Chocolate Filled Biscotti

I will be making these tomorrow and it does take two days, the cream cheese dough needs to chill in the fridge overnight. And yes I have officially gained 5 pounds due to all this baking. And this is not traditional twice baked biscotti so it stays soft and not super hard.

Ingredients:

Cream cheese dough:

2 c. flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 c. butter (1 stick), softened

3 oz plain cream cheese, softened

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c packed brown sugar

1 egg

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Chocolate Filling:

1-14 oz can sweetened condensed milk

1 c. chocolate chips

1 c. walnuts, coarsely chopped (optional, you could use pecans, cashews, hazelnuts)

For the dough, in a small bowl mix flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl with paddle attachment beat butter and cream cheese until well blended. Add the egg and mix well then add vanilla. reduce to low speed and gradually add flour mixture just until blended. Divide dough into three equal pieces. wrap separately in plastic and put in fridge overnight.

When ready the next day make chocolate filling first. In a saucepan heat sweetened condensed milk and chocolate over medium heat just until chocolate melts. Remove from heat and add walnuts, or whatever nut you choose. Set aside and let cool to room temp. Now preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.  and grease your cookie sheet. Remove one piece of dough and on a lightly floured piece of wax or parchment paper roll out dough into a rectangle about the size of a piece of notebook paper. Just make sure it's an even rectangle. Spread heaping 1/4 c. filling down the middle lengthwise. Starting from a long side fold over filling using the paper to help it over. then fold the other side over the filling so it overlaps. Pick up waxed paper and flip your cookie log onto the cookie sheet seam side down. Repeat with another one and bake 2 at a time for 20-22 minutes or until edges are lightly golden. Let cool on sheet for 2 minutes then transfer to wire racks. While cooling prepare remaining of dough and filling and finish baking. When completely cool slice crosswise on diagonal to make 12 equal pieces. Sprinkle with powdered sugar or dunk half in melted milk or white chocolate, or drizzle chocolate on top. Roll chocolate dipped ones in chopped peanuts or sprinkles. Wrap tightly in plastic to store.

Maple sauce for blonde brownies

This is the copycat for Applebees blondie with the yummy sauce.

3/4 c. maple syrup, use real maple syrup!! imitation will not taste as good

1/2 c. butter

3/4 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. chopped walnuts (optional)

Combine syrup and butter in saucepan and heat until butter has melted, then add sugar and mix until dissolved and stir in walnuts. Pour over your blonde brownie and vanilla ice cream and it's awesome!

Blonde Brownies

Ingredients:

1 c. flour

1/2 t. baking powder

1/8 t. baking soda

1/8 t. salt

1/2 c. chopped walnuts

1/3 c. butter

1 c. packed brown sugar

1 egg, beaten

1 T. vanilla

1/2 c. white chocolate chips

Combine flour, baking powder, soda and salt,and walnuts and set aside. In saucepan melt butter, then add brown sugar and mix well. Then add egg and vanilla until well combined. Gradually combine with flour mixture, then fold in white chocolate chips. Pour into a greased 9" square pan and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Banana Bread

I've tried a lot of different banana bread recipes and none of them have really been great, so I found a basic one and I've added my own tweaks with spices.

Ingredients:

2 c. flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 t. salt

1 1/2 t. cinnamon

1 t. nutmeg

1 t. cloves

1/2 c. butter

3/4 c. brown sugar

2 eggs

2 1/3 c. mashed overripe bananas

1 c. chopped walnuts and/or chocolate chips(optional)

In a large bowl combine flour, soda, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves. In a smaller bowl cream butter and sugar until well blended. Add eggs to butter mixture then add mashed bananas stir to combine. Then add to flour and stir by hand all ingredients until moistened. Pour into greased 9X5 loaf pan bake at 350 degrees F for 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean.

Russian Tea Cakes

These are also known as Mexican Wedding cookies or Snowballs. I will be making them for when we start cookies and brownies.

Ingredients:

1 c. butter

1/2 c. powdered sugar

1/8 tsp. salt

1 c. chopped and toasted pecans

1 tsp. vanilla

2 1/4 c. flour

1/2 c. powdered sugar, for rolling

Cream butter and powdered sugar until creamy and blended well. Add salt and vanilla. Slowly add flour until it just comes together. Fold in the pecans. Let dough chill in fridge for 30 minutes to an hour. Take out dough and roll into ball shapes on a lined cookie sheet with parchment paper or greased foil. Bake at 350 degrees for about 12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool, once cooled enough to touch roll each cookie in remaining 1/2 c. powdered sugar until cookie is coated.

Roasted Red Potatoes

Red potatoes are so yummy and I love them since I don't have to peel them, I hate peeling stuff almost as much as I hate shredding stuff. This is nice to do cause mashed and baked potatoes can get kinda boring.

2-4 red potatoes per person

Extra Virgin Olive Oil, enough to coat potatoes evenly

Mrs. Dash

Salt

Black Pepper

Ranch Packet, the stuff to make the dressing or dip out of

Wash the potatoes with water and clean off any gross stuff. then dice into pieces. I like to make them uneven. Some smaller and some a little bigger. Put in a large bowl mix together, the seasonings are to taste. The ranch I use about 1/4 of packet for every 4 people eating. Just put enough in to coat the potatoes evenly. I line the cookie or baking sheet with foil then spray with veg oil Spread out in an even layer, don't have them piled up on eachother. Bake at 350 degrees for abut a hour or until largest potato pieces are tender.

Yummy! Cinnamon Orange Loaf, and Hot Cross Buns

Ok, I think I'll probably be posting stuff I do in class and since it's an advanced baking and desserts, I'm already getting fat, and the two people who actually look at this you just may add a few pounds, but it's oh so good!

Cinnamon Swirl Orange Bread

5-5 1/2 c. flour

1/2 c. sugar

1 1/2 tsp yeast

1 T orange peel

1 t. salt

1 c. milk

1/4 c. water

1/4 c. orange juice

1/4 c. butter

1 egg

Cinnamon Filling

1/2 c. sugar

1 T cinnamon

Orange Glaze

1 c. powdered sugar

2 T. orange juice

1 t. orange peel

Combine 1 cup flour, sugar, orange peel, undissolved yeast, and salt in a large bow. Heat milk, water, orange juice, and butter until very warm 110-120 degrees. Gradually add to flour mixture. Beat 2 minutes at medium speed. Stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough. Knead lightly on floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 8-10 minutes. Let dough rest for 10 minutes. Divide dough in half, roll each section to roughly 12X7" rectangle. Sprinkle evenly with the cinnamon filling. Beginning at the short end, roll up tightly. Pinch seam and ends to seal. Place seam side down into 2 loaf pans, greased. Cover; let rise until doubled in size. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove from pans and let cool on wire rack. Drizzle with orange glaze.

CINNAMON FILLING: combine cinnamon and sugar.

ORANGE GLAZE: Combine powdered sugar, orange juice, and peel in small bowl and stir until smooth.

HOT CROSS BUNS

These are a nice change from cinnamon rolls. Don't get me wrong I love cinnamon rolls as much as the next guy, but it's always nice to change it up.

3 c. flour

1 t. salt

1/2 t. all spice

1/2 t. nutmeg

1/2 t. cinnamon

1/4 c. sugar

1/2 c. butter, melted

1 egg, beaten

3/4 c. raisins, optional (craisins would also be good)

1/3 c. candied citron fruit, optional

Yeast Mixture:

1 T. yeast

1 T. sugar

2/3 c. warm milk

1/2 c. warm water m(110 degrees!!)

1 c. flour

Glaze:

2 T milk

2 T water

3 T powdered sugar

Mix all yeast ingredients in bowl, and set it aside and let it foam. Mix flour, salt, allspice, nutmeg and cinnamon in large bowl. Add fruits, raisins or craisins and mix together. Mix butter and egg and add to yeast mixture. Add yeast mixture to flour, and mix with dough hook for about 8-10 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Divide into 12 equal pieces, and shape into round buns. Place rolls close together in a baking pan. Cover and let rise for about 45 minutes or until doubled. With a sharp knife, cut an X shape into top of buns. Bake at 425 degrees for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool on rack. Make glaze by bringing ingredients to boil in a sauce pan for 2 minutes. Brush over buns thickly.

More bread

I've made these all week so far. They are yummy!

Potato Bread, this make two 9X5 loaves

Ingredients:

1 medium potato, peeled and diced

1 1/2 c. water

1 T. active dry yeast

6 1/2 c. all purpose flour

3 T. granulated sugar

2 T butter,melted

1 T salt

2 T flour, for dusting

In a saucepan boil potatoes until tender, do not drain!! Reserve 1/2 c. of potato water, I actually had a little less and added hot water to make 1/2 cup. Mash the potatoes(use food processor if you have one.) with the rest of the liquid, if not add warm water to it to make 2 cups of mashed potato mixture. In your mixing bowl with a hook attachment, pour 1/2 c reserved water with yeast and dissolve. Add the 2 cups of mashed potato mixture, 2 c. flour, sugar, butter, and salt and beat on low speed for about 1 minute constantly scraping the sides. Then beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Keep mixer going on a medium speed adding 1/2 c, flour at a time so it comes together and then on a lightly floured surface put dough on and knead for 6-8 minutes adding more flour and dough becomes elastic and smooth. Take a small piece off and spread it with your fingers to make a window and if you can see through it and still holds together it's ready. Put in a greased bowl and turn once to coat, cover and let rise in warm place until doubled. Punch down and divide into 2 even pieces. shape into loaves and put in two greased 9X5 pans and cover again and let rise until tops reach the top of the pan and before you bake brush a little water over the tops and lightly dust with flour. Bake at 375 degrees for 40-45 minutes. Take out and let cool for 10 minutes then take out of pans and place on wire racks.

Oat and walnut loaf

1 1/2 tsp. dry active yeast

3 1/4 c. bread flour

1/2 c. oats, toasted

1/4 c. brown sugar

1 T. salt

3/4 c. walnuts, chopped and toasted

1 T. butter, melted

1 1/4 c. water, warmed to about 110 degrees

In your mixing bowl with hook mix the yeast, 1 cup flour, sugar, oats, and salt. Whieon low speed gradually add water and butter. let it come together scraping side when needed. Add walnuts and most of the flour and let mix on a high speed for a few minutes until it's no longer sticky. On a lightly floured surface knead the dough with rest of the flour until keep kneading until smooth and elastic. Form a ball and cover with clean kitchen towel for 10 min. Roll out into a rectangle start rolling from smaller side tightly, pinch bottom seam and tuck sides under to fit into a 9X5 greased loaf pan. Cover again and let rise until it reaches top of pan, bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Cool ten minutes the take out and cool on wire rack

Whole Wheat Bread

After a week and a half of baking nothing but bread, I think I've gained 10 pounds, but I forgot how good freshly made bread is. I made this today and it was so nice and fluffy. And bread is time consuming, plan on doing other things while you wait. Just don't leave and go somewhere else.

Ingredients:

3 c. warm water (110 degrees F) by the way a thermometer is a good investment!!

1 T. dry active yeast

1/3 c. honey

5 c. bread flour

3 T butter, melted

1/3 c. honey, yes I know it's a second time, and yes you need it again!

1 T. salt

3 1/2 c. whole wheat flour

2 T butter, melted, again second time you need it!

In a large mixing bowl mix warm water, yeast and first 1/3 c. honey. Mix together until dissolved. Then add 5 c. of the white bread flour and stir to combine, let it sit for 30 minutes or until big and bubbly. With a bread hook mix in the 3 T melted butter, 1/3 c. honey and salt. Stir in 2 c. whole wheat flour. until combined, then by 1/2 c at a time add more of the whole wheat flour until barely sticky to touch but doesn't stick to the bowl. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to coat, cover with dish towel or plastic wrap, just not tightly and let rise in a warm place until doubled. Punch down and divide into 3 loaves, place in greased 9X5 in loaf pans and allow to rise again until dough has topped the pans by one inch. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 min or until temping out at 180 degrees. Once out of the oven immediately brush tops with remaining 2 T butter. cool 10 min in pans then take out and cool completely on wire racks.