Dyann Bakes

Sat, 27 October 2007

Caramel-Coated Apples, a Halloween Special!

Everything's ready! The pumpkin is carved, the costumes are made, and the yard is looking absolutely frightful. All that's missing from this Halloween scene is something sweet. How about gooey-chewy-sweet-n-crunchy caramel apples?

If you have a tip or a comment about this episode, click here and let us know, we'd love to hear from you.

Download the recipe as a PDF file

1 1-pound box dark brown sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
2/3 cup dark corn syrup
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon dark molasses
1/4 teaspoon salt
12 chopsticks
12 medium Granny Smith apples
Assorted decorations (such as chopped nuts, toffee bits, mini M&M's, crushed cookies, shredded coconut) Melted dark, milk and/or white chocolate Whipping cream (if necessary)

Combine first 8 ingredients in heavy 2 1/2-quart saucepan (about 3 inches deep). Stir with wooden spatula or spoon over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves (no crystals are felt when caramel is rubbed between fingers), about 15 minutes.
Attach clip-on candy thermometer to side of pan. Increase heat to medium-high; cook caramel at rolling boil until thermometer registers 236°F, stirring constantly but slowly with clean wooden spatula, about 12 minutes. Pour caramel into a bowl and do not scrap the bottom of the pan. Submerge thermometer bulb in caramel; cool, without stirring, to 200°F, about 15-20 minutes.
While caramel cools, line 2 baking sheets with buttered foil or a Silpat. Push 1 chopstick into stem end of each apple. Set up decorations and melted chocolate.
Holding the chopstick, dip 1 apple into 200°F caramel, submerging all but very top of apple. Lift apple out, allowing excess caramel to drip back into bowl. Turn apple caramel side up and hold for several seconds to help set caramel around apple. Place coated apple on prepared sheetpan. Repeat with remaining apples and caramel, spacing apples apart (caramel will pool on the bottom). If caramel becomes too thick to dip into, add 1 to 2 tablespoons whipping cream and briefly whisk caramel in bowl over low heat to thin.
Chill apples on sheets until caramel is partially set, about 15 minutes. Lift 1 apple off off prepared pan. Using your hand, press pooled caramel around apple; return to sheet pan. Repeat with remaining apples
Firmly press decorations into caramel or dip caramel-coated apples into melted chocolate, allowing excess to drip off, and then roll in nuts or candy.
Chill until decorations are set, about 1 hour. Cover; chill up to 1 week.

Direct download: 102707Caramel_Apple_iPod_LONG.mp4
Category:sweet -- posted at: 1:21 PM

Comments[1497]

Fri, 12 October 2007

Tip #9 Supreme a Citrus Fruit

To supreme a citrus fruit is to remove the fruit's fleshy sections from the skin, pith, membranes, and seeds. This creates glittery wedges that are the perfect addition to fruit salads and other delicious desserts. Check out how to prepare these citrus-y segments!

If you have a comment about this tip, click here and let us know, we'd love to hear from you.

Direct download: 101107tipSupreme-iPod.mp4
Category:Tips -- posted at: 1:01 AM

Comments[2075]

Fri, 5 October 2007

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread!

Autumn has finally arrived, and nothing celebrates this colorful season better than our favorite orangey veggie ...the pumpkin!

Watch as we bake mini loaves of moist and deliciously spicy pumpkin bread in this very special video. And just when you thought this quick bread couldn't get any better, we add a sprinkling of chocolate chips to make it irresistible!

If you have a tip or a comment about this episode, click here and let us know, we'd love to hear from you.

Download the recipe as a PDF file

3 cups granulated sugar
1 15-ounce can of pumpkin puree
1 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup water
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degree C)
Grease and flour three 9 x 5 inch loaf pans, or 5-6 mini loaf pans
In a large bowl, combine sugar, pumpkin, oil, water, vanilla extract and eggs, and beat until smooth
Add the cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and salt to the flour and stir with a whisk to break up any lumps
Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture in batches, blending after each addition until combined
Gently, fold in chocolate chips and nuts (if desired)
Bake for ~1 hour, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean
Remove pans from the oven and allow to cool for ~5 minutes
Remove bread from pans and cool on wire racks.
Do not allow it to completely cool in the pan, as it will become soggy

Direct download: 100407Pumpkin_Brea-iPod.mp4
Category:Pumkin Bread -- posted at: 4:19 AM

Comments[2112]