Lake Lure Cottage Kitchen

While we were in Paris last summer I bought a silicone financier pan from Dehillerin, the iconic kitchen supply store.  I have regretted not buying the individual financier tin molds ever since.  Financiers are small cakes made in Paris bakeries in the shape of gold bars.  They were originally sold in the financial district to busy businessmen who wanted a quick snack on the go, since when you have an LLC is important to learn how to manage your time and employees. 

I have a friend here in Florida whose mother was an expert chocolate maker.  Stephanie inherited all of her mother’s chocolate molds.   I was describing the rectangular financier molds to her and she said that she would look through her collection to see if she had any.  To my surprise and delight I received this gift from Stephanie.

The fluted molds are so beautiful.  I feel honored that she wanted to share them with me.  Stephanie’s  mother was not only an exceptional baker, she was also a hat model in New York City.  Looking at Stephanie,with her beautiful sculpted cheek bones and wide smile, I can understand why her mother’s visage would be perfect for modeling hats.  Does anyone model hats anymore?  I doubt it.

Traditionally financiers are made with browned butter, almond meal and confectioner’s sugar.  That combination makes a delicious cake.  I have become addicted to them.  You can make your own almond meal by grinding almonds into a fine mix or you can buy almond meal at most health food or specialty grocery stores.  You can make them plain or add fruit such as raspberries or blueberries to the top.  I have even made a savory financier using sage leaves and walnuts.  See that recipe here.  This recipe came from Joy of Baking and there is a great video included with the recipe.

RASPBERRY FINANCIERS (From Joy of Baking)

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup all purpose-flour
1/2 cup ground almonds (can use almond meal/flour)
3/4 cup confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar, sifted
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 large egg whites, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Fresh berries (optional)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) with the oven rack in the center of the oven. Place 12 rectangular or boat shaped tartlet molds (each holds about 2 tablespoons of batter) on a baking sheet. (Can also use mini muffin cups.)

Place the butter in a small light colored saucepan over medium heat. Once the butter has melted let it come to a boil, swirling the pan occasionally. As it boils you will notice that a foam will appear on the butter’s surface. Continue to cook the butter until it looks clear and the milk solids have dropped to the bottom of the pan and have turned golden brown. Remove from heat and immediately pour through a cheesecloth-lined strainer. Let cool to room temperature. You will need 1/3 cup (80 ml) of brown butter. Use the leftover brown butter to butter the molds (use a pastry brush).

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, ground almonds, confectioners sugar, and salt. Make a well in the center and fold in the lightly beaten egg whites, vanilla, and the brown butter. Fill each mold almost to the rim and bake for about 4 minutes (batter is set around the edges but still soft in the center). Remove from the oven and gently place one or two fresh raspberries on top of each. Bake a further 5-7 minutes or until the Financiers have become golden brown around the edges and are springy to the touch. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack. These are best eaten warm from the oven, but they can be covered and stored for a few days at room temperature or in the refrigerator.

Makes about 12 Financiers.

Printable recipe

I was inspired to make these cookies this year by my friend Maxine.  Rugalach is a traditional Jewish dessert served during Hanakkuh.  But it is also a cookie that originated in Eastern Europe and was embraced by many ethnicities.  My Mother made a similar cookie with leftover pie dough.  It is interesting that so many traditions were shared by various immigrants to our country.  I remember as a child loving the rolled dough pieces with cinnamon more than the pie that was the reason for their existence.

Rugelach are made with a pastry that includes cream cheese.  The filling usually includes apricot jelly, ground walnuts and sometimes chocolate.  Because I love chocolate, that was a necessary  inclusion.  I made the pastry one day while I also made the dough for my sugar cookies.  It made it easy the next morning to pull each wrapped dough out of the refrigerator as I needed it.  All was finished by noon.

Here are some of the snowflake sugar cookies.

The rest of the sugar cookies, above.  It is nice to have a variety of cookies ready for the Grandkids.  My heart is full of gratitude that I can hold them close this year.  The events of the past week have broken my heart.

RUGELACH (Martha Stewart)

For the Dough
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
3 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon pur vanilla extract
Pinch of coarse salt
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling out dough

For the Filling
4 ounces walnuts
1/2 cup sugar
Pinch of cinnamon
Pinch of salt
12 ounces apricot jelly, melted*
2 cups mini semi-sweet chocolate chips, or currants or a combination

For the Finishing
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup fine sanding sugar

Directions

1. Make the dough: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and cream cheese at medium speed.  Add sugar, and beat until fluffy.  Beat in egg yolks, on at a time, beating to combine after each addition.  Add vanilla and salt, and beat to combine.  Reduce speed to low, and beat in flour.  Remove from bowl, and divide into 3 pieces on a lightly floured surface.  Pat into disks, and wrap in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, and up to overnight.

2. Make the filling;  In a food processor, combine walnuts, sugar, cinnamon, and salt,  Pulse until fine.

3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Line baking sheets with Silpats or parchment paper.  On a lightly floured surface, roll one piece of dough into a 12-inch round, less than 1/8 inch thick.  Brush evenly with jelly.  Sprinkle with one-third of the walnut mixture and one-third of the chocolate chips.  Using the rolling pin, gently roll over filling to press.

4. Cut the round into 16 equal-sized wedges.  Beginning at the large base of each wedge, roll to enclose filling, forming crescent shapes.  Pinch to seal.  Place on prepared baking sheets.  Repeat with remaining dough and filling ingredients.  Brush tops with beaten egg, and sprinkle with sanding sugar.  Bake until golden brown 20 to 25 minutes.
* I did not use all of the apricot jelly.  I just smeared a thin layer on each of the rounds.

ICED SUGAR COOKIES

Makes 24 to 36 cookies

2 1/2 cups cake flour, plus more for dusting
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1-pound box confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons meringue powder (Available at Michael’s)
Nonpareils, for decorating (optional)

1. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl.

2. Beat the butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl witha mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes.  Add the egg and vanilla and beat until incorporated.  Reduce the mixer speed to low; add the flour mixture in 2 batches and beat until just incorporated.  Divide the dough in half, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.

3. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.  Working with 1 piece of dough at a time, lightly dust the dough with flour and roll out between 2 pieces of parchment paper until about 1/8-inch thick.  Refrigerate until slightly firm, about 15 minutes.  Cut out shapes using 2-to-4 inch cookie cutters and transfer to the prepared baking sheets.  Gather the scraps and refrigerate until firm; reroll once to cut out more cookies.  Refrigerate the cutouts until firm, about 30 minutes.

4. Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 350 degrees F.  Bake the cookies, switching the position of the pans halfway through, until just golden, 13 to 15 minutes.  Let cool 5 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to racks to cool completely.

5. Meanwhile, make the icing; Sift the confectioners’ sugar and meringue powder into a large bowl.  Beat in 6 tablespoons water with a mixer on medium speed until soft, glossy peaks form.  Spread on the cookies and decorate with nonpareils.  Let set, about 1 hour.

Printable recipe: Rugelach

Printable recipe Iced Sugar Cookies

This is such a pretty cookie to add to your Christmas cookie tray.  It was one of the cookies featured in The Food Network magazine December issue.  Now if you look at the cookie in the magazine, you will see  a much prettier cookie.  The swirls are more defined and even.  But hey, I’m not complaining.  I still like the looks of my cookies.

You start with a basic sugar cookie dough, divide in half and add food coloring, chocolate and cinnamon flavoring to one half.  Roll out each dough on a piece of parchment.

Turn the red half by lifting the parchment and place it on top of the plain half.

Trim the edges.  I saved this dough and made multi colored cookies from it.  Once the edges are trimmed roll the dough into a log.

There are a number of trips to the refrigerator for this dough but it is easy once you reach this stage.  Just slice and bake.

I am making several types of cookies this year because the Grandchildren will be here for the holidays.  Making cookies certainly has a way of putting you in the holiday spirit.  I am also taking the time to wrap my presents with pretty bows.  I will tell you more about that technique in my next post.

Enjoy!

CINNAMON PINWHEEL COOKIES  (The Food Network Magazine)

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon extract (optional)*
1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon red food coloring
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon sanding sugar (clear or red), plus more for coating

Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bow.  Beat the butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes.  Beat in the egg and vanilla until incorporated.  Reduce the mixer speed to low; add the flour mixture and beat until just combined.  Remove half of the dough and wrap in plastic wrap. Add the cinnamon extract, cocoa powder and food coloring to the remaining dough beat until incorporated; wrap in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate both pieces of dough until firm, about 1 hour.

Dust the dough with flour and roll out each piece on parchment paper into a 10-by-11-inch rectangle.  Flip the red dough on top of the plain dough; remove the top piece of parchment and trim the edges.  Sprinkle the ground cinnamon and sanding sugar on top  Starting from a shorer end, tightly roll up the dough, using the parchment to help; roll the log in sanding sugar.  Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 3 hours or overnight.

Position rack in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.  Slice the log crosswise 1/4 inch thick; arrange the slices about 1 1/2 inches apart on the baking sheets.  Bake, switching the position of the pans halfway through, until slightly puffed and lightly golden on the bottom, 12 to 15 minutes.  Let cool 5 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to rack to cool.

* I could not find cinnamon extract, but did find cinnamon oil at Hobby Lobby in the cake decorating department.  It is stronger by 4.  I used 1/16th of a teaspoon.  To be honest, I don’t think you need it.

Printable recipe

The weather is rapidly changing as both hurricane Sandy and Winter bear down upon us.  But last Thursday was a perfect Fall day in North Carolina.  I baked these delightfully Fall tasting cookies after a day spent with one of my best buddies and blogging pals, the other Penny.  Penny has two blogs now; her lifestyle blog, The Comforts of Home and her cooking blog, From Harvest to Table.  We spent the morning in Asheville antiquing in the downtown area.  It is so much fun to spend time with someone who shares your interests.  We were both on the same quest.  We were looking for props for our cooking blogs.  After a successful morning of shopping we stopped for lunch at Creperie Bouchon.

The leaves were falling and the dappled sunshine made eating outside delightful.  Not even leaves falling into our crisp Sauvignon Blanc deterred us.

Our lunches of Pesto Chicken Crepes with arugula, tomatoes and Swiss were just right.

We couldn’t resist the frites dusted with Herbes de Provence and served with Roasted Red Pepper Mayonnaise.  Perfect.

One of my purchases was this cute blue polka dot plate.  It pairs well with the milk bottle that I picked up in France this summer.  It inspired me to make these cookies with cinnamon spices,  pumpkin and biscoff spread.  I am cleaning out my pantry  before my return to Florida and my jar of biscoff had just enough left in it.  I found the recipe on the Two Peas and Their Pod blog.  A perfect recipe for a perfect day.

BISCOFF PUMPKIN OATMEAL COOKIES (Two Peas and Their Pod)

Ingredients:

Directions

Printable recipe

This is a very simple and moist apple cake with a caramel glaze on top.  I saw the recipe on Pinterest and it appealed to my autumnal senses.  I made it even easier by using a prepared caramel sauce from William Sonoma on the top.

Holes are poked in the top to let the caramel sauce soak in.  My only criticism of the cake is that it is almost too sweet.  But it is my understanding that the original recipe came from Paula Deen, which might explain that.

We have company this weekend and I have been busy cooking.  I’m thinking this will be good with a scoop of ice cream.  We are looking forward to a weekend of riding motorcycles on The Blue Ridge Parkway to enjoy the beauty of the season.  This and a succulent beef brisket will be nice to have when we get home.  More about that beef brisket later.

CARAMEL APPLE CAKE (adapted from The Charm of Home)

2 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups diced apples
1 cup chopped walnuts

Caramel Topping:
1 1/2 sticks butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/8 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Butter and flour a 13×9-inch pan.

Place sugar, eggs, oil and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix until mixture is light and fluffy.  Combine flour, cinnamon and salt and slowly add to sugar mixture until well combines.  Stir in apples and walnuts.  Pour batter into baking pan.  Bake for 45 to 60 minutes.  Poke holes in warm cake and pour caramel sauce over top.

Caramel Sauce:  In a saucepan melt butter with brown sugar and milk.  Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes.  If you are in a hurry you can use a purchased caramel sauce. (About 1 cup).

Printable recipe