And this right here is one of the numerous reasons I will not give up, give in, or give out to a lousy attitude, empty wallet, or pure D. exhaustion. This is my almost 9  month old grandaughter, Bells. Short for Isabella Jordan.

I am determined to pick up the pace this next week. I have been falling behind in posts and articles and my house looks like  a tornado hit it AFTER a tsumnami and a hurricane blew through. Seriously.

So where are you and how are you in your Christmas preparations? Whatever point you are at you need to stop, take a deep breath and remember what Christmas really is all about.

Ready for some blogsurfing?

1. Crank it up with Bon Appetit blog and their Baking Play List. Need some tunes to stir by? Here they are.
2. Lori’s Red Velvet Shortbread Cookies
3. Judy’s Pecan Lace Sandwich Cookies with Orange Buttercream
4. Smores Cheesecake Bars
5. What Does Eating Local Really Mean?
6. YeastSpotting: Holiday Edition
7. Chocolate Caramel Bars
8. Candy Cane Macarons
9. Awesome gift idea, The Blogger Aid Cookbook
10. Make your own Marzipan

thats it for this week! I am in just under the wire. It is still Saturday in Texas, folks.

image: Erin Audet Myers, collection of Marye Audet

Post from: Baking Delights

Soaking the pudding overnight allows the flavors to blend before baking. This was an extremely moist, flavorful bread pudding, which by the way isn’t usually one of my favorites. I am thinking a steaming plate of this …a good cognac and a fire in the fireplace would be a great end to a chilly evening..and make you feel a bit like badger in Wind in the Willows.

This is a great way to have a fantastic dessert on a weeknight. You can toss it together the night before and shove it in the oven while you are fixing dinner.

Pour half and half into a bowl.

Beat in eggs and sugar

Not very appetizing ...yet.

Bread Pudding:

• 4 large eggs
• 1 pie pumpkin, roasted (about 4 to 4 1/2 cups)
• 2 1/2  cups half and half
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1  teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup bourbon
• 10 cups of bread cubes from challah, brioche or french bread

Bread Crumbs

• 1 1/2 cup Panko
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
  

Caramel Pecan Sauce

• 1 cup  pecans, chopped
• 1  cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2-4 tbs bourbon, optional
• 1  tablespoon organic light corn syrup
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

Pudding:

1. Whisk together all ingredients except the bread in a large bowl until well blended. Add bread pieces, stirring to thoroughly coat

2.Pour in a greased 13×9 inch pan. Cover with plastic wrap, and chill overnight or up to 24 hours.

3. Preheat oven to 350°. Remove the pudding from the fridge and let stand for 20 minutes.

4. Mix bread crumbs, cinnamon, and 1/4 cup brown sugar.

5. Remove plastic wrap. Sprinkle on bread crumb mixture, and cover with aluminum foil.

6. Bake, covered, at 350° for 35 minutes. Uncover and bake 15 minutes.

Sauce:

7. During last 15 minutes of baking, prepare Caramel-Pecan Sauce: Heat pecans in a medium skillet over medium-low heat, stirring often, 3 to 5 minutes or until lightly toasted and fragrant. Remove pecans and add butter. Melt and heat until golden brown. Add brown sugar, bourbon, and syrup.

8. Cook brown sugar, butter, bourbon, and corn syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes or until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla and pecans.

9. Remove bread pudding from oven; drizzle with Caramel-Pecan Sauce. Bake 5 minutes longer or until sauce is thoroughly heated and begins to bubble.

yield: 13 x 9 inch pan

images:marye audet

Post from: Baking Delights

Would I like to win?

Uh…YEAH.

Can this recipe win?

I don’t know. The voting begins on November 1. ::::subliminal message:::vote for me…vote for me….vote for me:::::::

Honestly I was planning this dessert before the Bon Appetit thing. It is the star in the Baking Delights Pumpkin Week crown. This will be a show stopper on your holiday dessert table…it is just that good. Consider the flavors…Pumpkin, maple, bourbon, cream cheese…

I chose to use cream cheese rather than mascarpone because I think it is more available. I have a difficult time finding mascarpone (especially GOOD mascarpone) and so I often use cream cheese instead. I feel that others of you, who live in areas like I do would appreciate not having to feel like you substituted. Nope, we’ll use good ole cream cheese right off.

This looks like a long list but really the cake is simple. I have tried to break it down into steps to make it less intimidating. Also, you can do this in stages:

Day 1 -Roast the pumpkin (1 hour)

Day 2 – Bake the cake (1 hour)

Day 3- Make the syrup, filling, and assemble the cake (1 hour at the most). Put it together Thanksgiving Eve and it will be ready to be devoured at dinner the next day.

Be sure and have your espresso ready. You are going to need them with this.

I roasted the pumpkin a little longer because I wanted a deeper, more pronounced pumpkin flavor in the cake.  Be sure to cover the outside of your spring form with foil to keep the batter from dripping through.

Smooth the batter in the pan.

It's o.k. - Nothing in life it perfect.

A little word about the cake. It may break or crumble when you try to get it in the pan. No problem. Just piece it together and keep going. It will magically glue itself together while it chills..I promise. If it breaks apart too much dump it all in a trifle bowl and call it Pumpkin Tiramisu Trifle..and then blog it.

Pumpkin Pound Cake

Cream together:

• 1 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 3/4 c unsalted butter, room temp

then add 4 eggs, one at a time (allow 3-5 minutes between each)

Sift together the dry ingredients

• 2 3/4 c  flour
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 t ground cloves
• 1/2 t Kosher salt
• 1/8 t grated nutmeg
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Mix the wet ingredients together:

• 1 cup pumpkin
• 1/3 cup full fat buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon bourbon

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Cream butter and sugar together for about 5 mins
3. Add the eggs  one at a time
4. Alternate adding the wet and dry ingredients to the sugar mixture on low speed
5. Scrape the bowl often
6. Pour into a springform that has been sprayed with baking spray
7. Even the top of the batter
8. Bake for 50 – 65 minutes or until a skewer inserted in center comes out clean
9. Cool in pan for 5 to 10 minutes
10. Run a knife around sides to loosen cake and remove sides. Cool completely
11. Slice in half.

Bourbon Maple Syrup

• 1 cup good bourbon
• 1 cup maple syrup
• 1/3-1/2 cup sugar (depends on how sweet you want it)

Boil all ingredients, stirring, until sugar is dissolved and mixture is slightly thickened and reduced by about half. Set aside but keep warm.

Tiramisu Filling

• 3 eggs, separated
• 1 pint heavy cream
• 24 oz cream cheese
• 3/4 cup sugar, divided use
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tbs bourbon

1. Beat the cream cheese, 1/2 cup of the sugar, and vanilla until soft and well blended. Scrape the bowl and beat to make sure all the cream cheese is broken up.
2. Beat the egg yolks, bourbon, and 2 tbs of the sugar over boiling water until they are thick and light yellow, about three minutes.
3. Immediately beat the egg mixture into the cream cheese mixture.
4. Set aside.
5. Whip the cream with 2 tablespoons of sugar until it is thick and mounds on a spoon. Carefully fold it into the cream cheese mixture.
6. Whip the egg whites until foamy. Slowly add the remaining sugar and beat until it holds stiff peaks.
7. Fold half of the egg whites into the cream mixture to lighten it. Gently add the remaining egg whites.

To Assemble

1. Put the bottom of the cake in the springform cut side up. Brush with half the syrup mixture.
2. Add half the cream mixture and spread evenly.
3. Add the second half of the cake gently on the top.
4. Brush with the remaining syrup.
5. Add the remaining cream and spread evenly.
6. Refrigerate for 2 to 6 hours

Serves 12-16

images:marye audet

Post from: Baking Delights

Yeah. You want this cake.

Now that you know how easy it is to roast your own pumpkin you can create magic in the kitchen with this recipe.  And…did you know…Pumpkin and vanilla are supposed to be very…VERY attractive scents to men…you must keep that in mind and use this recipe responsibly.

This is super moist and will serve 12-16 easily. You can serve it as is, add some vanilla ice cream, or maybe a soft whipped cream. It is incredible in the afternoon with coffee or tea, and if there had been some left I could have told you it was good for breakfast, too.

All right. First, let’s spice it up…

I love the smell of cloves!

Ginger? Yes please!

Freshly grated nutmeg has so much more flavor. Just try it!

Spice are important. They have more flavor the fresher they are. I buy mine in bulk at a local store and they are so fresh sometimes the entire kitchen will smell like a Moroccan market when I bring them home. Nutmeg should always be freshly grated. Really, there is no good excuse not to. It is easy as long as you keep your fingers out of the way…

Always mix the batter gently so that the flour doesn’t develop gluten. That is what makes it tough. Just get all the ingredients mixed in.

Gently! Gently! Gently!

I think that the cooking sprays with flour work the best on my bundt pan. You can use whatever you want to grease the pan but I have had the very best results with cooking spray with flour added. Spoon the batter in to the pan lightly and then drop it on the counter once to get the bubbles out. You want this cake to be a little dense…(I will not make a blond joke here…)

Make sure the bundt pan is well greased.

This will cook for about an hour. Start checking it at 50 minutes though. There will be just a few moist crumbs clinging to a toothpick that is stuck halfway between the side of the pan and the center tube.

Yummy....

This has a moist, velvety texture.

Browned Butter Pumpkin Bundt Cake

• 1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted and allowed to turn golden brown then cooled
• 2 1/4 cups organic all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp cloves
• 1/2 tsp ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups  pumpkin
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1 1/2  teaspoon vanilla
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 3 large eggs

1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Grease pan
3. Mix dry ingredients together and set aside
4. Beat cooled butter and sugar until well mixed. Beat in eggs one at a time.
5. Beat in vanilla
6. Fold in pumpkin
7. Add flour and buttermilk alternately and mix until smooth
8. Spoon into baking pan
9. Bake at 350F until done, about 50-65 minutes
10. Allow to rest for 5 minutes and then remove from pan to cool

Brown Butter Glaze

• 1 stick of unsalted butter, melted and allowed to turn golden brown
• About 3 cups of confectioner’s sugar, or enough to make a thick glaze
• 1 tbs bourbon if desired
• 1 tsp vanilla

Mix all ingredients until smooth. Spoon over warm cake. Sprinkle on almonds if desired.

Serves 12-16

images:maryeaudet

Post from: Baking Delights

For right now, check out how popular it was when it came out of the box.

Here is a better picture of the product…

image:marye audet

Post from: Baking Delights

I hope that each of you had an awesome Christmas.  Ours was rather quiet but nice.  Kyrie pulled her new Ken doll out of her socking and her eyes went wide “CHRIS!” she screamed, “LOOK MAMA! Santa gave me Chris!”

Chris is our oldest son, currently serving in Iraq.  He has been turning heads since he was 2.  I have to admit that the Ken doll looks alot like him.   I like to think that Christopher is not quite so shallow as Ken..and I think that his smile is better…

Kyrie misses Chris a lot, more than I can really understand since he has been in the military for nearly the whole five years she has been in existence.  Maybe that is the reason.  Ethan and Shiloh and Matt have memories of Chris locking them in the dog crate when I left to run errands..Kyrie only knows him as a loving, doting, adult brother.

It really is all about perspectives, isn’t it?

Vanilla Crescents from Cafe Chocolada look so yummy.  It would be a pity to only eat these at Christmas!

Jam and Clotted Cream had me at the blog name but when I was browsing and saw this bleu cheese, cranberry, and pecan penne I was hooked.

If you are anything like me you visit Marie at a Year From Oak Cottage often.  It is a bit like visiting Anne of Green Gables or Marmee from Little Women.  She has posted a recipe for sticky topped gingerbread, just when I thought gingerbread could not get better.

Another blog that I read often (and was glad..GLAD to see the author is now writing fro Bon Appetit) is Orangette.  If you can imagine peppemint bark sandwiching a layer of bittersweet ganache together…well…imagine it…see it..and cop the recipe for three layer peppermint bark.

In case you didn’t know, Ambrosia is now Purple Foodie.  The new layout is gorgeous and the first recipe posted was a buttery lavender shortbread. The images are fantastic as always.

So ..Check these out and head back this way because tomorrow morning is my Daring Bakers Reveal.  And..it…was…

See ya tomorrow.

image:amazon

Post from: Baking Delights

I love making Christmas cookies but get tired of making the same ones year after year. My family likes tradition and by the time they are two most of my kids can tell you what should be on the cookie plate for each holiday, what dishes should be on the table, and if I forget or try to do something different, you can bet I hear about it.

I can add to the basic stuff but never, never take away and do something different.

The problem is that when I add something new it becomes part of the repertoire, and must be served year after year after year after year….

These are a twist on traditional kiss cookies. I wanted something…oh..I don’t know, softer and gentler. Something festive in a more subdued way. With all of the different Hershey’s Kiss flavors these days it is pretty easy to come up with a totally new combination.

I used the cherry filled Hershey’s Kisses and flavored the dough with rose and almond. This is a fantastic combination, very subtle and yet it captures your attention like the softest whisper. They would work well for Valentine’s Day as well. You could even tint the dough to make it pink.

Almond and rose is a classic combination. Rose flavoring was particularly popular during the Victorian era and to me these would fit beautifully at a Victorian Christmas Tea.

Give them a try, see what you think. Rosewater is available at many health food and gourmet food shops. It isn’t very expensive at all and once you start working with it you will find more and more recipes to add it to.

Cherry Almond Kiss Cookies

1 cup unsalted butter

1 ½ cups sugar

2 eggs

½ tsp vanilla

1 tsp almond

1 tsp. rosewater (or more to taste)

1 tsp baking powder

2 ¾ cup flour

Colored sugar for rolling

36 unwrapped cherry chocolate kisses

Preheat the oven to 375

Mix the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add eggs and mix in well. Add flavorings.

Mix together the flour and baking powder. Stir into the creamed mixture.

You may need to chill this for a few minutes if the dough seems too sticky.

Roll heaping teaspoonfuls of dough into a ball. Roll in sugar. Place about 2 inches apart on a silpat lined cookie sheet. Bake for 8 minutes, or until cookies are puffed and soft, but done.

Remove from the oven and, working quickly, gently push a kiss into the center of each cookie. Let cool completely.

Image(c) 2008 Marye Audet

Post from: Baking Delights

The skies are gray today and a brisk wind is pulling at the siding of my house.  I am comfy in my bed, watching the fire in the bedroom fireplace and listening to the kids downstairs.  If you don’t mind I think it is a little chilly for surfing…so perhaps skating or skiing is in order?

Lots of very cool stuff from the blog-o-sphere today…

Karen at Bake My Day! posted some fascinating caramel and bacon madeleines..They look spectacular.. Bacon seems to be the new chocolate chip these days and I love some of the things that I am seeing done with it.

It has been a long time since I have made Kugelhopf but Tanna at My Kitchen in Half Cups has tempted me with the fantastic pictures of the one she made.  Yummy!  One of these days I am going to invite her for coffee…we live not too far apart.

Giz at Equal Opportunity Kitchen posted a fantastic recipe a few days ago.  Tyropita are Greek savory pastries made with feta and ricotta.  Another thing that I haven’t made in way too long!  If you are starting to look for appetizers for your New Years party this would be a great addition!

One thing (of many) that I am addicted to is Homemade Chex Mix.  I know..I know..plebian….commoner…unworthy to sprinkle fleur de sel on my caramels…sigh…But there you have it..an addict I am.  I have only had the savory kind but  Natty at Life Is a Feast made some that looks awesome….and….it…has…M &Ms….

Claire from The Barefoot Kitchen blogged some Speculaas, one of my all time favorites.  Can’t resist these things.The image is fantastic and the recipe looks great.

Aren’t those amazing recipes?  What are you cooking this weekend? I am thinking of doing a rolled roast for tomorrow..but some will depend on what I get done today. ;0)

Post from: Baking Delights

Tomorrow is the Annual Audet Gingerbread House Party…it is also Sean’s 10th birthday.  So, if you have been wondering at the lack of Christmas festivity here at Baking Delights, wonder no more.  It isn’t Christmas until Sean’s birthday is over!

But I do have a ton of Chrismtas cookie recipes from last year…so I thought, while I am up to my elbows in cake batter (chocolate cake that looks like a lego block) and ice cream (homemade chocolae mint oreo) that I would post links to some of the Christmas cookies we make every year…Deal?

The Best Sugar Cookies-these ar emy friend Mary Trombley’s sugar cookies. They are easy to cut out and they don;t get tough no matter how many times they are re-rolled or chubby, four year old fingers poke at them.  I fyou are going ot make cut out cookies with the kids these are the ones to make.

Gingerbread Men-these are the real deal..cruchy/chewy and spicy.  The tend to spread a little…freeze the cut out dough to help with this.

Thumbprint Cookies- Filled with jelly, your choice…

Mincemeat Swirls- butter cookies with a swirl of mincemeat …old fashioned yum.

Pistachio Ribbon Bars-Pretty and they have raspberry jam.  There is nothing else to say about that!

Cranberry Cookies-Marc’s favorite.

Peanut Butter Kisses…you HAVE to have these!

There is also a pictorial guide to the cookie recipes here..It loads slow and I need to update it but if you are visual and like to go by what it looks like (like I am) then you might like this..Cookie Guide

image:Marye Audet

Post from: Baking Delights

Chef Kyrie got a set of metal play pans. I had meant to get her a wooden stove/oven combo but finances just wouldn’t allow it so I hoped that she would be pleased with the pans and imaginary stove.

Apparently she was. Of all my kids I think this one is a born foodie.

Post from: Baking Delights