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Vintage Cakes: Lemon & Almond Streamliner Cake

April 20, 2013 By + 63 Comments

“TRAVELING IS LIKE FLIRTING WITH LIFE.  IT’S LIKE SAYING, I WOULD STAY AND LOVE YOU, BUT I HAVE TO GO; THIS IS MY STATION.”  Lisa St. Aubin de Teran

Lemon & Almond Streamliner Cake | From My Sweet Heart

Travel back to the 1930′s on the Zephyr, the Flying Yankee, or the Comet.  It was the golden age of train travel, when comfort and convenience replaced sensibility.  And you could travel from here to there in luxury and style. These streamlined, sleek, art deco styled trains offered sleeping compartments, observation cars, and sit down dining and buffet lounges.  If I close my eyes, I can put myself there.  Having finished my dinner,  I pat my short, crimped hair with my fingers and reapply my bright red lipstick.  My waiter interrupts to ask what I’ll have for dessert.  Dessert?  Why I think I’ll try a slice of that lovely almond lemon cake!

Julie Richardson, author of Vintage Cakes, discovered a recipe for a Lemon Stream Liner Cake in a 1967 issue of Baking Industry.  Though there was no explanation of the origin of the cake,  she believed that one possibility is that it was named after the streamlined trains of the early 20th century.  And my own imagination took me back in time as I made this really moist, almond buttermilk cake which is topped with a light, lemony custard. [Read more...]

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Vintage Cakes: Honeybee Cake

March 20, 2013 By + 64 Comments

“BEES DO HAVE A SMELL, YOU KNOW, AND IF THEY DON’T THEY SHOULD, FOR THEIR FEET ARE DUSTED WITH SPICES FROM A MILLION FLOWERS.”  Ray Bradbury

Honeybee Cake | From My Sweet Heart

I like milk and sugar in my tea; and butter and jam on my biscuits.  So I’ve never given much thought to honey in the past.  Those amber jars on the grocery store shelf?  They all looked the same to me!  But a couple of years ago, my son came home from his summer landscaping job one day, with a jar of honey in hand.  It seems that his boss was also a bee keeper.  Really?  Now I’m intrigued!  And with one little swoosh of my finger, I was hooked!  There is nothing more luscious than fresh, local honey.  And I was ready to taste more.

So this month, I was thrilled that The Cake Slice Bakers voted on this Honeybee Cake.  [Read more...]

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Affogato & Honey Almond Gelato

October 12, 2012 By + 37 Comments

“AH! HOW SWEET COFFEE TASTES!  LOVELIER THAN A THOUSAND KISSES, SWEETER FAR THAN MUSCATEL WINE!”  J.S. Bach (Coffee Cantata)

Affogato & Honey Almond Gelato | From My Sweet Heart

It’s good to be back after a couple of weeks of recuperating from a back injury and adjusting to some eye surgery.  I can say with gusto. . . . . TGIF!  Another reason to shout TGIF?  Why, it’s Coffee Friday!  I’d like to introduce you to a new friend.  Paloma is the lovely creator of The Coffee Shop.  She writes a wonderful blog where she shares stories about her life, her beautiful family, baking and cooking tips, decorating ideas, fabulous recipes and everything coffee!!!  She is also the new fearless leader of The Cake Slice Bakers, of which I am very proud to be a new member! Every Friday, she invites readers and fellow bloggers to link up to a Coffee Friday party!  Follow the link for the fun details!  Today, I will be visiting and sharing this recipe for . . . . . [Read more...]

Filed Under: Dessert Drinks, Frozen Treats, My Thrifty Finds Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Pluot & Bacon Crumble

August 5, 2012 By + 46 Comments

“A PERFECT SUMMER DAY IS WHEN THE SUN IS SHINING, THE BREEZE IS BLOWING, THE BIRDS ARE SINGING, AND THE LAWNMOWER IS BROKEN.”  James Dent

Pluot & Bacon Crumble | From My Sweet Heart

Ok now.  Please don’t start throwing tomatoes at the screen but. . . . .I’m ready for fall!  Maybe if I could catch a breeze in this heat or my lawn mower WERE broken, I would feel otherwise.  And I am just craving something sweet and chocolately, but I feel guilty if I don’t continue to work with summer fruits!  Fortunately, I found a new summer obsession.  PLUOTS!  As if crumbles, crisps, and cobblers were not confusing enough, right?  Now we’ve got plums, pluots and plumcots!  Well don’t despair.  If you like plums but sometimes find them hard and lacking in sweetness; then you will LOVE . . . . . [Read more...]

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Cherry Almond Pastry Bars

June 21, 2012 By + 60 Comments

After sitting out last month I am so happy to be back participating in the Improv Cooking Challenge!

Cherry Almond Pastry Bars | From My Sweet Heart

This fun group of cooks, chefs, bakers, bloggers is hosted by Kristen from The Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker.  And every month, Kristen gives us 2 ingredients to incorporate into a recipe of our choice.  Can you guess from the picture what we worked with this month? . . . . . [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bars, Kitchen Improv, Pastry Tagged With: , , , , ,

Coconut Risotto

May 31, 2012 By + 42 Comments

“PULL UP A CHAIR.  TAKE A TASTE.  COME JOIN US.  LIFE IS SO ENDLESSLY DELICIOUS.”  Ruth Reichl

Coconut Risotto | From My Sweet Heart

Most days, I think we can all benefit from a little ‘group therapy’.  And my favorite online group to participate in is the  Improv Cooking Challenge.  Kristen, from The Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker, is the wonderful creator and leader of this great group of chefs/bakers/bloggers/food fanatics!  Each month, Kristen gives us two ingredients to toss together in the recipe of our choice.  And my fellow Improvers come up with the most amazing stuff!

Kristen’s blog is all about food and family. And while she cooks full flour for her family; she is gluten free.   Her motto is “delicious doesn’t have to be expensive.” And I couldn’t agree more!   Kristen is running a new feature on her site to introduce her readers to ‘The Improvers’.  And today, I am so happy and grateful to be a guest on Kristen’s blog!  And so I’ve chosen to make. . . . . [Read more...]

Filed Under: Creamy Desserts Tagged With: , , , ,

Macarons Au Cafe-Creme

July 17, 2011 By + 31 Comments

“THOUGH THIS BE MADNESS, YET THERE IS A METHOD.”  William Shakespeare

Macarons au Cafe Creme | From My Sweet Heart

Well this is my first attempt at making macarons!  You know, for such a perfect little cookie, you hear so many horror stories about how difficult it is to make them!  But actually, it really wasn’t so difficult after all.  You simply must follow the instructions as exactly as you can.  I let my egg whites age for several days.  I measured everything (in grams)!  I even purchased thermometers for both ovens!  The only thing I would do differently is pipe them smaller.  (I know my piping skills are sorely lacking, so I should have measured here, too)!

But all the effort you will put forth will be worth it.  This delicately sweet, chewy cookie filled with rich coffee cream is like no other baked good in all this world!  While my first love is for cupcakes, I believe I am developing a passion for these amazing and special little cookies!  And I can see how some are inspired, by the most ordinary visual stimulus, to create these little sensations!  The possibilities are endless!  And here’s how you can be inspired, too…….. [Read more...]

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