I am not good in the kitchen. Nor am I the kind of Disney fan that’s the most knowledgeable of all minute trivia. So basically, I’m not qualified to write this post at all. However, I like food and I enjoy a good romp through Disney parks, so considering your friend and mine, kellybakes, is currently in Orlando, I’ve compiled this list of five quintessential snacks for her to try at Walt Disney World!

This post is just dipping a toe in the wonderful world of Disney Parks food, and doesn’t really do justice to the expansive options available “on-property” (lingo for the 42 square miles Disney owns in central Florida.) Disney has rehabbed the “hamburger and pizza” images of theme parks with over 100 restaurants with diverse menu options, from African-inspired Jiko: The Cooking Place, to central Florida’s only AAA Five-Diamond restaurant, Victoria & Albert’s.

Mickey Waffles

Unlike the rest of the items on this list, you can find Mickey Waffles practically anywhere, and there happen to be a few variations. Sure, it’s basically just a regular ol’ waffle, but who isn’t a sucker for food in the same of famous cartoon characters? (I’m lookin’ at you, Cars-shaped Kraft Macaroni & Cheese!) If you happen to secure a reservation at the hot-ticket Chef Mickey’s in the Contemporary Resort, you can load up on these thick, crispy waffles and also meet the Fab Five (Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy and Pluto) while you eat!

A thorough list of Mickey waffle venues can be found on the Disney Food Blog!

School Bread

Found at the Kringla Bakeri og Café in Epcot’s Norway Pavilion, this pretty sizeable treat is loaded with vanilla custard and adorned with icing, toasted coconut and a dollop of…more vanilla custard. The texture and flavor of the coconut balances out the sweetness of the filling; these are too easily digestible. You can find your very own recipe on AllEars.net!

Dole Whip

As with most of the items on this list, the Dole Whip is not so much the “greatest thing ever!” as much as it’s the Disney dessert. It’s actually a non-dairy frozen dessert, and comes in a variety of flavors and combinations: pineapple, orange, and vanilla, all of which can also be coupled with pineapple juice for a Dole Whip Float. The best, and the only reason to seek out Aloha Isle in the Magic Kingdom’s Adventureland, is the straight-up pineapple.

If you want to control your Dole Whip portions, it’s available self-serve style at Captain Cook’s at the Polynesian Resort.

Turkey Legs

Don’t let the cutesy turkey leg-shaped Rice Krispie Treat fool you: there are actually for free, whole-pound turkey legs available at all four parks on Disney World property. There’s something disgusting yet marvelous at seeing whole families tearing into frightfully-large bird appendages, but they’ve become a multi-generational tradition. The turkey leg brings people together!

Mickey Premium Ice Cream Bar

Okay, okay…so maybe I lied. The Mickey Premium Bar may just be the one can’t-miss treat at Disney World. Available basically every 50 feet in a Disney Park, it’s your standard Nestle vanilla ice cream bar dipped in dark chocolate. It’s not reinventing the ice cream wheel, but there’s something satisfying in its simplicity, especially walking down Main Street, U.S.A., chopping off Mickey’s left ear.

The Runners Up

LeFou’s Brew

This is one of the most popular menu items at Disney World, as it’s the signature item at Gaston’s Tavern in the New Fantasyland addition in the Magic Kingdom. While the name and locale would imply libations, don’t get your hopes up; with the recent exception of the new Be Our Guest restaurant, Disney World doesn’t serve alcohol in the Magic Kingdom per Walt’s request.
Still, it’s a flavorful if unspectacular concoction of frozen apple juice, marshmallow, and pomegranate foam. If you don’t fork over the four bucks and change for one, at least peak your head into the tavern, a swell recreation of the location in Beauty and the Beast.

Cupcakes

“The cupcake craze has come and gone!” you say?? Well, fear not, foodies, because Disney is tapping into your sense of cupcake nostalgia. Some of the most decadent (and decently priced, by Disney standards, at $4 a pop) can be found at Starring Rolls Café in Disney’s Hollywood Studios and the Kusafiri Coffee Shop and Bakery in Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

Caramel Popcorn

One of my favorite, if cavity-inducing, treats at Disney World is the caramel popcorn from Karamell-Kuche in Epcot’s Germany pavilion. Here’s the secret: it’s popcorn drenched in melted down Werther’s Originals candy! So yum that squirrel even likes it!

While not an exhaustive list by any means, if you haven’t been to Disney World since you were a kid (or if you haven’t been at all!), I encourage you to try these “staples” as well as indulge yourself in a few of the other gems on property. The variety per 42 square miles is pretty magical.

When he isn’t too busy being lazy, Jeff occasionally writes and doodles for his gay marriage and more blog, Lance+Jeff (the more attractive one is Lance…but don’t tell him that. The last thing he needs is an inflated ego.) You can also find him on Facebook and Twitter.

The post {Guest Post} Lance+Jeff’s Top 5 Things to Eat in Disney World! appeared first on kelly bakes.

Hey y’all. These posts have sort of fallen to the way-side because life, work, classes and posts got in the way. BUT! Fear not. They’ve returned. Just don’t call it a comeback.

me, in class, piping gluten-free kaiser rolls!

This summer is going to be really, really exciting. I’m going to be an auntie, my best friend is getting married, and I’m going to some pretty amazing food blogging conferences. Conference season is kicking off this weekend with a trip to Disneyworld (!!!) for Food Blog Forum. I haven’t been since I was 6 and they were just building Splash Mountain so to say I’m excited is a bit of an understatement.

I’ll be back next week, but I’ve got some favorites for you to check out while I’m away!

1. THIS MOCKTAIL from Kris at 80twenty. {how gorgeous are those colours?!}

2. Not to mention our NEW SEGMENTS over on ye olde podcast. {you won’t believe the bizarre-o recipes we’re featuring!}

3. I’ve been thinking a lot about success, goals and fear thanks to THIS PIECE. Are you holding yourself back from success?

4. THIS GORGEOUS CAKE. Six layers. Toasted Marshmallow. And Malted Chocolate? Can someone say new favorite blog?!

5. THIS SONG from Mayer Hawthorne. I’ve been crushing hard on him for the past 4 years or so and I’m diggin’ the new sound.

6. Move over, Barbie! THIS just may be the coolest thing you can do for your five year old girl.

oh and before I forget! When it comes to all things Disney (okay and work stuff too), I would be totally lost without the blogger behind THIS BLOG, who I’m lucky enough to work with. He’ll be posting here on Monday, so why don’t you go on over to his blog and introduce yourself to Jeff?

Try not to miss me too much.

:)

The post Friday I’m In Love… the apologetic edition! appeared first on kelly bakes.

Before we get to these delicious gluten-free sugar cookies, let’s take a little flashback, shall we? Two years ago, I went to my first food blogging conference. I had just graduated from graduate school and decided to treat myself to Eat Write Retreat, an intimate conference for food bloggers focused on learning new skills in things like writing, food styling, photography and blog PR/social media practices. It made me realize that blogging could be more than sporadically posting yellow-tinged pictures of my dinner with a brief description underneath. It could be a thing. With styled pictures and sensory, evocative descriptions. I met people who were doing it, and doing it big. I even had the opportunity to work with brands, promoting their products and giving my own “brand” exposure. 

Flash forward to the present day… I’m lucky enough to be going to Eat Write Retreat for its first year in my fair city, Philadelphia. I feel a lot more confident about my voice–as a brand and a blogger–and I have that first conference to thank for setting me on that path! This year’s conference is sure to be amazing too. For one, I won’t have to worry about jitters. But, most importantly, there are incredible sessions planned and some fantastic swag thanks to some pretty stellar sponsors!

If you’ve never been to a blogging conference, you should be warned that the fun starts way before the conference even begins! Sponsors will often send products ahead of time to play with before the conference, leading up to something extra special at the conference itself. This year is no exception. EWR13 is sponsored by In The Raw, those folks who make Sugar In The Raw, the only sugar I put in my iced coffee (I love the crunch!) and my favorite one to use for sprinkling on scones and snickerdoodles. When they sent me a Baker’s Bag of Monk Fruit In The Raw to try in place of some of the sugar in baking, I was pretty curious. I won’t bake with artificial sweetener and I only stray from sugar with honey or corn syrup. But, given that monk fruit is all natural and I trusted the company, I was game to try it out in a batch of Gluten-free Sugar Cookies.

We were sent a recipe for sugar cookies made with Monk Fruit In The Raw. I’m happy to report that I couldn’t tell the Monk Fruit In The Raw was in the recipe at all! Cookie dough is my Achilles heel and admittedly, the dough didn’t taste at all different! It was completely indiscernible in both taste and texture in both raw and baked form. A natural way to cut back on sugar in recipes? Yes, please (and thank you!), Monk Fruit in the Raw! Check out the recipe below (gluten-free, mind you. You can sub the GF flour for all-purpose and omit the xantham gum if you are lucky enough to tolerate gluten). Stay tuned for more pre-conference posts and of course, my re-cap of Eat Write Retreat ’13 after the conference! And, in the meantime, be sure to check out the In The Raw website for more information about Monk Fruit In The Raw!

Disclosure: I was given one free bag of Monk Fruit In The Raw to use for this recipe. I am attending Eat, Write, Retreat as a volunteer and was not compensated for this post. And, as always, the thoughts, piping skills, and opinions are my own.

Gluten-free Sugar Cookies with Monk Fruit Sugar In The Raw

The post Gluten-Free Monk Fruit In the Raw Sugar Cookies for #EWR13 appeared first on kelly bakes.

I know what you’re thinking. You looked at the title of this post and thought, ‘umm did Kelly forget the strawberry to go along with the rhubarb in these Rhubarb Vanilla Yogurt Parfaits?’ The answer, dear reader, is no. Rhubarb is delightfully tart on its own, so I’d like to introduce you to its flavor without berries getting in the way.

I first fell in love with rhubarb in Ireland. I was on the island of Inis Mor, the largest of the Aran Islands, a place with only one grocery store, which was no bigger than some of the gas station convenient stores here in the US. We were starting our day with a long bike ride around the island and I wanted breakfast to help me fuel my trip. As I looked at the yogurt selection, I was faced with standard flavors like strawberry and cherry. As I scanned the small section, I spotted something strange–rhubarb–on the shelf.

Admittedly, I was hesitant. I had no idea what rhubarb tasted like on its own, without the familiar strawberry to lean on. But, my curiosity got the best of me and I bought a container. I’m glad I decided to be adventurous. The rhubarb was tart and slightly sour, but pleasantly so. The vanilla added a comforting sweetness and somehow, these two seemingly unlikely flavors seemed to mesh together perfectly.

I ate two rhubarb vanilla yogurts a day for the next two days, knowing that the tart-sour-sweet was a flavor I’d not likely find when I returned back to the US. For as much as my instagram is filled with pictures of rhubarb at the famers markets and food sites inundate us with recipes while it’s in season, rhubarb as a flavor hasn’t really caught on in the US (though, with recipes like this, I wish it would!).

As summer approaches and I think back to that impossibly perfect weekend in the Aran Islands, and those delicious little cups of rhubarb vanilla yogurt, I’m thankful to have rhubarb in my garden and at my farmer’s market. I’m also hopeful that with a captive audience (*taps screen* I hope you’re still reading!), I can convert you to the tart, springy flavor of rhubarb, strawberry’s undervalued wingman.

This recipe is part of Brunch Week, a week-long event filled with brunch ideas, savory items, sweet breakfasts and cocktails for every palate. We have some amazing sponsors who are giving you the opportunity to win everything from cast iron skillets to conference tickets to Sur la Table gift cards and a KitchenAid stand mixer. If you haven’t already, check out my last post for a full-description of the prizes.

Brunch Drink Recipes

St-Germain and Prosecco Cocktails by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
Strawberry Lemongrass Martinis by White Lights on Wednesday

Breads, Grains, Cereals and Pancake-type Yums

Granola, Yogurt and Walnut Cups by Cook the Story
Banana Peanut Butter Baked Oatmeal by Big Bear’s Wine
Apple and Beecher’s Flagship Reserve Cheddar Wheat Belly Crepes by Vanilla Lemonade
Garden Squares by {i love} my disorganized life
Maple Sausage French Toast Bake by Real Housemoms

Brunch Egg Recipes

Mediterranean Frittata by Spontaneous Tomato

Potato Recipes for Brunch

Potato and Bacon Hash by Cravings of a Lunatic

Meat, Poultry, Fish and Legume Brunch Recipes

Key Lime Shrimp Salad by The Domestic Mama & The Village Cook
Black Bean Breakfast Tacos by Sweet Remedy
Fruit for Brunch
Fruit Salad with Orange Poppy Seed Dressing by Kokocooks

Brunch Dessert Recipes

Chocolate Chip Buttermilk Muffins by Rachel Cooks
Rustic Apple Cake & Tea with Mom by The Vintage Cook
Toasted Almond and Chocolate Muffins by Jane’s Adventures in Dinner
Crumb Cake Parfait by Take A Bite Out of Boca
Rum and Raisin French Toast by Noshing With The Nolands
Cinnamon Raisin Banana Stuffed French Toast by Katie’s Cucina
Breakfast Cookies by Cooking In Stilettos
Berry Parfaits by Love and Confections
Rhubarb Vanilla Yogurt Parfaits by Kelly Bakes

The post Rhubarb Vanilla Yogurt Parfaits for #BrunchWeek appeared first on kelly bakes.

I am so excited for this post I don’t know how to start it! In the year and a half that I’ve had this blog, I’ve hosted giveaways. I’ve done some group blog parties, but never in all the time I’ve been plugging away at this blog, have I participated in something as monumental and huge as #BrunchWeek…

What is #BrunchWeek you ask? It’s a week of fantastic recipe ideas from food bloggers across the web, all centered around one of my favorite meals: brunch. We’ve got savory eats, sweet treats and mimosas a-plenty all in time for mother’s day! As if pampering mom (or yourself, all you moms!) wasn’t enough, we’ve also got AMAZING prizes thanks to some pretty spectacular sponsors. (Check them out after the recipe!)

There are some pretty impressive dishes for Brunch Week so I wanted to make sure to bring something extra tasty to the party. This tart was initially inspired by a failed attempt at this dessert (the sponge cake was a bust, but the combination of honey and mascarpone was DIVINE! I’ve been sneaking it into desserts ever since!). I made my own mascarpone, which is super simple (lemons & heavy cream, a pot, some heat, a piece of cheese cloth and you’re set! Check out how easy the process is. Trust me, make it once and it’s so easy & delicious, you’ll never buy it again!)

This tart comes together so quickly that the hardest part is waiting for it to chill before you dig in! Sweetness takes on three different personalities with each of the three layers–from the buttery-sweet nutty crust to the floral-sweet honey notes mellowed just slightly by the creamy tang of mascarpone and finally, the fresh burst of fruity sweetness in each of the ripe red strawberries.

I hope you’ll give this easy-to-make tart a try and be sure to check out all of the other sweets and eats this week–you won’t be disappointed! Also, big thanks to Terri at Love and Confections and Christine from Cook the Story for all their hard work organizing Brunch Week. You ladies are fantastic!!

Happy Baking!

xo

We are so very grateful to have such wonderful sponsors for Brunch Week who have generously given us a fabulous bunch of incredible (INCREDIBLE!) prizes for our giveaway. Be sure to enter using the Rafflecopter below!

One lucky winner from our Rafflecopter will receive a KitchenAid Stand Mixer and California Walnuts Prize Pack
- A KitchenAid Artisan 5-Quart Stand Mixer model number:KSM150PSGA. Mixer comes with: 2-piece pouring shield, 5-quart stainless steel bowl, flat beater, dough hook, and wire whip. ($350 value)
- Walnut Prize Pack containing 1lb burlap bag of fresh California Walnuts, 1 portion control tin, 1 heart shaped cookie cutter, 1 flexible cutting mat, 1 mini spatula, 1 chip clip and 1 water pouch ($75 value)

One lucky winner from our Rafflecopter will receive a Lodge Cast iron Skillet and three silicone pieces (a hot handle holder, a pot holder and a trivet)
- Lodge Cast Iron Skillet: designed for the gourmet, this unique Chef Skillet has sloped sides with a traditional teardrop handle. Great for omelets, cornbread or sauteing. ($20-25 value)
- Lodge Silicone items: a great piece of cast iron cookware gets hot. Everywhere. these colorful silicone hot handle holders keep your hands sage in style.

In addition, one lucky participant from our TweetChat on Sunday May 5th from 2-3pm EST will also win a Lodge Cast Iron Skilled and three silicone pieces. PLUS five lucky participants will each get a set of the three silicone pieces. (search for hashtag #BrunchWeek to follow along. Use the hashtag in tweets during the chat to enter to win.)

AND, everyone who comments in our PinChatLive on Saturday May 11th from 2-3pm EST will also be entered to win one prize of a Lodge Cast Iron Skillet and a set of three silicone pieces. PLUS 4 lucky participants will each get a set of the three silicone pieces. (For the PinChatLive go to The BrunchWeek Pinterest Board - http://pinterest.com/lovenconfection/brunchweek-2013/ at 2pm on May 11th and comment on the question pins there. Refresh your screen often so you don’t miss any new questions.)

One lucky winner from our Rafflecopter will receive The Flavors of Summer Entertaining Prize Package which includes a $100 gift card to Sur la Table! In addition to the amazing gift card, this entertaining pack includes cookbooks, kitchen utensils, entertaining party-ware like a chip and dip server, beverage container and more. From free products, to fun stuff for decorating – you’ll be able to make the most of your next summer party. ($200 value)

One lucky winner from our Rafflecopter will receive a Martha Stewart Collection Kitchen Prize Package including a 3-quart Enameled Cast Iron Casserole, Magnetic Spice Grinders, a Pot Clip, Cheese Grater and a Silicone Head Spatula ($125 value)

One lucky winner from our Rafflecopter will receive a ticket to the upcoming Food and Wine Conference in Orlando, FL, July 19-21, 2013 at the beautiful Rosen Shingle Creek. Speakers include Sara Moulton (of Food Network fame), Michael Green (a true celebrity in the wine and spirits world) and Jaden Hair (cookbook author and creator of Steamy Kitchen). This prize is for a single Full Conference Pass with a value of $250. (Accommodations can be booked at the Rosen Shingle Creek at a highly discounted rate for all conference attendees). ($250 value)

One lucky winner from our Rafflecopter will receive a Bob’s Red Mill Prize Pack includes a Bob’s Red Mill canvas tote bag containing the Bob’s Red Mill Cookbook, assorted Bob’s Red Mill products, a Salter® Baker’s Dream Aquatronic Baking Scale, Norpro® Silicone Heat Resistant Spatula, Best® Standard French Whip and a $40 Bob’s Red Mill Gift Card. ($150 value)

One lucky winner from our Rafflecopter will receive a Whole Foods Breakfast in Bed Basket, including a Mixing Bowl, Allegro Organic Breakfast Blend Coffee, Allegro Coffee Mug, Cooking Whisk, Microplane, Delamotte Champagne, 365 Organic Amber Maple Syrup, Whole Pantry Cinnamon Sticks, French Brioche and a $25 Whole Foods Market Gift Card. ($145 value)

One lucky winner from our Rafflecopter will receive a Whole Foods Flavorful Delights Basket including a 5-quart Colander, Servino Homemade Pastas, 365 Organic Balsamic Vinegar, Macadamia Oil, Parmigiano Regiano, Key Lime Savory Oil, Branfords Original Hot Sauce, Cheese Grater, Vosges Black Pearl Bar Chocolate, Vosges Fire Bar Chocolate, R.C. Buck’s Gourmet Rub-Sweet Orange Habanero, Divina Pickles-Sweet Watermelon Rind, Composta Di Fragole-Strawberry Compote with Modena Balsamic Vinegar, Sabatino Tartufi-Truffle and Honey. ($160 value)

One lucky winner from our Rafflecopter will receive a Stonyfield Organic Kitchen Prize Pack, including a Preserve Colander, Preserve Portable Yogurt Carrier, Preserve Cutting Board, Stonyfield Cookbook, Stoneyfield Oven Mitt, Travel Sandwich Carrier made out of 100% reused plastic bottles, Stonyfield Water Bottle, Stoneyfield Tote Bag and 10 free cups of Stoneyfield Greek Yogurt. ($75 value)

Beverages

Watermelon Rosemary Champagne Cocktail by Vanilla Lemonade
Pear Hibiscus Brunch Cocktail by Rachel Cooks
Strawberry Rose Sangria by The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
Mocha Frappuccino by Around My Family Table
Pineapple-Basil Tea by The Kitchen Prep

Eggs

Tomato and Mozzarella Quiche by Love and Confection
Cherry Tomato and Chorizo Omelette by Katie’s Cucina
Asparagus and Bacon Quicheby Confessions of an
Overworked Mom

Meat, Poultry and Fish

Bacon Canapés with Oranges and Maple Yogurt by Cook the Story
Chicken Bacon Ranch Panini by Sweet Remedy
Pancetta Wrapped Chicken by Jane’s Adventures in
Dinner

Breads, Grains, Cereals and Pancake-type Yums

Spinach and Goat Cheese Muffins by Culinary Flavors
Overnight Blintz Bake by White Lights on Wednesday
Bananas Foster French Toast by by Cravings of a Lunatic

Desserts

Cinnamon Raisin Bread by Katie’s Cucina
Mrs. Lund’s Fresh Plum Cake by The Vintage Cook
Chocolate Chip Banana Bundt Cake by Take A Bite Out Of Boca
Strawberry
Scones by Kokocooks
Strawberry Mascarpone Tart by Kelly Bakes

Fruits and Veggies

Honey-Watermelon Soup by Culinary Adventures with
Camilla

a Rafflecopter giveaway

**Disclosure: I was given a sample bag of California Walnuts to use in this recipe. I was not compensated for this post and opinions are entirely my own.

The post Strawberry Mascarpone Tart for #BrunchWeek appeared first on kelly bakes.

When’s the last time you let yourself make a big ol’ mess just for the fun of it?  If you saw the heaps of dirty clothes collage of garments adorning my bedroom floor, you’d know that I’m no stranger to messes, but it’s rare that I intentionally sit and get my hands dirty for the sake of playing. When I was a little kid, I used to love playing in the mud. I’d play “cooking show” with moss and dirt and whatever earthly ingredients I could find. Somewhere along the way, I lost that ability to be present, get dirty and let my imagination take over. I admit, it would be weird if I were to go to the park, plunk myself down and start making mudpies as an adult, even if some of the kids in the sandbox are bigger than me. But, what I’d like to get back is the ability to let my mind be at peace enough to be vulnerable to my imagination and the present moment.

This all came about when I was testing recipes for NYC Bake Sale for No Kid Hungry. It’s a fantastic gathering of talented food bloggers and bakers, organized by the amazing Ken and Lillian (no seriously. Peep their blogs. I’m always impressed by what they can make.. when they channel it into an event, it’s even more spectacular!). Obviously, I wanted to bake something worthy of a great cause and something I hoped folks would want to buy!

I settled on raspberry & cream marshmallows. Initially, I wanted to make a double layer creation, similar to the meyer lemon meringue pie marshmallows I made a few months ago. But, as I thought about it more, I decided to go with one uniform color. I set out to mallow with the best intentions, but as I poured them in the pan, they were a runny, sticky mess. I tried to guide some stray mallow back towards the pan with a finger and my finger was covered in sticky pink. Which spread to my other fingers. And my palm. And my hand. I had cotton candy colored strands stretching from finger to finger, making my hand look like a Pepto Bismal pink spiderweb. I could have been angry. I could have been frustrated, but instead, I chose to just enjoy the mess. I proceeded to lick my fingers. I scraped the mixing bowl out, Winnie the Pooh style. I wound up with a pink sticky mouth that wouldn’t lick clean. I was, quite literally, a hot mess.

Further iterations of the recipe were more successful and much less sticky, though I still look back and laugh when I think of the first batch. All in all, I had to tell myself that two dozen of these marshmallows were going to help little kids, who I’m sure would have had just as much fun diving into a sticky bowl of marshmallow. And the rest were going to Krista of Budget Gourmet Mom (Check out her Triple Layer Lemon Meringue Cake!) as part of The Leftovers Club, so I wanted to make sure they were tasty!

So, if you’re in the NYC area this Saturday and want to buy some sweets and support a great cause, please stop by the Bake Sale for No Kid Hungry! There are awesome raffle prizes from King Arthur Flour, Le Creuset, Wilton and Divine Chocolate, to name a few! I’ll be there from 2:30-4pm, selling these marshmallows and my salted orange chocolate chip almond cookies! I hope to see you there! [If you can't make it, you can still enter the raffle for $10 to win some AMAZING prizes!]

Be sure to check out the rest of the tasty treats from The Leftovers Club!

The post Raspberry & Cream Marshmallows for Leftovers Club & NYC Bake Sale for No Kid Hungry appeared first on kelly bakes.

Hello. My name is Kelly and I suffer from chronic empathy. Okay, so maybe ‘suffer’ is a bit harsh, but it is fair to say that sometimes my overwhelming desire to relate to others has caused me a bit of pain. My earliest empathetic memory stems from third grade: I would lie to my friends about the A’s I got on tests and say that I got far lower marks so that they wouldn’t feel so bad about their own exams. It continued well into adulthood, as I made friends by sharing embarrassing stories to put new friends at ease. I’m self-deprecating because I like you. I overshare because I’m excited to have something in common with you. Take it as a compliment!

Though most of my shared sentiments have come from effort on my part–searching my brain for common ground and scouring my memory for connections–it’s even better when mutual feelings and experiences arise organically. This weekend, for example, I had the pleasure of baking with Laura of Mother Would Know. Last fall, we split an order of vanilla beans and embarked upon an extract making adventure for the ages. Four different kinds of beans and the promise to hold a baking extravaganza at the end of the waiting period, once our extracts had steeped, so to speak.

Delays got in the way and our vanillathon was postponed, but it was worth the wait when it finally happened. We did some recipe testing for a fellow blogger with some not so perfect results, and, in enduring everything from disastrous hardened sugar to streaky deflated cupcakes, it was nice to know that other bloggers don’t get things right on the first try (or the third).

We also made pots de creme and vanilla current scones with two different varieties of vanilla–Indonesian and Madagascar. The winner was unanimously Indonesian. It had a pungent, bold aroma and a strong presence when baked and in recipes where the flavor had the opportunity to shine.  I’m so used to being the only one in my kitchen that it was wonderful to compare opinions on taste, technique and texture. Though Laura’s husband Kevin was kind enough to try all of our baked goods (including the wonky partially underdone cupcakes), it was comforting to bake with Laura because her agreement reaffirmed the opinions I held on baking and each type of vanilla bean. I’m so grateful for her hospitality, especially for letting me into her gorgeous kitchen and for putting me at ease by saying she wasn’t the neatest baker (phew! glad I’m not alone!).

And, in keeping on this theme of empathy, I’d like to announce that May’s recipes will be solely gluten-free. As I mentioned in my last post, I’m taking a gluten-free baking class and as I listen to the stories of my classmates who have to be gluten-free, I can’t help but want to empathize with them. So, for the entire month of May, this blog will be [mostly] gluten-free. (I say only because I’m going to two food blogging conferences and, at the time of registering, I didn’t check off any dietary needs, but I’ll certainly be mindful of what I eat while I’m there). I want to experience what it’s like to go out to eat and wonder if I can order anything sans-gluten or to go grocery shopping and be extra diligent about reading and evaluating labels. And, baking gf outside of class will only help me to be a better student in class. Most of all, I’m looking to post recipes that are indiscernibly gluten-free and of course, delicious. I hope at the end of this month, I’ll have a deeper understanding of what gluten intolerant folks have to live with every day, and open my eyes to other ways of baking. There may even be baking for multiple food sensitivities. We’ll see!

The post On Vanilla-thons, Gluten-Free Baking & Empathy appeared first on kelly bakes.

I’m always amazed at how much I take for granted. Until recently, I didn’t fully wrap my head around the challenges associated with gluten intolerance and Celiac’s disease. As someone who consumes gluten, I never scoured food labels looking for hidden ingredients. I could eat anywhere without fear of cross contamination of my food that could send me to the hospital. And, most notably, I could open most baking cookbooks and follow the recipe without making substitutions or doing crazy math conversions. It’s also highly probable that I’d have all the ingredients on hand, including “all-purpose” flour, which would work in nearly all the recipes I’d find on the cookbooks lining my shelves. All this changed pretty recently…

First, I started podcasting with my good friend, Autumn, who provided mountains of insight as to what it’s like to have Celiac’s–especially in terms of eating out, baking and cooking. She answered my unending questions with grace and patience, but I didn’t want her to feel like my personal Gluten-free Wikipedia. So, about a month ago, I started taking a gluten-free baking class. Prior to donning the uniform again, I had no concept of how to make gluten-free substitutions in baking except that it likely involved xantham gum and brown rice flour.

The class has taught me so much about varying levels of gluten tolerance, the ingredients used in place of wheat flour, their baking properties and the role they play in providing taste, texture or structure. Most importantly, though, it’s forced me to block off three hours from my Tuesday to dive in and attempt gf recipes! Admittedly, baking gluten-free from existing recipes was not much different than following recipes in any of the other cookbooks I owned; the ingredient list was a little longer (with new ingredients!) and the volumes were slightly less in some cases, but if you can follow a recipe and buy the ingredients, you should be fine!

Naturally, as I’ve been immersed in the class, I find myself baking gluten-free during the rest of the week to familiarize myself with new flours and ingredients (which is why there haven’t been many posts around here! sorry!). So, when the group of holiday bloggers who made amazing St. Paddy’s Day treats sent out the reminder about teaming up for a round-up of fantastic Cinco de Mayo posts, I knew I wanted to find a way to adapt a recipe I already loved and make it gluten-free! The texture is a bit drier and denser than a normal cake (Alton’s original recipe produces the same result), but remember, it needs to be to absorb all that milk!

Adapting a recipe was a lot more challenging than I expected, mostly because I try to avoid math like the plague. My substitution for all-purpose wheat flour was an all-purpose gf flour blend of brown rice flour, tapioca starch and potato flour. If you use a different blend, by all means, experiment! In the few times I’ve tried pre-mixed blends, I wasn’t happy with the result, so I’ve steered clear, but if you’ve got a gf flour blend you love, leave the name in the comments!

Happy Baking & be sure to check out what the other gals in the Cinco de Mayo roundup are making (links after the recipe)! Happy Cinco de Mayo!

xo

Gluten-free Tres Leches Cake

Check out the delicious Cinco de Mayo sweets & eats from some of my friends!

 1. Alfajores from Roxana’s Home Baking

2. Spicy Fish Tacos with Avocado Yogurt Sauce from Crumb Blog
3. Classic Flan from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
4. Dulce de Leche Milkshake with Coconut Milk Whipped
Cream from Chocolate Moosey
5. Lime Margerita Bars from Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
6. Shrimp and Avocado Ceviche from Magnolia Days
7. Tropical Fiesta Cocktail from Hungry Couple NYC
8. Paletas – Mexican Popsicles from Pineapple and Coconut
9. Bizcochitos Cookies from Jen’s Favorite Cookies
10. Mexican Hot Chocolate Cupcakes from Gotta Get Baked
11. Vegan Taco Salad from What Smells So Good
12. Gluten Free Tres Leches Cake from Kelly Bakes
13. Queso Blanco from The Messy Baker
14. Gorditas with Picadillo from Juanita’s Cocina
15. Strawberry Margerita Slurpee from Chocolate Chocolate and More

The post Gluten Free Tres Leches Cake appeared first on kelly bakes.

It might surprise you to learn that I didn’t always have an uncontrollable  sweet tooth. Actually, that’s not entirely true. I was born with this insatiable craving for sweets, but I didn’t always act upon it.

When I was little, I loved licking the bowl or sneaking a pinch of cookie dough while baking cookies with my Grammy, but I didn’t do it very often. The best sweets–warm chocolate chip cookies, yellow cake, and apple pie–are best served with a cold glass of milk, something my stomach couldn’t handle. So, until I was about seven or so, I drank lactose-free milk. I remember wishing I could be like the other kids who could finish off entire bowls of ice cream with no problem or drink regular milk that didn’t taste slightly ‘off.’

Sometime around the age of 8 my stomach decided it liked dairy, but I have a number of friends and family members who aren’t as lucky. For them, meals are struggles. Going out to eat involves complicated orders. Dessert is almost always out of the question. They’re limited by lactose and all its offspring–whipped cream, butter and milk.

I had these same relatives and friends in mind when a Canadian Company, Natrel, approached me to develop a lactose-free recipe. After talking to some of my Canadian friends who love their milk and reading about their commitment to helping lactose-free people enjoy dairy again, I knew that I wanted to be a part of this campaign. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Natrel, they use a special process to remove lactose from milk while still maintaining the vitamins, minerals and great taste in all their lactose-free products. Knowing what some lactose-free milks taste like, that’s huge for someone who can’t tolerate dairy!

I wanted to create a dessert recipe that I would have loved as a child, but would have undoubtedly been unable to eat. I chose chocolate mousse, but gave it an adult twist with the addition of orange. This recipe comes together in about an hour and can be made ahead. The best part is that Natrel lactose-free products remove the lactose, but behave like regular dairy! What that means for you is that if you buy their whipping cream, you can not only whip it to fluffy soft peaks like it’s lactose-laden counterpart, but you can enjoy every ethereal dollop without worry over ingredients or issues eating it. Check out my recipe for Chocolate Orange Mousse Parfaits on the Natrel website… and be sure to check out the other delicious recipes, like the Chocolate Milkshake (!!), Strawberry Saffron Panna Cotta and the French Toast with Orange Zest & Maple Whipped Cream!

**Disclosure: I was monetarily compensated to develop a lactose-free recipe for Natrel, but all opinions, former lactose-intolerances and thoughts are my own. 

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It’s rare that I post two days in a row, but let’s make an exception for these UConn sugar cookies, shall we? It’s not every day that the UConn women’s basketball team wins the National Championship (though with their 8th National Championship now behind them, it sure feels like it!)

I have an IMMENSE amount of UConn pride. Though I never considered going to the University of Connecticut until my junior year of high school, it was one of the best decisions of my life. And though I grew up not paying any attention to college basketball (despite having a father obsessed with the women’s team), within a few minutes of being on campus, I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. I drank the kool-aid and it tasted extra sweet… like historic double national championships.

After 2009, I learned NOT to bake for a team I’d like to win, as I baked these UConn cupcakes for the men’s basketball team in the Final Four and I felt like it was a jinx!

So, this year I waited until after the big game was over to bake, and I’d like to show you how you can bake up something sweet for your favorite basketball team too!

How to Decorate Basketball Sugar Cookies

1. Start with your favorite sugar cookies (bake your own and cut the dough into circles first or use store-bought circle sugar cookies).

2. Frost with orange frosting. Allow to set.

3. Pipe the first curved line with brown icing.

4. Pipe the second curved line with brown icing.

5. Finally, pipe another curved line horizontally through these first two lines.

Voila!

Happy Baking!

xo

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