Taking it to the Sweet: Making the World Sweeter With Free Treats

We could all take a cue from Miss Rumphius, a children's book written and illustrated by Barbara Cooney.

Early on in the book, the main character's grandfather offers a life lesson, urging her to see the world, seek adventure, but says that ultimately, "you must do something to make your world more beautiful".

And with that principle as my guide, I've done this in the most simple way: by putting out sweet treats for people passing by my retail store. 

Why do this? Well, a couple reasons. True, it does bring customers in (and this helps with my rent and keeps my pugs in puppy chow).

But even more so, it's an incredible thing to see people's reactions as they pass by.

There is a certain magic to seeing people's faces light up as they unexpectedly encounter a tray of brightly colored cookies, cupcakes, or even Pop-Tarts broken into bite-sized pieces. Especially in a neighborhood which is best known for its disaffected hipsters. It's fun to see them smile.

As for the sweets themselves? Sometimes they are homemade, and sometimes they are store-bought. Truly, though, (yes, I'll admit it!) the sweets themselves are almost secondary to the idea that this gesture is meant to take one out of the sometimes dull routine of everyday life--if only for a sweet and fleeting moment.

After all, who isn't just a little delighted by the prospect of a free cookie or treat, just because?

And it's fun to muse on the possible sweet implications: for instance, if encountering unexpected treats brightened one person's day enough so that they smiled at the next person they saw on the street, and that act put that person in a better mood...well, just think of the sweet domino effect this could all have.

Here's to a sweet week for all!

Want to see the magic for yourself? I'll be putting these out today (while they last!):

Total sweetness, brought to you by CakeSpy Shop, 415 E. Pine Street, Capitol Hill, Seattle.

A Midsummer Night's Creamsicles for Serious Eats

This week marks Midsummer, that magical part of the year where the days are long and, according to Shakespeare, the nights are made of magic.

And while Shakespeare is fine, creamsicles are divine--and so I present A Midsummer Night's Creamsicles, a homemade version of the classic treat which truly taste best when enjoyed in the summer months. This adaptation of the creamsicle couldn't be easier to make. While I can't guarantee that they'll inspire Shakespeare in the Park-style monologues, with their sweet vanilla ice cream center surrounded by a creamy-tart orange coating, I can say that they're decidedly dreamy.

Or as Shakespeare might say, "To sleep, perchance, to creamsicle."

For more, plus the recipe, visit Serious Eats!

Essie's Cookies: A Sweet Treat From Betty Crocker's Cooky Book

Well, it was natural that I would feel an affinity with a recipe called "Essie's Cookies"--after all, Essie sounds like Jessie, and that's me!

But rhyming namesake aside, what do these cookies have to offer for eaters? Well, according to the intro in what you have to know is my favorite cookie cookbook, Betty Crocker's Cooky Book, they are a "crisp, crunchy, good-eating cooky". Quel mysterieuse! Curious, I whipped up a batch.

Turns out, these are an amazingly easy rolled sugar cookie, and true to BC's word, very "good-eating". Visiting parents favored the ones from the back of the pan which were crispy on the edges; Mr. Spy and I ate up the softy ones from the front (because no, I didn't rotate the pan--even though I know you're supposed to. Whatevs).

Oh, and in the spirit of abbreviation (and ingredient availability chez moi) I omitted the split almonds on top. Don't tell Essie, but I think they were fine without.

Here's the recipe:

Essie's Cookies 

Makes about 36 cookies

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder

Optional: 1 egg white (for an egg wash), 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 cup sugar, and toasted split almonds to top the cookies (I just sprinkled with sugar)

Procedure

1. In a stand mixer, mix butter, 1 cup sugar, egg, and flavoring thoroughly.
2. In a separate bowl, stir together flour and baking powder.
3. Blend the flour mixture into the wet mixture. Chill dough for at least an hour.
4. Heat oven to 375 F. Roll dough 1/16" thick on a lightly floured, cloth covered board. Cut with cookie cutters; place on an ungreased baking sheet.
5. If you're doing the egg wash business, beat the egg white with a fork and brush over cookies; sprinkle the cinnamon and sugar on top, and garnish with toasted split almonds. Or, if you're lazy like me, just sprinkle with sugar and pop 'em in the oven.
6. Bake 8-10 minutes, or until lightly brown at the edges.

Cake Byte: Gamma Ray Games Anniversary, There Will Be Cupcakes

The best part about owning a store? Well, other than the boatloads of cash that customer throw at me on a daily basis, that is?

Totally sweet neighbors. 

Next to CakeSpy Shop in Capitol Hill are a suite of totally sweet shops, including Spine and Crown Books, Zero Zero Hair Salon, and Gamma Ray Games. And soon, the latter will be celebrating their one year anniversary--and there will be cupcakes. From another Capitol Hill institution, Cupcake Royale.

So why not help my sweet neighbors celebrate, since you'll probably be in the neighborhood draining your bank account at my store anyway? There will be games, and an art exhibition to help you digest your delicious cupcakes.

Save the date: Gamma Ray Games 1 Year Anniversary - July 6. There will be cupcakes.

For more info, visit gammaraygamestore.com.

White Light: White Chocolate and Apricot Cookies Recipe

I'll confess: one of my favorite things about the publication Seattle Woman Magazine is that they often feature recipes from Macrina Bakery, a famous bakery around these parts. And in a recent issue, they featured a recipe for chocolate and apricot cookies. Delicious combination? I think so.

In my version, they get an even sweeter makeover by using white chocolate chips and a handful of candied walnuts, making for a tempting treat for customers at my store!

Of course, if you can't stop by to try them, make the magic happen in your own household: here's my adaptation of the recipe.

White Chocolate and Apricot Cookies

Adapted from Macrina Bakery

Makes 15 jumbo cookies, or up to 36 small cookies

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon finely ground espresso or coffee
• 10 ounces white chocolate chips
• 3/4 cup apricots, diced
• a generous handful of candied walnuts (optional)
• 8 ounces butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups sugar (original recipe called for half white and half brown, but I only had white--still tasty)
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Procedure 

1. Combine flour, baking soda, salt, and espresso in a medium bowl. Mix with a whisk until evenly distributed. Add chocolate chips and apricot bits and mix well. Set aside.
2. Combine the butter and sugar in a stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment, mix on medium speed for about 5 minutes, until the mixture is smooth and pale in color. Add 1 egg at a time, mixing until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and then add the vanilla. Continue mixing until butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla are all incorporated (about 1 minute). Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
3. Add the dry ingredients in 3 additions. Mix on low speed for no more than 1 minute. Remove bowl from mixture and do a final mix with a rubber spatula.
4. Remove from bowl and chill for at least one hour.
5. Preheat oven to 350. Line two baking sheets with parchment.
6. Scoop dough with a medium-sized ice cream scoop to form 1-inch balls. Leave at least an inch and a half around each cookie to allow for some spreading.
7. Bake cookies for 15-18 minutes, turning about halfway to ensure even baking. Cookies should be golden at the edges but soft in the middle.
8. These cookies will keep for up to 3 days in an airtight container.

Baker's Dozen: A Batch of Sweet Links

Happy Friday! Here's a baker's dozen of sweet ways to spend some time on the internet!

How many cakes are Father's Day Tie themed? More than you'd think.

Red Velvet Madness: read the recaps on the Red Velvet Smackdown at CakeSpy Shop on Lorna Yee's and Jackie Baisa's sites!

A Tablet, but not for writing: Not So Humble Pie introduced me to a Scottish Candy.

The. Most. Stunning. Swiss Black Forest Cake. (via Passionate About Baking)

The Best Chocolate Cake in the World? A new bakery with serious moxie in NYC.

Mighty Donuts: Leslie Kelly interviews Sara Beth Russert of Mighty-O Donuts.

Setting out to try 7 cupcake shops in one day? I salute you, Road to Sweetness.

Just donut: a sweet (and calorie-free!) donut clutch by Confection Collection!

Get Figgy: Ricotta with Honey and Roasted Figs recipe, via the Zabar's blog.

Sweet bites: online bakery Sweet Dreamery Desserts sells Tiffany Blue "Sweetbites" cake truffles.

"I'm not sure if this video is supposed to make you want to eat cupcakes, or make you never eat them again"--Cake Gumshoe Phil on the new Katy Perry video.

Cake stationery alert! You can find some cute cards here.

Sweet memories: rediscover the mazurka bar!

Cake Byte: Delicious Pina Colada Cupcakes from Trophy Cupcakes

Pictured in front of Nihontown by Ken TayaPina Coladas? So passe. It's all about the Pina Colada cupcake these days, and if you're feeling the need, Seattle's Trophy Cupcakes has you covered.

What makes up a Pina Colada cupcake? Inspired by the classic cocktail's flavors, this sweet treat is comprised of a pineapple coconut cupcake topped in coconut rum buttercream--all prettily topped with a maraschino cherry. 

But really, telling you the facts about the flavor do little to convey the extremely enjoyable experiene of eating it: this cupcake is super sweet, and perfectly complemented by a boozy (watch out!) frosting, which is definitely not for kids but oh so enjoyable for adults. 

I'd go so far as to say that any hour this cupcake is consumed is an extremely Happy Hour. But watch out--other flavors might get jealous!

Pina Colada Cupcakes, available every Tuesday and Friday through June at all Trophy Cupcakes locations. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow them on Twitter and on Facebook!

Cake Byte: Threadcakes Contest is Back!

When cool and clever apparel design and cakes meet, the results are totally sweet.

This is all to say: the Threadcakes Contest is back!

What is this, you may be asking? Well, per the website,

Threadcakes is a fun, online cake-baking contest run by Chris Cardinal and Threadless.com, where bakers like you (and non-bakers like me) turn their favorite Threadless designs into amazing cakes! (Lovingly hosted by Synapse Studios.) 

For instance, the above cake was inspired by the t-shirt design to the left. Awesome, right?

What it basically amounts to is a cool cake contest for bakers--or, if you're not so artistically inclined, a really fun place to browse cakes that other people have made.

For the rules and to learn how to enter, visit the site; for previous winning entries, click here.

Wild Oats: Oatsies Recipe From Betty Crocker's Cooky Book

Pop Quiz: when faced with the prospect of imminent Oatsies, the proper reaction is:

A. Panic--you must run from this menace!

B. Dread--you're definitely going to need to visit the doctor.

C. A world-weary sigh--you don't need this today.

D. Delight--you're faced with the prospect of a delicious treat!

Of course, anyone who knows Oatsies knows that the answer is D: you are faced with the prospect of a delicious treat. But for those who may not be in the know, let me share with you what exactly what an oatsie is, from my BFF cookbook, Betty Crocker's Cooky Book:

A delicious caramel-like oat confection topped with chocolate. Shared with us by Charlotte Johnson of our staff, who makes them often for her college-student son and daughter.

And a most sincere thanks to Ms. Johnson, wherever she may be, for these are indeed a treat to be treasured: sweet, lightly salty, nutty, oaty, caramelly, and extremely addictive.

Oatsies

Ingredients

• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1/2 cup brown sugar (packed)
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/4 cup corn syrup (recipe calls for dark; I used light because it is what I had)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 package (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate pieces (I used these nice fat chips)
• 1/4 cup chopped nuts (I used pecans)

Procedure

1. Heat oven to 400 F.
2. Mix oats and sugar in a large, heatproof bowl (you'll need to pour a hot mixture over it soon).
3. Melt butter; add syrup, salt, and vanilla. Pour over the oats and sugar; mix well.
4. Pat mixture into a greased square pan (I used 8x8-inches).
5. Bake 8-10 minutes--do not overbake! (How do you know it's done? It will be lightly bubbling on the sides)
6. Melt chocolate and spread on top--or, if you're like me and don't read directions thoroughly, just sprinkle on the chocolate pieces and let them melt on the still-hot mixture.
7. Sprinkle nuts on top of this, and let cool (or, again, like me, don't follow the directions and eat immediately. Messy, but tasty). You'll need a pretty sharp knife to cut these, as they're pretty sticky. Happily, I have a sharp and fancy knife called the "Jessica" (like me!) with which I can do these things.

CLOSED: Sweet Giveaway: Win a Love n Bake Sampler Pack!

Free stuff is the best--especially when it's sweet and delicious and when it has the potential to make you very, very, happily, fat.

This is all to say: how about a giveaway? Love n Bake, a manufacturer of what I can attest are completely delicious fillings for baking, has kindly offered a sampler pack of some of their most popular products for one lucky winner! It consists of a can each of almond filling, chocolate "schmear" filling (which one would use to make Blackout Crumb bars!), hazelnut praline filling, and almond paste. 

So, first things first. This giveaway is only open in the US--but other than that, entry is open! How do you get yourself in the running? Simply leave a comment letting me know what baking project you'd try first with these sweet fillings (don't worry, you won't be judged on originality--this is just to satisfy this spy's curiosity. Oh, and if you need ideas, get some on the Love n Bake blog). The giveway will close next Friday, June 25, at 12 pm PST, and a winner will be announced shortly thereafter.

So here goes: What sweet recipe would these fillings inspire you to try?

Update: the winner! We have a winner! Katie, who is going to put her prize to good use: "I would use the chocolate on mini chocolate chip cheesecake bites." Nom! Find Katie online here.

Lovely Leche: Dulce de Leche Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars

When I encountered the recipe for Dulce de Leche Cheesecake bars in last month's issue of Bon Appetit, my eyes got really big and I think I probably said something like "Whoa".

After a brief moment of despair at having no graham crackers or cream cheese in the house, I found myself wondering "could this work with peanut butter and Reese's Puffs cereal instead?". And so I made said substitutions, and found myself with a pretty tasty treat. They could have chilled longer to set, but friends had no problem dealing with the dulce de leche ooze.

Dulce de Leche Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars

Adapted from Bon Appetit

Ingredients

Crust

• Nonstick vegetable oil spray
• 2 1/4 cups finely ground Reese's Puffs cereal
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, melted

Filling

• 1 16-ounce jar peanut butter (preferably smooth, full-fat)
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup purchased dulce de leche
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Glaze

• 2/3 cup purchased dulce de leche
• 3 tablespoons (or more) heavy whipping cream
• (optional) a spoonful of hot fudge sauce

Procedure

1. Make the Crust. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 13x9x2-inch metal baking pan with nonstick spray (I used an 8x8-inch pan for fat, thick bars). Mix cereal crumbs, sugar, and cinnamon in medium bowl. Add melted butter; stir until coated. Transfer crumb mixture to pan. Press evenly onto bottom of pan. Bake until crust is light golden, about 10 minutes. Cool completely on rack.
2. Make the Filling. Blend peanut butter and sugar in a stand mixer until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute, stopping occasionally to scrape down sides of bowl. Add eggs 1 at a time, processing 3 to 5 seconds to blend between additions. Add dulce de leche and vanilla; process until blended, about 10 seconds. Spread batter evenly over cooled crust. Bake until just set in center and edges are puffed and slightly cracked, about 38 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool completely.
3. Make the Glaze. Heat dulce de leche, 3 tablespoons cream and chocolate sauce (if using) in microwave-safe bowl in 10-second intervals until melted. Stir to blend, adding more cream by teaspoonfuls if too thick to pour (amount of cream needed will depend on brand of dulce de leche). Pour glaze over cooled baked mixture; spread evenly. Refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour (glaze will not be firm). Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover; keep chilled. Sprinkle bars with fleur de sel.

Cake Byte: New Magnets by iPop!

What is that force pulling you to CakeSpy Shop?

The new magnets I just designed for iPop, natch.

There are several new magnet designs available both online and at the CakeSpy retail shop (and, if you're a retailer, you can order them wholesale directly from iPop), including:

A 2-inch jumbo magnet featuring Cuppie Love;

a 2-inch jumbo magnet featuring Cuppie the artist (pictured top);

a 5-pack of half-inch miscellaneous cupcakes;

and a 4-pack of 1-inch magnets featuring pie, cake, cupcake, and cookie!

...of course, the other super cute designs are still available too!

CakeSpy for iPop Clicks magnets, available here!

Belle of the Ball: Coconut Belles from the Betty Crocker Cooky Book

At first glance, Coconut Belles don't look like anything out of the ordinary: they look like a pleasing, if unremarkable, bar cookie.

But don't be fooled. The Coconut Belle one coy little cookie bar. I found them in the "family favorites" section of Betty Crocker's Cooky Book, where this cryptic introduction drew me in:

Since this cooky is better the second day than the day it is baked, you must bake them yesterday to enjoy them today.

True to the intro, these cookies taste good just out of the oven, but become something else entirely when left to their own flavor-melding devices overnight: delicately scented with citrus and redolent of rich coconut, these cookies taste far more compelling than their appearance might imply.

Of course, if you bake them around midnight, does that mean they were baked close enough to yesterday to enjoy today? Customers at the store will see.

Coconut Belles

Makes 24 bars

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon lemon extract (I used lemon juice)
• 2 tablespoons cream
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/3 cup shredded coconut, plus extra for sprinkling on top
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped candied orange peel

Procedure

1. Heat oven to 325 F.
2. Mix butter, sugar, egg, vanilla, lemon, and cream thoroughly.
3. Measure flour and mix with salt and baking powder; stir into wet mixture.
4. Blend in the coconut and peel.
5. Spread in a lightly greased pan (I used 8x8-inch). If desired, sprinkle extra coconut on top.
6. Bake 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown. While warm, cut into bars. Serve cooled (the next day is best).

Seeing Red: Cocoa Red Velvet Strawberry Shortcake for Serious Eats

So, today is National Strawberry Shortcake Day. How are you celebrating?

My suggestion? Don your Strawberry Shortcake cartoon character tee from the 1980s, work up an appetite, and make a big batch of Red Velvet Strawberry Shortcake.

The biscuits in this version take a flavor (and, if desired, color) cue from the classic Southern cake, making use of buttermilk, cocoa and red food coloring, which lends a subtle sweetness which works wonderfully with freshly made whipped cream and strawberries, and makes for a very pretty presentation.

Read more--and find the recipe--on Serious Eats!

Whiskey Me Away: Chocolate Whiskey Cake from Columbia City Bakery

It's always five o'clock somewhere, but really, any hour that you devour the chocolate whiskey cake from Columbia City Bakery is a happy hour indeed.

This loaf cake is actually pretty simple: it starts with a dark as night, exceedingly dense and rich chocolate cake, which is then topped with a crowning glory of sweet-but-with-a-bite whiskey-espresso icing glaze.

Something happens when these flavors come together: the chocolate, the whiskey, the sugary glaze with a buzz of espresso: it might just make you tipsy with pleasure overload.

Oh, is this ever a happy cake.

Chocolate Whiskey cake from Columbia City Bakery, 4865 Rainier Ave. South, Seattle; also frequently available at the Broadway Farmer's Market; find out more online at columbiacitybakery.com.

Ding Dong, Man: A Sweet Peek at a Classic Treat

Recently I came across an unexpected surprise at Seattle's Bauhaus Coffee: individually foil-wrapped Ding Dongs for just $1 each. Naturally this was a source of excitement--it's always exciting to find a homemade version of junk food!

Well, upon inquiring further, it turns out that the pastries themselves are nothing of serious note: per the employee I spoke to, they are, in fact, just the commercially made Hostess variety, re-packaged in foil.

However, while one might argue that this is simply a crafty way of re-packaging a 50 cent treat and charging more for it, as it turns out, this way of displaying them is actually quite authentic. Per Wikipedia:

A Ding Dong is a chocolate cake that is sold by Hostess Brands. It is round with a flat top and bottom, about three inches in diameter and a little more than an inch high, similar in shape to a hockey puck. A white creamy filling is injected into the center, and a thin coating of chocolate glaze covers the entire cake. The cake was originally wrapped in a square of thick aluminum foil, enabling it to be carried in lunches without melting the chocolate glaze.

The page also goes on to discuss a bit more about the treat:

The Ding Dong is similar to other cream-filled cakes, such as Arcade Vachon's Jos. Louis introduced before 1934 and still in production. Hostess began marketing their Ding Dong in 1967. The name was given to coincide with a television ad campaign featuring a ringing bell. The company marketed the snacks on the East Coast as Big Wheels, to avoid confusion with the Ring Ding, a similar (and pre-existing) treat by Drake's Cakes. The names were consolidated in 1987, when a short-lived merger of Drake's with Hostess' parent company (then Continental Baking Company) briefly resolved the Ring Ding/Ding Dong conflict. When the merged company broke up, however, Hostess was forced to cease, once again, using the Ding Dongs name in areas where Ring Dings were available. The compromise sound-alike name King Dons lasted untilInterstate Bakeries Corporation, which had recently merged with Hostess' parent company, bought Drake's in 1998. The Hostess product is now sold under the name Ding Dongs throughout the United States. However, the snack is still sold as the King Don in Canada.

and to confirm the bit about the name, I also consulted the official Hostess page:

The name Ding Dong came from the chiming bells used in Hostess' first television commercials and you'll be singing a happy tune every time you polish off a package.  Nibble them slowly, like a king or queen, and savor the creamy goodness of every morsel, or bite right into that creamy center and get a mouthful of chocolate goodness.

Of course, the official page also introduced me to a game I'd never heard of: Ding Dong Ditch, which "involves knocking on the front door (or ringing the doorbell of) a victim, then running away before the door can be answered." Who knew? They even have a video of it in action, with celebrities. Here you go:

For more, check out the official Ding Dong page on the Hostess website!

Sweet Love: A Bakery Crush on Sugar Couture

What happens when a documentary film producer decides to become a pastry chef?

You get delicious desserts of cinematic proportions!

This is the story behind Penny Stankiewicz, owner of Sugar Couture in NYC. What started out as taking a pastry course as a bit of a lark has turned into a full fledged custom dessert business with some serious clients: Sugar Couture has fattened up stars like Tony Bennett, John Mayer, Wyclef Jean, Hugh Jackman, Adele, Hayley Duff, Russel Simmons, Betsey Johnson and Donna Karan at various events. Not that I'm starstruck or anything.

And I can see why the stars flock to these sweet treats: with gorgeous cakes like the ones pictured (and yes, the one to the left does have braces), which come in flavors like "ultra rich butter" and "deep chocolate" (can't you just taste them?) and a signature mini Boston Creme Pie, I am a bit in love myself.

If you're in the NYC area, you can get ahold of some of Sugar Couture's desserts by custom order; for a behind the scenes look, check out the blog.

Nut'n Honey: Honey Peanut Butter Refrigerator Cookies

You probably don't think of peanut butter cookies as a slice-and-bake refrigerator cookie, but you should.

I was immediately intrigued when I discovered this recipe in my beloved Betty Crocker's Cooky Book. And, upon testing out the recipe, ultimately rewarded. These cookies have all of the sweet-and-salty flavor that make peanut butter cookies so deliciously addictive, but with a subtle, mellow dimension from the honey, and a more delicate texture than their classic counterpart. The verdict? These fat, chewy, and lightly crumbly cookies are beyond welcome to co-exist peacefully with the flattened-by-fork tines variety in my cookie jar.

And based on how quickly they disappeared when I put them out at my shop, I'd say that the public agrees. Well, either that, or people will eat anything when it's free.

Note: The original recipe calls for 2/3 cup peanut butter and 1/2 cup chopped peanuts. I split the difference and used a cup-and-a-bit extra of chunky peanut butter--this kind, if you're curious. Also, I used more baking powder than specified in the original recipe.

Honey Peanut Butter Refrigerator Cookies

Adapted from Betty Crocker's Cooky Book

- Makes about 30 cookies -

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup honey or corn syrup (I used honey)
• 1 cup (and maybe a spoonful extra) chunky peanut butter
• 1 egg
• 2 cups flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Procedure

1. Mix butter, sugar, honey, peanut butter, and egg thoroughly.
2. Mix your remaining dry ingredients together, and then stir in bit by bit to your wet ingredient mix. If it is too dry, add a few drops of milk or cream until it is cohesive.
3. Roll into a couple of logs, about 1 1/2 inches in diameter; wrap in waxed paper or plastic wrap and chill for several hours or overnight.
4. Heat oven to 400 F. Cut dough in fat slices (I did about 1/2 inch) and place about 1 inch apart on a greased baking sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes, or until lightly brown on the edges. Let cool for about 5 minutes on the sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool.

Sweet Art: World Pupcakes

When it comes to puns related to the World Cup, what is the best direction to go? World Pup? Nah--not cute enough. World cup-cakes? Nah, still not quite there.

Oh--I've got it: combine them for ultimate cuteness! World Pupcakes!

In honor of that big soccer (to my friends not in the US, that's football) event that starts today!

Baker's Dozen: A Batch of Sweet Links

Item of the week at CakeSpy Shop: New Giclee print by Julie West!Make the most of your friday by checking out these super sweet links!

Tiramisu that soaks up wine instead of coffee is just fine by me.

Beet cake is divine when topped with "slabs" of cream cheese frosting. 

A carrot cake to dream about, via Mango Power Girl.

What's the next big thing in baking? Modern Baking weighs in.

Where do cupcakes come from? "The Talk" notecards (featuring the image at the top of the post) now available online and at the retail CakeSpy Shop!

Sounds like a sweet getaway to me: 10 sweet factory tours to take in the US!

Sweet news: Treats Truck goes stationary--with a brick and mortar retail location!

Peanut butter, bacon, sugar, and a side of sweet pun: Sir Francis Bacon's bacon peanut brittle! (via The Nibble)

A savory side that is sweet enough for CakeSpy approval: Tom Douglas's Cornbread Pudding recipe from Etta's.

Art of the Tart: If you liked these Pop-Tarts Ice cream sandwiches, you'll probably like all the other over-the-top sweet recipes on the Pop-tarts website.

This granola is acceptable, because it's kind of like a deconstructed cereal cookie. (Molly Wizenberg for Bon Appetit)

Sweet and salty Espresso Nut Brownies: Yum, yum, and yum. (via The Cookbook Chronicles)

Sweet memories: You deserve a grilled cheesecake sandwich!