Mini Fudge Cakes

Mini Fudge Cakes

1 cup butter

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate

4 ounces semi sweet chocolate (chips are good)

1 1/3 cups sugar

1/3 cup whipping (heavy) cream

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla - You can use rum, almond or what ever flavor you would like

3 large eggs

1 cup flour

-- I have added 1 cup of peppermint flavored bittersweet chocolate flakes (the Hot Chocolate mix from Williams-Sonoma) Yummy!

Melt butter, unsweetened chocolate, and semi sweet chocolate in a heavy saucepan over medium low heat. Stirring often.  Once all melted, remove from heat.

Cool completely to room temperature. 

Preheat oven to 375. Put mini cupcake wrappers in a tassie pan.

Stir in sugar, cream, and extract of your choice

Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each one. (your arm gets a mini work out here)

Gently fold in the flour.  Stir in optional chocolate flakes

Fill each lined cavity of the tassie pan till just about full

I put the batter in a pastry bag, it was a much cleaner fill

You can also add sprinkles to the tops. 

Bake for 10 to 14 minutes. Until a toothpick comes out ALMOST clean (my oven took 12 minutes)

Do not overbake

Remove to wire racks to cool. 

Makes about 5 dozen little cakes.  They go fast at our house!

Rob Roy Cookies

I found this cookie in a 1965 pamphlet cookie book.  Since Burns Night is Friday, I thought these might be good.  Australia Day is coming up, and I made Anzac biscuits (cookies) last year.

Rob Roy Cookies

1/2 cup shortening

1/2 cup butter

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon cloves

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed

2 large eggs

1 1/2 cups quick oats

1 cup  chopped walnuts

1 cup raisins

2 cups flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 325. Line baking sheets with parchment

In the bowl of your mixer, combine shortening, butter, salt and spices. Mix well. Add brown sugar, blend well.  Add eggs one at a time and mix till well blended. 

Add oats, nuts and raisins. Mix

In a bowl, mix flour and baking soda. 

Add 1/2 the flour mixture to the creamed mixture.  Blend

Add the buttermilk. Blend

Add the rest of the flour mixture. Mix well. 

Use the medium or large cookie scoop. I used the large one this time

Bake 10 to 12 minutes for medium scoops, 12 to 17 minutes for large scoops. My oven took 19 minutes to nicely baked. They are done once the edges are brown. 

Makes 2 dozen large cookies and about 3 dozen medium cookies. 

Applesauce Cranberry Drops

Apple Cranberry Drops

1/2 cup shortening - Crisco

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup applesauce

1 large egg

2 1/2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 375

Line baking sheets with parchment paper 

Cream butter, add shortening. Beat till they are well combined. Add sugars, egg and applesauce. Beat till combined

In another bowl, mix flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. 

Add flour mixture to butter/shortening mixture. Beat on low speed until well combined. 

Add dried cranberries and walnuts. 

Use the medium scoop and drop onto parchment paper, about an inch apart

Bake for 10 to 12 minute or until lightly brown on the edges. 

Makes about 3 dozen. 

Sunshine Slices

It is a dreary January day here. Time for some sunshine!

Sunshine Slices!

1/2 cup butter, softened

3 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 large egg

1 tablespoon milk

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1/4 teaspoon lemon extract

2 1/2 cups flour

1 cup toasted coconut

Cream butter and cream cheese in the mixer till smooth. 

In a separate bowl, sift powdered sugar, baking soda and salt.  Add to creamed mixer. 

Add egg, milk, lemon peel and lemon extract.  Mix well

Add flour and beat until well blended

Divide dough, and toll into cylinders. wrap in plastic and refrigerate for two hours

Preheat oven to 375

Slice cookie dough roll into 1/4 inch slices. Place on parchment lined baking sheets. 

Bake to 9 to 12 minutes or until golden brown on the bottom. 

Cool on wire racks. 

I wanted more lemony taste, so I put a lemon glaze drizzle on top (1 cup of sifted powdered sugar, and a tablespoon or so of fresh lemon juice)

 Make 2 dozen

These are a cakey light cookie

Pomegranate Pistachio Thumbprints

For this cookie, you can make your own pomegranate jelly with the recipe that follows or use store bought.

Pomegranate Pistachio Thumbprints

2/3 cup pomegranate jelly * recipe follows

2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup butter

3/4 cup sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup finely chopped pistachio nuts

If you are making the jelly, make it well in advance so it has time to cool and set before you use it

Preheat oven to 350, line baking sheets with parchment

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt, set aside

In the mixer bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. 

On low speed, add the flour, mix until well combined

Place the pistachios in a dish. Use the medium scoop to scoop out dough balls, roll in pistachio nuts. Place 1 to 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheet. Use your thumb to make an impression in the cookie. Add about 1/4 teaspoon prepared jelly  into each impression. 

Bake for 10 to 14 minutes or until the are  golden brown around the edges. 

Cool cookies on baking sheet for a few minutes then transfer to wire racks to cool. 

Pomegranate Jelly

2 cups pomegranate juice

2 tablespoons lemon juice (I only had a lime and it worked just fine)

1 packet liquid fruit pectin

4 cups sugar

This will make way more than you need!  It makes 4 to 5 half pints.

In a large dutch oven, combine pomegranate juice, lemon (lime) juice and fruit pectin.  Bring to a boil over high heat. 

Stir in sugar all at once. Stirring constantly bring to a full rolling boil. Boil 1 minute longer. Remove from heat, skim foam and place into hot sterilized jars.  Seal according to directions from manufacturer.  

Cool to room temperature, then place in the fridge for at least 2 hours before using in cookies. 

Cottage Cheese Cookies

I made some Ricotta cookies last year, they were good, but not worthy of Christmas. I experimented with the recipe, and these are wonderful!

Cottage Cheese Cookies

4 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon nutmeg

zest of one medium orange

1/2 cup butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 teaspoon orange extract

15 ounces small curd cottage cheese, drained if wet

Glaze

2 cups powdered sugar

5 tablespoons orange juice

1 teaspoon almond extract

Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, orange peel, salt and nutmeg in a medium bowl, set aside. 

Cream butter, add sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Beat in eggs one at a time, add the extracts (you can skip the almond if you have flor di scilia -just use 2 or 3 drops of that)  and cottage cheese. Add flour and beat until well combined. At this point you will still see some lumps of cottage cheese, but soon you won't. 

Cover and refrigerate over night.  At least 8 hours. 

Preheat oven to 350. Line baking sheets with parchment

Using the medium cookie scoop drop cookies on prepared sheets, about an inch apart

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes

Cool completely before glazing

To make glaze:

Sift powdered sugar into a bowl. Mix orange juice and almond extract. Whisk into powdered sugar. It should be a fairly thin glaze. Dip the cookies into glaze, then top with sprinkles.  Let stand until glaze has hardened. 

These freeze wonderfully. 

Makes about 3 dozen

White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

12 ounces white chocolate chips (1 bag)

3 1/4 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 sticks butter, (16 tablespoons), room temperature

2/3 cup sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 cup crushed peppermint candies

5 ounces Andres Peppermint chips (1/2 a bag)

8 teaspoons heavy cream

Crushed peppermint candies

Preheat oven to 350

Line baking sheets with parchment

Melt 4 ounces of the white chocolate, I do this in the microwave, 30 seconds, then stir, repeat till it is all creamy.  Set aside to cool slightly

In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt, set aside

Cream butter at medium speed in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add sugar, beat until light and fluffy .At least 2 minutes.  Add the melted chocolate, blend till smooth. Add eggs and vanilla.  

Add the flour in batches at low speed. (or you will get flour flying all over the kitchen) 

Add the peppermint chips and 4 ounces of the white chocolate chips ( you should have 4 ounces left for the glaze)

Using the medium scoop, drop onto prepared pans about 2 inches apart. 

Bake for 15 to 17 minutes or until lightly browned

Let them cool for a few minutes on the pan, the put them on a wire rack to cool completely. 

Let cool completely.

Make the ganache

Take the last four ounces of white chocolate and melt it in the microwave. 

Add  heavy cream. Beat to blend well. 

Dip the cookies in the ganache. Top down. Then dip into crushed peppermint candies. The white chocolate mixture (the ganache) will thicken up, so don't dawdle. If it does thicken up, you can warm it up for a few seconds in the microwave. 

Let the cookies set on the wire racks about an hour. 

Makes 36