Author: Lia Fireheart

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Cut-Out Sugar Cookies (3x recipe for lots of cookies)

Cut-Out Sugar Cookies (3x recipe for lots of cookies)

Ingredients

  • 3 cup unsalted butter chilled and cubed

  • 3 cup granulated sugar

  • 3 egg

  • 6 teaspoons vanilla extract

  • 4.5 teaspoons baking powder

  • 1.5 teaspoon salt

  • 9 cups all-purpose flour

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking pans with parchment paper and set aside.
  • Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
  • Add the egg, vanilla, baking powder, and salt, and mix until combined and smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
  • Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the flour, only mixing until the dough just comes together. Give it a final mix with a rubber spatula, folding and pressing it together, to ensure all of the flour is mixed in.
  • Separate the dough in half and work with one piece at a time, roll the dough ¼-inch thick. Cut out shapes as desired and place them on the prepared baking sheets, leaving at least 1 inch of space between cookies.
  • Bake until the cookies look set and are slightly firm to the touch but still pale, about 10 to 12 minutes.
  • Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

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Jelly Bowl Cookies

Jelly Bowl Cookies

Ingredients

  • 4 sticks (1 pound) unsalted butter, softened

  • 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar

  • 3/4 teaspoon salt

  • 3 large egg yolks

  • 2 teaspoons vanilla

  • 4 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

  • Jelly of some type: strawberry, raspberry or apricot, or a combination

Directions

  • In bowl of a stand mixer. Beat together the butter, sugar, and salt until fluffy. Beat in yolks, one at a time, until combined, then add vanilla and beat until smooth. Beat in flour gradually until just combined.
  • Measure out 16 grams per cookie into balls and arrange about one inch apart on baking sheets. Make an indentation with a half teaspoon in the center of each ball of dough and fill with about as much jelly.
  • Bake cookies in batches in middle of oven until edges are pale golden, about 12 minutes. Store between layers of wax paper in airtight containers up to six weeks.

Notes

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Snowball Cookies

Snowball Cookies

Ingredients

  • 1 cup chopped pecans

  • 2 sticks of unsalted butter, softened

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar

  • 2 teaspoons vanilla

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour

  • 1/3 cup powdered sugar

Directions

  • Preheat the oven to 350. Position rack in the upper third of the oven, place parchment on cookie sheets.
  • Toast then cool pecans, about 6 minutes on 350.
  • Beat butter, salt, powdered sugar and vanilla on medium speed until very fluffy and well blended. Add the pecans and the flour and mix until combined.
  • Portion cookies out into 14g balls. Space about 1 1/4 inches on cookie sheets. Bake until golden at the edges, about 12-15 minutes. Rotate sheet halfway through baking for even browning. Let them stand until cool enough to handle and firm. Toss them in a bag with remaining powdered sugar. Save sugar and toss them again once fully cool.
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Earl Grey Tea Cookies

Earl Grey Tea Cookies

Ingredients

  • 4 cups all-purpose flour

  • 1 cup granulated sugar

  • 1 cup confectioners’ sugar

  • 4 tablespoons Earl Grey tea leaves, from approximately 12 tea bags

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

  • 2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Directions

  • Heat oven to 375° F. Pulse together all the dry ingredients in a food processor until the tea leaves are pulverized.
  • Add the vanilla, 1 teaspoon water, and the butter. Pulse together until a dough is formed. Divide the dough in half. Place each half on a sheet of plastic wrap and roll into a 12-inch log, about 2 inches in diameter.
  • Wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
  • Slice each log into disks, 1/3 inch thick. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets, 2 inches apart. Bake until the edges are just brown, about 12 minutes. Let cool on sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks.

Notes

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Cranberry Orange Biscotti

Cranberry Orange Biscotti

Ingredients

  • 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

  • 2 1/4 cup granulated sugar

  • 6 teaspoons orange zest

  • 1 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 3 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 6 teaspoons baking powder

  • 6 large eggs, at room temperature

  • 6 cups all purpose flour

  • 3 cups sweetened or unsweetened dried cranberries

  • Milk or cream of your choice for tops

  • Raw sugar for sprinkling

Directions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
  • In a small bowl combine the sugar with the orange zest and mix together with your fingers, massing the zest into the sugar so the flavor really incorporates. Add the sugar to the body of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed with the butter, salt, and vanilla until mixture is smooth and creamy. Beat in the eggs. Lower the mixer speed, and add the flour and baking powder, mix just until smooth. The dough will be very soft and sticky, but should be able to hold its shape when dropped from a spoon. Stir in the cranberries.
  • Transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet, and shape it into a rough log about 16 inches long. It will be about 2 1/2 inches wide and about 1 inch thick.
  • Bake the dough at 350 for 25 minutes. Remove it from the oven and let cool on the pan for 25 minutes.
  • Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F. Cut the biscotti into 3/4-inch slices. Place the biscotti upright on the prepared baking sheet, and bake for another 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer cookies to a rack to cool completely.

Notes

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Flourless Chocolate Brownie Cookies

Flourless Chocolate Brownie Cookies

Ingredients

  • 3 cups powdered sugar

  • 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch

  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 2 to 3 large egg whites

  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

  • 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

  • Cooking spray

  • Flaky salt (optional)

Directions

  • Place 3 cups powdered sugar, 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add 2 large egg whites and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract. Stir with a rubber spatula until no lumps of cocoa or powdered sugar remain, and you have a loose, shiny dough similar to a very thick brownie batter. At first the mixture will seem too dry to combine, but will eventually come together. If after 3 minutes of mixing the dough is still too dry, stir in the remaining egg white.
  • Stir in 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
  • Arrange 2 racks to divide the oven into thirds and heat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and coat with cooking spray.
  • Divide the dough into 12 portions (about 2 heaping tablespoons each). Using your hands, roll each portion into a ball. Arrange them evenly on the prepared baking sheets, 6 per sheet. Sprinkle with flaky salt if desired.
  • Bake for 7 minutes. Rotate the baking sheets between racks and from front to back. Bake until the tops of the cookies are cracked, shiny, and no longer look wet, 5 to 7 minutes more. Let cool completely on the baking sheets, at least 1 hour. (The cookies will stick to the parchment paper when warm but will release when cooled.)

Notes

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Chocolate Peppermint Crunch Cookie Bark

Chocolate Peppermint Crunch Cookie Bark

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups flour

  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1/2 cup unsweetened dutch-process cocoa powder

  • 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

  • 3/4 cup sugar

  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

  • 2 tablespoons water

  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

  • 3 cups (18 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

  • 3/4 to 1 cup crushed peppermint candy (8 to 10 six-inch candy canes), crushed into small pieces

Directions

  • Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Have ready 2 unlined baking sheets.
  • In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt. Sift the cocoa powder into the flour mixture and set aside.
  • Using a stand mixer on low speed, mix the melted butter, sugars, water and vanilla extract until smooth, about 30 seconds, stopping the mixer to scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the flour mixture, mixing just until the flour is incorporated, 25 to 30 seconds. Stir in 1 1/2 cups of the chocolate chips.
  • Leaving a 3-inch margin on all sides, use a thin spatula to spread half the dough on one baking sheet into a rectangle that measures about 11-by-8 inches and is about 1/4 inch thick. Use your palms to help pat it into an even layer. Repeat with the remaining cookie dough on the second baking sheet.
  • Bake one sheet at a time about 14 minutes, or until the top looks dull, not shiny, and feels evenly firm at the edges and center. As soon as each baking sheet comes out of the oven, sprinkle half of the remaining chocolate chips over the cookie slab. Let the chocolate chips sit for 5 minutes to soften and melt, then use a small spatula to spread the melted chocolate over the cookie, covering most of the slab. While the chocolate is still warm, sprinkle half of the peppermint candy evenly over it.
  • Let the cookie bark cool on the baking sheets on a wire rack until the chocolate topping is firm, about 2 hours. Or, to speed the cooling, cool the cookies on the baking sheets for about 30 minutes, then refrigerate them, still on the baking sheets, just until the chocolate topping firms, then remove from the refrigerator. The cookie bark will become crisp as it cools.
  • Break each cookie slab into about a dozen 5- to 6-inch-long irregular pieces. Store cookies in a tightly covered container, layered between sheets of wax paper, at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Notes

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Raspberry Coulis

Raspberry Coulis

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup sugar

  • 3 tablespoons water or orange juice

  • 12 ounces frozen raspberries thawed

  • 1 tablespoon Chambord Framboise or Grand Marnier liqueur (optional)

Directions

  • Combine sugar and water (or orange juice) in a 1 cup (or larger) microwave-safe cup or bowl. Stir to combine. The mixture will be very thick.
  • Cook in the microwave on high power for two minutes. Stir for 5-10 seconds to ensure that the sugar crystals are dissolved.
  • Combine frozen raspberries and hot syrup in a blender container. Blend until the mixture is smooth and pureed.
  • Pour puree through a fine-mesh strainer set over a medium-size bowl. Stir and push on the solids with the back of a rubber spatula until all of the liquid has been extracted. This will take several minutes as the mixture will be thick.
  • Discard the seeds. Add the liqueur, if using and stir to combine.

Notes

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Chocolate Lava Cakes

They’re fucking molten.

Chocolate Lava Cakes
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Chocolate Lava Cakes

Ingredients

  • For Centers

  • 1/2 cup heavy cream or coconut milk

  • 9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 2 teaspoons Chambord liqueur (optional)

  • For Cakes

  • 9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

  • 2 teaspoons instant coffee powder

  • 1/4 cup water

  • 1 tablespoon softened butter (for ramekins)

  • 3/4 cup + 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, sifted

  • 1/8 teaspoon salt

  • 3 egg yolks, 4 egg whites, separated

  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

  • 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon white sugar, separated

  • For Serving

  • powdered sugar for dusting

  • cocoa powder for truffles (optional)

Directions

  • In a medium saucepan, heat the cream or coconut milk, over medium heat until bubbles just form on the surface. Remove from heat and pour over chopped chocolate. Allow to sit for 10 minutes, then stir until all chocolate is melted. Refrigerate for 1 hour until ganache solidifies into a scoopable consistency.
  • Prepare a cookie tray covered with aluminum foil. Using a small cookie scoop or tablespoon, scoop out 12 ganache balls, approximately 1″ to 1 1/4″ in diameter. Place on prepared cookie tray, cover tightly with plastic wrap and freeze until solid, approximately 3-4 hours.
  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Prepare six ramekins by thoroughly coating with softened butter. Set the ramekins on a cookie tray. Heat chocolate, coffee powder and water over low heat until chocolate is melted. Whisk to combine and remove from heat to cool slightly.
  • Thoroughly combine flour and salt and sift into a bowl. Set aside. Using a stand mixer or electric beaters, beat the egg yolks until lightened in color. Add 1/2 cup sugar and beat until combined. Add the vanilla extract and whisk together. Pour the chocolate mixture into the egg yolk mixture and whisk thoroughly. Remove from stand mixer.
  • Using electric beaters, beat egg whites and remaining tablespoon of sugar until stiff peaks form. Adding one-third of the egg whites and one third of the flour to the chocolate and egg yolk mixture, fold gently until combined. Repeat until all flour and all egg whites have been added to the chocolate mixture. Try not to deflate the egg whites as you fold as this is what will provide the lift to the finished cakes.
  • Remove ganache from freezer. Fill the ramekins half full with batter. Add a ganache ball to each ramekin and cover with remaining batter. Ramekins will be fairly full.
  • Bake for 15-17 minutes until the cakes are puffed about half an inch above the surface of the ramekins. Toss the remaining ganache balls in cocoa powder. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving, but must be served warm.
  • Plate the cakes with a dusting of powdered sugar, a ganache truffle, and whipped cream and/or raspberry coulis if desired.

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Sausage Rolls

Sausage Rolls

Ingredients

  • Pastry

  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling out the dough

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 8 tablespoons vegetable shortening, cut into 1/2 inch pieces and chilled

  • 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1/4 inch pieces and chilled

  • 6 to 8 tablespoons ice water

  • Sausage

  • 1 pound sausage meat (I usually use breakfast sausage or sage flavor)

  • 1 egg, beaten

  • 1 teaspoon water

Directions

  • Process the flour and salt in a food processor until combined. Scatter the shortening over the top and process until the mixture has the texture of course sand, about 10 seconds. Scatter the butter over the top and, using short pulses, process the mixture until it resembles course crumbs, about 10 pulses. Transfer to a bowl.
  • Sprinkle 6 tablespoons of ice water over the mixture. Stir and press the dough together using a rubber spatula until the dough sticks together. If the dough does not come together, stir in the remaining water one tablespoon at a time until it does.
  • Divided the dough into two even pieces and flatten each into a rectangle approximately the size of a pack of cards.Wrap the pieces in plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour.
  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit/200 degrees Ccelcius. Prepare a sheet tray with parchment paper.
  • Roll out the dough into long rectangles (I usually eyeball this. Maybe 14” by 3”?). Divide and roll the sausage meat into two tubes. Paint the edges with the beaten egg mixed with water. And fold around the sausage meat. Cut into approximately 4 1/2” inch lengths and arrange on baking tray. Paint tops with remaining egg wash.
  • Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into the sausage registers 160 degrees and the tops are golden.

Notes