Fleur de Sel Caramels

"It was an instinct to put the world in order that powered her mending split infinitives and snipping off dangling participles, smoothing away the knots and bumps until the prose took a sheen, like perfect caramel."

~David Leavitt

These were on my to-do list last holiday season, but I never got to them.  So when the cook at work recently asked for the recipe, it was a good nudge to dig it out and whip up a batch.  Plus the timing is great to share it with you while you still have time to find or order the fleur de Sel  (mine was ordered from My Spice Sage), and make them for gifts or parties.  

The original recipe comes from Ina Garten, and you can find it here.  Reading the comments after the recipe is very helpful. Taking reader's advice, I decided not to oil the parchment paper, and it was no trouble to remove the caramels.  I also cooked mine a tiny bit longer because I prefer a harder caramel, and cut them into squares instead of rolling them.  My dentist will love me for posting this, because these babies could pull all your crowns out (just the way I like 'em).  They are really delicious.  If you make the softer ones, you could dip them in chocolate to make them extra special, and sprinkle a little fleur de sel on the chocolate instead of the caramel.  

Take note that you will need a candy thermometer if you decide to attempt these and you should pay close attention to the recipe and follow it exactly.  Whatever you do, don't walk away from the boiling sugar, because when it starts to turn color it will go quickly and there is no remedy for burnt caramel.  Have your heated cream and butter at the ready and make sure the pot you use is big enough, as it will boil up 4 or 5 inches high.  Lastly, be really careful not to get any on you.   It will burn you quickly...therefore, it is not an appropriate project for kids to participate in.  Stay tuned and soon I'll post a candy recipe that is.  One that's been a Christmas tradition in my family for decades.  Enjoy the season, my friends!

  

Fleur de Sel Caramels

makes approximately 18 pieces

Recipe by Ina Garten

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/4 cup light corn syrup

1 cup heavy cream

5 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 teaspoon fleur de sel, plus extra for sprinkling

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Line a 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, allowing it to drape over 2 sides.  Brush the paper lightly with oil [I didn't - but I lightly butter the sides of the pan not covered with the paper].

In a deep heavy saucepan (6 inches wide and 4 1/2 inches deep), combine 1/4 cup water, the sugar and corn syrup and bring them to a boil over medium-high heat.  Boil until the mixture is a warm golden brown.  Don't stir - just swirl the pan.

In the meantime, in a small pot, bring the cream, butter and 1 teaspoon of fleur de sel to a simmer over medium heat.  Turn off the heat and set aside.

When the sugar mixture reaches the warm golden brown, turn off the heat and slowly add the warmed cream mixture.  Be careful - it will bubble up violently.  Stir in the vanilla with a wooden spoon and cook over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, until the mixture reaches 248 degrees F (firm ball) on a candy thermometer.

Very carefully pour the caramel into the prepared pan and refrigerate for a few hours [I sprinkled my caramel with extra fleur de sel right away and it was fine.  Plus, one hour was enough for cooling - then I removed it from pan and cut into squares], until firm. 

When the caramel is cold, pry the sheet from the pan onto a cutting board.  Cut the square in half.

Roll it up.  Starting with a long side, roll the caramel up tightly into an 8-inch log.

Cut into pieces.  Sprinkle with fleur de sel, trim the ends and cut into 8 pieces.  It's easier to cut the caramels if you brush the knife with a flavorless oil such as corn or canola.

Cut parchment paper into 4x5 inch pieces and wrap each caramel individually, twisting the ends.  

Italian Spumoni Cookies

"Cookies are made of butter and love"

~Norwegian proverb

This one is for all of my friends who work long hours, yet still want to whip up something special.  You start with Pillsbury sugar cookie dough that you doctor up, shape and refrigerate overnight.  The next day you have this beautiful slice and bake.  It's really easy and is the last of the recipes I raided from my mother's Taste of Home magazines.  Generally I have the time and inclination to cook from scratch.  It's my hobby, after all...but I appreciate a good shortcut as much as anyone.  The thing is, you have to be careful because shortcuts are only worthwhile if the end product doesn't suffer from it.  In this case, it doesn't, and these cookies would hold their own at any cookie exchange or party.

When it comes to baked goods, I'm really picky but I LOVED these cookies, and the Mister did too!  If you're a purest, by all means, make a batch of your favorite sugar cookie dough and use 2 pounds of it to complete the recipe (don't add the extra flour in that case).  Knock yourself out...OR use the Pillsbury cookie dough to make it fun, easy, quick...with no sacrifice in taste or texture....and no one will ever guess....MWA-HA-HA-HA!

The recipe called for pistachios for the green dough, but I didn't have any, so I substituted chopped toasted almonds.  I think a couple drops of almond extract would make them even better!  A few tips:  let the dough come to room temperature for a least an hour so it will be easy to work with.  When dividing into three pieces, do your best to make them as equal as possible.  That goes miles toward making the three pieces fit together correctly in the end steps.  Remember to start these cookies the night before!

Italian Spumoni Cookies
makes 30 cookies
A Taste of Home Recipe


2 16-ounce tubes Pillsbury sugar cookie dough
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup chopped maraschino cherries
red food color
2 tablespoons cocoa
2 teaspoons hazelnut liquor
1/3 cup chopped pistachios (or almonds)
1/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
green food color


Allow cookie dough to come to room temperature (at least an hour).  Empty both rolls into a large mixing bowl.  Using an electric mixer, beat in 3/4 cup of flour.  Divide dough into 3 equal parts.
Place one of the 1/3 portions of dough back into bowl.  Beat in 1/4 cup of flour, then 6 drops red food coloring and the 1/4 cup of chopped maraschino cherries.  Shape dough into a ball and set aside.  


Wipe inside of bowl with paper towel, then place another 1/3 portion of dough in.  Beat in 2 tablespoons of cocoa and 2 teaspoons of hazelnut liquor.  Shape dough into ball and set aside.

Wipe inside of bowl with a paper towel and add last 1/3 portion of dough.  Beat in 1/3 cup chopped nuts, 5 drops of green food coloring and almond flavoring (if desired).


Shape each ball of dough into an equal length log...about 15 inches long.  Place log on a piece of plastic wrap and using a rolling pin, flatten into a 1/2 inch thick rectangle.  Pat sides and end square with a spatula.


Repeat with each portion of dough, then stack them in this order; cherry, chocolate, then pistachio.  Pat ends and sides with spatula to ease them to fit together. 

Wrap rectangle of dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Remove dough from fridge, cut in half, re-wrapping and returning half to fridge (or freezer to use later).  Slice dough into 1/4 inch thick slices and place on ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake 8-10 minutes.  Cool 2 minutes, then using a spatula, carefully place cookies on cooling rack.  Cool completely, then store cookies at room temperature in an airtight container.

Veal Stuffed Jumbo Shells with Mushroom-Parmesan Bechamel

"Sometimes I pray to Cod for the veal-power to stop playing with my food-words, but I fear it's too bread into me.  For all I know, the wurst may be yet to come."

~Mark Morton (Gastromica '06)

When I was a kid, cheese-stuffed shells were a go-to recipe in my family.  If it wasn't a holiday and family was visiting, you can bet we had stuffed shells.  You can make them ahead, they freeze well, AND they're delicious.  Perfect for my working mom.

The first time I had the veal-stuffed variety was over 20 years ago when my sister-in-law Joy made them for us.  I've never forgotten about it and have been meaning to make the dish for years.  I mean, you know something is good if you're still thinking about it 20 years later.  I have her recipe somewhere, but couldn't find it, so I located one by Emiril Lagasse and played with it a little until it was sort-of as remembered.  This time I made it for my sister-in-law and she (and everyone else) enthusiastically approved.  They were an all-around hit.  The great thing was making them the day ahead, storing them in the fridge for 24 hours, and then just popping them in the oven the night of the dinner-party (since I worked all day).   For that reason alone, it's a great recipe for the busy holiday season.  

Veal Stuffed Jumbo Shells with Mushroom-Parmesan Bechamel

Serves 6

Inspired by Joy Murphy and adapted from a recipe by Emeril Lagasse.  

Stuffed Shells:

24 jumbo shells, about 1/2 pound

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound ground veal

1 pound ground pork 

1/2 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

3/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 large egg

Mushroom-Parmesan Bechamel:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 pound button mushrooms, cleaned and sliced

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme (or 1 teaspoon fresh)

1/2 cup diced onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 tablespoons flour

2 1/2 cups whole milk

1/2 cup white wine 

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 1/2 cups Parmesan cheese

Start a large pot of water to boil over high heat.  Season with salt and when it comes to a rolling boil, add dried shells.  Cook until pliable, but not fully cooked, about 8 minutes.  Remove the shells from the water and place shells in a single layer on a sheet pan.

While the shells cool, make the stuffing.  Set a large saute pan over medium heat and add the olive oil to the pan.  Add the onions and garlic and cook about 3 minutes.  Remove from heat and set aside to cool.  In a medium bowl, combine the veal, pork, seasonings, bread crumbs, cheese, cooked onions and garlic, heavy cream and egg.  Do not over-mix.

Grease 13x9 inch baking dish.  Place 2 tablespoons of the stuffing mix into each of the jumbo shells and place open side down in baking dish.  When completed, wrap the casserole with plastic wrap and set aside in fridge while you prepare the bechamel.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Set a one or two-quart saucepan over medium-high heat and add the butter.  Once melted, add the mushrooms and thyme.  Cook, stirring often, until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes.  Add the onions and garlic to the pan and cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Sprinkle flour into the pan, stirring to combine and cook the roux, stirring, for 2 minutes.  Whisk in the milk and wine.  Season with salt and pepper.  Bring bechamel to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer, stirring until sauce is thickened, about 3-5 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Stir in 3/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese and pour over the shells in the baking dish.  Sprinkle remaining 3/4 cup Parmesan over the top of the sauce.  Cover dish with tin foil.  Bake, covered for 25 minutes, then uncover and bake 20 minutes more until bubbling and browned.

If you are baking shells that have been stored in the fridge overnight, bake covered for 45 minutes, then uncover an continue baking another 20 minutes until bubbling and browned.

Stuffed Acorn Squash

"You know, when you get your first asparagus, or your first acorn squash, or your first really good tomato of the season, those are the moments that define the cook's year.  I get more excited by that than anything else."

~Mario Batali

Most great recipes come from our mothers, don't they?  Well, this one came from my mom's house, anyway.  I jotted it down along with a few others when I raided her magazines.  There is a really easy stuffed zucchini recipe that I grew up on (and love!) and it is posted on this blog.  I make it at least a half dozen times a year.  In that sense, mom set the stage for my love of sausage-stuffed squashy things.

In this version, from Taste of Home magazine, the stuffing is loaded with vegetables and is bound by an easy, yet surprisingly elegant-tasting sauce.  I tweaked a few things, including the cooking time.  The recipe called to be baked 30 minutes, but from the get-go I knew that would not be enough to cook the squash, so I planned to cook it an hour, withholding the application of cheese until 20" before the end, so it wouldn't brown.  Sure enough, at 30 minutes, the squash was still quite hard.  Another 20 or 30 minutes did the trick and it became tender enough to scoop out of the skin and enjoy....because acorn squash is way too good to simply be a vessel for stuffing!  This was really delicious and crave-worthy.  I loved the croutons in it.  A nice twist away from traditional bread crumbs.  Easy and inexpensive enough for every day, yet good enough for company.  But if you want to make it, you'll have to act fast, because (at least in CT) acorn squash is only seasonally available!

Stuffed Acorn Squash

Adapted from a recipe in Taste of Home magazine

serves 4

2 fresh medium acorn squash, cut in half

1 pound uncooked bulk sausage (I used Jones's)

1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced (I used baby Portabellas)

1 onion, diced

1 celery rib, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 cup white wine

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 cup Ceasar croutons

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  After cutting acorn squash in half (lengthwise), scoop out the seeds and pulp, then slice a bit off the rounded side to create a flat "bottom" so it won't wobble.  Place each half on a cookie sheet.  Season squash with a little salt and pepper.

In a large skillet on medium-high, cook crumbled bulk sausage, mushrooms, onion, celery and garlic together.

After the sausage is brown and the vegetables softened, add wine, mushroom soup, croutons, Parmesan and 1/2 cup of the cheddar cheese.  Spoon into acorn "cups" and pile extra stuffing on top.

Bake for 30-40 minutes.  Remove from oven and sprinkle with remaining cheddar cheese.  Place back in oven and bake an additional 20 minutes, until cheese is melted well and you are able to pierce squash easily with a knife.  Serve immediately.

Cheddar Cheese Thumbprints with Hot Pepper Jelly

"The smell and taste of things remain poised a long time, like souls, ready to remind us."

~Marcel Proust

Making pepper jelly has been a tradition here for years.  I always have a few jars around.  So, when I purchased the book, 250 Home Preserving Favorites and saw this use for it, I got excited.  Cheddar cookies are, after all,  one of my most popular cocktail hors d'oeuvres and this twist on the popular thumbprint cookies marries two things simply meant for each other; sharp cheddar and sweet/spicy hot pepper jelly. 

They look beautiful, are delicious, and easy to eat with one hand, making them perfect for cocktail hour.  A delectable savory treat.  Cheers!

As an added bonus, they also may be baked ahead and frozen for up to 3 months.  The results of today's labors are in the freezer right now, awaiting their appearance on Thanksgiving.  I let the fam each try one and they loved them, each asking "just one more?"  

NO!  No touchy!  Hands-off!  These are saving me valuable time on Thanksgiving day!

To crisp, heat thawed cookies on a baking sheet for 3 minutes at 350 degrees to re-crisp them.  If you don't make your own pepper jelly, NO PROBLEM!  It is pretty easy to find and Stonewall Kitchens has a nice one.  You could also substitute wine jelly, but I like the heat of the hot pepper jelly.  The sharpness of the cheddar contrasted to the sweet and spicy jelly makes a tantalizing bite.  

Cheddar Cheese Thumbprints with Hot Pepper Jelly

Makes 20 cookies

Recipe from Yvonne Tremblay in 250 Home Preserving Favorites

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

pinch cayenne pepper

2/3 cup butter, softened

2 cups finely shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese

1/4 cup hot pepper jelly

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  

In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, combine flour, salt and cayenne.  Add butter; pulse several times to combine.  Add cheese; pulse until flour is all moistened and mixture begins to stick together.

Transfer to a lightly floured surface and gather together and knead a couple times to form a ball.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Roll dough into 1-inch balls, using about 1 tablespoon of dough for each ball.  Place at least 2 inches apart on baking sheets.  Using a wooden spoon handle or your thumb, make an indentation in the center of each ball.

Bake in preheated oven for 6 minutes.  Remove from oven, press indentation slightly again, and place a small amount of hot pepper jelly in the indentation.  Not too much...you don't want it to spill over.

Return to oven and bake 6 minutes more.  Transfer to wire racks and let cool completely.

Variations: If desired, roll balls of dough in finely chopped nuts, such as pecans or walnuts, or lightly toasted sesame seeds.

Add 1/2 teaspoon paprika or 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard powder to the flour mixture.

If you don't have a food processor:  Combine the butter and cheese in a medium bowl; stir with a wooden spoon to blend well.  In a small bowl, combine flour, salt and cayenne pepper; stir into cheese mixture until flour is moistened and mixture begins to stick together.  Proceed to the step where you roll the dough into balls (above).

Tips: For nicely shaped, deep indentations, use the end of a wooden spoon instead of your thumb.
If you're going to freeze them, freeze them initially on a single layer in a cookie sheet.  You can then place frozen cookies in a shallow container....place a piece of wax paper in-between layers.

White Chocolate-Macadamia Snowballs with a Dough Shortcut!

"Put "eat chocolate" at the top of your list of things to do today!  That way, at least you'll get one thing done."

~Little Truths

Oh my gosh...I LOVED these!  This is one of the easiest, excellent cookies you will ever have.  They take two minutes to mix together and they were fantastic.  You can thank my mother for the recipe. 

My mother has always had great magazine subscriptions.  Ever since leaving home, one of the first things I do when on a visit is plop on her couch and start pouring through her magazines...many of them filled with recipes.  The golf ones get tossed aside.

This is what golf does to my brain

So last week on a visit, as per the usual routine, I took a look at her Taste of Home and a few recipes jumped out and bit me.   This was one of them.  They start with a log of Pillsbury sugar cookie dough.  A few changes and they were all that I imagined. 

 The original recipe called for the dough to be wrapped around a Hersey's White Chocolate Bliss candy.  That was a problem.  They have a "meltaway" center and I don't go for things with gooey centers.  You couldn't pay me to eat a Cadbury egg, for instance.  

A little substitution of white chocolate chips and they came out great.  Instead of icing the cookies as the recipe dictated, I dipped them in melted white chocolate chips before dipping them in the coconut.  I wanted the cookies to remain crisp on the outside and sometimes icing softens them.

For such a great result, these were amazingly easy.  They look pretty and most important...they tasted GREAT!  We were gobbling them up all night.  Good enough to give as gifts.  In fact, I left some without the topping because Mom doesn't like coconut and I want to give her some.  

She loves white chocolate.   Thanks, Mom!  

White Chocolate Macadamia Snowballs

Inspired by a Taste of Home recipe

Makes 18 2-inch cookies  

One 16 ounce log of Pillsbury sugar cookie dough

1/2 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts

1 cup white chocolate chips, divided (half for cookies, half for frosting)

1/2 cup shredded coconut

Let dough sit at room temperature for one hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Slice open log of dough and empty into a large bowl.  With an electric mixer, beat in 1/2 cup flour and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.  Beat in chopped nuts and 1/2 cup of white chocolate chips.  Dough may look crumbly.  With your hands, gather it together a little, but don't overwork it.

Shape tablespoonfuls of dough into balls and place 2 inches apart on the parchment lined cookie sheets.

Bake at 350 for 10 - 12 minutes.  Cool for 10 minutes, then transfer to cooling racks.

Melt remaining 1/2 cup of white chocolate chips in a glass bowl over a small pot of simmering water.

Pour 1/2 cup coconut into a small shallow bowl.  Spread tops of cookies with a little white chocolate and then press tops into loose coconut.  Let set for 10 minutes.

Gratin of Leeks and Lentils

"Better to eat vegetables and fear no creditors, than to eat duck and hide from them."

~Hebrew Proverb

No matter how funky a dish sounds, if it comes recommended highly enough, it's worth a try.  This is one of those recipes.  Lentils and leeks...huh?   But the dish, conceived at the Old Mill restaurant at the Temple Bar in Dublin, has gotten such raving accolades that it piqued my interest.  The fact that I had a half a bag of lentils left over from the soup I made last week was just the little nudge I needed to give it a try.

The original recipe was posted on Too Many Chefs, by Barrett Bus of Chicago nearly 8 years ago.  It's remarkably tasty with great texture.  A wonderful and interesting vegetarian meal or a nice side dish for fish, pork or veal.  We loved it, and I can't wait for an excuse to make it for guests!

Gratin of Leeks and Lentils

dinner for two, or side dish for 4-6

Adapted from a recipe by The Old Mill Restaurant at the Temple Bar in Dublin

1/2 cup dry lentils

2 cups water

3 leeks, trimmed and rinsed

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons butter

salt and pepper to taste

1/3 cup Parmesan cheese

For sauce:

4 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon all purpose flour

1/2 cup chicken broth (Barret's version uses clam juice; original uses broth from poaching mussels)

1/2 cup white wine

1/4 cup heavy cream

Place lentils in a medium saucepan and cover with 2 cups water.  Bring to a boil, cover and lower to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes or until tender, but not mushy.

Meanwhile, cut leeks into 1-inch bands, then cut bands in half so you can separate the layers and wash them thoroughly.  Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet.  Add leeks and cook 2-3 minutes.  Add garlic and cook until leeks become limp.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Remove from heat.

Check lentils.  If they are tender, drain and add to the leeks and mix well.  If not, let them cook a few more minutes until they soften.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and prepare sauce:  In a small saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons butter.  Add 1 tablespoon flour, salt and pepper and cook 2 minutes, stirring continuously.  Whisk in wine, chicken broth and cream, then reduce heat to simmer and thicken sauce, stirring continuously.

Butter a small, shallow baking or gratin dish.  Add lentil and leek mixture.  Pour sauce over.  Bake for 15 minutes, then sprinkle with  Parmesan cheese, return to oven and bake 10 minutes more until bubbly and golden.

Cranberry Orange White Chocolate Snack Cake

"Marmalade in the morning has the same effect on taste buds as that a cold shower has on the body."

~Noel Coward (1899-1973)

You can thank the Mister for this post.  Even though the cake came out delicious, the pic didn't, so I was going to skip it.  Trying to snap the shot before the sun set was behind the decision to cut the cake while it was still warm, leading to a messy cut and a sloppy shot.  

But then a funny thing happened.  Scott had a piece after dinner and went on and on about how good it was.  This led to quickly dismissed professions of guilt before diving into a second and almost a third piece, all the while proclaiming it's merits. 

"It's friggin delicious!" 

"It reminds me of pineapple-upside down cake, with the chewy topping and moist cake." 

"The cross-hatched icing is perfect and the tang of the berries makes it."

"What is that crunch?  Is that white chocolate? OMG."

"You gotta blog it...it's that good."  

Okay, so he talked me into it.  Here's how it came about.  Despite the fact that I had cranberry muffins on the brain, I was looking for recipes to use some of the orange marmalade I made back in March. I came across this recipe for white chocolate orange cake on About.com and decided to throw cranberries in it.  

There you have it.  And since you were nice enough to stop by, I'll give you this little bonus gem.  A great little appetizer that takes seconds to put together.  Might be nice at Thanksgiving, 'eh?

Marmalade-Almond Baked Brie.  Slice the rind off one flat of an 8-ounce round of brie.  Place in small baking dish.  Top with 1/3 cup of orange marmalade and sprinkle with 1/3 cup of sliced almonds.  Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes.  Serve with crackers. 

My Sister-in-Law, Joy Murphy, made this last Easter

Cranberry Orange White Chocolate Snack Cake

1 large navel orange

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1/4 cup orange juice

3/4 cup buttermilk

1 cup white chocolate chips

1 cup fresh cranberries

1 tablespoon orange zest

Glaze:

1/4 cup orange marmalade

2 tablespoons butter

Icing:

1 cup confectioner's sugar

2 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

orange juice

orange zest

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 13x9 inch pan.  

Using a microplane, remove zest from the orange and set aside.  Juice the orange and set aside, reserving for use in the recipe.  

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating until combined.  Beat in 1/4 cup of the juice (if there's any left, reserve it for icing) and buttermilk.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.  Add 1/2 the orange zest (save the rest for icing) and beat for 2 minutes.

Pour into prepared baking pan.  Sprinkle white chocolate chips and then cranberries evenly over the batter.  Tap pan gently on the counter once or twice to settle them in a little.  Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until cake tests done in center.

Glaze:

While cake is baking, melt orange marmalade and butter together, either on stove or in microwave.  Stir to combine.  Brush glaze over the top of the warm cake as soon as it comes out of the oven.  Let cake cool to room temperature before adding the icing.

Icing:

Combine confectioner's sugar with cream cheese, remaining orange zest and about 1 teaspoon of orange juice until smooth.  Add a little more orange juice or milk if too stiff.  Scrape into a zip-top bag.  Cut a small corner from the bottom of the bag and squeeze glaze over the cooled cake in a zig-zag pattern one way and then back the opposite way to form a cross-hatch pattern.