For the cake:
½ cup butter, softened
1 ½ cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 ½ cups flour
½ cup cocoa powder
1 tsp salt
1 baking powder
1 cup milk
For the filling:
12-15 large marshmallows
½ cup butter
1¾ cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
For the ganache:
1 12 oz. bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 tbsp butter
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine butter and sugar in an electric mixer and mix on low until creamy. Add vanilla and eggs. Sift flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder together in a separate bowl. Slowly alternate adding flour mixture and milk. Do not over mix. Coat two eight-inch round pans with baking spray and evenly spread batter into pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Allow to cool.
While cakes are cooling, make the filling. Melt marshmallows. As soon as the marshmallows have melted refrigerate. Whip butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla in a mixer until light and fluffy. Add cooled marshmallows and whip until the filling is smooth and creamy.
Spread filling in between the cakes, reserving a small portion for the design on the top of the cake. Melt semi-sweet chocolate chips and butter on medium-low heat. Once a silky ganache has formed, pour over cake. Allow the ganache to set. Pipe a squiggly line of the filling on the top of the Ding Dong cake.
Corned Beef Hash
Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 bag frozen diced potatoes
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp white pepper
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
8 slices of corned beef (sliced thin for sandwiches) diced into small 1 inch strips
8 eggs
1 cup shredded Irish cheddar cheese
Directions:
Heat olive oil in a large frying pan and add the chopped onions and garlic. Cook until soft and translucent. Add frozen potatoes and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add Worcestershire sauce, pepper, salt, and fresh parsley. Mix in corned beef. Crack eggs over the top, cover with lid, and turn heat to low. Cook until eggs are poached (10-12 minutes). Serve hot with fresh grated Irish cheddar.
Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Ingredients:
¼ cup butter
⅔ cup brown sugar
6 slices pineapple in juice (drained)
6 maraschino cherries (no stems)
¼ cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 ¼ cups flour
1 baking powder
1 tsp salt
¾ cup buttermilk
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Once oven has come to temp, place ¼ cup of butter in a square glass pan and bake for 3 to 5 minutes, or until butter is completely melted. Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle the brown sugar onto the butter. Carefully place pineapple slices on the butter and brown sugar, setting a cherry into the center of each slice.
Add butter and sugar in an electric mixer, cream together. Add egg, vanilla, flour, baking powder, salt, and buttermilk and mix until a batter forms. Pour the batter over the pineapple slices. Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until the cake is golden brown. Once the cake has been removed from the oven, place a serving plate upside down and turn the pan over. Let the brown sugar mixture drizzle over the cake for a minute, then remove pan and serve warm.
Deep Dish BBQ Chicken Pizza
Ingredients:
For the crust:
1 package quick rise yeast
½ tsp sugar
1 cup warm water
3–3 ½ cups flour
For the topping:
1 jar BBQ sauce
2 chicken breasts (cooked and shredded)
1 red onion (chopped)
1 large bunch cilantro (chopped)
2 cups pizza blend cheese (mozzarella and cheddar)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Add yeast, sugar, and warm water in a mixing bowl. Stir, and allow to rise for 5 to 10 minutes or until yeast begins to bubble. Using a dough hook, slowly combine flour (1 cup at a time) and yeast in an electric mixer and combine until a ball begins to form. Once dough is fully formed, cover with a towel and set aside for 1 hour. Dough should double in size. Divide into two equal parts and press into cast iron skillets. Top with BBQ sauce, shredded chicken, chopped red onions, cilantro, and cheese. Bake at 425 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes.
Banana Bundt Cake
Ingredients:
½ cup butter
1 ½ cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla
3 ripe bananas
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
½ cup milk
2 cups flour
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine butter and sugar in an electric mixer, beat on medium speed until fluffy. Add eggs, lemon juice, vanilla, and bananas. Mix well, then add dry ingredients. Coat a Bundt pan with baking spray, making sure to fill in every crack and crevasse. Pour batter into Bundt pan and bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes or until the cake is golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from the oven. Allow to cool for 5 minutes. Then place a plate on top of the Bundt pan and flip the pan over. Dust with powdered sugar or serve with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream.
Pistachio Rose Latte
Andy and Sequoia teamed up for this decadent latte with lovely floral notes and a nutty finish. It’s like a taste of blooming spring roses in coffee form.
Ingredients:
2 shots of good quality espresso
1 cup milk
2 tsp pistachio syrup
1 tsp rose syrup
Pistachio shavings
Directions:
Prepare espresso and steam milk. Mix pistachio and rose extracts in the bottom of your favorite coffee mug. Add steamed milk and stir. Pour over espresso. Top with pistachio shavings.
Read on for an excerpt from
CHILLED TO THE CONE
— the next Bakeshop Mystery from Ellie Alexander, available soon from St. Martin’s Paperbacks!
They say that every new beginning starts with a single step. As of late, it felt like my steps were taking me in opposing directions. Fortunately, our little corner of Southern Oregon wasn’t too large. Ashland is nestled in the Siskiyou Mountains just north of California giving us long, glorious stretches of sun, stunning vistas, and an abundance of fresh pine-scented air. Not only are we tucked between deciduous forests and gently rolling golden hills, but we are also home to the world-renowned Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Throughout the year tourists came from near and far to take in a production of The Tempest in the Elizabethan, beneath a ceiling of stars, or experience an intimate performance of new works by innovative playwrights in one of the many theaters on the OSF campus.
When I had returned to my childhood home a while ago I hadn’t been sure what to expect. I had thought my stop might be temporary, but Ashland captured me under her spell. I knew now that this was where I was meant to be. It was an exciting time to have a renewed appreciation for the place I had grown up. Maybe that was the gift of leaving. Distance and time away from my beloved hometown had made me want to embrace and experience all that the the Rogue Valley had to offer. Thus far, I had barely scratched the surface. Ashland is known as the spot where the palms meet the pines. Leafy palms give rise to a conifer canopy of Ponderosa pines, cedars, and white firs. Our temperate climate and fertile, organic valleys are ideal for growing pears, fruits, herbs, and grapes. Vineyards dot the hillsides throughout the region along with alpine lakes, pristine rivers, and hiking trails so rem
ote that you can disappear into the forest and meander for hours without seeing another soul, except for the occasional black bear that might amble past.
From the healing Lithia waters to the wild deer that nibbled on lush green lawns to the constant bustle of activity on the plaza and the bevy of friends and family who had welcomed me in, I could finally declare with confidence that nothing could ever make me want to leave again.
That was especially true with Torte’s latest endeavor. Our family bakeshop had been expanding. It happened organically. First, we learned that the basement space beneath the cozy bakeshop my parents opened thirty years ago had become available. Mom and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity so we secured some grant money and city loans to break through the floor and build our dream kitchen, complete with a wood-burning pizza oven, state of the art kitchen, and cozy seating area in the basement. The renovations meant that we had been able to expand our offerings with a kitchen twice the size as well as additional seating in the basement and a new and improved coffee bar and pastry counter upstairs.
My next venture had been a total surprise. My estranged husband, Carlos, at the urging of my best friend, Lance, had made us partners in Uva, a boutique winery just outside of town. I left Carlos on the ship where we had both worked, after I learned that he had a son, Ramiro he had never told me about. In hindsight, it might have been a rash decision, but leaving Carlos meant that I had returned home to Ashland, a decision I didn’t regret.
The bakeshop and winery should have been enough. I had plenty on my plate with managing Torte, growing our staff, and trying to figure out what to do with Uva. However, the universe had other plans for me. Sterling, my young sous chef, had been experimenting with a line of concretes—rich, custard-like ice creams with decadent and unique flavor combinations like lemon rosemary, dark chocolate toffee, pear and blue cheese, and strawberry balsamic with toasted pecans. We had added a small cold case during the remodel to house our daily concrete offerings. They had become so popular that on busy days we sold out by early afternoon no matter the season.
In a twist of fate, my friend Laney Lee had called to inform me that a seasonal space in Ashland’s up-and-coming Railroad District was available for lease. Laney owned a Hawaiian street food cart, Nana’s. We had become fast friends after I had tried her passion fruit lemonade one hot afternoon last summer. She had been keeping her eye on the outdoor space adjacent to where she parked her cart on summer days. The lot in question was attached to a ground floor yoga studio with an apartment above. It had been used as a walk-up coffee kiosk, but the owner of the coffee shop had jumped ship and moved to Paris, leaving the space unexpectedly vacant. Laney had initially hoped that the garden with its sweet outdoor counter and small covered area with a fridge, cooler, and sink might serve as a permanent location for her food cart. Alas, it wasn’t meant to be. The city wouldn’t approve any upgrades for the site. Laney needed a stove and oven to make her delicious fusion Kaluha pork tacos and sweet and sugary Malasadas.
She had called me a few days ago with the news that the seasonal space was about to go on the market. “Jules, you have to come take a look at this place. It’s perfect for Torte Two.”
“Torte Two?”
“Yeah, think about it. It’s a perfect opportunity to expand. You could do walk-up coffee, even bring pastries over from the bakeshop. This area gets great summer traffic. With exorbitant rent prices on the plaza I think we’re going to see a lot more action here in the Railroad District.”
“That’s so nice of you to think of us, Laney,” I had said. “But we just finished a major expansion. I’m not sure a second location is in the cards right now.”
“Come take a look at the space,” Laney had pleaded. “I’ve had my truck here for ten years and I want to be neighbors with something complimentary like Torte—you would draw customers into the area with your name recognition alone. That would be great for you and for all of us trying to build a new shopping destination. I don’t want to see a big investor or corporate coffee take over. There are rumors swirling that a huge national chain is considering doing a build out. They want to tear down the garden and turn the lot into a mega industrial coffee shop. We can’t let that happen. If you are even a little interested, I can put you in touch with Addie. She owns the property and I know she’d give you a deal. Plus, the space is only open from May until September. It would be a great way for Torte to hit a new market and it’s really low risk.”
I had hesitated on the call. “I don’t know, Laney. We’re already short staffed. I’m not sure we can take on another project, even if it is seasonal.”
“Opportunities like this don’t pop up often in Ashland, Jules.” Laney was nothing if not persistent. “You know that. Come by later this week. I’ll show you around and introduce you to Addie. She’s young and ambitious. Her yoga classes have attracted a lot of new faces to the Railroad District. She likes the idea of keeping the space a walk-up restaurant. No pressure, I promise.”
Laney had been convincing. I agreed to stop by and take a look—more than anything to get off the phone, which is how I found myself making the short half mile walk from Torte to the intersection of A St. and Fourth Street on a spring afternoon.
Downtown Ashland was extremely walkable with relatively flat streets and sidewalks. I crossed Main Street, with Andy and Sterling in tow, and passed the blue awnings of the police station. To call it a station was an exaggeration. It was a contact point in the plaza, staffed by three officers and Ashland’s park cadets who patrolled downtown and the surrounding parks on foot and by bike, handing out minor citations and alerting the police of any dangerous situations or criminal activity. The station looked more like a welcome center with its dish of water for dogs, stacks of maps, and window boxes with cheery geraniums. We continued along Water Avenue, paralleling Ashland Creek that flowed heavy with snow melt.
Andy was my resident barista who had recently opted to drop out of college in order to broaden his coffee knowledge. I wasn’t thrilled with his decision to leave school, but if I had learned anything in my thirty plus years it was that we all have to follow our own path. Andy’s ultimate dream was to open his own coffeeshop. Mom and I had assured him that we would support him in any way we could from sending him to regional barista competitions and trainings to giving him a larger role in our vendor partnerships and more management responsibilities.
Sterling was in a similar position. Since he’d landed in Ashland, he had become an integral part of our team. His natural talent and willingness to learn made him a leader in the kitchen. Most days he planned our lunch menus. Customers raved about his speciality soups, charred flatbreads, and herb-infused salads and pastas.
I felt so grateful to have both of them on my team. However, I probably should have thought through bringing them to meet Laney. They both buzzed with eager excitement as we made our way past the lumber yard that smelled of pine and cedar shavings and the hardware store with its friendly staff who were always ready to direct customers to the light bulb aisle or consult on paint colors. Next we passed Ashland Grange, a long tan warehouse with a green metal roof that sold everything from horse feed to festive terra cotta pots.
“Boss, this could be so cool. I mean ice cream is hot right now. Ha ha, pun totally intended,” Andy said, stepping to the side to allow a guy wheeling a cart of cans to recycle at the Co-Op across the street. “Me and Sterling have a ton of ideas for you.”
“Don’t get too excited,” I cautioned, removing a pair of sunglasses from my purse. A drizzly morning had given way to a brilliant late afternoon sun. “This is simply a tour. I’m not making any promises.”
Andy’s freckles looked more pronounced when he grinned at Sterling. “Told you she would say that.”
Sterling unzipped his dark gray hoodie and tied it around his waist. “Don’t worry. She’ll cave once she realizes how great this could be.”
“Hey, I’m still here, guys.” I pretended to be insulted. In reality, I enjoy
ed the easy banter and rapport I had with my staff.
Laney’s pink food truck, Nana’s, was painted with yellow and white flowers. It stood out like a bright spot in the otherwise semi-industrial area as we approached the gated garden and vacant coffee stand. What once must have been an inviting and charming garden reminded me of something out of Grimms’ fairy tales. Wooden trellises sagged under gnarly twisted vines of ancient ivy. We entered through a weathered gate and were greeted with an assortment of rusting bistro tables and chairs and faded and broken sun umbrellas that were scattered throughout the overgrown garden. Cracked pots that may have once housed fragrant strawberries and potted herbs now sprouted weeds. No wonder a corporate coffee chain was interested in bulldozing the space. It was definitely in need of some TLC.
Laney sat at a rusty table with a young woman who looked vaguely familiar.
“Jules, so glad you made it.” Laney stood to hug me. She was closer to Mom’s age with long dark hair, deep-set eyes, and a friendly smile. I recognized her hibiscus flower apron. It was the same design that was painted on the side of Nana’s truck. “This is Addie who owns the building,” she said as a way of introduction. “Have you two met?”
Addie stood to greet me. She was significantly younger than both of us. I wasn’t always the best judge of age, but she couldn’t be much older than Andy.
“I don’t think so,” I said extending my hand.
Addie moved with the grace of a dancer. “Nice to meet you. I’m pretty new to town. I moved here from SoCal last year.” She wore a pair of sleek aqua blue yoga pants, a plush cashmere wrap, and Uggs.
“How are you liking the Rogue Valley?” I asked, after introducing Sterling and Andy.
“Great. It’s such an awesome community. Everyone’s been really open and welcoming and my yoga studio is thriving.” She pointed behind us to the two story building. A sign reading “NAMASTE YOGA” hung on the covered porch that led to the lower level. Tibetan prayer flags flapped in the slight breeze. “My parents helped me invest in the building. They were pretty concerned about competition because everyone in Ashland is into yoga, as you know, but my classes are packed. I’ve had to hire three instructors to keep up with the demand.”
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