Sweets

#SundaySupper: Pies, Sweet and Savory

~ lk529 ~ 20 Comments

Did you know that February is Pie Month? Well, if you followed along with my #FoodieExtravaganza post at the beginning of the month you probably did!

Today’s Sunday Supper is all about pies. Any kind of pie is fair game, too! Normally I’d be hopping on the savory side of the fence in events like this one, but not this time! Gasp! Today I am sharing a sweet pie. And it’s very sweet at that!

There are over 60 pies so be sure to scroll past my recipe. Thank you to Erica of The Crumby Cupcake for hosting today.

Cherry Chocolate Brownie Pie, to be exact. This pie is made in a spring form pan for easy serving. The base of the pie is a rich and chocolaty brownie, it is then studded with cherries, and topped with a luscious ganache.

I used frozen, pitted cherries which I halved and laid along the top of the batter in concentric circles. There’s almond extract in the batter, too, which compliments the cherry flavor beautifully! And that ganache! It definitely takes this pie over the top. Any extra ganache pairs beautifully with some fresh strawberries, too.

Cherry Chocolate Brownie Pie

Ingredients:

  • 2/3 C butter, at room temperature
  • 1 1/4 C sugar
  • 1/2 C corn syrup
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 1/4 C flour
  • 1/2 C cocoa powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3 tbsp milk
  • 1 tsp almond extract
  • 2 C cherries, pitted and halved (thawed if using frozen)
  • 1 C heavy cream
  • 8 oz semisweet chocolate chips

Steps:

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease a spring form pan.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add in the corn syrup. Add the eggs, one at a time. Add in the almond extract.
  3. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt.
  4. Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients to the batter followed by 1 tbsp milk. Repeat the process until the dry ingredients and the milk are incorporated.
  5. Pour batter into prepared spring form pan. Top with cherries. Bake 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out cleanly. Allow cake to cool completely. Remove the pie from the pan.
  6. Make the ganache: bring heavy cream to a low simmer, remove from the heat, and pour over the chocolate chips. Whisk until chocolate is melted and smooth. Pour over the pie base, allowing the ganache to drip down the sides of the pie.
  7. Refrigerate until set.

*This recipe is adapted from Danelle at http://www.letsdishrecipes.com/2014/08/chocolate-cherry-brownie-pie.html*

Cherry Chocolate Brownie Pie for #SundaySupper from Sew You Think You Can Cook
Sweet As Pie

Mealtime Pie

Plus

8387592742_f6164fd5a8_oJoin the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the#SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board.

Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.

#BundtBakers: Cinnamon

~ lk529 ~ 28 Comments

4ae7b-bundtbakerspost

This month’s edition of #BundtBakers is a little different. No, you won’t notice anything unique about this month compared to any of the previous #BundtBakers events but behind the scenes I got to try my hand at hosting again! #BundtBakers is a group of bundt loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bundts with a common ingredient or theme. We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme or ingredient.

I picked the theme of cinnamon because there’s probably nothing I love more than some cinnamon. In fact, when we had our wonderful Valentine’s dessert my husband mentioned that it’d be great with some nuts and I said, “It could use some cinnamon, too!” to which he simply laughed and said, “You and your cinnamon!” But hey, I can’t help it, it’s just so good! And with 27 other bundt bakers joining me, I know I’m not alone in my love of the spice. Because I am hosting I was more aware of the recipe titles being submitted than I normally am and someone beat me to the punch on using red cinnamon candies in her cake (unfortunately the busyness of work and life prevented her from sharing her cake with us today). There isn’t a rule that says I couldn’t also make a cinnamon candy bundt, but I do like to try to be unique in my flavor profile when I’m aware enough to be so.

Instead I thought about doing a chai bundt, I’ve been wanting to use chai tea in baking, and that thought led me instead use the tea I had in my pantry! It’s “Sweet Cinnamon Spice Tea” and it’s fabulous, no honey required. I followed a recipe for a cake using Earl Grey tea. Instead of blueberries I added chopped walnuts to the cake, you won’t find them in the recipe though because I didn’t think it was the right choice, raisins or chocolate chips might be nice. Also, next time I’ll be steeping two tea bags because there simply wasn’t enough cinnamon flavor for my liking. This recipe followed a unique method for making the cake, too. I’d never make cake batter in a pot before! I divided my batter between my Garland Bundt Pan. The texture of these bundtlettes was quite different, too, it was almost a cross between a baked donut, a muffin, and a cake; perfect for breakfast, warmed, with a little butter. And, of course, compliments your morning cup of coffee or your afternoon cup of tea.

Selfishly, this cake was not shared with anyone outside of our little family. Firecracker helpfully (?) participated in the photography of these cakes and declared them “good” after stealing a bite.

If you don’t have smaller bundt pans feel free to use a large loaf pan or 6 C bundt pan and bake for 55 minutes.

Sweet Cinnamon Spice Tea Bundtlettes (1) for #BundtBakers from Sew You Think You Can Cook

Sweet Cinnamon Spice Tea Bundtletts

Ingredients:

  • 1-2 bags Sweet Cinnamon Spice herbal tea
  • 6 tbsp butter
  • 1/2 C sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4 C vanilla yogurt (not Greek)
  • 1 1/2 C flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt

Steps:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease six 1 C bundtlettes.
  2. Steep the tea bag in 1/2 C boiling water for 10 minutes. Cut open tea bag and stir the contents into the tea.
  3. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Remove from heat and stir in the sugar and eggs until smooth. Add the yogurt and tea.
  4. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add to the pot and mix until combined.
  5. Divide batter evenly in the prepared bundt pan. Bake 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out cleanly. Allow bundts to cool in the pan before turning out.

*This recipe is modified from Izy at http://www.topwithcinnamon.com/2014/01/earl-grey-tea-blueberry-and-lemon-cake.html*

Sweet Cinnamon Spice Tea Bundtlettes (2) for #BundtBakers from Sew You Think You Can Cook

You can see all our of lovely Bundts by following our Pinterest board. Updated links for all of our past events and more information about #BundtBakers, can be found on our home page.

And don’t forget to take a peek at what other talented bakers have baked this month:

#FreshTastyValentines: Tangerine Hatch Chile Sherbet

~ lk529 ~ 12 Comments

LogoIt’s the fifth day of #FreshTastyValentines, a blogging event headed up by Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla.

This event is the third opportunity I’ve had to work with Not Ketchup. I have enjoyed each product of theirs I’ve tried to date. I have used Blueberry White Pepper Not Ketchup in a chicken salad and the Cherry Chipotle flavor in slow cooker baked beans (which is my husband’s all time favorite recipe I’ve created). When they announced their newest flavor I couldn’t wait to give it a try. Just as I expected, it was sweet, tart, and smoky. And bonus – there isn’t any added sugar!

64b31-not2bketchupHonestly, I was going to turn it into a barbecue sauce for some baby back ribs, but when I posted my “thank you” on Instagram Erika (mastermind behind Not Ketchup) said, “your recipes are always delicious can’t wait to see what you come up with!” I felt the pressure to think outside of the box. And so I did.

You can’t have Valentine’s day without dessert. But instead of chocolate, I have something out of the box for you. A sherbet made with Tangerine Hatch Chile Not Ketchup! By happy coincidence, I’m currently watching Unique Sweets on Cooking Channel and the episode is about savory desserts. Aiko Pops in Denver is featured for creating popcicles by combine fruits and veggies. I have a feeling my recipe just might be trendy, people! My frozen treat gets brightness from tangerine juice, smoothness from milk, and some smokiness from the Not Ketchup. It’s a dessert that borders on the edge of savory. That’s why I paired it with a different kind of smokey sweet flavor – cookies made with honey and oats.

Tangerine Hatch Chile Sherbet

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 C tangerine juice
  • 1/2 C sugar
  • 1/2 C Tangerine Hatch Chile Not Ketchup
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 C cold milk

Steps:

  1. Place tangerine juice, sugar, Not Ketchup, lemon juice, and vanilla in a blender. Blend until the sugar is dissolved. Transfer mixture to a large bowl and whisk in the cold milk.
  2. Place sherbet base in the refrigerator until it reaches 40 degrees F, at least an hour.
  3. Pour sherbet base into an ice cream maker according to manufacturer instructions.

*This recipe is modified from Alton Brown at http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/orange-sherbet-recipe.html*

Low-fat Tangerine Oaties

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 C honey
  • 1/2 C tangerine juice
  • 1 C old fashioned oats (I used Bob’s Red Mill)
  • 1 C flour
  • 1/2 C loosely packed light brown sugar
  • 1 tsp baking soda

Steps:

  1. In a small saucepan, combine honey and juice over medium heat. Cook until mixture is thicken and syrupy, about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
  3. In a large bowl, mix together the oats, flour, and sugar.
  4. In a small bowl, whisk the baking soda into 1 tbsp boiling water. Add to the dry ingredients. Add the honey mixture to the dough and mix with a wooden spoon until combined.
  5. Drop spoonfuls of dough onto the prepared cookie sheets, leaving 2″ between each cookie as they will spread.
  6. Bake cookies for 11 minutes, rotating the cookie sheets halfway through. Allow cookies to cool on the cookie sheets. Note: Cookies will be sticky. Store them in an air tight container with wax paper between the layers.

*This recipe is modified from Cookies*

Tangerine Hatch Chile Sherbet for #FreshTastyValentines from Sew You Think You Can Cook

Don’t forget to enter our giveaway and be sure to check out the other bloggers who posted more Valentine’s recipes today:

Thank you to #FreshTastyValentines sponsors for providing bloggers with samples and products to use for #FreshTastyValentines recipe development without additional compensation. All opinions stated are those of the bloggers.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links.

#EVOOChallenge: Dark Chocolate Chip Olive Oil Donuts

~ lk529 ~ 3 Comments

It’s the final day of the #EVOOChallenge. This challenge, in which we make foods with the only cooking fat being olive oil, was issued by Spartan Olive Oil. The goal is to highlight the benefits of using olive oil over its less healthy counterparts, I’m looking at you butter and vegetable oil. Search the hashtag on social media to see more great recipes!

While both olive oil and vegetable oil have 120 Calories and 14 grams of fat per tbsp, olive oil has 10 grams of monounsaturated fat (the good fat) whereas vegetable oil has only 3 grams of monounsaturated fat. Monounsaturated fat is actually good for your health; it reduces bad cholesterol and provides vitamin E. (Source: American Heart Association)

This unfiltered extra-virgin olive oil is made from the olives of 700 year old trees in Sparta, Greece. The flavorful oil has a rich golden color and smooth texture. I wanted to highlight the nutty, fruity flavor of the oil in my recipes this week.

I wanted to end the week on a sweet note and make dessert, or breakfast if you’re so inclined! I got a donut pan for my birthday last summer and thought it was about time it was christened! I brought my son into the kitchen and let him whisk the ingredients and add the pinch of salt… which ended up being more than a pinch… ah well!

I veered a bit from the recipe: I substituted cake flour for the pastry flour because I simply didn’t want to buy another flour variety (we’re moving in a couple of months and I really need to start cleaning house). I don’t know if chemically that was a valid substitution, but I ran away with it. I also used whole milk instead of buttermilk because I didn’t have any in the fridge. (Yes, I know there’s a substitution involving vinegar but for only 2 tbsp worth of milk I didn’t bother.) And yet another “lazy baker” change was to put dark chocolate chips inside the donuts instead of glazing them with a beautiful dark chocolate icing. With my first attempt at baking donuts I didn’t fully realize that the tops wouldn’t get golden so for aesthetic purposes they definitely benefit from a frosting. I wonder if it’d be possible to flip the donuts midway through the baking process to get both sides golden from the pan. (I’m just “talking” out loud here.)

Dark Chocolate Chip Olive Oil Donuts for the #EVOOChallenge from Sew You Think You Can Cook

My 18 month old snagged a donut during food photography took a little bite and declared them “good.”

This recipe makes 6 baked donuts.

Dark Chocolate Chip Donuts

Ingredients:

  • 1 C cake flour
  • 1/2 C sugar
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp milk
  • 1/4 C dark chocolate chips

Steps:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 6 tin donut pan with olive oil.
  2. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
  3. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, olive oil, and milk.
  4. Combine the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until smooth. Fold in the chocolate chips.
  5. Divide batter evenly into prepared donut pan. Bake 10-15 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out cleanly.

*This recipe is modified from Tara at http://tarasmulticulturaltable.com/olive-oil-doughnuts-with-dark-chocolate-glaze-and-sea-salt/*

Dark Chocolate Chip Olive Oil Donuts for the #EVOOChallenge from Sew You Think You Can Cook (2)

Disclaimer: By participating in this 5 day challenge I received a bottle and pouch of Spartan Olive Oil. 

recreatedbysrc

#BundtBakers: Naughty or Nice

~ lk529 ~ 24 Comments

4ae7b-bundtbakerspostIt’s that time of month for me to share a bundt cake with you alongside #BundtBakers. #BundtBakers is a group of bundt loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bundts with a common ingredient or theme. We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme or ingredient. This month Olivia of Liv for Cake picked a festive theme of “Naughty or Nice” that allowed our imaginations and personalities to shine through our baking.

The weekend before Thanksgiving my best friend here in Ohio invited us over for a Thanksgiving potluck. I was going to bring my creamed onions but I knew the menu was lacking on the sweets side. I accepted the request and used it as the perfect opportunity to share a bundt cake!

My cake today falls under the “nice” category and fits a festive theme. It is studded with both dried and fresh cranberries and has lots of warming spices flowing through it. I even broke out my newest bundt pan and practiced patience in decorating by piping an orange buttercream frosting along the stained glass design.

If you’ve ever baked a bundt cake, then you’re probably familiar with the fact as the cake bakes and rises a dome appears in the middle of the exposed surface – aka the bottom of the cake. There’s a debate as to whether or not it’s best to level out the bottom by cutting it off or not. I usually don’t because my cakes are stored on a plate instead of a cake platter, so that extra “lift” from the dome makes it look perfectly flush with the edges of the plate. For this cake though, I had to make an exception. I needed to try this cake before bringing it to the Thanksgiving potluck and I couldn’t show up with a beautiful one-piece-missing cake! (We had bites of cake bottom for breakfast.)

Cranberry Spice Bundt Cake

Ingredients for the cake:

  • 2 stick butter, softened
  • 1 C sugar
  • 1 C brown sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 C plain Greek yogurt
  • 2 C flour
  • 3/4 C almond meal
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 2 1/2 tsp Chinese five spice powder
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 C rough chopped fresh cranberries
  • 1/2 C dried cranberries

Ingredients for the frosting:

  • 1/2 stick butter, softened
  • 3/4 – 1 C powdered sugar
  • 1/4 tsp orange extract
  • milk, if needed

Steps:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Heavily grease bundt pan.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment beat together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time until incorporated. Add the vanilla extract and yogurt and mix until combined.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, almond meal, baking powder, baking soda, and spices. Add to the stand mixer and mix until combined.
  4. Fold in the cranberries and pour batter into prepared bundt pan.
  5. Bake 1 hour, or until a cake tester comes out cleanly. Allow cake to cool in the pan before turning out onto a cooling rack.
  6. Make frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment beat butter. Add in powdered sugar and orange extract. Beat until combined. (If frosting doesn’t come together, add just a little bit of milk at a time until a smooth texture is reached.) Frost cake when completely cooled.

*The cake recipe is adapted from Dorie at http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/spiced-cranberry-bundt-cake*

Cranberry Spice Bundt Cake for #BundtBakers from Sew You Think You Can Cook

You can see all our of lovely Bundts by following our Pinterest board. Updated links for all of our past events and more information about #BundtBakers, can be found on our home page.

And don’t forget to take a peek at what other talented bakers have baked this month:

Amaretto Almond Bundt Cake by I Bake He Shoots

Angel Food Bundt Cake with Cranberry Filling and Lemon Glaze by Taking On Magazines

Anise Bundt Cake by I Love Bundt Cakes

Bundtcake Especiado by La mejor manera de hacer…

Candy Cane Bundt by Cali’s Cuisine

Cherry Chocolate Bundt Cake by Basic N Delicious

Chocolate Gingerbread Bundt Cake by How to Philosophize with Cake

Chocolate Gingerbread Bundts with Cream Cheese Frosting by I Camp In My Kitchen

Christmas Fruitcake by Tea and Scones

Christmas Rose Bundt Cake by Living the Gourmet

Eggnog Pound Cake by Palatable Pastime

Hot Buttered Rum Bundt by Food Lust People Love

Maple Pecan Cake by Jane’s Adventures in Dinner

Naughty and Nice Kahlua Gingerbread Bundt Cake by A Day in the Life on the Farm

Old Fashioned Marble Cake Bundt by Brooklyn Homemaker

Peppermint Candy Cane Bundt Cake by The Freshman Cook

Rum & Eggnog Bundt Cake by Liv for Cake

Spiced Fruitcake by Magnolia Days

Spiced Ginger Bundt Cake with Caramel Brandy Sauce by All That’s Left Are The Crumbs

Spiced Rum Eggnog Bundt Cake by Making Miracles

Sugar, Spice, and Everything Nice Cake by Eat, Drink, Be Mighty

Super Naughty Chocolate Whiskey Bacon Jam Bundt Cake by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite A Whiskered Accomplice

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. 

Blogger CLUE: White Chocolate Chip Cookie Souffles

~ lk529 ~ 18 Comments

blogger CLUE

The Blogger CLUE crew is ready for the holiday season and sharing recipes worth celebrating today.

This month I was assigned to Rebekah’s blog, Making Miracles. I have worked with Rebekah on many occasions and have made multiple things from her blog already and she mine. (You can read all about my joy of searching through her blog from my Secret Recipe Club post last October: here.)

With the task of “Celebrate” at hand I looked through her beverages and sweets. Of course, as a member of #BundtBakers I knew there’d be a lot of bundts to choose from, but I wanted something different. I was tempted by her eggnog caramels, but I just don’t have the time to devote to melting sugar with a new born and highly active toddler running around.

Instead, I decided on her Chocolate Chip Cookie Souffle. My husband and I celebrated our 2nd anniversary by making both a savory and a sweet souffle.

You don’t need a special occasion for this dessert, though! This sweet treat comes together in under 30 minutes making it perfect to celebrate just getting through a Monday. If you like ooey gooey chocolate chip cookies but feel guilty eating the entire dozen then this recipe is for you. You get one large melty in the center cookie all to yourself – no guilt. 😉

This recipe makes 4 cookie souffles.

White Chocolate Chip Cookie Souffle

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/3 C cake flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 stick butter, softened
  • 3/4 C brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla bean paste (I used Nielsen-Massey)
  • 3/4 C white chocolate chips, or any variety you prefer

Steps:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease 4 ramekins.
  2. Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and brown sugar until light in color. Add the vanilla and egg and mix until combined. Mix in the dry ingredients. Fold in the chocolate chips.
  4. Divide the batter into the prepared ramekins. About 1/2 C per ramekin.
  5. Bake 18-20 minutes. Allow to cool enough to handle and serve immediately for the best visual effect. It’ll still be tasty if you wait, but the centers will sink.

*This recipe is adapted from Rebekah at http://rebekahrose.blogspot.ca/2011/05/chocolate-chip-cookie-souffle.html*

White Chocolate Chip Cookie Souffle for #BloggerCLUE from Sew You Think You Can Cook

Here’s a list of the other players of Blogger CLUE this month:

#handcraftededibles: Cookie Tray

~ lk529 ~ 4 Comments

#handcraftedediblesIn an effort to make all of her holiday gifts this year, Camilla at Culinary Adventures with Camilla invited some of her favorite foodie bloggers to share recipes for hand-crated edibles. Over the course of twelve weeks, we’ll be sharing recipes for all your homemade holiday gifts or things to serve at holiday parties. Hope you’ll follow along for inspiration. You can find out more information, including the schedule here.

It’s hard to believe we’re at week 11! Today’s theme is “Cookie Tray.” A lot of people assemble cookie tins for gifts and if you’re one of them do you stick to your tried and true or venture out and try something new? I encourage you to mix it up and check out the cookie tray we’ve assembled for you today.

Today I am sharing a slight twist to the traditional gingerbread cookie. This one has honey in it, which provides a floral, smokey, sweetness to the spicy cookie.

I played around with the baking times, thinking they needed a little bit longer after the first batch were done, but giving them an extra two minutes yielded very hard cookies that would be more appropriate for ornaments or dog treats once they’d fully cooled. I know gingersnaps are a little harder than your average cookie, but these were too far gone. I urge you too bake on the side of caution and let batch one cool completely before continuing on with your baking.

Honeyed Gingerbread Cookies

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 C honey
  • 1 1/2 C brown sugar
  • 1/2 C molasses
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 6 1/2 C flour
  • 3 tbsp gingerbread spice
  • 2 tsp baking soda

Steps:

  1. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt together the honey, brown sugar, molasses, and butter. Bring to a boil and simmer 10 minutes, or until the sugar is dissolved. Allow mixture to cool for  at least 15 minutes.
  2. In a large bowl sift together the flour, gingerbread spice, and baking soda. Stir in the cooled honey mixture until fully incorporated. It will be sticky! Note: I would suggest doing this in a stand mixer.
  3. Wrap cookie dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours.
  4. Preheat oven to 320 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
  5. Roll cookie dough to 1/6″ thickness. Cut shapes with cookie cutters and place on prepared baking sheets. Bake 8 minutes (See my story above regarding baking time) . Let cool on wire rack. Store cookies in an air tight container.

*This recipe is adapted from Nora at http://www.savorynothings.com/homemade-gingerbread-spice-mix-perfect-gingerbread-recipe-free-printables/*

Honeyed Gingerbread Cookies for #handcraftededibles from Sew You Think You Can Cook

Here are some other options to fill your Cookie Tray:

Next week – week 12 and our final week – is all about wrapping. How to label those jarred mixes. How to mail cookies safely. How to….

Don’t forget to check out our #handcraftededibles pinterest board.

#IntnlCookies: Mantecaditos

~ lk529 ~ 14 Comments

When I decided to join this International Cookie Exchange, hosted by Sarah of Curious Cuisiniere and Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla, I first thought of doing a Polish cookie. I had my mom in town for a couple of weeks after the birth of my baby boy so going Polish was a no-brainer. Turns out that particular cookie was already claimed. (I shared my Kolaczki last weekend.)

I decided to then search for a recipe from my dad’s side – the Dominican Republic. The only thing I could find was a coconut cookie which was off limits to me. My dad spent his high school years in Puerto Rico so I figured I’d search for some Puerto Rican cookies instead. There were a few more varieties available and I was drawn towards mantecaditos.

But which version? I found a couple of recipes that used almond flour or ground almonds, but the recipe that used all-purpose flour and almond extract definitely won out; hey, no need to hit the grocery store!

These cookies were familiar, though I’d never had them before. The flaky cookie reminded me almost of a shortbread and almond extract flavor really came through the buttery cookie. My little man really liked these cookies – he was standing at the counter begging for more.

My mom and I thought baking cookies would be a fun way to get my little man involved in the kitchen. I brought his little table into the kitchen, gave him a little cookie dough, and a small bowl of sprinkles. To say he made a mess was an understatement, but he was happy and “contained” throughout the entire baking process. mantecaditos (baby) | sew you think you can cook

Mantecaditos

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 C vegetable shortening
  • 1 stick butter, softened
  • 3/8 C sugar
  • 1 tsp almond extract
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 2 C flour
  • sprinkles

Steps:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a baking sheet.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream the butter, shortening, and sugar until combined. Add the almond extract. Alternate adding the egg yolks and flour, mixing until combined.
  3. Roll dough into balls and press flat and create a well. Pour sprinkles in the well.
  4. Bake 8 – 12 minutes.

*This recipe is adapted from Melisa at http://warmtoastymuffins.com/2013/10/23/mantecaditos-puerto-rican-cookies/*

Mantecaditos for #IntlCookies from Sew You Think You Can Cook

Here’s the #IntnlCookies Tray…
listed in alphabetical order of the cookies’ country of origin

You can follow along on Twitter with the hashtag #IntnlCookies, and you can find these great recipes and more cookies from around the world on the International Cookie Exchange Pinterest Board.

SRC: Cranberry Tart

~ lk529 ~ 18 Comments

newsrcbanner

Good morning and welcome to another edition of The Secret Recipe Club. For a little “behind the scenes” information, The Secret Recipe Club (SRC) is divided into four group. Each group posts on a different Monday of the month. I am in Group D and always post on the 4th Monday of the month. This means that those special months with five Mondays there’s a week without any fun reveal day! That is all about to change, beginning with today. On the 5th Monday of the month there will now be a themed reveal and it’s a “free for all,” which means that there aren’t any group restrictions. I’m looking forward to getting to know some of the other bloggers in the club.

With Thanksgiving behind us it’s time to set our eyes on the holidays and that’s why our themed reveal this month is Holiday Treats. My assignment this month comes from Group A, Anna over at BCMom’s Kitchen. Anna views recipes as “suggestions,” something I’d always had a problem doing. As I’ve been blogging and cooking I’ve become more accustomed to this line of thought and can comfortably change recipes to suit the ingredients in my pantry (and budget).

Given the theme for the month I immediately went to Anna’s “sweets” index and searched with the holiday frame of mind. I found myself being pulled to anything and everything cranberry! Apple Cranberry Crisp, Cranberry Tart, and although not a dessert, Cranberry Cream Cheese Dip.

We had this “tart” for our Thanksgiving dessert. My Thanksgiving menu this year was a little unconventional because we had a small group (just us and my in-laws). Instead of turkey we had pork roasts, cornbread dressing, sweet potato casserole, and green bean casserole. We had my Award Winning Chili on Saturday so we did get some turkey during the holiday weekend.

I chose the cranberry tart, but found it difficult to call this dessert a tart. I struggled with how to categorize it though. It’s not quite a tart because there isn’t a crust topped with a filling. It’s almost a pie with a crust going on top of the filling, but it’s not a crust, it’s a batter. It’s probably most like an upside down cake, but I didn’t photograph it upside down – I had to take the pictures Wednesday, before we ate it, while there was light. There was no way I’d risk turning the “tart” upside down in case it didn’t work that way. I’ve decided to call it a “pie cake.” Whatever you call it, it’s delicious – a perfect blend of sweet and tart with some texture.

I found this dessert best served warm alongside a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Cranberry Tart

Ingredients:

  • 2 C fresh (or frozen) cranberries
  • 1/2 C chopped pecans
  • 1 1/2 C sugar, divided use
  • 1 C flour
  • 1 1/2 sticks butter, melted
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp almond extract

Steps:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9″ pie pan.
  2. Place cranberries, pecans, and 1/2 C sugar in the pie pan.
  3. In a bowl mix the flour, remaining sugar, melted butter, eggs, and extract. Pour over the cranberries.
  4. Bake 40-45 minutes until the tart has risen slightly, is set, and lightly golden.

*This recipe is adapted from Anna at http://recipes.alwaysbcmom.com/2011/06/cranberry-tart.html*

Cranberry Tart for #SRCHolidayTreats from Sew You Think You Can Cook

To see the other bloggers who participated in the themed Secret Recipe Club this month click here:

#Cookielicious Exchange Party

~ lk529 ~ 22 Comments

It’s that time of year

When the world falls in love

Every song you hear

Seems to say….

bake some cookies!

The opening lyrics are to The Christmas Waltz, a not as popular holiday song that was my first ever solo in middle school and a song that I hold dear.

But seriously, it’s that time of year for holiday parties and cookie exchanges and who better to have a cookie exchange than a wonderful group of food bloggers?! Today’s particular cookie exchange is with the Sunday Supper Movement. Be sure to scroll past my recipe for an incredible selection of cookie recipes to brighten your holiday season.

After the birth of my baby boy my mom was here for a couple weeks helping me adjust to life with two children. It was then that we decided to bake cookies, one of the culinary tasks my mom enjoys doing. We picked something of Polish origin – kolaczki. Mom remembers having these jam filled cookies as a kid. While the majority of the recipes online show a “rolled” cookie, Mom remembers having them as more of the typical “thumbprint” cookie. We decided to try the rolled cookie form – only 5 held their shape, so we made small circles from the remaining dough.

This recipe makes 4-5 dozen cookies.

Kolaczki

Ingredients:

  • 3 sticks butter, softened
  • 8oz cream cheese, softened
  • 3 C flour
  • jam for filling
  • powdered sugar for rolling
  • sugar for rolling

Steps:

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream together the butter and cream cheese. Add the flour, one cup at a time, and mix until incorporated. Refrigerate dough at least one hour.
  2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease baking sheets.
  3. Combine equal parts powdered sugar and sugar for rolling the cookie dough.
  4. For rolled form: Roll dough out to 1/6″ thickness, cut into 2×2″ squares, place jam diagonally down the center, fold two opposing corners over the filling. For thumbprint form: Make small balls from the dough and roll in the sugar mixture. Press flat and create a well for the jam.
  5. Place cookies on prepared baking sheets. Bake 15 – 20 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden.
  6. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.

*This recipe is adapted from Barbara at http://easteuropeanfood.about.com/od/polishdesserts/r/kolaczki.htm*

Kolaczki for #Cookielicious Exchange Party from Sew You Think You Can Cook #SundaySupper

Plus, 20 Cookie Baking Tips and Holiday Cookie recipes from Sunday Supper

8387592742_f6164fd5a8_oJoin the #SundaySupper #Cookielicious Exhange Party conversation on twitter on Tuesday December 1st! Our chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board. Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.