Maggie’s Louise Slice Finger Cookies

Maggie’s Louise Slice Finger Cookies

Base Layer:

125 grams butter, room temperature

3/4 cup super fine sugar

2 eggs, separated and at room temperature

1 3/4 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 cup seedless raspberry jam

8 oz. almond paste

Coconut Topping:

2 reserved egg whites

1/4 cup super fine sugar

1 1/4 cups shredded coconut

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

powdered sugar for garnish

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray a 9X13 inch pan with nonstick spray. Line the sprayed pan with parchment paper on bottom and sides with parchment  extending a little over the edge to use as handles, spray lightly again with nonstick spray; set aside.

In the bowl of stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolks one at a time until well combined. In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder. With the mixer set on low, mix in the dry ingredients until just combined.

Press the dough evenly into the bottom of the pan.  Roll out the almond paste into a rectangle that fits the inside of the pan., place on top of dough. Evenly spread the jam over the almond paste layer.

In a clean bowl beat the egg whites until stiff, gradually adding the sugar and vanilla extract. Fold in the shredded coconut. Spread the coconut meringue evenly over the top .

Bake for about 30-35 minutes or until top is just light golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before cutting into finger sizes. Sprinkle lightly with powdered sugar.

Glazed Chewy Oatmeal Cinnamon Chip Cookies

Glazed Chewy Oatmeal Cinnamon Chip Cookies

1/2 lb. butter,room temperature

1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

4 cups rolled oats

1 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

10 oz. bag cinnamon chips

1 cup toasted chopped walnuts

2 cups, bourbon soaked and drained raisins

Glaze- powdered sugar and water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.

Cream together the sugars and butter. Add the vanilla and the eggs one at a time, combining well after each addition.

Combine the flour,oats, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a separate bowl.

Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and blend well. Stir in the chips, raisins and nuts.

Using a small ice cream scoop, scoop out onto lined baking sheets.

Bake for about 12-13 minutes and remove from oven to cool on sheet.

Make the glaze by combining powdered sugar and a bit of water to a good drizzle consistency. Drizzle over cooled cookies and allow the glaze to set up.

Key Lime Brownies

Key Lime Brownies

Brownie Layer:

6 oz. butter

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

2 1/4 oz. cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 eggs, room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3 1/2 oz. all-purpose flour

Graham Layer:

10 oz. graham crackers

pinch of salt

6 tablespoons packed brown sugar

8 tablespoons butter, melted

 

Key Lime Layer:

I used regular limes for this because of the accessibility.

4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature

zest from 10 limes

2(14oz.) cans sweetened condensed milk

2 egg yolks

1 cup lime juice

 

Chocolate Layer:

1 cup heavy cream

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 lb. chopped chocolate

Brownie Layer:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a 9×13 inch pan with foil; leaving overage on ends to use as handle later. Spray lined pan with nonstick spray; set aside.

In a saucepan melt the butter. Remove from heat and whisk into the butter the cocoa, sugar and salt. Add the eggs and combine well. Mix in the flour. Spread batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes. The brownie base will not be fully cooked but slightly set. While brownies are baking prepare the graham layer. Evenly sprinkle the graham crumbs over the par cooked brownie layer. Press down slightly. Bake for another 15 minutes.

Graham Layer:

In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the crackers and sugar until crumbly. Stir in the melted butter.

Key Lime Layer:

Make lime layer while graham brownie layers bake together.

Place all the ingredients in thew bowl of a food processor and blend until combined. Pour evenly over the graham layer and return to oven and bake for about 20-25 minutes or just until sides begin to pull away from edge of pan. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

Chocolate Layer:

Heat the cream and sugar until sugar has dissolved. Pour the hot cream mixture over the chopped chocolate and stir until combined. Evenly spread over the lime layer and refrigerate until firm before cutting .

 

 

Coconut Macadamia Nut Brownies

Coconut Macadamia Nut Brownies

Brownie Layer:

6 oz. butter

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

2 1/4 oz. cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 eggs, room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3 1/2 oz. all-purpose flour

Coconut Macadamia Layer:

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 1/2 oz. all-purpose flour

2/3 cup light corn syrup

1 1/2 oz. butter

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 eggs, room temperature

1 1/2 cups chopped salted macadamia nuts

1/3 cup sweetened flaked coconut

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a 9×13 inch pan with foil; leaving overage on ends to use as handle later. Spray lined pan with nonstick spray; set aside.

Brownie Layer:

In a saucepan melt the butter. Remove from heat and whisk into the butter the cocoa, sugar and salt. Add the eggs and combine well. Mix in the flour. Spread batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 20  minutes. The brownie base will not be fully cooked but slightly set. While brownie base is baking make the coconut macadamia nut topping.

Coconut Macadamia Nut Layer:

In a mixing bowl combine the brown sugar and flour. Whisk until there are no more lumps. Add the corn syrup, melted butter, and vanilla. Whisk until blended. Add the eggs and whisk until combined. Stir in the nuts and coconut. Spread mixture carefully over the top of the par-baked brownie layer. Place the brownies back in the oven and continue to bake for about 20-30 minutes or until golden. Remove from the oven and allow to completely cool in the pan before cutting.

Whoopie Pies, Chocolate- Banana, Chocolate-Peanut Butter, Chocolate- Dulce De Leche

3 1/4 cups flour

1 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tablespoon baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 cup butter, room temp.

1 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs, room temp.

1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips, melted and cooled

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

2 cups buttermilk, room temp.

Preheat oven 400 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Sift flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt onto parchment paper. With electric mixer cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add egg one at a time . Mix in vanilla and cooled melted chocolate. Alternately add sifted dry ingredients and buttermilk ending with dry ingredients in three batches.. Mix thoroughly.

Using a 1 oz. ice cream scoop, place batter on lined sheets. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until tops crack and spring back when touched. Do not overcook. Cool completely.

Fillings

All three fillings together fill entire batch, recipe makes about 3 1/2 dozen pies

I prefer to pipe on fillings, it’s faster using a  plain tip

Banana Filling

4 tablespoons butter, room temp.

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup mashed banana

1/4 tsp. fresh lime juice

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

powdered sugar , enough to create the correct spreading consistency. About 3 1/2 -4 cups

Dulce De Leche Filling

2- 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees with rack in center.

Pour milk into pie plate or other shallow dish. Cover tightly with foil and place inside a larger baking pan and place in oven. Add enough water to larger pan to reach half way up the side of pie plate. Do not get any water in milk.

Bake for at least 1 hour. Carefully check with a spoon stir the milk to see if it is thick and a rich caramel color. Cover again with foil and check every 10 minutes until done. Add more boiling water as needed.

Transfer pie plate to wire rack to cool. Once cooled , with  electric mixer beat until smooth and mixture can support a spoon without sinking.

Peanut butter Filling

1 package Reeses minis

12 tablespoons butter, room temp.

1 cup peanut butter

1 cup powdered sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

Blend all ingredients until smooth, except the Reeses Minis

Place filling in piping bag with plain tip. pipe on one half and place 4 mini Reeses and top with other half.

Stroopwafels

Wafel Dough:

1 tsp instant yeast

1 tsp. sugar

1/2 lb. butter

1/3 cup sugar

Pinch of salt

1 rounded tablespoon cinnamon

3 cups flour

2 eggs

Proof yeast in 3 tablespoons water with 1 teaspoon sugar until bubbly. Beat butter until light, adding sugar, salt and cinnamon. Mix in the yeast mixture, flour and eggs; beat well. Set in a warm place for about an hour. It will not look like it’s rising much at all; don’t worry. Meanwhile make the syrup(stroop).

Stroop (Syrup)

1 Tablespoon cinnamon

1 cup Golden Eagle Light Syrup or Lyles Golden Syrup, in a pinch Karo Light Syrup

3/4 cup packed brown sugar plus 2 tablespoons

1/4 cup butter

Heat the cinnamon, brown sugar and Golden Eagle Syrup slowly until thickened and brown sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and beat in the butter. It will thicken as it cools. It needs to be a spreadable consistency. If it gets too thick, reheat slowly over low heat until it’s the correct consistency.

To bake and prepare:

Use a Stroopwafel Iron or Gallette Iron, available online

1 1/2 inch cookie scoop

Sharp thin knife

Heat wafel iron and oil lightly , only once. Using the ice cream scoop, scoop dough to make rounded balls. Place a ball in the heated iron and bake ONLY 1 minute. Remove from iron and immediately , using a sharp knife slice the wafel in half horizontally into two thin wafers. (This is where you need asbestos fingers) Spread some syrup on one half and sandwich together, pressing slightly.Cool on a rack, flat.

The dough can be made in advance. Formed into balls and frozen. Thaw in refrigerator until ready to complete.

Dutch Almond Bar Delights

Base Dough:

1 egg

1 cup butter, room temperature

1/2 cup shortening

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 cups flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

pinch of salt

Filling:

2 eggs

1 cup almond paste

2 tsp. pure almond extract

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

Icing:

1 cup powdered sugar

2 tsp. water

pinch of salt

1 tsp. pure almond extract

1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds

Chocolate Coating:

5 oz. dark chocolate, chopped

1 1/2 tsp. shortening

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugars. Add egg; blend well. Slowly add dry ingredients and blend until well combined. In a 9×13 pan lined with parchment paper, spread half the base dough into the bottom of the pan.

In a separate bowl blend together the almond paste and sugars until well combined. Add egg , salt and almond extract and beat until well combined. Pour over base in pan. With remaining base dough scatter in small pieces evenly over the top. Base dough is sticky. Place in oven and bake for 45-50 minutes or until golden. Remove from the oven . Meanwhile combine all the icing ingredients and spread over hot bars. Quickly sprinkle the nuts over the top. Allow to cool completely. Using a knife loosen edges and remove bars from pan.

Prepare the chocolate coating by carefully melting the chocolate and shortening in the microwave in 30 second increments. Stir until glossy. Dip the bottoms of the bars in the chocolate coating and place on parchment paper to set up.

Persimmon Cookies with Bourbon Glaze

Cookie Batter:

1 cup persimmon pulp

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup. butter, room temperature

1 egg, beaten

2 cups flour

1 cup toasted, chopped walnuts

1 cup raisins, soaked in bourbon overnight

1 tablespoon orange zest

1/4 tsp. cloves

1/4 tsp. mace

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp salt

Bourbon Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

2 tsp. bourbon

4-5 tsp. water

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Strain the raisins, reserving the strained bourbon.

Beat butter and sugars together until well creamed. Add the pulp, zest , baking soda and egg. Add the remaining dry ingredients and blend just until combined; stir in the raisins and nuts. Using a small ice cream scoop drop onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake 12-16 minutes until cooked through. Meanwhile prepare the glaze by mixing all the ingredients together until well combined and smooth. Dip the tops of each cookie in the glaze and return to the parchment paper to set. Store in a airtight container.