Recipes — Holiday desserts

My friend Brandi introduced this recipe to me and it’s a keeper!

Kuchen is the German word for cake.  Apple Kuchen is generally associated with coffee cake. This recipe is a little different in that it’s a cross between a tart and pie. Top this off with vanilla bean caramel sauce and you will be completely satisfied. It’s the perfect dessert for you holiday get togethers.

Ingredients

For the crust:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon VanillaPura Mexican/rum vanilla extract

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold and cut into pieces

For the filling:

1 pound cream cheese, at room temperature

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 egg, at room temperature

For the topping:

2 tablespoons sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, if desired, cored, and thinly sliced

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Lightly grease and flour a 9x13-inch pan.
2. To make the crust: Place the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl or food processor fitted with a steel blade and mix to combine. Add the vanilla and butter, a little at a time, and mix until it resembles cornmeal. Press into the prepared baking pan and transfer to the oven. Bake until slightly golden but not brown, about 12 to 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.
3. Lower the oven temperature to 400 degrees.
4. To make the filling: Place the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle and beat until creamy. Add the egg, mix to combine, an pour over the cooled crust.
5. Place the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and mix to combine.
6. Place the apples on top of the filling in two or three columns. Sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar and transfer to the oven. Bake until firm and a rich brown, about 20 minutes. Cut into 20 to 24 pieces.
7. Drizzle with vanilla bean caramel sauce and serve!

Thanks to Brandi via the food network for sharing:) 

It's getting cold outside and my boys keep asking for hot chocolate. I stopped buying the store bought mix after reading what's in it.  Who would have thought all those preservatives were in hot chocolate mix. I like knowing what we're actually eating, and in this case, drinking. This recipe is so rich and smooth. My boys won't even touch the store bought stuff.  I guess I'm raising a couple of hot chocolate snobs:). I just have to make it once and it lasts all winter!

Ingredients

• 4 cups granulated sugar
• ½ split crosswise Mexican Vanillapura bean.
• 1½ pounds high-quality semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 8 ounces milk chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Dutch process
• sprinkle of cinnamon 

Instructions

1. Place sugar in large bowl. Split half vanilla bean lengthwise, scrape seeds into sugar, and add pod. Work seeds in with your fingers. Cover snugly with plastic wrap and let stand overnight at room temperature.
2. In food processor fitted with metal blade, process semisweet chocolate and milk chocolate until finely ground.
3. Remove pod from sugar. Add ground chocolate and cocoa powder to sugar and whisk to blend.
4. Store mix airtight at room temperature for up to six months.
5. To serve: heat 2 cups of milk over the stove
6. Top with whipped cream or a sprinkle of cinnamon

recipe shared from thisweekfordinner.com

Do any of you have that friend that everything they touch turns to gold?  I do:). My dearest friend Rebecca, truly IS, the most talented lady I know.  Everything she bakes, cooks, photographs... turns to gold! We were neighbors, just across the street. There was a worn path from our home to hers.  Really, we considered her and her family, our family. It was a magical time. My most beloved and cherished recipes come from her.  She now lives far away, but every time I use one of her recipes, its like she's still JUST across the street. Do any of you have a recipe that takes you back to a magical place?

Oh, and yeah, these really are the best sugar cookies you'll EVER bake:). You won’t be disappointed. Every bite is filled with that perfect vanilla, buttery, soft sweet goodness, you deserve from the perfect sugar cookie.

Every Christmas we have a holiday cookie decorating party. My boys would always ask, “When are we having our cookie party?” Now my niece’s and nephew’s littles are asking. Everyone has their favorite cookie cutter. I have collected too many through the years. But some how they all get used:). I love traditions at Christmas. So fun to make and even better to eat! 

Ingredients

• 4 cups flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup butter
• 2 beaten eggs
• ¼ cup milk
• 1 tsp Madagascar Vanillapura extract
• 1 heaping cup of sugar
• 1 tsp soda

Instructions

1. Mix flour, baking powder, salt, and butter, until you get a cornmeal texture.

2. In a separate bowl, add well beaten eggs, milk, vanillapura. Mix in the soda with the sugar. Beat all ingredients together.

3.Pour the sugar mixture into the flour mixture. Add just enough flour to the dough to make it workable. Roll out onto a floured surface and cut into desired shapes.

4. Bake @ 375 degrees for 8 minutes.

My husband has been begging for eggnog. He’s an eggnog junkie.  I have to admit, often times we just get the store bought stuff to feed his craving. But when we really want the good stuff we make it homemade with Vanillapura Mexican beans and Mexican\rum Vanillapura extract.  Because, lets face it, good pure vanilla makes everything better!

Ingredients

• 6 large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 cups milk
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• Pinch of salt
• 1/4 tsp Vanillapura Mexican rum vanilla extract
• seeds of one Vanillapura Mexican vanilla bean
• ground cinnamon, for topping
• whipped cream, for topping (optional)

Method

1. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a medium bowl until light and creamy.
2. In a saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the cream, milk, nutmeg, vanilla bean seeds, and salt.
3. Stir often until mixture reaches a bare simmer.
4. Add a big spoonful of the hot milk to the egg mixture, whisking vigorously. Repeat, adding a big spoonful at a time, to temper the eggs.
5. Once all of the hot milk has been added to the eggs, pour the mixture back into the saucepan on the stove.
6. Whisk constantly, until mixture reaches 160 degrees F on a thermometer.
7. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.
8. Chill 3 hours

Recipe from girlingamba.com