Jennifer Moorman's Blog, page 6

Strawberry Donuts

Summer Fun Strawberry Donuts! What makes donuts better? Making them into critters!I created the claws and eyes with red coating chocolate, melted and piped onto parchment. I used edible googly eyes I bought at the craft store.QOTD: What donut critter would you like to make?

Strawberry Donuts

Yields: 10

Ingredients

Donuts:

1 cup flour

1/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup milk

1 egg

1 tablespoon melted butter

10 medium to large strawberries (between 1/2 and 3/4 cup depending on size), puréed with 2 teaspoons seedless strawberry jam

1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

Glaze:

1–2 cups powdered sugar

3–4 strawberries, diced

1 tablespoon strawberry jam

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Grease a 6-doughnut pan with baking spray.

2. To make donuts combine dry ingredients in a large bowl and whisk together. Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add in milk, egg, butter, and maple syrup. Stir until well combined. Stir in strawberry mixture, starting with 1/2 of it and adding more only if needed.

3. Batter should be wet, but not runny. Put dough into a pastry bag or plastic bag and snip approximately 1-inch off end. Pipe batter into each well, reserving extra batter.

4. Bake for 7-9 minutes until doughnuts spring back when touched. Let cool five minutes and turn onto a cooling rack to cool completely. While donuts are cooling make glaze.

5. To make glaze, puree the diced strawberries with the jam. Then stir all ingredients together until smooth. When donuts are cooled dip each into glaze and place back on cooling rack to let glaze set. When glaze has set enjoy!

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A baker inherits 3 things from her grandmother: a small-town Southern bakery, culinary superpowers, and the recipe to create the perfect man. What happens when you create a man out of dough?

“A charming recipe of magic, romance, and friendship.”

— USA Today bestselling author Heather Webber

⁠“Combine four parts love, two parts excitement, a dash of humor, and a pinch of magic.”

— USA Today bestselling author Lauren K. Denton⁠“A teaspoon of love, a dash of magic, and a whole heaping cup of Southern charm.”

— Bestselling author Aimie K. Runyan⁠⁠https://www.jennifermoorman.com/thebakersman

In the Southern town of Mystic Water, magic is always in the wind—and in the ovens.

Anna O’Brien inherited several gifts from her late Grandma Bea: culinary superpowers, a bakery in a charming Southern town, and a mysterious box with a note:

Open the box only when you need to. You’ll know exactly when you do, and you’ll know what to do with it. I love you.

The night her presumed fiancé crushes her dreams, Anna opens the box and finds “magic sugar” inside, along with a recipe to bake “the perfect man.” Encouraged by her best friend Lily (and maybe a wee bit too much rum), a heartbroken Anna sets out to do what she always does when she’s feeling blue: bake.

She hardly believes her eyes the next morning when a man—a breathing and rather handsome man—is in her bakery and seems to know all her likes and dislikes, her quirks and preferences. Elijah is everything Anna dreamed and nothing she expected. Where did he come from? Is he real? And when he fashions his own ideas about what makes a good life, can she let him go?

Escape into this whimsical and enchanting tale of magical realism and the spellbinding power of following your dreams as Anna discovers the sweetest side of life.

Poison Kiss

The poison you don't want to keep to yourself—it's dangerous and delicious.

This Poison Kiss recipe is inspired by THE CASTLE KEEPERS by Aimie K. Runyan, J'Nell Ciesielski, and Rachel McMillan.

Leedswick Castle has housed the Alnwick family in the English countryside for generations, despite a family curse determined to destroy their legacy and erase them from history.

This stunning historical fiction is available now from Harper Muse!

Give this recipe a try . . . if you dare! As for me, I double-dog dare you :)

Poison Kiss

Serves 1–2

Ingredients

2 oz lemon vodka

2 oz pomegranate juice

2 oz dark cherry juice

Lemon-lime soda to top off

Directions

Place vodka and juices in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake for 10 seconds to mix and chill. Strain into glass of choice.

Note: For a sweeter cocktail: Replace lemon vodka with pineapple vodka. Add a splash of peach schnapps. Replace lemon-lime soda with ginger ale. Garnish with mint.

Basil Buttermilk Scones with Strawberries

These basil buttermilk scones are a delicious summer treat! Originally featured in the summer edition of This Inspired Life Magazine, don't miss out on this fresh and easy recipe!

It's best to serve your basil buttermilk scones with macerated ripe strawberries and dollops of lightly whipped cream, which creates the perfect summer treat for high tea or an afternoon snack with your best friend. They're travel-friendly, so take them on your next picnic or road trip.

With their soft, light, and crumbly texture, the scones are elevated by the herbaceous hint of basil and the sweet taste of summer-ripe strawberries

Basil Buttermilk Scones with Macerated Strawberries

Serves 9–10

Ingredients

2 ⅓ cups self-rising flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided

½ cup cold unsalted butter, cubed

½ cup cold buttermilk

1 large egg, beaten

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract, divided

4 tablespoons large fresh basil, sliced into thin strips

Dash of salt

¾ pound fresh strawberries, hulled, quartered

1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

1 cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream, divided

2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

Garnish: fresh baby basil leaves

Directions

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Add ¼ cup sugar, stirring until combined.

2. Add cold butter, tossing to coat. Using your fingertips, rub butter into flour mixture until mixture resembles coarse sand but there are still larger bits of butter.

3. Make a well in center, and add cold buttermilk, egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and sliced basil. Using a spoon, folk mixture until just combined.

4. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Using lightly floured hands, knead dough until it just comes together, 2 or 3 times. Pat dough into ¼-inch thickness, and using a 2 2 ½-inch round cutter, cut into circles, and place on prepared pan with dough touching. Freeze for 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 375°F.

5. In a medium bowl, toss together cut strawberries, vanilla bean paste, and remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar until combined. Let stand for 30 minutes.

6. Brush tops of scones with heavy cream. Bake until set and tops are golden brown, 15–18 minutes. Let cool completely.

7. In a stand mixer using the whisk attachment, whisk heavy cream until just combined and soft. Add confectioners’ sugar and vanilla, and whip until soft peaks form. Refrigerate until ready to use.

8. Slice scones in half. Spoon whipped cream and bottom halves, and distribute macerate strawberries over top. Garnish with fresh basil leaves.

Rum Cake

RUM CAKEContinuing with the adventure to cook my way through THE BAKER'S MAN, today we're whipping up Chapter 2: Rum Cake.

Sometimes your best friend knows exactly what you need when your heart breaks like peanut brittle. Other times, a night of innocent encouraging turns into an accidental disaster in the kitchen, courtesy of a bottle of rum and an enchanted ingredient.

And instead of Anna and Lily creating a deliciously sweet rum cake, the recipe causes something else entirely to pop out of the oven.

Has your Bestie ever talked you into something crazy?

Rum Cake

Serves 12 to 14

Ingredients

For the cake:

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, plus more for dusting the pan (see note)1 cup freshly brewed coffee

½ cup dark rum*1 cup unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

2 cups sugar2 cups all-purpose flour1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda½ teaspoon salt2 large eggs½ cup buttermilk1 teaspoon vanilla extractConfectioners’ sugar, for dusting (optional)

For the chocolate rum icing:

2/3 cup semisweet chocolate morsels 2 tablespoons butter2 tablespoons milk or half-and-half, plus more as needed2 tablespoons dark rum*

Directions

1. Prepare the cake: Preheat oven to 325 F. Spray a large Bundt pan (12-cup) with baking spray or grease with oil and dust with flour or cocoa powder. If your Bundt pan is smaller, only fill your pan ¾ way to the top.

2. Place coffee, dark rum, butter, and cocoa powder in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk gently until the butter is melted. Remove from the heat and add the sugar, stirring until dissolved. Set aside to cool.

3. Place the flour, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl and whisk ingredients together.

4. In the bowl of a stand mixer or using a hand mixer, mix together the eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla. When the chocolate mixture has cooled, turn the mixer on low and gently pour chocolate into the egg mixture.

5. Add the flour mixture, and mix only until combined.

6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and bake for 40–50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Place on wire rack to cool.

7. Prepare the chocolate rum icing: Melt the chocolate morsels in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly. When chocolate is melted, add butter, milk, and rum. Whisk together, and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add more milk to thin the sauce, if necessary. Remove the sauce from the heat and allow to cool slightly.

8. When the cake has cooled, invert it onto a wire rack placed over parchment or wax paper. Or place on cake plate for easy serving. Drizzle with chocolate rum icing.

*Rum can be substituted with equal amounts water, fruit juice, apple cider, or rice vinegar. These flavors won’t come through the chocolate, which is a much stronger flavor, but you need the liquid.

Ready for your next baking adventure through fiction? What happens if you create a man out of dough? Grab your copy of The Baker's Man today and find out!

Chocolate Chip Quinoa Energy Bars

Are you ready for a treat your body will thank you for?

These Chocolate Chip Quinoa Energy Bars were featured in This Inspired Life Magazine and they are easy to make and the perfect on-the-go snack to keep on hand for those times you're craving something crunchy and a little bit sweet.

This Inspired Life Magazine highlights a community of creatives who share their art, writings, crafts, recipes, and hearts. You’ll find these pages offer a wonderland of imagination, heart, and soul. The magazine’s mission is to inspire readers with stories of hope and encouragement and to spark the creative spirit in all of us.

Grab a copy today and whip up these delicious bars!

Chocolate Chip Quinoa Energy Bars

Ingredients

1 cup almonds chopped

1 cup quinoa flakes or rolled oats

1/4 cup sesame seeds

1/4 cup hemp seeds or sunflower seeds

1/4 cup chia seeds or ground flaxseeds

1/2 cup honey or maple syrup

1/2 cup coconut palm sugar or sugar of choice

1/2 cup craisins

1/4 cup coconut oil

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups millet puffs, quinoa puffs, or puffed rice cereal

1/2 cup chocolate chips

How to Make

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8-inch square baking dish with parchment paper, allowing the paper to extend over the side. Set aside. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread almonds, quinoa flakes, sesame seeds, hemp seeds, and chia or flax seeds on the baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Meanwhile, place honey or maple syrup, coconut palm sugar, coconut oil, and sea salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until thickened. Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla. Allow to cool slightly. Pour sugar mixture over the quinoa flakes, and stir in millet puffs, craisins, and chocolate chips. Stir well, and pour into prepared baking dish in an even layer. Place a piece of parchment paper on top of the mixture and press down to flatten. Let stand at room temperature for 2 hours. Invert from pan and cut into 16 bars.

Peanut Brittle

PEANUT BRITTLEMy daddy and I used to make this together when I was a little girl. He loved this stuff! I'd describe the flavor as toffee + caramel + peanuts with a hard candy crunch.

This recipe is inspired by THE BAKER'S MAN (chapter 1). My daddy and I used to make this in the microwave, and if you can believe it, it turned out every time! This version is a bit "fancier" and uses a candy thermometer, but the ingredients are still the same simple ones.

Do you have childhood favorite recipe?

Peanut Brittle

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 20 mins

Additional Time: 30 mins

Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

1 cup white sugar

½ cup light corn syrup

¼ cup water

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup peanuts

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1 teaspoon baking soda

Directions

1. Measure all ingredients before starting.

2. Grease a large rimmed baking sheet. Set aside.

3. Combine sugar, corn syrup, water, and salt in a heavy 2-quart saucepan over medium heat.

4. Stir until sugar is dissolved and the mixture comes to a boil, about 5 minutes.

5. Stir in peanuts, and set a candy thermometer in place. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the temperature reaches 300 to 310 degrees F (150 to 155 degrees C).

6. Remove from the heat. Quickly stir in butter and baking soda, then immediately pour mixture onto the prepared baking sheet. Quickly use 2 forks to lift and pull the mixture into a 12 x 14-inch rectangle. Let cool until completely firm, at least 30 minutes.

7. Gently break peanut brittle into pieces.

Ready for your next baking adventure through fiction? What happens if you create a man out of dough? Grab your copy of The Baker's Man today and find out!

Voting Is Open!

VOTING IS OPEN!!!

I'm super excited to announce that not 1 BUT 2 of my book covers have been selected to be part of the Bedside Reading's 2023 Cover Awards!

2 Covers:

⭐️ THE BAKER'S MAN

⭐️ THE NECESSITY OF LAVENDER TEA

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Voting opens today and runs until April 16. I'd love for you to vote for your favorite cover, and either of my books as your favorite choice is a win for me.

Thank you for supporting me and Bedside Reading, as well as all of the other wonderful authors!!!

Amortentia Love Potion

LOVE POTION! Amortentia love potion, to be precise! And the most powerful love potion in existence. Inspired by Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.Amortentia smells differently to everyone, according to what attracts them.

What would Amortentia smell like to you? Would you draft this potion?

Amortentia Potion

Cast a spell on the object of your affection with this Harry Potter inspired Cherry White Hot Chocolate.

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Servings: 2 Servings

Calories: a gazillion lovely ones

Ingredients

1/2 cup 2% milk*

1 Pint vanilla ice cream

1/3 cup peppermint mocha coffee creamer

1/2 cup white chocolate chips

1/2 cup frozen dark cherries

Pink/Red food coloring

* non-dairy options are great for this too!

Instructions

1. Add the ice cream to a sauce pan and melt on medium heat.

2. Pour in the milk and creamer.

3. Sprinkle in the white chocolate chips.

4. Add the cherries.

5. Add a drop of red food coloring.

6. When the frozen cherries are warmed up either use an immersion blender to blend the mixture or pour the whole thing in a blender.

7. Once the drink is completely blended, pour into two glasses.

Ready for your next baking adventure through fiction? What happens if you create a man out of dough? Grab your copy of The Baker's Man today and find out!

Gillyweed

Gillyweed doesn't exist outside of Harry Potter's magical world, but this concotion gives you the illusion of "slimy, grey-green rat tails" and tastes a whole lot fresher too! Who wants rat tails anyway?

This recipe is inspired by Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

If given a potion that would give you gills and webbed toes and allow you to breathe underwater, would you drink it?

Gillyweed

Level: Easy

Total: 30 min (if using cooling time)

Active: 15 min

Yield: 8 cups

Ingredients

1 English cucumber

1/2 cup mint sprigs

2 limes

1/2 gallon (8 cups or almost 2 litres) flat or sparkling water

Directions

Using a vegetable peeler, peel the cucumber lengthwise, reserving both peel and the flesh until you reach the seedy middle, then stop. Peel the zest from the limes into curls or strips. Juice the limes and reserve. Add cucumber peel, springs of mint, and lime juice and zest to a large pitcher, then add cold water to top. The longer the fruit steeps in the water, the more flavor is infused. If using flat water you can allow the ingredients to mingle in the fridge for 30 minutes. If using sparkling water, serve immediately to retain the carbonation.Ready for your next baking adventure through fiction? What happens if you create a man out of dough? Grab your copy of The Baker's Man today and find out!