the baking time, until the cookies just begin to brown. Let cool on the pans for 8 to 10 minutes before transferring the cookie to a wire rack to cool completely. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Oh Chocolate

I live in a house filled with chocolate addicts, however I am not one of them. Ever noticed how I don't often write about chocolate on here? Well, that would be why. Chocolate and I have a funny relationship: I don't want it or need it 96% of the time, but every once in a while, somewhere within that remaining 4% I love it so much I fear I can't live without it. Right now, I'm having one of those rare moments where the idea of chocolate is so appealing, I might just have to eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

I think I'll start with a tray of insanely chocolatey brownies. Oh yes!

A couple weeks ago, I picked up the amazing Baked: New Frontiers in Baking cookbook. I went on a bit of a baking binge, making four decadent recipes in just under a week. In retrospect, that may have been kind of excessive but then again, not a single crumb went to waste. These brownies were especially tasty, even for those who can take-or-leave chocolate. I made a huge pan full for five people to eat, and you can bet that by the end of the night, we had polished off the entire thing. I don't recommend you do that, however, I do recommend you make these as soon as possible.

The Baked Brownie

Adapted from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking

These brownies are the real deal. They are so intensely chocolatey, they are sure to curb your chocolate cravings for good. Also, if I have not succeeded in telling you how good these are, you may be swayed by the fact that they were featured in O Magazine as one of Oprah's favourite things, and they were awarded "best brownie" by America's Test Kitchen and the Today show.

1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons dark unsweetened cocoa powder

11 ounces dark chocolate (60-72% cocoa), coarsely chopped

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 teaspoon instant espresso powder

1 ½ cups granulated sugar

½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar

5 large eggs, at room temperature

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the sides and bottom of a 9-by-13-inch glass or light-coloured metal baking pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, salt, and cocoa powder together.

Put the chocolate, butter, and instant espresso powder in a large bowl and set it over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate and butter are completely melted and smooth. Turn off heat, but keep the bowl over the water and add the sugars. Whisk until completely combined, then remove bowl from the pan. The mixture should be room temperature.

Add 3 eggs to the chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Add the remaining eggs and whisk until combined. Add the vanilla and stir until completely combined. Do not overbeat the batter at this stage or your brownies will be cakey.

Sprinkle the flour mixture over the chocolate mixture. Using a spatula (not a whisk), fold the flour mixture into the chocolate until just a bit of the flour mixture is visible.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake in the centre of the oven for 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time, until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the brownies comes out with a few moist crumbs sticking to it. Let the brownies cool completely, then cut them into squares and serve.

Tightly covered with plastic wrap, the brownies keep at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Note: According to the folks at Baked, a great brownie is easy to make, however, here are a few pointers: (1) Use a dark unsweetened cocoa powder like Valrhona. A pale, light-coloured cocoa does not have enough depth. (2) Make sure your eggs are at room temperature, and do not overbeat the batter. (3) Check your brownies often as they bake. An even slightly overbaked brownie is not a "Baked Brownie."

This is a Test

Sometimes I can be judgmental. But only when the situation calls for it.

Chances are, I won't think condescending thoughts about you if you have toilet paper stuck to your shoe when you leave the washroom, if like to die your hair crazy colours, or if act like a jerk when you are drunk.

However, I WILL judge your bakery based on how good your macaroons are.

I'm sorry, but that's just the way it goes.

The first thing I ever look to order when visiting a new bakery is a coconut macaroon. It's a test. If you put care and effort into your macaroons, everything else will follow. Probably, this is not how things really work in the world of baking, but this how it works in my head. I am practically exuberant when I bite into a delicious macaroon. There is nothing not to love about it's simplicity. Take for example, the macaroon in the picture below:

This macaroon is from Tartine, in San Francisco. It was a few months ago already, but I remember delighting in this little guy as much (if not more) than my mother did in her massive frangipane croissant. Delicious.

If you love these guys the way I love them, I'm willing to hand off my recipe to you. They are simple, sweet, and slightly gooey in the center. Also, they are practically guilt free (woo!). That is, until I drizzle them with dark chocolate ganache (but chocolate is good for you, right?)...

Coconut Macaroons

As per usual, I like to reduce the amount of sugar in my macaroons. I end up using just over half a cup, in the end. I've found anywhere from ½ cup to ¾ cup of sugar will do the trick!

For the Macaroons:

3 cups (lightly packed) sweetened shredded coconut

½ - ¾ cup granulated sugar

¾ cup egg whites (about 5 or 6 large)

1 ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

For the Ganache:

8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

¾ cup heavy cream

Place the first three ingredients in a large, heavy saucepan, and stir to combine well. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring regularly, about 10-12 minutes, until the mixture is pasty looking but not dry. (The uncooked mixture will look sort of granular at first, then creamy as it heats, ad then it will slowly get drier and drier. You want to stop cooking when it no longer looks creamy but is still quite gluey and sticky, not dry.) Remove from heat. Mix in vanilla and almond extracts. Spread out the coconut mixture on a large baking sheet. Refrigerate until cold, about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line another baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat baking mat. Using a 1/4-cup measuring scoop, scoop and pack the coconut mixture into domes, and place them on the baking sheet. You should wind up with about a dozen. Bake the macaroons until golden, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a rack and cool.

Set macaroons on rack over a rimmed baking sheet. Place the chopped chocolate in a medium bowl. Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan until it is very hot and steamy but not boiling. Remove from the heat, and pour it over the chocolate. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and the chocolate is thoroughly melted. Spoon the glaze over the macaroons, covering them almost completely and allowing the chocolate to drip down the sides. Refrigerate the macaroons until the glaze sets, at least 2 hours. Transfer macaroons to an airtight container, and refrigerate or freeze.

Note: You will have leftover ganache, which can be refrigerated or frozen.

Elvis

Call me crazy, but all I want to do this summer is turn on my oven and bake. Yeah, I know it's 100 degrees outside, but does that matter? Will it matter, when, after a couple of hours I am hot, and sweaty and flop onto the grass in the backyard with a piece of blackberry cobbler while you, you are hot, and sweaty, and hungry? No. It's all worth it. Take advantage of those summertime berries, I say. They are only here for a while. Plus chances are, you will be hot and sweaty no matter what you decide to do.

Turn on your oven.

Do it.

A few weeks ago I got the most intense craving for pound cake. Why, of all things was I craving a slice of dense, intense pound cake, I have no idea. But when the craving strikes, it's hard to shake. Not even extreme heat could deter me from my mission. I've got to be honest though, I'm not really a pound cake expert. I mean, there is something about its simplicity that I have loved for years. I love the texture. I love its understated flavor and the way it goes well with a cup of tea. But I have never, ever tried making it myself. It was as good a day as any to try something new though, and so I went at it. Oh, yes, it was so worth it.

I did a bit of recipe searching before I settled on "the one." And to be honest, in the end, I totally chose this recipe because of the name. I mean, if it was good enough for Elvis, surely it would be good enough for me. And so, one sweltering summer evening, I set to work baking Elvis Presley's Favorite Pound Cake. I'm certain this cake would have been great all on it's own, but I was desperate to use some of the fresh blueberries that I had sitting on the counter. I threw a few handfuls into the bundt pan with the batter, as well as some grated lemon rind. Then I popped it in the oven, crossed my fingers, and waited.

Something kind of wonderful happened during the hour this guy was in the oven. The batter puffed up, became golden, and made the house smell sinfully sweet. I get really excited when I try a recipe for the first time and it completely blows my expectations. Even before I took it out of the oven, I knew I had crafted a masterpiece. My expectations were blown. May I suggest waiting about an hour before slicing yourself a piece of steaming pound cake dotted with molten berries. It is a serious test of willpower, but it might save you some trouble. I kind of burnt my entire mouth after taking a massive "test bite." Burnt tongues aside, this cake was insanely delicious. The texture was unlike anything I had ever eaten before. It was as light as a cloud, and yet deep and dense at the same time. It was moist and soft and comforting. And I couldn't get enough. Half the cake was consumed before I even remembered to take a picture (I feel the need to report that I did not single-handedly eat half the cake myself. I could have, but I didn't! I swear.). A mere 24 hours later, my giant cake was gone.

If you live where I live, you know this sunshine isn't going to last for long. Enjoy it while it lasts, and for goodness sake, don't neglect your oven.

Elvis Presley's Favorite Pound Cake

Adapted from Gourmet, September 2005

This pound cake was absolute heaven, especially after the addition of fresh-picked blueberries and grated lemon zest. I highly suggest taking advantage of some local berries (I used blueberries but raspberries or blackberries would be lovely as well) by sprinkling them into this cake. I should also mention that I cut back on the sugar a bit. I ended up using about 2 2/3 cups of sugar, which was perfect for my taste.

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened, plus additional for buttering pan

3 cups sifted cake flour (not self-rising; sift before measuring) plus additional for dusting

¾ teaspoon salt

3 cups sugar

7 large eggs, at room temperature 30 minutes

2 teaspoons vanilla

Grated zest of one lemon (optional)

1 cup heavy cream

1 ½ cups fresh berries (optional)

Special equipment: a 10-inch tube pan (4 ½ inchs deep; not with a removable bottom) or a 10-inch bundt pan (3 ¼ inches deep; 3-qt capacity)

Put oven rack in middle position, but do not preheat oven.

Generously butter pan and dust with four knocking out excess flour.

Sift together sifted flour (3 cups) and salt into a bowl. Repeat sifting into another bowl (flour will have been sifted 3 times total).

Beat together butter (2 sticks) and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes in a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment or 6 to 8 minutes with a handheld mixer. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in vanilla and lemon zest. Reduce speed to low and add half of flour, then all of cream, then remaining flour, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down side of bowl, then beat at medium-high speed 5 minutes. Batter will become creamier and satiny.

Spoon 3/4 batter into pan. Sprinkle berries evenly over batter, then add remaining 1/4 of batter. Rap pan against work surface once or twice to eliminate air bubbles. Place pan in (cold) oven and turn oven temperature to 350 F. Bake until golden and a wooden pick or skewer inserted in middle of cake comes out with a few crumbs adhering, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Cool cake in pan on rack 3o minutes. Run a thin knife around inner and outer edges of cake, then invert rack over pan and invert cake onto rack to cool completely.

Cake keeps, covered well with plastic wrap or in an airtight container, at room temperature 5 days.

Much Needed

I'm just going to cut straight to the chase. You need to make this cake, immediately. Got it?

I'm not going to ramble on about how tuckered out I felt after my exams, or how I can hardly believe we're half way through the month of May. I know, for goodness sake, that time is flying by. I can hardly keep track of what day it is. I am desperately clinging to these daydream-like spring days, trying to slow them down, trying to hold on to them before they disappear forever.

Spring afternoons are oh-s0-wonderful: warm and new and full of life. For whatever reason, these lush spring days can cause me to feel a bit restless, which is why last week for no good reason, I set to work baking a miraculous multi-tiered, 9-inch cake. Did I mention there were only 3 of us at home? Did I also mention that not only did I make an absolutely massive cake, I made a dozen cupcakes as well? Upon first inspecting the fragrant, freshly iced cakes I stared at my masterpieces and questioned my sanity. There was no way it was all going to be eaten. No way at all.

Apparently though, for a truly good piece of cake, people will do crazy things.

24 hours later, every last crumb had been consumed.

Yeah, it was that good.

It was Saturday. My parents were out of town for the weekend, and takeout had lost its appeal. My sister and I promptly decided that the only logical thing to do with the day was to bake the biggest cake possible. So we set to work, grating, stirring, measuring, spilling and tasting our way through the first ever carrot cake we have ever attempted to make. We never really considered the fact that carrot cake, generally speaking, is kind of average and slightly less than mind-blowing, but anything at this point would have been better than frozen pizza. We had no expectations, but you know what, it was a truly lovely way to spend an afternoon.

A few hours later, the house was filled with an intoxicating cinnamon-y sweetness that made our mouths water. We called my brother downstairs and gathered around the table for the ceremonious cutting of the cake. Than we got down to business, shoveling the cake into our mouths. My brother, a total chocoholic, proclaimed our carrot cake to be one of the best cakes he had ever eaten in his life. My sister and I high-fived and contemplated going into business. Phone calls were made, people arrived, and all together we indulged on a perfect May afternoon in a cake that may have been sent straight from heaven.

Not only was the cake a hit with my siblings and friends, but also with my toughest critic. Possibly the biggest validation came from my boyfriend, Kyran. Over the years, Kyran has been a good sport, trying each and every one of my concoctions. In between nibbles he faithfully gives me a thumbs up (or sometimes thumbs sideways) or a wink, or, if I'm lucky a blissful "MMM.." He remains the only person to give me completely honest reviews, and for that I am thankful. Kyran is an expert on the tasting of baking. You see, his mom is also an avid baker. If my baking episodes were battles on Iron Chef or Food Network Challenge, she'd be my biggest competition. Generally speaking, Kyran is not as blown away by my kitchen attempts as he is with his mom's. I don't blame him, really. She's a fantastic baker, to say the least. She's fantastic in a kind of everything-she-touches-turns-to-gold kind of way. And yes, she's a bit of a tough act to follow.

I think though, I may have put up a pretty good battle with this cake. He had seconds, and then he called later that night and asked for thirds. He happily, willingly, asked for more, which is a very, very good sign. I got a thumbs up, and an "MMMM" and I could have sworn there was a wink in there too.

So HUGE LONG STORY short...

After the whirlwind that was April, this cake was much needed.

The coconut cream cheese icing was billowy, silky-smooth, and tangy, with just a hint of coconut. The cake was moist, perfectly spiced, and comforting. It embodied everything I ever wished carrot cake to be: perfect texture, perfect flavor, and an even cake to icing ratio.

If you're being faced with a lazy May day, I suggest you get on this right away.

It will, someway, somehow, get eaten.

Tropical Carrot Cake with Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting

Adapted from Bon Appetit, April 2003

Sweet goodness. This cake was absolutely DELICIOUS. As per usual, we made a few adjustments to the original recipe... maybe a few more then usual. Bare with us...

1. We used 1 1/3 cup of all purpose flour, and 1 cup of whole wheat flour.

2. We omitted the crystallized ginger all together. My sister is not a fan. I've got to say, the ginger was not missed. Also, we used walnuts instead of macadamia nuts, just because it's what we had.

3. For the frosting we used 3/4 cup of unsweetened coconut milk, instead of sweetened cream of coconut. Because of this, we added about 1/3 cup more of powdered sugar, but add yours to taste. We prefer our icing not to be so cloyingly sweet.

4. The original recipe makes one three-tiered cake, however one of our cake pans went missing. Instead, we made one 2-tiered 9-inch cake and a dozen cupcakes! If you want to do this as well, simply line a standard cupcake tin with cupcake wrappers and divide the last third of the cake batter among them (you should get about 12). They bake for about 12-15 minutes!

Cake

2 1/3 cups sifted all purpose flour (sifted, then measured)

1 cup sweetened flaked coconut

1 cup dry-roasted macadamia nuts

3/4 cup chopped crystallized ginger

3 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

4 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups finely grated peeled carrots

2 8-ounce cans crushed pineapple in its own juice, well drained

Frosting

3 8-ounce packages Philadelphia-brand cream cheese, room temperature

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

2 cups powdered sugar

3/4 cup canned sweetened cream of coconut (such as Coco Lopez)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon (scant) coconut extract

14 who dry-roasted macadamia nuts

1/4 cup chopped crystallized ginger

For Cake:

Preheat oven to 350° F. Butter three 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Line bottom of pans with parchment paper. Combine 1/3 cup flour and next 3 ingredients in processor. Process until nuts are finely chopped. Whisk remaining 2 cups flour, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in medium bowl to blend.

Using electric mixer, beat sugar and oil in large bowl to blend. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Beat in flour-spice mixture. Stir in coconut-macadamia mixture, then carrots and crushed pineapple.

Divide batter among pans. Bake until tester inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool in pans on racks 1 hour. Run knife around edge of pans to loosen cakes. Turn cakes out onto racks; cool completely.

For frosting:

Beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl until smooth. Beat in powdered sugar, then cream of coconut and both extracts. Chill until firm enough to spread, about 30 minutes.

Place 1 cake layer, flat side up, on platter. Spread 3/4 cup frosting over top of cake. Top with second cake layer, flat side up. Spread 3/4 cup frosting over. Top with third cake layer, rounded side up, pressing slightly to adhere. Spread thin layer of frosting over top and sides of cake. Chill cake and remaining frosting 30 minutes. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Arrange whole nuts and ginger around top edge of cake. Chill 1 hour. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and chill. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.)

The One

The last few weeks of a semester are always tough. It's that time when, almost magically, everything is due at once: 3000 word research papers, presentations, short stories, final exams, blah, blah, blah. And to think that through this all I am supposed to be searching for a summer job / trying to understand how I am going to save up another five grand for tuition? No thank you! and Oh. My. Sweet. Goodness. I'm kind of freaking out.

But here, have a cookie.

Cookies cure just about anything.

I think everyone needs a solid chocolate chip recipe in their repertoire so today I am introducing you to mine. Don't you just feel better already?

Chocolate chip cookies are classic but I've come to find that they scatter along an invisible scale, ranging from just so-so to incredible. Some are bland, some are too sweet, some have an odd crunchy-chewy texture, and some are hard as pucks. I had to wonder: was I being too picky in my pursuit for the perfect chocolate chip cookie? Turns out I wasn't, and a few years ago I found it: the one I had been waiting for all my life. Turns out a little decadence in a cookie isn't too much to ask for after all. I made a batch, ate 2 or 3 of the massive golden mounds, and promptly declared them the best cookies on the earth. Unfortunately no one believes me anymore when I declare something the best thing ever, because I say that about nearly everything. (I'm an enthused person, what can I say?) I'm not kidding around about this one though. I take cookies very seriously and I think you will agree with me once you try a batch yourself. The sea salt is oh-so-good against the melty chocolate chips and the texture is perfect: crisp around the edges but soft, moist, and chewy in the middle. I have no doubt that you will find them to be yummy in an OH. MY. SWEET. GOODNESS, I'm kind of freaking out! kind of way.

And although these cookies won't write your papers or somehow land you five thousand dollars in you pocket, they will most likely be the best chocolate chip cookies ever to enter your mouth. They might even serve as a cure for your life stresses, if only for a while. That's gotta count for something.

Chocolate Chip Cookies
Adapted from The New York Times, David Leite, and Jacques Torres

I should mention that in typical Jacqueline style, I changed the recipe around slightly. First of all, I did not use the two kinds of flour suggested in the original recipe. I used all purpose flour, which as far as I'm concerned didn't make a huge difference. Also, I used a sprinkle of grey sea salt on top, instead of just regular. Between you and me, I did this to be fancy and because that's the way it's done at Delancey, but really, regular sea salt will do you just fine! And last but not least: USE A KITCHEN SCALE! Trust me on this one.

2 cups minus 2 Tbsp. (8 ½ oz.) cake flour
1 2/3 cups (8 ½ oz.) bread flour
1 ¼ tsp. baking soda
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
1 ½ tsp. coarse salt, such as kosher
2 ½ sticks (1 ¼ cups; 10 oz.) unsalted butter, softened
1 ¼ cups (10 oz.) light brown sugar
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. (8 oz.) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 ¼ pounds bittersweet chocolate chips or chunks, preferably about 60% cacao content, such as Ghirardelli
Sea salt, such as Maldon

Combine flours, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Whisk well; then set aside.

Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars until very light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Reduce the mixer speed to low; then add dry ingredients, and mix until just combined. (Unless you have a plastic guard that sits around the rim of the bowl, this will make a big mess at first, with flour flying everywhere. I found that carefully holding a dish towel around the top of the bowl helped a lot.) Add the chocolate chips, and mix briefly to incorporate. Press plastic wrap against the dough, and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. The dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours.

When you’re ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°F. Remove the bowl of dough from the refrigerator, and allow it to soften slightly. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat.

Using a standard-size ice cream scoop – mine holds about 3 fluid ounces, or about 1/3 cup – scoop six mounds of dough onto the baking sheet, making sure to space them evenly. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt, and bake until golden brown but still soft, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then transfer the cookies onto the rack to cool a bit more.

Repeat with remaining dough.

Yield: About 24 (5-inch) cookies.

With Love

So, Valentines day is just around the corner, and regardless of whether you've got somebody to love, I think you should make these cookies. You will love them. If you are one of those anti-Valentines day people, make these anyway. Cut the cookies into circular shapes for goodness sake. What I am ensuring right now is true, decadent love in cookie form. And I think it goes without saying that we all need a little love in our lives, no matter what format it may come in.

I stumbled upon 'Jimmy's Pink Cookies' while reading A Homemade Life. I don't know what it was exactly that made me so excited to try these cookies. I used to think the idea of icing on top of a cookie was completely unnecessary, and I guess, in most instances it is. It's over the top, entirely. It's far too sweet and way too much. However, I figured if it was good enough for Molly, it would probably be more than good enough for me. And oh baby, I am so happy I gave these guys a chance. These are the kind of cookies that evoke "Oooh's!" and "Ahhh's!" left, right, and center. They are buttery, decadent, and sinfully sweet in the nicest possible way. I probably ate far to many, but we've nearly made it through January, and if you ask me, a little decadence at this point wouldn't hurt one bit.

Jimmy's Pink Cookies

Adapted from A Homemade Life by Molly Wizenberg

This recipe makes a magnificent amount of icing. Perhaps too magnificent an amount. But as Molly says, "Don't be alarmed by the amount this recipe makes. You will want it all, or most of it, at least. These cookies are meant to be frosted very generously. Without a nice, thick layer, they aren't nearly as good." And trust me, this is true.

For the cookies

3 sticks (12 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup powdered sugar, sifted

3 cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Frosting

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

6 tablespoons (3 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature

3 cups powdered sugar, sifted

1¼ teaspoons kirsch, or more to taste, or a capful of cherry extract

Red food coloring

To make the cookies, combine the butter and powdered sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, and beat, first on low speed, and then slowly increasing to medium, until light and fluffy.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour and salt, whisk well. With the mixer on low. add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, beating until the flour is just absorbed. Add the vanilla and beat well to incorporate. Lay a sheet of plastic wrap on a large, clean surface, and turn the dough out onto it/ gather the dough into a ball, press it into a thick disk, and wrap well. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners.

On a clean, floured surface, roll the dough out to a thickness of 1/8 inch. (If you don't have a lot of room, cut the disk of dough down the middle, and work with only one half at a time, leaving the second one in the refrigerator until ready for use.) Using a cookie cutter, cut the dough into whatever shapes you would like.

Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 1½ inches apart. Bake them one sheet at a time, keeping the second sheet in the refrigerator until the first one is done, for 16 to 20 minutes, or until the cookies are pale golden at the edge. Do not allow them to brown. Transfer the pan to a wire rack, and cool the cookies completely on the pan.

To make the frosting, combine the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and beat on low speed to fully incorporate, then raise the speed to medium or medium-high and beat until there are no lumps, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add the kirsch and a couple drops of red food coloring and beat well. The frosting should be a pretty shade of pale pink. Taste, and if you want more cherry flavor, beat in a bit more kirsch. Generously spread onto the fully cooled cookies.

Stored in an airtight container, pink cookies will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days-and they're delicious cold-or you can freeze them indefinitely.

Yield: 20 to 24 (3-inch) cookies