Tuesday, September 16, 2025

Erin’s Carmels

2 c. brown sugar

1 can condensed milk

1 c. light corn syrup

1 c. butter

Place all ingredients in a large heavy pot. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Once the mixture comes to a rolling boil, remove from heat, continue stirring, cook it until it reaches soft ball stage, about 15-20 minutes after it starts to boil or 230°.

Thursday, September 11, 2025

Kate’s Chocolate Birthday Cake

 1 cup boiling water

3 ounces unsweetened chocolate 

3 ounces unsweetened chocolate

8 tablespoons (1 stick) sweet butter

2 cups granulated sugar

2 eggs, separated

I teaspoon baking soda

½ cup dairy sour cream

2 cups less 2 tablespoons unbleached, all-purpose flour, sifted 

I teaspoon baking powder

Chocolate Frosting (recipe follows)

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan. Knock out excess.
  2. Pour boiling water over chocolate and butter; let stand until melted. Stir in vanilla and sugar, then whisk in egg yolks, one at a time, blending well after each addition.
  3. Mix baking soda and sour cream and whisk into chocolate mixture.
  4. Sift flour and baking powder together and add to batter, mixing thoroughly.
  5. Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Stir a quarter of the egg whites thoroughly into the batter. Scoop remaining egg whites on top of the batter and gently fold together.
  6. Pour batter into the prepared pan. Set on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the edges have pulled away from the sides of the pan and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes; unmold and cool completely before frosting.

CHOCOLATE FROSTING

2 tablespoons sweet butter

¾ cup semisweet chocolate chips

6 tablespoons heavy cream

1¼ cups sifted confectioners' sugar, or as needed

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place all ingredients in a heavy saucepan over low heat and whisk until smooth. Cool slightly; add more sugar if necessary


Saturday, March 1, 2025

Cinnamon Buns (Edith from Heritage Park's recipe)

3 cups flour

1 tablespoon yeast/1 packet

1/4 cup sugar

~3 cups hot water

let rise 15 minutes

1/4 cup oil or melted butter

2 cups flour

mix adding more flour, ~1 cup if needed

knead-until smooth

let rise 15 min

divide

roll each into 12x9 rectangle

butter, brown sugar, cinnamon

bake in moderate oven (350 degrees)

20 minutes

Friday, January 3, 2025

Erin's Caramels

2 cups brown sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 cup butter

Cook to soft boil. Careful, it burns at the bottom of the pot easily.

Pour into greased 9x13, cut, and wrap.

Monday, October 21, 2024

Sue's Pie Crust

 5 cups flour

2 cups shortening/lard

1 egg

 3 T vinegar

1/2 t baking powder

2 t salt

water

Sift dry ingredients

Add shortening, cut in

Beat egg, add vinegar, and add water to a total of 1 cup

Add liquid and mix well

Makes 5 single crusts

Sunday, October 13, 2024

Sourdough Bagels


100 g starter 

255 g water 

40 g honey 

10 g sea salt 

500 g flour

Measure flour into the bowl of the mixer.
Stir starter, water, honey, and salt with spatula, and add to flour.
Mis with dough hook for 6-7 minutes. Cover the bowl and rest at room temperature for 8-12 hours,

Line a large baking sheet with parchment.
Turn dough onto counter and divide into 8 balls (use a scale for accuracy).
Poke a hole in the middle of each ball with your finger and shape into bagels, place on parchment paper. Cover with a towel for 30-60 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add 1 tablespoon of sugar. Boil each bagel 2 minutes per side.
Add optional toppings of choice.

Bake 425 for 25-28 minutes.

Discard Crackers


3/4-1 cup of sourdough discard


~ 2 tbsp of salted butter, melted 

~ 1 cup of shredded cheese Seasonings as you wish

Mix and spread super thin on a parchment lined baking sheet (or silicone liner, whatever you use)

Pop in a 350 degree oven for 5 minutes, take it out and use a pizza cutter to make cracker shapes

Pop back in the oven for another 20-30 minutes (can double on a larger sheet cake sheet)