new year's resolution cookies

last baked cookies for 2011


Happy New Year!   with love from prickly pineapple

dutch baby:a sweet, fluffy german pancake

Dutch Baby 

fresh out the oven

Ingredients

1 stick unsalted butter

1 cup unbleached all purpose flour

1 cup light brown sugar

4 eggs

1cup milk

1/2 t vanilla extract

large cast iron skillet

confectioners sugar

whole lemon, quartered

ready to serve

optional: sliced strawberries or other fruits

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 425*.

Melt the stick of butter in the cast iron skillet. At the same time, using a medium size bowl, whisk together flour, light brown sugar, eggs, milk and vanilla extract. Pour the batter into the hot cast iron skillet and place the skillet into the oven. Bake for 20-25 mins., until puffy and golden brown around the edges.

Remove from the oven and dust with lots of confectioners sugar with a sieve. Garnish with lemon and serve while hot. Squeeze lemon over Dutch Baby just before eating.

Serves 4-6 persons. And a side of bacon would be heavenly too!

zombie mocha pudding cake

Zombie Mocha Pudding Cake

Ingredients

1 cup unbleached all purpose flour

1 1/2 cups evaporated cane juice

6 tbls  plus 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp kosher salt

2 large eggs, room temperature

2 T unsalted butter (1/4 stick)

1/2 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla extract


1 cup hot, strong, brewed coffee

1 skull baking pan

assortment of Halloween candy for decorating

Directions for making the batter

Adjust rack to middle of the oven, then pre-heat to 350*.

Butter the large skull and a 4-skull baking pan or you can use an 8” square pan or 2 qt shallow baking dish.

In a large size bowl sift flour, 1 cup evaporated can juice, 6 T unsweetened cocoa, baking powder and kosher salt. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix together the eggs, melted butter, milk and vanilla extract.

Stir in the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients until combined. Do not over stir.

Spread the batter into the buttered pans. Set aside.

Directions for making the hot coffee mixture

Mix together the remaining 1/2 cup evaporated cane juice and the 1/4 cup cocoa powder and sprinkle evenly over the cake batter. Pour the hot coffee over the cake batter, as well, and bake for 25 minutes, until it looks brown around the edges, but slightly jiggly in center.

Let cake sit for 10 minutes. Turn over on a plate and decorate.

*Beware that the cake will ooze out due to the hot coffee mixture!

cocoa "monster" cookies

Shortbread Cocoa Cookies

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour

1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1 cup unsalted butter (2 blocks)

1/2 cup confectioners sugar


1 tsp vanilla extract


2 cookie sheets lined with parchment papers

Directions

In a medium size bowl whisk flour, unsweetened cocoa and salt, then set aside.

In a large bowl beat butter and confectioner sugar with an electric mixer or by hand, until smooth and creamy. Then add vanilla extract, mix well. Now, the add flour a half cup at a time until blended.

Take the dough and make into a round flat ball about 1” thick and place in a large zip lock. Place in refrigerator overnight.

Preheat over to 350*.

Take dough out of refrigerator and let sit for 10 minutes to slightly soften before rolling.

Between two sheets of wax paper or parchment paper, roll out dough to 1/4”thick. Don’t worry about dough slightly sticking to paper, as after the dough is rolled out you will place in freezer for 15-20 minutes for it to harden. Take cookie cutters and press into dough. Place on cookie sheet 1/2 “ apart from each other.

Bake for 8-10 minutes. Cool on racks. Sprinkle your stencils with confectioners sugar or eat them plain. Still yummy!

Makes approximately 1 dz medium size “monster” cookies!

screw dinner...i'm making halloween cookies!

and ready to eat!

fresh out the oven

sprinkled with confectioners sugar

Halloween Shortbread Cookies

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup unsalted butter (2 blocks)

1/2 cup confectioners sugar


1 tsp vanilla extract


2 cookie sheets lined with parchment papers

Directions

In a medium size bowl whisk flour and salt, then set aside.

In a large bowl beat butter and confectioner sugar with an electric mixer or by hand, until smooth and creamy. Then add vanilla extract, mix well. Now, the add flour a half cup at a time until blended.

Take the dough and make into a round ball and wrap in saran wrap or large zip lock. Place in refrigerator for 1 hour or overnight.

Preheat over to 350*.

Take dough out of refrigerator and let sit for 10 minutes to slightly soften before rolling.

On a lightly floured surface or between two sheets of wax paper, roll out dough to 1/4”thick. Be gentle, as the dough may break apart. Sprinkle a little more flour on your surface if the dough sticks to the rolling pin. Take Halloween cookie cutters and press into dough.

If the dough if too soft you can put in refrigerator for 15-20 minutes before baking.

Bake for 8-10 minutes. Cool. Sprinkle with sugar or confectioners sugar.

Makes approximately 36 spook-tacular cookies!

cupcakes and cakes

meyer lemon and bing cherry
vegan cupcakes

with

cream cheese, sour cream and bing cherries (purple liners)

&

vegan frosting and cherries (white liners)

red velvet cake with  cream cheese, powered sugar and melted marshmallows icing
topped with raspberries and shredded coconut 

red velvet cake (less calories) with buttercream frosting

new year's cookies

halloween is my favorite time of year for...

baking halloween cookies and and lime&pepper cookies JUST FOR YOU!