Tag Archives: baking

Lemon Pound Cake

lemon pound cake

The minute it gets chilly enough to turn the furnace back on, I want to warm the house up with the oven, and get baking. I particularly love pound cakes, for their dense, moist texture, adaptability, and a sturdiness that makes them ideal for packing into lunch boxes. I had an extra lemon rolling around in the fridge, so the first pound cake of the season was lemon.

I love that this is the sort of cake that requires no decoration, and can be nibbled by the thin slice while you do other things.

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Snickerdoodle Bars

IMG_5019
We love the simple deliciousness of classic snickerdoodle cookies. They’re easy to make, but do you know what’s even easier? Making a big pan of snickerdoodle bars! Pour the batter into a pan, bake, and slice into bars for lunch boxes or to keep on hand when friends drop in for coffee.Read More→

Cranberry Scones

Cranberry Scones
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Ingredients
  1. 3⁄4 cup buttermilk or plain yogurt 175 mL
  2. 1 large egg 1
  3. 23⁄4 cups all-purpose flour 675 mL
  4. 4 tsp baking powder 20 mL
  5. 1⁄2 tsp baking soda 2 mL
  6. 1⁄2 tsp salt 2 mL
  7. 1⁄2 cup margarine 125 mL
  8. 1 cup coarsely chopped cranberries 250 mL
  9. (fresh or frozen)
  10. 1⁄2 cup granulated sugar 125 mL
  11. Grated zest of 1 orange
  12. 1 tbsp butter, melted 15 mL
  13. 1⁄4 cup confectioners’ (icing) sugar 60 mL
  14. .
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Beat buttermilk and egg in small bowl and set aside. In large bowl, Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cut in margarine until mixture resembles small peas. Mix in cranberries, sugar and orange zest. Add buttermilk mixture and stir until soft dough forms. Using your hands, form dough into a large ball and place on floured surface. Pat out to 1-inch (2.5 cm) thickness. Cut in 4-inch (20 cm) rounds. Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake scones for 15 to 20 minutes. While still warm, brush with butter and sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar.
  2. Makes 8 large scones.
The Best of Bridge https://www.bestofbridge.com/

Gourmet: A French word meaning 400% markup.

Chocolate Volcanoes with Raspberry Coulis

 

A guaranteed hit – easy and absolutely decadent! Prepare and freeze these serving-sized desserts ahead of the time, then cook them while you enjoy your dinner. 

Chocolate Volcanoes with Raspberry Coulis
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Ingredients
  1. 1 1/2 Tbsp. instant espresso granules (or instant coffee granules)
  2. 1 Tbsp. boiling water
  3. 1/2 cup flour
  4. 1/4 cup cocoa powder
  5. 3/4 tsp. baking powder
  6. 6 – 1 oz. squares semisweet chocolate
  7. 2/3 cup butter, softened
  8. 1/2 cup sugar
  9. 3 large eggs
Raspberry Coulis
  1. 10 1/2 oz. pkg. frozen raspberries, thawed
  2. 1/3 cup sugar
  3. 1 – 2 Tbsp. Grand Marnier liqueur (orange juice is a good substitute)
Instructions
  1. To Make Volcanoes: Dissolve coffee granules in boiling water. Set aside to cool. Grease 6 – 4 oz. ramekins. Using a whisk, combine flour, cocoa and baking powder in a small bowl. Reserve. Melt chocolate in a double boiler. Add butter and sugar and stir until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl. Using as electric mixer, beat in eggs 1 at a time on medium speed. Add dissolved coffee and flour mixture and continue beating until fully mixed. Raise mixer speed to high and beat for 6 more minutes (there must be something good on TV!). Pour batter into ramekins and tightly wrap with plastic wrap. Freeze overnight or up to 2 weeks..
  2. To make raspberry coulis: Combine raspberries and sugar in a blender and puree until smooth. Strain through a sieve (or a clean j-cloth) to remove seeds. Add liqueur and store in refrigerator.
  3. Preheat oven to 375 F. Take ramekins out of freezer and remove plastic wrap. Bake volcanoes for 18 minutes – no longer! Cool on rack for 5 minutes. The outsides will be crusty and the centers will be gooey – sort of like your average volcano. To serve, drizzle individual plates with raspberry coulis. Invert each ramekin onto a plate and add a small scoop of ice cream.
The Best of Bridge https://www.bestofbridge.com/

Midlife crisis: when the only thing you retain is water.

Sour Cream Ginger Buns

Joanne Good, former editor of The Calgary Herald, invented these – we’re so glad she did!

Sour Cream Ginger Buns
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Ingredients
  1. 2 cups sifted flour 500 mL
  2. 21⁄2 tsp baking powder 12 mL
  3. 1⁄4 tsp baking soda 1 mL
  4. 3⁄4 tsp salt 3 mL
  5. 2 tbsp granulated sugar 30 mL
  6. 1⁄3 cup cold shortening 75 mL
  7. 1⁄2 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger 125 mL
  8. 2⁄3 cup sour cream 150 mL
  9. 1 egg, slightly beaten 1
  10. 3 tbsp butter, melted 45 mL
Instructions
  1. Sift first five ingredients together. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add ginger and mix. Make a well in the centre and pour in sour cream and egg and stir briskly with a fork just until dough holds together. Knead gently 7 or 8 times on lightly floured surface. Roll or pat to 1⁄2-inch to 3⁄4-inch (1 to 2 cm) thickness. Cut with 2-inch (5 cm) diameter cookie cutter. Arrange on ungreased cookie sheet. Brush with melted butter. Bake in preheated 425°F (220°C) oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Makes 18 buns.
The Best of Bridge https://www.bestofbridge.com/

 

Fantastic Fudge Brownies

BROWNIES
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Ingredients
  1. BROWNIES
  2. 1 CUP BUTTER 250 mL
  3. 2 CUPS SUGAR 500 mL
  4. 1⁄4 CUP COCOA POWDER 50 mL
  5. 4 EGGS, BEATEN 4
  6. 1 TSP VANILLA 5 mL
  7. 1 CUP FLOUR 250 mL
  8. 1 CUP CHOPPED WALNUTS OR PECANS 250 mL
  9. ICING
  10. 2 CUPS ICING SUGAR 500 mL
  11. 2 TBSP BUTTER 25 mL
  12. 2 TBSP COCOA POWDER 25 mL
  13. 2 TBSP BOILING WATER 25 mL
  14. 2 TSP VANILLA 10 mL
Instructions
  1. TO MAKE BROWNIES: CREAM TOGETHER BUTTER, SUGAR AND COCOA POWDER. MIX IN BEATEN EGGS AND VANILLA.
  2. ADD FLOUR AND STIR. FOLD IN NUTS. BAKE IN A GREASED13- x 9-inch (3 L) PAN AT 350°F (180°C) FOR 40 to 45 MiNUTES. TOP WILL APPEAR TO BE UNDERDONE (FALLS IN MiDDLE) BUT DON'T OVERCOOK. SHOULD BE MOIST AND CHEWY.
  3. TO MAKE ICING: BEAT ALL INGREDIENTS TOGETHER WHILE BROWNIES ARE BAKING. POUR ON TOP AS SOON AS BROWNIES COME OUT OF THE OVEN. IT WILL MELT INTO A SHINY GLAZE.
The Best of Bridge https://www.bestofbridge.com/