Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Cranberry Orange Pull-Apart Bread


Believe it or not, I still have cranberries from last Thanksgiving in my freezer.  I couldn't help it.  The price for them was too good to pass up and I fully intended to use them to make cranberry sauce.  But, then I ended up going out of town for Thanksgiving, and the cranberries got relegated to the deep freeze instead.  

 

I can't quite say that I regret having several bagfuls throughout the year.  It means that I get to use them to make all sorts of deliciousness like these mini Orange Cranberry Pull-Apart Breads.  I had made an Orange Pull Apart Bread before, but knowing how well cranberries and orange go together, I couldn't wait to use some of them in this bread.  


The result?  Heavenly!  The bread, of course, is the fluffiest thing I have ever eaten and each little piece is coated with delectable orange sugar.  Then, you get the juicy, tart bite of the cranberries to counteract the sweetness and also add a pop of color to your bread.  Finally, you slather the whole thing with cream cheese icing (and who doesn't love that), though even without the icing, the bread is still irresistible.  The mini size of these loaves makes them perfect for giving away as little gifts.  But, do be warned that their smaller size also makes it tempting to eat the whole thing at one go.  I suppose the calories are worth it.  Oh who am I kidding?  Of course it's worth it!  


Orange Cranberry Pull-Apart Bread 

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1/4 cup sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 tsp. cardamom (I added this)
1/3 cup whole milk (I used 3 Tbsp. Greek yogurt + 2 Tbsp. water)
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup warm water (about 110F)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs, at room temperature

Filling:
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted (I used 3 Tbsp.)
4 tablespoons finely grated orange zest
1/2 - 3/4 c. cranberries, frozen

Cream Cheese Icing:
3 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/3 cup powdered sugar
2 Tbsp. whole milk (I used Greek yogurt)

Grease 4 mini bread pans.  

Combine the yeast with the warm water and a pinch of sugar.  Let stand until foamy, about 5 min.  Combine the yogurt with the melted butter.  Add the yeast mixture.  Stir in the eggs, sugar, cardamom, and vanilla.  Add the salt and 2 cups of the flour.  Stir well.  Continue adding flour gradually until the dough no longer sticks to the bowl.  

Knead the dough on a well-floured surface until smooth and elastic, adding flour as necessary.  (I ended up stirring in about 2 1/4 cups of flour and kneaded the rest in.)  Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and a dishtowel, and set in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.  

Combine the sugar with the orange zest, rubbing it in with your fingers until fragrant.  Set aside.  

Punch down the dough, then roll it into a 20 x 12 inch rectangle on a well-floured surface.  Spread with the melted butter.  Sprinkle evenly with the orange sugar.  Sprinkle with the cranberries.   

Cut the dough with a pizza cutter into 20 x 2 inch strips.  Then, cut each strip 10 times so that you have 2 x 2 inch pieces.  Stack the pieces and put them, cut side up, into the pans.  Do not crowd them too much, because they will expand during the second rising.  If the cranberries fall out, just tuck them back in.  Let rise in the pans until doubled, about 20-30 min. (the dough will probably start rising as you work, so the second rising time will vary).  

Preheat oven to 375F.  Bake for 25 min. until the tops start to turn a nice golden brown.  Let cool on rack for 10-15 min., then remove from the pans.  

Beat the cream cheese with the powdered sugar till smooth.  Add the yogurt and mix until the consistency is the way you like it.  Glaze the breads while warm.    

  

Saturday, October 27, 2012

Sweets for a Saturday #92

1.  The Best Sugar Cookies -Take Six

 


2.  Disappearing Cookies - Redfly Creations



3.  Candy Corn Frosting - The Royal Cook

 


4.  Cake Batter Cookies - Six Sisters' Stuff



5.  Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls - The Royal Cook 



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Thursday, October 25, 2012

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles



Here we go - Week #5 of the Twelve Weeks of Christmas Treats and I decided to make a batch of Pumpkin Snickerdoodles.

I still remember the first time I ever ate a snickerdoodle.  I was probably about 8 or so and someone had kindly made us a batch.  I took one bite and thought it was the most delicious cookie ever.  You can bet I went and grabbed a second cookie after that, and maybe a third. 

Years later, I fell in love with pumpkin.  Once that happened, I just had to have the pumpkin version of everything - scones, breads, cookies, cake - you name it, I'll take it.  In my opinion, a little pumpkin makes everything twice as good (okay, maybe not everything, but certainly in most cases).

So, when I saw that there was a pumpkin version of snickerdoodles, I just knew that I had to make them.  And boy was I glad I did.  They have all the goodness of the classic snickerdoodle - the chewy cakiness and the sweet spiciness - and, in addition, they also have that added punch of pumpkin, which like I said makes everything better.  Put it all together and you've got a cookie that is tailor-made for autumn and for your pumpkin-loving tastebuds.

 

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles (adapted from Annie's Eats)

 3¾ cups all-purpose flour
1½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup light brown sugar
¾ cup pumpkin puree
1 large egg
2 tsp. vanilla extract

For the coating:
½ cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. ground ginger
Dash of allspice

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Whisk to blend and set aside.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugars on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes.  Blend in the pumpkin puree.  Beat in the egg and vanilla until incorporated.  With the mixer on low speed add in the dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated.  Cover and chill the dough for at least 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Line baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.  Combine the sugar and spices for the coating in a bowl and mix to blend.  Scoop the dough (about 2½ tablespoons) and roll into a ball.  Coat the dough ball in the sugar-spice mixture and place on the prepared baking sheet.  Repeat with the remaining dough to fill the sheets, spacing the dough balls 2-3 inches apart.  

Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, or until just set and baked through.  Let cool on the baking sheets about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.  Repeat with the remaining dough.  

Note:  The flavor in the cookies deepens with time, so they're even tastier the next day.  

Saturday, October 20, 2012

Sweets for a Saturday #91

1.  Chocolate Covered Mummy and Bat Cookies - No Empty Chairs

 


2.  Fall Treats with Cake Mix - Semi Homemade Mom

 


3.  Apple Pie Bars - Once Upon a Cutting Board



4.  Mummy Cupcakes - More Sister Stuff

 


5.  Pumpkin Pie Muddy Buddies - What's Cooking Love

 


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Thursday, October 18, 2012

Nutella Magic in the Middles



It's now Week #4 of the 12 Weeks of Christmas Treats.  I can't believe I missed the first three weeks of it, but better late than never.  What's the 12 Weeks of Christmas Treats, you might ask?  Well, each year, this fantastic group of bloggers decides to ring in the Christmas season by doing what we love best - baking.  For the 12 weeks leading up to Christmas, we each share a yummy Christmas treat.  If you want to join in the fun too, just contact Brenda from Meal Planning Magic and she'll get you all set up.

 

For this week's treat, I decided to share my adaptation of the Magic in the Middle Cookie.  It's a chocolate cookie that's usually filled with a peanut butter filling.  But, I just happened to have some Nutella lying around (as I'm sure most of you do) and I decided to add my own twist on these to make Nutella Magic in the Middles.  Granted, I made the peanut butter ones too, but the Nutella filled cookies were the ones that stole my heart and my tastebuds.  I didn't think I even liked Nutella all that much (I know, *gasp*), but stuff it into these cookies and suddenly I can't resist it.  To think, I was just trying to use up my leftover Nutella, but now that I have, I gotta go buy more!


 

Nutella Magic in the Middles (adapted from King Arthur Flour)

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa power
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. butter
1/4 c. peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg

Filling:
6 Tbsp. peanut butter
6 Tbsp. powdered sugar

Nutella filling
(Sweet as Sugar Cookies)
6 Tbsp. Nutella
6 Tbsp. powdered sugar

Preheat the oven to 350F. Cream the butter and peanut butter with the sugars. Add the cocoa powder and mix. Add the vanilla and the egg, beating well. Combine the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, and salt) and add.

For the filling:

Combine the peanut butter with the powdered sugar or the Nutella with the powdered sugar. Form the filling into small balls, a little less than 1" in diameter.

Scoop 1 Tbsp. of the dough, make an indentation in the center with your finger, and place a filling ball into the indentation. Bring the cookie dough up and over the filling, pressing the edges together to cover the center. Roll the cookie in the palms of your hand to smooth it out and repeat with the rest of the dough and filling.

Roll the cookie balls in sugar and place on a baking sheet. (Note: I didn't flatten mine before baking them. Instead, I flattened them about a minute before they were done baking - that gives the cookies some really pretty crinkles.). Bake the cookies for about 7-9 min., or until they're set and you can smell chocolate (mine took 12-15 min.). Remove from oven and let cool on a rack.

Saturday, October 13, 2012

Sweets for a Saturday #90

1.  Autumn Spiced Fall Leaf Cookies - No Empty Chairs

 


2.  Skinny Pumpkin Pie Dip - Back 4 Seconds

 


3.  Chewy Golden Syrup Cookies - My Obsessive Compulsive Gastronomy



4.   Pumpkin Spice Latte Cookies - Amy's Cooking Adventures




5.  Coconut Blondies - Vittles and Bits









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Monday, October 8, 2012

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars


I was thrilled to find out that my Secret Recipe Club assignment for this month was Peggy from the blog, "Feeding Andy."  I've been following her posts for quite a while now ever since the time that she used to blog over at, "My Fiance Likes It So It Must Be Good."  With all the great food that comes from her kitchen, I'd say that Andy is one very lucky person.

I decided to make her Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars.  They just have autumn written all over them and combine every delicious thing into one treat.  Cheesecake?  Yum!  Streusel?  My favorite!  Caramel apple-y goodness?  You don't need to ask me twice.

 

The only changes I made were to double the ingredients for the crust and to use caramel ice cream topping since I had a jar of it in my fridge.  Other than that, I kept the recipe as is.  These bars were a delight to eat.  Creamy, crunchy, sweet and gooey.  Whatever you do, do not skip the caramel topping because that is what really makes these bars pop!  I shared these bars with some friends and they got some rave reviews.


Thanks Peggy for a great recipe!

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars (from My Fiance Likes It So It Must Be Good)

Crust:

1 cup flour
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, slightly chilled and cubed

Filling:

16 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar, plus 2 teaspoons
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced (I used Gala apples)
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Streusel:

1/2 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, slightly chilled and cubed
1 cup flour

caramel ice cream topping

To make the crust, combine flour and brown sugar in a medium bowl.  Cut the butter into the mixture with your fingers or a fork until the mixture is crumbly.

Press the dough into a 9x13 inch pan in an even and flat layer.  Bake for about 10 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned.  Set aside.

Make the filling by beating cream cheese and 1/2 cup of sugar in a large bowl.  Add eggs, one at a time, until just incorporated.  Stir in vanilla until just combined.

In a small bowl, combine the apples with the cinnamon and 2 teaspoons of sugar.  Let sit for about 1-2 minutes, then gently fold into cream cheese mixture.

Pour the batter over top of the warm crust.

Make the topping by combining the oats, flour, and brown sugar.  Cut the butter into the mixture until it is chunky and crumbly.

Top the cream cheese mixture with an even layer of the topping. 

Bake for about 30 minutes, or until cream cheese mixture is set and topping is a nice golden brown.

Drizzle caramel topping over cheesecake.


Saturday, October 6, 2012

Sweets for a Saturday #89

1.  30+ Halloween Candy Treats - Semi-Homemade Mom



2.  51 Halloween Treats Made Simple - Sugar Kissed

 


3.  Baked Donuts with Maple Frosting - Making Memories With Your Kids 

 


4.  Samoa Brownies - Pastry Chef Baking




5.  White Chocolate Mississippi Mud Pie - Dreaming of White Chocolate 




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Monday, October 1, 2012

Chocolate Peanut Butter Squares


Several weeks ago, we were told about the sad passing of Daniel Saraga who blogged over at "The Haggis and the Herring."  As a tribute to him, a lot of Secret Recipe Club members decided that we would all make a recipe from his blog and post about it today.

You can read more about Daniel in this beautiful eulogy

I chose to make his Chocolate Peanut Butter Squares and am so glad that I did.  They are so chewy and gooey and tasted just like Reeses Peanut Butter Cups, which are one of my favorite candies in the whole world.  The neat part about them is that they're topped with two glazes - a chocolate one and a peanut butter one - which not only makes them super pretty, but also doubles the awesome peanut-buttery taste.  Plus, they've got some oatmeal in them, so maybe you can convince yourself that these are a "healthy" breakfast, you know, for those mornings when you wake up with a craving for something sweet.

 

Although I didn't know Daniel, I'm happy that I got the chance now to "know" a little bit more about him through his blog.  Rest in peace.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Squares (from The Haggis and the Herring)

1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. butter, softened
1/3 c. peanut butter
1 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. quick cooking oats (I used rolled oats)
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 egg

1 c. semisweet chocolate chips

Peanut butter glaze:
1/3 c. powdered sugar
2 Tbsp. peanut butter
1-2 Tbsp. milk

Preheat oven to 350F and grease a 9x13 pan.

Cream sugar, brown sugar, butter, and peanut butter in a large bowl.  Add the egg and vanilla.  Add the flour, baking soda, and salt.  Stir in the oats.  Spread evenly in the pan.

Bake for 15-20 min., or until golden brown, and then immediately sprinkle with chocolate chips.  Let stand for 5 min. or until chocolate chips have softened and then carefully spread melted chocolate over the baked layer.  (Note:  I melted the chocolate chips and then spread it over the bars.

Chill for about 30 min. or until chocolate is firm.  Mix all ingredients for the glaze until smooth and thin enough to drizzle.

Drizzle glaze, refrigerate again for 10 min. and cut for serving.