Lucky Charm Treats

Take a break from traditional rice krispie treats and make these  super gooey White Chocolate Lucky Charm Treats.

6 Cups Lucky Charms cereal
4 Tablespoon Butter
10 Ounces Marshmallows + 1 cup (extra cup is strongly recommended)
1 Cup White chocolate

1. Spray 9 x 13 baking pan with nonstick spray. Set aside.

2. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over low heat. Add the marshmallows until they are just about fully melted into the butter. Add the White Chocolate chips and stir in till melted. Some chunks of marshmallow may remain. Add in the Lucky Charms cereal and stir until the cereal is fully coated.

3. Pour mixture into prepared baking pan and gently spread out evenly. I sprayed the back of a large spatula with non-stick spray and gently pressed the mixture without packing it down. Allow to set for two hours at room temperature before cutting into rectangles or squares, whichever shape/size you prefer.

Drunken, Sunken Irish Coffee Chocolate Cake with Salted Bailey's Cream.

Cake:
9 ounces dark chocolate chopped
1/3 cup stout I used Guinness
2 Tablespoons instant coffee
13 Tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick + 5 tablespoons)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
6 eggs whites and yolks separated
1 3/4 cup almond meal/flour ground almonds
chopped chocolate and cocoa for dusting

Ganache:
4 oz bittersweet chocolate chopped
2 Tbs heavy cream
1-2 tablespoons Jameson Whiskey

Whipped Cream:
1 cup heavy cream
2 Tbs Bailey's
1/4 tsp sea salt

Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and line a 9-10 inch spring form pan with cooking spray and parchment paper.
2. Place the chocolate, stout beer, instant coffee and butter in a small saucepan. Place over low heat and gently cook (over the lowest heat) until melted and smooth. Once melted, remove from the heat and stir in the sugar and vanilla. Cool slightly.
3. Add the chocolate mixture to a large mixing bowl. Stir in the eggs yolks and almond meal until smooth.
4. Add the egg whites to a clean mixing bowl and whip until stiff peaks form. Fold half the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to loosen and then fold in the remaining egg whites until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared spring form pan.
5. Bake for 45-50 minutes until just cooked through. The center should jiggle and be soft. Cool for 15 minutes in the pan and then transfer to a wire rack.
6. Meanwhile, make the ganache. In a microwave safe bowl add the chocolate and heavy cream. Microwave on high for 30 second intervals, stirring between each interval until melted. Once melted stir in the Jameson and a pinch of salt. Pour the ganache over top the cake. Allow the ganache to set up slightly before adding the whipped cream.
7. To make the whipped cream, use an electric mixer to whip the cream until soft peaks form. Add the Bailey's and salt, whip until combined.
8. Top the cake with whipped cream and a dusting of cocoa if desired. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

***Great Gluten Free Dessert

Cider Braised Pork Loin

Ingredients 
4 Pound Pork Loin
1/4 Cup Brown Sugar
1/4 Cup Salt
3 Tablespoons Oil
1 Each  Onion
6 Cloves Garlic
2 Cups Apple Cider
6 Sprigs Thyme
2 Each Bay Leaf
1 Each Cinnamon Stick
2 Each Braeburn Apples, cored and cut into 8 wedges
1/4 Cup Apple Butter
1 Tablespoon Cornstarch
1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
2 Each yams, peeled and sliced

Instructions
1. Combine Brown Sugar and Salt.  Score the fat side of the pork loin, then rub with the Brown Sugar Brine Mixture. Wrap tightly with Parchment paper and plastic wrap.  Store in the refrigerator for 18-24 hours

2. Preheat oven to 275. Unwrap the pork and brush off as much brine as possible. Pat dry with Paper Towels. Season with Pepper.

3. Heat oil in a Dutch Oven on med-high heat, just till the oil starts smoking. Sear all side of the port for about 3 minutes each. Turn fat side up and add in the onion that has been thinly sliced. Cook until fragrant and browning then add minced garlic. and cook about 2 more minutes. Add in 1 3/4 cups of the Apple Cider, Thyme, Bay Leaves and cinnamon stick. bring to a simmer.

4. Cover and transfer to the oven, cook for about 90 minutes and the meat registers to 160 degrees.

5. 30 minyes before pulling the meat out oil and season the sweet potatoes and place in over to roast

6. Transfer to a carving board and tent with foil.  Strain the braising liquid and reserve the liquid.

7. With a paper towel clean the Dutch Oven and add in 2 Tablespoons for the braising fat. Add in the apples cut side down, cook until brown about 3 minutes flip and do the same on other side.

8. Remove the apple to a platter and cover with foil. add 2 cups of the braising broth to the pot and whisk in the apple butter. Once to a boil, add some broth into the cornstarch to make a slurry and add to the hot liquid and whisk till smooth.  Add in the vinegar and allow to simmer.

9. Slice the pork loin and arrange on platter with apples & Sweet Potatoes, Pour the Cider Glaze into a gravy dish and pour lightly over the pork.

Tiramisu Crepe Cake

Tiramisu Crepe Cake

Crepes
1 1/2 Cup All Purpose Flour
2 Tab Cornstarch
¼ Cup granulated sugar
2 Teaspoon kosher salt
4 Large Eggs
5 Large Egg Yolks
1 Stick Butter, unsalted
2 Cups Milk, whole
3 Tbs Grand Marnier
Tiramisu Filling
1 ¼ Cups Confectioners' Sugar
4 Cups Mascarpone Cheese
½ Cup Espresso
¼ Cup Cocoa Powder

Make the crepe batter

1. In a fine-mesh sieve set over a medium bowl, sift together all-purpose flour, cornstarch and sugar, 5 times (this is important to aerate the flour). Whisk in the salt. In another medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and egg yolks. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and whisk until smooth and webby (it will be very thick). In a slow, steady stream, whisk in the butter, then the milk and the Grand Marnier, until the batter is smooth (if there are any lumps, strain the batter through a fine-mesh sieve and into a medium bowl). Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set an 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Gently stir the crêpe batter, then pour ¼ cup of batter into the skillet. Holding the skillet by the handle, tilt and turn the skillet to quickly disperse the batter. Cook the crepe until the underside is golden-brown, about 1½ minutes. Lightly jerk the skillet to loosen the crepe, then flip the crepe over using a spatula, a more vigorous jerking motion or your fingers. Cook on the other side until golden-brown, about 30 seconds, then slide the crepe onto the parchment-paper-lined baking sheet. Repeat until all of the batter is used (you'll end up with about 20 crepes total, and will need 18 for the cake). Refrigerate the crepes on the baking sheet until completely chilled, at least 2 hours or overnight.

Make the tiramisu filling:

1. In a fine-mesh sieve set over the bowl of a stand mixer, sift the confectioners' sugar. Add the mascarpone cheese and the Espresso. Use the paddle attachment to combine the mixture on low speed until well combined.

2. Remove the crepes from the refrigerator. Add 1 crepe to the bottom of an 8-inch springform pan so it lies flat. Add ¼ cup of the tiramisu filling to the center of the crepe and use a small offset spatula to evenly spread the filling over the crêpe. Repeat with the filling and 17 more crêpes. Refrigerate the leftover filling; you'll use it to finish the cake. Chill the cake in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight.

3. Remove the cake from the refrigerator, undo the springform pan and set set it on a cake plate or platter. Spread the remaining tiramisu cream on top of the cake. Add the cocoa powder to a fine-mesh sieve and sprinkle it over the top of the cake. Slice and serve

Servings: 12
Yield: 8" Cake

Tunnel-of-Fudge Cake

Ingredients

2 ½ cups Pecans, chopped2 tablespoons Butter, unsalted
¼ teaspoon Salt
1 ¼ cups Butter, cut into tablespoon-size pieces.
1 cup Sugar
¾ cup Brown Sugar, packed
¾ teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Vanilla
⅓ cup Vegetable Oil
2 large Egg Yolk
4 large Eggs
2 cups Confectioners Sugar
2 ¼ cups All-Purpose Flour

¾ cup Cocoa Powder

Procedure:

Place a heavy baking sheet or pizza stone on a shelf in the lower third of the oven. Heat the oven to 350 degrees .

On a large baking sheet, roast nuts in the oven for 10 minutes. Keep watch that they do not burn. Pour into a bowl, and add 2 tablespoons butter and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Toss well and set aside.

Generously butter the inside of a large 12-cup Bundt cake pan.

In a mixer, beat butter to soften until it becomes fluffy. Add sugar, then the brown sugar and continue to beat until airy. While beating, if the bowl does not feel cool, place it in the freezer for five minutes, then resume beating.

Beat in 3/4 teaspoon salt, vanilla and vegetable oil.

Beat in two egg yolks into the cake mix. 

Crack the four whole eggs into a large mixing bowl. With a small knife, cut yolks and barely stir the eggs, minimally blending the whites and yolks.

With the mixer on the lowest speed, beat the eggs into the batter in three batches. Mix in confectioners' sugar and the cocoa.

In a large mixing bowl, stir flour and nuts together. Then with a spatula stir the flour-nut mixture into the batter. Pour the batter into the Bundt Pan.

Bake for 40 minutes. You cannot use the toothpick test because the cake contains so much sugar that the center will not set but will remain a tunnel-of-fudge. You are dependent on a correct oven temperature and the 40-minute cooking time.

When removed from the oven, the cake will have a runny fudge core with an air pocket above the fudge. About 30 minutes after taking the cake out of the oven, press the inside and outside edge of the cake bottom down all the way around to minimize the air pocket. 

Let the cake, still in the pan, cool on a rack for 3 hours, this is important to keep the shape. Invert the cake onto a platter and let cool completely.

Note: Bundt Pan from William-Sonoma 

Dutch Baby

3 eggs
½ cup flour
½ cup milk
1 tablespoon sugar
Pinch of nutmeg
4 tablespoons butter
Syrup, preserves, confectioners' sugar or cinnamon sugar



Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Combine eggs, flour, milk, sugar and nutmeg in a blender jar and blend until smooth. Batter may also be mixed by hand.

Place butter in a heavy 10-inch skillet or baking dish and place in the oven. As soon as the butter has melted (watch it so it does not burn) add the batter to the pan, return pan to the oven and bake for 20 minutes, until the pancake is puffed and golden. Lower oven temperature to 300 degrees and bake five minutes longer.

Remove pancake from oven, cut into wedges and serve at once topped with syrup, preserves, confectioners' sugar or cinnamon sugar with a pinch of nutmeg

Apple Cider Apple Fritter

For the Doughnuts:
2 ½ cups apple cider
2 ¼ tsp (1 packet) active dry yeast
3/4  cup milk, at room temperature
14 2/3  oz (3 ¼ cups) all-purpose flour
1 oz (2 tbsp) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 oz (2 tbsp) shortening
3 egg yolks
2 Tbs brown sugar
1 ½ tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp salt
1 ½ quarts canola oil, for frying

For the Apple Filling:
2 lbs (4-5 medium) apples – I used SweeTango apples
2 oz (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
(1/4 cup) brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
? tsp salt
1 tsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice

For the Glaze:
¼ cup apple cider concentrate (made during the doughnut preparation)
2 cups powdered sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp salt

To Make the Doughnuts:

1. Pour the apple cider into a medium saucepan, place the pan on medium heat, and bring it to a low boil. Continue to cook the apple cider until it reduces down to ¾ cup, which might take 45-55 minutes. This step can be done ahead of time and the apple cider concentrate can be stored in the refrigerator until you're ready to use it.

2. Divide up the ¾ cup apple cider concentrate: Pour ¼ cup of it into a small bowl. Pour another ¼ cup of it into the bowl of a large stand mixer, and reserve the remaining ¼ cup to make the glaze later.

3. Heat the small bowl of apple cider concentrate in the microwave in short 10-second bursts, until it is warm but not scalding—it should be around 105-110 F, so hotter than body temperature. Sprinkle the yeast on top, stir it in gently, and let it sit for about 5 minutes, until the yeast foams up.

4. To the large mixing bowl with the apple cider concentrate, add the milk, butter, shortening, sugar, yolks, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Pour the yeast mixture into the large mixing bowl as well, then add half of the flour (7? oz, or 1? cups). Mix with the paddle attachment for 3-5 minutes, until very smooth.

5. Add the rest of the flour (7? oz, or 1? cups) and mix with the paddle for another 2 minutes. Switch to the dough hook and mix for 5-7 minutes, until the dough forms a soft, smooth ball around the hook and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. If it seems very sticky while it’s mixing, add a touch more flour, but only another tablespoon or two. Let the mixing do most of the work and resist the temptation to add too much flour, or else you will have tough doughnuts. When the dough is smooth, supple, and pulling away from the sides of the bowl, turn off the mixer. It will still be a bit soft and sticky!

6. Generously oil a large bowl and turn the doughnut dough into the oiled bowl. Cover loosely with a cloth and set it in a warm place to rise for 1 hour, until doubled in size.

To Make the Apple Filling:

1. While you wait for the dough to rise, prepare the apple filling. Peel, core, and chop the apples into small pieces about ½-3/4" wide. Place a large saucepan over medium heat, and melt the butter. Add the sugar, and stir it in until the sugar melts. (The mixture will be sandy and grainy.) Add the apples, cinnamon, vanilla, salt, and apple cider vinegar.

2. Cook the apples, stirring occasionally, until they are golden and caramelized, and almost all of the liquid has evaporated from the pan. The time required depends on your pan and your apple variety, but 15-20 minutes is a rough cooking estimate. Scrape the apples into a shallow pan or bowl, and refrigerate them until they're room temperature or cooler. (Apples can be made ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator until ready to use.)

To Assemble, Fry, and Finish:

1. After an hour, dust your work surface with flour, punch down the dough, and turn it out onto your work surface. Gently pat it or roll it into a thin layer about ½-inch thick. Spread half of the apples over half of the dough. Fold the dough over on itself, and press down gently to seal the apples into the middle of the dough.

2. Press the dough out into a thin rectangle again, flour it as necessary to keep it from sticking. Add the rest of the apples on half of the dough, and fold it over itself again. (This process helps distribute apples randomly throughout the dough layers.) Pat the dough back into a thin rectangle.

3. Use a bench scraper or large sharp knife to cut the dough into small squares, about 1½" or so. Line two baking sheets with parchment , and dust it lightly with flour. Gather together about 4-5 squares (total weight 2.5-3 oz) and press them together into a patty, pinching them at the top to help secure them. Don't worry if the patties seem to have a ragged appearance, or if apples poke out—this assembly method produces the beautifully craggy and randomly-shaped signature apple fritter appearance! Place a fritter on a baking sheet, then repeat until all of your fritters are formed. You should get about 15 fritters from this recipe.

4. Cover the fritters loosely with cloths and let them rise in a warm place until nearly doubled, about 30 minutes.

5. Toward the end of the fritter rise time, pour the frying oil into a medium-large saucepan, and insert a deep fry thermometer. Turn the heat to medium and heat until the oil reaches 350 F. During the frying process, keep a close eye on the thermometer and monitor the temperature carefully.

6. Once the fritters have risen and the oil is the right temperature, gently place 2-3 fritters at a time in the oil and fry them for 1-2 minutes per side, until they are puffed and golden brown. Once cooked, remove them from the oil using a slotted spoon or frying tool, and place them on a paper-towel lined wire rack to cool. Repeat with the remaining fritters. Periodically remove any stray apples or dough that's floating in the oil. If the oil gets too hot, turn the heat down or take the pan briefly off the heat, and if it gets too cool, pause your frying until it has a chance to heat up again.

7. To make the glaze, whisk together the reserved ¼ cup apple cider concentrate along with the rest of the ingredients. Try brushing some on a warm (but not super hot!) fritter. It should brush easily, and start to melt into the outside of the fritter. If it is too thick, and looks more like frosting than glaze, add a little apple cider or milk, a small spoonful at a time, to get the right consistency. Brush the glaze on the fritters, or spoon it on and spread it around with the spoon. Repeat until all of the fritters have been glazed.

8. Let the glaze set for about 20 minutes, then serve! These fritters are best on the day they are made, but they will keep for several days in an airtight container at room temperature.

Servings: 15
Yield: 4 hours

Cooking Times
Preparation Time: 4 hours

Cooking Time: 4 hours