Cinnamon Raisin Nut Toffee Recipes

HONEY CRUNCH TOFFEE

Steps:

• In a saucepan, melt the butter. Add the sugar, water, honey, and dark rum and cook to 220 degrees F. on a candy thermometer. Add 1 3/4 cups of the almonds and stir while you cook it to hard crack or 300 degrees F. Meanwhile, lay a silpat on a sheet pan or butter a 12 by 18-inch sheet pan well. When the toffee is up to temperature, pour it out onto the pan and place another silpat on top. Roll it to 1/4-inch thick or just spread it with the back of a spoon and let cool.
• To temper the chocolate, place it over simmering water, melting it to 115 to 120 degrees F on a chocolate thermometer. Meanwhile, wipe the surface of the toffee with a damp towel to remove any excess butter and let dry for a few minutes. Turn off the heat, remove the bowl from the simmering water, and let cool, stirring until it reaches 82 to 86 degrees. It will begin to set a little around the edges at this point. Return the bowl to the hot (now turned off) water for a few seconds at a time, until it reaches 88 to 91 degrees F. Do not let it go over 91 degrees F or it will go out of temper. Using an offset spatula, spread the surface with the tempered chocolate and sprinkle on the remaining 1/4 cup almonds. Let it set up at room temperature and then break into pieces. Store in an airtight container.

KIDS CAN MAKE: HEALTHY CINNAMON-RAISIN SOFT PRETZELS

Steps:

• Combine 2 cups warm water (110 to 115 degrees F), butter pieces and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Sprinkle the yeast over the water, and let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes. Whisk together the flour, raisins, 1 teaspoon of the salt and 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon in a large bowl.
• Add half the flour mixture to the yeast, and mix on low speed until incorporated, scraping down the side of the bowl as needed. Add the remaining flour, increase the speed to medium and continue to beat until the dough gathers around the hook and pulls away from the side of the bowl. Once this happens, continue to beat until the dough is smooth, about 5 minutes more. Remove the dough ball, butter the inside of the bowl, return the dough ball to the bowl, cover and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Position 2 racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven, and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper, and spray generously with cooking spray. Punch down the dough, and cut it in half. Divide each half into twelve even pieces, and cover with a towel.
• Roll each piece of dough into an 18-inch rope, working from the middle out. (It helps to hold the dough ends and slap the center of the length on the counter as you stretch and roll.) Make a U shape with one of the dough ropes, lift the ends and twist in the center twice; fold the ends over and down, and pinch to secure them to the bottom of the U to finish the pretzel shape. Transfer the pretzels to the prepared baking sheets. Cover loosely with plastic wrap, and let rest at room temperature until the pretzels rise slightly, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine 10 cups water and the baking soda in a large, wide pot, and bring to a low simmer (190 to 200 degrees F), whisking until the baking soda dissolves. Stir together the granulated sugar and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon cinnamon in a small bowl.
• Cut the parchment paper with scissors around each pretzel. Leaving the pretzel on the paper (so it keeps its shape while transporting to the simmering water), remove the pretzels from the baking sheets. Reline each baking sheet with parchment, and spray generously with cooking spray.
• Put each pretzel, top-down, into the simmering water, and remove the paper. Simmer until the pretzels plump, about 1 minute. Carefully flip the pretzels, and continue to simmer 45 seconds more. Remove each with a slotted spoon, shake off excess liquid, place on the prepared baking sheets and sprinkle with some of the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
• Bake the pretzels until they're a few shades darker and the bottoms are nicely browned, 16 to 18 minutes, rotating about halfway through. Brush with the melted butter.
• Store the pretzels at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days, or freeze them for up to 1 month (let thaw at room temperature).

CINNAMON-RAISIN BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease heavy large baking sheet. Using hand-held electric mixer, beat egg and sugar in medium bowl until very thick and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in brandy and vanilla. Sift flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt into egg mixture and blend well. Mix in raisins and almonds. Spoon dough onto prepared sheet to form 10- to 11-inch strip. Using moistened fingertips, shape dough into neat 11-inch-long by 2 1/2-inch-wide log.
• Bake until log just begins to brown and feels firm to touch, about 20 minutes. Cool cookie log on sheet 15 minutes. Maintain oven temperature.
• Transfer cookie log to work surface. Using serrated knife, cut crosswise into 1/3-inch-wide slices. Arrange slices on same baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes. Turn slices over. Bake until beginning to color, about 8 minutes longer. Cool cookies completely on baking sheet (cookies will become very crisp). (Can be prepared 1 week ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature.)

CINNAMON-RAISIN COFFEE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom only of 8- or 9-inch square pan. In medium bowl, stir quick bread mix, water, oil and eggs until well blended (batter may be slightly lumpy).
• Pour half of the batter (about 1 1/3 cups) into pan; sprinkle with three-fourths of the Streusel (about 3/4 cup). Sprinkle with raisins. Pour remaining batter over raisins in pan; spread carefully. Sprinkle with remaining Streusel and the nuts; press gently.
• Bake 8-inch pan 35 to 40 minutes, 9-inch pan 25 to 30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• In small bowl, mix all glaze ingredients until smooth and thin enough to drizzle. Drizzle over coffee cake.

CINNAMON RAISIN NUT TOFFEE

Steps:

• 1. Combine nuts, vanilla, cinnamon & cloves. Lightly butter a rimmed baking dish.
• 2. Heat both sugars in a saucepan over medium heat until it begins to melt, about 10 minutes. Add butter until a candy thermometer reads 300F, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in nut mixture and raisins. Pour into baking dish, let cool completely and break into pieces.

CINNAMON-RAISIN WAFFLES

Steps:

• In a small bowl whisk together the flour, the sugar, the baking powder, and the salt. In a bowl whisk together the egg, 2 tablespoons of the butter, 1/2 cup water, the raisins, and the cinnamon, add the flour mixture, and stir the batter until it is just combined. Heat a waffle iron until it is hot, brush it with the oil, and pour half the batter onto it. Cook the waffle according to the manufacturer's instructions, transfer it to a baking sheet, and keep it warm, uncovered, in a warm oven. Make another waffle with the remaining batter in the same manner. Serve the waffles with the syrup and the additional butter.