dessert

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter C

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Daily Special: Caramel-Bacon Spice Cake! For the sweet and savory child inside all of us, this recipe takes the cake. It is a combination of salty, sugary, and spicy…in every bite. Your mouth will think you’re at the circus being stimulated by all the contrasting flavors! Amazingly, they come together with moist results. Hop on board and take a ride with this incredible treat. 
CARAMEL-BACON SPICE CAKE
Ingredients for Cake:

1 1/4 cups flour

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon all spice

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 cup milk

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla 

1/3 cup butter
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl. Set aside. In a medium bowl beat eggs, milk, and vanilla until blended. Set aside. Using a mixer, cream butter until light and fluffy. On low speed, slowly alternate the egg mixture and the dry mixture until well blended. Pour batter into a greased 9″x13″ pan. Bake for 30 minutes or until a pick comes out clean. 
Bacon-Caramel Frosting:

1 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup milk

1/2 cup butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 cups powdered sugar

2 ounces bacon bits 
In a medium saucepan, mix brown sugar, milk, and butter. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Let cool for 15 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl. Add powdered sugar and beat until creamy. It should be thick enough to spread on the cake. Top with crisp, crumbled bacon. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter D

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen?  Dutch Chocolate Profiteroles!  These yummy tender confections have a chocolate filling that will satisfy any sweet tooth.  Once the shells are made, you can utilize a time-saving option.  Simply change the filling to Breyers Dutch Chocolate Ice Cream and sprinkle it with powdered sugar. Your friends will think you spent hours in the kitchen. 

DUTCH CHOCOLATE PROFITEROLES
Cream Puffs:
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 whole eggs
Heat oven to 400°.  Heat water and butter to rolling boil in saucepan. Stir in flour. Stir vigorously over low heat until mixture forms a ball, about I minute; remove from heat. Beat in eggs, all at once, continue beating until smooth. Drop dough by scant 1/4 cupfuls about 3 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake until puffed and golden, 35-40 minutes. Cool away from draft. Cut off tops; pull out any filaments of soft dough. Fill puffs with chilled cream filling. Replace tops; dust with powdered sugar. Refrigerate until serving time.  Yield: 6 cream puffs. 
Cream Filling:
1/3 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 tablespoons cornstarch 
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 cups half-and-half
2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
Garnish:
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
1/4 c semi-sweet mini chocolate morsels 
Mix sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt in 2-quart saucepan. Stir in half-and-half gradually. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir 1 minute. Stir at least half of the hot mixture gradually into egg yolks. Blend into hot mixture. Boil and stir 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in butter and vanilla; cool.