In The Kitchen: Christmas Sugar Cookies

Due to the rain, my internet was down almost all day yesterday. My daughter and I decided to get festive, so we baked and decorated sugar cookies. I am usually not one for sugar cookies but this recipe I found on AllRecipes.com was absolutely delicious. This sugar cookie recipe yields a perfectly crisp, sweet, buttery cookie. What I love most is that the dough isn't finicky; you literally mix a few simple ingredients together, add flour and voila. The perfect sugar cookie.  For that reason, it makes the perfect project to do with little ones. Also, if you are looking for a tasty treat to ship to friends & family, or for the potluck at work; these delicious cookies ship and stack well. 

I decided to forgo the traditional Royal Icing recipe and try the "Sugar Cookie Icing" recipe on AllRecipes.Com since I have had so much luck with them lately, and they definitely didn't disappoint. The mixture was a bit stiff initially, so I had to add milk 1/2 a teaspoon at a time until I got the desired consistency. You really want the mixture to resemble a thick toothpaste consistency. - The icing dries fully in about 12-24 hours with a nice glossy finish that resembles cookies purchased from specialty bakeries. 

The Best Rolled Sugar Cookies [Adapted from AllRecipes]

Ingredients:

1 cup and 3 tablespoons butter, softened

2 cups white sugar

4 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

5 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour (or overnight).
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven. Cool completely. 

Sugar Cookie Icing [Adapted from AllRecipes.com]

Ingredients:

5 cups confectioners' sugar

3 tablespoons and 1 teaspoon milk

3 tablespoons and 1 teaspoon light corn syrup

1-1/4 teaspoons almond extract

assorted food coloring

 

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, stir together confectioners' sugar and milk until smooth. Beat in corn syrup and almond extract until icing is smooth and glossy. If icing is too thick, add more corn syrup.
2. Divide into separate bowls, and add food colorings to each to desired intensity. Dip cookies, or paint them with a brush.<<--I used a Wilton Pastry bag, but it is completely optional :-)

Follow MTM on Twitter | Add MTM on Bloglovin' |  Like MTM on Facebook 

In The Kitchen: Lemon Cream Cupcakes

I found this decadent recipe on All Recipe's .Com, one of my new favorite hangouts. These delicate, moist, lemon-flavored treats didn't stand a chance in my household; we consumed them almost immediately. The great thing about this delightful little recipe is that it doesn't require a lot of complex ingredients, yet the cake is sure to please those that have more of a sophisticated palette. 

Those that aren't very fond of super-lemony sweets will find these cupcakes delicious, as the lemon-flavor in this recipe isn't overpowering at all; but rather faint. For all of my lemon-lovers out there, you can double the amount of zest called for in this recipe, or even add a tiny bit of Lemon Extract or Lemon Essential Oil. 

To my beginner cooks out there, this is a very easy recipe to follow provided you don't make any adjustments with the Baking Powder & Baking Soda. I would also leave the cream cheese in the recipe as well, it is what adds to the light, smooth, airy texture.

Lemon Cream Cupcakes [Adapted from All Recipes.com]

Ingredients - Yields 30 cupcakes

1 cup butter or margarine, softened << I used butter

2 cups sugar

3 eggs

2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups sour cream

Frosting Ingredients

3 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened

2 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon grated lemon peel

1 tablespoon milk

Directions:

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add lemon peel and vanilla; mix well. Combine dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream (batter will be thick). Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups with 1/4 cup of batter. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. 

Cool for 10 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. For frosting, cream butter and sugar in a small mixing bowl. Add lemon juice, vanilla, lemon peel and milk; beat until smooth. Frost cupcakes.  

 

Follow MTM on Twitter | Add MTM on Bloglovin' |  Like MTM on Facebook 

In The Kitchen: Quite Possibly The Best Darn Chewy Snickerdoodles Ever!

Growing up, I was never tempted to try Snickerdoodles. They lacked chocolate, nuts and some sort of gooey element that would have made them much more appealing than the boring mass of flour and sugar they appeared to be. In my adult years, I was introduced to Snickerdoodles and I fell in love. It's something about the marriage of a crisp yet chewy cookie that gets me every time. 

This Snickerdoodle recipe is absolutely amazing! The flavor is clean and filled with cinnamon-sugar goodness you are sure to love. I am a fan of recipes that are simple to make and don't require a ton of complex, hard to find ingredients. - If you do attempt this recipe, please remember to chill the dough as well as the baking sheet. This will prevent spreading and will yield perfectly round cookies. 

Snickerdoodle Recipe - Yields 4 Dozen [Adapted From RecipeZaar] : 

2¾ cups flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1½ cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Mix butter, 1 1/2 cups sugar and eggs thoroughly in a large bowl.
• Combine flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl.  
• Blend dry ingredients into butter mixture.
• Chill dough, and chill an un-greased cookie sheet for about 10-15 minutes in the fridge.
• Meanwhile, mix 3 tablespoons sugar, and 3 teaspoons cinnamon in a small bowl.
• Scoop 1 inch globs of dough into the sugar/ cinnamon mixture.
• Coat by gently rolling balls of dough in the sugar mixture.
• Place on chilled un-greased cookie sheet, and bake 10 minutes.
• Remove from pan immediately.   

** Cool dough and pan in between batches**

   

Follow MTM on Twitter | Add MTM on Bloglovin' |  Like MTM on Facebook 

Epicure: Lemon Sandwich Cookies

I am a fan of most things lemon. Lemon cake, lemonade, even lemon pancakes. So when I spotted these pretty little lemon sandwich cookies on Martha Stewart's site, I immediately added them to the recipe rolodex.

They were extremely easy to make, however a bit time consuming [the cookie dough has to chill for about an hour]. These heavenly cookies were the perfect marriage of lemony-buttery goodness with a kick of sophistication. You can make these as regular lemon cookies, or your can add a generous dollop of sweet, creamy lemon filling for sandwich cookies. - If you're one for hosting dinner parties, double the recipe; these make divine after-dinner delectables! 

Lemon Sandwich Cookies [adapted from Martha Stewart]
Ingredients:

16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup confectioners' sugar

1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for rolling

2 tablespoons granulated sugar, for sprinkling

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl using an electric mixer on high speed, beat butter, confectioners' sugar, lemon zest, and salt until combined. With mixer on low, add flour (dough will still be stiff); finish mixing with a wooden spoon.

2. Turn dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap, pat into a disk about 1/2 inch thick. Wrap, and chill until firm, about 1 hour (and up to 3 days).

3. Unwrap dough; place on a lightly floured piece of parchment or waxed paper. With a lightly floured rolling pin, roll dough about 1/8 inch thick (if dough cracks, let it warm up slightly).

4. Cut out cookies with a 1 1/2-inch round cutter (reroll scraps once, chilling of too soft). Place 1 inch apart on two baking sheets; sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake until barely beginning to brown, 15 to 20 minutes; transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

5. Form sandwiches: Place about 1 teaspoon creamy lemon filling between two cookies, sugared sides facing out; squeeze gently.

Creamy Lemon Filling

Ingredients:

1 package (4 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
1 to 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

Directions:

In a small bowl, mix cream cheese and zest until smooth. Gradually add 1 cup confectioners' sugar, mixing until smooth. Mix in remaining sugar as necessary to create a firm but spreadable filling.

Follow MTM on Twitter | Add MTM on Bloglovin' | Like MTM on Facebook

In The Kitchen: Is It Really Better Than Sex Cake?

I will admit I had reservations about trying this Paula Dean recipe because of my little preconceived notions; you see it called for "yellow cake mix"and well, it kinda threw me off. But alas, I was craving sweets yesterday and I thought I would give it a try.

I should learn to be more trusting, as Paula Dean has yet to let me down.This was hands down the best cake I've made this year; the flavors are clean, the cake super moist, and the whip cream frosting is sweetened to perfection. If you can make a boxed cake, you can definitely make this! Maybe next time I make this I will add dried cherries for more texture.

Is It Better Than Sex Cake - Recipe Courtesy of Paula Dean

Ingredients

• 1 (18.25-ounce) box yellow cake mix plus ingredients to prepare
• 1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 1 (3.4-ounce) box French Vanilla pudding, plus ingredients to prepare
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup flaked, sweetened toasted coconut

Directions 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Prepare yellow cake mix as directed using a greased 13 by 9 by 2-inch pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. While cake is baking, combine the pineapple and 1 cup of sugar in a saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium heat stirring constantly. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.  

Remove cake from oven and using a fork, pierce holes into cake. Pour pineapple mixture over hot cake and set aside.

Prepare pudding according to package directions. Spread pudding over cake and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled. Whip heavy cream and remaining sugar until stiff. Cover top of cake with whipped cream and sprinkle toasted coconut on top.

Follow me on Twitter | Add me on Bloglovin' |    

Spring Time is Here: Strawberry Cuppies

I have to admit that this was my first time having Strawberry Cupcakes, which is pretty surprising considering how much I love Strawberries. This recipe is courtesy of Sprinkle's Cupcake's which is one of my favorite little cupcake shops in town. These were absolutely delicious, and this recipe is definitely a keeper. The taste reminds me somewhat of a grown up Strawberry Shortcake. My only gripe was that the frosting was a bit too soft for me to properly dispense from my pastry bag; I suppose next time I will add a scant 1/4 teaspoon of Cream of Tartar to thicken it up a bit.

Sprinkles Strawberry Cupcake

Recipe Ingredients:
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:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners; set aside.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Icing Ingredients:
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.