I give you the last installment of The Best of 2009.  Enjoy, and Happy New Year!

Chewy, Fudgy Triple Chocolate Brownies – I thought I had already found my favorite brownie recipe, and then this one went and blew me away!  With a name like that I suppose it’s not a surprise, but they certainly do live up to their name.  These really are my ideal brownie.

S’mores Cake – This ooey gooey cake is just such fun!  With graham cracker cake, marshmallow filling and a chocolate glaze, it’s a wonderful play on the classic campfire concoction.

Tropical Granola – Homemade granola is a wonderful snack food to have around at home or work.  I’ve made a few different kinds of granola now, and I actually think this kind the best so far!  You can play around with whatever ingredients meet your fancy, but I found dried and pureed pineapple, dried and mashed banana, coconut and macadamia nuts to give this just the tropical flavor I was going for.

Banana Caramel Cupcakes – I made a LOT of cupcakes this year, but these were definitely one of my personal favorites.  The banana and caramel are a match made in heaven, and the Swiss meringue buttercream is amazingly smooth and rich.  The flavors are really nicely balanced and the result is fantastic.

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Pie – This is one of those treats that is sheer genius.  It combines several already wonderful desserts into one mega-dessert!  Part caramel apple, part apple pie and part cheesecake, this dessert is most definitely a crowd pleaser and just irresistible.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes – Many people think that there is no combination more perfect together than chocolate and peanut butter.  I have to agree the pairing is perfect, and these cupcakes are heavenly.  The dense chocolate cake is great, and the light and creamy peanut butter frosting is truly amazing.

Chicken Pot Pie – This is comfort food at it’s finest.  With a rich filling chock full of veggies and a creamy sauce, and topped with an amazingly tender and flaky crust, these babies are wonderful.  And, they taste just as good when baked from the freezer so make a full batch and then have a quick but tasty dinner at a moment’s notice.

Caramel Corn – This stuff is unbelievably addictive.  I can only make it when I can accept that I will likely eat all of it until it is gone.  Whether you decide to package it up and share with others, or simply inhale it all yourself, you need to make this.

Chicken Tortilla Casserole – This dinner has become a favorite in record time in our house.  We first tried it last month and have made it several times since.  It is easy, flavorful, quick enough for a weeknight and just delicious!  All three of us love it and I know it will be a menu staple for a long time to come.

Gingerbread Cookies – I never thought I liked gingerbread cookies, but this recipe has completely converted me.  These were easily my favorite holiday treat that I baked this year, and I was happy to have several left over for our own enjoyment.  I’m sure they will become a tradition from now on.

Thanks to all my wonderful readers for making 2009 such a wonderful year.  I look forward to a new year full of more fun in the kitchen and good recipes to share with you!

Let’s get right to today’s installment of The Best of 2009.  (Proof that I don’t make only desserts :) )

Pappa al Pomodoro – this thick and chunky, spicy tomato soup has become a favorite of mine.  When I first made it, I didn’t think it would be able to surpass my old tomato soup recipe.  However, I have found that every time I crave tomato soup, it is this version that I gravitate towards.  I just love the kick from the spices, the chunky texture, and the awesome garnish on top.

Fresh Fruit Tart with Vanilla Pastry Cream – I can’t say enough good things about this dessert.  It is light and pretty, it is easily adapted to whatever fruits are in season, and most importantly, it includes vanilla pastry cream which just happens to be one of the most heavenly foods in the world.  The combination of the sweet tart dough, fresh fruits and pastry cream is simply divine.

Chicken Gyros – This dinner changed my life.  An extreme statement, but true.  For someone who loves food as much as me, it’s no small matter when a new recipe becomes my favorite dinner ever.  The flavorful tzatziki sauce, the delicious chicken and homemade pita bread make for a dinner that comes close to perfection for me.  It’s great for entertaining or just enjoying on your own.  Oh, how I love them.

Potato Rolls – Homemade bread just can’t be beat, and I love to make a big batch of homemade rolls to have in the freezer and take out at a moment’s notice.  These rolls have an amazing light texture with a perfect crust, and go very well with most meals.  Even better, they still taste fantastic even after being frozen for months.

Coffee Ice Cream – Though I’m not a huge coffee drinker, I’ve always enjoyed coffee ice cream.  This version is phenomenal and I think the best ice cream I made this year.  I love it too much to do anything other than eat it straight before it is all gone, but I think it would be a perfect pairing for a brownie or a piece of uber chocolatey cake, or sandwiched between two chocolate cookies.

Seven Layer Bars – These bars may not be revolutionary, but they are definitely addicting and delicious.  They are also one of the easiest treats I can think of and you can have them in the oven in minutes.  Also, they contain that ingredient I seem to find completely irresistible – butterscotch chips.  Yum!

Peach Cobbler – A quintessential summer dessert, this peach cobbler was the perfect way to end a meal during our family vacation.  I’m already looking forward to our next trip to South Carolina (or at least the next time peaches are in season) so we can enjoy this again.  The fresh fruit base with the amazing biscuit topping is to die for!

Baked Ziti – Who can resist a cheesy, saucy pasta dish with chunks of sausage?   Not I!  This meal has been a huge crowd pleaser every time I have served it, and it certainly does feed a large crowd.  It may take some time to prepare, but I think it’s well worth it.

Stuffed Mushrooms – Without a doubt, the most popular appetizer I have ever served.  These have been a staple at nearly every party or get-together I have hosted, and they are instantly devoured.  I know many stuffed mushrooms have a lot more ingredients in the filling, like sausage, spinach, etc. but I think these are wonderful because of their simplicity, and the added surprise kick that the cayenne pepper provides.

Bacon, Egg and Toast Cups – These breakfast bites quickly became a favorite in our house.  It’s easy to see why – they are delicious, use ingredients we usually have on hand, and require very little time or effort.  You can also easily increase the quantity and make enough to feed a large number of people at once.  I know we’ll be making them again and again.

Stay tuned for the final installment of The Best of 2009 tomorrow!

When I look back through my blog, I’m always amazed at how much I have grown.  In my photography (whoa, please never look at my old photos – eek!), in my cooking and baking skills, and in finding my blogging voice.  This blog is such a huge passion of mine, and it constantly inspires me to try new things and do better.  I feel like 2009 was a wonderful year for the blog.  I looked back through the posts from the year and came up with 30 recipes minimum that I felt I just had to highlight once more.  These are the things I think you really must try – you know, sometime before 2011!  I’ll be breaking this up into a three day series with 10 favorites listed each day.  I’m going in chronological order so if you haven’t been reading long, you may have missed these!

My Favorite Salsa Ever – it still holds this title, and I still love it just as much as when I first posted the recipe.  I often find myself putting Mexican food on the menu so I can have more of it!

Red Velvet Cheesecake – a genius idea from the people of Southern Living, this dessert combines two of my favorites by creating a red velvet flavored cheesecake with a cream cheese topping.  It’s a decadent treat that is also visually stunning and I can’t wait to make it again soon.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Torte – holy cow, this will probably stay on the list of top desserts I’ve ever tried!  It’s obvious why I’m so smitten with this dessert  - a chocolate cookie crumb crust, filled with a light textured but incredibly rich peanut butter filling, topped with ganache and honey roasted peanuts.  Be right back, I need to go make one right now….

Mexican Rice – this is without a doubt the best version of Mexican rice I have ever tried.  It has a wonderful texture and thanks to the cooking method, tons of flavor is absorbed into the rice itself.  I serve this frequently when I make Mexican food, and it is always a hit.  I have also found it to be a great base for burrito filling.

Spaghetti and Meatballs – everyone needs to have a great recipe for classic spaghetti and meatballs, and I love this one.  It is a wonderful comfort food but definitely tasty enough (and fun!) to serve to company.  I also love this meal because I end up with enough leftover meatballs to have meatball subs later in the week.  It’s a classic!

Chocolate Overdose Cake – okay, really, I don’t think much needs to be said about this cake.  It seems to speak for itself.  With a brownie base, chocolate mousse filling, and chocolate cake layer all covered in a decadent chocolate ganache, and containing almost 2 pounds of chocolate.  Yeah, you need this in your life.

Butterfly Cupcakes – I don’t think I’ve ever made such a whimsical treat as these cupcakes.  This has certainly been one of the most popular posts on my blog, and one I receive the most questions about.  They are fun to make and are an impressive dessert that would be perfect for so many occasions – birthdays, bridal or baby showers, a spring party.  I just love them!

Strawberry Ice Cream Brownie Cupcakes –  the idea of combining cake or brownies with ice cream into a cupcake is sheer genius.  These are so much more fun than the full sized ice cream cakes I remember as a child.  I just love individual desserts!  The strawberry brownie combo is fantastic, but the beauty of this dessert is that you can mix and match cake and ice cream flavors.  I plan on trying many more variations in the future!

New York Cheesecake – If I had to pick a favorite dessert of the year (or possibly of all time), it would be this cheesecake.  I haven’t made it since the first time I tried it, simply because last time it rendered me powerless and I am pretty sure I ate the majority of it myself.  It’s so amazingly creamy and delicious that I didn’t even feel all that bad about it.  Though I haven’t made it again, I definitely spend an abnormal amount of time thinking about it.  And I do have a birthday coming up – maybe it’s time to break it out again (hehehe ;) )

Cinnamon Raisin Bagels – since discovering the wonder of homemade bagels, they are a frequent favorite in our house.  I have had fun playing with different flavor variations and cinnamon raisin is a classic that just can’t be beat.  What a wonderful way to start the day out right.  Yum!

Stay tuned for tomorrow installment of The Best of 2009…

I hope everyone had a fabulous holiday!  As the year draws to a close, I’m getting ready to recap my favorite posts from 2009, but first I just had to share this fun and festive cake.  I know it may seem like a Christmas cake, but it’s still winter and I’m sure it would be a welcome addition to any winter gathering or New Year’s party.  This fabulous concoction consists of three thick layers of rich, moist chocolate cake filled with peppermint frosting.  The whole thing is decorated with a white chocolate buttercream and then garnished with finely crushed peppermints for a sparkly pink finish.  It is certainly a treat for the eyes as well as the taste buds!

And are you ready for this?  Me – Annie, the mint-hater – I actually liked this cake.  A lot.  Truthfully, I made it because I knew it would be so pretty and a hit at Christmas brunch, but I did not anticipate enjoying it so much myself.  The peppermint flavor in this cake is perfectly balanced by the other components so that it is definitely a key player, but not so overpowering that it is too strong for non-mint lovers.  Truly, the chocolate peppermint combo was wonderful and everyone was raving about it.

My only frustration with this cake was with the fact that it sliced horribly.  I think every piece I served looked as though Andrew had gotten a hold of it before I could pass it to each guest.  The reason was clear though – the peppermint dust on the outside of the cake hardened to form a sort of shell that was impossible to cut without partially destroying the delicate cake underneath.  Thankfully, there is a simple solution to this problem.  Garnish with the peppermint dust just before serving (as opposed to the night before as I did) so that it doesn’t have time to harden before you slice it.  And by the way, getting the peppermint evenly distributed around the outside was FUN!  I tried several techniques to get this to work but I found the best one to be simply taking a handful of the crushed candy and flinging it at the cake.  I felt a bit like Jackson Pollock :)  My counter was a mess, but I had fun and the cake looked great.   It’s a lovely winter treat!

Chocolate Candy Cane Cake
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Ingredients:
For the cake:*
½ cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder, plus extra for dusting pans
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
1¼ cups boiling water
4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
1 tsp. espresso powder
10 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
1½ cups packed light brown sugar
3 large eggs
½ cup sour cream, room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla extract

For the filling, frosting and garnish:
8 oz. white chocolate, finely chopped
1 lb. unsalted butter, softened
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
4 tbsp. heavy cream
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1¾ finely ground peppermint candies, plus extra whole candies for garnish

*I made three 9-inch cake layers, and increased the amount of cake batter by 50%.  I made the regular amount of filling and frosting called for in the recipe, and it was just enough.

Directions:
To make the cake, preheat the oven to 350° F.  Grease the edges of three 8-inch round cake pans.  Dust with cocoa powder and tap out the excess.  Line the bottom of each pan with parchment or wax paper.  Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl.  In a medium bowl, whisk the boiling water, chocolate, cocoa powder and espresso powder together until smooth.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3-6 minutes.  Beat in eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl between additions.  Beat in the sour cream and vanilla and mix until incorporated.  Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the dry ingredients in three additions alternately with the chocolate mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.  Mix each addition just until incorporated.

Divide the batter evenly into the prepared pans, and smooth the tops with a spatula.  Bake the cakes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few crumbs attached, 15-20 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through baking.  Cool the cakes in the pans for about 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edges, turn the cakes out onto a wire rack and peel off the parchment paper.  Turn the cakes right side up and allow to cool completely.

To prepare the filling and frosting, melt the white chocolate in the top of a double boiler until smooth.  Set aside and let cool until no longer warm to the touch.  In the meantime, beat the butter on medium-high speed in the bowl of an electric mixer about 30 seconds.  Add confectioners’ sugar and salt, and beat at medium-low speed, scraping down the bowl once, about 1 minute.  Add the cream and vanilla and beat on medium speed just until incorporated, about 10 seconds.  Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, scraping down the bowl as needed.  Transfer half of the mixture to a separate bowl and stir in the cooled white chocolate until smooth.  Add ¾ cup of the ground peppermint candies to the remaining frosting.

To assemble the cake, place one cake layer on a cardboard cake round or cake platter.  Spread half of the peppermint frosting over the cake.  Top with another cake layer and spread evenly with the remaining peppermint frosting.  Top with the final cake layer.  Reserve ½ to ¾ cup of the white chocolate frosting in a pastry bag.  Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining white chocolate frosting.  Coat the top and sides of the cake with the remaining crushed peppermints.  Use the reserved white chocolate frosting to pipe a decorative border around the bottom edge of the cake, as well as decorative swirls on top.  Garnish with reserved whole peppermints as desired.

Source: adapted from Cook’s Illustrated, Holiday 2009

Every year I love to plan what goodies I will include in my holiday packages.  In fact, I think about it basically all year long (sad, but true.)  Though I’m always thinking of many new ideas, and have ridiculous anxiety about narrowing it down to five or six treats, the one thing that will always be a constant in these gift bags are my favorite sugar cookies.  Now of course they’ll always be decorated with royal icing, which can make such a stunning presentation.  I can’t believe it’s been just one year since I first attempted using royal icing, and I feel like I have come so far with my decorating skills.  Here’s hoping I improve just as much next year!

This year I made and decorated the three shapes seen above.  The snowmen seemed to be the popular favorite of everyone who received the gift bags, but I loved the Christmas trees the best.  The “Joy” cookies really looked way too much like the Italian flag until I added the dots to the letters – haha!  In case you feel inspired to try your hand at royal icing, check out the recent royal icing tutorial I did.  Have a happy holiday, all my wonderful readers!

First things first – WOW!  I was truly amazed at the response to the giveaway I posted last week.  I absolutely loved reading about everyone’s holiday food traditions.  The only problem is that now I want to adopt so many of them for my own, but I would certainly go into a food coma.  It seemed like the most common tradition was baking cookies, which is no surprise.  A lot of people also seem to have fondue which sounds like a fantastic idea.  Special holiday breakfasts were also a common response.  And now, onto the winner!  I used a random number generator to choose a comment, and the winner was #377.  Congratulations, Emily!  Here is her response:

“We make Pioneer Woman’s cinnamon rolls for Christmas morning breakfast! Delicious!”

Now, a few words on my holiday treat packages.  I have had many emails and comments from readers with various questions regarding my holiday treat packages.  Everything from how I package the treats, where I buy my materials, etc.  I thought I would do a quick little post to explain how I plan, what I make, and how I package and distribute everything.

First off, you need a plan.  This is key because you want to be sure that you are not getting in over your head by attempting too many complicated treats and you have enough time to get everything done.  I try to do some easier items (hot chocolate, biscotti) with some more complicated cookies, etc.  You also want to be sure that the gift pack as a whole is well-rounded and not too heavy on one type of treat (too many cookies, all chocolate, etc.)  Lastly, be sure that if you are planning to ship any of the packages, all of the treats will keep well during the transit process.

With all those things in mind, here is what was included in my packages this year:
Holiday Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing
Gingerbread Cookies (for shipping)
Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Cookies (for local deliveries)
Candy Cane Biscotti
Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix
Orange Cranberry and Chocolate Spice mini quick bread loaves, not pictured (only in some packages, because several stuck to the pans and broke :( )

Once all the treats are baked and ready to be packaged, it is ideal to package each item individually if possible.  It helps keep flavors separate and helps with the presentation of the gifts.  More packages to open is always a fun thing!  I ended up needing to package two types of cookies together in some of the boxes, but I think it worked out okay.  Once all the items have been packaged separately, I throw them all into a holiday gift bag with some tissue paper and they are ready to deliver!  For the packages being shipped, I just pack the various packages into a box individually, with plenty of padding to keep everything intact.

I buy my packaging in a few different places, but my favorite way to purchase the materials is in bulk.  This way I have enough to last me for a few years, and the overall price is far, far cheaper than buying similar packages from places like Target, Joann’s, etc.   My favorite supplier is Nashville Wraps – great prices and a huge selection!

Hopefully this is helpful for those of you who were interested.  Baking for others is so fun and rewarding!

Biscotti are an ideal treat to include in holiday gift packages because they are easy to make, keep very well, and are the perfect thing for recipients to enjoy with their bags of homemade hot chocolate mix.  Last year I did chocolate and gingerbread biscotti which were great, but I’m always excited to try a new flavor.  Now as regular readers know from my post on peppermint mocha cupcakes, I am not a peppermint (or mint) lover…so I’m breaking my own rule here and blogging about something I didn’t taste.  I think it’s alright though, because I’ve heard so many rave reviews about these that I’m sure normal people will love them.  It’s a basic biscotti dough with chopped up candy canes mixed in, then topped with white chocolate and more crushed candy canes.  They look so fun and festive.

Normally I make my biscotti quite a bit larger, but I made the first couple of batches in the normal size and they just seemed way too big.  Probably because of the numerous other treats going in the packages (or maybe the peppermint smell was getting to me).  Whatever the case, I followed the size indicated in the recipe the second time around and made them on the smaller side.  I actually think the small size is better for gift-giving, so I’ll continue to make these as mini biscotti in the future.  Enjoy!

Looking for more flavors of biscotti?  Try these:
Orange Cranberry White Chocolate Biscotti
Banana Biscotti
Almond Biscotti
Coconut Biscotti

Candy Cane Biscotti
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Ingredients:
2½ cups all-purpose flour
1½ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup sugar
3 large eggs
2/3 cup finely chopped peppermint candies, plus extra for garnish
14 oz. white chocolate

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350° F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon baking mat.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt; stir briefly with a fork to combine.  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until well combined, about 2 minutes.  Beat in the eggs one a time, mixing well after each addition.  Add in the dry ingredients and mix on low speed just until incorporated.  Fold in the 2/3 cup crushed peppermints with a rubber spatula until evenly incorporated.

Evenly divide the dough into 4 portions.  Form each into a 9″ by 1½” log on the prepared baking sheet, spaced evenly.  Bake until the cookies are light golden brown on top, about 18-20 minutes.  Remove the pan from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes on the cookie sheet.  Reduce the oven temperature to 325° F.

After the logs have cooled for 10 minutes, use a sharp serrated knife to cut the logs into ½-inch slices on the diagonal.  Arrange the cut pieces on the baking sheet, laying on one of their cut sides so one cut side is facing up.  Bake for 15 minutes more, until the cookies are light golden brown and crisp.  (They may seem a bit soft, but will firm as they cool.)  Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Once the biscotti have cooled, melt the white chocolate in the top of a double boiler.  Dip one half of each cookie in the chocolate, shake gently to remove the excess, and transfer to a baking sheet or work surface lined with wax paper.  Sprinkle with extra crushed candy canes while the chocolate is still wet.  Let stand at room temperature until the chocolate has set completely.  Store in an airtight container.

Source: adapted from Pennies on a Platter, originally from Land O Lakes

I have been wanting to try these cookies for months.  I could have made them at any time of course, but from the first moment I saw them, I imagined baking them for my holiday treat packages.  Decorated with festive non-pareils, they just seemed to exude a playful holiday appearance.  I knew the chocolate glaze wouldn’t hold up for shipping far away, but I did add them to the 12 bags we delivered locally.  They seemed like the perfect cookie to round out the treats included because of course, chocolate must always be somehow included!

I was pretty amazed at how easy these were to make and assemble.  The only real issue I had was simply that the number of cookies did not match the amount of marshmallow, or the amount of chocolate glaze.  I ended up with something like six dozen cookies after reusing the dough scraps.  I had enough marshmallow to top about six dozen of the cookies.  The glaze wasn’t enough, so I had to make an extra half batch to finish covering them.

I wasn’t disappointed about having a few leftover cookies though – these little cookie bases were fantastic on their own!  I’m normally not one for plain cookies like this, but the tender wafer with just a hint of cinnamon was absolutely wonderful.  Perfect for snacking on while you finish baking :)

They were every bit as cute and yummy as I had hoped, and definitely lived up to my expectations!  Not only would they be popular with kids, I think they would be a really fun project to make with kids as well.  I can’t wait to make them with Andrew someday!

Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Cookies
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Ingredients:
For the cookie base:
3 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup sugar
½ tsp. salt
¾ tsp. baking powder
3/8 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
12 tbsp. unsalted butter, slightly chilled
3 large eggs

For the marshmallows:
¼ cup water
¼ cup corn syrup
¾ cup sugar
1 tbsp. powdered gelatin
2 tbsp. cold water
2 egg whites, at room temperature
¼ tsp. vanilla extract

For the chocolate glaze:
12 oz. semisweet or dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 oz. of cocoa butter or vegetable oil

Directions:
To make the cookie base, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the dry ingredients and mix on low speed to blend.  Add the butter and mix on low speed until sandy.  Whisk the eggs together in a small bowl, then add to the dough and mix on low speed to incorporate.  Form the dough into a ball, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or up to 3 days).

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375° F.  Grease a cookie sheet, or line sheet with parchment paper or a silicon baking mat.  Roll the dough out to 1/8″ thickness on a lightly floured surface.  Use a 2-inch round cookie cutter to cut out rounds of the dough and transfer them to the prepared baking sheet.  Bake for about 10 minutes or until light golden brown.  Let cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the marshmallow, combine the water, corn syrup and sugar in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.  Meanwhile, sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water in a small bowl.  Set aside and let dissolve.  Continue heating the sugar mixture in the pan until it reaches the soft-ball stage (235° F on a candy or instant-read thermometer).  Remove the syrup from the heat, add in the softened gelatin, and mix to combine.

In the clean, dry bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium-high speed until soft peaks form.  Pour the syrup and vanilla extract into the egg whites and continue whipping until the stiff peaks form.  Transfer the mixture to a pastry bag and pipe dollops of marshmallow onto the cooled cookie bases.  Let set at room temperature for 2 hours.

To make the chocolate glaze, combine the chocolate and the oil in a heatproof bowl set over simmering water.  Heat until the chocolate is completely melted and a smooth glaze has formed.  Place a cookie a a time onto a fork, spoon the chocolate glaze over the top until the cookie is covered, and gently shake off the excess.  Transfer the glazed cookies to baking sheets lined with wax paper, garnish as desired, and let the glaze set.  (I popped mine into the refrigerator for a few minutes to speed up this process.)

Source: adapted from Use Real Butter, originally from Gale Gand of Food Network

For me, eggnog ice cream sounded just right for the holidays.  I make ice cream all year round regardless of how incredibly cold it might be outside, but it’s always fun to make a flavor that so perfectly suits the season.  This seemed to be perfect timing since I had eggnog left over from making eggnog cranberry muffins.  So I gathered everything up, and got ready to make the ice cream.  And then I read through the ingredient list again…and again…and again.  Because I didn’t see eggnog listed.  And then I realized, it didn’t call for any.

At that point I got a little worried because I didn’t see how this could really end up tasting very much like eggnog.  I forged ahead anyway, but even after freezing the ice cream and tasting it right off the dasher, I wasn’t optimistic.  It seemed off somehow.  I stuck it in the freezer and decided to give it one more try later.  Something magical must have happened during the time that it sat in the freezer – the flavors must have mingled just right.  When I served myself a spoonful later, I couldn’t believe it.  It tasted just.like.eggnog.  The alcohol and the nutmeg make all the difference in converting a plain vanilla ice cream base into something amazing.  I’m telling you, David Lebovitz knows his ice cream.  (On a related note, if you don’t already own The Perfect Scoop, I highly recommend you add it to your collection ASAP.)  I used pre-ground nutmeg instead of freshly grated, but I would love to try fresh eventually!

Eggnog Ice Cream
Printer-Friendly Version

Ingredients:
1 cup whole milk
2/3 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
2 cups heavy cream
6 large egg yolks
¾ tsp. ground nutmeg (or 1 tsp. freshly grated)
2 tbsp. dark rum
1 tbsp. brandy
2½ tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:
Combine the whole milk, sugar and salt in a medium saucepan.  Warm over medium heat, stirring occasionally.  Meanwhile, pour the cream into a large mixing bowl and set a fine mesh sieve over the top.   In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks.  Once the milk mixture is warm, slowly add it into the egg yolks, whisking constantly.  Return the mixture to the saucepan.  Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom of the pan with a heat-proof spatula, until the mixture thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon (between 170 and 175° F.)  Remove the custard from the heat and pour the mixture through the mesh sieve, into the cream.  Add in the nutmeg, rum, brandy and vanilla extract and stir to combine.  Cover and chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator.

When completely chilled, freeze the batter in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.  Store in an airtight container in the freezer.

Source: adapted from The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz

Oh heavens.  If you like chocolate, and especially if you like hot chocolate, you are going to love this.  I posted a different hot cocoa mix recipe last year that I had included in my gift packages.  While it was pretty tasty, this just blows it away.  It’s not surprising that this version is so much better.  After all, it includes vanilla sugar, cocoa powder and a hefty quantity of finely ground chocolate.  It’s certainly the more gourmet of the two versions, and it shows.  The thick, smooth texture and the rich, chocolatey taste can’t be beat.  I have mere tablespoons left after packaging this up for holiday treats, but I’m sure I’ll make another batch very soon that won’t be for sharing ;)

Hot Chocolate Mix
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Ingredients:
2 vanilla beans
4 cups granulated sugar
1½ lbs. good quality semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
9 oz. good quality bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 cups Dutch process cocoa powder*

Directions:
Split and scrape the vanilla beans and combine in a large bowl or jar with the sugar.  Work the vanilla seeds into the sugar with your fingers.  Bury the pods under the sugar, cover tightly and let stand overnight (or up to months) at room temperature.  Remove the pods when ready to use.

In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade, combine the sugar, semisweet and bittersweet chocolate, and Dutch process cocoa powder.  Process in 4-second pulses until the chocolate is very finely ground and the mixture is well combined.  Store the mix in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

Serving Instructions:
Combine 2 tablespoons cocoa mix with 8 oz. of very warm milk and stir to combine until well blended.

*I am unable to find Dutch process cocoa powder in area stores, so I use a blend of natural and Dutch process cocoa.

Source: Confections of a Foodie Bride, originally from  Gourmet, 2005

It turns out that my mom was definitely right when she told me as a child that my tastes would change over time.  I remember as a kid thinking gingerbread cookies looked absolutely delicious – and then I tasted one, and absolutely hated it.  Maybe it was just different than what I was expecting, or the flavors were a bit strong for me then, but I’ve steered clear of them ever since.  Then this past weekend, I had my yearly baking marathon for holiday goody packages and decided to give gingerbread a second chance, mainly because I thought they would help round out the packages and keep well for the ones being shipped off to friends and family.

I am so, so glad I tried these because they might just be my new favorite holiday cookie.  The wonderful spiced flavor and the perfectly chewy texture seem to embody the holiday season in a cookie.  Not to mention, they are very pretty!  I decorated them with a simple royal icing design and a few cake sparkles just like Katie did.  While this is certainly not necessary, it definitely made them much more attractive.  The only thing to keep in mind is that the cookies spread and puff quite a bit during baking, so you don’t want to use a cookie cutter with too much detail.  These snowflake shapes looked very different before I popped them in the oven.  Even though I didn’t like gingerbread as a kid, Andrew definitely approved of these, and I’m sure they’ll be part of my holiday baking traditions for years to come.

Gingerbread Cookies
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Ingredients:
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1½ tsp. ground cloves
2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
16 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 cup molasses
1 large egg

Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and spices to combine; set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Mix in the molasses and egg until combined.  Add in the dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated.  Cover the bowl and chill the dough for at least one hour.

Preheat the oven to 350° F.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper.  Roll the dough out on a lightly floured work surface to about ¼-inch thickness.  Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters.  Place the cookie shapes onto the prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart.  Bake for 10 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through baking.  Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes.  Transfer to a wire cooling rack and let cool completely.  Decorate as desired.

Source: adapted from Good Things Catered, originally from Allrecipes

It’s time for the first ever giveaway here on Annie’s Eats!  I’m usually not that into giveaways on blogs because they tend to detract from the content I’m really interested in.  I’m making an exception though, because it is the time of the year to give, and I just love my readers so much I decided I needed to give at least a small token of my appreciation.  So, I’m giving away one copy of Baking Illustrated from the editors of Cook’s Illustrated magazine.  Why this book?  Simple – because it is my favorite cookbook that I own!  It is the source of my absolute favorite ever chocolate chip cookies, cheesecake, and pizza crust, just to name a few.  I have made many fabulous things from this book with still many, many more I want to try, and I want to share this awesome book with one of you!

To enter, leave a comment on this post telling us what food is a holiday tradition for you.  Is it a cookie you bake every year, a candy your grandmother made, or maybe some special pancakes a parent made on Christmas morning?   Or, if you aren’t quite at the point of having set traditions yet, what food would you like to make a part of your traditions in the future?   One entry per person, comments will close on Friday, December 18 at 10:00 pm, EST.  One winner will be chosen at random and announced next week.  Good luck!

Edited to add: Will ship to U.S. residents only.

I am the queen of saving so many recipes, and I know with certainty I’ll never be able to try them all.  Many of them get pushed aside because they seem out of season, or because I don’t have a good reason to make them, and eventually slip my mind when I’m in the process of meal planning.  But some I just need to make right away, as was the case with these muffins.  They’re seasonal, I had all the ingredients on hand, and I had to work on a Saturday morning so I knew I would have some hungry coworkers to help taste test them.  Not surprisingly, these are a wonderful treat, and perfect for this time of year (you know, eggnog and cranberry time.)  I thought the almond flavor, though delicious, slightly overpowered the taste of the eggnog so next time I may reduce that a bit.  Otherwise, these were great and received two thumbs up from everyone who tried them.

Eggnog Cranberry Muffins
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Ingredients:
For the muffins:
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
1 cup plus 2 tbsp. granulated sugar, divided
2 large eggs
¾ cup eggnog
5 1/3 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp. almond extract
1½ cups coarsely chopped cranberries

For the topping:
½ cup sugar
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, slightly softened
½ cup chopped pecans (optional)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400° F.  Line 14-16 muffin cups with paper liners.  In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt; stir to combine.  In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 cup of the sugar, eggs, eggnog, melted butter and almond extract.  Stir until well combined.  Mix in the dry ingredients just until incorporated.  Toss the chopped cranberries with the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar, and fold into the batter.  Divide the batter evenly between the prepared muffin liners, filling them about two thirds of the way full.

To make the streusel topping, combine the sugar, flour, cinnamon and butter.  Cut the butter into the dry ingredients until a coarse, crumbly mixture forms.  Stir in the pecans if using.  Sprinkle the mixture evenly on top of the muffin batter.

Bake for about 18-22 minutes, or a until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Let cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

Source: adapted from Recipe Girl

I just love to share a sweet treat on Fridays, and I thought this seemed like the perfect thing for this week.  After all, I know this is the time of year when many Starbucks lovers go flocking to the coffee shops in search of this seasonal beverage favorite.  I must confess that I myself am not a fan of this drink, only because I do not like mint of any kind (except one flavor of gum and one type of toothpaste – picky, huh?)  But we all know I get more enjoyment out of baking for others than for myself, so I was more than happy to make these cupcakes for a coworker’s birthday.  She proclaims the peppermint mocha her favorite drink ever, so these were clearly the way to go.

The cupcake base is a simple mocha batter that bakes up nicely.  I added a bit of peppermint extract to the cake batter to achieve that minty flavor throughout.  Next time I will add some espresso powder to the cake batter, because I felt the mocha flavor was nearly lost, and I have added this to the version below.  The frosting is a lovely Swiss meringue peppermint buttercream.   I just can’t get over how beautiful and smooth Swiss meringue buttercream is.  I know it takes longer to make, but I think it is worth it!

And if you were actually wondering how these turned out – they were a major hit.  Personally I was not thrilled with them but they tasted alright considering they are full of a flavor I don’t like.  They were definitely very popular with all my non-mint-hating coworkers, so I will chalk them up as a success.  I added individual mints to garnish mine, but I think they would also look adorable with mini candy canes or coarsely chopped peppermint pieces on top.

Peppermint Mocha Cupcakes
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Ingredients:
For the cupcakes:
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2-3 tsp. espresso powder
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1 cup whole milk
1 cup strong brewed coffee
1 tsp. peppermint extract
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs

For the frosting:
6 large egg whites
1¾ plus 2 tbsp. granulated sugar
1½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 tsp. peppermint extract
1-2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:
To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350° F.  Line two cupcake pans with paper liners.  In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt; stir together.  Combine the milk, coffee and peppermint extract in a liquid measuring cup.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugars.  Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.  Blend in the eggs one at a time.   Alternately mix in the dry and liquid ingredients, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients and mixing just until incorporated.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cupcake liners.  Bake 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.   Let cool in the pan 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the frosting, combine the egg whites and sugar in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water.  Heat, whisking frequently, until the mixture reaches 160° F and the sugar has dissolved.  Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.  Beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form and the mixture has cooled to room temperature, about 8 minutes.  Reduce the speed to medium and add the butter, 2 tablespoons at a time, adding more once each addition has been incorporated.  If the frosting looks soupy or curdled, continue to beat on medium-high speed until smooth again, about 3-5 minutes more.  Stir in the peppermint and vanilla extracts and mix just until incorporated.

If you would like the red and white swirled frosting effect, remove about half of the frosting to a bowl.  With the remaining frosting in the mixing bowl, add red gel coloring and mix until you have achieved the desired shade.  Fit a pastry bag with a large tip.  Fill one side of the pastry bag with the white frosting, and then fill in the other side with the red frosting (this does not need to be exact – just enough so that both colors are included.)  Pipe a test streak until you see both colors coming out of the tip.  Frost cupcakes as desired, refilling the pastry bag in the same manner as needed.

Source: cake and frosting adapted from How to Eat a Cupcake

Now that chilly, wintry weather is well upon us, the time is just right for cozying up inside with a nice filling bowl of soup.  I think this soup is just the thing!  It is positively delicious.  Thick and creamy, and with all the trimmings to make it like a baked potato (though I like this way more than a baked potato.)  And as with most soups, this makes quite a bit so you are sure to have leftovers for some subsequent yummy lunches.  This is nearly a meal in itself, but I’m sure it would be great with a nice tossed salad on the side.  It is actually quick enough for a weeknight meal if you plan ahead and bake the potatoes the night before.  This was a wonderful time saver and I’ll definitely do it again next time around.

Baked Potato Soup
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Ingredients:
4-5 russet potatoes
4 tbsp. unsalted butter
½ cup all-purpose flour, divided
6 cups 2% milk
2 tsp. salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
¾ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
½ cup green onions, chopped
1/3-½ cup light sour cream

For topping:
Sour cream
Shredded cheddar cheese
Chopped green onions
Bacon pieces

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400° F.  Prick the potatoes with the tines of a fork.  Place the potatoes on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour.  Remove from the oven and let sit until cool enough to handle.  Scoop the insides of the potatoes into food processor, discarding the peels.  Pulse until the pieces are broken into small chunks.

In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, melt the butter.  Add ¼ cup of flour to the pot and whisk into the butter.  Cook, whisking constantly, until golden brown, about 2 minutes.  Whisk in the milk and the rest of the flour.  Cook until thick and bubbling, about 6-8 minutes.  Mix in the potato chunks.  Whisk in the salt, pepper, and cheddar cheese and stir until the cheese is melted.  Remove from the heat, stir in the green onions and sour cream.

Serve immediately.  Garnish with sour cream, cheddar cheese, green onions and bacon as desired.

Source: adapted from For the Love of Cooking

To be honest, cranberry sauce is not something I have ever noticed at Thanksgiving in the past.  I couldn’t tell you whether the kind served was homemade or the jelly in the shape of a can.  It just didn’t interest me at all.  But when I saw this blackberry cranberry sauce last year, I was all ears.  And not only that, it made me really want to host my own Thanksgiving.  When I found out that I actually would be hosting this year, I immediately knew I would be making this sauce.  And as if it were written in the stars, blackberries were on sale for 99¢ a container – sweet!  The blackberries added a nice complexity to the flavor, and this sauce could be good in so many capacities – on turkey, on a panini, for dipping pumpkin yeast bread, or some other fabulous way I have yet to try!

Now, I have to say that I wasn’t thrilled with the recipe itself once I started making it.  The sauce wasn’t thickening up at all.  I ended up adding a slurry of cornstarch and water to help thicken my sauce, and it seemed to do the trick.  Unfortunately, I do not have an exact measurement for the amount of water that should be added, but I have done my best to write the recipe as clearly as possible so hopefully there won’t be too much room for error here.

Blackberry Cranberry Sauce
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Ingredients:
12 oz. fresh cranberries
2 cups blackberries
1 cup sugar
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. allspice
2 tsp. cornstarch
2 tbsp. water

Directions:
Place cranberries in a medium saucepan.  Add water to the pan, just under 1-inch deep (berries do not need to be completely covered.)  Heat over medium-high heat until the berries begin to pop.  Cook a few minutes more, until most of the skins have popped.  Gently stir in the blackberries, sugar, salt and allspice.  In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and water and whisk together until smooth.  Add the mixture to the pan with the berries and stir to incorporate.  Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and cook until the sauce has thickened.  Smash the berries a bit while you stir, leaving some berries intact for a chunkier texture.  Remove from the heat and allow the mixture to cool.  The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools. Refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to serve.

Source: adapted from Baking Bites

Since posting pics from our Thanksgiving spread, I’ve had requests for nearly every recipe from the menu.  While I won’t be able to share them all now because I just have way too many things waiting to be posted, this herb butter was requested by many and to be perfectly honest, I think it was my favorite thing I ate that day – and the next day, and the next day…

We don’t go out to eat often but when we do, it’s usually to a pretty nice restaurant, and one of my favorite parts of the meal is also one of the simplest – the butter they serve alongside bread.  It may not seem like a big deal to some people, but really good butter can be just heavenly to me.  Up until now I had tried a couple times to replicate this flavor at home with minimal success, but this time around I think it was spot on.  I quickly wrote down what I had done since I had just thrown together ingredients I had on hand.  And so I give you my favorite herb butter!  I am sure the herbs could be changed out with other combinations and such, but I actually think the combination of herbs I used this time around was what really made this great for me so I highly recommend them if possible.  I think chives could be a great addition to the flavor, and will definitely try that sometime.

And for those of you who asked for the honey butter recipe – I didn’t measure anything when I made that, so I can’t help.  I just mixed in honey and a touch of salt until it had a nice consistency and the honey flavor came through.  That’s it!

Compound Herb Butter
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Ingredients:
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1-2 cloves garlic, very finely minced
1 tbsp. fresh basil, finely minced
1 tsp. fresh dill, finely minced
1 tsp. fresh thyme, finely minced
½-¾ tsp. kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl.  Mix well with a spoon until combined and all ingredients are evenly incorporated.  To serve, pipe butter into small serving dishes with a decorative pastry tip.  Alternatively, place the butter mixture onto plastic wrap, form into a log, wrap tightly and refrigerate until ready to serve.  Allow to come to room temperature before serving so it is spreadable.

Source: Annie’s Eats original

This is not a new recipe to Annie’s Eats, but it certainly is improved.  I enjoyed these scones last time I made them, but I felt like they could have used something to take them up a notch from good to great.  In particular, I knew they needed more spice.  This time around, I added this simple spice glaze on top which definitely did the trick.  It gave them fantastic flavor, and had the added bonus of making them look much prettier.  I also swapped the white chocolate chips for butterscotch chips and WOW!  That pumpkin-butterscotch combo is just to die for.  I didn’t try it this time around but I think some toasted chopped pecans would be a lovely addition.  These have a nice fluffy texture for a scone, and seem like the perfect treat for a fall or winter breakfast or brunch.  Enjoy!

Pumpkin Scones
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Ingredients:
For the scones:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
½ tsp. ground ginger
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
8 tbsp. cold, unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/3-½ cup butterscotch chips
½ cup buttermilk
½ cup pumpkin puree
1 tsp. vanilla extract

For the glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
Dash of ground nutmeg
Dash of ground ginger
Dash of ground cloves
2 tbsp. milk

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400° F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, spices, baking powder, baking soda and salt; whisk just to combine.  Add the cold butter chunks to the bowl and stir with a fork to combine.  Cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs and the largest butter pieces are no bigger than peas.  Mix in the butterscotch chips.  In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the buttermilk, pumpkin puree and vanilla extract.  Add the wet ingredients to the bowl with the dry ingredients and  stir together gently just until the dough comes together.  If necessary, knead a bit with your hands, but be careful not to overwork the dough or you will end up with a tough scone.

Transfer the sticky mass of dough to the prepared baking sheet.  Pat the dough into a 8 or 9-inch round.  Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 22-25 minutes.  Allow to cool to room temperature.  Slice the dough round into 7 or 8 wedges.

To make the glaze, combine the powdered sugar and spices in a small bowl.  Add the milk and whisk to combine, until a thick glaze is formed.  (If necessary, add a bit more milk to achieve a consistency good for drizzling the glaze.)  Use a whisk to drizzle the glaze over the finished scones (I use a plastic baggie with a tip cut off).  Allow the glaze to set before serving.

Source: adapted from Joy of Baking

I have posted many times about sugar cookies I have decorated with royal icing.  I just don’t think you can beat the gorgeous detailing and smooth finish that royal icing provides.  Though I have done my best to share all my tips and tricks in other posts, many readers have requested a “how to” post with step-by-step photos.  So for those of you who need the visual guide, let’s decorate with royal icing!

Let’s start out with a list of what you will need:
A batch of sugar cookies to decorate (this is my favorite recipe)
A batch of royal icing (you may need more than one batch, depending on how many colors you use, and how many cookies you decorated)
Icing gel colors – these are best because they create bright colors without affecting the consistency of the icing (unlike liquid food coloring)
Small airtight containers for each color of icing you plan to use
Spoons
Toothpicks
Disposable pastry bags fitted with small round tips (I like size 2 for most purposes)
Squeeze bottles (not pictured here, but these make the whole process much easier)

Once you have all your supplies together, invert the pastry bags so that they will be ready to be filled with icing.

Divide the batch of royal icing between the various airtight containers and color each as desired.

Transfer the colored icings to the prepared pastry bags.  You do not have to use all of the icing you color, only as much as you think you will need for piping.  Leave any excess in the container and cover with the airtight lid while the icing is not in use.

Pipe outlines around the edges of your cookies.  To keep your lines as smooth as possible and reduce stress on your body, do this seated at a table and keep one elbow or forearm steady against your work surface.  Keep the tip of your pastry bag very close to the cookie as you pipe, to avoid the “squiggles”.  (The more space between your tip and the cookie, the more room for the icing to move where you do not want it.)

Let the icing outlines set for at least one hour before proceeding.

With any of the piping bags that are not in use, store them upright in a drinking glass with a very small amount of water in the bottom.  This prevents the icing in the tip from hardening.

Now that the cookies have been outlined, we will make the thinned icing to flood the centers of the cookies.  To do this, use a portion of the thicker icing in its airtight container.  Add water, a very small amount at a time (maybe ½-1 tsp.), and stir well until the water is incorporated.  Continue this process, thinning the icing until you reach the desired consistency.  For the best flooding icing, you want it to run off the back of a spoon…

And be quickly reabsorbed into the icing still in the container.  I aim for the icing to disappear back into the icing below in about 5-10 seconds.

Once the icing has been appropriately thinned, let it stand for about 5-10 minutes.  This allows bubbles incorporated into the icing during the thinning process to rise to the surface.  After the bubbles have risen, give the icing one gentle stir around the surface to pop these bubbles, and transfer the icing to a squeeze bottle.

Fill the center of the outlined cookies with the thinned icing.

Use a toothpick to help the flooding icing reach the edges.

If you notice any air bubbles that have made it into the flooded icing, pop them with the tip of the toothpick.

Repeat this process until all the outlines have been filled.

Let the cookies set for several hours, until the icing has set completely.  (I like to let them set overnight.)

Once the icing has set, it will have a matte sheen and a hard surface.

Use remaining thick icing in pastry bags to pipe detailing onto the cookies.  Let this icing set at least one hour.

And you’re done!  That’s all there is to it.

I also made these little acorn cookies to go along with the maple leaves.

Package them up in little cellophane baggies, tie with ribbons, and you have some very adorable cookies for any occasion!

For all my previous entries on sugar cookies with royal icing, see these posts:
Christmas Cookies
Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing
Valentine’s Cookies
Onesie Cookies
Andrew’s First Birthday Party
Wedding Sugar Cookies
Home, Sweet Home Cookies
Halloween Sugar Cookies

Pears are such a wonderful winter fruit, but often I find that their mild flavor can be masked or easily lost in some recipes.  So when I heard of this pear caramel ice cream, I was interested to see if the pear flavor would really come through.  Of course, I never should have doubted that David Lebovitz would hit the nail on the head.  The pear flavor comes through beautifully, followed by the deep, rich caramel taste.  This is also one of the creamiest ice creams I have made yet, even though it is not made with a custard base.

If you have not had much practice with making caramel, this recipe could make you a bit nervous because the whole batch seizes up as soon as the pears are added to the pan.  However, this is completely expected and you just need to continue cooking the mixture until it has smoothed out once again.  The mixture is pureed, but I think it would also be great with some chunks of pear left in the batter as well and I may try that next time around.

More treats for fellow caramel lovers:
Caramel Corn
Banana Caramel Cupcakes
Caramel Peanut-Topped Brownie Cake
Caramel Cocoa Crispy Bars
Caramel Apples

Pear Caramel Ice Cream
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Ingredients:
3 medium-sized pears, peeled, cored and chopped into ¼-inch pieces
¾ cup plus 2 tbsp. sugar
2 cups heavy cream
Pinch of salt
Squeeze of fresh lemon juice

Directions:
Spread the sugar out in a large, non-reactive, heavy-bottomed saucepan.  Cook over medium-heat, monitoring it closely.  Once it begins to liquefy and darken at the edges, stir gently with a heatproof spatula to help the melted sugar from the edges melts the crystals in the middle.

Once the sugar reaches a deep amber color, mix in the chopped pear pieces.  At this point much of the mixture will likely seize and harden.  Continue cooking and stirring until the mixture has smoothed out again and any hard bits of caramel have melted, and the pears are cooked through (about 10 minutes).

Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in ½ cup of the cream.  Then mix in the remaining cream, as well as the salt and lemon juice.  Let cool to room temperature.

Once the mixture has cooled, transfer to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth.  Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator.

Freeze the batter in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Source: adapted from The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz

Just in case you still have some leftover turkey in your refrigerator or freezer, and are looking for a way to use it up, I give you this fabulous sandwich.  Leftover turkey, cranberry sauce and delicious, heavenly brie sandwiched between two slices of pumpkin yeast bread.  A truly wonderful creation and a delightful lunch for sure.  I’ve actually been thinking of this sandwich since before Thanksgiving and to be perfectly honest, I think I’ve been more excited about this than the food on the actual holiday.

This is barely a recipe, so I won’t even bother typing up a formal version.  Start with a couple of slices of pumpkin yeast bread.  Spread one side of one piece of bread with leftover cranberry sauce.  Top with leftover turkey.  Layer with thin slices of brie.  Cook on a panini press or in a skillet until both sides are browned and the cheese is melted.  Enjoy!

Want another way to use your leftover turkey?  Try making turkey pot pies!

I’ve wanted to try this pumpkin yeast bread for a long, long time.  Last year I made this holiday pumpkin bread, which is very similar in taste, but slightly different in texture and obviously a fancier shape.  This is more of a no-frills version, but certainly no less delicious.  Perfect for so many things – a nice piece of toast spread with pumpkin or apple butter with a cup of coffee or tea, or a great way to change up your usual lunchtime sandwich.  My personal favorite mode of consumption is simply dunked into leftover cranberry sauce from turkey day.  It’s no more difficult to make than any other loaf of sandwich bread, and full of the flavors of fall.  Enjoy!

Pumpkin Yeast Bread
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Ingredients:
½ cup warm water
1½ tbsp. instant yeast
2/3 cup warm milk
2 large eggs
1½ cups pumpkin puree
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
½ cup brown sugar
2 tsp. salt
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. ground ginger
¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
Dash of ground cloves
6½ cups bread flour (approximately)

Directions:
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the warm water and yeast.  Add in the milk, eggs, pumpkin, oil, brown sugar, salt, and spices.  Mix briefly to combine.  Add 4 cups of the bread flour to the bowl, and mix until a sticky dough has formed.  Switch to the dough hook.  With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the remaining flour until you have a dough that is smooth and elastic, and not sticky.  Transfer the dough to a well-oiled bowl, turning once to coat the dough.  Cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel and let the dough rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface.  Divide in half.  Press each pieces into a rectangle about 1 inch thick and no longer than 9 inches long.  With the long side of the dough facing you, roll the dough firmly into a cylinder, pressing down to make sure the dough sticks to itself.  Turn the loaf seam-side up and pinch the seam closed.  Place the loaves in two well-oiled 9 x 5-inch loaf pans and press down gently so the dough touches all four sides of the pan.  Cover with a towel and let rise until almost doubled, about 45 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375° F.  Bake the loaves for about 30 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the loaf reads 190° F.  Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.

Source: adapted from King Arthur Flour