Apple Cinnamon Bomboloni @ Bomboloni (187 Columbus Avenue)

Just like the title of my blog, I’m reviewing the good, the bad and the batter of New York City’s bakeries!  Its a dauntingly delicious job, but some gal has to do it, and I am so glad it’s me (my waistline isn’t, however)!  Here are a few of the latest and greatest reviews:

Bomboloni (187 Columbus Ave): the best thing to happen to donuts since powdered sugar

Sweet Revengy NYC (62 Carmine St): the best of both worlds?

If you think these articles are tasty, subscribe to receive my NY bakery reviews via the “Subscribe” button located at the top of the articles. 

The inspiration came from all of the holiday parties we’ve been attending.  My husband’s been hitting the “nog” pretty hard since the day after Thanksgiving.  So, when requested to make an eggnog custard for Christmas and a cheesecake by my father-in-law, I decided to put the two together!  Oh, and what a perfect pair they are!

I love the looks of this cheesecake so much, I think it will become a new decadent holiday tradition for our family!  If you’d like to add it to your repertoire for the holidays here is the recipe: (note: the baking time may vary a bit based on your oven)

Eggnog Cheesecake

Crust Ingredients:

1 cup gingersnaps

1/2 cup sesame cookies (if you have them, if not just use the gingersnaps)

2 Tbs of white granulated sugar

3 Tbs of unsalted butter

Step 1:  Preheat the oven to 325 degrees

Step 2:  In a food processor or medium bowl combine gingersnaps (and sesame cookies), granulated sugar, and melted butter. Process until all the cookies are completely crushed into crumbs.  Press into the bottom of a 9″ spring form pan.  K.I.S.S. Tip:  Use a juice glass to press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan evenly.

Step 3:  Bake for 10 minutes. Place on a wire rack to cool completely.

Cheesecake Ingredients:

3 (8oz) packages of cream cheese

1 cup white granulated sugar

3 Tbs all-purpose flour

3/4 fluid cup eggnog

2 large eggs

1 Tbs spiced rum

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp cloves

1/8 tsp salt

Step 1:  Preheat oven to 425 degrees

Step 2:  In a food processor combine softened cream cheese, sugar, flour and spices; process until completely smooth

Step 3:  Blend in eggnog, eggs, rum and vanilla until combined

Step 4:  Pour batter onto the crust and bake for 10 minutes.

Step 5: Turn oven down to 250 degrees, turn the spring form pan 180 degrees and bake for 25 minutes

Step 6: Turn another 180 degrees and bake for another 25 minutes

Step 7: Cool on a wire rack and use a pairing knife to loosen the edge of the cake while cooling. Let cake cool before removing the rim

Serves approximately 16 slices- enjoy with the whole family!

Happy Holidays from Treet!

Sweetery NYC bring whoopie pies to NYC streets

I’m thrilled to annouce that this very verbal baker has been selected as a NY Bakery Examiner for Examiner.com! My first order of journalism business: Whoopie on the streets of New York City .  Enjoy and let me know what you think!

Up next for this NY Bakery Examiner:  The best holiday cookies in New York

1) Read “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho

2) Watch Stewart Smalley skits from SNL – noted “I am good enough and gosh darn-it- people like me!” line

3) Read old notes passed from best friend in high school with motivational quotes (back then written for bad break-ups), “When life gives you dirt, vacuum!”

4) Watch motivating movies: “Cinderella Story”, “Shrek” (1 through 3), “Beauty and the Beast” (this is not motivating but I like Disney cartoons), and in the spirit of the season “Elf” and “The Christmas Story”

5) I bake!  I bake recipes I love from my very beginings as a baker like cheesecake, carrot cake, pumpkin whoopie pies, red velvet cake, macaroons, etc.  Then I share what I’ve baked up with my NYC pals.  There is nothing like a smiling face after biting into something you’ve baked up to make you “think you can”!

So, Treet meet New York, New York meet Treet.  I know we’ll be the best of friends!

It has truly been a treat to provide you with sweets over the past year!  Thank you for welcoming our baked goods into your businesses, special occasions and homes.  It is with a very heavy heart that this very grateful baker must say good-bye for now.  Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances and the unexpected doubling of our kitchen rent, we must pack up our mixers, box up our “treets” and wave our farmers, friends, and customers farewell. 

Your favorite Treet baked goods will be available for delivery until October 31^st.  The last day to order online at www.treetshop.com or via phone at 202-997-3057, will be Thursday, October 28^th (before 4pm).  After the 31^st, you may still be able to temporarily enjoy some “treets” around town at shops that currently carry Treet’s products until mid-November.

We are moving to the Big Apple to see if we can make it – please wish us luck, continue with your support, tell your New York family, friends and contacts about us, and look us up the next time you are in the New York area – we’d love a DC visit!

Thank you for your support and we hope our “sweet tooth’s” will cross paths again in the future!

Sweet Regards,

Theresa Pinelli

Chief Sweetness Officer

www.TreetShop.com

Recently, the Treet family had the pleasure of traveling through parts of Italy and Greece- wait did I say traveling?  I meant, recently the Treet family had the pleasure of eating our way through parts of Italy and Greece!  Honestly, the complexity of the local honey alone is worth a trip! Then when this honey is caramelized over roasted peanuts and then rolled in toasted sesame seeds it makes it very tempting to just drop everything and move to Santorini!  I wish more of our delicious sweet bounty had made it back to the states with us, but an 8 hour plane ride is a long time to go with out a Mediterranean snack fix!  I think my favorite part of the trip was stopping in a Corfu pastry shop (pictured).  It looked like Willy Wonka had just dropped off some supplies!  From mini handmade ice cream bars to sandwich cookies that resembled our very own whoopie pies, everything was as delightful to the belly as it was on the eyes! If you are a sweetie (dessert version of foodie), I highly recommend visiting the Greek isles and Italy- from hand-picked red pistachios to baklava- it’s a tasty adventure! Yumm..until we meet again, Ciao!

Corfu's Version of Willy Wonka

The inspiration:  Once upon a time this little baker was in the corporate world, and loved nothing more than sipping “Arnie P’s” (aka lemonade and iced tea) while taking a 3pm coffee (or in my case, tea) break.  The tangy and tart flavor of the tea and lemonade is so refreshing and makes me feel like I’m really stirring up my typical tea drinking for the day.  So, why not combine the best things about the beverage into a baked good?  I just wasn’t sure my customers would go for it, so I put it to a vote and wahh-laa, the crowds chose Arnie P!

The outcome:  I took lemons, but instead of making lemonade I made curd (btw- why is that word so terrible sounding when the product taste so good).  The tart curd is swirled into the center of a moist and light vanilla cake.  This sweet duo is then topped with a perfect-matcha (haha- get it?) green tea buttercream.  This mini cupcake is the best of both worlds and I think a sweeter way to look at an old cliche ” When life gives you lemons, make Arnie P’s!”

A bite of summer- Arnie P

Meet Nut N' Better!

Oh Whitney Houston!  Why did you let Bobby Brown get your voice in the divorce? Sigh…

Onwards and sweetwards!  Our oldie but goodie, Treet Formerly Known as a Brownie + PB has a new name:  Nut N’ Better!  Thanks to our customer Kaoru for winning or ”Name That Brownie” poll- now our PB  brownie has a tasty new name that really does it justice!  Hooray for Nut N’ Better! 

Click here to view the embedded video.