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Walnut White Chocolate Bundt Cake

Sarah Kieffer — Thu, 24 Jan 2019 01:43:17 +0000

This post is sponsored by California Walnuts. As always, all opinions are my own. I have another cake for you; this one is in Bundt form, studded with white chocolate and topped with candied walnuts (which, you may remember, is my new favorite treat). I love Bundt cakes because they fall in the dessert category of ‘simple but classy’, and can be eaten any time of the day without guilt or shame. I’ve teamed up with California Walnuts to bring you some recipes over the following year (such as this chocolate walnut cake and this chocolate walnut shortbread). Over 99 percent of walnuts grown in the U.S. come from California’s walnut orchards, many of which are on family owned and operated farms that have been around for generations. Walnuts are nutritious and heart-healthy*, and offer 4 grams of protein and 2 grams of fiber per ounce. Walnuts are also the only nut with a significant amount of plant based Omega 3 ALA (2.5 grams/ounce). You can check out the CA Walnuts website for more nutrition info, research, tips for cooking with walnuts, recipes. I’m excited to share more recipes with you! ****************************** Fairytale At night, when we dreamed, we went down a street […]

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Masala-Spice Palmiers

Sarah Kieffer — Fri, 18 Jan 2019 04:02:27 +0000

I always forget how delicious palmiers are until I make them – puff pastry, coated in sugar and spices and then baked until crisp and caramelized – what’s not to love? This version from Maggie Battista’s new cookbook, A New Way to Food, is made with Masala spice mix (a blend of cinnamon, clove, cardamom, coriander, black pepper, and fennel) and maple sugar. Other puff pastry desserts you might enjoy: Peach Puff Pastry Pie, Puff Pastry Tarts with Twangy Blueberry Sauce, Cheese Danish Slab Pie, and Turnovers with Jam. Also! I am giving away a copy of Maggie’s new cookbook over on Instagram! The instructions to enter are on this photo here. You can also win a loungewear kit from Universal Standard. Read about their fashion for all women mission here. ************************** Did you too see it, drifting, all night, on the black river? Did you see it in the morning, rising into the silvery air – An armful of white blossoms, A perfect commotion of silk and linen as it leaned into the bondage of its wings; a snowbank, a bank of lilies, Biting the air with its black beak? Did you hear it, fluting and whistling A shrill […]

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Chocolate Walnut Shortbread Bites for Halloween

Sarah Kieffer — Fri, 26 Oct 2018 01:29:08 +0000

This post is sponsored by California Walnuts. As always, all opinions are my own. I’ve never been a Halloween person; I enjoyed roaming the neighborhood for candy each year with my sister, but as someone who has always been terrified of scary movies and creepy decorations, I will take December 25th over October 31st most days. When I did celebrate Halloween, I always tried to make the day less about death and dying which never really worked (this might play into my actual fear of dying, but that’s a whole other post). Regardless of fears, Halloween was still celebrated each fall with pillowcases full of chocolate and silly last minute costumes, and this year I am actually going to a real Halloween party, which is a first for me. I am bringing treats to share, but as store bought Halloween candy is often too sweet for my taste buds, I decided to make my own chocolate treats. So, here is my adult Halloween candy post – Chocolate Caramel Walnut Shortbread bites. I’ve teamed up with California Walnuts to bring you some recipes over the following year that include, of course, walnuts. Over 99 percent of walnuts grown in the U.S. come […]

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American Buttercream

Sarah Kieffer — Fri, 16 Mar 2018 15:38:18 +0000

While I love Swiss Meringue Buttercream, sometimes there just isn’t enough time to make it. This faster version of buttercream is a good substitute; it’s still buttery and creamy, but without all of the effort. This faster version of buttercream is a good substitute for Swiss Meringue Buttercream; it's still buttery and creamy, but without all the effort.

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Marshmallows

Sarah Kieffer — Mon, 05 Mar 2018 20:59:31 +0000

I didn’t realize how superior homemade marshmallows were until I tried them; they are heads and tails above the supermarket versions. They also toast much better, with a deep amber char. Note: A few drops of food coloring can be added with the vanilla if you’d like to color your marshmallows. Homemade Marshmallows are far superior to their supermarket counterparts. They also toast much better, with a deep amber char.

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cookies in new york (a collaboration with bob’s red mill and feed feed)

Sarah Kieffer — Mon, 15 Jan 2018 18:54:29 +0000

A month ago I got to take a quick trip to New York City, and hang out at the FeedFeed studio. They had a cookie exchange (sponsored by Bob’s Red Mill) and I brought a long some of my pan-banging chocolate chip cookies to share. I had a great time – there were a lot of other food bloggers there that I had wanted to meet forever and finally got to, and also met a lot of lovely bloggers that were new to me. Everyone brought cookies to exchange, and there were several demonstrations (including my pan-banging technique), a cookie decorating station, a wreath making station, and tons of great food. My husband got to tag along as well (yay, frequent flyer miles!) and we spent a total of 40 hours in NYC – mostly just walking around neighborhoods and eating great food. Thank you so much FeedFeed and Bob’s Red Mill! You can find the recipe to my cookies here.

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musings and ramblings: bread crumbs and spilled wine

Sarah Kieffer — Fri, 07 Apr 2017 13:00:00 +0000

It is a beautiful day here, one of those early spring days that throws me into a fit of nostalgia. I sit in the sun, letting it wash over my frozen white skin; the thaw is finally starting. I let my memories melt as well, bleeding into each other, taking me down forgotten roads and out-of-the way alleys. Five years ago on a day like this you would have found me in my car, driving over to see my grandma, Virginia. She loved these kind of days, seeing them as a time to finally get out of the house after being trapped inside all winter long. She would be waiting for me at the front door, clutching her worn-out black purse and talking quietly to herself, her front porch smelling faintly like Pantene products and black coffee. It would be hard work getting her down the front steps – her arthritic hands clinging as best they could to my coat jacket, her frail legs stepping slowly, one at a time. But we would manage it and drive away, the sun beckoning to us, Louis Prima and Keely Smith swinging for us. She would tap her crippled hands on her knees, […]

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Dunn Brothers Coffee

Sarah Kieffer — Thu, 09 Mar 2017 06:01:40 +0000

**This post is sponsored by Dunn Brothers Coffee. As usual, all opinions are my own.** Coffee is a lot more than just a drink; it’s something happening. Not as in hip, but like an event, a place to be, but not like a location, but like somewhere within yourself. It gives you time, but not actual hours or minutes, but a chance to be, like be yourself, and have a second cup. – Gertrude Stein, Selected Writings Spending time at a coffeehouse for hours on end has been a huge part of my life. My first introduction was at age eighteen; my friend Laurie picked me up in her sparkly white Saturn and drove me out of the suburbs into South Minneapolis, where we sunk into beat-up old couches in a grungy-but-rad neighborhood shop, sipping granitas. It was a smoke-riddled, Johnny Cash playing-by-day, Sound Garden-playing-by-night kind of place, where the locals sat around talking, chain-smoking, and drinking java until they were kindly kicked out each night. I was instantly hooked. Sure, I drank some kind of slushy, sugary brew that made the coffee go down easier, but I loved tucking away in a corner and studying all afternoon during the […]

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Streusel

Sarah Kieffer — Wed, 01 Mar 2017 20:28:08 +0000

Streusel works well on bars, scones, coffeecakes, and tarts. Often I’ll make a large batch of this and keep it in the fridge’ it keeps for 3 to 4 days chilled and for 1 month frozen. This recipe can also be easily doubled.

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it’s been awhile

Sarah Kieffer — Thu, 09 Feb 2017 03:50:29 +0000

A few weeks ago the lovely people at the Blue Heron Coffeehouse had a book signing and dinner to celebrate the release of The Vanilla Bean Baking Book (affiliate link). It was a wonderful afternoon and evening. I saw familiar faces I used to wait on in my barista days; I met new friends, and celebrated with old ones. If you’ve read through my book you know the Blue Heron is mentioned frequently, and I wouldn’t be where I am today without the guidance and encouragement of Larry and Colleen. (Once again, thank you, thank you, for everything.) I’ve been quiet here. The past few weeks have been filled with word searches, as I’ve been trying to articulate my thoughts on the whirlwind of activity in our country. One never knows what one’s in for when one starts thinking.* More soon. I’ll have a recipe for you in a few days. Here are a few things, book related, and around the internets. I had an interview with Rick Nelson from the Star Tribune you can read here. I also had an interview with the National Post. Laura’s post really resonated with me. (Psst. You can also pre-order her book here.) Aran from […]

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