Don’t ask when staff begins baking each morning at the Prairie Thunder Baking Co., 1114 Classen Drive. They’re always baking. As a supplier to Paseo Grill, Picasso Cafe, Kaiser’s American Bistro, Tucker’s Onion Burgers and other local restaurants, this bakery is popular indeed.

“The most unusual of our breads is the Swiss Farmhouse bread. It takes one week to make,” said Jacob Torbeck, the front-of-the-house manager. “We first render the yeast from organic raisins, a rather time-consuming process. Then, into the bread is added dried apricots, pecans and raisins. We make this only once a week since it takes an entire week to produce.”

The bakery’s most sought-after bread, ciabatta (meaning “slipper” in Italian), is an elongated rustic country bread and a perfect accompaniment

for a romantic Italian dinner at home. Plate with it a radicchio salad, shrimp scampi with linguine and a glass of fine Chianti.

“We have a specialized baking oven, the only one of it’s kind in the country. It’s cemented into the floor, originally made in Salzburg, Austria,” Torbeck said.

Sweete Memories Specialty Bakery, 6501 N. May Ave., is the one-stop bakery for specialty items, including petit fours and its noteworthy decorated sugar cookies.

“Everything is made from scratch here daily,” said owner Joseph Royer.

The hand-decorated iced sugar cookies are beautiful individual pieces of art.

The bakery’s petits fours glacés are cut into small, delicate squares and are then glazed and iced. The petits fours (meaning “small oven” in French) have iced designs on top.

The designs at Sweete Memories are often inspired by the seasons.

“These personalized petits fours are perfect for baby showers, weddings and other special events,” Royer said.

What
makes a great pie is undoubtedly just the right filling consistency on
the inside and, of course, a flaky crust. Pioneer Pies, 2201 SW 74th
St., has the perfect recipe.

This restaurant and bakery also features Southern-style fare and offers 25 different pies daily.

“During the holidays, our pecan pie is popular here,” said co-owner Mike Smart.

But year-round, the favorite is always the coconut pie, he said. So, what’s the secret ingredient that makes it so special?

“It’s Oklahoma love, since 1982,” he said and then laughed.

Raspberries
n’ Creme, 2925 Lakeside Circle, is home to a stunningly beautiful,
signature “ribbon cake.” This ribbon cake recipe is an original created
by the owner.

“It’s the cake we are famous for,” said staff member Chance Connor.

This
luscious multilayer confection has one milk chocolate layer, one sour
cream and vanilla layer and an Italian cream layer. Strawberries or
raspberries are wedged between the layers. Then, the cake is frosted
with whipped cream and decorated with fresh flowers.

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