One thing I love about Arizona is the sky. From the impossibly turquoise blue of afternoon to the vibrant colors of our sunsets which color the mountains red and orange there's just nothing quite like it. One of the most beautiful sunsets I ever saw was a few months after moving to the state. We were in Avra Valley just across the Tucson Mountains with friends. As the sun set over the distant mountains the sky became an incredible palette of oranges, reds, and purples. It was a stunning site and I was lucky enough to capture it with my camera.
I'm reminded of those beautiful skies by the name of this delightful cookie. I call them Orange Clouds not because of color precisely but because they have a delicious orange flavor imparted by orange zest and when frosted with a wonderfully thick vanilla frosting appear to be little clouds of sheer delight. Soft and cakey, the texture delights as the cookie almost melts in your mouth. I could eat these by the handfuls! If you enjoy nuts you can easily sprinkle them with some small pecan or walnut pieces. I wouldn't put nuts into the batter, though, because it would interfere with that wonderful light melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Give the Orange Clouds a try and enjoy a little bit of the desert sunset.
Recipe: Orange Clouds
Description: Light and tender cookies flavored with orange and iced with a fluffy vanilla icing.
Ingredients
Cookies:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 tbs. orange zest
1 egg yolk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 cup milk
Frosting:
3 tbs. unsalted butter, softened
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Method:
Preheat oven to 375° and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
In bowl of electric mixer with paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add cream cheese and orange zest and beat until combined. Add egg yolk and vanilla extract and beat until combined.
In separate bowl combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Add flour mixture to cream cheese/butter mixture alternating with milk. Begin and end with flour mixture.
Using a tablespoon cookie scoop drop onto baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake until edges just begin to brown, about 12-14 minutes.
Remove cookies to wire rack to cool completely.
For frosting combine all ingredients in clean mixer and beat on medium high speed until the mixture is light and creamy. Spread generously over cookies with a butter knife or icing spatula. Sprinkle with nuts if desired.
Store cookies for up to 4 days in an airtight container to maintain soft texture.
Sometimes you need a little pick-me-up. The past couple weeks have certainly made me want a pick-me-up! First, Michael brought home a nasty cold (which I'm pretty sure was some strain of flu). He was sick for several days. In the midst of that Lady Snow developed some sort of intestinal bug and was really not feeling well either. She ended up with a trip to the vet's office and course of probiotics and antibiotics. The day we took her to the vet I got sick with whatever Michael had. Of course, mine was twice as bad and I ended up with a fever, sweats, and feeling like a truck had hit me.
What a way to bring in the new year! But, I finally feel halfway human again and got around to doing this Cream Cheese Coffee Cake I'd been planning since the week after Christmas. This recipe comes from Cook's Illustrated's America's Test Kitchen on PBS. It's also included in their compendium (The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook
) which I was pleased to find in a Kindle edition for just $9.99. That's much more affordable than the cover price!
This recipe really isn't that hard to pull off and I found it made a nice presentation when plated. I also think this would lend itself nicely to experimentation. The original uses lemon and vanilla for the dominant notes but I think you could switch to an all vanilla cake and use raspberry or strawberry to flavor the cream cheese filling and have a great variation. If you decide to play around with it, please drop back by and let us know what you did and how it worked out.
Recipe: Cream Cheese Coffee Cake
Description: A lucscious cake topped with almonds and lemon sugar and filled with a lemon cream cheese filling.
Ingredients:
Topping
1⁄4 cup sugar
1 1⁄2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1⁄2 cup sliced almonds
Cake:
2 1⁄4 cups (11.25 ounces) all-purpose flour
1 1⁄8 teaspoons baking powder
1 1⁄8 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened but still cool
1 1⁄8 cups (7.75 ounces) plus 5 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest plus 4 teaspoons juice
4 large eggs
5 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1⁄4 cups sour cream
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
Method:
FOR THE TOPPING: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350°. Spray 10-inch tube pan with vegetable oil spray. Stir sugar and lemon zest in small bowl until combined and sugar is moistened. Stir in almonds; set aside.
FOR THE CAKE: Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in medium bowl; set aside. Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat butter, 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, and lemon zest on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat until combined. Add 4 teaspoons vanilla and mix to combine. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with 2 additions of sour cream, scraping down bowl as needed. Give batter final stir by hand.
Reserve 11⁄4 cups batter and set aside. Spoon remaining batter into prepared pan and smooth top. Return now-empty bowl to mixer and beat cream cheese, remaining 5 tablespoons sugar, lemon juice, and remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla on medium speed until smooth and slightly lightened, about 1 minute. Add 1⁄4 cup reserved batter and mix until incorporated. Spoon cream cheese mixture evenly over batter, keeping filling about 1 inch from edges of pan; smooth top. Spread remaining 1 cup reserved batter over filling and smooth top. With butter knife or offset spatula, gently swirl filling into batter using figure-eight motion, being careful to not drag filling to bottom or edges of pan. Firmly tap pan on counter 2 or 3 times to dislodge any bubbles. Sprinkle sugar topping evenly over batter and gently press into batter to adhere.
Bake until top is golden and just firm, and skewer inserted in cake comes out clean (skewer will be wet if inserted in cream cheese filling), 45 to 50 minutes. Remove pan from oven and firmly tap on counter 2 or 3 times (top of cake may sink slightly). Let cake cool in pan on wire rack for 1 hour. Gently invert cake onto rimmed baking sheet (cake will be topping side down); remove tube pan, place wire rack on top of cake, and invert cake sugar side up. Let cool to room temperature, about 11⁄2 hours, before serving.
Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, and Happy New Year to everyone! We had a lovely little holiday here at Sugar Pies. I got a new Kindle
e-reader which I'm coming to love. I honestly never thought I'd join the e-book trend because of my love of paper books. However, after just a few minutes not only was I finding it easy to read but since I read so often in bed just touching a button to turn pages was wonderful. I'm afraid I'm hooked. While I won't give up real books totally, I'll certainly be making more space on my shelves by switching to e-books for a big portion of my reading.
During the holidays a friend commissioned her Christmas dinner dessert from me. My first thought was a sumptuous Eggnog Cheesecake. This would be a brand new recipe for me because my friend, Nora, wanted something she hadn't had before from my kitchen. Of course, this meant either trying out a new recipe or developing one quickly. I opted for trying a new recipe. Long story short, the cheesecake itself was fantastic. In Michael's words it was "to die for." Unfortunately, I hated the crust. It came out far too moist and soggy and while it looked good on the spring form pan tray, it didn't look so hot when plated. I certainly couldn't send that out. So it went into the refrigerator for us to consume.
Lacking a lot of time, I quickly returned to cakes which I can do in my sleep. I threw together a very moist and rich butter bundt cake flavored with eggnog and spices. It's quite delicious and was a hit, I hear, at Nora's dinner. However, I also hear that they would have been happy with the soggy crust cheesecake. I sent Nora a piece when she picked up her cake and she loved it - despite the less than stellar crust. Obviously, that gingersnap crust is optional and when I do it again I might omit a crust completely.
The Eggnog Cake can also feature a little bourbon (I love Southern Comfort in this). It's an optional ingredient which I added to my home version. You didn't think I wouldn't do two so I could taste, did you? The SoCo gives it a little extra oomph. I used it both in the batter and lightly brushed over the warm cake before glazing.
This cake is great glazed or plain. Nora's was glazed with a butter, eggnog and sugar glaze which was quite rich and finished with a sprinkle of nutmeg. My home version was left plain. Both are wonderful and the cake bakes up so nicely that you can get away with sprinkling it with a bit of powdered sugar if you want to forgo the glaze.
Put this little cake in your files for next Christmas or try it out for your New Year's party! You'll be glad you did!
It seems like forever since I posted anything! Normally, this time of year I'm knee deep in baking for the holidays. Unfortunately, events have transpired to put a hitch in my holiday baking plans.
The day after Thanksgiving Michael wasn't feeling well. Actually, he hadn't been feeling well for a couple months. He was complaining of shortness of breath and a dry cough that kept him up at night. His doctor diagnosed "Post Viral Cough" which supposedly is a cough that hangs around after a cold or the flu. Finally, it was bad enough that he was exhausted and could barely go from room to room without having to rest. The Friday after Thanksgiving he deigned to go to the ER at University Medical Center.
The doctors and residents were able to figure out this wasn't a "Post Viral Cough" but rather congestive heart failure. Long story short they discovered he has several things wrong with his heart. He spent a few days in the hospital and is now on a number of medications as they try to rehabilitate his heart and let it strengthen and repair. He's also on a new "heart healthy" and low sodium diet. Obviously, that is challenge for me in the kitchen since my cooking fortes are Southern and French - meaning a stick of butter or a cup of cream in pretty much everything! But, I'm trying and so far he's liked my low sodium and heart healthy dishes.
Obviously, with all this going on my baking has taken a big hit. I had planned to do big trays for friends, family, and others but have had to put that on hold because I've fallen so far behind.
I did manage to throw together a little snack cake/coffee cake this morning, though. I really love this cake and have made it a couple times. In fact, it was going to go up right after Thanksgiving but, well, you already know. The original recipe was found in the Penzey's Spices catalog. We have one of their stores a few blocks from here and I've become a big fan. Their spices are so fresh and interesting. I simply won't buy grocery store spices now. Their catalog is wonderful and full of great recipes, too.
In this recipe I use their Ceylon Cinnamon which is one of the few true cinnamons available today. The Ceylon variety is very popular in Europe where it's complex and soft flavor are more appreciated than the overpowering cinnamon used here in the states. I adore the citrus notes that can be tasted in this variety and it has become my "go to" cinnamon for use in my traditional recipes. I highly recommend giving this one a try.
I've also become a big fan of Penzey's Mexican Vanilla extract. The first time I opened a bottle of this stuff in the store and took a whiff I was blown away! It has an incredibly complex and floral scent. The taste is also incredibly smooth with none of that slight alcohol bite you find in many supermarket vanilla extracts. Unfortunately, they don't seem to have this one available in their online store.
This little cake is really easy to throw together in a few minutes and pop in the oven for a wonderful breakfast dessert, brunch, or coffee break. It even works if you forget the cinnamon which I admit I have done! In that case it has a lovely buttery flavor that shines through and the brown sugar and vanilla streusel (sans cinnamon) is very rich with hints of molasses flavors. So, if you want to purposely leave out the cinnamon you can have a whole different flavor experience with the same cake!
Imagine for a moment a cookie made with no spices that relies on its flavor from butter and butter alone. What do you think it might taste like? Perhaps those butter cookies so popular around the holidays? Something like shortbread, maybe?
What if I told you it elements of caramel and butterscotch. What if I told you that you could taste hints of ginger or molasses in the finish? You wouldn't believe me. But it's true. This sugar cookie gets is flavor from that incredible magic known as "brown butter" or as the French say "beurre noisette." The flavors in this simple and easy to make cookie are astounding. You truly will find hints of caramel and butterscotch along with some lovely notes of ginger and molasses (depending on the quality of the butter and brown sugar you use).
Honestly, I fell in love with this cookie. I also found that eating them on the second day was even better as the flavors mixed and melded even more.
When you bake these you probably will remove them from the oven thinking they are not done yet and you'll be right. These are deliberately undercooked to preserve their wonderful chewy texture at the center. If you cook these until they are completely done your cookie won't have that magical chewy texture and beautiful flavor notes. So be sure to follow the directions about removing them at about 12 minutes and allowing them to sit on the cookie sheets for an additional five before putting them on a wire rack to cool completely.
Oh, while I'm thinking about it. I'm working on recreating Mama's Fruit Cake for the holidays. My nephew and niece found her original handwritten notes and sent them to me. Of course, like many of Mama's recipes there are important parts that seemed to be kept in her brain and not written down on the paper! It might take a couple tries to get it right, but when I figure out the secret formula, I'll be sharing here.
If you're one of those people who make jokes about fruitcake be prepared to be embarrassed. This thing is killer and beyond belief good!
The weather has changed here in the desert. A cool Sunday with rain late in the evening has given way to temps in the 50's during the day and in the 30's at night. Although we're supposed to warm up in the 60's or low 70's by the end of the week, the beginning of the week has been a chilly one. I've even had the fireplace going trying to stave off using the heater at least for a few more weeks.
I'll admit, though, that I like the change. Heat just doesn't agree with me. Of course, with cool weather comes the desire for warm drinks. Hot tea, hot coffee or hot cocoa always seem to hit the spot when the weather turns cool. When you wake up in the mornings and spot some snow on the mountains a little bit of hot tea with some tea cakes really sets the tone for the day.
This recipe for tea cakes is adapted from one in Sugar, Sugar: Every Recipe Has a Story. I played with the spices just a tad in this because I wanted something that would stand up nicely to strongly flavored tea or coffee. The result was fabulous. These little cookie/cakes are addicting. I've been trying to limit my intake of sweets to what a normal person would have but these pretty much blew up my intentions. I bagged up a couple dozen of these with the intention of getting them out of the house. Guess what. They didn't make it. I blew through one bag sitting in front of the fire watching movies and the other bag keeps calling my name!
The texture of these cookies is delicate and cakey. The spices give them wonderful flavors that meld together and scream Autumn: nutmeg, ginger, and a little allspice. When I did these I used vanilla sugar and left out the vanilla extract. However, I'll quote the recipe with regular vanilla extract since most people don't keep vanilla sugar in the pantry.
I think you'll really enjoy these delightful little cookies. They stand up nicely against even the strongest teas or flavored coffees.
With a few apples still left from my various apple dishes since our trip to the orchard, I decided to try a recipe from America's Test Kitchen for Apple Fritters.
But, before I get to the fritters, I need to vent. Obviously, I'm from the south. For years I've listened to people make jokes about a southern standby - grits. The jokes and disdain have been endless, from a scene in My Cousin Vinny to friends who have acted shocked when told grits are just ground corn boiled with water. Sometimes you'd think you'd suggested someone from up north eat dog food the way they react to grits.
But now a big trendy side dish is polenta. Honestly, I had little idea what it was. Someone said it was made "with corn" but I'd never really bothered to find out more. Then I was watching a cooking show on TV and they were doing Parmesan Polenta. The host started off with a big pot of boiling water. That looked pretty familiar. Then they explained about the polenta itself. It was ground corn. Ground corn? That's grits. OK, then we take the "polenta" and put it in the boiling water with a pinch of baking soda (an old grits trick) and some salt. You stir it, then you let it simmer, then stir it, then let it simmer and finally rest. Then you mix in some cheese and serve it. That's cheese grits except we usually use cheddar in the south.
I actually found myself laughing. Serve someone Creamy Parmesan Polenta and they'll swoon over a trendy new dish. Give them some good old fashioned cheese grits and they'll act like you're a rube. I swear, food trends leave me shaking my head sometimes.
Anyway, back to apple fritters. This recipe was pretty good. I didn't particularly care for the glaze called for in the original as it was far too thin and soaked right into the fritters leaving them a bit soggier than I would like. I'll give you my recipe for a nice glaze that won't be soaked up by the fritter so you'll have a nice interior texture and pretty tops.
Cider is called for in the recipe but if you find that you don't want a really strong apple flavor to the dough (since you're using diced apples in the fritter) you can always substitute apple juice which is lighter in flavor.
"Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack. I don't care if I ever get back!" Who doesn't know those lines from the old song "Take Me Out to the Ballgame." Right now the peanuts and Cracker Jack seem very appropriate with the World Series in full swing and most people associate that delightful caramel concoction of peanuts and popcorn with baseball. For me, however, Cracker Jacks mean Halloween.
When I was growing up we lived several miles outside our small town. Each Halloween my parents would drive me into town to trick or treat in my grandparents' neighborhoods, those of my aunts and uncles, and their old neighborhood. It was always so much fun and at each stop at extended family there were usually special "family" treats awaiting. One of my aunts always had homemade cookies or candy for the family kids, others would have caramel apples or other delights. My grandmother, Nanny to me, always had Cracker Jack for her grandkids.
I loved getting to Nanny's house and collecting my box of Cracker Jack. It was always a battle to keep them in my Halloween bag until we got home because I wanted to start eating them immediately but even more dire was the need to get to the prize! Whatever little piece of cheap plastic nonsense that was in the box was pure gold in a six year old's mind! As an adult I kept Nanny's tradition alive by having Cracker Jack on hand at Christmas for our friends' and relatives' children who came by for Halloween.
To me, Cracker Jack with its delicious combination of peanuts, caramel, and popcorn signal Halloween and Autumn. As I was waiting for Michael to get home so we could watch the Packers and Vikings I decided to whip up a batch of homemade Cracker Jack. The recipe is quite simple and I think it probably approximates the original Cracker Jack sold in the 1890's at baseball games with its gooey and clumpy quality.
When Cracker Jack was first introduced it consisted simply of the molasses and sugar mixture with peanuts and popcorn. Later on it was produced in large drums with the addition of oil to keep the popcorn from clumping together in large blobs. That's the Cracker Jack we're all familiar with in the boxes (or now in the ugly foil bags). Alas, since Frito-Lay bought the company the venerable Cracker Jack seems to be in decline. They switched out the wonderful cardboard (and recyclable) boxes for plastic and foil bags (non-recyclable) and done away with the cool prizes (I don't consider a sheet of paper a "prize"!) Maybe, one day, someone will resurrect the company and restore Sailor Jack and Bingo the dog to their rightful place on a BOX of Cracker Jack.
If you're craving some Cracker Jack, give this recipe a try. It's utterly addictive. Michael got into it before I had supper ready and ate two bowls. After supper when we finished watching or pre-taped game he polished off another bowl! I added a little Fleur de sel to the final version by sprinkling it over the slightly warm and still gooey mixture. I think that made a lot of difference as you get this wonderful little hit of saltiness with the caramel flavor of the sugar and molasses. If you don't have Fleur de sel you can use regular Kosher salt.
You might notice that I bounce back and forth between Cracker Jack and Cracker Jacks in this post. In the south we refer to Cracker Jacks (with an "s") to mean the popcorn, peanut and candy mixture. The actual name of the product is Cracker Jack (no "s") and depending on where you are that's singular or plural. So, if you're below the Mason-Dixon line you'll ask for a box of Cracker Jacks.
This recipe is adapted from one published by NPR in an article on food at Fenway Park in 2006. The original calls for popping the popcorn in the microwave using a paper bag and oil. Honestly, I don't see the value in doing that. To make enough for the recipe you either have to use a pretty big paper bag which most of us can't fit in our standard microwave or you end up doing two or three batches. I pop corn in the microwave all the time (without oil) to save calories, but if you're dowsing the popcorn in sugar, corn syrup and molasses - honestly, what's the use? I preferred using my handy dandy old fashioned popcorn popper with a dash of butter flavored oil. I got all my popcorn in one batch and it wasn't that sort of tough texture that sometimes happens in the microwave (not to mention the requisite burned kernels in the middle of the bag!)
I don't know what inspired me to go out and get some canning supplies. Maybe it was all those little jars of preserves I saw the other week at the apple orchard that were selling for upwards of $7 a jar. Maybe it was all the junk and chemicals in every jar of salsa, jam, or jelly in the grocery store. Maybe it was just wanting to do something I've never done without my mother or grandmother being in the kitchen. Whatever it was I decided to pick up some supplies and try my hand at some Apple Butter.
I started with Apple Butter because it is fairly easy to do and there's a nice selection of apples in the grocery stores right now. I chose to use some Fuji apples which I found in three pound bags for about $3. Since the original recipe I was working from called for about three pounds of apples it seemed tailor made for my first solo run at preserving.
This recipe works best in half-pint jars although if you want to use pints you can. I just don't think most people will use up a pint of Apple Butter after opening it before it goes bad though. But maybe you're an Apple Butter fiend and can clean out a jar in a sitting.
I have tweaked the original recipe (which is from Mary Mac's Tea Room in Atlanta) to up the flavor profile a bit. The original is pretty plain and straightforward but I wanted something that had a little more "oomph!" So, I adjusted the seasonings slightly and added two "secret" ingredients to this: a pinch of ginger and a bit of Calvados. Compared with the fairly simple butter we purchased at the orchard, the addition of these two little items gives a whole new life to this Autumn standby!
If you've never canned or preserved food before, don't be afraid. I'd not even thought of this in 20 years or more. I remember watching and helping my mother and grandmother when I was just a kid, but I've never tried it as an adult. After a little reading to refresh my memory most of it came back to me. Hot water preserving really is very simple. Basically you need sterilized jars which can be done either on the "sanitize" cycle of a dishwasher or by boiling the jars and lids for about 10 minutes. Then you just need to keep your jars warm until ready to use - the "plate warmer" or "dry" cycle of the dishwasher is perfect for that chore. Lastly you just need to fill your jars to the prescribed volume, slap on the lids and rings and process in the hot water bath for the required length of time. After processing they just need to cool for about 12-24 hours and then they're ready for the pantry for up to a year. Easy, peasy!
By the way, if you're not in the South or along the coasts, check your city's elevation. I almost forgot to do that because I've never lived anywhere above 1,000 feet. As it turns out Tucson is over 2,200 feet so I had to adjust my processing times up just a bit. For more information and recipes related to canning and preserving check out the National Center for Home Food Preservation at the University of Georgia.
I'm considering selling some of my apple butter (and maybe a few other preserves). If you're interested leave a comment. A half-pint will run about $5.25+shipping.
One of the perqs of being a moderately (minimally?) successful food blogger is receiving the occasional cookbook to review. Earlier this week I opened the mailbox to find a copy of Sugar, Sugar: Every Recipe Has a Story
by Kimberly Reiner and Jenna Sanz-Agero and published by Andrews McMeel Universal. I have to admit being intrigued not only by the name but the cover photo which features a stack of cookies topped by a statue of a buffalo. I would learn later that the cookies are called Buffalo Chip Cookies and feature lots of whole grains like cornflakes, oats, and nuts.
Reiner and Sanz-Agero are mommy bloggers at Modernmom.com. Reiner also has a fudge company, Momma Reiner's Fudge which has been featured by Oprah and Rachel Ray. Additionally, the two are lawyers and Sanz-Agero a former lead singer for the band Vixen.
I'll admit that sometimes I'm a little nonplussed with the "mommy blogger turned author" thing. I don't assume all women should stay at home and raise the kids and I sort of get tired of the whole "mommy" culture as though men don't do domestic duties of any sort or we're all lumbering lummoxes everywhere but at the barbecue grill. However, despite the occasional antiquated (although tragically hip) idea such as cookie swaps should be "all girl" and what not, Reiner and Sanz-Agero do manage to produce a work worthy of any kitchen shelf no matter whether the baker is male or female.
Being an amateur food historian as well as baker, I particularly enjoyed the personal stories that accompanied the recipes. While the authors readily admit taking some artistic license with some of the stories, they are intriguing and enlightening. In the recipe for Rugelach, for example, the story indicates that one traditional ingredient is missing from the heirloom recipe because her grandparents could probably not afford to buy it. Thus the recipe is subtly different and unique.
The book is for the most part a recipe compendium with the authors acting as editors, testers, and commentators. Many of the recipes seem to have been collected through their efforts at their website modernmom.com. The book even includes a form and information on how to submit your recipes for inclusion on the site or in future publications. That said, unlike many collections these recipes seem to have been tried by the authors and their notes are often enlightening in tricky situations.
Likewise, the copious notes and tips are welcomed in such a work. Many are redundant to anyone who has minimal experience in the kitchen but some are quite intriguing like using a bamboo sushi mat to make perfectly round logs for rolled cookies.
The sweets in this book cover all the basics from pies and cakes to cookies and confections. Many of the recipes will be fairly familiar but there are some surprises to be found in the pages making this an easy to read and follow book well worth adding to your cookbook collection. Their website is www.sugarsugarrecipes.com.
My test recipe for the book was Oatmeal Carmelitas which feature rolled oats, chocolate, caramel and pecans in a bar cookie. These were very enjoyable and I loved the caramel with the pecans. I actually sprinkled a little fleur de sel over the caramel before baking because I simply adore the flavor of salted caramel. If I were to make any changes to the recipe it would be the addition of a little vanilla to the cookie crust for more flavor. I admit that I found the topping to be a bit too crumbly for my taste. Half of it ended up on the counter because it simply did not bind well to the filling. In the future I think I will use a bit more for the crust than the recipe calls for and make a thinner stopping. Regardless, the taste was phenomenal and I loved the texture after allowing these to come back to room temperature before eating!
Disclaimer: The publisher, Andrews McMeel Universal provided a review copy of this work to the author of this blog.
Or to be more precise, Apfel Kuchen. This happens to be one of those desserts that has been adapted so often that it's hard to figure out what the original version might be. I've seen versions that are true cakes. I've seen versions that are tarts. I've seen versions that are pies. I've seen versions that are sort of like an apple bread pudding. You name it and it's out there.
Of course, kuchen is simply the German word for cake. This version actually comes from German families in the Midwest and features a cakey crust topped by tart apples and a cinnamon streusel topping. It's actually pretty simple but oh, so good!
When I was making this I had the doors and windows open because it was such a lovely cool day here in the desert. As neighbors were taking their afternoon walks it was quite amusing to see them slow as they passed our house and take a sniff. That's how good this smells when cooking!
I really enjoyed this with the fresh tart Granny Smith apples we got in Willcox last week. However, if you prefer something else you can use whatever baking apples you prefer. The Granny Smith variety holds up nicely in the oven so the end result has more texture. But, if you want something that is more like a pie filling, choose another, less hardy variety.
Fall fell on Tucson in a big way. Sometimes it seems we have two seasons: Summer and Winter. It's either 100 degrees out and dry as a bone or it's chilly and damp! Today turned out to be the latter in Tucson.
I've been wanting to make a run down to Apple Annie's in Willcox for awhile now. They have apple orchards as well as a large farm that grows veggies. I figured it would be a great way to spend to a day and pick up some excellent farm fresh produce for the kitchen. Buying stuff at the market trucked in from Mexico and South America does get a little old when you're from the south a used to farmer's markets and roadside produce stands everywhere.
I'm not sure Michael was 100% convinced it was a good idea. It was overcast and drizzling rain in Tucson at noon when we finally decided to leave. The temp was hovering around 55 degrees and I had to go back inside and pillage through the drawers until I came up with some long pants! Good news, though, my weight loss is evident as I had to really pull the belt tight on the pair I haven't worn since March!
Michael in the Orchard
Despite the weather we hit I-10 toward Willcox and arrived about 2:30 in the afternoon. This was plenty of time to pick some apples for ourselves before closing time. Alas, being a weekday the place was dead. I finally found the one employee in the "bakery and fudge shop" and we got supplies to hit the orchard. It was a nice walk if a little windy. The sun was shining in Willcox and the temperature was about 70 degrees. But the apples were not to be seen. There were dozens that had fallen and were inedible but very few on the trees. We saw maybe one or two worth picking during our entire walk around the orchard. Finally, we decided to just buy some of the pre-picked ones they had in their bins. I got some Red Delicious which Michael enjoys eating along with some Granny Smith to either bake or make into a pie or something. Michael also got some Apple Bread and Apple Butter in their little store. Amazingly, they also had cheese curds but since they were not made in Wisconsin (who heard of Cheese Curds from Ohio?) Michael wouldn't have them.
We were hoping for better luck at the farm so drove the six or seven miles down the road. The pickings were better there. The fields were beautiful and full of peppers and sunflowers as well as gorgeous orange pumpkins. We ended up with a huge bag of squash, zucchini and cucumbers. We also got some green beans and a big bag of sweet corn. They had huge displays of pumpkins and other squash so we got a little pumpkin and a larger one for our Halloween decorations. I'd seen some Apple Cider doughnuts at the orchard but managed to resist temptation. When I ran across them again at the farm, I couldn't hold out and had to try some. Yes, they are delicious! I did exercise some modicum of control though and did not eat the entire half dozen!
Lady Snow among the Pumpkins.
We decided to stop off at a Popeye's and pick up some chicken and have a picnic at a rest area between Willcox and Benson. Since we had Snow with us we didn't want to eat in a restaurant where we'd have to leave her in the car. We'd stopped at this rest area as we came into Arizona in 2008. At the time there was snow all over the boulders that surround it. Honestly, it felt almost cold enough to snow when we got out! The thermometer said 63 degrees but with the wind and being in the shadows of the hills... it felt about 30 degrees!
When we finally made it home Michael decided to try some of the corn and put on a couple ears to eat while watching TV. It really was worth the trip - sweet and delicious.
Despite a cold and rainy start to the day, we had a good time and it was nice to get out of town for the day. We've been in Arizona for 3 1/2 years now and there are so many places we've never even bothered to explore. Lots of places Michael has been to years before and he's the type of person that doesn't care to see some place twice. If he's seen it, that's it. So, I relish those times when we actually go somewhere further than the center of the city or the yearly jaunt up to Prescott Valley for the holidays. I inherited my mother's wanderlust but just like her managed to settle down with a man who prefers home. I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.
Cupcakes riding a Harley-Davidson motorcycle
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I'm not sure *why* these cupcakes are about to go for a ride on a Harley,
but I love this photo! By White Mountain Cupcakery in North Conway, New
Hampshire...
Don’t Drink The Water
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I was just about to fill up the Brita water filter when I noticed the water
was yucky! Yellowish-brown. I ran the all of the faucets in the place for
at le...
The Barbie Inspired Swimsuit is Back!
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You're a Barbie girl in a Barbie world .... right? Well she's back in our
shop! The 50's inspired swimsuit in all it's glory! Want the look?
Visit us ...
Christmas 2011
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Where do I begin ?? My Heart is overflowing with Gratitude to each &
everyone of you who helped make this possible another Season !! :)
It has been anothe...
Christmas Memories
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Paula remembers some of her most treasured Christmas memories.
The other morning I was sitting at the kitchen table, wrapped in my white
robe and cradlin’...
Pumpkin Cupcakes
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It’s fall, ya’ll! This is my absolute favorite time of year. I really want
to decorate my front porch with pumpkins and fall garlands, but as soon as
we go...
7 Ways With Prime Rib
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Explore this collection of our favorite prime rib recipes when planning
your next special occasion menu. Prime rib is perfect for the holidays,
anniversar...
Lasagna Cupcakes
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Yep! You read that correctly. Lasagna… yum! Yes, I know I told you I’m
allergic to garlic so it’s not often that I’m able to eat lasagna, or
anything It...
Hamburger Vegetable Soup
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1 lb. ground beef
1 c. chopped onion
1 c. diced potatoes
1 c. sliced carrots
1 c. shredded cabbage
1 c. diced celery
4 c. tomatoes
1/4 c. rice
3 c. water
4 t...
Say It Forward
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Say It Forward – Carnival of Loyal Commenters is a new weekly carnival at
5minutesformoms.com where bloggers feature there loyal commenters. This
week I wo...
) which I was pleased to find in a Kindle edition for just $9.99. That's much more affordable than the cover price!
e-reader which I'm coming to love. I honestly never thought I'd join the e-book trend because of my love of paper books. However, after just a few minutes not only was I finding it easy to read but since I read so often in bed just touching a button to turn pages was wonderful. I'm afraid I'm hooked. While I won't give up real books totally, I'll certainly be making more space on my shelves by switching to e-books for a big portion of my reading.
. I played with the spices just a tad in this because I wanted something that would stand up nicely to strongly flavored tea or coffee. The result was fabulous. These little cookie/cakes are addicting. I've been trying to limit my intake of sweets to what a normal person would have but these pretty much blew up my intentions. I bagged up a couple dozen of these with the intention of getting them out of the house. Guess what. They didn't make it. I blew through one bag sitting in front of the fire watching movies and the other bag keeps calling my name!
