Nutella Bundt Cake

Nutella, that irresistibly creamy chocolate and hazelnut spread is to Europe what peanut butter is to America.  Just as every American grocery store has shelves filled with peanut butter, the same is true for European markets.  From the largest super store to the smallest corner market, every merchant sells jars of this creamy goodness.  Nutella is great on toast or crackers and I've even been known to eat it by the spoonful straight from the jar.  So imagine my excitement when I came across this recipe for bundt cake on the From Away food blog.

Like most bundt cakes, this one comes together quickly with a minimum of ingredients.  A little powdered sugar or whipped cream and the cake is fancy enough to be served at dinner parties yet simple enough to be eaten as a decadent afternoon snack with a cup of coffee.

NUTELLA BUNDT CAKE

2 3/4 cups all purpose flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

2 cups granulated sugar

4 large eggs, room temperature

1 cup Nutella

1 cup whole milk

1)  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour a bundt pan.

2)  In a large bowl, whisk to combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.

3) In the bowl of a stand mixer cream the sugar into the butter until light in color and fluffy in texture.

4)  Add one egg at a time, then the Nutella.  

5)  Pour in half of the dry ingredient mixture, half of the milk, the rest of the dry ingredients, and the

      rest of the milk.  Mix until just combined.

6)  The batter will be thick.  Spread it into the prepared bundt pan and bake for 45-55 minutes.

7)  Top with confectioner's sugar or a dollop of whipped cream.

Pumpkin Pie

This is a family favorite and I used some of my precious stash of canned pumpkin to make not one, but two of these pies for our Thanksgiving feast.  This recipe was also featured in my interview with Albanian Living Magazine.

PUMPKIN PIE

3 cups cooked, pureed pumpkin or squash (or 1 29-oz can pumpkin puree)
3 Tablespoons white sugar
3 Tablespoons brown sugar
2 Tablespoons molasses
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 beaten eggs
1 1/2 cups evaporated milk

1 unbaked pie shell


1)  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2)  Place the pumpkin puree in a medium-sized bowl, and add all of the other ingredients.  Beat until
     smooth with an electric mixer.

The batter comes together so quickly

I got fancy and added pumpkin cutouts around the rim of the pie plate

3)  Spread the mixture over the pie crust and bake at 35 for 10 minutes.  Turn the oven down to 350
      and bake another 40 minutes, or until the pie is firm in the center when shaken lightly.

4)  Cool at least to room temperature before serving.  The pie can be eaten chilled or at room
      temperature.  Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream if desired.

Little Gingerbread Men (A.K.A. Gingerbread Cakelettes)

Dressed and ready for the party

I'm a sucker for cake pans.  Unique shapes, intricate designs,  or bite sized portions and I'm all over it.  From the sand castle bundt cake pan (which can also double as an ice mold) to the giant cupcake pan and individual portioned brownies so every piece has an edge crust, if it is a different pan, I have it.  After all, presentation is just as important as the taste!  So when I saw the individual gingerbread men shaped cake pans at Williams Sonoma a few years ago, I knew I had to have the pan.  This is one of those pans that only gets hauled out once a year but the resulting cakelettes always create a stir.  If you don't have this pan and aren't inclined to go out and buy one, you can turn the batter into cupcakes.

The recipe is originally from Williams Sonoma and came with the pan.  I call it a two-for-one deal.  I've added black pepper into the spice mix to give it an extra kick.

GINGERBREAD CAKELETTES

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) butter at room temperature

2/3 cup light brown sugar

1 egg, slightly beaten

3/4 cup molasses

3/4 cup milk

1)  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour the cakelette pan.

The pan that started it all

2)  Sift together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cloves, cinnamon, salt, and pepper.  Set aside.

3)  In a large bowl, use an electric mixer on medium speed to beat the butter until creamy.

     Add the  brown sugar and continue mixing until the batter is light brown in color.  Add the egg and
     molasses and beat until combined.

4)  Reduce the speed to medium-low and add the flour in three parts, alternating with the milk.

     Continue beating until it is fully combined.

5)  Spoon the batter into each cakelette pan, spreading it into the arms and legs. Make sure to fill the 

      pans only half full.  Bake for 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a 

      cakelette comes out clean.

6)  Remove the pan from the oven and allow to cool for give minutes before inverting the pan onto a

     wire rack.  Cool the cakelettes completely before decorating with an icing of your choice.

7)  Wash and thoroughly dry the pan.  Grease and flour the pan again and repeat until all of the batter is

      used.

Yields:  Approximately 20 cakelettes

Coconut Bourbon Balls

Traditionalists will eschew this recipe as I've taken the original vanilla wafers, chocolate, and pecan combination and mixed it up a bit.   I've also reduced the amount of vanilla wafers the recipe calls for and added in shredded coconut (which for some reason I have a large stash of in my pantry).  The result?  A dark and chewy Mounds Bar knock-off with a kick. I love them. 

COCONUT BOURBON BALLS

15 vanilla wafers, broken into pieces

1 cup shredded coconut, divided

3 oz semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped

3 oz dark chocolate, finely chopped

1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1/4 cup light corn syrup

1/3 cup bourbon

Pinch of salt

2 cups pecans, lightly toasted and finely chopped

1)  Working in batches, finely crush the vanilla wafers in food processor.

2)  In the top of a double boiler set over barely simmering water, melt the chocolate.  Remove from the

     heat.  Add the brown sugar, corn syrup, bourbon, and salt and stir to blend.  Stir in the crushed
     vanilla wafers, half of the coconut, and 1 3/4 cups of the pecans.

3)  Spread the remaining pecans and the rest of coconut on a plate.

      Using your hands, shape
      the dough into 1-inch balls.  Roll the balls in the nut and coconut mixture to coat evenly.  Arrange
      the balls in layers (or in individual paper cups), in a tightly covered container.  Refrigerate for 24
      hours before serving to blend the flavors.  Makes about 4 1/2 dozen cookies.

The cookies can be made up to 2 weeks ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator.