Easy Cranberry & Apple Cake

Yield: Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients:

• 12 ounces fresh cranberries, rinsed and picked over for stems
• 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and medium-diced
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 tablespoon grated orange zest (2 oranges)
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1 1/8 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
• 2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Combine the cranberries, apple, brown sugar, orange zest, orange juice, and 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon in a medium bowl. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs on medium-high speed for 2 minutes. With the mixer on medium, add 1 cup of the granulated sugar, the butter, vanilla, and sour cream and beat just until combined. On low speed, slowly add the flour and salt.
4. Pour the fruit mixture evenly into a 10-inch glass pie plate. Pour the batter over the fruit, covering it completely. Combine the remaining 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar and 1/8 teaspoon of cinnamon and sprinkle it over the batter. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, until a tooth-pick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean and the fruit is bubbling around the edges. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Chocolate Bread Pudding

This pudding can be served warm, room temperature, or cold. To chill, let cool completely, then cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least one hour or overnight.

Note: Using a cinnamon-raisin bread adds even more flavor to this chocolatey pudding.

Prep: 15 minutes / Total: 50 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon butter, plus more for baking dish
• 8 slices (8 ounces) cinnamon-raisin bread
• 2 cups milk
• 3 ounces semisweet chocolate
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter an 11-by-7-inch (or 9-inch square) baking dish; set aside. Toast bread (in the oven or toaster) until lightly crisped.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine milk, chocolate, and butter; place over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until chocolate has melted, about 5 minutes.
3. Tear bread into large pieces (about 4 or 5 per slice); scatter evenly in prepared baking dish. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, granulated sugar, and vanilla. Whisk in warm milk mixture until combined. Pour over bread.
4. Bake until pudding has puffed and is firm, about 25 minutes. Cool at least 10 minutes, and dust with confectioners’ sugar just before serving.

Caramel Chocolate Fondue Recipe

6 Servings / Prep/Total Time: 15 min.

Ingredients:

• 2 package (5-1/2 ounces each) Riesen’s chewy chocolate-covered caramels
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon rum extract
• Cubed pound cake, sliced bananas and fresh strawberries
• 1 cup nut topping

Directions:

1. In a heavy saucepan, melt caramels with cream over low heat, stirring frequently until smooth. Remove from the heat. Stir in extract.
2. Keep warm. Dip cake and fruit into fondue, then into nut topping. Yield: 1-1/2 cups.

Nutrition Facts: 1 serving (1/4 cup) equals 335 calories, 23 g fat (9 g saturated fat), 27 mg cholesterol, 21 mg sodium, 27 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 7 g protein.

Apple OvenCake

Serves 4 / approx. 190 calories per serve

Approx. macronutrient breakdown: fat: 8.0g / carbs 26g (15g sugar) / protein 4.3g

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup spelt flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tbsp dark brown sugar
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 cup soy milk
• 2 tbsp macadamia spread, melted
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Apple Mix:

• 1 Granny Smith Apple, thinly sliced
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 2 tbsp dark brown sugar

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C.
2. Whisk flour, baking powder, brown sugar and nutmeg in a large bowl. Whisk egg, melted macadamia spread, vanilla and soy milk in a small bowl until well combined. Add to dry ingredients and whisk until smooth. Allow to stand for 30 minutes.
3. In the meantime, spray an oven proof pan with oil and layer the thinly sliced apple in a circular pattern on the base. Sprinkle with cinnamon, nutmeg and brown sugar (add a little more sugar if you think neccessary.) Bake in the oven for about 10 minutes or until starting to soften.
4. Turn the oven down to 160 degrees C and remove the pan. Carefully pour the pancake mixture over the apples and return to oven. Cook for a further 25-30 minutes, cover if it starts to brown too quickly.

Hot Chocolate Mug Cake

Bake your favorite chocolate cake batter in individual mugs for a warming winter dessert.

Ingredients:

• Cooking Spray
• Chocolate cake batter
• Marshmallow Creme

Instructions:

1. Simply coat the insides of oven sage mugs with cooking spray, then fill the mugs halfway with chocolate cake batter. We used a mix for German chocolate cake, which is a lighter color than regular chocolate cake and looks more like hot cocoa.
2. Follow the cupcake baking instructions on the cake mix package. The cakes are done when a toothpick inserted into the center of one comes out clean or with just a few crumbs. Allow the cakes to cool for about 15 minutes.
3. Top each mug with a generous dollop of marshmallow creme and serve with a spoon. One cake mix makes enough batter for 12 of out mugs; if you want fewer than a dozen, bake the remaining batter in a small pan.

Cinnamon Hot Chocolate Mix Recipe

18 Servings / Prep/Total Time: 10 min.

Ingredients:

• 1-3/4 cups nonfat dry milk powder
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1/2 cup powdered nondairy creamer
• 1/2 cup HERSHEY’S Cocoa
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup miniature marshmallows

Additional Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup hot milk

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine the milk powder, sugar, creamer, cocoa and cinnamon. Add the marshmallows; mix well. Store in an airtight container in a cool dry place for up to 3 months. Yield: 18-19 batches (about 3-1/2 cups total).
2. To prepare hot chocolate: Dissolve about 3 tablespoons hot chocolate mix in hot milk. Yield: 1 serving per batch.

Nutritional Analysis: One 3/4-cup serving (prepared with skim milk) equals 141 calories, 133 mg sodium, 5 mg cholesterol, 24 gm carbohydrate, 9 gm protein, 1 gm fat. Diabetic Exchanges: 1 skim milk, 1 fruit.

Hot Chocolate with Caramel and Cinnamon

Makes 2 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups whole milk (540 ml)
• 1/4 cup water (60 ml)
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar (67 grams)
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted (113 grams)

Instructions:

1. Heat the milk and water just to a boil in a saucepan. Turn off the heat.
2. In a separate saucepan, heat the sugar with the cinnamon over medium heat. Leave the sugar undisturbed until it begins to caramelize and take on color around the edges. Gently swirl the syrup around the pan at this point until the sugar is completely melted. Continue heating the caramel until dark amber.
3. Watch out for sputtering hot syrup and steam in the following step. Pour the milk over the caramel and cinnamon (the milk might foam up as it boils). Stir until the caramel is completely dissolved.
4. Remove from the heat and whisk in the melted chocolate. Discard the cinnamon stick.
5. Using an immersion or regular blender, whip the hot chocolate for about 1 minute.
6. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container and refrigerate. Caramel cinnamon hot chocolate can be made up to 2 days ahead.

Cherry Coconut Oatmeal Scones

Makes 8

Ingredients:

• 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/3 cup maple sugar, or granulated sugar
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp cardemom
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 stick cold organic butter, cut into chunks
• 1 cup toasted large flake coconut, toasted

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• 1/2 cup regular rolled oats
• 1 cup cold full fat coconut milk (chilled in the fridge is best), mixed well
• 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
• 16 oz fresh organic cherries, quartered
• coconut milk for brushing
• turbinado sugar for sprinkling

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees with the rack set at the middle postition. Line a baking sheet with parchment. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until the mixture starts to clump into pea sized pieces. Mix in the coconut and oats. In a small bowl, stir the vanilla into the coconut milk. Add the milk to the dough, and stir a few times, but do not overmix. The dough should hold together when squeezed, but still be clumpy. Fold in cherries until evenly distributed. Place dough on a floured work surface, and shape into a 4 inch wide log. Use a bench scraper to cut into triangles. There should be about 8. Place scones on the prepared baking sheet, reshaping slightly if necessary. Brush the tops with the coconut milk, and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Bake for about 15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Makes 8.

White Hot Chocolate

Cook: 15 mins / Servings: 5

A cup of this creamy, spicy hot cocoa drink makes coming in out of the cold even more of a treat. Topped with slivers of vanilla candy coating and sprinkled with cinnamon, this toasty beverage is the perfect reward for shoveling the driveway. It may even entice kids to come in out of the snow after a few hours of sledding and snowball fights.

ingredients:

• 3 cups half-and-half or light cream*
• 3/4 cup vanilla-flavor baking pieces or vanilla-flavor candy coating, chopped
• 3 inches stick cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• Slivers or vanilla-flavor candy coating (optional)
• Ground cinnamon (optional)

Directions:

1. Combine 1/4 cup of the half-and-half or light cream, vanilla baking pieces or chopped candy coating, stick cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium saucepan; whisk over low heat until vanilla baking pieces or candy is melted. Remove stick cinnamon.
2. Add remaining half-and-half or light cream. Whisk until heated through. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla and almond extract. Serve warm in cups or mugs; top with slivers of vanilla-flavor candy coating and sprinkle with cinnamon, if desired. Makes 5 (6-ounce) servings.
3. *Note: To reduce fat, you may substitute low-fat milk or evaportated fat-free milk for the half-and-half.
4. Tip: To create the foamy layer on top, blend some of the hot chocolate mixture in a blender container until frothy, and add to each serving.

Gooey Chocolate Cake

from Baking from my home to your

Word of Caution: Whip out a jug of milk for you to wash down the sticky chocolate batter or else you might start dying of thirst as you try to shovel the whole thing in your mouth. Just a tip :)

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, 4 ounces coarsely chopped
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
• 6 tablespoons of sugar

Getting ready:

1. Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. butter (or spray -  it’s easier) 6 cups of a regular-size muffin pan, preferably a disposible aluminum foil pan, dust the insides with flour and tap out the excess. Put the muffin pan on a baking sheet.
2. Sift the flour, cocoa and salt together.
3. Set a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water, put the coarsely chopped chocolate and the butter in the bowl and stir occasionally over the simmering water just until they are melted - you don’t want them to get so hot that the butter separates. Remove the bowl from the pan of water.
4. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and yolk until homogenous. Add the sugar and whisk until well blended, about 2 minutes. Add the dry ingredients and, still using the whisk, stir (don’t beat) them into the eggs. Little by little, and using a light hand, stir in the melted chocolate and butter. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups and sprinkle the finely chopped chocolate over the batter.
5. Bake the cakes for 13 minutes. Transfer them, still on the baking sheet, to a rack to cool for 3 minutes. (There is no way to test that these cakes are properly baked, because the inside remains liquid.)
6. Line a cutting board with a silicone baking mat or parchment or wax paper, and, after the 3-minute rest, unmold the cakes onto the board. Use a wide metal spatula to lift the cakes onto dessert plates.