Raspberry Sugar Cookies

    Happy Holidays!  How was everyone Christmas?  Did Santa bring you what you wanted?  I did not want anything for Christmas this year but to spend quality time with my family and make sure my two girls were happy.  And guess what I scored!  My youngest daughter made sure she reminded me every hour that we have to make cookies for Santa.   I could not let my munchkin down and fail as a supermom, so me and my daughters headed to kitchen to bake up a storm.  

    The normal person will bake Santa some chocolate chip cookies.  Nope, not me.  If Santa is visiting my house he have to get something extra special and not the norm.  Hey we want extra gifts over here! The first thing that came to my mind is gingerbread cookies.  But then my oldest daughter got too excited and said we can make a gingerbread house.  Um yeah but I do not want to go back out to the store in all that madness to get more candy.  Sorry love, we going the simple way - sugar cookies.

 I used my favorite sugar cookie recipe from Bake at 350.  But we did not want to go to simple.  Due to the time and other tasks I had to do I know I could not decorate the cookies with royal icing.  I took another approach and make some raspberry preserves to add in the middle.  I took out my circle crinkle cookie cutter and we had a blast in the kitchen.

Vanilla - Almond Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

3 cups unbleached - all purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 cup sugar ( stored with vanilla beans)
2 sticks salted butter, cold and cut into pieces
1 egg (it can be cold)
3/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. pure almond extract

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2.  In a medium size bowl sift flour and baking powder, set aside.
3.  Cream sugar and butter for five minutes.  In a separate bowl whisk egg and extracts.  Pour egg mixture in the sugar mixture.  Mix until combined.
4.  Gradually add the flour mixture and beat until combined.  Scrape down the bowl and the bottom.   The dough will be crumbly.  Knead together with hands as you scoop it out the bowl.
5.  Take a sheet of wax paper and about 1/3 of dough and cover with another sheet of wax paper.  Press dough down with your hands a little bit .
6.  Roll dough to about 1/4" to 3/8" thick and cut out with your desired cookie cutter.  I like to dip my cutter in flour so it does not stick to the dough.
7.  Place parchment lined baking sheets on a baking sheet.  Freeze on the sheet for 5 minutes before baking and then bake for 10-12 minutes.  Cool for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.


Recipe adapted from Bake at 350








 

Gingerbread Yule Log Cake

    Have you done your Christmas shopping yet?  Well if you have not don't be ashamed I have not either.  I really have not figured yet what to give my oldest daughter.  She is eleven almost at the pre-teen difficult age, and want every unrealistic thing on her Christmas List.  I am almost at the giving up stage and striving to clothes and shoes.  Who little girl don't love shoes and clothes?  Even-though I have not got my Christmas shopping down yet, I do do have my Christmas breakfast, and dinner all planned out already.  Yep, I am a food-addict.  Despite my size, I love to cook, and of-course baking.I have about three desserts for breakfast and five already planned out.  I am so excited.  
    If you are looking for that perfect dessert for your family, friends, and guests, you should try this gingerbread yule log cake I made.

     Nothing beats ginger, molasses, cream cheese, and all the winter spices in this roll.  The even best part is frosting it with chocolate buttercream.  Yum!

Gingerbread Roll

Ingredients
5 large eggs, separated
1/2 cup molasses
2 tbsp. finely grated fresh ginger
3/4 cup cake flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground ginger
3/4 tsp cardamom
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp. granulated sugar
1 tsp. unflavored gelatin
1 tbsp. cold water
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 tsp ground cimmamon
12 ounces creme fraiche
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cinnamon sticks
8 whole cloves
2 tbsp. dark rum
2 tbsp. apple cider
Confectioners sugar, for dusting

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325°. Line a 12-by-17-inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the egg yolks until pale, about 2 minutes. Add the molasses, 1/4 cup of the brown sugar and the fresh ginger and beat until combined. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, ground ginger, cardamom, black pepper and salt. Beat the dry ingredients into the egg yolk mixture until combined.
2. In a clean bowl, using clean beaters, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add 1/4 cup of the granulated sugar and beat until firm and glossy. Fold the egg whites into the batter until no streaks remain. Spread the batter onto the prepared baking sheet in an even layer. Bake for about 15 minutes, until lightly browned and firm to the touch. Transfer to a rack and let cool for 10 minutes.
3. Sprinkle the cake with the remaining 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar. Run the blade of a sharp knife around the edge of the pan. Cover the cake with a clean kitchen towel and top with a large cutting board. Holding the pan, towel and cutting board, invert the cake onto the cutting board. Remove the pan and carefully peel off the parchment paper. Cover loosely with a kitchen towel and let the gingerbread cool completely.
4. In a small microwave-safe bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water; let stand until softened, about 5 minutes. Microwave at high power until the gelatin is melted, about 10 seconds. In a clean bowl, beat the cream cheese with the cinnamon and melted gelatin until smooth. In another bowl, whip the crème fraîche with the confectioners' sugar until still. Fold the cream cheese into the crème fraîche.
5. Spread the filling evenly over the entire surface of the cake. Starting at a short end, roll up the cake jelly roll–style. Wrap the gingerbread roll tightly in plastic and refrigerate until firm, at least 3 hours.
6. In a small saucepan, melt the butter. Add the remaining 1/3 cup of brown sugar and bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Add the cinnamon sticks and cloves. Whisk in the rum and cider and remove from the heat. Let the butter-rum sauce steep for 1 hour. Discard the cinnamon sticks and cloves.
7. Unwrap the gingerbread roll and transfer it to a plate; dust lightly with confectioners' sugar. Cut into slices and bring to room temperature. Garnish the gingerbread roll per your preference and serve with the butter-rum sauce. 

Recipe adapted from Food and Wine

Red White and Green Vanilla Cake

   Hi everyone!  I know I been MIA for a while.  I had a lot of change in my life.  Two months ago I recently got laid off my job that I was working at for eight and half years.  At the beginning it crushed me but day by day I am getting better.  I think this was an opportunity for me to work more on Never Dessert You.  Due to that I have been not blogging as much.  I have been baking but not taking my pics.  I am so sorry to my readers and fans that I have deserted you.  But I am back and ready to share my delightful treats.

   Since the holidays are approaching I wanted to do something festive.  I made this vanilla cake that is so scrumptious.  I did not get to take a whole pic of the entire cake, because my kids ate most of it. But that is what happens when you leave kids around sweets.  What do you desseritas think?

Vanilla Cake

Ingredients
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
2 1/2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 cup low-fat buttermilk

Directions.
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray three 6-by-2-inch cake pans with Bakers Joy or butter pan..  In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

2.  Using an electric mixer beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy for five minutes.  With mixer on low, beat in eggs and yolks one at a time.  Beat in vanilla.  Alternately beat in flour mixture and buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.  Mix until combined.

3.  Divide batter evenly (I used a scale to measure out evenly) between bowls.  Add two drops of red to one bowl, two drops to another bowl.  Pour batter between pans and smooth tops.

4.  Bake for 30 to 35 minutes.  Let cool in pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes,  Run a knife around pans and invert cakes onto wore rack.  Cool completely.  Frost with your favorite icing and layer cakes.  Serve

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart