White Chocolate Popcorn

New Orleans was the first far from home place we took our then 10 year old nephew and 8 year old niece. From the steamboat ride to the Audubon Zoo and trolley ride back to our hotel to walking into almost every bead shop on Royal and Bourbon Streets in the French Quarter to seeing their sweet little faces and exhausted bodies literally fall asleep in their plates remain vivid memories. It never fails. Each year as Mardi Gras approaches, I take a short trip down memory lane. Back then there weren't any smart phones with cameras and I didn't own a digital camera. Forget about being able to edit a photo as film had to be dropped off to be processed. It took days before your photos would be ready. Somewhere in my house and in theirs is a 'memory' book filled with captions containing some of the photos capturing our weekend adventures. And more than likely they each have their bags of beads somewhere in their drawers or closets. But for me, being able to see their young eyes take in the sights and sounds of New Orleans will remain the best, most treasured souvenir.

King Cakes, jambalaya, étouffée, po' boys, gumbo, muffulettas, or red beans and rice might be the more classic, traditional Mardi Gras foods, but one always needs something a little sweet to go with all of that savory. Like this White Chocolate Popcorn with M&Ms and Honey Roasted Peanuts. And it's easier and quicker to make than pralines!

Mardi Gras is just one of the reasons to make this White Chocolate Popcorn. Actually, you don't even need a reason. Sweet, salty snacks don't ever need an occasion to be made.

Many recipes for White Chocolate (coated) popcorn call for the use of Almond Bark. This one uses white chocolate melting wafers. Some call for the use of unbuttered popcorn. This one uses 'lightly buttered' microwave popcorn. Honestly, I don't think I would make this popcorn any other way. 

At first I wasn't certain if 10 ounces of melted white chocolate would be enough to adequate coat two (3 ounce) bags of microwave popcorn. But surprisingly it was. 

Before drizzling the melted chocolate over the popcorn, remove any of the unpopped kernals. 

Two cups of M&Ms and a generous one and a half cups of honey roasted peanuts seemed to be the right popcorn to candy/nut ratio. But feel free to increase or decrease to your preference.

After the popcorn was coated with the melted white chocolate, I mixed in the M&Ms and peanuts, thinking they might stick to some of the popped kernels. Some did, some didn't. Maybe the chocolate dried too quickly. Or maybe increasing the melted chocolate to 11 ounces and working a little faster would make a difference. Or maybe it wouldn't.

I must give you a warning about this White Chocolate Popcorn. It's a little addictive. So when you make you it, make sure you have friends and family over to share it with. If you are looking for a fun snack to serve at a party, while watching sports, or an informal gathering, this easy snack would definitely fall into the 'most memorable' category.

Recipe
White Chocolate Popcorn 

Ingredients
2 bags (3 ounce size) Light Butter Microwave Popcorn
2 cups M&Ms in your favorite colors
A generous 1 1/2 cups honey roasted peanuts
10-11 ounces white chocolate, melted

Directions
1. Make popcorn according to package directions. Spread popcorn out on a large baking sheet or pour into a large bowl. Remove any unpopped kernels.
2. Drizzle melted chocolate over popcorn. Stir popcorn until it is lightly coated.
3. Pour in M&Ms and honey roasted peanuts. Mix together.
4. Spread chocolate coated popcorn out on a large sheet of parchment paper to allow chocolate to set. 
5. Serve immediately or wrap in cellophane bags to keep fresh.

Notes: (1) I used Pop Secret Light Butter Microwave popcorn. (2) Ten ounces of melted white chocolate (I used Ghiradelli White Chocolate Melting Wafers) will give the popcorn a very light, not overly sweet, coat of chocolate. 

Food trucks on the North Shore on Oahu.

Coconut Panna Cotta with Blueberry Sauce

"Once you have traveled, the voyage never ends, but is played out over and over again in the quietest chambers. The mind can never break off from the journey." (Pat Conroy) My recent and very first trip ever to Hawaii is the reason the blog has been on an unusually long hiatus. While I have been home for a little more than a week, my mind and body are still adjusting to the change in scenery, the jet lag, and the absence of the sound of the ocean. I have not yet completely lost my senses, however, I am still wondering if this incredible trip was just a dream. In spite of the fact I have hundreds of photos and a few souvenirs proving I really was in a tropical paradise. Have you ever returned from somewhere so breathtakingly beautiful you feel as if you need to keep looking at your photos to keep reliving the experience or to make you feel like you have been temporarily transported back? Sounds a little strange, I know. But bear with me for a moment while I attempt to explain how my mind works. I had never been to anywhere tropical before. So everything about Hawaii (or rather Oahu) seemed surreal. From the multiple hues and shades of blue in the sky and water to the incredibly diverse, lush landscapes, nothing I had read or heard about Hawaii truly prepared my eyes and heart for the experience. From the moment we landed in Honululu, it felt as if I had journeyed, not to the 50th state, but to some foreign exotic land. Snorkeling for the first time gave me a close up glimpse of yet another world. And those early morning views from the hike up Diamond Head only further magnified the island's splendiferousness. Needless to say, almost all of my senses were on constant overload. Which may have also explained in part why I could barely stay awake past nine o'clock most nights (my significant for me intake of alcohol may have accounted for the other part). If there was ever a trip to make me more fully appreciate the value of traveling to new places, to having new experiences, this would be the one. 

I had recently developed an affinity for a coffee flavored with coconut-almond milk. While going through my ever growing pile of recipes on the 'maybe make someday' list I rediscovered a Panna Cotta made with coconut milk. Whether or not it was the coffee responsible for shifting my opinion on coconut milk, the Panna Cotta moved from the 'maybe' to 'must' list.

Not surprisingly, coconut milk doesn't have a strong coconut flavor. Coconut milk is not the liquid found inside the coconut itself. That would be coconut water. Equal parts of shredded coconut and water (or milk) are steeped together to create coconut milk.

This Panna Cotta recipe calls for the use of two (13.5 ounce) cans of full-fat canned coconut milk. Unlike most other Panna Cotta recipes, the liquid (coconut milk) is divided. Initially, only one can of the well-shaken coconut milk is poured into a heavy bottomed saucepan. After sprinkling the gelatin over the milk, it needs 5 minutes to soften. Over low heat, this mixture, along with the sugar, is cooked until the sugar dissolves (approximately 2-3 minutes). Note: Be careful not to let the mixture boil or you will destroy the gelatins thickening ability. Removing the pan from the heat, the additional can of well-shaken coconut milk, vanilla and salt are whisked in. Pouring the mixture into a measuring cup makes it easy to pour it into your molds.

But before pouring, you have a serving decision to make. Do you want to serve the Panna Cotta self-contained in cup or do you want this light and luscious dessert to be served unmolded? Either presentation works. If you want to serve it unmolded, you will need to lightly spray your molds. Ramekins, small bowls, and/or metal/silicone pastry molds like these are all options. To unmold, moisten small serving dishes with a little warm water (this makes it easier to center the panna cotta). Loosen the edges of the panna cotta with a fingertip or tip of a butterknife, then slowly invert onto the plate. Gently jiggle the ramekin side to side until the panna cotta slips out. Depending on the size of your serving dishes or molds, this recipe will serve anywhere from 6 to 8 people.

The Panna Cotta will set up covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator in approximately 3 to 4 hours, but you could be made the night before.

The Panna Cotta can be served with any number of toppings. Raspberry sauce, blueberry sauce, chocolate sauce, brandied cherry sauce, or even a honey caramel sauce. My choice of blueberry sauce may have been influenced by shades of blue ocean water.

To make the blueberry sauce, bring the blueberries, sugar, lemon zest and 1/4 cup of water to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce the heat to low-medium, and continue cooking until the blueberries begin to burst (approximately 3-5 minutes). In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and cornstarch. Stir into the blueberry sauce. Continue cooking for approximately 1 minute or until the sauce has started to thicken. Remove from the heat and whisk in the vanilla and salt. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.

The Blueberry Sauce can be made prior to serving, early in the day, or the day before. If covered, it can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week. Note: Any leftover blueberry sauce would be gret served over ice cream or pancakes.

Panna Cotta may be one of my most favorite desserts to make. This Coconut Panna Cotta with Blueberry Sauce will be the version going to the top of the panna cotta rotation list. It is light and creamy, has the right amount of sweetness along with a subtleness of coconut, and is completely satisfying. Seems some unexpected influences and outcomes came as a result of this trip to Hawaii. Guess I need to travel more.

Recipe
Coconut Panna Cotta with Blueberry Sauce (slight adaptation to the Coconut Panna Cotta recipe shared in Fine Cooking, April/May 2016)
Serves 6 
Update January 2023

Ingredients
Coconut Panna Cotta
2 cans (13.5 ounce size) full fat coconut milk, well shaken (OR 1 can full fat coconut milk & 1 can (15 oz) cream of coconut
1 package (1/4 ounce) unflavored powdered gelatin (recommend Knox)
1/3 cup plus 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
Optional: Cooking spray

Blueberry Sauce
1 pint (2 cups) fresh blueberries (Note: Increasing the blueberries to 2 1/2 cups will make a slightly less thick sauce)
1/4 cup water
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
2 Tablespoons finely grated lemon zest
2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons cornstarch
pinch of kosher salt

Directions
Coconut Panna Cotta
1. Pour one can of the well-shaken full-fat coconut milk into a heavy bottomed saucepan. Sprinkle the gelatin over the top and allow to sit for approximately 5 minutes.
2. Place the saucepan over low-medium heat, whisk in the sugar and heat until the sugar has completely dissolved (approximately 2-3 minutes).
3. Remove from the heat and whisk in the second can of well-shaken full-fat coconut milk.
4. Whisk in the vanilla and salt. Pour mixture into a measuring cup.
5. Pour panna cotta mixture into the prepared bowls or cups. Note: If unmolding the panna cotta before serving, lightly spray the ramekins/molds/bowls.
6. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 3-4 hours or overnight.

Blueberry Sauce
1. In a medium sized saucepan, bring the blueberries, sugar, lemon zest and 1/4 cup of water to a boil over medium high heat. 
2. Reduce the heat to low-medium, and continue cooking until the blueberries begin to burst (approximately 3-5 minutes). 
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and cornstarch. Stir into the blueberry sauce. 
4. Continue cooking for approximately 1 minute or until the sauce has started to thicken. 
5. Remove from the heat and whisk in the vanilla and salt. If not serving immediately, allow to cool to room temperature, cover and store in the refrigerator. Note: The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.

Notes: There are two other Panna Cotta recipes posted on the blog: Honey and Pistachio Panna Cotta and Panna Cotta with Balsamic Strawberries. Several changes were made to the recipes. For the Panna Cotta: (1) The amount of sugar was changed from 1/3 cup to 1/3 cup plus 2 Tablespoons. (2) The amount of vanilla was increased from 1 teaspoon to 1 Tablespoon. (3) Kosher salt was used instead of table salt. (4) One .25 ounce package of unflavored gelatin was used instead of 2 teaspoons. For the Blueberry Sauce: (1) Only 2 cups instead of 2 1/2 cups of blueberries were used. Will definitely consider increasing to 2 1/2 cups next time. (2) The cooked blueberry mixture was not strained through a fine mesh sieve as I prefer a chunky blueberry sauce.

View of Waikiki from the top of Diamond Head (February 2017)

Looking out at the Pacific Ocean from Waikiki.

Hanauma Bay on the island of Oahu.

Lanikai Beach on the island of Oahu.

Coffee Blondies

There are some things in life you missed out on and you wish you hadn't. And then there are other things you missed and are grateful you did. For me those two things would be coffee and 90's hip hop rap music. Somehow I managed to get through college and a significant part of my life without beginning or getting through the day with a cup of coffee. My caffeine infusion came from diet soda. With the rituals along with the distinctive aromatic and taste characteristics of coffee finally finding a way into my life, an affinity for almost anything having the flavor of coffee came with it. While reading through Sarah Kieffer's recently released cookbook, The Vanilla Bean Baking Book: Recipes for Irresistible Everyday Favorites and Reinvented Classics, I immediately knew it would be impossible to resist making the Coffee Blondies. After taking a bite of them, I again asked myself 'so how was it you managed to live so long without coffee in your life?'. Which, of course, happens to be of those questions not having a simple answer. Suffice it to say coffee in any form won't ever be leaving my life. And after listening to 90s hip hop rap for several hours this past weekend, I was reminded just how grateful I was for missing out on this musical genre. Although not knowing any of the words to the songs everyone else did made me wonder if I had gone missing for a decade.

Blondies are described as a cross between a cookie and a cake. While somewhat similar to a brownie in texture and presentation, they are typically vanilla rather than chocolate based. The combination of vanilla and brown sugar often gives blondies a 'caramel-like, butterscotch-like' flavor. Just as there are a myriad of variations to brownies, there are with blondies as well. The addition of dried fruits, chopped candies, and chocolate are the common variations. Infusing the batter with strong coffee or espresso is less common. Which maybe explains why these may be the most uncommingly addictive, flavorful blondies ever created.

Did I mention these mouthwatering Coffee Blondies also have chocolate and toasted pecans in them? 

Even without the vanilla ice cream, you need these Coffee Blondies in your life. Unless, of course, you want to add one more regret.

More than likely you have everything you need in your cupboard and refrigerator to make these Coffee Blondies. And, if by chance, you don't have any room temperature strong coffee in the house, combine some instant espresso with hot water. In other words, there should be nothing preventing you from making them.

After the butter and brown sugar have melted, the pot is removed from the hot stove top before the coffee is stirred in. Allow this mixture to cool to room temperature (or at least barely warm to the touch), before whisking in the egg and vanilla. Because if your mixture is too hot, you will end up scrambling the egg.

To create the batter, the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, kosher salt) are mixed together with the butter/sugar/coffee/vanilla mixture. Be careful not to over mix before adding in the chocolate and pecans. Your batter will be very thick.

Having swapped out chocolate chips for chopped chocolate in my chocolate chip cookie and brownie recipes awhile back, I made this relatively minor change to these Coffee Blondies. Call it a personal preference. Although, chopping the chocolate allows it to have a more even distribution in the batter and ultimately in each bite. Whether you decide to use chocolate chips or chopped chocolate, toast the pecans before chopping them and adding them to the better. Not only do toasted nuts have a greater depth of flavor, their texture, especially when added to a batter, significantly improves as well.

In a preheated 350 degree (F) oven, the Coffee Blondies bake for 18 to 24 minutes if made in a 9"x12" parchment paper lined pan. Because I used a slightly different sized pan, my baking time was closer to 30 minutes. 

The most difficult part of this Coffee Blondie recipe is having the patience to wait for them to cool before you cut them into squares. Or maybe it's having the will power to stop eating them. The combination of the coffee, chocolate, brown sugar, and toasted pecan flavors are heavenly and slightly addictive.

Every now and then a cookbook comes along having the genuine intention of making you a better cook or a better baker whether you are a novice or consider yourself accomplished. Then there the cookbooks having the power to compel you to make every single recipe in the book. This is one of them. Forget about the personal satisfaction or therapeutic value associated with baking, making something everyone raves about is almost better than any caffeinated high you can get from either coffee or chocolate. Sarah Kieffer's cookbook, The Vanilla Bean Baking Book: Recipes for Irresistible Everyday Favorites and Reinvented Classics, is one of those rare books giving you all of that and more. Like these Coffee Blondies, you also need this cookbook in your life. I swear it's not something you should miss out on having.

Recipe
Coffee Blondies (slight adaptation to Sarah Kieffer's Coffee Blondie recipe from her book The Vanilla Bean Baking Book: Recipes for Irresistible Everyday Favorites and Reinvented Classics)

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups (213g) all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
12 Tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks, 170 g) unsalted butter, cold
1 1/2 cups (297g) light brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon instant espresso and 2 Tablespoons hot water or 2 Tablespoons strong coffee, room temperature
1 large egg, room temperature
1 1/2 Tablespoons vanilla
3/4 cup (86g) pecan halves, toasted and coarsely chopped
3/4 cup (128g) dark or semi-sweet chocolate coarsely chopped or dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Line a 9"x12" or an 8"x13" baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and kosher salt.
3. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and brown sugar. Remove from heat and stir in espresso and/or coffee until well blended. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.
4. Whisk in egg and vanilla until well combined. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring until just combined. 
6. Add the pecans and chocolate, stir gently. Note: Batter will be very thick.
7. Spread batter evenly into the prepared pan. Smooth top with an offset spatula.
8. Bake 18-24 minutes or until the blondies are set on the edge and top is golden and beginning to form cracks. To test for doneness insert a wood toothpick or wooden skewer into the blondies. When removed it should come out with just a couple of crumbs. Note: My baking time was closer to 30 minutes, however, I used an 8"x13" baking pan.
9. Transfer to a wire rack. Allow to cool completely. Remove blondies from pan and cut into squares.
10. Serve immediately. Store any remaining blondies in a covered container.

Notes: (1) I combined the kosher salt with the dry ingredients instead of stirring into the butter and brown sugar mixture. The original recipe calls for adding the salt to wet ingredients. (2) My favorite chocolate to chop and use in cookies, bars, and brownies is Trader Joe's Pound Plus 72% Dark Chocolate. Whichever chocolate you use, make sure it's a semi-sweet or bittersweet one. (3) The original recipe called for 2 Tablespoons of room temperature strong coffee. I used hot water and instant espresso and it worked incredibly well.

Bisbee, Arizona (March 2016)

Browned Butter Hummingbird Coffee Cake with Mascarpone Glaze

For those of you who may be thinking this first post of the new year is nothing more than a wicked attempt at tempting you to already break your new year's resolution of eating healthier foods, like adding more fruits and nuts to your diet, you would be wrong. Because this Browned Butter Hummingbird Coffee Cake with Mascarpone Glaze is made with bananas, pineapple, and pecans. In other words, it's a cake made with fruit and nuts. My definition of a win-win, glass half full recipe! Have I told you lately that seeing possibility where others see improbability (aka rationalizing) is one of my strengths? Or my belief that life shouldn't be about deprivation but rather moderation? As much as I can be a little redundant with my musings here on the blog, sometimes a little redundancy is a good thing. Really it is.

There were many reasons why I wanted to make this Browned Butter Hummingbird Coffee Cake with Mascarpone Glaze. Was it because I was in need of a great, new coffee cake recipe, because anything with the words hummingbird cake in the title immediately gets my attention, or because I needed a bribe to get the person who shall remain nameless to take up all of the cumbersome, heavy holiday boxes up to the attic? The answer? All of the above.

While one of my last year's intentions was to reduce the number of cookbooks and cooking magazines I buy, I couldn't resist buying the January/February 2017 issue of 'bake from Scratch'. Even the long checkout line at the bookstore couldn't deter me from buying it. Filled with a number of recipes just begging me to make them, the Browned Butter Hummingbird Coffee Cake seemed to tug a little harder at my heartstrings. Add the words browned butter to a recipe and well, suddenly I find myself on a nothing will get in my way mission.

As with most recipes I come across, I either leave them alone or feel compelled to tinker with them just a teeny tiny bit. Whenever I make any changes it sort of feels I have given myself permission to color outside of the lines, to break some rules, to take a leap of faith. In other words, it's what being a little radical looks like in my world. To be perfectly honest, the recipe for the Browned Butter Hummingbird Coffee Cake was just about perfect. Toasting the pecans before adding them to the streusel was a minor nuance. Changing out the sour cream based glaze for the mascarpone glaze would be one of those changes falling into the category of personal preferences. And making this coffee cake in a springform pan instead of cake pan (9 inch instead of 8 inch) was nothing more than a convenience.

What can be better than a coffee cake topped with a butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, sugar, pecan streusel? One having some of it inside of it! If you are looking to amplify the flavor of the streusel, toast the pecans in a preheated 350 degree (F) oven for 8 to 9 minutes. I promise, you won't be sorry for this tiny extra step.

The browned butter is the not-so secret transformational ingredient taking this Hummingbird Coffee Cake to a whole new level of nutty deliciousness and a deeper complexity. When butter has melted to the point where the water has been cooked out, the remaining milk solids begin to brown and take on a nutty flavor. Make sure to scrape out all of the little brown bits into your batter as they hold incredible flavor.

After spreading half of the coffee cake batter in the pan, top with both the cinnamon sugar mixture and one-third of the streusel mixture. Top with the rest of the batter, smooth out with an offset spatula and finish off with the remaining streusel before putting the coffee cake in a preheated 350 degree (F) oven.

Instead of using an 8 inch cake pan, this Browned Butter Hummingbird Coffee Cake was made in a 9 inch springform pan (lined with parchment paper). In spite of changing out the size of the cake pan, there was no significant change to the baking time (45-50 minutes).

Hummingbird Cakes are traditionally topped with a cream cheese frosting. This coffee cake version is topped with a mascarpone glaze.

Allow the coffee cake to rest at least 15 minutes before pouring on the glaze.

Imagine starting your day with a warm coffee cake. But whether you serve it warm or at room temperature, this may be the best coffee cake on the planet.

Full of intense flavor, this Browned Butter Hummingbird Coffee Cake is incredibly moist. The Mascarpone Glaze adds a hint of sweetness and is a perfect finishing touch. So if you are committed to adding more fruits and nuts to your diet in the weeks, month and year ahead, I would venture to say this cake would help you keep that promise, resolution, intention. And, if by chance you need to offer a small bribe, this coffee cake may get you more than you even hoped for. Happy New Year!

Recipe
Browned Butter Hummingbird Coffee Cake with Mascarpone Glaze (slight adaptation to the Browned Butter Hummingbird Coffee Cake recipe printed in the Jan/Feb 2017 Issue of Bake from Scratch)
Serves 8-12, depending on how you slice it

Ingredients
Streusel
1/3 cup (43g) all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (50g) light brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3 1/2 (50g) Tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup pecan halves, toasted and chopped 

Cake
1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup mashed banana (from 1 large ripe banana or 2 smaller ripe bananas)
1/2 cup crushed pineapple, drained
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups (195g) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (150g) plus 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar, divided
1/4 cup (50g) light brown sugar, firmly packed
3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon, divided
Optional: Pecan halves for finishing the top of the coffee cake

Glaze
1/2 cup (60g) confectionary sugar, sifted
2 Tablespoons mascarpone cheese, softened
2-3 Tablespoons whole milk

Directions
Streusel 
1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
2. Stir in butter, mixing until the mixture is crumbly. Note: Use fingertips until desired consistency is reached.
3. Stir in chopped, toasted pecans. Cover and set aside.

Glaze
1. In a small bowl, whisk together the sifted confectionary sugar, mascarpone cheese and 2 Tablespoons of the whole milk until creamy and pourable. If mixture to thick, add milk 1 teaspoon at a time.

Cake
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Line a 9 inch springform or baking pan with parchment paper. Spray with baking spray and lightly flour. Set aside.
2. In a medium, heavy bottomed saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Cook until butter turns a medium-brown color and has a nutty aroma. Approximately 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt, baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Set aside.
4. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat eggs, mashed banana, drained pineapple, and vanilla at medium speed until combined. Approximately 1-2 minutes. 
5. Stir in cooled browned butter. Scrape the browned bits into the batter.
6. Gradually add flour mixture to the batter, beating until just combined.
7. In a small bowl, mix tother the remaining 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar and remaining 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Set aside.
8. Spread half of the batter into the prepared cake pan.
9. Sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar and 1/3 of the streusel mixture.
10. Top with remaining cake batter. Smoothing top with an offset spatula.
11. Evenly sprinkle the remaining streusel over the cake batter.
12. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until cake tested with a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cake rest for 15 minutes.
13. Run a sharp knife around the edges. Open latch on springform pan and/or invert cake onto a plate and invert again, placing cake on a wire rack.
14. Drizzle glaze over warm cake. Optional: Top with pecan halves.

Notes: (1) The inspiration recipe recommended a sour cream based glaze (one half cup confectionary sugar, two Tablespoons sour cream, 1 1/2 teaspoons whole milk). (2) If using an 8 inch cake pan, baking time may need to be adjusted slightly, but would recommend checking for doneness at 45 minutes. (3) Be sure to drain the crushed pineapple before adding to the batter.

Lower Dells falls at Matthiessen State Park, Ogelsby, Illinois (January 2017)