Liège Belgian Waffles with Pearl Sugar

 

Liège Belgian Waffles 

with Pearl Sugar

Photo from all-recipes

These are Ethans favorite so we often make them for his birthday.

If I double this recipe it will use an entire 16 oz bag of pearl sugar.

I buy the sugar on Amazon - Pear Sugar on Amazon

The waffle recipe is from allrecipes.  Here's the link: 

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/213251/liege-belgian-waffles-with-pearl-sugar/

Ingredients

• 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast

• 1 ½ tablespoons white sugar

• ¾ cup lukewarm milk

• 3 large eggs

• 1 cup melted butter

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 3 cups flour

• ½ teaspoon salt

• 1 ½ cups pearl sugar (such as Lars' Own®)

  S

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  prinkle yeast and white sugar over warm milk in a small bowl. The milk should be no more than 100 degrees F (40 degrees C). Let stand for 15 minutes until yeast softens and begins to form a creamy foam.

2. Whisk eggs, melted butter, and vanilla into the yeast mixture until evenly blended; set aside.

3. Stir together flour and salt in a separate large bowl, and make a well in the center. Pour the egg mixture into the well, then stir in the flour mixture until a soft dough forms. Cover with a light cloth and let rise in a warm place, 80 to 95 degrees F (27 to 35 degrees C), until doubled in volume, about 30 minutes. Gently mix in the pearl sugar.

4. Preheat a waffle iron according to manufacturer's instructions.

5. Place a baseball-sized ball of dough on the preheated waffle iron. Cook waffles until golden and crisp, about 2 minutes. Repeat with remaining dough. Allow waffles to cool for 2 to 3 minutes before serving.

Recipe Tips

You can get Lars Own Belgian pearl sugar online. In a pinch, you can break sugar cubes into four to eight smaller pieces, or you can use Swedish pearl sugar.

If you'd like to cook the waffles later, shape the dough into balls, wrap in plastic wrap or waxed paper, and refrigerate overnight.

 

WHITE CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY BUNDT CAKE

This is another recipe from my friend Lindsey.

http://bakedinaz.com/white-chocolate-raspberry-bundt-cake/

INGREDIENTS

• FOR THE CAKE:
• 1 16.5 ounce package white cake mix (I like Duncan Hines)
• 1 (3.3 ounce) package instant white chocolate pudding (or vanilla pudding if you can't find white chocolate)*
• 1 c. sour cream
• 4 large eggs
• ½ c. water
• ½ c. oil
• 1½ c. white chocolate chips, chopped into smaller pieces
• 1 c. raspberry pastry or pie filling (I used the "Solo" brand pastry/cake filling, but raspberry PIE filling works great too)
• FOR THE FROSTING:
• ½ cup white chocolate chips
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 2 Tablespoons butter, softened
• ½ tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup powdered sugar

INSTRUCTIONS

• 1. FOR THE CAKE: Grease and flour a bundt pan (I sprayed mine really well then floured it and it came out great. I have a nonstick bundt pan as well. If your pan is not nonstick I would grease with butter or shortening really well & then coat with flour).
  2. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees (see note below). Mix first six ingredients together in a stand mixer or in a medium sized bowl with hand beaters. Fold in white chocolate chips.
  3. Fill prepared bundt pan with half of the batter. Spoon half of the raspberry filling in separated spoonfuls over the batter (so it looks like separate clumps of filling over the top). Using a knife swirl the filling through the cake. Don't overdo it. Just swirl it around like 2 times.
  4. Pour or spoon remaining batter in evenly and spoon on remaining pie filling, repeating the "swirling" process above.
  5. Cook for 50-55 minutes. Do a knife test to see if it is done. If the knife does not come out clean, keep placing back in the oven for 3-5 min at a time until it does. (I cooked mine for 55 min).
  6. Remove from oven. Let cool for 20 minutes then place a serving tray over the top and flip it right side up (and say a prayer that it comes out perfect ;). You can eat warm or cover with plastic wrap and let it cool overnight in the fridge. We had it both ways and it was divine.
  7. FOR THE FROSTING: In a medium sized bowl, melt the chocolate according to package directions. Let the chocolate cool for 3 minutes. Add the cream cheese, butter & vanilla using a beaters. Beat on medium speed until well blended.
  8. Slowly add the powdered sugar and beat well.
  9. You can then put in the microwave for about 10 seconds if you want to pour on the the frosting over the cake. Or you can pipe it on. I warmed it, then poured it one so it could drip down the sides. Then I drizzled more on top to give it some texture, kinda a messy look if you like that 🙂 Either way you frost it, it will taste amazing! We kept our cake covered in the fridge.
  10. Enjoy!
  NOTES

  *Original recipe used a 5-ish ounce box of white chocolate pudding. I couldn't find that size in white chocolate so I just used the 3.3 ounce box. Feel free to add more if you want to. Also, I used the whole 12 ounce can of the raspberry filling (solo is the brand I used as well) and I really liked it but feel free to use 1 cup if you prefer a little less filling.
  -A reader had better success baking this cake at 325 for 1 hour and 15 minutes. I have not tried this yet, but wanted to let you know. She said that it made it so it wasted too brown on the outside.
  
  
  

Queso Dip

This is the dip we served at Sadie's farewell lunch. 

Got this recipe from my friend Lindsey.  

 https://cantstayoutofthekitchen.com/2012/07/17/espinaca-dip/

Espinaca Dip

• 1 lb. Velveeta cheese cut in cubes
• 16 oz. pkg. cream cheese cut in cubes (two 8-ounce blocks)
• 1/2 pt. heavy whipping cream (1 cup)
• 29 oz. can Rotel diced tomatoes with chilies drained (two 14.5-ounce cans)
• 1/2 medium onion finely chopped
• 1 - 1/2 cups frozen spinach chopped, thawed and squeezed dry
• 4 cubes chicken bouillon
• 1/2 cup 2% milk add more if needed
• 1/4 cup jalapeno chopped, to desired heat (most online sites recommend ½ cup – I use about ¼ cup)

INSTRUCTIONS

 

• Place all in a crockpot and heat through.
• Serve with tortilla chips or strips.

NOTES

NOTE: Be sure not to overcook this. One or two hours in the crockpot should do it. Then turn crockpot to warm.

 

NOTE: This dip is also good with veggie dippers.