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Yummy Links: From Vegan Lunches to Strawmatoes

partysugar — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 08:00:40 -0700

Here are 10 hearty and filling vegan lunches. — Chow
Check out the shiny, new, made-over look of my favorite party planning blog. — Hostess With the Mostess
Make cake baking easy with aluminum foil pan liners.— The Kitchn
A New York winery has been named winery of the year. — Slashfood
Speaking of wine, these just-released reads will make you thirsty for all things vino. — The Epi-Log
Learn the difference between large and extra large eggs. — Baking Bites
Having your produce delivered is a great way to eat healthier.— FitSugar
A woman has discovered a strawberry growing inside a tomato. — Serious Eats

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Yummy Links: From Pickling Pointers to Beer Mixing

partysugar — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 09:00:47 -0700

Into pickling? Here's how to choose the right vinegar. — The Kitchn
What does "heirloom" mean really? — Chow
The incomplete but oh-so-true guide to beachside eats.— The Epi-Log
Don't these brownie chunk peanut butter cookies sound divine? — Baking Bites
Bacon-cheese hot dogs: a brunch dish for the adventurous. — Serious Eats
Use your old wine corks to make these cute trivets. — Sweet & Sticky
Are you a health foodie? — FitSugar
Bored with beer? Try getting creative with fizzy flavor blends. — Slashfood

Definition: Clafouti

YumSugar — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 14:00:05 -0700

Clafouti
A rustic dessert from the French region of Limousin that is a cross between a pancake and a custard. While traditionally made with cherries that have not been pitted (the pits release more flavor), clafouti is also made with plums, blackberries, apples, and other fruits. Also spelled clafoutis.

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Do You Have an Eye For Pie?

YumSugar — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 05:30:38 -0700

This week would be the 280th birthday of Johann Heinrich Lambert, who proved that ~~pie was an irrational craving~~ pi was an irrational number. So far, nobody in history has been able to explain irrational cravings for pie! In the meantime, I thought I'd whet your craving (and test your identification skills) for different varieties of this heavenly pastry. Do you have an eye for pie? See if you can match the pie to its name to find out.

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Yummy Links: From Tyler Florence to Frozen Yogurt

partysugar — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 09:00:15 -0700

Over the weekend Tyler Florence and his wife Tolan welcomed their baby daughter into the world. — Slashfood
Five baked goods that will make going back to school a little more delicious. — Chow
Need a good laugh? Watch this video of babies eating lemons. — Serious Eats
Printed pop art plates add pizzaz to any dinner table. — GlamDish
What songs do you cook to? — The Epi-Log
Cool off with fresh strawberry frozen yogurt. — Baking Bites

Source

French Jews and Muslims Vow to Stop Conflict by Baking

partysugar — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 10:25:44 -0700

French Jews and Muslims Vow to Stop Conflict by Baking
In Paris a group of Jewish and Muslim French women get together to bake pastries and not talk about politics in the Middle East. They call themselves Les Bâtisseuses de Paix, or Peace Builders, and they hope to prevent the spread of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to France, where 5 million Muslims and 600,000 Jews live.

Reader Recipe: Cream Cheese Stuffed Cupcakes

YumSugar — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 15:00:07 -0700

Cupcakes are one of my favorite things, so I thought I'd died and gone to heaven when I saw Renees3's recipe. She starts with chocolate cupcakes, stuffs them with a white chocolate filling, ices them with a cream cheese frosting, and tops them off with a drizzling of seedless raspberry sauce. When Renees3 couldn't find an adequate cupcake recipe, she decided to adapt a bunch of different recipes to make her own customized cupcakes. To me, that's one of the true virtues of cooking: You can tailor any recipe to suit your needs, which can result in something even better! To see how her cupcakes came together,

Everybody Must Get Scones

YumSugar — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 16:15:09 -0700

On a recent trip to my local farmers market, I discovered a bunch of beautiful baskets overflowing with figs. Figs have a quick season, so I knew I had to make something pronto! Rather than bake or poach the fruit as I usually do, I wanted to try something new.

I decided to alter Nicole's strawberry-goat cheese scone recipe with my farmers' market figs. The figs perfectly complemented the subtle flavor of the creamy goat cheese.

I opted for a drop-style biscuit rather than a traditional wedge scone, but regardless of the shape it tasted delicious! To learn how to make these simple and scrumptious scones

Time to Go Blonde

YumSugar — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 09:00:57 -0700

Recently my pal Julie and I got into a debate over which was better: blondies or brownies. In my opinion, nothing can trump a good brownie, but she doesn't agree. After our conversation I realized that even with all of my baking, I was guilty of blondie-discrimination. I've never actually made blondies! When Julie told me she was coming to town, I knew I had to whip her up a homemade treat and give blondies a fair chance. Were they better than brownies? Not really, but they were mighty tasty and I'll be making them again. To get the "Platinum Blondie" recipe I used,

Yummy Link: Milk Martini

partysugar — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 11:15:53 -0700

How clever is this fabulous presentation of milk and cookies?! Instead of serving the cookie on a boring plate and the milk in a regular glass, it's served like a dessert cocktail! — The Boastful Baker

Do You Own a Standing Mixer?

partysugar — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 10:15:45 -0700

Do You Own a Standing Mixer?

Yes, I love my _____ (fill in the color below) mixer and use it all the time!

Yes, but it's a waste of space because I never use it.

No, I don't do enough baking to need a standing mixer.

No, but I really want one!

Other — see me comment below.

Zippy Zesty Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

YumSugar — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 09:07:25 -0700

With the lovely weather of Summer, who wants to spend all day indoors baking? Not me! Thankfully, I came across this sweet and tart lemon confection that is quick and simple. A light, single-layer cake flavored with lemon zest and poppy seeds, this dessert is complemented by a zippy yet sugary lemon glaze.
The perfect fix for any Summer sweet tooth, the recipe would also make a great cupcake for your next picnic or bbq. To learn how to make this sour yet luscious cake,

Yummy Links: From Salmonella to Homemade Ricotta

partysugar — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 09:00:33 -0700

The raw tomato Salmonella outbreak has spread to 16 states. — FitSugar
A lovely alternative to classic pasta salad: Thai shiitake mushroom salad. — 28 Cooks
Isn't this gorgeous dress cake perfect for a bridal shower? — Frosted Garden
When baking, don't add too much flour while kneading. — The Kitchn
The best of ballpark food. — The New York Times
Due to the recession, Safeway's baker's dozen will only include 12 items. — Slashfood
Boxed wine isn't that bad. Here are six to try.—Mainstreet
Learn how to make homemade ricotta.—The Wednesday Chef

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Do You Have a Kitchen Scale?

partysugar — Thu, 22 May 2008 06:45:58 -0700

Source

Do You Have a Kitchen Scale?

Of course, I use it for baking.

I own one, but rarely use it.

No, but I really want to get one.

Why would I need a scale in the kitchen?

Other — see my comment below.

Shortcuts to Spectacular Home-Style Layer Cakes

partysugar — Tue, 20 May 2008 11:11:45 -0700

Shortcuts to Spectacular Homestyle Layer Cakes
Finally! The experts at the Southern Living Test Kitchens share a few of their favorite tips for making flawless cakes in a fraction of the time. (Hint: It's ok to start with boxed cake mix.)

Definition: Cake Flour

partysugar — Thu, 15 May 2008 11:30:19 -0700

Cake Flour

Sometimes known as pastry flour, this high-starch, soft wheat flour has a fine texture. It makes baked goods like cakes more tender than regular flour because it has the least amount of gluten. Bleached cake flour has a bright white color.

The best substitute for cake flour is to use 7/8 cup all-purpose flour plus 2 tablespoons cornstarch to make 1 cup of cake flour.

Source

Boston Cream Pie Two Ways — Beginner and Expert

YumSugar — Fri, 02 May 2008 11:30:48 -0700

Boston Cream Pie is a weirdly misunderstood dessert. It says it's a pie, but in actuality it's a cake. It also gets the reputation for being rather finicky to deal with. Yet every baker should learn how to make one some day.

Because pastry cream can be difficult to work with, I've found a recipe that uses instant pudding instead. If your skill level is beyond that, don't worry, there's a from-scratch one for you as well.

To check out the two recipes — one is easy, you could even whip it up after work, while the other is a bit more challenging — all you have to do is

Off to Market Recap: Mixing Bowls

partysugar — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 01:03:33 -0700

One of the things that drives me absolutely crazy is my lack of mixing bowls. I don't have a complete set. Instead, I have large random bowls that are used for both mixing and serving. Since I want separate bowls for baking and serving, I asked you to help me find them. You looked for durable bowls that are dishwasher and gadget friendly. You saved your bowls in the Yum Market on TeamSugar with the keyword tag, Mixing Bowls.

I love this stainless steel bowl set that ALSW bookmarked. She says, "three stainless steel mixing bowls in a variety of colors, perfect for baking! " and I couldn't agree with her more! Scroll through to view all of the bowls below.

Read geeksugar's guide to bookmarking on TeamSugar to better understand how to use this fun feature.

Let's Make Ice Cream Cake!

partysugar — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 16:18:11 -0700

When we asked your opinion of ice cream cakes, the overwhelming response was positive. I'm with all of you, I love ice cream cakes. In fact, when I was in high school my bff and I were famous for our homemade ice cream cakes.

Although it's a stunning dessert that looks like it's hard to make, ice cream cake is actually super simple to put together. The recipe here features a yellow cake with coffee ice cream, but feel free to use the technique described to make any flavored cake and ice cream combination. To take a look at the recipe,

Cream Puffs Two Ways — Beginner and Expert

partysugar — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 10:31:35 -0700

Ever since I saw the March cover of Gourmet magazine, I've been craving cream puffs. However, the recipe the cover featured had ice cream and I prefer my cream puffs filled with lusciously smooth cream — like the ones seen here. Cream puffs are a classic dish that every home baker should artfully master. They are lovely with a cappuccino, delightful with a glass of bubbly, and complete crowd-pleasers.

I've found two recipes, one is super easy and the other is a little more time consuming. Experiment with one, both, or combine the two to make your own version! To get started,

Off to Market: Mixing Bowls

partysugar — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 03:01:33 -0700

I hate to admit it, I don't have a complete set of mixing bowls. I have a few random large bowls that are used for both mixing and serving. This drives me absolutely crazy! I want separate bowls for baking and serving. Can you help me find the perfect set of mixing bowls? Look for durable bowls that are dishwasher and gadget friendly. Save the bowls you find in the Yum Market on TeamSugar with the keyword tag, Mixing Bowls. Happy hunting!

Read geeksugar's guide to bookmarking on TeamSugar to better understand how to use this fun feature.

To see where I like to shop for all my entertaining needs,

Discover a Million Dollar Cookie

YumSugar — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 13:28:33 -0700

What if I told you that baking cookies would bring you a million dollars? You probably wouldn't believe me, but it's true. This past weekend 100 finalists — all amateur bakers — competed in the 43^rd Annual Pillsbury Bake-Off. And Carolyn Gurtz of Gaithersburg, MD brought home a million bucks for her Double-Delight Peanut Butter Cookies. The cookies are essentially peanut butter cookies with a bit of creamy peanut butter filling in the middle. They sound pretty fantastic and look simple to make. Carolyn created hers by using the Pillsbury peanut butter cookie dough, but you could follow her idea with your fave pb cookie recipe instead.

Also, I have to tell you, I think she's absolutely adorable and am thrilled she won. I managed to get a video clip of her when she was declared winner by Food Network's Sandra Lee, and her excitement is infectious.

To get the recipe and see the cute video clip,

Gold Medal Flour May Cost More Than Gold

YumSugar — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 12:28:51 -0700

As someone who loves to bake, I was pretty bummed to hear that the price of flour is going up. We've been hearing about how grocery prices are going up due to increased prices of dairy and wheat, but this is the first time I've seen solid numbers. According to CNN Money, the price of a 50-pound bag of flour went from $16 to $37, a 131 percent increase. And if that's not crazy enough, sources say that the price may reach $40 next week.

The prices have been steadily climbing due to poor growing conditions including a US Winter freeze and a European drought. With prices reaching new records, it's not just the homecook who won't be able to afford anything. Increased prices means less profit margins for restaurants and retailers. Sooner or later, those price increases are going to be passed on to those of us eating the food. So start saving your pennies, that $2 croissant might just be $3 tomorrow.

Source

Off to Market Recap: Cake Stand

partysugar — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 01:01:31 -0700

YumSugar recently mentioned that she wants to start collecting cake stands. Since her birthday was on Wednesday, I thought it would be a wonderful idea to get her a cake stand to begin her collection. And so you could all be involved, I asked you to help me find it! You looked for interesting and colorful cake stands that would be excellent for displaying her baked goods. You saved the stands in the Yum Market on TeamSugar with the keyword tag, Cake Stand. You really pulled out all the stops and found some gorgeous cake stands.

I think this red pepper cake stand is perfect for Yum. It's classic and stylish without being boring or old. The red color is vibrantly delicious. Thanks for your help jspeed!

Check out all of the cake stands below and tell me which one you would give to YumSugar!

To learn more about the bookmarking feature of TeamSugar please read geeksugar's explanation.

Cakes Minus Parchment Paper = Fail

YumSugar — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 12:43:31 -0700

Whenever I make a cake, I usually use a bit of parchment paper on the bottom of the pan. This way the cake won't stick to the pan and I'll have nice and even surface to work with. I either cut out a square or circle to fit the bottom of the pan, or I create a parchment-paper sling.

Unfortunately I said usually. To find out what happened when I didn't,

Do You Prefer Cooking or Baking?

YumSugar — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 10:13:18 -0700

Source

Do You Prefer Cooking or Baking?

Cooking

Baking

Barbecuing

Forget cooking, I like eating!

Other — tell us what you think in the comments!

Off to Market: Muffin Liners

partysugar — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 10:13:31 -0800

I don't know about you but I am sick of the boring pale pink, light yellow, and baby blue paper muffin liners. I've been using them my entire life and would prefer something new and exciting to be on the outside of my muffins and cupcakes. Let's all head off to market in search of marvelous muffin liners. Look for liners — they can be paper, foil, silicone, etc. — with interesting prints or vibrant colors. Save your finds in the Yum Market on TeamSugar with the keyword tag, Muffin Liners. I can't wait to browse your findings!

Get more info on bookmarking when you read geeksugar's informative article. To check out a list of my favorite online shops,

Batter Finger: Love It or Hate It?

partysugar — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 01:04:11 -0800

A couple of weeks ago, I called a peanut butter and jelly spreader totally useless. However, many of you thought it was quite useful and admitted to wanting one. When I came across this batter finger — a tool that helps you lick batter from a bowl without getting your finger dirty — I immediately thought of the pb&j spreader. I'm not exactly sure how I feel about the finger; it's fun but I don't know if I want one in my kitchen. I like to lick my fingers when making a delicious cake batter. How do you feel about it? Do you love or hate the batter finger? Source

Batter Finger: Love It or Hate It?

Love it

Hate it

Undecided

An Edible Floral Arrangement — Rose and Poppy Seed Cupcakes

YumSugar — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 07:01:51 -0800

Although rose and poppy seed was not my favorite of the 2008 flavor pairings, I couldn't help but think it would make for a great cupcake. So I set out to find a delicious poppy seed cake, and a nice rose-infused frosting. The result was a subtle floral flavor, that really took me by surprise. I figured that the rose and poppy seed would complement one another, but I didn't expect them to be quite so delicious. If you're interested in trying it yourself, get the recipe, just

Reader Recipe: Hazelnut Blondies

YumSugar — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 16:31:31 -0800

Yesterday, I posted a link for hazelnut blondies, they looked great and were especially timely because today is World Nutella Day. It seems that I was not the only one who thought they looked good. Less than 24 hours later, TeamSugar member Twinkle, took the recipe and made it her own. If you like what you see then hurry up and act now! There's still a few hours left in World Nutella Day!

To see the recipe,

Yummy Link: Elizabeth Falkner Bakes Sous Vide

partysugar — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 05:08:31 -0800

Cutting edge baking queen Elizabeth Falkner demonstrates an alternative way to make warm chocolate cake. She bakes it sous vide, slowly cooked in a plastic bag in water. Her secret weapon? The microwave! — Star Chefs

Have You Ever Made Bread?

partysugar — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 11:45:31 -0800

Have You Ever Made Bread?

Yes, I'm an adventurous baker and enjoy making my own bread.

Nope, I never have.

I've experimented with the wildly popular no-knead bread recipe.

It's on my list of things to bake.

Other — see my comment below.

Kitchen Experiments: Apple-Date Muffincakes

YumSugar — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 10:01:31 -0800

This weekend I was expecting houseguests and wanted to offer them a homemade treat. I figured a nice breakfast muffincake would be a good option, as it would work for breakfast, dessert, or an afternoon snack. However, I didn't know what kind I wanted to make, so I headed to my kitchen without a recipe and scoped out the ingredients. I was treading dangerously — no recipe — but I ended up with deliciously, moist apple-date muffincakes. If you'd like to see what I did, as well as what went wrong — so wrong that the cakes themselves were laughing at me and I've got the photo to prove it! —

My Night as a Spanish Pastry Chef

partysugar — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 16:13:33 -0800

Last week, while in Southern Spain, I had the wonderful opportunity to work in a bakery for an evening. Luckily it wasn't just any night: It was Jan. 5, the night that the Reyes Magos — the three wise men — bring Spanish children presents. The typical Spanish pastry that coincides with the holiday, called roscón de reyes or King's Cake, is consumed in mass quantities on the following morning.
I arrived to find the bakery, Confiteria La Piedra Escrita, crowded with people waiting to pick up their roscónes. Pascual, my pastry chef friend, quickly escorted me to the kitchen where his family was hard at work mass producing over 1000 cakes! The rest of the night was a whirlwind of rolled dough and whipped crema.

With spongelike layers and fluffy filling, this cake is a delicious dessert excellent for any occasion. There are four options for filling — whipped cream, chocolate whipped cream, meringue, and crema (a thick sugar-flour custard) — but my favorite is whipped cream. If you ever have one, you should pair with either coffee or champagne. To take a look at a gallery from my adventures in Spanish baking, and for a recipe to experiment in your own kitchen,

Bake It: Whole Wheat Banana Bread

YumSugar — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 12:08:55 -0800

Bake It: Whole Wheat Banana Bread
Rotten bananas plus rainy (or snowy depending on your location) weather equals baking. This whole wheat banana bread is tasty and the streusel type topping makes it slightly fancy.

Reader Recipe: Vanilla Bean Cupcakes

YumSugar — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 11:28:33 -0800

Vanilla beans can be quite expensive, but if you're going to use them, make sure it's on something you're going to love. This is the strategy that TeamSugar member holleighz went with when she created her vanilla bean cupcakes. Personally I love vanilla bean cupcakes. The flavor is simple but intense, and I know holleighz has inspired me to bake up a batch up cupcakes! To get yourself inspired,

Kitchen Experiments: "Heavenly" Banana Bread Pudding

YumSugar — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 10:57:10 -0800

Although my 52 Weeks of Baking series is officially over, that doesn't mean I won't be in the kitchen all the time. This year, in addition to trying new recipes, I have vowed to share my kitchen experiments with you guys. As much as I love recipes, I also just enjoy throwing things together and seeing what I get. I'll warn you now, these don't always work like I planned, but sometimes I get lucky.

On New Year's Day, I woke up to a dirty kitchen — we had a small shindig the night before — two rotting bananas and half of an angel food cake. I was also crazy hungry. So I combined my random leftovers with my appetite for breakfast and threw it all together. The result was a simple bread pudding made with angel food cake as the base. To see what I created,

Celebrate Chocolate-Covered Cherries in a Cookie

YumSugar — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 01:18:31 -0800

Like so many bizarre food holidays, I'm not sure we really need a National Chocolate-Covered Cherry Day. But that day is today, and I can't argue that chocolate-covered cherries are worth celebrating. I used to be a big fan of syrupy chocolate-cherry candies like Cella's, but as I've gotten older, I gravitate toward more sophisticated and less artificial cherry flavors.

For an adult take on this sweet candy treat, I recently found a tremendous recipe for Chocolate-Covered Cherry Cookies; this dessert blends bittersweet and semisweet chocolate with dried cherries for a bold, decadent flavor. The consistency falls somewhere between a cookie and a fudgy brownie, and the flavor is more reminiscent of candy. To celebrate this weird food holiday, get the recipe, just

52 Weeks of Baking: Week 52 — Gooey Banana Cupcakes

YumSugar — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 05:01:38 -0800

This year I decided that I would have a New Year's resolution that I could stick to. I thought about it for a while and eventually landed on baking. So with my trusty mixer and collection of pans, I set off on a 52 week baking adventure. It's been a fun journey and there have been some ups and downs, but we've finally arrived at week 52.

This week I had a bunch of bananas slowly rotting on my counter. Normally, I would turn this sort of thing into a loaf or two of banana bread. However, I wanted to end this series on a more spectacular note, and plain old banana bread just wouldn't cut it. So I brainstormed and came up with Banana Cupcakes with a Dulce de Leche filling and Chocolate Buttercream frosting. They came together quickly, and were a real treat to my sweet tooth. To get the recipe,

Yummy Link: Bourbon-Persimmon Loaves

YumSugar — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 01:39:31 -0800

Even though Christmas is over, it doesn't mean you have to stop baking. Especially if life gives you a load of persimmons. When that happens, you make boozy bourbon-persimmon loaves. — Bunrab

Yummy Links: From Hot Cocoa to Date Foods

YumSugar — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 06:58:12 -0800

Looking for the best hot cocoa? Check out the results to this hot chocolate taste test. — Serious Eats
It's good to read that women wield the power in today's wine world. — Napa Valley Register
Going on a road trip? Here are a few tips on how to eat healthy while traveling. — FitSugar
Shipping goodies to someone for the holidays? Read these tips for shipping baked goods before you do. — Baking Bites

Folks tend to pack on the pounds during the holidays, this 580 calorie slice of pizza probably doesn't help. — Slashfood
Is your tree lacking something? Try this easy plan for an edible garland. — lilsugar
As the weather gets colder, try one of these ten comforting cool-weather drinks. — iVillage
Got some great lighting ideas? Be sure to get your casa cravings in! — CasaSugar
Going out on a date? Here is some advice on which foods to avoid. — Chow

My Favorite Weeks of Baking

YumSugar — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 12:15:33 -0800

This year I decided to pick a New Year's resolution that I could stick with, and that's how I ended up on my 52 weeks of baking adventure. We're 51 weeks in, and I've surprised my friends and myself with some interesting baked goods. It's definitely been a challenging experience; I've had some inventions that came out better than anticipated, as well as some downright disasters. Overall it's been a great learning experience — if a messy one, as my kitchen's been filthy for a year! — and I hope I've inspired you to get baking!

There's one more treat on the way, but until then here are my favorite six of the year. Clockwise from the top left, they are:

52 Weeks of Baking: Mocha-Cappuccino Marbled Coffee Cake

YumSugar — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 09:18:31 -0800

This week, with all of the gingerbread and holiday baking, I thought it would be nice to make a simple cake to pair with coffee. Many folks have friends and family staying at their house this season and a coffee cake is something that whips up quickly and is perfect to have on hand. It works as a simple breakfast, and is delightful with an afternoon cup of tea. This particular recipe is a coffee-chocolate swirl, although I thought the coffee flavor could be heightened. The crumb is nice and moist, but be careful, there's a small window between perfect and overdone. To get the recipe,

Reader Tip: Elegant Icing Spheres

YumSugar — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 03:10:18 -0800

I was checking out the Cake Decorators Unite group when I discovered this Christmas Cake from TeamSugar member 4BYRDS. It's a beautiful cake that's been dusted with gold luster dust and topped with three golden ornaments. If you're wondering how she crafted those elegant ornaments, her secret was to inflate small balloons and then pipe royal icing on to the outside. Once it had set, she popped the balloon and voila, beautiful cake toppers. To check out more pictures and see what she had to say about her cake,

YumSugar Gift Guide: Jars of Joy

YumSugar — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 13:18:31 -0800

When I was a wee little kid, I remember our neighbors bringing us jars full of flour, sugar, and other dry ingredients as a Christmas present. They were wrapped with beautiful bows and ribbons, but I didn't understand how a jar full of dry ingredients equaled an awesome Christmas gift. Then, a few days later when my dad turned that jar into a batch of fantastic cookies I figured it out. They gave us the ingredients and the recipes needed to make something tasty.

If you were hoping to handout holiday cookies this year, but didn't quite get around to it, why don't you do the next best thing and give them the ingredients they'll need to make their own? It doesn't have to be cookies either, you could do pancake mix, soup mixes, cakes, or hot chocolate. To help you figure out where to begin I've rounded up some recipes, as well as tips on how to prepare them. To get inspired,

YumSugar Gift Guide: Homemade Goodies

partysugar — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 15:18:30 -0800

Over the past couple of weeks, we've bombarded you with tons of outstanding gift ideas. From cupcakes to wine, we've got you covered. But what about gifts that highlight your prowess in the kitchen? Beautifully-packaged homemade goods — cookies, candies, jams, spice mixes, crackers, etc. — make excellent gifts.

Give baked goods to teachers, babysitters, hair stylists, or anyone who helps make your life easier. Package in clear baggies, festive boxes, or decorative tins tied with gorgeous ribbon. To help you get started, I've searched the Internet and complied a list of fabulous recipes that will make delectable gifts. To check it out all you have to do is

Cupcake of the Week: Festive Black-Cherry Chocolate

YumSugar — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 15:25:31 -0800

This week's cupcake comes from TeamSugar member jordybee. She's created these black cherry-chocolate cupcakes that whip up in no time. Her secret is that she starts with a box of chocolate cake mix and adds a can of diet black-cherry soda to the mix. They're adorably festive and sound intriguing, too! To check out the recipe and make your own black cherry-chocolate cupcakes,

Roll Out Pie Dough the Easy Way

partysugar — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 11:01:18 -0800

Last week, YumSugar gave me a super simple tip that saved my pumpkin meringue pie from being a disaster. Although I know the basics — to start in the center and move outwards and to rotate the dough a quarter turn after each roll — I was pretty nervous about it. She suggested rolling the dough between two pieces of parchment paper.

Rolling out the dough is easier because the parchment paper prevents stickiness.
The paper helps make a smooth transfer from counter to pie pan.
Rotating the dough after each roll is a cinch because all you have to do is turn the bottom piece of parchment paper.

From now on, I'm always using this trick for rolling out pie crust! Got a secret tip for making a better pie? Please share it with us below!

52 Weeks of Baking: The Best Drop Biscuits

YumSugar — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 11:17:44 -0800

I've been out of town for a while and haven't had much time for baking. That's why this week's baking needed to be something wonderfully simple. However, I also wanted it to be Thanksgiving friendly. Luckily, while flipping through the pages of the most recent issue of Cook's Illustrated, I came across this recipe for the "Best" Drop Biscuits. They looked simple, sounded great, and best of all, they could be done in under thirty minutes. The ingredient list is also wonderfully sparse, consisting of just baking staples.

After a few easy steps and a brief encounter with the smoke alarm — the oven is at a toasty 475°F, anything stuck to the bottom of it is probably going to burn a little — I was chowing down on some perfect biscuits. I'm not sure they're the best drop biscuits, but they are pretty darn close. To get the recipe,

Yummy Links: From Cake Pillows to Homemade Cheese

YumSugar — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 08:01:11 -0700

I wonder what kind of dreams you'd have using a sheet cake as a pillow. — CasaSugar
Michael Chiarello shares his crispy twist on Thanksgiving dinner with a recipe for Panko-Crusted Turkey Scaloppine. — Secret Sauce
A new report has sadly linked bacon consumption to cancer. Say it ain't so! — FitSugar
Can you use salted butter for baking? — Baking Bites
Bring fall in to your home with these Fruit-Nut-and-Honey Baked Apples. — Serious Eats
General Mills is recalling 5 million boxes of Tostino's and Jeno's frozen pepperoni pizzas. — Slashfood
Wondering what wine goes well with Thanksgiving? Check out these Thanksgiving wine pairings. — Chow
Want to learn how to make cheese at home? — Apartment Therapy: The Kitchen