Tag Archives: dessert

Sweet Potato Pound Cake

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Decided I would test run a new cake recipe today with one of my favorite foods; sweet potatoes.

Recipe is pretty easy and basic. I’m also thinking of a remake with some leftover sweet potato mash that I made for dinner to see if leftover sweet potato mash will work just as easy as custom made.  The original recipe is from FineCooking.com Magazine Oct/Nov 2016 issue.


The outcome..

It works. The dense and moist pound cake texture has a solid feel, very little crumb. The ginger leaves a nice warm after bite while the sweet potato brings a subtle sweetness reminiscent of the sweet potato biscuits at one of my local favorite restaurants.  Even after a few days  it stayed moist and the ginger flavor grew some..

In fact I bet a simple sugar glaze with either honey or maple syrup instead of the powdered sugar might even be a great alternative topping. I could also see a scoop of vanilla or cinnamon ice cream with a drizzle of carmel sauce. Also curious as to how this would taste studded with candied ginger pieces.

Only caveat is that I see so far is make sure you use the right size pan. The one I used, was smaller than the recipe called for and it definitely over flowed through the center hole.

Cast Iron Skillet S’mores

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Super easy. Both adult & child friendly.

Several variations exist for this dish – but they all essentially say the same thing.

  • 1/2 tablespoon butter
  • 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips (semi-sweet, milk chocolate, or a combo)
  • 15 jumbo marshmallows, halved ( use larger scissors to cut them)
  • Graham cracker squares

Heat your stove to 450 degrees and use a good solid heavy pan – Cast Iron is perfect, put the pan in the middle of the oven while it is heating up! This is important – you want the pan good and hot.

Once oven lets you know it has hit 450, wait 5 more minutes. Then using a pot older or mitt (Don’t even ask me why I need to mention this…) take the pan url of the over and place on the stove.

Place a good pat of butter in the center of the pan and as it sizzles, move it around so the bottom and sides are covered with melted butter.

Pour chocolate chips in an even layer into the bottom of the skillet to form a good layer.

With out touching the pan or the melting chocolate, arrange the marshmallows to cover and fit (much like biscuits)  – essentially cover all the chocolate.

Bake for 5 to 7 minutes or until marshmallows are toasted to your preference (watch closely!). Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes. This is important.

Serve with graham cracker squares or sticks, pretzel sticks, biscotti – you name it. …but be careful, because the dip (and the skillet) will be very hot!Notes

A few collected notes from the recipes:

  • One of our pals suggested adding bananas to the pan after the butter then adding chelate – but I am thinking that might not get the chocolate fully melted – but I bet you could add them on top under the marshmallow.
  • You may use another type of oven-safe baking dish, but it should be noted that the chocolate will probably melt more evenly (and stay melted more consistently) using a heavy cast iron skillet, which retains heat better than other types of dishes.
  • Be sure to let the skillet rest for 5 minutes before serving so that the residual heat from the skillet can finish melting the chocolate chips. Some of the chocolate chips may retain their shape, but once you dip a graham cracker into them, they should be fully melted (in the same way that chocolate chips melted in the microwave hold their shape until stirred).
  • Adjust the proportions of chocolate and marshmallows to your liking or to the size of the skillet or baking dish that you use, but don’t make the layer of chocolate chips too thick or they may not fully melt.
  • You may use whatever type of chocolate or marshmallows you have on hand…finely chopped chocolate, mini chocolate chips, regular chocolate chips, mini marshmallows, (halved) jumbo marshmallows, etc.
    Here is the one we used ; http://www.fivehearthome.com/2014/08/10/smores-dip-baked-in-skillet-oven/