Sparkling Summer Sugar Cookies

Sparkling Summer Sugar Cookies

Ingredients

Butter Cookie Dough

1 cup butter, softened

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 tsp salt ( omit if using salted butter)

1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla

2-3 drops orange oil 

2 cups+2 Tblsp all purpose flour

1/3 cup finely ground pecans or almonds

Large Gumdrops ( discard the black )

Colored Sanding sugar

With an electric mixer, cream butter with granulated and brown sugar. Beat in egg. 

Add vanilla and orange oil. Gradually mix in flour.

Mix ground almonds with confectioners sugar. Add to dough.

Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill well for easier handling.

If when rolling or cutting with cookie the dough becomes too soft, simply chill for about 10 minutes.

When ready to roll out, divide dough into 4 pieces. 

Place between sheets of wax paper and roll very thin, about 1/8".

 

Remove the top sheet of wax paper.

Using a 3" Blossom cookie cutter, cut Flower shaped cookies.

Lift away excess dough, gathering scraps. 

Wrap unused dough in plastic wrap and keep chilled, 

repeating process until all dough is used.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. 

 Flip cookies onto parchment paper and gently remove wax paper.

Bake in a 325 degree oven for 9-10 minutes.

While cookies are baking, cut gumdrops

horizontally about 3/4 way down using clean scissors.

 

Place the gumdrops cut side down on plastic wrap.

Set aside.

When edges of the cookies become a golden brown,

remove from oven and slide parchment with cookies onto a cooling rack.

Immediately place the gumdrops, cut side down, in the center of the cookies.

 While still warm, sprinkle the perimeter of the cookies with 

a colored sanding sugar. I chose pink.

 Remove from parchment paper with a spatula onto a cooling rack

and cool completely.

 Arrange on a pretty plate and enjoy the glittering cookies.

You know how fairies love sparkly things and sweets, so leave

a few out for them tonight too!

Tutorial and Photography by Jacque Benson

Copyright 2011

This material may not be republished or reproduced in any manner without the expressed permission of the author.

Easter Egg Marshmallow Pies

This Easter, I wanted to put something special into my grandchildren's Easter baskets.
I tried to think of something that they might like to eat, yet different than a sugar cookie.
Then remembering my favorite Moon Pie treats as a child,
 I pondered just how to recreate them using an Easter theme.

Since these needed to be made ahead to package into the baskets,  I needed a marshmallow filling that would not ruin.  Kraft made it easy for me by introducing Jumbo Egg Mallows--large pastel colored egg shaped marshmallows.
Thank you Kraft!
After altering an old nutmeg cookie recipe from my Charlotte Turgeon cookbook,
 all that was left to do was dip them in pastel colored confectioners melts and decorate.

I inserted straws into the filling of my "Moon Pies" so that they can be easily placed upright into the Baskets, but you can make them without using the straws if you like.

To make these Easter Egg Marshmallow Pies, you will need:

I recipe Almond Nutmeg Cookies
3-1/2" egg shaped cookie cutter

Jumbo Egg shaped Easter Marshmallows

Pastel confectioner's melts
Vegetable shortening
Colored Straws (opt-- to insert into basket )

5 Plastic disposable piping bags

#1, #3 piping tubes

Sparkling sugar

Sprinkles (opt)
Pastel candies (opt)

Almond Nutmeg Cookies

  

 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

 1/2 cup sugar

 6 tablespoons Half & Half cream

 3 tablespoons honey

 3 cups all-purpose flour

 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

 1/4 teaspoon salt

Cream butter and sugar together. Mix half&half with honey; set aside.

Sift together flour, nutmeg and salt.  Add the flour mixture alternately with the liquids until thoroughly blended together. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill well.

Cut 3 rectangles of parchment paper to fit baking sheet.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Divide dough in half, keeping one half chilled. On parchment paper, roll the other half quite thin and cut cookies using a 4" egg shaped cookie cutter.

Gather scraps and chill.

Repeat with second half of dough, then scraps until all dough is used.

Place in center of oven and bake 6-8 minutes until edges are slightly browned.

While the cookies are in the oven, on a piece of waxed paper,  flatten the marshmallows using a rolling pin.

When cookies are ready, remove from oven.

While still hot, turn half of the cookies upside down and place marshmallows, sandwiching between two cookies; gently press cookie on top.

( If your hands are sensitive to heat, place a clean cloth on cookie for protection ).

Insert straw into the center off soft filling.

Set cookies aside, and
allow to cool thorougly.

(Don't worry if some of the marshmallow melts over the side.
Once completely cooled, you can spray a pair of clean scissors with non-stick spray and easily cut the cooled marshmallow even with the edges of the cookie.)

Melt confectioners melts in a chocolate pot or double boiler. Thin melts to a glazing consistency by adding vegetable shortening, one tablespoon at a time.

If you used straws, insert bamboo skewer into straw for support.
Holding cookie over pan, spoon melted pastel colored confectioner's melts over moon pies.

 Allow to cool, then turn over and repeat process on the other side.

Remove bamboo skewer and place on waxed paper until cooled and confectioners' melts have set up.

Prepare piping bags with #1 and #3 piping tubes. Fill bags with melted colored confectioners melts.
Pipe lines, dots, squiggles, loops or scallops in contrasting colors.

Decorate your Easter Egg Moon Pies with sparkling sugar, contrasting colors, or pastel

candies or sprinkles.

Just have fun and be creative!

When ready to put into Basket, cover Easter Eggs with a cellophane bag and tie with a ribbon.

 ***


Tutorial and Photography by Jacque Benson
2011
All Rights Reserved
This material may not be republished or reproduced in any manner without the expressed permission of the author.

Sprinkles Strawberry Cupcakes

This is a super delicious strawberry cupcake recipe that I found from Candice Nelson of Sprinkles Cupcakes.  I was so yummy that my hubby had some for breakfast this morning!!

Ingredients:

Makes 1 dozen.

• 2/3 cup whole fresh or frozen strawberries, thawed
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/4 cup whole milk, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 2 large egg whites, room temperature

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners; set aside.
2. Place strawberries in a small food processor; process until pureed. You should have about 1/3 cup of puree, add a few more strawberries if necessary or save any extra puree for frosting; set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a small bowl, mix together milk, vanilla, and strawberry puree; set aside.
4. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar and continue to beat until well combined and fluffy. Reduce the mixer speed to medium and slowly add egg and egg whites until just blended.
5. With the mixer on low, slowly add half the flour mixture; mix until just blended. Add the milk mixture; mix until just blended. Slowly add remaining flour mixture, scraping down sides of the bowl with a spatula, as necessary, until just blended.
6. Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups. Transfer muffin tin to oven and bake until tops are just dry to the touch, 22 to 25 minutes. Transfer muffin tin to a wire rack and let cupcakes cool completely in tin before icing.

Sprinkles Strawberry Icing

Makes enough for 1 dozen cupcakes.

• 1/2 cup whole frozen strawberries, thawed
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, firm and slightly cold
• Pinch of coarse salt
• 3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:

Place strawberries in the bowl of a small food processor; process until pureed. 

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and salt on medium speed until light and fluffy. Reduce mixer speed and slowly add confectioners' sugar; beat until well combined. Add vanilla and 3 tablespoons strawberry puree (save any remaining strawberry puree for another use); mix until just blended. Do not overmix or frosting will incorporate too much air.

 Frosting consistency should be dense and creamy, like ice cream.

Be creative with your icing techniques.  There are no wrong ways of icing a cupcake!

And who says you have to eat a cupcake like....a cupcake?!!  Fresh strawberries, strawberry puree and whipping cream made this look and taste more like an elegant dessert for a sweetheart treat!!

Tutorial and Photography by Rhonda Christensen

2011 All Rights Reserved

This material may not be reproduced without permission from the author.

Sweetheart Cookies

Ready for Valentine's Day?

Here is a simple Jam-filled Butter cookie that is easy to make.
They look beautiful and taste delicious!

Sweetheart Cookies

Ingredients

Butter Cookie Dough:

1 cup butter, softened

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 tsp salt ( omit if using salted butter)

1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla

2-3 drops orange oil 

2 cups+ 2 Tblsp all purpose flour

1/3 cup finely ground almonds ( or almond flour )

2 Tbsp confectioners sugar

With an electric mixer, cream butter with granulated and brown sugar. Beat in egg. 

Add vanilla and orange oil. Gradually mix in flour.

Mix ground almonds with confectioners sugar. Add to dough.

Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill well for easier handling.

If when rolling or cutting with cookie the dough becomes too soft, simply chill for about 10 minutes.

Filling:

1/3 cup seedless strawberry spread

1 tsp Grand Marnier (opt)

When ready to roll out, divide dough into 4 pieces. 

Place between sheets of wax paper and roll very thin, about 1/8".

 

Remove the top sheet of wax paper.

Using a 3" heart shaped cookie cutter, cut heart shaped cookies.

For every other heart, cut the center with a 1" heart shaped cutter, creating a "window" for the jam filling.

 

Flip over onto parchment paper and peel the wax paper from the dough.

 

Arrange the hearts on the parchment paper. Place on cookie sheet.

Gather scraps, wrap in plastic, chill and repeat process until all the dough is used.

Chill the cookies and the cookie sheet for about 10 minutes before baking.

 

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 8-9 minutes just until the edges of the cookies become a golden brown.

Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack and cool completely.

 

Place the Window cookies on a rack and sprinkle with confectioners sugar.

 

Drop a spoonful of jam onto the center of the solid heart cookies.

Using a spatula, spread the jam towards the edges of cookie, 

leaving a generous amount in the center.

 

Top with the "window" cookie, as shown below to make

a jam filled cookie.

 

Place on a pretty serving dish for a beautiful  Valentine's display.

Serve, with a kiss, to your favorite person in the world.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Makes about 2 dozen 3" heart shaped cookies.

Tutorial and photography by Jacque Benson

2011 All Rights Reserved

This material may not be republished or reproduced in any manner without the expressed permission of the author.