In February, the name of the game was to bake some recipes I’d been sitting on for quite a while. Some I’ve had saved on Pinterest since returning from Ireland in 2019 – I had delicious tomato bread while in Killarney, and I came home with some cardamom since it was cheaper in Dublin than in the States. And then I filled in our breakfast (or dessert) gaps with other tasty treats.
Here’s what I’ve been putting on the table:
Apple Cinnamon Waffles
After settling in, I decided that we’d have a brunch day on the first weekend of every month. I have so many pancake and waffle recipes that need making, but they require time we don’t usually have during the week. I kicked off this new tradition in January with pumpkin waffles, and we chose waffles again for February.
The original recipe for these apple cinnamon waffles is health-friendly, using whole wheat flour, coconut oil, and almond milk. I don’t stock these ingredients, so I used all-purpose flour, canola oil, and whole milk; the recipe worked perfectly with these substitutions. What we loved about these waffles, however, is the fresh apple that is grated into the batter. It kept the waffles moist while maintaining a crusty exterior, and we’re both suckers for cinnamon. Paired with a bit of bacon, it was perfect fuel for a Sunday hike.
Tomato Bread
I was really excited for this recipe. Tim made vegetable soup (with homemade veggie broth!), and this bread was to be the perfect complement. Yet, things didn’t work out that way.
The bread was all a bit too much. Too much tomato, too many fresh herbs (rosemary & thyme). Everything overpowered and not in a good way. So it didn’t pair well with the soup. However, it did okay as a grilled goat’s cheese sandwich, which I paired with egg whites leftover from my “cakes.” They would’ve been perfect with some spinach and fresh tomato, but we didn’t have any. Next time, though, I think I’ll find a different recipe.
Cardamom Coffee Cake
We got a bundt pan for a wedding gift, yet I haven’t used it very much, maybe once. 😬 So I figured that had to change, and what better place to start than with this Cardamom Coffee Cake that has been on my Pinterest for ages? It’s a bit misleading, though. It’s not cake at all, but a yeast bread, so it was a good thing I made it the night before rather than trying to whip it up for breakfast in the morning.
Cardamom is the star here, which is why it made the list. When I’ve used cardamom in the past, it’s been supplementary, mixed with cinnamon and other warm spices. Here, though, cardamom is the only thing you’re tasting. So, if this is a flavor you don’t like, stay away (apparently it tastes like soap to some people 🤷♀️). I thought the flavor was excellent, but Tim wasn’t a huge fan. The cake also dried out really really quickly, which was a huge disappointment, and in consequence, it was the first bake we didn’t finish eating.
King’s Cake
King’s Cake is a Mardi Gras classic. Though it was first conceived as a marker of Epiphany celebrations, it now features throughout Carnival, especially on Fat Tuesday, the final day of celebrations before Lent begins. Growing up, Mom made King’s Cake in the bundt pan, but after the cardamom cake, I didn’t want to try that again… So, I chose mini King’s Cakes, then opted not to shape them into rings. In the end, they resembled cinnamon rolls, but boy were they delicious! The orange zest and nutmeg in the dough really elevated them to something special. And though Tim and I aren’t usually icing people, I couldn’t resist whipping up a small batch with icing sugar and milk and dying it green, purple, and yellow. Don’t they look the perfect treat!?
Chocolate Raspberry Muffins
This recipe was a bit of an experiment. I’m running out of butter, and until it goes on sale, I’m limiting my bakes to oil-based ones – muffins and quick breads. And always a sucker for chocolate, these chocolate raspberry muffins seemed like a good place to start, but when I clicked the link, I wasn’t expecting them to be vegan!
Despite being butter, dairy, and egg-free (though to be honest, I did use whole milk since I don’t keep plant-based milk in the house), they’re a good muffin – if you eat them right away. I’m not sure what it is, but chocolate & fruit muffins don’t seem to keep well, 3-4 days, max, and then they get weird. The same thing happened to a batch of chocolate strawberry muffins, and those weren’t vegan, so I’m not sure of the cause.
nesh (adj): soft; tender; delicate
Though this recipe uses spelt flour, which has a high gluten content, the lack of egg weakens the muffin’s structure so it is quite crumbly, making it a poor on-the-go snack. But, the baking powder outweighs the baking soda, so it’s also a perfect bake for Dutch cocoa, giving it a richer chocolate flavor. 😋
We’ve also re-made a couple of favorites, like our go-to galette, creme pat (Tim’s Valentine’s request), a few loaves of sandwich bread, and Ramadan pide to kick off the beginning of Lent.
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