Baking | Good Dinner Mrs Mellen

Category: Baking
- Eggnog Cheese Cake with Cranberry-Cherry Topping
  
  Posted at 9:23 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Dec 5th
  Who doesn’t love cheesecake? That rich, creamy taste savored with each bite, a sweet treat that is the perfect finish for any meal! The variety and texture of cheesecakes are endless. Cheesecake can be very dense and heavy or light and fluffy. You can use graham crackers, chocolate cookies, or pastry for the crust and fill it with your favorite recipe. I guess you can tell I love making all types of cheesecakes. Also, flavorings and toppings are endless to create wonderfully tasty cakes for special occasions.
  
  At Christmas, I like to make an Eggnog cheesecake topped with cranberries and cherry preserves for a festive dessert table.
  I like this recipe because it is light with a baking method that ensures the cheesecake doesn’t crack. I made either a fruit topping, or if you prefer, you can make a whipped cream topping sprinkled with sparkly candied crystals.
  
  CRUST
  
  2 ¼ cups (302g) graham cracker crumbs
  
  ½ cup (112g) salted butter, melted
  
  3 tbsp (39g) sugar
  
  1/2 tsp nutmeg
  
  FILLING
  
  24 ounces (678g) cream cheese, room temperature
  
  1 cup (207g) sugar
  
  3 tbsp (24g) all purpose flour
  
  1 cup (230g) eggnog
  
  3/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  
  4 large eggs, room temperature
  
  TOPPING
  
  1 12-ounce jar cherry preserves
  
  1 cup cranberries
  
  1 tablespoon brandy or rum
  
  CRUST
  
  Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Line a 9-inch (23cm) springform pan with parchment paper in the bottom and grease the sides.
  Combine the crust ingredients in a small bowl. Press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the springform pan.
  Bake the crust for 10 minutes, then set aside to cool.
  Cover the outsides of the pan with aluminum foil so that water from the water bath cannot get in. Set prepared pan aside.
  
  CHEESECAKE FILLING
  
  Reduce oven to 300°F (148°C).
  In a large mixer bowl, mix the cream cheese, sugar,
  
  and flour until well combined (Use low speed to keep less air from getting into the batter, which can cause cracks). Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
  
  Add the eggnog and nutmeg and mix on low speed until well combined. Add the eggs one at a time, beating slowly and scraping the sides of the bowl after each addition.
  Pour the cheesecake filling into crust and spread evenly.
  
  Place springform pan (covered with aluminum foil) inside another larger pan. Fill the larger pan with enough warm water to go about halfway up the sides of the springform pan. The water should not go above the top edge of the aluminum foil on the springform pan.
  Bake for 1 hour and 30-40 minutes.
  
  Turn off heat and leave cheesecake in oven with the door closed for 30 minutes.
  
  Crack the oven door and leave the cheesecake in the oven for about 30 minutes.
  Remove cheesecake from oven and chill until firm, 5-6 hours or overnight
  
  TOPPING
  
  Cook and stir cherry preserves and cranberries in a small saucepan over medium heat until preserves are melted and cranberries start to pop. Stir in 1 tablespoon of brandy or rum. Cool for 30 minutes.
  
  Remove the cheesecake from the pan. Spoon topping over prepared cheesecake. Refrigerate the cheesecake until ready to serve. Cheesecake is best for 3-4 days.
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Baking, Cake, Christmas, Christmas Recipes, Dessert, desserts, Elegant, entertaining, Food, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, Holiday Celebrations | Tagged Cheesecake, Cherries, Christmas Dessert, Cranberries
- Pumpkin Chocolate Swirl Pie
  
  Posted at 10:12 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Oct 26th
```
If you know me or follow my blog, I love to cook, decorate, and entertain! So this might seem a surprise that I am hosting my first Thanksgiving dinner at my home. Yes, you heard, right.  


Thanksgiving is the one holiday that you will not find a large group gathered around my dining room table. Traditionally I spent Thanksgiving at my parent's home in Pennsylvania, the one holiday that we were all together again. After my grandson was born, we celebrated at the home of my daughter-in-law's parents, beginning a new phase in our life.


This year due to the pandemic and staying safe, Thanksgiving dinner will be a small group of seven. Individuals that are in our pandemic circle. And I am going to make sure that this is a memorable as every other Thanksgiving!  


I've decided to plan my meal backward, beginning with dessert! Growing up, my mother baked a traditional pumpkin pie, which is still my favorite. This year I decided that we are going to have a spectacular Pumpkin Chocolate Swirl pie. And I drizzled chocolate over the pie! 


Pumpkin pie is easy to make. To make the pie special, I've added an extra step with the chocolate batter and the drizzle. I've included a basic butter crust recipe, or you can purchase refrigerated pie crust too.
An easy, show-stopping dessert to sweeten up our Thanksgiving dinner even if we are missing sharing with our large family! 






Pumpkin Chocolate Swirl Pie


1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin 
1 (14-ounce) can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk
4 eggs
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3-ounce Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled slightly


All Butter Pie Crust* or 1 (9-inch) Pillsbury Pie crust


Chocolate drizzle


2-ounce Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate
2 tablespoons unsalted Cabot butter






Pre-heat over to 425 F. Wish together pumpkin, sweetened condensed milk, eggs, spices, and cornstarch in a medium bowl until smooth.


Transfer 1 cup of the filling into a bowl and whisk in the melted chocolate. Pour pumpkin filling in the crust. Dollop the chocolate filling on top and swirl with a butter knife.


Bake Pie for 15 minutes. Reduce3 over temperature to 350 F and continue baking for 35 for 40 minutes or until knife inserted 1 inch from crust comes out clean. Cool.


Make chocolate drizzle. Melt chocolate and butter in a safe microwave bowl at 50 percent for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, depending on your microwave. 


Drizzle over pie. 


The pie can be refrigerated overnight. Serve chilled or at room temperature.




*All Butter Pie Crust


1 1/4 cup King Arthur's all purposed flour
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
10 tablespoons Cabot unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
2 to 4 tablespoons ice water, as needed


In a food processor, pulse together the flour and salt. Add butter and pause until mixture from lima bean-size pieces. Slowly add ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse until the dough just comes together. It should be moist but not wet.


Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gather into a ball. Flatten into a disk with the heel of your hand. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 2 days.


On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a 13-inch round a scant 1/4 inch thick. Fit the dough into a 9-inch glass pie plate. Trim the edge to 3/4 inch; fold the dough under itself and crimp decoratively.


Enjoy!
```
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  Posted in Autumn, Baking, Baking, Chocolate, Dessert, desserts, Elegant, entertaining, Food, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, Holiday Celebrations, Pie, Thanksgiving | Tagged Cabot Butter, Chocolate pumpkin pie, Eagle Brand, Easy recipe, Ghiradelli Chocolate, Pillsbury Pie crust, Thanksgiving dessert, Thanksgiving dinner
- PUMPKIN-PECAN CHEESECAKE
  
  Posted at 11:50 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Oct 3rd
  I discovered Southern Living magazine on a family road trip through the south to visit my mother-in-law’s family in southern Georgia. During one of our many stops for gas, I wondered to a magazine rack, searching for a new read for the trip, and was drawn to the cover of Southern Living. After a quick skim through the pages, I purchased the magazine and when I returned home to Boston, I ordered a subscription. Thirty years later and I continue to feel enthralled by the pages of this magazine.
  
  If you are a novice or even more experienced cook, the pages are packed with ideas for food, entertaining, decorating and traveling with an irresistible southern vibe. Hospitality is the core of the southern style of entertaining. And I learned on that long-ago trip, the pineapple is the symbol of hospitality. Pineapples can be found throughout my home decor and at Christmas, I decorate over my front door with Williamsburg Christmas fan containing a pineapple surrounded by red apples.
  
  The recipes populating the pages of Southern Living are clear, concise and easy to duplicate. I made this cheesecake recipe with one change, I added pumpkin pie spice and my guests raved about the taste.
  
  CHEESECAKE
  
  2 cups graham cracker crumbs
  
  1/3 cup finely chopped pecans
  
  5 tablespoons butter, melted
  
  3 tablespoons light brown sugar
  
  4 (8-oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
  
  1 cup granulated sugar
  
  1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  
  4 large eggs
  
  1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin
  
  1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
  
  1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
  
  PRALINE TOPPING
  
  1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
  
  1/3 cup whipping cream
  
  1/4 cup butter
  
  1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
  
  1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  
  Garnishes: coarsely chopped Pecan Pie-Glazed Pecans, fresh sage leaves
  
  Preheat oven to 325°. Stir together the first 4 ingredients in a bowl until well blended. Press mixture on bottom and 1 1/2 inches up sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned.
  
  Beat cream cheese and next 2 ingredients at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until blended and smooth. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Add pumpkin and lemon juice, beating until blended. Pour batter into prepared crust. (Pan will be very full.)
  
  Bake at 325° for 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes or until almost set. Turn oven off. Let cheesecake stand in oven, with the door closed, 15 minutes. Remove cheesecake from oven, and gently run a knife around the outer edge of cheesecake to loosen from sides of the pan. (Do not remove sides of the pan.) Cool completely on a wire rack (about 1 hour). Cover and chill 8 to 24 hours.
  
  Remove the sides and bottom of the pan, and transfer cheesecake to a serving plate. Prepare Praline Topping; immediately pour slowly over the top of the cheesecake, spreading to within 1/4 inch of edge. Garnish, if desired.
  
  Praline Topping
  
  Bring first 3 ingredients to a boil in a 1-qt. saucepan over medium heat, stirring often. Boil, stirring occasionally, 1 minute; remove from heat. Gradually whisk in powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth. Let stand 5 minutes, whisking occasionally. Use immediately.
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Baking, Dessert, Elegant, entertaining, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, Thanksgiving | Tagged pecans, Pumkin Cheesecake, Thanksgiving dessert
- Applelicious Cupcakes
  
  Posted at 11:59 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Sep 13th
  Ah, fall is in the air! Time for fabulous apple desserts to herald the beginning of fall. Fall is my favorite time of year when the leaves start to change with the crisp Autumn air. And fall clothes, need I say more to soft cashmere sweaters, light wool pants, and boots! But I can’t forget about fresh-picked apples right off the tree. It’s perfect for just taking a big juicy bite or using for outrageous apple desserts like the recipe that I am sharing today, half cupcake, half muffin, but totally delicious.
  
  Applelicious Cupcakes
  
  Cream Cheese Filling
  
  1 8 ounces package cream cheese
  
  1/4 cup butter, softened
  
  1/2 cup sugar
  
  1 large egg
  
  2 tablespoon flour
  
  1 teaspoon vanilla
  
  Apple batter
  
  1 cup finely chopped pecans
  
  3 cups flour
  
  1 cup of sugar
  
  1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  
  2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  
  1 teaspoon nutmeg
  
  1 teaspoon baking soda
  
  1 teaspoon salt
  
  1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
  
  3/4 cup canola oil
  
  3/4 cup apple sauce
  
  1 teaspoon vanilla
  
  3 cups peeled Gala apples, finely chopped
  
  Praline Frosting
  
  1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  
  1/4 cup butter
  
  3 tablespoon milk
  
  1teaspoon vanilla
  
  1 cup powdered sugar
  
  Prepare Filling: Beat the first three ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended and smooth. Add egg, flour, and vanilla beat until combined.
  
  Prepare Batter: Preheat oven to 350. Bake finely chopped pecans in a shallow pan 8-10 minutes until toasted. Stir together flour and the next seven ingredients in a large bowl; stir in eggs, and follow with the oil, apple sauce, and vanilla until dry ingredients are moistened. Stir in apples and pecans.
  
  Spoon batter into cupcake lined pans, filling half. Then spoon about 1/8 cup of cream cheese filling using all the filling. Top with remaining batter.
  
  Bake 20-25 minutes until a wooden tester comes out clean.
  
  Makes 24 cupcakes
  
  Prepare Praline Frosting: Bring brown sugar, butter, milk to a boil in a 2-qt saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly. Boil one minute. Remove from heat, add vanilla, stir. Gradually whisk powder sugar until smooth. Stir for 3-5 minutes until frosting slightly thickens. Before the frosting is cool, frost cupcakes. Top with chopped pecans and one dried apple chip.
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Apples, Baking, Cake, cupcakes | Tagged apples, cupcakes, fall baking
- Candied Apple Crumb Cake
  
  Posted at 7:51 pm by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Sep 8th
  Fall at it’s best with fresh-picked apples baked in a rich pound cake with a crumb topping and caramel drizzled on top. Richly flavored with just a hint of orange juice, cinnamon, and crisp tart apples. I used Granny Smith Apples in this cake for their tart flavor along with a firm consistency after baking. As gorgeous as this cake looks it is quite easy to make. Delicious, dazzling, easy to duplicate, what could be better.
  
  Candied Apple Crumb Cake
  
  4 cups flour
  
  2 cups of sugar
  
  1/2 teaspoon salt
  
  4 teaspoons baking powder
  
  1 cup oil
  
  1 cup of orange juice
  
  3 large eggs (4 if small)
  
  1 teaspoon vanilla
  
  Apple Filling
  
  4 Granny Smith Apples peeled and sliced
  
  1/2 cup sugar
  
  2 teaspoon cinnamon
  
  Crumb Topping
  
  1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened
  
  1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
  
  1 cup flour
  
  1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  
  1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  
  Caramel Sauce
  
  1 cup granulated sugar
  
  ½ cup heavy cream
  
  2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  
  1 teaspoon fleur de sel (or another sea salt)
  
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease tube cake pan and set aside. Sift together flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Place in a large mixing bowl making a well.
  
  2. Combine oil, orange juice, eggs, and vanilla. Pour into the center of the well and beat for three minutes.
  
  3. Combine sugar and cinnamon in the small bowl and set aside.
  
  4. Pour a third of the batter into prepared pan, add half sliced apples and half cinnamon-sugar. Cover with half the remaining batter. Top with remaining apples then cinnamon-sugar. Add remaining batter on top.
  
  5. Combine ingredients for crumb topping blending until thoroughly combined. A pastry blender works best to make the crumb topping but you can cut the butter in with two knives.
  
  6. Sprinkle over cake. Bake 1 hour 30 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.
  
  7. Cool for 1 hour before removing from the tube pan.
  
  8. Make caramel sauce: In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat combine the sugar with 1/4 cup cold water and stir to combine. Cook, without stirring, until the sugar has turned a deep amber color about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, warm the cream in a small saucepan. When the caramel is ready, slowly, whisk in the warm cream and continue simmering for another 2-3 minutes until the mixture is smooth. Remove from heat, then whisk in the butter,, and then salt. Slowly drizzle over cake.
  
  Serve with Vanilla ice cream or just plain.
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Apples, Baking, desserts | Tagged Apple cake, caramel sauce, pound cake
- Spectacular Fall Desserts
  
  Posted at 8:38 pm by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Sep 5th
  In New England, we are love to celebrate the fall season. Cool morning with warm sunny days, jewel-tone leaves, farm roadside stands bursting with the last of summer’s bounty all signal the change in the seasons. Nature’s premier show on display for all to enjoy. Fall baking is one of my favorite past times and I especially love to make apple desserts. Going through all my post I realized I’m kind of obsessed with apples, cakes, pies, cupcakes and more. When I’m creating a new cake or pie the fall just inspires me like nature to give it my all and go wild! Here are a few of my fall favorites that I have posted over the years.
  
  Candied Apple Fudge Bundt Cake
  
  Candied Apple Fudge Bundt Cake
  
  FANTASTIC APPLE PIE
  
  Fantastic Fall Apple Pie
  
  CANDIED APPLE CRUMB CAKE
  
  Candied Apple Crumb Cake
  
  FALL APPLE PIE
  
  FALL APPLE PIE
  
  Enjoy!
  
  Gooddinnermrsmellen.com
  
  buzzchomp.com
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  Posted in Apples, Baking, Dessert, desserts, Food, Uncategorized | Tagged Apple cake, Apple Pie, apples, fall baking, fall desserts
- Peach Schnapps Pie with Streusel Topping
  
  Posted at 8:37 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Aug 26th
  August is peach season with fresh picked peaches in all the markets. Peach pie is one of my favorites pies(I know I say that about every pie!). Sometimes you have to do something different, go a little rouge, shack it up! That’s what I did with this Peach Pie, I added Peach Schnapps to the filling, added a streusel topping all in a phyllo pie crust. I just let my creative cooking ideas flow for this show stopping pie!
  
  Streusel topping:
  
  1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons unbleached all purpose flour
  
  1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
  
  1/3 cup cup (packed) golden brown sugar
  
  1/2 teaspoon salt
  
  6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) chilled unsalted butter, diced
  
  3/4 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
  
  Filling:
  
  3/4 cup sugar
  
  2 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
  
  3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  
  1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
  
  1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  
  2 tablespoon Peach Schnapps
  
  3 3/4 to 4 pounds peaches, peeled with vegetable peeler, halved, pitted, cut into 1-inch wedges
  
  Phyllo Pie Crust:
  
  10 14×9-inch sheets fresh phyllo pastry or frozen, thawed
  
  5 tablespoons butter, melted
  
  2 tablespoons sugar
  
  1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  
  1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  
  1/4 teaspoon ginger
  
  Preparation:
  
  Streusel topping:
  
  Stir flour, oats, sugar, and salt in medium bowl. Add butter; rub in with fingertips until mixture holds together in moist clumps. Mix in pecans. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill.
  
  filling:
  
  Stir sugar and next 4 ingredients in large bowl. Mix in Peach Schnapps, then peaches; toss. Let stand at least 20 minutes, tossing occasionally.
  
  Crust:
  
  Lightly butter 10-inch-diameter tart pan. Place rimmed baking sheet in oven to heat. Combine sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger in small bowl.
  
  Set rack at lowest position in oven. Preheat oven to 400°F. Lay 1 phyllo sheet on clean work surface and brush lightly with butter (keep remaining phyllo sheets covered with plastic wrap and damp towel to prevent drying). Sprinkle 1scant teaspoonful cinnamon mixture over phyllo. Repeat 4 times with phyllo, butter, and cinnamon mixture. Arrange stacked phyllo in tart pan, gently pressing and allowing long sides to hang over edge of pan. Repeat layering process with 5 remaining phyllo sheets. Arrange stacked phyllo crosswise atop first sheets so that overhanging corners point in opposite directions. Roll overhang in to form edge of crust.
  
  Spoon filling into crust. Scatter topping over, breaking up large clumps.
  
  Bake pie 30 minutes. Reduce oven to 350°F; bake until juices bubble thickly and topping is golden, covering edges with foil if browning too quickly, about 30 hour. Cool on rack at least 1 1/2 hours. Serve warm or at room temperature.
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Baking, Baking, Dessert, desserts, Food, peaches, Pie | Tagged Peach Pie
- Sticky Buns
  
  Posted at 9:07 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Jul 8th
  Growing up my mother made the most wonderfully delicious Cinnamon Buns or as we liked to call them, sticky buns. We’d anxiously wait for the dough to rise and for my mother to bake in a very hot oven. The aroma filled our house, lasting until we licked our fingers clean.
  
  Years ago my mother shared with me her recipe for her sweet yeast bread which I’ve incorporated into these absolutely scrupulous Sticky Buns. I made these for my children and now I introduced my grandchildren to my mother’s Sticky Buns.
  
  These delicious pastries are worth the time and effort to make from scratch. What I like is the recipe can be made ahead, in stages. Also, I have successfully frozen the baked buns, just defrost, and gently warm.
  
  Dough:
  
  1 cup milk at room temperature
  
  2 teaspoon yeast
  
  1/2 tablespoon sugar
  
  1 teaspoon salt
  
  2 egg
  
  ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces, room temperature, plus ½ tablespoon, melted
  
  3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  
  Topping:
  
  1¾ cups chopped pecans (about 8 ounces)
  
  ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
  
  ¾ cup (packed) dark brown sugar
  
  ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  
  Filling:
  
  ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
  
  ½ cup (packed) dark brown sugar
  
  ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  
  ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  
  ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
  
  All-purpose flour (for dusting)
  
  1 large egg
  
  Coarse sea salt
  
  Heat milk in a small saucepan over medium or in a microwave until an instant-read thermometer registers 110°–115°. Transfer milk to a 2-cup measuring cup; stir in 1 Tbsp. sugar. Sprinkle yeast over milk and whisk to blend. Let sit until yeast is foamy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs; whisk until smooth. Combine flour, salt, and remaining sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add milk mixture. With the mixer running, add ½ cup room-temperature butter, 1 piece at a time, blending well between additions. Mix on medium speed 1 minute. Knead on medium-high speed until the dough is soft and silky, about 5 minutes.
  
  Brush a medium bowl with about 1 tsp. melted butter; place dough in the bowl. Brush top of the dough with remaining melted butter; cover with plastic wrap.
  
  Let dough rise in a warm, draft-free area until doubled in size, 2 hours.
  
  Chill dough 2 hours or overnight.
  
  Do Ahead: Dough, before the first rise, can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with plastic; chill. Let rise in a warm, draft-free area until doubled in size, 2–2½ hours.
  
  Topping
  
  Preheat oven to 350°. Spread nuts on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast until fragrant and slightly darkened, 10–12 minutes. Let cool completely. Set 1¼ cups nuts aside for buns.
  
  Melt butter in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar, cream, honey, salt, and orange zest, if using. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer until glaze is golden brown and glossy, 3–4 minutes. Pour 1 cup glaze into the baking pan, tilting to coat bottom and sides. Set aside remaining glaze. Sprinkle ½ cup toasted pecans over bottom of the baking pan and let cool.
  
  Buns
  
  Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and kosher salt in a medium bowl until light and fluffy, 2–3 minutes. Set filling aside.
  
  Roll out dough on a lightly floured work surface into a 14×18″ rectangle about ¼” thick. Arrange dough on a work surface so 1 long side faces you. Spread cinnamon-sugar mixture over dough, leaving a 1″ border on the side farthest from you.
  
  Sprinkle ¾ cup chopped pecans over cinnamon-sugar mixture. Beginning with the long edge closest to you, roll dough into a log, tightening as you roll and patting in ends if they begin to taper. Pinch together the seam where the long side meets the roll to seal. Arrange log seam side down.
  
  Using a large knife, cut log crosswise into 12 pieces (lightly flour knife between slices if the dough is too sticky). Turn buns cut side up and gently pat top to flatten slightly. If needed, reshape to form round edges by cupping lightly floured hands around each bun and gently pushing and turning them in a circular motion. Transfer buns to prepared pan, spacing evenly apart (buns should not touch each other).
  
  Loosely cover the pan with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel. Let buns rise in a warm, draft-free area until doubled in size, 45 minutes–1 hour, or 1½–2 hours if the dough has been chilled overnight.
  
  Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven; preheat to 450°. Whisk egg with ½ tsp. water in a small bowl. Brush tops of buns with egg wash. Bake, rotating pan halfway through and tenting with foil if browning too quickly until buns are golden brown, the filling is bubbling, about 20 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes. Spoon remaining glaze over. Sprinkle ½ cup pecans over. Let cool in pan on a wire rack.
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Baking, Baking, Food, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, Pastry | Tagged cinnamon buns, pastries, Sticky buns
- Easy Crusty Bread
  
  Posted at 7:17 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  May 24th
  This is the easiest recipe for simple crusty bread and it uses regular flour. The bread tastes delicious. Perfect for a novice bread maker. I’ve baked for years and I love the convenience of this no-fuss recipe. All you do is make the recipe and store the dough in your refrigerator for up to two weeks. You can make a loaf at a time or any combination up to three loaves.
  
  Making bread or anything with yeast reminds me of my mother and grandmother, both were exceptional cooks and bakers. My memories flow freely when I smell bread baking in my kitchen, I am transported to my childhood watching my mother kneed bread patiently waiting to taste her fresh-baked bread. This recipe is kneed free.
  
  Life is simple again when you bake bread!
  
  1 ½ tablespoons yeast*
  
  1 ½ tablespoon kosher salt
  
  3 cups water, lukewarm
  
  6 ½ cups King Arthur’s unbleached, all-purpose flour, more for dusting dough
  
  Cornmeal
  
  In a large bowl mix yeast and salt into 3 cups lukewarm water (about 100 degrees). Stir in flour, mixing until there are no dry patches. The dough will be quite loose. Cover with plastic wrap. Let dough rise at room temperature 2 hours (or up to 5 hours).
  
  You can make the bread now or cover and refrigerate the dough for up two weeks. When ready to bake, sprinkle a little flour on dough and cut off a grapefruit-size piece with a serrated knife. Turn dough in hands to lightly stretch surface, creating a rounded top and a lumpy bottom. Put dough on a parchment-covered baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal; let rest 40 minutes. Repeat with remaining dough or refrigerate for future use.
  
  Place broiler pan on the bottom of the oven. Turn over to 450 degrees and heat for 10 minutes.
  
  Dust dough with flour, slash top with a serrated or very sharp knife three times. Place the baking sheet on the center rack. Pour one cup hot water into broiler pan and shut the oven quickly to trap steam. Bake until well browned, about 30 minutes. Cool completely. Makes three round loaves.
  
  * I used SAF Instant Red Label Yeast by Lesaffre Yeast Corporation
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  Posted in Baking, Baking, breads, Easy recipes, Food, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen | Tagged Baked Bread, Crusty Bread, Easy Bread recipe, King Arthur's Flour, Saf Yeast
- Lemon and Lavender Scones with Lemon Curd
  
  Posted at 9:00 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  May 3rd
  I am the number one fan of Victoria Magazine! Years ago I stumbled upon the first issue in a doctor’s office waiting room and I have been enamored ever since. This beautiful magazine with gorgeous features and breathtaking styled photoshoots speaks to my soul. I anxiously await every issue knowing my favorite magazine will not disappoint, each issue is a visual delight, from the articles to the recipes.
  
  I’ve made many of the recipes featured in Victoria and I find their recipes simple to duplicate, achieving the same results as the magazine. This is not always the case when you attempt a recipe from a magazine. Many times I have been disappointed with my results and I am a good cook. Not with Victoria!
  
  I love Victoria’s tag line, “For lovers of charming homes and gardens, decorative touches, and world travel, Victoria nourishes the feminine soul and promises a return to loveliness.”
  
  Below is the recipe for Lemon and Lavender Scones from Victoria Magazine the May/June 2020 issue.
  
  Lemon and Lavender Scones with Lemon Curd
  
  2 cups self-rising flour*
  
  ¼ cup of sugar
  
  ¼ cup cold salted butter
  
  2 teaspoons dried culinary lavender
  
  1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
  
  ½ cup cold heavy whipping cream
  
  1 large egg
  
  ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  
  Lemon curd
  
  Garnish: fresh culinary lavender flowers
  
  Preheat oven to 350°. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
  
  In a medium bowl, combine flour and sugar, whisking well. Using a pastry
  
  blender, cut butter into flour mixture until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
  
  Add dried lavender and lemon zest, stirring well.
  
  In a small bowl, combine cream, egg, and vanilla extract, whisking well.
  
  Add cream mixture to flour mixture, stirring to combine. Continue to bring
  
  the dough together with hands. (If the mixture seems dry, add more cream, 1
  
  a tablespoon at a time, until uniformly moist.)
  
  Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface, and knead lightly 3 to 4 times.
  
  Roll dough into an 8 inch round and to a ½-inch thickness. Cut into 8
  
  rectangles.
  
  Bake until edges are golden brown and a wooden pick inserted
  
  in centers comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Remove scones to a wire
  
  rack, and let cool completely.
  
  Garnish with creamed honey lavender flowers, if desired.
  
  Lemon Crud
  
  3 egg yolks
  
  1/3 cup granulated sugar
  
  2 teaspoons lemon zest
  
  1/4 cup strained lemon juice
  
  1/4 cup unsalted butter, cubes
  
  In a small heavy saucepan whisk, together, lemon zest, and lemon juice
  
  until blended. Add butter; cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until
  
  the mixture is very thick and the thermometer reads at least 175, about 10 minutes.
  
  Do not boil, Immediately remove from heat.
  
  Strain through a fine-mesh side into a small bowl. Press plastic wrap
  
  onto the surface, and let cool for 15 minutes. Refrigerate until serving, at
  
  least 1 hour.
  
  *If you have all-purpose flour add 3 teaspoons baking powder and 1
  
  teaspoon salt.
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Baking, Baking, Dessert, desserts, Easy recipes, entertaining, Food, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, Tea Party | Tagged baking, Lemon Lavender scone, Tea Party, Victoria magazine
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