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Sweet Snacks

Candy, Sweet Snacks

Raspberry and Meyer Lemon Pâte de Fruits

A couple of weeks ago, I tried to make “Homemade Gummi Bears”. Well, sort of homemade gummi bears, in that they were fruit jellies. It didn’t work so well. In fact, a number of times, it was a bust. But as my mom and a number of my friends really like these sorts of candies, I made a few more attempts and eventually got them right. That is this recipe. And even with this recipe, they aren’t the easiest things in the world to make. I think that some of it may actually also be dependent on how moist the air is on any given day, because sometimes they just don’t set. If I had to give advice on these, I would tell you that practice makes perfect (or as close to perfect as I can get). Good luck!
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18. March 2015
Sweet Snacks

Irish Apple Crumble Cake

I found this recipe in a number of places listed as “Irish Apple Crumble Cake” though I don’t see anything tremendously Irish about it (just seems like a normal apple coffee cake like cake), but it looked yummy so I decided to make it on the spur of the moment, really.

I should know better by now than to bake something when I am not in a baking mood (and in an overall very cranky mood) and just to make something “for the sake of a holiday”, especially one that I have no real connection to. This was actually the third thing that I attempted to make this morning. The first two were utter failures. They might have been somewhat more “Irish-y” (in that they involved green and shamrocks and the like — ok, more Plastic Paddy maybe [grin] ), but one didn’t even make it to the baking stage and the other fell apart … well, let’s not go into the details. At any rate, I was frustrated and so even this isn’t a success in my mind. Baking is definitely a frame of mind. And tomorrow is another day.
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17. March 2015
Desserts, Sweet Snacks

Apple Blossom Tart, with Honey Almond Custard

Today is Pie Day. Or rather, Pi Day (3.14.15), at least in the US date format. Some years, I have made a whole slew of pies, but this year, this is my solo one. It’s lovely. It’s harder to put together than one would think, as a lot of the “flowers” want to unroll again. But it’s well worth it.
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13. March 2015
Breakfast/Brunch, Savory Snacks, Sweet Snacks

Caramelized Cranberry and Camembert Crazy Bread, with Toasted Walnuts

Looks kind of crazy, doesn’t it? I’d seen crazy breads (aka pull-apart breads) before, but this was a first attempt. I think that the yeast went crazier than expected though, because the loaf bloomed like mad and quite overflowed the pan. Oh well, nice effect, I guess. The cranberries and walnuts are a nice contrast to the funkiness of the camembert. Not sure if I should consider this a “sweet” or “savory” bread, but I do think that the presentation will wow.
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10. March 2015