Speculaas (Belgian Spice Cookies)

Prettig sinterklaasfeest! Happy St. Nicholas Day! Enjoy the fest with these traditional Belgian spice cookies!

Recipe adapted from NPR

yields about 3 dozen small cookies

Ingredients

• 1 c unsalted butter, softened
• ¾ c sugar
• ¾ c brown sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 3 c all purpose flour
• ½ c almond meal*
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp ground cloves
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• ½ tsp ground allspice
• ¼ tsp salt

* almond meal or almond flour is readily available at most grocery store. To make your own, pulse about ⅔ cup sliced or slivered almonds with 1 Tbsp flour in a blender or food processor until finely ground.


Directions

• Cream together the butter and sugars until fluffy and well combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until just combined.
• In a second bowl, whisk together the flour, almond meal, baking soda, spices and salt.
• Gradually beat the flour mixture into the butter mixture until just combined. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead slightly.
• Divide dough into 2 portions. Roll into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 350 F
• On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out ¼ inch thick. Cut using cookie cutters. Arrange on a lightly greased cookie sheet, spacing the cookies at least an inch apart. Alternatively, press the dough into a cookie mold to shape.
• 10 to 15 minutes, or until cookies are browned and slightly crisp.

Coconut Brown Sugar Ale Cookies

Desserts have been few and far between as of late, haven't they?  I've had many an ice cream recipe bouncing around in my head, but not the time to concoct them.  Cookies, though... I always have everything I need on hand for cookies.

I encountered this recipe last Thursday during a Craft Beer and Bites event at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum.  Little soft sugar cookies were served to be paired with many of the brown ales and stouts provided.  They had all the best flavors of an oagtmeal raisin cookie, only without the oatmeal and raisins.  They were wonderfully soft, lightly spiced and so buttery.

Eager I whisked the recipe home, but discovered the only brown ale I had was coconut brown.  We used a bottle of our home brewed beer, though Kona Brewing Company makes a wonderful coconut brown ale: Koko Brown

cookie base recipe courtesy of the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum

yields 3 dozen

The Ingredients:
12 Tbsp unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), room temperature
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 egg yolk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup coconut brown ale
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 cup bread flour
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 flaked unsweetened coconut, coarsely chopped

The Process:
In a large bowl, combine the butter and brown sugar and mix until well combined.  Add the yolk and vanilla; beat until light and fluffy.  Add the beer and mix until combined.

In a separate bowl, mix together both flours along with the baking soda, baking powder, salt, cornstarch and cinnamon.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until just combined.

Pour the coconut into shallow bowl.  Using a heaping tablespoon of dough, form a ball and roll into the coconut, coating completely.  Place the balls on an ungreased baking sheet, spacing cookies about 2 inches apart.  Place cookies in the fridge to chill for at least 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350

Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the cookies are puffed and golden around the edges.  They will deflate slightly as they cool.  Allow to cool slightly on the baking sheet.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Snow Day Cocoa

Nothing beats a hard day of shoveling like coming in to hot cup of cocoa.

Growing up, hot cocoa had a special place in my heart.  Come fall, I would trek out to the chilly soccer fields to watch my brother kick the ball around with his team mates.  That early in the morning nothing fended off the cold quite like a cup of cocoa.  Even a cup of cocoa made from a pouch with hot water.

Mom always upped the ante.  After a cold day of shoveling or playing we would often come in to a pot of rich cocoa on the stove.  Thank you Hersey's.

This cocoa ups the ante a notch further.

Adapted from Hersey's cocoa recipe

The Ingredients:
1/3 cocoa powder
1/2 cup vanilla scented sugar*
1/3hot water
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cinnamon
dash of corriander
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups milk
1 cup heavy cream


The Process:
Combine the cocoa, sugar, salt, cinnamon and coriander in a medium saucepan.  Slowly stir in the hot water and mix until well combined.  Bring the temperature to a boil over medium high heat.

Reduce the temperature to low.  Whisk in the cream, milk, and vanilla extract  Stir until heated through.  Label into mugs and garnish with marshmallows or whipped cream, if desired.. 

*stick a pod or two of spent vanilla bean in a jar full of granulated sugar.  Add more sugar as you use it up.  The vanilla pods will keep fragrant for months

Sweet Potato Apple Casserole

For our family, Thanksgiving dinner must include sweet potatoes.  Sadly my earliest introduction to this wonderful yam was a concoction of canned sweet potatoes tossed in a casserole with brown sugar, pecans and marshmallows.  And I absolutely adored it.

It wasn't until college that I tried sweet potato in its simple. roasted form.  I was in love with the mellow sweetness of the tuber from that point on.

I may love mashed sweet potatoes more than regular mashed potatoes.  Blasphemy.  I know...

Our Thanksgiving dinner was dotted with apples throughout, and this side dish is no exception.  The blend of savory and subtle sweet paired perfectly with the apple pecan stuffing.  And because the side wasn't overly sweet, we were well prepared for the wonderful praline pumpkin pie my mom had brought up with her.

adapted from Fitness Magazine

serves 6

The Ingredients:
2 medium sweet potatoes
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground allspice
3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2-inch rings
2 Tbsp maple syrup

The Process:
Preheat the oven to 350. Place the sweet potatoes on a piece of aluminum foil and roast until tender, about 45 minutes. Let cool slightly.

Trim the ends and pull off the peels; slice into 1/2-inch rounds.

Butter a 9x9 inch baking dish with half of the butter.  In a small bowl, stir together the cinnamon, ginger and allspice. Arrange one third of the apple rings in the bottom of the casserole and layer half oft eh sweet potatoes on top.  Sprinkle with half the spice mixture and half the maple syrup. Repeat the layers, sprinkling with remaining spice and syrup.  Layer the last third of the apples on top.  Dot with the remaining butter.

 Cover and bake until the apples are tender, about 45 minutes.

Roasted Beet and Cranberry Sauce

Thanksgiving is just around the corner.  Grocery stores are pushing their turkeys and hams.  Pie filling, stuffing, spices, cranberry sauce, yams, and other assorted staples burst off of the end caps.  All around the country households are planning their traditional family dinner.  I suspect most read something like this:

Roast turkey
pan gravy
sage and onion stuffing
mashed potatoes
corn
sweet potato casserole
green bean casserole
dinner rolls
pumpkin pie

and of course, cranberry sauce

There must always be cranberry sauce.  

Ross and I have had a tift or two over the proper sauce to serve at Thanksgiving.  I like mine from scratch.  Chunky and spiked with citrus and cinnamon.  And Ross...his prefers from a can.  Homogenous.  Jellied.  And preferably in the ringed log that slides out of the can with a satisfying plop.  We usually compromise.  I make the sauce.  He gets a can of jellied goo to himself.

So knowing a can of cranberry sauce may be close I had, I don't feel so bad for serving this version up.  He'd turn his nose up at the beets anyway.

This cranberry sauce has a very subtle sweetness.  It is far more tart than many other sauces, but feel free to up the honey if you prefer yours a little sweeter.  The beets add an earthy sweetness to balance the tart berries.  The citrus cuts through a bit.  Pecans lend a wonderful toasted crunch to the texture and a dollop of creme fraiche or a sprinkling of soft goat cheese offers a wonderful smoothness that mellows and blends the other flavors.

adapted from a recipe courtesy of Driftless Organics

serves 4-5

The Ingredients:
5-7 small beets
1 Tbsp oil
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups fresh cranberries
1 orange, juice and zest
3 Tbsp honey
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup toasted pecans
1 oz soft goat cheese or creme fraiche

The Process:
Preheat the oven to 400.  Scrub the beets thoroughly.  Trim the tops and root tips away, do not peel.   Cut the beets into wedges.  Toss with oil, salt and pepper and spread in a single layer on a baking sheet.  Roast 30-40 minutes until the beets are tender and the outsides are beginning to caramelize.  Set aside to cool.

In a small saucepan, combine the cranberries, orange juice, zest, honey and cinnamon.  Stir and bring the mixture to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the berries begin to burst, 1about 10-15 minutes.  For a less chunky sauce, allow to cook about 5 minutes longer and gently mash the berries with the back of a spoon.  Add the roasted beets and stir to combine.  Transfer to a serving bowl and allow to cool slightly.

Sprinkle with pecans and cheese just prior to serving.

Curried Pumpkin Soup

 Fall!  Pumpkins!  Soup!  Curry!  These are a few of my favorite things...

Light, complex, spicy, smooth and filling.  Deceivingly filling.  You'd be surprised how little soup you need to sate an appetite after an afternoon raking leaves.  And perfect for a gathering when many hungry hands may be idling.  This soup can be made ahead, chilled and re-heated when ready to serve.  Or, transferered into a slow cooker to linger and warm for whenever pepple are ready to eat.

I prefer the slightly sweeter and smokey flavor oven roasted pumpkin lends to recipes, so I opted to replace a portion of the originally recipe's canned pumpkin with my own roasted variety.  The spices are easily modified to accommodate any palate  And the soup does play well with heat...so feel free to add more red pepper or a dash or too of hot pepper sauce to liven up the tongue a bit.

adapted from Epicurious

serves 16-18

The Ingredients:
2 medium onions, finely chopped
2 Tbsp oil
3-4  garlic cloves, mince
2-3 -inch knob of fresh ginger, peeled and minced
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground cardamom
2 tsp salt
1 small pie pumpkin (2-3 lbs)
1 - 15 oz can pumpkin puree
6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 - 15oz can  coconut milk

The Process:
Preheat the oven to 450.  Slice the pumpkin, scoop out the seeds and place cut side down on an oiled baking sheet.  Bake for 45-60 minutes,or until soft and beginning to carmelize, flipping cut side up halfway through.  Remove from oven and set aside until cool enough to handle.

Scoop out the softened pumpkin flesh.  Mash slightly for a smoother soup, or leave as scooped for more texture.  

Meanwhile, heat a large heavy bottomed saucepan over medium high heat, and sautee the onions until soft, about 3-5 minutes.  Add the ginger and garlic, sautee 1 minute longer.  Stir in the cumin, coriander, cardamom and cinnamon, mixing until the onions are well coated*.

Add the pepper flakes, salt, canned pumpkin, fresh pumpkin, broth, coconut milk.  Bring to a simmer and let cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.   For a smooth soup, puree in batches with  food process, or process with an immersion blender, or serve as is.  Thin with additional broth, if desired.

* in lieu of the individual spices, you can substitute 1 Tbsp of your favorite garam masala.

Sweet Potato Blondies

Cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger.  The smell of fall.  The perfume of the holidays.  These days it seems as though all one need to do to quantify any thing as a holiday treat is to add these spices in one combination or another.

You know what?  It works.

Something about that combination conjures up all the cozy, warm memories of autumns gone by.  The warmth of ginger and cinnamon certainly help me mentally prep for that first snow fall!  (We did see our first flakes already, as the East Coast braced for Sandy and Hawaii headed inland for the tsunami warning.  I'll glad take a little snow over those events any day.)

The earthy sweetness of pumpkins and sweet potatoes meld so well with these spices;  try as you might I doubt we'll ever pull away from the combination.

This bar recipe conjurse up memories of the sweet potatoes my family always made for the holidays.  I was well into college before I learned you could eat sweet potatoes other ways besides slathered in brown sugar and cinnamon and sprinkled with marshmellows, pecons and the occasional raisins.  It was truly dessert parading as a vegetable.  But it was the holidays.  These bars make no attempt to be something they are not.  Sweet, cinnamon-y and chewy.  Here sweet potatoes are allowed to be the full fledged dessert they always dreamed of being.

adapted from Susan at OurTableEats

yeilds 18-20 bars

The Ingredients:
2 large sweet potatoes
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 cup butter, melted (1 stick)
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla

Maple drizzle:
1 Tbsp maple syrup
1/3 powdered sugar 

The Process:
Wrap the sweet potatoes in foil and bake in a 350 oven for 60-75 minutes or until soft.  Or, pierce the potatoes all over and microwave on high at 3 minute intervals until soft.  Set aside until cool enough to handle.

Preheat the oven to 350.  Oil one 9x13 baking dish for thicker bars, or two 9x9 pans for thinner bars.

In a large bowl combine the flour, baking powder, bkaing soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger.  Mix unitl combined.

In a second bowl, whisk together butter, eggs, sugar and vanilla.  Remove about 2 cups of flesh from the cooked sweet potatoes and add to the egg mixture.  Whisk until smooth.

Fold the wet ingredients into the dry, stirring until just incorporated.  

 Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking pans.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the edged are lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  ALoow to cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes.  Remove from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

Meanwhile prepare the glaze by adding the syrup and powdered sugar to a zip top bag and massaging until well combined.  Once the blondies are cool, cut into bars.  Snip the corner off of the glaze bag and drizzle the glaze over the tops of the bars.

"Pumpkin Beer" Pumpkin Bread

Fall very, very quickly encroached upon this part of the world.  In a blink of an eye September...and soon now October... is over.  I'm well behind in posting here.  And for a brief while, we were also running behind on home brewing. But Life seems to have found a balance again...

Last year we brewed a pumpkin ale via an extract kit.  The recipe provided alternative directions for brewing the beer with added mashed pumpkin.  Still feeling like novices, Ross and I opted for the simpler route.

This year we upped the ante.  Two extract kits were purchased.  One we brewed as is.  The second batch had the additions of mashed pumpkin and 3 more pounds of grain (that's quite a bit to steep in our 5 gallon pot!)

So far both worts appear much the same.  The taste comparison in six weeks should be interesting.

After the wort was strained I was left with well over three cups of mashed pumpkin infused with barley notes from the boil.  Rather than see that all go to waste, I'm made quick work of it...turning the pulp into two loaves of pumpkin bread.

The title is perhaps a wee bit misleading, as no actual beer was used in the making of this recipe.  But, waste not, want not.  Perhaps the next batch of pumpkin bread will enjoy a little leavening from our very own pumpkin brew.

Any pumpkin puree would do in the recipe.

adapted from Elise's recipe at Simply Recipes

yields two loaves

The Ingredients:
3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 cup oil
1/2 cup water
4 eggs, slightly beaten
2 tsp baksing soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp salt
2 cups pumpkin puree

The Process:
Preheat the oven to 350.  Throughly grease two 9x5x3 loaf pans and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients and whisk by hand until well incorporated.  (do not worry about over mixing if you are doing this by hand...it is a lot harder to do than you'd think!)

Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in to the center of the loaf comes out clean.
Remove from oven and allow to cool at least thirty minutes before slicing.

Sweet Potato Beer Biscuits

I am on a beer cooking kick at the moment.  There are a few to blame for this.  First, the Better Beer Society for tasking us, the students, with pairing a harvest beer with a meal.  Second, the breweries for continuing to release such wonderful and inspiring harvest beers.  Third, our CSA for loading our last boxes to overflowing with sweet potatoes, squash and other amzaing fall bounty.  And fourth, the Beeroness, Jackie, for continually posting such mouth watering recipes.

A perfect storm...

adapted from Jackie at the Beeroness

yields approximately 10 biscuits

The Ingredients:
1 large sweet potato, cooked, peeled and mashed (about 3/4 cup)
2/3 cup ale (pumpkin, Oktoberfest or hefenweizen)
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp brown sugar
pinch of cinnamon
1/2 cup chilled butter (1 stick) cubed
additional butter, melted, for brushing

for the maple sage butter
3 Tbsp butter, softened
1-2 sage leaves, finely minced

1 tsp pure maple syrup.

The Process:
Preheat the oven to 425

In a medium bowl, mash the beer and sweet potato together until well combined.

In a second bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar and cinnamon.  Using a pastry cutter or your fingers add the butter, mixing and cutting until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Add the sweet potato mixture to the flour and mix until just combined.  Using well floured hands, roll the dough into a ball and turn out onto a well floured work surface.  Flatten and shape the dough into a rectangle about 6x14-inches and  about  1 1/2 inch thick.  Using a floured knife, divide the dough into 10 equal rectangles.  Transfer the biscuits to a parchment lined baking sheet.  Brush generously with melted butter.

Bake for 15-18 minutes.

Meanwhile, mash remaining butter, sage and maple syrup together in a small bowl.  Form into a small pad and chill until ready to use.

Serve the biscuits warm with flavored butter.

Eggless Blackberry Boy Bait

I love alliteration, don't you?

I know. I know...egg-less doesn't fit in with the beautiful bounty of b's.  But it is the reason I first came upon the recipe.  You see, I had an itty-bitty box of breathtaking blackberries and nary a use for them.  They had been glowing, at their peak of ripeness.  I couldn't let these beauties go to waste.

Only, I didn't have any eggs.  Nada.  Zilch.  Ross made frequent offers to run to the store at 9 pm to gather what I lacked, but I vehemently refused.  We had planned our grocery shopping for the next day and I refused to let him make the extra trip for one ingredient.  I was determined to find an egg-less dessert. 

And I had wonderful success courtesy of the husband and wife team at Chef In You.

So what is a boy bait?  From what I've gathered among various sources, a 15 year-old girl submitted a butter-loaded blueberry cake a Pillsbury bake-off in 1954.  She dubbed it boy bait for its ability to lure in the opposite sex.  I'd go so far as to say this cake could lure in almost anyone.  It won second place.  To what?  I'm not sure.  Pillsbury's website is sadly lacking any reference to boy bait..

The treat is reminiscent of blueberry muffins--indeed it is traditional made with blueberries--but baked up in a single layer, allowed to cool and cut into squares.  This version earns its egglessness thanks to the addition of yogurt.  But all of the buttery goodness remains...

adapted from recipes at the Chef In You and Smitten Kitchen

serves 12+

The Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour + 1 tsp
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), room temperature
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup yogurt
3/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup fresh blackberries
1/4 cup cinnamon-sugar

The Process:
Preheat the oven to 350.  Butter a 9 x 13 baking pan and dust with flour.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugars, beating until fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.  Beat in 1/2 cup of the yogurt, 1/4 cup of the milk and the vanilla.  Fold in 1/3 of the flour mixture.  Add the remaining yogurt and mix well.  Fold in another third of the flour, followed by the remaining milk.  Add the remaining flour and mix until just combined.

Toss 1/2 cup of the blackberries with 1Tbsp of flour. Gently fold the berries into the batter.  Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.  Distribute the remaining berries over the batter.  Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. 

Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Cool in the pan for at least twenty minutes.  Remove the cake from the pan to a serving tray and allow to cool completely (if you can!)  The cake will be far easier to slice once cool. 

The Review:
My first attempt at this recipe was incredibly tasty.  But I did a very stupid thing.  Instead of using the 9x13 pan recommended, I reached for my 9-inch cake pan.  The batter filled the pan almost to the brim.  I feared an overflow and placed a cookie sheet on the rack below, lest the cake ooze all over the bottom of my oven.  I had to add nearly 15 minutes to the bake time.  The toothpick came out clean. 

The toothpick test deceived me.

The center of the cake quickly collapsed into a pile of nearly raw batter.  You can barely tell from the photos.  We still enjoyed it.  Well...most of it...

Attempt no. 2 was a much bigger success. My husband insists this treat is laced with crack...

Yogurt Banana Muffins with Streusel Topping

This is not a healthy muffin.  I know, I know!  But it uses yogurt!  Half the flour is whole wheat! It uses fruit and wheat germ! How can it not be healthy!  Well...the stick of butter certainly doesn't help.  Or the sugar.  Never mind the fact that's it's mostly a carb bomb...

Okay, these may be a more healthful version than many out there...particularly among the pre-packaged varieties.

But don't be fooled.  These aren't health food.

Know what, though?  I don't care.  They're still darn tasty.

I had started out with a recipe at food.com, but honestly was so taken aback by the amount of butter and sugar I almost started over with another recipe.  Thus commenced a lot of tweaking.  Less sugar...and using more brown sugar than granulated.  Halving the amount of butter.  Increasing the yogurt.  Adding some spice.  And a streusel topping.  Still not a healthy muffin.

muffin recipe adapted from Sharon at food.com and BHG
topping adapted from the BHG Cookbook

yields 12 muffins

The Ingredients:
for the muffin:
4 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 cup plain, unsweetened yogurt
1 cup ripe bananas, mashed (about 2-3)
3/4 cup white flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 Tbsp wheat germ
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon 

for the streusel topping:

1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 Tbsp unsalted butter

The Process:

Preheat the oven to 400. Lightly grease a 12-count muffin tin (do not use baking liners...they will stick). 

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla.  Mash in the bananas and yogurt.   In a separate bowl, sift together the flours, wheat germ, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.

Add the dry to the wet, mixing until just combined.  

For the topping, combine the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon.  Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Pour the batter into the muffin liners, filling about 2/3 full.  Sprinkle the streusel generously over the top.  Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick poked in the center comes out clean.  Cool in the tin for 5 minutes.  Serve warm.

The Review:

I won't say these are the best ever banana muffins out there.  Far too many muffins already lay that claim, and I know I'm no pastry chef.  But they are a favorite by far. 

The muffin texture was unlike many a quick bread I've tried.  It was less crumb and more bread like.  Spongy and soft.  Wonderfully moist.  The banana flavor was not as strong as other banana breads.  Which I personally loved. 

These will be a regular use of those over ripe bananas from now on.

Jerked Chicken Skewers and Cantaloupe Dipping Sauce

Ross is to blame thank for this recipe.  I found myself with a Friday evening with both of us off and no immediate plans.  Dinner dates at home often result.  So when I asked what he'd like me to make, and we remembered the chicken breasts in the freezer, he promptly requested Caribbean.  Rather than just dust the chicken with Jerk seasoning I hunted down this marinade.  And voila!

Added bonus, this recipe gave us the extra incentive to finally break down and buy a grill.  Grilling season is upon us after all!

Adapted Bob Marley's Restaurant, recipe posted at Foodnetwork

The Ingredients:
for the marinade:
1 onion, finely chopped
2 scallions, finely chopped
2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 dried red chili, finely ground (or 2 Scotch bonnet peppers)
1 tsp ground black pepper
3 Tbsp soy sauce
1Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp cider vinegar

for the skewers:
2 pounds chicken breast, cut into large cubes
bamboo skewers
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup lime juice

for the dipping sauce:
one quarter of a cantaloupe, peeled, seeded and cubed
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 Tbsp cider vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt
pinch of cayenne pepper

The Process:
for the marinade: 
In a medium bowl, whisk together all of the marinade ingredients (or puree in a blender or food processor until well combined.) Place the chicken in a large freezer bag.  Pour the marinade over the chicken.  Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.

to prepare and cook the chicken skewers:
At least 2 hours before grilling, soak the bamboo skewers.  Combine 1 1/2 cups of water and 1/2 cup of lemon or lime juice in a pint glass.  Place the skewers in the glass to soak

Prepare the grill or preheat the broiler.

Thread 4-5 cubes of chicken onto each soaked skewer. Discard the marinade.  Grill or broil the skewers for 2-3 minutes per side.  Serve immediately with dipping sauce.

for the dipping sauce:
Combine all of the ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth.   Season with addition cayenne or salt to taste.  Chill until ready to serve. 

The Review:
 In the darken light it became harder and harder to see how our skewers were doing on the grill.  Some came off a little blackened.  But that's okay, right?  It is jerk chicken after all.  But even with the generous charring suffered on some, the chicken remained tender and incredibly flavorful.

I adore marinades and spice blends such as this one.  A little kick of spice.  A hint of sweet.  A burst of salt.  And just a touch of sour.  So many layers of flavor!  Serve along grilled pineapple...pure bliss.

The sauce was the big surprise though.  I didn't have cucumbers, but a gorgeous cantaloupe was sitting off to the side in my kitchen.  Cucumber melon combinations are so common...if the compliment each other so well, why not try subbing one for the other.  The result was surprisingly successful.  The creamy and slightly tart base suggested a tziziki, but the sweetness of the cantaloupe, along with a subtle earthiness (it is known as musk melon for a reason) created something completely unique.  The recipe made quite a lot, and it doesn't keep very long in the fridge before it begins to separate (there is a LOT of water in the melon...)  Maybe three days.  And this is a sauce much better the first day. Try to make up only as much as you think you can use.

Honey Kissed Hot Cross Buns

When I was little, perhaps 6 or 7, my sister traveled to Denver for the Suzuki Institute.  She was already quite the violin player.  My parents brought me along for the ride, though I didn't play anything at that point.  So what is a 6 year old to do at a huge music gathering like this while her big sister hones her string playing prowess?  Well, pick up the penny whistle of course!

Of all the things that I experienced that week, the little ditty they taught us to play on the penny whistle stuck with me (well, that and memories of hiding in the basement of a strange building as a huge tornado descended  into downtown Denver...that was quite a year).

Hot cross buns, 

hot cross buns.

One a penny,

two a penny, 

hot cross buns

I remember that song so well, but I cannot recall ever actually eating a hot cross bun.   This Easter season I wanted to give these spicy rolls a shot...and further improve my rapport with yeast.   This recipe is loaded with diced dried fruit well beyond the scope of traditional raisins.  Brushed with honey straight out of the oven they have the most heavenly glow!  Perfect for that Easter Brunch!  Even if it is celebrated a few days late...

adapted from Hester's recipe at Alchemy in the Kitchen

yields 12 buns

The Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups bread flour
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp allspice
1 tsp grated orange zest
7 g dry active yeast  (1/4 oz package)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup mixed dried fruit (apricots, apples, prunes, figs, etc) finely diced
1/3 cup raisins, currants or dried cranberries
1/4 cup honey
1 1/4 cup milk
1 large egg

for the cross:
3 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp water

for the glaze:
1 Tbsp honey

The Process:
 Into a large bowl combine the flour, salt, cinnamon, allspice, yeast, olive oil, and dried fruit. Mix well.

Pour the milk into a small saucepan over medium heat.  Whisk in the honey and stir until dissolved.  Warm the milk to between 80 to 95.

Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the beaten egg, and about half the milk. Slowly add the remaining milk, stirring and folding to completely moisten the flour.  The dough should start to pull away from the sides of the bowl. 

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, adding more flour as necessary.  Knead for 8 to 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and no longer tacky. Form into a ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl.  Cover and allow to rise until double in size, about 90 minutes

After the dough has risen, turn it out onto a lightly oiled work surface.  Divide the dough in half, and half again to form four equal portions.  Gently pull each portion into a log, about 2 inches in diameter and 6 inches long.  Using a sharp knife or kitchen shears, cut each portion into 3 equally pieces.  Roll each portion into a ball, trying to pull the dough taunt on one side.  

Line a baking sheet with non-stick baking parchment.  Place the buns on the sheet, spacing about 1 1/2-inch apart.  Gently push down to flatten, ever so slightly.  Cover the buns with cling wrap and allow to rise undisturbed until doubled, about one hour.

To make the paste for the cross, in a small ziploc bag combine the flour and water.  Massage the bag until a uniform paste is formed.  

Preheat the oven to 375.

When the buns have doubled in size, remove the cling wrap.  Snip a corner off of the ziploc bag containing the flour paste (the less you snip off, the finer a point you will have for piping). Carefully pipe a cross over the top of each bun. 

 Place the buns in the oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer the buns to a cooling rack and immediately brush them with warmed honey.

The Review:
Warm, welcoming and just kissed with sweetness!  Just the look of these is a far cry from the royal icing laden varieties sold at the supermarkets during the spring.  It is almost a pity they are only sold around the Easter season.  They make the perfect breakfast roll..spicy, studded with fruit and not terribly sweet.  The yeasty smell tempted us the entire drive to our friends as we took a batch along for Easter dinner.  Paired with ham?  Heavenly.  But these buns are certainly sinful in their own rite.

Roasted Pear Chutney

I've been getting home late all week...which usually means far less time in the kitchen.  To make up for all of the dinners on the go, I promised myself I would make something stellar come Friday.  After perusing cookbooks, bookmarked blogs and Pinterest boards, Maple-Brined Pork Loin and Roasted Pear Chutney came out the clear winner.  Now I need to settle on a side or two.  I am a girl who loves her veggies...

And to up the anticipation just a little bit more I made the Roasted Pear Chutney ahead of time. It made the kitchen smell absolutely divine AND gave me something a little more interesting to stir into my oatmeal in the morning.  Call it a trial run...

adapted from Thyme in Our Kitchen and Epicurious

yields 2-3cups

The Ingredients:
2 pears, peeled and halved
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp brown sugar
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
2 Tbsp vegetable oil

1/4 cup maple syrup
1 medium red onion, coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
3 Tbsp currants
3 Tbsp dried cranberries
1/3 cup white wine vinegar
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped

The Process:

Preheat the oven to 350.

Toss the pears with the lemon juice, brown sugar, the cinnamon, and cloves. Coat a roasting pan or baking dish with 1 Tbsp of the vegetable oil. Set the pears cut side down on the pan. Brush the pears with the remaining oil.And place in the center rack of the oven.  Roast until the pears are tender and the coating has caramelized to a deep golden brown, 45 to 50 minutes. Riper pears may need less time. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.

While the pears are roasting, in a medium saucepan bring the remaining ingredients to a gentle boil. Reduce   heat and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the saucepan from heat and allow to cool.

When the pears are cool enough to handle, scoop out the cores and seeds with a small spoon or a melon baller. Cut the pears into slices or small chunks (I prefer chunks...about 1/2-inch cubed). In a 1 1/2 qt bowl toss together the pears and onion mixture. Cover and refrigerate overnight.  

The chutney will keep for up to two weeks...if it lasts that long.

The Review:

It was really, incredibly, unbelievably difficult NOT to dig right in with a spoon the moment all of the ingredients finally came together.  From the minute I tossed the pears with the cloves and cinnamon I knew we'd be in for a wonderful treat.  Sincerely, right out of the oven, I wanted dearly to drizzle each pear with a little mulled wine reduction and indulge in dessert...

I showed restraint...

The onion, vinegar dried berries and thyme began simmering away on the stove, slowly replacing the pears spicy aroma with a clean tangy scent.  I knew that smell...but I couldn't quite place my finger upon it. Watching the red onion slowly weep it's color to lend the mixture its pink blush, the scent memory became clear.  My Grandmother's kitchen.  Vinegary red cabbage from scratch.  As a kid I hated red cabbage.  And sauerkraut. And now my own kitchen was wrapped in a cloud of old world aromas and I couldn't be happier.  I immediately made note to try this chutney again with rabbit, venison, boar...any rich gamey meats.  With a side of spaetzle and red cabbage...

Twenty four hours later any lingering thoughts of red cabbage were wiped away with the first bite of the fully marinaded concoction.  The fragrant warmth of cinnamon and clove greeted my tongue, balanced with the slight acidic tang of the vinegar.  The bite of the onions followed, offering up a savory hint and a pleasant crunch.  In that moment I was glad I had nixed any notion of first caramelizing or sauteing the onions...their sharpness was actually mellowed a touch by the vinegar, and the crunch from the mere 5 minutes in the pot was an amazing layer of texture.  A touch of thyme nosed through.  And then the pear.  The sweet anchor of the chutney, dancing off all of the other players. A touch of tart from the dried fruit mingled with the sweetness.  And in the last moment the gentle heat of the red pepper lingered, just enough to remind me it was there.  Yet another twist and turn upon my tongue.  I couldn't decide which flavor or texture I enjoyed more, as I continues to sample from the blissfully fragrant bowl.  I had to remind myself that this was made for Friday's dinner.  Though I'm not certain that poor pork loin will be able to hold a candle to its accompaniment...

Apple Pie Waffles with Cinnamon Whipped Cream and Pie Crust Crumb

Sunday morning waffles strike again!  I've been toying with the concept of an apple waffle for a while.  The waffle itself didn't seem too much of a challenge.  I knew I wanted a buttermilk or yeast base.  Finely chopped apples and a touch of cinnamon would provide the essential flavors.  Applesauce has long been used as a substitute for oil in baking...adding yet another layer to the waffles.  

But they needed something more.  Inspiration came in the form of Milk Bar Mondays.  Several fellow food bloggers have taken on the challenge of baking their way through Christina Tosi's Momofuku Milk Bar Cookbook.  As a result, one morning my news feed was filled with this:

Apple Pie Layer Cake

It was divine.  It was decadent.  It had layers of apple pie filling and pie crust crumb.  I had my inspiration to take the apple pie waffles to the next level.  

Apple waffle.  Sauteed apple topping.  Cinnamon Whipped Cream.  And a sprinkling of pie crust crumb.  

I almost went as far as to add a drizzle of homemade caramel sauce as well...but let's not get too carried away!

A huge thank you to Audra, Cassie, Erin, Krissy Nicole and Jacqueline for baking up the lovely concoction that pushed this Sunday morning waffle just a little bit further.

Pie crust crumb and apple pie filling adapted from the Momofuku Milk Bar Cookbook

Waffle and whipped cream recipes are my own.

yields 8-10 eight inch waffles 

The Ingredients:

for the pie crust crumb:
1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 tsp granulated sugar
1/4 tsp kosher Salt
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 tsp water

For the apple pie filling:

juice of 1 lemon
2 medium granny smith apples
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
2/3 cup light brown sugar, tightly packed
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp kosher salt

for the waffles:

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 Tbsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup applesauce

3 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

4 large eggs

1 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups buttermilk

1 apple, peeled and diced

for the cinnamon whipped cream:

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 Tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

The Process:

for the pie crust crumb:

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F

In a small bowl combine the flour, sugar, and salt until well mixed.  Cut in the butter with a fork, pastry cutter or your fingers. Add water and blend until the mixture starts to come together in small clusters.

Spread the clusters on a parchment lined baking sheet  Bake for 25 minutes, checking halfway through baking to stir and break up larger crumbs.  The crumbs will be golden brown and still slightly moist to the touch. Set aside to cool.

When completely cool, transfer the crumb to a small serving dish.

for the apple pie filling:

Fill a medium bowl halfway with cold water and add the lemon juice. Peel the apples and cut into bite size chunks (quarter, then cut each quarter into thirds). Add the apples to the lemon water as they are cut to retard browning and to keep the apples pert.

In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Stir until the butter is melted. Drain the apples and add them to the saucepan. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, stirring to coat the apples. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the apples gently for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the apples are tender and the sauce has thicken.  

Transfer to a serving bowl and set aside.

for the cinnamon whipped cream:
In a chilled bowl combine whipping cream, sugar and cinnamon.  Beat with chilled beaters on medium speed until soft peaks form.  Set aside in the fridge until ready to serve.

for the waffles:
Preheat the oven to 200.  Preheat and lightly oil the waffle iron according to the manufacturers directions.

In a large mixing bowl sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.  

In a medium bowl whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, applesauce, butter and vanilla.  Add the wet to the dry, stirring until just incorporated.

Gently fold in the diced apple, stirring until the apple is just distributed.  Do not over mix.

Ladle the batter into the waffle iron (mine uses a little over 1/2 cup of batter per waffle) and cook according to the waffle iron manufacturers directions. Transfer waffles to rack in oven to keep warm and crisp. Make more waffles in same manner.

to assemble:

Place a waffle on each plate, spoon about 1/4 cup of apple pie filling on top. Dollop a generous spoonful of whipped cream on top. Sprinkle with crumb. Devour.

The Review:

Wow. With a post this long already, I'd hate to keep you from what ended up being an absolutely amazing breakfast. Go. Enjoy.

Sunday Morning Waffles

Not too long ago we purchased a waffle iron for a beer and waffles gathering.  Since then the iron has been put to little use.  In an effort to change that I began plowing through blog post after blog post and recipe after recipe in attempts to find the perfect waffle recipe.  I delved into comments to glean little tips and modifications to others' recipes.

I think I've arrived at the nearly perfect waffle...at least for my taste.  Your preferences may vary.

These waffles are crisp on the outside and light as air on the inside.  They have just enough sugar and cinnamon to justify eating them without any fruit, syrups or other toppings, but they are just sweetly spiced enough to compliment instead of competing with any toppings that are added.  And most people should have all of the ingredients on hand on any given Sunday morning.

Enjoy!

adapted from all that the world wide web has to offer.

yields 8 waffles

The Ingredients:
2 eggs, separated
1 3/4 cups milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 Tbsp sugar
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
4 tsp baking powder

The Process:
Preheat oven to 250 and warm up the waffle iron.

In a medium bowl whisk together the egg yolks, milk, vanilla, oil, and sugar until well combined.  Adding the flour a little at a time, stir until smooth.  Add salt, cinnamon and baking powder.

In a separate mixing bowl with an electric beater, or by hand with a strong wrist action, whisk the egg whites until they hold soft peaks.  Fold the whites gently into the waffle batter, until just combined.  Do not over mix!  The batter should retain as much air as possible from the whites.

Brush or mist the waffle iron lightly with oil and spoon batter into waffle iron, spreading quickly with a spatula to cover the entire griddle surface (amount varies depending on waffle iron, mine uses just over 1/2 a cup). Cook according to iron manufacturer’s instructions.

Transfer waffles to rack in oven to keep warm and crisp. Make more waffles in same manner.

The Review:
What I truly adored about this recipe, aside from the quintessential waffle texture and flavor, was how the recipe walked the line between the more intensive and ingredient-laden waffles, such as the pumpkin version I tried a few months back, and the simplistic milk, flour, baking powder, egg versions.  This recipe does take an extra step, but trust me...beating the egg whites separately and carefully folding them into the batter makes a world of difference.  This recipe works well without this step as well...just beat the whole egg into the batter from the beginning.  But a heavier waffle will result.  A wonderful waffle, yes, but not the crisp and airy creation the beaten egg whites offer.

Hot Toddy

I seem to be ushering in the New Year with an awful head cold.  The last few nights of sleep of been more like fitful naps interspersed with an inability to breathe, a stiff neck and a scratchy throat.  While modern medicine has blessed us with a plethora of cough syrup, decongestants, expectorant and pain killers, nothing quite beats the hot toddy when it comes to easing the suffering. 

the recipe is my own, based on a preferance for whiskey and a favorite ginger honey cold concotion

yields about 4 servings

The Ingredients:
3 cups water
l lemon, washed and sliced
3-4  inch length of ginger root, peeled and minced
1/4 cup of honey, plus extra to taste
2 inch piece of cinnamon
10-12 whole cloves
8 oz whiskey


The Process:
In medium saucepan, combine the water, lemon, ginger, honey, cinnamon and cloves.  Bring water to a gentle boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes (or longer for a stronger flavor).

To serve pour 2 oz of whiskey in four mugs.  Add about 3/4 of a cup of the lemon-ginger tea.  Sweeten with additional honey to taste.  Serve piping hot with a lemon wedge.


The Review:
At the moment, my nose doesn't feel as raw, nor my throat as sore, so something must be true of the healing powers of ginger, lemon and honey. Ginger has a history of treating medical ailments, from settling stomachs, to easing sore throats.  It supposedly has anti-inflammatory and immune system boosting properties that make it especially helpful in warding off the common cold.  Honey's anti-septic qualities (among other benefits) help ward off bacteria while it soothes, in addition to sweetening you concation.  The lemon adds a boost of vitamin c along with its antibacterial, antiviral, and immune-boosting powers.  And the whiskey?  Well, when you're stressed out and aching all over, a little bit of booze can go a long way to relaxing you...long as you don't over do it.

The steam helps clear the nose while sipping on the hot concoction.  The spices are always a joy to inhale when your sense of smell comes back around.

Use a favorite whiskey.  But even without the alcohol, this hot drink goes a long way to soothe mind and body.

Sticky Buns

I have been promising Ross a batch of sticky buns for quite some time now.  What better way to ring in the New Year than by biting into a warm cinnamon-y bun for breakfast.  Unfortunately, the previous night's revelry and the yeast's stubbornness meant we weren't able to enjoy the buns until almost five in the afternoon.  But it was still a wonderful treat to mark our snowy new year.

And if you have a moment...take peek at a lovely sweets blog I was recently introduced to:
Sweet as Sugar Cookies

adapted from The Bread Baker's Apprentice by Peter Reinhart

makes 8 to 12 large or 12 to 16 smaller buns

The Ingredients:
6 1/2 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp salt
5 1/2 Tbsp shortening or unsalted butter at room temperature
1 large egg
1 tsp lemon zest
3 1/2 cups unbleached bread or all purpose flour
2 tsp instant yeast
1 1/8 to 1 1/4 cups whole milk or butter milk, at room temperature
1/2 cup cinnamon sugar (6 1/2 Tbsp sugar + 1 1/2 Tbsp cinnamon)

Caramel glaze
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1/4 granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup corn syrup
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp orange, lemon, or vanilla extract

 crushed walnuts or pecans (optional)

The Process:
*In his book, Reinhart goes into amazing depth about what each ingredient does as well as what happens during every step of the bread making process. It is certainly worth while reading, but is a bit too much info for a single recipe.*

Cream together the sugar, salt and shortening on medium-high speed in an electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or by hand with a large metal spoon). Whip in the egg and lemon zest until smooth. Then add the flour, yeast, and milk. Mix on low speed (or stir by hand) until the dough forms a ball. Switch to a dough hook and increase speed to medium, mixing for approximately 10 minutes (or knead by hand for 12 to 15 minutes), or until the dough is silky and supple, tacky but not sticky. Lightly oil a large bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling it around to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.

Ferment at room temperature for approximately 2 hours, or until the dough double in size.


Meanwhile prepare the caramel glaze.  In a medium bowl cream together the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and salt for about two minutes.  Add the corn syrup and extract of your choice.  Continue to cream by hand or with an electric mixer for an additional five minutes, or until light and fluffy.

Coat the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch baking dish (with sides at least 1 1/2 inch high) with a 1/4-inch layer of the caramel glaze.  Sprinkle the glaze with nuts, if desired.  Set aside.

Once the dough has doubled in size, mist the counter with spray oil and transfer the dough to the counter. Roll out the dough with a rolling pin, lightly dusting the top of the dough with flour to keep it from sticking to the pin. Roll it into a rectangle about 2/3 inch thick and 14 inches wide by 12 inches long for large buns, or 18 inches wide by 9 inches wide for small buns. Don't roll out the dough too thin, or the finished buns will be tough and chewy rather than soft and plump. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the surface of the dough and roll the dough up into a cigar-shaped log, creating a cinnamon-sugar spiral as you roll. Will the seam side down, cut the dough into 8 to 12 even pieces each about 1 3/4 inched thick for large buns; or 12 to 16 pieces each 1 1/4 inch thick for smaller buns.

Place the buns approximately 1/2 inch apart on top of the prepared caramel glaze . Mist the dough with spray oil and cove loosely with plastic wrap.

Proof at room temperature for 75 to 90 minutes, or until the pieces have grown into one another and have nearly doubled in size.

Bake the sticky buns for 30 to 40 minutes or until golden brown.  Remember that with sticky buns the tops will become the bottoms, so they may appear darker when done to ensure that the underside is fully baked.  

Cool the buns in the pan for about 10 minutes and then remove them by flipping them over onto another pan.  Carefully scoop any caramel remaining in the pan onto the sticky buns.  Wait at least 20 minutes before serving.

The Review:
It appears my kitchen is just too cold in the winter to properly proof bread dough.  After about an hour and a half of the dough's first fermentation, it had barely grown at all.  I mixed up a little of the yeast remaining in the envelope in water water with a bit of sugar to see if it was still viable.  It frothed up after 5 minutes or so, as it is expected to.  So, my sleepy single celled organisms must have been just a bit too cold to do their work.  I shifted the bowl of dough to the top of the fridge...the warmest spot in the room.  After an additional half an hour, the dough had finally shown some growth, but not the doubled mass I needed.  So into the slightly warmed oven for almost another hour...and finally the sticky bun dough was ready to roll out...

That was a frustrating realization.  The sticky buns still turned out absolutely amazing, but due to the trouble with rising, the end result was a bit more crumbing than the light, pillowy cinnamon buns I had made last year using the same dough recipe.  Amazing how much a variable such as proofing time and temperature can affect the final product!

The dough, though not as airy as expected, had the same wonderfully sweet, rich and clean flavor I fondly remembered from the cinnamon buns.  The little bit a lemon zest adds quite a bit of depth to the dough!  The caramel glaze melted, bubbled and boiled while baking...slowly converting from the buttery sugar spread to the wonderfully sticky goo coating the buns.  The glaze was pleasantly sticky without wearing out your jaw with chewing. 

Once I figure out the sweet spot in my cold winter kitchen to proof future doughs, I'll be making these more regularly.