Raspberry Swirl Sweet Rolls

These were sooo yummy.  We made some for some neighbors and kept some for ourselves that we didn't glaze. I'll be so glad when our sugar challenge is over.  Even without the glaze these were yum.

from www.thecurvycarrot.com

Raspberry Swirl Sweet Rolls

Servings: 16 rolls

Ingredients

For the dough

1 cup milk

2/3 cup sugar

1 and 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

4 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting***I made a boo-boo and ran out of white flour in the middle of this.  I substituted half white and half whole wheat flour, and they still turned out just fine!

For the filling

One 10-ounce package frozen raspberries, not thawed***Try substituting different berries or a mixture of them!

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon cornstarch

For the glaze

3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 and 1/2 tablespoons heavy cream

Instructions

1. For the dough: In a small saucepan, warm the milk over moderately low heat until it’s 95°.

2. Pour the warm milk into the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with the dough hook and stir in the sugar and yeast.

3. Let stand until the yeast is foamy, about 5 minutes.

4. Add the softened butter, eggs, grated lemon zest and sea salt.

5. Add the flour and beat at medium speed until a soft dough forms, about 3 minutes.

6. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until the dough is soft and supple, about 10 minutes longer.

7. Scrape the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it with your hands 2 or 3 times.

8. Form the dough into a ball and transfer it to a lightly buttered bowl.

9. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 1 to 2 hours.

10. Line the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, allowing the paper to extend up the short sides. Butter the paper and sides of the pan.

11.Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and, using a rolling pin, roll it into a 10-by-24-inch rectangle.

12. For the filling: In a medium bowl, toss the frozen raspberries with the sugar and cornstarch.

13. Spread the raspberry filling evenly over the dough. Tightly roll up the dough to form a 24-inch-long log.

14. Working quickly, cut the log into quarters. Cut each quarter into 4 slices and arrange them in the baking pan, cut sides up. Cover the rolls and let them rise in a warm place until they are puffy and have filled the baking pan, about 2 hours.*****I let mine rise for the two hours at room temperature, and then I covered them with plastic wrap at that point and popped them into the refrigerator overnight.  I brought them back up to room temperature the next morning as the oven preheated.

15. Preheat the oven to 425°.

16. Bake the rolls for about 25 minutes, until they are golden and the berries are bubbling. Transfer the pan to a rack to cool for 30 minutes.

17. For the glaze: In a small bowl, whisk the confectioners’ sugar with the butter and heavy cream until the glaze is thick and spreadable.

18. Invert the rolls onto the rack and peel off the parchment paper. Invert the rolls onto a platter. Dollop glaze over each roll and spread with an offset spatula. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Banana Streusel Bread

Photo from Joy of Baking

Banana Streusel Bread 

2 cups all-purpose flour, or whole wheat

1/2 cup  brown sugar

1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped

1 - 5.5 ounce (155 gram) package of Werther's Original Chewy Caramels, coarsely chopped

2 ripe large bananas, mashed

2 large eggs lightly beaten

1/2 cup  unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1/3 cup yogurt (can use plain, vanilla, or caramel flavored yogurt)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract6

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F  and place the rack in the center of the oven. Butter (or spray with a non stick vegetable spray) the bottom and sides of an 8-cup loaf pan (9 x 5 x 3 inch)  Set aside.
In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, 2/3 cup of pecans, and half of the chopped caramels. 

In a medium-sized bowl combine the mashed bananas, eggs, melted butter, yogurt, and vanilla. With a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, lightly fold the wet ingredients (banana mixture) into the dry ingredients until just combined and the batter is thick and chunky. (The important thing is not to over mix the batter. Over mixing the batter will yield a tough, rubbery bread.) Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle remaining 1/3 cup of pecans and chopped caramels over the top of the batter. Bake until bread is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 50 -60 minutes. Place on a wire rack to cool and then remove the bread from the pan. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes one - 9 inch loaf.

recipe adapted from Joy of Baking

Apple Nut Ring- Sara

 (Pampered Chef Recipe)

• 2 tubes buttermilk biscuit dough
• ¼ cup butter (or margarine), melted
• ⅓ cup sugar
• 1 Tbsp cinnamon
• 2 medium Granny Smith apples
• ⅓ cup nuts, finely chopped
• Preheat oven to 400ºF. Separate biscuits. In medium bowl melt butter in microwave for 30-45 seconds. Combine sugar and cinnamon in small bowl. Dip biscuits in butter then roll in sugar mixture. Arrange biscuits in an overlapping circular pattern in round deep dish baker.
• Peel, core and slice apples thinly. Place a slice of apple between each biscuit and around the edge of biscuits. Mix nuts with any remaining sugar mixture; sprinkle over top.
• Bake 25-30 minutes or until biscuits are deep golden brown. Serve warm. Yields 10 servings.

Banana Bread- Sara

• 1 ¼ cup sugar
• ½ cup (1 stick) butter or margarine (softened)
• *or ¼ cup margarine, ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 eggs
• 1 ½ cup mashed super ripe bananas (I save mine with the peels off in the freezer)
• ½ cup fat-free buttermilk (substitute ½ cup milk with 1 ½ tsp. vinegar—let stand 5 min)
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 ½ c. flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees—make sure rack is low enough so that tops of pans will be in center of oven. Grease bottoms only of 2 medium loaf pans or 1 large pan.
• Mix sugar (applesauce) and butter together. Stir in eggs until well blended. Add bananas, buttermilk, and vanilla. Peat until smooth. Stir in mixture of flour, salt, and soda until just moist. Pour in pan.
• Bake 2 loaves, 1 hour—or 1 loaf, 1 hr. 15 min. (about).Cool 5 min. in pan on rack. Loosen sides and place top side up on cooling rack.

Zuccini Bread with Chocolate Chips- Sara

3 eggs
1 cup sugar

• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• ¾ cup oil
• 2 cups zucchini, grated
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 ½ cups flour
• 1 ½ tsp. baking soda
• ½ tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• ½ cup Raisins (or golden raisins)— optional
• ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips—optional
• ½ cup nuts, chopped—optional
• In a bowl, with an electric mixer at medium speed, beat eggs; add 1 cup sugar, brown sugar, oil, grated zucchini, and vanilla. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon; mix well. Add to the creamed mixture. Stir in raisins, chocolate chips, and chopped nuts. Pour batter into two greased loaf pans. Bake at 325 degrees for 55 to 60 minutes. Remove from the pan and cool on a wire rack.

Pumpkin Cranberry Bread- Sara

PUMPKIN CRANBERRY BREAD-Sara
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
1 ¾ cups (15-ounce can) 100% Pure Pumpkin
½ cup vegetable oil
1 cup fresh, frozen or sweetened dried cranberries
· PREHEAT oven to 350° F. Grease and flour two 9x5-inch loaf pans.
· COMBINE flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder and salt in large bowl. Combine eggs, sugar, pumpkin and vegetable oil in small mixer bowl; beat just until blended. Add pumpkin mixture to flour mixture; stir just until moistened. Fold in cranberries. Spoon batter into prepared loaf pans.
· BAKE for 55 to 60 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks for 5 to 10 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.