A Beginner’s Blueberry Muffins
Over the winter break, a thought came to me out of the blue(berry): I want blueberry muffins. I would describe myself as a lifelong fan of blueberry muffins, but I hadn’t had one in what seemed like a couple of years. My brain decided this was an important issue that needed to be remedied. I … Continued
Baking for the Holidays
The holiday season is the most wonderful time of the year—and perhaps the busiest for VIU’s Professional Baking and Pastry Arts department. The department went through an intensive two weeks of holiday baking in early December to fulfill approximately $15k worth of orders for the VIU and Nanaimo community. The holiday delicacies range from classic … Continued
Chickpea Peanut Butter Choco-Chip Cookies
Okay, so it might sound strange that the main ingredient in these cookies are chickpeas. I thought so too, but since finding this recipe from plant-based influencer Andrea Hannemann’s new cookbook, Plant Over Processed, I’ve made these cookies seven times. That might not sound like a lot, but that’s all within about a month and … Continued
Chocolate Pumpkin Muffins
I don’t know about you, but I’m kind of loving the cooler weather fall has brought us here on the Island. It means more indoor time to bake and sit by the fire (or heater, in my case). I recently made these bad boys and needed to share them. They are oh so gooey and … Continued
Vegan Mexican chocolate spice cookies
These are like a spicy, chocolatey version of snickerdoodles; perfect for those who like their cookies with a bit of a bite. Ingredients ½ cup vegan butter or margarine 1 cup sugar ¼ cup vegan milk 1 tsp vanilla 2 cups flour (can be gluten-free) 2 tsp baking powder ¼ cup cocoa powder 1 tsp … Continued
VIU baking instructor mixes things up to make things go wrong
Above: Photo courtesy of tradesappliedtech.viu.ca By Dane Gibson, VIU Communications Sometimes you have to get things wrong to make things right, a lesson students in the Vancouver Island University (VIU) Professional Baking and Pastry Arts Program are about to learn, as they gather around eight fresh-out-of-the-oven loaves of bread. Each one baked with different grains, … Continued
Mayan chocolate sparklers
Above: Photo by Catherine Charlebois By Production Manager Catherine Charlebois If someone told me that I’d be putting ground pepper and cayenne into Christmas cookies a week ago, I’d probably have laughed and walked away. That is, until I met these bad boys. Me being me and unable to handle spice, I was very skeptical when … Continued
Pumpkin spice and everything nice
Above: Photo via champagnefrosting.com By Production Manager Catherine Charlebois Fall is here and with it, all our favourite fall flavours. Now is the season for warm comfort foods and what better way to embrace the change than warm, gooey and chocolatey cookies. Ingredients 1/4 and 2 tsp margarine 1/2 cup brown sugar 1 egg 1/2 tsp … Continued