ABC of the Month and no TWD this week

This week is my first baking event with ABC of the Month. Hanaa of Hanaa's Kitchen started this delicious baking group with Flo Braker's Baking for All Occasions cookbook as the inspiration. July's recipe choice: Cinnamon Bubble Buns on page 77.

I regret not participating in baking a cute chocolate tart with TWD this week because I have goodies coming from all directions (please check out the rest of the TWD bakers, clicking on the TWD link) . . . and this includes putting many in the freezer for later. Even cutting the recipe into 1/4Th seemed to much. Here is a sample of what is going on: Ashley requested large chocolate chip cookies but only ate 1 plus some cookie dough (most cookies are in the freezer); a sweet bread blueberry tart; Sweet Melissa Sunday peach, blueberry, raspberry pie; a no-bake strawberry supreme cheesecake and now the delicious cinnamon bubble buns (some of which are in the freezer for later). I do not eat very many sweets and there is just my hubby taking some to work for his lunch along with me sharing the rest. Crazy!

Flo Braker taught me the finer points of baking after I left home and set up a kitchen of my own. Flo's cookbook, The Simple Art of Perfect Baking, was a first baking cookbook purchase. Now underlined, notations in the side margins, notes, and warn pages later, I have added another Flo Braker treasure to my library. Baking For All Occasions may only be for the year of 2010 with ABC of the Month group but I wouldn't mind working through the cookbook for 2011 as well. Flo Braker is already set in history as a leader in teaching, baking, creating, and publishing.

Two new points I loved, okay three new points I loved about this recipe:

* Sour cream added to a recipe means the baked product may not brown very well unless you add baking soda.

* Sour cream was added to a cinnamon roll type dough, along with vanilla and the flavor is amazing! I have not tried a recipe like this before and we are hooked on the first taste. I nibbled on the bread dough, a bad habit but even the unbaked dough is delicious.

* Flo added melted butter to a powder sugar and vanilla extract glaze. One other ingredient is included for the glaze recipe; melted butter may sound overly simple but is still a new thought for me. Loved the flavor of the glaze.



I ran out of butter and brown sugar/cinnamon mixture 2/3's of the way through and made more for the balls to be rolled in (my only change to the recipe).

I enjoyed baking the little pull-a-part buns and would like to thank Hanaa for the invitation. With all the recipes available to us, whether on the Internet, through a cookbook/magazine/newspaper, friends, family, co-workers; a person can only see and try so many recipes in a lifetime. Joining a baking or cooking group, asking more out of us then what has become comfortable, helps us learn and grow. In the end, pride, skill and confidence is gained with much to share. Happy baking everyone!