Blueberry Buttermilk Crumb Cake- Chocolate Waffles-Strawberry Cheesecake Sweet Rolls

Father's Day is coming up next week and we think we have something you could make for that special father in your family. Waking up to one of these would make any man happy, or me! LOL!! I made a Blueberry Buttermilk Crumb Cake, Cyndy made Chocolate Waffles and Carol has her very own recipe for Strawberry Cheesecake Sweet Rolls! They say the way to a man's heart is through is stomach...lets fill'em up kids!

Matt from Tiepedia sent me a link to his blog, the man is obsessed with neckties......kinda like my baking pan obsession hee hee. Look at the beautiful Father's Day cakes on his blog here! Thanks for the link Matt!

Bunny made:

Blueberry Buttermilk Crumb Cake



Chas DivineChef Scott is a friend of mine on Face Book and a terrific baker. He produces his own videos about the things he bakes and cooks on YouTube. Like this video he made of this very Blueberry Buttermilk Crumb cake. I couldn't wait to try this little gem! It was WONDERFUL!! The cake is very moist , the crumb topping is excellent, throw in 3 cups of blueberries and WOW!! It's a winner all the way around. I made this in two 9 inch square baking pans, one for me...one to share. I found the batter baked up a little and went over the pan a bit so I stuck a cookie sheet on the lower rack. It was all good. Thanks Scotty for the recipe and your videos!

Wanna print just the recipe, click here!

Blueberry Buttermilk Crumb Cake
Chas DivineChef Scott

Ingredients:

Crumb Topping:
2 - 1/4 cups flour
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 pound butter
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt

Cake:
2 - 1/2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1/2 pound butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon creme de tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preparation:
Combine ingredients for crumb topping in a mixer and refrigerate when mixed

In mixer add butter, sugar and vanilla, blend then slowly add 3 eggs. Add dry ingredients and buttermilk half at a time until blended. Pour into 14 x 10" coated pan and top with 3 cups blueberries and crumb topping.

Bake for one hour at 350 degrees.



Cyndy made:

Chocolate waffles




Wanna print just the recipe, click here!

Chocolate Waffles
Source: Gale Gand BRUNCH!

Gale Gand's note:
Rich and chocolaty but not too sweet, these are definitely great for brunch, not just for dessert. The chocoholics in your life will thank you. You could serve these with vanilla yogurt, strawberries in syup, Banana Foster's or simply whipped cream, fresh raspberries and a sprinkling of confectioner's sugar.

Ingredients:
2 large egg yolk
1 1/2 cups cold milk
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/4 cups A/P flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
2 large egg whites
2 tbsp light brown sugar

Heat a waffle iron.

In a medium bowl, combine the egg yolks, milk, baking powder, flour, cocoa powder, and melted butter and mix until almost smooth. In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites until stiff peaks form; then add the brown sugar and continue whipping until stiff. fold the whipped egg whites into the batter.

for each waffle, pour 1/2 to 1 cup of the batter(or amount recommended by the waffle iron maker) onto the waffle iron; bake as directed by the manufacturer.


Banana's Foster

4 tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 vanilla bean, split, or 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cinnamon stick
1 tbsp Brandy or other brown spirit(cognac, whiskey, rum, etc)
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 bananas, sliced


Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until slightly bubbly. Add the sugar and stir it in with a wooden spoon. Add the vanilla bean(but not the extract, if that's what you're using) and the cinnamon stick and stir to combine and release the vanilla seeds, then remove the bean pod, and the cinnamon stick. Continue cooking until the sugar starts to caramelize, or turn a light amber color, 2 to 3 minutes. Carefully stir in the brandy and lemon juice, and continue cooking until the syrup becomes caramel-smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the banana slices(and vanilla extract, if using) and swirl to coat them in the hot syrup and warm them, about 1 minute. serve immediately.


Carol made:


STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE SWEET ROLLS




I've been thinking about creating a roll with these flavors for quite some time...to the point of even attempting different ideas for them twice. Both trial runs didn't give me the final result I was looking for.

I was focused on the idea of a cinnamon roll, only with strawberries and cream cheese in the filling- a great idea in theory, but alas, my attempts weren't very successful. I wasn't happy with the way the bread dough cooked in the center of the rolls-the moisture in the cream cheese and fruit kept the dough wet in the center and although it was cooked, it was WAY too wet. They tasted good...we ate them, but I just knew there had to be a better way-and I wasn't going to give up until I came up with something that worked.

And then one day, it suddenly it hit me...I was going about this all WRONG!

Instead of spreading the strawberry filling onto the bread dough and rolling it inside, why not TOP the bread dough with the strawberries? After all-the image of the cheesecake I had in my mind had the strawberries spread on top. Making ropes of bread dough and making coils like I do with one of my stand-by recipes, Raspberry "Danish" would be PERFECT for these! Oh my....another brainstorm....put the cream cheese IN the bread dough instead of spreading it ON the bread dough. The cream cheese will take the place of butter, PLUS will give a "cheesecake" type flavor...........I hoped. I always add butter extract and vanilla extract to my sweet roll doughs, so both would be included here, as well as freshly grated lemon zest-something I add to my mini cheesecakes.

Cyndy sent me some flavored oils a while ago to add to melted chocolate and to bump up the flavor when making glazes, candy, coated popcorn or numerous other recipes....well, one of the the oils she included in the mix is CHEESECAKE! What better way to enhance the flavor of the cream cheese? The oils are concentrated so a little goes a long way. WOW-did that do the trick! These oils can be found in craft stores, baking supply stores and online. The flavors available are incredible-so many wonderful ones to choose from.


The final hurdle was getting the graham cracker crumbs incorporated into the recipe somehow. Simple! Instead of adding melted butter to graham cracker crumbs and a touch of sugar that I use for the mini cheesecake crust, brush the butter onto the rope, then roll it in the graham cracker crumbs-hence a "crust" on the outside of the "cheesecake."

I can't begin to tell you how HAPPY I am with the finished product. Before these are stored airtight, the graham crackers on the outside of the roll actually "crunch" a little when you bite into the roll. The crumbs do soften once the rolls are covered for storage, but it's OK-they still taste FABULOUS! The cream cheese flavor is there in the bread dough, giving the effect of cheesecake......and the fresh strawberry topping? That tied it all together. A quick drizzle of a simple confectioners' sugar glaze and I had achieved the outcome I had envisioned.

This is only the beginning of the fun I'm going to have spinning this recipe a bunch of different ways. I can't wait to get back into the kitchen and play. For now, I need to rest my brain...........all those "light bulb moments" done tuckered me out! :)

Carol





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STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE SWEET ROLLS


STRAWBERRY FILLING:
1 (2 lb.) container fresh strawberries, chopped
1/2-3/4 c. sugar (adjust the amount up or down according to how sweet the strawberries are)
2 1/2 Tbsp. cornstarch
4-5 drops red food coloring


BREAD DOUGH:
2 1/2-3 c. bread flour
1/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. instant or quick-rise yeast
1/4 c. hot water (120-130 degrees)
1/4 c. warm milk (120-130 degrees)
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened (light cream cheese may be used)
1 egg
Grated zest of 1 lemon (1 Tbsp.)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. butter extract
1/4 tsp. cheesecake flavor oil (optional)
1 c. graham cracker crumbs
1 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. butter, melted


CONFECTIONERS' SUGAR GLAZE:
1/2 c. sifted confectioners' sugar
1/2 tsp. clear vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. cheesecake flavor oil (optional)
1-2 Tbsp. milk


For the filling: Combine strawberries, sugar and cornstarch in a 10" skillet; bring to a boil, stirring constantly, crushing the berries lightly with the back of a wooden spoon. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to cook and stir until mixture has thickened. The mixture will be chunky. Remove from heat; let cool completely.


For the bread dough: Combine 1 1/2 c. flour, sugar, salt and yeast in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add water, milk, cream cheese; beat until mixture is combined. Add 1/2 c. flour, egg, lemon zest, vanilla, butter extract and cheesecake oil; beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes or until a soft dough forms. Dough will be sticky. Turn dough onto floured board; knead in remaining 1/2-1 c. flour until a dough is smooth and elastic-about 5 minutes. I used about 2 1/2 c. flour total in this dough-that includes kneading. You want the dough to be slightly sticky-too much flour will dry the bread out.


Cover dough and let rest for 10-15 minutes.


Combine graham cracker crumbs and sugar; spread out on a piece of wax paper.


Divide dough into 12 equal pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece into a 15" rope. Brush each rope with melted butter; roll the rope in the graham cracker crumb mixture, coating well.


Form ropes into a coil, tucking ends under. Place coils on baking sheets sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Sprinkle coils with any remaining graham cracker crumb mixture, if desired. Cover lightly with plastic wrap; let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, 30-45 minutes.


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.


Lightly press center of each roll with your fingers to make a hole for the filling; fill indentation generously with strawberry filling (I fill the center, then mound and slightly spread the filling on the top of each roll).


Bake @ 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove coils to a wire rack and cool completely.


For the glaze: Combine glaze ingredients, adding just enough milk to the glaze to achieve desired drizzling consistency. Lightly drizzle glaze over rolls.


Makes 12.