Merry Christmas to All

Grandma's Caramel Rolls

I have a confession.  I wrote this blog about my Grandma's caramel rolls LAST Christmas and I forgot to post it!  So now, one year later here is the recipe for you.  

These caramel rolls are a tradition in my family.  Each year my dad will bake the rolls and my family enjoys them together 0n Christmas morning.  This year however, I decided it was time for me to attempt this recipe passed down from my Grandma.  As soon as you take your first bite, you will know it was worth all the time you spent in the kitchen making these oh so good caramel rolls.

Roll Ingredients 

1 cup of milk

1/2 cup of sugar

1/2 cup of butter

1 tsp of salt 

2 beaten eggs

2 pkgs of dry yeast

1/2 cup of warm water (105 to 115 degrees)

1/2 tsp of sugar

6 cups of flour 

Mix the milk, sugar, butter and salt together and bring to a boil

Cool to luke warm

Add the beaten eggs

Dissolve the yeast and 1/2 tsp of sugar into 1/2 cup of warm water and add to the previous ingredients

Add flour and knead by hand or with a kitchen aid

Let the dough rise

Caramel Ingredients

1 cup of brown sugar

1/4 cup of dark corn syrup

1/2 cup of butter

While the dough is rising, bring brown sugar, dark corn syrup and butter to a boil, making the caramel sauce  

Spread the caramel sauce on a 9 by 13 pan (or a 9 by 9 square pan could be used)

Once the caramel sauce is evenly spread, place 36 pecan halves evenly on top.

When the dough has risen, punch it down and roll it into a 16 by 20 rectangle

Brush enough melted butter on the dough to cover it and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar

Cut the dough into 12 strips that are each about 16 inches long

Roll each strip (like a rolled bandage) and place each one in the 9 by 13 pan

Be sure that the ends of each strip is facing inward toward the center of the pan

Let the rolls rise 

Bake in the center rack of a 375 degrees oven for 25 minutes

Let the rolls cool in the pan for 2-3 minutes, then invert on a rack and the rolls will fall from the pan

If you want to make the rolls ahead of time, wrap them in aluminum foil when they have cooled and stick them in the freezer.  When you are ready to serve them, heat the oven to 300 degrees and place them in the oven for about an hour or until they are soft and hot all the way through.  Once heated through, sit down and enjoy every bite you have with your caramel rolls.  Before you know it they will be gone!

Let the Fall Baking Begin!

APPLE SPICE CAKE 
 from "Taste of Home's Complete guide to Baking"


I'm not going to lie, I love that Fall is here and Summer is over.  Although I love Summer, I kind of put my baking on hold then because honestly, who wants to turn on their oven when its 90 degrees outside.  Now that the leaves are changing colors and it's beautiful outside, it's the perfect excuse to bake (and eat) as many apple and pumpkin desserts as possible.  

Make this Apple Spice Cake and I promise you will not be disappointed.  

Cake Ingredients

 2 2/3 cups all purpose flour

1 2/3 cups sugar

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups chopped and peeled baking apples

3/4 cup chopped walnuts

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.  In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, oil and vanilla.  Add dry ingredients and mix well.  Fold in apples and walnuts (batter will be thick).

2. Spread batter into two greased 9 in round baking pans.  Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.  Let cakes cool completely on wire rack before frosting.

Frosting Ingredients

5 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup milk

1 cup butter, softened

2 cups confectioners' sugar 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 to 1 1/4 cups chopped walnuts

Warning:  I have made this frosting a few different times.  Sometimes it turns out delicious, other times it's a complete failure.  This time was a failure so I had to alter the recipe so the frosting wouldn't ruin the cake.      

1. Combine flour and milk in a saucepan until smooth. 

2.  Bring mixture to a boil; cook and stir for 1 minute.  Set aside, uncovered at room temperature for 20 minutes.  

3. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter, confectioners' sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy.  Add salt and cooked flour mixture and beat until smooth.  

4. Frost between layers, over top and on the sides of the cake.  

5. Carefully press the walnuts around the sides.  

Eat up and enjoy on a nice Fall day....soon Winter will be here!

Gingerbread Trifle

This year at my family Christmas, I was in charge of making the dessert.  I wanted to make a cheesecake, however when I came across this recipe it looked to good to pass up.  The best thing about trifles is that they look difficult to make, but they really are quite simple.  This is a great dessert to make when you have a large crowd to feed because it makes quite a bit.  There are three parts to creating this trifle, so it is quite time consuming, but well worth it!

Gingerbread Ingredients

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

2 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter, slightly softened

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 cup dark molasses

2 large eggs

3/4 cup buttermilk

Making the Gingerbread:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ginger,cinnamon, and salt   

2. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the butter until it's soft and creamy

3. Add the sugar and molasses to the butter and beat again until the mixture is well blended and fluffy, about 2 minutes more

4. Add the eggs one at a time, beating 30 seconds after each addition

5. Slowly pour in the buttermilk and beat well

6. Reduce the mixer's speed to low and slowly add half the flour mixture to the bowl and beat until blended

7. Repeat with the other half

8. Pour the batter into a greased 9 in round cake pan and bake for about 45 minutes

9. Let the cake cool completely on a wire rack, and then cover it tightly with plastic wrap until ready to use

Vanilla Custard Ingredients

9 large eggs

3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour

3 cups whole milk

1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract

Making the Custard:

1. Divide the egg yolks and whites by carefully tipping each yolk back and forth between the shell halves, letting the whites spill into a bowl

2. Place the yolks in a separate bowl

3. In a large bowl with an electric mixer set on medium-high speed, beat the yolks and sugar until the mixture is pale yellow and thick, about 2 to 3 minutes

4. Reduce the speed to low and beat in the flour

5. In a medium saucepan, bring the milk to a boil

6. Slowly pour half the milk into the egg mixture and beat until blended. Then pour the mixture into the remaining milk in the pan

7. Over medium heat, bring the ingredients to a boil while whisking constantly. Allow the custard to boil for 1 minute as you continue to whisk

8. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla

9. Let the custard cool slightly, then cover its surface with a piece of plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming

10. Let the custard cool completely, then refrigerate it until ready to use (up to three days)

Filling and Garnish Ingredients

3 (12-ounce) packages frozen unsweetened raspberries, thawed and drained

1 cup chilled heavy cream

3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons confectioners' sugar

1/2 pint fresh raspberries

Assembling the Trifle:

1. In a medium bowl, toss the thawed raspberries and white sugar

2. Remove the gingerbread from the pan and use a serrated knife to slice it into four equal wedges

3. Turn each wedge on its side and slice it into three equal pieces

4. Stack them, slice the pile in half, and cut off 1 1/2 inches from the tips, reserving the pieces

5. Arrange a layer of six cake wedges over the bottom of a 2 1/2-quart bowl or trifle dish

6. Fill the center with a few of the trimmings

7. Spoon and spread 3/4 cup of the raspberry mixture over the cake, then top the fruit with 1 cup of custard

8. Repeat the layering three more times with the remaining ingredients

9. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 3 hours to let the flavors meld (the dessert can be stored overnight)

10. Before serving, make the whipped cream

11. In a medium bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed, whip the cream with the confectioners' sugar until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes

12. Use a spatula to spread the whipped cream on top of the trifle, and garnish it with fresh raspberries

Recipe from Family Fun Magazine

Cornflake Christmas Wreaths

This is one of my favorite treats that my dad makes every Christmas time.  This was my second year making them myself and they are simply delicious.  

Ingredients

1/2 cup of butter

30 large marshmallows

1/4 tsp of green food coloring

1/2 tsp of vanilla

4 1/2 to 5 1/2 cups of corn flakes

Red Hot candy

1. Melt butter in a large sauce pan

2. Add marshmallows to butter and stir constantly until melted

3. Remove from heat

4.  Stir in vanilla and food coloring

5.  Add corn flakes to the marshmallow mixture

6. Grease fingers, and form the corn flake mixture into wreaths

7.  Place wreaths on wax paper to cool, and immediately decorate with red hot candy

Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Does anything really go better together than peanut butter and chocolate? I can't believe in all of my 23 years this was the first peanut butter cupcake I have ever tried. I recently purchased a frosting press which made these cupcakes even better. Not only did I frost the top of the cupcake with a rich chocolate frosting, I filled the middle of the cupcakes with chocolate as well.

However, I must say and perhaps this is obvious, that my favorite part of these cupcakes was eating them. There is nothing better than watching "You've Got Mail," drinking coffee, and eating Chocolate Filled Peanut Butter Cupcakes on a crisp, Fall afternoon while catching up and reminiscing with fabulous friends. I hope you are able to delight in these cupcakes and your company that comes along with them as much as I have!

Cupcake Ingredients

1 cup all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

6 tbsp unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup smooth peanut butter, room temp

1 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup milk

1. Preheat Oven to 350 degrees

2. Line 12 muffin tins with cupcake liners

3. Beat together butter, peanut butter and brown sugar until smooth

4. Mix in egg and vanilla

5. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt.

6. Add the flour mixture and milk to the cupcake batter.

7. Fill each liner about 3/4 full with batter and bake for about 20 minutes.

8. Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting

Frosting Ingredient

1/2 cup butter or margarine

2/3 cup baking cocoa

3 cups powdered sugar

1/3 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Melt butter

2. Stir in cocoa

3. Combine with powdered sugar, milk and vanilla extract

4. Add small amounts of milk if more is needed

5. Frost cupcakes as desired

Cupcake recipe from Elinor Klivans from her book "Cupcakes!"

Frosting Recipe from hersheys.com

Apple Tart

Fall is in the air and I haven't updated since July. In honor of this I thought it was time to make an apple dessert. This Apple Tart recipe from joyofbaking.com looks like it would be hard to make, but is as simple as can be...

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and grease a 9 inch spring form pan.

Crust

1 cup of flour

1/3 cup of powdered sugar

1/2 cup of cold unsalted butter (cut into pieces)

Mix together the flour and powdered sugar. Add the butter and blend until dough forms. Pat the dough into the bottom of the springform pan, and one inch up the sides. Place in refigerator.

Filling

One 8 oz package of cream cheese

1/4 cup of granulated sugar

1 large egg

1/2 teaspoon of vanilla

Blend the cream cheese until smooth. Add the sugar and mix well. Blend in the egg and vanilla until smooth. Remove the crust from the fridge and pour in the filling. Return to refrigerator while preparing the topping.

Topping

1/4 cup of granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

4 cups of granny smith apples (About 3 to 4 apples) peeled and sliced into 1/4 inch pieces

1/3 cup of sliced almonds

Combine the sugar and cinnamon in large bowl. Mix in the apples. Remove the pan from the refrigerator and place the apples on top of the cream cheese layer and sprinkle with almonds.

Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 400 degrees and bake for 25 to 30 more minutes. The tart will be done when the apples are golden brown and filling is set. Remove from oven and let cool. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.