TOP 5 GUILTY PLEASURES

Now of course my guilty pleasures are generally sweets and with an abundance of chocolate with the exception of In Touch Magazine (that will be my 6th guilty pleasure). I have had the pleasure of enjoying the items below more than once. I couldn’t pass them up even if my trainer was with me and giving me the “evil stare”. Because trust me as a guilty pleasure I have no desire in learning the fat and calorie content.

1) Garrett’s Chicago Mix Popcorn - It is the cheesiest most caramel popcorn I have had in my life. My first time in Chicago I didn’t need directions to the shop I just followed my nose. The whole day you could see people with orange stained hands from the cheese and you just smiled at them as they were part of the Chicago Mix Club. If you can’t get to one of their shops you can order it online. GARRETT POPCORN



2) Soma’s Chocolate Covered Salted Corn Nuts, Toronto – The Soma Chocolate shop is located in The Distillery in Toronto. It is my favourite chocolate shop. I love treats with a twist and they have no short supply of them. When I first came across these I thought … odd but awesome. It’s a great chocolate shop complete with spicy thick rich mayan hot chocolate churning on the counter! SOMA CHOCOLATE

3) Thorntons Chocolate Covered Toffee, England – I have an obsession with British chocolate. I always need to make lots of room in my suitcase to fill it up with some sweet treats and I make lots of room for Thorntons! My absolute fav is the chocolate covered toffee I could replace my meals with this and be a happy woman although my jeans would beg to differ. THORNTONS

4) Pierre Hermes Macaroons, Paris- The first time your going to have a macaroon it should be in Paris. I went on hunt to find this shop and it did not disappoint. I was quite surprised that one of my fav macaroons was a passion fruit one (weird for me) of course the chocolate one was way up there too. Macaroons are fabulous and finish off a Parisienne experience! PIERRE HERME

5) Milsean Demerara Butter Crunch Bars, Aldergrove British Columbia – I first had this bar at the One Of A Kind Show in Toronto. Wowza! It’s so buttery and rich one bite and it takes me back to the motherland. My favourite is the milk chocolate with hazelnuts! MILSEAN

Mmmmmm I hope you enjoy my list everyone!!


PASSION FRUIT MACAROON

YOU ARE NOT AS SWEET AS MY SUGAR COOKIES - RECIPE

½ cup butter, softened
½ cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar

Juice of 1 lemon, remove seeds
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla

1¼ cups all purpose flour
¼ tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
Coconut to roll dough in.

✪ Preheat oven to 350˚F (175˚C)
✪ Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt: set aside.
✪ In a medium mixing bowl; cream together the butter and sugars.
✪ Mix in lemon juice, egg, and vanilla.
✪ Add dry ingredients. Wrap dough in plastic and put in the refrigerator until easy to handle.
✪ Roll dough into a 1-inch ball and then roll in coconut. Place ball on a lined cookie sheet and flatten with your fingers.
✪ Bake for 12-15 minutes, until slightly golden. Let cool on wire cooling racks.




Photo by Jason Hervey, Prop styling Eden Bluestein

It’s time to get your Festivus Bake On! If you are a baker this is probably one of your favourite times of the year. Time to create and time to sample some yummy and sinfully delicious recipes. Of course these calories don’t count either … or so I think ... It just may be time to bring out the stretchy pants!

I put together a top 10 list of my all-time favourite recipes for this time of year. Some of them my own and some from our favourite bakers.

Happy Baking Everyone!!




PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE

1) PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE

I am a huge fan of fudge I have spent a ton of time playing around with my candy thermometer and creating perfectly yummy smooth fudge. I created this recipe for Christmas last year and it was pretty much devoured in record time!

2)MARTHA STEWART’S ALMOND- ORANGE BISCOTTI

Almonds are my favourite nut! Pair them with oranges and you have a fabulous recipe from Martha Stewart. Biscotti is great to share easy to store and easy to freeze. I love adding a plate of biscotti to family brunches.

3) RICE KRISPIE SQUARES REINDEER

Rice Krispie Squares bring out the kid in me. I just bought my first huge box of festive Rice Krispies which I'm sure won't last too long ... especially if I make them into cute reindeers.

4) OLD SCHOOL RUMBALLS

Check out this video of me making my famous rum ball recipe "You Are Lucky I Didn't Rip Your Rum Balls Off!"

5) ROSE CHAMPAGNE TRUFFLES

Truffles are not as hard to make as they seem. They store well and will satisfy the sweetest tooth.

6) LEMON SUGAR COOKIES

My favourite sugar cookie recipe from my cookbook The Happy Baker. Lemon gives these classic cookies a refreshing twist.

7) SANDRA LEE'S GINGERCAKE MEN

Nothing is more festive then gingerbread. Enjoy this recipe from Sandra Lee with a twist on the original gingerbread men.

8) MINI EGGS SHORTBREAD

A huge hit at Easter but I hear y'all like to bake them for the holidays too. Mini Eggs & Shortbread ... need I say more?!

9) OCEAN SPRAY'S OATMEAL CRANBERRY WHITE CHOCOLATE COOKIES

Cranberry & white chocolate make a perfect combo visually and for our taste buds!

10) TRISH MAGWOOD’S PEPPERMINT CRUNCH BARK
Another recipe that gets easily devoured. It keeps you coming back for more!

I will be one busy little baker in the kitchen the next month. Hopefully it will be full of recipe fabulousness!

Have a fantastic baking season!


ROSE CHAMPAGNE TRUFFLES