The Scone Factory

I’ve recently rediscovered the joy of jam. I generally try to avoid nondessert related sugars, so I had, pretty much, cut it out my diet. Then, recently, a friend of mine bought me some of this delicious “no sugar added” jam and I’ve been eating it with gusto ever since! Given the current jam revival going on in my house, I was really excited to hear about this scone factory installation at Meesterlijk, a design and craft fair in Amsterdam. Designed by Dutch “eating designer” Marije Vogelzang for her former business partner Piet Hekker (together they cofounded the restaurant Proef), the intent of the scone factory was to give life to Piet’s vision of bringing collaborations between small scale craftsmen and designers to city centers. Such collaborations would not only help to revive the city, but also give work to independent artists and businesses. With this in mind, Marije create the scone factory, which featured a play-shop installation, live scone baking and eating, a jam collection displayed by color (my favorite part!), and a brainstorm wall. What fun! {Thanks, Marije!} ~Erin

Emilie Vercruysse Photography

I've never been a huge fan of cute kid pics. I mean, I love seeing pictures of kids that I know, children of friends and family, but I wouldn’t normally purchase a “cute kid” photograph or even dream of putting one on my wall! Well, those days are over! The minute I laid eyes on these photos by Belgium photographer Emilie Vercruysse, I was instantly smitten. The way she captures children is amazing and not at all typical. By using unique props and the bright colors, she’s able to create images which are funny and wonderfully odd, but, at the same time, still seem so authentic and childlike. Click here to check out more of Emilie's wonderful photographs. ~Erin

Vintage Confections

I have a soft spot for lollipops. Call it an oral fixation, if you must, but, really, I think it’s more about the fact that lollipops offer a prolonged dessert experience. You don’t just bite and swallow a lollipop (unless you are that owl in the tootsipop commercials), but, instead, you get the opportunity to savor the flavors for an extended period of time. It a fairly unusual eating experience, if you really think about it. And if you’re going to have an unusual eating experience, you may as well be eating something that looks unusual, too! Which is where this lollipops from Vintage Confections come in. From striped neopilitian ice cream pops to pops imprinted with images of peacock feathers, bottle caps, and emoticons, their online shop is filled with some seriously cool candy! And with flavors like caramel crème, pink champagne, and peach cobbler, you know that they are going to taste as good as the look! Click here  to check them out and shop online.

Greely Myatt

I love wood. I love dessert. Put the two together and, wowzers, I’m in design heaven! That said, it should come as no surprise that I’m a big fan of these whimsical wooden desserts by artist Greely Myatt.  A faculty member at the University of Memphis, Myatt’s work is at once playful and realistic, rustic yet campy. My favorite pieces are definitely the cake sculptures. The craftsmanship, with these pieces in particular, is amazing and I’m seriously in awe of how lifelike they look, considering that they’re made almost entirely out of wood (with a little acrylic frosting). In addition, the environmentally concerned part of me is happy to report that Greely often works with reclaimed materials (wood, metal, etc) when creating his art, which is always a good thing. If you like what you see here, be sure to check out more of his pieces. Dessert art is only a small part of his work. ~Erin

Photos courtesy of PDX, The Running Horse, and Koelsch Gallery

Oh, and for anyone who is interested, I just started a Dessert Girl Pinterest page. I've been on Pinterest for a while now, but decided to start a page for DG as well. I hope to see you there! :-)

Sweet Testing: Bananas Cake

About a month ago, I predicted that I would soon be making this cake, and, like a well-trained Kreskin, my prediction became manifest when I baked this mound of banana chocolate deliciousness for my very own birthday! Well, really it was a co-creation between me and my mom, due to it's complex nature. It is, by all accounts, mine included, a damn fine cake, but it is time consuming. (Just time consuming, not difficult.) It comes from the new Baked cookbook Baked Elements and it contains not one, not two, not three, by four different parts (cake, filling, icing, glaze). I recommend splitting it into two days or getting a co-baker/sous chef to help you out. I promise; It will be worth the effort. I mean, come on, it's banana + peanut butter + chocolate (squared). What's not to love??? Actually, it reminds me a lot of the peanut butter and banana sandwiches that I used to have as a kid (and sometimes as an adult), but, you know, with chocolate added. So good!

You can find the complete Bananas Cake recipe after the jump.

Inspiration Board: Sailboats

Photo from Goûters rigolos by Aline Caron

I honestly don't know what inspired me write this post. I'm not into sailboats or sailing or being out in the sun for more than thirty seconds, but there is just something so charming about these sailboat cakes! Maybe it's the fact that the temperature has dropped suddenly and it's beginning to feel like fall that has me longing for these decidedly summer-themed desserts. Whatever the reason, I wanted to share them with you because they are just so damned cute! :-) ~Erin

Cake by Charm City Cakes, photo by Tim Riddick

Via Dulce Design

Via Mit Hus

Wooden Popsicles

I’m not a fan of useless objects. Usually, whenever I see a useless object, all I can envision is it sitting in a huge landfill, along with all the rest of the useless objects in the world, taking up space, polluting the planet. Useless objects make me sad, mad, and all the other bad words, but just now, looking at these wooden popsicles, I  actually felt happy!

Created by Italian designer Mauro Savoldi (aka Johnny Hermann), each popsicle is handmade, completely unique, and numbered (in a series of 150). The colors and the designs are really lovely and I can’t seem to stop looking at them! Who knew that  a wooden popsicle could be so gorgeous? If only it could be used for something. Perhaps you could use it as a fly swatter? Anyhoo, Mauro himself admits that they’re useless, which, frankly, makes me love them even more. For additional information on Johnny Herman designs, click here. Contact Mauro for purchasing info.

Cookbook Excitement: Baked Elements

Wednesday was the best . . . day . . . EVER! Why was it the best day EVER? Well, I’ll tell you. Because the angels over at Stewart, Tabori & Chang sent a copy of the new Baked cookbook, Baked Elements, right to my door! I’ve been a fan of this Brooklyn-based bakery since before I could talk (okay, really since they released their first cookbook back in 2008) and every time they release another book, I nearly pee my pants in anticipation. And, I have to say, the new book does not disappoint.

Good Morning Sunshine Bars

This time around Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito have given us a cookbook based around the concept of “our favorite ingredients.” What makes their Top Ten? Peanut Butter, Lemon and Lime, Caramel, Booze, Pumpkin, Malted Milk Powder, Cinnamon, Cheese, Chocolate, and Banana. All of which just so happen to be my favorite ingredients as well! Divided by ingredient, there are 10 sections to the book, making it easy to find and select a recipe. Interested in making a banana dessert? Just flip to the banana section and drool away! Personally, I don’t know even where to begin. There are so many recipes that I want to make. I may have to start with the Easy Candy Bar Tart, though. Caramel, walnuts, dark chocolate. I took one look at the accompanying photo and thought, Holy shit! That said, the Bourbon Milk Shake is also calling my name and, as I am a huge fan of bananas, I can’t wait to sink my teeth into the Banana Cake featured on the cover. (Btw, the Peanut Butter and Banana Creme Pie in their last book was divine). With photos by the talented Tina Rupp and 75 mouth watering recipes to choose from, I think this cookbook will be keeping me happy for decades to come . . . or at least until they release another book. To find out when the fabulous Baked boys will be at a Williams Sonoma near you, click here. You can purchase Baked Elements: Our Ten Favorite Ingredients online, right here.

Simple Chocolate Whiskey Tart

Candy Bar Tart

Bourbon, Vanilla, and Chocolate Milk Shake

Bardot Ice Cream Bars + Shabby Apple Giveaway

I have a well-documented weakness for pretty packaging, so these gourmet bars from a new chain called Bardot are right up my alley. Made by hand, and available in a series of stores in California, these fancy ice cream bars feature hip, modern (edible) designs embossed across their chocolate casings. The bars, which are made with fresh fruit and without any artificial colors, come in a variety of interesting flavors, like Deep Thoughts (fresh Thai mint), Ebony and Ivory (fresh mascarpone cheese + dulce de leche), and Southern Belle (key lime and graham cracker). They all sound mighty delicious! It would tough to pick just one! For the complete list of Bardot flavors and store locations, click here.

You can find info on the Shabby Apple giveaway after the jump.

Sweet Testing: Rosemary Apricot Squares

I have a confession to make. I was a little bit nervous about making these Rosemary Apricot Bars. I ate one at Baked a couple of years ago and fell in love with them, but I wasn’t sure how other people would feel. Apricot and rosemary isn’t really an obvious dessert choice. So, given my apprehension, I was pleasantly surprised when person after person (at my sister's wedding shower) came up to me to tell me how much they liked them!! Woo hoo! They really are good. With just the right amount of tang and not too much sweetness, they are the perfect bar for when you want to make a dessert that makes you feel, just a little bit, like a grown-up.

You can find the complete recipe for the Rosemary Apricot Squares after the jump. ~Erin