Rose Neapolitan Spritz Cookies

I wish I had OCD for something like laundry or eating celery.  But no.  I have to be obsessed with Neapolitan.  And ‘rose’ anything.

Like the Neapolitan Rose Cake.   Or the Neapolitan Chocolate Cookies Cups with Strawberry Buttercream.  I cant even tell you about all the Neapolitan desserts and Rose themed desserts I have made… well I could but lets just move on.

I aint here to bore ya.  Today.

Neapolitan Rose Spritz Cookies! from iambaker.net

Believe it or not, I have never made a basic Spritz cookie before!  They are so good, so nice and buttery and light.  Hardly what I am used to baking… which is rich, heavy, sugary flavors.  These sweet cookies have just a hint of vanilla sweetness in their buttery crispiness.

So I paired it up with an even more subtle buttercream… marshmallow.  I dont know if I can detect a marshmallow flavor, but I do love the light airy texture that the fluff provides to this particular cookies sandwich.

Here is the Marshmallow Buttercream recipe I used.

Neapolitan Rose Spritz Cookies from iambaker.net

 Then I decided to get all crazy and make chocolate and strawberry too!  Because, ya know, that whole OCD with Neapolitan and Rose thing.

Now, just a heads up in the Spritz recipe.  I tried to find an origin, or the original recipe to give someone credit, and lost an hour of my life perusing google.  So let it be known, the vanilla Spritz cookies are NOT my original recipe!  I did however make up the strawberry and chocolate versions… but am sure they are not original either.  If you know who invented these sweet treats (I have a feeling they lived before the inter-web was invented) then please let me know and I will give full credit!

This one I am crediting to my MIL until notified otherwise. ;)

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Rose Neapolitan Spritz Cookies

Ingredients

  • 1 cup room temperature butter
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
    • Strawberry Spritz:
  • 1/4 teaspoon strawberry extract
  • pink gel food coloring
    • Chocolate Spritz:
  • 1/4 cup cocoa

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 400°F. Combine butter, sugar, egg and extract in mixer. Blend at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Add flour and salt; and blend at low speed until well mixed. Divide and tint dough, if desired.
  2. To make Rose Cookie Spritz, insert a 1M or 2D tip into pastry bag. Fill bag with cookie dough. I found that if the dough was a bit warm (as in heated by the warmth from my hands) it was easier to pipe out these cookies.
  3. Bake for 5 to 8 minutes, or until slightly golden.
  4. To make Strawberry Spritz Cookies:
  5. Replace vanilla extract with 1/4 teaspoon strawberry. Tint dough with pink gel food coloring.
  6. To make Chocolate Spritz Cookies:
  7. Replace 1/4 cup of flour with 1/4 cup of cocoa. Do not use almond extract.
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Tips for success:

Do not chill the dough.  You will need it about room temperature for easier piping.

If you have ever made a Spritz cookie before, this dough should be exactly the same as that.  Like in here and here.   Piping it through a large star tip should be the same experience as using a cookie press.  This a basic recipe, with no major alterations.  If you end up adding more liquid the cookies will definitely spread and you will not have a defined shape.

I would make the chocolate dough separately and not try to divide one recipe into three.  If you do so the proportions will be off and the cookies will spread.

A reader suggested using a smaller amount in your piping bag to help it warm quicker and to allow for easier piping.  I had about 2-3 cups of dough in my pastry bag, but can see how using 1 cup at a time might be easier!

*The recipe I originally posted called for 2/3 cup of sugar, but I have since switched it to 1/2 cup.  While I found success with 2/3 cup, seems that some did not.

Since I made like 47,957 of these cookies I decided I needed to share them.  I found these fun ice cream containers and made up a handy dandy little label in photoshop.

Neapolitan Spritz Cookies: Fun Food Packaging!

Just in case you might ask, I got the strawberry extract at Walmart.  But you can also get it online, through sites like Amazon.

Strawberry Extract on Amazon

I ordered the Ice Cream containers from Sweet Bliss Containers.

The 1M tip is from Wilton and you can get them online as well. (I use mine for everything!  From cupcakes to rose cookies to my Original Rose Cakes!)

What fun treats are you sharing for Valentines Day this year?

 

· 107 Comments

Triple Chocolate Sugar Cookies with White Chocolate Buttercream

I adore sugar cookies. I love how they keep their shape and you can make anything you want out of them.

Add chocolate… and I am pretty much smitten.

This recipe was originally inspired by the brilliance that is Sprinkle Bakes. Her chocolate sugar cookie recipe has been a favorite of mine for more than a year now!

I just wanted to make some minor adjustments to include my favorite flavor of chocolate.

So I added chopped white chocolate.

And White Chocolate Buttercream on top. (Don’t click on that recipe unless you have a serious sweet tooth!)

And then they were so sweet I added Pink Himalayan Sea Salt. Yes. That was good. But I can’t decide whether I like them best with salt or no salt. And I can’t decide if its just a pregnancy thing, so I just left the salt out of the recipe and you can make the final call.

 

But do make sure you use a good quality vanilla. I have made these with imitation vanilla, and I could actually tell the difference. There seemed to be a lack of depth in the chocolate.

(Granted, I am pregnant and have super-human taste buds and smelling abilities.)

Overall, I just love the deep rich chocolate flavor of these cookies paired with the lighter white chocolate. And I also love that they are a sugar cookie, and you can use whatever shape cookie cutter you want!

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Triple Chocolate Sugar Cookies with White Chocolate Buttercream

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 sticks room temperature butter
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 cup cocoa powder
  • 2-3 ounces chopped white chocolate
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. In a stand mixer, combine room temperature butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy.
  2. Turn mixer to low, and add in egg and vanilla. Mix until just incorporated.
  3. With mixer still on low, add in flour a cup at a time. Then add in cocoa powder and then sprinkle with pinch of salt. Mix until cocoa is incorporated, then turn off mixer.
  4. Roughly chop 2-3 ounces of white chocolate (try to not use chips) and add to dough. Stir in by hand.
  5. The dough will appear to be a bit sticky.
  6. Transfer dough to a piece a parchment paper. Place another piece of parchment paper on top and roll out dough to desired thickness. (Mine were about 1/2 inch thick)
  7. Place dough (still sandwiched in parchment) in refrigerator for about an hour, or freezer for 15 minutes, until dough is firm.
  8. When ready to bake, turn oven to 350. Remove dough and then remove one side of parchment. Using your chosen cookie cutter shape, cut out cookies and place on prepared cookie sheet.
  9. After you have cut out all your cookies, roll dough scraps back together and roll out again.
  10. Bake cookies for 8-11 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature.
  11. Cover cookies in white chocolate buttercream and enjoy!
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Special Cake for a “Picky Palate”

Have you ever met Jenny?  She is the genius force behind the amazing blog, Picky Palate.

And… she is having a baby!  A few friends got together to throw a virtual baby shower, and I was fortunate enough to be able to bring a cake!

Well, did you know that sweet Jenny INVENTED the Oreo stuffed chocolate chip cookie?  You’ve seen it everywhere right… that glorious creation of a chocolate chip cookie with an entire Oreo hidden in the center?  Jenny was the Original!  Isnt that cool?

So I decided to make a cake that was as unique and as fun as she is.  Which is no easy challenge!

The outside I based on her adorable blog design.

The border is made to mimic Jenny’s pretty scalloped blog header.

The rattle is a “baby-fied”  interpretation of her knife, fork, and spoon logo.

And the inside…

A chocolate chip cookie Oreo stuffed Cake!  You totally saw that comin right?  I posted a quick “recipe” for this cake below, but be sure to check out Jenny’s Original Recipe to make mouth watering Oreo Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies!

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Oreo Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

Ingredients

  • 36 oz of cookie dough (I use the Nestle tub)
  • 14-15 Double Stuff Oroes
  • 2 cups Buttercream

Instructions

  1. In a well prepared 8in cake pan, place half of your cookie dough. Press down so that iy is a flat layer. Starting in the center, place Oreo's flat on top of cookie dough. Press down remaining cookie dough over Oreo layer.
  2. In an oven heated to 350, bake for 25-35 minutes. At 25 min. I placed an aluminum foil ring around the edge of the pan so the cookie edges would not burn, and then watched closely.
  3. Remove from oven when center is no longer shiny.
  4. Let cool and cover in buttercream.
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 So many folks love Jenny and made special treats for her!  I cant wait to stop by and see all of the beautiful creations!
Angie: Bakerella Baby Faces
Bev: Bev Cooks Horseradish Deviled Eggs
Bridget: Bake at 350 Cute as a Button Cupcakes
Cheryl: TidyMom Salted Caramel Cupcakes
Gaby: Whats Gaby Cooking Blueberry Buttermilk Cake
Heather: Heather’s Dish Perfect Pancake Bites
Julie: The Little Kitchen Mixed Berry Mint Slushies
Kathy: Panini Happy Baby Oreo Ice Cream Pies
Kristan: Confessions of a Cookbook Queen Homemade Animal Crackers
Lauren: Lauren’s Latest Mini Chocolate Lava Cakes
Maria: Two Peas and Their Pod Cookies ‘n Cream Sheet Cake
Marion: Sweetopia Baby Shower Cookie Favors
Marla: Family Fresh Cooking Blueberry Mint Agua Fresca
Michelle: Brown Eyed Baker Shrimp Nacho Bites
Robyn: Add a Pinch Blue Velvet Cake
Shaina: Food For My Family Ginger Plum Preserves
Shelly: Cookies and Cups Oreo Pop Baby Rattles
· 88 Comments

Zucchini Desserts: Three Ways!

My husband is a fabulous gardener.  Every year we get get to enjoy the fruits of his labor, and this year is no exception.  We have an abundance of zucchini, and have been eating every day since the picking began!

I would love to share with you three sweet zucchini recipes that we enjoy.

First up, White Zucchini Cake!

Recipe adapted from An Oregon Cottage.

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White Zucchini Cake

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup room temperature butter
  • 1/4 cup canola oil
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 1/2 tsp good quality vanilla
  • 3 egg whites
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 3 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2/3 cup milk (I used skim)
  • 1 cup drained (mostly dry) finely shredded zucchini
  • 1/2 tsp lemon zest

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare two 8in baking pans.
  2. In mixer with whisk attachment, combine butter, oil, sugar, vanilla and egg whites. Beat on med for 30 seconds, then on high for 2-4 minutes. You are looking for a light and fluffy sugar mixture.
  3. In separate bowl, sift together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Alternating as you go, add the flour mixture and milk to sugar mixture. Mix on low to med. until just combined. Remove bowl from mixer and add zest and zucchini. Fold in by hand.
  4. Pour batter into prepared pans and bake 25-30 minutes.
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Tips for success:

If you want an even more light and airy cake, you can beat your egg whites to a stiff and frothy consistency, then add them in at the end with the zucchini.

My thoughts on this cake were mixed.  The first bite… or that first moment when the cake meets your tastebuds… was not overwhelming.  But as soon as I finished chewing, I wanted another bite.  And then another.  This cake tastes not only sweet, but almost fresh.  Its addicting!

Its definitely a great way to change things up if you often pair zucchini with all things chocolate.  As I did in adding the chocolate frosting!  I thought it might overpower the delicate cake, but that didnt end up being the case at all.

*****

Next up to the part is Zucchini Snickers Cookies. Recipe adapted from Tasty Kitchen.

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Zucchini Snickers Cookies

Ingredients

  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup room temp butter
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1 tbsp vanilla
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 cup drained zucchini finely shredded
  • 2-4 chilled Snickers bars
  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350.
  2. In mixer add egg, butter, brown sugar, honey, and vanilla and mix on med. until well combined. In separate bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
  3. Roughly chop Snickers bars until in small pieces.
  4. Your zucchini should be one cup after it is drained. (mostly dry) I find that finely shredding up two cups typically yields one cup of drained zucchini.
  5. With mixer on low, add flour mixture to sugar mixture and mix until just combined. Remove bowl from mixer and fold in Snickers and zucchini by hand.
  6. I used a 1/4 cup measuring spoon for the cookies and placed them on a parchment lined cookie sheet.
  7. Bake for about 12 minutes.
  8. If you want to drizzle the cookies with chocolate, simply melt chips in a plastic pastry bag in thirty second intervals. After chocolate is melted, cut off tip to the bag and drizzle over cookies.
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Tips for success:

This is a big cake like cookie. Its thick and light and subtle. (unless you add four Snickers bars and drizzle with chocoalte, then its just crazy sweet)

In my original recipe I only added two Snickers bars, but I thought they needed more.  So I then decided to add up to four.  However, its very difficult to identify these cookies as zucchini based at that point, as they just taste awesomely sweet.  If you are a purist and want a clean flavor, stick with two chopped up bars.

Working with very chilled Snickers bars is best.

*****

And finally, we have Zucchini Brownies.

I think.

I adapted the recipe from allrecipes.com and they definitely call these brownies.

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Zucchini Brownies

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 1/2 cups white sugar
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups finely shredded and drained zucchini

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 and prepare a 9x13 pan.
  2. In mixer, combine oil, sugar, and vanilla until fully incorporated. (usually about 2 min on med speed)
  3. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. With mixer on low, add flour mixture to sugar mixture and mix until just combined.
  4. Remove bowl from stand and fold in zucchini by hand.
  5. Spread brownie mixture into pan and bake for 25-30 minutes.
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Tips for success:

This batter is THICK.  You will not pour it into the pan!  It reminds me of a loose cookie dough.

Dont overcook!  I pulled mine out of the over right at 25 minutes and they were perfect.

Dont get freaked out that there is no egg and no butter.  You would never know the difference.  They brownies do not lack for flavor on any level.

While I know these are called brownies, they did have a cake like quality to them.  The crumb is defiantly cake like.  However, they stick to your teeth like an ooey gooey brownie should.  So for me its a toss up… call it brownie or cake… whatever you call it they are fantastic.

Truly.  This recipe is on par with all brownie recipes I have tried.  (Well, maybe not the Oatmeal Milky Way Brownies, but those are pretty much the exception to every brownie rule, ever.)

 

 

 

 

· 81 Comments

Dark Chocolate Cookies with Champagne Buttercream

I meant to post this last week, but never was able. Please accept my sincere apologies.  I wish I could send you each some of these cookies to make amends. They are absolutely amazing.  Completely decadent.  Totally befitting an enchanting evening such a New Years Eve. I used Sprinkle Bakes [...] Read more »

· 75 Comments