maple

• Move rack to lower 1/3 of oven; set to preheat at 350-degrees. Generously coat the interior of a large bundt pan with nonstick spray, preferably a baking spray with flour.
• In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In a big mixing bowl, place eggs, sugar, milk, butter, and oil, beating until creamy yellow. Gradually mix in the dry ingredients, but reserve the empty bowl to one side. Scrape the bowl of batter as needed, mixing until it is smooth.
• Measure out 3 cups of the batter into the reserved bowl. Add the maple syrup, espresso powder or cocoa, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and nutmeg, whisking until smooth.
• Pour half the plain batter into the greased pan. Top with half the spiced batter, spreading to the sides. Draw a butter knife through the layers, swirling up and down and around. Pour the remaining batters into the pan, repeating the swirl process with the butter knife.
• Bake bundt cake for 45 to 50 minutes. The top should feel dry and the middle should pass the toothpick test. Let cool in pan for 1 hour, then carefully invert onto a cooling rack; if any chunks stick to the pan, try to nestle them back into place on the cake.
• Finish cooling. Slice into wedges. Store under a cake dome or otherwise wrapped; individual slices can also be wrapped in plastic.

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Make the galette.

• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, maple sugar, and salt. Add butter and work into dough so that the butter is down to pea-sized chunks. Add just enough water to incorporate as dough, smearing butter chunks in the process. Shape dough into a disk and shroud in plastic wrap; refrigerate for 30 minutes, or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Place parchment paper on a large rimmed baking sheet.

Make the interior.

• In a large bowl, gently stir together the flour, maple sugar, vanilla, and lemon juice; it will form a thick paste. Gently stir in the pears to coat. Expect the mixture to become more liquid as it sits with the pears in it.
• Use some extra flour to lightly dust a large work surface. Roll out the dough to at least a foot diameter circle. Transfer it to the prepared parchment paper on baking sheet; the dough might hang over the edges for now, but that’s okay.
• Arrange the pears in a circular pattern in the center; leave a 2 1/2 to 3-inch border. Scrape the rest of the maple paste over the pears. Fold the dough inward, with the center still exposed. Brush the egg over the top and sprinkle on the remaining maple sugar.
• Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until the crust is golden and the filling bubbles. Let cool before cutting.

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• Line a 9×9 square pan with foil and apply nonstick spray.
• If the almonds are whole, give them a rough chop in food processor, just a few pulses.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, cinnamon, and salt, and stir to blend. If the almond butter is stiff, measure it into a separate microwave-safe bowl and heat it for 20-30 seconds to soften it. Add almond butter, maple syrup or honey, and vanilla extract to the big bowl with the dry ingredients. Stir together until it forms a cohesive mass. If it seems too liquid, add more oats; if it’s too dry, add more almond butter. Stir in the chopped almonds to distribute them throughout.
• Dump the mixture into the prepared pan. Even out some, then use a pan-size piece of wax paper and a heavy glass to compress the dough evenly.
• Stash the pan in the fridge for at least an hour, or until the next day. Slice into bars of desired size. Store between stacked waxed paper layers in the fridge, or freeze for later enjoyment.

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• Prepare a 9×13 pan by lining it with foil and applying nonstick spray.
• Either in microwave or on stovetop, carefully melt chocolate with sweetened condensed milk and marshmallow cream. If microwaving, do it in short bursts because it can burn fast! Stir often.
• When the mix is smooth, add the maple flavor and vanilla. Fold in the maple cookies and nuts. Pour fudge into the prepared pan. Use an uneven spatula to smooth out the top.
• Refrigerate at least 3 hours, until the fudge is firm. Cut into bite size pieces. Keep stored in fridge between layers of wax paper. Unlike some other quick fudges, this will keep well for hours at room temperature.

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• Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, beat butter and brown sugar on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in maple syrup, egg, vanilla, and maple flavor. The ingredients may look curdled.
• Gradually add in the dry ingredients, scraping the bottom of the large bowl a few times. Chill bowl in fridge for about 30 minutes to reduce stickiness.
• Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Measure out the turbinado sugar in a small bowl.
• Roll tablespoon-sized balls of dough in the turbinado sugar. Set spaced out on baking sheet. Press a walnut half into the top of each round.
• Bake for 12 to 14 minutes. Cookies should be set but still soft. Let rest on sheet for 10 minutes before transitioning to a cooling rack.
• Store in a sealed container at room temperature.

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• Place all ingredients in slow cooker and stir to distribute. Place lid on pot and put heat level to LOW. Cook for 3 hours before lifting lid again. Stir and taste to test doneness. Continue to cook for 30 minutes to an hour more, dependent on the desired texture for the oats. The longer it cooks, the thicker it will be.
• Serve oats fresh, or stash in fridge to reheat in microwave over the next week. These oats are great to portion out and freeze for later. If desired, add more spices, fresh fruit, or extra milk when serving–the customization possibilities are endless!

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