Category: Recipes

Recipes

Maple & Burnt Cinnamon Cakes

by Lindy MoodyLeave a Comment on Maple & Burnt Cinnamon Cakes
Maple & Burnt Cinnamon Cakes

After reading the title, you may be asking yourself–what the heck is burnt cinnamon? When I first heard of it, I thought the same thing. Of course I was curious to know what it tasted like, so baking time ensued after a short deliberation on how to use it.

I will say this–making burnt cinnamon is one of the easiest things ever. You literally take a cinnamon stick, place it on a sheet pan, and torch it with a brulee torch. Voila! You have burnt cinnamon.

Charring the outside changes the flavor of the cinnamon. It mellows it out and adds roasted chocolatey notes. It only changes the flavor slightly, so you can use it in any recipe that calls for cinnamon.

I am hooked. I will probably forever char my cinnamon before adding it to a recipe.

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After it is charred you can grate it yourself, or steep in it milk to transfer the flavor. For this recipe I did both.

Since the air is so crisp and cool out, completely unlike the low country, I wanted to use a few falls flavors. Do not get me wrong, I love pumpkin but I wanted to stay clear of it as a fall flavor. Maple seemed ideal, and would be easy to impart into any recipe as the sweetener.

I created these tiny cakes by baking them in a maple leaf cake mold. You can bake the batter in any miniature cake mold or bake the entire cake in a bunt cake pan. I recommend a bunt cake pan, if you go big, because the batter results in a denser cake.

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Maple & Burnt Cinnamon Cakes

Maple & Burnt Cinnamon Cakes

Ingredients

  • 1 Stick of Butter, softened
  • 1/2 Cup of Brown Sugar, packed
  • 1/2 Cup of Maple Syrup
  • 1 Cinnamon Stick
  • 1/2 Cup of Milk
  • 1 Egg
  • 1 1/2 Cups of Flour
  • 1/4 Teaspoon of Baking Soda
  • 1 Teaspoon of Baking Powder
  • 1 Teaspoon of Vanilla Extract
  • 1/4 Teaspoon of Salt
  • 1/2 Cup of Powdered Sugar

Instructions

  1. Burn the outside of your cinnamon stick with a torch. Set aside to cool.
  2. Once cooled grate 1/2 teaspoon from the cinnamon stick and set aside.
  3. In a small saucepan, combine your milk and cinnamon stick. Bring to a low simmer then cover and let steep for approximately 15 minutes. Set milk aside to let cool before using.
  4. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and prepare your cake pan by coating it in butter then flour. Be sure to shake out the excess flour.
  5. In your stand mixer, cream together your butter and brown sugar. Beat on medium for approximately five minutes or until light and fluffy.
  6. While the butter mixes, prepare your dry mix. In a bowl mix together your flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and grated burnt cinnamon. Set aside.
  7. In another bowl, whisk together your eggs, 1/4 cup of milk, vanilla, and maple syrup. Set aside.
  8. With the stand mixer on low, mix in 1/3 of your dry mixture. Next, mix in 1/3 of your wet mixture. Continue alternating between wet and dry, ending on the addition of the final 1/3 of your we mixture. Do not over mix.
  9. Pour your batter into the desired pan and level off. If using mini cake pans, only fill each one until 2/3 full.
  10. Bake your mini cakes for 20 minutes. For a full cake, it should take approximately 45 mintues to bake. To check doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of the cake and if it comes out clean the cake is baked.
  11. Remove the cake(s)from oven and allow to cool completely before glazing.
  12. To create the glaze, combine powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons of cinnamon milk. Whisk together until smooth, add more milk as needed if glaze is too thick. You want the glaze to resemble a thin paste.
  13. Glaze the outside of a large cake by pouring the glaze over the cake. For the small cakes, you can dunk the tops into the glaze.
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Recipes

Cherry Upside-Down Layer Cake

by Lindy MoodyLeave a Comment on Cherry Upside-Down Layer Cake
Cherry Upside-Down Layer Cake

This year was a big year for me—I turned the big 3-0. I know, by no means is thirty old, but it has taken some time for me to get used to the idea. That is the reason why this post is so late. My birthday was several months ago.

Almost every year for my birthday, I make myself a cake. My opinion is who better to do the job than yourself? Personally, I do not like super sweet, sugary cakes. I can count the number of cakes that I have truly enjoyed on one hand. So, the challenge this year was to make a balanced, grown-up cake; something truly representative of my new age.

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One trick to cutting down on the sweetness of a cake is to replace traditional icing with whipped cream. The use of tart fresh cherries would also help to counter balance the sugary cake layers. The overall result was perfect, a light, sophisticated, and beautiful (in taste and look) cake.

This recipe forgoes traditional livening ingredients, baking soda/powder, and replaces them with folded in egg whites. Which means you will need to be a bit more careful with your bake.

I used three eight inch cake pans for my version, which created pretty thin layers. If you like thicker layers, I recommend switching the eight inch pans for three six inch pans.

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Cherry Upside-Down Layer Cake

Cherry Upside-Down Layer Cake

Ingredients

  • 2 Sticks of Butter, softened
  • 1 3/4 Cups plus 1 Tablespoon of Granulated Sugar
  • 6 Eggs, divided into yolks and whites
  • 2 Lemons
  • 1 Teaspoon of Vanilla Extract
  • 1 1/2 Cups of Almond Flour
  • 1 Cup of Cake Flour
  • 1/2 Teaspoon of Salt
  • 1 Cup of Fresh or Frozen Cherries, pitted and sliced into halves
  • 2 Cups of Heavy Whipping Cream

Instructions

  1. Prepare your cake pans by buttering and flouring them, then placing a round of parchment paper on the bottom of each pan.
  2. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  3. In your stand mixer, whip together your butter and 1 cup of granulated sugar. Beat on medium speed for approximately 5 minutes, until light and fluffy.
  4. While your butter whips, in a small bowl combine 1 1/2 cups of sugar, both flours, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Mix until combined, then set aside.
  5. In another small bowl, whip together 6 egg yolks, the juice of one lemon, and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
  6. With the stand mixer on low, add in 1/3 of your wet mixture, followed by 1/3 of your dry mixture. Continue alternating and adding until everything is combined.
  7. In a separate stand mixer bowl, beat together your egg whites and 1 tablespoon of sugar until stiff peaks form.
  8. Working in thirds, gently fold the whipped egg whites into your cake batter. Set aside.
  9. In a small bowl, mix together your cherries, the juice of one lemon, and 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar. Pour the cherries onto the bottom of one cake pan, then spread into one even layer.
  10. Divide and spread the cake batter evenly among your three cake pans.
  11. Place the pans in the oven and bake for approximately 30- 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  12. Once baked, remove cakes from oven and allow to cool, on a wire rack, for at least one hour before layering your cake.
  13. While the cake cools, prepare your whipped cream.
  14. In your stand mixer, combine the heavy whipping cream, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Beat on medium speed until the mixture forms firm whipped cream.
  15. Build the layer cake by layering each level with whipped cream. The last layer should end with cherries on top.
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https://epicuropedia.com/2018/10/12/cherry-upside-down-layer-cake/

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Recipes

Balsamic Onion Jam

by Lindy Moody10 Comments on Balsamic Onion Jam
Balsamic Onion Jam

For us in the low country, summer’s end is marked by the beginning of hurricane season. It is a period of months that I absolutely dread, especially considering I did not grow up here. Where I am from, our only worry was the occasional lighting storm or tornado.

With summer marking its end, last week I dug up my summer garden to replant my winter one. Now I am not so certain my tiny little plants are going to make it through the impending storms of hurricane Florence that everyone on the east coast is tracking so closely. Even if Savannah does not get hit directly this week, I can assure you that a gust of torrential rain and wind will likely wipe out my tiny plants.

Part of summer ending and fall/winter replanting means using up the last bit of fruit from the garden. For most southerners this results in canning and saving for the winter. When canning comes around, I tend to lean towards jams and pickles.

Making a jam doesn’t only have to be reserved for fruit or sweet items. I often make onion, bacon, or tomato jam to keep and pair with a hefty cheese plate or put out for a gathering.

The basics of jam are easy, unlike jelly which often requires the addition of pectin or gelatin. To make a jam I employ a few standard techniques, cooking down the star ingredient with a liquid and sugar until it becomes sticky and reduced.

For this jam recipe I use two types of onion, Vidalia and red, to achieve a well rounded flavor. The addition of balsamic vinegar cuts through the sweetness and adds a deep savory flavor.

You can save the recipe by canning the finished jam or store it in the fridge for up to a week.

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Balsamic Onion Jam

Balsamic Onion Jam

Ingredients

  • 2 Vidalia Onions, peeled and sliced
  • 2 Red Onions, peeled and sliced
  • 1 Cup of Sugar
  • 1 Cup of Balsamic Vinegar
  • 1/2 Teaspoon of Thyme
  • 1/2 Teaspoon of Salt

Instructions

  1. In a medium saucepan with olive oil, sauté your onion over medium heat until translucent and lightly caramelized.
  2. Transfer onions to a medium saucepan, and add in your remaining ingredients. Stir until combined.
  3. Cook the mixture over medium heat until simmering.
  4. Reduce the heat to medium-low, then cook for an additional forty-five minutes to an hour, or until reduced in half.
  5. Store in fridge in an airtight container for up to a week, or can in jars which can be kept for up to six months in the pantry.
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https://epicuropedia.com/2018/09/11/balsamic-onion-jam/

 

 

Recipes

Blueberry Pie & Lemon Cookies

by Lindy Moody1 Comment on Blueberry Pie & Lemon Cookies
Blueberry Pie & Lemon Cookies

The end of summer inches closer day by day. Although I am ready for cooler days, I will not miss the beautiful bounty that summer brings. So as of late, when I bake, I find myself leaning towards the best fruits of summer. You cannot argue with the proposition that lemon and blueberry are some of the best summer fruits.

Although I am not the biggest fan of fresh blueberries—it’s a texture thing–I love the way they taste baked into something. Lemon is the perfect counterpart to balance the sweet fruit. The southerner in me always leans towards making a pie or cake, but when I make something so large, my husband has trouble eating all of it. A simple solution is to make something smaller: cookies. To meet in the middle, I created cookies that taste like pie using all of the best ingredients of summer.

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A few tips for making better cookies:

  • Be careful not to overwork your dough, if you do your cookies will become tough.
  • To prevent overworking the dough, mix together your ingredients until they are just together.
  • Never kneed your dough.
  • To prevent cookie spread, chill your dough before baking. This allows the butter to harden back up.
  • Parchment paper is the perfect way to prevent your cookies from sticking to the pan.

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Blueberry Pie Cookies

Category: cookies

Cuisine: American

Blueberry Pie Cookies

Ingredients

  • Cookie Ingredients:
  • 1 Stick of Butter, softened
  • 1 Cup of Brown Sugar
  • 1 Egg
  • 1 1/2 Cups of Quick Cooking Oats
  • 2 1/4 Cups of All Purpose Flour
  • 1/4 Teaspoon of Baking Powder
  • 1 Cup of Fresh Blueberries
  • 1/2 Teaspoon of Salt
  • Lemon Glaze Ingredients:
  • 1-2 Tablespoons of Fresh Lemon Juice
  • 1 Cup of Powdered Sugar

Instructions

  1. Cream together your butter and sugar with a mixer, either a stand mixer or with hand mixer.
  2. In a separate bowl mix together your salt, flour, baking powder, and oats.
  3. Mix in one-half of your dry mixture into the creamed butter. Once fully incorporated, mix in your egg followed by the remaining amount of dry mixture. Mix on medium speed until fully combined, being sure not to over mix.
  4. Place the cookie dough in the fridge for 30 minutes to allow the butter to chill. This will help prevent too much spreading.
  5. While to cookie dough chills, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare two cookie sheets by lining them with slip mats or parchment paper.
  6. To form your cookies, roll the desired amount of dough into a ball then flatten the ball into a disc. Place the round on your cookie sheet then place 5-6 blueberries in the center of the dough.
  7. One all of your cookies are assembled bake the cookies for approximately 10 minutes, or until golden brown on the edges.
  8. Allow the cookies to cool completely before apply the glaze.
  9. Create your lemon glaze by combining powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice in a small bowl. Mix until fully combined. The glaze should be thick but pourable, so add more lemon juice as necessary to get the desired thickness.
  10. Glaze cookies once they are cooled, and allow the glaze to set for 10 minutes before serving.
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https://epicuropedia.com/2018/08/28/blueberry-pie-lemon-cookies/

Recipes

Jerusalem Bagels with Burnt Honey Cream Cheese

by Lindy MoodyLeave a Comment on Jerusalem Bagels with Burnt Honey Cream Cheese
Jerusalem Bagels with Burnt Honey Cream Cheese

Savory, nutty homemade Jerusalem bagels and a side of decadent, condensed burnt honey creamed cheese–it’s a baking recipe that I know everyone will love.

I am super ecstatic about this post and sharing a recipe that I will be adding to my list of rotating go-tos. As someone who constantly cooks, I can state with confidence, on behalf of all of the home cooks out there, it is rare that you find a recipe that is both easy and a show stopper.

The recipe makes Jerusalem bagels, which are different from a normal bagel due to the lack of boiling. Even though the bagels are not boiled, the flavor is still amazing. They taste reminiscent of a bagel/pretzel hybrid. By forgoing the step of boiling, you are saving on time and work, hence making the process a lot easier.

I recommend you eat these warm out of the oven or warm them up if you are eating them at a later time. They go with just about anything, hummus, cream cheese, cheese, etc.

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I wanted something sweet yet unique, so spruced up some cream cheese by making burnt honey. The process of “burning” honey is simply caramelizing it a bit, to give it a deeper more condensed flavor. A quick warning–once you eat honey like this you will never go back.

As for the topping, I glazed them with honey to add a bit of sweetness and keep with the honey theme and a sprinkling of sesame seeds to add nuttiness. The recipe is extremely versatile, serving as a great base for any topping or mix-in. In the future, I will be posting many more versions of Jerusalem Bagels.

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Jerusalem Bagels with Burnt Honey Cream Cheese

Yield: 6

Jerusalem Bagels with Burnt Honey Cream Cheese

Ingredients

  • Bagel Ingredients:
  • 1 Tablespoon of Quick Acting Yeast
  • 1 1/2 Cups of Milk, warm but not higher than 100 degrees Fahrenheit
  • 4 1/2 Cups of All Purpose Flour
  • 2 Teaspoons of Sugar
  • 2 Teaspoons of Salt
  • 1 Teaspoon of Baking Powder
  • Olive Oil
  • 4 Tablespoons of Honey
  • Sesame Seeds for Topping
  • Burnt Honey Cream Cheese Ingredients:
  • 1 Block of Creamed Cheese, softened
  • 1/2 Cup of Honey

Instructions

  1. First make your burnt honey creamed cheese. Pour your honey into a small saucepan and heat over medium heat.
  2. Cook the honey for about 10 minutes, until it turns a light amber color and thickens slightly. The honey will foam as it cooks, that is okay.
  3. Once reduced, set aside to let the honey cool completely.
  4. In a small mixing bowl, combine your burnt honey and creamed cheese. Stir to desired combination, swirled or fully mixed.
  5. Place mixture in a sealable container and place in the fridge until ready to serve.
  6. Begin making your bagels by blooming your yeast in the warm milk, allowing to sit for about 5 minutes.
  7. In a stand mixer or large mixing bowl, mix together your flour, baking powders, sugar.
  8. Pour in your bloomed yeast and milk, then mix until combined. Lastly mix in your salt as to not kill the yeast.
  9. Add your dough hook to your stand mixer, and kneed the mixture on medium for five minutes. A soft pliable dough should form. If the dough looks dry, add more milk as needed.
  10. After the dough has been kneaded, remove the dough from the mixer and rub on a light amount of olive oil.
  11. Place coated dough in a large oiled bowl, cover tightly. Allow to rise for at least one hour, or until it has doubled in size.
  12. Once the dough has risen, preheat your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare two sheet pans by lining them with slip mats or greased parchment paper.
  13. Gently remove the dough from the bowl, and section the dough into six even pieces.
  14. On a lightly floured surface, roll each section of dough into a log that is about 12 inches long. Attach the ends together to create an oblong circle. Gently place on the prepared sheet pan.
  15. After the bagels are prepared, allow them to rest for 15 minutes.
  16. Before baking, slather each bagel with honey and a sprinkling of sesame seeds.
  17. Bake for 10 - 15 minutes, or until a golden color and cooked through.
  18. Serve with burnt honey creamed cheese.
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Recipes

Pluot & Almond Galette

by Lindy Moody2 Comments on Pluot & Almond Galette
Pluot & Almond Galette

Summer is all about seasonal cooking with the freshest ingredients (and laying by the pool too), so when I make a trip to the store I grab the produce that looks best and is in season, it automatically drives what I will make next. The same applies if I spot something fun and unique that I have never tasted before–my mom taught me to try everything at least once. Not too long ago I spotted pluots, a plum and apricot hybrid. A fruit that has the best of both and that is easy to bake with.

Being lazy after a long summer day laying by the pool, I do not always have the most energy to really make my baked goods pretty. Sometimes you just want the end result without all of the work. A galette is perfect for that baker.

A galette is essentially a free form pie, great for those of us that struggle with making our baked goods pretty. A bit more rustic, you simply roll out your pie crust, pour your filling in the middle, and fold the edges up and over. The center stays open allowing the sugar in the filling to cook down and get extra gooey.

For this recipe I use brown sugar instead of regular sugar; it adds a deeper flavor to the baked good

There are a few tricks to remember when making a pie crust because we all know they can be very tricky:

  • Make sure your butter is very cold, the same applies if you are using lard or shortening.
  • Use a pastry cutter, and if you do not have one use a large fork.
  • Do not overwork or your pastry will become tough.
  • Adding a bit of vinegar allows the glutens to relax, so your dough is not tough.
  • Always let your dough rest in the fridge at least 30 minutes before using.

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Pluot & Almond Galette

Pluot & Almond Galette

Ingredients

  • Crust Ingredients:
  • 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 sticks cold unsalted butter
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon of sugar
  • 5 tablespoons ice water. Add more if needed
  • Galette Ingredients:
  • 1 Tablespoon of Brown Sugar
  • 3 Tablespoons of All Propose Flour
  • 2 Tablespoons of Butter, cut into small pieces
  • 1/2 Teaspoon of Salt
  • 6 Pluots, sliced
  • 1 Tablespoon of Vanilla Extract
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 Tablespoon of Milk
  • 1 Cup of Sliced Almonds, coarsely chopped

Instructions

  1. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt and mix until combined.
  2. Cut in your butter with a pastry cutter until butter is mixed in in large chunks. In the alternate use a food processor and pulse together until butter is combined in large chunks (about 5-10 seconds).
  3. Pour in your 5 tablespoons of ice water.
  4. Lightly fold together ingredients with your hand until the dough just comes together.
  5. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and let rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before using.
  6. While the dough rests prepare the rest of your ingredients.
  7. Slice your pluots into thin wedges, and place in a mixing bowl.
  8. Add your sugar, flour, vanilla, and salt to the pluots. Stir together until fully combined then set aside to allow the natural juices to come out.
  9. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  10. When the crust is ready, remove from the fridge a roll out into a 13 inch circle. Gently place the pastry onto a sheet pan with a slipmat.
  11. Leaving about a 2-inch border at the edge of the dough, sprinkle your chopped almonds onto the bottom of the crust.
  12. Next, layer your pluots on top of the almonds, then gently spoon the juice remaining in the bowl over the fruit.
  13. Evenly arrange your small pieces of butter over the top of the fruit.
  14. Gently fold the 2 inch border of crust over the filling, you may have to create pleats to allow the crust to lay flat. The center of the galette will expose the fruit filling.
  15. Create an egg wash by whisking your milk and egg yolk together.
  16. Brush the wash onto the crust, then sprinkle with white sugar.
  17. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the crust is golden brown.
  18. Let cool completely before serving, or the juices will not set and run out.
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Recipes

Boiled Peanut Hummus

by Lindy MoodyLeave a Comment on Boiled Peanut Hummus
Boiled Peanut Hummus

For this post, you get a very short and simple recipe. This recipe that I love and go back to time and time again, so just because it is easy does not mean it is not delicious. I also wanted to share with you a savory recipe, which I feel as though I so rarely do.

Boiled peanuts are about as southern as it comes, and if you have never tasted them I am truly sad for you. For many southerners boiled green peanuts, although the concept of are one of those snacks that we turn to time and time again. Stop in almost any gas or this post, you get a very short and simple recipe. This recipe that I love and go back to time and time again; however, just because it is easy does not mean it is not delicious. I also wanted to share with you a savory recipe, which I feel as though I so rarely do.

Boiled peanuts are about as southern as it comes, and if you have never tasted them I am truly sad for you. For many southerners boiled green peanuts are one of those snacks that we turn to time and time again. Stop in almost any gas station below the mason Dixon, and you can grab a cup of hot (maybe not so fresh) boiled peanuts. On the short drive to Tybee Island from Savannah, there is a stop to get fresh steaming hot boiled peanuts, and let me tell you there is nothing better than sitting on the beach eating salty peanuts with an ice cold Coke. I even served boiled peanuts as a passed hors d’oeuvre at my wedding alongside pimento cheese sandwiches.

Often times our eyes are much bigger than our stomach, and we buy a bag that is too large to consume. Instead of letting the extra peanuts go to waste, I use them up replacing garbanzo beans with boiled peanuts in my hummus recipe. The result is something salty and delicious, perfect for scooping up with a toasted triangle of white bread.

I use this recipe time and time again because it is one of those dishes that your friends rave about when you bring it to a party or tailgate. When I am feeling extra fancy, and southern, I love to put a jar of the hummus on a platter next to homemade pimento cheese, bacon jam, and my pickled vegetables.

For those of you that have never tried boiled peanuts, I hope this recipe pushes you to step out of your comfort zone, or at a minimum inspires you to create something totally new from an everyday classic recipe.
I included red pepper in the recipe, which is optional. If you are like me and like a little kick, then add it. The hummus is just as delicious without it, so use however much you like.

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Boiled Peanut Hummus

Category: appetizer, dip, hummus

Cuisine: American

Boiled Peanut Hummus

Ingredients

  • 4 Cups of Shelled Boiled Peanuts
  • 2 Cloves of Garlic, peeled
  • 1 Teaspoon of Salt
  • 1/2 Cup of Tahini
  • 1/2 Cup of Olive Oil, plus more as needed
  • 1/2 Teaspoon of Red Pepper in the powered form, optional

Instructions

  1. In a food processor, combine your shelled peanuts, garlic cloves, salt, tahini, olive oil, and red pepper if you like.
  2. Blend on medium until everything is combined and broken up. The consistency will not be totally smooth.
  3. If the mixture is too thick, add as much olive oil as necessary to get the hummus to the consistency you like.
  4. Store in a sealable container until ready to serve.
  5. Serve with vegetables of your choice, or toasted slices of white bread.
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Recipes

Cherry Cheesecake Ice-Cream Sammies

by Lindy MoodyLeave a Comment on Cherry Cheesecake Ice-Cream Sammies
Cherry Cheesecake Ice-Cream Sammies

August is notoriously sweltering hot in the low country. For cooks, this means foregoing recipes that use an oven to avoid heating up the house and instead opting for recipes that cool you down. I can think of no better way to cool down in the summer heat than with ice cream.

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Growing up in the south, my mom loved to make us homemade peach ice cream with one of those old fashioned ice-driven churners. The result was loosely churned ice cream with chunks of cold fresh peaches. A perfect treat after playing all day on a long, sticky summer day.

Even today, when my husband and I visit my mother for a summer holiday or gathering, she loves to make ice cream with the same machine–and many times it still includes peaches. So of course when I registered for my wedding, I wanted to include an ice cream maker. I thought it would be so lovely to be able to make my own ice cream at home

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Tips to perfect your own ice cream:

• If you want a more pungent flavor, soak your flavoring in your milk starting the night before you make your ice cream base.

• The difference between this ice cream and others is the larger amount of cream and egg yolks used in the recipe.

• Always temper your eggs to avoid creating scrambled egg ice cream.

• Make sure you completely cool you base in the fridge before you add it to the ice cream maker.

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Cherry Cheesecake Ice Cream Sandwiches

Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 Stick of Butter, softened
• 1/2 Cup of Granulated Sugar
• 1 Large Egg
• 1/4 Teaspoon of Salt
• 1 Teaspoon of Vanilla Extract
• 1/4 Cup of Cocoa Powder
• 1 1/2 Cups of All Propose Flour

Directions:

  1. Beat together butter and sugar until thoroughly combined and continue to beat for another three to four minutes until fluffy.
  2. While beating, combine your remaining dry ingredients in a separate bowl and mix together.
  3. In a small bowl, beat together you extract and egg.
  4. Mix 1/2 of your dry mixture into your butter mixture.
  5. Follow by your adding in your egg mixture, beating until fully combined.
  6. Finish by mixing in your remaining dry mixture.
  7. Shape dough into a disc, cover in plastic wrap and let rest in the fridge for one hour.
  8. On a well floured surface, roll out your chilled dough to an 1/8 inch thickness.
  9. Use your desired cookie cutter to cut out your cookie rounds.
  10. Place all of your cookie rounds on a slip-mat lined cookie sheet.
  11. Let the cookies rest in the fridge for another ten minutes before baking. While the cookies chill, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  12. Bake for 10 minutes or until just done. Let cool completely before using.

Cherry Cheesecake Ice Cream

Ingredients:
• 1 Block of Creamed Cheese, softened
• 1/2 Cup of Granulated Sugar
• 4 Large Egg Yolks
• 1 Cup of Whole Milk
• 2 Cups of Heavy Cream
• 1/2 Teaspoon of Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 Teaspoon of Salt
• 1 Cup of Fresh Cherries, pitted and coarsely chopped

Directions:

  1.  Pour your milk and cream into a large sauce pan and heat over medium heat. Do not let the milk heat over a simmer.
  2. While the milk heats, whisk together cream cheese, granulated sugar, vanilla, salt and egg yolks until thoroughly combined. Continue to beat for an additional one to two minutes until fluffy.
  3. Slowly temper the egg mixture with your warm milk. Start by adding about 1/2 a cup at the time, pouring slowly while you continually whisk by hand.
  4. Once all of the milk has been tempered in, pour the custard back into your saucepan.
  5. Heat over medium and cook the custard, stirring continually. Heat until the custard coats the back of a wooden spoon or is at least doubled in thickness.
  6. Remove from the heat and pour through a fine mesh strainer.
  7. Let the custard cool completely in the fridge before churning, about one hour.
  8. When ready, add the custard to your ice cream maker and churn according to the machines instructions.
  9. Once churned at soft, stir in your cherries.
  10. Place ice cream into a sealable container, and let harden for at least one hour before serving.
Recipes

Piñata Funfetti Cake

by Lindy MoodyLeave a Comment on Piñata Funfetti Cake
Piñata Funfetti Cake

If you ask most cooks or bakers why they love being in the kitchen, many will tell you it is not the actual making of the recipe but the joy of sharing it with others.

For me that joy amplifies with the opportunity to bake a celebration cake for those that I love — especially when it is for one of my nieces or nephews. With my nephew’s third birthday party approaching, my sister asked that I bake him a special cake. He asked that his party be Trolls-themed. So, deciding on the type of cake was easy—funfetti—because it matched the rainbow theme.

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Because my nephew may or may not be my favorite of the group, I wanted to take the simple funfetti cake up a notch by making it piñata style.

A piñata cake is a cake that has the center removed and filled with candy or sprinkles. I choose both. It is an easy method to apply to any layered cake and creates a very dramatic effect for your cake eaters. Once you cut the first slice, the center comes pouring out.

My nephew absolutely loved the effect; you can see his little hands sneaking some candy as I tried to snap a picture.

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To cut the sweetness of the sugary cake and center, I went with a cream cheese frosting. This takes the cake from one note to several, especially for the adult party goers.

As for decorating the outside of the cake, stick with what your are capable of. If you have never used fondant, try your first time with a smaller project. The same goes for any technique you haven’t used much. I knew I could create a semi smooth and level cake, so that is the method I applied to get a show stopping cake.

Really, with my sister hosting the party outside at her cow farm I am sure any cake decorations would have done just fine.

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A few tips for cake decorating:

• Let your cakes cool completely before assembling. The cake will fall if you do not.

• To make your cake level take a perforated knife and slice off the rounded top of each layer.

• After layering the cake with icing, always coat the outside with a crumb layer of icing. This will give the cake a cleaner finish.

• After the crumb layer is on, stick your cake in the fridge to allow the icing to set up. This will help hold the cake together.

• To smooth the final icing coat, use a cake scraper or even a large plaster knife.

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Funfetti Cake

Ingredients:

  • 2 Sticks of Butter, Softened
  • 2 Cups of Granulated Sugar
  • 1/2 Cup of Brown Sugar, packed
  • 1 1/2 Cups of Buttermilk
  • 4 Large Eggs
  • 4 Egg Yolks
  • 4 Cups of Cake Flour
  • 1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
  • 2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
  • 2 Tablespoons of Vanilla Extract
  • 1 Teaspoon of Salt
  • 1/2 Cup of Sprinkles

Directions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Prepare your four 6-inch cake pans by first rubbing them with Crisco or butter, then coat the lard in flour. Be sure to dump out the excess flour. Set pans aside.
  3. In a large whisk together your flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
  4. In a second large bowl whisk together your eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla.
  5. In your stand mixer or with a hand mixer on medium, beat together your butter and sugar. Continue to beat for at least five minutes until butter becomes pale and fluffy.
  6. Start 1/3 of your wet mixture and add it in, mixing until combined.
  7. Add 1/3 of your flour mixture, mix until combined. Continue with 1/3 wet, then 1/3 dry, repeating until all of the ingredients are mixed in. You should end with the last third of your flour mixture.
  8. With a spatula, fold in your sprinkles.
  9. Evenly divide your batter into your prepared cake pans.
  10. Bake on the center rack for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  11. Let you cake cool on a wire rack before assembling.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

  • 2 – 8 Ounce Blocks of Cream Cheese, softened
  • 1 Stick of Butter, softened
  • A 1 Pound Box of Powdered Sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon of Vanilla Extract
  • 1 Teaspoon of Salt

Directions:

  1. In your stand mixer or with a hand mixer on medium speed, beat together your butter and cream cheese.
  2. Next add your extract and salt, mixing to combine.
  3. Add in the powdered sugar a little at a time, being sure to mix in the last amount before adding more.
  4. Beat frosting until all of the ingredients are combined, then continue to beat for another minute or two until the frosting becomes fluffy.

Piñata Cake

Ingredients:

  1. 6.25 Ounce Container of Sprinkles or Candy
  2. Funfetti Cake (above)
  3. Cream Cheese Icing (above)

Directions:

  1. Level your cake layers by removing the rounded tops with a knife.
  2. Cut a 1 to 1 1/2 inch hole into the center of three of the four layers of cake. A small cookie cutter will work fine.
  3. Using 1/3 of your icing, assemble your cake. First layer the three tiers that have a hole in them by placing frosting in-between each layer of cake, then pour in your sprinkles, last top with the whole and last layer of cake. .
  4. Apply 1/3 of your icing to the outside of your cake, creating a crumb coat.
  5. Let the cake rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
  6. Apply the remaining 1/3 of icing to the outside of the cake, smooth with a frosting smoother.
  7. Decorate or top the cake how you desire.
Recipes

Chard, Bacon, & Corn Pizza

by Lindy Moody2 Comments on Chard, Bacon, & Corn Pizza
Chard, Bacon, & Corn Pizza

My mother and my uncle (her brother) have an extremely green thumb. If a green thumb is something you can inherit, they definitely got it from my great grandmother.

As for me—well, my thumb is probably kind of that weird color in-between yellow and light green.

For the last couple of years I have been planting a summer garden. I have done okay, but I would dub my prowess less than masterful. Each year has yielded different bounties with some crops more successful than others. I will add, the heat of Savannah makes it much more difficult to be successful. I am practically watering my garden twice a day.

This year I added Swiss chard to my list of plants, which have always included tomatoes, peppers, and squash. As it turns out, Swiss chard is rather easy to grow other than having to water it a bit extra that most of the other plants.

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Once one of my chard crops was too large for its spot, I decided it was time to cut it and cook it. I have found that my favorite part about summer, aside from the ample time at the beach, is the summer bounty that is available. Every single fruit and vegetable at the store tastes so delicious and fresh.

This recipe takes a plain old pizza dough and spruces it up with bacon (because everyone loves bacon), fresh summer corn, and swiss chard from my garden.

I use bread flour for this recipe because it creates a thinner, crispier crust. If you do not have bread flour you can use regular all purpose, but be aware your crust will be slightly chewier…but still delicious.

If you do not want to make your own dough, pop by your local pizzeria and buy a ball or two from them (it is better than the frozen version).

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Pizza Dough

Ingredients:

  • 2 Teaspoons of Active Dry Yeast
  • 1 and 1/2  Cups of Room Temperature Water
  • 4 1/2 Cups of Bread Flour
  • 2 Teaspoons of Salt
  • 3 Tablespoons of Olive Oil

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, combine your yeast and water. Let sit for 3 minutes to allow yeast to bloom.
2. In your stand mixer, combine flour and yeast mixture. Mix to combine.
3. Add your olive oil and salt, then mix to combine.
4. Attach your dough hook, and knead the mixture on medium-low for 4-5 minutes or until dough comes together and looks smooth. If mixture absolutely does not come together you can add a tablespoon or two of olive oil.
5. Place your dough in an oiled bowl, and cover with oiled plastic wrap.
6. Let sit on the counter for one hour, or until doubled in size.
7. Gently turn out the dough and divide into two balls for use.
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Swiss Chard, Bacon, & Corn Pizza

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 Package of Thick Cut Bacon
  • 2 Ears of Fresh Corn
  • 2 Cups of Swiss Chard
  • 1 Clove of Garlic, minced
  • 1/2 Cup of Mayonnaise
  • Juice from 1/2 a Lemon
  • 2 Cups of Shredded Mozzarella
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Salt and Pepper

Directions:

  1. Prepare your bacon first. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Place bacon in an even layer on a baking sheet.
  3. Bake the bacon for 30-45 minutes or until it has reached your desired doneness.
  4. Remove bacon from oven and drain on a paper towels, set aside.
  5. Turn oven up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit or preheat your grill.
  6. In a small bowl combine mayonnaise, lemon juice, and minced garlic. Stir until fully combined. Set aside.
  7. Rinse, remove the stems, and coarsely chop your Swiss chard.
  8. Heat a small skillet over medium with one tablespoon of olive oil.
  9. Cook Swiss chard in the heated skillet until very lightly wilted. Remove from heat and set aside.
  10. Rinse your corn, then cut kernels away from the core. Set kernels aside.
  11. Prepare your pizza paddle or baking pan with a heavy amount of flour or semolina flour to allow dough to slip off easily.
  12. On a floured surface, turn out one of your pizza dough balls.
  13. Stretch, toss, or roll your pizza dough to your desired size. Each dough ball could fairly stretch up to 8×8.
  14. Place the stretched dough onto your prepared pizza paddle or baking sheet.
  15. Lightly drizzle your dough with olive oil.
  16. Spread two tablespoons of garlic mayonnaise over your prepared pizza dough.
  17. Sprinkle dough with salt and pepper.
  18. Spread 1/4 cup of your mozzarella over the pizza dough.
  19. Next, spread 1/2 of your corn, 1/2 of your Swiss chard, and 1/2 of your bacon over the pizza dough.
  20. Top the pizza with 1/4 cup of mozzarella.
  21. Repeat the process for preparing the pizza with the second pizza dough ball.
  22. Once you have both pizza prepared, cook on the grill or in the oven until the edges of the crust are golden brown and the cheese is bubbling.