Caramel Shortbread Squares, guest post by author RaeAnne Thayne

Please help me welcome bestselling author RaeAnne Thayne to the blog today as part of the Winter Holiday Recipes (and reads!) event with TLC Book Tours. RaeAnne will be introducing her new release and sharing a recipe inspired by her latest Haven Point book. Plus, enter for a chance to win a baking-inspired prize pack further down in this post!

Salted Cashew Caramels

Christmas Week sweetness continues with these soft, chewy caramels that are studded generously with cashews and sprinkled with sea salt. Looking at my first two contributions to holiday baking, you can probably sense a theme - simplicity. Both sweet treats have ingredient lists that you don't need more than the fingers on a single hand to count.

Soft caramels have always been a weakness of mine. There's just something comforting about sinking your teeth into a rich, burnished chunk of transformed sugar. I'm also the girl that can polish off a tin of cashews all myself without coming up for breath, so the two of them colliding may be more of a danger than anything else.

25 Desserts (that aren't Pie) for your Thanksgiving Table

It's no secret that I love pie...and our Thanksgiving dessert spread reflects that love. But while I'm satisfied with (eventually) making my way through three or four kinds of pie, I hear tell that there are people who don't feel the same. I mean, apparently there are people who don't even serve a single pie, but instead turn to cake, cookies, cheesecake, or another sweet treat. I know—MIND. BLOWN.

Dramatic? Me? 

But seriously, if you're looking for a couple of dessert options that aren't pie, I've gathered 25 absolutely tempting dessert recipes below, all of which have a "fall feel" and would fit perfectly at your Thanksgiving table this year. And guess what? I even have one non-pie dessert option planned to serve alongside my pie. Madness!

Pumpkin Caramel Sea Salt Blondies

Welcome to the November edition of Blogger CLUE Society! As you may have seen in the past, we have a monthly theme to aid us in the hunt of our assigned blog, and this month's theme is Pie and other Thanksgiving Desserts. This suited me just fine since I am featuring Thanksgiving recipes daily leading up to the big meal this year!

Of course I went in all psyched up to find a new recipe that would fit in amongst our yearly pie assortment...you know about my deep love of pie, right? Well, sometimes we have to adapt...annaDishes was my assigned blog for this month—and she doesn't have any pie recipes on her blog! After the nervous sweats died down (what, no pie!?), I went hunting again...with a fresh perspective.

Although pie is first and foremost in my choices of Thansgiving dessert, lately I've been opening my mind to the possibility of another dessert (or two) alongside the pie. I thought about making Anna's Triple Chocolate Pumpkin Brownies or maybe her Grammy's Hermits, but in the end it was her Maple Caramel Sea Salt Blondies that won my heart.

Yes, I know I said maple, not pumpkin. And I went in with the full intention of making them with maple syrup until I realized there was only about a teaspoon of maple syrup in the bottom of my bottle...after I'd already started mixing things together. Doh! So I improvised and swapped one seasonal flavor for another.

I have to admit, they were pretty wonderful; they would definitely hold their own in any holiday dessert spread. As soon as I replenish my maple syrup stock, I'll be making Anna's original version, as well.

Pumpkin Caramel Sea Salt Blondies

Pockets of caramel and chocolate complement the rich taste of brown sugar mingling with seasonal pumpkin in these blondies that are special enough to earn a place at your holiday table.

by Heather Schmitt-Gonzalez

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 20-25 minutes

Keywords: bake dessert vegetarian nut-free pumpkin caramel chocolate Thanksgiving bars American fall

Ingredients (9 large or 16 small blondies)

• 4 ounces (8 tablespoons / 1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup + 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt (or 1/2 teaspoon flaked or coarse sea salt)
• 1/4 cup chocolate chips (milk, semi-sweet, or dark)
• 8 soft caramels, quartered (~2 1/2 ounces or a heaping 1/4 cup)

to finish:

• flaked or coarse sea salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease an 8"x8" baking pan (then line with parchment paper if you wish).

Combine melted butter and sugar and mix until smooth, then beat in the pumpkin, egg, and vanilla. Stir in the flour and salt until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips and caramel pieces.

Pour into prepared pan, then slide into preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until set in the middle. Set the pan on a wire rack, sprinkle with coarse of flaked sea salt, then allow to cool.

note:

If you'd like, try topping your cooled blondies with some chocolate or caramel icing/frosting before sprinkling on the sea salt.

Anna's original recipe used maple syrup instead of pumpkin, which I can't wait to try. She also used milk chocolate chips which I has every intention of using, as well...until I realized that somebody had raided the pantry and there were none to be found (they would be equally wonderful here). Anna also topped hers in melted milk chocolate chips before sprinkling on the salt.

The blogger C.L.U.E (Cook, Learn, Undertake, Eat) Society meets every month in a game of mystery, intrigue, and fun! We are given a theme and secretly assigned another member's blog; our mission is to hunt through our assigned blog to find a recipe that fits the theme through our eyes. We then head into the kitchen and recreate the recipe and post together on reveal day!

I'm a lifelong mystery-lover, my favorite board game is CLUE, and I'm a believer that there's no better way to get to know somebody than through food—is there any doubt that I enjoy this event!?

Today is reveal day, and this month's theme is: Pie and Other Thanksgiving Desserts. Join me in reading about the food hunted down this month in the #bloggerCLUE member's kitchens!

• Aunt Orlean's Pie Dough by Stacy from Food Lust People Love
• Bacon and Leek Quiche by Sue from A Palatable Pastime
• Black Forest Fruit Pie by Stacy from Food Lust People Love
• Brownie Pecan Pie by Christiane from Taking on Magazines
• Cast Iron Apple Pie by Lisa from Suburban Gourmet
• Cauliflower and Leek Quiche by Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie by Aly from Cooking in Stilettos
• Classic Pumpkin Pie by Jean from Lemons and Anchovies
• Fig and Caramelized Onion Crostini by Christy from Confessions of a Culinary Diva
• Five Spice Apple Pie by Kate from Kate's Kitchen
• French Silk Pie with Frangelico by Christiane from Taking on Magazines
• Lemon Almond Cake by Azmina from Lawyer Loves Lunch
• Lemon Icebox Pie by Kathy from A Spoonful of Thyme
• Pumpkin Caramel Sea Salt Blondies by Heather from All Roads Lead to the Kitchen
• Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie by Kelli from Kelli's Kitchen
• Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream by Debra from Eliot's Eats
• Roasted Butternut Squash Dip by Anna from annaDishes
• Semisweet Chocolate Tart with Candied Pistachios by Liz from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Southern Buttermilk Pie by Lora from Cake Duchess
• Vegan Blueberry Cranberry Mini Cashew Icebox Cheesecakes by Kim from Liv Life

Boozy Bananas Foster Milkshakes

Happy Banana Lover's Day! No, really, it is. And I can think of no better way to celebrate this self-packaging, potassium-rich fruit (botanically considered a berry, but I'm not even going to go there today) than with rum.

Why celebrate Banana Lover's Day with rum, you ask? Because it's not just any old rum, it's Blue Chair Bay's Banana Rum! It all makes sense now, wouldn't you say. When Blue Chair Bay asked if I'd like to try a bottle of their newest rum, I didn't hesitate. Mainly because I'd already been eyeing it, imagining the possibilities.

If you're not familiar with Blue Chair Bay Rum, I wrote a post celebrating International Pineapple Day with them back in April. I used their Coconut Rum to create a Drunken Hummingbird Cocktail. If you click through, you can catch a glimpse of this company founded by Kenny Chesney (there's a video at the bottom). You can also connect with Blue Chair Bay Rum on Facebook.

Salted Honey-Bourbon-Beer Caramel Sauce | #BeerMonth

I have absolutely no clue where the month of April went, but I'll be closing it out in style with one last #BeerMonth post. Since I went in a savory direction for my last post, I steered towards the sweeter side of things this time. For the most part, I knew that I was going to make caramel. I just wasn't sure if I was going to make actual caramels or caramel sauce.

If I was going to make caramels, I had to find a couple of things that, with more time, wouldn't have been a problem. But I got a late start (go figure), and decided to move the caramels to the back seat for now. But I've got big plans for them in the future, so keep your eyes peeled.

So, moseying on up to the front seat was some trusty caramel sauce. I've used beer to make caramel sauce before, so it wasn't an entirely new concept. It would be my choice of beer that made the difference. I wanted something that was a bit bold. I decided on Shock Top's Honey Bourbon Cask Wheat.

Apple Cider 5-Spice Caramels

Who loves apples?  Hand raised. With authority. Who loves caramels?  me. me. me. me. me. me. meeeeeee. Who really, REALLY loves Fall and all things associated with it?  You guessed it, this girl!

And I've got all three of those things rolled into one right here, right now - today.  The first official day of Fall.  See how I'm looking out for you me you me you (I mean, you love all three of those things, too....right!?).

Caramel Éclair "Thingies" ...inspired by Simply Irresistible {food 'n flix}

Girl inherits quaint restaurant with an amazing kitchen (gorgeous ceilings to covet).

Girl does not inherit the skill needed to keep restaurant afloat.

Girl meets handsome guy, prophesizing older man, and silent-but-magical crab.

Girl transfers hope, sadness, lust, joy...emotion...into her cooking and food.  Mystical fog, floating, passing a tear drop...  Girl can cook.

Life takes a turn for the better for girl, handsome guy, and everybody in her path.

Fun, flirty, mouthwatering, and totally cheesy.  What more can a girl ask for?

I've freely admitted many times in the past that I love a good chic-flick.  Make it a good foodie chic-flick and two free hours, and I feel revitalized!  Plus, Patricia Clarkson is GOLD is this flick.  In my favorite scene, she is taken over by desire when eating one of Amanda's "Caramel Éclair Thingies".   From that moment on, I knew what I wanted to make when I finished Simply Irresistible.

As Tom so eloquently put it, "But these are amazing...  The way it starts in your mouth and...it just travels to your brain and then shoots down your spine and just explodes out of your toes...!"

Caramel Pastry Cream

slightly adapted from Hungry Cravings 

yield: ~2 ½ c.

5 oz. sugar

¼ c. water

-----

2 c. milk, at room temperature

1 ¼ oz. cornstarch

1 oz. sugar

1 large egg

2 large egg yolks

½ oz. butter, at room temperature

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Combine 5 oz. of the sugar and the water in a small, heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil, brush down the sides of the pan with water, and boil for 8 to 10 minutes, or until caramelized. The sugar will be fragrant and a deep amber color when it is caramelized. Remove the pan from the heat and dip the bottom into an ice water bath for a second or two. Slowly stir in the milk. Return the pan to low heat and stir until smooth. Increase the heat to medium and heat to a simmer.

Meanwhile, whisk together the cornstarch and remaining 1 oz. of sugar in a medium bowl. Whisk in the egg and yolks. Continue whisking while adding the hot caramel mixture in a thin stream. Transfer the mixture back to the saucepan and cook, whisking constantly, over medium heat for 2 - 3 minutes, or until it thickens and just begins to bubble. If you see any lumps in the pastry cream, push it through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl.  Otherwise, just transfer to a clean bowl and stir in the butter and vanilla. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface and refrigerate until ready to use.

Pâte à Choux

(sweet or savory)

adapted from Alton Brown  

yield: ~4 dozen cream puff shells or ~2 dozen éclair shells

1 c. water

¾ stick (6 Tbs./3 oz.) butter 

1 Tbs. sugar*

⅛ tsp. salt 

5¾ oz. bread flour

1 c. eggs, (~5 large eggs; just whisk together, then remove tiny bit extra)

Preheat oven to 425° F.

Combine water, butter, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Add flour and remove from heat. Work mixture together, using a wooden spoon, and return to heat. Continue working the mixture until all flour is incorporated and dough forms a ball. Transfer mixture into bowl of a standing mixer and let cool for 3 or 4 minutes. With mixer on lowest speed add eggs, a little bit at a time, making sure each addition is completely incorporated before continuing. Once all eggs have been added and the mixture is smooth, put dough into piping bag fitted with a round or star tip. 

Pipe immediately into desired shape and place ~2" apart onto parchment (or silpat) lined sheet pans. Bake for 10 minutes, then turn the oven down to 350° F and bake for 10 more minutes or until golden brown. Once they are removed from the oven pierce with a paring knife immediately to release steam.  Transfer to wire rack to finish cooling.

*If making savory shells, replace the sugar + ⅛ tsp. salt with 1 tsp. salt total.

note: for éclairs, pipe ~5" x 1" / for mini éclairs ~2 ½" x 1" / for cream puff, pipe golf ball sized "rounds"

Now that you have the rich, seductive cream filling and the baked, eggy casing, it's time to get down to the business of making the "thingies"...

Caramel Éclair "Thingies"

...or Caramel Cream Puff "Thingies"

yield: 2-4 dozen

1 recipe Caramel Pastry Cream

1 recipe sweet Pâte à Choux

Make the pastry cream the day before you want to assemble the "thingies".  Once it is cool, pipe the pâte à choux into desired shape/size and bake.

Once the shells are cooled a bit, put the pastry cream into a piping bag fitted with a small, round tip.  Stick the tip into the bottom or side of your shells and pipe as much cream inside each one as you like.  Enjoy!

Mi amiga Leslie of La Cocina de Leslie is hosting Food 'n Flix: Simply Irresistible this month!

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Pumpkin Pie w/ Sesame Snaps

What are your must-have pies for Thanksgiving?  For me, it's just not the same if there's not at least a Pumpkin Pie and a Pecan Pie.  I like to add one or two extras to the mix every year, as well...just for variation.  Sometimes it's Bourbon Sweet Potato.  Occasionally it's a form of Apple (Crumb, Cheddar-Crust, Upside Down).  Once I made a killer Cranberry Tart.  Sometimes we do the Chocolate Pecan (...though, I prefer my Pecan to be left alone.  OH!  Unless it's the Rum Runner Pecan Pie I make sometimes.  That I'll take).  I've even done Buttermilk Pie in the past.  And every couple of years, some sort of harvesty cake makes its way into the mix.  I mentioned before that this is the first year that we didn't meet up with the extended family for our Turkey Day dinner...and in turn, I didn't need to make so many desserts.  The two pies that I did make were even a bit much.   But something inside won't let me make just one.  The one thing I'm bummed about is that I didn't make or even eat a slice of Pecan Pie this year.  Pecan prices are just too steep for me right now.  So I stuck with a Pumpkin and a fantastic Apple Cider Pie (watch for it...). I don't think I've ever made the same version Pumpkin twice.  I like mine thick and heavy on the spice, so I added some cardamom, allspice, and cloves in with the other spices.  I really enjoyed this cream cheese crust.  It didn't get soggy and it had a nice snap to it.  The fun part, though?  Definitely the shards of sesame seed snaps (brittle) strewn across the top.  It added a contrast in texture and a great hint of nuttiness to each bite.  This one will appear in the rotation quite often, me thinks.

Cream Cheese Crust

yield: 1 (9") pie crust

1¼ c. all-purpose flour

1 Tbs. sugar

½ tsp. salt

3 oz. (6 Tbs.) cold butter, cut in pieces

2 oz. cold cream cheese, cut in pieces

1 tsp. apple cider vinegar

2-4 Tbs. ice water

Pulse flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor.  Add butter and cream cheese and pulse until pea-sized.  Add vinegar and 2 Tbs. of icewater; pulse until dough holds together.  Add a bit more ice water, as needed until you can press dough together.  Gather into a ball, wrap in plastic and pat into a disk.  Chill at least 4 hours.

-------

Sesame Seed snaps

½ c. sugar

1 Tbs. water

1½ Tbs. sesame seeds, toasted

big pinch sea salt

Cook sugar and water over medium-high until amber, ~7 minutes.  Stir in sesame seeds and salt.  Immediately spread on a silpat, sheet of parchment (or greased foil); let cool completely, then break apart.  Store in a cool place in an airtight container until ready to use.

Pumpkin Pie w/ Sesame Snaps

yield: 1 (9") pie

1 recipe cream cheese crust

flour, for dusting

15 oz. pumpkin puree

1 c. evaporated milk

⅔ c. sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

½ tsp. ground ginger

½ tsp. ground cardamom

⅛ tsp. ground allspice

small pinch ground cloves

a few good grates of nutmeg

1 recipe sesame seed snaps

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough into a 12" circle.  Gently drape it over a 9" pie plate.  Fit it in and tuck the overhand under itself.  Chill for 30 minutes.  Preheat oven to 350° F.  

Prick bottom of crust with a fork.  Line with parchment, and fill with pie weights or dried beans.  Bake until edges are golden, ~20 minutes.  Remove beans and parchment and bake 10 minutes more.  Cool on a wire rack.

Whisk pumpkin, milk, sugar, eggs, and spices in a bowl; pour into par-baked shell.  Bake until center is just barely set, ~1 hour.  Cover edges with foil if they begin to get too dark.  Cool on a wire rack.

Sprinkle the shards of sesame seed snaps over the pie just before serving.  note: If you don't think the whole pie will get eaten right away, then I recommend only sprinkling them on the individual slices.  If you sprinkle it over the whole pie, then wrap up the remainder for later, the shards will turn back into a syrup that sits on the top of the pie and eventually sinks in.

*This pie was adapted from 50 Pies insert of Food Network Magazine (Nov. '11)

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