Fall Harvest

Happy Monday!  Fall is officially here, but in the off chance you're enjoying an extended Indian Summer, I put together a fall harvest inspiration board, perfect for warmer fall weather.  Love the warmth of early fall colors, and the natural textures from burlap to jute to hay and linen.  Here's to Fall!

{photo credits: Top Row: Bouquet, Chairs; Acorn Place Setting, Pumpkin Centerpiece; Boutonnieres, Couple}



Tasty Thursday: Fall Desserts

Nothing screams fall like pumpkin donuts.  Top that with nutella and you wont be able to hold on to these long enough.  I love breaking out the donut baking pan this time of year, and let's face it if you're going to stuff your face with donuts at least the baked kind are healthier than their fried (but delicious) counterpart.  Happy Thursday!

INGREDIENTS:

1/3 cup milk

2 Tablespoons butter

1 Tbsp. active dry yeast

2 Tablespoons granulated white sugar

1 large egg

1/2 cup pure pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)

1 heaping tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

For Frying:  4 cups vegetable or canola oil (enough for a 2 qt. saucepan)

Simple Glaze:

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

2 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

Optional Topping:  Nutella

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place the butter and milk into a small bowl and microwave for 30 seconds until warmed through and butter starts to melt. Whisk for about 30 seconds. If the butter melts into the milk, it's warm enough. If it doesn't, microwave for another 10-15 seconds until it does.
2. Sprinkle the yeast over the warm milk. Sprinkle the sugar over the yeast. If the sugar and yeast don't fall under the surface, swirl gently until they are submerged in the milk/butter mixture. Let sit until foamy. 
3. Add the flour, pumpkin pie spice, and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer.
4. Add the yeasty liquid, the pumpkin puree, and the egg into the dry ingredients and mix with the bread hook attachment. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the edges as needed.
5. Once a dough ball has formed in the center of the bowl on the bread hook, continue to knead on the hook for 5 more minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest in a warm place until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
6. Once risen, punch down the dough and roll out to about 1 inch on a well floured surface.
7. Use a donut cutter (or simply large and small round cookie cutters, like I did) to cut out donuts. Cover loosely with a cloth and let rise while heating the oil for frying.
8. Heat oil in a 2 quart (or medium) saucepan over medium heat for about 10 minute. Test the oil by sprinkling a few water droplets into the pan. If the oil bubbles a little, it's ready. If it boils a LOT and starts splattering, take it off the heat for 2-3 minutes, lower the heat a notch or two, and then put it back on for frying.
9. Prepare a stack of paper towels. This is for absorbing some excess oil from the fried biscuits. I usually set my stack of towels on a wire cooling rack.
10. Place the donuts, one at a time, into the hot oil. Let it fry for 1-2 minutes on each side until golden brown.
11. Let it sit on the paper towels for a minute to absorb some of the excess oil and cool before glazing and/or frosting.
12. For glazing:  Whisk together the confectioners sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Add more milk (by the teaspoon) if you want the glaze to be thinner. Dunk the donut in the glaze (both sides), and place on a wire rack (with paper towels underneath to catch the drip) to let set.

Tasty Thrusdays: Fall Desserts

As the weather cools, I can only think of one thing warm fall desserts.  This pumpkin cream cheese loaf looks amazingly delicious and perfect for a chilly fall weekend.

INGREDIENTS:

For the Cheese Batter:

8 oz cream cheese, room temperature

1 large egg, room temperature, lightly beaten

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the Pumpkin Spice Batter:

3/4 cup brown sugar, lightly packed

2 large eggs

3/4 cup pumpkin puree

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ginger

1/8 teaspoon cloves

DIRECTIONS:

For the Cheese Batter:  Use a handheld electric mixer to beat together all ingredients until smooth and creamy.

For the Pumpkin Spice Batter: 

1. Preheat oven to 350F; lightly grease 3 mini loaf pans with butter.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the brown sugar and eggs until light and fluffy, then stir in the pumpkin, canola oil, and vanilla. 

3. In a separate bowl, whisk or sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves.  Gradually stir the dry ingredients into the wet, being careful not to over-mix. 

4. Divide the pumpkin batter between the 3 loaf pans, then pour the cheese batter on top.

5. Bake until golden around the edges, about 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted inside comes out clean or with just a couple crumbs.  Cool 10 minutes in the pans, then remove from the pans and transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Tasty Thursdays: Fall Desserts

 The best part of going to Great America or any amusement park, in my oponion, are the funnel cakes.  Combine that with one of my favorite fall foods, pumpkin and you've got the basics of a great dish.  How delicious do these bite sized pumpkin funnel cakes look!

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 eggs
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 cups milk
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
• 3 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• vegetable oil, for frying
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon

DIRECTIONS:

1. Beat eggs, sugar and vanilla together and then add the milk slowly–beat. Add the canned pumpkin, continue to beat until ingredients are well blended.
2. Add the dry ingredients and beat until smooth and creamy.
3. Pour batter into a squeeze bottle or funnel
4. When the oil becomes hot, squeeze the batter into the shape you want your mini cakes to be
5. Move the funnel around to make designs – if you are super creative you can write things, make special designs, etc.
6. Brown on both sides…which for minis took about 30 seconds on each side. Remove from hot oil and drain on a dry paper towel.
7. In a small bowl combine powdered sugar and cinnamon. Using a sifter, sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture over the funnel cake crispies.

Tasty Thursdays: Pumpkin Spice Latte Cupcakes

Yum, Yum, and Yum.  I can not wait to make these Pumpkin Spice Latte cupcakes, they look delicious!

{via}

Pumpkin Spice Latte Cupcakes
Yield: about 2 dozen cupcakes
Ingredients:
For the cupcakes:
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
3 tbsp. espresso powder
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. grated nutmeg
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. salt
1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin puree
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup canola or vegetable oil
4 large eggs
½ cup coffee or espresso, for brushing

For the whipped cream:
2¼ cups heavy cream, chilled
¼ cup confectioners’ sugar

For garnish:
Ground cinnamon
Caramel sauce

Directions:
To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350°F.  Line cupcake pans with paper liners.  In a medium bowl, combine the flour, espresso powder, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt.  Stir together and set aside.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, blend together the pumpkin, granulated sugar, brown sugar and oil. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  With the mixture on low speed, add the flour mixture in two additions, mixing just until incorporated.

Fill the cupcake liners about three-quarters full.  Bake until the cupcakes are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 18-20 minutes.  Transfer the pans to a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes, then remove the cupcakes from the pans.  While the cupcakes are still warm, brush them two or three times with the coffee or espresso, allowing the first coat to soak in before repeating.  Let cool completely.

To make the frosting, place the heavy cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.  Whip on medium-low speed at first, gradually increasing to high speed.  Blend in the confectioners’ sugar gradually.  Whip until stiff peaks form, being careful not to over-beat.  Use a pastry bag fitted with a decorative tip to frost the cooled cupcakes.  Sprinkle with ground cinnamon and drizzle with caramel sauce.  Store in an airtight container and refrigerate.