There was once a group called The Daring Bakers,
Who for a challenge were always takers.
Each month they baked something new,
And as a result were never blue.

Marce of Pip in the City is September’s host,
I’d certainly say she has the most.
Cinnamon and sticky buns she chose,
Because those are the best everyone knows!

As usual the Cream Puff was late,
No not because she had a hot date.
September was oh-so-busy,
And a wedding last night threw her into a tizzy.

For the Cream Puff woke on the morning of the post day,
With her head feeling as thick as hay. (okay I never said I was a good poet)
The wedding last night was a bit rowdy,
All Cream Puff remembers is saying howdy.

So the Cream Puff set about preparing the dough,
Happy because for once on a Sunday she had nowhere to go.
The happy little ball of dough rose and rose and rose,
And became a big ball of dough that made Cream Puff happy to her toes. (see brackets above)

The Cream puff divided her dough into two,
So she could give both cinnamon and sticky buns their due.
She started with the cinnamon and made them small,
They were so pretty that you could smell them in the hall.

For the sticky buns she decided that walnuts and dried cherries she’d use,
And she even soaked her cherries in Kirsch because Cream Puff likes booze.
She rolled those as best she could,
They looked so good that they would melt wood. (once again, see brackets above)

But before Cream Puff could put her sticky buns to bed,
She made a caramel glaze that went straight to her head.
The glaze was to line the baking pan,
Let’s just say that Cream Puff became a big fan.

Patience is a virtue so they say,
Cream Puff let her buns rise again while keeping hunger at bay.
As the recipe directed they rose very nice,
They certainly looked better than a bowl of plain rice. (once again, see brackets above)

Into a hot oven the buns went,
And the smell of the baking was like they were from Heaven sent.
The entire house smelled so cinnamony and pretty,
Cream Puff wished she could have a taste - just a little bitty!

But Cream Puff remained as patient as could be,
She knew she’d get her reward - you see!
The cinnamon buns came out first,
They looked so good they’d even quench your thirst. (brackets. above.)

Quickly they were covered in glaze,
Cream Puff would go anywhere to eat these, even a maze.
She shared some with everyone and they all agreed,
Those cinnamon buns were some darn good feed!

And as for the sticky buns they soon came out of the oven too,
They smelled so good that they’d make any cow go “moo”. (brackets. above.)
After 20 minutes, Cream Puff flipped them out of the pan,
These were so pretty that these buns you could never ban!

Marce, I thank you for such a great recipe,
It was so good you should charge a fee.
Cinnamon and sticky buns are in my future now that I can make them,
This recipe is like a precious jem!

So the Cream Puff is happy with her buns all done,
They were so delicious they’d even impress a nun.
And so the Cream Puff is to bed now heading,
To sleep off the effects of a Big Fat Italian Wedding!

Ciao!

For the recipe for these delicoius cinnamon and sticky buns, please visit Marce’s blog.

To see what all the other Daring Bakers have created, please visit The Daring Baker Blogroll (what … were you expecting it to rhyme???).

Technorati tags: daring bakers, cinnamon buns, http://www.technorati.com/posts/tag/sticky+buns

***
Updated on October 1, 2007:

It came to my attention that I forgot an entrant for SHF #35 and for this I apologize profusely.

S. of the blog The Student Stomach sent along some Roasted Fig Dumplings that have to be seen to be believed. They’re mouth-watering!

Thanks, S.!

***

When Jennifer of The Domestic Goddess e-mailed me in July, 2006 telling me that if I wanted to host Sugar High Friday in September 2007, I was thrilled. I couldn’t believe it would take over a year for me to host, but I was thrilled nonetheless.

As I thought about what theme to choose, I was at a loss. It seemed that virtually every angle of the idea of “sweet” had been covered. It was then that the idea of figs came to mind. I love figs and have had the pleasure of eating a freshly picked fig. It’s one of nature’s greatest treats.

I’ll admit that I was a bit worried as I know that figs are not readily available in many places and even if they are, they can be quite expensive. But I hoped that offering people the choice of fresh or dried figs (or any fig product for that matter) would be enough to inspire them.

You have made my greatest hopes come true! The turnout for this event astonished me and I was repeatedly surprised (pleasantly) at the variety of desserts sent my way. Food bloggers are truly some of the most creative and brilliant people out there.

Without further delay, I give you the round-up for Sugar High Friday #35: The Beautiful Fig.

Fresh Fig Frangipane Tart from Katie of Apple & Spice.
Gorgeous fresh figs baked in an almondy filling and a buttery crust. Life doesn’t get much better than this!

Thanks, Katie!

Fresh Fig Pound Cake from Caroline of A Consuming Passion.
Beautiful fresh figs baked into an almondy tart. Talk about inspiration!

Thanks, Caroline!

Grilled Figs with Honey and Greek Yoghurt from Zorra of Kochtopf.
Zorra is my bread-baking inspiration. But for this event she’s also inspired me to grill fresh figs!

Thanks, Zorra!

Fig-filled Streusel Coffee Cake from Georgia of Mocktale.
Any excuse to bake a coffee cake is good enough for me. Georgia has given me an excellent one to bake this gorgeous cake!

Thanks, Georgia!

Vegan Polenta Banana-Fig Cake from Sarah of What Smells So Good?
I can tell you what smells so good. It’s this cake! I keep telling myself I have to bake with polenta more and Sarah has given me inspiration to do so.

Thanks, Sarah!

Figgy Cookie Sandwiches from Sunita of Sunita’s World.
Any time you can sandwich a cookie together, I’m okay with that. But when you sandwich the cookies together with figs and white chocolate - well now I’m just drooling! And as if the cookies weren’t enough, Sunita submitted a second entry: Eggless Figgy-Oatey-Orangey Upside Down Cake!

Thanks, Sunita!

Fig and Sesame Seed Jam from Vicki of A Work in Progress.
She has two fig trees in her backyard … I’m so jealous! Thanks for the jam!

Thanks, Vicki!

Fig, Date and Walnut Scrolls from Nora of Life’s Smörgåsbord.
It was such a treat to read about Nora’s first experience with figs and of course the scrolls only made it better.

Thanks, Nora!

Simple Fig Jam with Vanilla and Rum from Kate of Kate Hill - A French Kitchen Adventure.
Besides a beautiful recipe for jam, Kate provides so much for inspiration for the various dishes you can create with figs.

Thanks, Kate!

Fig Jam from Hippolyra of Fuss Free Flavours.
Not only was I surprised by how many recipes for fig jam I received, I was thrilled! Hippolyra’s jam is no exception.

Thanks, Hippolyra!

Fresh Fig Ice Cream from Sam of Becks & Posh.
Sam got her entry in early and I was thrilled because I got to look at the gorgeous picture of fresh fig ice cream over and over and over and over and over …

Thanks, Sam!

Mascarpone Figs from Emily of tomato_kumato.
Wow! That’s what I said when I saw Emily’s gorgeous photo of figs and mascarpone.

Thanks, Emily!

Fig Cake from Groetjes of In the Kitchen with van Arden.
While I’d happily learn Dutch just to read the post and directions to this cake, Groetjes did us a favour and posted it in English so that we can enjoy it!

Thanks, Groetjes!

Sticky Fig and Mango Pudding from Minko of Couture Cupcakes.
I was so taken aback by the pairing of fig and mango. I wish I could have tried it!

Thanks, Minko!

Fig and Concorde Grape Clafouti from Veronica of Veronica’s Test Kitchen.
I have yet to make a clafouti of my own and Veronica has given me a serious craving to do so with this gorgeous dessert.

Thanks, Veronica!

Figs Stuffed with Goat Cheese from Karen of FamilyStyle Food.
Sometimes the simplest dishes are the best. And people often forget that cheese can be served in a dessert as well. These figs showcase that perfectly.

Thanks, Karen!

Baked Organic Brie with Caramelized Rum Figs from Inge of Vanielje Kitchen.
All I have to say about this is when can I dig in???

Thanks, Inge!

Fresh Fig and Crisp Filo Tart from Marie of A Year From Oak Cottage.
Figs in filo sound incredible. Eating them from Oak Cottage sounds even better!

Thanks, Marie!

Fig and Almond Custard Tart from Kyla of Omnivore Herbivore Carnivore.
After this event I’m more convinced than ever that figs and almonds are the perfect pairing. This tart proves that!

Thanks, Kyla!

Fig & Anise French Macaroons from Brian of Caramel Cook.
I’ve never had an authentic macaron but Brian sure is tempting me. These are gorgeous!

Thanks, Brian!

Figs with Mascarpone and Walnuts from Nicisme of Cherrapeno.
Hurrah for someone else that got to try the joy of fresh figs! And again, the elegant presentation proves that you don’t have to go overboard with figs.

Thanks, Nicisme!

Fresh Fig Ice Cream from Nabeela of Trial and Error.
What an absolutely beautiful colour on that ice cream! I can only imagine how refreshing it was.

Thanks, Nabeela!

Provencal Sundae from Gayle of :pastry studio.
I can’t remember the last time that I had a sundae and this gorgeous dessert just about sent me right out to the nearest ice cream shop!

Thanks, Gayle!

Goat Cheese and Fig Cake with Fig Mascarpone Verrine from Helene of Tartelette.
My sweet Tartelette sent me the most incredible cake! I was so pleased by the addition of goat cheese and the verrine was new and interesting.

Thanks, Helene!

Friendship Cake from Arfi of Homemades.
Who wouldn’t want to be Arfi’s friend with a cake like this?!

Thanks, Arfi!

Fig Swirl Biscuits from Anh of Food Lover’s Journey.
It’s always such a pleasure to see Anh’s creations and these biscuits are no exception.

Thanks, Anh!

Stuffed Fig and Plum Clafouti from Pat of Feeding My Enthusiams.
I think someone is trying to tell me that I should make a clafouti. Pat combines figs and plums for a delectable pairing.

Thanks, Pat!

Figs from Bee and Jai of Jugalbandi.
Sometimes the fig on its own is dessert in and of itself. Thanks for the reminder!

Thanks, Bee and Jai!

Flowery Fig Fools from Amanda of Little Foodies.
Beautiful! Just beautiful!

Thanks, Amanda!

Grilled Figs with Laurel Leaves from Erika of Sweet Pea.
From a blog named after my favourite flower comes a lovely dessert featuring my favourite herb.

Thanks, Erika!

Warm Fig and Thyme Crisp with Fig Syrup from Michelle of Je Mange La Ville!
I’d “mange” this in a heartbeat. What a beautiful dessert!

Thanks, Michelle!

Fig Cream Cheese Bars from Polly of Slightly Cheaper Than Therapy.
Figs and cream cheese … mmmm!

Thanks, Polly!

Fresh Fig Tartlets with Mascarpone from Amanda of Figs Olives Wine.
Just beautiful! They’re almost like a work of art.

Thanks, Amanda!

Caramelized Figs with Spicy Yogurt from Anne of Anne’s Food.
Once again proving that simplest is best Anne pairs a very intriguing yogurt with lovely figs.

Thanks, Anne!

Fig Cookies and Fig Tarts from Maddy of Honey Pot.
Maddy was a busy girl! The cookies and the tarts are so delicious.

Thanks, Maddy!

Fig and Rosemary Cornmeal Tart from Connie of Life Love Chocolate.
What a beautiful reminder of how delicious cornmeal is in a crust and of how even more delicious figs are in that crust.

Thanks, Connie!

Pear and Fig Charlotte from Eric of Do You Know the Muffin Man?
My fellow George Brown buddy dropped in with this beautiful charlotte, another dessert I’ve never tried. Thanks for the inspiration!

Thanks, Eric!

Fig-Blackberry Cornmeal Cake with Port Wine Reduction from Nan of Tuesday’s Gone.
Nan overcomes her “fig fear” in a big way with this lovely cake.

Thanks, Nan!

Chocolate Fig and Ginger Cake from Cakelaw of Laws of the Kitchen.
Another interesting pairing: figs, chocolate and ginger. Can I have the cake to myself?

Thanks, Cakelaw!

A Fig Cake for Fall from Manuela of Suessschnabel.
I’ll take this cake any time of year!

Thanks, Manuela!

Fig Biscotti from Haalo of Cook (Almost) Anything … At Least Once.
I always thought that figs would go well in biscotti and Haalo proved me right!

Thanks, Haalo!

Figgy Bars from VeggieGirl of VeggieGirl.
Talk about delicious and healthy!

Thanks, VeggieGirl!

Chestnut Honey Panna Cotta with Homemade Fig Jam from Esther of Boxcar Kitchen.
I never imagined fig jam would be so popular but I’m glad that it is. Esther, you’ve created such a luscious jam and all I can say about the panna cotta is that I’m drooling!

Thanks, Esther!

Figgy Brownies from Brilynn of Jumbo Empanadas.
The Queen of All Things Dorie made some pretty creative brownies. But why haven’t I received mine yet???

Thanks, Brilynn!

Red Wine and Vanilla Poached Dried Figs and Mascarpone Semifreddo from Linda of Make Life Sweeter!
Oh, Linda! You can bring this semifreddo right on over to me. Delicious!

Thanks, Linda!

Fig and Walnut Loaf from Mary of Alpineberry.
My sweet fellow Daring Baker Mary made this moist loaf. I wish I could have tried some with a cup of tea.

Thanks, Mary!

Chocolate-Fig Pecan Bars from Peabody of Culinary Concoctions by Peabody.
Another chocolate/fig pairing. And with pecans. My favourite! I love these bars!

Thanks, Peabody!

Goat Cheese and Fig Clafoutis from Monica of Pastry Princess.
Monica, with these clafoutis you could be Queen!

Thanks, Monica!

Fresh Figs with Mascarpone and Walnuts from Paz of The Cooking Adventures of Chef Paz.
My sweet Paz came to SHF with a familiar treat that she improved by miles.

Thanks, Paz!

Fig and Honey Cookies from Joey of 80 Breakfasts.
Could I dip every single one of those delicious cookies in a big glass of milk? Yes, I think I could!

Thanks, Joey!

Honey Panna Cotta with Grilled Figs and Fig and Huckleberry Tart from Anita of Dessert First.
What beautiful tributes to the fig! I don’t know what to eat first!

Thanks, Anita!

Poached Figs in Spiced Red Wine with Buttermilk Ice Cream from Tania of The Candied Quince.
Tania returns to blogging with this incredible dessert. I got to eat it first hand!

Thanks, Tania!

Brandy and Honey Figs from Jennifer of Like to Cook.
Mmmm … brandy and figs. I’d never thought of that combination but it sounds divine.

Thanks, Jennifer!

Fig and Almond Frangipane Tart from Rose of 64 sq. ft. Kitchen.
What I wouldn’t give for a slice of this piece of heaven!

Thanks, Rose!

Homemade Fig Newtons from Quellia of All Things Edible.
I love me my fig newtons and these ones look great!

Thanks, Quellia!

Balsamic-glazed Figs with Honey-Vanilla Mascarpone from Jennifer of Weekly Dish.
I’m amazed at all the variations with mascarpone. The glaze on the figs is mouth-watering.

Thanks, Jennifer!

Lady Baltimore Cake from Elisabeth of A Pinch of This, A Dash of That.
As I told Elisabeth, she must have been reading my mind because I’d been thinking about Lady Baltimore Cake. Thanks for satisfying my craving.

Thanks, Elisabeth!

Fig and Peach Newtons from Katie of Other People’s Food.
Katie comes to her first SHF with a fantastic pairing of figs and peaches. Well done!

Thanks, Katie!

Honeyed Fig, Almond, Pear Tart with Cream Cheese and Marzipan from Gabi of The Feast Within.
There would be a feast in anyone’s mouth if they tried this tart.

Thanks, Gabi!

Fig Scones from Laurie of Quirky Cupcake.
I honestly never thought of adding figs to scones. I can only imagine how moist and sweet these are.

Thanks, Laurie!

Honey Cardamom Figs with Yogurt from Eva of The Golden Shrimp.
I love adding cardamom to the figs. What a great way to pair a fruit with a spice.

Thanks, Eva!

Figs in a Cherry Caramel Sauce from Meeta of What’s For Lunch Honey?
It took me awhile to go beyond Meeta’s gorgeous photos, but I’m glad I did. Cherries and honey together … I’m all over it!

Thanks, Meeta!

Red Wine and Pear Cream Tart with Fresh Black Mission Figs and Blackberry Coulis from Emilie of The Conscious Kitchen.
Another winning tart and I love the blackberry coulis!

Thanks, Emilie!

Fig Preserve Cake with Buttermilk Glaze from Lis (my sis) of La Mia Cucina.
I’d eat anything with that glaze on it. Anything!

Thanks, Lis!

Cucidati from Liliana of My Cookbook Addiction.
My sweet Liliana took the time out of getting ready for a trip to Italy to make these cookies. Now that’s fig love!

Thanks, Liliana!

Fig and Raspberry Compote Over Ice Cream from Steph of A Whisk and A Spoon.
I love all the fruit pairings with figs. Raspberries are another winner!

Thanks, Steph!

Spiced Fig Jam from Freda of Tudorpot.
Another luscious and interesting jam with figs!

Thanks, Freda!

Fig and Anise Ice Cream from Dolores of Chronicles in Culinary Curiosity.
Figs and anise … oh yes, please!

Thanks, Dolores!

Obsession Scones from Melody of Fruit Tart.
Figs and coconut … oh yes, please!

Thanks, Melody!

Hib from FreshAdriaticFish of FreshAdriaticFish.
This entry takes the cake for the most original dessert. I’d never heard of this particular dish but am so intrigued.

Thanks, FreshAdriaticFish!

Fig Ice Cream from Mansi of Fun and Food.
I have serious ice cream craving now!

Thanks, Mansi!

Fig X Cookies from Rose of Rose’s Recipes.
X definitely marks the sweet spot with these cookies!

Thanks, Rose!

Fig Baklava Turnovers from Nicole of Audaciousness.
I’m amazed at how creative everyone has been! These turnovers are no exception. They look so crispy and delicious!

Thanks, Nicole!

Chilled Honeydew Soup with Fresh Figs and Orange Blossom-Scented Crème Fraiche from Meredith of Cooking 101.
Oh, Meredith! The soup! The figs! The crème fraiche!

Thanks, Meredith!

Fig Pomegranate Hamantashen from Rachel of Vampituity.
As I mentioned on Rachel’s blog, the pomegranate and the fig together are so exciting! And in a traditional cookie to boot!

Thanks, Rachel!

Black or Green Fig Hazelnut Cake from Marla of Bella Baita View.
My favourite Pasticcera came through with a glorious cake featuring figs and one of my favourite nuts: the hazelnut!

Thanks, Marla!

And that’s it my friends! I thank all of you from the bottom of my heart for answering the call so beautifully. You have impressed me with your creativity and with your love of figs.

As we say goodbye to SHF #35, we look forward to SHF #36. The host is Andrew of Spittoon Extra. Stay tuned to Andrew’s blog for the announcement of the next Sugar High Friday challenge!

Ciao!

Good evening, my friends!

There are just a few hours left before the deadline for SHF #35 passes. Get your entries in by midnight tonight. For those of you that may not make the deadline, just let me know and I’ll see if I can’t give you a bit of a Cream Puff reprieve!

I give you my final creation for SHF #35: The Beatiful Fig.

It’s a sweet focaccia topped with fresh figs and walnuts that have been drizzled with Grand Marnier and sprinkled liberally with brown sugar. Once baked, I blessed each fig with a dollop of mascarpone and then drizzled the entire mess with gorgeous honey!

For those of you that have already contributed to SHF #35, I thank you for your brilliance!

Ciao!

Technorati tags: sugar high friday, SHF #35, figs, mascarpone, focaccia

After taking a break during the spring and summer, I’m happy to announce that I have resumed the baking courses that I’m taking at George Brown College as I work towards a Bakery Arts certificate.

As much as I love the classes, my family and my work (including this blog) come first so facing a very busy spring and summer, I decided it was best not to enrol in any classes. When I last I left you, I had completed the Art of Pies course, which is one of six compulsory credits required for the certificate.

Two weeks ago, I began my fourth compulsory credit. The course is called Art of Pastry and covers various forms of pastry and how to use them. During our first class, we focussed on the often intimidating puff pastry.

Having had some experience with puff pastry before, I was familiar with the process of making it. Puff pastry gets its flakiness during the rolling process. As the butter is worked into the dough through rolling and folding, precious layers are being created. When baked, these layers puff up to create the “puffiness” that is so prized in this type of dough.

For me, butter is crucial for a successful puff pastry. Unfortunately, as is often the case with the baking classes I’m taking, we tend to use ingredients that are either less expensive or that will perform better in a very warm class environment.

Our puff pastry session in class began by forming a dough of flour, water, salt and vegetable shortening. After forming a dough with those ingredients, we let it rest for about 20 minutes before rolling it out and adding the fat. We should have used butter but instead we used a product called “roll-in fat”. I’ve used this product before in baking class and it’s essentially an edible oil The product is imported from Germany and looks like butter but has a much different texture. It almost feels like oily playdough.

We use roll-in fat, I’m assuming, because butter is too expensive and also because of the heat in the classroom. It gets very hot in the class and it would be difficult to work with butter. Reminding myself that I’m in class for the experience and to learn, I gamely went ahead.

There are many different ways to add the butter when making puff pastry. In class we used a method where we rolled our dough out into a large rectangle and then spread the fat over two-thirds of the dough. We then folded the dough into thirds and turned it 90 degrees. We immediately rolled the dough out again into a large rectangle and once again folded it into thirds and turned it 90 degrees. This was our first fold.

At home, when I’ve made puff pastry, I would normally put the pastry into the refrigerator between each of the steps to chill it. However, because of the nature of the fat we used we were able to proceed with several of these steps before having to refrigerate the dough.

As a result, we rolled the dough out again but this time we completed a book fold, which means that we folded the dough into the centre and then folded the two halves together. Once again we turned the dough 90 degrees. At this point we refrigerated the dough for about 30 minutes, after which we removed the dough from the refrigerator and proceeded to roll it again and execute another fold.

We cut our dough in half and portioned it out so that we’d have puff pastry for Week 2 and Week 3. At this point, I realized that I made a mistake in the rolling process. After incorporating the fat and folding the dough, I was supposed to do another fold and then a book turn. But I actually did two folds and a book turn.

When I got to class for Week 2, I was a bit nervous as to how my puff pastry would work out after my error.

Our assignment for class was to roll our out portion of puff pastry and divide it. Half the pastry would be used for an apple strudel and the other half would be used for turnovers. I was a bit disappointed in that I’d expected to use fresh apples for the turnover. Instead, we used apple pie filling (mixed with cinnamon and raisin) and cherry pie filling.

Once again reminding myself that I’m in class to learn as much as I can, I went ahead and prepared the strudel by trimming half the dough into a rectangle and cutting long strips down each side. I placed the filling along the centre of the dough and began crisscrossing the dough strips over the filling. I ended up with a very pretty strudel so I’m looking forward to trying the technique at home.

For the turnovers, I divided the other half of the dough into squares and piled filling into the centre of each. I then folded the dough over to form triangles.

While I’m not thrilled with the fact that we didn’t use butter, the strudel and the turnovers did turn out nicely. My mistake was obvious, however, as my puff pastry did not “puff” as much as that of my classmates. For next week’s class my instructor advised me to roll out the dough and do another book turn before beginning our project.

As for the flavour, it wasn’t bad but it wasn’t great either. While the texture was very flaky, there was a very oily aftertaste from the fat in the pastry.

Taste aside, though, I relished the opportunity to make puff pastry again. The rolling and folding and turning was great experience and I can’t wait to try it at home … with butter!

Ciao!

Technorati tags: puff pastry

Guess what La Famiglia Cream Puff is doing this weekend?

You got it!

We’re up to our elbows in tomatoes and loving every minute of it. If you’re in the area, we’ve got an apron, a chair and a knife for you. Come by and help us cut up some tomatoes.

As an added bonus, you can have a slice of this delicious espresso cake courtesy of Father Giuseppe Orsini’s cookbook, Italian Baking Secrets.

Ciao!

Walnut and Espresso Cake
From Italian Baking Secrets by Father Giuseppe Orsini.

2 cups walnuts
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1-3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup strong espresso (you can use strong coffee if you don’t have espresso)
2 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a smaller baking pan. The original recope calls for an 8-inch cake pan but you can also use a small tubular pan as I did.

Take one-third of the walnuts and grind them in a food processor. If you don’t have a food processor, chop the walnuts as finely as possible. Set aside.

Take the remainder of the walnuts and chop them a few times so that they are coarsely chopped. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, on medium speed, cream together the butter and the sugar and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition.

In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

Combine the espresso and the vanilla extract.

With the mixer on low speed, begin adding the flour mixture and the coffee mixture in separate additions. Add the flour in three additions beginning and ending with the flour. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Once all the ingredients are incorporated, increase the speed to medium and beat for a minute or two.

With a spoon or spatula, stir in the chopped nuts. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle the finely ground walnuts over the top.

Bake for 40 minutes and then test for doneness by inserting a skewer into the cake. If it comes out clean, the cake is done. If not, bake for an additional 5 minutes and test again.

Once the cake is done, remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 20 minutes. Run a thin knife around the edges of the cake before unmolding to let the cake cool completely.

You can serve the cake as is or dust with some icing sugar.

Enjoy!

Technorat tags: cake, walnuts, espresso

As we approach another weekend, I thought I’d give everyone a sweet reminder of SHF #35: The Beautiful Fig!

The deadline for submissions is midnight on Monday September 24th with the round-up to be posted on Friday September 28th.

I’ve had a few comments and questions from people about fresh figs so I just want to remind everyone that you don’t necessarily have to use fresh figs. You can use dried figs or any product made with figs. Be creative!

For a little inspiration, I decided to make Fig and Pistachio cookies from a lovely cookbook that I purchased a few months ago: Italian Baking Secrets. The book is written by Father Giuseppe Orsini, a priest from New Jersey.

I’d never heard of Father Orsini until I wandered into The Cookbook Store one day and saw his book front and centre. He’s apparently the author of numerous books on Italian cooking and baking, although this one is the first that I’ve seen.

It’s a sweet book filled with recipes, many of which I recognized from weddings and showers. As soon as I saw the recipe for these cookies, I knew I had to give them a try.

Enjoy the figs and I can’t wait to see what you create!

Ciao!

Fig and Pistachio Cookies
Adapted from Italian Baking Secrets by Father Giuseppe Orsini.

1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, at room temperature
2 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. orange extract (if you don’t have orange extract, use 1 tbsp. grated orange zest)
1 cup shelled unsalted pistachios (don’t chop them up)
1 cup chopped dried figs
1-1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 tsp. baking powder
icing sugar for dusting

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Combine the flour and baking soda and set aside.

Combine the sugar and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer and cream on high speed for 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl if necessary.

Mix in the vanilla and orange extracts (or orange zest).

Stir in the pistachios and figs.

Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until just combined.

Scrape the dough out onto a well-floured surface and gather into a ball.

Divide the ball into three equal pieces.

Roll the pieces into logs that are about an inch and a half to 2 inches thick and about 10 to 12 inches long.

Carefully transfer the logs to the baking sheet.

Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. The logs will be slightly golden and firm to the touch.

Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for about 20 minutes.

Carefully slice the logs into cookies (about an inch thick).

Transfer the cookies back to the baking tray so that they are standing upright. Do not lay them on one side. Put the cookies back in the oven for 10 minutes.

Let cool completely and dust with icing sugar before serving.

Enjoy!

Technorati tags: sugar high friday, shf, figs, pistachios, cookies

It’s nice to share good news so Lis and I are thrilled to share this little tidbit with you. Earlier today I received an e-mail from the very sweet Katie of the blog Other People’s Food.

Katie very kindly let me know that the Daring Bakers had been featured in an article on Epicurious.

Amy Sherman has a nice write-up about our little group of bakers who will let nothing stop them from one baking challenge after another.

Hip hip hooray for the Daring Bakers!

Ciao!

Technorati tag: daring bakers

Wow.

That’s really all I can think of to say.

My sweet co-hostess Lis and I are amazed at the number of entries we received but even moreso at the beauty of the dishes that you brought to the blog world’s biggest patio party.

From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you.

There were so many entries that Lis and I decided to split them. To see the other half of the round-up, please visit La Mia Cucina.\

Sauteed Pineapple and Prune-Plums with Sweetened Macarpone from Lis of La Mia Cucina.

I begin the round-up with my co-hostess, Lis. She is a true light in my life and I’m honoured every day that I know her. She knows how much I love pineapple and made this dessert just for me. Okay, okay! Fine. I’ll share it with you!

Grazie, Lis!

Coconut, Almond and Plum Tart from Rose of 64 Sq Ft Kitchen.

The lovely Rose was one of the first to arrive at the party with this delicious tart. I don’t know about you, but I would gladly move into Rose’s kitchen just to watch her produce her sweet creations.

Grazie, Rose!

Summer Borscht from Alanna of A Veggie Venture.

Secretly, I have harboured an intense love of borscht my whole life. I’m not sure from whence it came, but Alanna’s beautiful summer rendition of this classic has only made my love stronger. And of course it’s only made me admire Alanna even more for her vibrant, healthful dishes.

Grazie, Alanna!

Roasted Carrot and Ginger Soup from Marie of A Year at Oak Cottage.

Marie so kindly brought one of the prettiest soups that I’ve ever seen. The colours alone make me want to jump right in. Marie, now that you’ve come to our patio party, we simply must come to Oak Cottage!

Grazie, Marie!

Garden Peach Margarita Sorbet from Kevin of Acme Instant Food.

That Kevin! He’s such a riot! And let’s not forget how creative and original he is as in this incredible sorbet that he created himself. I had to fight Lis over it but it was totally worth it.

Grazie, Kevin!

Canned Peaches and Pairs and Homemade Ketchup from Quellia of All Things Edible.

I had the honour of meeting Quellia in person early in the summer. She surprised me with some truly delicious homemade preserves (strawberry and rhubarb!). We were thrilled when she arrived at the party with more preserves. Quellia, you’re a talent in the kitchen!

Grazie, Quellia!

Upside Down Polenta Cake from Mary of Alpineberry.

What can I say about Mary? Not only is she the tireless administrator for the Daring Bakers, Mary is truly a gifted cook and baker. I’m so happy that she came to the festa and that she brought this unusual and delicious cake.

Grazie, Mary!

Cantaloupe Strawberry Salad with Mint and Lime Syrup from Andrea of Andrea’s Recipes.

Have you visited Andrea’s blog? If you haven’t, you should. It’s beautiful and has some truly mouth-watering pictures. For me, this has been the summer of great fruit so I was so happy to see that Andrea brought this colourful salad to the party.

Grazie, Andrea!

Maggie Glezer’s Acme Herb Slats from Baking Soda of Bake My Day.

I love Baking Soda! A brilliant bread baker, a brilliant sense of humour and just a brilliant person all around. Thank you for coming to the festa and for bringing this delicious bread with you.

Grazie, Baking Soda!

Vietnamese Coffee Gelato with Toblerone Chunks and Sesame Seed Tuile Mini Cones from Bruno of Brunosdream.

Bruno is a busy guy and yet he still found time to prepare this unbelievable dessert for us. Bruno, you definitely get the award for most original and inventive dish at the party!

Grazie, Bruno!

Pasta with Green Beans and Fried Peppers from Lisa of Champaign Taste.

When I smelled the dish that Lisa brought, my mouth immediately began to water. Fried peppers are my very favourite and I could eat them with anything. The fact that they’re paired with fresh green beans and pasta only makes them that much better. Lisa, you are always welcome at our patio!

Grazie, Lisa!

Puttanesca Tomatoes from Nicisme of Cherrapeno.

The name is hot. The dish is hot. Nicisme, you’re hot! Thanks for bringing your hotness and the hotness of this dish to spice up la festa.

Grazie, Nicisme!

Zucchini Carpaccio; Portabella Stroganoff and Belgium Endive Salad with Roquefort Cheese from Denise et Laudalino of Chez Denise et Laudalino.

Some people just know how to be the perfect party guests. Take Denise et Laudalino, they brought three dishes to the party! And the dishes were one more delicious than the other.

Grazie, Denise et Laudalino!

White Chocolate and Passion Fruit Mousse from Kelly-Jane of Cooking the Books.

Thanks to Kelly-Jane, I tried passion fruit in a dessert for the very first time and adored it. Of course the white chocolate helped. What a gorgeous summer dessert!

Grazie, Kelly-Jane!

Gulliver’s Salad and Roasted Eggplant Stuffed with Free Range Beef and Seasonal Veggies from Lindsay of Country.Girl.City.Living.

I’ll eat eggplant until the cows come home so I couldn’t resist second helpings of this lovely dish. It was great to be introduced to a new salad as well. Thanks so much for these great dishes!

Grazie, Lindsay

Dried Cherry Challah Bread Pudding from Peabody of Culinary Concoctions by Peabody.

Peabody could concoct just about anything and I would eat it. Seriously. I’m so glad you made it to the festa, Peabody. Not only did I get to eat this incredible pudding but I got to moan about the Leafs. Thanks for listening!

Grazie, Peabody!

Lemon Verbena Ice Cream and Vanilla Bean and Verbena Lemon Parfait with Summer Raspberries from Anita of Dessert First.

When I want to be calmed by the sweetness of dessert, I visit Anita. And when she arrived at the party bearing these gifts, I felt the calmness wash over me. Anita is a constant reminder of the true sweetness of life.

Grazie, Anita!

Swiss Chard Frittata from Laura of Eat Drink Live.

Swiss chard … my favourite! Very smart to pair it with a frittata, Laura. I see I’m going to have to help myself to your dish quickly otherwise it will be all gone!

Grazie, Laura!

Lemon Basil Courgettes from Abby of Eat the Right Stuff.

I love your blog, Abby! I. Love. Your. Blog. And I love you for bringing this gorgeous dish to the party. Oh yes … and I love the word courgettes!

Grazie, Abby!

‘Mater and Cuke Salad from Elle of Feeding My Enthusiasms.

Such a refreshing salad! What can I say Elle other than thank you for coming? Thank you for bringing a salad that features two of my very favourite summer vegetables. Thank you for being so sweet!

Grazie, Elle!

Sauteed Vegetable and Scallop Pasta from Morven of Food Art and Random Thoughts.

Morven knows how much I love scallops. And she brought this pasta just for me! Oh, wait … was I supposed to share with the others? Oops!

Grazie, Morven!

Zesty Spinach and Feta Pull-Apart Bread from Anh of Food Lover’s Journey.

I never imagined that food could drive a wedge between Lis and myself but this bread most certainly did. We apologize to everyone for that little tussle that Lis and I had as we both tried to grab the bread for ourselves. Good thing you brought along more than one, Anh!

Grazie, Anh!

Panfried Catfish al Fresco from Joel and Amy of Foodmonkeys.

First of all, Joel and Amy get the award for cutest couple at the festa! Secondly, I recently discovered catfish so I was so happy that someone came along with a dish featuring this ingredient.

Grazie, Joel and Amy!

Spaghetti with Mixed Shell Fish from Fresh Adriatic Fish of Fresh Adriatic Fish.

There were so many great pasta dishes at this party and this one is no exception. Fresh Adriatic Fish (cool name) wowed everyone with this contribution.

Grazie, Fresh Adriatic Fish!

Fig, Sweet Potato and Wild Rice Stuffing and Stir-fried Pork with Pattypan Squash and Garlic Scapes from Danielle of Habeas Brulee.

The generous Danielle brought two stunning dishes to the party. The first is a stuffing that I just about cried over! And the second was a stir-fried pork dish that also made me want to weep. Mainly because I had to share it. Next time, Danielle, bring a portion just for me!!!

Grazie, Danielle!

Roasted Eggplant Spread from Half Baked of Half-Baked.

Half Baked brought one of my most favourite appetizers ever: The Barefoot Contessa’s Eggplant spread. Half Baked, your take on this spread was incredible!

Grazie, Half Baked!

Home-made Lemonade from Arfi of Homemades.

Arfi reminded us that there is nothing better than something homemade, especially when it’s lemonade. The lemonade was such a gift!

Grazie, Arfi!

Zucchini with Goat Cheese; Zucchini and Prosciutto and Corn Soup the Second from Sara of i like to cook.

Wonderful Sara, bless her heart, brought three dishes to this party and wowed everyone with them. Sara reminded all of us what a blessing a home garden truly is.

Grazie, Sara!

Fried Fennel from Ed of Is it Edible?

Ed, this fried fennel was most definitely edible!!! I loooooooooooove fennel and frying it was just the right touch!

Grazie, Ed!

So that’s it my friends! Another festa has come and gone. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for making it a truly memorable one. Don’t forget to visit Lis for the other part of the round-up. See you next year!

Ciao!

Technorati tag: la festa al fresco

It is my great honour to announce that I am the host of the 35th edition of Sugar High Friday!

Created by Jennifer of The Domestic Goddess over two years ago, Sugar High Friday is an event to celebrate all that is sweet in our lives.

Every type of sweet imagineable has been explored over the previous 34 editions of this event, so when Jennifer e-mailed me to let me know that I would be able to host in September 2007, I had to make a decision.

What to choose as a theme?

After mulling it over for awhile, I decided it was time to give the glorious fig its due.

To this day, I am always amazed by the number of people who have never tried a fresh fig. While many people are familiar with dried figs, fresh ones are much harder to come by. Here in Toronto, I know many people who go to great lengths to cultivate fresh fig trees. I know some people who have built greenhouses in their backyards simply for the trees!

While it is usually referred to as a fruit, the fig is actually the flower of the fig tree. Cutting into the pear-shaped fruit is such an experience! The fruit is filled to bursting with tiny seeds and when you cut into a perfectly ripe fig, it’s as though it secretes its own honey.

And the flavour! How to describe one of the truly great flavours in this world? A fresh fig is sweet and soft. It is somehow warm and refreshing at the same time.

For SHF #35, I want all of you to go out there and explore the world of figs. You can submit any dessert you like featuring figs in whatever form you like: fresh figs, dried figs, fig preserves, fig honey, fig sugar, fig extract … surprise me!

If you’ve never had a fig, then look at this as an opportunity to discover something new.

Here are the details for SHF #35:

Prepare a sweet featuring figs in any form that you like.

Post your creation by midnight on Monday September 24th. (The roundup will be posted on Friday September 28th).

E-mail me (creampuffsinvenice {at} gmail {dot} com) the permalink to your post, as well as your blog name and a photo of your creation.

The fig is a truly beautiful food. I hope that you enjoy exploring the many ways it can be enjoyed and I cannot wait to be inspired by the results!

Ciao!

Here are some resources for useful facts about figs:

BBC Food - Figs
California Figs
Wikipedia - Ficus
Fig Fruit Facts
Fresh Figs, Anyone?
Fine Cooking - Figs

And for a bit of fun, here are some books and cookbooks that present the fig in an interesting light:

The Sweetest Fig
Stolen Figs: And Other Adventures in Calabria
Figs, Dates, Laurel, and Myrrh: Plants of the Bible and the Quran
The Girl & The Fig Cookbook
From the Lands of Figs and Olives: Over 300 Delicious and Unusual Recipes from the Middle East and Northern Africa
Fig Heaven: 70 Recipes for the World’s Most Luscious Fruit
Fig Pudding
The Fig Eater: A Novel
Roast Figs, Sugar Snow: Food to Warm the Soul

Technorati tags: sugar high friday, figs

Well, it’s finally here! The party that Lis and I like to call the biggest patio party in the world has finally arrived.

Bloggers from all over the world are streaming in bringing with them all sorts of captivating offerings. For those of you arriving a bit late, not to worry, there’s still plenty of room on the table.

Besides my mother’s peperonata, I’m bringing one of my very favourite dishes: Linguine with Cherry Tomato Sauce. It’s a dish of my own invention, not that there was really that much to invent as this couldn’t be an easier dish to make.

Take some ripe cherry tomatoes and slice them in half. Toss them in a pan with lots of olive oil and Maldon salt. Add a clove of garlic, some hot pepper and pletny of fresh basil. Cook for about 20 minutes until you have a creamy sauce. Toss with your favourite pasta.

Okay! It’s time to eat. Dai! Tutti a tavola!

Ciao!

Technorati tags: la festa al fresco