Warning: Top Secret!

As I have told you, I have been lucky enough to try quite a few of the scrumptious treats that seem to be endlessly circulating the office.  All of them have delicious and have that certain taste and texture that you just can’t get from a box. 

But if I had to pick my favorite out of the cakes I have tried so far I would have to go with the cheesecake.  My roommates (who all get pre-teen girl excited whenever they come home and see the Family Cake Co. white box on our kitchen table) and I all agreed that it was the best cheesecake they had ever had! It was light and fluffy with a perfect buttery gram cracker crust….and something else…I made it my mission to find out the secret ingredient. 

At long last, after scare tactics, bribery, and endless hours of water boarding I finally got it out of them.  And the secret ingredient is…wait for it…..

White chocolate! Yummmm :-)

Here are some of our tips on how you too can get a light and fluffy cheesecake.

1.    Make sure you set out the cream cheese in advance; you want it to be at room temperature before adding it to the other ingredients.  Letting the cream cheese warm with allow it to mix better and become more fluffy.

2.    Beat cream cheese before mixing it with eggs and other ingredients, scraping the sides of the bowl as you beat.  This makes it light before other ingredients have a change to weight it down.

3.    Add other ingredients slowly and make sure your beater is on the lowest setting.

And If our tips sound like too much work you can always just order one of ours! 

My New Best Friend

“Would you like something to eat?” asks Vincenzo in his thick Italian accent moments after I get settled at the cluttered desk I share with Dan.  “No thank you,” I reply.  

I don’t want to be rude but I already had a large vanilla latte (my morning ritual.  You see, I am a certified coffee addict, though on the road to recovery as I have just admitted to all of you that I do indeed have a problem) a breakfast bar, and a banana.  I am not sure if it’s the language barrier or his persistent politeness but moments later he is back with not one but TWO pastries! Which vanished within seconds.  The next day, it was the same thing only this time it’s a blueberry muffin. 

And then after lunch I “just HAD to try the new banana cake recipe,” although I have to admit it was worth the guilt I now feel.  I thought I was done with the sweets for the day but no, I was sent home with a cake, and not a slice of cake, not a small 8’ cake no a full on, birthday party sized chocolate mousse cake. By now I am sure it’s not a cross-cultural communications problem we are having but a plot to plump me up. 

To avoid eating the whole thing myself, I invited every girl I knew over, because as everyone knows girls inhale chocolate easier than air.  Aalst, after all my attempts to ward off the sweets, I had two (quite large) slices, and by now, quite a good sugar buzz.  At least all this cake eating will provide some cushioning for this hard chair I sit in for 6 hours…

With swimsuit season coming up I have a feeling that my trainers are going to be my best friend.  

And so will these...

Breaking the fast with this delicious Easter challenge

With Easter just two weeks away I know we all have two things on our mind; holiday and sweets. Since this will be my first Easter on this side of the pond I figured I would attempt to make at British Easter Classic, the hot cross bun. Mind you, I have never made or even eaten a hot cross bun. Since I have absolutely no idea what I am doing I figure I'll head to one of my favourite food blogs, Foodgawker, and look up a recipe.

Okay so I know I JUST said I was going for the whole traditional British thing, but look at these...

Chocolate chip hot cross buns. I'm sold. Here is the recipe: 

CHOCOLATE CHIP HOT CROSS BUNS

Adapted from Not Quite Nigella.

For the buns

3 sachets instant dry yeast (21g, 3/4 oz) 1/2 cup sugar 1 1/2 cups lukewarm milk 4 1/2 cups plain flour

1 tsp salt 50g unsalted butter, melted 1 egg, lightly beaten 2 1/2 cups chocolate chunks or chips

For the glaze

1/4 cup sugar 3 tbsp hot water

For the crosses

60g white chocolate (2 oz) 

looks like I'll be making a trip to Waitrose after work.

Here is another picture to get your mouth watering...

So seeing as I have never even tried a hot cross bun I figured that it is only fair if I let Vincenzo be the judge of how they turned out, but shhh! don't tell him because I am doing to make it a surprise.

Now let's see if mine come out anything like the pictures. 

Stay posted to see the results!


P.S. Write us a post and let us know what you will be making this Easter holiday!