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

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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

It is, by all counts, a match made in Heaven.

He has been taking me shopping because I am still not up to my usual energy level. This is good in that it allows us some time together uninterrupted but it is bad for the same reasons I don’t like taking children when I go to the grocery store. You know why. Things end up in the cart that weren’t on the list.

Like rhubarb. We walked into the small natural foods store where I like to shop first. I have been shopping there for decades, since it began as a fruit stand on a corner. It is now a great place to buy local produce as well as  organics and naturals. Small and family owned -  I love shopping there. So, the last time we were there we were almost done; cart was piled high with stuff and we were headed to the check-out when he saw it.

And his eyes got that special glow – you know the one – like a dog staring at a rabbit or a cat staring at a mouse. I have even been the recipient of that look a time or two in our marriage.

Rhubarb stacked high, glistening crimson and white, and next to it…organic strawberries. He had obviously all ready had me create a pie and was eating is slowly in his mind. I couldn’t say no.

But I wanted something different. I vaguely remembered an Epicurious recipe I had for a white chocolate rhubarb tart. The idea grew from there.

I used a tiny maple leaf cookie cutter to make the top crust. I just laid them on the filling randomly. You could make any type of decorative crust you want.

The filling is tart and sweet, with the creamy richness of white chocolate. I cooked the rhubarb in Chardonnay and then made a reduction to create a glaze for the filling. The combination of flavors was perfect.
On the down side, the strawberries were juicier than I thought and I ended up with a bit of a runny filling. Adjust the cornstarch accordingly; a little more for juicier berries.

The images aren’t great. In fact, none of my images from last week is vey good due to the rain and lack of good lighting. What the images lack in look the tart excels in taste. Get nice bright rhubarb and stick with organic, non-GMO cornstarch.

Rhubarb Strawberry and White Chocolate Tart with Chardonnay Glaze

Filling

• 3 stalks of rhubarb, washed and cut into  1/2″ slices
• 1 quart of strawberries, hulled and sliced
• 8 oz white chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup good Chardonnay, divided use
• 1/3 cup of sugar (adjust to taste and flavor of the berries)
• 2-4 tablespoons cornstarch

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375F
2. Combine rhubarb, sugar, and 1/4 cup of the Chardonnay in a pan. Cover and simmer until rhubarb is tender, about 5 minutes
3. Place a colander over a bowl and pour the rhubarb mixture into it. Allow the juices to drain off.
4. Set the rhubarb aside and return the juices to the pan. Add the rest of the Chardonnay and simmer until the juice is reduced by half and begins to  thicken.
5. Whisk in the cornstarch and allow the mixture to clear, stirring constantly
6. Remove from heat
7. Mix in the rhubarb and the strawberries
8. Sprinkle the bottom of the tart with white chocolate
9. Add the fruit mixture
10. Add the top pastry and sprinkle with sugar
11. Bake for 50 minutes or until filling bubbles and gets thick
12. Cool and serve with whipped cream or ice cream

Serves 8

Crust

• 2 cups flour
• 3 tbs sugar
• pinch of salt
• 1 1/4 stocks chilled unsalted butter, cubed
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream

Directions

1. Combine dry ingredients
2. Cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Keep the butter chilled and dip your fingers in ice water to keep your body heat from melting the butter.
3. Beat the egg, vanilla, and cream together in a large bowl. Add to flour – butter mixture until dough will form a ball.
4. Chill 1 hour. May be made 1 day ahead.
5. Roll out half the dough and fit into a tart  or pie pan
6. Prick all over with a fork
7. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove tart and pop any bubbles that have formed. Return to the oven and bake 15 more minutes until tart shell is golden.

images: marye audet

Post from: Baking Delights

I love doing cheesecakes. Even though people think they are really hard, and impressive–they are a cinch. Just a few tricks and tips will guarantee your success. Once you have the basic formula down you can change flavors and crust and topping to your heart’s content.

This brownie cheesecake was actually an accident. I was trying out a new chocolate cake recipe for Matt’s birthday party (7/24)  and the texture of the cake was not what I wanted..too dense to be cake, too dry to be brownie. What to do?

When I took it from the pans it crumbled. I grumbled. And then…

Cheesecake!

I used one and a half layers for the base of the cheesecake (cake was 8″ round, cheesecake wat 10″ round) and the leftover half I cut in chunks. I poured half the batter in over the crust, sprinkled the cake over it, and covered with the rest of the batter. I did set about 1/2 cup of crumbs aside for the top.

It was really good. There was a nice texture difference between the cheese filling and the brownie. The chocolate and vanilla combination provided a flavor variation and the white/ch0colate was a nice color variation.

Here are some tips for great cheesecake:

1. Never whip your ingredients. You want them to be dense. Always mix at low speed with paddles rather than whisks if possible.
2. Have all ingredients at room temperature.
3. Always use a bain marie (water bath) when baking.
4. Bake at a low temperature. 375 for about 45 minutes.
5. Turn oven off and leave the door closed. Leave cake in the oven for 1 hour.
6. Remove from bain marie and allow the cake to cool to room temperature before wrapping tightly and refrigerating overnight.
7. Remove from the refrigerator about 30 minutes to an hour before serving.

Chocolate Cake for Base and Brownie Chunks

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/3 cup cocoa
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/3 cups flour
• 2/3 cup milk

1. Preheat oven to  325F
2. Grease and flour 2 8 inch round pans
3. Beat sugar and butter until creamy
4. Add eggs one at a time
5. Add vanilla
6. Beat in cocoa
7. Add flour and milk alternately, in three parts. Begin and end with flour.
8. Bake for 30 minutes. Cool

Cheesecake

• 32 oz cream cheese (full fat)
• 16 ozs sour cream
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 6 eggs

1. Beat cream cheese and sugar until well blended.
2. Add vanilla
3. Add eggs, one at a time beating well after each addition
4. Fold in the sour cream

Assembly

1. Press one layer or more of the cake in the bottom of a 9-12 inch springform. Make sure the bottom is well covered.
2. Pour in half the cheesecake mixture.
3. Add crumbled cake chunks, reserving about 1/2 cup crumbs for the top.
4. Pour over the rest of the cheesecake.
5. Cover the bottom of the springform with aluminum foil, bringing it up the sides.
6. Place pan in larger pan of hot water. Water should come halfway up the sides.
7. Bake for 45 minutes.
8. Turn oven off and leave door closed for 1 hour. Don’t PEEK!
9. Remove from oven, take out of bain marie.
10. Let come to room temperature and cover tightly.
11. Refrigerate over night.

Next day

1. Run a knife around sides to loosen
2. Remove sides of springform.
3. Glaze with ganache glaze if desired. Sprinkle with reserved crumbs.

Serves 12

images-Marye Audet

Post from: Baking Delights

O.k..not that I don’t like to eat it, I do. But not as much as I like creating a perfect flavor. The thrill for me is in the challenge, not in the eating. I think I am like that with everything. I like the challenge of accomplishing something but after that? Meh.

This coffee ice cream was, quite possibly, the best we have ever had. The flavor was perfect latte, with a super creamy mouthfeel, rich and smooth. Since the coffee IS the flavor start out with something good. I used both coffee beans AND  JazzyBirdCoffee frozen espressos for a perfect, intense flavor.You can use ALL JazzyBird in this if you like..I just don’t have much left so I am hoarding.

Jazzy Coffee Bean Ice Cream

• 4 cups of heavy cream
• 2 cups of half and half cream (light cream/pouring cream)
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 cup coarsely ground coffee beans
• 1 JazzyBird Espresso Shot

1. Heat 2 cups heavy cream to a simmer. Remove from heat and add coffee beans.
2. Allow to steep for 20 minutes, depending on how strong you like your coffee.
3. Strain the cream through a strainer.
4. Whisk in half and half, Jazzy, sugar, and vanilla.
5. Beat remaining cream to soft peaks and fold in to  coffee mixture.
6. Freeze according to manufacturer’s directions.
7. about  one half gallon

image:marye audet

Post from: Baking Delights

These are crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside, with a buttery combination of flavors that just keep revealing themselves as you eat: lemon, white chocolate, nutmeg, blueberry…

The trick to these, if there is one, is to take them from the oven slightly under-done so that they finish cooking as they cool.  The dried blueberries keep them moist for longer than usual if they last past the first day.  Please, if you do try these? Leave a comment and let me know what you think. I am horridly nervous about the cookbook.

If you want a more decorated cookie you can drizzle melted white chocolate across them, but flavor-wise it is quite unnecessary.

If you use all butter the cookies will be greasy and flat.  If you use all shortening they will be tasteless. Lately I have had more people that usual emailing me and telling me the recipes are not good.  Then they list all the changes they made.

Can I just say that when I develop a recipe it usually is over several bakings? I normally try numerous possibilities before I post the recipe. If you change it you are likely to revert to something I all ready tried and discarded as not being good enough. If you change the recipe and it fails, well there is nothing I can do about operator error, is there?

One thing I have noticed is that flour varies from brand to brand and even bag to bag. You may need to use a little more or a little less to get the perfect texture. Be willing to experiment.

Blueberry White Chocolate Cookies

• ½ cup unsalted butter
• ½ cup shortening
• ¾ cup sugar
• ¾ cup brown sugar, packed
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 tablespoons grated lemon peel
• 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup dried blueberries
• 1½ cups white chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a cookie sheet with
parchment or silpat.
2. Cream together butter, shortening, and both sugars.
Add eggs, vanilla, and lemon peel; beat until well
blended.
3. Mix dry ingredients together; stir into creamed
mixture. Blend well; add dried blueberries and white
chocolate chips.
4. Drop by generous, rounded teaspoonfuls onto
parchment baking sheets. Keep cookies about 2″
apart. Bake 8–10 minutes, removing from oven when
just barely done.
5. Cool on pans 5 minutes; remove to cool

4-5 dozen depending on size and how much dough you eat

Post from: Baking Delights

This is one of the recipes from my cookie cookbook, Everything Cookies and Brownies. This is perfect for potlucks and bake sales and just when you want to do something easy.

Basically, you can add anything to the cream cheese layer that sounds good:

• Coconut
• Dried cranberries
• Grated chocolate
• Pineapple
• Grated lemon rind

Or leave it plain, it is just that good.  No real tricky techniques involved here just be sure not to overbake.

You can see the layers.  The top is rich, gooey, and…something of the texture of chess pie.  The bottom is cakey/crumbly.  If you refrigerate  overnight you will have a slightly firmer texture.  It is kind of like warm chocolate chip cookies; some people just prefer them gooey.

Gooey Butter Bars

Makes 13x 9 inch pan

• 1 box yellow butter cake mix
• 1 egg
• 1 stick unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tsp vanilla, almond, coconut, or other flavor
• 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 lb of confectioner’s sugar
• 1 stick unsalted butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 eggs

1. Mix the egg, the cake mix, first flavoring, and the first stick of melted butter in a bowl.  Press mixture in the bottom of a buttered 13x 9 inch baking pan.
2. Beat cream cheese, vanilla, confectioners, and eggs in a separate bowl.
3. With mixer running add remaining melted butter. Mix until well blended.
4. Pour cream cheese mixture over the cake base
5. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes.
6. Cool slightly before cutting.

images:marye audet (c) 2009

Post from: Baking Delights

• chocolate chip mocha Irish cream
• caramel apple with chopped peanuts
• white chocolate blueberry pecan
• vanilla apple pie

Eventually you will probably see all the flavors end up here.  One of the cool things about Erin and my relationship is that we can bounce those flavor ideas off each other..Lots of fun, and if you add the rest of the kids..well we can sit around and toss flavors back and forth the way some families talk about sports scores.

The peach, tea, and ginger just appealed to me.  I thought it would be refreshing like sweet tea but also creamy,  rich, and satisfying.

There are a few things I will do differently next time.  I will make the tea infusion stronger…MUCH stronger next time.  I will chop the candied ginger more finely.  I will add about a fourth of a cup of peach schnapps for more peach flavor.  On the up side this was a fantastic and unusual flavor combination.  Just need to kick it up a bit.

I used Reeds crystallized ginger. It is natural, rolled in raw cane sugar, and has by far the best flavor of any I have tried.  You can get it at health food and natural food stores.  I did use half french vanilla and 1/2 vanilla but you can use all plain vanilla.

I took these pictures right after I made the ice cream.  If it had been left overnight in the freezer it would not be so melty.

This would be a great flavor for an Asian fusion type grill meal.  Put it in almond flavored tulles? YUM.

Peach, Tea, and Ginger Ice Cream

• 3 cups heavy cream
• 3 cups half and half
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• pinch salt
• 1/2 cup finely chopped candied ginger
• 4 black tea tea bags
• 1 cup pureed peaches

Heat one cup of the half and half to a boil.  Add the teabags and set aside.

Whip the cream to soft peaks and set aside.

Mix the sugar, remaining half and half, salt, and vanilla.  Add the peaches and the cooled tea infusion.

Fold in the whipped cream.

Add the the ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer’s directions.

Just before the ice cream is done add the chopped ginger.

Allow to ripen overnight for the best texture.

Yield: 1/2 gallon

image:Marye Audet

Post from: Baking Delights

Rich caramel with a vanilla midnote melting into black tea flavor on your tongue.  It is very complex, very sweet, very rich, and very good.  The filling is light and creamy, just the way a mousse should be, meltingly rich texture to compliment the flavor of the filling.  There will be filling left, you can make tart shells, put it in the chocolate cups, or just eat it.

I loved everything about this except my presentation…that is something I want to work on. I used Sara Lee Frozen Puff Pastry sheets, homemade would be better but I was limited in my time.  It did not take very long at all because of starting with the premade puff pastry.  I think it would be an awesome addition for Mother’s Day or anytime you wanted a great, impressive dessert.  You could also use the small puff pastry shells or use this mousse as a filling for choux pastr, y.

Basically you are diving through pillows of mousse and hitting airy-crisp layers of pastry.  The combination is intoxicating.

Vanilla Caramel Truffle Tea Tart

• 1 package frozen puff pastry (2 in package, you will need both)
• 1 egg yolk
• 4 bags Lipton Vanilla Caramel Truffle tea
• 1 tsp unflavored gelatin, softened in 1/4 cup water
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, divided use
• 1 cup half and half
• 2 eggs, separated
• 1 cup sugar
• pinch of kosher salt
• Melted chocolate for garnish

1. Thaw the puff pastry according to directions.
2. Heat 1/2 cup of cream just to a simmer.  Add the tea bags and set aside to cool.
3. Preheat the oven to 400F or whatever is directed on the box.
4. Cut one sheet of the pastry into 5 strips.  These will make the sides of the tart and the cutouts.
5. Unfold the other sheet of pastry on a baking sheet.
6. Brush beaten egg yolk along edges and gently press 4 strips of pastry around the perimeter to make edges.
7. Cut hearts, stars, or other shapes out of the remaining strip.
8. Bake until puffed, golden and done, about 20 minutes.
9. Meanwhile add half and half and salt to the 2 beaten egg yolks.
10. Add sugar and beat until well blended.
11. Squeeze out tea bags and discard.  Pour infused cream and softened gelatin into the egg mixture.
12. Whisk until well mixed.
13. Cook in a double boiler until the mixture coats the back of a spoon.  Remove from heat and set aside.
14. Meanwhile beat the remaining cream until soft peaks form.
15. Beat the egg whites until peaks form, do not over beat.
16. Fold egg whites into room temperature infused cream mixture.
17. Fold whipped cream into all.
18. Spoon into tart shell.  Chill.  Garnish with melted chocolate.

serves 9-12

images:marye audet (c) 2009

Post from: Baking Delights

images:(c)maryeaudet 2009

Post from: Baking Delights