Pumpkin Spiced Pizelles

Throughout the years we lived on Riverhead Drive, a friend of ours would always bring pizzelles as a Christmas gift. Since she was full blood Italian, hers were the real deal - perfectly formed and perfect tasting.

I got my own electric pizelle maker over a year ago. It's a pretty straightforward little machine with no settings except on and off. Sometimes these are the best and easiest kinds of appliances to have. I love this pizzelle maker because it IS so easy to use and because the cookies slide off whole and perfect; or at least as perfect as I'm going to be able to make them.

When I began forming the cookies, it surprised me to find out how thick the batter/dough was. I guess I figured the mixture would be more akin to runnier pancake batter. Nope. You get a very thick mixture that must be spooned into a bag and then squeezed out onto the hot pizelle griddle.

You know what else came as a surprise? How very easy these cookies are to make. Mine are definitely not as perfectly beautiful as the ones Jeanne used to make or, for that matter, the ones that are pictured on the internet site. Maybe you have to use scissors and cut off the excess while the cookies are still soft and pliable, just after they come off the griddle. Or maybe a perfect cookie comes from perfect placement of the dough on the griddle?

Mine may not have looked perfectly uniform but, ragged edges aside, they taste like a delicate pop of pumpkin. They're the perfect accompaniment to a cup of coffee on a beautiful fall morning.

Pumpkin Spiced Pizzelles

Ingredients:
¼ cup unsalted butter (4 tablespoons) melted and cooled slightly
1 large egg
¼ cup canned pure pumpkin puree (not sweetened)
½ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
1¼ teaspoons baking powder
dash of salt
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Instructions:
Melt the butter and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, vigorously whisk together the egg, pumpkin puree, and sugar until blended and smooth. Add the vanilla and melted butter and whisk until combined.
Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and pumpkin pie spice, and sift together over the large mixing bowl containing the egg mixture.
Fold the ingredients together with a spatula until combined.
Preheat your pizzelle iron to medium-high heat or until a drop of water sizzles on the cooking surface. (My pizzelle maker doesn't have heat settings, other than on/off.
Scoop the batter into a large zip lock bag or pipping bag. Cut the corner of the bag into a ½" opening.
Pipe about 1 tablespoon of batter into the center of the iron and cook according to your manufacturer directions. I cooked mine about 40 seconds per pizzelle, as that's what was recommended. If they are too big for your press, pipe a little less next time. It may take a few tries to get them just right but I have found that centering the batter is the key to a good shape.
Remove the hot pizzelles to a wire rack covered with parchment paper to cool. They will be a bit limp/pliable when you take them off the pizzelle maker but they will quickly get the stiffer form of a good pizzelle. Store at room temperature.
Notes
Dip one side of the cookie in white chocolate for a festive look.
Mold hot pizzelles into bowls, tacos, or cylinders perfect for filling with ice cream, mousse or even candy.
Pizzelles make great ice cream sandwiches or served with a bowl of ice cream. We love Dulce de Leche ice cream for this flavor pizzelle.

Glazed Caramel Apple Bundt Cake

Fall is such a lovely time to bake. Even though we've had warmer temperatures than usual this year, just looking around at the leaves as they change colors and skitter in the wind, you can't help but want to pull out pumpkins, apples, and other staples of the season. I made this cake for the Wednesday morning bible study ladies. It went together easily and turned out moist and full of everything good about autumn.

Glazed Apple Bundt Cake from Sally's Baking Addiction

Apple Bundt Cake

3 cups (375g) all-purpose flour (measured correctly) (That "measured correctly" direction comes from the site where I got this recipe. I have no idea why this directive would be necessary - are there cooks who would deliberately set out to measure incorrectly?????)

1 teaspoon baking soda

3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 and 1/4 cups (300ml) canola or vegetable oil

1/2 cup (120g) plain Greek yogurt1

1 and 1/4 cups (250g) packed light or dark brown sugar

1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar

3 large eggs

1 Tablespoon vanilla extract (yes, 1 full Tablespoon)

3 medium apples, peeled and chopped into small chunks2

Brown Sugar Glaze  (this makes a good portion of the frosting. Enough to cover the cake, with some left over to slurp up because it tastes so unbelievably yummy.)

1 cup (190g) light or dark brown sugar (I prefer dark here)

1/4 cup (60g) unsalted butter

1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream

1/2 cup (62g) confectioners sugar, sifted

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325F degrees. Spray a 10-12 cup bundt pan with nonstick spray. Set aside.

In a large bowl, toss the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt together until combined. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk the oil, yogurt, brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, and vanilla together until combined and creamy. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and slowly whisk until no large lumps remain. Try to avoid overmixing. Using a rubber spatula, carefully fold in the apple chunks. If you feel 3 large apples is too much, feel free to cut down to 2 apples. I like a lot of apple chunks in my cake.

Spoon/pour the thick batter into the prepared bundt pan. Bake for 55-75 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean. The baking times may vary depending on your oven, if you used a 10 cup bundt pan or 12 cup, or if you used less apple chunks. Keep your eye on the cake after 55 minutes. Feel free to cover the cake loosely with aluminum foil about halfway through to prevent heavy browning on top.

Allow the cake to cool in the pan set on a wire rack, then invert onto a serving plate once cooled and ready to serve. As it cools, however, you may prepare the brown sugar glaze. Combine the brown sugar, butter, and heavy cream in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring the mixture often. Allow to boil for 1 minute (without stirring), then turn the heat down to low and allow to simmer for 1 minute. Remove from heat and whisk in the confectioners' sugar. Allow glaze to cool and slightly thicken for at least 5 minutes. Spoon glaze over the cake right before serving. If your glaze thickens up too much before serving the cake, warm in the microwave for 15 seconds and stir until smooth.

Cake can be served warm or cold.  Cover leftovers and store at room temperature for 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Make ahead tip: Cake freezes well up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature before serving.

German Chocolate Cake

When I first began this blog, it was mostly because I wanted to share some of the food stories of my past and present. Truth is, I've never been a great cook...but I have appreciated the rich heritage of a mom, grandmothers, and ever so many aunts who have loved to cook. The blog has given me a forum for writing about the things I like to make, as well as recipes that have been passed down to me from others. This German chocolate cake definitely qualifies as part of our family lore and one of the foods I want to pass on to my children. 

My sister-in-law Kay is an amazing cook and her cakes are pies are pretty legendary. She actually made this German chocolate cake for her wedding to my brother. Later, at a family reunion in Wisconsin, she shared the recipe with all the Beckett family and I tucked it away for all these years. Then this summer a friend of ours had a birthday. Dick's wife (and my dear friend) died the week before, so I wanted to give him a day when he wouldn't have to be alone to celebrate his birthday. While no food could begin to alleviate the pain of losing his beloved Sandra, I figured making his favorite type of cake would be a small gesture to make the day a tiny bit less sad. 

It strikes me as somewhat poignant that Mark and Kay are now separated which technically means Kay is no longer part of our family. Even so, it is her recipe that was brought up out of a happier past in an effort to bring joy to a grieving husband. And this is the power of food that nourishes not only the body but the soul. 

Kay Cushing Beckett’s German Chocolate Cake

4 oz German chocolate (1 pkg)

1/2 cup boiling water

1 cup butter

2 cup sugar

4 eggs, separated

1 t. vanilla

2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour

1 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

1 cup buttermilk

In small bowl, pour boiling water over chocolate and set aside. 

Cream butter and sugar. 

Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition 

Add vanilla and chocolate, mix well. 

Add sifted dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk, beat until smooth. 

Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites

Pour into three 9 inch layer cake pans, lined with greased was paper. 

Bake35 minutes or until it tests done with a toothpick

Frost and fill with coconut pecan frosting. 

COCONUT PECAN PROSTING

(I definitely gained a new appreciation for Kay when I was trying to frost my cake. Getting that rather thick and sticky icing to adhere artfully to the cake isn’t exactly…well..a piece of cake!)

In a saucepan combine:

1 cup evaporated milk

1 cup sugar

3 egg yolks

1/2 cup butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

Cook, stirring over medium heat for 12 minutes or until mixture thickens. Add 1 cup flaked coconut and chopped pecans.