Tropical Paradise: TWD

Hey there, we're back from spring break and a week in Florida. Visited the family and the saw the new baby. To keep the tropical theme going, TWD's Jayne of The Barefoot Kitchen Witch hosts Coconut Butter Thins. Not quite a shortbread, but a tender crumb and a buttery taste. Added lime zest, brightens the taste. The dough is delicate and a fully pre-heated oven and chilling are key to keep from the dough from spreading. Some spreading was experienced.


As an added bonus, strawberry ice cream filled the cookies to make a better than Good Humor Strawberry Shortcake bar. Perfect size and big taste. That's refreshing!

Blueberry Time: TWD

Spring Break this week and we're in Florida visiting family and attending one spring training game! Hosting this week's Blueberry Crumb cake is TWD baker, Sihen from Befuddlement by Sihen. I must admit, this was my first visit to her site and liked her blog, especially the music add-on.


Batter was quick and easy. Some additions to the batter were: squeezed blueberries to make it more berry-berry. Another plus was the double-yolk surprise! Everyone liked the blueberry crumb, and it was soon gone.

Almost Pound Cake: TWD

A French yogurt cake is just the kind of cake to have around all the time. Flavored with lemon and almond, it's not too sweet and is moist and delicious. Topped with lemon glaze brings about the right tang. Almost like Sara Lee, but made with love. Our TWD host is Liliana, from My Cookbook Addiction who offered this selection for St Patrick's Day.


This was a quick cake to make and next time I'll make two, one to have ready and one to freeze.

Luscious Lemon: TWD

Creamy lemon custard is meant to be a team player. This week's dessert is selected by TWD baker Bridget from The Way the Cookie Crumbles. Spoon desserts are a perfect complement to contrasting textures. Lemon-clove flavor, topped with berries and a tuille. Cereal (Cinnamon Puffins), also make for good crunch. Try sorbets too.


East to prepare, and with a minimum of ingredients, milk, eggs, sugar, lemon zest and cloves, the milk is first heated below the boiling point and steeped with zest and cloves to intensify the flavor. In a separate measuring cup, the eggs and sugar are whisked together, tempered with milk, strained, then combined with milk. Baked in a water bath, then to-rest, and chill-to firm.

Custards, flans, puddings, creme brulee, pot de creme all share the same type of ingredients, except for varying proportions of milk and/or heavy cream, eggs and/or the addition of yolks and technique. At it's simplest, as Dorie suggested, it's an after-school dessert. A bit of nourishment for the middle of the day.

Plum Delicious: TWD

Chocolate Armagnac Cake is really a chocolaty, boozy, nutty, dried pitted plum, fudge cake! A plum prize for a special dining event.

Hosted by TWD baker LyB Of then I Do the Dishes