Snickerdoodle Scones. One week ago, we celebrated my birthday.
I then jumped on a plane to Canada and here we are one week later, celebrating Ryan's birthday! You may remember the amazing celebration we had in Chicago last year. Though Columbia Crest & Foodbuzz aren't sponsoring any meals this time around, we've returned to Chicago with friends Mike and Maggie once again. (unrelated to this weekend, but such a "Ryan" picture!) By the time you're reading this, most of our weekend has passed... (clearly I chose him for his dance moves) A busy weekend, for sure, but worth it...and all in celebration of my dear husband Ryan.
“Cinnamon Roll” Scones « Naturally Ella. I’m beginning to see signs of fall. Even though my refrigerator is brimming with sweet corn and tomatoes, the chill in the morning air is beginning to hint at what is around the corner and frankly, I couldn’t be more excited. I love fall. The second I get a whiff of fall, I started craving things like apples, pumpkins, and cinnamon. Lots and lots of cinnamon. Chai + chia protein bites. I have been cooking with chia seeds longer than… I have been reading blogs.
We stocked them in the dispensary at the clinic, and I started out adding them to salads. I learned what happens when mixed with water – they turn to a gel – and I started using them in smoothies and baking. Why chia? Many reasons: It is a plant based complete protein (energy!) Also? Chai is one of my favorite flavors – warm and spicy – and it makes a unique and tasty cookie! The chai powder I use is a ready to drink tea powder, not a concentrate. Makes 10-12 cookie balls 1/2 cup sunflower seed butter 1/4 cup chai tea powder (Natures Flavors) 3 tablespoons chia seeds (reserve 1 tbsp for topping) 1 can cannellini beans, rinsed5 – 8 drops NuNaturals Vanilla Stevia In food processor or blender, puree beans.
Stirring by hand, 2 tablespoons of chia seeds. Coffee and Donuts. So, let’s have a conversation about donuts.
Doughnuts. Whatever. I don’t really care what you call them. Let’s talk about fried dough. You’ve heard my saying, “You can’t spell friend without fried” and sweet lord is that the truth. Sometimes, there is no alternative to a piping hot, glaze covered, cinnamon smelling ball of hot fried cake, am I right?!? I am embarrassed to tell you, well only a little, as I imagine I am not the only one, that I find myself in awkward silence/swoon moments when it comes to fried ‘nuts.
You know, the shortening of the word do-nuts. It’s all I can do to keep it together sometimes. So what are the 2 things that make it alright to get out of bed in the morning? Or, coffee glazed donuts. Donut Holes with Coffee Glaze Donuts: 1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature1/2 cup water1/4 cup sugar1/2 teaspoon salt1 cup all purpose flour3 whole eggs and 1 egg yolkzest from 1 lemon4 cups vegetable oil Glaze: For the glaze, dissolve the esspresso in the water. Love, Spicy icecream: Chai Doughnut Holes. I can’t believe that four years ago today, I sat down to write my first blog post. That’s right, today is my blog birthday!! Mexican Coffee Bun. I have long heard about the legendary Mexican coffee bun or Rotiboy, a made-in-Malaysia bun with a crusty coffee topping and butter filling.
The word “Mexican” might be misleading but this bun originated from a bakery in Bukit Mertajam, Penang, and now Mexican coffee bun is famous all over Asia, with many bakeries and copycat bakeries selling this popular Mexican coffee bun. I finally had a chance to taste this aromatic and wonderful bun when I was home in Penang earlier this year. For the Mexican coffee bun recipe, I turned to my contributor Siew Loon. Check it out and hope you get to try this bun soon.
Contributor: Ho Siew Loon Recently an old friend of mine who has migrated to Australia started a small Malaysian bakery called Papparoti selling coffee-flavoured buns which happens to be one of my daughter’s favorite. Coconut Sweet Soft Buns- 65C Tangzhong Method. Last week, someone had asked me if I had tried any of the Tangzhong (water roux method) bread recipe from what has now become the 'tangzhong bread bible', 65C Tangzhong Bread by Yvonne C.
The method documented in the book is a true water roux method where a little bread flour is mixed with water and heated to 65C. This resultant liquid starch is then added to the rest of the bread flour to yield a super soft and fluffy bread. The sweet soft buns I had made earlier, uses a variation of the water roux. Yvonne C's recipes are easy to follow.
Although some may feel intimidated by the process of cooking the flour to precisely 65C, this is really not too difficult if you have a candy thermometer to help you monitor the temperature. The water roux prepared this way is wetter and more watery than the my previous recipe. Pumpkin Rolls. I used to be a Spring girl.
The bright sunshine, the birds chirping early in the morning, the smell of blooming flowers and fresh cut grass. But the past couple years I’ve been becoming a Fall convert. The smell of autumn, the cool breeze, and of course, pumpkin everywhere to be found. Baking WIthout a Box: Brown Sugar Banana Scones. TWD: Chocolate Chip Cream Scones with Maple Coffee Glaze.