Long Time, No Eat

If I ate as rarely as I posted, I would surely be dead. The insanity that junior year of college brings with it left me with little time to cook, let alone blog. I did, however, take as many pictures as I could of my food (when I remembered). Unfortunately, I can't seem to remember what some of the recipes even are... here are a few that I managed to figure out :)

Apple Strudel Muffins (yields 12 muffins)

Ingredients

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
  
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup applesauce
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/4 tsp. vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups chopped apples

For the strudel topping:

• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tbs. all purpose flour
• 1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tbs. butter

Directions

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Thoroughly grease a 12 cup muffin pan or use liners.
  
• In a medium bowl mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
  
• In a large bowl, beat together butter, sugar and eggs until smooth. Mix in the vanilla. Stir in the apples and then gradually blend in the flour mixture. Spoon the mixture into the prepared muffin pan.
• For the strudel topping: mix the brown sugar, flour and cinnamon in a small bowl. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles a coarse crumb. Sprinkle the topping over the batter in the muffin pans.
• Bake 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Allow to rest for 5 minutes in the pan and then remove muffins from the pan to cooling racks and allow to cool completely.

Raspberry Almond Shortbread Cookies (makes 3 dozen cookies)

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 1/2 tsp. almond extract
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup seedless raspberry preserves (or blackberry or whatever preserves you love!)
  
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 3/4 tsp. almond extract
• 1 tsp. milk

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  
• In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and white sugar until smooth. Mix in the 1/2 tsp. almond extract. Mix in the flour until the dough comes together. Roll dough into 1 1/2 inch balls and place on ungreased cokie sheets. Using your thumb, make a small indent in the center of each ball and fill with preserves.
  
• Bake for 14 - 18 minutes, or until lightly browned. Let cook for 1 minute on the cookie sheet.
• In a medium bowl, mix together the confectioners' sugar, 3/4 tsp. almond extract and milk until smooth. Drizzle lightly over the warm cookies. I placed this into a pastry bag with my smallest tip and used that to drizzle the icing onto the cookies; a plastic sandwich bag or Ziploc bag with a tiny hole cut in the corner works as well.

Chocolate Mint Cookies (yields 3.5 dozen cookies)

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons butter
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 egg
• 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1-1/2 (4.5 ounce) packages Andes mints

Directions

• Heat the butter, sugar and water in a small pot over medium heat; stir occasionally until melted. Remove from heat and pour in the chocolate chips. Stir until melted. Set the mixture aside to cool for 10 minutes.
• Pour the chocolate into a mixing bowl and beat in the egg. Mix the flour, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl and then stir into the chocolate mixture. Put the dough into the fridge for 1 hour to chill.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease the cookie sheets.
  
• Roll the dough into 1-inch sized balls and place on the cookie sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake for 8 - 10 minutes, being careful not to overbake!
  
• When cookies come out, place 1 (or half) of an Andes mint on the top of each cookie. Let it melt slightly and then use the back of a teaspoon to swirl the Andes mint around to cover the top of the cookie. Let cool completely on wire racks.
  

Chocolate Cupcakes (yields 2 dozen cupcakes)

These decadent cupcakes are filled with a marshmallow creme and topped with a chocolate ganache. I still haven't figured out the perfect name for them yet, so "chocolate cupcakes" will have to do for now...

Ingredients
-- For the cupcakes

• 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup water
• 4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 1 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  
• 2 large eggs

--For the filling

• 4 tbs. unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3 tbs. heavy cream
• 1 cup marshmallow creme

--For the ganache

• 6 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 1/2 c. heavy cream
• 1 tbs. unsalted butter
• 1 tbs. milk
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place liners into the muffin pans.
• To make the cupcakes, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a medium sized bowl. Bring the granulated sugar and water to a boil in a saucepan until the sugar dissolves, stirring frequently. Pour the sugar mixture into a large bowl and add the chocolate and butter. Let sit, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate is melted. Stir in the vanilla and using a mixer, beat in the eggs. Mix in the dry ingredients. Divide the batter evenly between the pans, about 1/4 cup of batter per cupcake. Bake for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Move to a rack to cool completely.
  
• To make the filling, cream the butter with a mixer until light and fluffy. Carefully beat in 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar. Add the vanilla and 1 tbs. heavy cream, beating until smooth. Add the remaining 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar and 2 tbs. of heavy cream to the mixture. Beat in the marshmallow creme, mixing until smooth.
  
• To prepare the ganache, place the chocolate in a stainless steel bowl. Heat the cream and 1 tbs. butter in a small saucepan until just boiling and pour over the chocolate. Let stand for 5 minutes and then whisk until smooth. Add 2 tsp. vanilla and let stand until cool, but still liquid.
  
• Spoon the creme filling into a pastry bag fitted with a medium-sized tip. Insert the tip into the center of each cupcake, filling until the cupcake feels heavier. Be careful to to overfill so that the creme is overflowing from the top! Dip the cupcake tops into the ganache or use a spoon to top the cupcakes with ganache.
  

Cookie Mania!

Life as a super busy college student doesn't leave much time for updating blogs. This semester has been busier than normal. With my sorority, work, class, and friends I have very little time to do things like blog, shop, and sleep. I still make time to bake and cook because nothing is more soothing to me than a good meal or a delicious dessert. Unfortunately, I've been pretty inconsistent with documenting what I have made so I don't have much to share. Aside from this, I spent this past Sunday baking up a storm - here are the results!

Chocolate Chocolate Freckles (yield varies by cookie cutter size)

Ingredients

• 1 stick of unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1/3 tsp. baking powder
  
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 7 oz dark chocolate, melted
• Nonpareil sprinkles

Directions

• Sift the flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder together into a medium-sized bowl.
  
• Beat the butter, sugar and egg in a bowl with an electric mixer until combined. Stir in the sifted dry ingredients, one half at a time.
  
• Knead the dough on a floured surface until smooth - it shouldn't take very long. Roll the dough between two sheets of parchment paper until 1/4 inch thick. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  
• Using a round cookie cutter (I used a 1 1/2 inch biscuit cutter), cut out as many cookies as you can. Take the leftovers from each round of cutting and knead, roll, and refrigerate to get more cookies. Do this until you can't possibly get any more cookies!
• Bake for about 11 minutes and then cool on a wire rack.
  
• Melt the dark chocolate in the microwave. Microwave in 15 second bursts, stirring after each time until the chocolate is melted.
  
• Spread the chocolate over the cookies and sprinkle the nonpareils on top!
  

Raspberry Tartlets (yields 3 dozen tartlets)

I normally double this recipe because everyone loves these! Another plus - they're super easy to make!

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 3/4 cup butter
• 1 egg, well beaten
• 1 tbsp. milk
• 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• Raspberry preserves, preferably with seeds!

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
  
• Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
  
• Add the egg, flour, milk, and vanilla to the butter and sugar mixture and mix until incorporated.
• Line mini-muffin cups with cupcake liners. You can choose not to use the liners, but they are a lot easier to remove this way!
  
• Add about a tablespoon of batter to each mini-muffin cup. Make a cavity with your finger and fill with raspberry jam (a 1/2 or 1/4 tsp works well).
  
• Bake 20 - 25 minutes or until lightly browned.
  
  

Peanut Butter Blossoms (yields 4 dozen cookies)










Ingredients

• 1/2 cup shortening
• 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 tbs. milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• Extra granulated sugar
• 48 Hershey's Kisses (milk chocolate), unwrapped
  

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 375°F
• Mix the shortening and peanut butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until blended.
  
• Add 1/3 cup granulated sugar and brown sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
  
• Add the egg, milk and vanilla and mix will.
  
• Gradually stir in the flour, baking soda and salt to the peanut butter mixture.
  
• Shape the dough into 1 inch balls. Roll them in granulated sugar and place them 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
  
• Bake for about 9 minutes or until lightly browned. Once out of the oven, immediately press a chocolate into the center of the cookie. The cookie will crack on the edges.
  
• Allow cookies to cool on a wire rack.
  
  

Lemon Raspberry Swirls

These cookies were time-consuming, but well-worth it!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp. milk
• 1 tsp. almond extract
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tbsp. fresh grated lemon peel
• 1/3 cup seedless red raspberry spread
  For the icing (optional):
  
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
  

Directions

• Beat the butter for 30 seconds with an electric mixer on medium-high speed.
  
• Add the sugar, baking powder, and salt and beat until combined, scraping the bowl occasionally.
  
• Beat in the egg, milk, almond extract and vanilla.
  
• Beat in the flour and 1 1/2 tsp. of the lemon peel.
  
• Cover and chill the dough for 2 hours.
  
• Place the raspberry spread into a small bowl and stir and mash until it breaks up and becomes smooth. Set aside.
  
• On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to a 12 x 10 inch rectangle. Spread the raspberry spread on the dough to the end of both the short edges and one of the long edges. Leave a 1 inch gap of plain dough on one of the long edges.
  
• Roll the dough, starting at the long side that has the raspberry spread on it. Pinch the ends to seal
• Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour, turning the dough every 15 minutes.
• While waiting for the dough to chill, preheat the oven to 375°F.
• Slice the dough into 1/2 inch thick slices and place an inch apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
  
• Bake for about 14 minutes or until the edges are set and the bottom is slightly browned. Cool on cookie sheets for a minute and then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
• For the icing, combine the powdered sugar, lemon juice and remaining lemon peel. Add enough water to get a drizzling consistency. Drizzle over the cookies and then sprinkle with almonds.
  

and finally, my personal favorite...
Blackberry Lemon Dainties! (yields about 18 sandwiches)




This recipe require lemon curd. You can buy it at the store, but I strongly suggest that you make it. I bought it once at the store and decided to make it the second time I needed it. I will never, ever go back to store bought! I've included the recipe for it at the end of this recipe. Trust me, you won't regret it!

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tbsp. graed lemon peel
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• Extra granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup blackberry jam
• 3 tbsp. lemon curd
  

Directions

• In a large bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer for 30 seconds.
  
• Add the 1/4 cup granulated sugar and salt. Beat until well combined, occasionally scraping the sides of the bowl.
  
• Beat in the lemon peel and vanilla.
  
• Beat in the flour, a half cup at a time. If your mixer starts to strain, turn it off and do this by hand!
• Wrap the dough and chill it for an hour.
• Preheat the oven to 400°F while the dough is chilling.
  
• Shape the dough into 1 inch balls (you will need an even number of them). Place them 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Use the bottom of a glass dipped in the extra granulated sugar to press the cookie into a 1/4 inch thick circle. Use a glass with a patterned bottom for a cookie with a design!
• Bake the cookies for 11 minutes or until the edges or just browned. Transfer to wire racks and allow to cool.
• Spread about a teaspoon of blackberry jam on the flat side of one cookie and a teaspoon of lemon curd on the flat side of another cookie. Gently press the cookies together to form a sandwich. Be careful - these cookies are extremely delicate and crumble easily.
  

Lemon curd (yields about 1 cup)

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 lemons, zested and juiced
• 1/2 stick of butter, cut into pats and chilled

Directions

• Bring an inch of water in a medium saucepan up to a simmer.
  
• Meanwhile, combine the egg yolks and sugar in a metal bowl that fits on the top of the saucepan without touching the water. Mix until smooth, about a minute.
  
• Measure out 1/3 cup of the lemon juice. If needed, use water to reach 1/3 cup.
  
• Add the lemon juice and zest to the egg mixture and whisk until smooth.
  
• Once the water reaches a simmer, reduce heat to low and place metal bowl on top of the saucepan.
  
• Whisk constantly until the mixture is thickened, about 8 minutes. It will be light yellow and will coat the back of a spoon.
  
• Remove from heat and whisk in the butter a pat at a time, allowing each one to melt before adding the next. Refrigerate until use.

No time to try all the recipes? I strongly suggest the lemon blackberry dainties or the raspberry tartlets :)

Deep Chocolate Brownies

I stumbled across this recipe for these decadent looking brownies. Making these was added on to my long to-do list. When I finally got a change to bake, the only grocery store I have within walking distance was out of bittersweet chocolate. However, I discovered about 2 weeks later that Trader Joe's has bittersweet chocolate for pretty dang cheap.

A few minor additions and a couple hours later, out of the oven came the best brownies I have ever had.

Deep Chocolate Brownies

Ingredients

• 2 sticks unsalted butter
• 8 oz bittersweet chocolate
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 5 large eggs
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 8 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 cup chopped nuts - I used pecans
  

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 350.
  
• Butter and dust a 13 x 9 in baking pan with cocoa powder.
• Melt butter and chocolate in a 3 qt. heavy saucepan over low heat, whisking, until smooth. Remove from heat and let cool to lukewarm. Whisk in the sugar and vanilla. Whisk in eggs one at a time until the mixture is glossy and smooth.
  
• Whisk together flour, cocoa powder and salt and then whisk into chocolate mixture until combined. Fold the chopped chocolate and nuts in.
• Spread into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with gooey crumbs, about 30 minutes.
  
• Cool completely and store for 24 hours before slicing.
  

I know that the last step is hard because these brownies look (and smell) amazing. But, trust me - the longer they sit, the better they taste!

Chocolate Cookies

I decided to make some chocolate cookies for our High School Musical 2 party tomorrow night. Of course, I'll bring some in to work, too.
Chocolate Cookies (Makes 30)

Ingredients

• 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped
• 4 tablespoons of butter
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (omit if using salted butter)
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
  
• 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chunks (I used Baker's)
• 1/2 cup walnuts, optional
  

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 350 F.
  
• Melt the 8 ounces of roughly chopped chocolate with the 4 tablespoons of butter in the microwave. Be careful not to burn it. I did about 5 intervals of 20 seconds.
  
• In a mixing bowl, combine eggs, brown sugar and vanilla. Mix on high for about 5 minutes. The mixture should be thick and glossy.
• Mix in the melted chocolate and butter mixture. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix until just blended. Stir in the 12 ounces of chocolate chunks and walnuts. Let the mixture sit for about ten minutes.
  
• Use a cookie scoop (about 1.5" in diameter) to scoop the dough onto buttered baking sheets about 3 inches apart. I put 9 cookies onto each sheet just to be safe.
  
• Bake for 13 minutes. Do not overbake!! You don't want the middle of the cookie to harden.
  
• Let the cookies cool on the sheet for 10 minutes and then place onto a cooling rack.
  
  
  
  Enjoy!
  

I've also come to the realization that I need to get some nicer plates. Living the life as a poor college student with a kitchen packed with hand-me-down dishes and silverware is no fun. But hey, at least it was free, right?