Apple Pie Bread Pudding

 APPLE PIE BREAD PUDDING

 

8 cups bread, cubed
3 medium apples, peeled, cored and chopped
4 eggs
1 cup vanilla yogurt
1 cup milk
2 tsp cinnamon, divided
½ tsp nutmeg
½ c sugar + 2 Tbsp
½ cup raisins
 
Sauce:
1 cup unsalted Butter
1 cup heavy Cream
1 cup brown Sugar
 
Instructions:
 

Assemble the night before, wrap it and keep it in the refrigerator overnight and then bake in the morning.

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the yogurt, milk, eggs, 1 tsp cinnamon, nutmeg, and ½ cup sugar.
• Stir in the apples, raisins, then gently fold in the bread cubes. Pour into the prepared pan.
• In a small bowl, stir together 2 Tbsp sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon.
• Sprinkle on top the bread pudding. Bake 30-40 minutes until puffed and golden brown.
• While the bread pudding is baking, make the caramel sauce.
• In a heavy saucepan over medium-low heat, stir together the butter, heavy cream, and brown sugar; bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to low, simmer until the sauce thickens, for about 5 minutes. Pour over bread pudding to serve. Top with vanilla ice cream.

Pocket Pies - Fun and Tasty Individual Pies

William Sonoma had several of these Pocket Pie Molds available some years ago and I bought many of them.  My favorite mold was the Lattice Mold.  I also have the Star, Apple, Pumpkin and Heart Molds.  {You can probably locate these on eBay or somewhere like that, since WS has discontinued them.}  You can use your own home-made recipe for Pie Dough or a ready-made Pie Crust will do just fine too.  The same for Pie Filling...your own home-made favorite or a jar or even a can of Pie Filling works just as well too.  Brush with an Egg wash and sprinkle with sugar before baking, to create a nicely brown...
crunchy and sweet top to your pies.  My favorite fillings are 4 Berries and Apple...and I love the Pie Fillings I purchase at one of MY Favorite Shops in Door County, Wisconsin when I'm on vacation there.  

These Pies are so easy to make, too.  Besides everyone having their own personal pie, everyone gets a crispy top and bottom crust, which is something most pie eaters LOVE.

The pies taste delicious still warm from the oven...and they taste delicious room temperature or cold the next day.  Add ice cream and have it Ala Mode!  Yummy!

The squares in the top of the mold, are what make the lattice cuts in your pie crust.  Nifty!

Yesterday, I decided to pull the Lattice Mold from the cupboard and make pies.   I made Berry, Apple and Cherry Pies.  The Pies went very quickly! I'm lucky I got a couple for myself.  I sent a platter of a few to a neighbor. With all the pies disappearing, I didn't have a chance to snap a picture! 

 You use the Mold to cut your pie crust shapes and then you place the cut crusts into the mold, fill, press, remove and bake!

Peach Pocket Pie, Ala Mode

Here's the Apple Mold

via

William Sonoma Apple Pocket Pie Mold Video

Now that I've got you "hooked" on these babies, I have to tell you that William Sonoma doesn't sell them anymore.  I was able to locate some William Sonoma Pie Molds on eBAY and I also found this Lattice Mold at Neatly Smart on-line.  They are in stock and cost $6.02.

This Pie Mold from Neatly Smart makes approximately 4.5"/11.5cm pies. Clever mold to easily make mini pies. Use Mold to cut pastry dough into pie shape, including pattern for lattice vented top crust. Place dough in mold and fill with ingredients. Close top mold to seal and crimp. Fill with fruit, berries, meats, cheeses, vegetables and more. Portable and fun! Ideal for parties, BBQ's, picnics and lunches. Recipe and instructions included.

Just another clever idea...everyone loves 'em whenever I make 'em! I'm participating in the Thought of Home on Thursday Link Party - stop by and see who else is!!

Buttermilk Skillet Cake

9" Single Layer Cake
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
6 T unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 buttermilk

Praline
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup heavy cream
pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 375° F. Grease and flour a 9" cake pan.

In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In another medium bowl, with a stand or hand mixer, cream together the granulated sugar and butter until fully incorporated, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and yolk, one at a time, beating for 1 minute between the two. Beat in the vanilla.

Now....with the mixer on low, add half of the flour. Beat until incorporated. Add the buttermilk, and beat again until incorporated. Finally, beat in the remaining flour until almost fully incorporated. Stop beating and continue with a spatula to fully incorporate the flour. Pour / spoon the batter into your prepared pan. Smooth the batter in the pan evenly.

(Put a cookie sheet pan on the bottom rack. Just in case.) Bake for 30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Combine the brown sugar, butter, cream and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a soft boil and let boil for 3 minutes. Keep an eye on it. It likes to get a little rambunctious....just stir it down. After 3 minutes, remove from heat and stir in the vanilla and nuts.  Allow to set for about 20 minutes to thicken up a bit.  Once the cake is out of the oven, and while it's still warm pour the praline over the whole thing.

Creamy Rice Pudding

3 1/2c Milk
1c uncooked White Rice (I use Arborio Rice)
1 can Eagle Sweetened Condensed Milk
1/3c Raisins
1/4t Vanilla
Whipping Cream
Cinnamon

Combine milk and rice; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover. Cook, stirring occasionally, til mixture is creamy and liquid is almost absorbed, 25 minutes. Stir in condensed milk, raisins and vanilla. Cook, stirring occasionally, til thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Let stand, covered, 10 minutes. Garnish with Whipped Cream and Cinnamon.

Pineapple Lush Cake

PINEAPPLE LUSH CAKE

Yellow cake mix

1/2c butter, softened

8oz can crushed pineapple (1 cup), undrained

3 eggs

Frosting:

8oz whipped topping, thawed

1 3.4oz pkg instant vanilla pudding mix

8oz crushed pineapple (1cup), undrained

1 cup milk

Topping:

1 1/2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream, Whipped

Garnish:

1/4c chopped pecans, toasted

1/4c coconut, toasted

Heat oven to 350°.  Grease 13x9” pan.  Combine first four ingredients; beat at low until moistened.  Beat 2 minutes at medium speed.  Pour batter into pan.  Bake for 30-40.  Cool.

Frost in pan or remove and frost. 

Combine frosting ingredients and mix until well blended.  Spread on top, making sure to totally cover the cake.

Whip the cream and spread on top of the frosting.  Sprinkle top of cake with garnishes.

My Annual Christmas Week Baking Tradition

CINNAMON ROLLS

Not just any Cinnamon Rolls either...Ree Drummond, the Pioneer Woman's Cinnamon Rolls!!  

They are the BEST and if you make the entire recipe, it makes lots of little round crinkled aluminum pans full...of yummy ooey, gooeyness!  And the recipe is so easy.  You can even make the dough and store in the refrigerator for 3 days, in advance of when you want to bake the rolls.  The rolls roll out easier and they turn out prettier too.

Alright, so how many of you would really care just how PRETTY these yummy cinnamon rolls look when they come out of the oven?  I do, because I'm that way.  I used to make and decorate cakes, including wedding cakes that served 500 people!  I had to care how those turned out and now I'm no different when it comes to always wanting baked and cooked goodies to look pretty too.

I LOVE these Cinnamon Rolls!!  So does everyone I give them too!

***This makes me remember how much my husband used to love these Cinnamon Rolls.  Tom, if you somehow are reading this, know I have thought of you often in the past years apart...and especially this Christmas, since it was to be your First Christmas back home.  I know everything got side-tracked and I don't know where you are again, but we'll be together in our hearts.***

I make a couple changes in the following Recipe from Ree Drummond....1.  Frosting, I eliminate the Maple Flavoring and the Coffee, I'll make my Cream Cheese Icing.  2.  The yeast she has Active Dry Yeast...I use Quick Rise Yeast.  It's quicker and turns out every bit as good. 

Enjoy!!

Now...before you begin the process of making these for yourself, click on this link and go to Ree's Blog, she shows photos every step of the way through the process and shares lots of good information!!!

https://www.thepioneerwoman.com/food-cooking/recipes/a11914/cinammon-rolls/

OOEY-GOOEY CINNAMON ROLLS

  PREP TIME:  2 Hours

DIFFICULTY:  Easy

COOK TIME:  30 Minutes

SERVINGS:  8 pans full

INGREDIENTS

1 quart Whole Milk

1 cup Vegetable Oil

1 cup Sugar

2 packages Quick Rise Yeast, 0.25 Ounce Packets

8 cups (Plus 1 Cup Extra, Reserved) All-purpose Flour

1 teaspoon (heaping) Baking Powder

1 teaspoon (scant) Baking Soda

1 Tablespoon (heaping) Salt

Plenty Of Melted Butter

2 cups Sugar

Generous Sprinkling Of Cinnamon

CREAM CHEESE ICING

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

8oz cream cheese softened

8 cups confectioners' sugar ((about 2 lbs.))

1 tablespoon milk

 

In large bowl, beat butter and cream cheese with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually add confectioners' sugar and milk. Beat on high until smooth (30 - 60 seconds). If icing seems too thin, add confectioners' sugar 1 tablespoon at a time. If it seems too thick, add more milk 1 teaspoon at a time until icing reaches desired consistency.

 

For the dough, heat the milk, vegetable oil, and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat to just below a boil. Set aside and cool to warm. Sprinkle the yeast on top and let it sit on the milk for 1 minute.

Add 8 cups of the flour. Stir until just combined, then cover with a clean kitchen towel, and set aside in a relatively warm place for 1 hour. After 1 hour, remove the towel and add the baking powder, baking soda, salt, and the remaining 1 cup flour. Stir thoroughly to combine. Allow the dough to chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour before using.  It's easier to work with this way. 

Preheat the oven to 375°F. 

To assemble the rolls, remove half the dough from the pan/bowl. On a floured baking surface, roll the dough into a large rectangle, about 30 x 10 inches. The dough should be rolled very thin.

To make the filling, pour 3/4 cup to 1 cup of the melted butter over the surface of the dough. Use your fingers to spread the butter evenly. Generously sprinkle half of the ground cinnamon and 1 cup of the sugar over the butter. Don’t be afraid to drizzle on more butter or more sugar! Gooey is the goal. 

Now, beginning at the end farthest from you, roll the rectangle tightly towards you. Use both hands and work slowly, being careful to keep the roll tight. Don’t worry if the filling oozes as you work; that just means the rolls are going to be divine. When you reach the end, pinch the seam together and flip the roll so that the seam is face down. When you’re finished, you’ll wind up with one long buttery, cinnamony, sugary, gooey log.

Slip a cutting board underneath the roll and with a sharp knife, make 1/2-inch slices. One “log “will produce 20 to 25 rolls. Pour a couple of teaspoons of melted butter into disposable foil cake pans and swirl to coat. Place the sliced rolls in the pans, being careful not to overcrowd. (Each pan will hold 7 to 9 rolls.)

Repeat the rolling/sugar/butter process with the other half of the dough and more pans. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Cover all the pans with a kitchen towel and set aside to rise on the countertop for at least 20 minutes before baking. Remove the towel and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until golden brown. Don’t allow the rolls to become overly brown. 

While the rolls are baking, make the maple icing: In a large bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, butter, coffee, and salt. Splash in the maple flavoring. Whisk until very smooth. Taste and add in more maple, sugar, butter, or other ingredients as needed until the icing reaches the desired consistency. The icing should be somewhat thick but still very pourable.

Remove pans from the oven. Immediately drizzle icing over the top. Be sure to get it all around the edges and over the top. As they sit, the rolls will absorb some of the icing’s moisture and flavor. They only get better with time… not that they last for more than a few seconds. Make them for a friend today! It’ll seal the relationship for life. I promise. 

Boston Cream Crepe Cake

This is one of my favorite "go too" dessert recipes of all time.  Yes, it can be a bit time consuming making all those crepes, but the trick is to have 2 or even 3 pans going at the same time.

Boston Cream Crepe Cake

 Ingredients (12 Servings)

 Crepes

·         4 large eggs

·         4 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled slightly

·         4 cups milk

·         2 teaspoon vanilla

·         2 tablespoon sugar

·         1 teaspoon salt

·         3 cups all purpose flour

 Pastry Cream

·         3/4 cup granulated sugar

·         1/3 cup flour

·         1/4 teaspoon salt

·         2 cups milk

·         3 egg yolks, beaten

·         2 tablespoons butter

·         1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract

·         1/2 cup whipping cream

 Chocolate Ganache

·         6 oz. milk chocolate, finely chopped

·         3/4 cup cream

 Instructions

+NOTE:  The day before serving the cake, make the crepe batter and the pastry cream.+

Crepe Batter

·         Add ingredients to blender jar in the order listed, cover and blend until smooth. Refrigerate overnight or for 1 hour prior to cooking. (Or if you’d rather, you can strain out any lumps and use immediately.)

·         Heat an 8-inch skillet or crepe pan over medium heat and lightly coat with butter or cooking spray. For each crepe, pour 1/4 cup batter into the center of the skillet and immediately rotate the pan until the batter covers the bottom of the skillet in a thin layer. Cook until light brown and the top begins to dry out, approximately 1 minute. Flip and cook an additional 30 seconds.

·         Repeating with remaining batter. Stack completed crepes on a plate. (If your crepes are sticking together, put wax paper between the crepes.)

Pastry Cream

·         In a medium saucepan combine the sugar, flour and salt. Gradually whisk in milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture starts to boil. Cook for 2 minutes until thickened.

·         Remove from stove. Whisk 1/4 cup of the hot mixture into the beaten egg yolks, and immediately add egg yolk mixture to the hot mixture in the saucepan. Cook for 2 more minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla. Transfer pudding mixture to a medium bowl. Cover with plastic; refrigerate until well chilled, about 1 hour or overnight.

·         When pudding is chilled, whip cream to form soft peaks and gentle fold in to pudding. Keep covered and chilled until ready to use.

Assemble Crepe Cake

·         Place one crepe on a large cake plate. Spread with 1/4 cup pastry cream. Top with another crepe. Continue layering with filling and crepes, using about 24 crepes and ending with a crepe on top. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.

Chocolate Ganache

·         Place half of the chocolate in a small mixing bowl. Heat heavy cream on medium high heat until it comes to a boil. Remove from heat and immediately pour cream over chocolate and stir until chocolate is completely melted. Add remain chocolate and stir until chocolate is completely melted. Cool until ganache is thickened but still thin enough to drip down the sides of the cake.

·         Spoon chocolate ganache on top of the cake, spreading to edges and letting the ganache drip down the sides. Refrigerate until ganache is set, about 20 minutes.

Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Chocolate Cake & Frosting Recipe

CAKE:

2 cups sugar

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

"PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING: 

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
2/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
3 cups Powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

CAKE DIRECTIONS:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.
2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.
3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE FROSTING. Makes 12 servings.

FROSTING DIRECTIONS:

• Melt butter.  Stir in cocoa.  Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency.  Add small amount of additional milk, if needed.  Stir in vanilla.  About 2 cups frosting.
• VARIATIONS:
• ONE-PAN CAKE: Grease and flour 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Heat oven to 350° F. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely. Frost.
• THREE LAYER CAKE: Grease and flour three 8-inch round baking pans. Heat oven to 350°F. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost.
• BUNDT CAKE: Grease and flour 12-cup fluted tube pan. Heat oven to 350°F. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 50 to 55 minutes. Cool 15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely. Frost.
• CUPCAKES: Line muffin cups (2-1/2 inches in diameter) with paper bake cups. Heat oven to 350°F. Fill cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake 22 to 25 minutes. Cool completely. Frost. About 30 cupcakes.

Chocolate Mint Ice Cream

Ingredients (4-6 servings)

2 cups half and half or whole milk

4 lg egg yolks

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup heavy whipping cream

2 tsp. Peppermint extract

3 1.4oz Peppermint Patties [frozen for about 10 minutes prior to chopping]

OR...you can use 3 ounces of Andes Candies chopped (2/3 cup)...

I really prefer the Peppermint Patties to the Andes Mints in this creamy Ice Cream

Instructions

+NOTE: 1 day ahead, place ice cream maker bowl into freezer+

Prepare a bowl of ice water, set aside. In the top of a double boiler, or a bowl placed over a pan of simmering water, heat the half and half until just steaming In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks, then add the sugar and mix. Add 1/2 of the half and half to the egg yolk, sugar mixture, mix. Add to the steaming half and half. Stir and cook over simmering water for about 10 minutes or until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Immediately place bowl into ice bath, stir occasionally until mixture is at room temperature.

Transfer to a Tupperware container, add cream and extract, refrigerate about 3 hours. place mixture into ice cream maker bowl, turn on machine and let the magic begin!

Frozen Irish Cream Mousse Cake

This Frozen Irish Cream Mousse Cake is completely no bake, incredibly smooth and so creamy! The flavor of the Irish Cream is spot on and with a touch of chocolate, I am in love!

Lindsay, from Life, Love and Sugar posted the recipe for this and when I saw Irish Cream and Chocolate, she had me.  I'll be making this real soon!  Every other Saturday, I make a dessert to share with 2 of my neighbors.  We get together and ENJOY!!

Read more and Get the Recipe for this Dessert at: http://www.lifeloveandsugar.com

Chocolate Caramel Rice Krispie Squares

CHOCOLATE CARAMEL RICE KRISPIE SQUARES

Laureen King

Art & the Kitchen

Serves: 16 squares

INGREDIENTS

1½ tbsp. butter

½ bag marshmallows (about 20 large-2 cups mini)

1 tsp vanilla

4 cups Rice Krispies cereal

7 ounces unwrapped caramels (1/2 bag)

1 tbsp. water

¾ cup peanut butter (divided use)

8 ounces milk chocolate

INSTRUCTIONS

Butter a 9 x 9 inch pan.  In large bowl melt butter in microwave just until melted. Add marshmallows, stir to coat marshmallows in butter, then microwave until melted, stirring occasionally. This should only take a couple of minutes.  Stir in vanilla.  Stir in Rice Krispies.

Pour into buttered pan and press mixture firmly with buttered hands.  Place in refrigerator to chill.

In saucepan, melt caramels and water on low heat, stirring frequently. (careful not to burn).  Remove from heat, stir in ½ cup peanut butter. Blend completely.  Pour over Rice Krispies, and spread to an even layer.  Put back into refrigerator.

In saucepan over low heat, melt chocolate.  When melted, stir in ¼ cup peanut butter. Combine well.

Pour chocolate over caramel layer spreading to edges in even layer.  Refrigerate for 1 hour or until chocolate is firm.  Cut into squares.

NOTES

Bars are best eaten at room temperature or only slightly chilled. If caramel is too hard let warm to room temperature before serving.

Sooo Easy and Sooo Good

Strawberries & Cream No-Bake Pie Filling and Topping

1/3 cup water 

1 ½ teaspoons unflavored gelatin

4 oz (half of 8-oz package) cream cheese, softened

3 containers (6 oz each) Greek Fat Free strawberry yogurt

2 cups frozen (thawed) lite whipped topping 

1 ½ cups large chopped fresh strawberries

½ cup sliced fresh strawberries

Crust

 1 graham cracker crumb crust (6 oz)

Directions

Sprinkle gelatin over the water; let stand 10 minutes. Microwave 15 seconds.

In medium bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add yogurt and gelatin mixture; beat on low speed until well blended. Fold in whipped topping.  Gently fold 1 ½ cups strawberries into the mixture and spoon into crust.  Refrigerate until set, about 2 hours.  Before serving, garnish pie with additional whipped topping and remaining ½ cup sliced strawberries.

*note photo doesn’t show strawberries in pie – that was my idea.   Can be made in a 9” spring form pan.

Try it, you and your family and guests will love it!

I'm linking up to TOHOT with the following blogs:

Laura of White Spray Paint

Laura at Decor to Adore 

Jemma from At Home with Jemma 

Stacey from Poofing the Pillows