It’s that time of year, time for me to dust off my Irish genes—which are mingled with Scottish, a bit of Cherokee Indian, as well as a few others that I’m not sure about—and enjoy a bit of my family heritage. We’ll have some Irish stew, Irish soda bread, and at least one dessert with some of our favorite Irish flavors: Irish cream and Guinness.

I was in my 30s when I had my first taste of Irish cream, and since then it has become a staple in our bar. I’ve tried just about every brand of Irish cream I’ve come across, and my personal favorite is Carolans. Though Baileys still holds the number one spot in terms of worldwide sales, Carolans is the number two seller and costs substantially less. The texture is a little lighter than Baileys, but still very smooth and creamy, and I like the honey flavor in it.

The flavor of the Irish cream is subtle in the cake and a little more pronounced in the glaze, just enough to let you know it’s there but not overwhelming. The pistachios are optional, but I like the spark of green color they add.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

IRISH CREAM POUND CAKE

Makes 1 10-inch tube can or 2 9×5 loaf cakes.

Equipment

stand mixer with paddle attachment
16 cup tube pan or 2 (9×5) loaf pans, greased and floured
medium bowl
small bowl

Ingredients

CAKE
1-1/2 cups (3 sticks/338 g) unsalted butter, softened
1 (8-ounce/226 g) package cream cheese, softened
3 cups (525 g) granulated sugar
6 large eggs
3 cups (360 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup (2.6 ml) Irish cream liqueur or milk (I prefer Carolans Irish Cream, but you can use whatever brand you like.)
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup (145 g) chopped pistachios

GLAZE
1 cup (130 g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 tablespoon Irish cream liqueur
2 to 3 teaspoons milk

Preparation

1. CAKE: Set oven rack in the middle and preheat oven to 325° F/165° C.

2. In the bowl of the stand mixer, cream together the butter and the cream cheese. Add the sugar a little at a time, mixing on medium speed until light and fluffy.

3. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing on low just until the yolk is no longer visible. Don’t overmix.

4. In the medium bowl, sift together the flour and the salt. Add 1/3 of the flour and salt to the butter mixture and mix on low just until blended. Add the vanilla and 1/2 the Irish cream and mix in, then 1/3 of the flour and mix, the remaining Irish cream, and finally the rest of the flour. Be gentle. Don’t over mix, or the cake will be tough and lose volume. You can also do this part by hand using a spatula to fold in the flour and Irish cream.

5. Gently fold in the pistachios.

6. Pour into the prepared tube/loaf pan(s) and smooth the top of the batter with a spatula. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes depending on the cake pan, using a long bamboo skewer to test doneness. Skewer should come out dry, but may have a few crumbs clinging. Remove from oven and cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely on the wire rack.

7. GLAZE: In the small bowl, whisk together the confectioners sugar and the Irish cream. Add a little milk at a time, adding just enough to make the glaze easy to pour. Drizzle over the cake and allow to rest a few minutes, then serve.

More Recipes to Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day

More Recipes with Irish Cream From Around the Blogs

Cocktail Hacker – Homemade Irish Cream

Nook & Pantry – Guinness Chocolate Cupcake with Bailey’s Cream Cheese Frosting

Bake or Break – Irish Cream Brownies

The Hungry Mouse – Oreo & Irish Cream Milkshake

Click the button to save this recipe to your Springpad.

Thanks for reading this blog through a feed! Copyright © 2005-2010 Andrea Meyers: cooking, gardening & four hungry guys.

Share

My husband Michael, the engineer (aerospace, not trains), is the designer for all our sons’ birthday cakes. He’s a big fan of Duff Goldman and watches Ace of Cakes often trying to pick up any tips he can. We only tackle cakes like this three times a year and we are definitely not pros. I bake the cakes and whip up the frosting and fondant and he does all the assembly and decorative work. Here’s his story on how we made the Toby train birthday cake.

A week before our oldest son’s birthday we thought we were going to make a monster truck cake which he had been talking up for weeks, but before that he had talked about a Penguins of Madagascar cake, which admittedly was going to be difficult. Then he abruptly changed his mind and said with certainty that he wanted a Toby train cake. We thought he might have been influenced by seeing his brother’s Percy cake back in September, as we later found out when presenting the our final creation that Toby was number seven and he was turning seven. Ah the logic of youth…

Fortunately I was able to leverage my experience with the Percy cake on this venture, and once again we found our model in the boys’ train play area. The great advantage of using the model and the foam base is that it can easily be scaled up or down based on the predicted size of the party. Since we were going to have a smaller crowd for this event we scaled the cake down a bit. With Toby being rather square, we decided two 9 by 13 chocolate cakes would be the amount we needed.

Measuring Toby, I determined we needed a cake platform of 12 long, 5 inches wide, and ran everything else based on these calculations. Using the one inch foam sheets available at your local home supply store, I cut out three 12-inch x 5-inch blocks, and a couple of 3 x 3 pieces to act as supports between the wheels. This time I also decided to carve out foam wheels instead of using rice crispy treats, which didn’t work as well as we hoped for the Percy cake. For the wheels I started out with two, 4-inch squares and then using an X-acto or box cutter shaved them into 4-inch circles using a plastic lid of the same size to pencil trace a guide line on the foam. Since Toby’s wheels are concealed I cut the two circles in half to have four half wheels.

Using masking tape and two chopsticks I assembled the base. These could also be glued if you have time to work ahead. This time we also cut a piece of cardboard the same size of the cake base, enveloped it in plastic wrap to function as a barrier between the cake and the foam. I taped this on top of the foam base.

I then coated the entire base in frosting, using black for the wheels and gray for the layers between the wheels and the cardboard platform. Holding the chop stick stubs came in handy for this part. Be sure to coat all the foam including the underside because touching up areas that show through at the end after the cake is assembled is extremely difficult.

A NOTE of CAUTION here: I strongly recommend you place the base on the final serving tray before assembling the cake layers above. These creations have a tendency to be top heavy and I nearly lost my completed cake four hours later while trying to transfer it from the construction area to the serving plate. We think pizza pans are ideal for this, but you can also use plywood covered with aluminum foil. A thick decorator plastic would also work, many versions are available at local hobby/arts and crafts stores.

We used standard white butter cream between the layers because we had quite a bit extra, but chocolate would be better. I stacked three half sheets and trimmed the top to give is a bit of a curve. Since Toby’s exterior is made of wood we coated the outside of the cake in chocolate frosting, including the top. I then rolled out a layer of gray fondant for the top, then also used the same fondant for the face.

I still find making the face one of the hardest parts of the Thomas train cakes. This time we added some canola oil to the exterior to help with the cracking we had on the Percy cake. I tried a slightly different method this time, but still wasn’t entirely happy with the result as Toby’s face still sagged and cracked. If I do another engine cake I’ll use oil or Karo syrup to keep the face smooth and I will also play with it for a week or so ahead of time to get it right, maybe practicing with molding clay first then with fondant. One thing that does help with cracking and sagging is to put the face on the cake at the last minute before presenting and serving. Modeling chocolate might also work but we would need to spend some time researching this.

I finished up the detail work using colored frosting and a Wilton #3 tip. Something we wish we had done is rake the frosting with a fork to make it look more like a wood exterior, but we have noted that for next time.

Frosting

Below are the frosting quantities, which may vary slightly depending on how thick you apply it. You can make extra frosting and have leftovers for other uses, or you can start with the quantities listed and make more if needed. If you make two full batches of vanilla buttercream you should have plenty with a little left over. We find using Wilton frosting colors help keep the colors consistent if you have to make another batch. Colors do tend to darken after resting a day.

• 1-1/2 batches of chocolate frosting (see below). (We ended up using vanilla buttercream between the layers because we had extra and didn’t want it to go to waste, but chocolate is definitely better.)
• 1-1/2 cups (1/2 batch) of vanilla buttercream tinted gray, use a toothpick dipped in black Wilton color and add slowly.
• 3 cups (1 batch) of vanilla buttercream, tinted black.
• 1/4 cup vanilla buttercream, tinted yellow (for number 7).
• 1/4 cup vanilla buttercream, tinted red (for number 7).

Plan Ahead Tips

• Make the marshmallow fondant up to 30 days ahead. Keep wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and store in dry place (not refrigerator).
• Bake the cakes up to one day before and allow them to cool completely. Freezing them for about 30 minutes before assembly makes them easier to carve.
• Make the frosting up to three days before. Mix one batch at a time and color as you go. Cover the surface with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator. Allow to come to room temperature before frosting the cake.

A Word on Fondant

You can use fondant for the cake rather than buttercream, either purchased or homemade. Zoe of Zoe Bakes (one of my favorite bakers) has a tried and true recipe for homemade fondant or you can use the marshmallow fondant recipe below. Fondant gives the cake a professional-looking, sleek, smooth surface, but no one in our family will eat it, so that’s why we skip it.

(A tired Michael around 2 a.m.)

TOBY TRAIN BIRTHDAY CAKE

Serves 20 to 30, possibly more depending on serving sizes.

Equipment

Toby train toy or book with photo
2 (9×13) cake pans, greased with a layer of parchment in the bottom
stand mixer with paddle attachment (or hand mixer and large bowl)
foam, approximately 2 feet (61 cm) x 3 feet (91 cm)
wax paper
masking tape
box cutter or X-Acto knife
32-ounce yogurt container lid (as pattern for the wheels)
3 chopsticks
small hammer
1 large pizza pan or serving platter
5 #3 piping tips + couplers
5 quart-sized freezer bags (for piping frosting)
angled frosting spatula
toothpicks (for portioning gel colors)
popsicle stick

Ingredients

chocolate cake or other cake of your choice (make 2 9×13 cakes)
chocolate frosting (1-1/2 batches, no shortening or with shortening, see below) *We only use shortening when the weather is really hot and humid.
vanilla frosting (no shortening, make 2 batches) OR
vanilla frosting (with shortening, make 2 batches) *Again, we only use shortening when the weather is really hot and humid.
marshmallow fondant (recipe below)
no-taste red frosting gel color
yellow frosting gel color
black frosting gel color

MARSHMALLOW FONDANT

Adapted from a post on Wilton.com forums.

Equipment

microwave safe bowl OR 2-quart pot
silicone spatula
rolling pin (for rolling the fondant)
toothpick (for dipping the gel color)
food service gloves

Ingredients

1 cup mini marshmallows, packed well
1 tablespoon water
1-1/2 cups confectioners sugar

COLOR
black frosting gel color

Preparation

1. Put the mini marshmallows in the microwave safe bowl and add the water. Cook in the microwave for 20 seconds, just until they soften and look puffy. If you prefer to do it on the stove, put the marshmallows in a 3-quart pot and add the water. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until the marshmallows look soupy.

2. Add the confectioners sugar and stir using the silicone spatula until the mixture is fully incorporated and no longer sticky. It will get stiff.

3. Sprinkle more confectioners sugar on a work surface and spoon the marshmallow mixture onto the surface. Coat your hands with confectioners sugar and knead the dough until it is smooth, about 5 minutes.

4. Set aside a small amount, equal to about 3 peas. Do not tint.

5. GRAY: (Note: Wear the gloves while coloring the fondant.) Add a tiny amount of black gel color a little at a time and knead it in with your hands. Don’t add too much, you want the color to be pale gray. The color will look streaked at first, then will become more consistent as you work it.

6. If you make the fondant a day or more ahead, roll it into balls and wrap each piece tightly in plastic wrap and store in zip plastic bags to keep it fresh. Do not refrigerate. If it’s well-wrapped, this marshmallow fondant will keep at room temperature for up to 30 days.

CHOCOLATE FROSTING

Make 1-1/2 batches of either recipe.

Ingredients

CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM  (with shortening)
Adapted from Wilton.

1/2 cup (1/2 stick/195 g) trans fat free shortening
8 tablespoons (1 stick/113 g) unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 ounces (85 g) Ghirardelli 100% cacao baking squares, melted, or 3/4 cup (82 g) cocoa powder, sifted
16 ounces (454 g) confectioners sugar, sifted
2 to 4 tablespoons cold milk (Amount depends on humidity and whether you chose the melted chocolate or cocoa powder.

CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM (no shortening)
Adapted from America’s Test Kitchen.
8 ounces (227 g) semi-sweet or dark chocolate, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt
2-1/2 sticks (20 tablespoons/283 g) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups (260 g) confectioners sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa powder

Chocolate Frosting (with shortening) Preparation

1. In the bowl of the stand mixer at medium speed, cream together the shortening and butter until smooth.

2. Add the vanilla extract and melted chocolate and stir until thoroughly combined.

3. Add the sifted confectioners sugar, one cup at a time, scraping down the bowl between each addition.

4. Add the milk one tablespoon at a time, just until the frosting is creamy, not runny. You may not need all the milk. Whip at medium speed for about 1 minute to combine all the ingredients thoroughly.

5. Use promptly or refrigerated with plastic wrap pressed onto the surface. Allow to come to room temperature and whip again before using.

Chocolate Frosting (no shortening) Preparation

1. Stir together the melted chocolate, vanilla, and salt in a bowl until the salt dissolves.

2. In a stand mixer with paddle attachments, beat the butter until it is smooth, about 30 to 60 seconds. In a bowl, whisk together the confectioners sugar and cocoa powder. Reduce the mixer speed to low, then slowly add to the butter, beating until smooth, 2 to 5 minutes.

3. Beat in the melted chocolate mixture. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until fluffy, 4 to 8 minutes.

ASSEMBLY

1. COLOR THE VANILLA BUTTERCREAM: Tint the frosting as you make each batch. (You can do this up to 3 days ahead.) You’ll need the following amounts:

• 1 batch (3 cups) black frosting
• 1/2 batch (1.5 cups) gray frosting
• 1/4 cup (0.75 cups) red frosting
• 1/4 cup (0.75 cups) yellow frosting
• 1/2 batches (1.5 cups) white frosting (only if you want to use between the layers)

2. MAKE THE BASE: Cut the foam into 2 pieces (5 inches x 12 inches/12.5 cm x 30.5 cm), 1 piece (3 inches x 12 inches/12.5 cm x 30.5 cm), and 2 pieces (3 inches x 3 inches/8 cm x 8 cm).  Stack them as shown. Wrap masking tape around them to hold together.

3. Cut the cardboard platform piece, wrap in plastic wrap, and place it on top. Use a small hammer to drive two chopsticks through the foam to stabilize the pieces.

4. Coat wheels and base area under the platform with black frosting.

5. Coat the foam layers with gray frosting.

6. Cut each 9×13 cake in half lengthwise and place one half on the cardboard platform. Do this carefully since you have to push the cake over the chopsticks. Apply a layer of frosting, then repeat with two more cake halves. Shave a little cake off the top to give the edges a rounded look. (Not shaved in photo.)

7. Coat the cake layers with chocolate buttercream.

8. TOP: Cut off about 1/3 cup of the fondant and set aside. On a board sprinkled with confectioner sugar, roll the large out the fondant in a 5 x 13-inch rectangle. Trim the edges to square them off, the lay it on top of the cake. Trim as necessary.

9. FACE: On the board, roll out the smaller piece of fondant, making a square about 4 x 4 inches. Trim the edges to square them off. Roll three little pea-sized balls of fondant and place them under the face in the locations for the nose and cheeks. Divide the small piece of white fondant into three equal pieces, then flatten two of them into circles for the eyes. Trim as necessary. Roll the other white piece of fondant into a small snake for the mouth. Lightly dampen the face where the eyes and mouth will go, then gently press them into place, curving the mouth slightly to make Toby smile. Pipe round black circles on the eyes. Dip the end of the popsicle stick, just barely, into the black gel color, then press into the face to make the eyebrows. Poke a chopstick in Toby’s nose to make two nose holes.

10. DETAILS: Fit the piping bags with couplers and tips, then fill each with one of the five different buttercream colors. Pipe the black window, door, end details, and wheel details. Pipe the gray details on the base and the bars on the doors. Pipe the yellow 7, then pipe the red around it. Finally, pipe the chocolate details on the sides and ends. (See the 360 views below.) You can also add the yellow and black details on top, just follow your model.

11. Just before serving, mount the face. Pipe frosting on the back of the face, going around the square about 1/4 inch away from the edge, then fill in the middle. Be careful not to press on the face or it will smoosh. Carefully pick it up and place on the end of the cake, then gently press against the edges and corners to seal it in place.

360° Views

More Kids Birthday Cakes

Click the button to save this recipe to your Springpad.

Thanks for reading this blog through a feed! Copyright © 2005-2010 Andrea Meyers: cooking, gardening & four hungry guys.

Share

Nutella lovers around the world, it’s time to celebrate World Nutella Day! The brainchild of Sara Sara from Ms. Adventures in Italy and Michelle from Bleeding Espresso, World Nutella Day started in 2007 and gave fans of the delicious chocolate hazelnut concoction a chance to share their devotion in whatever form seemed fit, whether spread on toast, crepes, rice crispy treats, put it in a king cake, or just licked off a spoon (my personal favorite).

I only buy a jar of Nutella once a year as a special treat and we try to make it last for a while but almost never succeed. This year the jar of Nutella became a filling for mini chocolate whoopie pies, and though Nutella is not a traditional whoopie pie filling, we declared it awesome. I also sprinkled on some toasted chopped hazelnuts for a bit of crunch.

For the uninitiated, whoopie pies are a traditional treat with both Amish and New England histories. Original whoopie pies are chocolate cakes with cream filling and tend to be large, about 4 inches in diameter, though some bakeries make huge ones that feed several people. We make pumpkin whoopie pies in autumn, and this is actually my first time making chocolate whoopies.

The cakes can be made 3 days ahead and kept layered between sheets of wax paper in an airtight container at room temperature. The flavor and texture of the cakes is actually better one day after baking.

You can find more recipes with Nutella at the World Nutella Day website and see photos of Nutella creations in the Nutella Day Flickr photo pool.

Update: Roundup 1 posted at Ms. Adventures in Italy and Roundup 2 posted at Bleeding Espresso.

MINI CHOCOLATE WHOOPIE PIES WITH NUTELLA

Cakes recipe adapted from Epicurious.

Makes about 24 mini whoopie pies.

Equipment

stand mixer with paddle attachment (or hand mixer and large bowl)
baking sheets, greased or lined with parchment
#60 (small) cookie scoop (or another 2 teaspoon scoop or spoon)
wire racks

Ingredients

CAKES
2 cups (240 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (46 g) Dutch-process cocoa powder
1-1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (240 ml) well-shaken buttermilk (or 2 tablespoons lemon juice + milk to equal 1 cup)
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 tablespoons (113 g) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (110 g) packed brown sugar
1 large egg

FILLING
Nutella
3/4 cup (113 g) hazelnuts, toasted, finely chopped (optional)

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°F/175° C. Position racks in upper and lower thirds of the oven.

2. Whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a bowl until combined. Stir together buttermilk and vanilla in a measuring cup.

3. In the bowl of the stand mixer, beat together butter and brown sugar at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes (or 5 minutes if using hand mixer), then add egg, beating until combined well. Reduce speed to low and add 1/3 of the flour mixture. Mix and scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add 1/2 the buttermilk and mix until smooth. Continue with another 1/3 of the flour, then the rest of the buttermilk, and ending with the rest of the flour mixture, scraping between each addition. The final batter should be thick and smooth.

4. Scoop batter onto prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart.

5. Bake in preheated oven, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until tops are puffed and cakes spring back when touched, 11 to 13 minutes. Remove from oven and allow the cookies to rest on the baking sheet for a couple minutes, then transfer with a metal spatula to a rack to cool completely, at least a couple hours.

6. ASSEMBLE: Spread a rounded tablespoon of Nutella on flat sides of half the cakes. Sprinkle some of the chopped hazelnuts over the Nutella, then top with remaining cakes.

More Recipes with Nutella or Chocolate and Hazelnuts

Click the button to add this recipe to your Springpad.

Thanks for reading Andrea’s Recipes through a feed! Copyright © 2005-2009 Andrea’s Recipes.

Share

One of our holiday traditions was dashed this year when we couldn’t find Turkey Hill Eggnog Ice Cream. We always buy eggnog ice cream in December and Michael was quite dejected when I came home without the prize, so I set out to help him recover from his eggnog ice cream funk. I promised him an eggnog gelato and set off to create a recipe.

If you think about it, eggnog ice cream/gelato is truly French vanilla at heart, which is a custard much like real eggnog. I used the French vanilla gelato recipe in Making Artisan Gelato by Torrance Kopfer as a starting point and then played around a bit, adding more egg yolks, Myers Dark Rum, and nutmeg. Alcohol in ice cream or gelato affects the freezing temperature and has a tendency to keep the frozen product soft and sometimes a little loose, but adding a little cornstarch or arrowroot to the mixture helps the texture. We also pre-freeze the mixture, letting it rest about 30 minutes or so in the freezer before churning, which reduces the churning time. Less churning time means less air is whipped in, and that means the final texture is more like rich gelato.

Michael and I sampled the custard before chilling it and again after churning. We slurped eggnog gelato off the dasher and out of the bowl, not wanting to waste a single drop. Then after a 24-hour freeze time, we scooped some of the gelato into a bowl for a quick photo before resuming the slurping. The flavor of the dark rum comes through very well, but if rum isn’t your favorite and you prefer just a hint of rum in your eggnog, you can reduce the amount.

As with all gelatos, allow it to soften slightly before serving, and don’t forget to give it a dash of fresh grated nutmeg on top, just like a glass of good warm eggnog.

EGGNOG GELATO

Inspired by the French vanilla gelato recipe in Making Artisan Gelato by Torrance Kopfer.

Makes about 1 quart/1 liter.

Equipment

3-quart saucepan
candy thermometer
whisk
2 nonreactive 3-quart bowls
4 or 5–quart bowl
stick or immersion blender (optional, but helpful)
fine-mesh strainer
ice cream maker (review)
freezer container with lid

Ingredients

1 vanilla bean, cut in half and split down the middle
2 cups (480 ml) whole milk
3/4 cup (131 g) granulated sugar
2 teaspoons arrowroot or cornstarch
7 large egg yolks
1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
2 tablespoons Myers Dark Rum
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg + extra for sprinkling

Preparation

1. Attach the thermometer to the saucepan. Scrape the seeds out of the split vanilla bean, then put the bean and its seeds in the bottom of the saucepan. Add the milk and 1/2 cup (100 g) of the sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the thermometer registers 170° F/77° C. Remove from heat, cover, and allow to steep for 30 minutes.

2. Remove the vanilla bean pod and return the pot to the burner. Warm over medium heat, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching, until the thermometer registers 170° F/77° C.

3. In a 3-quart bowl, whisk the cornstarch with the remaining 1/4 cup (50 g) sugar, then whisk in all the egg yolks until the mixture is foamy and slightly thickened.

4. Temper the egg yolks by gradually adding about half of the hot milk mixture, just one ladle at a time, whisking continuously. Whisk the tempered egg mixture into the saucepan and return to the burner. Cook over medium heat, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula until the thermometer registers 185° F/85° C. Do not allow the mixture to boil. Remove from heat and insert the immersion blender into the hot liquid. Blend (aka emulsify) until smooth. (Note: You can also use a whisk and vigorously whip the mixture, or use a blender.)

5. Make an ice bath in the large bowl and set the other 3-quart bowl on top. Add the heavy cream, rum, and nutmeg to the bowl and stir. Place a fine-mesh strainer on the rim of the bowl and carefully pour the custard through the strainer. You may need to stir it around and press through. Whisk the mixture together, and stir the custard about every 5 minutes until the mixture is cooled, about 30 minutes. Remove the bowl from the ice bath, dry the bottom, and cover with plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours or overnight.

6. About 30 minutes before churning, set the bowl in the freezer to get the mixture as cold as possible without starting to freeze. Pour the mixture into your ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer’s directions for processing.

7. Store the gelato in a plastic container. Press a layer of plastic wrap against the gelato and seal the lid on top. Freeze until fully hardened. Serve with a sprinkle of fresh nutmeg on top.

More Recipes with Eggnog

More Recipes with Eggnog From Around the Blogs

FatFree Vegan Kitchen – Vegan Eggnog Cheesecake

No Recipes – Warm Eggnog

Culinary Concoctions by Peabody – Hot Eggnog Cake

Baking Bites – Eggnog Bread Pudding with Bourbon Cranberries

Thanks for reading this blog through a feed! Copyright © 2005-2010 Andrea Meyers: cooking, gardening & four hungry guys.

Share

Pumpkin cheesecake is one of my favorite holiday desserts and marbling the pumpkin filling with a bourbon vanilla filling takes it over the top for me. The recipe is my riff on the classic pumpkin marble cheesecake from the Philadelphia Cream Cheese Cheesecakes book published in 1989. I found a wire bound copy years ago at a yard sale for 50 cents and picked it right up. The recipes aren’t fussy, just simple and good, with a mix of baked and no-bake cheesecakes. I’ve made a number of cheesecakes from the book over the years and we enjoyed them all.

When it comes to baking cheesecakes, I prefer the Philadelphia brand regular cream cheese (also preferred by America’s Test Kitchen) because the flavor and texture are perfect. For baked cheesecakes full fat cream cheese is the best choice unless you use a recipe specifically adapted for low-fat cream cheese, which this recipe is not. For my adaptations, I increased the amount of chopped pecans and butter in the crust, then added bourbon to the vanilla batter and ground ginger to the pumpkin batter. You can skip the bourbon if you really want to, but if you like bourbon it’s worth a try because it pairs nicely with the pumpkin.

You can also make the cheesecake in a square pan and cut mini cheesecake bars and serve them in decorative cupcake papers, which make perfect little holiday party nibbles.

BOURBON PUMPKIN MARBLE CHEESECAKE

Adapted from Cheesecakes.

Makes one 9-inch round cheesecake.

Equipment

food processor (optional)
2 medium mixing bowls
9-inch springform or cheesecake pan
stand mixer with paddle attachment (or hand mixer and large bowl)

Ingredients

CHEESECAKE
1-1/2 cups gingersnap crumbs (from about 25 cookies, run through food processor or put in plastic bag and beaten with rolling pin)
1 cup (50 g) finely chopped pecans
1 stick (113 g) unsalted butter, melted
2 (8-ounce/226 g) packages regular Philadelphia cream cheese, softened (not light cream cheese)
3/4 cup (131 g) granulated sugar, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons bourbon
1 cup (215 g) canned pumpkin puree (not pre-made pie filling)
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

WHIPPED CREAM
1 cup (240 ml) heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons bourbon
6 tablespoons sifted confectioner’s sugar

Preparation

1. Set the oven rack in the middle and preheat to 350° F/175° C.

2. In the medium mixing bowl, stir together the gingersnap crumbs, chopped pecans, and melted butter. Press mixture into the bottom and about 1 inch up the side of the springform pan. Bake in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes, then remove and allow to cool.

3. In the bowl of the stand mixer, mix the cream cheese, 1/2 cup of the sugar, and vanilla. Mix at medium speed until well blended, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each.

4. Set aside 1-1/4 cups of the batter and whisk in the bourbon.

6. Add the pumpkin, 1/4 cup remaining sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg to the batter in the medium bowl. Mix until thoroughly combined.

7. Spoon the vanilla and pumpkin fillings over the crust, then use a knife to swirl through it to create the marble effect.

8. Bake in the preheated oven for up to 50 minutes, but start checking after 35 minutes. The center should be slightly wobbly, but the rest of the cake should not move if jiggled. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack. Run a plastic knife around the edge to loosen it then allow to cool completely. Chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour before serving.

More Holiday Dessert Recipes

More Cheesecake Recipes From Around the Blogs

Nami-Nami – Chocolate Cheesecake

FatFree Vegan Kitchen – Double-Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake

Bake or Break – Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cheesecake

What’s for Lunch Honey – Dulce de Leche Cheesecake

Thanks for reading this blog through a feed! Copyright © 2005-2010 Andrea Meyers: cooking, gardening & four hungry guys.

Share

Making gingerbread houses is a father-son event in our home, with the boys crowded around the table as Michael assembles the house, a task that is not always easy. Some years the walls fall over and we’ve even resorted to using a glue gun to make the walls stand up. Each boy has a mini muffin tin filled with little candies in each cup that they put on the house. Some years the boys cooperate and the effort is pretty organized, but certainly not every year. Someone usually bumps into the house or spills the candy decorations or sticks their fingers where they don’t belong, but in the end that’s all part of the fun. In the past we purchased gingerbread house kits because the boys were very young and we wanted to simplify things a bit, and we weren’t planning to eat it anyway. We figured making our own parts from scratch would come as the boys got a little older.

Last year as we began talking about the annual gingerbread house, we stumbled across a Wilton kit for a gingerbread Christmas tree. After looking it over we thought this would be fun and different. (And if your children are very young, this is an easier project than a house because of the walls-falling thing.) After buying the kit I came across the Wilton Christmas tree cookie cutters on Amazon and immediately ordered them. (Also check your local K-Mart, Michael’s, A.C. Moore, and Jo-Ann’s Fabrics.) Even if we didn’t use them right away we thought they would be useful in coming years.

As it turns out, we were so excited by the prospect of having the cookie cutters that we made three trees: the tree from the kit, a homemade gingerbread tree, and a homemade rice crispy treat tree. We went a little overboard but had a lot of fun doing it. With the cutters you can use whatever kind of cookie you like for the tree. The box comes with a few photos of trees to get your creative juices flowing.

We made a shortened version of the gingerbread tree to save time, so we only made one of each size star, but to get a tall tree you need to make two of each, for 20 stars altogether. The rice crispy treat tree pieces were thicker than the gingerbread pieces, so we chose to make one of each star plus one extra tiny star for the top and still got a nice tall tree.

Of the two homemade trees, the gingerbread tree held up better. If you plan to eat the rice crispy treat tree, you really need to do it on the day it’s made because the pieces dry out quickly. Because we didn’t use any royal icing on this tree, we drove half a chopstick through the middle of the large stars to hold it together.

We use royal icing to decorate because it hardens and stays in place, and it also makes good glue to hold the tree pieces together. The recipe makes a large amount, but you can use the extra for decorating other Christmas cookies (Moravian Christmas Trees, Gingerbread Men) or make a recipe-and-a-half, using half for each color (green, yellow, white). Just remember you need enough for the glue, as well.

We’re sharing our gingerbread Christmas tree with Susan of Food Blogga for her annual festive Christmas cookie event. Each year she gathers links to many beautiful and delicious Christmas cookies from around the world, so you’ll have plenty to choose from. And thank you, Susan, for keeping this fun event going for the past three years.

GINGERBREAD CHRISTMAS TREE

Makes one 8-inch x 11-inch tree.

Equipment

See Equipment list for gingerbread men cookies.
Wilton Christmas tree cookie cutters
10-inch cake round, covered with aluminum foil or food safe decorative paper
stand mixer with paddle attachment
decorating tips and plastic bags (2 #16 star, 1 round)

Ingredients

1 recipe gingerbread men dough for 10 stars or 2 recipes for 20 stars (If you have extra you can decorate the extra cookies for the cookie tray.)

ROYAL ICING
16 ounces (454 g) confectioners sugar, sifted
4 tablespoons powdered egg whites  (Check the baking aisle at your grocery store.)
1/3 cup (80 ml) cold water
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
green food coloring
yellow food coloring

DECORATIONS
cinnamon imperials (not the heart-shaped)
Jujubes
other as desired

Preparation

1. Prepare one or two batches of gingerbread dough and cut and bake 20 star cookies, 2 of each size, according to the recipe. Allow the cookies to cool completely. (TIP: Make a day or two ahead to spread the project out a bit and save time on assembly day.)

2. ROYAL ICING: In the bowl of the stand mixer, add the sifted confectioners sugar and the egg white powder, stirring to mix.

3. In a measuring cup, stir together the water, lemon juice, and vanilla. (If you want to color the icing, add some liquid coloring at this point. Reduce the amount of water slightly to compensate for the extra liquid.) Pour the mixture into the sugar and mix on low until all of the dry ingredients are incorporated, about 1 minute.

4. Increase mixer speed to high and whip for 3 minutes until the icing has stiff peaks. (Repeat for each color you need.)

3. Prepare three piping bags, two with #16 star tips and 1 with a round tip. Fill each with one color.

5. Pipe a blob of icing (any color) in the middle of the foil covered cake round. Place the largest gingerbread star on top of the blob and gently press. Continue adding blobs of icing and stacking the stars, going from the largest to the smallest. Rotate the stars a little as you go so the points don’t overlap.

6. For the top star, pipe some yellow icing on it and add a cinnamon imperial if you wish, then stand it up on a blob of icing on top.

7. Begin piping the green tufts all over the tree. We pipe two or three tufts on each branch, er star point.

8. Pipe white tufts for the snow. We kind of spread those all around.

9. Add Jujubes or cinnamon imperials for the decorations. If the icing has started drying already, you may need to put a dab of wet icing on the bottom of each to make them stick.

14. Allow the tree to rest uncovered for an hour or so to make sure the icing hardens and becomes stiff. And if you have little boys who like to swipe pieces like mine do, you may need to hide the finished tree until Christmas Day.

More Christmas Cookies

More Gingerbread From Around the Blogs

Baking Bites – Gingerbread Men

Elana’s Pantry – Gluten-Free Gingerbread

Kitchen Parade – Chocolate Gingerbread

Enlightened Cooking – Whole Wheat Gingerbread Cookies

Thanks for reading this blog through a feed! Copyright © 2005-2010 Andrea Meyers: cooking, gardening & four hungry guys.

Share

Last year a small group of bakers joined together to do a The 12 Days of Cookies extravaganza using recipes from a Gourmet magazine feature of their favorite cookies from 1941 to 2008. This year a few more people have joined us and today is the first day of 12 Days of Cookies 2009. Each baker chooses 12 cookies to make but doesn’t tell anyone else what they chose, so it’s a fun little surprise for us to see what everyone else made. Due to family obligations I cannot participate on all 12 days this year but I wanted to join in for at least one day and try some of the cookies, and if I can sneak it in I might be able to do one or two more hopefully.

This year the cookies all come from a Bon Appétit feature about holiday cookies that had us ooing and aahing. While several of the cookies caught my eye, these simple snowball butter cookies with toasted coconut and orange zest were my biggest temptation. They are very simple to make, just toast the coconut, mix the ingredients, chill the dough, roll into balls, and bake. I baked them after the boys had gone to bed so they were surprised to find them in the kitchen the next morning. Top Gun repeatedly asked me about those cookies; he just couldn’t stand to wait until after school.

The flavors seem to balance each other pretty well, though I don’t notice the orange as much as the coconut. These could easily become dry, so I stopped them one minute short of full baking time, and the texture was slightly crumbly, just right. Michael dove into them after dinner and kept eating them while saying, “Wow.” We would definitely make these again.

Be sure to visit all the members of the cookie clan to see what cookies they chose as well as the Bon Appétit website to see all the cookie recipes.

The Rest of the Cookie Baking Clan

Kelly of Sass & Veracity

Courtney of Coco Cooks

Judy of No Fear Entertaining

Sandy of The Baker’s Bench

Claire of The Barefoot Kitchen (Thanks for making our logo!)

Di of Di’s Kitchen Notebook

Michelle of Big Black Dog

RJ of Flamingo Musings

Tiffany of The Nesting Project

COCONUT-ORANGE SNOWBALLS

Adapted from Bon Appétit, December 2003.

Makes about 40 cookies.

Equipment

2 large baking sheets
parchment paper
stand mixer with paddle attachment (or hand mixer and large bowl)
wire cooling rack

Ingredients

1-1/4 cups (111 g) sweetened flaked coconut
1 cup (2 sticks/226 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
2-1/4 cups (293 g) sifted powdered sugar, divided (sifted, then measured)
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon coconut extract
2-1/4 cups (270 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1-1/2 tablespoons grated orange peel
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350° F/175° C. Toast the coconut on a rimmed baking sheet until light golden, stirring occasionally, about 10 to 12 minutes.

2. In the bowl of the stand mixer beat the butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, and both extracts to blend well. Beat in flour, orange peel, and salt. Stir in toasted coconut. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 1 day. Soften dough slightly before shaping.

3. Preheat oven to 350° F/175° C. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

4. Using 1 level tablespoon dough for each cookie, roll dough between palms of hands into balls. Place on prepared sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Bake until golden on bottom but pale on top, about 16 to 18 minutes. The trick is to make sure they don’t dry out, so don’t let them overcook. Transfer cookies to racks and cool 5 minutes.

5. Place remaining 1-3/4 cups powdered sugar in a bowl. Roll hot cookies in powdered sugar, covering completely. Cool cookies on rack. Roll cookies in powdered sugar again, coating generously. (Can be made 5 days ahead. Store airtight between sheets of waxed paper at room temperature.)

More Christmas Cookies

See all the cookies from The 12 Days of Cookies.

Thanks for reading this blog through a feed! Copyright © 2005-2010 Andrea Meyers: cooking, gardening & four hungry guys.

Share

We did it. I can’t believe it’s true, but we planted two pecan trees in our yard. We spotted them at Lowe’s in late September and selected a Sumner Pecan and a Stuart Pecan. We are slightly north of the growing zone for the Sumner, but our area has mild winters so it should do well. Pecan trees need another variety nearby to produce, and we planted these within 30 feet of each other. They got a little dry at one point and we were worried we might lose them, but it looks like they have taken to their new home. They don’t look like much right now, just a couple sticks about five feet (152 cm) tall since they lost their leaves, but they are full of promise, I can feel it. We have hopeful visions of harvesting pounds and pounds of pecans in about eight years. Yes it will be a long wait, but if the trees produce then my dream to grow our own pecans will be fulfilled.

And what better use for pecans than to make a pecan pie? Pecan pie is a favorite on my side of the family—we are Southerners, after all—and you can always find at our Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations. I’ve tasted plenty of pecan pie over the years, and this recipe with bourbon and chocolate is still my favorite. This year we tried it with a whole wheat crust and loved the combination. Pecan pie is a bit hearty anyway, and the crust really seemed to match the pie well. This will be our go-to crust for pecan pie from now on.

For Thanksgiving preparations, you can make this up to a day ahead and save yourself a little work on the big day.

BOURBON CHOCOLATE PECAN PIE WITH WHOLE WHEAT CRUST

Makes 1 (9-inch) pie.

Equipment

9-inch pie pan
baking sheet
medium bowl

Ingredients

1 recipe whole wheat pie dough
3/4 cup (75 g) chopped pecans
50 pecan halves
3/4 cup (131 g) semisweet chocolate chips
3 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup (58 g) granulated sugar
1/3 cup (36 g) dark brown sugar
1/3 cup (80 ml) golden syrup or dark corn syrup
2 tablespoons bourbon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 325° F/165° C. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and allow to rest about 15 to 30 minutes, until it has warmed up and is easy to roll.

2. Roll the dough into a 12-inch circle, then place it in the pie pan. Carefully press it into place and crimp the edge. Put the pie back in the refrigerator while you prep the rest of the ingredients, about 15 minutes. You want the dough to chill a bit before baking so it doesn’t shrink up in the oven.

3. Roast the pecan halves and bits on a baking sheet for about 5 minutes. Remove and cool.

4. Sprinkle the chocolate chips in the bottom, then add the chopped pecans, and finally arrange the pecan halves on top.

5. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, golden syrup, bourbon, vanilla, and salt. Pour the filling over the pecans, making sure all of the pecans are coated in the mixture.

6. Bake for about 45 minutes, until the filling is set and the crust is deep golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Variations

You can also use a traditional white flour pie crust.

You can also use coffee liqueur (i.e. Kahlua) instead of bourbon.

More Thanksgiving Day Treats

More Pecan Recipes From Around the Blogs

Farmgirl Fare – Spicy Pecan Muffins

The Well-Seasoned Cook – Quick Pecan Salad

101 Cookbooks – Toasted Pecan Toffee

Closet Cooking – Brussel Sprouts with Bacon, Cranberries, and Pecans

[The Green Valley Pecan Company Pecan Store sent me a small sample of pecans, but I was under no obligation to mention their product. I used them in this pie and thought they tasted very good and fresh.]

Thanks for reading this blog through a feed! Copyright © 2005-2010 Andrea Meyers: cooking, gardening & four hungry guys.

Share

Though we’ve had a few detours along the way, we remain committed to our resolution to use more whole grains in our baking, and pie dough was next on the list to change. I’ve tried a number of whole wheat pie dough recipes, and this is one of my favorites. The good folks at King Arthur Flour published Whole Grain Baking in 2006 and for their efforts they received a James Beard Foundation award nomination. I bought the book this year as we embarked on our quest to finally change to whole grain baking and it has been an invaluable reference.

As they tested pies and doughs, the authors decided that different pies call for different pie crusts, and they experimented with traditional whole wheat flour, whole wheat pastry flour, barley flour, and oats. Some of the doughs have a mixture of whole grains and a few have a small amount of white flour. This whole wheat pie dough has no white flour and no other grains; the whole wheat flour stands on its own.

The texture is quite different from the standard all-purpose flour pie dough, not light and flaky, a little hearty but not chewy. The baking powder offers a little lift to the crust and keeps it from being too heavy. The flavor is bold and unmistakably whole wheat, though the addition of orange juice and buttermilk powder softens the edgy flavor somewhat.

I use a food processor for preparing pie dough as demonstrated by Alton Brown on Good Eats, though you can also mix this by hand or with a mixer. The resting time is important for the flour to properly absorb the liquids, which will soften the bran and produce a smoother crust. When ready to use the dough, remove it from the refrigerator and allow it to rest for about 15 to 30 minutes. It will warm up and become more flexible, making it easier to roll.

Note the recipe makes just one single pie crust, but you can easily double it.

[Updated November 13, 2009.]

WHOLE WHEAT PIE DOUGH

Adapted from King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking. (review)

Makes 1 single pie crust.

Equipment

food processor (or mixing bowl or stand mixer with paddle attachment)
pastry blender (optional)
plastic wrap

Ingredients

1 cup (4 ounces/113 g) traditional or white whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon buttermilk powder (optional, but good)
1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons (3 ounces/85 g) cold unsalted butter
2 tablespoons (1 ounce/30 ml) cold orange juice
2 to 4 tablespoons (1 to 2 ounces/30 to 60 ml) ice water

Preparation

1. In the bowl of the food processor, add the flour, buttermilk powder, confectioners’ sugar, baking powder, and salt. Pulse several times until the dry ingredients are thoroughly distributed.

2. Cut the cold butter into small cubes (about 1/3 the width of a stick of butter) and add it to the dry ingredients. Pulse about 10 to 15 times, until the mixture is crumbly with uneven bits of butter.

3. Sprinkle the orange juice over the dough and pulse a few more times. Add the ice water 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing until the dough clings together. If a piece of the dough holds together in your hand and doesn’t feel dry or crumbly, it’s ready.

4. Lightly flour a work surface and turn the dough out. Shape the dough into a round disk about 1 inch/2.5 cm thick and roll it on its edge in the flour to smooth the edges out.

5. Wrap in plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator overnight before using. Will keep in the refrigerator up to 3 days.

Tasty Pies To Make With Whole Wheat Pie Dough

More Whole Wheat Pastries From Around the Blogs

Chocolate & Zucchini – Easy Olive Oil Tart Crust

A Mingling of Tastes – Caramelized Onion Tart with Blue Cheese and Whole Wheat Crust

A Veggie Venture – Farm Pie with Whole Wheat & Lard Crust

Thanks for reading this blog through a feed! Copyright © 2005-2010 Andrea Meyers: cooking, gardening & four hungry guys.

Share

We discovered the persimmon tree in September when we noticed the golden orbs hanging from the branches. We hadn’t paid attention to the tree before because it was in a relatively inaccessible area behind our house and we had no idea what it was or what if anything it would produce, it had not set fruit until this year. When we found the fruit, we realized it was American persimmon (aka common persimmon and Eastern persimmon), which is a berry in botanic terms. The fruit is small, ranging 1 to 1-1/2 inches (2.5 to 4 cm) in diameter and very sweet when ripe.

Persimmons are autumn fruits that can hang on even after frost, and you can wait until after frost to gather them to ensure they are fully ripe. The leaves start to droop and fall off the tree as the fruit ripens. The persimmons should be very soft and even a little wrinkled before eating, otherwise they’ll have a chalky taste. If the fruit starts to drop when you shake the tree, they are pretty much ready.

The tree we found is in a wild, untamed area surrounded by thistles, climbing vines, and poison ivy, and we also had to watch for snakes as we carefully made our way to it. There are actually three persimmon trees back there, all about the same size and one without fruit so it’s probably the male tree. Persimmon trees are either male or female and the female trees bear fruit. Unlike some fruit trees, persimmon seeds produce trees that are true to the mother tree and the trees grow wild and prolifically.

The birds were already picking at the fruit near the top of the tree, so we knew it was time to gather persimmons.

They taste sweet, almost like honey, and the flavor came through in this spiced cake. Except for the time it takes to press the persimmons, the cake is relatively easy to make. The thin lemon glaze is optional, Michael doesn’t care for it but I like the bright flavor and bit of crunch it adds. You can use other types of persimmons, such as Hachiya or Fuyu for this cake, but since those are larger you will use fewer fruits to get the same amount of puree.

SPICED PERSIMMON CAKE WITH DATES AND LEMON GLAZE

Makes 1 large Bundt cake.

Equipment

2-quart bowl
medium mesh strainer
heavy spatula
stand mixer with paddle attachment
12-cup Bundt pan, greased and floured
fine mesh strainer
small bowl

Ingredients

PERSIMMON PUREE
1-1/2 to 2 pounds common persimmons, less if you use Hachiya or Fuyu persimmons (enough to make 2 cups of puree)

CAKE
2 sticks (1/2 pound/227 g) unsalted butter
2 cups (350 g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 cups (240 ml) persimmon puree
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups (240 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup (125 g) chopped dates or golden raisins

GLAZE
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 325° F/165° C. Set rack in the middle of the oven.

2. PERSIMMON PUREE: Rinse the persimmons and remove the brown or green calyx. Place the strainer over the 2-quart bowl. One at a time, place a persimmon in the strainer and press down hard with the spatula. Press and move the spatula around, forcing the pulp through the mesh. Remove the seeds and skin and continue with the remaining persimmons. (Note: This can take a while when using small persimmons, so plan for it.)

3. In the bowl of the stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar until it it light and fluffy.

4. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well each time. Add the persimmon puree and vanilla extract, and mix well.

5. In the medium bowl, sift together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and baking soda. Add to the butter mixture and stir gently, tossing in the chopped dates. Do not overmix.

6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 60 to 75 minutes, checking every 5 minutes after 1 hour has passed. When a tester comes out dry with just a few crumbs clinging, remove the pan from the oven. If the tester has no crumbs the cake will be dry.

7. Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn the cake out onto a wire rack and cool completely.

8. MAKE THE GLAZE: While the cake is cooling, whisk together the the powdered sugar and lemon juice until the glaze is smooth.

9. Pour the glaze over the cake while warm. Allow to cool completely, then slice and serve.

References

Wikipedia – American persimmon

Virginia Tech Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservations (Common Persimmon)

Wikipedia – Persimmon

More Autumn Recipes

More Persimmon Recipes From Around the Blogs

Pinch My Salt – Persimmon Cookies

David Lebovitz – James Beard’s Amazing Persimmon Bread Recipe

Simply Recipes – Persimmon Pomegranate Fruit Salad

White on Rice Couple – Poached Persimmons in Rum & Mascarpone Coconut Cream

Thanks for reading this blog through a feed! Copyright © 2005-2010 Andrea Meyers: cooking, gardening & four hungry guys.

Share