Bake or Break

I could begin this post by apologizing for my blogging absence and giving you all the reasons that I’ve been on an unplanned hiatus, but after getting a good look at these cupcakes I’m sure you’d rather I get right to the business at hand. Chocolate cupcakes + salted caramel = incredibly good!
[...]

I found this recipe while flipping through Nick Malgieri’s Perfect Cakes. He prefaces it by saying that he makes this cake about half a dozen times every summer. Knowing how much I have liked his recipes in the past, I did not hesitate to turn on the oven and get to baking.
[...]

I’m not a huge fan of Oreos or, really, any kind of store-bought cookie. I have spoiled myself with the homemade variety. That being said, I am not the least bit hesitant to use store-bought cookies as an ingredient, like with these cheesecakes.

The crust of these little treats is actually a whole Oreo, not crumbs. Leaving the cookie intact makes for a thick crust that gets nice and soft after they’ve baked and chilled. Topping off those Oreos is one of my favorite things – cheesecake. Of course, it wouldn’t meet the legal definition of a cookies and cream cheesecake without even more Oreos mixed into the cheesecake. I especially like the addition of sour cream to the cheesecake filling. It offsets all that sweet with just a little bit of tartness.
[...]

The first time I flipped through At Home with Magnolia, I was intrigued by these cookies. I am a big fan of granola and have been tempted more than once to make my own granola bars. Somehow, though, I’d never thought to put granola in cookies.
[...]

One of my very favorite desserts is coconut cake. Strangely enough, I think I’ve only made two or three of them in my life. One reason could be Quinn’s vehement aversion to all things coconut. Other than that, I’m not sure what the reasoning is. In any case, I decided to put an end to the coconut drought.
[...]

Recently, I was shocked to discover that there are people who have never had a homemade brownie. I can’t even imagine. Of course, they’d had brownies made from a mix, but none that were truly homemade. Having shared these brownies with them, I have been assured that they are now completely spoiled. Boxed brownies will never quite measure up again.
[...]