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Swedish Cardamom Yeast Rolls

Modified: Aug 25, 2025 · Published: Jan 8, 2019 by Helen S Fletcher · This post may contain affiliate links · 14 Comments

A Swedish Cardamom Knot sits on a blue and white plate

These Swedish Cardamom Yeast Rolls have so much going for them. Known as Kardemummabullar, the dough is easy to make in the processor or mixer and interestingly has no eggs. It is wonderfully soft and really easy to roll out. Any yeast dough is best eaten the day it is made but these are great even the next day.

Cardamom is a spice that is not generally used in America. It holds sway in Indian cooking and Scandinavian baking. I ran across these yeast rolls while searching for something else on the internet. I can see using this spice a lot more.

Bottle of Cardamom for Swedish Cardamom Yeast Rolls

Cardamom for Swedish Cardamom Yeast Rolls

Cardamom seeds are held in a pod. The original recipe grinds the seeds in a small coffee grinder or in a mortar and pestle. I skipped this step and used the ground version instead. Spoiler Alert: Cardamom is very expensive. I buy my spices at Penzy’s since I like their quality. I also like the small jars. I buy these when I am not going to use the spice a lot. After I use it, I put the jar in the freezer so it is fresh the next time I want to use it. The spice itself is fluffy.

There are two main types of cardamom: black cardamom and green cardamom. Green cardamom is one of the most expensive spices by weight, but little is needed to impart flavor with hints of lemon, mint, and smoke. Originally grown in India and Indonesia, it was introduced into Guatemala, before World War 1. They are now the largest grower of Cardamom with India being the second.

It is best stored in the pod, as exposed or ground seeds quickly lose their flavor. Grinding the pods and seeds together lowers both the quality and the price. For recipes requiring whole cardamom pods, a generally accepted equivalent is 10 pods equals 1¹⁄₂teaspoons of ground cardamom.

It is a common ingredient in Indian cooking. It is also often used in baking in the Nordic countries, in particular in Sweden, Norway, and Finland, where it is used in traditional treats such as the Scandinavian Jule bread Julekake, the Swedish kardemummabullar sweet bun, and Finnish sweet bread pulla.

If you want to substitute something for the cardamom in these yeast rolls you can use half cinnamon and half nutmeg.

I am a firm believer in making yeast dough one day and shaping it a day or two later. Chilled doughs are so much easier to roll and shape. If the dough is used immediately after the first rise, especially for yeast rolls, it is prone to getting out of shape when rolled and shaped. Much less flour is needed to roll the dough. When shaping this dough, chill it anytime it gets too soft.

I have to admit I was so excited about these yeast rolls, I forgot to take the pictures for making the dough. However, it is so easy, it is self-explanatory.

Other sweet rolls that are sure to please is the German Chocolate Sweet Roll as well as the Gibassier, the marvelous French orange sweet roll shaped like a fleur de lis and the Mexican favorite, Conchas with it's gorgeous top and the super simple Lemon Sugar Buns.

Cardamom Yeast Roll Dough

1 cup milk
5 tablespoons unsalted butter (75 grams 2 ⅔ ounces)
2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (7 grams, ¼ ounce or 1 package)
2 ¾ cups flour (385 grams or about 13 ½ ounces)
1 ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
¼ teaspoon salt
⅓ cup light or dark brown sugar (65 grams or 2 ⅓ ounces)

Heat the milk and butter until the butter melts. Cool to lukewarm and add the yeast. Allow the yeast to dissolve.

Processor Method
Combine the flour, cardamom, salt, and brown sugar in the bowl of a processor. Process briefly to combine. Add the liquid and process until a ball forms. Redistribute the dough if it does not come together. Once a ball forms, process about 10 seconds. Remove from the processor and knead about 10 times to smooth out.

Mixer Method
Fit the mixer with the dough hook if available.

Combine the flour, cardamom, salt, and brown sugar in the bowl of a mixer. Add the lukewarm liquid and beat until the dough comes together. Knead in the machine for about 3 minutes until smooth.

Spray a storage container with baking spray. Place the dough in the container and let double in size, about 40 minutes. Punch down and refrigerate overnight.

Filling for the Cardamom Yeast Rolls

5 tablespoons butter, softened (75 grams or 2 ⅔ ounces)
⅓ cup light or dark brown sugar (65 grams or 2 ⅓ ounces)
2 teaspoons ground cardamom

Place all the ingredients in the bowl of a mixer. Beat until smooth. Continue beating to increase the volume somewhat.

Shaping and Baking the Cardamom Yeast Rolls

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

Filling on dough for Cardamom Yeast Rollst

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 13” x 21” rectangle. Spread the filling over the entire rectangle. It will be very thin but that is as it should be.

Mark the dough 7” in from each of the 21” side. There will be three 7” sections.

Bottom folded up for Cardamom Yeast Rolls

Fold the bottom of the dough up to the middle.

Then fold the top of the dough down over the middle.

Dough on pan for the Cardamom Yeast Rolls

Roll the dough into a 9”x15” rectangle. At this point, place it on a parchment lined baking sheet and freeze or refrigerate until firm. If putting it into the freezer, just firm it – do not freeze it.

When firm, mark the dough every inch on the 15” side. Using a pizza cutter preferably, or a knife, cut out 15 strips of dough.

Single piece of dough for the Swedish Cardamom Yeast Rolls

Dough twisted for the Cardamom Yeast Rolls

Partially tied dough for Cardamom Yeast Rolls

Take one strip of dough and twist it. Place it on the work surface in front of you and with your right-hand roll the twisted dough up and with your left hand, roll it down, stretching as you roll to about 12”. Tie the twisted strip into a knot.

Place on a prepared baking sheet.

Cover lightly and let rise for about 1 hour or longer until doubled.

Prior to the rolls completely rising, preheat the oven to 350°F.

Double Pan and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until baked through.

Topping for Cardamom Yeast Rolls

¼ cup water
¼ cup light brown sugar (50 grams or 1 ¾ ounces)
½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cardamom

While the rolls are proofing, combine the water, sugar, and vanilla in a small saucepan. Heat on high until the sugar has dissolved. Set the syrup aside.

In a small bowl, combine the granulated sugar and cardamom. Set aside.

Immediately upon removing the knots from the oven, brush them with the syrup and sprinkle with the cardamom sugar.

Yield: 15 delicious rolls.

This post was inspired by the following blog. https://non www.fixfeastflair.com/home/2015/2/9/swedish-cardamom-rolls-kardemummabullar-recipe

If you liked this recipe, you might enjoy the following posts on this blog:

Cinnamon Bread
My Chocolate Babka
Brandied Chocolate Cherry Almond Garmisch
60 Second Brioche with Lemon Twists

Baking Pans

Modified: Nov 6, 2025 · Published: Jan 1, 2019 by Helen S Fletcher · This post may contain affiliate links · 11 Comments

This weeks’ post about Baking Pans comes as a result of my blog, Chocolate Cranberry Quick Bread. A question was asked about what type of 9x5” pan I used and whether it made a difference. So this week, I want to talk a little about the differences between baking pans.

In the long-ago days, there weren’t many equipment choices for home baking. You bought this or that if you were lucky. Most baking pans for cakes, loaf cakes, and pie pans were and still are, made of aluminum. Commercial strengths were usually heavier than those made for consumers but unavailable. Today we are luckier and have choices of materials and weights.

Aluminum is still used commercially today for its longevity and its ability to maintain even heat. It neither slows down or speeds up baking times. Some of my baking equipment is 25 or 30 years old. I used it at the bakery and I still use it at home. Several of the oldest pans I own are my 9x5 loaf pans which I wouldn’t trade for anything. They have seen a lifetime of service (and look like it) and still produce the best looking loaves.

Other materials such as ceramic, glass, stainless steel, tin, or enamel coated cast iron such as Le Creuset will react differently when heated because of the material with which they are made. Be aware that the heavier pans will take a bit longer to bake usually. So if a recipe isn't done in he stated time, add a few more minutes as needed until it tests done.

Materials Used for Baking Pans

Copper– mostly used for cooking but it is very expensive and a pain to keep clean. It was used mostly in baking for whipping egg whites as the copper was thought to increase the stability of the whites. Today, we use cream of tartar, a bit of lemon juice or vinegar to provide the acid for stabilization if needed.

Aluminum– Most used for baking. It conducts heat evenly. It is best to hand washed to keep the color. However, the discoloration does not affect baking in the pans. Look for heavy gauge aluminum to prevent warping which can occur if it is a lighter gauge.

The one bug-a-boo with aluminum is that it discolors if put in the dishwasher. It doesn’t affect the quality of the pan, only the looks by turning them darker. You can see in the photo below that, at some point, I used this pan as a bain marie. Up to the water line, it is darker. That's what happens in the dishwasher.

Cast Iron– Heats evenly and holds the heat but it is very heavy and if uncoated needs to be seasoned. Today cast iron baking equipment is coated in enamel for looks and ease of cleaning.

Stainless Steel – Poor heat conductor and is not good for baked goods.

Glassware – While it is slower to heat up, glass becomes very hot once it does heat.Glass gets hotter than other materials and anything baked in it requires a reduction of heat by 25°F. For instance, if a recipe states 350°F, the temperature should be reduced to 325°F and baked for the same amount of time given. However, it is a good idea to check the item earlier than normal to see if it is done. The main advantage is that you can see the coloring as the item bakes if the glass is clear. I use glass pie plates for this reason. Glass bakeware is also very inexpensive. Some, but not all, will go from the freezer to the oven with no problem. Check the tag if you buy glassware

Silicone – while gaining in popularity for its ease of releasing items, especially sticky ones, as well as its ease of cleaning, it is a poor conductor of heat and can fail to properly brown items. It can also be difficult to move as it is wiggly and unstable when filled with batters or near liquid batters.

Tinned Steel - this material is used a lot for tart pans which come in various sizes. They are shallow, have fluted sides and removable bottoms making it easy to release the item. They heat evenly and are used for quiches and tarts among other things. The downside is they much be hand washed and dried immediately or they can and will rust.

Dark baking pans vs. light baking pans

I am not a fan of dark pans. They cause the item to brown more quickly often resulting in overbaked edges that are too crispy and less tender. While many claim to need no releasing sprays, the products can still stick. There is a mid-range gray pan which I have used but given a choice I will always go to light colored aluminum or tin.

Thick vs. Thin Baking Pans

While less expensive pans are tempting because of the cost, thicker gauge pans of any kind will last longer, most a lifetime if well cared for. The thinner pans can warp easily and don’t go from the freezer to the oven very well. There will often be an audible snap as the pan twists in the heat.

BASIC BAKING PANS

With this set of baking pans, you will be able to bake just about anything. There are other specialty pans, each with their own use but this will more than get you started.

Sheet Pans There is a variety of sizes but the most important is the half sheet pan. This is the workhorse of baking pans. The rimmed edges keep things from accidentally falling off and parchment paper can be bought in half sheet sizes. For more information on sheet pans go here.

9x13x2 inch Pan This pan is especially good for single layer cakes, bars, and brownies such as the Santa Fe Brownies, Hazelnut Crunch Bars, and Pecan Bars.

9x9x2 inch square pan If you bake square cakes, you should have two of these. Otherwise, one is fine. The Stuffed Focaccia was made in this pan as was Cocoa Brownies.

8x8x2 inch square pan This size is invaluable if you want to cut a 9x13” recipe in half as I often do since there are two of us. No Bake Peanut Butter Bars use this size pan.

Muffin Pans The regular size come in 6, 12 and 24 hole pans. Good for muffins, cupcakes, individual quiches and frittatas among other things. They also come in the large Texas muffin pans which are really big but great for individual desserts. They also come in mini muffin sizes which are especially good for brunches but not really necessary. Fall Muffins and Orange Bread Pudding are good examples of multiple uses of this pan.

9” round cake pans I have used Parrish Magic Line Pans for over 30 years including at the bakery where we had over 100 of them. They are the best cake pan I have ever found. They are very reasonably priced, a good weight and last forever. I have some of the original pans at home now. They come in 2” or 3” depth. Since I bake my layer cakes in single layers and don’t slice them, I use the 2” depth. The pans range from 6” to 24” in diameter. If you bake in single layers, I would suggest having 4 of them. A few of the many examples on this blog are: Cake Pan Prep or How to Get a Flat Cake Layer, From 1 Recipe Comes Multiple Layers or Gluten Free Turtle Cake with Salted Caramel

9” Pie Plates This is where I like to use glass bakeware. They come in the standard size or deep dish. Last I looked, Walmart’s has them for under $5.00. Here’s a couple of pies in my favorite pie plate: Double Banana Caramel Cream Pie and Lemon Meringue Pie.

Loaf Pans These come in a variety of sizes from mini pans to 8.5 x 4.5 x2.5 inches to 9x5x2.25 inches and larger. The most used size in the 9x5. Four in One Amazing Quick Breads and My Chocolate Babka use this pan.

Bundt Pan There are so many designs of bundt cakes but I still like the original bundt pan. When we sold our house I had to get rid of about ⅔ to ¾ of my baking equipment and pare down to what I would need for home baking. I had brought a lot of my professional equipment when I no longer had the bakery. Well, for some reason, my original bundt pan went with a lot of my other equipment. I had it for at least 40 years. When I replaced it, I did so with the original design in the light, but heavy aluminum pan. It has served me just as well. The Citrus Pound Cake and the Lemon Rum Bundt Cake are two examples of cakes using his pan.

Angel Food Pan This two piece pan is used for Angel Food Cakes but also for pound cakes and yeast dough recipes. The hole in the center allows the heat to penetrate evenly. The cakes bake without the outer edges over baking before the middle is done. Here is an easy version of several angel food cakes where you don’t have to fold the dry ingredients in. It’s the only way I make my angel food cakes now. Another version of this cake is the Toasted Angel Cake. This Creamy Pound Cake was also made using this pan.

Cheesecake Pan This pan is my preference over the springform pan because of its flat bottom and solid sides. We used these at the bakery for cheesecakes but also for assembling cakes with wiggly fillings. They were refrigerated or frozen until set to make finishing much easier. The Apple Crisp Cheesecake, Unbelievable Cheesecake, and the Chocolate Strawberry Mousse Torte are good examples of this pan.

Tart Pans Although these tinned tart pans come in different sizes, the most used is the 9x¾” pan. It has a removable bottom enabling the baked pastry to be removed easily. This is the perfect tart pan. Tarts differ from pies in that they are generally not enclosed in pastry and the pastry used is quite often the French pate brisee which, as far as I am concerned, has no equal. I used this pan as well as the 12” size for my book, “European Tarts-Divinely Doable Desserts with Little or No Baking” which features no-bake tarts. The book is available in paperback and as an e-book.

Additional information regarding baking equipment can be found at:

Baking Equipment and Utensils– This post describes everything I could think of that would show what the equipment and utensils look like in a serious baking kitchen.

Baking Basics – Equipment– The most important pieces of equipment for best baking.

Double Panning – Preventing Over Browning in the Oven

My Pastry Kitchen Essentials

The Secret of the 9” Cake Pan

Salted Macadamia Rum Toffee

Modified: May 1, 2026 · Published: Dec 4, 2018 by Helen S Fletcher · This post may contain affiliate links · 4 Comments

This Salted Macadamia Rum Toffee candy is a special treat for the holidays. If you have a thermometer that goes to 300°F, you can easily make this candy

Candy is the last bastion of the pastry world. It is actually a lot easier than most would think. This Salted Macadamia Rum Toffee is simply a matter of adding a few ingredients at a time and taking the mixture to a stated temperature. Stir in a couple of more ingredients and pour it into a prepared pan. In a matter of minutes, it’s cool and ready to finish.

Any nut can be used to top the toffee but my most loved nut is the macadamia. I discovered these years ago when my neighbor was from Hawaii. When she would go back to visit, I would watch her house, water her plants and take in the mail. My reward was macadamia nuts. Toasting them brings out even more flavor.

This Salted Macadamia Rum Toffee is perfect any time of the year but especially welcome during the holidays. It’s gluten free, travels well, and mailing it to someone special would make a perfect gift.

Pan Preparation

One of the off-putting things about candy making is the equipment. Marble slabs on which to pour the candy and square iron rods are essential to professional candy makers. However, the home candy maker can produce the same product with a little change in equipment.

In order to get the candy contained to a certain size and release easily only a 9x13” pan, lined with foil and sprayed is needed.

Line a 9x13” or quarter sheet pan with foil. Turn the pan upside down and form the foil around the bottom of the upside down pan. Remove the foil gently to preserve the shape. Turn the pan right side up and place the foil liner inside the pan. Smooth the foil inside the pan as much as possible on the sides and bottom. Spray well and set aside.

A Bit About the Ingredients

Macadamia nuts chopped and powdered nuts for Salted Macadamia Rum Toffee, Rum Toffee Recipe

Macadamia nuts can often be found in the snack aisle of grocery stores as well as nut shops. The ones in the snack aisle are usually salted which is perfect for this recipe. If you prefer no salt, simply put them in a strainer and rinse them. Dry between paper towels. Chopping by hand is preferable to the processor here as the size can be controlled more easily. Straining out the powdered nuts which occur no matter what process you use is important to a clean looking finish for the Salted Macadamia Rum Toffee. The powdered nuts can be used in cookies, or on ice cream or even cereal.

Corn syrup is an invert sugar and used to help prevent granulation of cooked sugar syrups. Washing the sides of the pan down with a natural brush and cold water is also key to preventing granulation. If only one undissolved sugar crystal remains, it can cause the mixture to revert back to a sandy texture instead of the smooth, toffee texture you are looking for.

The baking soda called for makes the toffee less brittle and is added at the last minute. It will cause the hot, cooked toffee mixture to bubble up quite a bit and become less transparent. Make sure you use a pot that is about 8 cups.

Salted Macadamia Rum Toffee

5 ounces macadamia nuts (140 grams)
1 cup unsalted butter (225 grams, 8 ounces or 2 sticks)
⅓ cup light corn syrup
⅓ cup dark rum or water
1 ¼ cups granulated sugar (250 grams or 8 ¾ ounces)
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
8 ounces semisweet or milk chocolate, chopped (225 grams)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread the nuts on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer. Roast for 8 to 12 minutes depending upon the size of the nut. Stir several times. They are done when they are a medium brown and fragrant. Cool completely. Chop coarsely, preferably by hand and sift to remove the powdered nuts. Set aside.

Butter cut for Salted Macadamia Rum Toffee, Rum Toffee Recipe

Cut the butter into small cubes and set aside.

Combine the salt and baking soda and set aside.

Prepare the pan as described above.

Rum, sugar and corn syrup in pan for the Salted Macadamia Rum Toffee, Rum Toffee Recipe

Place the corn syrup, rum or water, and granulated sugar in a medium-size saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Wash down the sides of the pan with a brush dipped in cold water, making sure no crystals remain. Just go around the pan several times and that should do it.

Toffee mixture at 240°F for Salted Macadamia Rum Toffee, Rum Toffee Recipe

Boil to 240°F.

Butter added for the Salted Macadamia Rum Toffee, Rum Toffee Recipe

Thermometer in pan for the Salted Macadamia Rum Toffee, Rum Toffee Recipe

Add the butter all at once, stirring until it is melted. Attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pan if you can. My pan had a lip on it that made that impossible so I just laid the thermometer in the pan. You can also use an instant-read thermometer as long as it goes up to 300°F.

Keeping the pan over medium heat boil to 300F.

Salt and baking soda added for the Salted Macadamia Rum Toffee, Rum Toffee Recipe

Toffee poured in pan for Salted Macadamia Rum Toffee, Rum Toffee Recipe

Remove from the heat immediately and stir in the salt/baking soda combination. At once, pour the liquid into the prepared pan and smooth it out. It will start to set up quickly.

Let the mixture cool completely.

Toffee out of pan for Salted Macadamia Rum Toffee, Rum Toffee Recipe

Lift it out of the pan and flatten the foil around it. You will notice the corner broke off. Rather than replace it and cover it over with the chocolate I ate it. Delicious!

Chocolate spread over toffee for Salted Macadamia Rum Toffee, Rum Toffee Recipe

Nuts on for the Salted Macadamia Rum Toffee, Rum Toffee Recipe

Melt the chocolate over a double boiler or at half power in the microwave. Spread it evenly over the toffee. Sprinkle with the macadamia nuts.

Chill briefly to set the chocolate.

Break in random pieces.

Salted Macadamia Rum Toffee will keep a long time in an airtight tin (if I’m not around!).

Salted Macadamia Rum Toffee, Rum Toffee Recipe

Yield: Approximately 1 ⅔ pounds or 770 grams

If you love homemade candy and sweets, you'll also love this Candy For Your Valentine recipe collection.

Chocolate Orange Raisin Bread-A Favorite Homemade Bread

Modified: Aug 25, 2025 · Published: Nov 15, 2018 by Helen S Fletcher · This post may contain affiliate links · 15 Comments

Two slices of Chocolate Orange Raisin bread on a white plate with a cup of tea next to it and lavender flowers.

Chocolate Orange Raisin Bread - A Favorite Homemade Bread

Perfecting this Chocolate Orange Raisin Bread was exhilarating for me. I have been fascinated with chocolate bread for more years than I care to remember. Almost every recipe I read mentioned the denseness of the bread. Every chocolate bread I made was dense. In fact, I have a Chocolate Cherry Bread on my blog that is also dense. Good, but dense. There had to be a way to lighten up the dough and make a moist, light and flavorful loaf.

I was reminded of this quest when I saw a Chocolate Bread recipe by David Lebovitz. Again, he mentioned the dense word. After giving the problem some thought I came up with the answer – and it was right in front of me all the time - a sponge.

Why Use a Sponge when making Homemade Bread

When yeast doughs are heavy in milk, sugar, chocolate, and/or eggs they tend to rise slowly. These are called rich doughs. Dried yeast is a living organism that is asleep. Just as we like to wake up in a warm atmosphere ready to eat, so does the yeast. By making a sponge of some of the warm liquid, flour, yeast, and a bit of sugar that feeds them, the dried yeast wakes up happy and starts multiplying immediately. This multiplies the initial yeast and adds a lot more rising power to the bread than it would otherwise have. This is the simplest of all starters. It is called a sponge because that's what it looks like when risen.

About the Chocolate

Bag of Chocolate Chunks, Homemade Bread, Chocolate Orange Raisin Bread

Normally I use chocolate chips in cookies or wherever the item is going to be picked up barehanded because they don’t melt. This time I went with chocolate chunks for a more pronounced chocolate. You will notice in the ingredient photo there are two bowls of chocolate. That is not a mistake as you will see when you make this best of all homemade bread. I have had questions about the chocolate I use because it looks like chocolate chips – which it is not. I use Callebaut semisweet callets. They are a boon to the professional baker. When I had my bakery the chocolate we used came in ten-pound blocks which had to be hand chopped. It was a great day when callets were introduced. The same unadulterated chocolate used in the blocks is used in callets which look like chocolate chips but are a bit larger. They melt faster and more evenly than chopped chocolate because of their uniform shape.

A bit about the Ingredients

I used dutch cocoa for the darkness of its color when baked, but natural would do also. Bread flour, with its high protein count, is important to the ability of this rich dough to rise. The raisins are plumped in hot water while preparing the rest of the recipe to ensure their moistness. Since very little butter is used, I opted for whole milk instead of my normal 2% milk. As is my practice, I added coffee and vanilla since they heighten the flavor of chocolate. This dough is actually a batter. The consistency of the dough bakes into a wonderful texture, a dark chocolate color with a moistness that keeps it fresh for days when well wrapped.

You will notice in the ingredients photo that two of them are different. After the photo was taken, I increased the milk and added an additional egg to ensure the outcome I wanted. I mention this only because I know many of you will notice the changes.

Homemade bread is often so much better than any you can buy and this one certainly falls into that category. I’m very proud of this bread and it was worth all it took to get it here.

We are experiencing our first snow of the season here and making homemade bread is my idea of winter. This Chocolate Orange Raisin Bread would be perfect for the holidays as a morning, afternoon, evening or anytime treat. Who am I kidding? I would wake up in the middle of the night for this bread!

Chocolate Orange Raisin Bread

⅞ cup whole milk, divided (1 cup less 2 tablespoons)
2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (7 grams or one envelope of ¼ ounce)
2 ¼ cups bread flour (315 grams or 11 ounces)
½ cup packed light brown sugar (100 grams or 3 ½ ounces)
2 tablespoons orange zest – about 1 large orange
½ cup raisins, (60 grams or 2 ounces)
¼ cup Dutch cocoa (25 grams or ⅞ ounce)
½ teaspoon table salt
4 tablespoons butter (60 grams or 2 ounces)
3 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (85 grams)
1 ½ teaspoons instant coffee or espresso powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 large eggs
½ cup chocolate chunks (60 grams or 2 ounces)

Heat the milk in the microwave or in a small pan until lukewarm. If it gets too hot, let it cool to lukewarm before continuing.

Sponge Ingredients, Homemade Bread, Chocolate Orange Raisin Bread

In the bowl of a mixer, whisk together ⅓ cup of the lukewarm milk, the yeast, ¼ cup of the measured flour, and 1 teaspoon sugar from the measured sugar.

Sponge Ingredients Mixed, Homemade Bread, Chocolate Orange Raisin Bread

Sponge Risen, Homemade Bread, Chocolate Orange Raisin Bread

Cover with plastic wrap and allow to double, about 30 minutes.

Zest the orange with a microplaner and set aside.

Cover the raisins with really hot water and set aside.

Flour and Cocoa Sifted,Homemade Bread, Chocolate Orange Raisin Bread

Because cocoa often has lumps that won’t come out when beaten, sift the flour, cocoa, and salt together. Set aside.

Melt the butter and 3 ounces (85 grams) of chocolate in the microwave or in a small pan. Whisk to combine and let cool to lukewarm.

Wet Ingredients, Homemade Bread, Chocolate Orange Raisin Bread

Stir the coffee into the vanilla. When the sponge has doubled, add the remaining milk, sugar, vanilla and coffee, egg, and orange zest to the mixing bowl. Fit the mixer with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed to mix.

Initial Mix, Homemade Bread, Chocolate Orange Raisin Bread

Homemade Bread, Chocolate Orange Raisin Bread

Flour Added, Homemade Bread, Chocolate Orange Raisin Bread

Batter Beaten, Homemade Bread, Chocolate Orange Raisin Bread

Finished Batter, Homemade Bread, Chocolate Orange Raisin Bread

Add half the flour/cocoa mix, beating well on low. Blend in the chocolate and butter mixture.
Add the remaining flour/cocoa mix, beating to combine. Change to a dough hook if available and beat for 3 minutes. Drain the raisins and squeeze out any excess water. Add them, along with the chocolate chunks, to the batter. Mix for 2 more minutes.

Leave the dough in the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let it rise for 2 to 2 ½ hours in a warm place until doubled.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Oven Ready, Homemade Bread, Chocolate Orange Raisin Bread

Spray a 6 cup, oven proof bowl such as soufflé dish. Stir the batter down. It will be very light and spongy. Scoop the batter into the bowl. Smooth the top. Cover very lightly with plastic wrap and let it rest for about 30 minutes. At this point, it should have risen somewhat but nowhere close to doubling. That is as it should be.

Baked, Homemade Bread, Chocolate Orange Raisin Bread

Totally Baked, Homemade Bread, Chocolate Orange Raisin Bread

Bake for 30 minutes. Tent with aluminum foil to prevent over-browning and bake for another 20 to 30 minutes until the dough is firm. The normal temperature for bread when baked is 180°F. However, I took mine out of the oven at 165°F because it was firm and set. I let it cool in the dish for about 30 to 40 minutes before releasing and setting it on a rack to cool completely. As you can see in the picture, it is totally baked.

I am sure my newest favorite homemade bread will freeze and thaw well but mine didn’t stick around long enough to try it.

However, it does retain its texture and moistness for several days well wrapped.

Malted Milk Frosted Cupcakes

Modified: Jul 25, 2025 · Published: Nov 8, 2018 by Helen S Fletcher · This post may contain affiliate links · 10 Comments

Special Note for Malted Milk Frosted Cupcakes: A friend of mine recently had a problem with the frosting for the cupcakes. As we explored the problem it came down to the malt powder that was being used. I had used Carnation Original Malted Milk powder with no problem. However, when Janet couldn't get the Hoosier Malted Milk powder she always uses, she ordered the 40 ounce (not the 13 ounce bottle I had used) and after, two attempts the frosting failed. It became loose and runny no matter what she did. A little research found a huge difference between the three bottles. Almost all the comments on Amazon referring to the 40 ounce container of Carnation were negative, very negative. However the comments for the 13 ounce bottle were positive. Everyone loved the Hoosier.

To make things more confusing, when the ingredient list was compared, there was a huge difference between the two which explained the problem.

Carnation ingredients in order: Wheat Flour and Malted barley extracts, dry whole milk, salt, sodium bicarbonate.

Hoosier: barley malt, wheat flour, milk, bicarbonate of soda, salt

As you can see barley malt is the first ingredient in Hoosier, but only an extact is used in Carnation with wheat flour being the first ingredient listed.

My recommendation is to use the Hoosier Malted Milk Powde r.

Another cupcakes to tempt is the the Banana Split Cupcakes,

Malted Milk Frosted Cupcakes

I have never outgrown my love for malts and these Malted Milk Frosted Cupcakes are a natural extension since I grew up making malts in my father’s drugstore. The more malt powder the merrier as far as I was concerned. Frosting for these cupcakes packs a powerful punch of malt.

You will never see an easier cupcake to make than these. One batter becomes two by adding a bit of cocoa to half of the white batter. The black and white batters are dropped one on top of the other and mix while baking.

When making Malted Milk Frosted Cupcakes I wanted to see the difference between baking the cupcakes in papers or just the bare pan. I was amazed by the contrast between the two in looks. As you can see the one in the paper was much better formed than the one that was baked in a sprayed tin with no paper. When it rose to the top of the pan, it flattened out and went horizontal instead of vertical. So for the best looking cupcakes use a paper liner. If you don’t want to serve them in the papers, it is best to freeze them, then remove the papers. The cupcake has a better look since the paper doesn’t remove any of the cake as it can when they are at room temperature.

You can make these Malted Milk Frosted Cupcakes any size you want from minis to regular size to Texas-size by adjusting the time and amount of batter one way or the other.

Malted Milk Frosted Cupcakes

2 ¼ cups all purpose flour (315 grams or 11 ounces)
1 ⅔ cups sugar (330 grams or 11 ½ ounces)
3 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
⅔ cup butter (140 grams, 5 ounces or 10 tablespoons)
1 ¼ cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
5 egg whites (160 grams or 5 ⅔ grams)
¼ cup dutch cocoa or black cocoa (30 grams or 1 ounce)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the muffin tins with paper. Set aside.

Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, butter, milk, and vanilla in a mixing bowl. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Raise the speed to high and, scraping the bowl occasionally, beat for 2 minutes. Add the egg whites and beat on high for 2 minutes, scraping from time to time.

Divide the batter in half (about 615 grams or 21 ½ ounces in each bowl). Stir the cocoa into one half. With a number 40 disher/scooper, drop the white batter in the bottom of the cups. Wash the disher/scooper and drop the cocoa batter on top. Alternatively, drop about 1 ½ tablespoons of batter into the bottom of the paper liner and again into the top. The cups will be about ¾ full.

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. Cool.

Malted Milk Buttercream

This buttercream takes a lot of liquid because the malted milk powder soaks it up. It is also necessary to have enough liquid and beat it long enough to make sure it is smooth and not gritty from the malted milk powder.

2 sticks butter, softened (225 grams or 8 ounces)
3 ½ cups powdered sugar (400 grams or 14 ounces)
2 cups malted milk powder (280 grams or 10 ounces)
¾ to ⅞ cup heavy or 40% cream

Combine the butter, sugar and malted milk powder in the bowl of a mixer. Add ½ cup cream. Beat on low to combine. Raise the speed of the mixer to medium and beat until smooth and lighter. Add additional cream as necessary to pipe or spread.

After the cupcakes have cooled, pipe the buttercream with a ½” open star, or spread with the buttercream.

The Malted Milk Frosted Cupcakes may be stored for several days at room temperature or frozen for several months, well wrapped. Thaw at room temperature.

Yield: About 28 regular size cupcakes.

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Pina Colada Coffeecake

Modified: Jun 30, 2023 · Published: Nov 1, 2018 by Helen S Fletcher · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

This Pina Colada Coffeecake was one of the most fun ideas I have had in a while. I am so bogged down with cookie ideas and cookie testing, I sometimes get stuck for other ideas.

I took a recipe for Hawaiian Buns from King Arthur, changed it here and there, filled it with pineapple and coconut, then finished it with a Malibu rum and coconut glaze. I used crushed pineapple in pineapple juice and unsweetened shredded coconut to control the sweetness of the filling. Additionally, by draining the juice from the pineapple, I used it in the bread recipe.

[Read more...]

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Salted Caramel Sauce

Modified: Sep 9, 2025 · Published: Oct 25, 2018 by Helen S Fletcher · This post may contain affiliate links · 12 Comments

This Pumpkin Cheesecake is highlighted by an out of this world Salted Caramel sauce. As if that weren't enough it is easy to put together with all the flavors of the season.

The most frustrating part of cheesecakes is the possibility of their cracking.

Most of my cheesecakes at the bakery were baked at 350°F. After the specified time for baking, the ovens were turned off and the cheesecakes sat in the ovens for another specified amount of time, usually the same amount as they baked. [Read more...]

Black Forest Torte Revisited

Modified: Jul 30, 2025 · Published: Oct 17, 2018 by Helen S Fletcher · This post may contain affiliate links · 6 Comments

Black Forest Torte is a classic cake from Germany. Layers of chocolate cake are filled with whipped cream and cherries are strewn over the cream. The Black Forest Torte is then finished with more whipped cream and usually decorated chocolate, often chocolate curls. [Read more...]

Traditional Apple Strudel

Modified: Jul 24, 2025 · Published: Oct 2, 2018 by Helen S Fletcher · This post may contain affiliate links · 17 Comments

I grew up eating apple strudel. My mother and grandmother, who came from Yugoslavia would make the strudel dough from scratch on Sundays’ and pull the dough out so thinly you could read a paper through it.

There was a round table covered with fresh white tablecloths on which it was pulled. My job was to sweep up the thin shards that would flake off as it was folded. The large single sheet extending over the edges of the table was folded over and over on top of itself, filled and baked. Fortunately, these days phyllo can be found frozen and I honestly cannot see any advantage to trying to make my own.

Phyllo is the piecrust of Mediterranean and Middle East cuisine. It can be used in sweet and savory dishes. Many, many years ago when I first became interested in food writing, I wrote a book with every type of recipe imaginable using phyllo. Unfortunately, publishers were not much interested. Phyllo is the correct spelling for this magical dough but it is also referred to as filo. [Read more...]

Citrus Pound Cake

Modified: Oct 11, 2025 · Published: Sep 20, 2018 by Helen S Fletcher · This post may contain affiliate links · 22 Comments

This Citrus Pound Cake is a simple sour cream cake enhanced with lots of orange and lemon zests. It is straightforward, quick to make and yields a large, moist cake that is soaked two ways to ensure that the entire cake receives this benefit. It is soaked from the top and bottom.

The cake is made in the original 10” bundt pan. There is a good reason for this. It is the only one I have! [Read more...]

Brown Butter Tarts

Modified: Jul 3, 2025 · Published: Sep 13, 2018 by Helen S Fletcher · This post may contain affiliate links · 15 Comments

Brown Butter Tarts are the most sold desserts at the restaurant. They are not at all difficult but making as many as we sell, can be daunting. I make these using 3 ¾ x ½ inch tart shells with removable bottoms. However, at home, for my shells do not have the removable bottom and they work fine for these Brown Butter Tarts.

This recipe features an updated version of the individual press in crusts that were used for the Banana Caramel Rum Tart. It eliminates the need for two pieces of dough to make one shell lessening the possibility of the two pieces separating where they meet. The shells can be pressed in and frozen months ahead of time if well wrapped. These tart shells require no rolling out. They are simply pressed into the shell.

Brown butter adds a depth of flavor that simply melting butter can’t. There is a fine line between brown butter and burned butter. When butter is browned, the milk solids in the butter are the browning element. By heating the butter to the boiling point, lowering the heat and gently heating the milk solids the butter will become a nut colored brown. Remove it immediately from the heat and pour it into another container to keep the butter from burning or pour it into the filling.

Butter brickle is added to partially baked pastry shells, the filling is poured in and they are baked.

Butter brickle which is the inside of the Heath Bars can be purchased at grocery stores in bags where it is already chopped up.

At the restaurant, the Brown Butter Tarts are served with Salted Caramel Ice Cream. I chose to serve these with the Salted Caramel Sauce from the best Apple Pie ala Mode you’ll find. I have a pet peeve when it comes to sauced desserts in most restaurants. The plates are drizzled with so little sauce it is hardly noticeable. As you can see, I make a puddle of sauce and plunk the Brown Butter Tart in the middle so each bite has salted caramel with it.

Press In Tart Shells – for how to photos go here.
1 ¼ cups all purpose flour (170 grams or 6 ounces)
½ cup cake flour (60 grams or 2 ounces)
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ cup unsalted butter (114 grams, 4 ounces or 1 stick)*
¼ cup sugar (50 grams or 1 ¾ ounces)
1 egg
1 egg yolk

*If making the dough in the processor, the butter needs to be cold and cut into small pieces before being added to the processor.

If making the dough in the mixer, but butter needs to be softened so it can be creamed with the sugar.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Food Processor Method (preferred): Place the flours and baking powder in the food processor.

Processor to mix briefly. Place the cold butter in a circle over the flours. Process until indistinguishable. Add the sugar and process briefly. Add the egg and yolk and process until a ball forms. Divide the dough into 4 pieces, place back in the processor and process to bring it back to a ball. This is done because the top of the dough hits the top of the processor cover and is not as well mixed. Re-mixing ensures the dough is completely combined.

Mixer Method: Combine the flours and baking powder. Set aside. Cream the butter and sugar. Add the egg, the yolk, and the vanilla. Beat to combine. The mixture may curdle but that is fine. Add the flour mixture and beat until it comes together.

Place the tart pans on a rimmed baking sheet and spray the centers of the pans only. Do not spray the sides.

If using the smaller tart pans, divide the dough into ten portions of 45 grams or 1 ½ ounce each.

Roll into balls.If using the larger tart pans, divide the dough into six portions of 75 grams or 2 ⅔ ounces each.

Dough Flattened for Browned Butter Tarts

Dough in tart pan for Browned Butter Tarts

Pushing dough into the edge of the pan for Browned Butter Tarts

Pressing dough into sides of pan for Browned Butter Tart

Unbaked tray of tart shells for Browned Butter Tarts

Lightly flour your work surface. Flatten a small ball into a 4 inch round with the palm of your hand. Place it evenly into the shell. Press the dough up the sides of the shells. Using your thumb, press the dough firmly into the sides. Flatten the pastry on the bottom of the pan. Prick with a fork.

For the larger shell, flatten the large ball into an approximately 5 inch round. Follow the instructions above.

Repeat for the remaining tart pans.

Freeze the tart shells for about 10 minutes. Bake for 10 minutes, turn the pan and bake several more minutes until lightly browned. The shells will be partially baked.

Cool the shells until they can be easily handled. Remove the shells from the pans and place them on a parchment lined rimmed baking pan.

Leave the oven on.

Filling ingredients for Browned Butter Tarts

Filling for Brown Butter TartsButter

Brickle as needed
6 tablespoons butter (90 grams or 3 ounces)
¼ cup flour (35 grams or about 1 ¼ ounces)
½ cup sugar (100 grams or 3 ½ ounces)
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla
Butter Brickle as needed

Brickle in shells for Browned Butter Tarts

For the small shells, place 1 rounded tablespoon brickle in the bottom of each pastry shell. Set aside.

For the large shells use 1 ½ rounded tablespoon brickle per shell.

Brown the butter over medium heat until it comes to a boil. Reduce the heat and continue cooking until the butter browns to a medium brown on the bottom.

Filling ingredients in a mixer bowl for Browned butter Tarts

In the meantime, place the flour, sugar, egg, egg yolk and vanilla in the bowl of a mixer. Beat to combine all the ingredients. Pour the hot, browned butter in and mix well.

Fill the shells to the top.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the filling is a golden brown and set.

The Brown Butter Tarts are best served slightly warm.

Yield: Larger tart shells maks 6 tarts. Smaller tart shells make 9 to10 tarts.

These tarts freeze extremely well so they can be made ahead. Well wrapped they will last at least a month in the freezer. Thaw them on a rack. Heat in a 350°F oven for about 5 minutes or until warmed through. They should not be hot.

Looking for another individual tart? The No Bake Chocolate Raspberry Tarts may be just the answer. Or how about the Individual Italian Tiramisu?

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Kitchen Organization

Modified: Apr 23, 2026 · Published: Sep 5, 2018 by Helen S Fletcher · This post may contain affiliate links · 6 Comments

Kitchen Organization is really important to me. Not only because I am in the kitchen all the time, but because I don't like clutter or a lot of things on my counters. I have never wanted a large kitchen. I prefer a smaller kitchen where everything is at hand and easily accessible when I need it. Perhaps it is because the bakery was large and there was a lot of walking around.

When we moved from the large house we lived in for 42 years to an apartment, we had a lot we couldn't take. When I closed the bakery, I kept some of the many things I used professionally. I had to get rid of at least two-thirds to three-quarters of that equipment when we moved. [Read more...]

Apricot Slices

Modified: Apr 23, 2026 · Published: Aug 28, 2018 by Helen S Fletcher · This post may contain affiliate links · 10 Comments

Apricot Slices came by way of my love of curds – lemon and cranberry are two I have already blogged about. This particular curd was one I developed years and years ago and, for some reason, really never used.

However, these Apricot Slices are as comfortable for brunch as they are for dessert. Easily made over a series of days, these are assembled at the last minute. The Pate Brisee crust can be made to be baked off anytime. The Apricot Curd can be made a week ahead and refrigerated or frozen for longer storage. The chou paste top can be made, baked and frozen for a month. Lightly drizzled with an almond glaze and topped with toasted pecans, these Apricot curd slices are an unusual start or end of the day treat.

The Curd uses two different kinds of apricots. Canned apricots in fruit juice and dried apricots to bump up the flavor make this apricot intense. I already have a Thanksgiving dessert planned for this curd. I have always thought of apricots as an elegant fruit. I think you will find these Apricot Slices exactly that, but easy enough to make over and over.

These Apricot Slices may be made in pieces and assembled shortly before serving. While the recipe makes two, one may be assembled and the remaining parts frozen for later assembly.

Apricot Curd – this needs to be made at least the day before or up to a week ahead. For how-to photos for Apricot Curd. Substituting the apricots for the cranberries.

½ cup, well-drained, canned apricots in fruit syrup from a 15 ounce can
3 ounces (85 grams) dried apricots
½ teaspoon gelatin
1 teaspoon water
4 egg yolks
⅓ cup sugar (100 grams or 3 ½ ounces)
¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
6 tablespoons butter, cold, cut into small pieces (90 grams, 3 ounces)

Process the well-drained apricots until smooth. Leave the apricot puree in the processor bowl.

Place the dried apricots in a small saucepan. Cover with water. Simmer until most of the water is gone. There shouldn’t be more than a teaspoon or so left. Transfer to the processor and process along with the puree until smooth. In truth, the dried apricots will not puree completely but process them until they are as finely cut in as possible.

Stir the gelatin into the water to mix completely. Set aside.

Whisk together the apricots, egg yolks, sugar, and lemon juice in the top pan of a double boiler. If you don’t have a double boiler, place a bowl over a saucepan with simmering water. Make sure the bowl fits well so no steam escapes while simmering. Add the butter. Stir constantly until the mixture reaches 172°F on a thermometer. Remove from the heat, tear the gelatin in a few pieces and add it to the hot mixture. Submerge the gelatin, wait for a minute or two and stir or whisk to mix it in completely. There is no need to liquefy the gelatin first, as the curd is hot enough to melt it.

Pour the apricot curd into a container and cover the top with plastic wrap. Poke one or two holes in the wrap and let it cool to room temperature. After it has cooled, refrigerate up to a week or freeze for several months. Thaw in the refrigerator to use.

Pate Brisee a L’oeuf - this may be made, rolled out and frozen weeks ahead of time. For how to photo's for Peach Pizza using the ingredients below. Bake off when needed.

½ cup +1 tablespoon all purpose flour (85 grams or 3 ounces)
¼ cup cake flour (30 grams or about 1 ounce)
½ teaspoon salt
7 tablespoons unsalted butter (105 grams or about 3 ⅔ ounces)
1 tablespoon beaten egg
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons ice water

In a processor bowl fitted with the steel blade, combine the flours and salt; process briefly to mix. Add the butter and place in a circle over the flours. Pulse until the butter is cut into large pieces.

Mix the egg, lemon juice, and ice water. Pour over the flour/butter mixture and pulse until it clump together about the size of peas. Do not over-process, and especially don’t let it form a ball. Pour it onto a work surface lightly dusted with flour and push together into a rectangle approximately 3x5 inches. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 60 minutes before rolling. It is easiest to work if it rests in the refrigerator overnight.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Cut the pate brisee in half. Roll each piece into a 13” x 4” rectangle. Place on the baking sheet several inches apart. Prick each with a fork every ¼”. Freeze until solid, about 15 minutes.

When ready to use, preheat the oven to 425°F. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 12 to 15 minutes until light golden brown. Cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes. Slide off onto a rack to cool completely.

Almond Filling– this may be made several days ahead and refrigerated or frozen for longer storage. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
3 tablespoons soft butter (45 grams or 1 ½ ounces)
⅔ cup powdered sugar (85 grams or 3 ounces)
¼ teaspoon almond extract
⅔ cup almond flour or finely pulverized almonds (60 grams or 2 ounces)
2 ounces almond paste (60 grams)
1 tablespoon cream

To make the filling, cream the butter and sugar until light. Blend in the almond extract, almonds, almond paste, and cream.

Divide in half (about 120 grams or 4 ¼ ounces). Wrap in film and refrigerate if making ahead.

Yield: Approximately 240 grams or 8 ½ ounces)

Chou Paste - for how to pictures for gateau st honore
½ cup water
4 tablespoons butter (60 grams or 2 ounces)
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup sifted bread flour (95 grams or 3 ¼ ounces)
3 whole eggs

Combine the water, butter, and salt in a heavy saucepan. Heat until the butter is melted and bring to a rapid boil. Pour all the flour in. Stir until a large ball of dough forms that cleans the bottom and sides of the pan. With the pan still over heat, mash and flatten the mixture with a spoon against the bottom of the pan. Stir, bringing the bottom of the mixture to the top and continue mashing for 1 full minute. Remove the pan from the heat and flatten it again in the bottom of the pan. Cool 5 minutes. Transfer to a processor or mixer.

Place the flour mixture in the bowl of a processor or mixer. Add the eggs and beat until a smooth, creamy, shiny paste forms.

Chou Paste Top
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a half sheet pan with parchment.

Draw two rectangles 12” x 3 ½” on parchment paper 4” to 5” apart. Fit a pastry bag with a ½” star tip and fill the bag with chou paste. Staying inside the borders, pipe 4 strips of chou paste touching each other to cover one rectangle. Repeat with the remaining paste on the other rectangle.

Sprinkle the chou paste heavily with water. Bake for 10 minutes. Lower the temperature to 350°F and bake an additional 20 to 25 minutes until deeply golden brown. Remove the chou from the oven and make slits on both sides of the rectangles. Return to the oven, prop the door open with the handle of a wooden spoon and leave in for another 10 minutes. Cool completely.

These may be frozen, well wrapped, for up to a month.

Assembly– These should be assembled shortly before serving.
Pate Brisee, baked
Almond Cream Filling, room temperature
Apricot Curd, room temperature
Chou Paste Top, baked
Powdered Sugar

Spread half the Almond Cream on each of the Pate Brisee bases. Top with the apricot curd and place the Chou Paste on top. Sprinkle with powdered sugar just before serving.

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Sheet Pans for Baking

Modified: Jul 25, 2025 · Published: Aug 16, 2018 by Helen S Fletcher · This post may contain affiliate links · 25 Comments

Before I started baking professionally, I didn’t know what sheet pans were. I had cookie sheets which were flat with upturned ends on which I baked my cookies, breads, rolls, etc.

When I opened my bakery, the first thing I learned was that full sheet pans were what professionals used for several reasons. A sheet pan has rolled edges all the way around making it about ¾ inches deep. The most important reason for using sheet pans is when putting them in and out of the oven quickly, whatever is on the sheet pan won’t fall off. [Read more...]

Sweet Cherry Calzones with Amaretti Crumble

Modified: Jul 24, 2025 · Published: Jul 31, 2018 by Helen S Fletcher · This post may contain affiliate links · 8 Comments

These Sweet Cherry Calzones came about when I was asked for a new dessert featuring dark, sweet cherries. I find it interesting that there are desserts using the sour cherries but not a lot using the dark sweet cherries. I make them for the weekends and we consistently sell out the first night.

While sweet cherries are in season, it is important in this recipe to use the frozen sweet dark cherries. Thaw them completely so they juice out. Fresh, pitted cherries will not have the same amount of juice. The filling should be made at least a day ahead and refrigerated to completely set up. While it will seem quite stiff when used in the calzones, it has a wonderful texture in the baked pastries. [Read more...]

Heavy Cream - The Workhorse of Creams

Modified: Jul 25, 2025 · Published: Jul 25, 2018 by Helen S Fletcher · This post may contain affiliate links · 10 Comments

With a variety of creams available, the cream of the crop is Heavy Cream, also known as 40% cream. This is an update to my blog, Salvaging Whipped Cream.

The main difference between a carton of whipping cream and a carton of heavy or 40% cream is the amount of butterfat in the cream. Plain whipping cream has 36% butterfat while heavy cream or 40% cream has 40%. Heavy cream and 40% cream are the same thing. The higher the amount of fat, the better the cream whips and holds after whipping. Both of those pictured below are heavy cream. [Read more...]

Crumb Topped Orange Date Muffins

Modified: Oct 19, 2025 · Published: Jun 28, 2018 by Helen S Fletcher · This post may contain affiliate links · 2 Comments

Crumbed Topped Orange Date Muffins are a quick, easy treat for anytime of the day but in particular the morning with a cup of coffee or tea.

Basically, the dry ingredients are mixed in one bowl and the wet in another. The two are combined and the dates are added. Divided among mini cupcake pans, regular or Texas muffin pans, these are even better kept in a tin overnight. Perfect for that morning treat.

I thought it might be time for a simple treat and these Crumb Topped Orange Date Muffins fit that description to a tee.

Originally used 1 cup of dates but felt afterward that 1 ½ cups would be better which is why you see 1 cup in the photo. Also, it is important to use the Medjool dates and not the precut ones in a package. I have never found those to taste much like dates.

So, without further adieu - Crumb Topped Orange Date Muffins.

Crumb Topping - go here for how to photos using the ingredients below.
½ cup butter, softened (114 grams, 4 ounces or 1 stick)
⅓ cup granulated sugar (65 grams or about 2 ¼ ounces)
⅓ cup packed brown sugar (65 grams or about 2 ¼ ounces)
1 ½ cups cake flour (Not self-rising) (185 grams or 13 ½ ounces)
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt

Combine the butter and both sugars in the bowl of a mixer. Cream until very light.

Mix together the cake flour, cinnamon and salt. Add all at once and beat on medium until it starts to form crumbs. Scrape the bowl well and beat again. As it starts to form small crumbs, increase the speed somewhat and continue beating until larger crumbs form. Do not overbeat or it will become a thick cohesive mixture.

Store in the refrigerator while making the muffins.

Orange Date Muffins

1 ½ cups cut Medjool dates (225 grams or 8 ounces)
2 ½ cups cake flour (310 grams or about 10 ¾ ounces)
¾ cup sugar (150 grams or 5 ¼ ounces)
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
3 eggs
¾ cup butter (170 grams, 1 ½ sticks or 12 tablespoons)
⅔ cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons orange zest
2 teaspoons vanilla

Powdered sugar as needed.

Preheat the oven to 350°. Spray whatever muffin pans you are using. The recipe makes about 24 regular muffins, 12 Texas muffin cups or about 40 mini muffins.

Seeded date for Crumb Topped Orange Date Muffins

Whole and cut date for Crumbed Topped Orange Date Muffin

Scissors in flour bowl for Crumb Topped Orange Date Muffins

Floured scissors for Crumb Topped Orange Date Muffins

Floured dates for Crumb Toped Orange Date Muffins

Cut the dates in half and remove the seed. Cut the date into 4 lengthwise pieces. The easiest way to cut the dates for me is with scissors. I open them and coat them with flour by simply sticking them in the measured flour. When the scissors get sticky again, flour them again. Stir a couple of tablespoons of flour from the measured flour into the dates and mix well. This will help keep them from sinking to the bottom.

Dry ingredients whisked for Crumb Topped Orange Date Muffins

In a large bowl, whisk together the cake flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Wet ingredients mixed for the Crumb Topped Orange Date Muffins

In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the butter, buttermilk, orange zest and vanilla, mixing well.

Wet ingredients added to dry for Crumbed Topped Orange Muffins

Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and mix gently with a rubber spatula. Do not overmix. Some lumps are fine.

Batter finished for Crumb Topped Orange DAte Muffins

Stir in the dates.

Fill the Texas Muffin cups about ½ full with the batter. Top with ⅓ cup crumb mixture, pressing down lightly. Fill the regular muffin cups about ½ full. Top with a heaping soup spoon of crumbs, pressing them down lightly. The mini pans should be filled about half full. Top with crumbs to about the top of the pan.

Bake the mini pans 12 to 14 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.

The regular muffins should bake about 15 to 16 minutes.

The Texas muffins bake 18 to 19 minutes.

Cool completely and dust heavily with powdered sugar.

Crumbed Topped Orange Muffins in a basket

The muffins will keep well for several days in an airtight tin. They can also be frozen without the powdered sugar for several months. Thaw at room temperature and dust heavily with powdered sugar.

Several other muffins worth consideration include: Basic Muffin Mix, PBJ Muffins, Best of All Strawberry Muffins and the Double Chocolate Truffled Muffins. And if you a lover of anything orange, check out my Orange Pistacho Loaf Cake.

Father's Day Desserts for a Special Father

Modified: Jul 30, 2025 · Published: Jun 12, 2018 by Helen S Fletcher · This post may contain affiliate links · 6 Comments

Father's Day Desserts seems to be a more casual celebration than Mother's Day, but just as important. I have gathered some blogs that will fit right into a barbecue, brunch or just a special treat.

Several of these Father's Day Desserts are Gluten Free or can be made to be GF by substituting GF cookies for the bases. Most of them are easy enough to have the children help so it is a very special treat for a very special dad made by those who made him a dad. [Read more...]

Viennese Chocolate Punchtorte - Worth the Wait!

Modified: Jul 30, 2025 · Published: Jun 6, 2018 by Helen S Fletcher · This post may contain affiliate links · 10 Comments

This Viennese Chocolate Punchtorte is one of the most amazing cakes you will ever make. I've updated it slightly from my first book, "The New Pastry Cook". Having baked for so many years there are few desserts I deem extraordinary. This is definitely one of them.

I love Viennese baking as they seem to have a love affair with their desserts. While they are known for their Sachertorte, I truly believe it can't hold a candle to this Viennese Chocolate Punchtorte

There is a lot of waiting time with this Viennese Chocolate Punchtorte and you will never guess why. When have you seen a cake that has to dry out before assembly? A chocolate spongecake is made and then allowed to dry for 48 hours at room temperature after which you cut it into three layers with the middle layer being cut into half-inch cubes.

A most flavorful soaking syrup is made of simple syrup, orange and lemon juices, apricot and raspberry jams with dark rum making the perfect "punch" to pour over the sponge cubes for your Viennese Chocolate Punchtorte.

The cake is then assembled by sandwiching the soaked cubes of sponge between the other two layers of cake. Three pounds of weight are stacked on top of the assembled Viennese Chocolate Punchtorte and left to sit that way for 24 hours when it will become one layer. The almost three inch sponge cake is now about one and a half inches tall.

Viennese cakes are often coated with apricot jam before the final chocolate ganache is applied as is this one. It gives a bit of a sharp contrast to the ganache that covers it. After the jam is spread on, it waits again for several hours so the jam can dry to the touch.

When the Viennese Chocolate Punchtorte is cut, the three layers have become a single, very moist cake packed with flavor.

There is a variation in the way I fold flour into the egg mixture. I add all of the flour on top of the beaten yolks and then the remainder of the whites on top of that. At the bakery, I found that by adding all of the flour at once instead of in stages, the mixture retains more volume when baked. As always, fold gently to keep from deflating the mixture.

While there are several steps, this Viennese Chocolate Torte is made over several days with just a little being done every day. I know that you and your guests are in for a cake the likes of which you've never tasted before.

One last thing, this Viennese Chocolate Punchtorte, while packed with flavor, is not overly sweet.

Spongecake ingredients for the Viennese Chocolate Punchtorte

Chocolate Sponge Cake

½ teaspoon instant coffee
1 teaspoon vanilla
6 eggs separated
¾ cup sugar, divided (150 grams or 5 ⅓ ounces)
⅔ cup cake flour less 1 tablespoon (70 grams or about 2 ½ ounces)
⅓ cup cocoa (30 grams or 1 ounces)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of a 9x3 inch cheesecake or springform pan with a parchment round. Spray the center of the round only. Do not spray the sides of the pan. Set aside.

Vanilla mixed with coffee for Viennese Chocolate Punchtorte

Dissolve the instant coffee in the vanilla.

Egg Yolks in mixer for viennese Chocolate Punchtorte

Egg yolks beaten for Viennese Chocolate Punchtorte

Place the egg yolks, ½ cup sugar (100 grams or 3 ½ ounces) and the coffee/vanilla flavoring in a mixing bowl fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat until almost white and very thick. Scrape the bottom of the bowl often to make sure the eggs and sugar are incorporating.

Flour and chocolate mixed for Viennese Chocolate Punchtorte

In the meantime, sift the cake flour and cocoa together. I use a strainer and push through any lumps with a spoon. Set aside.

Egg whites before sugar is added for viennese Chocolate Punchtorte

Egg whites beaten for the Viennese Chocolate Punchtorte

In a clean mixing bowl with a clean whisk, beat the whites until almost at the soft peak stage. Add the sugar gradually and beat just until the soft peak stage. Do not overbeat or the whites will be difficult to fold in without deflating the batter.

Egg whites added to yolks for Viennese Chocolate Punchtorte

Flour mixture added to Viennese Chocolae Punchtorte

Remainder of egg whites added for Viennese Chocolate Punchtorte

Batter folded for Viennese Chocolate Punchtorte

Add about ⅓ of the beaten whites to the egg yolk mixture and stir to lighten. Add all of the flour/cocoa mixture and place the remainder of the whites on top. Fold together gently.

Pour into the prepared pan, smooth the top and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.

Releasing the cake for Viennese Chocolate Punchtorte

Cake released for Viennese Chocolate Torte

Cool for about 10 minutes, then go around the edge of the pan with a small flexible metal spatula. Keep the spatula close to the edge of the pan, not the edge of the cake to avoid tearing the cake. Place the pan on a large can and slide the side down if using a cheesecake pan. Carefully turn the cake upside down and remove the parchment. Place on a cooling rack and allow to dry at room temperature for 48 hours.

Cake sliced into 3 layers for Viennese Chocolate Punchtorte

Cake sliced for Viennese Chocolate Punchtorte

After drying, cut the cake into 3 layers with the middle layer being larger than the top and bottom. Cut the middle layer into ½ inch slices,

turn it in the other direction

Cake turned for Viennese Chocolate Punchtorte

Cubes in bowl for Viennese Chocolate Punchtorte

Punchtorte ingredients for Viennese Chocolate Punchtorte

and cut into ½ inch cubes. Place the cubes in a large bowl.

Viennese Chocolate Punchtorte Syrup

½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 tablespoons sieved apricot jam
2 tablespoons seedless red raspberry jam
¼ cup dark rum
¼ cup water
½ cup granulated sugar (100 grams or 3 ½ ounces)

Combine orange and lemon juices, apricot jam, raspberry jam and rum. Whisk well; set aside.

Syrup boiling for the Viennese Chocolate Punchtorte

Syrup ingredients added for Viennese Chocolate Punchtorte

Cubes with syrup for Viennese Chocolate Punchtorte

Bottom layer in pan for Viennese chocolate Punchtorte

Bottom layer covered with cake for Viennese Chocolate Punchtorte

Top layer on cake for Viennese Chocolate Punchtorte

Parchment covering cake for Viennese Chocolate Punchtorte

Combine the water and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil; wash down the sides of the pan with a brush dipped in cold water. Boil to 234°F on a candy thermometer. Remove from the heat and add the juice mixture. Place back on the heat and bring to a boil again.

Immediately pour the syrup over the spongecake cubes. Toss gently with a fork to soak the cubes but don't break them up. They should absorb all of the syrup. Place the top layer of cake upside down in the bottom of a 9x3" cheesecake pan or springform mold. As you can see, it doesn't fit tightly. That's fine.

Arrange the soaked cubes of cake evenly over the cake layer. Place the bottom layer over the cubes so the bottom is right side up.
Place a 9" round parchment circle on top of the layer.

Beans compressing cake for Viennese Chocolate Punchtorte

Place a 9x2" pan filled with 3 pounds of beans or weights directly on the paper to weigh the cake down.

Cake wrapped in film for Viennese Chocolate Punchtorte

Paper on top of cake for Viennese Chocolate Punchtorte

After about 4 to six hours have passed, remove the pan with the beans. Very carefully drop the sides of the cheesecake pan as above and move the cake to a cake board.

Wrap the edges of the cake with a long piece of plastic wrap that has been folded several times so the cubes will not fall out. Cover the top of the layer with the round of parchment and place the pan of beans directly on top of it again. Leave it like this for the next 18 to 20 hours.

This last direction needs a bit of explanation. The cake is assembled in the pan so the cubed cake does not fall out while being compressed as it would if put together freeform. However, because both pans are 9 inches, it can only compress so much. To make one layer, it needs to be compressed more which is why it is removed from the pan and weighed down again. By wrapping the edges, any stray cube that might escape will be held in.

Assembly
Viennese Chocolate Punchtorte
⅓ cup sieved apricot jam, room temperature
Chocolate Glaze, below

Remove the plastic wrap around the cake and the parchment on top.

Cake covered with apricot jam for Viennese Chocolate Punchtorte

With a small metal spatula, apply a thin coat of apricot jam around the sides of the cake. If there is any separation between the top and bottom layers, that can be fixed later. Switch to a small offset spatula and spread apricot jam thinly on the top layer.

Set aside for several hours for the jam to firm up.

Glaze ingredients for the Viennese Chocolate Punchtorte

Glaze ingredients in pan for Viennese Chocolate Punchtorte

Chocolate Glaze

9 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (255 grams)
9 tablespoons unsalted butter (130 grams, about 4 ½ ounces or 1 stick + 1 tablespoon)
3 tablespoons clear corn syrup
3 tablespoons water

Glaze made for Viennese Chocolate Punchtorte

Combine all of the above in the top of a double boiler. Stir until it is melted and smooth. Alternatively, it can be microwaved but use caution not to burn the chocolate. Whisk gently until smooth.Yield: About 1 ¾ cups (430 grams about 15 ounces)

Pour about ⅓ (145 grams or about 5 ounces) onto a tray and spread it out fairly thinly so it becomes firm but spreadable. Refrigerating will speed up the process.

Undercoated cake for the Viennese Chocolate Punchtorte

Use this to undercoat the cake sides and top by spreading it smoothly with a spatula.

Channeling the bottom of the cake for Viennese Chocolate Punchtorte

To easily remove the Viennese Chocolate Punchtorte from the cake board, make a small channel at the bottom by inserting a small metal spatula under the bottom of the cake and removing the barest amount of glaze. It will not be noticeable. Refrigerate briefly to set up the glaze.

Place a cooling rack in a rimmed baking pan.

Glaze poured onto cake for the Viennese Chocolate Punchtorte

Remove the cake from the board and transfer it to the cooling rack. Make sure the remainder of the glaze is pourable but has body. Reheat briefly if necessary. Pour all of the glaze onto the top and quickly push it out over the sides.

Glaze encompassing the Viennese Chocolate Punchtorte

Quickly push it out over the edges of the cake.

Wait for a few minutes until it is no longer liquid but is not completely set. Smooth the sides. Transfer to a cake to a clean pan and let it sit at room temperature for at least 6 hours over preferably overnight.

Transfer the cake to a serving plate or cake board. The cake can be stored at room temperature for several days.

Serve the Viennese Chocolate Punchtorte in small pieces as it is rich.

Yield: 12 to 14 servings

Tips: Using a strainer, strain the apricot jam all at once leaving the pieces of fruit behind. Use what you need for the soaking syrup and store the rest at room temperature for the finish.

Either natural or dutched cocoa can be used but the dutched will give a darker sponge.To easily cut the middle layer into ½" cubes, freeze it first. It will make it much easier.

Store any leftover glaze in the refrigerator.SaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSave

Rhubarb Cream Tart with Strawberry Sauce

Modified: Jul 28, 2025 · Published: May 29, 2018 by Helen S Fletcher · This post may contain affiliate links · 11 Comments

This entire Rhubarb Cream Tart entails no baking. I was excited to find it in my files from many years ago. I came up with this when I first started writing about desserts. I love rhubarb as does my husband and when coupled with a strawberry sauce, it is the perfect summer delight.

The only caveat with rhubarb is the leaves are poisonous if eaten because of the oxalic acid. However, this has been disputed recently but I don't intend to test it. Most rhubarb I have seen in stores have the leaves cut off to avoid any possible problems. If not, just cut them off and throw them away.

The crust is made from purchased vanilla wafers and is simply pressed onto the sides and bottom of the pan.

Fresh or frozen rhubarb can be used for the Rhubarb Cream Tart which makes it ideal for year round enjoyment.

I think I like this so much because of its simplicity and the tartness of the rhubarb is tamed by just a bit of whipped cream to smooth it out. There is a delightful tang to it which is why I avoided any decoration on top.

Crust12 ounces vanilla wafers (340 grams)
¼ cup powdered sugar (35 grams or about 1 ¼ ounces)
1 teaspoon vanilla
10 tablespoons butter, melted (⅔ cup, 140 grams or 5 ounces)

Spray a 9x3 inch round cheesecake or springform mold with vegetable spray.

Crumbs in processor for the Rhubarb Cream Tart

Break the cookies up and place them in the bowl of a food processor. Process until they are fine crumbs.

Sugar in processor for Rhubarb Cream Tart

Add the powdered sugar and process briefly to mix.

Crumbs with butter for the Rhubarb Cream Tart

Remove the crumbs to a large bowl and mix the butter in with a fork until all the crumbs are completely coated.

Crumbs pressed into pan for Rhubarb Cream Tart

Press about ⅔ of the crumbs onto the sides of the pan about 2 inches up. Press the remaining crumbs on the bottom of the pan. Refrigerate while you finish the tart.

Wipe out the bowl of the processor with a paper towel before continuing.

Rhubarb Cream Filling

6 cups fresh rhubarb*
¼ cup water
1 ½ cups sugar (300 grams or 10 ½ ounces)
¼ cup cold water
4 ½ teaspoons gelatin
1 cup heavy cream

*I used about 2 ¼ pounds to get the 6 cups by the time I trimmed the top and ends. Also, if fresh rhubarb is not available, frozen is fine. Use it straight from the frozen state. Do not thaw.

Wash the rhubarb stalks and cut them into about ¾" pieces. If the stalks are fat, cut them in half lengthwise first.

Single stalk of rhubarb for Rhubarb Cream Tart

Single stalk split for Rhurarb Cream Tart

Place the rhubarb and ¼ cup water in a saucepan with a tight fitting lid. Place over low heat until the rhubarb starts releasing its liquid, stirring often. When there is a bit of visible liquid, add the sugar, stir well, cover and place over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Raise the heat to medium and bring to a low boil keeping the lid on.

Rhubarb and sugar cooked for Rhubarb Cream Tart

Cook until the rhubarb is very tender. Remove from the heat and cool to lukewarm.

Water and gelatin for Rhubarb Cream Tart

Add the gelatin to ¼ cup cold water, stirring well. Set aside.

Bloomed gelatin for the Rhubarb Cream Tart

Rhubarb in processor for Rhubarb Cream Trt

Rhubarb processed for the Rhubarb Cream Tart

When the rhubarb is cooled, place it in the bowl of the processor. Process until smooth. Heat the gelatin in the microwave for about 20 seconds to liquefy. Add to processor and process briefly. Cool completely.

Tart finished in pan for the Rhubarb Cream Tart

Beat the cream until soft peaks form. Do not overbeat. Fold into the rhubarb and pour it into the prepared shell.

Refrigerate until set. I leave mine in the refrigerator overnight.

With blow dryer for the Rhubarb Cream Tart

To release the tart. warm the removable rim of the pan with a hair blower set on high heat held about ¼ inch from the tin. Circle the entire tin.

Place it on top of a fat can and gently pull down the sides. If it doesn’t release, re-warm the edge. Do not overheat or you can melt the sides of the tart.

Loosening bottom of tart for the Rhubarb Cream tart

To move the tart, release the bottom with a metal spatula. Place two pancake turners, one on each side of the tart and lift it onto the serving plate. Or, if it is loose enough, just slide it off the bottom onto a serving plate.

To make ahead, freeze, well wrapped in the pan, for up to a month. To use, thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

Strawberry Sauce
2 cups sliced strawberries
¼ to ⅓ cup sugar, or to taste
½ teaspoon cornstarch or potato starch, optional

Combine all together in a mixing bowl about 1 hour before serving. Let rest at room temperature.

If you want to thicken the sauce, add the cornstarch to the sugar, mixing well. Add to the strawberries and place over medium heat. Bring to a boil and boil for one or two minutes until thickened somewhat. Cool before using.

To Serve: Cut the tart and serve with the Strawberry Sauce.

Yield: 10 to 12 servings, unless you are cutting it for me!

Another great summer dessert featuring strawberries is the Lemon Strawberry Cake.

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The Marvelous Variable Kolache

Modified: Aug 25, 2025 · Published: May 22, 2018 by Helen S Fletcher · This post may contain affiliate links · 18 Comments

Sweet Kolache with pineapple, cream cheese, fig, raspberry fillings

Kolache, (pronounced ko-lah-chee) the Czech pastry, can be sweet or savory. This blog features the sweet version. I have updated some of the fillings for a wider variety. Although poppyseed and prune fillings are traditional, I omitted them because I thought six was truly enough. The fillings are given in tablespoons since most of the Kolache require a tablespoon or more and the amount needed can be calculated using the yield information if you want to make more than one flavor.

I suggest you pour yourself a cup of coffee or tea, get a glass of wine or otherwise prepare for this longer than usual blog. But the end result is amazing. The fillings are applicable to other pastries and this dough can be used countless ways. This is actually an easy to make sweet roll that I promise you will make over and over again.

These are amazing pastries with an easy to make dough that handles well. The fillings can be made days ahead and stored in the refrigerator. The dough must be made a day ahead. Assembly is easy and in no time you have Kolache. They can also be made large or small and freeze well.

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Raspberries and Cream Cake for Mother's Day

Modified: Jul 30, 2025 · Published: May 1, 2018 by Helen S Fletcher · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

This Raspberries and Cream Cake comes from the bakery's wedding cake file. It was a favorite spring and summer cake.

The white chiffon cake is very tender. We made it the day ahead, cooled it in their pans and covered them with foil or froze the covered layers if using later. I use gloves when releasing the cakes as the will be a bit sticky on top. The cake is filled with whipped cream and fresh raspberries with a whipped chocolate ganache in the middle layer. [Read more...]

Chocolate Cashew Derby Pie

Modified: Dec 7, 2024 · Published: Apr 24, 2018 by Helen S Fletcher · This post may contain affiliate links · 11 Comments

There are a couple of things that make a derby pie special. It is southern, abundant on the first Saturday of May when the Kentucky Derby runs and it features another southern specialty – bourbon.

While the original Derby Pie features walnuts, pecans are often substituted. This is actually a very close cousin to the pecan pie. But I feel strongly that cashews are a grossly underused nut, so I set about doing something about it. And Chocolate Cashew Derby Pie is it. [Read more...]

Pithiviers made with Blitz Puff Pastry

Modified: Jul 24, 2025 · Published: Apr 17, 2018 by Helen S Fletcher · This post may contain affiliate links · 6 Comments

Light, tender and airy puff pastry has often intimated the most avid pastry cook, amateur or professional. Forewarned in many recipes of the great amount of time and effort involved, even adventurous bakers have found other ways to spend their time. However, with the use of the food processor, the pastry can be made in a fraction of the time. In fact, it is ready to use in about 3 ½ hours – a long way from the 36 hours it traditionally takes.

In my blog American Butter vs. European Butter I talked about the difference between these butters when making laminated doughs. The experiment has convinced me to use bread flour and European Butter in my laminated doughs.

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The World of Cinnamon

Modified: Aug 8, 2025 · Published: Apr 11, 2018 by Helen S Fletcher · This post may contain affiliate links · 13 Comments

Cinnamon is one of the oldest species and has been around since 2000 B.C. It was once more expensive than gold. In addition to using it for food, it was used by the Egyptians as a perfume when embalming as a food preservative. Romans used it in funeral pyres to mask the smell of burning flesh. It was also then, and today used for health purposes. Cinnamon is also mentioned in the Old Testament as an anointing oil.

As cinnamon spread through Europe, they were aware it was shipped from the Red Sea into the ports of Egypt. But exactly where it came from was a mystery. The Egyptians wanted to monopolize the origin and told wild tales about the source to keep it scarce and justify the high price.

However, in 1518 the Portuguese located cinnamon in Ceylon at which point they conquered the island of Kotto and enslaved the inhabitants in order to monopolize the cinnamon trade.

It worked until the inhabitants and Dutch took control of the area in 1638. The people once again became beholden to the Dutch who kept the cinnamon trade for 150 years. It was the most profitable spice in the Dutch East India Company trade.

Although the British took Ceylon over in 1784, cinnamon had already been cultivated in other parts of the world and the monopoly was broken.

For our purposes,sun dried we are going to stick with the four types of cinnamon that are commercially used in food. Cinnamon and cassia are often confused. There are four types of cinnamon used for food commercially. While each delivers on the taste of cinnamon, they each have their own characteristics. Only one cinnamon is considered to be the "true" cinnamon. The other three are considered cassia and are often lumped together although they should not be as each has its own characteristics, taste and color.

TYPES OF CINNAMON

The bark is sun-dried. As it dries it curls into what we call cinnamon sticks but the more formal name is cinnamon quills. It can be ground to a powder form or left whole to infuse its flavor into liquids. The higher the essential oil content in the cinnamon the more intense the flavor.

"True" cinnamon comes from the bark of bushy evergreen trees from the laurel family native to Sri Lanka (Ceylon). It is also known as Ceylon cinnamon, the older name for Sri Lanka. It is said to be the sweetest and mildest tasting as well as the lightest in color. It is also the most expensive of the cinnamons. Ceylon cinnamon also has the lowest percentage of coumarin which is a substance that can harm your liver. However, it is almost impossible to ingest enough of any cinnamon to cause viable harm. It is also grown in India, Madagascar, Brazil and the Caribbean.

The next three cinnamons are often lumped together as cassia, which is not "true" cinnamon.

Cassia or Chinese cinnamon which comes from China also known as Tung Hing is mostly grown in China but also in Sri Lanka and Vietnam. This is known to be spicy, bitter and very intense.

Korintje cinnamon, also known as Indonesian cinnamon is also very intense and spicy but is smoother than Chinese Cinnamon. It is grown and harvested in Indonesia. It is the most imported cinnamon in the United states. It is widely used in bakeries because of its taste and lower cost. I used it in my bakery exclusively and still do today.

Vietnamese cinnamon, also referred to as Saigon cinnamon is grown in Vietnam. It is very high in volatile oil at 7% giving it a bold and robust flavor. It is also the highest in essential oil content. It is said to have a stronger flavor than the Korintje but I disagree here. After using Korintje cinnamon, I found the Vietnamese to lack the depth of flavor I found in the Korintje. It also very light in color and when baked, as in cinnamon rolls, they lack a dark brown color that is associated with the filling.

HEALTH BENEFITS

Today there is ongoing research into uses of cinnamon for a wide range of diseases including diabetes, digestive disorders, respiratory tract infections as well as cancer.

Conclusion

In the end, which cinnamon you use is up to your taste. Most of the cinnamon on the shelves of grocery stores is of the cassia variety. However, specialty spice shops will, most likely, have most or all of the different types. I recently purchased two from Penzy's and found I still like the Korintje cinnamon I used to buy in 10 pound boxes for use in the bakery.

Another thing to consider when using any spice or herb is to only buy what you can use in about six months. After that, the essential oils which provide the intense flavor will start to dissipate and the flavor will weaken. If they are to be kept longer, freeze them. I love cardamom but do not use it a lot so I store the bottle in the freezer where it stays fresh.

Research for this article came from the following:
href="https://non www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3983393/">https://non www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3983393/
https://non www.organiclifestylemagazine.com/cinnamon-ceylon-vs-cassia-health-benefits-and-other-interesting-facts
https://non www.cnn.com/2017/08/24/health/cinnamon-health-benefits/index.html

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Flavorings as Used in Baking and Pastry

Modified: Jul 25, 2025 · Published: Mar 20, 2018 by Helen S Fletcher · This post may contain affiliate links · 27 Comments

Flavorings are used to enhance, add to or change the taste of the base product, be it cake, cookies, sauces, yeast doughs, pastries, candies, etc.

Flavorings can come from extracts, emulsions, oils, compounds, powders, spices and herbs. Where to use what is another question. Each of these can be double or triple strength. For professional baking purposes, we always checked to make sure they were bake-proof meaning the flavor would not disappear when heated.

Wikipedia offers this difference between flavorants and flavors, "A "flavorant" is defined as a substance that gives another substance flavor, altering the characteristics of the solute, causing it to become sweet, sour, tangy, etc. A flavor is a quality of something that affects the sense of taste."

The sense of smell determines the ability to taste. Someone with a keen sense of smell can taste subtleties that a person without such a developed sense cannot which is why some people may think something is very cinnamon flavored and another person finds it lacking.

From Harvard University comes this definition of natural vs. artificial flavors. "The FDA broadly defines natural flavors to include any flavor isolated from natural sources like plant material (fruits, roots, bark, herbs, etc.) or animal products (meat, dairy, etc.) [3]. Artificial flavors are any flavors that are not defined as natural, even if they have the exact same chemical composition as flavors isolated directly from nature [1].

This distinction between the origins of flavors has no bearing on how safe, healthy, or delicious they are. In fact, flavor agents produced in a controlled laboratory setting undergo rigorous quality control at every stage and do not require a lengthy, labor- and resource-intensive extraction process or acquisition of naturally rare or difficult-to-cultivate materials. As such, many nature-identical artificial flavors are actually available in higher purity than their natural congeners and may be obtained with less damage to the environment."

Extracts are the most familiar flavorings in home kitchens. Vanilla and almond are two of the most commonly used either as the main flavor or a supportive flavor. Extracts are most used in cakes, cookies, yeast products, pastries, fillings, and buttercreams. Extracts contain alcohol as a base. They can be pure, which use essential oils or distillates from raw materials mixed with alcohol. They can also be made synthetically to imitate the flavors of the pure using artificial flavors or a mixture of natural and artificial.

Pure Vanilla vs. Imitation Vanilla

Pure extracts have become very expensive. A gallon of Tahitian vanilla recently went to $400.00 and Bourbon Vanilla costs $350.00 a gallon. Cook's magazine did a blind taste test several years ago to determine whether pure vanilla was all it was cracked up to be. After tasting many pure and artificial vanillas the winner was McCormick artificial vanilla. Price is not always the determining factor, although one is often led to believe this.

I generally reserve pure vanilla for buttercreams, pastry cream, crème brulee or anywhere it will be the predominant flavor. I never use it anywhere there are complex flavors such as chocolate, lots of spices, molasses, or a lot of ingredients . It is simply a waste of money as it will get lost.

When I taught, one of my classes was vocal in their hatred of Italian buttercream. I couldn't believe it until I saw the recipe. It used no flavoring. Even I didn't like that! So I made a batch and took it to class. It used artificial vanilla and pure almond flavoring. Their eyes lit up when they tasted it. To a one, they changed their minds. One of the students said, "but you used the expensive vanilla." They were even more impressed when I told them nope, I used the same cheap stuff they use here.

The one place you cannot use extracts is to flavor chocolate when using it as a coating. The alcohol or water in the extract can cause the chocolate to seize or clump up almost irreversibly. Flavor the ganache that is being used as the center instead.

Oils

Although they are referred to as oils, they do not contain any vegetable oil. Theses flavorings are obtained from the peels (think orange or lemon), flowers or plant leaves. Because they contain no alcohol or water and are high heat tolerant, they are perfect for candy and flavoring chocolate.

They may be used in baking, but a little goes a long way as they are stronger than extracts. Generally, if a recipe calls for 1 teaspoon of flavoring, you would use a few drops to ¼ teaspoon. While extracts can be added at the beginning with the whites and sugar, oils should be added at the end of the beating cycle.

Oils are generally more expensive than extracts but they are also much more intense and less is used. It is important to get oils that are specified as food grade. There are other essential oils that are used in aromatherapy, soaps, etc. that are not meant to be used for food.

I prefer anise oil for my anise recipes because of its intensity. I think it imparts much more flavor than extract. However, I generally specify extracts as they are easier to get for most people.

Recently it was brought to my attention that oils could not be used when making meringues. This person was going to use peppermint oil to flavor their meringue cookies but at the last minute worried about the meringue not whipping to stiff peaks since fat can cause that problem. She called LorAnn Oils and the person told her not to use oil as it would cause the meringue not to whip up as it should.

When I went on their website I found a recipe for Peppermint Meringues. They indeed did use peppermint oil. The trick is where you put it. It does not go in with the whites in the beginning as does an extract. The whites and sugar are mixed to stiff peaks and then a few drops of oil are mixed in. The photo for this blog was made with anise oil as it was the only one in the house. The oil did not cause a problem as long as it is added at the end of the beating.

Bakery Emulsions

Typically flavor emulsions contain water, essential oils, emulsifiers and stabilizers such as gum arabic.

These are water-based and are used in place of extracts on a one to one substitution. They are bake-proof which means the flavor will stay the same when baked. Sometimes with extracts, the flavor isn't as strong when baked. These are used primarily in large bakeries where cost is a factor. These are less expensive than extracts.

Powder

There are powders that are used in baking as primary or secondary flavorings agents. Cocoa is one such powder. Another example is freeze-dried fruit. I use it in buttercreams where I want a strong strawberry or raspberry flavor. However, you have to be careful with the freeze-dried powder. It really soaks up the liquid and can be problematic if used as a main ingredient in cakes and cookies. I thought it would be great to use in an Angel food cake. Not so much. It could have been the amount I used but it was not anyone's idea of an Angel Food Cake! In fact, it wasn't much of any cake truth to be told.

More common flavorings are spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves – a whole host that are powdered and used for flavoring. When using powders or spices, they should be mixed with the dry ingredients in the recipe so they disperse evenly when added to the batter.

Liquors and Liqueurs

I love using these as flavoring agents. Dark rum is my favorite and I use it in many ways. Often I soak the fruit in it for yeast products or fruit purees. I also enjoy using bourbon.

Liqueurs are usually sweetened and flavored with fruit, spices, nuts, herbs or seeds. I generally don't use these for a baked item but do use them in soaking syrups, or syrups brushed on after baking as well as ganaches. I have one ganache I use at the restaurant that is enhanced with brandy.

Citrus Peels and Juices

Who hasn't used orange, lemon or lime peel that has been zested to add intense flavor to a cake or baked goods? If I am going to use the peel in a crème anglaise, I find it more agreeable to peel the fruit with a vegetable peeler, cut it into ½ to 1-inch pieces and add it to the milk or cream being used. I bring it to a boil and allow it to cool in the liquid.

Sometimes in the case of Baklava, I leave the peel in the syrup overnight for maximum effect. The same can be done with milk or cream. The longer you leave the peel in the liquid the more intense the flavor will become because you are essentially taking the oil from the peel to flavor the liquid. When I want to use the liquid, I simply remove the peel. I then have all of the flavor in a perfectly smooth mixture.

If I am baking, I usually don't use citrus juices as a flavorings agent unless I back them up with the zest as in my Orange Chiffon. I find the juice alone is too week when combined with flour, eggs, etc. to have much effect. But the zest or rind is something else. They add a lot of flavor.

Essences

Essences are distilled with steam from fruits, spice, and other plants. They are very aromatic and usually, just a few drops are needed.

Seeds

are often used either inside bread and cookies as well as sprinkled on top for additional flavor. If I want the flavor of a seed such as sesame or caraway but not the seed itself, I will grind them in a little electric spice grinder to make a powder that can be dispersed throughout the recipe.

Additional sources of flavorings

Vanilla sugar can be made by submerging vanilla beans in a canister with sugar for a while. Even vanilla beans that have been removed from a mixture can be washed, dried and used. While I don't use it in baking as a vanilla extract imparts much more flavor it is useful used in finishing such as the Honey Diamonds.

I have seen where people make vanilla extract by loading up vodka with vanilla beans. The problem with this is there is no way of knowing how weak or strong the vanilla will be. In the beginning probably not very, but if they sit in the vodka for a long time, probably quite a lot.

Coffee flavoring is as easy as putting instant coffee or instant espresso in little water or other liquid to make a very thick liquid that is then used. In my recipes, I specify the amount of coffee to the amount of liquid.

Sources for Flavorings
It should be noted that small amounts of spices, oils, and emulsions should be bought at a time to ensure they are fresh and have maximum flavor. When I closed my bakery, I brought some of the open bottles of spices home with me. However, after a while, they lost their potency and I had to discard them. So wherever you buy your flavorings do not get the biggest bottle even though it may be cheaper to do so unless you bake a lot and will use them within six to nine months.

Grocery stores – This is probably where most people get their flavorings. However, they are often limited and I haven't seen any that carry oil – at least where I live.

Penzy's – I often buy here because of the high quality of their flavorings. They have many sizes as well as ground spices in cellophane bags for those that use a lot. They also have mail order. They have some oils but mostly dry products as I recall.

LorAnn Oils and Flavors – This is where I go when I want oils or emulsions. Their diversity is staggering and if you can't find it here, I'm not sure you will find it. The quality is high and they will mail order.

King Arthur Flour – They also have a lot of flavorings and they get their oils from LorAnn so I just go to the source and buy from LorAnn. However, King Arthur does have everything a baker needs – or at least it seems that way.

There are other sources for flavorings for sure but these have very high quality and good service.

Meringues for Flavorings as Used in Baking and Pastry

Chocolate Coconut Cream Cake

Modified: Jul 30, 2025 · Published: Mar 13, 2018 by Helen S Fletcher · This post may contain affiliate links · 8 Comments

This tall, elegant, Chocolate Coconut Cream Cake is perfect for a change-up Easter cake. I have always wondered why coconut is associated with Easter. My search yielded no help. But it is, and this Chocolate Coconut Cream Cake is a surprise twist on my traditional Coconut Cream Cake. Changing the cake layer from white chiffon to chocolate chiffon completely changes the cake. [Read more...]

French Macarons with Chocolate Raspberry Filling

Modified: Jul 12, 2025 · Published: Feb 9, 2018 by Helen S Fletcher · This post may contain affiliate links · 11 Comments

Pink macarons filled with chocolate and raspery on a white plate.

Just in time for Valentine's day comes these special French Macarons with the same chocolate raspberry truffle filling we sold at the bakery. This deeply chocolate, deeply raspberry filling is sandwiched between two pink macaroons.

It is important to read this header because a lot of the information is here and only referred to in the actual recipe.

[Read more...]

The Secret of the 9 Inch Cake Pan

Modified: Jul 30, 2025 · Published: Jan 31, 2018 by Helen S Fletcher · This post may contain affiliate links · 2 Comments

The Secret of the 9 Inch Cake Pan is excerpted from “Baking as a Business.” by Helen S. Fletcher. The book is also available on Kindle.

Sometime into my professional baking career, I discovered The Secret of the 9 Inch Cake Pan. When we first started making wedding cakes, it was hit or miss. Since we made everything from scratch and there was no internet, I would simply guess at how much batter to make. Sometimes we were right on, sometimes not enough and sometimes too much. In any case, not a good way of conducting business. I have no idea when or how I came up with this formula but it works and we used it at the bakery for scaling cakes up or down.

This three-tiered cake is a great example of The Secret of the 9 Inch Cake Pan. The middle layer is 9 inches. The top layer is 6" and the bottom layer is 12". Calculating the batter needed for the cake was easy using the Secret of the 9 Inch Cake Pan. Three and one-half recipes of the 9" cake layer would be needed. [Read more...]

Cocoa Brownies in No Time-or a Little Time!

Modified: Jul 25, 2025 · Published: Jan 9, 2018 by Helen S Fletcher · This post may contain affiliate links · 17 Comments

Cocoa Brownies have never been in my wheelhouse and I'm not sure why, although I have a sneaking suspicion I am prejudiced in favor of chocolate. However, while wandering around the internet recently, an article on cocoa brownies caught my eye. [Read more...]

Warm Chocolate Lava Cakes with Bailey's Sauce

Modified: May 13, 2026 · Published: Dec 26, 2017 by Helen S Fletcher · This post may contain affiliate links · 3 Comments

If you’re looking for that special dessert on St. Patrick's Day or any day these Warm Lava Cakes with Bailey's Sauce whisk up literally in a matter of minutes. These individual desserts consist of a very tender, chocolate cake with a flowing center.

In fact, these take only a whisk, a bowl and a few measuring utensils to make.

A Warm Lava Cake sits on an antique plate with a spoon and coral napking and Bailey Sauce in the background.

These Warm Chocolate Lava Cakes with Bailey's Sauce comes from Cork, Ireland via the Epcot Food and Wine Festival in Orlando, Florida when my whole family visited Disney World. Many countries are featured presenting food that is associated with them. The array was spectacular and this was just one of our favorites.

There are many ways to make this. This is the recipe from the Festival.

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Why You'll Love This Recipe

It is soooooo easy to make. No mixer of any kind is needed - just a whisk and a bowl along with a few measuring untensils.
The soft cakes and sauce are intensely chocolate.
There are only a few familiar ingredients.
If you don't have Bailey's Liqueur on hand, just buy a small airline bottle and it will be enough for the sauce. The Bailey's Sauce can be made ahead and simply reheated.
It's one of those sophisticated looking desserts that's super simple to make.
Everyone loves an individual cake made just for them.
Both the sauce and the cake can be made ahead.

Recipe Ingredients

Cake Ingredients

Ingredients for the Warm Chocolate Lave cakes include sugar, semisweet chocolate, whole eggs, egg yolks, flour, vanilla and butter.

All Photos read Left to Right.

BACK ROW: Granulated Sugar, Semisweet Chocolate, whole eggs

MIDDLE ROW: Egg yolks, all-purpose flour, vanilla

FRONT ROW: Unsalted Butter

Bailey's Sauce Ingredients

BACK ROW: Milk chocolate chips.

FRONT ROW: Bailey's Liqueur, heavy cream

*Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and instructions.*

Step by Step Instructions

For the Cakes

Aa whisk and large bowl to mix the Lava cakes in.

Step 1. Have a whisk and large bowl ready. They will be your main utensils.

The butter is cut into small pats and combined in a bowl with the chocolate.

Step 2. Cut the butter into small pats. Place half on the bottom and half on top of the chocolate.

Step 3. Melt the butter and chocolate in a microwave at half power for about 2 ½ minutes or place over a pan of simmering water. Although the butter and chocolate may not look melted, they usually are.

The melted chocolate and butter are whisked together to become one.

Step 4. Whisk the butter and chocolate together until completely mixed. If it is hot, allow it to cool for about 10 minutes or until lukewarm.

The whole eggs and egg yolks are placed in a large bowl.

Step 5. Place the whole eggs and egg yolks in a large bowl.

The eggs and yolks are whisked together until well mixed.

Step 6. Whisk the eggs and yolks together until well combined.

The melted, cooled butter and chocolate are added to the eggs.

Step 7. Add the lukewarm chocolate/butter mixture to the eggs.

The eggs and chocolate are whisked togethr completely.

Step 8. Whisk the eggs and chocolate together until blended.

The sugar and vanilla are added to the chocolate/butter mixture.

Step 9. Add the sugar and vanilla to the chocolate mixture.

The sugar and vanilla are whisked into the chocolate mixture.

Step 10. Whisk the sugar and vanilla into the chocolate.

The flour is added to the chocolate mixture.

Step 11. Last, add the flour.

The flour is whisked in and the batter is finished.

Step 12. You guessed it! Whisk the flour in completely for a thick batter.

The chocolate batter is divided between six Texas muffin cups.

Step 13. Spray six ramekins or Texas muffin cups generously with a non-stick baking release. Fill them about ¾ full of batter. Bake as directed.

Bailey's Sauce

The heavy cream and Bailey's liqueur are placed in a small saucepan.

Step 1. Combine the heavy cream and Bailey's liqueur in a small, heavy saucepan and brought to a simmer.

The milk chocolate chips are submerged in the hot liquid.

Step 2. Submerge the milk chocolate chips under the hot milk and Bailey's. Let it sit for a few minutes and then whisk until smooth.

Recipe FAQS

Are the eggs cooked enough?

The eggs will be about 160°F which is safe to eat. If you are in doubt, test the gooey middle with a baking thermometer.

Can Lava Cakes be reheated?

They are definitely best served when baked. The problem with reheating the is that the liquidy middle sometimes gets baked. They can be reheated as follows:
Wrap in a double thickness of paper towels and microwave for about 10 seconds. Alternatively, place them back in their ramekins or muffin tin and heat in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes.

Do Lava cakes need to be refrigerated?

If they are left over, yes, wrap them individually and refrigerate. Reheat as above.

Can they be made ahead?

Yes. Both the sauce and the cakes can be made ahead. Divide the batter between the ramekins or Texas muffin tins, cover well and refrigerate for up to a couple of days or freeze. If frozen, thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Add a few minutes to the baking time since they will be cold. The sauce can be made a week ahead and refrigerated. Reheat to use.

Expert Tips

Make sure you use a quality chocolate such as Guittard, Ghiradelli, or Lindt. Do not use chocolate chips as they won't create a flow.
If you don't want to use the Bailey's, increase the cream to ½ cup.
Do not overbake or the middle will not have much lava. The sides should be baked but the middles should be giggly. If they are liquidy, bake for another minute.
If the cake have been refrigerated or thawed from the freezer, add about a minute to the baking time.

Warm Lava Cake with the molten interior running out.

Other Mostly Chocolate Recipes to Consider

Love this recipe or any other on my site? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating in the recipe card & consider leaving a review in the comments further down, thanks!

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Easy Holiday Food Gifts

Modified: Jul 25, 2025 · Published: Dec 5, 2017 by Helen S Fletcher · This post may contain affiliate links · 6 Comments

Food gifts are always welcome, but even more so during the holiday season. Every year the holidays arrive faster and faster. No matter how I try, there is no way to slow them down. When I was a little girl, time could not go by fast enough. Now that I am no longer a little girl, it goes all too fast.

Many of us, including me, have people on our gift list that we want to remember. There is no better way to let someone know you appreciate them or what they do than with food gifts you make. So I drew together a list of quick to make and wonderful to receive gifts that are not cookies. Don't get me wrong, I love making and giving cookies, but they can be time-consuming if you work or are just busy. [Read more...]

Raspberry Rhapsody Cake

Modified: Jul 30, 2025 · Published: Nov 28, 2017 by Helen S Fletcher · This post may contain affiliate links · 25 Comments

This Raspberry Rhapsody had an interesting start. This is actually based on the Hungarian cake, Rigo Janci. I introduced it as that and I couldn't get anyone to buy it. I finally tracked down the reason. It seems the chefs didn't know how to pronounce it. Not wanting to look bad, they just skipped over it.

So, I just changed the name to Raspberry Rhapsody and it took off and became a good seller.

This Raspberry Rhapsody employs one of the moistest sponge cakes to be found. There is one little trick I found at the bakery that ensures this moisture. Immediately upon coming from the oven, the top of the layers are covered directly with foil until cool. This has the effect of steaming the sponge keeping it flexible and moist.

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Peppermint Ravioli Cookies

Modified: Apr 23, 2026 · Published: Nov 14, 2017 by Helen S Fletcher · This post may contain affiliate links · 31 Comments

I wait for the winter holidays for Ghirardelli to send out its peppermint squares again just to make these Peppermint Ravioli Cookies. This once a year treat is delicious on its own, but incorporated into a cookie can’t be beat.

And if you're looking for something different to add to that cookie exchange or tray, these Peppermint Ravioli Cookies could be just the thing.

After the holidays were done, we snapped up all the half price or less peppermint squares we could find. I had a ball in January working with them. These Peppermint Ravioli Cookies are easy to make and would be a perfect gift for anyone during the holidays, and what a treat for those of us loving this candy as I do. [Read more...]

Pumpkin Cheesecake Tart with Caramel Rum Sauce

Modified: Oct 11, 2025 · Published: Nov 7, 2017 by Helen S Fletcher · This post may contain affiliate links · 11 Comments

A slice of Pumpkin Cheesecake Tart on a plate with Rum Caramel Sauce and the tart in the bakground

This Pumpkin Cheesecake Tart with Caramel Rum Sauce is ease personified in baking.

The simple Caramel Rum Sauce can be made weeks ahead and refrigerated.

The Pumpkin Cheesecake Tart has a graham cracker crust that is pressed in and filled with a cream cheese mixture alternated with a pumpkin mixture which are swirled together.

The baked tart can be frozen if made ahead.

That's pretty much it - an epic short intro for me! Oh, I couldn't leave without telling you to check out the Pumpkin Mousse Torte for another seasonal pumpkin dessert.

Caramel Rum Syrup for Pumpkin Cheesecake Tart

Caramel Rum Sauce

3 tablespoons water
1 cup sugar (200 grams or 7 ounces)
2 tablespoon light corn syrup
2 tablespoons unsalted butter (30 grams or 1 ounce)
⅔ cup 40% or heavy cream
2 tablespoons rum
1 teaspoon vanilla

Water, sugar, cornsyrup for Pumpkin Cheesecake Tart

Washing sides of pan down for Pumpkin Cheesecake Tart

Combine the water, sugar and cornsyrup in a heavy medium saucepan. Place over medium heat and stir until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil. Wash the sides down with a brush dipped in cold water.

Deep amber syrup for umpkin Cheesecake Tart

Increase the heat and boil, until the syrup becomes a dark amber brown.

Butter added to caramel for the Pumpkin Cheesecake Tart

Cream added to caramel for the Pumpkin Cheesecake Tart

Remove from the heat and the butter. Stir to melt it. Add the cream; it will most likely bubble up like crazy. Finally, stir in the rum and vanilla.

Pouring caramel for the Pumpkin Cheesecake Tart

Pour into a container and cool completely.

It can be left at room temperature for a day or two. Refrigerate after that.

Yield: about 1 ⅔ cups

Plain 11" Graham Cracker Crust
2 cups graham cracker crumbs (buy them in crumbs or run the crackers through food
processor) [225 grams or 8 ounces]
¾ cup unsifted powdered sugar (75 grams or 2 ⅔ ounces)
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (150grams or 5 ⅓ ounces)
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of a half sheet pan with foil. Set aside.

Crumbs on side of pan for the Pumpkin Cheesecake Tart

Crumbs pressed into the side of the pan for the Pumpkin Cheesecake Tart

Finished crust for Pumpkin Cheesecake Tart

Combine the crumbs and powdered sugar, mixing well. Mix the butter and vanilla together. Add the butter mixture to the crumbs and toss with a fork until the crumbs are completely coated. Spray the bottom and sides of the quiche pan and press about ⅔ of the crumbs (255 grams or 9 ounces) evenly against the sides of the pan, pressing firmly. Press the remainder (170 grams or 6 ounces) onto the bottom of the pan.

Bake for 10 minutes. Leave the oven on.

If the sides have slumped, immediately press them back up the sides with the back of a spoon. Be careful as everything will be very hot. Using the back of the spoon again, even out the crust. Set aside.

Cream cheese ingredients for Pumpkin Cheesecake Tart

Cream Cheese Mixture

12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature (340 grams or 1 ½ eight-ounce packages)
½ cup sugar (100 grams or 3 ½ ounces)
¾ teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1 egg yolk
3 tablespoons milk

Cream cheese, sugar, vanilla for the Pumpkin Cheesecake Tart

Beat the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until fluffy, scraping and re-beating often until completely smooth.

Eggs added for the Pumpkin Cheesecake Tart

Add the egg, egg yolk and milk, beating to combine completely, scraping often.

Cheesecake withheld for Pumpkin CheesecakeTart

Reserve ½ cup of this mixture. Set the remainder aside.

Ingredients for pumpkin for Pumpkin Cheesecake Tart

Pumpkin Mixture

1 egg
¾ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon ginger
⅛ teaspoon cloves
⅓ cup brown sugar packed (65 grams or 2 ⅓ ounces)
½ cup reserved cream cheese mixture from above
1 cup canned pumpkin (225 grams or 8 ounces)

Eggs mixed for the pumpkin for Pumpkin Cheesecake Tart

Spices added for the Pumpkin cheesecake tart

Sugar in for the Pumpkin Cheesecake Tart

Cheesecake in for the Pumpkin Cheesecake Tart

Pumpkin in for the Pumpkin Cheesecake Tart

Whisk the egg in a large bowl to mix completely. Add the cinnamon, ginger and cloves, whisking to combine. Add the brown sugar, then the reserved cream cheese mixture. Last, whisk in the pumpkin.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Tart Assembly
11" baked graham cracker crust, baked
Cheesecake mixture
Pumpkin mixture

Cheesecake in shell for te Pumpkin Cheesecake Tart

Alternate spoons of the pumpkin and cheesecake mixtures in the shell. Swirl to marbleize.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes just until set.

Remove from the oven. Cool.

Serve with the Caramel Rum Sauce.

Note: This can be made ahead and frozen for several weeks. The caramel sauce can be made ahead at the same time and kept refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before serving.

The Pumpkin Cheesecake Tart can be frozen after baking for 6 weeks or so. Thaw in the refrigerator.

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Scones with Cranberry Strawberry Jam

Modified: Aug 25, 2025 · Published: Nov 3, 2017 by Helen S Fletcher · This post may contain affiliate links · 8 Comments

Scone with Cranberry Strawberry Jam on a plate

After last week's marathon recipe, Scones with Cranberry Strawberry Jam is a walk in the park. The scones are easily made and the jam requires no canning if kept in the refrigerator or freezer. The combination of the cranberries and strawberries makes a sweet-tart topping for the scones, toast, biscuits, or pancakes and waffles. A jar of the jam makes a perfect hostess gift.

These scones are endlessly variable. They are light, moist and very buttery tasting despite the fact they have only three tablespoons of butter. Of course, the liquid used is heavy cream.

The scones should be served close to baking for the best experience. But they are certainly good any time of the day, even the next day. Since they can be frozen, either baked or unbaked, warm scones can be had any time of the day. This is a wonderful breakfast with friends or part of a brunch. They can be made larger or smaller as desired.

With the butter and cream in these, I would skip the clotted cream but definitely serve them with my Cranberry Strawberry Jam for a special treat.

Jam ingredients for Scones with Cranberry Strawberry Jam

Cranberry Strawberry Jam
12 ounces cranberries, fresh or frozen (340 grams)
1 pound strawberries (454 grams)
⅓ cup water
3 ½ cups sugar (700 grams or 24 ½ ounces)

Jam equipment for Scones with Cranberry and Strawberry Jam

Wash and dry the jars and lids for the jam. Assemble them along with a ladle and a canning funnel if you have them. If you don't just ladle straight into the jars. It is just a lot easier with the funnel.

Cranberries picked over for Scones with Cranberry Strawberry Jam

Pick over the cranberries and remove any that are not ripe. Set aside.

Cranberries and Strawberries in pot for the Scones with Cranberry Strawberry Jam

Fruit boiling for Scones with Cranberry Strawberry Jam

Sugar added for jam in Scones with Cranberry Strawberry Ja

Jam boiling for Scones with Cranberry and Strawberry Jam

Hull the strawberries and quarter them if large. Combine the cranberries, strawberries and water in a heavy pot. Heat until they start to juice, stirring frequently. Add the sugar. Bring to a rolling boil; boil 10 minutes stirring frequently.

Skinming foam for Scones with Cranberry and Strawberry Jam

Finished jam for Scones with Cranberry Strawberry Jam

Ladeling jam into jars for Scones with Cranberry and Strawberry Jam

Skim off any foam.Ladle into jars within ¼ inch of the top. Place the lids on.

Jars of jam for Scones with Cranberry and Strawberry Jam

Cool completely. Store in the refrigerator for several months or freeze for longer storage.

Yield: 5 -½ pint jars.

Scones

2 cups cake flour (250 grams or 8 ¾ ounces)
2 teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ cup sugar (50 grams or 1 ¾ ounces)
3 tablespoons butter, cold and cut into small pieces (45 grams or about 1 ½ ounces)
1 cup + 1 tablespoon 40% or heavy cream
1 tablespoon cream
Sanding sugar, optional

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

Combine the cake flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in the bowl of a mixer fit with the paddle attachment. Mix briefly to combine.

Butter added to flour for Scones with Cranberry and Strawberry Jam

Add the cold, cut up butter and mix to cut the butter in. However, do not overmix, you want some pea-size pieces.

Cream added to scones for Scones with Cranberry and Strawberry Jam

Finished scone dough for Scones with Cranberry and Strawberry Jam

Add the cream and mix on low just to bring it together. Stop halfway through and rearrange the dough in the bowl to mix completely.

Dough shaped into a round for Scones with Cranberry Strawberry Jam

Flattening dough for scones for the Scones with Cranberry Strawberry Jam

Remove from the mixer. Knead several times to make a smooth ball. On a floured surface, press the dough into an 8" round. You can roll the dough out or, as I do, simply place a round pan of about the same size on top of the dough and press evenly down. The dough will be about 1" thick.

Flattening dough for scones for Scones with Cranberry and Strawberry Jam

Cutting into fourths for Scones and Cranberry and Strawberry Jam

Tray of eight scones for Scones with Cranberry and Strawberry Jam

Cut into 7 to 8 pie shaped pieces. Th easiest way is to cut the round into quarters, then cut each piece into two. Place on the prepared pan.

Brushing with cream for Scones with Cranberry Strawberry Jam

Sprinkling scone with sugar for Scones with cRanberry and Strawberry Jam

Brush with additional cream and sprinkle with sanding sugar if using.

Baked scones for Scones with Cranberry and Strawberry Jam

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until just browning.

Scones are best eaten the day they are made.

Scone for Scones with Cranberry and Strawberry Jam

Alternately they can be frozen baked or unbaked as desired. If baked, bring to room temperature and warm slightly to serve. If they are unbaked, place on a baking sheet and add about 5 minutes to the baking time.

Scone Variations - These are a few of my favorites, what are yours?

Blueberry Scones – Add ¾ cup frozen blueberries to the dough with the cream.

Lemon Scones – Add the rind of 1 large lemon. Squeeze the juice from the lemon. Measure 1 ½ cup powdered sugar and add just enough lemon juice so it will drizzle off a spoon on top of the baked scones.

Blueberry Lemon – Combine the above.

Cinnamon Scones - Add 2 teaspoons cinnamon to the dry ingredients and mix as called for.

Raisin Scones – Add ½ cup raisins that have been soaked in hot water for about 20 minutes. Drain well and pat dry between paper towels. Add with the cream.

Dried Fruit Scones – Add about ¾ cup diced apricots, cherries, ginger or any combination of dried fruit when adding the cream.

For another special jam, check out the Strawberry Balsamic Jam.SaveSave

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Caramel Apple Tart

Modified: Mar 24, 2023 · Published: Oct 28, 2017 by Helen S Fletcher · This post may contain affiliate links · 18 Comments

Caramel Apple Tart is everything you would want in an apple dessert. Full of apples, spices, brown sugar and brandy, it's covered with walnut streusel and caramel. This was a fall favorite with my clientele at the bakery.

Slice of Caramel Apple tart on a plate with a fork

So you ask, what is the difference between a pie and a tart? The answer is essentially nothing significant. A pie is quite often covered with a top crust. Tarts seldom are and are generally baked in fluted tart pans with removable bottoms - think quiche pan or deeper.

That's where the streusel comes in. Something has to go on top of the apples, so they don't dry out while baking. The caramel that tops this particular tart gilds the lilly even more. This was a favorite with my wholesale clientele.

One of the big differences between this and the original post is the dark tart pan. Generally, I am not a big fan of dark bakeware because it browns quickly and often the item bakes up too dark. However, that very characteristic is what makes it work to the advantage of the pie crust which often doesn't brown enough on the bottom. This pan solves that problem.

Found a 9 ¾ x2 inch tart/quiche pan online. It seems to be very close to the one I have. I also found that Sur la Table and Williams Sonoma also have some, but not sure of their sizes. Be sure to follow the directions to hand wash and dry immediately as this is tinned steel and will rust if left wet.

There are basically two ways of making caramel. One method is to put sugar in a pan and melt it, continuing to cook until it is the desired color. Then butter and cream are added. I have always been a phenomenal flop at this method. I'm not sure if it is the pan, too high a heat or my impatience and lack of clarity that befuddles me but something does. I usually burn the caramel with this method. However, adding some water to the pan first and then adding the sugar helps but I still don't use it.

The caramel we made at the shop is still my favorite. I could eat it by the spoonful. It uses water with the sugar and corn syrup for the first part. Always put the water in the pan first and then the sugar to keep the sugar from absorbing the water and clumping up. The most important part is bringing it to the correct temperature. Too low and the caramel will be runny, too high and it will set up too hard.

The crust for this Caramel Apple tart is not an American pie crust. Because this was made for restaurants, the crust had to hold up for a number of days under refrigeration which a normal pie crust will not do. It is not flaky at all but is tender and buttery. It is a close cousin to the Pasta Frolla used in the Torta Rustica. It is a snap to make and a dream to roll out straight from the processor. This crust is much easier to handle than an American pie crust or French Pate Brisee. If asked, I would say this is my favorite crust for single tarts and pies.

As far as the apples are concerned, all one type can be used or you can mix them. I am using Gala and Granny Smith apples for this tart. At the bakery, we used Spy apples and I loved them. However, in my market, I can't find them.

When baking our tarts, I found that by covering them for the first part of baking and then uncovering for the last part was better than trying to cover them while hot in order to prevent the top from burning. After baking, the tart is cooled and chilled to make applying the caramel easier.

This Caramel Apple Tart can be frozen with the caramel or without the caramel. We sold them with the caramel already on but for home baking, I think it is a better idea to freeze the baked tart without the caramel. In any case, the tart should be thawed, preferably in the refrigerator for a day or two. If you didn't apply the caramel top before freezing, apply it after it is defrosted. Remove the tart from the refrigerator hours before serving so it can reach room temperature.

This Caramel Apple Tart has parts that can be made ahead to make this easy to put together. The caramel must be made at least the day ahead and up to 10 days ahead if refrigerated. Take it out the night before using, so it can return to room temperature.

The Streusel can be made days ahead and refrigerated. Use it straight from the refrigerator. If streusel is your thing be sure to see Apple Crisp with A Difference for a quick fix.

They don't say apple pie is America's favorite for nothing and this Caramel Apple Tart is right up there with the best of them.

Caramel - for how to photos of Caramel
1 cup cold water
1 ½ cups sugar (300 grams or 10 ½ ounces)
2 tablespoons corn syrup
1 cup 40% cream
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces (105 grams or 3 ⅔ ounces)
1 teaspoon vanilla

Place the water, sugar and corn syrup in a 2 quart or larger saucepan. Stir over heat until the sugar is dissolved completely. Bring to a boil; wash the sides of the pan down with a pastry brush dipped in cold water, then boil without stirring until the mixture becomes a medium golden color.

Off heat, immediately add the butter and stir until it is melted. Pour the cream in all at once and stir in. If some of the cream lumps up don’t worry. Return to medium high heat and bring to a boil. Boil to 230 degrees on a candy thermometer. Pour into a bowl and allow to come to room temperature.

This can be made days ahead, cooled and refrigerated. Take out the night before using to soften.

Yields: 1 ½ cups

Streusel ingredients for the Caramel Apple Tart

Streusel Topping

½ cup walnuts (60 grams or 2 ounces)
2 tablespoons flour (17 grams or about ⅔ ounce)
½ cup packed brown sugar (100 grams dor 3 ½ ounces)
2 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces (30 grams or 1 ounces)

Streusel ingredients for Caramel Apple Tart

Streusel processed for the Caramel Apple Tart

Put all in a processor bowl fitted with the steel blade or the bowl of a mixer. Pulse to form a crumbly streusel topping. Set aside or refrigerate if making ahead.

Filling
2 ½ pounds apples, peeled, cored and sliced (1135 grams)
2 tablespoons brandy or lemon juice
1 cup packed brown sugar (200 grams or 7 ounces)
¼ cup flour (35 grams or about 1 ¼ ounces)
2 teaspoons cinnamon
¾ teaspoon nutmeg

Pour the brandy or lemon juice over the apples.

Dry ingredients for filling for the Caramel Apple Tart

Mix the remaining ingredients together

Dry ingredients for filling mixed for Caramel Apple Tart

and pour over the apples. Mix well so apples are all coated. Let rest about 15 minutes while preparing the crust.

Crust

2 cups sifted cake flour (250 grams or 8 ¾ ounces)
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup unsalted butter, cold, cut into pieces (114 grams or 4 ounces)
1 egg
3 tablespoons cream

Place the flour and salt in a processor bowl or mixing bowl. Mix to combine.

Butter added for crust for the Caramel Apple Tart

Butter cut in for the Caramel Apple Tsrt

Cream and egg whisked for the Caramel Apple Tart

Liquid in processor for the Caramel Apple Tart

Crust balled up for the Caramel Apple Tart

Add butter and cut in until mealy and indistinguishable. Whisk the egg and cream together and add to the flour mixture and mix or process until a smooth ball forms. This will look powdery at first but just keep processing or mixing and it will ball up.

Crust ready to roll for the Caramel Apple Tart

Crust rolled out for the Caramel Apple Tart

Seating crust into the pan for the Caramel Apple Tart

Seating crust for 90° angle for the Caramel Apple Tart

Form into a ball and flatten somewhat. Roll into a circle about 11 inches. Fit into a 9x2 inch fluted tart shell with a removable bottom or a 9 inch deep dish pie pan. Make sure it is seated well into the corners by pulling the dough to the center and fitting it into the shell at a 90° angle.

Pressing dough off for the Caramel Apple Tart

Finished crust for the Caramel Apple Tart

Remove the excess dough by pressing with the palm of your hand on the top of the shell to cut it off. If using the pie pan, you may have to cut it off cleanly with a knife. Set aside.

Assembly of Caramel Apple Tart
Preheat oven to 400°F. If using a glass pan, reduce the temperature by 25°F and adjust the time as necessary.

Line a half sheet pan or another rimmed baking pan with foil for easy clean up in case of overflow.

Apples in pan for the Caramel Apple Tart

Juice over apples for the Caramel Apple Tart

Fill the pastry crust with the apples, keeping the filling flat and making sure the edges of the pastry are filled. Pour the juices that have accumulated over the apples.

Applying streusel for the Caramel Apple Tart

Top the Caramel Apple Tart with the streusel.

Ready for the oven for the Caramel Apple Tart

Tear off a piece of foil large enough to enclose the top and sides of the baking pan. Spray the dull side of the foil and cover the tart. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake 35 minutes more or until apples are soft. If the streusel darkens too quickly, lightly cover with the foil again. Cool to room temperature, then chill.

Finishing the Caramel Apple Tart
Caramel
Finely chopped walnuts

Remove tart from the refrigerator.

Pointed offset spatula to release the tart for the Caramel Apple Tart

Release the tart edges by making sure none of the juices from the pie filling have sealed the crust to the pan. A pointed offset spatula makes this easy.

Releasing edges of the Caramel Apple Tart

Tart released for the Caramel Apple Tart

Spreading caramel on the Caramel Apple Tart

Place the tart on a wide can and gently drop the sides. Use as much of the caramel as you like. Spread caramel over top of the streusel. Edge with finely chopped walnuts. This may be frozen at this point. Thaw in the refrigerator for 2 days. Serve at room temperature or slightly warm but be careful not to melt the caramel.

Note: This may be made without the caramel if desired, for an Apple Streusel Tart.

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Soft Flatbreads

Modified: Jan 21, 2024 · Published: Oct 20, 2017 by Helen S Fletcher · This post may contain affiliate links · 9 Comments

Making bread is one of my favorite things and thse Soft Flatbreads have become a favorite.

The original recipe for these soft flatbreads came from King Arthur Flour. The soft flatbread is essentially a fry bread which makes it really fast to finish. The recipe calls for adding boiling water to some of the flour to cook the starch in it. it also uses potato flakes to add a softness and flavor that would be unattainable without it.

Most of the time I make these soft flatbreads, fry it up, freeze the soft flatbreads individually, stack them, wrap in foil and keep them in the freezer. I pull what I need and heat them in a 350°F oven wrapped in foil to keep them soft. I use them for bread with our meals or anywhere flour tortillas or wraps are called for.

As wonderful as the holidays are, they can be stressful. Along with all the special recipes for the holidays, I look for those that are super flavorful and quick to make. . As well as being quick and easy to make, these soft flatbreads freeze well.

Buttermilk Flatbreads are another great bread in the same vein.

Soft Flatbreads
2 ½ cups all purpose flour (350 grams or 12 ¼ ounces)
1 ⅓ cups boiling water
½ cup potato flakes (24 grams or ⅞ ounce)
1 ¼ salt
1 teaspoon instant yeast
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Place 1 ½ cups flour (210 grams or 7 ⅓ ounces) in the bowl of a processor or mixer.
Pour the boiling water over the flour and process or mix until it comes together and the ingredients are combined. Flatten the mixture in the bowl. Cover the bowl and let it sit for about 30 to 40 minutes until it cools.

Remaining dry ingredients for Soft Flatbreads

While the mixture is cooling, combine the remaining flour, potato flakes, salt and yeast.

Remaining ingredients mixed for Soft Flatbreads

When the flour/water mixture has cooled, add the remaining ingredients including the oil. Process or mix until the dough comes together forming a slightly sticky ball. If the dough is too firm, add a tablespoon water.

Dough torn into pieces for Soft Flatbreads

I made the dough in my processor. It was a bit stiff so I broke the dough apart, placing them equally around the bowl and added another tablespoon of water. I processed again and it formed a ball.

Finished dough kneaded for Soft flatbreads

In any event, process or mix the dough to knead to form a ball. I kneaded the dough by hand five or six times to form a smooth ball.

Place the dough in a sprayed bowl, cover it and let it rise for about an hour until doubled in bulk.

Flatbread rolled out for Soft Flatbreads

Punch the dough down and divide into 8 pieces, about 80 grams or approximately 2 ¾ ounces each. Roll each piece into a smooth ball. Roll each piece into about an 8 inch round. I rolled mine all once and placed paper between them.

Frying second side of the Soft Flatbreads

Heat a frying pan over medium heat and place a soft flatbread in the pan.
Cook it about 1 minute when it will puff up in spots, turn and fry the other side. Remove immediately, and continue until all of the soft flatbreads are fried. Stack them up as they are fried to keep them soft.

If not using at once, they can be wrapped and reheated at 350°F for 10 to 15 minutes until hot.

If making ahead, freeze them individually. When frozen, stack them up, wrap in foil and store in the freezer for several months. Reheat, from the frozen state, as above for about 20 minutes.

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Chocolate Marshmallow Cream Horns

Modified: Jul 25, 2025 · Published: Oct 13, 2017 by Helen S Fletcher · This post may contain affiliate links · 23 Comments

Whether you call them cream horns or lady locks, the long ago name for a pastry that resembled the curls of a woman's hair, they are fun to eat.

They are simply puff pastry that has been rolled very, very thin and wrapped around a metal form. After baking, the form is removed and the cream horn is stuffed with a variety of fillings.

Sugar cone and metal form for Chocolate Marshmallow Cream Horns

While I own a set of lady lock forms I used for the finish of a cake in my book, "The New Pastry Cook", I couldn't see asking people to spend $24.00 for a set they may only use occasionally. So I came up with a substitute so you wouldn't miss out on these treats.

You're going to cover ice cream sugar cones with foil and wrap the puff pastry around those. The cream horns are a good size if you wrap them to the top, but you can make smaller ones by not wrapping all the way up. I have to say I was pretty pleased with myself for this one!

As I mentioned in last weeks blog, I used Trader Joe's puff pastry for this as it is rolled to about 1/16th inch. If you use Dufour's or another brand you will need to roll it out. In any case, trim the edges and you are ready to go.

I suggest you work the pastry on a piece of parchment paper. It will then be easy to pick up the parchment, place it on a baking sheet and pop it in and out of the freezer or refrigerator to keep it cold.

The one thing to watch is making sure the dough is cold. If it warms too much it will stretch. After one or two, you will be able to judge the manageability of the dough and the winding of it onto the cream horn form. It's actually pretty fast.

Cream horns can be rimmed in chocolate and filled with marshmallow cream as I have done or they can be filled with lemon curd, whipped cream and fruit, or a lightened pastry cream. I use a quick tempering method for the chocolate so it doesn't discolor if it sits for a day. If the filling is to be cold, then fill them at the last minute. The cream horns should not be refrigerated after baking as they lose their crispness.

These are best served the same day as they are made. Although you may have to fill them at the last minute, they can be wrapped with the puff pastry and frozen, unbaked, for months since they have to be baked from a frozen state.

Chocolate Marshmallow Cream Horns
Puff Pastry
Sugar Cones
Regular foil

Wrap the sugar cones in regular foil. Do not use the heavy foil as it doesn't fold as well. I made this template which works really well. Keep the foil tight and smooth to the cone. Otherwise, the puff pastry can get caught in the wrinkles and won't release well.

Template for Chocolate Marshmallow Cream Horns

You can stack pieces of foil on top of each other and cut them all at once. Here is the template I used. You can use whatever works for you.

Foil marked for Chocolate Marshmallow Cream Horns

If you stack 4 pieces of foil and mark the top piece of foil, all the forms can be cut at once. Place the foil with the 12 inch side in front of you. Mark the foil and cut the top piece off.

Foil cut on the diagonal for Chocolate Marshmallow Cream Horns

Cut on the diagonal line so you have two pieces.

Wapping cone for Chocolate Marshmallow Cream Horns

Wrap the cones. Be sure to place the cone so at least 1" of foil protrudes.

Roll the cone in the paper tightly and smoothly toward the opposite side.

Wrapping cone for Chocolate Marshmallow Cream Horns

Cone wrapped in foil for Chocolate Marshmallow Cream Horns

Top edges of foil tucked inside cone for chocolate Marshmallow Cream Horns

Secure tip and tuck top foil into the cone to secure the foil.

If you are using TJ's puff pastry, the two sheets will make 8 cream horns so you will need 8 pieces of foil.

Sheet of dough for Chocolate Marshmallow Cream Horns

Thaw the puff pastry for 2 hours at room temperature of about 74°F. If the room is warmer it may be ready sooner. Please read Perfectly Acceptable Puff Pastry for thawing tips. Unroll the pastry carefully and flatten it out. It should be cold and firm. If not, place it on parchment, and then on a baking sheet. Refrigerate or freeze briefly to firm it up. Do not continue if the puff is soft.

Dough cut into strips for Chocolate Marshmallow Cream Horns

Covering the top of the cone for Chocolate Marshmallow Cream Horns

Wrapping the dough on the diagonal for chocolate Marshmallow Cream Horns

Cut the pastry into about ¾ inch strips. Try not to go narrower. An easy way to start winding the dough onto the cones is to cover the tip first and then start wrapping the strips on the diagonal. I found no need to dampen the pastry to get it to stick together but mine was a tad tacky when I unrolled it and I didn't use flour on it.Continue wrapping the strip of puff pastry on the diagonal.

Piecing the pastry for Chocolate Marshmallow Cream Horns

You will have to join the pastry strips as you run out while wrapping. Just make sure all the joined pieces are on one side and that you place that side down on the baking sheet. This will ensure that they will not pop up while baking if on the top side. Press the piece together well.

Wrapped cone for chocolate Marshmallow Cream Horns

Unbaked tray of horns for Chocolate Marshmallow Cream Horns

As you wrap each one, put it immediately into the freezer. Continue to wrap all the cones.

Freeze the cones rock hard.

Double panned for Chocolate Marshmallow Cream Horns

Baked horns for Chocolate Marshmallow Cream Horns

Removing form for Chocolate Marshmallow Cream Horns

Empty baked cone for Chocolate Marshmallow Cream Horns

Shortly before baking, preheat the oven to 400°F. Double pan the cream horns. Place the pan of cream horns on a second pan underneath. Place the cones in the oven and bake for 25 minutes. Cover the top loosely with foil if they are browning too much. Carefully remove the foil wrapped cones as they will be hot. They will release with a slight twist. Return the empty cream horns to the oven and bake another 5 to 7 minutes to bake the inside of the cones. Cool completely.

Quick Tempering Chocolate
6 ounces semisweet chocolate (170 grams)
2 tablespoons crisco or like product – do not use oil or butter

Quick tempered chocolate for Chocolate Marshmallow Cream Horn

Place in a small, narrow bowl slightly larger than the top of the cream horn and microwave on half power for about 2 minutes. It won't look melted. Use a small whisk to smooth is out. Alternately, place the chocolate and shortening in a bowl and place over hot water. Transfer to a small narrow bowl.

Rim the top of each cone in the chocolate, allowing the excess chocolate to drip back into the container.

Freeze briefly to just to set up. Do not leave them in the freezer as they may get soggy as they defrost.

Marshmallow Cream - go here for how to photo
3 tablespoons water
⅔ cup corn syrup
⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon sugar (75 grams or 2 ⅓ ounces)
2 large egg whites
1 tablespoons vanilla

In a small saucepan, bring the water, cornsyrup and ¼ cup (50 grams or 1 ¾ ounces) of sugar to a boil. Wash the sides of the saucepan down with a pastry brush (not plastic) dipped in hot water. Continue to boil hard until a candy thermometer reaches 246 degrees.

In the meantime, place the egg whites in a clean mixing bowl fitted with a whisk. When the temperature of the sugar syrup reaches 230 degrees, beat the egg whites to the soft peak stage. Slowly add the remaining sugar and return to the soft peak stage. If the whites get done before the syrup, reduce the speed to the lowest and keep mixing. Do not turn off the mixer. When the syrup comes to temperature, raise the speed of the mixer to medium and slowly drizzle it into the whites. Turn the mixer to high and beat until thick and lukewarm. Reduce the mixer to low and add the vanilla.

Yield: About 3 cups

Assembly
Chocolate Rimmed Cones
Marshmallow Cream

Using a plain tip, pipe the marshmallow cream into the cone, extending it beyond the rim of the cone.

These are best served the same day.

Another great recipe using puff pastry is the Mille-Feuille (Napoleon Pastry)

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Filling for the Cardamom Yeast Rolls

Shaping and Baking the Cardamom Yeast Rolls

Topping for Cardamom Yeast Rolls

Materials Used for Baking Pans

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Thick vs. Thin Baking Pans

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Pan Preparation

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About the Chocolate

A bit about the Ingredients

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Malted Milk Buttercream

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Ingredients

Crust

Rhubarb Cream Filling

Strawberry Sauce

Instructions

Crust

Rhubarb Cream Filling

Strawberry Sauce

Notes

Nutrition

TYPES OF CINNAMON

HEALTH BENEFITS

Conclusion

Oils

Bakery Emulsions

Powder

Liquors and Liqueurs

Citrus Peels and Juices

Essences

Seeds

Additional sources of flavorings

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Recipe Ingredients

Cake Ingredients

Bailey's Sauce Ingredients

Step by Step Instructions

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Bailey's Sauce

Recipe FAQS

Expert Tips

Other Mostly Chocolate Recipes to Consider

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Ingredients

For the Lava Cakes

For the Bailey's Sauce

Instructions

For the Lava Cakes

For the Bailey's Sauce

Notes

Nutrition