Kitchen

Sweet Treats For The Family

• by Lianne Castro
• October 28, 2020

Treat the fam to something sweet: we’re talking fluffy cinnamon rolls, pain perdu and a classic leche flan…

Let’s all admit it — ever since the quarantine started, we’ve been spending all our time looking for sweet treats we can order online. From chocolate chip cookies, cinnamon rolls to crinkles — everything’s just too hard to resist! Sweet tooths unite!

Here’s an idea: make it yourself! We’ve found simple recipes for nom-worthy treats so you can satisfy your cravings…

Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting

Fill your kitchen with the scent of cinnamon while baking this old-fashioned treat! Best to serve with a glass of milk.

Ingredients:

Dough

2 ¼ tsps Instant yeast

1 cup Warm milk

½ cup sugar

1 tsp Salt

2 Eggs

4 cups All purpose flour

Cinnamon-Sugar

1/3 cup Softened Butter

1 Cup Brown Sugar

3 Tbsps Ground Cinnamon

Cream Cheese Frosting

1/3 cup Softened Butter

1 1/2 cups Confectitioners’ sugar

1/4 cup Cream cheese

1/2 tsp Vanilla extract

1/8 tsp Salt

Procedure:

1. In a bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm milk. In a separate bowl, combine the sugar, butter, salt and eggs. Pour the milk-yeast into the bowl and mix well using the dough hook attachment of a mixer.
2. Place the dough in an oiled bowl and cover with cling wrap. Let it rise in a warm place for about an hour or until the dough has doubled in size.
3. Transfer the risen dough to a lightly floured surface. Using a floured rolling pin, roll out the dough to a rectangle about 16-x-12-inches in size and about 1/4-inch thick.
4. To make the filling, spread the softened butter evenly all over the dough with a rubber spatula.
5. Combing the brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Sprinkle the sugar-cinnamon mixture generously all over the buttered dough.
6. Beginning with the long side of the dough closest to you, roll the dough up tightly until it forms a log.
7. Place the rolls (cut side facing up) on a greased 8-x-2-inch rectangular baking pan. Cover with a damp towel and let rise again in a warm place for 30 minutes or until doubled in size.
8. Bake the rolls in a preheated 350F oven for 20 minutes or until light golden brown in color.
9. Make the frosting by mixing all the frosting ingredients and beating well with an electric mixer until fluffy. Spread the Cream Cheese Frosting generously on top of the rolls while warm.

Red Velvet Crinkles

Gooey yumminess is what you’ll get if you whip up a batch of these red velvet crinkles. Our hot tip? Add more filling!

Ingredients:

Makes 22 sandwiches

2 ¼ cups All purpose flour

⅓ cup Unsweetened natural cocoa powder

1 ½ tsps Baking powder

½ cup Margarine

¼ cup Cream cheese

1 ½ cup Granulated sugar

2 Eggs

1 Tbsp Red food coloring

1 tsp Vanilla extract

Procedure:

1. Pour all purpose flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder in a bowl then whisk to combine. Sift dry ingredients over a baking paper and set aside.
2. In a mixing bowl, cream margarine and cream cheese using a hand mixer or a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Add the granulated sugar and combine beating at medium speed until the mixture is light in color.
3. Add eggs one at a time then stir in the red food coloring. Continue mixing at low speed and then add the dry ingredients.
4. Using a small ice cream scooper, scoop the batter into a sheet pan then put in the freezer for at least 2-3 hours.
5. Roll the frozen balls in confectioners’ sugar. Arrange the balls on a cookie sheet 1 ½ inches apart then bake cookies in a preheated 350F oven for about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack. Add your choice of filling.

Cream Cheese Filling

¼ cup Cream cheese

2 Tbsps Butter

½ tsp Lemon juice/extract

1 Tbsp Confectioners sugar

Using a mixer, cream butter and cream cheese in a mixing bowl. Stir in the lemon juice and combine well. Add the powdered sugar at low speed and mix until smooth.

Marshmallow Fluff

2 cups White marshmallows

1 tsp Water

¼ tsp Lemon extract

Put all ingredients in a bowl and microwave for three seconds. Remove the bowl from the microwave and stir. Use the marshmallow fluff quickly as the marshmallow fluff quickly as the marshmallows tend to get dry. If this happens, just add more water and repeat the process.

Pain Perdu (Lost Bread)

If you’re looking for a dessert that is fast and easy to serve for your kids, then this is perfect for you. You could serve this with syrup or chocolate sauce! Add some berries and sliced bananas on the sides too if you like.

Ingredients:

Makes 2-3 servings

1 Tbsp Orange zest

1 Tbsp Vodka or gin

½ cup Confectioners sugar, divided

Fresh milk, as needed

6-9 slices Day old bread (white, wheat, Brioche or French)

2 Large eggs

¼ cup Butter

Procedure:

1. Soak orange zest in vodka or gin for three minutes. Add half of confectitioner’s sugar and all-purpose cream. Mix until well incorporated. Add a little milk if too thick.
2. Soak the bread in the cream mixture. Let excess drip.
3. Dip the cream-soaked into the beaten eggs. On a hot pan with the stove set on low heat, place a tablespoon of butter and put the bread to toast. Cook gently until crisp and golden brown.
4. Flip to cook the other side. Remove the finished piece from the heat then add a fresh knob of butter for the next soaked bread. Repeat steps 2 and 3 until everything is cooked.
5. Dust each cooked piece with the remaining powdered sugar. Serve immediately with your choice of toppings and good tea, freshly-squeezed fruit juice, or strong coffee on the side.

Leche Flan

No one can resist the creamy, sweet goodness of leche flan. Our tip? Add some fresh tropical fruits on top! 

Ingredients:

Makes 8-10 servings

Caramel Syrup

9 Tbsps Sugar

3 Tbsps Water

Flan

5 Eggs

2 Tbsps Pure vanilla extract

2 Tbsps Rum

1 (400g) can Condensed milk

1 ¼ cups Whole milk

Procedure:

1. Prepare caramel syrup. Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan over low medium heat. Stir constantly until syrup turns light brown and to keep it from burning.
2. Turn off heat and pour caramel syrup immediately into a prepared mold or container. Tilt container to let syrup coat the bottom completely. Set aside.
3. Crack the eggs into a blender together with the vanilla extract and rum. Pulse to mix and then add the condensed milk and whole milk. Blend until smooth.
4. Pour mixture into a prepared container. Seal the opening tightly with aluminum oil.
5. Prepare a double-boiler (bain-marie) over a stove top. Place the container with the milk mixture in the double boiler and heat to boil. Lower the heat then simmer for 45 minutes.
6. To test if quesadilla is done, stick a toothpick in the leche flan and if it comes out clean, it is ready. Allow to cool completely then chill in the refrigerator. 

Recipes by Appetite from One Mega Group