Pumpkin Scones with spiced Glaze

Pumpkin Scones with Spiced Glaze

Scones

2 cups of flour

7 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp fresh nutmeg, grated

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp ground ginger

6 tbsp unsalted cold butter, chopped

1/2 cup canned pumpkin

4 tbsp half and half (divided)

1 large egg

1 tsp vanilla

Spiced Glaze

1 cup of powdered sugar

2 tbsp milk

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp fresh nutmeg, grated

1/8 tsp ground ginger

1/8 tsp ground cloves

Scones

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a silpat mat.

Mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl. Use a pastry blender to cut in the butter until the mixture is crumbly.

In another bowl, whisk the pumpkin, 3 tablespoons of half and half, the egg, and vanilla together. Slowly add the dry mixture and mix until just combined. Don’t over mix the batter.

Form a ball and place on a lightly floured surface. Flatten the ball into a rectangle about 1 inch thick. Cut the rectangle into four squares then cut each square diagonally in half to form a triangle.

Place the triangles onto the baking sheet lined with a silpat mat. Brush the top of each scone with the last tablespoon of half and half.

Bake for 14-16 minutes or until golden brown. Let them cool on a wire rack.

Spiced Glaze

Mix all of the ingredients together with a whisk. Once the scones have cooled a bit, drizzle each scone with the glaze then serve immediately. Enjoy.

Caramel Apples

My friend Deseree made these apples for a good friends baby shower we planned back in April. They were honestly the best I have EVER had. The caramel was sooo good. There were quite a few asking for this recipe, including me. Definitely a keeper. 

1.5 cups sugar

1.5 cups brown sugar

1.5 karo syrup (light corn syrup)

1.5 cups butter

1 14oz. can of Sweetened Condensed Milk

 

Mix all the ingredients over medium heat and boil until they hit softball stage, about 238-240 degrees F. Let the caramel cool just until it coats a wooden spoon and doesn't all run off. Have your apples washed and ready to go with sticks already in the top. Spray a cookie sheet or other large, flat pan with cooking spray. Coat the apples and place on the pan. Let them set about 10-15 minutes, until the caramel is no longer sticky. While waiting for the caramel to set melt your chocolate. I use Guittard Milk chocolate chips, they are my favorite, but some of the most expensive. Just be careful not to use the kind of chocolate that would go in a fountain because it doesn't set back up. For white chocolate you can use just about any kind, but you have to be really careful melting it cause it burns really easy. Then just get whatever else you want to go on top- nuts, candy bars, cookies- chopped and ready to cover. You also want to have small plates, like salad plates, sprayed with cooking spray and clear out plenty of space in your freezer.

You will have a little bit of a base of caramel that has settled off the apple. We just fold it up under the bottom to give a little extra caramel. Have your toppings ready to go with a spoon in each one to coat or drizzle. When putting on the base coat just use a big spoon and spread it with the back of the spoon until it covers. Once you have it covered with what you want put it immediately in the freezer for about 10-15 minutes or until chocolate is no longer tacky (White chocolate will set faster than milk and tends to crack if you leave it in there too long so if you use a white chocolate base then it will probably be less than 10 minutes). Use a small spatula (like the Pampered Chef small server thing) to get it off the plate. If you want nuts or whatever topping all over the sides then you can roll the apple in them, that will coat it a little better.

Molten Lava Cakes

Photo taken from Martha Stewart

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for muffin tins
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar, plus more for muffin tins
• 3 large eggs
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted
• Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
•  whipped cream, for serving

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Generously butter 6 cups of a standard muffin tin. Dust with granulated sugar, and tap out excess. Set aside.
   
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and granulated sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. With the mixer on low speed, beat in flour and salt until just combined. Beat in chocolate until just combined. Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups.
   
3. Place muffin tin on a baking sheet; bake just until tops of the cakes no longer jiggle when the pan is lightly shaken, 8 to 10 minutes. (If you cook it for 8 minutes it will taste like a truffle inside the next day, if you cook it for 10, it will be like cake) Remove from oven; let stand 10 minutes.
   
4. To serve, turn out cakes, and place on serving plates, bottom sides up. Dust with confectioners' sugar, and serve with whipped cream, if desired.
   
   Serves 6
   

Cake Batter Pancakes

Good idea to use on birthdays so that you don't keep 2 cakes around the house.

Cake Batter Pancakes
makes about 12 pancakes
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2/3 cup yellow cake mix
1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-2 cups milk (I used vanilla almond milk)
assorted sprinkles
Combine flour, cake mix, baking powder, sugar and salt in a bowl and mix. Add 1 cup of milk, egg and vanilla extract and stir until smooth. You want the batter to look like regular pancake batter; not too thin, not too thick. This will vary greatly on the brand of cake mix you use. Start with 1 cup of milk and add more if needed. I suggest a small taste test as well to see if the pancakes are flavored enough.
Preheat a skillet on medium heat (I use an electric grilled and turn it to 250 degrees). Fold desired amount of sprinkles into batter. Pour batter in 1/4 cup measurements onto skillet and let cook until bubbles form on top, about 2-3 minutes. Flip and cook for 1 minute more. Serve with vanilla glaze.


Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tablespoon milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
assorted sprinkles
Mix milk, extract and powdered sugar until glaze forms. You may need to add a little more sugar or water/milk to reach desired consistency. Mix into glaze and drizzle on pancakes.