Vanilla

winter white cupcakes + nielsen-massey vanillas giveaway

December 27, 2012
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I hope you all had a lovely Christmas! Highlights for me included spending time with family, reflecting on the many blessings of the past year, eating wonderful food, and heading to the coast for a change of scenery. We began our celebration on Christmas Eve, finishing our meal with these winter white cupcakes. The light ...

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vanilla-chocolate chip meringues

April 22, 2012

I grew up on the Monterey Peninsula, about 30 minutes from beautiful Carmel Beach. On the weekends, we’d bundle up in fleeces (the temperatures were usually cool with the potential for fog) and head to the beach for a picnic or just a walk, collecting sea shells along the way. When we reached our fill ...

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tangerine-vanilla tea cakes

March 25, 2012

Citrus sweets are among my favorites when I need a lift – the bright zest and juice awakens the palate and invigorates the senses. These tangerine-vanilla tea cakes almost sing out “Spring!” to me, light from whipped egg whites and dipped in a tangerine-flecked glaze. I envision serving a tray of these tea cakes at ...

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vanilla chai muffins

November 29, 2011

Some of you may be detoxing this week after last week’s holiday. Even so, a warm muffin is hard to resist at breakfast or in the waning afternoon hours. These vanilla chai muffins highlight a wonderful blend of spices: cardamom, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, star anise, vanilla. With a perfect texture and crunchy sugar topping, the ...

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crema catalana

August 27, 2011

Crema catalana is a decadent Spanish dessert much like crème brûlée – both emphasize the delectable contrast between silky custard and a crunchy caramelized sugar topping. Unlike crème brûlée, crema catalana sets in the refrigerator instead of the oven (a huge plus on a hot day!), and contains whole milk instead of heavy cream. An ...

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vanilla buttermilk pound cakes

February 21, 2011

This is my favorite pound cake recipe because of its versatility and consistency. I adapted the original recipe by cutting back on the sugar level and adding fresh citrus zest, which turns the fragrant batter into a bowl of sunshine. I’ve used lemon and orange zest previously, and opted for tangerine this time. A simple ...

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