Pignolata

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hey now...
It's time to face the music.  It's the holidays and with the great tradition in keeping up with our relatives of days gone by...we BAKE, and bake and bake and bake. And since you are here on my blog looking at all the yummy sweet treats that I simply can't seem to get enough of, I'm going to assume you are here looking for recipes or simple recipes at best. (If you are just here to  dream or browse, that's alright too but mind your keypad, you don't want to get it all goopy from drooling,  just saying.)
But, perhaps you are here to pass off a to do list of things to bake, to your mom, kids, friend or loved one to make for you this Holiday season or New Year. And if that's true, Great, because this is one of the easiest quickest recipes around.
When my kiddos were younger, I tried to keep our Italian family traditions alive and made delicious meals of Pasta and Italian cookies just like Great Grandma used to make. I would try and make her potatoes, eggs and anything the family talked about...I'd attempt it.
So a few years ago, I was talking to my mother and told her I had found this Pignolata recipe that I had wanted to make for Christmas.  She proceeded to tell me her mom and grandma always made this when she was younger.  Well hello momma...
Did you miss the memo  (Laughing out loud)  about me wanting recipes for our traditions?  Perhaps I jogged her mind of Holiday's past but I was super excited to take an Italian tradition, twist it a bit and make it our own holiday treasure.  So here it is.  And this Pignolata recipe is as easy and simple as you can get. Sweet and Crunchy, we've made this our Dessert and Christmas morning breakfast tradition, just like Great Grandma Randazzo did.

Pignolata Recipe:

1 Can Ready made Biscuit dough
Oil for frying
1/2 Cup Agave
1 Tbs Orange Marmalade
Pinch Cinnamon
Candy sprinkles

Add Oil to a deep pan.  Make sure the oil is about two inches deep.  Heat on high for about 2-3 minutes. Cut each biscuit into 9 small pieces if the biscuits are large, and 6 pieces if the biscuits are small.  Add about 9 pieces at a time to the hot oil stirring while they are cooking.  Once they turn golden brown, remove them with a slotted spoon and place on Paper towel to drain. Finish remaining biscuits.
In a large bowl, mix agave, cinnamon and orange marmalade with a whisk. Add the fried dough to the bowl and stir until all pieces are covered with the mixture.  Place on a dish or bowl and sprinkle with candy sprinkles.  Eat a few and then call your family in to enjoy.  Or go ahead and be nice since tis the season... and share from the get go.  (I was just trying to help you out since they do go really quickly!) 
Enjoy...


Hey Lovely...

Thank you for stopping by to see me.  I'd love it if we could meet up again. Let me know what you think about this recipe and my others by joining me here on the blog, facebook or instagram and share a little love.  Why?  Well, it's because I love you too...

So stay awhile, have a nice beverage of your choice, grab a treat or two and enjoy....

                                                   ©2015 MyDeliciousVeganDiary

 

Spumoni Truffle Cake Balls

 It's that magical time of year when lights are shining, caroling is in full swing and the treats are plentiful...But...
I can honestly say that I haven't ever had a Spumoni treat quite like this!  
A few years ago, I was honored to win a National baking contest with the Duncan Hines Company. My inspiration for what I decided to make for that contest was created when I went to the ice cream section looking for goodies and the Spumoni Ice Cream, my childhood favorite, was blinking like a beacon, at least in my head it was. That was the moment I had decided to make a "Holy Spumoni Bundt Cake."  I took all the classic flavors of Pistachio, cherry, chocolate and almond and created something that would stay with me for life.  People in my neck of the woods would refer to me as the Spumoni or Duncan Hines girl.  I had been blessed to fly back to New Jersey twice to visit the Duncan Hines headquarter and be part of an incredible baking  journey. Once I returned home, with a little help from the newspaper in town, people started requesting the Spumoni cake and thus...my Spumoni cupcakes were created.  I've sold many, made many for showers, weddings and general consumption. I love the Spumoni cupcakes and always will. But my need to create something special challenged me and took off when I decided I must create another Spumoni love. And thus the Spumoni Truffle Cake Ball was born. I took all the same tastes and flavors and created a beautiful bon bon that was sure to please and be something new.  I really hope you enjoy the silky chocolate Spumoni truffle that "Enjoy Life Chocolate" was perfectly made for and that "Duncan Hines" cake mix and frosting made this handcrafted treat a whole lot faster to make. Even though these do take a little extra time to make, they are soooo worth it.  Trust me.  Please enjoy this recipe, share it with your friends and family and give credit where credit is due. Thank you for joining me here so I'm able to share more of my treats with you and yours.  Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas and have a wonderful New Year!

Spumoni Truffle Cake Balls Recipe:   
Makes approx: 36 truffles                                                

1 White Cake Mix (I used Duncan Hines)

10 oz Fluffy White Frosting (I used most of the can of Duncan Hines but you can use scratch white frosting)

1 Cup Pistachios (I used salted Roasted, I rinsed them for a few minutes to remove salt)

40 Pistachios, salted and roasted, for top of truffle

2 tsp Almond Extract flavoring

¼ tsp Orange extract flavoring

1 Cup water

3 Ener-g eggs

¼ Cup oil

2-4 drops green food coloring (I like mine to look more on the natural side)

1 jar maraschino cherries (drained and dried)

2- 10oz bags of Chocolate chips (I used Enjoy life Brand)

½-3/4 Cup shortening

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 11 rectangle pan, In a Blender, mix 1 cup pistachios, 1 cup water, almond and orange extract, ener-g eggs, oil, and blend until thoroughly mixed. Add a few drops of green food coloring.  Blend again.

Add pistachio mixture to cake mix and mix with a mixer on low for 2 minutes and then on high for 2 minutes. Pour mixture into prepared pan and bake for 23-25 minutes.  Cool completely. (Side note* If you want a pistachio cake just to eat...try this one here! With a little sprinkle of powdered sugar, you will love this cake!)

Once cooled, break the cake into chunks and mix in a mixing bowl until it turns to fine crumbs. Add 10 oz of frosting and mix until combined. Using a small cookie scoop (about 1 oz,) scoop out mixture and place on a cookie sheet lined with foil.  Scoop out remaining truffle mixture.

Take one of the scoops at a time, place it in your hand, make an indention with your finger and place a cherry inside the indent. With your fingers, start pinching the mixture around the part of the cherry until it is completely encased. Gently roll the truffle in your hand to get a nice round shape.  Replace on cookie sheet and continue with the remaining truffles. Once all are finished, place cookie sheet in a refrigerator until chilled, about 1-2 hours.  

  

 

In a double boiler, heat chocolate chips on low heat stirring constantly until melted. Add 1/4 cup shortening at a time and stir well until you get a slightly thin consistency. Remove cake balls from refrigerator and dip one truffle at a time by placing truffle on the top of the tines of a fork and emerging in chocolate.  Tap fork a few times to remove excess chocolate and place back on the chilled cookie sheet to set. I use a small toothpick to help slide the coated truffle off the fork.   Add one pistachio to the top. Finish remaining truffles and replace cookie sheet in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes. 

 With some of the remaining chocolate, put about 3 tablespoons into a small plastic bag, clip just a small corner of the bag with scissors and drizzle chocolate in a circular direction over the tops of each truffle. Place back into refrigerator until ready to serve. The truffles are the best when they are just at about room temperature. 

One bite of these and you really will experience a new type of Christmas treat. But don't just assume these are for Christmas because once it's over, you are going to want to have these for most of your holidays. These delicious truffles would make a wonderful handmade gift or treat. My daughter specifically asked for 2 dozen of them!
And feel free to experiment with colors too.  White chocolate is beautiful and you can also find green maraschino cherries too. I can't wait to make these for Valentine's day and Easter! Sky's the limit...so bake away, and don't forget to enjoy your TREAT!

Hey You...
Thank you for stopping by to see me.  I'd love it if we could meet up again. Let me know what you think about this recipe and my others by joining me here on the blog, facebook or instagram and share a little love.  Why?  Well, it's because I love you too...
So stay awhile, have a nice beverage of your choice, grab a treat or two and enjoy....




                                                   ©2015 MyDeliciousVeganDiary