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Neapolitan Kasutera (Neapolitan Castella)

Biren on April 12th, 2012

Single flavored kasutera, check! Double-flavored marbled kasutera, check! I did not make this one but it is out there. And now I present to you the triple-flavored Neapolitan Kasutera! Achoo…talk about a persistent bug! This one shows no sign of abating. Have no fear though as this bug should not harm you unless you over-indulge. [...]

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Today, I am honored to be guest posting at Nami’s blog, Just One Cookbook while she visits family in Japan. Nami writes an amazing blog filled with Japanese recipes and beautiful photography. If you have not visited, you are missing out. There are very few blogs out there giving the English speaking world a glimpse [...]

Continue reading about Lavender Madeleines – a Guest Post and Light It Up Blue

Would you believe there is such a thing as a “kasutera bug”? It seems to have gone viral again in the food blogosphere. I was told it made an appearance some years back where there was a frenzy of “kasuteritis”. Symptoms varied from deep despondence over sunken sponges to giddying heights over light and fluffy [...]

Continue reading about Matcha Kasutera 抹茶カステラ (Green Tea Castella)

Honey Kasutera カステラ (Honey Castella)

Biren on February 29th, 2012

Kasutera カステラ or Castella is a popular Japanese sponge cake. It is said to have been named after the Castilla Monarchy in Spain but brought into Japan by the Portuguese merchants through Nagasaki in the 16th century. Imagine the consternation of the first European traders arriving on those shores to realize that there was not [...]

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GF Buckwheat Italian Apple Cupcakes

Biren on November 21st, 2011

We had our first snowfall this past weekend. It was only about an inch but it covered the place and stayed around as the temperature was below freezing. The lakes have a very thin sheet of ice on them but that will soon melt as the weather warms up a little this week. I sure [...]

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Pumpkin Streusel Cheesecake Bars (Gluten-Free)

Biren on October 14th, 2011

Pumpkin season is here! Those golden orbs in all sizes are in demand and on display everywhere – decks, porches, driveways, shopfronts, and malls. They complement the golden leaves on the ground and sets the mood for the upcoming holidays.

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The White Cake Album, Liverpool

Biren on August 19th, 2011

Still “following the sun” in England, I had a “ticket to ride” to Liverpool. The town by the Mersey, home of THE BEATLES, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah! “Money may not buy me love” but it sure got me the Magical Mystery Tour. And, no, they don’t have “eight days a week” in Liverpool but seven is [...]

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Peach Streusel Kuchen

Biren on June 25th, 2011

Kuchen is a German word for cake. It is consists of a sweet yeast dough filled with a custard. Sometimes fruits are added. It is usually sliced like a pie. Kuchen is generally thought of as a dessert but it may be eaten any time of the day.

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Steamed Kabocha Cake

Biren on May 20th, 2011

Kabocha is one of my favorite squashes and I cannot resist bringing one home when I see it at the grocery stores. It is a sweet squash with a light and fluffy texture. The skin is very hard when raw but once cooked, it is soft and edible. It only takes minutes to cook and [...]

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Gluten-Free Orange Blossom Madeleines

Biren on May 18th, 2011

Madeleines are very small sponge cakes with a distinctive shell shape. These delightful mini cakes are immortalized by Marcel Proust in his novel Remembrance of Things Past, Volume 1: Swann’s Way. Though I have not read the book, the renown Madeleine episode has been well quoted and his description of these scalloped cakes dipped in [...]

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