One of my favorite vegetables has always been the humble potato. I just adore potatoes. In any way shape or form. One of my favorite ways to enjoy them is simply boiled and then tossed together with some butter and herbs.
But then, having said that, I would not turn down any potato when offered to me. I am a potato-holic! A day without a potato in it is a sad day for me!
.JPG "Parmesan Roasted Potatoes")
For quite a few months now I have been keen to try the Parmesan Roasted Potatoes that were going around on TikTok. I am not really one to follow trends, but one they were potatoes and two they looked fabulous.
Today was the day. All my stars were aligned, and I decided to go for it. I found a recipe here on a page called The Salty Side Dish. I adapted it to European measurements and also downsized the recipe to feed only two people.
.JPG "Parmesan Roasted Potatoes")
They actually turned out quite nice, although I am not sure what purpose scoring the cut sides served as they were not really that visible in the finished dish. For the most part the cheese glued the scores together.
But that was okay because, scored surfaces of not, these were pretty darned delicious!
.JPG "Parmesan Roasted Potatoes")
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE PARMESAN ROASTED POTATOES (FOR TWO)
It's a pretty simple list really.
- 2 1/2 TBS butter
- 3 TBS grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoons herb seasoning divided (any brand, I used a garlic and herb seasoning)
- 1/3 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 3/4-pound red potatoes, well washed
- nonstick cooking spray
.JPG "Parmesan Roasted Potatoes")
Full disclosure here, I did not have any red potatoes, so I used baby russet potatoes, which worked beautifully. Each potato was about 3 inches in length and about 2 1/2 inches across, so I ended up with some decent sized potato halves. Not too large, not too small.
I used a Club House garlic seasoning mix. You can use any kind of seasoning mix you like. I thought the garlic would work well. I have also seen them done with a mix of fresh herbs.
I think fresh herbs would be a waste in this and I am not sure that you would get as crisp a result once the moisture starts to leech out of the fresh herbs.
.JPG "Parmesan Roasted Potatoes")
HOW TO MAKE PARMESAN ROASTED POTATOES (FOR TWO)
These were really quite simple to make. Would I bother cross hatching the cut surfaces again? Probably not as it didn't really add anything to the finish.
Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/ gas mark 6. Add the butter to an 8-inch square baking pan. Place baking pan into the preheating oven so that the butter can melt. Remove once melted.
.JPG "Parmesan Roasted Potatoes")
Meanwhile, cut the potatoes in half and score each potato.
In a small bowl, combine Parmesan cheese and 3/4 TBS of the herb seasoning, along with the salt and pepper. Mix well.
Sprinkle the cheese and seasoning mixture onto the bottom of the pan evenly over top of the melted butter.
Place the potatoes, cut side down in the pan, on top of the cheese seasoning mixture.
Spray the tops of the potatoes lightly with some cooking spray and sprinkle with remaining herb seasoning.
Roast, uncovered, 35 to 40 minutes or until potatoes are tender when pierced with the tip of a knife and are golden brown. Serve hot.
.JPG "Parmesan Roasted Potatoes")
Would I make these again? Absolutely! Would I go to the bother of cross-hatching the cut sides? No, I wouldn't. I don't feel it made any difference whatsoever to the finish and was a wasted exercise.
They were nice and crisp, had a lovely crunchy exterior and beautiful fluffy interior. I am wondering if peeling the potatoes would make them even crisper. I think next time I make them I will totally peel them. Watch this space!
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CHEESE & BROCCOLI STUFFED JACKET POTATOES - Really really tasty stuffed twice baked potatoes, containing crispy tender bits of broccoli and a tasty strong cheddar. These are a fabulous way of getting in some of your five a day and really tasty way to get your broccoli haters to eat broccoli!
PAN FRIED POTATOES - These were always a real favorite when I was growing up. When my mother made these, we were all very happy! Of course, she could never make enough of them! She used to only make them if she had cold leftover boiled potatoes. Nowadays I boil potatoes purposely just so that I can make these! Nothing could be any simpler really. You just slice the potatoes and onions and bang them into a hot pan of butter and oil . . . with some seasoning of course. Crisp, buttery and delicious!
Yield: 2
Parmesan Roasted Potatoes
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 40 MinTotal time: 50 Min
Crisp, buttery and flavor-filled, creamy in the middle. These are a fabulous side dish to just about anything!
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 TBS butter
- 3 TBS grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoons herb seasoning divided (any brand, I used a garlic and herb seasoning)
- 1/3 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 3/4-pound red potatoes, well washed
- nonstick cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/ gas mark 6. Add the butter to an 8-inch square baking pan. Place baking pan into the preheating oven so that the butter can melt. Remove once melted.
- Meanwhile, cut the potatoes in half and score each potato.
- In a small bowl, combine Parmesan cheese and 3/4 TBS of the herb seasoning, along with the salt and pepper. Mix well.
- Sprinkle the cheese and seasoning mixture onto the bottom of the pan evenly over top of the melted butter.
- Place the potatoes, cut side down in the pan, on top of the cheese seasoning mixture.
- Spray the tops of the potatoes lightly with some cooking spray and sprinkle with remaining herb seasoning.
- Roast, uncovered, 35 to 40 minutes or until potatoes are tender when pierced with the tip of a knife and are golden brown.
- Serve hot.
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I am excited to share this delicious Cinnamon Pecan Coffee Cake recipe with you today! In the UK the term coffee cake usually refers to a cake that is highly flavored with coffee. Here in North America the term coffee cake refers instead to a cake which is meant to be enjoyed with a hot drink, such as tea or coffee.
Everyone has their favorite recipes for coffee cakes here in North American as well.
Wikipedia refers to a coffee cake as the following:
North American coffee cakes are typically presented in a single layer, flavored with either fruit or cinnamon, and leavened with baking soda (or baking powder), which results in a more cake-like texture, or yeast, which results in a more bread-like texture. They may be loaf-shaped or baked in a Bundt or tube pan.
.jpg "Cinnamon Pecan Coffee Cake")
The recipe I am sharing with you today is a North American style coffee cake which has been leavened with baking powder and soda. The original recipe comes from the King Arthur Baking Companion Cookbook, but you can also find it here.
I have downsized it to a loaf sized cake, which is much more welcome in my kitchen, and I have also converted the measurements to metric for European bakers. I actually prefer baking by metrics myself. It is a much more precise method of measuring.
Not all measuring cups are equal. Some hold more than others, but that is not a mistake you will ever run into when you are baking by weight. A gram is always a gram, is a gram!
Once you get used to baking that way, you never want to revert to the other. I would not want to be without a good set of electronic kitchen scales, and that is one of the first items I purchased for myself when I moved back to Canada.
This is a lovely and tender cake with a beautiful crumb and flavor. That is largely due to the use of sour cream in the batter. You can also use plain yogurt if you don't have sour cream.
I kept the amounts for the streusel which both fills and tops this cake as the full-sized measurements. In my opinion you can never have too much streusel!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE CINNAMON PECAN COFFEE CAKE (SMALL BATCH)
Simple everyday baking cupboard ingredients. The only hint for success I would give you is to make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature, so take them out of the refrigerator about half an hour or so before you want to begin.
For the streusel:
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (60g) chopped toasted pecans or walnuts
For the cake:
- 1/4 cup (60g) butter, softened
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1 large free-range egg at room temperature
- 1 cup (140g) all-purpose plain flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/8 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup (113g) sour cream or plain yogurt, at room temperature
There is the option for a more substantial and traditional streusel topping which I have not included in the recipe. You can find that option on the King Arthur Baking Page. Just scroll down to the bottom of the page.
The full-sized recipe is also there. It can be baked in a 9 1/2-inch Bundt pan or a 9-inch square pan. That is simply too much cake for little old me!
HOW TO MAKE CINNAMON PECAN COFFEE CAKE (SMALL BATCH)
This is a very easy cake to make. Just make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature and follow the instructions. Success will be yours.
Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Butter and flour an 8X4X3-inch loaf tin, or butter and line with some baking paper. set aside.
Stir together all of the streusel ingredients until crumbly. Set aside.
Beat together in a medium sized bowl, the butter, sugar and egg. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, soda, baking powder and salt.
Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture alternately with the sour cream or yogurt, stirring well to combine after each addition.
Spread half of the batter in the prepared loaf tin. Top with half of the streusel. top with the remainder of the batter and then top with the last of the streusel.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs sticking to it.
Leave to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift out to a wire rack to finish cooling. Can be served warm or at room temperature. Cut into thick slices to serve.
This really is a tender and moist cake to make. I have been baking this one or one similar to it for a great many years. When the children were growing up, I used to bake it in a 9-inch square baking tin. I also sometimes added mini chocolate chips to the streusel which they loved.
It's always been a real family favorite and if you bake it, you will know why. It's perfectly delicious!
Some other cake recipes I have shared on here that you might enjoy with a hot drink are:
SMALL BATCH ZUCCHINI COFFEE CAKE - Moist, delicious, flavored with browned butter and nicely spiced. Flecked with green specks of zucchini and topped with a moreish buttery sweet cinnamon brown sugar streusel and a sweet glaze.
BLUEBERRY COFFEE CAKE - A cake you will be proud to serve to anyone. A cake that you will be unable to resist sinking your fork into, again and again. You may even find yourself getting up in the middle of the night to enjoy a slice . . . if it lasts that long! A fabulously tasty cake with a lovely thread of cinnamon sugar swirl throughout . . . studded with plenty of plump sweet berries.
Yield: 1 (8X4X3) loaf
Cinnamon Pecan Coffee Cake
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 35 MinTotal time: 45 Min
A tender and delicious loaf cake filled and topped with a moreish cinnamon nut streusel.
Ingredients
For the streusel:
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (60g) chopped toasted pecans or walnuts
For the cake:
- 1/4 cup (60g) butter, softened
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1 large free-range egg at room temperature
- 1 cup (140g) all-purpose plain flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/8 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup (113g) sour cream or plain yogurt, at room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Butter and flour an 8X4X3-inch loaf tin, or butter and line with some baking paper. set aside.
- Stir together all of the streusel ingredients until crumbly. Set aside.
- Beat together in a medium sized bowl, the butter, sugar and egg. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, soda, baking powder and salt.
- Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture alternately with the sour cream or yogurt, stirring well to combine after each addition.
- Spread half of the batter in the prepared loaf tin. Top with half of the streusel. top with the remainder of the batter and then top with the last of the streusel.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs sticking to it.
- Leave to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift out to a wire rack to finish cooling.
- Can be served warm or at room temperature. Cut into thick slices to serve.
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Québécois Maple Pudding, or Pouding chômeur à l’érable, as it is also known is a traditional Canadian dessert with its origins in the Province of Quebec. It is also known as Poor Man's Pudding, or the pudding of the unemployed.
The recipe is said to have been developed during the great depression, using ordinary every day simple ingredients that most people would have in their homes.
It has long been a favorite in my family and for no small reason. It is, simply put, incredibly delicious. I have been making it in one form or another for my family for years and years.
I adapted the original recipe from a library book, entitled The Cooking of Provincial Quebec by Mirielle Beaulieu. It made a huge panful, and so, in this empty nest era of my life, I have small batched it so that it makes only 5 servings instead of 10.
I confess to having a great love of Maple syrup and maple desserts. I remember when I first moved over to the UK, I brought with me a large 4-liter metal container of maple syrup. There were some things I knew that I could live without, but maple syrup was not one of them!
At that time, it was very difficult to find pure maple syrup in the UK. It is much easier now. You would never be able to get on an airplane now lugging a large can of maple syrup like that! This was a year before 9/11.
.JPG "Québécois Maple Pudding")
I used to make this dessert frequently when my children were growing up. They loved it! I did not always use maple syrup, but more often than not made the brown sugar syrup option as it was more affordable for me in those days.
It made a quick, easy and economical dessert that I could make that would satisfy my large family and not bust my food budget. I always had the ingredients for it in my cupboard.
.JPG "Québécois Maple Pudding")
These days when I make this pudding, I always make the maple syrup version of the sauce. The cream makes it extra rich and indulgent. And when you serve it warm with lashings of cream drizzled over top, it is even more so.
Of course, you can enjoy it with scoops of vanilla ice cream as well, which is how my children used to like eating it. I got into the habit of enjoying cream drizzled on my desserts when I lived in the UK as it was a very common thing to do over there.
.JPG "Québécois Maple Pudding")
They always like to enjoy their dessert/puddings with lashings of cream or warm custard sauce. Ice cream is almost never an option. Some people will enjoy some of both the cream and the custard!
I can promise you that whether you enjoy it with cream, or custard, or both, or even ice cream, one thing is certain and that is that you WILL enjoy it! How could a person not enjoy a dessert which has been pleasing families for years and years!
.JPG "Québécois Maple Pudding")
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE QUEBECOIS MAPLE PUDDING
Very simple everyday ingredients. There are two sauce options. You decide which one you want to use.
For the Maple sauce choice:
- 3/4 cup (180ml) pure maple syrup
- 3/4 cup (180ml) heavy cream
- pinch of sea salt
For the brown sugar sauce:
- 3/4 cup (150g) soft light brown sugar, packed
- 3/4 up (180ml) water
- 1/2 tsp maple extract
- 1 TBS all-purpose plain flour
For the cake:
- 3/4 cup (105g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/4 cup (60g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1 large free-range eggs
- 3 fluid ounces (85ml) milk
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
.JPG "Québécois Maple Pudding")
I don't think much explanation is needed when it comes to the ingredients. They are all simple everyday ingredients. Do NOT be tempted to use artificial syrup when it comes to the maple syrup. It simply doesn't work.
Use only pure maple syrup or make the brown sugar option as detailed in the recipe.
.JPG "Québécois Maple Pudding")
HOW TO MAKE QUEBECOIS MAPLE PUDDING
Seriously nothing could be easier.
Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/ gas mark 6. Butter a 7 by 11-inch baking dish really well.
Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. Whisk together the milk and vanilla extract. Set aside.
To make the maple syrup sauce, combine the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring occasionally. Pour into the baking dish.
To make the brown sugar sauce, whisk the sugar and flour together in a saucepan. Whisk in the maple flavoring and the water. Bring to the boil, whisking constantly. Pour into the prepared baking dish.
.JPG "Québécois Maple Pudding")
Cream together the sugar and butter for the cake batter until light and well combined. Beat in the egg. Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk/vanilla mixture, making three dry and two wet additions. Mix just to combine.
Spoon the cake batter over top of the hot syrup mixture evenly.
Place onto a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes until bubbling and golden brown. The cake should test done. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.
Leave to cool for about 10 minutes and then spoon into bowls. Serve warm topped with either lashings of cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
.JPG "Québécois Maple Pudding")
This is the perfect comforting midwinter dessert for the family. If you want to double it to make the full size, simply double all of the ingredients. The timing for baking will be approximately 45 minutes.
This simple dessert will keep for up to five days, covered, in the refrigerator. Sometimes I add raisins to the cake.
.JPG "Québécois Maple Pudding")
MOM'S BEST APPLE CRISP - With its crisp and buttery oat topping and sweet apple filling, this is a dessert everyone loves. Nothing says home sweet home better than a warm apple crisp!
SKILLET CHERRY COBBLER - A small sized cherry dessert for two that always pleases. Cherry pie filling on the bottom and a sweet cakey cobbler topping on top. What's not to love!
Yield: 5
Québécois Maple Pudding
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 40 MinTotal time: 55 Min
This is also known as "Poor Man's Pudding." It is anything but poor. Simple ingredients put together in a most delicious way. Serve warm, spooned into bowls with pouring cream drizzled overtop, or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. This is the small batch. The original version made 10 servings. You have two choices of sauce. Maple or brown sugar. You decide.
Ingredients
For the Maple sauce choice:
- 3/4 cup (180ml) pure maple syrup
- 3/4 cup (180ml) heavy cream
- pinch of sea salt
For the brown sugar sauce:
- 3/4 cup (150g) soft light brown sugar, packed
- 3/4 up (180ml) water
- 1/2 tsp maple extract
- 1 TBS all-purpose plain flour
For the cake:
- 3/4 cup (105g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/4 cup (60g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1 large free-range eggs
- 3 fluid ounces (85ml) milk
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/ gas mark 6. Butter a 7 by 11-inch baking dish really well.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- Whisk together the milk and vanilla extract. Set aside.
- To make the maple syrup sauce, combine the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring occasionally. Pour into the baking dish.
- To make the brown sugar sauce, whisk the sugar and flour together in a saucepan. Whisk in the maple flavoring and the water. Bring to the boil, whisking constantly. Pour into the prepared baking dish.
- Cream together the sugar and butter for the cake batter until light and well combined. Beat in the egg. Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk/vanilla mixture, making three dry and two wet additions. Mix just to combine.
- Spoon the cake batter over top of the hot syrup mixture evenly.
- Place onto a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes until bubbling and golden brown. The cake should test done. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.
- Leave to cool for about 10 minutes and then spoon into bowls. Serve warm topped with either lashings of cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Thanks so much for visiting. Do come again!
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