Honey Pear Bread
Honey Pear Bread
Makes two loaves
3 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup chopped walnuts
2 cups packed light brown sugar (or regular sugar, or mix and match)
1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup honey
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 eggs, lightly beaten
4 medium pears, peeled and grated (grate when you’re about to put them in, so they don’t turn brown)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan or two 9×5 loaf pans.
Combine in a medium bowl the flour, baking powder, backing soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Stir with a fork to mix everything well. Scoop out about 1/4 cup of this mixture and combine it in a large bowl with the chopped walnuts to coat the nuts with the flour.
Add the sugar, oil, honey, and eggs to the large bowl holding the walnuts. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix well. Stir in flour mixture. Peel and core pears, and then grate them to about approximately 2 cups. Fold in pear mixture and stir just until everything is evenly moistened.
Pour batter into prepared pans and bake at 350 degrees F for 60 to 65 minutes. Serve it as it, sprinkle it with confectioners sugar, or drizzle it with a simple glaze made from whisking 3 tablespoons buttermilk, a dash of vanilla, and 2 cups of confectioners’ sugar together.
Tasting notes: Can utilize other kinds of fruits for bread.
Brownies
Brownies
13 oz all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 lb granulated sugar
1 lb, 12 oz chocolate
5 1/2 oz corn syrup
6 eggs
1/2 oz vanilla
9 oz butter
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Heat butter, corn syrup, and sugar until sugar dissolves. Add chocolate and stir until melted. Transfer to a mixing bowl with paddle and add flour, salt, and baking soda. Mix until well combined. Add eggs a little at a time. Add vanilla and mix until combined. Bake for 35 minutes.
Scones
Scones
Prep: 15 minutes
Bake: 15 minutes
Makes: 8 scones
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour
3/4 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut up
1/2 cup dried cranberries (or other dried fruit, chopped)
2 tablespoons roasted, salted pumpkin seeds
3/4 cup whipping cream
1. Mix: Measure flour, oats, 1/4 cup brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt into the food processor. Pulse a few times.
2. Cut: Drop in butter chunks. Pulse several times, cutting butter down to pea-size (or smaller) bits.
3. Fold: Turn out into a large mixing bowl. Fold in dried fruit and seeds. Drizzle on cream a little at a time, folding with a flexible spatula, until dough clumps (you may not need all the cream).
4. Pat: Turn out dough (still a clumpy mess) onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Pat into a 11/2-inch-thick disk, about 8 inches across. Brush the top with a little of the remaining cream and sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon brown sugar. Slice dough circle into 8 wedges. Separate wedges by 1 inch.
5. Bake: Slide into a 375-degree oven and bake until set and golden, about 15 minutes. Enjoy warm or room temperature.
Irish Soda Bread
Irish Soda Bread
Makes 2 loaves
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons caraway seeds
1 cup raisins
1 3/4 cups well-shaken buttermilk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Preheat oven to 375 F. Butter and flour a large baking sheet, knocking off excess flour.
Sift together 4 cups flour, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl and stir in sugar, caraway, and raisins. Add buttermilk and stir just until dough is evenly moistened but still lumpy.
Transfer dough to a well-floured surface and gently knead with floured hands about 8 times to form a soft but slightly less sticky dough. Halve dough and form into 2 balls. Pat out each ball into a domed 6-inch round on baking sheet. Cut a 1/2-inch-deep X on top of each loaf with a sharp knife, then brush loaves with butter.
Bake in middle of oven until golden brown and bottoms sound hollow when tapped, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer loaves to racks to cool completely.
Banana Nut Delight Cake
Banana Nut Delight Cake
Recipe courtesy of Paula Deen
Yields 1 8-inch three layer or 1 9-inch two layer cake
2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
1 2/3 cups sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2/3 cup vegetable shortening
2/3 cup buttermilk
1 1/4 cups mashed ripe banana
2 large eggs
For the cream cheese and nut frosting:
One 8-ounce package cream cheese, room temperature
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
One 1-pound box confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour three 8-inch or two 9-inch cake pans.
2. Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon into a large mixing bowl; add the shortening, buttermilk, and banana. Mix until all the dry ingredients are dampened, then beat at low speed for 2 minutes. Add the eggs and beat for 1 minute.
3. Divide the batter among the prepared pans and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes in the pans, then turn out the cakes on a rack to cool completely before frosting.
Make the frosting:
1. Combine the cream cheese, butter, confectioners' sugar, and vanilla extract and beat until fluffy. Fold in the pecans, and frost the cake. If you love lots of icing, you can make 1 1/2 times this recipe. Remember, this is not banana bread but a stacked cake, so be sure to frost between the layers as well as the outside.
Almond Petits Fours
Almond Petits Fours
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, plus more for baking sheet
1 1/4 cups cake flour (not self-rising), plus more for baking sheet
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup almond paste
4 large eggs, separated
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup cherry preserves, processed in a food processor
Sugar Glaze (recipe follows)
Gum paste cherry blossoms (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 12-by-17- inch rimmed baking sheet, and line with parchment paper. Butter parchment, and dust with flour, tapping out excess; set aside. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl; set aside.
Put 3/4 cup sugar and the almond paste into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-low speed until mixture resembles coarse meal, about 2 minutes. Raise speed to medium-high. Add butter; mix until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in egg yolks and vanilla. Add flour mixture in 2 batches, alternating with the milk. Transfer to a large bowl; set aside.
Put egg whites into the clean bowl of an electric mixer fitted with whisk attachment; beat on medium-high speed until foamy. Gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar, beating until soft peaks form. Fold one-third of egg-white mixture into batter with a rubber spatula. Gently fold in remaining egg-white mixture.
Spread evenly into prepared sheet. Bake until a cake tester inserted into center comes out clean, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer sheet to wire rack; let cool completely. Unmold; remove parchment. Cut cake in half crosswise. Spread one half with preserves; top with remaining half. Refrigerate 1 hour. Trim cake, and cut into 11/2-inch squares. Transfer to a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Pour glaze over each petit four, spreading over top and sides to coat completely. Reuse glaze, straining to remove any solids, if needed. Refrigerate until set, about 20 minutes. Garnish with blossoms. Cakes can be refrigerated up to 2 days.
Sugar Glaze
Makes 4 1/2 cups
12 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 cup whole milk
Pink gel-paste food coloring
Put sugar into a large bowl. Gradually add milk, whisking until mixture is consistency of heavy cream. Tint with food coloring. If glaze becomes too thick, add more milk; if it becomes too thin, add more sugar. Use immediately.
Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies
Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups butter, softened
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 (3.4 ounce) packages instant vanilla pudding mix
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups semisweet chocolate chips
2 cups chopped walnuts (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Sift together the flour and baking soda, set aside. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Beat in the instant pudding mix until blended. Stir in the eggs and vanilla. Blend in the flour mixture. Finally, stir in the chocolate chips and nuts. Drop cookies by rounded spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Edges should be golden brown.
Coconut Cookies
Coconut Cookies
½ Cup Butter
½ Cup Crisco
1 Cup brown sugar
1 Cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 ½ Cup coconut
1 ½ Cup oatmeal
1 ¾ Cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
Mix shortening and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla and beat well. Add coconut, oatmeal, and flour, mix well. Add baking powder and baking soda. Mix well and drop by spoonfuls onto un-greased (preferably parchment paper lined) baking pans. Bake at 350 degrees until cookies just barely begin to brown. Let cookies rest about 3-5 minutes before removing.
Buttered Crepes with Caramel and Pecans
Buttered Crepes with Caramel and Pecans
Recipe courtesy of Rick Bayless
Serves 4
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pinch ground cloves
1 cup milk
2 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
Canola oil, for brushing skillet
9 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
Goat Milk Caramel with Spirits (recipe follows)
Place cinnamon, cloves, milk, eggs, salt, sugar, vanilla, and flour in the jar of a blender or bowl of a food processor. Blend or process until smooth, stopping machine once to scrape down the sides with a spatula.
Melt 1 tablespoon butter. With the machine running, pour in melted butter. Let stand 2 hours before using. Mixture should have consistency of heavy cream. If it is too thick, add a little water to thin it out.
Place a 7-inch skillet or crepe pan over medium to medium-high heat. Brush pan lightly with oil. Add 1/4 cup batter and quickly swirl to coat the bottom of the pan; immediately pour any excess batter back into blender jar.
Cook until edges begin to dry, 45 seconds to 1 minute. Loosen edges with a knife and trim off jagged edges. Using a spatula, turn crepes, continue cooking until golden brown, about 1 minute more; transfer to a plate. Repeat process with remaining batter, stacking each crepe on top of one another as you work.
Place remaining 8 tablespoons butter in a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add pecans and toast, stirring frequently, until nuts are toasted and butter is browned, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer nuts to a small bowl; reserve browned butter.
Butter a large baking dish and set aside. Lay a crepe flat on work surface and brush with browned butter. Place a scant tablespoon goat milk caramel on one side. Fold in half and press to gently spread out filling. Brush one side with butter and fold in half again. Brush top side with butter and place in prepared baking dish. Repeat with remaining crepes and arrange each in the prepared baking dish in two layers, overlapping slightly. Cover with parchment-lined foil. Refrigerate until ready to serve, up until 1 day. Reserve any remaining caramel.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place crepes in oven until warmed through, about 10 minutes. Place caramel in a small saucepan and heat over medium-low heat until warmed through. Drizzle over warmed crepes and sprinkle with toasted nuts. Serve immediately.
Goat Milk Caramel with Spirits
Makes 1 1/2 cups
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 quart goat milk
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon corn syrup
1 1/2-inch cinnamon stick
1 tablespoon rum, brandy, or sweet sherry
In a small bowl stir together baking soda with 1 tablespoon water until dissolved; set aside. In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan add milk, sugar, corn syrup, and cinnamon. Place over medium-high heat and cook, stirring, until simmering. Remove pan from heat and stir in baking soda mixture. Continue stirring to keep the mixture from bubbling over.
Return saucepan to medium-high heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until large, glassy bubbles form, 25 to 40 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir frequently, washing the spoon in between stirring, until thickened into a caramel-brown syrup.
Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a small bowl or wide-mouthed jar. Let cool slightly before stirring in rum, brandy, or sweet sherry. Cool completely before covering. Caramel may be stored, refrigerated, for up to 1 month.
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