Monday, October 17, 2016

Pillsbury's Easy Apple Strudel

We attended 3 Oktoberfest's this year and we had Apple Strudel at every one of them. Here's an easy recipe from Pillsbury that let's you make it at home. I've adapted it a bit by changing the dough to Pillsbury's Crescent Recipe Creations Seamless Dough Sheets.




Here's what you'll need:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
1 Sheet Pan lined with Parchment Paper.

1 - Tube of Pillsbury's Dough
1 - Can of Caramel Apple Pie Filling or Apple Pie Filling.
1 tsp Heavy Cream
Cinnamon Sugar Mixture for Garnish.

Glaze Drizzle:
1/2 C Confectioner's Sugar
1/2 tsp Vanilla
1 TBS Apple Juice

Cut Parchment Paper to fit the Sheet Pan and place it on a flat surface.
Unroll the Dough onto the Parchment Paper.
Use a Rolling Pin and Roll it out 1" larger in length and width.








Directions:
Use a sharp knife and cut 1" strips down both sides of the dough leaving about a 4" uncut area in the center.
Spoon Filling down the center of the uncut area. (use as much as you can) it may not take the entire can.
Begin folding the strips, on each side, into the center, over the filling.
Pinch the seams together in the center.
Brush the Dough with Heavy Cream and Sprinkle with Cinnamon Sugar.
Slide the Paper onto the Sheet Pan.
Bake 15 minutes.
Remove the Pan to a Rack to cool completely.

Make the Glaze

In a Mixing Bowl:
Sugar
Vanilla
Apple Juice
Whisk well.
Drizzle the Strudel with the Glaze.

Transfer to a serving platter.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!











Thursday, October 13, 2016

Kraft's Maple Pumpkin Pie

Since Fall is finally here, I recently saw this recipe from Kraft. I've adapted the recipe without changing the integrity of the original one.





Maple Pumpkin Pie

Here's what you'll need:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
1 - 9" Pie Pan

1 1/2 C Crushed Vanilla Wafers
4 TBS Butter, melted
1 - 8 oz.  package of Cream Cheese, room temperature.
3/4 C Granulated Sugar, divided.
3 Large Eggs, divided.
1 1/4 C Pure Pumpkin
1 C Evaporated Milk
1 1/2 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice

Chopped Pecans for Garnish.
1- Container of Cool Whip, Thawed or Homemade Whipped Cream for Garnish.
Pure Maple Syrup for Garnish.

In a Small Mixing Bowl:
Vanilla Wafer Crumbs
Butter
Mix well.
Press evenly in the Pie Pan.

In a Medium Mixing Bowl with a Hand Mixer:
Cream Cheese
1/4 C Sugar
1 Egg
Beat until well combined.
Spread evenly over the Pie Crust.

In a Medium Mixing Bowl with a Hand Mixer:
Remaining Sugar
Remaining Eggs
Pumpkin
Milk
Pumpkin Pie Spice
Beat until well combined.
Spread even;y over the Cream Cheese Layer.
Bake 60 - 65 minutes.

Remove the Pan to a Rack to cool completely.

Top individual servings with the following:
Sprinkle with some Pecans.
A Dollop of Whipped Cream.
Drizzle with some Maple Syrup.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!





                                    

Monday, October 3, 2016

Ginger Crisps

I love Gingersnaps. this is a thin crisp Ginger Cookie.

Once we discovered Lyle's Golden Syrup
and Lyle's Black Treacle, we've never used
Corn Syrup or Molasses again.
The taste in any baked goods is noticeably different.

Ginger Crisps

Here's what you'll need:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Sheet Pans lined with a Silpat or Parchment Paper.
1 - 2 1/2" round scalloped Cookie Cutter.

9 TBS Butter, room temperature
1/4 C Brown Sugar
1 TBS Lyle's Golden Syrup
1 1/4 C  All Purpose Flour
1/4 C  Almond Meal Flour
1/4 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Ground Ginger
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/8 tsp Nutmeg
A Pinch of Salt
Small pieces of Candied Ginger for Garnish.

In a Large Mixing Bowl:
Butter
Sugar
Cream together by hand with a Silicone Spatula until Creamy Smooth.

Add:
Golden Syrup
Stir well until completely combined.

Using a Sieve.
Add:
Flour
Almond Flour
Baking Powder
Baking Soda
Ginger
Cinnamon
Nutmeg
Salt
Mix by hand using a Silicone Spatula until well combined.
The dough should begin to come together into a ball.

Flatten it into a disc.
Wrap tightly in Plastic Wrap.
Refrigerate for 1 hour.

On a Lightly Floured Surface:
Roll the dough to 1/16" or as thin as you can get it.
Cut out with the Cookie Cutter.

A GREAT TIP:
Flatten the Dough into a Disc, as thin as you can with your hands.
Place the Disc onto a Sheet of Parchment Paper and top it with another sheet of Parchment Paper.
Roll it as thin as you can.
Slide the Parchment, with the Dough, onto the Sheet Pan. Cut out the Cookies, removing the excess Dough to use again for the next batch.
This way you don't have to try and lift thin pieces of Dough and transfer them to the Sheet Pan.

Place the Cookies on the Sheet Pan.
Garnish the tops of each cookies with a thin strip of Candied Ginger.

Bake 9 - 10 minutes. They should be Crisp!

Remove Pan to a Rack to cool 5 minutes.
Transfer Cookies to the rack to cool completely.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!











Friday, September 30, 2016

Fudgy-Mint-Chocolate-No Bake Cookies

I decided to simply post the link to this recipe. These look delicious and I like the green frosting for Christmas. I would also make them with Peppermint Extract and red food coloring.




http://www.thereciperebel.com/fudgy-mint-chocolate-no-bake…/

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Chai Snowball Cookies

These are a variation of a Wedding cookie or an Almond or Pecan Snowball cookie.
They're made with Pistachio Flour and the dusting sugar has Ginger, Cinnamon, Cardamom and Allspice. They're a great cookie to serve during the Holidays.

Chai Snowballs

Here's what you'll need:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
1 - Sheet Pan lined with Parchment Paper for baking and another one for cooling the baked cookies.

The Cookie Dough:

16 TBS Butter, softened.
1/2 C Confectioner's Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla
1 1/2 C All Purpose Flour
1/2 tsp Salt
1 1/4 C Pistachio Flour

Dusting Sugar:

1 C Confectioner's Sugar
1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Ginger
1 tsp Cardamom
1 tsp Allspice

In a stand mixer with a Whisk Attachment:
Butter
Sugar
Vanilla
Beat well for 3 minutes.

In a Small Mixing bowl, Sift together:
All Purpose Flour
Salt
Whisk well.

Slowly add the Pistachio Flour, alternating the All Purpose Flour to the Butter/Sugar mixture, on low.

Use a 1 1/2" cookie scoop to create a ball.
Smooth each one in the palm of your hand.
Place them 1" apart on the sheet pan.
Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
Bake for 20 minutes.

In a medium mixing bowl, sift together all of the Dusting Ingredients.
Whisk well.

As soon as the cookies are baked, gently roll them in the Dusting Sugar and heavily coat them.
Transfer them to the clean Sheet Pan to cool for at least 15 minutes.
Dust them again in the mixture.
Transfer to a serving platter or a tightly sealed container and keep them at room temperature.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Fig, Cranberry and Hatch Green Chile Conserve

This is an Original Recipe.
It's served at Christmas as an Appetizer on toasted slices of French Baguette Bread that have been spread with a thin layer of Mascarpone Cheese.

Here's what you'll need:
1 French Baguette, 1" slices, toasted.
Mascarpone Cheese

Fig and Cranberry Conserve:

1/2 C Dried Figs, cut into quarters.
2 C Fresh Cranberries
1 C of roughly chopped Roasted Hatch Green Chiles.
1/2 C Good English Lime Marmalade
1 TBS Balsamic Vinegar


In a Food Processor:
Pulse Figs into fairly large chunks
Add Cranberries and pulse until the mixture has a coarse texture. You want to have some good sized chunks.

Transfer to a mixing bowl.
Fold in Hatch Green Chiles

In a small bowl:
Marmalade
Balsamic Vinegar
Whisk well.
Fold  into the Cranberry/Fig mixture, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Transfer to a canning jar and keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Chocolate Peppermint Christmas Cookies

Here's another great Christmas Cookie.

Chocolate Peppermint Christmas Cookies

Here's what you'll need:
2 Sheet Pans lined with Waxed Paper.

Batter:
8 TBS Butter
2 C Granulated Sugar
3/4 C Whole Milk
1 TBS Cocoa
1 Box of Instant Chocolate Pudding Mix
2 1/2 C Quick Cooking Oats
1 C Sweetened Shredded Coconut

Icing:
8 TBS Butter, softened to room temperature.
1 C Confectioner's Sugar
1 TBS Whole Milk
1/2 tsp Peppermint Extract
Red Gel Food Coloring

Chocolate Ganache:
3/4 C Semisweet Chocolate Chips
1 TBS Whole Milk
1 TBS Butter

In a Large Saucepan on Medium High Heat:
Butter
Milk
Sugar
Cocoa
Bring to a Boil. Boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly

Add:
Oats
Pudding Mix
Coconut
Stir to combine well.
Transfer to a mixing bowl.

Use a 1 1/2" Cookie Scoop and drop Cookies onto the Sheet Pans.
Gently flatten with the bottom of a Stainless Steel Measuring Cup.
Refrigerate while making the Icing and Ganache.


Icing:
In a Large Bowl with a Hand Mixer:
Butter
Sugar
Milk
Beat until creamy smooth.
Add:
Peppermint
Food Coloring to desired hue.
Additional Sugar may be slowly added if the Icing appears to be too wet. You don't want it to be runny.

Ice each Cookie out to the edge.
Refrigerate them while you make the Ganache.
The Icing needs to set.


Chocolate Ganache:
In a saucepan on low heat:
Chocolate
Milk
Butter
Cook while stirring constantly until creamy smooth.
Remove from heat and set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
Spread each cookie with a layer of the Ganache, over the Red Icing.
Return them to the refrigerator until the Ganache is set.
Store them in covered containers between layers of Waxed Paper.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!