Lavender Rolls

I have been dreaming of these since December, and the time was finally ripe.

You could grind up the lavender if you wanted, it might look prettier.

I didn't mind the little flowers scattered in the dough, though.  I could use more little flowers scattered in things, actually.

Just in general.

The taste was perfect, not too strong and not too subtle.

Just use it the same way you would use cinnamon.

I thought about dying the frosting purple.  Maybe I should have.

I used mascarpone cheese in the frosting instead of cream cheese.  I don't like the tang of cream cheese frosting.  Mascarpone brought that cheesy smoothness without the tang.

If I ever have any kind of food shop, these will be the specialty.

Lavender Rolls
Recipe adapted from Averie Cooks
Makes 12

Rolls:
4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons dry yeast (one packet)
pinch salt
6 tablespoons butter, melted
3 large eggs
3/4 cup buttermilk

Filling:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
4-6 teaspoons lavender flowers

Mascarpone Frosting:
1/2 cup butter, softened
6 ounces mascarpone cheese
1 tablespoon vanilla
3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

Combine 4 cups flour, 1/3 cup sugar, yeast, and a pinch of salt in the bowl of a stand mixer.  Warm buttermilk to 100F on stove.  Add melted butter, eggs, and buttermilk to dry ingredients and beat on medium-low for about 1 minute, until combined.

Switch to the dough hook and run for 10-12 minutes (15 - 18 minutes by hand).  If more flour is needed, add remaining 1/4 cup flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough clears the side of the bowl but sticks to the bottom.  It's okay for this dough to be sticky.

Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap.  Place in a warm, draft-free place to rise for about 2 to 2 1/2 hours, until doubled in size.

Prepare your pan, this can be a jellyroll pan or ordinary 9 x 13 inch baking pan.  Line with foil or a silpat and set aside (if using foil, grease with butter).

After dough has doubled, turn it out onto a floured surface and roll into a 16 x 12 inch rectangle.

Spread butter for filling over the dough, in chunks or fully spread out, depending on softness of the butter.  Sprinkle evenly with 1 cup of sugar, then with lavender flowers.

Roll your rectangle up into a big dough log.  Slice into 12 slices.  The best way to do this is with dental floss, but don't use the mint flavored kind unless you want minty lavender (hmm).  If you don't have unflavored floss around, use a sharp knife to avoid squishing the dough as much as possible.

Place slices on prepared pan and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until the rolls have doubled in size about 1 1/2 hours (rolls can also be refrigerated before this second rise for up to 16 hours, bringing to room temperature and continuing with rise the next day).

Bake at 350F for 22 - 25 minutes or until lightly golden on top.  Cool slightly (or don't), spread with mascarpone frosting, and eat.

For frosting:
Blend cheese and butter on medium speed, about 1 minute.  Add the vanilla and 3 cups confectioners' sugar and beat until smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Add remaining cup of sugar to taste, based on desired frosting consistency.

Cinnamon Yogurt Twists

The weather is crazy!

This is the time of year I like to call "High Fall."

Its royal colors are iron gray and deep yellow.

My coat is deep yellow too!  But all the buttons are missing.  Can't have everything (don't wear your non-maternity clothes when you're pregnant).

There are frosty veins on rusty leaves when we walk to the crepe stand.

(They opened a crepe stand nearby!)

Fall is dramatic as an opera.

The down-side is the cold, of course.  It's started seeping in the windows and the places where you can see daylight in the doorframe of this 1970's house.

I guess I'd better get sewing those buttons back on.  And picking which knit hat I'll be wearing from now until April.

Cinnamon Yogurt Twists
taken from Taste of Home

Sometimes there is a fine line between a snack and a dessert.  These could even qualify as a breakfast, if you wanted them to.  They made a lovely snack or small lunch served with tea and pears.  Crunchy and sweet but not quite dessert sweet.  Cinnamon is the flavor of fall.

1 package (1/4 oz) active dry yeast
1 teaspoon salt
3 3/4 - 4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup butter, cubed
1 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup water
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon

In a large bowl combine the yeast, salt, and 2 1/2 cups flour.  In a small saucepan heat the butter, yogurt and water to 120-130 degrees Fahrenheit, add to dry ingredients.  Beat on medium speed for two minutes.

Add the eggs, vanilla, and 1/2 cup flour, beat 2 minutes longer.  Stir in enough remaining flour to form a stiff dough.  Do not knead.  Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.

Combine sugar and cinnamon; set aside.  Punch dough down (whee!).  On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 12-in. x 9-in. rectangle.  Sprinkle 3 tablespoons cinnamon sugar over the dough; fold dough into thirds.  Give the new rectangle a quarter turn and repeat rolling out, sprinkling, and folding.  Do this three more times, totaling four roll-outs.

Roll into a 12-in. x 6-in. rectangle.  Cut into 24 1/2-in. wide strips.  Twist the strips!  (fun)  Place on baking sheet.  Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.  Bake at 350 F for 14-18 minutes or until golden brown.

Tangerine Cream Puffs with Citrus Glaze

Hey, e'erbody.

Cream puffs!  Cream puffs!  Eat 'em!

January is the best time for citrus fruit.  Or maybe citrus fruit is the best part about January (that and MY BIRTHDAY).

Have you had blood oranges?  I know, I know, everybody has had blood oranges.  But seriously!  They're good!

And RED.  Which is my favorite color.

I think oranges might just be my favorite food in the whole world.

And considering how many foods there are in the world, and how much I love almost all of them, that is a high, high honor.

Tangerines?  They're good too, but have you ever noticed how tough their membranes are?

So tasty, even sweeter than oranges.  But tough.

That's why this recipe only calls for the juice.

These taste like an Orange Dream Bar, with a tangerine twist and a bit o' pastry tucked in there.

Yeah, they're a little brown, okay.  Cook them less than I did, that's my advice.

But they tasted grrrreat, brown or not brown.  I don't discriminate.

You could do these with any citrus you wanted - orange, grapefruit.  Pomelo!

What is the deal with pomelos?

All right I know everybody is loving my fevered ramblings about citrus fruit (please don't be the flu please don't be the flu), but this is also the big night!  The giveaway!  The beautiful Sucrose necklace from Boutique Academia.  It's here and we have a winner!

And that winner is Kelley Madden!  Thanks for your comments Kelley!  Get a hold of me at anna@icyviolets.com and we will get you your prize.  Thanks to Maile at Boutique Academia, and thanks to everyone who joined in!

Tangerine Cream Puffs with Citrus Glaze
(makes 12 cream puffs)

For the pastry:
1 cup fresh-squeezed tangerine juice (about 6-8 medium tangerines)
1/2 cup butter 
1/4 teaspoon salt 
1 cup all-purpose flour 
4 eggs 
2 tablespoons milk 
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten

For the cream: 
2 cups heavy whipping cream 
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar 
1 teaspoon tangerine zest

For the glaze:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons tangerine (or other citrus) juice

In a large saucepan, bring the tangerine juice, butter and salt to a boil over medium heat. Add flour all at once and stir until a smooth ball forms. Remove from the heat; let stand for 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue beating until mixture is smooth and shiny.

Drop by 1/4 cupfuls 3 in. apart onto greased baking sheets. Combine milk and egg yolk; brush over puffs. Bake at 400° for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown (this timing has been adjusted down from 30-35 minutes, which made mine a bit too brown). Remove to wire racks. Immediately cut a slit in each for steam to escape; cool.

In a large bowl, beat cream until it begins to thicken. Add sugar and vanilla; beat until almost stiff. Split cream puffs; discard soft dough from inside.

To make the glaze, combine the confectioners' sugar and the tangerine juice.

Fill the cream puffs just before serving, and drizzle with citrus glaze. Refrigerate leftovers.