This is Heaven Scent’s Chocolate Raspberry Ganache Torte which features raspberry marmalade you will soon be able to purchase right here !! I am adding a store to this page where you will be able to buy some of my favorite ingredients..I am already selling Haitian Vanilla on e bay & I will provide a link to it for you here in the next few days..Stay Tuned !!

For a very special customer I decided to “put on the Ritz” & take this White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake from sublime to something worthy of any Ritz Carlton Hotel..

This morming on my usual lengthy jaunt around & through my neighborhood I came across the top of a ridge that was frost covered as far as the eye could see. .It was beautiful & evoked a sense of calm,  peaceful, bliss that permeated my very soul.
And I crave those moments because I need them..By my very nature I am driven, intense, laser focused individual & I  possess the energy of a top fuel dragster..So I cherish those moments that bring some equilibrium to my days..That warm my heart, stir my soul. & fill me with contentment. .I have found it daily on my cold, moist, brisk walks communing with nature & my Creator..    Moral of the story ?? Wherever you find your own peace, bliss, contentment,  joy, & moments to cherish…..Do that…Often..

I have come to savor a homemade biscotti daily with my morning espresso..I can’t imagine a day without one of these crunchy delightful tender morsels..You can alter the nuts as you please, they are very good with toasted pecans & vanilla…Or hazelnuts and cinnamon…You get the picture..

They are very easy to make and taste far superior to any you could purchase at a store..They are delicate, similar to a pecan sandy cookie so dunking is for a mere 3 seconds or so..Too long & you will find them at the bottom of your cup !! If you leave these cookies out for Santa you may receive twice the gifts even he had intended..See links to an affiliated area to purchase items for this recipe  & have them shipped to your door..

Tray of Blood Orange Biscotti fresh from the oven !!

Steam your espresso or favorite cup of joe & dunk to your hearts content

Blood Orange Almond Biscotti

• 1/2 cup butter ( room temperature )
• 1 cup of granulated sugar ( I use organic)
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tsp. blood orange zest
• 1 tsp. almond extract
• 1 3/4 cups of unbleached all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 2 cups of slivered or whole almonds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1. Cream butter and sugar until light & fluffy; add extract
2. Add eggs 1 at a time
3. stir in dry ingredients

Dough will be soft, on a floured work area gently roll into a log & cut into three equal pieces..roll each back into a log and flatten slightly..Bake for 30 minutes, allow to cool for 10 minutes or until you can handle cookie logs..Then using bread or serrated knife cut into 1/2″ to 3/4″ slices..Lay on baking sheet & bake @ 300 degrees for 10 minutes, then turn & bake for 10 minutes more on the other side..Let cool & store in cookie tin or desired container for up to three weeks..I would wager a bet they won’t last that long !!

unbleached all purpose flour

kitchen aid mixer-

half sheet pans-

half sheet pan silicon mat-

cooling rack-

blood oranges-

slivered almonds-

almond extract-

Do what you Love, they said…The money will follow you if you do what you’re passionate about, they said….                  My business was booming in another city I lived in, where I first opened Heaven Scent Cheesecake and Spice Mix Company..Then I decided it was time to move back to Athens, Ohio where my Dad was & he wasn’t doing well and he needed my help..I was already coming down to help him 1-2 times a week, but the 114 mile round trip was stressful, to say the least..So I packed up and headed this way..I assumed my business would not only continue to do well, but actually increase dramatically..It was, after all, my hometown, where I grew up & knew lots of people and where all the local restaurants were..No brainer, right ??

Well 2 months later in January, 2015 I paid all my bills & had the grand total of $15 left in my business checking account..It was brutal..I had two orders that month…That’s it..I could see where some people would call it quits and close the doors..I spent a few sleepless nights, pondered all my options & felt the good Lord directing me to stand in the fire, so to speak..I did..Giving up, admitting defeat, etc..doesn’t really exist in my vocabulary..And I’m a gambler by nature who is not afraid to put it all on the table for calculated risks..So for me there wasn’t really any other option..I decided to add cakes to my repertoire to complement the cheesecake line & give my customers more choices..Threw a bunch of money into marketing and advertising, got more professional with my business cards and hit the local restaurant scene to drum up accounts..

It worked, slowly at first, but each month topped the sales from the previous month & this last month (November 2015) was the best month I had all year..December is already shaping up to beat the pants off November..You see, there is much wisdom in the “Doing what you Love-the money will follow” philosophy..I Love Baking & Pastries..It truly is my calling, my gift to you (& to me !!) Baking brings me great pleasure and satisfaction, a sense of accomplishment, joy and heart felt contentment..So glad & grateful I “pushed all my chips to the middle of the table” on an ALL IN bet for my future..Looks like Heaven Scent will be around until I retire to Nicaragua many moons from now..As I promised my Grandson I’d be by his side for at least 18 years of his life, just as I did his Mother..I really enjoy the blogging too, sharing recipes and techniques with all of you & I have some big plans for future blogs too. I am contemplating doing dessert  videos in addition to the blogs.Stick around, never a dull moment..!! Thanks for your support, couldn’t do it without everyone’s  love & loyalty…            I attempt to share my passion for desserts with my customers in my cheesecake, tortes, cookies and pastries through my decorations and in the flavor(s) too..That’s why on the HS logo banner it says- “Give me Flavor or give me death.”..Around here, we take our flavoring VERY seriously..Lol..Peace and Blessings..

This is the promised Christmas cookie blog using only two doughs I am going to show you many variations that make it appear you’ve baked for days..These cookies are an incredible blast of orange crispy crunchy cookie permeated with warm raspberry wrapped in white chocolate.Included is the flooding and damming technique, piping borders over a simple glitter design, using complex flavors & a  piping of words over a flooded cookie..If you want the items I use to make these cookies see below links..

It was hard to make a Christmas cookie blog because the very definition “Christmas Cookie” doesn’t really exist..Oh, there are as many opinions of what it means as there are individuals  who espouse them..There are traditionalists, such as: gotta be a tree, angel, star, green, red,candy cane, etc..Or the more liberal belief of it’s a Christmas cookie if it’s on a Christmas platter or simply served @ Christmas time…I tried to mix it up to reflect both with the shapes and colors, but also two orange shortbread cookies sandwiched with raspberry marmalade & coated in a white chocolate glaze..Is it a Christmas cookie ?? That’s up to you..I can tell you one thing for sure..They are light, delicious & melt in your mouth…

Orange shortbread cookie with white chocolate glaze & crushed peppermint Ande’s

Two orange shortbread cookies sandwiched with raspberry marmalade & dipped in white chocolate glaze

Sugar cookies with several different techniques applied: flooding & damming, piping borders over simple glitter and piping words over a flooded surface

Orange Shortbread Cookies

• 1/2 pound butter (at room temperature)
• 5 ounces granulated sugar
• 2 tsp. orange extract
• 1 tsp. orange brandy
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt

1. Cream butter and sugar till light & fluffy about 5 minutes
2. Add extract & brandy, scrape bowl
3. Add flour & salt in 3 additions and mix 1 minute till smooth..
4. Chill dough 1 1/2 hrs or preferably overnight..
5. Roll out between two sheets of plastic & cut desired shapes approx. a 1/4 inch thickness
6. Bake @ 350 for 7-8 minutes until lightly browned ..cool before decorating

White Chocolate Glaze

• 12 ounces white chocolate
• 6 ounces butter
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. shortening

1. Add all to bowl & very gently simmer whisk occasionally until smooth
2. ***Do not boil or get too hot or glaze will separate !!

Royal Icing

• 1 egg white
• 1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• 1/8 tsp. salt

Add all to bowl & mix with whisk till smooth..At this stage it is ready for damming (piping of borders to contain flooded thinner icing)..To flood add tiny drops of water until it begins to flow..Make sure you dry dammed borders for at least 15 minutes before flooding in..

White Chocolate Glazed Orange Raspberry Shortbread Sandwiched Cookie

Take two shortbreads and add light amount of raspberry marmalade & then dip quickly in the warm white chocolate glaze

White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

Take 1 shortbread & dip quickly in white chocolate glaze & add peppermint Ande’s to top..Place on rack to set cookie glaze

Glitter Cookies

Take a baked cookie and spread your own icing or use royal icing recipe provided to cover top of cookie..Dust top with gold glitter: set aside to dry briefly, approx. 10 minutes..When dry- pipe a border on outside edge..

Damming & Flooding Cookies

Pipe Royal Icing on outside edge..Allow to dry 15 minutes or more..Add a few drops of water to desired consistency & flood in with piping bag..Allow to dry several hours or overnight..

To write on cookies dam & flood & allow to dry overnight before piping words onto surface..

If you have any questions please feel free to send me an e mail @ bfd4373@gmail.com..

white chocolate-

orange extract-

raspberry marmalade-

powdered sugar-

unbleached all purpose flour-

disposable pastry bags-

pastry tip kit-

americolor gel colors-

kitchen aid mixer-

half sheet pans-

half sheet pan silicon mat-

cooling rack-

The last couple of days things have been trying to frustrate me, to defeat me if you will…I don’t allow negative thoughts to fester. .I rip them out immediately & press on. .This morning it was getting a rip snorting fire going because I  craved heat & light @ my 4 AM arise & shine time..But the insolent fire would not cooperate. .Every time I had it going good if I took my eyes off it for a few, it died out..Did I give up after 5 tries ? Nope..As I sit in front of this gloriously warm & toasty fire…I feel victory..So I rewarded myself by piping peanut butter icing on top of my oatmeal with fresh bananas..Man is that good..!! Always remember;  it’s our thoughts that shape our lives..So be the gate keeper who pulls up the negative thoughts, overcomes them & therefore sees & experiences Victory.. It’s yours for the taking. ..

Next blog should be out Tuesday December 1st…Yes, it’s December already…It will be focusing on some more Christmas cookies you can make & bake for office parties or Family or hey, just to munch on..Baking Christmas cookies (& LOTS of them was a big Family tradition before Mom died) reminds me of her, so if you see a twinkle in my eye while filming you can bet I am thinking of her…

This is Heaven Scent’s version of the classic Opera Torte served at our Thanksgiving Dinner Celebration…The funny part is I had not made this cake for a long time, so when the yield said 3 I figured it meant three cakes..I cut it in half & ended up with a cake I could only cut into two layers making it too short for my intended purpose..So, raised to find the silver lining in every cloud I decided to rearrange the torte & add a coffee bavarian to fix the height problem..This was an epiphany because the outcome was very tasty and very popular…Opera torte is composed of walnut cake layers with the bottom layer brushed with chocolate, then coffee syrup, ganache, coffee bavarian creme, another cake layer, more ganache & finish iced with mocha buttercream..

Thanksgiving feast was a success..My Grandson was more partial to the opera torte than the creme brulee..In fact, once he saw  it he was quite determined to have it before any other food.. The turkey prep was very simple; took out the turkey breast, rubbed with olive oil, chopped up some fresh sage from the garden, liberally sprinkled pickling spice on it & added some salt & pepper..Then I wrapped it in parchment paper & rolled up in foil..It was very moist & juicy..The last step was adding all the meat juices to the veloute to give it ” some vim & vigor”..the opera torte has an interesting story with it also. ..I will post later with professionally shot photos once my coffee kicks in..lol