Mardi Gras King Cake

I’ve always wanted to attempt making a homemade King Cake for Mardi Gras, and this year, per my husband’s request and my sheer determination, I decided to go for it! I didn’t have a recipe to start, but then I saw that The Catholic Foodie has shared his tried and true recipe with the world. Any new recipe is a little intimidating, but with a little time and attention, this is literally a piece of cake!

This starts as a pretty normal bread recipe, but the hints of lemon and nutmeg really make it something special. I decided to add some pecans and cinnamon to the cream cheese filling to add a little more texture and flavor. As for the icing, you can either make colored icings instead of sprinkles, but just FYI – colored sugars are SO easy to make in whatever color you’re needing. Just put some granulated sugar in a ziploc bag, add a little gel food coloring, and smoosh it together for a while till it’s all incorporated. Voila – cheap and simple colored sugar – fit for a King Cake!

I hope yall had a fun Mardi Gras and are having a blessed Lenten season!

Mardi Gras King Cake

Ingredients:
2 packets of active dry yeast (4 1/2 tsp)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 sticks of butter, melted
1 cup warm milk (about 110 F)
5 large egg yolks, room temperature
4 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
2 tsp salt
1 tsp nutmeg (freshly grated if possible!)
1 tsp grated lemon zest
1 tsp vegetable or olive oil
1 lb cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup chopped pecans
1/4 tsp cinnamon
3 1/2 cups confectioner’s sugar
1 plastic king cake baby
5 Tbsp milk, room temperature
3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
Purple, green, and yellow food coloring or colored sugar

Yield: 1 large cake (about 15-20 servings)

Directions:
For the dough: Combine the yeast and the granulated sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. If you don’t have a stand mixer, don’t worry, you can do the same thing by hand in a large mixing bowl. Add melted butter and warm milk and beat for one minute at medium-low speed. With the mixer still running, add the egg yolks and beat for another minute. Add the flour, salt, nutmeg, and lemon zest and beat until everything is incorporated. Increase the speed to high and beat until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and forms a ball (or starts to climb up the dough hook). As with any dough, you may have to add water (a tablespoon at a time) or more flour to get the right results. Remove the dough from the bowl and, using your hands, form it into a smooth ball. Using vegetable or regular olive oil, lightly oil a large mixing bowl. Place the dough in the bowl, rolling it around to coat it on all sides with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm, draft-free place for about 2 hours. You want the dough to double in size.

For the filling: In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, pecans, cinnamon, and 1/2 cup of confectioner’s sugar. Blend using a fork or an electric mixer on low speed. Set aside.

After the dough has doubled in size: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Using your hands or a rolling pin, roll it out into a rectangle about 30 inches long and 6 inches wide. Take the cream cheese filling and spread it out lengthwise over the bottom half of the dough. Flip the top half of the dough over the filling and seal the edges with your fingers, pinching the dough together. Shape the dough into a cylinder and place it on a lined baking sheet seam side down. Shape it into a ring and pinch the ends together, doing your best so that there’s no visible seam. Cover the ring with plastic wrap (or a clean kitchen towel) and set aside in a warm, draft-free place. Let the dough rise until doubled in size (about 45 minutes). Preheat oven to 350 F. Once the cake has doubled in size, remove the plastic wrap or towel and brush the surface of the cake with 2 Tbsp of milk. Place cake in oven and bake 25 to 30 minutes, until it is golden brown. Remove from the oven and carefully place the cake on a wire rack so that it can cool completely. When it is completely cooled, insert the plastic baby from the bottom of the cake.

For the icing: In a mixing bowl, combine 3 cups of confectioner’s sugar, 3 Tbsp of milk and 3 Tbsp of lemon juice. Stir well with a fork or whisk. Once the cake is completely cooled, spread the icing over the cake with a spoon. Sprinkle colored sugars alternately in purple, green, and yellow. Or instead of using colored sugars, before icing, divide the icing into three small bowls and color them with purple, green, and yellow food coloring. Ice the cake, alternating the icing colors. Slice, serve, and enjoy!

Source: Slightly adapted from The Catholic Foodie

Polish Babka

Babka is a Polish bread that’s traditionally made for Easter. I saw a recipe for it and was intrigued – I love learning about food traditions from other countries. Apparently “babka” is Polish for “grandmother”. It’s named so because the shape is reminiscent of a grandmother’s skirt, especially if you serve the slices fanned out in a circle. Cute, right?

This is a super simple recipe and while it is a yeast dough, there isn’t any kneading required. Just mix the ingredients together, let it rise the proper amount of time, bake it, and boom – you have a delicious treat. The texture is nice and is on the border between bread and cake. My variation left out the usual raisins and dried fruit, at least this time. Even without the addition it’s so good and has just enough sweetness where it could be used as a dessert or an addition to breakfast or brunch.

The rum syrup that’s added right after baking gives the babka a nice extra oomph. But if you decide to add the rum glaze, this grandma isn’t very kid friendly anymore! You can always make it milder with apple juice or milk, or leave out the glaze altogether, but the grown up version we ate had some definite rum action going on.

Happy Easter season to all of you!

Polish Babka

Ingredients:
1/2 cup lukewarm milk
3 large eggs, at room temperature
Heaping 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup (4 Tbsp) softened butter
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp instant yeast
1/4 cup raisins (optional)

Rum Syrup:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
2 Tbsp rum (or apple juice)

Rum Glaze:
1 cup confectioners sugar
Pinch of salt
2 Tbsp rum (or apple juice)
Splash of milk

Yield: 1 cake (approx 12-16 servings)

Directions:
Place everything for the bread in a mixing bowl and beat at medium speed until cohesive. Increase your mixer’s speed to high and beat for 2 minutes. Add the fruit, beating gently just to combine. (optional)

Cover the bowl and let the dough rest/rise for 60 minutes; it won’t appear to do much. Scoop the batter into a greased bundt pan. Cover the pan, and let the dough rest/rise for 30 minutes, while you preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

Bake the babka for 35 to 40 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the loaf reads at least 190 degrees F.

While the babka is baking, prepare the rum syrup. Combine all of the syrup ingredients in a small saucepan set over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, and boil, swirling the liquid in the pan, until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat.

Remove the babka from the oven. Poke it all over gently with a toothpick or fork and slowly pour the syrup over the babka’s surface. When the syrup is fully absorbed (about 20 minutes or so), carefully loosen the babka’s edges, and turn it out of the pan onto a rack.

To make the glaze, mix all of the ingredients together, stirring until smooth. Drizzle over completely cool babka. Slice, serve, and enjoy!

Source: King Arthur Flour

Red Velvet Souffle

Happy St. Valentine’s Day! While hubby and I never do anything elaborate to celebrate, I still like to bake a little something special to show I care.

To be honest, I’ve been completely intimidated by the idea of making a souffle. I’ve seen them made on Food Network and various food blogs and have heard the warnings about how temperamental they can be and the risks of them caving in. But I finally sucked up my fears and decided to give it a try. Key word: try.

I meticulously followed the directions and felt good about it. Once they were in the oven, it was the moment of truth. I turned on the oven light and took a peek – they looked beautiful!

Whew – what a relief! I can’t wait to really master this food and attempt other flavors, both sweet and savory. This time around, I actually halved the recipe because: 1. I didn’t have enough ramekins available and 2. I didn’t want to risk having a ton of failed desserts sitting around, just in case.

Needless to say, this was a surprising success. Who wouldn’t love a red fluffy dessert on St. Valentine’s Day? Hubby and I sure did – hope you had fantastic day full of love and sweet things too!

Red Velvet Souffle

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp Butter or Cooking Spray
4 oz Bittersweet Chocolate Baking Bar, Chopped
5 whole Eggs (separated)
1/3 cup Sugar
3 Tbsp Milk
1 Tbsp Red Food Coloring
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 pinch Salt
2 Tbsp Granulated Sugar

Yield: 6 souffles

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Grease the bottom and sides of 6 ramekins butter or cooking spray. Set the ramekins aside on a baking sheet.

Microwave the chocolate in a bowl at 30 second intervals, stirring in between each interval, until almost completely melted (about 2 minutes total). Then stir the chocolate until smooth. Stir in 4 egg yolks (make sure the chocolate isn’t too hot), 1/3 cup sugar, milk, food coloring, and vanilla.

Beat the 5 egg whites and salt with a whip attachment on high speed with your mixer. Slowly add the 2 Tbsp of sugar, beating until stiff peaks form. Carefully fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture (1/3 at at time). Very gently spoon the mixture into the ramekins.

Bake for 21-24 minutes or until they rise and set. Dust the tops with powdered sugar or add a dollop of whipped cream. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Source: The Hill Country Cook

Gingerbread

Homemade gingerbread is such a treat during the holidays – this classic dessert is so moist and the spices taste like the essence of holiday baking. I made a slight change to my favorite gingerbread recipe that comes from my aunt, who actually got it from an Inn that she used to work at. It is just rich enough to feel like a decadent dessert but doesn’t go overboard or leave you feeling heavy. Sprinkle some powdered sugar on top for a simple garnish. Or according to my aunt, for another yummy spin, spread some lemon creme on a slice to get the same flavor as the Lemon Filled Gingerbread Cookies I made in the fall. Sounds delicious!

Gingerbread

Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup molasses
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup boiling water

Yield: 20-24 pieces

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside. Cream the butter and sugar together. Add the eggs one at a time and mix until combined. Add the molasses and buttermilk, mixing to combine. In a separate bowl, dissolve the baking soda in boiling water. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients alternately with the baking soda water.  Pour the mixture in a greased or foil lined 9×13 pan.  Bake at least 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let it cool completely and cut into squares. Sprinkle with powdered sugar or top individual slices with lemon creme. Enjoy!

Source: Adapted from the Green Gate Inn

Peppermint Bark

Happy New Year! I hope yall had a nice evening and a great start to 2012. I can’t believe it’s already here – my how time flies!

This was one of the easiest holiday desserts I’ve ever made! Just melt chocolate, add crushed peppermints, and voila – you have a tasty and festive treat. The nice part is that you can use whatever type of chocolate you like. If you’re more of a dark chocolate person, go for it! Or if you hate white chocolate, either skip it or use a different flavor. It’s so simple and would be the perfect addition to your holiday dessert platter!

Peppermint Bark

Ingredients:
1 2/3 cups milk chocolate chips
1 cup white chocolate chips
4 tsp peppermint extract
1/4 cup peppermints, crushed

Yield: 16 large triangular pieces

Directions:
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, foil, or a silpat sheet and set aside. Melt the milk chocolate in a bowl, stirring until completely smooth. (slowly in the microwave or over simmering water, whatever method you prefer) Remove from heat and add 2 tsp of peppermint extract. Stir to combine. Pour the melted chocolate onto the prepared baking sheet and spread to make a large rectangle. Put in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes to cool and harden.

Melt the white chocolate in the same way, remove from heat and add the remaining 2 tsp of peppermint extract. Stir to combine. Pour the melted white chocolate on top of the milk chocolate, spreading quickly and carefully to avoid melting the milk chocolate layer. Spread the white chocolate evenly, but leave milk chocolate edges showing. Sprinkle the crushed peppermints on top and press them gently to secure. Place the pan in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes to cool and harden.

When cooled, either cut or break the bark into large squares, and then into triangles. Serve and enjoy!

Source: Adapted from King Arthur Flour

Soft Frosted Sugar Cookies

Hello my darling readers – welcome to the start of the “12 Days of Christmas”! That’s right, Christmas hasn’t ended, it has it’s own season too! (ending January 6th, aka: Epiphany) And to celebrate this joyous time of year, I’m going to post some tasty treats twelve days in a row. Be prepared – some yummy things are coming your way!

You know those sugar cookies you can buy at the store that are incredibly soft with a super sweet layer of frosting and topped with festive sprinkles? Well folks, you can make them at home! These cookies are perfect to make for any holiday or special occasion because the frosting and toppings can be easily customized. Wrap these up for a simple and delicious gift that anyone would be delighted to receive!

PS: Congrats to Melissa, who won the OXO Egg Beater giveaway! Keep an eye out for an email from me.

Soft Frosted Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:
For the cookies:
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
4 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
5 tsp vanilla extract

For the frosting:
6 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted (plus more, as needed)
1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
6 Tbsp milk (plus more, as needed)
Food coloring (optional)
Sprinkles (optional)

Yield: 2 dozen medium sized cookies

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk together to blend. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter and sugar and beat together on medium-high speed until soft and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping down the bowl as needed. Blend in the vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, add in the dry ingredients, mixing just until incorporated and evenly mixed. Cover and chill the dough for 1 hour.

When you are ready to bake the cookies, scoop a scant quarter cup of dough and roll into a ball. Flatten the ball slightly and place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough, spacing the cookies at least 2-3 inches apart. Bake about 10-12 minutes or just until set. (Do not overbake!  The edges should be no more than very lightly browned if at all) Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for several minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the frosting, place the confectioners’ sugar in a medium bowl. Add the melted butter, vanilla, and milk to the bowl and whisk until smooth. Whisk in additional milk if too thick, 1 teaspoon at a time, or more confectioners’ sugar if too thin, 1/4 cup at a time, until it reaches your desired consistency.  Tint with food coloring if desired. Use an offset spatula or spoon to frost the cooled cookies. (If the frosting begins to thicken as you decorate, just continue to whisk in small amounts of milk to keep it workable.) Top with sprinkles if desired. Store in an airtight container and enjoy!

Source: Slightly adapted from Annie’s Eats

Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Crumble

Merry Christmas Eve! If you’re looking for an easy, delicious, and halfway healthy dish to make for the holidays, this is a keeper! I recently made this dish for a family gathering and all the sweet potato eaters loved it. The sweet potato base is sweet but not TOO sweet. You can use regular milk instead of coconut milk, but you honestly can’t taste it. And, you can make some tasty treats with the leftover coconut milk – but more on that another day!

The crunchy pecan crumble on top adds some nice texture and flavor and is a tasty change from the usual marshmallow topped dish. But, if you’re a marshmallow enthusiast, feel free to use them instead of the crumble. Or, use both, like in the original recipe – whatever floats your sweet potato loving boat!

Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Crumble

Yield: 8-12 servings

Ingredients:
For the casserole:
3 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 Tbsp maple syrup
1/3 cup canned light coconut milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbsp butter

For the pecan crumble:
1 cup unsalted pecans pieces, chopped
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1/3 cup old-fashioned oats
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Pinch of nutmeg
Pinch of salt
4 Tbsp butter, melted

Directions:
Peel and chop the sweet potatoes into cubes. Add to a pot with cold water, then bring to a boil. Cook until potatoes are fork tender, about 20-30 minutes, then drain. While sweet potatoes are cooking, add butter to a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisking constantly, cook until little brown bits appear in the pan – about 4-5 minutes. Remove immediately from heat and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. In the bowl of an electric mixer (or a large bowl, using a hand mixer), add sweet potatoes. Add all remaining casserole ingredients – sugar, syrup, spices, salt, vanilla extract, coconut milk and brown butter – and mix until combined and whipped. Spread the mixture in an oven-safe pan or dish. (I used a 7×11 dish)

To make the crumble, combine oats, brown sugar, flour, pecans, spices, and salt in a bowl and mix to thoroughly combine. Add in melted butter and use your hands or a fork to completely moisten the mixture and combine. Sprinkle the crumble evenly on top of the casserole. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until crumble is golden. Serve while warm and enjoy!

Source: Adapted from How Sweet Eats

Buttermilk Sugar Cookies

Happy St. Valentine’s Day! Yes, another cookie post : )

I doubt anyone’s really complaining though…

When my dear husband requested Valentine’s sugar cookies, I found I was short a few ingredients to make my mom/grandmother/great grandmother’s recipe. Yes, I cheated on my beloved family recipe. On Valentine’s Day. Oh the shame. But these come in a close second.

Buttermilk Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
3 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup buttermilk

Icing:
2 cups powdered sugar
3 Tbsp milk
Red food coloring (optional)

Directions:
Cream the butter and sugar with a mixer. Add the egg and mix thoroughly, then add vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl. With the mixer running, gradually add the dry ingredients to the creamed ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Roll out the dough on a floured surface and cut with hearts or other shapes. Place on baking sheets and bake for 8-10 minutes for small cookies or 10-12 minutes for large cookies, or until light brown around edges. Cool on wire racks.

Mix together powdered sugar and milk for a simple icing. Add extra powdered sugar if it’s too thin, until it gets to the desired consistency. Tint the frosting with about 4 drops of red food coloring, or more if you want darker colors. When cookies are completely cooled, decorate with frosting and sugars or sprinkles as desired.

Source: Slightly adapted from angpritch from Tasty Kitchen

Chocolate Hazelnut Sauce

This is a delicious treat that’s perfect for holiday gift giving! It’s so easy to make and decorate. The hazelnut flavor is amazing – this is great for topping off ice cream or any sweet treat. After it’s been jarred, just heat some in the microwave for a few seconds to make it thinner and warm, and drizzle it on anything you like. And don’t be afraid to lick the spoon – you know you want to! : )

I hope all of you had a very Merry Christmas and a lovely New Year too! Thanks for reading – there are lots of fun things planned for Beckster’s Laboratory in 2011!

Chocolate Hazelnut Sauce

Ingredients:
12 ounce package of semisweet chocolate chips
13 ouce jar of chocolate-hazelnut spread (like Nutella)
12 ounce can of evaporated milk
1/2 cup of sugar
3/4 cup of coffee liqueur (like Kahlua) or strong coffee

Directions:
In a large saucepan, melt chocolate chips and chocolate-hazelnut spread over low heat, stirring occasionally. Add evaporated milk and sugar, stirring until smooth. Bring to boiling over medium-high heat, stirring constantly; reduce heat. Cook, uncovered, for 8 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and stir in coffee liqueur.

Spoon mixture into 6 clean half-pint jars, leaving 3/4-inch headspace; cover and refrigerate. Decorate jars as desired. To serve, reheat sauce, spoon sauce over ice cream/dessert. Makes 6 half-pint jars.

Source: Better Homes and Gardens

Happy 4th Food

Hello all! I’m new to the food blogging world so please bear with me while I get the hang of this!

I hope everyone had a wonderful 4th of July full of fun, family/friends time, fireworks, and good food! This year, the hubby and I just grilled some steaks and enjoyed a relaxing day together. It was definitely a lot less crazy than going to see the fireworks in DC last year. (Check out our short-lived video blog for more on that: 4th of July 2009)

So besides having steaks yesterday, I also decided to make a super duper American dessert. While I considered making a cute red/white/blue dessert of some sort, I decided on Apple Pie! I’ve made this particular pie a few times before, starting last Thanksgiving, but I think this one turned out the best. Apple pie is my husband’s favorite pie, so he was definitely a happy man!

Here’s a photo of the lovely pie:

Yeah, I had a little extra dough so I added some decorative dough flowers on top : )

YUM! However, this recipe is top secret. It was given to me by a friend (who I had to practically beg) and I swore I would never reveal the recipe. Sorry everyone…if you want to try it, looks like I’ll just have to make one for you! Good thing I like to bake!