by Kathy Douglas | Feb 4, 2019 | Desserts
All dressed up for Valentine’s Day and filled with delicious fresh raspberries and whipped cream. We dipped these cute little cream puffs in chocolate ganache and topped with fun sprinkles from @fancysprinkles. Perfect for the day of love, cream puffs are easy to make using a simple Pâte à Choux dough then baked to crisp, puffy perfection.
INGREDIENTS
Cream Puffs
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
5 large egg
Raspberry Whipped Cream
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
Pint fresh Raspberries
Powdered sugar (for dusting)
Ganache
1 cup chocolate chunks
1 cup whipping cream
Valentine Sprinkles
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 375˚F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Over medium-high heat in a medium saucepan, add the butter, sugar, salt, and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil and stir in the flour with a wooden spoon. Continue to stir until a film forms on the bottom of the pan.
Remove from heat and transfer contents to a bowl to cool slightly about 3 minutes. Add 4 of the eggs, one at a time, stirring vigorously to entirely incorporate egg after each addition. For the egg wash, whisk together the remaining egg with 1 tablespoon water; Set aside.
Transfer the dough to a large pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip. Pipe twelve 1-1/2 inch rounds onto each prepared pan. Gently smooth the pointed peaks with a moistened finger, rounding tops to ensure even rising. Brush tops with reserved egg wash. Bake until puffs rise and are golden brown for 30 minutes. While baking, do not open the oven door. Remove from the oven and cool on sheets on wire racks.
To make the Raspberry Whipped Cream– Using a hand mixer, whip the cream until soft peaks. Combine the raspberry with whipped cream and transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a small plain round tip. Insert the tip into the bottom of each pastry, and pipe to fill with pastry cream.
To make the Ganache– Place the chocolate in a medium bowl. Heat the whipped cream over medium heat until small bubble form around the edges of the pan. Pour the cream over the chocolate and stir until the chocolate is melted. Dip the tops in the ganache, let the excess drip off and place them on parchment. Decorate with the Valentine sprinkles, allow the chocolate to set and serve. Makes 24 Cream Puffs.
by Kathy Douglas | Dec 17, 2018 | Desserts, Holiday
A plate of pretty ornaments, our Orange Cardamom Butter Cookies are decorated with fresh-squeezed orange juice icing and pastel dragées. Full of the taste of the season, these are a favorite on our holiday cookie plates.2 ½ cups, All purpose flour we prefer White Lily flour
INGREDIENTS
1-1/4 tsp of ground cardamom
½ tsp salt
3 sticks of unsalted butter
1 cup plus 2 tbs sugar
1-1/2 tsp finely grated fresh orange peel
½ tsp vanilla extract
1 extra large egg – room temperature
1 cup of powdered sugar
1 to 1 ½ tsp fresh orange juice
Whisk the flour, cardamom, and salt together. Using an electric mixer beat the butter until creamy about 2 minutes. Gradually add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add the egg and beat to blend together. Reduce the mixture to low and work in all the flour slowly. Separate the dough into two balls, place in a zip top bag and shape each one into a disk. Refrigerate for 24-36 hours.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Working with one disk of dough at a time, remove from the refrigerator and let the dough stand for 15 minutes. Roll the dough out into a 1/8’ thickness and cut out shapes. Gather dough scrapes together into a ball and refrigerate for several minutes until cold. Re-roll and re-cut shapes. Repeat with the other disk of dough. As you cut them, place the cut cookies in the refrigerator to keep the shapes cold until time to bake.
Place on a parchment lined baking sheets 3 inches apart and bake for 14-16 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for a few minutes on the sheet and remove to racks to cool completely.
When the cookies have completely cooled mix the powdered sugar with the orange juice to form a thick glaze. Drizzle on the cookies and decorate with French Dragees. Makes 52 cookies.
by Kathy Douglas | Dec 12, 2018 | Desserts, Holiday
Bright and cheerful, these holiday Strawberry Jam Thumbprint cookies are topped with a tangy lemon icing. Easy to make – simply roll, press, fill, and bake. They make a perfect addition to any cookies plate.
INGREDIENTS
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1 large egg yolk
1/2 cup strawberry jam
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
INGREDIENTS
Whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Add the butter and blend the mixture until it resembles coarse meal. Stir in the egg yolk and combine the mixture until it forms a soft dough. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Let the dough soften slightly, then roll level tablespoons into balls and arrange them about 2 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Using your thumb, make an indentation in the center of each ball, being careful not to crack the dough. Fill each indentation with about 1/2 teaspoon of strawberry jam and bake the cookies in batches in the middle of the oven for 12 to 15 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the sheets for 2 minutes, transfer them to racks, and let them cool completely.
Combine the confections sugar with the lemon juice to make a thick icing. Use a small piping bag to ice the cookie or drizzle with a fork. Makes 36 cookies.
by Kathy Douglas | Nov 27, 2018 | Desserts, Holiday
These cookie bars are as delicious as they are festive! A quick and easy recipe, these make a great addition to your holiday cookie plate. Our simple, sweet base is topped with strawberry jam then a crunchy streusel topping that browns lightly in the oven. The recipe makes 16-servings but you can cut them small for 2-bite servings.
½ cup butter, melted
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten, room temperature
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
8-ounce container mascarpone cheese, room temperature
zest of one lemon
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of kosher salt
1 cup flour
1 cup strawberry jam, homemade or high quality
For the streusel topping:
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup butter, room temperature
Preheat the oven to 350°F Lightly butter and flour an 8 x8” pan. Whisk together the melted butter and sugar in a bowl. Add the egg and vanilla extract, mascarpone cheese, lemon zest, and mix thoroughly until smooth batter forms. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together. Add the flour mixture in three amounts to the wet ingredients and stir until combined. Pour into the pan and spread evenly. Then top with the strawberry jam, spreading evenly over the batter.
Make the streusel:
In the bowl, use your hands to combine the butter, flour, sugar, and vanilla until your crumbs have a coarse and clumpy texture – about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Using your hands sprinkle the streusel evenly on top of the jam.
Place in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes or until the center is set and the streusel is lightly brown. Allow cooling on a wire rack. Cut into 16 squares.
by Kathy Douglas | Nov 19, 2018 | Desserts
Save some extra cranberry relish for this Thanksgiving Leftover Makeover moist tender cake. Full of warm winter spices, this delicious cider cake recipe converts leftover cranberry relish to an easy, tasty dessert.
INGREDIENTS
For the cake:
⅔ cup granulated sugar
⅔ packed cup dark brown sugar
½ cup grapeseed or canola oil
2 large eggs, room temperature
½ cup sour cream, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon ground clove
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
⅔ cup boiled cider or apple cider
1 cup homemade or high-quality cranberry sauce or relish (we used Williams Sonoma New England Style Cranberry Relish)
1 tablespoon maple syrup
For the glaze:
1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
Pinch kosher salt
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
1-2 tablespoons whole milk, more if needed
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
INSTRUCTIONS
Make the cake:
Position a rack in the center of the oven, and heat the oven to 350˚F. Line an 8×8” baking pan with parchment paper on the bottom and up two sides with some overhang. Butter and flour the pan and parchment paper, tapping out any extra flour.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugars and oil. Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking until completely combined. Whisk in the sour cream and vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, cardamom, cinnamon, clove, and salt. Using a wooden spoon, stir one-third of the flour mixture into the sugar mixture, and add one-half of the cider. Repeat with the remaining flour and cider, ending with the flour, and stir until the batter is smooth.
Whisk the cranberry relish with the maple syrup. Scrape the cake batter into the prepared pan, then evenly drop in teaspoons the cranberry mixture into the batter. Place the cake in the oven bake for 40-45 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean in the center. Let the cake cool on a rack for about 15 minutes. Using the parchment overhang, remove from the pan. Remove the parchment then cool completely.
Make the glaze:
Stir together sugar and salt in a small bowl. Whisk together butter, 1 tablespoon milk, and vanilla. Add the sugar and stir until a mixture forms into smooth paste adding more milk if needed. Drizzle over the cake.
by Kathy Douglas | Oct 28, 2018 | Desserts
Crispy, thin ginger cookies compliment this whipped pumpkin dip. Perfect as a dessert for your Halloween party, the simple-to-make dip is filled with pumpkin and spices then whipping cream beaten to a light and airy texture. If you don’t have time to bake cookies, store purchased thin and crispy ginger cookies will do the “trick.”
Ginger Cookies
¾ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
¼ cup molasses
2 cups plain flour
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon cardamom
½ teaspoon salt
Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Using a stand or hand mixer, in a large bowl on medium speed cream the butter and sugar together until the sugar has dissolved into the butter and the mixture is light and fluffy. Add a large egg and mix until combined. Add the molasses and mix well. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cardamom, and salt. With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients to the creamed butter mixture a little at a time until a dough forms. Refrigerate for three hours or overnight.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to about 1/8” thick and cut out cookies with cookie cutters. Transfer to the prepared cookie sheets, place in the oven and bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Makes 36 cookies.
Pumpkin Dip
1 cup canned pure pumpkin puree
⅔ cup packed light brown sugar
2 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
½ teaspoon ginger
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon allspice
⅛ teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
Pinch ground cloves
½ teaspoon vanilla
¾ cup heavy cream
⅛ teaspoon xathan gum (optional)
In a food processor combine the pumpkin puree, light brown sugar, cream cheese, ginger, cinnamon, all spice, nutmeg, cloves, and salt; process until very smooth. Add the heavy cream, vanilla, and xanthan and continue to process until very thick. Transfer to a dip bowl and keep refrigerated until ready to serve. Serve with the ginger cookies.
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