Northshore magazine showcases the best that the North Shore of Boston, MA has to offer.
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/1050416
111 that stirs up the desire to break out that beloved Bundt pan and get baking. Of course, baking on a weekend whim is all fun and games, but the holidays call for big gatherings, which means impressive desserts are on the menu. Toss in the reality that it's easily one of the busiest seasons, that time always seems to be in short supply (ere's so much to do! And eat!), and that few among us have the talent to put together a dessert table to wow a crowd and it's easy to see why the bakers at treat have such a busy schedule. You've probably heard some version of the old adage about food tasting better when it is made with love. I wasn't exactly sure if this was true until I met the team behind treat cakes & confections in Wenham. is women-owned business is the brainchild of Carol Harlow- Carlson and Kathleen O'Connor, two friends and bakers with a shared love and equal pas- sion for putting their own spin on your favorite cookies, cakes, and desserts. Both women spent years in corporate America before join- ing forces to open treat, which operates as a wholesale and special-order retail bakery. Regardless of the customer's baked goods needs (or, let's be honest, they just might be wants!), treat is happy to accommodate. ey routinely work with wholesale accounts, caterers, and retail clients on everything from corporate events, weddings, birthdays, and bridal showers to family dinners and dinner parties (all of this in addition to their holiday menus). It didn't take long for treat to build up a local following, thanks in large part to their commitment to crafting simple, beautiful, and delicious desserts from scratch using high- quality ingredients. eir desserts are unpretentious and homey while still paying close attention to detail and presentation. "A free-form tart isn't necessarily fussy," Harlow-Carlson explains, but it is still rustically beautiful and or- ganic—look no further than the pages of this magazine for validation of that. Many of their recipes contain elements of nostalgia, says O'Connor, whose own mother visited the treat kitchen to share tricks of the trade after years spent making raspberry thumbprint cookies (which contain the bakers' own homemade raspberry jam). But make no mistake, all of their desserts are baked with a high level of skill. eir single-process cakes are gorgeous and elegant, and their galettes and tarts are not something the once-in-a-while baker is going to reproduce anytime soon. Harlow-Carlson and O'Connor have an appreciation for traditional favorites, but are also bold enough to interpret classic desserts in new ways. ey tinkered with their pecan pie until it was just right, and the result hap- pened to include a gluten-free crust. ey have an impressive amount of gluten-free options because they curate and develop recipes that often don't need wheat or gluten to be deli- cious, resulting in gluten-free versions that are so tasty you don't even miss the flour (take one bite of their brownies and you'll know exactly what I mean). eir Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Boozy Caramel Sauce is as amazing as it sounds. A bread pudding for the ages, that's what that is. e same could be said about their Pumpkin Marble Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust or their Fallen Chocolate Cake, a favorite of O'Connor's, who happens to firmly believe that no dessert table is complete without chocolate (no objections here). e treat team enjoys working with clients for special occasions and easily scales events as needed, whether the order is for a series of cakes, a confection table, or a cupcake display. Carol Harlow- Carlson and Kathleen O'Connor Left, Treat's pumpkin bread pudding is sure to please. THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT COOLER WEATHER AND COZY SWEATERS