Hungarian Shortbread

I made this shortbread for the tea shop in honor of Lorant Kovac, the Hungarian flute maestro who oversaw my flute training all the way until Interlochen Arts Academy.  This recipe also brought to mind the memory of my family's trip to Budapest where we enjoyed an all-dessert buffet in Budapest. Thank you Kaye and Kunio for the summer trip to Europe, the fantastic music training and all the fantastic treats along the way!  You have taught me to live well!

Refer to the bottom photo for this recipe

Ingredients:

2 cups flour, plus more as needed
1 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt

1/2 pound unsalted, uncultured butter
1 cup sugar
2 egg yolks
3/4 cup raspberry jam

Directions:
1.  Sift together flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl, set aside
2.  In a large bowl, cream butter until fluffy, using a mixer at high speed, for about 2 minutes
3. Add sugar and egg yolks and continue mixing at high speed until sugar is dissolved and the mixture is light, about 4 minutes
4. Put mixer on low speed and gradually add flour. Mix until dough just comes together, about 1 minute.  Turn dough out onto floured surface, bringing it together with your hands. Separate into two balls, wrap in plastic wrap and freeze for at least 30 minutes but no more than 3 hours.
5. Arrange an oven rack in center of oven and preheat to 350 degrees.
6. Grease a 10" spring-form pan with butter.
7. Take one frozen ball of dough out of the freezer and using a large-holed grater, grate the dough into the bottom of the pan and pat lightly to even it out.  Spread an even layer of jam leaving a 1/2" border around the edges. Grate the second ball of dough on top (I did not use the entire ball of dough because I thought it looked like there was going to be too much shortbread).  Pat lightly to even it out.
8. Bake until golden-brown for 25-30 minutes.  Cool for 10-15 minutes and cut into wedges while still slightly warm.




 

Chocolate Chip and Sea Salt Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 3/4 cups (12 oz) all-purpose flour * best to weigh the flour
• 3/4 tsp. smallish-medium coarse sea salt 
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 2 1/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used dark chocolate chips)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 360 degrees. Cream butter, sugar, and brown sugar until it is nice and fluffy (approx. 3 minutes on medium-high speed). Add both eggs and vanilla and beat for an additional 2 minutes. 
2. Add baking soda, baking powder, salt, and flour until cookie batter is fully incorporated. 
3. Finally add chocolate chips until well distributed. The cookie batter should be somewhat thick. 
4. Drop about 2 tablespoons of dough or use a medium cookie scoop and plop the batter onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. 
5. Bake for 12-14 minutes until the edges are nice and golden brown. Remove from heat and allow the cookies to stay on the cookie sheet for an additional 2 minutes. Pick up the parchment paper with the cookies still on top and transfer to a cool non-porous surface. Allow the cookies to cool on the paper for at least 3 minutes before serving. 

Notes

If you only have table salt, use 1/2 tsp. 

*When using sea salt, you will get small crunchy flecks of salt when you bite into the cookie. The sea salt gives the cookies a nice flavor and hints of texture. 

Chocolate Cakeballs

1. Make Cake

2, Cool Cake for many hours/overnight.  Crumble into fine crumbs in a bowl and chill.

3. Make Frosting mix with cake

4. Chill for ~2-3 days

5. Make cake balls

6. Freeze overnight

7.  Make candy  coating, dip and decorate

Chocolate Cake Recipe (The cake is very good too!)

makes two 9-inch round cakes or three 8-inch round cakes

2 cups white sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans, or three 8-inch round baking pans. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large mixer bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer for 2 minutes. Mix in boiling water - the batter will be quite thin. Pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes on a wire rack, then tap the cakes out of the pans. Cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 cups confectioner's sugar4 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon milk (or more, as necessary)

1. Whip the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and milk together until smooth. 

Candy Coating:1 cup Chocolate Chips
1-2 Tablespoons Coconut butter/oil


METHOD FOR MAKING CAKE BALLS:

Directions:

Bake the cake and let it cool completely on a rack. This is a very moist cake, which is ideal for this recipe. It's best to let it cool overnight at least. When it is completely cool, break the cake into a large bowl. Crumble it with forks or your fingers until it is in fine crumbs.

In a separate bowl, whip the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and milk together until smooth. 

Pour into the cake crumbs and mix with a spoon. Then continue mixing with your fingers, kneading and mixing until fully incorporated into the cake. Check to see if it will roll into a ball. It should: this makes a very malleable, easy-to-handle cake mixture. But if it needs a little extra moisture, add milk a spoonful at a time.

When the mix is completely done, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm. You can leave the 

mix refrigerated for several days at this point. I left mine in the fridge for about two days before 

making the balls. 

How to make the balls

Prepare two large baking sheets by covering with wax paper or parchment. Take a bit of the cake mixture and roll it into a smooth ball. If you want to use the lollipop sticks, stick one into the end of each ball, pointing upward, as you put the ball back down on the sheet.  Repeat until you've used up all the  mixture. As each sheet fills up, put it in the freezer so that the balls harden.

How to decorate the balls

Melt 1 cup  chocolate chips over a warm water bath and add 1 - 1 1/2 tablespoons of coconut butter or coconut oil. Take 3-4 cake balls at a time out of the freezer, place ball on baking sheet or parchment paper and spoon melted chocolate over each cake ball and then let the chocolate harden.  If you're adding sprinkles then add them quickly before the chocolate hardens.  
Other cake ball recipes recommend dipping the cake balls into the chocolate but this was way too messy for me so i came up with this method.  It still looks good and I think it's less intense of an experience this way.  Cake balls are rich no matter what but I prefer less candy coating.  

Pumpkin Spice Cake with Mascarpone

MAKES TWO 8" CAKES or 24 cupcakes

Or two 6" cakes with enough batter left-over to fill about 9 cupcakes. 

INGREDIENTS

3 cups flour, plus more for pan
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground clove
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground green cardamom
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. salt
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
2 cups pumpkin puree

Zest of 1 orange
1¼ cups canola oil, plus more for greasing pan. (I have also used grapeseed oil)
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
8 oz. mascarpone, softened
¼ cup pistachios
¼ cup pumpkin seeds

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat an oven to 350° F. Grease and flour two 8" cake pans and set aside, or line 24 cupcake molds with baking cups.

2. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, clove, ginger, cardamom, nutmeg and salt and set aside. In another larger bowl, mix eggs, sugar, pumpkin, oil, vanilla and orange zest. Fold flour mixture into egg mixture and mix well. Divide batter between prepared pans.

3. Using a spoon, drop spoonfuls of mascarpone on tops of each cake, spaced about 2" apart and and using a toothpick or paring knife, swirl cheese into batter. 

4. Sprinkle seeds over cakes or cupcakes and bake, rotating the pans halfway through, until a toothpick inserted in the middle of each cake comes out clean, about 35 to 40 minutes for cakes or 23 minutes for cupcakes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before serving.

*I converted this recipe into cupcakes and it worked out very well- it's not as easy to do the mascarpone swirl but it's still delicious to have it in the cupcake.  I spooned a dollop of Mascarpone into each cupcake mold and used a toothpick to swirl it around as best I could.  Then, I baked the cupcakes for 2/3s the time that it takes to bake it as a cake.  This worked out well.  

** I sprinkled the tops of the cupcakes with raw pistachio butter halfway through so that it lightly toasted. I got some from a farmer's market in L.A. when i visited Erika last summer.  Since then, I've enjoyed sprinkling it on chocolate shortbread and now this item. 

Rum Cake

INGREDIENTS

2 cups flour, plus more for pan
1 ¾ cups sugar
¼ cup dry milk powder
3 tbsp. cornstarch
1 tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 cup dark rum
½ cup milk
½ cup canola oil
1 tbsp. vanilla
4 eggs

 

For GLAZE:

4 tbsp. unsalted butter, plus more for pan
1/4 cup dark rum
1/2 cup sugar

 

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat oven to 325°. Grease and flour a 10" Bundt pan; set aside.
2.Whisk together flour, 1¾ cups sugar, milk powder, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl; set aside.
3. Whisk together ½ cup rum, milk, oil, vanilla, and eggs in a medium bowl until smooth; pour over dry ingredients, and whisk until just combined.
4. Pour batter into prepared pan, and smooth top; bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 1 hour.
5. Let cool for 20 minutes, and then unmold and let cool.

* If using toasted pecans for the glaze, chop up about 1/2 cup of pecans, place on a baking sheet and bake for 7-10 minutes.

Rum Butter Syrup

1. Bring butter, remaining 1/2 cup of sugar, and 8 cup water to a boil in a 1-qt. saucepan over high heat; cook, stirring to dissolve sugar, for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in /4 cup of rum.  Mix in the toasted pecans if using. 

2 Place cooled cake, top side down, on a wire rack set over a baking sheet, and poke holes all over the bottom and sides. Slowly pour syrup all over cake;  you will end up with a delicious rum-soaked cake. Let cake cool completely before serving. 

Buttery Apple cake Tart

Yield: one thin, 11-inch cake; serves 8
Taken from: http://www.travelerslunchbox.com/journal/2009/10/2/home-is-where-the-cake-is.html

3 large tart apples, such as Granny Smith, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup (150g) plus 3 tablespoons sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks/180g) unsalted butter
1/2 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise (i.e. cut a bean in half crosswise, then split the half lengthwise)
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup (140g) all-purpose flour, sifted
1/4 teaspoon salt
Vanilla-flavored whipped cream or ice cream, for serving 

Preheat the oven to 350F Generously butter an 11-inch nonreactive tart pan or other similarly-sized glass or ceramic baking dish. Toss the apples in a bowl with the lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of the sugar. Spread the apples evenly in the prepared pan.

Combine the butter and vanilla bean in a small saucepan. Cook the butter over medium until the milk solids are light brown and the whole thing smells deeply nutty, about 7-10 minutes. Watch carefully to avoid burning.

Allow to cool for a few minutes, then remove the vanilla bean and pour the browned butter into a medium-sized bowl, scraping the black vanilla seeds and browned butter solids in too. Stir 3/4 cup sugar into the butter. Gently stir in the eggs; stir in the flour and salt just until blended. Spoon the batter evenly over the apples and spread into an even layer. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar.

Bake until lightly golden and crusty, 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack. Cut into wedges and serve from the pan warm.

Mojito Cupcakes

Mint-Infused Lime Cake:

• 1 cup soy milk or almond milk
• 10 mint leaves- ripped in half
• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour (I had to add a little more)
• 1 tbsp cornstarch- I used organic
• ¾ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• ¾ cup sugar
• Zest of 1 lime
• Juice of 1 lime
• 2 tsp dark rum- I did not have rum so I used 1 tsp Amaretto and 1 tsp rum extract as per Corey's recommendation
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Lime-Mint Frosting:

• ¼ cup vegan margarine- 
• ¼ cup vegan cream cheese
• 2 cups confectioner sugar
• juice from 1/4 of a lime
• 1/2 tbsp finely chopped fresh mint
• organic raw sugar- for garnishing (optional)

1. In a small pot/saucepan pour the soy milk and add mint leaves. Bring to a boil, then turn off and let the mint steep for about 10-15 minutes.

2. Preheat oven 350 degrees, and spray and line 1 cupcake pan. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Remove the mint leaves from the soymilk (I used a spoon) and add the sugar, oil, lime zest, lime juice and rum. Whisk until well combined. Using the same whisk, slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry whisking until the batter is smooth. DO NOT over mix. Using a ladle, ladle in the batter into the cupcake liners going up about 3/4 of the way.

3. Bake for 16-18 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

4. In a medium-sized bowl, using a hand mixer, beat the vegan butter and cream cheese until creamy and smooth. Sift in 1 cup of the powdered sugar, and beat. Sift in the 2nd cup of powdered sugar and beat until well combined. Add in the lime juice and chopped mint, and beat. Cover in plastic and store in the fridge until ready to pipe.

5. Once the cupcakes are completely cool, pipe on the frosting and sprinkle with a LITTLE bit of the raw sugar. I topped mine with fresh mint leaves and a lime rind.

Makes 9 cupcakes

Almond Butter Cookies- GF

Photo by Corey Morrow and plate by Winter Moon Pottery

(Makes 10 large Cookies)

1 cup unsalted almond butter, stirred well (I use the fresh ground almond butter from Everybody's and that makes the best texture)

3/4 cup sugar

1 large egg

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp sea salt
ginger powder and cinnamon, as you like it

3 oz dark chocolate (70% cocoa or greater), Or, dip half the cookies in a dark chocolate shell*.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium bowl. stir together the first 5 ingredients until blended. Stir in chocolate. 

Drop the dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets.

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Let cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes. Remove to a wire rack and let cool for 15 more minutes.

* Dark chocolate shell

Time: 5 minutes

7 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

2 tablespoons virgin coconut oil.

Melt the chocolate in a small metal bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir in the coconut oil and heat until dissolved, about 1 minute. 

This recipe works as hard shell to be used on ice cream but also works well for cookies. Once the almond butter cookies have cooled, I stick them in the freezer for about 10 minutes before dipping them  into the chocolate shell.

Yield: 3/4 cup

Cashew Butter Cookies- GF

I made 12 large ones out of this recipe

1 cup unsalted, creamy, organic cashew butter, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten to 3 times volume
1/2 cup chopped unsalted, roasted cashews or toasted pecans

Preheat oven to 350oF. Line cookie sheets with parchment.

If oil has separated from the cashew butter, stir until all oil is mixed in and has a smooth consistency.

In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, baking soda, and sea salt. Add cashew butter and beaten egg and stir with a large spoon until combined. Stir in chopped cashews. The dough will be a little crumbly.

Using a medium cookie scoop, drop 1 1/2-inch balls on prepared sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart. With the bottom of a glass or back of a spoon, flatten the balls to 1/2-inch thickness.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until golden brown. Cool completely on cookie sheets.

Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Black Pepper Balsamic Banana Bread

A wonderful banana bread from http://renegadekitchen.com/black-pepper-balsamic-banana-bread/

• Brown Rice Flour 3/4 cup
• Quinoa Flour 1/3 cup
• All Purpose Flour 1/3 cup
• Tapioca Flour 1/4 cup
• 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
• 2 teaspoons Cinnamon
• 1 ½ teaspoons Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• ⅔ cup Sugar
• ⅓ cup Oil (Coconut, Safflower, Sunflower…)
• 4 Ugly Brown Bananas
• 2 Eggs
• 1 tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
• ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• ⅓ cup Chopped Walnuts or Pecans
• 1 tablespoon Sugar mixed with 1 teaspoon Pepper (for topping)

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line a 9×5 loaf pan with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, measure and mix the dry ingredients (everything through the salt).
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugar and oil until well blended.
4. Add the bananas and mash/whisk/puree the mess with a wooden spoon/whisk/electric hand mixer. It doesn’t have to be completely smooth, but you don’t want chunky banana pieces floating around.
5. Add the eggs one at a time and stir to combine.
6. Add the vinegar, vanilla, and nuts and mix well.
7. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet in three batches.
8. Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan and sprinkle the top the the additional sugar/pepper mixture (this makes a lovely crust).
9. Bake the cake for one hour, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
10. Let the cake cool in the pan for 5 minutes before removing it to a wire rack to cool completely.

Applesauce Spice Cake

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter, softened (2.67 ounces)
1 egg
3/4 cup AP flour
3/4 cup wholewheat flour
1 1/2 cups applesauce
1 teaspoon allspice (I mixed equal portions clove and nutmeg)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup raisins


Frosting:
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup sourcream
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/2 chopped and toasted pecans*
(I added a drop of lemon oil)

Heat oven to 350 degrees
Spray 13x9 inch pan

1. combine sugar, butter and egg in large bowl.  Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy.
2. Reduce speed to low, add all remaining ingredients except raisins.  Beat, scraping often, until well mixed. Stir in raisins.
3. Spoon batter into prepared pans.
4.  Bake for 25-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Cool completely

Frosting:  combine all ingredients except for pecans.  Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until smooth. Frost cooled bars, sprinkle with pecans. Cut into bars.

*Heat oven to 350 degrees F. 

Spread the pecans on a baking sheet. 

Bake for about 5-8 minutes or until the pecans are lightly browned and aromatic (fancy word for smelling great).

Moroccan Lemon Cake

I tried this recipe out for the tea shop and it's VERY good (we're always testing out items that pair well with tea).  This one pairs well with a fruity green tea such as our Orange Blossom green tea.

A Moroccan style cake uses oil instead of butter because it was developed during a time when butter was expensive and/or hard to get.  Traditionally, soup bowls and tea cups were used to measure out the ingredients.


Preparation: 10 minutes
Baking time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

4 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 cups flour (I used 1 cup AP flour and 1 cup WW pastry flour)
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk (I used almond milk)
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice *I liked the version I made using 2.5 lemons
Zest from 1- 2 lemons
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a bundt or tube pan

WIth an electric mixer or by hand, beat together the eggs and sugar in a large bowl until thick.  Gradually beat in the oil.

Stir in the flour, baking powder and salt, and then the milk.  Beat until smooth, and then mix in the lemon juice, zest and vanilla.

Pour the batter into prepared pan and bake for about 40 minutes or until the cake tests done. (mine took an additional 5-10 minutes)

Allow the cake to cool on a wire rack 7-10 minutes. Loosen the cake from the sides with a spatula and then turn the cake out on the rack for cooling.


Glazes:  Traditionally this is served plain or with a very simple glaze.  I used a lemon glaze for one half of the cake and a marmalade glaze for the other half.  I then topped it with toasted pecans because toasted pecans go with anything.

Marmalade Glaze: heat 1/4 cup marmalade with 1 teaspoon of water

Lemon Glaze 2

1/3 cup lemon juice
2 cups confectinoers' sugar
2 Tablespoons butter, melted
1 Tablespoon water

Glaze: In a medium bowl, combine lemon juice and confectioners' sugar. Beat in the melted butter and 1 tablespoon water. Poke holes in the top of the cake and pour glaze over.

Perfect Earl Grey Shortbread

This is my go-to recipe for shortbread which I arrived at after working with about three different shortbread recipes..

Ingredients: 1 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 cup  rice flour     1/4 cup sugar plus extra to sprinkle on top

 2- 2 1/2 Tablespoons (0.4 oz) Earl Grey Tea, Earl Grey Creme Tea, Lavender Earl Grey or Chocolate Monkey Tea
 3/4 cup (1 1/4 stick) butter, cut into pieces   

Instructions: Preheat oven to 325 degrees.    Combine flour, rice flour, sugar, and tea in food processor bowl with knife blade attachment; pulse a few times until the tea mixes in evenly.  (Our Earl Greys have big leaves so I like to grind them up some in the mortar and pestle before adding them to the flour mixture.) Then add the butter pieces and process 20 to 30 seconds. (To mix by hand. Combine dry ingredients, then cut butter with with a pastry blender or rub butter in with fingers until no large pieces remain.)  Particles should resemble coarse crumbs. Firmly and evenly press mixture into an 8 or 9 inch round pan  Then, I greased the cookie sheet just to ensure that the pieces would come out smoothly.  Using the tines of a fork, make impressions around the edge of the dough, then prick surface evenly. Bake at 325 for 35-40 minutes or until pale brown in color. While still warm, cut with a sharp knife into wedges and if desired, sprinkle the surface lightly with a teaspoon of sugar.

Leave in the pan to cool, then lift from pan and store in airtight container. Made 8

NOTE: Still makes an acceptable cookie even if it is over processed during mixing, but not quite as flaky.

Earl Grey Chocolate Shortbread

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 - 2 1/2 Tablespoons Earl Grey tea
1 1/3 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature (next time try cold)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg yolk

Preheat oven to 325 degrees
Grease an 8 or 9-inch round cake pan (Or use cake ring)

Sift together flour, cocoa and salt.  Mix in 2 tablespoons Earl Grey tea.
In a food processor or with an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until smooth (about 1-2 minutes). Beat in the vanilla extract and egg yolk. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.  Add the flour mixture and beat until the dough forms.

Press the shortbread into the greased cake pan into an even layer onto the bottom of the pan.  I used a fork to prick evenly all around the edge of the shortbread and on each piece too.

Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the shortbread is just set and no longer looks wet.  Remove from oven and set on a wire wrack.  Score while still warm.

Topping/Glaze:

I used the chocolate shell recipe from the Almond Butter cookie recipe which is just melted chocolate and coconut butter or oil.  I warmed this up again and drizzled this over the cooled shortbread.  I used the back of a spoon to spread it evenly.  I had some raw pistachio butter (which basically looked like smashed up pistachio) and sprinkled the pistachio evenly over the shortbread.

Vegan Saffron-Rose Cupcakes with Cardamom-Rose Frosting

Ingredients

• 1 cup almond milk
• 1 tsp (about) saffron threads
• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• ¾ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ cup vegetable oil (canola or sunflower oil)
• ¾ cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp rose water

Cardamom-Rose Frosting:

• ¼ cup vegan margarine
• ¼ cup vegan cream cheese
• 2 cups confectioner sugar
• 2 tsp rose water
• 2 tsp crushed cardamom
• red food coloring
• saffron threads for garnishing (optional)

1. In a small pot/saucepan pour the almond milk and saffron threads. Bring to a boil, then turn off and let the saffron steep for about 10-15 minutes.
2. Preheat oven 350 degrees, and spray and line cupcake pan. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Once the saffron has steeped in the almond milk (milk will turn a beautiful golden-yellow color) add the sugar, oil and rose water. Whisk until well combined. 

3. Using the same whisk, slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry whisking until the batter is smooth. DO NOT over mix. Using a ladle, ladle in the batter into the cupcake liners going up about 3/4 of the way.
4. Bake for 16-18 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
FROSTING:
1. In a medium-sized bowl, using a hand mixer, beat the vegan butter and cream cheese until creamy and smooth. Sift in 1 cup of the powdered sugar, and beat. Sift in the 2nd cup of powdered sugar and beat until well combined. Add in the rose water, 1 drop of red food coloring and cardamom. Beat until well combined. Cover in plastic and store in the fridge until ready to pipe.
2. Once the cupcakes are completely cool, pipe on the frosting and sprinkle with a crushed cardamom and saffron threads.

Makes 9 cupcakes

Browned-Butter Cardamom Tea Cookies

Yield: 30 cookies when using the small 1-inch cookie scoop

1/2 lb or 1 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
2 cups flour
1/4 - 1/2 cup powdered sugar

1. Melt butter in 2-quart size saucepan over medium heat. Continue cooking, stirring constantly and watching closely, until butter just starts to turn golden brown (~5-7 minutes). Butter will get foamy and bubble.  Immediately remove from heat.  Pour into bowl and refrigerate until cool 30 minutes.

2. Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine cooled butter and sugar with mixer on medium speed until well mixed.  Add egg yolk, vanilla and cardamom, continue beating until well combined.

3.  Reduce speed to low and add flour in small batches - mix until mixture no longer crumbly and forms a dough

4.  Shape dough into 2-inch balls.  Place 1-inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.  bake for 10-12 minutes or until cookie puffs and start to turn golden-brown (cookies will have cracks on them).

5.  Immediately remove from cookie sheets and cool for  minute.

6.  Instead of rolling the cookies in powdered sugar as the original recipe suggested, I sift the powdered sugar over the plate of cookies once the cookies have cooled about 5-10 minutes.

*Browned butter can be made up ahead of time.
*If dough is dry add 1-2 Tablespoons of milk

Maple-Coconut Browned Butter Shortbread

The top shelf of the pastry display is the Maple-Coconut Browned Butter Shortbread

From: http://zoebakes.com/2008/12/09/my-grannys-maple-shortbread-christmas-cookies-a-christmas-wish-list-for-every-home-baker/

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/4 cup sifted flour
2/3 cup maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cups flaked coconut
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons dried cranberries or cherries, very finely chopped (optional)
2 tablespoons candied fruit, very finely chopped (optional)
Prepare a 9″ square baking dish with parchment paper

To make the brown butter shortbread:
In a small sauce pot heat the butter on medium heat until it boils and the butter turns a light golden color, about 3-5 minutes. Strain the butter into a medium bowl. Add the sugar and flour and mix with a spoon until well incorporated. The dough will be quite loose. Cover and refrigerate for about 10 minutes. If the dough gets too cold just let it sit out until it is soft and pliable again.

Preheat oven to 375°

Put into the pan and distribute it evenly,

cover in plastic wrap and then you can easily spread with your fingers without the dough sticking to you. Bake on a cookie sheet for 20 minutes or until the dough is a nice golden brown. Remove and allow the crust to cool on a rack while you make the maple filling.

Maple coconut filling:
In a sauce pot combine the maple syrup, salt, coconut and vanilla, cook over medium heat until boiling. Continue to cook for about a minute, add the dried and candied fruits if using.

Pour the coconut mixture over the cooled crust. Bake at 375° for about 15-20 minutes, until the coconut turns golden brown.Cool completely before removing from pan.Cut around the edges with a knife to loosen and invert onto a plate. Peel off the parchment and invert onto a cutting board. Cut into rectangular bars while still warm.