Ina Garten's Easy Cranberry & Apple Cake

While I enjoy making savory dinners, there is always room for dessert.  There, I said it.  I like dessert.  I don't eat dessert every night.  But once in a while I like to keep an arsenal of quick dessert recipes, for when the fancy strikes me to make something sweet.  I record some of my favorite Food Network shows, but sometimes it takes me days, weeks, months to find time to watch them.  Last week, I watched a recorded episode of "The Barefoot Contessa".  I watched Ina Garten make this very easy dessert, and I quickly searched for the recipe on line.  D'oh! It's in my latest Ina Garten cookbook "How Easy is That?" that I purchased, and I had forgotten about it.

As luck would have it, I had one more bag of frozen cranberries left, after I made the Cranberry-Almond Poundcake.  I had apples that needed to be used.  This would be tonight's dessert! 

I decided to use two Granny Smith apples, rather than Ina's one, in her recipe.  Cranberries can be a bit tart, so I wanted to increase the apple.  My apple corer helps me to peel, core and slice apples in less than a minute. It's one of my newest favorite kitchen tools.  You also need the zest of two oranges (1 Tbsp.)  and about 1/4 cup of fresh orange juice.

Because I didnt' want the apples to dominate the flavor, I used my secret ingredient, "Boiled Cider." (I buy this online at King Arthur Flour.) 

Combine cranberries, apples, brown sugar, orange zest, orange juice, and 1 teaspoon of  cinnamon in a medium bowl. Set it aside.

It took less than 15 minutes to make the batter.  The beauty of using butter in this recipe is that you melt it, and let it cool-- no having to wait to bring it to room temperature. You also need eggs, sugar, flour, sour cream, vanilla extract and a pinch of kosher salt.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs on medium-high speed for 2 minutes. Can we talk about the paddle attachment that I use? It's a beater blade that I ordered online.  I love it, because it scrapes the sides of the bowl really well.  To know me, is to know that I love gadgets that make my life just a little easier!With the mixer on medium, add 1 cup of the granulated sugar, the butter, vanilla, and sour cream and beat just until combined. On low speed, slowly add the flour and salt. Pour the fruit mixture evenly into a 10-inch glass pie plate. Pour the batter over the fruit, covering it completely.

I didn't pay attention to the directions, and I sprinkled cinnamon on top.  I should have sprinkled cinnamon-sugar.  The sugar will leave a nice crunch to the cake, so I'm definitely going to do that next time.
NOTE: Be sure to place the cake on a parchment paper lined baking tray, before baking it in a 350 degree oven.  I checked my cake at 50 minutes, rather than 55 and the cake was ready.  Only poke a toothpick into the dough, as the fruit is going to be gooey!

See what I mean?  The fruit will bubble and flow over the sides.  The baking tray and parchment paper makes for easy cleanup.  This cake is best served warm or at room temperature.

A scoop of vanilla bean ice cream is perfect with this. (Or, fresh whipped cream.)

TASTING NOTES: I would call this a cross between a cobbler and a cheater pie, but the dough bakes into a tender cake consistency.  It's not too sweet, and easier than pie!  My husband thought the cranberries were a bit tart. Usually, I'm the one who is sensitive to sour/tart flavor. I actually thought the fruit had a perfect balance of sweet and tart.  My son agreed with me (for a change).  I plan to make this version with all apples. I also plan to make this with berries, and also when fresh peaches come into season.  

How easy is that?!

Now that I'm revisiting Ina's newest cookbook, I've bookmarked a few more recipes that I'll be cooking and baking over the next few weeks.  I love her recipes. This particular cookbook has a lot of easy recipes, and she does share some really great tips.  This book is worth the less than $25.00 investment.  The pictures, as always, are mouth-watering.

You can view and print the recipe at the bottom of this page.  Just scroll to the bottom of the recipe card, and you'll find the link that will take you to the "Cook, Eat, Share" website where you can print it.

Thanks, Ina!

Gingerbread (Pumpkin) Waffles

I have a Christmas morning breakfast idea for you.  I've been making these waffles for several years.  This waffle recipe tastes like Christmas, to me-- ginger, pumpkin, molasses, cinnamon.  They're even better when you have Vanilla-Pecan Butter to go on top.  Oh, yeah.

I had extra Vanilla Bean Pecan Butter from the Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pomegranate Molasses recipe that I made.  Perfect!  The waffles are also a great way to use leftover pumpkin puree.  For those of you who feel that an unused can of opened pumpkin puree goes to waste-- freeze it.   Last year, I made my own pumpkin puree-- just to see if it's worth it.  I froze 1-cup portions into a ziploc bag, which is a very convenient to way to measure what you need.  It just so happens that you need 1 cup of pumpkin puree.   A quick thaw in a bowl of water gets you on the way in a snap.

For the dry ingredients, I'll bet that you have these in your pantry right now.  If not, then spices usually go on sale this time of year. Stock up!

(A printable recipe is at the bottom of this post.)  We need unbleached flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, ginger and nutmeg.

For the wet ingredients, we need eggs and brown sugar.  We also need melted butter.

...and molasses.  I keep an opened jar of molasses (I don't use it very often) way in the back of my fridge. I don't know how long this jar has been stored, but it's still good to go.  TIP: I teensy bit of oil to my measuring cup before measuring the molasses...

...1/2 cup molasses.  1 1/2 cups milk is the last wet ingredient (I used 1% milk).

GADGET CHECK:  I received this ball whisk as one of my gifts from the Foodbuzz Blogger Festival, last month.  I wasn't sure what was so special about it, and then it hit me.  Duh!  Unlike a regular whisk, I don't get big gobs of stuck dough when I whisk wet into dry ingredients.   Hold on... I'll show you.

First, we whisk all the wet ingredients.  See how easily the molasses slides right out of the measuring cup? I do this with honey, too.  

 add milk and melted butter and whisk one more time...

So, now, let's add the wet to the dry, with my new favorite ball whisk.

Check it out!  No clumps of batter on the ends.  See how easily I'm addicted to amused with kitchen gadgets? Let's make waffles...

  

Brush some butter on the waffle iron...

Warning: This recipe makes a LOT of batter.  

These smell like gingerbread cookies, as they cook. 

These deserve maple syrup.  I stopped buying commercial pancake syrup a few years ago. Have you ever read the ingredients listings? Go ahead. Look!  High fructose corn syrup?  Artificial flavors.   My family has converted over to pure maple syrup, and we'll never go back.  Maple syrup is such a versatile ingredient, too. 

 

Speaking of versatile ingredients...  I received a lovely package from Red Ape Cinnamon.  I wanted to take this cinnamon for a test drive with this recipe.  I am impressed with the products that this company provides. I like that they are very conscious of our planet.  It's a feel-good kind of product to buy, and it's the kind of quality that Ina Garten would have in mind when she says "use good cinnamon".   Their website says:

Red Ape Cinnamon™ is sustainably harvested in Indonesia from Cassia Cinnamon trees that are at least 20 years old. The Volatile Oil (V.O.) content is much higher in older trees resulting in a higher quality cinnamon.

You will notice that Red Ape Cinnamon™ is a lighter reddish brown color than the darker cinnamon you are accustomed to seeing. Only the pure inner cinnamon bark is ground and the extra outer bark that would normally dilute the final powder is disposed of. It is because of this grinding process that our cinnamon delivers a more intense cinnamon flavor experience.

You can order it on-line and I've found it at Whole Foods.  I'm going to buy this brand from now on.  I have another recipe I'll be sharing, that includes Singing Dog Pure Vanilla Extract and their Vanilla Bean Paste.  The lovely folks with this company will let me choose a reader to receive them as well. So, yes, I have another giveaway coming up with my next post. 

 The waffles are ready...

...add some Vanilla Bean-Pecan Butter (or regular butter)

...a dusting of powdered sugar looks nice

...a nice drizzle of pure maple syrup. Hungry yet?

VERDICT:  The texture of these waffle are a cross between tender and dense.  That might sound contradictory, I know. The pumpkin puree adds moisture and some density.  The ginger and cinnamon flavor really comes through, and the molasses gives that rich color and flavor, with just the right balance of sweet.

Kids will love these.  I make all of the batter and then freeze the waffles. They become homemade frozen waffles that heat well in a toaster oven.  Shall I reveal the source of this recipe?  Here it comes-- Rachel Ray. I saw this on her show at least five years ago.  It's a winner!

Thank you Red Ape Cinnamon, for sending me a generous jar of your cinnamon to try.  I love it. Seriously.  I use a lot of cinnamon, and it's nice to see that this is a sustainable product.  That means a lot to me.

A printable recipe card is at the end of this post.

Enjoy!

The Quintessential Cinnamon Rolls from King Arthur Flour

For most of my childhood, I admit that I loved baking those cinnamon rolls that come in a cardboard tube.  You know...the one with pudgy dough boy on the label.  As a young and aspiring baker, I'd unroll that tube, searching for that prized frosting.  Of course, I had to dip my fingers to grab a sneak preview of that sugary goodness.  Heaven! As a skinny kid, I could eat almost eat a whole pan of these. Only, I have two brothers who are older and bigger than their one and only sister--so I never got a chance to test that theory.

Fast forward to the new Debby-- the revamped "new and improved home cook and baker", who is on a mission to make all things from scratch.  Only, I'd never made a yeast version of cinnamon rolls from scratch!   I did some recipe researched and I decided to try  King Arthur Flour's Cinnamon Rolls recipe.  I'm a huge fan of King Arthur Flour products, and my pantry has an impressive array of products I've ordered from their internet site. 

Behold-- Baker's Cinnamon Filling and Easy Roll Dough Improver, which you can order from their website. I've used the dough improver with all of my recent yeast roll recipes, and I do think it helps to make dough a lot easier to work with.  I had never used the cinnamon filling, so come along and I'll share with you some tips and tricks to make this surprisingly user-friendly recipe:

(The printable recipe is at the very bottom of this post.)  I use instant yeast so that I don't have to mix it with water and sugar and wait for 15 minutes. You can use regular yeast, and my recipe card will give you  both options. My Kitchen Aid Stand mixer does all the hard work, combining flour, sugar, dry milk, butter and mashed potato flakes, for about 7 minutes. TIP: I preheat my oven on WARM for a few minutes, then turn it off. 
Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl. Cover the bowl, and allow the dough to rise, at room temperature, till it’s nearly doubled in bulk, about 1 to 2 hours. Rising may take longer, especially if you’ve kneaded by hand. Give it enough time to become quite puffy.

My pre-warmed oven doubles the dough in one hour!  

I mixed water with the cinnamon filling, per the package instructions. I'm loving the consistency. Otherwise, mix cinnamon and sugar; brush the dough with milk and sprinkle your cinnamon/sugar mixture. The milk helps it to stick. 

I'm smiling as this lovely filling "schmears" right onto the dough, that I've rolled out to measure 16 x 12". I like it!  I then roll the dough into a log the long way; stretching it to about 20” long asI roll.. Here's a tip from King Arthur that worked great.... use unflavored dental floss (unused, of course...like I need to say that??)

The floss cuts through the dough, without smashing each piece. Brilliant! Otherwise, in order to cut down on drag, it helps to rinse the blade in hot water, and wipe it off, between slices. Floss is way easier, believe me.

I am using a cake pan, that I've lined with parchment paper. King Arthur Flour sells pre-cut parchment paper for both 8" and 9" pans. I love them and use them often, because they make my life easier. Otherwise, grease the pans well, if you don't use parchment paper.

I yielded two pans of rolls. Back into the cozy oven (heat turned off) they go for less than an hour...

Pretty!

These are ready for a 375F oven, for about 20 minutes. 

So, now, it's time to make the frosting.  I'm using confectioner's sugar, clear vanilla (regular is fine) and heavy cream. 

Mix until smooth.

I'm sure you can imagine the wonderful aroma of cinnamon that is wafting from the oven....

I'm in-love with the cinnamon filling. Regular sugar and cinnamon wouldn't be this silky smooth.... here's my technique for removing baked products from a cake pan:

First, loosen the edges with a smooth knife (I have a silicone one that won't scratch my pans).  This giant spatula is made by Wilton. I found mine at a Michael's Craft Store, but KAF also sells them.  I really like this spatula for moving cakes, with less risk of breaking them. I place the spatula on top, and safely invert the cinnamon rolls. The parchment paper is easily removed and then I gently flip the rolls back and onto a cooling rack.  Easy!  WARNING:  Food porn is about to be shown...

We add the frosting...

Oh my... it's melting...

Pure evil...pure food lust... we're going in!

Help me...

Wait... I must take a bite!

Those Cinnamon Bun mall stores have competition. Seriously, these are a-m-a-z-i-n-g.  The are tender. They are sweet. The cinnamon filling is better than any sugar/cinnamon combo I've made before.  King Arthur flour has delivered another great recipe.

NOTE:  I am not paid by King Arthur Flour to promote their products. I wish. In fact, I have paid for every one of these products, myself.  I am sharing my tips and ingredients from KAF, simply because I think they are terrific!  If you are interesting in trying those which I have mentioned, simply click on the name of the product and you will be linked to where to buy it.  

I only baked one pan of these cinnamon rolls. The second pan, I kept refrigerated. The next day, I brought them to room temperature and then baked them until golden brown. 

 

...and they were good!

I will try the Pioneer Woman's Signature Cinnamon Rolls, one of these days.  Because I've just seen her version on so many blogs,  I wanted to try different recipe source.  I'm glad that I did. I'll be making these again, and won't eat the whole pan. I'm no longer that young skinny girl. My son is young, thin and can eat. He polished off the pan, and didn't gain an ounce.  How unfair is that?!

A printable recipe card is at the end of this post.

Baked with love,