Pumpkin Chai Bundt Cake

↑ Amarante ↓

Tue, Mar 05 2024, 11:30 pm

Odelyah wrote:

this sounds delicious--what brand of tea did you use? did you make the icing as written, with the Tofutti cream cheese? Did you do the garnish? TIA Smile

I used Twinings because I like their Earl Gray but I think any brand wouid work. I steeped for awhile so it would have a good strong flavor. The Wissotsky is specifically pumpkin chai but I don’t think that would make much difference to the end result.

I did use the fake cream cheese. Ordinarily I am not a huge fan plain in a bagel but this was pretty disguised and I like to make the recipe the first time as printed.

I did use chopped pecans but didn’t candy them but if I make again I might make it a batch of candied pecans which are delicious as a nosh anyway. I have a simple recipe and I could make it ahead because they last. I did have pomegranate arils because oddly there was a sale on the arils and I love pomegranates. I think the pomegranate is pretty but really nit necessary.

↑ Odelyah ↓

Tue, Mar 05 2024, 11:52 pm

Amarante wrote:

Thank you! do you mean you used Earl Grey tea instead of Pumpkin Chai? Or do you mean that you used Twinings brand Pumpkin Chai?
Yeah I was thinking of skipping the pomegranate--so you just sprinkled raw chopped pecans or toasted?
I would love your candied pecan recipe when you have a chance, please! Smile

↑ Amarante

Wed, Mar 06 2024, 9:38 am

Odelyah wrote:

OK got it-yes my father a"h was a big fan of Twinings; his favorite was Darjeeling.

How do you toast your pecans? Smile

Sorry so many questions!

I do small quantities in the toaster oven - just have to remember to set a timer as I am absent minded and can easily forget and burn them. You don't have to toast candied pecans because you are toasting them in the oven - you need to toast "plain" nuts to maximize flavor.

There are lots of variants for candied pecans as well as other flavored nuts. They are easy to make and a great nosh or even hostess gift because store bought flavored nuts are generally very expensive versus home made. Not that nuts are cheap but you can get good deals on plain nuts at Costco or Trader Joe

I use one that I clipped from Pioneer Woman as I have found her recipes to be reliable and generally easy to make.

Ingredients

1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/4 c. light brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 large egg white
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 lb. pecan halves (about 4 cups)

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

In a small bowl, whisk together the sugars, cinnamon and salt.

In a large bowl, whisk the egg white and vanilla extract until very foamy, about 1 minute. Add the pecans and stir until well coated. Sprinkle the sugar mixture over the pecans and toss until fully coated. Spread pecans into an even layer on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake for 20 minutes. Stir and spread out evenly again. Bake for another 20 minutes or until the nuts are very fragrant and are starting to darken in color. Let the pecans fully cool in the pan on a wire rack (the sugar will harden as it cools). Break into individual pieces. Store in an airtight container in the pantry for up to 2 weeks.

Unlike other glazed pecans that are made on the stovetop and require a careful eye, this recipe comes together easily in the oven. The egg white helps the sugary spiced mixture coat every nook and cranny so the pecans are crispy and candy-like. The cinnamon can be swapped out for ground ginger or apple pie spice or even something savory, like barbecue rub, Old Bay seasoning, or Italian seasoning.

How do you keep candied pecans from sticking together?

Under-cooking the pecans is the likely cause of stickiness, but the risk is low when they're oven-baked. After the sugar-coated nuts have darkened and turned very fragrant, about 20 minutes in the oven, stir the pecans and separate any pieces that have stuck together. Continue to bake for an additional 20 minutes. They'll crisp, turn brittle and dry as they cool. If any do stick together at this point, they are easy to break apart. Be sure to let them cool completely before packaging or storing them.

How long do candied pecans stay fresh?

Once completely cooled, these candied pecans will stay fresh in an airtight container for up to one week at room temperature.