Mixed Plate: Baked Goods for Goodness Sake

One of the reasons the Seattle area is such a special place is not only is it full of incredibly multitalented and creative people, those same creative and multitalented people like to get together and activate their Wondertwin powers for good. Case in point: you need sweet stuff, the new Cakespy book, Sweet Treats for a Sugar-Filled Life is FULL of sweet stuff, and for even more sweetery goodness, the second annual Will Bake for Food bake sale fundraiser extravaganza is gearing up for more sugar-addled charity goodness! Let the sugar rush... BEGIN!!!!!

Because nothing bad can happen at Tiffanys... when you're eating a cookie - Photo by Wasabi Prime

So, I'm writing this post on a wicked sugar high, thanks to the sweet little Tiffany and Co.-inspired bonbon recipe from Jesse Oleson's new book. I feel like I could flap my arms and fly to the rings of Saturn from the buttery-sweet sugarbuzz I'm on right now, these cookies are so addictive. The recipe didn't even have a picture-perfect photograph of the cookies, Jesse's adorable little drawings of anthropomorphized cookies being all sassy-like were enough for me to say, that's it, I'm making these! Best known on the interwebs as Cakespy, Jesse wrote this incredibly cute, sweetly clever cookbook-slash-illustration bonanza that is now available in bookstores and an Amazon.com account near you. It's a mix of colorful photos mingling with Jesse's signature illustrations, guiding you through each recipe. I like this book because it's got an attitude all its own. These aren't fussy desserts that will fill the hearts of the baking-fearful full of dread, they're a mix of classic comforts and easy to make treats that combine prepared sweets with homemade touches. It reminds me of a book I would have enjoyed with my mom when I was little, inspring and demystifying the art of baking, as there are a lot of recipes in here that you could do with a little one, with minimal need for ovens and sharp objects. Baking and cooking shouldn't be work or drudgery, it should be fun, creative and a way to express yourself, just like this book.

Easy-bake cookies, dangerously quick to make and eat! - Photos by Wasabi Prime

The Tiffany Bonbon recipe was super fast and easy to make -- I literally whipped up the dough in the morning, baked everything, and had it iced and decorated by the afternoon. The recipe recommends filling the cookies with something extra, like nuts, chocolate or coconut. Since I'm awash with Halloween candy, I used chocolate covered maltballs, aka, Whoppers. They were easy to push into the centers of a dough ball made with a cookie scoop, a handy tool when making these cookies, since you'll get evenly-sized shapes. Since the recipe doesn't require baking soda or baking powder, the cookies pretty much stay the same shape and size you form the dough into when you bake them. I'm already thinking of more cookies I'll make with broken up candy bars or peanut butter cups, as I've got a ton of those leftover as well. The dough for these cookies is buttery and rich, like a shortbread, but more creamy. As simple as the recipe is, you get a really satisfying cookie. It's easy to decorate and you can make it as simple or as fancy as your patience will carry you. I'm already thinking of putting this one into the Christmas cookie roster, maybe adding a little cocoa powder and doing a chocolate version, so stay tuned!

Will Bake for Food 2: The Cookie Empire Strikes Back!

The recipes in the Cakespy book are so easy, I hope you not only get this book, but use some of the recipes to make some baked goods if you're thinking of being involved in the upcoming Will Bake for Food event, happening in Seattle on Saturday, November 12th. Last year's event raised hundreds of dollars and this year's event hopes to do the same and more, fighting the good fight against hunger, with the Emergency Feeding Program being the beneficiary group this year. Unfortunately, bad timing is preventing me from being present at the event, but I still want to voice my continued support for this community effort, taking something as simple and good-hearted as a bake sale, and making it extra fabulous with well-known local bloggers, cool raffles and oh yeah -- hella delicious homemade sweets! So, please mark your calendars, tell your friends and family about this event, and do your part to help stamp out hunger in our own community.

Elegant and sweetly delicious - Photos by Wasabi Prime