Krackle & Peppermint Chocolate Pinwheel Cookies

Posted on | December 22, 2009 | 4 Comments

I had a Christmas cookies craving last night. I made Krackle Cookies and Peppermint Chocolate Pinwheels. I’ve made the krackle cookies since I was a kid. The pinwheels were from a recipe I spotted on Alton Brown’s Good Eats show. The pinwheels are a sugar base with chocolate and peppermint added to 1/2 the dough and then rolled together. Greg thought they were ok. Sugar cookies aren’t are favorites.

This morning they sure are tasty with a cup of coffee. A few shots of the cookies above and below. I actually tried a new version of a krackle cookie with espresso: marthastewart.com (she calls them snowcaps). The recipe for the chocolate pinwheel cookies can be found on foodnetwork.com. Watch The Cookie Clause video to learn all about sugar cookies from Alton and different variations that can be made with the dough.

Category: recipes, sweets

Recipe: Guinness Gingerbread Cake

Posted on | December 17, 2009 | 16 Comments

I’m burnt out on Christmas. Maybe I’m just a bit bummed that we didn’t put up a tree this year and every room in our house is under renovation. Last night, I got busy knitting a scarf and hat for my sister. I think I pulled out the knitting at least 5 times because I didn’t like the tension. I yelled at myself for being so obsessive. Last year, when I made scarves I had no idea what I was doing so I just went for it. I need to calm my crazy. Maybe some Old New England Eggnog? Festive and I have some in the fridge.

I had a friend over for lunch today. I made Guinness Gingerbread for dessert. Super yum and spicy. You can barely taste the Guinness. Well you can if you think “Guinness” and take big bites. The cake is nice and moist. I like it. The recipe is from The Sweet Melissa Baking Book.

Ingredients:
2/3 cup Guinness stout
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons best-quality unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
2 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 large eggs
1/2 granulated sugar
1/3 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
2/3 cup molasses
3/4 cup vegetable or canola oil

Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter and flour a 9 x 9 x 2 square cake pan.

1. In a medium saucepan, bring the beer to a simmer and remove from heat.

2. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, ginger, white pepper, and cinnamon into a medium bowl.

3. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and molasses until smooth. Whisk in the oil to combine. Whisk in the dry ingredients in three batches, alternating with the beer. (Dry, beer, dry, beer, dry.) Mix until just combined. Do not over mix.

4. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove to a wire rack to cool.

The gingerbread is best at room temperature with freshly whipped cream.

Category: recipes, sweets

Recipe: Pumpkin Cookies With Brown Butter Icing

Posted on | November 19, 2009 | 18 Comments

Just out the oven, Pumpkin Cookies with Brown-Butter Icing. I love this recipe. The cookies are kinda cakey. The brown butter icing is the perfect compliment to the spicyness of the cookie. The recipes suggest piping the cookies onto parchment. I tried it. I thought they were too flat and they lost their cakey texture. I liked the two-spoon-drop cookie method better. Make these cookies for guests as they arrive the night before Thanksgiving. I love pumpkin overload!

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart’s Cookies

for the cookies:
2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 ¼ teaspoons salt
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 ¼ teaspoons ground ginger
3/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), room temperature
2 ¼ cups packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 ½ cups canned solid-pack pumpkin (14 ounces)
3/4 cup evaporated milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

for the icing:
4 cups confectioner’s sugar, sifted
10 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon evaporated milk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Make cookies: Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg in a bowl.

2. Put butter and brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in eggs. Reduce speed to low. Add pumpkin, evaporated milk, and vanilla; mix until well blended, about 2 minutes. Add flour to mixture; mix until combined.

3. Drop cookies onto parchment spacing about 1 inch apart. Bake cookies about 12 minutes. Cool on sheets for 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks; let cool completely.

4. Make icing: Put confectioners’ sugar in bowl. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, swirling, until golden brown. Immediately add butter to confectioners’ sugar. Add evaporated milk and vanilla; stir until smooth.

5. Spread about 1 teaspoon icing onto each cookie. Cookies can be stored in single layers in airtight containers at room temperature for 3 days.

Category: recipes, sweets

I love Macarons

Posted on | November 19, 2009 | 3 Comments

I picked up this sweet little recipe book last night, I Love Macarons. I do love macarons and their petite size and colors. A new book by Japanese pastry chef Hisako Ogita gives step-by-step instructions on how to make these adorable French treats. Each step is illustrated by a photo, making the process easy for beginner bakers. She includes a wide range of yummy filling options like raspberry, chocolate, and more exotic flavors like matcha. Maybe I should make pink ones with chocolate filling? So yum. The styling and photography is really cute. A great gift for a macaron loving friend. Buy it at amazon.com.

Recipe: Maple Pear Upside Down Cake

Posted on | November 13, 2009 | 16 Comments

I know what your thinking, She burnt the cake. I thought I did too. I was overdoing the multi-tasking this morning and smelled the sugar burning from the third floor of my house. I ran downstairs and thought I totally screwed the cake up. I pulled it out of the oven annoyed at myself that I didn’t just make the cake when I had more time. I took a few photos for whatever reason. Made some whip cream that I also overwhipped. Again, answering e-mails from the third floor with the Kitchen Aid mixer on full blast in the kitchen. I know better but I was having one those, I just have to get it done moments.

I sampled a slice with my butter like whip cream and to my surprise it was delicious. Not burnt at all. How can a cake that looks burnt not be burnt you ask? Maybe the top is so dark because of the maple syrup grade and the dark brown sugar I used. Who cares anyway, it’s delicious. I should have layered the pears more but besides that it’s awesome. All my favorite flavors of fall: maple, brown sugar, vanilla, and pears.

Recipe adapted from Mark Bittman. Watch a how to video on the nytimes.com.

Yield: 8 to 10 servings

Ingredients
11 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
3 to 4 pears, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a small pan over medium heat; add maple syrup and brown sugar and cook, stirring, until sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil and cook for another 2 minutes; remove from heat and set aside. When mixture has cooled a bit, pour it into a 9-inch baking pan and arrange pear slices in an overlapping circle on top.

2. With a handheld or standing mixer, beat remaining 8 tablespoons butter and the sugar until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and eggs, one egg at a time, continuing to mix until smooth. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt.

3. Add flour mixture to butter mixture in three batches, alternating with milk; do not overmix. Carefully spread batter over pears, using a spatula to make sure it is evenly distributed. Bake until top of cake is golden brown and edges begin to pull away from sides of pan, about 45 to 50 minutes; a toothpick inserted into center should come out clean. Let cake cool for 5 minutes.

4. Run a knife around edge of pan; put a plate on top of cake and carefully flip it so plate is on bottom and pan is on top. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Category: recipes, sweets

Recipe: Homemade Apple Cider Doughnuts

Posted on | October 12, 2009 | 22 Comments

On Sunday afternoon I made apple cider doughnuts. I was a little intimated by the process; who makes doughnuts at home? I figured it was worth a try and once I read the recipe, the process seemed pretty simple. I had some issues getting the oil temperature correct—I don’t own a candy thermometer. I had a break down and cried after the first couple I fried looked delicious and golden but were still a gooey mess inside. I’ll blame my meltdown on pms. Once I lowered the oil temperature and allowed the doughnuts to cook a little longer then the recipe suggested I was fine. If you’re missing New England or need a little fall in your life try this recipe!

Ingredients:
1 cup apple cider
3 1/2 cups flour, plus additional for the work surface
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (I used more cinnamon)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg (I used more nutmeg)
4 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
Vegetable oil for frying

In a saucepan over medium or medium-low heat, gently reduce the apple cider to about 1/4 cup, 20 to 30 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and soda, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg. Set aside.

Using an electric mixer on medium speed (with the paddle attachment, if using a standing mixer) beat the butter and granulated sugar until the mixture is smooth. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and continue to beat until the eggs are completely incorporated. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally. Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the reduced apple cider and the buttermilk, mixing just until combined. Add the flour mixture and continue to mix just until the dough comes together.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment or wax paper and sprinkle them generously with flour. Turn the dough onto 1 of the sheets and sprinkle the top with flour. Flatten the dough with your hands until it is about 1/2 inch thick. Use more flour if the dough is still wet. Transfer the dough to the freezer until it is slightly hardened, about 20 minutes. Pull the dough out of the freezer. Using a 3-inch doughnut cutter, cut out doughnut shapes. Place the cut doughnuts and doughnut holes onto the second sheet pan. Refrigerate the doughnuts for 20 to 30 minutes. (You may re-roll the scraps of dough, refrigerate them briefly and cut additional doughnuts from the dough.)

Add enough oil to a deep-sided pan to measure a depth of about 3 inches. Attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pan and heat over medium heat until the oil reaches 350 degrees. Have ready a plate lined with several thicknesses of paper towels.

To fry and assemble: Carefully add a few doughnuts to the oil, being careful not to crowd the pan, and fry until golden brown, about 60 seconds. Turn the doughnuts over and fry until the other side is golden, 30 to 60 seconds. Drain on paper towels after the doughnuts are fried. Roll the warm doughnuts into a cinnamon/sugar mixture and serve immediately.

Adapted from the Washington Post

Category: recipes, sweets

Recipe: Real Maine Whoopie Pies

Posted on | July 30, 2009 | 36 Comments

While I was in Maine I spent one rainy afternoon making whoopie Pies with my Grammy Elliott and my cousin’s grandmother, Rita. Watching them bicker and laugh while sipping some cold Pinot Grigio with Judge Judy blaring in the background was a hoot. Rita calls herself the, Whoopie Pie Queen and frankly after tasting her creations I can’t deny that claim. Store bought whoopie pies are just too thick and have way too much filling. More is not necessarily better when it comes to whoopies.

Maybe I should back up and explain what a whoopie pie is. Two devil’s food cakes with a creamy filling made of egg whites, confectionery sugar, fluff, and basically Crisco. Whoopie pies as far as I know are a Maine thing. The amish have their own version. You’ll spot whoopies wrapped in cellophane at gas stations, sub shops, and gourmet stores all over Maine. Some claim to be the best but honestly nothing compares to homemade. Above and below photos from a fun afternoon.

Below the recipe both grandmother’s having been making for years adapted from Marjorie Standish book, “Cooking Down East,” (1968).

Ingredients for Cakes:

1/2 cup shortening

1 cup sugar

2 egg yolks

5 tablespoons of cocoa (rita uses 4)

2 cups sifted flour

1 teaspoon each: baking powder, baking soda, salt

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

The sugar and shortening are creamed together, the beaten egg yolks added. The dry ingredients are sifted together, and added alternatively with the milk and vanilla. Drop the batter in equal spoonfulls onto a greased cookie sheet, leaving room for them to spread. Bake in a pre-heated 375 degrees oven for 7-10 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool. When completly cool, mix filling (recipe below), spreading half the cakes with this mixture. Put them together like a sandwich.

Filling: With an electric mixer, combine 1/2 cups shortening, 2 cups confectioners sugar, 2 egg whites, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons fluff.

p.s. I’ve come across recipes that cook the egg whites. The grandmothers never have and nobody has ever gotten sick.