Bread enthusiast. Vegetable lover. Omnivore. If the kitchen is your happy place, you're in good company. Let's hang.
Muffin Tin Focaccia + A Holiday Party Trick + The 3 Cakes I Rely On + Christmas Menu 2025
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Friends, hello! Today I have three things to share with you: muffin tin focaccia, a holiday party trick, and the three cakes I rely on during the holiday season. First: focaccia. Recently I've been asked multiple times if the focaccia could be made into mini loaves by using a muffin tin. I had my doubts, worrying the focaccia would be too squished in those little wells, so decided to give it a go to confirm. I made the dough Thursday and stuck it in the fridge. Yesterday afternoon, I removed it, deflated it, and portioned it using two forks, plopping the little pieces of dough into a buttered and oiled muffin tin as I did. After 45 minutes, when the dough had puffed considerably, I dimpled the mini focaccia, sprinkled with sea salt, rosemary, and more olive oil, then baked them. Friends! They were so good. And disappeared very quickly from the kitchen yesterday afternoon as kids passed in and out. I would 100% make them again, especially on a chilly, soup-demanding evening. In the lower righthand corner of the top photo, you can see a mini loaf I made using the excess dough, which I baked in a crème brulée dish — that was a fun shape, too! There is not much to know more than what I've shared above, but I've added notes below the recipe if you'd like a little more guidance.
PS: 3-Ingredient Sugared Cranberries: to drop into bubbly, to scatter over pies, to adorn your cheeseboards...
I discovered these sugared cranberries two years ago when I made them on a whim for an event at The Vischer Ferry General Store. Last year I added the recipe to the blog, because they are so festive for holiday entertaining — people love them.
Christmas Menu 2025
It’s here! The season of cinnamon buns and snow scones, egg bakes and breakfast cake, shortbread and rum balls, ham and mustard sauce, glogg and tangerine spritzes. I’ve included all of my favorite Christmas Eve, Morning, and Dinner recipes here:
PS: If you're making a ham, don't forget to order it! In Case You Missed It Favorite Christmas Cookies
Three Favorite Holiday CakesIn last week's newsletter, I shared 12 of my favorite holiday cookies. And while some of them are very simple, if you've spent any time making cookies yet this holiday season, you know they are the ultimate time drain. Making a cake feels like a walk in the park in comparison. Here are three that never fail to receive anything but rave reviews. Orange-Ricotta Pound Cake: One bowl! Stays moist for days! Utterly delicious.
Chez Panisse Almond Torte: Made in the food processor! Also stays moist for days!
Orange and Olive Oil Cake: Whisked by hand! Gets better by the day!
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PS: ALL the popular recipes right here → Popular Recipes Thank YouThank you to all who have ordered Pizza Night. If you haven't left a review yet, I would be so grateful if you did! 🙏🙏🍕🍕🥗🥗
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PS: All previous editions of this newsletter can be found here. |
Hi. I'm Ali.
Bread enthusiast. Vegetable lover. Omnivore. If the kitchen is your happy place, you're in good company. Let's hang.
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