Beth Cato's Blog, page 56

Bready or Not: Pistachio Cardamom Biscotti

Bake up these biscotti, and your house will smell absolutely glorious!

That’s the power of cardamom. It’s one of my favorite spices to use in baking AND in writing (heck, see my story in Uncanny last year, “With Cardamom I’ll Bind Their Lips.”)

The combination of cardamom and vanilla here creates a very fresh taste. Really, these are a delight to the senses.

There are just enough pistachios included to add pretty green dapples and some extra crunch, but they didn’t make the biscotti harder to cut (the almonds in my Chocolate Almond Biscotti were a lot more annoying in that regard).

Store these biscotti for a few weeks. These are also great to ship because they do keep so well.

Serve them up with some hot tea or coffee, and start the day off right!

 

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Bready or Not: Pistachio Cardamom Biscotti





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These biscotti taste and smell fantastically fresh thanks to the cardamom and vanilla, while the pistachios add some extra color and crunch.

4 Tablespoons (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup white sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
3/4 cup salted, shelled, chopped pistachios
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Preheat oven at 350-degrees.

In a large bowl, mix together the butter and sugar until they are light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time. Add the pistachios, cardamom, and vanilla extract. Stir in the flour and baking powder until just combined.

Divide the dough in half on the prepared baking sheet. Form each into a log about 4 inches wide and 10 inches long; make sure there is space between the two logs, as they'll grow in the oven.

Bake for 25 minutes, until the dough is slightly golden. Remove the baking sheet from oven, but leave the oven on.

Let the biscotti cool for 10 minutes. Use a large knife, such as a bread knife, to diagonally slice the logs 1/2-inch apart. Use a straight-down motion to cut; don't saw.

Arrange the biscotti spaced out on the baking sheet. Stand them up if possible, or lay them on their sides. Bake for another 20 to 25 minutes, flipping them over halfway if necessary, to equally crisp both sides.

Cool completely on the baking sheet. Store in an airtight container as long as a few weeks.

OM NOM NOM!

Sunday Quote is unsure about doing Poem a Day in April

“Poetry isn’t a profession, it’s a way of life. It’s an empty basket; you put your life into it and make something out of that.”

~ Mary Oliver

Bready or Not: Gluten-Free Almond Flour Brownies

I often get requests for more gluten-free sweets. Here you go. These brownies are so good, people won’t even know they lack gluten.

They also happen to be grain-free. Just don’t give them to people who have almond allergies!

These brownies are fast to assemble. The end result tastes like standard brownies. I didn’t find them super moist, but they were nice and chewy.

They kept pretty well in a sealed container for several days, too. The cut edges dried out a bit, but they were still delicious.

Here’s a tip for you: almond flour, because of its high fat content, can spoil. Keep it in the freezer! It won’t freeze solid but it will get clumpy. Hence my note in the ingredients list to sift the almond flour.

Modified from King Arthur Flour.

 

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Bready or Not: Gluten-Free Almond Flour Brownies





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These delicious brownies are gluten-free and grain-free, and they come together almost as fast as a box mix! Modified from King Arthur Flour.

5 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 3/4 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup cocoa powder, sifted
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 1/2 cups almond flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder

Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Line an 8x8 or 9x9 pan with foil and apply butter or nonstick spray.

In the microwave, melt the butter in a medium-sized bowl. Stir in the sugar, salt, vanilla, cocoa, and eggs. Add in the almond flour and baking powder. Pour batter into the ready pan.

Bake for 33 to 38 minutes, until the top is set and the middle just passes the toothpick test. Let cool, then cut into blocks. Store at room temperature in a sealed container or freeze for later enjoyment.

OM NOM NOM!

COVER DEBUT: Roar of Sky

This is it! The cover of the third and final volume in my Blood of Earth trilogy from Harper Voyager. Roar of Sky comes out on October 23rd and it’s already available to preorder at places like Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and awesome indies like Poisoned Pen! Also… the back cover copy is now online, too! Scroll down to read.

BEHOLD!

 

 

In this stunning conclusion to the acclaimed Blood of Earth trilogy—a thrilling alternate history laced with earth magic, fantastic creatures, and steampunk elements—the young geomancer Ingrid must find a way to use her extraordinary abilities to save her world from the woman hell-bent on engineering a war that would rip it to pieces.

Thanks to her geomantic magic, Ingrid has successfully eluded Ambassador Blum, the evil genius behind the plan to achieve world domination for the United Pacific. But using her powers has taken its toll: Ingrid’s body has been left severely weakened, and once again she is on the run with her friends Cy and Fenris.

Hoping to learn more about her magical roots and the strength her bloodline carries, Ingrid makes her way across the Pacific to Hawaii, home to the ancient earth goddess Madame Pele. What she discovers in this paradise is not at all what she expects—but perhaps exactly what she needs to find the strength to face Blum.

But Ambassador Blum comes from the same world of old magic. She is a kitsune with near-mythic power. And if Ingrid cannot defeat her once and for all, she knows Blum will use that power to take the lives of everyone she holds dear before igniting a war that will bring the entire world to its knees.

Release date: October 23rd, 2018

 

Sunday Quote celebrates many family birthdays this month

“Words can be like X-rays if you use them properly — they’ll go through anything. You read and you’re pierced.”

~ Aldous Huxley, Brave New World

Bready or Not Original: Earl Grey Cheesecake Bars

Earl Grey tea and cream cheese team up in delicious bar form in these delicious Earl Grey Cheesecake Bars.

Last August, I featured Matcha Cheesecake Bars. I decided to modify that recipe using Earl Grey.

The result: WOW. Earl Grey has a slight heat to it when eaten in baked goods (like, say, Earl Grey shortbread).

Here, that contrasts wonderfully with the smooth and creamy cheesecake swirls. I’m not a big cheesecake person, but I’m in awe of how good this basic recipe is.

This is a recipe to make cheesecake haters love cheesecake. That’s not a statement I’d make lightly.

I’ve been told these are excellent with coffee… but if I may, I suggest indulging while enjoying some Earl Grey tea. Hot. Captain Picard-style.

 

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Bready or Not Original: Earl Grey Cheesecake Bars





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This Bready or Not original recipe uses the pleasantly warm spices of Earl Grey to season cool cream cheese. The result is a memorable, delicious recipe that just might convert cheesecake haters to the ways of cheesecake.

Crust
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
10 Tb unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar, packed
2 eggs, room temperature
1 Tb vanilla extract
Cheesecake layer
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
2 Tb unsalted butter, softened
2 Tb all-purpose flour
2 tea bags Earl Grey (scant 1 tablespoon)
1 egg, room temperature
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven at 325-degrees. Line an 8x8 or 9x9 pan with aluminum foil and apply nonstick spray.

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

In a large mixer bowl, cream together the softened butter and brown sugar for about 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add 2 eggs and the vanilla extract, followed by the combined dry ingredients.

Use an uneven spatula to smooth out HALF of the batter in the prepared pan. Place the other half in another bowl for now. Clean the bowl before the next stage, if desired.

To make the cheesecake layer, beat together the softened cream cheese, sugar, butter, flour, and the contents of two bags of Earl Grey. Mix in the egg and vanilla until it is mostly smooth.

Pour about HALF of the cream cheese mix on top of the batter in the pan and smooth it out. Dollop the remaining crust and cheesecake batters over the top, and use a butter knife to swirl them together.

Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until it passes the toothpick test in the middle. Let cool at room temperature for an hour, then place in fridge to continue to chill and set for another hour or two.

Lift it up by the aluminum foil and place on a cutting board to slice into bars. Store in a lidded container in fridge, with waxed paper or parchment between stacked layers.

OM NOM NOM!

Sunday Quote is so very weak

“Where is human nature so weak as in the bookstore?”

~ Henry Ward Beecher

Tucson Festival of Books on March 10th

The Tucson Festival of Books is this weekend, and I’ll be attending on Saturday March 10th! (Psst. I’ll have cookies.) I will be wandering around, and then I have the main event:

– Magical History panel from 4-5pm

Gail Carriger, Beth Cato and Mindy Tarquini, authors of novels filled with magic and mystery will discuss alternative earth histories where magic, the paranormal or time travel are real. Assistive listening devices available.

Where: Student Union Santa Rita

A signing will immediately follow the panel at the UA BookStore Tent on the Mall

I hope to see you around!

#SFWAPro

Bready or Not: Maple Krispy Cookies [uses cake mix]

If you need a cookie recipe that comes together in five minutes, this recipe for Maple Krispy Cookies is perfect!

I love to highlight cake mix recipes every so often for a couple reasons. First of all, doctored cake mix can produce really tasty desserts. Second, it’s an ingredient that is cheap and accessible to people on a tight budget.

Third, it can be used as a fantastic shortcut in recipes like this, where everything comes together in a matter of minutes.

I used a French Vanilla Betty Crocker box for these, but any kind of white or vanilla mix should do. You want a good base to infuse with maple flavor.

My husband described these cookies as “maple krispies in cookie form.” (I do have a maple krispies recipe. It’s also included in my Sweet Maple cookbook.)

These cookies end up with a lovely, fresh maple flavor which does a good job of masking the undeniably chemical taste of cake mix. Plus, the cereal pieces give each cookie a lovely, light crunchiness.

 

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Bready or Not: Maple Krispy Cookies [uses cake mix]





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These cookies use doctored cake mix and crisp puffed rice cereal to bake up convenient, delicious cookies.

1 (18 ounce or so) box white or vanilla cake mix
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg
2 teaspoons maple flavor
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup puffed rice cereal (like Rice Krispies)

Preheat oven at 350-degrees.

In a large bowl, stir together the cake mix, butter, egg, maple flavor, and vanilla extract. When those are just combined, carefully stir in the cereal, trying not to crush it.

Use a teaspoon scoop or spoon to dole out dough onto a cookie sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes; also to set on sheet for about 10 minutes, then move cookies to a rack to finish cooling. Store in a sealed container.

OM NOM NOM!

Catching Up on New Publications

I hate it when I fall behind on website updates, but sometimes it just can’t be helped. January brought a barrage of small projects, and then my edits for Roar of Sky dropped on me at the end of the month. February was alllll about book edits. I finally have those done–the first stage, anyway–and now I’m trying to catch up on the stuff I fell behind on during February. Whee! The grand circle of life, for a writer.

All that said, my bibliography page is now up-to-date with the latest fiction, poetry, and podcasts! Here are the newest additions:

Short story:

“The Library is Open,” Daily Science Fiction

Poetry:

“After Her Brother Ripped the Heads from Her Paper Dolls,” Mythic Delirium issue 4.3

“This Body Made,” Mythic Delirium issue 4.3

“Call Me Home Again, Child,” Spirit’s Tincture Issue 5

“Porom,” Special Feature for Skiffy and Fanty’s Month of Joy

“The Stars Sing,” Star*line 41.1

“So Old” and “Border Cowboy at the Border,” Grievous Angel

Podcasts:

Read for Pixels 2018 (IWD Edition): Beth Cato Reading+Q&A Session

O&F Podcast, Ep. 177: Beth Cato

#SFWAPro