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Holiday Baking

Holiday Fruitcake Made Easy

By Denise Pare-Watson

When someone says fruitcake, what comes to mind?  The mention of fruitcake brings back all the nostalgic memories of my early childhood.  My Mom would start the holiday fruitcake in the fall, usually after Hallowe’en.  By the time everything was added into her large bowl, it would be chock-full of candied fruit, nuts (from our own nut trees), spices and other ingredients, such as citrus peel and booze of some kind.  The most important part of this process was the traditional family stirring.  Everyone in our family (from youngest to oldest) took a turn at stirring the mixture.  Originally the three eldest girls of five little girls participated in this ritual – the two baby girls would join us a few years later.  Mind you, our little arms were no match for this unyielding mixture, but our valiant attempts were praised and applauded by our parents.   Dad even asked Mom to wake him up from his sleep (he worked the night shift), so that he could take part in our family tradition.  

Holiday Fruitcake | urbnspice.com
Holiday Fruitcake Made Easy

The reason Mom started this process so early in the season was simply that traditional fruitcakes needed time to age or mellow with the rum or other special liqueur that was included in the ingredients.  A cheesecloth was soaked in the alcohol and wrapped around the fruitcake. This process was repeated a few times over the course of six or more weeks. My Dad worked for Hiram Walkers, so we usually had access to a special brandy or rum which was set aside for the fruitcake.  While this recipe is not my Mom’s traditional fruitcake recipe (I will post that recipe at a future date), this Holiday Fruitcake Made Easy is a fruitcake that anyone can make with ease, without the need for a lot of muscle or strong booze or lengthy preserving time.  Despite the fact that this fruitcake is not aged, it is flavourful, moist and delicious, and it can be made at the last minute in your holiday preparations.  The mini cake size makes them ideal edible holiday gifts.  

Sliced Mini Fruitcake | urbnspice.com
Holiday Fruitcake Made Easy
Unglazed, sliced
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Original content here is published under these license terms: X 
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Filed Under: Cakes, Cakes and Cupcakes, Dairy Free Recipes, Desserts and Sweets, Gluten Free Recipes, Holiday and Special Occasion Dishes, My Recipes Tagged With: Baking, Cakes, Fruitcake, Holiday Baking, Holiday Recipes

Christmas Morning Recipe Roundup

By Denise Pare-Watson

Christmas morning is special. Time to relax, time to enjoy family and friends. Why not celebrate with your favourite breakfast item? This Christmas Morning Recipe Roundup contains a few of our Urb’n’Spice favourites to inspire you. Happy Holidays everyone!

Cinnamon Rolls with Vanilla
The Ultimate Breakfast Pastry – Bostock
Raspberry Cream Cheese Coffeecake

You Might Also Enjoy:

Sausage and Egg Breakfast Burritos

Whole Grain Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Refined Sugar Free Muffins

A Frilly Frittata – An Italian Omelette

Good Morning Muffin

LEARNING TIPS:  

Please CLICK the link above to access my Urb’n’Spice LEARNING TIPS, which are listed alphabetically on the Learning Tips blog post under the following subheadings:

  • Parchment Paper
  • Favourite Kitchen Tools: Spatula
  • Extracts: Vanilla Extract
  • Creaming
  • Oven Temperature Accuracy
  • Internal Thermometers
    __________

If you try my Christmas Morning Recipes recipes, please leave me a comment below with your feedback. Happy Holidays!

Denise Paré-Watson

The Urb’n’Spice Chef

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Digiprove sealCopyright secured by Digiprove © 2018 Urb'n'SpiceAll Rights Reserved
Original content here is published under these license terms: X 
License Type:Commercial
License Abstract:You may read the original content in the context in which it is published (at this web address). You may make other uses of the content only with the written permission of the author on payment of a fee.

Filed Under: Breakfast Items, Brunch Dishes, Gluten Free Recipes, Holiday Baking, My Recipes, Recipe Roundups Tagged With: Baking, Christmas, Gluten Free Recipes, Holiday Baking

The Ultimate Breakfast Pastry – Bostock

By Denise Pare-Watson

Every one of us has probably had French Toast at one time or another. How would you like to learn about a stepped-up version?  It is actually easier to make; an excellent make-ahead brunch option, and is so delicious that it will become a staple for your holiday breakfast menu. You will love Bostock (pronounced ‘bow-stuck’). It is also known as the “Better Than French Toast” breakfast pastry.  It is offered at the best patisserie shops in Paris so it must be special.

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The Ultimate Breakfast Pastry - Bostock | urbnspice.com

The Ultimate Breakfast Pastry – Bostock

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Digiprove sealCopyright secured by Digiprove © 2017-2018 Urb'n'SpiceAll Rights Reserved
Original content here is published under these license terms:  X 
License Type: Commercial
License Abstract: You may read the original content in the context in which it is published (at this web address). You may make other uses of the content only with the written permission of the author on payment of a fee.

Filed Under: Breakfast Items, Brunch Dishes, Holiday Baking, My Recipes Tagged With: Breakfast, Breakfast Pastries, Brunch Recipes, Frangipane, Holiday Baking, Make Ahead Dishes

Holiday Cookie Roundup by Food Bloggers of Canada

By Denise Pare-Watson

RECIPE ROUNDUPS

Recently, the Food Bloggers of Canada had a call-out for Holiday Cookies.  You are going to have fun with this recipe roundup of 40 cookies.  I am thrilled to say that one of my cookie recipes was chosen as part of this Holiday Cookie Roundup.  I had a bit of food fun in the kitchen with a very young child and he was thrilled to help out the colourful Vanilla Bean Poppers – Holiday Food Fun Variation.  I hope you will enjoy browsing through this roundup of amazing cookies from Food Bloggers of Canada and have some fun baking this holiday season.  Please visit the bloggers and tell them how much you enjoyed their recipes.

You want cookies? We've got cookies! 40 different kinds in our FBC Holiday Cookie Guide – 40 recipes from classic…

Posted by Food Bloggers of Canada on Saturday, December 10, 2016

 

Here is a photo of the Vanilla Bean Poppers – Holiday Food Fun Variation. Bake with a young helper – believe me, you will have just as much fun as the little one.  I give you step by step details in the recipe.

Vanilla Bean Poppers - Christmas version | urbnspice.com

Lay the cut Vanilla Bean Poppers on their side on a parchment lined tray and bake according to the directions given in the recipe below

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Digiprove sealCopyright secured by Digiprove © 2016-2017 Urb'n'SpiceAll Rights Reserved
Original content here is published under these license terms:  X 
License Type: Commercial
License Abstract: You may read the original content in the context in which it is published (at this web address). You may make other uses of the content only with the written permission of the author on payment of a fee.

Filed Under: Cookies, Dairy Free Recipes, Food Fun, Gluten Free Recipes, Holiday Baking, Kids in the Kitchen, My Recipes, Recipe Roundups Tagged With: Baking, Cookies, Dairy Free, Food Fun, Holiday Baking, Kids in the Kitchen

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Meet Denise – The Urbnspice Chef

Welcome to Urbnspice - A Taste of Heart and Home. Inspiration in my kitchen is often a trip to the market or an experimental coincidence! Come and join me on this culinary journey where I share my passion for the creative, technical and teaching components of the profession and unravel culinary quandaries for you with fun and easy to follow user-friendly recipes, tips & techniques.
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