by Kathy Douglas | Dec 9, 2019 | Desserts
It’s our new favorite for the Holidays -Fiori di Sicilia butter cookies. Butter dough with vanilla, citrus, and flower essences creates an addicting butter cookie we filled with a buttercream icing also flavored with Fiori di Sicilia.
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons butter-flavored Vegetable Shortening
1¼ cups confectioners sugar sifted
10 tablespoons butter
1 large Egg
1 teaspoon Fiori di Sicilia extract
½ teaspoon salt
2½ cups All-Purpose Flour
Preheated the oven to 350°F. Line two sheet trays with parchment paper.
In a stand mixer, combine the softened butter and shortening in a mixing bowl and cream until smooth. Add the confectioners’ sugar and mix well to fluffy on high speed about 1 minute. Add the egg and the extract and mix well.
In another large bowl, combine the sifted flour and salt. Add to the butter mixture and mix to combine well. Transfer the dough to a piping bag and pipe the dough into 36 round shapes onto the parchment-lined cooking sheet. Refrigerate the dough the sheet trays for 30 minutes.
Bake for approximately 13-15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely and fill with the Fiori di Sicilia Butter Cream.
Fiori di Sicilia Butter Cream
1 stick of butter, softened
4 cups sifted powder sugar
2 teaspoons Fiori di Sicilia extract
3 tablespoons milk
Beat the butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually add the Fiori di Sicilia extract and milk until incorporated and smooth. Place in a piping page and pipe on a cookie bottom and then top with another cookie half. Makes 18 cookie sandwiches.
by Kathy Douglas | Dec 2, 2019 | Desserts
These pretty cookies will not only be the star on your cookie plate, but they are also deliciously lemony. The dough is filled with fresh lemon zest and the glaze is made with fresh lemon juice. Topped with mini stars, they will be a favorite at your cookie swap or holiday get-together.
1 ¼ cups confectioners’ sugar
18 tablespoons butter at room temperature
1 large egg yolk
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon lemon extract
Zest of one lemon, reserve the juice for the glaze recipe
2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, we prefer White Lily Flour
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the sugar, butter, egg yolk, salt, lemon extract, and lemon zest beating until smooth. Add the flour and mixing until smooth. Divide the dough in half and shape each half into a flattened disk; wrap in plastic. Refrigerate overnight.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350˚F. Remove the dough from the refrigerator, and let it soften for about 20 to 30 minutes or until it’s soft enough to roll but still cold.
On a lightly floured surface, working with one piece of dough at a time, roll it ¼“ thick. Use a two-inch star cookie cutter to cut the star shapes out of the dough. Refrigerate the stars as you cut them. Re-roll and cut the dough scraps into stars shapes, refrigerating them as you go.
When the oven is ready, place the cookies on parchment-lined baking sheets about an inch or two apart.
Bake the cookies for 12 to 14 minutes, until they’re set and lightly browned around the edges. Place on a rack and cool completely, then glaze with the lemon glaze. Makes 4 dozen cookies.
Lemon glaze
2 cups powdered sugar
1 ½ tablespoons egg white powder
4 tablespoons lemon juice
Whisk together the powdered sugar and egg white powder. Add the lemon juice and mix until smooth. The glaze should be thick and pourable. Add a little more lemon juice if too thick. Drizzle over the star cookies and top with mini stars.
by Kathy Douglas | Nov 25, 2019 | Desserts, Holiday
Our new favorite Thanksgiving Dessert is Pumpkin Cheesecake with a Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese bottom, that’s topped with sweetened sour cream and nutmeg. We like to serve it with a little caramel sauce and toasted pecans on the side.
INGREDIENTS
12 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
2 ½ cups ginger snap crumbs
4 – 8 oz packages of cream cheese at room temperature
2 ¾ cups of sugar plus 3 tablespoons, divided
1 ¼ cups sour cream, divided
6 large eggs at room temperature
1 teaspoon salt
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla bean paste
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg, plus more for topping
For serving (optional):
Toasted Pecans
Caramel Sauce
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 325˚F.
To make the gingersnap crumbs, grind ginger snap cookies in a food processor and pulse until fine crumbs form. Measure out 2 ½ cups and add to a large bowl. Brush a 9-inch springform pan with a small amount of butter. Line the springform bottom with a 9” parchment circle. Lightly brush the parchment with a little more butter.
Stir the remaining butter in the bowl with the crumbs. Add ¼ cup of the sugar and a pinch of salt and combine well. Press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the springform pan. Use a flat bottom measuring cup to packing it tightly and evenly in the bottom and sides. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, remove and cool completely on a rack. Wrap the outside of the springform pan with three layers of foil up the sides to form a water tight seal around the pan and place in a large roasting pan. Bring a pot of water to a boil.
Meanwhile, beat the cream cheese with a mixer until smooth. Add 2 ½ cups of sugar and beat until just light, scraping down the sides of the bowl and beaters as needed. Beat in ¼ cup sour cream, the eggs, and salt until well combined. Remove three cups of the mixture to another bowl. Add the vanilla bean paste and whisk until well combined. Carefully pour the vanilla mixture over the cooled crust.
To the remaining cream cheese mixture left in the mixer bowl, add the pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger, and ¼ teaspoon nutmeg and beat until just combined. Carefully spoon over the vanilla layer. Smooth the top.
Gently place in the oven and very carefully add the boiling water into just the roasting pan until it comes about halfway up the side of the springform pan. Be careful to not splash any water into the cheesecake batter. Bake until the outside of the cheesecake is set but the center is still loose, about 1 hour 45 minutes. Turn off the oven heat and crack open the door for 2-3 minutes to vent out some heat. Close the door and leave the cheesecake in the oven, with the heat off, for 1 more hour, then carefully remove from the oven. Remove the foil from the outside of the springform pan and cool on a rack for about 30 minutes.
Set the oven rack on the lowest point in the bottom of the oven and heat the oven on the broiler setting to high. In a small bowl, whisk together 1 cup of sour cream, 3 tablespoons sugar, and a pinch of nutmeg. Carefully spread in a thin layer over the top center of the cheesecake leaving a 1-1 ½” ring of the pumpkin cheese cake on the outside. Place on the lowest rack and cook until the topping is just set. About 6 -10 minutes. Watch carefully so the cheesecake doesn’t get too brown or start to burn. Remove and sprinkle with more nutmeg. Cool completely.
Run a very thin knife around the edges inside the springform pan, cover, and refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight.
Set the cheesecake out about 30 minutes before serving. Unlock and remove the springform ring. Slice with a warm knife and serve with toasted pecans and caramel sauce on the side.
by Kathy Douglas | Nov 4, 2019 | Desserts, Holiday
These oat-filled fall cookies taste like banana bread with a touch of maple. Iced with a delicious frosting made from nutty-flavored brown butter and more maple, the cookies are then topped with a whole toasted pecan. Perfect on a chilly afternoon with a warm cup of cider or tea.
INGREDENTS
24-28 whole pecan halves
12 tablespoons butter, softened
⅔ cup maple sugar
⅓ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large banana, very ripe, about ¾ cup
¾ cup oats
1 ¾ cups flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
Brown butter maple icing (below)
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Place the whole pecans on a parchment lined sheet tray. Place in the oven and toast for 8-9 minutes until browned. Set aside to cool.
Using a stand mixer, Beat the butter, maple sugar and brown sugar together until smooth and fluffy. Add in the egg, vanilla extract, and banana and stir it into the sugar mixture. In a separate bowl combine together the oats, flour, salt, and baking powder. Slowly add to the wet ingredients, just mixing until combined. Cover tightly and refrigerate 2 hours or overnight.
Using a small 1 ½” scoop, place the dough scoops about 1½” apart on parchment-lined cookie sheets. Press gently to flatten. You should get about 24-28 cookies. Place in the oven and bake until light brown, about 15-18 minutes. Remove and cool completely.
Brown Butter Maple Icing
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
¼ cup maple syrup
Pinch of salt
INSTRUCTIONS
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook the butter until it turns a deep golden brown and smells nutty. Remove from the heat and let it cool slightly. Whisk in the confectioners’ sugar, maple syrup, and salt until smooth. The icing should be thick. If it’s too thin, add a bit more confectioners’ sugar. If it’s too thick, add a few drops of water. Spread on cookies and top with a toasted whole pecan half.
by Kathy Douglas | Oct 22, 2019 | Desserts, Holiday
Black cocoa powder, a super-dark Dutch-process cocoa, will make these the darkest chocolate brownies you’ve ever seen. Perfect for Halloween and covering with stretchy melted marshmallows to make tasty, but scary, spider-filled webs.
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup unsalted butter, cubed, plus more for the pan
6 ounces semi-sweet Guittard chocolate baking bars, broken into small pieces
1½ cups granulated sugar
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1½ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup black cocoa powder
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
5 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×9” baking pan with parchment, letting excess extend over sides of pan and lightly grease with butter. In the top of a double boiler, place the chocolate pieces and the butter. Cook over simmering water, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Turn off heat, and whisk in sugars. Remove from heat, and let cool slightly.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, black cocoa, and salt. Set aside. In a small bowl, lightly whisk eggs. Add half of beaten eggs to chocolate mixture, whisking until combined. Add remaining beaten eggs, and whisk until combined. Whisk in vanilla. Fold in flour mixture until just combined. Spread batter into prepared pan. Bake until a pick inserted in center comes out with only a few crumbs, about 25 minutes. Let cool completely in pan. Using excess parchment as handles, remove from pan and remove the parchment.
Marshmallow Spider Webs
INGREDIENTS:
8-10 full size marshmallows
White sanding sugar
Plastic Spiders, cleaned & washed
INSTRUCTIONS:
Melt the marshmallows in the microwave for 30 seconds. Whisk until smooth. Using your fingertips, grab small pieces of the marshmallows and stretch it over the brownies, attaching on the edges of the brownies. Sprinkle with sanding sugar and top with the plastic spiders.
by Kathy Douglas | Sep 30, 2019 | Desserts, Holiday
It’s Pumpkin Spice time and we have it all wrapped up in a tasty Bundt Cake. Filled with a tunnel of vanilla cream cheese and topped with brown butter icing and caramelized nuts, the cake is spiced with a blend of allspice, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves. It’s the American quintessential flavor of fall.
Cream cheese filling
8 oz. cream cheese
¼ cup sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
Bundt cake
12 Tbsp. softened butter, plus more for the pan
2¼ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. nutmeg
½ tsp. ginger
½ tsp. ground cloves
½ tsp. salt
1 can pumpkin purée, 15 ounces
¾ cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup sugar
¼ cup light brown sugar
3 large eggs
Using a hand held or stand mixer, in a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, egg, and vanilla bean paste until smooth. Add to a large plastic disposal piping bag, being careful to keep the cream cheese 2-1/2 inches away from the pointed end, and set aside.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Brush a Bundt pan with butter, then lightly flour and set aside. In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and salt; set aside.
In another mixing bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, buttermilk, and vanilla; set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer or using a hand-held mixer, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy, about
5 minutes scraping down the sides as needed so all is beaten well. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until well incorporated after each addition. Add in about ⅓ of the dry flour mixture, followed by ½ of the wet pumpkin mixture, and repeat ending with the dry ingredients. Scrape down the side of the bowl and mix until just combined, being careful to not overbeat.
Pour ¾ of the batter into the prepared Bundt pan. Tap the pan on the counter several time to release any air bubbles. Snip off 2-1/2” off pointed end of the piping bag. Insert the ending down into the center of the batter and pipe the cream cheese into the batter to make a tunnel in the center. Spoon the remaining batter over the top and smooth to even it out.
Bake for 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool for 10 minutes in pan, then invert onto cooling rack. Cool completely.
Caramelized Walnuts and Pepitos
1 cups raw walnut halves
½ cup pepitos
½ cup sugar
⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
Preheat oven to 350°F. Lay the walnuts and pepitos out on a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 5-8 minutes, until just slightly darker in color and fragrant. Set aside to cool. Line a rimmed baking sheet with a silicon baking mat or parchment paper.
Add the sugar into a medium saucepan and place over medium high heat. When the sugar begins to melt, stir with a wooden spoon. Keep stirring until all the sugar has melted and the color is a medium
amber. Add the nuts and stir quickly to coat all. Pour the nuts out on to the lined sheet tray and, working quickly, spread them out by using two forks to separate the nuts into small cluster. Sprinkle with the salt and cool completely.
Brown Butter Maple Icing
4 Tablespoons butter
⅔ cup powdered sugar
2 Tablespoon pure maple syrup
1 Tablespoons milk
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, watching the butter carefully, and swirling the pan until the butter begins to turn amber in color.
Remove butter from heat and whisk in the powdered sugar and maple syrup until smooth. Add the milk, a few drops at a time, and only if the icing needs to be thinned. Spoon the icing over top of the cake and immediately top with the candied walnuts
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