YumSugar

Ready to Try the World's Best Apple Pie?

YumSugar — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:00:29 -0800

Because I haven't been a huge pumpkin pie fan until extremely recently, I've tried to take advantage of Fall's other stellar produce to end the season's celebrations on a sweet note. Like everyone says, there's nothing more American than apple pie. To that I'd like to add: there's nothing that exemplifies Autumn more than the smell of a baked-from-scratch apple pie. This one is perhaps the best I've ever tasted! It's piled high to the sky with fresh apple filling, and the crust calls for shortening instead of butter, which makes it exceptionally flaky. To make this for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or just because, keep reading.

Halloween Fingers Two Ways - Beginner and Expert

YumSugar — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 05:50:39 -0700

Whether you're throwing or attending a Halloween bash this weekend, chances are you'll need some flavorful frights to go with whatever hard drinks you're having on All Hallow's Eve. Go ghoulish - but not too gruesome! - with a treat that's also a bit of a trick: bony witches' fingers. Make a handful in a flash with the help of pre-made breadstick dough. Going for the realistic? Take the time to make them from scratch, knuckles, almond fingernails, and all. Tickled yet by one or both recipes? Get them after the jump.

Pumpkin Bread Is Sugar, Spice, and Everything Nice

YumSugar — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:00:46 -0700

I've had Autumn on the brain for weeks now, but it wasn't until I received an inquiry about a faithful pumpkin bread recipe that the aromatic, spiced bread crossed my mind. Yet as soon as it did, I found myself craving a loaf of it. There was only one thing to do.

This tried-and-true recipe couldn't be any simpler. It doesn't require an electric beater, and you don't need to spend hours roasting your own pumpkin. The übermoist, not-to-sweet, spiced bread is the perfect breakfast, snack, or edible gift for Halloween, Thanksgiving, or anywhere in between. Want the recipe? Keep reading.

Can You Name That Classic Dessert?

YumSugar — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 05:50:20 -0700

The Top Chef news of the week came early yesterday morning when we learned that Bravo was sweetening its line of spinoffs with a 2010 show called Top Chef: Just Desserts.

Since the whole Top Chef franchise is starting to tire out for at least a few of us, I thought I'd get everybody pumped for the new show (and National Dessert Month!) by testing your knowledge of classic desserts from around the world.

I'll spit out a picture, and you tell me what dessert it depicts. Ready? Go!

Take the quiz

7 New Candy Favorites For Halloween

YumSugar — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 05:50:42 -0700

As much as I love celebrating Halloween, some parts of it - like haunted houses, trick-or-treating, and even certain kinds of candy - remind me I'm not a kid anymore. That's why I've decided to introduce some alternative, homemade confections that are refined enough for even an adult gourmand such as myself. Curious to know what my new candy favorites are? Keep reading to find out.

View Slideshow ›

Tart Frozen Yogurt: Love It or Hate It?

YumSugar — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 04:00:47 -0700

Since I require a weekly fix of tart frozen yogurt with fresh fruit, it wasn't until last week when I taste-tested Häagen-Dazs's new tart natural fro-yo that I discovered a whole contingent of co-workers can't stand the taste. What do you think of it?

Source: User insertinanename

Candy Corn: Love It or Hate It?

YumSugar — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 04:00:28 -0700

Even though it's not my favorite holiday, there are several reasons I look forward to Halloween, and one of them is candy corn. I can find only less-than-positive words to describe the waxy, cloyingly sweet, unnaturally butterscotch-y neon-covered morsels, yet once I get started, I can't stop eating them. How do you feel about the seasonal confection?

Source: Flickr User Juushika Redgrave

Taste Test: Cheesecake Factory Cheesecakes

YumSugar — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 07:50:57 -0700

I must admit: I'm not the world's biggest fan of cheesecake, it's always seemed a bit too rich. But I'm obsessed with red velvet cake, and was intrigued when I first heard about red velvet cheesecake. I put it on my list of things to make and before I could get to it, The Cheesecake Factory came out with a version and sent one our way - along with a couple others. Was it the perfect hybrid of Southern red velvet and smooth cheesecake decadence? How was the cheesecake on a whole? Find out when you read more

Name That Dish!

YumSugar — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 16:15:11 -0700

Many of you thought this Fall dessert favorite was incredibly easy to identify. So I'm taking take the challenge to the next level with this regional pie, which can be found all over the American South. Do you know what it is?

Ring In the Jewish New Year With Honey Cake

YumSugar — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 16:00:05 -0700

I'm always reminded of the change in the seasons with the arrival of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, which begins at sundown this Friday. It seems to straddle the end of Summer and the beginning of Fall. For Jews around the world, it's a time to come together with family, contemplate the past year, and hope for good deeds in the months ahead.Rosh Hashanah's food customs echo these sentiments. One ingredient that plays a recurring role is honey, which symbolizes sweetness for the new year. As a child, I remember counting on apples and honey, but honeyed cake is an equally traditional and more gratifying end to a meal. It's not too sweet, has a gingerbread quality, and would be the perfect finish (or start) to the day, whether or not you're observing the holiday. See the recipe when you read more