Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes with Marshmallow Brulee

 In my quest to find new sweet potato recipes, I've decided that some of the best recipes are the ones that were originally intended for regular potatoes. Yes, yes, I still love the favorite Candied Sweet Potatoes and Sweet Potato Casserole and all the butter and brown sugar that goes with them, but sometimes I just want to taste the sweet potatoes, know what I mean? (This was the aha realization when I was making the favorite Sweet Potato Gratin!) Then I found this recipe from The Neely's. Usually a twice baked potato is done in a savory way, (perhaps with sour cream and/or chives) but this is a sweet version, so I guess this recipe is a cross between the two! It's AMAZING. And my addition of the homemade marshmallow brulee just puts it over the top and makes it even more special. You can do them way in advance too, so they're perfect for your big holiday dinner. And then you can top and brulee them just before serving! Btw, fun fact, out of all of the new recipes I tested at my Friendsgiving dinner, this one was clearly the biggest hit. So I'm pretty sure that if you make them for your family, you'll have NONE leftover! Not even kidding.


6 sweet potatoes, even in size and scrubbed

4 tablespoons brown sugar
4 tablespoons butter, room temperature
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Purchased or Homemade Marshmallow Creme

Preheat oven to 375ºF.

Place sweet potatoes on sheet tray and bake for 1 hour or until soft. Remove from oven and let stand until cool enough to handle. Split potatoes and remove the flesh to a medium sized bowl, reserving skins. In another bowl, add brown sugar, butter and cream cheese and the all of the spices and mash with a fork or rubber spatula. Add the butter and cream cheese mixture to the sweet potato flesh and fold in completely. Add the filling back to the potato skins and place on a half sheet tray. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
 While the potatoes are baking, make the marshmallow creme. After the second bake, top the potatoes with the creme, either with a spoon or with a piping bag, making sure to create lovely swirly designs or peaks. Place them under a broiler for a minute or two (keeping a watchful eye) until the marshmallow is lightly browned. Or you can use a kitchen torch to brulee.

Tips:
Of course, you don't have to include the marshmallow creme, but it was a huge hit and it added the WOW factor!
I purposely used very small sweet potatoes and then instead of just splitting them, I cut them in HALF before scooping out the centers. If you're having a big huge holiday dinner, you don't really want that big of a portion, plus a big honkin' sweet potato takes up too much precious real estate on the plate! Then again, if you WANT a big honkin sweet potato, GO FOR IT!

Marshmallow Creme

Ok, ok, yes, you're probably saying "why MAKE marshmallow creme when you can just go BUY it? Marshmallow is marshmallow, right?" WRONG! Homemade is SO much better! Just like I always say "it's better when YOU make it", the same holds true for marshmallow creme. Not only does it taste better, but it holds up better. So, like, if you wanted to cover a chocolate cake or a S'mores Cake with marshmallow creme, buying a tub o' fluff just won't cut it. The purchased fluff will continue to glob down the sides of the cake until there is nothing left on the cake and you'll be left with a big mess around the bottom of the plate. (This is the voice of experience talking! btw, is "glob" a verb?) But if you make it yourself, not only will it STAY on the cake, it will set up like any other frosting and you can use a piping bag to decorate your cake with it! And then if you have any leftover, you can make Fluffernutter sandwiches! Or even sandwich it between peanut butter cookies! OK? NOW do you see why homemade is better? This recipe is not my own, but it's my go-to. I found it on a blog called Liv for Cake. You should definitely try it!!!


1/3 cup water 
3/4 cup granulated sugar 
3/4 cup corn syrup or honey 
3 egg whites (room temperature) 
1/2 tsp cream of tartar  
1 tsp vanilla extract 

 Place water, sugar, and corn syrup (or honey) in a medium saucepan. Stir to combine. Insert a candy thermometer into the pot and heat over medium-high. Do not stir from this point on as crystals will form. Ensure mixer bowl and whisk are completely grease free. Place egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer. When the sugar syrup reaches about 225°F, start whipping the egg whites to soft peaks. Approx 3-4mins. When the whites are ready, the sugar syrup should be at 240°F. Remove from the heat, turn mixer to medium and very slowly and carefully pour the sugar syrup into the whites in a thin, steady stream. Once all of the syrup is in, set mixer to medium/high and continue whipping. The whites will deflate at first, but they will thicken and fluff up. Continue to whip for 7-8 minutes, or until the mixture is thick and glossy. Add in vanilla and whip until the fluff has cooled. Pour into an airtight container and store for up to 2 weeks at room temperature.

Tips:

I have used both corn syrup and honey for this recipe, and I definitely like the corn syrup better. Unless you're looking for a strong honey flavor instead of a regular marshmallow flavor, I would definitely stick with the corn syrup. Just sayin!

S'mores Cake

 I recently made this cake for my dear friend, Bridgette. My fabulous gang of friends had already planned to get together for dinner at my place (which we often do). Then, upon discovering that our dinner night was to be the day after Bridgette's birthday, I thought "Well of course we should have cake!" I immediately nixed my original dessert ideas for the dinner and then texted Jim to see what Bridgette's favorite flavors are. He told me she likes S'mores. So I figured, well then lets have a S'mores Cake! I immediately started googling and found this AMAZING recipe on a blog called Liv For Cake (which you should absolutely check out, btw!) The Graham cracker cake recipe is hers, and so is the recipe for the fluff, both of which are absolutely delish!
  Now, I know this may seem like a lot with the different components and all, but this is TOTALLY doable and the final showstopping result is completely worth it! I piped the marshmallow onto the cake and then torched it just before serving. All of the piped peaks began to get nicely browned and toasted and it smelled SO GOOD! (That's when all the oooos and aahhhhhs started happening LOL). It felt like the blowing-out-the-candles part was the first act, and this was the finale! Everyone absolutely loved it and several people even had a second slice. It's just that good!
 So if you have a special occasion coming up, this is definitely what you should make! The cake is fabulous, the ganache is sinful, but let's be serious, it's all about the fluff! I KNOW your friends and family will love it!

Graham Cracker Cake:

11/2 cups all-purpose flour

11/2 cups fine graham cracker crumbs

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 cup butter

1 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

4 large eggs

1 cup buttermilk

2 tsp vanilla

Milk Chocolate Ganache:

12oz milk chocolate (finely chopped)

6 oz heavy cream

2 Tbsp Baileys (optional)

Marshmallow Fluff:

1/3 cup water

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup corn syrup or honey

3 egg whites (room temperature)

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

1 tsp vanilla extract

For the Cake:

Preheat oven to 350ºF and grease and flour two 9" cake rounds.

In a medium bowl, whisk flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined. Set aside.

Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter until smooth. Add sugars and beat on med-high until pale and fluffy (2-3mins). Reduce speed and add eggs one at a time, fully incorporating after each addition. Add vanilla. Alternate adding flour mixture and buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour (3 additions of flour and 2 of milk). Fully incorporating after each addition. Do not overmix. Spread batter evenly into prepared pans. Smooth the top with a spatula and whack the pans against the counter to evenly distribute. Bake for approx. 30 mins or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean. Place cakes on wire rack to cool for 10mins. Whack the pans on the counter to loosen the cakes and turn out onto wire rack to cool completely.

For the Ganache:

Finely chop chocolate and place into a bowl. Bring cream just barely to a simmer and pour over chopped chocolate. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand 2 mins. Stir with a spatula until combined and smooth. Cool in the refrigerator until thickened, but still soft (stirring occasionally). Transfer to bowl of stand mixer and whip using the whisk attachment until the ganache is fluffy and has lightened in color (approx. 1 or 2 minutes).

For the Marshmallow Fluff:

Place water, sugar, and corn syrup (or honey) in a medium saucepan. Stir to combine. Insert a candy thermometer into the pot and heat over medium-high. Do not stir from this point on as crystals will form. Ensure mixer bowl and whisk are completely grease free. Place egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer. When the sugar syrup reaches about 225°F, start whipping the egg whites to soft peaks. Approx 3-4mins. When the whites are ready, the sugar syrup should be at 240°F. Remove from the heat, turn mixer to medium and very slowly and carefully pour the sugar syrup into the whites in a thin, steady stream. Once all of the syrup is in, set mixer to medium/high and continue whipping. The whites will deflate at first, but they will thicken and fluff up. Continue to whip for 7-8 minutes, or until the mixture is thick and glossy. Add in vanilla and whip until the fluff has cooled. Pour into an airtight container and store for up to 2 weeks at room temperature.

To assemble the cake:
Once the cakes have cooled completely, frost the layers with the whipped ganache. Place in fridge to set. Spread or pipe marshmallow fluff roughly all over cake and torch to toast.

Tips:

The original recipe was for 3 6" layers. I baked it in 2 9" layers and it turned out perfectly, so that's how I have it listed in the recipe.

I used honey in the marshmallow instead of corn syrup which definitely gave it a distinctively honey taste. I figured honey and grahams are a great match! But if you'd rather have straight up marshmallow, I'd say you should probably just stay with corn syrup!

You can use store bought fluff for the cake, but it has been my experience then it doesn't set up. It just sort of globs down the sides of the cake and makes a big mess. Definitely go for the homemade!

Btw, I know I've mentioned this before, but I'll say it again. Whenever I need buttermilk for a recipe, I always just add a tbs of lemon juice or vinegar to a one cup measure, fill it the rest of the way with milk, then microwave for 30 seconds. Boom. Buttermilk!

Nutterfluffer

  Are you hosting a New Year's Eve party? Here's a easy drink idea that will surely get the party going. I saw Allie and Georgia making it on the cooking channel, and immediately thought "oooo that sounds good!" It's the perfect signature drink for your party because it's FUN! And that's exactly what you want your New Year's Eve party to be! You can even make your own marshmallow vodka if you're so inclined. How fun is that?  So, be safe, have a great party, and may you have a happy, healthy, and prosperous new year! Enjoy!


PEANUT BUTTER SIMPLE SYRUP:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 cup water

 NUTTERFLUFFER:
3 ounces marshmallow-flavored vodka, such as Pinnacle or Smirnoff
1 1/2 ounces hazelnut liqueur, such as Frangelico
Ice, for chilling
 2 marshmallows, for garnish
1 teaspoon peanut butter, for garnish

  For the peanut butter simple syrup: Combine the sugar, peanut butter and 1 cup water in a saucepan and simmer over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture has thickened, 5 to 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Pour the vodka, hazelnut liqueur, and 1 ounce of the peanut butter simple syrup into a shaker filled with ice. Shake well until chilled and frothy. Pour into small up glasses and garnish with a marshmallow that's been injected/stuffed with the peanut butter. Then try not to eat peanut butter from the jar with your hands.


Tips:
 To make your own marshmallow vodka, chop up a couple handfuls of marshmallows and place them in a large mason jar, then pour regular vodka over them. Place the lid on the jar and leave at room temperature overnight. Give the jar a good shake every so often, if you so choose. The vodka will dissolve the marshmallows. That's all there is to it!
Instead of injecting marshmallows with peanut butter, I just rimmed the glass with a little of the simple syrup and then again in crushed salted peanuts.

Fluffernutter Cookies

Ah, Fluffernutters, how I love them....

A longtime staple of playgrounds, lunchboxes, after-school snacks, and college dorms, a Fluffernutter is the wonderful combination of marshmallow creme (aka FLUFF!) and peanut butter in a delightfully tasty sandwich!

 So, how about making Fluffernutters in the form of a cookie? Though probably not the first to come up with this idea, my sister, Cathy, was the one who suggested them to me. She was reading my recipe post for Peanut Butter Cake where I added the tip of sandwiching the Fluff between the layers of cake. She thought, "Why not sandwich the Fluff between two peanut butter cookies instead?" Fabulous. So, then I did a little googling and found that there are several versions of Fluffernutter cookies. Some have the Fluff on top, (like a thumbprint cookie), some have the Fluff baked right into the cookie. One of the most popular recipes only has THREE ingredients, two of which are the peanut butter and Fluff! Crazy, huh?

 Well, after several discussions with Fluffernutter enthusiasts, (Denny, Michael, Katie, Kelsie, Jackie, and Joshua, to name a few), I decided that this was the version for me (based, of course, on Cathy's original suggestion and also on how much you could taste the Fluff). Just bake up some of your favorite peanut butter cookies, and then sandwich the Fluff between them.  Its brilliance is in its simplicity. The addition of a chocolate drizzle just sends it over the top! This recipe is from my favorite Mrs. Fields' Cookie Book, but use whichever recipe you like best!

Better make extra!

Your family will devour them!

2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups packed dark brown sugar
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 cup butter, softened
3 large eggs
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
Mix dry ingredients and set aside.
On medium speed, in large bowl, blend sugars; add butter, mix till grainy consistency. Add eggs, peanut butter and vanilla extract; beat until fluffy. On low speed, add flour mixture until barely mixed into butter mixture.
Drop by rounded tablespoonsful, 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Use a wet or flour coated fork to gently press a crisscross pattern on top of each cookie, if desired.
Bake until the edges of the cookies are lightly browned, approximately 18 to 20 minutes. Remove to cool on a flat surface.

Chocolate drizzle (optional):
Just melt one or two large Hershey bars with about a tablespoon of plain vegetable shortening in the microwave. Mix until smooth, then drizzle the top or dip one side of the cookies. The chocolate will set up, but it'll still be soft. If you'd like the chocolate to set up to a harder shell, use dipping chocolate, as one would use for making candy.

Tips:

To save time, you can certainly take a shortcut buy using ready made peanut butter cookie dough, instead of mixing up your own. You really can't go wrong with Pillsbury or Nestle. Just sayin'.

Although the recipe says to drop by rounded tablespoonfuls, I'd suggest making smaller cookies. Instead, use maybe 2 teaspoonfuls for each cookie. Remember, you're using two of them for each serving. Then again, if you'd like gigantic sandwich cookies, go for it!
To make the cookies extra Fluffernutterier, just add peanut butter to the sandwich! Simply place a teaspoon of peanut butter on one cookie and a teaspoon of Fluff on another, then sandwich the two together. More is more!