The Baker's Daughter

Cinnamon-Sugar puff pastry wheels

 
These are probably one of the most well received treats I've ever made!  My husband is crazy about them.  They are super easy to make and are really great for an afternoon snack or if you're having someone over for coffee or tea.  Make sure your puff pastry is cold before baking so if your kitchen is hot and the pastry feels warm, I would pop them into the fridge for 10-15 minutes before baking.  I've made mine small but you could cut them larger depending on what you want them for.

Cinnamon-sugar puff pastry wheels

1 lb (approx 450 grams) puff pastry

1/2 cup white sugar

1/8 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 tsp cinnamon

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Dust your surface with flour and place your puff pastry on it.  Dust with flour and roll your puff pastry into a rectangle that is about an 1/8th of an inch thick.

Brush the pastry with the melted butter and sprinkle the 1/2 cup of sugar evenly all over.  Sprinkle with the cinnamon.

Roll the pastry into a log starting from the long edge of the rectangle that is closest to you.

Cut the pastry into 1 inch pieces, and place cut side down on the baking sheet.

Bake for approximately 10-15 minutes, until the bottoms of the wheels are golden brown.  Flip the wheels over and bake for another 10-15 minutes or until both sides are crisp and golden brown. 

Let cool before serving.

 

Be Mine

 
Just a few of the desserts I've been baking at work this week.  The cookies are Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing.

 

 

Belly laughing snowmen sugar cookies

 

I love these little dudes, they look like they're belly laughing (either that or they have a belly ache). I made these Christmas sugar cookie snowmen at work today and iced them with royal icing.

Disco Christmas

A few of the funky Christmas sugar cookies I made at work the other day.

Chocolate cookies and cream cookies

 

I had a craving the other day (shocking I know) for cookies and creme and this is what I came up with.  I really like the chewiness of the cookie and the added Kiss treat is great. 

Chocolate cookies and creme cookies

8 oz chocolate

4 tbsp butter

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

2 eggs

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

12 oz chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Line two baking trays with parchment paper.

In a microwave safe bowl combine the 8 oz of chocolate and butter.  Melt the mixture over low heat. 

In a small bowl whisk together the flour and baking powder.

Using a hand or stand mixer, beat the eggs and brown sugar on high for a few minutes.  Add the chocolate mixture and mix to combine.  Add the flour mixture and stir in the 12 oz of chocolate chips.

Drop heaping teaspoon sized balls of dough onto the prepared pans.  Stick a cookies and creme kiss into each cookie. 

Bake for 12-15 minutes.  Cool on the pan before using a spatula to lift them off the pan.

 

Nutella thumbprint cookies

   

Believe it or not I was newly introduced to Nutella only a few months ago.  I have no idea how someone with a sweet tooth as bad as mine could overlook something so delicious for so long but I did.  These cookies are so cute with their little peaks of Nutella.  This recipe will make 24-30 cookies.  This recipe is adapted from one by Martha Stewart.

Nutella thumbprint cookies

12 tbsp butter, softened

1/2 cup icing sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/4 cups flour

1/2 cup Nutella

1 cup hazelnuts

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Line 2-3 baking trays with parchment paper.

Finely chop the hazelnuts.  Set aside.

Using a hand or stand mixer, combine the butter and icing sugar.  Beat for a few minutes until smooth.

Add the flour and mix until combined. 

Form the dough into tablespoon sized balls.  Roll each ball into the chopped nuts and place on the baking trays.  Bake for ten minutes, remove from the oven and press a round teaspoon into the center into each cookie to make an indentation.  Place back in the oven for another 7-10 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are lightly browned. 

Place the cookies on a rack to cool.

Once the cookies are cool fill a pastry bag with the Nutella and pipe into the middle of each cookie. 

 
 

Mint-chocolate cookie squares

 
These mint-chocolate cookie squares have all the deliciousness of cookies without any of the annoying requirements.  All you have to do is mix up the dough, whap it in a pan, top with squares of mint chocolate, bake for 30 minutes and you will have a divine dessert good for backyard bbq's or fancy dinner parties.  A dollop of whipped cream would put this over the top!  I've used a 70% Mint chocolate, which came in a bar of 10 fairly large squares.  I placed 9 squares on the cookie batter, finely chopped the 10th square and sprinkled it over the exposed bits of batter.

Mint-chocolate cookie squares

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

1/2 cup white sugar

1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 eggs

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup cocoa

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 bar of mint chocolate

Directions

Grease and line with parchment paper a 7X7 inch square baking pan.  Set aside

Using a hand or stand mixer combine the butter with both sugars.  Add the egg and vanilla and combine, scraping down the sides of the bowl. 

In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa, and baking soda. 

Gradually add the flour to the butter and sugar mixture. 

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

Spread the dough evenly over the base of the pan.  Top with the squares of chocolate. 

Bake for 30 minutes being careful not to over bake them as they will not show signs of browning. 

Set aside to cool for 5 minutes before removing from the pan to cool completely on a wire rack.  Slice into 9 pieces with each piece receiving a square of chocolate.

 



 

Bright shortbread sandwiches

 
These bright shortbread sandwiches are a great spring treat.  They would be great for a birthday party or afternoon tea.  You can tint the icing whatever colours you like to fit your mood or theme.  I like a thicker icing so I tend to add less liquid to my icing but you can add it to your discretion.  This recipe will make approximately 24 small cookie sandwiches.  Refrigerate the icing if not using immediately.

Shortbread

1 lb unsalted butter, softened

1 cup icing sugar

2 tsp vanilla

4 cups all-purpose flour

pinch of salt

Butter cream Icing

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 cups icing sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

milk, lemon juice or water to thin

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Line your baking pans with parchment paper.

To make the shortbread cookies, cream together the butter and icing sugar.  After the butter and icing sugar has mixed for a few minutes add the vanilla.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix until incorporated.  Whisk the salt into the flour and gradually add to the butter mixture. 

Use the dough immediately so it doesn't dry out.  Sprinkle your surface with flour and  with a rolling pin, roll until the dough is about an 1/8 of an inch thick.  Press the cookie cutter into the dough and place on a baking pan, with a palate knife or spatula.  Punch out the centers on half of the cookies.  

Bake for 6-8 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are lightly browned.  Let cool while you make the icing

To make the butter cream icing you will need a mixer.  Cream together the butter and icing sugar for two minutes on medium high.  Add the vanilla and mix until fluffy.  Add your desired liquid 1 tbsp at a time until it is the consistency you desire.  Tint the icing.

To assemble the bright shortbread sandwiches, spread a dollop of icing onto a cookie and top with a cutout.  

 



 

Delicious spring

Spring sugar cookies with royal icing.

 

Going to the chapel...