Tag Archives: spice recipes

Ginger Spice Cake

The taste and aroma of the holiday season is delivered with this easy and delicious spice cake, perfect to add to any menu during the holiday season!  It’s moist from buttermilk and the taste of gingerbread.

From by the bay wishing you ginger filled holiday food memories!

Maryann

blog spice cake

Ginger Spice Cake
From Tyler Florence’s Real Kitchen
(Makes one cake; serves 8)

Cake:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 egg
1/2 cup molasses
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup buttermilk

 

1 cup whipped cream, for garnish
Confectioners’ sugar, for garnish

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Coat a 9-inch round cake pan with nonstick cooking spray. Cut a circle of parchment paper to fit the pan bottom and place it inside; then spray the paper. Set aside.

Sift the dry ingredients into a large bowl. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the egg, molasses, sugar, and melted butter until thick. Gradually mix in the dry ingredients in 3 batches, alternating with the buttermilk. Beat for 1 minute after each addition to incorporate the ingredients and strengthen the cake’s structure. Mix until the batter is smooth.

Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth down the top of the batter until even. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.

Allow the cake to cool completely before removing it from the pan, and then slice it in wedges. Dust with confectioners’ sugar and serve with whipped cream.

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Bourbon Spiced Cider

Kick off your holiday season with the perfect cocktail , this bourbon spiced cider will keep you warm through the holidays! Start with an easy spicy simple syrup, I use my favorite mulling spices to infuse lots of flavor into the simple syrup – then it’s just warm a little cider on the stove top or mircrowave oven , mix with bourbon and the syrup and serve!

From by the bay, wishing you warm spiced holiday memories!

Maryann

blog bourbon cider

Bourbon Spiced Cider

Ingredients

  • 6 oz. Apple Cider (hot)
  • 1 oz. Bourbon
  • 1 oz. Spiced Simple Syrup recipe below

Directions

Combine everything in a heat-safe glass or mug and give it a good stir. Garnish with cinnamon stick. For a non-alcoholic version, mix 1 oz. Spiced Simple Syrup with 4 oz. hot cider and stir.

Spiced Simple Syrup

Ingredients

  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon mulling spices
  • 1 cinnamon stick

Directions

In a medium saucepan, combine all ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes until sugar has completely dissolved, stirring occasionally. Remove pan from heat and let the syrup cool. Strain syrup into a clean jar; discard solids. May be refrigerated for a week.

Spiced Pomegranate Molasses Glazed Turkey

 

The leaves are falling, their is a definite chill in the air and it will soon be time to gather loved ones around the table to celebrate Thanksgiving and kick off the holiday season for 2013. I can’t think of a better centerpiece for your Thanksgiving than this spiced pomegranate molasses glazed turkey. One of the most important aspects of making this recipe is in the shopping for the turkey. I suggest first and foremost that it’s fresh and second if possible organic. Preparing a fresh turkey makes a big difference in the end result and I find it’s definitely worth both the cost and the effort. The brining process works best with a turkey that has no additives since the additives often include salt solutions. I have found the a fresh turkey such as Bell and Evans works deliciously. I’ll be posting additional recipes all month so that you have a perfect Thanksgiving meal to share with friends and family when the big day arrives!

 

From by the bay wishing you pomegranate glazed food memories!

Maryann

 

 

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Spiced Pomegranate Molasses Glazed Turkey

1 16-18 lb. turkey, preferably organic

Brine

16 cups cold water, or more to cover turkey

1 cup fine sea salt

1 cup light brown sugar

4 cloves garlic

3 oranges

2 tablespoon black peppercorns

2 onions , peeled and quartered

3 sprigs rosemary

To roast turkey

2 oranges, cut in half

1 pomegranate cut in half

1 bunch rosemary

2 tablespoons fine grey sea salt

1 tablespoon ground black pepper

To baste

8 tablespoon unsalted butter at room temperature

¼ cup pomegranate molasses

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Directions

Prepare brine by combining water, sea salt, sugar and peppercorns. Stir to dissolve the salt and sugar. Then add to the brine the garlic, oranges, onions and rosemary. Clean turkey with cold water removing any giblets and or neck. Keep giblets and neck in the refrigerator to use later for gravy base.  Place turkey and brine into a resealable plastic bag or into a large non reactive bowl covered with plastic wrap. The turkey should be covered with the brine, if not add more water. Refrigerate over night.  The next day remove the turkey 40 minutes before planning to place into the oven. Preheat oven to 425F. Remove turkey from brine and pat dry with paper towels inside and out.  Season the turkey cavity with salt and pepper.  Fill the cavity of the turkey with the oranges, pomegranate and rosemary. Tie turkey legs together and place into roasting pan. In a small sauce pan melt butter, mustard and pomegranate molasses together on a low heat. Use this to baste turkey once before placing into the oven. Roast the turkey at 425F for 30 minutes then lower the oven to 350F.   For an 18lb turkey cooking time will be approximately 3 hours. Use a meat thermometer to check that the meat registers 175F at its thickest part of the thigh. Baste the turkey about every 30 minutes with the butter and syrup mixture. If the turkey browns too quickly tent that part with aluminum foil. When ready remove from the oven. Take turkey from the roasting pan and place on a cutting board to rest before carving, at least 20 minutes. If you are serving later then 20 minutes from removing from oven tent turkey with aluminum foil until ready to serve.