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Brown Sugar Shortbreads

18 Jan

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In a few days my dear grandmother is turning 91 years old.  At almost 91 my grandmother has more energy than I do and a social schedule that would make an 18 year old jealous.  This wonderful woman is sweet, kind, funny , caring and so generous.  In other words, the perfect grandmother (and great-grandmother!).

In the past I’ve mentioned that during my childhood I spent many days in her cozy little kitchen learning how to bake.  It’s definitely there that my passion for baking was ignited.  And over the years I’ve been slowly teaching my own kids the art of making the perfect biscuit or bobo ball just as my grandmother taught me.

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Today I made up a batch of my grandmother’s Brown Sugar Shortbreads.  These cookies are so buttery and rich and make your house smell like absolute heaven when they’re baking in the oven.  Usually you should make a thumbprint in the balls of dough and fill it up with jam before baking but I thought for the occasion of my grandmother’s 91st I’d make little jam filled hearts in the middle.  And they turned out perfectly.  I think I’ll be making these by the dozen to give out on Valentine’s Day as well.  Believe me, cookies like these will make people feel loved.

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Brown Sugar Shortbreads

1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup butter
1 egg yolk
1 3/4 cup flour
pinch of salt

1. Cream butter and brown sugar.

2. Add egg yolk and mix to combine.

3. Add flour and salt and mix until becomes  dense dough.

4. Roll into balls and place on cookie sheet.  Flatten slightly then either make an indent with thumb (or a carrot heart like me!).  Fill hole with favorite jam.

5. Bake in 350 (180) oven for 10-15 minutes.

Enjoy!

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As you read above in the recipe, I carved out a heart in a carrot to use as my “stamp” for the middle of the cookie.  My kids thought I was nuts but it actually worked out perfectly in the end (and let me tell you how hard it is to carve a carrot with a half-healed broken wrist!).

We’ll be enjoying these this week-end and sending loving birthday thoughts to my grandmother in Canada.

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Wouldn’t a sweet little decorated box filled with these delicious cookies make the perfect Valentine’s Day gift?

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Bobo Balls

9 Jan

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I’m feeling super proud of myself at the moment.  For the second time this week I got myself out of the house by 7:45am in the dark and freezing cold to my pilates class.  From when I got up at 6:45am until I left it was an on-going mental battle for me.  One little voice was telling me to just stay home in my warm house and the other little voice was trying to motivate me out of the house.  Luckily the latter won.

Today I have a secret family recipe to share with you.  I had wanted to post it before the holidays but didn’t manage.  So I’ll sell them as the perfect Valentine’s Day cookie instead of Christmas cookie.

These little balls made with only 4 ingredients are one of my favourite treats from childhood.  My grandmother used to make these for my brother and I and we would be able to scoff down more than a few.   I was 23 when my grandmother actually told me the ingredient list because she knows that I would’ve been horrified if I knew there were dates in them.  I was tricked for 23 years of my life.

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Usually I’m not a huge fan of cookies that involve breakfast cereal but in this case the rice crispies add crunch that compliments the chewy dates.   I know they sound weird and slightly kitschy but trust me on this one…they’re incredibly tasty.  And as a bonus they are no-bake which means it takes minutes to whip up a batch of these.

Gramma’s BoBo Balls

1/2 cup  butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cups pitted and chopped dates
3 1/2 cups Rice Crispies cereal

1. Melt butter in pot, add brown sugar and dates.

2. Bring to a boil, lower heat, stir and cook until smooth (8-10 min).

3. Add rice crispies.

4. With buttered hands form into uniform sized balls (approx. 2-bite sized).  Roll in white sugar.

5. Store in air-tight container to keep crispy. Enjoy!

1-IMG_4933-001I hope someone out there gives these cookies a chance and tries them out.  And if you do, please let me know what you think.  I have three kids who all love them (one being Miss Fussy) and I have followed my grandmother’s tradition of not letting them in on the secret of the dates in them.

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Edible Home-Made Gifts

14 Dec

It’s that time of year to start making little gifts to give your teachers, postman, hairdresser and kid’s bus driver.  The last few days I’ve been busy roasting nuts, melting chocolate and writing out thank you notes.  Here are a few of the home-made gifts on my list this year.  They’re easy, delicious and perfect to show someone your gratitude for all they’ve done the past year.

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We have a few people on our list that aren’t super keen on sweets so I thought I’d make some spiced nuts for them.  I found this recipe in an old Martha Stewart magazine from eons ago and they’re absolutely tasty.  A little sweet, a little spicy and a little salty.  Perfection.

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Here’s how to make them:

Spicy Almonds

1 tsp course salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 Tbsp molasses
1 tsp white vinegar
2 cups whole blanched almonds, toasted

-First of all toast the almonds in a 350 (180) degree oven for 10 minutes.  Remove from oven.
-In a large bowl combine salt, sugar and spices.
-In a large skillet over medium heat bring butter, molasses and vinegar to a boil.  Add toasted almonds and stir to evenly coat.
-Add nut mixture to spice mixture, toss to coat.
-Transfer to a baking sheet in a single layer.  Bake but mixture for 4 minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool.
-Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

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Next we made some orangettes which are chocolate covered candied orange peel.  My daughter made them for her papa’s birthday last week and I realised how easy it is to make them.  Perfect to take as a hostess gift or give anyone who loves the orange/chocolate combo.

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There are only four ingredients to make these professional looking sweets.  Here’s how to make them:

Orangettes

100 g Chocolate (good quality, preferably Belgian of course)
2 oranges
300 g sugar
3 ml water

-Cut the oranges in quarters and cut away everything to leave only the peel.
-Slice into skinny slivers (like above).  Wash under cold water.
-Put sugar and water in pot and bring to a boil.  Add orange peels and cook for approximately 60-80 minutes (or until you see they have become candied).
-Let candied peels cool on parchment paper.
-Melt chocolate and dip candied peels in to completely cover.
-Put peels in fridge so that chocolate hardens.  Store peels in container for up to 2 weeks.

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And last but not least I decided to make yet another edible gift that involves chocolate.  I found some lovely little chocolate liners so I decided to try my hand at chocolate/truffle making.

I put some chopped chocolate in a double boiler and melted it.  I then added some heavy cream and a few drops of mint extract.  I did a bit of guessing at the measurements but at the end I had a thick smooth and pour-able mixture.  I then filled the little chocolate wrappers and sprinkled crushed candy cane on top.  From what the family says they are quite rich but very delicious.

You can also check out my Belgian Chocolate Spread which I made for everyone last year.  It was a huge hit and quick to make with only 3 ingredients.

Do you have any favorite recipes or homemade goods that you give away at Christmas?

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Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies

21 Nov

Hello all.  I’m back after taking a much needed break.  We had a really tough week last week and we’re just surfacing from some serious grieving over the loss of someone very special.  Dealing with your own grief while dealing with the grief of your children can be quite overwhelming.

But we’re getting our life back together and starting our daily grind again.  And we’re all happy about it.

Today is a beautiful day here in Northern Italy.  The sun is shining and the mountains are in clear view.  Absolutely stunning scenery all around me.

View from my sewing room this morning

Since I started my sugar hiatus five weeks ago I haven’t done much baking.  I had to steer clear of all sweets those first weeks because the temptation was overwhelming.  But the cravings have subsided and I can actually bake without wanting to stick my head in the mixing bowl to devour whatever dough I’m preparing (okay it did cross my mind with these cookies but the urge passed very quickly).

These Oatmeal Cookies with Dried Cranberries and White Chocolate are probably one of my favourite cookies (and similar to these that I made a few months ago).  They are sweet with a touch of tart and very hearty.  I could imagine these would be the perfect apres-ski snack with a mug of hot chocolate.

I made up a batch of these and baked half the dough and froze the other half .  As I’ve said in the past, having cookie dough ready in your freezer is great for last minute guests, hungry school kids or late-night cravings.  And people, Christmas is coming up really soon!  We’ve got to get on the holiday baking now!

Continue reading for the recipe!

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Vanilla Bean Pudding

6 Nov

Since I’ve been off sugar for 2 1/2 weeks my baking has come to almost a full stop.  It’s sad really.  I miss all that mixing, kneading, stirring and blending.  Not to mention the eating of all those glorious sweets that I used to bake on a daily basis.  More than anything else I’ve been craving the Italian jam pie crostata.  I wouldn’t even try it for the first decade of living in Italy because it looked so dry but in the end it has become one of my favourite desserts.  I will be trying to make one this coming week-end (because I’m allowing myself the odd treat on Saturday or Sunday).  I’ll let you know how it turns out.

Because I was feeling so bad for my kids and the fact they haven’t been able to enjoy some good home-baking I decided to make them something special for when they got off the school bus today.  I was thinking of making a fancy fruit mousse or trifle but in the end I opted for the most basic of desserts.  Pudding.  Vanilla pudding.  I had never made my kids pudding in their little lives so I thought it was time to give it a try.  Plus, my mom bought me the most lovely little glasses that were crying to be filled with something delicious and creamy.

My kids liked the pudding but asked why there were little pieces of dirt floating in it.  I explained to them about vanilla beans and how wonderful they are.  They looked at me like they still thought there was dirt in their pudding.

It’s a simple and quick recipe and I’m amazed at how it turned out so smoothly and lump-less.  Read on to get the recipe…

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Rhubarb Ginger Chutney

25 Oct

During the whole summer I proudly showed off my garden to anyone who dropped by the house and every single time I showed my overgrowing rhubarb plants I would say I was just about to make chutney with it.  I started saying this 5 months ago and yesterday I finally got around to actually making it.

I’ll be honest.  Rhubarb isn’t on my top 10 list of favorite fruits (is it even a fruit?).  It’s actually not even in my top 20.  The tartness of rhubarb usually makes my jaw ache and I personally find it tastes like what I think a mouthful of maple leaves would taste like.

But we planted it a few years ago and now we have a thriving supply of it all summer long.  I made a surprisingly lovely Cherry Rhubarb Lavender Jam (the jam that almost killed me!) and a few tarts as well.  But considering we live in Italy and down the street from an amazing fresh cheese farm I wanted to try making a chutney to accompany all that wonderful sheep and goat cheeses that we eat on a daily basis.

I first saw this recipe on Raincoast Cottage months ago and  it’s originally from Martha Stewart.  I had to change up the recipe slightly but in the end it turned out quite tasty and the perfect accompaniment with cheese, crusty ciabatta and assorted sliced meats for dinner.  Click for recipe…

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Miniature Pretzel Bites

15 Oct


It’s cold and rainy over here today.  It seems as though the summer is finally over and that the heating system might need to be put to work again.  I have to admit that I’m absolutely not looking forward to winter and cold weather.  I’m one of those people who can never feel warm in the winter months.  I walk around the house with double wool socks, thick scarves and lots of fleece and I have the thermostat on 23 degrees and the fireplace on.  It’s one of the main reasons I moved away from Canada actually.  So wish me luck this winter and let’s hope for a short one.

To beat the chill I can usually be found baking.  Last week I made these miniature pretzel bites and they were devoured within minutes of being out of the oven.   The extra step of boiling the dough before baking is daunting for some people but it’s really not that bad!

I came across the idea to make pretzels over on Say Yes to Hoboken and the recipe is from the Our Best Bites site.  I decided to make the dough into miniature balls so that I could make several different flavours.  For this batch I made some savoury ones with sesame and poppy seeds and some sweet ones with cinnamon and sugar.  They really are so chewy and tasty.  My kids are asking for them on a daily basis now.

There’s nothing like Fleischmann’s quick rising yeast packets from Canada.  Good thing my mom arrives in a few weeks with some more.

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After Eight Brownies

9 Oct

Is there anything tastier than chocolate and mint together?  For me it’s one of my favorite flavour unions.  Deep rich dark chocolate with a hint of that fresh minty taste just satisfies my sweet tooth like nothing else (see recipe for my Chocolate Shortbreads with Minty Ganache Filling too).  And the mint just gives me the idea that it’s healthier.  It is green and grows in my garden after all.

For these brownies I did not use my own fresh mint but I did use an entire box of After Eights.  I made a double batch of my favourite brownie recipe and poured half the batter into the bottom of a glass rectangular baking dish.  I then covered the top with After Eight chocolates before pouring the remaining batter on top.  So easy and so tasty.  And of course the mint makes them really healthy and low fat.

These made the perfect little treat for a dear friend who just turned 50.

 

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Double Chocolate Zucchini Cakes

4 Sep

Today is the first day I have the house to myself in two months.  The kids started school this morning and everyone was a little emotional.  The kids were excited and nervous and I had the end of summer melancholy that goes with sending the little ones off on the bus and returning to an empty and quiet house.

More than anything it’s the silence that I always have to get used to.  I’ve been used to hearing footsteps up and down stairs, kid’s conversations and giggles, lego being poured onto the floor and doors being opened and closed.  And now….nothing.

So to fill this empty and quiet house I decided to make some muffins for the kids to celebrate their first day back at school.  Just the sound of the mixer running and the oven on was enough to make me feel a little less alone this morning.

These little cakes (or muffins…I’m not sure what they would be classified as) are really delicious and moist.  And FULL of vegetables.  Seriously, there are 2 cups of grated zucchini in them!  The zucchini gives them a rich, dense consistency and leaves absolutely no zucchini taste at all.  I’m curious as to whether my kids will notice the little green bits that you can see every now and then in the cakes.  Continue reading for recipe.

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Pumpkin Spice Muffins

8 Aug

The other day when it was 38 degrees outside my children came to me with a specific request.  They all wanted pumpkin spice cake.  Desperately.  I told them that such a cake filled with cinnamon,  nutmeg and pumpkin AND involving putting on the oven for almost an hour was something for a cold winter’s day in front of the fire with a pot of hot tea.  They looked at me with confusion in their eyes and asked again for pumpkin spice cake.  And because it was too hot to rationalize with 3 surprisingly insistent kids I just caved and started to bake.

While the cakes baked the house smelled of autumn but was hot enough that I laid on the cold  tiles until they were done. But the ecstatic and grateful kids were well worth it all.  Kind of.

 

This recipe calls for cream cheese in the batter which helps makes it really moist and dense.  Instead of adding cinnamon and cloves you could also just add a teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice.  I usually make this recipe in a loaf pan but considering the heat and the fact I wanted the oven on for as little time as possible I made them in mini muffin tins. Here’s the recipe if you would like to give them a try.  Whether in summer, fall or winter (go for the latter two!).

Continue for recipe: Continue reading →

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