Cinnamon Rolls with Blood Orange & Cream Cheese Frosting

May 24, 2020

Well the one thing I have accomplished during this lockdown is to break my yeasted recipes fear. Currently i’m three for three and loving it.

Yield/Serving: 8-9
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 20 min.
Inactive Time: 12 hours or overnight
Difficulty level is: Medium

Ingredients
Cinnamon Rolls
⦁ 1/2 cup 2% milk
⦁ 1/2 cup cup golden brown sugar
⦁ 2 -1/4 tsp active dry yeat (1 packet)
⦁ 7 tbsp, unsalted butter, melted
⦁ 1 egg
⦁ 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling
⦁ 1/4 sea salt
⦁ 2 tsp ground cinnamon
⦁ 1 tsp ground nutmeg
⦁ 1/2 tsp ground cloves
Blood Orange & Cream Cheese Frosting
⦁ 1/8 cups cream cheese, softened
⦁ 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
⦁ 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
⦁ 1 tbsp 2% milk, or more if needed

Assembly
Cinnamon Rolls
1. In a small saucepan heat milk until it is lukewarm.
2. In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment pour milk in along with 1/3 cup golden brown sugar along with the yeast and stir until sugar has dissolved and then set aside.
3. After 5-8 minutes the yeast should start foaming.
4. Using the same saucepan melt 4 tbsp of the butter and pour into the mixer along with the egg and combine.
5. Add flour slowly and mix for four minutes and the dough will be soft.
6. Flour a pastry board or work surface and knead dough for two minutes until it comes together.
7. Place dough in a bowl and cover with cling wrap and let rise for 2 hours.
8. After 2 hours roll out the dough on a floured surface into a 10″ by 8″ rectangle.
9. Using the small saucepan melt the remaining 3 tbsp of butter and brush over the dough.
10. In a small prep bowl combine the remaining 1/4 cup golden brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves and sprinkle over the dough.
11. Roll dough lengthwise and trim of the ends.
12. Slice with a pasty cutter or knife into 8 or 9 equal pieces and pinch the ends so the rolls don’t unroll.
13. Line a 9″ cake pan with aprchment paper and place rolls inside.
14. Cover thightly with cling wrap and elastic bands around the pan to ensure no air gets in.
15. Refrigerate for 12 hours or overnight.
16. In the morning remove pan from fridge and let rise again for another 2 hours. The rolls at this point will have risen again and are ready to bake.
17. Preheat oven to 350°F and bake for 35-40 minutes or until rolls are golden brown.
18. While the cinnamon rolls are baking prepare the frosting.
Blood Orange & Cream Cheese Frosting
1. In a bowl combine cream cheese, butter, confectioner’s sugar and grate in the blood orange zest until it is smooth and set aside.
2. Once cinnamon rolls have cooled down slightly 5 minutes, spread cream cheese frosting overtop and serve.

Please Enjoy

My thoughts
Another yeasted recipes results in a very happy C.C. i’m not sure when this streak will end but for right now I am doing a happy dance at these results. Light and fluffy cinnamon rolls with a sligthly tangy cream cheese and citrus frosting to cut the sweet.

Grapefruit Tart

Aug 8, 2018

Grapefruit Tart – Candy Coated Culinista

Yield/Serving: 9” tart
Prep Time: 5 min.
Cook Time: 15 min.
Difficulty level is: Easy

Ingredients
Tart Shell
• 1 large egg, separated
• 1 tbsp milk
• 1 ¼ cup plus 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 4 tsp granulated sugar
• 1/8 tsp sea salt
• 1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
Grapefruit Curd
• 9 large egg
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 3 pink grapefruits, zested & juiced
• 2 sticks of butter, cut into pats, cold

Assembly
Curd
1. Using a medium saucepan pour an inch of water to the pot and let simmer on medium-high heat.
2. Using a metal bowl combine egg yolks and sugar and whisk until smooth, about a minute. (Metal bowl should be able to fit into the pot without touching the water in the saucepan leaving a gap between the water and the bowl.)
3. Add lime juice and zest to mixture.
4. Once pot has reached a simmer reduce to low heat and place bowl over saucepan.
5. Whisk mixture until thickened, about 8 minutes or when mixture coats the back of a spoon and is a light yellow colour.
6. Remove from saucepan and stir in butter pats one at a time allowing each pat to melt before adding the next.
7. Pour into a container and place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the curd.
Crust
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a food processor or electric mixer combine flour, sugar and salt until mixed.
3. Add in butter and egg yolk and combine until crumbs start to clump together resembling peas.
4. Pour mixture into a tart pan with a removable bottom.
5. Press mixture down and up the sides of the tart pan with your fingertips.
6. Bake crust for about 35 minutes or until golden brown and let cool.
Tart
1. Pour lime curd over tart and bake until curd jiggles about 25 minutes and let cool.
2. Refrigerate for at least an hour or overnight to let the curd set.

Tips
• Half the curd recipe if desired or use curd for topping ice cream, berries & fruits, pancakes or parfaits.

Please Enjoy

My thoughts
My tarts are getting more and more rustic and I don’t know why; my tart crust isn’t like it used to be in the first tarts I ever made. I will dissect the tart shell and bake time and see if I can get my tarts back to what I remembered. Otherwise the tart was tart and burst of grapefruit in every bite. I enjoyed the pieces of grapefruit in the curd.

T is for … Tangerine Crème Brulee

Feb 11, 2018

T is for … Tangerine Crème Brulee – Candy Coated Culinista

Nothing beats the cracking sound you hear when you break into a perfectly coated crème brulee. It’s like breaking into a present for me and my eyes light up. This is decadent, creamy and rich with a hint of tangerine … it’s simply divine.

Yield/Serving: 4
Prep Time: 30 min.
Cook Time: 25-30 min.
Difficulty level is: Medium

Ingredients
• 2 ½ cups heavy cream
• Tangerine zest, from 6 tangerines
• 3 eggs
• 5 egg yolks
• ¾ cups golden brown sugar, packed
• ½ cup freshly squeezed tangerine juice
• ½ tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Tangerine segments, for decorating

Assembly
1. Pre-heat oven to 350°F.
1. Place ramekins in a roasting pan and create a “bain-marie” of hot water filling the pan three-quarters up the sides of the ramekins. (A bain-marie is a fancy French term for a container filled with hot water that is used through the cooking process to ensure that the custard doesn’t scorch or boil. It’s an insulator for the custards.)
2. Now remove the ramekins from the water and place pan in oven.
3. Over medium-high heat, combine cream and tangerine zest in a sauce pan. Warm until the cream is scalding, stirring occasionally.
4. Using a medium-sized bowl, whisk eggs and egg yolks together.
5. Stir in a half cup of the brown sugar and the tangerine juice.
6. Pour the egg mixture into the cream stirring constantly.
7. Add in the salt along with the vanilla extract.
8. Using a fine-meshed sieve. Strain the custard into a clean bowl.
9. Pour the custard mixture evenly into the ramekins, about three-quarters full.
10. Place the ramekins into the hot water bath and bake for twenty-five to thirty minutes, or until they are just set.
11. Once cooked, remove custards from the bain marie and let cool for twenty minutes, then refrigerate covered with saran wrap until chilled through. (cover to prevent the custard from absorbing any other scents from inside the fridge)
12. Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup sugar evenly onto the tops of the custards.
13. Torch the custards until sugar caramelizes.
14. Place a tangerine segment on top and sprinkle a little more sugar and torch if desired.

Tips
• Make sure there is enough room between racks in the oven or remove the top rack if needed. I had them too close and it made it quite difficult to add in a heavy pan full of water that I couldn’t shake too much as I put it into the oven.
• It’s better to under cook than to overcook the crème brulees.
• Use a thermometer to ensure the cream reaches the correct temperature. Be careful once the mixture hits around 150°F it climbs fast and you can pass the simmering stage.
• Do not waste the egg whites. Mr. C. asked for an egg white scramble with diced green onion and green pepper with salt and ground black pepper. Or use it in another recipe that calls for egg whites. So this recipe calls for a little pre planning with two recipes on hand, or like me just make scrambled eggs.
• If you have a kitchen butane torch, it will make burning the top much easier. Alternatively set the oven to broil to brulee the tops until the sugar has caramelized..
• This is also a two day task as after you have baked the crème part of this recipe; let the crème set in the fridge overnight for best result. You can brulee and serve the same night if you give yourself enough time. This makes a good recipe to make in advance as all you need to do is add your sugar and brulee the tops when you are ready.
• Custard will keep for 5 days in the refrigerator un-bruleed.

Please Enjoy

My thoughts
I love love love a good crème brulee. I have had enough poor and odd flavoured crème brulee’s to know when one tastes amazing and this one is a keeper.

Cranberry Orange Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Feb 7, 2018

Cranberry Orange Cake with Citrus Cream Cheese Frosting – Candy Coated Culinista

I just love cranberries, so much so I purchase enough cranberries in the winter season to last me all year until the winter season comes by again. They will go in my daily smoothies and in cakes through of the year. I’m just drawn to these sweet & tart fruits and they get me every time. I found this recipe when I found Live for Cake on IG and since she is a fellow Canadian blogger I wanted to give this recipe a try.

Yield/Serving: 10, makes 4- 6” cakes
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
Difficulty level is: Medium

From Liv for Cake blog

Ingredients
Cranberry Orange Cake
• 2 ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ¾ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 tbsp tangelo & clementine zest
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ¾ cup coconut milk, room temperature
• ½ cup tangelo & clementine juice, fresh squeezed
• 1 cup fresh cranberries, coated in 1 tsp of flour
Cream Cheese Buttercream
• 1 ½ cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 tbsp tangelo zest
• 8 0z (150g) cream cheese, softened
• 3 ½ cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
Decorations
• Fresh cranberries
• Orange slices, if desired
• Thyme sprigs, if desired

Assembly
Cranberry Orange Cake
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Spray four 6” round pans with non-stick cooking spray and then place parchment paper at the bottom.
3. In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.
4. Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream butter and zests until smooth.
5. Add sugar and beat on medium-high until mixture is pale and fluffy, approx. 3 min.
6. Reduce speed to low and alternate flour mixture with orange juice & coconut milk mixture beginning and ending with flour; fully incorporating each addition.
7. Coat cranberries in flour and gently fold into batter.
8. Spread batter evenly into the four tins, smooth the tops and slam on the counter to release any air bubbles.
9. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a cake tester inserted comes out mostly clean.
10. Place cakes on a wire rack to cool for ten minutes and then turn out to cool completely.
Cream Cheese Buttercream
1. Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream butter and zests until smooth.
2. Add cream cheese and beat until smooth and combined.
3. Slowly add confectioners’ sugar and vanilla extract; beat on medium-high for 5 minutes and then reduce to low speed and beat for 2 minutes.

Assembly
1. Place one layer of cake on a cake stand or serving plate.
2. Apply the crumb coat and let set in fridge for at least 30 minutes.
3. Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting.
4. Using a large offset spatula make a pattern swirling on the sides and top.
5. Add a crown of cranberries. Add orange slices and thyme sprigs if desired.

Tips
• Swap coconut milk for dairy milk
• Use any type of citrus if desired. Use the same type of juice if you change citrus fruits.
• Use fresh or frozen cranberries. Fresh preferred though.
• Add orange slices when you are serving it immediately. If the cake is being given away like mine was. Wait until you are going to delivery it.

Please Enjoy

My thoughts
Now I have never been a fan of cheese and pastries. If I make a carrot cake you better believe there is not cream cheese frosting. A cheese Danish I turn my nose up at and borderline gag and cheesecake is barely tolerable for me. With all this I really wanted to try a cream cheese frosting and the only cream cheese frosting I consumed without making weird face was a citrus cream cheese frosting many years back. My only alterations to the original recipe was cutting back on the sugar and using two types or citrus zest and coconut milk. The result were fantastic and for once I decided to make myself a baby cake to keep for myself in the house for Super Bowl Sunday. I gave the 3 layer cake away and kept my single layer to serve after all those wings and sausage rolls, fries and veggies. Sounds like an odd time to serve this cake; but you know what no one-minded one bit. The texture was great and I think if I have a cream cheese citrus frosting, light on the cream cheese I may be able to enjoy this from time to time and the decorations turned out quite nice.

Cranberry Orange Cake with Citrus Cream Cheese Frosting – Candy Coated Culinista

Cranberry Orange Cake with Citrus Cream Cheese Frosting – Candy Coated Culinista

Citrus Cake

Sep 17, 2017

Citrus Cake – Candy Coated Culinista

A bright and fresh citrus cake with a tangy, zesty cream cheese frosting, decorated with candied citrus.

Yield/Serving: 6
Prep Time: 10 min.
Cook Time: 20 – 30 min.
Difficulty level is: Medium

From: Bake from Scratch

Ingredients
Cake
• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ½ tsp lime zest
• ½ tsp orange zest
• 2 large eggs
• 1 ½ cake flour
• ½ tbsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• ½ cup 2% milk
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ almond extract
Candied Oranges and Limes
• ½ navel orange
• 1 lime
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup water
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• Bay leaf (optional)
Citrus Frosting
• 1 package of cream cheese
• 1 tsp lime zest
• 1 tsp orange zest
• 455 grams of confectioners’ sugar
• 4 tbsp heavy whipping cream
• ½ tsp vanilla extract

Assembly
Cake
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Spray pans with non-stick spray.
3. Using a stand mixture using the paddle attachment beat butter and sugar at medium speed until fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Scraping the sides at needed.
4. Beat in the zest and add in the eggs one at a time until well incorporated.
5. Using a large bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, ginger.
6. Gradually add the flour to the butter mixture alternating flour, milk flour ensuring to end with flour.
7. Add in the extracts and divide batter in-between prepared pans. (smooth tops if necessary)
8. Bake until a cake tester inserted comes out clean, about 20 to 30 minutes.
9. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes and then remove from pans and let cool on a cooling rack.
10. Once cooled, using a serrated knife and cut each layer in half horizontally.
11. Spread frosting between layers and on top of the cake.
12. Garnish with candied limes and oranges and serve.
Candied Oranges & Lemons
1. Line a baking sheet with wax paper and set aside.
2. Cut oranges and limes into ¼” slices and remove seeds if necessary.
3. In a medium sized saucepan, heat sugar, water and lemon juice until dissolved.
4. Add slices and let simmer ensuring to keep slices in a single layer.
5. Cook for 14 to 16 minutes turning occasionally until slightly translucent.
6. Remove from pan and place on wax paper and let cool for a least an hour and hardened.
7. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.
8. Sprinkle with extra sugar before decorating.
9. Reserve sugar mixture for another use is desired.
Citrus Frosting
1. Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and zest at medium speed until creamy, 3 to 4 minutes.
2. Gradually add confectioners’ sugar and beat in cream until frosting is spreadable consistency.
3. Beat in vanilla.

Tips
• I halved the recipe and it turned out great. This recipe can be batched down with ease.
• Use whatever citrus zest you want. I used lime instead of lemon.

Please Enjoy

My thoughts
I batched down this recipe and it also called for lemons; but I used limes instead. It was a heavy rainy day last week when I made it and my candied limes and oranges would just not firm up. I even tried putting it in the oven hoping to crystalize the citrus; but it didn’t work. I thought for a moment to bring out the hair dryer; but that’s just ridiculous; it was just a bad day to do sugar work and possibly make a whipped cream cheese frosting also. With this recipe and the lack of whipping cream I have no idea how this recipe would achieve fluffy whipped frosting with 4 tablespoons of whipping cream and a [package of cream cheese. I even added more whipping cream after to see and it still wouldn’t happen. The picture shows a whipped frosting and yet the instruction says spreadable which is quite perplexing to me. After I finished the cake I looked up some whipped cream cheese frosting recipes and it called for 1 cup plus of whipping cream; so I’m unsure how a whipped frosting can be made with the recipe given. The cake still looked great and I decided to make a rectangle shaped cake. The layers were perfect and I fell confident in my naked cake skills for the most part now, except for that “whipped” frosting. I actually took a third of the cake for once and I found the frosting sweet even for my palette. This was still a wonderful cake and I am loving the unconventional shaped cake. The other reviews were it was great and also a touch to sweet. Next time I will cut back the sugar even more as this is a good batch down recipe.

Citrus Cake – Candy Coated Culinista

Citrus Cake – Candy Coated Culinista

Tilapia Stuffed Avocado Mock Ceviche

Apr 6, 2016

Tilapia Stuffed Avocado Mock Ceviche – Candy Coated Culinista

This is a recipe I made on Good Friday as this is a fish eating day for me. I wanted to make a classy dish that could also make for brunch or lunch and I think this recipe fits the bill.

Yield/Serving: 2
Prep Time: 1o min.
Cook Time: 15 min.
Difficulty level is: Easy

Ingredients
Tilapia
• 2 tilapia fillets
• Season salt
• Black pepper
• Dried basil
• Curry powder, pinch
• Cayenne Pepper, pinch
• Smoke paprika, pinch
Ceviche
• 2 large avocados
• Parsley leaves, minced
• Yellow pepper, diced
• Red onion, diced
• Celery, diced
• 1 lime, freshly squeezed

Assembly
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Season tilapia with season salt, black pepper, basil, curry powder, cayenne powder and smoke paprika.
3. Place on a baking pan and bake for 15 minutes.
4. Cut the avocado in half, remove the pit and set aside.
5. In a medium sized bowl add the diced and minced parsley, yellow pepper, red onion, celery and squeeze lime overtop and mix.
6. Set aside.
7. When the fish is cooked, break apart one of the fish and add to the ceviche and mix.
8. Scoop mock ceviche mixture into the centre of the avocado.
9. Cut the second piece of tilapia down the spine and plate a portion for both plates.
10. Serve

Please Enjoy

My thoughts
I am a big fan of this recipe. I could probably be a true ceviche recipe; but the only food I have ventured into raw is sushi so far and ceviche and tartare’s just haven’t made it in my list yet. This recipe is light and very flavourful as the tilapia can hold up to the spices on the fish and the burst of citrus with the crunchy vegetables is a hit I my books.