Chocolate Mint Dessert

Chocolate Mint Dessert

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Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened
4 eggs
1-1/2 cups HERSHEY'S Syrup
*MINT CREAM CENTER (recipe follows)
*CHOCOLATE GLAZE (recipe follows)

Directions
1 Heat oven to 350° F. Grease 13x9x2-inch baking pan.

2 Combine flour, sugar, butter, eggs and syrup in large bowl; beat until smooth. Pour batter into prepared pan.

3 Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until top springs back when touched lightly in center. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Spread MINT CREAM CENTER on cake. Cover; refrigerate. Pour CHOCOLATE GLAZE over chilled dessert. Cover; refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving. Cover; refrigerate leftover dessert. About 12 servings.

MINT CREAM CENTER: Combine 2 cups powdered sugar, 1/2 cup (1 stick) softened butter or margarine and 2 tablespoons green creme de menthe (OR 1 tablespoon water plus 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon mint extract and 3 drops green food color may be substituted for creme de menthe) in medium bowl; beat until smooth.

CHOCOLATE GLAZE: Melt 6 tablespoons butter or margarine and 1 cup HERSHEY'S SPECIAL DARK Chocolate Chips or HERSHEY'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips in small saucepan over very low heat. Remove from heat; stir until smooth. Cool slightly.

CHOCOLATE MINT TRIANGLES: Cut dessert into about twelve 3-inch squares; cut each square diagonally into halves. About 24 triangles.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE MINT DESSERT: HERSHEY'S Mint Chocolate Chips may be substituted for HERSHEY'S SPECIAL DARK Chocolate Chips or HERSHEY'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips in CHOCOLATE GLAZE. Omit creme de menthe in MINT CREAM CENTER.

Baked Pumpkin Donut Holes

When it comes to fall we are about all things pumpkin in our house. I am making everything from pumpkin soup to pumpkin pancakes to pumpkin donut holes. We simply can’t get enough. The other day I made these adorable baked donut holes. They are baked in a mini-muffin tin so you could really also consider them mini-muffins but they definitely have the texture of moist, delicious donuts. The nice thing is that they are really great to make with kids. My daughter and I had a blast baking up these up together. I also will be baking them with her class later this month. The kids will love making their own donuts and then one simple donut hole is the perfect snack for their little hands.
Baked Pumpkin Donut Holes

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/3 cup vegetable oil
½ cup light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ cup pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
½ cup 1% milk

For the coating:
½ stick of butter, melted
½ cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons ground cinnamon

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Spray each up in a 24-muffin tin and set aside.
2. In a small bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and pumpkin pie spice.
3. In a large bowl whisk together the oil, sugar, egg, vanilla, pumpkin and milk until smooth. Then add in the flour mixture and stir until just combined.
4. Divide batter evenly amongst muffin cups. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the tops spring back when touched and a toothpick comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool for a few minutes, then pop them out of the muffin tin.
5. Roll the muffins in the melted butter, then roll them in the cinnamon sugar. Serve!

Pumpkin Donuts

Pumpkin Donuts3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons butter
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup pumpkin puree
Canola oil for frying
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, spice and sugar. Whisk together all of the remaining ingredients (except for the canola oil) in a second, medium bowl. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, and stir them around the bowl until the mixture is well combined. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface, rolling the donut dough to approximately1/4-1/2″ thick. (I know this will seem quite thin, but the donuts puff up immensley while frying). Cut with a donut cutter.

Heat 2 inches of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, gently slide the donuts into the oil, frying on the first side until the edges of the donut are lightly browned, flip carefully and allow to cook on the other side until lightly browned. Remove and dunk immediately into buttermilk glaze. Allow to air dry on a cooling rack before serving.

Buttermilk Glaze3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Whisk together in a small bowl until smooth. Dip hot donuts in the glazed, then allow to air dry on a cooling rack

Dangerously Addictive Sour Cream Donuts

Dangerously Addictive Sour Cream Donuts
adapted from Lara Ferroni
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch of Kosher salt
1/3 cup superfine sugar
1/4 cup sour cream
1 large egg
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Vegetable oil for frying
Dulce de leche for glaze
1. In a large bowl sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon salt. Stir together and set aside.
2. In a separate bowl stir the sugar, sour cream, egg and butter until it is smooth. Then stir in the flour mixture until a dough forms. Cover the bowl and chill the dough for at least 20 minutes. Then, roll the dough out on to a lightly floured surface until it is 1/2 inch thick. Then cut it into 2 1/2 inch diameter circles with a biscuit cutter or donut cutter.
3. Fill a heavy bottomed skillet with vegetable oil and bring it to 350ºF. Drop in the dough and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the oil and drizzle it with dulce de leche. Serve.

Pumpkin Spice Cake Doughnuts

When the days begin to turn frosty and the leaves golden and crunchy, I crave pumpkiny baked things – muffins and cakes and loaves, typically, but I’m always lured by photos of pumpkin cake doughnuts, tossed while still warm in cinnamon sugar. Good news – they’re far easier to make than you might think.

These cake doughnuts aren’t yeasted, so if you suffer an aversion to yeast doughs, fear not. This is as simple a dough to mix together as they come. It’s then patted out, cut and fried. (If you don’t have a doughnut cutter – I bought mine at a garage sale for 25 cents – use a glass rim and then a shot glass to cut out the middle. Even your finger works.) A regular pot with a couple inches of canola oil – my choice because of its high smoke point, neutral flavour and heart-healthy fats – will cook them quickly.

The trick is to get the oil to the right temperature – I dip a scrap of bread into the oil and when bubbles sizzle up around it, it’s ready – if the oil is too hot and the doughnuts brown too quickly, they may not cook all the way through; if the oil is cool and the doughnuts take forever to cook, they’ll absorb too much oil and be heavy and greasy. The best way to figure it out is by doing it – after a few trial doughnuts, you’ll get the hang of it. And you’ll make plenty of people happy as you learn.

Pumpkin Spice Cake Doughnuts
adapted from Bon Appétit
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup canned pure pumpkin
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup buttermilk or sour milk
canola oil (for frying)
Directions:
In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until well blended; beat in the egg and vanilla, then pumpkin puree. In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger and salt and add half to the butter mixture, beating just until combined. Beat in the buttermilk, then the remaining flour mixture.
Cover and let the dough sit for an hour. When ready to make doughnuts, heat a couple inches of canola oil in a heavy pot until hot but not smoking (about 365˚F on a candy or deep fry thermometer); on a floured surface roll or pat the dough out 1/2-inch thick and cut with a doughnut cutter. Cook a couple at a time for a minute per side, until golden. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
If you like, toss warm doughnuts in cinnamon-sugar, or dip in a glaze made with 1 cup icing sugar and 2 Tbsp. cream or maple syrup.

Apple Cider Donut Holes

Hip hip hooray for apple season!



Apple Cider Donut Holes

adapted from Lara Ferroni

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup superfine sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large egg yolks

1/4 cup apple cider

1/4 cup buttermilk

Vegetable oil for frying

1. In a small bowl whisk the flours, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl and set aside.

2. Using an electric mixer cream the butter and sugar, then add the egg yolks and mix well until pale and fluffy. Then, add in the vanilla, cider and buttermilk. Slowly stir in the dry ingredients until a sticky dough forms. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes.

3. Pour 2-inches of oil in a heavy-bottomed pot and heat to 300F (use a candy thermometer to check the temperature). Pinch off 2 1/2-inch sized balls of the dough and drop in the hot oil, turning them once so each side cooks for about 1 minute. Use a ladle to spoon out the cooked donut holes and place on a plate lined witha paper towel. Let cool slightly then roll in cinnamon sugar, or desired glaze, before eating!

Apple Beignets

Apple Beignets

Apple beignets have been surfacing on the web a lot recently, and I had to try them myself. What could be more perfect to shape a doughnut than to start with a slice of apple with the core taken out?

These are really easy to make, actually. In fact, once you have all your ingredients gathered, you can have the oil heated, apples sliced, dipped, fried, and coated with sugar in under an hour.

They’re really delicious, and your kids will love them.



Apple Beignets

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
8 cups vegetable oil
4-8 apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
3 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups sparkling apple cider, like Martinelli’s

1. Fill a medium sized paper bag with granulated sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside. Fill a large, heavy bottomed pot with oil and set over medium-high heat. While oil comes to 350-375 degrees (180 degrees celsius), prepare the apple slices and batter.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Remove 3/4 cup of the mixture and place in a shallow dish such as a pie plate. Set aside. Make a well in the remaining flour mixture and pour eggs, butter, and cider into the well. Stir with a fork, slowly incorporating all the flour from the sides of the well.

3. Working with two slices of apple at a time, dredge them in the reserved flour mixture and tap off excess. Dip in batter and carefully lower into the hot oil. Use a slotted spoon, and cook the beignets for up to 2 minutes on each side. Remove from the oil when both sides are cooked and golden brown.

4. Place beignets on paper towels for a minute to cool slightly, then transfer, one at a time, and gently shake in the paper bag filled with sugar and spices. Serve with caramel sauce.

caramel sauce

recipe taken from Sophistimom

Please read all these directions a couple times before starting, and get all your ingredients set out before hand. Kick all other family members out of the kitchen, and best of luck. Caramel is very simple, but it requires good timing. Remember, I burned my first batch, so you might want extra cream on hand in case that happens. Experience is the best teacher for this. Give yourself plenty of time, and don’t be discouraged if it isn’t perfect at first. Once I got the hang of it, I made an extra batch which came out as well as the one before it.

3/4 cup heavy cream (make sure it is heavy cream, or heavy whipping cream, not regular whipping cream)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup (220g) granulated sugar
1/4 cup (65g) water
1 teaspoon butter

1. Measure out cream into a liquid measuring cup. Stir in vanilla and set aside within an easy reach of the stove.

2. Stir sugar and water in a medium pot with tall sides. Set over medium-high heat. As the sugar dissolves and begins to boil, you may swirl the pot to mix the boiling sugar water. DO NOT STIR WITH A SPOON. This will make the sugar crystalize.





3. As the sugar syrup boils, watch very carefully for the color to change. You are looking for a nice, warm amber color, about the shade of cinnamon sticks. Don’t let it get any darker. (Even if it doesn’t look burnt, it can taste burnt. If it starts to smoke, you’ve let it go too far.) On a side note, my candy thermometer did not reach far enough into the pot to get an accurate reading of the syrup, but with such a small amount of syrup, the temperature changes pretty quickly anyway. It’s best to watch it and wait for it to turn the right color.

4. As soon as it turns the proper amber color, pull the pot off the heat. Whisk in the butter, and then pour in the vanilla-cream mixture. It will now bubble violently. Whisk carefully but briskly. The caramel will start to solidify a bit., but keep whisking. Put the pot of caramel over low heat and whisk carefully for a minute or two until smooth. Pour into a heat proof jar, and allow to cool. Can be refrigerated for up to a week (Well, I think. Mine never lasts that long.)

Homemade Sno Balls

I found this mini-ball cake pan at a local baking supply store. They made the cutest chocolate cake mounds, and were the perfect size for sno balls. I made twelve mini-cakes, and had extra batter. I probably could've made another 4 more cakes, but opted to do something else with the batter.

I tried to dip the cakes in the marshmallow by inverting them, but they got stuck once I they were more than halfway submerged. I ended up coating the rest of the cakes using an off-set spatula and keeping the cakes upright. To cut down a bit on the crumbs, I recommend wearing gloves during the coating process. I came to this brilliant realization when there were only 2 cakes left. Oh well, better late than never.

Homemade Sno Ballscake recipe from David Lebovitz
marshmallow coating adapted from Coconut and Lime


Cake:
½ c plus 1 Tbs unsweetened cocoa powder
1 ½ c cake flour
½ tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp baking powder
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 ½ c sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
½ c brewed coffee
½ c milk

Marshmallow coating:
1 lb sweetened, shredded coconut
Pink gel food coloring (if desired)
1 ½ packets of unflavored powder gelatin (about 9 grams)
¼ c cold water
1 c sugar
⅓ c corn syrup
2 Tbs water
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp vanilla

Creme filling:
½ tsp warm water
Dash of salt
Half of a 7 oz. jar of marshmallow fluff
¼ c shortening
2 Tbs powdered sugar
¼ tsp vanilla extract


For the cake: Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter and flour the wells of 2 mini-rounded cake pans.

Sift the cocoa powder, cake flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder together. Set aside. In a medium bowl, beat the butter and sugar until smooth. Add eggs one at a time and beat until well combined.

In a separate bowl, combine the coffee and milk. Stir half the dry ingredients into the butter mixture. Stir in the coffee/milk mixture. Add the remaining dry ingredients and stir to blend. Pour batter into prepared cake pans until ⅔ full. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes clean, about 18 minutes. Let cakes cool completely before turning the pan over to remove them.


For the marshmallow coating: Pour coconut into a bowl. Mix with a teeny bit of food coloring. Mix well to evenly tint the coconut. Set aside.

Place the ¼ c of cold water in the bowl of a stand mixer. Sprinkle the gelatin over the water, and let set. In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup, and 2 Tbs water. Bring to a rolling boil. Fit the whisk attachment to the stand mixer, and turn to low to break up the gelatin. Pour the corn syrup mixture into the stand mixer with the gelatin and beat on high for 4 minutes. Stop the mixer and add the salt and vanilla. Continue beating on high for another 6-8 minutes. Remove bowl from mixer.

Using a spoon or an off-set spatula, dip the rounded side of the cakes into the marshmallow. Quickly roll the marshmallow-coated cake in the coconut, making sure to cover the entire marshmallow surface. Place uncoated side down on a sheet to set.


For the creme filling: Combine salt and water in a small bowl. With a mixer, combine fluff, shortening, sugar, and vanilla. Beat until fluffy. Add the salt mixture, and beat until combined.

Using a large plain decorator’s tip, pipe the filling into the center of each cake, from the bottom.