Heather Baird's Blog, page 54
March 7, 2017
Lavender Lemon Cupcakes
If you ask me, the element that makes a really great lavender cake is restraint. Most of the time it's okay to double the amount of flavorings such as vanilla extract or citrus zests in batter recipes, but this is is not something you want to try with dried lavender buds. They are highly perfumed and require a judicious hand when it comes to adding them to recipes.
This batter formula uses a very specific method of beating the butter and dried buds together until the fragrance is dispersed into the fat. This removes any soapy taste from the lavender and what remains is lightly floral flavor, almost reminiscent of Earl Grey tea.
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March 5, 2017
Bake This, Wear That! Unicorn Cookies Edition
Has the food world gone unicorn crazy? Yes, and count me in! I love seeing everyone's culinary interpretation of what qualifies as 'unicorn'. So far the criteria seems to be any food that is rainbow swirled, piled with colorful candy and maybe has some kind of edible horn attached.
This unicorn dessert is a bit more subtle (and more literal). I had plans for wild rainbow pony hair and glittering hooves, but none of that felt right. These gals were determined to be more dainty. I really love how they turned out because they remind me of storybook illustrations.
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March 3, 2017
Vanilla Bean Egg Custard Cake
How funny is this eggy little cake? I was inspired to make it after doing some fabric shopping last week. My mom is an excellent seamstress and she's promised to make each of my two pugs a bath robe. (Ha - I know. I can explain in the comments if anyone is interested.). While shopping for terry cloth I spotted the cutest egg print fabric. The sunny yolks made my heart do a little cartwheel.
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February 28, 2017
Bacon Smoked Gouda Beer Bread Muffins
Considering tomorrow is the first day of March, I thought it would be good to dive into some St. Patrick's Day baking. Not that you should wait for March 17th to make these beer bread muffins - oh, no - make them now!
If you're new to bread making, then I'd like to suggest beer bread as your first effort. It's an easy fix with big payoff. I developed this cheesy version to dip into my favorite Irish stew. I baked the dough in a muffin tin because my favorite part of beer bread is the golden slightly chewy exterior, and you get more of that in muffin form.
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February 26, 2017
Bake This, Wear That! Lemon Cheesecake Edition and Apron Giveaway
These sunny days have me in a lemony state of mind, and that is evident from all the zesty treats coming out of my kitchen. This cheesecake is a recent favorite. It's mild and creamy without a sharp note to be found. The citrus flavor shines through without a hint of bitterness. Even better? This cheesecake is no-bake which means no fussy water bath-baking.
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February 21, 2017
Lucky Four Leaf Clover Lollipops
It is unseasonably warm here in the southern US, and my yard which is normally brown at this time of year looks like a green spring meadow. There are all kinds of beautiful little buds sprouting up, and clover is everywhere. Just seeing those emerald patches carpeting the ground inspired me, and made me remember that St. Patrick's Day is less than a month away.
I think these pops would make an excellent treat for the holiday, or a nice gift to let someone know how lucky you are to have them in your life.
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February 19, 2017
Orange Dreamsicle Frothy (Dairy-Free)
I hadn't planned a blog post for today but this smart little recipe convinced me to go ahead and share. I've been on a major smoothie kick for the last few months. My steadfast favorite is bright green because I load it with leafy greens that I don't get enough of with regular eating. Even though I love my green smoothie I sometimes need a break from it and that's how I discovered this drink. It's from one of my favorite out-of-print books called The New Mayo Clinic Cookbook. It's light and healthful with flavor reminiscent of orange Creamsicle ice cream.
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February 16, 2017
Totally Portable Banana Pudding in a Sack!
Have you ever heard of walking tacos? They have all the ingredients you'd imagine a taco would have like ground beef, cheese, lettuce (et cetera) but instead of being layered in a taco shell they are stuffed in mini bags of Fritos. Their portability makes them perfect for camping, picnics, or just for eating in front of the TV.
Well, this recipe is a lot like that except with banana pudding!
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February 13, 2017
Crackling Circuit Board Chocolate Pops
These circuit board lollipops make cute edible gifts for the tech-savvy people in your life. Circuit boards have tracks that conduct electricity, so I thought it would be neat for these treats to fizz and crackle when you eat them. What makes this possible? You might have guessed Pop Rocks, which is mostly correct. I used plain carbonated candy, which is essentially the same thing except that it's not fruit flavored and it seems to have an extra ounce of popping power.
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February 10, 2017
Mixtape Cookies for The Etsy Blog!
Here's something totally retro for your valentine this year- mixtape cookies!
Back in the day mixtapes were the easiest way to communicate your feelings to your beloved without having to say a word. I mean, why even try to articulate your affection when David Bowie or Duran Duran could do it so much better? These homemade music compilations have since been replaced with playlists on Spotify and iTunes, but nothing can replace the experience of recording a mixtape. The time and effort it took to orchestrate the perfect audio love letter is what gave it so much value, and makes it so nostalgic for people who still love the 80's and 90's (like me!).
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