Easy Sugar Cookies

   Easy Sugar Cookies

Sugar cookies are a classic, they are simple and amazing but also can be versatile. You can add any extra you want. For example I made white chocolate and peanut butter chip sugar cookie, also awesome. So throw in whatever you like to make this sugar cookie your own. 

Ingredients:  

1 cup butter                 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 cup sugar                   1/2 tsp baking powder

1 egg                              

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 1/4 cups flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

To start combine butter and sugar in a mixing bowl once these are blended together add in the egg and vanilla, mix well.

     Gradually add in flour, baking soda, baking powder.

     Shape the mixture into 1 inch balls and roll them in sugar. Place on a greased cookie sheet and flatten them with the bottom of a glass.

      For extra awesomeness I sprinkle a little extra sugar on top after they have been flattened, it gives the cookies a sparkly appearance when they come out of the oven.                                  

      Bake for 10-12 minutes. Cool on baking rack. 

 This cookie is easy, these are all things you should have on hand in your kitchen. If you are in a pinch these cookies are easy, not time consuming to make, and very yummy.


   Go Get Baked,
                        Haley

Yummy Braided White Bread

 This braided white bread is very yummy and pairs well with coffee, tea and can make killer sandwiches! Making bread is not known for its ease but this recipe was not as difficult as many others I have come across, so for my first crack at bread I decided to stay simple. Now lets get baking. :)

Note: You need a scale for this, all ingredients must be measured.
   

Ingredients:


Bread:
1 1/2 ounces (40g) of yeast (almost 6 packages)
1 1/2 (360ml) cups cold milk
12 ounces (340g) bread flour
12 ounces(340g) cake flour
1 1/2 ounces (40g) sugar
1 tablespoon (15g) salt
3 ounces (85g) unsalted butter
poppy or sesame seeds


Egg Wash:
4 eggs
1 teaspoon salt

Start by dissolving the yeast in the cold milk. Add the bread flour, cake flour, sugar and salt. Mix with a dough hook until the mixture forms a ball, mix in butter.

Knead the dough at a medium speed for about 8 - 10 minutes or until a fine gluten structure has developed, to test this take a piece of the dough and play with it,  it should stretch and be almost translucent, this means you have kneaded enough. Do not over knead bread, this will end the bread making adventure very fast, as the bread will not rise.

From here place the dough on a oiled cookie sheet, flatten the dough across the sheet. Chill for 30 min. to 1 hour.

After the dough has chilled punch down the dough and separate the dough into six 6oz pieces, Three for each loaf of bread. Roll each 6oz of dough into logs about six or seven inches long, thicker in the middle and thinner at the ends. Braid the dough and tuck the edges underneath the bread.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Brush the loaves with egg wash and leave them on the cookie sheet to rise. Just before they have double in volume brush with egg wash again and pop them in the freezer for 15- 20 minutes, this will make the braid stand out more once the loaves have baked.

Place these loaves in oven and let them bake for about 25 minutes. Once they are done place them on a cooling rack. Make sure to let them cool completely before eating.

But the best part is now you have yummy braided white bread to eat!

Be sure to check back weekly for new recipes and baked goods!

Happy Baking,
       Haley
 

Super Delicious Vanilla Pound Cake

   Pound cake got it's name because you use a pound of butter, sugar and eggs. Making this cake thick and heavy but delicious!
   Pound cake is very versatile and can be paired with many foods because of its flavor. fruit goes well, coffee would be excellent but you can pair it with whatever you like. Play around with glazes and toppings to your taste.

Ingredients:

6 eggs, 6 egg yolks
1lb unsalted butter
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon water
1lb 2oz granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
14 ounces cake flour (sifted)

2 8x4 inch pans

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

It is very important that all ingredients are room temperature, if they are too cold nothing will mix right and the pound cake will not be delicious. I took all my ingredients out of the fridge the night before so in the morning they were good to go.

Place eggs, egg yolks, vanilla and water in a bowl and mix without incorporating air.
Place butter in a mixing bowl and beat the butter for 2 minutes, gradually add in the sugar, mix until the batter is fluffy and off white. With the mixer running, gradually beat the eggs in, this should take about five minutes. This mixing stage is important and what gives the pound cake its airiness so mix well and add gradually. Beat in salt. Gradually beat in sifted cake flour.

Put the mixture into the two greased 8x4 pans and bake for about 1 hour or until a skewer comes out clean. Once out of the oven take them out of the pan and let them cool completely.

Now the super tasty pound cake is ready to be eaten!

If you have anything you want to see me bake, no matter how complicated or easy, leave a comment!

Fun Baking,
         Haley

Cinnamon Swirl Cheesecake

 This cheesecake is delicious! A layer of cinnamon sugar goodness in the middle and on top is a cinnamon strusel with a sugary glaze. It is as if a cinnamon bun, a coffee cake and a cheesecake combined to make one epic dessert. And here is the recipe so you can make it! :)

Ingredients: (always remember to bring all refrigerated items to room temperature before use)

Crust:
1 1/2 cups finely crushed cinnamon graham cracker crust
1/2 cup of butter
2 tablespoons brown sugar




Filling:
3 8oz packages of cream cheese ( I use regular)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
4 eggs

2 teaspoons of vanilla

1/4 cups of flour

Middle:

  1 cup brown sugar

  1/2 cup sugar

  3 table spoons butter

  1 tablespoon cinnamon

Strusel: 

 1/2 cup of flour

 4 tablespoons of butter

 4 tablespoons of sugar

 2 teaspoons of cinnamon

Glaze:

 Recipe on the Chocolate Biscotti post (below).

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

 For crust mix melted butter with graham crack crumbs, add brown sugar and mix until blended. Put this mixture in your greased springform pan. Distribute the crumbs evenly on the bottom of the pan and one inch up the sides.

For the filling blend the cream cheese, sour cream and sugar together until smooth ( 3 or 4 minutes). Once smooth beat in eggs, vanilla and flour blend until smooth (another 2 or 3 minutes).

For the middle mixture combine brown sugar, sugar, butter and cinnamon.

Fill the springform pan about halfway with the cheesecake filling. add middle mixture. Fill the rest of the pan with the cheesecake filling.  Bake in the oven for 50 - 55 minutes or until cheesecake is set.

Once the cheesecake has set, cool completely and store in the fridge. 

Have fun baking!

Chocolate Valentines Day Biscotti

  These twice baked Italian biscuits are a perfect treat for your valentine.

This was my first go at biscotti and it turned out rather well. Because I did not put nuts in my biscotti, instead I put a glaze on top. The glaze is easy to make and adds extra sweetness.

 Glaze:
 2 cups confectioners sugar , 1 teaspoon vanilla
 3 tablespoons milk, 1 tablespoon melted butter

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Ingredients:

1/3 cup butter, room temperature
2/3 cup white sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder ( I used Hershey's special dark)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup miniature chocolate chips
1/4 cup of nut (your choice)

1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon of water


Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease baking pans.
In a large bowl or mixer cream the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time and stir in vanilla. In another bowl combine the flour, cocoa and baking powder. Hand mix the flour mixture into the creamed mix until all is blended. Stir in the chocolate chips and nuts.

Divide the dough into two equal parts and shape into 9x2x1 loaves. Place them about four inches apart on the baking sheet. Brush the loaves with the yolk and water mixture.

Pop these in the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the loaves are firm. Let them cool for 30 minutes.

Before they go back into the oven use a serrated knife to cut the loaves diagonally into one inch slices. Place them on their sides and put them back into the oven and bake for 10 to 15 minutes each side or until dry. Let them cool completely before storing them in an airtight container.

Coconut Almond Chocolate Truffles

These coconut almond chocolate were super easy and fun to make, but the best part is that they are delicious! 

    To make these you need 

   8oz of cream cheese

   3 cups chocolate chips ( your choice) I used 2 cups Semi-sweet 1 cup 60% cocoa chips

   3 cups confections sugar 

   1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

   Almonds I put 1 almond in the middle of each truffle

   coconut to roll them in. 

 Make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature before you begin mixing it. Once the cream cheese is smooth add the confectioners sugar little by little until blended well. When you melt your chocolate make sure to stir often so it wont burn on the bottom of the pan. Once your chocolate has melted mix it with vanilla extract and the confectioners sugar and cream cheese mixture. (add nuts or any other mix in)

    Pop this mix in the fridge so it can firm up. This should be about an hour or two. Once firm,roll into one inch balls and top with whatever you would like.