#but not in the bowl with a paddle attachment??????

[androdragynous]

Screenshotted tweet text:

demi adejuyigbe @electrolemon

in october 2021 i had such a transcendently good piece of pumpkin pie [with] a dense texture. i got obsessed with trying to recreate it every fall for the next three years. anyway, i finally nailed it. here's the recipe- pumpkin pie with orange zest and cardamom whipped cream

Recipe text:

PUMPKIN PUDDING PIE with ORANGE ZEST & CARDAMOM WHIPPED CREAM

(makes -3 pies)

2 ½ cups sugar

15oz can pumpkin puree

2 eggs

½ tsp baking soda

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

½ tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp vanilla

pinch of salt

2½ cups milk

4 TBSP butter (melted)

1 orange

1 tsp powdered sugar

1 cup heavy cream

2 TBSP powdered sugar

1 tsp cardamom

pinch nutmeg

pumpkin pudding pie with orange zest:

preheat the oven to 325°F

prepare the pie crust (that's another recipe's job- either find a scratch recipe or buy a pre-made dough or graham cracker crust)

blend 2½ cups sugar, pumpkin puree, eggs, and baking soda in a large mixing bowl (if using a mixer, blend with a paddle attachment)

add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt; blend until well mixed

add the milk and melted butter, whisk until well mixed (if using a mixer, blend with the whisk attachment)

pour your batter into the crust, filling right up to the edge (the mix will be more liquid than solid, but it will rise/solidify in the oven)

bake at 325°F for 55 minutes

remove from the oven and let it cool

top with sifted powdered sugar

zest an orange over the top of the pie (microplane if possible but regular zester is fine; have found that the most aesthetically pleasing version is to peel the orange and then finely dice the peel but that's a hassle!)

whipped cream:

put your metal mixing bowl and whisk in the freezer for at least 15 minutes

whisk powdered sugar, cardamom, and nutmeg together in bowl

add heavy cream; whisk until stiff peaks start forming

serve on a cooled pie :)

[whyeverr]

we came, we saw, we... used a stand mixer to process faux meat and vegetables? 🤷🏼‍♀️

overall I'm quite pleased with this, but to me it kinda seems like a food processor was in development for this pack as well, but then to cut corners they decided to shove it all into the stand mixer.

my kingdom for a food processor! and while we're at it, a trash compactor!

[fanaticsnail]

Your Flirty Chef

(Image Source)

Masterlist Here.

Word Count: 4,267

Synopsis: Sanji has been working hard lately, your flirty chef no longer as present as you’d like him to be. You both have some unspoken flirtation between you, hopefully something to shatter by molding him beneath the touch of your hands. 

Themes: Sanji x reader, mutual pining, idiots in love, flirtation, cooking, kissing, touching, massage, moaning, Sanji is a whimpering mess, suggestive themes, Baratie.

Notes: This was a gift created for the lovely @vespidphoenix who adores my 'Bar Shift' series. We're back home at Baratie! I hope you enjoy!

Tag List: @sordidmusings @gingernut1314 @writingmysanity @since-im-already-here @feral-artistry

The light danced from the open bay windows across the circular polished floorboards, the wax allowing for a wonderful grip beneath your black, closed toe work-shoes. The handles of the porcelain tray began to heat beneath your palms and fingertips, the foamed milk and cream jiggling with each careful footstep you placed on the ground. 

You noticed first the depiction of the business of the kitchen staff through the circular windows attached to the doors, the smoke and flames rising to char the dish within the pans. You caught the eyeroll of your favorite blonde coworker as he shook his head, refusing to take direction from your boss and head chef of Baratie. 

“Alright boys, coffee time. Take a break!” you called after making your way through the swinging double doors to the kitchen. Immediately, pre-service was paused as a pile of hardened ex-pirates enthusiastically made their way to the pass. 

Echoes of praise rang from the kitchen upon your utterances, all occurring simultaneously as grabbing hands eagerly pried the dishes within your tray as you placed it down.

“Truly a lifesaver, Doll,” Carne praised, claiming his piccolo-latte from the tray and raising it to his lips in one quick swig.

“Oh, my sweetheart. Thank you, Love,” Patty shot you a winning smile, raising his extra strong flat-white from the tray and scuttling back over to his patisserie station. 

“Something there for me, Honey?” Zeff asked, the click and scrape of his pegleg and boot heel knocking against the floor prompted you to gather his long-black coffee and hand it off to him personally with a small bow.

“Of course, Chef,” you smiled at him, handing it over and turning back to the tray to witness the depletion of the amassment of coffees you’d prepared; only two now remaining. Sanji was in the middle of temperature controlling whisked egg whites and scorching sugar, unable to halt his whipping to claim his regular hit of caffeine from you.

“Just leave it on the table, Dove. I’ll be over in a second, okay?” Sanji’s brows were furrowed in concentration, the stainless steel bowl held firmly in his left hand and cradled against his chest. Soft peaks of white, fluffy meringue began to form within the bowl, his right hand continuing to beat in absolute concentration in a rotational way. 

“You want to take it outside when you're done, Ji? Have smoko?” you asked him, removing the two mugs and placing it on the tray. Sanji scoffed back a small chuckle, flicking his hair away from his eyes as he continued whisking. 

“Please, and thank you. I’ll be out in about a minute thirty? Just gotta start on the macaroons, then I’m on my quarter,” He broke his concentration on the bowl below him, flicking his cool-gray eyes over to you and watching as you began wiping down the tray, and claiming the emptied cups within to return to the bar. 

As you left the kitchen, Sanji continued to watch your departure through his peripherals while meeting optimum temperature for the egg whites. He paddled the mixture with a silicone spatula into a plastic piping bag and rotated the end to hold the pressure in place, leaving it neatly to the side of his workstation to complete forming the macaroons after his break.

“On your quarter, Little Eggplant?” Zeff asked, brow raising as he took a sip from his strong coffee. Eyeing his apprentice suspiciously, he looked him over as Sanji removed his apron and neckerchief to relax on his break. 

“Oui, chef,” he smirked, hanging his apron on his designated hook and halting once more at the door, “that alright with you, old man?” 

“Fine by me, boy. Just-,” Zeff had an almost sly twinkle in his eye, a smirk pulling at the corner of his lips, “-Just be kind to our bartender, alright?” 

“What’s that supposed to mean? I’m always kind,” Sanji retorted, taken aback with his lip curling into a small snarl. A small echo of teetered laughter and snickers reverberated within the walls of the kitchen amongst the clanging of pots and pans. 

“You know what I mean, lad,” Zeff grunted, placing his empty coffee cup on the sink beside Carne who had begun washing the crockery, “Off you pop. When you get back, we’re doing Before Service. Start gettin’ it ready, lads! Family Meal in a quarter.”

“Oui Chef!” Echoed in the kitchen, each chef springing to their station to begin getting the elements of their dishes together to present to each other before the rush of the dining service. 

Sanji huffed a small sigh, exiting the kitchen and walking over to the fishmouth of the bar where you were waiting for him. Sanji had a small circle of thoughts swirling within his mind, echoing and reverberating the words Zeff had commanded of him. ‘Be kind’? What does ‘be kind’ even mean? Was he not kind? Had he not been kind to you in your interactions prior? 

There was never a doubt in Sanji’s mind that he adored you. His affections were showcased in how he regularly sought you out on advice when conflicting with your boss and his mentor, Zeff. You were the one he came to when he had a rush of inspiration in the kitchen, spoon feeding you samples of his amazing cuisine for your constructive criticism or your unwithheld praise. 

Just a simple hum and a nod of your head in response to his food had his heart swelling, but when you closed your eyes and a moan was siphoned from your breath had his pupils darkening, and thoughts of lustful interactions with you plagued him. He would lie awake at night thinking about how your lips wrapped around the spoon he presented you, your eyelashes fluttering shut and a small gasp fled from your lips as you reopened them in glee. 

And that is when it hit him. As he watched the sun dance on your skin, your fingertips casually dancing along the ropes beneath the hard surface of the bar; he realized what Zeff meant by his suggestion. 

Sanji was in love with you. 

He was so desperately in love with you, he would do anything to see you smile, to hear your laugh, or to collect one of those hummed moans you’d save only for him when sampling his dishes. He was mad for you, so much so that he charged right through the feeling itself and bypassed all of the warning signs screaming at him to not fall in love with his coworker. 

He halted his steps, the spell shattering within him as he came to terms with the feeling swelling within his chest. Sanji was a perpetual flirt, and you would reciprocate his advances in a way that had you both giggling and teetering like idiots. Your natural rapport with one another, the way you bounced off each other on the pass when you worked floor shift, or when you’d fetch him coffees and trial new designs within the foam just for him. The way he would present a meal he had created for Family Meal for everyone, but alter yours in a way that showed how much he truly adored you with its careful assembly. 

Sanji was in love with you. 

Looking over your shoulder, your body remaining presented to the water and the docks, you noticed Sanji staggering in the shadows of the fishmouth bar with his footsteps halting. You furrowed your brows, turning completely around and arching your back against the railing of the external bar surrounding the perimeter of the side-bar. 

“That you, Ji? Here for your quarter and a smoke?” you asked him, a warm smile pulling at your mouth to welcome him into the area. You thought you heard Sanji cough, a choked sound within the shadows indicating his presence. Your furrow began to descend into a frown while cocking your head to the side, “Coffee’s getting cold, Sweetheart. Come over here and keep me company.” 

You were unsure how more obvious you could be regarding your affections for the blonde suis-chef of Baratie. You were a flirt by nature, a job you were hired and paid to complete to build a successful interaction with your clientele. But Sanji. Sanji you got to flirt with for free. 

Flirting with Sanji was a competitive sport, and one you championed as the captain of the team and the cheer squad. 

It started with a game of chicken; food related innuendos and outrageously crass flirtations offered to fluster one another for entertainment, while completing a particularly grueling shift. It had you both laughing and in high spirits regardless of how little the guests respected you or physically fought with one another during the shift. You adored spending time together, building rapport and learning from one another through your flirtatious nature.

Your favorite pastime was watching Sanji work. The way he rolled his sleeves up slowly to pin by his elbows, the way his forearms stretched and flexed as he julienned vegetables, the concentrated expression of his eyes as he tweezed a piece of gold leaf atop a caramel fudge, with a careful scoop of vanilla ice cream melting on the rim.

And then it hit you. The arrow of the winged cupid struck your heart with the pierce of iron as he offered you the first spoonful of a dish he had prepared, and meticulously cared for, specifically for you. Apprehensively wrapping your lips around the spoon and flicking your tongue over the curved edge, you couldn’t help but to moan at both the flavor presented to you, and the expression of complete devotion and the eagerness to please you written all over his face. 

You were in love with Sanji.

You couldn’t help the way you felt for him, always aiming to task him with something simple: “Ji, be a sweetheart and hand me that steel jug, please?” to something a little more complex: “Sanji, would you cook that dish for me for Family Meal? The one with the brie and the rillette de canard? I adore that one.” He was a puppy, following your direction and orders with glee, and you were absolutely smitten with him. 

Sanji danced his body into the light of the bar, sheepishly not meeting your gaze as he fished out his tobacco pouch from within his trouser pocket. He opened the bag, noticing a small quake in his fingers at the knowledge that now plagued him. What was he meant to do now? Act like he didn’t worship the ground you walked on? 

“Sweetheart, why don’t you give that to me and you take a sip of your coffee? I’ll roll you one,” you asked him, reaching your hand over and claiming his right wrist beneath your hand, “You must be tired after all that hand-whisking. You just sit back and enjoy your quarter. I’m on my halfa, and you deserve more time off your feet before we get absolutely railed by the service shift.”

At the term ‘absolutely railed’, Sanji’s mind was racing beyond its capacity. He couldn’t find an appropriate word in his mind to relay onto you in return, simply nodding in confirmation as he handed over his tobacco pouch before standing beside you and watching the ocean dance against the hull of the floating restaurant. 

As the sun hit his golden hair, dancing along the glow of his tired and overworked features, you couldn’t help but look at him in awe. The way his eyes closed with his smile as he took the first look at the design you had created for him with the foam, before pressing it to his lips and sipping at it. 

You were in love with Sanji.

Setting to work on rolling the cigarette with the wafer thin paper and setting the filter within the side, you placed some of the brown, dried leaves into the fold and rolled it. From the corner of your eye, you watched Sanji’s eyes float down to your lips as you darted your tongue out to dampen the paper. You could’ve sworn you heard a catch in his breath, and a small strangled groan halted within his throat; but surely you were mistaken. 

You presented him with the cigarette, placing the filter end within his lips for him and wordlessly asking if you could ignite the tip with your lighter. Sanji’s eyes watched you carefully, nodding his head to give you confirmation to flick your flint and ignite the flame for him. Your eyes softened, cradling the flame as you elevated it to his lips and doused the end with its light to burn through the paper tip at the end. 

“You work too hard, Ji,” you commented, a flick of the corner of your lip in a small smirk captivated his gaze further, “It’s made you silent. C’mon now,” you placed the lighter back within your pant pocket, “Where’s that flirty chef I love so much?” Sanji smiled, inhaling the nicotine-riddled smoke as he extended his lungs to capacity.

“I dunno, Dove,” He began on his exhale, eyes closed and head lulling as he savored the feeling, “Your flirty chef might need some convincing to come out and play. I have been pushing myself a bit more today, and I’m beginning to feel it in my bones.” You half-smiled at him, watching as he removed the cigarette and threw back the remainder of his coffee in his mouth and swigging it with one fell gulp.

“Oh, you poor dear,” you pouted, raising your hand up and pressing it gently on his shoulder, giving him a gentle squeeze, “What can I do to bring him back?” Sanji groaned at the feeling of contact on his aching muscles, unsure of what came over him to elicit such a wanton sound. Your eyes widened, watching as his face began to contort as he hung his head low, relishing in the contact. 

“Let me take some of the weight off?” you suggested, bringing up your other hand to cup his shoulders, maneuvering your body behind him and firmly rotating your thumbs against the meat of his shoulders, “Maybe then my flirty chef will come out to play.” More of those beautiful groans escaped his lips as he succumbed to the ministrations of your fingers, molding and bending his hardened flesh within your hands. 

Sanji’s sweet cries of bliss were addictive, more addictive to you than any meal he had presented to you in the months you had worked closely together. The way he cried out in bliss as you found a particularly tender point in the center of his shoulder blade had you gasp out breathily in response. He was a slave to your touch, leaning in as a stray cat would to an affectionate caress. 

His cigarette fell from his lips to litter the ground by his shoes, the light extinguishing upon impact and rolling beneath the deck chairs surrounding you. He curved and arched his back into your touch, moaning and crying out as quietly as he could muster, with his mouth agape and a small amount of saliva collecting at the corners of his rapidly drying lips. Sanji’s body was responding a little too well to the simple touch of your hands on his shoulders and back. 

“Y-You’re so good-... mmff-... at this. W-Where did you-... oh-h merde-... where did you learn it?” He asked, lulling his head back and inadvertently rested the back of his head against your shoulder while holding onto the railing firmly in his grasp. You giggled, moving your hands beneath his shoulders and coaxing him from the railing to one of the lounging chairs, secluded in the shade of the sails of the wide umbrellas. Although this area was a public space, the lounges were private enough to shield Sanji as he rapidly fell apart in your arms from prying eyes. 

“I just know how hard the muscles work to produce the food you do, Ji,” you shrugged, sitting down on the lounge chair and ushering him to sit between your legs with his back to you. Initially, Sanji desired to sit up, his back convexing in a perfect arch to experience more of your touch. But his body had other plans beneath your skilled hands. 

He immediately found a more relaxed version of his former position: his head lulling back into your right shoulder as his eyes fluttered shut, your hands now finding rest against his biceps and rotating them beneath your firm grip to work out the kinks. 

Sanji had no idea what had come over him. The sounds falling from his lips were desperate, his body pleading and crying for more of your touch as he fell apart from the simple strokes of your hands now trailing up to his chest. You couldn’t get enough, your hands responding faster than your mind could tell it not to in order to find places on his body to have the sweeter sounds of your name rolling off his tongue between gasps and groans.

“Y-You’re-... fuck Dove-... Th-This is really good,” his breathy gasp complimented you, ending with the small pull of a whine within his throat. You tried your hardest to stop the rising heat from flooding to your cheeks at his voice, opting to giggle to relieve some of the tension surfacing. 

“You’ve got maybe three minutes before you have to go back, Sanji,” you said, patting him politely on the chest to indicate you were done assaulting him with your affectionate caress. At the small pat, he groaned, chasing the weight of your palm atop his chest by arching his back and pleading with you to continue. 

“Just a bit more?” he whined, opening his eyes and lulling his head further into your shoulder to gaze up at you with wide eyes, “Your flirty chef will come back if you do it just a little bit longer, I’m certain.” He smiled with his lips in a tight line, eyes twinkling in hope up at you. You scrunched your nose up at him, your own eyes reflecting his playful twinkle back at him.

“Maybe after the rush?” You suggested with a shrug of your shoulders and another curt tap of his chest. He groaned, slouching down and melting into your torso with the drag of his head. You laughed at him as he continued slinking lower and finally settled his head against your thigh, feet brushing against the ground over the side of the lengthy deck chair you were sharing. 

“But that’s so far away,” he groaned, a raspy growl rumbling against his tone. He clapped his hand over his eyes, squeezing his palm and fingertips in the pinch of his eyes before having it fall away from his face and down to his side with a small gasp. 

“Makes the waiting all the sweeter,” you cooed down at him. At this, he immediately rose to a sitting position, turning within your lap and gazing at you. His irises were blown, the small tint of pink dusting his cheeks and his lips were slightly parted. There were a thousand unspoken words dancing behind his eyes. The mystery surrounding such a look had you hooked and leaning in to see if a closer proximity would grant you further insight. 

At the small lean of your body from the back of the deck chair, Sanji reached his palm up and cupped your cheek, his fingers lacing in your hair, as he guided your lips to be claimed beneath his. A small squeak exited your lips in shock at the gentleness of his touch, eyes wide and watching him as his brows furrowed. A small hum of his lips against yours informed you that he was as shocked about this as you were, but not shocked enough to end the kiss just yet.

He pried your lips apart with his own, tilting his head to nudge you with his chin. You hooked your arms around his neck, pulling him against yourself and reciprocated with enthusiasm; your tongue darting out to meet his own. He chuckled against your lips once he felt you relax into it, flicking his tongue against yours with a groan of appreciation. You nudged him away from you, breaking the meeting of his lips on yours and unhooked your arm from his neck.

“We shouldn’t be doing this,” you commented, raising your arms up and fixing his ruffled hair. His eyes widened, brows peaking at the center as his lips parted. Focusing on redressing him and straightening up his uniform had your gaze pulled from his, unable to read the absolute heartbreak written all over his face. 

Nodding in appreciation at the straightening of his chefs jacket, you finally drew your smiling eyes up to meet his; immediately having your grin fall from your face once meeting with the sorrowful expression painted atop his features. 

“Ji, are you okay? What’s wrong?” you asked, cupping his cheek and darting your gaze between his two gray orbs. 

“We shouldn’t be doing this?” he whispered quietly, tilting his head down and gazing up at you through his eyelashes. Your eyes widened, smiling lips now falling open with a small shake of your head. 

Scrunching your nose, you leant forward and pressed a chaste kiss against his lips which ended with as much haste as it began. You giggled as you felt him chase his lips forward to halt your retraction, but ultimately got away from his approach. 

“I meant, you’ve only got about a minute left of your quarter,” you restated, confirming your words while elevating your hand to his chin. You brushed your thumb over his lower lip, dancing over his kiss-swollen lip with your digit. “We shouldn’t be doing this while we have so little time available for us to do so.” 

“O-Oh,” Sanji stuttered, the blush once again rising to dance over the apples of his cheeks, tips of his ears and button of his nose. You had never seen such a pretty color gracing his features, your heart swooning at the chef as he attempted to stifle his rising blush. 

“Has my flirty chef come back yet?” You asked him with a sly smile, retracting your hand from his face only to be caught within his own. 

“Your flirty chef,” he whispered, eyes holding firm to your own as he elevated your knuckles below his lips and pressing a gentle kiss against your skin, “Is going to be flirting with you for the rest of this shift,” he pressed another kiss against the back of your hand, slightly further up than the last, “And hopefully all through Before Service, Family Meal, and Knock Offs,” he uttered between a flurry of pecks and grazes of his lips further up your arm. 

Now it was your turn for the hues of warmth to swell beneath your cheeks, ears and nose at his words; becoming flustered further by the animal poised behind his eyes, threatening to ravish you with the intensity depicted beneath. He chuckled as he began showering your cheek with a further flutter of his lips grazing your skin. He halted just before meeting your lips with his, choosing to tease you with a small brush of his own. 

“I’m going to cook you something,” he whispered, his breath dancing against your lips, “And you’re going to make those pretty sounds you do so well, hm?” He nodded, pouting his lips and widening his eyes with that innocent yet mischievous twinkle you have come to enjoy him wearing. You couldn’t help but nod in response, mesmerized by the enchantment held within his eyes.

“And then,” he ushered you against the beck of the chair, pressing his torso against yours and continuing to hold his lips an eyelash’s width away from your own, “I’m going show you how flirty your flirty chef can really be.” As you attempted to chase his lips to plant another kiss against his own, he quickly stood to his feet at the call of his name.

“Sanji!” Patty called, “Your macarons are portioned and ready for the oven. Take care of ‘em, would you?” Your breath caught in your throat, Sanji’s blush dissipating at the interruption and his face paling.

“Alright, I’ll be there Patty! Don’t get your knickers in a twist,” he shouted in return, frustration written over his expression. 

“C’mon kid, we all know the only knickers you’re keen on seeing are the bartender’s!” He shouted in return, turning and stomping down the hallway towards the kitchen, “Get to it, Chef Zeff’s waiting.” Your eyes widened at the thought, your smirk withholding a small scream of bashful laughter from parting from your lips as your face drew a further flaming heat to it. 

Sanji waited a brief moment, inhaling a deep breath through his nose before removing his finger from your lips, tracing it down your chin and tilting your face to meet his eyes. His gaze was doing its best to disguise the horror of having the secret he thought he’d been withholding from surfacing. 

“I-I’m sorry,” he quickly stuttered, turning and immediately walking back to the kitchen with haste, the steam almost tangibly falling pouring from his ears as he stampeded away. You were too shocked to laugh, but a small giggle fell regardless. 

You could not wait until the rush of service was completed to get to experience the flirtatious fluster of the blond chef after shift hours. Perhaps to even continue what began against the deck chairs in a more quiet and intimate setting.

[digitalfishwish]

Kit's Traybake Pancakes (cinnamon apple var.) - Updated!

Love eating pancakes but hate making them? This traybake pancake recipe may be for you! Making these gives me enough pancake squares for 6 days (5 if you eat two on the day you make them). They’re fluffy, reheat well, can either be eaten with or without maple syrup, and are very customizable! I recommend adding fruit and protein powder like I do in this recipe, making it a (slightly) healthier breakfast than just pure carbs.

(Updated) instructions under the cut!

Full disclosure, the base for this recipe was the mug pancake recipe from Emma’s Goodies, which you can watch here!

I made this mug pancake for years (except with tripled portions because I was using a very big mug) and it was super delicious! However, for just one mug pancake, it was a bit of a production and didn’t feel super worth it. Thusly, I have adapted the recipe to be made in a 13”x9” baking tray, which makes a whole lot of breakfast.

Recipe (serving size: 2 squares):

Base Ingredients:

12 tbsp. butter (I use salted, if you don’t have salted butter, add a small amount of kosher salt to your recipe)

9 tbsp. (1/2 cup+ 1 tbsp) granulated sugar

12 fl.oz. milk (I use skim, use whatever kind you like)

3 cups all-purpose flour

3 tsp. baking powder

Customizable Ingredients:

1 scoop protein powder (I use vanilla flavored whey)

1/4 cup of maple syrup (ideally not pancake syrup, they’re different)

1 apple (I use McIntosh or Honeycrisp)

A piping hot cup of apple tea with a heaping tablespoon of honey

Nutmeg, cinnamon, cardamom to taste, for sprinkling on top

Base Instructions:

Heat oven to 375°F, take out a 13”x9” nonstick baking pan and spray bottom and sides with cooking spray (yes theoretically I know you don’t need to spray a nonstick pan but better safe than sorry).

If you choose to put apple chunks in, I recommend doing this step first. I personally like to let the chunks soak in my favorite loose leaf apple tea (non-sponsored plug)! Boil a cup of water and fill the tea infuser with tea. Add a heaping tablespoon of honey to the cup and stir until it dissolves. Then put them infuser in and steep the tea for three minutes, after which you should give the mug a final stir and pour it into a bowl. See “customizable instructions, steps 2-4” for how I recommend cutting the apple. After that, put the peeled apple chunks into the bowl of delicious tea and let them soak until it’s time to add them later on!

If you’re not putting apple in, do this step first. Put butter in a bowl and melt it in the microwave. I recommend microwaving for 1m20s.

Put butter in a stand mixer, preferably with the paddle attachment. While you heat the milk in the microwave* (40 seconds, I use a glass liquid measuring cup), add the granulated sugar to the mixer. Once the milk is heated, give it a real quick stir, and then add it and use one of the lower settings on your mixer.

(If you have customizable wet ingredients, add them now!)

Add the flour and baking powder, mix again on low setting until it forms a batter (a small amount of lumps is okay from what I’ve heard, you don’t want to overmix).

*You can’t put cold milk into hot butter, it will form little clumps and be gross

Customizable Instructions:

Add a 1/4 cup of maple syrup (as above, preferably before the flour, with the other wet ingredients), and also one scoop of your preferred protein powder. Mix on low setting until it’s incorporated.

Peel the apple wedges with a peeler (don't use the skin, you'll thank me later). If you have an apple cutter (the thing that looks like a wheel with handles), use that. If you don’t:

Take your apple and a large, sharp knife (be careful) and cut the apple in half vertically. Then place it down with the core side up, and cut each apple half like so: cut off the left side, avoiding the core, followed by the right. Then turn what’s left of the half apple on its side, and cut off the last piece at the back. Do the same for the other apple half, then chop the segments into whatever sized chunks you want.

Use as much of it as you want, but I myself use the whole apple. (If you don’t, eat whatever segments you don’t intend to use for a lil snack.) Then put apple chunks into mixer, and half the tea if you made it, and mix until incorporated. (Drink what tea remains, it’s even more delicious now that the fresh apple’s been in it!)

Baking Instructions:

Pour batter into greased baking tray, shake the pan until the batter is flattened and reaches all the corners (or use a spatula and spread it evenly by hand). Optional: Sprinkle the top with cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom according to your tastes. I tend to have a heavy hand even if I don’t mean to, but it still comes out very tasty! (and smells great while baking!)

When the oven reaches temperature (if you preheated it at the beginning, it may have already been at temperature for a while) put the pan in and cook for 35 mins. Know your oven and if it tends to be hotter or colder*, adjust cook time as necessary.

When the timer goes off, test the center in several places with a toothpick. As long as it doesn’t come out goopy, you’re good! (crumbs on the toothpick is fine) I say test in several places because if you accidentally go through a piece of apple, your toothpick may come out slightly wet, but that doesn’t mean the pancakes aren’t done. If it's not done, cook in intervals of 5 minutes, testing each time the timer goes off.

Take pan out and use a butter knife or a pie serving spatula and poke around the edges of the pan to free the pancake traybake from the edges. Let cool for 10 minutes.

Cut into squares. I tend to cut 12 pieces, but you could go smaller or larger depending on how much you intend to eat at once.

*How do I know if my oven runs hot or cold, you may ask? If any recipe you make comes out raw and/or takes longer to cook than the instructions say, your oven is colder! If your food ends up burnt and/or takes less time to cook than the recipe instructions say, your oven is hotter!

Enjoy! I eat two squares at a time and it makes a good breakfast! For storing, put however much of it you can eat in 2-3 days in the fridge. Store the rest in the freezer.

For any customizing other than what I did, use whatever fruit, spices, syrups, and/or protein powders you want! Just be aware that more fruit in the batter means it may take longer to cook!

If you make them, either the same way I did here or differently, let me know how they came out!

OLD EDIT: After some experimentation, it seems like the pancakes come out more moist if baked for 35 minutes at 375°F! I also soak the apple pieces in a cup of “Apple Blood Tea” (find it on adagio teas, it’s super delish!) with honey at the beginning of the process, then add the ‘marinated’ apples and half a cup of the tea into the batter.

NEW EDIT 09/2024: I just changed the recipe whether it needed changing, since I realized that changing stuff behind the readmore didn’t transfer to previously reblogged posts 😫 I also added image descriptions.

[cravefoodie]

🍪 Monster Cookies: Soft, Chewy, and Packed with Flavor 🍪

𝓘𝓷𝓰𝓻𝓮𝓭𝓲𝓮𝓷𝓽𝓼:

1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) salted butter, softened to room temperature

1/2 cup (100g) packed light brown sugar

1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar

3/4 cup (185g) creamy peanut butter

1 large egg, at room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 and 1/4 cups (156g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (43g) quick oats

3/4 cup (150g) M&Ms (any size or variety)

1/2 cup (90g) semi-sweet chocolate chips

𝓓𝓲𝓻𝓮𝓬𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷𝓼:

1️⃣ Preheat oven to 350F (177C). Line baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.

2️⃣ In a large bowl, using a hand-held mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars together on medium speed, about 3 minutes. Mix in the peanut butter, egg, and vanilla (in that order). Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Slowly mix in the baking soda, flour, and salt. Do not over-mix. On low speed, beat in the quick oats, M&Ms, and chocolate chips just until incorporated. If the dough is very soft and unmanageable by hand, chill the dough for 30 minutes before rolling.

3️⃣ Rolls balls of dough, about 2 Tablespoons of dough per ball, onto prepared baking sheet. Press a few extra M&Ms on top for looks, if preferred. Bake for 11-13 minutes‚-- the cookies will still look a little soft, which is recommended. Slightly press down the baked cookies with the back of a spoon, since the cookies only slightly spread in the oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Cookies will firm up as they cool.

[ayeforscotland]

I've made pita really susccessfully with a recipe from the blog Love & Lemons, their recipe is super easy to follow even if you've never dabbled in bread-making, can be doubled easily if you're feeding a lot of people, works both on oven and stove top, and turns out tender and delicious. I'll copy it down below, but If you go to the blog they have really helpful pictures detailing the process. Hope this helps!

Ingredients

3/4 cup warm water

1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons), active dry yeast

1 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon sugar

3 3/4 cups bread flour (469 grams), plus more for dusting

1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the bowl

3/4 cup whole-milk Greek yogurt, (we use Stonyfield)

Instructions

In a medium bowl, combine the water, yeast, and 1 teaspoon of sugar. Let the mixture sit until it’s foamy on top, about 5 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the flour, salt, and remaining tablespoon sugar. Add the yeast mixture, oil, and yogurt, and mix to combine. Knead the dough, either in the stand mixer on medium speed or by hand on a clean work surface, adding more flour if needed, until it’s soft and slightly sticky, 7 to 10 minutes. Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl, cover with a towel or plastic wrap, and let rise until it’s doubled in size, about 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 500°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface and divide it into 12 equal balls. Cover and let rise an additional 20 minutes.

Roll the balls out into circles that are 1/4 to 1/2-inch thick. Place them onto the baking sheets an inch apart, then bake, one sheet at a time, until they’re puffy and lightly browned on top. Begin checking at 5 minutes. We bake them for about 8 minutes, rotating the pan after the 5 minute mark if one side of the sheet is puffing up more than the other. Transfer the pitas to a wire rack to cool.

Notes

Note: These freeze really well. Molly recommends pulling them out of the oven just before they’re brown if you plan to store and reheat them. To thaw, pop them in the toaster - they’ll brown up a bit as they toast.

Thanks for taking the time to write all that out, will hopefully have a chance to try it at some point!

[najia-cooks]

[ID: First image shows small cookies with cracked surfaces in a silver tin with pointed lid embossed with geometric designs; second image shows the same cookies on an engraved silver tray with a tea glass in the background. End ID]

غُريبة لبهلة / Ghriba l'behla (Moroccan shortbread cookies)

Ghriba l'behla (literally, "strange silly"), a popular teatime cookie, are perhaps so named because of the distinctive cracks that form on the surface of the cookies as they rise. Cookies without these distinctive cracks may be ghriba, but they are not ghriba l'behla. The melt-in-your-mouth, crumbly texture of ghriba is traditionally achieved with a 4 : 1 : 1 ratio of flour : sugar : oil.

Ghriba l'behla are commonly made with a specialized mold that gives them a concave bottom, thins them out around the edges, and causes them to crack more dramatically—the underside of a Dutch pancake pan or a mini idli tray would work for this purpose, but ghriba may also be made with a flat cookie sheet.

Though they may be made plain, ghriba are often flavored with toasted sesame, cinnamon, almonds, orange blossom water, and even lemon or orange zest. This recipe is for sesame-cinnamon ghriba, but you may also press an almond into the center of each cookie, coat them in powdered sugar, or add a couple teaspoons of orange blossom water or brine from a jar of Moroccan preserved lemons.

Recipe under the cut!

Patreon | Tip jar

Ingredients:

About 3 cups (360 - 390g) all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp fresh yeast (optional)

1/2 cup (70g) hulled sesame seeds, divided

1/2 cup (118mL) vegetable oil

1/2 cup vegan margarine or shortening, melted

3/4 cup (150 grams) vegetarian granulated sugar

Pinch of salt

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tsp baking powder

Instructions:

1. In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast sesame seeds until they are fragrant and a shade darker. Coarsely grind about half of the toasted sesame seeds in a mortar and pestle or spice mill. Set aside.

2. Melt margarine or shortening in a microwave or on the stovetop. Add sugar and stir to dissolve.

3. Combine margarine mixture and all other ingredients except for four in a large mixing bowl. Add flour a little at a time to make a dry, crumbly mixture that doesn't quite hold together when pressed; you may need more than 3 cups.

4. Knead the dough by hand, or use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment on its lowest setting, for 20 minutes. The dough should appear crumbly, like damp sand, but should now pack into a ball easily when pressed. Add more flour or oil if necessary to achieve this texture, kneading for another few minutes to incorporate.

5. Preheat your oven to 320 °F (160 °C) with the rack in its lowest position. Form the ghriba dough into balls about 3/4” (2cm) in width, packing them together with both hands and then flattening them silghtly between your palms. The edges of the dough should not crack or separate.

If you have a ghriba mold, gently press each ball of dough down over a bump on the mold, pressing down and thinning out the edges slightly to ensure a dramatic, concave bottom.

If you don't have a ghriba mold, place the ghriba on a baking sheet prepared with parchment paper. Make sure to separate them by about an inch, because they will rise slightly.

6. Turn on the broiler and broil the ghriba in the lower rack of your oven for 2-5 minutes, until cracks begin to appear on the surface.

7. Turn the broiler off and move the ghriba to the upper third of the oven. Continue to bake at 320 °F for 3-5 minutes, until very lightly golden brown and not quite firm to the touch.

8. Allow the ghriba to cool for 2 minutes, then transfer them to a wire cooling rack and allow to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

[peachdues]

Idk what spiced honey cakes are but I would love to try one

Here’s the recipe!! Or I’ll drive to you one day with a fresh batch!

SPICED HONEY MEAD CAKES

INGREDIENTS

SPICED MEAD SYRUP

* ▢ 

1 cup mead

* ▢ 

½ cup sugar

* ▢ 

½ cup honey

* ▢ 

1 tsp lemon juice

* ▢ 

1 cinnamon stick

* ▢ 

8 whole cloves

SPICED MEAD HONEYCAKE





* 2 ½ cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

* ▢ 

½ tsp salt

* ▢ 

1 tsp cinnamon

* ▢ 

¼ tsp cloves

* ▢ 

¼ cup mead

* ▢ 

¼ cup plain yogurt

* ▢ 

1 cup butter, softened

* ▢ 

1 cup sugar

* ▢ 

½ cup honey

* ▢ 

1 tsp vanilla extract

* ▢ 

4 eggs

SPICED MEAD SYRUP

* In a small saucepan combine the mead, honey, sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon stick, and whole cloves. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. The syrup will begin to foam as it heats up. Use a small ladle to skim the foam off the surface. Turn off the heat just before the syrup starts to boil. Cover and let the syrup steep and cool down while you prepare the cake.

SPICED MEAD HONEY CAKE


* Preheat the oven to 330° F. Spray the honeycomb cake mold generously with non-stick spray. Alternatively, use a bundt pan or a 9" x 13" baking dish.


* In a mixing bowl combine the flour, baking soda, kosher salt, cinnamon, and cloves. Whisk together to combine and set aside.


* In a small bowl or measuring cup combine the yogurt and mead. Whisk until smooth and set aside.


* In the bowl of a stand mixer combine the softened butter and sugar. Beat using a paddle attachment until the butter and sugar are fully incorporated and creamy. Scrape down the sides as needed. Add the honey and vanilla and beat until combined. 


* Add the eggs one at a time to the mixer, beating in between to ensure the egg is fully incorporated before adding the next egg. Scrape down the sides as needed. After all the eggs have been added beat the mixture on medium high to ensure the mixture is fully combined and is light and fluffy.


* Add one third of the flour mixture to the mixer and beat on low just until the flour is mostly incorporated. Add half of the yogurt mixture and beat just until it is mostly incorporated. Repeat with another third of the flour and the rest of the yogurt mixture. Add the last of the flour mixture and beat on low just until the batter is fully combined.


* Drop the cake batter into the honeycomb cake pan, making sure to fill in all the crevasses. Spread the batter evenly and tap the cake pan a few times on the counter to remove any air pockets. Bake at 330 deg F for 45 to 55 minutes until done and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.


* Let the cake cool in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes and then turn out onto a baking sheet. Remove the spices from the mead syrup. Slowly pour the syrup evenly over the cake, allowing it to absorb into the cake as you pour. Try not to let too much of the syrup spill over onto the baking sheet. Let the cake cool and then enjoy!


[xoxochb]

prue’s ‘bomb ass’ cinnamon rolls! ⋆⁺₊⋆

dough ingredients:

- milk (warmed 110 degrees F): 3/4 cup

- yeast: 2 1/4 teaspoons

- granulated sugar: 1/4 cup

- eggs: 1 egg and 1 egg yolk

- butter (melted): 1/4 cup

- all purpose flour: 3 cups

- salt: 3/4 teaspoons

filing ingredients

- light brown sugar: 3/4 cup

- ground cinnamon: 1 1/2 tablespoons

- softened butter: 1/4 cup

icing ingredients:

- powdered sugar: 2 cup

- melted butter: 2 tablespoons

- vanilla: 2 teaspoons

- milk: 4 tablespoons

the making insturctions

- warm the milk to 110 degrees F by placing it in the microwave and cook for 40-45 seconds. place hot milk in a small mixing bowl and sprinkle with yeast, immediately whisking to ensure it dissolves; let mixture activate for 5 minutes then transfer to a mixing bowl with the paddle attachment

- while yeast is activating, sift together flour and salt in a medium mixing bowl with a whisk and set aside

- once yeast is activated, add in sugar, eggs (one egg and one egg yolk, very important!) and melted butter; use with paddle attachment until well combined

- replace the paddle attachment with the dough hook attachment on the stand mixer; add all of the flour mixture to the bowl and mix on low speed for 5-7 minutes. (the sough should form into a nice ball and be slightly sticky. If it’s not stick enough add more milk if it’s too sticky add 1-2 tablespoons of flour)

- transfer the dough ball to a lightly floured surface and knead for 1-2 minutes to finish smoothing out the flour then transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl (there should be no pooling of oil). cover with plastic wrap and allow it to rise

after the rising

- after it’s done rising lay it out on a lightly floured surface and using a rolling pin roll out the dough into a 14 inch length x 9 inch width rectangle (do not fold or mash the dough during this process)

- pour brown sugar mix (aka the filling) onto the dough and evenly spread then pack; tightly roll dough up, starting from the 9-inch side and place seam side down making sure to seal the edges of the dough as best you can

- cut into 1 inch sections with string (you should get 9 large pieces!)

- place cinnamon rolls in a greased baking pan (coat the pan with pan-spray, line with parchment paper, then spray again

- preheat ovens to 350 degrees F

- place cinnamon rolls in oven; set timer for 10 minutes to start

- after 10 minutes, check the consistency and rotate the pan

- bake more as needed (about another 10 minutes) or until just slightly golden brown on the edges

- allow them to cool for 5-10 minutes

- during the cooling process mix all your icing ingredients together, then put it over the cinnamon rolls and bon appetite!

[xombigirl]

Black Moss Cupcake Recipe

Thanks to a review of Exquisite Exandria by CBR.com we now have the recipe for Uthodurn's infamous Black Moss Cupcakes!

INGREDIENTS:

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes Ingredients: 1 cup all-purpose flour 3/4 cup sugar 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 3/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 large egg 2/3 cup whole milk 1/3 cup sour cream 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 2-3 drops black food coloring (optional)

Chocolate Matcha Frosting 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 ounces full-fat cream cheese (room temperature) 1 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1/2 teaspoon matcha powder 1 teaspoon whole milk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 pinch of salt

Moss Cookie Crunchies 3/4 cup vanilla wafer cookies 1/12 teaspoon matcha powder 1/12 teaspoon light brown sugar 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Dust of Deliciousness: Ingredients redacted, food glitter recommended as replacement

INSTRUCTIONS:

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes

Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 325*F/165*C. Line the cups of a 12-cup standard muffin tin with paper cupcake liners.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In a second large mixing bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, sour cream, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and black food coloring until no streaks of egg remain. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix with a rubber spatula until a smooth batter forms and no pockets of dry flour remain.

Fill each cupcake liner about two-thirds full. Bake, rotating the pan front to back halfway through baking, 16-19 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached. Let cool slightly, then transfer the cupcakes onto a cool rack and let cool completely.

Chocolate Match Frosting

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter, cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, cocoa powder, matcha powder, milk, vanilla, and salt. (Alternatively, use a large mixing bowl and electric handheld mixer.) Mix on low speed just until the ingredients are combined, then increase the speed to medium-high and beat until frosting is light and fluffy, 1 1/2-2 1/2 minutes. Transfer the frosting to a large piping bag fitted with a straight tip, or a zip-top bag with one corner snipped off.

Moss Cookie Crunchies

Place the vanilla wafer cookies in the bowl of a food processor and process until they are the texture of fine sand, 15-25 seconds. (Alternatively, place the cookies in a large zip-top bag and smash with a rolling pin or skillet.) Transfer the crushed cookies to a large mixing bowl and add the brown sugar and matcha powder. Add the melted butter and mix, using your hands, until the crumbs are evenly moistened.

Dust of Deliciousness

Frost the cupcakes by piping an even, generous layer of frosting on top of each. Working with one cupcake at a time, invert the cupcake and gently press the frosted top into the bowl of cookie crunchies, rotating so the moss sticks to the sides of the frosting until the top is evenly coated. Repeat this process with the remaining cupcakes. Sprinkle all with Dust of Deliciousness.

[cloudcountry]

if you play your cards right

Genre/Tropes: No notable ones.

Summary: You were tasked with baking cookies for the Unbirthday party, alone. You did not end up alone. With you and Trey in the kitchen, you'd expect things to go off without a hitch, except he keeps teasing you in ways that kinda make you want to disappear.

Author's Comments: I really laid it on thick with the whole "reader is down bad" narrative so if it seems a bit excessive that's why oopsie. I hope you all enjoy it though!!

~~~~~

You’d been tasked with something extremely important.

The Housewarden and Vice Housewarden were both counting on you. If you messed this up, the Unbirthday Party would be in disarray. It was up to you to complete this task and make the chocolate chip cookies Riddle requested. Why he didn’t want tarts this time was beyond you, maybe it was to provide variety or a request made out of pure curiosity. Whatever the case, the entire Heartslabyul dorm was relying on you…

Or at least, that's what you thought would be happening. Turns out, Trey had finished up his duties early just to oversee your baking.

Maybe if you didn’t have a raging crush on him, that wouldn’t have been such a problem.

You eyed the vanilla extract carefully, slowly dipping it towards the measuring tool. You were trying your best to ignore the eyes that burned into your back, watching your every move. Trey was more calculated than anyone gave him credit for—you just wished he wouldn’t stare at you intently.

So lost in your thoughts, you almost screamed when Trey rested his hand on your shoulder.

“I can help you with that.” he said softly, eyes warm when they locked with yours, “My siblings have trouble pouring out the vanilla extract all the time.”

“I’ve got it thanks!” you shrieked, whipping your head back towards the task at hand.

Trey snickered upon seeing you in such a panicked state—which you didn’t think was very funny—and plucked the extract from your hands.

‘Hey!” you whined, reaching for the ingredient that was rightfully yours.

“Let me do it.” he shushed you, effortlessly pouring the extract into the measuring tool and tossing it into the mixing bowl.

“Show off.” you huffed, face growing warm as he smirked at you.

“Come here.” he beckoned you closer, offering you his hand.

You swallowed thickly, letting him pull you into him.

“We just need to mix it now.” he hummed, absentmindedly rubbing his thumb over your hand in a process, “Come on, the honor is yours.”

You avoided his gaze, slowly removing your hand from his. You started the mixer as quickly as possible, trying your best to ignore his watchful gaze.

“You’ve got the talent to work alongside me someday.” he hummed, patting your head gently, “You should come to my bakery sometime. I’d love to have you.”

Going to the bakery? Visiting him while he baked? Meeting his siblings? Meeting his parents?

That was a bit too soon for your tastes. You’d explode.

But could you really pass up on that opportunity?

“I’d love-! I mean- I’ll think about it.” you replied, finally meeting his eyes, “Anyways, why does Riddle want cookies for this party? And why did you think I needed help? I can do things on my own-!”

“Woah, one at a time, dear.” he teased, rubbing his chin thoughtfully, “Since we usually have tarts and Riddle’s trying to break away from the whole Overblot incident, my guess is he’s trying something new. Something simple, to see how it goes over with the dorm. And I just like spending time with you. Is that so hard to believe?”

Trey turned away before you could reply, turning off the mixer. He began to scrape the cookie dough off of the paddle mixer attachment with a rubber spatula. You watched his arms work at the dough and ripped your eyes away when he looked back at you.

“I won’t let you eat any of the cookie dough, but I’ll let you get the first cookie once they’re cool.” he chuckled, removing the mixing bowl.

A mental image of Trey feeding you cookie dough popped into your mind, and you had to shake it away.

“I can’t wait…since you’re helping me, I’m sure they’ll be delicious!” you smiled awkwardly, turning on your heel to grab the baking trays.

You heard Trey snicker behind you, a soft sound that made your heart patter. Why couldn’t you just act normal around him? You made quick work of grabbing the trays you needed, then the parchment paper. You set them down on the counter, and Trey quickly prepared them for the dough. His movements were so refined, there was no way he hadn’t done this a thousand times.

“You flatter me.” he finally replied, grabbing the cookie scoop from a drawer you didn’t even notice and reaching for your hand once again.

You gave it to him, except this time, he pulled you into his chest.

What the-?!

“Hold this.” he pressed the cookie scoop to your palm, and you wrapped your fingers around it.

He placed his hand over yours and began to scoop out bits of cookie dough from the bowl, releasing them onto the baking sheet. You swallowed thickly as Trey began to hum, resting his chin on you as yet another scoop of cookie dough found its way on the sheet. Your embarrassment faded to a sense of serenity, mostly because of the gentle tune that made all the stress in your body melt away. Before you could regain your focus, an entire tray was filled with cookie dough.

“What song is that? I haven’t heard it before.” you looked at Trey inquisitively.

“It’s an old lullaby my mother sang to me when I was a kid. It was odd, seeing her go from being adamant about the way I brushed my teeth to singing a lullaby as I drifted off. I’ve sung to my siblings a few times when she’s busy tidying up the bakery.”

“That’s so sweet.” you murmured, your thoughts drifting off again, “You’d make a good father, Trey.”

He blinked, and you nearly had a heart attack when he rested his chin on you once again.

“You think so?” he chuckled, wrapping his arms around your waist, “That’s very sweet of you to say.”

“I didn’t mean to let that slip! That was really weird, I’m sorry-” you were stopped by another laugh, this time louder.

“You’re so cute- It’s okay, I’m flattered.” he beamed, patting you on the head before turning his attention back to the cookie, “If you play your cards right, you might have an opinion of what I’d be like as a husband, too.”

You couldn’t stop the strangled noise that escaped your throat as your face burned once again, the fire in your cheeks growing more intense when he started laughing.

Trey Clover was going to kill you before you ever found that out, but maybe you’d get used to it if you stuck around.

[briarpatch-kids]

wait how do you use a stand mixer for mashed potatoes?

Boil potatoes, have someone else drain them or fish them out with a wire basket, then plop them in the mixer bowl with the stuff you want in them and use the batter paddle to mash them. You have to have them on the lowest speed and watch them VERY carefully or they'll end up getting gluey though.

This is the paddle I'm talking about, the dough hook is useless and the whisk attachment gets full of potato and that sucks.

[thevalkyriesshadow]

Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies!

This is Elain’s favorite recipe to make with Nyx and Lucien! They're delicious, gooey, and reminiscent of childhood!

@elainarcheronweek

Recipe by Jenn Segal

Yields 36 cookies

Total time: 25 minutes, plus 1 hr for chilling the dough

Ingredients:

1½ cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup creamy peanut butter, at room temperature (I recommend Skippy Natural No Need To Stir)

¾ cup packed dark brown sugar

¼ cup granulated sugar, plus more for rolling the cookies

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large egg

36 Hershey's kisses

Instructions:

1) In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

2) In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or beaters, beat the butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla on medium speed until well combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the egg and beat until incorporated, about 20 seconds more. Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary. Refrigerate the dough for about 1 hour, or until firm enough to roll.

3) Preheat the oven to 350°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place about ½ cup granulated sugar in a small bowl for rolling.

4) Roll the dough into tablespoon-size balls, then roll in the granulated sugar; place 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until puffed, 8 to 9 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and lightly press a Hershey's kiss into the center of each cookie (the dough will crack slightly). Return the cookies to the oven and bake until the cookies are golden and the chocolate is glossy, about 2 minutes more. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining cookie dough, storing the dough in the refrigerator between batches. Store the cookies in a single layer in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

[slufoot]

salted shortbread biscuits with cardamom, orange and white chocolate

a recipe

Rosa Tahoe Williams

ingredients 130g unsalted butter (soft, room temperature) 60g golden caster sugar 180g plain flour 100g white chocolate (chips or chopped pieces) 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 heaped tsp sea salt flakes (plus more for sprinkling across the top) 1/4 heaped tsp ground cardamom zest of half an orange method 1. weigh the sugar in a large bowl and zest the orange across the sugar. use your hands to rub the zest into the sugar. this gets the most out of beautiful aromatic scents and flavours from the orange.2. add the butter to the bowl and cream together with the sugar using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or electric mixer until the mix is light and fluffy. add the vanilla extract and cardamom and mix through. 3. sieve the flour into the bowl and stir through with the salt and white chocolate. take care not to overwork the dough. once it has come together use your hands to shape the dough into a rough disc shape. 4. lightly flour your worktop and roll the dough out to 1/2 cm thick. use a cookie cutter to stamp out the cookies. place the cookies onto the prepared baking tray. bring together any scraps of dough, re-roll and stamp out more cookies. repeat until the dough is used up. prick the top of the cookies once with the tines of a fork. 5. place the cookies in the fridge and chill for 30 minutes. whilst they are chilling pre-heat the oven to 150c (fan). 6. bake the cookies for 12-14 minutes or until just golden around the edges. remove from the oven and let cool completely on a cooling rack.

notes this recipe makes around 10-12 biscuits, depending on how accurate your 1/2 cm roll is. you can also shape them in anyway you desire, just make sure they are 1/2 cm thick. i haven’t tried or tested it but if you’d prefer to use milk or dark chocolate they could work nicely instead of white chocolate.

[mariacallous]

The secret to the perfect bagel is a subject of heated discourse. After trying bagels from New York City to Seattle, we can tell you one thing: it’s not the water source; it’s the baker. One of our biggest breakthroughs was a starch slurry, which not only helps toppings stick but also makes it possible to use larger items — sunflower seeds, chopped nuts — that otherwise wouldn’t cling well.

Why are bagels first boiled or steamed? Because either method of applying heat pregelatinizes the starch on the crust; this is why bagels are so shiny after they bake.

Cooking Notes:

If using a 4.5 qt or 8 qt stand mixer, sometimes the ingredients are not enough for the dough hook to mix them well; use a paddle attachment initially to get all the ingredients uniformly mixed. Once you have a shaggy mass (the dough is sticky and wet, but there are no visible clumps of flour or unincorporated water in the bowl), switch to a hook attachment.

Because bagel dough is stiff, mixing it in a stand mixer can cause the machine to struggle and possibly burn out. If your stand mixer is dancing on the table, it either has too much dough or too stiff of a dough (or both) for it to handle. 

For a 4.5 qt bowl, you can mix on the lowest possible speed, which will double the mixing time. You can also mix the dough to a shaggy mass, divide the dough in half, and mix it to full gluten development in two batches.

The final mix time at higher speeds may vary from machine to machine. The goal is to achieve full gluten development. Consider our suggested times as guidelines only. Let your visual assessment and the windowpane test determine the dough’s stage of gluten development.

To make the dough easier to handle, add 0.05% fresh pineapple juice or 0.8% fresh kiwi juice.

Keep the dough covered as you weigh out the pieces; this dough dries out easily because of its low hydration.

Make sure that the hole in the middle of the bagel is centered, or it will proof and bake unevenly.

Although bagels are proofed and baked on a half sheet pan, we recommend placing the half sheet pan on a baking stone that is on the middle shelf of the oven. This will provide the dough with a good oven spring and will reduce baking time. Alternatively, you can slide the parchment paper the bagels are on directly onto the baking stone.

Storage Note: If you aren’t going to eat the bagels the same day, let them cool, and then immediately slice them in half, wrap each half, and freeze them for up to 2 months. Frozen bagels can be dropped into the toaster without thawing.

[sublimecoffeefestival]

Elain Archeron Cookie Exchange

Thanks to @elainarcheronweek for this adorable idea!! This is the first of three recipes I plan to share. The first up is:

Chai-Spiced “Snickerdoodles”

(Note that these are technically sugar cookies, as they do not contain cream of tartar, but everyone in my life insists on calling them “snickerdoodles”)

I would bet that Elain would be a Swiftie, but I’m not convinced she’d be a big fan of Taylor’s tea-bag method. I prefer the flavor of incorporating spices inspired by Chai in the cookie. Like Taylor’s, these are adapted from Joy the Baker (the photo credit is also Joy the Baker! I’m in the process of moving as I work on my dissertation, and my husband accidentally packed my hand mixers and stand mixer)

For the Cookies:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup vegetable oil (choose a neutral-tasting oil)

1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar

1/2 cup (60 grams) powdered sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Scant 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 large egg

2 teaspoons of vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)

2 cups (250 grams) all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

For the rolling sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

3/4 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp cloves

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1/4 tsp cardamom

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350° F (175° C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Using a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter in a large bowl on medium speed for about 1 minute. Add both sugars and cream together for a few minutes, until light and fluffy.

Add spices. Beat to combine.

Add eggs and vanilla. Beat to combine.

Add flour, baking powder, salt all at once. Mix on low (if using an electric mixer) or with a wooden spoon until combined. Do not over mix.

Chill in the fridge for one hour, or in the freezer for 15 minutes (just so it’s easier to work with)

Mix together all ingredients for the rolling sugar mixture in a shallow bowl or a pie plate.

When ready, measure out dough and form into balls. I like to use a 1.5 Tablespoon cookie scoop for this. Roll each ball in the sugar mixture.

Place cookie dough balls on the cookie sheet 2 inches (5 cm) apart. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 10-12 minutes, or until edges of cookies are set. Let stand on the cookie sheet for at least 5 minutes, then move to wire rack to finish cooling.

Eat as is, or top with a vanilla, chai, or eggnog glaze! Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Enjoy!