Alfajore Cookies

 Spot of Tea?

These cookies look wonderful in the Baked cookbook.  I am looking forward to making them, as I love dulce de leche.  I am still on the fence about making my own (dulce de leche that is).  I know it is just condensed milk and easy peasy to make......but Eagle Brand does now sell dulce de leche.  And I may or may not already have a can or two of it sitting in the cupboard.  (I'm not being coy, I seriously can't remember if I actually tried it in anything yet.)

I think these cookies will look very pretty on the new plate, teacup and saucer I bought especially for this day.  I bought these months ago for this specific post.  They have sat in my dining room hutch waiting for their moment to shine.
Not only is it Mother's Day, but it would have been my mom's birthday today.  She had a penchant for teacups and saucers.  And I know she would have loved this set....and not just for the sheer beauty of them, but also because I got them on sale!!  And we both loved/love a sale!


Focusing on making the cookies now.

First, need to get the flour and other dry ingredients blended together. 

The corn starch is sifted first; then, whisked with the other ingredients.  The mixture becomes so fluffy!

Maybe not this fluffy.

Butter and sugar are ready to get it on.  (Cue the Barry White music.)  Oh yeahhhhhhh. 

Next, the lovely lemon zest gets added.  Oy, it smells heavenly.














If I wasn't drinking (the last of the....but shhhh don't tell hubbie) iced coffee, I'd want a lemonade.  My hubbie makes a good cup of coffee....but he makes a crazy good glass of iced coffee.  No sugar, just the double strength coffee over ice with a splash of half and half.  Mmm Mmm Mmm.

The egg yolks and whole egg are added next.  I even went to the trouble (though really not a trouble at all) of removing the white bits from the eggs.  Aren't they beautiful, Madge?!













The last ingredients to be added to the bowl (before the dry ingredients) are the rum and vanilla.  I'm beginning to feel like I can't bake without my Sailor Jerry anymore.  What?  He understands me....we've got a connection.  The recipe calls for a good-quality light rum.  I went with Sailor Jerry.  He would never fail me.






Where were we?  Oh yes, adding the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. 

And here we have the dough.
It looks so good...I just wanna eat it now. 

Once shaped into a disc, it can be put in the fridge to chill for awhile.  This dough feels great.  Yes, I'm feeling my dough!  Hey, this is private!

So I do have two cans of the Eagle Brand Dulce de Leche.  I think I will just pour the contents into a pot and heat it up.  Not sure how thick it is, so I may need the heat to thicken it.<shrug>

Well, I have heated it up and let it cool, but it doesn't seem to be as thick as what it looks like in the Baked book.  Perhaps I'll put it in the fridge for a while.  Not having a good feeling about this people.




Going to move on, to the cookie making.  I left the dough in the fridge overnight.  For no particular reason...well other than I wanted to get outside and pull some dandelions...what....isn't that what everyone thinks of when making cookies??  Yep, nothing better than spending 3 hours pulling dandelions and weeds.  Good times.

Dough gets cut in half.  One half gets put back in the fridge.

The other half gets ready to be rolled....out....














and then cut.....

















 out......

I went with a daisy shape cut out for these cookies.  Once cut out, I put them on a cookie pan and then threw them in the oven...to promptly pull them out of the oven.
Yeah, read the recipe and I'm supposed to chill them in the fridge for five minutes before baking.  Look at me reading the recipe!

Ten minutes in the oven and they have puffed up nicely, but not too much.  Goldilocks would want these cookies...'cause they're just right.

What the Alfajor?

The dulce de leche seems thicker now that it has been in the fridge.  Scratch that.  Dulce to let down.
















Okay, going to pull out the jar of nutella.  That has a great consistency and would be wonderful on these cookies.  (It was a discussion we had at Baked Sunday Mornings.)  You can also go there to see how everyone else did with these cookies.

As for this household, the cookies weren't spot on.  But they do look pretty and sometimes looking pretty is important.  The flavour of the cookies were good.  Loved the lemon in the cookie dough.

Happy Anniversary to my hubbie. Yes, it is also our wedding anniversary.  There really is a lot going on today.  Love you more than gum drops, hon.   

Rhubarb upside down cake

This cake sounds awesome.  But I don't know if I'm going to be able to find rhubarb.  It has been a cold spring up until last week and I don't think the rhubarb is ready yet.  I will have to look around and see if any growers have it yet.  If not, I wonder if I'll be able to find it in the freezer section of a grocery store??

It isn't very often that I bake with rhubarb.  I love it, but it generally requires so much sugar to sweeten it up!  I do hope that I can find some, as I would like to make this recipe as written.

Well, no such luck finding rhubarb.  But I am still making the cake.  I am going to use mango, as suggested in the forward of the recipe.  I am only going to make a half recipe, as I really don't know that I need all that cake in the house....plus I only have four mini cake pans. 

So Mango it is.  And I have a bag in the freezer!  Score.  (As a side note, this is my first bag of frozen mango, and I really like it.  I like that it is already cut, as I don't enjoy peeling and cutting mangos.  Plus the fruit is perfect and was much cheaper frozen than fresh.  I honestly think I waste a lot of mango fruit when I cut it myself.)

Mango always makes me think of the character on Saturday Night Live. (giggle)

And rather than the bourbon as called for, I am going to use rum.  After all, rum is a perfect compliment for Mango.  Plus I love rum....though I don't imagine the flavour of the rum will really come through as it is a small amount.











The caramel is ready to be spooned into the mini cake pans. 

And then the mango pieces are added.  Doesn't seem like much caramel in the bottom of the pans.   















The cake batter gets made next....butter, sugar, dry ingredients and sour cream (and a cast of other minor characters ingredients) and then spooned over caramel and mango.
And then into the oven for 20 minutes or so.  I went with 20 minutes plus another 10...or so.

It would seem that my caramel was trying to run away.  Dang it!

Out of the oven and out of the pans.

















Well the little cakes look good with some whipped cream.  And tastes good!  I liked the mango, but look forward to trying it with rhubarb when it is finally in season here.  I love the mini cake version.  I think it makes for a lovely presentation.

Chocolate Hazelnut Spread

Today's Baked Sunday Morning recipe is for homemade Hazelnut Spread. 

What we have here are hazelnuts....toasted.

 Hazelnut skins.

















 Skinned hazelnuts.











 I have decided not to make this week's recipe  What?  What??  But the hazelnuts?  The skinned hazelnuts!!  Well, as I have a big jar of nutella in the cupboard I figured I'd skip this week's recipe.

Instead, I thought it would be a great opportunity to make those Nutella Scones (that I missed making as I joined this group late).  Yay, Nutella Scones!!!  Hence the toasting and skinning of hazelnuts.

I do like Nutella, but it isn't something I normally eat.  I just don't really think about it.  I believe this may be my 2nd jar of nutella that I've ever had in the house.  Probably a good thing, as I just took a spoonful out of the jar and damn.......this stuff is good. 








Nutella Scones you say?  Yep, these ain't your grandma's scones.   After mixing the dry and wet ingredients together, the dough is flattened into a rectangle and then a quarter cup of the nutella is poured onto the dough.  I heated the nutella so that it was pourable.
Then the recipe says to roll the dough into a cylinder....not an easy feat with scone dough.  But I struggled through and then turned that cylinder into a disk of dough.  (Trust me, you do not want to see that process....it was messy.)

The disk of dough is put on the baking sheet.   Now it just needs to be made into 6-8 scones.  Please note, the recipe did not indicate scones were to be of equal size.  I like to call it freestyle cutting. (Don't judge!)

I went with 6 scones, probably should have made them into 8 smaller scones. 
Or made them into equal size scones.

And here are the scones fresh out of the oven.  Looking and smelling wonderful.  Just have to let them cool now, as they require one last embellishment.












They needed more nutella!!!!  This time, poured over the top.....yep over the top is a good way to describe these scones. 

And after consuming one, I realize I really, really should have made these into smaller scones.  These are crazy rich and not a scone you could eat regularly.  Hubbie said they are more like a dessert....and I can't disagree.  They were good.  And if you love hazelnuts, you will love these scones.  And if you love nutella....well what are you waiting for, make these scones!!!   Head over to Baked Sunday Mornings to search for the recipe and to see if I was the only one who went Rogue this week. 

Almond Freezer Protein Balls

The theme for this month's NaBloPoMo is all about Comfort.  So I thought I'd start with some comfort food....but with a twist.  What if I could find a new (and healthier) comfort food?  Don't get me wrong, I am not going to turn my back on my true comfort foods, but I might be willing to reach for something healthier if it were available. 

So, I made Almond Freezer Protein Balls from Om Nom Ally.  These look really interesting.  They are a no bake treat that gets made and then put in the freezer.  It seems quick and easy enough....and is probably better for me than brownies and still gives me a taste of chocolate to satisfy my sweet tooth.  (win-win)

Now, instead of Almond butter as indicated in the recipe, I am using peanut butter.  I am not a fan of almond butter....but I do love peanut butter.  The recipe makes 12 protein balls.  I thought I'd make mini bite size balls instead. (More than 12 less than 100.....yeah....I didn't count.)

Verdict?  They're good!!  (Even the hubbie likes them.)  Thanks to Ally from Om Nom Ally for sharing this recipe. 

TWD-Baking with Julia Rewind

Hazelnut Biscotti

I decided to make the biscotti, since the cookies were part of TWD before I joined....and because I love biscotti.  I love the crispness of the cookie.  It is a favourite to dip into a cup of hot coffee/tea/latte......you name it.  There is just something so satisfying about dipping a cookie in a hot drink.

Rather than hazelnuts(I think I'm going to save those for nutella scones this weekend), I'm going to make mine with pistachios. 













This is a super easy recipe and very quick to pull together.  Always a treat making something that doesn't involve pulling out the kitchen aid.  Just needed two bowls and a spoon. (score!)
I also added some dried cranberries and some chocolate chips to the mix.  ( A handful or so of each)  I love a little sweetness with my biscotti.

This recipe was originally baked on TWD back in July of 2012 hosted by both Jodi of Homemade and Wholesome and Katrina of Baking and Boys.

The biscotti turned out perfectly dry and crisp (which is a good thing for biscotti).  I've made biscotti before and I was too timid to let them bake long enough to dry out.  This time I didn't rush the baking process, and I was rewarded with some lovely biscotti to have with a hot cuppa.

I think I need to make the cornmeal biscotti next.  I've had cornmeal biscotti and have really enjoyed the texture of the cornmeal in the biscotti.  Stay tuned for more biscotti baking in the future.

Mac-and-Cheese Style Cauliflower

Apparently, I can also post about vegetables.  Hmm.  What a novel idea.    Of course I eat veggies every day.....but to post about them seems strange.  But what the hay....let's venture off into the vegetable world.  I'll leave bread crumbs so I can find my way back from this new world.

I have been curious (veggie curious?) about this recipe for a while and I'm finally trying it today.  Mac-and-cheese style Cauliflower.  I love mac and cheese and I love cauliflower...but I would like to cut down on the carbs. And with this recipe, there is no macaroni! 

I've got a theory....if I cut down on the carbs I eat during meal times, perhaps all the baking I do will even out my carb intake.  (Sometimes a theory doesn't make any sense, except to the person voicing it.)  But if everyone could just nod in agreement that would be swell.  I believe it is okay to feed into a person's delusions theories.  (smile and nod)

Anyhoo, I found this recipe at Vegetarian Times.   They have a lot of great (if you haven't guessed by the name of the site) vegetarian dishes.  I recommend having a peek at the site if you are looking for some good vegetarian recipes.

The mac-and-cheese style cauliflower was quick to pull together for a week night dinner.  The recipe calls for Nutritional yeast.  I've used a lot of yeast in my baking life, but I have NEVER heard of this.  So a little research was necessary.  (I won't ruin the surprise if you'd like to look it up on your own or if you aren't a newbie to the vegetarian world like me and already know what it is, I won't bore you.)

Here is the finished dish.  The bread crumbs got nice and browned on top.  I think it looks lovely and creamy, just like a real dish of mac and cheese.

 

 

It tastes good too....even the hubbie agrees, but just to be clear, as hubbie says....'it isn't mac and cheese'.  But for a healthier version (if carbs are more of a concern than the fat in the cheese) then this is indeed a good substitute.  I recommend and I will definitely make it again.

 

And my blog didn't spontaneously combust for posting veggies rather than baking.  Miracles can happen!

 

 

Triple Rum Black Pepper Cake

Three Rights can make a Wrong

Triple the Rum equals triple the Love....you can totally quote me on that.

Triple the rum!  Shut the front door!  Yep, rum in the cake, rum in the syrup and rum in the drizzle.  I'm already beginning to swoon.  If I had a chaise lounge, I would be making use of it right now....while drinking something with rum in it (of course).  But since I'm not one to over react to things, I will carry on. (Silence from the Peanut Gallery.)

So yes, I am over the moon about the rum....but the black pepper....I just don't know about that.  I'm still going to make it....come on...triple rum!  I'm going to be using Sailor Jerry rum in this recipe.  It is a lovely spiced rum, with vanilla and toffee flavours.  It is yum, yum, yum. (That's good, tripled.)

 

 

Dry ingredients are always the best place to start (and not just because the instructions say so).

 

Got it...

 



Got it...

 

Want it...do I?  Black Pepper??  Really??  Hmm?



 

Moving on to the wet ingredients.



 

Hey, Sailor.

 

Like so many recipes, the wet ingredients were blended together and then the dry ingredients mixed in.  The batter looks great and is smelling great.  After that it is just getting it into the bundt pan and then into the oven.  I think Billy Ocean was going to do the song, 'Get outta my bowl, get into my bundt pan', but foolishly went with 'Get outta my dreams, get into my car'.  True story....if your version of truth is totally made up. (Like mine.)

 



Get outta my bowl.



 

Get into my bundt pan.



Come here often, Sailor?

 

 

 

The aroma wafting out of the kitchen whilst this cake is baking is redonkulous!!!(Proper English, proper English, whaaaaat?)  It smells so damn good!!!  I cannot wait to try this. 

Time to make the syrup.

Now it's time to drizzle the syrup on the cake.  Did I mention there is rum in this syrup?

Made the drizzle/glaze....apparently in the dark. (By the looks of this pic.) 

 

In a better light, I drizzled the glaze onto the cake.  Lookin' good!

 

Time for the taste test.  I'm giddy with anticipation.....I mean really, triple the rum...nothing can be bad with that much rum in it!  Right??!!!

Wrong.  I didn't like it. (What a slap in the face.)  And neither did the hubbie.  Didn't care for the texture of the cake.  It was dense and kind of chewy (but not in a good way).  I think I could have overlooked the texture.  For me, it was the pepper.  Yep, I found the pepper unappealing.  Sure, I had misgivings about the pepper while I was grinding it.  But I soldiered on....believing in the end it would all work out and be good.  Wrong.

So Wrong.  Honestly, I didn't envision this ending.  I pictured me being all googly eyed over this triple rum cake.  Perhaps writing an epic poem to describe the journey, born from the basic ingredients to this awe inspiring cake.  Wrong.

If you are wondering how everyone else liked this cake, head over to Baked Sunday Mornings.