Desserts

Interesting Find – Rehrucken Pan

Published on by carol lou

Years ago while vacationing in Door County, Wisconsin I purchased a Rehrucken Pan at a local gift shop. The pan came with a recipe for an almond cake, one that I have made over and over. Today I made a different version with orange extract instead of almond extract and again with amazing results. These cakes are so easy to make, mix in one bowl and pour into the pan and the nonstick pan makes clean up a breeze. It is a great pan to add to your assortment and it makes amazing cakes. Below is the recipe I used for my orange cake but you can also Google Rehrucken pan recipes and find many more. Here is the Amazon link to purchase a Rehrucken pan

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Orange Rehrucken Cake

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cups sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon orange extract
  • 1 tablespoon grated orange zest
  • 2/3 cups milk
  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 stick butter, melted
  • turbinado sugar

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour Rehrucken pan. In a mixing bowl beat together the sugar, egg, orange extract and milk. Mix in the flour and baking powder, mix well. Slowly add the melted butter. Mix well. Pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Bake for 38 – 40 minutes until golden brown. Remove and place cake on cooling rack, after 10 minutes invert cake out of the pan. Sprinkle with confectioners sugar, if desired prior to serving.

Friends that Cook – Ashley’s Maw Maw’s Cake with Chocolate Icing

Published on by carol lou

I was in Atlanta recently at our daughter’s and the buzz on her street was “Ashley made the cake”! No, I think the comment was “Ashley made two cakes”! You all know that I was immediately interested in this cake. After hearing rave reviews from everyone and how amazing the cake with chocolate icing is, I was hoping to be able to get a taste during our visit. Just as I mentioned it, everyone said, come over on Sunday to try her cake. To make a long story short, this cake is amazing and worth every accolade that Ashley repeatedly receives. I have to admit, I was not prepared for the ingredient list when she told me, but trust me on this one, this cake is delicious. I am so happy she shared her recipe with me and she gave me a thumbs up to share this recipe with you.

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Maw Maw’s Cake with Chocolate Icing

Ingredients

  • CAKE
  • 1 box Duncan Hines Deluxe Yellow cake mix
  • 1 small box, instant vanilla pudding
  • 4 eggs
  • 3/4 cup Wesson oil
  • 10 ounces Sprite
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • CHOCOLATE ICING
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 2 tablespoons light Karo syrup
  • 1 stick butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

Instructions

  1. Cake

    Preheat oven to 350 degrees

    Mix eggs and oil and beat slightly. Add cake mix, and pudding mix. Blend, then beat and add 5 oz. Sprite, beat, add 5 more oz. of Sprite. Stir in vanilla extract.

    Grease and flour, three round cake pans. Pour batter evenly into pans, bake at 350 for 25 – 30 minutes. Press fingers lightly in the middle of the cake, if it springs back, it is done. Frost with Chocolate Icing

  2. Chocolate Icing

    Mix sugar and cocoa well in a heavy saucepan. Add all other ingredients, EXCEPT vanilla. Stir well. Turn on heat to medium high, let the mixture come to a brisk rolling boil and boil for 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Cool to room temperature. Add vanilla, beat mixture with spoon until it is thick enough to spread. Work quickly!

Make Now / Bake Later – Chocolate Chip Cookies

Published on by carol lou

There is nothing better than chocolate chip cookies warm from the oven. This recipe is fool-proof and the results are always delicious. Make the dough now, freeze the dough into cookie size portions and when you are ready for warm chocolate chip cookies – all you have to do is bake them. You can decide if you want 1 or 20 cookies, perfect for entertaining or when you just want one warm cookie.

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Make Now/Bake Later Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup shortening
  • 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 12 oz package semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

  1. Mix flour, baking soda and salt together.  In a mixing bowl, beat butter, shortening and sugars.  Add vanilla and eggs, one at a time.  Mix well.  Add flour mixture and mix until all of the dry ingredients are well incorporated.  Stir in the chocolate chips. Drop batter by 1/4 cup scoops on a parchment lined baking sheet (I use a cookie scoop), lightly flatten each cookie with the back of a spatula, freeze dough for 1 hour.  Remove from freezer and place dough balls in a zip top freezer bag and return to the freezer.

    When you are ready to bake the cookies. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Place the amount of cookies you want to bake on a parchment lined baking sheet and let thaw on the baking sheet for 30 minutes prior to baking. Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes.  Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 3 minutes, Time to enjoy delicious warm chocolate chip cookies.

Gifts From Your Kitchen – Vanilla Crispies

Published on by carol lou

I remember my mom always participated in the annual butter cookie bake sale at church. Members of the congregation baked assorted butter cookies all made exclusively with butter and no more than two inches in diameter. They assembled them into the most beautiful boxes of cookies for the holidays and sold them to support their outreach programs. This recipe was one of my mom’s go to recipes for this bake sale. They are simple yet delicious and a wonderful gift during the holidays.

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Vanilla Crispies

Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

Instructions

  1. The cookie dough needs to chill one hour prior to baking.

    In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the butter, sugar and egg. Mix until combined, mix in remaining ingredients. Cover and chill at least 1 hour.

    Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place two inches apart on parchment lined baking sheet. Flatten with the bottom of 1-inch diameter glass (I used a shot glass and sprayed the bottom of the glass with cooking spray so the sugar sticks to the glass) dipped in sugar. Bake until light brown, 8 – 10 minutes. Immediately remove from cookie sheet. Makes 3 1/2 dozen cookies.

Apple Pie Ice Cream

Published on by carol lou

Talk about a quick and easy dessert, Apple Pie Ice Cream is the ultimate easy dessert. Years ago I had an ice cream cone that was called Apple Pie Ice Cream. It was delicious with pieces of pie crust and apples. Since I did not feel like baking a pie crust, I used cinnamon topped graham crackers. I mixed that into a 1/2 gallon of vanilla ice cream along with sautéed apples. This ice cream is delicious and so much easier that baking a pie.

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Apple Pie Ice Cream

Ingredients

  • 1/2 gallon vanilla bean ice cream
  • 4 cinnamon graham crackers (each cracker = 4 rectangles)
  • 2 apples, diced
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons sugar (you can adjust the amount of sugar depending on the sweetness of your apples)
  • 2 -3 teaspoons cinnamon

Instructions

  1. In a large skillet, melt the butter and add the apples, sugar and cinnamon. Cook 8-10 minutes over medium heat, stirring frequently until the apples are cooked and have softened a bit. Remove from heat and cool completely.

    Remove ice cream from package and place in a large bowl. Let sit until soft, stir a few times, you do not want the ice cream to become liquid, just soft serve.

    Place the crackers in a zip top bag and crush lightly – you still want sizeable pieces.

    When the ice cream is soft and the apples have cooled, fold into the ice cream the apples and the crackers. Scoop mixture into freezer container and freeze until firm.

    Delicious to serve alone or with a drizzle of caramel sauce.

Buttermilk Chocolate Brownies

Published on by carol lou

It has been years since I made this recipe and with a quart of buttermilk in my refrigerator, it was time to find my Buttermilk Chocolate Brownie recipe. I plowed through my recipes from our days in Texas and finally found this recipe. In Texas, this was a staple and many times you would find a very similar recipe called Texas Chocolate Sheet Cake. When I originally received this recipe it was called Buttermilk Chocolate Brownies – I think very similar to the Texas favorites. The best part is you frost these brownies immediately after you take them out of the oven. Moist and delicious – a terrific memory from our days in Texas.

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Buttermilk Chocolate Brownies

Ingredients

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, cut into cubes
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/3 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • FROSTING
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cubed
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/4 cup buttermilk
  • 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • dash of salt
  • chopped nuts, if desired

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 15 x 10 x 1 inch baking sheet with parchment paper, spray with no-stick spray. In a saucepan, melt the butter, cocoa powder and water until the butter is melted, stir frequently, set aside to cool slightly. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, vanilla, eggs, salt and buttermilk.. Stir to combine. Add the chocolate mixture gradually – stir until smooth. Pour into the prepared baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Just prior to the brownies finishing baking – make the frosting. Melt the butter, cocoa and buttermilk in a large saucepan (you will be making the frosting in this pan). When the butter has melted, add the remaining ingredients and stir until smooth. Spread over the warm brownies, sprinkle with chopped nuts, if desired. Allow to cool prior to cutting.

Poppy Seed Strawberry Shortcakes

Published on by carol lou

The markets are loaded with red ripe strawberries. The perfect time of year to make strawberry shortcake, I have included my mom’s recipe that adds poppy seeds to the cakes. Outstanding with fresh berries.

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Poppy Seed Strawberry Shortcakes

Servings 6

Ingredients

  • 3 pints strawberries, hulled and sliced
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • SHORTCAKES
  • 1 1/2 cup flour
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
  • 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 6 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cubed
  • 1/2 cup half and half

Instructions

  1. Toss berries with the sugar – cover and refrigerate 3 hours.

    Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine the flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, poppy seeds, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt in a food processor. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add half and half, mix just until moist clumps form. Turn dough out onto floured surface, knead 2 – 3 times to smooth, roll out to 1/2 inch thick. Cut using a 3 inch round cutter. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment. Bake until golden brown, about 12 minutes. Cool on rack. Using a serrated knife, cut biscuits horizontally in half. Place lower halves cut side up on plates. Top with berries and whipped cream, if desired.

Be My Valentine

Published on by carol lou

It is time to think about Valentine’s Day – here are some of my favorite Valentine treats to share with those you love.

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Cream Puffs

Servings 6

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 2 eggs
  • ice cream, your favorite flavor
  • chocolate or caramel sauce or powdered sugar

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In a medium saucepan, bring water and butter to a boil.  Reduce heat to low, add flour all at once and stir vigorously until the mixture forms a ball, approx. one minute.  Remove from heat.  Add eggs all at once to the flour mixture in the saucepan, immediately with a hand mixer, beat on medium-high speed until the mixture is smooth and glossy. (My mom always used a wooden spoon to beat in the eggs by hand, but I have found the hand mixer to be much easier)  Spoon 1/4 scant cups of mixture onto parchment lined baking sheet.  This will make 6 puffs.  Bake 30 – 40 minutes until puffed and golden.  Cool completely.  Slice off top, remove any fragments of dough in the middle, fill with ice cream, drizzle with desired topping and serve immediately.

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Chocolate Black Bottom Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache

Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings 18

Ingredients

  • 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
  • 1 cup butter ( I use Kerrygold Irish butter)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 cup flour
  • FILLING
  • 3 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • dash of salt
  • 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • GANACHE
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Fill cupcake pan with 18 liners.

    Melt together the butter and 4 ounces of chocolate over medium heat, still until melted. Add vanilla. In a medium mixing bowl with a hand mixer, beat the eggs well. Add sugar and flour. Add the chocolate mixture and beat until fully combined. Fill liners, 2/3 full.

    Mix the cream cheese, sugar, eggs and salt until smooth. Fold in the chocolate chips. Drop by rounded teaspoons on the top center of each cupcake.

    Bake cupcakes for 30 minutes.

    Cool cupcakes.

    In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the heavy cream and chocolate chips. Stir constantly until smooth. Dip each cupcake in the ganache, cool.

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Citrus Hearts

Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 tablespoons buttermilk
  • 5 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
  • 1 teaspoon lemon extract
  • Citrus Glaze
  • 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 – 2 tablespoons orange juice
  • lemon zest

Instructions

  1. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time. Add buttermilk. Add baking soda, flour and lemon zest. Stir in lemon extract, mix until well combined. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for 4 hours .Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roll dough to 1/8 inch on a floured surface. Cut with cookie cutters, place on parchment lined baking sheets. Bake 6 – 7 minutes. Cool on rack.

    This recipes makes 4 – 5 dozen depending on the size of your cookie cutters.

    Notes

    Citrus glaze – In a medium mixing bowl mix 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar with orange juice (add 1 – 2 tablespoons at a time) until you have a thin spreading consistency. I also like to add 1 teaspoon fresh orange rind and lemon rind grated to my glaze. Spread glaze on cooled cookies.

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Cut Out Cookies

Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 3 cups flour
  • Icing
  • powdered sugar and water

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cream butter and sugar on low speed for 1 minute, then beat at medium speed for one minute. Reduce speed to low and add the egg, vanilla, and baking powder. Add flour, one cup at a time until incorporated. The dough will be stiff. On a floured surface roll out 1/2 of the dough approx. 1/8 inch thick. Flour cookie cutters before using. Bake cookies 6 – 8 or until slightly browned around the edges.

    Notes

    The icing I use is 2 cups of powdered sugar, 3 – 5 tablespoons water (or more if needed) Slowly add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until you have a smooth spreading consistency. This icing will dry hard and shiny.

Raspberry Almond Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

Published on by carol lou

This is one of my favorite recipes and a perfect holiday morning treat. I usually bake one 9-inch cake but since this year our plans are changing with fewer family members, I made two 7-inch cakes and they are perfect for a smaller celebration. You can easily freeze these cakes after baking and cooled, thaw overnight.

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Raspberry Almond Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

Servings 10

Ingredients

  • 2 1/4 cups flour
  • 1 cup sugar, divided
  • 3/4 cup cold butter
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softenend
  • 1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam
  • 1/2 cup slivered almonds

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour 1 – 9-inch or 2 – 7-inch springform pan(s). Whisk together 2 1/4 cups flour and 3/4 cup sugar in a large bowl. Cut butter into flour mixture until crumbly (this step can be done in your food processor – if using a food processor, pour the crumb mixture into a large bowl and continue). Reserve 1 cup of the above mixture for the topping. Add sour cream, almond extract, baking powder, baking soda, salt and 1 egg to the remaining crumb mixture, stir until blended. Spread dough over bottom and about 2 inches up the sides of the pan(s) to form the crust. Beat the cream cheese, remaining 1/4 cup sugar and remaining 1 egg with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Pour into the center of the dough in the pan and spread to cover the bottom. Spoon preserves in small dollops over the cream cheese. Add almonds to the reserved 1 cup of crumb mixture – stir until well incorporated. Sprinkle almond mixture over the cream cheese layer. Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes for a 9-inch pan/1 hour for a 7-inch pan or until the filling is set and the cake is golden around the edges. Cool in pan on rack for 15 minutes. Remove sides and bottom on pan, serve warm or at room temperature. Store leftovers in refrigerator.

Pumpkin Butter

Published on by carol lou

One of my favorite fall items is Pumpkin Butter. It is terrific on toast, pancakes, muffins, biscuits, the uses are endless. (I think Pumpkin Butter is delicious on ginger snaps!) You can also use it in your pumpkin pies, there are numerous recipes online using Pumpkin Butter as a key ingredient. There are so many varieties on the shelves to choose from. Well, this year since I am not out shopping and checking out every kitchen store I pass, I decided I would make my own pumpkin butter. With a few ingredients and little time, you can create a delightful Pumpkin Butter. The aroma alone when it cooks is enticing with the pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger spices. Easy to make and a fall classic.

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Pumpkin Butter

Ingredients

  • 1 29 oz. can pumpkin
  • 1 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • 1/2 lemon, juiced
  • 3 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon each – nutmeg and ginger

Instructions

  1. Combine all of the above ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook 15 minutes. Stir frequently. Cool. Spoon into jars. Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.