[Lara]

OOOOOO
OOOOOO
OOOOOO

If you don't have a round cutter you can just use a glass that's about an 1 1/2 inch in diameter and flour it so it doesn't stick. Should line up in baking tray fairly closely so they'll rise well.

I was just thinking about what I said about scones, but I got myself confused. It was biscuits that we don't call biscuits. We call your cookies biscuits, although companies these days are beginning to take on all the US lingo anyway. [no comment ]

[Alffe]

Aha! Thank you! Makes perfect sense. What's that saying...Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. But I agree..somethings just shouldn't be changed.

[~scrabble]

Pumpkin Scones (These are 'drop' scones)

4 1/2 C. all-purpose flour (I used about 1/2 whole wheat flour)

5 t. baking powder

1 t. ground cinnamon

1/2 t. ground nutmeg

1 t. salt

1/2 C. light brown sugar

1/2 C. unsalted butter, softened (I used margarine)

2 C. canned pumpkin puree

1 1/3 C. milk (I used Skim)

2 C. chopped walnuts or pecans (I used pecans)

Preheat oven to 375° F. Grease two baking sheets with cooking spray. (I used parchment paper.)

In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Cut in the butter until it resembles coarse meal. Add the pumpkin, milk and nuts and stir until well mixed.

Using a 1/2 cup measure, scoop the batter into small rounds on the baking sheets. Leave a space of about 2 inches between each scone. When both pans are used, put the remaining batter in the refrigerator until the first batch is finished baking.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the edges begin to brown. Remove to a cooling rack and repeat with the remaining batter.

Note: If a holiday brunch is on the calendar, make the batter in advance and place scoopfuls onto baking sheets. Freeze for two hours or more, then wrap the individual scoops in plastic wrap and freeze up to a month until ready to bake.

Yield: Makes about 30 scones
Source: “In the Kitchen with Bob: Christmas Collection,” by Bob Bowersox

[jingle]

Pastry for single-crust pie
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) butter - melted and cooled
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325*. Line a 9 or 10" deep-dish pie plate with pastry; crimp edges.

In bowl of electric mixer, combine flour and sugars; stir well.
Add cooled butter and start beating at medium speed.
Add eggs; beat until mixture is light and well combined, 2 or 3 minutes.
Stir in nuts and chips by hand.

Pour filling into pie shell. Bake until crust is baked and top is golden, about 50 to 55 minutes. Let cool completely before slicing.

[Curious]

((((jingle)))) awwwwww you named a pie after me. *tears* that is so sweet. thank you!!! hehe...and you know darn well i'm gonna make it and have a hard time sharing huh?

scrabble posted! and the tip for holiday brunch...that is perfect!! i am always trying to find something that i can make ahead of time and not miss out on the festicities. ty scrabble. YUM!!


time for me to get busy and some of my easy recipes here.

[Alffe]

Thank you ladies...sitting here making my grocery lists...I already know that the kitchen is going to smell heavenly today.

[Lara]

Can someone explain to me what "drop scones" means, please?
Lots of butter and sugar in these! Just warning.

Vanilla Cupcakes
[courtesy of Donna Hay Magazine
Dec/Jan 2007]

Beat together in electric mixer until smooth and creamy...

• 250g softened butter (I'm not sure how to convert this one. I think it might be 8 oz ???)
• 1 1/2 cups caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon natural vanilla extract

Gradually add

• 4 eggs and beat well

Sift in

• 2 and 1/4 cups plain flour and
• 2 teaspoons baking soda.

Fold through

• 1 cup milk

Spoon the mixture into
2 x 12 hole 1/2 cup (4 fl oz) capacity muffin tins lined with paper patty cases.

Bake at 160C or 320F for 15 to 20 minutes or until cooked.
Cool on wire racks.
Makes approx 24 or more if you use regular patty tins instead of muffin tins like I did.

Ice with whatever icing and decorations you wish.

[back shortly to try to figure out how to translate a couple of measurements for the US]

In the magazine they iced with with this neat looking meringue icing, but I refuse to eat anything in it with any part of an egg that hasn't been well cooked, so I gave that a miss. However it looks really neat in the pictures as they've spiralled the meringue in a circular fashion around and around until it forms a soft peak on top of the little cakes. Then they've used sprinkles called nemar sprinkles which come in choc., caramel, strawberry and banana. I just went for a mix. of lemon icing and coconut sprinkled on top.

[Lara]

Here's something a little different from the old fashioned style xmas pud.
It'll be so hot here, we'll probably have fruit and trifle, but here goes. I might give it a try sometime.

Chocolate Christmas Pudding
[Donna Hay - Dec/Jan 2007]

• 1 cup dried dates
• 1 teaspoon bicarb of soda (baking soda)
• 3/4 cup (6fl oz) boiling water
• 55g (2oz) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon natural vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup (160g or 5 1/2 oz) brown sugar
• 4 eggs
• 3/4 cup (130g or 4 1/2oz self raising flour sifted
• 1/4 cup (35g or 1 1/4 oz) cocoa powder, sifted
• 100g (3 1/2 oz) dark chocolate melted

Place the dates, bicarb and water ina bowl and stand for 10 - 15 mins.

Using hand-held blender, blend the date mixture until smooth and then set aside.

Place the butter, vanilla and sugar in an electric mixer and beat for 10 - 12 mins. or until well combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the flour, cocoa, chocolate and date mixture and beat well to combine.

Spoon the mixture into a lightly greased 7 cup capacity pudding basin and cover.
Secure the pudding with string and place in large saucepan and fill with enough boiling water to come 3/4 up the side of the basin
Cook for 2 3/4 hours, adding more boiling water as necessary to keep it at that level.
Remove from saucepan carefully.
Allow to stand for 10-15 mins and then turn out onto a plate.
Spoon the chocolate brandy sauce over the pudding to serve.

chocolate brandy sauce

• 3/4 cup (6 fl oz) single or pouring cream
• 1/2 cup ( 75g or 2 1/2 oz brown sugar
• 100g (7 oz) dark chocolate, chopped
• 25g (3/4 oz) unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon brandy.

To make the chocolate brandy sauce, place the cream, sugar, chocolate and butter in small saucepan over low heat and stir for 5-6 mins. or until the chocolate is melted and smooth and stir through the brandy and set aside.

____________

Can be made ahead and both items, pud. and sauce can be quickly microwaved if you use one of those things, just before serving... well, that's what the magazine says.

[hsiw]

I get a cookie recipe every day for 12 days before christmas, here are the best:

Black and White Tie From Food Network Kitchens





Oil, for brushing
3 cups cake flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks, 8 ounces), softened
1 1/3 cups sugar
2 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
Chocolate Icing:
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream

White Icing:
2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons warm water


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Brush 2 baking sheets very lightly with oil.
Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl.
Whisk the buttermilk and vanilla together in a liquid measuring cup. Set aside.

Beat the butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Gradually add the sugar and continue to beat at high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs and yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. At low speed, add the dry ingredients in 3 parts, alternating with the wet in 2 parts, beginning and ending with the dry to make a smooth batter.

Evenly mound 2 tablespoons batter per cookie onto the prepared cookie sheets, spacing them about 2-inches apart. (A small cookie scoop or ice cream scoop is ideal for this.) Bake until the cookies are golden brown around the edges, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer cookies to rack and cool completely.

For the chocolate icing: Put the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl. Bring the cream to a boil in a small saucepan; pour over the chocolate. Shake the bowl gently so cream settles around the chocolate; set aside until the chocolate melts, about 5 minutes. Whisk until smooth, taking care not to incorporate too many air bubbles. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a small tip with about half of the chocolate icing.

For the white icing: Whisk the confectioners' sugar, corn syrup, lemon juice and warm water together to make a smooth icing. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a small tip with about a quarter of the icing.

To Decorate:
For tuxedo cookies: Set the cookies on a rack over a rimmed cookie sheet. Pour the white glaze over the whole cookie to cover; set aside to dry. Pipe a bowtie and tuxedo lapel with the chocolate icing.

For a little black dress and pearls: Pipe an outline of a woman's dress with the dark chocolate and fill in with more icing. Pipe white icing pearls around the top of the cookie. Add silver dragees or candy pearls to dress up, if desired.

Let cookies dry completely, about 20 minutes. Serve.

Store cookies in a tightly sealed container for up to 2 days.

[hsiw]

Chocolate Cheesecake Candy Cane Bars From Food Network Kitchens





Crust:
20 chocolate wafer cookies
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground coffee beans
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
Filling:
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
2 large eggs, room temperature

Glaze:
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon light or dark corn syrup
2 tablespoons sour cream, room temperature
1/2 cup crushed candy canes (see Cooks Note)


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8-inch square baking dish with foil.
For the crust: Process the chocolate wafers in a food processor with the butter, sugar, coffee, and salt until fine. Evenly press the crust into the prepared dish covering the bottom completely. Bake until the crust sets, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the filling: Put the chocolate in a medium microwave-safe bowl; heat at 75 percent power until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir, and continue to microwave until completely melted, up to 2 minutes more. (Alternatively put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with an inch or so of water to a very slow simmer; set the bowl over, but not touching, the water, and stir occasionally until melted and smooth.)

Blend the cream cheese, sugar, and sour cream together in the food processor until smooth. Scrape down the sides, as needed. Add the eggs and pulse until just incorporated. With the food processor running, pour the chocolate into the wet ingredients and mix until smooth.

Pour the filling evenly over the crust. Bake until filling puffs slightly around the edges, but is still a bit wobbly in the center, about 25 to 30 minutes. Cool on a rack.

For the Glaze: Put the chocolate, butter and corn syrup in microwave safe bowl. Heat glaze in the microwave at 75 percent power until melted, about 2 minutes. Stir the ingredients together until smooth; add the sour cream. Spread glaze evenly over the warm cake and scatter the crushed candy canes over top. Cool completely, then refrigerate overnight.

Cut into small bars or squares. Serve chilled or room temperature.

Store cookies covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Cook's Note: To crush the candy canes, remove wrappers and place in a resealable plastic bag. Use a rolling pin to roll and break the candy up into small pieces, about 1/4 inch or so.