When I was going to college at the University of Toronto, I used to drop by my local Second Cup every now and then for a nice big latte and a lemon cranberry muffin.  It just hit the spot on blustery snowy mornings, and fueled [...]]]>

When I was going to college at the University of Toronto, I used to drop by my local Second Cup every now and then for a nice big latte and a lemon cranberry muffin.  It just hit the spot on blustery snowy mornings, and fueled me for the 20 minute walk across the icy campus to my classes at the very furthest end of the university.  Sometimes, instead of going in the mornings, I’d spend a few hours in the coffee shop sipping my coffee and munching on my muffin, researching papers all afternoon (hooray for free wifi).

Tim Hortons also had a lemon cranberry muffin, and though it didn’t have the nice crisp cap of the Second Cup muffin, it had a deliciously fluffy cake-like consistency and was almost always gone by the time I got to the Tim Hortons on the south end of campus.

A good lemon cranberry muffin is just one of the best parts of winter.  And despite the fact that it was probably 80 degrees out today on the Central Coast, cranberries are in season, and I’m stocking up.  A few bags of cranberries thrown right in the freezer will last me through till spring, so I’m anticipating plenty of cranberry goodness all through the winter.

Check out the colors of this gorgeous muffin.  I used a yogurt cake base, because every since I made this lemon yogurt cake by Orangette, it has become my go-to lemon cake recipe.  It’s moist and fluffy, with a fine crumb, perfect as a base for poppy seeds or fruit (or both).  I love the tart cranberries as they explode in your mouth!  After making the muffins, I felt they needed a little extra sweetness, so I made a lemon simple syrup that I brushed over the top of the muffins.  But you could just increase the sugar slightly, or sprinkle sugar over the top of the muffins before baking them.

I had a little extra batter left over at the end, so I made a giant muffin (or a mini loaf) in a buttered ramekin.  I actually love the look of the ramekin muffin and think that a set of these little cups with muffins baked into them would make a great Christmas gift.

Lemon Cranberry Muffins

½ cup plain yogurt
1 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
pinch salt
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tbsp lemon zest
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
½ cup oil
2 cups fresh cranberries

1.  Preheat oven to 350 F.  Mix the yogurt, sugar, salt and eggs together in a large bowl.  Add the lemon zest and vanilla extract.

2.  In a separate bowl, mix together the flour and baking powder.  Add dry ingredients to wet, and stir together until moistened.

3.  Add oil and mix, mix, mix until batter is smooth and homogeneous.  Fold in cranberries.

4.  Bake for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted into muffins comes out clean.

Lemon Simple Syrup

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup granulated sugar

In a small saucepan, heat the lemon juice and sugar together gently until all the sugar dissolves.  Brush over muffins.

Biscotti is to me what the madeleine was to Proust. Well, sort of. When I was in college I spent many hours in my local Second Cup (Canada’s answer to Starbucks) sipping a coffee and dunking a delicious chocolate-covered biscotti into it, while reading a [...]]]>

Biscotti is to me what the madeleine was to Proust. Well, sort of. When I was in college I spent many hours in my local Second Cup (Canada’s answer to Starbucks) sipping a coffee and dunking a delicious chocolate-covered biscotti into it, while reading a book or writing an essay (believe it or not, I actually enjoyed writing essays). Biscotti, for me, have come to symbolize unhurried leisure and enjoyment of the moment while I savor the flavors of the biscuit melting slightly into the coffee. I’m not as refined as Proust, of course, and the biscotti is a rougher-textured, less delicate snack in comparison to the light madeleine. Plus, even after having lived in France, I’ve never been a huge fan of madeleines. I’ve had too many that were dry and tasteless.

During this holiday season, I didn’t so much crave rich cookies and cakes so much as I wanted the flavorful crunch of biscotti, so I whipped up a batch both to bring to Christmas parties as well as to enjoy with my own hot beverage at home.

To reduce the risk of the biscotti breaking as you slice them, make sure the cookie loaf is fully cooled before cutting into it with a sharp serrated knife. My loaf spread quite a bit in the oven, making for a very long slice, so I cut the longer biscotti slices in half to make them more manageable for eating.

Cranberry-Almond Biscotti
I can’t remember where I got this recipe, but it’s good!

½ cup softened unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp almond extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
Dash salt
½ cup chopped almonds
½ cup dried cranberries
milk for brushing and extra sugar to dust

Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each egg. Stir in extract.

Whisk together flour, salt and baking powder and add to egg mixture. Stir together, then fold in almonds and cranberries.

On a greased baking sheet pat the dough into two equal rectangles, about 12×3 inches each. Brush with milk and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake at 375 F for 15-30 minutes until golden on top and firm. Use foil to lift each loaf onto a wire rack and cool for 15 minutes. Slice diagonally about ½ inch thick.

Lower oven temperature to 300 F. Bake slices, this time on an ungreased baking sheet, 10 minutes per side until browned and crisp.

Chris and I were not able to spend Christmas with our families this year, due to the small factor of us being in China, so when Christmas Eve rolled along, we found ourselves planning a special meal for just the two of us. We [...]]]>

Chris and I were not able to spend Christmas with our families this year, due to the small factor of us being in China, so when Christmas Eve rolled along, we found ourselves planning a special meal for just the two of us. We spent the afternoon strolling along Zhongshan Road, the main shopping street, enjoying the Christmas trees and occasionally getting harried by vendors trying to sell watches. We found an excellent grocery store with a lot of good fresh produce (including hand-pulled fresh noodles!), and picked up some duck legs for dinner.

These braised duck legs are oh-so-rich, flavorful, and even though duck legs are inexpensive, they have that “special” factor that makes them worthy of a holiday meal. Keep the browned skins out of the braising liquid and they will crisp up beautifully, while the meat beneath becomes tender and soft. When the duck is done, the braising liquid reduces to a syrupy, sweet and savory wine sauce, with the added tang of dried cranberries.

Serve it with the rest of the bottle of wine you used to braise it in, and use the rendered duck fat to roast potatoes or sweet potatoes. Serve this dish with a green salad or some light vegetable dishes, as a counterpoint to the richness of the duck.

Red-Wine Braised Duck Legs with Cranberries
Adapted from Gourmet 1996

4 whole duck legs, trimmed of excess fat
1 tbsp dried thyme
5 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup dry red wine, plus extra
1 cup dried cranberries (preferably unsweetened)
2-3 cups chicken broth

Preheat oven to 325 F.

Score the skin of the duck legs with a sharp knife (but don’t cut the meat). This will help the fat to render.

In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown the duck legs, skin side down, for 10-15 minutes until skin is crisp and dark-brown. Periodically spoon off the rendered duck fat, using a bulb baster if you have one (if not be careful not to burn yourself). Turn legs over to brown the other side briefly, about 2 minutes.

Fit the duck legs snugly into a baking dish (a 9×9 dish was sufficient for mine) and set aside. Deglaze the skillet with the red wine, scraping up any browned bits, and reduce the wine until thick. Add ½ cup cranberries, the thyme, and garlic. Pour liquid around the duck legs. Add enough broth to cover legs, but leaving skin above braising liquid.

Braise in oven for about 2 hours, until meat is tender. Remove legs to a plate. Strain the liquid into a small saucepan, discarding fruit and herbs. Skim off the fat with a spoon. Add ½ cup dried cranberries and another splash of red wine. Boil until reduced to a syrup and cranberries are softened.

Spoon sauce over duck legs just before serving.

This Thanksgiving was a day of many firsts. My first American Thanksgiving – I’ve been celebrating a lifetime of Canadian Thanksgivings until I got married to my American hubby, and this year was the first time we were able to celebrate it. It [...]]]>

This Thanksgiving was a day of many firsts. My first American Thanksgiving – I’ve been celebrating a lifetime of Canadian Thanksgivings until I got married to my American hubby, and this year was the first time we were able to celebrate it. It was our first Thanksgiving celebration together since we’ve been married and had our own place (our very first Thanksgiving was on the road somewhere in Malaysia, I think).

It was also my first time cooking Thanksgiving dinner on my own. I know right – first American Thanksgiving, first time cooking Thanksgiving dinner – aren’t you asking for trouble here, Camilla? Fortunately I have very understanding friends who praise all my efforts no matter how they taste.

And not only was it my first time cooking Thanksgiving dinner, but it was also my first time roasting a chicken in a toaster oven. Yes, you heard me, a chicken! I suppose it might be possible to find a turkey in China, but my Chinese isn’t yet good enough to ask for and bargain for a huo ji. Plus, I don’t think I could fit a turkey in my little toaster oven. So a chicken it was.

Now before you think I totally copped out by doing a chicken instead of a turkey, consider this – I cooked two pies, a roast chicken, two vegetable side dishes, stuffing, chicken wings, mashed potatoes, and cornbread muffins, ALL using two toaster ovens, a single electric hot plate, and a rice cooker. Well? Well?! WELL?!?! Isn’t that a little something to be proud about?

The best thing, of course, was being able to eat the meal with our friends. It was nice to have some traditional Thanksgiving tastes while living as expats in China.

And you know what? I’m thankful to be in China. Often it frustrates me, sometimes it irritates me, and sometimes I think I just can’t take it any more…but I’m thankful for the wonderful people I’ve met, and the experience of living in a country where you just don’t know what might happen next.

Classic Spiced Pumpkin Pie
This pie, adapted from one on Epicurious.com, isn’t too heavy, and puréeing the pumpkin with some whipping cream in a blender creates a fluffy, smooth texture for the filling. It really is one of the best pumpkin pies I’ve ever had, if I do say so myself.  The spice mixture is nicely balanced, though I didn’t add ground cloves (didn’t have any) and used nutmeg instead.

One pie crust (make your own or storebought)
2 cups pumpkin purée
1 cup heavy whipping cream
¾ cup golden brown sugar, packed
¾ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ground ginger
1/3 tsp ground nutmeg
3 medium eggs (or two large)
pinch of salt

Bake the piecrust at 350F for 20 minutes, lined with foil and weighted with pie weights, rice or beans. Remove the foil and bake for another 5 minutes, flattening any bubbles with the back of a spoon.

Blend the pumpkin and the whipping cream in a blender until smooth.

Whisk the sugar, spices, salt and egg together in a large bowl. Whisk in the pumpkin/cream mixture until smooth and creamy. Pour into piecrust.

Bake at 350F for 30 minutes, then reduce heat to 325F and bake for another 10-15 minutes, until pie filling is puffed and set. Allow to cool thoroughly (the filling will deflate and flatten out beautifully) before serving.

About a week ago, I decided to try making my own pumpkin purée and then a pumpkin bread recipe.  When you live in China, keeping Western seasonal traditions alive (such as making pumpkin recipes in the fall around Halloween and Thanksgiving) seems much [...]]]>

About a week ago, I decided to try making my own pumpkin purée and then a pumpkin bread recipe.  When you live in China, keeping Western seasonal traditions alive (such as making pumpkin recipes in the fall around Halloween and Thanksgiving) seems much more important for some reason.

So first, I peeled a Chinese pumpkin, cut it into chunks, and roasted it in my toaster oven.  Then I mashed it up with a fork, and threw it in the blender for a few whirls to smooth it out. Then, I looked up a pumpkin bread recipe on Epicurious.com, and came up with this Walnut-Cranberry Pumpkin Loaf.

The resulting loaf turned out pretty good – very moist and dense, and pretty much everything pumpkin bread should be.  We enjoyed it, shared it with friends, and it was gone within a day.

But then, a few days later, I made these pumpkin muffins. I needed to use up the leftover pumpkin purée that I had in the fridge, and an easy quick-bread recipe was up on the Pioneer Woman’s Tasty Kitchen site.  Quick breads are awesome when you don’t have an electric beater – made with oil instead of butter, you can mix the whole thing up with a wooden spoon in next to no time. So I sort of blended this recipe and my own favorite banana bread recipe (which is amazing and I will tell you about it soon, promise).

The resulting pumpkin muffins?  Tender, fluffy and light, but still rich and moist.  So different from the pumpkin loaf I made earlier, but so, so good.

So the verdict is… dum dum dum…

The quick-bread recipe was faster, easier, and the muffins stayed moist longer.  I think it wins as my go-to recipe for something simple and fast.  The recipe also worked well for a muffin (light and fluffy), and we like the portability of muffins.

The cranberry pumpkin bread was good too, if you like a denser, more rustic loaf, but took a little more elbow grease (creaming butter and sugar together without an electric mixer).  This recipe is a little too dense for muffins, I think, but who’s to stop you from trying?

Quick-Bread Pumpkin Muffins
adapted from Tracy at Tasty Kitchen

1 ½ cup flour
pinch of salt
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup white sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup pumpkin
½ cup oil
2 eggs
¼ cup buttermilk
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
¾ tsp ground ginger

Preheat oven to 350 F or 175 C. In large bowl, mix together the pumpkin, oil, eggs, buttermilk, sugars, salt and spices.

Measure out one cup of flour in a dry measuring cup, and level the top with a knife.  Dump this on top of the wet ingredients.  Then measure the remaining ½ cup flour, and mix the baking soda into the flour, right in the measuring cup.  Add this to the wet ingredients too.  Mix everything together until smooth.  (Look!  A one-bowl recipe!)

Pour into a greased loaf pan and bake for about an hour or until a wooden pick inserted into cake comes out clean. If you’re making muffins, you’ll probably just need to bake them for 20 to 25 minutes.  Check at the 15-minute mark, and continue checking every few minutes after that.  Don’t overbake them or they may be dry.

Pumpkin Cranberry-Walnut Bread
Adapted from Epicurious.com

I have adjusted the level of spices for this recipe, as most reviewers said the original recipe didn’t have enough flavor.

2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp cinnamon, 1.5 tsp ginger, ¾ tsp nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar (or mix of brown and white sugars)
2 large eggs
1 generous cup baked fresh pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup dried sweetened cranberries
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a loaf pan and line with parchment if you wish.

Mix dry ingredients – flour, spices, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a bowl.

Beat butter in a separate bowl until fluffy. Gradually add 1 cup sugar, beating until pale yellow and incorporated. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time.  Mix in pumpkin and vanilla.

Mix in dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk. Fold in cranberries and nuts. Scrape batter into pan. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon white sugar.

Bake bread until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Cool for about 15 minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely (this is why lining the pan with parchment paper is a good idea).