Caramel-Apple-Ginger Bread

This bread caught my eye and dragged me 15 feet. Of course, when Emo Philips said that he was walking down a street of Downer's Grove talking about "something" while I was finger-walking through a magazine.
Regardless, I just had to do it, I had to bake this bread.

Caramel-Apple-Ginger Bread
from Cooking Club, Winter 2013
click to print

1 3/4 c all-purpose flour
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 c packed brown sugar
1/2 c canola oil
1/2 c sour cream
2 eggs
1 1/2 c finely chopped peeled apples (Braeburn, Gala or Honeycrisp)
1/3 c chopped crystallized ginger

Glaze
1/2 c brown sugar
1/4 c unsalted butter, cut up
1/4 c heavy whipping cream
1 tsp light corn syrup
1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger

Heat oven to 350°F if using a metal pan, 325°F is using glass dish. Spray 8.5x4.5" pan or dish wtih cooking spray. Line with parchment paper, allowing paper to extend over sides. Spray paper with cooking spray.

Whisk flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl.


Blend brown sugar, oil, sour cream, and eggs in blender 1 minute or until smooth.


Make a well in center of flour mixture. Pour in egg mixture; whisk until moistened.


Stir in apples and crystallized ginger; spoon into pan.


Bake 55-60 minutes or until wooden skewer inserted in center comes out clean but slightly moist. Cool in pan on wire rack set over sheet of waxed paper 10 minutes.

I opted to put the pan over a small baking sheet. While I did have to wash it later, I didn't contribute unnecessarily to a landfill.

Meanwhile, bring all glaze ingredients to a boil in small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Cool slightly.


Remove bread from pan; remove parchment. With wooden skewer, poke holes in top of bread every inch, inserting skewer all the way through bread. Spoon 1/4 c of the warm glaze over hot bread, allowing glaze to seep into holes. Cool completely on wire rack.


Gently warm remaining glaze just until spreadable. Spoon over bread, allowing glaze to drip down sides. Let stand until set.



Oh yeah, this bread is oh-my-effin'-good. It's sweet but not crazy sweet (even with the glaze), and it has the zing of ginger, plus the little chunks of sour-sweet apple. Win!

Cost:

• all-purpose flour: $0.14
• brown sugar: $0.42
• canola oil: $0.21
• sour cream: $1.10
• eggs: $0.95
• apples: $0.49
• crystallized ginger: $1.87
• unsalted butter: $0.10
• heavy whipping cream: $0.98
• light corn syrup: $0.04
• fresh ginger: $0.12

Total: $6.42 or about $0.54 for each of 12-slices.

Baked Oatmeal Pudding with Cinnamon-Sugar Topping

You know I like oatmeal, so an oatmeal pudding with cinnamon-sugar topping sounded just fantastic. With all the eggs and milk and raisins and oats, it sounded like it'd be a nice change for breakfast AND serve as dessert. That's a win, right?

Baked Oatmeal Pudding with Cinnamon-Sugar Topping
from Cooking Club, Winter 2014
click to print

4 c water
2 c old-fashioned oats
1/2 c raisins
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon, divided
2 c low-fat milk (2%)
4 eggs
2/3 c pure maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp sugar
2 c heavy whipping cream, if desired

Bring water, oats, raisins and 1/2 teaspoon of the cinnamon to a boil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring frequently.

I didn't actually let the oats come to a boil. Once a simmer was reached, it was maintained.

Reduce heat to low; simmer 6 to 10 minutes or until oatmeal mixture is thickened and soft, stirring frequently.

Even without coming to a boil earlier, my oats were thick after 6 minutes.

Remove from heat; let stand until lukewarm, about 20 to 30 minutes.


Stir in milk until blended.


Add eggs one at a time, stirring well after each addition.


Stir in maple syrup and vanilla.


Coat 13x9-inch (3-quart) shallow glass or ceramic baking dish with cooking spray. Add oatmeal mixture. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Mine went into the refrigerator and came out 47 hours later.

Heat oven to 350°F.

Combine sugar and remaining 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon in small cup.


Sprinkle cinnamon-sugar over top of oatmeal mixture.


Bake, uncovered, 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes or until oatmeal mixture is set, edges are golden brown and knife inserted in center comes out moist but clean.

One hour and 19 minutes and mine was done. Maybe sprinkling the cinnamon-sugar directly against the edges of the dish would prevent it from migrating like the sheets on my bed as I sleep.

Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Serve with cream, if desired.


The pudding was okay, but man, it was so wet. I couldn't get past the wetness, it was so much like eating a slice of wet bread. It's possible that was due to the extra 23 hours mine sat in the refrigerator. I think I used whole milk but you'd think that would make it thicker and less wet; still though, it's another variable. Regardless, I'm not a fan of this one, though it was easy to put together. Maybe one day I'll cut the recipe in half and execute the entire thing in one day and find out what's what for real.

Cost:

• old-fashioned oats: $0.47
• raisins: $0.82
• milk: $0.50
• eggs: $1.90
• maple syrup: $2.64
• vanilla extract: $0.08
• sugar: $0.06

Total: $6.47 or about $0.81 for each of 8 giant servings

Pumpkin Rice Pudding

Pumpkin rice pudding? It sounds kind of good and kind of sick at the same time. I like rice pudding quite a bit so it's good enough reason as any to try it.

Pumpkin Rice Pudding
adapted from Cooking Club
click to print

15-oz. pumpkin puree
1 c sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 (12-oz.) can evaporated milk
2 eggs, beaten
2 c cooked medium-grain rice
1/2 c raisins
1/2 c chopped pecans

Heat oven to 350°F.

Whisk pumpkin, 1 cup sugar, cinnamon, ginger, salt and cloves in large bowl.


Stir in evaporated milk and eggs.


Stir in rice, raisins and 1/2 cup pecans.


Pour into 11x7-inch glass baking dish. Place in shallow roasting or broiler pan. Add enough water to come about 1 inch up sides of baking dish.


Bake 15 minutes; stir well. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.

The back portion of the pudding is not really that dark - it's an artifact of lighting. The stab wounds in the pudding is indicative of how many times I checked it for done-ness.

Cool 20 minutes. Store in refrigerator.



Originally planning to bring this to work, the licks taken from the knives used to check for done-ness convinced me to keep it at home to I could continue taste-testing the entire dish. There is a whipped topping that was part of the original recipe, but I chose to skip it. I didn't think this rice pudding needed whipped cream and additional nuts.

Cost:

• sugar: $0.96
• evaporated milk: $0.88
• eggs: $0.95
• rice: $0.80
• raisins: $0.82
• pecans: free from Mom

Total: $4.41 or about $0.37 for each of 12 servings