The post Dried Cranberry Shortbread Cookies appeared first on Florida Girl Cooks.
]]>These dried cranberry shortbread cookies are the perfect introduction for a twelve days of Christmas cookies celebration! So delicate, buttery, and melts in your mouth with every bite! I’ve been a fan of shortbread cookies since I was a kid. My grandmother would often buy Royal Dansk shortbread cookies, you know the one in the blue tin that shows up on store shelves around November and beckon and call your name at every turn? These will take you there. The subtle flavor of dried cranberries makes these cookies even tastier and even add some color to celebrate this joyous season.
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
½ cup confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ cup finely chopped dried cranberries
1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and confectioners’ sugar at medium speed until creamy, 3 to 4 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Beat in vanilla.
2. In a medium bowl, sift together flour and salt. With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating until combined. Fold in cranberries. Turn out dough, and shape into a disk (batter may be sticky). Wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
4. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to ¼-inch thickness. Using a 1½-inch round cutter dipped in flour, cut dough, and place on prepared pans. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
5. Bake until lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool on pans for 3 minutes. Remove from pans, and let cool completely on wire racks. Makes about 30. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
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]]>The post Chocolate Chip Cookies & Sweet Milk Ice Cream Sandwiches appeared first on Florida Girl Cooks.
]]>Chocolate Chip Cookies & Sweet Milk Ice Cream Sandwiches are just about the only dessert I need to instantly take me back to my childhood. As a kid I always looked forward to a Rich’s chocolate chip cookie and vanilla ice cream sandwich, the kind you had to push out of a container by poking a hole through the bottom. It was heavenly with each bite. If you’ve never had the splendor of trying these as a kid I strongly urge you make these as soon as possible to awaken your inner child. Enjoy!
2/3 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, right from the fridge, or at room temperature
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
3/4 teaspoon salt (use 1/2 teaspoon salt if you use salted butter)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract, optional
1 teaspoon vinegar, cider or white
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 large egg
2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease (or line with parchment) two baking sheets.
2. In a large bowl, combine the sugars, butter, shortening, salt, vanilla and almond extracts, vinegar, and baking soda, beating until smooth and creamy.
3. Beat in the egg, again beating till smooth. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a spatula to make sure everything is thoroughly combined.
Mix in the flour, then the chips.
4. Use a spoon (or a tablespoon cookie scoop) to scoop 1 1/4″ balls of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving 2″ between them on all sides; they’ll spread.
5. Bake the cookies for 11 to 12 minutes, till their edges are chestnut brown and their tops are light golden brown, almost blonde.
6. Remove them from the oven, and cool on the pan till they’ve set enough to move without breaking. Repeat with the remaining dough.
1/2 cup dried whole milk or whole milk powder
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons tapioca starch
1 cup heavy cream
3 cups whole milk
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 tablespoon Pure Vanilla Plus
1. In a large (2 1/2- to 3-quart) saucepan, whisk together the dried milk, sugar, and tapioca starch.
Add the remaining ingredients and whisk until smooth.
2. Set the saucepan over medium-high heat, and cook the ice cream base, stirring constantly, until it becomes just slightly thicker than heavy cream; it will thinly coat the spoon or spatula you’re using.
3. Remove the pan from the heat, and pour the base into a heatproof mixing bowl, stirring occasionally as it cools to prevent a skin from forming.
4. Once the base has cooled to just slightly warmer than room temperature, lay a piece of plastic wrap on the surface, again to prevent a skin from forming.
5. Transfer the bowl to the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, to chill completely.
6. Freeze the base in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s directions.
7. Transfer the ice cream to a covered container, and freeze until ready to serve. The ice cream may firm up a bit as it freezes, so leave it at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes to soften before serving, if necessary.
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]]>The post Triple Threat Brownies appeared first on Florida Girl Cooks.
]]>I have never been as big into brownies as my husband. He’s helped me develop an appreciation for brownies. We started out with boxed brownies, not that there’s anything wrong with that. My love for baking is strong so I always find a from-scratch recipe that is much better than anything boxed. I own Williams-Sonoma’s Dessert of the Day and I have taken this recipe from the book and added some ingredients to make more in a rectangular pan, as opposed to a square 8 inch pan they call for. I have added cocoa and chocolate chips, hence why I’ve renamed this recipe “triple threat brownies” from it’s original name of “classic brownies.” If you’re into brownies that are both moist and a bit fugdey then this is the brownie recipe for you! These are both adult and kid approved!
6 oz. unsweetened chocolate chips, plus 3 more for sprinkling
3/4 cup (4 oz./125 g) unsalted butter
2 cups (10 oz./315 g) sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. salt
5 eggs
1 1/2 cup (4 oz./125 g) all-purpose flour
6 tbsp unsweetened cocoa
1. Preheat an oven to 350°F (165°C). Grease a 11×8 inch baking pan.
2. In a large heatproof bowl, combine the chocolate and butter. Place over (not touching) barely simmering water in a saucepan and heat, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth. Remove the bowl from the pan and let the mixture cool slightly.
3. Whisk the sugar, vanilla and salt into the chocolate mixture. Whisk in the eggs 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition. Continue to whisk until the mixture is velvety, about 2 minutes. Add the flour and whisk just until blended.
4. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake until the top is just springy to the touch and a tester inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, about 60 minutes. Let cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
5. Cut into 16 squares. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Makes 16 brownies. Feel free to serve with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream!
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]]>The post Blueberry and Blackberry Galette appeared first on Florida Girl Cooks.
]]>I think this blueberry and blackberry galette is one of those things on my list of potentially intimidating things to make. It comes from one of me favorite dessert cookbooks, Dessert of the Day: 365 recipes, for Everyday of the Year from Williams-Sonoma I think all of my favorite recipes that require some additional work essentially start out this way. Regardless, I preservere and push forward and I am always amazed at the results. I encourage you, my humble readers, to try out the same in all of your kitchen / culinary endeavors. Even if it were for the pure aesthetic joy of how pretty it is, you should bake one! Enjoy this sweet summer treat!
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
24 Tbs. (3 sticks) plus 3 Tbs. unsalted butter, cut into cubes
3/4 cup ice water
4 cups blackberries, blueberries or a mixture
2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup sugar
3 Tbs. flour
In a food processor, combine the flour and salt and pulse briefly to mix. Scatter the butter over the top and pulse just until the mixture forms coarse crumbs about the size of peas. Drizzle the ice water over the flour mixture and pulse just until the dough starts to come together.
Transfer the dough to a work surface, divide into 3 equal pieces and press each into a flat disk. Set 1 disk aside and wrap the remaining 2 disks in plastic wrap for future use (see note above).
Preheat an oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and roll out into a 13-inch round. Fold the round in half, transfer to the prepared sheet and unfold the round.
In a bowl, lightly stir together the berries, lemon juice, sugar and flour. Spoon the filling onto the dough, leaving a 2-inch border uncovered around the edge. Fold the edge up and over the filling, forming loose pleats. Bake until the filling is bubbling and the pastry is golden brown, about 25 minutes.
Transfer the galette to a wire rack and let cool slightly. Cut into wedges and serve. Makes one 9-inch galette; makes 3 pastry dough disks total. Enjoy each galette with a spoonful, or two, or three of some vanilla bean ice cream!
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]]>The post Outback Steakhouse – Honey Wheat Bread appeared first on Florida Girl Cooks.
]]>Fond are the memories I have of eating at Outback Steakhouse – Honey Wheat Bread in my teenage and adolescent years. Growing up there was one restaurant that my parents indulged in and that was Outback. Our experiences at restaurants were limited due to the fact that my mom cooked every night and prided herself on giving us healthy homemade meals. We also avoided gong to restaurants frequently since they knew how unhealthy it was and because they were very frugal parents. I can’t help but think of my dad when Outback comes to mind because he loved everything about that place. His most favorite food item that come the moment the last was consumed was the warm and soft honey-wheat bread. Paired with whipped and creamy butter it was surely a match made in heaven, in your mouth.
Time has flown by. My dad passed away last October. I hadn’t been to an Outback Steakhouse in years until my brother and his wife gave us a gift card to go. My sons, especially and my eldest Jacob, loved the bread so much that he asked if there was a way for me to make it at home. Of course, anytime I hear my boys ask for anything food related I go out of my way to please and over-deliver. I found a few recipes, tested them out and this is the best one as it is truly identical to the bread served at Outback. My dad would’ve loved these and would’ve been truly proud. This one is for you dad!
2 ½ c warm water 100°-110°F
1/4 c vegetable oil
2 T caramel color
1/2 c honey
3 ½ c whole-wheat flour
2 T cocoa
2 T active dry yeast
1 tsp salt
2-3 c bread flour
1.In the bowl of a stand mixer fitter with a dough hook, stir together water, oil, caramel color, and honey until mixed well.
2.Add wheat flour to water mixture.
3.Add cocoa, yeast, and salt, and stir until blended.
4.Allow mixture sit for 10 minutes.
5.Stir in bread flour, one cup at a time, until dough clings to hook and almost clears the sides of mixer, about 3-4 minutes.
6.Cover bowl with greased plastic wrap.
7.Allow dough to rise in the bowl until doubled, about 30-60 minutes.
8.Divide into 2 pieces.
9.Cover each piece with greased plastic wrap, and let dough rest for 5 minutes.
10.Place each loaf in a greased 9×5-inch loaf pan.
11.Let dough rise until doubled, about 30-60 minutes.
12.Toward the end of the rising time, preheat oven to 350 F.
13.Bake at for 30-40 minutes.
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]]>The post Tarte Flambe appeared first on Florida Girl Cooks.
]]>My recent purchase of Sift Magazine has left me wanting to make every single recipe, especially this tarte flambe! Anything baked alongside anything French, immediately has my attention and my mouth salivating. Tarte flambe is to the French what pizza is to Americans, but much, much fancier. This is a meal that is sure to please all taste buds in your household, children and adults alike. The recipe yields two tarte flambe. Let’s just say there wasn’t a bite left, not even for lunch the following. Cue the sad tears here. If you’re salivating just reading the ingredients or this description, consequently, you know what you have to do!
2.5 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 cup King Arthur Pasty Flour (you can substitute cake flour)
1 tsp instant or active dry yeast
1 tsp salt
1.25 cups water
1/2 cup crème fraiche
1 large egg yolk
salt and pepper
pinch of ground nutmeg
8 ounces bacon, cut into 1″ pieces
2 cups thinly sliced red onion
chopped chives for garnish
1. In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the dough ingredients.
2. Mix and knead until a smooth dough comes together.
3. Cover the mixing bowl and let the dough rise for 1 hour.
4. After an hour, deflate the dough, divide in half, and shape each half into a ball. Return to a greased bowl, cover, and refrigerate for 1 to 2 days.
1. Place a rack in the upper third of your oven with a pizza stone on it and preheat for 1 hour to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Whisk together the crème fraiche and egg yolk. Season with salf, pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg.
3. In a large skillet, cook bacon halfway, until it releases some of its fat.
4. Scoop out the bacon and drain on absorbent paper.
5. Add the onions and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes, until they are soften and become translucent. Remove from heat, return the bacon to the pan, and set aside.
6. On a lightly floured surface, stretch the dough to a thickness of 3/8″ leaving a 1/2″ thick rim around the outside edge.
7. Spread half of the cream mixture over the dough, then sprinkle with half of the bacon and onion mixture. repeat the stretching and assembly process with the second round of dough.
8. Slide the assembled pizza onto the hot stone and bake for 13 – 15 minutes, until the onions are browned and the edge of the dough is well caramelized.
9. Remove the oven, sprinkle with chopped chives and serve warm.
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]]>The post Chocolate Chip Cookies – The Best Recipe Ever appeared first on Florida Girl Cooks.
]]>1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 granulated sugar
2/3 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp kosher salt
1 bag (12 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup slivered almonds (optional)
1. Space racks evenly in oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
2. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
3. In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until fluffy.
4. Add the sugars and vanilla beat until blended.
5. Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt into the bowl and mix on low speed just until blended. Stir in the chocolate chips and almonds until blended.
6. Drop heaping tablespoonfuls of the dough onto the prepared pans, spacing them slightly apart. Bake until the cookies are golden brown around the edges, 10-12 minutes. Rotate pans after 5 minutes.
7. Let the cookies cool on pans for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Makes about 3 dozen.
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]]>The post Lemon Tart with White Chocolate appeared first on Florida Girl Cooks.
]]>Here’s a list of my other lemonesque recipes on my blog.
White Chocolate Chip Lemon Cookies
I’ve made lemon tart a few different ways from recipes I have found from either magazines, Pinterest, or other website online and I’ve not been entirely impressed with the texture and flavor, until now. Amanda Frederickson helped my search come to a conclusion with this amazing recipe.
1. In a small bowl, combine the egg yolk, buttermilk, and vanilla extract. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of a food processor add both flours, sugar and salt. Pulse for a few seconds.
3. Add butter and pulse for about 10 seconds until the butter is incorporated into the flour and is the size of peas.
4. Add the buttermilk mixture and pulse until the dough just comes together. Gather the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour (or throw it in the freezer and freeze for up to a month).
5. On a well-floured surface, roll out the round of dough into into a 12″ circle, about 1/8″ thick. Using your rolling pin, carefully transfer dough to tart pan and press the dough into the tart pan. Place the pan into the refrigerator for at least an hour.
6. Pre-heat oven to 350° F.
7. Blind bake the pie crust by covering with tin foil, filling with pie weights and baking for about 15 minutes.
8. Carefully remove the pie weights and cook for another 5 t o7 minutes or until golden brown.
9. Let crust cool to room temperature.Makes enough dough for 1 – 9”– 10” tart.
For the Meyer lemon curd:
For the candied lemon slices:
For the white chocolate whipped cream:
Pre-heat oven to 350°F.
1. Make the lemon curd by combining the eggs, egg yolks and granulated sugar in a large heat proof bowl. Mix well.
2. Add the lemon juice, lemon zest and salt and whisk to completely combine.
3. Fill a medium sized saucepan filled with 2” water. Bring to a simmer over medium high heat. 4. Place bowl with lemon mixture on top of sauce pan and cook for about 5 to 7 minutes whisking constantly until mixture is thick and can coat the back of a spoon.
5. Add in butter and white chocolate and stir until smooth. Remove lemon curd from heat.
6. Pour curd into prepared tart shell and bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until filling is just barely set. Remove and let cool until room temperature, then chill in the refrigerate overnight.
7. Serve immediately or keep tart refrigerated until ready to eat.
Serves 8 to 10
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]]>The post Blueberry-Elderflower Pie appeared first on Florida Girl Cooks.
]]>Blueberry-Elderflower Pie
Ingredients
For the crust:
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) very cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/3 cup very cold vegetable shortening, cut into small pieces
2 tablespoons elderflower liqueur (such as St-Germain) or elderflower juice
For the filling:
8 cups fresh blueberries (about 4 pints)
3/4 to 1 cup sugar (depending on the sweetness of your berries), plus more for sprinkling
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons elderflower liqueur or elderflower juice
Pinch of salt
1 large egg
Prepare
1. Make the crust: Put the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the butter and shortening; pulse just until the pieces are the size of large peas. While pulsing, gradually add the elderflower liqueur and 1/3 cup ice water until the dough comes together. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently
until smooth. Divide the dough between 2 sheets of plastic wrap; use the plastic wrap to form each half into a disk. Wrap tightly and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or overnight.
2. Meanwhile, make the filling: Toss the blueberries, sugar, flour, elderflower liqueur and salt in a large bowl. Let sit until juicy, 30 minutes. Position a rack with a baking sheet in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees F.
Roll out 1 disk of dough into a 12-inch round on a lightly floured surface. Ease into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate, pressing the dough into the bottom and up the side. Roll out the second disk of dough on a lightly floured surface.
3.Toss the berries again and pour the mixture into the prepared crust. Moisten the edge of the crust with cold water and lay the second dough round over the filling; gently press the top and bottom crusts together around the edge. If you’re cutting the pie into the “flag” then this is a good time to do it. Fold the overhanging dough under itself and crimp the edges. Cut a few slits in the top crust to let steam escape. Beat the egg with 1 teaspoon water. Brush the pie with the egg mixture and sprinkle lightly with sugar.
4.Put the pie on the hot baking sheet and bake 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F; bake until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling, about 55 more minutes. (Cover the edge of the crust with foil if it is browning too quickly.) Transfer to a rack and let cool at least 4 hours before serving.
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]]>The post Crumb Cake appeared first on Florida Girl Cooks.
]]>The fun came in the pairing of both the said liquid gold and sweet treats. Up to this point in my life I had NEVER tried crumb cake before, I know it’s a true travesty and tragedy but lo there was hope for me. I was a forever changed person from the day I had first laid my taste buds on and crunched over each bite of it.
Cue today, 11 years later, a very 38 week pregnant me wanting to relive this wondrous moment. I go to a local Starbucks, I should confess several in the last few weeks, and all of the crumb cakes are the same…sad, soft, no crunch, no love as if the whole recipe has changed. I can’t live with that so…I set out to find the perfect recipe to satisfy this indelible desire for crumb cake. This is almost starting to sound like the story of Rapunzel as her mom craves the neighbors Rapunzel from her garden and sends her husband to steal her some. I came across this recipe from Cooking Classy and per the reviews and comments decided to slightly adapt it to ensure the crunch via the crunch sugar/flour mix for the topping.
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I did and you might want to share it with your loved ones or you might just want to keep it a secret and keep it to yourself? Whatever the choice may be simply take a time out to truthfully enjoy and indulge in this, my now newfound favorite baked dessert to make. Enjoy this delicately rich, sweet and crunch crumb cake.
Crumb Cake
Ingredients
Crumbs
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup (4 oz) unsalted butter, cold & cut into small pieces
Cake
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
5 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup sour cream
Prepare
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8 by 8-inch baking dish. You can choose to use Baker’s Joy baking spray like I do.
For the crumbs:
2. In a mixing bowl whisk together brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon and salt. Pour in melted butter (use a spatula to scrape out any excess) and stir to combine.
3. Slowly add flour while mixing with a wooden spoon or spatula, and mix until no streaks of flour remain. Set aside to rest while cake batter is prepared.
For the cake:
4. In a mixing bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt for 20 seconds, set aside.
5. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip together butter and granulated sugar until pale and fluffy.
6. Mix in egg and vanilla. In liquid measuring cup used to measure milk, whisk together sour cream with milk.
7. Add in 1/3 of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and blend just until combined, then add 1/2 of the milk mixture and mix just until combined. Repeat process once more, then end by mixing in last 1/3 of the flour mixture until nearly combined. Scape down sides and bottom of bowl using a rubber spatula and fold batter to fully incorporate.
8. Pour batter into prepared baking dish and spread into an even layer.
9. Break crumb mixture into pea size crumbs and drop evenly over batter. I used a potato masher to accomplish this.
10. Bake in preheated oven until toothpick inserted into center comes out free of batter and cake doesn’t sink when touched in center, about 32 – 35 minutes.
11. Cool in cake pan 10 minutes then enjoy this most delicious cake with a glass of milk or coffee for breakfast or for dessert! I’d even go as far as recommending a small dose all day. Haha!
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