For the Love of Food...

Lemon Lavender Lollies

I love food. I luuuuurve food. It is the thing that brings us together, consoles us when we're alone, challenges us for our health's sake and inspires us to be more adventurous.

It's the adventure that I love most. It is a thrill to come up with something pretty and new and unusual but compatible in flavor. It's even more exciting when someone who has resisted unusual flavors decides to take the plunge and try something they'd never thought they'd like.

Yesterday marked the beginning of the farmer's market season in my wee little town. It is at this market where my little baking venture can reach the most palates.  I have plenty of classics on my table: chocolate chip cookies (with Belgian chocolate chips), cinnamon twists, croissants, scones, artisan breads. But I also like to add a touch of the unexpected.

This week's surprises were lemon and cracked pepper artisan bread, dark Belgian chocolate and cherry cookies and lemon lavender lollies. You might be thinking, "those seem like rather orthodox choices where I'm from," but in a town that is largely fueled by prefab donuts, coffee and pizza chains I definitely get the "she must be bonkers" looks from some of my patrons. I don't mind it a bit. Because there are many whose eyes widen and feel the call to something different. Call me crazy, but I think there is movement toward tantalizing and unexpected cuisine in this town and I am pleased as punch to bring my tiny contribution to it.

LEMON LAVENDER LOLLIES
These delightful, pretty little numbers were inspired by artist/baker Heather from SprinkleBakes. She used edible flowers, which I will attempt for a wedding in the summer, but I wanted to try the candy making part before launching into it at the time of the wedding.

I had on hand lemons and culinary lavender, two of my favorite flavors, so I gave it a whirl and what transpired was a little taste of heaven...or the aroma of walking in a field in Provence...they taste like what I imagine pretty to taste like.

Here's what to do:

1. get a lollipop mold...you want the kind that can withstand heat up to 350 degrees 
2. Gather:
   2 cups sugar
   2/3 cup light corn syrup
   2/3 cup water
   1 dram bottle candy flavoring oil (such as LorAnn, I used lemon oil)
   flowers, or rind or whatever you wish to put into them
   Candy thermometer 
   canola oil spray (for the mold - trust me, if you want to get the lollies out of the mold, you'll need this)
   

Spray mold with oil.
Bring water, sugar and corn syrup to a boil and let boil until it reaches 302 degrees F, the hard crack stage, on your candy thermometer. Make sure said candy thermometer is working. Mine was not and I ended up with a black mess on my first round. I asked Heather from SprinkeBakes and she said to test the thermometer by placing it in boiling water and it should read 212 degrees F. Mine had a hard time moving past 200 degrees F.

sugar caramelizes at 350-ish so if you're getting a golden hue, you're well past the hard crack stage!

boil to hard crack stage, about 302 degrees F

  Once it's reached the hard crack stage let it settle down a minute and then add a few drops of the flavored oil (and food coloring if you'd like).

Spoon into molds about half way, add your bits and then spoon a little more candy on top to cover the bits.

lemon rind and culinary lavender

lollipop mold that can withstand heat up to 375 degrees F

Let stand until hard about 10 - 20 minutes. The candy in your saucepan will thicken and harden, but I was able to reheat it and melt it to the right consistency again. Mine caramelized a little more each time I heated it, I didn't mind as it made for a beautiful yellow hue so I didn't need to add food coloring. Next time I'll try to reheat it a little slower or keep it on a low heat setting while I fill my molds.

Can be consumed as a lollipop or try stirring it your earl grey tea.
Enjoy!

I'd love to hear about your adventures into the culinary world. The first 3 people to tell me about their interesting or unusual flavor combinations will get a lemon lavender lollie!


cheers!

Borrowed and Bleu (that's French for blue..I didn't lose spell check)

My dear-heart friend Shannon-May of Shannon-May Photography is at it again. She submitted an inspiration shoot she and Sarah (from Celebrations by Sarah) styled to wedding planning blog Borrowed & Bleu. Beeeautiful photography and clever theme! Way to go ladies!

If you take a peek at the blog post you may recognize a few treats made by yours truly. The writer refers to me as a food artist which called for a fist-pump...I'd never call myself one, but I'm not going to lie--I don't mind if someone else does. (squeeee) It's a lovely encouragement as I ramp up for another farmer's market season. I am inspired!

Here's the post: Borrowed & Bleu
Enjoy!

Covert Cupcakes

Covert Cupcakes: sweet potato quinoa

 If you're hoping to temper the sugar-fest this weekend with something that looks deceptively sweet but actually has some nutritional value and no food colouring, I highly recommend the sweet potato quinoa cupcake. It's made with buckwheat flour, cooked quinoa and roasted sweet potato.

What? That sounds more like a dinner roll than a cupcake, you say? Well yes, it probably sounds like one...but it sure doesn't taste like one. And I top it with white chocolate buttercream...hey, I did say temper the sugar - not alleviate all together. Another slightly more healthy option is cream cheese icing. Or skip the topping all together and call them muffins. Whatever you choose, you may be surprised how much your kids like them and you can reward yourself with a fist-pump for sneaking in a little good-for-you under the the radar.

Covert Sweet Potato Cupcakes
Adapted from Annie's Eats

Ingredients:
1 cup cake flour (not the self rising kind)
1 cup buckwheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
17 oz sweet potato puree
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup cooked quinoa

First things first:
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Place uncooked sweet potatoes on a baking sheet (I like to place a little tin foil over the sheet first to protect the sheet from sweet potato leakage). Roast for approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour...until soft in the middle. Let cool enough to peel off the skin, throw them in a blender, food processor or use a hand blender to puree.

Cook the quinoa according to directions on the package -- usually 2 parts water to 1 part quinoa. Set aside.

Now the cupcakes are ready to make:

1. Turn oven down to 350 degrees F. Line two cupcake pans with paper liners.
2. In a separate bowl whisk together flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer using the paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. 
4. Beat in eggs, one at a time, scrape down bowl after each
5. Mix in sweet potato puree and vanilla extract until just combined
6. Turn speed to low and add dry ingredients in 3 additions
7. Add cooked quinoa until just combined

Scoop into cupcake liners and bake for about 16 - 20 minutes...or until the tops are firm-ish.
Let cool.

White Chocolate Buttercream (adapted from Anna Olson's White Chocolate Wedding cake)

• 2 cups unsalted butter at room temperature
• 16 ounces Belgian white chocolate, melted and cooled to room temperature
• 2 cups icing sugar, sifted
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 

In a stand-up mixer or in a large bowl with electric beaters, beat butter until fluffy. Beat in cooled melted chocolate on medium speed. Reduce speed and beat in icing sugar, vanilla and salt (icing will be a little soft). If needed, chill for about an hour to set before using.

Pipe onto cooled cupcakes.

Voila! Serve...aaaand fist-pump.

Happy Easter!

And the Oscar goes to....

Coca Cola Caramel cupcakes with salted buttercream and popcorn garnish

It is a big night for film buffs and fashionistas. Not the best time of year to forgo cable for cheaper forms of media entertainment, alas I will have to stream the event through my trusty laptop. I haven't seen many of the films up for the illustrious award - shameful for a film school graduate - but I won't let that keep me from cheering on my favorite thespians and making some kind of event out of it.

If you're planning an Oscar do, here are a few ideas to round out the night:

1. Coca Cola caramel cupcakes with salted buttercream frosting and popcorn garnish
2. Oscar night printables from Twig and Thistle - including ballots, popcorn boxes, dink tags and place cards
3. An older version of Twig and Thistle's Oscar night printables and serving suggestions.
4. Oscar party printables from Hostess with the Mostess

Have fun!

When In Doubt, Just Add Sprinkles

Chocolate Almond Butter Balls with nonpareils

My eldest is my picky eater. There is nary a food in the world she will eat unless it resembles a sweetie of some kind. This is genetic, I am certain of it. A chip off the ol' block, really.  She rarely gets sugary things, except those with naturally occurring sugars like fruit. So when we do make treats (a.k.a incentives to eat the veg on her plate) I try to make them healthy-ish but still appear to be sweet-ish. Hence the chocolate almond butter ball rolled in sprinkles.

This recipe first appeared in my uber healthy mother-in-law's arsenal. I'm trying to find the original source, so if you recognize it, do let me know! They are packed with good things like sunflower seeds, nuts and flax but there is enough cocoa and almond butter to hide the good-for-you bits...so my daughter does not know, or readily acknowledge, that they are not sweeties. My mother-in-law rolls them in coconut flakes at the end, but this did not go over well with my kiddos. Colourful nonpareils, however...now that's a party on a plate. Yes it adds to the sweet factor, but by so little - and it is the kicker that eliminates 10 rounds of will she/won't she eat her carrots.

Here is the recipe I adapted from my mother-in-law's version.  Easy peasy:

1/2 cup cocoa powder (I use raw cocoa powder but any will do)
1/2 almond butter (or any nut butter)
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup quinoa flakes (or rolled oats if you're not sensitive to them)
1/2 cup sesame seeds
1/2 cup ground flax (or wheat germ)
1/2 cup flax seeds
1/2 cup toasted almonds (or hazelnuts or any nut)
nonpareils (optional)

Mix everything together. Spoon into hand and roll into balls. Roll each ball in a dish of nonpareils or sprinkles. Voila. Enjoy!

 

Chocolate almond butter balls covered in sprinkles...I ran out of nonpareils.