Master Chef
A page to submit and share recipes with other Master Chef readers, talk about funny or disastrous moments in the kitchen and just talk about one of the world's most favorite things- food.
Monkey Bread (by Belle)
Last week, Elisha asked for your recipes for Monkey Bread! No one sent any in, but I found this delicious looking one at www.cooks.com. Enjoy!
4 cans refrigerator biscuits (about 40)
1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon
1/2 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup pecans, raisins and/or coconut, if desired
Allow to cool 15 minutes before removing from pan. Turn upside down to serve.
Ingredients
4 cans refrigerator biscuits (about 40)
1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon
1/2 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup pecans, raisins and/or coconut, if desired
Method
- Cut each biscuit into 4 pieces. Pour sugar and cinnamon into a plastic bag and mix.
- Add biscuit pieces, several at a time; shake to coat well.
- Place pieces in a buttered tube or Bundt pan until all are used.
- Sprinkle layers with nuts, raisins or coconut.
- Bring brown sugar and butter to a boil in saucepan. Cool 10 minutes, then pour over top of biscuits.
- Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 minutes.
Allow to cool 15 minutes before removing from pan. Turn upside down to serve.
Help With Biscuits
Help! I've been making these really awesome biscuits (I think I may have sent in the recipe a few weeks ago? Butterscotch Biscuits - the recipe is below!). Anyway, the first time I made them, I didn't do it properly, so they turned out small and hard. The second time I made them, they were AMAZING. They'd spread out just like you expect them to do, and were so soft and delicious. But then the next time I did them, the same thing happened as with my first batch! They were small and hard again.
I'm so curious as to why they would turn out so differently if I make them in the exact same way every single time? I've been adding chocolate chips (because who doesn't love chocolate chip biscuits??) and one batch were small and hard and the latest are so amazing again. The only thing I can think of is that it could be the eggs I'm using, as we have our own chooks, so we have free range eggs. But I've never had such major differences like this before! Is it possible I'm doing tiny, subtle differences in the way I prepare and bake them that would make such a difference? Because it's annoying making amazing biscuits, only to have the next batch still taste great, but be small and hard instead of soft and fluffy!
And the recipe is as follows!
125 grams butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
2 cups self-raising flour
Castor sugar
My variation on these is to omit the vanilla and add about half a cup of chocolate chips (or as many as you want I guess!). I also don't put Castor sugar on them anymore, as the chocolate chips add the extra sweetness.
I'm so curious as to why they would turn out so differently if I make them in the exact same way every single time? I've been adding chocolate chips (because who doesn't love chocolate chip biscuits??) and one batch were small and hard and the latest are so amazing again. The only thing I can think of is that it could be the eggs I'm using, as we have our own chooks, so we have free range eggs. But I've never had such major differences like this before! Is it possible I'm doing tiny, subtle differences in the way I prepare and bake them that would make such a difference? Because it's annoying making amazing biscuits, only to have the next batch still taste great, but be small and hard instead of soft and fluffy!
And the recipe is as follows!
Ingredients
125 grams butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
2 cups self-raising flour
Castor sugar
Method
- Cream butter and sugar and once light and fluffy, add in the eggs and vanilla. Beat until combined.
- Then using a spoon, mix in the flour.
- Roll into balls (size depending on how big you want them) and place on a lightly greased tray.
- Flatten them slightly with a fork and sprinkle a small amount of Castor sugar on them. Cook in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 12 minutes or until golden brown.
My variation on these is to omit the vanilla and add about half a cup of chocolate chips (or as many as you want I guess!). I also don't put Castor sugar on them anymore, as the chocolate chips add the extra sweetness.
NEXT TIME ON MASTER CHEF...
Well, here in Michigan where I live, the weather is starting to get warm! So next time, let's talk about your favorite foods to eat in the summer. Whether it's picnic food, barbecue, or even ice cream, tell me all about it! If you've got a recipe, that's great, but certainly not required. I hope to hear from all of you!
Hey everyone! My name is Kaitlin, and I'm a 23 year old from Michigan, USA. I'm a graduate student currently studying at the University of Michigan. I live in a house with 6 other girls, 2 cats (Ivan and Jimmy) that don't belong to me, and two dwarf hamsters (Scruffie and Star) that do!
Currently, I write for Master Chef and Political Party. I love writing, and to be able to write about such varied and interesting topics just makes my day. I hope you enjoy my columns, and please feel free to let me know what you think anytime! I love hearing from my readers!
Kaitlin's comment: Hmm, this is difficult. Just going by the list of ingredients, I don't think that there is any way your different experiences would be influenced by the amount or leaving out of ingredients. This seems to be a pretty simple recipe, and you are quite sure that you make them the same every time.
The problem may lie in something entirely out of your control. (Frustrating, I know!) It may have to do with the type of oven you use, for instance electric vs. gas. It may have to do with the weather outside, or the elevation at which you live. Or, as you said, it may have to do with the eggs you are using. I don't have experience with free range chickens or eggs, but here is my advice:
If you notice that the eggs that your own chickens lay are smaller than ones you might get at the store, then I would use 3 eggs instead of two. Eggs are certainly a big part of what makes baked goods soft. (Once, I made brownies with just one egg when it called for two, and they were so crispy I had a hard time getting them out of the pan!)
You may also want to play around with cooking times. If you make them again and the first pan comes out crispy, shorten the cooking time for the next pan, and see if that makes a difference. Good luck!