Peanut Butter and Julie

My First Celebrity Cake!

"I love inside jokes.  I hope to be part of one someday."

                                    -Michael Scott, from The Office

I am a big fan of the T.V. show The Office.  Huge.  I have seen every episode at least once, and I can quote Michael Scott-isms and Dwight Schrute-isms with the best of them.  Each week, Eric and I tune in, just waiting to hear what sorts of cringe-worthy statements come out of the main characters' mouths.  Although I have heard that the original British version of the same show is just as funny, the American version doesn't leave me feeling deprived of humor by any means, so I'm going to stick with the Scranton branch of Dunder-Mifflin for now (well, technically, Dunder-Mifflin and the Michael Scott Paper Company, which was launched in last week's memorable episode...)

Because I am a fan of The Office, you can only imagine how excited I was when a friend of my friend Stephanie called me and asked if I would make a cake for Jenna Fischer's birthday celebration, which was held last night at Prive (pronounced "pree-vay"--there is supposed to be an accent on the "e", but I can't seem to figure out how to do that with this system).  Prive is a popular nightclub at the Planet Hollywood resort, and  Steph's friend Judy does their PR.  Jenna Fischer plays Pam, one of the main characters of The Office, and she is apparently very fond of cupcakes.  It just so happens that Judy had tasted some of my cupcakes at Steph's baby shower a few weeks ago, so my timing could not have been more perfect!  You can see additional pictures of the party at this link, but those are owned by Wire Image, thus the teeny tiny picture above.  I should have some better ones in the next few days.

"Hi Julie, it's Judy.  Would you be interested in doing cupcakes and a cake for Jenna Fischer this Saturday?"

"Hmmm....let me think about that. (Beat) YES!!!!!!"

We decided that the final product should incorporate the Prive logo, something "Office-y", and of course cupcakes.  What we finally decided on was this cake (below) surrounded by cupcakes to look like a big flower.  I decided that the best representation of The Office would be the logo, which appears at the end of the opening credits.  Made out of two layers of black and white fondant, I went through 3 horrendous practice rounds before creating this final version that I was satisfied with.  Yes, I became one with my x-acto knife. 

For the Prive logo, I made sugar cookies of various shapes and sizes, and I covered them with white royal icing.  Once the icing hardened, I piped on the raspberry-hued Prive logo.  The cookies were then placed on top of some of the extra cupcakes and used as "leaves" for the flower.  The stem was fashioned out of gumpaste, and my forearms received a major workout from kneading in the green food color (yes, my hands still have a faint green tint--anyone know how to get that out?)  The hardest part for me is always the writing--my cake penmanship needs a bit of work, and writing on a cake is always a little nerve-wracking.  Oh well, at least my spelling was correct--that counts for something, right?

Although this cake took A LOT of work, it was so much fun for me, and finding those pictures of Jenna Fischer smiling next to my creation really made my day!  Sorry for no new recipe today, but as you can see, I've been busy!!

NCAA Basketball Cookies

I've been on a bit of a cookie decorating kick lately.  So much so that my caddy containing cake and cookie decorating supplies, which usually sits in the cabinet above the refrigerator, has taken up permanent residency on my kitchen counter (it looks so nice there too.)  By the way, if you are ever in the market for one of these handy caddies, you can get a great deal if you buy it at a Michael's craft store.  Wait until they have one of those "Buy Any 1 Item at 40% Off" coupons in the Sunday paper, and you'll save something like $25!  I just love a good bargain.

So anyway, back to the cookies.  I've been working at improving my cookie and cake decorating skills, plus I have an unnecessarily large collection of cookie cutters, most of which have never been used.  I just can't help myself when I find a cool new cookie cutter shape: "Hmmm... there just might be an opportunity in the future when baking cookies shaped like a chainsaw will be appropriate.  Although I can't imagine what that occasion would be, I should definitely buy this cutter--just in case." 

In the event that you didn't catch on the first 100 or so times that I have mentioned it, in our household the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament is always a big deal, particularly if Duke is playing (preferably winning.)  A few days before the games start, we both diligently fill out our brackets, which hold prominent positions on the living room table in front of the T.V. until the tournament is over.  Confession: I might not have picked the Blue Devils to win it all this year. Although they are still my favorite team, I''m just trying to be realistic.....plus I want to win my bracket challenge.  Is that so bad?  I'd rather not divulge who I picked to win it all--it would likely have me dis-alumni-ed from Duke.

Knowing that activities like cheering, screaming at the T.V., and pulling your hair out as your team misses free throws all require energy, I thought that basketball-themed sugar cookies would be a good snack to serve.  Plus, making these cookies would allow me to break in my shorts-shaped cookie cutter (originally meant to be swim trunks, but I improvised.)  The basketball cookies were pretty simple: round cookies with an orange base and black lines. The shorts, however, became a bit of a project.  At first, I was just going to decorate the cookies with blue and white icing to look like Duke team shorts.  Once I did this however, I realized that the blue wasn't dark enough, and they looked more like UNC team shorts--not good.  So I had to go a step further and sprinkle some dark blue edible glitter over the lighter blue icing--a little messy, but problem solved.  For the "D", I decided to use edible blue marker as opposed to icing, as it required more detail.

For all of this work, my Blue Devils had better win next week!  Oh, and the recipe for both the cookies and the icing are the same as the ones for the Baby Onesie Cookies.  Here are a few extra tips for making these NCAA Tournament treats: 

• The cookie dough can be prepared in advance and refrigerated, tightly wrapped in plastic, for up to 3 days.
• The baked and decorated cookies can be stored at room temperature, covered, for up to 3 days.  Layer them between sheets of waxed or parchment paper. 
• If you don't have a round cookie cutter on hand, you can always use the rim of a glass to cut out the cookies.  To prevent sticking, dip the rim of the glass in some flour before cutting out the shapes.
• The shorts can either be done freehand or by tracing around a homemade paper cut-out if you don't have a cookie cutter.

• Although I am always keeping my eyes open for new cookie cutter shapes, I buy many of my cookie cutters on-line at a site called Sugarcraft (www.sugarcraft.com).  They are very inexpensive, and there is a wide variety from which to choose.  Sugarcraft also offers all kinds of baking supplies, from cake pans to sprinkles (including the edible glitter and the edible magic markers that I mentioned in the post above.  I usually spend quite a bit of time just browsing the site!

And the winners are.......(drumroll)

  So after a really unpleasant morning (being stood up for a meeting followed by a pancake-flat tire as I drove away from the would-be meeting spot), I am really happy to be able to spread some good cheer by announcing the winners of the Fiber One Spa-Licious Gift Basket Giveaway.  Not being the biggest techie on the block, I conducted the drawing the old-fashioned way, by writing the names down on slips of paper and mixing them up in a bowl (see exhibit A to the left.) Eric suggested that I create a spreadsheet and do some sort of random simulation......sounds like fun, but perhaps I'll save that idea for a future giveaway.

O.K., enough rambling.  The three lucky winners of the Fiber One Spa-Licious Gift Baskets, containing the new Fiber One Chocolate Mocha bars are (drumroll.....):

Katrina!!

Laurie!!

Ilana!!

(and the crowd goes wild!!!!)

Congratulations, ladies!  I will be contacting you for your addresses so that you can receive your gift baskets.  Thank you to everyone who commented and entered.  There are clearly quite a few Fiber One fans out there!  Stay tuned for future giveaways.......

Baby Onesie Cookies

Bugaboo. Bjorn. Glider.  Thanks to all of the baby showers that I have been attending lately, I have added quite a few new words to my vocabulary. You can always pick out the guests at these parties who, like myself, do not have any children.  They are the ones who sit through the opening of presents with a consistent "What the heck is that for?" expression on their faces, saying absolutely nothing as the other guests tell gift-relevant anecdotes and give advice to the mom-to-be.  During the brunch/luncheon/tea portion of the event, the silence usually continues, try as I may to come up with something to add to the conversation about so-and-so's toddler's latest adventure.  I mean, what am I going to say?  "Oh, my rottweiler did the very same thing."  Somehow, I don't think that would go over well.  So, I usually just focus on my food, smile, and chew very slowly.

Don't get me wrong.  I do enjoy baby showers--especially if they are for a good friend of mine--although I can't help but feel a bit out of place.  That is one of the reasons why I am always more than happy to take care of all of the food preparation for the event.  It provides me with responsibilities to tend to if I start to feel like I am not adding much value to the heated debate about Huggies vs. Pampers.  I have a valid excuse to slip away and put out more cupcakes and tea sandwiches. 

I also enjoy doing the food for baby showers--or any event for that matter--because it is a great outlet for my creativity.  Nothing pleases me more than spending an afternoon hunched over several dozen freshly baked buttery sugar cookies or a two-tiered cake, holding my piping bag and crafting desserts appropriate for a certain theme (my husband thinks I am nuts.)  Yes, my back usually kills the next day, and it's probably not great for my posture, but the end result is more than worth it.

For my friend Stephanie's baby shower this past Sunday, I decided to make sugar cookies in the shape of another one of my new vocabulary words--onesies.  I initially got the idea from Elisa Strauss, a New York-based cake and cookie decorator (and author of Confetti Cakes), whose work I really admire.  She had done some similar cookies in her book.  Steph does not yet know whether she is having a boy or a girl--she thinks boy, but everyone else thinks girl--so I made some pink and some blue.  I was really happy with how the cookies turned out, even though the sheep are a bit "rectangular," as Eric said.  Here are my extra tips for making these beautiful baby shower sweets:

• Once decorated, the cookies can be stored at room temperature, tightly covered, for 3-4 days.  If you are going to stack the cookies in layers, divide the layers using parchment paper or waxed paper.
• The prepared cookie dough can be refrigerated for up to 5 days, tightly wrapped with plastic wrap.
• When you "flood" the cookies, you are filling the insides of the piped borders.  The consistency should be quite thin and pourable.  Pipe or drizzle the thinned icing into the center of a cookie, and then use a toothpick or a small knife to guide the icing into the corners and edges.
• You can keep the royal icing in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for up to 5 days. 
• If you find that the royal icing has become too stiff from sitting out at room temperature, simply mix in a few drops of lemon juice and stir quickly.
• 3 tablespoons of meringue powder mixed with 1/2 cup water can be used as a substitute for the egg whites if using raw egg whites is an issue. 

Baby Onesie Cookies

Makes 25-30 cookies

Ingredients:

For the cookie dough

2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter (10 ounces), room temperature

1 cup sugar

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Zest of one orange

3 1/4 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

For the royal icing

3 large egg whites

5-6 cups confectioner's sugar

Lemon juice

Food coloring

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.  Add the egg, egg yolk, vanilla, and orange zest and beat until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and the salt.  With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the flour mixture, mixing until just combined.  Turn the dough out onto a work surface and divide it into 4 pieces.  Shape each piece into a disk, wrap each disk in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.  On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough out to an 1/8-inch thickness.  Cut the dough into "onesie" shapes, and transfer the shapes to baking sheets lined with parchment paper.  Bake the cookies for 9-11 minutes, until they are lightly golden brown.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Prepare the icing:  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the egg whites at medium speed until soft peaks form.  On medium-low speed, gradually add the confectioner's sugar, beating the mixture until stiff peaks form.  Thin the mixture to your desired decorating consistency using lemon juice, and color with your desired choice of food coloring or gel paste.

Decorate the cookies:  Using a stiffer consistency and a small round tip (#2 or #3), pipe an outline around the onesie shape and let dry.  Thin the icing to a "flooding" consistency, and fill the insides of the borders with the thinned icing; let dry.  Using stiffer icing, decorate the onesie as desired, making sleeves, collars, etc.  Let dry and serve!

Spa-licious Dinner Rolls and a Great Healthy Giveaway!

I am a tough critic when it comes to granola bars.  In my opinion, most of the varieties on the market tend to fall short on the healthy snack/meal replacement scale.  Oh, and just to clarify, I have a hard time looking at any granola bars as meal replacements, no matter what their nutritional make-up may be.  It just doesn't make sense as someone who likes to sit down and enjoy my meals with utensils.  Even if I am in a hurry and need to grab a bar on the way out the door, I still think of it as more of a snack to hold me over--just my two cents.

The main problem with most granola bars is that what you see is definitely not what you get.  The package boasts a photo of an appetizing, generously-sized, delectable treat, but when you take off the wrapper you are left with a two-bite (at best), overly-sweet morsel.  That's supposed to keep me going until dinner?  Another problem is that the nutritional content is often lacking---a gram of fiber here, a bit of protein there, and waaayy too much sugar.  Chances are good that you'll be hungry again before you've even had a chance to throw away the wrapper.

Julie, this is all fascinating, but you mentioned something about a giveaway?  Any chance that you will touch on that in the next paragraph or two?  Oh right--the giveaway.  Sorry.  Well, speaking of granola bars (nice transition, huh?), the nice folks at Fiber One have provided me with the opportunity to give away three wonderful "chocolate spa" themed gift baskets to my readers.  The basket includes a chocolate-scented candle, bar of soap, and lotion along with a tin of bath salts and a terry-covered bath pillow (I am loving the bath pillow.)  Also included in the baskets is a box of Fiber One's new chewy Chocolate Mocha flavored bars. 

I have been a fan of Fiber One cereal for years (and no, I'm not just saying that).  I love that it is really low in calories while being very high in fiber (translation:filling), and it actually tastes good.  It almost has a less-sweet graham cracker taste to it, and I've even used it as an ingredient in muffins.  When I'm looking for a snack, whether in the afternoon or evening, I am usually looking for something that will keep me full but also satisfies my sweet tooth.  These bars would suit both purposes.  With a whopping 9 grams of fiber per bar (that's 35% of what you need each day) this 140 calorie, generously sized treat will keep you full.  The bars are drizzled with chocolate and dotted with mini chips, and they have a not-too-sweet mocha undertone. 

Sooooo......how would one go about getting these aforementioned gift baskets?  Sorry again.  I tend to ramble sometime.  Just leave a comment, preferably a nice one.  Stuck?  Here are a few suggestions that you can feel free to use:

1. Hi Julie.  Long time reader, first time commenter.  Love the blog.  Please enter me into your gift basket drawing.
2. Fiber One Chocolate Mocha Bars rock!!  (sorry, this won't get you extra credit)
3. Ummmm.... maybe next time you could give us the contest details at the beginning of your post.  I only have so much time to read.  Please enter my name.

One week from today I will put all of the names in a hat and draw out three.  Each of the lucky winners will be sent a basket---hooray!!

In the meantime, to keep with the spa and healthy theme, here is a recipe for some of my all-time favorite dinner rolls. Because I will never be the girl who successfully gave up carbs (I love bread too much), I like to try to make my bread as nutritious as possible.  These rolls incorporate whole wheat flour and bulgur, which add fiber and a slightly chewy texture.  The seeds and salt are a nice flavor and texture touch, although it looks like I went a bit overboard with the salt in this batch.  These rolls are really easy to make and are a true crowd pleaser.  Here are a few extra tips for these healthy whole-grain rolls:

• The maple syrup can be replaced with honey.  I just always have more maple syrup than honey around the house, so that is what I tend to use.
• Bulgur, also called bulgur wheat, is a grain that is commonly found in tabbouleh, a Middle Eastern salad.  You can usually find bulgur in the health foods section of your grocery store or in the bulk bins in placed like Whole Foods.
• When setting the dough aside to rise, I like to use an oven that has been preheated for about 1 minute and then shut off.  This provides a warm, but not hot, environment in which the dough can rise.  My kitchen is always too cold for this purpose.
• These rolls can also be formed into pull-apart rolls.  Spray two 9-inch round cake pans with non-stick cooking spray and equally space the rolls in the pans (12 to a pan.)  Cover with plastic wrap and let the rolls rise for 20-25 minutes, and then bake 20-25 minutes per the directions below. 
• Once baked, the rolls can be tightly wrapped and frozen for up to two weeks.

Spa-licious Dinner Rolls 

Makes about 24 rolls

Ingredients:

1/2 cup bulgur

2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (one 1/4-ounce package)

1 cup low-fat milk, warmed to 110-115F degrees

1/3 cup pure maple syrup, room temperature

2 large eggs, room temperature

1/2 cup oats

2 cups whole wheat flour

5 teaspoons kosher salt, divided

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

2-3 cups flour

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup mixed seeds, such as poppy, sesame, fennel, or caraway

Place the bulgur and 2 cups of water in a medium saucepan.  Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.  Reduce the heat and simmer until all of the water has been absorbed, about 20 minutes.  Set the bulgur aside and let it cool.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitter with the dough hook, combine the yeast, milk, and maple syrup.  Set the mixture aside until foamy, about 10 minutes.  Add the eggs, oats, whole wheat flour, pepper, 2 teaspoons salt, and cooled bulgur to the milk mixture on low speed.  Slowly add the regular flour to the mixture until you have a soft, slightly sticky dough.  Mix the dough on medium-low speed until it springs back when pressed with a finger, 2-3 minutes.  Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, turning to coat; cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.  Divide the dough into 24 equally-sized pieces and roll each piece into a ball.  Place the balls of dough on the baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart.  Brush the tops of the rolls with the olive oil, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise until doubled in size, 20-25 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375F degrees.  Sprinkle the tops of the rolls with the mixed seeds and remaining tablespoon of kosher salt.  Bake the rolls until they are dark golden brown, 20-25 minutes.  Transfer the rolls to a wire rack to cool.  Serve warm or room temperature. 

Homer's Doughnut Cookies

Whew!  It has been a busy week--thus the lack of posts and new tasty treats to share.  For me, the saying "when it rains, it pours" definitely applies.  It seems that I will have one week where I have all the time in the world to take care of my to-do list of little projects, while other weeks are so jam-packed that I barely have time for a sit-down meal.  I actually prefer the latter.  The more that I have to accomplish within a set period of time, the higher my level of productivity.  When I have a relatively low-responsibility week, I tend to take on a mentality of "Hey! It's only Monday.  I have plenty of time to write the article/pay the bill/clean the bathroom before Friday, so why do it now?"  Whereas this week, I knew that if I had one spare iota of time, I have better make it a productive iota.  My DVR'd Ellen shows would have to wait.

Looking back on this week, although it went by in a whirlwind, I did have a great time, and I feel like I accomplished quite a bit.  Among many other things, as you might have noticed (unless of course this is your first visit to my blog), I have a brand spankin' new blog design.  No, I am not enough of a techie to be able to take credit for the actual design, but I still needed to work on the new layout and content (still a work in progress.)  The credit for the new logo goes to my genius graphic design friend, Brian Felgar, and the rest of the design was done by Hannah Cramer.  Thanks to both of you!

I also helped with the food for a baby shower, which was held yesterday.  Usually when I do a cake or cookies for a special event, I like to work with a theme, as this helps to make the dessert extra special and personal.  For a baby shower, this typically means customizing cupcake frosting colors or making baby onesie-shaped cookies in either pink or blue.  In this case, the mom-to-be gave me a bit more to work with.  Throughout her pregnancy she had been craving doughnuts.  Krispy Kreme, Dunkin, glazed, filled.  You name it.  Ashley, the girl who threw the party, and I thought that it would be fun to create doughnut shaped cookies for the event. 

I recalled seeing a doughnut cookie recipe in the King Arthur's Cookie Companion (great cookbook by the way), so I rummaged through my cookbook collection and decided to try a variation on that recipe.  Because I didn't want to stray too far from the original, I only changed up the flavoring with a little bit of orange zest, and I increased the butter content slightly.  I also played around with the glaze, incorporating lemon juice or cocoa powder.  In the end, I was thrilled with how the cookies turned out.  I named them"Homer's" cookies because at first glance they reminded me of the doughnuts that Homer gobbles down on The Simpsons. Mmmmmm.....they are delicious too--perfect with a glass of milk and no frying required. 

The week was nicely rounded out by a visit from a new friend, also named Julie, and her husband, both of whom I met through my Food Network Ultimate Recipe Showdown contest.  Some of you might remember her as the creator of that oh-so-delectable looking spin on chicken 'n waffles in the Hometown Favorites episode.  We had a fantastic time, and I am beginning to think that we were separated at birth (c'mon mom, fess up!)  Sorry Julie, I meant to save a few of these cookies for you two--something to look forward to on your next trip (as long as you make the chicken 'n waffles for me, that is)!  Here are a few extra tips for these tasty trompe l'oeil treats:

• Don't fuss too much trying to make your doughnuts perfectly round and uniform.  Having slightly different shapes and sizes yields a realistic-looking batch!
• The dough can be refrigerated, tightly wrapped, for up to two days.
• The baked doughnut cookies can be stored, covered at room temperature, for up to three days (but I sincerely doubt they will last this long.)
• Feel free to eliminate the orange zest from the dough recipe.  I just think that it adds a nice flavor to the cookies.  I also add orange zest to my regular sugar cookie dough.
• Instead of using safflower oil, either canola or vegetable oil can be substituted. 

Homer's Doughnut Cookies

Makes about 40

For the dough

2 tablespoons safflower oil

4 tablespoons butter, melted

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Zest of 1 orange

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 cup confectioner's sugar

2 1/2 cups flour

For the glaze

3 cups confectioner's sugar, divided

Whole milk

Lemon juice

Corn syrup

Food coloring, Cocoa powder, Sprinkles

Prepare the dough:  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the oil, butter, eggs, vanilla, and orange zest until well combined.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the salt, baking powder, sugar, and flour.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until well incorporated.  Gather the dough together and shape it into a flat disk.  Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Working with about 2 teaspoons of the dough at a time, roll the dough into a rope about 4 inches long and 1/2-inch in diameter.  Coil the ropes into round doughnut shapes, leaving a small hole in the middle.  Repeat the process with the rest of the dough.  Place the formed cookies on the prepared baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart.  Bake the cookies for 12-14 minutes, until the tops are slightly golden but not browned.  Transfer the baked cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Prepare the icing:  Depending on how many colors you want to make (I made three), use 1 cup confectioner's sugar for each color.  In a small bowl, mix 1 cup confectioner's sugar with 1 teaspoon milk, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 2 teaspoons corn syrup, and a few drops of food coloring.  If making chocolate icing, add a few tablespoons of cocoa powder and replace the lemon juice with milk.  Stir the mixture until you have a spreadable icing.  Dip the top of each cookie into the icing, and place them back on the wire rack.  Decorate with sprinkles if desired, and allow the glaze to harden.   

Oversized Cherry-Chocolate Soda Bread Muffins

According to the site sodabread.us (I guess sodabread.com, sodabread.info, and sodabread.net were already taken??),  my recipe is not really soda bread if it contains baking powder, sugar, and/or embellishments such as dried fruit or chocolate chips.  Technically, it should be referred to as either "spotted dog" or "railway cake."  Mmmmm.......railway cake, now that sounds yummy!  It's a wonder that name never caught on in the states.

The traditional Irish soda bread recipe consists of flour, baking soda, salt, and buttermilk--that's it.  For this reason, I will likely never prepare, serve, or eat traditional soda bread.  I mean, is it so bad to enjoy a hint of sweetness, a caraway seed, or a plump raisin here and there?  I didn't think so. 

Soda bread dates back to 1840, when sodium bicarbonate, a.k.a. baking soda, was first introduced in Ireland.  Because the Irish wheat was not hard enough to be compatible with yeast, baking soda was used as an alternative leavening agent.  You'll often see a loaf of soda bread bearing a cross shape in the center.  Some stories say that the cross was implemented to ward off evil, but bread bakers will probably argue that its purpose was to aid in both the baking and slicing processes.  I just think that it looks nice.

Soda bread has become a staple to the Irish diet, and it is commonly used as an accompaniment to stews and soups.  The bread tends to dry out quickly, so it is best to serve it within a day of baking, and I strongly recommend reheating prior to serving.  Because Eric is of Irish heritage, I try to whip up an Irish-themed dinner one night around St. Patty's Day.  Soda bread (or railway cake) is always on the menu in some shape or form.  This year, instead of making one large loaf, I am going to go with over-sized soda bread muffins, reason being that we barely make a dent into the loaf, leaving the rest to dry out quickly.  At least with the muffins, we can eat one at a time and leave the rest wrapped up.  I also wanted to try a sweeter version.  Yes!  I had the nerve to use sugar and chocolate and dried fruit and still refer to it as soda bread (gasp).  I love the combination of chocolate and cherry......and cherry and orange.....and orange and chocolate, so I put all three together in one recipe.  These additions helped to keep this typically dry bread moist while adding lots of flavor.  Here are my extra tips for these magnificent monster muffins:

• If you do not want to make the dough into muffins, you can make it into one large loaf instead.  Gather the dough together and place it on a parchment-lined baking sheet.  Form the dough into a circle.  Bake the loaf for about 1 hour, until a toothpick inserted into the center emerges clean.  Let cool completely on a wire rack.
• You can use all regular flour instead of using both regular and whole wheat flour.  I like the heartier flavor and texture that the whole wheat flour lends to the recipe.
• Feel free to experiment with this recipe.  Keep the basic dough, but substitute dried cranberries or apricots for the cherries.  Use different types of chocolate or a variety of chocolates.  Add lightly toasted walnuts, hazelnuts, or pecans.
• If the tops of the muffins start to become too brown during the baking process, then lightly tent them with foil until they are done. 

Oversized Cherry-Chocolate Soda Bread Muffins

Makes about 8 large or 16 regular muffins

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons salt

Zest of one orange

6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed

1 cup bittersweet chocolate chunks

1 cup coarsely chopped dried sour cherries

1 1/3 cups buttermilk

1 large eggs

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.  Line 8 large muffin cups or spray them with non-stick baking spray (alternatively use regular-sized muffin tins.)

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, whole wheat flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and orange zest.  Add the cubed butter to the bowl and rub in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse meal.  Stir in the chopped chocolate and dried cherries.

In a small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and the egg.  Add this mixture to the dry ingredients, stirring until incorporated.  Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups.  Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center emerges clean, 40-45 minutes for the large muffins (20-25 for regular muffins). 

Cool the muffins in their tins for 5 minutes and then transfer the muffins to a wire rack to cool some more.  Serve warm or at room temperature.