Need a break from the usual quick breads? These are the hot ticket, with their warm, spicy notes and moist crumb. Since glazes can sometimes make quick breads overly sweet and somewhat soggy, I have left these au naturel. Both earned absolute raves and would make delightful hostess gifts any time of the year.
Ginger Apple Bread (adapted from Cooking Club of America)
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup sour cream
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups chopped, peeled apples (Fuji, for example)
1/3 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Spray a standard loaf pan with baking spray. Whisk flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl; set aside.
Blend brown sugar, oil, sour cream and eggs with an electric mixer. Make a well in center of the flour mixture. Pour into the egg mixture and whisk until moistened. Stir in apples and crystallized ginger; pour into prepared pan.
Bake 55 to 60 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean but slightly moist. (Internal temperature should read 210°F.) Leave in the pan for approximately 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
Mini Chai Tea Loaves (adapted from Good Housekeeping)
1/2 cup water
1 tea bag (such as Stash Super Irish Breakfast or Tazo Awake)
3 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons chai spice blend
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup vanilla low-fat yogurt
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
5 large eggs
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour six 5 3/4" by 3 1/4" by 2" mini aluminum loaf pans.
Steep tea bag in 1/2 cup boiling water for 5 minutes (additional time could result in a slightly bitter flavor); remove bag and discard.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine flour, chai spice blend, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In another bowl, mix 1/3 cup cooled tea with the yogurt; discard remainder of tea.
Using an electric mixer, beat butter until creamy, about 1 minute. Gradually beat in granulated and brown sugars. Beat 2 minutes or until fluffy, occasionally scraping the bowl with a spatula. Lower speed and beat in eggs, 1 at a time, until well blended. Beat in flour mixture alternately with yogurt mixture until just combined. Spoon batter evenly into prepared pans.
Bake loaves for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool loaves in pans for approximately 15 minutes. Run a thin knife carefully around the loaves to loosen from the sides of pans; remove loaves and cool completely on wire racks.
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Monday, April 9, 2012
Best. Cookie. Ever.
Hello, old friend. Oh, how I've missed you. Somehow, with the hustle and bustle of life, I didn't get around to writing a new post. Days turned into weeks, then weeks into months. Now, almost two years...and many, many recipes...later, I simply couldn't wait another day. And, what better comfort food to celebrate than the cookie. Or, more specifically, The Best. Cookie. Ever?!
Over these past many months, I've been making the usual suspects...Tollhouse, snickerdoodle and peanut butter, among others. But no matter what cookies I bake, my favorite remains my sister Sue's sugar cookies. With every heavenly, buttery bite, I am reminded of her kindness, generosity and wisdom, and memories of times spent with her beautiful daughters (who now have families of their own) come flooding back. While ideal for any holiday gathering or gift-giving, why not treat those you hold most dear to these some rainy Saturday afternoon.
P.S. You may want to make extra and freeze a batch, so you can savor these lovelies a little longer. They keep very well for several weeks in the freezer, even frosted and decorated.
Sue's Sugar Cookies
4 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar (superfine if possible)
2 large eggs
4 tablespoons whole milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
Cream butter and sugar until light using an electric mixer. Add eggs, milk and vanilla, combining completely. Whisk dry ingredients together in a large bowl and add to creamed mixture.
Divide dough into 3 disks. Wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (overnight is fine).
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll out each disk on a lightly floured surface until dough is 1/8-inch to 1/4-inch thick. Cut dough using a cookie cutter, then transfer each onto cookie sheets lined with parchment paper using a spatula.
Bake for 8 minutes (longer if you prefer a crisper cookie). Cool on baking racks. Frost as desired.
Icing
1/2 stick butter, softened
2 to 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 to 2 teaspoons vanilla
pinch of salt
whole milk
food coloring (optional)
Combine butter, powdered sugar, vanilla and salt. Use a few tablespoons of milk to thin the icing to spreading consistency. Divide icing into several small bowls, adding a few drops of food coloring, if desired, before frosting.
Not sure if this recipe, adapted from Cook's Illustrated, produces a cookie that can be called "perfect" (please see above for those!), they are certainly delightful and will likely disappear before your very eyes. Much like the others that follow.
Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 3/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
14 tablespoons (1 and 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips (or chunks)
Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Whisk flour and baking soda together in a medium bowl; set aside.
Heat 10 tablespoons butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until melted, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking, swirling pan constantly until butter is dark golden brown and has a nutty aroma, 1 to 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and, using heatproof spatula, transfer browned butter to large heatproof bowl. Stir remaining 4 tablespoons butter into hot butter until completely melted.
Add both sugars, salt and vanilla to the bowl with butter and whisk until fully incorporated. Add egg and yolk and whisk until mixture is smooth with no lumps remaining, about 30 seconds.
Let mixture stand for 3 minutes, then whisk for an additional 30 seconds. Repeat process of resting and whisking 2 more times until mixture is thick, smooth and shiny. Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir in flour mixture until just combined, about 1 minute. Stir in chocolate chips, giving the dough a final stir to ensure no flour pockets remain.
Using a cookie scoop, drop dough onto cookie sheets lined with parchment paper, arranging 2 inches apart (8 portions is optimal). Bake cookies 1 tray at a time until cookies are golden brown and still puffy, and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft, 7 to 9 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking. Allow cookies to set before transferring to racks to cool completely.
Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies (adapted from Ocean Spray)
2/3 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 5 oz. package dried cranberries
2/3 cup white chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Using a stand mixer, beat butter and sugar together in a medium mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs, mixing well. Combine oats, flour, baking soda and salt in a separate mixing bowl. Add to butter mixture in several additions, mixing well after each addition. Stir in dried cranberries and white chocolate chips.
Using a cookie scoop, place dough onto cookie sheets covered with parchment paper. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks.
Orange Cookies (adapted from Cooking Club of America)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup butter flavored shortening
2 eggs
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups quick cooking oats
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Beat sugar, brown sugar and shortening in a stand mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in 2 tablespoons water, 2 tablespoons orange juice, vanilla and 1 teaspoon orange peel until thoroughly blended.
Whisk flour, baking soda, salt and baking powder in medium bowl. Beat into sugar mixture at low speed just until combined. Stir in oats and coconut.
Using a cookie scoop, drop each portion of dough 3 inches apart onto cookie sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake 9 to 10 minutes or until golden.
German Chocolate Cookies (adapted from The Food Network's Sunny Anderson)
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs, beaten
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa, such as Hershey's
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a stand mixer, blend the butter, sugars, vanilla and eggs. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture into the butter mixture and blend until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips, coconut and pecans.
Using a cookie scoop, drop the dough onto cookie sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, until just set. Cool cookies on baking racks.
Cherry Chocolate Chippies (adapted from crisco.com)
1 1/4 cups light brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup butter flavored shortening
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup well-drained maraschino cherries, coarsely chopped
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Using a stand mixer, combine brown sugar, shortening, vanilla and almond extracts. Beat at medium speed until well blended. Add egg and beat well.
Whisk flour, salt and baking soda in medium bowl. Add to shortening mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended. Stir in chocolate chips and cherries.
Using a cookie scoop, drop dough onto cookie sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until golden. Allow cookies to set for an additional 2 minutes on the cookie sheets before transferring to cooling racks.
Over these past many months, I've been making the usual suspects...Tollhouse, snickerdoodle and peanut butter, among others. But no matter what cookies I bake, my favorite remains my sister Sue's sugar cookies. With every heavenly, buttery bite, I am reminded of her kindness, generosity and wisdom, and memories of times spent with her beautiful daughters (who now have families of their own) come flooding back. While ideal for any holiday gathering or gift-giving, why not treat those you hold most dear to these some rainy Saturday afternoon.
P.S. You may want to make extra and freeze a batch, so you can savor these lovelies a little longer. They keep very well for several weeks in the freezer, even frosted and decorated.
Sue's Sugar Cookies
4 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar (superfine if possible)
2 large eggs
4 tablespoons whole milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
Cream butter and sugar until light using an electric mixer. Add eggs, milk and vanilla, combining completely. Whisk dry ingredients together in a large bowl and add to creamed mixture.
Divide dough into 3 disks. Wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (overnight is fine).
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll out each disk on a lightly floured surface until dough is 1/8-inch to 1/4-inch thick. Cut dough using a cookie cutter, then transfer each onto cookie sheets lined with parchment paper using a spatula.
Bake for 8 minutes (longer if you prefer a crisper cookie). Cool on baking racks. Frost as desired.
Icing
1/2 stick butter, softened
2 to 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 to 2 teaspoons vanilla
pinch of salt
whole milk
food coloring (optional)
Combine butter, powdered sugar, vanilla and salt. Use a few tablespoons of milk to thin the icing to spreading consistency. Divide icing into several small bowls, adding a few drops of food coloring, if desired, before frosting.
Not sure if this recipe, adapted from Cook's Illustrated, produces a cookie that can be called "perfect" (please see above for those!), they are certainly delightful and will likely disappear before your very eyes. Much like the others that follow.
Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 3/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
14 tablespoons (1 and 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips (or chunks)
Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Whisk flour and baking soda together in a medium bowl; set aside.
Heat 10 tablespoons butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until melted, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking, swirling pan constantly until butter is dark golden brown and has a nutty aroma, 1 to 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and, using heatproof spatula, transfer browned butter to large heatproof bowl. Stir remaining 4 tablespoons butter into hot butter until completely melted.
Add both sugars, salt and vanilla to the bowl with butter and whisk until fully incorporated. Add egg and yolk and whisk until mixture is smooth with no lumps remaining, about 30 seconds.
Let mixture stand for 3 minutes, then whisk for an additional 30 seconds. Repeat process of resting and whisking 2 more times until mixture is thick, smooth and shiny. Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir in flour mixture until just combined, about 1 minute. Stir in chocolate chips, giving the dough a final stir to ensure no flour pockets remain.
Using a cookie scoop, drop dough onto cookie sheets lined with parchment paper, arranging 2 inches apart (8 portions is optimal). Bake cookies 1 tray at a time until cookies are golden brown and still puffy, and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft, 7 to 9 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking. Allow cookies to set before transferring to racks to cool completely.
Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies (adapted from Ocean Spray)
2/3 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 5 oz. package dried cranberries
2/3 cup white chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Using a stand mixer, beat butter and sugar together in a medium mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs, mixing well. Combine oats, flour, baking soda and salt in a separate mixing bowl. Add to butter mixture in several additions, mixing well after each addition. Stir in dried cranberries and white chocolate chips.
Using a cookie scoop, place dough onto cookie sheets covered with parchment paper. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks.
Orange Cookies (adapted from Cooking Club of America)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup butter flavored shortening
2 eggs
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups quick cooking oats
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Beat sugar, brown sugar and shortening in a stand mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in 2 tablespoons water, 2 tablespoons orange juice, vanilla and 1 teaspoon orange peel until thoroughly blended.
Whisk flour, baking soda, salt and baking powder in medium bowl. Beat into sugar mixture at low speed just until combined. Stir in oats and coconut.
Using a cookie scoop, drop each portion of dough 3 inches apart onto cookie sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake 9 to 10 minutes or until golden.
German Chocolate Cookies (adapted from The Food Network's Sunny Anderson)
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs, beaten
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa, such as Hershey's
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a stand mixer, blend the butter, sugars, vanilla and eggs. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture into the butter mixture and blend until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips, coconut and pecans.
Using a cookie scoop, drop the dough onto cookie sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, until just set. Cool cookies on baking racks.
Cherry Chocolate Chippies (adapted from crisco.com)
1 1/4 cups light brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup butter flavored shortening
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup well-drained maraschino cherries, coarsely chopped
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Using a stand mixer, combine brown sugar, shortening, vanilla and almond extracts. Beat at medium speed until well blended. Add egg and beat well.
Whisk flour, salt and baking soda in medium bowl. Add to shortening mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended. Stir in chocolate chips and cherries.
Using a cookie scoop, drop dough onto cookie sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until golden. Allow cookies to set for an additional 2 minutes on the cookie sheets before transferring to cooling racks.
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