Flags and Flowers Pie Crust

Posted on May 28, 2016 by Lorinda

Pick a filling, any filling! Cherry, apple…whatever says “Memorial Day” to you. What people will remember is the crust – flaky and delicious, and decorated with flags and flowers, with a star in the center to let steam out.

To have a generous portion of pie crust to work with (think thick, rustic crust and lots of dough to make shapes out of) I doubled my usual recipe.

Flags and Flowers Pie Crust

Author: The Rowdy Baker

A double recipe of pie crust will give you nice thick deep dish crusts, and plenty of extra dough for decorating..

Ingredients

4 cups flour
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups shortening (chilled)
½ cup cold milk
2 tablespoons vodka (or vinegar, if you prefer)

Instructions

Prepare your pie filling of choice.
In a large bowl, combine flour and salt.
Cut shortening into the mixture (using a pastry blender or your fingertips) until there are no lumps bigger than a pea.
Combine milk and vodka and add to the dry ingredients all at once.
Use a fork or rubber spatula to lightly combine. Separate into two balls..
Between two sheets of floured parchment, flatten one of the balls of dough and roll out to a size at least 2 inches bigger all the way around than your pie pan. Add a little flour as needed to keep it from sticking to the parchment. Remove top parchment and, using your pie pan as a guide, cut out a circle approximately 1 inch bigger around than the pie pan. Set aside the scraps for decorations.
Slide a flat baking sheet under the bottom parchment and place your pie pan upside down in the center of the dough. With one hand under the baking sheet and one on the top of the pie pan, flip it over. Remove the baking sheet and gently peel back the parchment. Ease dough into the pan. Place in the refrigerator.
Roll the second ball of dough the same size as the first, between sheets of floured parchment. Remove the top parchment and cut the circle of dough, saving the scraps, Using a cookie cutter, cut a star shape out of the middle. Slide a baking sheet under the bottom parchment and refrigerate while you work on the decorations.
Combine all scraps and roll out thinly between parchment.
Cut out 8 rectangles for flags. With a toothpick make guidelines for stripes and a large square in the upper left hand corner, poked with the toothpick for "stars". With a large sharp knife, cut thin strips to make stripes. Lay them on the rectangles, letting them fall over the edge, and press gently. Trim the excess dough from the sides.
Make roses: Roll a small strip of dough to make the center. Cut round circles and overlap them around the center, pinching the outer edges to make them thin so they'll curl down a bit. Shape with your fingers. Holding the flower right below the petals, pinch off the excess dough from the bottom so the flowers will set neatly on the crust. Make 8 roses.
Heat oven to 375 F.
Remove crusts from the refrigerator.
Fill the bottom crust and cover with the top, keeping the star centered. Crimp the edges.
Arrange flags and roses around the outer edge.
Place a baking sheet under the pie and bake approximately 40 minutes, or until the top crust is a rich golden brown.

Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe

Mark lines with toothpick. Add thin strips of dough – let it fall of the sides for now.

Trim the edges.

I neglected to get rose-in-progress photos. But it’s easy, honest! Just roll a little strip of dough for a center. Cut small circles and overlap – pinching the dough on the top to thin it and make it curl nicely. Use your inner artist! Hold the rose loosely in one hand with fingers under the blossom, and pinch off the extra dough so it will sit pretty.

Arrange flags and flowers.

At this point, you could brush the pie with an egg wash, or sprinkle it with sugar – or even colored sugar. You could even paint the stars and stripes with food color. I wanted rustic, so I left it alone.

BAKE!

And of course, you are the kitchen artist here. Make all stars, one large flag, or sculpt an eagle. Use canned pie filling or make your own. Whatever you do, it will be wonderful! Have a good Memorial Day.

Lorinda

Macaron Topped Cookies

Posted on March 22, 2016 by Lorinda

This crunchy chocolate cookie with a delicate, crispy/chewy topping baked right on is a unique way to enjoy a macaron without overwhelming your sweet tooth! The chocolate cookie is rich and dark – a perfect choice for complementing sugary meringue. They’d be delightful for Easter or Mother’s Day.

And…those crispy macaron shells are perfect for decorating. Sprinkle lightly with chocolate shavings or sprinkles just before baking, or paint them with food coloring or petal dust after they are baked and cooled! I used an old fashioned paintbrush, but I’ll bet food color markers would be a good choice if you want to add names. Just don’t press too hard!

Even when baked on a cookie, macarons have a little ruffle at the bottom (called feet), so I piped the macaron batter a bit inside of the cookie edge (the macaron may shrink slightly, too) and then decorated around the baked cookie with tiny royal icing dots, using a small round tip.

Pipe the meringue on thin cookie dough, just inside the edge.

No, my cookie sheet isn’t dirty – it’s SEASONED! That’s my story. Seriously, folks – a seasoned cookie sheet is great; I rarely have to grease it. I love these DoughMaker sheets, but the third one I ordered refuses to season. It’s all shiny, and things do stick sometimes. So it’s mostly for photos!

The cookie dough is a snap to make, and once you get the hang of it, the macarons really don’t take that long either. You can make the cookie dough ahead of time – up to 3 days – but let it sit at room temperature for an hour or so before you try to roll it out.

I got all crazy and split one batch of macarons into three different colors. It worked, but only because I had everything ready before I started mixing the egg whites. Three bowls with food coloring (GEL OR POWDER ONLY) in them, piping bags with large round tips in a row. Yes, for once I was organized. Don’t expect to see that again any time soon.

Now for the recipe, and…a disclaimer: In a perfect world, the recipe will make 48 cookies and 48 macaron tops, but so many things can mess up this plan! The thickness of your cookie dough, size of your cookie cutter, or your exuberance with the macaron topping can leave you with a little extra of one thing or the other. They are both stand alone treats, so I’m sure you can live with a few strays.

I may have gotten a little carried away on this one. Whoops! Um. Don’t do this.

Macaron Topped Cookies

Author: The Rowdy Baker

Makes approximately 48 cookies.

Ingredients

CHOCOLATE COOKIES:
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 tablespoon milk
1 egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
⅔ cups unsweetened cocoa
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
MACARON TOPPING:
210 grams (2½ cups) almond flour (use the lightest, finest flour you can find)
380 grams (3½ cups) powdered sugar
200 grams (6 whites) egg whites, room temperature or - better yet - aged *
pinch of cream of tartar
90 grams (1/2 cup) superfine sugar
food coloring - gel or powdered only
Shaved chocolate, sprinkles, food colors or petal dust, royal icing (if desired for decorating.)

Instructions

Cream together the butter and sugar.
Add the vanilla, milk, and egg, and beat well.
Add the dry ingredients (slow down there, Tiger...the cocoa will fly everywhere! Beat it on low until it's incorporated) and mix together well.
If you're making this ahead, wrap the dough well in plastic wrap and chill for up to 3 days. Allow dough to sit at room temperature for at least an hour before rolling.
Roll dough out (preferably between lightly floured pieces of parchment) very thin - between ⅛" and ¼". Cut with 3" egg-shaped cookie cutter.
Place approximately 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets. Set aside while making macaron topping. (If you don't have enough sheets, arrange cookies on parchment and then slide the parchment onto a cooled sheet.)
MACARON TOPPING:
Weigh or measure the almond flour and powdered sugar. Sift together twice, discarding any large bits that won't go through your sifter, and set aside.
In a large bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Sprinkle a pinch of cream of tartar over the top and beat until soft peaks form.
While beating, slowly add the superfine sugar. Continue to beat until meringue forms stiff peaks. If you are making just one color, add it now.
Add the dry ingredients and carefully fold in, just until incorporated.
(If you are dividing the topping to make several colors, do so now, before it is "lava" like or it will be over mixed by the time you blend in the coloring. Fold each color until thin enough to flow from your spoon slowly.)
If you are making just one color, continue to fold until mixture will flow slowly from your spoon or spatula. It won't look smooth - it has almonds in it - but shouldn't be "gloppy". Drop a spoonful on a plate and tap the plate against the counter. The batter should smooth out. If there is still a peak on the top, stir a few more times.
This is important: *The more you stir, the thinner it will get (not good), so don't over-stir!*
Spoon into a large pastry bag equipped with a large round tip.
Squeeze bag to pipe around each cookie shape, staying a little inside of the edge. Fill in the middle. If you get too close to the edge, run your finger along it to even it out.
Drop the pan several times onto the counter to flatten out any tip left from piping and remove air bubbles. Pop any air bubbles that come to the surface with a toothpick right away.
Let the pans of cookies sit and dry for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 325 F.
If you are using shaved chocolate or sprinkles to decorate your cookies, do so just before they go in the oven.
Bake cookies 12-14 minutes, or until macarons are firm but not turning dark. Touch the edge of one - if it moves, give it another minute and check again.
Cool cookies on wire racks.
To paint cookies, thin gel or powdered coloring with a little vodka and let your artistic side take over!

Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe

Roll out dough nice and thin

Meringue is ready – either add coloring or separate for several colors.

Folding dry ingredients into beaten egg whites

If you are making several colors, separate topping into bowls and fold in colors until mixture flows slowly from spoon.

Use your finger to create a clean edge around the cookie.

I think I may be through with all things macaron – at least until Christmas.

Wishing you the joy of spring –
Lorinda

Please, Bees…Bring Spring! Honey Lemon Cheesecake

Posted on March 19, 2016 by Lorinda

Sweet little jelly bean bees usher in Spring with this honey and lemon cheesecake. Honey adds a mellow sweetness, and sour cream gives it a light tang – a perfect combination!

The cheesecake is easy; making the bees takes a bit of patience and fine motor skills. If you’re not up for that, they sell cute little pre-made bees and flowers too, and no one will judge you!

Bee factory!

I’ve made gum paste bees before, and the wings stuck on them easily. With jelly beans? Not so much. I tried royal icing and candy melts, and those pesky wings just kept sliding off. Finally I found that the slices of jelly beans I used for wings would stick to the bean body as long as there was a sticky surface exposed. (So, cut a thin slice of jelly bean and then trim a little bit off one end so it STICKS!)

I made small bees using a yellow jelly bean, two slices for wings, and a small piece cut off one end of a jelly bean for the head. A black food color pen works really well for the stripes and eyes. I tried making a stinger out of dark chocolate, but frankly…it looked like the bee was pooping. Had a good laugh over that one. Tiny slices of black jelly beans kind of worked, but I wasn’t very happy with them. Next time I’ll buy some black licorice.

Just for grins, I also made some larger bees, using yellow peanut M&Ms. They looked more like big fat bumblebees…very cute. Those are around the base of the cake.

I found that toothpicks really helped hold the bees in place while I fussed with them and while they dried. (This obviously doesn’t work for the M&M bees – they just have to chill on the plate.) A piece of styrofoam is nice to stick the toothpicks into, but use your imagination. A small box or even a potato would work well, too!

I made the little violet flowers and the bee hive out of royal icing. (Make sure the icing is very stiff when you pipe the bee hive. or maybe you could make one out of half of a lemon?) I forgot to add leaves. Grrrr. The green icing was sitting on the counter in a pastry bag with a leaf tip, and I forgot to use it! I think it would have looked a lot prettier with that touch of green.

The honey comb was made from melted white chocolate, with a little milk chocolate and a tiny bit of yellow candy coloring (a yellow candy melt would work too) to achieve a honey color. Spread it over bubble wrap and place in the freezer until hard, then just peel off and break into pieces.

And….here’s the recipe for the cheesecake!

Honey Lemon Cheesecake

Author: The Rowdy Baker

Ingredients

CRUST:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs, finely crushed
2 tablespoons brown sugar
6 tablespoons melted butter
CHEESECAKE:
2 pounds cream cheese, room temperature
¼ cup sugar
½ cup honey
Juice and zest from one large lemon
1 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
drop of yellow food coloring (optional)
4 eggs, room temperature
1 cup sour cream, room temperature

Instructions

Heat oven to 325 F.
Prepare 9-inch springform pan by lightly buttering sides of ring. Place a 10-inch round of parchment over the bottom of the pan and set the ring over it. Hold the ring down firmly and close the clasp, trapping the parchment. You should be able to see a small "ruffle" from the outside. This gives your crust a smooth appearance all the way to the plate. It will ooze butter in the oven, so make sure you have a baking sheet or foil under it.
Combine the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, and melted butter.
Using a straight sided measuring cup, press crust firmly and evenly in pan. Using one hand to support the side of the pan, press firmly all the way around. Mixture doesn't have to go all the way to the top.
In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and white sugar until smooth. Add the honey, lemon juice and zest, flour, vanilla, and food coloring. Beat on medium until combined.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating on low just until incorporated. Do not over beat!
Fold in sour cream and pour over crust, smoothing with a knife.
Place pan on baking sheet and bake for 70 minutes. Without opening oven door, turn oven off and let the cheesecake remain in the oven for 30 minutes.
Test by shaking pan gently. The inside should jiggle a bit. This is exactly what you want. If the whole thing wobbles, close the door and leave it in there for another 30 minutes before removing.
If your cheesecake extends over the top of the crust, run a knife gently around the edge, right down to the crust, to avoid cracks as it cools.
Once completely cool, refrigerate until ready to decorate and serve.

Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe

Honey gives this cheesecake a lovely, mellow sweetness.

Trap the parchment with the ring.

There should be a cute little ruffle sticking out.

I like the clean look I get when I do this with parchment. But…it will ooze butter, so make sure the cheesecake is setting on a baking pan – preferably lined with foil!

Really press to make sure the crust stays in place since it isn’t pre-baked.

Pour batter into crust and smooth with a knife.

Cooling on the counter

Once your cheesecake is chilled, pipe whipped cream around the edge and decorate to suit your tastes. You might even want to drizzle a little honey on the top.

Dig in!

And here’s another version, using colored whipped topping for the pastel flowers.

As much as I love winter, I’m so happy Spring is officially here! More Easter recipes to come.

Lorinda

Chocolate Cherry Tea Cookies

Posted on February 13, 2016 by Lorinda

Leave it plain for a pretty hanging cookie.

These tender little sugar cookies with bits of chocolate and maraschino cherries will delight anyone with a sweet tooth. Surprise co-workers, friends, and loved ones with homemade Valentine treats!

(Also, at the bottom of the blog you’ll find links to three more recipes from my amazing blogger friends – and you do not want to miss those, so read on!)

They’re versatile! Decorate with chocolate, use a special heart-shaped “cup hanger” cutter, make little two-bite hearts with chocolate centers or write names on larger hearts.Add color for a hot pink Valentine effect, or let the cherries give them just a hint of peachy pink.

Drizzle or dip – chocolate is always a good choice!

Make a dainty hot pink cookie to go with a cup of tea.

I often use a variation on my basic shortbread cookie because I love the texture – and because the recipe is EASY! They are a little fragile though, so make sure they’re cooked long enough (too soft and they’ll break, but bake them too long and the pink will turn an unattractive color) and handle and transport them with care.

This makes a lot of cookes – 6 dozen. The baked cookies freeze well, or you can always freeze the cut out shapes between layers of parchment in a zipper bag. Or you can just eat them with abandon!

Chocolate Cherry Tea Cookies

Author: The Rowdy Baker

Ingredients

2 cups powdered sugar
2 cups butter, softened (if using unsalted butter, increase salt by ¼ teaspoon)
1 teaspoon cherry flavoring
A few drops of pink or red food coloring, if desired
2 egg yolks
1 cup mini chocolate chips
24 (to taste) maraschino cherries, finely chopped and lightly blotted with paper towels
4 cups flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup cornstarch

Instructions

Heat the oven to 350 F.
In a large bowl, combine powdered sugar and butter. Beat until light and fluffy.
Add flavoring, food coloring if using, and egg yolks, and blend well. (If using a stand mixer, you may want to switch to the dough hook at this point!)
Add the chocolate chips, cherries, flour, salt and cornstarch. Stir just until the mixture forms a smooth dough. Dough will be stiff! If you have a sturdy dough hook, let it do the work. If not, you might have to knead it together by hand.
Roll out the dough to about ¼ inch thick between sheets of lightly floured parchment. Cut with cookie cutters of your choice.
Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet and bake 11-12 minutes, The bottom edges should just be turning golden brown. Watch the cookies carefully - if they get too dark the pink will turn an unattractive orange color!
Move cookie sheet to a rack to cool for 1 to 2 minutes, then slide cookies onto rack to cool completely.

Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe

Your choice: natural or hot pink!

Chop and lightly blot cherries.

Beat the butter and powdered sugar until fluffy.

Add chips, cherries, and dry ingredients. Use a dough hook or lots of muscle!

Roll and cut into your favorite shapes.

Another option.

Well, this is officially my last Valentine’s post of the year. I still have half a gallon of cherries – which means I either need to freeze them or eat them. Hmmmm……freeze or eat? Freeze or eat?

Well, that was a no-brainer, wasn’t it?

Here are those wonderful recipes I told you about. Crumbs in My Mustachio created a “Tiramisu Cheesecake”, Moore or Less Cooking Blog brought “Fudgy Cherry Cheesecake Brownie Bars”, and Tampa Cake Girl baked an “I Love Chocolate Cake”. Hope you’ll stop by and visit their blogs!

Happy Valentine’s Day to all of my Rowdy friends! Lorinda

Cherry Marshmallows – Dipped in Chocolate!

Posted on February 10, 2016 by Lorinda

I adore chocolate covered marshmallows. Plain, flavored, dark chocolate, milk chocolate – I love them all. Well…except for the cheap kind (not even individually wrapped) you get in an egg carton at Easter. Those suck. Patooey!

Anyhow, since I’m working my way through a gallon jug of maraschino cherries, it only makes sense that they found their way into gooey chocolate covered marshmallows. Making marshmallows is really very easy, and they taste so much better than the ones from the store.

Dipping things in chocolate isn’t my favorite thing to do; for some reason I don’t have any problem getting flour and powdered sugar everywhere, and can dig my hands into a big pile of dough, but I really don’t like getting chocolate on my hands.

I pull up my big girl panties and do it, though – because the results are always, always good.

These marshmallows are mild tasting, with little bursts of cherry flavor. I think it complements milk chocolate coating very well. If you want a more distinct cherry taste, or are using a strong dark chocolate for dipping, just add a little cherry flavoring in place of some of the vanilla. You can also add a dash of coloring if you choose.

Cherry Marshmallows - Dipped in Chocolate

Author: The Rowdy Baker

This recipe will make about 15 large chocolate hearts.

Ingredients

24 maraschino cherries (more or less, to taste)
½ cup cold water
3 packages of powdered gelatin (like Knox)
2 cups granulated sugar
¼ cup water
⅔ cup light corn syrup
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla (or ½ teaspoons vanilla, ½ teaspoon cherry flavoring)
1 cup powdered sugar
¼ cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon shortening or coconut oil
12 ounces chocolate, chopped - or you can use good-quality chocolate chips

Instructions

Finely chop the maraschino cherries. Roll in paper towels, pressing firmly to remove as much juice as possible. Set aside.
Line a 9x13" (quarter sheet) pan with plastic. I find it's easiest to do this if I oil the pan lightly first to hold the plastic in place. Lightly oil the plastic.
Put ½ cup cold water in a large mixing bowl (a sturdy stand mixer works best) and sprinkle the gelatin over the water. Let the mixture sit for about 10 minutes to soften the gelatin. You don't need to stir it..
In a medium pan on medium heat, bring sugar, ¼ cup water, and corn syrup to a boil, stirring constantly. Once the mixture boils, stop stirring and let it boil for 2 minutes.
Pour hot syrup slowly over gelatin mixture, mixing on low speed until well combined.
Add salt and beat on high until very thick. It doesn't have to hold a stiff peak, but when a beater or spoon is lifted, it should hold shape and not immediately return into the bowl. This could take anywhere from 5 minutes to 15 minutes, depending on your mixer.
Add vanilla, flavoring if you're using it, and chopped cherries.
Spread evenly in pan. Allow the marshmallow to set for at least 3 hours. The top should not feel sticky!
in a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar and cornstarch.
Lift the plastic wrap and marshmallow out of the pan and set on a level surface. Cut with a lightly greased cookie cutter, dredging each heart in the powdered sugar, cornstarch mix. Flip the marshmallow from hand to hand to dust off excess sugar.
Melt shortening or coconut oil and chocolate together slowly, using a pan on lowest heat or a microwave at 50% power in 30 second increments. Stir often! Chocolate should be smooth and barely warm. If it is too thick, add a little more oil. Stir, stir, stir!
Cover a baking sheet with parchment.
Dip each marshmallow in the chocolate, covering completely. The marshmallows are pretty sturdy - they won't melt. A large serving fork works well for this. Tap against the edge of the bowl or pan to remove excess chocolate. Use a knife or spatula to slide heart onto parchment.
Chill in refrigerator until chocolate is firm. Decorate if desired, using drizzled chocolate, sprinkles, or edible glitter. Or write names on the hearts with royal icing.

Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe

Squeeze out all the juice from the chopped cherries.

Sprinkle gelatin over old water.

Boil sugar, water, and corn syrup.

Slowly add hot syrup to gelatin mixture.

Beat until VERY thick. It looks like it’s falling off the beater, but it’s just hanging there.

Add flavor and cherries and spread into prepared pan.

When firm, cut out shapes using greased cutter.

Dredge hearts in powdered sugar and cornstarch.

Dip!

We’ve still got some cold weather here, and I’m thinking I’ll try one of these plopped into a big mug of hot cocoa tonight.

Enjoy!

Lorinda

Chewy Chocolate Cherry Cookies

Posted on February 7, 2016 by Lorinda

With a soft, chewy texture that lies somewhere between a cookie and a brownie, this explosion of dark chocolate and maraschino cherry will satisfy you right down to your toes. And yes, I get a little bit passionate about cherries!

The Rowdy Baker loves her some cherries!

This recipe is a little fussier than a normal cookie recipe – more ingredients, a few extra steps – but it’s well worth the effort, especially for a holiday like Valentine’s Day.

Chewy Chocolate Cherry Cookies

Author: The Rowdy Baker

Makes 4-5 dozen These cookies get softer and more flavorful after 24 hours!

Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) butter
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1½ cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 tablespoon vanilla
¼ cup buttermilk
4 eggs, room temperature
3½ cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup mini chocolate chips (or finely chopped chocolate)
½ cup chopped walnuts - more if desired
1 10-oz jar maraschino cherries
ICING:
⅓ cup heavy cream
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
2 tablespoons maraschino cherry juice or ¼ teaspoon cherry flavoring (optional)
1 cup powdered sugar
decorate with maraschino cherries, sprinkles, chopped nuts

Instructions

Heat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease two baking sheets (or cover with parchment)
Drain cherries, reserving 2 tablespoons for icing, if desired. Chop cherries into small pieces and set aside. (Don't press or dry the chopped cherries...a little juice is fine.)
In a medium pan, melt butter and unsweetened chocolate together on low heat. Stir frequently. When chocolate is completely melted, remove from heat and stir.
Add white sugar and brown sugar to the butter mixture and stir well.
Add vanilla and buttermilk, stirring until combined.
Put mixture into a large bowl. Add eggs and beat on medium speed for 1 minute.
Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and mix just until dry ingredients are incorporated.
Add chocolate chips, walnuts, and chopped cherries.
With cookie scoop or by rounded tablespoon, drop dough at least 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheet. (Don't chill this dough. Bake the cookies right away, or scoop onto baking sheets and freeze for later.)3-4 minutes before moving to the rack to cool completely. Ice and decorate cookies.
ICING:
In a medium pan, heat the cream, chocolate, and cherry juice on low, stirring frequently until chocolate is melted. Remove from heat and stir well, until completely smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar and beat until smooth and creamy. Let icing sit, stirring occasionally, until thick enough to spread without dripping...about 1 hour. (This will vary, depending on the temperature of your house.)

Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe

Note: Bake these right away. If you let the dough sit too long or put it in the fridge, it will set up like soft fudge! If you don’t want to bake them all, I suggest scooping the dough onto baking sheets and freezing for later.

Chop those cherries!

Melt the butter and chocolate.

Add the sugars and stir like crazy!

Stirring in the chocolate chips, nuts, and cherries.

Scoop onto prepared sheet - parchment for this batch.

Scoop onto prepared baking sheet – parchment for this batch.

Baked. Aren’t they pretty?

And now, for the icing!

Gently melt the chocolate and cream (and maybe a little cherry juice) for the icing.

Whisk in the powdered sugar until it’s velvety smooth.

Dollop (best for cherries) or spread (best for sprinkles) the icing.

Admire your creations before they disappear!

Here’s another idea: Buy some glass candle holders from the dollar store and serve individual cookies at each place setting. Pretty classy, huh?

So many cherries, so little time. I’m not sure why I bought a gallon of the things…guess I forgot the advice to “never shop hungry”!

Lorinda

Ice Cream Cupcake Surprise

Posted on February 1, 2016 by Lorinda

If this dessert doesn’t make your Valentine worship you, nothing will! Inside the chocolate coating is a serving of rich chocolate cake, cherry vanilla ice cream, and…(surprise) a chocolate covered cherry.

To make this extra-easy, by all means, use a cake mix and store bought chocolate shell! You could even (*gasp!*) buy a dozen cupcakes and scrape the icing off. But you know me; I have to play with my food…so I’ll give you my recipe for rich chocolate cake and homemade chocolate shell, just in case you choose to go all out and create these desserts from scratch.

You’ll need:

One 1.5 quart container of ice cream. (Don’t get me started on the shrinking ice-cream container conspiracy.) I used Cherry Vanilla. Yum!
12 chocolate covered cherries
12 chocolate cupcakes
2 bottles (7.25 ounces each) of chocolate shell (or Magic Shell), usually found in the ice cream aisle. OR you can make your own – I’ll give you the recipe below.
sprinkles, if desired

It’s important not to overfill the cupcake liners, because a high dome won’t hold the ice cream well. Fill them just a tiny bit over half full. But if they dome too much, you can always level them later…and eat the scraps, of course.

Start with chocolate cupcakes. (And yes…the cake on the right has too much of a dome.) I shall have to operate!

This chocolate cake recipe makes 12 cupcakes. You may have a tiny bit of batter left, but not much.

Rich Chocolate Cupcakes

Author: The Rowdy Baker

This is a small recipe, making approximately 12 cupcakes. You can easily double it. If you do, use 3 eggs.

Ingredients

1¼ cups cake flour
½ cup unsweetened cocoa
¾ cup sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon baking powder
½ cup oil (I use avocado or peanut oil)
½ cup strong coffee
½ cup buttermilk (I prefer a thick, Bulgarian buttermilk for this)
1 egg

Instructions

Heat oven to 350 F. Place liners in cupcake pan.
In a large bowl, combine the cake flour, cocoa, sugar, salt, baking soda, and baking powder.
In a small bowl, combine the oil, coffee, and buttermilk.
Gradually beat the liquids into the dry ingredients. Beat for 1 minute.
Add the egg and beat just until it is completely incorporated.
Fill cupcake liners just a little more than half full.
Bake for approximately 18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the middle of one cupcake.
Allow cupcakes to cool on a rack for 10 minutes, and then lift them out onto the rack to finish cooling.

Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe

Cake ingredients

Fill liners just a little more than half full.

Remember, we’re going for a subtle dome!

Now – to assemble the cupcakes:

Slice a thin piece off the top of each cupcake, to level it.

Let your ice cream soften a bit, and then press a chocolate covered cherry round side down into a scoop of softened ice cream. If the ice cream is too firm, you can use a spoon to make a hole for the candy.

Sink a cherry into softened ice cream, round side down.

Drop scoops of ice cream (and embedded cherry) onto frozen cupcakes and smooth with a table knife.

Drop ice cream onto cupcake and smooth with a knife.

Place cupcakes in the freezer for at least 3 hours.

You saw that, right? Don’t skip that step, or your ice cream will fall off into the coating!

Shake one bottle of chocolate shell thoroughly and pour contents into a small bowl. One by one, dip the cupcakes into the chocolate, all the way to the wrapper. Allow excess to drip off, place on a tray or baking sheet, and decorate with sprinkles.

You’ll need one whole bottle and part of the second. Or…if you want to make your own shell:

HOMEMADE CHOCOLATE SHELL:
10 ounces of good quality dark chocolate
2 level tablespoons coconut oil (I use expeller pressed so it doesn’t taste like coconut.)

Break chocolate into small pieces. In a cup or small bowl in the microwave (or in small pan on the stove) slowly melt chocolate and coconut oil together. It’s important to melt it very slowly at low heat. Stir well.

Dip frozen cupcakes and ice cream into chocolate shell mixture.

Once the coating has hardened, pop the cupcakes back into the freezer until ready to serve. If you will be keeping them in the freezer for more than a few hours, cover them with foil.

This would be such an easy recipe to adapt for other holidays. Exchange the cherry for a mint truffle and mint ice cream for St. Patrick’s Day, or a peppermint truffle and peppermint ice cream for Christmas. I’d suggest a small Cadbury Cream Egg for Easter, but….euwwww. Anyhow, you get the idea.

Everyone loves ice cream cakes, but they’re awfully messy to cut and serve. Individual cakes are the way to go!

Lorinda

Pinecone Rolls

Posted on November 15, 2015 by Lorinda

I just love to play with dough, and today’s creation was a batch of pinecone-shaped dinner rolls – just in time for Thanksgiving! Even with whole wheat flour in the recipe, the addition of buttermilk makes them very light and tender, and the molasses adds a hint of sweetness.

They take a little longer than most rolls because you have to cut the petals (that sounds better than “scales”, right?) before baking. Make them ahead and freeze them, and then just reheat them in foil before serving dinner…OR, if there’s some family member who drives you nuts trying to help in the kitchen, hand them the scissors and bowl of dough. Evil but effective.

Seriously, once you get the hang of it, you’ll be able to whip the rolls out pretty quickly.

The easiest and fastest way I’ve found to make the cone shapes is to form the dough into balls first. I pull the sides up to the top several times (looks a little bit like a Chinese dumpling), flip it over, and then “scooch” it along the counter to create a smooth ball, then press and roll on one side to make a pointy cone shape.

Bring the edges up, then flip and “scooch” it on a hard surface to form a ball.

An inexpensive pair of cuticle scissors resides in my cake decorating tub for just this type of situation, and was perfect for the task. Start snipping at the base of the cone with wide cuts, and then make shorter, deeper cuts as you get to the pointed end.

;. Cut increasingly smaller “petals”

Start with wide, flat snips…

…and end with small snips.

You’ll figure out what works best for you. I preferred cutting while the roll was flat, but you might want to hold it by the end and cut in the air.

The recipe makes 24 rolls. I will warn you, though – they can be a little…er…pokey when you’re eating them. Think of it as a way of making people slow down and enjoy their food. It didn’t stop the guys around here from eating a half-dozen each, that’s for sure!

Pinecone Rolls

Author: The Rowdy Baker

Makes 24 rolls

Ingredients

1½ cups very warm water
2 packets of active-dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
¼ cup butter
½ cup molasses
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
4 cups white bread flour
2½ -3 cups whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon salt
Melted butter (optional)

Instructions

In a large bowl (preferably using a stand mixer) combine the warm water, yeast, and sugar. Let the mixture sit for 5-10 minutes, or until it bubbles. (If it doesn't bubble, check the expiration date on your yeast and try again!)
In the microwave or in a pan on low heat, combine the butter and molasses together. Heat until butter is completely melted. Remove from heat.
Beat the buttermilk and egg together, and add to the molasses mixture. Stir until well combined.
With mixer on low (I start right out with my dough hook), slowly add the warm mixture to the yeast mixture.
When combined, add the cocoa and bread flour. Beat on medium low for 2 minutes.
Add 2 cups of the whole wheat flour and the salt, beating until the flour is incorporated. Gradually add as much of the remaining flour as needed to create a dough that is still a little sticky, but comes cleanly off the sides of the bowl.
Knead by machine for 5 minutes, or 7 minutes by hand.
Place dough in greased bowl and cover with a cloth. Allow to rise until double, about 1 hour.
Separate dough into 24 equal pieces, approximately 2-1/2 ounces each. Roll each piece into a ball and then roll one end with your fingers to make a cone shape.
With small sharp scissors, beginning at the base of the cone, snip "petals". You don't need to go all the way around...just the top that will show when the pinecone is laying on its side. Make larger snips around the bottom, smaller near the top, staggering the petals like bricks.
HEAT OVEN TO 375 F.
Place 12 on each cookie sheet and allow the cones to rise for 30 minutes.
Bake for approximately 13-15 minutes, or until the rolls are golden brown. Set baking sheets on racks to cool for a few minutes before serving. Brush warm rolls with melted butter if desired.

Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe

From my family to yours, best wishes for a warm and love-filled Thanksgiving!

Lorinda

Thanksgiving Treasures

Posted on October 24, 2015 by Lorinda

Thanksgiving ideas from The Rowdy Baker

When I was young, the anticipation of Thanksgiving was almost as exciting as that of Christmas. Thanksgiving was the beginning of the holiday season, but more than that, it was all about our family traditions and creating the warm memories that I still cherish today.

In elementary school I loved the songs we’d sing: “We Gather Together”, “Come Ye Thankful People Come”, “Over the River and Through the Woods”, “Now Thank We All Our God”. (We were allowed to sing hymns in public school way back then.) My mother would sometimes make us ~~torture~~ entertain our guests with our wobbly renditions of these songs before dinner.

(Um, yes, I may have “forgotten” to return this book in 6th grade. I believe the statute of limitations applies here!)

We always had company, often foreign exchange students from the nearby college, grandparents, or any strays that my folks could coax into coming. The more the merrier! When we were very young, we’d hear my mom in the kitchen before it was light, preparing for the feast. As we got older, we were right there beside her, chopping celery and onions, and reaching our small hands into the (eeeeuwww) turkey cavity to pull out the neck and giblets that would go into her stuffing and gravy.

Crisp white linens, the good china and crystal (well, except at the “kids’ table”), candles, and the gravy boat were all placed carefully on the table. My father usually carved and served, and the wait was agonizing.

Now it’s my turn. Although I have my own style, I still produce the standard dishes…and then some. Beginning the week before Thanksgiving my kitchen becomes a whirlwind of flour that doesn’t settle until Christmas Eve.

I’ve collected a few of my favorite Thanksgiving recipes together in one spot, each with a short description, photo, and link. Since this is a baking blog, I’ll leave the green bean casseroles and turkey to someone else and stick with rolls and desserts. Some are easy, some are more challenging. I hope you’ll find that all are festive and delicious.

Acorn Rolls cascade abundantly out of an edible cornucopia. Here’s a centerpiece for your table that won’t drop leaves, get knocked over, or block your view of the person across from you. Make a simple version or turn it into your own personal creative masterpiece.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Dessert (aka: dump cake!) This dessert just may become a new tradition in your home. Warm, creamy, crunchy, and fragrant…this is seriously good. AND it has received more views on my blog than any other recipe. Ding-ding-ding…it’s a winner!

Pumpkin Sandwich Bread makes beautiful dinner rolls, too. The pumpkin flavor is mild, making the rolls perfect for turkey sandwiches the next day.

Humble Pie is a pumpkin pie with pastry depictions of all the things you’re grateful for dancing around the top crust. This takes a bit of time, but you can always narrow it down to a few important choices if you’re short on time.

Triple Trouble Caramel Corn, dumped in a pretty bowl, will keep the hungry hoards from sneaking into the kitchen to swipe olives, dinner rolls, and the bacon from the top of the turkey. (What? You don’t put bacon on top of your turkey? Oooh, you should try it. Just a few pieces draped over the top will baste your bird and add a little extra flavor.) This caramel corn can be made days ahead, which is always nice. It has bacon, maple, and pecans in it – perfect for Fall.

I have lots of cookie recipes that would be perfect for the occasion too, but I think I’ll save those for a separate post.

I guess this should have been named “Thanksgiving Carbs”, huh? Pfffft. Don’t think about that – just enjoy.

Lorinda

Hot Buttered Rum Mix

Posted on October 12, 2015 by Lorinda

Everyone has a favorite hot buttered rum batter, ranging from an ice cream mixture that’s kept in the freezer, to a plastic tub of pre-mixed batter found at the grocery store. As much as I love the ice cream version, it goes down awfully easy, and can make you very sorry the next morning. (Or so I’ve been told…)

My recipe is for a batter similar to the store-bought kind, but with a little extra flavor. I’m posting this recipe because my next post will be for a recipe that calls for hot buttered rum batter, and I thought you’d like to be prepared! (By all means, buy a tub of it if you prefer – but this is pretty darn easy.)

Here are the basic ingredients: butter, brown sugar, spices, and salt.

This is all you really need. Well…rum. You need rum!

This makes a delicious batter!

But I jazz it up just a wee bit with my secret (okay, not so secret now) ingredient – Butter Rum Flavoring, purchased at a local craft store in the candy making aisle. You can also find pure butter rum extract online, which I’m sure would be wonderful.

Butter Rum Flavoring! Adds a little “kick”.

I’m never happy unless I’ve experimented a bit. Usually mistakes are given to my chickens to dispose of, but in this case, that didn’t seem like a good idea. You see, I figured I might as well add the rum to the mixture too and save a step when making hot drinks.

In case you’re wondering, no matter how long you beat the batter/rum combination, it doesn’t blend together. Seriously – it looks like cat barf.

I will not, however, waste it. It went into the fridge in a mason jar to be used when company is NOT here to witness this – this – slop. Ugh. But, as my mother would say: “It tastes perfectly fine”.

Kids, do NOT try this at home!

So…one rounded tablespoon of batter and 2 ounces (1/4 cup) of rum in a mug of boiling hot water is just about right. If you don’t like your drinks too sweet, either cut back the sugar in the mixture or use a level tablespoon per mug. Whatever you do, don’t cut back on the rum!

Hot Buttered Rum Mix

Author: The Rowdy Baker

Makes about 24 servings. This batter will keep in the refrigerator for several weeks in an airtight container.

Ingredients

2 cups brown sugar (light or dark)
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
½ teaspoon (or to taste) butter rum flavoring
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon allspice
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon cloves (optional)
¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions

In a medium bowl, beat together the brown sugar, butter, and butter rum flavoring well.
Add cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, cloves and salt. Beat until thoroughly combined.
Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.
To make hot buttered rum drinks, add one rounded tablespoon to a mug of boiling hot water. Add 2 ounces of rum (1/4 cup) and stir well.

Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe

I think that is officially the shortest recipe I’ve ever offered on this blog!

This makes about 24 servings, but don’t drink it all – save some for the recipe that’s coming your way soon.

Lorinda

The Rowdy Baker

Irreverent offerings from a compulsive baker.

Category Archives: Holidays

Flags and Flowers Pie Crust

Please, Bees…Bring Spring! Honey Lemon Cheesecake

Chocolate Cherry Tea Cookies

Cherry Marshmallows – Dipped in Chocolate!

Chewy Chocolate Cherry Cookies

Ice Cream Cupcake Surprise

Pinecone Rolls

Thanksgiving Treasures

Hot Buttered Rum Mix