Bourbon Cake

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 8 eggs, separated
• 3 cups sugar, divided
• 2 cups butter, softened (4 sticks)
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup bourbon
• 2 tsp almond extract
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• powdered sugar

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a bundt pan and sprinkle chopped pecans in pan.

Beat egg whites at high speed with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Slowly add 1 cup of sugar, a tablespoon at a time, until stiff peaks form (about 2-4 minutes). Set aside.

In a separate bowl, beat butter at medium speed of an electric mixer for 2 minutes. Slowly add remaining 2 cups of sugar. Continue beating at medium speed for 5 minutes. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating until yellow disappears.

Add flour to butter mixture alternating with bourbon, beginning and ending with flour. Mix at low speed just until blended after each addition of flour. Stir in vanilla and almond extract.

Fold egg white mixture to batter. Spoon mixture into prepared bundt pan.

Bake 60-70 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 15-20 minutes; remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

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Macroons

INGREDIENTS

Strawberry Macaroon Shells
4oz Almond Flour
8oz Powdered Sugar
5oz Egg Whites
2 1/2 0z. Sugar
2 Tsp. Strawberry
1/2 Tsp. Salt
Pink Gel Coloring

Vanilla Macaroon Shells 
4oz Almond Flour
8oz Powdered Sugar
5oz Egg Whites
2 1/2 0z. Sugar
2 Tsp. Vanilla Extract
1/2 Tsp. Salt

Chocolate Buttercream
1/2 Cup Butter
2 1/2 Cups Powdered Sugar
1 Tsp. Vanilla Extract
4 Tbs. Cocoa Powder
1-3 Tbs. Milk

INSTRUCTIONS

Measure out all of your macaroon ingredients for the strawberry shells first.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, pour in egg whites, salt, and sugar. Set timer for 3 minutes and beat at a medium speed using the whisk attachment. Once the 3 minutes are up turn it up about 3 notches to speed 7 and beat for another 3 minutes. Once those are up turn it all the way up on high and beat one last time for 3 minutes.

While your meringue is beating sift your almond flour and powdered sugar into a bowl. Once all is sifted you should have some small bits of almond that were too large to pass through. If there is a tsp. or less you just leave them out, if there is more you will want to send them through a food processor to grind them up before pouring into the batter.

Add in strawberry extract and pink gel coloring then beat on high for about 30 seconds, stop and use a spatula to scrap all the unmixed meringue from the sides, then beat for 30 more seconds.

Here is where you really have to pay attention, you will need just the right consistency to get a good macaroon.

Add in dry ingredients. Using a spatula “fold” the batter with about 25-28 turns of the spatula going around the bowl then across in a swooping pattern. By doing this you are deflating some of the extra air from the batter. Make sure to get everything off the bottom mixed in. At first it will seem really thick and clumpy but it will smooth out quick. You want a thickness that is still thick enough to hold a little shape but thin enough to fold back into itself. You can check this every few stirs by holding up your spatula with batter on it, the batter should “drop” off the spatula but then settle into the batter after a few moments.

Using a small round tip and piping bag, pipe small 1-1.5 inch circles onto either a macaroon mat or parchment paper. Again, I used a macaroon mat and it really made this process so easy. But you could simply pipe circles on to parchment paper and even pre-draw circles on the bottom as guides. Either way you need to remember you batter will spread a bit so you don’t want to pipe all the way to the sides or the circle. I find it best to pipe the circles by holding the tip straight up in the center and letting it “flow” out. You will have small peaks at first but the first tip should have already appeared after you’ve piped about 5 macaroons. If not, you want to stick the batter back in the bag and deflate it a little more.

Preheat the oven for 290-300 degrees. Then set your piped macaroons trays on the counter and set the timer for 25 minutes. Don’t place the macaroons in the oven right after piping. After about 25-30 minutes your macaroons should have a slight “crust” over them. When you gently touch them they should not stick to your finger. Bake for 15-18 minutes.

After pulling tray from oven, carefully pull the baking mat or parchment paper off the baking tray and on to the counter to cool. Let the cool completely before attempting to remove.

Repeat process with vanilla macaroons shells adding vanilla extract instead and no coloring.

While your last shells are baking time to whip up some yummy chocolate buttercream to fill them with.

In a mixing bowl or bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter until fluffy add in 1 tsp. vanilla, beat until combined. Then add in powdered sugar and cocoa, beat until fully combined. Add in milk a little at a time beating in between until you’ve reached desired consistency.

Using the same size tip and piping bag, pipe buttercream on one side of each macaroon and then sandwich together.

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Coca-Cola Cake

INGREDIENTS:

For the Cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 (12-ounce) can cola
1 cup unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 eggs
½ cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Frosting:1 (12-ounce) can cola

½ cup salted butter, cut into small cubes
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
4 cups powdered sugar, sifted

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Make the Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.

3. In a small saucepan, stir together the cola, butter and cocoa powder over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Pour into the flour mixture and stir with a rubber spatula until moistened.

4. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk and vanilla until blended. Add to the batter, whisking constantly.

5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes.

6. Make the Frosting: About 15 minutes before the cake is finished, begin the frosting. In a small saucepan, bring the cola to a boil over high heat and cook until the liquid is reduced to ½ cup, about 12 to 15 minutes. Stir in the butter and cocoa powder until the butter is melted, then remove from the heat. Add the powdered sugar about 1 cup at a time, whisking until smooth. Pour immediately over the hot cake in an even layer. Allow the cake to cool to room temperature before serving. Leftovers should be covered and stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

 

Enjoy!

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Homemade Milano Cookies

Ingredients

·         12  tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

·         2 1/2  cups powdered sugar

·         7/8  cup egg whites (from 6-7 eggs)

·         2  tablespoons vanilla extract

·         1 1/2 cups Gold Medal™ unbleached all-purpose flour

·         1/2  cup heavy cream

·         8 ounce semisweet chocolate, chopped

·         Zest from 1/4 orange

    Instructions 

1.    Preheat oven to 350°F and line four or more baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper (use as many baking sheets as will fit in your oven).

2.    In a large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter. Add sugar and mix until combined.

3.    Add egg whites gradually, then mix in the vanilla. Add flour and mix until just combined.

4.    Using a piping bag fitted with a 1/4 plain tip, pipe 2-inch sections of batter onto the baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake in oven for 10 minutes or until edges are a light golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool completely on baking sheet.

5.    To make the filling: In a small saucepan, scald the heavy cream (bring it to about 180°F). Pour scalded cream over chopped chocolate in a large bowl and whisk to melt. Add zest and stir.

6.    Spoon a thin layer of filling on the flat side of half the cookies. Press the flat side of another cookie down lightly on top of the filling. Repeat with remaining cookies. Place cookies in refrigerator for 10 minutes to set filling.

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Just 3 ingredients for those super delicious cookies.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare two large baking sheets lined with parchment paper or a Silpat.

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add flour and continue to mix until mixture forms a soft dough (it will be crumbly at first, but keep mixing and it will form a dough). Form dough into a cohesive ball with your hands.

Roll dough 1/4-inch thick on a surface dusted with flour or powdered sugar* with a well-dusted rolling pin. Cut into rounds and place on prepared baking sheets. Repeat as necessary.

Bake for 16-18 minutes, or until cookies are pale golden brown. Let cool on baking sheets.

Enjoy!

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Super Brownie Cookies

Serves: 24

Ingredients

·         1 box fudge brownie mix (19.5 ounce or family size)

·         ¼ cup butter, melted

·         4 oz. (1/2 block) cream cheese, softened

·         1 egg

·         1 cup powdered sugar

·         1 cup creamy peanut butter

·         4 blocks (about 4 ounces) chocolate Candiquik

Instructions

1.     Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, beat the brownie mix, butter, cream cheese, and egg. The dough will be a little sticky. Scoop the dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet, making about 24 cookies. Smooth the edges of each to form a round cookie.

2.     In a separate bowl, mix the powdered sugar and the peanut butter until it is completely combined. Form the mixture into about 1 inch balls. Make sure you have one ball for each cookie. Set aside.

3.     Bake for the cookie dough 12 minutes, keeping an eye out to make sure the cookies doesn't over cook or undercook.

4.     As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, press a peanut butter ball lightly into the center of each cookie. The peanut butter mixture will soften slightly, but that is OK. Let the cookies cool for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

5.     Melt the 4 blocks of chocolate in a microwavable bowl for 45 seconds. Stir the chocolate and melt for additional 15 seconds or until the chocolate is completely melted. (Candiquik comes in 16 ounce packages. When you open it, there are 16 blocks. Cut off 4 of these blocks for this recipe.) Spoon about ½ a tablespoon of melted chocolate on top of each cookie so it covers the peanut butter ball. Let the chocolate set. Store in an airtight container.

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