Banana Pudding Cupcakes

Not gonna lie, these are some of the best cupcakes I’ve ever eaten. I baked these for someone who loves banana pudding and was so happy with the result. It’s a simple yellow cake with banana pudding in the center, a light whipped banana frosting, plus a vanilla wafer on the bottom and sprinkled on top.

Granted, I kinda messed up the frosting (didn’t have the fluff that I was going for) but it still tasted great. Semi-homemade desserts are so nice when you’re strapped for time but these are impressive and perfect for any banana pudding fan!

Banana Pudding Cupcakes

Ingredients:
For the cake:
Box of vanilla wafers
Yellow cake mix, plus eggs, oil, water needed

For the filling:
Small box of instant banana pudding
1 3/4 cups milk

For the frosting:
Small box of instant banana pudding
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 cup milk
8 oz tub of Cool Whip, thawed

Yield: 2 dozen cupcakes

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Line 24 muffin cups with liners and set aside.

Place a vanilla wafer in the bottom of each cupcake liner. Prepare cupcake batter as called for on box instructions and fill liners 2/3 full. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Place on baking racks to cool.

While cupcakes cool, prepare frosting. In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, powdered sugar, and pudding mix. Gently fold in the Cool Whip until fully combined. Refrigerate for about an hour, or until ready to use.

To prepare the filling, whisk together the cold milk and banana pudding mix until thick, about 2 minutes. Once cupcakes are cool, core or cut a circle from the middle and fill with pudding.

In a large Ziploc bag, crush 2 dozen vanilla wafers. Spread or pipe on the frosting and sprinkle with crushed vanilla wafers. Store cupcakes in the refrigerator until ready to eat.

Source: Slightly adapted from Confessions of a Cookbook Queen

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

Chocolate Cheesecake

I made this decadent dessert for Thanksgiving…how is that already almost a month ago?? And Christmas is in a week? Holy moly. Life needs to slow down a bit!

My friend Jenny Lynn gave me a Junior’s Cheesecake cookbook. Remember the cheesecake showdown last summer? Yep, that was with her! She convinced me that Junior’s is the best New York style cheesecake around and this cookbook has become a proven keeper.

My task had been to bring a chocolate dessert and wow, was this a good choice! With a chocolate shortbread crust, rich creamy filling, and a pretty drizzle on top, this cheesecake is super impressive. The recipe might look long and intimidating but it’s not too hard to make if you have the time and plan ahead. Maybe bring it to an upcoming Christmas shindig and knock the socks of your family and friends!

PS: Congrats to Shannon, winner of the Trader Joe’s giveaway!

Chocolate Cheesecake

Ingredients:
For the chocolate shortbread crust:
1 cup and 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temp
1/3 cup sugar
1 extra large egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, melted

For the cheesecake:
10 oz semisweet or bittersweet chocolate
4 packages of cream cheese, at room temp (8 oz packs, regular cream cheese only)
1 2/3 cups sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
2 extra large eggs
3/4 cup heavy or whipping cream

For the chocolate drizzle:
4 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, melted

Yield: One 9 inch cheesecake (8-12 slices)

Directions:
For the crust:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and generously butter the bottom and sides of a 9 inch springform pan. Wrap the outside with aluminum foil, covering the bottom and extending all the way up the sides.

Mix the flour and salt together in a bowl and set aside. In a medium bowl, beat the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer on high until creamy. Blend in the egg yolk and vanilla, then the melted chocolate. Reduce the speed to low and mix in the flour mixture just until it disappears and a dough forms.

Push the dough over the bottom of the pan with a spatula. Flour your hands, then smooth out the dough evenly to the edge of the pan with your fingertips, working in a circular motion. Do not press up the sides.

Bake the crust until it’s set and forms a light brown crust on top, about 15 minutes. (do not over bake!) Leave the crust in the pan and place on a wire rack to cool.

For the cheesecake:
Keep the oven at 350 degrees F. Melt the chocolate and set aside to cool. Put one package of cream cheese, 1/3 cup of sugar, and the cornstarch in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on low until creamy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl several times. Blend in the remaining cream cheese, one package at a time, scraping down the bowl after each one. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat in the remaining 1 1/3 cups sugar, then the vanilla. Blend in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each one. Beat in the melted chocolate, then the cream, just until completely blended. Don’t over mix! Gently spoon the batter on top of the crust.

Place the cake in a large shallow pan containing hot water that comes about 1 inch up the sides of the pan. (make sure you still have the foil on the bottom of the pan!) Bake until the edges look baked and the top of the cake appears set, about 1 1/4 hours. Remove the cake from the water bath, transfer to a wire rack, and let cool for 2 hours. (just walk away – don’t move it) Leave the cake in the pan, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until completely cold, preferably overnight or at least 4 hours. Transfer to the freezer for 1 hour.

Once cooled, release and remove the sides of the springform pan, leaving the cake on the bottom of the pan. Place on a cake plate and decorate however you like, or leave it plain and simple!

For the optional chocolate drizzle, put the melted chocolate in a piping bag with a small round tip. Pipe a web in a zig zag movement on top of the cheesecake.

Refrigerate the cake until ready to serve. Slice it with a sharp straight-edge knife, not a serrated one. Cover any leftover cake and refrigerate or freeze up to 1 month.

Source: Junior’s Cheesecake Cookbook

Diva Cookies

I’ve named these sassy cookies “Diva Cookies” because well, just look at them! Sparkly hot pink bottoms with a zebra striped top. Total diva!

These cookies have made an appearance at two special events – my lovely friend’s bachelorette party and a coworker’s baby shower that had a pink/zebra theme. Even though they look super snazzy, these treats are so easy to make. It’s basically a peanut butter blossom cookie rolled in colored sugar and topped with a Hershey’s Hug, rather than a Kiss.

I started thinking of all the fun color and flavor combos that could be used with this style of cookie. Like right now, with Hershey’s dark chocolate mint, milk chocolate cherry cordial, and candy cane kisses. So be prepared, this diva cookie might come back again in other festive forms!

Diva Cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup shortening
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
Pink food coloring
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup colored sugar for decoration
2 (9 ounce) bags Hershey’s Hugs, unwrapped

Yield: About 80 cookies

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a Silpat.

In a large bowl, cream together shortening, peanut butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth. Add in the eggs one at a time, beating until fully incorporated. Mix in milk, vanilla, and a few drops of food coloring. (either liquid or gel coloring)

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add to the peanut butter mixture until well blended. Add more food coloring as needed, if you want a brighter color.

Shape tablespoonfuls of dough into balls, and roll in the colored sugar. Place cookies 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.

Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from oven, and immediately press a Hershey’s Hug into each cookie. Allow to cool completely; the kiss will harden as it cools. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Source: Cookie recipe slightly adapted from My Baking Addiction

Mocha Scones + Giveaway

It’s fun when you’re inspired to make something, all because of one cool ingredient you acquire. So last month, Jason and I took a trip to Virginia since Jason was running the Marine Corps Marathon, plus we got to visit some family and have a little getaway. And praise God, we survived Hurricane Sandy with no damage and flew home without delay.

Now, while we lived in Northern VA a few years ago, one store I fell in love with was Trader Joe’s. So you can imagine I was stoked to stop in at the nearest location during our trip and grab a few treats to take home. Granted, they’ve recently built a few TJ’s in north Texas, but it’s still a bit of a drive from my home in the country.

Unfortunately, I was limited to things that could go in my carry on luggage. (darn, no cookie butter!) So I got a few tasty things like chocolate covered sunflower seeds and one of my new loves, a cinnamon sugar grinder. They also had a sugar, chocolate, and coffee bean grinder. Be still my heart! I had to buy it. My mind started thinking of all the delicious things this could be used with. Which (finally) leads me to this recipe – mocha scones.

I’m a big fan of scones so the first thing I wanted to make was a chocolate and coffee infused scone with some of this magical mixture sprinkled on top. I wanted to create a scone with the same rich flavor of a mocha, my go-to drink at coffee shops. Ladies and gentlemen, these scones are amazing. Don’t get me wrong, they’d be good by themselves, but grinding some of that sugar/coffee/chocolate on top adds another dimension.

So while at Trader Joe’s, I had you lovely blog readers in mind and picked up a spare to share. Plus, this is my 200th blog post (holy cow!) so I thought I’d make it extra special. To win this sweet little treat, you can:

1. (Mandatory Entry) Leave a comment on this blog post. It can be about anything, preferably telling me what you’d like to sprinkle the yummy sugar/chocolate/coffee on.
2. ”Like” Beckster’s Laboratory on Facebook and leave a separate comment saying you’ve done so. (current followers can too!)
3. Subscribe to Beckster’s Laboratory and leave a separate comment saying you’ve done so. (current subscribers can too!)

You can enter the giveaway until midnight (central time) on December 10, 2012. I’ll pick a winner via a random number generator. Good luck!

Now on to the fabulous recipe…

Mocha Scones

Ingredients:
2/3 cup heavy cream
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3 tsp instant coffee (or instant espresso)
1/3 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup chocolate chips
A sprinkle of sugar, chocolate, and coffee bean mixture

Yield: 8 scones

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a small bowl, whisk together the cream, egg, and vanilla. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, salt, and instant coffee. Stir to combine. Add the butter and mix into the dry ingredients until it resembles coarse crumbs. (use a pastry blender or I just used the paddle attachment on my stand mixer) Mix in the chocolate chips and add the wet ingredients. Mix everything together until the dough comes together. If too dry, add a little more cream and if too wet, add a little more flour. (dough should be a little sticky)

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead a few times. Shape it into a circle (about 7-8 inches) and cut it into eight wedges. (I like to use a pizza cutter) Brush off any excess flour and place either on a lined baking sheet or in a scone pan. Grind some of the sugar/chocolate/coffee bean mixture onto the tops of the dough. (optional)

Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the edges are firm and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in/on the pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Serve while warm or store in a container for a few days, reheating as desired.

Source: Adapted from Joy of Baking

S’more Cupcakes

I have to be honest – these cupcakes are one of the most amazing things I’ve ever made. They weren’t terribly hard, they just take some time and patience. You have the three classic flavors layered together – the graham cracker crust, the chocolate cupcake, and the marshmallow frosting. It makes for an impressive (and delicious) bite when you dig in. Also, if you’re in a crunch, you can absolutely use a boxed cake mix instead. No one will know…or care, to be honest!

I was way excited to use my handy kitchen torch – oh how I’ve missed you! But a word to the wise, be careful when toasting the frosting – if you get too close to the cupcake paper, you’ll have some little flames to extinguish. You don’t have to toast the frosting, but if possible, please do.

By the way, am I the only one who can’t eat anything s’more related without thinking of the classic scene from The Sandlot? Here’s some nostalgia for you. You’re welcome. And “you’re killing me, Smalls!”

S’more Cupcakes

Ingredients:
For the graham cracker crust:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
5 1/3 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

For the cake:
1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp hot water
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 sticks plus 1 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 2/3 cups sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup sour cream

For the frosting:
4 large egg whites, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Yield: 2 dozen cupcakes

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line two cupcake pans with paper liners. In a small mixing bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter; mix well with a fork. Drop about 1 Tablespoon of the graham cracker mixture in the bottom of each cupcake liner and press down to line the bottom. (Note: The bottom of a small cup or bottle works well here.) Bake for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven, and maintain the oven temperature.

In a small bowl, combine the cocoa powder and hot water and whisk until smooth. In another medium bowl combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, and whisk to blend. Combine the butter and sugar in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is smooth and the butter is completely melted. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on medium-low speed until the mixture is cool, about 4-5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Blend in the vanilla and then the cocoa mixture until smooth. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture in three additions alternating with the sour cream, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients and mixing each addition just until incorporated.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared liners, filling each about ¾-full. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 18 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through baking. Let cool in the pan about 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the frosting, combine the egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar in a bowl set over a pan of a few inches of simmering water. (Note: I use my clean, dry mixer bowl right off the bat to avoid dirtying two bowls.) Heat the mixture, whisking frequently, until it reaches 160° F with an instant-read thermometer. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk starting at low speed and gradually increasing to medium-high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form. Mix in the vanilla until combined. Transfer the frosting to a pastry bag fitted with a decorative tip. Brown with a kitchen torch and garnish with chocolate and graham cracker pieces if wanted.

Source: Annie’s Eats

German Chocolate Cupcakes

I (somewhat) apologize for all the sweet recipes heading your way. I promise I do cook savory food too! But these desserts are too delicious not to share. I made these cupcakes for a recent Birthday and had actually never made German chocolate cake before. It was surprisingly easy, especially the German chocolate frosting which I was unsure of when I started. The cupcakes are made from a doctored up cake mix, but you could totally go for the gold and make it all from scratch.

I loved the idea of creating a gooey coconut and pecan “nest” on top of each cupcake, surrounded by the rich chocolate buttercream. You get all of the traditional German chocolate cake components with a cute and creative twist!

PS: I was actually baking for two Birthdays so made half of the cupcakes German chocolate and half were girly double chocolate with extra chocolate frosting and pretty pink pearl sprinkles!

German Chocolate Cupcakes

Ingredients:
Chocolate Cake:
1 box Devil’s Food Cake Mix
3 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 cup sour cream

German Chocolate Frosting:

1 cup evaporated milk

1 cup sugar

3 egg yolk, lightly beaten

1/2 cup butter

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 cup chopped pecans

1 1/2 cup flaked coconut

Chocolate Buttercream:

4 oz cream cheese

1/2 cup butter

2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa

3 cups powdered sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 Tbsp milk or cream (if needed)

Yield: 20-24 cupcakes

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line two muffin tins with 20-24 cupcake liners.

In a large bowl, gently combine oil, eggs and vanilla extract. Sift (for easy mixing) in about 1/3 of the cake mix and stir until combined. Add buttermilk and stir until combined. Add another third of the cake mix (again, sifting for easy stirring). Add sour cream, then final third of cake mix. Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full and bake for 18-22 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

For the German chocolate frosting: On medium heat in a sauce pan, constantly stir evaporated milk, sugar, egg yolks, and butter until thickened. (Basically, until it boils and it will take approximately 15 minutes.) Stir in vanilla extract, pecans, and coconut. Let cool.

For the chocolate buttercream: Beat cream cheese and butter for 4 minutes. Add cocoa, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Let beat for 3 minutes. If it is too thick, add milk. If it is too thin, add powdered sugar. Or if it is not dark enough, add more cocoa.

Pipe the chocolate buttercream around the edge of the cupcakes to create a barrier, and scoop a small amount of cooled German chocolate frosting into the center.

Source: Your Cup of Cake

Chocolate Whoopie Pies with Chocolate Ganache

This is basically a duplicate recipe, just with a different filling. I made these whoopie pies last year with the standard marshmallow filling, but then recently made them for a chocolate lover’s Birthday with ganache in the middle. In my book, ganache is always a good idea – I could sit and eat it with a spoon. Plus it sounds so fancy but is SO easy to make! You can imagine that sandwiching the rich smooth filling with these soft delicious pies is a chocoholic’s dream! Plus I added some fun sprinkles for a little color and pizazz!

Chocolate Whoopie Pies with Chocolate Ganache

Ingredients:
For the whoopie pies:
1 2/3 cups all purpose flour
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
4 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
4 Tbsp vegetable shortening
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup milk

For the ganache:
3/4 cup heavy cream
6 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped (or chocolate chips)

Yield: Around 24 whoopie pies & about 1 1/4 cups ganache

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or another nonstick sheet.

In a bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, beat butter, shortening, and sugar with a mixer on low until just combined. Increase speed to medium and beat for about 3 minutes.

Add egg and vanilla and beat for two more minutes. Add half of the flour mixture and half of the milk and beat on low until incorporated. Repeat with remaining flour and milk and beat until combined.

Using a Tablespoon or small cookie scoop, drop batter on baking sheet two inches apart. Bake for about 10 minutes each or until pies spring back when pressed gently. Remove from oven and cool for about five minutes before transferring them to a rack to cool completely.

To make the ganache, in a small saucepan, heat the cream over medium heat, swirling the pan a few times, until bubbles start to form around the edge of the pan but the cream is not yet boiling, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the chocolate, and let sit for 30 seconds. Slowly whisk the mixture until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Let it cool to room temperature.

Once cooled, spread or pipe the ganache onto the flat side of one pie. Find a matching sized pie and sandwich them together. Decorate with sprinkles or any other things if you want. Enjoy!

Source: The Novice Chef Blog for the whoopie pies & Fine Cooking for the ganache

Apple Cinnamon Crostata

Galette or crostada – that is the question. I’ve seen both words used and often wondered if there’s a real difference between the two foods. It’s basically a potato/potato situation. Both are a flat, rounded, open-faced tart filled with a variety of sweet or savory ingredients. It just depend on whether you prefer the French or Italian term. I’ll go with Italian.

I’m always looking for new ways to incorporate apple and cinnamon into desserts and this is a delicious and easy option. I added some chopped walnuts on top for some extra texture and flavor. This crust isn’t super flaky like the typical crostata, but is the crust recipe I use for all sorts of pies and treats. (only 3 ingredients!) But next time, I think I’ll try making some homemade puff pastry!

I’m looking forward to playing with different flavors in the future and creating some amazing crostatas. Or galettes. Eh, tomato/tomato.

Apple Crostata

Ingredients:
For the crust:
1/2 cream cheese, softened (4 oz)
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup butter, softened

For the filling:
1/3 cup brown sugar

3 tsp corn starch
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Pinch of ground ginger

3 large granny smith apples, cored, peeled, and thinly sliced

Chopped nuts (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. To make the crust, combine all three ingredients in a mixer and combine until totally incorporated and a ball of dough is formed. Roll the dough on a floured surface and shape into an oval.

Combine the brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and ginger in a medium bowl. Add the apples and stir to combine and evenly coat. Spoon the apple mixture onto the crust, leaving about 2 inches around the edges. Fold the crust inward and press to seal.

Bake the crostada for about 15 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. At this time, sprinkle chopped nuts over the apple mixture if wanted. Bake for at least another 5 minutes, or until the apples are tender. Slice and serve while warm and top with ice cream or whatever your heart desires!

Source: A Beckster Original

Cinnamon Sugar Pull Apart Bread

I’ve been in a blogging rut lately. No real reason why, but it happened. Maybe I’ve been distracted by life or simply needed a little break, but I’m been determined to bounce back. I’ve been sitting on this recipe for over a year now and can’t explain the ridiculous wait. But friends, this glorious food was totally worth it.

Yes, you do have to set aside the time to make the dough and work through the rising process, but it’s a perfect project for your next free day at home. Trust me, your efforts will be rewarded in the form of a fresh, warm, cinnamon sugar treat made from scratch.

The bread basically tastes like a flat cinnamon roll – which tickled my fancy, because I love cinnamon rolls but am not a fan of loads of icing. Plus, the cinnamon and sugar that seeps to the bottom of the pan turns into a sticky caramel-like substance. What a nice surprise!

For a visual step by step, you should definitely check out Joy’s original blog post. Basically, once the dough has risen the first time, just roll out the dough on a floured surface and smother it with browned butter (aka: deliciousness) and tons of cinnamon sugar. Then cut it into strips, stack, and cut into sweet little squares. Pile them into your greased pan and bake until it’s golden brown and your house smells like a bakery. Remove, enjoy, and share if you want!

Cinnamon Sugar Pull Apart Bread

Ingredients:

For the Dough:
3  cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (1 envelope)
1/2 tsp salt
2 ounces unsalted butter (4 Tbsp or 1/2 stick)
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup water
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract

For the Filling:
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp fresh ground nutmeg
2 ounces unsalted butter, melted until browned (4 Tbsp or 1/2 stick)

Yield: One 9x5x3 inch loaf

Directions:
In a large mixing bowl (I used just the bowl of my stand mixer) whisk together 2 cups flour, sugar, yeast, and salt.  Set aside.

Whisk together eggs and set aside.

In a small saucepan, melt together milk and butter until butter has just melted.  Remove from the heat and add water and vanilla extract.  Let mixture stand for a minute or two, or until the mixture registers 115 to 125 degrees F.

Pour the milk mixture into the dry ingredients and mix with a spatula.  Add the eggs and stir the mixture until the eggs are incorporated into the batter.  The eggs will feel soupy and it’ll seem like the dough and the eggs are never going to come together.  Keep stirring.  Add the remaining 3/4 cup of flour and stir with the spatula for about 2 minutes.  The mixture will be sticky.  That’s just right.

Place the dough is a large,  greased bowl.  Cover with plastic wrap and a clean kitchen towel.  Place in a warm space and allow to rest until doubled in size, about 1 hour.  *The dough can be risen until doubled in size, then refrigerated overnight for use in the morning.  If you’re using this method, just let the dough rest on the counter for 30 minutes before following the roll-out directions below.

While the dough rises, whisk together the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg for the filling.  Set aside.  Melt 2 ounces of butter until browned.  Set aside.  Grease and flour a 9x5x3-inch  loaf pan.  Set that aside too.

Deflate the risen dough and knead about 2 tablespoons of flour into the dough.  Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rest for 5 minutes.  On a lightly floured work surface, use a rolling pin to roll the dough out.  The dough should be 12-inches tall and about 20-inches long.  If you can’t get the dough to 20-inches long… that’s okay.  Just roll it as large as the dough will go.  Use a pastry brush to spread melted butter across all of the dough.  Sprinkle with all of the sugar and cinnamon mixture.  It might seem like a lot of sugar.  Seriously?  Just go for it.

Slice the dough vertically, into six equal-sized strips.  Stack the strips on top of one another and slice the stack into six equal slices once again.  You’ll have six stacks of six squares.  Layer the dough squares in the loaf pan like a flip-book.  Place a kitchen towel over the loaf pan and allow in a warm place for 30 to 45 minutes or until almost doubled in size.

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.  Place loaf in the oven (on a baking sheet to prevent anything baking over and making a mess) and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is very golden brown.  The top may be lightly browned, but the center may still be raw.  A nice, dark, golden brown will ensure that the center is cooked as well.

Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 20 to 30 minutes.   Run a butter knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the bread and invert onto  a clean board.  Place a cake stand or cake plate on top of the  upside down loaf, and carefully invert so it’s right side up.  Serve warm with coffee or tea.

I think this bread is best served the day it’s made, but it can also we wrapped and kept at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Source: The fabulous Joy the Baker