Here We Go A-Frolicking Among the Biscuits…

COOKING ADVENTURE #37: Biscuit Cinnamon Buns and Pumpkin Spice Coffee

So… this Cooking Adventure was a little on the easy side. In fact, I’m not sure that I’d even describe it as a proper “adventure”. It was more like a frolic, like the time I made egg drop soup. There were a few things that could have gone better but for the most part, it was a piece of cake making this delectable morning treat and it’s coffee creamer sidekick. And of course, I’ve been enjoying said treats for the better part of a week. Guys, this is essentially one of the simplest things to make and that’s coming from someone who couldn’t make pudding, okay? … Yes, there was a point earlier in my life where I failed to make pistachio pudding. I used water instead of milk… don’t judge me. Anyway, here we go a-frolicking among the biscuits so cinnamony…

Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. It’s the part of the day where I am most mentally aware, and when I usually do most of my writing. And usually, it’s also when I indulge myself a bit more. I love getting creative with breakfast foods. So, when I stumbled across this recipe on Pinterest, I was immediately in love with the idea of something so sinfully easy.

The first thing that one must do is take out your bunt cake pan and coat it with a layer of Pam or olive oil. I didn’t own a bunt cake pan before this adventure. I’d previously used my mom’s in order to bake the angel food cake (that was as solid as a rock) and wasn’t able to borrow it because I’d forgotten to ask when I was last over there. It didn’t matter. I needed my own anyway. Second thing I didn’t have was Pam spray. Now… I’m sorry, but how hard is it to just take a paper towel, splash it with some olive oil and then coat the inside of a pan yourself? I will never be a Pam convert. You can’t make me.

Next, you are to take a bowl and mix into it 3 tbsp. melted butter and 1/2 cup pancake syrup. Melting the butter was easy. One minute in the microwave and it was all set. When it came to the pancake syrup, my reservations kicked in immediately. It was while eating pancakes doused with syrup that my ulcer attacked me nearly two months ago. I was a little nervous about how the reaction would be this time. As I drizzled the syrup into the measuring cup and then dumped it into the bowl with the butter, I silently prayed that it wouldn’t set me off again.

In another bowl, I measured 1/3 cup brown sugar (which I proceeded to spill all over my kitchen counter), and a 1/2 tsp. cinnamon. Mixing those together created a spicy fragrance that quickly took over the area. Then, taking a spoon, I evenly coated the bottom of the pan with half of the syrup mixture and then sprinkled half of the brown sugar mix on top of that.

Now, the biscuits. The recipe asks that you use refrigerated buttermilk biscuits from a can. It also, however, mentions after a big OR for you to use the Pillsbury Grands Buttermilk Biscuits. Is this because the author of this recipe realized that perhaps the store brand was inferior to the magical Pillsbury dough boy? I’d like to think so. I kind of wish I’d taken the suggestion. But being a dufus, I got the store brand instead.

Opening the can is supposed to be simple. You just tear the piece of paper on the outside of the can until the seam is exposed. Then press down on the seam with a knife until the can pops open. On the first can, I eagerly peeled back the paper. Rip. The paper had torn way before it was supposed to. And I couldn’t get the rest of it off. Even worse, I had no idea where the seam was. I began poking the tube with a spoon in random spots hoping that I’d eventually find it. When I did, the spoon slid into the seam with a little force. However, the seam didn’t release like it was supposed to. It just stayed closed, biscuit poking out of the hole I’d created. I frantically took a knife to it and finally the can popped open.

Now, one must arrange the biscuits in the bunt cake pan in an overlapping pattern. I ended up using about 1 and 1/2 cans of biscuits to do this. The others I just baked separately. Then, you take the remaining syrup and pour it over the biscuits in the pan. Then, sprinkle the rest of the brown sugar on top. Turning the oven up to 375, I put the biscuits in and let them bake for 25 minutes. I washed up everything while watching an episode of Fringe, and then went about making up the pumpkin spice coffee creamer.

This is even more simple than the biscuit cinnamon buns. In a blender, combine a can of sweetened condensed milk, 1 and 1/2 cups of skim milk, 3 tbsp. canned pumpkin, a tsp. of pumpkin pie spice (which I made myself using cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg), and 1/2 tsp. of vanilla extract. Then, you simply blend it together. You add it to your coffee and inhale the wonderful aroma as you pleasantly drink it and think of fall.

The biscuits came out of the oven soon after and the entire kitchen took on the smell of maple syrup. I tipped the pan upside down onto a plate and shook, trying to get the biscuit ring to come out and hoping it didn’t do the same thing as my pineapple upside-down cake had… Instead, it wouldn’t budge. Only after taking a knife to it to loosen it did it finally plop down onto the plate. It looked magnificent… almost like a professional had done it! And as I said before, they tasted out of this world!

Next week on Cooking Adventures, we’re going to actually have an adventure. You know how I know that? Because we’ll be cooking something that I’ve never had the courage to cook before, something alive… Something I’ve dreaded to do, but must do. I live in Maine. You knew it had to be coming at some point. Lobster is next week on Cooking Adventures: Co-Op #2. (Because I honestly can’t do it by myself!) Stay tuned!

~KSilva

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