Stollen

In my family, stollen is a Christmas tradition. Every year, I would wake up the morning before Christmas to find my Dad pacing around the kitchen and peaking into the oven, yelling at the bread to hurry up and rise already. Every year. Ah, tradition.

Stollen is a century's old German fruit cake. The shape, an oval folded over, is meant to look like a swaddled baby Jesus. The German city of Dresden has laid claim to producing the one true "authentic" stollen, to the point of it's production being regulated. However, seeing as this is Pennsylvania, and not Dresden, I decided to use this stollen recipe I found on the internet instead. I don't know how authentic it is, but it's very tasty. My Dad has used probably a dozen different stollen recipes over the years, and I think this is the best one I've tasted. And in his experience, it's the one that gives him the best results and rises the quickest.

This stollen begins with a sponge which you then use to build the dough. Think of the sponge as a sort of "pre-dough" that you let rise a little before adding all the remaining ingredients. Stollen does seem to take a bit more time to rise than other bread doughs (Dad, I now feel your pain), but it's well worth it in the end. This bread has a cinnamon-sugar filling that I feel is optional. Before serving, be sure to sift on a thick layer of powdered sugar. Justify it as being snow, or something. But, of course, the best part of this bread is enjoying it on Christmas morning and sharing it with family and friends. :)


STOLLEN

for the fruit mixture:
1 c mixed candied fruit
1 c raisins
3 tbsp rum

for the sponge:
1 .25oz package yeast
1/4 c warm water (about 110 degrees)
2/3 c milk
1 tsp honey
1 c flour (the original recipe calls for all-purpose, but I used bread)

for the dough:
1/3 c honey
1 large egg, beaten
1/2 c (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature and cut into chunks
1 tbsp lemon zest (I zested one lemon and called it a day)
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 c slivered or chopped almonds
3-4 c flour

for the filling (optional):
2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
2 tsp cinnamon
3 tbsp sugar

1. In a bowl, mix together the candied fruit and the raisins. Toss with the rum. Cover with plastic wrap and occasionally shake to coat the fruit with the rum.

2. Pour the warm water into the bowl for a stand mixer. Sprinkle the yeast on top. Heat the milk to 110 degrees (I do this by zapping it for a few seconds in the microwave). Pour the milk into the bowl. Add in the honey and 1 cup flour. Stir to combine. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and place in a warm place. Let sponge rise for about 30 minutes. It should puff up and appear full of bubbles.

3. To the sponge, add the fruit mixture, 1/3 cup honey, butter, lemon zest, salt, nutmeg, almonds, and 2 cups of the flour. Using the paddle attachment for the stand mixture, mix on a medium low speed for about 2 minutes. It'll look more like a cookie dough than a bread dough at this point. In 1/4 cup intervals, add the remaining flour until the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl. Switch to the dough hook. On low speed, use the dough hook to continue mixing together the dough, adding flour by the tablespoon until dough cleans the bowl. Once dough cleans the bowl, it has enough flour. Use the dough hook to knead the dough for 4 to 5 minutes.

4. Spray a large bowl with some non-stick cooking spray, or coat with vegetable oil. Place the dough ball in the bowl, and flip over so oil coats both sides. Cover bowl and place someplace warm. Let dough rise until doubled, about 1-2 hours.

5. Lay a piece of parchment paper on a clean counter top. Remove dough ball from bowl and place on the paper. Roll dough into a 9 x 13 inch oval. Using a pastry brush, spread the melted butter over the oval's surface. Mix together the cinnamon and 3 tablespoons sugar and sprinkle over the melted butter. Fold the dough in half lengthwise (the parchment paper really helps this step). Transfer the stollen, still on the paper, to a baking sheet. Cut any excess paper that doesn't fit the baking sheet. Cover the stollen with a dry, clean towel. Place somewhere warm and allow to rise again for about 45 minutes.

6. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake for 25 minutes, or until top is golden brown. Let cool on a wire rack. To serve, sift powdered sugar over top.

Source: Food Network

This recipe is shared with Melt in Your Mouth Monday, Craft-O-Maniac, Made by You Monday, Tuesday Talent Show, Totally Tasty Tuesdays, This Chick Cooks, Full Plate Thursday, It's a Keeper, Foodie Friday, Sweet Tooth Friday, Sweets for a Saturday, Crazy Sweet Tuesday

Cranberry Clafoutis

Up to this point, my relationship with cranberries has been limited to the jellied kind in the can. This dessert has changed that for me. This recipe is a great way to serve up the traditional Thanksgiving berry in a new and tasty way. My family has already requested I bring this to our holiday celebration.

A clafoutis is a French dessert that is traditionally made with cherries. The cherries are topped with a flan-like batter and then baked. This version uses cranberries instead. And let me assure you, it is delicious. Normally, I find cranberries too tart. However, suspended in the sweet batter, they provide the perfect compliment. Of course, a little powdered sugar and a dab of whipped cream never hurts, either!


CRANBERRY CLAFOUTIS

1 c cranberries, coarsely chopped
1/2 c plus 2 tbsp sugar
1/4 c plus 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
pinch of salt
2 eggs
3/4 c heavy cream
3/4 c whole milk
2 tsp orange zest

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter the sides and bottom of a 8 inch square glass baking dish. Sprinkle 2 tbsp sugar over the bottom of the dish.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the 1/2 c sugar, flour, salt, eggs, heavy cream, whole milk and orange zest. Make sure to smooth out any lumps.

3. Spread the chopped cranberries over the bottom of the baking dish. Pour the batter on top of the cranberries. Bake in oven for 32 to 34 minutes, or until edges brown. Allow to cool on a wire rack or trivet for about 15 minutes before serving. Serve with powdered sugar and whipped cream, if desired.

Source: Martha Stewart Living Magazine, November 2011

Apple Harvest Cupcakes

As I've mentioned before, I do a bit of catering. Right now, it's mostly through word of mouth. One day, I'll make up some business cards, complete my website, and go legit. But this works for right now.

I made these cupcakes for a luncheon honoring a group of hard-working volunteers. The hostess of the event had her home decorated in an Autumn theme, so I figured cupcakes inspired by fall flavors were the way to go. And what says fall like apples?

When I came across this recipe, I was unconvinced. There is no butter in these cupcakes. I'm so accustomed to using butter, and usually quite a bit of it, in my baking, that the idea made me a bit uneasy. But I'm glad I worked through my hesitations and gave these a try.

One of the risks of making a cupcake like this is winding up with a muffin covered in frosting as opposed to a true cupcake. These definitely pass the true cupcake test. One thing these cupcakes didn't excel at was tasting like apple. Don't get me wrong, the apple taste is there. However, one or two people mistook them for a carrot or spice cake, and I can see how they'd make the mistake. Eat enough Autumn-inspired goodies with the same spices in them, and it can get a bit muddled. One way to fix this for the apple lovers out there: increase the chopped apple by 1/2 c and decrease the walnut by 1/2 c.

I got the recipe for these cupcakes from the sensational Betty Crocker's Big Book of Cupcakes and the recipe for the cream cheese frosting from Buttercream Bakehouse.

APPLE HARVEST CUPCAKES

for the cupcakes:
1 1/2 c sugar
1 c vegetable oil
3 eggs
2 c all-purpose flour
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 c salt
3 c chopped tart apples (like Granny Smith)
1 c chopped walnuts

for the icing:
1 c (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1 lb powdered sugar
1 tbsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 24 muffin cups with cupcake liners.

2. In a large bowl, beat together sugar, vegetable oil and eggs. Add in the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, vanilla and salt. Mix until combined. Stir in the chopped apple and walnuts by hand. Spoon batter into cupcake liners, filling each one about 2/3 full.

3. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a cupcake in the middle of each pan comes out clean. Let cool on a wire rack completely before frosting.

4. To make the frosting: beat together the butter and cream cheese, then beat in powdered sugar and vanilla. Spread onto cupcakes with a spatula or use a pastry bag and tip.

This recipe is shared with Melt in Your Mouth Monday, Craft-O-Maniac, On the Menu Monday, Recipe Sharing Monday, Made by You Monday, Tuesday Talent Show, This Chick Cooks, Full Plate Thursday, Foodie Friday, Sweets for a Saturday

Apple Empanadas

It's apple season! I look forward to this time of year like kids look forward to Christmas. And it's not just because I love apples. The beginning of apple season marks the transition into fall. I love everything about fall: the crisp air, the colors, and, most of all, the flavors.

There are a couple of pick-your-own apple orchards near me, and I decided to take advantage of their delicious, and inexpensive, stock by making these Apple Empanadas. I got the idea for these from Kelsey's Essentials. It's my favorite cooking show, because all of the recipes are very well done and very accessible. One of the reasons I was attracted to this particular recipe is its use of puff pastry. I love puff pastry because it's something so simple to use, yet it makes a big statement. It also tastes really good. Layers upon layers of butter... what's not to like?

These Apple Empanadas are essentially little pockets of puff pastry stuffed with an apple filling. Yum. I used a 4-inch round cookie cutter to make mine, but I wouldn't recommend this outside the need for the beautiful presentation. I wound up wasting a lot of puff pastry this way, and it's not cheap. Instead, I would cut squares, and, to make them look pretty, fold them over into triangles.


APPLE EMPANADAS

3 tbsp unsalted butter
3 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and diced
3 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
pinch salt
1 pkg frozen puff pastry (2 sheets), thawed
1 egg, beaten
Turbinado sugar (also called raw sugar)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the apples and saute for about 5 minutes. Stir in the brown sugar, cinnamon, and pinch of salt. Continue cooking apples over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for another 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Using a potato masher, break down the apples. Set aside to cool.

3. On a lightly floured surface, unfold the puff pastry sheets. Cut into circles with a 4-inch cookie cutter, or squares using a knife. Place a spoonful of the apple mixture in the center of each circle (or square). Brush the edges with the beaten egg, fold over and crimp edges using a fork. Transfer empanadas to the prepared baking sheets. Brush with the egg and sprinkle on turbinado sugar. With a paring knife, make two small slits on the top of each empanada for venting.

4. Bake in preheated oven for about 20 minutes. Serve warm or allow to cool on a wire rack.

This recipe is shared with Melt in Your Mouth Monday, Craft-O-Maniac, On the Menu Monday, Made by You Monday, Tuesday Talent Show, This Chick Cooks, Full Plate Thursday, It's a Keeper Thursday, Sweet Tooth Friday, Sweets for a Saturday, Sweet Indulgences Sunday, Cast Party Wednesday, Foodie Friday

Lemon Crinkle Cookies

There are a few cookie recipes I think every home cook should have in their arsenal. A good lemon cookie is one of them. And these are really good lemon cookies.

I'd like to think I'm not an emotional eater, but I have to admit these cookies made me very happy. There's something about lemon that is so cheerful and bright. The taste, the smell, it all puts me in a good mood. It's impossible to feel stressed out or morose while eating something lemony.

These Lemon Crinkle Cookies take the best things about lemon and make them even better. Oh so slightly crunchy on the outside, chewy on the inside, sweet with a slight tart-- these cookies are absolutely incredible. They melt in your mouth. They also keep their texture better than any cookie I've ever made. I stored them in a plastic container for almost a week, and they still tasted exactly like they did on the first day. This does not happen often. Most of the time, cookies get sort of stale and limp by day three. Not these little champs.

I made these cookies intending to ship them off to my husband's co-workers like I do with most baked goods. My husband took one bite and said, "These can stay here." If that's not a ringing endorsement, I don't know what is. The only change I might consider is adding more lemon zest. Not to say these cookies aren't lemony as written, because they are, but it's an easy change to the recipe for the ultra-lemon lovers among us.


LEMON CRINKLE COOKIES

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/2 c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 c. sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 tsp lemon zest (or more)
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 c. powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or grease with a light coat of non-stick spray.

2. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla, egg, lemon zest, and lemon juice until well combined. In small batches, add in the sifted dry ingredients, mixing just to combine. Cover bowl with plastic wrap or foil and place in refrigerator. Chill for at least an hour.

4. Place powdered sugar in a shallow dish or on a large plate. Roll chilled dough into one-inch balls. Roll each ball through the powdered sugar to coat, and then place on prepared cookie sheet.

5. Bake for 10-12 minutes in preheated oven, or until bottoms have started to brown ever so slightly and cookie takes on a matte (not glossy) appearance. Be careful not to over bake. Recipe yields about two dozen cookies.

Source: Lauren's Latest

This recipe is shared with Crazy Sweet Tuesday, This Chick Cooks, Cast Party Wednesday, Full Plate Thursday, It's a Keeper Thursday, Sweet Tooth Friday, Fresh Food Friday, Sweets for a Saturday, Sweet Indulgences Sunday, Melt in Your Mouth Monday, Craft-O-Maniac, On the Menu Monday, Recipe Sharing Monday, Made by You Monday, Delectable Tuesday, Tuesday Talent Show

Blueberry Muffins

The classic blueberry muffin. I tried several different muffin recipes before settling on this one. What I love about this recipe is that it doesn't over complicate things. I wasn't interested in strudel topping, or creamy centers. In the morning, my stomach can't handle much richness. These muffins take fresh blueberries, which burst in your mouth with each bite, and package them in a moist cake. It's wonderful. It's breakfast. These are a great start to the day.


BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 c. packed light brown sugar
1/2 c. whole milk
1 large egg
1 1/2 c. blueberries

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. In large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.

3. In medium bowl, whisk together butter, brown sugar milk and egg.

4. Incorporate wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Fold in blueberries. Spoon batter into a muffin pan lined with paper liners. Bake in preheated oven for 22-27 minutes. Muffins are done when toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool on a rack. Makes 12 muffins.

Source: Epicurious

Blueberry Ice Cream

July is National Ice Cream Month, and it's time to celebrate. To start the party, I'm serving up this gorgeous Blueberry Ice Cream. Blueberries have come into season around here, making them plentiful, and, more importantly, affordable. And who could resist that beautiful purple-blue? This ice cream makes an impressive statement, for both the eyes and the mouth.

There are three ways (that I know of) to make ice cream at home. The first is to make a custard base with egg yolks and cream, heating it over the stove top, and then allowing it to cool for hours in the refrigerator before it's ready for churning. Call me crazy, but the very last thing I want to do on a nearly 100 degree day is to cook ice cream.

The second kind of ice cream contains raw egg. Basically, it's an uncooked custard. This is how I make all my ice cream at home. It's the favored technique out in Pennsylvania Dutch country (probably because lack of refrigeration would make cooling a custard base problematic, and farm fresh eggs tend not to have the same risks as their commercial counterparts). So it's something I've been exposed to for decades, and it does not seem strange to me to use raw egg. However, I'm very reluctant to ever recommend this type on my blog. Raw eggs can pose a health risk to some people, including children and pregnant women (and who would want deny ice cream to a child or pregnant woman?-- not me!).

Finally, there's what's often called "Philadelphia style" ice cream. There are no eggs in this style of ice cream. It gets its richness entirely from a high butterfat content. It requires no cooking. It's simple and quick to make.

This recipe for Blueberry Ice Cream is Philadelphia style. It was my first time making this type of ice cream, and I was blown away by how creamy it was. The no-egg base compliments the fresh blueberries perfectly, allowing them to shine without drowning them in heaviness. I hope you'll enjoy this recipe as much as I did.


BLUEBERRY ICE CREAM

1 c. (half-pint) blueberries, rinsed and any stems removed
1/4 c. sugar
1 c. heavy cream
1/3 c. half-and-half
scant 1/2 c. sugar

1. In a small bowl, toss blueberries with 1/4 c. sugar. Cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator. Keep refrigerated 2-3 hours, stirring every 30 minutes or so.

2. Mash sugared blueberries in the bowl, using a fork. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together heavy cream and scant 1/2 c. sugar. Whisk in half-and-half. Add blueberries (and the syrup they've created) into cream mixture. Whisk for about two minutes.

3. Churn according to ice cream manufacturer's instructions. Enjoy right away, or store in freezer in an air-tight container. This recipe yields about a pint of ice cream.

Source: adapted from Ben & Jerry's Homemade Ice Cream & Dessert Book

How to Make a Lower-Sugar Freezer Jam

Strawberries. Blueberries. Raspberries. They are little drops of sunshine in the mouth. Freezer jam is one way to extend this taste of summer into the rest of the year. It's also a great way to take advantage of grocery sales and seasonal pricing.

Freezer jam is much simpler and quicker to make than the traditional kind. There's no need to cook down the fruit or sterilize jars. In fact, you won't need your stove at all. Because there's no cooking involved, this jam has a much fresher taste than any kind you can buy in a store. And, best of all, it can be made with much less sugar.

So have I convinced anyone out there to jump upon the freezer jam train? Well, let's get started then!

Freezer jam isn't so much a recipe as it is a formula. And that formula is completely decided by the brand of pectin you use. I'm using Ball's RealFruit Instant Pectin, because it requires a fraction of the sugar other brands do.

So, while this tutorial will work for other fruits (sans peaches*), it will not work for other brands of pectin. If you'd like to use a different pectin, keep in mind that you'll have to adjust the formula.

Now for the fun part. Let's mash up some berries! Here, I'm crushing some strawberries. In general, I prefer to work manually whenever possible. I'm not a big fan of setting up and then cleaning kitchen gadgets. I will admit, though, I resorted to my food processor when I made a batch of blueberry. The potato masher worked great with the strawberries, but those rolly polly little blueberries kept dancing around it.

You'll need 1-2/3 cups worth of mashed fruit.

Combine 2/3 cup sugar and 2 tablespoons pectin in a large mixing bowl. Add in the fruit and stir for 3 minutes. You've just made jam! That's all there is to it. Pretty nifty, right?

Time to put our jam into some jars. Freezer jam can remain in the freezer for up to a year but lasts only three weeks in the refrigerator. So it's important to think about how much jam your family can eat in three weeks. Since I'm the sole jam eater in my household, I used tiny 4oz jars (each batch should make about a pint). Whatever jars you select, make sure they are freezer safe.

When spooning your jam into the jars, remember to leave 1/2 inch of space at the top to allow for expansion in the freezer. Put the lids on the jars and leave out at for half an hour. Then put in the freezer to preserve for later use or in the refrigerator to enjoy now.

After pouring into jars, there was always some jam left behind in the bowl, which I shamelessly ate straight-up with a spoon. And it was goooood.

So why not make some freezer jam today?

*note: you can make peach jam with this pectin, but it requires extra steps I've not included here

Raspberry Oatmeal Squares

Growing up in suburban Philadelphia in the late 80s, it seemed like I ate the exact same cake at every celebration. White cake, white crisco-based frosting, raspberry filling. I ate it at baptisms, I ate it at first communions, I ate it at quinceaneras. So it's no wonder, when planning the dessert menu for my brother's graduation, I decided I had to make something with raspberry filling. It wouldn't be a real celebration otherwise.

I had a particular recipe in mind, but it turned out to have errors, leaving me with a mess the day before the party. I had to scramble to find a new recipe that would work with the ingredients I already had. Luckily, I came across this one for Raspberry Oatmeal Squares. These squares are simple to prepare and are very tasty.

RASPBERRY OATMEAL SQUARES

• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup seedless raspberry jam

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Line an 8 x 8 inch pan with parchment paper or foil. Lightly spray the inside of parchment paper or foil with cooking spray.

3. In medium mixing bowl, combine brown sugar, flour, baking soda, salt, and rolled oats. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender. Continue blending until butter has been well incorporated into the dry ingredients. Take 2 cups of this mixture and press into the bottom of the prepared pan. Spread raspberry jam on top, leaving 1/4 inch uncovered around the edges. Sprinkle remaining oatmeal mixture on top of jam and press lightly.

4. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Allow to cool in pan. Cut into squares and serve.

Source: Allrecipes