Sunday, February 6, 2011

Overnight Caramel Pecan Rolls



Ingredients:
1 cup milk
1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons white
sugar
2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons
vegetable oil
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 egg
3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Caramel Topping
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 cup pecan halves
 Filling
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1/4 cup white sugar
2-1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
(these amounts do not have to be exact)
Directions:

1. Warm the milk in a small saucepan until it bubbles, then remove from heat. Let cool until lukewarm. In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, combine yeast mixture, milk, sugar, oil, baking powder, salt, egg and 2 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 4 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
3. Heat brown sugar and  butter until melted. ( Use whisk) Remove from heat; stir in corn syrup. Spread in  9x13 inch baking pan. Sprinkle pecans on top.
4. When dough has doubled in size, punch down and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll out into a large rectangle and spread with butter. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. Starting with the long side, roll up the rectangle into a log, and slice into 1 inch wide rolls.( ( use fishing line or dental floss)  Place the rolls slightly apart in pan. Wrap pan with aluminum foil and refrigerate at least 12 hours but no longer than 48.
5. Remove rolls from refrigerator and let stand in a warm place until doubled in size, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Bake uncovered in preheated oven until golden 30 to 35 minutes. Immediately invert pan on heatproof serving plate. Wait for 1 or 2 minutes before removing pan, so that caramel drizzles over rolls.   Helpful hints:  When inverting, I laid a piece of parchment paper on a jellyroll pan.  No mess.  Place 9x13 dish in soapy water to make clean-up a breeze.  To use fishing line/floss to cut the dough, lay perpendicular under log of dough. Holding both ends of string, cross over and pull..  Enjoy.  These are fantabulous!I   

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Lemon Poppy Seed Scones

 

 

Ingredients

    • 3 cups all-purpose flour
    • 1 cup sugar
    • 1 tablespoon sugar
    • 3 tablespoons poppy seeds
    • 1 tablespoon baking powder
    • 2 teaspoons grated lemons, rind of
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 10 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
    • 1 large eggs
    • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
    • 1/3 cup whole milk (2% worked fine)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375F degrees.
  2. Position rack in middle of oven.
  3. Mix flour, 1 cup sugar, poppy seeds, baking powder, lemon peel and salt in food processor.
  4. Add butter and cut in, using on/off turns, until mixture resembles coarse meal.
  5. Whisk egg, and lemon juice in medium bowl to blend.
  6. Add flour mixture.
  7. Using on/off turns, process until moist clumps form.
  8. Add 1/3 cup milk.
  9. Using on/off turns, process just until dough comes together, adding more milk if dough seems dry.
  10. Using floured hands, gather dough into ball. Split into 2 equal halves.
  11. Flatten each to 8" round.
  12. Cut round into 8 wedges.
  1. Transfer scones to large baking sheet lines with parchment paper; brush with milk.
  2. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tbs sugar.
  3. Bake until scones are golden brown , about 25 minutes.
  4. Transfer to rack and cool.
When cooled, I made a mixture of powdered sugar, lemon juice and water and brushed it on each scone.

These were a bit crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.  Very Good! 

Turtle Shells

1 pkg Azteca Salad Shells (in the refrigerator section)
1 pkg (12 oz) Caramels
1/2 Cup canned  Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 cup Milk Chocolate Chips (not semi-sweet)
1 Cup (6 0z) Pecan pieces

Preheat oven to 350.  Cut each shell into 8 pie-shaped wedges.  (I use a pizza cutter)  Bake on parchment paper for 7-9 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove shells and place on waxed paper.  Place caramels and Sweetened Condensed Milk in a microwave safe bowl.  Microwave on medium for 3 minutes: stir and repeat for 3 minutes, stirring often.  Spread caramel onto cooled shells; top with pecans.  Microwave chocolate  on medium for 30 seconds; stir and repeat until melted.  Drizzle chocolate over caramel and pecans.  Makes 32

Make sure when you melt your chocolate chips that the microwave, bowl and stirring instrument are completely dry and void of moisture.

I personally prefer to use a hunk of milk chocolate. (not from a candy bar).  I would imagine that you could use those Wilton chocolate wafer disks for melting also.

These are one of the yummiest treats I've ever made.












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