Sugar, Spice & Everything Nice

Celebrate the Season with Scrumptious Sweets from Domino Sugar

DominoSugar

December 2021 Issue
by Lindsay Gifford
Photos, Recipes and Information provided by Domino Sugar


The holiday season is inspiring! As you count down the Saturdays before Christmas (which always seem to shock you) a change comes over you. Nostalgia from years past creeps in, causing a sudden yearning to spend much needed time with family and friends, a glitter bomb goes off in your home—on purpose— and best of all, the urge to BAKE is ignited!

Whether your sweet tooth has you scouring Pinterest for the best Christmas cookies, or you’re looking for sweet and savory appetizers and holiday drinks, there’s one brand that has you covered—Domino® Sugar. Their products are at the heart of beloved recipes that have been passed down through many generations. A mainstay in pantries across the country, Domino® Sugar has been dedicated to sweetening the lives of countless bakers (and their families) for more than a century.

Since 1901, Domino® Sugar has maintained a commitment to quality and a passion for craftsmanship. Their products are trusted by home bakers and gourmet chefs alike, to perform flawlessly when it matters most. That’s why, when the time comes for baking, those who understand the importance of high-quality ingredients turn to the experts at Domino® Sugar.

Your baking skills are sure to shine bite after bite with Domino’s plethora of sweet and savory recipes and tips on www.dominosugar.com. Learn the secrets to successful baking from the sugar connoisseur, and surprise your family and friends with scrumptious sweets this season. Happy baking!


 

Eggnog
Prep Time: 15 mins | Cook Time: 10 mins
Chill Time: 4 hrs | Servings: 8 cups
DominoSugar 1221 Eggnog
2 cups Whole milk
5 Egg yolks
1 cup Heavy cream
1 Cinnamon stick
¼ cup Rum Ground nutmeg
1 tsp Pure vanilla extract
½ cup Domino® Golden Sugar

In a medium saucepan at low to medium heat, stir together milk, egg yolks and sugar. Add the cinnamon stick. Cook and stir until the mixture coats the back of a spoon. Do not bring mixture to a boil. Remove saucepan from the heat and let it cool to room temperature. Remove cinnamon stick. Stir in heavy cream, rum and vanilla. Cover and chill for a minimum of 4 hours. Top each serving with freshly grated nutmeg. 


Puff Pastry Christmas Tree
Prep Time: 25 mins | Bake Time: 20 mins | Servings: 6

4 Tbsps Unsalted butter, melted DominoSugar 1221 Tree
¾ cup Domino® Golden Sugar
1 Tbsp Ground cinnamon
1 tsp Orange zest, freshly grated
¼ tsp Nutmeg, freshly grated
Pinch Salt
1 (17.5 oz) pkg Frozen puff pastry, thawed

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line one baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, mix together sugar, cinnamon, orange zest, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside. Roll each sheet of puff into a rectangle, cut the sheets in the form of a Christmas tree. Place one sheet on the prepared baking sheet. Brush with melted butter. Spread sugar-cinnamon mixture over the puff pastry. Place the other sheet of puff pastry on top. Cut slits on both sides of the tree. Twist each strip of puff pastry. With the leftover dough, cut star and place on top of the tree. Brush the tree with melted butter and sprinkle some sugar-cinnamon mixture on top. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. 

Chef’s Tip: Prepare a glaze using 2 cups of Domino Powdered Sugar and 3 tablespoons of freshly squeezed orange juice, mix until smooth. Drizzle the tree with glaze or serve on the side.



Hot Chocolate Cupcakes
Prep Time: 15 mins | Cook Time: 20 mins
Servings: 12 cupcakes

DominoSugar 1221 CupcakeFor the Cupcakes:
2 cups All-purpose flour
1 cup Domino® Golden Sugar
1 tsp Baking powder
3/4 tsp Baking soda
1/2 tsp fine Sea salt
1/3 cup Vegetable oil
½ cup Milk
1 large Egg
1 tsp Vanilla extract
½ cup Hot chocolate (or hot water)
¾ cup Unsweetened natural cocoa powder

For the Marshmallow Meringue Frosting:

3 large Egg whites
¾ cup Domino® Golden Sugar
1/4 tsp Cream of tartar
1 tsp Vanilla bean paste

To Make the Cupcakes:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners. In a large bowl, whisk the Domino® Golden Sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt together, then set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, milk, egg, and vanilla extract and stir until combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until completely combined. Add the hot chocolate and stir until the mixture is evenly combined. (When the hot chocolate is initially added, the batter may separate a bit, but continue stirring until it’s even in texture. The batter will be thick, don’t panic!) Spoon the batter into the liners until each cup is 2/3 full. Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.

To Make the Marshmallow Meringue Frosting:

In a large heatproof bowl, whisk together the egg whites, Domino® Golden Sugar and cream of tartar, then set the bowl over a saucepan filled with just two inches of simmering water over medium heat. Do not let the bottom of the egg bowl touch the water. Whisk the eggs and sugar constantly until sugar is dissolved and the mixture has reached a temperature of 160°F, about 4 minutes. The mixture will be thick and tacky at first, then thin out and become frothy. Transfer the hot egg mixture to a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and add the vanilla bean paste. Beat on high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer meringue to a piping bag and pipe onto cooled brownie cupcakes using a large round open tip. If desired, use a kitchen torch to toast. Cover and store leftover cupcakes at room temperature or in the refrigerator for 1-2 days.



Gingerbread Centerpiece

Prep Time: 30 mins
Cook Time: 10-12 mins
Rest Time: 3 hrs | Servings: 1 Centerpiece
DominoSugar 1221 Gingerbread
For the gingerbread cookies:

1 cup (2 sticks) Unsalted butter, softened
1 cup Domino® Dark Brown Sugar
1 large Egg
½ cup Molasses
3½ cups All-purpose flour
1 tsp Baking soda
¼ tsp Salt
2 tsps Ground ginger
1 tsp Ground cinnamon
½ tsp Ground nutmeg
¼ tsp Ground cloves

For the royal icing and decorations:

8 cups Domino® Powdered Sugar
6 Tbsps Meringue powder
2/3 cup Warm water
Edible silver and white sugar pearls, for decoration
Sanding sugar, for decoration

In a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy. About 2 minutes. Add the egg and molasses, mix until well incorporated. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Add to the butter mixture, with the mixer at low speed, mixing until combined and a dough is formed. Wrap the dough with plastic film and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Preheat oven to 375°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Take the dough out of the refrigerator, and flour a clean work surface. Roll the dough to ¼-inch thick. Using a gingerbread cookie tree cutter set, cut out two of each size of stars. Place the cut-out cookies on prepared baking sheets. Keep similar sizes of stars on the same baking sheets, so they bake evenly. Space the cookies about 2-inches apart. Bake the smaller cookies for 10 minutes and the larger cookies for 12-14 minutes, until light brown. Remove from oven. Allow resting on baking sheets for 5 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. 

Prepare the royal icing:
Combine all ingredients together in the mixing bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on low speed using the whip attachment until combined. Increase speed to medium high and beat for 5 – 8 minutes, adding 2-3 tablespoons more warm water, as necessary. Icing should have a medium consistency. Should flow but not runny. Ice cookies and decorate with edible pearls and sanding sugar. Allow the icing to set for about 1 hour. Add powdered sugar to leftover icing until it achieves a thick consistency.

Assemble centerpiece:
Place the largest star on a serving platter. Pipe thick icing on the center of the cookie, top it with the other cookie that matches the size, but pointing in a different direction. Repeat the process with the remaining cookies. When you get to the top, set one of the smallest stars up. Allow the centerpiece to dry for about 1 hour before moving.


Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate
Yields: 2 (8 oz) servings

Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate:
2 Tbsps Butter
1/2 cup Domino® Light Brown Sugar
2 Tbsps plus 1 tsp kosher Salt, divided
21/4 cups whole Milk, divided
11/2 Tbsps unsweetened Cocoa powder

Sweetened Whipped Cream:
1 cup Heavy whipping cream
2 Tbsps Domino® Quick Dissolve Superfine Sugar
or Domino® Granulated Sugar
1/2 tsp Vanilla extract

Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate:
In a medium saucepan, melt butter on stovetop. Whisk in brown sugar and 1 teaspoon salt. Whisk in 1/4 cup milk. Heat until mixture is bubbly around edges of pot, stirring the entire time. Cook 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Remove 1/4 cup of the caramel sauce; set aside. It will thicken as it cools. Add remaining 2 cups milk to the remaining caramel sauce, whisking the entire time. Heat milk mixture until hot, but not boiling. Whisk in cocoa powder. Blend until all cocoa dissolves.

Sweetened Whipped Cream:
Combine cream, sugar and vanilla in a chilled medium mixing bowl. Beat on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Place whipped cream into a piping bag fitted with an open star tip. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Assembly:
Spoon half of the reserved caramel sauce onto a small plate. Place remaining 2 tablespoons salt onto a separate plate. Dip mug rims into the caramel, then into the salt. Add hot chocolate. Top with whipped cream and drizzle of remaining caramel sauce.



Peppermint Mocha Cake
Prep Time: 20 mins | Cook Time: 30 mins
Servings: 1 (8-inch) layer cake; 24 servings

Mocha Cake Layers:DominoSugar 1221 Cake

4 large Eggs, room temperature
2 1/2 cups Domino® Granulated Sugar
1 cup Hot, strong coffee
1 cup Buttermilk, room temperature
3 cups Self-rising cake flour
1 cup Unsweetened baking cocoa
1 cup Unsalted butter, room temperature

Peppermint White Chocolate Buttercream:

2 tsp Vanilla extract
1/3 cup Heavy cream or whipping cream
2 tsp Peppermint extract
1 cup White chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 tsp Fine salt
7 cups (2 lb. bag) Domino® Powdered Sugar
2 cups (1 lb. box) Unsalted butter, room temperature

Mocha Drip & Filling:

1/2 cup Heavy cream 1/2 cup Dark chocolate, finely chopped
1 tsp Instant espresso or coffee 3/4 cup Mini chocolate chips, optional
3/4 cup Crushed peppermint candies, optional

Mocha Cake Layers:
Begin by preheating the oven to 350° F and line four 7-inch or 8-inch pans with parchment rounds and spray with non-stick baking spray. Add 1 cup butter and 21/2 cups of Domino® Granulated Sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix on high for 1 minute with a whisk attachment until the mixture becomes light in color. Add in 4 large eggs, two at a time. Mix on medium high until they’re fully incorporated. In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 cup of hot coffee, 1 cup of buttermilk and 1 cup of baking cocoa until no clumps remain. Next, mix 1 cup of self-rising cake flour into the butter/egg mixture on a low speed. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula to ensure the flour is fully incorporated. Pour in half of the buttermilk/cocoa mixture and mix on a low speed. Repeat with next cup of cake flour and the remaining cocoa mixture. Add in the last cup of self-rising cake flour and mix on low until the flour is just incorporated. Pour the batter evenly between the prepared pans and bake for 28-32 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Allow the cake layers to cool in the pans for 10 minutes then run an offset spatula around the edge of the pans to help separate the layers from the pans. Place the pans in the freezer for 30 minutes to speed the cooling process. Once the layers are fully cooled carefully flip the pans and remove the layers from the pans. Use a serrated knife to level the tops of the layers. If you’re making these in advance, wrap them in plastic wrap and freeze them.

Peppermint White Chocolate Buttercream:
While the cake layers bake and cool, make the peppermint white chocolate buttercream. Place 1/3 cup heavy cream and 1 cup chopped white chocolate into a heatproof bowl. Heat in the microwave on a high power for 1 minute. Let the white chocolate / heavy cream mixture sit for 1 minute to allow the heat from the bowl to continue to melt the white chocolate. Stir until smooth, then set aside to cool for about 10 minutes. If you have any bits of chocolate left, heat for additional 15 second increments and stir until the mixture is smooth. In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl, beat 2 cups of room temperature butter on a low speed for 30 seconds with a paddle or whisk attachment (or hand mixer) until smooth. Add in 2 tsp vanilla extract, 2 tsp peppermint extract and 1/2 tsp salt and beat on low. Pour in the cooled white chocolate and heavy cream mixture and mix on a low speed. Slowly add in 7 cups of Domino® Confectioners Sugar, 1 cup at a time. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Mix on a low speed until the ingredients are fully incorporated and the desired consistency is reached. If the frosting is too thick, add in additional cream (1 tsp at a time). If the frosting is too thin, add in more Domino® Confectioners Sugar (quarter of a cup at a time). Stir by hand with a rubber spatula to make the frosting extra smooth at the end, then cover with plastic wrap and set aside.

Mocha Drip:

Place 1/2 cup finely chopped dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl, and set aside. Heat 1/2 cup of heavy cream in a heatproof bowl in the microwave for 45 seconds to 1 minute, until gently bubbling. If you don’t have a microwave or prefer to use the stove top, you can heat the cream over a medium heat in a pan until it begins to simmer. Remove from heat. Gently pour the heavy cream over the chocolate, making sure it’s fully covered with cream. Allow the mixture to sit for 1-2 minutes. Add in 1 tsp of instant coffee and stir slowly until the cream and chocolate are fully combined and mixture is smooth. Set aside to cool for about 20 minutes (or place in fridge for about 10 minutes), until the mixture is just slightly warm to the touch.

Assembling this Peppermint Mocha Cake:

Stack and frost the cake layers on a greaseproof cake board using a dab of buttercream to help stick the first cake layer to the board. Spread an even layer of frosting on top of each cake layer with a large offset spatula. Top with a 1/4 cup of crushed peppermint candies and 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips. Repeat with remaining cake layers. Once the cake layers are stacked, cover the cake in a thin coat of frosting. Smooth using a bench scraper, then chill the cake in the fridge (10 minutes) or freezer (5 minutes) until the frosting is firm to the touch. Add a second, thicker layer of frosting to the cake and smooth using a bench scraper. Add a ring of peppermint candies around the base of the cake then chill again until the frosting is firm to the touch. Use a spoon to add mocha drips around the top of the cake. Use the remaining frosting to pipe dollops on top of the cake and top each dollop with a peppermint candy.

Additional Tips: 1) Be sure to properly measure your flour (spoon into the cup measure, then level) or use a kitchen scale. 2) Make sure your ingredients are at room temperature to help them mix together better. Don’t overmix your batter, stir until the cake flour is just combined. 3) Don’t level your cake layers until they are completely cooled. 4) Make sure your buttercream is the right consistency before frosting your cake! It will help give your cake proper structure and make it easier to decorate. 5) Do a test drip to make sure your mocha ganache is the right temperature and thickness.


Brown Sugar Glazed Baked Brie
Prep Time: 10 mins | Cook Time: 15 mins
Servings: 8

1 (8 oz) round Brie Cheese DominoSugar 1221 Brie
1/3 cup Domino® Dark Brown Sugar
¼ cup Freshly squeezed orange juice
Pinch Salt
Pinch Nutmeg, freshly grated
¼ cup Pecans, roasted and chopped
3 Figs, halved
Marjoram sprigs, as garnish

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the cheese on top. Bake for 15 minutes or until softened. Transfer to a serving dish. Allow the cheese to rest for 10 minutes. While the cheese is baking, prepare the glaze. In a small saucepan, combine sugar, orange juice, salt, and nutmeg. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 5-8 minutes to achieve a thick, but still pourable consistency. Drizzle glaze over the cheese and add the pecan pieces on top. Decorate with figs and marjoram springs. Serve with toasted baguette slices. 


Snickerdoodle Cake
Prep Time: 30 mins | Cook Time: 35 mins
Servings: 1 (8-inch) square cake; 9 servings

For the Cake:DominoSugar 1221 Snickerdoodle

1½ cups All-purpose flour
1 tsp Baking powder
1/2 tsp Baking soda
1/2 tsp Salt
½ cup Unsalted butter
2 Large eggs
1½ tsps Vanilla extract
½ cup Buttermilk*
¾ cup Domino® Granulated Sugar

For the Cinnamon Sugar Swirl:

⅓ cup Domino® Light Brown Sugar
1½ tsps Ground cinnamon

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

½ cup Domino® Powdered Sugar
4 to 5 Tbsps Milk of choice
½ tsp Vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
4 oz Cream cheese, softened to room temperature

For the Cake:
Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease an 8×8 inch square cake pan. Trace the bottom of the cake pan on a piece of parchment paper and cut it to match. Line bottom of cake pan with the parchment. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or a large bowl if using a hand mixer, cream together the butter and Domino® Granulated Sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating on medium speed until fully incorporated after each addition. Add the vanilla extract and beat briefly to combine. Add a third of the flour mixture and beat on low speed until combined, then add half the buttermilk and beat on low speed again. Repeat with another third of flour mixture, the rest of the buttermilk, and end with the last third of the flour mixture. Beat on low speed until the batter is smooth, but do not over-mix.

Make the cinnamon swirl:
In a separate small bowl, stir together Domino® Light Brown Sugar and cinnamon until combined. Scrape half the cake batter into the prepared pan and smooth evenly with a spatula, then sprinkle half the cinnamon brown sugar mixture evenly over top. Spread the remainder of the batter over the cinnamon sugar mixture as evenly as you can—it won’t be perfect, and that’s ok. Sprinkle the rest of the cinnamon sugar evenly over top. Take a butter knife and swirl gently through the batter, up and down and then across. Bake for 35-37 minutes, until browned on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cake cool in pan on a rack for 10-15 minutes, then invert the pan onto the rack to release the cake, remove the parchment from the bottom, and flip back right side up onto a cake plate. Let cake cool while you prepare the frosting.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
In a large bowl using a mixer or a whisk, beat cream cheese at medium speed until smooth. Add Domino® Powdered Sugar and vanilla paste or extract and beat or whisk until combined—it will be thick. Add milk, whisking in one tablespoon at a time, until just pourable (this may be more or less than what is called for depending on the temperature of your ingredients and your desired consistency). Drizzle cooled cake with cream cheese frosting in a diagonal pattern, or simply spread evenly over the cake. Serve!

Additional Tips: 1) If you don’t have buttermilk, you can substitute an equal amount of sour cream or full-fat Greek yogurt, or use 1/2 tablespoon of lemon juice mixed with 1/2 cup of milk and leave to curdle for 5 minutes before using. 2) Cake will keep, well-wrapped in the fridge, for up to 5 days. I like to microwave leftover pieces of cake on 50% power for 20 seconds to reheat.



Rosemary Infused Salted Caramel Brownies
Prep Time: 70 minutes | Cook Time: 30-35 minutes

For Brownies:DominoSugar 1221 Brownies
1 cup Chocolate chips
3 large Eggs
1 1/3 stick Unsalted Butter
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp Cocoa Powder
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 cup All-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups Domino® Granulated Sugar
1 Tbsp Rosemary leaves, roughly chopped

For Salted Caramel:
1/4 tsp Sea salt (or fleur de sel)
3/4 cup Heavy Cream 2 Tbsps Domino® Dark Brown Sugar
1/4 cup Domino® Granulated Sugar

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Butter an 8-inch round or square cake pan and coat with cocoa powder. Set aside as you prepare the brownie batter. Place the butter in a saucepot on medium heat. Melt all the butter and whisk in the chopped rosemary leaves. Cover pot, remove from heat and let stand for 30 minutes. This will infuse the rosemary flavor into the butter. Strain the butter and rosemary using a sieve, discard the rosemary, and place the butter back into the saucepot onto medium heat. Add 1/2 cup of the sugar to the butter. Slowly whisk until all the sugar has dissolved. Turn on the heat and set saucepot on the side. In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and remaining sugar until smooth. Add the butter mixture to the egg mixture and whisk to combine. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the rest of the dry ingredients together; all-purpose flour, salt, cocoa powder, and baking powder. Add the butter and egg mixture to the dry ingredients in three parts, mixing with a whisk until all the liquid is incorporated. Add the chocolate chips and fold in using a spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Bake the brownies for 30 to 35 minutes. Check for doneness by when the top of the brownies set, and you begin to see a few cracks form on the surface. Let the brownies cool while you prepare the salted caramel topping.

Place the heavy cream and brown sugar in a small saucepot on medium heat and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm. Place a small saucepan on medium heat. Let it heat up, then sprinkle a thin layer of sugar over the pan. Once it starts to melt on the sides, begin whisking from one side, slowly bringing in the rest of the sugar allowing it to melt quicker. Once the first layer of sugar has melted, slowly keep adding the rest of the sugar and whisking until all the sugar has melted and turned into a caramel. Let this caramel come to a golden amber color, and then turn the heat to low. While continuously whisking, very slowly pour in one third of the cream mixture into the caramel. Be careful as the caramel will bubble and may splatter if you pour too quick. Whisk in another third until incorporated, then whisk the rest of it into the caramel. Once all the cream has been incorporated into the caramel, continue whisking for five to six minutes on medium low heat. You’ll know the caramel is ready once the bubbles begin to thicken up, and if you have a thermometer the caramel should reach 221°F. Remove from heat and whisk in the sea salt.

Pour the caramel into a shallow dish and cover with plastic wrap, making sure it touches the caramel surface to prevent a skin from forming. Let this cool in the fridge for 20 minutes or until thickened enough to spread. Once cooled, pour an even layer over the brownies while they’re still in the pan and smoothen with a spatula or spoon. If you’d like the caramel to further set, place the brownies into the fridge for another 20-30 minutes, otherwise cut into squares and serve! 

Additional Tips: 1) You can start preparing your caramel the moment the brownies go into the oven to save yourself an additional 30 minutes! 2) You can use milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or any other kind of chocolate chip you prefer.

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