Happy Pi Day

I love a culinary pun as much as the next person.  What am I saying?  I love a culinary pun a lot more than the average person, I'm sure.  Which is why I love Pi Day. 

For anyone not in the know, pi (a.k.a. π) is the relationship between a circle's circumference and its diameter,  roughly 3.14.  It is celebrated, of course, on March 14th (a.k.a. 3/14).  In addition to pastry pun fun, Pi Day reminds me of those long ago days when I was a stellar math student.  It's also a perfect excuse to bake and eat pie.  What's not to love?

Pi Day is being celebrated all over the place.  At the University of Rochester (my Alma mater), there are lectures a-go-go by professors of mathematics, physics, and chemistry.  There's also a fun little feature on the website that makes note of the potential of double pies on June 28, since we so often note circumference as 2πr.  I love the way they think; my calendar is already marked!

But let's not get ahead of ourselves.  What pie is worthy of the occasion?  Chocolate cream?  Bourbon pecan?  Lemon meringue?  Oh, I'm getting hungry just thinking about it!  Okay.  Deep breath.  Focus.

It is a weeknight, so I really shouldn't be too ambitious.  I also don't want to go to the store.  Hmmm...  I do have some Fluff leftover from the holiday fudge.  And lots of graham crackers.  We all know how much I love a good s'more.  And my mini blow torch. 

Are you thinking what I'm thinking?  Oh, I do hope you're thinking s'more pie!

1 graham cracker crust

6 ounces milk chocolate

1/2 cup heavy cream 

2 cups Fluff (give or take, please don't try to actually measure Fluff!)
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Place chocolate and cream in a heat-proof bowl.  Microwave in 30-second increments, stirring after each, until melted and smooth.  Cool to room temperature.  Whip with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.  Spread in crust. 

Top with Fluff.  With a small kitchen torch, lightly brown top.  (You could also do this with a couple of minutes under the broiler.)  Sprinkle the sea salt over the top. 

To slice, run a knife under hot water prior to each cut.

Now, before you say anything, I know.  My Pi Day pie is technically a tart.  Apparently, I only have one pie plate and it's at a friend's house.  Forgive me for cheating and for only owning one pie plate.  I promise I won't let it happen again. 

Anyway, this pie is seriously rich.  Yet, the butteryness of the crust and the hint of salt keep it from being too sweet.  This is definitely a s'more all grown up.  If it wasn't 30 degrees out, I might be in the mood to go camping.

Hope your Pi Day has been delicious.  When it comes to 3.14, keep it round...

Keep it sweet.

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King Cake, and Other Legal Celebrations of Mardi Gras

Did I ever tell you about that time I lifted my shirt on Bourbon Street for a string of beads?  No?  Okay, then as far as you're concerned, it never happened.


Fat Tuesday is upon us once again.  For some, this means drunken revelry in the French Quarter or elsewhere.  For others, it's a day of low key indulgence in anticipation of the austere days of lent.  In my house, Mardi Gras means king cake.  Part breakfast, part dessert, all delicious--king cake is the traditional baked good for the celebration of the Mardi Gras season.  For a fun history of the king cake, check out NewOrleans.com.  For a fun do-it-yourself version of king cake, keep reading...


I think the key to a great king cake is in the dough.  I've made entirely passable variations with frozen bread dough.  I've made amazing king cakes with a scratch-made sweet dough.  This year, I tired a new recipe: Alton Brown's Refrigerator Cinnamon Rolls.  It's a nice enriched dough that makes enough for one large or two small king cakes. 

Truly, though, if you aren't the bread-making type, frozen dough is perfectly fine.


A traditional New Orleans king cake is filled with cinnamon sugar, like cinnamon rolls that didn't make the final cut.  Get it?  Cut?  Slice?  Sigh.  Anyway.  These days, you can find king cakes filled with fruit, chocolate, cream cheese, nuts, you name it.  In the spirit of trying new things, I whipped up a pralines-and-cream concoction that turned out even better than I'd expected:


4 ounces cream cheese
1 ounce butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
2 cups toasted pecans


Beat the cream cheese, butter, and brown sugar until well combined.  Add the salt, vanilla, and egg and whip some more.  Set aside. 

Roll whatever dough you're using into a 12x24-inch rectangle.  Spread the filling over the dough, leaving an inch or so around the edges.  Sprinkle pecans evenly over. 

For one large king cake, roll the dough into a giant log.  Brush the long edge with a little water and pinch the seam closed.  For two smaller cakes, cut the dough lengthwise and make two skinnier rolls.  Carefully transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, seam side down.  Shape into a ring, tucking one end into the other. 

Allow to rise for one hour at room temperature or for a half hour in the oven with a pan of boiling water.  Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes.


While the king cake cools, make the glaze:


4 tablespoons butter, melted
1 pound confectioner's sugar
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-4 tablespoons of milk, to achieve a consistency that is thinner than frosting, but thick enough to spread


Spread glaze over cake.  Sprinkle with green, purple, and gold sanding sugar.  If you don't have sanding sugar, you can color regular granulated sugar with a few drops of food coloring.  Place in a container with a tight fitting lid and shake it (like a Polaroid picture).

Literate Baker note:  If you have a little plastic baby to put in your king cake, I suggest doing it after the cake is cool, but before you apply the glaze.  You can purchase a little bag o' babies at your local craft store (really).  I used to bake mine right inside, but given all the recent concern about plastic and the chemicals it can leach into food when hot, I stopped.  Just lift the king cake and stuff the baby in from the bottom.  It works just as well.

Slice it up and you have a party.  Sure, it's not as fun as a gallon of daiquiris, but you won't regret it quite so much the next day.  Of course, if you do go the gallon of daiquiris route, this is great the next day with a cup of coffee.  Either way, laissez les bon temps rouler and...


Keep it sweet. Pin It

Slice of Summer

It was five degrees here last week.  It was five degrees this week, too.  And although I truly appreciate bright sun and beautiful blue skies, there is something cruel about them when the temperature is so low.  Don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled that I don't have to shovel anything and that I can wear my cute-but-not-waterproof boots for a change, but really, can't it just be spring already?

In addition to lamenting the cold, I have been seeking ways to keep my spirits up.  The trip to Louisiana, of course, helped.  Parking my car in the sun and rocking the greenhouse effect does, too.  I also pulled out my summer baker bag of tricks.  Okay, I don't have a literal bag of summer baker tricks, but I think I want one.  It would be super cute and full of cool and fresh recipes.  Cupcakes in bikinis on the side, perhaps?

But I digress.

I had a request from one of my best customers for a dessert for her women's group meeting.  She wanted something that at least gave the illusion of healthiness.  I wanted to do something fun and not cakey.  The solution: a fruit tart!

As much as I love chocolate, there is a very special place in my heart for a fruit tart.  I love pastry cream.  And shortbread.  And fruit.  Here's how I make mine...

Start with a standard shortbread cookie recipe.  I always use the Barefoot Contessa's.  (It makes enough for two.  Or one and some cookies.  Or one and some little baby tarts.)  Roll out or press into a 9-10 inch tart pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until light golden brown.

Make pastry cream.  Have I ever told you how to make pastry cream?  No?  Shame on me.  I don't have the recipe at my immediate disposal, but I'll look it up for you.  I promise.  And I'll include some of the fun variations I've tried.  For the sake of moving along, let's assume you know what to do.

Once both the pastry cream and shell have cooled, spread about two cups of the former in the latter. 

Arrange pretty fruit on top.  Although the spirit of summer is in my soul, the bounty of summer is not in my grocery store.  The strawberries looked decent, so I got them, a peach, and two kiwis.  Canned mandarin orange slices (well drained) and frozen raspberries (the individually frozen ones, thawed on a paper towel) work nicely, too.  Melt a couple of tablespoons of jam in the microwave.  I like to use apricot because it's pretty clear and won't discolor the fruit.  Brush over the tart.  This will make everything shiny and pretty.

If you were smart enough to make baby tart shells you made with the excess dough, fill them with whatever you have leftover.

I used a muffin tin to bake the shells.  At that size, you could eat one with no guilt, two with the tiniest of twinges.  Or you could eat three.  I, um, wouldn't know about that.

It will be a couple of months before the sandals come out and even longer before the local berries appear.  That's no reason not to feel springy.  Put a little love in your heart, some sweet in your tart, and no matter the weather...

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The Traveling Baker: Gonzales, Louisiana

I've recently returned from my semi-annual trek to my hometown of Gonzales, Louisiana.  In addition to being the jambalaya capital of the world, Gonzales is home to great po-boys and Cal's Bakery.  Located less than a mile from the house I grew up in, Cal's has been a Gonzales institution for a lot longer than I've been around.

When I was little, my Papaw would go to Cal's on Saturday mornings and come home with cinnamon rolls.  In a true display of Cajun lily-guilding, he'd split them open and fry them in butter.  Once I was old enough to cross the street, I'd ride my bike there, bringing donuts home to surprise my mom and godmother.  All of my birthday cakes (including the one with the New Kids on the Block edible image) came from Cal's.  A trip home is not complete without stopping by.

Now that I've become a cake snob, I tend to spend my calories on the donuts.  Cal's has the best donuts.  Ever.  I mean it.  They're not fancy, but they are the perfect blend of textures and flavors.  The jelly donut literally explodes with raspberry filling, which is the same filling they use in cakes.  The donuts (and donut holes) come two ways: traditional glazed and chocolate glazed.  The chocolate glaze is something I've not seen anywhere else, so I feel the need to eat at least a half dozen.  Holes, that is; I'm not completely without restraint.

And since anytime between New Year's and Ash Wednesday is considered Mardi Gras season, visiting Ca'ls in February also means king cake.  I'll tell you the story of king cake when I make my own in a couple of weeks, but I'll tell you that this one was filled with cinnamon sugar and sweet sream cheese and was yummy.  I had to leave before we found the baby, so either my mom or my godmother owe me a king cake the next time I'm down!

What is it about nostalgia that can make baked goods taste even better?  Perhaps it's the sweet memories along with the sweet treats.  Either way, Cal's is one of my favorite place to visit.  If you ever find yourself traveling I-10 between New Orleans and Batong Rouge, hop off at exit 179 and head just a couple of miles down Burnside, a.k.a. Hwy 44.  If you're feeling absurdly indulgent, try the fried croissant.  But no matter what you try, I guarantee that Cal's Bakery is the best way in Gonzales to...

Keep it sweet. Pin It

Raspberry Jumblies

If you read this blog with any regularity, you know I love a good bar cookie.  Crisp and crumbly, soft and chewy--I love them all.  They come together easily, bake all in one pan, and travel well.

When I was in high school, I would bake standard chocolate chip cookie dough into bars to take along to quiz bowl tournaments.  I'm sure that the Sacred Heart girls would have won the state championship regardless, but it was nice to give those Episcopal School of Acadiana boys a little extra distraction.

Several years ago, I came across a recipe that reminded me of those quiz bowl days.  Raspberry Jumbles were basically the same cookie I'd been making, but with the addition of a layer of raspberry jam.  They quickly became known as "jumblies" (think Austin Powers) and have been a house favorite ever since.

To make jumblies, you'll need about two cups of chocolate chip cookie dough (about a half-batch of a standard scratch recipe or one log of slice-and-bake) and about a quarter of a cup of raspberry jam. 

Here's what you do:

Preheat oven to 350 and spray an 8-inch square pan with non-stick spray.
Spread about 1 1/2 cups of dough in the pan.
Spread jam over dough.
Spoon remaining dough over jam.

Bake 25-30 minutes, until center is just set.

They're sort of thumbprint meets toll house.  And much like brownies, the corners and edges are the best part.  They also look nice, all jumbl(i)ed up.  Take your chocolate chip cookies on a new adventure and...

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Butter Goes Brown

I'm a big fan of brown butter.  It's rich and nutty and plays well with both savory and sweet applications.  And since I always (always) have butter on hand, it's a fun gourmet trick to keep in your back pocket.  When this month's Cooking Club magazine arrived with a full feature on brown butter desserts, I was so excited I stood in the hallway in my coat and boots to sneak a peek.  I was not disappointed.

I was most seduced by the brown butter cherry tart.  Cherries might be my most favorite fruit and are sorely underrepresented in baked goods (didn't I just say that?).  Alas, I did not have sour cherries on hand (shame!).  I did, however, have just about everything needed to make brown butter-chocolate chip icebox cookies.

Brown Butter-Chocolate Chip Icebox Cookies

11 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut up
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup mini chocolate chips
1/2 cup turbinado sugar, such as Sugar in the Raw*
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1 egg white, lightly beaten

1. Heat butter in large skillet over medium heat 6 to 9 minutes or until milk solids on bottom are dark chocolate brown. Pour into large wide bowl; freeze 15 to 20 minutes or until consistency of softened butter.

2. Whisk flour, baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt in medium bowl.
3. Beat chilled butter in large bowl at medium speed 30 seconds or until smooth. Beat in sugar and brown sugar 1 minute or until combined. At low speed, beat in eggs and vanilla until smooth. Beat in flour mixture just until blended. Stir in chocolate chips.

4. Divide dough in half; shape each into 8x2-inch log. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
5. Heat oven to 350°F. Combine turbinado sugar and sea salt in small bowl; spread on baking sheet. Lightly brush each dough log with egg white; roll in turbinado sugar mixture to completely coat outside. Cut each log into 24 slices; place 2 inches apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheets.

Yes, I crowded the pan.

6. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until pale golden brown around edges but still soft in center. Cool on baking sheets on wire rack 3 minutes. Remove cookies; cool completely.

*Turbinado sugar is a raw sugar with large pale brown crystals and a mild molasses flavor. Demerara sugar, another raw sugar, can be used, or substitute granulated sugar.

Literate Baker notes:  I did not have turbinado sugar on hand and substituted white sanding sugar.  I'm sure the flavor of the former would be better, but the texture of the latter worked just fine.  I also didn't have mini chocolate chips.  Regular chips tasted fine, but made slicing a little less neat.

All is all, these were really good.  The brown butter gave a good depth of flavor, while the crust of sugar and salt worked some the same type of magic that happens with a salt-rimmed margarita.  Mmmm... margarita.  But I digress.

The egg and baking powder made these cookies not quite shortbread, but still fairly crisp.  As I think back to other "icebox" cookie recipes I've tried, they're definitely that style.  I think I may try a variation that is more a traditional shortbread, but with brown butter.  The more butter, the better, right?  Right. Pin It

A Tale of Two Croissants

I passed the bakery department last night, as I always do on my way to the deli case and/or olive bar.  Mine eye fell upon that tastiest of all pastries, the almond croissant.  Hell, I thought, it's the weekend!  As I put my puffy, nutty treat in its bakery bag of happiness, I could not help but notice another delight.  A chocolate croissant, a.k.a. pain au chocolate, caught my attention and would not yield.

I was flummoxed.  I adore pain au chocolat.  Yet, I would never, ever pass up an almond croissant.  What ever to do?  Decide the situation is much like the rivalry between the Montagues and the Capulets, buy both, and take a few liberties with Shakespeare.  Obviously.

And so I find myself on a Saturday morning, curled up with a nice cup of coffee, two pastries, and my Riverside Shakespeare.  Not a bad way to start the weekend.

Two croissants, both alike in dignity,
In fair Wegmans, where we lay our scene,
From ancient pastry break to new tastiness,
Where sugary crumb makes civil hands unclean.

To eat or not to eat, that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The fat and calories of outrageous pastry,
Or to eat both with a cup of coffee,
And by exercising, burn them?

Alas, poor pastry, I knew him, croissant.

Okay, okay.  I know it takes a very special kind of person to appreciate that.  Have no fear.  I have a potluck later, so I'm going to go bake some easy cookies that everyone will love.  I'll share that with thee very soon!  Until then...

Keep it sweet. Pin It