Preheated Baking Podcast

Baking bonus time! January has five Mondays, so Andrea and Stefin are up with a sweet bonus episode. After discussing "functional food" trends in Episode 60, the hosts are seeing the them everywhere -- including their beloved Waitrose grocery-store newspaper and app. (Can you guess which host uses paper and which is digital?) 2018 is shaping up to be a busy year in London, with the royal wedding of Prince Harry to American actress Meghan Markle in May, as well as Stefin's hometown NFL team the Seattle Seahawks playing a game in the UK in October. Will Stefin get an invite to the wedding, and/or host a "boot"gate for the big game? Stay tuned! Next up, the duo discuss a Tale of Two Bundts -- Andrea attempted to convert the Contest Winning Moist Chocolate Cake to a gluten-free mini version with ... er ... interesting results. Stefin, however, thinks the recipe (as written) is a new TNT ("tried 'n' true"). Are you ready to celebrate National Hot Chocolate Day on January 31? You will be after listening to the hosts' tips for enjoying the seasonal beverage hot, cold or even frozen. Finally, the duo each award a coveted Preheated Blue Ribbon to the dessert they most enjoyed making this month. Will Classic Cream Puffs, Peanut Butter Pie, London Fog Shortbread or Contest Winning Moist Chocolate Cake take top honors?

Baking giant King Arthur has named their 2018 Recipe of the Year - a whole grain banana bread that we're sure Preheaters would love to try. Both our hosts rave about the London Fog Shortbread from Oleanerandpalm.com which is a sophisticated cookie that uses loose Earl Grey tea leaves and produced a crisp and buttery shortbread with a unique flavor. This week's bake along is a Contest Winning Moist Chocolate Cake from Taste of Home. It's a one bowl recipe in a bundt that should be a quick and delicious cake, and Andrea is very excited about the coffee component! Stefin reported in for the Globetrotting Gourmet about her recent trip to Morocco where the highlight of the trip was being able to experience the community oven and have an expert baker bake your items while you hang out, chat, and drink your mint tea. Andrea also traveled to a slightly less exotic (but no less beautiful) locale and visited Victoria, British Columbia.

Bake along with Stefin and Andrea in their baking Facebook group, Preheated. You can find links to recipes on their baking website, www.preheatedpodcast.com. Join the fun!

National Baking Month continues! Stefin wonders if she and Andrea can name their top 10 Preheated episodes, while Andrea loves being a member of the "cookie jar club." In celebration of National Pie Day and National Peanut Butter Day, the duo whipped up a decadent No-Bake Peanut Butter Pie -- well, Stefin did. Andrea created her own nut-free modification. Which Preheated-favorite ingredient did she use? Next up in a month full of celebrations is London Fog Shortbread to honor National Tea Month and National Shortbread Day. Finally, it's time to name the hot food trends of 2018, and it seems Stefin and Andrea are once again on the cutting edge: Andrea's been making protein-packed treats for years; Stefin's a big fan of floral flavors rose water and cardamom; Andrea's experimenting with "alt-sugar" and vegan ice creams; and Stefin's vowed to rekindle her love of traditional breadmaking. Trendsetters forever!

Our hosts start the show with an update on New Years' resolutions and some new habit forming tips and tricks. With apologies to Martha Stewart, Andrea raves about the Classic Cream Puffs and No-Fuss Pastry Cream and Stefin finds this to be one classic and impressive dessert (bonus: you can make it ahead of time). Next week is Peanut Butter Pie in tribute to National Peanut Butter Day (January 24) and National Pie Day (January 23). Finally our hosts reveal what Common Baking Mistakes they're making!

Bake along with Stefin and Andrea in their baking Facebook group, Preheated. You can find links to recipes on their baking website, www.preheatedpodcast.com. Join the fun!

Baking Resolution time! Stefin and Andrea are ringing in 2018, National Baking Month, and National Cream Puff Day (January 6) with a challenge from Martha Stewart: Classic Cream Puffs -- airy pastries filled with vanilla custard cream. Andrea issues a warning for anyone making homemade candy during a downpour, and both hosts share their 2018 baking resolutions -- who wants to organize their pantry, and who wants to bake more bread? Listen in!

Andrea's prowling the aisles at Seattle Goodwill, looking for the most commonly donated Unitaskers in the houseware aisles (banana hooks, anyone?) Meanwhile, Stefin's raving about the Gingerbread Cookie Bars from The Laughing Spatula food blog and has already and dubbed them "The Christmas Cookie of 2017." Next up in our month of BonBons and Bars is Apple Cider Caramels from Smitten Kitchen. Both hosts are newbies at the candy-making game, but with a month's worth of solid success behind them, they're sure they are up to the challenge.

Bake along with Stefin and Andrea in their baking Facebook group, Preheated. You can find links to recipes on their baking website, www.preheatedpodcast.com. Join the fun!

Stefin has a delicious update from International Night, and, in keeping with Bon Bon & Bars month, introduces listeners to the Brazillian "national candy," brigadeiros. Andrea's wondering if she's up to the challenge of a classic Yule Log, and both hosts discuss holiday desserts they've never eaten. Both also loved the easy and quick (!) Homemade English Toffee (introduced in Episode 55) and have now made it several times, while contemplating a commercial candy venture. Next up are Gingerbread Cookie Bars from The Laughing Spatula, reminiscent of Andrea's Christmas Cookie Challenge in Episode 6. Finally, the duo discuss favorite kitchen gifts they've received over the years, including Kitchen Aid mixers, Cuisnarts, double-sided measuring spoons, food scales, French rolling pins and cookie jars.

Christmas stories, books, and movies are getting our hosts through the holidays along with some delicious Blizzard Blondies from Redbook Magazine. "Bonbons and Bars" month continues next week when Stefin and Andrea tackle Homemade English Toffee. Will this sweet treat prove too difficult for our candy-shy hosts?

Bake along with Stefin and Andrea in their baking Facebook group, Preheated. You can find links to recipes on their baking website, www.preheatedpodcast.com. Join the fun!

Andrea and Stefin are in the holiday mood as they kick off a festive month of Bon Bons & Bars with Blizzard Blondies -- pretty, easy and delicious! Stefin's trying to stay warm during the UK's "arctic blast," is looking forward to Nigella Lawson's first Christmas special since 2008, and is trying to determine how many apple slab pies to contribute to the USA table at her daugther's International Night. Fortunately, Big Batch Baker (BBB) Andrea has plenty of advice. Over in the Gadget Garage, Andrea recently turned to the Preheated Facebook community for help identifying a mysterious kitchen implement -- a flat whisk! -- while Stefin muses over the helpfulness of "one-off" kitchen gadgets. (Andrea's got a favorite.) Andrea's also looking forward to her annual holiday cooking decorating weekend and has several tips for listeners planning their own. Finally, Stefin answers the burning question: "What's the Christmas cookie scene like in London?" and the duo discuss Preheated fans' favorite Christmas cookies.

Andrea is hot off another successful cookbook club meeting, and has several desserts to report on from the new Smitten Kitchen cookbook, Every Day. Meantime, Stefin is cleaning her stainless steel sink with an old-fashioned cleaning agent: Bicarb! (That's baking soda in the USA.) Both hosts debate how dangerous a bread and cake delivery service could be after Andrea tries one with delicious results. Speaking of delicious, Andrea has a new favorite birthday cake, the Fudgy Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting from, yes, Smitten Kitchen! Next, Stefin cues the violins and the hosts recount birthday treats they pined after as children (Barbie and the Matterhorn is all we'll say). And finally, Cate Brubaker, founder of International Desserts Blog, joins Stefin to talk about travel, global food trends, "freakshakes" and quark, and recreating favorites at home.

Bake along with Stefin and Andrea in their baking Facebook group, Preheated. You can find links to recipes on their baking website, www.preheatedpodcast.com. Join the fun!