Heather Baird's Blog, page 39

Braided Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

This Danish-style sweet bread makes a lovely breakfast or afternoon pick-me-up. The dough braiding technique may look complicated, but it’s really quite simple and easy to achieve!

Winter always brings out the bread baker in me. There's nothing I'd rather do on a frigid day than work in an oven-warmed kitchen with sweet fragrances wafting about. This cream cheese pastry is one of my favorite recipes to make when I feel the need for something cozy. It yields two loaves, one to keep and one to give to a deserving friend or neighbor.
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Champagne Cheesecake Cups

This simple recipe for Champagne Cheesecake is perfect for ringing in the New Year. Serve it in footed dessert glasses or stemware for an elegant touch.

It's hard to believe that in just a couple of days we'll ring in 2019! I love that clean slate feeling the New Year brings. It always inspires me, and I can't wait to share all the new desserts I've been dreaming up and writing about in my recipe journals.

This champagne cheesecake is a recipe I've had scribbled on a piece of scrap paper for some time now, just waiting for the right toast-worthy occasion. It's a simple fix that can be divvied up into as many petite portions as you'd like. It's absolutely delicious without being too rich, and the champagne flavor really shines through!
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Eggs Benedict Bake

This overnight dish is layered with toasted English muffins, Canadian bacon and hollandaise sauce for the easiest take on classic Eggs Benedict. Pair it with Spiced Orange Breakfast Punch for a dynamic brunch duo!

I hope all of those celebrating had a real nice Christmas this week. I'm still recovering from the sugar rush that is the holidays with my family. In fact, yesterday's breakfast was two pieces of black walnut fudge with coffee. That was a first for me, but my mom makes the best fudge ever only once a year, so no regrets!

To counter all of that sweetness, I whipped up this Eggs Benedict Bake. I've made it twice now and I currently have a third pan in the refrigerator. It is absolutely delicious with hollandaise sauce and a handful of fresh chives, which I don't consider optional. Since you can assemble it a day ahead, I think it would make a wonderful New Year's Day breakfast.
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Christmas at the Workshop

Merry Christmas Eve! 

I've had such a fun month of baking, and blogging for 24 consecutive days is always a challenge for me. I suppose it's tradition now that I've been doing it for four years! I hope you've enjoyed it all as much as I have.

I don't have a new recipe for you today, but if you're looking for an easy last-minute gift I might suggest a jar of  Spiked Hot Fudge Sauce or maybe this Rocky Road Brownie Mix . Today I thought you might like a little peek at how we decorated the workshop for Christmas.
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Gourmet Smoked Tea Marshmallows

Homemade marshmallows make a wonderful gift for candy lovers and hot cocoa enthusiasts. These puffy treats are infused with lapsang souchong tea, which gives them sweet, smoky flavor.

Winter months are made for enjoying warm flavors, and pine-smoked lapsang souchong tea has been a favorite lately. I was inspired to whip up some smoky tea marshmallows for hot cocoa, but we ended up eating most of them straight from them pan with just a dusting of confectioners' coating.

When the marshmallows finally made it into a cup of steaming hot cocoa - wow. The melting marshmallow gives the chocolate depth of flavor and a whole new level of cozy!
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Mocha Latte Cheesecake Bars with Gingersnap Crust

Coffee enthusiasts will love these espresso flavored cheesecake bars. A hint of chocolate in the filling gives the bars richness, and a gingersnap cookie crust adds seasonal flavor and crunch.


Holidays seem to be the time to have an extra 13x9-inch pan (or two) on hand, because 'tis the season to feed a crowd ! The best kinds of potluck recipes tend to be simple and tasty - easy to make and eat. This is one of those recipes. It might be the least fussy version of cheesecake I've ever made!
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Three Classic Christmas Treats to Make and Give

Homemade gifts are always best, but especially when they are edible! Classic pecan bourbon balls, mini golden rum cakes, and buttery shortbread are some of the season's best and most traditional eats.


Recently I had the opportunity to make some Christmas treats for my friends at HGTV.com. I even got to drop in on their 'Friendsmas' party photo shoot because I was close enough to deliver the goodies personally! My desserts were just one small part of the festivities, with a little corner set up for DIY ornaments and a HUGE spread of appetizers on the longest table I've ever seen!
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Italian Almond Ricotta Cookies

Ricotta cheese gives these cookies a cake-like texture and delicate flavor. A sprinkling of red and green sprinkles make them the perfect pick for the holiday season.

Calling these 'cookies' is a bit of a misnomer, if you ask me. They are more like tender little cakes that belong beside a cup of hot tea ( teacakes , perhaps?). One thing is for certain, they'll be right at home at any cookie swap or holiday gathering.
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Dark Chocolate Cookies with Salted Caramel

These cookies are a hybrid of rolled sugar cookies and classic thumbprints. Dark chocolate cookie dough is rolled and cut with specially designed thumbprint cookie stamps. After baking they are filled with melted caramel and garnished with flake sea salt.


I've made quite a few batches of cookies this season, and this one wins the award for most requested. It's hard to beat the classic flavors of chocolate and caramel together - unless it's caramel and sea salt. And in this case, it's all three together!
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Mint Cream Truffle Cupcakes

Rich devil's food cupcakes are filled with fluffy mint marshmallow creme and then generously topped with mint frosting. A scatter of holiday sprinkles make them festive, and each cupcake is crowned with a single dark chocolate mint creme truffle.


I couldn't let December pass without celebrating one of the most popular flavors of the season! I've always loved mint best when paired with chocolate (evidence of this here and here ). These cupcakes are just the right amount of minty without being overpowering, and the flavor reminds me of a Peppermint Patty.
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