St. Olaf’s Kiss: A Golden Girls Cheesecake

Posted September 3, 2026 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in Book of the Month Recipes / 0 Comments

You know you’re a big fan of a show when your kids point out references to it in their own shows. A few months ago, my son was watching Teen Titans and said, “Mom, Cyborg says he’s a Golden Girls fan. You LOVE that show!” He was, of course, correct. It’s my go-to watch when I’m folding laundry or editing photos. I love how distinct the characters’ personalities are (Sophia is my favorite) and that their friendship is the emotional core of the show.

My son’s observation made me realize I’ve never made a Golden Girls recipe for the blog before. Cheesecake was the obvious choice, since it’s the preferred dessert of the 4 main characters of the show. I was curious if anyone had released a Golden Girls cookbook, so I did some Googling, which is how I discovered that a Golden Girls murder mystery entitled Murder by Cheesecake by Rachel Ekstrom Courage came out earlier this year.

I’m also a big fan of murder mysteries (Agatha Christie is my favorite author), so I snagged a copy from my local library. It was a light, fun read. I especially appreciated how the author captured the distinct voices of Rose, Dorothy, Blanche, and Sophia. Ekstrom Courage also did an amazing job giving the book a sense of time and place. The detailed descriptions of fashion, home decor, and architecture (along with all the pop culture references) made me feel like I was really in Miami in the 1980s.

It’s hard to believe, but in 13 years of food blogging, I’ve never made a “real” cheesecake (Y’know, the kind you bake. Though I’ve made really great quick-set mini cheesecakes before). The recipe I use here is a combination of the recipe at the back of Murder by Cheesecake, the Classic Cheesecake from Sally’s Baking Addiction, and my own ideas.

The book highlights a specific cheesecake called St. Olaf’s kiss, which has elements inspired by Rose’s beloved hometown in Minnesota. It’s described as having a graham cracker-almond crust, vanilla custard filling, and lingonberry sauce on top. I decided to add a little clementine to the sauce, since citrus complements the lingonberry so well, and it’s a little nod to how Rose has brought together her St. Olaf upbringing with her new life in sunny Miami.

This cheesecake was a big hit at my house! Cheesecake is my husband’s favorite dessert, so it didn’t last long. I love how the center of the cheesecake was so light, fluffy, and creamy. The lingonberry sauce has a cranberry-like flavor, the tart sweetness cutting beautifully through the rich custard filling. I might have to make this again for Thanksgiving!

NOTE: This recipe needs to set overnight.

Snail Rolls and Salad (with a Few Croutons and a Light Vinaigrette) inspired by ESCARGOT

Posted July 2, 2026 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in Book of the Month Recipes / 0 Comments

I recently had a follower on Instagram ask for more recipes inspired by kids’ books, which turned out to be perfect timing since I was already considering posting a recipe from ESCARGOT this month.

My kids have loved the Escargot series by Dashka Slater and Sydney Hanson ever since they were toddlers. My sister bought us the first book since her kids were fans, and we’ve slowly accumulated most of the books in the series. They follow the adventures of a French snail named Escargot who loves “salad with a few croutons and a light vinaigrette,” and they are positively delightful.

I think the best thing about the books is that they are fun for both kids and adults. My kids love Escargot’s silly antics and preoccupation with getting kisses, and I love his supreme (and often comically misplaced) self-assurance. I also love how each story encourages him to reassess his assumptions and open his world up a bit wider. Of course, I have to read it in my most dramatic French accent, though I admit it sometimes comes out sounding like Anontio Banderas (I didn’t say it was a good accent).

Any recipe post inspired by ESCARGOT must include his favorite food: salad with a few croutons and a light vinaigrette. I used my crouton recipe from my latest cookbook, A LITERARY PICNIC. The vinaigrette I made is the same recipe I used for the Salad of Beetroot from my JONATHAN STRANGE & MR. NORREL menu a few years ago. If we’re talking in terms of strict book accuracy, the vinaigrette in ESCARGOT is most likely balsamic since it’s brown. However, I’ve found light-colored dressings are a lot easier to photograph (brown dressing just tends to make the salad look dirty), so I went with a version that uses apple cider vinegar and—for a touch of French style—Dijon mustard.

Still, I felt like a salad and dressing was too simple for a blog post (even if it included homemade croutons), so I made some bread roll snails using a basic bread dough I’ve been working on for a super secret cooking project. Hopefully I can share more details about it soon!

My kids loved the bread rolls, though they’re still not that big on salad. . . but if there’s anyone who can change their mind, it’s Escargot. 😉

Japanese Curry

Posted May 7, 2026 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in Book of the Month Recipes / 0 Comments

If you follow me on Instagram, you probably saw that my family and I recently went on a week-long trip to Japan. It’s only the second time I’ve ever left the country (the first time was a trip to Ireland for my honeymoon). We got to visit the Studio Ghibli Museum, Nintendo Museum, Pokemon Cafe, and so much more. One of my favorite things we did was a day trip on the bullet train to Fujinomiya to see Mt. Fuji.

In anticipation of the trip, I read lots of Japanese fiction, including TOKYO EXPRESS, a 1950s murder mystery by Seichō Matsmoto, who is often lauded as the Japanese Agatha Christie. As a diehard Christie fan, I can confidently say Matsumoto lives up to the hype. The timing of events in the story is literally planned down to the minute, all revolving around the Tokyo train schedule. Matsumoto puts so much care into every detail, making it difficult to guess the ending but satisfying when you get there. I was only able to solve part of the mystery, and I was trying pretty hard!

A major clue in the story is the victim’s dining car receipt, which indicates the victim spent 340 yen and dined alone (which is significant, since presumably his lover was on the same train). Unfortunately, the receipt doesn’t say what he ate. As you can imagine, this drove me crazy as a food blogger, so I did a little research to discover what he might have eaten. Here’s what I learned:

Train dining cars were on the rise in Japan in the 1950s after the austerity of the war, and they became a symbol of prosperity and luxury. The 1950s also saw the invention of “instant roux” for Japanese curry, shelf-stable roux blocks that are still the preferred method for making at-home curry today. These two things meant that curry was a common item on Japanese dining car menus. I decided to make some for the blog, since I loved the curry I ate in Japan and was excited to recreate it at home.

Japanese curry is pretty easy: brown the meat, saute vegetables, add water, bring to a boil, add the roux block, and cook a bit longer until it thickens. I used a combo of two recipes by Toasty Apron and Gypsyplate, which are designed to be used with Golden Curry roux (the brand I used, which is available at most Walmarts if you’re in the States like me). The final product is rich, generously spiced, and a bit sweet—perfect over rice!

I’m glad I can recreate a little taste of my trip to Japan here at home, and I’m planning to pick up another Matsumoto book soon. I’ve heard INSPECTOR IMANISHI INVESTIGATES is just as good as TOKYO EXPRESS!

P.S. Before my trip, I also read BEFORE THE COFFEE GETS COLD and THE KAMOGAWA FOOD DETECTIVES. Since I’m still craving Japanese fiction, I’m currently reading THE VANISHING CHERRY BLOSSOM BOOKSHOP. I’d love to share a recipe from one of these books some time too. Maybe on Instagram? I’ll keep you posted!

Belgian Pistolets

Posted March 5, 2026 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in Book of the Month Recipes / 2 Comments

I’m a huge fan of the Brontë sisters, so over the past several years, I’ve been working my way through all their books, making recipes for them as I go. I’ve made full menus for JANE EYRE, WUTHERING HEIGHTS, and AGNES GREY and made a solo recipe for THE TENANT OF WILDFELL HALL. Today’s recipe is inspired by THE PROFESSOR, Charlotte Brontë’s very first novel, which was posthumously published.

THE PROFESSOR tells the story of William Crimsworth, a young man who travels to Belgium as an English language teacher, a story partially inspired by Charlotte Brontë’s own years as a teacher in Belgium. Crimsworth tries lots of unfamiliar foods in Belgium, including pistolets, a type of Belgian bread roll. My interest piqued, I decided to make some for the blog.

I did quite a bit of googling, trying to pin down what makes Belgian pistolets distinct from other varieties, like those made in France. From what I read, Belgian pistolets are always fluffy on the inside and have a seam down the middle, bisecting the roll into two sides. Some versions I saw had a firm, crunchy exterior, while others had a thinner, more delicate crust. I discovered many different methods for making them, and in the end I decided to go with this pistolet recipe I found on Youtube. I took the liberty of adding a steam pan to the recipe, since many recipes I saw called for it (and I’ve never tried it before, so I was curious).

These came out SO soft and fluffy, perfect with a thick schmear of butter. My son loved them so much he ate them for breakfast every day until they were gone! I’m definitely adding them to my baking repertoire.

German-Style Candied Roasted Almonds inspired by TINY BOOKSHOP

Posted January 1, 2026 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in Book of the Month Recipes / 0 Comments

This post is not sponsored by TINY BOOKSHOP or Neoludic Games.

Hands up if, like me, you have been playing the TINY BOOKSHOP computer game to the point of irresponsibility. 🙋 That’s ok, no judgement here. It’s that dangerous combo of cozy and addicting, and I couldn’t love it more.

For those who haven’t played, TINY BOOKSHOP is a game in which you run a mobile shop for second hand books. Different locations in town have customers that are interested in different genres, so you have to stock your shelves based on where you plan to park your bookshop that day. As you progress through the game, you get to know the locals and unlock some of the secrets of the town. And as you sell books, you get opportunities to recommend books to customers based on what they’re looking for. The best part? The books on your shelves are real books like JANE EYRE, TASTING HISTORY, GAME OF THRONES, and so much more! In fact, I keep a notepad next to me when I play, because it’s given me lots of new books to add to my TBR.

Seasonal progression is part of the gameplay, and the Winter Market sells two snack items that add boosts to your shop: roasted almonds and yuletide coffee. The roasted almonds are described as “a crunchy treat so sweet,” which makes me think they’re candied as well as roasted. This sounds similar to German candied almonds (Gebrannte Mandeln), which have a thick, rough, crunchy coating of sugar and spices. This would make a lot of sense, since the studio that developed the game (Neoludic Games) is based in Germany.

For my German candied almonds, I went straight to All Tastes German. It’s the same place I found my favorite authentic German jagerschniztel recipe. I only made a few small tweaks, since I didn’t want to depart too much from the traditional recipe.

Just like TINY BOOKSHOP, these little nuts are so cozy and addicting. First you get the crunchy, sugary sweetness of the coating with the lightly toasted almond in the background. Then as the sugar begins to dissolve on your tongue, it unlocks the cinnamon. Even though I’m posting this on New Year’s Day, I made the recipe on St. Nicolas day, and it felt SO perfect to be standing at my stove stirring sweet, fragrant almonds on that day. I think I might have unlocked a new annual St. Nick tradition!

P.S. Just want to remind everyone that I’ll be posting on a different schedule from now on (the first Thursday of every other month), so my next recipe post will go up on March 5th. You can find more details about the change here.

Uncle Albert’s Plum Cake

Posted December 25, 2025 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in Book of the Month Recipes / 0 Comments

Plum cake features prominently on the tea table when Mary Poppins and the children visit her Uncle Albert, a beloved moment for both fans of the book and the movie. Admittedly, I didn’t decorate mine with pink icing like the one in the book, but I did sprinkle it with sliced almonds and a dusting of sugar. I used a recipe by Nigella Lawson as a starting point, though I did make some key changes (such as adding cubed plums to the batter and sprinkling sliced almonds and sugar on top).

Interestingly, British plum cake can refer to two distinct styles of cake. The oldest form is studded with dried fruit (which were collectively referred to as “plums,” even if they were made of other fruit), and it’s closer to what today would be considered a fruit cake. Over time, plum cake in Britain became more synonymous with other European plum cakes, which involve a thick batter mixed with ground almonds and studded with fresh plums.

I love how the fresh, tart plums complement the nuttiness of the sponge cake. I was worried it would be too stodgy and wet due to the moisture in the plums, but the cake had a delightful fluffy texture. The perfect recipe to round off my last menu of the year!

Mary Poppins’ Crumpets

Posted December 11, 2025 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in Book of the Month Recipes / 0 Comments

Today’s recipe is a British staple: crumpets! A perfect addition to any MARY POPPINS menu. I made them once years and years ago (before my blogging years), but I can’t believe it has taken me this long to write a post about them. Here we go!

Today’s dish is a slight variation on a recipe by chef John Kirkwood, which came very highly recommended. It was pretty easy, and my family loved them, especially my kids. They’re already asking me to make them again! My favorite thing about them was how perfectly they reheat in the toaster.

Traditionally, crumpets are topped with butter and/or jam (or sometimes cheese). I had mine with some cinnamon sugar butter, which was divine. My kids, ever the true Americans, had theirs with maple syrup. These might be our new household replacement for pancakes!

Toad in the Hole

Posted November 27, 2025 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in Book of the Month Recipes / 0 Comments

Today for the entrée of my MARY POPPINS menu, I’m making toad in the hole, a classic British dish made with sausages baked in a Yorkshire pudding. Mary visits the butcher in Chapter 8 of the book and buys “two pounds of sausages—Best Pork,” so when I imagined how the Banks family might have used them, I decided on toad in the hole . . . mostly because I looove Yorkshire pudding and will look for any excuse to make it!

Toad in the hole might look a little intimidating, but it’s actually pretty easy. To start, just whisk some egg, milk, flour, and salt together for your pudding batter. Let it rest in the fridge overnight (that’s the secret to a really eggy Yorkshire pudding). Cook some sausages in a pan in a really hot oven, pour your batter in with the sausages, then it will puff up and get all crispy and delicious. I combined the original Yorkshire pudding recipe I used for my ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL menu with a few tips from Daring Gourmet.

This was so fun! And less fussy than trying to make mini Yorkshires in my muffin tin. I hope to make it again soon!

NOTE: This recipe needs to rest for at east 3 hours (up to overnight).

Mrs. Brill’s Savory Scones: Bacon Cheddar Chive Scones

Posted November 13, 2025 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in Book of the Month Recipes / 0 Comments

Here we are! My last menu of the year, and I have an announcement to make:

I’ve been blogging for almost 13 years now, and I’ve had an amazing time! I still like making full menus, but with growing homeschool responsibilities and cookbook projects, I’ve decided to cut back on my blog posts.

There are a lot of reasons for this, most of them very positive. Homeschooling my kids is going great, and as they get older, that’s taking up a larger chunk of time. Additionally, I’d like to devote more time to publishing cookbooks, and I know splitting my time between parenting, homeschooling, writing, recipe development, and blogging would be too much for me, especially since my health is inconsistent.

This is the last full menu I’ll make for this blog. Starting next year, I will make one recipe per book and post every other month for the foreseeable future.

I started Alison’s Wonderland Recipes to help me develop my cooking skills. It has done that for me—and so much more!—and now feels like the right time to move forward and focus my energy elsewhere.

On that slightly bittersweet note, let’s begin my last official menu for Alison’s Wonderland Recipes . . . one inspired by Mary Poppins!

There are lots of classic British foods mentioned in the Mary Poppins book (like crumpets, jam cakes, and bangers and mash), and today’s recipe is no exception. We’re making scones! I’ve made lots of scone recipes before (including a mushroom scone in my cookbook, A LITERARY PICNIC), but today’s recipe is a little different. It’s inspired by my favorite scone from my local bakery, a bacon Cheddar chive scone.

I used my go-to basic scone recipe as a base and packed it with as much bacon, Cheddar, and chives as it would hold. And it paid off! These are so flavorful. Plus, they’re delightfully tender and freeze beautifully. The perfect start to my Mary Poppins menu!

Aromatic Apricot Jam

Posted October 30, 2025 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in Book of the Month Recipes / 0 Comments

This post is not sponsored by TALES OF THE SHIRE or Wētā Workshop Game Studio.

Since there’s an extra Thursday this month, I get to make a bonus recipe! Seeing as this is a TALES OF THE SHIRE menu, I knew a jam recipe would be perfect. Jams feature prominently in the game, first as gifts from neighbors, then as ingredients in larger recipes. When you reach high levels of friendship with your fellow hobbits, they finally share their jam recipes so you can make them yourself.

I’ve made lots of jam recipes here on the blog—blackberry, peach, strawberry, raspberry, and blueberry—so for my TALES OF THE SHIRE jam, I decided to go with one I’ve never made before: apricot!

In the game, you receive the recipe for Aromatic Apricot Jam from Nora Burrows when you reach level 10 friendship, but don’t worry—if you need some for an in-game recipe before that, you can trade with Delphinium, who lives in a tree in the nearby forest.

This was a pretty easy recipe to develop. I just tweaked my peach jam a bit to suit the higher water content in apricots. I can’t believe it took me this long to get around to developing it! I love apricot jam—it’s so tart and juicy!—so this disappeared in days. It’s perfect on crusty bread or fresh scones. Just the right recipe to finish off my TALES OF THE SHIRE menu!