Lane - Sweet & simple: dessert for two

Also by Christina Lane Dessert for Two Comfort and Joy This book is for you. Yes, you. You who hunts down mini bakeware, you who doesnt want tempting leftovers, and you who delights in the simplicity of a small cake rather than a giant three-layer one. You get me. I do it all for you. I mean, I get to eat the desserts too, so lets call it a win-win. Contents I wrote this book in four-hour increments. Contents I wrote this book in four-hour increments.

When I wrote the first Dessert for Two, I was child-free. And now, well, I have a baby and two dogs. Finding the time to write this book was challenging, but I knew it was a worthwhile pursuit. I wanted to do it for you. I still love baking desserts for two, because we still eat dessert for two. Yes, Im one of those parents withholding sugar from my kid for as long as possible.

I know how ridiculous it is, trust me: I was never allowed junk food or dessert as a kid and, well, my career choice speaks for itself, doesnt it? So, for the most part, this small family still only needs small desserts. This time around, though, I included a chapter at the end with desserts that fit in an 8-inch pan, for slightly more than two servings. The truth is, now that I have the worlds most adorable child (heh), we have a lot more visitors these days, and Im so happy to make larger desserts to feed just a few more than two people. For the most part, though, this is another small-batch dessert cookbook for you. I divided the chapters by pan size, so you can make one quick run to the hobby store, gather all of your mini pans, and come home and bake everything to your hearts content. Youll notice some slightly healthier desserts here.

Youre shocked, I know. I included some light, fruit-centered desserts because I just dont think theres anything better than a dessert made with ripe, local, seasonal fruit. I also ventured into the world of naturally sweetened desserts. I did this mainly for my daughter. Shes getting to the age where she wants whatever Mom and Dad are eating. I try to meet her demands/tantrums with desserts made with maple syrup, honey, and coconut sugar.

Sugar is sugar, yes, but it lessens the mom guilt. (Anything that lessens mom guilt is a very good thing.) Im so happy youre here again, and I couldnt be more proud to share more small-batch desserts with you. As always, Im pretty easy to find on the Internet, and I absolutely love it when you reach out to me with requests. Ill always be here, scaling down giant desserts to more manageable portions. Its just what I was put on this earth to do. Love and (a small batch of) cupcakes, Christina Butter is my sidekick.

I frequently indulge in rich, European butter because Im a woman who would rather shop at the grocery store than the mall. That said, I tested all of these recipes with regular, store-brand butter to be sure they would work. American butter typically has a higher water content than imported butter, but youre safe using either for my recipes. The best way to soften butter is to leave it on the counter for two hours. If youre in a rush (or just impatient like me), slice the butter into small pieces and leave it on the counter for 20 minutes. Softened butter is just one notch above room temperature.

You can press your finger into it and make an indentation, but it is not overly soft or droopy. You finger should not go all the way through, and you should most definitely not use melted butter when a recipe calls for softened butter. To be more clear: do not use the microwave to soften butter. Do what I do: chop it small and let it rest while you gather and prepare the ingredients for the recipe. Flour is always bleached, all-purpose. Refrigerated premade pie dough helps me put the simple in Sweet & Simple.

I think every pie I ever ate growing up was made with pie dough from the red box. I have a soft spot for it in my heart, but if you want to make your own crust, check my recipe for Strawberry Hand Pies (page 32). Cornstarch might be a new ingredient in your kitchen. I use it to make cakes super fluffy (especially the Angel Food Jam Cake, page 48), and to thicken fruit fillings in pies. Sugar is always white, granulated sugar, unless it specifically says brown sugar. There was a time when I always used light brown sugar in desserts, but recently Ive ventured over to the dark sidedark brown sugar is rocking my world.

The only difference between light and dark brown sugar is additional molasses. If you love spice and smoky molasses as much as me, more of it is always a good thing. Molasses is a fun ingredient in fall recipes, but anytime I use it, I reach for regular molasses, not blackstrap. I think blackstrap molasses has a pronounced bitter flavor that does not go well in baked goods. Youre looking for regular molasses when baking. Wanna talk about coconut sugar ? Ive found it to be widely available these days, and I love it so much.

The best way to describe it is like regular white sugar, but with a little extra depth and spice. Once you make the Coconut Sugar Cookies (page 16), youll understandthe cookies taste like they have so many ingredients, but its really just the coconut sugar bringing so much flavor to the table. Coarse grain sugar is perfect for sprinkling on scone cookies, mini pies, and more. Its just so pretty! Its entirely optional, but once you use it, youll be hooked. I buy Sugar in the Raw, and I love its earthy brown color too. Maple syrup has become my go-to sweetener in the morning for coffee and tea.

I buy the big jugs at Costco and it finds its way into cream cheese frosting, cupcakes, and more. Salt is always fine, natural sea salt. Baking powder and baking soda speak for themselves, but I want to remind you to check their expiration dates. These ingredients are critical to giving our desserts rise and lift, and if theyre outdated, well, they just wont work properly. Eggs are always large, Grade A eggs. Speaking of eggs, I want to remind you that since were baking small batches, I often only call for a portion of an egg in a recipeeither the egg yolk or egg white.

At the end of the book, Ive included a list of ways to use up the remaining portion. I never want eggs to go to waste. Vanilla, almond, and peppermint extracts should be the most fragrant ones you can find. The better they smell, the better your desserts will taste. Though I will admit to occasionally loving the artificial vanilla flavor in cake frosting (its just so marshmallow-y!), real-deal Bourbon-steeped vanilla is king. I also call for vanilla beans a few times in this book, but know that its entirely optional.