Friday, December 4, 2009

Cookie Swap!
























It was rainy and cold outside Wednesday - but warm and cozy inside. The delicious smell of sweet cookies wafted down the hall. Twenty of us of were baking, tasting and laughing as we shared stories and fun. There's nothing better than a cookie swap! So round up a group this holiday season and you'll be engaging an activity with a double payoff: baking with friends AND eating the luscious cookies for days to come. Here's some "eating better" quick, simple and yummy cookie recipes to get you started:

Toasted Coconut Almond Biscotti
1 ¼ Cup All Purpose Flour
1 Cup Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
1 ½ Tsp Baking Powder
½ Tsp Salt
½ Cup Unsalted Butter (Room Temp)
¾ Cup Firmly Packed Dark Brown Sugar
2 Large Eggs (Room Temp)
½ Tsp Vanilla Extract
½ Tsp Almond Extract
1 Cup *Toasted Coconut Flakes
1 ½ Cups Coarsely Chopped **Toasted Almonds

Step One
Whisk the flours, baking powder and salt together in a small bowl.

Step Two
Beat the butter and sugar until light – with a mixer on medium speed. (About 3 minutes.) Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each one. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and the coconut and mix well.

Step Three
With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture until just combined. Add the almonds. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. (The dough is very sticky – this will allow you to work with it.)

Step Four
Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Remove the dough from the frig and divide it into 2 long loafs. Bake until the tops are golden brown.

Step Five
Reduce the heat to 325F. Remove the loaves and cool about 20 minutes on a rack. Cut each loaf with a sharp serrated knife. Place the pieces on the parchment lined baking sheets and bake for 15 more minutes. Remove from the oven and place on rack to cool.

* To toast coconut flakes: Pre-heat your oven to 325F. Lay the coconut flakes on a baking sheet, in a single layer. Place the baking sheet into the oven for 12 to 15 minutes, checking periodically, in order to achieve the level of toast desired.

**To toast nuts: Set your timer for 8 minutes and place the nuts on a baking sheet and toast at 350 – 400F or until lightly browned and fragrant. If nuts are not done at 8 minutes, set your timer for 2 more minutes and remove at 10 minutes. (The softer the nuts, the less time needed for toasting.)

Toffee Chocolate Brownie Bites
2 TB Instant Coffee Powder or Granules
¼ Cup Hot Water
¼ Cup Unsalted Butter
¼ Cup Semisweet Chocolate Chips
1 Cups All Purpose Flour
½ Cup Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
1 1/3 Cups Sugar
½ Cup Unsweetened Cocoa
1 Tsp Baking Powder
½ Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
2 Large Eggs, Room Temperature
¼ Cup Toffee Chips

Step One
Preheat oven to 350F. Line small muffin tins with paper baking cups or spray with non stick cooking spray.

Step Two
Combine coffee granules and 1/4 cup hot water, stirring until the coffee granules dissolve.

Step Three
Combine butter and semisweet chocolate chips in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at HIGH for 45 seconds or until the butter melts, then stir until thechocolate is smooth.

Step Four
Combine flours, sugar, unsweetened cocoa, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk.

Step Five
Combine coffee mixture, butter mixture, vanilla extract, and eggs in another medium bowl, stirring with a whisk.

Step Six
Stir the coffee mixture into flour mixture until just combined. Fill the muffin cups 2/3 full with batter. Sprinkle with the toffee chips. Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove them from the pan to a wire rack. Cool completely

Ginger Rum Balls
1 Cup Finely Chopped Gingersnap Crumbs
1 Cup Finely Chopped Toasted Pecans
1 cup Powdered Sugar
2 TB Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 TB plus 1 ½ Tsp Light Corn Syrup
1/3 Cup Dark Rum
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder For Finishing

Step One
In a large bowl, combine gingersnap crumbs, pecans, 1 cup powdered sugar, the cocoa, corn syrup, and rum; stir to blend ingredients.

Step Two
Using about 1 teaspoon of the mixture, form small balls. Roll each ball in cocoa powder to coat generously. Store in tightly covered containers.

Best if aged for about a week before serving. Before serving, roll again in powdered sugar.

**To toast nuts: Set your timer for 8 minutes and place the nuts on a baking sheet and toast at 350 – 400F or until lightly browned and fragrant. If nuts are not done at 8 minutes, set your timer for 2 more minutes and remove at 10 minutes. (The softer the nuts, the less time needed for toasting.)

FAST FOOD FACTS:
Cocoa powder is made when chocolate liquor is pressed to remove most of its cocoa butter. The remaining cocoa solids are processed to make fine unsweetened cocoa powder. There are two types of unsweetened cocoa powder: Natural and Dutch-Processed.

Natural Unsweetened Cocoa Powder tastes very bitter and gives a deep chocolate flavor to baked goods. When natural cocoa (an acid) is used in recipes calling for baking soda (an alkali), it creates a leavening action that causes the batter to rise when placed in the oven.

Dutch-Processed Cocoa Powder is treated with an alkali to neutralize its acids. Because it is neutral and does not react with baking soda, it must be used in recipes calling for baking powder, unless there are other acidic ingredients in sufficient quantities used.

Tangy Cherry Walnut Cookies
1 ½ Cups Cup Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
1 Tsp Baking Powder
1 Tsp Baking Soda
½ Tsp Salt
1 Cup Chopped **Toasted Walnuts
½ Cup Chopped Dried Cherries
1 Cup Sugar
½ Cup Smooth Unsweetened Applesauce
½ Cup Canola Oil
2 TB Freshly Grated Lemon Zest
3 TB Lemon Juice
½ Cup Raw Sugar

Step One
Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a large bowl. Add in the toasted walnuts and dried cherries.

Step Two
In another bowl, whisk the 1 cup sugar, the applesauce, canola oil, lemon zest and juice together.

Step Three
Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients. Pour in the applesauce mixture. Mix well and place in the oven for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment.

Step Four
Put the Raw Sugar in a pie pan. Remove the dough from the frig, and rolling with floured hands, roll a ball and then roll in sugar to coat. (Place the balls about 2 inches apart on the cookie sheet, and bake for about 12 – 15 minutes or until just golden. Cool briefly and then place on racks to cool completely.

**To toast nuts: Set your timer for 8 minutes and place the nuts on a baking sheet and toast at 350 – 400F or until lightly browned and fragrant. If nuts are not done at 8 minutes, set your timer for 2 more minutes and remove at 10 minutes. (The softer the nuts, the less time needed for toasting.)

Jingle Balls
2 Cups All Bran Cereal
¾ Cup Chopped Dates
1/3 Cup **Toasted Pecans
3 TB Honey
2 TB Light Cream Cheese, Room Temp
2 Tsp Orange OR Lime Juice
1 TB Orange OR Lime Zest
½ Cup Finely Chopped Toasted Pecans OR ½ Cup *Toasted Coconut

Step One
Place the cereal, dates and pecans in a food processor and blend until finely chopped. Add the honey, cream cheese, orange or lime juice, orange or lime zest and pulse until a stiff dough is formed.

Step Two
With a tablespoon, shape the dough into small balls, rolling each one in either the chopped nuts, (for orange jingle balls), or the toasted coconut (for lime jingle balls). (Spraying your hands with a little Pam or wiping a little oil on them will help this process.) Place on a parchment lined place and let rest for 30 minutes before serving or storing.

* To toast coconut flakes: Pre-heat your oven to 325F. Lay the coconut flakes on baking sheet, in a single layer. Place the baking sheet into the oven for 12 to 15 minutes, checking periodically, in order to achieve the level of toast desired.

**To toast nuts: Set your timer for 8 minutes and place the nuts on a baking sheet and toast at 350 – 400F or until lightly browned and fragrant. If nuts are not done at 8 minutes, set your timer for 2 more minutes and remove at 10 minutes. (The softer the nuts, the less time needed for toasting.)

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