The other night, I was on an errand at Winn Dixie. I came across a stack of Andes Mints called Andes Peppermint Crunch: Indulgence, Candy Cane Design. You know I can't resist trying something new. And I do love Andes mints !
The caption on the bag is "crunchy bits of peppermint & has a delightfully embossed candy cane design on top." The bag itself is red,white and silver, with 2 green holly leaves and 2 images of the candies. Each candy is individually wrapped in red, white and silver foil. There are about 28 pieces in a bag.
The mints had a nice peppermint smell. Each piece had three layers:
- Layer 1: White chocolate with red peppermint speckles and candy cane design
- Layer 2: Red [tasted the same as white layer]
- Layer 3: White chocolate with red peppermint speckles
The white and red layers tasted like Wilton Candy Melts. They were very sugary. The peppermint bits were more like crunchy cookie bits than peppermint candy. Also, the peppermint flavor left the AMW family commenting "it's like I used mouthwash and ate candy melts simultaneously."
I probably won't buy these again. They were not of the caliber I usually expect from Andes mints.
Monday, December 08, 2008
Cinnamon Pineapple Babka
Babka
A Jewish Classic
Dough
3/4 cup lukewarm milk
2 Tbsp yeast
1 cup all purpose flour
4 eggs
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup white sugar
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon mace (Megan's note: I didn't have any mace, so I left it out)
4 cups all purpose flour
In mixer bowl, mix milk, yeast and 1 cup flour; cover with plastic wrap and let stand 30 minutes, until spongy. Slowly beat in remaining ingredients. Beat on low speed for 2 minutes. Dough will be soft. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest 45 minutes before making up.
Babka:
1/2 recipe Babka dough
Cinnamon sugar, see Index
Streusel, see Index
Vegetable oil
Simple syrup, see Index
Roll out dough on floured surfaces to 8x16 inch rectangle. Brush with oil. Sprinkle all over with cinnamon sugar; press sugar into dough. Roll up and seal edges. Stretch out to about 20 inches, fold in half and twist twice. Place in a greased 9 1/4x5 1/4 inch bread pan and press down. Brush top with vegetable oil, sprinkle with streusel, cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven 30 to 35 minutes, or until golden brown and hollow sounding when tapped. Cool on wire rack.
Megan's note: I skipped the streusel, syrup and cinnamon sugar. Instead, I used the topping from the Pecan Vienna Dream Coffee Cake and added 2 1/2 cups frozen pineapple I'd shredded in a blender:
Credit for babka: Gottlieb's Bakery: 100 Years of Recipes,Compiled and Tested by Sarah Gaede with Irving and Isser Gottlieb, page 106, Copyright 1983
Credit for topping: The Best of Mayberry Cookbook,copyright 1996, by Betty Conley Lyerly, page 60
A Jewish Classic
Dough
3/4 cup lukewarm milk
2 Tbsp yeast
1 cup all purpose flour
4 eggs
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup white sugar
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon mace (Megan's note: I didn't have any mace, so I left it out)
4 cups all purpose flour
In mixer bowl, mix milk, yeast and 1 cup flour; cover with plastic wrap and let stand 30 minutes, until spongy. Slowly beat in remaining ingredients. Beat on low speed for 2 minutes. Dough will be soft. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest 45 minutes before making up.
Babka:
1/2 recipe Babka dough
Cinnamon sugar, see Index
Streusel, see Index
Vegetable oil
Simple syrup, see Index
Roll out dough on floured surfaces to 8x16 inch rectangle. Brush with oil. Sprinkle all over with cinnamon sugar; press sugar into dough. Roll up and seal edges. Stretch out to about 20 inches, fold in half and twist twice. Place in a greased 9 1/4x5 1/4 inch bread pan and press down. Brush top with vegetable oil, sprinkle with streusel, cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven 30 to 35 minutes, or until golden brown and hollow sounding when tapped. Cool on wire rack.
Megan's note: I skipped the streusel, syrup and cinnamon sugar. Instead, I used the topping from the Pecan Vienna Dream Coffee Cake and added 2 1/2 cups frozen pineapple I'd shredded in a blender:
Pecan Vienna Dream Coffee Cake
Topping:
1 cup flour, shifted
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
4 teaspoons cinnamon, ground
1/2 cup butter or margarine
2 cups pecans chopped (Megan's note: I used 2 cups Blue Diamond cinnamon brown sugar almonds)
Combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, and butter or margarine; blend until mixture is crumbly. Add pecans, mix well.
Credit for babka: Gottlieb's Bakery: 100 Years of Recipes,Compiled and Tested by Sarah Gaede with Irving and Isser Gottlieb, page 106, Copyright 1983
Credit for topping: The Best of Mayberry Cookbook,copyright 1996, by Betty Conley Lyerly, page 60
Pecan Vienna Dream Coffee Cake
This is a very simple, delicious recipe you should try. I keep a batch of the topping in my freezer to toss into various recipes. Enjoy!
Pecan Vienna Dream Coffee Cake
Great for freezing!
Topping:
1 cup flour, shifted
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
4 teaspoons cinnamon, ground
1/2 cup butter or margarine
2 cups pecans chopped (Megan's note: I used 2 cups Blue Diamond cinnamon brown sugar almonds)
Combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, and butter or margarine; blend until mixture is crumbly. Add pecans, mix well.
Cake:
4 cups flour, sifted
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter or margarine
1 3/4 cups white sugar
3 eggs
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla or lemon extract
Preheat oven. Stir together flour, baking powder, and salt. Cream butter or margarine and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat until light and creamy after each addition. Add dry ingredients alternately with milk and flavoring, blending well after each addition. Divide batter equally between three greased 9-inch round cake pans. Cover each evenly with an equal amount of topping. Bake until done and browned.
Temperature: 350 degrees.
Baking time: 35 minutes.
Yield: 3 (9 inch)coffee cakes
Source: The Best of Mayberry Cookbook,copyright 1996, by Betty Conley Lyerly, page 60
Pecan Vienna Dream Coffee Cake
Great for freezing!
Topping:
1 cup flour, shifted
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
4 teaspoons cinnamon, ground
1/2 cup butter or margarine
2 cups pecans chopped (Megan's note: I used 2 cups Blue Diamond cinnamon brown sugar almonds)
Combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, and butter or margarine; blend until mixture is crumbly. Add pecans, mix well.
Cake:
4 cups flour, sifted
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter or margarine
1 3/4 cups white sugar
3 eggs
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla or lemon extract
Preheat oven. Stir together flour, baking powder, and salt. Cream butter or margarine and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat until light and creamy after each addition. Add dry ingredients alternately with milk and flavoring, blending well after each addition. Divide batter equally between three greased 9-inch round cake pans. Cover each evenly with an equal amount of topping. Bake until done and browned.
Temperature: 350 degrees.
Baking time: 35 minutes.
Yield: 3 (9 inch)coffee cakes
Source: The Best of Mayberry Cookbook,copyright 1996, by Betty Conley Lyerly, page 60
Kraft Live Active Blueberry Almond Bars
Thank you to my mom for this review of Kraft's Live Active Blueberry Almond Bars:
I loved these bars ! A lot of times when a granola bar has "frosting" on it,it makes the granola bar too sweet ! This one has the perfect amount of sweetness coming from the frosting to compliment the granola part of the bar !! I would definitely buy these bars and I am no fan of granola bars with any kind of glaze or frosting on them !!
Sunday, December 07, 2008
The latest trend: tooth friendly foods
Source: The latest lure: Joy for your teeth, Laura Capitano, Florida Times Union, 12/07/2008
