New York Style Crumb Cake

Does anyone else miss Google Reader as much as I do? I signed up for Feedly a few weeks ago, but kept using Google Reader up until the last minute. Anyways, Feedly has been down all day and I am still not caught up on the day's blog posts. Hopefully all of the kinks get worked out soon. Catching up on other blogs while I eat breakfast is one of my very favorite parts of the day. 

Anyways, this past weekend I made this new york style crumb cake for Dan who loves all breakfast foods made with brown sugar or cinnamon. Cinnamon rolls, coffee cake, crumb cake- you name it and he loves it all. I love this particular recipe because of the thick layer of crumb topping. The crumb topping is almost as thick as the cake itself. If you ask me, the more crumb topping, the better!

New York Style Crumb Cake
Recipe from Cook's Illustrated

Crumb Topping:
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and still warm
1 3/4 cups cake flour

Cake:
1 1/4 cups cake flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
6 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into chunks, softened but cool
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup buttermilk

In a medium bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, salted and melted butter. Add the cake flour. Mix with a spatula until combined. Allow the mixture to cool completely, about 10-15 minutes.

Cake:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Spray an 8x8 inch square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line with aluminum foil, leaving an overhang on each side so that you can lift the crumb cake out after baking. Spray the aluminum foil with nonstick cooking spray.

In a stand mixer, combine the cake flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Beat on low speed to combine. With the mixer still on low speed, add the butter, one piece at a time. Mix until the mixture is crumbly, about 1-2 minutes. Add the egg, egg yolk, vanilla and buttermilk. Increase the speed to medium-high. Mix until light and fluffy or about 1-2 minutes.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Spread into an even layer. Sprinkle the crumb mixture on top of the cake batter. Bake for about 35 minutes or until the crumb topping is golden brown in color. An inserted toothpick should come out ocean. Allow the crumb cake to cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes or a cooling rack. Cut into squares and serve.

Mini Snickers Stuffed Snickerdoodle Bites

I guess you could say that I like stuffing candy and other treats into my cookies. I just love when there is a hidden surprise inside of a cookie. First, I made these Caramel Apple Milkyway Chocolate Chip Cookies that were a big hit at a birthday in the fall. I followed those up with Caramel Filled Chocolate Cookies, as well as Nutella Stuffed Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies with Sea Salt, both which were instant favorites. I really don't see an end to the stuffed cookies anytime soon.

The best part about this recipe is that it does not require any baking. Start to finish you can make these cookie dough bites in just 20 minutes. Simple and delicious- those are definitely my favorite recipes. Even if you don't have snickers bars on hand, you can make plain snickerdoodle bites. Everyone loves  snickerdoodles. Also just a note- I preferred eating them slightly chilled out of the refrigerator, but that it is just my personal preference. 

Mini Snickers Stuffed Snickerdoodle Bites

Recipe adapted from Cooking Classy

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
3 tbsp heavy cream
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
28 mini snickers bars
3 tbsp granulated sugar
3/4 tsp cinnamon

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Set aside.

In a stand mixer, beat together the butter, sugars and cream of tartar until light and creamy, about 3-4 minutes. Add the heavy cream and the vanilla extract. Mix until combined. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined.

In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining sugar and cinnamon.

Scoop out one tablespoon of cookie dough at a time. Roll the cookie dough into a ball with your hands and then roll in the cinnamon sugar mixture. Chill or serve immediately. The remaining snickerdoodle bites should be stored in the refrigerator.

Yield: 28 snickerdoodle bites

Cinnamon Scones

 

These cinnamon scones were a last minute addition to our Christmas morning breakfast. Just days before Christmas, my dad mentioned that I should make scones. Every morning he brings a banana to work for breakfast. But on those mornings when the bananas look a little too brown and mushy to eat, he stops at Au Bon Pain and picks up a cinnamon scone. I knew that I could make a scone that he enjoys  just as much as the cinnamon scones from Au Bon Pain. 

This was my first attempt at making scones and I was surprised by how easily the dough came together.   I woke up early on Christmas morning to make them but they were out on the oven within a half hour. Easy peasy! My whole family, but especially my dad, loved the flavor of these scones. They were soft and packed full of cinnamon flavor. Not only is there a generous amount of ground cinnamon but cinnamon chips add even more flavor to these sweet scones. They make the perfect breakfast for Christmas morning and every morning in between. 

Cinnamon Scones

Recipe from Two Peas and Their Pod
Yield: 8 scones

Scones:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
3 tbsp sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
5 tbsp unsalted butter, cold and cut into 1/4 inch cubes
1/2 cup cinnamon chips
1 cup heavy cream

Cinnamon Sugar Topping:
1 tbsp heavy cream
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, cinnamon and salt. With your hands or a pastry blender, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse meal with a few larger lumps. Add the cinnamon chips and stir until combined. Add the heavy cream and stir with a spatula until dough forms. Be careful not to over mix.
Transfer the dough to a floured surface. Knead the dough with your hands until it forms a ball. Pat the dough into a circle approximately 3/4 inch thick. Cut the scones into triangles or use a biscuit cutter. Combine the remaining scraps and cut additional scones until no dough remains. Place scones onto prepared baking sheet.

In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon. Using a pastry brush, gently brush each of the scones with heavy cream. Sprinkles the cinnamon sugar mixture onto each scone. Bake scones for about 12-15 minutes or until golden brown in color. Allow scones to cool completely on a cooling rack.

Enjoy :)

Brown Butter Snickerdoodles

There are four different types of cookies in my kitchen right now. I had no choice but to eat cookies for lunch today. Is that bad? I have been having so much fun experimenting with new cookie recipes over the past few weeks, but I always have a hard time giving them all away. Other than my dad, no one in my family really eats my baked goods. At Thanksgiving dinner, my aunt asked my brother if he wanted a piece of pie and ice cream. He responded, "No, I don't really like dessert". Umm, what?? Are you even related to me?? I can't imagine ever saying something like that. Especially if it means missing out on these Brown Butter Snickerdoodles. 

These Brown Butter Snickerdoodles were one of the desserts I brought to the Boston College Basketball Christmas party last night. In my book, brown butter makes anything better. I just love the nutty smell and flavor of brown butter. These cookies puffed up quite nicely in the oven, resulting in thick and chewy cookies full of cinnamon flavor. This was the first recipe I tried from my newest cookbook, Baked Elements. I have the other cookbooks by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito and I cannot say enough good things about them. All of their recipes turn out perfectly- I can't wait to try more from this one! 

Brown Butter Snickerdoodles

Recipe from Baked Elements by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp + 2 tsp cinnamon, divided
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 tbsp milk
1 cup + 3 tbsp sugar, divided
1/2 cup light brown sugar

In a medium sized skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Continue to cook butter until it becomes golden brown in color and smells nutty in flavor. Pour the brown butter into the bowl of stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat butter on medium speed for 5-7 minutes to bring it to room temperature.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cream of tartar, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and salt. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk until fully incorporated. Set aside.
When the butter is cooled, add 1 cup of sugar and the brown sugar to the mixer bowl. Beat until light and creamy, scraping down the side of the bowl as necessary.
With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the milk and egg mixture. Mix until fully incorporated.
In three additions, slowly add the dry ingredients, scraping down the side of the bowl as necessary. Mix until fully combined.
Turn off the mixer. Cover the bowl and allow the dough to chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour (or up to 24 hours).

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar and 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon of cinnamon.
Using a small ice cream scoop, scoop cookie dough into balls. Roll each ball into the cinnamon sugar mixture. Transfer balls to the prepared baking sheets, spacing about 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake for about 10 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. Cookies should be cracked on top and golden brown around the edges. Allow cookies to cool on sheets for a few minutes. Transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Enjoy :)

Pumpkin Cinnamon Streusel Muffins

With all of the pumpkin baking I have been doing this fall, I can't keep enough pumpkin stocked up in my kitchen. I buy more every time I go to the grocery store, but it still isn't enough. I just can't get enough pumpkin during this time of the year, so bear with me for a few more recipes. I am sure you don't mind too much.

Out of all the recipes I have made this fall, these muffins might just be my favorite. Not only do I love the warm pumpkin flavor, but the cinnamon streusel topping puts these muffins over the top. All of the original muffins were gone within two days, so I must not be the only one who really likes them in my house.

Tomorrow I will give you a break from all of the pumpkin and share a recipe for a delicious apple cake I made earlier this week. But I can't promise that the break will last too long. I was in the kitchen earlier this week experimenting with new pumpkin recipes. It is a tough job, really. 

Pumpkin Cinnamon Streusel Muffins

Recipe from Two Peas and Their Pod 

Muffins:

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tbsp cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup canola oil

1/3 cup water

1 cup pumpkin puree

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla

Cinnamon Streusel Topping:

1 1/4 cup oats

1 tbsp all-purpose flour

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

Pinch of nutmeg

6 tbsp unsalted butter, cold and cut into chunks

Muffins:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter muffin pan and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg until combined.

In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, oil, water, pumpkin, eggs and vanilla until combined. Slowly mix in the flour mixture. Whisk until fully incorporated. 

Cinnamon Streusel Topping:

In a small bowl, mix together the oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg until combined. Mix in the butter with your hands. The end result should be a crumbly mixture.

Fill muffin tins 3/4 full with the pumpkin mixture and then sprinkle the cinnamon streusel on top of each muffin. Bake for 17-20 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Allow muffins to cool on a cooling rack before serving.

Enjoy :)