Caramel Acorns

 
I crave for Fall.


I know. Spring has barely sprung and I am already dreaming of the smells, colors, and the flavors of fall. 
Fall is still another 6 months away. Sigh...


To satisfy my craving I want to share with you a sweet autumn treat that will be sure to dazzle you Fall-fanatic friends.

This recipe is a labor of love but looks absolutely Fall-tastic!

2 sticks real salted butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

1-1/2 tsp Saigon cinnamon
2-1/4 cups flour 
1 cup chopped nuts, divided
1/2 cup chocolate sprinkles (jimmies)
1 package (14 ounces) caramels

1-1/2 Tbsp milk


Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. 

Cream butter, sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon until fluffy.

Blend in 1/2 cup of the nuts.

Slowly add the flour until combined.
 

Form dough into one inch-sized balls, shaping into acorns with a pointed top. 

Place acorn-shaped dough with point up, 1" apart on un-greased baking sheets. 

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until bottoms are golden brown. 

Cool completely on cooling rack.

Combine the remaining 1/2 cup of nuts and sprinkles in a food processor - pulse until finely chopped. 

Pour mixture on a paper plate, wax paper, or silicone mat; set aside.

Melt caramels and milk in a bowl in microwave per package directions.

With a fork, dip acorn cookies into caramel, one at a time, turning to coat.

When coated, scrape excess caramel from bottom of cookie against top edge of bowl. 

Use another fork to carefully remove acorn from first fork onto nut and jimmie mixture to coat the bottom. 

Carefully pat nut/jimmie mixture about 1/8" up the sides of acorn cookie.

Transfer to a lined (silicone mat, wax paper, parchment paper...) cookie sheet.

Refrigerate finished cookies to set caramel.

Reheat caramel in microwave as needed to keep soft while dipping acorns. 

Store cookies in an airtight container at a cool room temperature with wax paper between layers for up to one week.

An apple of a day

I still had about 20 pounds of apples left to eat, bake with, give away, or to preserve left in a ginormous box in my refrigerator. I was desperately in need of the extra fridge space and to use up those apples before they spoiled.


Since the apple pie filling I canned weeks ago is almost gone I decided to can another batch and with the remaining apples I made a Bavarian Apple Torte with fresh Caramel Cream and Spiced Nuts.

For the Bavarian Apple Torte I used this fabulous recipe given to me by my Aunt Cathy - she is the most wonderful cook.

Crust:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour

Cream together the butter, sugar and vanilla.
Blend in flour.
Spread dough onto bottom up about 1-1/2" of the sides of 9" spring form pan. (dough will be tacky - it is best to use your hands)

Filling:
1 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla

Beat together cream cheese and sugar until well combined.
Add egg and vanilla. Pour into pastry lined pan.

Topping:
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
4 cups apples, cored, peeled, and thinly sliced
1/4 cup nuts

Combine sugar and cinnamon. Toss in apples until evenly coated.
Spoon apple mixture over cream cheese layer.
Sprinkle with nuts.

Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes.
Reduce heat to 400 degrees and continue baking for an additional 25 minutes.
Let cool before removing rim of pan.

Blueberry Lemon Cream Cheese Tart

This is a very adaptable recipe that will work well with almost any type of fruit. Want to lighten it up a bit, try fresh fruit instead of a pie filling.

You can make an amazing patriotic dessert for the Fourth of July by using fresh strawberries and blueberries.





Nut Crust
1/2 cup roasted, finely chopped nuts (pecans, almonds and walnuts are my favorites)
1-1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 cup powdered sugar
1-1/2 sticks of REAL SALTED BUTTER BAY-BEE!, softened

Roast your nuts before you chop them - throw 'em in a heated cast iron skillet and toss around for a couple of minutes. Let cool. Chop.
Combine flour, sugar, nuts, and butter - mix until it forms a ball.
Pat ball of dough into a tart pan.
Bake @ 350 degrees for about 10-12 minutes or until crust is golden brown.
Let cool before filling.

Cream Cheese Filling
6 oz of cream cheese. softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup granulated sugar (I think you can safely reduce this to 1/8 cup)
1 tsp vanilla or lemon extract

Cream together cream cheese, vanilla/extract, and powdered sugar, set aside.
Beat heavy cream and granulated sugar until soft peaks are formed.
Fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture.
Spoon mixture into cooled tart crust.
Top with 1 can of your favorite pie filling or homemade pie filling.
Chill for a couple of hours before serving.

*If you decide on a refreshing lemony taste try fresh squeezed lemon juice instead of the extract and toss in some zest.

Lemon Pound Cake

This is a most wonderfully delicious and moist pound cake that is absolutely perfect for Spring.




Pound Cake

3 cups cake flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1- 1/2 cups real butter, softened (3 sticks)
1- 3/4 cups sugar
6 large eggs at room temperature
1 cup milk at room temperature
1- 1/2 Tbsp lemon zest
1 tsp pure lemon extract
1 tsp pure vanilla extract



Lemon Syrup

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice


Pound Cake

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Butter and flour a 12 cup Bundt pan.
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together twice.
Cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Reduce the speed and add the flour mixture, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour.
Stir in the lemon zest and extracts.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake for 1- 1/2 hours, or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
Poke holes in cake with a wooden skewer.


Meyer Lemon Syrup

In a small saucepan, bring the lemon juice and sugar to a boil over medium high heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved.
Pour half of lemon syrup over cake while still in pan.
Let set for 5 minutes.
Invert the cake onto a rack, positioned over a baking sheet and slowly baste the remaining syrup over the cake.
Let completely cool before serving.

A Throwback Cookie

Oh how I love cookies - especially cookies from my childhood.

I've been craving a certain little childhood cookie for weeks now - after I came across this old recipe. It's a recipe from an elementary school cookbook put together by the students.

Funny thing... I can save a recipe page from a thousand years ago but can't keep up with my social security card, checkbook, drivers license, birth certificate, or even cash.

Anyway. I finally got off my ever-enlarging lazy rump to anti-bake a batch.

No Bake Cookies

aka ~ No Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

aka ~ No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

1 stick butter - I use the real stuff, salted
2 cups sugar

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1/2 cup of milk

1/2 cup of peanut butter - I use extra chunky but you are more than welcome to use creamy

3 cups of quick oats

2 tsp vanilla

In a small pot over medium high heat combine the butter, sugar, milk, and cocoa.

Bring to a high simmer while stirring continuously.

Simmer for 1 minute then remove from heat.

Stir in peanut butter and vanilla until well incorporated.

Now stir in oats until evenly coated.

Quickly drop by the spoonful on to a wax paper lined baking sheet.

Let cool.

Enjoy!