Winter & Holiday Baking: Two Festive Treats

EPISODE #23

I talk about two treats that are bound to make your holidays festive: that glorious German loaf called Stollen and the mysterious Mincemeat Pie. They are both delightful treats that are easier to make than they appear, making them a delightful addition to your holiday or winter dinners.

Outline:

Mincemeat Streusel Pie
Stollen Loaf 9:10

Click here to listen on Apple Podcasts.

SHOW NOTES:

You can find Steve’s GF bread flour here.
You can find more about the history of Mincemeat here.

Recipes:

1. Mincemeat Streusel Pie with Hazelnuts - flavored with orange zest and cocoa

2. Stollen Loaf - A festive German bread packed with dried fruit

3. 3-Ingredient Homemade Marzipan - a wonderful addition to Stollen and many other baked goods.
   

Don’t Open the Door: Eclairs Special

EPISODE #22

Eclairs are a classic French pastry filled with pastry cream and, in this case, topped with chocolate. In this episode they are demystified and made achievable for home bakers. The pastry is made from a dough called, pâte à choux, which is used to make a handful of delightful desserts. The filling, pastry cream, is equally versatile and an ingredient in many pies, tarts, doughnuts, and cakes. Eclairs not only expand your confidence and baking knowledge, they are sure to wow any guest. Enjoy!

Outline:

-Pastry Cream

-Choux Pastry 6:20

Click here to listen on Apple Podcasts.

SHOW NOTES:

Recipes:

Eclairs — Just one awesome recipe, including pastry cream and choux.

How to Make the Perfect Tart: Decadent Chocolate Tart and Cranberry Grapefruit Tart

EPISODE #21

This show is all about tarts. I discuss how to make the perfect, classic tart shell and how to keep it crisp. It’s a foolproof recipe with a vegan option and I walk you through what to look for to get great results. Next I discuss two fillings: a classic chocolate one and a fruity one with unique flavors. I’ll talk about how to play with flavor as well as why each step in the recipe is critical. Enjoy!

Outline:

-Tart Crust

-Chocolate Filling 9:10

-Cranberry Tart 13:20

Click here to listen on Apple Podcasts.

SHOW NOTES:

Recipes:

1. Your Classic, Chocolate Tart recipe with a festive Cranberry Swirl (optional) - a rich and silky smooth filling

2. Cranberry Grapefruit Tart recipe

3. Classic Foolproof Tart Shell recipe — Great for savory dishes too (vegan option)

4. No Fail Pie or Tart Crust - Oat and Almond (vegan option). This is my favorites because it is quick to prepare and does’t require chilling.
   

Doughnuts, Cheesecake, & A Peanut Butter “Milkshake"

EPISODE #17

Today we talk briefly about American doughnut history. Then we dive into some recipes: how to make a classic doughnut, lime-infused cheesecake, and a vegan “milkshake” or nog.

Your Classic, Caky Doughnut

Lime-Infused Cheesecake + A No-Bake Cheesecake 9:45

Peanutbutter “Milkshake” 15:28

Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/doughnuts-cheesecake-a-peanut-butter-milkshake/id1441338206?i=1000446221959

SHOW NOTES:

Recipes:

1. Your Classic, Caky Doughnut Holes

2. Coconut-Lime Cheesecake

3. 6-Ingredient No-Bake Honey Lemon Cheese Cake (vegan option)

4. Peanut Butter Nog or “Milkshake” (vegan)
   

-Smithsonian doughnut history
-Jewish cheesecake history

Coconut-Lime Cheesecake

Peanut Butter Milkshake

Holiday Special

EPISODE #5

In this episode we talk about a few recipes from the cookbook Gluten-Free Baking for the Holidays by Jeanne Sauvage
- Lebkuchen Cookies
- Spritz Cookies
- Pfeffernusse Cookies (with black pepper)
- Mandarin Chocolate Cake

We ended with one of my recipes for Whoopee Pies. They also have a dairy free option.
Pumpkin Pie Spiced Whoopee Pies with Cinnamon Nutmeg Buttercream

The whoopee pies are also excellent with Swiss Meringue Buttercream, which you can add flavors or spices to. This buttercream can also be refrigerated or frozen. You just want to bring it to room temperature and stir it before using.

Here is a gluten free Lebkuchen recipe you can try. I haven’t tried it so please let me know if you like it!

Here is a fairly authentic German Lebkuchen “Gingerbread Spice” recipe.

When baking, use a measuring scale! Measuring in grams is more exact than measuring in volume. It also saves time, dishes, and most importunity your baked goods.