Hi everyone – I’m heading to Maine on Wednesday for a week with the kids, which is exciting. In the meantime I got a fig perfume in the mail that is … not very interesting, so let’s talk about another topic dear to my heart, which is sweet treats (or, if that’s not your thing, savory treats).
The plan is to dial back the holiday sugar consumption this year, given that half my kids aren’t supposed to eat a load of sugar. So I’m not making toffee, one of my fondest memories from their childhood — a friend had a toffee-making extravaganza at her house one year and I made it on my own every year after that. We also won’t be buying one of these incredible kringles made by O&H in Racine, Wisconsin which are stocked seasonally at Trader Joe’s, almond is my favorite.
Instead I’ve allowed myself to pre-game on sugar whenever it’s offered to me. I went to a church bake sale (photo above). There’s been a coffee mousse parfait and slices of cake. I went to a gathering of friends on Sunday and the spread was fabulous, and I got sent home with various treats including pumpkin roll, homemade chocolate chip cookies, and a hilariously large biscochito the width of a drinks coaster (generally they’re more the size of an Oreo.) I love biscochitos with their anise-forward flavor, especially this time of year. There have also been a couple of amazing baked cinnamon-roll-type treats from local bakeries. So, don’t feel bad for me, I’ve probably had enough sugar.
Is there any special cooking or baking (or buying and consuming) of treats at your house these days, related to whichever holiday(s) you celebrate, or just because?
Photos: mine (clearly I don’t have a future as a food photographer)
We have gone overboard on Christmas treats this year so hubby will be baking his pferrenusse cookies between Christmas and New Years. We’ve been having great fun with the Bonne Maman jam advent calendar. We have also managed to pick up treats like candy cane ice cream from a new, teeny ice cream parlor in our neighborhood and a ton of Scandinavian baked goods from a local bakery. Princess cake is sooo good. January will be diet month!
Oooh that Bonne Maman calendar sounds fantastic, I love their jams. So envious of your local ice cream parlor and Scandinavian bakery!
First time we’ve tried the jam calendar, and it is fantastic! They do special flavors and I guess they sell out very quickly. Today was quince spread!
I think we need a Posse recipe book..
I think you’re right!
What Tom said! Yes!
I made date bars and also Hello Dolly (7-Layer) bars with my kids this weekend, both a big hit. I stick to the date bars, they contain fruit and oatmeal so I’m claiming healthy enough. I may make them again with prune and then they can also be legit for breakfast. Sorry the fig frag didn’t work out for you. Fig is one of my favorite notes.
Ooooh, I love things with dates. Date bars sound delicious. I love fig too! Somewhere on here are posts about fig perfumes … the fig frag was fine, but I couldn’t think of a thing to say about it!
My husband is gonna make molasses cookies this evening (a favorite from his childhood) for a cookie swap he’s going to at his church tomorrow evening. I need to figure out a dessert for lunch on Christmas day. The big wrinkle is that my daughter’s vegan boyfriend will be with us. I bought 3 pints of vegan sorbets and “ice creams”…wondering what else I can produce. My old favorite is Pecan Tassies, those tiny mini pecan pies. Cinnamon rolls are always good, too.
Ugh I don’t miss the vegan years (my daughter) … Oreos are vegan, which makes me laugh. LOVE pecan tassies and cinnamon rolls and molasses cookies!
Made a Bismark over the weekend. It’s an enriched fruited loaf with a marzipan core through the centre & icing over the top. I use a sourdough brioche recipe. I bake sourdough every week. Good for blood sugar control & wheat intolerance.
Oh, I bet that was absolutely delicious! Marzipan is so tasty. Sourdough every week sounds absolutely lovely.
It gets eaten in slices spread with Lurpak. It is delicious but not good for my blood sugar.
Have a wonderful visit with the kids. Is Maine snowy? I have issues with sugar. There are times when I could care less and then, like right now, I crave crave crave it. I’m baking my mother’s flourless chocolate torte for xmas (ground almond instead of flour) and have ordered a funfetti cake from favourite local baker (they are going to do xmas decorations). I am hoping I am sick of sugar by mid-next week and won’t want any for months.
They’ve had a fair amount of snow although no big storm predicted during my travel, which is great. It is THAT time of year for me sugar-wise, the cold and dark I suppose! I bet that chocolate torte is amazing and you only need a tiny slice of it.
So far I’ve made M&M cookies, rice krispie treats and ginger molasses cookies. Next on the list are dark chocolate chip cookies, brownies and butter tarts. I love to bake! I also bake my own bread every week, plus scones occasionally. Still eating slices of pumpkin pie out of the freezer. ?
Yummmmmm I’m with you on all of those things. I meant to bake a pumpkin pie but did not, maybe I’ll do it in January, why not? Homemade bread is the best.
I’m trying to ease up on sugar, as well, so when I do bake stuff I bake stuff that I’m not inclined to eat.
My Christmas guests have a fondness for German Chocolate Cake so I’m doing a deconstructed one, in the form of a trifle, for dessert. I think they’ll like it, I’ll like making it – and I don’t like GCCake ingredients… so WIN!
btw – Fun Baking Fact:
German Chocolate Cake has NOTHING to do with Germany – it was named after an English chocolate maker who developed the mild chocolate used in the cake (as well as the recipe for the GC cake, which originated here in the States)
His name? Samuel German
Baker’s (the company that sells German’s Chocolate ) correctly uses the possessive ‘s’.
Interesting! Learning, and chocolate!
I’m trying to be good. Failing, but trying. I’ve been on an eggnog bender.
I was just going to confess my own eggnog indiscretions. Read an article that rated several and “needed” to try out the top 2-Hood and Organic Valley. With nutmeg. With cinnamon. With rum, and then brandy extract. Plain. Over ice. With a candy cane swizzle stick. It’s exhausting. ???
I did make a mistake and grab pumpkin spice. Ick.
Replying here because WP is saying I’m spam on the site
Nope. No sweet type baking has been perpetrated in this apartment for years March.
We did come home with a bunch of European chocolate and Turkish Delights. Sadly the chocolate doesn’t have anything to stop it melting in 42C heat. Giving it as gifts is now impossible, it has all become congealed blocks of art nouveau
Have an excellent time with the kids, safe, fun, comfortable.
HUG
Portia xx
Still edible, though not for us diabolics
Thanks honey, sorry the site is blocking you! Oh no, all the melted chocolate! Maybe you can eat it yourselves … that’s what I’d be doing honestly.
HA! It’s in the fridge and being eaten slowly.
YUCK. Have I mentioned the one and only time I tried a pumpkin spice latte? I politely returned it and asked if I could have something else.
Yuck. I feel/taste your pain. If one has a surplus of eggnog, it is good as a milk replacement in waffles, pancakes or French toast. As I am not a coffee drinker, when I do brew it this time of year, I “lighten” my cup with eggnog.
Oh, that is a FABULOUS idea!!!
Ooooh, I’m pretty sure they have both of those at Whole Foods, must investigate!
Eggnog is SO tasty. I like trying different brands.
That’s so interesting! Makes sense too, I think of “German” chocolate cake as a black forest?
Yes I would admire your German chocolate cake but I’d also politely pass, so good choice.