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A Reflection on Baking During the Holidays

Around this time every year, we enter a golden period for baking. Sure, we love cake and cookies throughout the whole year — but there’s something special about having a slice of pumpkin pie after the Thanksgiving feast. There’s something so beautifully nostalgic about Christmas cookies or latkas during the holidays. Why does baking mean so much to us during these next few weeks? We’ll give our hypotheses below.

Celebration: From November until December, there’s a lot to celebrate. The upcoming holidays remind us of the importance of family, friends, and loved ones. Thanksgiving has us reflect on our past and celebrate the things to be thankful for, while New Years has us look to the future with hope. Culturally and historically, pastries have long been a way for people to celebrate. Since baked treats are indulgent, they’re meant to be saved for the times truly worth celebrating – as much as we’d love to have cake every single day of the year, there’s a reason why we don’t. These baked goods are special to us during this time of the year since it’s a time we all celebrate life.

Giving: One of our favorite parts about the holidays is giving our friends and family delicious baked treats. We love to proudly show off our delicious pies during Thanksgiving or drop a tin box of cookies off at our neighbor’s. Baked goods are such sweet (pun definitely intended) presents because there’s an assumption of the amount of time the baker spent to create the treats. For example, when we give Christmas Cookies as presents, not only do our family, friends, and coworkers love the taste of the cookies, they subconsciously know that you put time into making those delicious cookies. You put time into decorating them.

Collaboration: Baking can be such a fun activity to do with loved ones. It’s a time when family and friends can get together with a common goal of creating something delicious. It’s something you can do whether or not it’s snowing (not gonna happen here anytime soon), raining, or sunny. And when you and your fellow bakers are done baking, you’re left with a delicious prize. Baking parties are always fun!

We hope you and your loved ones find the time to bake this holiday season. But if you can’t find the time to bake, we’ll be here waiting for you with delicious holiday treats at the ready.

3 Reasons Why Autumn is the Best

The dog days of summer can be pretty bittersweet. Kids go back to school and days become shorter. However, at Rossmoor Pastries, we 100% embrace the fall. In fact, it’s one of our favorite seasons. Here are just a few of the reasons why.

 

 

1. The Holiday Ramp-up: OK, OK. We get sick of seeing Christmas decorations go up in September too. BUT, autumn marks the beginning phase of some of our favorite holidays: Thanksgiving, Black Friday (hah), and Hallo-freaking-ween. As a matter of fact, Halloween and Thanksgiving are some of our favorite holidays — period! With all the incredible pastries, of course we’d love those two holidays. Check out our Halloween-themed goodies; they’re as delicious as much as they are adorable.

 

 

2. Pumpkin Everything: Even though we’re not officially in autumn yet, we might as well be since Starbucks has already started selling Pumpkin Spice Lattes© this year. In fact, the Season Committee is even considering making that the official start of the harvest season (just kidding). But for real, there are just so many awesome treats you can get that are pumpkin-flavored, especially from Rossmoor Pastries. Our classic Pumpkin Pie is simply your best choice for satisfying your autumnal dessert itch.

 

 

3. Cooler Weather and Rain: Californians tend to freak out in the rain, but isn’t there still something so wonderful about the weather? We at Rossmoor Pastries like it because baking is especially fun while it’s raining and cold out. But it’s equally fun to curl up with a hot cup of coffee, a book, and a Rossmoor Pastry’s Donut. For the next rainy day, we recommend dropping by for a donut (or two) and coffee. Hang out in the Shoppe or take it home and read that book you’ve been meaning to get to. Now that’s how to pull off a perfect rainy day.

 

So in case you can’t tell, we’re pretty excited. We hope you are just as hyped as we are for the fall!

3 Ice Cream Recipes to Pair with Rossmoor Pastries Treats

Forget cones! Pair your ice cream with Rossmoor Pastries desserts.

Rossmoor Pastries is known for offering the freshest, most delicious treats in Long Beach. The desserts have a professionally-made quality, while maintaining home-made-style freshness. So what better way to enhance Rossmoor Pastries goodies than with some home made ice cream? Here are a few ice cream recipes that pair perfectly with Rossmoor Pastries treats.

 

 

1. Vanilla Ice Cream: Paired with Rossmoor Pastries Chocolate Cake

Here’s a delicious recipe for the classic. Follow these instructions and you’ll find yourself with a creamy vanilla ice cream that perfectly pairs with Rossmoor Pastries Chocolate Cake.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 2 cups heavy cream, divided
• ¾ cup sugar
• 1 cup whole milk
• Pinch of salt
• 1 vanilla bean
• 6 large egg yolks
• ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 Rossmoor Pastries Chocolate Cake

Instructions:

1. Add the sugar, milk, salt, and 1 cup of the cream and in a mid-sized saucepan.
2. Cut the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape the seeds out of the center. Add the seeds and the bean to the mixture and stir over medium heat.
3. Cook until warmed through, then cover the pan, remove from the heat, and let the mixture sit and steep for 30 minutes.
4. Pour the remaining one cup of cream into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer over the top. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks. While whisking, pour the vanilla bean mixture into the egg yolks and whisk completely, then pour the mixture back into the saucepan.
5. Place the saucepan over medium heat. Stir the mixture constantly with a heatproof spatula, making sure to scrape the bottom as you stir. Cook until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
6. Pour the mixture into the strainer and stir it into the cream. Remove the vanilla bean from the strainer and add to the custard. Stir in the vanilla extract. Place in an ice bath and stir frequently until cooled. Cover the bowl and refrigerate until fully chilled, preferably overnight.
7. When ready to churn, remove the vanilla bean from the mixture. Freeze the ice cream according to your ice cream maker’s manufacturer’s instructions.

 

 

2. Pecan Hot Fudge Ice Cream: Paired with Rossmoor Pastries Sugar Cookie

Rossmoor Pastries’ various sugar cookies pair beautifully with indulgent ice creams like the recipe selected below. Whether the cookies are served next to the ice cream, or crushed and mixed within the ice cream, the softness of the ice cream will contrast with the slight crunch of the cookies. Don’t have an ice cream machine? Don’t worry about it! You won’t need one for this recipe.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 1 dozen Rossmoor Pastries Sugar Cookies
• ½ cup chopped pecans
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• ½ cup hot fudge topping
• ½ cup caramel topping
• Toppings: chopped pecans, caramel topping, hot fudge topping (optional)

Instructions:

1. Cut 6 Rossmoor Pastries Sugar Cookies into small pieces or chunks and reserve remaining 6 cookies for tomorrow’s dessert.
2. Whip heavy whipping cream until peaks form.
3. Fold in sweetened condensed milk.
4. Transfer half of mixture to a freezer-safe container that has a lid.
5. Stir hot fudge topping until nice and loose. Avoid heating the topping unless necessary and then allow to cool before using.
6. Drizzle one-quarter cup of hot fudge topping and one-quarter cup of caramel topping on top of ice cream mixture.
7. Sprinkle on half of the Rossmoor Pastries Sugar Cookie chunks.
8. Carefully pour the last half of the ice cream mixture into container.
9. Drizzle remaining caramel and hot fudge topping on top and sprinkle with remaining cookie pieces.
10. Use a knife to swirl into ice cream.
11. Place lid on container and freeze until it reaches ice cream consistency.
12. Serve ice cream topped with additional hot fudge topping, caramel topping and chopped pecans if desired.

 

 

3. Coffee Ice Cream: Paired with Rossmoor Pastries Donuts

Our last recipe is a breakfast-themed dessert. Afterall, what goes better together than donuts and coffee? For this delicious recipe, we’ll be making donut ice cream sandwiches. Yes, it’s as good as it sounds – trust us.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 1 ½ cups whole milk
• ¾ cup sugar
• 1 ½ cups whole coffee beans (decaf unless you want the caffeine in your ice cream)
• Pinch of salt
• 1 ½ cups heavy cream
• 5 large egg yolks
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon finely ground coffee (press grinds through a fine mesh sieve)
• Dozen Rossmoor Pastries Donuts

Instructions:

1 Steep milk with sugar, coffee beans, salt, and cream: Heat the milk, sugar, whole coffee beans, salt, and 1/2 cup of the cream in a medium saucepan until it is quite warm and steamy, but not boiling. Once the mixture is warm, cover, remove from the heat, and let steep at room temperature for 1 hour.
2 Set remaining cream into a bowl over ice bath with sieve: Pour the remaining 1 cup of cream into a medium size metal bowl, set on ice over a larger bowl. Set a mesh strainer on top of the bowls. Set aside.
3 Temper the egg yolks: Reheat the milk and coffee mixture, on medium heat, until again hot and steamy (not boiling!). In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks together. Slowly pour the heated milk and coffee mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly so that the egg yolks are tempered by the warm milk, but not cooked by it. Scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
5 Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream. Press on the coffee beans in the strainer to extract as much of the coffee flavor as possible. Then discard the beans. Mix in the vanilla and finely ground coffee, and stir until cool.
6 Chill and process in ice cream maker: Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
7 Serve with Rossmoor Pastries Donuts: Cut each of the Rossmoor Pastries donuts in half horizontally. Take a scoop of the finished ice cream, place in the middle of the donut, and serve.

 

Rossmoor Pastries’ Best Picnic Spots in Long Beach

It’s summertime and the livin’ is easy. Our favorite summer pass-time (besides baking of course)? Picnics! Long Beach is known for its plethora of beautiful parks. Here are some of our favorite picnic spots.

 

Credit: longbeachseen.com

 

1. Hilltop Park, Signal Hill: Hilltop Park offers a beautiful view of Downtown Long Beach, the Port of Los Angeles, and on clear days, Downtown Los Angeles. The park is especially popular for watching the sunset. That said, it can get pretty crowded on a summer Friday or Saturday evening, but there’s a reason for the crowds. It’s one of the most essential views in the county. Best part? It’s about a 5 minute drive from Rossmoor Pastries! Be sure to pick up some cupcakes, cookies, or tarts – all perfect for an evening picnic.

 

Credit: edpehoa.org

 

2. El Dorado Park: El Dorado Park is Long Beach’s very own Central Park: its sprawling fields and towering pines obscure the city’s urban and suburban aura. The park is dotted with a few duck ponds and barbecue/picnic areas. With its remote-controlled airplane field, skatepark, archery range, nature preserve (El Dorado Nature Center), and many other amenities, there’s always something to do or see at El Dorado Park. Concerts in the Park occur every Friday until August 2nd on the west side of El Dorado Park. In short, the park is a dreamland for all picnic-goers.

 

Credit: californiabeachs.com

 

3. Bluff Park: The parks mentioned above offer stunning views, but perhaps you want to take advantage of Long Beach’s unique ocean scenery. Bluff Park is perfect for that. Its jagged cliffs, metropolitan vibe, and oceanic breeze provide picnickers the quintessential California picnic experience. At sundown, the view of Long Beach’s skyline looks especially dramatic, the sunlight reflecting off the city’s glass skyscrapers.

 

When enjoying Long Beach’s scenery, be sure to picnic with food from one the city’s many business. Just as Long Beach is known for its stunning views and parks, it’s also known for its abundance of outstanding restaurants and delis. Just make sure to pick up some Rossmoor Pastries goodies as well. Our cupcakes and cookies have been known to enhance many a picnic.

Fireworks vs. Rossmoor Pastries Spirit Dessert Guide

Ahh, smell the smoke in the air? It must be the 4th of July! What better way to celebrate this nation than kicking back with a delicious slice of Rossmoor Pastries cake and watching the fireworks illuminate the sky. Here are 3 types of fireworks and their Spirit Desserts:

 

 

1. Sparkler: The humble sparkler’s Spirit Pastry is a Rossmoor Pastries Cupcake. Now it doesn’t matter the flavor of the cupcake, but it should be noted that the smaller the cupcake, the more perfect the match to a sparkler. Both the sparkler and the Rossmoor Pastries Cupcake are small, yet elegant and nostalgic. Pro tip: you can eat a cupcake with one hand and hold a sparkler with your other hand (if sparklers are legal to use in your municipality). Just be careful!

 

 

2. Fountain Fireworks: A Rossmoor Pastries Chocolate-Dipped Shortbread Cookie with Rainbow Sprinkles is a perfect spirit match for the classic fountain firework. The stream of flowing sparks (Rainbow Sprinkles), the static bright light (Shortbread Cookie) – it all just matches too perfectly. OK maybe we’re seeing similarities where they don’t exist – we’re self-aware enough to realize that. But what can we say? Baking is our passion, so we see it everywhere!!

 

 

3. Grand Finale Fireworks: Alright, alright, trust us on this. Grand Finale Fireworks = Rossmoor Pastries Specialty Cakes. They are both the definitive way to end a celebration. The best possible send off.

 

From Rossmoor Pastries to you, we wish you a very happy 4th of July! Enjoy the fireworks (and dessert)!

The Ultimate, Short, and Sweet Picnic Guide

 

June is the perfect month for picnics. It’s officially summer, yet it’s not brutally hot. So grab your red-and-white checkered blanket and wicker basket – it’s picnic time!

To start, let’s talk about what you should pack. Of course, you’ll want to pack finger-food. Fried chicken is a classic picnic food for a reason. Some other good picnic foods include sliced apples, chips, fresh veggies (broccoli and carrots), and canned beverages. Be sure to bring some of Rossmoor Pastries Petit Fours too – they’re perfectly portable and summer-ie.

 

 

OK, so you’ve got the import part down – the food. However, we recommend bringing a fun activity. Corn hole, a deck of cards, a football, a frisbee – you name it. If you’re like me, you’ll be done with your food within 10 minutes of the picnic. Therefore, you’ll want something to do once the food is gone.

 

Credit: maranachurch.com

 

Next, prepare for the bugs. Scout out the grass you’ll lay your blanket on top of; keep an eye out for ants. If you’re in Southern California, mosquitos shouldn’t be too much of an issue unless you’re further inland and in a more rural environment. That said, it’s a good idea to bring mosquito repellent either way.

 

Don’t forget to pack the important utility items. I’m talking about trash bags, wet wipes, hand sanitizer, etc. The better you prepare in this regard, the easier the cleanup will be. You’ll thank me later.

 

Picnics are basically ultra-short camping trips. So plan accordingly, and make sure you have the best food possible – especially the desserts.