Bundled up against the cold night, they walked hand in hand toward Maxen’s house. They didn’t stop in at any of the taverns along the way. By mutual agreement, it seemed they wanted something else. Faelen did anyway—to be alone with Maxen somewhere quieter. But Maxen tugged him into a bakery that was still open and bought two pastries, swirled through with cinnamon and spices and topped with sweet sugary icing.
Faelen hadn’t thought he’d be hungry after the filling stew, but the pastry was warm and smelled delicious...perhaps he might have room for something sweet.
Outside, Maxen grinned and pressed a kiss to his temple. “I know how you love your sweets. Go ahead.”
Faelen blushed, even as a delightful shiver traveled through him from the place Maxen’s lips had been so briefly. He ducked his head, letting his hair fall forward to shield his face. -The Merchant's Love
Faelen hadn’t thought he’d be hungry after the filling stew, but the pastry was warm and smelled delicious...perhaps he might have room for something sweet.
Outside, Maxen grinned and pressed a kiss to his temple. “I know how you love your sweets. Go ahead.”
Faelen blushed, even as a delightful shiver traveled through him from the place Maxen’s lips had been so briefly. He ducked his head, letting his hair fall forward to shield his face. -The Merchant's Love
The Merchant's Love came out on Monday (yay!), but with the way the world has been this week, I haven't had it in me to promote it too much, which is probably not good. Romance novels are where I turn for comfort and escape and hope that things get better. I'm sure many of you do too, and I hope this book can maybe do that for you. So I thought it might be a good time for more books and baking.
This week, I made cinnamon rolls, which seem so appropriate for Faelen and Maxen (if you've read about these two, I think you'll agree!). Someone sent me this recipe a while ago and I hadn't tried it yet, so I decided to give it a go. While I was doing it, I realized that might not have been the best idea, since the recipe was a bit vague here and there, but they came out pretty well, I think. I tried to clarify the recipe for you a little.
Cinnamon Rolls
1 package active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1/3 cup and a pinch of sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup softened butter
1 cup hot milk
1 egg
3 cups all purpose flour
Stir together the warm water, yeast, and the a pinch of sugar. Let the mixture sit for a 5-8 minutes until foamy.
In a large bowl, combine the sugar, salt, butter, and milk. Stir everything together and then allow to cool to room temperature. Stir in the egg, then stir in the yeast mixture. Stir in the flour, 1 cup at a time until a very soft dough forms. Continue to knead for a few minutes (or use the dough hook if you're using a stand mixer). The dough will be very soft but should hold together. If it doesn't, add another tablespoon of flour. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and allow to rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. It should double in size.
Preheat the oven to 350 and lightly butter a pan (the recipe doesn't specify what kind, but I used a 9 by 9 inch square pan and that worked fine).
Turn the dough out on a floured surface and roll out into a long rectangle (about 15 by 9 inches maybe). Melt 3 tablespoons of butter and brush the butter all over the dough. Sprinkle the dough with sugar and cinnamon. The recipe called for 1/3 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon. I didn't measure, but I'm sure I used more than that! Roll up from the long side and slice into 12 pieces. Place the rolls in the pan and bake for 25-27 minutes until the edges are brown.
I iced my cinnamon rolls with bourbon cream cheese frosting. Here's the recipe for that:
Bourbon Cream Cheese Frosting
1/2 cup butter, softened
8 oz cream cheese, softened
confectioner's sugar
bourbon
Beat together the butter and cream cheese until creamy. Add in confectioner's sugar and bourbon and beat until smooth. The original recipe that I have called for 4 cups of sugar and 5 tablespoons of bourbon, but I didn't use that much. I tend to add sugar by the cup a little at a time until it's as sweet as I want it to be, and then add the bourdon to taste as well. You can leave out the bourbon easily if you want them to be nonalcoholic.
This week, I made cinnamon rolls, which seem so appropriate for Faelen and Maxen (if you've read about these two, I think you'll agree!). Someone sent me this recipe a while ago and I hadn't tried it yet, so I decided to give it a go. While I was doing it, I realized that might not have been the best idea, since the recipe was a bit vague here and there, but they came out pretty well, I think. I tried to clarify the recipe for you a little.
Cinnamon Rolls
1 package active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1/3 cup and a pinch of sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup softened butter
1 cup hot milk
1 egg
3 cups all purpose flour
Stir together the warm water, yeast, and the a pinch of sugar. Let the mixture sit for a 5-8 minutes until foamy.
In a large bowl, combine the sugar, salt, butter, and milk. Stir everything together and then allow to cool to room temperature. Stir in the egg, then stir in the yeast mixture. Stir in the flour, 1 cup at a time until a very soft dough forms. Continue to knead for a few minutes (or use the dough hook if you're using a stand mixer). The dough will be very soft but should hold together. If it doesn't, add another tablespoon of flour. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and allow to rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. It should double in size.
Preheat the oven to 350 and lightly butter a pan (the recipe doesn't specify what kind, but I used a 9 by 9 inch square pan and that worked fine).
Turn the dough out on a floured surface and roll out into a long rectangle (about 15 by 9 inches maybe). Melt 3 tablespoons of butter and brush the butter all over the dough. Sprinkle the dough with sugar and cinnamon. The recipe called for 1/3 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon. I didn't measure, but I'm sure I used more than that! Roll up from the long side and slice into 12 pieces. Place the rolls in the pan and bake for 25-27 minutes until the edges are brown.
I iced my cinnamon rolls with bourbon cream cheese frosting. Here's the recipe for that:
Bourbon Cream Cheese Frosting
1/2 cup butter, softened
8 oz cream cheese, softened
confectioner's sugar
bourbon
Beat together the butter and cream cheese until creamy. Add in confectioner's sugar and bourbon and beat until smooth. The original recipe that I have called for 4 cups of sugar and 5 tablespoons of bourbon, but I didn't use that much. I tend to add sugar by the cup a little at a time until it's as sweet as I want it to be, and then add the bourdon to taste as well. You can leave out the bourbon easily if you want them to be nonalcoholic.
About The Merchant's Love:
Faelen, cousin to the prince and son of a diplomat, has finally come home to Tournai after years away. The pull to return was almost tangible, and the sense of rightness at being back is absolute. He wants nothing more than to put down roots and build a life among family while pursuing his linguistic studies. Becoming involved in magic meant to protect Tournai isn’t part of his plans…and falling in love is even more unexpected and unfamiliar, but he finds himself doing just that as his friendship with Maxen deepens into something more.
Maxen, second son of a wealthy merchant family, longs to leave Tournai and visit everywhere he can. All his life, he’s found places on maps and dreamed, planning out routes to get to them. For now, he’s tied to Tournai’s capital city by family obligations and his position in their shipping business. Someday, though, he’ll be able to travel. His sudden attraction to Faelen shocks him, but their friendship soon becomes a necessary part of his life. Love, however, has no place in his plans, especially not love for a royal cousin with secrets who wants nothing more than to stay in one place.
For Faelen and Maxen to build something real between them, they must resolve their differences, but when magic goes awry and all Faelen’s secrets are revealed, will Maxen remain at his side?
Add The Merchant's Love to your Goodreads shelf.
Buy The Merchant's Love:
NineStar Press
Amazon
Apple
Barnes & Noble
Smashwords
Kobo
Maxen, second son of a wealthy merchant family, longs to leave Tournai and visit everywhere he can. All his life, he’s found places on maps and dreamed, planning out routes to get to them. For now, he’s tied to Tournai’s capital city by family obligations and his position in their shipping business. Someday, though, he’ll be able to travel. His sudden attraction to Faelen shocks him, but their friendship soon becomes a necessary part of his life. Love, however, has no place in his plans, especially not love for a royal cousin with secrets who wants nothing more than to stay in one place.
For Faelen and Maxen to build something real between them, they must resolve their differences, but when magic goes awry and all Faelen’s secrets are revealed, will Maxen remain at his side?
Add The Merchant's Love to your Goodreads shelf.
Buy The Merchant's Love:
NineStar Press
Amazon
Apple
Barnes & Noble
Smashwords
Kobo
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