Candy Cane Cake

Candy Cane Cake

This cake is a favorite of mine to bring to Holiday dinners and parties especially if they are all ages celebrations. Understandably kids will be quite happy with one of the cupcakes especially but most adults go mad for them too. It's no wonder, with such a moist scratch cake topped with plenty of peppermint marshmallow frosting that the sight of it brings out the wide-eyed kid in everyone. Merry Christmas everyone!

Candy Cane Cupcakes

Candy Cane Cake

Recipe by Barry C. Parsons

Candy Cane Cake - this outstanding scratch cake is a kid favorite around here at Christmas time. My kids make the cupcakes to take along to their seasonal parties and they are very often the first items to get gobbled up.

Prep time: Approximately 20 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Total time: Approximately 1 hour.
Yield: One 9 inch double layer cake or 3 dozen cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups sifted all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup vegetable shortening at room temperature
• 2 tsp peppermint extract
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 1/4 cup crushed candy canes
• 1/4 cup mixed red and green candy sprinkles
• 6 roughly chopped candy canes

Directions

1. Grease and flour two 9 inch cake pans and line the bottoms with 2 circles of parchment paper.
2. Sift together both flours, baking soda. baking powder, salt and sugar, Set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer beat together the vegetable oil, shortening and peppermint extract. Beat well at high speed with whisk attachment until light and fluffy
4. Beat the eggs in one at a time.
5. Fold in the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk.
6. I always add dry ingredients in three divisions and liquid ingredients in 2 divisions. It is very important to begin and end the additions with the dry ingredients. Do not over mix the batter. As soon as it has no lumps in the batter, fold in the 1/4 cup crushed candy canes and sprinkles, then pour into the two prepared 9 inch cake pans.
7. Bake at 325 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the pans for 10 minutes before turning out onto wire racks to cool completely.
8. I've frosted this cake with Marshmallow Frosting with a little peppermint extract added but any good vanilla frosting is great on this cake. You can substitute a little peppermint extract to taste in your favorite frosting recipe but add just a little at a time, it's potent stuff. Find the marshmallow frosting recipe with our Black and White Cake.
9. If making cupcakes I find that making 1/2 of the frosting recipe is sufficient.
10. Sprinkle the roughly chopped candy canes over the top of the cake or cupcakes.

Citrus Fig Cranberry Sauce

Citrus Fig Cranberry Sauce

What's turkey without cranberry sauce? It would be like not serving gravy with the meal. There's no need to serve it out of a can though because homemade cranberry sauce is one of the easiest things to prepare with your roast turkey dinner. This recipe adds some sweet figs and balancing citrus and spice flavors to the sauce for special occasions like the Holidays. These traditional festive flavors give very complimentary yet not overwhelming notes to the sauce.

Give it a try with roast chicken and pork as well. If you make a large batch and properly bottle it in mason jars, you can enjoy it for months to come and it makes a nice homemade gift too.

Citrus Fig Cranberry Sauce

Recipe by Barry C. Parsons

A delicious, lightly spiced accompaniment to roast turkey, chicken or even pork.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes
Yield: 3 cups sauce

Ingredients

• 3 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
• 1 cup chopped dried figs
• juice of one orange
• juice of one lemon
• 1/2 tsp finely minced orange zest
• 1/2 tsp finely minced lemon juice
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1 star anise (optional)

Cooking Directions

1. Simmer all of the ingredients together slowly for 30-40 minutes or until the cranberries are fully cooked and the mixture reduces and thickens to a jam-like consistency. Stir the sauce often as it simmers.
2. Remove the star anise if you used one and store in mason jars or in plastic containers in the fridge until served.

Old English Dark Fruit Cake

Old English Dark Fruit Cake

It's still weeks away, I know, but I've got a head start on a dark fruit cake for Spouse. It's a real old English style, dense, dark fruitcake. I think this one weighs in at between 7 and 8 pounds. It's her absolute favorite. Tomorrow she goes to the rum spa for a soak and a wrap. The cake, that is, not Spouse!

Old English Dark Fruit Cake

Originally published on November 7, 2007.

Old English Dark Fruit Cake

6 oz dried prunes, chopped
6 oz dates, chopped
8 oz dark raisins
6 oz golden raisins
6 oz currents
¾ cup butter
1 cup dark brown sugar
¾ cup molasses
½ cup coffee liqueur (or ½ cup strong black coffee)
Zest and juice of 2 oranges
8 oz glace cherries
8 oz candied citrus peel
8 oz toasted pecans, roughly chopped
2 tsp allspice
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp powdered ginger
1 tsp cloves
2 tsp nutmeg
3 tbsp cocoa
3 eggs
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
½ cup ground hazelnuts or almonds
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda

Grease a 10 inch springform pan or 10 inch tube pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

In a large saucepan melt the butter over medium heat and add the raisins, dates, prunes, currents, brown sugar, molasses, spices, coffee liqueur (or coffee) and the orange zest and juice. Bring to a gentle boil and very slowly simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 30-45 minutes. When cool stir in the beaten eggs.

Sift together, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and ground nuts and fold through the boiled mixture. Fold in cherries, citrus peel and pecans. Pour into prepared baking pan. You can decorate the top with additional pecan halves, cherries etc., if you like.

Bake at 300 degrees F for 1 ½ to 2 hours depending upon the size of your pan. The cake should feel firm to the touch at the center and a wooden toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean. The cake should be cooled completely in the pan on a wire rack before removing.

At this point you can poke small holes in the top and bottom of the cake with a fork and pour on 4 ounces of dark rum or your favorite whiskey, half on the top, wait ten minutes, then flip it over and pour the remaining half on the bottom. Soak several layers of cheesecloth in additional rum if you like and wrap completely around the cake, then cover with several layers of plastic wrap and store in a COOL place. When serving, you can add a layer of marzipan or if you have decorated the top with fruit and nuts, brush with a simple glaze of equal parts water and sugar boiled together for about 10-15 minutes.

Old English Dark Fruit Cake

Cherry Cake Squares

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Cherry Cake Squares

These cookies were inspired by another popular Holiday baking staple here in Newfoundland and a very popular recipe on this website at this time of year, Cherry Pound Cake. It's found in practically every home in the province during the Christmas season so I thought, why not translate it into a cookie square version too. These almond tinged cookie squares are pretty easy to make and are another great addition to the Holiday freezer.

Cherry Cake Squares

Recipe by Barry C. Parsons

Based upon a Newfoundland favorite Christmas cake and ideal for the holiday freezer, these easy cookie squares are quick to prepare, freeze exceptionally well and are always a hit with kids of all ages.

Prep time: 10-15 minutes
Cook time: 60 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Yield: 25 cookie squares
Ingredients

• 1 cup butter
• 1 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp almond extract 
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup glace cherries, quartered
• FOR THE FROSTING
• 2 cups icing sugar (powdered sugar)
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 -2 tbsp milk

Directions

1. Cream butter sugar and vanilla until light and fluff.
2. Add the eggs, vanilla and almond extracts and beat well.
3. Sift together the flour, baking powder and baking soda.
4. Add dry ingredients to the creamed mixture, folding to combine well.
5. Fold in the chopped cherries.
6. Spread in a parchment lined or greased 9 inch square baking pan and bake for 50-60 minutes at 350 degrees F. (325 for glass bake ware) A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean. (This recipe is too large for an 8x8 pan. If you do not have a 9x9 pan you can multiply the entire recipe by 1 1/2 and use a 9x13 pan instead if you have one of those.)
7. Remove from oven and cool completely on a wire rack.
8. Frost with vanilla frosting.
9. For the vanilla frosting beat together the butter, icing sugar, vanilla and milk until, light, fluffy and of a good spreadable consistency. Add the milk only a little at a time until the proper consistency is achieved.
10. Spread over the cooled cookies and cut into squares or bars.
11. These freeze very well in airtight containers. 

Maple Roasted Vegetables

Maple Roasted Vegetables

We adore our Roast Potatoes here in the Parsons household but truth be told, whenever they are in the oven they are most likely always sharing space with other roasted vegetables too, especially carrots and parsnips. After a visit to our local farmers market last week, Sunday dinner got this beautifully colorful addition to our Lemon Sage Butter Roasted Turkey.

I only add the maple syrup to these vegetables after they are partially cooked so that the sugar in the syrup does not burn. This allows the veggies to develop a little caramelization before the light glaze of maple syrup finishes them off.

Maple Roasted Vegetables

Maple Roasted Vegetables

Recipe by Barry C. Parsons

Roasted Autumn vegetables with a light lemon, maple glaze.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: About 60 minutes
Total time: 75 minutes
Yield: Serves 4-6 as a side dish.
Ingredients

• 2 carrots, thickly sliced
• 2 parsnips, thickly sliced
• 1 large red onion, cut in wedges
• 1 lemon
• 1 small butternut squash, cut in chunks
• 4 cloves garlic, unpeeled
• 6 yellow beets, quartered
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• pinch salt
• pinch black pepper
• 2-3 tbsp pure maple syrup

Cooking Directions

1. Toss all of the ingredients, except the maple syrup together with the olive oil.
2. Roast in a single layer in a 350 degree oven for approximately 1/2 hour.
3. Squeeze the roasted lemon over the rest of the vegetables and add the maple syrup.
4. Toss together well to coat all the vegetables and roast for about another 30 minutes or until all of the vegetables are fork tender.
5. Toss the vegetables several times during the last of the cooking time to glaze the vegetables in the maple syrup.

Lemon Sage Butter Roasted Turkey

Lemon Sage Butter Roasted Turkey

Thanksgiving may still be a ways away for our American cousins south of the border but it is right around the corner for us here in Canada, so with one of the biggest turkey days of the year at hand, here's a delicious idea for a very flavorful roast turkey that your guests will love. The lemon sage butter gets tucked under the skin of the bird to infuse its flavor directly into the meat while adding extra moisture to ensure a succulent, juicy turkey. The cavity of the turkey gets stuffed with extra aromatic lemon and sage do that the flavor infuses from inside and out. If you're looking for an easy and delicious way to depart from your traditional roast turkey, this is the recipe you need.

Some delicious Maple Roasted Vegetables are pictured with this tasty turkey too.

Lemon Sage Butter Roasted Turkey

Recipe by Barry C. Parsons

The lemon sage butter gets tucked under the skin of the bird to infuse its flavor directly into the meat while adding extra moisture to ensure a succulent, juicy turkey.

Prep time: Aproximately 20 minutes.
Cook time: Aproximately 20 minutes per pound.
Total time: Dependent on turkey size.
Ingredients

• One 10-15 pound turkey
• 3/4 cup butter
• zest of one lemon, finely minced
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh sage, (or 1 tsp dry sage if fresh is unavailable)
• 1/2 clove fiinely minced garlic (optional)
• 1/2 lemon
• 3 springs fresh sage
• 1 small onion, or large shallot cut in chunks

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Beat together the butter, lemon zest, salt, pepper, sage and minced garlic until well combined.
3. Loosen the skin on the breasts and thighs of the turkey by very gently pushing your fingers between the skin and the meat. Be careful not to tear the skin.
4. Using about a tablespoon of the lemon sage butter at a time, gently push it under the skin all over the turkey.
5. Pat the outside of the turkey to distribute the butter as evenly as you can all over the bird.
6. Place the onion (or shallot), lemon and sage sprigs in the microwave for a minute or so to get them heated before stuffing them into the body cavity of the turkey. Preheating them helps these aromatics begin to immediately start infusing their flavors as the turkey roasts.
7. Tie the turkey legs together with butcher string and tuck the wing tips under the turkey.
8. Place the turkey on a roasting rack and roast UNCOVERED until the turkey is completely cooked. It is not necessary to baste this turkey.
9. Turkey generally takes about 20 minutes per pound to be completely cooked but sometimes an unstuffed bird will roast more quickly. I ALWAYS use a meat thermometer to ensure that the internal temperature at the center of the thickest part of the breast and thighs has reached 170 degrees F. Avoid hitting a bone with your thermometer as this can give an inaccurate reading.
10. ALWAYS let your turkey rest under a tent of aluminum foil for 20 minutes before carving. This step is essential for a juicy turkey; carving a turkey too early can result in drier meat, especially breast meat.

Lemon Rosemary Brined Roasted Turkey

Lemon Rosemary Brined Roasted Turkey

We may be well into June and our family does a lot of barbequing over the summer months but it's not all about the backyard grill just yet. There is still plenty of time to enjoy a good roast dinner as we did last night with this very flavorful roast turkey dinner. Juicy roast turkey with roasted potatoes, gravy and traditional Newfoundland summer savoury stuffing is probably my favorite meal and my preferred method for getting a perfectly roasted juicy turkey to brine it overnight.

Brining will add extra moisture to the meat and deeply season it at the same time. At the same time it is very easy to infuse the meat with subtle herb, citrus or other flavors by inviting them into the pool along with the salt and pepper. To extract all that flavor, I like to steep the herbs and other ingredients into a sort of tea to add to the brining mixture. 

The brining is best done overnight but a minimum of 6 - 8 hours in the brine will be required for the turkey so plan well in advance for this recipe. For a little extra citrus boost, I roast the turkey with a lemon stuffed into the cavity along with some onions, garlic and rosemary. This recipe does not overwhelm the natural flavor of the turkey at all but gently compliments it with aromatic scent and flavor.

10-12 pound fresh turkey

You will need a food grade plastic bucket or large pan, big enough to completely submerge the turkey in the brine for this recipe.

Brine Mixture

6 quarts or liters of very cold water (A little more if needed to cover the turkey completely)

1/2 cup table salt

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup honey

Stir well to completely dissolve the sugar and salt.

Add 1 liter of this mixture to a pot along with:

6 sprigs fresh rosemary

2 large sliced onion

4 cloves garlic sliced thin

zest and juice of two large lemons

6 tbsp whole black peppercorns

Simmer for just 5 minutes before returning it to the rest of the brine mixture.

Wash the turkey well and completely submerge the turkey in the bucket of brine. A plate with a couple of heavy cans of tomatoes or beans placed over the turkey will help keep it submerged. Place in the refrigerator overnight or for at least 6 - 8 hours. I remove one of the shelves in the fridge to fit my bucket in.

After brining the turkey, remove it from the brine and pat it dry with paper towels. Place on a rack in a roasting pan, truss the turkey with butcher twine (or just tuck the wing tips in under the turkey and tie the legs together to simplify things.) There is no need to add additional salt or pepper, the brine has already seasoned the meat throughout. Rub the surface of the turkey with a couple of tablespoons of butter. To the cavity add:

1 onion quartered

2 cloves garlic, sliced

1 whole lemon, stabbed with a fork several times

2 sprigs rosemary

Do not cover the turkey. Open roast the turkey in a preheated 400 degree F oven for 1/2 an hour before reducing the temperature to 350 degrees F. Brush the turkey with melted butter about every 30-45 minutes to get a nicely browned skin. After reducing the heat, continue roasting for about an additional 2 hours or until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the breast meat reaches 185 degrees F on a meat thermometer; this could be more or less time depending on the actual size of the turkey you are roasting. Using a meat thermometer is the best way to make sure your turkey is  completely and safely cooked. Remove from oven and cover with aluminum foil and allow the turkey to rest for 20 minutes before carving. This resting period is ESSENTIAL!

NOTE: Although it is traditional in Newfoundland cooking to roast a turkey in a covered roaster, this is a sure way to ensure a dry, overcooked turkey. I NEVER roast a turkey covered, always leaving it to open roast in the oven. This crisps the skin and seals in all the natural juices, creating a turkey that bastes in its own juices. I also ALWAYS use a meat thermometer to test if the turkey is cooked. Open roasting as well as getting the meat to 185 degrees F and properly resting the turkey before carving, is the best way to prepare a juicy, succulent turkey. If you don't own a meat thermometer, you should. It is the safest way to ensure poultry is fully cooked and very useful for getting that perfect medium rare prime rib roast beef too; it's a kitchen essential for sure.

After the turkey has rested, I still make gravy from the pan drippings and my own frozen turkey stock that I always have on hand, made from the carcass of my last roast turkey. I ALWAYS use stock and not water to make the best gravy. Low sodium or no-salt-added store bought turkey or chicken stock are also good options if you don't have your own homemade stock available but be sure to make some from the remnants of this turkey and freeze in plastic containers for soup or to make the most delicious turkey gravy next time. I still thicken my gravy the way my grandmother did with a slurry of flour and water. I despise corn starch thickened gravy; you will never find it at my house.

Toffee Crunch Candy

This is a favorite recipe from childhood that I was reminded of the other day. I mostly make it around Christmas time as a seasonal treat at our house. I sometimes crush it and serve it as a garnish for chocolate glazed cupcakes or add small chunks to a chocolate biscuit cake. We like to dunk it in plain melted chocolate for a homemade version of one of my favorite candy bars too.

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup dark corn syrup

1/2 cup water

1 1/2 tbsp baking soda

You will need to make this in a large pot because the foaming action of the baking soda needs plenty of room. I use a 4 quart dutch oven. Remember that this is candy making and high temperatures are required so exercise caution. The hot candy mixture can burn your skin very quickly if you come into contact with it, so it's best to do this one with the kids well clear of the kitchen.

Prepare a 13x9 inch baking dish by lining it with lightly greased aluminum foil. Alternatively a baking sheet with a silicone liner can also be used to pour the hot candy onto.

Bring the sugar, corn syrup and water to a boil over medium heat and continue to boil without stirring until the mixture reaches 300 degrees F (hard crack stage) on a candy thermometer. Do NOT leave this mixture as it boils because it can burn very, very quickly when it reaches the proper temperature. If you do not have a candy thermometer, drop a teaspoon of the mixture into ice water to test it. If the mix hardens immediately to a brittle glass like, hard candy consistently it is ready to add the baking soda.

Remove the pot form the heat and working at hands length for safety ( a lot of hot steam will rise from the pot when the soda is added) quickly whisk in the baking soda and immediately pour it into the prepared pan.

Let it cool completely before breaking or cutting into individual pieces and serving. This candy is very susceptible to humidity, so as soon as it cools completely, store it in an airtight container or Ziploc bags to preserve it's crunchy, melt-in-you-mouth texture.

Perfect Pecan Pie

Perfect Pecan Pie

This is my favorite pie. I've been making it for 30 years or more and it is always on my table on Christmas Day as a treat for myself and  some other Pecan Pie lovers in my family. I am a bit of a nut nut I must admit which accounts for a large part of why I love it so much.

Although my love for this pie is well established, we have a very intermittent relationship because I simply cannot resist this one so I don't make it all that often. It is one of those desserts that I covet and uncharacteristically do not willingly share. If it is in the fridge, it calls to me and I find myself making several trips , knife in hand, to cut small slivers which I eat throughout the day. I would probably polish an entire pie off in two days in tiny slices if left to my own devices. Little slices don't count anyway....right? 

Perfect Pecan Pie

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Pastry for 10 inch pie shell

Butter Pastry

• 1 cup very cold butter cut in small cubes
• 2 ½ cups flour
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• ½ tsp salt
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup ice water + 2tbsp white vinegar added (Only enough liquid to make a dough form.)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Using a food processor or a pastry blender cut cold butter into flour, brown sugar and salt until mixture resembles a coarse meal. Small pieces of butter should still be visible. Pour vanilla into cold water then pour over the mixture and work in by tossing with a fork until dough begins to form. Use your hands as little as possible and work the dough as little as possible.

Divide dough into 2 balls, flatten into 2 rounds, wrap in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to rest for a minimum of 20 minutes.You can make your dough the previous day but make sure you take it out of the fridge for 10 minutes to warm slightly before rolling out.

Roll the dough into a 12 - 14  inch round and place in the bottom of a deep 10 inch pie plate. Push the dough into the corners and ensure that it is not stretched at all or it will shrink from the edge. Trim dough to a half inch past the edge of plate. Fold the ends under and finch with fingers or fork to shape the edges into whatever design you like best. Place in freezer while you prepare the filling.

Filling

In a large bowl whisk together for 2-3 minutes until the brown sugar is dissolved:

• 4 large or extra large eggs (or 5 medium, or 6 small)
• 1 ½ cups lightly packed brown sugar
• 1 ½ cups dark corn syrup
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup melted butter

Stir in:

• 1 1/2 cups pecan halves

Bake for 40 -50 minutes or until the center is set and jiggles like jelly. Cool completely before serving.