dessert quick fixes

Running short on time and need to whip up a delicious dessert? These little chocolate cups are the perfect solution.

Whip up some hazelnut mousse (you can even cheat and use the box mix!)

Add Frangelico liqueur for an extra zing  

Melt caramel squares in 2 tablespoons of whip cream to adorn plates 

and use as extra topping

Frangelico: good baked into a dessert or to sip on the side

Fruit toppings

The end product!

The short list of ingredients and small amount of time needed

means you can spend less time in the kitchen and more time

with friends.

lavender icing

Anyone who knows me most likely knows about my obsession with lavender. I used to hate it as a child but last year I came home to find a beautiful bundle of it hanging over my kitchen sink and I've loved it ever since. I make lavender syrup lattes, have lavender infused baths, put dried lavender on my night stand... it's getting quite out of control. Anyway, when I found a recipe for lavender icing in a Martha Stewart cookbook I whipped it up right away (even though dear ol' Martha's recipes never work out for me). Here is the recipe and results:

Boil 1/3 tsp of dried lavender in 1/3 cup of milk. Let steep for 10 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl (pillow cases are also a handy replacement). Discard lavender. Whisk in 3 cups of confectioners sugar until smooth. Add a dash of violet food colouring.

romantic sundays

Today I'm flying to Blachford Lake Lodge for work - the same lodge that Will and Kate, Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, visited during their stay in the Northwest Territories. With an outdoor hottub for watching the aurora borealis and a boat ride to Honeymoon Island on the schedule I can't help but think about romantic weekends. I know that with my hectic schedule I typically use weekends for catching up on sleep, laundry and getting my life back in order. Sundays should be reserved for late brunches, black and white movies and afternoon yoga classes. With this in mind, I decided to rejig my weekend plans, and here is some of what I included:

Soak up the spread of Kate Moss' gorgeous wedding 

in the September issue of Vogue.

Indulge. 

Lemon filled pastries from Lulu's Market in Yellowknife.

Similar to these treats I made.

Get comfy...

In beautiful pyjamas.

(Urban Outfitters $52)

More ideas here.

backyard baking 3

Rose Hip Syrup
Picked from: Prelude Lake
Recipe from: Wild Roots Herbal Learning Centre
Thoughts: make any meal romantic with this blush-hued syrup

Ingredients:
4 cups rose hips
2 cups water
1 cup sugar

Rose hips are best picked mid to late August when their colour is rich and full.

Wash rose hips thoroughly. Remove stems and flower remnants.

Boil hips and water for 20 minutes in a covered saucepan. Strain through a jelly bag.

Return clear juice to kettle. Add sugar. Stir well and boil five minutes.

Refrigerate until used. This syrup is my absolute favourite and makes for wonderful gifts.

northern garden party

I know my blog has been a bit lacking in the last month but it's been an extremely busy couple of weeks - don't worry, there are lots of posts to come! One of the highlights of this month was hosting a garden party for two writers from Canadian Living magazine. The lovely ladies are working on a 5-6 page spread on cuisine in the Northwest Territories and I was lucky enough to do some baking for them. Here are a few snapshots I took before they arrived. I prepared rose petal shortbread, spruce tip shortbread, fireweed syrup, rose hip syrup, and bannock. Recipes to follow!

moccasin cake

I've been spending a lot of time in the kitchen lately whipping up my favourite recipes, but when a coworker's retirement party came up I decided to try something new. I thought a moccasin shaped cake would be the perfect design for someone leaving the north behind. The piping (for an inexperienced piper like myself) was time consuming but the overall look is worth it. I can't wait to try this one again with more colours and a more intricate design.
Final touches: arrange a few spruce boughs around the cake once it is done to add to the northern look and feel!

almond biscotti

I used a great recipe from epicurious.com to make these chocolate-dunked almond biscotti. The recipe was actually called for hazelnuts but the switch still tasted great. I couldn't believe how well they turned out: delicious and chewy even after a few days. Now if only I had an espresso machine!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 Cups hazelnuts (7 ounces)
3/4 Cup sugar
2 Cups self-rising cake flour
2 large eggs
1 Teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Method:
1. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Pulse together sugar and 1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts in a food processor until finely ground. Transfer to bowl of mixer along with flour and beat at medium speed until combined well. Add eggs and vanilla and beat just until a dough forms. Reduce speed to low, then add remaining chopped hazelnuts and mix until incorporated. Turn off mixer and knead in any loose hazelnuts with your hands.
3. Halve dough and, with dampened hands, form each half into a roughly 10- by 2- by 1-inch log on lined baking sheet, arranging logs 3 inches apart.
4. Bake until golden and set but still soft to the touch, 25 to 30 minutes. (Leave oven on.) Cool logs on baking sheet on a rack 10 minutes.
5. Transfer logs to a cutting board, discarding parchment, and cut logs with a serrated knife on a slight diagonal into 1/2-inch-thick slices.
6. Arrange slices, cut sides down, in 1 layer on unlined baking sheet. Bake slices, turning over once, until golden and crisp, 20 to 25 minutes more. Cool biscotti completely on sheet on rack, about 30 minutes.
Read More:
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Hazelnut-Biscotti-236948#ixzz1TMp70shX

Final touch: I opted to melt milk chocolate over the stove to dunk one side of the biscotti in. While the chocolate was still warm, I sprinkled about 1/2 a teaspoon of hazelnuts on top. Lean them over the edge of a dish to cool and harden then munch away! The chocolate is a tasty addition!

backyard baking 2

Here's another wonderful recipe to try! I trekked along Ingraham Trail (near Yellowknife) to pick wild roses, plucked the petals and washed then dried them over two days. Once they were dry I ground them in a medicine bowl (a food processor works too) then combined with sugar. What was left was a delicious wild rose petal sugar that is a great addition to any dessert. I've added a cup to shortbread and topped french toast with it. It adds wonderful colour and flavour!

backyard baking 1

I stumbled upon this unusual recipe on a great blog (www.borealgourmet.com) by a Yukon-dwelling woman named Michele Genest. There's something charming in cooking with what you find in your backyard and I was out collecting spruce tips immediately. If there are spruce trees in your area, this is a recipe you ought to try.

Ingredients:
1/2 Cup plus 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
2 Tbsp chopped spruce tips
1 Cup unsalted butter at room temp
2 1/4 Cups all-purpose flour
1/4 Tsp salt

Method:
1. Pick a handful of spruce tips

2. Combine sugar with the chopped spruce tips and set aside 1 Tbsp of the mixture for garnish.
Cream the butter until light and fluffy, add the remaining sugar/spruce tip mix and cream together. Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix well.

3. Gather the dough into a ball and press into an 8-inch shortbread mold and bake at 325 degrees for 30 - 35 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Remove from oven and set on a rack for 10 minutes. Sprinkle the reserved spruce + sugar mixture on top of the shortbread, cut in sections and leave to cool.

Serve with black tea and a small spruce bough!

the perfect sunday

Is there a better way to start the week than with Truman Capote and homemade spinach and feta muffins? I don't think so. And if you're a smart cookie you'll make the muffins the night before so you can have breakfast in bed with Mr. Capote.

Recipe below for my foodie friends:

Ingredients
Canola oil, to grease
2 1/2 Cups self-raising flour
1/2 bunch of spinach,trimmed, washed, dried, shredded
150g feta cheese, crumbled
2 Tablespoons finely grated parmesan
1 1/3 Cups milk
90g butter, melted
1 egg
2 Tablespoons finely grated parmesan to sprinkle on top

Method
Preheat oven to 400. Brush muffin pan with canola oil to lightly grease.

Sift flour into a bowl. Add shredded spinach, feta and parmesan. Stir to combine. Use a fork to whisk together milk, butter, egg and dill until well combined. Add milk mixture to flour mixture and use a metal spoon to stir until just combined (do not over mix).

Spoon mixture into prepared pans. Sprinkle with extra parmesan. Bake for 18 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Turn out onto wire rack to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Serves 12.

raspberry cupcakes

A few months ago I picked up the "Cupcakes from the Primrose Bakery" recipe book from Anthropologie and since then I've tried about a dozen of the recipes. My absolute favourite (so far!) is the Raspberry cupcake with White Chocolate icing. It's not as difficult as it looks but make sure you use the self-rising flour and not only the all-purpose flour, it makes a huge difference!


Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.

Cupcake Ingredients:
8 Tablespoons unsalted butter (room temp)
3/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
2 Large eggs
3/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons self-rising flour
3/4 cup plus 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 cup 2% milk (room temp)
1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
3 Tablespoons seedless raspberry jam

Icing Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup 2% milk
1 Teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 1/4 cup icing sugar
3 1/2 oz white chocolate
3 Tablespoons heavy cream
Fresh raspberries

Cupcake Directions:
In a large mixing bowl cream the butter and sugar until pale and smooth, which should take about 3-5 minutes using an electric beater. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing for a few minutes after each addition.

Sift the two flours together into a separate bowl. Mix the milk and vanilla extract together. Add 1/3 of the flours to the creamed mixture and beat well. Pour in 1/3 of the milk and beat again. Repeat these steps until all the flour and milk have been added.

Gently fold in the raspberry jam until most of it is combined. The idea is to have some jam streaks running through the mixture, rather than an evenly coloured batter. Carefully spoon the batter into the cups, filling them about two-thirds full. Bake in the oven for about 25 minutes until slightly raised and golden brown.

Remove from the oven and leave the cupcakes in the pan for about 10 minutes before carefully placing on a wire rack to cool. Once they have cooled, cut a small hole in the center of each cupcake using a sharp knife or teaspoon and carefully place a teaspoon of jam inside.

Icing Directions:
In a large mixing bowl beat the butter, milk, vanilla extract and half the icing sugar until smooth. This can take several minutes using an electric mixer. Gradually add the remaining icing sugar (I usually only use about 3 1/4 cups).

Melt chocolate and alternatively stir in cooled chocolate and heavy cream. It is best to frost immediately so the icing does not harden. Complete the look by plopping a full raspberry on top!

chai moon cookies

This recipe for chai moon cookies is stellar - not only do the cookies taste fantastic but the recipe doesn't call for anything out of the ordinary like so many recipes tend to do. In fact, when I decided to whip these up (at midnight with class the next day) I had all of the ingredients I needed in my kitchen. It's lovely when life works out the way, isn't it? Give these a try, the recipes makes a large batch so share them with classmates, coworkers, neighbours, even people you don't get along with - these little goodies might be just what you need to put them in better spirits!

Chai Moons:

Prep: 45 minutes
Chill: 1 hour
Oven: 375 degrees
Bake: 8 minutes oer batch
Makes: approximately 48 cookies

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 Tablespoon lead chai tea, finely ground
1 Teaspoon vanilla
1/2 Teaspoon baking soda
1/3 Teaspoon salt
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

In a large bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar, chai tea, vanilla, baking soda and salt. Beat until light and fluffy, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour. Divide dough in half. Cover and chill dough about 1 hour or until easy to handle.

The following step is important: While dough is in the fridge put Chocolat in your dvd player and daydream of being whisked away with Gypsy-Johnny Depp and spending your days surrounded by scrumptious, mouth-melting chocolate. Also take time to envy Juliette Binoche's graceful style.

This step may be repeated if necessary.

Reluctantly step out of your daydream and retrieve the dough. Preheat oven to 375. On a lightly floured surface, roll half of dough at a time until 1/4 inch thick. Using a 3-inch crescent shape cutter, cut out dough. If, like me, you don't have a crescent shape cutter use a round one to create a circle, then press it in again half way through the circle to get the moon-look. I also found the dough quite dry so when rolling it out I added a splash of milk to make it more manageable. Place cutouts 1 inch apart on a ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake for 8 minutes or until the edges are firm and light brown. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool. Frost cooled cookies with Butter Frosting. Immediately sprinkle with Demerara sugar.

Butter Frosting:
In a large bowl beat 1/3 cup butter, softened, with an electric mixer until smooth. Gradually add 1 cup powdered sugar, beating well. If necessary, beat in enough additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time to make a frosting of spreading consistency.

A lovely finishing touch is adding sprigs of lavender to the serving plate.

Enjoy!

mmm mmm mousse

Merry Christmas everyone!

I hope you're all having wonderful holidays - and here's a treat that's great for Christmas and New Years! My sister whipped up this eggnog mousse one night and it was the perfect holiday dessert to enjoy with good company by the tree. Thank you Martha Stewart for the recipe!

Ingredients:
3 Tablespoons dark rum
3 Tablespoons brandy
1 envelope unflavoured gelatin
3 large eggs, separated
1 cup sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 Teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 Teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 Teaspoon ground cloves
2 Teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions:
Prepare an ice bath; set aside. Combine spirits in a small bowl. Sprinkle with gelatin; let soften, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine egg yolks and 1/2 cup sugar in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water; whisk until mixture is pale and fluffy, 2 minutes. Remove from heat; whisk in gelatin mixture.

Set bowl over pan again; cook, whisking, until the gelatin has dissolved, about 3 minutes. Transfer bowl to the ice bath; scrape down sides of bowl, and whisk until cooled slightly, 1 to 2 minutes

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the remaining 1/2 cup sugar with cream, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and vanilla. Whisk until stiff peaks form. Fold one-third of whipped cream into gelatin mixture, then gently fold gelatin mixture into remaining whipped cream. Refrigerate (no more than 5 minutes) while preparing the egg whites.

In a clean bowl of the electric mixer, whisk egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold into cream mixture. Transfer to a serving dish; cover. Chill until firm, at least 30 minutes or overnight. Serve chilled, garnished with coffee caramel and other recommended toppings.

the sweetest thing

French Vanilla cake and cupcakes I made for my friend Aryn's 23rd birthday



Bright and colourful summer cupcakes!


Recipe To Try: Maple Crunch Layer Cake
(ideal for a Thanksgiving treat)

domestic bliss

I have trouble staying in one place for too long - even home - but here's my recipe for domestic bliss in any space.

Listen to: happy, mello, feel-good music
If I Were a Tree, by Forest City Lovers



Bake:
Pumpkin Cookies with Maple Frosting - the perfect treat for fall, alongside a steaming cup of coffee or chai tea. (Bonus: they make your place smell delicious)

1 Cup butter
1/2 Cup brown sugar
1/2 Cup white sugar
1 Cup canned pumpkin
1 egg
1 Tsp vanilla
2 Cups flour
1 Tsp baking soda
1 Tsp baking powder
1 Tsp cinnamon
1/2 Tsp salt

Cream sugar and butter. Add pumpkin, egg, and vanilla. Add remaining ingredients. Drop spoonfuls onto non-greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Frosting:
Boil 3 Tbsp butter and 1/2 Cup brown sugar until mostly smooth (approximately 2-3 minutes). Cool and add 1/4 Cup of milk, 1 Tsp vanilla extract, 1 Tsp maple extract, and 2 Cups powdered sugar or until desired consistency and whip with hand mixer until smooth. Spread onto cookies.




Pick up: a local read
Visiting Hours by Shane L. Koyczan
I've just started Koyczan's collection of poetry but am already in love. Begin a beautiful book.