Shortbread II

shortbread-iiThis is probably the best shortbread recipe I’ve ever found. Again, I say that the King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion is changing my life, as this recipe comes from the first page of its shortbread chapter.

Some of the best treats are made of simple ingredients, and this is no exception. A delicious concoction of butter, salt, sugar, vanilla extract, and flour, this recipe is incredibly easy to make and serves several people, which explains why I’ve baked so many rounds of it for Christmas so far.

You could certainly drizzle this with chocolate, but I strongly recommend trying a few wedges plain just so you get the full effect of its buttery deliciousness. While the original recipe calls for slicing each round into 12 wedges, I slice mine into 16 wedges for smaller servings.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, slightly softened
  • 3/4 cups sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 10 ounces (about 2 1/3 cups) flour

Preparation

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Lightly grease two 8-inch round cake pans.

In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter, sugar, salt, and vanilla extract. Add flour and beat to combine completely. The dough will be ready when it pulls away from the sides of your mixing bowl.

Divide dough in half and press into the bottom of each cake pan, using the palm of your hand to create an even surface.

Bake for 32-35 minutes, until the edges are golden brown. Remove from oven and gently loosen the sides, then allow to cool in the pans for 5 minutes. Gently flip onto a cutting board and slice into 16 wedges, then place wedges on a wire rack to cool completely.

Store at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Note: shortbread must be cut while it’s still warm; once it cools, if you try to cut it, it will break.

Classic Thumbprints

classic thumbprintsThumbprint cookies are a bakery classic. I’ve had some legendary thumbprints at excellent bakeries, fabulous creations that are both tender and appropriately dry, studded with finely chopped nuts and topped with delicious icing. This cookie, I daresay, could compete with such treats.

Adapted from the King Arthur Flour thumbprint recipe, these cookies were an enormous hit in my office on Monday, when my colleagues and I had a little holiday gathering. Next time, I’m going to try filling them with a blob of buttercream frosting, which I think would be delicious…but you can certainly go with a traditional jam filling if you like. No matter what, you’ll have a delicious cookie.

Ingredients

For the cookies

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar
  • 2 eggs, separated
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup almond flour
  • 2 1/2 to 3 cups flour
  • About 1 cup very finely chopped pecans

For the icing

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • About 2 tablespoons milk
  • Red food coloring

Preparation

Separate eggs and let whites stand at room temperature while you prepare and chill the dough.

In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolks, vanilla, and salt.

Add the almond flour and 2 1/2 cups flour, beating well to combine. If the dough is too sticky, add additional flour a few tablespoons at a time, adding just enough to make the dough come together. Cover and chill the dough for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line several baking sheets with parchment paper.

Place egg whites in a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat until foamy.

Using a 1-inch cookie scoop, scoop dough and roll into balls. Dip in egg whites, then in finely chopped pecans, and place on the cookie sheets about 2 inches apart. Make a deep thumbprint in the center of each cookie.

Bake for 12 to 16 minutes, until they’re golden brown. Remove from oven and place on wire racks to cool completely before filling.

To make the icing, combine powdered sugar, vanilla, and almond extract in a small bowl, stirring well until smooth; add milk about 1 teaspoon at a time to reach a thick drizzling consistency.

Transfer to a sturdy zip-top bag and snip off the corner; fill each thumbprint with icing. Allow icing to set before serving or storing; store cookies between sheets of waxed paper at room temperature for up to 4 days.

Makes about 5 dozen.

Spritz

spritz-iWhen I was a kid, my mom and my grandma Zella both made almond cookies using a cookie press. How easily the dough popped out, shaped like trees and wreaths and pinwheels. Tinted green at Christmas, topped with sprinkles or colored sugar, these cookies were a staple in our holidays.

I have never had such luck with the cookie press.

I tried valiantly this time with a spritz recipe I found at Land O’Lakes, and while I did manage one good batch of trees (pictured here), I admit that my dough softened too much and refused to cooperate for the wreaths and pinwheels. Instead of fighting my dough (or chilling it a second time, which I should have done), I rolled it into balls, flattened them with my hand, and baked them as buttons. Since spritz are so named for the German word “spritzen,” which means “to squirt,” I can’t say the buttons were true spritz cookies…more like absolutely delicious butter cookies. Either way, the results of this recipe are supremely tasty.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 2/3 cups sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 1/4 cups flour
  • Colored sugar, if desired

Preparation

In a mixing bowl fitted with the paddle attachment, combine butter, sugar, egg, and salt. Cream together until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.

Add flour and beat at low speed until well-combined. Cover dough and chill for about 30-45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line three baking sheets with foil.

Fit a cookie press with your desired shape and fill with dough; press onto cookie sheets about 1 inch apart. Sprinkle with colored sugar, if desired. Alternatively, roll dough into 1-inch balls and flatten with your hand, then sprinkle with sugar.

Bake for 6-9 minutes, until edges are lightly browned. Remove from oven and cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheets, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Store in an airtight container for 4-5 days.

Note: the recipe will yield different amounts depending on the shapes you choose; my recipe made about 3 dozen.

Triple Chocolate Shortbread

triple-chocolate-shortbreadThis recipe was inspired by a cake that my friend Scott’s family has made for many years, an ultra-chocolatety confection involving chocolate cake, chocolate chips, chocolate syrup, and chocolate ganache frosting. I worried at first that these treats would been too chocolatey (because yes, there is such a thing), but was assured by everyone who tried them that they were indeed delicious.

You could certainly use different kinds of chocolate or chocolate chips to dress up the shortbread itself, but according to Scott (a chocolate expert for sure), the semi-sweet glaze and miniature chips are just perfect. Make sure you sprinkle on your miniature chocolate chips immediately after you glaze each wedge so they stick.

Ingredients

For the chocolate shortbread

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, slightly softened
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ounce (about 1/3 cup) Dutch-process cocoa
  • 7 1/4 ounces (about 1 3/4 cups) flour

For the glaze

  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • 2 tablespoons shortening
  • About 1/4 cup miniature chocolate chips, for sprinkling

Preparation

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Lightly grease two 8-inch round cake pans.

In a mixing bowl, cream together butter, sugar, salt, and vanilla, then beat in cocoa powder and flour.

Divide dough into two 12-ounce portions and press each portion into the bottom of the cake pans, using the palm of your hand to flatten the dough as evenly as possible.

Bake for 32-35 minutes, until it appears done around the edges. Remove from oven and loosen the sides with a knife, then cool in pans for 5 minutes.

Carefully turn one shortbread round out onto a cutting board and cut into 16 wedges; place wedges on a wire rack to cool. Repeat with the second round. Allow wedges to cool completely before glazing.

To make the glaze, melt 1 cup chocolate chips and shortening over low heat (or in the microwave), stirring until smooth.

Using a spoon, pour glaze over each wedge, then sprinkle on miniature chocolate chips. Place glazed wedges on parchment or waxed paper and allow to set completely before storing.

Store in an airtight container between layers of waxed paper at room temperature for about 4-5 days. Makes 32 wedges.

Note: shortbread will break if you try to cut it once it’s cool, so you must cut the rounds into wedges while they’re still warm.

Chocolate Shortbread

chocolate-shortbreadThe possibilities of shortbread are endless; you can glaze it, fill it, flavor it with all manner of extracts and spices. This recipe for chocolate shortbread is an adaptation on one from the King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion, also known as my new bible.

I used sweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder because that was all I could find at the store, but you can certainly order the unsweetened variety from King Arthur Flour online. Dutch-process cocoa powder is not the same as natural cocoa powder; it is a less acidic version, will yield a different taste, and won’t react with baking soda to create leavening. As such, recipes that use Dutch process cocoa usually rely on baking powder for leavening, so make sure you don’t use the two interchangeably. In this recipe, we don’t have to worry about a leavening agent, but I did scale back my sugar to adjust the sweetness. I’ve also begun weighing the flour in my shortbread recipes, so the measurements below are given in both weight and volume; I strongly recommend using a kitchen scale and weighing instead of measuring my volume.

These treats were quite popular in my office this week. Enjoy!

Ingredients

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, slightly softened
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ounce (about 1/3 cup) Dutch-process cocoa
  • 7 1/4 ounces (about 1 3/4 cups) flour

Preparation

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Lightly grease two 8-inch round cake pans.

In a mixing bowl, cream together butter, sugar, salt, and vanilla, then beat in cocoa powder and flour.

Divide dough into two 12-ounce portions and press each portion into the bottom of the cake pans, using the palm of your hand to flatten the dough as evenly as possible.

Bake for 32-35 minutes, until it appears done around the edges. Remove from oven and loosen the sides with a knife, then cool in pans for 5 minutes.

Carefully turn one shortbread round out onto a cutting board and cut into 16 wedges; place wedges on a wire rack to cool. Repeat with the second round.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for about 4-5 days. Makes 32 wedges.

Note: shortbread will break if you try to cut it once it’s cool, so you must cut the rounds into wedges while they’re still warm.

Black Forest Cupcakes

black-forest-cupcake-1My cube mates and I all have nutcrackers on our desks for the holidays. Because we’re writers, we’ve decided that these nutcrackers need personalities and back stories. My nutcracker, Karl Henrik, hails from a tiny hamlet deep in the Black Forest…which made me really want to make Black Forest cupcakes.

This treat is much more fun to say in German: Schwartzwalder kirschtorte. Technically, this recipe is a very American adaptation on the German classic; it uses a dark chocolate cupcake recipe I’ve baked many times before, cherry pie filling (because one cannot find fresh tart cherries in Pittsburgh in December), and a kirsch-flavored whipped cream frosting. Mike proclaimed this cupcake delicious, whether it’s true to the original recipe or not. Someday, I’ll make a real Black Forest cake, but for now these treats will do!

Ingredients

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes

  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 cup water
  • Cherry pie filling*

*You’ll need half of a 21-ounce can; you can reserve the other half, as well as your cupcake cores, for a cherry chocolate trifle later on. 

Kirsch Whipped Cream Frosting

  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3/4 tablespoon kirsch (cherry brandy)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners.

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Mix until well-blended, then make three wells for the wet ingredients.

Place vinegar, vanilla, and vegetable oil into the wells; add water and mix until the batter is smooth. The mixture will bubble up slightly when you add the water, so just keep mixing until you get a smooth consistency in the batter, which will be fairly thin.

Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, scoop batter into cupcake wells, filling no more than 3/4 full.

Bake for 13-16 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Immediately remove cupcakes to a wire rack to cool.

Once cupcakes are completely cool, use a small knife to cut into the center of each cupcake at a 45-degree angle, about 1/8 inch from the edge, all the way around. Remove the core and reserve for another use (like a cherry-chocolate trifle, for example).

Spoon cherry pie filling into each center, being careful not to over-fill (which I definitely did). You should be able to fit about two cherries in each.

For the frosting: place heavy cream in a mixing bowl and, using your whisk attachment, beat on medium-high speed for 2 minutes, until soft peaks form. Add powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and kirsch, beating on high speed for another 2-3 minutes, until stiff peaks form.

Fit a piping bag with a large plain tip and pipe frosting onto cupcakes; gently smooth with an offset spatula to cover most of the top of the cupcake.

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Peanut Butter Snowballs

peabut-butter-snowballsA few weeks ago at work, my friend Kristin and I talked about whether you could make buckeyes with vanilla candy coating instead of chocolate. Later that day, Taste of Home shared this recipe for peanut butter snowballs on Facebook. They are the exact treats we’d discussed: a combination of peanut butter, butter, and powdered sugar coated in vanilla. I took it as a sign, and of course, had to make them.

You see, I can’t eat chocolate anymore. This delicious and magical food can be, for some people, a migraine trigger…and boy, do I have migraine issues. Not just the headache kind, but also a type called vestibular migraines, which cause dizziness, vertigo, and anxiety. Preventing them takes a combination of vitamins, medicine, daily exercise, meditation, physical therapy, and a diet low in sodium and devoid of caffeine (hence no chocolate), alcohol, and various other trigger foods.

The good news is that I’ve always loved vanilla, so I can still enjoy all manner of treats, including these peanut butter snowballs. They are a delightful alternative to the classic buckeye; smooth in texture and in flavor, with a nice crunch from the candy coating. This recipe makes 18 snowballs, but could be easily doubled for a larger batch.

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 pound vanilla candy coating, chopped*

*I used Log House Candiquick Vanilla Candy Coating, which I found in the baking aisle at Target. While it comes in a microwave-safe tray, I chopped mine and put it in a large glass bowl for melting. You’ll have plenty left over, which you can pour out onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, allow to set, break into pieces, and store in an airtight container for a future use. It sets up incredibly well, with no need to refrigerate. 

Preparation

Line a baking sheet with parchment or waxed paper.

In a mixing bowl fitted with the paddle attachment, combine butter and peanut butter. Beat on medium speed for about 1 minute, until well-blended.

Add powdered sugar and beat until completely combined and smooth.

Shape into 1-inch balls (I used a 1-inch cookie scoop) and place on the baking sheet, then chill for 30 minutes.

Place vanilla candy coating in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30-second intervals until completely melted; you’ll want to stir the coating between each interval to distribute the heat.

Dip peanut butter balls in candy coating and return them to the baking sheet to set.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Gingerbread

gingerbreadYesterday we put up our Christmas tree, and it seemed appropriate to make gingerbread. Not gingerbread cookies, despite how delicious (and adorable) they are – but actual gingerbread loaves, which I’d never made before.

I found a great gingerbread loaf recipe from Pillsbury and adapted it slightly to include a thicker glaze than the original.  You could leave the loaves plain if you like, but I highly recommend glazing them – although you might not expect it, lemon glaze adds a wonderful dimension of flavor to this rich, spicy bread. It would also be easy to cut this recipe in half to make just one loaf, or to bake the whole recipe in smaller loaf pans to give as gifts (which I’m totally going to do).

Ingredients

For the gingerbread

  • 2 3/4 cups flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 4 teaspoons ginger
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon allspice
  • Generous 1/2 teaspoon cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 12 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 3/4 cup molasses
  • 1 cup boiling water
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda

For the glaze

  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease two 8 x 4 loaf pans (or spray with baking spray).

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and set; set aside.

In a mixing bowl, beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each until the mixture is smooth.

In a 4-cup glass measuring cup, combine molasses and boiling water, stirring to combine. Add baking soda and stir; mixture will become foamy.

With the mixer running on low, slowly pour the molasses mixture into the butter mixture, beating until combined. Add flour in three batches, beating until just incorporated after each; stir by hand until well-blended.

Divide batter evenly between the pans and bake for 45-60 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean; my loaves only needed about 45 minutes.

Cool in pans for about 15 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.

To make the glaze, place powdered sugar in a medium bowl and add lemon juice 1 tablespoon at a time; you want a thicker glaze texture. Pour over loaves, spreading to the edges. Allow glaze to set before serving.

Easy Peanut Butter Fudge

easy-pb-fudgeI’ve made many batches of this fudge recipe with milk chocolate chips, but various migraine-related issues have put an end to my chocolate-eating days. Fortunately, I’ve always loved peanut butter fudge, and this recipe offers an easy alternative to chocolate. Much to my surprise (and delight), this fudge has a much richer peanut butter flavor that you might expect to get from peanut butter chips, though I do recommend using the Reese’s brand instead of generic.

This recipe makes a smaller batch and is not quite as sweet as my previous peanut butter fudge recipe, though both are delicious. While the original recipe calls for this to be refrigerated after pouring into the lined pan, I chose to leave it at room temperature to cool completely; you could certainly refrigerate it if you like, though refrigerating fudge can dry it out.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 2/3 cup (one 5-ounce can) evaporated milk
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 cups Reese’s peanut butter baking chips
  • 2 cups miniature marshmallows
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preparation

Line an 8×8 baking dish with foil, extending foil over the sides.

In a medium bowl, combine peanut butter chips and marshmallows; set aside. Place vanilla in a small prep bowl; set aside.

In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, evaporated milk, butter, and salt; stirring constantly, bring to a rolling boil over medium heat and cook for 5 minutes. Note: you must continue to stir the mixture while it boils for 5 minutes; I stir with my non-dominant arm during this period so I don’t get too tired.

Remove from heat and add peanut butter chips, marshmallows, and vanilla extract. Vigorously stir until the mixture is smooth, about 3 more minutes. Pour into baking dish and allow to cool completely at room temperature before cutting.

Spice Muffins with Pecan Streusel

spice-muffins-with-pecan-streuselHappy Thanksgiving, friends! This holiday offers so much wonderful food, from turkey to pumpkin pie. But what about Thanksgiving breakfast? Shouldn’t it have special food as well? I think these spice muffins, with their crunchy pecan streusel topping, make a wonderful addition to Thanksgiving breakfast.

These muffins are adapted from a standard recipe in the Better Homes & Gardens Cookbook, which I’ve had for 16 years (and has never, ever failed me). I began with a basic, plain muffin recipe and added cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger, as well as a pecan streusel topping. You could opt for walnuts in the streusel if you like, or leave the nuts out altogether if you prefer. Next time, I might also add a spice drizzle icing.

Ingredients

Pecan Streusel

  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ginger
  • 2 tablespoons butter, cut into small cubes
  • 4 tablespoons chopped pecans

Spice Muffins

  • 1 3/4 cups flour
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon ginger
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line one 12-count muffin tin with paper liners; this recipe makes 12 muffins.

In a small bowl, combine streusel ingredients: mix flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger with a fork. Cut in butter with a pastry blender (or two knives) until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Stir in pecans; set streusel aside in a cool place until ready to use.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Make a well in the center.

In a medium bowl, combine egg, milk, and vegetable oil; pour into the well in the dry mixture and stir until just moistened. The batter will be lumpy, but that’s fine – you don’t want to over-mix.

Using a 2-inch cookie scoop, drop scoops of batter into muffin tins, filing about half full. Top with about 1 tablespoon of streusel mix.

Bake for 18-20 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Remove from oven and immediately remove muffins to a wire rack to cool, or serve warm.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature.