Inside the Brimly Test Kitchen—February Highlights from the Month

“Pull up a chair.”

BY Steph @the Brimly Test Kitchen

March 5, 2026

Image Source/Maryam Sicard

The selection of the products showcased on Brimly is made independently by our editors. Nevertheless, if you buy something through our retail links, we may earn a commission as an affiliate.

Welcome to our February roundup. I’m not even going to pretend, February felt tiring. It felt like a lot of work. And I think part of it is just the fact that February has fewer days, so everything that needs to happen still has to happen… it just gets compressed. So yes, it was a lot. It was quite an undertaking. Because while February was happening, I was also working on the recipes for March developing, testing, tweaking, re-testing… and doing all of that alongside all the other moving parts of Brimly. So it was one of those months where the days felt short but the to-do list did not get the memo. Now the theme for February was chocolate. And I loved that. We had all kinds of chocolate recipes go up on the site, and honestly… they were dangerously delicious. And now we’re stepping into March, and March is going to be almond flour month, which I’m really excited about. I can’t wait to share these recipes, because they’re beautiful and they’re different and they feel very “Brimly.” Side note, I also started reading a book that’s been… kind of confronting, but in a good way. It’s called A Scandinavian Guide to Happiness (or A Guide to Scandinavian Happiness, I always mix up the title). But it’s been really interesting so far. It’s one of those books that points out things we take for granted or don’t really pay attention to in the generation we’re living in. And it’s been making me pause in ways I didn’t expect. I wrote an article on the first chapter, and if you haven’t read it yet… I honestly think you’d enjoy it. So, pull up a chair, let’s compare notes.

Test Kitchen Updates:

I want to highlight something I’ve been working on that made me genuinely happy. I made a gluten-free deep dish pizza. And first of all, it turned out really well. Like, I was impressed. There are definitely changes I want to make the next time I do it, because that’s just how recipe development goes. But it was delicious. If I had to describe the crust, it honestly reminded me of a cauliflower pizza crust. Not in a bad way, in the way where it’s still pizza, still satisfying, still has structure, but it’s got that slightly different texture that you remember from a really good cauliflower-style crust. I made it in a small baking pan, pressed the dough into the pan, let it rise right in there, and then built it out from there. And it came out like a proper deep dish situation.

Now, what I learned is the crust was a little too thick for the way I want it. I think I did one and a half batches of the dough, and it was just more than it needed to be. Next time, I’m doing a single batch, pressing it out into the pan, and seeing how it behaves. I’m also not planning on doing that thick “outer crust” edge the next time, because I realized I don’t actually need it. Or if I do it, it’ll be very thin, like barely there. I also want to revive it with a different topping style, just to see how far I can push it and still keep it feeling like a go-to meal. Because that’s really why I chose it. I haven’t had a deep dish pizza in so long, and I missed it. And I’ve been working on developing a pizza recipe I can actually share with you guys confidently, so yes, I’m still testing, I’m still tweaking, I’m still learning what makes it pop. But this one was a win. And the best part? My husband enjoyed it a lot. And that’s always a good sign. Also, it’s gluten-free, soy-free, no gums, and it still worked. So yeah, I’m excited about this one. I’m going to keep working on it until it’s totally ready. And honestly, I’m thinking I might try to make a focaccia bread soon as well. That might be really good.

view:

Tools We’re Loving:

Vitamix Ascent X5 Blender

Bottom line: this powerful, easy to clean blender handles smoothies, soups, nut butters, and frozen desserts with ease while delivering incredibly smooth results and making everyday blending fast, simple, and dependable.

The first tool I want to highlight is the Vitamix Ascent X5 blender, and it has been such a great addition to our kitchen lately. I had been thinking about investing in a Vitamix for a long time, but I finally decided to go for it, and I’m honestly so glad I did. It has quickly become one of the appliances we reach for the most, especially for smoothies in the morning.
One of the biggest differences I noticed immediately was the power. This blender turns whatever you put in it into a smooth, silky texture without any effort. Frozen fruit, nuts, thick smoothie bowls, it handles everything easily. It also comes with a tamper, which is incredibly helpful for pushing ingredients down toward the blades while blending, so you don’t have to stop and scrape things down constantly.
Another thing I really appreciate is how easy it is to clean. All you have to do is add water with a few drops of soap, run the clean cycle, and it basically cleans itself. After that, a quick rinse and it’s ready to go again. For someone who values appliances that don’t create extra work, this makes a big difference.
It also has several automated settings for things like soups, frozen desserts, and dips, along with a manual mode if you want full control. Overall, it’s powerful, reliable, and really simple to use, which makes it one of my favorite tools in the kitchen right now.

SHOP AT AMAZON

Breville Milk Café Electric Frother

Bottom line: this compact frother heats and foams milk or cream quickly while producing smooth, consistent foam, making it an easy and reliable tool for hot chocolate, tea drinks, and cozy homemade beverages.

The second tool I want to highlight is the Breville Milk Café electric frother, which has gradually become one of my favorite small appliances. I’ve had it for a while, but recently I started using it more often and realized how useful it really is for making hot drinks and frothy beverages at home.
This machine is excellent for heating and frothing milk or cream for things like tea, hot chocolate, or other warm drinks. It uses an induction heating system that warms everything quickly while the spinning disc inside creates a really smooth foam. The discs are magnetic and lock neatly into place at the bottom of the pitcher, which means they stay secure while the machine is running.
I also appreciate how thoughtfully it’s designed. The second frothing disc stores neatly on the back of the machine so it doesn’t get lost, and the base allows the power cord to tuck away cleanly so it doesn’t take up unnecessary counter space. The stainless steel pitcher and simple dial make it very straightforward to use.
It’s a small appliance, but it makes preparing drinks feel much easier and more enjoyable. If you like frothy drinks or creamy hot chocolate at home, this machine really does a great job.

SHOP AT AMAZON

Ingredient Spotlight:

Blue Diamond Almonds Almond Flour

This month, I want to spotlight almond flour.

I honestly didn’t see this coming. I didn’t know I was going to love the outcome as much as I did, but I do.

The almond flour I use is Blue Diamond Almonds Almond Flour (the finely sifted one). It’s blanched almonds, milled into a very fine powder, and it is so smooth. Not gritty. Not sandy. Once it hits liquid, it just melts right in and combines into dough beautifully.

And that really matters, because almond flour can be hit or miss. But this one has been pretty phenomenal.

I used almond flour a lot in February while developing recipes for March, because March is almond flour month. So I really pushed the envelope and tested it across multiple recipes, and I learned a lot. How it behaves, how it bakes, when it needs support, when it doesn’t, what temperature works best… I learned a lot.

And what surprised me the most is how neutral it tastes. It doesn’t come off overly nutty or aggressively almondy.

And I made cookies with it, cookies that I can’t wait for you guys to try. Pistachio cookies. I still can’t believe the base was just almond flour. I didn’t think almond flour could create that kind of cookie structure where it actually has a bite like a traditional cookie. Super impressive!

It’s gluten-free. The ingredient list is simple. Just blanched almond flour. And it’s here to stay on my baking shelf.

Life at Brimly:

This season at Brimly has been full of building and planning, and I’m excited for what’s coming next.

As far as life at Brimly… we’re still kicking. We’re still pushing. I’m looking forward to sharing several projects with you guys soon, by the grace of God. I’ve got a few things lined up, and one of the biggest ones is podcast-related. The podcast is going to be getting a bit of a renovation, a revamp, very soon. I’ve been working closely with my producer to improve it and make it more enjoyable for you all, and I’m honestly really happy about the shift. It’s been a journey, and I’m looking forward to making it an even better one.

Also, we’ve had the new newsletter style going out, and I’m so happy to be able to share that with you. If you haven’t seen it yet, please sign up, you’ll get the weekly bake from Brimly, and it’s recently gotten a nice upgrade. I hope it feels more enjoyable to read. And I’m also hoping to work on some merch soon. I haven’t had enough time to really get that moving yet, but it’s something I want to bring to life. So… more to come.

Tools that help me shop

For shopping, lately I’ve been using Instacart.

It’s just an app that I genuinely use because it helps me get groceries done quickly and effectively. It saves time, it saves energy, and it helps me stay consistent.

The other tool I’ve been really enjoying is Fig.

Fig is such a great tool, especially if you have intolerances, allergies, or you’re new to gluten-free living and suddenly you’re reading labels like all the time.

It can feel overwhelming. It definitely was for me.

With Fig, I can scan barcodes and it tells me if a product is likely going to work for me based on the settings I’ve selected, the ingredients I tolerate, the ingredients I avoid, allergies, all of that. It’s especially helpful when I’m shopping and I don’t feel like doing mental gymnastics in the aisle.

I also use it while shopping online even on Instacart. I can search the product in Fig and see if it’s going to work for me before I add it to my cart.

I pay $7 a month for it, and it’s been worth it for me. Just a tool that simplifies my life and helps me stay mindful about what I’m putting into my body.

This is not sponsored—just what works for me as someone who’s gluten intolerant, soy intolerant, and gum intolerant.

Gluten-Free Lemon Blueberry Danish

“No gluten. No gums. No yeast. No soy. Just structure. Balance.”

Visit Recipe

From Me to You:

Persevere.

February was challenging. It was a lot. But I’m still here, still making recipes, still testing, still putting content out.

And honestly, I think perseverance is sometimes the only choice.

You can’t get to the destination without perseverance. You have to keep going. You have to keep trying. Even when it’s tough. Even when you’re tired. Even when you feel buried under work.

One of the recipes that really reminded me of this was the Danish custard buns . That recipe was something I had wanted to try for years, and I didn’t know it was possible without yeast. I kept putting it off. But I finally did it.

And when I saw those buns come out of the oven the first day it worked… I was genuinely grateful I didn’t give up. Because it held together. It didn’t fall apart. It was gluten-free, soy-free, gum-free and it worked. It was like a dream.

Sometimes recipes like that remind me why we keep going.

So whatever it is you’re tackling right now, whatever stage you’re in, keep persevering. Keep showing up. The people who inspire you today can inspire you because they didn’t give up. They had tough days too you just don’t always see it.

So if you want to be an inspiration someday, keep going now. That’s my encouragement for you this month.

Never stop. Keep persevering.