Orange Cardamom Roasted Pears

3 tablespoons maple syrup
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
6 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
3 Bosc or red Anjou pears, cored and sliced

Heat oven to 425 F. 

In a baking dish, mix the syrup, orange juice, cardamom pods, and pear slices. Toss to coat everything. Make sure the pears are spread out evenly and bake for 30-40 minutes, until the pears are tender, golden, and caramelized.

Makes 6-8 servings.

Creme Brulee French Toasts

Toasts:
1 loaf unsliced white bread, brioche, or rich bread of your choice
1 1/3 cups whole milk
2/3 cup heavy cream
4 large eggs
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt or table salt
1 teaspoon Grand Marnier or another orange liqueur or 1/4 teaspoon orange zest
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
 
Topping:
2/3 cup granulated sugar
 
Cut bread into 1 1/2-inch thick, generous slices; a 9-inch loaf should yield 6 slices. Whisk together milk, cream, eggs, sugar, salt, liqueur, and vanilla extract.
 

Heat oven to 325 F. Arrange bread slices on the smallest rimmed tray that will fit them in one layer and pour custard over slices. Allow them to absorb the custard for 30 minutes, turning the slices over at one point to ensure they’re soaking it up evenly. (You can also soak them overnight in the fridge. No need to flip them if so.)
 
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Transfer custard-soaked slices to prepared sheet, arranging them with a smidge of space between each to avoid making one French mega-toast. Flipping them halfway through if you wish, bake French toast slices for 30 to 35 minutes, until a slim knife inserted into the center of a slice and twisted ever-so-slightly does not release any wet custard. Keep warm until ready to serve.
 
To caramelize the tops: 

Either leave toasts on their baking sheet, or transfer to a serving platter. Have ready a small offset spatula and a potholder or trivet to rest your caramel pot on.
 
Melt remaining 2/3 cup sugar in a small, heavy, completely dry saucepan over moderate heat, stirring with a small spoon or fork until fully melted and the color of honey. Move it over to the potholder or trivet you’d set up and working quickly, spoon one generous tablespoon caramel over your first slice of toast, spread it thinly and evenly with your offset spatula and repeat with the remaining toasts. Because your caramel will continue to deepen slightly in color (veering towards almost-too-toasty) as you work, it’s best to work quickly but carefully. 
 
Serve with fresh berries and if you’re feeling extra fancy, loosely whipped cream. 

Serves 6.

From Smitten Kitchen blog, with minor changes

Toffee Apple Pudding

200 grams unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
200 grams light brown sugar
4 eggs, beaten
200 grams self-rising flour
150 grams peeled, cored, and chopped apple, divided

For the toffee sauce:
30 grams unsalted butter
70 ml whipping cream (1/4 cup plus 2 teaspoons)
85 grams dark brown sugar

Grease a 1.1 liter (2 pint) pudding basin. In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the beaten eggs a small amount at a time - if the mixture separates, just stir in a little of the flour. Gradually fold in the remaining flour, then add 100 grams of the chopped apple and mix well. 

Make the toffee sauce:
Put the butter, cream, and dark brown sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly. Pour the sauce into the bottom of the greased basin, add the remaining 50 grams chopped apple, and then pour the batter on top.

Seal the basin with a lid or foil and steam on a rack in a covered pot for approximately 2 hours, until firm to the touch. Turn out onto a serving plate. 

Serves 6.

From Great British Puddings by The Pudding Club

Note: Can increase the toffee sauce quantities and hold back the extra to serve on top of the pudding. Can also serve with custard sauce.

Mocha Raspberry Cake (Eesha's Birthday Cake)

For the cake:
2 cups (8.5 oz) all-purpose flour
1 cup (7 oz) granulated sugar
1 cup (7 oz) brown sugar
1 cup (3 oz) unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs + 1 egg white
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup warm brewed coffee
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
 
For the raspberry filling:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam
1 cup powdered sugar
 
For the mocha buttercream:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup good quality cocoa powder
2 teaspoons instant coffee (or to taste)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup heavy cream
 
To assemble:
2 cups fresh raspberries
Powdered sugar, optional
 
For the cake:
Heat oven to 350 F. Butter two 9-inch round cake pans and dust with flour, tapping out excess.
 
Combine flour, sugars, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of a mixer. Mix on low. Add eggs, buttermilk, coffee, oil, and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until smooth and completely combined.
 
Divide batter evenly among pans. Bake until cakes are set and a toothpick inserted into the center of each comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Let cool in pans set on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Turn out cakes onto racks and let cool completely.
 
For the raspberry filling:
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment (or any large mixing bowl, if using hand-held beaters), beat the butter on medium-high speed until creamy, about 3-5 minutes. Add the raspberry jam and beat to combine. Turn the mixer down to low speed and add the powdered sugar. Beat until smooth. Cover and set aside until ready to use.
 
For the mocha buttercream:
Place room temperature butter and vanilla into a stand mixer and beat at medium-high for about three minutes. Add cocoa, instant coffee and salt to the bowl beat into the butter until the coffee has broken down and the mixture is smooth, 1-2 minutes. Add in one cup of the powdered sugar. Turn mixer on to low and then slowly add in remaining powdered sugar. With mixer still on low, slowly drizzle in the heavy cream. Turn mixer to medium high and mix for 2-3 minutes, or until light and fluffy.
 
To assemble:
On a cake plate or board, place one cake layer. Spread raspberry buttercream filling evenly on top of the cake using an offset spatula. Carefully place the other cake layer top-down on the frosting, so the top is flat. Adjust the cake so that the sides are lined up evenly. Frost the entire outside of the cake with a thin layer of the chocolate mocha buttercream. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to lock in the crumb coat. Frost the cake as desired, and arrange raspberries on top of the cake. Dust with powdered sugar if desired.
 
From Bakerita blog

Note: For raspberry mocha frosting, add powdered dehydrated raspberries to the buttercream, and a little additional heavy cream as needed.

Chocolate Chai Mini Loaves

2 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons instant chai latte mix
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sour cream
 
Frosting:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon butter, softened
1 tablespoon instant chai latte mix
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 to 5 teaspoons 2% milk
 
Heat oven to 350° F. Grease 3 5 3/4x3x2-inch loaf pans.
 
In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave chocolate with the water until chocolate is melted; stir until smooth. Cool slightly.
 
In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla, then chocolate mixture.
 
Combine the flour, latte mix, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream.
 
Transfer to 3 loaf pans. Bake at for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to a wire rack to cool completely.
 
For frosting, combine the confectioners' sugar, butter, latte mix, vanilla and enough milk to achieve desired consistency. Frost tops of loaves.
 
From Taste of Home blog

Honey Spice Bread

2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup 2% milk
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup honey
1/3 cup canola oil
 
Glaze:
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons 2% milk
 
Heat oven to 325° F. Grease an 8x4-inch loaf pan. 

In a small saucepan, combine brown sugar and milk. Cook and stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat.

In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. In another bowl, whisk eggs, honey, oil and brown sugar mixture until blended. Add to flour mixture; stir just until moistened.

Transfer the batter to pan. Bake 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean (cover top loosely with foil if needed to prevent overbrowning).

Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. In a small bowl, stir glaze ingredients until smooth; drizzle over bread.

From Taste of Home blog

Brown Sugar-Ginger Ice Cream

2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup plus 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar (light or dark)
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 large egg yolks
2 cups whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine the milk, 1/2 cup of the brown sugar, the ginger, and the salt in a medium, heavy saucepan. Scald the milk mixture over medium-high heat, stirring often, for 5 minutes.

While the milk is scalding, whisk together the egg yolks in a medium mixing bowl. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of brown sugar and whisk until the eggs are light and fluffy. Whisking constantly, add a small amount of the hot milk to the egg mixture. Gradually whisk in the remaining hot milk. 

Return the custard mixture to the pan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, until the custard is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and place in a bowl of ice water to quickly cool the custard. Let the custard cool, stirring often, for 5 minutes.

While the custard is cooling, combine the cream and the vanilla in a medium bowl. Stir in the custard mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and press the wrap directly onto the surface of the custard. Refrigerate until completely chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight. The custard may be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Freeze the chilled custard mixture in an ice-cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. Transfer the ice cream to an airtight container and freeze in the freezer for 2 to 4 hours before serving.

Makes about 1 1/2 quarts.

From Spice Dreams by Sara Engram and Katie Luber