Cinnamon and Sugar

Clare’s Eggnog Crumb Muffins

Holidays bring friends and family to visit and sometimes those visits turn into overnight guests. I love coming across a new recipe that incorporates seasonal flavors, such as eggnog, in a special treat that I whip up in no time at all for those visitors. Of course I had to make a batch for my grandkids and their parents…which turned into my granddaughter, Emory, learning to make a second batch of Clare’s Eggnog Crumb Muffins for us to share along with her demonstration in my video tutorial at the end of this post.

Clare Cosi is the manager of the Village Blend coffeehouse in Cleo Coyle’s Coffeehouse Mystery Series. It’s Christmas season in New York City and Clare and her staff are busy preparing to participate in the annual Great New York Cookie Swap event, by providing the beverage service.

Unfortunately after the cookie festivities, Clare stumbles upon the body of Moirin “M” Faigin, her newest part-timer, on loan from her friend’s bakery. On the surface, “M” is an Irish girl who came to New York trying make a name for herself in the music business. But “M” was hiding deadly secrets that led to her brutal death.

When the arrogant lead detective insists the murder was committed by the serial Christmas Stalker, Clare isn’t so sure. She notices things and hears conversations that don’t add up. When another murder takes place and then she’s assaulted, Clare is certain that the detective is on the completely wrong track and becomes involved to find justice for Moirin and stop the killer before they strike again.

I greatly enjoyed this book with all the sounds, scents and tastes the holiday season has to offer along with bits of humor that were woven in. Madame, Clare’s ex-mother-in-law, plays a role in infiltrating a senior center and steals the scene! I have read numerous books in the Coffeehouse Mystery Series and even though each builds upon the previous one, they are easily read as stand-alone books. I love how the author, Cleo Coyle, allows the characters to grow and especially like how she develops the relationship with Clare and her long-distance boyfriend, Detective Mike Quinn. Of course Cleo provides numerous wonderful recipes at the back of the book…all sounding equally delicious and decadent…just in time for holiday celebrations!

Many, many thanks to Cleo Coyle for allowing me to share Clare’s Eggnog Crumb Muffins and for providing an autographed copy of HOLIDAY BUZZ! You don’t want to miss out on reading this holiday mystery!

Please leave a comment below to be entered. Contest ends Thursday, December 10, 2015 at 11:59 pm PST. Winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!) and will have 5 days to respond or another winner will be chosen.

Clare’s Eggnog Crumb Muffins

Over the years Clare has created two versions of this recipe. Both produce delicious muffins with the season flavors of eggnog and nutmeg. The following recipe is Clare’s “from-scratch” version. It makes only six muffins for fresh-baked enjoyment at an intimate breakfast or over coffee. During her years raising Joy in New Jersey, Clare also created a large batch version of this recipe using a cake mix starter. That version bakes up to two dozen muffins fast, and is great for parties, school functions, or bake sales.

To download the illustrated recipe for Clare’s Large Batch Eggnog Muffins, visit Cleo Coyle’s online coffeehouse: www.CoffeehouseMystery.com

Makes 6 – 7 muffins

Ingredients

For the muffins

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup white, granulated sugar
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 large egg, lightly beaten with a fork
1/3 cup eggnog
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour

For the Crumb Topping

1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Pinch of baking powder
2-1/2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes

Instructions

Muffins

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.

Using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugars in a bowl until light and fluffy.

Add egg, eggnog, nutmeg, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and vanilla extract.

Once blended, add the flour and mix until a smooth batter forms and flour is completely incorporated. Do not overmix at this stage.

Line six muffin cups with paper liners, divide batter among them.

Make the Crumb Topping (directions below) and divide evenly over the muffins.

Bake for 20 minutes.

Muffins are done when a toothpick inserted into a test muffin comes out clean.

Remove from oven and cool.

Crumb Topping

First a warning from Clare – your butter must be COLD for this recipe or you won’t make crumbs; you’ll make a sticky messy dough, so be sure your butter is well chilled.

To prepare with a food processor: Place all ingredients inside and pulse until you see coarse crumbs.

To mix by hand: Place flour, brown sugar, nutmeg, and a pinch of baking powder into a bowl.

Whisk together to blend.

Add the cubes of COLD butter and using clean fingers or a pastry blender, work the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture turns into coarse crumbs.

Store in a plastic container, in the refrigerator, for up to 3 days.

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Congrats to Cleo on the successful release of her latest book, DEAD TO THE LAST DROP! Here’s a brief synopsis…you can click on the book to visit amazon.com:

After the White House asks coffeehouse manager and master roaster Clare Cosi to consult on the coffee service for a Rose Garden Wedding, she discovers a historic pot was used as a CIA “dead drop” decades before. Now long-simmering secrets boil over, scalding Clare and the people around her…

Clare’s visit to the nation’s capital is off to a graceful start. Her octogenarian employer is bunking with her in a charming Georgetown mansion, and she’s invited to work with a respected curator on the Smithsonian’s culinary salute to coffee in America.

Unfortunately, Clare’s new Village Blend DC is struggling to earn a profit–until its second floor jazz club attracts a high-profile fan, the college-age daughter of the U.S. President. Clare’s stock rises as the First Lady befriends her, but she soon learns a stark lesson: Washington can be murder.

First a stylish State Department employee suspiciously collapses in her coffeehouse. Then the President’s daughter goes missing. Is she a runaway bride or is something more sinister in play? After another deadly twist, Clare is on the run with her NYPD detective boyfriend. Branded an enemy of the state, she must piece together clues and uncover the truth before her life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness come to a bitter end.

Peppermint Shortbread Cookies

If you saw my last post, you might be aware that I bake lots of cookies during the Christmas season… oh, probably somewhere between 2,500 – 3,000 cookies during the month of December. I’ve found that cookies make the perfect gift for so many people we need to thank and acknowledge we are grateful for, especially those wonderful folk who work with our granddaughter, Jaidyn.

While Ginger Crackle Cookies have long been my favorite, my youngest granddaughter, Emory, prefers candy cane and peppermint cookies during the holiday. I’ve tried several different recipes using crushed candy canes but they were all so labor intensive with inconsistent results that I had all but given up. When I happened upon some Andes peppermint crunch baking chips last December, I bought some and started experimenting.

I ended up creating a tender, buttery shortbread cookie that gets festive color and a pleasant peppermint bite from the baking chips. Em gave these a two-thumbs up and insists that they be on the permanent Christmas cookie list! And since these don’t use any eggs, she can nibble on the dough without me scolding her… What I really love about these is that I can make them a month or so ahead of time and tuck the wrapped dough in the freezer and take out what I need to bake as I need them. I have included a short video tutorial at the end of this post.

From our family to yours, happy holidays!

Peppermint Shortbread Cookies

Makes 36 – 40 cookies

Ingredients

1 cup (8 ounces) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup (3.4 ounces) confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon salt
2-1/3 cup (10.2 ounces) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (4 ounces) peppermint crunch baking chips (such as Andes)
2 – 3 tablespoons coarse sparkling sugar (optional)

Parchment paper

Instructions

Beat the butter and confectioners’ sugar together in a stand mixer on medium speed (or you can use an electric handheld mixture) until creamy, about 2 minutes.

Add the vanilla and salt and beat until incorporated.

On low speed, slowly add the flour and mix just until it’s incorporated.

Add the peppermint baking chips and stir on low until they are thoroughly mixed in.

Place half of the dough onto a rectangular piece of parchment paper and form into a ten-inch log. Roll the parchment paper around the log and twist the ends to secure.

Repeat with remaining dough.

Refrigerate the dough logs for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (F).

Cut the peppermint shortbread logs into 1/4-inch slices and place on parchment-lined baking sheet.

Sprinkle tops of cookies with coarse sparkling sugar, if desired.

Bake for 13 – 15 minutes. The edges should just start to turn light golden.

Allow the cookies to rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes after removing from oven, then place the cookies on a wire rack to cool completely.

Tips

You can make this dough ahead of time. Roll into logs and secure in the parchment paper. Place in freezer-safe ziplock bags and freeze for up to four months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight then slice and bake as directed above.
If you can’t find peppermint crunch baking chips you can crush candy canes and use those instead. It will change the texture some but the cookies will still be delicious. I have had luck finding the Andes brand from Walmart (but only during the holiday season, so I stock up!) or King Arthur Flour.

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Ginger Crackle Cookies

The beginning of the Christmas season means I am in the kitchen baking cookies…lots and lots of cookies! There is something comforting about the smells of cinnamon, ginger, cloves, peppermint and chocolate mingling in a warm kitchen while quiet holiday music plays from my iPod.

I was honored when my most favorite cookie recipe of all, Ginger Crackles, was chosen to be included in the Christmas novella, MISTLETOE AT MOONGLOW, by Deborah Garner. MISTLETOE AT MOONGLOW is not a cozy mystery like Deborah Garner’s Moonglow Cafe novel (a must read if you haven’t!). Instead it is a sweet, inspirational Christmas story that is certain to get you in the holiday spirit. While I love mysteries, sometimes it’s nice to take a break, especially during Christmas, and enjoy the season with an uplifting story…although in the books I read the good guys always win 🙂

Mist has reopened Moonglow Cafe within the Timberton Hotel in Montanta, working side by side with the elderly owner, Betty. They are preparing to have seven out-of-town guests staying with them over Christmas in addition to hosting the town’s annual Christmas cookie exchange and serving Christmas dinner to numerous townspeople. As the guests arrive, it becomes apparent that each has suffered loss or severe disappointment that year. Mist has a special empathy towards each of them and through her kindness and skill in drawing people out, creates special memories which allow them to learn the true meaning of Christmas.

Deborah weaves a beautiful mosaic of Christmas sights, sounds and smells and introduces us to memorable characters. From the grieving widow to the five-year-old child who lost his brother to a reclusive scholar who only wants to sit in front of the fireplace and read, each are treated with genuine emotion and care which adds to this uplifting story.

There are also a total of 19 delicious recipes included with the book – so many new cookies to try! In addition to my Ginger Crackle recipe, Deborah has used my Salted Double Chocolate Chili Cookie recipe in her book – my second most favorite cookie. You can view a video tutorial on how to make my Ginger Crackle Cookies at the end of this post.

Thank you, Deborah, for sharing my special cookie recipes with your readers!

As a bonus for my readers I am giving away one Kindle copy of MISTLETOE AT MOONGLOW. Please leave a comment below and tell me what YOUR favorite cookie is to be entered. Contest ends Wednesday, December 2, 2015 at 11:59 pm PST. Winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!) and will have 5 days to respond or another winner will be chosen.

Ginger Crackle Cookies

Ingredients

2-1/4 cups (10 oz) flour
3 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (4 oz) unsalted butter at room temperature
1/4 cup (2 oz.) vegetable shortening
1 cup (8 oz.) granulated sugar, plus 2/3 cup for rolling
1 large egg
1/4 cup (2 fl oz.) molasses
1/2 – 3/4 cup crystallized ginger pieces, finely chopped*

Instructions

Position oven rack to the middle. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line cookie sheets with parchment or Silpat.

In large bowl combine flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt and whisk until well blended. Set aside.

In another large bowl, combine butter, shortening and 1 cup sugar.

Beat with either a stand mixer or hand-held electric mixer, on medium-high speed until well combined.

Add egg and molasses and beat until well blended.

Pour in the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until well blended.

Add crystallized ginger and stir in.

Pour remaining 2/3 cup sugar into shallow bowl.

Using a small scoop, make 1-inch balls with dough (about 1 tablespoon).

Roll each ball in sugar and set 2 inches apart on cookie sheets. (If dough seems too soft to work with, place in refrigerator for a couple of hours. I generally make this the day before I bake and keep refrigerated so the dough is firmer when rolling.)

Bake one sheet at a time until the cookies are puffed and slightly browned around the edges, about 10 – 13 minutes.

Let cool on sheet for five minutes then place cookies on wire rack to cool completely.

Do Ahead

The dough can be made, shaped and rolled in sugar, then frozen for up to 2 months before baking. For best results position the shaped dough close together on a small cookie sheet and freeze until very firm. Then pile the frozen balls into a heavy-duty freezer bag and store in the freezer. When you’re ready to bake, remove only the number of cookies you need, place them on the prepared cookie sheet and leave them on the counter while the oven heats up. Bake as directed. (I do this very frequently, with great results!)

Tips

I purchase crystallized ginger from King Arthur Flour since I make so many batches of these cookies each Christmas season!

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Miss Amelia’s Special Pecan Pie

I had the good fortune of coming across A TOUGH NUT TO KILL by Elizabeth Lee a few weeks ago. This is the first in her Nut House Mystery series with a total of three books now. The protagonist, Lindy Blanchard, has returned to her hometown of Riverville, Texas after receiving a degree in plant biology and bio-engineering. Lindy is devoted to developing a strain of pecan trees that are drought resistant along with helping her grandmother, Miss Amelia, run the Nut House. The Nut House shop is the family store that sells their farm’s pecans along with pecan confections and Miss Amelia’s famous pecan pie.

It doesn’t take long for trouble to find Lindy and Miss Amelia. Someone has been snooping around Lindy’s office and computer and then her Uncle Amos waltzes back into their lives. Amos is the “black sheep” and caused Lindy and her family great distress when her father was killed in a farming accident. Some people are sure it was Amos who killed her father and when Amos disappeared right after the funeral, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. But before they can find out why Amos is in town, Lindy trips over his murdered body lying amongst her destroyed pecan trees. To make matters worse, five of her most promising bio-engineered trees have been stolen. When the local law enforcement arrest Lindy’s brother, Justin, for the murder, Lindy and Miss Amelia realize they must find the killer and tree thief before he or she kills again.

I loved the Texan small town setting in this book. My father was born and raised in Texas and every two years our family made the long drive from California to Texas to visit family. Elizabeth Lee has captured the Texans’ hospitality and graciousness that I have fond memories of in her cast of characters. She also humorously portrays the small town rivalry between Miss Amelia and her friends.

In addition to a good story the author has also included several pecan-themed recipes. I had a hard time choosing which one to try out (they all sounded so yummy!) but in the end it had to be Miss Amelia’s Special Pecan Pie which uses bourbon in the filling. There is something magical that exists when bourbon is paired with crunchy, buttery pecans and this has become my new favorite pecan pie recipe for both Thanksgiving and Christmas! Of course if bourbon and/or alcohol doesn’t appeal to you, by all means leave it out. The pie will still be superb! Be sure to scroll to the end of this post to view a video tutorial on how to make this amazing pie.

A special thanks to Elizabeth Lee and her culinary consultant, Patty Sumpter, for allowing me to share this very delicious recipe with you!

And a huge thank you to Elizabeth for providing an autographed copy of A TOUGH NUT TO KILL to one lucky winner!

Please comment below to be entered. Contest ends Wednesday, November 25, 2015 at 11:59 pm PST. Winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!) and will have 6 days to respond or another winner will be chosen.

Best wishes to everyone for a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday! Aside from posting the winner of A TOUGH NUT TO KILL, I will be taking the rest of the week off to enjoy the holiday and will resume with a new recipe and review December 1st.

Miss Amelia’s Special Pecan Pie

Miss Amelia Hastings of the Nut House always puts at least a dash of Garrison Brothers Texas Straight Bourbon Whiskey in her recipes because she thinks Garrison Brothers brings tears to the eyes of a real Texan.

You can use any bourbon that reminds you of home. Or leave out the whiskey entirely.

Or if you’re having a really bad day, leave out the rest of the ingredients and just drink the bourbon.

Ingredients

1/2 cup white granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons melted butter
1/2 cup light Karo Syrup
3 eggs, beaten
4 tablespoons bourbon
2 cups pecan halves
1 9-inch unbaked deep-dish pie crust

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F).

Mix the white sugar, brown sugar and melted butter together.

Stir in the Karo syrup, eggs, and bourbon.

Fold in the pecans.

Pour the mix into the pie crust.

Bake in the preheated over for 10 minutes.

Reduce the heat to 350 degrees (F) and bake until the pie is set in the middle – about 35 minutes more. The internal temperature should read 185 – 190 degrees (F) if you use an instant read thermometer. You can also use a knife to test if the center is pretty well set.

Allow to cool on a wire rack.

Serve with a side of pecan ice cream or a shot of bourbon.

Extra Garnish

You can use extra pie dough to cut out festive shapes. I like these plunger type cutters but regular mini cookie cutters will work as well.

Cut out the pie dough then brush with a bit of water. Sprinkle with coarse sparkling sugar and bake for 10 – 12 minutes or until golden brown in a 350 degree (F) oven.

Allow to cool then position on the cooled pecan pie. Don’t be tempted to add the uncooked shapes to the uncooked pecan pie…it doesn’t work very well as I discovered during my experiments 🙂

Tip

Spritz the pie plate with non-stick cooking spray before adding the pie crust. This will allow you to easily slice and remove slices of pie should the sticky syrup filling bubble over and adhere the crust to the pie plate.
I tried to find Garrison Brothers Texas Straight Bourbon but couldn’t locate any in Southern California. I substituted Maker’s Mark with great results!

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Vegan Pumpkin Spice Cake

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, thoughts turn towards finalizing menus in order to plan grocery shopping and figure out cooking and baking timelines. While pies are favorites in my household, I have had guests who prefer cake. And since my husband can’t have dairy products (and we have a few friends who are vegan) I decided many years ago to give vegan pumpkin cake a try. Oh my… once I tried this I stopped looking for any other pumpkin cake recipes! Supremely moist and flavorful thanks to the warming Thanksgiving spices, this cake mixes up super quick and since it doesn’t have eggs, the kids can safely lick the beaters afterwards. An easy icing drizzle and it’s company worthy and no one will ever suspect this Vegan Pumpkin Spice Cake doesn’t have eggs or dairy. In addition to its deliciousness, this cake can be made a day or two in advance, freeing up the oven for the rest of your meal.

Sending best wishes to everyone for a wonderful Thanksgiving celebration!

Vegan Pumpkin Spice Cake

Ingredients

Cake

3 cups (12.7 ounces) all-purpose flour (use the lightly fill and level method)
1 cup (7 ounces) granulated sugar
1 cup (7.1 ounces) brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1 cup (8 ounces) water
1 cup (8 ounces) canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling!)
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons white vinegar

Icing Glaze

1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon non-dairy milk, such as coconut or almond
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees (F).

Spray a 10-inch Bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray with flour (such as PAM).

Cake

Whisk the flour, granulated and brown sugars, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and allspice together in a large bowl. Set aside.

In a smaller bowl, beat the water, pumpkin, vegetable oil and vinegar together until combined.

Pour the pumpkin mixture into the flour and sugar mixture.

Using a hand-held electric mixer, beat the batter on medium speed until smooth. This will take approximately 2 minutes.

Pour the batter into the greased Bundt pan.

Bake 50 – 55 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Remove from oven and allow the cake to cool in the Bundt pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto a serving pan.

Allow the cake to cool to room temperature before drizzling the icing glaze over the top.

Icing Glaze

Add the confectioners’ sugar, non-dairy milk and vanilla extract to a small bowl.

Vigorously whisk until smooth.

Drizzle over the cooled pumpkin spice cake and allow the icing to set at least 20 minutes before slicing and serving cake. If you bake the cake a day or two ahead of time, do not add the icing glaze until a few hours before serving.

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Cranberry Scones

I always associate the ensuing holidays with cranberries and pumpkins. Their jeweled tones bring colorful notes to the table, with cranberries bringing a wonderful tartness which provides a nice contrast to all kinds of dishes. When I came across the book CRANBERRY BLUFF by Deborah Garner, I was smitten for many reasons! Her cover art makes me want to step in and visit this quaint Bed and Breakfast and then anything with cranberries is going to catch my attention. I was even more excited to find out as I browsed through the book that Deborah included Aunt Maggie’s Cranberry Cottage Cookbook, which contains 15 cranberry related recipes! Of course I would be remiss in not telling you that the author crafts a delightful cozy mystery that pulled me in from the very beginning and kept me guessing until the end….

Molly Elliott has moved to coastal Northern California after inheriting Cranberry Cottage Bed and Breakfast from her Aunt Maggie. Molly is happy to have escaped Tallahassee, Florida where she was a suspect in a bank robbery after being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Plus it didn’t help that she looked very similar to one of the bank robbers. Even though she is cleared the media won’t leave her alone and she started receiving threatening notes. Moving clear across country couldn’t have come at a better time.

Molly is settling into the routine of running her Bed and Breakfast. She carefully screens all guest reservation requests to make sure there are no connections to her former life in Florida. When five guests arrive, a newly-wed couple, a senior citizen who loves to shop and knit, a salesman, and a smooth-talking handsome man who claims to be working on his novel, things begin to go awry. Her guests all seem to be hiding something and then she finds out that the trouble she left back in Tallahassee has followed her to California. Someone wants the robbery money back and she’s left trying to prove her innocence all over again.

One of the things Molly serves her guests for breakfast is cranberry scones. Tender, flaky pastry studded with tart sweet dried cranberries, these can be made ahead and then rewarmed and served with butter and your favorite jam. The perfect choice for a quick Thanksgiving breakfast while preparing your feast or for serving to your own overnight guests. Be sure to scroll to the bottom of the page to view my video tutorial on how to make these Cranberry Scones.

Thank you, Deborah, for allowing me to share your delectable recipe!

As a bonus for my readers I am offering a Kindle copy of CRANBERRY BLUFF by Deborah Garner. Please comment below to be entered. Contest ends Thursday, November 19, 2015 at 11:59 pm PST. Winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!) and will have 5 days to respond or another winner will be chosen.

Cranberry Scones

Ingredients

1 cup (5 ounces) all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1-1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup cold butter
4 tablespoons milk
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1 – 2 teaspoons coarse sugar