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Dang. Yes it’s a WW2 book but not like most of the others at all. What a great story. Highly recommend this book and this author, even if you’re not a historical fiction fan. Great personality development, a solid ending, just a good, good read.
Well I almost put this down – not wowed by the title to start with, and then while we all wish we did, who has a talking dog? But this turned out to be a delightful story full of life lessons, warm feelings, a few chuckles and an occasional tear. Great job. An easy and enjoyable read. Can’t wait to read one of Ms. Crewe’s other books!
While you could easily make these with another type of jam/center, raspberry is one of my favorites, and this recipe does not disappoint in any way, shape or form – even my non-raspberry liking friend loves them! It is basically a very good shortbread ‘bar’ with a strip of jam in the middle and a light piping of sweetness on the top (which you could skip if you wanted). Be sure to use butter, not margarine, and a good quality jam (Bonne Maman my go-to). Ignore the 1/2 cup designation and use what you feel like. I also used heavy cream for the glaze (vs. evaporated milk).
Let me start with the realization in my 60’s that I always thought I loved apple pie, because my mother loved apple pie and I always made it for her, therefore I should love it. I like it, but it actually doesn’t fall into the love category. There are so many other flavors of pie I’d much rather have. (Kind of like NYC – I grew up there and always thought I loved it – until I visited it for the umpteenth time as an adult and realized that I really didn’t like it that much). Anyways, I digress. This dessert combines the goodness of the apple middle of apple pie with a cake like crust that keeps the middle moist and delicious but not loosey goosey. A Polish apple cake, it is just one more of the successes I’ve had in the Baking With Dorie cookbook (which I cannot recommend highly enough). And top it with homemade vanilla ice cream (flavored mine with brandy), and this is as close to heaven as it gets.
Sweet plus tart, this is the most scone like (dryish that melts in your mouth); definitely best eaten the day they are made. SO good. https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/glazed-lemon-blueberry-scones/
This is an amazing chocolate cupcake recipe. It outshines many of the others I have tried. I did use an imported cocoa, so highly recommend a good quality cocoa. The chocolate is dark and rich, the brown sugar addition deepens that, and the buttermilk ensures it’s moist. Just delicious. https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/super-moist-chocolate-cupcakes/#tasty-recipes-66438
Another amazing book by Kate Quinn, a historical fiction – three great minds that come together to break codes during war time at the mysterious estate, Bletchley Park. The character depiction is marvelous and the story keeps your interest from start to finish. The type of book I couldn’t wait to go to bed so I could read the next bit. Highly recommend.
Absolutely down and out delicious. Being a New Englander, I grew up with hermits (pun intended) and these cookies do not disappoint. Chewy, deeply molasses and spicey, they keep well, and you can’t eat just one!
This was an interesting and eye opening book about the radicalization of a Muslim teen in California – well worth a read! I gave it five stars – well written, interesting, timely.
This cake has been my go-to cake for a triple layer 6″ cake with a lovely vanilla flavor, perfectly moist, and easily filled with all sorts of options. Today I followed the cake/filling recipe in Frosted (Bernice Baran), using lemon curd between the layers, but choosing an ABC frosting instead of the suggested American Meringue Buttercream.
Despite a dam of frosting, as well as trying the ‘seal it in technique’ (Georgia’s Cakes), the lemon curd oozed all over. It took several crumb coats and repairs before I could mask the lemon that insisted on blending with my ABC.
Speaking of ABC, I remain a fan of this frosting more so than any other I have tried, although I continue to work to make it not taste as sweet. Hard to do when it’s so full of sugar, but today’s experiment included: using Amish roll butter, adding in 2 TB super chilled heavy cream and 1 TB super chilled sour cream, 1 TB lemon juice, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 TB meringue powder, and beating for about 15 minutes. Still sweet but less so – I feel like I’m getting there. And the texture was good for spreading and piping. So much patience required in this cake decorating business – cannot do it when I’m tired.
