Author: cbaronaitis

White/Whole Wheat Bread with Rye Flakes

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cup water
  • 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 cup rye flakes
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 1/2 tbsp active dry yeast
  • 1 tbsp kosher salt

Directions

  1. Combine 1.5 cups hot water (~90º C) with rye flakes and add 1 tbsp honey. Let stand for 3 minutes.
  2. Mix flours with salt.
  3. Discard excess water from rye flakes and add rye flakes to flour.
  4. Combine 1.5 cups warm water (40º C) with honey, stir until dissolved then add yeast.
  5. Once yeast has proofed, combine all ingredients and mix and then knead. Add more all purpose flour or water as required to achieve desirable consistency.
  6. Let dough rise for two hours, then knead again. On second rise, transfer to a parchment lined cast iron dutch oven (with lid) and add 2 tbsp water to the bottom of the dutch oven.
  7. Set oven to 450ºF. Bake for 20 minutes covered, then bake uncovered until the top has a golden colour and the internal temperature reaches at least 190ºF.

Ginger Ale (syrup)

Ingredients

  • 12 oz chopped ginger (skin on or off, it makes no difference)
  • 8 cups water
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp powdered stevia
  • 1/4 cup lime juice
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 1 tsp kosher salt

Directions

  1. Chop the ginger and add to a mason jar with 1-2 cups of water. Use an immersion blender to blend the ginger until it is in small bits to maximize the flavour.
  2. Add the remaining water to a large pot along with the sugar, salt, ginger/water blend, and lemon/lime juice.
  3. Bring to boil then simmer for 1 hour with the lid on.
  4. The resulting product will not be syrup consistency but is concentrated. Add the tsp of powdered stevia and portion into containers to refrigerate.
  5. Mix 1/4 cup of “syrup” with 1 1/2 cups of sparkling water.

Marzipan

Ingredients

  • 1.5 cups ground blanched almonds
  • 1.5 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 egg white
  • 1 tsp rose water
  • 2 tsp almond extract

Directions

  1. In a food processor combined almonds and powdered sugar
  2. Add extracts and mix throughly
  3. Add egg whites and run the food processor until a dough is formed
  4. Remove from the food processor and roll into a log shape then chill overnight wrapped in plastic wrap.

Candied Citrus Peel

Ingredients

  • Assorted citrus (limes, oranges, lemons, grapefruit) washed thoroughly and dried
  • 2 cups sugar +
  • 1 cup water

Directions

  1. Peel the citrus and include a generous amount of pith attached to the skin. Cut into strips.
  2. Boil the citrus peel strips for 15 minutes, then discard the water
  3. Combine sugar and water in a medium sized pot and bring to a boil
  4. Add the citrus peels to the syrup and reduce heat. Simmer for 45 minutes.
  5. Remove the citrus peel from the syrup and allow liquid to drip off for a few minutes before tossing in sugar and setting aside to dry (48-60 hours).
  6. Syrup can be used for cocktails.

Gingerbread (construction)

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 tbsp cinammon
  • 1 tbsp ground ginger
  • 2 tsp cloves
  • 1/4 cup fancy molasses
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 1/2 tbsp water

Icing Ingredients

  • 1 lb icing sugar
  • 2 egg whites
  • 1 1/2 tsp almond extract

Directions

  1. Cream butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl, then add spices, salt, molasses, and baking soda.
  2. Add flour then water to achieve dough consistency and chill overnight.
  3. Preheat oven to 375º and roll out dough and cut shapes, bake in place for approximately 15 minutes.
  4. Let gingerbread cool and trim pieces for assembly.
  5. For royal icing, combine icing sugar and egg whites and mix carefully, then add almond extract once combined.

sugar cookies

Ingredients (cookies)

  • 1 1/4 cups unsalted butter (or omit salt if using salted)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • Pinch salt

Ingredients (glaze)

  • 2 cups sifted icing sugar
  • 2 tbsp half & half
  • Food colouring to desired colour

Baking

  1. Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl, then beat in egg yolks and vanilla until smooth. Separately, combine flour, baking powder and salt.
  2. Mix butter and sugar with dry ingredients. Wrap the dough and refrigerate for 1-24 hours.
  3. Roll dough to 1/4″ thickness, and cut into desired shapes.
  4. Bake at 350º. Check at 11 minutes for doneness, and remove when the cookies turn a golden colour.
  5. Glaze cookies when nearly cool.

Whole Wheat and Oats Pancakes

Ingredients

  • 4 cups large flake oats
  • 3 ¾ cups skim milk
  • 4 eggs
  • ¼ cup canola oil
  • 3 cups whole wheat flour
  • 3-4 tsp baking powder
  • Vanilla
  • Cinnamon
  • Optional: grated apples or blueberries

Preparation

  1. Combine dry ingredients.
  2. Separate eggs.
  3. Whip egg whites until stiff, set aside.
  4. Combine wet ingredients and egg yolks.
  5. Combine wet and dry ingredients and mix thoroughly.
  6. Fold in whipped egg whites and optional ingredients until just blended.
  7. Cook.

Tips

You can add other optional ingredients like chocolate chips or shredded coconut, or don’t – it’s your loss.

gingerbread cookies

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Golden Crisco
  • 1 cup lightly packed brown sugar
  • ¼ cup molasses
  • ¼ cup water
  • 3 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 ½ tbsp cinnamon
  • 1 ½ tsp ginger
  • 1 ½ tsp cloves
  • ½ tsp salt

Preparation

  1. Cream crisco, brown sugar, molasses, and water together thoroughly
  2. Combine dry ingredients. Stir into creamed mixture gradually and mix well.
  3. Work dough with hands to form a smooth dough.
  4. Cover and chill for 1-2 hours for easier rolling.
  5. Heat oven to 350F.
  6. Line baking sheets with parchment.
  7. Roll dough to approximately 6mm on floured surface. Cut into shapes.
  8. Bake at 350F for 10-12 minutes or until edges are slightly hardened.
  9. Cool and decorate as desired

Tips

Adjust spice levels to your tastes.

Adjust mixture for dryness or wetness before rolling.

fruitcake

Ingredients

Fruit (Bulk Barn containers):

  • 1 candied cherry (medium)
  • 1 candied citrus peel (medium)
  • 1 candied ginger (small)
  • 1 candied pineapple (medium)
  • 1 dried black currant (medium)
  • 1 dried blueberry (medium)
  • 1 dried cherry (medium)
  • 1 golden raisin (medium)
  • 1 Thompson raisin (medium)
  • 1 lemon zest
  • 3 oranges zest

Nuts:

  • 2 cups pecans chopped & toasted
  • 2 cups walnuts chopped & toasted

Spices:

  • 4 tbsp real cinnamon
  • 2 tbsp ground ginger
  • ~20 whole cloves ground
  • ~24 allspice berries ground

Other:

  • 40oz. Captain Morgan’s spiced rum 
  • 750ml apple cider unfiltered
  • 3 cups sugar
  • 1 lb unsalted butter
  • 5 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ tbsp salt
  • 1 tbsp baking soda
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 6 eggs
  • 750ml Stroh’s rum (basting)
  • Galliano (basting)

Preparation

  1. Prepare 3-4 weeks before Christmas..
  2. Combine all fruit in a non-reactive container (glass) and top with Captain Morgan’s spiced rum. Let sit overnight.


  3. Place fruit and rum mixture in a pot with the sugar, butter, apple cider, and spices. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring often. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for at least 15 minutes (until lukewarm).
  4. Toast chopped pecans and walnuts until fragrant.
  5. Batter can be completed up to this point, covered, and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before completing the cake.
  6. Heat oven to 325F.
  7. Combine dry ingredients and sift into fruit mixture. Quickly bring batter together with a heavy duty spoon. 
  8. Stir in eggs one at a time until completely integrated. Fold in nuts.


  9. Spoon batter into standard loaf pans.
  10. Bake for 90 minutes. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick and having it come out clean. If it doesn’t, bake for 10 minute increments until it does.
  11. Remove from oven and place on cooling rack, baste with Stroh’s and allow to cool completely before turning out of pan.
  12. Store in an airtight container and baste every 2-3 days or if the cake feels dry.
  13. Baste with Galliano for the last 3 days before consumption.

Tips

*Don’t be bashful with the alcohol when basting.

*Use real cinnamon sticks, cloves, and allspice berries and toast them in the oven at 350F until fragrant and grind them.