Sometimes you just have to bake some cookies

I've been in a baking funk lately. It's been a combination of a somewhat new (and inferior) kitchen and just lack of time, but I won't lie and say my inspiration hasn't been at a dribble too.

This past weekend, I caught a cold and couldn't go out for Halloween. I was bummed as a good friend of mine was throwing her annual Halloween party, and instead of having a great time with friends and dressing up as a Day of the Dead doll, I was lying on the couch watching So I Married an Axe Murderer and wondering what my life would have been like if I had been my age now in 1993 and when exactly Mike Meyers became NOT funny.

After I wrapped up Axe Murderer, I found myself bored. I wasn't tired as I had been sleeping all day. I didn't feel like getting online and playing around on Facebook, so I was left with few options. I went into the kitchen and began what has become my routine the past two months - opening the fridge with the brief hope that somehow it has filled itself magically with ingredients so I could whip up a sweet feast. What did I have? Two onions, half a stick of unsalted butter and black truffle butter. A feast I did not have.

Before meandering back into my bedroom, I remembered the peanut butter and jelly I had bought a couple of weeks earlier. I had bought these household mainstays with the idea of making a cookie recipe I had seen in Martha Stewart Living. I was craving some sweets, so making these comfort cookies became my mission for the night.


To call this recipe a "mission" is a bit dramatic. Time-wise, these bad boys took me less than an hour to make, and that includes bake time.

Even though I'm still getting over this cold, I have to believe that the chicken noodle soup and PB&J cookie combo is what's really speeding along the healing process.


Peanut Butter & Jelly Thumbprint Cookies
Makes 40

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar, plus more for rolling
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup raspberry jam

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Beat peanut butter and butter with a mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add sugars, and beat until pale and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla, and beat until incorporated. Reduce speed to low. Add dry ingredients, and mix until combined.

Scoop level tablespoons of dough, and form into balls. Roll each ball in granulated sugar, and transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart.
Bake until cookies are puffy, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven, and make indentations in centers by pressing with the handle end of a wooden spoon. Return to oven, and bake until edges are golden, 6 to 7 minutes more. Transfer sheets to wire racks, and let cool completely.

Heat jam in a small saucepan, stirring, until loosened, about 30 seconds. Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon into each indentation. Cookies can be stored in a single layer for up to 1 week.

My first attempt at blueberry scones

* This is not a photo of one of my scones. I didn't take any photographic evidence as I had just moved into my new apartment and misplaced my camera.

I've been a fan of scones for several years, but when I say this I mean a fan of eating them, not baking them myself. But about two months ago, I started mentally cataloging every scone recipe I came across. Martha Stewart included a blueberry scone recipe in Martha Stewart Living in the June issue, and Molly Wizenberg focused on a blueberry oat scone recipe in her Bon Appetit column this year. Nicole Rees has several scone recipes in her terrific cookbook Baking Unplugged, and obviously, The Joy of Cooking gives its opinion on the subject.

However, I've always made excuses not to try my hand at scone making. Typically, when I see a recipe that calls for some sort of fancy gadgetry, such as a food processor, I have a built in excuse - I don't have the money for that kind of new fangled kitchen technology (i.e. I'm currently unemployed and scrimp by each month on unemployment checks). Luckily, almost every scone recipe I've seen calls for a food processor, so I've been let off the hook. I conveniently ignored Nicole's recipes in Baking Unplugged, which is probably my favorite cookbook at the moment because the whole premise of the book is that you don't need expensive kitchen machinery. But Martha Stewart cornered me - her blueberry scone recipe was old-fashioned. I didn't need an electrical outlet for these scones. I was trapped. The scones were getting made.

It should be noted that I like baking because of its devotion to preciseness. The measuring of ingredients is not optional - it's essential. So, I will say right now that I followed the Martha Stewart Living recipe exactly. I double-checked the quantities of every single ingredient, so I was confident that my first go at scones was going to be successful...until I saw the dough.

Once you start baking or cooking for a while, you start to develop a sense of when something has gone wrong. I could tell the second I got to the step that called for turning the dough out onto a smooth surface to gently kneed and then form into a round to then cut into wedges. This dough was gooey. This dough wasn't going to form into a nice round. This looked almost like cookie dough, but wet.

My first inclination was to add flour. I thought this would soak up some of the moisture, but I became concerned it would dry out the final product. So, I gave up the idea of making perfect scone wedges and instead lumped wads of the dough onto a baking sheet and topped with sugar. Before putting in the oven, I took a quick taste of some leftover batter - it tasted scone-y. Maybe I was still on track.

I baked for about 10 minutes longer than instructed my Martha. The scones were definitely not finished when the original baking time expired. And even when I took the baked goods out of the oven, I was still confident that they were going to be great.

But, my perfect first try at blueberry scones was not to be. I don't like crumbly, dry scones, but my finished product was too moist. They tasted like scones - actually, the flavor was quite good, but the moist texture reminded me of a muffin. A muffin with a moist scone texture. As much as I like both scones and muffins, I do not condone an incestuous relationship of the two. A few days later, after being stored under a cake dome, the scones were still moist. I'm a big enough fan of scones to know this isn't the desired effect.

I'm not quite sure where things went wrong, but my guess is the amount of buttermilk the recipe calls for. I believe it was too much. Secondly, I don't think I let the scones cool long enough on the cooling rack before I put them in the cake dome. I think this caused moisture to sink in when it at least some of it should have evaporated. But I blame the buttermilk for the root of the problem. I will not take the fall for buttermilk, my least favorite of any milk-related products.

My next plan of attack is to try out the cream scone recipe in Nicole's cookbook. I've tried out two of Nicole's recipes so far, and they have both turned out wonderful - and that isn't just praise from me, but from the people that enjoyed the fruits of her book. I'll be sure to post a recap of Scones: Round 2 soon.

The perfect tart for your summer soiree

When it comes to desserts, my philosophy is that if done properly, they become a work of art. I think the tart is a prime example of this. Even with the simplest decoration, the tart can be the most eye catching dish on one's table, the glazed sheen of the fruit acting almost like an organic chandelier.

On the same token, tarts can be intimidating as hell to make. I learned a few years ago that the biggest hurdle people must get over in their creative pursuits is fear of failure. This lesson was made clear to me while attending a floristry class in Sydney, Australia. While working on my first flower arrangement, I couldn't help but here the women surrounding me uttering "I can't do this" and "Why doesn't mine look like hers" while pointing at another student's work. It struck me as odd that these women seemed on the verge of an emotional melt down because in their minds, their interpretive flower designs weren't "right." However, I can identify. I've been in positions in the past where I've actually had bosses say "You suck at writing." Despite the lack of professionalism, my main issue was that I didn't see their name published alongside any noted pieces of literature or newspaper bylines. What made them the authority on what constituted good writing? The worst part was that my confidence in my writing abilities was greatly diminished. I'm still working on my fears of not writing well. Harsh words stick with you, but I've found the more you stick at something, the better you get. Whether you apply this motto to flower design or writing, and everything in between, I think this mantra applies.

Assembling a delicious tart is something anyone can do. My advice is start out small, which is the exact course I'm taking. And luckily for me, I found a great recipe in Martha Stewart Living to start me on my way of constructing beautiful, eye catching tarts.

In the July edition of Martha's magazine, French chef Tony Esnault is featured along with a terrific menu he put together for a family meal. Obviously, I skipped right to the end where Chef Esnault chose a strawberry tart with cream as the dessert of choice. At first, the words "glaze" threw me for a loop. How do you make a glaze? I can't do this! I give up!

The idea of this dessert stuck with me for a few days. I prefer to make "pat-in-the-pan" crusts because I find them easier to manage (The Joy of Cooking has a great recipe) or I'm sure a store bought crust would work just as well. If I could make the crust, which is something most people find to be the most difficult part of baking, why couldn't I make the filling? I reminded myself that baking is not rocket science and picked up the magazine again.

In the end, it was the photo of the dessert that brought me back to the recipe. It was simple - an arrangement of shiny strawberries. Why would I be afraid of that? Strawberries won't keep me down!

Then I learned Chef Esnault's tip to making a delicious tart filling AND glaze. All you need are two jars of strawberry preserves. You simply heat up the preserves on the stove and when the preserves have loosened, you strain them through a fine sieve. Whatever is left in the sieve (the solids) goes into the tart crust. After you arrange the strawberries in the tart filling, you take the glaze that was strained through the sieve (the liquids) and brush it onto the strawberries. Voilà! The perfect summer time dessert!

For the recipe below, I've used the crust that Chef Esnault recommends, but as mentioned, feel free to get creative with this aspect of the dish.

Strawberry Tart with Cream by Chef Tony Esnault

Makes 2 tarts
Serves 8

Ingredients:
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar, plus more for dusting (optional)
2 large egg yolks, plus 1 large egg, lightly beaten, for egg wash
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for surface
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 pints (6 cups) strawberries, hulled
3 cups strawberry preserves (two 12-ounce jars)
1 cup heavy cream

Directions:
Cream butter and 1 cup sugar until pale and fluffy. Add yolks, and beat until just incorporated. Add flour and salt, and beat until just incorporated. Shape dough into 2 disks, wrap each in plastic, and refrigerate at least 1 hour (or up to 3 days).
Roll out each disk into an 11-inch round on a lightly floured surface. Fit each round into the bottoms and up the sides of a 9-inch fluted tart pan with removable bottom. Prick the bottoms of dough with a fork, and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush crusts with egg wash. Bake, pressing down crusts if they start to bubble, until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let cool completely, and remove from pans.

Trim strawberries to about the same height. Heat preserves in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until loose. Strain through a fine sieve. You will have about 1 cup of solids. Spread 1/2 cup solids over bottom of each tart. Arrange strawberries in a single layer over the top, placing cut sides down. Brush strawberries with just enough warm glaze to make berries shiny. Dust with confectioners' sugar if desired.

Beat cream with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar just until thickened. Cut each tart into quarters, and serve slices topped with whipped cream.

Helpful Hint:
If you prefer to make one tart, this recipe can be halved.

Some sweets to welcome Spring!

Perhaps it was the warm weather I grew accustomed to while living in Australia for six months last year, but this year's winter in New York seems to have taken it's toll. As a result, I'm craving Spring time - warmer weather, trench coats, and fun new desserts that seem out of place any other time of year!

I always try to have cookies or some sort of sweet on hand when I know people will be swinging by my apartment, so i can't wait to try out this recipe from MarthaStewart.com for Spring Shower Almond Petits Fours.

Not only are they beautiful to look at, my past experience with petit fours has always been a positive one!

Let me know if you try out this recipe - I'd love to post your photos and tips!

Check out the recipe here.

Recipe of the Day - Coconut Cake

When I was growing up in Oklahoma City, my mother always shopped at Kamp's Grocery, a small locally owned grocery store that had been in Oklahoma City for ages. I loved going to Kamp's for numerous reasons, the main ones being that the butcher/deli person would always sneak us slices of cheddar cheese to snack on and that for some reason, my mom was a lot more open to the idea of purchasing Kool-Aid at Kamp's than she was at other grocery stores.

Another reason I looked forward to our Kamp's trips was the promise of my mom buying one of their coconut cakes. This cake was the type of treat you would think about for days after tasting it. No one could resist its charm, and I'm sure many coconut nay sayers were swayed to the other side by its amazing buttercream icing, adorned with flecks of fresh coconut.

Kamp's eventually closed, and as many things have done, that coconut cake was filed away as a casualty of an even bigger problem - the inability of "mom and pop" shops to keep their doors open as chain grocery stores and Wal-Mart pushed them out of the way. But I never forgot that cake, and neither did my family, especially my mom. Over the years, the Kamp's coconut cake would occasionally come up in conversation, with each of my family members recalling their favorite aspect of this bakery masterpiece. The conversation always ended with ,"God, that cakes was delicious - no one makes it like Kamp's."

Oh, there were cheap imitators that tried to win our affection. A constant parade of second-rate icings, stale coconut topping and crumbly cake passed over our palates, each bite reminding us how good we once had it. The Kamp's coconut cake was now a legend, right up there next to the Knights of the Roundtable and that theory that states if you say "Bloody Mary" three times in front of a bathroom mirror with the lights off, Bloody Mary herself (whomever that is), will appear.

A few years ago, I was perusing the Dean & Deluca catalog online. I was looking for something seasonal to send my mom for her birthday, and a few months earlier I had found some adorable Springtime cookies that I had ordered for both my parents and which they seemed to enjoy. Page after page led me to delicious gift options, but nothing was really jumping out at me as something my mom would appreciate for her birthday. Summer-themed cookies in the shape of bumblebees, flowers, beach balls, as well as beautiful fruit tarts and more paraded in front of me, but alas, nothing said "Mom."

And then I saw it. On the last page of the seasonal gift online section, it beckoned to me as only the most delicious cake in the world can. It was a coconut cake with buttercream icing - just like Kamp's used to make! No more cheap mousse as a substitute for buttercream! No more fruit filling instead of icing in between layers! I had found it! I had found the Kamp's coconut cake reincarnated!

And to prove to you how awesome this cake was, I can honestly say that my family ate the entire cake in less than a day and a half. We aren't a family of fat asses, but we know a good cake when we taste it.

Be sure to enjoy today's Recipe of the Day - it took what felt like a lifetime to rediscover.

"Don't ever leave my side again" Coconut Buttercream Cake

Ingredients:
Cake
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon cake flour
2 1/2 cups cake flour (about 10 ounces)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1/4 cup egg substitute
2 large eggs
3/4 cup light coconut milk
1/4 teaspoon coconut extract

Frosting
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
5 large egg whites
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon coconut extract (optional)
3 tablespoons toasted flaked sweetened coconut

Equipment:
3 8-inch round cake pans
Wax paper
Measuring bowls
Measuring spoons
Measuring cups
Whisk
Electric mixer
Cooling rack
Saucepan
Wooden spoon
Spatula
Cake stand (to use while icing the cake)

Preheat oven to 350°.

To prepare cake, coat 3 (8-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray; line bottoms of pans with wax paper. Lightly coat wax paper with cooking spray; dust pans with 1 tablespoon flour.

Lightly spoon 2 1/2 cups flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt, stirring with a whisk. Place 2 cups sugar and 6 tablespoons butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed for 2 minutes or until well blended. Add egg substitute and eggs to sugar mixture; beat well. Add flour mixture and coconut milk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon extract.

Spoon batter into prepared pans. Sharply tap the pans once on countertop to remove air bubbles. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes on wire racks; remove from pans. Remove wax paper; discard. Cool cakes on wire racks.

To prepare frosting, combine 1 cup sugar and 1/4 cup water in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook 3 minutes, without stirring, or until a candy thermometer registers 250°. Combine egg whites, cream of tartar, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a large bowl; using clean, dry beaters, beat with a mixer at high speed until foamy. Pour hot sugar syrup in a thin stream over egg whites, beating at high speed until stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes. Reduce mixer speed to low; continue beating until egg white mixture cools (about 12 minutes).

Beat 1/4 cup butter until light and fluffy; stir in 1/4 teaspoon extract, if desired. Fold in 1 cup egg white mixture. Fold butter mixture into remaining egg white mixture, stirring until smooth.

Place 1 cake layer on a plate; spread with 1 cup frosting. Repeat twice with cake layers and 1 cup frosting, ending with cake layer; spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Sprinkle with toasted coconut. Chill until set.

Recipe of the Day - Clover Sugar Cookies (Irishmen: Don't worry, I haven't forgotten you!)

Even though today was dedicated to Easter recipes (as mentioned, I wanted to give you all plenty of time to try out these different recipes before the actual holiday), I haven't forgotten one of the most celebrated events of the year: St. Patrick's Day.

Honestly, when I (and I would venture to day the entire rest of the world) think of St. Patrick's Day, I don't really think of food. I think of green beer, crowded pubs and every bar in New York City playing the Pogues, U2, or the Cranberries. But for those of you that are thinking ahead and understand the importance of lining your stomach prior to an all-out booze fest, today's Recipe of the Day is for you - Clover Sugar Cookies.

I am willing to GUARANTEE that if you whip up these bad boys and pass them out to your fellow revelers next Tuesday, you will be the hit of the party and will probably score some free beer. If you happen to undertake this challenge, be sure to e-mail me your photos at puffandchoux@gmail.com - I'd love to post photos of some crazy Irishmen indulging in your baked goods!

Luck of the Irish Clover Cookies Recipe

Equipment:
Electric Mixer
Sifter
3-inch cookie cutter round
Clover template
Cookie sheet
Parchment paper
Measuring cups
Measuring spoons
Cooking rack

Ingredients:
4 cups sifted all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Green sanding sugar


Sift together flour, salt, and baking powder into a large bowl; set aside. Combine butter and granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment; cream on high speed until fluffy. Beat in eggs.

Reduce mixer speed to low. Add flour mixture in two additions, mixing until well combined. Mix in vanilla. Divide dough in half, and cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll out 1 piece of dough on a lightly floured work surface 1/8 inch thick. With a 3-inch cookie cutter, cut out 25 rounds. Working with 1 round at a time, place clover stencil on top; sprinkle surface with sanding sugar.

Arrange rounds on parchment- or nonstick baking mat-lined baking sheets. Refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes, or until ready to bake. Repeat process with remaining dough.

Bake, one sheet at a time, until edges just start to brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool completely on sheets on wire racks. Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

This recipe makes 50 cookies.

Alternative to store-bought candy eggs for those homemade Easter baskets.

Sometimes, homemade gifts mean a lot more than a pre-packaged easter basket bought at a drug store. My mom and dad, for one, are an excellent holiday theme gift givers. Even though I'm now in my late 20s, they still send me a gift for every holiday, including Easter. It's funny - I always assumed everyone's parents did this sort of thing until I started working in an office. Every time a package would arrive filled with stuffed Easter bunnies, candy eggs, the obligatory box of Peeps and other little holiday tokens, inevitably, a handful of coworkers will make comments. At first, I thought they were being snotty about my parents adorable factor, but their true feelings are always revealed. The conversations typically go like this:

Coworker: "Whoa. Who sent you that present?"
Me: "My mom and dad. Aren't they awesome?"
Coworker: "Aren't you a little old for a stuffed rabbit and a chocolate chick?"
Me: "No."
Coworker: "Is that Peter Rabbit stationery in there too?"
Me: "Sure is."
Coworker: "I wish my parents would send me presents..."

:: End scene with Mary Ann revealing a smile of satisfactory and saying "Porch Parents: 1, Other Parents: 0." ::

For those of you interested in trying to make some goodies for Easter baskets this year, hop on over to Martha Stewart Living's website - they have a recipe on homemade truffle easter eggs. Let me know if you try out this recipe - I'd love to hear about your results!

A new take on s'mores.

S'mores might be one of my favorite classic American desserts. Whether you make them around the camp fire or in the microwave, you're guaranteed a yummy snack.

While living in Scotland, one of my major homesick cravings was for s'mores. I found it difficult to find marshmallows in U.K. grocery stores, and the ones they did sell were these pastel colored concoctions that didn't melt property. They just sort of liquefied when you put them in the microwave, unlike the American version that will puff up. (I'm not sure I can really call them "American," but I've only made s'mores in two countries, one of which didn't have the right kind of marshmallows. Just go with me on this...). The puffiness allows you to smash the graham cracker on top and helps melt the chocolate. And it's just kinda satisfying to smash something.

I had talked up the s'more to my boyfriend at the time, and after the debacle with the pastel. "marshmallows," I was beginning to think he doubted the awesomeness that is the s'more. He had never heard or tasted one before, so I wasn't about to let this go. My mother was coming to visit from Oklahoma for 8 days, so when she asked if there was anything i wanted from home, I gave her the list: graham crackers, marshmallows, and Hershey's chocolate. My mother is used to my weirdness, so she didn't hesitate when she said,"Consider it done."

A week later, my groceries arrived (along with my mom), and I'd like to think that the s'more is just one thing I contributed to my motherland in the year that I lived there.

I mention this because Passover is coming up next month, and I found an interesting take on the s'more - using matzo in place of graham crackers.


Essentially, you make the matzo s'mores the same way you make the graham cracker version. The only difference is that since matzo isn't sweet like our friend the graham cracker, it's best to drizzle chocolate over the matzo and then refrigerate under set - this only takes a few minutes. Then, take some marshmallows and roast them under the broiler. Once toasted, layer the marshmallow on top of a matzo square topped with a square of chocolate. Now the fun part - smash another matzo square on top, creating a matzo sandwich a.k.a a matzo s'more.

(Recipe taken from Martha Stewart Living)

Just when you thought that old springerle mold would go to waste...

Do you know what a spingerle mold is? Neither did I until I checked out this month's issue of Martha Stewart Living.

After doing some additional research, I learned that springerle is actually a type of cookie that originated in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Springerle molds are traditionally carved from wood, but most modern day versions are plastic . According to Wikipedia, springerle means "little knights," and the molds can be traced all the back to the 14th century.

So, what better way to celebrate Easter than breaking out the ol' springerle mold that's been gathering dust (Just kidding - I'm going to have to buy one houseonthehill.net) and using it for a creative topping to your Easter cupcakes.

Here's how you do it:

Tools and Materials
Cornstarch
Fondant, room temperature (available at baking-supply stores)
Springerle mold with bunny design
Round cookie cutter


Springerle Easter Bunny Cupcakes How-To
1. Dust a work surface lightly with cornstarch. Knead fondant until soft and pliable. Roll out to 1/8 inch thick.

2. Slide springerle mold, face up, under fondant. Press fondant into mold. Slide mold out from under the fondant; flip fondant over so raised image faces up.

3. Punch out a circle around image using the cookie cutter.

Then, just lay the fondant circles on top of the cupcakes you've made using your favorite recipe. Bingo! Awesome Easter treats!

Tips: If you don't have a cookie cutter, you can use a juice glass. Fondant circles can be made up to 2 days ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature.

It's a great day when...

...my newest issue of Martha Stewart Living shows up in the mail! I never thought I would utter that sentence, but man...that woman has turned me into a craftin', bakin', domesticatin' woman. All I ask is that if I start wearing chinos and button-up, pastel shirts on a regular basis, please stage an intervention.

Moving on, this month's Living has some great Easter-inspired recipes and tips for decorating cakes, etc., which I'm going to share with you all now. This way, you'll have time to practice before Peter Rabbit makes an appearance next month.

Enjoy!