Southern Spoonful: Memorable Holiday Recipes

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The story below is from our November/December 2020 issue. For more stories like it, Subscribe Today. Thank you! 

Gather ‘round the table and enjoy every bite together!

Holidays are all about tradition and although our routines may be different this year, we still want to keep those traditions and especially the memories alive for our families. 

Some of my favorite family memories revolve around my mom and her mother “Gram” who were fabulous cooks. Gram made her fresh apple cake that could rival any pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving. Mom would take us to Miller and Rhoads’ department store downtown and we would do our Christmas shopping, and then visit their tea room to watch the fashion show and have Chocolate Silk Pie for dessert. We promised to eat only one piece of her chocolate nougat candy (Symphony Dreams) that was nestled in a tin on top of the refrigerator, and we quickly broke our promise as we ate two…or three. 

Enjoy these holiday recipes as I wish you and your family the happiest of holidays that will live in your memories forever.

Miller and Rhoads’ Tea Room Chocolate Silk Pie

As seen on the cover!

This Miller and Rhoads’ recipe is updated with a puff pastry pie crust and a touch of Kahlua. Makes one 9-inch pie.

  • 1 sheet Pepperidge Farm frozen puff pastry, thawed

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease pie pan. Roll out puff pastry so that it will fit in the pie pan. Place puff pastry in pie pan, cutting around any pastry that is laying over the edges. Pinch the pieces of pastry on any areas where the edges need to be filled in. Prick several small holes in the center of the pastry with a fork. Place parchment paper over pastry and place a heavy (I used a cast iron pan) ovenproof pan on top of the parchment paper to hold down the pastry while it bakes. Bake pastry for 15-20 minutes or until the edges are brown and the center is completely baked. Remove from oven, allow to cool and remove pan and parchment paper from the top of crust.

  • 1 stick (half cup) butter
  • ¾ sugar
  • 2½ (1 ounce each) squares unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
  • 3 cold eggs (we recommend pasteurized eggs or a fat-free cholesterol-free egg product for safety purposes)
  • 1 tablespoon Kahlua

Place butter and sugar in a large bowl of a stand mixer. Beat butter and sugar together until fluffy. Add melted chocolate and continue beating on low speed until chocolate is combined with butter and sugar mixture. Add one cold egg and beat 5 minutes. Add another egg and beat 5 more minutes. Add the third egg and beat 5 minutes. Add Kahlua and stir. Pour filling into prepared puff pastry crust and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Top with sweetened whipped cream and garnish with frosted cranberries.

Sweetened Whipped Cream

  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 4 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

Place whipping cream in a large bowl of a stand mixer. Beat cream until it forms stiff peaks. Add confectioners’ sugar and stir to combine. 

Frosted Cranberries (for garnish)

Prepare a simple sugar syrup. Allow it to cool down a bit so that it’s not boiling hot. Then, add fresh cranberries. Soak them for 1-2 minutes until they are fully coated. Coat them in a tray filled with granulated sugar. Place each cranberry on a sheet of wax paper and let it dry.

Fresh Apple Cake

Note: A knife should not “come out clean” when baking this cake, it should have a little of the moistness of the cake batter on it...if the knife comes out clean then the cake will be dry.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.  Grease and flour tube pan.

  • 1½ cups vegetable oil
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 3 cups all-pourpose flour
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts
  • 3 cups diced (Granny Smith) apples
  • 1 cup coconut (optional)

Place oil and sugar in mixing bowl and blend with mixer. Add eggs one at a time, beating as added. Add salt, soda, cinnamon and vanilla. Add flour, one cup at a time, stirring to combine and then fold in walnuts, apples and coconut. Bake in tube pan that has been greased and floured.  Bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Ovens vary in temperature so watch the cake carefully.

Sauce

In a large sauce pan combine 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup buttermilk, 1 cup sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, and 1 teaspoon baking soda. Bring to a rapid boil stirring constantly (about 2 minutes).

Pour over cake while still in cake pan.  Run a knife around pan to make sure sauce seeps down sides and around hole in the middle.  You may have to wait for sauce to seep into cake.

Let cake cool in pan for an hour and a half before turning out onto a cake plate. Let cool 2 to 3 hours.

Symphony Dreams

Old Fashioned nougat candy with chocolate, almond and toffee topping. Gluten-free! Makes 48 pieces.

  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup chopped pecans
  • 1 cup mini chocolate baking chips
  • 2 (6.8 ounces each) bars Symphony Milk Chocolate with Almonds and Toffee Chips
  • Flaked sea salt

Line an 8-inch square pan with foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides. Spray foil very lightly with vegetable spray. 

In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the sugar, cream and corn syrup. Stir before heating. Cook over low heat, swirling the pan as necessary, until the sugar melts, about 10 minutes. Avoid getting any of the sugar on sides of the pan.

Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Boil, without stirring, until the mixture reaches 238 degrees Fahrenheit on a candy thermometer, about 5 minutes. Immediately transfer to the large bowl of a stand mixer and beat on medium-low for 1 minute, then increase speed to medium and beat until no longer shiny, 5–7 minutes. Add the vanilla and salt, mix to combine, then fold in pecan pieces. 

Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan, pressing down to cover the bottom of the pan. Refrigerate until set, about 30 minutes.

In a double boiler, melt the Symphony chocolate bars and mini chocolate baking chips over simmering water. Spread the melted chocolate over the chilled candy mixture, then sprinkle with sea salt. 

Refrigerate until set, at least 15 minutes. Remove the candy in the foil onto a cutting board. Cut into 1-inch pieces. (The candy may break into uneven pieces, but that’s okay; it will still be delicious!)

Gluten-Free Cinnamon Lemon Crunch Coffee Cake

Everyone will love this lemony breakfast treat, especially those who follow a gluten-free diet. Makes 16 servings.

  • 1 (20 ounce) box Krusteaz Gluten Free Cinnamon Crumb Cake Mix
  • 2 ounces chopped pecans
  • ¼ cup water
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 4 eggs 
  • 10 ounces lemon curd

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease an 8”x8” square baking pan. 

Place water, oil, eggs and cake mix in a large bowl. Stir together until blended (batter will be slightly lumpy). Spoon half of batter into pan and spread evenly. Sprinkle half of cinnamon topping over batter. Drop remaining half of batter in small spoonfuls over topping layer and spread to edge of pan. Sprinkle remaining cinnamon topping over batter. 

Bake for 41 – 43 minutes or until knife inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Remove from oven, allow to cool. Poke 36 holes in cake with the handle of a wooden spoon or chopstick. Warm lemon curd gently in a saucepan, so it just begins to melt. Pour warmed lemon curd over cake and spread with a rubber spatula so that some of the curd goes into the holes in the cake. Refrigerate until service. 

Harvest Snack Mix

  • 5 cups Rice Chex™ cereal
  • 4 cups Corn Chex™ cereal
  • 1 cup salted mixed nuts
  • 1 cup shelled pistachios
  • 1 cup salted cashew pieces
  • 1 cup dried cranberries
  • 1 cup Snyder’s Butter Flavored Rounds pretzels
  • 2 ounce bag mini Parmesan crisps, broken in half
  • 6 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1½ teaspoons seasoned salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder

Preheat oven to 250° Fahrenheit. Place cereal, nuts, and pretzels in a large bowl. Stir. Place melted butter, Worcestershire sauce, seasoned salt, garlic powder and onion powder in a small bowl. Stir to combine. Put cereal into ungreased roasting pan, pour seasoned butter evenly over cereal mixture and stir well to coat cereal mixture with the butter mixture. 

Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Remove from oven and add dried cranberries and Parmesan Crisps. Stir. Allow to cool and store in a container with tight-fitting lid. 

Chocolate Frosted Flake Candies

The easiest candy you’ll ever make! Chocolatey and crunchy one-bite candies. Makes 20 candies.

  • 11.5-ounce bag Ghirardelli milk chocolate chips
  • 1 cup Frosted Flakes Cereal (small one-serving containers are available in the cereal aisle at the grocery)
  • ½ cup sliced almonds
  • Flaked sea salt

Lightly toast sliced almonds in oven. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Place mini cupcake liners on a plate. Melt milk chocolate chips in a double boiler. Add Frosted Corn Flakes to melted chocolate. Stir and add sliced almonds. Stir to cover cereal and almonds with chocolate. Using two spoons, scoop approximately 1 tablespoon chocolate mixture into each cupcake liner. Sprinkle candies with flaked sea salt. Cover and place in refrigerator to harden. Remove from refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving. 

Peppermint Snowflake Cocktail

Makes 1 cocktail

  • 1 ounce vodka
  • ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ½ ounce peppermint schnapps
  • 1 ounce crème de cacao
  • 2 ounces whipping cream
  • 2 Andes mints

Place vodka, vanilla, peppermint schnapps, crème de cacao and whipping cream in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously. Strain into a martini glass. Use a vegetable peeler or sharp knife to shave Andes mints over the top of the cocktail.

The story above is from our November/December 2020 issue. For the full story subscribe today or view our FREE digital edition. Thank you for supporting local journalism!