Pignoli Cookies

By Kesha | Published: January 25, 2010

PignoliCookies1 My (one and only) new year’s resolution is to cook more. That might sound a bit strange but I am a much better baker than cook. Since the Officer won’t settle on sugar for dinner, I decided 2010 should be the year of savory…well at least once a week. In celebration of my new goal, my friend Kristen invited me to an Italian cooking class at the home of her mom’s friend, Joyce. Joyce is Italian through and through and has a fantastic reputation for cooking delicious Italian dishes. On the menu was classic Italian stromboli and Italian cookies called Pignoli Cookies.

PignoliCookies2 Joyce was ready for us when we arrived. The ingredients were purchased and many of them were even prepped. It was obvious she had done this a few times before. I was amazed at the detail and preparation. I was thankful to be a part of such an extra special meal. I was so intrigued by her. I started asking questions. Then the next interaction made me realize my resolution was long overdue. It went something like this-

Me: Joyce, how many nights a week do you make dinner like this?

Joyce: Oh honey, I’ve cooked every night for the last 38 years. What do you eat when you don’t cook dinner?

The thought that never came out of my mouth: Cereal.

That’s when I knew I was in the right place…no more cereal for dinner in 2010.

PignoliCookies4 We learned how to make four different varieties of stromboli and then we moved on to the cookies. I was not familiar with Pignoli cookies, but they are simple to make and very delicious. Pignoli is the Italian word for pine nut. This cookie is a special Italian confection. The main ingredients are almond paste and pine nuts. Both were available at my local grocery store. The almond is a strong component of these cookies but is balanced nicely by the sugar, flour and eggs. Once the ingredients are mixed, the dough will not be very thick but will hold its form once it is rolled in the pine nuts. The cookies are best when they are still chewy inside and even more delicious when they are still warm. They are perfect for Italian occasions and add a nice bit of variety to your traditional cookie plate. When I made these at home, I had a few extra pecans in my kitchen, so I rolled a few of the cookies in pecans too. Both varieties of cookies were quite tasty. Thanks Joyce for sharing your fantastic cooking gifts!

And you will be happy to know I have already cooked dinner once this week!

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    Pignoli Cookies

    adapted from Joyce’s Italian kitchen (a friend of a friend)
    makes 30-36 cookies

  • Ingredients

  • 8 oz. almond paste
  • 2 egg whites, slightly beaten
  • 1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 cup pine nuts


  • Directions

    • In a small bowl, using an electric mixer break up almond paste. On low to medium speed, beat in egg whites until mostly smooth.

    In a separate bowl, sift together confectioner’s sugar and granulated sugar. Beat into almond mixture. Then add flour and salt and mix until well combined.

    Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Place pine nuts in a shallow bowl.

    Using parchment paper, cover a cookie sheet. With wet fingers (this prevents the dough from sticking to your hands), roll dough into small balls, about 3/4 inch in diameter. Then roll the top and sides of the balls in the pine nuts. Place balls on a cookie sheet about 1 inch apart.

    Bake for 17-19 minutes. Do not brown. Cookies should be pale on top and barely brown on the bottom. The centers should be soft.

Posted in Cookies | Tagged , , , | 9 Comments

Mint Infused Strawberry Ice Cream

By Kesha | Published: January 14, 2010

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Not too long ago I confessed of my obsession with ice cream. Since that confession has brought you and I closer together, I feel comfortable telling you (and confident that you won’t judge) that I made and ate ice cream last week when it felt like our entire country had been picked up and dropped off in Antarctica. Yeah, it was -13 outside but the fire in the fireplace was so nice and paired with a good blanket, it was cozy enough to enjoy some of the cold, creamy, sweet dessert.

I made some strawberry ice cream the week before as a gift for one of my family members but it didn’t turn out as decadent as I had hoped. I just wasn’t satisfied.

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Since I wouldn’t dare leave the house in the frigid temperatures, I decided I would take the opportunity to improve on the ice cream I had previously made. I wondered what it would be like to combine strawberries and mint into ice cream. I pulled my mint extract from the cabinet and the smell reminded me more of peppermint rather than mint that I had grown this past summer. So I couldn’t resist. I pulled on my snow boots and made the trek through the snow to the local grocery store to seek fresh mint leaves. (I actually drove but it sounds more dramatic if you think I walked.) Anyway, as I was wandering the store I realized that what I was about to do required two ingredients that are quite unseasonable but decided there was no harm in testing recipes that I could make even better in the summer.

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I returned home and after a cup of hot chocolate, I made ice cream. I had hesitation about the strawberries or the mint being overpowering. It turns out that the flavors did a nice little jig in this ice cream. I think that infusing the custard mixture with the fresh mint made the flavor act more in the background rather than the leading roll. The strawberries rounded out the ice cream with a sweet, velvety finish. I really loved this ice cream. And since I can hardly leave chocolate out of my desserts, I made a version with chopped dark chocolate. It was pretty tasty too.

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    Mint Infused Strawberry Ice Cream


  • Ingredients

  • 2/3 oz fresh mint leaves
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 2 cups heavy cream (divided into cups)
  • 1 cup sugar (divide into 1/3 cup and 2/3 cup)
  • pinch of salt
  • 6 egg yolks
  • 8 oz of fresh strawberries
  • 1/2 teaspoon rum


  • Directions

    • make the custard

    Rinse and dry the mint leaves. Remove the stems. In a large saucepan mix 1 cup of whole milk, 1 cup of cream and the mint leaves. Heat until the mixture begins to steam. Remove it from heat, cover and let it stand for 30 minutes. Reheat the mixture to a steam, remove from heat and let it stand for 15 more minutes. The mint is infusing the cream mixture. Using a small bowl, strain the mint infused cream mixture. Press the mint leaves against the strainer to extract as much of the liquid as possible. Reserve the mint leaves. Return the mint infused cream mixture to the saucepan and add 2/3 cup of sugar and salt. Heat on low medium until the mixture is steaming and the sugar is dissolved. Remove the saucepan from the heat.

    In a large bowl, fill it 1/3 full with ice water. Place a medium size bowl in the ice bath and add the rest of the cream to the bowl.

    In a medium bowl whisk the egg yolks. Pour in half of the mint infused cream mixture into the egg yolks, whisking while pouring so that the eggs are tempered. Pour in the remaining mint infused cream. Then pour the whole mixture back into the saucepan. Add the reserved mint leaves.

    Heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Heat for about 10 minutes or until the mixture reaches 165 degrees on a candy thermometer. The custard should coat the back of the spoon.

    Immediately remove the saucepan from heat and pour the custard through a strainer into the cold cream. Stir until combined. Cover the mixture and refrigerate for 2 hours.

    make the strawberries

    Slice the strawberries in quarters. In a medium skillet heat 1/3 cup of sugar and the strawberries over medium. The sugar should melt into syrup. Stir over heat for about 5 minutes. Let cool. Puree half of the strawberry mixture.

    freeze the custard

    Using an ice cream maker such as a Kitchen Aid attachment, freeze the custard. In the last five minutes, add the strawberry mixture sauce and rum. The rum will keep the ice cream from freezing so hard once stored in the freezer.

    Remove the ice cream from the maker and store in Tupperware and place in the freezer. Remove ice cream from freezer 5 minutes before serving.

    Chocolate Chip Variation: If you would like, you can chop 3 ounces of dark chocolate and add the pieces when the strawberries are added.

Posted in Ice Cream | Tagged , , , | 12 Comments

Tiramisu

By Kesha | Published: January 4, 2010

Tiramisu1
I haven’t had a lot of Tiramisu in my day, but I sure do enjoy it when the opportunity presents itself. In my mind, this dessert has always had a bit of attitude and I thought it was difficult to make, maybe that is because it is so delicious. Anyway, it’s not hard, in fact it is the perfect dessert for an impromptu dinner.

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I made this Tiramisu for an Italian themed Christmas party. My friend Kristen, who hosted the party, comes from an Italian family and they are fantastic cooks. Therefore it was important that my dessert could stand up to the other homemade Italian dishes. Tiramisu was the obvious Italian dessert and it got the job done. This recipe calls for the traditional ingredients such as mascarpone, ladyfingers, espresso and rum, then I topped it with pieces of chopped chocolate instead of cocoa powder. I used my new shaker that the Officer gave me for Christmas to delicately sprinkle the tiramisu with chocolate. It was rich and smooth but light enough to end a filling Italian dinner. Paired with a cup of coffee, it was a delicious way to finish the meal. I received compliments throughout the rest of the evening. Kristen’s (Italian) mom was impressed too!

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    Tiramisu

  • Ingredients

  • 6 egg yolks
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 1-1/2 pounds mascarpone cheese
  • 1 cup brewed espresso, cooled
  • 2 teaspoons dark rum
  • 60 packaged ladyfingers
  • 1/2 cup dark chocolate pieces

  • Directions

    • In a large bowl, using a mixer, combine the egg yolks and sugar until the yolks lighten, about 5 minutes. Then add the mascarpone cheese and beat until smooth, maybe a minute or two. Add 1 tablespoon of the espresso and mix until the espresso is blended well.

    In a small bowl, combine the rest of the espresso and rum. The next step will require a 9 x 13 inch pan. Begin to dip the ladyfingers in the espresso and rum mixture, dipping each side for 1-2 seconds. The ladyfingers won’t seem tender immediately but will soak up the liquid within a few minutes. Place the ladyfingers in the 9 x 13 inch pan vertical with the pan, covering the bottom. Spread 1/2 of the cheese mixture over the ladyfingers. Then place another layer of ladyfingers over the cheese. Spread the remaining cheese mixture topping the ladyfingers.

    Cover the tiramisu with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

    Chop or shave 1/2 cup of dark chocolate. I chopped mine in my Magic Bullet. Before serving, generously shake or sprinkle the chocolate on the top of the tiramisu. Serve chilled. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Posted in Cakes | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

Orange Marmalade Rolls

By Kesha | Published: December 25, 2009

OrangeRolls1Santa Clause came last night. Along with some beautifully wrapped presents, he also brought some yummy Orange Marmalade Rolls. Mrs. Clause must have been busy! I am enjoying the rolls this morning with some coffee waiting for the Officer to wake so we can see what is in those presents. Bosco, my dog, enjoyed a bit too as he snatched it off my plate while I was in the kitchen. Oh well, it is Christmas!

OrangeRolls2The Orange Marmalade Rolls are perfect during the holidays. When I saw them on The Pioneer Woman’s site, I just couldn’t resist. There are a couple of people in my family that love orange and so these were the perfect breakfast while some of them were here for a visit this week. They are delectable and super moist. The rind in orange marmalade adds a really great texture. Next time I might add pecan pieces when I spread on the marmalade although they are fantastic just how they are. These are probably the most moist rolls I have made. If you still have guests in this weekend, or even if you don’t, these rolls are worth the effort. They received high praises from all that indulged. Merry Christmas to you! I hope you have a moment to relax and enjoy this wonderful day!

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    Orange Marmalade Rolls

  • Ingredients

    rolls
  • 1 quart whole milk
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 packages active dry yeast
  • 9 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 tablespoon salt
  • 16 tablespoons sweet orange marmalade
  • 3/4 cup melted butter
  • 2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • glaze
  • 2 pounds powdered sugar
  • 6 tablespoons melted butter
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 3/4 cup orange juice
  • dash of salt


  • Directions

    • make the rolls

    Mix the milk, vegetable oil and sugar in a saucepan over medium to high heat. Heat until just before boiling. Remove from heat and let cool for 1 hour until the mixture is warm. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl. Add the active dry yeast and let it sit for a few minutes. In increments, mix in 8 cups of flour. Cover and let the dough rise for 1 hour.

    Mix 1 cup of flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix with risen dough. If desired, cover dough and refrigerate until you are ready to make the rolls.

    Butter two 9-inch pans. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

    Divide the dough in two. On a large, floured surface, begin to roll out half the dough in a long rectangle. Dough should be rolled out about 1/4 inch thick. Then, leaving about 1/2 inch on the edge, spread half of the marmalade on the dough. Using a brush, add half the butter. Then sprinkle the dough with half the brown sugar. You could also add pecan pieces at this point.

    Begin to roll the dough toward you on the long side in a long cylinder shape. Roll tightly, tucking the dough as you go. Once the dough is rolled, cut it in rolls about 1-inch thick. Place in a buttered pan leaving room for the rolls to expand. Repeat with the other half of the dough. Let the rolls rise for 30 minutes. Sometimes I put them under a lamp to help them along. Bake the rolls for 20-24 minutes until they are golden.

    make the glaze

    Make the glaze by mixing all of the ingredients. The glaze won’t have a strong orange flavor but it will be a bit sweet.

    Once the rolls are done baking. Let them sit for 2-3 minutes. Then add the glaze to the tops of the rolls.

Posted in Breakfast, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 8 Comments

Cherry Pistachio Biscotti with White Chocolate

By Mara | Published: December 24, 2009

CherryPistachioBiscotti1
Both my mom and my mother-in-law are coffee lovers. In fact, I’d be a little afraid if either one didn’t get their morning dose, that’s how much they love it. It comes naturally then that they both love biscotti as well. Last Christmas, we gave them gift packages of biscotti, and they both asked if I had made it myself. I realized I was sad to say that I hadn’t. That made me resolve to give them homemade gifts this year.

I got around to making it at the last minute. I was somewhat nervous taking it on with so little time because it always seemed a bit mysterious and difficult. I was surprised to find out that it wasn’t nearly as hard as I had feared, you just need a little time to allow for two bakings.

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One thing to point out. Definitely use good quality white chocolate when making these. I used Askinosie white chocolate and it melted and worked perfectly, but unfortunately, I ran out. I had white chocolate chips from the grocery store that I tried to supplement with. They were very difficult to melt and once they finally did, it tasted like melted sand. I ended up throwing it away and melting some dark chocolate for the last ones.

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I’d hoped to post this earlier in case anyone wanted to make these as gifts, but life sort of gets in the way sometimes. Which, I’m not complaining about, I’ve really enjoyed the time I’ve spent with friends and family so far around the holidays. So instead, I know you probably have time off. Take the time to make some of this biscotti because it’s worth it. Dip it in some coffee or my favorite, chai. And have a very merry Christmas.

    Cherry and Pistachio Biscotti with White Chocolate

  • Ingredients

    biscotti
  • 3/4 cup dried cherries
  • 1 cup hot water
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling
  • 3 large eggs, plus 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup unsalted, shelled pistachios, coarsely chopped
  • white chocolate
  • 12 ounces white chocolate
  • butter or shortening, as needed


  • Directions

    • make the biscotti

    Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. Place cherries in a small bowl and add hot water until covered. Let stand until plump, about 10-15 minutes. Drain, and set aside. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl; set aside.

    In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the 3 eggs, one at a time, beating to incorporate after each addition and scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla. Add flour mixture, and mix on low speed until combined. If desired, coarsely chop cherries. This step simply makes it easier to cut and eat the biscotti. Mix in cherries and pistachios.

    Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface; divide in half. Shape each piece into a 16-by-2-inch log, and transfer to prepared baking sheet, about 3 inches apart. With the palm of your hand, flatten logs slightly. You can also use a spatula to smooth tops out slightly. Brush beaten egg over surface of the dough logs, and sprinkle with sugar. If you use a coarser sugar, the granules will be more distinct.

    Bake about 25 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through, until logs are slightly firm to touch. Transfer logs on parchment paper to a wire rack to cool slightly, about 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees.

    Place logs on a cutting board. Using a serrated knife, cut logs crosswise on the diagonal into 1/2-inch-thick slices or 3/4-inch-thick slices (I went with 3/4-inch for a thicker slice). Place a wire rack in a large rimmed baking sheet. Arrange slices, cut sides down, on rack. Bake until firm to touch and pale golden brown, about 15-20 minutes on each side. Remove pan from oven and let biscotti cool completely on rack.

    make the white chocolate

    In a double boiler, melt white chocolate. If white chocolate is too thick for dipping, add shortening or butter until chocolate becomes a dipping consistency. Dip bottom cut side of biscotti in white chocolate and place chocolate side up on the cooling rack until chocolate hardens.

    Store in an airtight container. Or, wrap in cellophane and tie with a ribbon for homemade holiday gifts.

Posted in Cookies | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Grasshopper Bars

By Mara | Published: December 23, 2009

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Grasshoppers and Sassafras. Sounds sort of funny taken out of context. But grasshoppers, the sweet chocolate and peppermint bars, are a Christmas tradition in my family. They’ve been a favorite probably because they’re sort of like having a rich Thin Mint brownie. I even took them to a work party and one of my friends said to me, “Who made those mint bars? Everyone keeps coming back for more.”

Before making them, I called my mom and asked her to scan this recipe in from our local Junior League cookbook, Sassafras! Note there is an actual exclamation point in the title of the book, I don’t just throw those in random sentences. Anyhow, my mom’s cookbook is quite tattered and falling apart, but she’s sweet, so she scanned it for me regardless. Later, as we were opening gifts before my family left town this week, my dad gave new copies of the cookbook to both my mom and I. So, it seems like perfect timing to post about these bars.

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I have serious issues following a recipe exactly, so I added in cream cheese to this one. This is optional, but I liked that it cut the sweetness and added a creamier texture to the frosting. Also, I tend to go light on the food coloring as I like my sweets to look more natural. I mean, I’m baking so that it doesn’t look like it belongs in a shrink wrapped envelope, right?

    Grasshopper Bars

    adapted from Sassafras!
    makes 7 to 8 dozen

  • Ingredients

    brownie layer
  • 4 eggs
  • 1-3/4 cups sugar
  • 1 cup cocoa
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
  • 1 cup butter, melted
  • peppermint frosting
  • 3-1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature (optional)
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
  • a few drops of green food coloring (optional)
  • 1 to 3 tablespoons milk
    • chocolate topping
  • 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate
  • 3 tablespoons butter


  • Directions

    • make the brownie layer

    Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour (use cocoa powder for a cleaner look) an 11×17-inch baking pan with a rim. In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs and sugar until thick. Add cocoa, flour and peppermint extract until just combined. Then stir in butter. Pour mixture into pan. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Watch these carefully, as you do not want to overbake. Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack and allow to cool completely before frosting. Or, speed up the process by quickly cooling them in the fridge or freezer.

    make the peppermint frosting

    In a stand mixer, cream powdered sugar with butter and cream cheese, if using. Add in peppermint and food coloring. Add milk, one tablespoon at a time, until a spreading consistency is reached. With a spatula, spread frosting over brownie/cake portion of bars. Place in refrigerator for 30 minutes to an hour. Hardening the frosting makes spreading the chocolate topping easier.

    make the chocolate topping

    Melt butter and chocolate over a double boiler or in a microwave. I prefer the results from the stovetop method. If you don’t have a double boiler, you can make one by simply placing a metal bowl over a saucepan filled with a little water. As the chocolate melts, whisk the mixture to remove any lumps. Using a pastry or silicone brush, spread topping over frosting. Refrigerate to harden. Cut into 1×2-inch bars.

Posted in Brownies and Bars | Tagged , , , , | 13 Comments
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