Chocolate Beet Cake

April 28, 2025 / featherheadlady / 1 Comment

We used to regularly go out for breakfast on Sunday mornings, but since we adopted Leo, our rescue pup, I’ve been making our bacon and eggs at home. After breakfast and clean up I enjoy watching a couple of shows on the food network…Mary Makes it Easy, The Kitchen, and, most recently, Girl Meets Farm with Molly Yeh. Molly lives on a farm on the North Dakota-Minnesota border, and is a Juilliard music major turned food blogger. Her blog became very popular, and Saveur named her Food Blogger of the Year in 2015. This is a recipe from a recent episode of Girl Meets Farm that sounded very interesting, and I had to try it. We have a group of friends that we regularly get together with on Saturday nights, and we were celebrating three birthdays. It was a perfect time to try Molly’s Chocolate Beet Cake recipe. When I served it I left out the part about the beets because we have anti-veg folks as well as people who just plain old don’t like beets. I have made a chocolate sauerkraut cake and a chocolate zucchini cake before, but using beets never occurred to me. Save for a couple of slices the cake was devoured. Chocolate meets beets for a delicious smash up! Full credit for this recipe goes to Molly Yeh! Thank you for sharing your food Molly.

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cup (100 grams) Dutch process cocoa powder

1 cup boiling water

8 oz beets (1 1/2 cups) raw, peeled, and coarsely chopped

1 1/2 cups heavy cream at room temperature

3/4 cup full-fat sour cream at room temperature

4 tsp vanilla extract

3 cups (390 grams) all purpose flour

1 T baking powder

1 tsp instant espresso powder

1 3/4 tsp kosher salt

1/2 cup unrefined coconut oil, soft but not melted

1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature

2 cups (400 grams) granulated sugar

zest of one orange

4 large eggs at room temperature

Preheat your oven to 350° and grease three 8” round cake pans and line bottoms with parchment paper. In a high-speed blender whiz together the cocoa powder and boiling water. Allow the mixture to sit for 5 minutes to bloom the cocoa and allow the mixture to cool a bit.

Add the beets and blend to a smooth purée.

Add the heavy cream, sour cream, and vanilla and blend until just combined. Do not over blend.

In a large mixing bowl sift together the flour and baking powder and lightly stir in the espresso powder and salt. Set aside. In a stand mixer cream together the butter, coconut oil, sugar, and orange zest on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Reduce the speed to low and add the dry mixture and heavy cream mixture in 2 or 3 alternating additions, mixing until mostly combined. Turn off the mixer and use a rubber spatula to finish up the mixing, making sure to evenly mix without over mixing.

Distribute the batter among the 3 pans, spreading it out evenly with the bottom of a spoon or offset spatula.

Bake until the centers are set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Begin checking for doneness at 40 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes in the pans, then loosen the edges with a butter knife, and turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. If necessary level the tops of the cakes with a serrated knife. Once the cakes have cooled you’re ready to ice and assemble.

I used my standard cream cheese icing. Molly Yeh used a similar icing as well. If you prefer chocolate on chocolate that would be great too. Slice and enjoy.

NOTE: A great way to get vegetables into your kids, and even into non-veg adults.

I used melting chocolate and a piping bag to write the celebrants names, Patti, Chuck, and Chellie. I piped the names onto wax paper and kept them in the freezer until I was ready to serve the cake.

Caramel and Heath Bars

October 15, 2024 / featherheadlady / Leave a comment

My husband loves sweets, and Heath Bars are one of his favorite candy bars. So I modified a bar cookie recipe to incorporate toffee pieces with caramel, and they were a big hit. Here’s a bit of Heath trivia for you. Heath Bars were born in the USA. They were first manufactured in 1928 in Robinson, Illinois by two brothers, Bayard and Everett Heath. Their confectionery business was called Heath & Sons Inc., and the chocolate bars were marketed as “America’s Finest” with people traveling from afar to get some. When the Heath family sold the confectionary business and started a dairy farm, the brothers brought their candy making equipment with them. The dairymen delivering milk and cheese added Heath Toffee to the list of items customers could order. The Heath Bar also made an appearance in the supplies of fighters during World War II. Hershey began manufacturing Heath Bars in 1996.

Ingredients

12 T butter, melted

1 cup AP flour

1 cup long cooking oats

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

11 oz bag baking caramels

1/4 cup heavy cream

8 oz bag of heath bar pieces

Preheat your oven to 350 and line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper sprayed with Pam. Pour the baking caramels into a microwave safe bowl along with the heavy cream, and microwave on high for 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds. Once the caramel is melted set it aside. You can also melt your caramel stovetop in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally, until all of the caramel pieces are melted and mixture is smooth.

In a medium size bowl combine melted butter with the flour, oats, brown sugar, soda, and salt.

Stir well to combine. Press half of the mixture into the bottom of a 8×8 pan using a spatula to even it out. Set the remaining mixture aside. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven.

Sprinkle the Heath Bar pieces over the base.

Pour the melted caramel on top of the Heath Bar pieces. Scatter the remaining oat mixture as evenly as possible over the top.

Bake for 18-20 minutes until golden brown. Remove to a cooling rack. Allow the bars to cool completely before slicing.

Cut into bars and enjoy.

NOTE: You can substitute chocolate chips or chocolate candy pieces like KitKats, Snickers, or Reese Peanut Butter Cups to equal 1 cup. You can see in the picture that I tossed in a few random pieces of KitKats. If your kiddos get too much chocolate this Halloween you know what to do…chop it up and make a pan of bars!

One of the tricks I’ve learned after years of making bar cookies is to always line my pan with parchment paper with an overhang. This makes lifting the bars out of the pan, cutting them, and cleaning the pan, SO MUCH easier.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

October 4, 2024 / featherheadlady / 1 Comment

A few weeks ago on a Friday evening I decided to make a treat to send with my husband to a meeting he was attending the next day. Because it was late-ish I decided bars would be less time consuming than cookies. I looked through several recipes and modified a chocolate chip cookie recipe that I thought would work in a 9×13 pan. Initially I thought it might be a fail because as the bars cooled the center sank a bit and the sides seemed extra tall. But everyone loved them and they were gobbled up in no time. The side pieces are perfect for the people that love the crispy edge pieces, and the center is still soft and chewy for the people who, like my daughter, prefer center bites…like the cinnamon roll in the middle of the pan. Today I made another pan of these cookie bars to share with friends. Still less time consuming than individual cookies. Still have sides that are taller and crispier than the center. Still just as delicious.

Ingredients:

3 1/4 cups (405 g) all purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 T cornstarch

18 T of butter melted

1 1/2 cups brown sugar packed

3 eggs

1 T vanilla

3 cups of chocolate chips (I use Ghirardelli and combine milk and dark chocolate)

Preheat your oven to 350 and line a 9×13 pan with parchment paper allowing for overhang. The parchment paper makes for easy clean up, no sticking, and the bars lift out easily for cutting.

Combine all of the dry ingredients and whisk to combine. Set aside. Whisk the brown sugar and granulated sugar together with the melted butter.

Whisk in the eggs, one at a time. Whisk in the vanilla.

Dump the dry ingredients into the butter and egg mixture. Stir until combined. Set aside 1/2 cup of chips and stir the remaining 2 1/2 cups into the batter.

Evenly distribute the batter into your prepared pan. Use a spatula to even out the batter. Sprinkle the chips you set aside over the top.

If you’re into sweet and salty sprinkle some salt flakes on top of the batter. Bake for approximately 35 minutes. The top should be a nice golden brown.

Allow them to cool completely before cutting. Enjoy!

NOTE: You can change up the chips based on personal preference…butterscotch, peanut butter, white chocolate, or any combination. This recipe would also be good with some chopped walnuts. I always freeze some individual bars and other desserts in case someone is looking for a midnight snack. These freeze nicely.

Key Lime Pie

March 20, 2024 / featherheadlady / Leave a comment

March 14th was Pi Day. My daughter texted me and asked if I had a piece of pie to celebrate Pi Day. I had not. She said she brought home a piece of strawberry rhubarb (one of my dad’s and my favorites), a piece of banana crème, and a piece of key lime. I also realized that I hadn’t had a paczki on Fat Tuesday either. To make up for those two dessert opportunity fails, I made a key lime pie for St. Patty’s day. Other recipes I’ve used for key lime pie have sweetened condensed milk, sour cream, and eggs and require baking. This recipe is super simple and requires no baking. And it comes together quickly, especially when you use a pre-made graham cracker crust.

Ingredients

1 package of lime jello (regular or sugar free)

3/4 c boiling water

8 oz of room temperature cream cheese

3/4 c powdered sugar

1 1/2 c heavy cream

lime zest

4-6 T of fresh squeezed lime juice (I used key limes)

Graham cracker crust (your own or from the grocery)

In a small bowl whisk together the jello and boiling water. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

In a mixing bowl beat together the cream cheese, lime zest, and powdered sugar until thoroughly combined.

Add the jello that has cooled to room temperature, the lime juice, and the heavy cream.

Beat at medium speed for a couple minutes, then increase the speed, and whip until light and fluffy. Using a rubber spatula put the mixture into your pie shell. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight before serving.

Slice and enjoy!

NOTE: I have also made this substituting lemon for the limes. While I haven’t tried it, I think you could easily change this up using raspberries or strawberries and coordinated gelatin. Always great to have a dessert that comes together so quickly and satisfies the sweet tooth without being too heavy or filling.

Avocado Ice Cream

June 28, 2023 / featherheadlady / Leave a comment

I know I’ve mentioned my addiction to Instagram reels. Some of you reading this have to relate. I’ve been intrigued enough by several reels to experiment. I had two recent fails completely unrelated to ice cream, which I will share in another post, but this one was a success. If it passes the husband who loves sweets and ice cream test, it must be good. Right? My grocery just had a special on avocados, 7 for $7 or $1.99 each. So, of course, I bought seven. We had Navajo tacos the other night with guacamole. I’ve had avocado toast. And now we have avocado ice cream. I modified the recipe a bit, but it’s very quick and easy, and maybe even a little bit healthy. Avocados have carotenoid and antioxidant lutein for eye health, they are a great source of potassium and folate…a B vitamin, they are a good blood sugar stabilizer, and they contain healthy fats, fiber, and magnesium. Plus they taste amazing! So make this ice cream, and enjoy every healthy bite.

Ingredients:

2 ripe avocados peeled and diced

2 T fresh squeezed lemon juice

1 can sweetened condensed milk

2 cups of heavy cream for whipping

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 heaped cup shelled salted pistachios

Combine avocado, lemon juice, and sweetened condensed milk in a blender or food processor. (I used my Nutri-Bullet because it’s less cleanup). Process until smooth and creamy.

Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer whip the heavy cream, gradually adding the sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form.

In a large bowl gently fold one third of the cream into the avocado. Repeat until all of the cream has been incorporated taking care not to over mix.

Lastly, fold in the pistachios.

Transfer the ice cream to a loaf pan, cover tightly with Saran Wrap, and freeze.

Freeze for several hours. Scoop and serve.

I sprinkled on mini chocolate chips because almost everyone loves chocolate. You could add strawberries, chocolate syrup, or any topping of choice. Don’t be afraid to try this, and think of all the health benefits of avocados as you eat your dessert.

NOTE: Feel free to substitute monk fruit or another sweetener for the sugar when you’re whipping the cream. I like a salty and sweet combo, but you could choose unsalted pistachios or another nut entirely.

Apple Cream Pie

January 12, 2023 / featherheadlady / Leave a comment

This is a recipe I learned about from Amber, one of my daughter’s dear friends, and my surrogate daughter. Amber posted this pie on FB, and said she was never going back to “chunky lumpy apple pie.” So I asked her for the recipe which leads to another brief story.

She got the recipe from this post on Post Secret.

My first introduction to Post Secret was a dozen or so years ago when we were visiting our daughter in Chicago. She had been gifted a Post Secret book which I read cover to cover. Post Secret was the brainchild of Frank Warren who was working on a community art project. He asked people to anonymously mail him a postcard with one secret on it. He took his art project online, and it became widely popular. For a time there was a Post Secret ap, but that has since been taken down. I still occasionally see Post Secrets on Instagram.

Thanks to Post Secret the family secret is out of the bag. Now onto the recipe. With the exception of the type of apple I followed the recipe as it was written by Grandma. I did not have Granny Smith apples so I substituted Pink Ladies, and I used four apples instead of three because mine were not very large.

Ingredients:

3 Granny Smith apples peeled, cored, and grated

4 T of melted butter

1 1/2 cups of sugar

2 T flour

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

1/2 cup milk

2 eggs beaten

Start out with a pie crust (homemade or from the grocery refrigerator section). Using a box grater, grate the apples into the pie crust.

Pour the melted butter over the apples. Whisk together the sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Whisk in the milk and then the eggs. Pour the cream mixture over the apples.

Bake at 400 for 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 and bake for an additional 30-40 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

Slice, and enjoy warm with a dollop of whipped cream or a little ice cream. I used butter pecan gelato.

NOTE: Having made this for the first time I would do a couple of things differently. I usually think of recipes as guidelines that can be tweaked based on personal taste. I would cut the nutmeg down to 1/4 tsp vs. 1 tsp. It was too nutmeg forward for me. Granny Smith apples are much tarter than Pink Ladies but, regardless, I would cut the sugar back a bit. My husband however, who is the connoisseur of all things sweet, did not think the sugar level was too high.

I am glad the family secret is out and I will definitely make this again.

Iced Lemon Loaf

April 25, 2022 / featherheadlady / Leave a comment

Is it a cake or is it a bread? Last weekend I made this lovely lemon loaf and a blueberry walnut loaf in celebration of a friend’s birthday. This is another of Tieghan Gerard’s recipes from Half Baked Harvest. I’ve made several of her recipes, both sweet and savory, and have enjoyed all of them. This was no exception. It’s very moist and not overly sweet. Since it is made with almond flour it is perfect for anyone looking for a gluten free, low carb dessert. Almond flour can be substituted for AP flour in most recipes and, because it is made from finely ground blanched almonds, it has a higher fat content resulting in slightly moister baked goods.

Ingredients:

8 T salted butter at room temperature

1/2 cup honey

2 T lemon zest

3 T lemon juice

3 large eggs at room temperature

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup plain greek yogurt or sour cream

1 1/2 cups almond flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp kosher salt

4-6 oz cream cheese melted

Icing

1 cup powdered sugar

3-4 T lemon juice

2 tsp honey

Preheat your oven to 350. Grease a 9×5 loaf pan. I lined mine with parchment paper leaving an overhang to make the loaf easier to remove.

In a large mixing bowl beat together the butter, honey, and 1 T lemon zest until combined. Beat the eggs in, one at a time, until combined.

Add the lemon juice, vanilla, and yogurt or sour cream. The combination of dairy and lemon juice makes the batter look curdled, so don’t worry that something went wrong.

Add the almond flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Beat just until combined. In a smaller bowl mix together the cream cheese and 1 tablespoon of lemon zest.

Spoon half of your batter into your prepared pan. Dollop teaspoon amounts of the cream cheese mixture over the batter using about 1/3 of the cream cheese. Gently swirl the cream cheese using an offset spatula.

Repeat with the remaining batter and cream cheese. Bake for 45 minutes or until the center is just set. Remove from the oven to a wire rack and allow to cool.

While the loaf is cooling make the glaze. Whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and the honey. Pour over the loaf and let set for an hour or so.

Slice and enjoy!

NOTE: You can substitute AP flour for almond flour 1 to 1, but I have not tried it with this recipe.

I used 6 oz of cream cheese because how can you possibly have too much cream cheese??

Sticky Toffee Pudding Cake

February 4, 2022 / featherheadlady / 2 Comments

I recently subscribed to Food and Wine magazine. I subscribed mostly because my favorite cooking show ever is Top Chef, and each season the winner is featured in Food and Wine. Of course the magazine also has some excellent recipes, including the amazing Veggie Burger recipe I blogged a few months ago. This recipe is actually from the November 2002 issue. I stumbled on it looking for date recipes. I had shared some dates with my daughter at Christmas for an appetizer recipe, and she used the rest of hers to make a babka filling. I read reviews from people who had made this pudding cake and one lady referred to the recipe as ”life changing.” It has become her go to holiday dessert. I still had plenty of dates so how could I resist a life changing recipe!

While doing my date homework I learned that they are mentioned in the Bible more than 50 times, and 20 times in the Qur’an. Dates are a fruit that comes from a date palm which is native to the Middle East. They are naturally very sweet, high in fiber, high in antioxidants, and a good source of potassium and vitamin B6. We all know it helps to rationalize how healthy our sweet treats are! Just think of this dessert as a life changing health food that tastes amazing.

Cake Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups (9 ounces) of chopped, pitted dates

1 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 cups AP flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp kosher salt

4 T unsalted butter at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups dark brown sugar

1 stick unsalted butter

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 tsp brandy (I used bourbon)

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 tsp kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 10 inch round pan with cooking spray and line with parchment paper. In a saucepan cover the dates with 1 cup of water and bring to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the baking soda. It will foam up. Allow the dates to cool slightly.

Sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder and set aside. In a medium size bowl (or stand mixer) cream together the sugar and butter until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. In 2 alternating batches, beat in the dry ingredients and the date mixture until just incorporated.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

While the cake is baking make the sauce. In a heavy, medium size sauce pan bring the brown sugar, butter, and heavy cream to a boil over moderate heat, whisking to dissolve the sugar. Simmer and continue whisking for 2 minutes.

Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla, brandy (or bourbon), and salt. Keep warm.

When the cake is done allow it to cool for about 10 minutes. Turn the cake out onto a rack and peel off the parchment paper. Carefully return the cake, top side down, to the pan and poke about 15-20 holes in the cake with a skewer.

Pour half of the warm sauce over the cake and let stand until the sauce has absorbed into the cake.

Invert onto a platter and poke another 15-20 holes in the top. Pour the remaining sauce over the top. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or creme fraiche or whipping cream.

Enjoy every bite of this healthy, life changing dessert.

Apple Fritter Bread

September 25, 2020 / featherheadlady / Leave a comment

A couple days ago my friend Patti brought me a bag of Wolf River apples. I had never heard of Wolf River apples. No one else I asked had heard of them. I’ve made a lot of pies, apple crisps, and apple sauce over the years, been to numerous orchards, and I’ve never met a Wolf River apple. So I went where all curious people go…the internet. Apparently Wolf River apples are one of the stars of an orchard in Northport Michigan. People are said to travel from Detroit, Chicago, and even oversees to taste the long forgotten apple varieties at the Northport orchard including the Wolf River. These apples are use mainly for cooking and are notable for their large size. They are not the best eating apple, but they keep their shape when cooked and need very little additional sugar.

I learned something new. And perhaps you did too. Now that I had the apples I wanted to use them for something, and the next morning I spotted a recipe on FB for Amish Apple Fritter Bread. I doubled the recipe and made two loaves so don’t be confused by my photos. The bread is excellent! The recipe comes from Fadma Akir’s Homecooking Page so I must give credit where credit is due. The recipe is for a single loaf.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup butter at room temperature

2/3 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups AP flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup milk

1 1/2 cups peeled and diced apple (tossed with a little sugar and cinnamon to coat)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Line a loaf pan with parchment paper and spray with Pam. Peel and dice the apples and toss with just enough sugar and cinnamon to coat.

Measure out the brown sugar and cinnamon and set aside.

In a medium size bowl cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. (Remember, there are 4 eggs in the picture because I doubled the recipe.)

Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir into the butter and egg mixture. Stir in the milk.

Spread half of the batter in the prepared loaf pan.

Top with half of the apples, gently pressing them into the batter.

Repeat with the second half of the batter and apples. Sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon mixture on the top.

Bake for 60-70 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool for 30 minutes on a wire rack. Mix the glaze while the bread is cooling.

Glaze Ingredients:

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 T room temperature butter

2 T milk

1 tsp vanilla

Whisk together. Once the bread has cooled for 30 minutes drizzle with the glaze.

NOTE: I used 2 cups of apples per loaf.

The bread is very moist and kind of a cross between a quick bread and a coffee cake. I used the Wolf River Apples but I think any good baking apple like Braeburn, Jonathan, Cortland or Northern Spy would work well in this recipe.

Cinnamon Rolls

June 25, 2020June 25, 2020 / featherheadlady / 2 Comments

One of my favorite food magazines, and I have subscribed to several over the years, is Cuisine At Home. I found this cinnamon roll recipe in the June 2007 issue and have been making them ever since. They are best warm, right out of the oven, and most people love them slathered with cream cheese icing, except my dad. The icing knife barely glazed the top of his roll but, he did love the rolls. These have become our traditional Thanksgiving Day breakfast. I make them the day before we’ll be eating them, cover them with press and seal, and refrigerate them overnight. In the morning I let them come to room temperature while the oven is preheating, bake and enjoy! My Cincinnati brother and sister-in-law and their family come by us the Saturday after Thanksgiving each year. They’ve occasionally gotten to sample leftover rolls so, when I knew they’d be here last weekend, I decided to let them enjoy fresh cinnamon rolls instead of 2 day olds. With all the bread making that has apparently been going on lately, if you have yeast, you need to try these. You’ll be really glad you did.

Dough Ingredients:

1 packet (2 1/4 tsp) dry yeast

1 cup warm water (100-110 degrees)

3/4 cup whole milk

1/2 cup buttermilk

3 T sugar

2 T unsalted butter (room temperature)

5 cups of flour (divided)

1 1/2 tsp kosher salt

In the bowl of a stand mixer proof the yeast in warm water for 5 minutes or until foamy.

While the yeast is proofing warm milk to 100 degrees in a saucepan over low heat. Add the warmed milk, buttermilk, sugar, butter, salt, and 3 1/2 cups of flour to the proofed yeast. With the paddle attachment of your mixer mix on low speed until combined. Then increase the speed to high and beat for two minutes.

Switch to the dough hook and add the remaining 1 1/2 cups of flour. Mix on low speed until incorporated , then increase the speed to medium. Mix for 5-7 minutes or until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. If necessary add a tablespoon or two of additional flour. Cover the bowl with a clean towel and let the dough rise in a warm place for 1 1-1/2 hours or until doubled in size.

While the dough rises, butter two 9” round pans and prepare the filling.

Filling Ingredients:

3/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature

1 1/4 cups sugar

1/4 cup ground cinnamon

Soften the butter for the filling in a bowl in the microwave for 30 seconds. You don’t want it to melt completely. Use a hand mixer to blend in the sugar and cinnamon and set aside. Do not chill.

Once the dough has risen, hook your fingers under the edges to release the dough from the bowl onto a well floured surface. Gently press out air bubbles and sprinkle flour on the top. Divide the dough in half and roll one portion into a rectangle about 10×16”.

Spread half of the filling onto the dough, leaving about a 1/2 inch border.

Roll the dough, jelly roll style, into a log. Repeat with the second half of the dough.

Transfer logs to a baking sheet and freeze for about 10 minutes to make them easier to slice. Slice each log into 6 rolls and arrange them in the prepared pans.

At this point I cover both pans or rolls with press and seal and refrigerate them overnight. Or, you can cover with a towel and let them rise for one hour.

While the rolls are refrigerated or rising, make the cream cheese icing.

Icing Ingredients:

8 oz cream cheese at room temperature

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup heavy cream

zest of one orange

Beat all ingredients together with a hand mixer.

I put the icing in a container and let people us as much or as little as they want.

Preheat the oven to 350. Once the rolls have risen, uncover and bake for 25-30 minutes. If you refrigerated the rolls allow them to come to room temperature before baking.