Desserts Archives - The Midnight Baker

Pecan Pie

Judith Hannemann — Sat, 29 Oct 2022 23:00:01 +0000

Pecan pie is a traditional fall favorite. This one has no corn syrup/

Pecan Pie–No Corn Syrup

In years past, I never gave corn syrup too much thought since it was something I’d use rarely. Mainly I used it in my candy making so it was definitely used sparingly.

Corn syrup, whether light or dark, always figured heavily in most pecan pie recipes. Frankly, I found those amounts offputting to say the least and that was before all the furor about high-fructose corn syrup. Therefore I was glad to find a recipe for pecan pie that didn’t rely on its use at all.

Pie Crust

Basically, I can cook and make most anything but where I will fail the majority of times is with pie crust. I’m not ashamed to say if I want a pie to come out perfectly that I use the pre-made refrigerated or frozen variety. Trust me, it avoids any disasters.

I discovered a great recipe for a pie crust that doesn’t fail from Mary Berry. The recipe and technique is in my caramel crumb peach pie. There’s also a video that shows you “how to.” The other secret is to use a European “pie plate,” which is only a removable-bottom quiche pan. Actually, you might want to take to using the quiche pan since even the first slice of the pie doesn’t get wrecked.

For this pie, I used the refrigerated crust. If you’re like me, play it safe. If you’re an expert at pie crust then make your own; any recipe will do.

Pecans

You’ll have to splurge and buy the whole pecan halves for this–if you want it to look super. I know they’re not cheap but who eats pecan pie on a regular basis. If you have any leftover, they store beautifully in your freezer. In fact, I freeze all nuts I use in baking. If you have a vacuum sealer, this is a good way to preserve them in the freezer even better.

The Recipe

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Pecan Pie

A classic fall pie made without corn syrup

Prep Time45

Cook Time1 5

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: classic pecan pie, pecan pie no corn syrup, pies for thanksgiving

Servings: 12

Calories: 1098kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

1 9- inch unbaked crust
1 egg white

Filling:

1 cup pure maple syrup
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 Tbs full-flavored molasses
4 Tbs unsalted butter cubed
2 Tbs bourbon
1 Tbs vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
3 eggs beaten
2 cups pecan halves lightly toasted, divided
1 Tbs each pure maple syrup and bourbon

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400F/200C with rack in lowest position.
Line crust with parchment paper, fill with dried beans or pie weights, and bake until crust is set, about 25 minutes; remove beans and parchment and brush bottom and sides of crust with egg white. Bake crust until golden, 10 minutes; let cool completely.
For the filling, whisk together 1 cup maple syrup, brown sugar, and molasses in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook filling, stirring frequently, until sugar dissolves, about 3 minutes; let cool 5 minutes.
Whisk in 4 Tbsp. butter, 2 Tbs bourbon, vanilla, and ¾ tsp salt. Slowly whisk in eggs until incorporated.
Roughly chop 1 cup pecans and add to filling; pour into prepared crust. Toss remaining 1 cup pecans with 1 Tbs maple syrup and 1 Tbs bourbon, then arrange over top of pie. Transfer pie to oven and decrease temperature to 325F/160C
Bake pie until filling is set and center is slightly jiggly, 60–65 minutes. Transfer pie to a rack and let cool completely, 4–5 hours. Serve pie with ice cream.

Nutrition

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Chocolate Loaf

Judith Hannemann — Sat, 10 Sep 2022 23:00:10 +0000

This chocolate loaf is sure to be a hit with all who try it.

Chocolate Loaf–Best Chocolate Pound Cake Ever

I just love this chocolate loaf. In fact, I think it’s the best chocolate cake I’ve ever eaten. There’s a reason for that and it’s not only the rich, deep chocolate flavor.It’s the crumb that I find to be the best part. Reason for that is the crumb is so fine that this cake literally melts in your mouth.

Now for the chocolate flavor–that’s obtained by using a good-quality cocoa. Here is not the place to skimp by using a generic. You have your choice as to whether to use regular or dutch-processed. The dutch process would probably yield a better flavor, but the difference is so slight that it’s immaterial–at least to me. Anyway dutched cocoa is pretty hard to find in the supermarket now and as I said, the difference is probably not worth it.

The Topping–Happy Accident

Originally I made this cake without a topping, but I wanted to try something new.

Have you seen some chocolate cakes that are topped with chocolate chips? Especially where the chips have their shape but still look melty? Well, that’s what I wanted but I didn’t get it.

What happened was the chips actually cooked into the top of the cake and made a nice crunchy chocolaty topping which is a lot like crumbs. It was super! Sometimes the accident turns out to be happy and that’s the case with this. The last “disaster” was years ago with my maple meatloaf, so check that one out.

Butter

It goes without saying that unsalted butter is the shortening used in this. Resist the urge to use baking spread (YUCK).

The butter flavor really comes through in this so it’s a pretty major component of the taste. If all you have is salted butter, then leave out the salt in the recipe.

The Recipe

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Chocolate Loaf

Rich, buttery and chocolaty

Prep Time15

Cook Time1 10

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chocolate loaf cake, milk chocolate pound cake, rich chocolate cake

Servings: 12

Calories: 267kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

8 tbs unsalted butter room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking powder
2/3 cup cocoa regular or Dutch process
3 eggs
1 1/4 cups flour
3/4 cup lukewarm milk
1/4 cup chocolate chips

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F180C. Lightly grease a 9x5 or 8.5x4.5-inch loaf pan--the smaller pan will produce a higher dome and take the maximum baking time.
In a medium bowl, beat the butter, sugar, salt, vanilla, baking powder and cocoa. The mixture will look clumpy--this is OK
Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Add half of the flour, beating at low speed. Then add all the milk, again beating at low speed. Add the rest of the flour, beating until well mixed.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan, sprinkle the top with the chocolate chips and bake for 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove the cake from the oven and loosen the edges then cool for 10 minutes then turn it out onto a rack to cool completely.

Video

Nutrition

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Hoosier Tart

Judith Hannemann — Sat, 03 Sep 2022 23:00:15 +0000

Hoosier tart is a simple but rich and elegant dessert.

Hoosier Tart Is Creamy

If you’re looking for a dessert that’s ultra creamy but easy to make, look no further than this Hoosier tart.

I imagine its roots are in Indiana, although I can’t be positive, but if you just look at the name that’s where it hails from.

This pie is extremely rich because it is made with heavy cream. So if you’re counting calories this isn’t for you. If an occasional splurge is OK, then by all means try it. One good thing is it is so rich that a small serving will satisfy.

No Substitutions

Resist the temptation to substitute something with a lower fat content for the heavy cream. It’ll only result in something watery that won’t set up right. There’s really no way to make this a non-dairy treat either.

So rather than waste perfectly good ingredients, it’s wise not to try with this one.

The Crust

The crust can be as easy as frozen or refrigerated ones or your own from-scratch recipe! That’s the beauty of these types of desserts.

Personally, I opt for the frozen or refrigerated variety because pie crust can be hit or miss with me. I have discovered a great method that I used with my caramel crumb peach pie that I am currently using–thanks to Mary Berry for that one. However standard crusts have always been iffy for me. So if you’re like me, then opt for the kind that will work regardless.

As a note to flavor, this tart is topped with a delicious cinnamon sugar. The cinnamon blends beautifully with the rich vanilla creaminess of the filling. In fact I think it’s the nicest part of this dessert.

The Recipe

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Hoosier Tart

Old-fashioned dessert

Prep Time20

Cook Time35

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: hoosier pie, sweet cream pie

Servings: 12

Calories: 377kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

1 pie crust at room temperature
4 tbs cornstarch
3/4 cup granulated sugar
4 tbs salted butter melted
2 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream
1 tbs vanilla extract

Topping:

4 Tablespoons salted butter melted
1/2 cup cinnamon sugar

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325F and place pie crust onto a baking sheet. Prick bottom of crust with a fork or use pie weights (dried beans are good)
Bake for 10-12 minutes to partially cook and set aside.
Mix cornstarch and sugar in a small bowl until combined.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the cornstarch mixture, melted butter, and heavy whipping cream to a boil, stirring constantly until thickened.
Add vanilla and stir. Pour hot cream into prepared pie crust and smooth the top.
Top with melted butter and evenly sprinkle with desired amount of cinnamon sugar.
Bake for 25 minutes and broil for about 1 minute.
Cool until room temperature and place in the fridge to set for a least 1 hour.
Serve or store covered in the refrigerator.

Nutrition

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Victoria Sponge

Judith Hannemann — Sat, 30 Jul 2022 23:00:22 +0000

Victoria sponge is one of the easiest yet elegant British cakes.

Victoria Sponge For Tea Time

The Victoria sponge has got to be Britain’s favorite cake for tea time. First of all, it’s very tasty but did you know it’s one of the easiest things you’ll ever make?

There’s a number of ways you can go about making one. You can start with a from-scratch cake as I do or you can use a cake mix. You can even buy a pound cake from the bakery!

The only thing that is a must is a red jam and whipped cream. The dusting of confectioner’s sugar is also optional.

The Cake

Britons always refer to making a cake batter as “making the sponge.” I have no idea where that came from because they apply it to every cake batter, most of which are not sponge cakes as Americans know them.

British cakes have a slightly different texture to American cakes. They don’t go in for that super-moist texture. Most cakes have body–much like American pound cake. So if you opt to use a mix, then the one to choose is the butter-based yellow or gold mixes. Also if using a mix and round cake pans, you’ll want the 9-inch/23-cm sized pans. My from-scratch recipe uses 8-inch/20-cm pans but you’ll have more batter from a mix so use the larger pan.

For thinner layers using a mix, 10-inch/25-cm would probably be your best bet.

You will also have to level off at least one of the layers so it sits nicely on the serving plate. I do both because I like a flat top as well, so I level both and invert the top layer.

Just a note, but when I bake I generally use the metric system and weigh. This produces consistent results. For US measures see the “NOTES” section in the recipe card.

Red Jam & Cream

Raspberry is traditional, but strawberry is a close second.

The two jams mentioned are used most, but any flavor you like will do..

When it comes to the cream filling, I never skimp and make old-fashioned whipped cream. However, unless you’re going to eat it very soon after you put the cake together, the whipped cream needs to be stabilized. Some do this with cream cheese, but my preferred method is using instant modified food starch–that’s sold under the name of Instant Clear Jel.

The Recipe

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Victoria sponge

Britain's most beloved cake

Prep Time15

Cook Time25

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: British

Keyword: britain's favorite cake, victoria sponge

Servings: 8

Calories: 627kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

235 g butter very soft
235 g sugar
4 eggs
235 g self-raising flour
1 tsp vanilla

Filling:

1/2 cup raspberry jam
1 cup heavy cream
1 tbs confectioner's sugar

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F/180C. Grease 2 8-inch cake pans and line the bottom with parchment rounds--grease the parchment too.
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy; about 4 minutes.
Add the eggs, beating well after each addition, then add the vanilla.
Fold the flour into the butter mixture until you cannot see any flour particles.
Divide the mixture equally between the pans--weighing is the best way if you want it to look even and perfect.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool completely--you can safely cool the cakes in the pans.
To assemble, unmold the cakes from the pans, carefully peel off the parchment and level off the top of at least 1 layer so it will be flat on the serving plate. Likewise you can level off the top of the other layer if you want a flat top. If you don't mind a domed top, that isn't necessary.
Beat the cream until stiff peaks form (see post body on how I stabilize the cream). Spread the jan on top of the bottom layer then spread the whipped cream over that. Top with the other layer (leveled side on top of the cream if you want the flat top) and dust with confectioner's sugar if desired.

Notes

US measurements for cake:

1 cup + 1 tbs soft butter, 1 cup + 1 tbs sugar, 1 cup + 3/4 cup + 2 tbs self-raising flour. Other measurements remain the same

Video

Nutrition

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Peach Upside Down Dessert Cake

Judith Hannemann — Tue, 07 Jun 2022 23:00:13 +0000

This peach upside down dessert cake can be made with fresh, frozen or canned peaches. It’s a year-round treat.

Peach Upside Down Dessert Cake–Perfect Dessert

Summer is peach season so lots of desserts feature them.

This simple peach upside down dessert cake is one of those recipes. Since it’s simple to make, you’ll make it often and not only in summer! The reason is that you don’t need fresh peaches to make this cake.

Whatever variety you use, the topping is simply delicious–sweet and a bit tart and oh so buttery. This is sure to become a family favorite.

Rich Cake

There’s nothing light and fluffy about this cake. It’s a dense and rich dessert-textured cake.

Because of this, it doesn’t rise much. So when you go to test it, don’t think something’s wrong because it’s kind of flat. That’s the way it’s supposed to be. But despite it’s texture, this rich cake will literally melt in your mouth.

The cake is also made with the old-fashioned creaming method. And remember when adding the wet and dry ingredients that you begin and end with the dry ingredients.

Any Kind Of Peaches

The really great feature of this peach upside down dessert cake is you’re not limited to what type of peaches to use.

Here, I used sliced canned peaches. You can also use fresh and frozen. That make this very convenient since you can enjoy this dessert in any season.

With canned peaches, you may have to slice thicker slices in half. The can I had were pretty inconsistent in size, but I don’t consider that a huge issue. Same applies to frozen peaches.

The Recipe

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Peach Upside Down Dessert Cake

Easy dessert

Prep Time20

Cook Time50

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cakes with peaches, peach desserts, peach upside down cake

Servings: 8

Calories: 416kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

Cake:

1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup butter softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp cinnamon
2 tbs sour cream
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup milk

Topping:

2 cups sliced peaches fresh, frozen or canned
1/4 cup melted butter
3/4 cup brown sugar

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

reheat oven to 350F/180C.
Place melted butter in an uncreased 9-inch/23 cm round cake pan. Sprinkle brown sugar over the butter and arrange peach slices evenly over the top.
Mix the flour baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a small bowl; set aside.
Beat the 1/2 cup butter and the sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla.
Mix in the flour alternately with the milk, ending with the flour mixture.
Drop cake batter on top of the peaches and spread evenly over the top.
Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let the cake stand for 10 minutes then invert onto a serving plate. Best served warm.

Nutrition

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No-Bake Blueberry Dessert

Judith Hannemann — Tue, 24 May 2022 23:00:02 +0000

Nothing could be easier than this no-bake blueberry dessert.

No-Bake Blueberry Dessert–Great For Summer

The last thing you want to do during the warmer months is turn on your oven. That’s where no-bake desserts come in handy and are a boon. This no-bake blueberry dessert is just one of those desserts.

Did I mention it’s easy? Well this is one of the easiest things you’ll ever make and if you buy a ready-made cookie pie shell, it’s no work at all! And if it’s one thing I like now that I’m old and lazy (and a bit decrepit too) is something that’s little to no work at all.

My neighbor told me about this because someone brought it to her quilting group. She said it was totally delicious and was surprised when she found out how easy it was to make.

The Crust

I used graham crackers for the crust. However, any cookie crust you want will do here provided it goes with the fruit filling you are using.

You can also make this in “pie” form by using a store-bought crust. That’s so easy it’s not to be believed.

My neighbor said the lady from her quilt group used cherry pie filling. How about a chocolate cookie or Oreo crust with that? That’s an easy way to do this with a Black Forest flair.

I might mention that any fruity pie filling will do here. I just had a lot of blueberry filling on hand so that’s what I used.

Get A Little Fancier

Whipped topping is a great convenience ingredient and I chose to use it here.

However, most of the time I prefer the taste of real whipped cream. So if you’d rather use the real deal, I would definitely encourage it. It will give the recipe a few more steps, but if you have the time then go for it.

The Recipe

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No-Bake Blueberry Dessert

Any flavor pie filling will work.

Prep Time15

Cook Time0

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: no-bake blueberry parfait, no-bake desserts with blueberry, no-bake fruit desserts

Servings: 8

Calories: 367kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

21 oz blueberry pie filling or any flavor you like
8 oz tub whipped topping

Crust:

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup melted butter
2 tbs sugar optional

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Place cookie crumbs in a small bowl and add the melted butter and sugar if using. Stir until all the crumbs are coated. Press into a 11x7-inch oblong pan (UK--a tray bake pan is a good size).
Spread pie filling over crust and top with whipped topping.
Chill at least 4 hours or overnight. Freezing works well too if you want a frozen dessert.

Notes

You can substitute 2 cups of real whipped cream for the whipped topping.

Nutrition

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Cold Oven Pound Cake

Judith Hannemann — Tue, 10 May 2022 23:00:31 +0000

Cold oven pound cake starts in…you guessed it…a cold oven.

Is Cold Oven Pound Cake Better?

I set out to find out ever since I saw this cold oven pound cake touted in Epicurious.

Starting things in a cold oven is hardly a new concept. Most recently I’ve heard it suggested for using a certain ceramic brand of bakeware. It does make sense from a theoretical standpoint, especially with the ceramic ware. But, is it better? I’m sure that there are many people who can tell you one way or another–especially about that bakeware. However, is this cake better than the more standard versions? That answer is that for me I see no real advantage. Therefore, I will leave you to decide for yourself.

By the way, this cake is extremely delicious. I don’t want to infer that the cake itself is a waste of time; it isn’t. It’s very dense and rich and has a lovely flavor,

Suggested Cake Pans

First of all, at least 10 cups is necessary and I’d even suggest a 12 cup pan. There’s a lot of batter and it filled my 10 cup brilliance pan right to the brim. The pan produces a stunning cake, but you might want to use the more conventional Bundt pan that has less nooks and crannies. This is an expensive cake to make so you’d want no failures when it’s released from the pan. A straight-sided tube pan would be your safest bet. I had no real issues releasing the cake, but I did spray it up really well with baking spray.

One thing I noticed was my cake was rather light but that was my error. I placed the cake pan on a baking sheet since the pan was full to capacity not realizing that there has to be air flow around the central tube. That was just a matter of aesthetics; the cake baked fine. This is why I suggested a larger-capacity pan. Equally, you can bake any excess batter in a smaller pan.

Very Rich

This cake has a lot of butter and a lot of eggs making it a very rich and delicious cake. Because of this, I’d save this one for special occasions as it’s not an every-day sort of dessert. Mainly that it’s pretty costly–not the calories as cake is hardly a diet item anyway.

The Recipe

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Cold Oven Pound Cake

Start this one in a cold oven

Prep Time20

Cook Time1 10

Cooling20

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cold oven pound cake, fancy bundt cakes, rich pound cakes

Servings: 12

Calories: 581kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

3 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups whole milk
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter 3 sticks
3 cups sugar
6 eggs at room temperature
Confectioners icing sugar for dusting, optional

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Grease a 10-inch bundt pan and dust with flour making sure to get into the nooks and crannies of the pan. Non-stick baking spray is good as well.
Mis the flour baking powder and salt in a large bowl; set aside.
Mix the milk and vanilla in a large measuring cup.
Cream the butter on medium speed, using a sturdy stand mixer, until it's light and fluffy.
Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the sugar. Continue beating for 2-3 minutes until the mixture is very light and fluffy.
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition
Add the flour mixture in thirds, alternating with the milk mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and make sure the batter is evenly mixed.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly using a spatula.
Place the pan on the middle rack and set the oven temperature to 325F/160C.
Bake 60-70 minutes or until the cake is golden brown on the topped a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool the cake on a rack for 20 minutes then invert on a serving plate. Once the cake is entirely cool, dust with confectioners sugar if desired.

Nutrition

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No-Bake Lime Cheesecake

Judith Hannemann — Wed, 19 Jan 2022 00:00:30 +0000

A no-bake lime cheesecake that’s easy to make and divine to eat.

Do You Love Lime?

Then you are going to love this no-bake lime cheesecake!

It’s very easy to make and with things you might have on hand–if you’re a lover of lime flavored gelatin dessert then you have at least one of the ingredients.

I happened to have this on hand for the weirdest reason. My brother-in-law in England loves the stuff, meaning the American variety. So when my nephew visited a couple of years ago he bought a bunch of our gelatin mixes for his dad, but one of the lime ones was left behind. I am not into “jello” for dessert so it just went into the cupboard.

Cream Cheese

I always have this on hand–at least two large packages. However, I understand that there was a great cream cheese shortage over the holidays and it still may be hard to get in some locations. Last time I went to shop right after the New Year, my store had it on hand. If yours doesn’t just yet, then just save the recipe and make it when you can get it.

One caveat with the cream cheese is to use either the regular kind or Neufchatel, which is also known as “light” or “lower-fat” cream cheese. As an aside, it’s a cheese variety in itself and very close to cream cheese. Under no circumstances use a fat-free variety. It just won’t work out–and that’s something I know from experience. And it doesn’t work in baked nor no-bake cheesecakes.

The Crust

Pretty much any cookie will do here. Sandwich ones work the best. I used some leftover lemon sandwich cookies and that worked very nicely giving a delicious lemon-lime accent to the cheesecake.

If you don’t have sandwich cookies, then good ole graham crackers will do very nicely. Coconut would be good too for a tropical flair.

The Recipe

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No-Bake Lime Cheesecake

An awesome no-bake cheesecake

Prep Time30

Cook Time0

Chill Time4

Total Time4 30

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: citrus cheesecakes, no-bake lime cheesecake

Servings: 12

Calories: 535kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

Cookie Crust:

15 oz lemon sandwich cookies
3 tbs melted butter
1 tbs sugar

Cheesecake Filling:

16 oz softened cream cheese
1 tbs lime juice
1 cup sugar
1 small box lime gelatin size that serves 4
16 oz heavy cream
1/4 cup confectioner's icing sugar

Topping

1 sliced lime
Whipped cream if desired

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Cookie Crust

Pulse the lemon cookies in food processor, until crushed. Add melted butter and sugar. Pulse to mix. Press the crushed cookie mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan and and partway up the sides. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes until crust is firm.

Cheesecake Filling

Beat cream cheese, lime juice and sugar until well mixed. Set aside.
In another bowl, add 1 cup of boiling water to gelatin and stir to dissolve, then set aside to cool.
Whip the heavy cream with powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Take care not to go to far, to a butter stage.
Once gelatin has cooled and begun to thicken, fold it into the whipped cream and mix gently.
Then, fold in the cream cheese mixture until evenly blended. Fill crust with the cheesecake mixture, spreading to even out if necessary. Top with lime slices and additional whipped cream if desired. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or until firm.

Nutrition

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Bavarian Cream Biscuits

Judith Hannemann — Wed, 08 Dec 2021 00:00:55 +0000

Whip up a batch of these Bavarian cream biscuits and surprise the family!

Bavarian Cream Biscuits?

Yep, that’s right! I know it may sound strange, but consider that many people are using refrigerated biscuits to make “donuts” in their air fryers. Not for nothing, those air-fried” donuts taste pretty darned good too.

Why not carry that principle further and apply it to filled donuts. I admit that the biscuit itself is nowhere near the taste nor the texture of filled raised-yeast donuts. However, that doesn’t mean that they won’t taste very good–they do. And what’s good about these is that they should be eaten the same day you make them.

Unlike their yeast cousins, biscuits don’t keep as well.

Creamy Filling

This filling is rich and creamy. It’s delicious too, but of course you know that already.

I tend to use heavy or whipping cream for this type of concoction. Not only for taste but for texture. Light cream or half and half could probably be substituted, however, I can’t vouch for the texture as it may be too runny to be a good filling. Milk would definitely be out here because your end product wouldn’t be much like a pastry filling; it’d be exactly like it’s intended purpose–a pudding.

Chocolate Frosting

I give my favorite quickie chocolate ganache recipe for this and I highly recommend it. Reason for that is that it’s very easy, tastes delicious and it produces the right consistency for this use.

You can always use your favorite recipe for chocolate frosting. The caveat is it must be thin enough so that it drizzles. Another option is to use canned frosting and microwaving it so it becomes runny. However that frosting will lose it’s gloss where my quick ganache will not–so make a tad extra so you can lick out the bowl with the excess. It’s glorious.

The Recipe

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Bavarian Cream Biscuits

Simple yet delicious

Prep Time5

Cook Time0

Biscuit Bake Time20

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: bavarian cream donuts, desserts using biscuits, donuts from biscuits

Servings: 8

Calories: 304kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

8 large biscuits refrigerated, frozen or your own
3/4 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup instant vanilla pudding mix 1/2 of the box

Frosting:

1 cup chocolate chips
2-3 tbs cream

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

In a small bowl, beat the cream and the pudding mix with an electric mixer until it's thick. Cover and refrigerate.
Bake biscuits as per package direction or your own recipe. Allow biscuits to cool.
When ready to fill the biscuits, let the filling stand at room temperature for 5 minutes. Place filling in a pastry bag with a 1/2-inch round tip (you can also use a plastic freezer bag with a corner cut out).
Insert the tip into the side of each biscuit and squeeze about 2 tablespoons of the filling into the center.
For the frosting, combine the chocolate chips and 2 tablespoons of cream in a small bowl and microwave on high for 15 seconds. Stir until smooth. The frosting should be of drizzling consistency; add additional cream if necessary to achieve this texture.
Swirl tops of the biscuits in the frosting.

Nutrition

The post Bavarian Cream Biscuits appeared first on The Midnight Baker.

Creme Caramel

Judith Hannemann — Sun, 21 Nov 2021 00:00:06 +0000

Whether you call it flan, caramel custard or creme caramel, it’s the world’s most beloved dessert.

Creme Caramel: A Beloved Dessert

I don’t think you’ll find many people who don’t love this. No matter whether it goes by flan, creme caramel or caramel custard, the world loves this stuff.

In fact, I had this for the very first time when I was 13 and my mother took us back home to England for a visit. That’s where I fell in love with this. The Brits call this caramel custard. Later on I discovered it was also a Spanish delight. A friend from Puerto Rico would make it for me all the time; she called it flan.

But whatever you call this, it’s totally delicious. It’s easy to make but you have to pay attention to a couple of things when you make it and I won’t lie, it takes a couple of pots and bowls so there’s clean-up. However, I think it’s worth it and I think you will too.

Make A Good Custard

Making a great custard is pretty easy when you come to think about it. There are some caveats that come along with it and you do need to pay attention to what you’re doing, but that’s about it.

First, you’re dealing with a hot liquid being introduced to eggs. If this step isn’t done properly, you’ll end up with scrambled eggs. The way to avoid that is either to “temper” the eggs by putting a few tablespoons of the hot liquid into the eggs whilst whisking. Another way is to pour the hot liquid into the eggs in a slow thin stream whisking all the time you’re doing it. The latter is the method I prefer and after you’ve streamed about a cup of liquid, you can add the rest faster since the eggs are tempered by that time.

Another thing you’ll want to do is to strain the custard through a mesh strainer. There will be some little bits of solid egg in the custard that would be a bit unpleasant in the finished dessert. Straining eliminates that possibility. Nothing is worse than a lumpy custard. Don’t skimp; strain.

Caramel

Unlike candy caramels/soft toffee, this concoction is merely sugar and water. You let the sugar dissolve so it’s perfectly clear then boil to evaporate the water.

Honestly, this process is like the proverbial watchpot. But pay attention here. Once that gets to boiling and the bubbles become larger and look syrupy, it will go fast. Essentially, you’re making hard candy but you don’t need a candy thermometer to test since your eye will be good enough. Once it almost reaches a dark amber, remove it from the heat immediately because it will continue to cook and be careful–this is very hot and the burn is no fun. Ask me how I know this…

There’s more hints in the recipe instructions so read them carefully for complete success.

The Recipe

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Creme Caramel

Call it flan, creme caramel or caramel custard, it's a worldwide favorite

Prep Time30

Cook Time35

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: French

Keyword: caramel custard, elegant desserts for the holidays, flan recipe, making egg custard correctly

Servings: 8

Calories: 316kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

Caramel:

2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup water

Custard:

2 cups whole milk NO SUBSTITUTES
1 cup heavy cream
2/3 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
4 large whole eggs
2 large egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325F/160C. Place 8 6 oz/17 7ml custard cups in a large roasting pan. Set aside.
To make the caramel, place the sugar and water in a small heavy saucepan. Heat over medium-high heat, swirling pan to dissolve the sugar. The liquid will appear clear when the sugar is dissolved. It is very important that you do NOT stir this so resist the temptation. Once the syrup begins to boil, place a lid on the pan. This will cause condensation that will "wash" the sides of the pan and prevent the sugar crystalizing. Remove the cover after a minute or 2, then let it boil until it's a dark amber syrup.
Divide the caramel evenly in each custard cup. Rotate each cup so the syrup coats up the sides. Keep doing this with each cup until the syrup no longer moves.
To make the custard--Combine the milk, cream, sugar and salt in a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally and making sure sugar is dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat.
Whisk the whole eggs, egg yolks and vanilla in a large bowl. Gradually add the hot milk mixture whilst whisking. Do this slowly or else you'll scramble the eggs. Strain the mixture through a strainer so there are no bits of egg (there will be) in the custard.
Distribute the custard mixture evenly between the custard cups.
Now boil a kettle of water and pour the water in the baking dish around the custard cups--be careful not to get any water in the custard cups. NOTE--this is easier if you put the roasting pan with the custard cups in the oven first then carefully pour the water in.
Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the edges are set but the middle still has a little wiggle in it.
Remove the custard cups to a rack to cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours or up to 3 days.
To unmold, run a small knife around the the edge of each custard cup to loosen the custard, then invert onto a serving place. Shake the cup a little if it doesn't release.

Nutrition

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