Bake or Break

Salted Caramel Icebox Pie

I’ve been making my share of icebox pies this summer. They’re one of my favorite it’s-too-hot-to-bake desserts. Really, though, I’m happy most any time of the year with an easy, cold, amazingly delicious dessert.

The inspiration for this pie came a couple of days ago when I spotted a jar of Trader Joe’s salted caramel in my pantry. I’ve never been that inspired to improve my caramel-making skills, so store-bought is just fine with me most of the time. And, of course, make it salted caramel and we’re really talking! When I also spotted some chocolate wafer cookies, I knew I was in business.

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Weekly Mix

That’s a glimpse from inside One Girl Cookies in Brooklyn. Specifically, this is the DUMBO location, and it’s steps away from the gorgeous views of Brooklyn Bridge Park. There is also a location in Cobble Hill.

If you’re in either neighborhood, be sure to drop by for some lovely, tiny cookies or, my personal favorite, a whoopie pie. A few minutes before I took that shot, there was one of those whoopie pies on my plate. It didn’t last long.

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Lemon Poke Cake

If you’re unfamiliar with the idea, a poke cake is a simple, yet genius concept. After baking a yellow or white cake, holes are poked over the top. Then, the cake is covered with some mixture that will then seep down into those freshly-poked holes. After some refrigerator time, the cake is frosted.

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Cherry-Vanilla Yogurt Cake

I became very excited when cherries started appearing at our local markets a few weeks ago. It’s exciting because, well, they’re cherries! Also, the arrival of stone fruits mean that summer has peaked. (Come on, fall!) Anyway, I recently spotted some beautiful ones and snatched them up to bake as many things as I could imagine while I can.

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Peanut Butter-Chocolate Chip Pie

Summer is most assuredly the season for no-bake desserts and cold desserts. Not only is it nice to get a break from the hot oven, those cold desserts are lovely to eat when it’s scorchingly hot.

It’s no secret that I adore the combination of peanut butter and chocolate. I use it in cookies, brownies, cakes, and anything else I can manage. A strong case could be made that there is no better friendship in the dessert world. It’s surely in the top 5.

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Banana Pecan Chocolate Chunk Cookies

I hope you’ll forgive me for consecutive chocolate chip cookie recipes. Like I said earlier this week, I just never grow weary of variations on the classic.

These cookies are a hybrid of two fabulous things – banana bread and chocolate chip cookies. The bananas add flavor and some sweetness. The oats add some chewiness. And, of course, pecans add their own awesomeness. They are moist and chewy and quite delicious.

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