Each year around this time, I take a little time to go through my blog statistics and see which recipes have been most popular over the last year. From year one to year two, many of the favorites remained the same. Finally, this year, we have a few new contenders but it looks like nothing is going to unseat the muffin in the top spot!
No. 5 - Homemade Cheese and Spinach Ravioli
This recipe is a personal favorite because making homemade ravioli is a fun family activity as well as a delicious meal. If you are over visiting, we’ll put you to work as well. Best part is, you also get to share the meal.
No. 4 - Vegetable Noodle Stir-Fry
I make this vegetable-full stir-fry often when I need a quick meal that’s not too heavy. I was surprised when it made it into the top five last year because it’s one of my older posts and the photos are pretty sad. It gives me hope though that the recipes matter more to you all than my pictures and I am pleased to think that at least I have improved since then.
No. 3 - Spicy Keema Naan
I love belonging to different blogger groups that challenge me to step outside my comfort zone and use ingredients or make recipes that are unusual. This keema naan was my last for a group called Twelve Loaves, which motivated me to start Bread Bakers with my friend Renee from Magnolia Days. If you are a bread baking blogger and would like to join us, check out the link to find out more.
No. 2 - D.I.Y. Veggie Cup Noodles
This do-it-yourself veggie noodle cup is a great recipe I adapted from River Cottage Veg (<affiliate link) for another of my favorite groups, Sunday Supper, which is dedicated to encouraging folks to gather once more for meals around the family table. It pleases me immensely that a relatively recent Sunday Supper recipe made it so far up the popularity list for the year.
No. 1 - Cheesy Spinach Muffins
And here again, for the third year running, are my cheesy spinach muffins in first place, so far ahead of the runner up that I really cannot imagine any post catching up. I love a savory muffin, especially when it involves cheese but I suspect the popularity of these can be attributed to the tomato slices perched so jauntily on top of the muffins before baking. They make something simple and delicious look fancy.
If you’d like to see 2012's top five list, click here. And here for the 2013 list.
Many, many thanks!
It is my great honor that you take the time to visit me here and interact with me on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Nothing gives me greater joy than to read your kind comments, especially those of you who let me know when you’ve made and enjoyed a recipe I’ve posted. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for stopping by and reading. I wish you all a marvelous new year filled with love and good food.
Fondly yours,
Stacy
Wednesday, December 31, 2014
Monday, December 29, 2014
Dried Plum Honey Muffins #MuffinMonday
These delicious muffins are sweetened with chopped dried plums - formerly known as prunes - cooked briefly with honey and a little Cognac, which softens them slightly and plumps them up but still leaves them nice and chewy. Great for breakfast or with a cup of tea at snack time.
Dried plums are just prunes with a better public relations campaign. Back in 2000, the California Prune Board received permission from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to change the name, citing research that the fruit would sell better if it lost the negative moniker prune, more commonly associated with things old and wizen and past their best.
Dried plums are just prunes with a better public relations campaign. Back in 2000, the California Prune Board received permission from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to change the name, citing research that the fruit would sell better if it lost the negative moniker prune, more commonly associated with things old and wizen and past their best.
That organization has since become the California Dried Plum Board and sales have indeed improved dramatically, a result I figure is akin to the Hollywood studios renaming future stars Marilyn Monroe, Rock Hudson and John Wayne, back in the day.
As a child, I knew two types of prunes: Salt prunes, which are completely desiccated, salty, sweet and sour, which I adored, and the stewed kind. It was hard for me to fathom that these were even remotely related. Swollen and mushy, dark and forbidding, I avoided the black ones with all the ingenuity a repulsed child can muster. Which is to say, a lot.
Salt prunes |
As I got older and more adventurous, I learned that soft dried prunes could be eaten as is, like very large raisins and, although they were still dark and a little scary looking, they were actually sweet, chewy and rather tasty. It was a happy turning point. Turns out soft dried plums are pretty healthy too. If you hated prunes as a child, it might be time to give soft dried plums a chance.
Perhaps someday the lowly prune or I should say, the soft dried plum, will become, like Norma Jeane Mortenson, Roy Scherer and Marion Morrison, as popular as it deserves to be, even as we all giggle at the original name. Here’s my effort to forward that goal.
Ingredients
Generous half cup, chopped roughly, or 110g soft dried plums
1/3 cup or 80ml honey
2 tablespoons Cognac or Armagnac
2 cups or 250g flour
1/4 cup or 50g sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1/2 cup or 120ml buttermilk
1/4 cup or 60ml canola or other light oil
Method
Put your roughly chopped dried plums in a small pot with the honey and the Cognac.
Bring to the boil and then take the pot off the stove and allow to cool.
Preheat your oven to 350°F or 180°C and prepare a 12-cup muffin pan by greasing it liberally or lining it with paper muffin cups.
In one big mixing bowl, combine your dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In another smaller bowl, whisk the egg with the buttermilk and oil.
Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture, stirring until just combined. There should still be lots of dry flour showing.
Take out a couple of spoonfuls of the dried plums with syrup to add to the top of the muffins before baking.
Then fold the rest into the batter.
Divide the batter between the muffin cups.
Top each with a piece or two of the honeyed dried plums with a little syrup.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes.
Remove from the muffin pan and finish cooling on a rack.
Enjoy!
Perhaps someday the lowly prune or I should say, the soft dried plum, will become, like Norma Jeane Mortenson, Roy Scherer and Marion Morrison, as popular as it deserves to be, even as we all giggle at the original name. Here’s my effort to forward that goal.
Ingredients
Generous half cup, chopped roughly, or 110g soft dried plums
1/3 cup or 80ml honey
2 tablespoons Cognac or Armagnac
2 cups or 250g flour
1/4 cup or 50g sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1/2 cup or 120ml buttermilk
1/4 cup or 60ml canola or other light oil
Method
Put your roughly chopped dried plums in a small pot with the honey and the Cognac.
That golden color is from my UAE honey. Well, and the Cognac. |
Preheat your oven to 350°F or 180°C and prepare a 12-cup muffin pan by greasing it liberally or lining it with paper muffin cups.
In one big mixing bowl, combine your dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In another smaller bowl, whisk the egg with the buttermilk and oil.
Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture, stirring until just combined. There should still be lots of dry flour showing.
Take out a couple of spoonfuls of the dried plums with syrup to add to the top of the muffins before baking.
Then fold the rest into the batter.
Divide the batter between the muffin cups.
Top each with a piece or two of the honeyed dried plums with a little syrup.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes.
Remove from the muffin pan and finish cooling on a rack.
Enjoy!
Labels:
#MuffinMonday
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breakfast
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dried plums
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muffins
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prunes
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quick bread
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snack
Wednesday, December 24, 2014
La Marquita Cocktail #NorthAmericanWhiskeyGuide #Giveaway
Twin ruby liquids, fresh cranberry juice and sweet rhubarb syrup combine with Tennessee whiskey to make a delicious cocktail that is perfect for the holidays or, indeed, any time of the year.
I could tell embarrassing stories on myself of underage bourbon drinking back in the Dark Ages that may or may not have involved Big Gulp Coca-Colas from 7-11 but suffice to say that bourbon was my drink of choice for many years. I have since expanded my repertoire considerably, but our bar at home still always has Jack Daniel's as it’s my husband’s favorite cocktail time beverage: no Coke, just ice and water. And the quantities are more sensible. We don’t often use it for mixed cocktails though so I was delighted to see a bourbon drink in the list of recipes I could publish from the recently released, North American Whiskey Guide from Behind the Bar.
Clearly we have not branched out enough in our exploration of whiskeys! According to authors, Chad Berkey and Jeremy LeBlanc, there are more than 900 whiskeys from which to choose. And that’s just those made in North American – that is to say, the United States and Canada. I discovered that Jack Daniel’s is not just bourbon, but a subcategory of same called Tennessee whiskey because of the unique process of filtering the bourbon through sugar maple charcoal before it is put in barrels to age. No wonder it has a sweetish quality – which is what makes it so drinkable and so popular.
If you are looking for a gift for the whiskey lover in your life, look no farther. This book is the ONE. Full of recommendations from top bartenders who have blind taste-tested more whiskey than I even knew existed, to give you a short list of 250 well worth drinking. Just the reviews make me want to buy a bottle or three. For instance, the Cabin Still Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is described by one of the bartenders thus: “Candy corn and kettle corn. It's like Halloween and the Town Fair had a whiskey baby.” Sounds wonderful, doesn’t it? Or the Sazerac Straight Rye Whiskey: “The nose on this is beautiful. Vanilla, spice (cloves, I think) and maybe a hint of orange blossom. There's some burn to it but you'll still get the vanilla and spice. This is a good one.” I’ve never tried rye whiskey but now I’d really like to, especially the Sazerac. Make sure to scroll on down to the bottom and enter the giveaway for your copy of this great book, courtesy of Page Street Publishing.
The North American Whiskey Guide also gives you loads of information on origin, age, proof and price so you can make an informed decision before buying or ordering but my favorite part of the book (aside from 30 cocktail recipes, of course!) is the North American Whiskey Drinkers’ Bucket List detailing 20 whiskeys that every serious whiskey drinker should try, many of them quite rare and hard to find. Challenge accepted! I’m printing off the list, as suggested, to take along on my travels.
On to the promised bourbon cocktail
The description of the Marquita says that the pomegranate arils will take on a smoky flavor after sitting a while in the cocktail. I had my doubts but they really did! The beautiful rose-colored drink itself is delicious and those smoky sweet arils at the end were a treat. The step-by-step for the rhubarb syrup can be found here, except make sure to add in the appropriate amounts of sugar, rhubarb and spices as outlined in the ingredients list below.
Recipe printed with permission of Page Street Publishing
Ingredients
For the cocktail:
Ice
1 1/2 oz or 45ml whiskey - We like to use Gentlemen Jack for this recipe. (I didn't have any so I used the normal Jack Daniel's.)
1/2 oz or 15ml red cranberry juice
1 teaspoon homemade rhubarb syrup*
2 teaspoons pomegranate seeds
*For the syrup:
2–3 small stalks rhubarb, chopped
1 cup or 190g cane sugar
2 cups or 470 ml water
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 vanilla bean pod
Syrup Instructions
Combine ingredients in a small pot. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer 5 to 7 minutes, then let cool completely. Strain ingredients. Syrup will keep well covered in fridge for 2 weeks.
Cocktail Instructions
In a shaker, combine a scoop of ice and whiskey.
Pour in the juice and syrup.
Shake vigorously for a count of 15 seconds, strain and pour into a cocktail glass.
In your glass, add seeds and stir for about 10 revolutions. Cheers and enjoy! Merry Christmas everyone!
A good vigorous stir! |
Win your own copy!
The rules: If you’d like to win a copy of The North American Whiskey Guide from Behind the Bar, please leave a blog comment telling me what your favorite whiskey for sipping or for cocktails is, then click on the Rafflecopter widget for other opportunities to enter. Not leaving a comment will disqualify your other entries. Please be aware that the publisher will only ship to US and Canadian addresses. The winner will be randomly picked by Rafflecopter and will be notified by email and have 48 hours to respond. After 48 hours, another winner will be randomly chosen. Good luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Disclaimer: I was sent a copy of The North American Whiskey Guide from Behind the Bar to review but no other compensation was offered or accepted. Links to the book are Amazon affiliate links.
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Monday, December 22, 2014
Fresh Cranberry Muffins #MuffinMonday
A delicious muffin made with fresh cranberries in a vanilla batter which lets the cranberry flavor shine through. These babies would be perfect for Christmas morning or for bringing along to a Christmas brunch.
T'is the season for fresh cranberries in the United States, and from the looks of the refrigerated supermarket shelves here in Dubai, the trend has spread. Last year I had a comment on muffins I had made with dried cranberries, asking if they could be made with fresh as well. So this recipe is for my friend, Marilyn, who lives in cranberry country, that is to say, the US northeast. I have been a regular reader of her blog, Communicating Across Boundaries, since I connected with her through a post about Egypt, where I was living at the time and she had lived for many years. I knew I’d met a kindred expat spirit as I read about her struggles to fit in and at the same time maintain traditions while living overseas and raising children. And with the challenges of moving back to the US after a life abroad. Every word she publishes enlightens me and makes me think. If you are a third culture kid or are raising some, I am sure you will love her too.
Along with fresh cranberry muffins, may each of you enjoy the wonderful Christmas I wish also for Marilyn and her family!
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups or 170g fresh cranberries
1 cup or 200g sugar, plus two tablespoons
2 cups or 250g flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup or 120ml milk
2 eggs
1/4 cup or 60g butter, melted and cooled
1 teaspoon vanilla
Method
Preheat your oven to 350°F or 180°C and prepare your 12-cup muffin pan by greasing it or by lining it with paper muffins cups.
Chop the cranberries roughly and put them in a bowl. Separate 12 little pieces of cranberry to top the muffins with before baking, if desired. Sprinkle the rest with the 2 tablespoons extra sugar and toss to combine.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the rest of the sugar and the flour, along with the baking powder and salt.
In a smaller mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, melted butter and vanilla.
Add your sugared cranberries in the dry ingredient bowl and toss them lightly with a spoon to coat them.
Fold your wet ingredients into your dry ones until just combined. You may still see a little flour showing and that’s okay.
Divide the batter between the muffins cups. Top with reserved pieces of cranberry, if you kept some back.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool for a few minutes and then remove the muffins to a wire rack to cool completely.
Enjoy!
T'is the season for fresh cranberries in the United States, and from the looks of the refrigerated supermarket shelves here in Dubai, the trend has spread. Last year I had a comment on muffins I had made with dried cranberries, asking if they could be made with fresh as well. So this recipe is for my friend, Marilyn, who lives in cranberry country, that is to say, the US northeast. I have been a regular reader of her blog, Communicating Across Boundaries, since I connected with her through a post about Egypt, where I was living at the time and she had lived for many years. I knew I’d met a kindred expat spirit as I read about her struggles to fit in and at the same time maintain traditions while living overseas and raising children. And with the challenges of moving back to the US after a life abroad. Every word she publishes enlightens me and makes me think. If you are a third culture kid or are raising some, I am sure you will love her too.
Along with fresh cranberry muffins, may each of you enjoy the wonderful Christmas I wish also for Marilyn and her family!
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups or 170g fresh cranberries
1 cup or 200g sugar, plus two tablespoons
2 cups or 250g flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup or 120ml milk
2 eggs
1/4 cup or 60g butter, melted and cooled
1 teaspoon vanilla
Method
Preheat your oven to 350°F or 180°C and prepare your 12-cup muffin pan by greasing it or by lining it with paper muffins cups.
Chop the cranberries roughly and put them in a bowl. Separate 12 little pieces of cranberry to top the muffins with before baking, if desired. Sprinkle the rest with the 2 tablespoons extra sugar and toss to combine.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the rest of the sugar and the flour, along with the baking powder and salt.
In a smaller mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, melted butter and vanilla.
Add your sugared cranberries in the dry ingredient bowl and toss them lightly with a spoon to coat them.
Fold your wet ingredients into your dry ones until just combined. You may still see a little flour showing and that’s okay.
Divide the batter between the muffins cups. Top with reserved pieces of cranberry, if you kept some back.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool for a few minutes and then remove the muffins to a wire rack to cool completely.
Enjoy!
Labels:
#MuffinMonday
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breakfast
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brunch
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Christmas
,
cranberries
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fresh cranberries
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muffins
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Thanksgiving
Friday, December 19, 2014
Holiday Mint M&M Chocolate Fudge
This quick and easy Holiday Mint M&M Fudge recipe has two layers of both chocolate fudginess and holiday mint M&Ms. Change it up to add the chips or M&Ms of your choice. It's easy to make but hard to give away. You'll want to eat it all yourself.
So, Christmas Week comes to a close with this fifth and final day. Now the actual holiday baking of pecan pies and roast turkeys begins! I told a friend jokingly today that our Christmas dinner was already cooked. All organized! And she took me seriously. Truth is, I don’t have one thing done. Oh, sure! I’ve been making candy and baking cakes and muffins but those are just welcome extras. At our house, there’s got to be turkey and stuffing. Or baked Christmas ham with pineapple, brown-sugar-mustard glaze and those weird cherries that look so cool but that no one eats. Does anybody anywhere eat those?!
The first year I started this blog, I wrote about my grandmother who always made a variety of fudges for presents at Christmas time. It was kind of a competition between her and her sisters to see who made the best. The two I remember best were a snow white divinity fudge and a chocolate pecan fudge, both of which I’ve tried to replicate.
I think my grandmother would have been thrilled at the ease of the fudge I've made for you today. No thermometers or tricks. Just boil, simmer, mix and pour.
Make sure you scroll on down to see all the Day 5 treats my fellow Christmas Week bloggers have made for you.
Ingredients
3 cups or 600g granulated sugar
2/3 cup or 150ml evaporated milk
3/4 cup or 170g butter
7 oz or 200g marshmallow creme
12 oz or 340g semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cup or 9.9oz or 280g Holiday Mint M&Ms, divided in half
Method
Line a 9x13 in or 23x33cm pan with parchment paper and spray with non-stick spray, below to help it stay in place and on top to help the fudge turn loose later.
In a large pot, combine your sugar, evaporated milk and butter over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring often.
Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. It’s still going to bubble gently the whole time since that is the nature of sugary candy.
Remove the pot from the heat; add the marshmallow creme and chocolate chips, stirring until the mixture is smooth. Then stir in the vanilla and salt.
Pour half of the mixture into your prepared pan and spread it around.
Scatter half of the M&Ms over the fudge.
Spread the remaining fudge over the top. Shake the pan to help the fudge spread out in the pan.
Sprinkle the remaining M&Ms into the fudge. Shake the pan gently again. The hot fudge will continue to spread. Tap the M&Ms gently to make sure they are stuck into the fudge.
Allow the fudge to cool until firm. Cut into squares.
Store in an airtight container. This stuff makes excellent gifts if you can bear to give it away.
Still looking for Christmas inspiration? We’ve got you covered!
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So, Christmas Week comes to a close with this fifth and final day. Now the actual holiday baking of pecan pies and roast turkeys begins! I told a friend jokingly today that our Christmas dinner was already cooked. All organized! And she took me seriously. Truth is, I don’t have one thing done. Oh, sure! I’ve been making candy and baking cakes and muffins but those are just welcome extras. At our house, there’s got to be turkey and stuffing. Or baked Christmas ham with pineapple, brown-sugar-mustard glaze and those weird cherries that look so cool but that no one eats. Does anybody anywhere eat those?!
The first year I started this blog, I wrote about my grandmother who always made a variety of fudges for presents at Christmas time. It was kind of a competition between her and her sisters to see who made the best. The two I remember best were a snow white divinity fudge and a chocolate pecan fudge, both of which I’ve tried to replicate.
I think my grandmother would have been thrilled at the ease of the fudge I've made for you today. No thermometers or tricks. Just boil, simmer, mix and pour.
Make sure you scroll on down to see all the Day 5 treats my fellow Christmas Week bloggers have made for you.
Ingredients
3 cups or 600g granulated sugar
2/3 cup or 150ml evaporated milk
3/4 cup or 170g butter
7 oz or 200g marshmallow creme
12 oz or 340g semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cup or 9.9oz or 280g Holiday Mint M&Ms, divided in half
Method
Line a 9x13 in or 23x33cm pan with parchment paper and spray with non-stick spray, below to help it stay in place and on top to help the fudge turn loose later.
In a large pot, combine your sugar, evaporated milk and butter over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring often.
Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. It’s still going to bubble gently the whole time since that is the nature of sugary candy.
Pour half of the mixture into your prepared pan and spread it around.
Scatter half of the M&Ms over the fudge.
Spread the remaining fudge over the top. Shake the pan to help the fudge spread out in the pan.
Sprinkle the remaining M&Ms into the fudge. Shake the pan gently again. The hot fudge will continue to spread. Tap the M&Ms gently to make sure they are stuck into the fudge.
Allow the fudge to cool until firm. Cut into squares.
Store in an airtight container. This stuff makes excellent gifts if you can bear to give it away.
Still looking for Christmas inspiration? We’ve got you covered!
- Biscoff Chocolate Chip Cookies by Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts
- Boozy Cherries by Cooking In Stilettos
- Caramel Corn Chocolate Chip Cookies by Mind Over Batter
- Chocolate Dipped Madelines by My Catholic Kitchen
- Chocolate Mint Fudge by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
- Gingerbread Fudge by Cravings of a Lunatic
- Holiday Mint M&M Chocolate Fudge by Food Lust People Love
- My Mother's Lefse by Farm Fresh Feasts
Pin this Holiday Mint M&M Fudge!
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Labels:
candy recipes
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Christmas recipes
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dessert recipes
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fudge
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homemade gifts
Thursday, December 18, 2014
Dark Chocolate Mint Truffle Mini Bundts #BundtBakers
Homemade dark chocolate mint truffles make these darling little Bundts special. Start at least one day ahead to make sure the truffles have time to set and freeze before baking your little cakes.
Technically this is not part of the official Christmas Week posts but, seriously, what is more Christmassy than mint? I'm thinking candy canes, After Eights, York Peppermint Patties and all manner of candy bark with crushed mints. I submit to you, nothing is! That is why I was delighted when this month’s Bundt Baker host, Laura from The Spiced Life chose mint as our theme. And since my younger daughter is now home for the holidays, I went with one of her favorites, mint and chocolate. From the time she was tiny, her favorite candy has been those York peppermint patties. It’s a classic combination.
Make sure you scroll on down to the bottom of my recipe to see the mint delights that all the other Bundt Bakers have created for you today.
Ingredients
For the truffles:
1/3 cup + 5 teaspoons or 100ml whipping cream
7 oz or 200g dark chocolate, broken into pieces (I used one bar of plain dark and one bar of dark with mint to add more minty goodness.)
1 1/2 teaspoons mint extract
Cocoa and/or powdered sugar, for rolling
For the cake:
1 1/2 cups or 190g plain flour
1 cup or 200g sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup or 27g best-quality cocoa powder
3/4 cup or 170g unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2/3 cup or 150ml sour cream
For the mint glaze:
1 cup or 125g confectioner’s or icing sugar
1/2 teaspoon mint extract
1-2 tablespoons milk
Method
First we need to make the truffles. They are super easy but the chocolate/cream mixture needs time to set before rolling into balls. And then you want to freeze them before adding them to the batter to bake. So, as mentioned in the headnote, start a day early.
The Truffles
Bring the cream just to the boil in a pan or in a microwaveable bowl in the microwave oven. Remove from the stove or microwave and stir in the mint extract and chocolate.
Stir until melted. Cool, then chill in the refrigerator until the mixture is solid, about 2-3 hrs.
Scoop out teaspoons of the mixture and roll into tiny balls with your hands, then roll the balls in cocoa or powdered sugar.
You want at least 24 balls (two per mini Bundt) but will probably get many more since they have to be small to fit in and on the little Bundts. Not to worry. They are delicious and any extras will get eaten. Freeze the truffles till you are ready to bake.
Okay, so it’s the next day now, right? And your tiny truffles are frozen. On to the cake!
This recipe is from Nigella’s Feast and could not be easier. She chucks everything straight in the food processor but I like to sift my dry ingredients (except the sugar) since sometimes they have lumps. Feel free to follow her method. Original recipe can be found online here.
The Cake Batter
Preheat oven to 350°F or 180°C. Grease and flour your mini Bundt pan or use that baking spray that has flour in it.
Measure your flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a bowl and mix well.
Put the rest of the cake ingredients - sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla and sour cream - into a food processor. Sift the dry ingredients into the processor.
Process until you have a smooth, thick batter.
Put one scoop of batter into each cup. Press one mint truffle into the batter then top with the remaining batter. I put the powdered sugar ones in the cakes and saved the cocoa ones for on top.
Bake in your preheated oven for about 18-20 minutes or until the tops are springy to the touch. Clearly the toothpick-in-the-middle test won’t work here.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes then turn the Bundts out to cool on a wire rack. I trimmed the overhanging edges off of my mini Bundts to neaten them up but you can leave yours on if you want.
While the Bundts cool, mix up your glaze.
The Glaze
Put the powdered sugar into a small mixing bowl with the mint extract and one tablespoon of milk. Stir well.
Keep adding milk a 1/2 teaspoon at a time until you get the pouring consistency you desire. I like a thick glaze but some people prefer thinner so you have to be the judge.
When the little Bundts are cooled completely, pour or drizzle on the glaze. I like to use a piping bag because it’s less messy than actual drizzling and I have more control.
Top each mini Bundt with a little chocolate mint truffle.
Enjoy!
Your Bundts with mint! We've got 'em!
What is Bundt Bakers? It's a group of Bundt loving bakers who get together once a month to bake Bundts with a common ingredient or theme. Follow our Bundt Bakers Pinterest board for incredible Bundt cake recipes and inspiration. You can find information and links to the recipes for each month in our #BundtBakers page.
How is the monthly theme determined? We take turns hosting each month and the host gets to choose the theme/ingredient.
Would you like to join in the fun? If you are a food blogger, send an email with your blog name and url to foodlustpeoplelove@gmail.com.
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Technically this is not part of the official Christmas Week posts but, seriously, what is more Christmassy than mint? I'm thinking candy canes, After Eights, York Peppermint Patties and all manner of candy bark with crushed mints. I submit to you, nothing is! That is why I was delighted when this month’s Bundt Baker host, Laura from The Spiced Life chose mint as our theme. And since my younger daughter is now home for the holidays, I went with one of her favorites, mint and chocolate. From the time she was tiny, her favorite candy has been those York peppermint patties. It’s a classic combination.
Make sure you scroll on down to the bottom of my recipe to see the mint delights that all the other Bundt Bakers have created for you today.
Ingredients
For the truffles:
1/3 cup + 5 teaspoons or 100ml whipping cream
7 oz or 200g dark chocolate, broken into pieces (I used one bar of plain dark and one bar of dark with mint to add more minty goodness.)
1 1/2 teaspoons mint extract
Cocoa and/or powdered sugar, for rolling
For the cake:
1 1/2 cups or 190g plain flour
1 cup or 200g sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup or 27g best-quality cocoa powder
3/4 cup or 170g unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2/3 cup or 150ml sour cream
For the mint glaze:
1 cup or 125g confectioner’s or icing sugar
1/2 teaspoon mint extract
1-2 tablespoons milk
Method
First we need to make the truffles. They are super easy but the chocolate/cream mixture needs time to set before rolling into balls. And then you want to freeze them before adding them to the batter to bake. So, as mentioned in the headnote, start a day early.
The Truffles
Bring the cream just to the boil in a pan or in a microwaveable bowl in the microwave oven. Remove from the stove or microwave and stir in the mint extract and chocolate.
You could eat this with a spoon. Try not to. |
Stir until melted. Cool, then chill in the refrigerator until the mixture is solid, about 2-3 hrs.
Scoop out teaspoons of the mixture and roll into tiny balls with your hands, then roll the balls in cocoa or powdered sugar.
You want at least 24 balls (two per mini Bundt) but will probably get many more since they have to be small to fit in and on the little Bundts. Not to worry. They are delicious and any extras will get eaten. Freeze the truffles till you are ready to bake.
I did half cocoa and half powdered sugar. And yes, there are three big ones. I got tired of rolling when I had enough little ones. |
Okay, so it’s the next day now, right? And your tiny truffles are frozen. On to the cake!
This recipe is from Nigella’s Feast and could not be easier. She chucks everything straight in the food processor but I like to sift my dry ingredients (except the sugar) since sometimes they have lumps. Feel free to follow her method. Original recipe can be found online here.
The Cake Batter
Preheat oven to 350°F or 180°C. Grease and flour your mini Bundt pan or use that baking spray that has flour in it.
Measure your flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a bowl and mix well.
Put the rest of the cake ingredients - sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla and sour cream - into a food processor. Sift the dry ingredients into the processor.
Process until you have a smooth, thick batter.
You could also eat this with a spoon. Try not to. |
Put one scoop of batter into each cup. Press one mint truffle into the batter then top with the remaining batter. I put the powdered sugar ones in the cakes and saved the cocoa ones for on top.
Bake in your preheated oven for about 18-20 minutes or until the tops are springy to the touch. Clearly the toothpick-in-the-middle test won’t work here.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes then turn the Bundts out to cool on a wire rack. I trimmed the overhanging edges off of my mini Bundts to neaten them up but you can leave yours on if you want.
While the Bundts cool, mix up your glaze.
The Glaze
Put the powdered sugar into a small mixing bowl with the mint extract and one tablespoon of milk. Stir well.
Keep adding milk a 1/2 teaspoon at a time until you get the pouring consistency you desire. I like a thick glaze but some people prefer thinner so you have to be the judge.
When the little Bundts are cooled completely, pour or drizzle on the glaze. I like to use a piping bag because it’s less messy than actual drizzling and I have more control.
Top each mini Bundt with a little chocolate mint truffle.
Enjoy!
The truffle inside makes a nice minty,chocolate rich bite near the top of the mini Bundt. |
Your Bundts with mint! We've got 'em!
- Bundt Cake with Chocolate Glaze and Mint Frosting from La cocina de Aisha
- Candy Cane Bundt Cake from Sew You Think You Can Cook
- Candy Cane Bundt Cake with Chocolate Ganache Drizzle from The Freshman Cook
- Candy Cane Chocolate Bundt Cake from Cassie's Kitchen
- Candy Cane Cup Bundt Cake from From Gate to Plate
- Candy Cane Dark Chocolate Bundt Cake from Patty's Cake
- Chocolate Bundt Cake with Peppermint Dark Chocolate Ganache from Brooklyn Homemaker
- Chocolate Peppermint Bundt Cake from Making Miracles
- Creme de Menthe Bundt Cake from Jane's Adventures in Dinner
- Dark Chocolate Mint Truffle Mini Bundts from Food Lust People Love
- Dark Chocolate Peppermint Bundt Cake from Adventures In All Things Food
- Double Chocolate and Mint Cheesecake Bundt Cake from Un Mordisco Un Pecado
- Double Mint Mountain Bundt Cake from Baking in Pyjamas
- Fudgy Peppermint Bundt from A Day in the LIfe on the Farm
- Gluten Free Chocolate Mint Bundt Cake from Box of Stolen Socks
- Mini Minty Bundt Cakes from Brunch with Joy
- Mint Tea Mini Bundts from Passion Kneaded
- Orange and Mint Bundt Bread from A Kingdom For a Cake
- Peppermint Candy Bundt from Tea and Scones
- Peppermint Candy Cane Bundt Cake from I love Bundt Cakes
- Peppermint Cappuccino Cake from Magnolia Days
- Peppermint Mocha Pound Cake Bundt from DessertStalking Blog
- Peppermint Patty Bundt Cake from Eat, Drink, and Be Mighty
- Peppermint Whipped Cream Pound Cake with Shaved Mint Chocolate from The Spiced Life
What is Bundt Bakers? It's a group of Bundt loving bakers who get together once a month to bake Bundts with a common ingredient or theme. Follow our Bundt Bakers Pinterest board for incredible Bundt cake recipes and inspiration. You can find information and links to the recipes for each month in our #BundtBakers page.
How is the monthly theme determined? We take turns hosting each month and the host gets to choose the theme/ingredient.
Would you like to join in the fun? If you are a food blogger, send an email with your blog name and url to foodlustpeoplelove@gmail.com.
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Wednesday, December 17, 2014
Mulled Wine Fruit Gums
For fans of those chewy little candies called wine gums, this is a Christmas version, full of the spicy flavors of mulled wine with cloves and cinnamon and nutmeg along with apple, pear, orange and lemon. Bonus: Your house smells divine as the fruit cooks down. Make these mulled wine fruit gums today!
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This recipe is based on one from the current Jamie magazine (Issue 54, December 2014) but can also be found online here. I didn't want actual bits of fruit in mine so I changed up the method. If you want bits of apple and pear in yours, do not add the sugar until after the fruit has broken down. I took a quick shot, holding the finish gum, before cutting into squares, up to the light and look how pretty the color is.
Vegetable oil or non-stick spray, for greasing pan
1 1/3 lbs or 600g apples
10 1/2 oz or 300g pears
2 1/4 cups or 530ml red wine
1 cup or 240ml orange juice
Juice of 1 lemon (about 4 tablespoons total, divided)
2 cinnamon sticks
1 tablespoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon whole cloves
2 star anise
3 1/2 cups or 700g golden granulated sugar
4 tablespoons liquid pectin
Plus 1 cup or 225g white finely granulated sugar, for dusting
Method
Lightly grease an 8x8 in or 20x20cm tin and line it with cling film, making sure to come all the way up the sides. I sprayed more non-stick spray on the inside of the cling film as well.
Measure your wine, orange juice and half the lemon juice into a heavy bottomed pot, along with the spices. Peel, core and roughly chop your apples and pears and put them directly into the wine pot.
Add in the golden caster sugar and cook over a medium high heat for about 35-45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Do keep an eye on it so it doesn’t boil over.
Strain the solids out of the pot with a heavy, heatproof sieve. Allow to drain completely, using a spoon or spatula to squeeze all the thick syrupy juice out.
Return the liquid to the pot and add the remaining lemon juice and the liquid pectin.
Boil over a medium heat until a candy thermometer reaches 240°F or 115°C or test for doneness by dropping a scant 1/2 teaspoon slowly into a glass of cold water. The syrup should form a ball as it hits the water. If it doesn’t, give it a few more minutes on the stove and try again with a fresh glass of cold water.
Pour the mixture into your prepared tin and leave to cool.
Once it’s cool, cover the surface with another piece of cling film and leave to set for at least 12 hours or overnight.
When you are ready to cut the squares apart, put your white sugar in a platter or pan with sides and tip the gum square into the sugar.
Coat it liberally with the sugar then use a greased knife or scissors to cut the squares, tossing the pieces in the sugar as you go along. I found that the scissors worked better than the knife, no matter how liberally I greased it.
As they are made, transfer the sugarcoated squares to a sheet of parchment sprinkled with a little of the sugar. This will give you more room to work at the cutting and coating.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Enjoy!
Needing more sweet treats for Christmas? Have a look at today’s wonderful link list for inspiration:
Mulled Wine Fruit Gums
IngredientsVegetable oil or non-stick spray, for greasing pan
1 1/3 lbs or 600g apples
10 1/2 oz or 300g pears
2 1/4 cups or 530ml red wine
1 cup or 240ml orange juice
Juice of 1 lemon (about 4 tablespoons total, divided)
2 cinnamon sticks
1 tablespoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon whole cloves
2 star anise
3 1/2 cups or 700g golden granulated sugar
4 tablespoons liquid pectin
Plus 1 cup or 225g white finely granulated sugar, for dusting
Method
Lightly grease an 8x8 in or 20x20cm tin and line it with cling film, making sure to come all the way up the sides. I sprayed more non-stick spray on the inside of the cling film as well.
Measure your wine, orange juice and half the lemon juice into a heavy bottomed pot, along with the spices. Peel, core and roughly chop your apples and pears and put them directly into the wine pot.
Add in the golden caster sugar and cook over a medium high heat for about 35-45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Do keep an eye on it so it doesn’t boil over.
Strain the solids out of the pot with a heavy, heatproof sieve. Allow to drain completely, using a spoon or spatula to squeeze all the thick syrupy juice out.
Return the liquid to the pot and add the remaining lemon juice and the liquid pectin.
Boil over a medium heat until a candy thermometer reaches 240°F or 115°C or test for doneness by dropping a scant 1/2 teaspoon slowly into a glass of cold water. The syrup should form a ball as it hits the water. If it doesn’t, give it a few more minutes on the stove and try again with a fresh glass of cold water.
Pour the mixture into your prepared tin and leave to cool.
Once it’s cool, cover the surface with another piece of cling film and leave to set for at least 12 hours or overnight.
When you are ready to cut the squares apart, put your white sugar in a platter or pan with sides and tip the gum square into the sugar.
Coat it liberally with the sugar then use a greased knife or scissors to cut the squares, tossing the pieces in the sugar as you go along. I found that the scissors worked better than the knife, no matter how liberally I greased it.
As they are made, transfer the sugarcoated squares to a sheet of parchment sprinkled with a little of the sugar. This will give you more room to work at the cutting and coating.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Enjoy!
Needing more sweet treats for Christmas? Have a look at today’s wonderful link list for inspiration:
- Coquito Cheesecake Flan by Mind Over Batter
- Egg Nog Pound Cake by My Catholic Kitchen
- Eggnog Cinnamon Rolls by Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts
- Eggnog Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Eggnog Icing by From Gate to Plate
- Mulled Wine Fruit Gums by Food Lust People Love
- Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies by Cravings of a Lunatic
- Peppermint Spritz Cookies by The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
- Scandinavian Fruit Soup by Farm Fresh Feasts
- Soft Vanilla Caramels by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
Pin these Mulled Wine Fruit Gums!
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Labels:
candy recipes
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chewy
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Christmas recipes
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fruit gums
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mulled wine
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sweeties
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