German Bienenstich Cake with Honey Almond Brittle and Vanilla Cream

Spring is here, flowers are blooming, and bees are taking flight. What better way to acknowledge the season than a German Bienenstich (Bee Sting) Cake? This three-layer delight consists of a lightly sweetened, brioche-style, yeast bread topped with a honey-almond brittle and sandwiched with a pudding-like vanilla cream. If you gravitate towards a toned-down sweetContinue reading “German Bienenstich Cake with Honey Almond Brittle and Vanilla Cream”

Rich & Buttery, Gluten-Free & Vegan Scottish Shortbread Cookies

I recently created a recipe for some traditional Scottish Shortbread cookies. With such a simple recipe, I knew I could turn it into a gluten-free shortbread. After all, us gluten-free people want some indulgence, too! In fact, I decided to up the ante and make that rich, buttery shortbread, that is full of gluten andContinue reading “Rich & Buttery, Gluten-Free & Vegan Scottish Shortbread Cookies”

Simple Scottish Shortbread Cookies: 4 Ingredients Including a Secret!

What do the American Pound Cake and Scottish Shortbread have in common? They both contain lots of flour, butter, and sugar. The Scottish Shortbread has minimal ingredients including a secret ingredient providing its unique texture. This is a fun interactive recipe to make with kids. These cookies are quick to make and get better withContinue reading “Simple Scottish Shortbread Cookies: 4 Ingredients Including a Secret!”

Jamaican Patty: Spices, Herbs, & Meat in a Flaky Turmeric Crust

Mini dough encrusted meat or veggie pies are the ultimate street food or appetizer. This Jamaican Patty recipe contains the most common spices and herbs found in Jamaican cuisine. You get the Caribbean heat from the spicy, seasoned meat. The yellow, golden, flaky pie crust is a result of turmeric and mix of butter andContinue reading “Jamaican Patty: Spices, Herbs, & Meat in a Flaky Turmeric Crust”

Simple, No-Knead Sourdough Bread: Only 15 Active Minutes!

Your sourdough starter is finally growing. It has matured and now it’s time to use it to make the bread you’ve been waiting for, right? After all, isn’t that why you began the sourdough? Even if you’re not a baker and are hesitant about kneading dough, you can still make a great tasting sourdough bread.Continue reading “Simple, No-Knead Sourdough Bread: Only 15 Active Minutes!”

Simple Sourdough Starter for Beginners: Flour & Water Only

A sourdough starter only needs two ingredients and time. Flour and water combined with a little warmth and patience yields a naturally occurring, wild yeast. The only commitment on your part is feeding it and discarding the extra starter daily. We’re talking only a few minutes a day, tops! This post is all about showingContinue reading “Simple Sourdough Starter for Beginners: Flour & Water Only”

Easy Sourdough Discard Bread: Perfect for the Bread Machine

You began your sourdough starter a couple of days ago. It’s growing, but it’s not ready or complex enough in flavor to use in a traditional, sourdough bread. Believe it or not, you can actually use it now to make sourdough bread. The only caveat is that you need to rely on commercial yeast forContinue reading “Easy Sourdough Discard Bread: Perfect for the Bread Machine”

Simple Chinese Shaobing Flatbread: Sesame Roux Layered Pastry

Lunar New Year and the Beijing Winter Olympics are near. I can’t think of a better way to celebrate than with a bake to represent both. The basic Chinese Shaobing Flatbread (or pastry) truly is an international bread worthy of recognition. It’s the representation of bread bakes from the east to west and every countryContinue reading “Simple Chinese Shaobing Flatbread: Sesame Roux Layered Pastry”

French Spice Bread: A Happy Blend of Gingerbread & Spice Cake

The French Pain d’Épices is a yeast-free, dense, quick bread that is reminiscent of both gingerbread and spice cake. The words “pain d’épices” are French for “spice bread”, literally translated as, “bread of spices”. What make it unique are the additions of dark rye flour and one cup of honey. My version includes chopped candiedContinue reading “French Spice Bread: A Happy Blend of Gingerbread & Spice Cake”

Sour Cream Pocketbook Rolls: Buttery, Salty, Tangy, & Sweet

If you ask me what my last meal would include, I would say the same now as I would have said as a kid… ooey, gooey, cheesy, mashed potatoes and a buttery, salty, yeast roll, along with a warm, homemade chocolate chip cookie for dessert. Then again, I probably wouldn’t be hungry if I knewContinue reading “Sour Cream Pocketbook Rolls: Buttery, Salty, Tangy, & Sweet”