Apple-Pecan-Pie-Cronuts-with-Apple-Cider-Caramel-Drizzle
Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Follow this croissants dough recipe through step 7.
  2. Roll the dough out to about 1/3-inch thickness. Using a 3-inch cutter, cut as many rounds as you can, then roll out remaining dough and cut as much as you can, I got 8 cronuts. Place the cronuts on a floured baking sheet.
  3. Cover with large towel and place in a warm place in your kitchen. Allow doughnuts to sit for one hour.
  4. Or if using canned crescent dough, open the cans of dough and divide into sets of two triangles. Press the 2 triangles together to seal and form a rectangle, repeat with remaining triangles. Stack 2 rectangles on top of one another, press them together, and then fold widthwise. Press down. Repeat with remaining dough. Using a 3-inch cutter, cut as many rounds as you can, then roll out remaining dough and cut as much as you can, I got 8 cronuts. Place the cronuts on a floured baking sheet. Cover with large towel and place in a warm place in your kitchen. Allow doughnuts to sit for one hour.
  5. While the doughnuts rest make the caramel.
  6. Make the frosting,
  7. Make the apple pecan pie topping.
  8. Heat a pot of oil to 375 degrees. Fry the cronuts in the oil for about 30 seconds on each side, until golden brown.
  9. Place on a baking sheet lined with paper towels and allow to cool before frosting.
  10. Once cool, spread on to each cronut a good dollop of the frosting and then top with the apple and pecan pie topping. Drizzle with the apple cider caramel sauce.
  11. Eat! Like IMMEDIATELY! These are best the very same day they are made, but we still enjoyed ours for a couple of days afterwards. Especially heated up in the microwave.

Apple Cider Caramel

Ingredients

  • 2 cups apple cider
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1 cup dark brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup cream
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

  1. Add the apple cider to a medium sauce pot and bring to a boil, boil for about 15 to 20 minutes or until the cider has reduced to about 1/3 cup and is thick and syrupy.
  2. Reduce the heat and add the brown sugar, butter, cream and cinnamon.
  3. Bring back to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for about 5 to 10 minutes or until the the caramel is thicken and dark in color.
  4. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
  5. Set aside to cool and thicken more.

Cronut Frosting

Ingredients

  • 1 stick butter, softened to room temperature
  • 2 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 1 2/3 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider caramel sauce
  • 1 tablespoon milk

Preparation

  1. in the bowl of a stand mixer beat together the butter and cream cheese until smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
  2. Add powdered sugar and caramel sauce and beat until smooth and combined.
  3. Beat in the milk.
  4. Set aside in a cool area.

Apple Pecan Pie Topping

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 1/2 cups honeycrips or pink lady apples, cored and chopped
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

  1. Heat a medium size skillet over medium heat, add the butter.
  2. Add the apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt, cook, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes.
  3. Add the pecans and cook another 5 minutes or until the pecans are toasted and the apples are caramelized.
  4. During the last minute add the vanilla and cook another minute.
  5. Remove from heat and set aside, but keep just slightly warm.

Brown Sugar-Pecan Coffee Cake
Start your morning with this delicious coffee cake and you’ll be ready to tackle the day. A brown sugar crumb mixture forms the crust, and cinnamon-sugar pecans add a crunchy topping.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup butter, cubed
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 cup chopped pecans

Preparation

  1. Stir together flour and brown sugar in a large bowl. Cut 3/4 cup butter into flour mixture with a pastry blender or 2 forks until crumbly. Press 2 3/4 cups crumb mixture evenly on the bottom of a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch pan.
  2. Stir together sour cream, egg, and baking soda; add to remaining crumb mixture, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Stir together granulated sugar and cinnamon. Pour sour cream mixture over crumb crust in pan; sprinkle evenly with cinnamon mixture and pecans.
  3. Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean.

Hummingbird Pancakes
This showstopping stack has the same flavor profile as the original Hummingbird Cake recipe, and the cream cheese frosting is transformed into a lip-smacking Cream Cheese Anglaise to drizzle on top.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
  • 1 cup mashed very ripe bananas
  • 1/2 cup drained, canned crushed pineapple in juice
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 3 tablespoons canola oil
  • 1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans
  • Cream Cheese Anglaise
  • Garnishes: sliced bananas, chopped fresh pineapple

Preparation

  1. Stir together first 4 ingredients in a large bowl.
  2. Whisk together buttermilk and next 5 ingredients in another bowl.
  3. Gradually stir buttermilk mixture into flour mixture just until dry ingredients are moistened. Fold in toasted pecans.
  4. Pour about 1/4 cup batter for each pancake onto a hot buttered griddle or large nonstick skillet.
  5. Cook 3 to 4 minutes or until tops are covered with bubbles and edges look dry and cooked.
  6. Turn and cook 3 to 4 minutes or until done.
  7. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet, and keep warm in a 200° oven up to 30 minutes.
  8. Serve with Cream Cheese Anglaise.

Notes

  1. When using a griddle, heat it to 350°.
  2. For tender pancakes, don’t overmix the batter; it should be lumpy.

Hummingbird Pancakes
Make any morning a special occasion with Cream Cheese Anglaise on the table. Serve this decadent sauce over Hummingbird Pancakes.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups half-and-half
  • 1/2 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

  1. Process half-and-half, cream cheese, sugar, egg yolks, cornstarch, and salt in a blender until smooth.
  2. Bring mixture to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly. Boil, whisking constantly, 1 minute.
  3. Remove from heat, and whisk in butter and vanilla.
  4. Serve immediately.

 Delectable Granola RecipeA great make-ahead recipe! Be sure to remove from the cookie sheets within 20 minutes after baking to prevent sticking.

Ingredients

  •  8 cups old-fashioned oats
  • 1 cup finely chopped almonds
  • 1 cup finely chopped pecans
  • 1/2 cup flaked coconut
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup canola oil
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • Plain yogurt, optional

Preparation

  1. In a large bowl, combine the oats, almonds, pecans and coconut.
  2. In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar, oil, honey, maple syrup, cinnamon and salt. Heat for 3-4 minutes over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla. Pour over the oat mixture; stir to coat.
  3. Transfer to two 15-inch x 10-inch x 1-innch baking pans coated with cooking spray.
  4. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until crisp, stirring every 10 minutes.
  5. Cool in pans on wire racks. Store in an airtight container.
  6. Serve with yogurt if desired.

Yield: 11 cups.

 


Butter-Pecan-Granola
Butter-Pecan Granola is the perfect topping for yogurt and fruit, and even better on its own as a snack. This recipe makes enough so you can share with friends.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup butter, melted
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 3 cups uncooked regular oats
  • 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped pecans
  • 1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
  • 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
  • 1 8-ounce package chopped dates

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 325°. Stir together melted butter, honey, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt in a large bowl. Add oats, pecans, wheat germ, and sesame seeds, and stir until mixture is evenly coated.
  2. Spread oat mixture on a lightly greased 15- x 10-inch jelly-roll pan.
  3. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until toasted, stirring every 10 minutes. Spread granola onto wax paper, and cool completely (about 30 minutes).
  4. Stir in chopped dates. Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days, or freeze up to 6 months.