| Cookies Made From Cake Mixes - The Cookies by Design Recipes
Everybody loves cookies. Whether for holiday treats or just to fill the cookie jar, you will find a cookie that will fill the bill. You can even make cookies from the cake mixes. |
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Here are some cookie recipes to try out today: 1. Almond Bars Ingredients: - 1 package white cake mix
Almond Topping - 2/3 cup sliced almonds
Directions: - Heat oven to 350º.
The Almond Topping: - Cook all ingredients in 2-quart saucepan over low heat, stirring
2. Almond Bonbons Ingredient: - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Almond Glaze Sliced almonds - toasted, if desired Ingredient: - 1 cup powdered sugar
Directions: - Heat oven to 375º.
Almond Glaze: - Mix all ingredients until smooth and spreadable. 3. Almond Macaroons Ingredient: - 1 (7 ounce) package almond paste (7 or 8 ounces)
Directions: - Grease cookie sheet.
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Thursday, January 5, 2012
Cookies Made From Cake Mixes - The Cookies by Design Recipes
How to Make Delicious Cookies That Are Easy to Ship to Soldiers, Kids at College, Etc - #5
| How to Make Delicious Cookies That Are Easy to Ship to Soldiers, Kids at College, Etc - #5
These old fashion cookie recipes are perfect for lunchboxes, after school treats, or just because. They are also great for shipping to the kids away at school, soldiers in the US or overseas, out-of-state grandparents, etc. Today's recipes include Old Timey Oatmeal Cookies that also offers a variation for making Oatmeal-Raisin cookies. Geraldine's Fudge Cookies are just a simple old-fashion chocolate cookie that is sure to please chocoholics everywhere. These cookies are so easy they are perfect for the kids to help with. This is especially important to children who can help make something to send to parents who are away in the military. |
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OLD TIMEY OATMEAL COOKIES This recipe is so old, I don't know where it came from. 3/4 cup lard (or shortening)
Beat the lard (or shortening), brown sugar, granulated sugar, egg, water, and vanilla together until creamy. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda. Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture; blend well. Stir in the oats and drop by teaspoonful onto greased cookie sheets. Bake in a preheated moderate oven (350 degrees) for 12 to 15 minutes. Variation: You could add 3/4 cup raisins for Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies. GERALDINE'S FUDGE COOKIES 1 cup flour
In a mixing bowl, mix the flour, cocoa, and sugar together. Stir in the eggs, vanilla, and butter. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto lightly greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes. Enjoy! How to Make Delicious Cookies That Are Easy to Ship to Soldiers, Kids at College, Etc - #5 |
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Enjoying 'Different' Cookies Through Gourmet Cookie Recipes
| Enjoying 'Different' Cookies Through Gourmet Cookie Recipes
Chocolate chip cookies, raisin cookies, or wheat-based cookies are perhaps among the most loved of all time. But for anyone who wants to try something different, gourmet cookie recipes might be the one for them. |
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As the term suggests, gourmet cookie recipes entail doing something different with the usual recipes people make. The term gourmet is mostly used to high quality cuisine or foods that are prepared with exquisite care or with a unique presentation. For anyone who wants to bake gourmet cookies, one should be more resourceful and creative so as to distinguish them from the more commonly baked treats such as chocolate chip cookies. Baking can be quite a delightful surprise if one decides to be a little creative and different with what they want to create. Cookies are always a wonderful treat especially for kids, but for parents who want to bake something else than chocolate chip cookies, there are recipes they can use to give their kids a different kind of treat. There are times when some would prefer to have a little 'adventure' with their treats. One example of a cookie that most people are not aware of is the banana bread cookies. They are easy to bake and a lot different from the cookies that people are used to eating. Banana bread cookies are simple to bake. By just adding bananas that are peeled and mashed in replacement of chocolate chips or chunks, anyone can already enjoy cookies that actually taste like banana bread. There are also gourmet cookie recipes that include coconuts as the added ingredient. Coconut macaroon cookies are becoming a favourite treat and they are simple to make. From coconut to bananas, baking gourmet cookies can help anyone use their imagination to create a wonderful delicious treat. The best thing about these recipes is that they are available online. Thus, learning how to make gourmet cookies is not a lot easier! Enjoying 'Different' Cookies Through Gourmet Cookie Recipes |
Friday, December 23, 2011
Favorite Christmas Cookies 2 - Toll House Variety Chip Cookies - 2
| Favorite Christmas Cookies 2 - Toll House Variety Chip Cookies - 2
After you have gathered all your ingredients, heat the oven to 350*. You will need 2 bowls: a medium one for the dry mixture and a large one to mix all the ingredients for the cookies. In the medium bowl, mix the dry ingredients (4 & ½ cup all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons salt, 2 teaspoons baking soda). In the large bowl, add the 1 & ½ cup of granulated sugar and 1 & ½ cup of packed brown sugar, 4 sticks (2 cups) softened margarine, and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract and beat until creamy. Add 4 eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after adding each one. |
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Now, gradually add the dry mixture. Stir in 2 bags of your choice of morsels (and nuts if you choose). Drop a rounded tablespoon of dough onto ungreased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Place a few morsels on top of each cookie and bake 9-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes then remove to wire racks. This will make about 9 dozen of the best tasting cookies you will ever have! It is fun to see if someone in your family or a close friend wants to share their favorite cookies with you by becoming part of a Christmas Cookie Exchange. Because many people have favorites of their own, you will be able to enjoy a variety of cookies. It is simple when you double your recipes. You will be able to share ½ of your baked goods and receive ½ of theirs so you will have a bigger selection. My family loves my Christmas cookies but they also love and enjoy eating different kinds of cookies baked by their aunt. In Favorite Christmas Cookies 1, you saw how I made Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies. In Christmas Cookies Part 3, you will see another kind of cookie called Swirled Turtle Brownies. You can also see other recipes in the article entitled "Cookie Exchange Will Save at Time at Christmas". Enjoy the time you spend making Christmas cookies and memories and remember, make it fun. Favorite Christmas Cookies 2 - Toll House Variety Chip Cookies - 2 |
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Quick And Easy Way To Home Package Cookies With These 8 Yummy Creative Ideas
You've spent the time and effort to bake your delicious homemade cookie gifts, now it's time to package them! |
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Don't spoil all your hard work with boring cookie boxes and packaging ideas. You want cookie gifts that say "Yummy!" - Perception is everything! First impressions are truly important. So it's unavoidable that you make a little effort to package your home-baked treats. But where do you start? Here it is... Theme: Think about what the theme is for your cookie gift packages. For example, it is a birthday gift or for Christmas holiday giving? Perhaps it's for your Valentine? Use the theme on your packaging. Ingredients: What are the main flavors or the cookie ingredients you used? Apply this element to help enhance the aroma that you may want to portray on your cookie boxes or packages. Protection: Are your cookies fragile? Or do they need to be air-tight and stored in the fridge? Consider using for example, zip seal bags, if necessary. Hygiene: Always clean any used containers (or even store-bought new boxes) and dry before using. When decorating your packages, be sure to use food safe items. Eg. Don't use glues where cookies may be in contact. Consider the point that your cookie gift recipient may not always be as careful as you when replacing cookies back into containers. Think from their viewpoint and see whether there is an alternative method for better hygiene. With that said and done, here are your "8 Yummy Creative Package Ideas": HOME-BAKED COOKIE PACKAGING IDEA 1: "The Coffee Cup" You may have seen a similar idea before, using a mug or coffee cup, but this is really a brilliant idea as people associate coffee cups with aroma. Whether it be coffee or tea, this idea spells: 'Good times with a friend over a cup of coffee/tea and some sweets!' - Pre-pack about 2 - 4 cookies in cellophane or sealed bag and place inside cup.
HOME-BAKED COOKIE PACKAGING IDEA 2: "Milk Carton" This is perfect for butter cookies or packaging cookies for children. Either way, the milk carton makes a great packaging box. - Wash and dry container before use. Carefully open the top without tearing the cardboard. - Place cookies inside. - Seal top with staples or strong sticky-tape. (Do not use glues as they are unhygienic and not re-openable. - Decorate exterior with wrapping paper or fabric and ribbon. If you are computer savvy, you could create a milk carton label with recipient name, theme graphics and colors to print and apply to your cookie carton! Use one litre carton for giving to an entire family or a smaller carton for children or single recipients. This is a great container for refrigerating your cookies also. Plus, the benefit is that the design of the carton semi-closes on its own with the folding techniques incorporated. HOME-BAKED COOKIE PACKAGING IDEA 3: "Peanut Butter Bottle" Great for peanut butter cookies! The theme, feeling and association is already there! And you don't even need to worry about pealing the bottle stickers off. Use it instead to create a quirky cookie packaging. Use a square piece of fabric almost twice as large as the lid size and cover cookies before closing with the lid to create instant effective packaging. Create a label digitally and print out for a dynamic gift. You don't have to cover the entire glass or bottle, leave a bit of room so they can take a peek at the yummy cookies you baked. HOME-BAKED COOKIE PACKAGING IDEA 4: "Butter or Margarine Containers" Unusual but very effective and fun. What's more, it has a lid and is lightweight for posting your cookies. Just keep in mind that most butter containers aren't air-tight. You can decorate the exterior by creating your own labels, or sticking appropriate wrapping paper over. I recommend a food style, earthy tones and colors for this method. Lastly, tie a ribbon around the package like you would a gift box. Large wide ribbons would give you a dazzling package. Great for milk and butter cookies. HOME-BAKED COOKIE PACKAGING IDEA 5: "Milo or Food Tins (with lid)" Tins come in all different sizes and are great for air-tight cookie storing. And you won't have to pre-package your cookies in bags first. Ideal for cookies that do not need to be refrigerated. Also makes a great cookie gifting idea for boys or men. You can even etch in writing or graphics onto the tin if you have the proper tools and use correct safety precautions. HOME-BAKED COOKIE PACKAGING IDEA 6: "Candy or Chocolate Boxes" Candies and cookies go hand in hand! These are little treats that the whole world love! - Place your cookies lying flat into the box. You may need to take out the pre-made mould shapes used and use cardboard dividers to separate your cookies.
HOME-BAKED COOKIE PACKAGING IDEA 7: "Cocktail or Martini Glass" Great for alcohol-based cookies like rum balls during Christmas season! - Place one cookie or two in cellophane, seal and place inside glass.
HOME-BAKED COOKIE PACKAGING IDEA 8: "Tea Box" Use small aroma infusion tea packaging boxes - usually ones that have only 10 tea-bags in each box. You can pack 2 to 3 cookies in each box and give more than one tea box for fun. - Seal cookies with cellophane or food bag first and place inside decorated tea boxes. Why not leave one tea bag in front of your cookies? It's a perfect invitation to a relaxing snack with a drink. If you do not have any of these containers handy, you can easily buy them and transfer contents to other containers. Just make sure that it's well washed and that most of the original scents are gone (except in the case such as the peanut butter bottles). Not only are these 8 Yummy Ideas creative and fun, they also bring out the aroma of your delicious homemade cookies. Start using these mouth-watering cookie packaging ideas. It's a sure way that your cookies will be eaten instantly! |
Thursday, December 15, 2011
How to Bake Beautiful Lavender Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients:
1. 3 tbsp fresh lavender flowers OR 1 1/2 tbsp dried lavender flowers ( Redman/Phoon Huat brand)
2. 1 cup butter ( leave to soften at room temp for about 10 mins)
3. 1/4 cup cornstarch
4. 1/2 cup icing sugar ( more if you have a sweet tooth)
5.1 tsp vanilla essence/vanilla extract
Makes approximately 30 or more cookies ( depending on the size of your cookies!)
Set oven at 170 deg c
Steps:
1. Cut up softened butter into smaller pieces using a knife
2. In a large mixing bowl, roughly mix together lavender flowers, softened butter, icing sugar and cornstarch using a spatula.
3. Place rough mixture into a food blender, and gently pulse the mixture. Stop blending and in small amounts, pour flour into the mixture in the food blender.
(NOTE: If the mixture becomes too caked up or dry, add in 4 tbsp of water, add water SPARINGLY)
4. Blend the ingredients till a ball of smooth dough forms.
5. Lay your work surface with a lightly floured grease paper and place the ball of blended dough onto the sheet and lightly knead the dough into a firm ball.
6. Wrap up the dough with the same grease paper and place it in the fridge for 30 minutes.
( NOTE: If you plan to make the dough in advance and serve it on another day, the dough can be frozen and thawed then baked in the oven on the day you wish to serve the shortbread cookies.)
7. After 30 minutes, take out the dough and let it thaw awhile.
8. Roll the thawed dough into a log shape using either your hands or using the existing grease paper.
9.With a sharp knife, cut the log into 1/2 inch rings so they come out as round, flat cookies.
10.Place the cut round cookie dough pieces onto a fresh piece of grease paper.
11. Place them in the oven at 160 deg c for 15 minutes.
(NOTE: Different ovens will have different heating styles so watch the cookies even as you set the time at 15 mins as they might burn before the stated time if you're not using a convection oven!)
Creative Suggestions/Ideas:
For kids' parties:
1. If you're baking these cookies with kids in mind, try coating the cookie surface with plain icing or coloured icing( recipe for cookie icing is below!)
2. cookies can be cute into various shapes using cookie cutters, simply roll out the thawed dough(step8) and use your hands or a lightly floured rolling pin to flatten out the dough into a sheet 1/2 inch thick) then use cookies cutters to cut out the desired shapes.
3. Using the icing as a food "glue", coat the cookie with icing, then dip the lavender cookies in rainbow sprinkles.
For formal high tea gatherings:
4. If you're baking it with adults in mind for a more serious high tea party, lavender cookies can be artfully outlined with icing sugar.( see below for icing sugar recipe)
5. Cookies can be cut out into simple heart shapes( see point 2) to give the lavender cookies a "chic" feel.
6. Serve the cookies with a light fragrant tea like green tea or chinese oolong tea. ( preferably no sugar added in the tea as this will override the delicate taste of the lavender cookies)
Icing Sugar Recipe:
1. 150g butter ( soften at room temperature for 10 minutes)
2. 250g confectioner's sugar
3. 1 tsp vanilla essence
4. 2 tsp water
Steps:
1. Beat the softened butter and sugar together with an electric mixer.
2.Once well-combined, add vanilla and water. Beat until smooth and creamy.
NOTE: All cookies that have been iced need to be stored in the fridge to prevent the baked products from going bad.
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Rosette Cookies
Rosette cookies are a cookie made from very light batter that are deep fried. A rosette iron is used to make them. They are of Norwegian origin, and are made as a Christmas treat. Rosette irons come in many shapes and sizes. The more expensive ones are made from cast iron while the less expensive ones are made from cast aluminum. Mine is aluminum and works very well. The most important thing with making rosettes is the temperature of the oil. It must be kept between 365-375 degrees. Any cooler and the cookie won't cook quickly and evenly as it should, any hotter and the cookie may burn or stick to the iron. You can use an electric fryer with a thermostat, but I prefer to use a cast iron skillet and a thermometer. You'll probably have to make slight adjustments to keep the temperature within the 365-375 degree range.
Rosette Cookie Batter
2 eggs
1 TBSP sugar
small pinch of salt
1 cup flour
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanillaBeat together eggs, salt and sugar. Add rest of ingredients and beat until smooth. Pour oil into pan or fryer, making sure to fill no more than half way to allow for expansion of hot oil when food is placed into it. Make sure you have the lid for the pan or fryer close by. There is always a risk of oil catching on fire (although it is minimal if you keep it below 375 degrees) and the best way to douse an oil fire is by placing a lid on it. Safety first!
Delicious Cookie
Make sure rosette iron is clean and dry. After oil comes to temperature. put iron in oil for a minute or two so that it heats up. Shake off excess oil, and dip iron into batter, but not all the way to the top. Leave a quarter inch or so from the top of the iron, otherwise the batter will cook over the iron and the cookie will be difficult to remove.
Place batter-coated iron into hot oil and cook for about 30 seconds or until brown. The cookie may slip off the iron when still in the oil. Just remove it with a metal turner. If the cookie doesn't come off the iron in the hot oil, give it a gentle shake and it usually will fall off, or gently remove it by putting a metal turner edge alongside one of the edges of the cookie. Place it on a wire rack with paper towels underneath to drain. Continue this procedure until all the batter is used up.
It may take a few tries to get a perfect cookie, but with practice you'll be cranking them out in good order. Just remember to keep that temperature between 365-375 degrees and you'll be rewarded with some of the lightest, crispiest cookies you've ever eaten! Once the cookies are done, dust them with powdered sugar and enjoy.
Rosette Cookies
Visit The Left Handed Chef blog at http://lefthandedchef.blogspot.com/ for lots of recipes and information about cooking!
Polvorones De Cacahuate: Delicious Peanut Cookies
Polvorones de cacahuate, or peanut clouds, are small cookies that are thick and crumbly. They are a basic cookie stocked in every Mexican bakery. While they are traditionally served at baptisms, first communions and fiestas, they are enjoyed any day of the year.
Peanuts originated in South America, where they grow wild in Brazil and Bolivia. Over 15 species of wild peanut are found in these areas. Once they made their way to Mexico, they became a part of the local cuisine. Peanuts became a big part of mole recipes and were often used in place of almonds in sweets. The Mexicans called peanuts earth cocoa, since the legumes grew in the ground. This is where the Spanish word, cacahuate, comes from.
Delicious Cookie
Today, peanuts are used a lot in Mexico in cookies and candies, beverages and snack foods. Peanuts are roasted with chilies, garlic, and salt as a common afternoon treat. This recipe uses raw peanuts that have not been roasted. You should be able to find them in the bulk sections of your local supermarket or at specialty markets. Peanuts are very nutritious and add a lot of protein to the recipes they are added to. They help make many desserts, like these peanut clouds, good for you as well as delicious.
Recipe for Peanut Clouds
These light little cookies are perfect for celebrations or just snacking.
What You Need
1 cup raw peanuts without skins; coarsely chopped 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 1/2 cup vegetable shortening, room temperature 1/2 cup powdered sugar, plus 1 cup, sifted 2 cups all purpose flour 1/4 teaspoon salt
How to Make It
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F.
Chop the peanuts to a fine consistency using a food processor or small coffee grinder. You want them fine, but you do not want them to make a paste.
Mix the butter and shortening together in a bowl and beat it using an electric mixer until it is creamy. Add the half cup of powdered sugar and beat it into the butter mixture until it is fluffy and light.
Place 3/4 of the flour and salt in a sifter and let it sift together into the butter mixture. Stir until everything is well combined. Add the ground peanuts and the rest of the flour. Mix well. Let the dough refrigerate, covered, for a minimum of 1 hour; overnight is better.
Take small pieces of the chilled dough and roll them into 3/4 inch balls. Place them on an ungreased baking sheet about an inch apart.
Bake the cookies for 15 minutes, or until lightly browned on the edges.
Spread the remaining cup of powdered sugar in a pie plate or shallow dish. While warm from the oven, roll the cookies in the sugar until they are well coated. Repeat after the cookies are cool.
Serve the cookies immediately or store them in a tightly covered container between layers of parchment paper. Peanut Clouds will store for several weeks.
Polvorones De Cacahuate: Delicious Peanut Cookies
If you like Mexican recipes, you will love Mexican desserts. You can find recipes for creamy desserts, spicy desserts and crunchy desserts. Let your taste buds do the walking through Mexican cuisine and see what you like best.
MexicanDessertRecipes.net The Sweet Side of Mexican Food
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Quick and Easy Guide to Making Fondant-Covered Sugar Cookies
New to sugar cookie decorating? You're not alone. Where do you start? I'll tell you. Get some good cookie cutters in whatever shapes you want to make. Luckily, the list is endless these days. And, if you cannot find what you want, you can purchase an easy to use kit to make your own cookie cutters in minutes.
Have a good, sturdy and tasty sugar cookie recipe? If not, don't fret. A Google search will turn up millions of sugar cookie recipe results.
Delicious Cookie
Once the cookies have been baked and cooled, you'll probably stand there looking at them trying to decide just how you're going to get them to look like the designer cookies you saw in various bakeries, at a party or online. As long as you pick a quick and easy design, you'll alleviate the stress and have fun decorating.
To get started decorating, use a food safe paint brush. Take some piping gel and place in a small container. This will be your "glue" between the fondant and the sugar cookie. Hold your cookie in one hand and lightly paint the inner part of the cookie leaving the edges clean. You should barely see the piping gel on your cookie. This is important because the fondant cutout is not as large as your sugar cookie. Set this cookie aside.
Before rolling out your fondant, it is important to make sure that your entire working surface is clean. Keep a white cotton towel nearby to use between fondant color changes to clean off your non-stick mat and rolling pin. Use a non-stick mat so that your fondant does not stick to the mat or distorts your fondant cutout when it is removed to place on your cookie. Do not use confectioner's sugar if your fondant is sticking to the mat or rolling pin. It is better to use a little Crisco on the rolling pin to alleviate this problem.
Start rolling your fondant out in one direction, lift it completely off the mat, turn it 90 degrees, roll, lift and turn 90 degrees, roll, lift and turn 90 degrees until it reaches the thickness you want. One quarter inch (1/4") thickness seems to be standard, though some people use 1/18" thickness. See which works best for your design.
Not sure which fondant to use? You should try several different brands because they all taste different. Don't like the flavor? Add some of the concentrated flavors available at cake stores or online. Pick one that compliments your cookie flavor. The fondant available at the craft stores has been improved so try it on your sugar cookies. Use coupons to save money. Need a lot of fondant? Buy the 5 lb. container. Some companies have fondant that works well with decorated sugar cookies. It comes in many different delicious color flavor combinations. You can order samples online. Another company offers deep rich colored fondant in purple, red, yellow or black, and it is available in most cake stores and online retailers.
When your fondant has been rolled out, take the same cookie cutter used to bake the cookies (make sure that it is cleaned using a dry cloth) and cut out your fondant. The best technique to use to get a clean cutout is to press firmly all the way down, continue to hold your hand completely on top of the cookie cutter, and then give it a slight twist. I call this technique "press down and wiggle." This clean edge cutout in the beginning saves time when you don't have to remove ragged edges. Remove the cutter and lift your fondant cutout up and place on top of your piping gel covered cookie. Take your finger and slide it all over the cookie being careful not to press down or leave fingerprints. Now you have a smooth surface on which you can create your design.
Decorating is the best part! Use simple tools to get started, and the process, save time and money. The first set you should purchase is the Designer Pattern Press Set. It is available at most craft stores. In this package, you will find some very elegant presses. The symmetrical swirl, small and large fleurs de lis, corner flourish, flower, heart bow, scroll and curliques. These presses can be used to decorate cakes. Whether you're working on wedding cake cookies, baby shower cookies or any other design, you'll find one of the presses will suit your need as a beginner. Just practice imprinting your fondant before you start designing your cookies so you know how much pressure is needed to get a clean pattern imprint. This set is a deal under and a steal you use a discount coupon. Play around with them. They will become your tools of the trade and will give you professional results every time. When you turn them in different directions, sometimes going on and off the edge of the fondant, you create a lot of different options for designs to use.
The second tool to purchase is the Quilting Patchwork cutter. This can be used horizontally, diagonally and vertically to make interesting designs. Need to make a monogram cookie for a wedding? Embellish the edges of a square cookie and use a stamped initial press for the center. Want something fancier? Put sugar pearls in the cross sections to make your cookie more elegant. An easy way to add sugar pearls is to use the pointed end of a small paint brush to make an indentation in the fondant (a slight dip) where you want the sugar pearl to land, and then add the sugar pearl. It will go right into the slot just like a pinball into the hole. Need to add a line of pearls? Use a ruler to make a line impression in the fondant. Sit your cookie on a rimmed plate and then pour the pearls over the line. You can easily line up the pearls and press them all the way down into the fondant. Once the fondant is dry, the sugar pearls will not move.
Check out craft stores or departments for more easy to use and inexpensive tools. Some of the same presses used for clay can be used on your fondant. Experiment. Rubber stamps are also inexpensive (again, think coupons) and great tools for embellishing your fondant. Look at the depth of the design on the stamp to get an idea of what it will look like when you press it into the fondant. Some presses only make light imprints. Use these presses only for your cookies and not for your crafts.
Practicing the amount of pressure it takes to get your designs to come out clean and even is important to make your cookies look professional. Take some fondant out of the package, roll out and then practice with the stamps and presses. If your design is not evenly imprinted across the fondant, re-roll out and then try again using both hands gently pressing the tool into the fondant and then lift. When you learn how much pressure you can use to imprint your design, you can do the imprint directly on the cookie without worrying whether the cookie will break. It may take you a couple times to get the cookie the way you want it to look. You can easily remove the fondant off the cookie if you don't like the design. Use a little Crisco and re-knead the fondant to take away the stickiness of the piping gel. Look at your cookie. You may have to add a little more piping gel to it before adding the fondant.
Once all of your cookies are decorated, let them sit in a dry place to dry overnight or 5-6 hours. Once the fondant is dry, you can use a food-safe paintbrush to add a little sparkle with Super Pearl luster dust. A little goes a long way. Cellophane bags can be purchased to put your cookies in and add a decorative bow.
Get ready for all of the compliments!
Quick and Easy Guide to Making Fondant-Covered Sugar Cookies
Debra J. Mosely is the author of The Cake & Cookie Closet: All Dolled Up in Sugar. http://www.thecakeandcookiecloset.com
Monday, December 12, 2011
wee Gram's Chocolate Chip Cookie method - The greatest of All Cookies
I love cookies. I love everything about cookies. I love the shape and the smell and the taste of cookies. I've eaten all kinds of cookies - store bought cookies, Christmas cookies, categorically Big cookies, and cookies I baked myself. None, however, can collate to my miniature Gram's Chocolate Chip Cookies - the many of all cookies.
These cookies are made with chocolate chips, crushed peanuts, brown sugar, shortening, flour, baking soda, and four eggs. All these ingredients are mixed together, molded into about 60 raw cookies, and baked at 400 degrees for thirteen minutes. Believe it or not, this simple method makes the perfect chocolate chip cookie. They're almost a food group.
Cookie Recipes
To properly eat this circular blob of perfection, I perform the "Ritual of the perfect Cookie." First, I get a large glass of milk. Then, I take the red, slightly dented cookie-filled tin and gently remove the lid. Inside lay the high-priced delights. I look for the best one to eat first; its about an inch in diameter and speckled with chocolate chips and peanut chunks. Smiling, I baptize it in the milk and swallow it whole. I ultimately consume as many as my mortal body can hold. This is my ritual for eating my miniature Gram's Chocolate Chip Cookies.
When I am eating her cookies I taste sensations that I never dreamed possible. Waves of deliciousness orally enter me, spreading rapidly through my body, and I taste a burst of vigor unknown to most humans. I feel as if I have a perfect body, perfect vision, and even perfect spelling. I am mentally and physically a good person, at one with the world. And that is after only one cookie!
It sounds as if I am exaggerating, and maybe I am...just a little, but my miniature Gram's are the best darn cookie I've ever eaten. One ingredient of the cookie I failed to mention is also the most important: love. My great grandma's love gives the cookies shape, taste, character, and that's why miniature Gram's Chocolate Chip Cookies - are the many of all cookies.
Little Gram's Chocolate Chip Cookies
4 eggs
1 lb of flour
1/2 lb of brown sugar
1 cup of chopped peanuts
6 oz. Of chocolate chips
1/2 of shortening
1/4 tsp of baking soda
1/4 tsp of baking powder
Beat shortening then add sugar. When light and fluffy, add eggs. When fluffy add flour and beat. When it gets too heavy for beater add flour by hand. Add nuts and chips. Bake at 14 minutes at 375 or 13 minutes at 400 according to which is best for your stove. Makes approx 60 cookies.
wee Gram's Chocolate Chip Cookie method - The greatest of All CookiesApricot Cherry Bar Cookies recipe and 3 More yummy Cookie Recipes
Cookies are great for breakfast, quick snacks or desserts which makes it a must to know how to get ready them. Apricot cherry bars, banana cornmeal cookies, banana ginger jumbles and banana nut bars are some yummy cookie recipes.
Here are the recipes for you to get ready at home:
Delicious Cookie
1. Apricot Cherry Bars
Ingredient - establishment Method
- 1 box yellow cake mix
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup butter or margarine - softened
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup cut-up dried apricots
- 1/2 cup drained chopped maraschino cherries
- Powdered sugar
Directions:
- Heat oven to 375º.
- Grease and flour jelly roll pan, 15 1/2 × 10 1/2 × 1 inch.
- Beat half of the cake mix (dry), the water, butter, brown sugar and eggs in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth, or mix with spoon.
- Stir in remaining cake mix, the apricots and cherries.
- Spread evenly in pan.
- Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in town comes out
clean.
- Cool completely. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Cut into 6 rows by 5 rows.
2. Banana Cornmeal Cookies
Ingredient - establishment Method
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup butter or margarine - softened
- 1/2 cup mashed very ripe banana (1 medium)
- 1 egg
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Directions:
- Heat oven to 375º.
- Grease cookie sheet. Beat brown sugar, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, the butter, banana and egg in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon.
- Stir in flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. (If dough is too soft to shape, cover and refrigerate about 2 hours or until firm.)
- Mix 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Shape dough into 1 1/4-inch balls.
- Place about 3 inches apart on cookie sheet.
- Flatten slightly in crisscross pattern with fork dipped into cinnamon-sugar mixture.
- Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until light brown.
- Immediately take off from cookie sheet to wire rack.
3. Banana Ginger Jumbles
Ingredient - establishment Method
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup butter or margarine - softened
- 1/2 cup shortening
- 1 tablespoon grated gingerroot Or 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup mashed very ripe bananas (2 medium)
- 1/4 cup milk
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- Powdered sugar, if desired
Directions:
- Heat oven to 375º. Beat brown sugar, butter, shortening, gingerroot and eggs in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon.
- Stir in bananas and milk. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt.
- Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet.
- Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until roughly no indentation remains when touched in center.
- take off from cookie sheet to wire rack.
- Sprinkle with powdered sugar while warm.
4. Banana-Nut Bars
Ingredient - establishment Method
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup mashed very ripe bananas (2 medium)
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup chopped nuts
- Cream Cheese Frosting - (recipe follows)
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 (3 ounce) box cream cheese - softened
- 1/3 cup butter or margarine - softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups powdered sugar
Directions:
- Heat oven to 350º.
- Grease rectangular pan, 13 × 9 × 2 inches.
- Mix sugar, bananas, oil and eggs in large bowl with spoon. Stir in flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Stir in nuts.
- Spread batter in pan.
- Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in town comes out clean.
- Cool completely.
- Frost with Cream Cheese Frosting.
- Cut into 6 row by 4 rows.
- Store covered in refrigerator.
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Mix cream cheese, butter and vanilla in medium bowl.
- slowly beat in powdered sugar with spoon until level and spreadable.
delicious Frosting/Icing Recipes to Top Off Your Scrumptious Cakes and Cookies
The icing or frosting is assuredly what makes your cakes and decorated cookies catch everyone's eye and attract them to your specialty. In the case of cake, until the cake is cut the only thing others see is the frosting. So it is very prominent to add a appetizing topping. Try these recipes for great results. If you have ever wondered how bakers get those cute-out cookies to look so great, this Royal Icing for Decorating Cookies is for you! Our chocolate varieties include German Chocolate and Chocolate buttercream. The Fluffy Frosting is with Coconut.
Royal Icing For Decorating Cookies
Delicious Cookie
1 lb confectioners' sugar
3 tbsp Just Whites*
6 tbsp water
In a large mixing bowl, with mixer on low speed, beat confectioners' sugar and the Just Whites. Add water, beating until blended. Growth mixer speed to high; beat 8 minutes or until icing is very thick and white. Beat in small estimate of food coloring as desired.
Yield: 2 1/2 cups
*Just Whites is available in the supermarket by the eggs.
Delicious German Chocolate Frosting
3/4 cup granulated sugar
5 tablespoons butter, cut up
1 can (5-oz) evaporated milk
2 large egg yolks
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
In a small saucepan, combine sugar, butter, milk, and egg yolks. Cook over medium to medium-high heat, whisking constantly, until very bubbly and thickened, about 12 to 15 minutes. Stir in the coconut, pecans, and vanilla extract; cook two more minutes.
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
This method makes enough frosting to frost a two layer cake or a 9 x 13-inch cake.
1/3 cup butter, softened
1/8 tsp salt
3 cups powdered sugar (sift if sugar is lumpy)
3 squares (1-oz each) unsweetened chocolate, melted
1/4 cup milk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
Using an electric mixer, beat butter, salt, and 1 cup of the powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Blend in the melted chocolate. Add the remaining 2 cups of powdered sugar alternately with milk and vanilla. Mix until flat and creamy. Add more powdered sugar to thicken or milk to thin until you have a good spreading consistency.
Fluffy Frosting With Coconut
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
2 egg whites
2 tbsp water
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp vanilla
Coconut
Combine the above ingredients, except vanilla and coconut, in the top of a duplicate boiler over boiling water. Cook, beating constantly, until the aggregate stands in peaks. Take off from the heat. Add the vanilla; beating until of spreading consistency. Use to frost cake and cover with coconut, if desired.
Enjoy!
delicious Frosting/Icing Recipes to Top Off Your Scrumptious Cakes and CookiesSunday, December 11, 2011
Christmas Cookies Recipes - Chocolate Snowball Cookies
These tasty cookies highlight chocolate chips and nuts.
3/4 cup butter, softened
Cookie Recipes
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped nuts
1 cup chocolate chips
Confectioners' sugar
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add the egg and vanilla; mix well.
In other bowl, merge the flour and salt; stir into creamed mixture.
Fold in the nuts and chips. Roll into 1-inch balls.
Place onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool slightly, then roll in confectioners' sugar.
Makes 48 cookies.
=> Christmas Cookies Recipes: Cranberry Crispy Cookies
Using quick bread mix makes these cookies a cinch to prepare.
1 (15.6 oz.) pkg. Cranberry quick bread mix
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped
1 egg
1/2 cup dried cranberries
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a bowl, merge the bread mix, butter, walnuts and egg; mix well. Stir in the cranberries. Roll into 1 1/4-inch balls.
Place cookies 3-inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Flatten with a glass dipped in sugar.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until light golden brown. Let cool.
Makes 30 cookies.
=> Christmas Cookies Recipes: Frosted Ginger Cream Cookies
An old-fashioned style cookie topped with creamy frosting.
1/4 cup shortening
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup molasses
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/3 cup water
Cookie Frosting
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Prepare baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray.
In a large bowl, cream together shortening and sugar. Beat in the egg and molasses.
In other bowl, merge the flour, ginger, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and cloves; gradually add to creamed mixture, alternating with water (dough will be soft).
Drop heaping teaspoonfuls 2-inches apart onto ready baking sheets. Bake for 7 to 8 minutes or until tops are cracked. Let cool. Frost with Cookie Frosting.
Cookie Frosting
1 1/2 ounces of cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 to 2 teaspoons lemon juice
Directions
In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla and enough lemon juice to create a spreadable consistency. Frost cookies.
Makes 48 cookies.
Christmas Cookies Recipes - Chocolate Snowball CookiesSaturday, December 10, 2011
Unusual Christmas Cookies
Try some of these unusual combinations to liven up your cookie exchange and bring a smile to the house table this holiday season. They are quick and easy and you probably won't see them on any other tables, but they are oh, so good.
Cola Gingerbread also known as
Delicious Cookie
Ginger Soda Bread
When I was a teen my grandmother made these and brought them with her when she came to visit for the holidays. I can still remember the taste today. And now, as an adult, I know why mom and dad would only let us have one. It was the topping!
To one box of gingerbread mix add 3/4 cup of cola.
Mix well.
Stir in one tablespoon of instant coffee and 1 tablespoon of grated orange peel.
Drop by rounded teaspoons onto a parchment lined baking sheet.
Bake at 350 degrees.
Gingerbread is done when it springs back when touched lightly in the center.
Cool for ten minutes.
Serve topped with whipped topping, or if you want the former topping for this treat serve with hard sauce. The formula follows.
Hard-sauce: To 1 cup confectioners sugar add two tablespoons of brandy or whiskey. Stir until blended and the sauce is stiff. You may have to add additional sugar on a humid day, or a petite less. Spread onto cooled cookies. You can also decoration with candied ginger for a petite something extra.
Vinegar And Cocoa Cookie
Sounds strange but these are delicious. Add a few colored sugar sprinkles to the frosting to give them a festive flair.
Sift together three cups of flour, two cups of sugar, a 1/4 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons of baking soda, and ten level tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder in a bowl and set aside.
In an additional one bowl mix together 2 tablespoons white vinegar, 3/4 cup salad oil, and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Add to dry mix. Stir in up to 1/2 cup of water a petite at a time. Blend should be a soft batter but not runny.
Drop onto a greased baking sheet and Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes.
Frost with your favorite frosting.
Mayonnaise Cake Cookies
This may sound surprising but mayonnaise is a blend of eggs and oil, so it makes sense that while the depression my grandmother would think of using it to bake some house treats. To make them more festive for the holidays and special events, grandma would add some nuts and candied cherries to the batter.
Sift together 2 1/2 cups flour, 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1 cup sugar.
Cream 3/4 cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons water and 1 teaspoon each, vanilla and almond extract.
Add dry Blend and stir until well blended.
Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls and bake on a greased baking sheet 10 - 12 minutes at 350 degrees. Frost with your favorite fudge frosting.
Corn Meal Cookies
Another house favorite, these will leave you wanting more. And more. And more!
you will need:
1 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup finely chopped nuts
1/4 cup dried apricots
1/4 cup dried cherries
3 cups cake flour
1 cup yellow corn meal
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt.
Cream shortening. Add the sugar, eggs, and excerpt and cream until light. Toss the raisins in 1/2 cup of flour and add. Sift the remaining dry ingredients and add, mixing well.
Drop by rounded teaspoons onto a greased cookie sheet. Flatten out with a fork. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 - 12 minutes. Cool. Makes about 60 - 2 inch cookies. Store in airtight box for up to a month.
Flak-O-Roons
Funny sounding but delicious none the less. Whip these up and you will be an instant hit.
3 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon salt stirred into 1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups rice flakes
2 1/4 cups coconut- flaked
1 cup chocolate chips
Beat egg whites until stiff adding sugar slowly until soft peaks form.
fold in cereal and coconut.
Drop from a spoon onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.
Cool.
while cooling, melt the chocolate chips. Using a spoon drizzle the cookies with the melted chocolate in a pleasing pattern. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.
Optional: You can use white baking chips or a thin frosting tinted with food coloring if you like.
I hope your house enjoys these as much as mine do.
Unusual Christmas CookiesHow to Make yummy Cookies That Are Easy to Ship to Soldiers, Kids at College, Etc - Edition 7
Everyone loves a good cookie. When we have loved ones away from home either at camp, school, or even in the military, cookies are a way to send them a taste of home. Here are a incorporate of recipes to make your loved one's day! The Chewy Scotch Squares recipe is older than the Pillsbury Bake-Off. I'm sure these cookies have been sent to the soldiers of some wars. Pecan cookies are all the time yummy and ship easily.
Chewy Scotch Squares
Delicious Cookie Recipes
3/4 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1 tsp double-acting baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/3 cup peach or apricot preserves or jam
1 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Melt the butter in a 2-quart saucepan. Add the brown sugar to the melted butter and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Stir in the preserves or jam to mix well. Add the oats to the flour combination and mix thoroughly to blend. Add the butter combination to the dry combination and mix well. Cover a baking sheet that has sides with aluminum foil. Turn up the edges of the foil about 1/2-inch all the way around. Spread the dough in the center of the foil and spread to about a six-inch square. Bake at 300 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. Dough will spread while baking. Cool 15 minutes; sprinkle with powdered sugar. Cut into squares or bars.
Pecan Cookies
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
1 cup margarine
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup powdered sugar
Cream the above ingredients together until light and fluffy. Add 2 Eggs and mix well.
4 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp vanilla
Mix together these last four ingredients until well blended. Add to the creamed combination and mix well. Add 1 Cup of chopped pecans and stir into the mixture. Drop onto lightly greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 11 to 13 minutes.
Enjoy.
How to Make yummy Cookies That Are Easy to Ship to Soldiers, Kids at College, Etc - Edition 7Easy Sugar Cookie Recipes: From tasty Drop Cookies To Fun, Tasty Cut-Outs
If you're in the mood for something sweet, there are a lot of easy sugar cookie recipes to select from. But sugar cookies come in all sorts of dissimilar shapes and sizes. They can be as simple as drop cookies, a spoonful of dough dropped onto a cookie sheet, or as illustrate as determined cut-out cookies decorated with pretty, colorful icing.
So which one of those easy sugar cookie recipes should you pick? Which one will give you the best results for the type of sugar cookie you're trying to make?
Delicious Cookie
The truth is, most easy sugar cookie recipes use the same basic list of ingredients, with maybe an added spice here or there. What it absolutely comes down to are the quantities of each ingredients, and how you treat the dough.
Each ingredient in a sugar cookie has a exact role, and tweaking its quantity will give you a slightly dissimilar cookie. So what goes in a sugar cookie?
Flour. Flour gives the cookie its structure. When you mix flour in liquids, it forms tough strands of gluten. The more you mix it, and the more flour you add, the tougher a cookie you get. Butter. Butter doesn't just add flavor. It also helps the cookie stay more tender by preventing too much gluten from forming. It also lets the cookie spread out more. Sugar. Sugar helps the cookies be more fluffy by trapping air inside the butter when you cream it. Also, if you don't cream it enough, the undissolved sugar will make the cookie spread out more. Eggs. The yolks help make a more tender cookie, and the whites help give it structure. They also add some moisture. Baking powder. Baking powder helps the cookie rise. Baking soda. Baking soda makes the cookies brown faster, and makes the cookie more tender. Vanilla. Vanilla is just there for flavor, but it absolutely does make all the difference. Salt. Like vanilla, the salt is just there for flavor, although it can toughen the cookie, too.
But it's not just the ingredients that matter in easy sugar cookie recipes. How you handle the dough will affect what kind of cookie you get.
The longer you cream the butter and sugar, the fluffier a cookie you'll get. It also won't spread as much, excellent to help cut out cookies keep their shape. The longer you mix the flour with the wet ingredients, the tougher a cookie you'll get. If you're finding for something fluffy, avoid over-mixing. If you want to roll out the dough, you'll need to refrigerate it until it's firm adequate to work with. You can also refrigerate the raw cookies once they're shaped. It helps them keep their shape in the oven.
When you're baking, it's all the time a good idea to start with a recipe. But once you have a decent recipe, you can tweak it to suit your tastes and purposes, and make your own easy sugar cookie recipes.
Easy Sugar Cookie Recipes: From tasty Drop Cookies To Fun, Tasty Cut-OutsMake Shortbread - It's So Easy to Make These yummy Cookies for Your Friends
Cookies are the exquisite gift at any time of year and you can make shortbread cookies very easily. Basic shortbread requires only three ingredients: butter, sugar and flour. You can make the cookies in a cake tin, roll the dough into a fat sausage and cut thick slices, or use cookie cutters to make shapes.
When the cookies have cooled completely, a few hours after baking, put them in a tin or wrap them with cellophane or other provocative paper tied with a ribbon. Home baked cookies like these are a very welcome gift.
Delicious Cookie Recipes
Here's an easy shortbread formula to get you started.
Shortbread
250 gm butter at room temperature
125 gm caster sugar (also called superfine sugar)
375 gm flour
Lightly grease a baking tray.
Chop the butter into cubes the size of your thumbnail and place in a large bowl.
Add the sugar to the butter and start beating them together using a wooden spoon. If the butter is too cold to cream easily, place the bowl in the oven or microwave briefly but take great care not to melt the butter.
Keep beating until the aggregate is pale and fluffy and there are no more lumps of butter.
Sift the flour into the creamed aggregate and stir until all the flour is incorporated.
Knead the dough briefly so that it's a flat ball.
Gently roll the dough into a fat sausage 5 cm in diameter, wrap it in cling film and put it in the fridge for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile turn your oven to 150 degrees C.
Take the dough out of the fridge, unwrap it and place it on a clean surface.
Slice off round cookies about 1 cm thick and place them on the baking tray making sure they are not touching each other.
Prick the cookies once or twice with a fork for embellishment if you like.
Put the baking tray in the oven about 2/3 of the way up. This will lessen the risk of the bottoms of the cookies browning before they are cooked.
Bake the cookies for about 30 minutes, checking them after 20 minutes. They should come to be crisp and the colour of the dough should darken slightly without unmistakably browning.
Working out when they are done is a process of trial and error. There is no harm done by opportunity the oven door briefly to check on them.
Cool the cookies for 10 minutes on the baking tray, then carefully take off them to a wire rack to cool completely.
So that's the story of how to make shortbread. There are many variations on this theme, so after you've mastered the basics you can try other recipes with extra ingredients like spices, fruit, nuts and cheese. Your family and friends will love you for it!
Make Shortbread - It's So Easy to Make These yummy Cookies for Your FriendsFriday, December 9, 2011
Chocolate Mint Sandwich Cookies Recipe
The chocolate mint sandwich cookies recipe is quite special! A creamy peppermint filling, sandwiched between two rich chocolate halves, unbelievably delicious!
Ingredients
Delicious Cookie
6 tablespoons salted butter
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons water
2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
Filling:
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup salted butter, softened
3 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
Hardware
Whisk
Medium sauce pan
2 x medium bowls
Cookie sheets
Mixer
Step 1: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
Step 2: In a medium saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar, water and chocolate chips. Cook and stir over low heat until chips are melted. Cool.
Step 3: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 4: Beat eggs and vanilla extract into mixture.
Step 5: Gradually add the flour mixture until just combined.
Step 6: Drop by rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.
Step 7: Bake for 10-12 minutes or until firm. Immediately transfer cookies to a cooling surface.
Filling:
Step 1: Combine filling ingredients in a medium bowl; beat until smooth.
Step 2: Spread bottom half of cookies with filling; top with remaining cookies.
Makes about 30 cookies.
For more information on baking procedures and hardware used in this recipe see our Baking Tips section.
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Chocolate Mint Sandwich Cookies Recipe
For more great cutout and fancy cookie recipes visit http://kicked-up-cookie-recipes.com/cutout-and-fancy-cookie-recipes.html
For some great tasting biscotti recipes visit http://kicked-up-cookie-recipes.com/biscotti-recipes.html
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Wednesday, November 30, 2011
The Good, The Bad, and the Delicious - A Look at Mexican Cookies
There are many kinds of Mexican cookies, some of which are specifically for parties, celebrations, and others, which make a special treat at any time. There are Mexican wheat cookies, Mexican sugar cookies, Mexican painted cookies, and many more mouthwatering varieties. These cookies are all sweet and tasty and they literally melt in the mouth.
Mexican Wedding Cookies - Mouthwateringly Tasty
These are Mexican traditional cookies and are truly delicious. Mexican wedding cookies are made from shortbread and groundnuts, such as pecans, walnuts and almonds, are often added to the mixture. These popular cookies are served at Mexican weddings and anniversaries and also around Christmas. There are different variations on Mexican wedding cookies throughout the world, including Russia and Sweden where they are known as teacakes. You might even like to try your hand at following a Mexican wedding cookie recipe if you have a wedding or anniversary coming up.
Delicious Cookie
Mexican Biscocho Cookies
Biscochitos is another popular cookie in Mexico. It originated in Spain. When the Spaniards came to Mexico, they also brought the cookie. They are made with anise seeds and sprinkled with cinnamon. Depending on the maker, some of these cookies include different ingredients. You might find some biscochitos with orange juice and wine taste for added flavor. The cookies are cut with cookie cutters or made into diamond shapes. Some people even drink wine while eating them.
What are Mexican Marranitos, Cochinos, or Puerquitos?
Marranitos is a cookie with different names. It is also called cochinos or puerquitos in different Mexican-American communities. It is known as "gingerbread pigs" even though there is no ginger in the cookie. The cookie is shaped like a pig. Traditional marranitos get their spicy flavor from molasses. In Mexico, the bakers make their own molasses syrup by taking brown sugar and placing it into cones. It is then boiled with the right amount of water.
Once it has turned into the syrup it is then added to the dough for the little pigs. The cookie is very moist and rich in taste with a flaky top.
Mexican Churros - Ideal with Hot Chocolate
Originating from Spain, Churros are tasty fried cookies that are seen in both Mexico and other countries. It is made from a light paste that is sweetened. The paste is piped into oil and fried until golden brown. Cinnamon is added to make it taste even sweeter. Churros are best when eaten warm. It is typical to find street vendors selling Churros. They can make them fresh right on the street.
It used to be hard to find churros outside of Hispanic areas a few decades ago because they were only available at sporting events and carnivals. Nowadays they are easy to find in Mexican grocery stores and local restaurants because Latin food is becoming increasingly popular with many nationalities. Some companies manufacture churros with an inner filling in a delicious flavor such as chocolate, strawberry, or apple. Many Americans have discovered the wonderful flavor of churros.
So, now you know there are various types of Mexican cookie recipes. You might like to find a churros recipe or other Mexican cookie recipe and make your own Mexican sweet treats. Once you realize how good they taste, you will want to make them for your whole family to enjoy!
The Good, The Bad, and the Delicious - A Look at Mexican Cookies
South of the border doesn't just mean beans discover Mexican dessert recipes full of flavor and incredible taste. Easy dessert recipes Mexican that your family will love to eat all the time.
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Recipe for Traditional Swedish Christmas Cookies or Pepparkakor
In any traditional Swedish home, the smell of these home baked cookies will be found wafting throughout the home at Christmas time. The Swedes really love cooking for the holiday season and the Christmas Eve celebration is the highlight of the year.
Don't be worried by the literal translation of Pepparkakor, which means pepper cookies, it may have been that in olden times there was a little pepper in the recipe, but now there's just a tasty mix of spices.
Delicious Cookie
Christmas Spice Cookies or Pepparkakor
Makes about 2 dozen cookies
8 ounces (2 sticks) butter 1 1/2 cups sugar 1 egg 1 tablespoon light corn syrup 1/4 cup orange juice 2 teaspoons orange zest 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking soda 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 2 teaspoons ground ginger 2 teaspoons ground cloves
1. Preheat oven to 400˚ F.
2. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Stir in egg, corn syrup, orange juice, and orange zest.
3. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Stir flour mixture into the creamed butter until combined.
4. Roll dough out to 1/8 inch and cut into shapes with cookie cutters. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the oven. Cool cookies on wire racks.
These are a wonderful cookie recipe for children to make and taste even better when cut out with all manner of shape of cookie cutters!
Enjoy making and eating this traditional Swedish cookie recipe.
Recipe for Traditional Swedish Christmas Cookies or Pepparkakor
For further ideas for Swedish recipes [http://www.worldwide-recipes.com/swedish-recipes.html] and Christmas Recipes [http://www.worldwide-recipes.com], visit our website.