A Happy New Year

Hello all and Happy New Years!!!!

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and a restful holiday!

Well, I survived my first year hosting Christmas for my husband's family and it was a complete success! Although I can't take all the credit, my little kitchen fairy (mum-in-law) was there to lend a helping hand when I needed it (mostly cleaning up after me).

We decided to have a fusion British-Canadian Christmas to celebrate me and my husband's first Christmas as a married couple and included our most favorite dishes, like bread pudding and sweet potato casserole. Yum! I also took it upon myself to do a little pre-Christmas baking and went, well, perhaps a little overboard? Never.

I am back to blogging...at least until next Christmas anyway! After all the time, effort, and love put into making Christmas, I was completely spoiled to bits!

Needless to say, the blog got a little neglected and I didn't quite finish my twelve days of Christmas. So, to make up for it, I found some amazing recipes that I would LOVE to have around my table next Christmas!

What are you most looking forward to making next Christmas?

Blog Lovin':

1. Panforte - a spicy medieval Christmas cake! Y'all know I love my spices and this sounds right up my alley!

2. Millionaire's Shortbread - three words: chocolate, caramel, shortbread....heaven! This is probably one of my favorite desserts on the planet! I want to make it every year, but never do!

3. No-Bake Mochaccino Cookies - cookies AND coffee? I'm in. These look divine.

4. Chocolate Salami - I keep hearing about this stuff and I seriously NEED to try it!

5. White Chocolate Macadamia Coconut Truffles - I absolutely adore truffles and these sound like tropical heaven!

6. Red Velvet Cookies - Cause who doesn't love a little red velvet in their life? No one, that's who. ;)

7.  Peppermint and Candy Cane Cake - this cake. Gorgeous! Imagine that little beauty atop the Christmas table! Swoon!

I am already excited for next Christmas! I definitely have to try these out!

Until next time folks!

xo Jenn

Irish Coffee Truffles

Hey all, it's the third day of Christmas in my 12 Days of Christmas Revamp series! I'm back and things are going to get a bit crazy on the blog, because I have finally started my CHRISTMAS BAKING!

This is my favorite part of Christmastime! The hustle bustle, the jolly feelings and, of course, the oodles of endless baking bursting from the kitchen!

One of my favorite holiday treats is truffles. I have made almost every variation under the sun, and these little dandies never let me down. They are so simple you will wonder why you have never made them before, honestly!

And today I made the most sinfully divine truffles I have ever tasted...maybe it's because I have a serious problem with Irish cream. Believe me, if you have only ever had plain chocolate truffles this may change your life. In addition to the dark chocolate, these little babies have coffee and a wee bit of Bailey's just to make things interesting. So here it is folks, give it a try, you will not regret it. :)

Drum roll please........

Irish Coffee Truffles
makes approx. 20 truffles

Ingredients:
1 cup plus 2 tbsp. (200 grams) dark chocolate
2 tbsp. butter (give or take)
2 tbsp. Bailey's Irish Cream (I used homemade)
1 tbsp. instant coffee granules (crushed)
cocoa

Method:
1. Chop the chocolate into small pieces and place bowl over saucepan half filled with water over medium-low heat. Stir until the chocolate is melted completely.
2. Remove from heat and add coffee granules. Stir until coffee is completely dissolved, this may take a while. Stir until chocolate cools down to room temperature.
3. When the chocolate is tempered, add the butter and Irish cream and stir until the chocolate begins to thicken slightly.
4. When completely combined, place bowl in the fridge for a least a good hour and a half.
5. After an hour, the mixture should be thickened and scoop-able. Using a regular teaspoon, scoop out mixture and roll into 1 inch balls. Set the truffles on a baking sheet lined with baking paper and return to the fridge to set up.
6. After about fifteen minutes, your truffles should be ready to embellish! I rolled mine in cocoa, which emphasizes the flavor of the chocolate a little more, but you could use anything from icing sugar to sprinkles! Whatever looks pretty. :)

And that's all she wrote! Serve em' up on a shiny platter and show off your mad truffle skills to all your guests!

I hope you all enjoy them, they are slightly addictive. Sorry about that!

If you haven't already, feel free to follow me on my twitter page: https://twitter.com/ovenwarm

Until next time!

xo Jenn

Sticky Orange Gingerbread Cake

It's time for the second recipe of the Twelve Days of Christmas Revamp with sticky orange gingerbread cake! Oh yes.

This current holiday season I seem to be obsessed with ginger; it's warm, spicy and basically encapsulates Christmas in your mouth. I find myself adding a dash of ginger to nearly everything I eat (okay well most things) just to replicate this divine spice of Christmas.

Okay, so I know sticky gingerbread cake isn't anything new, but let me just clear the air--this is the gingeriest gingerbread cake you will ever taste! Oh my, it is an absolute treat! But what makes this the gingeriest gingerbread cake, you ask? My secret weapon: ginger preserve and candied ginger!

I have always had a love affair with putting candied ginger in my baking. And being a serious ginger connoisseur, it definitely adds that extra ka-pow that my taste buds yearn for. Now, of course you can make candied ginger, but if you're anything like me (and don't have time), my all-time favourite is The Ginger People's crystallized Ginger Chips. They are absolutely perfect for baking and come already chopped into tiny bits, so you don't end up with a spicy giant clump of ginger scorching your poor tongue. Seriously, check them out, http://www.gingerpeople.com/crystallized-ginger/crystallized-ginger-chips.html. I use them in everything. :)

And as for the jam, I first encountered ginger preserve when I first moved to England. Oh. My. Goodness. Why don't we have this in Canada?!? I actually don't think I can function without it in my life anymore. It's the best, trust me. ;)

Anyway, back to the recipe!!!

Sticky Orange Gingerbread cake:
makes about 20 squares

Ingredients:
2/3 cups butter
7 Tbsp. golden syrup (corn syrup)
7 Tbsp. molasses
1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp. brown (muscovado) sugar
2 tsp. crystallized ginger chips
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. baking soda, dissoled in 2 Tbsp. of warm water
1 cup full-fat milk
2 eggs, beaten to mix
1 1/2 cups plus 1 Tbsp. plain flour

glaze:
1/4 cup ginger preserve
juice of half an orange
zest of half an orange

icing sugar, for dusting

Method:
1. Preheat your oven to 170 degrees Celsius (350 F). Line an ovenproof dish (approx 30cm X 20cm) with parchment paper (or grease it real good with butter).

2. In a saucepan, melt butter over a low heat along with syrup, sugar, molasses, ginger chips and spices.

3. Take off the heat when sugar is dissolved and add milk, eggs and baking soda-water mixture.

4. Measure the flour into a bowl and pour in the liquid ingredients, beating until well mixed. It will be pretty liquidy, but don't worry, this adds to the stickiness later!

5. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 45-60 minutes depending on your oven. Bake until risen and firm on top, but be careful not to over bake, as a little stickiness is a good thing.Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool.

6. In the meantime, heat ginger preserve, orange juice and zest in a saucepan over medium-low heat until liquidy and sugar has dissolved.

7. Poke several holes into the surface of the gingerbread with a skewer, this will let the glaze seep into the cake. It's best to do this when it's still warm. Pour the glaze on top of the gingerbread and spread into all the tiny holes.

8. Cut into 20 square and dust with icing sugar. Serve and enjoy!

This recipe is perfect for entertaining a little or a lot of guests! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do and I dare you to eat just one!

Until next time!

xo Jenn

Spreading the Holiday Cheer!

As the cool winter weather rushes in I have the sudden urge to listen to rather folksy music, slap on the uggs and replace the rest of the items in my wardrobe with knitted versions of themselves. Perhaps it's the deep-seeded canuck in me that craves this cold (or as some would call 'bleak') winter weather. But there is something really magical about the winter season: the air is brisk, the kindness of humanity is at an all time high, and did I mention the FOOD?

This is the time of year that I tend to shine, or as some say (ie. my husband) go a bit looney-tunes in the 'spreading the holiday cheer' department. Fortunately he loves the season just as much as I do, so in a way it kind of compensates.

But let's get serious for a moment, that special feeling of sparkly rainbows dancing in your tummy is often a result of people adding that extra something (ie fat and sugar) to every holiday recipe. Some of my earliest and happiest childhood memories are baking shortbread cookies with my grandma: secretly eating little bits of raw cookie dough when the adults 'weren't looking,' the smell of maraschino cherries lingering in the air and the excitement that came with seeing those beauties come out of the oven all golden. So if you find yourself craving that spine-tingling, heart stopping pleasure center that is holiday food: look no further my friends, you have arrived. :)

So here's the pitch, I am going to do a series of recipes leading up to the holidays that are some of my absolute favorites: traditional recipes with a modern twist! Think for a moment, of butter tarts (a traditional favourite in my household); now imagine replacing the raisin-y bit with a pink sugar plum version of itself. o_0 Yes, I think this will be a wonderful holiday. These are definitely not your Granny's recipes so stay tuned for the festivities!

This will be known hence as the Twelve days of Christmas Bake-athon!!! I really want to hear what y`all have to think about all these as well, so please comment away! Feel free to send along requests or to share your favourite holiday recipes!

Until next time folks I will leave you with this:
What was your fondest memory of holiday baking when you were young?
Leave your answer in the comments!

xo Jenn

Mexican Chocolate Cookies

Hey all! It’s my first recipe post!

Two words: chocolate and caramel. What is more decadent and indulgent than that? How about Mexican chocolate and caramel? These spicy Mexican chocolate cookies have a luxurious brownie-like texture and are slathered in caramel sauce that is guaranteed to pull you out of any slump!

Just take a look and try not to drool.

Yes, please.

There is something so magical about combining cinnamon and chocolate; simple, but it really takes any food to a whole new level of flavour. I absolutely love how cinnamon tastes with chocolate and I put it in everything from cookies to coffee. I have even tried a Mexican chocolate chili dish; call me crazy, but it was actually amazing. This recipe was a combination of many of my favourite flavours, namely chocolate, cinnamon and caramel. And while I usually save these flavours for fall and winter baking, I had an especially nagging craving that summer foods could not satisfy.

Mexican Chocolate Cookies:

Makes about 2 dozen large cookies

Ingredients:

4 ¼ cups flour

½ cup cocoa

4 ½ tsp. baking powder

¾ tsp. salt

1 ¼ tsp. cinnamon

1 ½ cups sugar

3 large eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 ½ cups butter

Method:

1.      In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.

2.      In a large bowl or bowl of mixer, whisk butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about three minutes. Add in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add in vanilla and mix well.

3.      Slowly add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and stir gently until incorporated. The dough should not stick to the bowl very much at this point. Cover dough and refrigerate for 1 hour.

4.      When you are ready to bake the cookies, turn oven to 350 F. Spoon out about two Tbsp. of dough and form into a ball in the palm of your hand. Place on cookie sheet with parchment/baking paper and flatten slightly. Place cookies about 2-3 inches apart.

5.     Bake for 10-12 minutes. You want the cookies to be a little underdone in the middle to give them that chewy texture.

These delightfully delicious sweets are incredibly easy to make and a perfect complement to a steaming hot cup of coffee, although they hardly require coffee as an excuse to eat!

In addition to the cookies I made the caramel sauce as well, with a slight twist of course. I find that unless I am specifically baking with heavy cream, I don’t tend to just have it on hand to cook with. So, as you may have guessed, this is a cream-less caramel recipe. No, it doesn’t make it any healthier, but I can always hope! If you have any spare caramel you can store it in an airtight container in the fridge. It tastes great on pretty much anything from coffee to ice cream. 

Savvy-girl Caramel Sauce:

Makes approx. 1 cup

Ingredients:
1 cup white sugar

1/4 cup. milk

2 Tbsp. butter

1 tsp. corn flour/starch

Method:

1. In a saucepan over low heat, cook sugar until it is melted, whisking consistently. It should be clear and light caramel in colour.

2. Add butter and continue to whisk. It will froth up a bit but just keep whisking until it is incorporated. Add milk and whisk to blend, should be frothy and caramel in colour. If it turns dark brown or black, it is burnt. 

3. Remove from heat immediately and stir in the corn flour. I like to mix my corn flour in a separate cup with some of the mixture and then adding it to avoid lumps, rather than dumping it all in at once. Stir occasionally, it will thicken as it cools. If it turns out too thick, add a little more milk  until it is the consistency you desire.

You can either drizzle on the caramel, or just dunk them right in it! And there you have it, Mexican chocolate cookies with caramel sauce! Enjoy!

xoxo  Jenn