Southern Lady Holiday Baking 2016

PECAN DATE PIE MAKES 1 (9-INCH) DEEP-DISH PIE ½ (14.1-ounce) package refrigerated piecrusts ½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar ½ cup light corn syrup ½ cup cane syrup ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted 3 large eggs 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract ½ teaspoon salt 2½ cups pecan halves 1 cup chopped pitted dates 1. Preheat oven to 350°. 2. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to a 12-inch circle. Transfer to a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate, pressing into bottom and up sides. Fold edges under, and crimp as desired. Top with a piece of parchment paper, letting ends extend over edges of pan. Add pie weights. Bake for 10 minutes. Carefully remove paper and weights. Let cool completely. 3. In a large bowl, whisk together brown sugar, corn syrup, and cane syrup. Whisk in melted butter and eggs until well combined. Whisk in…

Whether teaching little hands the art of rolling dough and cutting cookies or assembling a standout layer cake as the grand finale for a Christmas meal, holiday baking is all about sharing the joy of the season through homemade treats. We’ve packed this issue with such favorites from the pages of Southern Lady magazine, including our cover-worthy Snowflake Eggnog Cake (page 18) and a lineup of baked goods ideal for making and taking (page 79). You’ll also find one of my personal go-tos: a Crème Brûlée Cheesecake garnished with sugared raspberries (page 72). It’s beautiful, doable, and every bit as delicious as it sounds! So preheat the oven, and enjoy the made-from-scratch possibilities. From our kitchen to yours, Merry Christmas and happy baking! BRACELETS; JUDITH BRIGHT. SWEETHEART APRON; CREATIVE CHICS.…

SPICED BUTTERMILK CAKE WITH MAPLE BUTTERCREAM MAKES 1 (9-INCH) CAKE 1½ cups unsalted butter, softened 1½ cups granulated sugar 1½ cups firmly packed light brown sugar 2 tablespoons unsulphured molasses 4 large eggs 3 cups cake flour 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon 1¼ teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon ground allspice 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 cup whole buttermilk 1 tablespoon vanilla extract Maple Buttercream (recipe follows) Garnish: sugared rosemary, sugared fresh cranberries 1. Preheat oven to 350°. Spray 3 (9-inch) round cake pans with baking spray with flour. 2. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugars with a mixer at medium-high speed until fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Add molasses, and beat until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. 3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, allspice, and…

CRANBERRY LINZER COOKIES MAKES ABOUT 42 2 cups unsalted butter, softened 1½ cups sugar 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2¾ cups ground almonds 3 large eggs 5 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon White sparkling sugar Cranberry Filling (recipe follows) Garnish: white sparkling sugar 1. In a large bowl, beat butter, sugar, salt, and vanilla with a mixer at medium speed until creamy. Beat in ground almonds. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. 2. In another large bowl, whisk together together flour and cinnamon. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating just until combined (dough will be sticky). Divide dough into thirds. Wrap each portion tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 4 hours. 3. Preheat oven to 325°. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. 4. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to ¼-inch thickness. Using…

CRANBERRY-BRIE PASTRY BITES MAKES 18 1 cup water 1 cup sugar 1 (12-ounce) bag fresh cranberries 1 teaspoon orange zest 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper 1 (17.3-ounce) package frozen puff pastry, thawed ½ (8-ounce) wheel Brie, cut into 18 cubes Garnish: chopped pistachios 1. In a medium saucepan, bring 1 cup water and sugar to a boil over medium-high heat. Add cranberries, zest, and red pepper. Reduce heat to medium; cook until thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, and let cool completely. 2. Preheat oven to 400°. Spray 18 miniature muffin cups with cooking spray. 3. On a lightly floured surface, cut each piece of puff pastry into nine squares. Press squares into bottom and up sides of prepared muffin cups. Place 1 cube of Brie in each puff pastry. Top each with 1 teaspoon cranberry sauce. 4. Bake until pastry is…

STEP 1. Prepare dough at least an hour ahead of time and refrigerate to allow gluten strands to relax. Turn out the dough onto a well-floured surface. Roll dough out in sweeping strokes from the center, leaning into the pin rather than pressing down, stopping just short of the edges. Using a pastry scraper, gently lift the crust, beginning with the edges and working your way in toward the center. STEP 2. Carefully place the dough into a pie pan, centering and allowing excess crust to drape over the sides of the pan. Press the dough over the bottom and into the corners of the pan before you mold it against the side. Trim the edges of the crust with clean kitchen shears, leaving about a ½-inch remnant. Place the filling…