Dessert

A Haute Cookie in Historic Grant Park

/ Fiddle Dee Dee / Leave a comment

There are two things I simply adore and seek out when it comes to places we have lived over the years: a community that is restoring and rebuilding, and a great local food scene.

The latter is my favorite.

The Grant Park area of Atlanta (named for the city’s oldest park) is a community that has worked hard to revitalize itself after years of neglect. I remember as a little girl this wasn’t a place we visited at all, but oh how times have changed!

The Beacon at Grant Park / Oh FIddle Dee Dee

Yesterday I had the opportunity to venture out to the Grant Park neighborhood to check out a delicious “new venture”, A Haute Cookie — A Luxury Cookie Boutique, as it celebrated its grand opening.

A Haute Cookie / oh Fiddle Dee Dee

Old neighborhood full of Victorian architecture

+ local food

= the perfect afternoon out!

A Haute Cookie Luxury Cookie Boutique / Oh Fiddle Dee Dee

I say A Haute Cookie is “new”, but in reality it’s the continuation of a journey from owner Shiana White who has combined her love of fashion and homemade cookies to create a beautiful business! The idea for this grand venture began in her kitchen while having milk and cookies with her kids after a horrible breakup.

Sometimes kids inspire us with the best ideas!

From her kitchen to food truck where Shiana baked cookies and prepared ice cream sandwiches onboard, the opening of A Haute Cookie as a brick and mortar shop at the Beacon in Grant Park is the culmination of a dream come true.

Shiana White - A Haute Cookie / Oh Fiddle Dee Dee

A Haute Cookie Preview / Oh Fiddle Dee Dee

So what did I try?

More than I should have (thank goodness for a gym sesh with my trainer shortly after), but I had no regrets.

Red Velvet Oreo- Strawberry-Chocolate Chunk / Oh Fiddle Dee Dee

The first bite of cookie I tasted was the strawberry cookie. It was moist, flavorful and gone so fast that I had to get a second opinion!

Y’all strawberries were harmed in the making of this cookie and it was so good.

Strawberry Cookie - a Haute Cookie / Oh Fiddle Dee Dee

A Haute Cookie Display

So were the chocolate chunk, red velvet Oreo, simple sugar, toffee and peanut butter cookies.

Ice Cream Sandwich - A Haute Cookie / Oh Fiddle Dee Dee

As if I wasn’t on a sugar high, I indulged in an ice cream sandwich with rich vanilla ice cream sandwiched between two of Shiana’s chocolate chunk cookies.

A Haute Cookie treats / Oh Fiddle Dee Dee

I washed it down with a cookie milkshake.

Shiana utilizes the freshest quality and organic ingredients to make her creations in-house. Besides cookies you can taste frozen treats, brownie pie, and edible cookie dough in an assortment of flavors, including the delicious white chocolate, cranberry, with orange zest dough.

Edible Cookie Dough / Oh Fiddle Dee Dee

A Haute Cookie also offers vegan and gluten-free varieties as well.

You can also have A Haute Cookie host your birthday party, a girl’s night out and classes in their private kitchen. Each participant leaves class with a box of cookies and a spatula.

Shiana plans to continue running her food truck for festivals, parties and weddings, but head out to her new shop and show some love!

You can find A Haute Cookie at

The Beacon Atlanta; 1039 Grant Street, Suite B17.

Parking is free.

A Haute Cookie

Deep Dish Apple Crisp

/ Fiddle Dee Dee / 2 Comments

Between picking apples with Audley as well as a trip back home for a visit with my Momma to one of our favorite orchards, we have a house full of apples right now! We have Granny Smith, Rome Beauty, Macintosh, yellow and red Delicious… so many flavors, which means there are so many ways to use them!

And Audley has been enjoying the many ways I’ve found to use all of nature’s bounty in baskets and on our kitchen table and on our cabinets….

Besides snacking on them, my oatmeal has been quite tasty the last several days as they make a yummy add-in. I also made some fabulous apple jelly and put up a few for later use.

Deep Dish Apple Crisp / Fiddle Dee Dee Blog

By far the absolute best way I’ve used the apples was in the apple crisp I whipped up for us to enjoy last weekend!

Y’all, it was absolutely delicious.

It was also so unhealthy.

But, It was so delicious!

What made this even better was mixing the different types of apples and their unique flavors to create a symphony in your mouth!  Combining the juicy tart flavor of a Granny Smith apple with a sweeter Rome Beauty is just the beginning of flavor.  Audley really loved the mixture of flavor.

It was THAT noticeable.

Deep Dish Apple Crisp

Making an apple crisp may seem difficult, but honestly, while it takes several steps, it is so easy to create.  Everyone will love you for it, and the unexpected ingredients raise this crisp far above any other you will taste! This recipe has the traditional ingredients of an apple crisp as well; oats, flour, vanilla, apple pie spice, etc… but the filling is really special. I mean who combines butter and heavy cream into the filling of their apple crisp?

I did, and it is over the top scrumptious!

And guess what?

The topping has butter in it as well.

Deep Dish Apple Crisp in Lodge pan

Whether you pick your own apples or buy them at the grocery store; mixed a variety of apple flavors or just stick to one, this apple crisp is perfect for your next potluck, family dinner, or to sit and eat in the corner, keeping it all to yourself!  If you show up to Thanksgiving dinner with this dessert you will be the family hero.

Apple Crisp / Fiddle Dee Dee

Y’all, I promise, it is that good!

You can find the full, printable recipe by clicking  Deep Dish Apple Crisp.

Bite of Apple Crisp / Fiddle Dee Dee

If you want to elevate the unhealthiness deliciousness of this recipe, Serve it warm topped with vanilla ice cream or homemade whipped cream.

Autumn Deep Dish Apple Crisp From Fiddle Dee Dee

After serving this, if you don’t hear from your husband for a while, he is probably passed out on the couch with football playing in the background in a dessert coma.

Take this moment to change the channel to Hallmark, savor your own dish of Apple Crisp, and enjoy the peace and quite.

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Jess Creativ Treasures

/ Fiddle Dee Dee / 2 Comments

Cakes and cupcakes are all the rage at any given celebration we host since I love playing with icing and swirls and sprinkles, but this summer I put down the piping bag filled with buttercream to allow the work of my talented girlfriend, Jess, take the stage!

When we were celebrating Bradley prior to his leaving for Boot Camp, I was looking for something different and fun to add to the day.  I mean we all love sweets, but sometimes buttercream is just too much and not everyone is a fan of fondant.  While brainstorming ideas, I happened to catch a post from Jess in my social media and it clicked…

Cookies!

We needed gorgeous, fun, colorful and themed cookies for the perfect addition to our party!

I have long admired Jess’s handiwork…. Y’all, she is so talented! Decorative cookies take a A LOT of patience and quite a bit of time; each one is a work of art. These aren’t your everyday cookies from the Publix bakery, no, these are special and made with care. From baby showers to my US Marine, Jess does a wonderful job making sure your cookies are not only delicious but the perfect centerpiece for your dessert buffet!

I can assure you these cookies are fantastic and delicious as they were completely wiped out in a matter of minutes!

And if these beautiful & intricately decorated USMC cookies don’t convince you cookies are the perfect decorative dessert, check out a few more of Jess’s fabulous treats!

If you’re interested in cookies for your next event, Jess will meet you in metro Atlanta, but she has shipped before as well! Check out her Facebook page … Jess Creative Treasures … for more information or to order cookies for your next event!!

Velvety White Chocolate Cake

/ Fiddle Dee Dee / Leave a comment

Despite all the baking going on in the house this summer I’ve actually lost 10 pounds and several inches since Bradley left for boot camp last month. The patriotic cupcakes shared earlier this week were delivered to the local police department so that they didn’t stay in the house after Audley, Madeline and my niece ate a couple.  But, when you whip up something like this cake we carried to South Carolina as we visited two of our kiddos over the weekend, it’s really hard to say “no” to sweets!

WhiteChocolate Cake

 

Making a cake from scratch is not that difficult. A little more time consuming maybe, but really not as hard as people would have you think. My problem with taking the time to bake is there are actually people out there who will complain about the dense layers of homemade flavor, and say they prefer a box mix!

Really?!

You have got to be kidding me!

Nonetheless, I will continue to scratch bake when time allows, and if someone doesn’t like it, it’s their loss. They should probably have their taste buds checked and shop the outer rims of the grocery stores for real food more often!

Velvety White Chocolate Cake

For my white chocolate cake you need a good quality cake flour (I love King Arthur’s brand), sugar, baking powder & salt for your dry ingredients. For your wet ingredients you will need egg whites ( separate your own, don’t use prepackaged liquid eggs), vanilla; grass-fed, fat-filled, real butter, and whole milk. You will also need 8 ounces of quality white chocolate …. I prefer Ghirardelli brand.

Scratch Cake Ingredients

The better quality products you use, the better tasting your cake will be!

You also want to have a flour sifter on hand to use when measuring your flour. You will be able to tell a difference in the density of your cake if you do (or don’t) sift the flour.

If you’ve never used one, it’s not difficult; promise! You just place flour into the gadget and shake or sift into a measuring bowl the amount your recipe calls for.

You’ll also need two bowls (one for wet ingredients; one for dry), measuring spoons and of course a mixer. You will need a bowl to melt your white chocolate in as well.

Prepare to 8-inch cake pans by spraying with Bakers Joy or another cake release product and preheat your oven to 350°.

White Velvet cake

After you have baked your layers, allow them to cool on a cooling rack,  The edges may be crispy (my favorite part to eat), but carefully level each layer with a cake leveler.  You can find a good one at Hobby Lobby for under $10.  Its worth keeping on hand if you like to bake.

The cream cheese icing recipe I shared earlier this week would be perfect to frost this cake, but since this cake was traveling I used a decorators buttercream that would hold.  Click here for the full and printable Velvety White Chocolate Cake recipe and here for the Cream Cheese Icing recipe.

 

White Chocolate Cake with Sprinkles

An easy way to decorate your cake would be to add a colorful holiday sprinkle mix over the top.  Fresh summer berries would also be a delightful addition!  Strawberries especially compliment the flavor of a white chocolate cake!

Sliced White Chocolate Cake

 So tell me, which do you prefer… A box cake or a fresh baked scratch cake?

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