Apple Dumplings

If you’re looking for the perfect Christmas morning breakfast, here it is. Simple, sweet and fragrant apple dumplings. They will make your house smell amazing and they will warm you up on a chilly winter morning.

This was the first time I have ever made apple dumplings and they were a success! I consider this a shortcut recipe, since canned biscuits are used in place of homemade pastry and, although I usually go the homemade route with my recipes, this one was delicious as is. These dumplings come together quickly and the ingredient list is fairly small, but the flavors and presentation are impressive. The dumplings are made by wrapping an apple slice in a buttermilk biscuit. The wrapped slices are placed in a baking dish and then smothered in a sweet, buttery, vanilla sauce. The sauce keeps the dumplings moist and cooks down into a gooey, lusciousness that you will want to devour from the bottom of the pan. It’s crazy how such a simple list of ingredients can create something so delicious! I served these as is for breakfast, but you could also serve them with vanilla ice cream or lightly sweetened whipped cream for dessert.

Apple Dumplings
Makes 16 dumplings

2 granny smith apples
1 cup granulated sugar, divided
1 stick butter
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
8 canned buttermilk biscuits
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375.

Peel, core and slice each apple into 8 slices.

Split each biscuit horizontally into two layers. Flatten out each piece of biscuit until it’s big enough to hold an apple slice (about palm size). Place an apple slice in the middle of the dough and fold the dough over. Pinch the edges of the dough closed to completely cover the apple slice. Place the wrapped apple, seam side down, in a 9×13 baking dish. Repeat with the remaining apple slices. You should have 16 in total.

In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup water, 3/4 cup sugar and butter. Bring to a boil over medium heat and boil for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Pour the liquid evenly over the wrapped apple slices.

Combine the remaining 1/4 cup sugar with 2 teaspoons of cinnamon and sprinkle over the tops.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, until puffed and golden brown. Serve warm.

Recipe adapted from Trisha Yearwood

Double Vanilla Marshmallows

Several years ago we started the tradition of having homemade marshmallows and hot chocolate on the night we decorate our house for Christmas. I typically only make homemade marshmallows this one time of year, so they are extra special. The fun thing about making marshmallows is that you can flavor them however you choose (peppermint! chocolate! vanilla!) and you can cut them into any shape or size you like. I love cutting them into big squares and floating them in a mug of hot chocolate. You could even use cookie cutters to get more creative. This year I opted for standard vanilla marshmallows, but I wanted to up the vanilla flavor. These marshmallows have a vanilla bean and vanilla extract in them. They’re double the vanilla flavor and they have beautiful black specks in them that you get from a vanilla bean. These are delicious on their own or in hot chocolate. Oh, and if you decide to dip a few in melted chocolate, you will not regret it. Trust me. 😉

Double Vanilla Marshmallows
Makes one 8.5×11 or 9×13 pan

1 cup water, divided
3 packets unflavored gelatin
1 whole vanilla bean
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Place 1/2 cup water in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Sprinkle the gelatin over the water and give it a whisk. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the gelatin mixture and give it another quick whisk. Set aside while you make the sugar syrup.

In a medium saucepan, combine remaining 1/2 cup water with the sugar, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Once the sugar dissolves, give it a quick stir and increase the heat to medium-high. Boil until a candy thermometer reaches 240 degrees.

With your mixer on low speed, carefully pour the hot sugar  into the gelatin mixture. Once it has all been added, increase the speed to high and whip for 10-15 minutes, until bright white and fluffy.

Add the vanilla extract and whisk to thoroughly combine.

Sprinkle powdered sugar liberally over the bottom of an 8.5×11 or 9×13 pan (this will keep the marshmallows from sticking to the bottom of the pan). Pour the marshmallows into the pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle the tops with more powdered sugar.

Let the marshmallows sit out uncovered overnight. This will allow them to dry slightly. When you are ready to cut them, you can do so with a sharp knife or cookie cutter that has been dipped in powdered sugar.

Recipe adapted from Baked Bree

Cranberry Vanilla Coffee Cake

Now that we’ve recovered from Thanksgiving, it’s time to start planning for the month ahead. Sometime soon, you’ll probably be hosting company or going to a party or having a holiday get-together. I’d like to suggest a perfect holiday dessert for any of those occasions: Cranberry Vanilla Coffee Cake. I’ve been making this cake  for several years and every year it is just as good as I remember. This cake is so versatile, it can be served for dessert or breakfast and it keeps well for days. What I love the most about this cake is the flavor combination of fresh cranberries and vanilla. So often cranberries are paired with orange in baked goods, but this cake goes without any orange and is loaded with sweet, fragrant, fresh vanilla. It seems as though it would be easy for the bold flavor of fresh cranberries to overpower the delicate vanilla flavor, but it doesn’t. There is vanilla in every single layer of this cake and in every single bite. I love slicing this cake to reveal the bright red, fresh cranberry layer that is sandwiched between two soft layers of vanilla cake. This cake is a beauty and it’s equally delicious.

Cranberry Vanilla Coffee Cake
Makes one 9 inch cake

1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
2 cups fresh cranberries
2 cups plus 1 tablespoon all purpose flour, divided
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick plus 1 tablespoon softened butter, divided
2 eggs
1/2 cup whole milk
Powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)

Preheat oven to 375. Butter a 9 inch cake pan and place a piece of parchment on the bottom. Butter the parchment also.

Scrape the seeds out of the vanilla bean and place the seeds in a food processor with the granulated sugar. Pulse several times until the vanilla bean specks are evenly distributed throughout the sugar. Pour the vanilla sugar into a bowl and set it aside.

Put the fresh cranberries in the food processor along with half a cup of the vanilla sugar. Pulse several times until the cranberries are coarsely chopped but not pureed.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt.

Beat 1 stick of butter with 1 cup of vanilla sugar for several minutes until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla extract, beating until combined. Alternate adding in the flour mixture along with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour. Do not overmix, stop as soon as the ingredients are incorporated.

Pour approximately half the batter into the prepared cake pan (batter will be thick). Spoon all of the cranberries on top, leaving a 1/2 inch border around the edge. Top the cranberries with the remaining cake batter, being sure to cover the cranberries completely. Because this batter is so thick, I find it easiest to add the second layer of batter by dolloping spoonfuls on top of the cranberries and then smearing them together with my fingertips. It’s messy but it works! 😉

For the topping: combine the remaining 1/4 cup of vanilla sugar with 1 tablespoon of flour and 1 tablespoon of softened butter. Mix with your fingertips, until crumbly. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the cake.

Bake the cake for approximately 30-35 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center of the cake should come out without cake batter on it. Cool the cake completely and then carefully turn it out onto a serving platter. Dust the top with powdered sugar if desired.

Recipe adapted from Epicurious

Easy Strawberry Vanilla Bean Jam

Here is my new favorite jam-it tastes just like summer! It combines juicy strawberries with fragrant vanilla beans and just the right amount of sweetness. An added bonus? It can be made in about 30 minutes! It’s fantastic on scones, biscuits or toast and I also love it stirred into Greek yogurt or spooned over vanilla ice cream. If you’ve never made jam before, don’t be intimidated. It’s easier than you think. Give it a try!

Easy Strawberry Vanilla Bean Jam
Makes approximately 1 cup

1 pound of strawberries, stems removed
1/2 vanilla bean
2/3 cup granulated sugar
Juice of 1/2 an orange
1/2 Granny Smith apple, peeled and finely minced

Chop the strawberries. The larger you chop them the more chunky your jam will be (I quartered the small berries and chopped the larger ones into eighths). Put the chopped strawberries in a deep heavy pot. Split the 1/2 of vanilla bean lengthwise and add it to the pot of strawberries along with the remaining ingredients.

Stir all of the ingredients and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once it comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium and allow it to continue boiling for 25-35 minutes, stirring occasionally. The jam is done once it has reduced, thickened and is dark red. Remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature.

Once cool, remove the vanilla bean. Using your fingers or a knife, squeeze/scrape remaining seeds from the vanilla bean pod into the jam and mix in. Discard the pod. Transfer the jam to a covered container and store in the fridge up to 10 days.