ABC: Maple-Pecan Medjool Date Rugelach

December 07, 2010 by Monica in ABC, Baking, Baking Club, Cookbooks, Cookies, Desserts, Sweets

The first time I came across Rugelach was at the Epicure Market, a local gourmet market, that has been a staple in Miami Beach for over 65 years. These crescent pastries are a traditional Jewish food which is eaten any time of the year, but are really popular and traditional during the Hanukkah holiday. Epicure (as the local refer to it), which catered to the large Jewish population in Miami Beach, made sure to have a whole case dedicated to these pastries. It was the mecca of Rugelach. I can not remember how many types there were but the combination of filling were numerous - raisins, walnuts, cinnamon, chocolate, marzipan, poppy seed, dry fruits even preserves. I don’t think there was any type of combination that Epicure had not tried.

My favorites were the ones filled with chocolate and marzipan. When I lived in Miami Beach, I would make sure to get there early on Saturday to fill a bakery box with this sweet treat and then spend the whole weekend munching away at the treat.

ABC: Orange Chiffon Tweed Cake with Milk n' Honey Sabayon

October 06, 2010 by Monica in ABC, Baking, Baking Club, Cake, Desserts, Sweets

Yesterday I became an aunt (indirectly, since this was from Tom’s side of the family). This perfect little baby girl that we all be waiting for decided that 12:11am was a good time to make her way into the world.

Do you know what we were doing at 12:11am yesterday?

Tom and I were cutting into this cake to have a taste. From this day forward I will officially call this cake “Sienna’s Birthday cake” in honor of my new niece.

Way to go kid, being born when you aunt Monica was busy baking. You and I are going to get along just fine.

I never

ABC: All American Chocolate Cake with Divinity Frosting and Milk Chocolate Paint

September 07, 2010 by Monica in ABC, Baking, Baking Club, Cake, Cookbooks, Desserts, Sweets

After having crashed and burned on the last chocolate offering on my other baking clubs, this recipe, from the ABC choice of the month had a very high expectations even before I read the whole recipe.

My reasoning behind it was that after having baked four recipes from Flo Braker book none have disappointed me. So we were 4 for 4. Can we make five?

My first tip to you is this. Bake the cake a day ahead, while is NOT a complicated cake to make, and nowhere in the instructions does it tell you to do this, I’m going to highly recommend you do. The high crumb level on this cake will make frosting a bit of a mess. So I opted to make the cake a day ahead and place in the refrigerator to chill. When frosting time came, it was smooth sailing all the way.