Cranberry Orange Bundt Cake

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I have a friend who, like me, doesn’t like to bake. As a consequence, we torment each other with various delicious looking recipes for baked goods. When she sent me the recipe for this orange cranberry cake, featuring this beautiful Nordic Ware Heritage Bundt pan, I couldn’t resist. Not only did I buy the pan and the release spray, I also made the cake. I sent her pictures along the way, because she was as curious as I was as to whether or not this pan, like so many others have failed to do, would release the cake in one piece, to be consumed in all its elegant glory, instead of finding itself as a layer in a trifle.

As you can see from the pictures, happily it did come out just beautifully. But, I’m not going to lie, this cake was a lot of work! Because baking gets on my nerves, I did it in stages throughout the day. Measuring dry ingredients and setting them aside, getting out wet ingredients, setting them aside, making the cranberries, making the orange sugar, you get the picture.

It was worth every ounce of energy that I put into it. Not only am I extremely proud of my efforts, but my friend deemed it as “fabulous” as it is beautiful. It is loaded with flavor (I must confess that I replaced the orange juice in the glaze in the original recipe found here, with orange liquor, because I can never leave well enough alone) — sweet, tart, refreshing, complex, and certainly elegant enough to serve for company. Make it if you dare!

Cranberry Orange Bundt Cake

From Laura | Tutti Dolci

Cake

2½ c. flour

¾ t. baking powder

¼ t. baking soda

½ t. salt

1 1/3 c. sugar

2 T. fresh orange zest

10 T. unsalted butter, room temperature

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 c. low-fat buttermilk, room temperature

¼ c. cup freshly squeezed orange juice

1 t. vanilla extract

1¼ c. fresh cranberries, chopped

Sugared Cranberries

2 T. sugar

2 T. water

½ c. fresh cranberries

¼ c. sugar

Glaze

2/3 c. powdered sugar

1/8 t. salt

1½ T. fresh orange juice

Preheat oven to 350°F and spray a 10-cup Bundt pan generously with nonstick spray. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl; reserve one tablespoon flour mixture to toss with cranberries.

Combine sugar and orange zest in a food processor and pulse for 1 minute; combine with butter in a large mixer bowl and beat on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Reduce speed to low and add eggs one at a time. Combine buttermilk, orange juice, and vanilla in a small bowl. Beat in flour mixture in three additions, alternating with buttermilk mixture (begin and end with flour mixture), just until incorporated. Toss cranberries with reserved flour mixture and gently fold into batter.

Spoon batter into prepared Bundt pan and smooth with an offset spatula. Tap pan sharply to reduce air bubbles. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until cake is golden, springs back to the touch, and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs attached. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes; carefully invert onto rack and cool completely.

While the cake bakes, make the sugared cranberries. Place a wire rack over a parchment-lined baking sheet. Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer, stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add cranberries to the saucepan and coat completely in the simple syrup. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cranberries to the wire rack. Separate the cranberries into a single layer, spaced 1-inch apart. Let dry for 1 hour, then roll the cranberries in sugar to coat. Transfer to a clean baking sheet and let dry for 1 hour before using.

For the glaze, whisk together powdered sugar, salt, and orange juice in a small bowl. Drizzle glaze over cooled cake and let set before topping with sugared cranberries and serving. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.

Cranberry Pancakes with Orange Syrup

Are you looking for something new to serve for your for your holiday breakfast?  Something keep-me-out-of-the-kitchen easy, but shower-me-with-praise tasty?  This recipe just may be it.  It is shockingly easy, particularly if you make the syrup the night before.  I based this syrup on Emeril’s version, altering it slightly to prevent it from cooking away without thickening. I made mine in the morning, squeezing enough extra oranges to have glasses of fresh juice on the table for enjoying while I cooked, but it can easily be made the night before and warmed while you are making the pancakes. Use your favorite pancake recipe (Mine is here.) and stir in about a fourth cup of cranberry relish.  This one works perfectly.  Pressed for time?  The Bisquick version works just fine, just do what I do and add about ¼ teaspoon of vanilla and a few gratings of nutmeg to the batter.  No one will know that your pancakes were out of the box.

Happy New Year!

Cranberry Pancakes with Orange Syrup

 1-1/2 cups freshly squeezed orange juice

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon grated orange peel

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Combine the juice, sugar, and orange peel in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Reduce the heat to a low boil and cook to a thick syrup, and reduced by half, about 20 minutes. Add the butter and almond extract and whisk to combine. Let cool slightly before serving with pancakes.

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Pumpkin Pancakes with Cranberry Syrup

Yesterday I told you how to use up all of those leftovers from Thanksgiving dinner with the exception of the cranberries.  Here’s a way to use any cranberries that remain from your various relish and chutney making endeavors, and have a wonderful fall breakfast to boot.  I gave you the recipe for pumpkin pancakes here, so all you need to do now is make the syrup.

Pumpkin Pancakes with Cranberry Syrup

1/3 cup sugar

3/4 cup fresh cranberries

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup maple syrup

Cook sugar in a dry 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, undisturbed, until it begins to melt. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally with a fork, until sugar is melted and turns a medium golden caramel color.  This can be tricky because everyone seems to have his or her own mental imagine of what caramel color is (which explains why my husband tends to burn it), so it’s best to err on the lighter rather than darker side. Tilt pan and slowly add cranberries and water (caramel will begin to harden and steam). Simmer over moderately low heat, stirring, until caramel is completely dissolved.  Pour syrup through a sieve into a heatproof bowl, pressing hard on solids. I like some of the solids in my syrup, so I scoop some out of the sieve and add them to the syrup.  Allow to cool slightly, and then stir in the maple syrup.

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Foodie Friday

The Picnic Game

Louise over at Months of Edible Celebrations  is hosting the Picnic Game again this year and I’m joining in.  I’m going to a picnic and I’m bringing:

A - Artichokes Steamed & Dressed w/ Mayonnaise

B - Baked Beans

C - Cauliflower Tabbouleh

D - Dunkin' Donuts - With Maple Syrup & Honey Frosting

E - Eggplant Casserole

F - Frosty Summer Salad with Cranberry, Pineapple & Beets

Frosty Summer Salad with Cranberry, 

Pineapple & Beet

1 16-ounce can jellied cranberry sauce

1 8-ounce can crushed pineapple, drained

3 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 cup heavy cream

1 3-ounce package Philadelphia cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup mayonnaise

½ cup confectioners’ sugar

1 cup pecans, chopped

2 Melissa's Peeled and Steamed Red Beets,

each sliced into four ½” circles

Leaf lettuce

Put cranberry sauce into a medium bowl and crush with a fork.  Stir in pineapple and lemon juice; mix thoroughly, set aside.  Whip cream until stiff; blend in cream cheese, mayonnaise, sugar and nuts.  Beginning with cranberry mixture, alternate layers of cranberry and cream mixtures in 8 5-ounce paper cups (I used Dixie bathroom cups). Place cups into a 9” x 9” pan and place in freezer, freezing until firm. 

When ready to serve, place a cleaned leaf of lettuce on each serving plate.  Using a 2” biscuit cutter, cut a circle out of each beet slice, and place on lettuce leaf.  Remove frozen salad from the freezer and peel away paper cups.  Invert on top of beet slice, pressing down lightly.  Garnish with a spritz of light cream and a sprig of mint.  Let stand at room temperature 15 minutes before serving.  Yields: 8

Cranberry-Pineapple Sauce

Cranberries, I think, are highly underrated.  They tend to only show up on the Thanksgiving table and then are relegated to the back of the fridge until the following Thanksgiving when they are tossed out and replaced with new.  Sure there is the juice, and oh yes, the dried cranberries are very popular, but I’m talking cranberry sauce here.  Something that is most unappreciated.

Delicious and so beneficial to your health, did you know studies have shown that consumption of berries have potential health benefits against cancer, aging and neurological diseases, inflammation, diabetes, and bacterial infections?  Or that the juice can protect against E.coli?  The berries also are known to prevent tooth surface plaque, and are a good source of many vitamins like vitamin C, vitamin A, ß-carotene, and minerals like potassium, and manganese.

Now, throw pineapple into the mix with its anti-inflammatory, anti-clotting and anti-cancer properties. Not to mention Vitamin A, C, the B-complex group, and collagen -- yes, ladies, COLLAGEN! -- and you have one heck of a healthy snack!

This recipe for Cranberry Pineapple relish came from a flyer from one of the local markets.  We made it on a whim this year and it won hands down over the other two varieties (one a 12-year staple) we served at the Thanksgiving dinner.  Think of it as not only a side for turkey, but for chicken, pork and ham as well.  Blend it slightly and use it to glaze the holiday ham, stir it into your morning oatmeal, or make a delicious parfait by layering it with plain or vanilla yogurt.  As for me, I can just eat it with a spoon, it is that good.

To your health!

Aren't the jewel-tone colors of these fruits just fabulous?

Cranberry-Pineapple Sauce

1 fresh,whole, cored pineapple

1 bag (12 oz). fresh cranberries

1 cup light brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup dark rum, optional

1/4 tsp. salt

Cut pineapple into 1/2" pieces.  Place pineapple, cranberries, brown sugar, water, rum (is using), and salt into a medium saucepan; heat to boiling over high heat, stirring occasionally.  Boil 4 to 5 minutes or until most cranberries have burst, stirring occasionally.  Transfer cranberry sauce to bowl cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours or up to 1 week.

Copyright 2011 ShoptoCook Inc, NY via Schnucks Markets, St. Louis, MO

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Cranberries!

Brace yourselves, people, I have a cranberry!  Three years ago when I first began to container garden, I planted blueberries in a 24" wide container.  Guided by the book Crops in Pots, I underplanted with three cranberry plants due to the similar needs of the two.  I suppose, like most people, I thought cranberries needed to be grown in bogs.  Not so, I found out.  The bogs are only for the ease of harvest, they are perfectly adaptable to the home garden and thrive in containers.  Year after year I'd have plenty of blueberries, but despite healthy, trailing plants, not a cranberry in sight.  Today while weeding, I spotted my first one!  Too early to break out the cranberry relish recipe, but hope springs eternal and all that.  Here's the recipe anyway just so everyone can plan ahead.

Spicy Cranberry Relish

1 cup sugar

1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

6 whole cloves

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 whole cardamom seeds, crushed

1 pinch cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

1/4 cup cider vinegar

2 cups fresh cranberries

1 cup golden raisins

1/3 cup light brown sugar

1 cup water

Combine all ingredients in large soup kettle.  Bring to a boil.

Lower heat and simmer 45 minutes.  Serve chilled.

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Cranberry-Nut Rolls

I've been reading a lot of novels lately.  Modern novels, like the cozy genre of culinary mysteries that I so enjoy, seem to contain much more information about food than in times past, including baking methods, detailed instructions, and recipes.  Not only am I hungry for more reading when I finish a book these days, but I'm also hungry for food!  Some of my recent favorites can be found in the collage below, but I think the book that had the biggest culinary impact on me was Judith Ryan Hendricks' Bread Alone.  Reading the book, I could almost smell the bread baking.  Throughout my reading I hungered (if you'll pardon the pun) to make some bread of my own.

So last night, while making meatballs for dinner, cutting out cookies from the shortbread dough that had been in the fridge a bit too long, and testing recipes for peanut butter ice cream topping, I made these rolls.  They are wonderful!  

I'd expected them to be very dense and chewy like the cranberry nut rolls I've gotten from Whole Foods and Breadsmith in the past, but these were lighter.  They reminded me a bit of the Sally Lunn bun that I had at the Sally Lunn's Historic Eating House & Museum in Bath, England years ago, but they're not exactly that either as I find Sally Lunn tends to deflate a bit when speared with a knife.  These are just tasty, wonderful rolls that work equally well for dinner as they do for breakfast.  For the dinner rolls I sprinkled the tops with Fleur de Sel after brushing them with egg glaze.  For the breakfast rolls I sprinkled the tops with the raw sugar the recipe called for; both versions were equally good. 

When I make them again (and I will), I'll soak the cranberries in a bit of orange juice to plump them up and will add some orange zest to the dough.    

This morning I had a sugar-topped roll, slightly warmed in the oven, spread with clotted cream and Sarabeth's Raspberry Key Lime jam. Heaven!

Cranberry-Nut Rolls

From Bon Appetit, November 2009

1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

3 1/2 cups (or more) bread flour

1 tablespoon (packed) golden brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons quick-rising dry yeast (from one 1/4-ounce envelope)

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 cups whole milk

2 tablespoons vegetable oil plus additional for coating bowl

1 large egg

1 cup sweetened dried cranberries

Nonstick vegetable oil spray

1 large egg, beaten to blend (for glaze)

Raw sugar*

Stir nuts in dry skillet over medium heat until toasted, about 5 minutes. Cool.

Mix 3 1/2 cups bread flour and next 3 ingredients in bowl of heavy-duty stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Warm milk in small saucepan over low heat until instant-read thermometer inserted into milk registers 95 degrees F. Add oil; remove from heat. Add milk mixture and 1 egg to flour mixture. Mix on low speed until wet coarse ball forms, about 1 minute. Add nuts and cranberries. Replace paddle attachment on mixer with dough hook. Mix dough on low speed until smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky, adding more flour by tablespoonfuls as needed, about 4 minutes. Transfer dough to floured surface; knead 2 minutes.

Lightly oil large bowl. Shape dough into ball; place in prepared bowl, turning to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap; let dough rise at room temperature until almost doubled in volume, 1 3/4 to 2 hours.

Line large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Transfer dough to unfloured surface; divide into 12 equal pieces. Using cupped hand, roll and rotate 1 dough piece firmly on work surface until dough piece pops up into cupped hand as smooth round ball, about 6 rotations. (This will make dough ball as smooth as possible; if necessary, wipe work surface with damp paper towel to help create traction.) Repeat with remaining dough pieces.

Transfer rolls to prepared baking sheet, spacing apart. Spray rolls with nonstick spray. Cover loosely with plastic wrap; let rise at room temperature until 1 1/2 times original size, about 1 1/2 hours. Brush rolls with egg glaze; sprinkle with raw sugar. Let rise 15 minutes longer.

Meanwhile, position rack in center of oven and preheat to 425 degrees F.

Place rolls in oven; reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees F and bake 7 minutes. Rotate baking sheet; bake rolls until golden and slightly firm to touch, about 8 minutes longer. Cool completely on rack. DO AHEAD: Wrap in foil, then enclose in resealable plastic bag and freeze up to 2 weeks. Thaw rolls at room temperature. If desired, rewarm rolls wrapped in foil in 350 degrees F oven about 10 minutes.

* Also called turbinado or demerara sugar; available at most supermarkets.

 Search Amazon.com for sarabeth's preserves

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