Southern Cast Iron Holiday Baking 2021

EASY SORGHUM ROLLS This quick stir-together recipe uses muffin tins to give a perfect homemade bread roll look without the hassle of making and shaping a yeasted dough. Makes 12 2¼ cups whole wheat flour1¼ cups all-purpose flour1½ teaspoons kosher salt¾ teaspoon baking soda2 cups whole buttermilk¼ cup sorghum syrup1 large egg3 tablespoons old-fashioned rolled oatsLemon-Rosemary Butter (recipe follows) 1. Preheat oven to 325°. Spray a 12-cup muffin pan with baking spray with flour. 2. In a large bowl, whisk together flours, salt, and baking soda until well combined; make a well in center. 3. In a medium bowl, whisk together buttermilk, syrup, and egg. Stir buttermilk mixture into flour mixture just until combined. Spoon dough evenly into prepared pan. Sprinkle with oats. 4. Bake until golden brown and a wooden pick inserted in center comes out…

ROASTED SWEET POTATO PIE Roasted sweet potatoes give a deep caramelized flavor to this dessert. Next time you’re baking these spuds for dinner, add a few extra in the oven and freeze the pulp so you can make this classic Southern pie any time. Makes 1 (10-inch) pie 2 pounds sweet potatoes, scrubbed well and pricked all over with a fork1 (14.1-ounce) package refrigerated piecrusts3 teaspoons cold water, divided3 large eggs, divided¼ cup unsalted butter, softened1¼ cups granulated sugar¾ cup firmly packed light brown sugar¾ cup evaporated milk⅔ cup all-purpose flour2 teaspoons vanilla extract1¾ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice½ teaspoon kosher saltSweetened whipped cream, to serve 1. Preheat oven to 400°. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. 2. Place sweet potatoes on prepared pan. 3. Bake until a knife can easily be inserted into center of…

MORAVIAN SUGAR CAKE Moravian sugar cake is a centuries-old culinary specialty of the Winston-Salem, North Carolina, region. Folklore holds that the original Moravian male settlers to the area sought women with big fingers because that meant that more buttery sweetness would make it into the nooks and crannies that the women made in the cake. This fluffy bread-like dessert is popular year-round, but it’s an essential item on the family table during the holidays. Makes 1 (9-inch) cake 1 small potato, peeled and chopped2 (0.25-ounce) packages active dry yeast¼ cup warm water (105° to 110°)1 large egg¼ cup whole buttermilk¼ cup granulated sugar13 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened and divided½ teaspoon plus ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt, divided2¼ cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour1½ cups firmly packed light brown sugar½ teaspoon ground cinnamon 1. In a…

SUGAR COOKIE STARS These classic cutout cookies can be sprinkled with sugar before baking, or bake them plain and decorate with icing and toppings for holiday festivity. Makes 24 to 36 1 cup unsalted butter, softened2 cups confectioners’ sugar1 large egg1½ teaspoons vanilla extract½ teaspoon almond extract3¼ cups all-purpose flour2 teaspoons baking powder1 teaspoon kosher saltRoyal Icing (recipe follows), holiday sprinkles, nonpareils, and sparkling sugar, to decorate 1. Preheat oven to 400°. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. 2. In a large bowl, beat butter and confectioners’ sugar with a mixer at medium speed until fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Add egg and extracts, beating until combined. 3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture to butter…

BREADS & DOUGHS Beignets with Chocolate-Orange Sauce 26 Buttermilk Pie Dough 44 Cinnamon Raisin Biscuits 14 Citrus Cream Cheese Pie Dough 45 Cranberry-Orange Monkey Bread 30 Easy Sorghum Rolls 10 Eggnog Sweet Rolls 15 Everything Rolls 27 Fruitcake Bread 18 Orange Sticky Buns 11 Pepper Jack-Bacon Scones 19 Pesto Swirl Bread 23 Pumpkin Bread with Molasses Praline Caramel 31 Rosemary-Parmesan-Black Pepper Rolls 22 CAKES Banana Rum Cake with Toasted Meringue 78 Chocolate-Peppermint Cheesecake 74 Chocolate–Sour Cream Pound Cake 82 Coconut-Lemon Layer Cake 86 Fruitcake Sheet Cake 75 Gâteau de Sirop 70 Gooey Gingerbread Layer Cake 71 Harvest Carrot Cake 79 Lane Cake 66 Moravian Sugar Cake 62 Peppermint Red Velvet Cake Roll 63 Pumpkin-Sugarcane Cake 83 Satsuma-Cranberry Bundt Cake 67 CONDIMENTS Cinnamon Butter 14 Everlasting Green Pesto 23 Green Onion Spread 27 Lemon-Rosemary Butter 10 Sugared Cranberries 49 COOKIES & BARS Cheesy Thumbprint Cookies 107 Chocolate Shortbread Wafers 99 Gingerbread Cookies 91 Jam-Filled Cream Cheese Cookies 102 Lemon Spice Linzer Cookies 111 Oatmeal-Cranberry-White Chocolate Cookies 106 Pecan Pralines 95 Peppermint Cookie Pops 103 Raspberry…