Biscotti

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, beat together the oil, eggs, sugar and anise flavoring until well blended. Combine the flour and baking powder, stir into the egg mixture to form a heavy dough. Divide dough into two pieces. Form each piece into a roll as long as your cookie sheet. Place roll onto the prepared cookie sheet, and press down to 1/2 inch thickness.
3. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown. Remove from the baking sheet to cool on a wire rack. When The cookies are cool enough to handle, slice each one crosswise into 1/2 inch slices. Place the slices cut side up back onto the baking sheet. Bake for an additional 6 to 10 minutes on each side. Slices should be lightly toasted.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup white sugar
• 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

• 3 eggs
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon anise extract, or 3 drops anise oil

Chocolate Chip Scones

Ingredients: 

2 cups (260 grams) all purpose flour

1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated white sugar

1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (113 grams) (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold and cut into pieces

1/2 cup (90 grams) milk or semi sweet chocolate chips or chunks

1/2 cup (75 grams) dried cherries or cranberries

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2/3 - 3/4 cup (160 - 180 ml) buttermilk

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) and place rack in middle of oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cut the butter into small pieces and blend into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or two knives. (The mixture should look like coarse crumbs.) Stir in the chocolate chunks (or chips) and dried cherries. In a small measuring cup whisk together the buttermilk and vanilla extract and then add to the flour mixture. Stir just until the dough comes together (add more buttermilk or flour as necessary). Do not over mix the dough.

Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead dough gently four or five times and then pat the dough into a circle that is about 7 inches (18 cm) round and about 11/2 inches (3.75 cm) thick. Cut this circle in half, then cut each half into 4 pie-shaped wedges (triangles). Place the scones on the baking sheet. Brush the tops of the scones with a little milk.

Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.

Makes 8 scones.

How to Fondant a Cake

After finding a yummy cake recipe, you obviously want to decorate it to finish your creation, right?

Here's a video on how to fondant a cake. Some tips to help you. 

*this isn't that easy to do, at least not for me. 

Enjoy!

http://youtu.be/nBvhkSBMSyc

Peanut Butter Creme Pie

• Source: web recipe 
  

  1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

• 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar

• 1/2 cup peanut butter

• 6 tablespoons milk

• 1 carton (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed

• 1 graham cracker crust (9 inches)

• 1/4 cup chopped peanuts

Bundt cake

INGREDIENTS

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 1/2 cups packed light-brown sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 6 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 to 2 tablespoons water

DIRECTIONS

1. STEP 1

   Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make the cake: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.

2. STEP 2

   In a large bowl, combine butter, brown sugar, and eggs. Whisk until smooth. Gradually whisk in dry ingredients just until combined (do not overmix). Using a rubber spatula, fold in apples. Spoon batter into a 12-cup nonstick Bundt pan, and smooth top. Bake until a tester inserted in cake comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Cool in pan on rack 15 minutes; invert onto rack to cool completely.

3. STEP 3

   Make the Glaze: Whisk together confectioners' sugar and enough water to form a thick yet pourable glaze. Set rack with cake over a piece of wax paper (for easy cleanup); drizzle cake with glaze, and let set before serving.

4. 
   

Easter egg cookies

Giant Easter Egg Cookie

Total Time: 1 hr 10 min

Prep: 30 min

Inactive: 15 min

Cook: 25 min

Yield: 8 to 10 servings

Level: Easy

Ingredients

One 16.5-ounce tube ready-made sugar cookie dough, at room temperature

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons pasteurized egg whites

1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 cups assorted Easter candy, such as jelly beans and mini eggs, etc.

Sprinkles, optional

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Mix the cookie dough with the flour until it is an even texture. Turn the dough out onto the prepared baking sheet and form it into the shape of an egg about 1/2-inch thick, 9 inches long and 7 inches wide at its widest point. Bake until golden around the edges, about 25 minutes. Remove the cookie from the oven to cool, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, beat the egg whites and sugar with an electric mixeruntil combined. Add the lemon juice and continue to beat until thick and glossy, about 5 minutes.

Fill a pastry bag or plastic baggie with the icing, snip off a small corner and pipe decorations on the cookie. Attach the candies in patterns to make a decorative Easter egg.

Coconut Macroons

Ingredients

• 3 large egg whites
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 14-ounce package sweetened shredded coconut (about 5 cups)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 325° F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
2. Vigorously whisk together the egg whites, sugar, vanilla, and salt in a medium bowl until glossy, foamy, and the sugar is mostly almost dissolved. Fold in the coconut, stirring until evenly combined.
3. Using a small ice cream scoop, drop the batter in mounds (about 2 tablespoons each) 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake, rotating the sheets halfway through, until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes; let cool completely. The macaroons will keep for up to 5 days at room temperature in an airtight container.