Sweet And Crumby

Baking, a Love Story

Author Archives: Geni - Sweet and Crumby


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Take a Coffee Break with Some Finnish Ribbon Cookies

Finnish Ribbon Cookies are dainty little butter cookies that get filled with gourmet jams and drizzled with a citrus-y glaze.   These are the perfect pretty little bites to have on your plate with your tea or coffee, and I have never met a soul that could stop at eating just one.

If you are in a baking frenzy right about now, like I was last night, and need one more petite addition to complete your gifts of goodies, try this one. The dough preparation is like any other butter cookie. Continue reading →


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Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow —Peppermint Death by Chocolate Cookies

These cookies will absolutely rock your holiday lovin’ world.  They are lightly crisp, triple hitting chocolate decadence AND…and this is a big AND…they have natural peppermint added to the batter and lovely candy cane dust on top.  You will not be disappointed.  In fact, you will love me for these!

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We Have to Interrupt this Gingerbread Doughnut Post With a Surprise Tongue Appearance

O.K. friends, these soft and spicy gingerbread doughnuts are honestly one of the best things I have ever created.  Did you catch that?!!!  I created this doughnut recipe!!!  I am very excited about this fact. Can you tell?  The number of exclamation points are exponentially related to how excited I am.

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An Orange and Rosemary Chocolate Chip Cookie Throwdown—With Myself!

I am a lucky, lucky girl.  I get my organic CSA produce box delivered with a little something sweet tucked in on top of all the fruits and veggies. Auntie Em’s produce delivery is run by local chef extraordinaire, Theresa Wahl of Bobby Flay Throwdown cupcake fame (her Red Velvets beat him out).

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Ginger—Three Ways in Three Days

Remember Ginger from Gilligan’s Island?  The hot, spicy redheaded vixen?  Well, I do believe she was aptly named because ginger is all that and more.  After all ginger is spicy, daring, and adds life to any dish.

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My Favorite Chocolate Ganache — A Baker’s Superhero


Just like Super Glue or duct tape can hold anything together in the non food world, I am convinced that chocolate ganache can shore up just about any dessert mishap.   Trust me, I have put it through more than its share of test trials, and chocolate ganache can and will most assuredly save the day.  Your cake is a bit on the dry side?  Chocolate ganache!  Is there a crater running through your cake the size of the San Andreas Fault line?  Chocolate Ganache!   I think you get the picture.  You’re smart like that.

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Pumpkin Pie for One Anyone?

No this post is not about a single gal’s lonely Thanksgiving for one…and if I have just insulted you…I am sorry.  Instead, this is one of those brilliant accidents.  Although, it’s not quite as good as the accidental invention of Ivory soap, but it’s a great idea nonetheless.

Let me back track a few steps.  I am not making Thanksgiving dinner, but I am bringing a pumpkin pie, a chocolate pudding pie and the cranberry sauce.  I had gotten my crusts out of the way and was up to my elbows in pumpkin puree, when something went awry.  I put double the amount of cinnamon into the pumpkin filling.  I know, it does not sound like that egregious of an error, but I am always a proud baker, and I don’t believe in serving anything short of taste perfection if I can help it. Continue reading →


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Pear Fritters Have Sunk My Battleship

I know this must come as a great shock to you, but pear fritters are not the answer to your diet dilemma.  They are made with whole milk, deep fried and then rolled in sugar.  Does that not scream diet food?  In all seriousness though, these fritters are some heavenly cross between funnel cake from the fair (c’mon you know you love it), and a deliciously airy homemade doughnut.  These particular fried delights are elevated a touch as they are full of gingered pears and have a touch of lemon zest.

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Pumpkin Pancakes—A Great Excuse to Eat Dessert First

Breakfast is the best meal of the day as far as I am concerned.  For a sweet toothed baker like myself it is an excuse to rightfully eat dessert as a meal. Pumpkin pancakes are no exception.

These fluffy pancakes are packed with the good for you vitamins that pumpkins are famous for, but taste like soft and tender tiny spice cakes lightly sweetened with brown sugar and perked up with nutmeg and cinnamon.  I even teamed it up with a creamy maple cream cheese topping (breakfast talk for FROSTING!).  Doesn’t that spell dessert for breakfast to you? Continue reading →


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Aunt Bette’s Dangerous German Chocolate Cake

Aunt Bette is my husband’s aunt, and as far as my dad is concerned, her German Chocolate cake is the best dowry any dad could ask for.  It is actually airy and spongy, with the best ooey, gooey coconut and pecan topping.  If that’s not enough, it also has a luxurious chocolate butter cream frosting on the sides just to send it over the top.

After eating a slice of this superstar cake, you do something radical—you are not yourself, you lose all control and you go in for seconds…yes seconds.   A little tiny bit more is shaved off the cake and delicately placed on your plate…a smidgen more couldn’t hurt, could it? Continue reading →