Speckled Hen, a Madison Wisconsin Bed and Breakfast Inn

• 2 1/2 cups of tart pie cherries, pitted, fresh or frozen
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup cranberry juice
• 1 Tablespoon butter
• 1 Tablespoon Amaretto

Mix in a 2-quart saucepan. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and allow to cool while making the batter.

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup flour
• 2 Tablespoons melted butter
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup milk

Mix batter ingredients well and pour into a 9-inch deep dish pie pan. Spoon the hot fruit mixture over the batter using just enough of the juices in the fruit mixture to allow the batter to begin to float up through the fruit.

Bake 30 minutes in 350 degree oven or until top is golden and fruit is very bubbly. While the cobbler is baking, add a splash of port to the remaining fruit juices and boil down to a syrup consistency.

Serve the cobbler warm topped with a blend of vanilla yogurt and whipped cream and a bit of the cherry/port sauce.

Our cherry cobbler disclaimer: The Inn has its own cherry trees and we invite our guests and friends to help us pick and pit the cherries. There is always a “bit” of wine served at the cherry pitting party. So, watch out for pits in the cobbler.

• 2 cups flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 6 Tablespoons butter, chilled and cut in several small pieces
• 1 medium apple, peeled, cored and finely chopped
• 1/3 cup toffee bits
• 1 egg
• Half-and-half
• 1/4 cup milk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Place first five ingredients in the work bowl of a food processor. Pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs (about 20 times). Place this mixture in a medium bowl and add apples and toffee bits. Place egg in a one-cup measure. Fill with half-and-half to the 3/4 cup line. Add the 1/4 cup of milk and mix well. Pour the egg mixture over the dry ingredients and mix just until moistened. Drop mounds of dough (about 1/4 cup each) onto a silpat lined baking sheet or a baking sheet lightly coated with cooking spray. Bake 12-15 minutes or until golden. Drizzle caramel glaze over the scones and serve warm.

Makes 12-15 scones.

Caramel glaze

• 1 teaspoon of melted butter
• 1 Tablespoon of caramel coffee flavoring syrup
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar or the amount that will produce the desired glaze consistency.

Mix until smooth and drizzle over fresh-from-the-oven scones.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 4 Tablespoons powdered sugar
• 3/4 cup butter (cut in pieces)
• 2 1/4 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 Tablespoons flour
• 3 cups diced rhubarb (about 5 stalks)

Instructions: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9×13 baking dish.
In a food processor combine flour, powdered sugar and butter. Process until fine crumbs form. Press into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Bake for 20 minutes. In the processor combine eggs, sugar, vanilla,and salt until thickened. Add the flour and process until completely combined. Stir in the rhubarb. Spread this mixture over the prepared crust and return to the oven for 35 minutes or until the top is brown and firm. Cool slightly. Cut into squares and serve dusted with additional powdered sugar and a bit of whipped cream. Serves 12

We bake this bread pudding in individual ramekins and serve it warm topped with warm vanilla custard sauce and raspberries.

• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons instant coffee granules
• 1 cup light cream or half and half
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• 6 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 loaf of cinnamon bread, cut in 1 inch cubes

Grease 8 ramekins and fill almost to the top with bread cubes. In a large bowl whisk together eggs, sugar, and vanilla. In a medium saucepan bring the cream, butter, and coffee granules to a boil. Remove from the heat and whisk a bit of the cream mixture into the egg mixture. Then whisk the egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining cream mixture. Stir in the chocolate pieces and continue whisking until the chocolate has completely melted and the mixture is smooth and creamy. Pour chocolate mixture evenly over the bread cubes in the ramekins. Let set for at leat 45 minutes or overnight in the refrigerator. Befor baking sprinkle the tops of the puddings with additional sugar. Bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes or until the puddings puff. Enjoy

Place 3 egg yolks in a medium saucepan. Whisk in 1/4 cup of sugar until yolks lighten. Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla, 1 cup of whipping cream, and 2 disks of Ibara Mexican chocolate finely chopped. Cook over medium- low heat until the chocolate melts and the mixture begins to thicken, whisking constantly. Set the chocolate mixture aside to cool slightly. With an electric mixer beat another 1 cup of whipping cream until soft peaks form. Gently fold the chocolate mixture into the whipped cream. Pour into pots de creme cups or small ramekins. We serve them warm topped with more whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar. Serves 8. The pots may also be chilled and served later.

• 4 not-quite-ripe pears, peeled, cored, and halved
• 1/3 cup apricot jam
• 1/3 cup orange juice
• 1 Tablespoon of Cranberry honey
• Topping of your choice

Place the pears, cut side down, in a 9 X 13 baking dish. Mix apricot jam, orange juice and honey and pour over the pears. Cover the baking dish tightly with foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes or until the pears are very tender.

Serve a pear half topped with the pan syrup or with any of the following suggestions:
A dollop of sour cream and raspberry syrup.
Vanilla yogurt and pomegranate seeds
Whole berry cranberry sauce
Chai caramel sauce and granola