Ingredient: cardamom

Meatballs & Barley w/ Sun-Dried Tomatoes

When it comes to comfort food, meatballs have a special place in the hearts (and stomachs) of many. This meatball & barley dish takes the classic comfort food to a new level. The unusual blend of herbs and spices used in the recipe give the meatballs a unique and complex flavor that sets them apart from other meatball recipes. 

In savory dishes like meatballs, cardamom can complement the richness of the meat and other spices. It adds a warm, aromatic, and slightly sweet flavor, enhancing both the savory and sometimes subtly sweet notes of the dish. It’s often used in combination with other spices to create complex flavor profiles, especially in dishes inspired by Moroccan or Scandinavian cuisine. 

Cardamom is a tropical perennial plant belonging to the ginger family. Originally native to south India and Sri Lanka, as of today Guatemala is the world’s largest producer. The cardamom plant has long sword-shaped leaves, white and purple streaked flower petals and yellowish-green pods which contain the seeds.

Cardamom should generally be used sparingly due to its potent and intense flavor. A little goes a long way, and a subtle hint of cardamom is often more desirable than a strong, overpowering taste. 

This recipe was one of those that started with these tasty little meatballs then along came some barley, veggies and gravy and it turned out to be an amazing meal.

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 Meatballs & Barley w/ Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Course Main Dish
Cuisine Canadian
Keyword beef barley meatball casserole
Servings
Ingredients
Meatballs
Other Ingredients
Gravy
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Canadian
Keyword beef barley meatball casserole
Servings
Ingredients
Meatballs
Other Ingredients
Gravy
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Meatballs
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease a baking tray.
  2. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients for meatballs & mix well but do NOT overmix.
  3. Measure out 20 meatballs approximately 40 gm each & place on baking tray. Bake for about 15 minutes. You only want to bake them partially so they can finish baking with the rest of the casserole. Set aside.
Other Ingredients
  1. Cook barley in vegetable broth until tender. Set aside barley & any vegetable broth that might still remain when removed from heat.
  2. In the microwave, cook whole potatoes SLIGHTLY then slice into 1/8-inch slices. Slice red onion into wedges. Slice zucchini. Drain sun-dried tomatoes from seasoned oil. Grate cheese.
Sauce (Gravy)
  1. In a saucepan, melt butter; add flour & garlic powder to make a roux. Cook, stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes. Slowly add beef broth, stirring until sauce thickens. Season to taste. The gravy should be thin so the casserole can bake in it. If you find it is too thick, add more beef broth to thin it out.
Assembly
  1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
  2. Lightly spray a 9 x 13 -inch baking dish with baking spray. Spread the red onion wedges over the bottom of dish. Next layer the sliced potatoes on top then the zucchini & sun-dried tomatoes.
  3. Top with the meatballs & cooked barley then carefully pour gravy over top all. Sprinkle with grated cheese. Cover casserole with a piece of foil paper
  4. Cover casserole with a piece of foil paper & bake for 30-35 minutes or until cooked.

Chai Liqueur Cinnamon Rolls

The air is chilly, the leaves are turning, the sun is shining, and the skies are blue. Frost has visited and that ‘end of summer’ feel is in the air.

But there’s more to fall flavors than just pumpkin spice. Before there was pumpkin spice, there was chai to keep you warm and cozy all autumn long. You might even recognize some of the flavors in chai as they are similar to pumpkin spice with clove, cinnamon, and cardamom. The classic way to enjoy chai is in tea, but it seems Craft Chai Liqueur is becoming a timeless staple.

I had never really heard about chai liqueur until Brion brought some home one evening to try. In the winter of 2011, Brion and I traveled Turkey for a month. We were meeting our Trafalgar tour group in Istanbul. Arriving a day early gave us time to ‘snoop’ around a bit. Next to our hotel was a ‘Starbucks’, so we went in. When Brion ordered my coffee, they gave me a ‘Pumpkin Spice Chai Latte’ by mistake. That pumpkin chai flavor was just incredible. I have been addicted to it ever since.

We both thought this chai liqueur tasted nice so naturally I was inspired to do some recipe development to see if I could use it in baked goods. There are many recipes using the chai spices such as cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves, nutmeg and anise. I wanted to incorporate the actual liqueur as well as pop up the flavor a bit more.

But first, just a bit about the JAYA CHAI LIQUEUR itself … Created by Faaiza Ramji, a native of Edmonton, Canada, (our home city) JAYA is more than a spirit—it’s a tribute to the cultural icon of chai. With a deep respect for her South Asian heritage, Faaiza was inspired by the way chai has brought people together, whether at bustling street corners or in the quiet warmth of family homes. Every bottle of JAYA is rooted in tradition and history, a modern celebration of the centuries-old ritual of chai.

Alberta-based distillery ‘Field Notes’ is the brainchild of Faaiza Ramji. During a directorial tenure in economic development, she learned the immense value of agriculture in Alberta. Although Canada produces many of the basic ingredients the world relies upon, very few of those ingredients end up as finished products on local shelves, sacrificing GDP, jobs and additional downstream benefits to foreign countries. Greatly influenced by her South Asian heritage—where her grandmother, aunts and mother embraced natural remedies using herbs and spices to aid digestion, boost immunity, and even nourish skin—Faaiza formed a partnership in 2021 with Lindsey Good, a dedicated grower and owner of a 100-year-old farm in southern Alberta. Together, driven to build a complete food ecosystem within the Canadian Prairies by turning more local crops into more finished products the world can enjoy, Ramji and Good planted the seeds for a new kind of Alberta distillery and called it Field Notes. Chai liqueurs are rare in the Canadian market and Jaya Chai Liqueur uses distilled Canadian oats, filtered water, assam tea, Alberta beet sugar and a blend of spices like cardamom and clove for an invigorating, authentic chai flavor.

Edmonton’s distillery scene just got a recent boost, as Field Notes’ Jaya Chai Liqueur won a double gold, given because of its cumulative high score — a 98 out of 100 — from the judges at the 2024 San Francisco International Spirits Competition.

This brings me back to my recipe development which I focused on some chai liqueur cinnamon rolls. They ‘re a little more involved than the classic cinnamon rolls but I think you will find their well worth it.

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 Chai Liqueur Cinnamon Rolls
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Rating: 5
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Course dessert
Cuisine European
Keyword chai liqueur cinnamon rolls
Servings
Ingredients
Dough
Filling
Chai Cream Cheese Glaze
Course dessert
Cuisine European
Keyword chai liqueur cinnamon rolls
Servings
Ingredients
Dough
Filling
Chai Cream Cheese Glaze
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Dough
  1. Marinate raisins in Chai liqueur overnight, Stir occasionally.
  2. Dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup lukewarm water with 1 tsp sugar. Set aside for 5 minutes.
  3. In a large bowl, sift 1 cup of the flour. Stir in yeast mixture & lukewarm milk. Cover with plastic & let stand in a draft free place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
  4. While the dough rises, make the filling. Combine the sugar & spices together in a small bowl and mix well. Set aside.
  5. Punch down firmly & work in beaten egg, ¼ cup sugar, vanilla & pieces of softened butter. Sift the remaining 2 cups of flour with salt & work in 1 ½ cups to form a soft dough. Turn dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead in the remaining ½ cup of flour & raisin/liqueur mixture. This becomes a very soft & buttery dough but is not sticky.
  6. Roll dough out into a long rectangle about 16 x 12- inches on a well-floured surface. Spread the 2 Tbsp butter for the filling all the way to the edge of the dough. Sprinkle the sugar mixture over the butter, pressing it down to stick to the butter.
  7. From the long end, roll the dough away from you into a tight roll, sealing the bottom edge down by pinching the dough together.
  8. Use floss or a very sharp knife to cut the dough into 8 even rolls. Place the rolls in an 8-inch spring form pan. Brush rolls with egg wash. Cover the buns loosely with plastic wrap & allow to rise in a warm, draft-free spot until about 1 1/2 times the size. Toward the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350 F. & set an oven rack in the middle position.
  9. Bake the cinnamon rolls for about 55 minutes or until they are golden brown and no longer doughy. Remove from oven & allow to cool.
Glaze
  1. Using a mixer, combine the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, chai liqueur & milk. Beat on low speed, gradually increasing to high until light and fluffy. Brush glaze evenly over the rolls.

Root Vegetable Apricot Cake

We’re entering the in between… that time when some days are super nice and the sun is shining and if you don’t look at the date on the calendar, you’d swear it’s the middle of July, and some days you need a jacket and it’s gloomy and you can feel the season changing in the air?

The time when the flowers are still blooming and the leaves are starting to change. Fall food is popping up in the stores and it’s more than just pumpkin spice everything.

So why not make a ‘root vegetable cake’? I know, you’re thinking you don’t really want anything called root vegetable cake. But keep an open mind because it’s just a cake with carrots, parsnips and some beets. They’re all shredded and combined with warm spices to make a hearty cake, dotted with dried apricots and pepita seeds. The spice and earthiness of the cake are complemented by the rich sweetness and subtle tang of the ginger cream cheese frosting.  Altogether, it’s pretty much the perfect bite – while the root veggies keep this cake soft and add a subtly sweet, earthy flavor; the apricots and pepita seeds add texture. Then it’s topped off with the luxurious creaminess of the ginger frosting. What’s not to love!

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 Root Vegetable Apricot Cake
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Rating: 5
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Course dessert
Cuisine British
Keyword root vegetable apricot cake
Servings
Ingredients
Cake
Ginger Cream Cheese Frosting
Course dessert
Cuisine British
Keyword root vegetable apricot cake
Servings
Ingredients
Cake
Ginger Cream Cheese Frosting
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Cake
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease the base & sides of a 8-inch round cake pan with a little oil. Line the base with parchment paper.
  2. Peel & grate the carrots, beets & parsnips into a large bowl. Zest an orange & add to the vegetables.
  3. Pour in the syrup, eggs & olive oil, then mix to combine. Next, fold in the flour, spices, baking powder, baking soda & salt.
  4. Finely dice the apricots, then add them to the bowl along with the seeds, then mix everything until just combined but DO NOT OVERMIX.
  5. Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan & bake for 30 to 35 minutes, rotating the tin after 20 minutes, until the top is a light pink-golden tone. The cake should bounce back when pressed lightly, & a skewer inserted into the center will come out clean when fully cooked. Remove from the oven & leave to cool in the pan.
Ginger Frosting
  1. Place room temperature cream cheese, ginger & butter into a mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer. beat until creamy & smooth. Slowly add the powdered sugar until all is incorporated.
Assembly
  1. When the cake is completely cool, transfer to a plate, then finish with the icing, smoothing it over the sides & top of the cake. Decorate as you wish slice & serve.
Recipe Notes

If you are like me, maple syrup is not something I usually have on hand. Here's a good substitute ... 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup water & 1/4 tsp maple extract. Place the sugar & water in a small saucepan. Simmer on low heat, stirring frequently, until sugar is dissolved & mixture thickens slightly, 3-5 minutes. Stir in maple extract (adjust to taste). Allow to cool before using (mixture thickens as it cools).

Apricot Chai Liqueur Scones

I’ve probably posted at least twenty different kinds of scones on the blog over the years, but I had yet to make scones using chai ‘liqueur’.

There are many recipes using chai spices such as cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves, nutmeg and anise. I wanted to incorporate the actual liqueur in these scones as well to pop up the flavor a bit more.

And while most fruits pair well with chai, some may have a delicate flavor that won’t taste great with the various spices in chai. When selecting these fruits, always go for dried options such as raisins, prunes, dates, apricots, figs, and peaches.

These scones make an excellent choice for breakfast or as an afternoon snack this time of year.

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 Apricot Chai Liqueur Scones
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Course Brunch
Cuisine Asia
Keyword apricot chai liqueur scones
Servings
SCONES
Ingredients
Scones
Chai Cream Cheese Icing
Course Brunch
Cuisine Asia
Keyword apricot chai liqueur scones
Servings
SCONES
Ingredients
Scones
Chai Cream Cheese Icing
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Scones
  1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In a food processor, combine flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Place in a large bowl.
  3. In a small bowl combine egg, chai liqueur & sour cream. Add wet mixture to flour mixture along with the apricots. Stir ONLY until combined. Do NOT overmix.
  4. Divide dough in half. Using a spatula scrape each piece of dough onto the parchment paper on the baking sheet. Dip the spatula in flour, then flatten each piece of dough to about 1-inch in height as well as forming it in a circle shape. Cut each round into 8 wedges.
  5. Bake scones for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from baking sheet. Recut the scones. Cool slightly on wire rack.
Icing
  1. Using a mixer, combine cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, chai liqueur & milk. Beat on low speed, gradually increasing to high until light & fluffy. Pipe over scones.
Recipe Notes

The amount of sugar used in these scones is what you prefer personally. I only used the 1/3 cup which makes them nice to serve with coffee.

Banana Crumble

Crumbles have everything. They are sweet/tart, yielding, crunchy and caramelized. Another beauty of crumbles is that they have so few ingredients, sometimes as few as four – fruit, flour, butter and sugar – which, with the addition of heat, transform themselves into puddings of sublime comfort.

The most likely origin story for crumble is that it originated in the United Kingdom in the 18th century. At that time, crumble was known as ‘cottage pudding’ and was a more accessible and simpler alternative to pastry-based pies, which required more ingredients and time to prepare. Crumble gained popularity in Britain, Ireland, and across the Commonwealth of Nations, becoming a ‘national institution’. 

While the exact origin of ‘banana’ crumble is less clear, the dessert is a variation of the traditional crumble, featuring bananas as the main fruit component. Have you ever wondered why you see crumble recipes for berries, pears, apple – just about any fruit but bananas? Generally, bananas don’t come to mind when we think about fruit desserts like crisps or crumbles. We naturally assume that they would not hold up to being baked. However, it all comes down to the ripeness of the bananas being used.  You want the banana to be ripe as far as being a nice bright yellow without any green on it or any signs of starting to over ripen. 

I think you will find banana crumble is extremely good all by itself but is made even better with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. 

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 Banana Crumble
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Course dessert
Cuisine British
Keyword banana crumble
Servings
Ingredients
Topping
Filling
Course dessert
Cuisine British
Keyword banana crumble
Servings
Ingredients
Topping
Filling
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Topping
  1. Combine all the topping ingredients ( except pecans) in a medium size bowl & work them together with your fingers until they become crumbly. Add the toasted pecans to the bowl. Stir to mix. Refrigerate the topping while you make the filling.
Filling
  1. In a saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over low heat. Add the brown sugar & stir until it dissolves, about 3 minutes. It will become a wet looking mass of sugar that slides around the pan. Stir in the cinnamon, cardamom & salt. Add the orange juice, be careful it will sizzle up & splatter a little bit. Cook about one minute until it thickens slightly.
  2. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  3. Add the banana chunks & toss gently until they are coated. Divide banana chunks with sauce evenly between 6 ramekins. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the bananas.
  4. Bake until topping is golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let cool about 10 minutes before serving.
  5. Top with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream if desired.

Artichoke Cupcakes

HAPPY ST. PATRICK’S DAY!

St. Patrick’s Day is a funny thing here in Canada. It’s the one time each year that people seek out green food and drinks, everything from shamrock shakes, a green bagel, or green beer are part of our version of this holiday.

Green food has been getting more and more ‘creative’ on this particular holiday. Clean eating, green foods like spinach, avocado and broccoli for example. A walk through the grocery store produce section will provide a variety of examples of just how many green foods are available to use in meals and snacks.

In the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day, I wanted to incorporate some green food in some desserts. What better excuse could I have to make some artichoke cupcakes!

Over the years, Brion and I have vacationed many times in the Carmel / Monterey area on the Central Coast of California. As a rule, we make Pacific Grove ‘home base’ and from there do numerous day trips. About a 20-minute drive inland from Monterey Bay is the tiny agricultural town of Castroville. When you enter into the town you will see a sign that says, ‘Artichoke Center of the World’.  Where the rich, fertile soil of the Salinas Valley meets the sands of Monterey Bay, these fog-shrouded fields prove to be the ideal location for the commercial cultivation of Heirloom artichokes.

About another 20-minute drive further north you come to another agricultural town called Watsonville. Just before we reached the town, I spotted a sign advertising ‘artichoke cupcakes’ from Pezzini Farms. We have never eaten anything sweet associated with artichokes before now. This charming roadside market goes deep into the crop that made this chunk of California famous.

Now, Watsonville might not be the self-proclaimed Artichoke Center of the World like its neighbor, Castroville. But it still ranks right up there in growing this distinctive plant that’s actually an herb.

Pezzini Farms is family-owned and has been growing and selling Heirloom Green Globe artichokes since 1929. The family immigrated to the United States from Italy bringing with them their family’s artichoke root stalk. 

The market offers a great selection of fresh produce that includes artichokes sold individually or in bulk. The store also has a wide selection of artichoke products that featured jarred artichoke hearts, artichoke dip mix, and artichoke marinara sauce, among others. By the register, customers were enticed by an array of sweet pastries displayed under glass dessert domes. Among them were decadent artichoke cupcakes topped with thick frosting.

It inspired me to think of artichokes in a whole new way. Brion & I purchased a cupcake to see how it would taste. The dense cake wasn’t overly sweet, with chunks of artichoke heart adding an almost earthy quality. The frosting was velvety with a little cream cheese bounce. A good comparison would be like a zucchini bread or a carrot cake.

Of course, as soon as we came home, I couldn’t wait to try to recreate this interesting little cupcake and what a better time than today. Think artichoke green for St. Patrick’s day!

I’ve added a few pictures I hope you will enjoy.

  • Pezzini store pics x 2
  • Artichokes growing in the fields
  • Production line
  • Store cupcakes
  • Life-size signage
Print Recipe
 Artichoke Cupcakes
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Course dessert
Cuisine Canadian
Keyword artichoke cupcakes
Servings
LARGE CUPCAKES
Ingredients
Cupcake Batter
Cream Cheese Frosting
Course dessert
Cuisine Canadian
Keyword artichoke cupcakes
Servings
LARGE CUPCAKES
Ingredients
Cupcake Batter
Cream Cheese Frosting
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Cupcakes
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a 6-cup muffin pan with large paper liners (or 12 small paper liners).
  2. Drain artichoke hearts well & mince into very small uniform pieces. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, vanilla, lemon zest, lemon juice, water & oil.
  4. In another bowl, sift together flour, white & brown sugars, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cardamom & ginger.
  5. Combine wet ingredients with dry ingredients, then gently fold in the minced artichokes with a spatula until they are completely incorporated into the batter.
  6. Fill the prepared muffin tins with the batter & bake about 30 minutes for the large size (20-25 minutes for small size).
  7. Once the cupcakes are baked through, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Frosting
  1. With an electric mixer, beat butter & cream cheese until creamy & well combined & lump free.
  2. Add vanilla & salt, mix to combine. With mixer on low, gradually add the powdered sugar until completely combined.
  3. Frost cupcakes as desired.

Mango Cream Crumble Squares

What is the difference between crumble and streusel? It seems there is no clear, distinct difference, at least in present-day North America. Streusel originated in Germany and was made by cutting butter into a mixture of flour and (white) sugar. Over the years, many people have made subtle variations to improve upon the base recipe to their taste preferences and is often referred to as ‘crumb topping’.

When it comes to baked fruit-and-pastry desserts, the classic pie isn’t the only game in town. Crumbles work with whatever fruit is in season or available and in any shape pan.

Bright, juicy mangoes make a delicious winter or summer dessert. A crumble gives you all the wonderful flavor of a fruit pie, but with much less prep work. The easy crust/crumble topping takes the place of a more time-consuming pastry crust. There’s no rolling or chilling; all you have to do is combine the ingredients, place some under the fruit and sprinkle the rest of the crumbs over the top. It’s that easy!

These mango crumble squares aren’t overly sweet as they get lots of their sweetness from the natural sweetness of the mangos with the mango flavor coming through in every bite. I added a cheesecake layer to make these squares just a bit fancier but it can be easily left out if you wish.

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 Mango Cream Crumble Squares
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Course dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword mango cream crumble squares, mango crumble bars
Servings
Ingredients
Crust & Crumble Topping
Mango Layer
Cheesecake Layer
Course dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword mango cream crumble squares, mango crumble bars
Servings
Ingredients
Crust & Crumble Topping
Mango Layer
Cheesecake Layer
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line an 8-inch square pan with foil & spray with cooking spray; set aside.
Crust & Topping
  1. In a large, microwave-safe bowl melt butter. Add flour, oats, sugars salt & stir to combine. Mixture will be dry & sandy with some larger, well formed crumble pieces. Reserve 1 heaping cup of the mixture to be sprinkled on later as topping. Transfer remaining mixture to prepared pan. Using a spatula, press down lightly to create an even, smooth, flat crust; set aside.
Cheesecake Layer
  1. In a small bowl, beat together cream cheese, milk, lemon juice & egg. Add egg beating only until it is incorporated.
Mango Layer
  1. In the mixing bowl that you used for the crumble, add all mango layer ingredients & toss to combine.
Assembly / Baking
  1. Evenly distribute cheesecake mixture over the crust. Top with mango mixture then evenly sprinkle the reserved crumble topping mixture over all. Bake for about 45 minutes or until cheesecake is set & crumble is lightly browned. Squares may take longer if the mangoes are very juicy.
  2. Place pan on a wire rack & allow squares to cool for at least 1 hour (preferably more) before slicing & serving. If sliced before completely cooled they tend to fall apart.

Eggnog Chai Cookies w/ Spiced Rum Glaze

Eggnog, which is actually a drinkable form of custard, began in England, where eggnog was the trademark drink of the upper class. There was no refrigeration, and the farms belonged to the big estates.  Those who could get milk and eggs to make eggnog mixed it with brandy or Madeira or even sherry.  But it became most popular in North America, where farms and dairy products were plentiful, as was rum.  The name, ‘eggnog,’ is a combination of ‘noggin,’ a wooden cup, and ‘grog,’ a strong beer.

Throughout Canada, the United States and some European countries, eggnog is traditionally consumed over the Christmas season, from late October until the end of the holiday season. 

The eggnog tradition kind of reminds me of the fall ‘pumpkin spice’ craze. What started out as a drink is now added to ice cream, cookies, cake, coffee, protein powder, latte, etc. etc.…

These cookies are soft and pillow-y, filled with chai spices and topped with a spiced rum glaze. The warmth of the cinnamon and nutmeg brings out the eggnog flavor in the cookies, making the traditional holiday drink the main flavor.

The holidays are a time for tradition. For a lot of people, that tradition consists of baking …. baking cookies…. lots and lots of cookies!!

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 Eggnog Chai Cookies w/ Spiced Rum Glaze
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Cuisine American
Keyword eggnog chai cookies w/ spiced rum glaze
Servings
Ingredients
Cookies
Glaze
Cuisine American
Keyword eggnog chai cookies w/ spiced rum glaze
Servings
Ingredients
Cookies
Glaze
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Cookies
  1. Preheat oven to 325 F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, cardamom & black pepper. Set aside.
  3. In another bowl, using a mixer, cream together butter & sugars. Add egg yolks & vanilla. Beat until creamy. Carefully beat in eggnog.
  4. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients & beat until just combined.
  5. Fit a piping bag with a large star tip nozzle & fill with cookie dough. Make 30 cookie swirls on parchment paper. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the bottoms just start to turn golden brown.
  6. Immediately transfer cookies to a paper towel covered flat surface. Allow to cool.
Glaze
  1. Whisk together powdered sugar & cinnamon. Add vanilla, eggnog & spiced rum. Whisk until smooth.
  2. Drizzle over cooled cookies & serve.

Salted Caramel Pear Crumble Bars

Pears are the unsung heroes of autumn and winter! They might not get as much fanfare as apples or pumpkins, but they definitely deserve a moment in the spotlight. Pears and caramel are such a wonderful duo! Pears are naturally sweet, and caramel—well, it’s the golden champion of sweetness. The pear’s subtle sweetness balances out the intense caramel, creating a harmonious blend. They say opposites attract, right? Pears bring a touch of freshness and mildness, while caramel brings depth and complexity.

Pears are like the introverts of fruit—they’re quiet, unassuming and know how to make the most of fall and winter spices. Cinnamon, ginger, cardamom—they all work well.

These bars are like a dessert bar and fruit crisp all in one. Thinly sliced pears nestled between layers of soft brown sugar crust drizzled with caramel sauce, then more crumbly goodness sprinkled on top. What’s not to love!

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 Salted Caramel Pear Crumble Bars
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Course dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword caramel pear crumble bars
Servings
Ingredients
Crust & Topping
Filling
Course dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword caramel pear crumble bars
Servings
Ingredients
Crust & Topping
Filling
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a 9 X 13-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
Crust/Topping
  1. Soften the butter in the microwave for about 20 seconds. Add brown sugar & mix until creamed. Add the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cardamom, & salt. Mix until a crumbly dough forms. Set aside a cup full of the mixture for the topping. Press the rest of the mixture into prepared pan. Bake for 10-12 minutes.
Filling
  1. Thinly slice the pears. Combine brown sugar, butter & milk in a saucepan over medium heat; bring to a boil. Lower heat & cook until thickened, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat.
  2. When the crust is done baking, lay the pear slices over the crust in an even layer (overlapping if necessary). Pour the caramel over the pears, and sprinkle the reserved topping mixture over the top.
Baking
  1. Bake for 22-25 minutes, until lightly golden brown. Remove from oven & sprinkle with more sea salt to taste. Let cool slightly before slicing & serving.
Recipe Notes
  • These bars are best eaten the day they are baked as they do soften after they sit a while. Nevertheless, they are still good in a softer form.

Apple Crisp Snack Cake

In Canada, apples are available throughout the year. About 100 species of apples are grown in the country. With their bright colors, crisp texture and clean, slightly spicy flavor, apples are the perfect fall icon.

Today’s blog recipe is a bit of a different take on a beloved old classic. Apple crisp is a North American dessert which combines tender apples covered with a delectable crunchy topping. It is one of the common desserts that does not have the regular bottom crust and uses sliced or diced apples, generously doused in cinnamon and sugar, as the bottom layer.

The streusel which covers the apples can employ a wide variety of different flour types, nuts, and oats, commonly combined with butter and sugar. It results in a crumbly topping, which usually completely coats the apples, allowing them to release and cook inside the flavorful juices.

Apple crisp is believed to have stemmed from the British crumble, and today these two classics merely differ in their names. Even though the North American crisp was particularly made with oats, which resulted in a crunchier coating, nowadays both varieties can employ various ingredients.

This warm and spicy ‘apple crisp snack cake’ is a comforting twist on the favorite fall dessert. Filled with apples and topped with more apples, cream cheese drizzle the perfect crispy streusel. Orange pumpkins might be more popular this month, but there’s no better time than now to take advantage of apple fresh season.

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 Apple Crisp Snack Cake
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Course dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword apple crisp cupcakes
Servings
SERVINGS
Ingredients
Cake
Apple Topping
Drizzle
Baked Crisp Topping
Course dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword apple crisp cupcakes
Servings
SERVINGS
Ingredients
Cake
Apple Topping
Drizzle
Baked Crisp Topping
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Instructions
Cake
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line an 8 x 8inch baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
  2. Peel, core & grate apples. Sift flour, cornstarch, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, cardamom & salt together in a medium bowl & set aside.
  3. Using a mixer, cream butter & sugar until light. Scrape the bowl & add the whole egg, mixing on medium-high for about a minute. Scrape the bowl again & add the egg white & vanilla; mix for another 2 minutes.
  4. Alternately fold in flour mixture & buttermilk, then gently fold in grated apples.
  5. Pour/spread batter into prepared baking pan. Bake for about 30-40 minutes or until a cake tester comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Allow to cool in pan on a wire rack.
Baked Crisp Topping
  1. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Place all ingredients except butter in a bowl. Combine well then add softened butter. Mix until the mixture begins to form pea-sized clusters. Spread mixture evenly on the parchment lined cookie sheet, then bake at 350 F. for 5 minutes. Stir the topping around a bit, then bake for another 5 minutes until it begins to turn golden brown. Let crisp topping cool completely to room temperature. If crisp mixture is too chunky break it up with your fingers slightly.
Apple Topping
  1. Place apples , lemon juice & water in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until softened, but not falling apart. Add brown sugar, cinnamon & salt. Cook for a minute to dissolve sugar. Remove & cool until cake is baked & ready to top.
Drizzle
  1. Sift powdered sugar with salt. Set aside. Cream softened cream cheese & butter with a mixer for about 2 minutes. Add vanilla & mix to combine. Add powdered sugar & slowly incorporate into wet mixture. Add milk & beat to create a drizzle consistency.
Assembly
  1. When cake is cool, carefully & evenly spread apple topping over top of cake. Using a small piping bag, drizzle icing over apples (using a spatula, lightly spread a bit of drizzle on sides). Next, top cake with baked crisp topping. Slice & serve.
Recipe Notes
  • To make your own buttermilk, place 2 tsp of white vinegar or lemon juice in your measuring cup & add milk to equal 2/3 cup, stir & let stand until room temperature.
  • If you prefer cupcakes over the snack cake, no problem. Same idea just a different shape. Your choice!