Christmas Ginger Cake with Maple Icing and Alsatian Gingerbread with Orange Glaze

I love the flavor of Ginger at Christmas. It's one of the few times that I eat it. I like traditional Christmas Gingerbread during the holidays. I have a recipe for a French Alsatian Gingerbread with Orange Glaze, made in a loaf pan. I'll repost the recipe at the end of this one. I'll make German Lebkuchen this year and I usually make Pfeffernusse cookies. There's something about the combination of flavors that make up these Christmas desserts that I find appealing.

Gingerbread Cake with Maple Icing:

Here's what you'll need:
1- 10" X 2" cake pan. Brush it well with Pan Release Mix. (equal parts of Crisco, Vegetable Oil and Flour.) I start with 1 C of each mixed well in a jar and refrigerate it. I always have it available for all of my baking needs.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

3 C Flour
2 TBS Ground Ginger
2 tsp Baking Soda
1 1/4 tsp Cinnamon
3/4 tsp Ground Cloves
1/2 tsp Nutmeg
1/4 tsp Salt
1/3 C Minced Crystallized Ginger + additional for garnish.
10 TBS Butter, room temperature
1 C Brown Sugar
3 Eggs
1 C light Molasses
1 C Boiling Water
3 tsp Grated Orange Peel

Maple Icing:
3 C Cold Heavy Cream
1/2 C Maple Syrup ( I always recommend the best that you can afford, the taste is worth it.)

Cake:

In a medium mixing bowl, sift together:
Flour
Ginger
Baking Soda
Cinnamon
Cloves
Nutmeg
Salt
Whisk well.
Stir in Crystalized Ginger

In another bowl with a hand mixer:
Beat Butter until creamy smooth.
Add:
Brown Sugar  and beat until combined.
Add Eggs, 1 at a time.
Beat in Molasses and then Boiling Water.
Fold in Orange Peel by hand.
Gradually add the dry ingredients and mix just until all ingredients are well incorporated.

Pour the batter into the pan.
Bake for 1 hour.
Remove pan to a rack for 10 minutes
Remove the cake from the pan.
At this stage I wrap the cake in plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 30 minutes.  This keeps it moist, makes it easier to cut, put together and frost. It's a tip that I learned when I decorated cakes.
I do this with all of my cakes.

Icing:
In a large cold mixing bowl with a hand mixer:
Heavy Cream
Maple Syrup
Beat until stiff peaks form.

Cut the cake horizontally into three layers.
Transfer the first layer, cut down onto a large serving platter and ice with some of the whipped cream.
Place the second layer on top and repeat.
Place the third layer on and ice the entire cake.
Sprinkle additional crystalized ginger on the top of the cake to garnish.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!


Alsatian Gingerbread with Orange Glaze:

Here's another one of my favorite French Recipes. This recipe comes from the Alsace Region of France.

1/2 C Honey
2 TBS Brown Sugar
1/2 C Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 C Rye Flour
1/4 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Nutmeg
1/2 tsp Ground Ginger
1/4 tsp Ground Anise
1/4 tsp Sea Salt
1 1/4 tsp Baking Powder
1 Large Egg
4 TBS Whole Milk
2 TBS Candied Orange or Lemon Peel, diced

In a Saucepan:
Honey
Brown Sugar
Heat gently until sugar is dissolved

Sift together, In the bowl of a Stand Mixer:
Both Flours
Spices
Salt
Baking Powder

In a small bowl, Whisk together:
Egg
Milk

Turn mixer on low and slowly add milk to the flour mixture.
Scrape the sides of the bowl.
Add Honey and Brown Sugar.
Add Citrus Peel and mix on medium speed.

Butter and Flour a medium size Loaf Pan (I use my Pan Release Mix)

Pour Batter into the pan and bake at 350 degrees for 40 - 50 minutes.
Cool completely n the pan.
Release the cake onto a serving platter and drizzle with Orange Glaze.

Orange Glaze:
2 C Confectioner's Sugar
1/3 C Fresh Orange Juice
4 tsp Orange Zest
Whisk together until smooth

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Christmas Cashew Ball Cookies

I'm obsessed with cookie recipes. I have hundreds of them on file. I create many of them myself. I enter a local Holiday Cookie Contest annually. I've been a finalist many times. The competition is so much fun. It's sponsored by The Dallas Morning News and Central Market. The judges are always well known Chefs and they keep us very well entertained while the judging is being done. They have drawings and door prizes and at some point during the event we all get our tupperware containers together and rush toward the table and "grab" all of the cookies that contestants have made to share. It's crazy fun! We go home with enough cookies to last us through the entire holiday season!
Here's another new favorite cookie recipe. I love Pecan Ball Cookies , but Cashews happen to be my favorite nuts. Well...... a tie with Pecans, since I do live in Texas and we love Pecans here!

Christmas Cashew Balls:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees to roast the Cashews. You'll reduce the temperature for baking.

1 C Cashews. (Roast them in the oven for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Transfer them to a bowl to cool.
2 C Flour
1/4 tsp Salt
2 sticks of Butter, cubed and softened to room temperature.
2 C Confectioner's Sugar, divided.
1/2 tsp Vanilla

In a Food Processor:
Roasted Cashews
Flour
Salt
Pulse to a fine powder.
Transfer to a mixing bowl and set aside.

In the Food Processor:
Butter
1/2 C Confectioner's Sugar
Pulse until creamy smooth.
Add Vanilla and pulse  just to incorporate.
Add the Flour mixture and pulse until just combined.

Place the dough in a mixing bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees.

Put remaining Confectioner's Sugar in a small bowl and set aside.

Use a 1 1/2" Cookie Scoop to form the cookie balls. Roll them in the palm of your hand to smooth them.
Place them 1" apart on a parchment paper lined sheet pan.
Bake for 20 - 25 minutes.
They'll be dry but still a bit soft.

Remove the pan to a rack for 5 minutes.

Gently roll the cookies in the bowl of Confectioner's Sugar.
Transfer the rolled cookies to the rack and cool completely.

If storing the cookies in an airtight container before serving, re-roll them in sugar just before serving

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Apple Bundt Cake, a Christmas tradition

This is my fresh Apple Cake recipe made in a Bundt Cake Pan.
It's a great Fall Cake. It evokes all of the traditional American Fall Cake flavors.

Here's what you'll need:
1 Bundt Cake Pan, brushed well with Pan Release Mix.(equal parts of Crisco, Vegetable Oil and Flour.) I start with 1 C of each, mixed well in a jar and refrigerated. I always have it available for all of my baking needs.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl:
2 Eggs
2 C Granulated Sugar
1 C Vegetable Oil
1 Stick of Butter. melted
1 tsp Vanilla
Beat well with a hand mixer.
Set aside.

In another bowl, sift together:
3 C Flour
1 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Nutmeg
2 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Salt
Whisk together and add to the first bowl and beat until combined well.

Fold by hand into the mixture:
3 C Finely chopped Apple, that's been peeled and cored.
1 C chopped Pecans
1 C Raisins

Mix until well combined.
Pour into the cake pan and bake for 1 hour.
Remove pan and place on a rack.
Pour the topping over the hot cake and let it stand for 2 hours before removing it from the pan to a serving platter.

Topping:
In a saucepan on low medium heat:
1/2 C Brown Sugar
1 Stick of Butter
1/4 C Whole Milk

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Irene's Tarte aux Pommes from the South of France

This is from our friend in France. She makes the best Apple Tart. They live in La Bouilladisse in Provence.
I've learned so much from the way she cooks and I have many of her recipes. When we visit, I take Tex - Mex ingredients and we make some of our favorite Texas recipes. They love our food as much as we love theirs.

Tarte aux Pommes from Irene's Kitchen:
This recipe makes 2 Tarts.
I still have her original hand written and translated recipe. We had to convert everything from metric measurements when we got home. My wife has made it often and it's one of our family's favorite dessert recipes.
This is a rough draft and experience will help to make this Tart.
My wife has figured it out!

2 Eggs
3/4 C Sugar
1 Stick (8TBS) Butter, melted.
2 C + 2 TBS Flour
1 packet of Vanilla Sugar (2tsp) I buy it at World Market or our local German Deli.
1 Packet (2tsp) Baking Powder
1/2 C Whole Milk

Mix all of the above ingredients in a bowl.
Spread it out in 2 Tart Pans.

8 Apples, Peeled, cored and sliced.
The Juice of 1/2 Lemon
Mix well in a bowl.
Fan the Apple Slices over the batter.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Make the Topping.

2 Packets of Vanilla Sugar
3/4 C Granulated Sugar
1 1/2 sticks of Butter, cold and cubed.
1 1/4 C Flour
Mix well in a bowl and crumble over the apples.

Bake for 50 minutes.
Check to make sure it doesn't burn.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Coconut Cake with Coconut Lemon Glaze from Trisha Yearwood

Here's another great family recipe from Trisha Yearwood. This is her Grandmother's recipe.

Here's what you'll need:
1 - 9" Tube Cake Pan, brushed well with Pan Release Mix. (equal parts of Crisco, Vegetable Oil and Flour) I start by mixing 1 C of each in a jar and keep it refrigerated. I always have it available for all of my baking needs
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Cake ingredients:

2 Stick (16 TBS) Butter, room temperature
2 C Granulated Sugar
6 Eggs, room temperature
1 tsp Vanilla
1 (16oz) box of Vanilla Wafers, finely crushed
1 (6oz.) package of Grated Coconut
1/2 C Chopped Pecans

Coconut Lemon Glaze ingredients:

2 C Granulated Sugar
2 TBS Cornstarch
A pinch of Salt
Zest of 2 Lemons
1/4 C Fresh Lemon Juice
1 1/2 C Water
1 (6oz.) package of Grated Coconut


In a Stand Mixer with a paddle attachment:
Butter
Sugar
Beat until creamy.
Add:
Eggs
Vanilla
Beat well to combine.
Fold in by hand:
Vanilla Wafers
Coconut
Pecans
Pour batter into the pan.
Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Remove the pan to a rack and cool for 10 minutes.
Invert the cake onto the rack and cool completely.

Make the Glaze

In a saucepan on medium heat:
Sugar
Cornstarch
Salt
Lemon Zest
Lemon Juice
Water
Coconut
Cook for 15 minutes, until it thickens.
Set Aside to cool.

Invert the cake, right side up onto a  large serving platter.
Poke holes in the cake with a toothpick.
Drizzle the glaze evenly over the cake.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Chai Tea 101

We had some amazing Chai Tea while on vacation in L.A.
Our son Taylor introduced us to Dirty Chai Latte.
Here's a great recipe to make your own mix.
It reminded me of Christmas  and I'll make this mix and have it available to serve during the Holidays.

Homemade Chai Tea Mix.
This is my favorite mix.
I simply double the recipe for two of us.
When it's finished, I strain it into a 2 C Pyrex Measuring Cup. It' makes it easier to divide for two drinks.
I also use an espresso cup to measure the coffee for our individual Latte.

For each 8 oz. cup of Chai tea:
1/2 C whole milk
1/2 C water
2 tsp Sugar (Optional) I don't use it.
1 tsp loose Black Tea Leaves. I buy my tea leaves at an Indian Market.
1/4 tsp Chai Massala Mix. (recipe to follow)

Place all ingredients in a saucepan on medium heat.
Heat until bubbles appear around the perimeter of the pan.
Stir often to avoid scalding the milk. Adjust the heat if necessary.
Once it comes to a boil, remove from heat and stir well.
Return to heat and bring to boil again, turn off the heat, remove the pan and stir again.
Set aside and allow to steep for 3 minutes.
Strain into a mug and serve hot.
NOTE:
Enjoy it by itself as a Chai Tea Latte.
For a Dirty Chai Tea Latte, add 1 shot of espresso.
For a Filthy Chai Tea Latte, add 2 shots of espresso.


Chai Masala Mix:
1 C + 3 TBS roughly ground black pepper
3/4 C + 1 TBS ground ginger
1/4 C +2 TBS ground cinnamon
1/4 C + 2 TBS ground Cardamom
2 tsp ground cloves
2 tsp ground nutmeg.

Namaste!

Treacle Tart

We were in England for Christmas 2012. It was an amazing time to be there. We visited Birmingham for the German Christmas Market, London for all of it's splendor and Windsor with all of it's charm. We're ready to see more of the English Countryside on our next visit. The last time I visited England was in 1970. It was time to return.
One of the amazing desserts we experienced was the Treacle Tart. I've never tasted anything like it in the States.
It's a traditional English dessert. It's prepared by using a shortcrust pastry, with a thick filling of Golden Syrup also known as Treacle. Breadcrumbs and Lemon Zest. The Tart is served warm with a dollop of Clotted Cream, Ordinary Cream, Ice Cream or Custard.


Here's what you'll need:
 1 - 8" Fluted Tin or Quiche Pan.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. You'll lower it at a lair stage of the baking.

3/4 C Golden Syrup (we buy ours at a British Emporium in our town)
1 1/2 C Fresh White Bread Crumbs.
Grate the rind of 1 Lemon.
2 TBS of Fresh Lemon Juice

Pastry:
1 1/4 C Flour
1/2 tsp Salt
9 TBS Butter, chilled and cubed
4 TBS Ice Water

Make the Pastry:

In a medium bowl:
Flour
Salt
whisk together.
Cut in the cold butter with a pastry knife until the mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs.
Using a fork, stir in just enough Ice Water to keep the dough together.
Gather it into a ball, knead it lightly, wrap in plastic wrap an refrigerate for 20 minutes.

On a floured surface, roll out the pastry to 1/8".
Transfer to the pan and trim off the excess and reserve for lattice top.
Refrigerate for 20 minutes.

In a saucepan:
Warm the Syrup on medium heat, until it melts.
Remove from heat and stir in the Breadcrumbs and Lemon Zest.
Set aside for 10 minutes.
Add additional Breadcrumbs at this time if the mixture appears too thin and moist.
Stir in the Lemon Juice.
Spread the filling evenly into the crust.

Gather the pastry scraps and roll out into 12 thin lattice strips.
Twist them into spirals and lay half of them across the filling.
Arrange the remaining strips at right angles to form a lattice or use an "over under" technique to weave the strips. Press the ends into the crust to seal.
Place the pan on a sheet pan and bake for 10 minutes at 400 degrees.
Lower the temperature to 350 and bake for an additional 15 minutes, the top should be golden in color.

It can be served warm or cold.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!