sugar

Velvet-Filled Pumpkin Roll

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Appetizers to Desserts: Velvet-Filled Pumpkin Roll! Announcing a festive cake that looks as though you stopped by the bakery. Anyone can feel like a professional pastry chef with this holiday specialty. In a few simple steps, the rich pumpkin flavor is enhanced by the velvety cream filling. Afterwards all you have to do is sit back and bask in the accolades. 

VELVET-FILLED PUMPKIN ROLL 

Ingredients for Pumpkin Roll:

3 eggs

2/3 cup pumpkin purée 

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda 

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 

3/4 cup flour 

1/3 cup chopped pecans 

Ingredients for Velvet Filling:

8 ounces Neufchâtel cheese

3/4 teaspoon vanilla 

2 tablespoons butter, softened 

1 cup powdered sugar

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375°. Grease and line a 10″x15″ jelly roll pan with waxed paper. For pumpkin roll combine eggs, pumpkin purée, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and flour. Mix until well blended. Pour into jelly roll pan and spread evenly to edges. Sprinkle with chopped pecans. Bake 12-15 minutes. Watch carefully. Remove from oven. Sprinkle powdered sugar on a tea towel, turn cake onto towel, and remove the waxed paper. Starting at one end, roll the cake up, and refrigerate for one hour. Meanwhile, combine Neufchâtel cheese, vanilla, butter, and powdered sugar. Mix together until smooth and velvety. After one hour, unroll cake and spread the filling all the way to the edges. Reroll cake and refrigerate two hours longer. Dust with powdered sugar. Slice and serve. 

Sugar-Spun Sponge Candy

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Appetizers to Desserts: Sugar-Spun Sponge Candy! Take a walk down Memory Lane. Wonderful childhood memories come flooding back with this old-time classic favorite. You will seldom find it in candy stores unless you happen to stumble upon a family-owned place where the bell above the doorjamb jingles as you cross the threshold. Once inside, the glass showcase will feature this honeycomb-type toffee, golden in color, nestled inside a rich chocolate covering. It’s crisp and air-filled with a sponge-like appearance. Once you’ve had it, the memories linger on. Spoil yourself and make up a batch. Just like magic, it can be whipped up in about 15 minutes. Carry on the tradition, or begin your own this year. 

SUGAR-SPUN SPONGE CANDY

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar

1 cup dark corn syrup 

1 tablespoon vinegar 

1 tablespoon baking soda

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate morsels 

3 teaspoons vegetable oil

Instructions:

Combine sugar, corn syrup, and vinegar in a heavy-bottomed 3-quart pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Continue cooking about 10 minutes until mixture reaches 300° on a candy thermometer, or a drop of syrup becomes brittle in a glass of cold water. Immediately remove pan from heat and sift in baking soda. Mixture will foam up madly. Stir gently but thoroughly. Pour into well-buttered 9″ square pan. Do not spread. Let cool. Remove from pan and break into pieces over a large bowl. Sugary crumbs will appear all over the counter if the bowl is too small. 

Instructions for Chocolate Coating:

Pour chocolate morsels into a glass bowl. Add 3 teaspoons of vegetable oil. Stir. Place in microwave for 5 minutes on 30% power. Halfway through, stir to blend smooth. Do not over cook. Keep warm on the stovetop over a double boiler. Dip each piece of sponge candy into chocolate. Coat completely or halfway depending on preference. The honeycomb and chocolate look appealing, in my opinion. Place pieces on waxed paper lined sheet pan. Chill to set. 

Quazy Carrot Cake

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Appetizers to Desserts: Quazy Carrot Cake!  “What’s up, Doc?” is something we’ve all heard Bugs Bunny say more than once. You may find yourself asking the same question when you take a bite of this tasty version of Carrot Cake. It’s loaded with fresh carrots, pineapple tidbits, and chopped pecans. The crowning moment comes when you smack your lips together over the wonderful cream cheese icing. I have seen expressions of jubilation over this award-winning dessert. Treat yourself to something special this weekend. 

QUAZY CARROT CAKE

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder 

2 teaspoons cinnamon 

1 1/4 cups vegetable oil

4 eggs

3 cups carrots, grated

1 cup crushed pineapple, drained 

1 cup pecans, chopped 

Ingredients for Icing:

1/2 cup butter, softened 

8 ounces Neufchâtel cheese, softened 

3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla 

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 9″x13″ pan with nonstick oil. Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon. Mix well. Add oil, eggs, carrots, pineapple, and nuts. Beat for 2 minutes on medium speed. Transfer to baking dish. Bake for 45 minutes or until done. Meanwhile, cream together the butter and Neufchâtel cheese. Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat until smooth and creamy. When cake is cool, top with cream cheese icing. Garnish with a pecan half. 

Judy’s Pumpkin Sea Salt Caramel Sauce

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Appetizers to Desserts: Judy’s Pumpkin Sea Salt Caramel Sauce! I always get excited when I receive the gift of food. My friend, Judy, thrilled me beyond measure when she shared this treat from her kitchen. It’s the perfect combination of sea salt caramel and pumpkin purée. It not only transforms a cup of coffee into a pumpkin spice addiction, but it also tastes incredible on a breakfast muffin. If you ask my husband, he’ll say you can eat it over ice cream by the spoonful.

JUDY’S PUMPKIN SEA SALT CARAMEL SAUCE 

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon water

3/4 cup heavy cream, room temperature 

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1/3 cup pumpkin purée 

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions:

In a 2-quart heavy-bottomed pan over medium-low heat, combine sugar and water.  Bring to a boil, stirring often to avoid scorching. Continue cooking until sugar turns light amber in color and all sugar crystals have dissolved, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat. Add butter and mix well. Change utensils to a heat-resistant whisk and quickly whisk in the cream and pumpkin. Lastly, add cinnamon, nutmeg, sea salt, and vanilla. Whisk until smooth, removing all lumps. Transfer to a jar. Cool at room temperature, seal, and store in the refrigerator. 

Allspice Apple Butter

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Appetizers to Desserts: Allspice Apple Butter! Nothing makes your house smell better than warm bakery spices filling the air. Apples are in abundant supply at every turn, whether it’s a nearby orchard, farmers market, co-op center, or local grocery store. This easy-to-follow recipe gives you a jumpstart on making two small jars of homemade apple butter.  Share one with a friend and keep the other for yourself. Win! Win!

ALLSPICE APPLE BUTTER 

Ingredients:

23 ounces unsweetened applesauce 

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground

1/4 teaspoon allspice, ground

1/8 teaspoon ginger, ground 

1/8 cloves, ground 

1-2 sugared ginger discs, sliced (optional)

1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and finely chopped 

Instructions:

Combine all ingredients in a reduction pan or medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Watch carefully. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 45 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Do not scorch. Remove from heat, cool and transfer to two small jars. Store in the refrigerator. 

Zillionth Cinnamon Roll Recipe

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Test Kitchen Favorites: Zillionth Cinnamon Roll Recipe! Every once in a while, my husband will send me a TikTok video of that 40-year old guy with a quirky idea of how to “tweak” old favorite recipes into amazing new ideas. He’s funny, entertaining, has a Kentucky accent, and isn’t afraid to try something different. Alright, I thought, I’m game and I have a willing guinea pig right here in my own house. I chose a Saturday morning for this little experiment just in case he had a sugar crash and got lazy the rest of the day. How did it taste, you ask. Exactly like a bakery cinnamon roll on steroids. It took us several days to nibble our way through the recipe because, you know, you can’t let all that cinnamon go to waste. In case you’re wondering…..the champagne provided a crisp acidity to cut through the rich, buttery, super-sweetness of the pastry. Hey, you gotta do what you gotta do. 

ZILLIONTH CINNAMON ROLL RECIPE 

Ingredients: 

I tube prepared cinnamon roll dough

1/2 cup heavy cream 

1/4 cup butter, melted 

1/2 cup brown sugar 

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

10-ounce can prepared cream cheese frosting, optional 

Instructions: 

Preheat the oven to 350°. Spray a deep dish pie plate with nonstick oil. Separate and arrange the cinnamon rolls. Pour the heavy cream over the dough, filling in the gaps between rolls. In a mixing bowl, combine the melted butter, brown sugar, and ground cinnamon. Drizzle the mixture over the cinnamon rolls. Bake according to package directions. Remove the cinnamon rolls from the oven and drizzle with packet of enclosed icing. Add extra cream cheese frosting on top, if desired. Serve warm. 

Xanthic Crème Brûlée

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Test Kitchen Favorites: Xanthic Crème Brûlée! Whenever you’re feeling a little “French”, imagine yourself at the Palace of Versailles, where everything reeks of opulence and grandeur. The popular “burnt cream” custard dessert boasts of its crackly, caramelized coating in shades of deep golden brown. Take the back of a dessert spoon and snap it onto the surface, thereby causing the top layer to separate for a glimpse of the silky creamed filling beneath. Just for kicks, I invite my guests to torch their own dessert, catching a whiff of the slightly burnt sugar aroma up close and personal. Pay no attention to the fine trickle of drool leaking from the corner of their mouths. This is sheer entertainment at its finest. 

XANTHIC CRÈME BRÛLÉE 

Ingredients: 

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla paste

4 large egg yolks 

Pinch of sea salt

1/4 cup sugar

Instructions: 

Preheat the oven to 300°. Over medium-high heat, bring two cups of water to a boil. Set aside. This will be used for the water bath. In a saucepan over low heat, warm the heavy cream and vanilla paste. Allow the mixture to start to simmer, stirring gently. In a mixing bowl, combine the egg yolks, sea salt, and sugar. Whisk together until the yolks break down. Once the cream mixture is simmering, slowly pour a fourth of it into the egg yolk mixture, whisking as you work. This step tempers the eggs so they will not curdle. Add the remaining cream and whisk gently until thoroughly combined. Do not over mix to avoid air bubbles from forming. Pour the custard through a fine mesh sieve to remove any lumps. Divide the custard equally between 4 (6-ounce) ramekins, filling almost to the top. Place the ramekins inside a baking tray. Carefully add the boiling water to the tray, avoiding the ramekins. The water should reach halfway up the height of the ramekins. Carefully transfer the tray to the oven. Bake 30-40 minutes, or until the crème brûlées are set around the edges. The centers should still remain wobbly in the middle when gently shaken. Immediately transfer the ramekins to the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or overnight. The next day, sprinkle a thin layer of granulated sugar over the surface of each ramekin. Use a blowtorch to caramelize the sugar to a deep brown color. Add fresh fruit, if desired. Enjoy. 

One-Bowl Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Test Kitchen Favorites: One-Bowl Chocolate Chip Banana Bread! Imagine, if you will, a time years ago when mothers stayed home to raise children, cooked homemade meals, cleaned the house, washed clothes (and ironed them) all as part of the weekly chores. Evening dinner, or supper to some, was followed by a daily dessert. No exceptions. The cookie jar was always full, you didn’t dare ask for a bowl of cereal for dinner, and you cleaned your plate at every meal. About that time my mom decided mixing chocolate chips into a butter-based dough produced a loaf of banana bread that literally became the envy of all the neighborhood kids. Some things were meant to last. 

ONE-BOWL CHOCOLATE CHIP BANANA BREAD

Ingredients: 

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 ripe bananas, peeled and crushed

2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

3/4 cup chocolate chips

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a loaf pan with a nonstick oil containing flour. Set aside. Cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs, vanilla extract, and crushed bananas. Mix well. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt. Add to the creamed mixture. Stir just until batter is combined. Do not over mix. Fold in chocolate chips. Pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle with extra chocolate chips, if desired. Bake one hour or until tester comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes and then remove banana bread from loaf pan. Cool longer on a wire rack.

Mixed Berry Marnier

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Test Kitchen Favorites: Mixed Berry Marnier! Throw together this amazing berry concoction when searching for a new idea for morning breakfast, afternoon appetizer, or dinner dessert. It’s that versatile. For less chunkier results, place half the fruit into the blender until smooth and then add it to the remaining mixed fruits. Once combined macerate the mixture, which draws out the natural flavors and slightly changes the texture of the sauce. A few hours of refrigeration magically transforms the berries and juices into a gourmet treat, no matter how you serve it. 

MIXED BERRY MARNIER 

Ingredients: 

1 pint fresh raspberries 

12 ounces fresh blueberries 

1 pint strawberries, halved and quartered 

2 tablespoons sugar 

1/4 cup Grand Marnier liqueur 

Instructions: 

Rinse and pat dry the fresh raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries. Place berries in a glass bowl. Sprinkle with sugar and Grand Marnier liqueur. Gently toss to mix completely. Cover and refrigerate up to four hours before serving. Allow the berry mixture to blend for 30 minutes at room temperature before serving. Serve the fruit over ice cream, waffles, cheesecake, yogurt, Brie cheese, or as a fruit compote dessert.