Surprise Treat

There is a lovely little specialty bakery in Gresham, Oregon, by the name of CloudTree & Sun Inc. (112 N. Main), that sells: The. Most. Delicious. Sticky Buns! They are coated in gooey caramel and baked with ripe, crunchy, nutty pecans throughout. The bread melts in your mouth; a buttery pastry that beckons and invites the senses to partake in this sweet privilege.

This is how food is meant to be created.

My mother and I used to visit this shop on our way home from my sister's house. I always felt that I must have been a very special little girl to be treated to such a delicacy. One whole sticky bun and my favorite treat in the whole world from the prettiest boutique, all to myself. This one small and rare indulgence made me feel like a princess.

These sticky buns are what initiated my journey down the study of gastronomy.

A few years back I got my hands on the recipe for another of my favorite desserts, also from CloudTree & Sun. All these years I never much paid attention to the fact that it was part of a two columned piece of paper; the left containing the prized recipe and the right a bunch of hand written gibberish.

All these years I've been missing out. Turns out that gibberish is quite a treasure!

Apple Cream Cake

This flan combines apple pie with cheesecake. I've tried this combination before, however, this recipe is uniquely different. The texture is not wholly equivalent to cheesecake alone, but instead possesses two distinct flavors: apple and cream.

Crust

Cake:
Whip 8oz. cream cheese until light and airy
Add
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 eggs
½ cup sugar
Mix until light and fluffy

Finalè:
Roll out crust dough, and layer along bottom and up edges of an 8" tart pan
Slice and core 2 apples and arrange on the bottom of the flan
Pour cake mixture over apples
Bake at F350° for 30-40 minutes
Allow to cool before removing base of pan
Chill and enjoy

One Year Ago: In A Rut, Boston Cream Pie
Two Years Ago: Sundae Crêpes: Avocado Corn
Three Years Ago: Eat More Fruit, Walnut Pear Tartelettes