Funfetti Brownie Popcorn

Today, a highly magical phrase popped into my mind. That phrase was "brownie popcorn". 

Now, it's not like it came to me out of nowhere. As it happened, I had just returned from an extended trip, and I was surveying the contents of my cabinets and freezer to see if there was something, anything, that I could make into dessert. Among the "orphan" ingredients were several bags of microwave popcorn I found above the fridge; nearby, in the freezer, I found a well wrapped parcel of brownies. I didn't think much of it until the aforementioned highly magical phrase entered my mind.

Popcorn was also on my brain because I'd recently received these adorable popcorn buckets.

I wondered: could I--might I--combine them to make a sweet and salty dessert? And if so, how?

Well, I would certainly need something to make them stick together. Something more interesting than butter all by itself.

Naturally, my eyes gravitated right away to something else I had on hand: a can of Funfetti pink frosting! Complete with sprinkles! Well, that simply had to be it, since everyone knows that the most vital part of Funfetti is "FUN". Yes, I said that. I love Funfetti!

And so, dear readers, I made this thing happen. First, I made a bag of popcorn.

Then, I set a saucepan over low heat and gently melted the frosting. When it began to warm, I added two 3x3-inch brownies, which I had cut into 1/2 inch cubes.

Once melty (the pink of the frosting sort of went away), I stirred the brownie-frosting slurry together with the popcorn, making sure to get it all nice and coated.

And then I added the sprinkles (natch).

And then I spooned it all into my sweet little popcorn caddy. As you can tell, since it is personalized, this dessert was mine, all mine.

As you can see, the others remained empty (although they are cute).

And while you may be wondering if it was awful or awesome based on the unusual roster of ingredients, I am happy to say that as desperation desserts go, this one definitely hit the spot. Nice and rich and chocolatey and gooey sweet from the frosting and brownies...but then with a salty crunch from the popcorn. In fact, I had little problem polishing off this delightful treat, and since the brownies were so evenly distributed, it didn't feel at ALL like eating two brownies, frosting, and a bag of popcorn all in one sitting. Nope, not at all.

Make it yourself! Here's how.

Funfetti Brownie Popcorn!

• 1 bag Microwave popcorn, popped (lightly salted works best)
• 2 brownies, cut into 1/2 inch cubes (mine were about 3x3 inches each)
• 1/2 can Funfetti frosting with sprinkles (approx 8 ounces = half container)

Procedure

1. Place your popped corn in a large bowl. Set to the side.
2. In a saucepan over low heat, melt the frosting. Once it's beginning to get melty, stir in the brownie pieces. Stir gently to ensure even coverage. If the brownies melt into the frosting a bit, that's ok. Don't stir in the sprinkles with the frosting; reserve those.
3. Using a rubber spatula, spoon the brownie mixture on top of the popcorn, stirring to ensure even coverage. Add the sprinkles last. Serve still lightly warm. If someone sees you eating it, asks you what's in it, and makes a face when you tell them, tell them not to judge you.

Cake Mix Biscotti Recipe

I have a strange fascination with "doctored" cake mix creations. I love the idea that you can break the rules, so to speak, by using the mix in a way different than its simple intended purpose. In particular I love the recipes that have a finished product that is not cake at all, but cookies or pancakes or bars--it feels like the sweetest sort of kitchen science. So when I was leafing through a book called Complete Cake Mix Magic: 300 Easy Desserts Good as Homemade, I gravitated right toward the cake mix biscotti recipe. 

While the recipe in the book is for a hazelnut biscotti, I decided to go all holiday on this business and bake up some peppermint chip cake mix biscotti instead. Of course, this decision was also fueled by the fact that I had a bag of Andes brand Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips (I haven't seen them in many stores so there's the amazon link) which I thought would be festive and cute to use. 

I also used a smaller box of cake mix than suggested in the recipe, so I scaled the rest of the ingredients down. The resulting biscotti weren't completely beautifully shaped, but gosh, were they tasty. Nice and buttery, like a condensed yellow cake with a crunchy crust, the smattering of mint chips gave the cookies a very nice, rich yet refreshing creamy mint finish on the tongue. Not such a bad thing.

Cake Mix Biscotti

Makes about 18

• 1 package (9 ounces) Jiffy yellow cake mix
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1 egg
• 1/2 stick butter, melted
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup Andes peppermint chips

Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, flour, egg, and butter. Beat on low speed for 1 minute or until well blended. Fold in the peppermint chips until incorporated. Divide the dough in half.
3. On a prepared baking sheet, shape the dough into a 10 by 3 inch rectangle that is 1/2 inch deep. Or you can make two shorter logs of dough, but make sure they have plenty of space as they will spread. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes.
4. Using a sharp knife, cut each rectangle into 1/2 inch slices. Place slices on their side on baking sheets. Bake, one tray at a time, for 10 minutes. Turk slices over and bake for 5 to 10 minutes longer or until crisp and golden. Cool for 1 minute on baking sheets, then remove to wire racks and cool completely.

Glad Cookie Exchange and Baking Ideas

Aren't you GLAD that cookies exist? After all, they make the world better in so many ways. From day-to-day treats to holiday extravaganzas, they have the power to make moments even sweeter.

So I was mega-excited to be chosen to host a GLAD "Cookies for Kids' Cancer" cookie exchange. Having been chosen, they provided a stipend for my baking ingredients and sent me a care package of GLAD containers for the giveaway...

as well as some stickers, promo items, and this snazzy apron:

You can find out more about the program at www.cookiesforkidscancer.org--it's a very sweet way to promote a great cause. You too can get in on the fun by exchanging a virtual cookie with a friend at www.glad.com/Glad-Cookie-Exchange. GLAD will donate up to $1.00 to Cookies for Kids' Cancer for each cookie sold, exchanged or given this November and December 2012 – up to $100,000!

So, in case you haven't gotten it yet--good cause. But having established that...let's move on to the good good better than good COOKIES. OH, the delicious things which were baked! It was a great way to share some sweetness with friends.

Now, because my crew wasn't completely comfortable with the sale method, we did ours as an exchange. There were about 10 types of cookies total. Everyone got a container, and set forth to filling it with each other's cookies--how sweet, right?

Everyone was told to bring 24 of their cookie, and since there were 10 batches, that means that a total of 240 cookies were exchanged (well, some were consumed right away. I will be honest.) I was honored that many of the guests hit me up for recipe suggestions, and was fascinated to see what people decided on.

In looking at the things people brought, which ranged from classic to creative, I wondered if we could define the hows and whys into several ideas for those who may host their own cookie exchanges this year: things that might act as great tips when deciding what to make! I decided to make this the focus of my post, along with some of my favorite recipes shared during the evening! 

IDEA #1: GO CLASSIC ALL THE WAY. 

Snowballs. Or Russian Teacakes. Mexican Wedding Cakes. Whatever you want to call them. While their name can vary, what does not is the fact that they are highly tasty and a traditional holiday favorite! This makes them a vital part of any cookie exchange! Of course, I did hear (adorable!) that sometimes these cookies are called Moldy Mice. Which makes this all the more appropriate:

This recipe is just about as simple and as classic as you can get. YUM.

Snowball Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cups sifted flour
• 1/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
• 1-1/2 cups chopped walnuts
• 1-lb. confectioners sugar to roll cookies in

Directions

1. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix butter with sugar until very light and fluffy. Mix in flour mixture. Stir in walnuts. Refrigerate until easy to handle.
2. Make balls in the palm of your hand by tablespoons. Place on a lightly greased cookie sheet, and bake in a 350 degree F. oven until golden brown, being careful bottoms do not burn.
3. Place confectioners sugar in a large bowl. Take cookies from oven and gently put into bowl. Carefully, they are hot, toss cookies in sugar until they are coated.

IDEA #2: TAKE A CLASSIC, GIVE IT A TWIST

Here's an idea: take a crowd pleaser, such as chocolate chip cookies...but add something unexpected! These cookies have two twists. First, one that is visual: the chips are tricked out! Second, instead of using vanilla extract, my friend Jill had the idea to use peppermint instead! This definitely gave the cookies a highly unexpected flavor. It's funny because on the first bite everyone was like "there's something wrong with these chocolate chip cookies!" but as it turned out it was just unexpected, that minty burst of flavor. But upon bite two, it started to taste pretty good. And then, suddenly, the cookies were gone!

Chocolate Chip Cookies, Ever so slightly adapted from the recipe in Baked: New Frontiers in Baking

Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons peppermint extract
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips or swirled holiday morsels such as these

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, salt, and baking soda together; set aside.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugars together until smooth and creamy. Scrape down bowl and add eggs, one at a time, beating until incorporated. Mixture will look light and fluffy. Add peppermint extract and beat for 5 seconds.
3. Add the flour mixture, bit by bit, mixing after each addition.
4. Using a spatula or wooden spoon, fold in the chocolate chips.
5. Cover the bowl tightly and put in the fridge for several hours (Baked suggests 6; I did 2 and they were still delicious).
6. Preheat the oven to 375 F degrees.
7. If you want big cookies, use an ice cream scoop to scoop out 2-tablespoon sized balls. If you want smaller ones, use two teaspoons (one to scoop the dough and one to release it). Use your hands to shape into perfect balls and erase any imperfections. Place on prepared baking sheets, leaving at least 1 inch between cookies. Bake for 10-12 minutes for smaller cookies, 12-14 minutes for larger cookies. Make sure to rotate pans at the halfway mark to ensure even baking. They're done when the edges are golden and the tops are just starting to lose their shine.
8. Remove pan from oven and cool on wire rack. They are great warm, but you could also let them cool, if you're so inclined.
9. These babies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Doubt they'll last that long though.

IDEA #3: HIT UP MOM FOR IDEAS

Some of us are lucky enough to have moms that are really good bakers. Such as my mom, SpyMom! It's from her that this recipe was donated. While she couldn't physically make the event, she donated this recipe and I believe they'd probably ship quite well in a GLAD container...

Snowy Snickerdoodles

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• cinnamon sugar

Procedure

1. In a mixer bowl, cream together sugar and butter; beat in egg and vanilla
2. Combine flour, cinnamon, baking powder and salt
3. Add to butter mixture
4. Blend well
5. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours or till firm enough to roll into balls
6. Shape dough into small balls about 3/4-inch in diameter
7. Roll in cinnamon sugar to coat
8. Set cookies 1-inch apart on lightly greased cookie sheets
9. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes or till the edges are lightly browned.
10. Cool slightly on pans, then remove to racks to cool completely.

IDEA #4: SEEK THE ADVICE OF AN EXPERT

It's never an idea to trust the expertise of a cookie expert. And luckily with Anna Ginsberg of Cookie Madness's new book, The Daily Cookie: 365 Tempting Treats for the Sweetest Year of Your Life, every day is a cookie opportunity. When one of the guests hit me up for ideas for what to bake, I said, why not pick a significant date to you from this book, which has a cookie for every day of the year, with fun facts about why each cookie is appropriate for the day? Well, said friend chose December 13, a date in the future which happens to be her birthday, as well as National Cocoa Day, and baked up some Chocolate Rum Crinkle Cookies from the book. Since she didn't use rum, I guess we'll call them "Chocolate YUM Crinkle Cookies".

Chocolate Yum Crinkle Cookies, adapted from The Daily Cookie: 365 Tempting Treats for the Sweetest Year of Your Life - makes 24 cookies

Ingredients

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup dutch processed cocoa powder
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon rum extract (we just used more vanilla instead of this)
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3.5 ounces dark chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 cup (more or less) confectioners' sugar

Procedure

1. Mix the flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa together in a small bowl; set aside.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl using a handheld electric mixer, beat the eggs on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes or until light. Reduce speed to medium and gradually add the granulated sugar. Using the lowest speed of the mixer or with a mixing spoon, stir in the oil and extract(s). Add the flour mixture and stir until incorporated. Remove from the stand mixer (if using) and stir in the chocolate. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 40 minutes, or until firm enough to handle.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, and place a rack in the upper third of the oven. Line two baking sheets with nonstick foil or parchment paper.
4. Pour or sift the confectioners' sugar onto a plate. Scoop up heaping tablespoons of cold dough and shape into 1.5 inch balls. Roll the balls in the sugar to coat generously. Arrange the balls 2 1/2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake one sheet at a time for 10 minutes or until just until they appear puffy and "set". Immediately transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

IDEA #5: GO COLORFUL

Why not deck the halls with holly jolly color? After all, people "eat" with their eyes first, and this brightly colored cookie is bound to make people smile. It was the recipe that I contributed to Go Bold With Butter recently, so I will let you click over there for the recipe, but basically it's an adaptation of this simple butter cookie. Yum. These are guaranteed to draw people's eyes to the cookie plate, and they will keep beautifully in airtight containers!

Click here for the recipe.

IDEA #6: CHOOSE HANUKKAH SWEETNESS

While I do not personally celebrate Hanukkah, through the years and experiencing some of the customs through friends who do, I have truly come to appreciate a lot of the delicious sweets from those "eight crazy nights". Though mandelbrot, which is somewhat like biscotti, is delicious any time of year, Cake Gumshoe Melissa reports that her (not super-traditional) family always enjoys them especially during this time of year. I think you will, too!

Cinnamon sugar Mandelbrot

Makes 30-40; recipe adapted from theshiksa.com

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (you can sub chopped nuts, candied fruits, etc.)
• Ground cinnamon and granulated sugar for dusting

Procedure

1. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt; set to the side.
2. Mix together oil and sugar until combined, then add eggs one at a time. After the eggs are combined, add the vanilla.
3. Add the dry ingredients slowly to the sugar/egg mixture.
4. Once the dough is smooth and sticky, fold in the chocolate chips.
5. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for at least two hours, or overnight.
6. When ready to proceed, oil your hands and form 4 long rows with the dough onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Each strip of dough should be 3-4 inches wide. Leave space for spreading as these will spread during baking.
7. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes. Meanwhile, in a flat shallow dish, combine ¾ cup of sugar with enough cinnamon to turn the mixture light brown. 
8. Take the mandel bread out of the oven (they are not finished yet). Reduce oven temperature to 250 degrees F. Slice the mandel bread into slices, like biscotti. Maybe like an inch thick.
9. Roll each cookie into the cinnamon sugar mixture. Put the pieces back on the cookie sheet on their sides.
10. Bake for another 15 minutes; if you like them softer, you might want to take them out at 12 minutes or so, as the longer they bake, the crispier they will be. Let cool completely on a wire rack; Store in an airtight container.

IDEA #7: POP OUT OF THE MOLD

Want to delight and impress your cookie exchange guests? I have three (is a hyphenated word like 2 words or one and a half?) words for you: HOLIDAY POP-TARTS. Yes indeed, these holiday-hued babies are bound to make your offering the most memorable. 

Homemade Holiday Pop Tarts

Makes 6-8 tarts, maybe even more, depending on size; adapted from wonderful, wonderfulCulinary Concoctions by Peabody

For the crust

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened and cut into cubes
• 3 tablespoons cold water

For the filling

Jam, about 1 heaping teaspoonful per pastry (your choice of flavor; I used blueberry)

For the icing

• 1 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
• heavy cream, to thin (you could use milk...but I like cream)
• food coloring, if desired
• colored sprinkles or mint chips for garnish

Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set to the side.
2. Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Add butter and blend with a fork, pastry cutter, or your impeccably clean hands. Blend until the mixture is fairly coarse. Add the water, bit by bit, gently mixing the dough after each addition, until the dough is cohesive enough to form a ball.
3. Place dough on a lightly floured surface and roll into a rectangle, about 1/8 inch thick. Cut out rectangles approximately the size of index cards (3x5 inches), or smaller if you prefer a more modest portion (I didn't). Make sure you have an even number of cutouts. I think that mine might have been a little thicker than 1/8 an inch, but I ended up with 12 rectangles (for 6 pastries).
4. On half of the rectangles, place a small spoonful of the jam of your choice in the center. You don't want it to be too thick or the top crust will mound on top of it.
5. Place the remaining rectangles of dough on top of the ones with jam. Crimp all four edges by hand or with a fork to ensure that your filling won't ooze out. I also poked the top of each with a fork, to vent them.
6. Place the tarts on your prepared baking sheet, and bake for 7 to 8 minutes, or until light golden on the edges. Remove from the oven and let them cool completely.
7. While the tarts cool, prepare your icing; make sure it is fairly thin but not so thin that it will just drip off. If desired, tint with food coloring. Once the pop tarts are cool, drizzle it on top. Garnish with sprinkles or holiday-hued treats.

IDEA #8: JUST BE HONEST, YOU'RE LAZY

Not a baker? Nobody's going to be fooled if you show up with fancy-looking treats and try to pass them off as your own (well, unless perhaps you use this handy guide). Sure, you *could* get a slice and bake tube cookie, but yeah, that's just too hard. But you know what? Don't sweat it. Just head to the store and pick up SOMETHING so you're not empty handed! Because as much as we love homemade cookies that came from the result of love and hard baking labor, we mostly want to gather together. So go ahead and buy some Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes--we won't judge you. Too harshly. Just be sure to give a really big donation to the cause after, please!

Store-Bought Snack Cakes

1. Go to the closest grocery store (not a co-op or Whole Foods please, they won't have the kind of treats we're talking about here).
2. Go to the snack cake aisle, where you'll find Twinkies and stuff.
3. Buy the most holiday-tricked out ones you can find. In the picture, you'll see Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes.
4. Return home.
5. Unwrap, put in a GLAD container. Go to the cookie exchange, and hold your head up high. Give a big donation to the GLAD cause after!

I have partnered with The Glad Products Company through DailyBuzz to help promote their Food Storage products. I have been compensated for my time commitment to work with this product. However, my opinions are entirely my own and I have not been paid to publish positive comments. Thank you GLAD!

Billionaire's Shortbread Recipe for Peanut Butter and Company

Millionaire’s shortbread pretty much rules. I mean, it’s shortbread, already buttery bliss all by itself, rendered awesomer by topping it with caramel and chocolate for what amounts to a triple-threat of delicious. It makes for a treat so rich you can kind of see where it gets its name.

But of course, with inflation being what it is, why stop at a million when you can have a billion? And so I present Peanut Butter Billionaire’s Shortbread, wherein two types of peanut butter is added to it and its awesome quotient is upped exponentially.

This is my latest delicious creation for Peanut Butter and Company, too--I promise, you will enjoy eating this stuff.

You can find the recipe and more photos here!

Do This: Sugar Cookies with Peppermint Bark

There really is no reason to improve sugar cookies, because they're already perfect.

But...sometimes even a perfect food likes to get festive for the holidays.

So recently, when I was baking some sugar cookies (because, you know, I was hungry), I thought: why not add a heaping handful of this peppermint bark that Willamette Valley Confectionery sent me? 

While of course the bark and the cookies were both good on their own, I figured it might taste good to try them together.

And so, I did.

And when the cookies baked up, they were a wonderful thing to behold. They were awfully pretty, with chocolatey peppermint hued thingies poking through the creamy coloring of the cookies.

But they were even better to put in your mouth.

You know how sugar cookies are awesomely buttery all over, soft on the inside, and lightly crunchy on the outside? Well, add an essence of peppermint to the whole thing, but a nice one, not a toothpasty one. A refreshing minty hint paired with all that buttery flavor? Oh my, were they ever a joy to munch and crunch upon.

So really, this is a long and poetic way of giving you a good cookie tip. Coarsely chop about 2 cups' worth of peppermint bark and fold it into your favorite sugar cookie batter before baking. I'm pretty sure you'll thank me.

Here's the recipe I used.  

Sugar Cookies with Peppermint Bark

Adapted from Pop Rocks Cookies

• 1/2 cup (3 1/4 ounces) butter
• 2/3 cup (4 3/4 ounces) sugar
• 1/4 cup (2 ounces) buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 2 cups (8 1/2 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter and sugar till smooth. Add the buttermilk and vanilla, again beating till well-combined. The mixture may look a bit curdled; that's OK.
2. Add the flour, baking soda and salt to the wet ingredients, and beat until the mixture forms a cohesive dough. Fold in the pieces of peppermint bark. Reserve some pieces to press on top of the cookies (they look cuter that way).
3. Drop the dough in round blobs onto a parchment-lined or greased baking sheet. They should be a bit bigger than a ping-pong ball, a bit smaller than a golf ball. Using a cookie scoop (or, if you have one, a small ice cream scoop, one that will hold about 2 level tablespoons of liquid) makes this task extremely simple. Leave about 2 inches between the dough balls, as they'll spread as they bake. Let the cookies chill (on the sheet) in the fridge for about 30 minutes before baking. They'll be nicer looking than mine, which I didn't let chill and they spread quite a bit.
4. Bake the cookies in a preheated 350°F oven for about 12-14 minutes, or when they are just starting to brown. Remove them from the oven, and cool on a rack.

Almond Tuiles with Extra Virgin Olive Oil

If you're busting with sweet curiosity like I am, you're probably looking at the photo above and thinking: "what exactly are those thingies?".

Those lumpy little things are in fact a rather exquisite and refined cookie known as the Tuile.

Now, to say "Tuile", I have a cue to indicate how you should pronounce it. It rhymes with "wheel"; now, say it in your Frenchiest voice. 

I googled "translation of tuile" and the resulting word was "tile". Perhaps this refers to the gentle shingle-like appearance the almond bits give the cookies? Whatever the meaning, these tiles are tastier than your typical siding or bit of caulked home decor.

The recipe was adapted by Alice Medrich (who you may recall I interviewed a while back) who adapted a recipe from The Essential James Beard Cookbook: 450 Recipes That Shaped the Tradition of American Cooking, with olive oil incorporated (you know how I love olive oil and sweets!). Here's what she has to say about it:

Crispy crunchy and elegantly thin, these almond cookies were adapted from a recipe by James Beard, using California Olive Ranch Arbequina olive oil instead of butter, and with the addition of a bit of lemon zest and extra salt for a contemporary balance of flavors. Classic tuiles are cooled over a rolling pin to resemble the roof tiles they are named for, but you can skip that step and make them flat if you like, or use my shortcut for making curved tuiles.

Anyhow. As a tuile newbie, I found this recipe decidedly user-friendly. The olive oil makes them seem fancy, so if you have foodie people to impress this holiday season, definitely bring these cookies on. Gently sweet, they'd be just as at-home on a cheese plate as they would paired with ice cream. Now that's versatile.

The recipe below has my notes in BOLD. 

Almond Tuiles with Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Makes about thirty 3- inch cookies I got 24 but mine were more like 3.5 inches

Ingredients:

• 5 tablespoons (60 g) California Olive Ranch Arbequina extra virgin olive oil, plus more for the pan
• 1/2 cup (100g) sugar  
• 1 ½ teaspoon grated lemon zest
• Scant ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 large egg whites
• 1/4  (30 g) sifted* (before measuring) unbleached all purpose flour
• 1 cup  (90 g) sliced almonds

*if you measure with a scale, there is no need to sift flour before measuring

Equipment:

• Baking sheets
• Heavy-duty foil (optional)
• A rolling pin or cylinder for shaping ( optional)

Procedure

1. Grease baking sheets with olive oil, or line them with foil, dull side facing up, and grease the foil.
2. Mix the olive oil, sugar, grated zest, salt, and eggs whites together thoroughly (I used a whisk).  Add the flour and stir until well blended. Stir in the almonds.  Let the batter rest for while the oven heats or for at least 15 minutes.
3. Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 325 degrees.
4. Drop teaspoons of batter 2 inches apart on a baking sheet.  Use the back of the spoon to smear the batter into a 2 ½ inch round. Bake, watching carefully, for 12-16 minutes, until the tuiles are deep golden brown at the edges and paler golden brown in the center. (If the cookies are not baked long enough, they will not be completely crisp when cool.) I was able to fit 8 cookies per sheet.
5. As soon as you can push a slim metal spatula under the cookies without destroying them, transfer each cookie to a rolling pin (for curved cookies) or a cooling rack.  If using foil, you can simply slide the foil sheet onto a rack to cool flat, or (for curved) tuiles, grasp the edges of the foil when the sheet comes from the oven (without touching the hot pan or the cookies) and roll it into a fat cylinder, gently curving the attached cookies like potato chips (I think: cannoli shells!).  Crimp or secure the foil with a paper clip. When cool, unroll the foil carefully and remove the tuiles. Flat or curved, tuiles are always easiest to remove from the foil when they are either very hot or completely cool. Do not let them cool too much or they will crack when shaped. I found that it was easiest to bake one sheet at a time for this reason. I used a piece of foil around the round dowel-y part of several wooden spoons to curve them - I found that the curve around a rolling pin was awkward and they tended to break when cooled because they didn’t stack as well as the more curved, cannoli-shell esque ones.
6. Repeat until all of the tuiles are baked.  To retain crispness, put the cookies in an airtight container as soon as they are cool.  May be stored airtight for at least 1 month.

Post-Thanksgiving Pumpkin Pie with Shortbread Cookie Crust

It's considered good form to know when it's time to leave a party.

But what if you stayed and it ended up being mega-fun?

Sometimes erring on the side of caution is just no fun. I figure this is probably true when it comes to baked goods, too. Even though Thanksgiving was last week and in many people's minds, Pumpkin Pie Season has come to an end, I guess I'm just not ready to let the good times end. I still want to get high on pie.

...aaaand, I happened to have an extra can of pumpkin. So I decided to make a sort of cookie-pie hybrid with all of those Walkers shortbread cookies I still have on hand (they sent me samples and I've already made Million Dollar Shortbread Bars and Holiday Magic Bar Cookies).

So I followed a basic graham cracker crust recipe, but used crushed-up shortbread cookies instead. And then I filled it with my favorite (simple) pumpkin pie recipe, with a dash each of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom. I sprinkled the top with almonds and baked it up. When it came out of the oven, I thought what the hey--and sprinkled it with more shortbread bits.

Now, I've got to say, even after Pumpkin Pie Prime Time, this pie definitely knew how to warm up a cold winter night. Impatient, I served it still slightly warm--the sweetened condensed milk helps it stay kind of solid even while slightly warm--and topped with some ice cream which promptly began a beautiful melting process. Good Thanksgiving Spirt of the Mighty was this thing good! This is a fantastic pie-to-cookie-season hybrid. Enjoy. 

Pumpkin Pie with Shortbread Cookie Crust

For the crust

• 2 boxes crushed Walkers Highlander shortbread (or similar)
• 3 tablespoons melted butter

For the filling

• 1 can unsweetened unspiced pumpkin puree
• 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
• 2 eggs
• a mighty dash of cinnamon
• nutmeg and cardamom to taste
• A handful of almonds, and a few more crushed shortbread cookies, for topping

Procedure

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the cookie crumbs and melted butter. Press into the bottom and up the sides (as much as possible) of a 9-inch pie plate.
3. In a large bowl, mix together the pumpkin, sweetened condensed milk, eggs, and spices until smooth and incorporated. Pour into the pie plate on top of the crust, taking care not to disturb the freshly pressed crust.
4. Sprinkle the almonds on top. I added the shortbread cookies AFTER baking, but I don't think it would hurt to add them before baking.
5. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until just jiggly in the center but set on the sides. 
6. Let cool as much as you can before serving.

Holiday Magic Cookie Bars with a Shortbread Crust

It's been days, absolutely days, since the Thanksgiving feast, and you're looking awfully skinny.

Luckily, we have officially entered Christmas Cookie Season, so it won't be hard to remedy this situation. My esteemed sugary suggestion? Holiday Magic Cookie Bars with a Shortbread Crust. 

Now, if you already know what a Magic Cookie Bar (or 7-layer bar, or Hello Dolly Bar, etc) is, then you know that these decadent bar cookies, made with a buttery graham crust topped with a slurry of condensed milk, nuts, chocolate and/or butterscotch morsels, and coconut, are pretty much heaven on earth.

But there's always room for more magic, right? 

I got the idea for these bars when I spied Nestle Toll House Holiday Morsels (have you ever seen them? I hadn't!) in the grocery store, accompanied by recipe cards. Naturally I thought the bars would look adorable all dressed up for the holidays, and considering I still had a ton of shortbread from Walker's Shortbread (who sent me samples, and with which I've already made one of my new favorite things, Million Dollar Shortbread Bars), I decided to do a recipe mashup. 

And I can now report that yes, the bars get even better when you swap the graham crackers for crushed-up shortbread cookies in the crust. This magical union of shortbread, butter, and all of the delightful toppings makes for a sort of no-holds-barred extreme richness on all sides that will make your mouth and soul happy.

These are an ideal morsel for a cookie exchange or holiday party, as they're decadent to eat and festive to look at, too. As for the coconut haters? Sorry, but they're just not the same without!

Here's the recipe, adapted lovingly from "Yuletide Layer Bars" by Nestle Toll House.

Holiday Magic Cookie Bars with a Shortbread Crust

Makes about 24 - Active time 10 minutes, total time 1 hour 30 minutes, includes cooling

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
• Shortbread crumbs (about 2-3 boxes' worth of Walkers Shortbread (I used this kind); less for a thinner crust, more for a nice fat crust)
• 1 1/2 cup chopped nuts (I used a mix of almonds and walnuts)
• 1 1/2 cup flaked coconut
• One bag Nestle Toll House Holiday Morsels
• 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk

Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. Melt butter in a 13x9" baking pan in oven; remove from oven. Sprinkle shortbread crumbs over the melted butter; stir well, and press onto bottom of the pan (it might get hot, so press with a sheet of waxed paper or the back of a rubber spatula). Sprinkle the nuts and coconut (make sure they are evenly distributed). Gently, so it doesn't disturb your carefully laid-out toppings, pour the sweetened condensed milk evenly over top in an even layer. If you need to distribute the milk, tilt the pan rather than stirring, as the crust might be torn up if you are too vigorous. Sprinkle the morsels on top.
3. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until light golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing into bars with a very sharp knife.

Morning Glory Muffins Recipe from Macrina Bakery

Oh, happy day! This is one of the few "healthy" muffins I deem delicious, and now, Macrina Bakery has shared the recipe. Be healthy for an hour or two on this post-indulgent day why don't you?

As Macrina says: "This is by far our most popular muffin, and customers have been requesting the recipe for years. I prefer fresh pineapple when possible, but the unsweetened, canned variety works just fine. Makes 12 Muffins."

Morning Glory Muffins

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup seedless raisins
• 1/3 cup walnut halves
• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2-1/4 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 medium carrot, grated
• 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and grated
• 3/4 cup chopped pineapple
• 3 eggs
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut
• 1/3 cup coarse raw sugar

Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Brush the insides of a muffin tin with canola oil.  
2. Place raisins in a small bowl and cover with hot tap water. Let sit for 10 minutes while raisins plump, then drain and squeeze out excess liquid with your hands. Set aside. Place walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet and toast until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Let cool, then chop coarsely and set aside.  
3. Sift flour, granulated sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl. Mix gently with a wooden spoon and set aside. In a separate medium bowl, combine raisins, walnuts, carrot, apple, pineapple, eggs, canola oil, melted butter, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and coconut, and mix with a wooden spoon until combined. Add dry ingredients and continue stirring just until all the dry ingredients are moistened. It’s important not to overmix.  
4. Scoop batter into oiled muffin tin, filling the cups to the top. Sprinkle coarse raw sugar on tops of muffins and bake on the center rack of the oven for 40 to 45 minutes. The finished muffins will be deep brown. Let cool for 20 minutes, then slide a fork down the side of each muffin and gently lift it from the pan.

Dessert Recipes from the Titanic

Erma Bombeck famously said, “Seize the moment. Remember all those women on the 'Titanic' who waved off the dessert cart.” 

Which begs the question--what was on the Titanic's dessert cart? 

 Recently, I had an opportunity to find out. I was contacted by a promotions company connected to Las Vegas's Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition, inquiring if I'd like to post some Titanic recipes for Thanksgiving. Well, the recipes they sent were all savory, not quite right for me, but when I gently noted that I only post dessert recipes on this site, I got a most excellent series of recipes in response, from the fantastic book Last Dinner on the Titanic: Menus and Recipes from the Legendary Liner.

Below you'll find updated versions of sweets served in First, Second, and Third class on the Titanic; each recipe also features a picture of the actual dishware used in each class. Just to make it completely clear: the cupcake illustrations are not meant to trivialize the tragedy which occurred on the boat, but are more meant to celebrate the lifestyle on the boat before it hit the iceberg. 

First Class (image of dishware at the top of post). As the headnote reads, "Of the many authentic Edwardian recipes we researched for this book, Waldorf pudding was one that eluded us. The recipe here is a modern invention based on three of the essential ingredients in the famous Waldorf salad--walnuts, raisins, and apples." 

Waldorf Pudding

• 2 large tart apples, peeled
• 1/2 cup sultana (golden) raisins
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped crystallized ginger
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 cups milk
• 4 egg yolks, beaten
• pinch freshly ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup toasted walnuts, halved

Procedure

1. Thinly slice the apples. Stir in raisins, lemon juice, and ginger. In skillet, melt butter over high heat; add apple mixture and cook for 1 minute. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the sugar. Cook, stirring often, for 3-4 minutes or until apples are lightly caramelized. Scrape apple mixture and syrup into 10-inch round glass baking dish. Reserve.
2. Meanwhile, in a saucepan set over medium heat, heat milk just until bubbles form around edges. Whisking constantly, add some of the milk to the eggs; mix until well incorporated. Add remaining milk, nutmeg, vanilla, and remaining sugar; mix well. Pour over apple mixture.
3. Set baking dish inside a large roasting pan; pour enough boiling water in roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the baking dish. Place in 325 F degree oven for 45-50 minutes or until custard is set, but still jiggly in the middle. Carefully remove baking dish to cooling rack; sprinkle with walnuts. Cool to room temperature before serving. Makes 6 to 8 servings. 

Second Class was still pretty fancy, just not as tricked-out. One of the things at their table at dessert-time? American-Style Ice Cream! "At the time of the Titanic's maiden voyage, ice cream was extremely popular in both France and the United States. In France, egg yolks were added to make the mixture both richer and smoother. The American style, without any eggs, was popularized by Dolly Madison after her husband became president in 1809."

American-Style Ice Cream

• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• Pinch salt
• 2 cups light cream
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped grated lemon zest
• 1 cup whipping cream

Procedure

1. In a small pot or microwave-proof dish, combine sugar, lemon juice, and salt; heat over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Meanwhile, in a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine light cream with lemon zest; heat over medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes or until small bubbles start to form around the edges of the pot. Remove from heat. 
2. Whisk sugar mixture and whipping cream into lemon zest mixture until smooth. Place in refrigerator uncovered; cool completely, stirring often.
3. Pour mixture into ice-cream maker and proceed following manufacturer's instructions. Or, pour mixture into a chilled, shallow metal pan; cover and freeze for about 3 hours until firm. Break up into pieces and transfer to food processor; puree until smooth. Pour into chilled airtight container; freeze for 1 hour, or until firm. Soften in refrigerator for 20 minutes before serving. Makes 3 cups; serves 6.

Currant Buns:

"A staple of English Tea, these buns would have pleased the palates of the many british emigrants traveling in third class."

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup lukewarm water
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 package active dry yeast (1 tablespoon)
• 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup warm milk
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup currants
• 2 tablespoons icing sugar
• 1 tablespoon water

Procedure

1. In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine warm water and 1 tablespoon of the sugar; sprinkle yeast over top. Let stand for 10 minutes or until frothy.
2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, blend together remaining sugar, flour, and salt. In a small bowl, whisk together the milk, butter, and eggs. Stir in the yeast mixture until combined.
3. Make a well in the dry ingredients; using a wooden spoon, stir in yeast mixture until a soft dough forms. Turn out onto lightly floured board. Knead for 8 minutes or until dough is smooth and elastic.
4. Transfer dough to a large, greased bowl, turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rest in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in bulk. Punch down; turn out onto floured surface; knead in currants. Shape into a 12 inch long log. Cut the dough into 12 equal pieces.
5. Roll pieces of dough into smooth, seamless balls (I laughed when I read this part, btw). Place buns (I laughed again) on greased baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between each bun. Cover loosely and let rest for 30 minutes. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Stir together icing sugar and water; brush over warm buns; let cool on rack. Makes 12 buns.