Fresh Ginger Cake With Caramelized Pears

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I often get asked about the name of this blog, Chocolate & Tea. The Chocolate part makes sense; this is a baking blog after all. Every other recipe seems to feature chocolate as a component. My addiction to all things dark and bittersweet is not so secret. But why Tea, I am asked. What does tea have to do with anything?
The answer to that is simple. The Tea in Chocolate & Tea represents tea time. That wonderful moment mid-afternoon when productivity lowers, the eyes grow heavy, the stomach grumbles, and a much needed break is suddenly on the menu. We want to give you ideas and suggestions to fill all of your tea times with a bit of sugar and a lot of joy.
This ginger cake with caramelized pears is the perfect tea time dessert. It feeds 6 people and is best eaten in one sitting (though I won't say no to leftovers). The fresh ginger cake has a beautiful blend of lemon, ginger, and molasses with a deep and satisfying flavor. Yet, it still manages to stay light. Served drizzled with caramel and a side of caramelized pears and you have yourself a little slice of heaven. From start to finish, this cake takes a mere 30 minutes. This dessert is truly divine.

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Pumpkin Bread Pudding with a Caramel Rum Raisin Sauce

This is my first year celebrating a Canadian Thanksgiving. At the beginning of October, the timing feels wrong, but the fall flavors feel right. Canadian Thanksgiving isn't a romantic idealism about Pilgrims and Indians breaking bread together for the first time. It's about celebrating the autumn harvest. But let's be real, no matter which country you are in, Thanksgiving is all about the food.
Today, I am thankful that this pumpkin bread pudding was not a complete disaster. My bread pudding finished cooking ten minutes before it should have, burning the top layer of bread. The first time I made the caramel, the sugar seized up about halfway through, turning it into a giant, impenetrable sugar cube of failure. I added more water to compensate which seemed wise at the time, but really just made the caramel much too runny. So, I dumped it down the drain, sat next to my charred bread pudding and sighed.
My thanksgiving party was in less than an hour and my dessert was in a sad state of affairs. But self pity wasn't going to feed anyone, so I set off to salvage what I could. I picked off the burnt layer of bread and made another batch of caramel. This time, everything came together just right. And just in time to grab it and run out the door.
At the end of the day, my drama over this bread pudding seems trivial. After an evening spent in good company, my stomach is full and my eyes are heavy. The outcome of one component of the meal was not going to make or break the evening. Thanksgiving is a time for togetherness, whether you are sharing the holiday with family you love or friends you have just met. Having moved to Montreal a month ago, being surrounded by a new family of friends is something I am truly thankful for.
And, just for the record, this bread pudding was an absolute hit. Every bite was cleanly eaten from the plates. The pudding itself is moist with a mild pumpkin flavor, but the caramel rum raisin sauce really sets this bread pudding apart. The caramel compliments the pumpkin in the bread pudding and the rum soaked raisins add just the right amount of alcoholic flair. This dessert is truly decadent. It serves well at dinner parties or Thanksgiving meals (yes, I am looking at you, fellow Americans).

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Twix Cookies

My favorite candy bar has long been the Twix. The crunchy cookie, the ooey gooey caramel, and the melt-on-your-hands-and-in-your-mouth chocolate has made itself a home in my heart. And so, when I saw these cookies for the first time, I knew I had to make them. Pronto.

The shortbread cookie is phenomenal. It has a wonderful salt/sugar combination and is just the right texture. It converted me from an "I like shortbread on occasion" to an "I love shortbread, feed me moooore" kind of girl. The shortbread could easily stand alone, but when combined with the chocolate and caramel? Let me just say you will no longer be buying Twix bars from the supermarket.

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