Category: DESSERTS

GRANDMA’S STREUSEL COFFEECAKE

GRANDMA’S STREUSEL COFFEECAKE
2 + 1/3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 + 1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 + 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 + 2/3 cups sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
6 + 6 tablespoons butter, room temperature
2 JUMBO eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vinegar
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
2 cups blueberries

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Sift together the 2 cups flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 2/3 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg and orange peel in a large mixing bowl.
  • Whisk together the eggs, 6 tablespoons butter, buttermilk and vanilla.
  • Gently fold in the blueberries.
  • Pour liquid mix into flour mixture and beat until smooth with a hand mixer.
  • Pour into a prepared 9×9 pan.
  • In a small food processor process all the remaining ingredients except the walnuts until smooth.
  • Using your hands form small flat pancakes with the mixture and scatter over cake batter until well covered.
  • Poke a few holes down into the cake for the streusel to run into or run a knife through creating a swirl.
  • Scatter walnuts evenly over top.
  • Bake 1 hour.
  • Serve warm with a dab of butter melting on top of each piece.

BANANA BLUEBERRY CRUNCH

BANANA BLUEBERRY CRUNCH
I usually make everything from scratch, but this recipe is too good to mess with much. I have reduced the fat a bit and altered the ingredients to meet my family’s likes, but other than that this recipe is fantastic as is. The key is to remember to layer exactly as listed! It is great in a pinch since most ingredients are always in the cupboard or freezer. The original recipe called for the butter before the nuts and coconut, but I changed that. By putting it last, the nuts and coconut toast up fantastically.

1 large can crushed pineapple, undrained
2-3 cups frozen blueberries
1-3 ripe banana(s), sliced thin
1 cup sugar
1 box yellow cake mix, dry
1/2-1 cup minced walnuts
1/2-1 cup flaked coconut
1 1/2 -2 sticks butter, melted

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  • Layer exactly as listed in even layers
  • Bake 45-60 minutes until it tests done


APPLE RUM RAISIN NOODLE PUDDING

I remember the first time I had NOODLE PUDDING – my little Jewish neighbor brought it over as a welcome to the neighborhood back in 1986. She called it noodle pudding. It was so delicious. I wanted to ask her for the recipe, but I’d just met her and I was young and shy. I made her my floating fruit cake in the same pan she’d brought over and returned it to her to ask for the recipe. I remember how hard she laughed at me. She said it was a Jewish custom to always return a plate, bowl or dish full and of course I could have the recipe.   

I’ve adapted it to suit my families tastes over the years and cut back on the amount of sugar but it is still a favorite!  I’ve also found other versions that have helped me repeatedly adapt it into what it is today.  My neighbor and I  became fast friends and shared LOTS of cherished family recipes before I moved from the neighborhood in 15 years later.

APPLE RUM RAISIN NOODLE PUDDING

2 cups dry wide egg noodles

2 beaten eggs
1/2 cup sugar
8 ounce crushed pineapple, drained well
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup golden rum
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup milk
1 GALA apple, peeled, cored and grated

  • Cook and drain the noodles
  • Combine all other ingredients together
  • Fold into warm noodles
  • Generously spray an 8×8 baking dish with PURE
  • Gently spread entire mixture into dish evenly
  • Bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes

Homemade Puffy Pastry for Baking Partners & APRICOT RUM RAISINS

This month we’re trying our hand at homemade puff pastry.  Gotta tell you I’ve done this before and everyone should try it at least once, but I now have no problem spending the extra money for Pepperidge Farm to do it for me.

This recipe is suggested by Sangeetha Priya of Nitha Kitchen. She made homemade spinach pinwheels, but I am just not into spinach that much so I changed mine to a sweet pastry – APRICOT PINEAPPLE DANISH.
 

HOMEMADE PUFF PASTRY    Recipe Source :- BBCFood 
You can make the pastry a day before and store in refrigerator or freeze it for longer use!!!

2 cups strong plain flour (I use King Arthur)
1 cup butter at room temperature, but not soft
1 teaspoon sea salt (I used Makrut Lime Sea Salt from Savory Spice Shop) 
2/3 cup cold water
  • Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl. Make a well in the flour and pour in about two-thirds of the cold water, mixing until you have a firm rough dough adding extra water if needed.
  • You can use food processor/blender at this time.
  • Turn out onto a lightly floured board, knead gently and form into a smooth rectangle.
  • Cover with cling film and leave to rest for at least 20 mins in the fridge. Overnight works too.
  • Roughly break the butter in small chunks, use two parchment paper and chunk them loosely. You need to see bits of butter.
  • Using Knife or scale and bring it to shape and store in refrigerator with the same parchment paper till use.
  • Now roll the dough with thick center, place the butter at center and seal it properly.
  • Roll the dough in one direction only, until 3 times the width, about 20 x 50cm.
  • Keep edges straight and even.
    DON’T OVERWORK THE BUTTER STREAKS – YOU SHOULD HAVE A MARBLED EFFECT.
  • Fold the top third down to the center, then the bottom third up and over that.
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  • Give the dough a quarter turn (to the left or right) and roll out again to three times the length.
  • Fold as before, cover with cling film and chill for at least 20 mins before rolling to use.
  • Roll and fold four more times, chilling after two.
  • You can fold 4 times the previous day and then next day you can fold two times.
  • In the whole process brush off the excess flour over the pastry dough.
  • Chill the dough for an hour or more before using.
NOTE:
  1. When you feel the dough is sticky just chill in refrigerator before the next fold.
  2. You can check out this video for making the puff pastry.

 

I tried a design and wasn’t totally thrilled with it, but I’ll go back to a rope design next time.

APRICOT RUM RAISINS

1 cup butter
1 cup milk
1 1/2 cups warm water
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons yeast
4 eggs, beaten
7 1/2 cups flour
  • In a saucepan melt butter.
  • Add milk and water whisking until smooth consistency and JUST boiling.
  • Cool 5-10 minutes so you don’t kill the yeast.
  • Add the sugar, salt and yeast to form a sponge like blob.
  • Add the eggs until uniform consistency.
  • In a mixer with a dough hook attached, combine flour and yeast mixture.
  • Knead well. Put in refrigerator for at least several hours, but overnight is better.
  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  • Roll a ball of dough the size of a golf ball into a rope and coil into a circle. Make sure the center is thinner than the outer edges to hold the filling in. Sometimes I prefer squares, but you just have to work with your dough after you have it coiled.
  • Fill with a heaping tablespoon of filling per danish (recipe below).
  • Let rise an hour in a warm place.
  • Bake 15 minutes.
  • Frost with Cream Cheese Frosting (see below). If you prefer a drizzle thin out this frosting with a couple extra tablespoons of milk until desired consistency.
Cream cheese apricot raisin filling
1 bag large dried apricots, chopped

1/2 cup golden raisins, chopped
1/4 cup golden rum

  • Soak apricots and raisins in rum for an hour or overnight.
  • Drain off rum.
  • Set aside.
8oz pkg cream cheese
1 egg
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tablespoons grated orange peel
  • Blend cream cheese, egg, powdered sugar and orange peel together until smooth.
  • Fold in apricots and raisins into the cream cheese mixture. Or my favorite is to fill them as 2 separate fillings with the cream cheese first and the apricot in the center of that.

Cream Cheese Frosting
16 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
juice of 1 lemon
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 cups powdered sugar

  • In a medium bowl beat cream cheese and butter until smooth.
  • Add lemon juice and vanilla. Beat until blended.
  • Add powdered sugar gradually until well blended and smooth.
  • Ice first layer and then add 2nd cake top and ice again including sides of cake.
  • Refrigerate 1 hour to set icing before serving.

 

 

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ROLLS OF SHARON aka CINNAMON RAISIN ROLLS

ROLLS OF SHARON aka CINNAMON RAISIN BUNS
ROLLS
2 packages Fleischman’s Rapid Rise Yeast
1/2 cup + 2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 cup WARM water
1 cup scalded milk (2 minutes in the microwave)
1/2 cup Crisco stick
5 cups flour, divided
2 large eggs, well beaten
1 teaspoon salt

  • In a small bowl combine the warm water, 2 teaspoons of sugar and both packages of yeast until well blended. Set aside.
  • In a mixing bowl combine the scalded milk, Crisco stick, 1/2 cup sugar and salt. Blend well.
  • Add yeast mixture and blend well.
  • Add the well beaten eggs and half the flour. Mix until well blended.
  • Add the remaining flour (a little more if too sticky) and mix well until dough leaves the sides of the bowl and is elastic.
  • With vegetable oil, wipe the inside of another bowl.
  • Place dough in bowl and turn once.
  • Cover with wax paper and a towel.
  • Let rest in a warm place until double in size.
  • Punch down and divide into 2 balls.
  • Put one on the pastry board and one back in the bowl.
  • Let rest 10 minutes.
  • While resting prepare the filling ingredients.
  • Roll the dough to 1/8 inch thickness in a rectangle about 18×24 inches.
  • Spread half the melted butter over the dough and sprinkle with half the cinnamon sugar.
  • Spread half the raisins over that.
  • Roll tightly jelly roll style and cut into 18 rolls.
  • Place rolls in greased pans 1/4 to 1/2 inches apart.
  • Cover with wax paper and a towel.
  • Let rise again until double in size.
  • Bake 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees.
  • While baking prepare the icing.
  • When rolls come out the oven, put globs of icing on each one. Return to the oven for a minute or two to melt icing all over the rolls.

FILLING
1 stick melted butter
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1 cup golden raisins

  • Whisk together the sugar and cinnamon until well blended.

ICING
1 stick butter, softened
3 3/4 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon powdered vanilla
4-6 tablespoons milk

  • Mix all together until smooth.

When re-heating rolls, put a pad of butter on top of roll before microwaving.
These freeze really well.

LEMON APPLE CRISP

LEMON APPLE CRISP

CRISP
2-3 large Granny Smith apples (4 Cups)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup apple juice

TOPPING
2/3 cup flour
1/2 cup old fashioned oatmeal
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 small box Cook & Serve Lemon Pudding (NOT instant)

Preheat oven to 350°.
In a large mixing bowl combine all CRISP ingredients and mix well. Pour into an un-greased stoneware pan.
In a mixing bowl combine the topping ingredients and mix until crumbly.
Sprinkle topping over apple mixture.
Bake 45-60 minutes or until apples are tender and topping is crisp and golden.
Serve warm with a scoop of French vanilla ice cream.

SWEET CREAM BISCUITS


SWEET CREAM BISCUITS
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup cake flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1 1/4 cup heavy cream

  • Preheat oven to 425°.
  • Sift together the flours, salt, sugar and baking powder.
  • Pour in 1 cup of the heavy cream and mix together, adding more cream as necessary to make a soft dough.
  • You will need to knead by hand towards the end of mixing.
  • Turn out onto a floured surface and roll dough to 1/2 inch.
  • Cut out biscuits as close together as you can, stopping to re-knead dough and roll again to get the most of your dough.
  • Bake 15 minutes or until tall, golden and fluffy.
  • Makes 12~3 inch biscuits give or take.

Frosted Pineapple Cheesecake

CAKE:

1 box yellow cake mix*
1 (3-ounce) box Jell-O cheesecake pudding**
4 eggs
1/2 cup safflower oil
1 cup whole milk
1 large can crushed pineapple, undrained
1 cup sugar
  • Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. 
  • Mix together the cake mix and pudding mix. 
  • Add the oil and milk, beat well.
  • Add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. Beat until smooth. 
  • Pour into a well greased 9×13 baker. 
  • Bake 45-60 minutes (or until center springs back). 
  • While cake is baking mix together the pineapple and sugar on top of stove until sugar has dissolved. Bring to a boil and let cool slightly. 
  • While cake is still hot, punch holes in cake with a large round chopstick and pour hot pineapple mixture over cake. 
  • Let cool.
FROSTING:
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
6 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 1/2 – 3 cups powdered sugar

  • Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. 
  • Add lemon juice. 
  • Add powdered sugar gradually and beat until creamy. 
  • Spread over cooled cake. 
  • Refrigerate to set frosting.

*Also good with white or butter cake
**DO NOT USE sugar free!

Honey Banana Whole Wheat Bread

Honey Banana Whole Wheat Bread – 1 1/2 pound loaf

1/2 cup 1% milk, room temperature
1 tablespoons butter, cut into chunks
3 tablespoons honey
1 egg, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/4 cup bread flour
1 medium banana sliced
1 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast

 
The beauty of bread machines is that they always want the same layering.
Liquids
Butter chunks, vanilla, egg & honey
Flour & Sugar
Yeast
The key to any good bread is using quality fresh ingredients.
Just remember, garbage in is garbage out.
Let your bread maker do the rest!

CHOCOLATE DIPPED PEANUT BUTTER CRUNCH COOKIES

We love the aroma of fresh baked cookies around here. Baking is one of the things I try to do regularly. This week it was peanut butter crunch cookies dipped in chocolate.

This recipe makes 4-5 dozen cookies.

TUESDAY’S TIP: I split the dough into thirds and with wax paper makes cookie rolls. I freeze 2 of the rolls for future use and make 1 tray at a time so they are always fresh baked and I only make the mess once for 3 batches.

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup creamy peanut butter*
1 cup sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 JUMBO eggs
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  • Cream butter and peanut butter together. Be sure and scrape sides of bowl.
  • Add sugars and cream again.
  • Add 1 egg at a time until well blended.
  • Sift together dry ingredients and add in thirds until well blended.
  • Divide dough into thirds.
  • Roll 12 walnut sized balls.
  • Flatten with a fork.
  • Bake 10-12 minutes.
  • On wax paper roll the other 2 portions of dough and freeze for future use.
  • I sometimes dip them in melted almond bark.

*I prefer JIF or Skippy peanut butter

BANANA BREAD CAKE

BANANA BREAD CAKE
This recipes makes either two loaves of moist yummy banana bread or one 9×13 cake. Top it off with Pineapple Cream Cheese Frosting for a super yummy dessert!



BREAD/CAKE
8 ounce can crushed pineapple, drained well*
3 large overripe bananas
2 JUMBO eggs
1 cup butter, softened
1/8-1/4 cup rum
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 tablespoon PURE maple syrup
1/2 cup crushed walnuts
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 3/4 cups flour

  • Poor the rum over the raisins several hours before making the bread/cake.
  • In a sauce pan melt 1 stick of the butter. Stir in the brown sugar, maple syrup and cinnamon until well incorporated.
  • Add bananas stirring until smooth.
  • Add the raisins and nuts and blend well. Set aside to cool.
  • In a mixing bowl cream together the other stick of butter, sugar and eggs until well blended.
  • Sift the flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder into the cream mixture and blend well. It will have a thick cookie like consistency.
  • Add the cooled banana mixture and blend until a smooth consistency.
  • Pour into 2 prepared large bread pans or a 9×13 pan.
  • Bake 45-50 minutes until tester comes out clean.
  • Top with PINEAPPLE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

*optional

PINEAPPLE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
2 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon butter, softened
1 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon reserved pineapple juice

  • In a bowl of electric mixer, combine cream cheese, butter, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract and reserved pineapple juice. Beat until smooth and of spreading consistency.

OLD FASHIONED CHEESECAKE

For the crust:
1 3/4 cups ginger snap/vanilla wafer crumbs
3 tablespoons sugar
Pinch of salt
1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted

For the cheesecake:
2 pounds (four 8-ounce boxes) cream cheese, softened
1 1/3 cups maple sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoons blackberry extract
1 teaspoon lemon juice
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/3 cups sour cream or heavy cream, or a combination of the two

To make the crust:

  • Butter a 9-inch springform pan—choose one that has high sides. Mine is square.
  • Stir the crumbs, sugar and salt together in a medium bowl. Pour over the melted butter and stir until all of the dry ingredients are uniformly moist.
  • Turn the ingredients into the buttered springform pan and use your fingers to pat an even layer of crumbs along the bottom of the pan and about halfway up the sides. Don’t worry if the sides are not perfectly even or if the crumbs reach above or below the midway mark on the sides.
  • Center a rack in the oven, preheat the oven to 350°F and place the springform on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes.
  • Set the crust aside to cool on a rack while you make the cheesecake.
  • Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.
To make the cheesecake:
  • Working in a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese at medium speed until it is soft and truly creamy, about 5 minutes.
  • With the mixer running, add the sugar and salt and continue to beat another 4 minutes or so, until the cream cheese is light. Beat in the vanilla and blackberry extract.
  • Add the eggs one by one, beating for a full minute after each addition. Reduce the mixer speed to low and stir in the sour cream and/or heavy cream.
  • Give the batter a few stirs with a rubber spatula, just to make sure that nothing has been left unmixed at the bottom of the bowl, and scrape the batter into the springform pan.
  • Bake the cheesecake for 1 hour and 30 minutes, at which point the top will be browned (and perhaps cracked) and may have risen just a little above the rim of the pan. Turn off the oven’s heat and open the door a crack.
  • Allow the cheesecake to sit for another hour.
  • After 1 hour, carefully remove from the oven and leet the cheesecake come to room temperature on a cooling rack.
  • Run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen sides.
  • When the cake is cool, cover the top lightly and chill the cake for at least 6-8 hours, although overnight would be better.
Serving:
  • Remove springform sides. The easiest way to cut cheesecake is to use a long, thin knife that has been run under hot water and lightly wiped. Keep warming the knife as you cut slices of the cake.
Storing:
  • Wrapped well, the cake will keep for up to 1 week in the refrigerator or for up to 2 months in the freezer. It’s best to defrost the still-wrapped cheesecake overnight in the refrigerator.