Goodies By Anna

Maple Pot de Creme

I love when favorite flavors are reinterpreted in an unexpected way. This Maple Pot de Creme recipe is a perfect example of a fresh take on a old standby flavor of autumn: maple.

 

 

During the holidays maple turns up in various candies or as part of a complex dessert but this recipe singularly showcases the rich warm woody vanilla flavor that makes real maple syrup so incredibly delicious.

 

 

The pot de creme creates the perfect silky smooth base for this simple seasonal dessert. If you've only had your maple syrup on pancakes you've gotta try this fabulous dessert!  Here is how you can make your own.

 

 

You can find the entire recipe here. Start by setting aside a large roasting pan to use for the bain marie. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together the brown sugar (I used dark brown sugar for more flavor), salt, egg yolks, whole eggs, and 1/2 vanilla bean OR 1 Tablespoon vanilla paste OR 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Add the milk, cream and maple syrup (I added 2 teaspoon maple extract for more flavor) and whisk until combined. Pour mixture thru a fine strainer into a large measuring cup. Divide the mixture between your ramekins (I used 5 larger ramekins instead of the 8 smaller ones called for in the recipe).

 

 

Place the ramekins in the large roasting pan and fill the pan with boiling water (I used hot tap water) until it comes half way up the sides of the ramekins. Bake custard until the edges are set but the center is slightly jiggly. Do not over bake the custards or they won't be silky smooth in texture. The recipe says to bake for 1 hour but I baked my 5 larger ramekins for just around 45 minutes. Remove ramekins from water bath and let cool on a rack, then into the fridge until completely chilled, at least 2 hours or overnight. Lightly dust with cinnamon if desired, just before serving.

Pumpkin Pie Pudding

In my never ending search of all things pumpkin, I came across this fantastic recipe for Pumpkin Pie Pudding. This dessert melds the delicious flavor of pumpkin pie into an airy whipped mousse-like pudding studded with spicy gingersnaps for a little crunchy texture.

 

 

I think this dessert deserves a place at the Thanksgiving dessert table! After a big meal this lighter version of a traditional favorite flavor is very appealing. You can make this pudding in a single large serving dish or do like I did and make individual servings in clear glass mugs!

 

 

To make the dessert a little more special, pipe the Pumpkin Pie Pudding into the glass mugs to create a pretty swirl, dust with a little cinnamon and top with another gingersnap cookie! You might even find this Pumpkin Pie Pudding better than the old standby! Here is how you can make your own.

 

 

Pudding: You can find the entire recipe here. Start by placing the bowl and whisk attachment of an electric mixer into the fridge to chill. In a large mixing bowl combine the sweetened condensed milk, pumpkin puree, spices, pudding mix and 1/4 cup water.

 

 

Using electric beaters beat the mixture until it is well combined and thickened. Set bowl aside. Remove bowl and whisk attachment from the fridge and pour in the chilled heavy cream. Beat the cream until stiff peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the pumpkin mixture with a rubber spatula until combined.

 

 

To assemble in individual glasses: Transfer the pumpkin pudding into a large (I used a "16 bag) piping bag fitted with a large star tip (I used a #847 close star tip) and pipe the pudding into the bottom of the glasses. Layer on the gingersnaps (I used these tiny Spicy Triple Gingersnap Cookies from Trader Joe's), around the sides and on top of the pudding.

 

 

 

Pipe on another layer of pudding and repeat with another layer of gingersnaps. Finish with one last swirl of pudding on top. Dust with cinnamon and top with another gingersnap for garnish.

 

 

Keep the pudding refrigerated until ready to serve and can easily be made the night before serving. Note: The longer the pudding sits the softer the cookies become, but I liked the crunch of the not-to-soft cookies.

Toasted Oatmeal Scones

While looking for a something to pair with the Spiced Pumpkin Butter from last week, I came across this delicious recipe for Toasted Oatmeal Scones. These scones are the perfect match for the Spiced Pumpkin Butter as they are not too sweet and have a pleasant rustic texture from the oat flakes with a deep, rich toasty flavor.

 

 

The next time you want scones don't bother going out to a coffee shop, these Toasted Oatmeal Scones are so much better and come together in a snap. Here is how you can make your own.

 

 

You can find the entire recipe here. Make sure you only use old-fashioned rolled oats or quick oats for this recipe. You can substitute the milk and cream for half & half. I added a splash of vanilla extract for a little extra flavor.

 

 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spread oats on a rimmed baking sheet and toast for 7 to 9 minutes or until fragrant and lightly browned. Let oats cool completely. Set aside 2 Tablespoons of the oats to roll the dough in later. Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment or Silpat and set aside.

 

 

Dice 10 tablespoons of butter into 1/2 inch pieces and place in the fridge to chill. In a measuring cup whisk together the milk and cream (or half & half) with the egg and 1 teaspoon of vanilla if using. Reserve 1 Tablespoon of the milk mixture to brush on top of the scones before baking. Keep in fridge until ready to use. Set aside 1 Tablespoon of sugar to sprinkle on scones before baking.

 

 

In the bowl of a food processor pulse together the flour, 1/3 cup sugar, baking powder and salt until combined, around 4 pulses. Scatter the chilled butter over the flour and pulse until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal, around 12 to 14 pulses. Transfer flour mixture to large bowl and stir in cooled oats. Fold in the milk/egg mixture using a rubber spatula. When the mixture comes together use your hands to knead the mixture into a cohesive dough ball. Coat the dough ball with the remaining 2 Tablespoons of oats and pat out into a 7 inch round that is around 1 inch thick. Cut the round into 8 equal wedges and space them evenly on the prepared baking sheet, around 2 inches apart. Brush the tops of the wedges with the reserved milk/egg mixture and sprinkle with the reserved 1 Tablespoon of sugar.

 

 

Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until the tops are golden brown. Let the scones cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool for 30 minutes before serving. These taste great with the homemade Spiced Pumpkin Butter!

Spiced Pumpkin Butter

The holidays are upon us and with all the parties and dinners coming up it's nice to have some hostess gifts on hand that are special or unique. This delicious Spiced Pumpkin Butter is a fantastic homemade goodie that is a welcome gift, just perfect for the season. Pumpkin, ginger, cinnamon, maple - these are just some of the flavors that all meld together to create the perfect spicy-sweet spread for biscuits and toast or even in oatmeal or over pancakes.

Place your Spiced Pumpkin Butter in these easy to store freezer jars and top with a cute label. The Spiced Pumpkin Butter lasts around a week in the fridge and for 6 months in the freezer. Just make sure to keep some for yourself - Santa might even prefer this over cookies! Here is how you can make your own.

You can find the entire recipe here. I followed the recipe as given but added a little less that 1/4 tsp. of cardamom and 1 tsp. of vanilla extract to my pumpkin butter for a little extra flavor. In a 4 or 5 quart pan, mix together the canned pumpkin, maple syrup, apple juice, lemon juice, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, (less than 1/4 tsp. of cardamom if desired) and salt.

Bring mixture to a boil then reduce heat to medium high and continue to cook for around 25 minutes or until mixture thickens. Try to keep stirring the mixture to keep it from spattering or sticking to the bottom of the pan. When the mixture is finished cooking, remove from heat and stir in 1 tsp. of vanilla if using and set aside to cool.

When pumpkin butter has cooled, ladle into individual freezer jars leaving a quarter inch gap at the top before placing the lids. Add a cute label and ribbon for gift giving. Pumpkin butter will last one week in the fridge and 6 months in the freezer.