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Classic Cornbread

This cornbread is the perfect sidekick to chili, soup, or barbecue. Savor the comfort of home in every bite.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Author Go Sweet Fox

Ingredients

• 1 C cornmeal
• 1 C all-purpose flour
• 1/4 C granulated sugar (see notes)
• 1 T baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 C buttermilk
• 1/3 C unsalted butter melted
• 2 large eggs

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) and grease an 8-inch square baking dish or a similar-sized ovenproof skillet.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the cornmeal, all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix well.
• In another bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, melted unsalted butter, and eggs.
• Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Be careful not to overmix; a few lumps are okay.
• Pour the cornbread batter into the greased baking dish or skillet.
• Bake in the preheated oven for about 20-25 minutes, or until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Remove from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes before cutting into squares or wedges.

Review of ChatGPT’s Classic Cornbread Recipe.

I have a large family, so when I doubled the recipe. I probably didn’t need to do that because it made enough for dinner and I added some cornbread to the kids’ lunches the next day. I also added 1/2 a can of corn. My mom used to do that and I liked it, so I do it too.

It needs to be sweeter

Everyone thought that the cornbread was not that sweet. And by “everyone,” I mean even my wife. If you know my wife, you would know that if she says something could be a little sweeter, that’s a big deal. She doesn’t even add sweetener to her oatmeal. So I asked ChatGPT, “Can you make the cornbread a little sweeter?”

It suggested that I increase the sugar from 1/4 cup to 1/3 cup.

Adding more sugar seems to be in line with other recipes I see, such as the cornbread recipe from Sally’s Baking Addiction (1/3 C packed brown sugar) or from Bless this Mess (2/3 C). If I made this again, I would probably add 1/3 C sugar and 1/3 C packed brown sugar. But that might be an overreaction.

It had a somewhat rubbery texture

I do quite a bit of baking. It seems most bread recipes (like our go-to Sunday Morning Muffin Cake) only require one egg if you use a square dish. I wondered if adding two eggs was too much.

According to Tasting Table, adding too many eggs results in the exact type of rubbery texture we experienced with ChatGPT’s cornbread recipe.

Given this, I think this recipe would be better served by adding only one egg.

Since I doubled the recipe, I added four eggs. Next time, I would only do two eggs.

How to replace buttermilk (because who has it on hand?)

To substitute for buttermilk, add 1 T of vinegar to each cup of milk. To do that, add the tablespoon of vinegar to the measuring cup. Then top off the measuring cup with regular milk.

Add this to a small bowl and gently stir it around to get a good mix.

Let the vinegar and milk mixture rest for about 5 minutes. It will start to curdle (i.e. get a little chunky).

The post Classic Cornbread (according to ChatGPT) appeared first on Go Sweet Fox.

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Homemade Macncheese for School Lunch

Making this macncheese is three main steps: (1) making the noodles, (2) making the cheese sauce, and (3) combining the cheese sauce and noodles.

Course Lunch

Cuisine American

Prep Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Go Sweet Fox

Ingredients

• 1 C Elbow noodles (or a noodle of your choosing)
• 3 T Butter
• 3 T Flour
• 2 C Milk
• 3 C Cheddar Cheese (shredded)

Instructions

Step 1: Make the Noodles

• Prepare the noodles according to the package instructions.
• Once cooked, drain and set aside.
• While the noodles are cooking, proceed to the next step.

Step 2: Make the Cheese Sauce

• In a large pot over medium heat, melt the butter.
• Add the flour to the melted butter and cook until golden brown, stirring regularly. It should take approximately 5 minutes.
• Add the milk and stir gently until the mixture becomes smooth and bubbly. This should be 5-8 minutes.
• Add the cheddar cheese and stir until evenly melted.

Step 3: Combine the noodles and sauce

• Add the drained noodles to the sauce pot. Stir until evenly combined.
• If you'd like, add salt & pepper to taste.

Notes on Homemade Macncheese

I like to make the noodles and the cheese sauce at the same time because it saves time.

It doesn’t matter if you add to noodles to the cheese sauce or the cheese sauce to the noodles. Just make sure that the pot is big enough.

For my kids’ school lunches, we give them a main dish (sandwich, wrap, etc), a side, a fruit or vegetable, and a little treat or dessert. This macncheese recipe is one of their favorite side dishes.

Last, I’m keeping this post short because this recipe is not overly complicated. My personal philosophy is that most recipe pages are too long. I don’t like how they put the recipe at the end. I think it is more user-friendly to put the recipe at the beginning and keep the notes to only what is useful.

The post Homemade Macncheese for School Lunch appeared first on Go Sweet Fox.

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Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are a delightful treat, especially during the fall season. Here’s a recipe to make these delicious cookies!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword cookies

Author Go Sweet Fox

Ingredients

• 1 C 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• 1 C granulated sugar
• 1 C canned pumpkin puree
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 C all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 2 C semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 C chopped nuts optional
• 1/2 C raisins or dried cranberries optional

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
• Beat in the canned pumpkin, egg, and vanilla extract until well combined.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground cloves, and ground ginger.
• Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Be careful not to overmix the dough.
• Gently fold in the semisweet chocolate chips. If desired, add chopped nuts and raisins or dried cranberries for extra texture and flavor.
• Using a cookie scoop or a spoon, drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving some space between each cookie.
• Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 12-15 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly golden and the edges are set.
• Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely.
• Once the pumpkin chocolate chip cookies have cooled, serve and enjoy! They’re best when eaten on the same day, but they can be stored in an airtight container for a few days.

Testing ChatGPT’s Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

I tested this recipe out. I did not include the optional ingredients (nuts or raisins). I just went with the semi-sweet chocolate chips.

If I had to rate these cookies, my initial impression is 7 out of 10.

The post Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies (by ChatGPT) appeared first on Go Sweet Fox.

The Week 1 mean plan suggested Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches. So I asked Chat GPT to give me the World’s Best Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich Recipe. Here’s what it came up with.

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World’s Best Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich

Creating the "world's best" peanut butter and jelly (PB&J) sandwich can be a matter of personal preference, but here's a classic recipe that's sure to satisfy your taste buds.

Note: This is a recipe created by ChatGPT and tested by me.

Course Lunch

Cuisine American

Keyword sandwich

Prep Time 2 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 minutes minutes

Author Go Sweet Fox

Ingredients

• 2 slices favorite bread (white, wheat, whole grain, or your preference)
• 2 T Creamy peanut butter
• 1-2 T Fruit jelly or jam (grape, strawberry, raspberry, or your favorite)
• ½ T Butter or margarine (optional for a grilled PB&J)

Instructions

• Choose your bread: Select two slices of your preferred bread. You can use classic white bread, whole wheat, or any other type you prefer.
• Spread peanut butter: Take one slice of bread and spread 2 tablespoons of creamy peanut butter evenly over the entire surface of the bread. You can adjust the amount to your taste.
• Add Jelly or Jam: On the other slice of bread, spread 1-2 tablespoons of your favorite fruit jelly or jam. Spread it evenly to the edges.
• Combine the Slices: Carefully press the two slices of bread together, peanut butter side to jelly side, to create your PB&J sandwich.
• (Optional) Grill it (Grilled PB&J):

  If you want to take your PB&J to the next level, you can make it grilled. Heat a small amount of butter or margarine in a pan over medium heat.

  Place your assembled PB&J sandwich in the pan and cook until both sides are golden brown and crispy, usually about 2-3 minutes per side.
• Serve: If you've made a grilled PB&J, allow it to cool for a minute or two before slicing it diagonally. If it's a regular PB&J, you can slice and serve it immediately.
• Enjoy: Savor your peanut butter and jelly sandwich with a glass of milk or your favorite beverage. It's a classic and comforting treat that's loved by all ages.

Notes

Feel free to customize your PB&J sandwich by experimenting with different types of bread, nut butters (like almond or cashew butter), and various fruit spreads. The “world’s best” PB&J is all about your personal taste and preferences.

Recipe Review

I will be trying this recipe with both a regular PB&J and a grilled PB&J. My family and I will then rate the sandwich utilizing the Go Sweet Fox Proprietary Food Rating System.

One thing I can say right now, though, is that the World’s Best peanut butter and jelly sandwich cannot be made with creamy peanut butter. Chunky peanut butter makes way better PB&J sandwiches.

The post World’s Best Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich Recipe (says ChatGPT) appeared first on Go Sweet Fox.

About a week ago I took my daughter to the mall to look for shoes. On our way out, we stopped by a Cinnabon and got ourselves a little cinnamon roll treat. I made these cinnamon rolls this weekend and upon tasting them, my daughter said, “Dad! These are way better than the Cinnabon we had!”

So I asked her to pay for them. She said no. Oh well.

Here is the recipe. Below you will find some more details.

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World’s Best Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

These cinnamon are quite a bit of work, but they're worth it. I just made them and my daughter literally said, "Dad! These are way better than the Cinnabon we had!"

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 1 hour hour

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Dough rising 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours 55 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Author Go Sweet Fox

Equipment

• KitchenAid Mixer with dough hook and paddle
• 9 x 13 baking dish
• Rolling Pin
• Small mixing bowl

Ingredients

The Cinnamon Roll Dough Ingredients

• 1 C Milk Warm but not hot
• 2¼ tsp dry yeast
• 5 T Butter (I use unsalted) melted
• ½ C Sugar
• 1 tsp Salt
• 2 Large eggs room temperature
• 4 C Flour (may need extra)

The Cinnamony Filling

• 1 C Brown Sugar
• 2 T Cinnamon
• 1/2 C Butter Softened
• ½ C Milk warm but not hot

Cinnamon Roll Frosting

• 8 oz Cream Cheese
• 5 T Butter softened
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• 3 C Powdered Sugar

Instructions

Making the Dough Ball

• Ensure that the milk is warm, but not hot. If it is over 135°F, it will kill the yeast.
• Pour the milk into the KitchenAid bowl and add the yeast. Allow the yeast to proof, if not using instant yeast.
• Melt the butter (see notes in post below).
• Add the melted butter, sugar, salt, and eggs to the bowl. Mix with a whisk until combined.
• Add the flour to the bowl and mix using the dough hook. Start on slow so that you don't launch the flour all over the place (learned the hard way).
• Allow the dough hook to knead the dough. You may need to slowly add additional flour (possibly up to another ¼ to ½ cup. The dough is supposed to be somewhat sticky. I add flour just until the dough barely stops sticking to the bowl.

Allowing the Dough to Rise

• Now that your dough ball is formed, the next step is to allow it to rise. To do this, you want the dough to sit in a warm environment in a bowl and with a cover that it will not stick to.
• There are two options for the bowl.

  Option 1: use a separate bowl lightly sprayed with cooking spray (so the dough doesn't stick to the sides).

  Option 2: remove the dough from the KitchenAid bowl, spray that bowl with cooking spray, and put the dough back. I use option 2 just because I don't want to have to clean another bowl later.

  Whichever option you choose, lightly dusting your hands with flour will help keep the dough from sticking to your hands as you handle it.
• Cover the bowl with a cloth or a cellophane (spray the cellophane if using that).
• If you need a warm place, you can start your oven and let it warm up for a minute or two–just long enough to make it a warm and cozy place for your dough. Then turn it off and place bowl inside.
• You want to dough to double in size, approximately. Check on it after 30 minutes. It could take up to an hour.

Preparing the Cinnamon Rolls for Baking

• Once the dough rises, the next step is to flatten out the dough in a large rectangle (24in x 15in), top it with the cinnamony filling, roll it up into a large cinnamon roll log, and then cut it into the actual cinnamon rolls for baking. So here we go.
• Prepare a large, flat surface by lightly dusting it with flour (to avoid sticking).
• Place the dough in the middle of your prepared surface. I like to form the ball into a rough rectangle before I start rolling it out.
• Using a roller lightly dusted with flour, roll the dough out until it is approximately 2 feet and 1¼ feet (or 24 X 15 inches).
• Spread the softened butter across the entire dough surface.
• In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar and cinnamon together.
• Spread the brown sugar and cinnamon mix over the butter, completely covering the dough. Keep in mind that the center of the cinnamon roll will be the edge where you start rolling, so if you like the center of your cinnamon rolls to be extra cinnamony, make sure your first fold includes a good portion of the cinnamon mix.
• Roll the long end of the rectangle into a large log (like rolling up a sleeping bag sideways).
• It may help to get the rolling going if you use a scraper or spatula to run underneath the dough.
• Cut the cinnamon roll log into 12 equal slices. It should be about 2 inches per cinammon roll.
• Place the rolls in a 9×13 dish, prepared with cooking spray.
• Cover the dish and allow the cinnamon rolls to rise for about 30 minutes. Some recipes say to allow it to double, but once they look a little fluffier, they are good to bake.
• Preheat the oven to 375°F.
• Prior to baking, even pour the warm milk over the cinnamon rolls.
• Bake for 22-25 minutes, until they are a light golden brown color.

Making the Cream Cheese Frosting

• I use the KitchenAid bowl for this, so make sure the bowl is clean.
• Add the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla to the bowl. Mix until smooth.
• Add the powdered sugar. Add a cup at a time on low speed to avoid mess.
• If you find you want the frosting to be thicker, add more powdered sugar. If you want to thin it out, add milk, 1 tablespoon at a time.
• Once the cinnamon rolls are done baking, spread the frosting throughout and enjoy!

Notes on the Cinnamon Roll ingredients

Warm milk: Just microwave it for 45 seconds. I just do a finger test. It should feel warm but not hot.

Melting the butter: Melting butter probably doesn’t seem like it needs any notes, but it does. If you are using the microwave, heating butter too long or too fast can result in a little butter explosion. So heat it on 50% power. Start with 25 seconds and stir. Then do 10-second increments, stirring between. This will melt the butter without the explosion.

If you are melting butter on the stove top, stirring it will help avoid butter splatters. I will heat it up, and remove it from the heat while swirling the butter around as well.

You also have the option to brown the butter, which you can read about in my Ultimate World’s Best Cheesecake Recipe.

Softening the Butter: I purchase butter that is wrapped in wax paper (rather than foil). Keep the butter in the wax paper and microwave it at 50% power for 20 seconds. That should soften the butter without melting it. If it is still firm, microwave it again at 50% power in 6-second increments.

Softening the Cream Cheese: Remove the cream cheese from the foil wrapper. Microwave it at 50% power for 20 seconds. If it is still cold, zap it again in 10-second increments.

Notes on Preparing the Cinnamon Rolls

I think the recipe card does a good job of describing most of the details (let me know if you have questions on that). I do want to highlight a few of the steps though.

Prepping your work area for rolling out the dough

When you lightly dust your work area, it can be helpful to use a strainer. I add flour to a wire strainer and then tap it around my workstation. It creates a fine (and somewhat even) area to work on.

If you keep the area, your hands, and the roller lightly dusted with flour, you should be able to avoid having the dough stick too much to any of the surfaces.

Measuring and Topping the Dough

The ultimate goal is to have cinnamon rolls that have enough, well, rolls in them. Remember, you are going to roll the dough long-ways. The “Short side” of the rectangle will determine how many spirals your cinnamon rolls will have. The “long side” will determine how tall or thick your cinnamon rolls are.

You will roll the dough along the long side of the dough. As a reminder, you want this long side to be around 24-inches. It does not need to be precise. The short side should be approximately 15 inches. This gives enough size to get a good amount of spirals in the rolls. Yes, I actually do use a tape measure to make sure my sides are where I want them to be.

Once rolled, you will end up with a cinnamon roll log that should be approximately 24 inches (which is what you measured out).

You may have some dough that makes the log longer than 24 inches. I actually cut those sections off to get a more uniform look to the cinnamon rolls. There is nothing wrong with keeping those sections though.

If your log is 24 inches, you will end up with 12 cinnamon rolls if you cut them each 2 inches. Here is a picture of how that works:

Yes, I also use a rule when I am cutting my cinnamon rolls. Again, it just makes them more uniform.

As for cutting the cinnamon rolls, I used to get a long string of dental floss and used that to pinch-cut the rolls. You do this by sliding the string under the roll and just tightening it around where you want to cut. The thought behind using floss is that by pinching the dough evenly, it keeps the circle shape better.

Now, however, I just use a plastic dough scraper to cut through. It’s just easier to use than floss and it does a fine job. I’ve never had a problem with it mangling the shape of the rolls.

As you can see, measuring and cutting your cinnamon rolls in this way creates a cinnamon roll that has about four spirals full of cinnamon goodness.

Enjoy your Cinnamon Rolls!

Other than those items, I think everything should be fairly straightforward. If you have questions, let me know in the comments.

The post World’s Best Cinnamon Roll Recipe appeared first on Go Sweet Fox.

Then I decided to just jump in and start doing it–even if it means I may get things wrong.

I recently joined a challenge with Niche Pursuits to “Grow an EXISTING Site with AI Generated Content.” I didn’t really plan on using AI in my blogging, though I wasn’t against it.

When ChatGPT first exploded, people at work were asking it questions about stock market models or the interpretation of federal regulations. The first thing I though to ask was, “Give me the best chocolate chip cookie recipe.”

This got me thinking, “I wonder if I could use ChatGPT to plan and make meals for my family?”

And that’s exactly what I’m going to do. All of my AI assisted plans and recipes will go under the category “ChatGPT recipes.” We’ll see whether the Google gods smile upon this idea.

Cooking with ChatGPT

I will be using meal plans and recipes created by ChatGPT to feed my family of 8. We’ll use the Go Sweet Fox Proprietary Food Rating System to report on how the recipes turn out.

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ChatGPT’s Meal Plan for Week 1

I asked ChatGPT to make me a large family budget-friendly meal plan for the week. Here’s what it gave me:

I’m going to put this meal plan to the test, though I will definitely be making some adjustments. To add to the fun, where a meal is not totally straightforward (ex: Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich), I will also ask ChatGPT for the recipe.

The post Meal planning with ChatGPT: Week 1 appeared first on Go Sweet Fox.

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Easy Rice Pudding

This is an easy rice pudding that kids love. It's not the custardy type of rice pudding, but it's almost just as good. It's also way easier and faster.

Course Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 2 minutes minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes minutes

Total Time 14 minutes minutes

Servings 10

Author Go Sweet Fox

Equipment

• Rice cooker

Ingredients

• 2½ C White Rice (or rice mix…see post)
• 3 cans Evaporated Milk
• ¾ C Sugar
• 2 tsp Cinnamon
• 1 dash Cloves or nutmeg (optional)

Instructions

• Cook the rice according to the instructions of your rice cooker.
• In a large bowl, or in your rice pot if it is big enough, add 3 cans of evaporated milk, sugar, and cinnamon (as well as any other seasonings you want).
• Mix together well and serve.

Type of Rice for Easy Rice Pudding

I use two types of rice, white long-grain rice and jasmine rice, at a 1/1 ratio. So half white rice and half jasmine rice.

I discovered this mix from trying to make homemade fried rice. An Asian cookbook I have says to use this combination. The popular rice brand Mahatma even sells a 50/50 long grain and jasmine rice mix specifically for fried rice. According to this brand, “traditional long grain white rice … is neutral in flavor” while jasmine rice is “fragrant [and] slightly sweet.” Mahatma notes that, “[w]hen combined, these rice varieties balance each other out perfectly for an enhanced rice taste.” (emphasis in original).

I’ve found that this combination is great for almost any time you are using rice. If I’m making a dish that calls for white rice, you can bet I will be using a 50/50 blend of white rice and jasmine rice.

To Rinse or Not Rinse the Rice, That is the Question

Going back to Mahatma, their rice instructions do not include rinsing. All it states is to “bring water to a boil. Stir in rice. Cover. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until all water is absorbed.”

In fact, most rice produced in the US is thoroughly washed and fortified with vitamins. Those added nutrients create the dusty or powdery layer you see on the grains of rice. If you wash off this powder, you will be washing off these supplemental nutrients.

Mahatma says that the only rice that should be washed is sushi rice.

Still, others, such as culinary scientist Matt Slem via Martha Stewart, argue that even though washing may remove some added nutrients, washing rice also removes any dirt, debris, chemicals, or even bugs from the rice. These unwanted elements could contaminate the rice through the transportation process, even if the rice is thoroughly cleaned by the producer.

People also claim washing rice improves the texture by removing excess starches. This claim has been debunked by food scientists, who found that washing rice has no significant impact on the texture of cooked rice.

In my opinion, if you feel better about washing the rice, wash the rice. If you enjoy the process of washing the rice, wash the rice. If you prefer not to wash the rice, don’t wash the rice.

Rice Pudding Options

If you think rice pudding is more appropriate as a dessert than as a breakfast food, I probably agree with you. I feel the same way about muffins. If you put frosting on a muffin, you have a cupcake. So you are just eating an unfrosted cupcake for breakfast.

But I still eat it for breakfast from time to time.

You can add raisins, which is delicious.

I also sometimes add another 1/4 cup of sugar because I have a problem.

We have also added fresh berries or bananas.

You also have the option of eating it hot or cold, but I definitely think it is best warm and fresh.

Storing easy rice pudding

My opinion is that rice is never really that good after it is refrigerated.

It can be stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. My kids will still eat it and like it.

I do not like it as much, though. So my recommendation is that make as much as you think you can eat for your meal.

The post Easy Rice Pudding Recipe appeared first on Go Sweet Fox.

I grew up very American. I don’t speak Tagalog and know embarrassingly little about the Philippines—although I was actually born there. Even if I recognize the food, I don’t always know the name of the food. And if I do know what the name is, I can’t really pronounce it without sounding like I don’t have a single drop of Filipino blood in me.

But I’ve known Polvoron since I was a kid.

I always just knew it as a thick, dry, sweet, and crumbly Filipino treat.

Doing my Filipino treat tasting project has helped me learn more about it.

Historical Background

The geographic area which now constitutes the Philippines was ruled by Spain for over 300 years–from 1565-1898. That may not sound long, but for some context, that’s longer than the United States of America has even existed.

Prior to the Spanish rule, the “Philippines” was not a distinct country. Rather, the more than 7,000 islands were made up of various independent and even isolated city-state groups called barangays. The geographic area was ultimately claimed by Spanish colonizers, who named the area in honor of their future king, King Phillip II of Spain. Therefore, the area was decreed as “Las Islas Filipinas” or “The Islands of Phillip.”

But, for various reasons, the Philippines was difficult to control, with many groups remaining fiercely independent or indifferent to the Spanish rule. Many of the Spanish customs were adopted over time were reinterpreted.

Eventually, the Filipino people fought to separate from Spain. The Spanish American War took place in 1898. In this war, the Filipino people fought alongside the United States to defeat Spain. This resulted in the collapse of the Spanish empire.

Polvaron is a Filipino Take on a Spanish Treat

Filipino polvoron is similar to a Spanish cookie called a Mantecado. The main difference is that the Spanish bake these cookies. The Filipino polvoron is not baked.

Polvoron is made out of toasted flour, whole milk powder, sugar, and butter.

Toasted flour is literally what it sounds like–flour that is toasted (ie: browned) over heat in a pan.

The dry ingredients are then mixed with the butter (or another type of fat) and pressed into a compact cookie.

You can purchase a polvoron mold from Amazon.

Having learned more about Polvoron, I like to think of it as a cookie that embodies some of the Filipino spirit. The Spanish introduced it, but the Filipinos reinterpreted it and made it their own.

Rating the Filipino Polvoron

I purchased classic Polvoron made by Goldilocks.

Goldilocks started as a very small bake shop in Manila, Philippines in 1966. It came to the USA in the 1970s and now has over 600 locations worldwide.

I have to say, Goldilocks is a Filipino food brand that has earned my trust.

I tried and rated the classic Polvoron. I posted my initial reaction on YouTube.

I also give it a more careful review using my proprietary Food Rater scale.

Here are my results:

Best on this score, I give Polvoron just under Amazing, but it’s so close. I don’t mind saying that the classic Polvoron is one of my favorite Filipino treats.

If you haven’t had a chance to try it, you should! If you’ve tried it, let me know what you think.

The post Polvoron: A Filipino Shortbread Cookie appeared first on Go Sweet Fox.

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Oreo Cookies & Cream Cheesecake Recipe

A hit with kids and adults alike, this Oreo cheesecake recipes has cookies & cream goodness with a thick cookies and cream crust.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword cheesecake

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 2 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Chilling 4 hours hours

Total Time 6 hours hours 45 minutes minutes

Author Go Sweet Fox

Equipment

• 1 Spring form pan, 9 inches
• Food Processor
• KitchenAid (or mixer of your choice)

Ingredients

The Cookies & Cream Crust

• 2½ C Oreo crumbs (2 rows of Oreos–see post for details)
• 6 T butter, melted

The Cheesecake

• 16 oz Philadelphia Cream Cheese
• 16 oz Lucerne Cream Cheese
• 1¼ C Sugar
• ½ C Sour cream
• 2 tsp Vanilla
• 4 Large Eggs
• 2 C Oreo Cookie Chunks (about a row-and-a-half of oreos–see post for more info)

Instructions

The Oreo Crust

• Prepare the spring-form pan. Place parchment paper at the bottom of the pan and lightly spray the paper and sides of the pan with cooking spray. You can line the sides with parchment paper as well, but I found that to be unnecessary.
• Using a food processor, grind the Oreos into crumbs. You will use two sleeves of Oreos from a party-size package (see post notes).
• Place the Oreo crumbs into a medium bowl.
• Add the melted butter to the Oreo crumbs.
• Mix the crumbs and butter until evenly moistened.
• Pour the crust into the pan and press the crust around the pan evenly using the bottom of a flat cup. (Note: I prefer a thicker, flat crust so that there is an equal amount of crust in each bite. If you wish to have the crust go up the sides, you can do so by pressing the crust against the sides of the pan.)

The Oreo Cheesecake Filling

• Preheat the oven to 250°F.
• Place all of the cream cheese into the KitchenAid mixer bowl. Using the beater attachment (not the whisk), mix the cream cheese until smooth. Medium speed is fine. Do not worry about overmixing the cream cheese. You need to make sure it is smooth at this step (and before you add the eggs).
• Add the sugar, sour cream, and vanilla. Continue mixing. You may need to scrape the sides of the bowl using a spatula. You will mix until it looks smooth and uniform in color.
• Add the eggs, two at a time. You only mix until the eggs are incorporated into the mix (ie: uniform in color). You do not want to overbeat the eggs. I use the KitchenAid at low speed and finish with a hand whisk just to ensure no eggs are missed.
• Add Oreo Cookie Chunks. I just break the cookies by hand into at least fourths. See post notes for more details.
• Gently mix by hand until well incorporated.
• Gently pour the cheesecake mix onto the crust in the spring form pan.
• You can even out the top of the cheesecake with a spatula or by lightly tapping the bottom of the pan flatly against the countertop.

Baking the Cheesecake

• Bake the cheesecake at 250°F for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Place the cheesecake on the top rack so it is in the center of the oven. Also, place a large cookie sheet on the bottom rack beneath the cheesecake. The cheesecake may "weep" extra moisture from the butter or fat from the cream cheese. The cookie sheet will catch this and help avoid mess in the oven.
• After the initial baking, turn off the oven and crack it open slightly. You can wedge a hot pad against the oven door to stop it from closing all the way. This will vent the oven while allowing the residual heat to continue the baking process. Allow the cheesecake to sit in the oven for an additional 60 minutes.
• After this second hour, the center of the cheesecake may still be a little jiggly. Remove it from the oven and let the cheesecake cool to room temperature (about another hour). Allowing the cheesecake to cool will help prevent it from "sweating" in the refrigerator.
• Chill the cheesecake in the refrigerator for at least four hours. Overnight is best.

All About the Oreos

Use Authentic Oreos

Making Oreos must not be that easy because the knock-off brands are never as good as the real thing. The generic brand that comes the closest is Tuxedos by Signature Kitchens. These are sold at Safeway and Albertsons. Still, Oreos are noticeably better. 

If you want the best cookies & cream crust, you have to buy authentic Oreos. 

You will also want to buy the party sized, regular Oreos for this recipe (not double stuffed).

The original Oreos, as opposed to double-stuffed, make the best crumbs for the cheesecake crust. Full disclosure: I prefer regular Oreos to double-stuffed Oreos regardless.

Do not use Double Stuff Oreos

There is some science to back up my opinion to not use double-stuff Oreos in this recipe. Food scientist Bruno Xavier examined Oreo cookies on behalf of the Wall Street Journal. Dr. Xavier notes that the Oreo filling is not a dairy product in that it uses no cream. This means that the “cream” in the Oreo is not “cream” at all–it’s “creme.” Pursuant to the FDA, “cream” is a dairy product and “creme” is non-dairy. Instead of cream, the Oreo creme is made with (among other things) oil, and Dr. Xavier says it is likely mostly palm oil.

Therefore, the recipe must take into account that Oreos already have their own oil. Consequently, I use less butter in this crust recipe than I do for my main Graham Cracker Crust recipe for cheesecake. The creme within the Oreo acts as an additional source of fat and moisture to make up for the difference. If you were to use double-stuff Oreos, you would double the amount of oil in the crust (at least by mass, according to truthinadvertising.org).

Using the Oreos

You purchase the party-size package of Oreos because it contains four rows of cookies–just enough for this recipe.

Two rows are for the crust, a row-and-a-half is for the filling, and the final half-row is to garnish the top.

To make the crumbs for the crust, use two sleeves from the Oreo package and grind them up in a food processor. This should be about 30 cookies and that makes approximately 2 ½ cups of crumbs.

To add the Oreos to the filling, there are a few options:

1. You can put the row-and-a-half worth of Oreos in a gallon-size ziplock bag and smash them up with a rolling pin. Just be careful not to smash them up too much that they become crumbs.
2. You can break them apart into fourths (approximately) just using your hands.
3. You can actually cut them into fourths with a knife.

I personally do option 2. I just take a couple in my hand and squeeze them so they break into chunks. It doesn’t matter that they are not uniform in size (in fact I like it.) This method also prevents them from getting too smashed up and it goes by pretty quickly.

When I’m adding the cookies I think about it this way…. When I’m eating cookies and cream ice cream, I like when I get a scoop that has a giant chunk of cookie in it. I feel like I hit the jackpot.

I try to do the same thing with the cheesecake. If there are a few big pieces of cookie in the batter, that’s going to be an awesome slice. But if all the pieces of cookie are that big, it’s not as special to get a big piece.

As for garnishing the cheesecake, do not add Oreos on top until you are ready to serve it. If you refrigerate the Oreo cookies on top, they will get stale and soft.

When you are ready to garnish, crumble the cookies the same way you did for the batter and place it on the cheesecake in way that looks good to you.

A Note on the Cream Cheese

You will see that the recipe calls for two different types of cream cheese. That’s not a typo.

I’ve explained this in detail in my Ultimate World’s Best Cheesecake Recipe, but the gist is that your cheesecake needs to use Philadelphia Cream Cheese. But I found that using only Philadelphia Creme Cheese seems to make a cheesecake that is too soft.

Using a different cream cheese along with Philadelphia seems to create a better balance of creamy and thick. I recommend Lucerne brand from Safeway or Albertsons. But if you don’t have that, just use another mid-level cream cheese. The only one I have tried that I don’t recommend is the Great Value brand from Walmart. I wish I could recommend it because it’s inexpensive for cream cheese, but every time I’ve used it, my cheesecake has ended up with a playdoughy texture.

Final Tips!

• I like a thick, flat layer of crust. It ensures every bite of cheesecake has the optimum ratio of crust to cheesecake (in my humble opinion). If you want crust up the sides, there should be enough to do that.
• I do not pre-bake my crusts, so this recipe does not call for pre-baking.
• I do not believe in the water bath, so this recipe does not require a water bath.
• If the cheesecake appears a little jiggly after baking in the oven, realize that is normal. It will reach its final form through the refrigeration process.
• The texture of the cheesecake is better after it has been able to sit in the refrigerator overnight.
• Before unclasping the spring form pan, run a knife around the edges of the cheesecake. This will help separate the cheesecake from the pan.

The post Oreo Cookies & Cream Cheesecake Recipe appeared first on Go Sweet Fox.

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Coffee Cake Recipe (aka Muffin Cake)

This is a classic coffee cake with a cinnamon struesel topping. We don't do coffee in my household, so we call it Muffin Cake. We eat this almost every Sunday (in various forms). We usually have it with hardboiled eggs.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Keyword Muffin

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Author Go Sweet Fox

Equipment

• 9 x 13 baking dish (glass)
• Large Mixing Bowl
• Food Processor

Ingredients

For the Cake:

• 1 C Sugar
• 3 C Flour
• 3 tsp Baking powder
• ½ tsp Salt
• 1 C Vegetable Oil
• 1 C Milk
• 2 Large Eggs
• 1 tsp Vanilla

Struesel Topping

• ½ C Sugar
• ⅓ C Flour
• ¼ C Butter (cubed)
• 1 tsp Cinnamon
• ½ C Melted butter (optional)

Instructions

The Concept

• You are making a coffee cake with a layer of cinnamon streusel in the middle and a struesel crumble on top. You will make two layers of cake batter and streusel to do this.

To make the coffee cake batter

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• In the large mixing bowl, blend the sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt.
• Make a small well in the middle of the mixture.
• In the well, combine oil, eggs, vanilla, and milk.
• Begin stirring everything together with a whisk, beginning in the middle and working your way to the sides as everything incorporates.
• Set aside.

Cinnamon Streusel Topping

• Add the sugar, flour, cubed butter, and cinnamon into the food processor.
• Blend it until it forms a crumble.

Preparing for baking

• Pour half of the batter into a prepared 9 x 13 pan and spread evenly throughout the pan.
• Pour half of the streusel and spread evenly. (This will make a layer of struesel in the middle of the cake)
• Pour the remaining batter on top of the streusel and spread evenly.
• Top with the remaining streusel.
• If you desire, you can drizzle the top with ½ C of melted butter.
• Bake for about 45 minutes at 350°F.

Backstory to this Coffee Cake Recipe

When my wife was a kid, her family would eat muffins and eggs almost every Sunday morning. That was a family tradition I could get behind so we started doing that with our own family.

However, the thing I did not like about muffins was cleaning the muffin tray. Also, as our family grew, we started to have to double the muffin recipe, meaning we went from making 12 muffins to 24 muffins.

I did not like having to spoon out 24 muffin cups and then clean two muffin trays.

Therefore, I decided to try to turn the muffin tradition into a coffee cake tradition. Now, instead of having to spoon out a bunch of muffins and clean the little muffin holes in the trays, I can dump everything into one 9×13 baking dish. It’s faster and easier to clean than muffins.

Also, since we don’t do coffee in my household, we call this recipe “muffin cake.” It is our muffins tradition in a cake form.

Notes on the Coffee Cake Batter

When I first started making this coffee cake, I would make the well in the dry ingredients as described. I don’t do that as much anymore. So if you don’t know what I mean by “make a well” you can just ignore that part. Otherwise, I would say you just make the dry ingredients look like there is a sarlacc pit in the middle (minus the sarlacc). You then put the wet ingredients (oil, milk, eggs, vanilla) into the pit.

Also don’t worry too much about whether your layers of batter and streusel are perfectly divided. You use about half of each for each layer of batter and streusel. In fact, I’ve even swirled the layers together and it’s been fine.

Making the Streusel

Before we had a food processor, I made the streusel by hand with a whisk. It took forever and was quite a workout to beat the butter into the crumbly texture. It’s much easier with a food processor.

When you are grinding everything with the food processor, the streusel can go through three phases.

First, it will become a sandy texture.

Second, it will become a crumbly texture.

Third, it will become a more chunky or doughy texture.

You want to stop the food processor during the second phase. I actually like to stop the mixing just after it gets passed the sandy stage and begins forming smaller chunks.

It will still be good if you get to the chunky stage though. In fact, everyone will want the pieces with thick streusel. But it is harder to spread the streusel evenly if it gets too chunky.

Adding butter on top

You can add melted butter on top of the coffee cake prior to baking. To do this, envision making a winding river of butter that goes up and down the entire coffee cake.

I will say that adding the butter river is quite delicious.

I don’t add it anymore though.

A 1/2 cup of butter is 814 calories. Obviously, coffee cake is not a superfood–muffins is how we get away with eating dessert for breakfast. Leaving out the extra butter makes me feel a little better about serving this to my kids for breakfast.

It’s still really good without it.

Adding other Coffee Cake mix-ins

If you want blueberry coffee cake, add 2 cups of blueberries.

Banana cinnamon coffee cake? Cut or mash up 2 or 3 over-ripe bananas and sprinkle some cinnamon into the cake batter.

Would you like peach coffee cake? Add 2 cups of diced peaches.

I’ve also done chocolate chip coffee cake by adding a package of chocolate chips (but not very often because, again, this is supposed to be breakfast).

The variations are really only limited by your own imagination. If you think something might be good in a coffee cake, add it and see what you think.

The post Coffee Cake Recipe appeared first on Go Sweet Fox.