It's officially Fall and hallelujah for that. This year has felt anything but normal, so it's nice to feel a bit of normalcy now that Fall is here. Football is on TV, pumpkins are everywhere and cinnamon is in the air. It's just a bit of relief in this unpredictable time. To start off the Fall season, I thought I'd start by sharing a easy recipe for homemade cinnamon roll bites. Cinnamon roll bites is just essentially balled up brioche dough covered in butter, cinnamon and sugar. To make it easy, I use my go-to cinnamon roll recipe dough. It's full-proof and so easy to work with. This is a nice change from the traditional rolls and a great party dish as it's literally made for a crowd.
Cinnamon rolls are one of the most popular brunch items across this country and for good reason. When done right, they're light, fluffy, gooey and perfectly full of cinnamon flavor. A couple of months ago, I finally shared my version of a traditional overnight yeasted cinnamon roll, which you can find here.
A great yeasted cinnamon roll is and should be the standard. But, let's face it. Sometimes we're just not in the mood to go through the yeast process. It takes a lot of time and a lot of patience. Sometimes we just want to get our fix without the hassle. And sometimes, like more recently, we're just out of the ingredients required to make traditional cinnamon rolls. That's where this amazing cake comes in. It's a light, fluffy and moist cake. That's first and foremost. We utilize the reverse-creaming method, which yields a wonderfully light and tender cake. Along with it being amazingly moist and fluffy, it's absolutely delicious. It's full of cinnamon flavor, the sides get gooey and it's topped with homemade cream cheese frosting. It actually tastes like a cinnamon roll! It's pretty trippy actually. For way less work, we're able to get full-on cinnamon roll flavor. This recipe is definitely a keeper.
Thanksgiving is inching closer and closer as each day passes and I can not wait! It's by far my favorite holiday. For me it's all about family, food and football. The ultimate All-American holiday. Of course, the All-American holiday can't be complete without some pie for dessert. But, what is THE pie for Thanksgiving? There is always an intense debate about which of the holy trinity of pies is THE pie for Thanksgiving. Obviously, the holy trinity of pies include pumpkin, pecan and apple.
Well, I'm not really a pecan fan. I do love pumpkin, but there's still one that has my heart even over pumpkin. Yes it's true. I only have eyes for one pie in my life and that's easily apple. I mean you have apples, cinnamon and brown sugar blanketed in a flaky pie crust. You really can't go wrong with that. If you've never tried a homemade apple pie, now is your chance to check that off your bucket list. We're going to turn you into an apple pie making machine. I know some of you are fearing this, but it's going to be okay...I promise. Some of you are intimidated by the mere thought of making pie at home. I'll tell you the honest truth. It's SO much easier than you think. I guarantee it.
Pound cake gets a bad wrap. There are some crazies out there that think it's bland, dense and not worth the effort. Well crazies, you're dead wrong. Pound cake is SO worth the effort...when done right. What do I mean by "done right?" Well, it's pretty simple. We need a tons of fat in the form of butter, sour cream and cream cheese. Why? Because fat is flavor! This fat also provides moisture to our cake. We need great flavor and I can promise you that is what you get here. There's tanginess from the buttermilk, lemon, cream cheese and sour cream. There's great warm flavors from the molasses, cinnamon and brown sugar. Lastly, we need great texture. For a pound cake, it should be a bit dense, yet still have some lightness and moisture to the cake. We also get wonderful texture from our streusel topping. Trust me pound cake haters, this pound cake is one you'll want to try.
It's my favorite time of the year. Those who know me, know that Fall is my season bar none. Though Fall officially started a couple of weeks ago, I noticed that I've yet to post any Fall-related recipes. Well, that changes today. I'm sharing my version of a beloved fall staple. Cinnamon rolls! Now, there are tons of recipes out there for cinnamon rolls. But, I'm a bit of a perfectionist. If I'm going to make a cinnamon roll, it's going to have to hit all the marks. So, what makes a great cinnamon roll? In my opinion, it should be soft, tall, fluffy, golden, full of flavor, and topped with a delicious glaze. I didn't want to share a cinnamon roll recipe until I feel like I nailed all those points. After much research and testing, I believe I've arrived at the pinnacle of cinnamon roll goodness. I'm happy to share it with you!
Last week, I promised you another easy recipe using leftover and/or stale bread. Well, here it is!
Bread pudding is a staple comfort dish. It's incredibly easy to make. It's versatile. You can easily transform the basic recipe into chocolate bread puddings or berry bread puddings and much more. They look beautiful and you have so many choices of toppings. If you serve these at your next brunch, your guests will be so impressed. I guarantee it. This is one of my absolute favorite ways to use leftover and stale bread.
For the bread, the key is using stale bread. As long as it's slightly stale, you'll be able to use it. If your bread isn't stale yet, you can freeze it for a few days or bake it at 100°F for a few minutes. Both are great ways to slightly dry out the bread. I love using brioche buns that are typically leftover after using them for burgers. I'd definitely suggest using leftover brioche or croissants. They are great in bread puddings, because they're already sweet and buttery. However, you can use any type of stale bread. I cut two sets of buns into medium sized cubes and set them in a bowl to the side. It comes out to a bit more than a cup and a half. The more the better. You can always freeze any leftovers for next time.
In a separate bowl, pour in the milk, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and whisk until well combined.
Butter the inside of the ramekins really well. Make sure to get the corners.
Place a large handful of the bread cubes into the ramekin. It should flow over the top of the ramekin. Once you feel satisfied with the amount, you can pour half the custard over the bread. Be careful...it's a messy job! As you pour, make sure to get all the cubes some moisture. Also, as you pour, the cubes will sink, which will allow you to add the extra cubes on hand. Repeat with the second ramekin.
Place the ramekins on a sheet tray to prevent a mess with possible dripping. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350°F for 35-40 minutes. If you poke the custard with a pairing knife or bamboo skewer and it comes out with only a few moist crumbs, you know the custard is cooked perfectly. Not overcooked and dry, but not undercooked.
Let the bread puddings cool for about ten minutes. Serve warm with the topping of your choice! You can serve with ice cream, whipped cream made with Cream chargers at discount prices, cinnamon, powdered sugar or maple syrup. I do a combination of things, because...why not? In just under an hour, you have a delectable brunch dish that was beyond easy to make. Stale bread never tasted so good. Except when they're croutons.
See how I do it:
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups stale bread, preferably brioche, but any stale bread will do
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
- small pinch of salt
- unsalted butter for buttering the ramekins
Instructions
Dice the bread into medium cubes, set aside in a bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the milk, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Whisk until well combined. The custard is now done. Pour this mixture into a measuring cup. Place a handful of bread cubes into a well buttered ramekin. It should come up over the top of the ramekin. Pour half the custard mixture over the bread cubes. You should make sure each cube has a bit of moisture. It will sink slightly and as it does, you can add a few more bread cubes to the top. Pour more custard over those few. Do the same to the second ramekin. Place both ramekins on top of a sheet tray in a preheated 350°F oven, cover with aluminium foil and bake for 35-40 minutes. Another way to test doneness is to poke the custard with a bamboo skewer or pairing knife, if it comes out with a few moist crumbs, it's baked perfectly. Remove from the oven, place on a wire rack. Let them cool for about ten minutes. Serve warm with the topping you'd like. (maple syrup, ice cream, whipped cream, powdered sugar, cinnamon, etc. all good options)
Notes
Brioche and croissants are great options for bread pudding, but you can use any type of bread, if it's stale. You can dry out bread in a low heat oven for a few minutes or in a freezer for a couple of days. Serve warm. You can freeze the baked mini bread puddings for about a month, wrapped well. Reheat in the oven.
Pumpkin is quite controversial. You either love it or hate it. There is no in-between. Well, if you hate pumpkin, then you'll want to hide under a rock for the next few months. Why? Because, it's pumpkin season, that's why! Luckily for me, I love pumpkin. Funny thing is, I used to hate it. True story. It wasn't until I tried a pumpkin pie while in culinary school that I fell in love with it. I've been a convert ever since. If you're a pumpkin lover AND a cheesecake lover like me, then you'll definitely want to try this delicious pumpkin swirl cheesecake. It not only looks beautiful, but the taste is OH MY GOD, out of this world. It's like taking a big bite of Fall. What more can you ask for?
Combine all the crust ingredients together and mix until the crumbs resemble wet sand and it clumps together in your hands when pressed together. Set aside.
Okay, I know you're going to hate me for this, but you'll have to trust me when I say this. Ditch the springform pan. It's really not necessary. I've worked in professional kitchens as a pastry chef in hotels, bakeries and restaurants. Nowhere in any of those kitchens, did I see someone use a springform pan to bake their cheesecakes in. They all had something in common. There was no fancy pan. They all used the trusty old cake pan. That's right...if you have a cake pan, you can make a cheesecake. In my case, I'm using an 8" pan, because I'm feeding myself. You also have the option to use a 10" cake pan which will give you a little bit more room for the batter. Anyway, trust me if you prep a cake pan the right way, you'll get great results. Prepare the cake pan by brushing on the pan grease in a light coating on the bottom and sides. Cover the bottom with a parchment circle and brush the pan grease on top of the parchment circle. Set to the side.
Pour the crust mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Begin to flatten the crust with your hands and then use the bottom of a measuring cup to evenly flatten the crust. Make sure you get the edges. Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes. Set aside and let it cool at room temp.
Begin to smooth the softened cream cheese in the bowl of your stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Mix on low speed for a couple of minutes until smooth.
Stop the mixer and scrape. It's important to scrape the bowl and paddle thoroughly throughout this process. We want ensure we get no lumps in the batter. It's also important you don't turn the mixer on above medium low through the process. Also, be aware not to over-mix. The last thing we want to do is incorporate air. Add in the sugar in a steady stream. Mix for a couple minutes on medium low speed. Stop mixer. Scrape really well.
Add in the salt and lemon zest and mix until incorporated. Scrape. Add in the sour cream and mix well for about a minute or so. Stop mixer and scrape well. Add in the lemon juice, mix well for about a minute. Stop the mixer. Scrape well.
Combine the eggs and vanilla. Add the eggs/vanilla mixture into the batter in four stages. Allow the eggs to thoroughly incorporate before adding in the next addition. Stop the mixer. Scrape paddle and bowl really well.
Begin mixing on low speed and add in the heavy cream in a steady stream. Mix to incorporate for about minute or so. Stop mixer and scrape paddle and bowl well.
Pour out 1 ½ cups of batter into a bowl and set aside. Add the pumpkin puree, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice into the remaining batter in stand mixer all in at once. Mix on low speed for about a minute or so. Stop the mixer and scrape bowl and paddle well.
Pour the pumpkin cheesecake batter into the prepared crust. Tap and shake the pan to allow the excess air bubbles to come up.
Use a small measuring cup, I use a ¼ cup measure cup, to pour small amounts of regular cheesecake batter in random patterns over the pumpkin cheesecake batter. Use an offset spatula or knife to swirl. I do an up-down, across and up-down pattern. It creates a wonderful marble look. Tap and shake to remove excess air. Prepare a water bath. The easiest way is to place a large pan with water into the oven. Alternatively, you can place a pan in the oven and pour boiling water into it. The water should come up a ¼ of the way up the sides of the cake pan.
Bake at 350°F for a half-hour, turn the oven down to 325°F and bake for another 30 minutes. Turn the oven off and allow the cheesecake to cook for another 5-10 minutes. It's important to not overcook it. The outer 2"edges should be firmly set. The middle should be jiggly still, but if you touch it with your finger, it shouldn't be a liquid. Your cheesecake may take more or less than an hour to bake. All ovens run at different temperatures. That's why the jiggle test is so important. That's the key to determining doneness.
After it comes out of the oven, let it cool to room temperature. Wrap well with saran wrap and aluminium and place pan in fridge to cool overnight. Make sure saran doesn't touch the surface of the cheesecake.
The next day, to unmold the cheesecake from the pan, dip the bottom of the pan in boiling hot water and leave there for a minute or so. You can also run the bottom over a flame on the stove. My favorite method is using a blowtorch. It's a great investment. Trust me. If you're using a blowtorch, run it all over the sides while turning the pan. Flip the pan over and run it over the bottom of the pan (which should now be the top), constantly moving the flame. Flip it back over and use a cake board covered with parchment and place over the top of the cheesecake. Flip the pan over, the cheesecake should pop right out.
Use another cake board and place on the top (bottom) of the cheesecake. Use it to flip the cheesecake over.
From here, you're done! It's beautiful as is. I like to go the extra mile though and decorate it. I just pipped whipped cream rosettes, sprinkled leftover crust crumbs and white chocolate shavings over the top of the whipped cream. The fun thing is you can decorate as you wish. Get creative!
See how I do it:
Ingredients
- Crust:
- 10 oz Gingersnap Cookies
- 1 oz Granulated Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
- ¼ teaspoon Cinnamon
- 3 oz melted unsalted butter
- Cheesecake Batter:
- 1.5 lbs (Three 8 oz packages), Softened Cream Cheese
- 6 oz Granulated Sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ tablespoon lemon zest
- ½ cup sour cream, room temp
- 5 whole eggs, room temp
- ½ tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup heavy cream, room temp
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup canned pumpkin (puree)
Instructions
Crust
In one bowl, combine all your ingredients for the crust and combine until it resembles wets sand and clumps together when pressed between hands. Set aside.
Prep the 8" or 10" cake pan by brushing some of the pan grease all over the bottom and sides of the inside of the pan. Place a parchment paper on the bottom of the pan and brush the top of the parchment paper with the grease.
Dump the crust ingredients into the pan. Pat the crumbs until they reach the sides and are even across the bottom. Use your hands at first to pat the crumbs down, then use the bottom of a measuring cup to pat the crumbs down evenly across the bottom. Make sure the edges are even as well. Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes. Let it cool after baking. Set aside.
Cheesecake
Start by having all your ingredients at room temperature and pre-heat your oven to 350°F.
Mix the cream cheese on low for about a couple of minutes, stopping halfway through to scrape bowl and paddle thoroughly. It should be smooth.
Gradually add in the granulated sugar and mix until sugar is blended in, about 2 minutes after adding all the sugar in. Scrape.
Add in the lemon zest and salt and mix until combined on medium low speed for about a minute. Scrape.
Add in the sour cream and mix until incorporated. Scrape.
Combine the eggs and vanilla in a bowl. Add the eggs/vanilla mixture into the batter in four additions. Let it mix properly before adding the next batch. Scrape well in-between each addition.
Slowly pour in the heavy cream and mix until combined. Scrape.
Add the lemon juice and mix until combined. Scrape.
Set aside 1 ½ cups of the cheesecake batter. Leave the rest in the stand mixer.
Add in the canned pumpkin, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice all at once and mix until combined for a minute or so on medium low speed.
Pour the batter on top of the crust into the prepared crust. Tap and shake pan to release the air bubbles.
Start adding in the regular batter on top of the pumpkin batter using a ¼ cup. Pour in various spots on top.
Use a knife or offset spatula and swirl. Use an up-down movement, across and then up-down again. You should get a beautiful marble look.
Tap and shake to release air bubbles.
Prepare a water bath. Fill a large pan, that you can fit the cake pan in with 5 or more cups of hot water. The water should come up at least ¼ of the way up the sides of the cake pan.
Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes. Turn the oven down to 325°F for 30 minutes. Turn the oven off and keep the cheesecake in there for about 10 minutes. The key is don't over-bake. Check at the 40 minute mark. The outer edge, 2" out should be firm and set, the center should be jiggly like jello, but if you touch it, not be liquid.
Remove from oven and let it cool to room temp.
Wrap well in saran wrap, making sure the wrap doesn't touch the surface of the cheesecake. Cover the pan in aluminum foil as well.
Refrigerate overnight.
To unmold, run a hot knife around the sides of the cheesecake in one swift motion. Unmold with hot water, stove top or a blowtorch. See the video to see how it's done. Decorate as you please. Use a hot knife and wipe between each cut for a clean slice of cheesecake.
Notes
Use canned pumpkin (puree). NOT pumpkin pie mix. For unmolding, you'll need parchment paper and two cake boards. Hot water, a flame or a blowtorch are options to use for unmolding. You'll need a scale for this recipe. I also recommend a blowtorch for unmolding. Invest in these valuable tools. It's important to keep a cheesecake refrigerated at all times. The waterbath is important to achieve a perfectly baked cheesecake. Don't skip it!
We all love cinnamon, right? If you don't, then I truly pity you. I mean, cinnamon is great on pretty much anything sweet. But, if you've yet to try a cinnamon sugar donut, you have not yet lived. More specifically, if you haven't had a cinnamon sugar brioche donut, then you really need to get going on fixing that. These donuts are out of this world. Out of this universe when eaten fresh out of the fryer. The dough is flavorful. The coating is wonderful. These are just great all the way around. These donuts are a bit denser than traditional donuts since they are brioche donuts. But the texture is still wonderful. The outside is crisp, the inside is fluffy. Being that no one really eats sweets in my house, I had to eat these donuts all myself. Let me tell you, I have absolutely no regrets. Donuts ARE my kryptonite, after all.
Make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature. Sift the flour into a bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer. Add in the yeast and mix for about 15 seconds. I just used my hands to give them a quick mix to combine.
Next, add in the salt, sugar, vanilla, eggs, warm whole milk, nutmeg, cinnamon and dry milk powder.
Mix on low for five minutes.
Add in the butter piece by piece while mixing on low. Mix on low for five minutes after adding butter or until dough ball forms onto hook and butter is absorbed.
Dump the dough onto a lightly floured surface and fold either side to the middle, like a letter. Then, turn and do it from top to bottom. Place the dough into a bowl and cover in plastic wrap. Leave out at room temperature for an hour.
Dump the dough onto a lightly floured surface and fold either side to the middle, like a letter. Then, turn and do it from top to bottom. Place back in the bowl and place in the fridge, covered, overnight.
The next day, dump out the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Roll out until about ½" thickness.
Cut out with a floured 3" cutter and a pastry tube. I try not to twist as I cut. Biscuits have me paranoid. Use a spatula to move the dough onto a parchment lined, greased and floured baking sheet. Once all the donuts and donut holes are cut and placed onto the baking sheet, place the baking sheet into the oven or next to any warm area. Our oven is off, we're just placing them in there to proof for an hour.
At about the 30-minute mark, combine the sugar and cinnamon in a shallow dish and set to the side. Also, prep your baking sheet covered with paper towels for draining. Prep your pot with oil. Preheat the oil to 375°F. Your donuts should be noticeably bigger after the hour proofing.
Move one donut into the oil with a spatula. Cook for a few minutes or until it's golden brown. Then, use a chopstick or skewer to flip the donut. Cook for a few more minutes or until golden brown. It's always best to test timing with the first donut. It will truly differ because your oil has to be exactly 375°F (use a thermometer) and the dough should be no thicker than a ½" or it will take longer to fry. Anyway, test with the first donut.
Right out of the fryer, quickly drain onto the paper towels for a few seconds, then move to the cinnamon sugar mixture. Toss the donut into the cinnamon sugar mixture and move it back to the paper towel covered baking sheet.
Enjoy immediately fresh and warm. The exterior should be crisp and the inside fluffy with a slightly dense texture. This is brioche after all.
See how I do it:
Ingredients
- 518 grams Pastry Flour (3 ½ cups plus 3 tablespoons)
- 10 grams Instant yeast (dry active yeast) (1 tablespoon)
- 74 grams Granulated sugar (¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons)
- 9 grams Salt (1 tablespoon)
- 1.5 grams Nutmeg (¼ teaspoon nutmeg)
- 5.6 grams Cinnamon (1 teaspoon)
- 212 grams Warm whole milk (¾ cup plus 1 ½ tablespoons; at about 75°F)
- 111 grams Eggs (¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons; about 2 large eggs)
- 9 grams Vanilla extract, vanilla bean paste (1 ½ teaspoons)
- 10 grams Nonfat dry milk powder (1 tablespoon)
- 55 grams Unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into cubes (2 ounces)
- Canola oil or peanut oil, for frying (enough to fill your Dutch oven or pot 3 inches deep)
- 300 grams granulated sugar or vanilla sugar (1 ½ cups; sugar massaged with leftover vanilla bean pod)
- 10 grams cinnamon (1 tablespoon)
Instructions
Prepare the Dough
- Spray a medium bowl with non-stick spray and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, mix together the flour and yeast for 10 seconds on low. Add the sugar, salt, warmed whole milk, eggs, dry milk powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, and vanilla and mix on low speed until incorporated about 5 minutes.
- With the mixer running on low, gradually add the butter, a cube at a time, incorporating each cube completely before adding the next. Continue until you’ve added all the butter, scraping down the bowl periodically. Mix for 5 more minutes.
- Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured surface and pat into a rectangular shape, using only enough flour so it doesn’t stick to the surface. Stretch and fold the left side of the dough to over ⅔ of the dough, and then stretch the right side and folder over the left (Like you would fold a letter). Repeat again, this time folding the top down and then the bottom up. Place in prepared bowl seam-side down. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean dishtowel and let sit at room temperature for an hour.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently pat the dough down pressing large air bubbles to the edge to release. Repeat the stretching and folding process and then return the dough to the bowl, seam-side down, cover, and refrigerate overnight.
Roll and Shape
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, spray with non-stick spray, lightly flour and set nearby. Turn the chilled dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll it out to about 11-inches wide and about 1-inch thick. Working quickly using your doughnut cutter or round cookies cutters, cut rounds from the dough. Dust off excess flour and place onto prepared pan. Place the baking sheet full of donuts and donut holes in an oven that is turned OFF. Allow to proof for about an hour to an hour and a half. If you press into the dough and the imprint is still there, it's ready.
Fry Doughnuts!
- Fill a Dutch oven or heavy stockpot with 3 inches of peanut or canola oil. Fit with your candy thermometer and heat oil to 375°F/177°C. Prepare a baking sheet covered with paper towels for draining. Gently lower 2 to 4 doughnuts (depending on how large your pot is—the doughnuts should be able to float freely) into the oil and fry for 30 seconds, without moving them. Flip doughnuts over with a skewer or chopsticks and fry for 45 seconds. Flip back over once more and fry another 45 seconds, or until they are golden brown. Adjust the heat as needed throughout frying to maintain the temperature. Transfer the doughnuts to the prepared baking sheet with paper towels to drain. Instantly move the donut to the cinnamon sugar and toss together. Continue this process.
- The doughnuts are best enjoyed the day they are fried. Especially, fresh out of the fryer and into the sugar. While warm, they are heavenly. They do last another day or two in a covered container but their texture will be much denser and some of the coating will be absorbed.
Notes
I strongly urge you to use pastry flour. I use nothing but pastry flour for pastries like donuts. Makes a huge difference in texture. Also, I strongly urge for ease and accuracy, use a digital scale and scale out the ingredients. In the video, I only fry one at a time, because the pot is small. You can use a bigger pot and fry more at a time. Eat fresh/warm, use the right ingredients, don't overwork the dough and you'll have some great textured, delicious donuts.
I am alive! No, I don't mean I'm just alive because this is the first post in like a month. I mean I'm alive because it's finally Fall. This is the season I live for. The crisp cool air, the leaves on the ground, college football on my screen, and of course, the flavors of Fall. Cinnamon, apple, pumpkin...you really can't go wrong. For the first recipe of the Fall, I thought I'd share a staple. For me, this is my go-to for an easy, yet elegant dessert. The combination of ease and flavor definitely makes this recipe a winner. The flaky tart with the perfectly cooked warm apples covered in cinnamon, brown sugar and nutmeg. I'm drooling just thinking about it. Don't be intimidated just because it has name French in the title. Trust me, it's very easy to make.
To start, this will not make a full sheet tray worth of tart. If you want that, double the tart dough and apple topping recipe. First, you want to line a sheet tray with parchment paper. Grease with cooking spray.
Make the tart dough out of the pate brisee recipe.
Double the recipe if you want a full shet tray of tart dough. Let the dough rest in the fridge for at least two hours.
Once out of the fridge roll out the dough onto the sheet tray. Lightly flour the rolling pin and the top of the dough. Use your fingers and the rolling pin to roll out into a square. Wrap the sheet tray and let it rest for 30 minutes in the fridge.
While the dough is resting in the fridge, combine the ingredients for the topping and set aside.
At this point, you can start thinly slicing the apples into fans. I used a mix of Gala and Granny Smith apples. You can use any good baking apple. After you finish each apple, you can put the slices in either a lemon water solution or apple juice. Set aside.
Preheat the oven. Take the dough out of the fridge and dock (poke holes) with a fork all over the top of the dough.
Shingle the apples over the top. Work pretty quickly so the apples don't brown. Try to get similar sizes across the top. Sprinkle the topping evenly on top of the apple slices. Dot with butter pieces.
Bake at 400°F for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the dough and apples are browned. Rotate halfway through while baking. The outer edge may burn, that's normal. While the tart is baking, prepare the apricot topping. Warm the apricot preserve in the microwave for about 45 seconds, mix in the cinnamon and water. Out of the oven, this is what the tart looks like.
You can cut off any edges that burned. Immediately brush on the warmed apricot preserves on top of the apples. Serve warm with powdered sugar, whipped cream or ice cream.
See how I do it:
Ingredients
- 1x recipe (pie/pate brisee dough) for tart dough
- 7-8 medium to large-sized baking apples (I used Gala and Granny Smith, but any good baking apple will do)
- Topping:
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- pinch of salt
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, cut into little pieces
- Apricot Topping:
- ¼ cup apricot preserves
- 1 tablespoon water
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 cups of apple juice or 3 cups of water with 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Instructions
Prep your baking tray with parchment paper and grease it with cooking spray. Set it aside.
Cut the butter into pieces and set aside.
Make the pie dough (pate brisee) and let it rest in the fridge for two hours.
After two hours, begin to roll out the dough into the sheet tray. Use a small rolling pin and your hands to roll out as thinly and evenly as possible. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
While the dough is in the fridge, combine the topping ingredients and mix until combined. Be sure to break up the lumps. Set aside.
Prep the apples by peeling the apple, cut around the core, cutting into thin slices so you get a "fan" or "shingle" shape. After you cut an apple, place the pieces into the bowl of water/lemon solution or apple juice. Continue to cut the apples and set aside.
Take the dough out of the fridge. Begin to dock the dough with a fork by poking holes all over the top of the dough.
Drain the apples from the juice or water and pat dry with a paper towel.
Shingle the apples tightly across the top of the dough. The ends will be very small, you don't have to use them. Also depending on the variety, the shape will be different for the apples. That's not a problem.
Sprinkle the sugar topping over the top of the apples evenly.
Dot the top with the butter pieces.
Bake at 400°F for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the apples and dough are golden brown. Rotate the pan halfway through baking.The edge may burn, but that's not a big deal. You can also double the dough, topping and apple recipe to make a full sheet tray worth of apple tart. That may prevent the edge from burning. Either way, you can cut off any burnt edges.
When the tart is almost done, prepare the apricot topping by warming up the apricot for about 45 seconds in the microwave and mix in the cinnamon and water.
Take the tart out of the oven and immediately brush on the warm apricot topping over the top.
Serve warm plain, with powdered sugar, ice cream or whipped cream!
Notes
You can use any good baking apples
If you don't have apricot, you can use any preserves as long as it's not very overpowering.
Double the dough, topping and apple recipe for a full sheet of apple tart.
Serve warm!
Rotate the pan half way through while baking.
If it puffs up too much in one spot, use a paring knife to let the steam out.
Ingredients
- 1x recipe (pie/pate brisee dough) for tart dough
- 7-8 medium to large-sized baking apples (I used Gala and Granny Smith, but any good baking apple will do)
- Topping:
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- pinch of salt
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, cut into little pieces
- Apricot Topping:
- ¼ cup apricot preserves
- 1 tablespoon water
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 cups of apple juice or 3 cups of water with 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Instructions
Prep your baking tray with parchment paper and grease it with cooking spray. Set it aside.
Cut the butter into pieces and set aside.
Make the pie dough (pate brisee) and let it rest in the fridge for two hours.
After two hours, begin to roll out the dough into the sheet tray. Use a small rolling pin and your hands to roll out as thinly and evenly as possible. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
While the dough is in the fridge, combine the topping ingredients and mix until combined. Be sure to break up the lumps. Set aside.
Prep the apples by peeling the apple, cut around the core, cutting into thin slices so you get a "fan" or "shingle" shape. After you cut an apple, place the pieces into the bowl of water/lemon solution or apple juice. Continue to cut the apples and set aside.
Take the dough out of the fridge. Begin to dock the dough with a fork by poking holes all over the top of the dough.
Drain the apples from the juice or water and pat dry with a paper towel.
Shingle the apples tightly across the top of the dough. The ends will be very small, you don't have to use them. Also depending on the variety, the shape will be different for the apples. That's not a problem.
Sprinkle the sugar topping over the top of the apples evenly.
Dot the top with the butter pieces.
Bake at 400°F for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the apples and dough are golden brown. Rotate the pan halfway through baking.The edge may burn, but that's not a big deal. You can also double the dough, topping and apple recipe to make a full sheet tray worth of apple tart. That may prevent the edge from burning. Either way, you can cut off any burnt edges.
When the tart is almost done, prepare the apricot topping by warming up the apricot for about 45 seconds in the microwave and mix in the cinnamon and water.
Take the tart out of the oven and immediately brush on the warm apricot topping over the top.
Serve warm plain, with powdered sugar, ice cream or whipped cream!
Notes
You can use any good baking apples If you don't have apricot, you can use any preserves as long as it's not very overpowering. Double the dough, topping and apple recipe for a full sheet of apple tart. Serve warm! Rotate the pan half way through while baking. If it puffs up too much in one spot, use a paring knife to let the steam out.
We all know the illustrious pineapple upside-down cake. Many love it, but personally, I'm not a pineapple fan. What I am a huge fan of though, is apples. You should know this by now. Apples are definitely on my list of favorite fruits. So, when I want an upside-down, I make this apple upside-down cake. In my opinion, all upside-down cakes should be made with apples. It is truly superior to the pineapple. In my opinion, at least.
Preheat your oven and grease your pan. Cut the apples in half. Then, cut 2 apples into ¼" slices and cut the other two apples into ½" slices. Make sure you place the apple slices to the side in a bowl with a little bit of apple juice. About a tablespoon. Mix. This will prevent the apples from turning brown.
Melt the butter in a 12" skillet with the ½" apple slices over medium-high heat.
Cook the apples for about 4-6 minutes. Add the ¼" apple slices, brown sugar and lemon juice and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the apples are coated and the sugar dissolves. Only about a minute with this step.
Take this off the heat and transfer the apple mixture to the prepared pan. Lightly press into an even layer and set aside.
Combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside
Whisk together the sugars and eggs until thick and slightly paler in color. Should take about a minute.
Slowly whisk in the butter until combined. Add in the sour cream and vanilla and whisk to combine.
Slowly fold in the dried ingredients until just combined. Don't overmix.
Pour this mixture over the apple mixture in the pan. Spread until even over the top. Lightly tap the pan on the counter top.
Bake for around 30-40 minutes or until golden brown top and a toothpick comes out with some moist crumbs. Make sure you rotate the pan halfway through baking.
Cool on a wire rack for about 20 minutes. Run a small knife around the outside and place a rack on top to help flip the cake over.
Lift the cake pan off. Make sure you do this over a baking sheet to catch any drippings. Cool for about 20 minutes before slicing and serving.
Enjoy with a side of ice cream or whipped cream! Enjoy slightly warm.
See how I do it:
Ingredients
- Topping:
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 4 Granny Smith, Gala or Fuji apples, peeled & cored
- ⅔ cup light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- Cake:
- 1 cup cake flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temp
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Butter a 8" or 9" cake pan completely and flour it. Shaking out the excess flour. Preheat your oven to 350°F.
Cut two apples in half and then in ½" apple slices. Cut the other two in half and into ¼" slices.
Get started on the topping. Add the butter and ½" slices into a 12" skillet. Cook for about 4-6 minutes over medium-high heat. Add the ¼" apple slices, along with the brown sugar and lemon juice, stirring constantly. Only cook for about a minute more until the sugar dissolves and the apples are coated.
Take the pan off the heat and transfer the mixture into the prepared cake pan. Spread the apple mixture evenly. Press down slightly. Set aside.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Set aside.
Whisk together the eggs and sugars until thicker and slightly paler, about a minute.
Slowly pour in melted butter that's been cooled slightly. Whisk until combined. Add in the sour cream and vanilla and mix until fully combined.
Gently fold in the dry ingredients until just combined. Don't overmix.
Pour this batter on top of the apples in the pan and spread evenly until the apples don't show anymore.
Lightly tap the pan on top of a countertop. Bake for about 30-40 minutes at 350°F or until golden brown and a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs.
Let the pan cool on a wire rack for about 20 minutes.
Run a knife around the sides and use a wire rack to help flip the pan over. Make sure you do this over a baking sheet to catch any drippings.
Once flipped over, lift the pan off slowly. Let it cool for another 20 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
Make sure your sour cream, eggs and butter are room temperature. Don't overmix or overbake. It will result in a dry cake. Don't actually cook the apples fully in the first few steps, you just want to heat them slightly for a few minutes. We'll cook them fully in the oven. Use a wire rack to help invert the cake pan. You can use any good baking apple. I personally love using Granny Smith, but used Gala for this post. All baking apples will work.
Cinnamon rolls are without a doubt firmly placed in my top three favorite food groups. They have so much to offer. How can anyone deny the greatness of a warm, fluffy roll filled with cinnamon sugar and topped with a rich cream cheese frosting? Give me a cinnamon roll, a good show and I'm a happy girl. I'd also have absolutely no reason to be productive at that point, but still, happy nonetheless.
Even though I love treating myself every now and then by making cinnamon rolls, I have to admit it can be a hassle. Making yeast raised rolls is no easy task and doing it everyday is out of the question. I really have to be in the mood to make rolls. I have to be feeling good and adventurous and it has to be early enough in the day to start. So all self-imposed conditions must be met and even then, I'll probably be more inclined to chill on the couch for the day.
So, how do I resolve my need for cinnamon rolls and my rampant laziness?
In comes, cinnamon roll blondies. This dessert is so easy to make. Way easier than yeast risen rolls. They taste great. They're full of cinnamon flavor and the texture is a cross between a fudgy brownie and a cookie. Trust me on this one, you'll get your cinnamon roll fix with way less work. Give it a try.
First, you want to melt down your butter in a saucepan over medium low heat.
Then, you'll want to whisk in the brown sugar and whisk until combined.
Next, whisk in your eggs, one at a time. Wait until the first one is absorbed before adding the next one. Add in the vanilla extract and the cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Whisk until combined.
Next, fold in the flour with a rubber spatula. Don't over mix, but ensure no flour pockets are there.
Pour out the cinnamon mixture into a pregreased 9x13" pan.
Bake at 350°F for about 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs.
Let it cool for about 20 minutes until warm or room temp. In the meantime, prepare the icing. Combine the butter and cream cheese in a bowl and mix until uniform in color.
Add in the vanilla and mix. Add in the confectioners' sugar in two additions and mix until thoroughly combined. Scrape. Thin it down with some heavy cream if necessary.
Pour the icing on top of the baked cinnamon mixture and spread into an even layer.
Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour or up to overnight.
Let it come to room temperature before attempting to cut into squares. You need the butter in the mixture to heat back up so it won't stick to the pan. So let it sit for about an hour at room temp. You can also speed up the process and use a blow torch to help.
Enjoy what you'd like and keep the rest, covered in the fridge!
See how I do it:
Ingredients
- Blondies:
- 16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter
- 2 cups brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
- Frosting:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temp
- 4 ounces cream cheese, room temp
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 ½ cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
- 2 to 3 tablespoon heavy cream or milk
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Spray a 9x13" baking pan with cooking spray.
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium low heat. Whisk in the brown sugar until combined.
Whisk in the eggs, one at a time, allowing each egg to absorb before adding the next one.
Whisk in the vanilla, cinnamon, baking soda and salt.
Fold in the flour until no big flour pockets remain. Don't over mix.
Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for about 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs.
Allow to cool for about 20-30 minutes or until it's warm.
Prepare the icing by combining the butter and cream cheese and beating until thoroughly combined. Add in the vanilla and mix. Scrape. Add in the confectioners' sugar in two additions and beat until combined. Add some milk or heavy cream if needed to thin it down to spreadable consistency.
Once the icing is finished, spread the icing evenly over the cinnamon mixture.
Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour or up to overnight.
Make sure you let it come back to room temperature before cutting it, so it'll be easier, especially if you refrigerated overnight.
I hate hyperbole. You'll never see me claim that any of my recipes are the best of anything. Why? Well, I'm a firm believer that there are so many great recipes out there and so many improvements and variations that can be made. Because of that, it's really hard to claim anything is the best anything. Bloggers and YouTubers only claim the best this and the best that for clicks. That's the secret everyone is in on. So, instead, I'll say that this is my favorite pumpkin roll recipe. It's the Libby's pumpkin roll recipe. The one you see everywhere. There is a very good reason why this recipe is so popular. It produces an uber moist fluffy roll cake. It's easy to execute and the taste is so great. It's really a no-fail recipe. So, while I would claim this is most likely the best pumpkin roll recipe, my self-imposed rules, will only allow me to claim this as my favorite pumpkin roll recipe.
So it's important that we prep our baking sheets first. One of the baking sheets, we'll line with parchment, grease with cooking spray and dust with some flour. The second baking sheet, we'll invert and place a piece of parchment on top. We'll dust generously with some powdered sugar. Some people prefer the towel method, so if you're used to doing it that way, go ahead. But, I prefer just using another piece of parchment to roll the cake in.
Preheat your oven to 375°F.
Begin by beating the eggs and sugar until it becomes paler in color and thicker. About five minutes.
Add in the pumpkin and mix until combined.
Add in the vanilla and spices and mix until combined.
Dump in the dry ingredients and food them in until just combined. Don't overdo it, but make sure the flour is absorbed.
Pour the batter into the greased and floured baking sheet. Use an offset spatula to spread evenly.
Bake for about 10-15 minutes or until the cake springs back when touched.
Once out of the oven, loose the sides with an offset and turn over on the inverted baking sheet with the parchment dusted in the powdered sugar. Carefully peel off the parchment on top.
Use the parchment on the bottom and roll slowly and tightly on the narrow side. Let it cool until completely cool.
Make your filling by combining your filling ingredients and beating until combined.
Use the parchment to unroll slowly. Spread the filling evenly. Make sure you get to the edges too.
Reroll using the parchment. Cover with saran wrap and place on a baking sheet. Refrigerate for at least an hour.
Just cut the roll in half and dust with confectioners sugar. Enjoy!
See how I do it:
Ingredients
- Cake:
- ¼ cup powdered sugar (to sprinkle onto parchment or towel)
- 1 tablespoon flour (to sprinkle on the other piece of parchment paper)
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
- 1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)
- Filling:
- 1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, at room temperature
- ½ cup powdered sugar, sifted (add more to adjust sweetness)
- 6 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Zest from 1 orange or 1 lemon
- ½ teaspoon ginger
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream (add more to adjust consistency)
Instructions
For the cake:
Preheat the oven to 375° F. Grease 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan; line with wax paper or parchment paper. Grease with cooking spray and dust the paper with the flour. If you're using a towel, dust the towel with the powdered sugar. Or invert a baking sheet and cover with a piece of parchment on top and dust with the powdered sugar. Set to the side.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and salt in small bowl. Beat eggs and granulated sugar in a large mixer bowl until thick and paler in color. Beat in pumpkin. Dump in the flour mixture and fold in with a rubber spatula until just combined, but most of the flour is absorbed.
Spread evenly into prepared pan with an offset spatula. Sprinkle with nuts if you're including nuts.
Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched. (If using a dark-colored pan, begin checking for doneness at 11 minutes.) Immediately loosen and turn cake onto prepared towel or the inverted sheet of parchment. Carefully peel off paper on top. Using the towel or piece of parchment slowly begin to roll up cake tightly, but gently starting with narrow end. Cool on wire rack until completely cool.
For the filling:
Beat cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
Add in the sifted confectioner's sugar, spices and vanilla and beat until smooth. Carefully unroll cake. Spread cream cheese mixture over cake. Reroll cake using the parchment paper or towel to help you along. Wrap in plastic wrap, set on a baking sheet and refrigerate at least one hour. Make sure the seam side is down!
Sprinkle with powdered sugar and enjoy!
Notes
Will keep in the freezer for about a month or the fridge for about a week. Use as much powdered sugar as needed to ensure the cake won't stick.