Autumn Fruit With Corn Flakes Streusel Recipes

CHOCOLATE CORN FLAKES

Steps:

• Pour the corn flakes into a large mixing bowl, then pour about half of the bittersweet chocolate over them. Using a rubber spatula, mix until they are coated evenly. The chocolate will immediately begin to set. Once the chocolate has set, repeat with the remaining chocolate to give it second coat.
• Quickly scoop the chocolate corn flakes into small mounds onto a parchment-lined sheet pan. (It is easier to use one spoon to scoop the mounds and another spoon to scrape them onto the sheet pan.) It is important to work quickly because the mixture is easier to scoop before the chocolate hardens.
• If your kitchen is very hot, you can place the sheet pan in the refrigerator for about 5 minutes to allow the chocolate to harden, however, do not leave them in the refrigerator for more than 10 minutes. If they get too cold, condensation will form on them when they are removed from the refrigerator due to the difference in temperature between the cold chocolate and the warm air, which will cause the chocolate to turn white. While this doesn't affect the taste, it does ruin the appearance.
• Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry area for up to 2 weeks.
• How to Temper Chocolate (From Dessert Circus, Extraordinary Desserts You Can Make At Home by Jacques Torres):
• Chocolate is tempered so that after it has been melted, it retains its gloss and hardens again without becoming chalky and white (that happens when the molecules of fat separate and form on top of the chocolate). There are a variety of ways to temper.
• One of the easiest ways to temper chocolate is to chop it into small pieces and then place it in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time on high power until most of the chocolate is melted. Be very careful not to overheat it. (The temperature of dark chocolate should be between 88 and 90 degrees F, slightly warmer than your bottom lip. It will retain its shape even when mostly melted. White and milk chocolates melt at a temperature approximately 2 degrees F less because of the amount of lactose they contain.) Any remaining lumps will melt in the chocolate's residual heat. Use an immersion blender or whisk to break up the lumps. Usually, chocolate begins to set, or crystallize, along the side of the bowl. As it sets, mix those crystals into the melted chocolate to temper it. A glass bowl retains heat well and keeps the chocolate tempered longer.
• Another way to temper chocolate is called seeding. In this method, add small pieces of unmelted chocolate to melted chocolate. The amount of unmelted chocolate to be added depends on the temperature of the melted chocolate, but is usually 1/4 of the total amount. It is easiest to use an immersion blender for this, or a whisk.
• The classic way to temper chocolate is called tabliering. Two thirds of the melted chocolate is poured onto a marble or another cold work surface. The chocolate is spread out and worked with a spatula until its temperature is approximately 81 degrees F. At this stage, it is thick and begins to set. This tempered chocolate is then added to the remaining non-tempered chocolate and mixed thoroughly until the mass has a completely uniform temperature. If the temperature is still too high, part of the chocolate is worked further on the cold surface until the correct temperature is reached. This is a lot of work, requires a lot of room, and makes a big mess.
• A simple method of checking tempering, is to apply a small quantity of chocolate to a piece of paper or to the point of a knife. If the chocolate has been correctly tempered, it will harden evenly and show a good gloss within a few minutes.

ANY-FRUIT-WILL-DO MUFFINS WITH STREUSEL TOPPING

Steps:

• For the streusel topping:.
• Mix sugar, cinnamon and pinch of salt in a small bowl or work bowl of a food processor, add butter. If mixing by hand, use fingertips, a pastry blender, or 2 forks to blend the fat into dry ingredients until mixture looks like coarse irregular crumbs, with no visible lumps of butter. If mixing in a food processor, pulse about 10 times, then process 5 to 10 seconds, until there are no visible lumps of butter; stir in nuts. Set aside.
• For the muffins:.
• Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease the top surface of a 12-cup muffin pan; use liners, if necessary.
• Whisk 2 1/2 cups flour with next 4 ingredients in a medium bowl, set aside.
• Whisk together next 4 ingredients in a large bowl; whisk in buttermilk and vanilla. Gently whisk dry ingredients into wet ingredients to partially blend. Continue mixing batter with a rubber spatula, making sure that ingredients at the bottom are incorporated into batter fold in fruit. (Frozen fruit will help "firm" up batter. If batter seems too wet add a few more tablespoons of flour, up to 1/4 cup, to stiffen batter.).
• Using an ice-cream scoop, place a portion of batter into each muffin cup, filling to the brim. Sprinkle a portion of streusel topping over batter in each muffin cup.
• Bake 15 minutes, reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake 10 to 12 minutes or until muffins are golden brown and spring back when lightly pressed with fingertips. Let muffins cool in pan for 5 minutes then transfer them to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
• NOTES:.
• To simplify muffin making, quadruple the streusel topping recipe and freeze.
• Orange, lemon, or lime zests can be used to flavor the muffins, if you like.
• Lemon works well with blueberry.
• Orange zest with cranberry or rhubarb.
• Lime zest with banana chunks.
• Almost any fruit works in this recipe. Good choices include:.
• apples, cut into small dice.
• bananas, cut into firm, small chunks.
• blueberries.
• cranberries, coarsely chopped.
• dried sour cherries or cranberries.
• raspberries.
• rhubarb, diced (fresh or frozen).
• strawberries, quartered or cut into small dice.
• To prevent delicate, highly colored fruits like raspberries, cranberries, and blueberries from getting mashed and discoloring the batter, use semi frozen fruit.
• It is not necessary to use paper baking liners if the muffin tin is commercial, glazed, or nonstick.

FESTIVE FRUIT LADDER

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm milk. Add the sugar, butter, egg, salt and 3 cups flour. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough., Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning once to coat the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes., In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and cider. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1 minute or until thickened. Stir in apples; cook 5-10 minutes longer or until crisp-tender. Remove from the heat; stir in cranberries. Cool to room temperature., Punch dough down; roll into a 15x12-in. rectangle. Place on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Spread filling lengthwise down center of dough. On each long side, cut 1-in.-wide strips 3 in. into center. Fold strips at an angle across filling; seal ends. Cover and let rise until doubled., Beat egg and water; brush over dough. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Combine confectioners' sugar, water and extract; drizzle over loaf. Sprinkle with cranberries and almonds.

ANY FRUIT STREUSEL CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Over medium heat and in a small pot, cook fruit with 2 tablespoons sugar until soft. Remove fruit with a slotted spoon and continue simmering liquid to a syrupy consistency. Add back to fruit.
• In a large bowl, whisk together flour and sugar. Thoroughly cut in butter using a pastry blender, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside 2/3 cup of crumbs.
• Combine baking powder and soda. Make a well in the center.
• In a small bowl, whisk egg and vanilla into buttermilk. Add to dry mixture and stir with a fork until just combined. (Do not overstir as cupcakes could be tough).
• Grease a 12 cup muffin tray. Fill each cup halfway with batter. Divide cooked fruit evenly amongst cups, and then top with remaining batter. Mound with streusel.
• Bake in a 350°F oven for 25 minutes, until a tester inserted in the center of cupcakes comes out clean.
• Place tray on a cooling rack to cool for at least 5 minutes before removing from pan. Serve warm or cooled completely.