Easter/Spring Time Baking

Easter is one of my all-time favourite holidays, for a couple of reasons. Firstly, due to the fact that it takes place near the beginning of Spring, the days are longer, warmer (hopefully) and a little sunnier. I am automatically put in a better mood when the sun no longer sets at 5:00pm. Secondly, Easter is a time for family, celebrations and an Easter Egg Hunt. (Yes my siblings and I are considered to be 'young adults' but you hide some chocolate eggs and say 'GO,' and it soon becomes a free-for-all.) In recent years, my family has made it a tradition to spend Easter in Kennebunkport Maine, where we have a home as well as relatives that live within a 5 minute walk. Being right on the beach, walking Roscoe (my aunt and uncle's adorable/mischievous yellow lab-seriously an entire blog could be devoted to this dog; picture 'Marley and Me' and you've got Roscoe), and eating our weight in chocolate pretty much sums up an ideal weekend.

Easter is also a great time to get creative and put together some delicious deserts. I'll be trying these cake pops over the weekend, I seriously can't get over how cute they are. 

Here is a step-by-step guide to making these Bunny Cake Pops. Sometimes it's easier to have a visual image of what to do rather than reading off a list!

For more ideas, click on the link to Wilton's website. Lots of great Easter ideas! Wilton's Easter Ideas

I've also posted a video that explains how to make an Easter Bunny Cake! Very simple, yet very effective. 

Have a Happy Easter!

The Luck Of The Irish...

St. Patrick's Day is a "holiday" most people associate with green beer, oversized hats, and if you're in university/college, the festivities usually started around 9:00am with Guinness pancakes! What most people don't think of when it comes to St. Patty's are all the fun deserts you can make if a) You're not a huge drinker or b) Want something to eat other than beer-soaked pancakes! I would make these cupcakes in University and really had fun with the different varieties you could do.

For instance, one year I tried these 'Shamrock in a Cupcake' designs, and they were adorable. Really effective and surprisingly not too difficult to make, which is always nice.

If you feel like you are in the mood to really wow your friends (hopefully enough so that they'll actually remember eating your delicious delicacies) you can try adding to your cupcakes with cute toppings such as gummies shaped to look like a rainbow and add a chocolate "pot of gold." Check it out ---->. 

I found this cute site that gives you more cupcake ideas. I've checked them over and from what I can tell whether you're an cupcake connoisseur or just bought your first apron, these recipes are beginner friendly. Click the link to see for yourself! St. Patty's Cupcakes


AND in the spirit of St. Patty's Day, here's a video of a great song that really only works on a day like today!

The Glazed Craze...

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My Favourite Couple

In honour of Valentine's Day, this post is dedicated to a couple that demonstrated true love. They would come into the bakery every Sunday afternoon. They were both in their late eighties-he in declining health, while she was probably more active than myself. They were so incredibly cute together. She would sit him down on one of the three little seats we have that face out onto the sidewalk, while she would come and place her order. It might have been 15 minutes before she would return to him--man could this woman talk! I really don't think her husband minded as she would chat away with us about everything from the weather, to the one homeless man she saw a couple weeks ago who "gave her a fright." I think their annual visit to the bakery gave her a bit of a break, someone to talk too, and a nice way to spend the afternoon. Even though it was clear that she was the main caregiver to her husband, never once did it come across as a burden. She and I would bring over their desserts, his coffee, her tea, and after about an hour when they were done, she would dress him--get him ready to face the cold, and then she would put on her layers. If I could properly associate them with some sort of "movie couple" it would definitely be the older couple from The Notebook. Hands down. You could tell after all those years together, they loved each other like they were still in the Honeymoon phase-they probably never left it.

Sadly, her husband passed away last year. Betty (his wife) still comes into the bakery though, I think to keep with routine. She still sits at the window with her lemon square and Earl Grey tea, and fortunately has not lost her conversational skills! You can tell that she is content, I think with her life and the love that she shared with her soulmate. It makes me hope that I have the same sort of relationship, and I can look back and be as satisfied as she seems to be.

For this couple, I chose a lemon square recipe that goes perfectly with a cup of tea.
Happy Valentine's Day!

                                       

Ingredients

• For the Crust

  • Non-stick cooking spray
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
  • 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar, plus 1 tablespoon for sifting
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

• For the Lemon Filling

  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2/3 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with rack in center. Coat a 9-inch square baking pan with cooking spray; line pan with two crisscrossed rectangles of parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on all sides.
2. Make the crust: In a food processor, pulse flour with confectioners' sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press into bottom and 3/4 inch up sides of prepared pan. Refrigerate 15 minutes.
3. Bake until crust is lightly browned 20 minutes. Let cool slightly in pan. Reduce oven heat to 325 degrees.
4. Meanwhile, make the lemon filling: In a bowl, beat eggs with an electric mixer until thick. Beat in granulated sugar, lemon juice, flour, baking powder, and salt. Pour over warm crust. Bake until set, about 20 minutes. Cool to room temperature; refrigerate about 1 hour.
5. Using paper overhang as an aid, lift square from pan. Sift remaining tablespoon confectioners' sugar over the top. Cut into 16 squares.

Chocolate Chunk "Vanier" Cookies

Since the beginning of January, myself along with my two teammates Jason Dunphy and Lindsay Cannon, have been working/prepping like crazy for the upcoming Vanier College BDC Case Challenge. The competition takes places in Montreal, and over 28 colleges from across Canada will be competing. Talk about nerves! We get together every Thursday for our coaching sessions which lasts between 4-5 hours, plus Jason, Lindsay and I get together at least twice during the week to go over cases. Needless to say, the stress and pressure is intense, especially when trying to balance 5 other courses. I am really lucky to be working with such smart, funny (sometimes my stomach hurts from laughing so hard after hearing their crazy stories), and kind people. I am already so proud of our entire team.

In order to get through the countless hours spent in a small, hot study room in the Commons, I've found that bringing baked goods helps. Honestly, things really don't seem as hard when you've got a cookie in your hand. For our team, the chocolate chunk cookies are a staple. They are easy to make, easy to pack and easy to eat! I will definitely be bringing a whole bunch of them which will hopefully last the weekend in Montreal...but that goal may change to simply lasting the 5 hour train ride! I am so excited for next weekend, and regardless of the outcome I know that we will arrive together as a team, and will be leaving together as team.

In honour of the Vanier team, here is a Chocolate Chunk Cookie recipe that is quick and delicious. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 2¼ cups of all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ cup of butter
• 1 tsp salt (if using unsalted butter)
• 1 cup of packed brown sugar
• ½ cup of granulated sugar
• 1½ tsp vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups of chocolate chunk pieces 

Instructions

1. Kick the tires and light the fires to 350 degrees.
2. Cream together your butter and sugar until it’s light and fluffy. Add in the eggs and vanilla, mixing thoroughly. Beat in the flour, baking soda and salt.
3. When that is done, fold in the two cups of chocolate chips by hand, and prepare to put them on some parchment paper lined cookie sheets.
4. Drop by rounded teaspoonful onto the baking sheets.
5. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes, until golden brown and slightly underdone. Cool on the sheets completely.

The Toupee Man

So far, my posts written have been about people that I've met while working at the bakery, which usually have had a happy or positive ending. Unfortunately, not all experiences have ended so well, and I think it's important to include the sad ones, because really, that's life. This experience took place a couple summer's ago. When you work during the summer, it's pretty easy to spot the "regulars" and you form relationships with them, because you see them almost every day. This one man who came in everyday worked across the street at a men's store called "Garvey's." He was known as the "toupee man" because always wore this really bad toupee that was sort of an off-colour orange, slightly brassy, not really blonde. It was one of the worst I'd seen, and because of it, that became his namesake. Just like we were the "bakery girls" he was the "toupee man." Despite the fact that he wore this..thing..he was a very nice man. I'd say mid/late 60's. He always ordered the same thing: a lemon tart, a sausage roll and 2 turkey pot pies to go. One slow afternoon, it was myself and another girl working, when toupee man came in. I only realized it was him until after he left, and after the shock of our conversation had begun to wear off.

First off, he wasn't wearing his toupee. He had very little hair that was grey and sparse. That through me for a loop right from the beginning. Second, he wasn't dressed in a suit like he normally would have been. He was wearing a short-sleeved t-shirt and on his arm he had a cotton swob and a large bandaid over it. I presumed he had just gotten blood taken. Before he said anything, you could tell there was something wrong. He didn't say anything right away, just his order, this time only for the 2 turkey pot pies. Finally after what seemed like hours of silence, he flat out told us that he had just been diagnosed with cancer. He was coming from the doctor's office, didn't want to go home, so he came here. Why he chose to tell us first, I'm not sure. I found out he lived alone. The turkey pot pies I thought were for him and his wife, were actually for his two dogs. Before he left he turned around and told us to "keep smiling." We couldn't really think straight from that point forward. What do you say to someone after hearing that?

When I came back from school to work over the Christmas Break, I had learned that the cancer was fast spreading and he passed away early in the fall. It really made me think about how short life was. From that point forward, I decided that whenever I'm stressed or worrying about something that really shouldn't be worried about, I try to think that no matter how dire a situation may seem, I would still rather be in it, than not.

I decided to post a recipe that toupee man would enjoy. Here is a turkey pot pie recipe that would have been perfect on a rainy day like today. It takes some time to make, but it's worth it.

Ingredients

• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 tbsp (30 mL) vegetable oil
• 2 tsp (10 mL) dried thyme
• 1 cup (250 mL) chicken broth
• 1 cup (250 mL) milk
• 3 cups (750 mL) cooked turkey, diced
• 1/4 cup (60 mL) all purpose flour
• 3 cups (750 mL) mixed vegetables
• 5 medium potatoes, quarted
• 2/3 cup (150 mL) milk

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400 degree F. In a large pot, heat the oil. Saute the onion, celery, thyme in the oil until softened. Stir in the flour and continue to cook, stirring constantly over low heat for 5 minutes. Stir in the stock and milk. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered, stirring until thickened. Stir in the turkey and the mixed vegetables. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour into a large casserole or glass baking dish. In a large pot of water, cook the potatoes until tender. Drain well. Add the milk and mash. Salt and pepper as needed. Spread the mashed potatoes over the vegetable and turkey mixture. Bake for 30 - 35 minutes until hot and bubbly.

The Perfect Way To Propose...

It's getting to that time of year where people who were so stuffed from the holidays begin to emerge back into the bakery. I completely understand. Sometimes separation only makes a relationship stronger. The fact that this relationship involves food and not another person is another story.. but who am I to judge, right? I specifically remember this one time when a young man came into bakery one January afternoon and said that he had a great idea, but it would only work if we (the bakery) were in it 100%. As I spoke with him I could see he was excited, a little shaky in his voice, but that made sense after he delved deeper into his plan. He wanted to order a custom fondant cake that would say "Marry Me" on it. We were to place it in the main display window on the set date, he was to come by with his girlfriend who would look at the display window and see the message. This was when he would get down on one knee and propose. It was the weirdest feeling because I had known this man for maybe 30 minutes and for some reason, I had butterflies in my stomach, as if I was part of this woman's proposal--which I guess in some weird way I was.

 Every detail you could imagine was covered. Honestly I stressed not so much about the cake, more about her reaction--what if she said no?! I would feel somewhat responsible and that would end up being the most awkward experience of my life...the cake was edible and paid for- would he still want it? Probably not. That's a pretty sad image of a "Will you marry me?" cake smushed in a garbage bag. Regardless, the cake was made and the plan was a go. Everyone in the bakery knew about this, and the days leading up to it was all anyone spoke about. Finally when the day came, my eyes were glued to the clock. At 3:00, just like paperwork, the couple came and at the time I just stopped what I was doing and watched (in a non-creepy way, I was very discrete!) It was amazing-I had never witnessed a proposal before, and when she realized the cake was for her and what was going on, I got so excited! (If you know me, then you'll know that my excitement involves clapping and speaking very quickly!) She said yes (thank god) and they came into the bakery, everyone congratulated them, and we gave them their cake  It was just a great day. All the stress and worry was worth it to see someone's reaction as good as hers. 

After that experience, it made me think-this is the perfect way to propose to someone. It shows that a lot of time and thought went into it, and seriously how could you go wrong? Love it. 

For the recipe, I think it's appropriate to post one that was the same cake and frosting flavour as the cake made for the couple. Red Velvet. This one comes from the Baking Queen herself, Paula Deen. It's absolutely delicious. 

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
• 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 tablespoons red food coloring
• 1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 1 pound cream cheese, softened
• 2 sticks butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
• Chopped pecans and fresh raspberries or strawberries, for garnish

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 (12-cup) muffin pans with cupcake papers.

In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. In a large bowl gently beat together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla with a handheld electric mixer. Add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet and mix until smooth and thoroughly combined.

Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake tins about 2/3 filled. Bake in oven for about 20 to 22 minutes, turning the pans once, half way through. Test the cupcakes with a toothpick for doneness. Remove from oven and cool completely before frosting.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla together until smooth. Add the sugar and on low speed, beat until incorporated. Increase the speed to high and mix until very light and fluffy.

Garnish with chopped pecans and a fresh raspberry or strawberry.