Cream Cheese Pound Cake with Citrus Glaze

Whenever I bake with cream cheese I never get a dry cake. It moistens the cake like nothing else.  I got this recipe out of Bon Appetit and it is nothing short of amazing. It is fairly simple , has a lot of citrus ingredients, lime, orange, and lemon but nothing exotic or difficult to obtain.  You’ll need a standard size loaf pan, I like the glass ones, but any kind will do just fine and you will need a zester that zests finely. (not a grater, a zester which you can buy at any kitchen supply store)  You can bake this cake a day ahead , and do the glaze before you’re about to serve. I cut the cake into 1/2 ” thick slices.

Ingredients:

parchment paper

nonstick vegetable oil spray

1 1/2 cups cake flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 cups sugar, divided

2 tsp. finely grated orange zest

1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest

1/2 tsp. finely grated lime zest

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

3 large eggs , room temperature

5 oz. ( 2/3 cup cream cheese) , room temperature

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

Glaze:

1 1/4 cups powdered sugar ( confectioner’s sugar)

1/2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest

1/2 tsp. finely grated orange zest

1/4 tsp. finely grated lime zest

2 Tbsp. fresh orange juice

1 1/2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice

Directions:

Cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat loaf pan generously with nonstick spray. Line the bottom and long sides with parchment paper (see picture) you’ll want to leave about 1 1/2 ” overhang. Coat the paper with nonstick spray.

Sift flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda into a medium size bowl, set aside. Combine 1 1/4 cups sugar and all the zest in another medium bowl, set aside.

Using an electric mixer, beat butter and cream cheese till blended and smooth, about 2 minutes. Gradually beat in sugar mixture, beat on high-speed until very light and fluffy , 3 -4 minutes. Reduce speed to low setting, add eggs one at a time, beating to blend between additions and scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla. With mixer on low-speed, gradually add dry ingredients; mix just to blend ( do not overbeat or cake will become tough) Scrape batter into prepared loaf pan; smooth top.

Bake cake until golden brown color and it springs back when gently pressed with your fingertips and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 60 – 70 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cake cool down in pan for 30 minutes at the least.

Meanwhile prepare glaze, stir lemon juice and 1/4 cup sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat until sugar is dissolved for lemon syrup. Using parchment paper overhang as an aid, remove cake from pan, peel off and discard any paper. Place cake top side up on a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet. ( see picture) Using a skewer, pierce top of cake all over, inserting skewer about halfway through the cake.

Using a pastry brush , ( I love love the silicone ones) baste with lemon syrup. Use all of the syrup plus any that may have dripped onto baking sheet. Let cake cool completely.

Glaze:

Whisk all ingredients in a medium size bowl. Pour over cake. Scoop up any glaze that may have drpped into baking sheet and spread over top and sides of cake. Spread over top and sides of cake. Let cake stand at room temperature until icing is set, this should take about 30 minutes or so.

Wonderful addition to the Yom Kippur breakfast table. Blintz Souffle. If you didn’t catch this recipe last time around here it comes again. It’s an oldie but goodie, have been making this one sine 1975. Super easy and a lovely addition to any breakfast/brunch table.

cookingwithcandi's avatarCooking with Candi

Here we go again…another holiday to cook for. Most of breaking the fast is taking in bagels, fish, etc. Easy to do. But I still try to make a few dishes and this recipe is an oldie but a goodie. I have been making this recipe since 1975 and it never gets old.  This dish can be assembled ahead of time, kept in the refrigerator and baked right before eating. This is a keeper and a tradition in my house. Always delicious. You can buy almost any of the frozen blintzes. Some stores have homemade ones, but it doesn’t really make that big of a difference with this recipe. Enjoy! This is super easy, with excellent results.

INGREDIENTS:

6 blintzes (you can use cheese or fruit-filled, whichever you like. Depending on how many people I’m feeding, I usually make 1 fruit and 1 cheese tray)

2 eggs

1/4 cup…

View original post 146 more words

A noodle pudding from Ellen – Cottage Cheese and Craisons

Always on the hunt for new ways to invent the wheel, I sent out a plea for help to some friends for some new recipes for noodle pudding. Now mind you they are never new but sometimes people come at it from a different angle. This one sounds delicious, and simple. It contains milk , if you’re looking for a good one to serve with meat that isn’t dairy check out Marcy’s noodle pudding. Again, enjoy and Happy Healthy New Year. This will help sweeten your New Year for sure and according to Ellen it stays on the table for dessert. Thanks to Ellen for her support and input. This one will be perfect for Breakfast Table at Yom Kippur.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 lb butter ( melted)

8 eggs ( room temp. best always) beaten

1 lb. medium size egg noodles

1 cup craisins

1 lb. small curd cottage cheese

box graham cracker crumbs – 3 cups for * crust , save the rest of the box for sprinkling the top . ( see *crust)

Mix all together and pour on top of * crust. Sprinkle more crumbs on top. Bake for 1 – 1 1/2 hours at 350 degrees.

*crust

1 stick butter (melted)

3 cups graham cracker crumbs

Mix together butter and graham cracker crumbs and press into bottom of pan and cook for 8 minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven.

Another French Toast Recipe – Breakfast/Brunch

A subscriber of mine sent this recipe to me last Yom Kippur. It really does make me so happy when people contribute, it just sometimes takes a while for me to get around to posting it. I do try to cook everything that I post when possible but it’s not always possible.  I never did get to post it because by the time I got it, holiday was over , I plan on trying this one this year in addition to my other Baked French Toast. ( which is tried and true)  I haven’t as of yet made it, but am fairly confident that it is very good. Thanks Irene, and apparently it hails from Sally Jesse Raphael of all people! It looks super easy and not a lot of ingredients at all!

Ingredients:

1 loaf white bread, cubed

8 oz. cream cheese , cut into cubes and softened

1 dozen eggs, beaten

1/2 cup maple syrup

1 cup milk ( I wouldn’t use skim) use skim plus if you must

Directions:

The night before ,( spray with Pam) an 11 x 13 baking dish. Line the pan with 1/2 the bread cubes, layer all of the cream cheese on top , add remaining bread cubes. Pour Egg, Syrup and Milk mixture over the bread .  Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Next day bake before serving in an uncovered oven at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes till lightly golden in color.

Enjoy!

This is a fantastic French Toast recipe . I posted last year for Yom Kippur and here we go again. Don’t miss out on this one, if you’re looking for a new recipe to break the fast.

cookingwithcandi's avatarCooking with Candi

A few years back, my friend Ilene Stern turned me on to this baked french toast recipe. It is an absolute hit—an out of the ballpark hit. It is so totally decadent and delicious. I never have a single piece left over. It is just amazingly awesome. Once you make it, you will always make it. I make it twice a year: Mother’s Day, always; and if I make break fast on Yom Kippur it is on the table. It is the most perfect brunch item I know. The only down side is that you must refrigerate this dish overnight, and you can’t cook it until you’re ready to eat it. I have travelled with it uncooked and I just cook it when I get to wherever I’m going. So thanks, Ilene, and enjoy. If anyone out there has a better recipe or any ideas, I’d love to hear them.

View original post 308 more words

A Real Deal Blueberry Cobbler

Last summer I posted a few things to do with blueberries. I recently found this recipe and realized it was a combination of 2 separate recipes–one for the blueberry filling and one for biscuits. When combined, this is a true cobbler and not a crisp. Yum! The thing of it is that you really don’t want this hanging around in the fridge for too long, because it is that
good. You will keep eating it and I promise you that. So make it for company and at least six people so you have a teensy bit left over. Use the fresh blueberries which are in abundance now. It’s almost a must to serve this with vanilla ice cream, as it complements it so well! If you’d like, you can make this a day ahead for sure, I’ve even frozen it. It comes out perfectly. Now is the time to try and bake this delightful dessert with all of the beautiful blueberries out there. I think it’s still good to try and make this, just had to get this one out.

Ingredients:

1 pound blueberries or 3 1/2 cups

1 tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot

2 tablespoons lemon juice (fresh)

1 cup all -purpose flour

3/4 cup sugar ( you can use turbinado (raw ) sugar as well ( divided)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup milk ( don’t use fat free, if you must, use 2%) I prefer whole milk in baking or low-fat buttermilk always works.

3 tablespoons butter, melted

3/4 cup boiling water

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the blueberries in an ungreased but sprayed ( I always use Pam or else I can’t clean the pan) 8 or 9 inch square baking pan. Sprinkle with cornstarch
and drizzle with lemon juice. Set aside.

In a medium size bowl, combine the flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the milk and the butter.

Stir until just combined ( shouldn’t be smooth) then drop mounds of dough onto the blueberries.

Pour boiling water over the dough and fruit. Sprinkle top with remaining 1/4 cup sugar.

Bake until the biscuits are golden brown and the blueberries are bubbly. 45- 60 minutes.

Serve warm or at room temperature. If you are preparing ahead , either frozen or in fridge, take out of freezer and bring to room temperature, I then put in oven till it starts to bubble.

Should serve 8

This Plum Torte was amazing. Light and delicious. I used larger plums so used less plums. Highly recommend making 2 and freezing for Thanksgiving.

cookingwithcandi's avatarCooking with Candi

photoDSCN4225DSCN4214DSCN4216My friend Ellen sent me this recipe in the spring of last year and I couldn’t find these plums anywhere. She re-sent it to me and I think it’s a most perfect dessert, and I was thinking it would be so perfect for Jewish Holidays but the plums will no longer be available soon.  You can make two and freeze one or freeze both of them for the holidays.  Ellen is an awesome cook so I totally trust her on this.  So here you go. It’s best made with the small italian plums that are out end of August and early September and you know how much I love using seasonal fruits and veggies. Thanks Ellen.

These plums can be called Italian Prunes as well, and try and use them because they are beyond delish!

Perfect for freezing.

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup sweet butter softened (room temp. or I soften for…

View original post 166 more words

Reblogging the original noodle pudding with apricot nectar. One of the best noodle puddings ever.

cookingwithcandi's avatarCooking with Candi

I’ve tried so many noodle puddings, but keep coming back to the same old , same old. they’ve been passed down in so many different incarnations. i don’t even know what the original one is anymore. this is my most favorite. also a perfect break fast food. can and should be made ahead of time, they hold together better.  we used to add apricot jam, but it really was overkill. we omitted it, and it is perfect just the way it is. thanks to karyn r. for this noodle pudding and for being such a great cooking buddy for as far back as i can remember.

1 lb. noodles ( i use extra wide egg noodles, you’ll need a bag and 1/4 app. just eyeball it)

1 cup sugar

6 eggs ( I use extra large and at room temp. just make sure they are not right out of fridge) they work much better when…

View original post 201 more words

Julie’s Honey Cake with Whiskey – Holiday Recipe

DSCN4319Firstly, thanks so much Julie for taking the time out of your busy baking to send me these wonderful recipes and allowing me to post them on my site. Julie bakes and sells her products in the Aspen area and will ship anywhere, the name of her company is Aspen Jewels Bakery.  Julie also said to inform all of us who live at high altitude that this is strictly a “sea level” cake, if cooked at high altitude it will sink and will be raw inside. This is unfortunate, but there are lots of other cakes to bake.  High Altitude baking is treacherous. You will need a tube pan for this cake.

Ingredients:

3 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 Tablespoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ginger

3 eggs ( room temp)

1 cup vegetable oil or canola oil which Julie recommends

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 Tablespoon Whiskey

1 cup Honey

1 1/2 cups coffee (just leave it in a cup from the morning coffee)

1/4 cup orange juice from a fresh orange ( you will need the zest anyway)

1 Tablespoon orange zest

1 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a tube pan with flour spray. Beat honey, sugars, eggs and oil. Add zest. Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside. Add coffee and juice alternating with dry ingredients. Fold in nuts. Bake for 70 – 90 minutes until tester comes out clean. Let cool for 30 minutes before removing from pan. Let cool completely.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.

Or you can make a chocolate glaze to put on top . Once the cake cools down.

Chocolate Glaze:

this is perfect to drizzle over cakes of any kind, it is my recipe for chocolate glaze. You may have to play with the consistency. Add the powdered sugar slowly till you achieve the texture you want. You can always add a little more warm water to thin it out.

3 Tablespoons Cocoa Powder

2 Tablespoons melted butter

1 cup powdered sugar ( confectioners)

3 Tbsp. warm water (could use milk but not necessary)

1/2 tsp. vanilla

Melt butter, add all ingredients , ( go slowly with sugar), Stir until well mixed and smooth. You may need to play around with icing to get the consistency you want. Drizzle on cooled down cake.

Plum Torte

photoDSCN4225 DSCN4214 DSCN4216My friend Ellen sent me this recipe in the spring of last year and I couldn’t find these plums anywhere. She re-sent it to me and I think it’s a most perfect dessert, and I was thinking it would be so perfect for Jewish Holidays but the plums will no longer be available soon.  You can make two and freeze one or freeze both of them for the holidays.  Ellen is an awesome cook so I totally trust her on this.  So here you go. It’s best made with the small italian plums that are out end of August and early September and you know how much I love using seasonal fruits and veggies. Thanks Ellen.

These plums can be called Italian Prunes as well, and try and use them because they are beyond delish!

Perfect for freezing.

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup sweet butter softened (room temp. or I soften for a few seconds in microwave , but don’t melt)

1 cup flour, sifted

1 tsp. baking powder

pinch salt

2 eggs ( always bake with room temp. eggs unless otherwise stated)

12  pitted purple italian plums, halved*  ( often called Italian Prunes) If you can’t find the Italian Prune type you can use regular plums, but try and make this now while they are in the store and freeze this.

lemon juice and sugar for topping

Directions:

cream sugar and butter, add flour , baking powder, salt and eggs, beat well. Cut a round piece of parchment paper and line a 9 inch springform pan. Spoon the batter into pan ( it will be thick so you’ll need to spread it a bit). Place plum halves skin side up. Sprinkle plums lightly with lemon juice and then sprinkle sugar all over. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Cool, invert and gently peel off paper then invert again – plum side up.

This is a keeper.