I don’t know if any of you watch The Great British Bakeoff, but I have recently gotten into it. Some of the bakes they produce are super impressive. Watching the show occasionally gives me the itch to bake something new. I decided to  try my hand at making homemade almond croissants. Almond croissants have always been my favorite. If that’s an option at a bakery that is what I’ll be walking out the door with. 

I used the croissant dough recipe from the kitchn. The almond filling I pulled off of Simply Home Cooked. Simply Home Cooked gives some helpful step by step photos. 

I definitely need more practice and will try my hand at it again. 

I recently started shooting for La Nay Ferme. They’re located in Provo and have a beautiful little farm. If you love local, fresh food, you won’t regret joining their CSA. Here are a few of my favorite photos I’ve done for them so far. 

If you follow me on Instagram, you know that I recently started shooting for RubySnap cookies. Oh man are they delicious. This job proved once again that being a food photographer is the best gig out there… And it’s a good thing I don’t work at RubySnap full time…

Doesn’t that make you want some cookies?

I’m not the most fashionable of people… being a mom has all but killed that side of me. Although I do try, it’s something that has fallen by the wayside. But I do have friends that are. My friend, Emily, started an online boutique, Suzy Bobby Pin. I was lucky enough to help her start this new endeavor. These are as few of my favorite shots.

Fall has officially made its way to London. We have pulled out the jackets and the sweatshirts. The past week has been gloomy and rainy. Mother Nature wasted no time in bringing autumn to our door.

There is something about fall weather that makes me want to bake. The other day I woke up needing maple bars… maybe that had nothing to do with the weather, but everything to do with the fact that I’m pregnant. Regardless, I’ve baked quite a bit this cold gloomy week, there has been bread, maple bars, chocolate chip cookies, and this morning, muffins. All this chilly weather has made me in the mood for warm, baked goods. This mornings craving, whether pregnancy or weather driven, did not disappoint. 

 I woke up dreaming of something warm, cinnamon-y, and full of apple goodness. Nothing says fall like apple and cinnamon packed baked goodness, right? Not in the mood for our standard apple pancakes, I decided upon apple cinnamon muffins. They turned out perfectly. The apple kept the muffin crazy moist; the cinnamon added yummy spice and warmth that screams fall, and the streusel topping gives it that scrumptious crunch that keeps you wanting more.  

Streusel topping: 

3 Tbs white sugar 

3 Tbs brown sugar 

1/3 cup flour 

1/3 cup oats 

up to 5 Tbs melted butter 

Muffins: 

1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (can do all all-purpose flour if you don’t have whole wheat and oats or just don’t want to incorporate them.)

1/2 cup whole wheat flour 

1/2 cup oats 

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 

1 teaspoon table salt 

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 

1 cup sugar 

2 large eggs 

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly 

1/4 cup vegetable oil 

1 cup buttermilk 

2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

2 apples, chopped small 

Streusel Topping: 

Combine together, adding the butter a little at a time. You may not need all of the butter. 

For Muffins: 

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare standard muffin tins with nonstick cooking spray or liners. 

Whisk flours, oats, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon together in large bowl. 

Whisk remaining sugar and eggs together in medium bowl until thick and well combined. Slowly mix in butter and oil until combined. Whisk in buttermilk and vanilla. 

Using rubber spatula, fold egg mixture and apples into flour mixture until just moistened. (Batter will be very lumpy with few spots of dry flour; do not over mix.) 

Using a cookie scoop or large spoon, divide batter equally among prepared muffin cups (batter should completely fill cups and mound slightly). 

Sprinkle streusel evenly over muffins.
Bake until muffin tops are golden and just firm, 17 to 19 minutes. Cool muffins in muffin tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack and cool 5 minutes before serving.