Cinnamon and Sugar - What I'm baking in my kitchen and mystery books I'm reading

Jelly-Filled Donuts

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JEALOUSY FILLED DONUTS is the third book in the Deputy Donut Mysteries by Ginger Bolton and is another great addition to a charming series! What could be better than a fun, loveable protagonist, an adorable cat, and a donut shop owned by Emily, a former 9-1-1 dispatcher and her father-in-law, formerly the Chief of Police? Needless to say, it’s the favorite hangout for police officers and emergency responders, along with the senior citizens’ group, the Knitpickers. Ms. Bolton crams her book full of memorable characters while weaving a tight tale of death by donuts and firecrackers during a 4th of July extravaganza. There were twists and turns that kept me turning pages and a subplot that kept me guessing how it was related to the central murder of the festival queen. I liked that Emily wasn’t an in-your-face type of amateur sleuth. Instead, she hunted down answers by sweetening up her intended targets with donuts and smiles.

Ms. Bolton’s strong descriptive voice paints a vivid picture of the settings, from the donut shop, to the cool vintage car Emily drives (love the donut on top!) to the wilderness area that hosts an exciting, edge-of-your-seat reveal. She expertly weaves each scene into the other, creating a seamless story. While JEALOUSY FILLED DONUTS can be read as a standalone, I’ve enjoyed watching the characters develop and grow, especially Emily. The widow of the town’s detective, Emily has struggled to get over her grief, even after several years. It’s been heartwarming to see her blossom with her close friendship with her deceased husband’s friend (who’s also a detective) and hope that a romance might develop for her. It gives the book an emotional level without detracting from the mystery.

There are several mentions of yummy donuts and treats in the book that it was hard to not drool. The author provides two donut recipes at the back of the book and the Jelly-Filled Donuts sounded fantastic. Plus I loved the tie-in with the title of the book. My first attempt flopped and when I examined the recipe and did a little research, realized a couple steps had been overlooked in the advance copy I had used for the recipe. I remade the donuts with what I thought was missing and they turned out great. (I used my updated recipe below.) These are a little denser than typical bakery donuts (most likely from the larger amount of sugar) but every bit as delicious. They still tasted good even leftover after a couple of days so I didn’t mind the large batch it produced, and my husband and granddaughters loved having them for breakfast and snacks for more than one day.

Amazon Synopsis

When a firecracker becomes a murder weapon, Emily Westhill pursues a killer with a short fuse …

It is a truth universally acknowledged—cops and donuts go together. Exhibit A: Deputy Donut Café, owned and operated by detective’s widow Emily Westhill and her father-in-law, the retired police chief of Fallingbrook, Wisconsin. Named after Emily’s adored and adorable tabby, the donut shop is a favorite among cops, firemen, and EMTs, as well as tourists and townspeople. So when Fallingbrook needs donuts for their Fourth of July picnic, Emily’s shop gets deputized.

But a twisted killer has found another use for Emily’s treats. At the picnic, a firecracker is hidden in a stack of raspberry-filled donuts and aimed at the unwitting queen of the festivities. When it explodes, she is killed. Having her jelly donuts involved puts Emily in a sticky situation, and when a shady shutterbug tries to frame her with incriminating photos, she finds herself in quite a jam. To preserve her freedom and her shop’s reputation, Emily needs to solve this case—before the fuse-lighting felon goes off again …

A special thanks to Ginger Bolton for providing one winner with a print copy of JEALOUSY FILLED DONUTS. Contest ends Wednesday, August 28, 2019 at 11:59 pm PST and is limited to U.S. residents. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below to enter. The winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)

Jelly-Filled Donuts

Ingredients

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons warm water, 102 - 105 degrees, divided
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons active dry yeast (yes, this is a lot!)
1 cup sugar + 1 teaspoon
3-1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg (or 2 egg whites) room temperature
Vegetable oil with a smoke point of 400 degrees or higher (or follow your deep fryer's instruction manual)
Jelly in flavors of your choice
Confectioners' sugar (optional)

Instructions

In your mixer bowl fitted with a dough hook, combine 2 tablespoons warm water, yeast, and 1 teaspoon sugar. Let stand for 10 minutes.
Add the butter, salt, and the egg to the yeast mixture. Stir with the dough hook. Add 2 cups of the flour and stir until incorporated with the dough hook. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, and knead with the dough hook. If the dough is too sticky, add 1/4 cup additional flour and knead until thoroughly incorporated. If the dough is still too sticky, carefully add more flour 1 tablespoon at a time. Continue kneading with the dough hook until the dough cleans the sides of the bowl, is satiny, doesn't stick to your fingers, and doesn't keep its shape when pinched. It should still feel slightly sticky. Too much flour will make the donuts tough.
Cover the dough with a clean dishtowel or plastic wrap and place in a warm area. Allow dough to double in size, about 1-1/2 to 2 hours.
Punch down dough and divide in half. For each half, roll the dough to about 1/2 inch thick between two sheets of parchment paper. Remove the top sheet of parchment paper and cut rounds from the dough with a round cookie cutter, cutting pieces as close together as possible, and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. (Don't reuse the dough scraps.)
Allow to rest for 30 - 60 minutes until donuts are puffy.
Heat the vegetable oil to 350 degrees (F). Fry the donuts turning when dark golden, about 1 - 2 minutes per side. Lift from oil and allow to drain.
When cool, use a paring knife or skewer to make a small hole in one side of each donut and create a small cavity inside. Then use a piping bag fitted with a small tip, a turkey baster, or a pastry syringe to fill the cavity with the jelly of your choice. Note: Jams or thick spreads will clog the nozzle.
If desired, sift confectioners' sugar over the tops.

Party Fun - Fill Your Own Donuts

Feeling brave? Let party guests fill their own donuts! Fry the donuts ahead of time and remove the hot oil from the vicinity. (This is crucial for children's parties.) Set out a variety of jellies. Let each guest inject whichever flavor (or combination) they like into their donut or donuts.

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Desolate Shores by Daryl Wood Gerber book #giveaway!

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I’m excited to be hosting Daryl Wood Gerber as she celebrates the release of her newest suspense novel! Read on for my review, the synopsis, and a chance to win a copy of your own.

DESOLATE SHORES, the first book in the Aspen Adams Novel of Suspense, by Daryl Wood Gerber is a captivating, edge-of-your-seat read. In addition to a suspenseful story, the author has created a multi-faceted protagonist in Aspen Adams. Each turn of the page reveals deeper insight into her character and as the reader connects, the anticipation of what will happen next ramps up the emotional involvement. Aspen Adams, psychology therapist turned process server, works for her aunt in Lake Tahoe. When she discovers the murdered body of her best friend, she begs for the opportunity to turn private investigator to find the killer. In addition to a terrific story, Ms. Gerber provides memorable, well-developed characters to surround the protagonist. I especially loved Aspen’s interaction with her young teenaged niece and how she gets involved despite her self-doubts.

The expertly plotted mystery provides plenty of clues while the suspense is metered out judiciously. Digging into the past of her dead friend and using her former skills as a psychologist, Aspen unravels the secrets that surrounded the victim’s life. As she closes in on finding the truth, the suspense escalates until the heart-stopping reveal. I found I couldn’t put the book down for even a second until I read the very last page. I also appreciated that the author took the time to wrap up the threads of the subplots at the end, into one satisfying conclusion and I’ll be counting down the days until the next Aspen Adams novel is released!

Amazon Synopsis

A chilling murder, an elusive killer, and a family mystery that hits too close to home . . .

After finding the body of her best friend on the icy shores of Lake Tahoe, Aspen Adams refuses to stand by and watch as the local sheriff’s department begins their search for the killer. Launching her own investigation, she’s soon confronted with a growing array of secrets—both about the friend she thought she knew and about many of the people in her own life. As fragmentary clues and escalating dangers threaten to derail her, she must also cope with the disturbing behavior of her deadbeat sister and troubled teenage niece.

Determined to overcome her personal demons over past failures, Aspen is driven to unravel the conflicting evidence and a shifting range of suspects to bring the killer to justice, even as a family trauma unfolds that threatens to upend her life. And as her investigation inexorably leads her to a shocking discovery and taunts her with a solution that is just out of reach, Aspen realizes that the killer wants nothing more than to see her and her niece dead . . .

A special thanks to Daryl Wood Gerber for providing one winner with a print copy of DESOLATE SHORES. Contest ends Sunday, August 25, 2019 at 11:59 pm PST and is limited to U.S. residents. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below to enter. The winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)

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About the Author

DARYL WOOD GERBER writes the nationally bestselling Cookbook Nook Mystery series featuring a cookbook store owner who is an avid reader and admitted foodie, set on the coast of California. As AVERY AAMES, she pens the Agatha Award-winning, nationally bestselling Cheese Shop Mystery series featuring a cheese shop owner amateur sleuth, set in the fictional town of Providence, Ohio. Daryl’s short stories have been nominated for the Agatha, Anthony, and other awards. Fun tidbit: as an actress, Daryl has appeared in “Murder, She Wrote” and more.

Author Links

Visit Daryl or Avery at http://www.darylwoodgerber.com
Daryl’s Blog – http://www.darylwoodgerber.com
Avery’s Blog – http://www.averyaames.com
Mystery Lover’s Kitchen – http://www.mysteryloverskitchen.com
Killer Characters – http://killercharacters.com

Daryl http://www.facebook.com/darylwoodgerber
Twitter: @AveryAames @DarylWoodGerber

Goodreads:

Daryl Wood Gerber https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4750535.Daryl_Wood_Gerber

Avery Aames https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3153786.Avery_Aames

I was provided an advance copy via Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Lemon Lavender Cake

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THE GARDEN CLUB MURDER by Amy Patricia Meade, is the second book in the Tish Tarragon mystery series. The senior citizens preparing for their annual garden club competition and luncheon are a varied lot and not exactly who I would expect to toil in the sun and soil to create beautiful works of nature. There’s the cosmetic queen, the wealthy yet abusive businessman, the grief-stricken mother and wife, the confirmed bachelor, and the live life to the fullest woman. There is plenty of strife between the contestants, each vying to capture the coveted award from businessman Sloan Shackleford. It wasn’t much of a surprise when Sloan is found murdered in his prize-winning garden. Ms. Reade does an admirable job portraying and developing the characters, especially the protagonist, caterer Tish Tarragon, who is also owner of Cookin’ the Books Café. While she doesn’t want to investigate, the senior citizens like to gossip with her and as a result, gets involved. I like that Tish is quick to turn the information imparted to her, over to Sherriff Reade.

Assisting Tish with both the “non-investigation” and catering, is her adorable sidekick Jules (Julian) Jefferson Davis, the Channel 10 weatherman. They have a close friendship and a snappy repartee. This adds to a gentle humor that lightens the murder mystery. While I thought the pace started out slow, once the murder took place, the author’s writing tightened and the story captured my attention. There were subplot mysteries that added to the overall appeal and ramped up the emotional level. The twist at the reveal left me speechless, since I didn’t see it coming yet it added another layer of satisfaction to an entertaining read.

While this culinary mystery doesn’t contain recipes, Tish Tarragon cooks up some amazing dishes for her restaurant, her friends, and for her catering gig, that left my mouth watering. One of the treats she makes is Lemon Lavender Cake…an utterly delicious and elegant combination of flavors! While this is baked in a loaf pan, it could easily be baked in mini bundt pans for a pretty presentation. So delicious, this “cake” is a yummy treat for breakfast, tea time, or dessert.

Amazon Synopsis

Literary caterer Letitia ‘Tish’ Tarragon is preparing her English Secret Garden-themed luncheon for Coleton Creek’s annual garden club awards, but when she is taken on a tour of some of the top contenders with the garden club’s president, Jim Ainsley, Tish is surprised at how seriously the residents take the awards – and how desperate they are to win. Wealthy, retired businessman Sloane Shackleford has won the coveted best garden category five years in a row, but he and his Bichon Frise, Biscuit, are universally despised. When Sloane’s bludgeoned body is discovered in his pristine garden, Tish soon learns that he was disliked for reasons that go beyond his green fingers. Have the hotly contested awards brought out a competitive and murderous streak in one of the residents?

A special thanks to Amy Patricia Meade for providing one winner with a print copy of THE GARDEN CLUB MURDER. Contest ends Wednesday, August 21, 2019 at 11:59 pm PST. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below to enter. The winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)

Lemon Lavender Cake

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1-3/4 cup (220g) cake flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda/bicarbonate of soda
1 cup (200g) sugar (I use golden caster sugar here in the UK, but white works fine)
2 lemons, zested
1/2 cup (100 ml) plain yogurt
3 tablespoons lemon juice (the approx. amount from the zested lemons)
3 large eggs
3/4 teaspoons dried lavender

For the glaze:

1/2 cup (50g) powdered/icing sugar
3 teaspoons lemon juice

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F/180C. Grease a standard 9”x5” loaf pan.
Melt the butter in a pot over low heat (or in the microwave) and set aside. It needs to reach room temperature before use.
In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and baking soda and set aside.
In another bowl, grate the zest of the lemons and combine it with the sugar. Stir well in order to rub the essential oils of the zest into the sugar. The sugar should be slightly damp. Set aside.
Crush the dried lavender using a rolling pin or a mortar and pestle, if you have one, and add it to the sugar mix. Stir until the damp sugar is fragrant.
Add the yogurt into the sugar mixture and mix it on medium-slow speed.
With the mixer still on, add the lemon juice and the eggs, one at a time.
Stop the mixer and add the flour mixture. Mix until just combined.
Whisk in the melted butter until you have a smooth batter.
Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and bake for approx. 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes then invert onto serving platter.
For the glaze:
Stir icing sugar and lemon juice until well blended and pour onto the warm cake.
Garnish with sprigs of lavender, candied violets, or edible flowers.

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Never-Fail Pizza Crust and Pepperoni Pizza

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PENNE DREADFUL is the first book in the brand new Italian Chef Mystery series by Catherine Bruns. This debut book contains all the ingredients for a page-turning mystery and is filled with lies, betrayal, and murders. The protagonist, Tessa Esposito, is edgier than Ms. Bruns’ previous characters in her other series, and her sleuthing is aggressive. Yet the reader can’t help but cheer for her to move forward and find answers. The author provides good character development and growth over the course of the book, for the protagonist and the supporting characters. I especially enjoyed Tessa’s sidekick, Gabby, who is also her best friend and cousin. Gabby is willing to stick her neck out and help Tessa find answers, no matter how crazy the scenario may seem. Another great supporting character is Gabby’s brother, Gino Mancusi, who is a police detective. He balances the amateur sleuthing with professional insight, despite wanting to keep Tessa safe.

The story contained several subplots on top of Tessa trying to find out who murdered her accountant husband. While labeled a cozy, Penne Dreadful pushes the boundaries a little, which raises the level of tension. While it was fairly obvious who the “bad” guy was, Ms. Bruns manages to raise the stakes by providing mind-boggling twists that I didn’t see coming and a heart-racing climax to wrap up the mystery. I look forward to reading more in this new series!

Tessa is an Italian cook, who dreams of opening her own restaurant. Throughout the story she cooks amazing dishes that will keep the reader drooling. Tessa also goes to work in a pizzeria, to hunt for answers about her husband’s death. There she creates some amazing pizza pies and I was tempted to succumb to a delivery service for my own pizza while reading. Fortunately, Ms. Bruns includes a few Italian recipes at the back of the book and they sound fabulous! I couldn’t pass up the chance to try her recipe for Never-Fail Pizza Crust and Pepperoni Pizza. I loved how quick the dough came together and how easily it formed into a nice round crust instead of fighting it to hold the shape. The sauce is no-cook, so it’s a matter of a minute or two to mix up and before you know it, piping hot pizza will be on the table quicker than calling for take-out!

Amazon Synopsis

Local chef Tessa Esposito is struggling to get back on her feet following her husband’s fatal accident. And when the police knock on Tessa’s door, things just get worse. They’ve discovered Dylan’s death wasn’t an accident after all, and they need Tessa to start filling in the blanks. Who would want her beloved husband dead, and why?

With the investigation running cold, Tessa decides it’s time to save her sanity by reconnecting with her first love-cooking. And maybe the best way back into the kitchen is to infiltrate Dylan’s favorite local pizza parlor, which also happens to be the last place he was seen before he died. But the anchovies aren’t the only thing that stink inside the small family business, and with suspects around every corner, Tessa finds that her husband’s many secrets might land her in hot water.

A special thanks to Catherine Bruns for providing one winner with a print copy of PENNE DREADFUL. Contest ends Sunday, August 11, 2019 at 11:59 pm PST and is limited to U.S. residents. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below to enter. The winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)

Never-Fail Pizza Crust and Pepperoni Pizza

Ingredients

Crust

1 0.25 ounce package active dry yeast (2-1/4 teaspoons)
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup warm water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
2-1/2 cups bread flour

Pepperoni Pizza

1/2 (12-ounce) can (preferably Contadina) tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
1 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Toppings

3/4 pound pepperoni (stick) or 6-ounce package sliced pepperoni. (If slicing your own, make them on the thin side)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, or more to taste

Instructions

Crust

Preheat oven to 450 degrees (F).
In a medium-sized bowl, dissolve the yeast and sugar into the warm water. Wait about 10 minutes or until the mixture looks creamy.
Stir in the flour, salt, and olive oil, beating by hand until smooth. Let the mixture sit for about 5 minutes.
Lightly flour a surface on your counter, then roll out the dough, patting or rolling it into a round. Transfer the crust to a lightly greased pizza pan, and spread the desired toppings on top of the crust.
Bake in a preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Let the pie cool about 5 minutes before serving.

Pepperoni Pizza

After the crust is prepared, combine all the sauce ingredients with 1/2 cup water in a medium bowl. Freeze remaining paste.
Top the crust with the sauce, pepperoni, and cheese. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until crust is browned and cheese is bubbly. For best results, rotate the pizza pan between the top and bottom oven racks halfway through the baking cycle.

Tip

Extra sauce can be frozen.

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Have you ever wondered how commercials and magazine ad shoots capture the ooey-gooey cheese “pull” look on piping hot pizza? I found this on Stephen Hamilton Photo’s YouTube channel for the inside scoop:

Kiflis (Dessert Crescents)

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DEATH IN A BUDAPEST BUTTERFLY, the first in the new Hungarian Tea House Mystery series by Julia Buckley, is a delightful introduction to the author’s Hungarian culture. It’s packed full of mystery, folklore, and three generations of strong women who run Maggie’s Tea House. The protagonist, Hana Keller, along with her mother, Maggie, and grandmother, Juliana, are known for serving European High Tea and specialty events with a Hungarian flair. Ms. Buckley did an outstanding job capturing the essence of the Hungarian community through the use of vernacular and accents added to speech between the characters. Her introduction of Hungarian heritage via myths and legends, along with amazing food descriptions, added to the authenticity of the setting. The characters are well-developed and I enjoyed the touch of paranormal, especially with Grandma Juliana and her tea leaf readings.

When a woman is murdered with poisoned tea served from Hana’s special butterfly tea cup during one of the Tea House events, she gets involved in the investigation to help clear the Tea House’s reputation after clients start cancelling. Detective Wolf, the investigator, pulls Hana, her mother, and her grandmother into the interviews, to help translate the Hungarian spoken by the event’s attendees. These scenes add some light humor as the women help the detective understand their culture, plus it gives Hana an insider’s opportunity to sort out the clues from the witnesses. As the book progresses, so does Hana’s involvement with the detective, and a romance blossoms. Clues were liberally sprinkled throughout the plot but instead of trying to guess, I sat back and enjoyed the story as it unfolded until I’d read the very last page.

Hana’s grandmother is quite the accomplished cook and I was excited to see the author includes recipes for several of her own family’s Hungarian dishes. I was excited to try her recipe for Kiflis, or Dessert Crescents, which are basically a rich cookie dough rolled out and filled with a variety of sweet fillings. I was unfamiliar with the lekvar filling (your favorite jam can be substituted) but I managed to find some apricot lekvar on Amazon. Apricot jam is my favorite and the lekvar is even better! It tastes like eating fruit straight from the tree without being diluted with sugar, as is the case in jam. I also used some raspberry jam and blackberry jam I had on hand, and my taste testers liked that too, especially those with a sweet tooth. These cookies are a rich and flaky pastry that are delicious and elegant looking too.

Amazon Synopsis

Hana Keller serves up European-style cakes and teas in her family-owned tea house, but when a customer keels over from a poisoned cuppa, Hana and her tea-leaf reading grandmother will have to help catch a killer in the first Hungarian Tea House Mystery from Julia Buckley.

Hana Keller and her family run Maggie’s Tea House, an establishment heavily influenced by the family’s Hungarian heritage and specializing in a European-style traditional tea service. But one of the shop’s largest draws is Hana’s eccentric grandmother, Juliana, renowned for her ability to read the future in the leaves at the bottom of customers’ cups. Lately, however, her readings have become alarmingly ominous and seemingly related to old Hungarian legends…

When a guest is poisoned at a tea event, Juliana’s dire predictions appear to have come true. Things are brought to a boil when Hana’s beloved Anna Weatherley butterfly teacup becomes the center of the murder investigation as it carried the poisoned tea. The cup is claimed as evidence by a handsome police detective, and the pretty Tea House is suddenly endangered. Hana and her family must catch the killer to save their business and bring the beautiful Budapest Butterfly back home where it belongs.

A special thanks to Julia Buckley for providing one winner with a print copy of DEATH IN A BUDAPEST BUTTERFLY. Contest ends Wednesday, August 7, 2019 at 11:59 pm PST and limited to U.S. residents. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below to enter. The winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)

Kiflis (Dessert Crescents)

Adapted from a traditional Hungarian recipe.

Ingredients

6 cups flour (unsifted)
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup sugar
1 pound butter
5 egg yolks
1/2 pint sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Choice of filling:

Raspberry, strawberry, or apricot lekvar; or almond paste, nut blend, or sweet cheese.

Instructions

In a large bowl (my grandmother recommends glass, for some reason), mix together the dry ingredients. Cut in the butter, then add the remaining ingredients (through the vanilla extract). Mix well, using your hands if necessary.
Divide the dough into 2 portions, then refrigerate for 1 hour.
Flour a board and roll out each dough portion. Cut the dough into 3-inch squares, and spoon the filling onto the center of each square. Roll straight and put on a greased or parchment-lined cookie sheet.
Optional: After rolling kiflis, brush top with milk and dip into a mixture of ground nuts and sugar.
Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until light brown. Cool and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar. Serve with coffee or tea.

Tip:

Substitute thick fruit jam for the lekvar if necessary.

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Maple Walnut Scones

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SCONE COLD DEAD by Karen MacInerney, is the ninth book in the Gray Whale Inn Mystery series. This is a fun addition to a delightful series. The author effectively portrays the small island setting of Cranberry Island off the coast of Maine. The smell of the sea and air, the bobbing of boats in the harbor, the cawing of seabirds are all the backdrop to trouble brewing amongst the lobstermen. Ms. MacInerney weaves in the problems facing these hardy souls who try to make a living from the turbulent sea while trying to toe the line of adhering to regulations. Tempers amongst the lobstermen reach the boiling point and protagonist, Natalie Barnes, owner of the Gray Whale Inn, is pulled into the fray. One of her new guests is a young woman who plans to ride along with a volatile lobsterman as an observer. Speculations arise to whether she’s arrived on the island to investigate the lobstermen and when Natalie stumbles across her body the first morning after arriving, she’s decides she needs to find the truth about what happened.

There were plenty of clues and several subplots that kept the plot moving. In addition to the murder mystery, the well-loved characters had storylines that provided an emotional connection to the story. While this is the ninth book, it can be read as a standalone. However, if you admire character development then you’ll enjoy starting at the beginning of the series to follow the growth of the protagonist and her friends. The only little thing that detracted from this delightful book was the oversight in some editing errors. Despite that, I’m looking forward to future books in the Gray Whale Inn Mystery and see what new adventures find Natalie Barnes.

The protagonist cooks up scrumptious meals for the guests of Gray Whale Inn. Ms. MacInerney includes several recipes at the back of the book and they all sound amazing. There are three scone recipes included and I was drawn to the Maple Walnut Scone recipe…the perfect flavors for breakfast. These scones are ultra-rich and flaky, and received rave reviews from my taste testers. One even said that they were fabulous when she ate a leftover one straight from the refrigerator, without warming it up! Not many scones can stand up to that treatment. The walnuts and maple glaze adds extra layers of flavors and textures that made these scones a fan favorite.

Amazon Synopsis

Innkeeper Natalie Barnes is living her dream life, creating scrumptious scone recipes and relishing cool summer days on quaint Cranberry Island, Maine… until she stumbles across a dead body tucked under the blueberry bushes.

Could the killer be one of her artsy out-of-town guests?

Or will the murderer turn out to be uncomfortably close to home?

A special thanks to Karen MacInerney for providing one winner with an e-book copy of SCONE COLD DEAD. Contest ends Sunday, August 4, 2019 at 11:59 pm PST. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below to enter. The winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)

Maple Walnut Scones

Ingredients

3 cups all purpose flour
4 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup plus 6 tablespoons whipping cream, more as needed
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
2/3 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped (plus more for optional garnish)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F).
Whisk flour, 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in large bowl to blend.
Add butter and rub in with fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Mix in the walnuts.
Stir 1/2 cup whipping cream and 1/2 cup maple syrup in small bowl to blend.
Gradually add cream mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until dough comes together and adding more cream by tablespoonfuls if dough is dry. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface. Knead dough gently until smooth, about 5 turns.
Using floured hands, pat out dough to form an 8-inch round; cut dough into 8 wedges. Transfer wedges to baking sheet, spacing 2 inches apart.
Bake scones for about 20 minutes, until golden and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Transfer to rack.
Meanwhile, whisk remaining 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar, 6 tablespoons whipping cream, and 2 tablespoons maple syrup in medium bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in enough powdered sugar to form thick glaze.
Drizzle or spread glaze over warm scones. Sprinkle with additional chopped walnuts if desired. Let stand until glaze sets.

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