SUZIE SWEET TOOTH

Cakes, Treats, and Everything Sweet

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    • Coconut Rice Pudding With Rum Raisins

      I must admit, growing up I was never into rice pudding, but as a lot of things go with getting older we develop a liking for different desserts. This is a dessert you can whip up with items you have in the pantry. I always keep coconut milk on hand, and I always have rice.  If I run out of rice you know something is seriously wrong with the world; perhaps a catastrophic event of some sort. I am married to an Asian; ergo I am Asian by proxy  ;-). We simply do not run out of rice. We buy rice in 25 lb. bags, exactly how I buy my flour and sugar. This is why Costco has extra-large flat carts. If 3 days go by without the rice cooker being fired up The Husband and my little one get a bit cranky. I think for me, the real reason for making rice pudding is just finding a valid excuse to soak raisins in rum. You know I’m a rum girl…Plan ahead when you make the pudding because the raisins should soak for a good long while in the rum. A long soak in rum=yum.

      Coconut Rice Pudding With Rum Raisins

      1  1/2 Cups Jasmine* rice cooked, cooled (Rinse the rice 3 times before cooking)

      *[I prefer Jasmine rice, but you can also use any long grain rice]

      1 (13.5 oz.) can coconut milk (1 can equals ~  1  2/3 Cup)

      2 Cups whole milk

      1/3 Cup sugar

      1/4 tsp. kosher salt

      3/4 tsp. vanilla bean paste (or 3/4 tsp. vanilla)

      1/2 Cup raisins (soaked in dark rum for 2-4 hours, strained)

      Optional Garnish: toasted sweetened coconut, lime zest

      1. Prepare ahead and soak your raisins in 1/4 Cup dark rum for ~ 2 hours at least; preferably 4 hours if you can.

      2. In a 3 qt. heavy saucepan add the milk mixture, rice, sugar, and salt. Simmer uncovered over medium heat, stirring frequently until thickened, about 40 minutes. Stir in vanilla bean paste and strained raisins. Garnish with toasted coconut and fresh lime zest if desired. Serve warm.

      3. Leftover pudding can be stored in fridge for up to one week. Pudding can be served warm or cold.

      {Printable Recipe}:

      https://docs.google.com/document/d/1e_cdB05dxcWbltjJxzNQyhRnQxPqhc8mhb9BvQOKBRo/edit


    • Vanilla Bean Lemonade

      I kind of have an obsession with vanilla bean paste. I love the taste of it in so many applications. Cake, cookies, buttercream. Seriously, I can’t stop myself. When I saw Kelsey from Kelsey’s Essentials using vanilla bean paste in a recipe for lemonade I had to give it a try. My friend Susan had just recently supplied me with another surplus of lemons from her dad’s lemon tree so I did double duty and made lemonade and started my lemoncello. The lemoncello takes a while to steep; so stay tuned for that recipe a little down the road… In the meantime I am enjoying this lemonade recipe. I hope you give it a try. I tweaked the recipe slightly from the original recipe by Kelsey to up the amount of lemon juice and decreased the vanilla bean paste a little as I like my lemonade a little assertive but I encourage you to give it a try. I know it is the dead of winter, so if you want to wait until summertime to give it a try with your next BBQ, so be it. It’s all good. Either way, cheers to you and Happy New Year!

      Vanilla Bean Lemonade

      recipe adapted from Kelsey’s Essentials

      (makes 2 quarts)

      1 1/4 Cups fresh lemon  juice

      1  1/2 Tbsp. vanilla bean paste (I like Nielsen-Massey brand)

      2 quarts sparkling water

      Simple syrup: (3/4 Cup water + 3/4 Cup sugar)

      fresh mint leaves to taste

      lemon slices

      1. In a glass measuring cup place 3/4 cup water and add 3/4 cup sugar. Heat in the microwave on high for about 40 seconds or until the sugar dissolves when stirred. Place the mixture in the fridge to cool. You have just made “simple syrup”.

      2. In a large pitcher stir the lemon juice and vanilla bean paste. Add the sparkling water, cooled simple syrup, and lemon slices; stir to combine. If you are not going to serve immediately wait to add the mint leaves. The leaves will turn dark as they sit in the lemonade; so if you are going to serve the lemonade at a later time wait to add the mint until 20 minutes before serving. Serve chilled over ice.

      {Printable Recipe}:

      https://docs.google.com/document/d/1SXuy_BysroZD8lCTuOpLH55dmhCCuY6NdN1yYZcvxiM/edit

    • Morning Cinnamon Rolls

      Every Christmas morning I like to make something a little special for breakfast, but at the same time not too fussy. Something you can eat that is casual. Cinnamon rolls are perfect for such an occasion. If you plan ahead, you can make the rolls the night before and shape them, and in the morning all you have to do is bake them off so they are nice and hot. You know the kids are going to be waking you up at 5:30 Am or so to open presents, right? Well, by the time they rip open those presents and pictures are taken the rolls will be baking.  They will either be hungry or they will be ready to crawl back into bed. Either way you will be set for some nice warm rolls. This buys you some much needed coffee time so you can sneak in a cup or 2, or 3….while the rolls are baking. Hey it’s 5:30 Am, you need 3 cups of Joe. You can also make the icing the day or night before and keep in the fridge.  If you want to make the rolls in real time I have included the original directions as well.

      Christmas Morning Cinnamon Rolls With Orange Cream Cheese Icing

      Sweet Yeast Dough

      1/4 cup warm water

      1 pkg. active dry yeast

      1 tsp. sugar

      1 Cup whole milk

      1/2 C sugar

      5 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled

      3 lg. eggs

      5 Cups all purpose flour, as needed

      1  1/4 tsp. kosher salt

      optional: 1/2 Cup raisins, toasted chopped pecans

      Filling

      1/2 Cup firmly packed light brown sugar

      6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temp

      2 tsp. ground cinnamon

      Directions: In a bowl mix together the ingredients until combined. Set aside

      To prepare dough:

      In a glass measuring cup with the 1/4 cup of warm water; add the yeast and sugar and stir to dissolve. Let the yeast mixture sit for about 10 minutes. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the milk, sugar, butter, eggs and yeast mixture. Add 4 1/2 cups of the flour and the salt. Place the bowl on the mixer and with the paddle attachment mix on medium-low speed, add as much of the remaining flour as needed to make a soft dough that does not stick to the bowl.

      2. Remove the paddle attachment and place the dough hook attachment. Knead the dough on medium-low adding in more flour if needed until the dough is smooth and still soft, about 6-7 minutes. Shape the dough into a ball.

      3. Butter a large bowl. Add the dough and turn to coat with the butter. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm spot until it doubles in bulk, about 1 1/2-2 hours. To use at once; punch down the dough and roll out and shape rolls and follow directions for 2nd rising after rolls are shaped and cut.

       4. If you are going to shape rolls and have them rise in the fridge overnight; punch down the dough, roll out the dough; fill as directed and place cut rolls in pan and cover with plastic wrap to let rise in fridge overnight. Rolls should rise overnight in the fridge for 8-12  hours. [Follow this version of 4 A]. If you want to make them in real-time follow Version 4B.

      (Rising in fridge overnight- 4A Version):

      Punch down the dough and turn out onto a floured work surface. Dust the top of the dough with flour. Roll out into a 16×14 inch rectangle, with the long side facing you. Spread the filling* evenly over the dough leaving a 1 inch border at the top and bottom. (If using raisins or nuts sprinkle over the filling at this point). Starting at the long side of the rectangle farthest away from you, roll up the rectangle into a log. Pinch the seam to seal. Roll the log a few times back and forth gently to help seal the seam.  Cut the log crosswise into 12 equal slices with a sharp knife. Butter a 9×13 inch baking pan. Arrange the slices cut side up in the pan. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight until doubled in size, 8-12 hours. Remove from the fridge 1 hour before baking to let the rolls come to room temp. Bake at 350 degrees until rolls are golden brown, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Spread the icing [see recipe below for icing] over the warm rolls, and spread it out evenly. Let cool 15 minutes. Serve warm.

      4. If you want to make rolls in real-time: Follow this Version; 4 B.

      (Baking rolls same day with warm rising-Version 4B)

      Punch down the dough and turn out onto a floured surface and follow directions above up to the step where you have cut the rolls and placed them in the pan. To rise: cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in bulk, about 75-90 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and bake until rolls are golden brown, about 30 minutes. Ice with icing and let the icing sit for about 15 minutes before serving.

      Orange Cream Cheese Icing

      3 Cup confectioners sugar

      4 oz. cream cheese, room temp

      2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temp

      1 tsp. vanilla

      Finely grated zest of 1 large orange

      2 Tbsp. whole milk, + more as needed

      Cream the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add in the confectioners sugar and beat until smooth. Mix in the vanilla, zest and milk until combined. Spread over warm rolls.

    • Cardamom-Black Pepper Trees

      I think cardamom is a very underused spice. It’s a nice surprise in baking and I like to seek out recipes that use cardamom. I can’t take off the cap on a cardamom container without taking a big whiff first. It’s a scent that is hard to describe but is unmistakable once you become familiar with it and a bit exotic. I found this recipe in a holiday special magazine and the recipe is from Kate Wheeler of blog Savour-Fare; www.savour-fare.com. The cookies are really fun to decorate and evoke dreams of a white Christmas; which is fun for those of us who know there is not a chance in you know what of having snow. Not that I’m complaining mind you…

      “White Christmas” Cardamom-Black Pepper Trees

      (recipe adapted from Kate Wheeler of Savour-fare)

      Yield: about 3 dozen cookies

      3/4 Cup unsalted butter, softened

      1 Cup sugar

      1 egg

      2 Cups flour

      1/2 tsp. baking powder

      3/4 tsp. salt

      1 Tbsp. cardamom

      1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

      1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

      2. Using a stand mixer on high-speed, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and mix thoroughly. Mix the dry ingredients together: flour, baking powder, salt, cardamom, and pepper. On low-speed add the dry ingredients to butter/sugar mixture and beat until everything is incorporated. Divide the dough in two and form into two flat discs, wrap in plastic and chill overnight.

      3. Roll the dough disks out to about 1/4 inch thick. Using a tree shaped cookie cutter, cut out the cookies and arrange them on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake until the cookies are lightly golden, about 10 minutes, and let cool thoroughly before brushing cookies with icing.

      Icing Recipe for “brushing” cookies:

      3 oz. half-and half

      8 oz. (1/2 lb) confectioners sugar

      Decorations, such as silver dragees and edible glitter

      1. Whisk the half and half with the sugar until mixture is smooth; you can do this in the stand mixer or by hand.

      2. To decorate; brush the icing over cooled cookies; cover the entire cookie, even the sides. Let the icing harden with cookies placed on a wire rack with parchment paper underneath to catch drips.

      3. To decorate, drizzle royal icing (see recipe below*) using a fork and quickly drizzle the icing across the trees to simulate snow-covered trees. Sprinkle the cookies with white or silver dragees. Once icing has hardened; sprinkle cookies with edible glitter.

      Royal Icing for “snow” drizzle:

      2 Tbsp. meringue powder

      1/4 cup warm water

      8 oz. confectioners sugar, sifted

      1 tsp. light corn syrup

      1. In the bowl of a stand mixer; using a whisk attachment combine the meringue powder and water until foamy. Add the sugar and whisk on low until combined. Add in the corn syrup and increase to med-high and whisk for about 5 minutes until stiff peaks form.

      2. Using a tsp. of cold water at a time, stir in the water until the icing is thin enough for drizzling but not too thin. You want the icing to cling to the fork and thick enough to leave a thick enough drizzle to resemble snow on the cookies. Test a little at a time until you reach your desired thickness.

      {Printable Recipe}:

      https://docs.google.com/document/d/1tlxfBUCT8Gn9mkkvJ8no-2xJPV8uPuNcBEPf1_w22QQ/edit

    • Raspberry Linzer Cookies

      It would not be Christmas in our house without raspberry linzer cookies. Seth got excited when he saw me making these. Oh Mommy, “I LOVE THOSE COOKIES” he said, “I can’t wait until you are done”. This is most certainly an ambitious cookie, but the results are worth it. People go ga ga over these cookies. You can feel the love in each bite of these beauties. Over the years I have used many types of raspberry jam and I feel the best is Smuckers seedless raspberry jam. To save time in toasting and chopping hazelnuts you can also purchase coarsely ground hazelnuts from King Arthur Flour company.

      Raspberry Linzer Cookies

      (recipe adapted from Fine Cooking)

      Yield: about 32 sandwich cookies

      2  1/2 oz. (1/2 Cup) toasted sliced almonds (Trader Joes has a version that are already toasted)

      2  1/2 oz. (1/2 Cup) coarsely chopped roasted hazelnuts

      9  1/2 oz. (2 Cups + 1 Tbsp.) all-purpose flour; more for rolling

      3/4 Cup sugar

      2 tsp. lemon zest (about 1 medium lemon)

      1/2 tsp. baking powder

      1/2 tsp. kosher salt

      1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

      1/4 tsp. ground cloves

      7 oz. (14 Tbsp.) chilled unsalted butter

      1 lg. egg

      1 Tbsp. cold water

      1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam (stir the jam vigorously to smooth out jam and remove lumps)

      Confectioners’ sugar for dusting

      1. In a food processor, grind the almonds and hazelnuts with 1/2 cup of the flour until finely textured but not powdered. Add the remaining flour, granulated sugar, lemon zest, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and cloves. Pulse to combine. Cut the butter into 1/2 inch cubes and add to the flour mixture; pulse until the mixture looks like coarse meal. Don’t over process. Transfer to a large bowl.

      2. Whisk the egg and water; sprinkle over the flour mixture and toss gently to combine. The dough should hold together when pinched. (If it seems dry, sprinkle on a bit more water.) Gather the dough into 3 balls and knead briefly just to blend. Wrap in plastic and chill until firm, 2-3 hours.

      To Bake:

      1. Heat the oven to 325° degrees. Line several cookie sheets with parchment paper. Generously flour a work surface. Roll one ball of the dough 1/8 inch thick. Keep the rest of the dough in the refrigerator, and if the dough becomes warm return it to chill until workable. Cut out desired shapes with a 2 1/2 inch cutter (I like square). Reroll scraps of dough to use up all the dough; the dough is very forgiving and rolls out nicely.

      2. Arrange the cookies on the cookie sheets about 3/4 inch apart. Cut out your window or hole after the cookies are on the cookie sheets to make an equal amount of “windows” and solid shapes. I like to bake all of one type at a time as they bake more evenly if you bake either all windows or solid at one time. Bake until the edges are lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Let cool on sheets.

      To assemble: spread about a heaping 1/2 tsp. of jam on one solid cookie. Dust the windows with confectioners sugar and top each cookie with a window. Store the cookies in an airtight container and they are better the following day as the cookies will soften after they have spent time with the jam; and also they will hold together better after one day sitting idle.

      Happy Holidays,

      Suzie

       

       

    • Matcha Green Tea Cookies

      Does this cookie fall under category healthy? I think so. Do they qualify as tasty? Definitely. It is hard to describe these cookies. They are kind of earthy, sweet and comforting, just like a good cup of tea. I have held onto this recipe for a couple of years thinking someday I would for sure make these. I think they would be fabulous paired along side a scoop of rose ice cream. The recipe is from the über famous blog cannelle et vanille. I did tweak the recipe slightly and added a bit of vanilla and a touch of honey but I can’t tell you how amazing these cookies are, you will just have to make them and find out for yourself. I’m wishing I would have made a double batch myself. They are that good. Make sure to use real matcha green tea powder; found in Asian grocery stores.

       

      Matcha Green Tea Diamants

      (recipe adapted from Matcha Diamants at canelle et vanille blog: www.cannellevanille.com)

      200 gms unsalted butter

      80 gms confectioners sugar

      1 lg. egg yolk

      1 tsp. vanilla

      1 Tbsp. honey

      220 gms all-purpose flour

      10 gms matcha green tea powder

      pinch of salt

      egg white for brushing outside of cookie dough

      sanding sugar for rolling coating

      1. Cream the butter and sugar until pale in color and light and fluffy. Add in the egg yolk, mix to combine. Add in vanilla and honey, mix until smooth.

      2. Add all the dry ingredients and mix until incorporated but do not overmix as to prevent a tough dough. Turn the dough out onto a parchment paper and roll into a 2 inch log. Wrap the log and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

      3. Brush the outside of the cookie log with egg white and roll in sanding sugar to coat entire log. Cut into 1/2 inch slices and bake at 325° degrees for about 12 minutes until cookies no longer look wet on top. Let cookies cool completely while still on cookie sheet place over a wire rack.

      {Printable Recipe}:

      https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zvfmZI38A1fTev83WHoZaNlGIyUrlRAfzOyrqMEVvRY/edit