Sweet Potato Cookies

I came up with this recipe several years ago.  I have such admiration for the humble sweet potato.  It is a golden gem.  I love it in pies, whoopie pies, breads, casseroles, baked, fried, salads and of course cookies.  It may seem weird to some folks using sweet potato in a cookie, but why not.  We use pumpkin in cookies.  I use it in cakes and muffins as well.  They are moist, soft and will remind you of a cozy, cold day in fall, sitting next to a warm fire with a cup of joe, tea or hot cocoa.  My hubby and daughter just adore them.  They know when fall comes a calling, these cookies will be baking in the oven.

Recipe: approx. 18 to 22 cookies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Wet ingredients:

2 sticks margarine ( do not use butter) room temperature

1 packed cup brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 medium eggs room temperature

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup mashed sweet potato ( I baked 2 medium size potatoes and scooped out the inside to equal one cup)

Sift dry ingredients

3 cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/2 of whole nutmeg, grated

Cream butter and sugar for 5 minutes in stand up mixer, add eggs continue to beat until light and fluffy, add vanilla, add potato and continue to beat until incorporated, add sifted dry ingredients.  Let cookie dough rest for 20 minutes in bowl.  Use small spring loaded ice cream scooper on a silpat lined cookie sheet.  Bake for about 12 minutes. 

Cream Cheese Glazed:

4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature

2 cups powder sugar

3 T. of water, add more to thin out for a creamy, but not runny glaze

Dip tops of cookies into glaze and put on a baking rack to drip.  Sprinkle with cinnamon.

Peachy Keen Crumb Bars

I love peaches and I love crumb topping.  I developed this recipe on my own and I can actually change this recipe into several variations of bar cookies.  It is the same crust that I use for my Baklava Cookie Bars.  It is just great.  I am sure you can use this base and make your own creations.  I think blueberries, sauteed apples with cinnamon, sour cherries, you get the idea.

Recipe
Preheat oven to 350 degrees/ lightly spray half size sheet pan with baking release
Total baking time 40 to 45 minutes
24 plus bars depending on how you cut them.

Crust Base  (Great crust for all your cookie bars)
3 sticks unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
2 tsp. almond extract
3 1/2 cups flour
pinch salt

In a stand mixer cream butter with sugar for 5 minutes.  Add almond extract, beat.  Add flour with salt.  Beat until crust comes together. Press down into a half size sheet pan.  Keep pressing until all dough reaches the edges.  Slice 6 ripe peaches and lay on top of crust and bake for 20 minutes.  While baking make crumb topping.

Crumb Topping
2 unsalted sticks of room temperature butter
2 cups brown sugar
3 cups flour
1 cup sliced almonds
pinch salt
4 tsp. baking powder
1 to 2 T. of warm water if needed

In a stand mixer cream sugar and butter add remaining ingredients and continue to beat until crumbly.  May have to add water to form large and small clumps of crumbs.  After the 20 minutes of baking is done.  Place crumb topping on crust, spread evenly over peaches and continue to bake 20 more minutes.  Remove from oven, cool completely, sprinkle powder sugar on top and cut into bars.

Norwegian Glazed Almond Pretzels

Pretzels are the September baking challenge for Have the Cake, and I couldn't be happier. 

I have to tell you that I have been on a search for Norwegian Almond Pretzels ever since I went to Epcot at Disney World, and visited the Norway Exhibit.  There is a wonderful bakery in the exhibit with traditional Norwegian pastries.  I remember the first time I laid eyes on those gorgeous, yes gorgeous pretzels covered in almonds.  I had to have one instantly.  My heart was beating fast and the counter person could not have put one into a bag quick enough.  One bite and I thought I went to heaven!  Not overly sweet, just soft and delicious. This is European comfort food! YUM! 

I have been on a quest for several years to find that elusive almond pretzel recipe from Epcot.    I never found it, but I was lucky enough to get a traditional Sweet German Pretzel recipe from a baker friend of mine who happens to be German.  Yes, German people know a lot about pretzels.  Well, I decided to make a glaze of my own and add the sliced almonds.  I have to say I was quite pleased with my endeavor.  They are soft, not to sweet and just delicious.  I think the folks at Disney might even approve!

I would definitely make this recipe again and after baking, dip them in salted butter or cinnamon sugar.  Maybe even a jalapeno cheddar pretzel with a cold glass of beer might be nice!

Recipe

Yields 7 pretzels

preheat oven to 375 degrees

2 tsp. dry yeast

1 1/2 cups warm water

1/2 tsp. salt

4 T. sugar

2  large eggs room temperature

3 to 4 cups of flour  ( You want a soft dough, not sticky and not firm, just right!)

Dipping solution:

2 cups water with 1/4 baking soda  added

Glaze:

1 cup powder sugar

1 tsp. almond extract

Water ( start with 1 T. and more until you achieve a  smooth consistency but not to thin)

In a large mixing bowl, stir yeast into warm water and dissolve, add sugar.  Wait five minutes to activate yeast.  Add eggs and beat in with a whisk.  Add first cup of flour with 1/2 tsp.of salt.  Add remaing cups beat with dough hook on a stand up mixer, or if doing by hand, knead to form a soft dough.  Grease another bowl, add dough and cover with a tea towel until double in size.  Divide dough evenly into 7 balls.  Roll out into long strings and form a pretzel knot.  Dip into soda water solution and place 4 pretzels onto 1 cookie sheet that has been sprayed with oil.  Place the other 3 onto another cookie sheet.  Let double in size. Bake for 12 minutes until slightly golden.  Cool and brush with glaze and drizzle with sliced almonds. I sprinkled the finish pretzel with powder sugar.

I have been getting many comments that this is not a typical Norwegian bakery item.  I included some actual pics from Disney's Norway Bakery.  The pics include the real pretzels that are served there.  I believe they are a version of a Kringle.  Anyways, they are wonderful and once you experience them you can't get them out of your mind!

Update:  I found this link which claims it is the actual recipe from Epcot.  I haven't tried it yet, but let me know if you do.    http://allears.net/din/rec_krin.htm

Rosh Hashanah Honey Spiced Cake

I have many friend's who are celebrating Rosh Hashanah today, this cake is for them.  It is a traditional Jewish Honey Cake with spices.  I got this recipe from a dear friend of my Mother's.  I ate a tiny wedge of cake and I am dividing the rest among my friends to enjoy on their Holiday.  The delicious figs come from my Mom's garden.  They are Divine!  I drizzled a little honey on top to go with my Honey Cake.  Yummy!

Recipe

preheat oven to 350 degrees; greased and flour a bundt pan generously

Wet ingredients:

1 1/2 cups honey

3/4 cups sugar

3 large eggs room temperature

1 1/4  cup canola oil

1 cup strong brewed coffee

2 tsp. almond extract

Dry ingredients: Sift all dry ingredients

3 1/2 cups flour

2 tsp. cinnamon

2 tsp. ginger

1/2 tsp. clove

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

2 T. sliced almonds

Glaze

1/2 cup honey

3 T. butter

Fresh figs placed in center of bundt pan and drizzled with Honey (optional)

Sprinkle the 2 T. of sliced almonds on the bottom of a well greased and floured bundt pan.

In the stand up mixing bowl add all wet ingredients except for coffee.  Mix well for 5 minutes, slowly add the hot coffee to temper the eggs.  When well incorporated add all the dry ingredients.  Mix well.  Pour batter into  bundt pan. Bake 40 to 50 minutes depending on your oven.  Check with a toothpick for doness. 

Let cool in pan for half hour.  Turn out onto a plate and drizzle glaze over cake. 

Blueberry Upside Down Cake

One of my favorite desserts is Upside Down Pineapple Cake.  I was lucky enough to buy a bunch of fresh blueberry pints on sale at the local market.  I usually stock up when the price is good and freeze them for smoothies and baking.  Well, I had a craving for my Upside Down Cake and I figured why not try blueberries in the same recipe.  I am hooked!  I can't wait to sautee apples in fall, add cinnamon and spices and make a wonderful Upside Down Apple Cake.  It is endless.  I know I will have a lot of fun inventing some delicious cakes.  Stay Tuned!  Sour Cherries are sounding pretty good to me, as well!

BlueberryTopping:

2 cups blueberries
4 Tbsp butter
2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar

Cake:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 salt
1/2 cup milk
4 Tbsp butter, softened 2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp. orange juice

* Note I added to 2 T. of vegetable oil to my batter for a very moist cake. Add to liquid ingredients.

Heat the oven to 350F.
Melt the butter in a 10 inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Or, put the butter in a 9 inch round cake pan and put it in the oven for a few minutes as the heat melts the butter.  I used a 9 inch round cake pan. 

Remove the pan from the oven or stove and sprinkle the brown sugar over the buttery surface. Place the blueberries on top of the melted butter and brown sugar. 

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Use a fork to mix them together well. Add the milk and butter (I added extra oil at this point; makes a moister cake) and beat well with a mixer, scraping down the bowl once or twice until you have a thick, fairly smooth batter, about 1 to 2 minutes.

Add the egg, orange juice and the vanilla. Beat for 2 minutes more, stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides.

Carefully pour the batter over blueberries in the skillet or cake pan and use a spoon to spread it evenly to the edges of the pan. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the cake is golden brown and springs back when touched lightly in the center. Cool in the skillet or pan for 5 minutes on a wire rack.

With oven mitts, carefully turn out the warm cake onto a serving plate by placing the plate upside down over the cake in the pan and then flipping them over together to release the cake onto the plate. Serve warm or at room temperature.  A dollop of whip cream would be nice!

Real Cream Filled Chocolate Wafer Cookies

Homebaked and Really Good!

Now, I am not saying that those famous cream filled cookies are not yummy that you buy at the supermarket, but I like to be able to read the ingredients on the label and know what they are.  These are crispy and dunkable cookies.  My daughter thinks they are better than store bought and says that the filling, "Taste like Real Cream."  Now, that is good enough for me. 

Recipe from Mrs. Fields Best Cookies Ever Cook Book

Dough

1 1/2 sticks salted butter, softened

1/4 cup confectioner's sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 T. cornstarch

1 cup all purpose flour

Cream Filling

1 stick salted butter (I used unsalted and a pinch of my own salt to control saltiness)

1 cup confectioner's sugar

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 T. heavy cream

Yield about 1 1/2 dozen cookies

In a medium bowl, cream butter with an electric mixer at medium speed.  Add sugar and beat until smooth.  Add vanilla and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy.  In another bowl, combine the cocoa, cornstarch, and flour, and mix well with a wire whisk.  Add the cocoa mixutre to the wet ingredients and mix at low speed until thoroughly combined. 

Gather dough into a ball and flatten into a disk.  Wrap dough tightly in plastic wrap or place in an airtight plastic bag.  Refrigerate for 1 1/2 hours or until firm. 

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Using a floured rolling pin, roll dough on floured board to 1/4 inch thickness.  Cut shapes with cookie cutters and place on ungreased cookie sheets, 1 inch apart.  Continue using dough scraps, rerolling and cutting until all dough  is used.  Be careful not to overwork the dough.  Bake 16 to 18 minutes or until firm.   Transfer cookies to a cool, flat surface with a spatula.

Prepare the cream filling;  Cream butter in a small bowl with an electric mixer set at medium speed.  Add sugar, vanilla, and cream, and beat until smooth.  Fill cookies and serve!