Sandbakkels

Sandbakkels

 a Norwegian Sugar Cookie. 

These are eaten as is without a fillling. Yield 3 dozen. Dough freezes well.

1 C butter, softened

1 C sugar

1 egg

1/2 tsp almond extract

2 C all-purpose flour

1 C almond flour (you can substitute with another cup of all-purpose flour)

1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. 

Beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.

Add egg and extract and mix.

Add flour and salt and mix to combine.

Form dough into balls and place in sandbakkel tins. Press with your thumb until dough is pressed up the side of the tin.

Bake for 10-12 minutes.

I spray my tins with cooking spray before pressing in dough. To remove: when the cookies are still warm, turn onto palm of hand and tap several times on top and sides of tin with a spoon. Cookie will slip out. If you sub out the almond flour, the cookies will be less crumbly but still very good with a distinct almond flavor.

Gingerbread House

 

Gingerbread Houses/Men

This makes a very tasty gingerbread that is sturdy enough for construction. 

Yield 24 large 8" men or 6 small houses.

Bring to a boil:

1 1/2 C shortening

1 1/2 C dark molasses (one 12 oz jar)

1 1/2 C sugar

3 T vinegar

When mixture comes to a boil, remove from heat and cool slightly.

Stir together in a counter type mixer such as Kitchenaid:

8 1/2 C flour (plus you'll use more for dusting when you roll out the dough)

1 1/2 t salt

1 1/2 t soda

1 1/2 t ginger

1 1/2 t cinnamon

Add warm wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix.

Add 3 eggs and mix.

Dough will be soft and slightly warm. Roll out on well floured board to 1/8" thick. Cut out shapes and carefully move to parchment lined cookie sheet. Gather up scraps and reroll.  As the dough cools, it becomes more difficult to roll. Zap the dough in the microwave to warm up a wee bit and continue. Bake at 350 F for 15 minutes, then rearrange pans switching them from top to bottom rack and bake for another 15 minutes.  This long baking time will make a sturdy cookie that is suitable for constructing a house. If you would like to make shapes that are softer for eating, halve the baking time.

I use Royal Icing, an edible "glue" to build houses and add candy:

3 egg whites

1 lb powdered sugar

1 t cream of tarter (optional)

Beat the above ingredients together with a hand or counter mixer until quite stiff. An alternative to using raw egg whites is meringue powder. Follow directions on container.

To use icing, make a cone out of heavy wax or parchment paper or use these wonderful disposable piping bags. I've had my box of 100 for at least a decade and they come in so handy a few times a year for a cooking project or a craft. Place the open cone in a tall glass, fill the cone with icing, twist the top shut and snip off a small opening at the tip. Build houses then let dry for a few hours before decorating with candy. Ask your guests to bring a bag of candy to share and have fun!

To make bases, cut out cardboard pieces and wrap with butcher paper or decorative wrap. 

My little three piece house cutter set is so old it's not available anymore, but I found plenty just like it here.

When I used to make dozens of houses and hundreds of gingerbread men, (literally!) I would start my baking in October. Undecorated, they store well in shirt boxes.

Stars Lemon Squares

Lemon Squares

When life gives you lemons, make lemon squares. This recipe is from Jeremy Tower when he owned the Stars Restaurants in San Francisco, Palo Alto, and Napa. These lemon bars are simply the best--firm but delicate, perfectly lemony and not overly sweet.

Stars Lemon Bars

Crust:

1 1/2 C flour

1/2 C powdered sugar

6 oz (1 1/2 sticks) cold sweet butter

Filling:

6 large eggs

3 C sugar

1 C plus 2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 C flour

Powdered sugar for dusting.

To make crust:

Preheat oven to 325 F

Combine flour and powdered sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Using the paddle attachment, add the butter and mix on low speed until mixture is the size of small peas. Press the crust into the bottom of a 9"x13" pan. Bake the crust for about 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown.

To make the filling:

Decrease oven temperature to 300 F

Whisk together the eggs and sugar in a large bowl until smooth. Stir in the lemon juice and then the flour. Pour lemon filling on the top of the crust. Bake for 40 minutes, until the lemon filling is set. 

Allow to cool for one hour, slice into squares, and dust with powdered sugar.

Congo Bars

My girlfriend Charlotte brought these to a cookie exchange.  Not only were they delicious, but I loved the story behind it: Throughout my childhood my mother made these for our family and for church and school gatherings.  For years she would send them to the soldiers in Germany. They loved them because they were sturdy bar cookies and therefore always arrived fresh and unbroken. I now make them for my grandchildren.

3/4 C butter, at room temperature

1 lb. brown sugar

3 eggs

2 1/4 C flour

2 1/4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla

1 12 oz. package chocolate chips

1/2 C chopped nuts

Beat butter and sugar together.  Add the eggs, one at a time.  Add vanilla, dry ingredients and mix well.  Add chocolate chips and nuts.

Spread dough evenly in a  12"X18" rimmed pan and bake in a 350F oven for 30 minutes or until just lightly brown.  Cool and cut into squares.

(Image credit: Eat the Love)

Nebraska Caramel Corn

My girlfriend Patty brought cellophane bags of candied popcorn to a cookie exchange.  From Patty: The recipe originally came from my grandmother. Growing up in Nebraska, my mother made it for me and my two sisters when we were young. When we grew up and moved away, she made it for us when she visited our homes for the holidays.  She continued to make it for herself and her friends for her last Christmas when she was 93!  She was a strong woman and definitely influenced us all.  Jack helps me make it…that caramel sauce is boiling hot and he helps pour…both of us talk about Mom when we make it.  

From me: My husband, a self-proclaimed caramel popcorn connoisseur, says this is the best.

2 C brown sugar

2 sticks butter (1/2 lb.)

1/2 C white corn syrup

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking soda

6 quarts popped corn

Combine brown sugar, butter, syrup, and salt.  Bring to boil, stirring constantly.  Boil for 5 minutes without stirring.  Remove from heat, add soda and stir. In a large bowl, pour over popped corn and stir throughly to coat.  Transfer caramel corn to rimmed baking sheets.  Bake in 250 degree oven for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Remove from oven to cool, then break up pieces and enjoy.  Wrapped in cellophane bags and tied with a ribbon, they make pretty party favors or hostess gifts.

Salty Chocolate Toffee

Chocolate Salty Coffee Toffee

This is an adaptation of an old Sunset recipe.

2 1/4 C sugar

1 tsp. salt

1/2 C coffee or water
1 1/4 C (1/2 lb. plus 1/4 C) butter (Plus 2 tsp. butter for greasing the pan.)

2 C chopped mixed almonds and pecans (raw or roasted or oven toasted)

one 12 oz. bag semi-sweet chocolate chips

1-2 tsp. flake salt

1/4 C finely chopped roasted nuts

Combine sugar, salt, coffee or water, and butter in a large pan; bring to a boil.  Add the nut mixture if they are raw; if they have been roasted or toasted, you will add them later.  Cook, stirring constantly until mixture reaches 300F measured with a candy thermometer.  This will take about 10 minutes or so and it will be bubbling.  Immediately remove from heat (add roasted nuts at this time).  Pour into a well-buttered jelly roll pan and spread the mixture to even out.  Sprinkle on chocolate chips and wait 5 minutes for them to soften.  When soft, spread the chocolate evenly over the toffee; immediately sprinkle with finely chopped nuts and flake salt to taste.  Set aside for a few hours to cool.  Break toffee apart with a sharp knife and store covered in a cool place.

*Making candy and using a candy thermometer is not difficult, but needs your attention.  Stir the mixture constantly and be vigilant about checking the thermometer as it needs to read exactly 300F for it to harden properly.  It's not a project to be done with children as the candy is scalding hot. 

Lemony Ice Cream

My friend Rene had a huge harvest from her lemon trees.  Time to make Lemony Ice Cream!

Ingredients:

1 cup milk
1 cup cream
1 cup sugar

juice and grated rind of two lemons


Mix the milk, cream and sugar until the sugar dissolves. Put it in a metal pan and into the freezer. When it's mushy, take it out, add the juice and rind and beat with an electric hand mixer until it's smooth. Return to freezer and let freeze solid.  This recipe is easily doubled.

Adapted from "Catered Affaire"

NOTE from Rene:  I like it lemony so I always add more lemons.

Knitionary

Lemon Curd

The Cuisinart is something that I've had on my kitchen counter for 40 years.  I still have my original machine.  It is used several times a week if not more, and I've only had to replace the bowl one time.  I've had to replace almost everything else, buy not my beloved Cuisinart!  I use it for my daily chopping and mixing chores, when it's appropriate.  Lemon curd is perfect for the food processor or blender. The recipe is pretty much fool-proof and the food processor makes it easy.

1 C sugar

3/4 C freshly squeezed lemon juice

4 eggs

1 stick butter (1/2 C) but into pieces

pinch of salt

Combine ingredients into processor bowl and whirl until mixture is smooth (ish).  It will look curdled and lumpy, but don't worry.  Pour into saucepan and cook on medium heat until thick and glossy, stirring constantly. It will only take 5 minutes or less.  The consistency will be more like gravy, but as it cools, it will thicken.  Store in a covered container in the refrigerator, where it will thicken even more.  If I'm serving this in the evening I will make it in the morning. 

I'm sure this would last a week in the refrigerator, but it's never lasted that long.  It's great over cake or fruit, even on toast! 

This is my own recipe, but the photo source is kitchenconfidante.com

Berry Tart

If you want a super showy and super delicious dessert and don't have a lot of time to spend, this is the dessert for you.  Any berry will work, or for that matter, any soft summer fruit.  Make this when the fruit is at it's peak!

This starts off with an easy shortbread crust, the same one that you would use for shortbread cookies:

10 tablespoons softened butter, softened
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. vanilla extract

In a mixer bowl beat butter and sugar, salt and vanilla until fluffy.  Mix in flour.  Press into a buttered and floured 8" round cake tin or 8" sq. pan (I use a tart pan with removable bottom) and sprinkle with additional 2 tablespoons sugar.  Cut into wedges or squares and pierce with fork tines. Bake at 325 degrees for about 45 minutes or until lightly browned.  While it is still warm,  re-cut the wedges or squares along the scoured lines.  Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan. - See more at: http://knitionaryrecipes.blogspot.ca/search/label/cookies#sthash.vKum1jiO.dpuf

10 tablespoons softened butter, softened

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. vanilla extract

In a mixer bowl beat butter and sugar, salt and vanilla until fluffy.  Mix in flour.  Divide dough in half and press into two buttered and floured 8" round tart pans with removable bottom, but a cake pan will work just as well.  Press the pastry up the sides and sprinkle with additional 2 tablespoons sugar.  Cut into wedges and pierce with fork tines. Bake at 325 degrees for about 25 minutes or until lightly browned.  While it is still warm,  re-cut the wedges along the scoured lines.  Cool for 15 minutes.

Pastry Cream:  

8 oz. mascarpone cheese (ok to sub. with fresh cream cheese, but try not to use the "block" kind if you can help it)

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla

Beat the above ingredients together until well mixed and fluffy, one minute at the most.  Spread in cooled crusts.  Top with berries, it will take about 2 cups fruit per tart.

Glaze:  

1/3 cup berry jam

2 tablespoons Grand Marnier or orange juice

Heat the two ingredients in saucepan until just melted.  Sieve out any seeds and cool slightly.  Gently spoon glaze over the tarts and refrigerate until ready to serve. 

Serve with sweetened whipped cream.

 

10 tablespoons softened butter, softened
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. vanilla extract

In a mixer bowl beat butter and sugar, salt and vanilla until fluffy.  Mix in flour.  Press into a buttered and floured 8" round cake tin or 8" sq. pan (I use a tart pan with removable bottom) and sprinkle with additional 2 tablespoons sugar.  Cut into wedges or squares and pierce with fork tines. Bake at 325 degrees for about 45 minutes or until lightly browned.  While it is still warm,  re-cut the wedges or squares along the scoured lines.  Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan. - See more at: http://knitionaryrecipes.blogspot.ca/search/label/cookies#sthash.vKum1jiO.dpuf

10 tablespoons softened butter, softened
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. vanilla extract

In a mixer bowl beat butter and sugar, salt and vanilla until fluffy.  Mix in flour.  Press into a buttered and floured 8" round cake tin or 8" sq. pan (I use a tart pan with removable bottom) and sprinkle with additional 2 tablespoons sugar.  Cut into wedges or squares and pierce with fork tines. Bake at 325 degrees for about 45 minutes or until lightly browned.  While it is still warm,  re-cut the wedges or squares along the scoured lines.  Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan. - See more at: http://knitionaryrecipes.blogspot.ca/search/label/cookies#sthash.vKum1jiO.dpuf

Pavlova

Pavlova

Individual meringues with whipped cream and berry sauce

for meringues:

4 egg whites, room temperature
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Beat egg whites with electric beater until foamy.  Add cream of tartar and vanilla and continue beating until doubled in volume.  Add sugar a spoon at a time until stiff and glossy.  On a parchment paper lined cookie sheet form 6-8 meringue"nests".  With a wet spoon make a depression in the center of each.  Bake at 250 F for 1 1/2 hours.  We like our meringues crispy, but the original recipe is to serve these soft and you would bake them less if you like them that way.  Cool. These store well in an airtight container.

for berry sauce:

2 tbsp. cornstarch mixed in 1 tbsp. water
2/3 c. sugar
2 cups fresh or frozen berries ( I used some of my frozen ollalieberries)
2 tbsp. citrus juice, freshly squeezed

Wash berries and place in saucepan with sugar and juice.  Cook over medium flame for 1 or 2 minutes.  Add cornstarch mixture and cook on medium/high flame to boiling.  Boil for 30 seconds.  Refrigerate.

To assemble:

Place on plate, spoon berry sauce over and top with slightly sweetened softly whipped cream. 

Serves 6-8

While this originated in either New Zealand or Australia, it's named after the Russian ballerina, Anna Pavlova, and fitted perfectly into my Sochi Inspired Dinner.  Pavlova is more typically served as a magnificent meringue cake and cut or spooned into wedge servings.  I like making individual servings.

Kransekaka

Kransekaka is a famous Norwegian wedding/celebration cake and is a favorite dessert of my family.   You can find Kransekaka recipes in Scandinavian cookbooks and there are many on the internet; some are very cakey using 5 cups of flour, some are very candy-like using no flour at all.  Some recipes use a pound of butter, and some use none.  One thing they all have in common is their shape, concentric rings stacked into a pyramid.  My recipe uses easily found almond paste and is more candy-like than cake-like.  I've developed this recipe over the years to give a cookie-type crunch with a candy-ish chewy texture.  It's terrific!

One thing I must tell you:  Kransekaka is notorious for wanting to stick to the pan, refusing to budge causing shattered rings and kitchen tantrums.  But you know I would never give you a recipe that would do that!  I promise if you follow my directions you will have great success!  If you've tried making kransekaka before and failed, try mine.

 My husband came home and saw this on the sideboard, and said, 

"Well hon, you've outdone yourself this time!"  Yeah, I guess it is kinda showy.

There will be leftover dough to make jam tarts.

Over the years I've owned several different ring pans, but this Norpro set is the best.  They have a non-stick surface that is pretty reliable.  Kransekaka is notorious for wanting to stay put in the pan, but I've had good luck with these.  You don't have to have the specialty ring pans, you can eyeball it and bake them on baking parchment paper you've drawn concentric circles on.

The recipe:

3 7 oz. tubes Odense almond paste

4 egg whites, lightly stirred

2 pounds powdered sugar (you'll use some for the icing)

1 cup flour (GF version:  1/2 cup almond meal, 1/2 cup all purpose GF flour)

dry unseasoned bread crumbs, regular or GF

In a food processor, add paste that has either been broken apart in small pieces or grated.  Add egg whites, flour and 4 cups sugar and process.  It will be very sticky.  At this point I like to transfer it to my big mixer.  Add some sugar, little by little continuing to mix until it starts to look like you could knead it, that will take just a few minutes.  It will be thick and sticky.  Transfer to a powdered sugar covered board and knead, using more powdered sugar, until the dough feels like you could roll it into ropes.  Make into disc and wrap with plastic wrap and let rest in refrigerator for a few hours or overnight.

Next, follow the step by step directions below:

 

Spray pans WELL with cooking spray, sprinkle LIBERALLY with dry bread crumbs.
On a powdered sugar coated surface, roll out thin ropes of dough.
If they are too thick they will stick to each other as they bake
 and you won't be able to separate the ring cookies.

Bake at 350 F for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned.  If they are undercooked,

they won't remove easily from the pan.  Cool on rack for 10 minutes or so.

Don't wait too much longer, waiting too long will also make them want to stay!

When slightly cool and with the tip of a knife, carefully pry the cookie free.

It will loosen, and most likely come apart in one piece like the one above.

This is the "pan" side and the pretty side you will be showcasing. 

You can see the rings are baked into each other.  I put this on a bread board

and with the tip of a sharp knife, cut the rings apart from each other.

Once you have them loosened from their pans, they are ready to assemble!

Don't worry if you broke one or two or more, 

they can be easily glued together with the icing in the next step.

Prepare royal icing.  I use the recipe on the Wilton Meringue Powder box.

Alternately you can use the traditional powdered sugar/egg white recipe.

You will need less than a cup.  Use a paper cone or a piping bag 

with a small round tip for decorating.

 Take the largest ring and turn upside down.  

Pipe one line of icing around ring

and place on the cake plate to glue it in place.

Make pretty scallops of icing on top of the bottom ring,

  place next largest ring on top and repeat until all the rings are placed.

Decorate with little flags, Christmas poppers or trinkets.  

I like these little vintage Santas.

Sew sleeve seams and close underarm gap.  Sew on buttons and lightly block, being careful not to block out the gathers. - See more at: http://knitionary.blogspot.com/2014/05/snickerdoodle.html#sthash.1eZKg4Za.dpuf

Sew sleeve seams and close underarm gap.  Sew on buttons and lightly block, being careful not to block out the gathers. - See more at: http://knitionary.blogspot.com/2014/05/snickerdoodle.html#sthash.1eZKg4Za.dpuf

With leftover dough you can make Jam Tarts, see below.

Roll walnut sized dough and place in prepared mini cupcake pan.

With the handle of a wooden spoon, make a depression in each ball.

Fill with scant 1/2 teaspoon jam and bake at 350 F for 12-14 minutes or until done.

Cool slightly then remove and cool on rack.  These are chewy and delicious.

With leftover dough make pretty jam tarts. 

This is not as difficult as it looks.  Perhaps a bit time-consuming but worth it!  Once my Norwegian girlfriend and I made 5, yes, FIVE! in one day for her daughter's wedding.  It was show stopping to see them all together.  Quite spectacular!

How to serve:  If you are having a dessert buffet, it deserves a place in the center as the showpiece.  Break off a piece or two and encourage your guests to do the same.  Once a few top rings are gone, people are pretty comfortable taking bits off.  Or, if your are planning to pass it at the table, keep it throughout dinner in a place of honor to show it off.  When it's time to serve dessert, take it into the kitchen and break it up and put on a platter and pass.  Leftovers keep well.

Knitionary

Lemon, Ricotta & Almond Cake

Lemon, Ricotta & Almond Cake

A dense but light cake, slightly similar to a cheesecake.

1/2 cup softened butter

1 1/3 cup superfine sugar (whirl sugar in a blender to super fine it)

2 tsp. vanilla

1/4 cup lemon zest (about 5 lemons)

4 eggs at room temperature, separated

2 1/2 cups almond meal

10 1/2 oz. ricotta

sliced almonds and powdered sugar to decorate top of cake

Heat oven to 325 F.  Line the base and side of a 9" round cake tin with baking paper and set aside.

Place the first 4 ingredients in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer several minutes until pale and creamy.  Scrap down side of bowl, then gradually add the egg yolks, one at a time, continuing to beat until fully combineed.  Add the almond meal and beat to combine.  Fold in ricotta cheese.

In a clean bowl beat the egg whites until soft peaks form.  Gradually add the remaining sugar to the egg whites mixture and whisk until stiff peaks form.  Gently fold a third of the egg whites into the cake mixture.  Repeat with the rest of the egg whites.

Pour the mixture into the prepared cake tin, smooth the top with a palette knife, decorate the cake with the almond slices and bake for 40-45 minutes or until cooked and firm to touch.  Allow to cool completely in the cake tin.  Dust with icing sugar to serve.

Fancy Shortbread

Basic Shortbread

10 tablespoons butter, softened
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. vanilla extract

In a mixer bowl beat butter and sugar, salt and vanilla until fluffy.  Mix in flour.  Press into a buttered and floured 8" round cake tin or 8" sq. pan (I use a tart pan with removable bottom) and sprinkle with additional 2 tablespoons sugar.  Cut into wedges or squares and pierce with fork tines. Bake at 325 degrees for about 45 minutes or until lightly browned.  While it is still warm,  re-cut the wedges or squares along the scoured lines.  Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan.

Gluten free version:  Substitute 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour with 1 1/4 cups King Arthur All Purpose Gluten Free Flour and 1/4 cup rice flour.  Add 1/2 teaspoon ground psyllium huks (finely ground unflavored Metamucil)

The original post was Cavihour, a champagne and caviar party!

Knitionary

Slice and Bake Currant Cookie

Sometimes the Sun-Maid Currant box has the recipe, sometimes it  doesn't.  For the times when it doesn't, here it is!  It's one delicious cookie and the dough freezes well.

 

Slice and Bake Currant Cookies

(from the Sun-Maid box)

1 C softened butter

1 C powdered sugar

1/2 C sugar

1 egg

2 t. vanilla

2 1/4 C flour

1/2 t. baking soda

1 C currants

Combine butter, sugars, egg and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy.  Combine flour and baking soda and stir into butter mixture, mix well.  Stir in currants.  Shape into 2 inch roll, cover and chill until firm.  Slice into 1/4 inch slices, place on ungreased cookie sheets.  Bake at 350 F. for 12 minutes.  Cool on wire racks.  Makes 4 dozen.  I always double, the cookie dough rolls freeze well.

Knitionary