Browned Butter Shortbread

Brown and then cool 5 sticks of butter

soften 4 sticks of butter

 

 Preheat oven to 300

Cream combined butter with 3 C brown sugar

Once well creamed (color light), add 10 cups of flour, 1 cup at a time

Press into ungreased 1/2 sheet pan, as evenly as possible. use fork to pierce all over shortbread.   

Bake approx 50 minutes.    Cut immediately, but do not try to remove from pan until completely cool.

Brew a pot of tea and enjoy!

Soft citrus sugar cookies

 

A very soft sugar cookie, no rolling! 

 

Preheat oven to 350 (convection)

Mix together:

• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• zest of one lemon, one grapefruit, one orange

 

Cream sugar mixture with:

•  2 sticks butter, room temp
  
• 3/4 cup canola oil (yes really!)
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar

 With mixer whipping, sprinkle in: 

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

 

When that is WELL CREAMED (light color), add:

• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1 T vanilla
• dash of orange oil and/or bergamot oil, if you have it
• 3 large eggs

Mix very well, then add one cup at a time: 

• 5 3/4 cups flour

This is a VERY wet fluffy dough.   Drop using a 2 T scoop onto parchment on a baking sheet.    They don't spread much.    Spray the bottom of a small glass (or glass yogurt container) with oil, then into granulated sugar and flatten cookie.    Repeat - dip in sugar - flatten a cookie - dip in sugar - flatten cookie ... 

Bake 9-10 minutes until just before lightly browned edges to keep the cookies soft.     Allow to cool on tray.    

Add a buttercream frosting from creaming: 

2 sticks butter

5 cups powdered sugar

citrus fruit zest 

1 T sour cream

yellow or orange food coloring, if desired

orange juice to texture

 

Leah's Molasses Cookies

 

3/4 c shortening

1 c sugar

1/4 c molasses

1 egg

2 tsp baking soda

2c flour

1 tsp cinnamon 

1/2 tsp cloves

1/2 tsp ginger 

1/2 tsp salt

Sift dry ingredients from soda to salt in a big bowl. Melt shortening in the stove on low heat. Once melted, remove from heat and let cool a bit, then add sugar/molasses/egg (I add the sugar first to cool down so the egg doesn’t scramble). Add wet ingredients to dry and mix in the big bowl. Chill for at least 30min, then roll into 1” balls and roll in sugar. Place 2” apart on a well greased** cookie sheet and bake at 375 for 8-10min. 

Almond Blackberry thumbprints

 preheat oven to 375

 Cream together:

2 cups butter, softened

2 cups powdered sugar 

add:  

6 egg yolks

2 T vanilla

2 teaspoon almond extract

when well combined add: 

2 C almond flour

3 C flour

make cookie dough in 2 T size balls, roll in a half/half mixture of almond flour and granulated sugar.   Use back of round 1/2 teaspoon to press an indent into top of cookie.   Add tiny bit (1/2 tsp?) blackberry jam into each indent.     Bake 11 minutes, until edges lightly brown.    

Variation:   make balls, but flatten with back of a glass, no indent, no jam.    Sprinkle warm cookies with powdered sugar.  

Butterscotch Oatmeal Cookies - the ugliest cookie you'll ever love

 

First prep 12 oz of Buttersworth original hard candies.    Unwrap, put them in a gallon ziploc bag, put bag into an old pillowcase or fold into a dishcloth, and pound with a mallet or the bottom of a heavy sauce pan:   

 

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees

 Cream together:

 2 sticks butter, at room temperature 

1 cup brown sugar

Then add: 

2 eggs

1 T vanilla

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

When well combined add in:

2 cups flour

1 cup rolled oats

Then add: 

12 ounces hard butterscotch candies (prepared as described)

Drop by the tablespoon onto parchment lined sheet pans, 3" apart.    Small balls, socially distanced.   These cookies seriously spread, y'all.      

Bake ~10 minutes.   If your oven is uneven, turn the pans halfway.   

Let the cookies cool on their tray, undisturbed.      Then store cooled cookies between layers of parchment.    

Honey yeast rolls

Mix in bottom of stand mixer bow:

• 1 cup warm tap water
• 1/3 cup oil
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons yeast

 Let proof (get big and frothy) for a few minutes

beat together:

• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg 

add egg, salt and butter in with yeast mixture, mix 

•   2 tablespoon softened butter

Start adding bread flour, 1 cup at a time.      You want a dough that is not sticky.   

• 3 to 4 cups bread flour
  

Let stand mixer knead for about 10 minutes.     Let stand for a couple minutes, then turn on for a few seconds to beat down. 

Meanwhile grease the bottom of two 8" square pans  (or one 13 x 9 or two pie plates).     Divide dough into 18 balls, 9 per pan.     Preheat oven to 400.   Cover with a warm towel and allow to proof for 20-30 minutes.   

Brush top of each roll with a bit of cream mixed with honey.   

Bake for about 12 minutes, until lightly brown on top.   

Serve with bean and bacon soup (or any other yummy, warm dinner!) 

Deepest Darkest Chocolate Pudding

 When only the chocolatiest will do ..


First prep 12 ounces of dark chocolate - break into small pieces or coarsely chop.    I used 85% dark from Aldi.  



Lightly whisk together in a large pot (I use my 7 qt dutch oven):

3 cups white sugar
1 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup corn starch



Mix in:

12 egg yolks
1/2 gallon (8 cups) whole milk


Slowly heat on stove, stirring almost constantly until it starts to thicken.   This will take 12-15 minutes.     When it starts to thicken turn off the heat, still stirring.      

Add: 

2 Tablespoons vanilla
prepared 12 ounces of dark chocolate

Mix chocolate into pudding mixture and let it sit a minute, then whisk until combined.   

Add in:

1 stick butter, cut into 8-10 pieces.     Whisk until smooth and shiny.  

Scoop pudding into cups - I ended up with 38 servings.    This also works well as a pie filling for chocolate pie.   

Serve garnished with whipped cream and a raspberry if you wanna get fancy!