How did everyone like these pretty, spiced cookies?
In the Oven: Lemon Pecorino Pepper Icebox Cookies
Posting date is Sunday, 13 July
Lemon Pecorino Pepper Icebox Cookies
Yield: 45 to 60 cookies
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into ½-inch cubes
2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1/4 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano
1 large egg, plus 1 large egg yolk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons lemon zest (about 3 lemons)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sanding sugar or colored sanding sugar (optional)
In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until creamy. Add the confectioners’ sugar and Pecorino Romano and beat on medium-high speed until smooth and fluffy. Add the egg and egg yolk and beat until just combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and add the salt, pepper, lemon zest, and lemon juice and beat until incorporated.
Add the flour all at once and beat on the lowest speed until just incorporated. Do not overbeat. Gather the dough into a ball, slice it in half, and wrap each piece in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
Turn the first piece of dough out onto a smooth, very lightly floured surface (preferably a cold surface like marble or steel) and use your floured hands to form and roll the dough into a cookie log 1 3/4 to 2 inches thick. Repeat the process with the second piece. Wrap each log in plastic wrap and chill for at least 3 hours. The dough will keep in the refrigerator, tightly wrapped, for 3 to 5 days.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Remove the logs from the refrigerator and roll each one in the sanding sugar to coat the sides. Slice the cookies 1/3 inch thick and place on the prepared baking sheets about 1/2 inch apart. (Note: You can cut the cookies slightly thicker and bake them slightly longer for a less crunchy cookie, if that is your personal preference.)
Bake for 11 to 13 minutes (no color equals a softer cookie, slightly brown equals a crispier cookie). Remove the baking sheets from the oven and set them on wire racks to cool for 5 minutes. Then use a spatula to transfer the cookies directly to the racks to cool completely.
The cookies can be stored at room temperature, tightly covered, for up to 4 days.
Excerpted from Baked Elements: Our 10 Favorite Ingredients by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. Copyright © 2012 by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. Excerpted by permission of Stewart, Tabori & Chang, an imprint of Abrams. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Roundup: Easy Candy Bar Tart
Leave Your Links: Easy Candy Bar Tart
I hope you all had a wonderful 4th of July! How did you like this decadent tart?
In the Oven: Bourbon, Vanilla, and Chocolate Milk Shakes and Simple Chocolate Syrup
Hi, Sunday Morning Bakers!
We’ve accelerated our schedule so we’ll be ready for Baked Occasions when it rolls off the presses in October.
Next posting date is Sunday, 22 Jun.
Yield: 4 milk shakes
3 to 3 1/2 cups (from 2 pints) premium vanilla ice cream, to taste
1 1/2 cups whole milk
3 or 4 ice cubes
1/4 cup good-quality bourbon
6 tablespoons Simple Chocolate Syrup (page 192), cooled, divided
Baked Note: Plainly and simply, use a good-quality bourbon for this milk shake (heck, you can always nip away at what’s left in the bottle). I tested with Blanton’s and Knob Creek, though almost any complex, earthy, caramel-y bourbon will work.
Place 4 heavy 12-ounce or larger glasses in the freezer to chill for 30 minutes.
Put 3 cups of the ice cream, the milk, ice cubes, bourbon, and 4 tablespoons of the chocolate syrup in a powerful blender. Blend until smooth. A good milk shake should be eaten with a spoon—so if the milk shake seems too thin, add another ¼ to ½ cup ice cream and blend again. Divide the shake evenly among the chilled glasses and top each with 1/2 tablespoon of the remaining chocolate syrup. Serve immediately.
Excerpted from Baked Elements: Our 10 Favorite Ingredients by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. Copyright © 2012 by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. Excerpted by permission of Stewart, Tabori & Chang, an imprint of Abrams. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Roundup: Turtle Thumbprint Cookies
Leave Your Links: Turtle Thumbprint Cookies
How did everyone like these little bits of heaven?
In the Oven: Bananas Cake
Are you ready for another gorgeous Baked cake? This one has it all: Chocolate; Peanut Butter; and Bananas! And it will be perfect for your Memorial Day celebration.
The next posting date is Sunday, 25 May!
Bananas Cake
Yield: One 8-inch, 3-layer cake
For the Banana Cake
3 cups cake flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/3 cup vegetable shortening
1 3/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 large very ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon buttermilk, well shaken
For the Milk Chocolate Ganache Frosting
8 ounces good-quality bittersweet chocolate (60 to 72%), finely chopped
8 ounces good-quality milk chocolate, finely chopped
1 ½ cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
12 ounces (3 sticks) unsalted butter, cool but not cold, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
For the assembly
Peanut Butter Filling (page 28)
For the Chocolate Glaze
8 ounces good-quality dark chocolate (60 to 72%), coarsely chopped
6 ounces (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, cut into ½-inch cubes
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
For the garnish
1/4 cup coarsely chopped salted peanuts
Make the Banana Cake
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter three 8-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment paper, and butter the parchment. Dust the parchment with flour and knock out the excess flour.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and set aside.
In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and shortening together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes (the mixture will appear to string or ribbon throughout the bowl). Add the sugar and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 more minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing for 10 to 15 seconds after each addition, until the egg is incorporated into the mixture. Then turn the mixer to low, add the vanilla and bananas, and beat until incorporated. (If the mixture appears curdled, keep beating slowly until the mixture looks like it is coming back together.) Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix again for 30 seconds. Add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients and mixing for 10 to 15 seconds, or until incorporated, after each addition.
Divide the batter among the prepared pans and use an offset spatula to smooth he tops. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through the baking time, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Transfer the pans to a wire rack and cool for 30 to 45 minutes. Turn the cakes out onto the rack and let them cool completely. Remove the parchment.
Make the Milk Chocolate Ganache Frosting
Place both chocolates in the bowl of a standing mixer. In a small saucepan, bring the cream and corn syrup to a boil, then remove from the heat and immediately pour the mixture over the chocolate. Let stand for 2 to 3 minutes. Starting in the center of the bowl and working your way out to the edges, whisk the chocolate mixture by hand until it is completely smooth. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
Returning the bowl to the standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, on medium speed, gradually add the butter to the chocolate mixture and mix until thoroughly incorporated. The frosting should be completely smooth and have a silky look.
Assemble the cake
Place one cake layer on a serving platter. Trim the top to create a flat surface and evenly spread half of the Peanut Butter Filling on top. Top with about 1 1/4 cups of the frosting and gently smooth it out. Add the next cake layer, trim it, fill with the remaining Peanut Butter Filling and top with another 1 1/4 cups of the frosting. Add the third layer. Spread a very thin layer of frosting over the sides and top of the cake and put it in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes to firm up. (This is known as crumb coating and will help to keep loose cake crumbs under control when you frost the outside of the cake.) Frost the sides and top of the cake with the remaining frosting and refrigerate for 15 minutes to firm it up.
Make the Chocolate Glaze
Place the chocolate, butter, and corn syrup in the bowl of a double boiler over medium heat. Using a rubber spatula, stir the mixture until the chocolate and butter are completely melted and smooth. Remove the bowl from the water and stir the glaze to release excess heat.
Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the cake on a wire rack on the baking sheet. Slowly pour about 3/4 cup of the glaze over the cake. Use a small offset spatula to smooth it out to the edges. Place the cake in the refrigerator for 5 minutes to set the glaze. Remove from the refrigerator and slowly pour the rest of the glaze over the cake. It should run down the edges in a thick stream. You should be able to control the size and length of the streams by how quickly you pour. Feel free to experiment and have no fear in playing around; this is the fun part and there is no right or wrong way. Garnish around the edge of the cake with the peanuts. Chill the entire cake for about 20 minutes, or until the glaze is set, then transfer to a cake plate. Serve at room temperature.
The cake can be stored at room temperature, covered with a cake dome or in a cake saver, for up to 3 days.
Excerpted from Baked Elements: Our 10 Favorite Ingredients by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. Copyright © 2012 by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. Excerpted by permission of Stewart, Tabori & Chang, an imprint of Abrams. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Roundup: Lemon and Black Pepper Quiche
Even though this week’s recipe met with mixed reviews, all the quiches look fantastic!
Leave Your Links: Lemon and Black Pepper Quiche
Happy mother’s day to all of our mom bakers!