Maple is one of my favorite flavors. It also is a “winter” flavor for me, though I don’t really have a reason for that. Pancakes are year round food, so why should maple syrup only be reserved for winter on my pallet? Inexplicable. But it is of course still winter and it’s frigid out at that, so I’m just going to stay inside with these lovely cookies. They will not last the weekend.
Krapfen. Fasnachtsküchle. Berliner. Doughnuts (Donuts). These are all traditional Pre-Fasching (Carnival, Mardi Gras…) sweets common in Southern Germany. OK, maybe most of Germany, but I am from the South, so that is what I can speak to. There are crazy sorts in Germany, and each bakery seems to make a whole bunch of types in the weeks between New Year’s and Fat Tuesday. I just made one base recipe for these and then finished them in overly decadent ways. Eat them while you can: Lent starts tomorrow!* (I’m not religious and I don’t do the whole ‘giving up stuff for Lent thing, but you get the idea.)
Ah yes, more chocolatey goodness for your valentine … and the second time that I am making fudge in a matter of weeks. Yes, that is unusual. But, given the success of the last type, I thought I would dare to make a second, and besides, I thought I would test out the melting capabilities of those lovely cinnamon chips that I have been using of late. Turns out they melt great, although I am not necessarily that much of a fan of the color. Oh well. The fudge itself tastes great and is super cinnamony. Love those warm chocolate and cinnamon flavors in this cold wintertime!
I found this great small Valentine’s Day Cookie Stamp at Fancy Flours the other day. I really like cookie stamps, but a lot of them are really big (like 4 inches) and this one is nice and small. Perfect for these sugar cookies. They aren’t really anything special, but the raspberry glaze really does make them pretty. Easy but time consuming because you have to let things cool and harden a couple of time.
A couple of weeks ago, when I made this Peanut Butter Cup Fudge, I also made this sugar and sprinkled it on the top to add a little bit of a textural bit to it. As if the fudge wasn’t over the top as it was, eh? Anyway, turns out that this sugar is pretty over the top as well and I have made it a couple of times since then. Great (really great!) in tea, goes well with fruit, on cereal, a last little bit of flavor in yogurt; I even put just a bit on a steak the other day.