Southern Buttermilk Bourbon Praline Doughnuts

Southern Buttermilk Bourbon Praline Doughnuts

Recipe courtesy of Bobby Flay

Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour, divided, plus extra bench flour
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon fine salt
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
3/4 cups buttermilk
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Vegetable oil, for frying
Bourbon Praline, recipe follows
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans, toasted

Directions
Place 2 cups of the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low until combined, then add the shortening and mix until worked in. Whisk together the buttermilk, egg and yolk, and vanilla in a small bowl and then add to the flour mixture and beat until smooth. Beat in remaining 1 cup flour until combined. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 6 hours.

Turn dough onto a floured surface and roll to 1/2-inch thickness. Using a 3-inch round cookie cutter, cut dough into rounds. Using a 1-inch cookie cutter, cut hole from center of each round. Gather scraps and re-roll dough, cutting additional doughnuts until dough is used up.

Heat 5 inches of oil in a large pot to 350 degrees F. Add doughnuts, 3 at a time, and fry until golden on both sides, turning once, about 4 to 5 minutes total. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels.

When doughnuts have cooled, dip tops of doughnuts in the mixture and place on baking racks until the praline sets up slightly. Sprinkle nuts on top.

Bourbon Praline:
1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup water

1/2 vanilla bean, seeds scraped

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons bourbon

Combine sugar, water, vanilla bean and seeds in a medium saucepan over high heat and cook until dark amber color. Remove from heat and slowly whisk in the cream, butter and salt. Return to the heat and whisk until smooth. Remove from the heat and whisk in the bourbon. Strain. Let cool until slightly thickened.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Recipe courtesy of Paula Deen

Ingredients
Crust:
1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 stick melted salted butter
Filling:
3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
1 (15-ounce) can pureed pumpkin
3 eggs plus 1 egg yolk
1/4 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

For crust:

In medium bowl, combine crumbs, sugar and cinnamon. Add melted butter. Press down flat into a 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.

For filling:

Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add pumpkin puree, eggs, egg yolk, sour cream, sugar and the spices. Add flour and vanilla. Beat together until well combined.

Pour into crust. Spread out evenly and place oven for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let sit for 15 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours.

Cherry Vanilla Ice Cream Dessert

Cherry Vanilla Ice Cream Dessert

Recipe courtesy of Paula Deen

Ingredients
Ice Cream:
3 cups whole milk
2 cups sugar
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
Bowl of ice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (13.5-ounce) can evaporated milk, chilled
2 cups chopped maraschino cherries
For "Candy" Crumble:
1 stick butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup almonds, slivered
Whipped cream, for garnish

Directions
In a large saucepan, combine milk, sugar and vanilla bean seeds and pod. Cook over medium-low heat, just until small bubbles form around edges of pan, stirring occasionally.

Pour 1/4 of hot milk mixture over beaten eggs, whisking constantly. Pour egg mixture into remaining hot milk mixture, whisking constantly. Cook, over low heat, stirring constantly, for 5 to 7 minutes, or until mixture thickens and coats a spoon. Remove from heat; pour through a wire mesh strainer into a bowl.

Fill a large bowl with ice. Place bowl containing milk mixture in ice, and let stand, stirring occasionally for 20 minutes. Remove bowl from ice bath and stir in salt, evaporated milk and cherries. Cover and chill for 2 hours.

Pour mixture into freezer container of 1 gallon electric ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. If a firmer texture is desired, transfer ice cream to an airtight container and freeze for 2 hours or until firm.

For the "Candy" Crumble:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Melt butter in a large skillet on low heat. In a bowl combine flour, sugar and almonds. Mix together while adding the warm butter.

Drop "candy" crumble onto a cookie sheet. *Cook's Note: Does not have to be in balls. After it gets cooked it will be crumbled for the dessert. Bake in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes.

After candy crumbles have been cooled, place half the mixture into a 9 by 12-inch pan. Scoop ice cream on top and finish with the rest of the crumbles. Wrap pan with plastic wrap and place into freezer until ice cream and candy hardens, about 2 hours. Slice and serve with whipped cream, for garnish.

Aunt Mary Dillon's praline cookies

Aunt Mary Dillon's praline cookies

Photo by Patricia Scarpin

Aunt Mary Dillon's praline cookies

Cookies:
1 2/3 cups (234g) all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (113g/1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 ½ cups (262g) light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Praline icing:
1 cup (175g) light brown sugar, packed
½ cup (120ml) heavy cream, plus more if necessary
1 cup (140g) sifted confectioners' sugar
1 cup (about 100g) pecan halves, toasted and broken into large pieces

Start with the cookies: preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF; line two large baking sheets with baking paper.

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg and vanilla. Beat until fully combined. Add dry ingredients, and beat on low speed until combined.
Make balls using rounded teaspoons of dough and place onto prepared baking sheets about 5cm (2 in) apart. Bake until firm and barely golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes, then transfer cookies from pan to wire rack.

Now, make the icing: in a small saucepan, combine brown sugar and cream. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Add confectioners' sugar, and whisk until smooth. (If frosting thickens, thin with cream.) Add pecan pieces.

Place cookies on a cooling rack over a lined baking pan __LongTerm__ I placed them on a large piece of baking paper on the counter. Spoon about 1 leveled teaspoon praline mixture onto each cookie. Let icing dry before storing the cookies.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Adapted from Jacques Torres

cook time: 45 min

cool time: 24 hrs

Yields: 16 cookies

Ingredients:

2 cups minus 2 tablespoons cake flour

1 2/3 cups bread flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons coarse slat

2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups) unsalted butter

1 1/4 cups light brown sugar

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract

1 1/4 pounds bittersweet chocolate disks or feves, at least 60 percent coca content

sea salt

Directions:

1. Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.

2. Using a mixer, fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Drop chocolate pieces in and incorporate them without breaking them. press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. Dough may be used in batches and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours.

3. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Set aside.

4. Scoop 6 3 1/2-oz mounds of dough (the size of generous golf balls) onto baking sheet, making sure to turn horizontally any chocolate pieces that are poking up; it will make for a more attractive cookie. Sprink lightly wiht sea salt nd bake until golden brown but still soft, 18 to 20 minutes. transfer sheet to a wire reack for 10 minutes, then sli cookies onto another rack to cool a bit more. Repeat with remaining dough, or reserve dough, refrigerated, for baking remaining batches the next day. Eat warm, with a big napkin.

Blonde Brownies

Blonde Brownies

Kyle Seline

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 eggs
2 cups (12 oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Combine flour, baking powder and salit in a small bowl and set aside.

2. Beat butter, sugar and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

3. Add flour mixture and beat well. Fold in chocolate chips.

4. Bake 350 degrees F oven for 20-25 minutes or until top is golden brown. Cool in pan

Cakookies

Cakookies (Cake Cookies)

Monika's Recipe Blog:

"Sushi and Chocolate"

Ingredients:

1 box chocolate cake mix
1 box instant chocolate pudding
1/2 stick butter, melted
1 egg
1/3 cup water
1 tsp vanilla
1 package chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Mix first 6 ingredients together until well-blended. Add chocolate chips. 

2. Place spoonfuls of cookie mixture on cookie sheets and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 10-12 minutes. 

3. Let the cookies cool for FIFTEEN MINUTES. Seriously. Do this. Otherwise the cookies call apart.

Baker's comments: 

"These are great. Moist. Chewy. Chocolatey. "