Monday, December 27, 2010

Christmas Stollen- Dec. '10 Daring Bakers Challenge


The 2010 December Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Penny of Sweet Sadie’s Baking. She chose to challenge Daring Bakers’ to make Stollen. She adapted a friend’s family recipe and combined it with information from friends, techniques from Peter Reinhart’s book, Bread Baker’s Apprentice.........and Martha Stewart’s demonstration.

I had indeed heard mention of the fruit and nut based yeast bread known as stollen before being introduced to it as our Daring Bakers Challenge for December. Yet, really I didn't know much about it. And, certainly I had never attempted to make it. So, I waited and made the stollen on Christmas Eve morning and shared it with family that evening. But, I realized I didn't have much information to include with my stollen. So, later, my curiosity got the better of me and I did a bit of research. Here is what I found:

The History of Stollen
"First made in Dresden, Germany around the 1400s, stollen bread was made and shaped to represent the baby Jesus wrapped in swaddling clothes. Stollen bread was made without butter or milk and was a rather tasteless pastry. Still, it was a popular Christmas pastry for its religious significance, and from 1560 onwards, stollen bakers would deliver one or two 36 pound Christmas stollen to the Saxon king yearly.

Because Advent was a time of fasting, there was a ban on the use of butter in baked goods. Oil was used as a replacement, but made the stollen bread bland and flavorless. In 1647, Elector Lord Ernst of Saxony and his brother Albrecht appealed to the Pope to lift the butter ban explaining that oil was expensive and hard to come by (never mind tasteless!). The Pope lifted the ban to make the Christmas stollen bread for the Prince and his family, but did not lift the ban for the general public until 1691.

With the use of butter, stollen bread became more popular and the recipe started to sway from the original, tasteless pastry to a sweeter one containing candied and liqueur-soaked fruits and nuts. Now, only 150 bakers are allowed to make the official Dresden Stollen, complete with the seal of the city’s famous king August the Strong. However, bakers all over the world have their own spin on both the original and the more modern recipes for German stollen bread, and bake the dessert not only at Christmas, but also year round."
Information courtesy of this website.

Very interesting history and symbolism of stollen. The recipe provided made about 4 small loves of stollen and a medium sized "wreath." Since it makes such a large amount it is really nice for gifts. Of course you could make this any time of the year. Its very good. I feared I would not love it since I have the same aversion to fruit cake that most do, but this is not fruit cake. It contains fruit, but its not the same texture or taste at all.

Thank you to Penny of Sweet Sadie’s Baking for a great Daring Baker's Challenge this month.
Enjoy!





Stollen Wreath

Makes one large wreath or two traditional shaped Stollen loaves. Serves 10-12 people

Ingredients

10 tablespoons unsalted butter (can use salted butter)
½ cup sugar
¾ teaspoon salt (if using salted butter there is no need to alter this salt measurement)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
Grated zest of 1 lemon and 1 orange
2 teaspoons  vanilla extract
1 teaspoon  lemon extract or orange extract
5½ cups all-purpose (plain) flour (Measure flour first - then sift- plus extra for dusting) *
2 packages (4 1/2 teaspoons)  active dry yeast
1- 1/4 cup  buttermilk
¾ cup chopped dates
1 cup  firmly packed dried cranberries
1/3 c. dried apples, chopped
6 tablespoons  rum
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Melted unsalted butter for coating the wreath
Confectioners’ (icing) (powdered) sugar for dusting wreath
Note: If you don’t want to use alcohol, double the lemon or orange extract or you could use the juice from the zested orange.
*You can substitute half of the all purpose flour with whole wheat pastry flour.

Layer all the ingredients (in order) into a bread machine. Select the dough cycle. After the dough is finished, place in an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Place in refrigerator overnight or up to one week.

When ready to bake:
1. Let the dough rest for 2 hours after taking out of the fridge in order to warm slightly.
2. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
3. Preheat oven to moderate 350°F/180°C/gas mark 4 with the oven rack on the middle shelf.
4. Punch dough down, roll into a rectangle about 16 x 24 inches (40 x 61 cms) and ¼ inch (6 mm) thick.
Starting with a long side, roll up tightly, forming a long, thin cylinder. Transfer the cylinder roll to the sheet pan. Join the ends together, trying to overlap the layers to make the seam stronger and pinch with your fingers to make it stick, forming a large circle. You can form it around a bowl to keep the shape.Using kitchen scissors, make cuts along outside of circle, in 2-inch (5 cm) intervals, cutting 2/3 of the way through the dough.
Proof for approximately 2 hours at room temperature, or until about 1½ times its original size.
Bake the stollen for 20 minutes, then rotate the pan 180 degrees for even baking and continue to bake for 20 to 30 minutes. The bread will bake to a dark mahogany color, should register 190°F/88°C in the center of the loaf, and should sound hollow when thumped on the bottom.
Transfer to a cooling rack and brush the top with melted butter while still hot.
Immediately tap a layer of powdered sugar over the top through a sieve or sifter.
Wait for 1 minute, then tap another layer over the first.
The bread should be coated generously with the powdered sugar.
Let cool at least an hour before serving. Coat the stollen in butter and powdered sugar three times, since this helps keeps the stollen fresh.

If you would prefer, you could also shape the dough into oval shaped loaves. Bake for the same amount of time until mahogany colored.
 May be frozen for up to 4 months.



Thursday, December 23, 2010

Blackberry Wine Cake


As children, we spent our Christmas Eve night at my Granny’s house, out in the country.  There are some wonderful memories that come to mind of my brother, my cousin and myself sneaking to have a look at the Christmas gifts under Granny’s seemingly huge tree while no one was watching. Or, so we thought.

 Of course, there is also the memory of the three of us singing Christmas songs. Lots of repitition of Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer. (Hey, don’t judge. It was the 80’s. And that was THE Christmas song of all Christmas songs back then. LOL!).  I think someone even recorded our little performance and later in life we realized we sounded like Alvin & the Chipmunks on speed.  Oh the memories….

As we grew older and Granny did as well, she eventually moved back to the home that she had raised her family in many years before. I’m sure for my mom and aunt, this brought back lots of special childhood Christmas memories. It was also nice for the grandchildren to have a small glimpse at what their Christmases might have been like.
It was during these years, on Christmas Eve, I began recognizing that certain foods were seen only at Christmas. So, of course these foods created food memories for me. Isn’t it funny that whatever you grew up eating at holidays, almost always follows you into adulthood. It becomes something you crave every holiday.

 I can remember vividly 2 very specific things that my Granny made on Christmas Eve. One was Wassail, which I do not ever recall one person drinking, but it was there every year. I wonder now if maybe it was a food memory from Granny’s childhood?
 The other, my favorite, was Blackberry Wine Cake. Oh, Blackberry Wine Cake how I love thee…. it’s the same concept as a Rum Cake, just boozed up with a different alcohol. This can certainly be made a few days in advance, since it only gets better as the wine has time to strengthen and infuse. We always swore Granny used far more Blackberry Wine than was called for. Her only response was a smile. So, feel free to add a bit of extra wine in the glaze in lieu of the holiday season. Or, if you’re trying to behave yourself  and/or you’re going to be feeding this to small children that you do not want to intoxicate, you  can forgo the glaze and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Enjoy!

Blackberry Wine Cake 
Ingredients
  • 1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
  • 1 (5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
  • 1 small pkg blackberry gelatin*
  • 1/3 cup buttermilk
  • 3/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 4 eggs
  • 3/4 cup blackberry wine
  • confectioners' sugar for dusting
*Jello no longer manufactures plain blackberry gelatin. A company called Royal does make it but it is sometimes difficult to find. Jello has started making a flavor called Blackberry Fusion  that I used this year and it worked perfectly.

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan or tube pan.
  2. In a large bowl, stir together cake mix, pudding mix and gelatin. Make a well in the center and pour in buttermilk, oil, eggs and wine. Beat on low speed until blended. Scrape bowl, and beat 4 minutes on medium speed. Pour batter into prepared pan.
  3. Bake in the preheated oven for 40-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a serving plate and cool completely. Sprinkle top with confectioners' sugar.
Glaze(if desired)
  • 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
  • 1/2 cup blackberry wine
Mix together sugar and wine. Pour over warm cake.




Friday, December 17, 2010

Nutter Butter Santas & Free Printable Gift Tags!!


I’m nearly certain that the Grinch is after my Christmas spirit. Yeah, its true. I finally figured it out yesterday when my mixer died in the midst of my holiday baking. I didn’t burn it up or over use it. It just died.  Gave a whole new meaning to mix by hand.  

So, I’m mourning the loss of my mixer. And I’m pretty sure according to Mr. Sweets that there is a high probability that I have NOT been a good enough girl to get one from Santa this year. Huff, Pout, sniff….Oh all because of that one post I did about our anniversary. Mr. Sweets just won’t let it go. He thinks I was being a bit too spicy. Hmpff, sometimes I wonder after all this time if he knows me at all. Teehee!

 Oh, well. I’m just gonna go buy myself a mixer. Though I still have my Christmas spirit now, it is quite possible that it will have diminished after dragging a 2 yr old to the mall with just a little over a week until Christmas.  Those mall Christmas shopper people scare me!

So, today’s post is going to be very, very easy. You won’t even need a mixer, because there’s no baking involved. You start with a few simple Nutter Butters and end up with cute little Santas.  


And, if I do say so myself, these would also be very cute for your treat bags. 

So, here’s another free printable to make your bags extra cute. You can download the tag here.
Enjoy!




 
Nutter Butter Santas

Ingredients

    • 2 (6 ounce) packages white chocolate baking squares, chopped(or almond bark)
    • 1  package Nutter Butter sandwich cookies
    • red colored crystal sugar
    • 32 Marshmallows or white chocolate chips
    • 64 miniature semisweet chocolate chips
    • 32 red M&M's

Directions

  1. In a heavy saucepan over low heat, melt white chocolate, stirring occasionally.
  2. Dip one end of each cookie into melted chocolate.
  3. Place on wax paper.
  4. For santa's hat, sprinkle red sugar on top part of chocolate.
  5. Press one marshmallow/white choc. chip off-center on hat for pom-pom, let stand until set.
  6. Dip other end of each cookie into melted chocolate for beard, leaving center of cookie uncovered.
  7. Place on wire racks.
  8. With a dab of melted chocolate, attach semisweet chips for eyes and a red M&M's, for nose.
  9. Place on waxed paper until chocolate sets.


Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Almond Snowballs and Free Printable Bag Toppers!!


I've said before that quite possibly one of my favorite flavors in baked goods is almond. Almond extract does not taste anything like an actual almond. At least not in my opinion. No, almond extract has a flavor all its own that creates bake goods with an incredible and unusual flavor. Most people can't quite figure out what the flavor is, but they know it tastes like something from a bakery. Of course, that's because lots of bakeries do use almond flavoring.  Its a perfect flavor for breads, icings, cakes and cookies.

These sweet little white snowballs are filled with almond flavor. I used both ground almonds and almond extract. Paired with a delicate shortbread, it is a combination that will grant rave reviews! Besides, who doesn't love anything coated in a bit of powdered sugar?



And, since I'm trying to be Merry and Bright and all in the giving Christmas mood. I'm including a little bag topper for you to download.

Just download, print, and cut it out. It will be perfect for riling up the Treat Bag Society :) You can download the bag topper here.
Enjoy!


Almond Snowballs

Ingredients

  • 1/2  cup  slivered almonds
  • 1  cup  butter, softened
  • 1  teaspoon  vanilla extract
  • 1  cup  powdered sugar
  • 2 1/2  cups  all-purpose flour
  • 1/4  teaspoon  salt
  • Parchment paper
  • 1/2  cup  powdered sugar
 Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake almonds in a single layer in a shallow pan 6 minutes or until toasted and
fragrant, stirring halfway through. Cool completely (about 20 minutes). Reduce oven temperature to 325°.
2. Process almonds in a food processor 30 seconds or until finely ground.
3. Beat butter at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until creamy. Gradually add vanilla and 1 cup powdered sugar, beating well. (Dough will be crumbly.)
4. Combine flour, salt, and almonds; gradually add to butter mixture, beating until blended.
5. Shape dough into 3/4-inch balls, and place 2 inches apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheets.
6. Bake at 325° for 12 to 15 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool on baking sheets 2 minutes. Transfer to wire racks, and cool 10 minutes. Roll cookies in 1/2 cup powdered sugar.
Southern Living, DECEMBER 2010


Sunday, December 12, 2010

Tate's Bakeshop Giveaway Winner!!


I love giving things away!! I really do. People like gifts. And, people like you when you give them things. Its true...I know, it sounds a bit wrong, but its still true:) Human nature...


So, the Tate's Bake Shop Giveaway has come to an end. And, I'm ready to give the prize away. One of my Sinful Southern Sweets readers has won the following:
Tate's Cookie Gift Pack
Tate's Bake Shop Cookbook




Oh....and are you going to LOVE it!!
Alright, lets make this short,

Mammamoiselle, you won!!

Yea!!!! Congratulations, Mammamoiselle!! You're gonna love these cookies and cookbook!!

Off now to work on some more of my Christmas baking. I'll be posting a new recipe later. Also, I'll be posting a little printable bag topper freebie for all of you that want to rile up the Treat Bag Society this holiday season :)
Have a great day!

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Sprinkled Bakery-style Sugar Cookies


With just over 2 weeks until Christmas, I know everyone is scurrying around like crazy. Whether you’re scouting out the perfect Christmas gift or scouring the luggage stores looking for new luggage to get you home for Christmas, you should take a quick break to indulge in a little Christmas baking. As Christy over at The Southern Plate said it the other day on her blog, there is simply something 'Southern' about baking at Christmas time. I have made Christmas goodies of some sort during the holidays for as long as I can remember. Even people that don’t like to bake, seem to get in the kitchen during Christmas time.

The recipe posted today would be perfect to bake up and give as gifts because it makes lots and lots of cookies. It would also be perfect for a cookie swap.  If you don’t need lots of cookies at one time (who doesn't need lots of cookies at any given time?!?!?), the dough freezes very well. You can just slice it frozen and bake. Just add a few extra minutes to the bake time.

If you like sugar cookies, I think you will fall in love with these. They taste like the ones you would buy at one of the Mall cookie shops. The recipe is said to be a Paradise Bakery Copycat Recipe. I’m not familiar with the Paradise Bakery, but these cookies would certainly fit in at any bakery with the word “Paradise” in the name.



SPRINKLED BAKERY-STYLE SUGAR COOKIES
adapted from here

1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 cups shortening
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg, beaten
4 1/3 cups cake flour**
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Sugar or sprinkles for decorating

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, mix together the sugars and shortening using an electric mixer. Mix on slow speed for 30 seconds, then scrape down the bowl with a spatula. Increase speed to medium and mix for 3 minutes. Slowly add vanilla extract and egg while mixing.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture to the mixing bowl, mixing on slow speed until just blended. Do not overmix.

Roll into small balls or scooped with an ice cream scoop. Roll in sprinkles/sugar. Place on baking sheet

Bake at 375 degrees F for 9 to 10 minutes. Cookies are done when small cracks appear. Ideally, the edges do not brown.

*I opted to use 1 c cake flour, 1 c. wheat pastry flour, and 2 c. all purpose flour-all flours sifted)


Enjoy!

Saturday, December 4, 2010

Tate's Bake Shop Review, Giveaway Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe!!


 "If you're in the Hamptons and walk around the charming little Atlantic coast town of Southampton, you'll see a celadon-green Victorian structure with white shutters, framed in flowers, that seems to attract people like bees to a hive. It's Tate's Bake Shop, the fairytale culmination of a dream that got started when 11-year-old Kathleen King began baking cookies to sell at her family's farm stand not far out of town. Today, those amazing cookies have attracted a loyal following from coast to coast. Crispy and buttery, rich but not overwhelming, they simply melt in your mouth and just one is never enough!"

Above is the description of Tate's Bake Shop from the side of their cookie box. Isn't it inviting? I want to go walk around the charming little Altantic town of Southampton and stumble upon the beautiful Victorian  house that is attracting people like bees to a hive. I want to be one of people flocking to the little victorian house. Even more, I'd like to meet the woman that started as an 11 year old girl selling cookies on her dad's farm. That's a pretty neat story about Ms. Kathleen King. Maybe one day I'll get to Southampton and get to do all that, but for now....well, I'll settle for the fabulous cookies they send out by mailorder. And I do mean they are FABULOUS!

Tate's is renowned for their baked goods. Celebrities from coast to coast flock to Tate's. You may have seen mention of them in Everyday With Rachel Ray, The New York Times and The Boston Globe. Just to name a few.  Plus, they have a beautiful cookbook out. Guess who wrote the forward??? Ina Garten, aka The Barefoot Contessa. Yes, I'd say if you can get the Barefoot Contessa to take a moment to say a few pleasantries about your cookies, well, they must be some pretty spectacular cookies.


Tate's is especially known for their chocolate chip cookies. And for good reason. These cookies are about the closest thing to something your grandmother would have turned out that has ever been found in a package. They are very light, airy and crisp. Filled with ungodly amounts of butter for added comfort and the perfect amount of chocolate chips.

I was very humbled and excited when Tate's Bake Shop asked me if I would like to do a review of their cookies and cookbook. As you can tell, I only have great things to say about Tate's. Their baked goods would make a beautiful gift for anyone on your list. Here is a look at the Gift Pack I recieved:
Included: White Chocolate Macadamia Nut, Chocolate Chip and Oatmeal Raisin Cookies


As you can tell, the packaging is beautiful. In addition to their baked goods, they also sent me a copy of their beautiful cookbook:
If you are a cookbook collector, you must get this. Every recipe in this book is divine! And they include the recipe for their famous Chocolate Chip Cookies. I'm going to share it with you, but still must get this cookbook:)

Tate's Bake Shop Chocolate Chip Cookies

  • 2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) lightly salted butter, at room temperature
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
  • 1 teaspoon water
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (Nestlé can’t really be beat)
Preheat the oven to 350º.
Whisk the flour, soda and salt together in a bowl. In another large bowl, mix the butter with a wooden spoon to lighten it a bit and then mix in the sugars. Add the water, vanilla and eggs to the butter mixture. Stir in the flour mixture until just combined and then fold in the chocolate chips. Using two soup spoons, drop the cookies 2" apart onto two nonstick or greased cookie sheets. Bake for eight minutes, rotating the sheets after four minutes. Remove the cookies to a wire rack to cool, and repeat the process with the rest of the batter.

Now, since you've hung around. Let me also tell you what the very generous people at Tate's Bake Shop have offered. They want to give one of my Sinful Southern Sweets Readers a cookie gift pack and a cookbook!! What a great Christmas gift for one of you!!! For those of you that would rather not wait for the giveaway to end, Tate's Bake Shop has offered a 15% discount when you use the discount code "cookies" at tatesbakeshop.com between now and December 31, 2010.

To enter the giveaway to win a Tate's Cookie Gift Pack and Cookbook:
1)Be a Google Follower of Sinful Southern Sweets
2) Follow Tate's Bake Shop on Facebook
3) Follow Southern Sweets on Facebook
4) Follow Sinful Southern Sweets on Twitter 

Giveaway will end on December 10th at midnight. Winner to be announced Dec. 11th and chosen via Random.org. Entries open on the US residents. Good Luck!!



Saturday, November 27, 2010

Apple Crostata-November'10 Daring Baker's Challenge














  The 2010 November Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Simona of briciole. She chose to challenge Daring Bakers’ to make pasta frolla for a crostata. She used her own experience as a source, as well as information from Pellegrino Artusi’s Science in the Kitchen and the Art of Eating Well.
  I'm getting ready to go out of town for a little girls weekend with my mom and my Runwild Princesses, but I wanted to make sure that I got my Daring Baker's Challenge posted, albeit a short post! This months challenge was very nice. It was simple enough that I was not afraid I would work myself into a psychotic frenzy right before Thanksgiving. Which is always something to be thankful for:)
  Lots of possibilities for a crostata. This Italian dessert, is essentially a dough, called pasta frolla, topped with fruit, jam, pastry cream, etc. The dough,when cooked, is reminiscent of a very crisp sugar cookie. How could one complain to that?!?! 
Enjoy!












Apple Crostata
Pasta Frollo:
Ingredients:
1/2 c. minus 1 tablespoon [105 ml, 100 g, 3 ½ oz] superfine sugar (see Note 1) or a scant 3/4 cup [180ml, 90g, 3 oz] of powdered sugar
1 and 3/4 cup [420 ml, 235 g, 8 1/4 oz.] unbleached all-purpose flour
a pinch of salt
1 stick [8 tablespoons / 4 oz. / 115 g] cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
grated zest of half a lemon (you could also use vanilla sugar as an option, see Note 2)
1 large egg and 1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten in a small bowl
Directions:
1. Whisk together sugar, flour and salt in a bowl.
2. Rub or cut the butter into the flour until the mixture has the consistency of coarse crumbs. You can do this in the bowl or on your work surface, using your fingertips or an implement of choice.
3. Make a well in the center of the mounded flour and butter mixture and pour the beaten eggs into it (reserve about a teaspoon of the egg mixture for glazing purposes later on – place in the refrigerator, covered, until ready to use).
4. Add the lemon zest to your flour/butter/egg mixture.
5. Use a fork to incorporate the liquid into the solid ingredients, and then use your fingertips.
6. Knead lightly just until the dough comes together into a ball.
7. Shape the dough into a flat disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Place the dough in the refrigerator and chill for at least two hours. You can refrigerate the dough overnight.
 Apple Filing:
Ingredients:
3 Granny Smith Apples, peeled & sliced
7 OZ Superfine Sugar
5 OZ Sweet Butter
1-1/4 T Cinnamon
1 tsp Nutmeg
2 T Cornstarch - dissolved in water
3 Crostada Dough - see recipe
Heavy Cream - as needed
Crystallized Sugar - as needed
COOKING INSTRUCTIONS
Filling:
1. In large sauté pan, melt butter until foaming and add sugar. Cook about 5 minutes until light brown and add the apples.
2. Cook until apples are slightly soft, and add spices - mixing well. add the cornstarch and mix well, cooking one minute.
3. Remove filling and cool completely.

 Assembling and baking the crostata:
1. Heat the oven to 375ºF [190ºC/gas mark 5].
2. Take the pasta frolla out of the fridge, unwrap it and cut away ¼ of the dough. Reserve this dough to make the lattice top of the crostata. Refrigerate this dough while you work on the tart base.
3. To help roll the crostata dough, keep the dough on top of the plastic wrap that you had it wrapped in. This can help rolling the dough and can also help when transferring the dough to your pan. You can also use parchment paper for this. However, you can also roll the dough directly on a work surface if you prefer.
4. Lightly dust the top of the dough and your work surface (if you’re rolling directly on a work surface) with flour. Keep some flour handy to dust the dough as you go along.
5. If the dough is very firm, start by pressing the dough with the rolling pin from the middle to each end, moving the rolling pin by a pin's width each time; turn the dough 180 degrees and repeat; when it softens, start rolling.
6. Roll the dough into a circle about 1/8th inch (3 mm) thick.
7. If you used the plastic wrap or parchment paper as rolling surface, flip dough over the pan, centering it, and delicately press it all around so the corners are well covered. Peel away the plastic wrap.
8. Fill with cooled filing.
9.Bake for 35-45 minutes.
 

Monday, November 22, 2010

Pilgrim Hats-Thanksgiving Food Craft for Kids

Well, Hello Thanksgiving.... You have snuck up on me this year. Again.
Seriously, I'm not sure just what I've been doing lately, but its seems like just yesterday we were Trick or Treating. So, I'd better get busy posting some of my Thanksgiving recipes for yall!

Today, I'm going to give you a quick recipe that you've probably seen all over cyberspace. These little pilgrim hats are just too cute. Even your toddler kiddos can do this food craft themselves.

With the kids out of school this week, you'll probably be dying for just a moment of peace to yourself. Well, you throw all the ingredients out and show your kids how to make these and I bet you'll have no less than 30 minutes of no-fighting, screaming, fussing or crying from the children in your house. Of course, they'll be jacked up on a sugar high after those 30 minutes. But, hey, you got 30 minutes. Right?!?! Let's be Thankful:)

Enjoy!











 Pilgrim Hats

Ingredients
  • 1 cup vanilla frosting
  • 32 miniature peanut butter cups
  • 1 package (11-1/2 ounces) fudge-striped cookies
  • 32 pieces orange mini Chiclets gum or any small square candy

Directions

  •  Remove paper liners from peanut butter cups.
  • Holding the bottom of a peanut butter cup, dip top of cup in yellow frosting. Position over center hole on the bottom of cookie, forming the hatband and crown. Add a buckle of Chiclets gum. Repeat with remaining cups and cookies. Yield: 32 cookie



Friday, November 5, 2010

Pumpkin Patch Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting


Not too long ago, the Sinful Southern Sweets family took a little trip to the Pumpkin Patch. This is always a fun trip for the girls.  Pull up a stool and enjoy our little outing before we move on to the recipe for today.

Before letting them participate in any of the farm-type fun, I made them have a little "photo shoot." I’m a mean mommy. But, they will thank me one day….maybe. Here are some of our Pre-Pumpkin Patch pics. Notice, that Princess Runwild did not have on Fall colors, like Runwilder and me. She insisted the fall colors did not “agree” with her that day. As frustrating as it may be, you have to applaud her on her reasoning skills.




Later, we enjoyed the corn trough.
Look at those girls make corn-angels. I wanted to make a corn-angel too, but as I hoisted my leg over the wall into the corn trough,  Princess Runwild looked at me with a mortified glare. So, I refrained. They never let me have fun….

Here the girls rode the tire swings. I didn't get to ride those either :(
Say what you want, but whoever thought to carve tires into horses was genius! Well, at least the girls seemed to think so. Smiles all around..
My favorite was the cow train. See for yourself...


And finally, after various other activities, we made it on the hayride to find our pumpkins. Little Runwilder wanted an “itty bitty baby punkin.”
Of course, Runwild wanted the biggest she could carry.
That was the rule….they had to be able to carry it themselves.  I know…as we covered previously...Mean Mommy.  It didn’t work anyways, Mr. Sweets is a big push-over and carried Runwild’s  big pumpkin. He’s sweet like that.

So after a fun-filled pumpkin patch morning what could be better than a pumpkin-patch inspired treat. As I’ve said before, I adore baked goods made with pumpkin. If pumpkin is a favorite of yours too, you will love these Spiced Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting. If you have any hesitation about these cupcakes, let me sway you. The icing tastes like something on a Cinnabon cinnamon roll. You know the gigantic cinnamon rolls you buy at the mall. I would have been thrilled to have nothing but a bowl of the icing and a spoon! The pumpkin cupcake just cuts a bit of the sweetness of the icing. Perfect as dessert, but could certainly be served for breakfast. Enjoy!


Pumpkin Patch Cupcakes with Cinnamon-Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

  • 1 (15 ounce) can canned pumpkin puree
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 teaspoon apple pie spice
  • 1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix with pudding
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  •  1 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
  •  4 cups confectioners' sugar
  •  2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  •  2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line muffin tins with cupcake liners. Whisk together the pumpkin, cinnamon, cloves and apple pie spice. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, mix together the cake mix and oil. Beat in the eggs, then fold in the pumpkin mixture. Stir in the vanilla.
  3. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool.
  4. To make cream cheese frosting: Cream together the butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Beat in the confectioners' sugar, mixing until smooth. Stir in the cinnamon and vanilla. Spread frosting over cooled cupcakes




Thursday, October 28, 2010

Harvest Bark & Another Freebie Halloween Printable!!


This week seems to have turned out to be a busy one here at the Sinful Southern Sweets household. I always said I thought I might raise unsocial children so I would not be one of those moms that was running all over town every night of the week. But, alas, it appears my oldest Runwild Princess has decided she does not want to be unsocial. So, in turn that means her mother may not be unsocial. So, we're participating in gymnastics, Girl Scouts, falls festivals, trick or treating and ending our week off with Princess Runwilder's Christmas play practice at church. Oh, I almost forgot...forgive me. Her name is "Princess Candy Corn" until after Sunday.

Needless to say, it feels like she's running me all over this week! To top it off, I just realized this morning that I have to make up little treat bags for "Princess Candy Corn's" classmates to send to school tomorrow. Or, atleast I think I'm suppose to send treat bags. I'm not sure when the whole treat bag scene started. But, it almost seems as though its a competition among the parents on whose treat bag the kids like most and which parent can send the most treat bags throughout the year to make the other parents feel like the worst parent ever when their little Princess Runwild comes home and asks why we didn't send treat bags for Columbus Day.  Who are these people!?!?
Last year at Princess Runwild's preschool one mom sent home personalized sand pails filled with candy on "Pool Day." Seriously?!?! Now, Mr. Sweets would probably tell you that I'm just mift about the treat bag situation because I seem to always be outdone in the treat bag area. But, come on people, there needs to be a course or some book of etiquette as to when I'm suppose to send the treat bags! When I ask if treat bags should be sent, I always get a response of "Oh, I don't know. I don't think its necessary. Some do and some don't." Complete evasiveness. Its like there's a Treat Bag Society and they are not accepting new members!
Perhaps, I'll just send a treat bag every other Thursday. But, you know what....then it would probably prompt the Treat Bag Committee to require treat bags ever other day. Of course, no one would tell me because, apparently, I'm not in the Treat Bag Society. I know what you're thinking. And, no,  I am not jealous of the Treat Bag Society. I simply want a schedule for the appropriate sending forth of treat bags. Is that too much to ask?!?!

Ok, so now that I've vented about the treat bags, lets talk about what you could put IN your treat bags. Of course you could do all the plastic Halloween junk and pre-wrapped candy, which I have no problems with at all. In fact, I'll more than likely do some of those myself. But you could also make Harvest Bark for some of your bags. It's very easy and would make a nice treat bag for adults (teachers, co-workers, etc) or kids. As an added treat, you can include a bag topper to make it look extra cute. And, today you are in luck. I took a few minutes to make a few treat bag toppers. Our treat bags will be unique and special. The Treat Bag Society is going to be so ticked off at our cute treat bags!!! If you'd like to download these toppers:

You can download them here and here.

Enjoy!


Harvest Bark
Adapted from Real Simple
Ingredients:
8 oz melted white chocolate or almond bark
1 c. miniature pretzels
1/2 c. candy corn
1/3 c. dried cranberries
Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment, leaving an overhang. Spread 8 ounces melted white chocolate in the prepared pan and sprinkle with 1 cup miniature pretzels, ½ cup candy corn, and ⅓ cup dried cranberries.
Chill until firm. Remove from the pan and break into pieces.




Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Old Fashioned Buttermilk Cake Doughnuts-Oct.2010 Daring Bakers Challenge




So, I had just started my regime of “eating clean” when I realized that the October Daring Bakers Challenge was coming due. If you're unfamiliar with the concept, eating clean does not mean you can eat anything that hasn’t been dropped on the floor. Not that kinda clean, but always a good principal nonetheless.. Basically, its no sugar, no white flour, nothing artificial, nothing white, no preservatives, additives, etc. In the words of Jillian Michaels(Biggest Loser) “If it don’t have a Mama or it wasn’t grown in the ground…don’t eat it.” That Jillian, she has such a way with words :) I’ve nearly decided its easier to just stop eating all together. No, no, just kidding. I eat plenty. It’s great. Really…

So, anyways, I hopped over to the Daring Bakers site in hopes of finding something really healthy and “clean” for this months challenge. Yeah, right. This month the challenge was doughnuts. Darn those Daring Bakers:) Hmmm….you have to give me credit. I did even try to Google “Clean Eating doughnuts,”  but I basically kept getting results that doughnuts were NOT part of the clean eating regime. Yeah, yeah. Whatever. I’m just going to be unclean today and have doughnuts. Would you care to join me ? Yes, I thought so….

The October 2010 Daring Bakers challenge was hosted by Lori of "Butter Me Up" who chose to challenge the Daring Bakers to make doughnuts. She used several sources for her recipes including Alton Brown, Nancy Silverton, Kate Neumann and Epicurious.

Doughnuts are big stuff in the Sinful Southern Sweet household. I’ve got two little princesses (who have temporarily, but officially changed their names to Princess Candy Corn and Princess Candy Corny in light of the Halloween season), that have frequent weekend visits to the “Doughnut Store” with their Daddy. So, what I’m getting at is…the kids know doughnuts. I knew they would certainly let me know if they were not up to par.
 I decided on a recipe for an Old Fashioned Buttermilk Cake Doughnut. I really liked the doughnut. The Candy Corn Princesses really L-O-V-E-D the doughnuts. But, much to my surprise….Mr. Sweets said they weren’t that great for him. As I blankly absorbed his mediocre response to my doughnut efforts that had left my kitchen resembling a White Christmas (oh, the flour and powdered sugar that blanketed my countertops!), I wondered if he was just playing around.  But, you know..... I just don’t think he was.  Finally, I told him we would just have to agree to disagree, because they were the best unclean thing I had eaten all week!! 

Enjoy!


Old-Fashioned Buttermilk Cake Doughnuts:
Preparation time:
Hands on prep time - 25 minutes
Cooking time - 12 minutes
Yield: About 15 doughnuts & 15 doughnut holes, depending on size
IngredientsSour Cream ¼ cup
All Purpose Flour 3 ¼ cup + extra for dusting surface
White Granulated Sugar ¾ cup
Baking Soda ½ teaspoon
Baking Powder 1 teaspoon
Kosher (Flaked) Salt 1 teaspoon
Nutmeg, grated 1.5 teaspoon
Active Dry Yeast 1 1/8 teaspoon
Buttermilk ¾ cup + 2 Tablespoon
Egg, Large 1
Egg Yolk, Large 2
Pure Vanilla Extract 1 Tablespoon
Powdered (Icing) Sugar ¼ cup 
Directions:
  1. In a small stainless-steel bowl set over a pot of gently simmering water, heat the sour cream until just warm.
  2. Heat the oil to 375°F/190°C.
  3. Over a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, nutmeg; make a large well in the center. Place the yeast in the well; pour the sour cream over it. Allow it to soften (if using packed fresh yeast), about 1 minute.
  4. Pour the buttermilk, whole egg, egg yolks, and vanilla extract into the well. Using one hand, gradually draw in the dry ingredients. The mixture should be fairly smooth before you draw in more flour. Mix until it is completely incorporated. The dough will be very sticky. Wash and dry your hands and dust them with flour.
  5. Sift an even layer of flour onto a work surface. Don’t be afraid to use a lot of flour. You don’t want the doughnuts sticking to your counter. Scrape dough out of bowl onto the surface; sift another layer of flour over dough. Working quickly, pat dough into an even 1/2-inch (12.5 mm) thickness. Dip cutter in flour and, cutting as closely together as possible, cut out the doughnuts and holes. Place holes and doughnuts on a floured surface. Working quickly, gather scraps of dough together, pat into 1/2-inch (12.5 mm) thickness, and cut out remaining doughnuts and holes.
  6. Drop three to four doughnuts at a time into the hot oil. Once they turn golden brown, turn them and cook the other side. Cooking times may vary, but with my oil at 375 °F/190°C, I found they only took about 20 to 30 seconds per side.
  7. Once cooked, place on a baking sheet covered with paper towels to drain.
Sift powdered sugar over doughnuts and serve.