Try these recipes made with organic Maine-made maple syrup

Amish Maple Bread 1 1/4 cups very warm water (but not boiling) 1/4 cup organic Maine maple syrup 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast 1 1/4 teaspoons salt 1/4 cup vegetable oil 6 cups white flour Directions In a large bowl, mix the maple syrup with the warm water, and then stir in yeast. Allow to proof until yeast resembles a creamy foam. Mix salt and oil into the yeast. Mix in flour one cup at a time. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth. Place in a well-oiled bowl, and turn dough to coat. Cover with a damp cloth. Allow to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Punch dough down. Knead for a few minutes; then divide in half. Shape into loaves, and place into two well-oiled 9 x 5 inch loaf pans. Allow to rise for 30 minutes, or until dough has risen 1 inch above pans. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 minutes. Remove loaves from pans and place on cooling rack. Cool thoroughly before slicing.

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Cranberry Ricotta Pancakes with Maple Syrup 2 cups white flour (substitute 1/2 whole wheat flour, if desired) 1/4 cup granulated white sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg 2 cups ricotta cheese 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 6 eggs, separated 2 cups dried or frozen thawed cranberries Directions Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside. Beat egg whites until stiff. Set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk together ricotta cheese, vanilla extract, and egg yolks until combined. Add flour mixture and stir just until combined. Do not overmix. Fold in beaten egg whites along with cranberries. Cook on a greased, preheated griddle and serve with organic Maine maple syrup.

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Maple Candied Sweet Potatoes 1/4 cup organic Maine maple syrup 1/4 cup apple juice 1 Tablespoon butter 4 small sweet potatoes, peeled 1/2 cup raisins Directions Mix the maple syrup and apple juice in an electric slow cooker. Add the butter, sweet potatoes, and raisins. Cover and cook on LOW until the potatoes are tender, 8 to 10 hours. Serve with the syrup from the cooker and raisins spooned over the potatoes.

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Maple Coconut Candy Squares 1 cup organic Maine maple syrup 1 tablespoon butter grated coconut Directions Place maple syrup and butter in saucepan and bring to a boil. Add coconut. Reduce heat and cook slowly, stirring until a spoonful of the mixture hardens when dropped into cold water. Pour mixture onto well-buttered pan. When hardened enough, cut into squares. Wrap individually in waxed paper.

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Maple Cheesecake Crust: 1 1/2 cups graham-cracker crumbs or vanilla-wafer crumbs 5 tablespoons butter, melted 2 Tablespoons sugar Filling: 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk 1/3 cup lemon juice 2 tablespoons maple syrup Topping: 1 cup organic Maine maple syrup 1/2 cup water 1 egg, beaten 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch 1/2 cup chopped walnuts Directions To make the crust, combine the graham-cracker or vanilla-wafer crumbs, sugar and butter. Mix well. Press into a 9-inch pie pan. Chill the crust while you make the filling. To make the filling, beat the cream cheese until fluffy. Add the canned milk, lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons maple syrup. Beat well. Pour into the prepared pie crust. Chill for several hours. To make the topping, bring the 1 cup maple syrup and 1/2 cup water to a boil. Mix together the egg and cornstarch. Add a little bit of the boiling syrup to the mixture so the egg does not cook before before incorporating it all together. Stir and cook until the syrup is thickened. Spread the topping over the cream-cheese filling. Garnish with the chopped walnuts. Keep refrigerated until served.

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Maple Pecan Scones 3 cups flour 1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder 3/4 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup cold unsalted butter 1 cup pecans, chopped 2/3 cup organic Maine maple syrup, plus a little more for brushing 1/3 cup heavy cream Directions Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, or grease and flour the baking sheet. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut in butter with a pastry blender, two butter knives, or use your fingers, until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in pecans. Set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together maple syrup and heavy cream until smooth. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Pour the cream mixture into the well. Stir briskly with a wooden spoon until mixture begins to come together into a dough. Do not overmix. Roll dough out on a lightly floured board to a thickness of 2 inches. Use a 3-inch biscuit cutter to cut rounds from the dough. Place on prepared pan 2 inches apart. Brush tops with maple syrup. Bake scones 15 to 20 minutes until lightly browned. Serve warm with butter.

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