Holly, Author at With Two Spoons

Dixie Pie

December 31, 2015 By Holly 3 Comments

Ya’ll. This pie is the stuff that holiday dreams are made of, I promise. A twist on the classic pecan pie, it is made with walnuts instead of pecans, and peppered with chocolate and a hint of bourbon. I was first introduced to it as a kid at our annual Thanksgiving celebration we shared with good friends (Hi Pam!). The mother of the family we celebrated with used to make a pie for every child present, each with our own can of whipped cream. While I don’t recommend the pie-per-person serving size (this pie is really quite rich!), I do recommend you make more than one if you are planning a gathering of more than three or four people. …

Links We Love: Christmas Edition

December 25, 2015 By Holly Leave a Comment

While we take a short holiday break, we thought we’d share a few links we’re loving from across the internet:

Cranberry Snow Scones from Alexandra’s Kitchen. I made these yesterday and they are perfect. Warning: cut them on the smaller side as the expand a fair amount while baking.
Someone please make these: Salted Peanut Butter Shortbread. They look amazing.
It’s not quite time for the post-holiday detox, but I might need a break from all the butter. Thinking about Creamy White Bean and Tomato Soup.
What to do with all that leftover sour cream: Braided Sour Cream Cardamom Blackberry Coffee Bread.
And because I need more carbs in my life, Potato Kugel, by the one and only Deb Perleman.
Cinnamon Maple Whiskey Sour. Because it’s the holidays and holidays call for cocktails.
This one needs to happen ASAP: Chocolate Almond Ginger Bark. Joy the Baker, you are a genius.

Finally, for those of you looking to spend some of your holiday gift cards, here are a few cookbooks we’ll be looking to add to our collection:

The Food Lab
The Broad Fork
The Homemade Kitchen

As we look to 2016, we’d love to know what sort of recipes and features you’d love to see here on With Two Spoons. Send us an email, tweet, or Facebook message!

And Merry Christmas to all who celebrate!

Chocolate Hazelnut Scones

December 17, 2015 By Holly 1 Comment

In the midst of the busy holiday season, I count on recipes that can be made ahead in a quiet morning or two, and pulled out of the freezer for a fresh baked treat on (what seems like) a moment’s notice. This year, in particular, I have been searching for sweet treats and found a great option in these Chocolate Hazelnut Scones from Zoe Nathan and the Huckleberry Bakery & Cafe in Santa Monica. The brilliance of the scones lies in the fact that the recipe requires the unbaked dough to be frozen and then baked, so you don’t even feel like you’re cheating by making it ahead. I made a batch last week and another this morning, froze them, and then wrapped each scone in plastic wrap. On Christmas morning, they’ll need a quick 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven and that’s it. Serve them with a generous amount of whipped cream (which I prefer sweetened with a small amount of powdered sugar and a tiny bit of vanilla bean paste).

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It’s All About the Frosting

December 13, 2015 By Holly Leave a Comment

Every year on my birthday, my mom brings me an angel food cake with the most delicious frosting. She got the recipe from a neighbor when I was a child. It’s not a fancy recipe, and in fact, the ingredients might strike some foodie-types as a bit low-brow (Pudding! Cool Whip!), but I love it. A blend of whipped topping, pudding, and malt powder, it is light, creamy, and just a bit sweet. It works beautifully with a simple angel food cake. Best of all, it comes together in about five minutes and requires nothing more than a sturdy bowl and a mixer of some type.

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