{Recipe}Banana Maple Oat Scone

I've always loved the idea of brunch; spending time with family and friends over a leisurely late breakfast. And to me nothing says "brunch" like a delicious scone. Seeing as they have been around for centuries, its no wonder there are numerous flavors and recipes for this wonderful quick bread. I'm also a huge Ina Garten fan, so I decided to let her take on scones inspire me. But of course I did my own spin on them, because everyone loves a personal touch. And among the changes, I added banana. Instead of mashing them up however, I diced them so you would have a nice warm chunk of maple flavored banana as ate your scone (take that banana bread!). And unlike many scone recipes you'll find, these are neither dry nor lacking in flavor. Give these a try, they make the perfect on-the-go breakfast.

Banana Maple Oat Scones:
(This recipe can easily be doubled)
Scones:
1 and 3/4 cup All-Purpose Flour
1/2 cup Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 cup Quick-Cooking Oats, plus some for sprinkling
1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1 Teaspoon Salt
2 Sticks Cold, Unsalted Butter diced. (you want this really cold. I put mine in the fridge while gathering other ingredients)
1/4 cup Buttermilk
1/3 Cup Maple Syrup
2 Medium Ripe Bananas, diced in small pieces (the riper the better)
2 Extra- Large eggs, plus one for egg wash(1 egg beaten with 1 Tb. milk)

Glaze:
1 Cup Confectioners Sugar(use pure confectioner's sugar, other brands have cornstarch added and can change the flavor)
1/3 Cup Pure Maple Syrup
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract 

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the first six ingredients. Add the diced, cold butter and mix on the lowest speed and mix until the butter is in pea-size pieces. Combine the buttermilk, maple syrup and eggs together and add quickly to the flour-and-butter mixture. Add diced bananas and mix until just blended. The dough may be sticky.

Dump the dough out onto a well-floured surface and be sure it is combined. Flour your hands and a rolling pin and roll the dough about 1 inch thick into a circle shape. You should see lumps of butter in the dough. Cut like you would a pizza and make eight pieces. Carefully place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Brush the tops with egg wash. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the tops are crisp and the insides are done.

To make the glaze, combine the confectioners' sugar, maple syrup and vanilla. When the scones are done, cool for 10 to 15 minutes and drizzle each scone with 1 tablespoon of the glaze. I like to sprinkle some uncooked oats on the top, for garnish. The warmer the scones are when you glaze them, the thinner the glaze will be.

Enjoy and Happy Baking

Gingerbread Pecan Biscotti with Peppermint White Chocolate Drizzle

 

One thing you need to know about me is I'm a dunker. I need a glass of milk with me at all times when having any type of cookie or chocolate. I've even been known to pour milk over my cake (you've got to try it!). So biscotti is right up my alley, but this time I thought I would make a biscotti that says "Christmas".

What's better than the aromatic smell of gingerbread baking? So I searched until I found a recipe for gingerbread biscotti that had great reviews, and I think I found one. This particular recipe isn't overly sweet or heavy; it's light and crunchy like a good biscotti should be. And the peppermint white chocolate drizzled over it makes it the perfect little Italian treat.

Gingerbread Pecan Biscotti (adapted from food.com)

2 1/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (I grated whole nutmeg for added flavor)
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
2/3 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup molasses
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup pecans, chopped

In a large bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. In your mixer, combine the egg and egg whites, brown sugar, molasses and vanilla until smooth.
Stir the egg mixture into dry ingredients just until moistened; fold in pecans; cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. 
Divide dough in half; shape each half into a ball; on a baking sheet coated with nonstick cooking spray, or parchment paper; roll each ball into a 14-inch x 1 1/2-inch rectangle.

 

Bake at 325 for 24 to 28 minutes or until firm to touch; remove from the oven and reduce heat to 300 degrees.
Cool for five minutes then transfer to cutting board. Cut diagonally with a serrated knife into 1/2-inch slices; place cut side down on a baking sheet coated with nonstick cooking spray; bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned, turning once. Remove to wire racks to cool.

Peppermint White Chocolate

6 oz. Baker's White Chocolate
1/4 teaspoon Peppermint extract

Place chocolate in microwave safe container, and add peppermint extract. Microwave according to directions and heat in small increments, stirring each time until fully melted. Making sure your biscotti is completely cooled, line up and drizzle chocolate over them with a  spoon.

Let the chocolate cool and harden, and place in an air safe container. Or if you’re like me, pour yourself a glass of ice cold milk and enjoy! Also great with any of your favorite hot beverages like cocoa.

Double Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes

Double Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes

Who Doesn’t love a cupcake? It’s the perfect portion of sweet indulgence. They transcend through every season and holiday, and Christmas-time is no exception. These cupcakes are a double chocolate fudge with red buttercream frosting.

To make your cupcakes, you can use a special family recipe, or you can certainly use your favorite cake mix from the store. One of my favorite things to do is to jazz up a store bought cake mix. You can add any type of chip (milk, semi-sweet, butterscotch, peanut butter, etc.) to your batter to give it a pop of flavor when you bite into it. Or you can add any of your favorite nuts or sprinkles. One of my secrets to a really moist cupcake is to add pudding into my batter. I like to pick an instant pudding that matches my cake flavor, and I add it in with my wet ingredients. Be sure to make the pudding, not just add the powder into it. Do this and your cupcakes will come out moist and irresistible!

For the frosting, I like to use a homemade buttercream recipe. It’s creamy and delicious, and so simple to make. A few tips about your frosting. First, if possible, use a high-ratio shortening. It gives your frosting an unbelievable creaminess. Second, if you want to make your frosting really white, use a clear vanilla extract and replace butter with shortening. And third, don’t forget to sift your sugar. It helps to make the frosting silky and free of clumps.

Red Buttercream Frosting (via Wilton.com)
1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine softened
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract (or your favorite extract)
4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar (approximately 1 lb.)
2 tablespoons milk
1 bottle of Wilton no-taste red food gel
Makes: About 3 cups of icing, enough to cover 24 cupcakes.

 
 
In large bowl, cream shortening and butter with electric mixer. Add extract. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry. Add milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Gradually add your gel coloring until you get desired color. Keep bowl covered with a damp cloth until ready to use.
 
Once your cupcakes have cooled, place your icing tip at the bottom of your pastry bag, and snip off the tip. Use the biggest round frosting tip you have (if no.12 is the biggest you have use it) Load your frosting in your bag, and squeeze down to get the air out.  Then take one of your cupcakes and slowly, in a swirling motion, pipe your frosting onto your cupcake. Once you’re done you can add sugar crystals to your cupcakes to give them an extra sparkle.

Enjoy!