Mardi Gras Indulgences

"The new year's walk, restoring through a bright cloud of tears, the years, restoring with a new verse the ancient rhyme. Redeem/the time. Redeem/the unread vision in the higher dream/ while jewelled unicorns draw by the gilded hearse." - Ash Wednesday, T.S. Eliot

While I am not a Catholic, nor a member of any High Church (i.e. Anglican, Lutheran, etc.), I've decided to observe Lent this year, and am giving up desserts/sweets. Today being Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday), I thought a post dedicated to tempting desserts was in order.

image credit: thehungariangirl.com

• Zuccotto Cupcakes - these delightful creations are a bit labor-intensive, but they taste amazing, and are well worth the effort.
• Paczki - these Polish doughnuts are very popular in the U.S. on Mardi Gras. Like any bread recipe, they require quite a bit of preparation, and of course you have to fry them. They can be made just as they are, or you can inject them with a fruit or cream filling. 
• Raspberry Brownies - These are so much better when made from scratch. I'm not going to post my secret recipe here, but I do have a couple of tips: use Ghirardelli chocolate, and mix in these Jam bits from King Arthur Flour.

Happy Mardi Gras!