No Rise Cinnamon Rolls

No Rise Cinnamon Rolls are easy because they are made with baking powder instead of yeast. This is also a healthier version because I use oats and almonds to dress them. I also tried to cut down on butter, although it is a must for flavour. When my children were young they would devour a batch of these as soon as I took them out of the oven. Cooking brings back memories and my kitchen holds many of them.

I love the smell of cinnamon in the house. I use it in both sweet and savoury recipes. Need a savoury dish tonight, try my : https://recipesatmytable.com/cinnamon-peach-chicken/

This is an old recipe that I have in my family cookbook, but it never fails to please.

Ingredients

3 cups flour
3 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cups milk
2 eggs
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup rolled oats
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup melted butter
1/2 a cup icing sugar plus 1 tbsp water for icing

Process

Place the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a food processor and pulse. Mix the MILK and egg together and add to the dry ingredients and pulse about 5 times. Next pour in the melted butter. Pulse on low until it all comes together.

Place some parchment paper on the counter and place the mixture on it. Use your hands to make a circle and pat it down.

Use a rolling pin to make a rectangle and it won’t be perfect.

Next mist the oats, brown sugar and cinnamon. Melt the 1/4 cup of butter and baste the dough.

Spread the sugar mixture and then place the 1/4 cup of slivered almonds down the centre.

Now take the end closest to you and start to roll. I let the parchment paper help me.

Next, take a sharp knife and cut the dough in half and then into eight pieces. It should yield 16 large rolls.

Place them in a 9 X 13 ungreased pan.

Brush the tops with a bit more of the melted butter and place in a 375 F oven for 30 minutes.

Two on a plate for me.

February 6, 2020February 6, 2020

4 Comments

Little Coconut Chocolate Clouds

I love anything with coconut. Little Coconut Chocolate Clouds allows me to have a little bite of something sweet anytime without feeling guilty. These little treats are easy to make and disappear rather quickly. They freeze well and make a nice take-a-long treat when visiting someone.

I came across this recipe on one of my mother-in-law’sfamous recipe cards; and so, I do not know its origin. She made this with love and I looked forward to going to her place and eating them. Growing up Italian, we didn’t use coconut. I remember my parents buying a coconut and trying to break it open with a hammer. When I visit Sicily in the summer, the vendors sell cold coconut on the beach. My daughter Lauren loved pieces of cold coconut as she sat under the big umbrellas on the beach at Cefalu in Sicily.

Coconuts made their way from Indian to East Africa about 2000 years ago. An interesting read: https://www.aramcoworld.com/en-US/Articles/January-2017/Cracking-Coconut-s-History

Making these little clouds makes me happy in every way. I laugh as I think of my family trying to break a coconut with a hammer and I love the memories of the beach in Sicily.

If you haven’t tried my glazed coconut drops see: https://recipesatmytable.com/glazed-fruit-coconut-drops/

I beat the egg whites with a little salt.

I add the sugar a bit at a time and now stiff peaks form.

White on white looks pretty and mounds of coconut are folded into the egg whites.

Onto a sheet pan with parchment paper they go.

After 15 to 18 minutes this is what comes out of the oven.

I like to place little mounds of melted chocolate on top.

So many to choose from.

Up close and personal.

Little Coconut Chocolate Clouds

Little clouds of coconut sprinkled with melted chocolate.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Author Renata Solski

Ingredients

2 egg whites
1/2 tsp almond extract
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cups sugar
3 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Instructions

Beat the egg whites and salt until foamy.
Add the almond extract.
Beat in the sugar a little at a time until stiff peaks form.
Fold in the coconut.
Use a tbsp and drop the mixture on a prepared parchment lined cookie pan.
Bake at 325 F for about 15 minutes. ( edges should be golden brown and oven temps vary)
Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.
Melt the chocolate chips in a microwave.
Drizzle the tops of the cookies with the chocolate.
Makes about 30-35 cookies.

June 18, 2019June 18, 2019

Special Occasion Sponge Cake

I can still hear my nonna saying “don’t walk across the floor when I have my sponge cake in the oven.” If you are Italian, you will understand, and if the cake deflated, you were in trouble. Special Occasion Sponge Cake makes me smile because I can see nonna standing there with her hands on her hips and guarding the kitchen entrance.

Today, my mom is the queen of sponge cakes and we all wait eagerly for our birthdays because she dresses them up differently for each of us. Of course, hers contain a variety of special liqueurs. Special Occasion Sponge Cake is very versatile. This sponge is versatile. We usually make it for birthdays and you can put your own special touches on this one. Mom fills hers with a variety of fruit and whipped cream. I use a cannoli filling today because I have extra ricotta on hand. Experiment and have fun. This cake is light and pleases everyone!!

My mom and nonna do not use milk in their sponge. I like to use warm milk because it produces a more forgiving batter. Warming the milk and adding it at the end helps to emulsify the ingredients making the cake lighter. The warm milk also helps infuse the flavour of the orange zest. Some say that old recipes required the milk heated to kill any bacteria. I find that using warm milk and some baking powder helps this cake rise and it is hardier than the old sponge with only eggs. The following article suggest chocolate milk in the cake: I will have to try it. https://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/ct-xpm-2013-11-19-ct-tribu-daley-question-hot-milk-cake-20131119-story.html

One thing I know for sure is that nonna’s recipe called for 12 eggs and I cut it to 4. I bought whipping cream for the filling and icing because then I control the sugar. In our house, we love ricotta and I made a cannoli type filling for this cake. The possibilities are endless, and you can make this recipe your own to bring to the table.

for a lighter cake, Always sift the flour

It’s important to beat the eggs until frothy.

Then I add the sugar and this happens.

A little orange zest will compliment the Amaretto later.

Into a springform pan.

Peeking into the oven.

Cooling on a rack.

One slice for me.

5 from 1 vote

Special Occasion Sponge Cake

Course Dessert

Cuisine Home Cooking in Canada, Italian

Keyword Special Occasion Sponge Cake

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 56 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 16 minutes

Servings 12

Author Renata Solski

Ingredients

2 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder nonna use to say a pinch
4 eggs at room temperature
2 cup sugar
1 cup milk
1/4 cup butter
juice of half an orange 2 tbsp ( approximately)
zest of half an orange

The Filling and Icing

1 cup ricotta strained
2 cups whipping cream
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup amaretto liqueur
orange zest
juice of half an orange

Decorations

chocolate chips or pistachios

Instructions

Set oven to 350 F.
Prepare to round 9 inch cake springform pan by greasing and placing parchment paper on the bottom.
In a large bowl place the eggs and beat for 4 minutes. I used my kitchen aid.
After 2 minutes slowly add the sugar and beat for another 5 minutes.
They should be frothy and creamy.
Sift the flour and the baking powder in a bowl.
Gradually add the flour; 1/4 cup at a time.
Mix on medium low.
Warm the milk and butter in a small pan.
Slowly pour in the warm milk.
Remove the bowl from the mixer and add the orange juice and zest with a spatula.
Make sure that you get to the bottom of the bowl to incorporate all the flour.
Pour into the prepared pan.
Place the pan on a cookie sheet.
Oven temperature varies. Mine took 50 minutes.

The Assembly

Put the ricotta into a bowl and add the sugar and cinnamon.
Whip up the cream and fold it into the ricotta mixture.
Slice the cooled cake into 3.
Put 1/4 cup of amaretto liqueur over the sponge and then spoon on some filling and sprinkle on some chocolate chips.
Repeat with the next layer.
Put the top on and use the remaining filling to spread all over the cake.
Dust with cocoa powder.

Recipe Notes

You can double this recipe and use large sheet pans.

If you want a thicker icing, add 1/2 cup of confectioner's sugar to your filling.

May 28, 2019

2 Comments

PIzzelle Cannoli

Pizzelle Cannoli

Pizzelle Cannoli takes the shell from pizzelle and the filling from cannoli. It’s an easier way to make a crispy shell and a healthier version. When I make the pizzelle, I roll them up as soon as I take them off the iron. I place them on a wire rack to harden. Like regular cannolli, I do not fill them until just before serving. If you have never made cannolli, don’t be afraid. This recipe is an easy version.

Now there is no mistaking these for the authentic Sicilian treat that I eat every year. The best place for me is The Duomo in Cefalu. Their cannoli are to die for and I look forward to them every summer. However, that said, when I crave these little crunchy shells with ricotta goodness, I am not prepared to fry up the shells. I remember making the authentic cannoli with my aunt Maria, and the real ones are tedious. But now, even if you aren’t Italian, you can make these PIzzelle Cannoli.

Pizzelle irons are easy to find and easy to use. Mine is an Aurora make and I bought it at an Italian shop. Amazon carries it and I placed a picture in the recipe notes. Pizzelle are the world’s oldest cookies. A good read https://www.udecatering.com/catering-blog/2018/4/19/history-of-the-pizzelle-the-worlds-oldest-cookie

If you love cannoli don’t forget to try https://recipesatmytable.com/laurens-cannoli-cupcakes/

Always froth the eggs and sugar.

Fresh fruit is always best.

The beaters do the work.

Loving the little specks of orange zest.

I Put a tablespoon of mix into each iron.

Open the iron and roll quickly.

Perfect and easy little shells.

Put them on a rack to cool.

I mix the ricotta, sugar and cinnamon.

Then I add the cream.

Pizzelle Cannoli Plated and I used lots of chocolate.

5 from 1 vote

Pizzelle Cannoli

An easy version of the traditional cannoli

Prep Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Cook Time 16 minutes

Servings 37

Author Renata Solski

Ingredients

The Pizzelle Shells

2 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tbsp anise
1 tbsp orange juice I use a fresh orange for this and the zest
1/4 tsp baking powder
orange zest
pinch salt
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

The Filling Group

1 cup full fat ricotta strain it
1 cup whipped cream
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon

The garnishes

chocolate chips
pistachio nuts or your favourite
Melted chocolate to drizzle over the cannoli
Powdered sugar to sprinkle over the cannoli

Instructions

The Pizzelle Shells

Beat the eggs until frothy and then add the sugar.
Follow with the oil.
Next add the anise and orange juice.
Mix the flour, baking powder and salt.
Add the dry ingredients a few tablespoons at a time and continue beating.
Now stir in the orange zest.
Place one tablespoon of batter on each hot pizzelle iron and follow the cooking instructions.
As soon as the pizzelle come off the iron, roll them and place them on a cooling rack.
If you have cannoli moulds, you can wrap them around the pizzelle to roll.
You can also pinch the tops of the pizzelle shells to create a little half moon basket.

The Filling

I like to put the cup of ricotta in a strainer and let it sit to strain any liquid.
Place the ricotta, sugar and cinnamon in a bowl and mix.
Add the whipped cream.

The assembly

Place the filling into a piping bag.
I use a plastic bag and I snip the tip off.
I place the bag into one end of the shell and press, I repeat this on the other end.
Then dip your ends in chocolate chips or nuts.
I drizzled melted chocolate over mine.
You can use powdered sugar over them.
Whatever you do, only fill the shells just prior to serving or they will soften.

Recipe Notes

May 19, 2019April 4, 2021

4 Comments