pancakes from scratch

When we do a lot of caking, we often have buttermilk left over. This is an easy and delicious way to use it up.

Buttermilk Pancakes

recipe adapted from Martha Stewart

makes 24 six inch pancakes

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

3 tbsp sugar

2 eggs, lightly beaten

3 cups buttermilk

4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

METHOD:

1. In a large mixing bowl, add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar and whisk together.

2. Add eggs, buttermilk, and butter and gently whisk to combine. Do not overmix, batter should be lumpy and bubbly. Let the batter stand for 5-10 minutes before using.

3. Over medium heat, grease a large non-stick pan or griddle with cooking spray or a light coating of your preferred cooking oil.

4. When your pan is hot (a drop of water should sizzle), use a small ladle (1/8-1/4 cup) to pour batter in separate pools.

5. When pancakes have bubbles on top and are slightly dry around edges, about 2 1/2 minutes, flip over. Cook until golden on bottom, about 1 minute.

6. Repeat with remaining batter and serve immediately with pure maple syrup or your favourite toppings.

Tips:

- Dry ingredients can be measured out the night before.

- Do not over mix the batter or else your pancakes will be tough.

- Make blueberry, banana or chocolate chip pancakes by adding to each pool of batter in Step #4.

holiday cookies

This is the time of year you're likely to be baking an inordinate amount of cookies in a small window of time. Here are some general tips and reminders to help get through the holiday rush:

- make sure your butter and eggs are at room temperature

- aerate your flour before measuring it out by dipping a large wooden spoon in the bag/container

- use a whisk to "sift" your dry ingredients together

- use a mini ice cream scoop for making uniform and even balls of cookie dough

- cookie dough can be made ahead and frozen until ready to use (in fact this is preferable for drop cookies as they may spread too thin while baking)

- baked cookies will keep up to 1 week in an airtight container or freeze them and use within a month

- baked cookies that are frozen don't need to be defrosted before serving or gifting
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Cranberry Coconut Citrus

makes about 3 dozen

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/3 cups all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

pinch salt

1.5 sticks (1/2 + 1/4 cup or  169g) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tbsp grated orange peel (about 1 small orange)

1/2 tbsp grated lemon peel (about 1 lemon)

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup dried cranberries

1 cup sweetened moist flaked coconut (not dessicated coconut)

METHOD:

1. Preheat oven to 350F (177C). Grease or line baking sheets.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, beat butter, sugar, citrus peels and vanilla until fluffy (about 5 minutes).

4. Add dry ingredients and beat on low speed until dough comes together. Dough should be smooth, not too crumbly.

5. Mix in cranberries and coconut by hand.

6. Shape dough into 1 inch balls and place about 2 inches apart on baking sheets.

7. Bake for 8-10 minutes until cookies are just set and the edges begin to brown. Lift cookies carefully (they will be very soft at this moment) with a thin metal spatula on to a wire rack and cool 5-10 minutes before serving. Bonus: these cookies are vegan-friendly.

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White Chocolate Chip Pecan

recipe adapted from Joy of Cooking's Classic Chocolate Chip Cookie
makes about 3 dozen

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 stick (1/2 cup or 113g) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar
1 egg

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (can substitute in white or dark chocolate chips)

3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

METHOD:

1. Preheat the oven to 375F (188C). Grease or line cookie sheets.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugars until fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla until well combined.

4. On low speed stir in the dry ingredients until well-blended and smooth.

5. Add chocolate chips and nuts (if using) and mix by hand.

6. If dough is too sticky to shape into balls, freeze for 5-10 minutes first.

7. Shape chilled dough into 1 inch balls and place about 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes until the cookies are just slightly colored on top and the edges are brown. Let cookies rest for 1-2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.

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Chewy Gingerbread Cookies

recipe adapted from Betty Crocker's Gingerbread Cookies

makes about 4 dozen

INGREDIENTS:

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

2 1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 sticks (1 cup or 226g) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1/4 cup molasses 

2 tbsp ground ginger

1 tbsp ground cinnamon

2 tsp ground nutmeg

2 tsp ground cloves

1 tsp ground allspice

Cookie Icing

Sprinkles

METHOD:

1. Preheat oven to 350F (177C). Grease or line baking sheets.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg, molasses and spices until well combined.

4. On low speed stir in the dry ingredients until well-blended and smooth.

5. If dough is too sticky to shape into balls, freeze for 5-10 minutes first.

6. Shape chilled dough into 1 inch balls and place about 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes or just until cookies are set and soft in the centre. Let cookies rest for 1-2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting. 

7. Make the cookie icing. Frost and decorate cooled cookies as desired.

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Oatmeal Cookies

recipe adapted from Joy of Cooking's Classic Oatmeal Cookies

makes about 4 dozen

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg

2 sticks (1 cup or 226g) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/4 cup sugar

1 cup packed light brown sugar

2 eggs

3 tsp vanilla

3 cups old fashioned rolled oats

1 cup cranberries or chocolate chips (optional)

METHOD:

1. Preheat the oven to 375F (188C). Grease or line cookie sheets.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, beat butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla until well blended.

4. On low speed stir in the dry ingredients until combined.

5. Stir in oats and cranberries or chocolate chips (if using).

6. If dough is too sticky to shape into balls, freeze for 5-10 minutes first.

7. Shape chilled dough into 1 inch balls and place about 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Bake for 6-8 minutes until the cookies are lightly brown all over. Let cookies rest for 1-2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool. 

the season of pumpkin spice

From lattes to cookies to air fresheners, it seems that pumpkin spice is everywhere once the holiday season rolls around.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

makes one 9 inch cake

INGREDIENTS

For the crust:

1 cup ground ginger snaps

1 cup ground graham crackers or digestives

1/2 stick (1/4 cup or 56g) unsalted butter, melted

For the cake:

1 lbs (2 x 8 oz bricks or 1.8 x 250g bricks) cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tbsp corn starch

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground all spice

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp salt

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 3/4 cups (15oz can) pumpkin puree

1/2 cup evaporated milk

For the topping:

2 cups full fat sour cream, room temperature

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

METHOD:

1. Preheat your oven to 350F (177C). Grease a 9 inch springform pan.

2. Make the crust by combining the ground biscuits and melted butter together. Dump mixture into springform pan and gently shake to spread the crumbs. Gently use the bottom of a glass to press the crust evenly into the bottom of the pan. Apply very light pressure or else your crust will be tough and crunchy.

3. Bake for 8-10 minutes until the edges brown. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack.

4. Make the cake by mixing the cream cheese, sugars, cornstarch, spices and salt on medium-low speed until the mixture is creamy and no lumps of cream cheese remain.

5. Mix in the eggs one at a time and beat each one until completely blended.

6. Gently stir in the pumpkin and evaporated milk. Scrape down the beater and sides of the bowl with a spatula. Make sure everything is incorporated. The finished batter should be thick, creamy, and silky.

7. Bake for 55-60 minutes or until the centre is set, but slightly wobbly. While the cheesecake is baking, make the topping by combining the sour cream, sugar and vanilla.

8. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and gently spread the sour cream topping evenly over top. Return the cheesecake to the oven and bake for another 5 minutes.

9. Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake in there to cool with the door cracked open with a wooden spoon for 1 hour.

10. After an hour, remove the cheesecake from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack. Run a knife around the edge of the cake and cool completely in the pan for another hour.

11. Chill the cheesecake in the pan uncovered for at least 4 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.

12. When you're ready to serve, top the cheesecake with chocolate or whipped cream (optional). Serve the cake right from the bottom of the springform pan.

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Pumpkin Spiced Cupcakes

makes 30 cupcakes

INGREDIENTS:

3 1/2 cups cake flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1 cup olive oil

3 large eggs

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground nutmeg

1 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp all spice

1/2 tsp cloves

1 3/4 cups (15oz can) pumpkin puree

1 coarsely mashed ripe banana (optional)

1 cup buttermilk

Cream Cheese Frosting

METHOD:

1. Place oven rack in the middle. Preheat oven to 325F (165C). Line muffin tins with paper liners.

2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and whisk out any lumps. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, beat together sugars, oil, eggs, vanilla and spices.

4. Stir in pumpkin. Do not over mix. Fold in bananas.

5. Fold in dry ingredients, alternating with buttermilk until everything is just incorporated. Do not over mix.

6. Fill prepared muffin cups 1/2 full with batter. Bake until a tester inserted into the centre comes out clean, 15-20 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.

7. Prepare cream cheese frosting and decorate cupcakes as desired.

Tip: Cupcakes can be made a day ahead and stored in an airtight container in a wine fridge (not as cold as a regular refrigerator).