EXTRACTS vs. EMULSIONS – a TUTORIAL

Recently a friend and I were debating the flavorings I was going to use in an upcoming recipe and it led us to question a couple definitions, specifically for extracts and emulsions used in baking.

The main difference between emulsions and extracts are that the emulsions are water based and not alcohol based. Yet they can be substituted 1:1 in a recipe. So how do you choose which to use and when to use it when so many meet your flavor needs while cooking and baking?  Best answer: you should choose an emulsion when you’re concerned about the flavor baking out of a recipe. Because they are water-based, bakery emulsions don’t evaporate as quickly as extracts, resulting in stronger aromas and tastes.

EXTRACT – an extract is a preparation containing the active ingredient of a substance in a concentrated form such as vanilla extract used in many cakes and cookies.    SYNONYMS: distillation, distillate, concentrate, essence, juice

EMULSION – I found SEVERAL definitions for emulsions:

  • A system (such as fat in milk) consisting of a liquid dispersed with or without an emulsifier in an immiscible liquid – liquids not forming a homogeneous mixture when added together.
  • A fine dispersion of minute droplets of one liquid in another in which it is not soluble or miscible.

But for me the most accurate definition I think is:

  • a mixture that results when one liquid is added to another and is mixed with it but does not dissolve into such as mixing oil and vinegar together which produces an emulsion.

Extracts and Flavors are great for both cooking and baking applications. Most extracts and flavors contain 45% alcohol by volume and require sufficient cooking time to evaporate the alcohol.

Use an extract or flavor in cookies, cakes, brownies, muffins, and other baked goods. You can also use extracts and flavors in homemade chocolates and candies.

Bakery Emulsions are water-based and alcohol-free versions of extracts. Use them the same way you would an extract but they are also especially great for flavoring frostings and other no-bake applications.

Bakery Emulsions have the same strength as extracts, so they can be substituted one to one in recipes. But conversely because they are water-based, bakery emulsions aren’t suitable for flavoring hard candies or chocolates.

I like the brands Cook’s and Lorann’s extracts and emulsions because they are fairly readily available in most specialty grocers.

Making your own vanilla extract is easy too.  Most recipes call for vodka, but I find flavored rums work really well to as do whiskeys.

VANILLA EXTRACT

6 whole Vanilla Beans
1 cup ALCOHOL of your choice

  • Slice the vanilla beans in half lengthwise with scissors or a knife, leaving a bit intact at the end just to make it pretty. Cut the beans down to fit the height of your jar.
  • Place beans in jar.
  • Cover with alcohol.
  • Screw the lid on tight or cork it and give it a good shake.
  • Place in a cool, dark place for at least 2 months. The longer it sits, the stronger the flavor will be. Be sure and give the jar a shake every week or so.

CARAMEL APPLE HAND PIES

CARAMEL APPLE HAND PIES
DOUGH
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1/2 cup cold sour cream

  • Whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder in a large bowl.
  • Add the cubed butter to the bowl and use your fingers to work the butter into the flour until the mixture is the consistency of wet sand.
  • Stir in the sour cream (the dough will be very wet), and then turn the dough out onto a well-floured work surface.
  • Knead the dough a few times until it comes together, adding more flour, 1 teaspoon at a time, if the dough is too sticky to handle.
  • Roll the dough into an 8×10-inch rectangle and dust both sides with flour before folding it into thirds as if you were folding a letter.
  • Rotate the dough 90º and roll it out again into an 8×10-inch rectangle.
  • Fold the dough again into thirds then wrap it securely in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes while you make the filling.

FILLING
2 cups small peeled and SMALL diced Granny Smith apples (about corn kernel size)
Juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon PURE vanilla
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

  • In a small bowl, combine the apples, lemon juice, cinnamon, sugar and flour, stirring until thoroughly mixed. Set aside.

ASSEMBLY
Egg wash – 1 egg lightly whisked with 1 Tablespoon water
LARGE flake sea salt
Crystal sanding sugar

  • Preheat the oven to 425º.
  • Remove the dough from the refrigerator and unfold it onto a well-floured surface, rolling it out to a 14×14-inch square.
  • Using a 3-inch circular cookie cutter or cup, cut out as many circles as possible. Re-roll the scraps and continue cutting out circles until you run out of dough, ensuring you end up with an even number of circles.
  • Place six of the dough circles on a Silpat or parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. Spoon a small portion of the apple filling into the center of each circle, leaving enough of a border around the filling.
  • Top the apple filling with a pinch of sea salt.
  • Place a second dough circle atop each filled circle then use a fork to crimp the edges together, sealing each pie.
  • Brush each pie with the egg wash, and using a sharp knife, cut two or three vents on the top of each pie.
  • Sprinkle the pies with crystal sanding sugar.
  • Bake the pies until they’re golden brown, about 15 minutes.
  • Remove the pies from the oven and allow them to cool for 10 minutes before glazing.

GLAZE
Juice of 1 Large lemon
+/- 1/2 cup powdered sugar

  • Blend together to desired consistency.

NOTES:

  • I like to use a FULL wine bottle to roll the dough as the weight helps it stay smoother.
  • I also roll the dough between 2 sheets of wax paper so I don’t need t add as much flour.
  • Large flake sea salt is available in most specialty supermarkets.

COCOA FUDGE BROWNIES

COCOA FUDGE BROWNIES
These brownies are crisp on top, have a bottom that holds together and are gooey and chewy in the center. They are also super versatile. Add walnuts, heath bar pieces, peanut butter chips or a ribbon of caramel depending on your flavor needs at the moment.

2 sticks butter, melted and cooled
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
4 LARGE eggs, at room temperature
3 teaspoons PURE vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup QUALITY unsweetened cocoa powder
7-8 ounces roughly chopped chocolate (I use Bakers)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Spray an 9×9 or 8×10 baking pan with cooking oil spray. Line the pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
  • In a medium mixing bowl whisk together the melted butter, oil and sugar.
  • Add the eggs and vanilla; beating another minute until light in color.
  • In another bowl sift together the flour, cocoa powder and salt.
  • Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until JUST combined DO NOT OVER BEAT – this will make them tough if you do and DO NOT OVER BEAT your batter especially after the flour and cocoa powder are added. Doing so creates air pockets in the batter which will give you cake-like textured brownies.
  • Fold in 75% of the chocolate pieces and walnuts.
  • Pour batter into your prepared pan, smoothing the top out evenly, and top with remaining chocolate pieces.
  • Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the center of the brownies in the pan no longer jiggles and is just set to the touch (the brownies will keep baking in the hot pan out of the oven). When testing with a toothpick, the toothpick should come out dirty for fudge brownies.
  • Cool for 10 minutes and then carefully remove them from pan.
  • Allow to cool to room temperature before slicing.

NOTES:

  • Store at room temperature for 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. These brownies can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving.
  • Changing your chocolate flavor can alter your flavors.

HOT CHOCOLATE SOUFFLES

HOT CHOCOLATE SOUFFLES makes 8-6 ounce servings
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
6 LARGE eggs
1/2 + 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
powdered sugar for garnish

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Spray each ramekin with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Using the 1/4 cup sugar, sprinkle each ramekin with sugar, coating evenly.
  • Place ramekins inside a LARGE baking dish.

 

  • Separate eggs into separate mixing bowls.
  • Add 1/2 cup of the sugar to the egg yolks, beating with mixer until light, fluffy and really thick. Set aside.

 

  • Melt chocolate in double boiler or microwave.
  • Stir cream and vanilla into chocolate until smooth.
  • Fold the egg yolk mixture into the chocolate mixture one third at a time. Set aside.

 

  • Beat the egg whites until fluffy, but NOT stiff, 3-4 minutes.
  • Sprinkle in tablespoon of sugar, beating 1 minutes more until whites are shiny and firm, but still NOT overly stiff.

 

  • Fold egg whites into chocolate mixture one third at a time, blending well.
  • Divide chocolate mixture evenly into prepared ramekins.

 

  • Place baking dish in the center of the oven and bake for 15 minutes without disturbing them. DO NOT OPEN THE DOOR!! Souffles should be puffed up and cracking on the top and should ONLY be slightly jiggly.
  • Remove from oven and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

NOTE: Souffles can be prepared and refrigerated until ready to bake, but they will need to be baked longer (20-23 minutes).

Linking up to FULL Plate Thursday.

TOFFEE WALNUT CINNAMON PULLS

I hadn’t made this recipe in a LOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNG time. I made it during the winter storm a few days ago because it has a lot less sugar and I was hoping to get a few bites myself.

TOFFEE WALNUT CINNAMON PULLS
DOUGH
2 1/2 – 3 cups KING ARTHUR all purpose flour
1 package Fleischman’s Active Dry Yeast
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup fine sugar
1/4 cup butter
1 teaspoon salt
1 LARGE egg

  • In the bowl of your mixer combine 1 1/4 cups of the flour and package of yeast.
  • In a small saucepan combine the milk, sugar, butter and salt heating just until warm (120-130°) and butter almost melts.
  • Add milk mixture to flour mixture, mixing until just incorporated.
  • Add egg beating on low 1 minute, scraping bowl continuously. Beat on high 3 minutes.
  • Add as much of the remaining flour as possible.
  • Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface, kneading until you have a soft, smooth, elastic dough, 3-5 minutes.
  • Shape dough into a ball and place in a lightly greased bowl, turning dough to coat in grease. Cover and place in a warm place to rise to double in size, about 90 minutes.

 

  • Punch dough down and turn out onto lightly greased surface.
  • Cover and let rest 10 minutes.
  • Grease a baking sheet. Set aside.

FILLING
1/4 cup fine sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cups chopped walnuts, ground fine**
1/3 cup Heath bar toffee bits
2 teaspoons QUALITY RED APE cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Caramel ice cream topping – warmed (Optional)

  • Combine sugars, walnuts, cinnamon and toffee bits.

**NOTE: I measure straight from the bag and then use my mini food processor to grind the nuts slightly. This gives a better coverage on the dough.

ASSEMBLY
2 tablespoons butter, melted

  • Roll dough into a 20 inch x10 inch rectangle.
  • Brush with melted butter.
  • Evenly sprinkle nut mixture over butter, leaving about 1 inch unfilled along a long edge.
  • Roll up from the long filled edge, sealing seam by pinching dough together.
  • Place seam side down and cut into 8 equal portions.

 

  • Cut each piece (once from each side) at the 1/3 third mark, BUT DO NIT CUT ALL THE WAY THROUGH.
  • Place each roll on prepared baking sheet 3 inches apart. As you arrange each piece gently pull each end to fan the roll slightly.
  • Cover and place in warm place to rise again for 45 minutes.

 

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Bake 12-15 minutes or until golden.
  • Drizzle with caramel ice cream topping.

CARAMEL GLAZED APPLES

I’ve been making these for years, but they never grow old and are a GREAT fruity pick me up in this cold weather.
4 large Granny Smith apples (I used Honey Crisp, but they’re only available for such a short window of time)
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons Kahlua’
4 tablespoons golden raisins

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  • Peel and core apples.
  • Slice each apple horizontally into 5 or 6 slices.
  • Place apples in a 9×9 baking dish.
  • Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of raisins into each apple.
  • Melt butter and whisk in the Kahlua’.
  • Drizzle over the apples.
  • Bake uncovered 45-60 minutes until fork tender.
  • Baste every 15 minutes.

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup heavy cream
pinch of salt

  • In a heavy saucepan whisk together the water, sugar, corn syrup and a pinch of salt.
  • Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar is completely dissolved.
  • Boil without stirring until mixture turns golden.
  • Remove from heat.
  • Slowly stir in the cream.
  • Let cool.
  • To serve, plate apples in their stack, pour caramel sauce down the center of each apple and top with a scoop of french vanilla ice cream.

BEST Homemade DINNER ROLLS

These really are the best soft and flavorful homemade dinner rolls ever!  I found the recipe over at The Stay at Home Chef and all I can say is that she did not waste that 5 years perfecting this recipe.

Prep time 3 hours
Cook Time 12 mins
Author: Rachel Farnsworth
Yield: 24 rolls

2 cups warm milk
2 tablespoons instant dry yeast
¼ cup white granulated sugar
2 teaspoons salt
6 tablespoons salted butter, softened
2 large eggs
6 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon melted butter

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine warm milk, yeast, sugar, salt, butter, and eggs.
  • Add in 5½ cups of flour. Using a dough hook, turn the mixer on to a low speed. Once the flour starts to incorporate into the dough, increase the speed to a medium range. Slowly add the remaining ½ cup of flour until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. The dough mixture should be slightly sticky and soft. Add more or less flour until the dough reaches the desired consistency. The amount of flour you add in bread making is always an approximation and you should go by feel.
  • Transfer the dough to a lightly greased mixing bowl. Cover with a towel and let rise 90 minutes – it should double in size.
  • Lightly grease a baking sheet. Punch down the dough and form into 24 rolls. Place on the greased baking sheet in six rows of four.
  • Cover and let rise 1 hour.
  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake the rolls for 12 to 14 minutes, until lightly browned.
  • Remove rolls from oven and brush with melted butter. For a sweet twist I sometimes use a honey butter.
  • Serve the rolls warm, or to cool, let rest on the pan for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack. Once cooled completely, store in a plastic bag.

BUTTERMILK ROLLS

A batch of homemade bread is a necessary evil for any holiday feast. These rolls are buttery and golden  and just plain delicious!

BUTTERMILK ROLLS makes 24 rolls
1/2 cup warm water
2 envelopes active dry yeast 1/4 ounce each)
6 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon sugar, divided
2 LARGE eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup buttermilk (NOT low-fat)
1 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
4 + 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided and melted
3 1/2 + 4 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
Flaky Sea Salt

  • Combine warm water, heat and 1 teaspoon of sugar, set aside until foamy, about 5 minutes or so.
  • In a medium bowl stir together eggs, buttermilk, kosher salt, 4 tablespoons butter, and remaining sugar until well blended.
  • Add yeast mixture and 3 1/2 cups of the flour, stirring until dough forms.
  • Sprinkle for surface with remaining flour.
  • Turn dough out onto floured surface and knead until slightly elastic. Add addictional flour as necessary.
  • Place dough in greased bowl, turning to coat dough.
  • Cover with saran and chill at least 8 hours or overnight.
  • Grease 2 – 12 cups muffin tins.
  • Punch chilled dough down and turn out onto a floured surface.
  • Divide dough in half.
  • Roll one half of the dough to a 12×16 rectangle 1/4 inch thick.
  • Brush with melted butter.
  • Cut into 12 equal pieces.
  • Gently roll each piece into a round and place in muffin tins.
  • Repeat with the other half of the dough until all rolls are ready for baking.
  • Brush again with any remaining melted butter.
  • Cover with a cheesecloth towel and let rise in a warm place 1-1 1/2 hours until double in size.
  • Preheat oven to 375°.
  • Bake rolls 20-25 minutes until golden brown.
  • Brush again with butter and transfer to cooling rack for 15-20 minutes

SHARING with FOODIE FRIDAY and TASTY THURSDAY.

FRENCH PEAR TART

8 or 9 years ago when I was a new food blogger, I joined a MEME group known as Tuesdays with Dorie where we made a different recipe from her cookbook, Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan, each week. Of ALL the recipes we made this was one of my all time favorites! It is PERFECT for this time of year!

FRENCH PEAR TART
SHELL
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick plus 1 tablespoon very cold unsalted butter
1 large egg yolk

  • To make the dough, put the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse a few times to combine.
  • Scatter the pieces of butter over the dry ingredients and pulse until the butter is cut in coarsely.
  • Add egg and process in long pulses about 10 seconds each until smoother.
  • Turn the dough out onto a work surface and knead just to incorporate any dry ingredients that might have escaped mixing.
  • Gather dough into a ball and flatten into a disk. Wrap well and chill for at least 2 hours or for up to 1 day.
  • Butter the tart pan and press the dough evenly along the bottom and up the sides of the pan.
  • You want to press the crust in so that the pieces cling to one another and knit together when baked, but you don’t want to press so hard that the crust loses its crumbly texture.
  • Freeze the crust for an hour before baking.
  • To partially bake the crust, center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 375°.
  • Butter the shiny side of a piece of aluminum foil and fit the foil tightly against the crust.
  • Bake the crust 25 minutes.
  • Then carefully remove the foil. If the crust has puffed, press it down gently with the back of a spoon.
  • Bake for another 3 to 5 minutes, then transfer the pan to a cooling rack.

PEARS
3 medium pears, firm but ripe
1 lemon
1 cinnamon stick
4 cups water, optional
1 1/4 cups sugar, optional

  • Peel the pears.
  • In a saucepan just large enough to hold the pears, whisk together the water and sugar until the sugar dissolves.
  • Add the cinnamon stick and the juice of the lemon.
  • Bring to a boil.
  • Add the pears to the boiling syrup, reduce the heat so the syrup simmers to GENTLY poach the pears for about 15 minutes. They should be tender when pierced with a knife.
  • Remove from heat and set pan aside to cool the pears to room temperature.

ALMOND CREAM
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup ground blanched almonds
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 large egg, room temperature
2 teaspoons dark rum or 1 teaspoon PURE vanilla extract
Confectioners’ sugar for dusting

  • Add butter and sugar to a food processor and process till mixture is smooth and satiny.
  • Add the ground almonds and continue to process until well blended.
  • Add the flour and cornstarch, process,.
  • Add the egg, processing for about 15 seconds more, or until the almond cream is well blended.
  • Add the rum or vanilla and process just to blend.
  • Scrape the almond cream into a container and either use it immediately or refrigerate it until firm, about 2 hours.

ASSEMBLY & BAKING

  • Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350°.
  • Line a baking sheet and set aside.
  • Cut the poached pears in half.
  • Core them and make sure to pat them dry so that their liquid won’t keep the almond cream from baking.
  • Fill the baked crust with the almond cream, spreading it even with an offset metal icing spatula.
  • Thinly slice each pear half crosswise, lift each half on a spatula, press down on the pear to fan it slightly.
  • Place it, wide-end toward the edge of the crust, over the almond cream. The halves will form spokes.
  • Put the crust on the lined baking sheet, slide the sheet into the oven and bake the tart 50 to 60 minutes.
  • The almond cream will puff up around the pears and brown. Transfer the tart to a rack to cool to room temperature.
  • Right before serving, dust the tart with confectioners’ sugar..

NOTE:  Almond cream pairs well with a variety of fruits such as apricots, peaches and apples as substitutes or combinations.

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CINNAMON PULL-APART BREAD

This is the perfect loaf for a busy holiday morning like Thanksgiving or Christmas, just pop it in the oven and bake. There will be none of this left after your family get the first tantalizing whiff.

CINNAMON RAISIN PULL APART BREAD
12 frozen yeast dinner rolls, thawed, but still cold and firm
2/4 cup brown sugar
3 teaspoons QUALITY cinnamon
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup coconut rum
6 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 cup crushed nuts (optional)
1 cup powdered sugar
3-4 teaspoons milk

  • In bowl one, pour rum over raisins. Let sit 10 minutes and then drain REALLY well.
  • In bowl two, melt the butter.
  • In bowl three, mix together the cinnamon and brown sugar until well blended.
  • Grease a 9×5 loaf pan REALLY well.
  • Piece by piece dip each one in the melted butter and then the cinnamon sugar coating well.
  • Lay each piece in bottom of loaf pan until you have a full bottom layer.
  • Sprinkle the raisins and a bit of the cinnamon sugar over the first layer.
  • Repeat with remaining pieces to complete layer two.
  • Sprinkle and remaining cinnamon sugar over layer two.
  • Evenly pour any remaining butter over cinnamon sugar.
  • Cover with greased plastic wrap.
  • Let rise on your counter for at least 8 hours or overnight.

The next morning:

  • Preheat oven to 350˚.
  • Remove plastic wrap.
  • Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden.
  • Let cool in pan 10 minutes.
  • Invert onto serving platter.
  • Mix together the powdered sugar and milk (or water) to desired consistency.
  • Drizzle over loaf.
  • ENJOY!

PUMPKIN MUFFINS

This is another recipe from the Doxie Greenspan meme I belonged to several years ago. This is another of my favorites that is perfect for this time of year.

PUMPKIN MUFFINS
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
pinch of ground allspice
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon PURE vanilla extract
3/4 cup canned unsweetened pumpkin puree
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
about 1/3 cup sunflower seeds, for topping

  • Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400°.
  • Butter, spray or line 12 cupcake molds in a regular-size pan.
  • Place the pan on a baking sheet.
  • Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices. Set aside.
  • Working with a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter at medium speed until soft. Add both the sugars and continue to beat until light and smooth.
  • One by one, add the eggs, beating for a minute after they are incorporated, then beat in the vanilla.
  • Lower the mixer speed and mix in the pumpkin and buttermilk. Add the dry ingredients in a steady stream, mixing only until they disappear. To avoid over mixing, you can stop the machine early and stir in any remaining dry ingredients into the batter using a rubber spatula.
  • Stir in the raisins and nuts. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups and sprinkle a few sunflower seeds over the top of each muffin.
  • Bake for about 25 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean. Kelly’s note: A lot of the TWD folks found that 25 minutes was too long, taking theirs out around 17 minutes.
  • Transfer the pan to a rack and cool the muffins for 5 minutes in the pan, then carefully remove each one from its mold to finish cooling on the rack.

NOTE: Dried cranberries are an excellent substitution for the golden raisins in this recipe.

 

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY ~ PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN CAKE

Today would have been my dad’s 80th birthday I can’t believe he’s been gone 25 years. I still sometimes pick up the phone to call him and talk before I realize…

ANYWAY I digress. My cousin also passed away back in 1998 and her sister and I bake a cake for her every year on her birthday – most times we even make significantly different flavors, but I always make the same one on daddy’s birthday, Pineapple Upside Down Cake, his favorite.

This year I decided to try a new recipe from Damaris Phillips – I just LOVE her.  She is so much fun, and REAL, plus she likes to experiment so I know she’d be okay with the changes I made to her recipe.

PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN CAKE
Total:1 hr 15 min          Active:25 min          Yield: 8 to 12 servings

TOPPING
2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon molasses
20-ounce can sliced pineapple, drained and juice reserved
20-ounce can crushed pineapple, drained and juice reserved
1/3 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup finely chopped dried apricots
1/2 cup pineapple rum

  • Soak raisins and apricots in the rum.
  • In a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and add the brown sugar.
  • Cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar melts, about 2 minutes.
  • Remove from heat.
  • Drain apricots and raisins well.**
  • Arrange the pineapple slices in the skillet.
  • Fill in the spaces with the chopped apricots and golden raisins.
  • Follow by a thin layer of crushed pineapple. Set aside.

CAKE
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
1/3 QUALITY flaked coconut
1/2 cup whole milk
2 teaspoons PURE vanilla extract
1/4 cup reserved pineapple juice (from the cans)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup unrefined coconut oil
1 LARGE egg

  • Preheat the oven to 350°.

Combine the cake ingredients in this fashion:

  • In one bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, coconut and salt.
  • In a second bowl, combine the milk, vanilla extract and 1/4 cup of the reserved pineapple juice.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the granulated sugar and coconut oil on medium speed until thick and creamy, about 3 minutes.
  • Beat in the egg.
  • Add half of the flour mixture and mix on low until just combined.
  • Add the milk mixture and stir until just combined.
  • Add the rest of the flour and mix until combined, about 1 minute.
  • Pour the batter over the pineapple slices in the skillet and spread evenly.
  • Bake until the top is golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted, 25 to 35 minutes.
  • Be sure and check after 20 minutes to make sure the top isn’t getting too brown. If it is, cover loosely with aluminum foil.
  • Let cool for 15 minutes.
  • Cover with a large serving plate and invert the cake.
  • ENJOY!

NOTE: YOU CAN NOW USE THE LEFTOVER RUM FOR A COCKTAIL WHILE YOU WAIT!