Flourless chocolate cookies

I cannot believe it is almost Easter already! I swear it seems to come faster and faster every year. I have been taking a cosmetology course (in Makeup Artistry) on top of my usual fashion school course load (way to be overly ambitious!), and I am almost done.
 It has always been a dream of mine to go to cosmetology school, and I am thrilled I have been able to make that dream come true, especially in such a short amount of time! I have always had a hard time with focusing on only thing at a time. Who knows, maybe I will be able to attend culinary school and get a pastry degree in the near future?!

Happy Easter!

Recipe Adapted from: Recipe Girl

You will need:
3 cups powdered sugar
2/3 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 to 4 large egg whites, at room temperature
1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheet with Silpat
 or greased parchment paper. In a medium sized bowl, combine cocoa powder, salt,
and powdered sugar.

Add Vanilla extract, and egg whites (start with two, and add more until
you have a thick fudgy consistency. Stir in chocolate chips or M&M's.
Note: M&M's are not certified gluten free, so make sure you choose chocolate that is,
if you are aiming for gluten free) 

Using a small scooper, scoop 12 mounds on greased parchment lined
cookie sheet. bake for 12-14 minutes, until cookies are slightly cracked.
Allow cookies to cool completely, before attempting to move them.

Toffee caramel cookie cups with salted caramel icing

I finally gave in, and started watching Breaking Bad. I am not one of those people who is always tuning into prime time television. Most of the time, I end up forgetting half of those shows are even on TV. I heard sooooo much about Breaking Bad, so I decided once it came to an end, I would start watching it on Netflix.  Let me tell you, this show is addicting! I heard that from everyone, so I was forewarned. I still was shocked how addicting it was. I've gotten through five seasons in a month and a half. I probably would have gone faster if I didn't have to wait for the BluRays to come in the mail. It is a crazy show. The writers did a really good job keeping the plot flowing, and staying true to its roots. I hate it when shows lose sight of what made them so good in the beginning. If you have any free time, I recommend giving this show a view. Chances are, you won't be able to stop. It may alter your way of thinking (paranoid much?!). You've been warned ;)

Speaking of addiction, another thing I can't seem to shake is salted caramel. I seriously cannot get enough of it. I will literally try any "salted caramel" thing I can get my  hands on! I was recently in William Sonoma, and I stumbled upon some Salted Caramel icing. Since I am an icing fanatic, I knew I had to try it. This stuff is really sweet! If you are not a fan of sweet icing, beware. I decided to pair it with some toffee cookie cups. Be careful these are super addictive, just like Breaking Bad!

Recipe adapted from: Fine cooking

For the Cookie Cups:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
2 tablespoons shortening
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cups toffee bits (recommended brand: Heath)
Brown sugar for rolling

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees, and spray a mini muffin pan,
with non-stick cooking spray.

Cream together: butter, shortening, and sugars until light
and fluffy.

In a separate bowl, combine: corn syrup, egg, and vanilla extract.
Beat into dough mixture

In a medium sized bowl stir together: flour, salt, baking soda, and
baking powder. Gradually add to dough.

Stir in toffee bits

Roll into tablespoon-sized balls, and bake for 11-13 minutes

Allow to cool in pan for five minutes, before
moving to a cooling rack.

Add butter to frosting (if desired) and put in a piping bag.
Pipe onto each cookie cup.

Cherry-Chip Cupcakes with Cherry Almond Buttercream Frosting

The Winter Olympics are well underway. Having been in Russia this past summer, I am even more excited about it. One of my favorite parts of the Olympics (I'm cool, I know ;) is watching all of the different countries walk in, during the opening ceremony. I love seeing the people of all of the countries I've been to, and reminiscing. It so cool to see the world come together, if only for a little while. 

I love the hockey (obviously) and the figure skating more than anything. When my sister and I were little, we would dress up our "skating outfits" and pretend we were figure skaters. We worked so hard to master our "jumps",  and would even pretend we were out of breath when our "scores" were being read. We even had medals for every event. Needless to say, we got REALLY into it. Seeing it now, reminds me of how much fun we used to have. 

Valentine's Day is almost here, and I figured it was time to make some cupcakes. I wanted do something different than the typical red velvet cupcake. I love cherry, and I happened to have some cherry flavored baking chips lying around the house. These cupcakes are sweet and light at the same time. I found another frosting recipe that I am currently obsessed with. If you want something fun an sweet for Valentine's Day, then here it is.

For the Cupcakes: Recipe adapted from: www.tasteofhome.com

Makes 24+ cupcakes

3/4 cup shortening 1-1/2 cups granulated sugar 1/4 teaspoon cherry oil 1/2 teaspoon almond extract 2-1/2 cups cake flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup cold water 4 egg whites 1/2 cup cherry baking chips find them: here

In a large bowl, cream shortening and sugar
until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

Beat in Extracts. In a separate bowl; combine flour, baking powder,  and salt.

Add to creamed mixture, alternating with water.
Beat until just combined.

In another bowl, beat egg whites on
 high speed until stiff peaks form; fold into batter.

Stir in cherry chips

Pour into  greased and lined muffin tins 

Bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. 

. 

Cool for 10 minutes; remove from pans
to wire racks to cool completely.

For the Frosting: adapted from: http://thecakegirls.com

Makes: 9 cups of frosting

You will need: 

6 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar 

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1 1/2 teaspoon cherry flavoring (I recommend Wilton)

1/2 cup boiling water 

2 1/2 cup vegetable shortening 

2 sticks unsalted butter, slightly softened and cubed into 1/2" pieces 

24 jarred maraschino cherries

In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, stir together the sugar, salt almond extract, and cherry juice.

 Add the boiling water and whip on medium speed until the mixture is smooth, scraping down the bowl as necessary. Continue to whip until the mixture is cool, about 10 minutes. (The mixture will look like liquid glaze).

 Add the shortening and butter and whip the mixture on medium-high, scraping the bowl down frequently, until doubled in volume. 10 to 15 minutes.

Put icing in a large piping bag with a coupler and desired tip (I used Wilton 2D). Swirl desired amount of frosting on each cupcake. Dust some sprinkles on cupcakes, and top each with a maraschino cherry.   

Super Bowl Sunday: Frosted Soft Sugar Cookies

If you are anything like me, you love having excuses to bake or cook. Super Bowl Sunday is one of those days where you get polish up on your cooking and baking skills. A lot of it is centered around little bites and appetizers, but everyone loves a show-stopping dessert. I really get into the whole thing, so I like to keep my dessert pretty simple. 

I have seen so many recipes for copycat "Lofthouse" cookies. Honestly, I am not impressed with any of them. None of the recipes can acquire that ultra airy texture, those cookies are famous for. The icings also leave a lot to be desired. I say that is one recipe we should leave to the original. That being said, I have found a different type of soft sugar cookie, that suits every occasion. They are a very unique take on sugar cookies, that is hard to describe unless you try them. The icing is more like a glaze, but nonetheless, very nice. We all know how much I love almond extract. I had to use that, but you are welcome to use any flavor or extract of your choice.

My Denver Broncos are playing in Super Bowl Sunday today! Needless to say, I had to show a little "Orange" pride. I decided to turn these cookies into "Bronco Nation" cookies. You can definitely color your icing however you would like. You can even leave it white, and top them with some colorful sprinkles. The possibilities are endless. 

Have a great Super Bowl Sunday, and Go Broncos!

Ready to serve for game time!

Recipe: adapted from: Seeded at the Table

For the Cookies:

(Makes: 5 1/2 dozen)

• 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 5 teaspoons almond extract
• 2 tablespoons (king Arthur) cake enhancer
• In a medium-sized bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, cake enhancer, and salt. In a large bowl , beat together the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until fluffy, around 2-3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Stir in the almond extract. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients just until incorporated and evenly mixed. form the dough into one large disc, and wrap in saran wrap. Refrigerate dough for 1 hour.
  When ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop about a tablespoon of dough and roll each piece into balls, and place on the baking sheet. (space cookies 2 inches apart) Using your fingers, slightly press the top of each cookie. Bake for 8-10 minutes, rotating cookie sheets halfway through baking. Be careful not to over-bake.  Let cookies cool for at least 10 minutes on the baking sheet, then move them to a wire rack to allow them to completely cool. 
  
  For the frosting:
• 5 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
• 1/3 cup (5 1/3 Tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 Tablespoon  almond extract 
• Touch of Bavarian Cream flavor oil (optional)
• 7 Tablespoons milk 
• Food coloring
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              In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the (sifted) confectioners' sugar, melted butter, almond extract, bavarian cream flavor oil, and milk until smooth. You will want a somewhat thick consistency. Make sure it is not too hard to spread on a cookie. If necessary, whisk in additional milk, one teaspoon at a time. Add food coloring, if desired. Spread each cooled cookie with the frosting. Top with sprinkles if desired. (These cookies may be stored in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.)

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I'm dreaming of a white chocolate Christmas...

It's that time of the year again! I cannot believe it is already here! Time has flown for me this past year. I am just finishing up my first semester at Parsons. I cannot believe how exciting it has been so far. It is everything I thought it be, and so much more. I needed a study break from finals, so I decided to do a little baking.

This time of the year also features one my favorite things, the Cranberry Bliss bars at Starbucks. I found this wonderful recipe by: Gimmie Some Oven, and knew I had to give a try. Even if you don't like cranberries, you will still love these cookies. They are a perfect holiday treat. If you are looking for a great gift to make for your friends or loved ones, this cookies are it. They are different than the traditional holiday cookies. I love the balance of the white chocolate and the cranberries. The icing really sets the cookie off. I hope you love these little guys as much as I do, and I hope you all have a blessed holiday season!

You will need:

For The Cookies:

• 3 cups flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup white chocolate chips (Whole Foods sells mini chips, which I used)
• 1 cup chopped dried cranberries
For The Frosting:
• 1 (8 oz.) bar cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips, melted in the microwave or double-boiler
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 cups powdered sugar
For The Topping:
• 1 cup dried cranberries, roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup white chocolate chips, melted in the microwave or double-boiler

 Cream together
 butter and sugars together, until fluffy.

Add egg and vanilla

In a seperate bowl, stir together flour, salt, and baking soda.
 gradually add dry mixture to wet mixture

Stir in 1 cup of cranberries & 1 cup white chocolate chips

Wrap dough in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for an hour or overnight.

Scoop tablespoon sized balls onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes (Cookies should be lightly golden).

Frosting: mix together room temperature cream cheese, and
melted white chocolate chips. Add vanilla. 

Finally, gradually blend in
sifted confectioners' sugar. Blend until fluffy

Allow cookies to cool.
Frost with icing and sprinkle the remaining chopped cranberries on top.

Drizzle remaining 1/4 cup melted chocolate chips,
and serve once frosting has set.

Merry Christmas!