Now that Labor Day has passed, it seems like the fall baking season has officially begun. While part of me wants to embrace pumpkin spice already, the other part of me can’t get past the fact that it is still very summery outside. I’m straddling the line between seasons with some summer and some fall recipes for this week’s Bites from other Blogs.
- Cooking Divine has a very summery ice cream flavor in this Sweet Corn and Blackberry Ice Cream. The ice cream base is infused with sweet corn, cut right off the cob. Actually, the cobs are added to the ice cream base, as well, to ensure that you are maximizing your corn flavor. While you might not associate corn with dessert, it has a tremendous amount of naturally sweetness and adds a lot of flavor to this ice cream. Add in your balckberries (or other berries) after your ice cream has churned to give the mixture a nice swirl.
- The Village Cook‘s School Buns are a Scandinavian treat that will help get the school year started off on the right foot. The sweet buns are filled with homemade custard, then baked and topped with a sweet glaze and shredded coconut. It’s a familiar combination of flavors in a very portable format that is perfect for packing in a school lunch box. If you are a real coconut lover, you can also toast the coconut before adding it to the buns to give them a bit richer coconut flavor.
- If you’re ready for pumpkin season, jump right in with Handle the Heat‘s Creme Brulee Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars. The bars start with a chocolate crumb crust, made with graham crackers and chocolate chips. This crust provides a nice visual contrast for the rich pumpkin and cream cheese filling that sits atop it. The filling is well-seasoned with all the spices that you would expect to find in pumpkin pie, but the caramelized sugar topping is what really sets these bars apart by adding an extra layer of both flavor and texture to each bite. Don’t forget that you can brulee pumpkin pie, as well!
- The Spice Train‘s Pumpkin Spice Espresso S’mores Cookies bring together summery s’mores and fall flavors in one bite-sized package. The cookies are made with graham crackers and brown sugar and are topped with a layer of pumpkin spice-infused ganache after baking. The cookies are then paired up and filled with a marshmallow-like espresso meringue. Each bite has the same three main flavors that you expect to find in a s’more, but with elements of coffee and spice that give these little treats a lot of depth. These should be served right away, so be sure to plate them just before you want to eat them.
- As we move into cooler weather, we tend to skip the ice blended coffee drinks in favor of hot lattes and other warm beverages. The Salted Butterscotch Latte from Brewed Daily is made with a homemade butterscotch sauce, which is a rich caramel made with brown sugar and butter. The sauce is easy to make and blends perfectly with rich espresso or strong coffee. This might not have pumpkin spice in it, but it is definitely a perfect drink to add to your fall lineup.
What do you think?