Strawberry Amaretto Donut Bread Pudding

Years ago I created this recipe from some leftover cake donuts.  I love a good bread pudding and wanted to make one with some of my favorite flavor combinations.  This recipe can be served for dessert or a Sunday brunch.  I would even go out on a limb and say that it would be perfect for a bridal or baby shower. 

6  plain cake donuts from bakery, approximately 3oz. each

½ lb. fresh, hulled strawberries

3 large eggs

1 – 6oz. container of original French vanilla yogurt

1 cup of amaretto flavored liquid coffee creamer

½ cup of half ‘n half

1 ½ teaspoons of pure almond extract

Garnish:

12 large dollops of whipped cream topping from can

12 – ½” slices of fresh strawberries

12 Tablespoons of strawberry pancake syrup

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly spray a 9” x 13” light gray baking pan with non-stick cooking spray with flour added.  Set aside.

With a 3” paring knife, cut each of the 6 cake donuts in half.  Cut each half into quarters.  Place all of the donut pieces into the prepared baking pan, fitting them into one layer on the bottom.  Cut ½ lb. of fresh, hulled strawberries into ½” slices.  Cut each slice into quarters.  Sprinkle all of the strawberry pieces evenly over the donut pieces, covering entire area.  Set aside.

In a 5-cup electric blender, combine 3 large eggs, 1 – 6oz. container of original French vanilla yogurt, 1 cup of amaretto flavored liquid coffee creamer, ½ cup of half ‘n half, and 1 ½ teaspoons of pure almond extract.  Blend on low speed for approximately 10 seconds, or until well blended.  Pour the custard mixture evenly over the donut and strawberry pieces.  With a large spoon, carefully press down over the mixture to make sure all of the donuts are saturated with some of the custard.  Bake in a 350 degree oven on the middle rack for 40-45 minutes, or until mixture is slightly puffed, lightly browned, and a knife inserted in the center comes out moist but clean.  Cool on a large cooling rack for 15-20 minutes before cutting.  Tastes best when slightly warm.

To serve, use a medium knife to cut the bread puddidng into 3” x 3 ¼” squares. You should get approximately 12 pieces.  For each serving, place one square of pudding on a 6” square white dessert plate.  Squirt one large dollop of whipped cream topping over the top.  Place one ½” strawberry slice in the middle of the whipped cream topping.  Drizzle one Tablespoon of strawberry pancake syrup evenly over the pudding and the plate.  Repeat steps to make 11 more servings.  Serve immediately.  Refrigerate any leftovers.

Makes 12 servings.

Happy Baking,

Pam

Taste of Home Baking Book

I thought I would share with you one of my new baking cookbooks.  The Taste of Home Baking Book was created from one of the top cooking magazines in the country.  All of the recipes in this book come from trusted home cooks.  You should not be intimidated by the 725+ recipes as they have been tried and tested by Taste of Home’s own home economists.  Whether you are just learning to bake at home or are an experienced home baker looking for reliable recipes, you will want to keep this cookbook at your fingertips.

I don’t know about you, but I simply won’t buy a new cookbook unless there are photographs of the finished product.   Taste of Home’s Baking Book contains over 675 color photos to help you along the way.  Not only do they share photos of the finished product, they also illustrate mixing and baking techniques.  I also appreciate the easy to read, step-by-step directions that help you achieve success every time.

Taste of Home is always encouraging people to share their timeless family recipes with them.  There are a number of recipe contests ongoing where you can even win prizes for sharing your original recipe.  Your favorite cake or cookie recipe could be showcased in the next edition of the Taste of Home Baking Book!

One of the recipes that I am going to share with you today is from the Dessert index of the book.  It’s called Banana Split Cream Puffs (photo comes from the book). The prep time for this recipe is 30 minutes, with another 30-35 minutes for baking.

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 eggs
• 12 scoops vanilla ice cream
• 1 cup sliced fresh strawberries
• 1 large or 2 medium bananas, thinly sliced
• 3/4 cup pineapple tidbits, drained
• 1/2 cup hot fudge sauce

Directions

In a large saucepan, bring the water, butter and salt to a boil over medium heat.  Add flour all at once and stir until a smooth ball forms.  Remove from the heat; let stand for 5 minutes.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Continue beating until mixture is smooth and shiny.

Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls 3 in. apart onto a greased baking sheet.  Bake at 400 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove to a wire rack.  Immediately cut a slit in each to allow steam to escape; cool.  Split puffs open; remove tops and set aside.  Discard soft dough from inside.

Fill each puff with a scoop of ice cream and top with fruit.  Drizzle with hot fudge topping; replace tops.  Serve immediately.

I hope you add this cookbook to your collection.  Your family will love that you take the time to bake from scratch!

Happy baking,

Pam

 

Awesome Granola Recipe!

Every now and then, I get a hankerin' for some home made granola!  With the new year underway, I also wanted to try and eat more whole foods like grains, fruits and nuts.  Don't be put off by the number of ingredients.  Most of them can be found in your pantry at any given time.  If not, make a trip to the store and stock up on them.  That way, you can make granola as often as you like.  One nice thing about making your own is that you can add only what you like.  It's easy to swap out one ingredient for another. 

After I made this granola for the first time, I found out that two of my ingredients made it on the "new trends for 2012" list.  Barley flour and chia seeds are popping up in a lot of recipes now.  Look for them in the healthy foods area of your grocery store.  I found my bag of chia seeds at Costco.  I keep it in the freezer to stay fresh.  Chia seeds are a great source of Omega 3's. 

My granola recipe makes a great after-school snack for the kids, too.  I hope you will give it a try.

Dry Ingredients:

1 cup of quick cooking oats

¼ cup of wheat bran

¼ cup of barley flour

2 Tablespoons of powdered milk

¼ cup of white sesame seeds

¼ cup of chia seeds

¼ cup of unsweetened coconut flakes

1 cup of nuts (I used ½ c. chopped pecans and ½ c. sliced almonds)

1 ½ cups of dried fruit (I used ½ cup each of dried figs, dried tart cherries and dried papaya)

Wet Ingredients:

½ cup of natural almond butter

¼ cup of canola oil

¼ cup of agave syrup

1 ½ teaspoons of butter vanilla

Heat the oven to 300 degrees.  Line a 12 ½” x 17 ½” baking sheet with non-stick foil or a silicone baking mat.  Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients.  Mix until well combined.  In a large sauté pan, combine all of the wet ingredients.  Stir on low heat for 2-3 minutes, or just until the almond butter has melted.   Pour the warmed mixture over the dry ingredients and mix until well coated.  Pour the granola onto the prepared baking sheet.  With a large spoon, spread it out evenly without packing it down too much.  Bake at 300 degrees for approximately 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.  Remove from the oven and let it dry and cool completely.  Break the granola up and store it in an airtight container.

NOTE:  The butter vanilla in this recipe is a product I buy from a cake decorating supply store.   It is a bakery emulsion flavoring.  Emulsions have a more potent flavor than regular extracts, and won’t “bake out” when exposed to heat.   If you don’t have it, you can substitute with pure vanilla extract, or even pure almond extract.

Happy Baking,

Pam

The Wonders of Barley Flour

Photo from Bob's Red Mill

I have recently experimented with barley flour in some of my baking recipes.  Along with adding additional flavor and nutrition, I have discovered that barley has many positive health benefits.  Because of its soluble fiber, it can help in lowering blood cholesterol levels.  Barley also helps to build your immune system, protect against clotting around the heart, helps to reduce kidney stones and gallstones, and helps with many menopausal symptoms.

If that’s not enough to get you to try it, barley flour has more than 4 times the fiber of regular all-purpose flour.  It also tops whole wheat in fiber content.  With its chewy texture and slight nutty taste, barley flour is easily digested and has more soluble fiber than oats!  It’s also sodium free, dairy free and low gluten.

Barley flour is a non-wheat flour made by grinding dry, pearl barley.  It has been grown all over the world for thousands of years.  The success of the barley crop is largely due to the fact that it is drought tolerant and cold resistant.  Because of its low gluten content, you should always use a high gluten flour along with it in your recipes.  Gluten is the protein in whole grains that gives structure to baked goods.

When using barley flour in yeast bread recipes, you may replace up to ¼ of the flour with barley flour to achieve good results.  If you want to use it in quick breads, muffins, cookies, or pancakes, you may replace 1/3 to ½ of the flour with barley flour. 

Besides using barley flour in your baking, you can use it to thicken soups and sauces very successfully.  To store barley flour, keep it in a dry, cool place for one to two months, or you can freeze it for three to four months.  If not stored properly, barley flour can go rancid like many other whole grain flours.

My favorite way to try barley flour so far has been to add it to my oatmeal cookies.  I love chewy cookies and the barley pairs well with the oats.   

With the New Year here, many of you have decided to try and eat healthier.  Adding barley to your diet can help boost your health in many ways.  You won’t be disappointed with the flavor it imparts to your recipes.   You can usually find barley flour in the health section of your local grocery store.  If your store does not carry it, ask them to get it!  Most stores are willing to please their customers and will do everything they can for you.

Happy baking,

Pam