Butter Pecan Angle Food Cake with Browned Butter Glaze

All a recipe has to say is "Butter Pecan" and it peaks my interest!  I found this recipe in a special release magazine called Fall Baking Cookbook on the newsstand at my grocery store and this is just one of many I'll be trying with the fall weather upon us.

Angel Food Cake originated in the United States and it's a type of sponge cake but made with egg whites, flour and sugar, with a whipping agent like Cream of Tartar.  It was so named because of it's unique light and fluffy texture and is said to resemble the "food of the angels!"  It first became popular in the 19th century and it differs from other cakes because it uses no butter, but rather gets it's structure from "protein foam" from whipping egg whites.  Egg whites, which are composed of many proteins, aid in creating the voluminous angel food cake.

If you're a Butter Pecan fan, like me (and my mother was), then this is the cake for you; my hubby loved it!

Butter Pecan Angel Food Cake with Browned Butter Glaze

Preheat oven to 375F-degrees.  Used an UNGREASED 10-inch Tube Pan, preferably one with "feet" to help properly cool the cake.

1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar (icing sugar)
1 cup cake flour
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup finely ground pecans
12 egg whites, at room temperature
1 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
2 T Butter flavoring
1 T Vanilla extract
1 T Vanilla Butternut Flavoring
1 cup granulated sugar

In a medium bowl, sift the confectioners' sugar and cake flour.  Add the salt and stir.  Set aside.

In a stand mixer, using the whisk attachment, beat egg whites, cream of tartar, and flavorings until frothy on high speed.  Gradually add the granulated sugar, beating until stiff and peaks form.  My mom always said, "if you can turn the bowl upside down over your head and none falls out, you've whipped it enough!"

Remove bowl from the stand and gently fold in the flour/confectioners' sugar mixture in thirds until it's fully incorporated.  This can get a little messy, but gently folding ensures you have a light cake!

Spoon mixture into the 10-inch Tube pan.

Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes--mine actually took 38, so watch it after 35 just to be sure.
If you don't have a 10-inch tube pan with feet, you will have to invert the pan onto a top of a bottle. Let it cool completely.

Browned Butter Glaze:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
10T unsalted butter, cubed and browned

In a saucepan, heat the butter over medium heat until it turns a medium brown and has a nutty aroma--about 8 minutes.  Have your confectioners' sugar and salt in a medium bowl and when the butter is ready, pour over the sugar through a fine-mesh strainer.  Whisk until smooth.  Pour over the inverted cooled cake and decorate with additional chopped pecans. Enjoy!

Butter Pecan Kringle

Next to chocolate, butter pecan was my mother's favorite flavor so when I saw this challenge on King Arthur Flour's "bakealong" for December, I couldn't resist making it in her memory.  December was a big baking month for us; getting ready for the holidays and sharing those goodies with friends and family.

The second reason to bake this dessert is because I love using ingredients that are grown locally in our state.  Pecans are a big crop in both North Carolina and South Carolina where they are grown for both income and food for many farmers in the southeastern part of our state.  The trees take long term commitment and care, but they can produce nuts for decades.  There are actually trees over 75 years old still producing nuts!

Butter Pecan Kringle
Base:
1/2 cup (1 stick of unsalted butter, cut into pats)
1 cup King Arthur all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup cold water

Preheat oven to 350F-degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
To make the base--I used the food processor and combined the dry ingredients in the work bowl, then pulsed a few times to mix.  I added the butter and pulsed until the mixture was crumbly.  Then, I added the water and mixed until the dough just came together.

Pick up pieces of the dough and aha;e it into a 12" x 8" oval ring on the parchment sheet.  If the dough is too sticky, wet your finger tips.  Once you've made the ring, flatter the dough and shape it into a 1 1/2" wide oval...as we say in the South, basically it'll look like a NASCAR track!

Pastry Topping:
1 cup water
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup King Arthur all-purpose flour
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 tsp. butter rum, eggnog, or vanilla butternut flavor, optional

To make the pastry topping:  Place the water, butter and salt in a saucepan and heat over medium heat until the butter is melted and the mixture is boiling.  Add the flour and beat until the mixtures cohesive and starts to form a ball.

I used my food processor once more, but you can all mix with a hand mixer to add the eggs, one at a time.  Add the flavor at the end, if you're using it.

Spoon dollops on the base, then use an off-set spatula to spread the pastry along the ring, covering it completely.

Bake in the preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes, until a deep golden brown.  You can toast your pecans at the same time for 8 to 9 minutes.

Pecans & Caramel
2 cups of toasted pecans
12 ounces of caramel (about 36 individual wrapped soft caramel candies

When the Kringle is done, allow to cool completely in the pan.  Have the toasted pecans next to you.  Melt the caramels in a heat-proof bowl (preferably with a spout for ease in pouring).  Immediately drizzle the melted caramel over the Kringle and sprinkle with pecans, pressing them gently.

Glaze:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 T heavy cream, half-&-half, or milk
1/8 tsp. of flavoring
pinch of salt

Stir together the confectioners' sugar, salt and flavoring.  Add enough cream/milk to make a pourable glaze.  Drizzle it over the Kringle.

Kringle has been our favorite dessert to have on Christmas morning while everyone is opening their packages.  Our family will be coming the day after, so we'll be FACE-timing while watching the girls open their presents and have this when they come.  Enjoy!

Butter Pecan Scones

Today, while the world celebrates the first anniversary of the royals, William and Cathryn, what I'm thinking about is this would have been the 74th Anniversary of my father and mother--William and Helen.

They married in 1938 after knowing each other since fifth grade--love at first sight!  My dad stole a kiss in the cloakroom and as the story goes, he knew he would marry this barely five foot beauty one day and raise a family.

I came up with a Butter Pecan Scone that would have pleased my mother very much; it was definitely one of her favorite flavors, next to chocolate and lemon.

My dad would have bought her a present that he'd placed in the center of the dining room table with an elegant card that he chose for the occasion.  He called her "Sug" (pronounced shug) and they shared a twinkle in their eyes on their special day.  It's what happily ever after is all about:-D

Butter Pecan Scones
1 cup chopped pecans
4 T butter

4 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour
1 T + 1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. Kosher salt
3 T granulated sugar
1/2 cup + 2 T unsalted, cold butter
1 1/3 cups half & half
1 large egg
1 tsp. Butter Sweet Dough flavor (optional)

Preheat oven to 400F-degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a sauce pan on med/low heat, melt butter and add the pecans.  Cook 5-7 minutes, stirring constantly until they are lightly toasted and the nuts have absorbed all the melted butter.  Set aside while you make up the dough.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, put all the dry ingredients in the bowl and mix to incorporated.  Cut the cold butter into 1/2-inch pieces and add to the dry ingredients.  Start mixing on low and once the butter becomes incorporated, raise speed to medium.  Add the flavoring (if using).

Whisk the egg into the half & half and while the mixer is running pour the liquid into the mixture, reserving about 3 tablespoons for brushing on top of the scones before baking.  The dough should just come together and not be too wet.

 Turn dough out onto a lightly floured board.  Knead slightly and roll to about 3/4-inch thick
Cut into rounds, squares or triangles...I chose rounds.

 Brush tops with reserved cream/egg mixture.

Bake in preheated oven for 15 to 18 minutes until golden brown on top.

I decided to make a brown butter glaze to enhance the flavor and make them extra special.


Browned Butter Glaze:
4 T unsalted butter, melt and continue to cook over medium heat until it foams and turns an amber brown.
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 T Light Karo Syrup
1-2 T very warm water

Mix all ingredients together and use an off-set spatula to spread on top.

The scones have a wonderful texture and the flavor, well, if you're a butter pecan fan, these are a home run.   Happy Anniversary Mom & Dad...and of course, that other couple;-D Enjoy!
 

Butter Pecan Sandies & June's Give-Away

It wasn't often we had "store bought" cookies, but one of the ones that both my parents loved was Keebler's Pecan Sandies.  I have to admit this simple shortbread cookie with such a wonderful taste had me too.  I guess I could say, " I saw it coming," since my mother's favorite ice cream was butter pecan--the rich vanilla with those buttery pecans mixed through.

When I was playing around with ingredients, I remembered those Saturday's when my Dad came in from the commissary and we opened up the Keebler package to fill the cookie jar, to come up with a homemade version.  To enhance the buttery flavor, I browned the butter, but then put it in the refrigerator for an hour to return it to a soft solid stage.  The next important step was to toast the pecans--toasting brings out the natural oils and the flavor of the pecan is taken up a notch.  Finally, the ingredients are similar to my shortbread recipe, but I substituted brown sugar for some of the confectioners' sugar measurement to give it a caramel color and flavor.

The great thing about this recipe is that I formed the dough into "logs" that are chilled 3-4 hours.  Slice the cookies you want to bake, but if you only want to make up some of the cookies, freeze the rolls for another time.  The melt-in-your-mouth cookies are perfect with a cup of tea or coffee for an afternoon treat...which I had while I sewed June's Give-Away!

Roses are June's birth flower

Red Roses - Love, Beauty, Courage & Respect
White Roses - Purity, Innocence, Silence, Secrecy, Reverence, Humility & Youthfulness
Yellow Roses - Joy, Gladness, Friendship, & Delight
Pink Roses - Appreciation, Grace, Perfect Happiness, & Admiration
Orange Roses - Enthusiasm, Desire, Fascination
Lavender Roses - Love at First Sight, Enchantment
     
Butter Pecan Sandies...homemade!
1 3/4 cups (3 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, browned
1 cup light brown sugar, packed firmly
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 tsp. Vanilla~Butternut Flavoring (can substitute Vanilla extract, but this really accentuates the flavor of the cookie)
3 cup King Arthur all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups finely chopped Pecans, toasted

Preheat oven to 350F-degrees.
Start off by cutting the butter into chunks and melting in a 3 quart sauce pan.  Turn the heat to med/low and continue to cook about 8 minutes or until the butter has foamed, then, turned golden.  Remove from the heat and pour into a glass 8-inch baking dish.  Place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to "set" the butter to a soft/solid stage.

Next, place pecan halves on a baking sheet and toast in the preheated oven 7-8 minutes--you should smell the aroma of the nuts as they release their oils.  Remove from the oven and let cool.  Use a nut grinder and chop finely so slicing the cookies will be easier.  Turn off oven while you're waiting for the butter to cool.

In a stand mixer, place the butter and sugars and use the paddle attachment to blend well.  Add the flavoring and mix once again.  Add the flour and nuts and beat just until the dough comes together and all ingredients are combined.  Divide dough into three logs--2 x 12-inches and wrap in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate 3 to 4 hours or until firm.  If you're freezing any of the logs, place the wrapped logs into a freezer bag and seal.

Preheat oven, once more, to 350F-degrees and line baking sheets with parchment.  Slice the log on a cutting board, using a serrated knife, 1/4-inch thick.  

Place on prepared baking sheet.  Bake 8-9 minutes or until golden brown.

Let cool about 5 minutes on the baking sheet before removing them to a rack.  This recipe makes over 5 dozen cookies.


By the time I finished the apron, the sun had come out and we're promised a weekend of dry weather...which here in the Pacific Northwest, we don't take for granted.  Enjoy!