Recipes

Super-Easy, Warm-Cozy, Make-By-Yourself-And-Enjoy-By-Yourself,
Orangy-Vanilly Bread Pudding

1 loaf Italian bread (or Vienna, or Brioche) cut into 1 inch cubes
7 eggs
2 1/2 cups of Half n Half (or whole milk)
1/3 cup Honey (a smidge more never hurts)
2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
2 teaspoons Orange Flavoring (or extract)

Cut your bread into 1-inch cubes and let them dry out for a day in a large bowl or on a rack. After they are pretty dry you can pour them all into a 9 x 13 x 2 baking dish.
Now you crack your eggs into a large mixing bowl, add the half n half, honey, vanilla and orange extract and blend on medium for about 90 - 120 seconds, or until the liquid starts to get foamy. Pour this liquid mixture over your dry bread cubes, trying to pour over all of them. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the bowl and then use the spatula to push the bread cubes down into the liquid. Set your oven to 350 degrees F. While the oven is getting nice and warm, let your bread cubes soak for about 10 to 15 minutes. If you have cubes that did not get any liquid, toss them around a bit to make sure that none of them get left out of soaking up the liquid. Dry cubes equals dried up and nearly burnt bread pudding. Bake for about 50 minutes, making sure that the liquid has turned into a yummy custard. Cool the baking dish on a rack for a few minutes. Scoop pudding into bowls while warm and steamy. Dab on a dollop of whipped cream or pour some real maple syrup over the pudding (or both, duh).





This cake has always been a favorite of mine. Very rich with lots of different flavors melding together. Plus, I bake this cake in square pans, so when it's layered on a silver cake stand with the star fruit and candied nuts, it looks very elegant.

Apricot-Nut Spice Cake with Coconut Butter Frosting
¼ c.     butter
2          eggs
2 c.      flour
1½tsp.baking powder
1 tsp.   ground cinnamon
½ tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
¼ tsp. ground cloves
¼ tsp. ground ginger
¼ c.     shortening
1½ c.   granulated sugar
½ tsp. vanilla
1¼c.    buttermilk
1 c.      chopped walnuts
¾ c.     snipped dried apricots
½ c.     flaked coconut
Coconut Butter Frosting (recipe follows)
Sliced Star Fruit, Kumquats, Fresh Bay Leaves and Glazed Nuts (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350º F. Allow butter and eggs to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Grease and lightly flour two 8” x 8” x 2” square or rectangular baking pans; set aside. In a bowl, *stir together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, cloves and ginger; set aside. (*I use a fork to sift/stir these dry ingredients together.)

In a large bowl combine butter and shortening. Beat at medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add granulated sugar and vanilla; beat until well mixed. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk to beaten mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Fold in chopped walnuts, apricots, and the ½ cup flaked coconut. Pour into prepared pans.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes. *Remove from pans to cool completely on wire racks. (*When I remove the cakes from the pans, I will invert them onto cooling racks covered with a sheet of parchment. This makes moving them later to the cake stand much easier.)

To assemble, place a cake layer on a pedestal cake stand. Spread 1 cup of the Coconut Butter Frosting on top. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Garnish with sliced star fruit, kumquats, bay leaves, and glazed nuts. I lay these alternately around the base of the cake and they make the cake look very elegant.

Coconut Butter Frosting

In a bowl, beat 2/3 cup softened butter until fluffy. Gradually add 2 cups powdered sugar and ¼ teaspoon salt, beating well. Slowly beat in 1/3 cup purchased unsweetened coconut milk. Gradually beat in 2 cups powdered sugar. Beat in additional coconut milk to reach spreading consistency. Makes 3 ½ cups.

Glazed Nuts

Preheat oven to 325º F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Butter the foil; set aside. Spread 2 cups walnut or pecan halves evenly in a different shallow baking pan. Bake 10 minutes, stirring once.

Meanwhile, place ½ cup sugar in a heavy 10-inch skillet. Heat over medium-high heat, shaking skillet several times to heat sugar evenly (do not stir). Heat until some of the sugar is melted (it should look syrupy). Begin to stir only the melted sugar to keep it from over browning and stirring in remaining sugar as it melts. Turn heat to low if using electric range. Continue to cook until all the sugar is melted and golden. Remove from heat.

Add warm nuts to the skillet, stirring to coat. Transfer nuts to the prepared foiled-lined baking sheet; separate nuts. Cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a month.