Tag Archives: desserts

Sugar Cookies with Sweet Honey Icing

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Easter is almost upon us. Maybe this year will be the year that I dig through boxes and find all of the Easter-egg dying kits I’ve bought over years on clearance after Easter.

I always have good intentions.

But, then the holiday is a few days away and I look around my messy house and I think, “Do I REALLY want to gather the kids all in one place allowing them to get creative with DYE? Do I want to take deep breaths through all the arguing: “I wanted the yellow!!!!!!” “But I want a really dark egg, you have to leave it in a long time!” “But I’m making a tye-dyed egg, I need yellow or it will mess up my pattern!” Sigh. Yes. It’s important. Because we’re making memories. Conflict-ridden, hair-pulling, someone-ends-up-grounded-and-something-ends-up-irreparably-damaged memories.

I believe in traditions. But, sometimes, I dislike them. Anything creative I have a hard time with, maybe because I want the yellow first. Pumpkin carving is the same way. I want to sit by myself for 2 hours and create a masterpiece, a pumpkin that will have everyone in the neighborhood talking. My kids have the same penchant for creating and perfection that I do. Get three or four of us in the same room creating and things can get complicated.

So, I’ve figured out some ways to make creative traditions fun. First, I throw all expectations out the window: expectations of behavior and of creative outcome. Second, I put anything of sentimental value AWAY and prep well, to minimize destruction. Third, I decide if my creation is important to me. If it is, I allot myself separate time to create, and make sure I remember that the time is to be spent helping the kids create.

I also like to change up traditions. Easter egg dying has been our most conflict-driven tradition, for some reason. Plus, you can only eat so many deviled eggs. So, this year, we stole a Christmas tradition for Easter. Decorating sugar cookies. Every year before Christmas, my mom gets all of the grandkids and has a cookie decorating party at her house. She uses the same recipe she’s been using since we were kids. The original recipe was called “Peanuts Sugar Cookies” because it came with a set of Peanuts Characters cookie cutters (you know, Charlie Brown, Snoopy…). In my opinion, it is the best sugar cookie recipe. I have never found one I liked better. The flavor is pure, the cookies hold their shape well, and they are crispy without being hard (if you are a soft-sugar-cookie person, this is not the recipe for you).

Now…what to do about the Easter egg hunt…

SUGAR COOKIES

1 1/2 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla
4 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder

Cream together the sugar and butter until fluffy. Add in the egg and vanilla, mix well. Add in the flour and baking powder. Mix just until flour is incorporated. Over mixing will make tough cookies. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate 2 hours, up to overnight. If you refrigerate it overnight, allow it to thaw a bit before trying to work with it.

preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roll out the dough 1/4 inch thick on a lightly floured surface and cut out as desired. Bake in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, until the edges barely start to brown. Frost and decorate.

SWEET HONEY ICING

2 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 TBS milk
1 1/2- 2 TBS raw honey
1/2 tsp vanilla

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and milk until smooth. Slowly drizzle in 1 1/2 TBS of the honey while mixing. Add the vanilla and whisk until smooth and glossy. If it is too thick, add additional honey.

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Peanut Butter Brownie Torte

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Have you seen that post floating around pinterest? It’s a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Cake…it looks exactly like a humongous peanut butter cup. Well, I thought it was pretty awesome and my soon-to-be-nine-year-old decided he wanted it for his birthday cake. So, I clicked on it, planning to make it.

It wasn’t a recipe.

It was a cake.

To order.

From Williams-Sonoma.

For $80.00.

Seriously.

Okay, so maybe some of you don’t mind spending 80 bones on a birthday cake, but that is WAAAAYYYY outta my budget. (Yeah, I’m married to a teacher, after all. He has two masters degrees. Don’t get me started.) So, the next best thing is to recreate it. Not too hard: chocolate cake, peanut butter filling, milk chocolate frosting. But, (I thought in my devious-non-calorie-counting-inner-mind) maybe I could IMPROVE on the concept…switch out the cake for brownies (we’re not much of cake people, we tend to have pie for birthdays), keep the peanut butter filling, then cover it in a milk chocolate ganache. Mmmmmmm…I’m sold.

So, I HAD to do a trial run during spring break, so I could take pictures (otherwise my poor birthday boy would have to wait to indulge on his birthday until after my 30 minute staging and photographing fiasco. I figured that wasn’t fair). I learned a lot, and I’ll be making this again before the birthday to take more pictures, as I discovered that it really does need to be refrigerated before cutting into it, although it tastes divine without it, it’s very messy. The kids didn’t mind. So, enjoy the “messy version” pictures. I’ll post with nicer ones in a few weeks. And, as I discovered when I had a piece for breakfast the next day, it actually tastes better chilled. So, plan to make this a day ahead. It’s a little labor-intensive, but ooooooohhhhhhhhhh-so-worth it.

PEANUT BUTTER BROWNIE TORTE

Brownies:

1 cup cocoa powder
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 cup butter, melted
1 cup flour

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray two 9″ round cake pans with cooking spray. Line the bottom of each with a piece of parchment paper cut to fit. Respray over the paper. This will ensure no problems getting the brownie out of the pan. In a medium bowl, mix together cocoa, sugar and eggs until well mixed. Slowly pour in the melted butter and mix well (be careful not to cook your eggs by pouring hot butter in all at once). Add the flour and mix just until blended. Divide equally between the two pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Do not over bake. Cool in the pans on a rack.

Filling:

1 cup natural peanut butter
1 1/3 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened

Combine ingredients and beat with a mixer (whisk attachment if you have one) for about 3-5 minutes, until it becomes very smooth. Set aside until brownies are cool.

Ganache Topping:

1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 cups milk chocolate chips

In a small saucepan, over medium heat, heat the cream until bubbles form around the edges. Remove from heat. Dump in the chocolate chips. Let sit for 5 minutes. Stir well, until well combined and chocolate is completely incorporated.

TO ASSEMBLE:

When brownies are cool, run a knife or metal spatula along the edge of each brownie, loosening it from the pan, then gently turn each over onto a cooling rack. They should come right out. Remove and discard the parchment. Generously cover the bottom layer with filling. Align second brownie on top. Pour some of the ganache on top, until it starts to pour over the sides. At this point, refrigerate the cake and the remaining ganache. About 30 minutes later, remove the cake from the fridge and “frost” the sides with the ganache. Smooth over any bumps and garnish with Peanut Butter Cups as desired. Return cake to refrigerator and chill for at least 2 hours before serving.

REAL food alert: Thanks to this recipe, I discovered that our beloved Reeses’ Peanut Butter Cups contain TBHQ, a preservative linked to stomach cancer. I almost cried. Okay, not really…but I was sad…and annoyed. I assume natural food stores have PB cups that are TBHQ free. Speaking of peanut butter, I use all-natural pb…meaning the ingredients are peanuts and salt. If you use conventional peanut butter, you may want to cut down the sugar a bit. aaand, last but not least: chocolate chips. Check for artificial flavoring in your chocolate chips.

ALLERGY alert: This can easily be made gluten free by subbing brownies with a gluten-free brownie recipe. Be sure to use soy-free chocolate chips if you have soy allergies.

HEALTH alert: are you kidding me? This is unhealthy…it’s a waste of time to health-it-up. Just eat a small piece and then go hike up a beautiful mountain.

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Raspberry Lemonade Floats

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Summer is fast approaching, and there’s nothing better in the summer than a frosty, creamy, refreshing drink. For this post, we have a guest interview. This delicious concoction was invented by my oldest son (age eleven) one night at dinner. His eyes lit up suddenly and he exclaimed “Ooh! We should put ice cream in pink lemonade, you know, like floats?”

So, we tried it…and it’s delicious! The tartness of the lemonade is smoothed by the creamy sweetness of the ice cream. I subbed raspberry lemonade for pink lemonade to add a little extra dimension.

Here’s my interview with the inventor:

Me: How did you come up with the idea for the Raspberry Lemonade Floats?

Him: Um, well, I like ice cream. My brother mentioned lemonade, and I thought since people really like root beer floats, I thought we could try it with pink lemonade.

Me: You are a great cook, do you have a specialty you cook?

Him: Pancakes…well, not pancakes. I like making sausage egg burritos, those are fun…and easy.

Me: What’s your favorite food to eat?

Him: Mac n Cheese and Stroganoff

Me: Who’s your favorite cook? ;)

Him: My mom. (smiles)

Well, there you have it. An interview with one of the greatest up and coming food inventors. Even though summer is still a few months off, spend some time in your kitchen with your kids this summer, teaching them to cook and helping them invent their own creations. Creativity is contagious!!

RASPBERRY LEMONADE FLOATS

Vanilla ice cream
Raspberry  lemonade
Fresh raspberries (optional)

Line up several tall glasses. Drop two scoops of vanilla ice cream in each glass. Pour raspberry lemonade over the ice cream. garnish with fresh raspberries.

REAL food alert: many lemonades are filled with corn syrup, and sometimes artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. Look for “natural” lemonades that are fruit juice and real sugar, or make your own! Ice cream also varies with the amount of additives. Breyers and other natural brands are a step up from conventional brands, full of all sorts of additives and corn syrup. Get used to reading labels for your family’s health. Or….make your own. ;)

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Baked Valentine’s Donuts

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Valentine’s Day is one of those holidays that you either love or hate. I have found, since having kids, that even the most commercialized, purposeless holidays can be fun when seen through the eyes of a five-year old. Now if we can just get congress to ban the Kay Jewelry “Open Heart Collection” commercials, life would be great.

This year, I decided that baked heart shaped donuts, filled with strawberry filling would be a fun and tasty way to celebrate with the family. And, no…Jane Seymour is NOT getting any.

BAKED VALENTINE’S DONUTS

Donuts:

3/4 cup warm milk
2 1/4 tsp (1 packet) active dry yeast
1 TBS unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg, whisked
1/2 tsp salt
2 -3 cup flour

Combine yeast and warm milk in your stand mixer bowl, or in a large mixing bowl. Let sit for 5-10 minutes. Gently mix in butter, sugar and egg (make sure egg is well blended before adding). Add flour, 1/2 c at a time. Add salt in with the first batch of flour. Mix thoroughly after each flour addition. Stop adding flour as soon as the dough sticks together. You definitely want as little flour in your dough as possible. using your dough hook, or hands, if you’re more traditional, knead for 5 minutes. Watch the dough. If it starts to stick to the sides, sprinkle a little bit of flour as needed to coax it back into a ball. Again, use as little flour as possible. When I make this, I typically only use 2 cups of flour.

Remove bowl and place in a warm place to rise until double (about an hour, but this can drastically vary depending on all sorts of factors).

Once it has risen, dump it onto a counter that has been lightly dusted with flour. Roll it out to about 1/2 inch thick. Use a heart cookie cutter to cut the dough into hearts. Use as much of the dough in the first cut as possible, then collect the scraps and recut. If you must, you can do it a third time, but the resulting donuts will be tougher than the first.

Place the hearts on parchment-covered baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Let rise again until double, another 45 min- 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake for 5-7 minutes. Remove when they are light brown on top. Immediately slide to a cooling rack.

Strawberry Filling:

3 cups strawberries (fresh or frozen)
1 cup sugar
1 TBS cornstarch
2 TBS cold water

Puree the strawberries in a blender or food processor (be sure to thaw them first if you are starting with frozen). Add the sugar. Pour into a saucepan and heat over medium heat. Combine the cornstarch and cold water in a small bowl. Stir the strawberry mixture until sugar is fully dissolved. Add the cornstarch mixture and stir over medium heat until thick and jelly-like. Pour into a container and refrigerate until chilled.

To assemble:

Take a donut and poke a hole in one side with a small knife or skewer. Carefully move the knife/skewer around the inside of the donut to allow room for the filling. (A clean finger does this well, if that doesn’t gross you out)

Scoop some filling into a zipper-topped bag. Cut a small portion off the corner, insert into the donut and squeeze the filling into the donut.

Spoon some powdered sugar into a fine-mesh strainer, lightly dust the donuts by tapping the side of the strainer as you pass over them.

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Mini Hootenanny Pancakes

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Hootenanny…hootenanny..hoot, hoot, Hoot!

That’s what we say when eating these pancakes. I’m not sure where that came from, I think I read someone else’s story that their family did it growing up, and it kinda stuck. These are also called “German Oven Pancakes” or “Dutch Babies”. I am not biased against various European countries, so we’ve stuck with Hootenanny Pancakes.

There are also various ways to eat them. Traditionally, they are made in a pie tin, then sliced up kinda like a pizza. My husband likes it with syrup, butter and powdered sugar. I prefer it with fruit of some sort and whipped cream. One thing I love about breakfast is that it’s an easy excuse to eat dessert as a meal without feeling guilty.

This recipe uses a large muffin tin (the kind that makes six muffins, not twelve) to create cute little individual cups to be filled as your heart desires. The optimum fill portion for the best cups is about 1/3 full. if you fill it 1/2 full, they will be thick and not quite form into cups.

HOOTENANNY PANCAKES

6 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
3 TSP butter, melted

additional melted butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Blend all ingredients in a food processor, blender, or with an immersion blender.  You want to make sure all the flour is well incorporated and the batter is smooth. Put a tablespoon of melted butter in each of the six muffin divots. Fill each 1/3 full with the batter. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until puffed up and golden brown. Invert onto a cooling rack.

Fill with your favorite fruit, syrup, Nutella (ooh, that’s a great idea!), or whatever you please. I filled these with Easy Strawberry Topping.

EASY STRAWBERRY TOPPING

3 cups strawberries
1/2 cup sugar

Combine the strawberries and sugar. Let sit for 30 minutes. Mash with a potato masher, or puree.

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ALLERGY alert: These can easily be converted to gluten-free by using gluten-free flour. They can be made dairy-free by subbing an alternative milk, and using 100% vegetable margarine or oil in place of the butter.

Boston Cream Donuts…Baked!

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Hmmm…Doughnuts…Donuts…. Either way, they are tasty balls of fried dough, made tastier when filled or frosted or dunked.

SOME people, however, have a hard time stopping with one, two, or four doughnuts, which has made BAKED raised donuts a popular trend amongst the scratch bakers.

So, I figured, if I’m going to take the time to make a yeast donut, and save calories by baking it, I have caloric wiggle room to add a cream filling and chocolate frosting, eh?

Thus is born the baked Boston Cream Donut…

BAKED BOSTON CREAM DONUTS

Donuts:

3/4 cup warm milk
2 1/4 tsp (1 packet) active dry yeast
1 TBS unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg, whisked
1/2 tsp salt
2 -3 cup flour

Combine yeast and warm milk in your stand mixer bowl, or in a large mixing bowl. Let sit for 5-10 minutes. Gently mix in butter, sugar and egg (make sure egg is well blended before adding). Add flour, 1/2 c at a time. Add salt in with the first batch of flour. Mix thoroughly after each flour addition. Stop adding flour as soon as the dough sticks together. You definitely want as little flour in your dough as possible. using your dough hook, or hands, if you’re more traditional, knead for 5 minutes. Watch the dough. If it starts to stick to the sides, sprinkle a little bit of flour as needed to coax it back into a ball. Again, use as little flour as possible. When I make this, I typically only use 2 cups of flour.

Remove bowl and place in a warm place to rise until double (about an hour, but this can drastically vary depending on all sorts of factors).

Once it has risen, dump it onto a counter that has been lightly dusted with flour. Roll it out to about 1/2 inch thick. Use a glass or round cookie cutter to cut the dough into circles. Use as much of the dough in the first cut as possible, then collect the scraps and recut. If you must, you can do it a third time, but the resulting donuts will be tougher than the first.

Place the dough circles on parchment-covered baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Let rise again until double, another 45 min- 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake for 5-7 minutes. Remove when they are light brown on top. Immediately slide to a cooling rack.

Filling (Pastry Cream):

2 cups milk
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
2 egg yolks
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/3 cup sugar
2 TBS butter
1 tsp vanilla

Stir together the milk and 1/4 cup sugar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Over medium heat, bring it to a boil. Meanwhile, mix together the egg and egg yolks. Add the cornstarch and 1/3 cup sugar to the eggs and mix until smooth. When the milk has come to a boil, slowly pour a few tablespoons of it into the egg mixture.* Mix well and pour a little more hot milk in with the eggs. Mix well. Pour the egg mixture into the pan with the milk and slowly return to a boil, whisking frequently to keep the bottom from burning. When the mixture becomes thick, remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla. Pour into a bowl and place plastic wrap to the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Place in the refrigerator until chilled.

Frosting:

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
3/4 cup chocolate chips

Pour cream into a sauce pan. Heat over medium heat until hot, but do not bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add chocolate chips. Stir until smooth.

To assemble:

Take a donut and poke a hole in one side with a small knife or skewer. Carefully move the knife/skewer around the inside of the donut to allow room for the filling. (A clean finger does this well, if that doesn’t gross you out)

Scoop some filling into a zipper-topped bag. Cut a small portion off the corner, insert into the donut and squeeze the filling into the donut.

Dip the top of the donut into the bowl of chocolate.

Enjoy. With friends…or family…or hot chocolate.

*This is called “tempering” the eggs, slowly bringing them up in temperature so that when you add them to the milk, they don’t cook so quickly that you have scrambled eggs in your pastry cream.

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