Maple Twists ~ I am in Carb Heaven...again!

There is a most beautiful, talented group of mennonite girls on the web. Each day, in wee hours when most of us are still in la-la land, they publish a recipe.  Most deservedly, they have received some nice press as of late and I think passed the millionth visitor on their site.  I have printed many of their recipes and every one that I have attempted has turned out lovely and delicious.  Each member of the group also has their own site that gives sweet insight on their world and the one around us.  If you are looking for a soft spot to land that offers a kind, prayerful word and beautiful, charming photos I would highly recommend paying a visit.

In reading the website of Lovella, I made note of a recipe she is quite fond of: Maple Twists.  Today was grey, a bit soggy and seemed perfect for some sugary, sweet maple goodness.

The recipe was very accurate in all areas. I made a couple of substitutions and used maple sugar instead of white sugar in the filling, adding 1/2 tsp of nutmeg, adding an egg wash prior to baking and then a small drizzle of maple glaze (more for sheen than show). This is a highly versatile recipe and the variations that you could create (sweet or savory) are endless. The beauty of this recipe is that you don't need to be a perfectionist in rolling a 12" circle three times.  It may look a little suspect before it goes into the oven but the results in the end are pleasing to the eye and the palette. These were so fine this afternoon with a steaming, giant mug of Earl Grey tea.  ENJOY!

Kitchen Notes: 

• I used LorAnn Oils Maple Extract. These extracts are highly concentrated so you only require half of what you would use in a supermarket variety.  They are a little more money but worth it in terms of flavor impact & intensity. You can sometimes purchase them at independent cake/confectionery supply retailers (but not Michael's).  
• If you have never rolled a yeast based dough before, you might become a little frustrated with the elasticity and bounce back.  Once you have divided the dough into 3 equal parts, cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let it rest for a few minutes.  
• Finding a 2-inch glass for the middle was a bit tricky at first, but, in the end, I used an upside down egg cup.  
• If you decide to create a savory variation, consider removing all but a teaspoon of the sugar from the recipe.

Fellow Blog Writers: You Inspired Me, Thank-You!

So, I am finally changing my world of lurking and succumbing to the curiosity, pressure and fear to join the world of blogging.  I attempted this a year ago but let it fall by the wayside.  Too distracted by butter, sugar, flour, yeast and hot ovens!

Before I begin this new adventure though, I feel it is only appropriate to express my appreciation to folks that blog (culinary and otherwise) each day inspiring me with their interesting thoughts, tantalizing & beautiful photos and their fearless ability to share a piece of themselves with the world (Clarity's Diary, I don't know if you are still around, but you started it all ~ so, thank-you!)

Please be patient with me as I learn the ropes of all this HTML, etc.  I can only aspire to what some of you accomplish on a daily basis. So, why not now......