Washboards from ATK's The Perfect Cookie & a Giveaway

If you follow my blog then you already know how much I love everything that comes out of America's Test Kitchen.  I'd even wager to say I'm their #1 fan, albeit a self-appointed title to be sure!  So when they reached out to me inquiring if I was interested in reviewing their new baking book, The Perfect Cookie,  there was no hesitation on my part whatsoever.   

 

If ever there was a cookbook with my name written all over it, this was it.    As I flipped through the countless pages of beautiful imagery I noted that almost every foolproof recipe you could imagine was covered.  No doubt you'll be like me, reaching for this tome again and again when you've got those cookie cravings.  [Notice the myriad of Post-Its peeking out from my copy!]

Since I've been baking along with ATK for ages now I've made quite a lot of their cookie recipes already.  For this review I wanted to try one that was new to me.  I'm a sucker for coconut in baked goods so I was immediately drawn to the Washboards.  Crispy, crunchy and lightly sweetened with coconut flavor, these would be the perfect treat to serve along with ice cream or a cup of tea.

Even better, because they were "slice and bake" cookies I could make the dough days in advance and bake them off whenever I wanted.   Forming and shaping the washboards couldn't be easier and the ridges on top are made using a fork.  The cookies baked to a gorgeous golden brown and after a cool down I devoured three of them straight away.   The texture and flavor actually reminded me of a coconut flavored Biscoff cookie....so delicious!   As far as I'm concerned ATK is batting a thousand with this recipe and the new cookbook. 

To celebrate the release of their newest publication ATK was kind enough to host a giveaway for 2 copies of the cookbook.  Here's how you can enter:

1) Blog: comment on this blog post with your email address 

2) Instagram: Follow me @treatssf and ATK @testkitchen, then like the giveaway post

RULES: 

• Giveaway ends at 11:59pm PST on Saturday Sept 30, 2017
• Winners chosen at random and have 48 hours to respond, otherwise a new winner will be selected.
• Only open to U.S. mailing addresses 

Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies from Naturally Sweet Cookbook & a Giveaway

I've mentioned before on this blog that diabetes runs in my family which isn't necessarily ideal when you love to bake as much as I do.  Inevitably this question always seems to come up when I make something for the relatives, "can you make it less sweet"?      

How excited was I when America's Test Kitchen recently came out with a cookbook specifically dedicated to baking with less sugar, entitled Naturally Sweet.  If this book didn't have my family's name written all over it I don't know what would! 

The recipes in the book use alternatives to the traditional granulated white sugar, which helps to bring down the level of sweetness.  Sucanat, an unrefined cane sugar, is the one predominantly used in Naturally Sweet.   

I was keen to test out a recipe to see if the cookbook really lived up to its claims and decided to have a go at one of my all-time favorite cookies, Oatmeal Raisin.   The cookie dough came together really easily, although you do have to take the extra step of grinding the Sucanat in a spice grinder. 

The cookies browned beautifully in the oven with crispy edges and a soft center, just how I like them!  They tasted great and had a very nice molasses flavor to them.  I didn't even miss the extra sugar to be honest but the true test was to get other people's review.

I brought the cookies in to the office but didn't disclose that they were low sugar.   My co-workers devoured them and when I revealed that they were made with less sugar they were completely surprised.  One person even said I could have cut the sweetener a little more and they still would have been fantastic.  Now that's a testimonial if I ever heard one!  I plan on making more recipes from the cookbook for my family to enjoy this holiday season.

My friends at America's Test Kitchen have kindly donated two copies of Naturally Sweet to give away to my blog readers.  Here's how to enter:

GIVEAWAY RULES:

1) Only open to those with a U.S. mailing address

2) Leave your email address in the comments section of this post.  Sorry, comments without an email address will be disqualified.  

3) Deadline for entry: Saturday December 31 at 11:59pm PST.  

Good Luck!

Mallorcas & a Giveaway

What started as a "girls trip" in 2014 with my girlfriends has subsequently turned in to a summer tradition that I look forward to every year.  On our first tour we went to Capri which was absolutely gorgeous and had the best people/celebrity watching.  Last year we ventured to Florence  where we shopped 'til we dropped and ate tons of pasta and gelato in between.    This summer's locale was Mallorca, one of Spain's stunning Baleriac islands. 

We stayed in Palma and had the best time walking throughout the capital city's cobblestone streets and enjoying the delicious food (tapas! sangria!), beautiful sites and fantastic shopping.  Can you sense a theme in our trips?   So when I was thumbing through America's Test Kitchen's latest amazing tome, Bread Illustrated, I was absolutely delighted to see the recipe for Mallorcas.

It seemed like every bakery we passed by sold this massive, spiral bread which I later came to learn was called ensaimada (see pic below).  With further research I soon learned that Mallorcas, or Pan de Mallorca, are Puerto Rico's version of the ensaimada.  Unfortunately I never got the chance to try the bread in Palma, but armed with this recipe I could now try it's close relative!

The enriched dough is similar to brioche in that it's laden with eggs and butter.  After an initial proof the dough is rolled thinly, brushed with melted butter and rolled up like a jelly roll to achieve multiple layers.  After portioning out the dough each piece is then rolled in to a long rope, brushed with more butter and finally formed in to a spiral before it's final proof.

The smell of the freshly baked buns is absolutely hypnotic.  After a brief cooling they are generously dusted with a cloud of powdered sugar and served slightly warm.  Delicioso!  I brought the buns to my family's Labor Day BBQ where they were subsequently claimed by my siblings and mom.

There are so many fantastic bread recipes in this cookbook and I can't wait to try more.  I think the chocolate babka and Portuguese sweet bread are calling my name, so watch this blog for future posts.

My friends at America's Test Kitchen have generously donated a cookbook to give away on my blog AND my Instagram, @treatssf.   See blog giveaway rules below.

BLOG GIVEAWAY RULES:

1. Deadline to enter is Saturday September 24, 2016, 11:59pm PST.
2. Only open to people with US mailing addresses.
3. To enter, leave a comment to this post with your email address.  Sorry, you must include your email address as that's the only way I can contact the winner.

GOOD LUCK! 

English Muffins & a Giveaway

I'm a creature of habit when it comes to breakfast.  My trusty standbys range from fresh fruit with Greek yogurt and crunchy granola to Honey Nut Cheerios or hard boiled eggs.  But one of my all time favorites has to be English muffins.   I even have a toaster oven in my cubicle at work specifically for this purpose.  Is there anything better than the smell and taste of a freshly toasted muffin smothered in butter?  I think not.

Recently I received a copy of  "Cook It In Cast Iron" from my friends at Cook's Country.  If ever there was a versatile workhorse in your kitchen it would be a cast-iron skillet.  And the fact that you can buy a fantastic one for under $35 makes it all the more appealing.

Cast iron is renowned for it's heat retention which makes it ideal for frying and searing on the stove top, but did you know it's also great for baking?  Me neither!  As I was browsing through the cookbook I was amazed at the number of bread and biscuit recipes there were but the one that immediately caught my eye was for English muffins.  I'd never dreamed of making this breakfast staple at home but why not give it a try?

Believe me when I tell you I am now a convert to homemade English muffins, especially when they bake up so fluffy, tall and delicious.   Don't be intimidated by this recipe at all because it's really straight forward and easy to follow.  All I can say now is, Thomas' who???

Here's your chance to make them at home yourself.  Two lucky readers will win a free copy of Cook It In Cast Iron from Cook's Country.  All you have to do is leave your email address in the comments section of this post and I'll randomly select two  winners.  Deadline for entry is Fri April 22, 2016.   Only one email per entry.  NOTE: You must have a U.S. mailing address, sorry, no international addresses.  Good Luck!

Lemon-Ginger Icebox Cake & a Giveaway

When BelGioioso asked me if I wanted to create a recipe for a traditional dessert "with a twist" using their mascarpone cheese I was more than happy to accept the challenge.   The first thing that came to mind was an icebox cake made with lemon and ginger.  This dessert is not only easy to assemble but also really light and refreshing.  I highly recommend you give it a try.  You can find the recipe on culture's website.  

As an added bonus BelGioioso was generous enough to host a giveaway to my blog readers.   One lucky person will win a gift package with an assortment of their cheeses.  I speak from experience when I say they all taste delicious!

Here are the giveaway rules:

1) Only open to residents with a mailing address in the continental US (i.e., no Alaska or Hawaii addresses.)

2) Leave a comment to this blog post.  You must include your email address in the comment in order to be entered.   Sorry, but that's the only way I'll be able to contact the winner. 

3) Only one entry per email address.  

4) Giveaway ends on Thursday December 11 at 11:59PM PST.  Winner will be selected from all eligible entries on Friday December 12.

UPDATE: The randomly selected winner from the eligible entries was Comment #1.  I'll be emailing you directly for your information.  Thanks again everyone for participating! 

Chocolate Espresso Dacquoise and a Cook's Illustrated Giveaway

I collect baking cookbooks like they're going out of style; I absolutely love them and get so many ideas and inspirations for this blog.  The most used and beloved book in my library, Baking Illustrated, is also the ugliest; a torn cover and well worn pages smudged and stained from flour, butter and chocolate are evidence of that.

You can't imagine how excited I was when I found out that America's Test Kitchen was publishing a follow-up, appropriately called The Cook's Illustrated Baking Book.  Would it be as good - dare I say better - than it's predecessor?   When America's Test Kitchen reached out to me to ask if I would like to review the book for the blog the answer was obvious and definite...YES!!!  Regular readers know I pretty much love all things from America's Test Kitchen, let's face it I'm a bit of a groupie!, so the probability of me not liking the new book were slim to none.

After staying up late one night to read through the entire book I can honestly say I wasn't disappointed in the least.  The Baking Book continues the successful formula synonymous with all ATK cookbooks; they do the testing (and hard work) and you get the fantastic results. With 450 delicious recipes, along with explanations and descriptions of why they work, home bakers of ALL levels, novice to expert, will find recipes to match their experience and comfort level.  Baking can be daunting but I can assure you that this cookbook makes it less so.

 

As a monthly online subscriber to Cook's Illustrated magazine I have previously made several of the recipes featured in the new baking book and I can tell you from personal experience they definitely work.  Among my favorites are these ones that I make repeatedly: Croissants (AMAZING!), Ultimate Chocolate Cupcakes, Fluffy Yellow Layer Cake, Chewy Brownies and Blueberry Pie.   I was delighted to discover so many new recipes, especially the breads and pizzas!

To celebrate the publication of The Baking Book I decided to make a real showstopper of a dessert that I haven't previously made, Chocolate Espresso Dacquoise.  At first glance it looks like an intimidating recipe but in reality was actually quite straight forward.  I followed the instructions to the letter and the results looked just like in the book.   The crunchy, nutty meringue layered with bittersweet chocolate ganache and coffee buttercream was irresistible and surprisingly not too sweet.  On top of that the recipe is 100% gluten-free.  Think I'll be making it again for the holidays!   Like I've said before, "ATK = SUCCESS!"

Now you can be witness for yourself...the nice folks at ATK have kindly offered to send a copy of The Baking Book to one of you!  

Here's how to enter:

Leave a comment to this blog post answering the following question:

What's your favorite thing to bake?  If you don't bake, what would you like to learn to bake?

IMPORTANT: You MUST include your email address with your comment; sorry, but that's the only way I can contact the winner.  Contest ends on Friday, November 8th at 11:59 PM PST.  One entry per person.  Open to US residents only.  Good luck!

Contest is closed!  The winner of the cookbook is Jan who loves to make cupcakes.  Thanks to all who entered!

Salted Caramels and a Giveaway

My holiday candy making has pretty much been limited to cashew toffee, a well loved favorite among my family and friends.   Ironically, for me not so much.  I guess after all these years of making it I've become immune to the crunchy, buttery candy and was actually on the lookout for new inspiration.  

Lucky for me the very kind folks at America's Test Kitchen sent over a copy of one of their latest publications, DIY Cookbook.   Score!  I'm one of those people who's all about giving homemade food gifts for the holidays.  What better way to show you care than with something from your own kitchen?  I immediately headed to the sweets chapter and gravitated towards the Salted Caramels.  

There's nothing I love more than a sweet/salty combination and these candies fit the bill perfectly.  As with all of ATK's recipes this one was easy to follow and the results were fantastic.  I think my friends and family will definitely welcome to new addition to my candy repertoire.

Now to the giveaway....

One lucky blog reader can win their own ATK DIY Cookbook.  (Special thanks to  ATK for sponsoring the giveaway!)

Here's how to enter:

Just leave a comment to this post, as well as your email address, by 12PM PST Thur Dec 20 11:59 PM PST Thur Dec 20.  IMPORTANT: You must leave an email address, otherwise  there's no way I can contact you!  (Only open to residents of the US...sorry!)

Good luck and happy cooking!!!

UPDATE: The winner of the DIY Cookbook is #22 - tdlzing@gmail.com.  I'll be contacting you directly with instructions on how to claim your prize.  Thanks to everyone who entered!!  

Best Chicken Soups from ATK Online Cooking School and a Giveaway

A few months ago I mentioned that I was one of five lucky bloggers to win a year-long scholarship to America's Test Kitchen's Online Cooking School.  So far I've had the chance to try out a few of their courses and I have to say they're pretty fantastic.  But that's no surprise to me since I'm one of America's Test Kitchen's biggest fans.

The courses are easy to follow with guaranteed amazing results.  You can find my guest blog post about the Best Chicken Soups course here.  The homemade chicken stock and soups were some of the most delicious I've ever tasted.

In addition to winning a scholarship, ATK was generous enough to provide me with two 2-month enrollments to give away to my readers.   I hope you get as much out of the courses as I have.

Here's how to enter:

In one sentence, leave a comment telling me why you want to win the cooking school enrollment.  Conciseness counts here!  Any entries more than one sentence will be disqualified.  The two entries I find to be the most genuine, creative or funny will win.  You must leave your email address in the comment as this is the only way I can contact you if you're a winner. 

Giveaway ends on Friday July 6, Noon PST and winners will be announced by Sunday July 8.

Only one entry per person.  

Good luck and happy cooking!

Candy Corn Cupcakes and a Halloween Giveaway

If ever there was a king of Halloween candy it's got to be candy corn.  Love them or hate them they've been around since the 19th century and I think they're here to stay.   

Candy corn may not be my personal favorite, they were normally the last things to be eaten from my trick-or-treat loot bag, but I think I've reinterpreted them in a fun way with these cupcakes.  How great would these be for kids or kids at heart to make?   

To make my life easy I used a mix for the cake.  Don't judge!  I grew up on them and look how I turned out...lol!   

Now to the Halloween giveaway.....

The nice people at McCormick sent me their "Tricks for your Treats" kit to sample.  And the best part is I was able to procure another kit to give away to one of my blog readers.  If you love Halloween baking this is right up your alley!  

Here are just some of the things included in the kit: food colors, cupcake liners, a silicone baking mat, an oven mitt and a Le Creuset silicone spatula.

To enter, just answer the following question in the Comments section of this post by 12pm PST Monday October 17th.  The winner will be chosen randomly and announced on October 18th.  

What's your favorite Halloween candy?

RULES: Only one entry per person and you must leave your email address in the comment.   In addition McCormick's cannot ship to P.O. Boxes so be sure you have a physical mailing address in the US. 

Cream Puffs and a Giveaway

Earlier this year Martha Stewart launched a great new show all about baking called "Martha Bakes".  If you haven't seen it already check it out on the Hallmark Channel.  Every week she presents different recipes and techniques around a common theme.   A recent episode was all about pâte à choux. 

Pâte à choux is one of my favorite doughs because of its versatility.  You start with a basic recipe which can be made into so many things: eclairs, profiteroles, gougeres and croquembouche to name a few. 

After watching Martha's show I was inspired to make the most traditional version of pâte à choux, cream puffs.   The golden brown puffs were filled with vanilla bean diplomat cream (pastry cream mixed with whipped heavy cream) and then dusted with powdered sugar.  Perfection! 

Now to the giveaway....

Once again the nice people at CSN have provided a $35 gift code for use at their online stores.   They literally sell anything you can imagine at great prices - from Le Creuset cookware that I love so much to a beautiful tufted velvet headboard my friend Christine recently purchased.

To enter just leave a comment to this blog post by Friday April 8.

RULES: Only one entry per person allowed and you MUST include your email address  in the comment to be eligible.  Sorry, but that's the only way the winner can be notified to claim the gift code.  CSN only ships to addresses in the US and Canada.   There may be international shipping charges for Canadian addresses.

The winner of the gift card is comment #34.  I'll be contacting you directly with your prize!

MJ Giveaway Winner

The winner of the $35 gift certificate is comment #21, bonj67, who's favorite MJ song is "Man in the Mirror".

Thanks to everyone who participated...hope to see you again for the next one!

Giveaway Winner Announced

Congratulations to Lynda who has won the $40 CSN gift certificate!!!  Her favorite Halloween candy is mini Snickers bars...good choice! 

Thanks to everyone who entered.

Chocolate-Raspberry Torte and a Giveaway

The November/December 2010 issue of Cook's Illustrated is on newsstands now  and I highly recommend you pick it up.  As soon as I saw the Chocolate-Raspberry Torte I knew I had to make it right away. 

You wouldn't think that something that looks this good would be so easy to make, right?  Wrong!  It's so simple to make and it will easily impress your family and friends.

Chocolate and raspberries go perfectly together here.  For folks who don't like their desserts too sweet this is right up your alley.  The chocolate flavor is rich but the tart raspberries complements it beautifully.  I'm definitely adding this cake to my repertoire and you should too!

Now for the giveaway....

Once again I have a $40 gift certificate for CSN Stores that you can win.  If you haven't heard of CSN Stores you should check out their website.  They have anything and everything you could think of: bakeware,  dining sets, furniture, etc.  The world is your oyster!

To enter, just answer the following question in the Comments section of this post by 12pm PST Thursday October 7th.    The winner will be chosen randomly and announced on October 8th.   

What's your favorite Halloween candy?

RULES: Only one comment per person allowed and you MUST include your email address  in the comment to be eligible.  Sorry, but that's the only way the winner can be notified to claim the gift certificate.  CSN only ships to addresses in the US and Canada.   There may be international shipping charges for Canadian addresses.

CSN Giveaway Winner

And the winner of the $40 CSN gift certificate is...Kayla!  Her favorite bread is toasted ciabatta with butter and pomegranate jelly.  CSN will contact you directly with your prize.  

Thanks to everyone who participated!  The most popular bread seems to be French baguette...good choice!

Dutch Oven Bread and a Giveaway

I tend to focus most of my baking on sweets: cakes, cookies, cupcakes, ice creams, etc.  Since I don't really eat what I make, I like to give it away, those extra lbs. have fortuitously been kept at bay.   But lately I've been yearning to bake something different.  Something that I don't normally make and would actually want to keep for myself.  Something like....bread!

There's nothing better than a slice of warm, crusty bread with a smear of creamy butter.   So simple, so straightforward, so delicious.  

I'd heard about a bread that requires almost no-kneading and is baked in a Dutch oven.    Mark Bittman was the first to write about it in the New York Times and then Cook's Illustrated came along and made their little tweaks, as they do so well, and improved upon the recipe.

This bread is so easy to make you wouldn't believe it.  It literally takes less than 5 minutes of prep and the rest of the time is spent letting the dough rise and then baking it in the oven.   Be forewarned: the smell of fresh baked bread permeates throughout your house like a drug.   This bread is crusty, chewy and has great texture; all it needs is your favorite topping. 

 

Now to the giveaway...

The people at CSN Stores contacted me recently to see if I wanted to participate in a giveaway.  I checked out their websites to make sure everything was legit and I wholeheartedly give them my seal of approval.  It's a great source for  just about anything, especially cookware and bakeware.    

So what's up for grabs?  A  $40 CSN gift certificate.  Why not use it to get your own Dutch oven and bake some of this bread?  Me, I'm partial to Le Creuset.

To enter, just answer the following question in the Comments section of this post by 12pm PST Friday August 20th.  The winner will be chosen randomly.

What's your favorite bread and how do you like to eat it? 

FYI:  One comment per person and you must include your email address to be eligible.  CSN only ships to addresses in the US and Canada.   There may be international shipping charges for Canadian addresses.

Good Luck!