WINTER BAKING
Baking during the winter season is one of those activities that can bring so much joy. It’s a task that usually gets swept to the side during the summer months, but when you’re hibernating one of the best ways to relax and zone out is by whipping up a tasty treat that you can devour after (which is totally the best part!) Below are three recipes we are desperate to try. Let us know your thoughts and whether you have tried these before!
Gingerbread cupcakes with cinnamon browned butter buttercream.
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon Ginger, Ground & 1 teaspoon Cinnamon, Ground
1/4 teaspoon McCormick Nutmeg, Ground & 1/4 teaspoon McCormick Cloves, Ground & 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup whole milk, at room temperature
1 stick (1/2 cup) salted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
1/2 cup molasses
1 egg, at room temperature
CINNAMON BROWNED BUTTER FROSTING
2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter at room temperature
2-3 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 teaspoon Cinnamon, Ground
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt.
Using an electric mixer, beat together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla, molasses and egg until combined. Add the milk, alternating with the flour mixture until everything is combined.
Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin pan. Transfer to the oven and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of each comes out with moist crumbs attached, 18-22 minutes. Let cool before frosting.
To make the buttercream. Add 1 stick butter to a skillet set over medium heat. Allow the butter to brown lightly until it smells toasted, about 2-3 minutes. Stir often. Remove from the heat and transfer the butter to the mixing bowl, let cool until it's room temp.
Add the remaining stick of butter and 2 cups powdered sugar. Beat the butter and powdered sugar together until the butter is light and fluffy. Add the honey, vanilla, and cinnamon and beat until combined, adding more powdered sugar as needed until your desired consistency is reached.
Frost and decorate cupcakes as desired. Enjoy!
Pear and Cranberry Pie
INGREDIENTS
2 rolled-out rounds deep-dish piecrust
2 1/2 lb. (1.25 kg) pears, peeled, cored and cut into 8 slices each
1/2 cup (3 1/2 oz./105 g) firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup (2 oz./60 g) granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. grated orange zest
1/4 cup (1 oz./30 g) cornstarch
2 Tbs. kirsch
1 1/2 cups (6 oz./180 g) fresh or frozen cranberries
1 egg beaten with 1 tsp. water
2 tsp. turbinado sugar
INSTRUCTIONS
Fit 1 dough round into a 9-inch (23-cm) deep-dish pie dish and gently press into the dish. Trim the edges flush with the rim. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Using a ruler as a guide, cut 10 strips of dough of varying widths, from about 3/8 inch (1 cm) to about 1 1/4 inches (3 cm) wide, from the remaining dough round. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and refrigerate until ready to use.
Preheat an oven to 400°F (200°C).
To prepare the filling, in a large Dutch oven over medium heat, stir together the pears, the brown and granulated sugars, the cinnamon, salt, lemon juice, orange zest and cornstarch. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pears are just tender but not mushy, 15 to 20 minutes, depending on their ripeness. Uncover, stir in the kirsch and let cool to room temperature.
Stir the cranberries into the pear mixture and pour the filling into the prepared pie dish.
To create the lattice, lay 5 strips of dough spaced evenly apart on top of the pie filling. Fold back every other strip halfway and lay down a strip perpendicular across the unfolded strips. Repeat to place 5 strips of dough evenly across the top, folding back the alternate strips each time. Pinch the lattice strips onto the dough on the rim of the pie dish to make sure they bake together. Brush the lattice crust with the egg wash and sprinkle with the turbinado sugar.
Place the pie dish on a baking sheet and bake until the crust is golden brown and the filling has begun to bubble, 45 minutes to 1 hour; check the pie after 30 minutes and cover the top and edges with foil if they become too dark. Let the pie cool on a wire rack for at least 2 1/2 hours before serving. Serves 8.
INGREDIENTS
225g unsalted butter, straight from the fridge
200g granulated sugar (for the caramel)
150g muscovado sugar
60g dark brown sugar
100g granulated sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
330g all-purpose flour
¾ tsp baking powder
¾ tsp baking soda
1 tsp kosher salt
255g (One Bag) Sunspire 44% chocolate chunks
Flaky Sea Salt for Finishing
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350˚f / 180˚c. Line 3-4 baking trays with parchment paper.
Place the butter in a medium saucepan, and place over medium heat. Cook until the butter has melted, and then continue to cook, swirling the pan often, until the butter foams and turns golden brown and nutty - this should take 3-4 minutes. Transfer the brown butter to the bowl of a stand mixer to cool slightly.
While the butter is cooling, make the caramel - place the 200g granulated sugar into a medium saucepan and place over medium heat. Place a silicone mat on a heat resistant surface (I use my counter) or onto a baking tray, and have nearby.
Place the sugar in a medium saucepan, and place over medium heat. Heat the sugar, stirring occasionally with a whisk, until all of the sugar has melted (the sugar will clump as you heat, but continue to stir - it will soon smooth out). Continue to cook the caramel until it is amber in colour and just beginning to smoke slightly. Immediately pour onto the prepared silicone mat, and leave to cool while you prepare the cookie dough.
Place the bowl of the stand mixer with the brown butter onto the mixer, and fit with the paddle attachment. Mix the brown butter, muscovado sugar, dark brown sugar, and second measure of granulated sugar on medium speed until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla, then increase the mixer speed to high and beat for 2-3 minutes, until the mixture has lightened in colour and thickened.
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer off, add to the mixing bowl, then mix on low until just combined. Remove the bowl from the mixer and finish the incorporation of the dry ingredients by hand if needed - scrape down the bowl and ensure that all the mixture at the bottom of the bowl is fully incorporated.
Roughly chop half of the Sunspire chocolate chunks using a sharp knife to give some variation in chocolate size, and add to the mixing bowl along with the unchopped half. Carefully peel the caramel sheet off the silicone mat, and place onto the chopping board. Using a sharp knife, cut into chunks ½” to ¾” or smaller in size - there will be some small shards, and larger pieces. Use caution as the shards will be sharp. Add the caramel shards to the bowl along with the chocolate, and mix briefly to combine.
Using a two tablespoon scoop, place level scoop fulls of dough onto the prepared baking trays - 8 per tray works well for me, but I like to start with 6 just to make sure there will be enough space. Roll each into a ball and arrange on the trays, leaving ample room for spreading.
Bake the trays one at a time for 11-12 minutes, or until the cookies are puffed up and set around the edges. Remember that they will continue to cook a little once you remove them from the oven. If the cookies have lost their round shape a little in the oven due to the caramel, you can use a round cookie cutter slightly larger than the cookie to nudge it back into a circular shape. Sprinkle each cookie with coarse sea salt, then cool on the tray for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Repeat the baking process with the remaining cookies. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.