Showing posts with label snack. Show all posts
Showing posts with label snack. Show all posts

Saturday, October 13, 2012

The Ultra Fun Voice-Activated Popinator: Shooting Popcorn Right Into Your Mouth One Kernel at a Time

If ever there was a time to use the made up word "funnest," it's in reference to this Popinator contraption from Popcorn Indiana. They have invented, hands down, the funnest way to eat popcorn. Sit or stand up to 15 feet away from the Popinator machine and say the word "POP" and it will launch a kernel of popcorn into your mouth. It uses some sort of audio science to identify where you're located based on hearing you say "POP."

Sure, no two popcorn kernels are exactly the same size, weight, shape, etc... and so when the machine spits one out, you may have to angle your body or dip, duck, or jump slightly to catch the unique piece flying through the air, but from what I can tell in the video, it does an amazing job of getting pretty darn close to your mouth.

I suppose there's a slight risk of it being a choking hazard if you care about safety and such. :)

But I want one! Watch the video and you'll want one, too!


Monday, September 13, 2010

Marmalade 'n' Spice Honey Cake: A Game Changer


This recipe is dedicated to my friend Ephraim. He told me last week that he’s only ever tasted disgusting, dry honey cake and has all but given up on the possibility of a good honey cake. Instead, he says, make an apple cake. I promised him that not good, but GREAT honey cake is within reach, and he said he would be waiting for that recipe on my blog. Well, here it is. And I can think of probably 5 more incredible honey cake recipes, too. So for those like Ephraim who have yet to taste a delicious honey cake, today is your lucky day. End the suffering. Drop everything and bake this right now!


While honey cake is a tradition for Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, it is also a perfect year round snacking cake to serve with a cup of tea. Because it is moist from the honey and oil, it will stay fresh and delicious for more days than many other desserts. So, despite your desire to devour the whole thing in one sitting, which I promise you you’ll feel, keep in mind you can have the cake three days later and it’ll still put a smile on your face.

But enough of the chit chat. Introducing...your first ever not-dry honey cake. Bon Appetit, Ephraim!


Marmalade 'n' Spice Honey Cake
Adapted from a recipe by the brilliant Marcy Goldman in A Treasury of Jewish Holiday Baking
Makes 12 to 14 servings

1 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup light honey
1 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup orange marmalade
4 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 cup brewed tea, just warm (or for a darker cake, use brewed, strong coffee instead)
1/3 cup slivered or sliced almonds (this is mostly for decorate purposes but it tastes great, too!)

Topping
Confectioners’ sugar, optional
Shredded orange zest, optional

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease the bottom of a 9- or 10-inch tube pan. Cut out a circle of parchment paper (you’ll have to poke out the center of it) and line the bottom of the pan.

You are going to need two bowls: a medium mixing bowl for wet ingredients and a large mixing bowl (preferably the one attached to your stand mixer) for dry ingredients.

In the medium bowl, combine the oil, honey, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and marmalade and stir until well combined. Then add the eggs.

In the large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the contents of the medium bowl (the wet mixture). Add the warm brewed tea. Blend by hand or use your mixer on low until you get a smooth batter.

Pour the cake batter into the greased, lined tube pan. Sprinkle the top with slivered almonds. Place the pan on top of a baking sheet and bake the cake for 55 to 60 minutes. To check for doneness, press the top of the cake lightly with your fingertip and it should spring back.

Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then take a knife around the outside and inside rims to loosen from the edges. Invert onto a cooling rack.

If you want, dust the cake with confectioners’ sugar and shredded orange zest when completely cooled. I don’t think it needs the extra garnish because the slivered almonds would be hidden and they are a beautiful topping already.


Step-by-Step in Pictures
In a medium bowl, combine the oil, honey, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and marmalade...

Stir in the eggs...

In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients...

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and add the warm brewed tea; stir to combine...

Pour the batter into the prepared tube pan...

Sprinkle slivered almonds on top, then bake at 350 degrees F for about 55 minutes ...

Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely on a wire rack...

There you have it! A very moist honey cake!

Monday, December 28, 2009

Spiced Nut Mix


Does spiced nut snack mix count as baking? Sure, why not! It goes in the oven! And this recipe is by an extraordinary baker, David Lebovitz. And I like it! Those are some pretty good reasons. Preparing flavored, spiced nuts is simple, and they make a great hospitality gift when you're invited to a dinner party, or to serve at your own dinner party. People like to nosh while they schmooze, so let's give them something to nosh on!

Spiced Nut Mix aka Melange de Noix Epicees
Recipe by David Lebovitz in The Sweet Life in Paris
Makes 4 cups

2 cups (275 g) raw nuts - any combination of pecans, almonds, peanuts, cashews, and hazelnuts
1 tablespoon (15 g) salted or unsalted butter, melted
3 tablespoons (45 g) dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon chili powder or smoked paprika
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon unsweetened natural or Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
2 cups (100 g) small pretzel twists

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the nuts on a baking sheet and toast for 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix the butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, chili powder, maple syrup, and cocoa.

3. Stir the warm nuts into the spice mixture to coat them completely, then sprinkle on the salt.

4. Mix in the pretzels, then spread the mixture on the baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the nuts are well-glazed and browned. Remove from the oven and cool completely. Once cool, break up the clusters and serve.

Storage: The nuts can be stored in an airtight container, at room temperature, for up to five days.


Step-by-Step in Pictures

Spread the nuts out on a baking sheet and toast them for 10 minutes at 350 degrees...

In a bowl, blend together the butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, chili powder, maple syrup, and cocoa...

Pour the toasted nuts into the spice mixture...

Stir to cover all of the nuts with the spices...

Add the salt...

Add in the pretzels...

Stir until the pretzels are well-coated with the spice mixture...

Spread the nuts and pretzels onto the baking sheet...

Bake for about 15 minutes at 350 until they have a nice glaze on them...

Ready for snacking!
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